"So, tell me about your dynamic," she said, leaning back in her chair and taking a long sip. "I've done this a few times with couples, but everyone's different."
Becca did most of the talking, and Ellie watched in fascination while she did it. Becca’s energy was different from how she’d been with Kelly… less flirtatious, more focused, almost deferential. This wasn’t the casual chemistry with Kelly, this was contained excitement that told Ellie that Becca was attracted to Cass deeply, viscerally. This was a type thing and Ellie could see it by how Becca’s eyes kept going to Cass’s forearms, her shoulders, her hand holding her beer. Becca was staring, and trying not to look like she was staring, and she was failing at it.
Cass noticed it too. Ellie suspected she was used to be looked at like that, a fantasy figure for some women and indeed some men, but the way she responded was what made it work… respectful, kind when Becca got a little flustered at one point. And the way she held eye contact with Becca when Becca got up to go to the restroom… Becca wasn’t the only one in their marriage to feel flustered at that point.
“And you, Ellie. You’re genuinely happy to watch?”
Ellie nodded. “Genuinely.” It felt good talking to someone who had experienced this specific dynamic before, like she could be completely honest. “I seem to enjoy watching Becca be desired. She seems to enjoy me watching. Neither of us could deal with swapping roles.” She shrugged. “Weird, huh?”
Cass shook her head and flashed a confident smile at Ellie. “Enlightened. And having the confidence to tell me honestly… I respect that.”
Ellie realised she was blushing, her own little crush forming from nowhere even though Cass wasn’t anything like her normal type. She was getting good vibes, and she could tell that Becca felt the same.
By the end of one drink that became two they'd agreed: Saturday, a hotel this time... neutral ground felt right.
Chapter 12
Becca booked a room at a boutique hotel downtown, somewhere nice, a junior suite to make it feel like an occasion as well as covering the practicalities of space for Ellie to be comfortable in, but somewhere sufficiently low key to avoid the risk of running into someone they knew out for the night.
They arrived early, just the two of them, and stood at the window looking out at the city while the light faded. The room was exactly right for their purpose: king-sized bed, decor and lighting that created a moody, expectant atmosphere, and a deep armchair near the window that Ellie had already firmly claimed as hers for later. Everywhere, though, there was the shadow of what was to come.
Becca was in the bathroom getting ready. She’d brought a zip up garment bag on a hanger, which was unusual. Becca wasn’t normally a garment-bag person, she was a grab-something-from-the-closet-and-look-incredible-anyway person, and thegarment bag had been zipped shut at home with a theatrical secrecy that did plenty to build Ellie’s anticipation.
When she finally came out of the bathroom, Ellie understood why.
The dress was silver, sparkly, long-sleeved and mid-thigh, and it clung to Becca in a way that made Ellie’s mouth go dry and her heart skip a beat. She’d gone all out: heels, earrings, her hair down and styled in loose waves, makeup that was more than usual, the lipstick a brighter shade, eyeliner a little edgier.
She looked stunning, like she was about to walk the red carpet, or ruin someone’s life, or maybe a bit of both.
Ellie stared. She couldn’t help it. Seven years together and her wife could still stop her in her tracks with the right outfit.
“You look incredible,” she said, struggling to keep her voice level.And another woman is going to get the benefit.That jealousy-arousal loop revving up.
“Too much?” Becca smoothed the dress over her hips, a nervous gesture that she pretended was a practical one.
“You could never be too much. Though people have started wars over someone looking half as good as you do tonight.”
Becca smiled, pleased and a little shy. She knew exactly what she was doing with this dress and they both knew that they both knew, so there was no point pretending.
Contrast.
Ellie could tell that Becca wanted to be as feminine as possible tonight because the woman she was about to meet was the opposite, and the polarity of that was part of what she craved. She wanted to feel soft against Cass’s hardness, small against Cass’s strength. She wanted the difference, and she’d dressed for it perfectly.
Becca walked over to where Ellie was standing by the window. Without either of them saying anything she reached up behind her neck and unfastened her necklace. She held it in her palm for a moment, looking down at it, and then fastened it around Ellie’s neck alongside her own. Two pendants resting side by side against Ellie’s collarbone.
*Look after this for me.” Becca smiled. “I’ll need this back later.”
I’m yours. I stay yours. I promise I’ll come back to you.
Becca kissed her, softly, and pulled back. “Ready?”
“Ready. Go start that war.”
***
The hotel bar was on the ground floor, through the lobby and down a short corridor, and it was far classier than Ellie and Becca’s usual haunts: low lighting, dark wood, leather seating, not to mention cocktails that cost considerably more than some of the meals that Ellie had eaten that week. There was a jazz pianist at one end and a nice buzz of conversation around the room from the clientele, mostly older couples out for an expensive evening out and a few small groups. It was very farfrom Cheer Up Charlie’s on a Saturday night, but then tonight was a long way from that night in many ways.
Becca went in first. Ellie waited two minutes, feeling slightly ridiculous about the choreography but also undeniably thrilled, then followed and took a small table where she could see the bar clearly without being in anyone’s direct line of sight. She ordered an overly costly cocktail and settled in to watch.
