Page 12 of Spicy Sapphic Christmas

“Is that what they called it back then?”

“Oh, playing the age card, are we? We in the old-age category like to call it well-refined experience.” Piper narrowed her eyes, but she smiled, making sure Jo knew she hadn’t been offended. And she hadn’t been, but she did feel the words like a splash of cold water. Age wasn’t an issue, the idea of getting closer to a person, especially one she might end up sharing Siena with, was. And the sisters were so out and proud about who they were.While that made Piper want to get to know Jo even more, she knew exactly how Bunny would feel about it.

Without stopping her feet, Piper shuffled back a little, giving Jo no choice but to drop her hands or stumble forward.

Jo wasn’t about to stumble, and Piper was relieved she had read the woman right. Jo smiled, but it didn’t make her eyes sparkle the way they had previously.

“I wonder if Bunny and Bea have killed each other yet.” Piper forced levity into the conversation. It had been so easy to talk to Jo, and she didn’t want that to change.

“Perhaps not killed, but certainly traded a few blows by now.” Jo laughed. Her eyes sparkled, and Piper relaxed into the sway of her body again.

They danced close to each other, but now there was a distinct line of air where one of their bodies ended and the other started.

“When I first found out about you two, I was certain you would have to be Bunny.”

“What?” Piper laughed at the mere idea.

Jo threw her head back and joined in on the laughter.

Piper’s mouth dried at the stretch of smooth skin covering Jo’s neck.

“Why?” Piper’s voice squeaked on the word. She swallowed and tried again. “Why would you think that?”

“Well.” Jo’s cheeks carried a rose pink that Piper smiled at, despite her knowing there couldn’t be anything between the two of them. “She’s not exactly the cute little Bunny type.”

Jo smiled, letting the silence linger until Piper filled in the details Jo knew better than to assume.

“I mean, of the two of you she’s definitely the more butch one. And Bunny definitely screams more of a femme, perky, cheerleader name to me.”

“Oh.” The blood rushed from Piper’s face, cold washing through her at how close to the truth Jo was.

Jo came closer, breaking the unspoken no-touching-allowed rule of air between them. She laid gentle fingers on Jo’s forearm. “Piper, I get the mainstream audiences don’t know, and I’m guessing from your reaction you don’t want them to, which is fine. But I mean…” She looked up at Piper beneath half-lidded eyes. “But family always knows each other, don’t you think?”

“Oh.” Piper breathed again, only just now realizing she had stopped moving to the music. Her mouth felt as though she hadn’t had a drink in years. “It was different when we started.”

“I suppose so.” Jo’s fingers danced slowly over Piper’s forearm to the inside of her elbow. “But does that mean we can’t have fun?”

Piper really needed a drink. “It’s probably not a good idea, especially if Siena ends up representing you. Bunny and I don’t mix business and pleasure.”

“Do you think Siena will?” Jo’s voice came out a little higher, the sultry quality of mere seconds earlier gone.

“Maybe. It’s Siena’s decision. She just asked us for our opinion. And while it would be fun, I don’t do friends with benefits.” Piper shivered, but she had been thinking about just that. She’d been wanting to get sideways with Jo already, but she pulled back.

“We aren’t friends,” Jo replied, that seductive, sultry quality back.

“But we could be.” Piper turned to see Bea and Bunny leaning over the table toward each other, heated words being exchanged. But there was something in the way Bunny’s shoulders sat that created a strange but intriguing thought to cross Piper’s mind. Under her breath, she muttered, “Four minutes.”

“What?” Jo asked, a chuckle of confusion on her lips.

“Once you get to know Bunny, the name makes sense.”

“Really?” Jo’s face twisted in complete disbelief.

“Oh yeah, she’s the fucking Energizer Bunny. She just keeps going and going and going. What I wouldn’t give to have a break every now and then without having to fight for it. She’d work instead of sleep if given the chance.” It hadn’t exactly been what Piper had meant, but it was a good secondary reason for Bunny’s name.

“Oh Bea is exactly the same.” Jo chuckled and shook her head slightly. “I keep joking to her about needing to get laid more often, or to at least get a hobby. Just anything so that maybe I can go back to the dance studio for one hour a week.”

“Really?” Piper’s mind sparked, and the intriguing idea took flight.

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