Magnetic, page 14
Stacy gazed up at Layne. “You consider that a bad thing?”
“I’m methodical. Things have to be in order for me. There should be a courtship where we get to know each other…but I feel like…I know all there is to know, and that makes no sense to me at all.”
Stacy traced her fingers down Layne’s arm. “I can accept that. I just need to know if you’re willing to fully explore what’s happening here. Are you open to love if that’s what it turns out to be?”
Layne inhaled deeply. “Yes, I am, but I don’t think it’s going to be simple for us. I have special people in my life that,” Layne waved a hand, “whatever this is has already affected.”
Stacy sat up and kissed Layne softly on the lips. “These are the things we need to discuss. Maybe we should do more talking than…what we seem to do best.”
Layne met Stacy’s lips again. “I’m open to that.”
“Good,” Stacy whispered before kissing Layne fully. “Now I have to go.”
*******
Alana made a show of looking at the clock when Stacy walked in. “It’s almost one in the morning. Explain yourself, young lady.”
“Explain yourself, old gal. What are you still doing up?”
“I’ve been dozing on and off on the couch, too lazy to get up and get into bed,” Alana said with a yawn. She blinked when she took a closer look at Stacy, and a slow grin spread across her face. “I figured when you didn’t immediately return that you and Layne talked, but it certainly looks like you did a lot more.”
Stacy looked down at her rumpled shirt as she sat. “We did talk.”
“Was it ‘fuck me now,’ or ‘right there and don’t stop’?”
Stacy grinned as her face warmed. “Ass.”
“I’m all for taking it to the sheets, but I thought your plan was to romance her.”
“It was.” Stacy slumped down in her chair. “Things just get crazy when I’m around her.”
Alana rubbed her forehead. “I can’t imagine Layne getting out of control. Frankly, I thought control was her middle name. Is there a procedure for how y’all have sex? Do you have to follow certain steps?”
“I don’t think we know the same woman,” Stacy said seriously.
“No, you just haven’t seen the one I know, but you will, and that’s what I worry about. She’s very focused about the things she wants and can be controlling to get it.”
Stacy thought about being controlled by Layne, and so far, she was enjoying it. “I’ll get to know that side, too, and draw my own conclusions.”
“Good,” Alana said with a nod. “I have no relationship advice except for how to avoid one. If you need help in that department, I’m your girl.”
Chapter 23
“Hey, stranger.”
Layne smiled at Molly as she pulled another bag of groceries from her car. “It’s a hot day for biking. Want to come inside and have something cool to drink?”
“Lord, yes. I was sweating through my clothes before I got out of my own driveway.” Molly parked the bike and helped Layne with the groceries.
“Where’s Jenny?”
“Working. I probably won’t see her again until sometime in October,” Molly said with a laugh. “She’s been bitching about all she has to catch up with. And yet she balks when I say I want to go back to work.”
Layne set the bags on the kitchen counter and smiled. “She wants to keep you. Make life so you won’t have to go back to work.”
“I do work. I do all the laundry, cooking, and errand running. I want to go back into the workforce so I can take a break. Soda in the pantry or fridge?”
“Fridge,” Layne said as she began putting the canned goods away.
“Whose Lexus was in your driveway last night?” Molly asked casually.
“Alana’s.” That wasn’t a lie. It was Alana’s car Layne watched Stacy climb into the night before, which made her wonder if Stacy even owned one. These things Layne didn’t know, but she did know that grazing her teeth across Stacy’s neck drove her wild.
“Alana is Stacy’s cousin, right?” Molly said with something in her tone.
“Yes.” Layne closed the pantry.
Molly didn’t say anything but stared at Layne until she met her gaze. “I’ve heard you talk about Alana for years, but I’ve never met her face-to-face because you two don’t socialize.”
“Ronnie and I have talked, and—”
“Ronnie’s full of shit,” Molly said calmly. “We’ve talked to her, too, and listened to how magnanimous she’s being, but Jenny and I don’t believe a word of it. And you wouldn’t normally, either. It’s going to do something to her seeing you two together.”
“I know this is going to sound callous, but Stacy’s feelings have to factor in here, too. When Ronnie claimed it was all just sex, that’s what she believed. She didn’t want anything more with Ronnie.”
“And she does with you? All indicators are she’s a player. She only wanted Ronnie for sex, and don’t forget the way you met her. You had a night of no-strings-attached sex. If she had any decency after knowing how close you and Ronnie are, she’d back away. I deeply resent her for that.”
“You say all this, but you haven’t talked to her. You don’t know anything about her feelings or mine for that matter.”
“Feelings?” Molly said softly. “Honey, you just got out of a six-year relationship. I know it wasn’t perfect and you were destined to split up, but that has to be messing with your mind. Layne, take a step back and look at the big picture. You’re rebounding, Stacy’s doing whatever, and when you finally come to your senses, you might find that you’ve alienated one of your closest friends over nothing.”
“Or,” Layne raised a hand, “it may all work out.”
“I sincerely hope so, but I’m on the outside looking in, and what I see is impending disaster. I want you to be happy. I can’t help but want to protect you.”
“And I love you for that, Mol, but this is one time where you’re going to have to stand aside and let things run their course.”
*******
Layne glanced at the clock on the stove as she sliced a bell pepper. She was preparing the first real meal in her new kitchen and was looking forward to sharing it with Stacy despite the conversation she’d had with Molly earlier.
They’d parted on good terms with the usual hug and kiss, but what Molly had said stuck in Layne like a thorn. She’d tried to reason that had she been in Molly’s shoes, all of it would’ve appeared the same to her. Like Layne, common sense appealed to Molly, and neither of them could be described as gamblers when it came to important things. So it made no sense to Molly that Layne was willing to roll the dice.
Molly, probably more than the rest, was sensitive to the close bond they all shared because their relationships had all been tested over the previous year when she’d been ill. Jenny, though they weren’t officially married, had been the dutiful wife, but Layne and Ronnie had shown equal dedication, taking every step with Molly. They’d often spoke of being a family, but the last year had proven that to be true, Layne surmised as she tossed the vegetables into the wok on top of the shrimp. And Molly would war against anything that threatened the four.
Layne checked the rice as she heard a soft knock on the front door. She and Stacy had planned to talk, and that was it. The idea sounded good the night before when she had been thoroughly satiated, but the thought of seeing Stacy made parts of her body heartily disagree.
“You’re right on time.” Layne opened the door with a smile that turned to a look of surprise as she looked past Stacy. “Is that your…”
“Bike?” Stacy looked over her shoulder at the motorcycle sitting in the drive. “My Maserati’s in the shop,” she quipped when she noticed the flummoxed expression on Layne’s face. “I take it you don’t ride.”
“Uh, no.” Layne closed the door. “What do you do when it rains?”
“I get wet.” Stacy smiled and kissed Layne on the lips. “What’re you cooking?”
“Shrimp stir-fry.” Layne dashed into the kitchen to check on their dinner. “So the bike thing…does that mean you hang out in dive bars and eat the toes off of small children?”
“Only on Tuesdays,” Stacy said with a cocky smile. “It’s a cheap mode of transportation and something I always wanted to try.”
“You’re very brave. New Orleans drivers are a unique breed.”
“I’ll reserve comment until I ride with you.”
Layne grinned. “I’m nothing compared to Alana.”
“Thank God for that. She thinks none of the rules apply to her. The car is either parked or doing eighty. There’s no in between.” Stacy picked up the plates as Layne filled them and moved everything to the table.
“I’m not nearly as bad as that. I’ll at least drop down to seventy,” Layne said with a smirk. “Iced tea, soda, or wine?”
“Water. I’d like to keep my wits about me this evening.” Stacy’s gaze flittered over Layne’s body, and she sighed. “We agreed to spend our time talking.”
“Yes, we did.” Layne pushed the wine aside and filled two glasses with ice water. “So where do you see yourself a year from now?” she asked as she took a seat at the table.
Stacy blinked for a second. “Is this a job interview?”
“It’s a logical question,” Layne said with a shrug. “You’ve admitted to being nomadic, and I just wondered if you planned to put down roots here.”
Stacy smiled. “I don’t roam if I’m happy.”
Layne looked thoughtful as she chewed. “You’re not much of a planner, are you?”
“Nope, I’m a take-life-as-it-happens kind of girl.” Stacy skewered a shrimp and looked at Layne. “What’re your dreams?”
“They tend to change the older I get. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a rock star,” Layne said with a chuckle. “In college, I wanted to travel the globe, but since I’m on a plane so often, I guess I just look forward to the day I don’t have to work and can find a place on the water.”
“I always wanted my own private island. A place where I could spend the day outside naked if I wanted to. No neighbors, no engine noises, just the sound of the waves on the shore and the sand beneath my feet.”
“And in the crack of your butt if you’re gonna go around naked.”
Stacy pointed her fork at Layne and grinned. “Don’t mess with my fantasy.”
Layne held up her hands in surrender. “Sand fleas, that’s all I’m saying.” She shook the mental image of Stacy’s bare skin tanned by the sun. “What about kids?”
“I’ve heard of them, but I understand they bite and fling poo like monkeys, so I keep my distance.” Stacy smiled wistfully when Layne laughed. “Anna wanted kids. We talked about it a lot.” Her expression turned serious. “I’m almost thankful that something always seemed to come up that prevented us from trying. I don’t think I could’ve handled that on my own. What about you?”
“I think about it from time to time. Will you tell me about Anna if it’s not too painful?”
Stacy took a sip of her water and stared into the glass. “She was the most determined, hardheaded, stubborn mule of a woman I’d ever seen when she was at work. She knew what she wanted, and nothing would stop her until she got it. But with me, she was totally different. She used to say she could fight the whole world if she could just come home to me. I loved taking care of her, making sure she ate when she was totally distracted with something she was working on. Sometimes, we’d turn off the phone, close the blinds, and just pretend the outside world didn’t exist. I was her own private island, and there was nothing more important to me than that.” Stacy blinked and looked away. “Tell me about Olivia,” she said abruptly.
“She was the most determined, hardheaded, stubborn ass of a woman all the time.” Layne tried to lighten the mood. “To be fair, she did have some good points, but I can’t remember any of those.”
“Ronnie painted much the same picture.”
Layne nodded. “I knew Ronnie, Jenny, and Molly didn’t like her, but I didn’t realize how much until I admitted to them that I wanted out. They cheered.”
“They wanted someone better for you.”
“Yes, they did,” Layne said with a sigh.
Stacy looked down at the table. “How is Ronnie?”
“She’s okay. We talked and ironed things out between us, but I haven’t heard much from her lately.” Layne pushed her plate aside and took a sip of her water. “This wouldn’t be so hard, I suppose, if you’d been one of her usual flings, but she liked you. She says it’s okay with her if I see you, but I know it hurts her and it hurts me.”
“Is it too much, too painful to see me? Would you rather I leave you alone?”
Layne thought for a moment. “That would make things easier for everyone else…but not me.”
“Me either,” Stacy admitted.
“I don’t know what it is about you, Stacy Mayeaux.” Layne shook her head and propped her chin in her hand with a sigh.
“Maybe it’s not me. Maybe you’re just spreading your wings, so to speak.”
“No, it’s you,” Layne said with a smile. “I look at you, and propriety goes right out the door. I’m beginning to believe in the charm Alana says the Mayeaux women have. That’s how I feel, like someone has cast a spell over me. I can rationalize and war against it all I want, but the pull is too strong to fight.”
“I feel exactly the same way,” Stacy said softly.
Layne inhaled deeply as she met Stacy’s gaze. “We’ve talked a lot.”
Stacy waved a finger. “I gave you my word that was all we were going to do tonight, so stop looking at me like that. I feel naked already.”
“This is one of the things I’m talking about,” Layne said as her brow furrowed. “My sexual appetite has never been this voracious.” She fisted her hands in her own shirt. “This isn’t me. Wait, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy sex, but this is something altogether different.”
Stacy sucked one of the ice cubes from her glass and chomped on the ice. “We’re on the same page here, too, and I’m just shy of dumping this water in my lap. But if we can’t enjoy each other’s company outside of the bedroom, then we’re going to have problems. Talk to me about something that isn’t sexual.”
“I like ice cream.”
“Good,” Stacy said with a nod. “What flavor?”
Layne put a hand to her forehead. “Not vanilla unless it has something in it or on it.”
“I like raspberry cheesecake frozen yogurt. Have you tried it?”
Layne’s eyes glassed over. “This isn’t helping.”
Stacy stood and gathered the plates. “Stay right there. You can’t be trusted at the sink. After I clean up, we’ll play a game.”
“Pin the tail on the donkey, hide-and-seek, even Scrabble sounds very sexual to me at the moment.” Layne looked at Stacy’s butt. It struck her then that she sounded just like Alana. She wondered if sexual depravity was contagious, perhaps Stacy was a carrier. “I feel bad just sitting here watching you clean up.”
“I feel better with the bar between us. You stay over there. Better yet, go sit on the couch. I can’t look at you right now.”
Layne grinned as she got up and went to the sofa. She felt desired, wanted, sexy; it was a heady brew.
“This game,” Stacy began as she walked into the room, “is very simple. I will ask you questions. You cannot ask any. Your answers must be brief unless I ask you to expound.” Stacy smiled as she sat and tucked a leg beneath her. “You get a kiss for every answer I like, but you have to tell the truth. Promise?”
“This is a totally one-sided deal. When do I get to ask my questions?”
“Another night.” Stacy licked her lips. “Will you agree to these terms?”
Layne sighed and looked at the ceiling. “I know my integrity is going to be sorely tested here, but yes, I promise.”
“We’ll start with something easy. When is your birthday?”
“June twenty-fifth. Do I have to state the year?”
Stacy leaned in and kissed Layne. “You’re in trouble, little Cancer. You’ve already broken the rules, but I went easy on you, and yes.”
“Nineteen seventy-five.” Layne bit her lip to keep from saying more.
Stacy kissed her again. “Two years older than me, and before you ask, mine is March seventh.” Stacy looked at Layne with a hint of mischief in her eyes. “What color is the bra you’re wearing?”
Layne grinned before pulling up her shirt.
Stacy groaned. “Oh, I asked for that, didn’t I?” And Layne was rewarded with another kiss. “Are you originally from New Orleans?”
“Yes.”
Layne pointed to her lips when Stacy made no move to kiss her.
“That answer was good, but I can’t say that it inspired me.”
Please ask me better questions, Layne screamed in her own head as she stared at Stacy’s mouth.
“When did you realize that you were a lesbian?”
“I was seventeen.”
Stacy grinned. “You may expound. Was there an encounter that brought on this revelation?”
“Yes.” Layne grinned and pointed to her lips.
“You’re a little shit, already manipulating the game.” Stacy leaned in and kissed Layne, nipping at her bottom lip. “Elaborate.”
“I’d always been attracted to girls, but growing up in the Stone household, I thought lightning would strike me if I dwelled on it too much. On my senior trip, we went to a wild party, and a girl who I’d known in school but wasn’t very close to acted on a dare. Her boyfriend challenged her to kiss a girl, and I just happened to be close by. Both of our lives changed that night. I stopped kidding myself, and she got pregnant.”
Stacy’s brow rose as she laughed. “Must’ve been one hell of a kiss. Am I a better kisser?”
