Coming to Grips Ch. 03

"I'm glad she has such a good friend then," Piper said and smiled. "And now I sense you are telling me that it's women like me you are watching out for."

Despite Piper's charm, Colby's look didn't warm up. "Maybe. We are only here tonight with a flight home first thing in the morning. I may be younger than her, but like you said, I've been around the block. Not every pretty woman is a nice one." She looked at Piper and tried to see if she had taken offense. She couldn't see any signs of it.

"I wish I had time to convince you that I'm not like that," Piper told her. "But that is something time shows, not words." She paused and pursed her lips. "Bad shit?" she asked.

"It's her story, but yeah, she has had to deal with a lot," Colby said, unwilling to say anything more.

"Okay. And it isn't going to bother you, me being with her here in front of you?"

Colby slowly shook her head. "I brought her here to meet other lesbians. If it bothers me, I won't let her see it." She didn't pretend that Piper would miss it. "And I want to know if she wants to do something more, that it's her choice, not because someone takes advantage of her."

Before Piper could say anything more, she spotted Suzanne making her way back. "She's coming back," Piper said as she put a little more distance between them. "I'll be nice, promise."

Colby looked intently at Piper for another few seconds before she curtly nodded her head. "Good!"

Turning to look at Suzanne as she got to the table, Piper smiled. Colby's smile took a little longer. Suzanne looked back and forth between them. Something made her slightly suspicious. "What have you two been talking about?" she asked.

Piper glanced at Colby. Half the truth would be enough, she thought to herself. "You have a good friend, Suzanne. Colby just wanted to make sure I didn't have evil intentions. I told her they are only a little evil," she said with a smile.

Despite herself, Colby laughed. "She is charming," she thought. Reaching over, she put her hand on Suzanne's. "I got you into this; I am going to watch out for you." She gave Piper a grudging smile. "I think she's safe. A little evil will do you good."

Usually prickly when it came to her independence, Suzanne found that she didn't mind. On the dance floor, she felt off balance. She didn't know the rules yet, and knowing that Colby was there with a safety net was reassuring. Even better, it seemed like Piper was okay with it too.

"It's good to know you have the Colby seal of approval," Suzanne said.

"Provisional seal of approval, only provisional," Colby corrected. "I only said I think she's safe. I reserve the right to revoke it!"

"Understood," Piper said with a big smile as she looked at Colby. In the light of the bar, Suzanne didn't catch the seriousness in her eyes. Colby however saw it and gave a tiny nod.

The three of them began to talk while they waited for Hattie. The fact that it took almost twice as long for her to return from the bar as Suzanne from the restroom spoke volumes to how busy the bartenders were. They all profusely thanked her as she arrived with all of their drinks on a tray.

"Good thing I used to wait tables!" Hattie told them.

Colby leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Our hero!" she said. Hattie gave her a big smile. It was clear that she wished the kiss had been on the lips. Colby smiled shyly but didn't move to kiss her again. She also avoided Piper's knowing eyes.

"We'll watch the stuff, if you two want to dance," Piper offered after they had been drinking and talking for a while.

"Yeah, it's your turn," Suzanne added.

Hattie got up from the table. "You can't turn down an offer like that," she told Colby.

"You're right. Let's go," Colby said. As she got up, she nimbly avoided letting Hattie take her hand as she moved towards the dancers. Unlike Suzanne, she did not disappear completely into the crowd. She made sure that she could still see their table. She did not have any bad feelings about Piper, but she wasn't going to take chances either. As Hattie started to dance, Colby slowly moved in a circle until Suzanne was in view. Only then, did she give in to the pounding music and really start to dance. Still, Colby wasn't able to lose herself in it. Just as she would start to, she remembered to look over and make sure Suzanne seemed all right. Colby knew it was not fair to Hattie, but her reasons for coming here had changed. It wasn't about her having fun anymore; it was seeing that Suzanne did.

With Colby gone, Piper took her seat and began to talk to Suzanne. Even though she was trying to go slow, Piper found it impossible not to put her hand on Suzanne's thigh. Being close enough to be able to hear each other gave them an intimate feeling. Piper rationalized it as being better than putting her arm around Suzanne. "If she doesn't like it, she will let me know," Piper thought. Even though she jumped a little, Suzanne didn't try to move away.

With Piper, Suzanne did not feel the same connection as with Sandy. She was pretty and Suzanne definitely was attracted, but it was at a physical level rather than an emotional one. With Sandy, it had been easy to open up to her about the details of her life. She just couldn't do that with Piper. Still, she felt like she needed to explain a little. The last thing Suzanne wanted to seem like was some bi-curious tease, too afraid to do anything.

"Thanks again for being understanding. I haven't done anything with a girl since high school. My parents found out and it didn't go well. For them, I've been trying to be straight," Suzanne said. "I don't know that I think I can do that anymore."

From what Colby had said, Piper was sure that Suzanne was holding something back. She didn't mind, nor did she press. "It's fine. Coming out isn't easy. I am happy to just go with whatever you want." She picked up Suzanne's hand and kissed the top of it. When she put it down, Piper didn't let go.

"I have a flight home in the morning," Suzanne said, as if trying to find objections.

"We will just have to enjoy tonight, then," Piper replied.

Suzanne smiled shyly. "I'm running out of excuses, aren't I?"

"I already told you; I'm fine with whatever happens. You don't need excuses." Piper purposefully didn't get any closer to Suzanne. It wasn't just a line about not pressuring her. Even though she did not know her, Piper could tell that coming on strong wouldn't be good for Suzanne. Her steps were already uncertain.

Suzanne looked into Piper's face and tried to guess what was going on in her mind. It was impossible. The only person she could ever do that with was Chloe. Even it was only for an instant, the thought of Chloe was like a stabbing pain. She picked up her drink and downed almost half of it while she forced it away. As she looked back at Piper, she could feel the burn of the alcohol down her throat. Even though it was only her second drink, she felt the effects. "I should have eaten a little more," she thought. The focus at dinner had been the negotiations and she had mostly just nibbled in between talking.

"You are very nice, Piper," Suzanne said with a little smile. She was pretty too. The way she wore her hair complemented her face, showing her strong cheekbones. Now that she was looking closer, Suzanne noticed Piper had a sprinkling of freckles over her nose and cheeks. Her hazel eyes seemed to glow with warmth.

Not even realizing herself that she was doing it, Suzanne leaned forward and kissed Piper. It didn't last long. Piper was surprised enough that she only just started to kiss back when Suzanne pulled away. Her fingers tightened on Suzanne's hand, but she didn't try to extend the kiss.

"That was nice," Piper told Suzanne. "Unexpected, but nice."

Giving Piper another shy smile, Suzanne nodded. "It was." A second later, she giggled a little. "Don't worry, next time I think it will last long enough for you to get in the game." She liked the way that Piper smiled at that.

"A next time? Nice to hear that there will be a next time. I know it wasn't my best effort," Piper said. "I can do better."

That made Suzanne laugh and she moved a little closer to Piper, which made her hand slip farther up Suzanne's thigh. She knew it was from her own movement, not Piper taking advantage. In fact, when Piper started to move her hand back to where it was, Suzanne put her hand under the table and stopped her. "It's fine right where it is," she told Piper.

"Okay. I like having it there." Piper gave a little squeeze. Just like on the dance floor, Suzanne felt her body responding to how Piper was touching her. It didn't seem quite as disconcerting as it had before. Now she started to allow herself to enjoy it. Becoming aroused was such a nice feeling, she thought.

Suzanne picked up her drink and sipped on it as she looked at Piper. Her lips glistened and Suzanne wondered if it was her lip-gloss or a little something left from their brief kiss. She couldn't help thinking about how she looked to Piper. Did her lips look as kissable as Piper's? Without realizing it, she moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. Even though she knew Piper was attracted to her, she couldn't shake her nervousness. Thoughts of that first time with Chloe and how nervous she was, even after Chloe told her how she felt, threatened to crowd into her brain. She fought them away as best she could.

Trying to focus her mind on the moment, Suzanne slowly leaned forward. This time Piper wasn't caught unaware. She waited until she felt Suzanne's soft lips press against her before she moved. At first Piper didn't do anything more than answer the pressure, then she let go of Suzanne's hand and slipped it behind her head. As Suzanne felt Piper's fingers in her hair, she parted her lips in a little sigh. Now Piper took the lead. Her tongue flicked out to trace along Suzanne's lips, feeling how her mouth opened more. She clearly welcomed what Piper was doing.

As Piper's tongue started to pass into Suzanne's mouth, it was met there by Suzanne's tongue. For a second the two tips hesitantly touched, greeting each other; then Piper slid hers in all the way. She could feel Suzanne's tongue swirling around her own, not yet daring to explore Piper's mouth. She pressed harder as Suzanne's excitement began to mount and she opened her mouth wider to let Piper do whatever she wanted in the kiss. From the little noises that Suzanne was making, Piper knew the effect she was having on her. Slowly she began to pull back, her tongue beginning to retreat back into her own mouth. As it did, Suzanne's tongue probed a few uncertain times but Piper ended this kiss. It wouldn't be the last; Piper was certain of that.

When her lips lifted off Suzanne's, Piper opened her eyes. Suzanne still had hers closed, and her lips were still puckered and trying to prolong the kiss. After a moment, her eyes fluttered open. Piper slowly smiled. "See, I told you I could do better," she told Suzanne.

Returning the smile, Suzanne nodded. "It was much better. It will be interesting to see if your improvement stays on the same trajectory."

"That is a pretty steep curve," Piper replied. "I'm not sure if I can maintain it, but I'll try." Leaning forward, Piper initiated the next kiss. As their lips touched, they both closed their eyes and ignored everything else.

From the dance floor, Colby saw the beginnings of the third kiss, just as she had watched as Suzanne kissed Piper before. "I guess she's really interested," she thought to herself. It made her feel a little easier, having seen how Piper held back. Maybe she really was one of the nice ones. Still checking occasionally, Colby tried to shift her focus and enjoy dancing with Hattie. She felt bad for somewhat ignoring her. On the other hand, Colby wasn't sure if Hattie had even noticed. She certainly wasn't as insightful as Piper was. At the very least, she was hiding it very well if she realized that Colby was distracted.

As the song ended and a new one replaced it, Colby tried to make up for it. She reached up, put her hand behind Hattie's neck, and danced very close to her. Her body brushed against Hattie's in time with the music. It took Hattie a little bit to match it. Colby thought how Suzanne seemed to have more grace even though she was even taller than Hattie was. She could never get quite in sync with Hattie, not for any extended period. For a few brief moments, they moved as one but then Hattie would lose it. They always recovered and brought it back, but as much as Colby tried, it didn't last.

As the song ended, Colby took Hattie by the hand. "I could use a break, and a little of my drink," she told Hattie. She had checked the table already to make sure that Suzanne and Piper weren't in the middle of something. They were just talking now, faces close to each other. Before that had just been a requirement to be heard; now there was a feeling of intimacy in the way they leaned closer. Even though she felt a little tightness inside, Colby tried to feel good about the steps Suzanne was taking in opening up.

"Hey you two," Colby said. "I hope we aren't interrupting anything good." She had on a smile. Hopefully even the insightful Piper wasn't able to see through it. It was hard to tell since Piper barely glanced at her. Her focus was Suzanne.

"Not at all," Suzanne said with a sunny smile of her own. "We are just getting to know each other. Piper's a physical therapist. She has some funny stories about how people hurt themselves." She gave Piper an affectionate look before looking back at Colby. "Did you have fun dancing?"

Before Colby had a chance to say anything, Hattie spoke up. "It was great. She has some sweet moves."

Colby smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah, it was fun." She looked over her shoulder towards the restrooms. "I think it's my turn now. I'll watch the table and you can dance when I get back." Picking up her glass, she took a sip before moving off towards the back of the club. Hattie thought about following her but decided not to.

"You two seem to be hitting it off," Hattie said as she leaned up against the table. "I wish I was doing as well with Colby." Piper looked away, keeping whatever thoughts she had to herself.

"Dancing was fun, right?" Suzanne asked.

"It was. I'm just not sure how much she was into it, though the last dance was better," Hattie replied. She looked at Suzanne. "Help me out. You're her friend. What would get her to like me more?"

Suzanne felt her insides squirm a little. Hattie seemed nice, but her loyalties were with Colby.

"Hey, that's not cool," Piper broke in. "You are putting Suzanne in an awkward spot." It might be easier if Colby was occupied with Hattie, but Piper still didn't like it, especially with Suzanne's underlying nervousness.

Suzanne glanced gratefully over at Piper before looking back at Hattie. "I'm the wrong person to ask. I've only known her a few weeks anyway, and this is the first time we've gone out like this." When Hattie seemed skeptical, Suzanne felt a tiny flare of irritation. "She is either going to like you for you, or she won't. I know that much about her." Her voice betrayed how she felt.

Hattie nodded. "Okay, not a problem. Wasn't looking for state secrets, you know. I just wondered if you had a suggestion." She looked over towards the restrooms and took a few sips of her drink.

Gradually the tension dissipated. The three woman started to talk again. There was still a slight awkwardness to it, but Suzanne thought that was mostly because Hattie felt like a third wheel. Hattie was just talking to pass the time. Most of her attention was on checking if Colby was returning. Suzanne wasn't sure but it seemed like it was taking longer than her own trip to the restroom. She felt Piper's fingers start moving on her inner thigh, making slow circles. Flashing Piper a smile, she leaned in and gave her a brief kiss. Piper didn't try to draw it out. Neither one of them felt like making out in front of Hattie. Still, Suzanne moved slightly closer when it ended and put her head on Piper's shoulder.

When Hattie perked up, Suzanne guessed that Colby must be coming back. "She looks irritated though," Suzanne thought. Looking in the direction Hattie was, it wasn't too hard to figure out why. Colby was chatting with a pretty Asian woman as they walked back. They weren't touching, but they both had on big smiles as if they were enjoying each other's company. They both had a drink in their hand.

"Hey there," Colby said as she got to the table. "This is Lily. We were standing in line together." She introduced the other three women to her. Hattie was civil, but just barely. Suzanne watched as Colby met Hattie's eyes. There was a touch of defiance in them. Lily barely glanced at Hattie as she was introduced. Suzanne guessed that she already knew about Hattie before she got to the table.

"She must not really like Hattie," Suzanne though to herself. The Colby she had gotten to know was polite and not the kind to tease someone. Nor was she likely to lead someone on. She tried to think how to help her friend out. She didn't dislike Hattie, but she also had no loyalty to her.

"So Lily, what do you do?" Suzanne asked her. Lily smiled gratefully and started to explain that she was a stockbroker. As the women talked, Suzanne subtly checked Lily out. She had to smile at herself; her experience in hiding her interest in women might still have some value as no one seemed to notice it. She thought that Lily was very pretty, with her hair in a wedge cut so that it framed her face. Her eyes were dark and accentuated with heavier eyeliner that brought out an exotic look. She had on a short black dress that exposed most of her legs. It was tight and showed off what curves she had, which weren't big. Lithe was the word that came to Suzanne's mind. Her breasts were small, maybe even less than Suzanne's own, but that didn't seem to bother her in the slightest. Suzanne admired how comfortable she seemed to be with her body.

"Colby, would you like to dance again?" Hattie asked, breaking into the conversation. It ground to an instant stop. Suzanne couldn't help glancing at Colby. She didn't look angry; instead it seemed like an expression of sad acceptance to Suzanne.

"Not right now, Hattie but thanks," Colby said. "I'm having fun talking." She turned away and started to talk again. Now Hattie was clearly upset. Colby had been nice about it, but her lack of interest was obvious. Finally, Colby broke off what she was saying and looked over at Hattie. Sighing, she moved a little closer to Hattie so that she could speak in her ear.

"I'm just here for a night to have a drink and a little fun," Colby said in as low a tone as she could and still be heard. "I'm not looking to hook up.""

"I thought you were having fun with me," Hattie told her. "You go to the bathroom and come back with another woman?"

"I told you; I just want to have a fun evening. I had fun dancing but I wasn't here with you, Hattie." Colby could feel the tension in Hattie. "Buying me a drink and dancing a couple of dances doesn't give you any rights over me." Colby looked Hattie straight in the eyes until finally Hattie blinked and looked away. A moment later, she took a step away from the table.

"I guess I will see you all some other time," Hattie said. Looking at Colby, Hattie added, "Have fun." She turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd.

Suzanne let out the breath that she hadn't even realized she was holding. "I guess going to a lesbian bar is a lot like going to a regular bar. Meeting women can be as weird as meeting guys."

Colby smiled at her and nodded. She turned to Lily. "Suzanne's trying life out of the closet for the first time," she said, providing the simplest explanation.

"Cool!" Lily said to Suzanne. "Welcome to the light!" Something about how Colby pursed her lips let Lily know to leave it at that.