I closed my eyes, overcome from a wave of heat spreading over my body. “There’s been no one since you.”

  Billie shuddered. I bit my lip and she ran her finger over it. My heart sped up and I couldn’t catch my breath.

  I wanted Billie, but I was scared to take the lead. She’d always been the one to start things, from asking me to tutor her, to kissing me, and then inviting me into her bedroom where she showed me wonderful things I never thought were possible to share with another person.

  When she didn’t kiss me, I opened my eyes. Our faces were so close. It would be so easy for me to press my lips to hers.

  “Well?” She nuzzled my cheek.

  “Well, what?” I gathered my courage and lifted up her T-shirt.

  “You know what.” She dropped her forehead against mine when I traced her stomach and played with her belly button ring.

  She wanted me to take control. All I had to do was grab hold and not let go. With one last flick of her navel ring, I slid my hand in between her thighs. I teased and stroked until Billie moaned and her entire body stiffened. I waited for her to ride it out then cupped her face. Her eyes flickered and her lids lowered. Her breathing deepened and she rocked against me. I locked my lips to hers, a moan bursting from my chest. The moment our mouths met, my entire body jolted and I kissed her harder. She curled her arms around my head and increased the dynamics of the kiss, sucking and licking. I shuddered and pulled at her lips, wanting everything and more from her.

  I never broke away, even when Billie lifted my shirt and cupped my breasts. I sucked and nibbled, swiping my tongue along hers, taking small inhales along the way. I was rewarded by her stroking and rubbing, her touch causing a tidal wave of emotion to crash over me.

  “I love you!” I dragged her over me, arching up and clasping my legs around her waist.

  “Love you…always have…always will,” she gasped between kisses.

  My body trembled from head to toe. It wasn’t long until we both were naked, rolling around with our arms and legs intertwined. Our mouths never separated.

  I lay back down with Billie’s face buried in my cleavage…lapping and licking along the way…and down my stomach…and then lower.

  I clutched her short hair and arched back, crying out her name and my jumbled directions as she loved me with more kisses in and around my sensitive flesh.

  By the time I came back down to earth and the black spots in front of my eyes disappeared, sunlight shone through the windowpanes. Billie laid her cheek on my stomach and ran her fingers up and down my leg.

  I broke down in tears, happy, joyful tears, holding her tight. No way in hell was I ever letting her go now. I sobbed against her chest, welcoming her back to my life. Finally, I calmed down, and with my heart bursting with incredible joy, I showed her with more generous touches and eager kisses how precious she was to me.

  Chapter Eight

  “Is that a new outfit?” Mom asked.

  “Yup. You like?” I twirled in my new red lace cami and black flared jeans. I’d even spruced myself up with some glittery bracelets Billie had helped me pick out at the mall last week.

  She nodded in approval and wheeled her chair back to grab a can of soda from the counter. I would have offered to get it, but she liked being self-sufficient.

  I sat down at the kitchen table and swept my hair away from my shoulders. Next step would be a trip for the salon, but only for a trim since Billie liked it long. I loved how she played with it when we snuggled together on the couch watching television or in bed when we made love.

  “I take it you’re going out tonight?” Mom sipped her soda.

  I nodded. Billie wanted to pick me up for a real date. Our first real date, ever. I hung out with Mom while she waited for Dad to come back with dinner, and I waited for Billie to arrive. I wanted to explain our relationship, to finally have what was special and amazing between us out in the open with my mom…and she could tell Dad. She’d always been better at breaking news about my life to him.

  “Billie’s performing with The Lady Pearls at Sisco’s. It’s sure to draw a big crowd, even for a Thursday night.” I rubbed my palms on my legs. “Um, Billie’s taking me to dinner first. We’re going on a date.”

  I waited for Mom’s response. She set the can down.

  “I always liked Billie. She has money to spend, so make sure she pays for dinner.”

  “Mom!” I choked back a laugh.

  “Well, it’s true, since she’s a big rock star.”

  “You’re okay Billie and I are together?” I could only imagine what her friends at church would say about her daughter the lesbian.

  “The main thing I’m worried about is Billie breaking your heart again.”

  “How did you know she and I were…in high school?” I felt my face warming and picked at one of my nails.

  “The summer after you graduated, I caught you two kissing a few times when you thought you were alone. Also, Leah and I talked about it once before Billie had left. She wanted to know if I had a problem with you and Billie. I told her no, why should I have?” She rolled her eyes. “I guess she assumed I would be upset because I go to church.”

  I would have thought the same. Mom and I had never talked about my sexual orientation because I was too uncomfortable at first, and then her accident happened and there was never a right time to bring it up.

  “I guess it can’t be any worse than your eldest daughter living in sin,” I joked.

  “Don’t remind me. I’m ready for her to elope. She’s driving me crazy with the wedding! Every day she calls, wanting something else added or in the throes of a panic attack.”

  I giggled and Mom did the same. We shared happy grins.

  The back door opened and Dad came in with a brown bag and a pizza.

  “Hey, ladies.” He kissed the top of Mom’s head then dropped the food on the table. I rose and we hugged.

  “Going out tonight?” he asked, eyeing me from head to toe.

  “Yup. Dinner and then to a bar. With Billie.” I gave Mom a quick look.

  Dad nodded and sat down next to Mom.

  “I’ll explain to your father while we eat,” she said.

  Dad’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “Explain what?”

  The front doorbell rang and I made a break for it. Billie looked too hot for words in leather pants and a shiny one-shoulder purple top.

  “Hey there, baby. You look smokin’.” she playfully growled and kissed me on the cheek. Disappointed, I gave her a more appropriate greeting involving lips and some tongue.

  When I pulled back, her eyes became glossy then she shook her head and cleared her throat. “Ah….”

  “It’s all right. My mom knows.” I grabbed her hand. “Come say hello to my parents then we can leave.”

  “Sure.” She didn’t sound too confident, which I found funny. For some reason since we’d gotten back together a few weeks before, whenever she talked with my parents, especially with Dad, she became flustered.

  Mom and Dad stopped eating when Billie and I entered the kitchen.

  “Hi, Mrs. and Mr. Barkley.” Billie tried to let go. I wouldn’t let her.

  “How’s it going…Billie,” Dad asked, zoning in on our joined hands.

  “Great, just great.” She squeezed my fingers.

  “The girls are going to dinner and then to a bar to hear live music. Billie’s performing,” Mom said.

  “Oh?” Dad gave us a genial smile. “Sounds like fun. Maybe some handsome guy will buy you both a round of drinks?”

  Mom burst out laughing, and I covered my mouth as I let out a combination snort-laugh. Billie shifted from side to side, her face bright red.

  “What did I say that’s so funny?” he asked.

  Still holding Billie’s hand, I studied Dad, ignoring my jumping stomach. This time, I would tell him my own news. He was open-minded, but I didn’t know what his reaction would be. “Billie and I are together. We’re girlfriends.”

  “Girl…oh!” His mouth dropped open.

  I let Billie go and she walked over to his side. She extended her hand. “Mr. Barkley, I’m dating your daughter. I hope it’s not a problem.”

  Dad looked from one of us to the other. He stood and shook her hand.

  ***

  I found a spot at the bar and waited for Marc to take my drink order. In fifteen minutes, The Lady Pearls would play with special guests Billie Layne and Ivy Falls. I couldn’t stop grinning as I thought of my girlfriend performing tonight. She would rock the place hard. I was excited to see her in action.

  “Hiya, pipsqueak.” Marc kissed me on the cheek.

  “It’s pretty busy tonight.” I craned my neck and spotted Billie near the edge of the stage with Alana and Casey.

  “This is the busiest Thursday in a while. Should be a good show.” He wiped his head with a towel, dropped his arms on the bar, and leaned in close. “So, what’s the deal with you and Billie?”

  “Why do you ask?” I traced the moisture ring around my glass and shrugged.

  His hand landed on mine. “Playing coy won’t work on me. I’ve heard rumors that you and Billie are a thing.”

  Since Billie talked to Alana almost every day, I assumed she told Alana about us, and in turn, Alana told Casey and then Marc.

  “I guess you could say we’re together, as in, she’s my girlfriend.”

  He made a circle around my face. “You’re glowing. Must mean you’re getting laid.”

  “Marc!” I slapped him in the arm. “Like you should talk. Ever since you and Alana started ‘dating,’ you’ve been less grumpy.” I caught Casey and her with their heads together. Casey chuckled at something she said and kissed her briefly on the mouth. Marc surveyed the interaction. Instead of storming off to claim Alana or showing jealousy, a small grin creased his face and he stared at Alana…or, rather, both, with tenderness. This situation was one I would never fully understand.

  He looked back at me and winked. “I’m very happy and satisfied with my relationship with Lana, and with Casey. We all have a mutual understanding that benefits us all.”

  My mind twirled with the type of understanding they might have, but since he was working and the drinkers were getting restless, I refrained from asking him anything personal about his love life—for now. Who was I to judge? My relationship with Billie would raise questions and some would find it wrong, but I didn’t care. She made me happy and that was all that mattered and nothing else.

  I asked Marc for a ginger ale for Billie and a beer for myself. He gave me the drinks and surprised me by saying they were on the house. Before I could argue, he walked away. I’d leave him a good tip.

  As I turned away, I found Ivy standing behind me. I still wasn’t comfortable around her. Billie had been upfront about their former relationship. The once lovers were now really good friends and nothing more.

  I decided to play nice. “Ready to rock the roof off this place?”

  “You bet your ass, I am.” She rapped her fist on the bar. “The Pearls know how to work their instruments, and Alana’s voice is killer. Billie and I will make sure these girls become the biggest thing in music next year.”

  Billie was really excited to work with the Pearls, but she wanted to do it here and not in LA. I wondered if Ivy knew this.

  “Um, Ivy, Billie told me—”

  “She’s staying here for a while. Yeah, she told me.” She shrugged. “I’m going to miss the woman, but she’s in a good place.” She squeezed my shoulder. “You’re good for her. It’s obvious, at least to me, that you’re each other’s one and only.”

  “Oh,” I said, at a loss for words.

  “Sounds cheesy, right?” She winced, and her hand fell away.

  “No, not at all. What you said, it’s nice, beautiful.” I sipped my beer.

  “Just so you know, it’s been years since we…well, I won’t get into that because it’s in the past. I’m headed back out West on Monday to take care of some unfinished business,” she said in a wistful tone.

  “Music business?” I slowly inched my way out from the bar so I could find the perfect spot where Billie could see me while on stage.

  “Personal. Like Billie, I need to make up for lost time. I’m hoping she’ll let me.” Ivy whispered the last part and rubbed the Chinese tattoo on the inside of her wrist.

  Now I was curious, but she turned away. A bartender came over, and Ivy asked for a shot of whiskey. Leaving Ivy alone, I took another swig of my beer as I made my way through the crowd and to the front.

  I searched the area for Billie and was rewarded when she said my name and appeared by my side. I handed her a drink, and she thanked me in a way I wasn’t expecting. She drew her arm around my shoulders and kissed me. There were whistles and clapping by the time we finished. My face grew warm and my lips tingled as she tugged me up on stage and tucked me behind one of the speakers.

  “What was that for?” I wrapped my arms around her waist.

  She ran her palms up and down my back. “I want everyone to know we’re together. I’ve had too many guys and a few pushy women flirt with me.” She pressed a hard kiss to my mouth and rubbed her lips against mine.

  “After that kiss, no one is going to bother you. If anyone tries to hit on you, they’ll have to speak to me,” I said against her mouth and increased the pressure of the kiss, my way of showing her she was mine, and no one was going to take her from me.

  She pulled me into a hug and sighed. “My Mandy.”

  “My Billie.” I rested my cheek on her shoulder knowing there would be many more moments like this between us.

  ***

  I would always hold the memory of this night dear. Watching my girl sing live was amazing. I was bowled over by her and the other women she jammed with on stage. Halfway through the first set, I noticed Marc and Casey across from me, enthralled by the action. They kept their eyes on Alana the entire time, much as I did with Billie.

  Catching Marc’s eye, he mouthed a word I couldn’t catch at first. But then he mouthed it a second time, and I nodded in understanding. Love.

  Yes, love. That beautiful word had so much wonderful meaning behind it. Love was indeed a powerful thing. It had allowed me to get over my devastating loss the first time with Billie. We were lucky to have another chance together.

  Neither of us was going to walk away again. This time was forever.

  Also Available:

  Hot Buzz

  Jerri can’t sleep at night. Every night she hears Krysta pleasure herself with her vibrator in her bedroom. Jerri wants to be the one to help Krysta find satisfaction and much more.

  Then one night Jerri’s jealousy gets the best of her and she confronts Krysta. She’ll prove to her that something like a vibrator can’t give her satisfaction, and only a flesh and blood woman like herself can.

  Excerpt:

  As she turned away, her roommate grabbed her shoulder. “I’m sorry I upset you. I didn’t expect her to kiss me, but before I could push her away, you ran off.” She moved in closer.

  “You’ve been crying?”

  Wrenching away, she backed off a few steps. “Even if I were, what does it matter? I grow emotional when I drink, you know that.”

  “I’m calling bullshit on that lame ass excuse.” Krysta shook her head. “You’re upset I was flirting with another woman? You were doing the same exact thing with Casey. You kissed him first! Now we’re even and we can put this whole night behind us.”

  “Argh!” Jerri yanked on her hair. “Even? How are we even? I’m sick of you flaunting yourself around acting like you’re the shit. It’s bad enough I can’t sleep at night with you using your vibrator, keeping me up at all hours and getting me turned on.” Her heaving chest and angry pants cut off her breath.

  Krysta stared at her, red faced. “You listen to me masturbating every night? That’s… sick.”

  “Sick?” Irate, she jabbed her finger into Krysta’s chest. “You know what’s sick? Using an inanimate object to get you off when you have a living, breathing person here who would be more than willing to do that.”

  Her eyes widened. “I know what you did in the bathroom last night.”

  “Yeah so?” she spat, curling her fingers into the front of Krysta’s T-shirt. “I went ahead and fucked myself with my own dildo because all I wanted to do was storm into your bedroom and make you scream out my name as you came.”

  “I think we should forget this conversation ever happened and just go to bed—”

  “Fuck this. I’m done arguing with you.” She twisted her hands into Krysta’s hair, taking her mouth in a hard kiss.

  Strong hands wrapped around her shoulders, but didn’t push her away. She increased the pressure and thrust her tongue in Krysta’s mouth, sucking down hard on her bottom lip. Their tongues tangled over one another in greedy hunger.

  She cupped Krysta’s breasts and broke away. “After tonight you won’t need an inanimate object or another woman to make you come. I’m taking what belongs to me.”

  Alana’s Surrender

  Alana, the lead singer of the all girls’ group, The Lady Pearls is about to hit it big. Every Saturday night she sings at Sisco’s, a popular bar in town. She’ll always be grateful to Casey, the owner, who gave her a start and who she has a secret crush on.

  Casey doesn’t just want to be Alana’s employer but her lover. Then there’s the bartender Marc who also lusts for Alana and refuses to wait on the sidelines as Casey puts the move on her. He’ll finally claim Alana as his own and perhaps allow Casey to join them for a night all three will never forget.

  Excerpt:

  “You want me,” he said, running his fingers up and down her smooth skin.