Page 41 of Breaking the Ice

Not that he could blame her.

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Kelly came into the store every day that week and Nick watched with great fascination as she made her play. She was good, he’d have to give her that. And if she’d been trying it with anyone other than Samantha, she may even have been successful, but Samantha remained totally oblivious to Kelly’s vibe.

He tried to tell her one day because as amusing as it was to watch, he felt it only fair that Samantha was clued in to the situation. The two women appeared to be becoming friends and it just seemed wrong to not say anything.

He’d found her in the back room alphabetizing the latest trade-ins. Yellow Post-it notes were stuck on front covers everywhere. “You and Kelly are going out tomorrow night?”

“Yes.” She glanced up from her job. “To Sin Central.”

“You do know what Sin Central is, right?”

“Yes, Nick.” Samantha rolled her eyes then went back to her Post-its. “Just because I’ve been too preoccupied to frequent the club scene doesn’t mean I haven’t heard of it.”

Okay. So… she knew it was a lesbian bar? “Sorry. I just didn’t think Kelly was being entirely upfront with you.”

Samantha stopped and looked at him. “Nick Hawke, are you jealous? I know Kelly didn’t fall all over you at the supermarket but there’s no need to try to ruin our friendship.”

So… she didn’t know? “I’m not. I think it’s great that you two are friends. I just?—”

“Butt out, Nick,” she interrupted. “I know what I’m doing. I’m going to have some fun tomorrow night with Kelly and a bunch of her girlfriends. I’ve been so preoccupied going out with men I’ve forgotten how much fun just hanging with women can be.”

Nick held up his hands in surrender as he backed out of the room. And butted out. Mostly. He decided he’d talk to Kelly instead. When she came in that lunch hour he made her the usual soy latte. “You do realize that Samantha hasn’t got a clue you’re a lesbian, right?”

“I kinda figured, yeah.”

“So… how’s this going to work, then?”

Kelly shrugged. “I think she’s confused about what she wants.”

“I don’t think she’sthatconfused.”

“Maybe because she’s just never considered it before? How do any of us truly know until we explore all the options?”

“She wants babies, Kelly.”

“We can have babies, Nick. All we need is the sperm. Fancy making a donation?”

He laughed. “Only if I can watch.”

Kelly’s lip curled in distaste. “Men,” she muttered, taking her coffee and joining Samantha on the couch.

Samantha met Kelly outside the club. The pulse of the music could be heard on the street as they waited in a short line and Kelly introduced her to her friends. She’d been self-conscious about the new dress she’d bought for the occasion – strapless, black and clingy – but she needn’t have worried, she was probably the most modestly dressed person in their group.

Teeny tiny seemed to be the fashion statement.

They were inside in ten minutes and Samantha gaped at the cram of bodies radiating enough heat to power a small city. The whole inside seemed to throb and vibrate with music and strobing lights. But when Kelly grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the floor, what she was wearing and how she looked slipped away as she danced.

For the next couple of hours, she danced.Like no one was watching. And it felt so good – freeing and fun and liberating.

One of Kelly’s friends offered her a pill but she declined. Hell, she even refused alcohol, having way too good of a time to spoil her natural high. She did slug down a large glass of water though when she finally stopped for a breather.

Kelly joined her at their table on the mezzanine level overlooking the dance floor. With the music too loud to easily converse, they watched the tangle of bodies move to the beat below, pulsing and gyrating. And it was then, looking down from above, that it occurred to Samantha that there were hardly any men at the club.

She searched all the recesses that could be seen through the light of the glitter ball and the manufactured cloud drifting from the smoke machines. Nope. Barely a man in sight.

Leaning in close to Kelly to be heard, she yelled, “Where are all the men?”

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