Free Out of Rhythm (Face the Music Book 1) by Shona Husk

out of home, but renting in Fremantle and living this close to work and everything would mean she wouldn’t be able to do anything. Besides her parents weren’t trying to get rid of her — probably because they lived upstairs and she paid board and cooked dinner twice a week.
    She flicked open her laptop and started looking through films she’d already purchased. ‘What do want to watch?’
    ‘Doesn’t matter as I probably haven’t seen it anyway.’ She smiled, her gaze drifting over Kirsten, not bothering to hide that she was checking her out.
    ‘In that case…’ She hit play on Sherlock Holmes despite having watched it a few times before, and then sat down next to Gemma.
    After a moment she put her hand on Gemma’s thigh. When Gemma didn’t do anything, she decided it was up to her to make the first move. She turned and kissed her; the desire was there, simmering below the surface, but uncertainty created ripples that she wasn’t used to. Gemma responded, her tongue brushing Kirsten’s lip, then tasting and dancing.
    ‘I don’t want to rush you,’ Gemma murmured as her hand trailed over Kirsten’s hip and pulled her closer.
    ‘You’re not.’ It wasn’t that she hadn’t had sex before, but she’d never had sex with a woman before.
    ‘Okay, then I don’t want to rush. We don’t have to leap straight in. It’s cool.’ Gemma smiled, but it was strained around the edges.
    ‘You don’t want to?’
    ‘If I screw up, there’s a whole lot more to lose. Let’s just watch the movie.’ While her words pushed Kirsten away, her arm kept her close.
    Kirsten settled in, well aware that even this was different. Their bodies were touching from head to toe. She could smell Gemma’s perfume and shampoo. All of it was light and floral, and almost too girly for Gemma, at least at first glance.
    About halfway through the movie, Gemma spoke. ‘Why did you tell your mum about my family?’
    ‘I didn’t. I asked her if it would be okay if you stayed over on a more permanent basis because living with three younger brothers has to be hard.’
    ‘Much like living with my three older adopted brothers.’
    ‘It that what it’s like?’ She often wondered how Gemma survived being surrounded by guys all the time at home, and then with the band. Kirsten would go crazy being trapped with Ed for any length of time.
    ‘Pretty much.’
    ‘You’re one of the guys.’
    Gemma’s shoulder shrugged beneath Kirsten’s head. ‘Not really. Sometimes they treat me like the kid sister who needs to be looked after. Which was handy in a couple of the rougher places, and they’d never let me get a cab alone. On the other hand, it can get a little weird when someone’s picked up and then they get all freaked out like I’m going to say something.’
    ‘Do you?’
    ‘Most of the time I keep quiet. If I don’t butt in, they won’t butt into my private life…that’s the theory anyway.’ She glanced at Kirsten. ‘You aren’t worried about what your parents will think?’
    Not in the same way Gemma was. ‘They won’t disown me or anything, or at least I don’t think they will. Would you rather stay in the spare room tonight?’
    ‘You want me to stay here?’ Gemma didn’t try to hide the joy in her eyes.
    ‘Yeah, I do. It won’t be the first time you’ve slept in my bed.’
    ‘I know…but now that you know…’
    Kirsten propped herself up on one elbow and looked at Gemma. ‘You don’t have to try and protect me, or yourself.’ She touched Gemma’s cheek. ‘I want you and I want to explore this with you…even if I don’t know exactly what I’m doing.’
    ‘I’m not that experienced.’
    ‘No, but you’re sure in your heart. I’m not.’ At the back of her mind she wondered if Gemma would be enough. There was more to sex than tongue and fingers…and what if she needed more? ‘This might sound dumb, but don’t you ever feel like…dick?’
    Gemma laughed. ‘I have a vibrator. It reaches places I