Little Disquietude by C. E. Case Page B

heart fluttered in her
chest.
    Sophia moaned. Leah's knees weakened with the
sound. She leaned into Sophia, moving to kiss her ear, getting a
mouthful of carefully sprayed curls and an earring. Sophia giggled.
Leah blew into her ear, and said, "Or, we could just stay right
here." Sophia clutched her side.
    "Hey, you girls looking for a little
action?"
    The man's voice was too close and too loud.
Leah turned around. He was dressed in a tuxedo, and had three
friends with him, similarly dressed, similarly male, similarly
drunk. Leah's mouth hung open.
    Sophia shook her arm. "Ignore them and get
into the car."
    "What?"
    The man said, "Come on. The opera! Wasn't
that amazing?"
    Sophia squeezed her wrist.
    "Don't talk to them. Just get in."
    Sophia opened the back seat of the sedan,
which forced Leah to step closer to the men blocking the way around
the car. But she got in as directed and Sophia slammed the door on
her. Leah winced. She was still trying to catch up on what was
happening, thinking of dissuading Sophia from whatever threat she
saw--after all, they were at the opera--and she was highly
embarrassed. She pressed her cheek against the glass.
    "Go home," Sophia said, pushing her body
between Leah's door and the men.
    "We saw you kissing. You want action, same as
us. It's too early to go home. Look at those outfits," he slurred.
He tried to put his hand on Sophia's cheek. She slapped him away.
Leah yelped. She scrambled for her cell phone. The man lunged for
Sophia, who let him grab her, and then used the leverage to knee
him in the groin and then step on his foot.
    He howled. Sophia ducked into the driver's
seat and locked the door. Leah looked out the back window. Sophia
started the car and eased it back. The men scattered, cursing. She
drove toward the ramp.
    The whole thing had happened in three
seconds, and the men had only tried to touch Sophia once. Leah's
anticipation and fear were still churning inside her. She had seen
that kind of thing on television, but hadn't thought it applicable
in real life. Or necessary. But Sophia seemed to know what she was
doing, and Leah shuddered, wondering if it was from experience.
    She thought she was going to be sick. She
closed her eyes and inhaled, and exhaled slowly, and then inhaled
again. The car was still moving. She opened her eyes as they turned
onto the street. She wasn't going to be sick.
    "Should I call 911?" Leah asked.
    Sophia shook her head.
    "Should I call Adam?"
    Sophia shook her head again. Leah leaned
forward and tapped her arm, around the driver's seat. Sophia let
out a cry and jerked away. Leah sat back.
    Sophia cleared her throat, and said in a
small voice, "Sorry. Try that again." She glanced at the rear-view
mirror. Leah met her gaze and smiled. Sophia gave a tentative smile
back.
    Leah scooted forward and gently rubbed
Sophia's arm. Sophia didn't flinch. Leah wrapped her arm around
Sophia's chest, awkwardly, and said, "I'm not wearing my
seatbelt."
    Sophia laughed.
    "Want to pull over?"
    "We're about to hit the highway. We can stop
at the next rest stop," Sophia said. Her voice was stronger. Leah
lifted her fingers. She brushed Sophia's cheeks, and felt
wetness.
    "You saved my life," Leah said.
    "Oh, don't be dramatic. They were just drunk
guys."
    "I have to be dramatic. It's in my Equity
contract."
    "Is it? I don't have a card, remember?"
    "Oh, right," Leah said. "Well, they say you
have to live life to the fullest, or your characters won't. And
since the characters are bigger than we'll ever be--"
    "Right. I was just practicing."
    On the highway at midnight, the road was
open, traffic scarce. Sophia drove with her left hand, and covered
Leah's hand with her right. She pulled it back and gently kissed
Leah's wrist. Leah closed her eyes.
    Her emotions--fear, awe, worry, admiration,
and the inappropriateness of how good, how erotic Sophia's lips on
her hand felt, when those men had wanted the same thing, for the
same reason. She pulled back and curled into