My Soldier Too Read online

  “Go dance, you two,” Isabella said. She pulled a bar stool over and sat down. “I’ll stay here and watch for Madison.”

  “You sure?” Marcy asked.

  “Yes, I’ll be fine. Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Isabella leaned against the bar and sipped the final swallow of her drink as she watched Beth and Marcy make their way to the dance floor hand in hand. Entranced by all the women dancing with women, she hardly noticed the tall dark-haired butch woman pull up a stool next to her.

  “Hi, I’m Samantha, but everyone calls me Sam. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before.”

  Sam’s demeanor suggested she might be interested in something other than conversation. She shamelessly scanned the length of Isabella’s body. Sam had a muscular build with short spiky black hair. Tattoos covered her arms. Oddly, Isabella found her attractive in a lustful kind of way. Since meeting Madison, she was discovering that strong, confident women appealed to her.

  Sam moved her arm so that it brushed Isabella’s. “Can I buy you a drink?”

  Appeal aside, Isabella wasn’t interested in anyone other than Madison. She didn’t want to be rude or hurt her feelings, though. “Sure, a drink would be nice, thanks.”

  Sam got the bartender’s attention and pointed to Isabella’s empty martini glass. “Are you here alone, because if you are, I’d really love to dance with you.”

  Now what? “I’m not here alone, exactly. My friends are here with me. They’re out dancing.”

  Sam scooted her bar stool closer to Isabella’s. “Does this mean you don’t have a girlfriend?”

  Isabella took the martini from the bartender and thought long about the question. Do I have a girlfriend? Maybe the question should be do I want to have a girlfriend? Abruptly, Isabella answered, “No, I don’t.” That probably wasn’t the best answer to give to sultry Sam. She imagined what the words she was about to say would sound like coming out of her mouth. “There’s a woman I’m interested in, though. I came to see her. I need to know if she feels the same way about me.”

  “Mm, mm, mm.” Sam shook her head. She hopped off the stool to face Isabella. She leaned down and put her hands on the bar so that her arms touched either side of Isabella’s body. Only inches away, Sam whispered into her ear, “I hope when she sees you she realizes how lucky she is. If you were my girlfriend, we wouldn’t be here. I’d have you some place cozy and warm, just the two of us. You’d be begging me for more of everything I can give you.” Sam stepped back, taking all of the oxygen in the air with her. “I’ll be around if she doesn’t show up.”

  Isabella forced a deep breath into her oxygen-starved lungs. She blinked back disbelief as Sam strolled away. First, she couldn’t believe that a woman would be so bold in trying to pick up another woman. Second, Sam brazenly violated her space. And third, the part most shocking was that, for a split second, she envisioned being someplace cozy and warm and begging Madison for more. She glanced around for Beth and Marcy. Maybe it was time to call this whole thing off before things went too far. They were already getting way too intense.

  She picked up the martini and took a long swig of the sweet, potent liquid. Its warmth burned her throat but calmed her frazzled nerves. She finished most of the drink and reached around to put the glass down onto the bar. When she turned back to face the crowd, she saw her. There Madison was, across the room, sitting at a booth with Bobbie and three other women, one of whom had her hands all over Madison. Isabella continued to watch, astonished when the woman kissed Madison’s neck. Madison returned the affection by putting her mouth on the woman’s lips.

  Isabella didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She was furious with me over a misunderstanding about Ben. But this is okay? She was definitely going to get the hell out of this bar now, but not before Madison got a piece of her mind.

  Bobbie was the first to notice Isabella approach. She yanked hard on the sleeve of Madison’s shirt.

  “Jeez, what is it?”

  “A pissed off Isabella,” Bobbie said.

  “What?” Madison asked.

  Isabella put her hands on her hips. “Hello, Madison.”

  Madison extricated herself from the brunette’s embrace. “What are you doing here?”

  “Obviously, I’m not having as good a time as you are. It didn’t take you long to get over me. Maybe it’s because kissing women you hardly know is something you do on a regular basis.” She ignored the brunette next to Madison.

  “You have no idea what it meant for me to kiss you.”

  “Oh really? Then how do you explain kissing her?” Isabella nodded at the brunette.

  The brunette stood and said, “Obviously you’ve got some issues to resolve with your girlfriend here. I’ve got better things to do with my time than be a part of this scene.” She walked away.

  “Kissing you mattered,” Madison said. “Kissing her didn’t. I only wanted to forget about you.”

  Isabella heard the pained sincerity in Madison’s voice. She took a step nearer to the table. The energy between them whenever they were close took over. Madison’s dark blue eyes captured her. She stops my heart every time I look at her. The third martini had eliminated Isabella’s inhibitions. Her anger aside, she wanted to dance with Madison and be the one Madison kissed. Without breaking eye contact, she said, “I needed to find you.”

  The music, the talking, the laughter, all the sounds of the club faded into the background.

  “Why did you come to find me? What about Ben? Shouldn’t you be with him right now?”

  The sound of the word, Ben, coming off Madison’s lips, cut like a knife. “I tried to tell you that nothing happened with him and me, but you wouldn’t listen.”

  “That’s because it’s none of my business who you sleep with. And I don’t want to care. Go home to your boyfriend and spare me the heartache.”

  Madison’s blunt words made Isabella want to cry. “There are lots of things I don’t understand right now. What I am sure of is that I had to see you again.” Desperate and not sure what to do to convince Madison to talk to her, Isabella took a cue from Sam’s come-on earlier. What did she know about picking up women? It was a good thing she had the martinis to give her courage. Standing in front of the table where Madison sat, Isabella rested her palms on it, and leaned down until she was only inches above her. She was aware that the low-cut blouse she was wearing would reveal a line of cleavage as she leaned over Madison.

  Isabella caught Madison stealing a glance at what Isabella purposely meant for her to see.

  “I… I…” Madison stammered.

  “Balla con me,” Isabella purred.

  Bobbie poked Madison in the ribs. “It’s a good thing for you that I took those Italian language classes in college. I think she asked you to dance.”

  “I did,” Isabella said.

  Bobbie nudged Madison. “What are you waiting for?”

  Madison stood.

  Isabella reached a hand out to her. Her breath went shallow with Madison’s warm hand in hers. She took a moment to drink in the sight of her. The top two undone buttons of Madison’s shirt revealed enough skin to make Isabella long to see more. “I want to feel your arms around me.”

  Madison led her to the dance floor without a word. She turned and pulled Isabella close. They moved slowly to music all their own. Madison didn’t have to speak for Isabella to understand her thoughts. Her eyes communicated her desire. She put a hand on Isabella’s neck and caressed it with her thumb.

  Isabella tilted her head back to invite more of Madison’s touch. She longed for the contact. Madison traced a line with her index finger from her chin down to the opening of Isabella’s blouse. “Madison,” Isabella said and exhaled. The drumming music stopped, and a slow sultry ballad filled the room. Isabella was sure she’d melt into the floor when Madison intimately pressed her body into hers.

  Isabella wrapped her arms around Madison’s neck. Madison slid her hands up along either side of Isabella�
��s torso. Her hands passed close to Isabella’s breasts.

  Madison’s breath warmed her cheek. “I love how you smell.” She kissed Isabella’s neck.

  Isabella struggled to keep upright when the tip of Madison’s tongue made contact with her skin. She moved her head to meet Madison’s lips with her own. They kissed each other softly. Isabella pulled away to see into Madison’s eyes. She brought a hand up and placed it on the side of Madison’s face. “Your lips are the softest things I’ve ever touched.”

  Madison kissed the palm of Isabella’s hand. “I promise you, there are softer things than that.”

  Her words raced straight to the place that cried out most for Madison’s touch. Isabella had no inhibitions at the moment to slow her body’s craving. She had to know what it felt like to touch Madison, to be touched by her. “I need to be with you,” Isabella whispered. She leaned in and kissed Madison hard. The intimacy of their tongues moving together left her drunk with wanting. A little voice inside Isabella’s head reminded her that she had her hands and mouth all over a woman in a public place. The three martinis and loud sultry music worked wonders to drown out that pesky little voice.

  Madison slid both hands into Isabella’s thick soft curls and grabbed handfuls as she pressed her body harder against Isabella’s.

  Isabella moaned her pleasure.

  Madison was the first to break their impassioned embrace. She took Isabella by the hand and pulled her off the dance floor into a darkened corner of the room. Things were moving at lightning speed, but Isabella couldn’t resist Madison, nor did she want to. Madison pushed her up against a wall and ran her hands up Isabella’s sides from her waist to her shoulders, this time her thumbs made contact with Isabella’s breasts. Then she pushed her leg between Isabella’s.

  Isabella gasped, “Please, take me home. I want you to touch me, anyplace and everyplace.” A hot dizzy wave rushed up the back of her neck. I’m going to faint.

  “I want to make love to you,” Madison whispered. She closed her eyes and savored the feel of Isabella’s body grinding against hers. Even though her brain screamed that this would end badly, her need was too great to stop what was happening between them. She rationalized that they were grown women with the free will to sleep with whomever they chose, Isabella included. Madison cupped Isabella’s breasts. She put her lips next to Isabella’s ear and said, “I came with Bobbie. She can take my car. We’ll go to your place.”

  Isabella didn’t answer. Instead, her body relaxed. Madison’s desire turned to worry. She pulled away. Isabella was pale and clammy. “What is it?”

  Isabella’s voice was weak. “I think I drank too much and it’s caught up to me. I probably better sit down. I’m feeling a little sick.”

  Madison’s heart sank as she helped Isabella to a nearby bar stool. Growing up with an alcoholic father had taught her that, under the influence, people did a lot of things they wouldn’t otherwise do. None of this was about wanting me. The realization that Isabella was drunk left her feeling that she’d have made a giant mistake if she’d gone home with her. “Isabella, where are your keys? I’ll still take you home, but that’s all.”

  Isabella put an arm around Madison’s neck. “No, I want you to stay with me.”

  Madison removed it. “Not when you’re like this.”

  Isabella sat up straight. “What is it with you? Why do you draw me in, only to push me away?” She rubbed the top of Madison’s thigh. “All I want to do is talk about these feelings I have for you. I’m trying to understand them.”

  Madison grabbed Isabella’s hand to keep from breaking her resolve. “I know, but talking might not be what either of us wants right now. I don’t trust myself to be alone with you.” She kissed Isabella’s forehead. “You have to believe that my feelings for you are real. I’m not ready to take the chance that yours are nothing more than a drunken experiment with your sexuality.”

  Isabella shook her head. “God, you sound like Ben or my father, telling me what I feel and don’t feel. I’m so sick and tired of that. I thought you were different.”

  “I am different, and I shouldn’t make assumptions, but you’ve apparently had a lot to drink tonight. At least part of your actions come from the alcohol. I only want the part that comes from your heart. Right now, I can’t tell the difference.”

  Isabella turned pale as a ghost. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

  “Do you want me to take you to the ladies’ room?”

  “No, I just need to rest a minute. Will you stay with me?” She slumped against Madison.

  Madison put her arms around Isabella to keep her from sliding off the stool. “Of course. I’m still going to make sure you get home safely.” Madison looked up to see two women looming over her.

  “I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” the shorter of the two said. “You probably don’t remember me, but I work with Isabella. Whatever it is you’re up to, you can get it out of your mind. Isabella’s coming home with us.”

  “I’m sorry for my spouse’s rudeness,” the other woman said. “I’m Marcy and this is Beth. We’re Isabella’s friends. She came with us, and we promised we’d get her home.”

  “Regardless of what you think, my only intention was to make sure she was taken care of. I’d never take advantage of her, if that’s what you’re implying,” Madison said.

  “Seriously?” Beth asked. “With the way you had her up against the wall over in the corner? It’s one thing to watch our supposedly straight friend fall for a woman and know what she’s going to have to go through with that process, but a player on top of it all?”

  Madison breathed a sigh of relief when Bobbie appeared at the edge of the group.

  “Trust me,” Bobbie said. “Madison is definitely not a player. I know you’re concerned about your friend, because I feel the same about mine. Why don’t we give these two a moment alone to say good-bye? Then, I’ll take my friend home and you can take yours.”

  Madison gave Bobbie a grateful look. “Thanks, Bobbie, for looking out for me. They were just doing the same for Isabella.”

  Beth took Marcy’s hand. “I didn’t mean to overreact. I’m only worried about how Isabella is going to get through all of this. You have no idea how powerful a force her family is in her life. Don’t hurt her. That’s all I ask. We’ll be over there when you’re ready to leave.” She nodded toward the end of the bar.

  “Thanks, I’ll be just a minute,” Madison said. Beth, Marcy, and Bobbie gave them some space.

  Madison brushed the hair away from Isabella’s face and kissed her forehead.

  Isabella’s voice slurred. “I’m sorry.”

  Madison hugged her tighter. “Don’t be.” She felt Isabella relax even more against her. “You’d be so easy to love,” Madison said. “Maybe I already do.” She savored the feel of holding Isabella in her arms for a little while longer and then motioned for the others.

  As Madison helped Beth and Marcy hoist Isabella to her feet, she said, “I really do care about her. I’m sorry things got so out of hand tonight.”

  “She cares about you, too. And if you really do care about her, you’ll call her soon,” Beth said.

  Madison didn’t know how to respond. What am I doing?

  Chapter 13

  Caught somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, Isabella inhaled an unfamiliar scent. Instinct told her the pillow her head rested on wasn’t her own. It didn’t smell like hers. It didn’t have the same feel. She was lying on her right side. She pushed her palm down into the mattress. It was too soft. A fragmented memory flashed in her mind. She was in a bar. The music was loud but fit the circumstance. It was an integral part of the whole scene being replayed in her mind. Her back was up against a wall. She was kissing someone with reckless abandon. The beat of the music, the beat of her heart, the aching need reverberating through her body, all came together in a wild crescendo. She remembered that she liked it… liked it a lot. More, she wanted more of this person pressed against her.
r />   Isabella’s eyes shot wide open. The light coming through the bedroom window penetrated like daggers. She squeezed them closed. Oh my God, I was kissing Madison. What did I do last night? A rush of panic brought her completely awake. Where was she? Still, she kept her eyes closed to the awful light. She reached down and realized she was wearing a T-shirt and shorts. They were too baggy on her to be hers. Whose clothes was she wearing?

  She rolled onto her stomach and spread both arms out across the bed. No one else was there. At least she was alone. This time, slowly, she opened her eyes and allowed them to adjust to the piercing sunlight that came through the window. She tried to focus on something other than the brightness of the rays. She spotted a photograph sitting on the table next to the bed. It was a picture of Marcy with her college lacrosse team. Isabella breathed a sigh of relief. She was at Beth and Marcy’s, thank God.

  Her reprieve was short-lived. A wave of nausea crept from her stomach up to her throat. Her head pounded with such ferociousness, she was sure it might explode. She curled into the fetal position, hoping the queasiness would subside. As she lay there with her eyes closed, she tried to remember the rest of the night. But the memory was too foggy, beyond the kissing and touching against the wall. She worried that she’d made a fool of herself. Another wave of nausea bubbled to the surface. This time it wasn’t going to stop at her throat. She flew out of bed and into the guest bathroom. She made it in time to be sicker than she could remember being in a long time.

  Afterward, she turned on the shower and waited for the water to get warm. She took off her clothes and stood still under the spray while another wave of nausea passed. The shower seemed to help her terrible headache. The threats from her stomach were fewer and farther between as well.

  Feeling better, she toweled off and pulled a clean pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt out of the top drawer of the bureau in the bedroom. The thick, clean cotton against her skin eased her discomfort. Still shaky, she made her way gingerly down the stairs to the kitchen to face Beth and Marcy.