Peppermint Kiss

by Marian Snowe

  Tia remembered every detail about how Meg looked with her clothes off, and she yearned to see in what wonderful ways Meg’s body had changed over the years. Meg’s hand was beneath her shirt now, worshipping her, and Tia felt like she was free-falling. Everything bled together in one spine-tinglingly erotic sensation. She ran her palms down Meg’s sides and dug her fingers into Meg’s firm bottom.

  Then Meg squawked and Tia jumped, taking her hands away like she was afraid she’d hurt her. But it wasn’t Tia’s touch that surprised Meg: it was the kitten that was now standing between her shoulder blades, his sharp little claws kneading the fabric of her Christmas sweater.

  “Ow!” Meg said, laughing. “Spruce, you have the world’s worst timing!” He mewed and settled down into a little black fluffy loaf no bigger than a grapefruit. Meg groaned and dropped her head down onto the carpet, and Tia rolled out from under her and picked the kitten up off her back.

  “We’re having a very important discussion here,” Tia said, cradling Spruce in her arms. “A grownup discussion, not one for little kitties.”

  “One that’s going to be continued without you,” Meg muttered. She stood up and took Spruce out of Tia’s hands and then went and put him over by his bed and litter box. He immediately sprang up and scampered back toward them, but by that time Meg had already yanked Tia to her feet and had her in another tight embrace.

  Tia used the momentum of rising to swing Meg around and thump her against the nearest wall. She covered Meg’s lips with her kisses, happily drowning in the peppermint scent that she now unequivocally loved.

  With the kitten barreling toward them, Meg pulled Tia toward an open door and they stumbled through, laughing and unable to keep their hands off each other for more than a millisecond. Tia nudged the door shut behind them just in time to keep Spruce from scampering through the crack.

  “Sorry, kitty,” Tia murmured. She smiled against Meg’s mouth in the darkness of the room. “I finally got her back and I can’t wait a second longer.”

  Outside in the living room, Spruce stared at the closed door for a few moments as their giggles and ardent moans grew louder. Then he padded back to the fireplace and curled up in the wrapping paper.

  The fire snapped and hissed comfortingly while the lights on the tree sparkled and the scent of hot cocoa and peppermint made the farmhouse feel, at last, like a home again.

  The End

  If you enjoyed Peppermint Kiss, you’ll love Marian’s novel Finding Her! For Nan Kellers, renting a sailboat in a storm is just one more in a string of bad decisions. On the brink of death, Nan gets rescued by the strong, beautiful Cass Finnegan, a lighthouse keeper and single mother. An immediate, red-hot passion ignites between the two women, but can their love flourish in the face of the secrets they’re both hiding? When it all comes crashing down, Cass’s daughter Annalee is caught in the middle...and the result is far more dangerous than any of them feared.

  About Author Marian Snowe

  I’m Marian Snowe, and I write character-driven lesbian romances with happy endings. I find sanctuary in stories about love, and most of all about love between women. It’s my hope to show everyone that lesbians can find true love and live happily ever after, even if media depictions of us say otherwise. In my stories, you can find complex women who overcome both internal and external struggles through their romantic journey together. I’m entranced with the natural world, from mockingbirds to yarrow blossoms to cirrocumulus clouds, and it weaves itself into my writing as my wife and I explore life together.

  Visit me online:

  https://www.facebook.com/marian.snowe

  https://twitter.com/marian_snowe

  http://mariansnowe.wordpress.com

  More from Marian Snowe:

  The Actress: Hopeful young actress Tabby Gilbert is determined to let nothing stop her rise toward fame, but she never could have predicted the talented, mysterious Moira Knox...much less being cast as her love interest. Moira’s icy attitude clashes with Tabby’s enthusiasm, and the two actresses struggle to understand one another as they act out a passionate romance on-screen. Slowly, Tabby begins to glimpse the real Moira Knox, and the chemistry they try so hard to ignore threatens to set them afire. But can love in the spotlight survive?

  Falling for You: Francesca Davies and Charlie Vega are two very different women, but when they get paired up as a team on a hit reality TV series, their fiery chemistry is immediate and intense. Both have complicated emotional baggage and neither is ready for love, but they're certainly not averse to some steamy encounters...that are bound to get them into hot water. Could they even make a real relationship work on a show that’s actually nothing like reality?

  Heart of Glass: Clara Duncan is adrift. When she abandons her old life and moves to a quiet, coastal New England town, she convinces herself that she needs nothing else...until she finds an antique porcelain urn washed up on the beach, a discovery that leads her to a beautiful historian who literally falls into her lap. The warm and enthusiastic Ginny is everything Clara could hope for, but their budding relationship is fraught with doubts. Can Clara and Ginny be together while still staying true to themselves? And why does Clara feel that unraveling the mystery behind the urn will answer the questions her own heart is asking?

  Hereafter: Detective Samantha Easton’s life was turned upside down when she was wounded in the line of duty. Sam isn’t adjusting well to her recovery, and that’s only the beginning—her near-death experience has given her the ability to see ghosts, and this goes against everything in Sam’s rational, logic-based worldview. But when Mae, a beautiful spirit with amnesia, confronts Sam with a request to help solve the mystery of her death, Sam can’t help but get involved...but soon she finds herself falling hard for Mae. How can Sam help Mae pass over when all she wants is to be with Mae forever?

  Irresistible: After her first love took off without a word, Mila Fanucci hasn’t had the heart to commit to anyone. But when her sister’s wedding brings her back to the hometown she’s avoided for years, she meets Rickie: the sexy, rebellious master chef at the new modern cuisine restaurant. Past wounds start to heal...until a missing piece from Mila’s past blows into town, she realizes that she isn’t sure of anything anymore. Can her delicious romance with Rickie survive?

  The Mountain Between Us: After quitting her tedious, dead-end job, Tess Monroe is looking forward to a vacation in the mountains. She’s certain this will be her chance for a fresh start, but when Tess slips off a steep, icy trail, her vacation and her life are in jeopardy...until she falls straight into the strong, capable arms of the world's hottest park ranger: Remy Labelle. Remy is captivating, but she’s also unpredictable and secretive, and Tess never takes chances when it comes to romance. Will Tess overcome her fear of heartbreak to try a relationship with Remy? And even if she does, can Remy drop her barriers and allow herself to love again?

  The Nature of Love: Let yourself be swept away by this collection of three romantic novellas about women who fall in love as they explore the beauty of the earth. Best-selling author Marian Snowe takes you on a journey through forests and across the waves, telling the stories of courageous women who find love where they least expect it. This collection includes the novellas Two Alone, Rescue Me, and Love Birds.

  Prairie Heart: Eleanor Higgins has an incredible talent for matchmaking—for everyone but herself. So when her best friend, Morgan, reveals she’s a lesbian too and asks for Eleanor's help to set her up on a date, Eleanor wants nothing more than to find the right lady. The thing is? Eleanor's had a crush on Morgan since forever, and has spent her entire life convincing herself that Morgan was off limits. Now Eleanor's heartbroken that this "right lady" is probably not her. Ever the great friend, she knows her own ex-girlfriend is absolutely perfect for Morgan...

  Someone Like You: Maggie Zurek, a high-powered executive, is on top of the world until a sleep-deprived car accident causes her family to send her on a forced vacation to Maine. Maggie’s too angry about missi
ng work to notice the beauty of the little island, but she can’t help but notice Delphine Moss, a free-spirited and reckless artist who challenges Maggie’s rigid ideas. In spite of herself, Maggie is entranced by Delphine’s siren song...but can two people who are so fundamentally different ever be happy together?

  Unsung Love Song: Celia Orne arrives in Florida with recent heartbreak and tragedy from her past dogging her steps, and she hopes that she can find closure in this beautiful place. But then along comes Gem, one of the most alluring (and flirtatious) women Celia has ever met. Gem’s adventurous approach to life is exactly what Celia needs, but Gem seems to be hiding something. Can Celia trust this carefree woman with her heart?

  From wife-and-wife authors

  Marian Snowe and Ruby Grandin:

  Homecoming: Scarlett McKennon’s life in the big city is a big flop, and what could be worse than limping back to her small hometown in defeat? The minute she steps off the train, Scarlett finds out: her first love, Joan, is waiting there to drive her into town, looking like the picture of sexy confidence. Joan was once a scared, self-conscious girl; now she’s come into her own as a mechanic and soccer coach, and Scarlett can’t help but wonder what might have been. As fate keeps throwing them together, both women start to wonder if they might be right for each other after all...but is the spark they both feel enough, or will their shared past prove too painful to overcome?

  The Secret Admirer: All Cara Parker wants is to be swept off her feet, but the way her life is going, that’s not happening anytime soon. She’s got a humdrum office job and a self-centered boyfriend, but those things are stable and safe. That’s worth more than silly fantasies of travel and romance, isn’t it? All that changes with the arrival of Ellery Chandler, a silver-haired corporate superstar and "most eligible lesbian in the business world." Cara’s encounter with this powerful, captivating woman starts off a series of events that challenge everything Cara thought she knew about herself, her life...and her desires.

  Stay With Me: Lynn Evans invites her controlling girlfriend on a romantic vacation in the hopes of rekindling their passion. But at the last minute, Marie bails on her, and Lynn is left all alone...except for the innkeeper, Dana, a charmingly awkward and surprisingly romantic woman who listens and appreciates every word Lynn says. As Lynn’s relationship with her girlfriend crumbles, she and Dana grow closer, and soon neither of them can deny their feelings. But Dana has sworn off falling in love...and soon the very reason for that shows up in her life again and threatens everything she and Lynn have.