Spicy Sapphic Christmas

6. Bunny

SIX

bunny

“You’ve got to be kidding me, right?” Bunny pinched the bridge of her nose. It had been a whole week since they’d met Bea and Jo at Julianna’s, and Bunny couldn’t stop thinking about Bea.

“Oh come on,” Piper pleaded for the third time. Piper had been talking up Bea and Jo since that night, which wasn’t helping Bunny forget it. “It’ll be fun.”

“Singing into badly wired microphones along with tinny recorded music will be fun?” Bunny wasn’t convinced as she wiped the stage makeup from her face. It was always the first thing she did. No matter how much her clothes stuck to her skin or her body ached. After every set, she went directly to the makeup counter and removed the cloying shit from her face.

When they first started, she had put her foot down and insisted she would never wear makeup on the stage. But then the first questions and hushed whispers about her and Piper’s sexuality started floating around, and she’d changed her mind real quick.

After a breakdown, she had given in to the stage makeup. It had been met with jumping, clapping, and a high pitched squeal from Piper. Bunny had also started talking about her workout routines and her running in interviews when the inevitable questions came up about what she does during her down time.

“Earth to Bunny!” Piper called from the other side of the dressing room where she hung up the new bold diagonal stripe shirt, ready for dry cleaning. She loved to wear it on stage, and Bunny couldn’t deny how she wished she could get away with something similar. It reminded her of Iggy Stardust. Which was one of many reasons Bunny wouldn’t. She didn’t entirely enjoy being on stage with Piper wearing it, but she knew Piper didn’t care as much about the rumors or about the things the press printed in just about a damn three month rotation.

The name Jamie Kettlehouse was a regular curse in Bunny’s life.

“What?” Bunny removed the last of the makeup and turned around to face Piper.

“I want to go. Please come with me? We need to have more fun together. It’s been all work lately.” Piper might as well have lowered her bottom lip and let it quiver a little. But even knowing Piper’s tricks, Bunny rolled her eyes and knew she would give in eventually. Right now, she was too tired to go another three rounds before she got there.

“Fine.”

“Really?”

Bunny should have expected the jumping, the clapping, and the squealing. When Piper wrapped her in her arms and tried to get Bunny to jump right along, Bunny couldn’t help but let the smile rest on her lips. But she refused to become a woo-girl.

“We’re going to have a fantastic time.”

“Sure.” Bunny smiled, hoping Piper didn’t see Bunny’s plans for getting cramps or food poisoning less than an hour into the karaoke debacle.

It didn’t take them long to get changed and ready. Piper was in charge of getting them there, which was such a relief. Bunny didn’t have the brain power for it. The place was small, and the narrow staircase they walked up gave Bunny very little hope for the type of business they would find at the top. Then again, there would likely be fewer people there, which would be perfect for hiding her face in the crowd. She couldn’t roll her eyes more at that.

But Bunny was pleasantly surprised when Piper opened the door to a well-lit open area.

“This is nice.” Piper seemed surprised.

“Wait. Didn’t you say you’d been here before?” Bunny didn’t like the feeling that swirled in the pit of her stomach.

“No. I didn’t say that. I said let’s do karaoke. Oh look who’s here! What a nice surprise!” Piper ignored Bunny’s jaw drop as she waved her hand and headed over to a table where Bea and Jo sat.

Fuck!

Bunny’s stomach twisted hard, and her heart beat just a little too fast for her liking. She had given Siena her impression of the band and had washed her hands of thinking about them again. Except of course for the memory of how she’d sucked Bea’s clit until she came. Even now, the thought sent a shiver of arousal through Bunny. She wouldn’t mind a round two.

“Hey, what are you two big shots doing here?” Jo jumped up and a dusting of pink covered her smooth alabaster skin. She wrapped her arms around Piper’s neck in a quick hug and then started toward Bunny.

Bunny looked from Jo to Piper and back again before she accepted the quick embrace.

Right, now she understood.

This was for Piper, who was enamored with Jo. Of course. Now being subjected to constant talk about the sisters made perfect sense. Piper had a massive crush. They’d been through this before, and they’d get through it again. It would either form into a relationship or it wouldn’t, and Bunny would be there every step of the way in support of her best friend.

“It seems like this is the night to sing for fun instead of fans.” Bunny smiled at Jo before flicking a quick look over to Bea. How did she feel about all this? Was she as in the dark as Bunny had been just moments before? Or had she known the entire time?

Bea’s face was hard, her nostrils flaring just a little.

Well, that confirmed it. Bea had been led here on false pretenses as well.

“We’ve booked a booth, and we’re just waiting for it to be free,” Bea supplied, not standing up from the table.

“We have to make a reservation?” Piper really needed to work on her acting skills if she thought for one moment Bunny was buying the uh-oh moment she was trying out.

“You do!” Jo’s acting was no better. “But that’s okay, you can join us.”

“What?” Bea and Bunny asked at the same time, turning away from studiously not looking at each other to stare at Jo.

“We don’t mind, do we, Bea?” Jo stopped only long enough to take a half-breath before barreling on before Bea could butt in. “Plus, you never know what tips you might get from singing with the great Bunny and Piper.”

Bunny looked at Bea and was relieved to see she noticed Jo’s tactics as well. There was no denying that they were being railroaded into this. Bunny crossed her arms, flexing her muscles as she turned a glare onto Jo.

“You’ve got a good angle there, kid.” Bunny rocked back and forth from heel to toe, succumbing to the fact that this was what her evening was going to look like. Piper would hear all about it as soon as they left. Which would be far sooner than the hour. Bunny was going to get cramps in the next fifteen minutes, regardless of whether they started singing together or not.

“Have to think about the business, don’t I? Bea taught me that.” Jo shrugged, and Bunny couldn’t help but remember Piper at the same age. Always hungry for what to learn next. It was as though the two of them knew what the world thought of them with their slim bodies, and perfect hair and makeup and refused to let themselves be lulled into skating by on those things. They’d forced their way to where they were today, and it had been hard-ass work to get it.

“That’s perfect. Thanks, Jo.” Piper smiled, and Bunny felt vindicated in her first thoughts about Piper’s motivations for karaoke tonight.

“We need to go let them know we’ll need some more microphones.” Jo threaded her arm through Piper’s and started to walk toward what looked like a bar, but it didn’t have alcohol. Instead it had sound equipment, mostly cheap stuff that was easily replaceable. “You should have a seat, Bunny, we might be a while.”

“Sure, sure.” Bunny pulled out the seat across from Bea and plopped her ass in it, determined that the next time she stood up, she would be leaving this hellish idea in the dust. “Take all the time you ladies need.”

Without a backward look, the two of them hurried off. Bunny wouldn’t have been surprised if they broke out into a gleeful skip.

“Why do you keep insisting she has an angle?” Bea’s voice was low and dangerous.

Bunny shuffled in her chair, taking her gaze from Jo and Piper’s shrinking forms and landing directly in the stormy blue seas of Bea’s eyes. “It’s not a bad thing. She’s a clever kid. Why shouldn’t she be thinking about getting some tips when she’s managed to get us here to spend some one-on-one time with you both?”

Bea shook her head forcefully enough that the loose tie holding back the dark blonde locks let a few strands fly free. “So I suppose that’s why you think she set this whole thing up?”

“Actually, no.” Bunny dragged her chair a little closer so they could talk quieter. She didn’t need anyone else in this room overhearing what she was about to say. “I think they both set this up because they wanted an excuse to spend more time together.”

“What do you mean?” Bea’s eyes narrowed on Bunny’s, and for a moment, Bunny wondered if the woman had X-ray vision.

“Piper likes Jo, a lot. Believe me when I say I haven’t had an hour without your name and Jo’s name being mentioned in the last seven days, and I’m sick of it already. But coming here tonight, I get the sense that the feeling just might be mutual.” Bunny hoped she wouldn’t catch one of Bea’s tirades. Though to be honest, the last time hadn’t exactly led to an unfortunate or regrettable evening.

“Really? I thought Piper was straight.” Bea’s face lit up, and she immediately looked over at her sister.

Oh how Bunny wished she had never seen Bea’s smile and eyes so bright and alive. They suited her all right. So much so that heat pooled between Bunny’s legs and thoughts of dropping between Bea’s legs popped right back up into her brain.

“That doesn’t bother you?”

“No, not at all.” Bea’s eyes were so beautiful. Bunny wanted to pull her gaze away, but she couldn’t, no matter how hard she tried. To be fair, she hadn’t really been trying all that hard. She’d much rather look at Bea than Piper.

“And you want me to think you don’t have an angle?” Bunny asked.

“What?” Bea’s smile disappeared, and Bunny breathed a sigh of relief, which didn’t last long. She realized Bea's hard cold edges were just as sexy as the sweet loving big sister. And the combination of the two did things to her insides that she’d long thought dead.

“You’re happy for your baby sister to hook up with Piper?” Bunny asked, needing clarification.

“No.” Bea shook her head, and Bunny wondered what the hell was going on? Were they even having the same conversation? “I don’t want her to hook up with anyone, not even Piper. But she needs to see that people like her for exactly who she is.”

“Ah.” Bunny nodded with understanding. “You listened to what I said after… after the other night.”

“I’m not stupid, Bunny,” Bea said. The severe hardness on her face softened just enough for Bunny to remember the feel of those lips on her skin. “And I’m not cynical enough to believe everyone has some hidden angle, but I’m not going to just ignore good advice when I get it.”

“Angles don’t have to be hidden.” Bunny was certain she hadn’t said hidden. Why couldn’t she just shut up sometimes? And when those blue eyes focused on her, she couldn’t be entirely certain of each word she had said. Words left her brain, replaced with the hot arousal she hadn’t been able to shake.

“Of course they do. The whole implication of an angle is some hidden nefarious agenda.”

Bunny laughed hard, and tried to tear her gaze from Bea so that she wouldn’t see her true reaction. But she couldn’t move away. “Who’s the cynical one now?”

“Look.” Bea closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them again. The storm within had definitely calmed, but Bunny sensed very little wind would rile it up once more. “I love my sister, but she doesn’t always see the value of who she is over what she can do for someone. If Piper likes her for her, then I’m willing to do my best not to go ten rounds every time we get together for Jo’s sake.”

“How very magnanimous of you.” Bunny would have snorted, but she sensed that might set Bea off on another tirade.

“If you somehow twist this into some other bullshit angle, I’ll take the whole thing off the table now.”

Bunny laughed. Despite herself, she really did find Bea a fascinating woman and not just a sexy beautiful one-night stand. Bunny always was a sucker for an icy woman who knew exactly who she was and what she wanted. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Good.” Bea nodded as though that were the full stop at the end of their newfound arrangement.

“All right, well I’m going to go to the bathroom before the two of them return, and we can start singing other people’s songs in small-ass booths.” Since when had she decided to stay? Bunny would figure that one out later.

“Ah, there’s the cynicism I’ve come to know.” Bea pointed at Bunny and waggled her finger back and forth.

Bunny shoved her hands in her pockets, shrugged her shoulders, and followed the signs toward the bathroom. She didn’t need to dip her toe any deeper into that well of disaster.

Turning the corner to hopefully the last hallway leading to the bathroom, Bunny stopped and stared.

Jo’s back was pressed against the wall, pinned there by none other than Piper. Piper’s hands were curled into Jo’s hair, and their lips moved against each other’s. Bunny failed to see exactly where one of them stopped and the other started.

She grinned wildly and quietly stepped back around the corner to give them their peace. She could hold back the realization a bit longer.

“That was quick,” Bea said as Bunny sat back down.

“Was a long line. I didn’t want to wait.” Bunny wasn’t sure why she didn’t just tell Bea what she had witnessed, but she supposed if they weren’t even bothering to go into the bathroom before making out, it wouldn’t be long until Bea came across them the same way Bunny had.

Or someone else did.

“You’re smiling,” Bea accused from across the table.

“I do actually do that, quite regularly.”

“Want to share?”

If someone else did figure them out, that could cause a lot of issues for the Bunny and Piper brand. They had to be more discreet, and for that to happen, Bea and Bunny were going to have to work together. Bunny looked Bea directly in the eyes, making her point clear. “I was just thinking how I am totally up for civility between us to help Jo and Piper spend a little more time together.”

“Good,” Bea said, but her look said she knew Bunny wasn’t telling her everything.

But Bea didn’t need to know all the things that had crossed Bunny’s mind. Including some personal reasons to encourage Jo and Piper to spend more time together. And definitely not including the fact that she had yet to forget Bea’s tangy flavor.

Piper would owe her later.

And maybe—just maybe—this would balance out the whole sister-in-law fiasco.