“Sorry, sorry,” Teagan giggled, giving the impression she wasn’t sorry at all. “Brad’s mate’s band is playing at The Pub, and he’s got four tickets. Wondered if you and Rory wanted to join us for the evening? I was thinking pizza first and then on to The Pub? What do you think?”
Gemma worried a lip as she looked at an ugly skirt on the rails. Noticing that she was the only customer and that the woman behind the counter was listening in to her conversation, she hurried outside into the sunshine. “I don’t know. She’s having her hair cut as we speak, and I don’t know how she’ll feel about it.”
Teagan hummed down the phone, and for a moment said nothing. She and Gemma had spoken a lot this week about Rory having her hair cut. Not particularly about Rory, but about how Gemma felt about it. Teagan hadperceptively mentioned one night that Gemma was taking on a lot being Rory’s only support on her journey.
“How’s she doing?”
“I have no idea.” Gemma sighed and fixed her sunglasses over her eyes. “I was sent away and told to go back in half an hour.” She glanced at her watch and groaned. There were still fifteen minutes to go.
“I bet she’ll look hot.” Teagan made arawrsound down the phone.
Gemma hoped so, but wasn’t sure how she would feel about that. She hadn’t confessed to Rory but had opened up to Teagan last week over a bottle of red, that she didn’t find butch women particularly attractive. A few times someone androgynous had caught her eye, but generally she’d always liked to have a feminine body in her bed. In a way, it would make things easier between her and Rory if she didn’t find her attractive anymore. They could settle back to being just friends, and she could dip her toe back into the dating pool. She hadn’t wanted to examine too closely that she’d felt no desire to date anyone else since meeting up with Rory again. Perhaps tonight would be a good chance. They could go out with Brad and Teagan as friends. Perhaps she could flirt with some women and maybe get a few numbers.
“She’ll look like Rory.” Gemma finally replied, realising that she had been mid-conversation with Teagan before her mind had wandered.
“A hot Rory.” Teagan teased. “How about I make a reservation at the Italian place on the corner for dinner? If you both feel up to eating, then join us and you can decide about The Pub after that?”
Gemma agreed to talk to Rory and hung up the call before Teagan could tease her any more. It would be easier,she rationalised to herself, far easier if her silly crush on Rory went away. This unresolved sexual tension between them was likely to be a residue from their night together. If they met now, without their history, Gemma might not even give Rory a second glance.
That was crap, she told herself. Rory was always worth a second glance. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and opened Instagram. She scrolled through the influencers she had found and sent to Rory and looked at the pictures. Her heart sank slightly as she realised she didn’t feel the slightest bit of attraction to anyone who presented more masculine. She looked at Jak’s pictures. Objectively, she could see that they were gorgeous, but there was not a flicker of attraction anywhere in Gemma. She opened her photo app and flicked through the pictures they had taken together at the opera and at the hotel. A pang of longing hit her in the stomach. There was that familiar prickle of attraction and desire.
Perhaps it was for the best if she didn’t fancy Rory with short hair. They could be friends. The families wouldn’t get their hopes up, and she could share a bed with Rory without that almost irresistible pull to sink into her. Yes. That was decided. Masc-presenting Rory was not going to trouble her heart or her libido. Decision made, she turned and walked back to the barbers, not caring if half an hour had passed or not.
She pushed through the door andfuck!Rory was sensational. Gemma’s heart thumped in her chest, and desire shot through her like an arrow.
Holy fucking lesbians.
Damn, Teagan was correct. Rory was hot. She was hotter than anyone had a right to be. Rory had cheekbones and ajawline and a neck! Oh, what a neck! Gemma couldn’t explain why short hair highlighted her neck more than having her hair up in a bun did, but it did, oh it did, and Gemma wanted nothing more than to bury her face into that neck.
But more than all of that, Rory was smiling. Not just the happy-to-see-you smile she wore at the opera or the settled-in-her-family smile that she had sported by the swimming pool. This was a beaming smile that started at her core and radiated throughout her body. Gemma was transfixed. Rory’s hair was buzzed into her neck, but there was still a piece that flopped across one eye, and her fingers itched to swipe it back into place. She wanted nothing more than to run her fingers through Rory’s hair and pull her into a kiss. She took several breaths before moving forward towards Rory.
“What do you think?” A hint of insecurity entered Rory’s voice, and Gemma hated that her inability to speak made Rory uneasy.
“I love it,” she said on a breath, and Rory’s smile broadened. Gemma hadn’t thought it possible, but Rory looked even happier than she had before.
“You look like…” Gemma cycled through words in her mind.You look sexy, you look handsome, you look happy.
“You look like you,” Gemma said. She didn’t know how that was possible. Rory had never had hair this short or this masculine, but she looked right.
Rory turned to look at herself in the mirror, and Gemma moved next to her. Rory touched the front of her hair with a hand before looping an arm around Gemma’s waist and pulling her into her side. Gemma fixed Rory’s gaze in the mirror again and smiled. They looked good together. Her heart clenched. Damn, they really looked good together.
Their eyes locked and again, the world fell away as Gemma saw Rory’s happiness.
The moment was shattered when Craig called out to them and held a phone up.
“Can I take some after pictures?”
Rory nodded, and Gemma moved to one side. Sammy snapped away, and at the last minute Rory pulled Gemma to her side and they posed for a picture.
Rory cleared her throat. “I, erm, I don’t mind you having them for your portfolio, but I’d prefer it if you didn’t put them on social media.” She paused before adding, “It’s all a bit personal still, and I don’t feel like sharing everything with the world.”
Craig nodded in understanding, and Gemma wondered how much Rory had shared with him as he’d cut her hair. Gemma was still in awe of how good Rory looked and was in a daze as Rory paid Craig and shook his hand. They would probably still have been there chatting if his next customer hadn’t arrived for their cut.
Rory ushered Gemma out of the shop with a warm hand to the small of her back, and they walked back to the car. They walked in companionable silence until they were sitting in the car. Before she started the engine, Rory turned to Gemma.
“You really like it?” Her eyebrows came together as she asked the question.
“I do.” Gemma reached out a hand but then pulled it back. “Sorry, I forgot.”
