While Sophie walks him and the rest of the crew out, I slink back to the walk-in freezer. Somehow the room of my childhood nightmares has become a sanctuary against the masculine energy outside. Hopefully it will cool my nerves, as well. I lean against the shelves and breathe deep, letting the cold burn my lungs.

I should go home and take a nap. If I didn’t have to work tonight, I’d grab a drink at Venus and chat up a willing woman, call a friend, one who’s as sure a thing as me, like Katie or Gabby.

The door screeches open and slams shut behind me. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Sophie hisses, stalking toward me.

Before I can answer, she’s on me, pulling me down to her mouth by my neck bow. She’s a completely different woman than she was last night, when she seemed timid and sweet and just happy to be here. She growls into my mouth, bites my lip. Her tongue brushes over the tender spot and her nails make a path through the buzzed hair at the back of my head. The sensation almost drops me to my knees.

“Hollywood.”

Her nickname sounds desperate in my mouth. She tugs the silk bow loose and sucks her way down my neck to my collarbone. Cold air hits the exposed skin of my chest and stomach. “Sophie.” I laugh as her fingertips brush low on my belly. “Stop. We have to stop.”

Her eyes are wild, her hair blown out around her face. “I want to make you feel as good as you made me feel.”

I hold her wrists lightly. “I don’t need that. I was happy with what we did yesterday.”

She closes her eyes. “I know I’m inexperienced with women.” Her breath puffs out in short angry bursts.

I brush my thumb over her cheek, burrow my hand into her hair. “I’m not worried about that.”

“I know I’m not...” She looks down. “Queer enough.”

“What?” I tip her chin up while sudden anger surges through my chest. “Look at me. Who told you that? Who said that to you?” I growl.

“No one.” She shrugs. “The internet.”

“Sophie.” I wait until she finally meets my eyes. “You don’t need to have known you were queer since you were a kid. You can go your whole life never touching a woman and you’ll still be queer. It’s not about performing your sexuality or your gender for everyone else. Being queer is about what you know to be true about yourself, in here.” I hold my hand over her heart. Even her chest is cold to the touch now.

Sophie guides my head down to her again, but I pull away, button up my blouse. “And that’s exactly why we shouldn’t do this.”

“What?” She shakes her head. “Why?”

Her footsteps follow me out of the walk-in. Room temperature has never felt so balmy.

I grab my coat, slinging it over my shoulder, and start flicking off lights. We won’t have to be back here for a few hours and it’s best if I get out, get some space. I stop in the doorway and Sophie stands off with me at the other end of the hall.