Chapter 3
Three
J o’s heart pounded, and her mind raced to catch up with what had happened.
One moment, she and Evelyn were sitting at the bar ordering drinks.
The next, Evelyn’s lips were on hers, soft and tentative yet undeniably against hers.
For a split second, Jo froze, caught completely off guard by Evelyn’s boldness.
Being kissed wasn’t how things usually went.
Jo was always the initiator, the one in control.
But as the initial shock wore off, a flood of warmth rushed through her body, and instinct took over.
Finding Evelyn’s hips with her hands, Jo leaned closer as she deepened the kiss.
She felt Evelyn’s slight gasp against her lips, and it sent a shiver down her spine.
As she relished the woman’s mouth, she marveled at how right everything felt.
She had kissed countless women in Sapphire over the years, but none had affected her quite like this one.
There was a sweetness to Evelyn’s kiss, an earnestness that contrasted sharply with Jo’s usual experiences.
It was intoxicating. Just as Jo was losing herself in the sensation, Evelyn suddenly pulled away.
Both women sat there, breathless and wide-eyed, staring at each other in shock and barely concealed desire.
Jo’s mind raced, trying to process what happened and why it left her feeling so. .. different.
Evelyn’s cheeks were flushed, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she caught her breath. Her eyes held a mix of surprise and something darker. She’s totally turned on, Jo thought as their gaze held. She was captivated by the sight.
“I... I’m sorry,” Evelyn stammered, her voice barely audible over the music. “I don’t know why I did that.”
Jo opened her mouth to respond, to tell Evelyn that she had nothing to apologize for. She wanted to say that the kiss had been amazing, but before she could get the words out, a familiar voice cut through the moment.
“Well now,” Mica said, sidling up to them with a knowing grin. “Looks like you two are having fun.”
Jo glanced at Mica, then back at Evelyn, who looked like she wanted the floor to open and swallow her whole. “I should go find my friends,” Evelyn murmured, starting to get up. “Excuse me.”
Before Jo could stop her, Evelyn disappeared into the crowd, leaving Jo staring after her with a mixture of confusion and longing. Mica nudged her friend’s shoulder. “Earth to Jo,” she said. “You still with us?”
Shaking her head, Jo tried to clear the fog that seemed to have settled over her mind. “Yeah, yeah,” she said. “I’m here.”
Mica raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. Sure you are.” She jerked her thumb toward the bottles of liquor lined up along the mirror behind the bar.
“Come on, Casanova. I need another drink, and it looks like you could use something a little stronger than your…” She caught sight of the two Cosmopolitans on the counter. “What the hell is that?”
Glancing at the drinks, Jo shrugged. “She wanted one, so I thought I’d try it.”
Staring at Jo for a long moment, Mica’s face was unreadable.
“I can’t believe it,” she said. “You never do that. We need to fix you. Fast.” She held up two fingers to get the bartender’s attention.
“Two tequila shots, please.” After a beat, she turned to Jo with a slightly worried, but also mischievous look in her eye. “Make that three.”
Jo frowned. “Three?” she asked. “Who’s the third one for?”
As if on cue, Evelyn reappeared, looking slightly flustered but determined. “I’m sorry for running off like that,” she said, addressing Jo directly. “It was rude of me.”
Taking in the woman’s open and sweet, yet eager expression, Jo felt her heart skip a beat. “No, it’s fine,” she said quickly. “I mean, I get it. That kiss, well, it was unexpected.”
Mica looked between the two women beginning to smile. “Perfect timing, actually,” she said. “I was just ordering us some shots. Tequila.”
Evelyn’s eyes widened slightly. “Oh, I don’t know if I should—”
“Don’t be silly,” Mica interrupted, pushing a shot glass filled with golden liquid at Evelyn as the bartender set them down.
“It’s your birthday, right?” Jo watched as Evelyn hesitated, clearly torn between what was likely her usual caution and a desire to let loose.
Finally, with a small nod, Evelyn picked up her glass.
Mica’s smile widened. “Happy Birthday.” She lifted her shot glass.
“Now, down the hatch.” The three women drank in unison, Evelyn coughing as the tequila burned its way down her throat.
Jo found herself reaching out instinctively, her hand coming to rest on Evelyn’s lower back.
“You okay?” she asked, her voice low and concerned.
Evelyn nodded, her eyes meeting Jo’s. “Yes, thank you,” she replied. “Just not used to tequila, I suppose.” Still, even through the cough, Jo couldn’t miss the desire in Evelyn’s eyes, and it sent a bolt of excitement through her.
Setting down her glass with a little more force than was necessary, Mica cleared her throat, interrupting the moment. “Well,” she said. “Since Jo’s not going to introduce me, I’m Mica. I don’t think I’ve seen you in here before.”
Surprised to hear Mica chime in, Jo blinked, suddenly aware of how mesmerizing her attraction to Evelyn was. “Uh, right, sorry,” she said. “Mica, this is Evelyn.”
A polite smile crossed Evelyn’s face. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said. “And this is my first time here.”
“Oh, I see,” Mica said in a tone Jo didn’t like. “Just some straight girls having a fun birthday party at the gay bar.”
“No—” Evelyn started, but Jo interrupted, giving Mica a hard look.
“This bar is open to anyone,” she said. “Mica’s just joking around, right Mica?”
A grin crossed Mica’s face. “Right,” she said. “Just joking.” She clapped her hands together. “Okay, what’s the plan for the rest of the night?”
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Jo hesitated. “I, uh, I’m not sure,” she said, her usual confidence nowhere to be found. “What do you think, Evelyn? It’s your birthday, after all.”
Clearly torn, Evelyn bit her lip, a gesture that Jo already found adorable. “I should probably find my sister and friends,” she said, though she made no move to leave. “They’ll be wondering where I’ve gone.”
Mica rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on,” she said. “The night’s still young. Why don’t we all go dance again? Unless...” She leaned in close to Jo as if to whisper. “You’re planning on taking the birthday girl home with you. Maybe?”
Jo felt her cheeks heat up, a sensation she wasn’t used to.
Normally, she’d have no problem with the idea.
In fact, she’d probably already be leading Evelyn out the door by now.
Yet, something about tonight felt different.
Somehow, Jo felt that Evelyn wasn’t only another conquest, another notch on her bedpost. She is something else , Jo thought.
Something more . Then she shook her head.
Of course I will ask Evelyn to go home with me . That was what Jo was all about.
Evelyn’s breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening at Mica’s words. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jo stiffen but couldn’t bring herself to look at the other woman’s face. A mix of excitement and fear coursed through her veins.
“Mica,” Jo warned, her voice low. “Don’t start.”
But Mica’s words had already taken root in Evelyn’s mind, sprouting possibilities she had only dared to imagine in the privacy of her most secret fantasies.
Going home with a woman like Jo. Tall, muscular, in a leather jacket and with a sexy smile.
The thought sent a thrill of anticipation through her body, followed quickly by a wave of apprehension.
Am I ready for this? she wondered. Can I really let myself be so daring?
Jo put a hand on Evelyn’s knee, bringing her back to the moment. “Hey,” Jo said softly, her eyes filled with concern. “Don’t let Mica get to you. She’s just teasing.”
Managing a small smile, Evelyn tried to ignore the disappointment she felt at Jo’s words.
Of course, she is just teasing , she thought.
Why would someone like Jo actually want to take me home?
“I’m fine,” she said, even as her mind raced with conflicting emotions.
As she tried to decide what to do next, Evelyn caught sight of a familiar face pushing through the crowd.
Her stomach dropped as she recognized her sister, Jasmine, making a beeline toward them with a determined look on her face.
“Evie,” Jasmine called, her voice carrying over a lull in the music. “We were beginning to wonder what happened to you.”
Evelyn felt Jo’s hand slip away from her knee as Jasmine approached, and she immediately missed its comforting warmth. “Really?” she asked. “I’m sorry. I was just having a drink with my new friends.”
Jasmine’s eyes darted between Evelyn and Jo. “Oh, right,” she said. “I remember. She asked you to dance.”
Before Jasmine could say anything else, Jo extended her hand with an easy smile. “I’m Jo,” she introduced herself. “Nice to meet you.”
“Jasmine,” she said, shaking Jo’s hand. “Evelyn’s sister.”
The tension in the air was palpable, and Evelyn found herself caught between the two women.
She noted the concern in Jasmine’s eyes, the protective big sister instinct kicking into overdrive.
“Jasmine,” Evelyn said, trying to keep her voice light.
“You remember this was your idea, right? Coming to Sapphire for my birthday?”
Jasmine’s expression softened slightly, but the worry didn’t leave her eyes. “I know, I only wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Jo cleared her throat, drawing both sisters’ attention. “I promise you,” she said. “Evelyn’s in safe hands. We’re having a drink. Nothing to worry about.”