Chapter 27:  Diversions

After her shift ended the following evening, Olivia decided to go to one of her favorite bars.  The alcohol was plentiful, the women were beautiful, and the atmosphere was unprecedented.  Her fight with Alex still resonated with her, and she needed something to take the sting out of things.  Besides, if Alex was going to continue dating Robert, why shouldn’t she find a woman of her own?  Regardless of the fact that she had avoided having sex with him the night before, Olivia knew she would sleep with him again in the future.  So she thought she was entitled to her own diversions.  After all, it wasn’t like she’d taken a vow of celibacy when she’d established rules against sexual contact with Alex.  And she was determined that their New Year’s romp would just be a one-time deal.

 

She had only been sitting at the bar a few minutes when she felt a hand on her back.  She turned around to see Zoe Dunlop.  “Hi!” she said, giving her a bright smile.

 

“Hi, Olivia.  Mind if I sit?”

 

She shook her head.  “No, not at all.”

 

Zoe sat down beside her.  “How have you been?”

 

“Good.  How are you and Emma holding up?”

 

With a deep sigh, Zoe replied, “Well, things have been pretty tough, but they’re slowly getting better.  I haven’t been out since Kate was hospitalized the last time, so I thought I’d come have a drink and unwind.  How are things in your life?”

 

“Great,” Olivia said, tilting her glass back.  “Are you on the market again?”

 

Zoe laughed.  “Kate and I were together 10 years.  I’m certainly not looking for anything serious.  I just need a…distraction.”

 

“Ah, can’t say I blame ya.  How ’bout I buy you a drink?” Olivia asked.

 

Zoe nodded and smiled.  “Thanks.  That’d be great.”

 

Olivia smiled in return.  “What’ll you have?”

 

“A screwdriver sounds good,” she replied.

 

Olivia motioned for the bartender to come over.  “I’d like another scotch on the rocks and for the lady here, a screwdriver.”

 

“Coming right up,” the bartender said, giving her a furtive smile.  She took her empty glass and deliberately let her fingers brush her hand in the process.  Olivia had always been one of her favorite patrons.  Even though she had a tough exterior, her eyes were a cloud of mystery and deep-seated emotion.  She found her to be a very desirable woman and if she hadn’t been with anyone, she probably would’ve asked her to come home with her.

 

Of course, the bartender wasn’t the only one who found Olivia enticing.  From the moment she first saw the beautiful detective, Zoe had been attracted to her.  The strong confidence, take-no-prisoners swagger, probing intelligence, and empathetic nature could make anyone swoon.  They had had an instant connection, and she appreciated that Olivia had gone to bat for her a number of times during the investigation.  She hadn’t asked her if she liked women but she could sense it, hence why she wasn’t exactly surprised to see her in a lesbian bar.

 

With a wink at Olivia, the bartender served them their drinks and went to take other orders.  Zoe took a sip of her screwdriver and asked, “Are you single?”

 

“Single as can be,” Olivia answered. 

 

Zoe let her eyes travel over her body.  “I’m surprised no one has snatched a woman as gorgeous as yourself off the market.”

 

Olivia laughed.  “I guess you could say I’ve encountered a little dating slump.”

 

Zoe studied her expression carefully.  “Did you recently get out of a long-term relationship?”

 

Olivia sighed and looked down at her drink.  “You could say that.”

 

Sensing that she didn’t care to elaborate, Zoe decided not to press the issue.   “You come here often?”

 

“I haven’t been here in a while, actually.”

 

Zoe stirred her drink.  “You know, before I left home I thought it was too soon, but my best friend told me I needed to move on with my life.  And I guess she’s right.  As much as I love and miss Kate, she’s never coming back,” she said, her voice breaking.  Olivia put a hand on her back and rubbed gently.  Zoe took another sip and continued, “And I’ve tried to be there for Emma as much as possible to help her get through it all…I just felt like the walls were closing in on me.”

 

“I can understand how much of a toll this is taking on you,” Olivia said sympathetically.  “You’re so used to taking care of others that you neglect taking care of yourself.”

 

Zoe smiled and held back tears.  Her hand on her back gave her more comfort than she’d expected.  “I’m sure you’ve heard that a lot.”

 

Olivia chuckled.  “I have.”

 

“You don’t heed it much, do you?”

 

Olivia smiled.  “I guess I’m stubborn like that.”

 

Zoe finished the rest of her drink.  “What do you say we hit the dance floor?”

 

“I’ll need another drink in me before that happens,” Olivia joked.  She signaled for the bartender to come back.

 

After she’d downed her third scotch of the night, she grabbed Zoe’s hand and pulled her off the stool.  They made their way through the crowd of gyrating bodies until they found a clear spot. 

 

“I love this song,” Zoe whispered in her ear.

 

Olivia nodded and pulled her in close.  As the rhythmic beats pumped through their bodies, she slowly began to grind against her waist. 

 

Zoe moved her hips in rhythm to hers.  She was glad that the drinks had loosened Olivia’s inhibitions and she was having a good time.  She ran her hands up and down the detective’s back.  She could smell her perfume—warm, inviting, and intoxicating.  She danced her way down her body.  On her way back up, her nose brushed the bottom of her shirt, pushing it up and revealing a sliver of olive skin.  Her knees went weak and if Olivia hadn’t grabbed her waist, she probably would’ve fallen to the floor.

 

“Trying to undress me?” Olivia asked with a small chuckle.

 

Zoe smiled and purred, “Not yet.”

 

Leaning in next to her ear, Olivia whispered, “Do you move your hips like this all the time?”

 

Zoe shivered at Olivia’s warm breath.  She’d never wanted anyone the way she wanted this woman.  “It depends on what the activity requires,” she responded sultrily.

 

Olivia turned Zoe around so that her back was facing her.  Zoe raised her arms above her head and swayed her hips back and forth.  Olivia ran her hands over her stomach. 

Letting out a low moan, Zoe reached behind her and put her arm around Olivia’s neck.  She then pressed her ass against her crotch and began grinding hard and fast.

 

Olivia felt herself getting aroused.  A trickle of sweat traveled down the side of her forehead.  She just wanted to get lost in the heat of someone else, but her body and mind were having conflicting thoughts.  She felt a bit guilty because of Alex.  She tried to push images of her—smiling, laughing, gazing at her like she was the only one in the world—out of her head.  It’s not like we’re still dating, she coached herself.  I can do whatever I want.

 

Her thoughts were interrupted when Zoe turned her head to the side and captured her mouth.  Olivia was surprised at how soft and warm her lips were.  She tangled a hand in Zoe’s wavy brown hair and kissed her harder.  It had been so long since she’d kissed another woman and she had to admit that it felt good.  Even though Zoe wasn’t Alex, she was an attractive woman, great dancer, and great kisser. 

 

Zoe turned around fully in her arms and slipped her tongue between her parted lips.  God, she tastes so sweet, she thought.  As she massaged her tongue, she let a hand move down to her hip.  She then moved it around and let it linger on the detective’s belt buckle.

 

They finally broke away to catch their breath.  “Let’s get outta here,” Olivia suggested.

 

Zoe nodded.  She grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the door.

 

What Olivia didn’t know was that Serena was there with Kay Hartley.  She had been watching her from afar and could tell that things were getting hot and heavy with her dance partner.  When she saw Olivia leave with her, she wasn’t shocked at all, but she knew that Alex would be deeply hurt.

 

**************

 

Olivia woke up the next morning to the sound of scuffling.  After tripping over her own boots, Zoe bumped into the chest of drawers as she was pulling on her jeans.  She flashed a smile at her and said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.  But my best friend’s babysitting Emma and I don’t want to keep her there all day.”

 

Olivia nodded.  “It’s ok.  I needed to get up in an hour anyway.”

 

Zoe slipped on her boots and looked at Olivia’s clothes that were strewn haphazardly all over the floor.  The comforter was beside them.  “I guess we had a pretty wild night.”

 

Olivia laughed.  “I’ll say.”

 

Zoe put her cell phone in her pocket and walked over to the bed.  “I just wanted to thank you for last night.  Being with you was the first time I’ve felt alive since Kate died.”

 

Olivia smiled.  “Thank you.  That was quite an um…performance.”

 

Zoe grinned.  “You have my number,” she said, planting a final kiss on her lips.  “Call me.”

 

With a glint of mischief in her eyes, Olivia pulled the sheet up over her chest and replied, “You can count on it.”