At precisely six, Ava closed her hotel room door and took the four steps across the hallway. She took a deep breath and rapped her knuckles sharply on Bianca’s door. Bianca opened it. Ava took in all of Bianca in a simple but elegant red dress. Her luminous black curls cascaded over her shoulders. Her makeup expertly applied it almost appeared she had none on. “Wow. You are gorgeous,” Ava said.
“Thank you. After you told me where we were going I looked it up and saw how fancy it is. How did you manage to get a reservation? It looks like they book months in advance.”
“I have a few tricks up my sleeve, or I should say Vicki does, and I wanted to spoil you a little.”
“I hope you know I don’t need to be spoiled. But since the food looks so good, I’ll let you this time.”
“Fair enough. The car is waiting downstairs. Shall we?”
Bianca wrapped her arm around Ava’s outstretched arm. “Absolutely.”
“We have a little extra time before dinner. Would you like to do a little sightseeing?”
“Sure, but I wouldn’t mind doing some after dinner as well.”
Ava couldn’t decide from Bianca’s tone if she was talking about seeing San Francisco or something more intimate. She decided to err on the side of caution. “We can certainly do that. We have the car as long as we want it this evening. I did ask the driver to take us down Lombard Street on the way.”
“I’d love to see it again. Do you have places you like to revisit in all the cities you tour?”
“Most of them and I’m looking forward to sharing them with you,” Ava said, hoping she wasn’t giving away too much.
“I can’t wait.”
As the driver slowly navigated the hairpin turns of Lombard Street, Bianca turned from the window to find Ava watching her intently. She slid closer to her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m wonderful.” Ava laid her hand on Bianca’s leg.
“What are you thinking about?” Bianca asked as she linked her fingers with Ava’s.
“You.”
“What about me?”
“I was just thinking about how much I’m enjoying spending time with you.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
“I’m glad. Is there anything you’d like to see this evening?”
“No, I’m along for the ride, willing to go wherever you’d like to show me.”
“I thought perhaps we could drive down the Embarcadero and explore a bit of Fisherman’s Wharf before dinner.”
“That sounds lovely.”
***
Ava reached for Bianca’s hand as they got out of the car and kept hold of it as they walked into the restaurant. They were shown to their table immediately. Once their drinks arrived, Bianca raised her glass. “Here’s to new experiences and to getting to know one another better.”
“Cheers.” Ava set her drink down and leaned forward. “Can I ask you something personal?”
“Yes.”
“What’s your biggest regret in life?”
“Oh my, nothing like starting with an easy one.”
“You can choose not to answer, but I really want to get to know you. I figure if we start with some of the harder stuff, the rest will come more quickly.”
“Fair enough. But I hope you’re ready for this.”
“Come on, then.”
“I’d have to say my biggest regret in life is that I’ll never get to know my daughter.”
Ava laid her hand on Bianca’s on top of the table. She still misses her unborn daughter. There is no way I can tell her about Lara. She would hate me if she knew I gave up my daughter when she’ll never have the chance to meet hers. “I’m so sorry.” It didn’t feel like enough, but Ava didn’t know what else to say.
“Yeah, me too. I would have loved raising a little girl. Like you said earlier, maybe it will still happen one day. Anyway, perhaps we can talk about something else. We got interrupted when I asked this question earlier. Have you ever thought about having kids?”
Ava took a sip to buy time to formulate her answer. “I have a lot actually. But with all the travel I do, it doesn’t seem fair to raise children in this environment.”
“I don’t know. I think children can cope with a lot if they know they’re loved and you’ll always be there for them. But that brings up another interesting question. Have you ever considered when or if you’ll stop touring?”
“I’ve been thinking about that quite a bit lately. You’re the first person I’ve said this to, so please keep it quiet. I’ve considered starting a production/training company where I would train up-and-coming musicians. I would also like to have studio space so I could record their music. I don’t have everything figured out just yet, but it’s an idea I’ve been rolling around for a while now. I know I don’t want to keep up the crazy touring schedule forever, and I would get bored if I wasn’t doing something productive.”
“That sounds like a very ambitious project. I have no doubt you will excel in that realm as well.
“Thank you. That means a lot.”
“Have you given any thought to where you might want to locate the school?”
“I haven’t gotten as far as a locale. There are so many places I love. How about you? Have you ever considered writing something other than biographies? Or doing something completely different?”
“I have a few ideas for romance novels,” Bianca said.
“Really? Why haven’t you written them?” How does she keep getting better the more I know her?
“I guess for a long time, I didn’t see them as ‘real’ writing. But I’ve discovered some fascinating lesbian fiction recently that has me reconsidering my views.”
“I think romance gets a bad rap.”
“Are you a fan?”
“You could say that. I’d read anything you write.”
“I’ll remember that.” Bianca smiled over the rim of her glass as she sipped her cocktail.
Ava liked being the one to inspire that smile. She wanted to make it happen as often as possible. “In fact, I’ve downloaded all your books to my tablet. So far, I’ve not only read the Etheridge book, I also read the biography you wrote on Sandra Cisneros.”
“You did not. Not many people even know about that book, I’m afraid.”
“I did. I hadn’t realized you do historical biographies as well.”
“I don’t usually. That was a passion project. I love her writing and wanted to find out more about her.”
“It was really good. Your writing is so captivating. You made me want to know who she was. What inspired her? I’d never even heard of her before.”
“Thank you. When I wrote it, I had a hard time deciding between her as my subject or Dolores Huerta. One day I’ll probably tackle a book about Dolores as well.”
“Well, you can count on me to read that one too,” Ava said.
As the waitress placed their dinners in front of them, Bianca took a moment to reflect on what she’d shared about Karen and their daughter. She could have come up with something less personal to share, but she knew that wouldn’t be authentic, and no matter what happened with her and Ava in the future, it was important to her that she be genuine too. Honesty and transparency would help build trust between them, and that was a good foundation for every relationship regardless of where this went. Bianca had mourned Karen and their unborn child. Tonight was not about them. This evening was about spending time with Ava, getting to know her better.
She wouldn’t have hesitated if Ava wanted to go directly back to the hotel room and spend some more intimate time together. On one hand, she knew that was moving fast. On the other, it felt like they had known each other for a long time and it seemed they were headed that way. She was on the verge of suggesting they go back to her room when Ava spoke. “Would you like to go for cocktails at Top of the Mark?”
“Ooh, my sister told me about that place, but I’ve never been. It would be fun to see it.”
“I’ll just take care of the check and we can get out of here.”
As they walked out of the restaurant, Bianca turned to Ava. “Thank you for dinner. It was incredible.”
“You’re welcome.” Ava reached for Bianca’s hand and they walked to the waiting car together. “Speaking of your sister, are you excited to see her tomorrow?”
“I am, very much.”
“Good. Are you two close?”
“I have a good relationship with all my siblings, but I’m definitely closest with Elena. We’re not closest in age, but we have similar mindsets about most things. It may also have something to do with both of us being lesbians.”
“Oh I didn’t realize. That’s interesting. How do your parents do with that?”
“I’ve never felt anything besides support and love from them. I prepared for more resistance than I got when I came out to them given the Catholic thing. I don’t know exactly what they thought, but they made me feel safe and loved and like my revelation wasn’t going to change anything between us and it didn’t.”
“That’s great.”
“It really was. Then, Karen and I were already together before Elena ever voiced a preference one way or another, so it was quite a non-event for her. She didn’t have to come out so much as confirm what most of us already suspected.”
“Lucky her.”
“Right? You’d think so. Sometimes she jokes that I stole all her thunder by coming out so many years before her.”
“She sounds like quite a character.”
“Oh, she is.”
“I hope you have a wonderful time with her tomorrow. It looks like we’re here.” Once the car stopped at the curb, Ava got out and offered her hand to Bianca.
Bianca stepped out of the car and linked her arm with Ava’s. She leaned into her as they crossed the lobby. She felt like she couldn’t get close enough. She ran her fingernail slowly up and down the inside of Ava’s arm, just above her wrist. The delicious shiver that ran through Ava delighted Bianca.
They were alone in the elevator. As the doors closed, Bianca turned to Ava and gently pulled her down for a kiss. She meant for it to be a sweet, simple kiss. But as soon as their lips connected, her body responded quickly. Her nipples hardened, her heart raced, and her clit throbbed.
Bianca wanted more. She needed more. She moved her hands from Ava’s neck down her back to grip her tight butt. She pulled Ava closer. There were too many clothes between them. Bianca wanted Ava under her, over her, it didn’t matter. She wanted her naked. The ding of the elevator brought her back to reality. She stepped back from Ava. They both struggled to catch their breath as the elevator doors slid open.
“Wow,” Ava said softly.
Bianca grabbed her hand and chuckled. “You can say that again.” As they walked through the door of the bar, Bianca was stunned by the dramatic views. The sun was just about to set over the Golden Gate Bridge. “Wow,” Bianca said.
Ava laughed freely. “Exactly.”
They were greeted and shown to a table near the windows.
When the waiter arrived, Ava ordered a drink for them both while Bianca tried in earnest to take in all she could see. The buildings in the skyline were brightly lit as the evening darkened around them. As she stared at the night sky, she thought about Ava sitting next to her. The entire evening with her had been so comfortable. No awkward silences even when they were covering heavy topics. For the most part Ava was open and seemed genuine in what she had to say. The more she got to know Ava, the more she liked her. Ava gave herself completely when they were intimate. Bianca only wished she could figure out why there were other times when it felt like Ava was holding back.
“I’m sorry what did you say?” Bianca glanced over at Ava who had pulled her from her deep thoughts.
“I asked if you’re okay. You seemed really far away.”
“I’m good. I was actually thinking about you.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, I was thinking about how much I’ve enjoyed this evening and how much pleasure I’m finding in getting to know you.”
“I feel the same.” Ava stood and held out her hand. “Would you dance with me?”
“I’d love to.”
Ava led Bianca to the dance floor. As their bodies met and they began dancing, Ava simply let herself feel. She felt the texture of Bianca’s dress under her hand, their bodies pressed together, and Bianca’s silky hair against her cheek as they danced closely. Dancing with Bianca, being this close to her in a room full of people where she had to keep some modicum of decorum, was exquisite torture.
She raised her head to gauge Bianca’s reaction to their closeness and found the same raw desire. In that moment, there was nothing that could have stopped her from kissing Bianca. Her entire being focused on that one thing, and the only thing she wanted right then was to explore Bianca’s lips again. She moved toward her, zeroed in, closed her eyes, and was surprised when her lips met Bianca’s cheek instead of her lips.
Her eyes popped open and Ava tried to process what just happened. That’s when she realized there was a woman standing next to them and the music had stopped. She looked between Bianca and the woman, trying to put the pieces together.
Then the woman spoke, looking directly at Ava. “I’m so sorry to disturb you, truly I am. But aren’t you Ava Wellington?”
Ava cringed that someone had recognized her and ruined such an intimate moment with Bianca. It was unsettling. It wasn’t that she minded being seen with Bianca; she was only disappointed that their time together had been interrupted. Regaining her composure, she finally took a couple steps back from Bianca, after shooting her a quick look of regret. “Yes, I am.”
“I’m such a huge fan,” the woman said.
“Thank you, that’s always nice to hear. What’s your name?” Ava would have laughed at how automatic the response was if she wasn’t still throbbing for Bianca.
“I’m Barb. Now that I’ve already crashed your date, I wonder if I could ask a huge favor.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I’m part of the trio playing the music tonight. We’re usually a quartet, but our second violinist is sick tonight. But I have her violin with me. It’s certainly not as good as what you regularly play, but would you possibly like to join us for a song or two?”
Ava had only been vaguely aware of the trio playing soft, classical music before they walked to the dance floor. When they’d approach them though, almost as automatic as breathing, she noticed their individual techniques on their instruments. They clearly had some formal training. Ava looked back to Bianca who seemed unfazed but not unhappy. She met her gaze and raised her eyebrow in question.
“Go ahead, if you’d like,” Bianca said.
Ava turned to Barb. “Okay. Give me a minute and I’ll join you.”
“Oh this is awesome. Thank you so much.”
Ava took Bianca’s hand and walked her back to their table. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
“I’m absolutely sure. I love seeing you play,” Bianca said.
“All right. To be clear though, I would like a chance to make up for the interruption later.”
“I’m happy to have you do that as well,” Bianca said.
“Lovely.” Ava kissed Bianca on the cheek and went to join the trio.
Fame wasn’t something Ava thought about often. She rarely focused on how well known she was in symphony and orchestral circles, never mind outside of them. Sometimes it amazed her that she was known outside that close-knit community. People probably wouldn’t know her at all if she hadn’t been asked to appear on some of the afternoon and late night talk shows.
She loved sharing her music with anyone who wanted to hear it, and it didn’t matter to her that she was sometimes sandwiched between a teen actor or mega sports star and silly pet tricks. People connected with her music when they heard it and that was the important part. The music was everything. She had recorded more than two dozen albums, hoping to get her music out into the world, even when she couldn’t be there to play it in person.
As famous as she was, even her biggest fans didn’t usually recognize her when she wasn’t dressed in the fashionable outfits and stage makeup she wore for the shows. When she took the fancy clothes off, wore muted makeup or none at all, and pulled her hair back, she could move in the world without being recognized. It was the best of all possible scenarios. It allowed her to travel pretty freely without being stopped frequently for pictures and autographs. Every so often, someone would look at her sideways as though they were trying to figure out why she looked familiar, but as long as she kept moving she was seldom disturbed.
She never minded signing autographs when someone did recognize her. Even more, she enjoyed spending a few minutes talking about the music. What their favorite piece was, if they had one, which shows they had been to, Ava was comfortable around people when she could focus on the music.
There was a trapping of her fame that Ava appreciated above all else. Being able to bring her team with her was essential for her. It made the road feel a bit less lonely. Having Steven there to make sure she was ready for every show, Hank tending to the business details, and being able to count on Vicki for everything else, it was a gift that allowed her to focus on the music. She was fortunate enough to be able to negotiate, or have Hank negotiate, her team into her appearance fees and accommodations.
Even if she had to pay for them out of her own pocket, she would have done it because they made her job and her life easier by being at her side. But there were times like this when the little fame she did have took her away from what she would really rather be doing. She’d have to think of a way to make this up to Bianca.
***
As they walked the short distance from the Mark to their hotel, Ava kept Bianca’s hand clasped in hers. Bianca didn’t seem to mind at all.
“Thank you for this evening,” Bianca said.
“You’re welcome. I’m sorry our dancing was interrupted.”
“There is nothing to apologize for,” Bianca said smiling. “Like I said, I love watching you play. Sometimes I forget you’re famous.”
“That may be one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.”
“It’s true. You’re an amazing musician and I know people recognize you. But when it’s just you and me, no matter what we’re doing, you’re simply an incredible woman who I’m really enjoying getting to know. I had a nice time tonight.”
“Thank you for saying that. I had a great time as well, for the record. I’m sure you’ll see more of the city tomorrow with your sister. Where are the two of you having breakfast?”
“Crepes on Cole.”
“Oh, yum.”
“You know it?”
“Sure. It’s a great place.”
“Would you like to come with us? I’m sure Elena wouldn’t mind.”
“That’s really sweet. But I want to let you two have time just for you two. I can still leave a ticket for her for the show tomorrow if she’s interested. Just let me know either way.” As much as I want to spend time with you, I’m not sure I’m quite ready to meet the family.
“Okay.”
Ava started to get nervous as they crossed the hotel lobby. Obviously, she would walk Bianca to her door. It was right across from hers, so that was a foregone conclusion, but then what? They had a delicious dinner and a fantastic evening. She didn’t want to ruin it now by making the wrong move. Once on the lift she stared at the floor indicator. As long as she remembered to breathe she’d probably be fine.
“Are you okay?”
Ava cleared her throat. “Sure. Why?” Totally not okay.
“You just got really quiet all the sudden.”
The doors opened, and they exited the lift, turning toward their rooms.
“It may sound silly, but I don’t want to mess this up.”
“What do you mean?” Bianca asked.
“You, me, us. I don’t want to ruin it.”
“Why do you think you’d ruin it?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t want to do the wrong thing here,” Ava said.
They stood in front of Bianca’s door. Bianca pulled her keycard out of her purse.
“So…what would you say if I asked you to come in?”
“Are you asking me?” Ava couldn’t decide what she wanted the answer to be.
“Yes.”
Ava thought for a moment. Then she reached up and pushed a stray strand of hair behind Bianca’s ear. “I would respectfully decline.” She cleared her throat suddenly tight with lust. “I do. Respectfully decline. Please don’t misunderstand. There is nothing I’d like more than to go in there with you and see what happens. But I don’t want to rush anything between us. We have time to do this right.”
“Fair enough. Can I get a good night kiss at least?”
“That would be my pleasure.” Ava lowered her head. As soon as her mouth touched Bianca’s lips it was as though she’d been shot with a low level electric bolt. Her intended gentle kiss quickly turned into a raging inferno. She lost herself. She wanted to recant her previous declination. She stepped back and broke contact. She had to be strong. She had to do this right. “Good night, Bianca.”
Bianca blinked several times seemingly trying to focus. She turned and opened her door. “Sweet dreams, Ava. If you change your mind you know where I am.”
Ava desperately tried to catch her breath. She watched as Bianca shut the door. Her feet felt glued to the floor. Am I an idiot? Or am I doing the right thing here? The one doesn’t necessarily negate the other. She spun around and let herself into her room. She needed a cold shower and probably whiskey. Lots of whiskey.
***
Bianca closed her door and leaned her forehead against it. She let out a long sigh. Whoa! She couldn’t decide how she felt about being by herself right now. She had not anticipated Ava turning down her invitation. It was very sweet that Ava wanted to give her time. When she thought about it, she was relieved. Their chemistry was off the charts. A little more time to adjust to that might be a stellar idea. Damn, Ava can kiss. Bianca was so turned on right now she had some difficulty walking across the room to undress. She removed her dress and hung it in the closet. She unhooked her bra and accidently on purpose grazed her nipples as she was sliding it off. She gasped as her nipples hardened. She wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight if she didn’t do something about the fire burning between her legs.
She removed the remainder of her clothes and climbed into bed. She thought of Ava and played with her nipples. First softly and then she began pinching and tugging on them. She writhed under her own ministrations and knew it wouldn’t be long until she had to take care of the pressure building at her core. She reached down with both hands and spread her lips wide, using one finger on each side to tease. She couldn’t hold back the groan that escaped her lips.
Normally, she would have started gently, stroking her clit with featherlight touches, but she was too far gone already. She needed to do it fast. She needed it now. She plunged one finger inside and rubbed her clit with the other. Harder. Harder. That’s it. Right there. The climax was so quick and so intense her hips bucked off the bed. She gentled her fingers but didn’t stop. The second orgasm rolled through her in a gentle wave. She melted into the pillows.
As good as it was imagining being with Ava, Bianca knew her fantasies wouldn’t come anywhere close to the real thing. She’d just have to be patient and wait until Ava was ready. Or convince Ava that she herself was ready, if that was what was stopping her. She allowed herself a few minutes to recover. Then she went into the bathroom to remove her makeup and get ready for bed. When she climbed under the covers again, she smiled. Damn, that woman is in my head. Time for round two.