to buy some time. I can’t do this tonight. Please, are you going to help me? You promised. I’m begging you!”
A mischievous smile lit Bonita’s green eyes. “It’s kind of a rush to be on the other side of the begging for once.”
Crystal pressed a hand to her head. “Are you going to help me or not?”
Bonita was silent. Crystal felt Ryan move toward the patio. Desire, hers and his, tightened her skin.
Bonita sighed. “I think you’re making a mistake, but, yes, I’ll help you. Think we’ll scandalize the library crowd?”
“God, I hope so.” They had to make it convincing or Ryan wouldn’t believe it.
“There goes my Monday night book club,” Bonita said with resignation.
“Really?” Crystal glanced at her anxiously.
“No, and I’d do it anyway. Is he coming this way?”
She nodded. Every hair on her body had zinged to life the minute he spotted them on the patio.
“Drink up,” Bonita ordered.
Crystal drank, clutching the glass. If Bonita hadn’t been holding onto her other hand, she might have jumped the stairs, high heels notwithstanding, and bolted from the patio. Escape, in one way or another, was imperative.
Bonita grasped her chin, forcing Crystal to meet her eyes. “Stay with me, sweetie. You can do this. Focus on me.” Bonita took the empty glass from her hand, set it on a table and pulled her to a secluded spot at the end of the patio. “Let’s make him come find us.”
She relaxed under Bonita’s confident touch, shutting her eyes to better enjoy the slide of her full lips, opening her mouth to allow Bonita’s tongue to sweep against her own. Her scent was clean and earthy, like lilies after rain, and her mouth tasted sweet from the wine. It was heaven to get some relief.
Crystal took control of the kiss, shaping Bonita’s jaw with her palm and reaching behind to cup her ass and pull her body closer. Softness met softness, and Bonita moaned as Crystal pressed her legs apart with her thigh. Bonita’s eyelids fluttered, opened, and for the second time that day Crystal was overwhelmed by emotion. This time, she was sure it wasn’t hers. She sensed Bonita’s emotions snap beyond her control, saw the naked passion, the anguish and denial, the hope.
Crystal was stricken, stunned. “Who is she?”
Bonita tried to push away from her, but Crystal caught her hands firmly and held on, maintaining their link.
“I’m sorry.” Bonita gave her pained look. “I guess I’m a little raw myself, and you remind me of her.”
“Holy shit,” Crystal whispered. “I had no idea. You spend so much time at Johnny’s club. Are you collared? How come I’ve never met her?”
Bonita’s sad smile tore at her heart. “It’s…complicated. I can’t have her, haven’t seen her in years.” An eloquent shrug shook Bonita’s lean shoulders. “To be honest, I think Ryan might be the one for you, and I can’t bear to see you throw that away. You might not get another chance.”
All these years her boss had been hiding a secret crush and an even more secret heartbreak? Crystal raised her eyebrows. “How about you heed some of that sage advice and go get her? What’s good for the goose—”
Bonita’s silvery laugh rang across the patio. “Is good for the other goose? I wish.” She expelled a forceful sigh and pulled her hands away.
Crystal felt shocked, bereft. The emotions throbbing in the air between them vanished like smoke. She could sense nothing except the playful mischief Bonita had been projecting earlier. It was as if the intense exchange had never taken place.
Her confusion must have shown on her face because Bonita said, “You’re surprised a formerly closeted homosexual can hide her emotions?”
“From me? Yes.”
“I’ve got skills, baby.” Bonita reached down to snap Crystal’s thong panties through her dress. A wicked grin curved her lips. “Here he comes.”
Crystal stepped closer to Bonita.
“This could backfire. Some guys like to watch,”
A mischievous smile lit Bonita’s green eyes. “It’s kind of a rush to be on the other side of the begging for once.”
Crystal pressed a hand to her head. “Are you going to help me or not?”
Bonita was silent. Crystal felt Ryan move toward the patio. Desire, hers and his, tightened her skin.
Bonita sighed. “I think you’re making a mistake, but, yes, I’ll help you. Think we’ll scandalize the library crowd?”
“God, I hope so.” They had to make it convincing or Ryan wouldn’t believe it.
“There goes my Monday night book club,” Bonita said with resignation.
“Really?” Crystal glanced at her anxiously.
“No, and I’d do it anyway. Is he coming this way?”
She nodded. Every hair on her body had zinged to life the minute he spotted them on the patio.
“Drink up,” Bonita ordered.
Crystal drank, clutching the glass. If Bonita hadn’t been holding onto her other hand, she might have jumped the stairs, high heels notwithstanding, and bolted from the patio. Escape, in one way or another, was imperative.
Bonita grasped her chin, forcing Crystal to meet her eyes. “Stay with me, sweetie. You can do this. Focus on me.” Bonita took the empty glass from her hand, set it on a table and pulled her to a secluded spot at the end of the patio. “Let’s make him come find us.”
She relaxed under Bonita’s confident touch, shutting her eyes to better enjoy the slide of her full lips, opening her mouth to allow Bonita’s tongue to sweep against her own. Her scent was clean and earthy, like lilies after rain, and her mouth tasted sweet from the wine. It was heaven to get some relief.
Crystal took control of the kiss, shaping Bonita’s jaw with her palm and reaching behind to cup her ass and pull her body closer. Softness met softness, and Bonita moaned as Crystal pressed her legs apart with her thigh. Bonita’s eyelids fluttered, opened, and for the second time that day Crystal was overwhelmed by emotion. This time, she was sure it wasn’t hers. She sensed Bonita’s emotions snap beyond her control, saw the naked passion, the anguish and denial, the hope.
Crystal was stricken, stunned. “Who is she?”
Bonita tried to push away from her, but Crystal caught her hands firmly and held on, maintaining their link.
“I’m sorry.” Bonita gave her pained look. “I guess I’m a little raw myself, and you remind me of her.”
“Holy shit,” Crystal whispered. “I had no idea. You spend so much time at Johnny’s club. Are you collared? How come I’ve never met her?”
Bonita’s sad smile tore at her heart. “It’s…complicated. I can’t have her, haven’t seen her in years.” An eloquent shrug shook Bonita’s lean shoulders. “To be honest, I think Ryan might be the one for you, and I can’t bear to see you throw that away. You might not get another chance.”
All these years her boss had been hiding a secret crush and an even more secret heartbreak? Crystal raised her eyebrows. “How about you heed some of that sage advice and go get her? What’s good for the goose—”
Bonita’s silvery laugh rang across the patio. “Is good for the other goose? I wish.” She expelled a forceful sigh and pulled her hands away.
Crystal felt shocked, bereft. The emotions throbbing in the air between them vanished like smoke. She could sense nothing except the playful mischief Bonita had been projecting earlier. It was as if the intense exchange had never taken place.
Her confusion must have shown on her face because Bonita said, “You’re surprised a formerly closeted homosexual can hide her emotions?”
“From me? Yes.”
“I’ve got skills, baby.” Bonita reached down to snap Crystal’s thong panties through her dress. A wicked grin curved her lips. “Here he comes.”
Crystal stepped closer to Bonita.
“This could backfire. Some guys like to watch,”
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