“Not at all,” Ashley said, trying to play it smooth despite the surprise and excitement coursing through her system.
“Cool,” Brandi said, climbing through the bushes towards Ashley’s patio. “I could really use something to help me unwind.”
Brandi made her way through the bushes and sat in the empty chair on the opposite side of Ashley’s little patio table. Ashley shook a cigarette out and handed it to Brandi. Ashley flicked her lighter open, lit Brandi’s cigarette and then Ashley’s own. Then Ashley grabbed the last two beers from the bucket, opened them, and offered Brandi one.
“Thanks,” Brandi said.
“My pleasure,” Ashley replied.
Brandi took a long pull of her beer and followed it up with a drag from the cigarette. Brandi leaned her head back and made a circle with her lips and blew the smoke into the air. Ashley didn’t want to stare at Brandi but found it exceedingly difficult not to. Brandi was just so damn gorgeous, from her silky black hair to her big brown eyes to her petite little nose to her full lips and flawless skin. And from the way Brandi held herself, it was obvious she didn’t mind being stared at; in fact she seemed to encourage it.
Ashley was getting excited just from looking at Brandi. Which was weird, because she normally wasn’t really all that into other girls. She liked dick too much. But she had made exceptions before and was sure she would again, especially if the opportunity arose with Brandi.
“I didn’t know you smoked,” Ashley said, trying to steer her mind out of the gutter.
“I don’t,” Brandi said. “Not often, at least. Only when things are going really bad.”
“I take it tonight is one of those nights?”
“It certainly is.”
“Guy trouble?”
“Something like that.”
“You want to talk about it?”
“Not particularly.”
“Fair enough.”
Brandi took another drag, held it for a moment, then blew the smoke out. “So why aren’t you out and about tonight? You know, it being New Year’s Eve and all.”
“It’s just not my thing,” Ashley said. “Don’t get me wrong, I like a good party as much as the next gal, but I just don’t get the whole holiday craze. To me, tonight is just another night. No different than any other.”
“Well, that’s a shame,” Brandi said. “I mean, here I was, all dressed up, looking to have some fun—” Brandi finished the rest of her beer, set the bottle down and started to stand up. “But since you’re not interested, I guess I’ll just go back to my place and get my vibrator out.”
Ashley nearly spit her beer all over the table.
“Oh, did that get your attention?” Brandi said, acting all innocent despite the look in her eyes that said she knew exactly what she was doing.
r />
“Maybe just a little,” Ashley said, trying to play it cool but failing miserably.
Brandi’s mouth turned up in a little smirk. “Yeah, I thought it might. So what do you say?”
“About what?” Ashley replied, careful to not presume too much. After all, she barely even knew Brandi.
“About coming back to my place,” Brandi said as though it was nothing at all. “I mean, I know you don’t really care if it’s New Year’s Eve or just another random night, but I do. And I’d rather spent it with an actual live person instead of a plastic battery-powered toy.”
Containing her excitement behind a wall of feigned indifference, Ashley said, “Well, I guess if it means that much to you . . .”
“It does,” Brandi said. “So grab your smokes and let’s go.”
#
Five minutes later they were in Brandi’s kitchen. On the granite counter in front of them was a bottle of Jack Daniels and a pair of shot glasses.