One Way or Another

by A. L. Brooks

  After a couple more mouthfuls, Sarah sipped her wine again, then said, “And, hey, it’s not all bad—I have a wonderful aunt, Evelyn, who is my adoptive father’s older sister. We became very close from as early as I can remember.” She smiled. “She’s an amazing woman, and she helped me out a lot when my history all got revealed. I would often spend days at her place, listening to her raucous stories of all the amazing parties she’d gone to in the sixties. She was quite the socialite, I think, and knew a lot of famous people.”

  “She sounds wonderful.”

  “Oh, she is. She’s outspoken, feisty, and I love her to bits. She never married, and she’s got some story there that I’ll get out of her one day.” She chuckled. “Evelyn’s helped me out of some difficult times, and I am so grateful she’s in my life.”

  “Do you see her often?”

  “Oh, God, yes! Like, at least twice a week. She still lives in this big house in Mile End, one of those gorgeous Georgian terraces, you know?”

  Bethany nodded, entranced.

  “She’s in her eighties now, and a little bit slower than she used to be, so she has this live-in carer, Jonathan. He’s been with her over ten years so he’s not really an employee anymore, more like an adopted son. They treat each other like shit sometimes, but they do make me laugh—they’re inseparable. God knows what they’ll do when Jonathan finally meets the man of his dreams and wants to settle down.” She sipped her wine. “Mind you, he’d probably just move his man in there and the pair of them would look after her.”

  “You love her very much, I can tell. Your face lights up talking about her.” It gave Bethany such joy to see that in Sarah after what she’d said about her adoptive parents.

  “I do, that is very true.” Sarah shook her head, smiling in bewilderment. “How did you do that? I never talk to anyone about my family, and now I’ve just told you all of it.”

  Bethany’s heart pounded. “I guess, or at least I hope, it means you feel comfortable enough with me to be able to talk about your life like that. And that you know, on some level, that you can trust me with it.”

  Sarah stared at her, then reached across the table to hold her hand. “Yes,” she said, her voice husky. “All of that.”

  Moments after the waiter had cleared their starter plates away, Sarah excused herself to the bathroom. Confessing her family history to Bethany had not been on the agenda, though it had felt strangely good talking about that painful part of her life. But now her feelings were…raw, and she needed to pull herself together so she could really enjoy the rest of the evening.

  When she returned to the table, Bethany was gazing appreciatively around the room. “This really is a beautiful place,” she said. “Have you seen how many famous faces are in the photos on the walls?”

  Sarah smiled at the almost childlike enthusiasm. “I know, it’s very cool. I love it here.”

  “So,” Bethany whispered, leaning forward until her face was only inches away, “is this where you bring all your women?”

  Sarah flinched before she saw the twinkle in Bethany’s eyes. God, this woman…

  “Oh yeah,” Sarah said, playing along. “Yep, wine them and dine them, then take them home and have my wicked way with them.”

  Bethany flushed bright pink but leaned even closer. “Well,” she murmured, “this is our fourth date, after all. Third date was the sex date, right? So we’re way behind schedule, and you owe me.”

  Sarah hung her head in defeat. Game, set, and match to Bethany.

  “Oh God, woman, you’re going to kill me. Seriously.”

  Bethany laughed, and Sarah laughed along with her, delighting in their interaction. Everything about Bethany was easy yet challenging, exciting yet strangely calming. Sarah wasn’t quite herself when she was around Bethany, but it didn’t alarm her. In fact, she positively revelled in it.

  “We could, you know.” Bethany’s voice was quiet, and Sarah only just picked up her words.

  “Could what?”

  “Go home together. Tonight.” Bethany’s eyes were wide, her cheeks still a little pink, but there was a heated desire in her expression that had Sarah’s breath catching in her already constricted throat.

  “Are…are you serious?” she squeaked.

  “Ladies,” the waiter said, placing two plates of steaming food in front of them, “your mains.”

  Chapter 14

  Bethany waited until their meals had been served, and the waiter had departed, before she dared to speak again. She was feeling a strange mix of bold and nervous, and it was tying her stomach in knots. Which wasn’t the best feeling to have when a plate of delicious-looking sea bass had just been placed in front of her.

  Hoping her voice wouldn’t croak, she leaned in and said, “Yes, I am serious. If you still think it’s too soon, and would like some more time, then of course I will wait. But I meant what I said last Saturday—you don’t have to go slow on my account. Not anymore.”

  She smiled as Sarah’s mouth dropped open, and leaned further forward to place a finger firmly underneath her chin, popping it closed again.

  “I want you, Sarah. I just wanted to make that clear.”

  And oh my, how she did want her. Sarah looked so good tonight, and the intimate conversation had only deepened their connection. The way Sarah had let a little of her vulnerability show through that confident exterior spread a warmth through Bethany’s chest. And simmering nicely in the back of her mind were fantasies of how much she’d like to unravel Sarah, delve beneath that sometimes hard shell to find out just how soft she was when it got stripped away.

  Sarah was staring at her, and Bethany saw her swallow before responding. “Bethany, you… I love how you don’t hold back. It’s intoxicating.”

  Sarah blushed, and Bethany swelled with pride. She’d done that.

  “This is going to take some getting used to,” Sarah continued, shaking her head and chuckling softly.

  “What?”

  “Being outplayed.” Sarah grinned sheepishly.

  Bethany laughed, that feeling of pride extending beyond her chest to every part of her body. “Well, I have no plans to stop—so yes, you do need to get used to it.”

  Inside she was a bag of nerves, but outside she knew she was projecting a calm and confident poise. There was something about being with Sarah, especially since their picnic last week. Something Bethany couldn’t begin to identify, but that both gave her an outlet for her innermost wishes—to take the lead, to be the one bringing her partner to her knees with desire, to act as if she knew exactly what she was doing—and, at the same time, had her dreading she’d chicken out when they finally did make it to a bedroom. Or that Sarah would exert her natural confidence in the bedroom as well as she did in settings such as the sex shop where they’d met. That wouldn’t necessarily mean Bethany wouldn’t enjoy herself, she was sure. But she was so ready to act on her fantasies that she felt like a firework on a very short fuse.

  Sarah shook her head and picked up her fork. “I think I’d better eat this.” She gestured at her dish of monkfish and tiger prawns. “Partly to give me a breather from this charged atmosphere.” She smirked at Bethany. “And partly because it sounds like I may need some energy later.”

  Bethany swallowed hard as her clit leaped to attention.

  Sarah placed her hand in the small of Bethany’s back as they passed through the door from the restaurant to the street. Her touch was warm even through the fabric of the dress, making Bethany’s skin tingle.

  Every word, every touch since Bethany’s bold statement had been this electrifying. And she was quite sure she wasn’t the only one affected that way. Sarah had worn a somewhat dazed look the entire time they’d eaten their mains, and they hadn’t had that much to drink, so Bethany knew the wine wasn’t to blame.

  She turned to smile at Sarah, and the heat in Sarah’s eyes nearly made
her falter. Could she do this? Suddenly the practicalities of having her first sex in seven years set her heart pounding. Her body—her naked body—was about to go on display in front of someone else. She’d kept up with a personal grooming regime for a while now, so that element wasn’t contributing greatly to her nerves. But the thought of all of her being exposed, and someone else’s equally bare body presented before her, had her quivering. Was it nerves or excitement?

  “Bethany?” Sarah’s voice broke into her thoughts. “Are you okay?”

  “Um, yes. I’m fine.”

  Sarah tilted her head. “I was talking to you, but you looked sort of out of it.”

  Bethany flushed. “Oh God, sorry! I… Yes, I drifted off for a few moments there. I’m so sorry.” Her words came out in a rush and she clamped her lips shut to stop the flow.

  Sarah stepped closer, the street lamp casting a soft orange glow on her dark hair. “Are you sure you’re okay?” She rubbed a thumb over the back of Bethany’s hand. “You know, we don’t have to do this tonight. It’s okay.”

  Bethany closed her eyes and took a breath. Come on, get a grip!

  “I have to admit,” she said, her voice catching slightly, “I am a little nervous, I think. I mean, I’m excited too, but, you know, it has been a while.”

  And I have a desire that I want to express but I don’t know if it’s something you would want, and I have no idea how to start that conversation.

  “Maybe I am being a bit hasty.” She dropped her head. Ugh, this is all going wrong.

  Why couldn’t she just go through with it? If she let her worries keep getting in the way, she’d never find out if she could have what she wanted. And she wanted Sarah—that much was certain.

  Sarah stepped back. “Then we’ll wait,” she said, smiling encouragingly. “I said it before, and I meant it—I don’t need to rush this. Not with you.”

  Bethany wrung her hands together. “I know, but I really want this.” She snorted out a laugh. “Being this forthright with you, and saying all those things I said over dinner—I mean them, and I do feel all that. But now, standing out here”—she gestured at the bustling little street—“knowing we just need to get on the Tube together to make all of that real, I suddenly feel as if I am paralysed. It’s embarrassing.”

  “Oh, hey. No, it’s not,” Sarah whispered, moving close again and wrapping her arms slowly and carefully around Bethany’s waist.

  The circle of Sarah’s arms grounded her, and the warmth of her embrace sent shivers skittering across Bethany’s exposed skin.

  “And,” she whispered in Bethany’s ear, “I’m nervous too.” She leaned back slightly so their eyes met. “You’re the first woman I’ve allowed this close to me in years, and I don’t want to do anything to push you away. I like what we have going on. I don’t want anything to spoil that, and like I keep saying, there’s no way I want to rush you into something you’re not ready for.” She chuckled. “And believe me, that’s something I never thought I’d be saying.”

  Bethany squeezed Sarah tight, relishing the sensation of her body pressed so close, her breathing soft and gentle in front of Bethany’s lips. “We’re a pair, aren’t we?”

  Sarah laughed, nuzzling Bethany’s nose with her own. “Yep, we are. But we’ll get there. Don’t worry. And when we do, that’s when it will be right. Okay?”

  “Sarah,” Bethany murmured, noticing how little flecks shimmered in her brown eyes in the light from the street lamp.

  “Yes?”

  “Kiss me.”

  Sarah moaned softly, but it carried a depth of emotion that belied its volume. Without hesitating, she pressed her lips against Bethany’s, and moments later their mouths parted and their tongues met. The kiss was long, and deep, and Bethany’s heart rate soared as exquisite sensations washed over her in response. She pulled Sarah even closer, kissing her with an intensity she couldn’t have tempered if she’d tried.

  “Jeez, get a room, girls!”

  The words, shouted from somewhere behind Sarah, were followed by the cackle of many voices laughing, although not nastily. Sarah and Bethany pulled apart, blushing, and then joined in the laughter as the group of young women passed.

  “Think that’s our cue to go home?” Sarah asked, her fingers stroking a delicate path down one of Bethany’s cheeks to her jawline.

  “Probably.” Bethany shuffled on the spot. “I had a wonderful evening. Thank you.”

  Sarah nodded enthusiastically. “Me too. Very much so.”

  “Can I…can I call you later, when I get in? Just to say goodnight?”

  Did that sound pathetic?

  “I’d like that. A lot,” Sarah said, beaming.

  Bethany sighed with relief. “Great. Okay, so I’m going that way.” She pointed behind Sarah at Leicester Square in the distance.

  “And I’m going that way.” Sarah pointed in the opposite direction. She leaned forward and kissed Bethany, gently this time, her lips soft and slow. “Get home safe,” she whispered as she pulled back again.

  Sarah pushed the door to her flat closed behind her and leaned back against it, shaking her head and laughing to herself.

  What an evening. Bethany continued to surprise her, continued to fill every one of Sarah’s senses with her presence and energy. Walking across the open-plan room to the kitchen area, Sarah dropped her handbag on the counter. She pulled out her phone and tucked it in her trouser pocket, then opened the fridge, reaching for a bottle of water.

  It was a sticky night, and she moved to the balcony after slugging down two large mouthfuls of water. Out on the decking, she gazed down at the dark water below her. Limehouse Basin itself was quiet, the only sounds being those of cables clinking against boat masts in the gentle evening breeze, and occasional soft splashes in the water. A couple of flats across the way from hers had music playing, but not that loud; the sound simply carried across the water easier than it would have on a busy street. She sipped her water, her gaze unfocused as she thought back over the evening.

  Her phone beeped, and she quickly pulled it out.

  It was a text message from Jonathan, and she grinned as she read it.

  I don’t care what time you get home, CALL me and tell me everything xx

  She hit the call icon and he answered on the first ring.

  “Before you say anything, is she there with you now?” he said, words tumbling over each other in their rush to be heard.

  “No!” she replied, aghast. “If she was do you think I’d be calling you?”

  “Well, okay. Fair point.” He gasped. “Wait, seriously? You didn’t bring her home? Or go home with her?”

  “Nope,” Sarah said, grinning.

  “Oh my, who are you, and what have you done with Sarah?”

  She laughed. “This is a new era. A new me.”

  A thrill shot through her at those words. She did feel new, and it felt great.

  “Colour me impressed,” he said. “Wait, I need wine for this.”

  She heard the sounds of him opening a bottle, the muted pop of the cork unmistakeable even down a phone line, then the sound of liquid sloshing into a glass.

  “There,” he said, slurping, “that’s better.”

  “Comfy now, are we?”

  “Perfectly,” he said. “Your aunt’s in bed. Tell me everything.”

  Sarah guffawed, then sipped her water before launching into a description of how the evening had unfolded.

  “Oh. My. God. You told her about your parents?”

  “I know! Trust me, I never thought that was on the menu tonight.”

  “Wow. I mean, just, wow.”

  “Listen, I’m almost as shocked about this as you are. But, you know what? This, whatever this is between me and Bethany, is making me really happy. Really happy.”

  Jonathan sniffed.

  �
��Oh, crap,” Sarah said. “You’re not crying, are you?”

  “I might be,” came a small voice, accompanied by more sniffles.

  “Oh, Jonathan…”

  “Oh, just ignore me. It’s hormones or something.”

  “I feel…light,” she whispered. “And happy. And I can’t seem to stop smiling.”

  She grinned again, gazing out at the calming water below, her heart swelling with sensations she couldn’t put a name to.

  “You know, Sarah,” Jonathan’s voice was now very serious, “I am so impressed you were able to hold back your usual tendency to rush the physical side of things.”

  She chuckled and exhaled a long breath. “Yep. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t easy, especially when she made it clear she was more than willing to hit the fast-forward button.”

  “Really? I assumed these primary school teachers were all quiet and demure.”

  “Hah! Not this one, trust me.” Sarah lost focus for a moment as images of Bethany leaning across the table to proposition her swept into her mind. “But I just knew waiting was the right thing to do.” She shook her head. “Still can’t believe I did though.”

  “I am so proud of you, you know. And thank you, that was an excellent progress report.”

  She laughed. “You’re welcome. Tell me, is this a new thing? Do I need to report back after every date?”

  “Possibly.” Jonathan sniggered. “Depends on what your next step is.”

  “My next step is to wait for her to call me in a while, once she’s home. She wanted…” Oh God, how much was he going to rib her if she admitted this? “She wanted to call me to say goodnight.”

  “Oh, that’s it. I’m done. Pass me the Kleenex.”

  He made exaggerated sobbing noises in her ear and she snorted with laughter.

  “Fuck off. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  “You will, darling. Say hi to Bethany for me!”

  Shaking her head, she ended the call and put the phone down on the small table on the deck. She had just finished her bottle of water when it rang, and she smiled when she saw Bethany’s number appear in the caller display.