had lunch with him today, and he had to order a salad."
"Really."
Melanie wasn't sure what that particular tone meant, nor how to respond to it. She swallowed,
and decided on avoidance. "I just happen to be free. When should I expect the sight-seeing
taxi to arrive?"
Taylor was glad to have the invitation accepted. She wanted nothing more than to spend time
with Melanie. "How 'bout five-thirty? I'll come get you, and we'll play it by ear."
They stood up together, both reluctant to end the physical contact neither one of them had
acknowledged. Melanie handed the Xena tapes over to the taller woman. "And you'll have to
show me more of these. Soon."
Taylor took them, their hands brushing, and Melanie held on longer than she needed to.
"You've got yourself a deal. I'l see you tomorrow night, then?"
"Yes, you will."
MELANIE STOOD UNDER the pounding spray of the shower. The water was much colder than
she liked it, but she felt so hot and flushed after Taylor left, this was the only way she could
think of to get her body temperature back to normal. She stood in the tub with her hands on
the wall and her face directly in the spray, analyzing her two "dates" today, and trying to figure out why they felt so different.
Ben was a great guy. He was handsome. He was very handsome. He was successful, polite and
considerate. He certainly must have been interested in Melanie; he had asked her to lunch
even though she was a virtual stranger. That made him bold. It took guts to ask somebody out
you've only just met. The risk of rejection is huge. Guts were good. She silently gave him a
point. He was a business executive, so they'd had plenty in common to talk about. That was
another point. It was a very pleasant lunch, and she would do it again, given the opportunity.
Taylor. Where to start with Taylor. Melanie bent her head down, letting the icy spray pound
against the back of her neck. When Taylor was near her she felt...nervous. And jumpy. And she
got butterflies in her stomach. Taylor was attractive. She was very, very attractive. She was
successful, polite and considerate. She was attentive, Melanie realized. She always felt like
she had one hundred and ten percent of Taylor's attention. She liked that. She gave Taylor a
point for it. She remembered how they had sat on the couch, their thighs touching innocently.
Innocently? Ha! Hardly. Melanie had sat in that spot on purpose, just to see what Taylor would
do. She could admit that now, though at the time, she had shocked herself. When Taylor had
spoken, all Melanie could do was watch her mouth. Her mouth and her hands. Taylor had great
hands, she realized now. They looked strong, yet feminine at the same time. Her nails were
devoid of any polish, but were filed neatly to a length not long or short. And her lips...
"Oh my God," she said out loud. "What is going on with me?" Was it possible for a woman to be a lesbian, and have absolutely no inkling until she's thirty-three? No. That was silly. If she
were gay, she would have gotten a clue before now. Wouldn't she?
She forced her mind back to Ben. She concentrated on any and all of the things she had felt
as she sat across the table from him this afternoon. She tried to picture his hands. She shut
her eyes tightly. No good. Nothing. How about his voice? He had a very deep, commanding
voice. She'd felt it in the pit of her stomach, but not in her groin like she did Taylor's.
What? Good lord, where did that come from?
Melanie cranked the water off and stood dripping, banging her head against the wall of the
shower. That's it. I can't think about this any more. I'l go insane.
She toweled herself off, and slipped into a pair of flannel boxers and a soft, green T-shirt. In
the living room, she pulled out the sofa bed, retrieved the pillows and comforter once again
from Sam's room, and clicked on the television, looking for something mindless, preferably a
horror movie, to save her from the madness in
"Really."
Melanie wasn't sure what that particular tone meant, nor how to respond to it. She swallowed,
and decided on avoidance. "I just happen to be free. When should I expect the sight-seeing
taxi to arrive?"
Taylor was glad to have the invitation accepted. She wanted nothing more than to spend time
with Melanie. "How 'bout five-thirty? I'll come get you, and we'll play it by ear."
They stood up together, both reluctant to end the physical contact neither one of them had
acknowledged. Melanie handed the Xena tapes over to the taller woman. "And you'll have to
show me more of these. Soon."
Taylor took them, their hands brushing, and Melanie held on longer than she needed to.
"You've got yourself a deal. I'l see you tomorrow night, then?"
"Yes, you will."
MELANIE STOOD UNDER the pounding spray of the shower. The water was much colder than
she liked it, but she felt so hot and flushed after Taylor left, this was the only way she could
think of to get her body temperature back to normal. She stood in the tub with her hands on
the wall and her face directly in the spray, analyzing her two "dates" today, and trying to figure out why they felt so different.
Ben was a great guy. He was handsome. He was very handsome. He was successful, polite and
considerate. He certainly must have been interested in Melanie; he had asked her to lunch
even though she was a virtual stranger. That made him bold. It took guts to ask somebody out
you've only just met. The risk of rejection is huge. Guts were good. She silently gave him a
point. He was a business executive, so they'd had plenty in common to talk about. That was
another point. It was a very pleasant lunch, and she would do it again, given the opportunity.
Taylor. Where to start with Taylor. Melanie bent her head down, letting the icy spray pound
against the back of her neck. When Taylor was near her she felt...nervous. And jumpy. And she
got butterflies in her stomach. Taylor was attractive. She was very, very attractive. She was
successful, polite and considerate. She was attentive, Melanie realized. She always felt like
she had one hundred and ten percent of Taylor's attention. She liked that. She gave Taylor a
point for it. She remembered how they had sat on the couch, their thighs touching innocently.
Innocently? Ha! Hardly. Melanie had sat in that spot on purpose, just to see what Taylor would
do. She could admit that now, though at the time, she had shocked herself. When Taylor had
spoken, all Melanie could do was watch her mouth. Her mouth and her hands. Taylor had great
hands, she realized now. They looked strong, yet feminine at the same time. Her nails were
devoid of any polish, but were filed neatly to a length not long or short. And her lips...
"Oh my God," she said out loud. "What is going on with me?" Was it possible for a woman to be a lesbian, and have absolutely no inkling until she's thirty-three? No. That was silly. If she
were gay, she would have gotten a clue before now. Wouldn't she?
She forced her mind back to Ben. She concentrated on any and all of the things she had felt
as she sat across the table from him this afternoon. She tried to picture his hands. She shut
her eyes tightly. No good. Nothing. How about his voice? He had a very deep, commanding
voice. She'd felt it in the pit of her stomach, but not in her groin like she did Taylor's.
What? Good lord, where did that come from?
Melanie cranked the water off and stood dripping, banging her head against the wall of the
shower. That's it. I can't think about this any more. I'l go insane.
She toweled herself off, and slipped into a pair of flannel boxers and a soft, green T-shirt. In
the living room, she pulled out the sofa bed, retrieved the pillows and comforter once again
from Sam's room, and clicked on the television, looking for something mindless, preferably a
horror movie, to save her from the madness in
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