Chapter 17

Between last minute changing and assuring Thea twice over she was okay on homework (true enough—for definitions of okay that included planning to catch up this weekend), Dana was a couple minutes late. She hated being late. Zoe didn’t seem to mind, though.

Zoe wore a low-cut spaghetti-strap top with a strapless bra and a miniskirt. No matter what Dana’s opinion was of underwires, it certainly would have everyone looking at her chest—Dana included.

It was warm enough for Bob’s—but not, given Zoe’s outfit, to eat outside the car. That was okay, especially given The Bribe’s wide front seat. She had fun coaxing Zoe to eat fries, feeding them to her one at a time. She wasn’t sure why a girl as active as a cheerleader had to watch her weight, anyway. Especially given her full figure. She told her that.

Zoe thrust her breasts out. “You think so?”

“I know so.”

“You,” Zoe said, “are a flirt and a tease.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.”

“In that case, you’d better warn the others. Have another fry.” Dana held it out, until Zoe let her pop it in her mouth.

There was something to be said about being with a girl who wanted girls, knew she wanted girls, and wanted you. One you’d promised a good time, and wanted it.

Though the thought did make Dana wonder. Not that she wanted to look a gift dating pool in the mouth, but as she drove to the theater, she asked, “So why are cheerleaders bi, anyway?”

“What do you mean, why?” Zoe looked confused by the question. “Duh.”

So helpful, Dana thought. Not that it was clear Zoe understood the concept of pickiness, let alone being picky based on gender. “Never mind.”

At the theater, they picked a different comedy. It was surprisingly well-attended, too—there were very few seats with no one nearby. Which meant they couldn’t make out in the dark. Unless you counted Zoe’s hand slowly wandering up and down Dana’s upper thigh—and higher. Which made it doubly unfair that Dana, with her arm around Zoe’s shoulder, couldn’t fondle the breast right below her hand, let alone work under the top. Or reach further down to caress a full hip.

Zoe’s fingers so turned Dana on, she couldn’t concentrate on the movie. She barely saw the second half through a sparkling haze—like she’d been pressing her eyes, or was about to pass out. Any time she tried to do the same to Zoe, the girl squirmed away or otherwise fended her off.

And she called Dana a tease?

When the movie was over, Zoe took her time coming out of the restroom. Dana paced back and forth, jangling her keys until she put them away. By the time Zoe appeared, Dana had cooled down enough she didn’t immediately carry the girl out over her shoulder and throw her into her back seat. She’d wait till they were by the car to do that.

Zoe burbled about the movie as they walked out, wandering from one side of Dana to the other like a restless toddler. She didn’t literally bounce off the walls, but she did bounce in her top. And at the edge of the parking lot, Zoe did a forwards hand stand on the low metal railing. She was wearing colored cheerleader panties. She even started doing a split, but as she moved, her barely held breasts fell out of her top.

Zoe yelped and toppled off the railing into Dana’s arms. Oh great—Dana was holding an upside-down cheerleader making an exhibition of herself. Dana tried to throw Zoe in her arms, twisting her around to upright—it was a harder move than college cheerleaders made it look. She staggered with Zoe lying in her arms, her breasts in her face. She quickly put Zoe down on her feet.

“Thank you,” Zoe said with sham primness. She faced away from the cars to stuff her tits back in her top. Irrationally, Dana wanted to stop her, to leave them free—but not here. She looked around to make sure no one was watching. “That wasn’t a bad toss,” Zoe said as she turned back to face Dana. “Have you considered trying out for the squad?”

“No,” Dana said with complete honesty. What, a tall flat-foot like her, a cheerleader? “I can’t do a cartwheel to save my life.”

“No? Oh, well.” Zoe ran her toe in an arc along the ground, then turned the motion into a step towards the car. Dana followed her.

“Besides,” Dana added, “I’m too into basketball to give it up.” She shrugged. “It’s what I can do.”

“Not the only thing.” Back to teasing.

That was too much. Dana caught Zoe by the waist and bent to kiss her. Zoe responded with mouth open, arms wrapped around her neck. After a moment, she hopped onto Dana, wrapping her legs around Dana’s hips. Dana braced her legs and held the girl, hands under her full thighs.

Zoe tasted of molasses and bees-wax lip balm. Her mouth was wider than Nikki’s, more eager—Dana couldn’t help comparing.

Zoe broke off. “What is it?” She rubbed her nose against Dana’s. Her eyes were hazel when she was aroused—striking, with the red highlights in her hair.

“This is a little public, don’t you think?”

“Aw, come on.” Zoe moved against Dana. “It’s not like anyone will get the wrong idea.”

“Still,” Dana said. If this were California, and they weren’t standing under a streetlamp, Dana wouldn’t have worried about it—but they were in Riverton. And she had never liked performing for others. Sex was private, dammit.

“You are a stick in the mud, that’s what you are.” Zoe swung herself off Dana and out of her arms. “I know just the place to go.” She opened the car door and jumped inside. Dana closed it and shivered for a moment, before walking around to the driver’s side.

Zoe directed her through a route Dana didn’t recognize till they reached the destination: the same city park she’d been with Nikki, their first time out. She parked under the oleander. But they didn’t go parking.

“Come on,” Zoe said, as she pushed between two bushes. Dana followed, bemused.

On the other side was a wooden picnic table, lit in fragments by streetlight across the park, framed by two trees: one bare, the other a dark juniper. Zoe caught her hand, led her to the table.