BeautyandtheButch by Paisley Smith

seen her.
    Her spiky hair had been styled in a short yet far more
sophisticated look. She wore adorable black-rimmed glasses and minimal makeup.
Without her piercings, she looked like a sexy businesswoman instead of a punk
rocker. A dark suit hugged her body, giving her the illusion of feminine
curves. A tribal tat winding around her calf was the only edgy thing that
reminded Ella of the old Lindsey. Well, that—and the killer pair of bright-blue
Louboutins.
    Even in a skirt, Lindsey’s alpha-female sexuality caused a
swirl of desire to warm Ella from the inside out.
    Lindsey pushed her glasses up on her nose. “Hi, princess.”
    Ella’s heart hammered against her ribcage. She gave Lindsey
a demure smile as all the moments they’d spent making love rushed back over her
in a sweltering torrent. “I wouldn’t have recognized you.”
    “Yeah, I know,” Lindsey said. “But they expect me to look
professional and all.”
    Ella laced her own fingers together to keep her hands from
shaking. “Where are you working?”
    “Here. I’m the executive producer. Turns out standing up for
myself wasn’t a career-killer after all.”
    “Congratulations.” Oh dear Lord, this was so awkward. All
Ella really wanted to do was launch herself into Lindsey’s arms and kiss her.
    “I…I sort of quit TLN.”
    “Sort of quit? When?” Ella hadn’t even watched the show when
it aired. She’d never known.
    “There really wasn’t much sort of to it. I quit that
day—after I refused to continue filming.” Lindsey lowered her lashes. Damn, she
was so beautiful. “About what happened…”
    “Don’t explain,” Ella blurted, the idea of Lindsey quitting
her job turning over and over in her head.
    “I need to.” Lindsey shook her head. “Ella, I’m sorry. I
didn’t know. We… I should have been more careful. I should have never
kissed you in the hall like that. I should have realized one of those catty
bitches would be waiting to strike and take full advantage of it.”
    Ella pursed her lips. “I think on some level I wanted to
come out. It was the only way it could have happened for me. I don’t regret
it.”
    “Good,” Lindsey said. Her shoulders dropped as if she’d
released a heavy weight. “Because I’ve regretted it every day. I wanted to call
you. I tried several times, but I was afraid you’d blame me. And…well, I didn’t
want to go against your wishes and seem like some sort of lame stalker.”
    “Against my wishes?” Ella asked. “What do you mean?”
    “That Schuessler fucker.”
    Realization made Ella’s stomach twist. “He called you?”
    “Practically threatened me.”
    Ella let out a sigh. “I’m sorry. I wish I’d known. My dad
fired him and if it makes you feel any better, he’s doing a sixty-day stint for
a second DUI.”
    Lindsey smiled. “Karma’s a bitch.”
    Ella stood. God, her knees were shaking. “I wouldn’t have
been happy going back to north Georgia and becoming a schoolteacher. I would
have hated it. I didn’t want to live a lie anymore. I…I was planning to tell
you when the pageant was over.”
    Lindsey’s eyes darkened. “You were?”
    Ella nodded. “I know how we left things…I know what we
discussed—that you weren’t really interested in a relationship, but—”
    Lindsey interrupted. “All I’ve been able to think about is
you.”
    Ella couldn’t take a breath. “Me too.” She blinked against
hot tears. She searched frantically for a tissue.
    Lindsey crossed the small room, pulled one out of the box
and handed it to her. Their hands brushed and their fingers flirted. “What do
you say, princess? Want to try this for real?”
    Searching Lindsey’s eyes, Ella swallowed thickly. Everything
she’d ever wanted was possible for her because of this woman. She could think
of nothing she wanted more than exploring a real relationship with her.
“Starting now,” Ella whispered as she took that kiss she’d been wanting without
so much as a care for her