Josie lifted her champagne flute in toast of the fog as it poured over Twin Peaks. A typical San Francisco evening, she mused, and it feels great to be home. Leaning on the railing of her balcony, Josie took a deep breath and smiled at the rich aroma of the flowered trees lining the streets, just as her first guest rang the bell.
Three bubbling glasses and countless greetings later, Josie was still catching up on all the gossip sheād missed while she was managing an architectural project in London for the past year. While it had been a wonderful adventure, nothing replaced the warmth of a home full of old friends, and she was glad to be back.
As he always did, Josieās dear friend Roger had made his way to the center of attention, and was sharing one of his more hilarious stories. Since sheād heard this one several times before, Josie allowed her mind to wander, and she began watching the faces around the room. Most were familiar to her, but there were a few that she hadnāt seen before ā obviously new lovers and friends of the people sheād left behind for a year.
One face in particular caught her eye. As Roger delivered his punch line, the woman threw her head back in unabashed laughter, and Josie was captivated by the rapid rise and fall of her breasts, the vibration of her crossed legs, and the long fingers she held tightly around a bottle of beer as she tried to stop laughing.
āYou are too much, Roger,ā the woman chuckled, ātoo much.ā As the groupās banter picked up around her, Josie stood and headed to the kitchen to refill her glass. On her way to the refrigerator, she tripped on a case of beer that one of her guests had so considerately left in the center of the kitchen. Just before she fell to the ground, she felt strong arms surround her, and a womanās low growling voice in her ear, āWhoa, honey.ā
As Josie pulled her wits back together, she faced the tall woman. Gorgeous, she thought, as she memorized the soft wave in the womanās dark hair, and the chocolate spark in her eyes. āSo tell me,ā she began, ādo you usually follow strange women around their homes?ā
The woman stepped closer to Josie, and spoke in a near whisper, āNot always,ā she said, ājust when I need another beer.ā With silent laughter running across her face, the tall woman winked and gently shook the empty beer bottle clasped within her pale fingers.
Josieās face lit up in a smile, and she couldnāt help but laugh, āOf course, how could I have been so presumptuous?ā
āOh, I think youāve every right and reason to presume Iād noticed the way you looked at me in there ā but you should know that Iām not one to just follow a woman around.ā
The womanās intensity was beginning to arouse Josie ā the control this woman had with just a glance of her eye was both intoxicating and refreshing, and Josie was certainly interested in getting to know her better. Sliding her right arm in the small space between their abdomens, Josie offered her hand, āIām Josie.ā
Grasping Josieās delicate fingers with a grin on her face, the woman replied, āKendall Waters. Itās nice to finally meet you.ā
Much to Josieās dismay, the woman stepped back from her and walked to the coat rack in the living room, where she found her leather jacket and began to slip it on.
āIām goinā out for a smoke -ā Kendall called, āanything special I need to do to get back up here?ā
Breathing a barely noticeable sigh of relief, Josie offered, āNo need to go all the way downstairs ā thereās a balcony,ā leading Kendall toward her bedroom and through the balcony door, āitās just down this hallway ā thereās a beautiful view.ā
āThere seem to be a lot of nice views in this place,ā Kendall breathed from behind her as Josie stepped into the crisp night air.
Surprising herself, Josie spun around, threw a hand on her hip, and spoke with a daring gleam in her eye, āYouāre going to have to do better than that if you want to get anywhere further than my balcony, darlinā.ā
Kendallās jaw dropped slightly at the audacity of Josieās comment, but she recovered quickly and tossed back a challenge of her own: āWho said anything about taking this beyond the balcony?ā
āTouchĆ©,ā Josie laughed, stepping to one side of the doorway, allowing Kendall enough space to inch past her if she so chose.
Lightly touching Josieās hips with either hand, Kendall smiled and stepped through the doorway, then looked out to the fog-blanketed hills. āYou werenāt kidding about the view,ā Kendall offered with a whistle, sliding her hands into her jean pockets.
āI couldnāt believe my luck when I found this place,ā Josie said, moving to Kendallās side, resting on the cool rail, āas much fog as there is in London, it never took my breath away the way that this does. Thereās something mystical about the way it rolls over the hills, like a blanket coming to put the city to bed.ā
Sighing as she turned to meet Kendallās eyes, Josie was caught off guard by the intensity of her stare ā despite the soft smile playing on Kendallās lips, there was nothing light in her focus. God, this woman is sexy, she thought. As she leaned toward Kendall and slid a hand up her leather sleeve, she felt Kendall tense her arm and take a step backward.
Unused to being rejected, and confused at the crossed signals she was receiving from the beautiful stranger on her balcony, Josie stared quietly toward the hills. Kendall finally broke the silence.
āLook, Josie, I donātā¦really knowā¦what to -ā
āDonāt worry about it,ā Josie cut her off, flashing a rubbery smile, āIt really doesnāt matter. Iāll let you smoke in peace.ā As she turned to walk back inside, she watched Kendallās face fall into a deeper frown as she hung her head. Not curious enough to risk rejection again, Josie kept on her path and headed to the master bathroom.