Chapter Nine

Dale woke to the warm smell of bread baking. She scrabbled for her phone and checked the time. Six. Who the fuck is baking at six on a Saturday morning? She shifted the pillow over her head. Her stomach growled, an audible reminder she had skipped dinner to make the concert the night before. Mai. That’s who.

Her impetuous decision to barter a place to stay with Mai in exchange for Noah’s cooking lessons bubbled up. What was I thinking? And why did she take me up on my offer? Is she telling the truth? Or is she broke and playing me? Dale rolled to her back, rested her hands on her chest, and stared at the ceiling. After Molly had left, Dale had been so hurt she hadn’t dated at all for the first year. Since then it had been a string of disastrous dates she’d arranged via a dating app she had signed up for in a fit of self-pity.

Doesn’t seem like the type to lie. But neither did Molly. She’s not Molly. So damn calm. Intense. And sexy as fuck. She closed her eyes and a vision of Mai dressed in fitted jeans and sparkling white T-shirt tight enough to show off her toned arms filled Dale’s mind before giving over to a vision of her eyes and teasing smile.

Dale’s eyes fluttered closed as she remembered her view of Mai changing in her car. How would it be to have her under me and scatter kisses over her exquisite back? To kiss her. Slide my hands over those thighs? She stifled a groan and cupped her breasts. She squeezed and pinched her nipples, imagining Mai’s mouth on them.

A rill of pleasure shot through her body along with a sharp wave of desire. She slipped her hand down her sleep pants and into her wet curls. She lifted her hips, arching into her palm. Dale drew her fingers along her slick folds. With the pad of her finger she rubbed the tip of her clit slowly, the touch exquisite and intense.

She brought herself close to coming before she thrust two fingers inside and stroked them in and out. A harsh bolt of pleasure crashed through her and she came without a sound, curled around her hand. She lay there until her breathing slowed. Pathetic. Rubbing one out fantasizing about a client. What is wrong with me? She kicked the covers off and scrambled out of the bed, stripped off her T-shirt and pajama pants, and tossed them in the direction of the hamper. In the bathroom, she turned the shower on full, avoiding the mirror, unwilling to witness the desperation she was sure showed on her face.

*

Mai pulled her favorite knife out of her knife roll. She hefted it, the familiar weight comforting in her palm. The kitchen was her safe space. Her world. A sense of peace settled over her as she set about her prep work. She placed the onion on the cutting board, sliced it in half, and peeled the outer skin off. Working quickly, she repeated the actions until she had the three pounds of onions peeled.

The entire house slept but for Mai and the old tabby cat perched on the printer in the dining room. She eyed Mai, her disdain for her disturbing her household evident. She sounded a sharp meow in Mai’s direction before jumping from the printer to the table and then to the floor. Once on the floor she shot her another glare before stalking from the room.

The timer on Mai’s phone sounded and she turned it off quickly. She opened the door and drew out the loaf pan. The smell of the fresh bread made her mouth water. She tilted the pan and the bread slid out and onto the cooling rack. A sound behind her made her turn. Dale stood with her hands on her hips. Her wet hair hung in tangles and the scent of citrus filled Mai’s senses.

“Good morning.” Mai placed the hot pan on top of the stove. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”

Dale frowned. “No. Well. Yes, but waking up to the smell of fresh bread is not all bad.”

Mai turned to the sink. “Sorry. I’m always up early. I’ll put some water on for your coffee.”

“You don’t have to… I mean, thank you.” Dale’s gaze slid along the counter. “Two scoops is just right.” She turned her back to Mai.

“I brought in the paper.” Mai filled the electric kettle and turned it on before she set up the French press, carefully measuring two scoops of coffee into the carafe.

“Thanks.” Dale sat at the kitchen table, drew the stack of newspaper to her, and started reading.

Mai chewed her lip remembering her first encounter with pre-coffee Dale. Unwilling to deal with her before she had her morning fix, Mai picked up her knife and an onion half. With precise movements she made thin cuts along the onion’s grain, the motions as natural to her as breathing.

Her attention drifted back to Dale. The early morning light filtering through the gauzy dining room window curtains highlighted her features. Mai was mesmerized by Dale’s high cheekbones, delicate nose, and bow-shaped mouth. Mai imagined crossing the kitchen and rubbing her thumb over Dale’s plump lower lip before she bent down to kiss her. The sharp sting of the knife blade broke her trance, and blood bloomed across the cutting board. “Damn.”

At that moment, the kettle sounded. Mai snatched a dish towel up and wrapped it around her finger.

Dale looked up and the scowl on her face morphed into wide-eyed fear. “What the fuck did you do to yourself?” She bolted from the table, reached around Mai, and unplugged the kettle. “For fuck’s sake. Let me see.”

Blood soaked through and stained the thin dishcloth and wet Mai’s hand.

“I can’t show you. I need to keep some pressure on it.”

Dale raised her eyes to Mai’s face and a visible shudder shook her frame. Face white, she rested her trembling fingers on Mai’s shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Mai ignored the throb in her finger and looked at Dale’s pale face.

“I’m not good with blood.” Dale shifted on her feet.

“Go sit. I’m okay.”

Dale shielded her eyes with her hand. “Yes. All right.” She sat down and rested her forehead on the kitchen table.

Mai opened the towel and peeped at her finger. Blood surged up along the deep cut and a bit of white showed around the edges. “Um. Are you okay enough to drive me to the hospital?” She rewrapped the towel around her finger.

Dale raised her head from the table. “No. I’ll wake Noah.” She rasped as she lurched from the kitchen. “Noah!” Her footsteps thundered on the wooden stairs as she climbed them two at a time. “Noah!” she shouted again as she charged up the stairs.

Mai sat down and waited for Noah and Dale to return. This is going to need stitches. Cut myself because I couldn’t stop looking at her. I’m an idiot.

*

The early morning crowd at the emergency room was sparse. Mai stared at the pen and sign-in sheet, unwilling to let up the pressure she held on her cut. Dale signed her in and picked up the information clipboard.

Noah sat next to Mai, his brow wrinkled. “You should’ve woke me up. I wanted to go to the market.”

Mai closed her eyes and sighed loudly.

Noah huffed. “I mean aren’t you supposed to teach me how to buy vegetables and stuff? And if I’d been slicing the onions you wouldn’t have cut yourself.”

Dale opened her mouth to tell Noah to stow his attitude when Mai spoke up, exhaustion etched in her features.

“Set your alarm next time. Real cooks show up, Noah.”

Dale glanced up, surprised at Mai’s sharp tone, not that she would have been any less harsh. “Noah, give Mai a break.”

Chastised, Noah turned his beet-red face toward the television mounted on the wall above the waiting room chairs. He folded his arms over his chest and slouched in his chair.

Dale nudged Mai’s shoulder gently. “I need your ID and insurance card.”

Mai leaned to her left. “Wallet’s in my front pocket.”

Dale looked away and dug her fingers into Mai’s jeans, fighting hard and failing to ignore the intimacy of the moment and the heat of Mai’s skin under the thin material of her pocket. She held the wallet out to Mai.

Mai arched an eyebrow. “Go ahead, it’s not like I can.” She cradled her hand close to her chest. “My ID is on the left. I don’t have an insurance card.”

“You don’t have insurance?” Dale chewed her lip.

“Not at the moment.” Mai lowered her chin to her chest.

“Does it hurt a lot?” Dale inclined her head at the bloody towel.

“Not bad. I’ve had worse. At least I didn’t cut my fingertip off.”

Dale swallowed the bile that rose in her throat at the image Mai’s words conjured in her mind. “I’ll put our address down for your local address.”

“Thanks.”

Mai leaned her head back against the wall. Her normally light-brown skin was pale and a bead of sweat shone on her upper lip. She stretched her legs out and crossed them at the ankle. Her hair hung in sweaty tendrils over her brow.

Dale reached up and brushed her fingertips over Mai’s brow and pushed the hair off her forehead before she moved her hand down and cupped her face.

Mai started and opened her eyes. Her gaze settled on Dale’s face. “Feels nice.”

Dale inhaled sharply at the longing she saw in Mai’s eyes. She yanked her hand back and bolted from her chair. She clutched the clipboard with both hands and hugged it to her chest. “I’ll give this to the nurse.”

She turned away from Mai. Great. What a wonderful way to send the wrong message. But is it wrong? She seemed okay with it. But am I? Guilt settled over Dale and she forced herself to not look back, afraid of what Mai would see in her eyes.

*

Mai’s hand throbbed. Fifteen stitches. Another bill that would chip away at her cash. She groaned and flipped her pillow over and pressed her face to the cool cotton. The adrenaline rush that had accompanied her injury faded, leaving her chilled and sick to her stomach.

A tap at the door echoed in the room. “Yeah?”

“May I come in? I brought you some tea and crackers.” Dale’s voice and the memory of her hand on Mai’s face made Mai’s heart race.

“Yes. Of course.” Mai pushed herself up to sitting and winced when her hand bumped against the bed.

Dale swept in the room, a cup of tea in one hand and a plate of saltine crackers in the other. “I thought you might need a little something.” She placed the plate on the nightstand.

Mai rolled the edge of her T-shirt in her hand. “Thanks.” She took a cracker and nibbled at it.

Dale’s posture was ramrod straight. “I need to apologize to you.” Her gaze was fixed on her clasped hands in her lap.

Mai frowned. “For what?”

“For touching you the way I did in the waiting room. I don’t—” Dale broke off, stood, and then began to pace in the small room. “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”

“About what?” May set aside her cracker.

“About me. Us. I mean I don’t want you to think I’m going to take liberties or expect anything. We have a business arrangement. I want to keep it that way.”

A cold wave of sadness settled over Mai. “I get it. I didn’t think anything of it.” Liar. “Other than I was in pain and you were doing what a friend might do.”

Dale stopped pacing and placed her hands on her hips. “That’s good.” She waved her toward the tea and crackers. “I’ll come back and check on you later, unless you want me to leave you alone.”

“I’m fine.” Mai lifted the teacup to her mouth and took a sip. “And thank you, I appreciate your honesty.”

Dale lifted her chin. “I’ve got to go out for a bit. Call Noah if you need anything. And you’re welcome. I always think it’s best to be clear.”

The sharp taste of the tea matched the stab of disappointment that twisted her gut as Dale left the room.

*

Her basement room was cozy in an animal den sort of way. The dank smell of the cement walls had dissipated after the window was opened. The sound of crickets chirping echoed in the dark space. What was that touching thing in the waiting room? Mai’s body tightened and a ripple of heat spread from her chest to her clit. She acted like she cared. And her eyes. Hungry. Fuck no. I can’t do this. She said no mixing business and pleasure. I need to focus. Get the restaurant done so I can bring Yvonne here so we can be together again. Family. Or what’s left of it. I need some action. I’m desperate for touch, that’s all.

Mai rolled to her side and swiped her phone off the nightstand. She winced when the bright light of the screen hit her eyes as she thumbed it on. Three screens later she tapped to open the dating app Hit Me Up.

Strictly for women looking to meet other women who were into kink, she still couldn’t believe she’d let Yvonne talk her into signing up for it. Despondent after breaking up with Charlene, Mai had been so dismally disappointed after her first date from a random right swipe she hadn’t used the app again.

After logging in, she changed her location settings and updated her interest level from “long-term” to “casual.” Mai changed her screen name to Chillone and altered a few bits in her bio. With that finished, she scrolled through the profiles matching her parameters and bobbled her phone when Dale’s photo crossed her screen.

Mai gazed at the photo Dale had used for her profile under the screen name of HamerNnails. A sleeveless white shirt showed off Dale’s tanned muscular arms and a single strand of pearls circled her graceful neck. The collar of the shirt was open and displayed her deep cleavage. Her posture was relaxed at a table, and she looked over the top of a pair of classic Ray-Ban sunglasses as she stared into the camera. Mai’s hand trembled as she remembered how being the focus of Dale’s gaze in the waiting room had made her feel. How much she wanted to have Dale over her, looking at Mai like she was the center of the universe.

Mai scrolled past the photo. She’s down for casual sex. How would that be? Nope. Never going to mix business with pleasure again. But I’d like to.

A notification message flashed across her phone screen and Mai opened the message.

Ur hot AF. Want to meet?

From user Bedtornado.

That’s your opening line? Srsly? Maybe.

Mai pressed send. She rested the back of her hand on her forehead. Her phone vibrated in her palm and she flicked open the response to her message.

Yeah. Why waste time? You down for it or not? Wanna meet for dinner first? We can pretend it’s a date.

Mai chuckled to herself and checked out Bedtornado’s profile picture. It was from the top of her legs down, and her long legs were showcased by thigh high stockings and black pumps. A pair of handcuffs dangled from a well-manicured hand.

Yeah. I’m down. Or will be. Dinner first sounds good. Mai sent her reply and scrolled back to Dale’s profile and traced her finger over Dale’s photo. Not for me. Not this time.