Spicy Sapphic Christmas

35. Bea

THIRTY-FIVE

bea

Bea’s hands trembled as she gripped onto the metal railing for the stairs. Her shoes were heavy as she went up onto the stage, the thumps with each step she took matching the thumps in her heart. She couldn’t believe she was here. Siena had been amazing, and the plans had gone off perfectly.

Jo had actually kept a damn secret for once.

Well, at least until the very end when she’d clearly told Piper what was going on, but no one had told Bunny, and that was the important part.

Stepping onto the stage, Bea held her breath. Bunny’s jaw was on the floor. Clearly when Bea had asked about singing together, it had gone straight over Bunny’s head. So had the matching outfit that was supposed to be exactly what they were wearing for the production itself. The entire production. No more costume changes to put unnecessary stress on the timing of the evening. Bea hugged Jo and Piper as they welcomed her onto the stage and then she moved to stand next to Bunny.

The first song was all four of them. They had three of those back-to-back before it was just Piper and Bunny. The hours of rehearsal they’d done together would come in handy for this. And she wasn’t bound to forget what was involved, but they had at least eighteen minutes on stage before Bunny was going to be able to yell at her for keeping a secret off stage.

Bunny held out her elbow for Bea to take, and she moved them toward the front and center of the stage. In all their rehearsals before, Bea hadn’t stood next to Bunny. Bunny had always strategically put Piper or Jo between them, not just to mix up the groups a bit more, but to put space between the two of them.

But she was going off script.

Piper took over announcing the songs, and Bunny dropped her microphone to her side. She turned to Bea and whispered into her ear, “I promise you I’m not always this dense.”

“I think you were a bit distracted,” Bea responded with a light giggle.

“You’re definitely distracting. Perfect tits and all.” Bunny backed away on a laugh and looked at Piper. “Fucking perfect tits.”

Bea laughed and tried to step away, but Bunny kept a firm grasp on her hand. The music started up, and Bea focused on what she needed to do—the notes she needed to hit, the words she wasn’t sure she had completely memorized, the steps she wasn’t sure she was taking as they all stood together on the stage.

Bunny had the first line of music. Thank God, because the nerves that were rampaging all through Bea’s stomach and chest were almost too much to contend with. She hadn’t thought they would be this bad. But the crowd out there was at least ten times larger than what she was used to.

Bunny tugged on her hand, bringing her back around and giving her something to focus on. Smiling, Bea raised her free hand with the microphone to her lips and started in immediately on the harmony.

Their voices blended together so well, each of them listening to the other and weaving the notes and lyrics around each other. Piper and Jo on either side of them, completing the music in a way that they wouldn’t have been able to do without all of them on the stage. Bunny faced the bright lights, and Bea turned to follow suit.

She stared out at the dark faces in front of her, watching as they sang right along with them and hearing the off-tune music that they all made together. It was honestly the perfect metaphor for life. Bea drew in a large breath, pulling the air down into her belly, as the crescendo of the music rose, reaching its pinnacle.

By the end of the song, energy soared through Bea’s body exactly like it should during a performance. She was hyped and ready for the second and third songs to hit. When it was finally time for her to step off the stage, Bunny followed her closely. Piper and Jo stayed to dance together for the first time during the concert.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming tonight?” Bunny said, stopping Bea at the bottom of the stairs.

Bea spun around and shook her head as a shiver ran through her. “I wasn’t sure you’d let me.”

“Sing with us?” Bunny’s eyebrows disappeared into her hairline. “What the hell would ever make you think that?”

“The last month?” Bea answered, her shoulders squaring. “The fact that you didn’t invite me back when we were at the club.”

“Because I didn’t think you’d come back.” Bunny stepped into Bea’s space, a hand on Bea’s hip as she pulled her in and kept her close. “And I didn’t want to pressure you into doing something that you didn’t want to do.”

“Bunny…” Bea pulled her lower lip between her teeth and shook her head slowly. “Sometimes you have to fight for what you want.”

“And sometimes fighting for it is just going to push it away.” Bunny’s other hand came up against the small of Bea’s back, and she was officially wrapped up in Bunny’s arms.

“Don’t push me away,” Bea begged.

“No, I won’t make that mistake again.” Bunny moved in and pressed their lips together.

Bea tilted her face up, parting her lips, right when the song ended. She would have cursed their lack of timing if she had another choice other than getting back on the stage. Bunny didn’t pull back though. Instead, she pressed in tighter.

Humming, Bea listed forward.

“Bunny!” Siena’s loud voice boomed through the fog of arousal that coursed through Bea, and apparently Bunny, since she jerked back. “We’ll talk about a press release for this later, but you missed your cue.”

Bunny growled but climbed up the stairs. Piper was still up there, and Jo was at the top, waiting to come down, with a big shit-eating grin on her lips. Bunny said nothing as she walked by. Jo, however, was not so subtle.

“So you two talked it out, I see.”

“Kind of,” Bea said on a sigh, watching Bunny from the bottom of the stairs. Normally she’d be taking an actual break, but she’d never been this close to Bunny and Piper performing. And she couldn’t force herself to be that far from Bunny. Not just yet. Not without some more answers first.

Were they dating?

Was this a formalization of their relationship?

Bea desperately wanted it to be, but they didn’t have enough time to actually get those words out.

“I’ve been preparing for this for years, Bea. I promise you, I have it handled.”

Bea looked into Siena’s sure gaze and nodded. “Yeah, I didn’t think you wouldn’t.”

“I just never thought I’d get to use any of my plans.” Siena grinned. “I’m glad to have been proven wrong.”

But had she been proven wrong yet? Bunny had kissed her. It was clear that Bunny was happy that Bea was there, but they hadn’t talked yet. And Bea needed that confirmation of what they were doing. She needed to know that Bunny was going to meet her halfway, not just on stage, but everywhere else.

Bunny and Piper finished, and then it was time for Bea to sing with Jo. She barely got to slide her fingers along Bunny’s arm as they passed by each other on their way up and down the stairs. She just wanted a few minutes. Why was her timing always off when it came to these kinds of things?

Sweat poured down the small of Bea’s back when Bunny and Piper finally came back on stage for the final few numbers. She had wondered if she was going to be freezing tonight since the forecast had shown the weather to be questionable, but with as much moving around as they were doing and how much energy that she was pouring into the performance, it wasn’t as bad as she thought.

Straightening her shoulders while Bunny introduced the next song, Bea stilled. The snow started falling again. This time in big, gorgeous flakes, ones that drifted down slowly. She caught Jo’s eye and held up her hand to catch the next snowflake. Together they started moving toward the center of the stage and laughed while Bunny stood in front of them, still talking.

Did she ever shut up sometimes?

Then again, it was probably a good thing in times like this. Siena grinned at them from the edge of the stage. They were so close to being finished with the concert. It was dark outside, save for the lights from the venue, which lit up the snow like a soft blanket coming down to cover them. It made the sky look like it was filled with a million stars that they could reach out and touch.

Bea moved up close to Bunny and touched her arm lightly, a smile on her face. Bunny paused, and Bea leaned in close to whisper. “I thought we were going to sing our song.”

Bunny scrunched her face up. “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” Bea laughed. “Kick those two off the stage, and let’s do it. Meet me halfway, remember?”

“Yeah.” Bunny pulled up her microphone. “Change in plans. Bea, here, has a brilliant idea since the temperatures are dropping and the snow is falling. She and I are going to sing one last duet before we get to the big finale.”

Piper and Jo gave them both curious looks, but stepped off to the side with Siena. They didn’t go far, probably just as curious what was up their sleeves as everyone else.

“Oh, and we’ll do it acapella.” Bunny pointed at the drummer and backup guitarists and pianist behind her. “Just give me a G.”

Bea smiled, humming to herself. This would be so much better than when they’d sung the song the other week. It would have so much more meaning now. They were ready now. She and Bunny were ready for the commitment that this was going to take, and for the reasons they were there. And they were both finally starting on the same note.

Bea couldn’t stop staring at Bunny throughout the entire song. Their voices wove together, the magic of the snow and the conversation she was still waiting to have breathed life into every word she sang. Bea stepped in closer, toe to toe with Bunny, as they came to the conclusion of the song. The last note left her lips, and Bunny immediately dropped Bea’s hand and grabbed her by the back of the neck.

Bunny pressed their mouths together, bending Bea backward and holding her firmly as Bunny kissed her deeply. Bea clung onto Bunny’s arms, holding as tightly as she could while their tongues tangled, heat rising between them, and hope bursting in Bea’s chest.

When Bea finally figured out what was happening, and Bunny pulled her upright, she didn’t want to let go. Leaning up on her toes, she pressed her entire body against Bunny’s, keeping their mouths connected, lips touching.

She couldn’t believe this was happening.

Bunny was kissing her, on stage, in front of a live audience. Bea’s heart nearly burst from the joy. This wasn’t halfway. This was way the hell more than halfway. Bea wrapped herself around Bunny while the crowd cheered them on, growing louder and louder as each second passed.

When Bunny eventually pulled away, a few soft kisses on Bea’s lips, Siena’s angry voice finally reached Bea’s ears. She tensed.

“Oh yeah, she’s going to be pissed a while about this one,” Bunny muttered through the grin and kissed Bea again. “And I don’t fucking care.”

“She said she had a plan.”

“I’m sure I just ruined it.” Bunny kissed Bea again, cupping her cheeks and holding her before pulling away. “I’ll take the brunt of it.”

Bea laughed lightly. “I think we can handle this one together.”

“Sure.” Bunny slid her hand down Bea’s arm and laced their fingers together. She nodded at Piper and held up her microphone again. “I’m going to let Piper and Jo sing one more song before we come together for the finale.”

Bunny didn’t wait as she dragged Bea off the stage. Piper did exactly what she should have done and took over the concert. Bea was amazed at how well the two of them worked together, though she shouldn’t have been because they’d been together for so long. She and Jo were the same—for the most part.

Bea stopped at the bottom of the stairs when Bunny wrapped an arm around her waist and pointed at Siena with her free hand. “Yell at me later.”

“Fine. It’ll be a good reaming, and you owe me a bottle of tequila.”

Bunny raised her eyebrows at Bea, and Bea instantly knew there was something she was missing, something that only the two of them understood from their long acquaintanceship.

Bunny faced Siena again, a serious look gracing her features. “Tequila? Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m going to need that after this.” Siena pointed between the two of them. “Some warning would have been nice.”

“Says the woman who tells me I never take risks.”

“Bunny,” Bea said, interjecting. “Now isn’t the time.”

Bunny pursed her lips and then focused back on Bea. “Fine, but only because you’re a really good distraction right now.”

Bea snorted out a laugh. She caught Bunny’s full attention, flicking her gaze between Bunny’s dark eyes and her thin lips. “I love you.”

Bunny’s lips pulled upward. “Finally.”

“It’s not like you waited that long!” Bea complained.

“Long enough.” Bunny pulled her in for another kiss.

Bea was completely wrapped up in her when Piper and Jo called for them to go back on stage. Bunny followed her up the stairs, the stage now completely covered in a fine layer of snow. Would it stick? Would they wake up to a white Christmas tomorrow? Bea wrapped her arm in Bunny’s, walking together.

She never wanted to let go. She never wanted to forget this moment or let it end. Then again, tomorrow would probably be just as good, right? If not better? Tomorrow would be the two of them and no one else in the world. They’d be able to start fresh right before the new year, making their lives what they wanted them to be.

“It seems most fitting tonight, that the song that’ll be our last is White Christmas .” Bunny grinned as the crowd went wild again.

Bea couldn’t wipe the smile from her lips. She couldn’t imagine being happier than she was now. She’d needed this, more than she knew. Piper and Jo locked arms together, standing next to Bunny and Bea. They faced the concert goers as the music started up. Bea took a deep breath, finding her center and focusing on the musical notes.

She never could have dreamed this up.

It had to be real.