For some reason, Lynn's heart skipped a beat, thinking of how Chris's knee had made her temperature rise earlier that evening. She listened as Chris continued.

"I don't know how to two-step," she admitted. She looked at Lynn with begging eyes. "Can you teach me?"

Lynn smiled. Another chance to hold Chris in her arms. Could her heart take it?

"Sure, no problem," her heart answered before she had time to think. She walked over to the stereo and found a country song with a good beat. Turning, she sauntered back over to Chris and offered her hand. Chris took it and stood for her lesson.

"We put our hands together here," Lynn said, placing their hands together. "And place your other hand here," she went on, placing Chris's hand on her shoulder. Lynn moved her other hand to the small of Chris's back. "And my hand goes here."

Lynn continued the instructions. "I guess you could say it's a lot like the three-legged race that we ran yesterday. Pretend your legs are strapped to mine, and we move together like this." Lynn began moving her feet to the beat. "When I first was learning, I had to count while I stepped. One, two, one, two," she explained, showing her by example. Within minutes, they were gliding around the floor.

"See, I knew you would pick it up quick!" Lynn exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's not so hard, I guess, as long as you have a good leader," Chris answered, still watching every step she made.

"Well, that could be a problem. Have you noticed that Matt has a hard time dancing?" Lynn asked.

Chris nodded, still watching her feet. "I thought the way he moved and everything, that he would be a good dancer."

"Well, that's because he's not used to leading," Lynn explained. "The guys he usually dances with, lead. So it's really hard for him to switch."

"I guess I really never thought about it." Chris finally looked up. "I guess that means that you tend to lead the women that you dance with, huh?"

"Yeah, just a natural born leader, I guess," Lynn kidded.

The song on the stereo changed to a slower beat. Chris and Lynn slowed their steps, making the dance seem more intimate. Lynn was intoxicated by Chris's perfume, floating in the air between them.

"So, how do you slow-dance western style?" Chris asked softly, as they continued to move together.

Lynn reviewed the woman in her arms. She tried desperately not to concentrate on how the neckline of the dress fell, revealing Chris's cleavage. Or how the thin straps had fallen from the shoulders and were now loosely hanging from her arms, revealing the soft, bare skin. She tried to discourage the thoughts of how her lips would feel as they made their way down from her neck, to her shoulders, to* Finally, she decided to come clean.

"Look, Chris, I'm going to be brutally honest with you. I'm having some thoughts aboutyou that I shouldn't have. If I'm going to continue with this dance lesson, it would really help if you would change out of that dress."

Chris raised her eyes from Lynn's lips to her eyes. Ignoring Lynn's admission, she stepped closer to Lynn. Moving her hand from Lynn's shoulder to the back of her neck, she said seductively, "Probably not much differently than regular slow dancing, huh?"

Lynn looked back into Chris's eyes and swallowed hard. She felt her temperature rising quickly. Softly she replied, "Just basically tuck your hands in closer, like this"*Lynn pulled their intertwined fingers close to her body*"and move in closer together, like this." She demonstrated by pulling Chris's body close.

Chris broke eye contact and lay her head on Lynn's shoulder. Lynn could feel Chris's breath as Chris snuggled closer into her neck. Lynn was confused and lightheaded. What was this woman doing to her?

Their bodies were moving together when the song ended and a commercial began playing. Lynn both cursed and thanked the DJ under her breath, and began to pull away. Chris slid her hand from Lynn's neck up into her hair and moved her cheek so that it rested on Lynn's.

"Please don't stop," Chris whispered into Lynn's ear.

Lynn began to sway again. She slid her hand from Chris's lower back down onto her firm b.u.t.tock and pulled Chris even closer. Chris did not object.

Just a few more inches, Lynn said to herself, just a few more inches and their lips would be touching. She could already imagine Chris's soft lips on hers. This is really going to happen, Lynn thought to herself.

And then something did happen. But not what Lynn had planned. Instead, Chris stopped abruptly, pulling away and staring over Lynn's shoulder. Lynn didn't want to look. She thought that she would turn to find Matt watching, and was frantically trying to think of an excuse for holding Chris like this. But instead, what she found was their reflection in the mirror hanging on the living room wall. She looked at Chris, who obviously hadn't been prepared for the image she saw*two women in a romantic embrace.

Chris looked at Lynn, released her fingers, and backed away.

"Lynn, I'm sorry* I can't* I just*" she mumbled as she put more distance between them. Running her fingers through her hair, Chris turned and scampered down the hall. Lynn heard the bedroom door shut. d.a.m.n that mirror! She had never liked it there. It would have to be destroyed.

Stumbling back, Lynn leaned against the back of a chair. She ran her hands across her face, then down the length of her body, down to the area where the burning remained. She could almost feel her wetness through the denim covering her heated pulse. G.o.d, what this woman did to her!

After regaining her composure, Lynn went into the kitchen and grabbed the pack of cigarettes hidden on top of the refrigerator. She quit smoking several years ago, but still felt the need when she needed to calm her nerves. Stepping out onto the deck, she lit a cigarette, leaned against the railing, and stared out into the darkness. She felt like she had been on an amus.e.m.e.nt park ride for the past week. And although she usually loved roller coasters, this one was making her ill.

Chris closed the bedroom door and collapsed against it. The image in the mirror had given her a shock. She peeled off her dress, which had stuck to her body from the heat penetrating from within. She threw back the sheets, turned off the light, and plopped down onto the bed. Her body writhed with frustration. She lay there staring up at the ceiling for what seemed like hours. Okay, she finally said to herself, she had to admit the attraction was there. It scared her senseless, but it was there. What if she had allowed it to go further tonight? What if they had kissed, what came next? What exactly do two women do? With those questions still unanswered in her mind, she drifted off to sleep, a very restless sleep.

Chapter Ten.

"That table over there is asking for you, hon," Barb said to Lynn, pointing to table five. Lynn glanced over, and there sat Matt, Chris, Charles, and Marie.

"So, where are you two handsome couples going on this fine day?" Lynn asked, trying to avoid Chris's eyes.

"We're just having breakfast together," Marie announced cheerily. "Actually, Charles and I are spending the afternoon with the Mayes. Lynn, you remember the Mayes, and their daughter Kay, don't you?" Marie asked and winked at Lynn. "She's still single, you know!"

Marie turned to Chris. "Lynn went out with Kay once, you know."

Matt stopped the conversation immediately. "Mom, you know that didn't work out." Then, turning away, he chuckled and whispered to Chris, "Have Lynn tell you that story sometime."

No matter how hard Lynn had tried, she found her eyes drawn to Chris's eyes. When their eyes met, Chris softly smiled, but Lynn could only look away. Chris saw hurt and sadness in those eyes. She could see she had caused some serious damage to whatever their relationship had become.

"And you have the big dance at the club tonight?" Lynn politely changed the subject.

"Yes, we do. We all wish that you would join us, but we understand," Marie answered. Lynn smiled, took their order, and handed it directly to the cook. She just wanted them to eat and leave so that she didn't have to look at Chris anymore.

"Put a rush on that, would you, Eddie?" Lynn said as she gave the cook their order.

The family was on their way within the hour.

Lynn walked in the door, threw her keys on the table, and let out a deep sigh.

"Tough day at the office?" Matt kidded.

"Memorial Day must be some kind of aphrodisiac. I don't think I've had to avoid so many men's hands in all the time I've worked there," Lynn replied.

Matt laughed. "I guess you didn't avoid the women's hands?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Lynn joked back.

"Hey." Matt sat up, turned to face Lynn, and smiled. "That reminds me. Tell Chris about Kay Maye!" Turning back to Chris, he said, "Or as we like to call her, aeKay Will,' as in Kay will do anything!"

Lynn forced a smile. She really wasn't in the mood to tell the story. "You start, I'll fill in the details," she said to Matt.

"Okay." Matt started, "Picture this. My parents set up this blind date between Lynn and Kay. Lynn goes to pick her up, everything seems normal. She gets in Lynn's truck and is suddenly overcome by Lynn's perfume, or something! She starts unb.u.t.toning her top, right there on the freeway, begging Lynn to*whatever! Lynn almost gets in an accident trying to fend her off. I mean she's in the truck like five minutes and she becomes a raving nympho!"

Lynn remembers the situation and laughs. "I'm going down the highway, trying to keep this woman from basically, sitting on my lap! I thought we were goners for sure."

Matt is laughing hysterically. "So Lynn gets off the highway, stops the pickup, and is trying to get this woman to settle down. But the woman won't stop. So Lynn has to take her home right there and then."

"I had to drive at like, 20 mph, trying to keep one hand on the wheel, and one hand out of her pants!" Lynn shook her head, still finding it hard to believe.

Chris broke in, "So what happened when you took her home?"

Lynn, slightly blushing, told her, "Well, I satisfied her. What a job. And let me tell you, it took forever. That woman had stamina!"

"Oh, like you didn't get a thing out of it?" Chris asked with a mischievous smile.

"Not really," Lynn answered. "Oh, unless you consider not having to pay for dinner and a movie."

Chris smiled, and shook her head in disbelief.

"What?" Lynn sat up and accused Chris, "Are you telling me that you've had an o.r.g.a.s.m every time that you've been with a man?"

Matt covered his ears. "G.o.d, this conversation took a turn for the worse! You guys will talk about everything! Is there anything that you won't share?"

Reminded of last night, Lynn felt her stomach tighten. "Excuse me," she said. She stood and proceeded down the hall.

Matt watched Lynn leave, then turned to Chris. "Wow! Did the temperature just drop about a hundred degrees, or what?"

Chris gave Matt a half smile, crossed her arms, and looked down at her lap. Lynn re-emerged in her running clothes. She slid open the gla.s.s door and escaped to the beach.

Lynn felt her feet slam into the wet sand. Usually her emotional weight lifted with each step. This afternoon it just seemed to drain all of the energy from her body. After a mile, Lynn stopped and sank into the loose sand. Taking a handful, she let it slowly run through her hand. She chuckled, "As sand through an hourgla.s.s, so are the days of our lives." What was she making such a big deal out of this for, anyway? Chris wasn't the only woman in the world. There would be plenty to choose from at the bar tonight. She rose and shook the sand from her body. Running back toward the house she had one thought on her mind: Tonight, she just needed to get laid.

Sitting on the deck, Lynn watched as the sun disappeared into the water. She had been careful to avoid Chris while she showered and dressed for the evening. Leaning back, she drew on her cigarette and felt the sensation of the smoke filling her lungs, then exhaled. She heard the sliding gla.s.s door open as she took a swig of beer and prayed that it was Matt. Her prayer went unanswered. She heard Chris's voice.

"Hey."

Lynn stood and leaned against the railing.

"Don't ignore me, Lynn, please." Chris pleaded softly.

Turning, Lynn leaned with her back on the railing.

Chris looked at the woman before her. Her eyes took her in from head to toe. The dark emerald suede shirt gently blew in the breeze. It was unb.u.t.toned, revealing the white tank top-style undershirt underneath. Her eyes traveled down to Lynn's nipples gently pushing against the material. Chris shivered, knowing how the soft suede would feel against her bare skin. She longed to reach out, to slide her palms across Lynn's b.r.e.a.s.t.s, down the tight black jeans*

"G.o.d, you look great," Chris said, breathless.

Lynn shook her head. Great, this is just what I needed, she thought to herself. She tried to act cool.

"Yeah, well let's hope the women at the bar think so, too!" Lynn barely got out the words. To hide her nervousness, she drank the rest of her beer. "Well, gotta go!" Lynn said as she walked over to the door.

Chris moved out of her way. "Have a good time," she mumbled. Lynn did not respond.

Matt climbed in behind the steering wheel. "Looks like Lynn has started smoking again." He waited for a response, but when he didn't receive one, he continued, "She only smokes when she's really hot and bothered about something." Casually looking over at Chris, he asked, "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Chris shrugged and turned away, gazing out her pa.s.senger window. Matt shook his head and started the vehicle.

Lynn wandered into the bar and took a seat next to Sam.

"Hey, you're looking pretty s.e.xy tonight, girl!" Sam said.

"Thanks," Lynn said, clearly not excited by the attention.

"I can see that you're in a good mood. Still troubles at home?" Sam asked.

"You can't even imagine," Lynn said as she accepted the bottle that had been put down in front of her by one of the bartenders. She then filled Sam in on the details of the night before.

Sam shook her head. "I don't know what to tell you that I haven't already told you. You need to forget her, Lynn!"

Lynn softly smiled and shrugged.

Sam smiled and leaned over to Lynn. "Jeez! You've only been here a few minutes and you've already got an admirer." Sam looked over Lynn's shoulder. Lynn followed her point of vision to a pair of smiling dark brown eyes. The woman raised her gla.s.s as if to say h.e.l.lo.

Lynn raised her bottle back and turned to Sam. "Wow! She could definitely help me forget!"

Sam smiled and looked up. The woman approached their table and was scooting out a chair.

"Buy you a drink?" the woman asked. Then, feeling foolish when she saw Lynn already had a drink, she shyly laughed. "Or* another drink?"

Lynn nodded. Sam stood and said, "I'll see to that," as a way of excusing herself, and walked away to get the drinks.

"Hi. I'm Terri," the woman said, extending her hand.

"Lynn."

"I know who you are," Terri said.

Sam brought the drinks back to the table and left again. Terri leaned forward. "Wanna dance?"

Lynn nodded once again and stood with Terri. Terri dug in her pocket, pulled out some cash, and threw it onto the table. The two joined the crowd on the dance floor.

After a couple of fast songs, the pair sat back down. Lynn finished her beer and started on another one. The two made small talk for a few minutes, until a slow song began.

"Come on! I thought they'd never play anything slow!" Terri said. She grabbed Lynn's hand and pulled her back out onto the dance floor.

Terri put her arms around Lynn's waist, allowing Lynn to lead.

"So how do you know who I am?" Lynn asked. Terri was so close that she could feel the heat from her body.

"I've seen you sing here before. You have a great voice* among other things," Terri replied suggestively. "I've always wanted to get to know you a little better."