Sasha hung up the phone from yet another sponsor and looked at the date on her digital desk clock. It was only Thursday and she was exhausted. Her return to work had been brilliant, and for the most part she’d been very happy in being super busy again. She loved the hustle and bustle of the newsroom, and she thrived on adrenaline rushes like she’d get under tight deadlines. But she’d noticed that she didn’t have anywhere close to the same stamina that she had had before. Now she had to close her office door and take breaks with her head down on her desk. She’d have to rehydrate and recharge with snacks. And by the end of the day, she was ready to be carried out to her Jeep. Others, too, seemed to notice, but they were very polite in the way they approached it.
A knock came from her door. It was Dennis, one of their new hires.
“You need anything before I take off? Coffee, soda, water?”
She smiled. “No, thanks, Dennis. But thanks for thinking of me.” She suspected he had a little crush on her, and now that the department knew of her split from Hannah he’d been dropping by more and more. He was sweet in a teenage first love kind of way. The fact that she was a lesbian didn’t seem to faze him.
“Sure thing. Oh, and I’ll get those graphics to you first thing tomorrow.”
“Wonderful.”
He gave her a wave, hesitated, and then disappeared. She exhaled long and slow and debated staying late as she had done the previous two nights. She’d been back since Monday, and there was still a lot of work to catch up on. Her boss had stressed that she not bite off more than she could chew, and he’d assigned Dennis, Laura, and Katherine to be her right hands as she transitioned back. She’d originally protested, but he’d insisted and now she was glad he had.
The phone rang again, and she answered quickly despite it being well past six.
“Sasha Bashton.”
“Hi, gorgeous. You ready for a fabulous night?”
She blinked, confused. “I’m sorry?”
She grinned, thinking one of the staff was playing a joke. She even stood to look through her office window for the culprit, but she could see no one.
“I thought I’d take you for a nice ride up to watch the sunset.”
She sat and ran a hand through her hair. She was growing frustrated with the game. “Who is this?”
“What do you mean who is this? It’s Charlie.”
“Oh. Charlie, hi.” She tried to cover. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you on this line.”
“Well, I called your cell phone, but there was no answer. So I looked you up.”
Sasha squirmed in her seat. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. It seemed a little intrusive. And aggressive.
“You didn’t have to do that. I would’ve returned your call.”
“I know. I just wanted to get a hold of you right away. So what do you say? How about that sunset?”
She turned in her chair to look out the window at the valley beyond. No doubt it was hot, but the clouds promised a smashing sunset. And she had been putting Charlie off. Partly because of work but also because she was a little anxious about the second date. Would everything completely go up in flames?
She decided she should put it off no more.
“Okay, let’s do it.”
What the hell she was doing she had no idea. But she was tired and feeling cooped up being in the office so much. She needed some fresh air, even if it was like a furnace blowing in her face.
“Great. I’m right out front.”
“Out front?” Geez.
“Yes, I wanted to get you quickly.”
“I’d say so. Can you pull into the parking garage and drive to the second floor elevator? I’m super exhausted.”
“Sure. Meet you in a few.”
They hung up and Sasha did her best to close everything down to leave the office. She almost grabbed her purse and satchel full of work to take home, but she decided she’d get them when she came back for her Jeep. She killed the lights, locked her office, and crossed to the elevator and exited to the parking garage. She heard Charlie’s Indian before she saw it. The sound grumbled around the corner, and Charlie grinned wearing her helmet and aviator shades. She pulled to a stop in front of her.
“Hey, gorgeous. I was worried you were wearing a skirt.”
“Nope.” She glanced down at her slacks and flats. It wasn’t the best motorcycle apparel, but at the moment she didn’t care. She just needed to feel the wind in her face. Charlie handed over her helmet, and Sasha put it on like an old pro. Then she climbed onto the back of bike and hugged Charlie. She closed her eyes as they took off and concentrated on the feel of Charlie’s muscles as they rippled beneath her tight fitting tee. The feel of her turned her on, and she felt her own body heat more than what the evening desert could cause. She hugged her tighter and wrapped her hands up and over her powerful shoulders. At stop lights she could smell her fresh ocean breeze scent, and it only made her heartbeat faster. By the time they reached the lookout on a nearby mountain, darkness was threatening and the sun had exploded with color. Charlie parked parallel to the sunset, switched off the engine, and turned around on her seat.
She took off her helmet and Sasha did the same. Charlie reached back and hung them from the handlebars.
“What do you think?” She swept her hand toward the sunset as if she’d painted the sky herself just for Sasha’s enjoyment.
“Unbelievable,” Sasha breathed.
When she looked back at Charlie she found her staring at her with obvious hunger. Sasha felt the desire, knew what she wanted, and she reacted before she could change her mind. Closing her eyes, she grabbed Charlie’s face and planted a hot, firm kiss on her mouth.
She felt Charlie tense with surprise and then groan with delight. Charlie brought her closer and deepened the kiss. She teased with her tongue, seeking permission, and when Sasha welcomed her, she pushed into her with full force, causing Sasha to make a small noise herself.
Sasha clung to her as the velvet of their tongues danced and her body reacted. She began to thrust against the seat, her loins so hungry for touch, for caress, for release.
“Oh God,” she mouthed quickly as Charlie attached to her neck. She raked her nails up and down Charlie’s back. “Fuck,” she whispered. “Take me. Take me, please.”
Charlie pulled back to look into her eyes. She didn’t ask if she was sure. She merely burned a hungry stare into her and then got busy unfastening Sasha’s pants. Sasha looked around hurriedly, making sure there was no one nearby.
“Do people hike through here at this time?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Probably not. Once it gets dark it’s hard to see the trail.” She undid her pants and scooted closer. Then she slid her palm down into her and Sasha jerked and groaned as she found her.
“I’m so wet,” Sasha said, leaning forward to give her more access. She bit into her shoulder, and Charlie laughed and began to stroke her.
“Yes, you are.”
“Oh fuck, it feels so good.” She clenched her eyes and rode her hand, allowing the world to melt around her. She moaned and thrust, and when Charlie went up inside her she called out wildly and clung to her like a beast attacking a kill.
“You’re so hot, Sasha. So hot and tight. Ride my fingers, baby. Yeah, just like that.”
Sasha moved into her, crushing her hand, taking all she could, insisting, wanting, needing. Her mind exploded like the setting sun, and she thought of nothing and everything all at once. It only fueled her more, kept her dancing, going, fucking.
“I’m gonna come,” she said, smothering her face in Charlie’s neck. “Mm, God, I’m gonna come.”
“Come, Sasha. Come on me, baby.”
Sasha broke like a long swelling wave, cresting and crashing with ferocity. She screamed into the pink and black night and tore at Charlie’s back like a mad woman. Charlie kept speaking, but she could not register the words; everything was muffled and melted into the strange canvas around her. Her body kept moving, drawing out as much as it could as if it were its own being. It fed like it was starved. And when she started to slow, her breath caught in her throat and she trembled. At last, she stilled and Charlie eased herself from her pants and held her hips. She was all grins and Sasha couldn’t stand to look at her.
What was she so proud of? Did she think she was special?
Sasha hugged herself, feeling exposed.
“It was good,” Charlie said.
“Are you asking or telling?”
Charlie laughed. “I don’t know. Need I ask?”
Sasha glanced around, worried about hikers and other cars. A chill swept through her even though she felt like she could fall to the ground and sleep blissfully for years.
“I needed it, okay? It doesn’t mean anything.” She couldn’t stand the grinning. How could she have let herself go like that?
“Okay.”
Sasha closed her eyes and breathed deeply. “I’m sorry. I just feel…raw.”
Charlie touched her face, causing her to open her eyes. “I get it.”
“Do you?”
“Sure.”
Charlie leaned in and kissed her lightly. But when she pressed for more, Sasha pulled back.
“I think I need to get home.”
Charlie cocked her head. “Are we good?”
Sasha nodded. “Yes, I just need to be alone right now.”
Charlie stared at her a moment longer and then turned back around on the bike. She handed Sasha her helmet and started the engine.
Sasha didn’t hold her as tightly as she had on the way to the mountain. She held her as close as needed, and when she returned to her office she left Charlie without a kiss, grabbed her things, and drove home in a daze.
She hadn’t known what to expect in coming at the hands of another woman. But it wasn’t this. It wasn’t this lost, exposed, and cranky feeling. It wasn’t.
Would it get better? Would it be at the hands of yet another woman?
God, she didn’t want to think about it. She didn’t want to think about anything at all.
But Hannah’s face came, and along with it a gut-eating guilt.
She drove home in tears.