Page 21 of Sparks Like Ours

“So, what’s our plan?” Elle asked. “I gave her a ride home whenher car wouldn’t start. Something with the ignition. That was it.”

“I figured. Any clue who these sources are that put you togetherin a romantic sense?”

“No idea. It’s crazy.”

“It’s notthatcrazy. She’s gay, even if you’re not. You’ve not been linked to anyoneromantically for more than one outing. They’re making a leap and hoping to hitpay dirt.”

“Well, they haven’t. Trust me on that. Did you see SurfNuggets?They’re claiming the exact opposite. What is it they say? Any publicity is goodpublicity.”

He paused. “That part is true. I think we don’t comment on therumors. Any of them. At least for a little while. Let the world wonder andclock the attention.”

She laughed. “Interesting angle. All right. We’ll try it your way.Gay is trendy, I guess.”

He laughed because he was. “Don’t ever forget it.”

“How’s Peter?”

“Handsome and waiting for me to get off the phone.”

She laughed. “Don’t let me keep you.”

* * *

A shiver shot through Elle as she ran a hand across the mostmagnificent naked body she’d ever seen. She relished the feel of heated skinbeneath her fingertips. The curves that were on display to her. As their bodiescame together, she began to move her hips. Oh, yes. This was good. Slowly atfirst and then with more purpose, doing everything in her power to draw out thepleasure she sought and losing the battle. She couldn’t help it. She rolled herhips faster now, furiously. She wanted itnow,needed to be touched, to be filled, more than she’d ever needed anything. Thedelicious ache was all consuming. She bit her bottom lip and slipped her handsbetween their bodies, cupping two perfect breasts. She held on to them tightlyas she was at long last filled, taken, owned. The orgasm ripped through her inan intense rush, leaving her limbless, breathless, and reveling in ecstasy. Shereached for Gia, wanting to touch her one more time, needing to…but she wasgone.

A distant beeping infiltrated her thoughts. It grew louder witheach passing second. She resisted, loving this wonderful place she’d foundherself in but losing that battle. Elle blinked several times and stared at theceiling, attempting to right herself. A dream. She understood that she’d beenin the midst of a sexual and incredibly realistic dream. Her heart stillhammered away as she glanced at her surroundings, anything to anchor herself inthe present. Hyperaware of her body, her accelerated breathing, and the factthat she’d just come in her sleep, something she generally couldn’t even doduring sex, Elle took a moment to savor the aftershocks that still took theirturns with her. This had never happened to her before. Nothing even close tothis. The details of the dream floated back to her, and it was then sheunderstood exactly who she’d been dreaming about.

No way.

She’d just had a sex dream about a girl. A woman. Gia. And it hadbeengood.They’d been in some sort of press conference, as usual, then a locker room, andsomehow ended up in a hotel room together. Gia had kissed her in the hotelroom, and she’d given back just as good, thrusting her tongue into Gia’s mouth.They’d touched each other until there were no clothes, or thoughts, or caresother than following their own desire and where it led them. It had led them tosome pretty decadent places. Elle threw an arm over her head and marveled.

Well, this was certainly an interesting twist.

It was likely that the article from the night before had inspiredthe dream and all its salacious detail. That’s what happens when your mind runsaway with itself. You get crazy dreams. She pushed her sated and boneless bodyout of bed, needing to shake herself awake and back into the here and now.

Fifteen minutes later, after a quick protein shake, she was on thebeach and on her way to five hundred sit-ups and a five-mile run with ankleweights. As she ran, her muscles screamed and her brain flashed on the detailsof that scandalous dream, examining them, curious as to why they’d had such apotent effect on her unconscious body. Why they still did.

The waves jostled her free of further reflection, and she lostherself in the sun and ocean spray. Surfing always helped center her. In theshower, just before lunch, she ran the soap across her heated skin. This time,the touches came with new meaning, and she remembered the sensations of someoneelse’s hands on her body. Her stomach dipped, and she placed a hand on theshower wall for support. What in the world was all this about? It was just adamn dream. It had nothing to do with reality.

An hour later, phone pressed to her ear with one shoulder as sheassembled a turkey sandwich with tomato, she decided to bounce the whole thingoff Holly. “Have you ever had a dream about a girl?” She popped a sliver oftomato into her mouth. The tomato was key. Without it, why even have asandwich?

“Um…all the time. The other night, you and I held up a malldressed as Mr. and Mrs. Panda. It was epic.”

“I’m not talking robberies. Or shopping excursions gone wrong. Ordrinks with your girlfriends, who are friends.”

“That’s a confusing sentence.”

“What I’m asking,” Elle said, changing the phone to her leftshoulder so she could slice her sandwich, “if you’ve ever had adreamdream, if youfollow.”

“Listen, I have about eight minutes left on my lunch hour andthree tiny bites of chicken salad before Stan-the-teller comes to lean againstmy door and ask what time I get off and what perfume I’m wearing, so you’regoing to have to be more specific, and fast.”

Fine. She’d just put it out there. Say it really quick, likeripping off a Band-Aid. “Have you ever had a sex dream about a girl?”

“Definitely.” A long pause. “Are you saying that happened to you?”

So she wasn’t alone. These things happened. “Yes. I’ve just neverhad one of those before. No big deal.” Well, not anymore it wasn’t, now thatshe knew everyone had them.

“Well, they are a big deal if they’re good. Was yours good?”

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