Before thoughts could intrude that she’d be in the same position again tomorrow, wishing that Angie wasn’t leaving the state, she told herself to look on the bright side. They had one more night to hang out. It was better than nothing.
At ten minutes to five, Angie knocked on the door, wearing the same blue dress she’d worn a couple of nights before. Her shoulders were finely sculpted, a work of art.
“I hope I’m dressed okay for tonight? Not a lot of choices. I only brought one case with me for the trip!”
“Are you kidding? You look gorgeous,” Hannah replied, and Angie smiled back shyly at her. “I’ll just grab my things, and we’ll get going.”
In the car, Angie drummed her fingers against the dashboard. Hannah watched from the corner of her eye, navigating toward her folks’ place through the light Sunday traffic.
“You okay over there?”
“Does your whole family think I’m an asshole for what I did?” Angie asked, voice squeaking at the end.
“What do you mean? They don’t know anything about anything. About you and me, I mean.”
“You never told them?”
She took a hand from the steering wheel and found Angie’s. It was only to calm Angie, because she still sounded so nervous.
“No, I didn’t. Mom knew I was upset that we weren’t talking, but she thought it was your usual regular teenage girl stuff. So, don’t worry, okay? As far as they know, I’m just bringing an old friend to dinner. I called Viv today to tell her you were coming.”
Angie threaded their fingers, tightening her hold for a moment. When Angie released her grip so Hannah could make a turn, the back of Hannah’s knuckles grazed Angie’s thigh.
She could feel Angie looking at her, so she willed herself to keep her eyes on the road.
They had been so well behaved the last couple of nights. They’d dined together and talked in the most civilized way, as though their kiss in the hotel pool had never happened.
Maybe it was a good thing Angie was going back to Brisbane the following day. Hannah wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep this up.
It was dusk when they arrived at the house. She pulled up to the curb, the street crowded with Mark’s van and Ethan’s red Holden. She reached across to the glove compartment, carefully avoiding Angie when she popped it open. There were birthday cards for her brothers with gift vouchers for their favorite restaurant.
It was weeks since Hannah had been in the same place as her siblings, and she was looking forward to catching up with them. Angie paused, taking in the terrace house that stood unchanged save for a fresh coat of white paint on the exterior.
“Wow, this place. It’s bizarre to see it again!”
She led Angie to the side gate. It creaked when she opened it for her, Angie brushing close by to pass her. There was the smell of cooking meat as they made their way down the narrow path toward the courtyard. Paul stood at the barbecue, egg flip in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other. His blond hair was thinning, and he’d developed a potbelly.
“Hey girls! Welcome. Everyone’s still inside while I slave away out here. Would either of you like some beer?”
“I won’t have one, thanks,” Hannah replied. “But would you like one, Angie?”
“Sure, why not?”
“That’s the way,” Paul said, smiling broadly at her and leaning down to the cooler next to the barbecue. He pushed ice out of the way to fish out a bottle, then twisted off the top and handed it to Angie. “You’re the American girl, aren’t you?”
“One of them, sure!” Angie said.
“Haha…I remember you staying here. I always wondered how you two could get up and go to training so early like you did! Could always hear you giggling in the middle of the night and carrying on.”
Paul looked down to flip burgers, and Hannah cut her eyes across to Angie, her eyebrows shooting up at the memory of why they made so much noise. Angie raised her eyebrows too.
Hannah guided Angie through the back door. A circle of people stood in the open-plan living and dining area. Viv was there, along with Mark and his wife, Jodie. Ethan and his girlfriend Belinda stood with their arms around one another.
Ethan and Mark still looked alike to Hannah, maintaining the exact same weight despite their very different lifestyles. They both had buzz cuts, and the easiest way to tell them apart was by Mark’s scraggly mustache.
Though the brothers had chased after the same girls in high school, they’d ended up with partners who couldn’t be more different. Jodie sported long blond hair parted down the middle. She wore strings of colored beads around her neck and always went braless. Belinda had dyed pink hair and a nose ring, and she dressed only in black. Hannah had never seen her without the thick black liner that swept up past the corners of her eyes.
“Ethan was so wasted he was falling all over the place,” Mark said.
“Oh c’mon, I wasn’t that bad. I lasted longer than you. You were practically passing out by the time we were at that last place.”
“You both shouldn’t drink so much,” Hannah said, and everyone stopped talking.
“Hello sweetheart,” Viv said, putting her arms out for a hug.
They pulled apart, Viv’s eyes shining while she looked at Angie. Hannah put a hand on the small of Angie’s back while she pointed and introduced each member of her family. “And this is Belinda, Ethan’s girlfriend.”
“So nice to meet you all,” Angie said, hands clasped in front of her waist. “Well, and to see you again Mrs. Clark and Ethan and Mark, of course. It’s been a long time.”
“Viv! Even my kids call me Viv. It’s great to have you here. If I remember correctly, you’ve had a family barbecue with us before, haven’t you love?”
There was a subtle knowingness touching Viv’s expression. She was suddenly sure her mother, always maddeningly perceptive, knew what Angie meant to her.
“Should we all move outside? I want to make sure Paul’s not burning the sausages to a crisp like he always does,” Mark said.
The night was unseasonably warm, and in the short time they’d been inside it had grown dark. Bamboo torches dotted the courtyard, and a Fleetwood Mac song played through the open kitchen window. They gathered around the outdoor table, passing plates and bowls across to one another.
Angie sat next to Belinda. Hannah listened to the contrast in the way they spoke, Angie sunny where Belinda’s tone was flat and sarcastic. Against all the odds, they seemed to be getting along well.
When dinner was finished, Paul stood up from the table. “Everyone stay right here. I’m getting the cakes.”
“I’ll help,” Viv said.
Paul loved to bake. Traditionally he produced two cakes for the boys, whom as children complained if they had to share. Viv and Paul disappeared inside, then carried out a sponge cake each, flickering candles lighting up their faces.
The group launched into “Happy Birthday.” Hannah could make out Angie’s voice, sweet and off-key in her ear. They sat so close to one another that their thighs touched under the table. Her gaze lingered on Angie’s profile, admiring the delicate point of her chin and her soft lips as she sang.
For the first time, she faced the fact that she was in deep waters. Having Angie here tonight was so right that she couldn’t imagine what it would be like if she weren’t. Jodie and Belinda had been part of their family for years, yet Angie clicked effortlessly into place beside them, completing the unit.
It was a crazy thought. They had reconnected so recently, and here she was, wanting Angie to be part of her family.
Yes, she was in very deep. So deep, that it might be called falling in love.
Reluctant to let the night slip from their grasps, Hannah and Angie outlasted the guests of honor. Mark and Jodie left at nine, Mark explaining that he was still recovering from his vicious hangover. An hour later Ethan and Belinda followed. Belinda asked for Angie’s contact details before she said goodbye, which tickled Hannah.
Whe
n even Paul hid a yawn behind his hand, his nostrils flaring, Hannah said they should go.
“Do you mind if I use your phone to call a cab, please?” Angie asked Paul.
“Don’t be silly! I’ll drive you back to your hotel,” Hannah said.
“Are you sure? It’s pretty out of the way for you, isn’t it?”
“It’s fine! Thanks for dinner guys,” Hannah said, kissing Viv’s cheek. “I’ll come around for dinner next Sunday?”
“Great. It was nice to see you, Angie. I hope I’ll get to see you again sometime soon?”
Hannah shook her head at her mother’s hopeful tone. Though she’d always tried her best with whomever Hannah brought home to meet her, it wasn’t always the case for Viv to be this warm. She was quietly critical of Hannah’s ex-girlfriends and hard to please.
They got into Hannah’s car and she clipped her seat belt, glancing across at Angie before she put the key in the ignition. She hadn’t said a word since they’d said goodbye to her parents.
“Everything good over there?” Hannah said, pulling out from the curb.
“Sure,” Angie said, looking out the window.
“Did you have a nice time tonight? You and Belinda got along well.”
“We did. Don’t mind me. I’m just super tired. Thanks for driving me home, though.”
Hannah pointed the car toward Angie’s hotel, catching every red light on the way there.
It was going to be awkward to say goodbye when they’d already done it all the night before. And with Angie in such a weird mood, she didn’t know what to say to her. She wished they could enjoy their last time together before Angie was leaving, and she hoped Angie was okay.
There was an open parking spot close to the hotel, and she pulled in, leaving the car running. “Well. I guess I’ll be seeing you soon enough, huh?” she asked, breaking the silence.
Angie whipped around to face her. “I have to tell you something. I feel so bad. I can’t keep it to myself anymore.”
“Jesus, what?” What other secrets had she been hiding?
“I lied about the plane.”
“What about the plane?”
“The…sorry!”
“Take a deep breath, and tell me what’s going on,” Hannah said, resting a palm on Angie’s knee. Angie clutched her hand.
“I wanted to spend another night with you. My flight this morning didn’t get canceled. I changed it. I figured I could fly back early tomorrow, and it wouldn’t be a problem. When I got out of bed today, I just couldn’t bear it, the thought of leaving, I mean. I should have been honest with you or just asked, instead of pushing myself into your family event like that. I thought we’d just have dinner at your place again and it wouldn’t be a big deal. I never would have done it if I’d known you were going to feel so bad for me. I feel like I’ve pushed myself into your family gathering.”
“Oh. Well. It’s not a big deal, you were welcome, you saw that…”
Hannah began to giggle. Pretending to miss her plane was an over-the-top move on Angie’s part, but it was adorable.
“Don’t laugh at me!” Angie snapped, releasing Hannah’s hand.
“I’m not! I mean, I know you like to cook, but…wow…” Hannah said, gasping for breath.
“I shouldn’t have told you,” Angie said. Her hands were folded in her lap, and she stared down at the floor. Hannah could see her profile in the near-dark.
She forced herself to stop, tapering off the giggles as she regained control. “Hey, no. Don’t say that. Sorry. I’m just surprised is all. You have no idea how happy I was when you called.”
“I was just having so much fun, and I wanted it to last a little bit longer. Gets lonely being in a new country and everything. So…You don’t think I’m weird for what I did?”
“No. I think you’re sweet. It’s all okay. One hundred percent.”
“Really?”
“Okay, maybe a little bit weird.” A lopsided grin met her own. “Now come here and give me a big hug goodbye.” She threw her arms open, folding Angie into an embrace. The gearshift dug into her thigh as she leaned over. Angie sank into her, and she tightened her hold.
It felt right to kiss the top of Angie’s head, to show her how much she would miss her. Angie moved back and pressed her lips to Hannah’s cheek, their silky softness light against her skin.
“Thanks for being so understanding,” Angie whispered.
Hannah rubbed circles on Angie’s back. The wings of Angie’s shoulder blades were under her hand, Angie’s breath brushing past her ear.
“I loved having you there tonight,” Hannah said.
Angie kissed her cheek again, lingering so long this time that Hannah’s stomach clenched. The desire was so great that there was no option but to turn her head and meet Angie’s lips with her own.
It was immediate, the stoking of a fire that they were unable and unwilling to control. Angie kissed her deeply, until she was breathless.
Her lips were perfect for kissing. They were featherlight when they needed to be, full and passionate a moment later. She took Angie’s bottom lip into her mouth, grazing her teeth against it.
What had they been doing all this time? All those wasted hours. No matter how much fun they’d been having, they should have been doing this.
Angie stroked Hannah’s neck as they drank in one another. They crashed together like waves, moving in their seats.
Angie exhaled sharply. Not wanting to part, they pressed their lips against one another’s again, Hannah trying to get her breath back.
Blood pounded in her ears. She glanced around the quiet street. Nobody was around.
“We’re not supposed to be doing this, are we?” Angie asked.
“No,” Hannah said, shaking her head.
When Angie moved closer and kissed Hannah once more, it was so tender it completely broke down the rest of her resistance. She liked Angie so much. What was she going to do with that?
She ran her hands up and down Angie’s shoulders, feeling the fascinating combination of delicate bones, soft skin and hard muscle.
“Do you want to come upstairs?” Angie said, between kisses.
They leaned together with their foreheads pressed close. “I really, really want to. But like we just said…we’re not supposed to, right?”
Angie moved back, but only a fraction. “What if we just continued making out?”
Hannah shrugged. “I mean, we’re already doing that. A little privacy can’t hurt.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
Chapter Twenty
They gathered their purses and fled from the car, making their way through the hotel lobby, their shoes clicking along the marble floor.
In the elevator, Hannah stood close behind Angie. Even the ascent to Angie’s floor was too long. Hannah checked around for a camera, and when none was visible, she pushed Angie’s hair aside and dropped a kiss on the back of her neck. Angie backed into her, tilting her head to meet her mouth.
As the elevator dinged, they lurched through the opening doors, Angie scrambling for her keys. Finally, they were in the room, and they dropped their things, coming together urgently.
They kissed while Angie guided them toward the bedroom. When they arrived, they paused so they could slip off their shoes. They fell onto the bed together, Hannah sighing with relief that they were finally alone. Their tongues connected and they shared a deep kiss, lying on their sides.
Kissing Angie was the most sensual experience, filling Hannah with a toe-curling pleasure she couldn’t remember having with anyone else. And when Angie rolled on top of her, so that her hair framed Hannah’s face, it only got better.
Hannah leaned toward her as Angie focused all her attention on Hannah’s lips. She raked her hands through Angie’s hair, losing herself in its softness. It took a moment for her to realize Angie was moving to put a leg over her, to straddle her while they kissed.
Hannah ran her hands over Angie’s back while Angie nipped at her mout
h, alternating between kissing her softly and hungrily. Angie’s legs were bent at the knee, and when Hannah slid her fingers over Angie’s thighs, she realized how much her dress was riding up.
Hannah jerked her hands up, returning them to the plane of Angie’s back. They were in dangerous waters, she knew that, and the further temptation was not going to help.
Angie pressed open-mouthed kisses to Hannah’s neck, finding the sensitive places that made Hannah close her eyes and sigh. She gripped Angie’s waist, moving her head back to expose more of her throat. Angie’s tongue ran down the column of her neck, not stopping as she traveled further down. Hannah lightly gripped Angie’s head in her hands as Angie kissed the flesh just above her cleavage.
Tentatively, as though waiting to see if Hannah was going to stop her, Angie slipped buttons from their eyes.
Hannah sat up so Angie could draw the shirt from her shoulders, and then Angie used her weight to push Hannah back down.
Angie flicked her tongue along the top of Hannah’s breasts, and then she slipped down toward Hannah’s abs. Hannah sucked in a breath when Angie’s lips met her stomach. It was overwhelming, the sensation of Angie’s mouth on her and Angie’s silky hair trailing over her skin.
“God, I love your stomach…”
Hannah lifted her head to look at Angie but found she couldn’t keep upright for long, so she lay back down. Angie shifted to kiss her, a palm slipping up and lightly over her breast. Hannah bit her lip.
“I mean. We could just agree to keep it above the waist, right?” Hannah managed to say.
Angie stared down at her, grasping her breast more firmly. She pulled the cups of Hannah’s bra down roughly until Hannah moaned, her back arching when Angie’s lips closed around a nipple, gently grazing it with her teeth. The ceiling fell out of focus as Angie caressed one breast and then the other.
This was moving fast, yet not nearly fast enough. Angie must feel the same; her mouth was on Hannah’s again, kissing her hard, while her hands cupped and traced her breasts.
Running Deep Page 14