The Muse (6 page)

“Not at all.” Olive gestured in the direction of the bar. “Was that your girlfriend?”

“No,” Kate said quickly—a little
too
quickly, probably, when speaking to a potential one-night stand. She couldn’t understand the feeling of guilt that overwhelmed her. Erato
wasn’t
her girlfriend, but what was she? She couldn’t explain the true nature of their relationship, so she decided to keep things simple and be as truthful as possible. “She’s my editor, actually.”

“Your
editor
?”

“I’m a writer.” As it always did when she made this disclosure, her face flooded with heat.

Olive brightened. “Really? That’s great! Fiction or non?”

“Fiction.” Clearing her throat, Kate said, “Erotica and romance, mostly.”

“Well, that’s cool. Do you hang out with your editor a lot?”

“She’s new.” How, oh how, to frame this? “And she has an unconventional approach to curing my writer’s block.”

“Do tell.” All of a sudden Olive looked like she was enjoying herself immensely. Maybe she got off on the embarrassment of others. “Does your writer’s block have anything to do with the crazy reason you’re here tonight?”

Kate nodded, studying Olive’s face. She looked game, open to whatever Kate might say. She’d probably already guessed, given the context. Despite all that, Kate struggled to actually admit her goal aloud. “Let’s just say that Erato feels that fantasy fulfillment will help spark my creativity.” And calm her libido, in theory, though she couldn’t imagine how that would happen. The prospect of being the center of an Erato-Olive sandwich made her weak all over. “I’m sure she would approve of your bucket list.”

“What’s a ‘bucket list’?” Erato had returned, now carrying two glasses of red wine. “Also, I saw an open table over there. Why don’t we all sit down?”

Kate glanced at Olive, once again tense with the possibility of rejection. “How about it?”

Olive gave Erato a shy smile, then met Kate’s eyes. “Why not?”

Erato steered them through the crowd to a vacant table in the corner of the room. She pulled out a chair for Kate, then a second one for Olive. “I’m Erato,” she said before Olive sat, and held out her hand in greeting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Olive. And thank you.” Unlike the butch, whose eyes had never left Erato, Olive looked at Kate as she shook hands. “I apologize for stealing your companion. She literally swept me off my feet.”

“Not at all. I encouraged her to make friends.” Erato sat down on Olive’s other side, drawing her attention away from Kate. She placed one glass of wine in front of Kate, the other in front of Olive. “I’m pleased she did.”

Lifting the glass, Olive took a small sip. Her hand was shaking. “Erato is a beautiful name. I assume you chose it for yourself?”

Erato gave Olive a bemused smile and tilted her head to the side. “No, my parents named me. Why?”

Olive’s eyes flicked to Kate again, as though checking to see if Erato was pulling her leg. At Kate’s polite nod, she said, “No reason. They couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate name for an eventual editor of romance and erotica. You did say Erato, like the Greek muse of lyric poetry?”

“Exactly like that.” Erato seemed to puff up with pride. “I’m flattered you’ve heard of me.”

Terrified that Olive would judge Erato insane and leave, Kate interrupted them. “Are you a fan of Greek mythology, Olive?”

“Mythology?” Erato echoed, brows drawn.

Ignoring her, Kate said, “I’m just impressed you caught the reference. I doubt many people here tonight would.”

“The benefit of being too geeky to do much more than study during college, I suppose.” Though Olive seemed a little shy about the praise, Kate loved the way it made her squirm in her seat. “My head is full of useless facts, but they rarely earn me compliments from beautiful women.”

Erato was staring at her with a question in her eyes. Eager to change the subject, Kate hoped Olive would forgive her for this. “Erato, a bucket list is a collection of experiences or achievements someone wants to have before they die.”

Erato nodded with interest, then looked at Olive. “Kate thinks I would approve of yours. What’s on it?”

Olive went wide-eyed again, and Kate quickly swooped in to rescue her. “It’s a sexual bucket list. Basically she’s already done the hard work of coming up with the fantasies she wants to fulfill. Before she dies.”

“That’s
fascinating
.” Folding her hands on the table, Erato leaned forward, pushing her full breasts against the already straining material of her dress. Olive’s gaze immediately dropped to her cleavage, which Kate took as a positive sign. If Erato noticed, she didn’t let on. “So have you actually written all your sexual desires down on paper?”

It took Olive a moment to drag her focus away from Erato’s breasts. When she did, her head snapped up like something had bitten her. “No, I actually…have an app for my phone. So I can password-protect it.”

“Afraid someone might find your list?” Kate asked.

Olive looked at her, guilt in her eyes. Kate offered her an easy smile, trying to convey that it was okay for her to admire Erato. Relaxing slightly, Olive said, “I’m just private.” She paused. “And honestly, some of the items are
pretty
racy.”

Erato laughed in delight. “I
do
approve!”

So did Kate. “Do I get to hear any more of them?”

Olive shook her head, folding her toned arms over her chest. Now Kate was the one staring. The position accentuated Olive’s breasts, which were smaller than Erato’s, but perfect in Kate’s imagination. She fantasized about unzipping Olive’s red dress and helping her lower it to the floor, exposing the smooth expanse of her silky skin. How would she taste? Would Olive want to tick any other items off her list? Just how racy
was
she?

A warm finger caught her under the chin, gently moving her attention back to Olive’s face. Mortified to see Olive staring at her expectantly, she looked to Erato for help. Erato released her chin and said, “Well?”

Kate glanced at Olive again, face hot. She suspected her cheeks were bright red, one of the curses of her fair complexion. “I’m so sorry, what was that?”

“I said not until you tell me what fantasy brought
you
here tonight.”

“Oh.” She nearly turned to signal Erato to take over but stopped. As easy as it would be to hand total control of the evening over, she needed to resist that urge.
She
was the one who’d hit it off with Olive. This was
her
fantasy. And frankly, she liked Olive too much not to assert herself as best as she could. Taking a deep breath, Kate said, “I want to have a threesome.” She hesitated, then swallowed thickly before taking what felt like the biggest leap of her life. “With you.”

The next ten minutes were a blur.

Before Kate was able to fully wrap her mind around Olive’s quick acceptance of her proposition, Erato had suggested that they relocate somewhere quieter. Olive looked visibly relieved to leave the club—though clearly nervous about the night ahead—and Kate had sympathized. They’d both tossed back the remnants of their half-f wineglasses, almost in unison, and shared a brief giggle at the awkwardness that had overtaken the evening. Then Erato was ushering them outside into the crisp evening and flagging down a cab while Kate stood next to Olive and did everything she could to avoid making eye contact.

It wasn’t until she and Olive were settled into the backseat of the cab, Erato riding shotgun and talking the driver’s ear off, that Kate managed to string more than two words together. “Thank you for coming.”

Olive startled slightly but managed an easy smile. “Well…don’t thank me yet.”

Blushing, Kate considered her choice of words. She’d walked right into that one. “I still can’t believe I worked up the courage to ask.”

“Good, because I’m still marveling over the fact that I accepted.”

Turning in her seat, she searched Olive’s face, which wasn’t easy when she was tipsy and stripes of shadow and light from passing streetlights kept illuminating and then obscuring her features. “You can change your mind, you know. Whenever you want.”

A warm hand landed on hers where it rested on the seat between them. “I don’t want to change my mind. But I appreciate the sentiment.”

Kate forgot to breathe. All her senses were focused on the soft skin of Olive’s fingers. She couldn’t help but imagine how they would feel on her breasts.

Suddenly Olive’s hand was gone. “Unless
you’ve
changed your mind. I don’t want you to feel like you need to go through with something you’re not feeling on my account. Seriously.”

Bereft from the loss of contact, Kate reached for Olive and tangled their fingers together, then moved their joined hands onto her lap. “No, I’m feeling this. I promise.”

Olive exhaled steadily. “I’m glad.”

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes while Erato regaled their cabbie with tales of her time spent in his native land of Florida. Kate only half listened, but it was clear from the cabbie’s enthusiastic laughter that yet another person had fallen prey to Erato’s irresistible charms. Stealing a sidelong glance at Olive, she stroked a thumb along her slim wrist, delighted by the shiver the small caress elicited. Olive turned her head toward the window and closed her eyes.

Kate leaned in, not wanting the cabbie to overhear. “So is a threesome on your bucket list somewhere? Are we going to check off more than one item for you tonight?”

Olive took a breath, then opened her eyes. She turned to Kate, their lips now only inches apart. In just as low a voice, she said, “It’s on there. And we’re definitely going to check off more than just those two items tonight.”

Intrigued by Olive’s utter certainty and imbued with sudden confidence, Kate lifted Olive’s hand and pressed her lips against the inside of her wrist. The strong pulse thrummed against her kiss, hinting at the same level of arousal currently running through her veins. “What’s the third?”

“Fucking a white girl.”

Kate blinked. “Kinky.” She hadn’t expected that but couldn’t deny that being any kind of first for Olive was a
very
appealing prospect. “It sounds like this’ll be a memorable evening for both of us.”

Rather than answer, Olive licked her lips and erased the scant distance between them. Her free hand fisted loosely around the front of Kate’s camisole as she brought their mouths together for a tentative first kiss. Her lips were soft and warm and tasted vaguely of gloss, a distinctly feminine flavor that made Kate’s stomach flutter happily. She parted her lips and returned the kiss easily, pleased by how natural it all felt. Olive’s hand smoothed over her chest, at first lying flat, then sliding down to ghost a trail between her breasts. Swept away by the desire that crashed over her, Kate brought her own hand up and brushed her knuckles against the side of Olive’s breast. Her quick intake of breath only made Kate want more.

“Ladies?” Erato’s amused voice broke through her haze and sent them flying apart. “We’re home.”

Humiliated to have completely forgotten herself in front of the driver, Kate opened her purse and fumbled for cash. “How much do I owe you?”

“I’ve already taken care of it.” Erato opened the passenger-side door with a parting smile to the driver. “Thanks for the ride, Isaac.”

“My pleasure, Ms. Erato.” Dark, laughter-filled eyes met Kate’s in the rearview mirror. “Ladies.”

“Thanks.” Olive quickly scrambled out of the car. Kate simply nodded before she followed, head down.

Once the cab drove away and they were left in front of Kate’s building, the awkwardness she’d felt as they were leaving the bar returned. As though anticipating she would need the help, Erato took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Then she offered Olive her other hand, which she accepted. “I’m glad to see you two are hitting it off so well.”

Blushing, Kate followed Erato inside. She glanced over as they walked, pleased to catch Olive shooting her a conspiratorial smile. “Me, too.”

Kate unlocked the door to her apartment and let them inside. She stepped behind Olive and took her coat, glad for something to do as she hung it in the closet. She barely paid attention as Erato gave Olive a brief tour of the downstairs, her mind racing as she tried to decide how things would play out once they reached the bedroom.

Erato clapped her hands. “So. May I get anyone a drink?”

Not wanting to get any tipsier than she already was, Kate said, “Water?”

“Yes, water would be good.” Olive stood at the bottom of the staircase, hands clasped in front of her. Kate recognized the mild panic in her eyes—like she was deciding whether she could truly go through with the evening, regardless of her bravado in the taxi.

“Three waters, coming up.” Erato kissed Kate on the cheek, then captured Olive’s hand and pressed her lips against her knuckles. “Why don’t you two go upstairs and get comfortable? I’ll be right there.”

Kate checked Olive’s face, relieved when she nodded. They made eye contact for only an instant before Olive glanced away. “Do you want to show me the way?”

“Sure.” Her fingers twitched with the desire to take Olive’s hand again. Anything that might help reestablish the comfort they’d fallen into more than once already tonight. Too chicken to reach for her, Kate started up the stairs instead. Neither spoke as they walked down the hallway, until Kate stopped in front of her bedroom. “I’m sorry if this is weird.”

“It’s not weird.”

“You don’t think so?” Kate pushed open the door. After a brief hesitation, she flipped on the lights. “It feels a little weird.”

“To be honest, I’m mostly just excited.” Olive’s hand slipped into hers. “Nervous, but excited.”

The knowledge that Olive was eager to play helped ease her lingering anxiety, but she still needed to ask. “And you’re comfortable with Erato?”

Olive’s instinctive smile made it clear that not even she was immune to Erato’s considerable charms. “She’s a bit of a character, but she seems very sweet, and I’m not going to pretend I haven’t noticed that she’s downright gorgeous.”

An unpleasant twinge of jealousy seized Kate before she could talk herself out of the silly reaction. It was ridiculous to want so badly for their one-night stand to like
her
more, but she couldn’t help it. Something about Olive tickled her imagination—not about her make-believe worlds but the possibilities for her own future.