anybody and could kick their ass if they
didn't like it, but it was definitely the chemistry between Xena and Gabrielle that had roped
her in from the very first episode.
"I wish there had been something like Xena on when I was fourteen or so, you know?" Taylor said. "I think it would've made the confusion about my sexuality a lot easier to deal with if
there had been something to relate to."
"Yeah, I see what you mean." It was unnerving how aware she was of Taylor's bare thigh
resting against her own. It was more unnerving to realize Melanie herself had no intention of
moving away. "There were a few, though. Wonder Woman. The Bionic Woman."
Taylor chuckled. "I watched them both faithfully. Looking back, I wish they hadn't made
Wonder Woman quite so femmy, you know? She threw like a girl and ran like a girl."
"You wished she was more butch?" Melanie nudged her with an elbow.
Taylor laughed. "Yeah. Exactly. Now, Lindsay Wagner. Boy, did I have a crush on her."
"I watched that one. Every week. Jaime Sommers was cool."
"Oh yeah."
They sipped their sodas, enjoying the closeness of the other, but unwilling to say so out loud.
Taylor broke the silence.
"Do you miss Chicago? Your job and your friends and stuff?"
Melanie thought about it for a moment. It would be easy to say yes. That was the answer that
was probably expected anyway.
But, there was something inside, deep inside, something completely unfamiliar that wouldn't
allow her to lie to Taylor. "I guess a little.
The hustle and bustle of the big city has always fascinated me." She hurriedly put her hand on
Taylor's arm. "Not that Rochester isn't a big city..."
"Understood." Taylor nodded, trying desperately not to look at the hand burning her skin.
"But, I'm very surprised to say, I don't really miss my job." She sat there in awe, shocked by the admission. She looked at Taylor in disbelief. "I mean, I miss it a little. I don't miss the politics or corporate bullshit, that's for sure. But, I didn't like the person I was becoming
there: an executive shark. Like I told you the other day, nothing mattered but the company."
She was quiet for a moment before looking up to meet the soft, warm, brown eyes that were
silently regarding her. "You asked if I miss my friends. Honestly, the only friend I had was
Angela, my secretary. I didn't have time for anybody else." She grimaced sadly. "Pretty sad, huh?"
"At least you realized it before it was too late. Like I said before, it took a lot of guts to do what you did. I admire you. I do have to say that I can't see somebody like you with no
friends, though. That is sad."
Melanie blushed at the compliment. "Thanks."
"I've worried about the same thing where I am. Sales is tough, and people can be so damned
phony."
"You can say that again."
"I don't hang out much with anybody from work because it's hard to tell who's really my
friend, and who's pretending to be because they want something from me."
Melanie nodded in agreement, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, feeling Taylor's eyes on
her as she did so. "I got used to not trusting anybody but Angela. I came to the understanding
that almost anybody who was nice to me was just gunning for my job."
"The business world has become a frightening place." Sitting so close to Melanie was making it hard to breathe, but Taylor couldn't bring herself to move away. Their thighs were still
pressed together, neither of them choosing to break the contact, a fact Taylor digested with
delight, and filed away. "So, you want to see more of Rochester, then?"
Melanie shook her head in confusion. "Whoa, hang on. I think the subject just shifted
drastically."
Taylor laughed. "Sorry. Corporate shit bums me out after a while."
"Me, too. I'd love to see more of your city."
"You busy tomorrow for dinner? We could drive around a little and go out. Or we could come
back here. I’m a great cook."
"So I hear. Your dad says you’ve fattened him up." "Does he?"
"Yup. I
didn't like it, but it was definitely the chemistry between Xena and Gabrielle that had roped
her in from the very first episode.
"I wish there had been something like Xena on when I was fourteen or so, you know?" Taylor said. "I think it would've made the confusion about my sexuality a lot easier to deal with if
there had been something to relate to."
"Yeah, I see what you mean." It was unnerving how aware she was of Taylor's bare thigh
resting against her own. It was more unnerving to realize Melanie herself had no intention of
moving away. "There were a few, though. Wonder Woman. The Bionic Woman."
Taylor chuckled. "I watched them both faithfully. Looking back, I wish they hadn't made
Wonder Woman quite so femmy, you know? She threw like a girl and ran like a girl."
"You wished she was more butch?" Melanie nudged her with an elbow.
Taylor laughed. "Yeah. Exactly. Now, Lindsay Wagner. Boy, did I have a crush on her."
"I watched that one. Every week. Jaime Sommers was cool."
"Oh yeah."
They sipped their sodas, enjoying the closeness of the other, but unwilling to say so out loud.
Taylor broke the silence.
"Do you miss Chicago? Your job and your friends and stuff?"
Melanie thought about it for a moment. It would be easy to say yes. That was the answer that
was probably expected anyway.
But, there was something inside, deep inside, something completely unfamiliar that wouldn't
allow her to lie to Taylor. "I guess a little.
The hustle and bustle of the big city has always fascinated me." She hurriedly put her hand on
Taylor's arm. "Not that Rochester isn't a big city..."
"Understood." Taylor nodded, trying desperately not to look at the hand burning her skin.
"But, I'm very surprised to say, I don't really miss my job." She sat there in awe, shocked by the admission. She looked at Taylor in disbelief. "I mean, I miss it a little. I don't miss the politics or corporate bullshit, that's for sure. But, I didn't like the person I was becoming
there: an executive shark. Like I told you the other day, nothing mattered but the company."
She was quiet for a moment before looking up to meet the soft, warm, brown eyes that were
silently regarding her. "You asked if I miss my friends. Honestly, the only friend I had was
Angela, my secretary. I didn't have time for anybody else." She grimaced sadly. "Pretty sad, huh?"
"At least you realized it before it was too late. Like I said before, it took a lot of guts to do what you did. I admire you. I do have to say that I can't see somebody like you with no
friends, though. That is sad."
Melanie blushed at the compliment. "Thanks."
"I've worried about the same thing where I am. Sales is tough, and people can be so damned
phony."
"You can say that again."
"I don't hang out much with anybody from work because it's hard to tell who's really my
friend, and who's pretending to be because they want something from me."
Melanie nodded in agreement, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, feeling Taylor's eyes on
her as she did so. "I got used to not trusting anybody but Angela. I came to the understanding
that almost anybody who was nice to me was just gunning for my job."
"The business world has become a frightening place." Sitting so close to Melanie was making it hard to breathe, but Taylor couldn't bring herself to move away. Their thighs were still
pressed together, neither of them choosing to break the contact, a fact Taylor digested with
delight, and filed away. "So, you want to see more of Rochester, then?"
Melanie shook her head in confusion. "Whoa, hang on. I think the subject just shifted
drastically."
Taylor laughed. "Sorry. Corporate shit bums me out after a while."
"Me, too. I'd love to see more of your city."
"You busy tomorrow for dinner? We could drive around a little and go out. Or we could come
back here. I’m a great cook."
"So I hear. Your dad says you’ve fattened him up." "Does he?"
"Yup. I
Similar Books
