[Year One]
There was barely an empty inch of space in the living room of Julie’s Boston flat, thanks to the array of costumed people dancing in all sorts of appropriate and inappropriate ways, but somehow Alyssa had managed to secure herself a corner where no one else was, in a prime spot to watch all the goings on at the Halloween party.
But she was so focused on watching one person in particular — a brunette sporting a long black tail and small pointy ears and dressed head to toe in such a skintight black leather outfit that it made Alyssa drool just thinking of what was under it — that she didn’t even hear the redhead in the pirate costume sidle up next to her until she stuck a lemon bar right under her nose and made Alyssa blink in surprise.
“You should just go up to her and tell her,” Julie said as Alyssa took the lemon bar — her fifth in the past hour — from her outstretched hand.
Alyssa frowned at her friend. “Tell her I like her lemon bars?”
A smile spread across Julie’s face, and she laughed. “If you must,” she said. “But I rather meant you should tell her you’d like to take her out.”
Alyssa put the lemon bar in her mouth so she didn’t have to answer, but she could feel the heat burning up her entire face.
“Oh, come on, Alyssa,” Julie said, and she elbowed her in the side. “You don’t have to pretend with me. I see the way you look at her. The way you’re looking at her.”
“I am doing no such thing!” Alyssa protested, but she wondered if she was really that obvious and vowed to be more careful. It wouldn’t do if people besides Julie knew she had feelings for someone she most definitely shouldn’t have feelings for.
[Year Two]
This time, it was Eva alone in the corner, and she most definitely wasn’t pleased about it. She crossed her arms and glared at the bushy-haired girl in the clown costume — what kind of person dressed up as a clown these days anyway? — who hadn’t stopped talking to Julia Bowman for the past three hours. Not that she was paying attention or anything.
A sharp poke in her side drew her eyes away from the one girl she didn’t want to have eyes on anyway, and as she turned her head, her gaze hardened into a glare. But Julie did not seem to mind in the least. She just smiled and tipped her glass at Eva.
“You know,” Julie said after taking a sip of her drink. “She would say yes if you asked her.”
Eva stilled, just slightly, before releasing a breath and forcing herself to act natural. Or not even act. She was natural. What was Julie blathering on about anyway?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Eva said.
“Sure you don’t,” Julie said. “Because neither of you is making eyes at the other when you think no one is watching.”
“Again,” Eva said, and she tried to find somewhere else to focus her attention, but for Euclid’s sake, why was the stupid clown in her line of sight again? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“That’s fine,” Julie said, and she sounded so casual about it, Eva had an urge to scream. “I just thought I’d throw it out there. Do as you will.”
Julie sauntered away. Eva couldn’t help but roll her eyes. There was one thing in this world she most definitely was never going to do, and that was ask Alyssa on a date.
Never.
Ever.
Ever.
Ever.
Right?
[Year Three]
The burlesque dancer costumes were scattered across the floor. A dress here, a high heel there, a few necklaces over that way.
The two previously costumed women had other things on their minds.
Eva slipped a finger inside her girlfriend as she kissed from her neck to her chest and down her stomach.
“Isn’t this better than a party?” Eva whispered into Alyssa’s taut flesh.
“Julie’s going to kill us for missing it,” Alyssa gasped, a moan leaving her lips just after the words.
Eva looked up, caught Alyssa’s eyes and smirked. “I can handle Julie tomorrow,” she said. “But tonight I’m handling you.”
She thrust a second finger inside and twisted hard. Alyssa closed her eyes.
“Yes,” she managed. “You’re right. We can definitely deal with Julie tomorrow.”
**