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  “That was way sexier than it should have been,” Sherryl said, earning a unanimous nod from the rest of the women on stage, all of whom were staring at Lorelei with admiration.

  Lorelei tore her gaze away from Aspen, color crawling up her neck as she took her place in line beside Lita.

  “I, um,” Sherryl cleared her throat and huffed out a breath as she turned to glance up at the answers on the screens, “I think it comes as no surprise that all three of you are correct; Lorelei did a fantastic job of portraying Quinn Kavannaugh.”

  “I, ah, wonder who else we have waiting to surprise us,” Kelly said, cuing Aspen to make her entrance.

  Dressed in a frilly pink miniskirt and pale blue tank top, Aspen bounded out onto the stage with all the energy her character was known for. Pink and blue strappy heels did nothing to slow her down, and her long blonde curls bounced happily as she paraded herself down the catwalk, blowing kisses and winking at the women who called out to her.

  Lorelei watched with pride as her wife got the crowd going. Aspen didn’t have to say a word; people just loved to look at her. Add to that her natural charisma and years of dance and cheerleading, and the woman was a natural to play Xandy Blue.

  When she made her way to Lorelei’s side and claimed the microphone, Aspen suddenly felt her heart drop. She hesitated for a moment as she lifted the microphone to her lips, before turning to glance at Lorelei with panic in her eyes.

  Sonofabitch! I forgot what I’m supposed to say!

  Aspen’s mind was suddenly blank; she couldn’t remember a single detail about Xandy that wouldn’t give the character away outright. She couldn’t even remember the name of the book Xandy had been featured in!

  I need to say something! I look like an idiot! Lorelei’s going to hate me, and Jenica’s going to be so disappointed.

  That last thought made Aspen feel dizzy. She couldn’t stomach the thought of disappointing either of them. Making a snap decision that she hoped wouldn’t cause too much of a problem, Aspen spun on her heel and grabbed Lorelei by the front of her shirt. She tugged the taller woman close and claimed her lips in a deep kiss that momentarily stunned the entire room.

  “Fifty bucks says she forgot her line and panicked,” Cordy said over her shoulder as she and the rest of the unintroduced characters watched from off-stage.

  “Fifty bucks says if you forget your line, you’d better figure something else out,” Amy said ominously, “Because if you put your lips on my wife, I’ll kill you.”

  “Don’t be silly, Amy,” Jenica said softly, placing a gentle hand on the pregnant woman’s lower back, “You’d never catch her in your condition. I, however, can outrun her without even trying,” she added, leveling the Lieutenant with a threatening stare.

  Cordy gulped and returned her attention to the stage, just as the audience erupted with cheers and applause.

  “Wow,” Lorelei breathed as their lips parted.

  “Wow,” Kelly and Sherryl echoed.

  Aspen blushed brightly as she glanced over her shoulder and winked at the players. Three hands immediately began scribbling, even as the women attached to them wolf whistled at the blonde.

  “I, uh, I think you two made this a little too easy,” Sherryl said once the three answers were displayed, “All three of you are correct again. Aspen is Xandy Blue. What say we make this a little more difficult, shall we?”

  Jenica stepped past Cordy, smacking her wife on the ass as she went. She knew her part would throw people, mostly because of her accent. Her appearance would also make things a bit more difficult, owing to her darker, more exotic complexion.

  Jenica moved onto the stage, her swagger and confidence leaving her wife helpless but to stare after her in awe. Cordy, Max, and Lorelei had been giving Jenica lessons on how to walk like a butch for weeks, and those lessons had paid off well.

  She was dressed in a pair of faded black jeans, a black tank top, and a pair of black low-heeled boots. Her long black curls had been straightened and pulled back into a loose ponytail, with a few tendrils left hanging to frame her face. The others had to admit; she could pull off the butch look.

  At the end of the catwalk, Jenica lifted her arms and flexed her biceps. Whistles and hollers brought a smirk to her lips, giving her ego a boost. When she turned to head back toward the stage, Jenica straightened her posture and changed her gait, easily shifting to a standard march.

  When she reached Aspen’s side, Jenica stood at attention and saluted the players. “Quid pro quo, ooh rah!” she said simply.

  Three faces stared out at her in confusion. Kelly and Sherryl shared a grin, and it was several minutes before any of the players attempted a guess. After a few more minutes, all three answers were displayed on the screens, but none of the players seemed confident.

  “I’m sorry ladies,” Kelly said, “I’m afraid none of you got the right answer. Don’t feel bad, though; even we were stumped by this one. Congratulations, Jenica, you’ve managed to outsmart all of us with your portrayal of Kai Temple.”

  The trio of contestants groaned good-naturedly, calling out congratulations to the woman. Jenica beamed proudly as she relaxed her stance next to Aspen.

  “Ihu Karaiti,” she grumbled under her breath, “How do Marines do it? Standing like that was killing me.”

  Aspen chuckled, but didn’t have a chance to respond as Kelly cued Cordy to make her entrance.

  The Lieutenant strode gracefully onto the stage in a pair of black leggings and a loose FCPD t-shirt with the collar cut out. Her wild curls had also been tamed for the event, and she tossed her hair over her shoulder as she reached the end of the catwalk.

  “Look at those legs!” she heard someone shout.

  “Hot damn, look at that ass!” someone else yelled.

  Cordy did her best not to let her smile falter as she quickly spun around and sauntered back toward the players. When she reached Jenica and accepted the microphone, Cordy pitched her voice so only her wife would hear her.

  “Next time your boss needs help with something, I’m busy.”

  Jenica’s eyes widened and she had to cover her mouth and nose with her hands to hide the snort.

  Cordy pointedly ignored her as she addressed the players. “Some days, we’re all just marking time,” she said, filling her voice with as much wistfulness as she could.

  “Congratulations, Viv,” Sherryl said, “Cordy is channeling Raine Mason. You really know your WeHo. All right, ladies, only two more left. Let’s see who else we have waiting for us, shall we?”

  The room cheered loudly as Dani stepped out onto the stage. She wore a pair of slate blue BDU pants, sage green combat boots, and a simple t-shirt the same color as her boots. She’d researched Air Force battle dress gear, and with the help of a cousin in the Air Force, gotten her hands on a perfect replica.

  Shouts of approval met her ears as she walked toward the end of the catwalk, bringing a brilliant smile to the small woman’s face. She was glad she’d remembered her ear plugs; the constant whistling and shouting would have wreaked havoc on her sensitive hearing by now if she hadn’t.

  Dani tossed her long red braid over her shoulder and hopped to attention, her features fixed and expressionless as she saluted the spectators. While the crowd continued to call out to her, Dani executed a perfect military-style turn and returned to the stage.

  “We all have our troubles,” she said, allowing a slight waiver into her voice, “but in the end, it’s all water under the bridge.”

  The three women quickly wrote down their guesses, each looking confident in their answer.

  “Rebecca and Heidi; congratulations,” Kelly said, leading the room in a round of applause, “Dani is portraying Shenin Deveraux.”

  “All right, ladies,” Kelly said as she and Sherryl stepped to the middle of the stage, “We have one more character for you. Viv is in the lead with six correct answers, but if she gets the next one wrong, and Heidi and Rebecca get it right, they’ll tie her for the win.”
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  Sherryl took up where Kelly left off. “Our last character isn’t going to be an easy guess. She’s the only one you’ll see tonight, who is not currently a main character in the series. So put on your thinking caps, ladies. Are you ready to see who we’ve saved for last?”

  The room rumbled with applause and excited cheers. The three players clapped excitedly; their attention riveted on the stage as they waited.

  Dressed comfortably in a flowing black rayon luau dress, Amy stepped out on stage. She took her time as she walked the runway, smiling sweetly as the crowd cooed over her. Choosing a costume that suited the character had been difficult, but thanks to her constant need to use the bathroom, she and Lita had happened upon a small Hawaiian themed clothing store that had everything they needed.

  The dress was simple black, with pink and yellow hibiscus providing a wide border and a few thin vines snaking their way up the bodice toward the thin straps that tied behind her neck. She’d chosen to go barefoot for the game, but only because her feet had started to swell unexpectedly. Her long black hair was left loose, save for one side that had been swept up and clipped in place with a large orange and pink frangipani blossom.

  As she reached the end of the catwalk, Amy cradled her bulging baby bump, smiling serenely as she struck a maternal pose. The crowd was quiet, murmuring and whispering amongst themselves as they tried to decipher who she was supposed to be.

  When she returned to the stage, Amy took the microphone and turned her smile on the contestants. “This shouldn’t be too hard, if you’re really devoted fans of the series,” she teased with a wink. “How many pregnant characters have you found in the stories?”

  The players shared a surprised look, before looking pointedly at Sherryl. The author simply shrugged and offered the three women an encouraging smile. “You can do it, ladies, turn the tables on her. I have faith in you.”

  Several moments of silence passed. Sherryl raised her eyebrow at the players, before leaning close to Kelly. “I didn’t think it would take them this long to make a guess.”

  “I think we should let Alex come up and make a guess, too,” Kelly replied in a hushed voice, “She wasn’t sure on the character, either. Plus, it’ll be fun to put her in the hot seat.”

  Sherryl laughed. “You’re mean. I like it.”

  “Let’s get this moving,” Kelly replied with a grin, “otherwise we’ll be here all night. Alex and I promised our daughter we’d watch the grandbabies after the party.”

  “Oh, can’t keep the grandbabies waiting,” Sherryl replied affectionately. “Okay, ladies, we’re going to need answers from you,” she said, directing her attention to the players. The three women huffed and grumbled, but each of them made their guesses.

  “I’m sorry, ladies,” Sherryl said, shaking her head sadly, “but I’m afraid Amy has managed to beat you. Before we reveal her character, there is one other woman here that I think deserves the chance to try. Alex Walker, would you please join us?”

  Alex’s eyebrow arched, but she graciously crossed the room and joined the women on stage. She shot Kelly a curious glance, but a cunning smile was the woman’s only reply.

  “Think you’ve figured it out yet, Alex?” Sherryl asked, eliciting a few chuckles from the crowd.

  Alex turned to the players. “Do you ladies mind if I give it a try?” she asked, not wanting to impose. Their combined donations were a significant part of the overall total for the night’s fundraiser, and she didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes.

  “You’re the founder, Alex, go for it,” Rebecca said, earning a nod from the other two women, “but if you’re wrong, we want a strip show.”

  Alex’s jaw dropped and her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits when the room burst out in raucous laughter. “If you’re going to strip for me, maybe I’ll answer wrong on purpose,” she tossed back, smirking when Rebecca’s eyes bulged and her face flamed.

  “There’ll be no stripping,” Kelly said firmly, chiding her wife with her eyes, “What’s your guess, Alex?”

  Alex offered Kelly an apologetic smile. “Is she Kana’s wife?” she guessed, the character’s name eluding her, “The supermodel?”

  Kelly and Sherryl beamed. “That’s right,” Kelly said, “She’s Palani Ryker. Good job, Alex!”

  “All right, let’s hear it for our stunning cast,” Sherryl said to the crowd. The ten women turned to face the thundering room and took one another’s hands. Together, the group bowed to the crowd and accepted the applause and cheers with brilliant smiles.

  ***

  “Thank you so much for tonight,” Sherryl said, hugging Lorelei, “This was so much more fun than I expected!”

  “Yeah it was,” Tirzah agreed with a grin, “I haven’t seen her ham it up like that in ages. I can’t wait to put some of these up on the site.”

  “Well, we’re the ones who are grateful,” Alex said, extending her hand to Sherryl, “Having a celebrity attached to this event helped make it hugely successful. We can’t thank you enough for that.”

  “Or for the photos!” Kelly supplied, beaming at the group of women surrounding her, “I’m excited to hang them in the library, once it’s open. I really don’t see Dej objecting. She’s a sucker for the series, too.”

  Sherryl beamed proudly at her wife. She loved seeing Tirzah’s work displayed, and knowing it would be part of something with such meaning made her heart swell.

  “I’ll make sure to send you prints of each shot,” Tirzah promised, shaking Alex’s hand, “whichever ones don’t make it into the library, you can share amongst yourselves. I know we’ll be hanging a couple of them in Sherryl’s office at home,” she added with a wink to her wife.

  The others laughed and said their goodbyes to Sherryl and Tirzah, grateful for the evening and for the chance to make a new friend.

  “Man, what a night,” Alex mumbled when Nora escorted the Hancock’s out of the anteroom, “Thanks again, ladies. That was probably the most fun we’ve had at a fundraiser for this place in years.”

  “Ever,” Kelly corrected, her eyes serious as she made eye contact with each of the women, “This was the most fun we’ve had doing a fundraiser for this place, ever. From now on, Jenica and Stormie are in charge of picking fundraiser themes.”

  Jenica and Stormie shared a look. “In that case, count me out,” Cordy said before either could respond, “If you give them that kind of power, they’ll have my ass dressed in God only knows what kind of outfits. No thank you. Nuh-uh. I’m good.”

  Lorelei, Max, Oakley, and Lita burst out laughing at the offended look on Jenica’s face. The confusion on Alex’s face, and the amusement on Kelly’s only made the laughter more raucous.

  Color bloomed across Jenica’s face and Cordy, too busy laughing with the others to notice, missed the hurt that flashed through her eyes. She’d thought Cordy’s grumbling had been in good fun, but hearing the way she spoke just now; her tone even and serious despite the laughter she’d elicited, made Jenica realize that maybe Cordy really hadn’t wanted to be a part of the fundraiser after all.

  Why didn’t she just say so?

  “It’s getting late,” Aspen said. She’d seen the hurt in her friend’s eyes and thought they should probably head their separate ways before the Lieutenant dug herself into a deeper hole, “we should probably get going. Are you ladies ready?”

  Being neighbors, the two couples decided it made more sense to carpool than to arrive in separate cars.

  “Yeah,” Jenica said softly. She crossed her arms over her chest and dropped back to walk next to Aspen as the group moved out to the parking lot.

  Alex and Kelly said their goodbyes, waving as they made their way toward their own car.

  “Cordy hurt your feelings back there, didn’t she?” Aspen asked, pitching her voice low so the others wouldn’t overhear.

  Jenica nodded, offering her friend a tight smile. “It happens, taku iti. She’ll realize it soon enough, and we’ll talk it over.”

  A
spen furrowed her brow and looked contemplatively at her friend. They’d reached the car, but Cordy and Lorelei were engrossed in their own conversation with Max and Lita.

  “Aren’t you mad?” she asked, “I’d be pissed if Lorelei hurt my feelings like that, especially in front of my friends and my boss.”

  Jenica shrugged and glanced over at her wife. She leaned against the car and smiled affectionately at the redhead’s back. “If she’d done it purposefully, then yes; I’d be upset. But she wasn’t trying to hurt me, or be offensive with what she said. I’m more annoyed than anything. Don’t worry, iti, once we’ve gotten home, I’ll tell her what she’s done and she’ll spend the night making it up to me.”

  Aspen chuckled as Jenica waggled her eyebrows. “Come now, iti,” Jenica teased, “Don’t try to tell me you don’t have naughty plans of your own. I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at Lorelei all evening. You can’t wait to get her away from everyone else.”

  Aspen’s face flamed, but she couldn’t help the smirk that spread across her lips. Jenica wasn’t wrong; Aspen was itching to get her wife into the privacy of their own home. Aspen didn’t like that their sex life was now being scheduled, but she was immensely grateful that tonight was a yes night.

  Although the outfit Lorelei was wearing wasn’t much different from what she normally wore, Aspen hadn’t been able to take her eyes off the woman. The way the t-shirt hugged the slight swell of her breasts while highlighting the muscle definition in her chest and shoulders. The way those jeans accentuated her superbly defined calves and caressed her perfectly sculpted ass. Aspen had been seconds from jumping her all night.

  “Oh, I don’t have naughty plans,” Aspen said, glancing over just as Cordy and Lorelei turned to head back toward them, “I have plans that are probably illegal in most US states.”

  Chapter 12

  “Dammit, Drake, I said duck!” Lorelei growled at the television as the character she was playing received a fatal head shot. She’d been playing the video game for almost three hours while she waited for Aspen to finish studying, and Lorelei was finally concentrating well enough to make progress.