Running From Forever Read online

  “Yeah, I could tell just from the outside that things have really changed. Everything looks great by the way, that new manager must really be something huh?”

  Annie laughed and gushed. “Oh yeah, she’s something all right! You would not believe the business we are doing since she came on board with all these ideas and changes. We’re now the hottest girl bar in town!”

  Sarah looked at her well-behaved but still canine companion. “Do we need to lock him in the break room while we walk around?”

  “No, we occasionally have benefits for the Humane Society and Paws for a Cause, so we’ve had animals in here before. We’ll just keep him out of the kitchen.”

  They walked around the bar, Annie pointing out the things that had been changed or added during the renovation. She explained that the dance floor and sound system in Spin was one of the most expensive changes. The system was state of the art and the floor was an original creation by a company in northern Ohio. While it appeared black during the day, it would light up from below when the system was on. Geometric shapes would randomly appear in rainbow colors, and lasers would do the same around the walls and ceiling. It was a sweet setup and the dance club was very popular among the men and women of the gay community. The inside of Spin displayed a modern Goth look with a stainless steel bar and tables. The soft furnishings were finished in black material with a spiral design that was drawn in such a way that it appeared to be spinning. When they moved on to Voodoo Pony, Sarah saw that it was decorated in much the same way. The fabric on the bar stools and chairs was the same black material but with primitive silver ponies instead of spirals. The music bar also had the low-slung leather couches and large black and white framed pictures of famous female musicians. When the tour ended, Sarah whistled appreciatively. “Wow, this place is great! I had no idea you guys were taking on this big of a renovation job.”

  Annie laughed, “We didn’t either. It was all Keller’s idea. And let me tell you, that woman knows how to get stuff done! I wish you could have met her today, but of course she won’t be in until later.” She cocked her head to the side, “You interested in coming out tonight?”

  Sarah groaned. “Honestly, no. I’m more interested in a shower and a place to unpack my bags.” At her kid sister’s pout she added, “Soon though, I promise.”

  Annie conceded and began walking Sarah to the door. “Okay, now do you want to hear my excellent and phenomenal news?”

  Sarah looked at her, curiosity piqued. “What?”

  “You know I graduate in a few months right?” At her sister’s nod, Annie continued. “Well, Keller told me that she’s going to promote me to assistant manager, running the Voodoo Pony!” She beamed after delivering her news.

  Sarah let out a whoop and hugged Annie. “Hey, that’s great! How did that come about, I thought she had Lynne running Spin and Robbie over the Pony?”

  Annie smiled. “Well I actually have you and Robbie’s wife to thank for that.” When her sister looked confused, Annie added. “It seems Robbie’s wife is pregnant and she made him take a day job managing his father-in-law’s car lot. And because of you, I have a lot of friends and contacts in the music industry. All those years of nipping at your heels and watching how things were done finally paid off.”

  Sarah’s eyebrows shot up. “Huh, and you’ve only been lead bartender for what, ten months?”

  Annie stuck out her tongue at her sister’s doubt. “Well, since my promotion to lead bartender, liquor sales are up and I found out where we were losing money with our stock. Keller is pretty confident that I’ll do a good job!” She bumped Sarah’s shoulder. “And get this, she’s also going to let me start booking acts next week.”

  Sarah laughed at her sister’s dogged sincerity. “I believe you. I was just jerking your chain.” She hugged Annie again. “That’s really great news kiddo.” She whistled for the dog and started toward the door. “Now, how about that shower?”

  Annie laughed and walked Sarah to her car before handing her the spare key she had made. “Don’t lose it and for God’s sake, clean the hair out of the drain when you’re done!” She tugged the end of Sarah’s braid. “You’ve got more hair than Chewbacca here.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind. See you later, sis.”

  Annie was still laughing when she went back to the bar to finish her paperwork.

  EARLY THE FOLLOWING Friday afternoon, Sarah was up reading the paper when Annie stumbled out of bed. Coffee and scrambled eggs sat untouched in front of her but she seemed more engrossed by the front page of the paper. Sarah looked at her sister when she sat down with her own cup. “Hey, what’s this about a string of hate crimes happening downtown?”

  Annie grimaced at the taste of her coffee and added more sugar. She shrugged, “I don’t know, they started a few weeks ago. Four people have been attacked or run down within a few blocks of gay establishments.” She took another sip of her cooling coffee. “Nobody knows anything yet. The police have no leads, and they don’t have a description of the vehicle since the people were usually alone and the attacks happen so fast.”

  Sarah frowned. “I hope everyone at the bar is being careful. I’d hate to see someone we know get hurt, especially you!”

  Annie gave her a serious look. “Don’t worry, Keller has us all taking extra precautions when the bar closes each night. And the new bouncer, Teddy, takes a walk outside every so often to look for suspicious vehicles.”

  “Good!” Sarah pushed the paper away and started eating her cold eggs.

  Annie grinned at her protective sibling. “So, are you feeling settled enough to go out with a group of friends tonight?”

  Sarah looked at her. “What about work?”

  “I’ve got the night off! So what do you say, do you want to hit Club Diversity for ladies night?” Annie smirked, her tone now teasing. “Unless, of course, the famous Sarah Colby can’t handle a few hot women—”

  Sarah burst out laughing. “Oh please, I’ve probably served more hot women than you have, Miss Lead Bartender!”

  Annie blushed and threw a wadded up napkin at her. “Whatever! So, are you in?”

  Sarah laughed again and threw the napkin in the trash. “Yeah, I’m in.”

  ANNIE AND SARAH met up with three friends they’d known for years. Though they were more Annie’s friends than Sarah’s. Kylie, Shell, and Micha were excited to hear that Sarah was back in town for good and agreed to get together for her homecoming. All five women took a vote and it was a unanimous decision to go to Club Diversity for the evening. They had a great time dancing and playing pool. Sarah saw many of her other friends and acquaintances that she hadn’t seen in ages. Annie was glad that her sister seemed to be having fun. The last part of the night found Annie and Shell busy running the pool table. Kylie and Micha had left to go to another bar around one a.m. Sarah was out on the packed dance floor by herself moving to the music when something unusual happened. The space was hot and dark and the air was thick from the smoke machine. Sarah had felt vaguely uneasy for the past hour but attributed it to the shots they had drank earlier. The DJ was spinning a popular song and she could barely move so she used the opportunity to watch the other dancers.

  Something made her look toward the back wall, through the maze of writhing bodies and flashing lights. Across the darkness her eyes met those of another woman. The woman gave her a slow, dangerously sexy smile. Fear and arousal hit her at the same time and she gasped, unheard in the pounding club. Then like a dream, one minute the woman was there and the next she was gone. Sarah stumbled from the dance floor and into the bathroom, which thankfully happened to be empty. She leaned on the sink, breathing hard and stared at her flushed face. Her heart was racing and she could feel the sweat forming on her upper lip. At first she thought maybe someone had spiked her drink but her pupils appeared normal and she was thinking clearly despite feeling mildly panicked. Desperate to calm herself Sarah splashed cold water on her cheeks from the tap and took a
few deep breaths.

  While Sarah was having a mini-meltdown in the bathroom, Annie was walking around looking for her. She spotted her boss Keller heading out the door, glued to a gorgeous woman with curly blonde hair. She shook her head and frowned. Keller never went home with the same woman twice, but Annie had also never heard any gossip about her boss either. “Damn, she must be good!” A minute later Annie walked into the bathroom and found Sarah. “Hey, I’ve been looking for you. Are you about ready to go?”

  “Yeah, sure. Just give me a second, okay?”

  Annie looked a little closer when Sarah didn’t return her gaze, thinking that maybe her big sis was one too many beers in for the night. She walked over and rubbed her back in a comforting gesture. “Hey, are you all right? Are you feeling sick?”

  “No, I’m fine. I’m just—” Sarah shook her head to clear the confusion. “I saw someone out on the dance floor that—” She attempted a feeble smile. “I think it’s a case of instant lust with a little weirdness thrown in.” She stood and dried her face. Feeling a little better, she took a deep breath and poked her tongue out at her sister. “I’m fine now, thanks, Annie.”

  As both women were leaving, Sarah glanced back at the emptying bar. She saw no one that looked like the mysterious dancer. Maybe she had imagined the whole thing.

  NOBLE KELLER DROVE toward Westerville, following the woman she picked up in the bar. Or maybe the woman picked her up, it was hard to tell. Carol said she lived about twenty minutes from downtown so she decided it was worthwhile to follow her back to her home. Keller never brought women to her own condo but she was unwilling to travel far from downtown either. She preferred to wake in her own bed in the morning for more than one reason.

  Twenty minutes was a long time to think about things, especially things concerning the woman she caught a glimpse of across the dance floor. She had been scanning the crowd looking for someone suitable when she spied the brunette. Her first instinct after catching the attention of a beautiful woman was always the same. Sex. However, it became immediately apparent that there was something different about that particular woman. Keller was drawn to her in a way that surpassed all others before. Keller could feel the instant tightening in her chest and for a second she stopped breathing. She was the one. That thought scared her beyond reason. When a twirling dancer blocked their immediate line of sight, Keller disappeared into the crowd. It was then that she bumped into Carol. The woman with the shoulder-length curly hair was more than willing to help her forget the mystery dancer and promised an easy night of passion. Still, twenty minutes was a long time to think.

  Keller sighed. “Who was that woman?” Her musings were cut short when she spied Carol’s black Mercedes turning into the drive of a gated community. She put her blinker on and followed close behind. Carol’s house was a gorgeous, multi-story loft style home with her bedroom on the top level. As they climbed the stairs, a cat dodged past, hissing and heading down. By the time they reached the top step, Carol was pulling her toward the center of the room. Then Keller took over and it wasn’t long before they were both naked and panting, rolling around on the kingsize bed. Suddenly, Keller pinned Carol on her back. She leaned down and aggressively began nipping and licking her lips, then worked her way down to her neck. She whispered in her ear and Carol’s eyes darkened with passion. The pinned woman squirmed when Keller tangled one hand in her hair and slid the other across her soaking wet sex. Carol looked into blue eyes gone black and growled. “Do it!” A second later Keller thrust two fingers deep inside her.

  They were straining against each other and the woman on the bottom was moaning with each thrust. Keller swallowed Carol’s moans with a vicious kiss. That seemed to turn her on more, which also spurred Keller on. She kissed her again and tasted blood that was not her own. The bar manager shuddered in surprised arousal and the other woman used that moment to thrust her own fingers into Keller. She gave a guttural yell and kissed her again. The blood and cries of pleasure were sending them both into sexual overload. When Carol’s moaning changed in pitch, Keller knew she was close. She tightened her grip on the curly blond hair, catching Carol’s attention.

  In a low voice, she said, “Tell me what you want.”

  Carol struggled against the hand that was inside her not moving. When a thumb grazed her clit, she cried out. “God, just make me come!”

  Keller drove into her, thrusting hard as her thumb pressed rhythmically against Carol’s clit. At the same time she feasted on the woman’s mouth then neck. She rode Carol’s fingers and Carol rode hers. When they came, it was loud and within seconds of each other. Shuddering and exhausted they collapsed onto the bed, lying atop tangled, sweaty sheets. A short while later Keller rose and got dressed. Carol drifted in a sexual haze, following her with sleepy eyes. When Keller was fully clothed, she crawled up the bed toward Carol. Halfway up, she bent down to lick a still hard nipple and the somnolent woman gasped. All the way up, she ran her tongue along the length of her neck, taking her time on the side, then continued farther and gently bit her ear. Her soft whisper barely moved the hair that was tangled in Carol’s earring. “Lover, I was never here…”

  Carol was too sleepy to hear clearly and the words seemed a little blurred. A particularly strong aftershock from her orgasm left her memory a little blurred as well. Keller disappeared as Carol drifted off into sleep.

  SUNDAY, TWO DAYS later, Annie was holding tryouts for the alternating Friday night gigs that would run for two months. It was a promotion the Voodoo Pony was beginning that would hopefully showcase some of the local bands, maybe give them a little extra exposure. The two bands selected would receive a gig fee, as well as a percentage of ticket sales for the nights played. She urged Sarah to show up and tryout, since the older woman still didn’t know what she wanted to do with herself. She assured Sarah that impartiality would be guaranteed. Annie had two other employees that would be helping select the musicians.

  During the tryouts, Sarah was pleased to notice that she was one of the more seasoned and professional artists there. She was chosen along with an alternative rock band comprised of four twenty-something women. She admired the reasoning behind the choices. She was a good performer to bring in the softer, folk crowd and the other band would draw in the younger, alternative hip crowd.

  When Annie met up with her afterward to go over the paperwork and details, the younger sister was a little disappointed. “I wish Keller was here so I could introduce you. You guys just keep missing each other.”

  Sarah smiled at her sister’s persistence. “Yeah, well maybe next time.” She chuckled. “Jeez, you’d think you were trying to set me up or something.”

  Annie snorted. “Definitely not!” She shook her head to reinforce the words. “While Keller is a great boss, a good friend, and a freakin’ hot, there’s no way I’d want you to date her!”

  The older sibling looked at her curiously. “Why not?”

  Annie frowned. “Sis, Keller doesn’t date. She’s a major player.”

  “And? What’s the big deal with that?”

  “Let’s put it this way, I couldn’t even begin to count the number of women I’ve seen her leave the bars with and I’ve never seen her go home with the same woman twice.”

  Sarah laughed. “Wow, she’s got me beat! Seriously, I am not looking for anyone or anything right now. I just want to settle in and plan for the future.”

  Annie grinned and shoved a pen across the table. “That’s good to know, now sign! I know what a great singer you are and I’m not about to let that go to waste while you decide whatever it is you want to do with the rest of your life.”

  Sarah sighed and said no more about the subject.

  LATER IN THE week, Annie and Sarah went to dinner at Vineyard, a popular restaurant in the gay and lesbian community. Annie had to work that night so she was going to take Sarah home before the start of her shift. Sarah felt a strange sensation after they were seated and given menus. It was the
same one she felt in the bar the night they all went out and it caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. When she looked toward the darkened corner of the room, she sucked in a surprised breath. Her mystery woman was drinking a glass of red wine and looking right at her. The sexy smile she received from the short-haired blonde left her a little breathless and aching for more.

  Annie noticed her sister’s preoccupation. “What?”

  Sarah nodded her head toward the woman who was now walking toward their table. She whispered, “That’s her, the woman I saw at Diversity right before you found me in the bathroom!”

  The younger woman glanced behind her and laughed aloud, causing a few people to look at her. When the mystery woman reached the table, Annie grabbed her hand. “Sarah, I’d like you to meet my boss and friend, Noble Keller. Keller, this is my sister Sarah.”

  They shook hands and both women tightened their grip at the sudden jolt they felt. “It’s nice to meet you Keller. Annie has told me so much about you.”

  The shorter woman smiled disarmingly. “Nothing bad I hope?”

  Annie raised her eyebrows at the unusual familiarity between the two women. Not wanting it to develop into something more, she quickly jumped in. “I would never say anything bad, at least not as long as you’re my boss!” Though she felt a little like a third wheel after their display, she still did the polite thing and pulled out a chair. “Care to join us?”

  Keller laughed and sat down. “Sure.”

  Annie didn’t like the fact that Keller turned out to be her sister’s mystery woman. And she really didn’t like the obvious attraction between the two. She shrugged it off however and simply enjoyed the conversation between her two favorite people while they ate their meal. They talked so long that Annie didn’t have time to take Sarah home before she went to work. When Keller offered Sarah a ride and her sister immediately agreed, she was more than a bit irritated. There was nothing she could do about it except allow Sarah to walk her to her car.