“Hey. What can I get you to drink?”
They each ordered a light beer and watched the young woman bounce around to the bar to get their drinks. Andi glanced around the room nervously.
“Would you like to tell me what’s bothering you?” Gwen asked placing a hand on Andi’s wrist.
Andi jumped at the touch. She was wound so tight she could snap. As much as she wanted to have a good time with Gwen, she was exposed and reflexively defensive in the unfamiliar surroundings. She hated that Gwen was feeling that. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, you don’t seem very comfortable. You don’t seem to like it here.”
“I’m sorry. It isn’t that. I’m not used to going out.”
“You mean with a woman?”
“No. Well, yes. What I mean is that I don’t usually go out at all. I guess I’m a little out of practice.” The admission made her feel lacking, and she wondered what Gwen would think when she found out just how restricted her life really was.
“You mean you just spend all your time in Norris?”
“Pretty much,” Andi answered sheepishly. She knew the reasons for her solitude were valid, but the idea of explaining herself now made her feel like a coward. She knew she was allowing fear to stifle her life, and being with Gwen made her realize what she had been missing.
“Why?”
“I have my work. Everything I need is close by. I guess there isn’t much need for me to go anywhere else. It’s hard to explain.”
“That’s okay. I have the time. Try me.”
Andi saw the sincerity in Gwen’s eyes and thought for a moment that she could drown in the twin pools of blue. But this was not a topic she wanted to explore, not now. Right now all she wanted was to enjoy the woman she was with and have a good time. How did she explain something so terrible it belonged in a horror film? How did she tell Gwen that she could never have a normal life? “No. I really don’t want to get into it tonight.”
Gwen studied the pleading look in Andi’s eyes, longing to reach across the table and brush her fingers across the soft skin of her cheek. Watching the passage of emotions play across Andi’s face as she spoke had gotten to Gwen, and she found herself leaning in, wanting to be closer to Andi, wanting to touch her. Right now she wanted to soothe the lost and vulnerable look she saw in Andi’s eyes.
“Okay then, let’s try to relax and enjoy the special occasion. I guess I should feel honored you came out with me. Maybe you just needed the right friend to come along and shake up your routine a little. You know, since this isn’t a date and all.”
Andi smiled faintly.
Gwen decided to lighten the mood. “Let’s play pool.” She got up and fished quarters from her pocket.
Three games later, the competition was rising. Andi’d had a rough start but quickly began to show some skill. Gwen watched as Andi leaned into her shot, her focus steady as she scoped out the path of the ball. She moved behind Andi, appreciating the view. Andi’s long legs looked good in jeans and boots. For the next shot, Andi moved around the table, and Gwen noticed the way her shirt parted when she leaned over the table, revealing her tantalizing cleavage and the line of soft lace that caressed her breasts.
Gwen kept imagining her lips pressed against the supple flesh. She bit her tongue when she realized she had unconsciously licked her lips. She looked up to find Andi watching her. Gwen smirked, raising her eyebrows, confidently acknowledging what she had been thinking. They might have agreed to be friends, but that didn’t mean she could just turn off her attraction to Andi. There was no harm in looking.
Andi looked away, walked back to the table, and retrieved her beer.
Gwen continued to circle the table, checking out the options for her next shot. She knew Andi was watching her. A few shots later she strolled up to Andi who sat on her stool, waiting for her turn. Gwen allowed her hand to brush ever so gently against Andi’s thigh as she handed her the pool cue. She was enjoying Andi’s new playfulness. Every brush of Andi’s hand, every teasing smile, every unguarded glance gave Gwen a rush of pleasure building into the steady thrum of desire. She wanted to play her fingers through Andi’s hair where the subtle curls graced the edge of her face. She wanted to kiss the tender flesh below her ear and smell the tantalizing fragrance that was uniquely Andi. Andi was close enough to touch, and Gwen found herself leaning forward until her lips were only inches away. She could feel the heat of Andi’s breath, and Andi’s eyes grew dark and stormy.
“You win. I scratched on the eight ball. I guess I lost my concentration there at the end. If you want to play again, it’s your break.” Gwen tried to sound nonchalant, but inside her heart was racing.
Andi reached for the pool cue and Gwen made sure their fingers brushed. When she caught Andi’s gaze, saw a glint of attraction flicker across Andi’s face, and Andi didn’t look away, Gwen had to take the chance. She let her hand slide down the pool stick and placed her palm lightly on Andi’s knee.
Andi drew in a sharp breath, surprised by her own response to Gwen’s touch. She was sure she had caught Gwen looking at her breasts earlier, and Gwen hadn’t even flinched when she knew she was caught. Andi found the confidence dangerously attractive and wasn’t able to even feign irritation. She liked knowing Gwen was looking at her. Her face warmed as physical need began to resonate through her with each pulse of her heart. She wanted to believe she could just be friends with Gwen, but obviously being in the same room with her was enough to send her hormones into overdrive.
Gwen smiled, making Andi’s pulse jolt to a pounding rhythm that she didn’t even experience when running. When Gwen handed her the pool cue, and their fingers brushed, Andi thought she had been shocked, the sensation was so electric. Now she could feel Gwen’s fingers tighten on her knee with just enough pressure to send a jolt straight to her groin.
“What are you doing?” Andi asked, trying to sound unaffected.
Gwen’s smile only broadened. “Just being friendly.”
“Ha!” Andi scoffed. “I don’t know about where you come from, but the friends I know don’t touch like that.”
“Hmm. Okay, you got me there. But was it so bad?”
Andi took a deep breath, the muscles in her stomach tightened, and her heart pulsed a rhythm against her skin. “No. It wasn’t bad,” she admitted. Honestly, the touch had seemed so natural she had felt it all the way to her core. In that instant the past, all her fear, the people around them, all receded. Gwen was her only focus.
“Hello, ladies,” a rough, deep male voice rumbled from behind Andi. Her whole body tensed as she whipped around to confront the source.
He was a large man, tall and broad shouldered. His head and face were clean-shaven except for a bush of hair growing in a point from his chin, too wild to be a goatee. He wore faded jeans and a black T-shirt with heavy motorcycle boots. His eyes were the cold gray of steel.
Panic rose in Andi’s chest like a vise, threatening to squeeze the life from her body. Suddenly she couldn’t force air into her lungs and she felt all the blood drain from her face. The room was closing in on her.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I just wanted to see if you wanted to play my partner and me in a friendly game of pool.”
At that, a second man appeared. His hand snaked possessively around the big man’s waist and rubbed his stomach.
“Hey, girls,” he said playfully, his voice softer and higher in pitch than the first man’s.
Gwen stepped closer to Andi, putting herself between Andi and the men.
“Hey, fellas. You go ahead, I think we’re sitting this one out, but we’d love to watch you play.”
“Oh, girl, I don’t think that is anything a lady should watch,” the smaller man said with a playful harmonic laugh. “And don’t mind Bear,” he said as he pinched his partner’s nipple through his shirt. “He’s harmless. I’m David and this is Mark. Most people call me Boo, and Mark is Bear.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” Gwen said as she
shook both men’s hands.
Andi felt Gwen’s hand press against her hip where Gwen had planted it the moment the tension had whipped through her like a shot.
“I’m Gwen and this is Andi.”
“Hmm,” David said as he stepped back, running his eyes up and down both women. “You’re cute.” He grinned mischievously and bounced over to the pool table where he slapped Mark on the ass.
Gwen moved Andi back onto her stool and stood in front of her so her hips pressed against Andi’s thighs. She placed her palm against Andi’s face.
“Andi?” Gwen asked softly, lifting Andi’s face to look at her. Andi’s eyes shifted, still unfocused. She felt Gwen’s fingers brush across her cheek and gently cup her face.
“Andi, are you all right?”
Andi blinked, confused about what was happening.
“Andi?”
Andi licked her lips and tried to back away, but she was already pressed against the corner. “Sorry. I’m okay. I was just a little startled. I’m fine now.”
Andi moved her head to pull away from Gwen’s hands. Gwen’s fingers brushed lightly across her skin leaving trails of heat that lingered long after the contact was lost. She looked around the room, expecting to see anger, contempt, resentment, and hatred on the faces of the men around her. She felt confused as she watched the big man run his hand along the other’s backside. The scene was a stark contrast to what she had expected. She furrowed her brow, confused.
“They’re gay?” she asked, astounded, looking back at Gwen for confirmation.
Gwen stood close, watching her, her hand holding possessively to Andi’s hip. Andi knew Gwen had seen her fear.
Gwen nodded.
Andi tried to smile. She was embarrassed that Gwen had seen her weakness. She moved her hand to cover Gwen’s. Despite her self-consciousness, she was comforted by Gwen’s gentleness and her unhesitant protectiveness.
“I’m so sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry. How about telling me what happened just then. I get it that you don’t like to talk about personal stuff, but I want you to feel safe with me.”
Andi pressed her hand lightly against Gwen’s, allowing her fingers to curl around and take Gwen’s hand in her own, pulling it away from her body, not wanting to lose complete contact. Gwen did make her feel safe and she needed to explain. “I was hurt once, a long time ago. I almost died. It still bothers me sometimes. It’s hard for me to trust people because of what happened to me.” She squeezed Gwen’s hand. “But I do feel safe with you, Gwen.” Andi smiled uncomfortably. “See, I told you my life was complicated.” She knew she had given Gwen the CliffsNotes version of her past, and she hoped Gwen would accept that as enough for now.
“Thank you for telling me.” Gwen smiled and squeezed Andi’s hand back. “This feels nice.”
Andi’s face warmed, but she didn’t move her hand away. She kept her eyes locked on Gwen’s, mesmerized by the intensity of her gaze as she watched her pupils dilate until there was only the faintest ring of blue. She felt the heat rise into her cheeks and knew she was blushing. God, what was she doing? She pulled her hand away, reaching for her drink. She needed to put some distance between them.
Gwen took a step back and pulled her stool closer to Andi. “Do you feel like staying for a while, or do you want to go?”
Thoughts swirled around in Andi’s mind, making her dizzy. If she stayed, she had to face her fear and engage in social contact with the two men. If she chose to leave, she would be alone with Gwen, and she would most likely want to know more about what had happened in her past. Not only that, she would have to face her ever-growing need to be closer to Gwen. There was no denying the sexual energy between them. Andi wasn’t sure she was ready to face any of these things.
“It’s still early. I’m okay staying a while longer if you want.”
Gwen smiled mischievously. “You wouldn’t be afraid of going home with me, now would you?”
Andi returned the smile. “Maybe a little,” she stated shyly, dropping her gaze.
Gwen leaned in to Andi until her lips were almost touching Andi’s ear. “You never have to be afraid of me, Andi. Nothing will ever happen between us that you don’t want.”
Chapter Ten
Gwen’s breath brushed Andi’s skin, trailing ripples of electricity down her neck and arms as if she had been touched. Gwen pulled away but lingered. They were so close, all Andi had to do was sway, and their lips would touch. Andi’s eyes drifted to Gwen’s mouth and Gwen’s tongue slipped across her lips.
Andi shifted on her barstool, afraid she might lean in and kiss Gwen. The desire to taste her was almost more than she could resist. She closed her eyes and pulled back, just as David came back to their table. He was singing Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.”
“Oh, girls, you are too hot. I can feel the heat all the way across the room. How about we buy you two a beer to cool you off a little?”
Andi smiled at the young man for the first time, hiding her relief at having been interrupted and her disappointment that she hadn’t tasted Gwen’s lips. “You just want to get us tipsy so we don’t school you in pool.”
David laughed. “True, but we also wanted to make up for scaring you earlier. Bear doesn’t realize how intimidating he can be. He’s really sorry.”
Andi looked across the room at the big man. He was definitely intimidating, but she understood he wasn’t the man in her nightmares, and she couldn’t punish him for someone else’s crime. She waved him over.
“Thanks for the beer,” she said as he came up to her.
He smiled and shifted uncomfortably.
Andi saw his hesitation and discomfort. “So, I can only guess where the name Bear comes from.”
He chuckled, the ice broken. “Yeah, well, I guess I fit the description pretty well.”
“Yes,” Andi said warmly, “first impression grizzly, second impression teddy.”
Everyone laughed.
They shook hands and the tension eased.
To Andi’s surprise, she and Mark, otherwise known as Bear, got along beautifully. Once she let herself relax, she found him entertaining and playful. They teamed up against Gwen and David and won three of the four games they played. David pouted when he lost, and Mark petted and cajoled him until he relented and wrapped his gangly arms around Mark’s large frame and smacked him on the behind.
Andi kissed David lightly on the cheek as they were leaving. She realized how much she missed having friends. She’d had a good time and nothing bad had happened. It felt good to play and laugh again.
“Thanks for letting us win,” she said and winked.
David rolled his eyes. “I know my man. He loves to win, and I love to have him make it up to me.”
Andi laughed. Gwen and Mark met them at the door and they all walked out together.
At the car, Mark put his thick arms around Andi and gave her a giant hug, picking her up until her feet dangled in the air as he swung her from side to side until she laughed out loud, before setting her down again. Andi relaxed into the passenger seat, still laughing to herself.
Gwen smiled, looking over at her. “That was fun.”
Andi turned and studied Gwen, pleasantly aware of how much she had enjoyed being with her. Gwen had been patient and understanding. She had been playful, yet protective. She had made Andi laugh and forget all the hang-ups that usually got in the way of her life.
“Yes, thank you. I can’t remember the last time I had that much fun.”
“Good.” Gwen put the car in drive and headed home. As she pulled out of the parking lot she reached across and took Andi’s hand in hers.
Andi didn’t pull away. She closed her eyes and let her head relax against the headrest, sinking into the soft leather, accepting the warmth of Gwen’s fingers entwined with her own. It was dark and she knew Gwen couldn’t see her, but she could feel Gwen’s attention to her. She wondered if Gwen could sense the loosening of the tension in her muscles, the
cadence of her breathing, and perhaps the pulse of her heartbeat as it thrummed through her skin.
Perhaps it was the beer or maybe the high from the laughter, but for the first time in years, Andi wasn’t afraid. All she wanted was the feel of Gwen’s hand holding hers.
Gwen pulled the SUV into the drive. “It’s still early. Do you want me to drive you home, or can I ask you to come inside for a while?”
Andi thought for a moment, considering the possibilities if she decided to stay. A thrill surged through her body as she imagined Gwen’s lips on hers and then imagined the feel, the taste of Gwen’s tongue in her mouth. She was glad Gwen couldn’t see her blushing and even more relieved she couldn’t read her thoughts.
“I’m in no hurry. We can hang out at your place for a while. I’m not ready to go home yet.”
Gwen tightened her grip on Andi’s hand. “Good,” she said, sliding the pad of her thumb across the back of Andi’s hand in a caress.
Andi knew she should move away but couldn’t bring herself to break the contact between them. Gwen just felt too good, and she was tired of fighting her own need for closeness.
“So tell me, what’s up with you and Bear?” Gwen said teasingly.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you went from all-out fear at the sound of his voice to swinging full-body hugs by the end of the night. Not to mention, Miss Don’t-laugh-at-me-playing-pool—you two schooled us!”
Andi laughed. “Okay, so he was a little scary at first, but then I realized how adorable he is. He’s sweet.”
Gwen cocked her head to the side and cut her eyes to Andi. “I loved the names, Boo and Bear. That’s so Yogi.”
They got out of the car laughing. Zeek’s deep resonant voice could be heard eagerly announcing their welcome home.
Gwen fumbled with the keys, her hands shaking slightly. She was nervous, and that made her laugh at herself. When she managed to get the door open, Zeek bounced back in a frenzied dance, her big head pushing and bumping into Gwen and then Andi. Gwen finally managed to get her to go out into the backyard, where she eagerly sniffed and explored her territory.
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