Christmas Ripples

"That's all I ask!" He said with a wide grin, gave her another hug, then Steph, whispering something in her ear too, causing her to blush and look at Paula in surprise.

Nick wished them both well and danced off, heading to the other group. Steph leaned in close to her, with the surprise still on her face.

"She, er, he told me to take care of you, if we ever got together! He even said that he'd steal you off me if I didn't!"

"What?"

She nodded, but gave her a smile, asking, "What was he saying to you?"

"He spun me some original lines that I've never heard before."

"OMG, he came on to you?"

She put a strong inflection on 'you'.

"Yes, ME. To be honest, after earlier and the luck I've had this last couple of years, it would be tempting... If I'd been alone."

She looked at Steph, a little annoyed.

"We agreed it was both or nothing tonight. I am hurt that you can't understand why he'd chosen me over you."

"No, that's not what I thought at all."

Paula glared back at her friend, her face showing contempt.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. It's just why would he turn this down?"

She ran her hands down her body, rippling the sequins to catch the lights, which stressed her slight curves even more.

"Because I'd scream in bed, not at the first broken nail, his words, not mine."

"Really? Would you turn me down?"

Paula replied instantaneously, "No." She gasped at her admission to stutter, "But.. But then I've had long enough to get used to your little whines over broken nails..."

Steph clamped up, digesting her friend's comment, trying to cover her reaction up by reaching for her cocktail and drinking. Paula blushed, kicking herself for her, spilling her private thoughts out after promising herself years ago to keep those feelings locked away. She also hid behind her glass, turning to watch Nick chatting with the giggling group, now with a pang of jealousy.

The eighties disco beat turned up a notch with a more buoyant, frivolous track. Steph, seeing her friend's discomfort, put her drink down and pulled Paula further into the floor to encourage her into some more energetic dancing.

Everyone sang along with the chorus,

'Girls just want to have fu'un... Oh, girls just want to have fu'uuunnn...'

Paula and Steph joined in, laughing, wiping the slate clean, although Paula's mind ran with thoughts she'd long hidden away.

'God, she's bloody sexy...'

'How does she keep her boobs in place with that low slung, open back?'

'What would it be like, kissing her whilst slipping those shoulder straps off,

letting her dress fall to the floor.'

She scolded herself, telling her it was some kind of transference of attraction, not having had sex for months. Sure, when younger, she'd yearned to kiss her friend or touch her, but she ignored it as teenage infatuation or a part of growing sexual naivety or experimentation, although never put it into practice.

She pushed those feeling back down, laughing and chastising herself, that their ongoing relationship was far more important than some badly, fumbled approach. She redoubled her efforts to focus on the now, whist enjoying dancing with her best friend, in what now felt like a very safe environment to relax and let themselves go.

They both got more enthusiastic over the next few tracks that bled well into each other, with the fervour of the surrounding dancers. As the number on the dance floor increased, the pair happily danced closer, sometimes holding hands to spin together or the other.

As the tunes slowed, they took the chance to catch their breaths and drink the last of their drinks.

Paula waved her empty glass, suggesting she go to refill and Steph stay with their bags and keep their little haven. She nodded, and Paula set off with her clutch to the bar.

She spied Nick dancing slowly with a tall, ponytailed girl wearing a tight, faux leather skater dress and pvc leggings. He saw her watching and drifted his hand around to her bum, giving it a squeeze whilst winking at her. She laughed and shook her head to continue on her way.

It didn't take long for her to get served, but seeing the staff prepare to close, Paula added shots along with their cocktails. As she waited, a soft voice came on her right side and she turned to find the owner of a well-tanned hand that settled on hers.

A tall, tanned, dark-haired woman with glasses smiled affectionately at her. She wore a loose silver sequined top that hid her waist and her black silken locks flowed over. Highly polished black latex leggings emerged from beneath, with high stiletto ankle boots. Her low-cut neckline hung in large folds that framed her cleavage. Her hand squeezed Paula's, and she repeated her request. "Let me pay for those drinks."

Paula couldn't believe how politely they'd been approached on both occasions and looking into her brown eyes, she could see rather than the hunger of the hunt, or lust, there was a plea of friendship or something more.

"I'm sorry, it's really sweet of you, but I can't."

"You don't need to do anything. Just let me pay and get to know you."

Her voice dripped with desire.

"No, honestly, my friend and I are happy as we are. Thanks."

"Are you sure about that? I've been watching you for a while and she doesn't appreciate you... As I would."

She drifted a finger in a circular motion over the back of her hand.

"But we're not a couple. We're straight."

The stranger gave a little smile with a shrug.

"I'm sorry, but it does look like you and your friend are together... Maybe if you took time to get to know me, you'd change your mind?"

Thankfully, Paula had her credit card ready, so as their drinks arrived and the staff member rang the till up, she flashed it across the card reader. She saw a slight disappointment cross the stranger's face, that changed to a cute pout.

"I... I'm sorry, but we've already had a round brought for us tonight and I don't want people thinking we're leading anyone on... But you are a stunningly attractive woman and there is bound to be someone out there for you."

"Shame I thought she might be you."

Paula blushed, flattered that she'd received two proposals. Both of which were welcoming and politely done.

The stranger offering her hand to shake, smiling.

"Hi, I'm Miya."

"Paula."

They shook, but she still felt a little shy, having just turned her down.

"Apologies. If you change your mind, you know where to find me, any Monday night. They're also having a New Year's Eve party here."

"Thanks, I'll remember that."

Miya gave her a warm smile, and walked through a gap in the crowd, slinking away as if on a catwalk. Possibly knowing that she was being watched. Paula wondered why two people had singled her out when you'd assume that Steph would be their first option, as she was in the straight world, by men.

It then struck her,

'What if one of Miya's friends were doing the same with Steph?'

She picked up the tray with the drinks and returned to the dance floor. As she got close, she was relieved when she saw Steph alone.

"Hi, everything okay?"

"Yeah, sorry, I took ages. Did anyone approach you?"

"No. You weren't that long and I could see you through the crowd, especially now things have quietened down."

Paula placed the tray down and offered Steph a shot glass and picked up hers.

"You'll never guess. I got chatted up again!"

"No! By that tall, dark-haired woman?"

She sipped her drink.

"Yeah, yet another offer to buy our drinks."

Steph glanced at the drink in her hands, "Mmm cherry, nice. Did she?"

"No. I felt guilty as I turned her down, but I didn't want to lead her up the garden path, so I confessed we're straight."

Paula took her turn, enjoying the sweet syrup like flavoured alcohol as soon as it touched her lips, then slid down her tongue, and tingled her tonsils. She nodded, smiling at Steph, agreeing with the taste.

"But what made you think someone had chatted me up?"

"Well, you know? Me, the frumpy size fourteen being brought drinks by a sexy, olive-skinned beauty..."

She frowned, as if the solution was blindingly obvious.

"Er, no, and you're not frumpy."

"Oh, come on, Steph? Be realistic, don't be nice. I've seen myself in the mirrors and the windows with a midriff bulge that will take Lindsay another month or two of pregnancy to replicate."

Steph shook her head, frustrated, and emptied the rest of her drink, hoping for some courage and the right words to answer her. Coughing as the sharpness of the alcohol took over from the cherry.

"So, you think she lost the toss and to distract you from returning to me, whilst her friend would be successfully prying me, the sexy size ten, away from a lifetime of being straight and into her arms..."

She flung her hands open, palm side up, pulling an exasperated face.

"I know!"

Then Paula realised how ridiculous it sounded and downed the rest of her shot glass.

"Well, now you say it like that."

"I'd prefer to think that they saw the sexy, slinky dancer who has a huge kind heart, with that relationship radar gay people have, and wanted to steal my best friend from me."

She rushed forward and hugged her.

With her arms trapped beneath Steph's, she placed her glass on a nearby table and returned her squeeze. For the first time, she noticed their breasts pressing against each other, hoping that this was no polite, friendly hug. Steph held her tightly as one hand drifted up between her shoulder blades whilst the other remained in the small of her back.

She enjoyed inhaling Steph's deodorant resting her head on the sequins on her shoulder, feeling her body's warmth as it rose and fell with breathing, her breasts tucked beneath Steph's. Paula felt the same tingle of excitement run through her she'd normally reserve for a partner, rather than a friend, as her nipples hardened and her repressed thoughts returned. With the hug extending, she spoke loud enough over the music for Steph to hear.

"Gaydar, it's called gaydar, but I'm not gay."

The pressure from her hands relaxed, allowing Paula to look up at her, and for a moment, she thought, no hoped, they were going to kiss. Steph suddenly double blinked, as if rebooting and they separated, both embarrassed, looking around, but no one noticed the two women's affectionate actions amongst all the other same-sex couples.

Paula surprised herself in feeling disappointed that her friend hadn't kissed her. She turned to reach for her cocktail, but in reality, she wanted to check her reflection in the mirrored wall, in case her nipples were obvious through the dress. Steph popped into the reflection, peering over her shoulder, placing her hands on her hips to give her a slight squeeze, causing the tingles in her breasts to increase, as they ached to be caressed.

"There's no bulging midriff. Like me, they just see the wonderful woman I know, nothing more. Even Nick was ready to dump me for you when you arrived at the bar earlier."

Paula blushed, collected her glass and turned to break Steph's hold on her, bringing it to her lips to hide behind. She looked into her bright blue eyes, trying to understand what all this meant. Was this just the alcohol talking and blurring their reality, or were things changing between them?

Steph read her mind and also went to sip her drink, putting some space between them. The DJ's voice stumbled over the distorted sound system, giving some garbled announcement that neither friend could fully decipher, but the regular crowd cheered and the dance floor geared up for the next track that suddenly stormed through clearer and crisp.

The first bars of music were enough, as they both knew the track like everyone else in the bar. They returned their glasses to the safety of the shelf and they bounced onto the floor. They'd previously danced to this dozens of times together before.

Although, now they held hands, bouncing on the balls of their feet and somehow, this time, Paula felt the song meant something more to them. Everyone sang with gusto, along with the two friends.

'THIS WAS NEVER THE WAY I PLANNED'

'NOT MY INTENTION'

'I GOT SO BRAVE, DRINK IN HAND.'

They all mimed having a drink in their hands. Paula found her eyes drifting down from Steph's singing lips to her pert breasts, loving how they flowed with her bouncing body.

'LOST MY DISCRETION'

'IT'S NOT WHAT I'M USED TO'

Conscious of staring, she looked up to see Steph looking down, for her to realise she was admiring her cleavage, which she knew was fighting to escape their confines. Surprise ran through her, and then excitement, hoping her nipples were making themselves known, to entice her hands to caress them.

'JUST WANNA TRY YOU ON'

'I'M CURIOUS FOR YOU'

Was Steph curious, as she was for her?

'CAUGHT MY ATTENTION'

In the pause before the chorus, Paula saw the crowd moved together to kiss, she glanced back at Steph to see her eyes, pop up from her chest and look hesitant, but before she could act the lyrics cut in and they both joined in with song.

'I KISSED A GIRL AND I LIKED IT'

'THE TASTE OF HER CHEERY CHAPSTICK'

A flash of panic ran over Steph's face, before she shot forwards to kiss a quick peck on her lips, leaving Paula shocked and surprised.

'I KISSED A GIRL JUST TO TRY IT.'

Both stared at each other, still dancing but no longer singing, eyes bulging, Paula tried to understand. Was this just a drunken flirt, a meme, or a friend acting out the song? She missed a few lines, dumbfounded. Not daring to hope.

'DON'T MEAN I/M IN LOVE TONIGHT'

They rejoined the sing-a-long. Steph looked more assured, whereas Paula fought her fears, doubts, and hopes. There was no one here they knew. It would go no further. This was just them, alone, together. Had Miya and Nick seen something that now Steph saw in her?

'I KISSED A GIRL AND I LIKED IT'

'I LIKED IT'

In the pause, before she could react, Steph pulled her in, but this time her lips remained and her tongue pushed through, giving Paula a taste of cherry and then the orange of their cocktail.

'Fuck, she means it!'

Her heart pounded as waves of emotion spread through her and her legs felt weak as old desires rose back to the surface. Paula stopped dancing, like a rabbit caught in headlights, looking at the cheeky grin on her friend's face as she continued to dance and sing with the crowd.

Steph's arms and nods encouraged Paula to rejoin her, but she struggled to match the beat once more. Her mind ran riot with what her body was telling her, desiring Steph's touch and caresses. Whilst she sang the next lines of lyrics, the pause before the chorus was on her before she could react.

Steph's lips landed on hers once more, and her tongue explored Paula's mouth with vigour as her heart melted. This was no drink induced dalliance, and she reacted. She grasped Steph's waist, holding her, as their tongues engaged themselves in a tango growing desire... Steph pulled her in closer and her hands ran across her shoulder blades.

They ignored the chorus as they briefly withdrew to suck on bottom lips and give sloppy, joyous kisses before returning for more. Paula's hand ran up the bare skin of Steph's open low slung back of her dress, wanting to release her from the confines and dance naked with her.

Waves of excitement ran through her and Paula could feel the passion within Steph as her fingers toyed over the soft material that separated them. She felt her sharp, sensitive nipples move across the course, ripples of sequins exciting her, even through the lace of her bra, and that little tingle between her legs warned her that her thong would now be damp.

This time when they broke, as they continued to dance, their fingers clasped lovingly locked together as they gleefully giggled, seeing acceptance in each other's faces. They rejoined the crowd's singing.

'US GIRLS, WE ARE SO MAGICAL'

'SOFT SKIN, RED LIPS, SO KISSABLE'

Never had the words of the song resonated so deeply with Paula, making so much more sense.

'HARD TO RESIST, SO TOUCHABLE'

Steph's eyes reflected a similar revelation, causing Paula's heart to flip inside her chest. Were all those one-night stands and boyfriends before just a distraction until now?

'TOO GOOD TO DENY IT'

Steph stopped singing, ginning at Paula, refusing to sing:

'AIN'T NO BIG DEAL, IT'S INNOCENT'

Her face shone as the lights above flashed across it, making her look like an angel, as the pause brought their lips back together. Paula's tongue met Steph's, giggling in passion, both pairs of breasts heaving as their hands gripped each other. They separated just in time to sing out.

'I KISSED A GIRL AND I LIKED IT...'

They continued the dance and as it ended, they met in an enormous hug, with Paula looking over her shoulder, almost crying in elation as Steph span her round in joy. Across the floor, she saw Nick, grinning at her with both his thumbs up in the air and nodded to the woman hung around his neck.

Steph released her and they both moved back to their glasses on the shelf, without saying a word, both avoiding the other's gaze, neither sure what to say or where they go after that display of affection. They sipped their drinks, both peering over the top edges of the wide glasses, pretending to watch something in the distance.

The DJ gave another muffled, distorted announcement they could only discern as 'Winding Down.'

"I'll phone for Alison."

Steph volunteered as she tapped at her screen and headed for the bathroom, hoping it was quieter. When she returned, she confirmed.

"We've twenty to thirty minutes, but she'll meet us at the car park down the road, so she doesn't have to argue with other waiting clientele outside, as it is still busy around town."

They finished their drinks and saw the crowd at the temporary cloak room. They headed to join the melee. It took a while, but eventually they reached the table.

Their turn came soon enough and as Paula handed over their tickets, she pointed to the coats at the end of a rack. Jackie returned them, asking if they'd enjoyed themselves and invited them to return the following Monday, or come to the New Year's Eve party. They said they might and headed away from the crowd.

"Alison's just text. She could be a further twenty minutes."

Steph confirmed with a grimace.

The DJ had finished and a few people were hanging around despite the bar, now refusing any new custom whilst they tidied up.

"Nick seems to have pulled," Steph chuckled, nodding over to the far side of the dance floor where he was necking with the young lady he'd been dancing with.

"I saw him earlier during a slow number with her. He looks happy!"

"Once he stops eating her face, maybe we'll see!!"

"Ha ha... Hopefully, he'll be putting that strapon to good use later."

"Where does he hide it? Those jeans are way too tight to fit in a pocket and he doesn't have a handbag?"

"Inside his pants, of course!"

Steph's jaw hit the floor in shock.

"I thought that was a sock!"

"Nope... He offered me a ride."

The pair cackled with laughter, hugging each other whilst trying not to make it obvious what they were laughing about. Paula pulled Steph to the exit, not wanting Nick to see them watching him or his girlfriend. As the door opened, an icy blast struck them, causing them to step back inside and slip their coats on.

When they exited, it wasn't as big a shock to their systems, as they tightened their coats around them, both wishing their legs weren't so exposed. They clung onto each other as they headed down the road, with the freezing wind coming from behind.