Magnetic (22 page)

“I like raspberry cheesecake frozen yogurt. Have you tried it?”

Layne’s eyes glassed over. “This isn’t helping.”

Stacy stood and gathered the plates. “Stay right there. You can’t be trusted at the sink. After I clean up, we’ll play a game.”

“Pin the tail on the donkey, hide-and-seek, even Scrabble sounds very sexual to me at the moment.” Layne looked at Stacy’s butt. It struck her then that she sounded just like Alana. She wondered if sexual depravity was contagious, perhaps Stacy was a carrier. “I feel bad just sitting here watching you clean up.”

“I feel better with the bar between us. You stay over there. Better yet, go sit on the couch. I can’t look at you right now.”

Layne grinned as she got up and went to the sofa. She felt desired, wanted, sexy; it was a heady brew.

“This game,” Stacy began as she walked into the room, “is very simple. I will ask you questions. You cannot ask any. Your answers must be brief unless I ask you to expound.” Stacy smiled as she sat and tucked a leg beneath her. “You get a kiss for every answer I like, but you have to tell the truth. Promise?”

“This is a totally one-sided deal. When do I get to ask my questions?”

“Another night.” Stacy licked her lips. “Will you agree to these terms?”

Layne sighed and looked at the ceiling. “I know my integrity is going to be sorely tested here, but yes, I promise.”

“We’ll start with something easy. When is your birthday?”

“June twenty-fifth. Do I have to state the year?”

Stacy leaned in and kissed Layne. “You’re in trouble, little Cancer. You’ve already broken the rules, but I went easy on you, and yes.”

“Nineteen seventy-five.” Layne bit her lip to keep from saying more.

Stacy kissed her again. “Two years older than me, and before you ask, mine is March seventh.” Stacy looked at Layne with a hint of mischief in her eyes. “What color is the bra you’re wearing?”

Layne grinned before pulling up her shirt.

Stacy groaned. “Oh, I asked for that, didn’t I?” And Layne was rewarded with another kiss. “Are you originally from New Orleans?”

“Yes.”

Layne pointed to her lips when Stacy made no move to kiss her.

“That answer was good, but I can’t say that it inspired me.”

Please ask me better questions
, Layne screamed in her own head as she stared at Stacy’s mouth.

“When did you realize that you were a lesbian?”

“I was seventeen.”

Stacy grinned. “You may expound. Was there an encounter that brought on this revelation?”

“Yes.” Layne grinned and pointed to her lips.

“You’re a little shit, already manipulating the game.” Stacy leaned in and kissed Layne, nipping at her bottom lip. “Elaborate.”

“I’d always been attracted to girls, but growing up in the Stone household, I thought lightning would strike me if I dwelled on it too much. On my senior trip, we went to a wild party, and a girl who I’d known in school but wasn’t very close to acted on a dare. Her boyfriend challenged her to kiss a girl, and I just happened to be close by. Both of our lives changed that night. I stopped kidding myself, and she got pregnant.”

Stacy’s brow rose as she laughed. “Must’ve been one hell of a kiss. Am I a better kisser?”

“Absolutely.” That answer earned Layne another kiss, and it was toe curling.

“What did you first notice about me?”

“Your hair.”

Stacy ran a hand through it. “Was that good or bad?”

“Good.”

“Elaborate.”

“Everyone at those stuffy parties is just so…tightly put together. But your hair was so wild and wavy with loose curls like it is now. You looked like you’d just spent hours having sex. It was very alluring.”

Stacy smiled as she ran her fingers over the side of Layne’s neck and pulled her close. The kiss was deep and long and left Layne light-headed.

“Sex toys, do you like them?”

“Yes.”

Layne held her sigh as Stacy kissed her deeply again. She clenched her fists to keep from grabbing Stacy and pulling her closer.

“There’s so much I want to do to you,” Stacy said barely above a whisper, “and so much I want you to do to me.”

Question, damn it!
Layne turned away from Stacy’s gaze fearful that she’d crack and demand to know exactly what Stacy wanted. Her mind began to race with all sorts of delicious possibilities.

“How restrained do you feel now?”

“Not very,” Layne said with tension in her voice.

Stacy kissed her again teasingly, first letting the tip of her tongue graze Layne’s lips. “If I allowed you to do one thing to me right now, what would it be?”

Layne inhaled sharply before saying, “I’d love to taste you.”

This answer obviously inspired Stacy because she kissed her hard and pulled away just before Layne became completely unraveled. “Do you want to know what I’d do to you?”

“Yes!”

Stacy stared into Layne’s eyes. “What colors do you see right now?”

“Red, burgundy, deep purples.”

Stacy’s kiss was hot and sweet at the same time. “I’d show
you red
by teasing every sensitive spot you’ve revealed thus far with my mouth and tongue.” Stacy leaned in close so that her breath fell against Layne’s cheek and neck. “I’d show you burgundy by taking you in every position imaginable. And, Layne…I’d show you all the shades of purple by making you come harder than you ever have before.”

“That’s more than one thing,” Layne said breathlessly as she grabbed Stacy.

“Aw, sweetie, game over.” Stacy pulled away and stood.

“You’re not seriously going to leave now, are you?” Layne asked incredulously as Stacy picked up her keys and walked to the door.

“I’d seriously love to do everything I just told you, but what I want more is for you to trust me. I gave you my word that I would not let things get physical, so I have to leave.”

“Oh, you play rough.”

“Yes, I do,” Stacy said with a smile. “Don’t get up.”

Layne sank back down onto the couch. “And you don’t play fair.”

“No, I didn’t, but I wanted you to invite me back tomorrow night.”

Layne grinned despite the ache that had taken over her entire body. “As soon as you get off work.”

“See you at seven.” Stacy opened the door. “Good night, Layne.”

“That’s your opinion,” Layne said with a heavy sigh.

Chapter 24

“Wake up.”

“I am awake,” Layne said with a yawn and looked at the clock beside her bed, “now that is.”

“
Mol’s
at her group meeting. She laid out a banana and a granola bar for me to have for breakfast since I went crazy on vacation. I want pancakes.”

“I’ve got mix—”

“From IHOP with the fruit and whipped cream. How soon can you be dressed?”

“Oh, damn. I’ll skip the shower and throw on a baseball cap for that,” Layne said, sitting up.

“Do it. I’ll be there in a few. Be ready to jump in the car when I pull up.”

Layne brushed her teeth, scrambled into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, and grabbed her ball cap as she raced out the front door. Jenny had not bothered to pull into the driveway but sat in the street gunning the engine. “I thought you’d never come out,” she said as Layne jumped into the car, and she took off before the door closed. “It could be crowded. I want you to limp so the hostess will feel sorry for us.”

“I draw the line at the limp, and if you do it, I’ll pretend not to know you.”

“Sometimes, you’re so cruel. How was Seattle?”

“I need coffee before I go into that fiasco.”

Jenny floored her Corolla to make it through a yellow light. “Okay, how about your love life?”

Layne glanced at her. “I know Molly told you everything. Coffee will be required for that conversation, too. Are you going to lecture me?” Layne asked seriously.

Jenny shook her head. “No, you’re not four years old.”

“Thanks. Have you talked to Ronnie?”

“Yes, and you’re gonna need coffee before you hear about it.”

*******

Jenny ordered a mountain of food compared to Layne’s two blueberry pancakes and bacon. She took the coffee carafe and filled Layne’s cup before doing her own. “Let’s start with Seattle.”

Layne told her about seeing Stacy at the Sapphire, then the conversation she’d had with Alana and her lack of sleep and concentration.

“So Alana shook you up that much?” Jenny asked.

“No. I was already distracted before she got a hold of me, Alana just added fuel to the flame. Do you think I could be going through early menopause? Confusion and inability to concentrate are two of the symptoms.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “You know what it is, you just have a hard time facing that you met someone who makes you lose control.”

Layne thought back to the previous night and felt her pulse quicken.

“Sexually, you’re very compatible, but it’s outside of the bedroom that you’re worried about.”

Layne nodded as she stirred more cream into her coffee. “I like her, I really do, but I have got…” Layne lowered her voice as a group that looked as though they were dressed for church passed by. “I have sex on the brain.”

“Because you put the cart before the horse,” Jenny said with a wave of her hand. “Molly would totally disagree with what I’m about to say, but get it out of your system. I say screw each other silly until you both calm down, then sort out the rest.”

Layne raised her cup. “I like that notion.”

“But?”

Layne opened her eyes wide. “But what?”

Jenny grinned as she waited.

“Okay.” Layne set her cup down. “I worry that’s all I want from her. She’s suffered a terrible loss in her life, and she’s admitted that she can’t get me out of her head, and it’s more than sex. I think she’s looking for more, and I’m afraid that I won’t be able to deliver. She’s just getting on her feet, and I don’t want to knock her back down.”

“So you care if she gets hurt?”

“Drink your coffee, Jen. I know that’s what I just said, maybe not in those words.”

“My point, smart-ass, is you already care about her feelings. Tell me what else you like about her outside of the bedroom.”

“She has a great sense of humor,” Layne said with a smile. “She makes me feel calm. I know that sounds funny since she also makes me lose my mind, but when I’m with her…I just feel…content. She makes me feel like…I’m the only thing that matters in her world.” Layne waved a hand as she thought. “She’s intelligent and so damn thoughtful.”

“Sounds like a great catch to me. Now tell me what you don’t like.”