Heaven only lasted a moment before she pulled away, leaving me stunned and shaking. But I’d kissed her back that time, and it had been wonderful.
That little smirk again. “Are you free Tuesday night?”
A stupid, schoolgirl grin spread across my face. “Yeah.”
“Give me your phone.” I fumbled in my small purse for a moment before managing to pull out my cell phone and unlocking it. She quickly added a contact and sent herself a text before handing it back. “Send me your address and I’ll pick you up at seven.” She sat back, turning her attention again towards the water.
“Yeah, I will.” I stood up on shaky legs and found my way down to the sand. As I walked away I glanced back. She was looking at me again, a real smile on her face this time. I felt like I could fly.
I made it back to my Mini. As soon as the engine was on and the AC humming I gave an excited little scream. I remembered when I was fifteen, and after a football game my best friend Erin had come back to my house to spend the night. She’d flopped down on my bed with this incredible, dreamy look on her face. Martin Jones had kissed her under the bleachers, and she was over the moon.
I’d been happy for her, but I couldn’t wait for my turn. When it had finally come I’d been so nervous. He was very nice, taking me out to dinner and then mini golfing. He’d opened my door when he brought me home, and then he kissed me. And nothing. No fireworks, no tingles, nothing like what my friends were describing. I pretended there were, of course, at least when I talked to them. Maybe he just wasn’t the right guy. I hadn’t dated a lot, but enough, I thought. By now I’d kissed about half a dozen boys and precisely none had made me feel like I did right now.
I was too logical a person not to think about what that might mean. Was I gay? Maybe. But if being a lesbian meant I got to feel like this, and have kisses like those, I was okay with it. For the moment, at least.
Taylor
Jesus, that girl was like a bad penny. A curvy, beautiful, delicious bad penny. God, that’d been a good kiss. It had been chaste, no tongue, but she’d felt so nice. I wanted to run my fingers through that hair like you wouldn’t believe. And the way she’d been looking at me, damn, that could make a gal excited. I shifted in my chair, feeling the evidence of my lingering arousal. If she’d stayed much longer it would’ve made the rest of the afternoon a lot less comfortable.
When was the last time I’d gone on a date? Like, a real date? At least six months. After Gillian had left me, God, that was four years ago, I didn’t want to date. An occasional hook-up at a club when I needed it, sometimes a girl from a party, nothing even remotely serious. Vicky & Jen had tried to fix me up a few times but I’d managed to get out of most of them.
Down on the sand some teenage boys had let their roughhousing get a bit out of hand, so I blew my whistle and shouted at them to stop. They did, but the distraction broke through my reverie and I was able to get my mind back on my work. I’d think about the date afterwards.
When that time came I found myself heading back out to the warehouse. The air whistled past my helmet as I rode up the PCH, her face dominating my thoughts on the way. I tried to remember when I’d met Gillian. Had I been like this? I don’t know, and I really didn’t want to think about that.
I pulled into my spot. It being a Sunday evening there were plenty of other cars there. It was an interesting and eclectic mix of broken down old jalopies. I smiled inside. An observant person could probably match up each ride with the artist inside based just on personality.
I got a few nods and welcome calls, but most were too absorbed in what they were doing to notice my arrival. I sat down at my bench and pulled out the piece I’d been working on. I stared at it for a minute. I knew what needed to be done, but I just wasn’t into it. I glanced to where my sketchbook was sticking out from a shelf. I picked it up and flipped to the last used page, where Aly’s face looked out over an unseen ocean. I picked up my pencil and added some shading. She was so beautiful. The picture seemed to come to life on the page, blushing shyly and turning to look at me with those big brown eyes through her long lashes.
I stood, going over to my crate of rebar, pulling out a base plate and several long pieces. Two hours and a few misfires later I’d tacked together a frame. It’d used most of what I’d had, but I could see it, see her, now. The frame was over four feet tall. I looked through some of the scrap metal I had lying around, but none of it would be acceptable. I’d need some good steel sheets, probably forty, fifty square feet worth, high quality. I’d have to call my supplier tomorrow. I really couldn’t do anything more until I had them, so I went back to my bench.
I made myself work a bit on some of the smaller pieces. I wanted a dozen or so for the art fair in October; I usually made a few good sales there, but my attention kept pulling back towards the frame. What I was doing? Large pieces were hard to transport and even harder to sell. But I needed to do it, just like I needed to take her out Tuesday.
What would I do with her? I really wanted to take her dancing; the thought of holding her close caused a delicious shiver to roll over me. A few good moves, a little bump and grind and I’d get her worked up enough for her to let me take her back to my place. A good fucking with my strap on and that bi-curiosity would be satisfied, and then I’d never see her again. She’d go back to USC and her frat boys and I could get on with my life, such as it was.
But… I wanted to get to know her, too. I don’t know why, it was so much easier when I didn’t. But that kiss though, the second one especially, damn. I hadn’t been able to help it, Aly just pressed my buttons. She was sweet, and it didn’t feel like she was out to get something. And that look in her eyes when I’d leaned in close, it was more than desire, it was, I don’t know… wonder. I wanted to see that again. I knew I wanted to see what she looked like when she came, but also when she laughed, or smiled. I wanted to kiss her tears away when she cried.
I grabbed my phone and opened my contacts.
“Caratini’s, Georgio speaking.”
“Hi Mr. Caratini, it’s Taylor Knox, I’m Jennifer and Vicky Wilson’s friend? Do you remember me?”
“Si, Senorita Taylor, of course I do, how can I help you?” I often wondered how much of his Italian accent was affected, but his customers seemed to love it. So did I. I could almost hear his big bushy gray mustache lifting into that wide smile.
“I’m taking someone out on Tuesday, and I was wondering…”
“Of course, senorita, any friend of Senoras Vicky and Jennifer has always a table here. When will we see you and your lady friend?”
I told him seven-thirty and wished him a buona sera. Just as I disconnected a text came through from Aly’s number.
“Hi, it’s Aly. My address is 5719 Terrance Ct, North Vista. What time should I be ready?”
Me – Seven OK?
Aly — Sure. I’m really excited, BTW.
Me — So am I. See you then. Sleep tight.
Aly — You too, hopefully I dream about you.
Me — I’d like that.
Alyssa
Taylor — I’d like that.
I lay on my bed and squealed into my pillow. I couldn’t believe how excited I truly was. Taffey meowed at me from the floor, and I reached down and picked up the old calico and cuddled her, reveling in the softness of her fur, letting her rumbling purr soothe me.
“Taffey, I have a date on Tuesday. I can’t wait.”
“Meow. Rrrrrrr.”
“And Taffey, it’s with a woman. She’s handsome and beautiful all wrapped into one. I really like her.” I kissed my cat on her head. “I think I might be gay.”
“Meow.” Snuggle, snuggle.
“I knew you wouldn’t care, sweet girl.” I scratched her behind her ears, stretching out on my bed and looking up at the posters of all the soccer players on my wall. Was I gay? The kiss I’d had earlier today… best kiss of my life, hands down. The thought of just holding her hand made me all warm and fuzzy inside. Being held by her, the idea of that made me tingle in lovely, private places.
I really concentrated on one of the posters. I imagined dancing with the woman in it, her arms around my waist. Ooh, those warm feelings were back. Not as strong as when I pictured Taylor, but they were there. I replaced the person holding me in my mind with a guy from the men’s team. The tingle went away, and my fantasy self recoiled from his touch a little.
Oh, shit. I was going on my first real date in two days. I didn’t sleep much that night.
The next day was Freshman Orientation and Kelsey had volunteered to help. Mom said she could skip it if she wanted, but she insisted on going.
So I sat home alone, pulling every item of clothing I owned out of my closet and trying them on, modeling for Taffey and my sister’s cat Sparkle. I finally settled on an LBD with a pleated skirt that twirled up when I spun around. I knew that would tease her, hopefully driving her a little crazy. I had some black dance briefs to wear with it, not wanting to give too much of a show, and I loved the tight top with the racer back straps. It showed enough cleavage to get Taylor’s attention, but not so much as to give my dad a heart attack when I came down the stairs.
That decision being made I didn’t have anything to do but twiddle my virtual thumbs, flipping around social media. I had a few texts from my sisters at EKT, mostly ‘can’t wait to see you’s, but there was one from my best friend Sadie. We’d spent an hour Skyping after my last day at my internship and planning for our return to campus, but I hadn’t talked to her since. She was a psychology major, and could read me like a book. If I talked to her while I was this excited she’d know immediately something was up and make me tell her everything. I wasn’t ready for that, not yet.