DISCLAIMER: Any and all shows and their respective characters depicted in this odd little story do not belong to me, and I'm fairly certain no one else will claim them either should she/he venture past this warning.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: A continuation of a spoofy AU fluff, Femslash Island, that was written especially for International Day of Femslash 2009. There are too many fandoms and pairings to name. Suffice it to say the island is populated with lots and lots of women. Special thanks to the wonderful FlyingPeanuts for the awesome beta and for agreeing to take time out of her busy schedule to spend another summer on the island.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
SEQUEL: Femslash Island
Femslash Island: A Whole New World
By Ann
Part 1
Prologue
The hinged rudder of a three-masted Barque parted calm ocean waters as it glided across the smooth surface like ice across glass. A blonde, blue-eyed woman leaned against the rail and looked out at a land mass in the far distance. It grew larger and larger with each passing second, much like the nervous flutter in her stomach. She could see it now, taste it even: her chance to begin anew, to start over where no one knew of her or her past. Finally, a place where she could be herself and not have to look over her shoulder in constant fear. She jumped at the voice behind her and instinctively whirled around to face her attacker.
"We should be at the docks soon," Xena said to her guest, ignoring the obvious attempt by the other woman to defend herself. She purposely relaxed her stance but kept her distance. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you like that," she apologized, although she wasn't so sure that had she properly announced herself the young woman wouldn't have flinched anyway. She'd seen the very same reaction from too many troubled women in her lifetime.
"That's okay," the blonde replied, slowly lowering her arms to her side. Her cheeks took on a rosy shade of pink, and she shifted her weight and shrugged as casually as she was able. "I was just lost in my thoughts."
Xena nodded and moved to the rail, looking out over the clear blue water. She recognized the pat response and extreme nervousness of the woman and her last hope that the blonde had simply been shy and reserved when Xena had plucked her from the water sunk as quickly as the woman's tiny sailboat had. Maybe she could get the younger woman to confide in her or, at the very least, feel safe enough to tell Xena her name. "It's easy to do out here," Xena started casually, calmly, keeping her tone non-threatening. "Only you and the water. So peaceful and quiet. No interruptions."
"Xeennaa!"
Joxette's high-pitched yell split the air and destroyed the perfect moment. Xena blew out a frustrated breath and shook her head. Her first mate truly did have the most God-awful timing. Just the other day, Joxette had squealed like the flamboyant queen she'd always dreamed of becoming when she'd nicked her finger cutting bait and interrupted Xena at the exact moment the fishing boat captain had happily touched second base and was racing for third, preparing to slide headfirst into the hot box. Her lover, Gabby, hadn't been too happy with his foul call, either, especially when Xena had stopped what she was doing and left her quarters to go check on the hysterical Joxette.
"If you'll excuse me, I need to see if there's a problem," Xena groused as she glanced toward the main mast where Joxette appeared to have gotten herself tangled up in the ropes… again. She started forward but stopped when a hand touched her gently on her wrist.
"Xena, thank you for saving me back there. I shouldn't have trusted that guy who sold me the sailboat. The price sounded too good to be true, but it was my only chance. I, um…" the blonde faltered and dropped her hand from Xena's wrist. She stared down at the deck as if she were searching for answers; suddenly, her head snapped up and her eyes locked on Xena's. Apparently, she'd found one.
"I'm Arizona," she said nervously, extending her hand in greeting. "Arizona Robbins," she added a bit more confidently. It was time for her to make the effort to trust someone again, and Xena seemed like the perfect choice.
Xena looked down at the offering and smiled. She reached out and shook the young woman's hand. There had to be a helluva story behind that name and Xena intended on hearing it someday.
"Nice to meet you, Arizona."
Chapter 1
"We need to find another bartender, Ash," Scribbs said as she hurried behind the bar and grabbed a mug from underneath the counter. Slipping it under a tap, she tugged on its handle just as three shouts rose up from across the room demanding their drinks. "Hold your horses, I'm coming," Scribbs yelled back and slammed the mug down on her tray. She quickly picked up another and pulled on a handle to draw a darker beer. "Seriously, Ash, we need help."
Turning a bottle of Captain Morgan's Original spiced rum upside down, Ash quickly righted it, hoping that her visual calculation had placed exactly 1.25 ounces of the liquid into the glass. She hated not measuring the liquor accurately but, with the bar's newly found success following the Benson-Cabot wedding, she simply couldn't afford the luxury of adhering to her own rules about measuring. It took too long.
"I know we need help, Scribbs," she shot back in frustration as she hastily added the rest of the drink's ingredients. "The last two hires didn't know the difference between a margarita and a piña colada. I don't think there's a qualified applicant on the entire island." Jo's girlfriend Blair only knew how to make one drink and that was pouring champagne into a flute, while Sue Sylvester had broken half their inventory just last week when Ash was home sick and Scribbs had left the pub to bring her some chicken soup. The usually brusque, mean-spirited Sue had decided to liven things up and had tried to re-enact a scene from Cocktail. Her juggling skills had been less than stellar but she did succeed, after years of unsuccessful attempts, in finally gaining the attention of one Emma Pillsbury, a therapist specializing in patients suffering from mysophobia and OCD.
"I could always call…"
"Don't you dare say her name," Ash cut off her employee before she could finish her suggestion. There was no need, really. Ash knew exactly to whom Scribbs was referring and there was no way in hell she would ever ask Nikki Wade for help again. Her fellow Englishwoman took extreme pleasure in milking Ash's bank account for as much as she possibly could, not to mention that she got on Ash's last nerve. In short, Ash loathed the other woman with every fiber of her being.
Scribbs plopped the filled mug of beer on her tray and snatched up the Mojito Ash had just prepared. "I was going to say Helen, Ash," Scribbs said as she arranged the drinks for proper balance. Satisfied with their placement, she lifted the tray and turned to walk away.
"They're a package deal, Scribbs; you can't get one without the other," Ash grumbled unhappily. She'd gladly hire Helen and had actually thought of ringing the other woman, but the idea had barely taken shape when an image of Nikki, sitting at the end of the bar, night after night, and harassing Ash every chance she could, popped into her head and dispelled any inclination she may have had of offering Helen a job.
"Yeah, well, we've got to do something," Scribbs called back as she edged past the corner of the bar. "Neither of us can keep up this pace."
Ash muttered a string of obscenities under her breath and snatched up a bottle of vermouth. She didn't even look up when three more patrons slipped onto the only empty stools surrounding the square-shaped bar.
"Evening, Kate," Gabby cheerily greeted the bartender. "Kind of busy tonight, huh?" She gave Xena a cheeky grin and Arizona a friendly wink. "Where's Sue?" she asked in mock innocence, pretending to look around the bar for the tall, lanky blonde. She knew damned well what had happened; everyone did. It had been the talk of the island for three straight days.
"Breaking someone else's bottles," Ash replied sarcastically as she reached for a jar of olives. "That stupid cow didn't even stick around to help clean up." They'd had to shut down for an entire day and call in a cleaning crew. "Next time, I ask for references."
Xena looked at Arizona and gave her a reassuring nod. The young blonde took a deep breath and licked her lips nervously.
"Um, how about a demonstration instead?" she said with more confidence than she felt - not in her abilities, but rather in her ability to perform well under these particular circumstances. An on-the-spot job interview had sounded much better when Xena had first asked her what experience she had.
Ash snorted. "If you can make a Healthy Harvey that'll pass that woman's standards," she pointed at a side booth and a rather attractive redhead, "I'll hire you on the spot."
Arizona glanced over at the booth and then slid from her stool and walked around the bar. Looking around the workspace, she studied the layout carefully. "Nice setup," she remarked with a smile as she began to collect the necessary ingredients. With a minimum of movements, she was quickly surrounded by Absolut Mango vodka, Galliano, fresh celery, thyme, lemon juice, orange juice, and jicama cane syrup. Ash stared in awe as Arizona's hands were a blur as she expertly mixed the liquids and sprinkled thyme on the top. Easing a fresh celery stalk into the glass, Arizona stepped back to admire her work.
"Looks okay," Ash said once her jaw had unlocked. "Now for the real test." She nodded her head toward the waiting redhead.
"Here goes," Arizona whispered to herself, grabbing a cocktail napkin and slipping it under the glass. She pulled back her shoulders and pasted on a smile as she walked around the bar and approached the booth. "I believe you ordered a Healthy Harvey?"
Catherine Willows looked up at the younger woman and smiled. "Well, It's about time Ashurst hired a new waitress." Taking the glass, she took a tentative sip, fully expecting Ash's usually sub-par drink, and then took a healthier one. A huge smile spread across her face; she looked across at Ash and gave a thumbs-up. The bartender had finally gotten it right.
"So," Gabby drawled the word out into multiple syllables as she split her attention between Ash and Arizona.
"She's hired," Ash said, watching Arizona smile at something Catherine said. The young woman was a real talent and quite attractive, too. She was sure to catch the attention of all the single women.
Ash grinned for the first time in weeks. She should be able to pay off her mortgage by the end of the year.
"Jill, we need more Italian Cream muffins!" Cindy Thomas yelled across the back counter and through a small opening that separated the kitchen from the shop of Muffins R' Us. This month's specialty muffin had been a real hit, their best to date, but Cindy was secretly grateful that there were only two more days left in the month. She'd been run ragged between the kitchen and the front of the store and had begun to question her bright idea of creating and serving the muffin during the month of the Benson-Cabot's half-year wedding anniversary, in honor of both the couple and the event that had quite literally put their business on the island's colorful tourist map of places to visit.
On the other side of the opening, Lindsay Boxer hurriedly scooped up a cake decorating bag filled with cream cheese icing and proceeded to add icing to a tray of cooled muffins. "Why can't we just put up a sign that we're out of Italian cream for the day?" she grumbled crankily as she swirled the icing, back and forth, over the tops of the pastries.
"It's only 8:00, Lindsay; we've only been open for an hour," Jill replied dryly. "We can't advertise something and then not have it." She slipped on a pair of oven mitts and readied to remove another three trays of the very muffin Lindsay claimed they didn't have.
"Jill's right," Claire piped in over the dull whine of an economy-sized mixer. She lowered the speed and reached for the flour. "I hate those stores that run sales on items they only have in limited supply. That's not a sale; it's a trick. They're just pulling you in to buy other merchandise that you probably don't even need."
Lindsay added one final swirl. "At least here they'd still be getting what they came in for, just in a different flavor." She untwisted the decorating bag and reached for the spatula resting in a half-empty bowl of icing. "These are ready, Jill." She nodded toward the iced muffins as she stuffed more cream cheese icing into the empty bag and moved to start on another tray.
"A different flavor isn't getting what they came in for; it's substituting," Jill said as she removed the last tray from the oven and set it down on a cooling rack. She eased off her bulky mittens. "Have you ever looked at the expression on customers when you have to tell them that you're out of whatever it is that they ordered?" She picked up the iced tray of muffins and started toward the door. "It isn't pretty," she called back over her shoulder, expertly turning at the last second to push her back against the swinging door. She swept through and into the shop before Lindsay could even formulate a reply. "Here you go, hun," Jill said, smiling sweetly at her lover.
"Oh thank God," Cindy said in relief. "Could you take one of those and a cup of decaf to the table in the corner?" She quickly grabbed two muffins from the tray and gently placed them into a white paper bag.
"Sure," Jill replied and slipped on a pair of disposable poly gloves. She carefully studied the tray and chose the muffin with the most icing for their best customer. Placing it in the center of a plate, she filled a mug with decaf and carried both items to the other side of the room. "Morning, Erica, how are you today?"
Erica Hahn looked up from behind her copy of The Femslash Island Gazette and smiled. "Fine, just waiting for Doris." She glanced down at her watch. "And, as usual, she's running late."
"Cindy does that, too. I think they just like to make us wait," Jill said, setting the muffin and coffee on the table. "Want me to get Doris's order or wait until she gets here?"
"Why don't we…" Erica started but was distracted by the bell ringing above the door and signaling the arrival of a new customer. Figuring it was Doris, she turned in her seat to watch her lover hurry across the shop, spouting an excuse about some kind of emergency, and wondered what it would be this time. Doris really could be quite creative when she put her mind to it.
"Isn't that…"
"Callie Torres," Erica finished Jill's question, frowning at the dark headed woman who'd stepped through the door. Callie had followed her to New York when Erica had left the island all those years ago, but she had shunned her stalker time and time again. The woman just didn't know how to take no for an answer. Instinctively, she lifted the paper to cover her face just as the bell chimed again.
Erica flinched. Surely, it wasn't…
"Shit," Jill muttered, confirming the identity of the newcomer. She looked over at Cindy for help but decided this situation called for another redhead, one who was much better equipped to handle the situation. She nodded at Doris as she passed and hurried out the door. The sheriff stopped by every morning for a muffin and usually sat outside under the awning. Jill just hoped she was still there.
Jill's quick retreat distracted Doris and she didn't notice the lying, relationship-ruining asshole standing a few feet away. Once Jill had raced by, Doris set her sights on the corner of the room and hurried over to her lover to apologize for running so late. Callie, however, had caught sight of her old 'friend' and followed Doris with her eyes.
"Why are you hiding behind that paper?" Doris asked as she plopped down into the chair across from Erica. She ran a finger through cream cheese icing and brought it to her mouth. "God, this is good. I think I could eat just about anything if it had cream cheese on it."
Erica peeked around the paper at Doris and then peered around the other side to check on Callie. Dark eyes were staring right at her, and she ducked back behind the paper again. Closing her eyes, she counted to ten.
"Hello, Erica," Callie purred on six. "Fancy meeting you here."
There wasn't anything fancy about the meeting. Callie had been searching for Erica ever since the other woman had mysteriously disappeared almost seven months to the day. Erica's business had still been in operation, but there had been no sign of the successful party planner anywhere in the city. Callie had had to wine, dine and sleep with Erica's business partner to get the petite blonde to finally tell her where Erica had gone. The tiny woman had been a hard nut to crack.
Doris reacted immediately, jumping to her feet and pulling back her shoulders, her fists clenched against her sides. "You lying bitch!"
"Well, as I live and breathe, the cheating whore: Doris Wolfe. Poor Erica was so taken in by you, I had to show her photographic evidence that you were sleeping with Helena Peabody," Callie said with a smug grin. "You don't deserve anyone as wonderful as Erica."
Doris took a step closer and leaned menacingly forward. "That wasn't me, and you know it. If you'd have paid closer attention, you'd have made sure the woman you hired to impersonate me had my tattoo on the right ankle - and I do mean the right ankle, not the left, dumbass." Doris was ever so grateful Callie had made such a technical error. It would have been much more difficult convincing Erica that she wasn't the woman in the photo.
Callie glared at her nemesis and started forward, but was stopped by a hand on her arm and a voice that was low and soft but laced with authority.
"Something wrong, ladies?"
Callie looked into the striking blue eyes of a gorgeous redhead who had eased between her and Doris and, with a great deal of effort, forced her gaze away and down to the hand that was still resting on her arm. Relief swept through her when she realized the hand didn't belong to the other woman or else she was certain she'd confess all, but her relief soon turned to fear when she raised her head to meet intense green eyes filled with nothing short of anger.
"So… is there a problem?" Kahlan Amnell stood to her full height and moved her hands to rest casually on her hips. She really wished she hadn't left her daggers in the car, but her lover had assured her that, since she'd gone back to her natural hair color, she looked more intimidating than ever. "We could always go to the station and talk about it, but Cara, here," she smiled at her blonde lover, who in turn tightened her grip on Callie's arm, "has been waiting, rather impatiently, for an Italian cream muffin and was just about to take her first bite when our presence was requested inside. She really likes her muffins, too."
Cara rolled her eyes and finally released her hold on Callie. She folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow as she looked back and forth between Callie and Doris. Even in her torn jeans and a tucked in tank, she looked threatening and menacing, more like a bounty hunter or mob enforcer than a world-renowned archaeologist.
"Um, no, no problem," Callie stuttered and took a giant step backward. "I, uh, was just on my way out." She gestured with a shaky thumb toward the door. "I'll, er, just be going," she said and quickly hightailed it from the shop as fast as her feet would carry her, not daring to look back else she risked getting burned by the heated gazes aimed at the back of her head.
"So," Cara said in a bored tone, "can I have my muffin now?"
Olivia Spencer leaned against the dimly lit back wall of Hotel Calidornia's ballroom and watched as her employee rehearsed for a private party that would be held later that evening. Natalia had her eyes closed and was swaying to the soft sounds of a piano while she waited for her cue to join in. She had no idea she was the subject of such close scrutiny; had she known, Olivia thought, she'd have probably ducked her head and blushed all the way to the roots of her shiny black hair.
"So, have you gotten her into your bed yet?" A teasing voice asked, the speaker purposely keeping her volume low enough for only the two of them to hear. Olivia jumped slightly and the woman grinned at catching her best friend unaware.
"Damn it, Alex, don't you have better things to do than sneak up on me," Olivia grumbled, more upset that someone had gotten so close without her knowing than with the someone who had actually accomplished the feat.
"No, you're the first on my to do list for the day," she said, winking saucily at Olivia as she took a step closer and disappeared into the shadows beside her friend. Olivia just rolled her eyes. It was partially her fault, after all; she'd served up the soft lob. How could she expect Alex to take it easy on her and not slam it back at her? She'd just have to serve the next one harder.
"I'm flattered, Alex. I thought since you'd married Liv I'd no longer be first on your list," she replied with a smirk. Olivia really didn't like the nickname, Liv, but it felt so strange speaking her own name when referring to someone else. Besides, Alex had given Olivia Benson the nickname, not her and, for that, Olivia Spencer was eternally grateful.
"She's locked up in her office. She has a presentation she has to finish today," Alex explained, turning her attention to the raised platform at the front of the room. "Natalia's got a great voice."
Olivia focused on the singer and smiled. "She sings like an angel." Sighing softly, she silently looked on, her expression one of deep longing.
Alex didn't try to hide her amusement at how whipped Olivia seemed to be these days. "So?" she asked, pressing her shoulder against Olivia's and lightly elbowing her friend in the side. "Back to the bed thing. You and Natalia…"
"Are dating," Olivia cut her off before Alex had a chance to make a less than tasteful reference to the state of their relationship. "I don't want to rush her," she added quietly, swallowing the swell of emotion that always crept up when she thought about Natalia and how much she wanted their first time to be special, for both of them. She'd never felt anything like this before and didn't have the first clue as to what to do about it.
"Oh my God," Alex blurted in surprise, a sudden realization smacking her right between the eyes. All traces of humor vanished as quickly as Olivia – Spencer, not Benson – had the first time they'd slept together. "You're in love with her," she said in a whispered tone, half of her in disbelief and the other half in awe of the singer who'd captured her friend's heart.
"Wha-" Olivia started to protest but clamped down on her outcry at the mere possibility that Alex's assessment was correct. Could love be the simple explanation as to why she hadn't pressured Natalia to take things further, hadn't grown tired and bored with spending time together just talking and sharing soft kisses, and had felt the overwhelming need to be with Natalia every second of every day? Olivia gasped for air and started to slip down the wall, only Alex's quick reflexes saving her from a hard encounter with the tile floor.
"C'mon, let's get some air," Alex said, more like an order than a suggestion. She looped her arm around Olivia's waist and steered her friend toward the door. "And maybe a drink, too."
On the stage, Natalia continued to sing, only faltering slightly when she caught sight of Alex assisting Olivia from the room. She'd give the two friends a few minutes alone but, when this song was over, the band would just have to rehearse without her.
Chapter 2
"Can you explain the colors again?" Tracey Kibre asked as she stood in front of a refrigerated case of flowers. She bit down on her lip and struggled not to fidget. Who knew buying flowers would be this much trouble?
Garcia blew out an exasperated breath and looked toward the counter for help. Emily chuckled lightly and waved her employee toward the back of the store. Garcia had lasted much longer than she'd expected.
"Is there a certain message you're trying to convey?" she asked as she stepped around the counter and wiped her hands on a colorful apron.
Tracey lost her struggle and shifted from foot to foot. "Something that indicates monog… um, that well, might suggest that I…" She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her raincoat and stared through the glass doors of the refrigerator, focusing on an arrangement of hydrangeas. She couldn't remember what Garcia had said purple meant.
Emily nodded and moved closer to the flustered woman. This was going to require a delicate touch, she thought, as she followed Tracey's line of sight. "Lavender represents refinement and grace. They'd send a message of feminine beauty. Is that something you might be interested in?"
Tracey frowned and pointed at the hydrangeas. "Lavender? I thought they were purple." As usual, she'd completely missed the important part of Emily's message.
"No, those are lavender. We do have purple freesia, if you'd rather have purple," Emily supplied helpfully, although she wasn't sure if Tracey wanted to send a message of admiration and success to the flower's recipient or if she just liked purple.
Tracey continued to stare at the hydrangeas as confusion and doubt begin to set in. Maybe she should just forget about the flowers, forget about trying to send any kind of message, and forget about this whole idiotic idea she'd had.
"I remember the first time I gave flowers to JJ," Emily said softly, hoping to help the other woman refocus. The strategy worked, too, just not quite like Emily had planned.
"I remember that," Tracey muttered unhappily. "If I'd been paying closer attention, I wouldn't have sent you and JJ to L. A. together. I thought you'd given her those flowers for good luck." She was still sore that her best chance – her only chance, really - at signing two talented singers to a recording label had literally gone out the door with Emily and JJ when they'd walked out of their contract signing session to return to Femslash Island to begin a life together.
"They were red roses, Tracey; if I'd wanted to wish her luck I'd have sent Bells of Ireland," Emily said matter-of-factly, smiling at the memory of JJ's surprised but pleased expression when Emily had removed a single red rose and handed it to her. Tracey had watched the entire exchange. The woman really didn't have any idea about flowers.
"Look, I'm not sorry that JJ and I chose to come back here, but I am sorry that we let you down." She hesitated long enough for the apology to sink in before offering her assistance. "It's obvious that you really want to do something special for Serena. Let me help you."
Tracey glared defiantly at her former client, but Emily didn't back down or shrink under her stare; she just calmly looked back, remaining steady in her conviction to help. Seconds turned into minutes with neither woman showing any sign of weakness, but Emily held all the advantages. They were on her turf and she and JJ were the island's utmost authorities on flowers.
"Okay, damn it," Tracey growled, finally giving in. "But I'm still mad at you and JJ." Emily laughed; she hadn't expected anything less.
"So, what do you want to say with these flowers?"
Tracey looked back at the hydrangeas. "Got anything that says I want to make this thing between us work, that I'm ready to commit, that I…" she hesitated and tried to cover her nervousness by clearing her throat. "IwantSerenatomoveinwithme," she blurted as quickly as she could, her words running together and sounding like gibberish. As fate would have it, however, Emily understood every single word. JJ had done the same when she'd asked Emily to move in with her.
Grinning from ear-to-ear, Emily quickly crossed the room, snatched up her cell phone from the counter and pushed a single key, the most worn key on her keypad. "Hey JJ? I need your help at the shop." She looked over at Tracey and winked. "We've got a very important arrangement to put together."
"Guess what I overheard at the Divine Winery?" Sabrina Duncan asked as she dipped a ladle of lobster bisque into a serving bowl. She smiled and passed it to Gabby, who in turn placed it in front of Xena, the woman responsible for the main ingredient of the evening's fare. No longer was the tall, gorgeous brunette just a 'looker' to Sabrina but, in her mind, the perfect catch for her niece.
"Don't tell me Eddy and Patsy have come up with another get-rich scheme." Kelly practically groaned aloud at the memory of the last time the two Englishwomen had approached Sabrina with one of their 'sure things'. "Oh God, you didn't give them any money, did you?" Her tough-as-nails lover had a real soft spot when it came to helping others realize their dream, even if most of them happened to be spontaneous or off the wall. Sabrina herself had managed to strike it rich with the idea of a gas-powered fuel cell, but only because her Uncle Charley had provided the backing, including research and funding. Sabrina had profited greatly from the idea alone, although being financially secure certainly hadn't stopped the older woman from continuing to work or occasionally dabbling in a few business ventures every now and then. Boredom wasn't something she did well.
"No, I didn't," Sabrina said honestly, but only because the pair hadn't actually presented her with any kind of business scheme lately. Besides, she'd only given them a couple of hundred dollars for their last idea: cut up fruit, soaked in red wine, packaged and sold to serve in fruit sangria and guaranteed to produce an overwhelming urge to sing show tunes once it had been consumed. "In fact, I didn't even see Eddy and Patsy. Alex had to let them go." It seemed that Friday's free sample day had extended to Wednesdays and then to Mondays, until Patsy had declared all days ending in 'day' as reason to open bottles and serve wine to potential customers. It was the copious amounts consumed by the store's managers during the 'specials' that had led to Alex giving them the boot.
Blowing lightly on the liquid cradled in her spoon, Gabby carefully lifted it to her mouth and smiled at the taste that exploded on her tongue. "They're not so bad, Aunt Kelly," she spoke up in behalf of the two Englishwomen. "Divine Winery certainly won't be the same without them, that's for sure. They were so entertaining and definitely knew their wine."
"And they were great about ordering wines they didn't normally keep in stock, too," Xena added, wondering how she would get her Greek wine now that her source had been taken away. She briefly thought about Nikki Wade, but Ash's strong words about the other woman and her pirate prices had her putting a halt to that particular possibility. She'd go to Nikki only as a last resort.
"Bree," Kelly began, ready to move the conversation away from the island's two well known lushes and steer it to safer ground. "What did you overhear this morning?"
"Huh?" Sabrina frowned at her lover's question but quickly recovered her original focus. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot." She leaned forward and whispered softly as if someone might overhear her in the dining room of her own home. "Callie Torres is back in town." The smile that formed on her face grew and grew until it finally relaxed and settled into a mischievous grin. The island had been too calm as of late. It was time for some good, old fashioned fireworks.
"Well that's not good," Kelly replied with her usual gross understatement. Unlike her lover, she preferred the calm and mundane; peace and quiet were two of her favorite words.
Sabrina's smile was back in force. "And she's already run into Doris and Erica," she reported almost giddily. What she wouldn't give to have been sitting front row in the muffin shop this morning when Callie walked in. She'd missed the action by a good thirty minutes or so, having hurried to the shop to make sure she was able to nab an Italian Cream muffin for Kelly just in case they sold out. She bypassed her usual sit down breakfast in favor of take out. Kelly preferred her muffins warm and if they just happened to have a sweet creamy topping, all the better.
"Is she in the hospital?" Gabby asked, completely serious. Now that Doris had been reunited with Erica, there was no way she'd let anyone come between them.
Sabrina shook her head. "No." She sounded almost disappointed. "Kahlan and Cara stepped in and stopped anything before it could happen."
Gabby's spoon halted midway to her mouth. "Cara? Is Callie dead then?"
"No," Sabrina said just ahead of a dejected sigh; she was clearly bummed that, even with Cara's involvement, there hadn't been so much as a scuffle. "But apparently Cara scared her enough that she raced from the shop before anyone could knock her on her ass."
"Bree!" Kelly chastised her lover.
"What? She deserved it," Sabrina answered seriously. She looked across the table and locked eyes with her lover. "What would you have done if she'd doctored some photo of two naked women and made it look like I was one of them?"
"That's ridiculous. I'd know if it was you or not."
"Suppose you didn't. Suppose she managed to manufacture that little mole I have on my…" Sabrina stopped abruptly and stole a quick glance at a very attentive Gabby and Xena. She skipped over the more private details and hurried ahead with her recreated scenario. "Um, if you thought it was me and we never got together. And then, years later, when the deception was unveiled and we were finally reunited after all… those… lost… years." She hesitated long enough for her words to sink in before continuing. "What would you do the first time you laid eyes on her?"
"I'd kill her," Kelly said softly, slowly, and with deadly malice. The metamorphosis of the normally calm and cool-headed woman into an equally calm, but blood-thirsty, revenge-seeking individual was amazing – and quite scary – to watch. Gabby swallowed her second spoonful of bisque without tasting it and glanced from her Aunt Kelly to Sabrina. Her other aunt looked like a cocky rooster about to crow and, had she been standing, Gabby was certain she'd strut around the dining room like a prize cock.
With a wink, Sabrina shot an easy smile across the table, the gestures providing just the right mix of loving reassurance and 'gotcha' to soothe Kelly's righteous and very jealous anger. No matter how many times Gabby had watched her Aunt Sabrina work her magic, she was still amazed and could only hope that, one day, she'd find that special someone, her true soulmate, with whom she could share the same strong, loving bond. A light squeeze on her thigh brought her gaze to understanding blue eyes. Maybe she had…
**ring** **ring**
Gripping the edges of the table, Sabrina groaned slightly and pushed to her feet, the sound of the phone breaking the special moment. She wasn't too concerned, though; she knew there'd be plenty more. There always were. "I'll get it," she said as she started toward the wall phone that hung just inside the kitchen door. She managed to reach it seconds before the answering machine picked up. "Hello."
"Sabrina, it's Eddy, darling. Patsy and I have the most marvelous idea and were wondering if you'd be interested in floating us a loan to get us off and running," she said, stopping only long enough to take a breath. "You see, darling, we'd like our own liquor store. Try our own hand at running a business. Without interference from anyone. No one telling us what to do and when to do it. So, what do you say, darling? Care to give it a go?"
Sabrina glanced back over her shoulder at her lover and their dinner guests. Kelly, Gabby, and Xena had already begun to discuss the potential repercussions Callie's appearance might bring to the island, leaving Sabrina to contemplate a highly interesting business opportunity.
Eddy and Patsy as liquor store owners…
"I'm in," she whispered quietly, but louder she said, "Those numbers sound a little off, Jill. Why don't I come by the office tomorrow and we can go over them together? Say about 9:00?" Sabrina pointed at the receiver and mouthed, 'business,' to Kelly who'd glanced her way. Their accountant, Jill Monroe, was the perfect alibi.
"Cheers, darling. We'll see you tomorrow then," Eddy replied with a slight slur, compliments of three bottles of a rare Bordeaux – Chateaux of the Médoc - she'd slipped into the rather large purse she just happened to have draped over her shoulder when she'd made her grand, and final, exit through the wine cellar at Divine Winery.
With just an hour left until closing, the crowd at Cheers had dwindled down to just a handful of regulars and a newbie – a lonely-looking brunette who sat alone in a corner booth, putting the finishing touches on her third mixed drink. Arizona kept an eye on the woman as she drew a head on an Isenbeck premium dark beer and wondered why the customer had chosen to distance herself so far away from the other patrons and why everyone seemed overly content that she was avoiding them like the plague.
"Do you know the Jack and Coke lady?" she asked Scribbs, nodding toward the woman just in case the waitress had forgotten to which customer she'd served that particular drink.
Scribbs shot a glance over her shoulder and pressed her hip against the smooth grain of the bar, angling slightly so that her back was to the corner table. "I've picked up a rumor or two today," she said as she grabbed a tray and placed the beer in the center; she tossed a couple of napkins next to it and watched Arizona mix up another drink for the woman in question. "I'm not 100% certain what she's done, but apparently she grew up here and did something horribly unforgiveable a long time ago. She's not well-liked on the island and people are actually taking bets on how long she'll last before she leaves." Scribbs didn't bother to mention that, even though she wasn't entirely privy to the circumstances that had brought the woman to the island, she'd put money down on the next day's noon hour.
Arizona looked past Scribbs and focused on the island's outcast. Would she have been treated the same if she'd tried to go home again instead of setting sail for Femslash Island? Maybe not, she thought, but then she remembered old Mrs. Stevens and her mean-spirited bitch of a daughter, Izzie, who'd lived down the street from where she grew up. Definitely, she decided, without a doubt.
"Would you mind if I served her?" Arizona glanced around and checked the drink status of the two lone women sitting at the bar. "Liz is on her second Mai Tai and Lena's already given me the signal that this is their last round." Movement caught her eye and she spotted Ash coming out of her office. "Think Ash would mind settling their bill?"
"Probably not," Scribbs replied, not able to stop herself from following Arizona's line of sight and watching Ash's approach. Head held high, the pub owner had an extra bounce to her step as she smiled politely and greeted Liz and Lena. Scribbs took great pride in knowing she'd played a major role in the good mood Ash seemed to be in these last several days, and she had to force her thoughts away from the memory of the rather frisky mood Ash had greeted her with that morning to focus back on Arizona and the subject at hand. "But why the interest in someone who is so obviously despised by everyone and probably won't even stick around?"
Arizona shrugged. "Just curious, I guess. I've learned the hard way that there is always another side to a story." A side that most people don't want to hear, she kept to herself. In their minds, a cigar was just a cigar, although on an island inhabited by only women that wasn't too terribly surprising.
"Suit yourself then," Scribbs said, bypassing the double old fashioned glass filled with ice, whiskey, and Coke and lifting her tray. She gave Arizona a smile and turned to walk away. "Just be careful, okay?" she called back over her shoulder. She really liked their new bartender and didn't want to see her get mixed up in some ancient island feud.
"I will," Arizona promised as she carefully swept the drink from the bar. She scooped up a napkin and slipped it between her hand and the glass, her sights set on the troubled brunette.
"Any reason why Arizona is serving that cheap trollop?" Ash asked as she cut off Scribbs's path to Cameron and Sarah's table. "Did she make a pass at you?"
Narrowing her eyes, she glared at the corner table and the brunette her bartender was heading toward. If she could shoot lasers at the woman, she'd cut the notorious relationship-wrecker in half. She'd heard much more than rumors when she'd snuck out of bed that morning to go out and get breakfast for Scribbs and her own sweet tooth. She'd witnessed the potentially deadly encounter firsthand when she'd stopped at Muffins R' Us and had later been given the highlights of the story by Cindy, but she hadn't gotten the chance to tell her lover about it. Scribbs woke up the minute Ash slipped back into bed and she suddenly had other, more enjoyable ideas about how to take care of her sweet cravings. Ash had forgotten all about it until now.
"No, should I be insulted that she didn't?" Scribbs replied curiously as she glanced back over her shoulder. Maybe the woman didn't have a thing for blondes. She paid extra special attention to how the brunette would respond to Arizona. It just had to be a blonde thing. There simply could be no other reason.
"Excuse me," Arizona said softly so as to not startle the deep-in-thought woman. "Your Jack and Coke." She held out the drink and smiled as she waited patiently for the brunette to acknowledge her. A pair of dark eyes lit on hers and Arizona's bright, shining blues did nothing to lighten the other woman's bad mood.
"Just put in on the table," Callie ordered gruffly, dismissing Arizona as if the bartender were her personal lackey. She tossed back the last of the liquid in her glass and was already reaching for the newly poured drink. She hadn't noticed that Arizona hadn't left.
"Mind if I sit for a minute? We're closing soon and my feet are killing me." Arizona stood comfortably in her broken-in trainers and gestured toward the bench seat across from the customer.
Callie snorted. "If you know what's good for you, you'll stay as far away from me as possible." She leaned forward and whispered loudly, "I'm bad news. Haven't you heard?" She didn't wait for a reply; she just leaned her head back and laughed. Arizona, on the other hand, slipped into the booth and waited.
When Callie's eyes met hers the next time, it was surprise that lurked in their depths. Arizona treaded carefully. "I generally don't pay attention to gossip. I like to form my own opinions." She watched the play of emotion race across Callie's face and didn't wait long enough to try to decipher any of them. She always was a straight forward kind of girl. "I'm new to the island. I'm Arizona." She stretched out a hand in greeting.
Callie stared at the offering and then quickly glanced around the room for the person or persons who'd been responsible for sending the blonde over to her table. It had to be a trick, but other than the stern looking brunette and the waitress who'd served her earlier, no one else seemed to be paying her any attention. She tentatively reached out, fully expecting the offering to be snatched away at the last second, and she was once again surprised by the warmth she encountered.
Hesitantly, she shook Arizona's hand gently and reveled in the welcome touch. "I'm Callie." For the first time since she'd arrived on the island, it felt like home.
Chapter 3
Serena pushed her head hard against the pillow and closed her eyes tightly, clutching the sheet into a tiny ball with her right hand as she took in as much air as she was able. Completely breathless, she panted heavily and frantically tried once again to fill her lungs.
"Ms. Southerlyn, you need to relax," the nurse instructed her patient as she adjusted the flow of oxygen into Serena's mask. Blue eyes snapped open and pinned the nurse with a 'you gotta be kidding' look. How could she possibly relax? She couldn't friggin' breathe! The nurse looked across the room for help.
Swallowing hard, Tracey forced herself to step out of the corner, where she'd pretty much plastered herself when Serena had been rushed into one of the emergency rooms, and moved toward the bed. She slipped her hand into the one that wasn't twisting the sheet into a knot and tried to calm her lover. It was kind of her fault, after all, but seriously, how was she supposed to know that Serena was highly allergic to tulips? Hell, Serena hadn't even known.
"Hey," she said gently and eased her free hand to the smooth, silky skin of her lover's forehead. She tried not to wrinkle her brow in worry at the light sheen of perspiration that had formed. "Slow and easy breaths. It's okay; I'm here," Tracey cooed, surprising herself that she could sound so calm when all she wanted to do was race from the room and find some doctor that could make it all better.
Serena's large blue eyes tracked to familiar dark ones and stayed. She gripped Tracey's hand and tried to follow her lover's instructions. A series of three short breaths in succession, and then two until, finally, she was able to take one long, deep tug at the pure air flowing from the mask. She wasn't sure if it was the medicine in her I.V. working, the oxygen doing its job or Tracey's solid presence that had calmed her, but she was going to believe it had everything to do with Tracey, especially after all the trouble the other woman had gone through earlier that evening.
It had started with a romantic dinner at one of Hotel Calidornia's private dining rooms; they'd eaten and danced, taken a long moonlight stroll on the beach, and were ending the evening with drinks at Tracey's house. Serena had noticed that her lover had appeared nervous when they'd first arrived at the house, but she just assumed it was her imagination. When Tracey came out of the kitchen with the most gorgeous arrangements of flowers Serena had ever seen and then proceeded to explain the meaning of the various tulips, faltering slightly with her description of the final tulip – a deep red one that stood tall and proud in the center of the others and which, according to Tracey, signified a declaration of love – Serena had pushed to her feet and walked toward her lover.
It was just as Tracey had strung together words that Serena never thought she'd hear – I'dlikeyoutomoveinwithme – that Serena took a huge whiff of the arrangement and promptly began to hyperventilate. Tracey had, at first, thought her lover was having a bad reaction to her words instead of to the flowers, but watery blue eyes and Serena's frantic pointing at the tulips clued Tracey in and she'd quickly helped her into the car and had sped to the hospital in record time. It was definitely a night neither of them would ever forget.
"Feeling better?" Tracey asked, bringing Serena back to the present. She carefully cupped her hand around the mask and gently rubbed her fingers along her lover's jawbone.
Serena nodded and took another drag from the oxygen mask. Satisfied that she was breathing more regularly, she released the knotted sheet and moved her hand to the mask. Tracey stopped her before she could lift it from her nose and mouth.
"Whoa, let's wait until we're sure you're okay." She definitely didn't want a repeat performance of Serena struggling to catch her breath. It had scared the crap out of her earlier, and she didn't think she was up for another scare so soon. If anything had happened to Serena…
"Mmmpphh ittthh," Serena tried to speak but bit off her words in frustration. She couldn't understand her words and she knew what she was trying to say. She pulled a pitiful look and glanced over at the nurse.
"Okay," the woman said, stepping back toward the bed. "I think your meds are working." She took hold of the mask and gently lifted it from Serena's face. Her patient smiled. "I'm going to go see if I can find the doctor. If you have any trouble breathing," she paused and fixed Serena with one of her patented nurse looks, "and I mean any trouble, you put that mask on right away. You understand?"
Serena nodded in agreement and watched as the nurse left the room. She immediately turned to Tracey. "Say it again," she said softly as she ran her thumb over the back of her lover's hand.
Tracey frowned and glanced at the door. "Um, okay," she replied slightly confused. "If you have any trouble…"
"No, not that." Serena was practically pouting. "The other thing."
Tracey bit her lip in thought. She was beginning to worry that Serena's hearing had somehow been affected, too. "The meds are working?"
"Tracey!" Serena raised her voice in clear frustration. "What you said at the house… before I ruined everything by nearly dying."
"Oh… that," Tracey replied nervously. She looked over her shoulder and wondered what could possibly be keeping the nurse.
Serena read Tracey's hesitation as rejection and sunk down further into the mattress. "You've changed your mind, haven't you?"
"Wha-" Tracey stuttered and gripped Serena's hand firmly. "No!" If anything this hospital scare had strengthened Tracey's desire to live with the woman she loved. She glanced at the oxygen mask and hoped she wouldn't need it to get the proper words out. She took a deep breath for good measure. "Serena," she said slowly and clearly. "I want you to move in with me."
The hand in hers tightened and Serena eased up on her elbow. Smiling widely, she leaned toward Tracey, who met her halfway. The nurse grinned knowingly and gently closed the door.
A bright, full moon sat up high in the sky and shone down on a peaceful lake and the tall majestic trees that surrounded it. The outline of a couple, comfortably perched on a wooden bench near the edge of the tree line, could easily be discerned by passers-by. Tonight, however, the two women were all alone, all the other couples having left the serene setting hours ago. They sat huddled close together, a dark head resting against a silk-clad shoulder and hair as black as night cascading across firm breasts. Olivia shifted slightly and eased her hand to Natalia's hip, the subtle move two-fold in its intent. The obvious reason was to connect more intimately with her girlfriend and the other to hopefully displace the strand of silky hair that had slipped past the top buttons of Olivia's shirt and into her cleavage, sending delicious shivers down her spine. Her always overactive imagination immediately conjured up an image of a naked Natalia sweeping her jet black hair across Olivia's equally naked breasts and bringing a pair of pink plump nipples to attention. She closed her eyes and wondered just how cold the lake water would be at this time of year.
"This is nice," Natalia said in a sleepy tone as she tightened her grip on Olivia's waist and not-so-subtly moved her head back and forth. Olivia drew in a sharp breath and Natalia smiled into silk fabric. She gently rubbed the tip of her nose across Olivia's shirt. "Don't you think?"
Olivia could only nod her head but, somehow, through her haze of arousal, realized that Natalia couldn't see her answer. "Yeah," she said, her one word reply throaty and breathless. "Nice," she managed to add.
Natalia eased her hand to rest just under Olivia's breasts. "I could get used to this," she purred, sighing softly. Olivia's body tensed under hers, like a panther preparing to either strike at its prey or race away as fast as it could. Natalia stilled and waited to see which choice Olivia would make. Time seemed to stand still, especially to the peeping Toms stretched out on a blanketed ground across the lake and hidden behind the cover of trees.
"What's she waiting for?" Alex whispered to her lover as she peered through her binoculars at the occupied bench on the far shore. "She should be on Natalia like a wine connoisseur breathing in the rich bouquet of a rare vintage wine."
Olivia Benson – not Spencer – shook her head. "This isn't right, Alex. You shouldn't have interfered, and we have no business spying on them." Her negative opinion of Alex's actions certainly didn't stop her from using her own set of binoculars to watch their friend squirm.
"Oh c'mon, Liv. If I hadn't had that little talk with Natalia and given her a few pointers on how to get to Olivia, those two would spontaneously combust before they ever made it to the same bed."
"Well, I don't know about Natalia, but I'd say Olivia is close to combusting right now."
Alex adjusted her focus and zoomed in. She could almost make out the pulse point in Olivia's neck, her friend's tell sign that she was nearing the limit of her control. "Damn it, I think you're right, but I can't tell for sure." She gripped the binoculars more tightly and pressed her eyes harder into the openings of the plastic lenses.
"Just look at her, she's about to…. Oh…" Liv said, her voice raising an octave. She wanted to look away, really she did, but it was like watching a train wreck – only much hotter and with two fine-looking women as the colliding engines – and she just couldn't take her eyes off the action.
"Now that's more like it," Alex said with a grin. "Natalia must have used that little move with her thumb and forefinger." She tried to pull the image closer to her when the action abruptly stopped. She ran her finger back and forth over the focus knob to no avail; there was no way she could read their lips.
"Wait!" Olivia forced her mouth away from Natalia's delectably delicious one and took a deep breath. Her body was on overload and, if she didn't put a halt to things now, her first time with Natalia would be on a public bench - not that she hadn't done it in public numerous times, but that wasn't something she wanted for Natalia, at least not until they'd had more private moments together.
"Huh?" Natalia said in confusion, her euphoric state clouding her judgment and even her sense of equilibrium. So caught up in releasing her pent-up feelings and emotions, she had no idea where she was or who she was, for that matter. Too bad, really, as most women would prefer to be made aware that they were sitting astride Olivia Spencer with the hotel owner's hands gripping their ass. At least she could feel the tingling of her lips.
"We have to stop," Olivia panted and leaned forward to rest her forehead against Natalia's collarbone, probably not the best location to soothe the savage beast. She had to close her eyes to keep from peering down Natalia's blouse.
"Stop? You want to stop?" Natalia was quickly regaining her bearings. "Is it me? Is it something I did?" she asked softly, her breath coming in short gasps. She turned her head and rested it against the top of Olivia's as tears began to fill her eyes.
"What? No!" Olivia carefully raised her head and gently used her hands to lift Natalia's head out of the way. She cupped her girlfriend's cheeks and tilted Natalia's face toward hers. "No," she said more calmly, but firmly. "I do want you. I want you so badly I hurt." She smiled sweetly. "But I want you all to myself. I don't want to share you with anyone or anything else."
"Really?" Natalia asked hopefully, dimples creasing the skin around her mouth. She never looked more beautiful.
"Really," Olivia promised. "Want me to prove it?" Cocky Olivia reared her head and Natalia laughed.
"As a matter of fact…" Natalia paused long enough to lean forward and lightly kiss her girlfriend's lips. "I would," she finished as she pulled away and stared into green eyes filled with desire.
Olivia just nodded and reached out to grip Natalia's waist. After a few awkward moves and bit of gentle tussling, both women were standing and looking out at the lake, their hands linked together. Olivia gave Natalia's a squeeze. "Ready?"
"Yes." The single word answer was confident and sure. No other words were needed as the pair silently headed for the path that would lead them to their car and then to the privacy of Olivia's bedroom, their hands swinging back and forth between them.
On the other side of the lake, two lovers shared a passionate kiss.
"Can't you arrest her for something? Stalking, perhaps?" Doris spoke curtly into the phone receiver, clearly frustrated with the answers she'd been getting from the island's sheriff. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Yes, I realize she hasn't done anything yet and that a crime actually has to be committed, but couldn't you manufacture one, just this once?" She was practically whining before she finally gave up and sighed dejectedly. "All right, but keep an eye on her, will you? She's up to something. Thanks, Kahlan."
"Doris, Callie's not going to try anything," Erica said as she watched her lover hang up the phone with more force than was necessary. "Everyone's onto her; she's not that stupid."
"She's been stalking you for years; she's not going to stop just because we're back together." Doris plopped down on the couch next to her lover and leaned into Erica's side. "I hate her." She glanced back at the phone. "Maybe I should've called Cara instead."
Erica chuckled and slid an arm around Doris, pulling her closer. "She's only a threat if we let her be one. Once she sees how committed we are to each other, she'll move on to someone else. Maybe she'll even leave the island for good."
"Fat chance of either of those things happening," Doris grumbled unhappily, scooting down on the couch until she could comfortably rest her head on Erica's shoulder. She lifted her legs, bending them at the knee, to rest on the cushions and looped an arm around her lover's waist. "She's going to haunt us until the day she dies." Which could come much sooner than later if Callie continued in her quest to come between them. Doris had lived on the island her entire life and was fairly certain she could find someone willing to dispose of the body.
Erica tilted her head and looked down at her lover. "I bet I could get a restraining order against her. If she violates it, the sheriff would have grounds to arrest her."
Doris's head popped up. "Now, that's an idea." A smile formed at the thought of Callie Torres locked up behind bars, and it would all be perfectly legal, too. "I wonder what the penalty is for multiple violations." Callie's obsession would more than likely cause her to break the restraining order over and over again. Doris readied to make a mental list of all the island locations that Callie would most likely visit. If she and Erica just happened upon the same places at the same time, it would still count as a violation, wouldn't it?
Erica grinned. "Just what is going on in that pretty head of yours?" She ran her fingers through her lover's hair. Doris practically purred.
"What kind of things did Callie like to do?"
Erica stared on the soft strands that flowed through her fingers. "Hmm, let's see." She frowned slightly in thought. "She liked to go to the spa. Get massages, pedicures and manicures. She also liked to have all that green goop smeared on her face."
"Why doesn't it surprise me that she likes to be pampered?" Doris asked sarcastically. "What else?"
"She loves the water. She swam in Hotel Calidornia's pool all the time and in the ocean, too. She had a kayak and usually took it out early in the morning. She said it helped her relax and to think." Erica had to admit that Callie never looked happier or more relaxed than when she'd just come in from kayaking.
Doris made a mental note to scratch accidental drowning from her list of possible ways to do in Callie. "Okay, spas and water, anything else?"
Erica bit her lip and shook her head. Callie did have another favorite activity, but there was no way she was mentioning it to Doris. It was the one activity Callie and Doris had in common and something that Doris liked to believe Erica had only engaged in with her and her alone.
"You're not telling me something." Doris narrowed her brow and stared at her lover. If there was one thing Erica didn't do well, it was lie.
"I'd rather not talk about Callie," Erica said honestly as she rubbed her hand slowly up and down Doris's spine. She might not be able to lie, but she was damn good at distraction. "I'd rather make better use of our morning." She grinned salaciously.
"Oh really," Doris murmured lowly, stretching out like a contended cat in the warm sun. "And what would you like to do?"
Erica eased down slowly until both women were lying side-by-side on the cushions with Doris's back flush against the back of the couch. She moved her hand to Doris's hips and pulled her lover against her hard. There could be no mistaking her intent.
"Oh my," Doris whispered softly, her hot breath tickling Erica's lips. "I like how you think." She was just able to voice her pleasure before Erica took possession of her speech and her mouth. This just happened to be one of Erica's favorite activities, too.
Doris moaned her appreciation and rolled on top of her lover. The restraining order against Callie Torres would just have to wait until later in the day. Erica slipped her hand lower. Much later in the day...
To Be Continued