Nina and her sister Claire pulled into the parking lot of the bookstore, their voices still filling the car, half-harmonized to the song playing on the speakers. They were both smiling; their excitement growing--as it always did--when they were together. Claire's long, dark hair hung back in a ponytail, exposing her slender neck; and Nina wore her hair in a high ponytail just like her older sister.
As Claire stepped out of the car, she whistled low. "Wow, sis. You weren't lying about the Ivory Pages. They've taken over the entire building."
Nina laughed. "Yeah, it's pretty crazy, isn't it?"
Claire's eyes ran over the storefront as they walked to the door. "It looks different from the last time I was here. Before it had a dusty old charm to it." She tapped her foot as she looked at the storefront. "Now, though..."
The Ivory Page's present state was anything but dusty and old. The walls now bore a warm cream color; large frosted windows ran across the front, revealing only blurred shapes from within. The polished sign above the door bore the store name, illuminated by a gentle violet light.
Nina stole a glance over at her sister as she examined the door, her gaze roaming up and down the length of Claire's body. Her sister was wearing a red blouse; the sleeves pushed up to show off her slim arms and the tops of her shoulders. Her favorite black slacks hugged her hips and legs. Nina always thought they made her look like a panther, sexy and sleek and ready to take down her prey.
She tried to keep her eyes from lingering on Claire's ass. Tried--but failed.
The smooth, lilting sound of jazz met them as they stepped inside, a soothing groove that almost instantly made Nina feel at ease. The smell of coffee and paper on filled the place. As well as something Nina couldn't quite put her finger on.
Warm light shone from low hanging globe lights. It cast a moody glow to the sleek-looking shelves that ran like a maze through the greater part of the store. Tables, couches, and chairs filled nooks and corners; the furniture inviting--even enticing--those who sat upon it.
Nina saw individuals and couples sitting, lounging even, reading and chatting with one another.
And something else, too. Something she wasn't sure of. Looking in one low-lit corner were two girls and a boy, students from the university by their appearance. They were talking in murmuring tones, but the way their hands were moving... Were they playing a game or something? Nina stared for some time, all the while feeling a gentle pressure build in her head.
The sound of Claire's voice pulled her attention away from the scene. "Hey, come here, sis. Your collar is off." She felt herself being turned by her sister's gentle touch. "If you're going to dress like a tomboy, you should look the part."
Nina stuck her tongue out at her sister as Claire straightened the collar of her dark blazer. She could feel her gentle fingers smoothing the fabric along her shoulders, lightly caressing her neck. Her sister's scent filled her, warm and floral, and Nina had to work hard not to shudder under her sister's touch.
"So," Claire said, smiling as she ran her hands down her younger sister's sides, smoothing out the last of the wrinkles on her boat. "You think they'll actually have the books for your class here? This place seems less a used bookstore and more some kind of trendy hangout spot now. I don't like it."
Nina meant to answer, but her eyes kept falling to her sister's lovely full lips. The lips she dreamed about kissing. The lips she fantasized about so often going down in other places.
"Um... yeah," Nina said faintly, then screwed her eyes shut. "I mean, maybe. Who knows?"
When she opened them, Claire had taken a step back and was giving her an appraising look. "We OK, Nina?"
She swallowed and nodded quickly. "Yeah! I'm good."
"You're not getting weird on me, are you? Again?"
She drew herself up, looking her sister in the eyes. "Yeah, sis. I'm sorry. I promise, I'm good."
Claire's face softened. "OK, then. Let's get you a coffee, and then we can see if this place actually has books for sale, or if all this is for show."
Nina followed a few steps behind her sister as they went to the coffee bar positioned in the far corner of the shop. She wanted to slap herself. What was wrong with her?
Nina and Claire weren't just sisters. For as long as they could remember, they were the best of friends. They had been inseparable. Eternally Loyal. As close as two people could be.
Almost as close.
And that was the problem, or at least, it was Nina's problem. For reasons Claire could not understand and Nina could not explain, Nina had slowly developed not only romantic feelings for her sister, but intense sexual ones as well. Feelings that had grown to a fever pitch until Claire had--calmly and patiently--put her foot down. She had demanded Nina had to cut out her advances or risk losing their relationship altogether.
It had been a hard few months. They'd argued. They'd fought. Yelled. Cried. But in the end, Nina finally capitulated.
That had been over a year ago, and aside from a few slip-ups, Nina had kept her feelings inside. In exchange, she got to keep her bond with Claire, the thing she cared about most in the world. And all it cost was being able to express the singular, soul deep yearning she bore.
Nina pushed the thoughts away. There was no point in thinking about them now. She spent so much time working to
not
think about them. What was making them suddenly crop up?
She walked alongside her sister, decidedly not looking down at her hand dangling at her side. Clenching her fists, she stuck them in her pockets.
At the coffee counter stood a tan-skinned woman. She had curly, dark red hair and a light spattering of freckles below a button nose. Her lips spread in a warm, welcoming smile as they approached. There was something striking about the woman--not just because of her notable looks, but because of the way she seemed to be so completely comfortable; like she belonged there. Like she was happy.
While Claire looked over the menu, the barista cast a glance towards Nina, and her eyes almost seemed to glow in the warm, low light. Nina felt a strange sensation just below her stomach as she looked into those entrancing eyes. The intensity grew until she felt she needed to look away, but she found she could not at first.
"Well. I'm getting a latte. What are you feeling like, Nina?" Claire said, breaking the spell.
Nina looked at her older sister, trying to collect her thoughts. "I, uh, well..."
The barista tilted her head. "We have a lot of great options. If I were to suggest something, I'd say go with one of her sweet drinks." Her smile widened. "You look like you could use something sweet, ma'am."
Nina felt those eyes on her again; looking into her. Through her. "S-sure," she stammered. "I'll take a mocha."
"You're new here," the barista said conversationally as she whipped up the drinks. "What do you think?"
"How do you know we're new?" Claire said, arching an eyebrow.
The barista shrugged from behind the espresso machine. "We have a loyal clientele," she said amid the hiss of steam and the frothing of milk. "All of us here know our regulars."
She stepped around, holding their drinks. "And you're not them. That's not a bad thing, of course. I love meeting new people coming by!"
Claire took her latte, and then the barista leaned forward to hand Nina her mocha. "I made it special for you," she said with a wink. "Nice and sweet."
"Uh, thanks," Nina said, feeling the heat of the drink in her hand. As she looked from the drink to the barista, she noticed the girl had a skirt on that was almost scandalously short, just barely below her buttocks.
As they walked off towards the shelves, Claire drew close to Nina, speaking in a low tone. "Is it me, or is this place kind of weird?" She glanced back behind them. "Did you see the skirt on that coffee girl? She looked like she was about to go to a club or something!"
Nina nodded. "Yeah. Really weird," she said, taking a sip of her drink. Weird or not, the girl knew how to whip up a drink. It was rich, sweet, and smooth as silk as it slid down her throat. It must have had a dose of peppermint, too, because it left pleasant tingles all over her tongue and mouth.
