Part 9 (2/2)
”Those are nipples, not oranges-be careful with the goodies!” Zelda was having a blast, and Hana was rapt counting all the bobbing bits.
She had one more thing to add to her homage at the shrine of Sappho, oh yes she did.
”Don't look now, but short, dark and c.o.c.ky is headed this way.” Felicia gave Zi a wry look. ”I thought her eyes were going to fall out the way she was ogling you.”
”Not me, you.” Zi checked her bikini straps again to make sure they were firmly back in place.
”She is so not my type.”
”Right-sure she isn't.”
Felicia just shrugged, and Zi wondered what was bothering her friend. ”I thought you came on this cruise to get laid. Repeatedly.”
”I thought I did too, but I'm tired of being the one in the bin.”
”Huh?”
Felicia tossed back her long hair in a gesture that wasn't quite her usual come hither signal. ”Like I'm the one in a box with a bunch of other oranges getting picked over until someone decides to pick me up. I'd like to do the picking up for once.”
The butch from the other side of the pool was nearly upon them, and Zi thought Felicia went on to say, ”I'd like to be in charge for once,” but she wasn't sure.
”Well, I'm d.a.m.ned well tired of being a good girl,” Zi whispered. ”Screw Yiyi and her good Asian girl c.r.a.p.”
”Be the blonde,” Felicia said with a tease in her voice.
”You two looked like you were having a lot of fun,” the new arrival said. Zi pulled up her feet from the foot of the chaise, and the butch readily accepted the invitation to sit. ”Where you both from?”
”Santa Fe,” Zi said. ”How about you?”
”Denver. My friend and I both. She's asleep.”
”Busy night for her?” Felicia's tone was cool, and Zi took that as a clear sign that Felicia wasn't interested in the butch, which was fine. She definitely was interested in the woman-she looked like she specialized in Quick, Hot and Seeyalaterbabe. Exactly what her inner therapist had ordered.
”She was screaming her head off at the heavy metal concert last night.”
”You like metal?” Zi swept her hair off her back so it gathered over one shoulder, and hoped that her momentary puzzlement at its blond hue didn't show. It took getting used to.
”Sure. I'm Hana, by the way.”
Zi introduced herself and Felicia, who nodded and returned her attention to the pool where a spirited game of Marco Polo was underway.
”Metal can be very liberating.” Zi hoped Hana didn't hear Felicia's quiet snort. So fine, she hadn't ever heard heavy metal before last night, but Hana wasn't going to be around long enough to catch her in a few fibs. ”Hey, your friend is looking for you.”
Hana turned and waved, and the other butch headed around the pool toward them.
Felicia gathered up her towel and book. ”I'm going to burn if I stay out anymore. Have fun, you two.”
Zi watched her friend walk away and wondered again what was bothering her. Oh well, she'd tell her eventually. She always did.
”This is Evie,” Hana said. ”Evie-Zi. She lives in Santa Fe.”
Evie nodded, seemed polite enough. ”I was going to see if there was any ice cream left and then think about changing for dinner before I head to the casino for a while.”
”Good idea. Go ahead and change for dinner. I'll, uh, find you.”
Evie nodded and Zi pretended not to see the silent signal pa.s.sed between the two friends. She and Felicia had a similar arrangement.
”She seems nice,” Zi said after Evie left.
”We're peas in a pod.” Hana stretched her legs out in front of her. She tanned easily, it looked like, but she was still several shades lighter than Zi was. ”When we were eight we were the only two tomboys in our neighborhood, and we've been butch brothers ever since.”
”Bet you were both cute little girls.”
Hana gave her a sidelong look. ”But we wanted to be boys. A lot. No dresses to begin with. And we both had brothers and they didn't have to do any housework. My brother got taught how to drive when he was eleven. Why wouldn't I want to be a boy?”
Zi grinned. ”Okay, I can get that. Believe me, I'm well-schooled in what good little girls can and can't do.”
”My folks tried.” Hana gave her a lopsided smile that Zi knew brought women running for miles. ”I was the kind of girl who liked to do the other girls, and from the time I was fifteen I was a terror. Evie and I-we both adore girls.”
Yes, that smile was devastating and, before Yiyi, Zi might have tried to resist it. But now she had some major time to make up, and a fast-talking butch who wanted an hour or two of fun was exactly what she needed. Cheap s.e.x, and lots of it. ”All sorts of girls, or a certain kind?”
Hana ran one finger along the curve of Zi's calf. ”I like all sorts of girls. I'm especially fond of those who like me to be very much in charge.”
Zi tucked her toes under Hana's thigh and stretched. ”So you like telling a girl what to do?”
”Only in private.”
”But this isn't very private.” Zi tossed back her hair, aware that Hana was enjoying the view.
”So I'm not telling you what to do, am I?”
Zi drained the last of her frothy drink. ”Why don't you give it a try?”
Hana gave her a long, smoldering look. ”I've got vodka and orange juice in my room.”
Zi rose to her feet, trying to make the most of all her five feet. The high-heeled sandals helped. As always when she stood up, she had to pause to catch the s.h.i.+p's motion. Hana steadied her with a firm hand at her elbow. ”Thank you.”
Hana kept her hand where it was, even tightened it a little. ”Have a drink with me.”
”Yes.” She let the next swell under the s.h.i.+p s.h.i.+ft her weight toward Hana. Practically in her arms, she whispered, ”There, that wasn't so hard, was it? You told me what to do and I said yes.”
If Evie had had any idea how easy it would be to talk this particular babe into their cabin, she wouldn't have given up, Hana thought. She kept the pace slow as they chatted and laughed on their way down two flights of external stairs. They went indoors at the rear lounge and the frigid air hit their overheated bodies.
”I always feel like I need a sweater inside.” Zi caught Hana checking out her nipples. ”Like what you see?”
”Oh, yes,” Hana said with all the fervor she could muster. ”I'd like to see more of it.”
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