Chapter 6

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 389.

At ten minutes to seven that evening Andi, freshly showered and in a crisp pair of chinos and a button-down shirt, stood nervously on Gill's front doorstep, wondering for the thousandth time that day, what on earth she was doing. It was likely going to be a disaster, she decided, leaning on the doorbell but somehow she felt compelled to go through with it. When Gill answered the door and led her into the kitchen area, she knew the disaster had just reached unmanageable proportions. This gal was plain gorgeous. Although her hair was short, she'd done something to it that Andi vaguely guessed required all sorts of hair product and blow drying, and the effect was like a soft halo around her face. Plus she was wearing a short denim skirt and a pretty pale blue embroidered t-shirt, the scooped neck of which was giving Andi a great view of those deliciously rounded breasts.

“Here's the wine, I got red, figured it would go with the lasagna.” Andi got this much out then gave up and leaned against the doorframe awkwardly as she watched the other woman move busily about the kitchen. After checking the sizzling dish in the oven, Gill dealt efficiently with the bottle cork and filled two glasses, handing one to Andi with a coy smile. Oh Lord, give me strength, Andi thought to herself, doesn't she know what she is doing to me? Gill smelled of soap and flowers and her lips were outlined in the softest coral color that had Andi wondering what they would taste like against hers. As Gill clinked their wineglasses lightly she remarked, “To new beginnings.” and once again they both felt that same sizzling arc of electricity they had recognized earlier in the park.

Andi decided that Gill probably knew all to well what effect she was having and took refuge in brusqueness.

“Well, how far away from dinner are we? Do you want me to read this assignment now or later?” she said gruffly.

When Gill indicated that they would not eat for another twenty minutes or so Andi moved to the coffee table and thankfully lost herself in the complexities of tax law. If the truth be told, she doubted her trembling legs wouldn't have held her up a moment longer.

Gill let her read in silence for a while as she began preparations for the meal: setting the small table with cutlery, plates and napkins and then serving the lasagna, green salad and garlic bread. Andi ate appreciatively; certainly a regime of frozen dinners and carryout made home cooking taste that much better. They made small talk about nothing in particular till finally she pushed her chair back from the table with a groan.

“Oh God, if I eat another mouthful, I will just burst. That was unbelievably good, Gill, thank you. Now, I had better get back to that assignment of yours before I repeat my stunt from last time and fall asleep in my chair.”

“Too true, we can't have you that” Gill replied with an impish grin. “Just give me a minute to chuck these plates in the dishwasher and I'll join you. That is…´she paused and gave Andi a slow, searching look, “unless you want dessert first?” The innuendo was unexpected but unmistakable and instantly a red heat washed over Andi, her mind racing with the thought of what it would feel like to hold Gill's soft body against her own - to kiss her, caress her, taste her. With a visible shudder she pushed away the wave of desire and answered in as neutral a tone as was possible, given her sudden state of arousal.

“No thanks, right now I couldn't eat another bite.” Andi said as she dropped her eyes back to the papers in her lap. Gill's mouth curled momentarily in a wicked grin as she turned and began packing up the remnants of their meal. Oh, Andi, Andi, Andi, she thought. You aren't fooling me one little bit and if you think I am that easily put off, you just haven't seen anything yet. A few minutes later, she plopped herself down on the sofa, her thigh pressed against Andi's and, point by point, they dissected the assignment, Gill making red highlight points in the margin where necessary. Not that there were many of these as she had got the bulk of the work down pat. Andi ratcheted her opinion of Gill's smarts up another notch, knowing as she did now that this girl had never even finished high school. What a waste of intellect! she thought disgustedly, to be married to some dominating man at just seventeen

Gill finally laid the papers down on the coffee table with a quiet hallelujah. “That is great. I can make the corrections in the morning and turn it in by two pm. How can I ever thank you Andi?” The question hung in the air between them: the good food and wine, the closeness of their bodies on the sofa and the previous unstated sexual tension all combined to create a situation that lowered Andi's normally resolute defenses. Her breath seemed to catch in her throat as she watched Gill's face move slowly towards hers and felt the soft touch of lips pressed against her own. She groaned audibly, then, no longer able to control the need coursing through her body, slid her hand behind Gill's neck and drew her closer, deepening the kiss until she felt Gill's lips part and their tongues begin to dance. They were both breathing heavily when Andi jerked herself away and jumped to her feet; running her hand through her hair in a gesture that Gill would later learn meant she was extremely worried or confused.

“Damn it Gill, this is not a good idea. That is not the sort of payment I had in mind and you know it,” she gasped.

Andi's hands were shaking visibly and right now she would have killed for a cigarette, despite the fact that she had given up nearly ten years ago.

“We barely know each other,' she continued resolutely, “and I have no intention of having a one night stand. Not with anyone but especially not some newly separated straight woman looking for a cheap thrill!”

The intensity of her response to the kiss made her speak more harshly than she intended and she immediately wanted to bite off her own tongue as she saw the hurt look in Gill's eyes. She looked like a puppy whipped for a transgression it didn't understand, Andi thought, but she couldn't bring herself to move the few feet separating them and apologize. For several seconds they seemed frozen in place then Andi sighed and tried to explain.

“Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so rough on you but its best we just forget this ever happened. Thank you again the dinner, I'd better be getting on .I'll let myself out,” she said.

As she watched Andi retreat, Gill sank back down on the couch and castigated herself for being every kind of idiot under the sun. She should have explained first, she thought miserably. Being so new to all this somehow she had assumed that Andi's gaydar would have kicked in but obviously all she could see and hear was what Gill herself had volunteered. That she had been married forever and was not long separated. Now Andi thought she was nothing but a straight gal playing games. Laying her head down on the couch, Gill sighed in despair. This was going to be harder than she had thought.