Page 52 of (Not So) Mad About You

“We don’t know each other,” said Bea, now sitting astride Alli’s thighs. “Which is something that could be easily corrected.”

For once, Alli had nothing to say. She just stared up at Bea from the ground in a way that made Bea want to do unspeakable things to her.

“Listen, if you’re not interested, just speak up and I’ll leave you alone,” Bea said, wondering once again where this confidencewas coming from.

“No,” Alli said quite quickly. “No, that’s not what I said.”

“What’s the problem, then?”

Alli lifted her hands as though to gesture at everything around her. “All of this.”

Bea considered this. It was a fair point. She didn’t want to lose her job, though she was starting to suspect that there was something else going on around here. On the other hand, she couldn’t remember having felt like this before and that seemed like a gift from the universe, something she couldn’t let go.

“We could be discreet,” she offered. “If you want to.”

Alli firmed her jaw. “You’re annoying. You’re weak and annoying, and I don’t want to be here.”

“You’re irritating, bossy and verging on criminal,” Bea pointed out.

“Fair,” said Alli.

Bea allowed one hand to trail along Alli’s side, to trace the curve of her waist. She wanted this. No, she needed this. She deserved this. For once, she was going to take what she wanted and be damned with everything else.

It had been so long. She’d been with Robbie as long as she could remember. She’d missed these feelings. And… and there was a growing certainty inside her that she had given enough. That if the universe was offering Alli up on a plate, she’d be stupid to turn her down.

“What’s the problem, then?” Bea said more gently.

Alli turned her head. “I just…” She took an uncharacteristically shaky breath. “I just… I thought I couldn’t do this.”

“Okay, that’s what we’re discussing.”

“No, no, I mean in general.” Alli breathed again. “I thought I didn’t feel these things, okay? That I was broken, that I wasn’t meant to feel things like this and then… And then all of a sudden you’re standing there in that corridor and… And it’s like I was exploding inside.”

Bea reached out, stroked her cheek. “You’re not broken.”

“Yes, I can see that now,” Alli said, breath starting to come faster.

“And I’d never have dared,” said Bea quietly. “I’d never have dared touch someone as beautiful as you. Except you did it first and it’s like you gave me permission.”

“You don’t need permission,” growled Alli. “Take what you damn well want.”

And that might just have been general life advice, but for Bea it was far more immediate than that. She leaned down again, pressing Alli against the floor, pressing her lips against Alli’s, feeling her tongue slide into Alli’s mouth and her body start to respond to Alli’s.

And this time, Alli was giving it all back and more, was clutching at her, wrapping her arms around her and turning her until Bea was the one on the floor and Alli’s thigh was between her legs and Bea was pushing up against it and groaning into Alli’s mouth and…

And this time Bea was the one pulling back. “Jesus.”

“I didn’t tell you to stop,” Alli breathed.

“You don’t tell me anything,” Bea said pertly. “We’re in the middle of an unlocked room right before classes are supposed to start. Hardly the time or the place.”

Alli licked at her lips. “Fine,” she said, sitting up, then standing and offering Bea a hand.

Bea let herself be pulled up. “We’re not done here, though.”

“Are we not?” Alli arched an eyebrow.

“We have things to talk about,” said Bea. “And things to… to do.”

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