Magnetic (11 page)

“Children, stay on the trail,” Molly chided when Jenny cut into the brush to avoid being caught by Ronnie. She slowed her step and waited for Layne and Stick to catch up. “I’m willing to bet they’ll both be full of mud and thorns by the time we get back to the cabins. If that’s the case, Jen will be bunking with you, Layne.”

“For better or for worse, Jenny is yours, Mol. You’ll have to contend with her nasty butt.”

“And Stacy with Ronnie’s.” Molly looked at Layne. “This is the closest I’ve ever seen Ronnie get to anyone despite her bravado, don’t you agree?” Layne nodded and looked away, and Molly focused her attention on Stick. “I enjoyed your sightseeing tour today. I know Layne is sorry she missed out.”

“I’ll make it up to her. I have a day off every now and then.” Stick squeezed Layne’s waist.

Layne felt she was being bulldozed into Stick’s arms by everyone. She resented being talked about as though she weren’t there or didn’t have an opinion of her own. Irritation crept up her spine as she recalled how Molly had regarded her when she returned from the dance floor to the table. “Stick, do you mind if I have a few minutes alone with Molly?” Stick came to an abrupt halt, and Layne almost felt sorry for the disappointed expression she saw on her face.

“Sure, would you like to keep the box?”

“No, but thank you very much for trying to keep me dry. I had a nice time.”

“Me too, good night.”

Molly stood at Layne’s side as they watched Stick walk away. “I think you hurt her feelings.”

“I had just told her on the dance floor that I wasn’t interested in anything more than friendship. You knew I was going to do that, but you and Ronnie seem determined to jam us together. Why?”

Rivulets of water streamed down Molly’s face as she regarded Layne. “I know you better than anyone aside from Jenny. You’re paying too much attention to Stacy. You stared at her the whole time you were on the dance floor. Ronnie isn’t blind. She’s going to notice.”

“I’m attracted to her, that’s why I slept with her. Can you honestly expect me to not even look?”

“It’s the way you look at her, Layne, and what makes it worse is she looks at you the same way. I think Ronnie has feelings for her.”

“And mine don’t count?”

“You know what? No, not at this point,” Molly countered with a shake of her head. “You did what you did with Stacy, and you walked away, never expecting to see her again. Now this sucks, I know that, but she’s with Ronnie. Whatever you’re feeling, you need to shut it down before it gets stronger, or you’re going to screw up a deep friendship over this.”

Layne closed her eyes and leaned her head back. Rain soaked her face and cooled her ire. “You’re right. I’m just so out of my element. I don’t want to like her, but the more I get to know her, I do.”

Molly touched Layne’s face. “I’m sorry to be so brutally honest. I just wanted to wake you up. I don’t want our family to break apart.”

“It won’t,” Layne said with a sad smile. “I promise.”

They found Stacy standing on the trail with a hand on her hip. Dim light from a small lamp hanging from a post illuminated two writhing bodies in the mud. “In your face,” Jenny said with a laugh as she rolled astride Ronnie and slicked back her hair with mud.

Stacy looked at Molly. “Which one is yours?”

“I can’t really be certain at the moment,” Molly said with a laugh.

“Which one is yours?”
The question meant in jest hit Layne hard. “Well, you two are more than capable of sorting this out yourselves. Good night,” she said as she walked away without looking back. “Good night, mudbugs.”

Chapter 11

“Why are you wearing clothes?” Ronnie asked Stacy as she climbed into the bed fresh from her shower.

“I drank too much beer. I feel bloated.”

Ronnie ran her hand under Stacy’s T-shirt and over her stomach. “It’s still nice and flat.” She kissed Stacy, then plunged her tongue deep into her mouth, moaning as her hand moved beneath the waistband of Stacy’s shorts.

Give in and enjoy it, Stacy thought as Ronnie broke the kiss and began nibbling the side of her neck.
Forget Layne. You will never have her again
.

Ronnie moved on top of Stacy, teasing her nipple with her teeth through the material of the shirt. Stacy’s body started to respond as she tried to force her mind to disengage.

“Have you ever had a threesome?”

Stacy’s eyes flew open. “A what?”

“A ménage à
trois
.” Ronnie pulled Stacy’s shirt up and put her mouth on her skin.

“Ah, no.”

Ronnie kissed her way down Stacy’s stomach. “Would you be opposed to it?”

“That would depend on who it was with.”

Ronnie paused and looked up at Stacy. “Most certainly me.” Her tongue resumed its pleasurable route.

“Who else?”

“I could see myself between you and Stick.”

Stacy grabbed Ronnie by the shoulder. “Stick. Are you telling me you want to fuck her? Because you don’t have to ask my permission. Layne’s maybe since those two seem to be hitting it off.”

Ronnie rested her chin on Stacy’s abdomen. “I think it would be totally hot to see you two go at it. All of that muscle, all of that strength.”

“Stick does nothing for me.” Stacy scooted from beneath Ronnie and put her back against the headboard. “But if you’re not worried about pissing off your best friend, then go ahead and do her.”

“Are you pissed?” Ronnie asked with a smile as she rose up on all fours. “You are. It’s written all over your face.”

Stacy waved a hand. “Do what you want to do.”

“Right now, I want to do you.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Stacy said with a sigh. “I know we have no commitments and that’s fine, but it’s a real buzz killer when I’m in bed with a woman and she’s talking about someone else.”

Ronnie sat back. “I’m adventurous. I thought we both were.”

“Stick is a big turnoff for me. I think she’s all talk, and between the sheets, she’s probably a limp noodle.” Stacy debated telling Ronnie about Layne. At dinner the other night, she knew Layne was on the verge. She’d even tried to help her by continuing the conversation, but it was obvious by then Layne had lost her nerve.

Ronnie sighed deeply. “I’m afraid you’re getting bored. Since we’ve been here, you seem uninterested. I’m trying to spice things up. There’s nothing I won’t do to please you sexually.” Ronnie looked more vulnerable at that moment than Stacy had ever seen her. She moved up and wrapped her arms around Stacy’s waist as she laid her head on her chest. “I don’t want Stick.”

“I’m tired, that’s all.” Stacy kissed the top of her head and closed her eyes, feeling guilty for lying and, like Layne, losing her nerve when the opportunity presented itself to be honest.

*******

Layne had risen early and was one of the first to arrive at the mess hall. She ate quickly, hoping not to run into Stick. Afterward, she started down the trail to her cabin and diverted when she saw Molly and Ronnie headed her way. She wanted time alone outside of her cabin. “Okay, if there are any creatures hiding in the brush around here, I’d greatly appreciate it if you didn’t make your presence known,” she whispered as she walked along briskly.

She was still stinging from Molly’s rebuke, even though Molly was right. There was no use risking a longtime friendship over a woman she barely knew. It would be easier for her to forget Stacy if she didn’t have to look at her every single day. What made it worse was Stacy was looking back.
It’s the way you look at her, Layne, and what makes it worse is she looks at you the same way.
Molly’s words had burned in her mind for a long time the previous night as Layne hoped for sleep. And they were the first to cross her mind when she woke up that morning.

Layne came to a fork in the trail and took the right, wondering if it would lead around to her cabin. She felt a little less intimidated by the wildlife as she noticed other cabins surrounding her in the woods. As she studied them, she suddenly became aware of someone running up on her fast. Layne whirled and came face-to-face with Stacy. “What’re you doing?”

Stacy’s face and hair were soaked with sweat. “Running.”

“Oh, God, from what?” Layne said in horror as she took off.

Stacy caught up with her quickly and pulled her to a stop. “Layne, I was exercising. There’s nothing behind me.”

“Oh.” Layne felt stupid as she put a hand to her chest. “I’m a little edgy being out here,” she said as she looked around. “I don’t do nature.”

Stacy tried to stifle a laugh. “You really are a city girl.”

Layne took a deep breath and felt her heart begin to go back to its normal rate. “There are bears out here. You’re not afraid?”

“No.” Stacy wiped the sweat from her face with both hands and smoothed them over her shorts. “It’s a beautiful place. I keep trying to memorize all the colors, so I can paint them when I get home.”

Stacy was sweating profusely and still she smelled good to Layne. “Okay, well, don’t let me stop you. Run on.”

Stacy stepped back and put her hands over her head and inhaled deeply. “Where’re you going?”

“I don’t really know, to tell you the truth. I was just…walking.”

“I’ll walk with you. I need to cool down anyway.”

This was just what Layne needed to avoid. “Uh, good. Maybe you can help me find Stick. She’s offered to take me for a stroll on the trails.”

Stacy’s face clouded. “Oh, yeah, she’ll take you on the trails all right.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re no stranger to innuendo, Layne. You know exactly what it means,” Stacy said nonchalantly as she started to walk off, then stopped. “When we talked yesterday, I got the impression that you weren’t…” Stacy shook her head and began walking again.

“Wait,” Layne said as she grabbed her arm. “That I wasn’t what?”

“Into casual flings, that what happened between us was an exception because you were hurting.”

Layne tilted her head to the side. “That’s right, but really, who are you to judge?” Layne knew she was making Stacy mad, and she wanted to be angry, too. It would make it all so much easier to deal with. “You know my reasons for what I did, but what were yours?”

Stacy stared at her for a moment and wrenched her arm away. She turned and jogged up the trail, leaving Layne behind. The anger Layne had wanted refused to come. Instead Stacy’s reaction to the comment about Stick intrigued her.

Layne ambled on at a lazy pace. “Think about anything else, work,” she said aloud as she looked up at the sky barely visible through the thick foliage.

They’re at
Bettenford
right now
. Layne had never missed a trip with Calloway. She’d always been the one to make the introductory speeches before the training began. She’d stare out into the audience, judging carefully the facial expressions of those around her. She noted the bored, the aggravated, those who looked curious and took great pride at the end of their training sessions when those same people were all enthusiastic and ready to get to work. Those people she could work with. She knew how to handle conflict in the workplace, but in her personal life…especially right then, she was at a total loss because the conflict resided in her.

*******

Stacy focused on her breathing as her feet hit the packed dirt trail rhythmically. After the encounter with Layne, she needed to run again to purge the myriad emotions that washed through her, all culminating in frustration. She’d told herself that what she saw in Layne’s eyes was just wishful thinking on her part. But there were moments like the one they just experienced that every fiber in her being screamed out that it was not a delusion. And therein lay the frustration.