Chapter Two #2
Faye gave a sheepish smile. “That probably sounds quite sad to admit.”
“Not at all. I find that rather endearing.”
Those blue-green eyes met hers carefully.
Like she was trying to decipher the truth behind her statement.
Something simmered low in Diana’s chest, but before she could touch on it, a roar from the men behind them broke their gaze.
Diana turned to the group, rolling her eyes as they tried to fit as many pretzels into their mouths as possible, spitting crumbs over the table.
“You can sit if you want,” Faye said quietly, casting a glance at the table.
Diana needed to head to bed. She had to catch the boat in the morning, and that proposal for Leanne wouldn’t draft itself, but something about the woman intrigued her. So she sat in the yellow chair opposite, crossing one leg in front of the other.
Faye flipped the sudoku book shut and tucked it into her rucksack.
“So,” Diana began, “is this your first visit to Portugal?”
Faye dipped her head, hiding behind those thick lashes. “Yeah. You?”
Diana had been once before. Almost two decades ago, with Jason, to celebrate their daughter’s birthday.
They’d spent most of the week arguing after Jason had gotten a horrific sunburn.
He’d spent the rest of his time sulking under a parasol, complaining about the lack of English beer at the hotel.
“A long time ago,” she said, relaxing into her seat. “How did the storm ruin your plans?”
“I was supposed to be getting the boat across to the island,” Faye said, fingernails picking at the beer label. “But all the crossings were cancelled.”
The island?
She wondered what had attracted Faye to a course designed to ‘reset your life’. Though put together, her nervous energy didn’t go unnoticed. But she was young, smart—if her sudoku abilities rang true—and brave enough to make the journey alone. What was she concealing?
“I suppose we’ll be sharing the crossing tomorrow, then,” Diana said.
“You’re going too?” Faye eyed her, her voice dripping with scepticism. “To Sandy Springs?”
“Correct.”
Faye opened her mouth like she wanted to say more but clamped it shut.
“What is it?” Diana prompted, her eyebrow quirking.
Faye traced the beer label, picking at a folded edge.
“Nothing. I’m just…surprised. Surprised that someone wearing a pantsuit like that would be interested in a self-help course on a remote island.
” She bit her lip. “Not that I’m judging you.
I try not to do that. Sorry. I’m rambling.
It must be all the beer.” She shot Diana a goofy grin, angling the bottle so she could read the “non-alcoholic” half-peeled label on the front.
Diana couldn’t help but return the smile, finding her awkward bumbling charming.
Plus, she was pretty sure there was a compliment hidden in there.
Truthfully, parts of Diana’s life had wandered astray—her relationship with her daughter, her love life—but her collection of pantsuits had never let her down.
She smoothed her fingers over the material as if to say thanks.
“The human mind favours categorising as a survival method. So I suppose we can’t help but form opinions of others based on initial judgements.
We’d exhaust ourselves otherwise.” She let her gaze fall on Faye.
“Though it’s important to remember first impressions can be deceiving. ”
Intriguing, even, she added silently. Like the way Faye couldn’t look at her for longer than a few seconds.
“It’s not just humans,” Faye said, drawing circles in the condensation on the table. “There’s so much of the animal world that gets overlooked or put into boxes. Everyone thinks birds are stupid ’cos they have such tiny brains, but they can count. Pigeons can do as much maths as monkeys.”
“Really?”
Faye nodded, meeting Diana’s gaze for the first time in a while.
Heat lingered. An invitation. A warning.
Then she glanced away. “Chickens, too. Did you know there are about thirty-four billion chickens in the world? That’s, like, four to every human.
It’s a shame so many are killed every year.
I kinda wish they’d evolve to better defend themselves. ”
Diana considered this. “So, chickens with big bear claws?”
Faye laughed, and Diana found herself leaning closer.
“Yeah. Or shark teeth. Or venomous feathers.”
“Interesting.” Diana’s mouth curled as she pictured wild, giant chickens chasing Selena around the faculty lounge, nipping at her skirt.
“I considered breeding my own species of super chickens to release into the wild, but I don’t think I’d have time to perfect it until I’m retired.” Faye sipped her beer. “I’d also be worried they might hurt each other by accident.”
Diana chuckled, a little lost for words. There was something about the passionate look in Faye’s blue eyes, like she really believed she could save all the chickens in the world, that made her pause. A lightness she hadn’t touched in years.
A loud cheer broke out from the other side of the room. Raul and the other two men applauded the Jason lookalike as he emptied two bags of pretzels into his mouth. He pumped his fists in the air, but when his overfilled hamster cheeks reddened, the celebrations turned to panic.
The chair clattered to the floor, drinks spilling over the table. His eyes jumped around the room, his hands grasping his throat.
“I think he’s choking,” Raul said, slapping the man on the back.
In a blink, Faye appeared at Raul’s side.
She wrapped her arms around the portly man and pulled inwards in three quick successions.
On the last squeeze, the dislodged piece of pretzel sailed through the air and skidded across the wooden floor in a trail of saliva.
The men cheered like the man had won World’s Biggest Moron, slapping him on the back and chattering in Portuguese.
Diana rose to join the commotion, her brain still trying to piece the event together. Raul thanked Faye profusely, throwing in curses and crossing his chest, while the other men crowded around the choker, offering him a drink of beer to soothe his throat.
Honestly. Diana tried not to scold them like naughty schoolchildren.
“Is everyone alright?” she asked, trying to bring the anxious energy in the room down a notch.
Raul placed his hands on Faye’s shoulders, his relief obvious. “Sim. Sim. But only because of you. Thank you. Obrigado.” He slapped the man on the back again, earning a grunt from him. “Daniel, seu porco ganancioso, eh?”
Faye laughed, but her hands were shaking. When her eyes landed on Diana’s, she explained, “He called him a greedy pig.”
Diana’s lips twitched. Raul wasn’t wrong. Then she took Faye’s elbow. “You acted fast. That was impressive. Are you feeling alright?”
Faye nodded, her focus falling to where Diana held her through the fabric of her jumper. “Just feeling the adrenaline.”
Heat seared under Faye’s gaze, but Diana didn’t drop her hand. “Do you want some water?”
“Please.”
“Let me.” Raul fetched some water and ice to their table, hovering while Faye drank. When she set down her glass, he produced a bottle of the wine Diana had been drinking and placed it in front of her. “Free drinks! For you.”
Faye inspected the bottle.
“Do you drink?” Diana asked, hoping she wasn’t being intrusive.
“Not really. No.”
Raul brought over two more wine glasses and poured a generous helping into all three without asking. He raised his in a cheers, and Diana reluctantly clinked their glasses.
“You don’t have to drink it if you don’t want to,” Diana assured her when Raul left to rejoin the others.
“I am trying to say yes to more things, but…” Faye’s gaze locked with hers. Diana couldn’t read the emotion swirling in her irises, but then a small smile played on Faye’s lips, and she lifted her glass. “I guess I’m in if you are. It’d be sad to drink it alone.”
Diana considered it. Maybe she should start saying yes to more things, too. She wasn’t past having a few harmless drinks. It couldn’t hurt, and it might help unlock some ideas for the manuscript hidden deep inside her brain.
“It would be my pleasure,” she said, and she clinked her glass with Faye’s.
* * *
Darkness cloaked the bar as Raul switched off the lights.
“Right. Come on, everyone. Let’s go. Todos embora!
I mean it this time.” The slight slur to his words wasn’t convincing, and he had to grab the shoulders of the men slumped over the bar to guide them towards the exit.
He turned to the two women giggling in the corner, two empty bottles between them.
“You too, ladies. Don’t make me manhandle you as well. ”
Diana scoffed. “Try it, and we’ll set the chickens on you.”
The two of them cracked into fits of laughter, and Raul shook his head, muttering something in Portuguese under his breath. “Ladies, please. You have an early boat to catch.”
Something in Raul’s glassy gaze pulled Diana back into functioning mode. She stood, tugging Faye with her. “He’s right. Time to go.”
“No,” Faye groaned. “I don’t wanna go yet. This is the most fun I’ve had in ages.”
Raul blew out the last of the candles, and with only the streetlights to illuminate the bar, everything took on a hazy tone.
A bang on the window made the women jump.
Faye grabbed Diana’s hand, their bodies drawing together like two magnets.
When the men pushed their faces against the glass, pulling stupid expressions, Diana shook her head.
Then the warmth in her palm registered. The dusting of Faye’s breath against her neck.
The curve of her body pressed into her side.
A new fuzzy feeling spread from Diana’s fingertips to her cheeks, filling her body with heat.
That must be the fifth or sixth glass of wine.
She steered Faye towards the door, said goodnight to Raul, then pressed the button for the lift as they waited by the reception desk.
Maybe it was because Faye was unsteady on her feet, or maybe it was something else—something she didn’t want to read into right now—but Diana didn’t let go of her hand. She sat down on the wooden desk, listening to the whir of the mechanical chains and Raul banging about through the adjacent wall.
“I had so much fun tonight,” Faye said softly.
Diana turned her head, struck by the look of awe in her eyes.
“Me too,” she answered honestly. The night with Faye had passed quickly—too damn quickly—and for those few hours they’d left the world behind.
But now they’d stepped out of the bar, already her dizzy mind started to snag onto tomorrow.
Setting her alarm, catching the boat, seeing Molly.
Faye moved closer, sliding herself between Diana’s legs.
Her breath hitched.
Faye’s body pressed warm heat to the inside of her thighs. She tilted her head back to meet her gaze, Faye’s scent pulling them closer together. Vanilla, and something sweet, like summer rain.
All she could focus on was Faye’s mouth—the lipstick faded but still colouring her lips a darker pink—instead of the sensation fluttering between her legs. This wasn’t supposed to happen tonight. But somehow, she didn’t want to stop it either.
“I really like this mole.” Faye brushed Diana’s cheekbone. “This one here.”
Diana inhaled at the delicate touch.
Faye wet her lips, and Diana’s stomach rolled at the movement. The urge to close the gap intensified, the air thickening and squeezing them together. Her heart beat louder, the alcohol muddying her brain.
The lift dinged, and Faye jumped backwards, stumbling over a potted plant.
She righted herself and slipped through the opening doors, pressing herself against the back wall with an adorable lopsided grin.
Diana straightened her pantsuit and followed her in—her breathing heavier than she’d like—and the doors slid shut.
Her pulse pounded in her ears, louder than that of the creaky pulley system as they climbed.
There wasn’t much room in the lift, even less so with the tension charging the air.
She focused on the faded orange carpet, the peeling chrome on the railings, and not the pretty woman’s gaze burning into her.
Finally, the doors opened with a hiss. Neither of them moved.
Diana’s eyes snapped back to Faye. Her soft blue irises, swirled with delicate hints of green, blended into a breathtaking turquoise. Diana’s throat tightened. Then a strong tug behind her sternum made her take a step forward, but Faye beat her to it, closing the distance between them.
Faye’s soft, warm mouth enveloped hers. Diana melted into the touch, her hands cupping Faye’s face and pulling her deeper into the kiss. They hit the back of the wall. Liquid heat coiled in Diana’s belly, winding tighter when Faye gasped softly into her mouth.
She threaded her fingers through Faye’s hair, brushing against her scalp, drinking in every breathless noise she gave her.
Diana appreciated the notes of the wine now, recognising the pleasing tang on Faye’s lips.
Sweet hints of something fruity, giving her an all-consuming desire to lean in and have another taste.
She could get intoxicated on that alone.
She brushed Faye’s silky hair over her shoulders, then drifted lower. Her hands caressed her small waist. Then her hips.
Faye jumped back, knocking into the railing with a huff. “Sorry. Sorry, I—I can’t. I… fuck—” She shook her head, her chin dropping. Before Diana could say anything, she ran through the doors and down the hallway, her clumsy steps echoing in the quiet.
Diana stayed in the lift a minute longer, observing her perplexed reflection. Her chest, still heaving. Her blonde hair, dishevelled.
What the hell just happened?