Chapter One
Three
Days later…
“You’re
quiet,” Kallie Checkwing commented from across the table of the small café on
the east side of town.
Somali
looked up from the drink she was stirring the melting ice around in to give
Kallie a small smile. “I just have a lot on my mind.”
“Talk
to me,” she said, reaching across to put her hand on Somali’s wrist. Kallie’s
warm gaze was all the encouragement she needed.
“I’m
thinking about leaving my job at Whitehead Pharm.”
Kallie’s
brows lifted, and her eyes widened. “Are you serious? I thought you loved your
job.”
That
was the party line, but she hadn’t loved
her job in a very long time.
She
sighed. “I like some aspects of my job, but not where it’s going.”
“What
do you like best?” Kallie asked leaning toward her.
“The
research, the healing,” Somali admitted.
“Then,
why don’t you go to work for the clinic here?” Kallie asked with a shrug. “You
could do what you love, and I’d see even more of you.”
Somali
smiled. She’d known Kallie as a child when her family had lived here after
returning from New York. When the pharm company took off, they moved to the
city keeping the house here as their weekend home.
Two
years ago, she and Kallie had reconnected at a café in the city, and they’d
grown to be good friends again. When Kallie moved
back home, Somali had had a valid reason for coming here every weekend.
Getting to know Kallie again, Somali
realized just how much she wanted the friendship to flourish. She liked having
someone to talk to, to spend time with.
“I
enjoy our time together too,” Somali admitted. “But I’m going to talk to mother
first. She and my father have shares in the company. Plus, there’s the Circle
Wellness Center to consider.”
The
center was a health spa borne of the pharm company. Her parents managed the
thriving spa, and they now had locations in fifty cities. Somali often created
treatments for use at the center.
“They’re
big boys and girls,” Kallie told her gently. “They can do this without you.
Besides, I’m sure they’d want you to be happy.”
Somali
snorted. “They want me under their thumbs.” She just didn’t want to live like
that anymore.
“They
might have an adjustment problem, but they’ll get past it.” She grinned.
Somali
nodded slowly, her heart quickening with the excitement of new prospects. “It’s
probably a chance worth taking.”
“I’m
not the only one you’ll get to see more of if you move to town full time,”
Kallie teased.
“What?”
she asked, her voice a little high-pitched with surprise.
“Don’t
think I haven’t noticed,” Kallie said, eyes dancing merrily. “You are always
eating her up with your eyes.”
“Who?”
Somali asked incredulously, her cheeks a little hot.
“Oh,
don’t play dumb with me. You know darn well who I’m talking about.” Kallie’s
gaze darted past her, and she grinned. “Well, here she comes now.”
Somali
jerked around to see a couple of tall women striding toward their table. The
dark-skinned woman was attractive, but her friend, the blonde was even more so.
Peta
Goldenherst was her dream woman—all long legs and hard, toned body. Her short
dark blonde hair was cut in a gamine that gleamed golden in the sunlight.
Peta’s
gaze held hers, and Somali shivered, her wings wanting to emerge and flutter,
to show off the vibrant colors and the lacy lilac edge that was like a
frame.
The
wings, the color, the shape, and the designs on them were little more than
plumage for seduction during courting. Sometimes the designs could be seen on
the butterfly’s back during mating season.
“Ahem,” Kallie cleared her throat and
Somali faced her, her face flaming. “You were saying?”
“Shut
up, Kal,” she muttered, and Kallie laughed.
“Hello,
girls,” Sienna, Kallie’s mate said as she slipped into the chair next to
Kallie.
“Hi
honey,” Kallie said giving her a smile, and Somali looked away feeling like a
voyeur.
“Hi,
gorgeous,” Peta murmured after taking the seat next to her. “How’s it going?”
“Hi,”
she said keeping her gaze focused on the bridge of Peta’s nose.
“I’m
surprised to see you in town in the middle of the week. Is it a holiday?”
The
teasing in Peta’s tone brought a smile to Somali’s face. “I just came to spend
the day with Kallie,” she said.
“Are
you girls having a good time then?” Peta asked.
“Fine.
A little lunch,” Somali said looking at her glass.
“Doesn’t
look like you ordered much,” Sienna said.
“We
were thinking we’d keep it light,” Kallie replied. “What are you guys up to?”
“Lunch
break,” Sienna answered. “Are you going to be here for dinner, Somali?”
“Yes,
but I have some work to finish up.”
“That’s
too bad,” Sienna said. “I was hoping you’d join us for some playtime at the
club tonight.”
The
sex club.
She enjoyed doing scenes there, but Peta
was the only one she really wanted to touch her these days. So, Somali didn’t
go on as regular a basis as she used to.
“That
is too bad,” Peta commented, her thigh brushing Somali’s under the table.
Somali
shivered from the touch but forced her gaze to remain on her drink. Peta always
left her flustered and wet, nipples hard. Right now, was no exception.
“Some
other time then,” Sienna said.
“Actually,
she’ll have dinner with us some other time,” Kallie said giving Sienna a look
from beneath her lashes.
“Fine,”
Sienna said. “For now.”
What
did that mean?
Somali
was afraid to ask, but she’d heard Sienna and her friends liked to share their
women. She just didn’t think Sienna was still into that now that she had
Kallie.
“Somali
might not have the stomach for our games,” Peta said. “So, leave her alone,
Sienna.” Peta winked at her, and Somali’s breath caught as their stare held.
“Whatever you say,” Sienna said and held
up her hand to signal for the waiter. “Peta, I guess you and Tas will have to
go without us tonight.”
Peta shrugged. “I’m sure Tas will have no
objections to that. She said you’re becoming more of a killjoy everyday,” Peta
teased.
“Whatever,” Sienna grumbled, and Peta
chuckled. Her entire face became even more gorgeous, her blue eyes dancing.
Somali was glad they’d let the subject
drop because the only woman she wanted was right next to her.
****
“Do you have time to do a little shopping
with me?” Kallie asked after lunch.
“Sure. The weekend is all mine.”
“Great. Why don’t you follow me over?”
Kallie asked.
“Okay.”
They made their way to the parking lot and
to their cars. Once in her little four door Kia, Somali started the engine and
followed Kallie to a mini mall of shops in the middle of town.
She hadn’t bought anything new in a long
time, but her mother picked most of her evening wear on the pretext of knowing
what was best for her. Somali was tired of that. It made her feel like she was
a visitor in her own life.
They strolled into the shop which was
nearly empty on this Friday afternoon. The two sales clerks were behind the
checkout counter with bored expressions on their faces as they surveyed the
store.
“Good
afternoon, ladies.” The brunette rounded the counter wearing a cheerful smile.
“Can I help
you with something?”
“We’re just browsing for now,” Kallie
said. “Thanks.”
“Let me know if you change your mind,” she
said.
“We will,” Kallie replied, and they
browsed the store heading for the lingerie section.
“Sienna always picks out my underwear, but
I’ve decided to surprise her.”
“Don’t you hate that?” She wrinkled her
nose.
“Why would I?” Kallie asked. “She has good
taste. Plus, Sienna likes surprising me.” She laughed. “What do you think about
these?”
Kallie held up a pair of black panties
that Somali was sure would cover very little.
“I don’t know.” She didn’t wear thongs or
anything like it. “I’m going to check out the dresses.” She wandered off, her
mind on the things in her own underwear drawer.
Nothing she owned was racy or revealing.
Her panties were functional and pretty just like the rest of her clothes.
Maybe
an upgrade would be nice. No one would see her panties
though.
But
they’d be something pretty just for you.
Somali started to head back over and was
taken by a cute little dress. It was a simple red dress with a calf length
skirt.
“It’s on sale,” the sales associate told
her. “It would look great on you too, with your coloring. Put your hair up and
you’d be a knock-out.”
Somali looked at her. “It’s on sale?”
The woman smiled. “Yep. Come take a look
at the lingerie that’s on sale. There is a red and white bra and panty set that
will make your man’s eyes pop out of his head.”
Somali followed her over to the table. The
woman held up the set before picking out a few more. Somali found herself
taking all four sets along with the dress.
The shopping excursion lasted three hours,
and Somali was surprised at the things she’d selected from the other boutiques
they’d checked out after leaving the first. She didn’t have anyone to admire
her in them but that might change she was moving back to town.
After getting them home she removed the
tags and washed the lingerie while hanging the clothes.
She started to run a bath and the doorbell
rang. She quickly went to answer it finding a delivery man. He gave her a
friendly smile.
“Hi,” he said. “I have a package for
Somali Greentree.”
“That’s me.”
“Great.” He grinned. “Sign here.” He held
up a clipboard.
She signed, and he handed her a small
package.
“Have a nice evening,” he said and gave
her a nod before striding back out to his truck.
Somali frowned and took the item to her
bedroom. She went to start her bath and added bath oil to the water before going
into her spacious pale copper and white bedroom.
She unwrapped the package finding a neatly
folded noted attached to the velvet box top.
Unfolding it, she read it.
Hello
beautiful,
I
saw this after seeing your dazzling smile and knew I had to get it for you. I
hope this brightens up your day as thinking of you lights up mine.
XO
Somali grinned, her stomach fluttering.
She knew who she wanted her secret admirer to be, but she wouldn’t bet her life
on it.
Lifting the lid, a diamond encrusted heart
surrounded by red rose petals winked up at her. The tiny charm would clip
nicely onto the link chain of the memory locket bracelet she’d received from
the same admirer.
“Lovely,” she said softly. “Thank you.
Whoever you are.” This person had no idea how cherished they made her feel.
“Hey, sis,” her older brother Palin called
from the corridor. “I’m going out. Be back later.”
“Have fun,” she
called. She’d be settling down with her research notes for the night after her
hot bath and wishing she was spending the evening in Peta’s company.
