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Love and Lust Among The Bookshelves - TheLadyIsAVamp and Gina In Orange

Penny about choked on her drink. Whatever way she had expected Bella to react, floating the idea of a union between them was not it. After a hard swallow, she managed to clear her airway again. As she looked at her friend across the table, Penelope could not tear her eyes away from the roguish expression decorating the gorgeous woman's face. "Not bad at all!" she retorted, trying to sound affronted at the suggestion, teasing as it was.

In the back of her mind, Bella started to pop up in the frame of some of Penny's wedding imaginings. The multitude of dresses she had looked at and tried on found themselves wrapped around the blonde woman's enchanting curves. Flashes of her dancing, cutting a cake, simply wearing her irresistible smile while dressed in white brought a secret smile to the redhead's lips. It was unrealistic without a doubt, but certainly not a bad thought.

Before she could move on from that fantasy the dresses from her memory drifted out of sight, replaced instead by an image of the lingerie that Penny had recently looked at for her first night as a newlywed. Although instead of picturing herself wearing it to surprise Malcolm, it was Bella dressed in the alluring outfit, with that same mischievous smile. The thought seemed to bring with it a tingling sensation to several places about her skin, as well as a dizzying lightness to her head. Penny's eye's darted swiftly to the side, suddenly finding it difficult to look her friend in the face. The last several sips of her drink vanished in a flash.

Penny exhaled softly as she tried to make sense of those thoughts, and just where this conversation was going. Finally, she said, "Let's say we did get married." Her gaze drifted back to Bella, a new playfulness showing in her face. "Where would you take me on our honeymoon?" The ice in her glass clinked as she set it down on the table.
 
It was a curious feeling, being so enamoured with someone she knew was taken. As far as she knew, Penny wasn't even interested in women sexually or romantically, but as the literary greats always said - the heart wants what the heart wants. There was no reasoning with her emotions, no rationalising them away. She giggled at Penny's obvious surprise, her mischievous side clearly enjoying the effect it was having on the redhead, especially seeing how flustered the other woman was becoming. Penny was now well and truly on the recieving end of Bella's playful sense of humour.

Yet it wasn't long before the tone of the conversation shifted and Penny began turning the tables on her. A little shiver of excitement passed down Bella's spine as Penny's face took on a playful look, one that made her look so beautiful and tantalising that it almost knocked the blonde sideways. No-one had ever floored her with a look before, not like this. God forbid Penny ever give her proper come to bed eyes. She'd either pass out on the spot or lose all self-control and just launch herself at the other woman. She leaned forward as Penny spoke, her expression and body language conveying keen interest in the other woman's words. Her heart was starting to beat faster as her mind whirled through all the possible options for where they might go on a hypothetical honeymoon, but really, the answer had been there right away, as if her subconscious had already mused over this without her knowing.

"You're probably expecting one of those traditional answers like Hawaii or somewhere hot and exotic, but no...I think I'd take you to England" she said, eyes fixed on Penny as she took a sip of her drink. "Do you know why? Because I'd want to take you to Oxford, specifically the Bodleian library. It's a massive, cathedral-like place with a history that goes back to the 14th century, and the library has more than 13 million books inside, including Shakespeare's First folio, a Gutenberg Bible, and Charles Darwin's 'On the Origin of Species.' Plus, England has so much rich history and literary culture. I can't think of anywhere better for someone who loves books and history as much as we do. Just imagine us curled up on a leather sofa in the Bodleian library together reading through original copies of books few people will ever get to see in person, books that are hundreds of years old and have shaped history..."
 
Penelope sat in rapt attention as Bella seemed to answer her silly hypothetical with what seemed like absolute sincerity. Every word was laced with an infectious excitement, that drew Penny further into this imaginary future. Bella's use of Hawaii as an example stuck her with a wry smirk. That was quite literally Malcolm's only suggestion for their honeymoon destination, citing that it's warm, safe, and English speaking. Not that Penny wouldn't enjoy a Hawaiian vacation. She was far more the beggar than the chooser when it came to actually taking a holiday. Hawaii though, did not light a fire in her green eyes the way that Oxford's historic library did.

"Yes...please. That. I want that." By then, Penny leaned rigidly forward in her seat, as if that would bring her closer to making the idea a reality. Her inner book nerd shown out brilliantly like a pair of diamond coated reading glasses, not that it was ever far from the surface to begin with. "God. Like, for obvious reasons, we can't just go and elope...but can we still go do that anyway?"

In her excitement, Penny chattered on a string of thoughts as they came to mind. "Malcolm would be bored beyond reason, but we don't need to invite him. Maybe we don't tell him about this conversation, "she said, casually mentioning her fiancé by name for the first time. "Oh, and we can visit all kinds of book shops, see Stratford-upon-Avon and The Globe. I know it's a rebuild, but I still want to see it. I would probably read through all of Dickens again if we went to London..."
 
The imaginary future Bella had weaved for them was captivating, and far more exciting than the blonde's own future was shaping up to be. No matter how she looked at it, the idea of doing those things with Penny was what made them exciting. She could picture goimg to those places solo, and she could picture herself going with one of her friends, but it would never be the same as sharing it with Penny.

So when the redhead sat forward enthusiastically and said the wanted it, Bella's heart skipped a beat. Possibly more than one. She sat further forward too, looking deeply into the other woman's eyes as a look of pure excitement crossed over her face.

"We can absolutely do that! And we should! You and me" She said enthusiastically, taking Penny's hands and holding them in her own. "We don't need someone with us who won't appreciate it, so leave him behind! It can be a girlfriends' trip away, just for us! We'll visit the library, check out all the book stores, stop for coffee in the historic cafes, have lunch and wine in old British pubs, go for walks along the rivers and stop in at ancient cathedrals and the theatres, take in a live Dickens performance on stage, we'll do it all!"

Bella grinned happilly and slid her fingers between Penny's, holding her hands more intimately without even realising she was doing it . "When shall we go? Next month?'
 
Penny enjoyed the gentle warmth of Bella's hands holding hers. The small gesture made her want to follow the other woman anywhere she suggested.

‘Next month…’, she thought. How romantically spontaneous that would be. Were Bella a love interest instead of a friend this would fall nicely into a romance novel. To meet someone mere months before her late summer wedding and then follow them on a whirlwind vacation that changes both of their lives. It's more than a little cliche, but all genres have their tried-and-true tropes. While it's certainly not unheard of for said love interest to start out as a friend before their feelings properly develop, that's where reality rained down on the fantasy. Penelope was neither bi nor gay. Her dating history had as many Y chromosomes as partners. None of them even had gender ambiguous names: Jacob, Vince, Paul, and now Malcolm. Malcolm who would soon be her forever partner. Should she really go off on some spur of the moment trip with someone she'd just recently met when she was supposed to be completing planning on her wedding? A life spent doing the responsible thing said 'No'.

Penny said, "Maybe."

"I need to check my calendar," she added, her voice losing some of that confidence and enthusiasm. "There’s just so much going on this summer.” She started thinking through her mental checklist of all the pressing tasks she needed to sort out in the coming weeks: finish the guest list, order the flowers, get alterations on her dress, get a hair stylist, book a band, pick a reception menu... The list seemed to get longer faster than she could address it. Penny managed to just stop herself short of listing them off out loud to Bella.

Withdrawing her hands, from Bella's she rubbed her fingers along both sides of the bridge of her nose, a habit she carried on from when she wore glasses regularly.

"Ugh, I don't want to think about that now." She reached for her glass, but its contents were reduced to grape sized ice cubes in an alcohol flavored, water bath. "I definitely need another drink." She met her eyes to Bella's, her face reflecting the need to be whisked away from another troubling situation. "Then I need you to make me go dance. Please?"
 
Bella waited with bated breath for Penny's reaction, noticing suddenly how much she wanted to enact this crazy plan with her - to run away with Penny for a few days and take in the joys of historical literature with someone else who'd truly appreciate it.

The relief she felt when Penny didn't outright dismiss the idea was palpable. She grinned and gave Penny's hands a squeeze while nodding excitedly. "OK! I'll do the same! Let's check our calenders and see when we have some free time that matches up! Even if we can't do our faux honeymoon, maybe there's somewhere closer to home we can go. Leave it with me, I'll look into it!"

Her energy had returned to its normal bubbly levels, restored by the excitement of possibly going somewhere with Penny, just the two of them. They'd probably need to room somewhere, and the image of them both slipping naked into the same hotel bed and smiling at one another crept into her mind.

She giggled at her companion's request and stood up to get the next round of drinks in. "Now these sound like tasks I can handle! Just be prepared to have dancing with anyone else feel boring after a turn on the dance floor with me" She said playfully, shooting a wink at Penny as she walked past.

A few minutes later she was back with their drinks. She placed Penny's in front if her and took a large sip of her own as she sat down. The alcohol was giving her a happy buzz now, but it was Penny's company that truly had her buzzing.

"Do you get a chance to go out and dance much?" She asked curiously. "I think I'd go mad if I couldn't let my hair down every now and then!"
 
Penny caught no less than three men blatantly checking Bella on her way to the bar. She herself had to admit that the blonde cut a gorgeous figure in that black dress. As if following the gaze of the onlookers, she too watched her friend until she slipped into the crowd around the bar. Penny couldn't help but feel in awe of her companion for the evening. Not only did was she absolutely stunning, but she pulled it off with such confidence. Between that and her quick-witted intelligence, Penelope felt an unignorable pull to the woman.

She looked up from her thoughts to see Bella headed back with a pair of drinks. In particular her attention was drawn to the woman's smiling lips. Penny's tongue passed over her own, reflecting the smile naturally. Lifting her glass, the redhead paused to answer, "Oh gosh, I don't think I've come out dancing since undergrad." She took a draw of her drink, casting a glance at the dance floor. "I'm usually a dance at home in pajamas type." She took another drink, then said, "Wow, ok, you can just forget I said that." She laughed at herself in mild embarrassment.

"Just don't be surprised if I cling to you a teensy bit. I don't think I'm ready to see other people see ME dancing. Does that make sense?" Penny giggled and shook her head. The alcohol was definitely starting to affect her mood. In Penny's case, that usually meant she got a touch silly.

With two more gulps, she drained the rest of her drink, then announced, "Ok, I'm ready for you to ruin all future dance partners for me." She extended her arm and offered her hand daintily to Bella. "Shall we?"
 
Bella couldn't help giggling at the image of Penny dancing at home in her pyjamas. The blonde was more of the sleeping nude type and hadn't used pyjamas much since she was a teenager, but in her imagination Penny looked beautiful even in PJs.

"But if I forget you said it then I can't enjoy the mental image of you dancing around in your pyjamas!" She grinned mischievously. "It's quite the image, you look really good! I don't think anyone's ever made PJs work as well as you do in my mind!"

The alcohol was giving her enough of a buzz that she was flirting more openly with Penny, and if she'd been able to see herself, Bella would have realised that she was giving the redhead come to bed eyes without even meaning to. Her entire being seemed to resonate with Penny, calling out to her in subconscious yearning.

"It does make sense, but don't worry! You're safe with me. You always will be" She giggled. Their drinks disappeared surprisingly quickly, and before she knew it she was standing up and taking Penny's hand. A little shiver ran across her body at the feeling of the other woman's palm and fingers pressing against her own. She felt like a giddy teenager holding hands with her crush, focusing on every little detail of how soft and perfect Penny's hand felt against her own.

She led the redhead over to the dance area and guided her to an empty space just as a song she knew well started to play. "I love this one!" She exclaimed happilly. "You haven't been out dancing in a while, right?" She moved behind Penny and pressed herself gently against the redhead's back while placing her hands on the redhead's hips. She started to move her body in time to the beat of the music, guiding Penny's hips to move in time with her own as a tingling wave of excitement rolled over her. The way their bodies fit together, even like this...it was easy to believe that the two had been made for each other. "Don't worry about technique or what other people are doing. Dancing is all about being free and living in the moment. Just try and feel the beat...and when you feel it, let your body move in time with it."
 
Bella’s flirtatious compliments washed over Penny like a warm shower. The redhead typically responded to effusive compliments with embarrassment. With Bella though, she did feel safe. The librarian still didn't fully know what to make of her new friend's flirty nature, but that just seemed to be her way. It made her want to set in on one of the woman's lectures. It also made her want to see more of that dazzling smile.

"What are you.." Penny was alarmed momentarily as the blonde woman slipped around behind her. Despite growing accustomed to her brazen nature, this brought a fresh rush of heat to her face. Her eyes scanned about nervously. She had hoped to have Bella in front of her as something to focus on so she wouldn't be aware of others watching her. Thankfully no one else seemed to be paying undue attention to them.

The setting and the fact that she was in heels made her first movements a little awkward. These were her "wedding guest" shoes. They saw a fair number of slow dances, but generally weren't trained in a lot of upbeat footwork. Penny certainly didn't wear them around the house in her pjs. In that first song, though, Bella proved her mettle as a teacher. The gentle touch of her guiding hands over soon had her partner's hips moving in rhythm. In moments, Penny allowed her eyes to close and lost herself in the music and even more so in the tender press of their bodies together, separated only by a couple layers of thin material. The redhead leaned herself back against her partner, deepening the touch. Her left hand wandered back to rest on Bella's hip, but instead found the bare skin through a gap in the midsection of her black dress. Her hand lingered there, as if Penny was discovering how badly she was in need of physical human connection, skin to skin.

Near the end of the song, the rhythm swelled to a climax. Her eyes still closed, Penny turned her head to the side and pushed her free hand up through her scarlet hair. The sway of her hips exaggerated and became more her own as she stayed with the tempo set by Bella.

The song wound down, and the DJ spun it into the next one with a much different beat. Penny seemed to awaken from a trance. She spoke in Bella's ear, "You're amazing, thank you." Penny didn't know the next couple songs, but it was obvious she felt more at ease moving about the dance floor. Always she kept near her friend, often hand in hand and near always smiling and laughing. When a song came on that she did know, she sang the complete lyrics aloud to the other woman as they moved about each other.

Penny pulled away from the dance floor, fanning her face with her hand in vain. "Oh wow, I needed this so badly. Is it always this fun going out with you?"
 
It was the first time they'd ever danced together, yet to Bella it felt as if they'd been doing this all their lives. The way their bodies slotted together so perfectly and the effortless way they slipped into a synchronised rhythm seemed to speak of a choreographed pair who knew each other's bodies just as well as their own.

And oh, did Bella want to know Penny's body. Feeling the redhead sway and rub against her sent excited tingles coursing across Bella's skin. She couldn't resist gently pressing herself up against the other woman a little more, just enough for Penny's pert rear to rub against her crotch. Images of the two of them dancing like this naked at Bella's home poured into her mind, and before she knew it she was resting her chin on Penny's shoulder as if the two were lovers sharing an intimate moment.

She bit her lower lip as Penny's hand found one of the few gaps in her dress and came to rest gently against her bare skin. That single hint of what skin on skin contact with Penny felt like had her whole body aching for more. Had it been an accident that Penny's hand had found bare skin, or had she sought it deliberately? Bella hoped it was the latter. She knew it was wrong to crave the touch of a woman who was engaged to be married but Bella couldn't deny the spark between them, nor the attraction she felt toward Penny.

'I have my moments" Bella said back into Penny's ear. She grinned happilly. There was something about being praised by Penny that brought her joy. They turned to face each other and danced hand in hand, laughing and smiling as their bodies moved to the beat of the music. By the time they took a break the from dancefloor a few songs later, Bella felt like Penny had truly gotten the hang of dancing.

"I like to think so!" Bella giggled, slipping her arm around Penny's waist as they walked side by side. "Come on, I'm getting us a shot of something!" She stood at the bar with her arm around Penny, earning them a sly look from the barmaid who'd previously assumed they were engaged. Multiple guys were checking them out but Bella had eyes only for the redhead at her side. She knocked back her drink when it arrived and once Penny had done the same she took her by the hand and led her back to the dancefloor. She danced close against her companion, facing her and grinning happilly as their bodies moved to tbe beat of the music.
 
The loud music prevented Penny from hearing what Bella ordered from the bar, nor did she notice the bottle used to poor the shots. Casting Bella a suspicious glance, she brought the small glass to her nose. "This better not be tequila. I swore off tequila shots after my junior year Spring Break," she said, giggling. It might have been tequila. Her nose couldn't really tell. She tossed back the shot anyway. Two drinks in, the burn in her throat felt nostalgic and satisfying. "Oh are we dancing again!?" she laughed out. The hand that was attached to Bella's hand pulled back in the direction of the dance floor. Her feet had no choice but to follow.

The floor had gotten more crowded, not that it mattered. Face to face, less than a foot apart, they breathed the same air as they swayed in time to the music and each other. Contact between their bodies happened inadvertently without any thought to it. Penelope's arm brushed Bella's chest. Blonde hair swished by Penny's check. An attempted spin in heels sent Penny crashing into her friend, laughing hysterically. The redhead may have checked her inhibitions for the night, but she certainly didn't trade them for dancing skills.

"You just keep saving me!" she exclaimed in appreciation as they untangled from each other.

Soon after, the music faded without transitioning into another song. The DJ's voice came out over the speakers instead. "It's Friday niiiiiiiiight! Shout out to the gorgeous ladies holding it down on the dance floor. We've got something special for ya. Everybody hold onto a friend because it's time for the BLACK OUUUUUUUT!"

Just as the DJ put on a new track, the lights in the bar cut out all at once. Heavy trance music started to play. Periodic strobe lights would flash out, lighting up the room for an instant snapshot before it returned to darkness. The energy on the floor seemed to kick up several notches as people began dancing to the accelerated beat.

“Oh my gosh!” Penny called out, though she was neither seen nor heard. Her hand clasped Bella’s arm above the elbow. She held herself close to the other woman. The sudden change in atmosphere caught her off guard. While normally the young librarian would have fled such a sensory overload for something calmer and quieter, feeling a physical connection to the other woman helped her feel more at ease.
 
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