Page 10

Chapter Ten

Hong Kong Orchid Tree

( Bauhinia blakeana )

A beautiful evergreen tree with large, thick green leaves that grow to 7-10 centimetre long and 10-13 centimetre wide. Fragrant pink-purple flowers, about 10-15 centimetres in size, bloom from late spring until early autumn, the large elegant flowers are 10-15cm in size. An excellent feature tree for medium to large gardens and for mass plantings in parks. Will grow to a height of 8 metres and a width of 5 metres but can be trimmed to a smaller size.

S teph and I held hands on the way back from Kahlia and Derek’s place. After we said goodbye to Lucas, who leapt onto a tram that was trundling by, Pip and Denise walked ahead nattering on about sage, crystals, and the mystical energy of the high priestess in the major arcana. Ted and Jules, walking behind us, were also chatting but stopped suddenly and I looked over my shoulder to investigate the silence. I discovered the silence was their pointed looks at Steph and me, our hands linked together, and their matching eye-twinkles threatened laughter. I mock-glared at them, then widened my eyes as if to say, “We can catch up later if you’re that desperate for gossip.”

Which apparently they were. I kissed Steph goodbye after she quietly cited that she had work to do on her dancing plants. I grinned. I wondered if a plant could moonwalk. Steph would probably make it happen. I kissed her again simply so I could lean in to tell her I’d text her later.

Pip took the keys from Jules’ pocket, then guided Denise into the cafe, flicking on lights as she went. They settled into the Tarot corner and bent their heads over Pip’s new cards.

“Right, Whitlock. Inside.” Jules jerked her head towards the cafe. I groaned, and Ted put his hand up.

“I will bow out of this most likely highly entertaining interrogation. I’m old and a Sunday evening gin and tonic awaits.” He leaned towards me. “Good for you, Angel love. Your last girlfriend was not a patch on a delightful woman like Steph. I’m happy for you, wherever your relationship goes.” He rubbed my shoulder as I blinked back tears. Ted was the ultimate granddad and although he had grandkids of his own, I’m positive he felt that he held that position in our little community.

* * *

“So, spill.”

“Nirelle was not a patch on a delightful woman like Steph,” I said, repeating Ted’s words, then took a sip of my tea.

“Oh my god, it’s like getting the purple out of an amethyst,” Jules moaned, then grinned to show how much she liked teasing me.

“Come on. Steph and I are enjoying each other.”

Jules raised an eyebrow. “How much en?—”

“No.” I shook my finger at her. “No amount of your addictive Earl Grey will convince me to spill on that particular topic. Besides, that section of any discussion is none of your business.”

Jules nodded and shrugged a shoulder, then leaned forward. “So,” she stretched the word out. “Is it going anywhere?”

“Christ, you’re nosy.” I took another sip of tea.

“Yes. Consider me a caffeinated confidante. I’m like a counsellor to guide you to your light.”

“I should leave just because of that last sentence,” I snarked, but couldn’t help laughing.

“Okay,” I continued. “I’m basically a happy, slightly round, lesbian. Nobody special really, who is okay with that label by the way.” I pointed at her because she had opened her mouth to protest. “And this gorgeous blonde co-worker, who is clearly wealthy I think, so I don’t know why she needs the job, but I don’t care because that gorgeous blonde who works with me wants to kiss me, and I don’t know why but it’s lovely,” I rambled.

Jules stared at me, then shook her head. “You are,” she said with a frown.

“I am what?”

“Someone special, for fuck’s sake!”

I blinked. Jules rarely swore. It was always for a good reason and right now, she had decided I was the good reason.

“You are someone special, Angel. You are so important here in our little row of shops. You are compassionate.” She ticked off fingers. “Look at the Bonsai Brains. Look at the oldies from the aged care homes. Look at how much time you give to your friends. Look in the mirror for god’s sake and you’ll see a woman with laugh lines and a smile that reaches the sky and, ah shit. Now I’m teary.” She squished her lips together and sniffed.

I held her hand over the table. “Thank you. Sometimes I forget to acknowledge myself. I tell everyone else and not myself.” We shared a look, then I grinned. “I’m just so thrilled that she wants me.”

“Of course she does. Look at all that stuff I just said. You should be wanted. You should be kissed like you were when she was saying bye before. You and Steph look good together.” She breathed in heavily. “Right.” She brushed her palms together. “That’s me done. What’s on your mind?”

I cracked up.

* * *

Steph and I continued our kissing and whatnot—the whatnot being getting handsy in the office after closing time—throughout the week.

I pulled away breathlessly one evening.

“You haven’t see my flat. Want a tour?”

Steph stared at me then a slow grin formed on her lips. “Pick up line or an actual tour?”

“Oh, a proper tour, but it’ll last two seconds, then we can get back to this.” I lifted my hand from her waist and pressed a finger to my lips, then used that same finger to press it to hers. Steph smiled mischievously then lightly bit the tip. “I like all of that idea,” she said suggestively.

Based on that single gesture, I quickly grabbed my bag, she grabbed her backpack, and, holding hands, we made our way up the back steps of the building next door to my little flat with Tough beaming up at Steph. Mercifully, it was clean and tidy. I wasn’t a messy person so bringing a guest home didn’t required the person getting left on the landing while I tornadoed about the place flinging underwear into broom closets.

My flat wasn’t much to write home about. It was small—lounge room, kitchen, single bedroom, bathroom—but it suited me perfectly. I’d collected lots of knickknacks on my travels during my twenty-two years of adulthood so I led Steph on a journey through the life of Angel, the wanderer. So many photos of me standing next to some type of awesome plant I’d come across in jungles, back gardens, and on one memorable occasion, in Hong Kong where a Cantonese grandmother who had to be a hundred and one and spoke no English whatsoever caught me admiring her Bauhinia blakeana and had her grandson take a photo of the two of us standing there, grinning like loons, leaning into the space created by an orchid tree.

Tough walked past us with a wag, then made himself a dog-version knickknack on the couch.

“Are you hungry?”

“I am, actually,” Steph replied, standing behind me with her arms wrapped around my waist. She rested her chin on my shoulder as we continued to stare at jade lions and mini Thai long boats. It was very warm and snuggly and I was enjoying this woman so, so much. I turned in her arms.

“I can cook something, or we can order in.”

“Can we cook something together?”

I grinned. “Absolutely!”

Later, with a simple and delicious pasta consumed, I found myself on my back with a wonderfully nude Steph rising above me like a goddess, straddling my waist and rocking gently so that I was panting words like, “Yes,” and “Steph!” Eventually she leaned forward and I lifted my knees, holding her in position. We kissed slowly, languidly, smiling against lips. Then Steph leaned even further so my mouth was in line with her swaying breasts. Teasing me. Taunting me with their movement so that I was unable to catch the nipples between my lips. I growled and heard Steph’s quiet chuckle above me.

“Say please,” she whispered, her voice ragged.

I stuck out my tongue and lapped at the nipples as they passed.

Steph hissed. “Oh, God, Angel. Say please. I’m begging you!”

I laughed softly. “Kind of cancels out the initial begging.”

Suddenly, Steph wrapped her arms around me and rolled us so I was on top. “I want you to fuck me, then I want more and.” She paused in her wriggling, and held the sides of my face. “I want more of you. The kind of more where we do this but we go walking in the neighbourhood and you point out fancy plants. Where we takes rides on your motorbike and end up in little towns at local pubs.” She kissed me tenderly. “That type of more.”

I felt tears pricking at the back of my eyes and blinked them away. “That’s a coincidence because that’s what I want, too.” Steph Thatcher felt like the real deal and who was I to question? She was a people person and genuinely cared about customer’s plant experiences. She did a great job at the nursery.So much so that when Kahlia returned, I was going to ask Steph to stay on. And she was hot and funny and sexy and enjoyed being with me and no matter what or where this thing with us was going, I wanted all of it.

Then we grinned, then, without any preamble, our lips crashed together and we were on the train to Orgasmville.

* * *

Later, snuggled together with Steph’s breathing making me feel all warm and fuzzy, I remembered her words about going for rides on my bike past the city. I hummed in thought as an idea took hold.

“I thought you’d be asleep,” Steph said, her voice muffled in my breasts.

“You, too.” I pulled back, still holding her hip close. “I have an idea. Do you want to go hunting for treasure?”

Steph smirked. “I thought we just did.”

I blushed and poked her ribs, which made her giggle.

“No, actual treasure hunting. Gold detecting. Hunting for iron.” I peered at her, hoping to see a positive reaction.

She gasped. “With a proper gold detecting wand thingy?”

I widened my eyes in disbelief. “My wand thingy is a Detect 5000, I’ll have you know. A wonderful piece of gear that has helped me find all sorts of interesting iron pieces for the nursery.”

Steph cracked up and fell into my chest. “You are so sexy.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ll take that as a yes, then.”

Steph held my gaze. “You can take that as a yes. We’re off to find treasure.” Then raised an eyebrow, and grinned.