Girl Crush(5)
“First of all, I’m not forty. Secondly, I can handle myself…but thanks, Mom.”
I hugged my best friend goodbye with far more self-assurance than I actually felt and slid into my Camaro. I kept the top up to prevent my hair from falling apart, but the moment the engine roared to life, so did my confidence. There was something in the way the car hummed that turned my insides out and caused my flesh to burn in the most erotic way. It had been a post-divorce present to myself. Men loved it, the black racing stripe only added to the intrigue of the sunshine-yellow exterior—and if men loved it, women would swoon.
With my aviator glasses perched on my nose, I checked my lipstick in the mirror, buckled my seatbelt, and drove to the bar to meet Beck.
*
It was early in the evening, and the after-work crowd still mingled after happy hour before the night owls would stroll in. Beck stood out like a beacon in the night amongst the suits and ties. And it didn’t take long for me to notice the men staring her down from their seats at the bar. Her pictures online hadn’t done her justice. Beck was stunning—model gorgeous with exotic, green eyes. Instead of the sight of her intimidating me, it fueled my fire. I straightened my spine, pulled my shoulders back, and sashayed with one leather boot-clad foot in front of the other until I reached her side.
And then I promptly fell apart. I didn’t have a clue what to do or how to handle an introduction. I wasn’t sure if I should extend my hand, lean in for a hug, or peck her on the cheek, and instead, it ended up being an awkward handshake-hug with a kiss on the ear. I stumbled into her almost knocking her over before I could pull myself back.
“Jesus, I’m sorry.” I tried to bite my tongue and refused to admit I was nervous. “I’m nervous.” Smooth, Giselle.
Beck’s lips lifted to reveal the most pristine white teeth I’d ever seen, followed by an engaging smile. “It’s okay. Sit, sit. It’s great to finally meet you.”
I pulled out a stool and climbed onto the high seat as gracefully as possible, praying I didn’t end up mooning the men behind me or falling on my face.
“You look beautiful. I love that dress.”
With that one comment, I launched into friend mode. “I got it at Saks on sale. The fabric’s great.” I peered down at the way it clung to my body. “It would look fantastic on you. You should borrow it sometime.”
Suddenly, I was having drinks with a girl I’d hoped to become BFFs with, and not one I wanted to accompany to bed, but I had to keep an open mind. Things with women were bound to be different than dates with men. I had no idea what attraction felt like when it wasn’t firmly attached to a penis. Maybe this was how things blossomed with another woman; everything about the female species was different—surely that included dating.
The more Beck talked, the more I adored her. From the way she flipped her hair over her shoulder, her ability to tune out the men balking at her beauty, and the demure smile she flashed in my direction—everything about her was perfection. Her eyes kept me entranced along with the silky-smooth tone of her voice.
“You’re a beautiful woman, Giselle.”
I didn’t know what to do with her compliment. It rolled off her tongue like a line from an eloquent poem, but I sat there like a daft duck, unsure of how to respond. Men never tripped me up, but this woman had me reverting to zit-faced prepubescence with a handful of words.
I batted my eyes in her direction and glanced down in uncertainty.
“It’s cute that you’re so shy.”
But I wasn’t. Not normally. Typically, I was like a blazing inferno doused in gasoline. My mouth frequently overrode my ass and wrote checks my body couldn’t cash. Since she was enamored with this side of me, I played it up. I needed her tutelage, and there was only one way to get it.
“I’m sure it’s odd to be on a date with a woman who’s never dated. I don’t know what I’m doing here.” I realized how that sounded and quickly backtracked. “I don’t mean here here, but here as in this moment, not the location with you. I just—”
She put her delicate fingers on top of mine to silence my gibberish. Her tongue snuck out and wet her lips, and all I could find myself thinking of was the color of her lipstick. She’d been drinking for the last hour, and it hadn’t smudged or even worn off. I stared at her mouth, the gorgeous matte nude that now glistened with the moisture of her tongue, and realized she’d caught me staring. Even her giggle was melodious.
My gaze darted back up to her minty-green eyes and the smoky shadow that colored her lids. Her lashes were thick without being clumped together, and her liner could have been tattooed it was so perfectly applied.
“I’m attracted to you. I know you need to take things slowly, and this is all new to you. But I’d love to see you again. Spend some time together somewhere other than a bar.” Her plump lip slipped between her teeth as she waited for my response.
“I’d like that, too.”
“Do you have plans this weekend? Why don’t you come over, and I’ll make dinner?”
I couldn’t help but wonder if that meant she would be the “girl” in this relationship. My thoughts shifted instantly. If she were the girl, that would make me the guy—I was far from butch. I shook my head to clear the notion—there was no man in this duo. Neither of us had to be the “guy” because there were no traditional roles here. A subtle smile lifted my lips with that realization.