With an affectionate smile, Olivia nodded. “So you did mean plural.”
“Cass was the other bad girl I liked.” Alex bared her memory, watching her lover for any response. Encouraged by the look of understanding and affection, she continued, “She was older, almost 21. Tall. Lanky. She looked a little like Annie Lennox with her spiky bleached blond hair. Sounded sort of like her, could sing like her.”
“And you had a crush on her?”
“Yeah,” the blonde admitted, grinning shyly. “I thought she was dreamy.”
“Who’s dreamier? Me? Or Cass?”
“You want the truth?”
Olivia had expected a simple answer in her favor, not a question. Especially not that particular question. She hid her apprehension as best as she could. “Absolutely.”
“She was dreamy. But you, as corny as it may sound,” she whispered against her lover’s neck, her fingers toying with the necklace which had become her grounding stone. “You’re my dream... and my reality.” Her blue eyes brimmed with tenderness as she met her lover’s gaze.
“Really?” The elation returned to the brunette’s tone.
“Really.”
“I’m glad.” Olivia touched the full lips warmly with her own. Knowing how much discomfort and embarrassment the admission had caused the reticent blonde, she disclosed freely, “I feel the same way about you.”
Relieved, Alex chuckled, and tapped her finger on olive skin. “You’d better.”
“Hm.” The brunette smiled, and tickled her lover’s ribs. “Tell me more about your love affair with this dreamy older girl?”
Taking another deep breath, and holding on, she complied, “It didn’t last long. Just six weeks. And she had a job, so we didn’t see each other during the day. But, every night, after dinner, we’d meet. She’d bring me flowers…”
“Flowers you gave to Ling.”
“I had to. I couldn’t justify going home with a bouquet every night.” Interpreting the look on her lover’s face as disapproval, she defended herself, “Hey, look, I was very understanding when you gave your birthday roses away. Roses I sent you.”
“Those days are definitely over. Thanks for being so patient and tolerant, and for helping me like my birthday, by the way.” Olivia hugged Alex close. After a small stretch of silence, she prodded, “Sorry for interrupting. You were telling me about Cass.”
“On the weekends, we…” Were inseparable, was what she was going to say, before she caught herself. “We hung out. There was this movie theater that showed old movies, for really cheap. We went there a lot.”
“I bet you weren’t paying too much attention to the screen,” Olivia wagged her brows and teased.
“Sometimes.” Alex let her lover’s comment slide. “The rest of the time, we sat in the park, and read poetry to each other.”
“Sappy poetry?”
“Yeah. But not as sappy as the ones you write for me.” The blonde grinned and shifted downwards, resting her head against the brunette’s chest. “All the Rilke and Heine I knew… I read because of her.”
“I see.”
“I’m sorry...”
“It’s okay, Alex, really. Don’t apologize.” Olivia gave her a reassuring squeeze. “We all learn things from other people.”
“Oh, since we’re on this subject,” she tried a small diversion. “Don’t ever let my mom know I speak German.”
“Why?”
Most cryptically, she replied, “She’ll kill me.”
“All right.” Olivia agreed readily, realizing exactly what her lover was trying to do, and thwarting her efforts. “So you were going to tell me…”
Alex sighed, giving up. “She was so smart, so worldly, and I was so in love with her, at least as in love as a 16 year old can be.”
“How did she feel about you?” The brunette kissed the full lips softly, then waited patiently for the answer with a smile.
“At first she didn’t love me back, at least not the way I loved her.”
“Why, what made you think that?” Olivia shook her head in disbelief. “I can’t see how anyone could not fall head over heels in love with you at first sight.”
“You’re biased, as you should be.” She met the still impenetrable dark eyes. “Are you sure you really want to know?”