by Laura Conway
It was like time had stopped. The sound of the band’s brass instruments faded into the distance and even though she knew what Andrea lips felt like, this time it was different. Andrea had been the one to initiate the kiss.
Carley cupped her neck, pulling her in as Andrea’s tongue skimmed across her own, shifting the ground beneath them. Carley’s fingers dug into her deep green dress as she parted her lips, kissing Andrea harder now. Her hand slid across her bare back, caressing her skin causing Andrea to sigh into their kiss.
The chances of anyone walking in on them were slim. There was another set of restrooms on the other side of the ballroom where there were more tables, and the guest list was mostly full of men, anyway. Carley really didn’t care if anyone saw them. She just didn’t want to be interrupted.
Andrea’s lips left hers as she dipped her head to kiss her neck, trailing kisses all the way up to her earlobe before Carley’s hand was on her cheek, guiding her lips back to her own. Carley moaned as their lips met again, their tongues swirling in a familiar dance.
Carley loved this dress the moment she tried it on, but now she wished she was wearing something a little more flexible. Carley wanted to push herself onto the counter and pull Andrea in, wrapping her legs around her waist, but she couldn’t, not in this dress anyway.
The sound of the outer door to the restroom banging closed gave them just enough time to separate, and Carley tore her eyes away from Andrea’s to see how her dress was doing. She ran her hand over the damp fabric which was still a few minutes away from being fully dried and glanced up at Andrea who was studying her reflection in the mirror. The woman that had walked in slipped into one of the first stalls, locking the door behind her, ending their moment.
“I’m going to get some air,” Carley said, her hand resting on Andrea’s bare back as she moved past her, making eye contact in the mirror before she left the restroom.
Carley took a deep breath as she found her way out onto the balcony where she’d wanted to bring Andrea just a few minutes ago. She couldn’t go back to the reception until her dress had dried, and she wasn’t ready to see Andrea just yet. She needed a few minutes to process what had just happened.
Carley ran her fingertips across her lips as she looked out across the ocean, the moonlight glistening off the dark water. Andrea Harris had just kissed her, and Carley couldn’t quite believe it. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. She’d already been a little nervous about spending the night in the same room with Andrea, but that was before, when she thought this was one sided.
If Andrea felt the same way... They were hardly going to just go to sleep together tonight. Carley let out the breath she hadn’t even realized she been holding. Tonight, she was going to fall into bed with Andrea. She needed to go freshen up. The panties she had underneath this dress weren’t exactly sexy. She’d went for comfort today, but now that was out the window. She could do with another spritz of perfume too.
Carley took one last look out at the ocean and then wandered down the hall to find the lobby. She’d been upstairs earlier to unpack her bag, and she shouldn’t have been surprised by the extravagance of it and the amazing view, but she was. She didn’t know if she’d ever get used to this kind of life.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Andrea returned to her table, but she couldn’t sit still and make small talk. She picked up her glass of white wine with the intention of heading upstairs to change out of her high heels and into flip flops. Her feet were killing her, but she met a few people she’d done business with before on her way, and she had to talk to each of them. Eventually, she got upstairs and slid her key card into the slot, pushing the door open when the light flashed green.
Andrea wanted to check on Carley, but she wasn’t sure where she went, and she knew that she needed to give her some space. Andrea couldn’t believe she’d kissed Carley like that. She couldn’t even blame the alcohol. She’d only had a few glasses of wine spread out over the evening.
She was nicely tipsy now, but she knew what had happened with Carley. It was the first time they’d really been alone together since they arrived in Nerja. When they’d checked in and went up to their room, a porter had brought up their bags, and Carley had gone straight into the bathroom to freshen up. Then they’d headed down to the beach for the ceremony.
Andrea just wished she hadn’t kissed her in the bathroom like that. She should have waited until they were back up here later on tonight.
But what if it hadn’t gone so well... Then we’d be trying to figure out how to share a bed together, and I would have made my feelings clear...
Andrea shook her head as she kicked off her heels and carried them over to the wardrobe on the other side of the room where her flip flops were. It didn’t matter. It had happened. She’d kissed Carley. Now, she had to figure out how to navigate the rest of this weekend. They needed to talk. There was no doubt about that.
Carley was more than likely confused. Andrea had invited her to this wedding as part of her job and asked her to play the part of her girlfriend, but here she was kissing Carley when no one else was around to see it. Carley had to be wondering what was going on.
What was going on? Am I really doing this? Am I really going to start something with a woman fourteen years younger than me? A woman who works for me?
“Hey.”
Andrea nearly jumped when Carley came in from the balcony that was just off their bedroom. “Hi,” Andrea said, her hand on her chest as she watched Carley pad across the white tiled floor in her bare feet.
“Looks like we had the same idea,” Carley said as she slid her feet into a pair of white dressy flip flops, her eyes on the black pair that Andrea was holding in her hand.
“Yeah... Sorry, I didn’t mean to come in on top of you,” Andrea said as she sat down on the edge of the bed and dropped her flip flops, letting them hit the tiles before stepping into them. “I thought you were getting some air downstairs.”
“I was. I just wanted to give my feet a break, and I think,” Carley said, glancing down at her dress and running her hand over her stomach, “I’m finally dry.”
Andrea met her eyes, wondering where they were supposed to go from here. She knew she should go back to the reception. It was early yet, and only a few people had left, but she also wanted to get Carley out of that dress, no matter how beautiful she looked in it.
Carley reached for her hand, and Andrea let her help her up. “What are you thinking right now?” Carley asked as she brushed a lock of Andrea’s hair away from her face. She was still holding onto Andrea’s hand, lightly caressing the back of it with her thumb.
Andrea sighed. Those blue eyes did something to her. She couldn’t concentrate on what Carley was saying. “I don’t even know,” she said with a weak smile. She didn’t know. She felt like her life was spinning out of control right now.
“What was that downstairs?” Carley asked, slowly sliding her hand down Andrea’s arm until she was holding both of her hands. “Was that part of the act or was that real?” Carley held her gaze, and Andrea knew this was the moment. There was no point holding back. “I know you’ve said before that James knows you extremely well, and he was going to be the person that would be the hardest to convince... But going by what he said... He saw what I’d completely missed. Unless it isn’t true?”
Andrea took a deep breath. “He knew before I did... I knew I fancied you, but it wasn’t until I saw you with Stephanie that I actually acknowledged those feelings. James saw it before I ever knew... And yes,” she said with a hint of a smile on her lips, “That was real... I wanted to do that all day... And several times in the last few weeks... There were plenty of times that I wanted to lean in and kiss you like that,” Andrea said, feeling her cheeks heat up.
“Really?” Carley asked in just above a whisper. “So, you did kiss me back that night in Dublin? I wasn’t dreaming?”
“I did... And I wish I hadn’t let you leave. I should have said something... I k
now the next few days were unnecessarily awkward... And now this is getting awkward,” Andrea finished, knowing she was rambling.
“It’s not,” Carley said matter-of-factly as her lips moved into a smile. “You look beautiful. I don’t think I said that earlier even though I’ve been thinking it all day. You’re absolutely stunning.”
Andrea returned her smile, her eyes flickering down to Carley’s lips. Her words had made her blush, but she was done talking. There were much better things they could be doing.
Andrea cupped her cheek, her eyes leaving Carley’s as she tilted her head to the side and captured Carley’s lips in a searing kiss, picking up right where they left off downstairs. Carley’s hand left hers, moving across her back, her fingers splayed over her bare skin, sending a surge of energy through Andrea’s body. She couldn’t get over the effect that simple touch had on her.
Carley’s lips parted against hers, her tongue finding hers, gliding across her own as she deepened the kiss, and Andrea didn’t think she could take much more of this. She wanted Carley.
“Do we need to get back downstairs?” Carley whispered, meeting Andrea’s eyes. She must have been thinking the same thing. If this wasn’t going to happen, they needed to stop now, before they got carried away.
Andrea sighed, leaning her forehead lightly against Carley’s. “Probably... It’s a bit early to call it a night.”
“I was afraid you’d say that,” Carley said with a soft laugh as she pulled away, her hand on Andrea’s cheek, her thumb gently stroking the skin just above her jawline.
“Just a few more drinks... Maybe another dance? Then we’ll be back up here...”
“I wouldn’t mind dancing with you again,” Carley said as she slid her arm around her waist, and Andrea placed her hand on her shoulder. “I just have to figure out how to keep my hands off you,” she said with a smirk as her hand dropped a little lower, grazing across Andrea’s ass. Carley twirled her, using her free hand to guide her until they were back to where they started.
Andrea wanted Carley to grab her ass, to pull her into her, to kiss her again, but she knew they had to get back downstairs. It wasn’t even midnight. “For the record, it’s going to be just as hard for me to keep my hands off you.”
“At least I can stop worrying about how convincing we are as a couple,” Carley said with a smile, but it quickly faded as she realized what she’d said. “Not that I think that we’re together now because of that kiss... I’m just saying-”
“I know what you mean... I don’t know what this is or isn’t. All I know is that I’m so attracted to you, it hurts,” Andrea said, brushing a piece of blond hair away from Carley’s eyes. “I know there are plenty of reasons why this won’t work. Believe me, I’ve been over them, but at some point, you have to ignore logic and just go with it.”
Carley laughed as she reached for her hand, leading her to the door. “Come on. If we don’t get out of this room right now, it’s never going to happen.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Carley took in the ballroom as she ordered another white wine from the bar and a whiskey for Andrea. In the hour that they’d been gone, the reception had turned casual with most women preferring flip flops to heels. The men had shrugged off their jackets and loosened their ties. Nearly everyone was on the dance floor now, and Carley assumed that no one had missed them.
Carley took a sip of wine, scanning the floor for Andrea, but she didn’t see her. She was probably talking to someone. She seemed to know everyone in the room. Carley was about to pick up Andrea’s tumbler and head back to their table when someone reached for her hand. She turned, expecting to see Andrea, but it was Stephanie.
“Hi,” Carley said, wondering what she was doing here, but then she remembered that James had been invited to Stephanie’s party. They probably did business together too.
“Hello,” Stephanie said, blatantly looking Carley up and down. “I was hoping I might see you here tonight. I’ve been out of the country, and I wanted to apologize for not getting in touch with you. How have you been?”
She hadn’t seen Stephanie all day. Maybe she’d just been invited to the reception. “Good. Great, actually.”
Carley took a drink as she looked at Stephanie with new eyes. The last time they’d met, Carley didn’t know that Andrea and Stephanie had dated for a year. She suppressed the jealousy she felt bubbling up by taking another drink. She was with Andrea now, sort of. She had nothing to be jealous of.
Carley couldn’t stop herself from comparing herself to the older woman. Other than the fact that they both had blond hair, she couldn’t find any similarities, but then again, she didn’t really have much in common with Andrea either.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Stephanie said as she leaned a little closer. “Are you free next weekend? I’d love to take you out on my yacht, maybe head to Malaga.”
“I’m flattered, but-”
“But she’s busy next weekend,” Andrea said, a protective arm sliding around Carley’s waist.
Carley didn’t know where she came out of, but she was glad to have her there. She knew she could have politely refused her invitation, but she didn’t think Stephanie would have left it at that. She would have insisted on a different day, and then Carley would have the awkward job of explaining that she was with Andrea now, but thankfully, she was here to do that herself.
“Is that so?” Stephanie asked with a bit of a smirk as she took a step back. “I hope you’re not working her too hard. I know you have a reputation.”
Carley could feel her cheeks darkening. She must have figured out that she was really Andrea’s P.A. and not just someone she did business with. Andrea ignored that comment, and Carley wrapped her arm around her waist, trying to give Stephanie the hint.
Stephanie’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? You two? You know, I heard someone say that earlier, but I thought I must have misheard.”
“No,” Andrea said, her body warm against Carley’s side. “You heard correctly. Now, if you’ll excuse us. I think we’re going to get one last dance in before the band finish up.”
Andrea reached for her tumbler and then found Carley’s hand as they went back to their table.
“Sorry,” Andrea said as she took a sip of her whiskey. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I knew that would happen at some point tonight. I saw the way she looked at you when we were dancing together earlier.”
“I hadn’t even noticed she was here, but I’m glad you came over,” Carley said, bringing her glass to her lips. She wasn’t sure if that arm around her waist was a natural reaction for Andrea or if she was still playing up their relationship, especially for Stephanie. The way Andrea had looked at her upstairs, the way she’d kissed her should have been enough to push away any doubts, but Carley wasn’t sure where she stood, and she was afraid of falling for Andrea.
I think I already have...
Carley had dodged the semi-serious conversation that Andrea had started upstairs. Andrea’s words echoed in her mind as she stood beside her:
‘I know there’ are plenty of reasons why this won’t work. Believe me, I’ve been over them, but at some point, you have to ignore logic and just go with it.’
Carley almost wished they’d finished that conversation, but at the same time, she just wanted to enjoy tonight. That was something they were going to have to talk about tomorrow or at the very least when they got back to Marbella.
Carley’s eyes lingered on Andrea as she watched the band and the couples dancing to the slow number they’d just started playing. She was maybe two inches taller than Carley, standing beside her with her back to her, and Carley remembered the way her fingertips had glided over her soft skin.
The way Andrea’s back was exposed in that emerald green dress was starting to drive her crazy. When they’d been dancing earlier, Andrea had taken the lead, but Carley planned on reversing their roles this time. She wanted to have her hand in the middle of her back, keeping her close as they moved to the
music.
“Let’s dance,” Carley said, reaching for Andrea’s hand when she turned to face her, her green eyes sparkling in the dimly lit room. The glow from the pillar candles that made up the centerpieces added to the atmosphere, their flames flickering as they burned further down.
Carley led them out into the middle of the dance floor, her right hand slipping around her waist and resting in the middle of her back. She was never more thankful that she’d taken a few lessons in ballroom dancing while she was in high school. She didn’t like the exaggerated form though. She preferred to stay close to Andrea, and that was what naturally happened. Andrea’s cheek brushed hers as they turned, staying in the tiny space between the other couples.
“Is it as hard as you thought it’d be?” Andrea whispered, her breath warm on Carley’s cheek.
“What do you mean?”
“You thought this would be difficult... Keeping your hands off me.”
Carley closed her eyes as Andrea breathed those words in a husky voice. “You have no idea.”
The band announced that this was going to be their last song, another slow, romantic number, and Carley would have been happy to stay on the dance floor, but Andrea pulled away, keeping a hold of her hand as she led them through the crowd. Neither of them spoke until they were in the elevator.
“I believe that was called an Irish Goodbye,” Carley said as Andrea pressed the button for their floor.
“Leaving without saying goodnight?”
“Yes...”
“I can think of better things to do than saying goodnight to everyone,” Andrea said as she took a step forward, closing the gap between them and kissing Carley.
Carley’s eyes fluttered shut and her hand moved to Andrea’s neck as she kissed her back, her heart pounding in her chest, but just a few seconds later, the elevator pinged, and the doors opened. Andrea pulled away, but her eyes were a shade darker, full of lust. Carley’s fingers interlaced with Andrea’s as they turned left and found their room.