by Aurora Rey
She glanced at the clock on the bedside table. Close to nine. It was later than she usually slept, even when up late. Graham had certainly given her a good workout.
But sleeping late meant she didn’t have the luxury of a leisurely morning. She’d finagled her way out of going to Mass, but needed to be in line for the blessing of the fleet. If she bailed on that, she’d never hear the end of it. Ever.
She ran her fingers through Graham’s hair, kissed the top of her head. Graham didn’t stir, even a little. Mat shifted in the bed. Graham’s limbs were dead weight around her. What was it about being young that allowed people to sleep like the dead? Mat chuckled. She missed those days.
She eased herself away and climbed out of bed. Graham rolled into the empty space. Mat chuckled again and headed to the kitchen. She put on coffee, then took a shower. When she emerged a few minutes later, towel secured around her waist, she found Graham sitting up in bed. She had her knees up and her arms draped around them in that way girly girls tended to do. Mat smiled. “Good morning.”
The smile Graham offered in return seemed hesitant, or maybe just shy. “Good morning.”
“I put coffee on. Can I get you a cup?”
“That would be great.” She nodded and her smile grew more confident.
“I’ll be right back.” Mat went back to the kitchen and poured two cups. “How do you take it?”
“Um, more cream and sugar than you’d think should go into a cup of coffee.”
Mat laughed at the description. She doctored one of the cups, brought them into the bedroom. “It’s not real cream, I’m afraid. I drink mine black so I only keep the powdered stuff around.”
“It’s all good.” Graham accepted the cup, took a sip. She made a face, although Mat could see she was trying not to.
“Not sweet enough?”
“It’s fine. I mean, it’s great. Thank you.”
Mat raised a brow. “You don’t have to lie. Everyone is entitled to do whatever they want with their coffee.”
Graham smirked in response. “You don’t have to lie, either. Pretty much everyone I know judges me for how I like my coffee.”
Mat spread her hands and moved them in circles around her. “This is a judgment free zone.” She took the coffee, went to the kitchen, and stirred in another heaping spoonful of sugar.
Graham took it back, sipped, smiled. “Thank you.”
“I aim to please.” Mat was pretty sure that Graham blushed at the assertion, but she didn’t look away. Instead, she bit her lip. It was the kind of gesture that made Mat want to crawl back into bed. Too bad she had places to be.
“I imagine you rarely disappoint,” Graham said.
A loaded statement for sure, but Mat didn’t figure Graham was looking to discuss the vagaries of living up to expectations. “I had a great time last night.”
Again, the shy smile. “Me, too.”
“I’m sorry to bail so early on a Sunday morning, but I have to be at the blessing of the fleet soon.”
“Of course.” Graham set the coffee aside and got out of bed. She looked around and frowned.
“I think the rest of your clothes are in my living room.”
Graham giggled. It shouldn’t have been adorable, but it was. “Right.”
Mat followed her into the living room and watched as she pulled on her clothes. “Maybe I’ll run into you again sometime?”
Graham slid into her shoes, then looked at Mat as though she was searching her face for meaning. Eventually, she nodded. “I’d like that.”
“I’m sure I’ll see you around the pier, yeah?”
Graham lifted a shoulder. “I’m there far more often than the club.”
For some reason, Mat found the statement endearing. Maybe because it was true of her as well. “We should exchange numbers, too.”
“That would be great.”
Mat grabbed her phone, adjusting her towel as it started to slip. “Okay, give me yours.” Graham did and Mat sent her a text. “Now you’ve got mine.”
“Cool. So, um, I’ll get out of your hair.” Graham started for the door, then stopped. “Purse.”
Mat grabbed it from the table and handed it to her. She took advantage of the proximity to slide a hand into Graham’s hair. “Take care.”
She told herself the kiss would be casual, brief. But Graham’s lips were so damn soft, and then she opened her mouth and it was like an invitation. Mat slid her tongue inside, enjoying the way Graham tasted like coffee, but with a hint of sweetness. Graham purred and leaned in. Her body brushed against Mat’s bare nipples and tempted Mat to ask for much more than a kiss.
Unnerved by the intensity of her reaction, she forced herself to pull away. Graham blinked a few times, clearly affected as well. Mat took a steadying breath, told herself it must be some kind of pheromone reaction.
“Have fun getting blessed.” Graham grinned and put her hand on the doorknob. “Would you care to step back before I open the door?”
Mat looked down, realized she was nude from the waist up. She shrugged. “Nah.”
That earned her a laugh. Graham opened the door and turned back one final time. “See you around.”
Mat lifted her chin in acknowledgment. “See you.”
With Graham gone, Mat finished getting dressed for the day. She grabbed her phone and realized she’d missed a text from Dom. Is the coast clear?
Mat smirked, even though he wasn’t there to see it. Just. Ready?
She watched the three dots and waited. I’ll be down in five.
* * *
Graham left Mat’s apartment and headed home. Jess was already at work, so she had no one to tell all about her exploits. Well, aside from Athena, Jess’s cat, but she was super judgy. Since Will had been with her before Mat arrived, she decided to try her instead. You’ll never guess what I did last night.
Graham got in the shower instead of waiting for a response. When she emerged, Will had answered. You met a hot woman and went home with her. The winky face that followed made it clear Will was teasing her.
Maybe I did.
The scream emoji followed, along with a demand to know what, how, and who.
Even though she and Will were on the same schedule for the week, there wasn’t much time for chatting, especially if the content of said chat wasn’t G-rated. So, an hour later, before they were both due to clock in, Graham found herself seated across from Will at a small table in The Flour Pot.
She sipped her iced chai, feeling content and maybe a little smug. The afterglow, it seemed, had a direct correlation to the quality of the sex.
“I assumed you were kidding.” Will eyed her over the rim of her latte. “But now I’m not so sure. Why do you look like the cat who ate the canary?”
Graham shrugged, let the question hang for a moment. “I had sex with the hot lobsterwoman last night.”
Will choked on her coffee. She coughed into one hand while waving the other back and forth in front of her face. When she finally stopped, her face held a mixture of concern and alarm. “You did what?”
“I went home with her. And it was amazing.”
“I don’t understand. I thought you hadn’t even met her.”
Graham tipped her head. “I hadn’t. Until last night. She showed up not long after you left.”
“Are you serious?”
She couldn’t tell if Will was surprised, or disapproving. “Please don’t get all judgmental.”
Will shook her head emphatically. “No judgment. I swear.”
“Good. I’ve never done anything even remotely like that before and I really don’t want to feel bad about it.”
“You are young and beautiful and single. You should do whatever you want that makes you happy.” Despite the positivity of the statement, Will frowned.
Graham folded her arms. “But?”
“I guess,” Will paused, clearly choosing her words carefully. “I’ve just never gotten the impression that’s what you wanted.”
&nbs
p; Graham shrugged. “Not for my whole life, obviously. But I think it might be fun for a little while. I’ve always been such a goody-two-shoes.”
“That’s not true.”
Graham gave her a withering look. “Yes, it is, and you know it.”
“Okay, maybe. But there’s nothing wrong with it.”
“Will, do you know how many women I’ve slept with?”
The look of concern turned into one of pure discomfort. Graham didn’t know if it was the fact that she’d once harbored a crush on Will or a more general case of too much information. “I don’t need to know.”
“Two. Two women. My girlfriend in college and this older doctoral student my first year of grad school. That’s it.”
“You say that like it’s something terrible, something to be ashamed of.”
Graham blew out a breath. “It’s not that. It’s just that I’m in my twenties and I want to live a little. Shouldn’t I do that now, while I still can?”
Will leaned over and put a hand on Graham’s arm. “Like I said before, I think you should do exactly what makes you happy. I don’t want you to get hurt is all.”
Graham tried not to be exasperated. Will meant well. It was actually kind of nice to have a protective older sister in her life. She decided not to harp on the implication that she was fragile or needy or any other annoying trait she despised. She wanted to revel in last night, not talk about its implications for her long-term prospects. So, instead, she offered a playful smile. “Aren’t you going to ask me for the details?”
Will winced. “You want me to, don’t you?”
“Well, I’m not going to tell Aunt Nora about it, so you’re pretty much what I’ve got.” She offered a smile. “Please?”
Will sighed dramatically. “Fine.”
“After you left the bar last night, I was hanging out, lamenting the fact that she wasn’t there. And then she was.”
“I wish I’d stuck around to get a look at this woman.”
“Will, she is so hot. There are no words to match how sexy she is.” Graham closed her eyes for a second to indulge in a mental picture.
“Did you get her name?”
“Of course I got her name. Jeez.” She gave Will a withering look. “It’s Mat. I assume that’s short for something, but I didn’t ask.”
“Ah. Last name?”
Crap. “That I did not get.”
“Oh, well. Sorry I asked. I mean, jeez.” Will’s tone was playful, along with the way she lifted her hands and moved them around.
Graham bit her lip. “I suppose I asked for that.”
Will nodded, but smiled. “You did.”
“As I was saying, she came in with a guy I later learned was her cousin. It’s the same one I’ve seen on her boat. Or maybe it’s his. I’m not sure. Anyway. I walked up to the bar, made eye contact. She introduced herself, bought me a drink.”
“Just like in the movies.”
“If you mean sexy lesbian movies, then yes. We talked for a little while. She asked if I wanted to go somewhere we could talk. We ended up at her place.”
“Are you shitting me? And that worked?” Will shook her head. “I can’t believe that actually worked.”
Graham shrugged. “Well, I’d sort of already decided to sleep with her, so I’m not sure if it’s fair to say whether or not it worked.”
“Right, right. So, you went to her place. Where does she live?”
“Sort of West End, but up a bit. Near Stop and Shop. Her family owns a multi-unit house and she’s in one of the apartments.”
“Nice.”
“It was nice. Comfortable. Less cramped than some of the places right in the middle of town. We had a drink. We made out. She took me to bed.”
“Wow.” Will leaned back and shook her head again, still seeming to be in a state of disbelief.
“I know. I had a couple of moments where I couldn’t believe what I was doing. But then I was like, why am I not doing this all the time? I could totally be a slut.” Will blanched. Graham laughed. “In a good way. Liberated woman, doing her thing. To hell with societal constraints on female sexuality.”
“Yeah.”
She could tell Will was trying to be enthusiastic, which she appreciated. “And since you’re being so supportive, I won’t even inflict the specifics on you.”
“I don’t mean to be scandalized.”
It was Graham’s turn to touch Will’s arm. “I know. I kind of like that you’re romantic and old-fashioned. That’s what I’ll want when I settle down.”
“Settle down.” Will chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Just promise me you’ll be careful.”
“Like about getting tested and stuff?” Graham winced. “Yeah. We should have talked about that. If I see her again, we’ll definitely have that conversation.”
“I was thinking about your heart. But now that you say it, that, too.” Will shook her head. “God, I don’t miss dating.”
If a tiny part of Graham agreed—longed for romance and true love—she wasn’t about to admit it. She did long for those things. Just not now. “Eh, it has its perks.”
“I believe you. Speaking of, are you going to see her again?”
Graham thought about the way Mat looked at her, touched her. “I sure as hell hope so.”
Will nodded slowly. She looked pensive, like she wanted to go along with what Graham was saying, but was having a hard time. “Shall we head out?”
“I suppose.”
They returned their dishes to the counter and headed down Commercial Street to the pier. Will’s expression remained serious. “You’re not growing bored with Provincetown, are you?”
Graham shook her head. “Of course not. I love my life, my job, my friends. I’m reveling in a little friendly diversion.”
“Okay. I just don’t want you up and leaving in search of excitement.”
Graham laughed. “That’s just it. There’s plenty of excitement here. I’ve been remiss in taking advantage of it.”
Will let out a small chuckle. “I guess that’s one way of looking at it.”
Graham gave her arm a squeeze. “Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”
Chapter Seven
Mat had every intention of calling Graham, but she decided to give it a few days. Eager beaver was not her style. And she had no desire to change that.
In spite of adhering to her casual approach in action, her thoughts had been the exact opposite. The fact of the matter was, over the course of those few days, she’d been unable to get Graham out of her head. It wasn’t just the physical, either. She’d had plenty of thoughts related to the feel of Graham under her, the look on her face as she came, the noises she’d made. But her mind had also wandered to the way she smiled or her playful spirit. They hadn’t had that much conversation, and Mat found herself wanting to get to know Graham better.
Instead of focusing on that, she directed her attention to Dom, who’d shown up at the dock with a grin on his face and a bouncy energy that hadn’t let up as they loaded bait and made their way to open water. By the time they arrived at the first trap, he’d started to whistle.
“Dude, why are you being all goofy today?” Mat moved lobsters to the banding box. “Wait, did you and Renata finally hook up?”
A slight shrug, but the smile didn’t leave Dom’s face. “Not by your standards.”
Normally, she’d rib him about the universal definition of hooking up. But he seemed genuinely happy and finding out the specifics of why seemed more important. “But by yours? Do tell.”
Dom transferred the catch, then looked at her. “I wouldn’t use the phrase hooking up at all.”
“Yes, yes. You’re noble and a romantic and all that crap. Are you going to tell me what happened or not?” She rebaited the trap and shoved it overboard.
“I stopped by her office to see if she was feeling better.”
“Please don’t tell me that’s all there is to the story. That you stood in front of her desk and made puppy eyes
.”
Dom made notations in their book. The fact that he wasn’t immediately defensive told her there was more to the story. After a beat, he said, “I asked her out. And she said yes.”
Mat slapped him on the shoulder. “I’m so proud.”
“Don’t be an ass. I know you think dates are for dorks.”
She lifted her hands defensively. “Hey, that’s not true.” That earned her a look. “Okay, maybe a little true, but I’ll have you know I’m planning a date myself.”
“Are you serious?”
Mat had told Dom about her night with Graham, but not the fact that her phone number had been burning a hole in her pocket ever since. Not that she never called women, or went out with them a second time, but usually it was for drinks and a mutual understanding of what would happen after drinks. “Yeah. So maybe I should be asking you for pointers.”
“The girl from the other night? The redhead?”
Mat nodded. “Her name is Graham. I actually saw her a couple of weeks ago on the pier. I caught her staring at me.”
“Of course you did. Let me guess. She’s been angling to go home with you ever since.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” Not that they’d talked about it. “That was the first time we spoke.”
Dom shook his head. “I know it shouldn’t surprise me at this point, but I still can’t believe you’ll go to bed with someone after one conversation.”
“You can’t be shocked that I’m planning a date and shocked that I have one-night stands.”
“All right. I’ll be shocked about the date since that’s more of a rarity for you. Tell me about it.”
Mat shrugged, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. “There’s not much to tell. I was thinking dinner, maybe at Audrey’s restaurant.”
“Nice. That’ll require reservations, though, especially if you’re thinking Friday or Saturday night. Are you going to pick her up?”
“It’s like a ten minute walk from anywhere in town.”
Dom rolled his eyes. “Not in your truck, dumbass. I mean walk to her place, then walk to the restaurant together.”
“Oh.” She’d not given it that much thought.