Page 2 of Scorched Hearts
She spotted Mimi nearing the bar’s entrance, walking on foot with no umbrella. Elle shut the car door and followed.
“You’re all soaked.” Elle leaned in to give her date a casual hug. She briefly stroked Mimi’s back before taking her seat at the bar, her elbow resting against it like a man’s.
“Well, nice to see you, too.” Mimi fluttered her eyelashes. “I never noticed how tall you are.”
“Oh, I like it when you swoon at me.” Elle smirked, winking at the barman that they were ready to order.
Mimi laughed, sounding like little bells.
“Stop teasing.” Sshe looked Elle up and down. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask me out for quite some time.”
“What’s your drink of choice, Mimi?” Elle switched the subject.
“Hmm… I’d say a Lavender Aviation. How about you?”
“That’s a fun choice.” Elle nodded. “I’ll take plain old whiskey, then.”
“Well, that doesn’t come as a surprise to me. I remember every drink you’ve ever ordered, and most of them were whiskey.”
“Oh, that sounds as if I have a problem. Sometimes I have fun with a Martini.” Elle smiled. She knew she drank too much and smoked too often, but she figured a barmaid wouldn’t care.
Their conversation flowed well, just like the drinks. Mimi’s skin glistened beautifully in the bar’s dim light, contrasted with her cream slip dress. Her voice grew husky and rich the more she drank, lavender liquid swirling in the glass held by her supple fingers.
“How do you get along with… male firefighters…?” Mimi’s question came out slightly slurred.
“Are male firefighters what you want to be talking about now?” Elle laughed a little. “There aren’t any in Phoenix Ridge. It’s mostly all female.”
Mimi furrowed her brows, confused. “Why, though?”
“You know what this city is like. Women have all the power. I don’t know why, to show that we can do it on our own, fight prejudice, all that. And we get along great.”
“Do you have lesbian firefighter orgies?” Mimi laughed.
“Very funny,” Elle pulled her face closer, leaning in for a kiss. “Now let’s shut your pretty little mouth, hmm?”
Doe-eyed, Mimi licked her lips and obediently leaned in.
Elle felt the same dread she’d felt on her previous dates. Mimi’s mouth felt great against her own, and glancing at her legs, she could see her thighs trembling a little with anticipation. But whatever pleasure or excitement Elle felt, it was purely instinctual and not the deeper connection she’d been secretly craving.
Her hand began playing around with the hem of Mimi’s dress.
“Let’s get you to my car, how about that?” she asked, getting up to settle the bill.
Mimi nodded, dewy-eyed with alcohol and the premise of fun. She fixed her lipstick in a little compact mirror, then threw it back into her purse.
“Come on,” Elle beckoned.
They left the place holding hands, stumbling a little on the steps outside.
“That’s the car,” Elle pointed towards her Audi, faithfully parked at the farther end of the parking lot.
“Oh, it’s very nice.” Mimi nodded. “I didn’t know firefighters earned that much.”
Elle looked silently at her, amused at how people always underestimated how much throwing oneself into fires and crumbling buildings paid. Elle worked every overtime shift going. And she always worked holidays, and they were double pay. She did all right for herself. She opened the door for Mimi, then walked around to sit behind the wheel.
“So, where do you live?”
“We’re going…to my place?” Puzzled,Mimi looked back at her.