“Rich Girl” by Joan Arling

From this Friday on Rich Girl by Joan Arling will be available for purchase – as e-book only.

For all those looking for a special lesbian romance we decided to share one scene:

Ric was curiously silent on our way back to the car park, but when we climbed into Rusty and I reached for the starter, she said, “Wait, please.”

I leaned back in my seat and looked at her. She seemed to be about to say a thousand things, but unable to select what. I watched her sort her thoughts.

“You’re gay, aren’t you?”

I suppressed a flippant answer. “Well, you’ve read that story, you’ve seen where I hang out… pretty obvious, isn’t it? Yes, I am, and happily so.” I wondered what the question was really about.

She bit her lip. “I guess I am, too. I’m also very confused. I almost died when I asked you to dance. I’ve never done that before. I mean, I’ve dreamed about it, but I never found the courage. Not that I’ve had that many opportunities.”

Uh-oh. I remembered the time when I’d finally shoved my doubts and feelings of guilt overboard, how my days of being socially accepted had ended with a bang, how very few people were willing to even listen to me. I resolved to ease the rocky road for her, if I could. Shoot, was she bringing out the butch in me? Oh, hell, I’d been drawn to her even before she changed from being a super model to someone unbelievably attractive. “Hey, if I can do anything to help…”

She seemed to shrink before my eyes. “Yes,” she whispered, barely audible, “but I’m afraid to ask.” She clammed up and fixed her gaze on her hands, her fingers interlocked so hard that her knuckles and fingernails were virtually white.

I bent over and gently massaged an iron-hard forearm. “Come on, us dykes must stick together, don’t we now?”

She took several deep breaths. “C-can I stay at your place? I’d rather not face my parents tonight.”

Hallelujah! My breath started picking up, but I calmed myself immediately. Normally, I’d have hurried us home, only stopping at the altar of the deity that had answered my prayers, or perhaps the thanksgiving could have waited until tomorrow. Bad girl! I sighed. If Ric was only coming to terms with her orientation right now, I’d better set my mind on higher things. “Of course you can. And… I understand. No spider’s lair, cross my heart.”

She closed her eyes, an ineffective measure against the tears that started to roll down her cheeks.

I put an arm around her shoulders awkwardly (hey, Rusty wasn’t exactly a love seat!) and drew her against me, heroically ignoring her fragrance that was working hard on activating my baser instincts.

Eventually, we made it to my apartment. I winced at what she’d probably think of our furnishings, when it hit me—our furnishings. I’d clean forgotten about Maggie. This called for diplomacy. “Uh, we’ll have to be quiet. Maggie will have to get up early, so she’ll be asleep right now.”

I could see her shield come up. “You’re living together with a… friend?”

“No. Ah, yes, I do. But she’s not a, well, girlfriend, you know? She helps me pay the rent until she leaves for a job overseas next month. Hey, that’s only a week away—Lord knows where I’ll get another one. The flat is much too expensive for me alone.” True as this was, it sounded definitely lame. Well, then, bull’s horns. “Look, Maggie’s straighter than an arrow. Even if I wanted, it would be no go. And I wouldn’t do this, not to you.” Could that be my ears that were burning? No, that would never happen to me. Probably Rusty’s heating.

She tiptoed up the stairs.

I smiled. “Hey, I just meant that throwing a party would be a bit much. If she wakes up from normal movement, she wasn’t tired enough in the first place.”

We had a glass of wine in the living room, then I showed her to my bedroom. She seemed to be dead on her feet, and I briefly wondered how that had come about, because the night was not that old.

When I was about to leave, she turned to me and bit her lip. “Are you not sleeping in here? I don’t want to put you out.”

“I’d better not. I have only limited saintly qualities, you know?” I wiggled my eyebrows.

She blushed.

“You need some night gown?”

“Uh, no, I…”

I rolled my eyes. The thought of this delicious newbie bare in my vicinity was a bit too much. “Oh, baby. If you feel cuddly, feel free to use Ursula.” I indicated the teddy bear sitting in my armchair. She put her hand over her mouth, but the giggle would not be suppressed.

I simulated a hurt look. “Sleep well.”

“You too… and thanks.”

“Think nothing of it.” I set up my sleeping bag in the living room and tried to sleep, my thoughts on the most desirable woman I had ever met lying naked between my sheets and cuddling Ursula. Why could I not be my own teddy? To cuddle and to protect? Sleep was hard to come by, and when I eventually dozed off, it was only to be awakened by Maggie, who was noisily preparing to leave for work.

She stared at me with wide eyes and started to laugh like a maniac.

“Shhh!”

She quieted down but continued to chuckle. “My, oh my! I thought I’d never ask this, but… wouldn’t she let you?”

“Piss off, will you?” I pulled the sleeping bag over my head.

Now… wasn’t that a nice little teaser?

Rich Girl is a lesbian novella (around 16,000 words) and will be available from amazon and Smashwords on Friday. Bella Books, Rainbow eBooks and other platforms will follow soon.

On Sunday (September 8) we’ll be doing a book give away. Three e-book copies of Rich Girl will be looking for a new home.

The Ylva team