Doublecrossed (23 page)

“Are you sure? You seemed to really enjoy the place in Provincetown.”

“I did. But that was then and this is now. Now we’re in a baseball mood.”

Regan took her by the elbow and started to walk towards the bar. “If you’re sure.”

“I’m positive.” They put their heads down and fought like a pair of salmon to get in the door, but they finally managed.

Regan went towards the bar and returned a mere twenty minutes later with four beers. “Drink up,” she said, grinning slyly. “Next time, you’re buying. Then we can compare notes on how many people put their hands on your ass.”

*

Callie had just gotten back from her turn to buy and she declared, “One guy rubbed his shoulder against my boob, and another one blatantly put his hand on my butt while leering at me. Not too bad.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “Some guys turn into predators when they get into a place like this. Women are a little more subtle.”

Regan winced. “That’s why I thought you might prefer a lesbian bar. That and the other thing,” she added, grinning.

“What other thing?”

“Chasing girls. You seem to be really good at it.”

Callie let out a squawk of dissent. “I’ve never chased a woman or a man. I don’t do that.”

Regan laughed at her reply. “I saw you with six or seven different women in P’town. Not to mention the one you were playing tonsil hockey with.”

Looking haughty, Callie said, “I didn’t ask one person to dance. I never do. And I didn’t kiss her, she kissed me. She pulled me onto her lap, not the other way around.”

“Oh, I see. You just flash those dimples and women chase you. I can see how that would happen. You’re too cute to ignore.”

“I’m not exactly shy, but I’ve never had the nerve to put myself out there. I just wait for an invitation.” She smiled sweetly, her devilish side showing through.

Regan tried not to stare, but it wasn’t easy. Those dimples could make a grown woman weep. And when that smile flashed and those white teeth gleamed, it was enthralling. Where had the glum mood gone? Impossible to say, but no one could stay in a bad mood when Callie was around. Lying in her arms the night before had miraculously made the day dawn brighter and sweeter. How could that be? It must be the aura she gave off. Calming and nurturing but also playful and almost giddy. What a double play.

*

It was late when they finally stumbled into their swap. Neither knew where the light switch was, and they fumbled and bumped into each other for a few minutes, giggling the whole time. Regan tried to flip Callie’s nose to get the light on and Callie stood in the center of the room and clapped loudly, several times, before grumbling, “The Clapper is a wonderful addition to any home. We should leave one as a gift.”

Regan finally located the switch on a tiny bit of wall between two door frames. When the bright, unflattering light clicked on, she immediately shut it off. “Whoa! This is why lighting in bars is always soft and flattering.”

“Hey! Was that intended for me?”

Regan switched it on again. “Of course not. But it’s harsh and it hurts my eyes. I’m gonna find some candles.” She hunted around the place, finding a pair of poorly used pillars. “Some people don’t know how to use a candle properly,” she muttered, before lighting both and setting them on the breakfast bar. When she turned off the overhead lights, she sighed with pleasure. “That’s better.”

The dim light did make the place look much nicer and it cast a golden glow on Callie’s features that Regan found impossible to ignore. She slapped her hands on the bar to snap herself out of her musings. “One more for the road.” She went to the refrigerator and pulled two beers out, handing one to Callie. “Are you woman enough?”

Taking the challenge, Callie twisted the top off and slugged down a healthy amount. Regan matched her, holding the bottle to her lips and letting it drain for a few glugs.

“Well played. You, my friend, know how to pound the brewskis.”

“I don’t do it often, but I’ve got the touch,” she admitted, grinning goofily. “Now let’s get back to our discussion.”

“It was an argument,” Callie decreed. “And I won.”

“It wasn’t an argument, and if it was, I won. I know when a woman’s interested in me, and the woman in question was most definitely not.”

“She was looking at you every time I peeked at her. Every time,” Callie emphasized.

“Not buying it. And if she was, she must have thought she recognized me. Maybe she had her wedding at the Inn. She was married, you know. She had a big, big diamond on her left hand and the guy with her had a ring on too.”

‘Well,” Callie said, banging her bottle on the table, “he might as well start looking for a lawyer, because she was into you. Big time.”

“Was not. Not, not, not, not, not. I always know when a woman is into me. It’s a sixth sense.”

“You always know?”

“Always.”

“You’ve never, ever, not even once, been wrong?”

“Never. Not once. Never will be wrong.” Regan slammed her bottle onto the table hard enough to break it, but the glass held and she stood there, looking smug.

“Where did you get this power?”

“I don’t know. But I guarantee I have it.” A flurry of thoughts raced through her mind. She knew she was right, so it was time to gut it up and spill it. She looked vaguely triumphant when she added, “My powers tell me that there is someone who’s interested in me.”

Callie looked like she’d fallen into a hole. Her eyes blinked a few times, showing what looked like fear. “Who might that be?”

“Someone I know. She just started looking at me like this. It’s only been a few days, but I’m sure I’m right.”

“Tell me more,” Callie said, swallowing audibly.

Regan moved to stand at the end of the bar. She leaned over, rested her arms on the Formica and gazed deeply into Callie’s eyes. “You, Callie Emerson, have been looking at me in a certain way for a few days now.”

“I have?” Callie choked out.

Regan tapped the neck of her bottle against Callie’s. “You have. You’ve been looking at me like you want to kiss me.” She put her bottle down and rested her chin atop a fist, holding her head just a few inches from Callie’s. “Am I right?”

“Uhm…I…well…”

“I’m right,” Regan said, practically purring. There was no way to back out now. It’d been a long time since she’d tried to seduce a woman, but she knew what worked. People loved confidence and she could bring it. “You actually look like you want me to kiss you.” Her voice dropped down to a timbre meant to weaken knees. “I’m right, aren’t I? This is how you get women to make the first move.”

Callie could only nod. She looked frightened, but she leaned in. A sure sign. Regan moved even closer and their lips touched—delicately and fleetingly.

Regan took in a breath and slipped her hand across Callie’s cheek, letting it rest just under her ear. One finger slid across the lobe, then down her neck, making goosebumps break out. Regan tilted her head and gazed deeply into Callie’s eyes, then moved towards her again, letting their lips brush tenderly, then insistently.

They moved into each other, their lungs expanding as their bodies touched from breasts to hips. Each place their bodies met switched on a sensor. Energy throbbed in Regan’s breasts, her belly, her thighs. Everywhere that Callie’s warmth pervaded was alive in a new way.

Regan’s head tilted back and her mouth opened to Callie’s daintily probing tongue. As soon as that warm tongue entered her mouth, Regan was gone. Callie could have pushed her to the bar, the chair, the floor…any sturdy surface would have been just fine. She laced her arms around Callie’s neck and pulled her in, hoping she didn’t take a bite out of the luscious woman.

Her body wanted more. More than she could fathom. She needed Callie’s hands to touch every part of her. Every part that had been yearning so insistently for the magic she knew those hands could create. Just as that thought registered, Callie’s hands slid to her ass and pulled her forward forcefully. Their bodies pressed hard into each other, and Regan’s head felt as though it would explode from the overload of sensation flooding her mind.

Then her hand was on Callie’s breast and the moan that welled up from her made Regan weak. But she held on, opening her mouth a little wider to let Callie’s delectable tongue anchor them together.

But the pull to merge was just too strong. Regan had to be horizontal. With their mouths still locked together they fumbled and banged their way into the bedroom, falling onto the bed with a thump. Regan pulled away and reached for her shirt, pulling it over her head so that Callie could reach her breasts. Lingering for just a moment she looked down and saw fervid desire in those green eyes. Just like Callie had planned the whole thing. No hesitation. Not tentative in the least. Just like she’d looked at Marina…at God knew how many other women. Other women while she’d been with Marina. Any woman on the list. Nothing more than animal passion. No love. No respect. No consideration for the consequences. And she’d agreed to all of that before she’d ever set foot in Marina’s apartment.

“No,” she whispered, almost too quietly to hear. “It’s not right. I didn’t think this through.” Panic exploded in her chest and she couldn’t get a full breath.

Callie placed her hands on either side of Regan’s face, searching her eyes. “What? What is it?”

“It’s not right,” she repeated dully, not having any idea what else to say.

Slowly, Callie scooted out from under her leg and sat up. She slid her fingers into her hair and pushed it from where it had fallen into her face. She looked calm, almost resigned. The way she’d probably looked when a woman she’d wanted didn’t pan out.

But Callie sat there, looking into Regan’s eyes. “Is it too soon?”

The concerned voice was a warm hug. That was it. That was something to hold on to. Who was the real Callie? The woman who looked like she’d combust if they didn’t have sex or the gentle friend who, she knew, would take a bullet for her? It was impossible to tell. They’d only had two weeks together. The panic started to ebb. They could figure this out. She nodded quickly and decisively. “Yes. That’s it. It’s too soon.”

“You’re still conflicted about Angela?”

Regan dropped her head and nodded. “I guess I am. I’m definitely confused.”

Callie wrapped her in a comforting hug, murmuring into her ear, “It’s okay. Really. It’s okay. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. It’s fine, Regan. It’s fine.”

Regan had no idea how she was able to switch gears so quickly, but she’d never been more grateful to anyone. Callie had diffused a terrible situation with just a few words and a gentle hug. The temptation was fierce to fall back into her arms and kiss her until dawn, but it was too confusing. Nothing made sense, and she’d never have sex with someone she wasn’t sure of.

Regan gazed into Callie’s eyes for a long time. “Are you sure? I never, ever want to do anything to hurt you or our friendship.” That was the truth. That was one thing that couldn’t change, no matter what.

“You haven’t hurt a thing. We’ll just chalk this up to…” She laughed softly. “Something, and put it away. No pressure.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. We’ll slow down. Give you time to catch up to where I am.”

They kissed tenderly, the pull so strong it hurt deep in Regan’s chest. Who had leaned in first? It was impossible to say. When she pulled away, Callie’s lips followed her, and the longing in her eyes made Regan’s heart begin to thump quickly. “The worst thing we could do is try and fail to make it as a couple. That would devastate me,” she said, meaning every word.

“You’re right. It’s too important to make a mistake. You’ve got to be ready.”

“Yes, yes!” Regan took her by the shoulders and pressed harder than she should have. “That would be awful! As bad as it was for me when I left Angela.” Callie burrowed against her body and Regan felt the reassuring safety of Callie’s warmth.

“It means so much to me to have you feel like that about our friendship. It’s a wonderful feeling.”

“I won’t hurt you, Callie. I promise I won’t.”

*

After brushing their teeth, they deliberately got back into bed, each of them almost hanging off her respective side. Callie tried to clear her mind of the swirling emotions that could have kept her up all night. She finally calmed herself with the obvious truth. Regan was attracted to her. There was no doubt about that. All she had to do was wait for her to flush the remains of Angela from her system, and they would be able to kiss and never stop. Never, ever stop. It would take some time, but she had plenty of that. Waiting for something wonderful was always worth it. Regan just needed to clear her head of bad memories.

She replayed in her mind the fantastic sensations that Regan had just gifted her with. Thinking of those soft, insistent lips, and the power she felt in that lithe body, Callie imagined the day when they’d share a bed with not a hairsbreadth between them. There was no question. Regan would be the partner she’d always wanted. Honest, loyal, compelling, alluring. Every lovely attribute she could want. That was Regan.

*

The next morning the alarm woke them long before either was ready to get out of bed. Regan was grumbling to herself when she shuffled into the bathroom, and Callie got up and started packing so they could stop and get a cup of coffee before they went to the airport.