Page 19 of Her Painter Bear Mate

"You never asked. Actually, you never wanted to talk about any personal stuff. Just about art and painting and the next competition." Somehow, Clarissa sounded a little sad about that like she had wanted it to be different.

It made Dee wonder if their feud had prevented them from actually connecting with each other. And whether the rivalry was actually mutual or one-sided.

A loud splash drew their attention and to neither's surprise, the wolf and another boy had jumped into Crescent Lake together.

"How silly, it's not even a crescent moon," Dee said, shivering just looking at the lake. She involuntarily shuffled closer to the other woman because Clarissa was right, she ran hot. There was warmth radiating off of her and Dee was eager to take advantage of it.

"They're probably too young to discover they're fated mates anyway, even if it was a crescent moon night," Clarissa added, seemingly quite happy to be sat close.

One of the teens transformed into a dragon which made all their friends cheer even louder.

"Ah, to be young," Dee sighed, amused by the whole thing. "Did you ever do that? Shift in public like that?"

"Not in the middle of the field for everyone to see. I always went to the forest."

"I dare you to shift now."

Clarissa almost choked on her sip. "Ha, nice try, but not going to happen."

"Laaaame." Dee pulled a pouty face. Not because she couldn't see Clarissa in her shifter form, she didn't care about that, but because she was never as good at goading the other woman into doing things when it was so easy the other way around.

"We should probably call the dogs back," Clarissa said sensibly. She formed her hands around her mouth. "Borkie! Come here!"

The border collie perked his head up and came running back like the good boy he was. Millie followed without having to be recalled, neither of them distressed by the sudden appearance of a wolf or dragon. They must be used to it.

Dee scratched Millie's head affectionately, laughing when the spaniel trotted away. She was such a drama queen sometimes.

"You have a nice laugh," Clarissa remarked. "I don't think I've ever heard it before. Not like this."

"Well, I'm actually having a good time," Dee admitted, the words rolling unchecked off of her tipsy tongue.

"You don't have to sound so surprised by that."

Dee let out a little scoff. "Don't pretend like you're not having fun."

"I always have fun with you," Clarissa said, locking eyes with her, her gaze intense and piercing. She wetted her lips nervously and somehow shuffled even closer.

Everything about the moment screamed like Clarissa was coming in for a kiss and to her own surprise, Dee wasn't moving away like she should. Instead, she marvelled at how nice Clarissa's face was. Her striking blue eyes, the contrast of her red hair against pale skin, the scattering of freckles. They were like stars on her skin, irregular and plentiful and beautiful.

Dee didn't know where those thoughts came from but she found herself leaning in and meeting the other woman's lips, not quite in the middle, but she definitely didn't pull back either. The kiss was short and tasted sweet from the alcopops. It made Dee's head spin a little too, mostly with questions about what the hell she was doing.

When she pulled back, she searched Clarissa's face for answers but didn't find any. Maybe it was just a temporary lapse in judgement. Inexplicable, but not unpleasant, Dee thought. Likely meaningless, just a tipsy little kiss. Certainly nothing to panic over.

Clarissa cleared her throat. "We should get back, it's getting pretty dark and your mum is probably wondering where her milk is."

"Milk. Right," Dee repeated slowly, feeling like she'd somehow fallen into an alternate dimension where she and Clarissa kissed like it wasn't weird or unusual. She wanted to ask what was going through the other woman's head but that would be like acknowledging that it happened, that it meant something.

She didn't want to ask. She shouldn't have to ask. Clarissa had kissed her, not the other way around. But it didn't look like she was getting an explanation and the moment was most definitely over.

Dee got up from where she was sitting, only now realising that her bum was pretty much frozen. She was slightly light-headed but she couldn't tell if that was from the alcohol or the kiss. Maybe it didn't matter.

"Do you need me to walk you home?" Clarissa asked, but it didn't sound like more than an offer out of politeness.

"No, I know my way and I've got Millie," Dee said, her stomach still swirling with a host of unfamiliar feelings. She didn't know what to make of all of this and it was starting to freak her out. Mostly because when they said goodbye, her gaze dipped down to Clarissa's full lips and she felt another beat of unexpected longing.

And to make matters worse, she thought about Clarissa and the kiss the entire way home.

TWELVE

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