Nina’s silver Dodge Journey rumbled through her quiet, tree-lined street off of Main, the tires humming against the asphalt. The sun was high and bright, casting long shadows across the road. She saw her house in the distance, a modest home with a tired porch and faded shutters. As she pulled into the overgrown gravel driveway, a mixture of excitement and dread overcame her. Excitement came from Liam and Rachel’s invitation for a night out. She dreaded the prospect of asking Rosa to come with her.

She turned off the engine and found the sudden silence deafening.

Nina sat, hands gripping the wheel, replaying the prospect of a Sunday evening with Liam and Rachel in her head. Excitement fluttered in her stomach. A sensation absent for years. It was a dangerous game she was playing. She was aware of that. But a thrilling, exhilarating game, giving her a taste of life she hadn’t experienced in a while.

She stepped out of her Dodge and walked towards the front door, gravel crunching underfoot. Nina heard the faint hum of the furnace, the soft whirring of the fans as they worked to keep the house warm.

Nina stepped inside. A fragrance of laundry detergent and a slight suggestion of another odor filled the air. Lavender and musk combined to fill her nostrils. She removed her shoes near the entryway, then proceeded to the laundry room.

The basket was overflowing with clothes, a mix of hers and Gerald’s, and she sighed as she began sorting through them. The day’s events weighed heavy on her. Liam and Rachel’s invitation to drinks was still fresh in her mind. Nina tried to focus on the task at hand, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Liam, his firm hands massaging her shoulders and neck. The heat of his touch lingered on her skin. Remembered his breath on her ear, the soft rumble of his voice as he spoke, and how her body responded to him in a way that both excited and terrified her.

Nina loaded the washing machine, pondering what drinks with Liam and Rachel might entail. Innocent fun, laughter… or something more? She noted the way Rachel looked at her, touched her. The spark of attraction that ignited within Nina was undeniable.

She pressed the start button on the washing machine, the hum of the appliance filling the small room. Nina leaned against the counter, her arms crossed over her chest as she tried to sort through her thoughts. Rachel’s sensuality made her tempting, yes, but Liam’s good manners, kindness, and unselfishness made him as tempting, if not more so.

The mix of excitement and terror, this thrill of the unknown, was appealing. She had always obeyed the rules and done what people expected of her. Now she stood on a new and dangerous precipice, compelling her to jump.

Her eyes fell on her yoga mat hidden in the corner. Nina had been neglecting exercise, but today, a renewed sense of energy and need filled her. She needed to channel the whirlwind of emotions swirling within her.

“I’m dressed for it.” Nina said to herself, a small smile playing on her lips as she grabbed the mat and rolled it onto the living room floor. She turned the music on, the upbeat rhythm filling the room and setting the pace for her workout. She started with light stretches, her body still warm from the day’s activities, and then moved on to a series of lunges and squats. Her muscles burned as she pushed herself harder and harder. Her supple curves bouncing on each dive, stretching her yoga pants taught against her with each hunch.

The immediate need to urinate surprised Nina. She took a quick break, then returned with crunches, her abs already screaming from the exertion. The sweat spread over her back. The heat of her body warmed the cool air around her. Nina pushed herself harder. Her muscles burned, ached, but she didn’t care. Nina needed this, needed the physical exertion to distract her from the emotional whirlwind, erotic thoughts threatening to overwhelm her.

As she finished her workout, she collapsed onto the mat, her bosom heaving and her body slick with sweat. She lay there for a moment, her eyes closed as the sound of ragged gasps filled the air.

The tension in her body soon eased. Her knots and tightness melted away under the exertion and subsequent cooldown.

However, Nina’s bladder was a different story. She took another quick break earlier, but her need to urinate increased in frequency and urgency. Nina pushed herself up from the mat, joints popping, muscles protesting, and rushed to the bathroom. As she sat on the toilet seat, the relief in her bladder evoked a sigh. Her eyes fluttered shut as she gathered her thoughts.

A sensual, feminine chuckle interrupted those thoughts.

“Well, look at you. I swear you’ve lost ten pounds.” Rosa said as she stood in the bathroom doorway, her eyes surveying Nina’s body. “I am impressed. You’ve got a nice sweat going. It suits you, Nina. You should work out more often.”

Nina sighed, flushed the toilet and washed her hands. “I can’t argue with that. And judging by the number of times I’ve flushed, I’m certain where the ten pounds went.” She giggled. As Nina turned to her friend, she froze. Rosa wore one of Gerald’s long-sleeved flannel shirts, and little else.

Rosa left three buttons undone at the top, revealing the swell of her ample breasts. Although her hair was still a mess, she had touched up her makeup. It was obvious Rosa napped in Gerald’s shirt, and Nina wondered if it was a conscious choice to arouse her or not. Rosa’s eyes were bright and alert, with a mischievous smile on her face as she sauntered to the medicine cabinet and pulled out a bottle of cologne.

“Is that one of Gerald’s shirts?” Nina gulped. She experienced a pang of jealousy, and a twinge of something vague. A fear of being replaced perhaps, of being overshadowed, left her unsettled.

As she turned to face Nina, Rosa’s eyes sparkled with amusement. The bottle of cologne still clutched in her hand. “Oh, this old thing? Yeah, I borrowed it from Gerald. I hope you don’t mind. I spilled coffee on my blouse earlier, and I didn’t want to walk around with a stain on my chest.”

Without explaining the lack of a skirt, Rosa sprayed the cologne on her two wrists and on both sides of her neck, passing the bottle between her hands like a juggler. “And this is Gerald’s cologne on my body.” Rosa said as she held a wrist under Nina’s nose. “Doing anything for you?” she asked.

Nina wrinkled her nose when sniffing Rosa’s wrist. She frowned at the aroma of lavender and musk as if unpleasant. “Ugh, no. Should it?” she asked, but averted her gaze. Nina tried to walk past Rosa to leave the bathroom. “I need to change these sweaty clothes. I’ll be back.”

“Damn it, woman, what does it take to seduce you?” Rosa asked, her eyes narrowed with a mix of amusement and frustration. She stepped closer, blocking Nina’s path, her body almost pressing against her friend. “I mean, I dropped hints last night. I wore Gerald’s shirt and cologne. What do you want from me?”

Flustered, Nina took a stumbling step back. She sensed the heat of Rosa’s body. Although she’d denied it, she enjoyed the intoxicating blend of Gerald’s cologne and Rosa’s floral perfume. Nina attempted to calm her breathing. Tried to calm her racing heart.

“Oh, my! You’re making the same face Gerald did when I wore his shirt.” Rosa laughed, jolting Nina back to reality. “You and Gerald are just the cutest. Your cheeks blush so red... Ow!” Rosa exclaimed, succumbing to a punch in the arm from Nina. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” She held her hands up in mock surrender, a playful grin still playing on her lips. “I hoped you might be into it. You know, a little fun between friends.”

Nina’s cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of red as she lowered her head. Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her sweat-soaked top. “Sorry, Rosa, I don’t know what to say. I mean, I thought... No, I don’t know what I thought. I’ve experienced a lot lately, and I’m a little on edge. Again, I’m sorry.”

Rosa smiled, her soft eyes filled with compassion and concern. “I understand, Nina. And I’m here for you, no matter what. You know that, right?”

“Funny you should ask that.” Nina addressed Rosa in a soft voice. “They offered me a night out, and I need a fourth person. I thought of you.”

Rosa’s eyes widened in surprise, her hands still raised in surrender. “A night out? With who? And why do you need a fourth? Spill it, Nina.”

Nina hesitated, her fingers still fidgeting with the hem of her top. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say. “It’s Liam and Rachel, the young couple from Rudolph’s. They invited me for an evening of drinks and fun tonight. I thought it’d be nice to have some company. And since Gerald is working an extra shift, I figured you might join me. What do you say, Rosa? Be my plus one tonight?” She was aware of the heat of Rosa’s gaze on her, and she tried to ignore the fluttering in her stomach. Socializing was rare for Nina, yet a night out with Liam and Rachel excited her, and she desired the experience.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself for Rosa’s reaction.

Rosa’s eyes narrowed. “There’s something you’re still not telling me. I can see it in your eyes. Nina. Something about me you considered when you chose me.” Rosa’s eyes held a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

“Well, we... I mean, Liam reasoned, since Rachel has acted so forward of late, it might be best for me to bring a friend along. A... cougar. To run interference. Ensure things don’t become too complicated.” Nina tried to keep her voice casual. She observed Rosa’s expression, trying to gauge her reaction. Nina hoped Rosa would perceive the invitation’s spirit, despite the obvious jab.

Rosa’s eyes widened in surprise, and she let out a low whistle. “You want me to be your lesbian wingman?” She asked the air in front of her.

Nina blinked and shook her head, contemplating whether the phrase Rosa uttered even made sense.

“Count me in!” Rosa said, slapping and clamping two hands onto Nina’s supple hips and squeezing.

“I mean, it’s not every day I get to be a wingman, let alone a lesbian one. I’m unsure whether to feel grateful or insulted. However, I must confess I’m intrigued.” She released her grip on Nina’s hips, her hands lingering for a moment before she stepped back.

“Just make sure you wash those yoga pants and that thong. I want to see you in them on our double date. Because that thong is doing a great job of accentuating your ass. And I don’t want the best part of your body wasted on two young people who lack the ability to appreciate it.” She turned and walked towards the bedroom, her hips swaying with each step. “Our big Sunday evening out requires some planning. This night will be legendary.”

As Nina watched Rosa sashay away, her mind reeled from the day’s events. In mere hours, she transformed from feeling trapped to being chased and desired.

And it was riveting.