Connected Hearts - Four Lesbian Romance Stories by Jae, Joan Arling, Rj Nolan Page A

direction.
    Penny’s cheeks pinked. She took a step back and seemed to find the counter top of sudden interest.
    Assured Penny couldn’t see it, Kim read the note. Huh? She read it again.
    Kim,
    A wheeled conveyance holds scents to stimulate your senses. A sight pleasing to your eyes. And tastes to delight your palate.
    Love, Jess
    Kim smiled when she figured it out. “Penny. I need to get going. Don’t forget, call Dr. Roberts if you need anything.”
    “Sure thing, Dr. Donovan.”
    Kim turned and set off with a purposeful stride.
    * * *
    Kim peered in the window of her car as she unlocked the door. Grinning at the sight that met her eyes, she slid into the driver’s seat. There, on the passenger seat, were a bouquet of red roses and a heart-shaped box of chocolates. She breathed in the scent of the roses, then, unable to resist the lure of the chocolate, opened the lid of the box.
    A second note, resting on top of the chocolate, awaited her. Pretty confident I’d open the chocolate right away. She popped a piece of chocolate into her mouth. Like I could resist. She hummed when the rich confection melted on her tongue. Oh yeah. Almost as good as sex. She chuckled to herself. Almost.
    A surge of anticipation gripped her. Jess had never done anything like this before. What’s next? She read the new note. It was even more cryptic than the previous one.
    Kim,
    Let your heart be your guide. The eye in the sky will lead you to your fated destiny.
    Love, Jess
    What the heck? Kim indulged in another piece of chocolate to stimulate her thought process as she puzzled it out. She picked up the heart-shaped box filled with chocolates. Not finding anything, she put it back on the seat. She looked out the windshield at the sky. The eye in the sky? She glanced around the car. Did I miss a clue? She looked closer for anything she might have missed. Her gaze landed on the lid of the chocolate box resting on the dash, right next to her GPS unit. Oh. That’s sneaky, Jess. She laughed.
    She flipped on the unit and sure enough, a new destination had been entered. All she needed to do was press Go. Her eyebrows shot up at the sight of the address. Wow, Jess. You’re really going all out. The Beach House Hotel. As she picked up the lid to put it back on the chocolates, she spotted something written on the inside of the lid in Jess’s distinctive handwriting. Room 377.
    I can’t wait to see what else she has up her sleeve. Kim started the car, then froze. Dang. She had been so excited about Jess’s surprise, she had forgotten about her own plans. She glanced at her watch. It was too late to cancel the elaborate dinner she was having delivered to the house. Maybe Debbie and Joel would like the meal. If not, at least they could take delivery of some very expensive leftovers. On such short notice, Kim wasn’t sure who else to ask except their closest neighbors.
    Dinner doesn’t matter. Jess had obviously put a lot of thought and planning into making the day special. Kim’s hand went to the ring box in her pocket. She’s done a great job of surprising me, but I still have a big surprise of my own.
    Her heart was light and overflowing with love as she headed to fulfill her destiny. I’ll be there soon, love.
    * * *
    Jess leaned against the balcony railing, the soothing sounds of the surf washing over her. The sun had begun its final descent. Vivid hues of red, orange, and purple painted the darkening sky. She was barely aware of the stunning vista laid out before her. Her thoughts were focused on one person. Kim.
    Her hand went to the ring box in her pocket. While she had planned for over a month to ask Kim to marry her, it had become imperative after Kim’s latest attempt to get pregnant had been unsuccessful. Jess would never forget the sight of Kim curled up on their bed, her beautiful face streaked with tears. Or the sound of her cries and repeated apologies. Jess had never felt more helpless. With Valentine’s Day looming, it had