CHAPTER 6
“Other than that one time, we’re really not more than roommates, at least in that department.”
“If that’s the case, then I have to ask,” Bree said, a slight hesitation in her voice. “What does David do for a sex life? I mean I can’t believe he’s been celibate for fifteen years.”
Valerie laughed before answering.
“Honey, you’ve seen my husband naked,” she replied. “Do you think he has any problem getting laid when the mood strikes him? He just follows the same rules as any other flyboy and keeps his indiscretions at least fifty miles from the flagpole.”
“Incredible,” Bree said as the story came to a close.
“But true,” Valerie concluded, letting a few moments pass before adding, “You know, you’re the only person that I’ve ever told the whole story to.”
“I’m glad you did,” Bree smiled.
“Now that I have, I am too,” Valerie said, returning the smile. “And I’m so glad that you’re okay with this. You are okay with it, aren’t you?”
“How could I not be okay with something that makes my best friend happy?” Bree replied.
Valerie felt a surge of relief.
“So, now that we’ve confessed all our secrets, don’t you think we should get ready?” Bree asked.
“Excuse me?” Valerie replied.
“To go to Paradise,” Bree clarified. “Now that you’ve let the pussy out of the bag, there’s no reason we can’t go, is there?”
“You still want to go?” Valerie asked in surprise.
“Are you kidding,” Bree said in an excited voice. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world,”
“This is awesome,” Bree said as she took in the kaleidoscope of light and sound around her.
Her first impression of the club was that it reminded her of one of those old-fashion discos, the ones she saw in movies from the seventies and eighties. Two thirds of the floor space was reserved for dancing; the rest was divided between a long bar that ran the length of the far wall and a multi-level seating area filled with different-sized tables. They ranged from intimate settings for two to groups of ten to fifteen.
It was the women, however, that held the greatest fascination for Bree. They ranged from what appeared to be barely legal to just past middle age, with every possible mix of race and physicality represented. There were too many for Bree to accurately guess their number, but she was sure, whatever the total was, it had to be skirting the local fire laws.
Paradise’s dress code was flexible enough to include anything from ball gowns to the shorts and bikini tops Bree saw some women wearing. Thankfully the outfits they had brought in anticipation of going out for a nice dinner were also comfortable enough for a night on the dance floor.
Valerie wore a sleeveless red dress with low-cut neck and a broad black band around the waist. Designed to display her admirable charms, it hugged her body in all the right places.
Green was Bree’s color of choice, matching her eyes. With a hem just above her knees and long sleeves of translucent lace that extended across her shoulders and upper back, it was her favorite outfit. Her bright red hair, normally tied back in a ponytail, now flowed freely about her shoulders.
“Would you like a drink?” Valerie asked as they came off the dance floor.
“No, I’m good,” Bree replied, glancing over her shoulder at a woman who, she was sure, had been stealing glances at her and Valerie while they danced. She wondered if she was interested in one of them in particular.
“Let’s take a break, though,” Valerie said, a bit tired after having danced the last few sets.
“Sure thing,” Bree replied. “I wanted to talk to you anyway.”
They moved off to the side where they had a better chance of hearing themselves talk.
“I just wanted to say that you don’t have to babysit me all night,” Bree said, still having to raise her voice to be heard over the din.
“What?”
“If you meet someone you want to leave with, I don’t want my being here to stop you,” she clarified. “I can find my way back to the hotel easily enough.”
“I’m not looking for anyone,” Valerie insisted. “I’m just saying, that’s all,” Bree repeated.
Almost as if on cue, the woman that Bree had spotted watching them on the dance floor, having followed them off it, came up to the two of them. From Valerie’s reaction, it was obvious she wasn’t a stranger.
To Bree, the dark haired woman looked to be about Valerie’s age, perhaps a few years older. About the same height, she had a stockier build, but her extra weight was evenly distributed and gave her a sexy figure. Her breasts, half exposed in her tight outfit, were even larger than Valerie’s.
“Hello, Victoria,” the brunette said once she had Valerie’s attention. “I haven’t seen you in here for a while; how have you been?”
“I’ve been fine, Melissa,” Valerie replied, her tone giving the impression that she wasn’t exactly happy to see the unexpected arrival. “Nice to see you again.”
“And who might you be?” Melissa asked, ignoring the lack of sincerity in Valerie’s reply as she turned her attention to Bree, giving her an appreciative smile as she did.
“Melissa, this is…” Valerie started to say, only to have Bree cut her off.
“Bridget,” she said, reaching out her hand, “Bridget Collins, and it’s nice to meet you, Melissa.”
Surprised, Valerie looked questioningly at Bree, only to be met by a look that said she wasn’t the only one who could play at being someone else.
“I can see why you haven’t been around,” Melissa said, taking her time releasing Bree’s hand.
“Oh we’re just friends,” Bree said as Melissa finally let go, clarifying their relationship.
“Well, in that case,” Melissa said with a smile that some might have called predatory, “would you like to dance?”
Without so much as a glance in Valerie’s direction, Bree enthusiastically accepted, stepping forward and wrapping her arm around Melissa’s.
Valerie watched with trepidation as the two of them moved out onto the floor and began to dance. She knew from personal experience that, to Melissa, dancing was just another form of foreplay, usually leading to much more intimate contact. Bree’s behavior since Valerie had revealed herself had been confusing at best, causing Valerie to wonder just how far Bree was planning to take this ‘Bridget’ persona.
The song coming over the speakers was the latest release by one of the current crop of twenty-something songstresses. Dancing to it involved little physical interaction between Bree and Melissa, which pleased Valerie. The next tune, however, was a throwback to an earlier era and more than made up for the lack of body contact in the first.
“That bitch,” Valerie said under her breath as she watched Melissa hold Bree so tight against her that their breasts were mashed together.
What she seemed to have forgotten was that she never had a problem with the way Melissa danced when it had been her body she was pressed up against.
Her temperature rose even more when she saw Melissa’s hand move from the small of Bree’s back down to her ass. The redhead didn’t seem to mind, though, and made no move to remove it. Instead, she seemed to be engrossed in a very intimate conversation with her dance partner, their faces so close that it almost looked like they might kiss.
The second song also ended and, much to Valerie’s relief, Bree began to head back toward her as Melissa went off in another direction.
“Have fun?” she asked once Bree reached her.
“Actually yes,” Bree replied. “This being someone else is turning out to be a lot more fun that I imagined.”
“I guess Melissa didn’t enjoy it as much,” Valerie commented, drawing attention to the fact that she had gone off in search of other amusements.
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Bree smiled. “She slipped me her cell phone number and told me to give her a call if I wanted.”
“Are you going to?” Valerie heard herself ask.
Bree paused a few seconds, seeming to consider the idea.
“I’ll be honest: it is a tempting thought,” she finally replied.
“Wasn’t it you who said only a few hours ago that you couldn’t imagine sex with a stranger?” Valerie asked.
“I seem to recall something like that,” Bree admitted. “But I also recall you saying something to the effect that I should take advantage of being far away from home.”
Valerie fell silent. She had indeed suggested that, but in doing so never imagined that it might lead to this. How had her friend, who, up to now, was so worried what people might think that she went two years without physical companionship, transformed, in what seemed to be the blink of an eye, into someone willing to hop into bed with another woman?
“Have you ever been attracted to another woman before?” Valerie asked.
“Would you be surprised if I said yes?” Bree asked in response.
Actually, Valerie wouldn’t have been. It was her experience that many totally straight women had, at some time in their life, had an attraction to another woman. Few, however, ever acted on it.
“No, I wouldn’t,” Valerie said.
“You’ve been with Melissa, haven’t you?” Bree asked, having picked up on that from Valerie’s reaction to the brunette earlier.
“Yes,” she admitted.
“What was she like?” Bree further asked. “In bed, I mean.”
Valerie cringed at the thought that Bree was actually considering using Melissa’s number. Part of her wanted to paint the experience in the worse possible way. Unfortunately, in the years they’d known each other, the one thing she had never done to Bree was lie. Omit aspects of her life, yes, but never actually lie.
“She was phenomenal,” Valerie finally said.
“Really?” Bree replied, obviously delighted with the answer.