Billy’s POV
“They make a cute couple, don’t they?”
Billy looked up at the question and found Max standing beside her. She followed Max’s gaze and landed right where she’d been staring; Jesse and Alex, dancing, holding each other, whispering what appeared to be sweet nothings to each other and laughing. “Uh, yeah, they do,” she said.
If the ocean view had been scenic, it paled in comparison to Jesse. She moved with such ease, laughed with such mirth and fit in so perfectly with the rest of people in the room, Billy wished she was hers.
She loved Alex as a sibling would love another and she wanted to keep whatever she felt for Jesse to herself but, watching her, seeing her again, especially that evening right before they had come to the party, it killed her.
It didn’t matter how short a period of time they had known each other, their attraction was as mutual as it was undeniable. That evening at Jesse’s house when Billy had gone to see her, she’d been so close to taking her in her arms again. It hurt her finger tips that Jesse could be so close yet so dreadfully far away.
“Are you and Kim alright?” Max asked.
Kim had walked out shortly after their argument. It annoyed Billy that she could so easily act like the victim when she was the one who had initiated the argument. After Billy had gone back to the house, Kim had come to talk to her, or rather try to force her to talk. Billy had not been in the mood, so she’d stayed quiet, knowing she’d not say something pleasant.
When Kim had poked her enough, Billy had acted upon her anger and Kim had decided to create a bigger scene than there had been need to. After a long fruitless and heated discussion, she’d walked out. Billy wasn’t bothered about going after her. Maybe it was time Kim learned that what had been there between them was now over.
“I’m good, but I can’t say the same for Kim,” she said.
“Do you think she’s going to be okay?” Max asked.
“I don’t know,” she said. As much as she didn’t return Kim’s feelings, she still cared for her as a friend.
“Don’t you think you should go after her?”
She had no intention of doing so. Before she could voice that, Alex and Jesse joined them. She cleared her throat and tipped her baseball cap a little more over her eyes. She was afraid that her hungry gaze at Jesse would give her away.
“Is everything okay?” Alex asked.
“Billy and Kim had an argument and Kim stalked out. I was asking Billy if she’s going after her in case something happens,” Max explained.
“I don’t think that would be a good idea. Kim is upset with Billy and Billy is upset with Kim. If she goes after her, it will only make the matter worse,” Alex said.
“So what do you suggest we do? It’s late and we can’t just leave her out there. Anything could happen,” Max said.
“Why don’t I go? I know the beach pretty well, I know where she’s likely to go and I think she might find it easier to talk to me since I’m Billy’s best friend,” Alex suggested.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Max said.
After that, Max walked back to Joss and Alex turned her attention to Jesse. “You’re comfortable, right? Because I don’t want to leave you here if it’ll make you uneasy,” she said.
“I’m okay, go, I’ll be fine,” Jesse said.
Billy watched in surprise as Alex took Jesse in her arms and kissed her. It wasn’t a light little kiss, or a peck on the cheek, it was a full on kiss that crushed her heart underneath her chest. She had not been aware their relationship had progressed thus far.
“I’ll see you in a bit,” Alex said, then walked away.
Jesse’s fingertips were on her lips the moment Alex pulled away. She looked a little embarrassed and Billy didn’t know to expect that sharp spike of jealousy that suddenly attacked her.
“Didn’t know you two lovebirds have been shacking up,” she said.
A part of her wished she’d not said it because it expressed her own discomfort at their display of affection but, part of her wanted to taunt Jesse with it.
“We haven’t and even if we were, it would be none of your business,” Jesse said. She straightened up, as if expecting more fire, but Billy had nothing to say.
“I’m sorry about Kim,” Jesse said.
Billy looked at her, searching for genuine concern but she didn’t know what she found. Jesse knew how to conceal her feelings, she knew how to conceal what she was thinking and that made it hard for Billy to know anything.
“Do I still have a shot?” she asked, since she couldn’t read it from Jesse’s blank-faced expression.
The rise of her eyebrow expressed surprise and the nervous movement of her hands showed discomfort. Since Billy was a little drunk, she figured she’d blame it on the alcohol so she rose to her feet and met Jesse’s composed gaze.
“I asked you a question,” she said.
“You had one, this evening when you came over. Not anymore,” Jesse said.
“What has changed between then and now?” Billy asked.
Jesse moved her fingertips to her lips, which was a clear indication.
“You like her,” Billy said.
Jesse nodded.
“But you still like me too,” Billy said.
If Jesse would not communicate with words, Billy could read her body language, that she was sure would not lie.
“She’s your friend, Billy. She doesn’t deserve this,” Jesse said.
“No she doesn’t, but it has already happened and neither one of us can take it back. And even if we could, do you honestly think you would?”
Jesse turned away but she did not move. Billy surveyed the room. Lana and Jade were still dancing while Max and Joss were making out on one of the seats. No one was paying any bit of attention to them, so Billy was going to get her answers.
“Let’s not do this here,” Jesse said.
“Let’s go out to the balcony,” Billy suggested.
“No, I mean let’s not do it here or now,” Jesse said.
She was putting up walls and Billy was going to crush them down. “I’ll kiss you, right here, in front of everyone if you don’t go out to the balcony with me,” she said.
It wasn’t meant to sound like a threat but it came out as one. When Jesse turned to face her, there was a menacing look in her eyes.
“You wouldn’t dare. These are your friends. You care about Alex. You wouldn’t do that in front of them,” she said.
Well, that was true but there was always a first. With everyone as distracted at they were, Billy could do anything. And Jesse made it sound like a dare, one Billy was not going to back out of. “Are you sure about that?” she asked, slightly tilting her head to the side.
Jesse appeared to be thinking about it. The ‘ready-to-do-it-look’ in Billy’s eyes must have scared her because she turned and walked out. Billy followed after her.
She wasn’t prepared for the cool breeze that slapped her hard across the face, sending shivers all through her body and momentarily sobering her up.
“Well, here we are. What do you want to know?” Jesse asked. The tone of her voice indicated she was upset and Billy did not blame her.
Now that they were alone, she had no idea what to say. She did not even know what she’d wanted to learn. What was she thinking? Why was she trying to complicate matters?
“Well, do you want to know if I like you more than I like Alex? Is that what this is about?” Jesse asked.
Billy stayed silent.
“You are a coward. I gave you an option this evening and you chose to keep what happened between us silent. Now that I like Alex, you want to come in and what? Find out if I still like you? I’m not this person, Billy. I don’t date two women at the same time. I don’t sleep with two women at the same time. You made a choice for me. Now stick with it,” Jesse said.
When she turned to leave, Billy didn’t know what came over her but the next thing she knew, her arms were grabbing Jesse and she was crushing her with her lips. Jesse fought her off for a couple of seconds before she melted into the kiss and started responding.
Their passion was inflammable. Jesse’s lips set Billy on fire and every part of her that had been silent awoke in havoc. Her arms encircled around Jesse’s petite waist as she held her closer, grinding their bodies against each other.
She thought she’d explode from the excitement the kiss created in her, but she forced herself to relax and eased the kiss. Jesse did not pull away as she’d expected, which made her give herself into, letting Jesse take as much as she wanted while receiving doubly as much in return. She was shocked at how amazing it felt.
They pulled away in unison and the warmth that had settled between them both expelled itself from their bodies, creating a calm serene atmosphere around them.
“Oh, my God!”
Billy heard someone say and turned around right at the same time that Jesse did.
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