He climbs on first and scoots forward so I can throw my leg over the seat behind him. Lifting his shirt with one hand, he grabs my hand with his other and wraps it around his bare stomach, causing me to groan and punch my hips forward into his ass.
“Now you’re getting the idea,” he says over his shoulder with a cocky grin.
Who knew when I woke up this morning, I’d end my day in the company of a stranger who feels like I’ve known him all along.
CHAPTER 01:BELLA
Doing a couple’s photoshoot with a stranger was not on my bingo card for the year. Then again, neither was my ex-boyfriend breaking up with me, or having to put my dog down—or having to switch jobs in the middle of the school year which resulted in me having to move to a brand new town.
It’s safe to say that I was fully in my feelings when I stumbled upon Sadie’s wanted ad on Instagram. I was a couple of vodka sodas deep, crying because I had a hard day at work with my new students. I opened up Instagram and saw a post of my ex-boyfriend holding up a glass of red wine at some vineyard at fucking sunset, looking like he was living his very best life, which made me want to hurl, scream, and key his car all at once. Luckily, Sadie’s sponsored ad was right below fuckface’s vineyard post, and it served as a much needed distraction from my pity party.
Queer individuals wanted.The large header piqued my attention. I loved watching reels and TikToks of strangers doing couple’s photoshoots ever since the trend became popular a few years ago. The fact that Sadie was looking for queer individuals felt inviting to me, too. Jason broke up with me about six months ago, and in the last couple of months, I’d been trying to put myself out there. I’d specifically been going on dates with other women—though I hadn’t hit it off with anyone yet.
It’s hard being bisexual with no former lady experience. A couple of women I went on dates with were totally cool with me never having been with another woman, but we didn’t vibe in a romantic way. A couple of the other women… well, I don’t think they were as easygoing about me only being with men up until that point in my life.
Dating is fucking scary, no matter what your sexual orientation is. It’s hard putting yourself out there. Exposing pieces of yourself that most people don’t get to see. And rejection? Well… rejection hurts like a scalding hot knife to the gut.
Thankfully, I made some pretty strong drinks, and I felt a bit more bold than usual after finishing my second glass. With a confidence my sober self would gawk at, I filled out the application and then a separate form for Sadie to get to know a little bit about me. Shortly after, I fell asleep on my couch with my phone still clutched in my hand.
Did I regret my decision the next morning? Kind of. Part of me was scared. I’d never been good at diving into new things with confidence. A larger part of me felt excited, though. It was time to do something out of my comfort zone. I wanted to know what it would be like to have a connection with another woman. To hold her hand. To kiss her soft lips. I had no idea what the photoshoot would have in store for me, but I decided to feel hopeful for the first time in a long time. It had been a shit year. Maybe doing something like this would be what I needed to find some much needed joy.
CHAPTER 02: CAM
The email hit my inbox a couple weeks after I sent in the application. When I got the notification on my phone at work, I almost squealed from where I stood in the historical fiction section of the library, putting back newly returned books in their proper homes on the shelves.
I looked around me to make sure no one was nearby, and then I did a quiet little happy dance. In a few short weeks’ time, I’d be at a couple’s photoshoot, meeting a complete stranger. I couldn’t think of anything more exhilarating.
I must have still been grinning like a total cheeseball when Ian found me, hauling another stack of books in their arms for me to put back. “What’s with you?” they whispered with a cocked eyebrow and a glint of their usual sass.
Instead of answering right away, I stuck my tongue out at them as they placed the books on my cart.
“Dramatic. Tell me.”
“You know that photoshoot application you sent to me a couple weeks ago?”
Ian nodded. “You got in?”
I bit down on my lower lip and suppressed another squeal. “I’m so excited, I could run a half marathon right now.”
Ian snorted.“Right.You, my very best friend who loathes working out.”
“Shut up,” I muttered with a smile.
Ian crossed their arms and leaned against the shelves. “When’s the shoot? Do you have any details yet?”
A mother with her young son walked down the aisle, so I shelved a couple of books and waited until they rounded the corner to reply. “Second Tuesday in October. It’s going to be a sunset shoot!”
“Where at?”
“Out there in Miccosukee—McIntyre Park.”
“Ooo,” Ian whisper-screamed while wiggling their eyebrows. “That’s romantic.”
Ian’s right—McIntyre Parkisromantic. It’s a hotspot for weddings and engagement sessions. The park was about forty minutes away from where I lived in Tallahassee, so I knew the drive wouldn’t be bad at all. I’d never been there, but I’d seen a lot of pictures from friends who’d gone and posted their photos on social media. The rolling hills of the park had giant oak trees adorned with Spanish moss scattered throughout the premises, a sizable pond nearby, and a beautiful old mansion. From what I’d seen online, it was utterly gorgeous. It had the old southern charm that always kept me rooted here, in my hometown. I was sure it would be breathtaking at sunset.
What would be more exciting than visiting the park for the first time would be meeting the mystery woman I’d be doing the photoshoot with. As a lesbian in my hometown, I pretty much already knew the dating pool and had already made the rounds. The people here tended to fall within overlapping circles, so options were a bit limited. I hadn’t had a long-term relationship since college, and at first, I loved being single and discovering myself. But now, it had beenyearssince I had anything serious,and I craved connection. Intimacy.Love,even. That’s not to say that this stranger and I would hit it off—but why not try? That’s why I was excited when Ian sent me the details about Sadie’s Strangers. You never know what will happen if you don’t take a risk every now and again.
CHAPTER 03: BELLA
