"There’s a break in the trees just as the sun sets," Kara explained. "The lake is a perfect reflection."

They walked up the trail, but instead of heading to the water, Kara went into the trees and stopped at a rise with the water below them.

"I don’t mean to ignore you," Kara apologized as she flipped open her sketchpad.

"Go ahead. I’ll just watch," Ginny said. She sat down in the grass a few feet from Kara and pulled her knees up to her chin. Kara sat cross-legged on the ground, faded jeans covering the tanned legs Ginny was used to seeing. She watched as Kara’s fingers found the color she wanted and before Ginny’s eyes, the lake appeared on the paper. As the sun crept lower, Ginny became aware of the changing colors. The few clouds in the sky reflected the orange of the sun and she watched as Kara added that, too. Ginny took her eyes away from the woman next to her and forced herself to look at the water as it changed from a brilliant blue to a shimmering orange.

Kara added color, too and soon her lake was as orange as the sky as the sun hung, suspended just over the horizon for a split second and Ginny held her breath as it silently slipped from view. Kara’s hand stilled and Ginny looked up to find Kara watching her.

"Well?" Kara’s quiet voice broke the silence.

"It was beautiful," Ginny said softly. "Can I see?" she asked.

Kara hesitated, then handed over her sketch and she watched Ginny’s face break out in smile.

"You’ve captured it exactly. It’s as if the sun is still there, hanging on to the day," she said quietly. "You’ve put your moon in, I see," she said.

Kara clinched her jaw and met Ginny’s intense green eyes as they searched her own. She could almost see the currents that passed between them, feel the electricity in her veins as green eyes locked on blue. Ginny finally lowered her gaze, her eyes closing heavily as she sighed.

Ginny felt her pulse throbbing in her neck and she acknowledged the growing attraction she had for this woman. She could feel it. She took a deep breath, trying to push it away. They sat quietly, legs crossed before them and watched the color drain from the sky. Ginny became uncomfortably aware of the intimate setting as dusk settled over the forest. She should get up, she should suggest they go back, back to the safety of Nana’s company.

But she didn’t.

"Kara?" Ginny asked, as she leaned back on her elbows.

"Hmmm?"

"What’s it like?"

"What?" Kara asked, turning to her.

"Kissing a woman?" she asked before she could stop herself.

Kara tried to read her eyes, but the approaching darkness prevented it. "Why do you want to know?"

"I was just… wondering, I guess. Kissing is nice, you know, but some men, well, they just forget about it, I think."

"Phil?"

Ginny shook her head. Phil wasn’t much for kissing. She sighed again. Why in the world had she started this conversation?

"Never mind," she murmured.

Kara smiled. So, Ginny was curious. That surprised her.

"From what I remember, men were much more interested in bigger and better things. Never wanted to take the time for kissing. That’s the great thing about women," Kara said. "Most women like to kiss. And of course, a woman knows."

"Knows what?" Ginny asked hesitantly.

Kara turned to Ginny. "A woman knows what you want and how it makes you feel," she said quietly.

Ginny swallowed, the sound echoing in the quiet forest and she felt herself drawn to this woman sitting so close to her. Like a magnet, she thought, as she struggled to pull her eyes away from Kara’s. She felt as helpless as a moth drawn to fire. She was far too aware of her and was thankful for the darkness, as images of Kara’s lips on hers flashed through her mind, making her stomach flutter. They stared at each other for countless seconds, then Kara moved away and gathered up her work.

"Come on. We better get you back," she said.

Ginny accepted Kara’s outstretched hand and their fingers entwined as Kara pulled her to her feet. Kara didn’t immediately release her hand and Ginny didn’t pull away. Not until she felt the fire burning between them did she finally drop Kara’s hand.

CHAPTER EIGHT

GINNY SPENT A FITFUL night, tossing in her bed as she remembered Kara’s words. "A woman knows." How would Kara’s kiss be? Hot and wet? Or would it be slow and tender?

Ginny groaned and rolled over, hating herself for her thoughts. What was she doing? Why did this woman occupy her mind so? And thoughts of kissing her, no less! She was not attracted to women! She never had been! What she was thinking was insane!

Renee.

No. She hadn’t been attracted to Renee. At least, not sexually. And she was positive that she was not sexually attracted to Kara, either.

"You’re straight, for God’s sake," she murmured. "Act like it."

She got out of bed and went into the kitchen for a drink of cold water and she stood at the sink, watching the moon overhead. Nearly full. Kara’s moon.

Was she watching it, too? Or was she sleeping peacefully, unaware of the effect she was having on Ginny?

"She’s not blind," Ginny whispered. And how embarrassing would that be? Kara had not so much as said one inappropriate thing. Ginny found Kara’s eyes on her sometimes, but that was all.

"Ginny?"

Ginny turned and found Nana watching her. "I’m sorry. Did I wake you?"

"Are you all right?"

She held up her glass. "Thirsty."

"I think I’ll have some, too," she said and moved into the room. "Must be this moon. I can’t sleep a wink."

Ginny glanced up again at the moon and again thought of Kara. "Yes. I know what you mean," she murmured.


Kara paced her room in the darkness, a cigarette glowing hotly in her hands. "What’s it like?" The soft words echoed in her brain again and again. She shoved one hand into her hair and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. It had been far too tempting. What’s it like to kiss a woman? Here, let me show you.

She should really stay away from Ginny. It was becoming uncomfortable to be around her. She laughed out loud, thinking it hadn’t been since college that she’d been attracted to a straight woman.

And it had been a very long time since she’d had such a consuming need to kiss someone, she thought.

So she stayed away. And she painted. She was inspired, if nothing else and she started on the sunset the next day, working feverishly all day. When she reached for a beer that evening, she remembered she hadn’t thought to buy more and she opened a bottle of wine instead. While her soup heated, she took her wine and cigarette out to the porch and sat, listening to the evening approach.

She sat until darkness surrounded her, her cigarette glowing in the night. Her thoughts drifted to the previous evening and she let them. She saw Ginny sitting on the grass beside her, leaning on her elbows, watching her with those intense green eyes. Had she been merely curious? Kara brought the cigarette to her lips and inhaled deeply. Possibly. Or maybe Ginny felt the electricity between them, too.

No. She was straight, Kara reminded herself. And straight women were curious. But still, there was something happening between them. She could feel it and she suspected that Ginny could feel it, too. Would she even chance seeing Kara again? Had she been afraid that Kara might actually try to kiss her?

She stood up suddenly, putting a halt to her thoughts. She ate inside, barely tasting the soup as her mind remained focused on Ginny.


"You never said how it went the other night," Nana said over dinner two nights later.

"With Kara?"

Nana nodded as she cut into her steak.

"It was interesting. I never noticed the colors before," Ginny said. "How they change nearly every second before the sun goes down," she said quietly.

"Is she any good?"

"Very. She captured it exactly," Ginny said, remembering how Kara’s fingers had moved over the paper, snatching up color after color without looking. "She has this thing about the moon," Ginny said.

"The moon?"

"Yes. She puts a full moon in all of her paintings," Ginny said.

"Well, I’d like to see one of them, wouldn’t you," Nana said.

"Yes. I would."

"Does she have any finished?"

"She didn’t say," Ginny said. And she hadn’t thought to ask. She had been too busy wondering about kissing a woman to ask. She blushed, putting a halt to her thoughts. No need to go over all that again. She had already spent two sleepless nights.

"Maybe we should have her over to dinner again," Nana said. "You seem to have become friends."

"Yes. I like her," Ginny said carefully. And she did like her, it was true. She only wished she wouldn’t constantly think about kissing her.

Nana stood back and watched her. "Are you all right, Ginny?"

"Of course. Why do you ask?"

"You’ve been quiet. Your answers are short." She watched her for awhile longer. "Are you thinking about Phil?" she asked.

Ginny smiled. No, Phil had definitely not been in her thoughts lately. "I’m fine, Nana. Really. And, no, I haven’t been thinking about Phil."

"Well, he hasn’t called in a week or so, has he?"

"No, he hasn’t."

"Maybe he’s waiting for you to call," she prompted.

Ginny smiled again. "Nana, don’t start," she said gently.

"Well, I just don’t understand you. If it’s me you’re worried about, don’t. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. And, in case you haven’t noticed, I enjoy running the store. Your investment would be safe."

"I know. You’re wonderful at it. But Phil and I… we just needed some time apart," she said.

"Honey, I know marriage is a big step. But don’t run from it. When you find a good man that loves you, you better grab him. They don’t come along every day," she said.

"Nana, when did you know that Grandpa was right for you?" she asked.

"Oh, I’d had my eye on him," she said with a wink. "He just didn’t know it." She put her fork down and Ginny could tell she was remembering. "The first time he kissed me, it was magic. Pure magic. I had been waiting for months, but he was a damn fool and thought he would offend me if he tried to kiss me." She laughed. "By the time that he actually got around to it, I was so ready for it, I nearly passed out."

Ginny smiled. Magic. That’s how it should be. That’s how she wanted it to be. Was it magic when Phil kissed her? Had it been that first time? She tried to remember when they had first kissed. A lunch date, and he had brushed her cheek. Then he had cooked dinner for her and had stolen a kiss as she had poured wine. But magic? No, she wouldn’t have called it magic.

"Are you worried about Phil not being the right one, dear?"

"I’m not certain that he is," she admitted.

"Ginny, you’ll know. But he’s good for you, isn’t he?"

"Yes. He’s good." And he was. He just didn’t stir her soul like she needed him to.

CHAPTER NINE

KARA HAD PURPOSEFULLY gone to the store during lunch, hoping that Ginny would be out. And she was. Nana greeted her with a smile and drew her inside.

"I’m afraid that Ginny’s at the park," she apologized.

"That’s okay. I ran out of beer," Kara said and took two six-packs from the shelf. She looked around. "You don’t happen to have any tofu, do you?"

"Tow what?"

"Never mind," Kara said and laughed. She picked through the fresh vegetables and bought a few more bags of pasta. "I can make do with this," she said.

"Ginny will be disappointed she missed you," Nana said. "Why don’t you come over for dinner again?"

"Oh, Louise, thanks, but I don’t want to trouble you with my diet," she said.

"No trouble," Nana said, racking her brain, trying to think of something she could cook without meat.

"Really, but I appreciate the offer," Kara said, letting out a sigh of relief. It was short-lived, however. The bell jingled over the door and she turned and met green eyes across the room.

"I thought that was your Land Cruiser outside," Ginny said.

"Beer," Kara said and she shoved a bill at Nana.

"Have you been working?" she asked.

"Yes. It’s coming along."

They stood watching each other, Kara not realizing that Nana was trying to give her change.