I’m good and ready,” Sonja remarked. “And you should do the same. You don’t have to feel pressured to hop into bed with Clear and Strong, but do give yourself a chance to know them. I mean, you like Clear—right?”
“Yes, I do,” Melanie admitted—both to herself and her friend. “He’s an absolute sweetheart, even if he is too young for me.”
“Stop it with all that age nonsense,” Sonja commanded. “You like him—let’s leave it at that.”
“Okay.” Melanie nodded. “He’s incredibly sweet and thoughtful and caring and handsome. I like him.”
“And how do you feel about his twin?” Sonja asked.
“Well…” Melanie bit her lip. “If I’m being honest, I was a little scared of him. Or maybe not so much scared of him as scared of what I might do with him and Clear if I wasn’t careful and I let down my guard.”
“Would it be so bad to let down your guard, though?” Sonja inquired. “It could be fun.”
“Says the girl who’s saving herself for marriage,” Melanie pointed out.
“Hey, just because I’m waiting doesn’t mean I’m not going to enjoy sex when I finally get some.” Sonja put a hand on her ample hip. “Sahran has informed me that he intends to worship every inch of my body with his tongue and girl, I can’t wait.”
Melanie laughed.
“I certainly hope sex turns out to be as good as your imagining it,” she told her friend sincerely. “I think it can be really special with the right person.”
“Or people.” Sonja nudged her with an elbow. “I’m serious, Melanie—you should give Clear and Strong a chance.”
“Well, I’m seeing them again at the Christmas party,” Melanie pointed out. “At least Clear will be there and I’m assuming he’ll bring Strong.”
“They’ll both be there,” Sonja assured her. “They’ll be wanting to see you.” She started to giggle. “I can’t wait to see the three of you get together for the first time since you woke up in their bed!”
“I’m a little apprehensive about it myself,” Melanie confessed. “But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t also…intrigued.”
“Oh, so now you admit you’re intrigued?” Sonja laughed harder. “And why is that?”
“Because I’ve, uh, never been with more than one guy before,” Melanie confessed in a low voice. “Not that I want to be with them like that. It’s just…something to think about, that’s all,” she added quickly.
Sonja was laughing so hard by this time she really did fall off the couch. She waved off Melanie’s attempts to help her up as she sat on the floor and shook with giggles.
“Girl, listen to yourself! Just admit you want to be the filling of that man-sandwich!” she exclaimed when she could finally talk again. “It’s written all over you!”
“I just don’t want to jump into anything too quickly!” Melanie protested, putting her hands to her hot cheeks. “Come on, Sonja—be serious!”
“I’ll try.”
Sonja swiped at her eyes—she was one of those people who cried when they laughed really hard—and scrambled up off the floor. She plopped herself down on the couch again and helped herself to one of the red and green Christmas cookies Melanie had laid out. Cookies she had gotten from a bakery since she was definitely not going anywhere near her wave again. She had put in a request to have it looked at but apparently there was a backlog this time of year so she was still waiting to see a repairman.
“Okay, let’s change the subject,” Melanie said, as her friend took a sip of tea to wash down her cookie. “Talk about anything but making me the filling in a Twin Kindred man-sandwich.”
Sonja’s eyes twinkled but she nodded agreeably.
“All right. Where are you spending Christmas? Here on the Mother Ship or back down on Earth?”
Melanie sighed.
“It’s going to have to be Earth. My Aunt Marge is all alone and she just lost her favorite cat, Miss Marple.”
“Oh no—how sad!” The mirth left Sonja’s dark brown eyes at once.
“Yes, but it’s okay,” Melanie told her. “She’s got like fifteen more without her.”
“What? Are you serious?” Sonja’s eyes went wide. “Your aunt is a crazy cat lady?”
“More like a grumpy cat lady,” Melanie corrected her. “She’s as crusty as they come, but she was always there for me since my parents died, especially during my divorce.” She frowned. “I just hope I don’t see my ex around. Aunt Marge says he’s been calling her and saying he wants to pick up some things he left with me—a box of records or something.”
“Just have her leave the