The book slid into place — the last of those that had been returned that day. Melissa pushed the cart back to its normal parking spot next to the front counter. Along the way, she glanced out the door, and then at the clock above the counter. It was half past six — nearly closing time — and she was beginning to worry.
Dani was like clockwork, arriving at five after five every Saturday for the entire seven months Melissa had worked at the library. Today, there had been no sign of her. For a fleeting moment, Melissa considered looking up her information in the database to see if there was a phone number. Her rational mind overruled her emotions, though. She pushed the cart into its place, walked behind the counter, and took her seat.
Things come up. She'll probably come in tomorrow,
Melissa thought.
It didn't help.
With the library empty and all her work done, she flipped her dark brown hair over her shoulders, and reached for the book she'd been reading. It was then that the door opened. Melissa looked over and her heart sang.
Dani wasn't wearing her usual smile, but the blonde only looked slightly less radiant without it. The way she walked was impossible to ignore. Her flowing gait and the way her hands moved at her sides were magic — pure femininity. Melissa's heart raced.
After decades of living a heterosexual life — if it could even be called
living
— she'd finally accepted who she really was. True to the tragedy of her life, she'd almost immediately found herself infatuated with a woman easily half her age. Saturday was both a blessing and a curse.
"Running a little late today," Melissa said as Dani approached with the books she'd checked out the previous week.
Dani rolled her eyes and sighed. "Sorry. It's been a very long day."
"It's no problem at all," Melissa said as she took the books to check them in.
There it was. The perfume was
Eternity
, and the scent of it gave Melissa chills. Dani always wore it, and though Melissa had recognized it, she couldn't recall what the name of it was until she happened across a sample in a magazine. That night, with the scent of it filling her lungs, was the first time she had purposely and unreservedly masturbated to a fantasy of another woman. Though she could ill afford it, she had purchased a bottle, and now it was part of her nightly relief.
"I suppose I should hurry if I want to find anything before closing," Dani said. Though her smile was slight, it was more than enough to make Melissa weak in the knees.
"Good luck," Melissa said. As the blonde left the counter, Melissa purposely looked down at the books, so as not to be captured by the beautiful young woman's retreat. She'd nearly been caught staring more times than she cared to think about.
Melissa finished checking in the books, and then carried them to their place on the shelves. She couldn't have avoided a glance at Dani standing by the card catalog if she tried, but she did manage to keep it brief. Even that was sufficient to set her heart to pattering.
With the books put away, Melissa returned to her seat and opened her book. It was an autobiography of a woman who had only accepted she was a lesbian in midlife, and hit close to home. The author captured her own turbulent emotions perfectly. Reading it was helping her sort through things.
Movement in her peripheral vision caused her to look up some time later, and she saw Dani approaching.
"I know it's almost closing, but I haven't really found anything yet," the blonde said. "Is there any chance I could stay a little longer?"
Melissa prayed the younger woman didn't notice her breaking out into gooseflesh. The look on Dani's face had just a hint of a pout, and made her utterly irresistible. Melissa swallowed and answered, "Of course. I'll go ahead and lock up."
This time, Dani's smile beamed. "Thanks. I'll hurry, I promise."
As soon as the blonde was out of sight, Melissa allowed the shiver that had been threatening to overtake her free reign. She blew out a long breath while dropping her head into a hand. Her forehead felt warm, and she knew that a blush had accompanied her chill. She composed herself and rose, letting the task of locking the doors distract her as much as possible. This time, her embarrassment kept her eyes from drifting toward where Dani perused the shelves.
Melissa returned to her chair and her book. She'd reached the point where the author was taking the first tiny steps into her new life — her true life. Again, the anxiety chronicled in the pages matched her own. The author described her first date with another woman, and how thankful she was her date understood her situation, helping her to relax and enjoy the experience. Then, the anxiety returned when the couple reached her house and she contemplated a first kiss.
Caught up in the narrative, she never noticed Dani approaching from the back of the library.
"That's a good book," the blonde said.
Melissa's heart skipped a beat as she turned and saw the blonde leaning over the counter — a pair of books she'd selected sitting next to her.
Dani stepped around the back of the counter and continued, "I think I was reading that when I really accepted who I was. Is it helping you?"
Her face felt as if it was on fire. Melissa's brain locked up, and she could only stammer, "I... I..."