Psyche Moon (2 page)

I could tell by the tone in her voice that it didn’t happen. Billie obviously didn’t let anyone push her around, which intrigued me. I arched my eyebrows. “But you didn’t leave.”

It was clear she was relishing the memory even without sending out my senses. Her devilish expression gave her away. “I told him that if he approved of his straight customers harassing the lesbians in a gay bar, I would leave and not come back. However, if he was going to kick me out, he sure as hell better kick him out as well, because I told him four times to leave me alone.”

“Did they kick him out?” I touched her surface thoughts and was dazzled. She was as intrigued with me as I was of her. She wasn’t hiding her interest, but I wasn’t used to that kind of attention so I thought I may have misunderstood her body language. I do that – no surprise since I have a better way of knowing what a person is thinking.

She shook her head a bit and a lock of hair stuck to her cheek. I wanted to fix it for her, but I couldn’t convince myself to touch her. “They kicked both of us out. But I came back, and I haven’t caused any trouble since. They keep an eye on me, and I pretend to be a good girl and not notice. I haven’t seen you here before.” She would have noticed me, her thoughts said.

I was taken aback at that. I tended to go unnoticed at places like those, in part deliberately. My dress was too tame, I didn’t dance, and I didn’t see why such a beautiful woman would single me out. “I haven’t been in a while. Close to a year, I guess. I used to come all the time when I was younger, but I’m not much of a partier anymore.”

“You came tonight.” Pleasure coursed across her mind.

“I was restless.” Lonely. “I needed to get out of the house.”

A red eyebrow arched quizzically. “Are you having fun?” The question was full of expectations, and a dozen other questions suddenly filled my mind.
Are you single? Do you want to dance? Can I kiss you?...
At first I couldn’t decide which one to answer. The connection was unusually intense.

“I am.” Needing to get control of myself and unable to do that while looking into her eyes, I glanced down at my glass and realized in my nervousness I’d already finished my drink. I certainly didn’t want to look like a lush, so I just set it aside. When I looked up she was waving at the waitress for more. She’d finished hers, too.

With her head turned, I took the opportunity to sneak another peek at her breasts. She must have had some serious peripheral vision, though, because she noticed. She didn’t make any indication that she had, but it was obvious from her surface thoughts. It pleased her, and I felt myself grow wet in arousal despite my embarrassment.

She met my eyes, and there was humor in them. She liked that I had checked her out. I wondered if she liked that from all women. “So tell me about yourself.”

I always hated that question, and I tried to keep it out of my voice. “What do you want to know?”

“Well, have you always lived here? Do you have family here?”

Those felt mostly safe. “I’ve pretty much always lived here. I moved to California once, but I didn’t like it and moved back after a few months.” That was an understatement. “My family and I don’t get along, so it’s just me.”

“Sounds lonely.” Genuine compassion surfaced behind those words.

I attempted to defend myself, unsure whether I spoke to myself or her. “I’m not really lonely. I have friends, and my family kicked me out so it’s their loss.” I tried to put determination in that, but I could tell it fell short. My friends amounted to a couple of friendly coworkers and a few casual friends that I saw rarely. My emotions were too tangled at that moment to successfully have that conversation, so I tried to change the subject. “What about you?”

“I moved here five years ago. I lived in Iowa before that, and before that Washington, California, New Mexico. I’m originally from Nevada. I used to be kind of a nomad.” She rolled her eyes at that pronouncement in a way that made her look even younger.

“Not anymore?” Her skin was darker than the typical redhead, and void of freckles. I wondered if she dyed it. If she did it was a good choice of color.

“I’ve settled in here. And my family’s here so I’ll stay.” I could feel the strong connection she felt towards her family, but somehow I didn’t think the word “family” fit, as if she was substituting it for another word. “Besides, it’s beautiful here. Skiing a half an hour away, hiking in every direction. I can’t imagine leaving.” The passion she felt for the area flooded through her words in a sudden torrent.

I nodded, glad we had at least one thing in common besides our growing mutual attraction. “I know. I don’t get outside Boise much these days, but the mountains here are addictive.”

She grabbed my hand, and the contact of her skin on mine left me breathless. “Let’s go hiking tomorrow. Drive up towards Idaho City, park somewhere and take off.” The excitement shone in her eyes so that I didn’t have to read her emotions. I did anyway just to be sure, and my breath quickened.

“Deal.” My smile precipitated hers, and the date was made before I knew what had happened.

“Do you want to dance?”

I cringed. “I’m horrible, and next to you I’ll look like an idiot.”

“I don’t care. Do you really care what they think?” She challenged me, her eyes intense and defiant. I appreciated that she didn’t argue about my dancing ability.

“Let’s go.” It wasn’t an answer to her question, but I didn’t want to admit that I did care. Besides, the fact that this woman approached me out of the crowd was something to show off. An unusual thought, but it emboldened me.

She slid easily out of her chair, every movement fluid and efficient. Still holding my hand, she led me to the dance floor, beginning to get into the music as she walked. And we danced. God did she dance, and I did my best to keep up with her. At first I felt shy, knowing how many of the crowd watched us – I could sense it without even trying. And then she touched me. Her hands on my waist sent tingling throughout my body, and when she pulled me towards her I finally let go. The crowd disappeared, and I let the music penetrate my soul and flow out of my body. My mind merged naturally with hers, and I anticipated her movements and responded. I’d never danced like that in my life.

Her hips against mine, her breasts grazing my own, I was drowning or floating, I couldn’t decide. Her body was the most exquisite one I’d ever seen, and mine fit into hers perfectly, moved with hers perfectly. I caught myself wondering if that would happen in bed. Or on the couch, or in the kitchen – anywhere I could get her clothes off. She whispered into my ear after a while, her voice low and inviting, “You said you couldn’t dance. You’re amazing.”

I glowed as I met her eyes. “With you I am.” Wow that sounded corny, but it was perfectly true. In some strange way I didn’t dance with her but through her, as if my body read hers the way my mind did. That was new.

We danced without pausing until last call, stopping to order one last drink. A different waitress served us this time. When she came with our drinks, Billie gave her an extra $15. “We ordered earlier and hit the floor before they came. This is for the drinks and Callie.”

She looked more than a little surprised but took the money without hesitation. “Thanks. I’ll give it to her.”

I looked closely at her and wondered briefly if she was for real. “That was very honest. Not that I expected you to be dishonest. It didn’t even cross my mind.” Everything this woman did impressed me.

She waved her hand as if it was nothing, and to her it wasn’t a big deal. “I do it all the time – order a drink and then disappear before it comes. It’s only fair. They poured the drinks, and the waitress tried to serve them but we were gone.”

“How do you know Callie?”

“I don’t. Those guys at the table did, and I heard one of them say her name.”

“You actually heard them over all this noise?” And she was paying attention? She must have been doing it automatically, because her mind hadn’t strayed from me for a second.

She laughed. “I’m very aware of my surroundings. Did you drive?”

“No. I wanted to drink, so I walked.”

She nodded. “Me too. A friend dropped me off. Where do you live?” I told her. “That’s not far. Can I walk you home?”

This night was only getting better. I’d planned on another cab ride, since the streets weren’t the safest place to roam on a Friday night. Overall Boise was okay, better than most cities, but it seemed nowhere was safe anymore. With Billie I needn’t worry. “Great.” We finished our drinks and left arm in arm, my body buzzing from the contact. I felt a few jealous stares as we passed through the crowd.

The first block we didn’t speak, just enjoyed the night air and the feel of each other’s closeness. The thought of bringing her home … I shuddered. She unlinked her arm from mine, and I caught myself before I whimpered. But then she slipped it around my waist and my world felt right again. That’s exactly what it was. It felt right, being beside her. I’d never felt that way about someone before, not even with Annie who I’d loved deeply.

I wanted to know everything about this woman. “Tell me about your family.” I asked.

“My blood family lives in Nevada. They’re good people, I just don’t get down there to see them as often as I’d like. My dad’s retired and my sister’s going to college there. She’s studying architecture, which really suits her. My mom died a few years ago. The family that I have here is not my blood family. But I’m even closer to them than to my own sister.” I paused and felt the void in my own life. “What happened with your family?” She asked gently.

I took a moment before I answered, composing myself. It still hurt, and I refused to break down. “When I was 17, my mom caught me making out with my girlfriend. They’re pretty closed minded. They kicked me out.” I told the story as if it was ancient history.

“At 17? What did you do?” She sounded horrified.

“My girlfriend, Lisa, her parents were awesome. They took me in until I graduated high school. They made me sleep in the guest bedroom, which drove us nuts. We had to sneak around if we wanted to do more than kiss. Which we thought was just ridiculous. I mean, what was I going to do get her pregnant?” Amusement crept into my voice at the memory.

She laughed, a deep sound that came from her throat. “I’m sure. Have you had any luck with your parents since?”

Humor left my voice, and I couldn’t help but sound bitter. “They came to Lisa’s house a week later with their pastor and begged me to come back. The thing was, I had to be straight. I told them I couldn’t change who I was. It got pretty ugly. We didn’t speak for three years. They didn’t even come to my graduation. When I came back from California, I went to their house, but they hadn’t changed. They told me if I wanted to come back to God – to be straight – then I could come back. I haven’t spoken with them since.” I could feel the anger rise in her.

“No siblings? Grandparents?”

“No siblings, and my grandparents sided with my parents. The thing is, I’m adopted, and when I didn’t turn out the way they wanted, it was easy to discard me.” I could hear the resentment in my own voice, no matter how I tried to hide it.

She whistled. “I can’t imagine losing my family like that. I’ve always been close to them, and we’ve always looked out for each other. My parents had a hard time with me being a lesbian, but only at first. It wasn’t the easiest thing for them to wrap their brains around. But in the end I was still their daughter and they will support me to their last breath.”

We reached an intersection, and I looked at the sign. “We passed my street.”

“I know. I wanted to keep you a little longer.” Coy humor returned to her eyes.

I brushed her arm and felt the hairs rise. “We could have talked at my place.” Or not talked.

“But it’s so nice here, outside, with you.” She stopped me on the sidewalk and placed her hand behind my neck, the other still on my waist. As our lips brushed then parted, I knew I couldn’t let this woman go. “Besides if I walk through your front door, I won’t be able to leave.” Desire showed clearly in her eyes, voice and emotions.

“That would be a bad thing?” I whispered invitingly. I wasn’t sure who was seducing who at that point. I decided it didn’t matter.

“Not bad, just not perfect.” She purred.

“And what would be perfect?” Feeling my pulse rise, I desperately wanted to know.

“You’ll see.” She was definitely evil. I liked it.

We reached my front door, and she kissed me again, soft and passionate. Her tongue flicked against mine. I wondered briefly if the creep across the street was getting off on it, but Billie’s touch banished those thoughts quickly. Her hand moved down my side and rested on my hip. I urged it to shift further to the front, but it stayed where it was, the thumb caressing over the jeans. Damn jeans.

She pulled away and fire burned in her eyes. “Come in.” I pleaded.

She plucked at my shirt, barely brushing the skin between my breasts, and for a moment I thought she would take me right there. “Sweet dreams.” Billie turned and walked away, swinging her hips provocatively. Unable to pull my eyes away, I let out a deep breath. She knew what she was doing to me, and I did the same to her. When she rounded the corner, I closed my eyes momentarily, willing my legs to work properly.

I almost couldn’t operate the lock I was so woozy. Normally coming home from a bar, I showered away the smoke immediately. But I didn’t want to lose the remnants her touch left behind. I slept almost instantly, wondering one last thought before drifting into dreams featuring a sexy redhead.

What time tomorrow?

Chapter 2

The doorbell interrupted a pleasant dream, jarring me awake. The clock said a few minutes past nine – late for me, but then I don’t usually stay up until 3 AM. Groggy from sleep, I wondered who would be calling on me this early on a Saturday morning. Sending out my senses, I knew who waited at my door before opening it.

Billie stood on my porch, sexy and smiling, holding a bag of croissants and a latte. They smelled divine, especially the latte which promised caffeine. “Good morning Sadie.” She sounded amazingly chipper considering she’d slept even less than I did. She wore faded and well-worn jeans and a simple T-shirt that clung in all the right places. She hadn’t bothered with makeup and her hair hung in a low loose ponytail. Simplicity for a hike scored her a few more points.