Eva's Valentine's Day Choices

"NuttyNatty, Haha, I like her. Nice photos. She likes similar things and her comment was nicely poetic. You need to reply to her."

Mandy passed Eva her phone back, as Eva began typing replies. Passing the phone back to her campaign manager to approve, then send, they then worked through the others.

"Phew, I feel more confident now. There are other women out there that aren't pony nuts. Let's hope MaggieWill95 will be more compatible and there won't be any need for my ex to turn up to save the day."

"Here's hoping, then I can finish browsing the lingerie section."

"Umm, can you wear the same as today?"

"I can't wear the same. I've not worn anything but hoodies for months... Why?"

"You looked sexy... Ahh, in a chic, French kind of way, playing very much the black widow, jilted ex."

Mandy blushed and squirmed a little in her seat.

"Sexy? Chic? No one has ever said that about my dress sense... Or me."

"Oh, Mandy... Surely you know? That red beret was cute and the Uma Thurman look?"

Mandy blushed a deeper red.

"You noticed? I've always secretly fancied it. Now my hair's black, I thought it was time to try."

"What's your hair's natural colour?"

"Auburn... Mark dyed his black when he went into his gaming Goth fad and kept it that way."

"But it's so natural, the gloss."

"My brother may have been straight, but knew how to look after his hair... He had more hair products than I did."

Mandy gave a small laugh, then a guilty look.

"You okay, Mandy? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up. I didn't know."

"No, it's a nice memory... I just felt a pang of guilt... Since yesterday, since we met... I've not dwelt on it... My mind's been on other things, it's so relaxing, to be happy. It's been a long time since I've slept through the night... I just felt guilty about Mark."

A tear streamed down Mandy's left cheek. Eva shuffled over and hugged her... She looked into Mandy's eyes, like magnets pulling Eva in to kiss her... Mandy's hand appeared to break the spell as she wiped her tear away.

"Thanks... I need a hug."

Mandy's head dropped onto Eva's shoulder. She slipped her legs over Eva's and pulled in for a full-on cuddle, holding it there, as Eva felt her breasts push against hers, feeling her breathing.

Holy shit Mandy, you're not making this easy... If only I could carry you upstairs...

Eva wrapped her arms around Mandy, now on her lap... Wondering if she could lift her, she didn't weigh much sitting on her lap.

Mandy gave a little sob, squeezed in tighter. Eva could feel Mandy's warm breath on her neck, wanting to feel it on her breasts... A wet tear trickle ran down her neck and under her red jumper, as Mandy gave a light muffled sniffle...

Then, as soon as it happened, it was over. Mandy perked up, stood up, off Eva's lap, sniffling and wiping tears from her cheeks, reaching for tissues to dry her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I got a little emotional. Being tired and that wine didn't help, sorry."

Eva stood up and held Mandy's hands.

"No, don't apologise, you've been through a lot... It's okay, we're friends. I'm here whenever you need a hug. If you're tired, I'll make a move, but I'll pick you up at nine-thirty in the morning for round two of project Valentine."

"Okay... Thanks. I've had a lovely day."

"Me too, thanks."

Mandy went to get Eva's coat and Eva went to slip her shoes on. They had a brief, friendly hug, and Eva left. Once in her car, Eva sat, with the engine and heater on, waiting for the windscreen to clear, whilst also trying to calm her beating heart and excitement.

Mandy doesn't even realise what a catch she is if only I could...

She noticed the lights remain on in the house, knowing Mandy would tidy everything away before even thinking of going to bed.

Sunday, 9th January.

At nine-thirty the next morning, Eva returned to park outside Mandy's house once more. A shadow behind the front door's coloured glass fan-shaped window told her that Mandy was nearly ready. The door cracked open and a smiling Mandy peeked out into the frosty morning. Seeing Eva's car, she stepped out and locked her door.

Eva's heart leapt. Mandy had dressed exactly as yesterday. Once again, she sat first, then pulled her legs in, allowing her coat to ride up and reveal black tights, with a tiny fishnet pattern widening as they stretched around her knees.

"Morning... I had a great night's sleep again. Two nights in a row. It's amazing how refreshed you feel when you're getting a full night's sleep."

Mandy beamed at Eva, who couldn't help noticing her lipstick was a shade redder this morning... Struggling not to place her hand on her knee and her lips on hers, imagining kissing her there and then, to declare her desire for her.

"That's good news. You're up and ready. I feel a little nervous after yesterday. I daren't look at the app this morning without my campaign manager to support me."

"Aw... Eva, there is a lovely, wonderful fish out there, swimming in the ocean, just waiting for you to enter their lives."

Eva wanted to scream, And she's here sitting next to me!

But to risk losing her friendship would be too much... She had to try harder and resign herself to Mandy being off-limits...

But it's so hard...

"Thanks, hun... Let's go fishing."

Eva drove to the car park, and they made their way to the shopping centre. Mandy broke free from Eva as they entered and started the clock. This time they'd agreed on Eva having a fifteen to twenty-minute head start.

A nervous Eva strode into the Costa Coffee shop, but couldn't see MaggieWill95 based on her photos. She queued for her coffee, paid, and waited for the barista to call her name. One lady was sitting outside, in on a corner table, peering through the window. She caught Eva's eye and gave a wave.

That can't be her, she's nothing like her photo... Older and wider.

With no other options obvious to her, she carried her coffee outside and approached the lady, who was watching her intently, being the obvious candidate for the date.

"Maggie?"

"Mae-West I presume?"

"Uh, you're nothing like your profile photos..."

"Oh, they mean nothing. They're just some girl I found on the internet."

Eva didn't want to sit down if she'd lied about that. What else is hiding in the wings.

"Sit down, girl... You are just like your photos. Very nice. I love younger women, so full of energy."

Holy shit, she's some kind of day walking vampire.

Eva lowered herself onto the chair opposite, placing her coffee and handbag down on the table, still not comfortable with the situation.

"It is a dating site, so one would assume the photos would be of the applicant, not some random woman off the internet, what fifteen or twenty years younger?"

"Oh, come, come... Assuming your profile age is right, only sixteen years... Think of the experience I bring to the table and the friends I have."

Maggie reached over to examine Eva's bag.

"Mmm, I love the red handbag, a chic touch to the rendezvous."

She replaced it on the table, but closer to her than to Eva.

"That is not what I am looking for."

Eva glanced over the concourse, to see Mandy focussed on the lingerie rack inside the boutique.

"Oh, calm down... How do you know unless you try it? Let's have a coffee and get to know each other better. We have the day to ourselves. I assume you've kept your day free?"

"No, we only agreed to a coffee... I've things to do."

"Oh, pish posh, nothing you can't cancel or put off until next weekend."

Eva glanced again, panicking... Mandy had gone from the window and she couldn't see her. A warm hand settled on her knee. Eva knew she had to do something quickly, or she would see it as acceptance. She brushed the hand away.

"My, my, playing hard to get. Okay, we can play that game."

"I don't see it as a game... I'm not looking for games or lies. You've lied on your profile. I suppose nothing else on yours is true."

Eva wondered if she could pick up her handbag faster than Maggie and just walk away. She continued to scratch her head furiously and hoped the footsteps she heard approaching was Mandy walking across the concourse, so she scratched again.

"Oh... You're a little sensitive. We all lie on our profiles... Yours didn't show your face, only cryptic shots. Now, if you have an itch, I'll help you scratch it."

The footsteps receded into the distance as Eva glanced around, but still couldn't see Mandy. Eva stirred her coffee and took a sip, trying to stall the woman. She could just get up and walk away, but the woman was half blocking the escape route out of the tables and other customers sat around them, restricting escape routes. Then she realised Maggie was twirling her handbag's strap in her fingers, making it harder to escape. She envisaged the two playing tug-of-war with her handbag.

The woman leaned forward, reeking of spirits.

"What kind of itch would you like scratched?"

Eva scratched her head again, glancing around to find Mandy. She looked back at the woman and decided a blunt approach was the only way.

"I'm sorry, but there is no way you are scratching any itch of mine. You've already lied and have been drinking."

Eva scratched her head again.

"Calm down, girl. Maybe I've been a little blunt. We can do all that later... Tell me a little about yourself."

Eva was now in a panic and just wanted to leave. She was now glad she hadn't taken her coat off. Mandy glided into her peripheral vision, causing her heart to leap for joy. She looked at Mandy and scratched her head again in desperation.

Mandy waved and as she entered the cordoned off table area called, "Eva, hi lovely, I'm so glad to have seen you."

Eva rose to greet her, but also she wanted to just walk off with Mandy and leave Maggie, but not leave her handbag.

"Mandy, long time no see."

"Yes, and it was all my fault. I'm sorry, I was a selfish bitch. Can you ever forgive me? Oh, is this your mother? Hi, I'm Mandy. I'm sure Eva has told you all about me?"

"I am not her mother."

Before Maggie could continue, Mandy strode up to Eva, held her around the waist and looked into her eyes.

"Can you ever forgive me? I've missed you so much. Your letter was a wake-up call. I agree to everything. No more drinking or loose women. It's you I love."

Before Maggie or Eva could say anything, Mandy pulled Eva's waist tighter in. As Eva opened her mouth to speak, Mandy pressed her cool lips on Eva's and her tongue shot into the opening... Eva's legs went weak, and she responded, feeling her body tense in excitement.

Eva pulled Mandy into an even tighter embrace as their tongues sought each other out. It surprised both women at the abrupt passion between them. Mandy tasted Eva's coffee and Eva, Mandy's cool strawberry lip balm, whilst Eva caught a faint hint of the same perfume that seeps around Mandy's house.

Mandy's heaving breasts pressed through her coat onto Eva's, exciting her more. Her hand drifted to Mandy's backside and couldn't resist squeezing it as she pressed her hips into Eva. Eva tried to imagine how it would feel if Mandy was naked.

Initially, the kiss was fraught, but soon turned to passion. Eva enjoying the taste of this woman she'd fallen in love with. Mandy was full of the excitement of the taboo of kissing her first woman. When they broke their kiss, Mandy looked as surprised as Eva, now holding each other at elbows length, Eva trying to understand in her confusion.

"I love you too, Mandy..."

Eva's heart thumped in her chest as she spoke the words. Then again, when she saw Mandy's eyes bulge in excitement.

Maggie broke the spell, "Well, well, here is a turn up for the books, an ex, spurned lover... I do like a threesome. Sit down Mandy, let's all get acquainted."

"You're not her mother then?"

"Ignore her Mandy, she's just a coffee date. When I thought you'd gone forever, I tried a dating app, but she's lied on her profile, using someone else's photos."

"Shame on you... For the record, I'm not sharing my wonderful Eva with anyone, let alone someone old enough to be her mother... Come on Eva, you are coming with me."

Eva felt the excitement in between her legs, hoping for all her worth this was true. Her heart pounded in her chest. Seeing Maggie distracted, she grabbed her handbag as Mandy gripped her elbow and led her out between the tables.

The customers surrounding them were all gawping at the display of seeing two women embrace openly in the shopping centre. A woman with her boyfriend shouted, "You go, girl! ". Maggie sat, stupefied, stuttering and red-faced.

Once free from the tables, Mandy wrapped her arm around Eva and they marched out of the shopping centre, trying not to laugh. Once outside the exit's rotating doors, they held onto each other, laughing.

"I was terrified you wouldn't come..."

"I was queuing for the cashier, but they were selling in-store credit cards with every purchase, so whilst there was only one woman in front, it took ages. It was only a cursory glance outside by chance that I saw you scratching your head... I dropped everything and came trotting out, whilst you scratched your head like you had nits."

Mandy, now holding Eva's arm, guided Eva along the main pedestrian way and down a side alley to a small independent tea shop.

"Come on, let's have our own coffee date," Mandy told her as she reached for the door.

"Er... I've never kissed a woman like that before. I hope I was convincing?"

"You convinced me."

Mandy giggled.

"So was I, it was exciting... I'm glad my first kiss with a woman was with you Eva, you're a wonderful friend."

"Let's hope the first of many."

"Oh no, I don't mean to make a habit of it."

Mandy's statement cut Eva in half. It dashed her hopes as Mandy headed through the door to the counter without a second thought.

"But anything to rescue you from the clutches of that woman, she was nothing like her photos. Did I go over the top calling her your mother?"

"Er... No, I think she needed a verbal slap."

"Hello, how can I help?" Asked a server.

"Oh, two cappuccinos please, or did you want something else now?"

Eva was still gathering her thoughts, her heart shattered by Mandy's words.

It was all too good to be true, it's not fair. Jeez the best kiss in two years

and I can't get a second or take it further.

"I think I need something stronger... But yes, please... I'll pay Mandy, as you rescued me. You go sit down... Mmm, they've got some nice gateau, fancy some Mandy? I feel I have to spoil you after that performance."

"Uh-huh, that strawberry cheesecake looks nice."

"We'll also have one strawberry cheesecake, and I'll have a slice of chocolate cake, please."

If I can't have Mandy, at least I can have some chocolate.

Eva hunted in her handbag for her purse and paid. As the cashier sorted the till out and their drinks, Eva watched Mandy take her coat off and transform back into Uma Thurman, but in her figure-hugging pencil skirt, fishnet tights and high boots...

I must have done something terrible in a previous life for this life to taunt me so.

Behind the counter, the server spoke as she organised the card payment for everything.

"It's okay, love, you sit down and I'll bring everything over when your drinks are ready."

"Thanks."

Eva headed to Mandy's table and removed her coat, hanging it by Mandy's on a coat stand.

Mandy sat staring pensively into space with her thousand-yard stare, which gave Eva grave concern.

"Are you okay?"

"Er... Yes, okay."

Eva wasn't convinced.

"Promise me, no bridges or trains are in those thoughts?"

"No, none, it's okay, I was just... Ah... Umm, thinking."

The cashier appeared with the tray, halting the line of enquiry, transferring coffee mugs and cakes to the table.

"Thanks."

Mandy tucked into her cheesecake, filling her mouth, unable to speak, looking guiltily at Eva as if trying to hide something. She chewed slowly, not willing to hurry her cake and be able to answer questions. Eva explained her conversation with Maggie as she opened the app and blocked MaggieWill95.

"NuttyNatty has replied. She's quite witty and added a holiday photo of her own, one with an umbrella hiding her head, on some beach, in the sun. I hope she isn't the kind of person in every office that tells you 'you've got to be mad to work here,' then turns out to be the dull one."

Mandy nodded in agreement, still slowly chewing. Whilst she was wearing the same shirt as yesterday, the bra beneath was lacier, and Eva was sure her nipples were pressing to escape. Eva struggled to tear her eyes away, returning to her phone screen to look at a few new PMs.

These were more like the ones she'd originally hoped to receive yesterday. Once again, she and Mandy handpicked candidates, commenting and orchestrating Eva's responses. When finished, they also drained the last of their coffees.

"I think we need to avoid that Costa's. The staff will get to know us and worry we're some form of scam. I'd love to return and finally buy some lingerie from that boutique, but I don't think I want to risk bumping into Maggie."

"Yeah, I was thinking the same. We'll have to be more careful in the future or me be more ready to turn and run."

"Okay, if we go back to my place, I can change, then finish cleaning your place."

"Oh, no Mandy, not after this morning. Sunday is a rest day. Do you have any warm older clothes and walking boots?"

"Yeah, a wardrobe full of baggy jumpers, jeans, and boots."

"Come on, back to yours, then I'm taking you for a walk on the beacon."

They walked back to the car and were soon back at Mandy's. It didn't take Mandy long to change into some of Mark's jeans and warmer clothes. She found some walking boots that fitted. In the lounge, it was Eva's turn to sit pondering, whether she should tackle Mandy about their kiss.

It didn't take long for them to return to Eva's, for her to change. It wasn't too long a drive up into the hills nearby and park up. Whilst it was colder in the wind, the sun was now out and perfect winter walking weather.

Eva had a favourite walking route that took them through woods and across the hill, to return to the car park in about a couple of hours. It had been a long time since Mandy had just taken a walk in the countryside and she enjoyed every minute.

The two friends chatted almost all the way. Sometimes holding hands, a few times with arms around each other and far fewer times, just walking together. Subjects ranged from anything to everything, with them soon finding out they had a few dreams in common.

They both enjoyed talking about their desire to travel, both abroad and in the UK. They planned where they could spend holidays, once restrictions lift, or where they could enjoy weekend breaks. Eva enjoyed having Mandy as her walking companion, wondering if it would be worth sharing a walk with SueSunFlower.

Eva noticed a few times when holding hands, or with arms around each other, Mandy would go quiet, deep in thought, during which she often looked at Eva, giving her hand or waist an extra squeeze. It was at these times that Eva wondered if Mandy was thinking what she hoped beyond all hopes.

Then, as if she'd heard Eva think, Mandy would break off, to walk alone for a moment, before returning to start a new subject of conversation. As the walk drew to a close, they both discussed how their new working relationship would work, as they were both due back at work in the morning.

For simplicity's sake, Eva suggested going to eat at a local pub, then she'd drop Mandy back off at home, as she wanted an early night. Eva checked her phone and the Coach and Horses Inn were doing food until nine. Thankfully, they answered the phone and were more than happy to reserve a table for two.