Waking Up Gray (21 page)

“I need to contact my customers for tomorrow and tell them we’re up and running for the rest of Labor Day weekend,” Gray said, as she sat the laptop down on the kitchen table. She said nothing about the overnight bag, dropping it to the floor, and kicking it over by the wall.

Lizbeth, her eyebrows raised, asked, “And what’s in that bag?”

The corners of Gray’s mouth crept into a grin. “I told Fanny I wasn’t coming back tonight and I have an early day tomorrow, so I just brought a few things for in the morning.” She paused and winked at Lizbeth. “I was assuming you wanted me to stay.”

“You assumed correctly,” Lizbeth said, smiling up at Gray.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Gray said, reaching down and unzipping the bag on the floor. She pulled out a two-quart plastic container that still had frost on the top. “Fanny sent along supper. It’s clam chowder, homemade.”

“I have to quit letting the O’Neal women feed me. I’ll have to cook for you sometime,” Lizbeth said, while taking the container and putting it in the refrigerator.

Gray chuckled, taking a seat at the table. “I can’t speak for Fanny, but I have ulterior motives.”

“I think the spells have passed. I mean I still have to eat, but the fainting was all stress related. The anxiety I was experiencing caused my blood sugar to run lower than usual. It’s happened before. It goes away when the stress releases.”

Gray cocked her head to one side. “What were you stressing about?”

Lizbeth popped Gray playfully on the shoulder. “You know damn well what.”

Gray pulled Lizbeth down on her lap. Lizbeth wrapped her arms around Gray’s neck. Gray enjoyed teasing Lizbeth, so she continued her cross-examination.

“Now, Lizbeth, you know I did not do a thing to start this whole affair. It was you.”

“I know. That’s why I was stressed. I couldn’t believe I was attracted to you, a woman. It really freaked me out that I couldn’t control what I was feeling.”

“I knew,” Gray said slyly.

“When did you know?”

“The first time I met you. You were checking me out.”

“I was not… Well, what do you mean by that?” Lizbeth wasn’t sure. She may very well have been checking Gray out. In fact, she was certain that she had, but she didn’t think anyone noticed.

“The first time I shook your hand this look came over your face. Then when I joked we could sleep together, because Fanny said we weren’t kin, your face turned about fifty shades of red.” Gray was having fun with this. “I could tell you were at least thinking about it.”

Lizbeth, not to be outdone, said, “Seems to me you were watching me pretty closely.”

Gray’s grin grew. “I was. It’s not every day that I come home and find someone like you on my front porch.”

Now Lizbeth teased Gray. “No, you just have them drop you off there at night.”

“Not anymore,” Gray said, pulling Lizbeth to her for a kiss.

Lizbeth melted into the kiss and felt something inside shift. Lizbeth knew in that instant that she loved this woman and she wanted to spend the rest of her life in her arms. This was it, the thing a heart looks for, and the thing Lizbeth had longed for. It came in the form of a woman and for that she could not be faulted. Somehow, this woman was what Lizbeth needed and wanted in her life. If she let this chance pass, because it was a woman… she just didn’t care anymore. It was done.

When the kiss ended, Gray held tightly to Lizbeth, holding her in a hug. Lizbeth lay her head down on Gray’s shoulder, turned her mouth to Gray’s ear, and whispered, “I just keep falling harder for you.”

Gray responded in a low whisper, “Yeah, me too,” and held Lizbeth to her until the emotion of the moment had subsided for both of them.

Lizbeth knew this was a big step for Gray. This was exactly what Gray had not wanted to happen, but it had. It was a huge leap of faith for Lizbeth, as well. It was hard after being burned, as she had been, to be willing to love somebody else. To love Gray meant that she could be setting herself up for another broken heart. Lizbeth couldn’t help herself. She was swept up in a wave of emotion. Lizbeth was beyond being able to stop it. Gray was now in possession of Lizbeth’s heart and soul.

Gray released the hold she had on Lizbeth and tucking a finger under Lizbeth’s chin, lifted her head from her shoulder. She looked into Lizbeth’s eyes, once again searching back and forth for something. She cleared her throat.

“Lizbeth, you do realize that not everyone is going to be as happy about your sudden lifestyle change as you are. Have you thought about your family, your friends, how they’re going to react?”

Lizbeth was quick with her answer. “The only person’s opinion of me that matters is my daughter’s. I’m too old to care what my parents or my sister think. I don’t have many close friends. I lost them in the divorce, probably because half of them were sleeping with my husband.”

“You’ll care, Lizbeth. It will hurt and you will lose many of them.”

“But no one seems to care about you. You get along just fine,” Lizbeth countered.

“That’s here, on this island. It’s not like this everywhere. I’ve had my share of distasteful comments.”

“So, let’s stay here.”

Gray smiled, but she wasn’t finished. “Honey, I’m trying to tell you that it isn’t going to be all a bed of roses. I can’t grab you and kiss you in public, even here. I’m careful about my actions in front of the locals, because I know if I don’t rub it in their faces, they can deal with it.”

Lizbeth had her doubts. “Come on, Gray. Every one of those people knows who and what you are. They love you anyway.”

“That’s ‘cause I don’t fuck with their wives and the women know I’m not after their husbands. They can be comfortable with the island lesbian as long as she keeps within the proper boundaries.”

Lizbeth tickled one of Gray’s nipples playfully. “Well then, they should be ecstatic that you’re no longer prowling the streets at night.”

Gray squirmed and grabbed Lizbeth’s hand, still trying to be serious, but losing ground rapidly. “I just want you to know what you’re getting yourself into. It’s not going to be as easy as you think.”

“Gray, it’s not going to matter, trust me. I know there isn’t a thing anyone can say or do that will change the way I feel about you.”

Gray was not so sure. “We’ll see.”

“Yes, we will,” Lizbeth said, trying to stand.

Gray pulled her back down. “Where are you going?”

Lizbeth batted her eyelashes, which sent a look of thrill across Gray’s face. Smiling seductively, Lizbeth said, “I was promised a rainy afternoon in bed. I figured if I got off your lap and let you send your emails then it might happen sooner, rather than later.”

Gray pushed Lizbeth off her lap. “You got a point there.”

#

Gray finished her emails quickly and then took Lizbeth upstairs for an afternoon of slow lovemaking. There wasn’t a whole lot of talking. The windows were still covered upstairs, making the room seem even more secluded from the rest of the world. There, beneath the sheets, unspoken promises were made. They fell asleep entwined in each other’s legs and arms. Just before Lizbeth dozed off, she looked at Gray’s face on the pillow next to her. Gray had fallen asleep wearing her special grin. She was at peace and it made Lizbeth love her more.

Later they woke and warmed up the clam chowder. As soon as they finished eating, they were back in bed. Lizbeth just could not get enough of Gray. Luckily, the feeling appeared to be mutual. When Lizbeth’s eyes closed for the last time, before she drifted off, spooning her body into Gray’s, she said a silent prayer.

“Please, God, if this is a dream, do not let me wake up.”

The next morning, Lizbeth woke to find that she was alone in the bed. She looked at the clock. It was six fifteen. Lizbeth climbed out of bed, throwing on Gray’s tee shirt she found on the chair in the corner and went in search of her new love. Lizbeth realized about halfway down the stairs how badly she wished there was a bathroom on the second floor. When she rounded the corner near the bathroom, she heard the water in the shower running.

Lizbeth needed to go to the bathroom. She knocked softly, but didn’t get an answer, so she opened the door, saying, “Gray, I have to go to the bathroom. Do you mind?”

Gray stuck her head out from behind the shower curtain. “Hey good lookin’,” she said. “Come on in.”

Lizbeth took care of business, took off the tee shirt, and pulled the curtain back. Gray grinned, reached out, and pulled Lizbeth into the shower with her. Lizbeth had been accurate in her assumption that a wet, soapy Gray would be sexy, but then a fully clothed Gray nearly took her breath. The wet one sent her to the moon.

After the shower, Gray got dressed quickly. She had to get her boat back in the water and ready for a full day of tour guiding. She promised to come back for Lizbeth in two hours. Gray wanted Lizbeth to spend the day with her on the boat. Lizbeth was left with instructions to get dressed, eat a good breakfast, pack food and water in a cooler, and be ready to go at eight forty-five.

Gray yelled out, over her shoulder, as she jogged toward the back of her house to get the Jeep, “And bring sun screen. Wouldn’t want you to get laid-up for days with a bad burn.” Her laughter followed her until she disappeared behind the house. A few minutes later, Gray pulled out of her driveway, towing the boat on a trailer. She gave one short beep before she drove away. Lizbeth waved to her from the porch and then noticed Fanny watching her from across the street. Fanny waved a hand, holding a dishtowel, in Lizbeth’s direction. Fanny chuckled heartily at the two lovers and then shaking her head, went back in the house.

Lizbeth did as she was told and was waiting on the porch when Gray pulled back into the driveway across the street. She disappeared behind the house and then popped back out, jogging toward Lizbeth’s. Lizbeth’s heart fluttered at the sight of her. Gray didn’t stop at the screen door, but yanked it open and pulled Lizbeth back into her cottage. She started kissing Lizbeth as soon as they crossed the threshold, not even shutting the front door behind them. Gray, it seemed, had missed Lizbeth, a lot.

When they came up for air, Lizbeth said, “Wow, you should go to work more often.”

“I’m not going to get to do that for a while, so I thought I had better when I had the chance,” Gray said, grinning. “Come on, we can’t be late.”

Just that quickly, she pulled Lizbeth out of the house and they were on the way to the docks. Gray didn’t talk much. She seemed preoccupied. Lizbeth thought it was because she was rushed. She had a hard time keeping up with the longer legged Gray. Lizbeth was glad Gray had picked up the cooler for her by the time they reached the dock. It had been a brisk walk.

Before they made the corner of the Kitty Hawk Kites building, Gray stopped and turned to the trailing Lizbeth. Lizbeth suddenly understood why Gray had been so distant.

“Lizbeth,” Gray said, with a cautioning tone. “Now, I couldn’t find anybody else that could do it, and I had to go get you, so please don’t suspect anything.”

Lizbeth’s head tilted to one side in question. She raised one eyebrow. Gray stepped to the side. There leaning on its little kickstand was the red moped. Undoubtedly, the blonde that went with it was nearby. Gray was nervous as a cat and the longer Lizbeth stood there, without saying anything, the more excited Gray got.

“I needed someone to stay with these people and the boat. Everybody was gone or busy. I swear there is always someone down here hanging out, but not today. Then she came by and I asked her to stay.”

Lizbeth, not putting on the happy face Gray was hoping for, asked, “Where did you tell her you were going?”

“I told her I had to go get my girlfriend.”

Lizbeth smirked, but she was playing with Gray now. Gray was in obvious distress. She patted Gray on the chest and then pushed her aside with one hand, saying, “Good answer.”

Lizbeth rounded the corner with Gray hot on her heels. Lizbeth recognized the blond head, seated on a piling. Lizbeth could now see that this was a woman about her own age, maybe older, but still quite a looker.

The woman smiled when she saw Gray coming. She was also checking out Lizbeth heading straight for her. Lizbeth could hardly contain herself. She knew Gray was about to burst behind her, not knowing what Lizbeth was about to do. After all, Gray really barely knew Lizbeth. She could be a crazed maniac when provoked and it would all be a surprise to Gray.

Gray attempted to slow Lizbeth down by saying under her breath, “Lizbeth, this is exactly the kind of behavior I was talking about not having in public.”

Lizbeth looked back over her shoulder with a wicked grin. “And what behavior would that be?”

Lizbeth was too close to the other woman for Gray to answer. Lizbeth could have sworn she heard Gray take a deep breath and hold it. Lizbeth smiled at the blonde, extended her hand, and displayed the charm her mother had paid for.

“Hi, my name is Lizbeth. It was so kind of you to help Gray. Thank you. I don’t know why she insisted on coming to get me. I could have come on my own.”

The woman took Lizbeth’s extended hand and shook it, while giving Lizbeth a shrewd smile. “I have a sneaking suspicion I know why she did.” Then she laughed.