Today was her one-month review with the financial director at the insurance company she contracted for. She would give an update on how she’d progressed, and he’d give her feedback on her performance, and hopefully they’d both be in agreement with her staying on for the remainder of her six-month contract. She liked the job. The money was good, and the hours were easy compared to some other contracts she’d had in the last few years. And the first month had gone pretty well work-wise.

It was the other stuff around the job that was a total nightmare.

She sighed as she walked away from the tram stop, braced herself against the bitter November wind, and turned left towards the office. God, how was she supposed deal with the whole Lou situation? It was her own stupid fault. She’d spent years denying her attraction for women, kept it well buried, and never got herself into any awkward situations over it.

She was not gay; she just hadn’t met the right guy yet. When she did, the sex would be great, and she’d find those fireworks all her friends raved about.

But meeting Lou had challenged her in a way she wasn’t prepared for. She was drawn to her with an…intensity she couldn’t begin to explain. The first time she’d met Lou, she’d been nearly speechless. She was stunned at how attractive Lou was and alarmed at her body’s response when they simply shook hands.

It was obvious Lou was gay, and yet Stephanie couldn’t help herself. She invented more questions to go back and talk to Lou about, leading Lou on. After their meetings, she promised herself she wouldn’t do it again. And yet the next day, she’d called Lou, arranged another meeting, and talked about their mutual love of jazz. They laughed and chatted so easily it made her feel utterly at peace inside.

At night, the fantasies crept in, thoughts of Lou’s mouth on hers, Lou’s fingers on her skin, inside her… She would sit bolt upright in bed, panting and aching, and trying desperately to banish the thoughts, the feelings, the desires. The fears.

And now she had to deal with the fallout.

A few days ago, Lou had asked her out, and she’d been so stunned. She had been inexcusably rude and cruel, and Lou would probably never speak to her again. As she’d walked away from Lou, she’d risked a glance back. Lou’s head was on her desk, and she might have been crying. Stephanie had been overcome with shame.