straightened their miniskirts.
“It doesn’t look like they’ve made our drinks yet, so we’re going to change our order.” Skylar said this with her gaze fixed to her phone. Sid imagined she could walk the whole floor and seat herself at the other circular booth, not realizing she’d joined strangers.
Annalise scooted closer to her. A pungent whiff of beer stung her senses and she turned her head. She wanted to move away, but only a few inches of bench kept her from falling on her ass.
“You’re gonna sing, too, right?” Annalise asked. “We could do a duet, like ‘Islands in the Stream’ or something.”
“Oh, lord.” She laughed, and silently cursed her new friend for the earworm. “I can’t carry a tune to save my life. I’m content to watch other people make asses of themselves.”
“It’ll happen, but not with Paris. She’s good.” They glanced at the bar, where both young women leaned and thumb-tapped on their phones as though the Den didn’t exist around them. “I met them at FYE in Virginia Beach. She was singing along to the store headphones. I know she’ll bring down the house tonight, but damn if I’ll follow her,” Annalise added.
“You met both of them just today?” When Annalise nodded, Sid raised an eyebrow and turned as her drink arrived. Kit had intimated that her friend seldom wasted time with attractive women. She thought of her past dalliances, knowing she couldn’t judge Annalise, and felt relieved she had a wonderful person who made no move to stray.
Or not . She itched to check her phone again, though she heard not a hint of the tone assigned to texts. Kit’s absence worried her now. She’d accept even a curt we need to talk over radio silence. Maybe she had an accident, slipped in the shower or wrecked her car?
She left her drink untouched, sliding it away from her. Paris or Skylar could enjoy seconds on her. “You know, I think I’m going to head out,” she began, but Annalise’s hand clamped on her wrist and held tight.
“I think you’ll want to stick around a while.” Annalise sidled too close for her comfort, and she tugged to free herself from the other woman’s grip.
“I think you don’t want to keep this hand.” Her voice took on a sharp edge. When Annalise didn’t give, she kicked a leg forward to pivot out of her seat. She’d drag her captor to the door if necessary, but unfortunately the heftier Annalise weighed her down. The hand around her wrist snaked to her opposite while she pointed with the other.
“Hey!” She wriggled and grimaced at the pain shooting where Annalise’s fingers dug into her skin. “Two women aren’t enough for you in one night?” Where the hell were the Lipstick Twins, anyway? Probably out on the porch to find better reception. “I didn’t come here to add to your body count.”
“Excuse me, I’m trying to help you. Look over there.”
Sid faced the stage as the hostess grabbed the microphone and introduced Kit.
* * * *
Oh, she is not… get your hands off her, you cow!
She had half a mind to leap from the stage and drive straight for Annalise. Her soon-to-be-former friend grabbed at Sidney like she was the last doll in stock at the toy store on Christmas Eve, whispering no doubt her latest pickup line in her ear. To her minor relief, Sidney appeared more irritated than seduced, so Kit left it alone for now.
She’d come here tonight to prove herself to Sidney. Acting like a jealous shrew and causing a scene in front of every lesbian in town wasn’t the way to properly express oneself.
The hostess nudged her toward the mic, and she scanned the remainder of the crowd. She held the attention of half the people gathered on the main floor. Such apathy might have disappointed another woman, but the dwindled attention cheered her. She didn’t feel pressured to entertain the whole bar, just win the heart back of one patron.
“This is—” Feedback screeched over her and she paused, then,
“It doesn’t look like they’ve made our drinks yet, so we’re going to change our order.” Skylar said this with her gaze fixed to her phone. Sid imagined she could walk the whole floor and seat herself at the other circular booth, not realizing she’d joined strangers.
Annalise scooted closer to her. A pungent whiff of beer stung her senses and she turned her head. She wanted to move away, but only a few inches of bench kept her from falling on her ass.
“You’re gonna sing, too, right?” Annalise asked. “We could do a duet, like ‘Islands in the Stream’ or something.”
“Oh, lord.” She laughed, and silently cursed her new friend for the earworm. “I can’t carry a tune to save my life. I’m content to watch other people make asses of themselves.”
“It’ll happen, but not with Paris. She’s good.” They glanced at the bar, where both young women leaned and thumb-tapped on their phones as though the Den didn’t exist around them. “I met them at FYE in Virginia Beach. She was singing along to the store headphones. I know she’ll bring down the house tonight, but damn if I’ll follow her,” Annalise added.
“You met both of them just today?” When Annalise nodded, Sid raised an eyebrow and turned as her drink arrived. Kit had intimated that her friend seldom wasted time with attractive women. She thought of her past dalliances, knowing she couldn’t judge Annalise, and felt relieved she had a wonderful person who made no move to stray.
Or not . She itched to check her phone again, though she heard not a hint of the tone assigned to texts. Kit’s absence worried her now. She’d accept even a curt we need to talk over radio silence. Maybe she had an accident, slipped in the shower or wrecked her car?
She left her drink untouched, sliding it away from her. Paris or Skylar could enjoy seconds on her. “You know, I think I’m going to head out,” she began, but Annalise’s hand clamped on her wrist and held tight.
“I think you’ll want to stick around a while.” Annalise sidled too close for her comfort, and she tugged to free herself from the other woman’s grip.
“I think you don’t want to keep this hand.” Her voice took on a sharp edge. When Annalise didn’t give, she kicked a leg forward to pivot out of her seat. She’d drag her captor to the door if necessary, but unfortunately the heftier Annalise weighed her down. The hand around her wrist snaked to her opposite while she pointed with the other.
“Hey!” She wriggled and grimaced at the pain shooting where Annalise’s fingers dug into her skin. “Two women aren’t enough for you in one night?” Where the hell were the Lipstick Twins, anyway? Probably out on the porch to find better reception. “I didn’t come here to add to your body count.”
“Excuse me, I’m trying to help you. Look over there.”
Sid faced the stage as the hostess grabbed the microphone and introduced Kit.
* * * *
Oh, she is not… get your hands off her, you cow!
She had half a mind to leap from the stage and drive straight for Annalise. Her soon-to-be-former friend grabbed at Sidney like she was the last doll in stock at the toy store on Christmas Eve, whispering no doubt her latest pickup line in her ear. To her minor relief, Sidney appeared more irritated than seduced, so Kit left it alone for now.
She’d come here tonight to prove herself to Sidney. Acting like a jealous shrew and causing a scene in front of every lesbian in town wasn’t the way to properly express oneself.
The hostess nudged her toward the mic, and she scanned the remainder of the crowd. She held the attention of half the people gathered on the main floor. Such apathy might have disappointed another woman, but the dwindled attention cheered her. She didn’t feel pressured to entertain the whole bar, just win the heart back of one patron.
“This is—” Feedback screeched over her and she paused, then,
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