Public Display of Affection by Emily Cale

 
     
    Chapter One
     
     
    Bad things always come in threes. At least that’s what Lucy Stark’s grandmother used to say. Of course, if she looked hard enough, she could always find some truth to the old wives’ tales. Her list had been stuck at two items for the past couple of months.
    Not only had her girlfriend left her for someone a little less vanilla, but the graphic design company she worked for had made some cutbacks and kicked her to the curb. Job-hunting hadn’t gone the way she’d imagined, so she had started freelancing. As much as she enjoyed setting her own hours, her reduced income hadn’t covered the bills on her fancy Denver apartment. In an attempt to cut back, she moved to the small mountain town of Lipton. Beautiful views, but lonely. If it hadn’t been for her Grandma’s cabin and free rent, she never would have agreed to the move.
    She’d prayed all day that tonight wouldn’t be the third bad thing.
    Checking in early at the Estes Park Castillo, she made her way through the twisting hallways, found her room, and settled in to wait for her date to arrive. Sitting on the bed, she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. She’d never been so nervous about a date. Butterflies flapped against the walls of her abdomen.
    She leaned against the headboard and took in her surroundings. Despite the age of the building, the place shone as though built yesterday. The small room held numerous details that made it glamorous. A flat screen television with DVD player and wireless internet brought the venerable accommodations into the twenty-first century. Of course, she didn’t plan to take advantage of any of the modern conveniences.
    Well, maybe the large, whirlpool tub.
    Damn . No tub unless it involved engaging in acts she’d never heard of before. Tonight only new acts counted.
    For months, friends had been insisting she get back out there and start dating again. She’d never felt ready, but made a few attempts to please them, attempts that turned up empty. If she’d had any luck, she wouldn’t have had to agree to this hookup.
    Now she wondered if it’d been the right choice. This whole evening could end badly and she’d be stuck in the mountains with a woman she didn’t want any part of. She loved surfing the internet, but making a date over the computer felt impersonal.
    After doing considerable research, she had settled on 1Night Stand. Madame Eve had a good reputation and offered her a night of passion with no strings attached. It hadn’t been that long since Kristen left, and she didn’t want to rush into a relationship. Especially when she still didn’t know how to overcome the problem of not being experimental enough in the bedroom. They’d experimented a few times, but had always fallen back on their old repertoire. At least she did. Kirsten had found other things to do, namely Beth.
    She’d requested someone who could help her break down her barriers and try acts she’d never thought of. While filling out the form online, it had seemed like a good idea. Alone in a strange hotel room, she wondered if maybe those hadn’t been the right words to use. What if the woman who showed up wanted to light her on fire or use a knife to carve interesting designs in her skin? Yeah, that would count as a third bad thing for her list.
    She strolled to the windows and stared out. Taking in the view of the sun disappearing behind the snowy peaks helped to calm her nerves, a little. A quick glance at the clock made her shoulders tighten, though. Five fifty-eight—two minutes until her date.
    A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts. This is it. No backing out now. Too far up to go out the window . Taking a deep breath, she made her way over to the entrance and stood on tiptoe, trying to see out the peephole.
    Damn . The opening blurred the image too much for her to get a good look at the woman on the other side. As she reached for the doorknob, the butterflies in her stomach turned