Ocean Breeze

by Laura Conway

  Carley cupped Andrea’s cheek, pulling her lips to hers. Her thumb lightly caressed Andrea’s cheek as she kissed her softly.

  “Thank you,” Carley whispered as she broke the kiss. “I was actually going to talk to you about it tonight... You know, now that you have Maria. But I was nervous.”

  “Really? You didn’t think I’d want to?”

  “No. I don’t know... I never felt uncomfortable waking up here, with you, but that kind of just happened. Saying it out loud might have changed things.”

  “Well, for the record,” Andrea said as they went back into the bedroom, “I love falling asleep beside you, but I think I love waking up with you just a little bit more.”

  Carley smiled as she turned to face Andrea and rested her arms on her shoulders, interlacing her fingers at the base of her neck. Her stomach tightened as she realized the words that had come to her mind, the words that she’d almost said out loud without thinking.

  “I love you,” Carley breathed, her heart thudding as she watched Andrea’s eyes search hers.

  Carley swallowed the lump in her throat, wondering if she should’ve saved this declaration for a more romantic setting, maybe when they’d been together for longer, but Andrea’s lips were on hers, silencing her thoughts.

  Andrea parted her lips, seeking out her tongue, and Carley kissed her back, melting into her arms.

  “I love you, too,” Andrea whispered, her forehead resting against Carley’s. She kissed Carley again, more tenderly this time, her hand sliding underneath Carley’s top, her touch warm against Carley’s skin.

  Andrea’s fingers were splayed across her back as she tilted her head, her tongue teasing Carley as it languidly slid across her own.

  Carley pulled away, taking a much-needed breath as she brushed away a lock of Andrea’s silky hair, tucking it behind her ear.

  “When did you know?” Carley asked, her voice shakier than she would have liked.

  “The morning after the wedding,” Andrea answered without hesitation. “I came in from the balcony, and my head was wrecked thinking about the deal that was more than likely going to fall through... And then I saw you, and I came back inside... I remember walking towards you thinking... Wow, you are so fucking beautiful and wondering what I ever did to deserve you.”

  Carley’s breath hitched as she took in what Andrea was saying. This was really happening. This was her life now.

  Epilogue

  1 Year Later

  “Tilt you head to the side a bit,” Carley instructed, motioning with her hand, trying to get Andrea to relax. “Perfect,” she said as she brought her camera up to her face and pressed the shutter several times.

  “I think you could find a better model,” Andrea said, smoothing her hands over the red dress she was wearing, her bare feet sinking further into the sand.

  “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. How could I possibly find a better model?”

  A smile parted Andrea’s lips as she shifted her weight onto her other leg and posed again.

  “Okay,” Carley said, running a hand through her hair, her camera at her side. “This time I want you to close your eyes.”

  The sun was setting in the distance behind the mountains, but the sky over the ocean was still a hue of pinks and purples. The timing was perfect. She tucked her camera into her bag and took out a small black velvet box. She kicked off her flip-flops, her bare feet pushing through the sand until she was standing in front of Andrea.

  Carley took a deep breath as she bent to one knee and opened the box, eyeing the diamond ring one last time. A gentle breeze blew through her hair, and the only sounds that Carley could hear were the waves crashing into the shore and her heart thudding harder than it ever had.

  “Andrea,” Carley said in a voice that she barely recognized as her own.

  Carley waited for her eyes to open, and Andrea’s hand immediately flew to her mouth when she took in the sight in front of her.

  “Will you marry me?” Carley asked, swallowing the lump in her throat.

  “Yes,” Andrea breathed, reaching for Carley’s hand, pulling her to her feet.

  Carley let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding as Andrea wrapped her arms around her.

  “Yes,” Andrea repeated, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as she met Carley’s eyes.

  Carley smiled as she leaned in to kiss Andrea, parting her lips against hers in a slow, tender kiss.

  Carley had been all over the world, but Marbella was her home now, and she couldn’t quite believe that she was going to spend the rest of her life here with Andrea.

  Thank you!

  Thanks for reading Marbella Sunsets.

  If you want to find out when my next book is available, head over to TheLesbianSalute.com and sign up for their free mailing list.

  If you have a chance, please leave a review on Amazon or GoodReads.

  It’s a huge help to Indie authors like me, and I’d love to know what you thought of Marbella Sunsets.

  You can find me on Twitter @LauraConwayFic

  Laura Conway

  My Newest Book

  Also by Laura Conway

  Falling Slowly

  Winter Nights

  Summer Nights

  Dancing The Night Away

  The Laura Conway Collection

  Pretend You’re Mine

  by Emma Collins

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including scanning, photocopying, or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Copyright © 2017

  Chapter One

  December 19th

  Abbey Butler glanced behind her to make sure she hadn’t lost her best friend and business partner, Melissa, in the crowded bar. Her hazel eyes found her a few feet back and Abbey motioned for her to meet her at the bar.

  “How did you even get invited to this?” Melissa asked over the Christmas music when they finally reached the bar.

  “I know somebody who knows someone else.”

  Melissa smiled at her. “What makes you think we’re going to find new clients here?”

  “There’s new clients everywhere. We might as well go for rich Manhatteners,” Abbey said with a shrug.

  “It still surprises me how many people don’t have a prenup.”

  “Well, most people aren’t as cynical as you are. Besides, we’re family law attorneys. Of course, you got a prenup.”

  “And thank God, I did,” Melissa said with a laugh. “Like hell was he getting any of my hard-earned savings or my vacation home.”

  Melissa and Abbey complimented each other and that’s why they’d worked so well together over the years. Melissa was calm and cautious while Abbey was ruthless and driven.

  Abbey had gone straight into law school while Melissa went traveling first and when they’d met in college, they’d clicked instantly, despite Melissa being five years older than her.

  Abbey had always been more of a loner but when she met Melissa, they were inseparable. They studied together, partied together, and when they’d both graduated, it made sense for them to go into business together. That was twelve years ago and both their friendship and their business were still solid.

  “So, what’s the plan?” Melissa asked her.

  “First, we’re getting a drink and then we’re going to mingle… What are you having?”

  “A Chardonnay, please.”

  Abbey got the bartender’s attention and order two glasses of Chardonnay. Her eyes surveyed the room, almost smelling the money; the suits were custom made, the jewelry owned not rented or borrowed for the night.

  She paid the bartender and handed a glass to Melissa who was standing behind her. Just as she picked up her own glass, a woman’s hand shot in front of her, knocking her glass and spilling its contents across the bar.

  “Oh my God!” a young woman exclaimed, her hand covering her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I talk with my hands�
�� It’s an awful habit. I’m so sorry I spilled your drink.”

  “It’s okay,” Abbey said, shaking her hand, spraying a few drops of wine across the bar, before reaching for a napkin to dry herself off.

  “I’ll buy you another one,” the young blond-haired woman said. “So, what are you drinking?”

  “Chardonnay.”

  “Am I interrupting anything?” she asked once she’d ordered Abbey another glass of wine, glancing over her shoulder at Melissa.

  “No. That’s my business partner.”

  The young woman gave her a hint of a smile while she waited for the bartender to return.

  “Here you go,” she said, handing Abbey her drink. “I’m Zoey by the way.”

  “Thanks. Abbey,” she said, extending her hand to shake Zoey’s.

  “Well, I’m sorry I bumped into you, Abbey, but we probably wouldn’t be talking if I hadn’t,” Zoey said, flashing her a warm smile.

  Abbey returned her smile but she had no interest in socializing tonight.

  Tonight was all about business. They didn’t need new clients really. They got enough referrals but Abbey wanted to see Butler & Browne growing year on year.

  “So, what do you do, Abbey?”

  “Family law.”

  “You’re a divorce attorney?” Zoey asked as she took a sip from her glass.

  Abbey nodded. “What about you?”

  “I’m a marketing consultant… You have the most beautiful eyes,” Zoey said out of the blue. “Are they green or brown? Isn’t almost like they’re changing.”

  “It depends.”

  “I’m seeing more green than brown, I think.”

  “It’s probably the dress,” Abbey said, her eyes flickering down to her emerald green v neck dress. “I better get back to my business partner. Thanks for the drink,” she said with a polite smile as she turned to search the crowded bar for Melissa.

  “She was cute,” Melissa said with a smirk when Abbey found her.

  “She’s too young.”

  Melissa sighed. “I’ve never seen anyone as picky as you. If I was gay, I’d have found a quiet corner and-”

  “I’m here for business tonight.”

  “Whatever you say, Abbey… She was so direct though. Isn’t that hot? That she didn’t beat around the bush… She just went for it. ‘Your eyes are sooo beautiful.’” Melissa playfully hit her arm. “Oh, come on! I’m joking. And you know your eyes are gorgeous.”

  “Thank you,” Abbey said as she took a drink. “But let’s forget about her and go mingle.”

  Chapter Two

  December 20th

  “Hey,” Melissa said, standing in the doorway of Abbey’s office. “I need your signature on these when you get a chance.”

  “Sure,” Abbey said, not looking up from her laptop.

  “You okay?”

  “Yes. Why?” Abbey said, pushing her chair away from her desk, leaning back into the black leather.

  “No reason… I hope you didn’t feel like you had to spend the night with me at the party.”

  “No. Not at all.”

  “I’m just surprised you didn’t spend more time chatting with that woman.”

  “I told you, Mel. She was too young.”

  “When was the last date you went on?” Melissa asked, pulling out the chair opposite Abbey’s desk and sitting down.

  “I don’t know.” Abbey sighed, knowing where this conversation was going. Melissa had tried to get her to slow down before, take more time for herself and spend less time working.

  “You work too hard.”

  Abbey nodded, trying to figure out how to end this conversation without being rude.

  “I got it when we were younger,” Melissa said. “But we’ve been working together for… What? Twelve years now? We’ve built a fantastic business here. Take a vacation. You deserve it.”

  “I don’t need a vacation.”

  “Okay,” Melissa said, standing up. “At least take a few days off over Christmas.”

  “That, I’ll think about.”

  Melissa left her office and Abbey got back to the email she was writing. Melissa was right about their law firm, Butler & Browne. It was beyond solid. They were well established in Brooklyn and had new clients coming in every month just from referrals, never mind all the clients that Abbey brought in.

  Melissa was just as hardworking as Abbey was. She just knew when to draw the line. She could switch off at six o’clock and go home and relax.

  Abbey didn’t operate like that. Any socializing she did or any trips she did make, all revolved around business.

  But she was happy with her life. She was still driven years later while Melissa was more than happy to coast.

  Abbey had also seen enough divorces and ugly breakups to know that she didn’t need to be in a relationship to be happy. She’d been there for Melissa when her husband cheated on her with his secretary. She’d seen what that did to her best friend and Abbey didn’t need that sort of drama in her life.

  Everything was easier when she was single. If she did make time to go out, she kept things casual.

  She knew Melissa was looking out for her but she also knew that she didn’t need a vacation. As hard as she worked, she was well rested. She took care of her body, going for a run a few days a week and hitting the gym on her off days. She was fine.

  Chapter Three

  January 7th

  Abbey signaled the waitress that strode past them for two more.

  “I’m glad you decided to come out tonight,” Melissa said, finishing off her glass of Merlot. “I missed you over Christmas. Did you go home?”

  “Yes. I went up to Buffalo… I only stayed for three nights though. How was yours?”

  “Good. Hectic. Every year it seems like there’s another addition to the clan.”

  Abbey nodded as the waitress brought them their drinks. “I’m just glad we’re into the new year,” Abbey said, bringing her tumbler to her lips.

  “You know my friend, Jake?”

  “Yeah.”

  “He wants in.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. He’d fit right in and he has a good client list.”

  “Sure,” Abbey said. “Let’s set up a meeting. The timing’s good. We’re getting busier and busier.”

  “I know. He’s been thinking about making a change for a while but he only mentioned it to me last week.”

  “We might need to look into new offices.”

  “Maybe,” Melissa said softly. “I am worried about you though, Abbey.”

  “Me? Why?”

  “I think you’re going to burn out.”

  “I’m fine,” Abbey said with a shrug.

  “I made the same mistake. Remember? Just before we started our firm? I was a mess. I thought I was invincible and didn’t need sleep. I don’t advise it. It takes weeks to recover from.”

  “I’m fine. Really.”

  “Okay… This isn’t just friendly advice,” Melissa said, reaching for her glass of wine. “I’m your business partner, Abbey, and I think you need a break. It’s what’s best for the firm.”

  “Mel, I’m fine.”

  “You need a vacation. It’s like when you stop drinking for a month just to make sure that you can still do it,” Melissa said, taking a drink. “I’m aware of the irony,” she said with a smirk, glancing down at her glass. “Anyway, you know what I’m talking about. You do it just to make sure you’re not an alcoholic. You need to take some time off. You’re a workaholic and you’re going to struggle not to think about work for a few weeks.”

  “A few weeks? I thought we were talking about a weekend away? Maybe a week. I’m not taking a few weeks off.”

  “I have a better idea,” Melissa said with a grin. “Take a year off.”

  “What??” Abbey nearly spit out her drink. “Are you crazy?”

  “No. I’m being serious. Jake can take over your clients and he has his own to bring with him too. Business won’t suffer if y
ou take some time out.”

  “If I don’t want to take a week off, what makes you think that I’d take a year off?” Abbey asked.

  “Because I’m your best friend and you should trust me when I give you advice.”

  Abbey shook her head. They rarely argued and she didn’t want to fight about this.

  “I’ll think about it,” Abbey finally said. “Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Chapter Four

  January 8th

  Abbey put away the file she was working on, sliding the folder into its place in her filing cabinet, and went into the kitchen to make herself another cup of coffee.

  Thankfully, she didn’t have a hangover. She usually didn’t when she drank whiskey but she had a few more than she’d planned to when Melissa had switched the conversation to her taking a vacation again.

  A year long vacation…

  The idea seemed like career suicide. How could she possibly drop everything she was working on, leave the clients she was currently working with, and go sit on an island or whatever Melissa had in mind as a way to relax for a year?

  She brought her cup of coffee back to her computer and opened up a new window.

  If… If I was to take a break… Where would I go?

  At first, Abbey thought about a road trip across the country or maybe a resort in Mexico but she ruled both of those out. She didn’t want to be in a new place every few days and she didn’t want to go somewhere where they didn’t speak English. She wouldn’t trust her Spanish and the thought of trying to remember what she learned in high school didn’t sound like a way to relax.