Page 12 of August Heat
Krys’s smile lit up the whole room. Did she know she had mega-watt teeth? Or did she ooze flirtations as easily as she breathed?Does she know what power she has over women?Power over women. Yeah. That was it. Totally not sexist or toxic at all. “Dr. O’Connor, right? Sorry, I didn’t really recognize you at first with the glare coming through the window.”
Someone rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh. It was neither Krys nor Siobhan.
“Yes, that’s me.”
Krys stepped away from the counter, “How are those kittens doing? Been thinking about them ever since I dropped them off at your place.”
“Hey,” Lorri interrupted, with a rap of her knuckles against the counter. “I gotta go bring some stuff out from the back. Let me know if you need anything, though.” That was said to Siobhan, who was still technically a customer, even if she played a game of Small Town Small Talk in the hardware store.
“The kittens are fine.”Really, you’re asking me about kittens?She supposed that was the safest conversation starter. “Playing a bunch, eating their food, and growing like they should. They’ll be ready for adoption as soon as I confirm they no longer have worms.”
Krys wrinkled her nose. “Worms, huh? First it’s the fleas…”
“Don’t worry. I hardly doubt you caught anything from them. You would’ve, ah… known by now.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
The awkward silence finally came. Siobhan didn’t know if she should turn back to the fertilizer and pretend she didn’t see Krys, or wait for Krys to say farewell and head out the door.
Krys wasn’t moving.
Well, she wasmoving,but she was coming closer to Siobhan instead of the door.
Great! Exactly what I want on my first foray into town all month!Siobhan had an excellent poker face, but that was the only thing she had going for her. Krys might not know that Siobhan’s heart was thumping like crazy inside of her chest, but damnit,Siobhanknew. She continued to rationalize that physical attraction was perfectly acceptable. She couldn’t help whom she was attracted to, like she couldn’t help the crack in her voice when she attempted to speak. That didn’t mean she followed through on attraction, though. That was the difference between her and Emily.Is it natural to be attracted to people? Duh. Does that mean you go around sleeping with people? Kick your ass if you’re my girlfriend…
Krys was one of those people who knew she didn’t have to settle, huh? She could date around all she wanted because she had a body like that and knew how to use it to her advantage. She lived in a haven for lesbian dating and didn’t worry about who to make her next girlfriend.She’s only flirting with me because I’m next on her list.There was nothing special about Siobhan, beyond the novelty of her identity. Krys flirted with everyone. Even her friends.
Thinking that made it easier to stand so close to her. With her abs hanging out. Yup.
“You know, that wasn’t the only person I was thinking about…” Krys said. “Been thinking about you too, Dr. O’Connor.”
Although Siobhan expected it, she couldn’t hold back the rolling of her lips as she attempted to quash a smile of girlish excitement.Come on! Who doesn’t want to be flirted with like this?All Siobhan had done was go into town to run some errands. Next thing she knew, the hottest woman she had ever seen in Paradise Valley was walking around with her muscles hanging out and a smirk on her face. Was it really reserved for Siobhan? Or would Krys have hurled it at whoever came her way next?
“Is there a Mrs. O’Connor?” Only Krys could ask that and not sound too cheesy to bear. “Or a Mister, for that matter? I gotta get my story straight before I try asking you out.”
Siobhan placed both hands on her hips, her handbag sliding off her shoulder and looping around her elbow. Sure, she would havelovedto put that bag down and not look so ridiculous, but she refused to lose balance in front of Krys Madison. Especially when Ms. Madison was coming onto her stronger than a cup of black coffee.
“I’m not married,” Siobhan said. “Nor am I looking for anybody to date.” That was the most diplomatic thing she could say. Siobhan was also careful to avoid pronouns, if only to drive Krys a little crazier.
“All right.” Krys held up her hands. “No worries. I can take a hint.”
“What hint?”
“Uh, the hint that you don’t wanna grab a coffee with me sometime?”
“You greatly overestimate my desire to socialize with people.”
“Hey, I get it. That’s a long drive into town from where you live. I wouldn’t be in a hurry to head here for little ol’ me, either.” Krys shrugged, one sleeve of her windbreaker sliding off her shoulder.That’s not fair.She might as well walk around in a crop top, after all. “But I thought I’d at least ask about the kittens.”
“Your convenient segue into asking me out?”
“Hey, I care about those little worm-infested fleabags. You think I would’ve brought them in if I didn’t care?”
Who’s paying for their care, anyway? Oh, right. Me.Sometimes, Siobhan was a charity. When she could afford it, anyway. “Your heart is truly big. I can see that.” She didn’t keep her eyes off that cleavage peeping at her. Smooshed cleavage, but hey, those were breasts under there. Siobhan knew how to appreciate those, especially when it had been three years since she was last intimately familiar with a pair.
“I’m also told I have a pretty big ego to go along with my hunk of hubris.” Krys kept a respectful distance from Siobhan, but she may as well have lunged for a kiss from the force soon felt in that little corner of Real Value Hardware Store. “Some people may not be into that, though. I respect that.”
Do you respect other people’s partners, too?Every time Siobhan thought about lowering her defenses a tad, she remembered what happened with Emily. The betrayal. The hurt. The loneliness. Maybe Krys was innocent in all aspects. Maybe she was guilty, and knew. Either way, could Siobhan live with herself forenjoyingKrys’s company, let alone wanting to go somewhere with her?
