Free The Lonely Hearts Club by Radclyffe Page A

okay?” Liz asked, leaning across the table. “You looked like you were a million miles away.”
    “Just winding down,” Reilly said as she edged forward to close the distance between them. At least Liz hadn’t said she’d looked like she was undressing Liz in her mind, which she hadn’t been. Not exactly. Although she could still almost feel the hot pebbling of hard nipples against her palms. “Did you enjoy the game?”
    “It was great.” Liz chuckled. “Just what I need, a little more competition during my off hours because I don’t get enough during the day.”
    “Didn’t you say you play squash? Now that’s a tough game.”
    “Oh sure. And from the looks of the scrapes on your leg and the gash on Parker’s elbow, you play softball just for the social interaction.”
    Reilly grinned, and although her head might be a little fuzzy, she noticed that Liz had very neatly diverted the subject away from herself. “Playing it safe never gets you anywhere. Nothing to lose, nothing to win.”
    For a second, Liz’s smile faltered and Reilly wondered what it was she had said. She replayed the conversation in her mind, and other than realizing that she very rarely had any kind of conversation with a woman, she couldn’t put her finger on anything amiss. Nevertheless, Liz seemed upset. Reilly slid her hand across the table and rested her fingers on Liz’s. “Are you okay? You’re not still feeling sick, are you?”
    “No,” Liz said quickly. “I feel great. It’s just been a long week. I think I’ll call it a night.”
    Ignoring the surge of disappointment that came out of nowhere, Reilly said, “I’ll walk out with you.”
    “Just give me a minute to make sure Candace has a way home.”
    Reilly signaled good night to Sean, who sat at a nearby table with Drew, and stood as Liz half-crawled over Candace and Parker to squeeze out between their table and the one next to it.
    “All set?” Liz asked.
    “Yes. Candace taken care of?”
    “Parker is giving her a ride.”
    Reilly didn’t comment as she wended her way single-file behind Liz through the boisterous crowd. Once outside, she breathed deeply and tried to decide if her head was clear enough to drive. At just after nine p.m., the sky was dark but the air still warm. A night breeze carried the lingering scent of cut grass and hot earth. The smell of summer always made her think of being a kid, and how damned easy it had all seemed then. Endless summer—if she’d only known it would end someday. But then, life was like that—you couldn’t go back when you were finally smart enough to appreciate what you had.
    “Where did you park?” Reilly asked, pushing aside the familiar melancholy.
    “Around the corner on Lincoln Drive.”
    “I’ll walk you.”
    “You don’t have to,” Liz said. “Isn’t that your car across the street?”
    “Yes, but I’m going to take the train. One beer too many.”
    Liz shook her head. “You most certainly are not. I’ll take you wherever you want to go. Will your car be all right here tonight?”
    “It should be. This is a residential area. But you don’t need to—”
    “And who was it who gave me a ride home not so long ago when I was a little off my game?” Liz grabbed Reilly’s hand. “Don’t argue. We’re practically neighbors, so you know it’s not out of my way.”
    Reilly tensed as Liz’s fingers curled around hers. It was a friendly gesture, nothing more. She tried to remember the last time anyone had touched her and couldn’t.
    Liz looked down at their joined hands and let go. “I’m sorry.”
    “It’s okay, I’m just jumpy.”
    “Come on, my car’s over here,” Liz replied, looking as if she didn’t believe Reilly’s explanation.
    Reilly couldn’t think of a reason to refuse, and she didn’t really want to. She’d enjoyed Liz’s attention while she was playing earlier. Every time she’d looked across the field, their eyes had met. The connection was probably only in her