by Aurora Rey
“I’ll weed the greens when she does, unless there’s something else you want.”
She must look even more exhausted than she felt. Guy hated weeding. “That would be great. I’m going to check on the orchard.”
“Are the apples ready yet?” Leah looked at her eagerly.
“We’ve got Ginger Golds, but Macs and such won’t be ready for another couple of weeks at least. It’s not getting cool enough at night yet.”
Leah’s smile didn’t waver. “Can’t wait, even if it does mean winter’s around the corner.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Having seen Leah at least a dozen times before, she was glad they’d been officially introduced. “If you follow us on Instagram, you’ll know when they’re ready.”
“Oh, I already do. Your stuff is so clever. Do you do it yourself?”
Hannah smiled with pride. “My sister. She’s all of seventeen.”
“Well, if she decides to make a business of it, let me know. Our marketing could use some help.”
Hannah said, “You’ll have to get in line behind Nick. I think he’s called dibs.”
“And if he hasn’t, I have.” Drew’s voice came from behind her.
Hannah turned, unable to temper the quick swell of pleasure at hearing Drew’s voice. The feelings stirred up during their trip had mellowed and she’d settled back into enjoying the bits of time they managed to spend together. “Hey, you. Shouldn’t you be at the restaurant by now?”
Drew shrugged. She had gone back and forth about stopping by, but now that she had Hannah in her sights, she was glad she did. She offered hellos to Guy and Leah, then let her attention settle on Hannah. God, she missed her. “On my way there now. Just thought I’d pop by to see if there’s anything new.”
“Not since yesterday, I’m afraid. You’re getting sick of squash, aren’t you?”
Drew winced. “No, no. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“No?”
Great. She’d stopped in with the sole purpose of seeing Hannah and now she was coming off like an ass. “I wanted to say hi, since I haven’t seen you much this week.”
She dared a glance at Leah, whose lips were pressed together in what Drew assumed was an attempt not to laugh.
“Oh.”
Was it better to look like an idiot than an ass? Probably. “Do you have a few minutes?”
Now Hannah seemed worried, or at the very least suspicious. “Sure. I was just heading out to the orchard.”
Escape. Thank God. “I’ll walk you.”
“Okay.” Hannah still seemed convinced something was up. “Guy, if I don’t see you before you clock out, have a good night. Leah, glad we finally met. I’ll be sure to say hi next time I’m at Atlas.”
Drew said her good-byes as well and followed Hannah through the storeroom. Before Hannah could step out the back barn door, Drew grabbed her hand.
“What—”
Drew silenced her with a kiss. A long, wet, slow kiss that wound her up more than it quieted the desire that had been raging through her veins, but she didn’t even care. “I’ve missed you. I can’t stop thinking about you. I had to get my hands on you.”
The surprise in Hannah’s eyes evaporated. In its place, something that seemed to mirror Drew’s feelings. A satisfied smile crept over her lips. “Well, why didn’t you say so?”
Drew quirked a brow. “I thought you might not appreciate being kissed in front of your employees and customers.”
Hannah angled her head. “I suppose you have a point.”
“Now that I’m here, I’m finding it really hard not to hoist you onto that work table and have my way with you.”
Hannah’s gaze went to the table, then returned to Drew.
“Is that your way of saying yes?”
“No.” Hannah sighed. “I mean, I want to say yes, but no.”
“I understand.” It didn’t lessen her desire. “If I pulled that at the restaurant, my staff would inevitably catch us and I’d never live it down.”
“I’m also sweaty and filthy and disgusting.”
Drew shrugged. “I don’t mind that so much, but I get not feeling sexy. Can I convince you to come to my place tonight? Or invite myself to yours? It’ll be late, but I’m not sure how much longer I can go without having you.”
Hannah trailed a finger down the front of Drew’s shirt, right between her breasts. “Come to my place. I might crash before you get there, but I’ll leave the door unlocked and you can wake me when you climb in.”
Her feelings for Hannah, the ones she’d yet to own out loud, superseded her horniness, at least for a moment. “I’d hate to wake you. I know you’re working extra hours this week.”
The smug smile returned. “If you crawl into my bed naked and don’t wake me up, I’m not sure I could forgive you.”
Drew imagined slipping into Hannah’s bed, her warm body a stark contrast to the cool night air. She’d kiss the back of Hannah’s neck, her shoulders. Hannah would stir and roll toward her, pliant from sleep but wanting. “I’ll be there.”
Hannah looked her up and down. “Good. I’ve missed you, too.”
“I should go to work now.”
Hannah smiled. “Go, go. I’m glad you stopped by.”
“Me, too.”
Drew smiled the entire drive to the restaurant. Only when she caught her goofy grin in the rearview mirror did she stop. Goofy looks would lead to serious shit from Poppy and at least half the kitchen staff. It was the price of giving as good as she got. She strolled into the kitchen whistling. She’d schooled her expression, but not the underlying thoughts about Hannah and her body and all the things she wanted to do with it.
Prep cooks bustled around under the watchful eye of Poppy. Drew donned her chef coat and took a look at the specials they’d slated for the evening. She caught Poppy’s eye and they had a quick chat about coverage and inventory. For probably the hundredth time since hiring her, Drew congratulated herself on trusting her gut. Despite being a bit green, Poppy had grown into her position and already exceeded Drew’s expectations.
Feeling good about her night, she got to work, losing track of time until her phone buzzed in her pocket. She stepped away from the bustle to a relatively quiet corner and swiped her finger across the screen. “Javier. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“How far back do you want me to go? I’m thinking it all started with a broken condom.”
Even allowing for his eccentric tendencies, she had no idea what he was talking about. “Huh?”
“Priscilla. She’s gotten herself in a family way and she’s leaving me.”
“Oh.” Priscilla was the head chef at Javier’s flagship restaurant, George. Located between the theater district and Hell’s Kitchen, it was one of the it places for locals and tourists alike. Drew had done a six-month stint there, alternating between poissonier and saucier as needed. It sat squarely in the top ten list of kitchens she’d love to run one day.
“She seems happy about it, so it’s my bad luck more than hers. But I’m hoping it doesn’t have to be.”
Drew gripped the edge of the prep table, her mind racing ahead. “Are you offering me a job?”
“I said I would call you, no?”
“You did.” A thousand thoughts jockeyed for position in her mind.
“She’s adamant she’s good for at least three more months, so you don’t have to decide today. Or tomorrow, for that matter.”
Thank God. “Okay. That helps. I can’t tell you how much it means to me that I’m the first person you called.”
“I’ve been reading reviews of your little farm-to-table experiment. You’ve come into your own, Drew. I’d rather that talent end up in one of my kitchens than some Bobby Flay circus.”
Drew laughed at the slight. Javier still wasn’t over Bobby’s celebrity. “I would never.”
“I’d rather not leave it to chance. Come work for me.”
“I’m not sure I could think of a more appealing offer.”
“Good. She may or may not decide to return, but if she does, I promise I will find a position suitable to your talent and experience. I might even have a new project up my sleeve.”
“Wow. Okay. Thank you.” Drew’s mind raced. Working for Javier would be a dream come true. Possibly helping him launch a new restaurant? Hell, that came in a close second to opening a place of her own. But instead of elated, she thought she might be on the verge of a panic attack. Not that she’d ever had a panic attack. But her face flushed while the rest of her broke into a cold sweat. Her heart thundered like she’d run a mile and she couldn’t seem to get enough oxygen into her lungs.
“I’m sure you’re at work. Let’s talk soon. Ciao.”
She blinked at the screen. Did that really just happen? She pulled up her recent calls and, sure enough, Javier’s name sat at the top of the list. Holy fuck.
“Doors are open.” Poppy clapped a few times. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Drew shook her head and rolled her shoulders a few times. She didn’t know whether to celebrate or freak out. What she did know was she didn’t have time for either. She looked around the kitchen, catching the eye of each member of her staff. “Have a great service, everyone. Let’s do this.”
The night went by in a blur. The restaurant wasn’t especially busy, but Drew threw herself into every minute detail of cooking and plating. She managed to keep Javier and his offer from the forefront of her mind, but it lurked around the edges, never really leaving. She should walk into Nick’s office and give notice. But the idea of doing it filled her with dread. Of course, the prospect of letting the opportunity of a lifetime slip through her fingers felt just as awful.
When the restaurant closed, she helped herself to a fortifying glass of whiskey. It didn’t get her any closer to a decision, but it settled her some. She drove to Hannah’s, convincing herself there was no rush. Obviously, she’d have to talk to Hannah about it. But doing that before she’d even wrapped her head around what was on the table wouldn’t do either of them any good.
The house was dark, but Hannah had left the porch light on. Drew let herself in, locking the door behind her. A light burned at the top of the stairs like a beacon, beckoning her to Hannah’s bed. She climbed the stairs slowly, trying to avoid the ones she remembered being creaky. She needn’t have bothered. A peek into Hannah’s room revealed her sound asleep, sprawled on her stomach with her cheek pressed into the pillow.
Drew tiptoed into the bathroom. She peeled off her clothes and cranked the shower. She helped herself to Hannah’s shampoo and soap, smiling over the fragrance of mango and some flower she couldn’t quite place. So freaking girly.
The sound of the shower hadn’t woken Hannah. Hopefully, her subconscious remembered Drew was coming. She had a feeling Hannah would land some pretty solid punches if she thought an intruder had invaded her home.
Drew slid in beside her. Hannah was completely naked, her skin soft and warm, just like she’d fantasized about earlier in the day. She pressed her body against Hannah’s side, planted kisses along her shoulder. Hannah moaned in that half-asleep, half-aroused way that drove her absolutely crazy. Better than work and way better than whiskey, having Hannah against her quieted her mind.
She trailed her hands over Hannah’s body, keeping her touch light, but letting her fingers go everywhere—the length of Hannah’s spine, the swell of her ass, the line of her thigh where the toned muscles met. Just as she’d imagined would happen, Hannah rolled toward her, her body seeking Drew’s instinctively. In some ways, it was even better that Hannah wanted her on such a basic level.
Hannah’s breasts grazed Drew’s, sending her into overdrive. She groaned, hesitation over waking Hannah from such a sound sleep gone. “God, I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” Hannah’s words came out as more of a mumble than a fully formed sentence, but it was all the invitation Drew needed.
“I really need to touch you, to be inside you.”
“Mmm.” Hannah hooked her leg over Drew’s and pressed her pelvis forward. “Yes.”
Drew slipped her hand between Hannah’s legs, finding her already hot and wet. “Fuck.”
Hannah smiled, but didn’t open her eyes. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
She stroked Hannah, mesmerized by how soft and slick she was. Drew circled her clit a few times, then dipped her first two fingers inside. Hannah arched and moaned again. Drew forced herself to go easy, keep her movements slow.
She let Hannah set the pace, letting her body rock forward and back. Hannah bit her lip, gripped Drew’s shoulder. Her eyes opened. “God, you feel good.”
Drew kissed her. “I was just thinking the same thing.”
Hannah shifted onto her back, opening her legs wider and giving Drew even better access. She took advantage, adding a third finger. But she kept the pressure and the pace gentle so she could revel in the way Hannah’s body molded to her, as though they were made to go together.
Hannah became more demanding, pumping her hips and thrusting against Drew’s hand. Drew succumbed, fucking her in earnest now. Hannah made the sweetest sounds. Drew closed her eyes and tried to commit them to memory. In that moment, there was no job offer, no question about whether she and Hannah had a future. There was only Hannah and the exquisite pleasure of making her come.
Hannah did come, coating Drew’s fingers with liquid heat and saying her name the way no one else had. Before she could recover, could demand her turn, Drew pulled Hannah against her, Hannah’s back to her front. She kissed Hannah’s hair and whispered soothing words about sleep and plenty of time tomorrow.
Despite her otherwise stubborn disposition, Hannah acquiesced. Her breathing evened out and Drew could tell she’d fallen back asleep. Drew gave her an extra squeeze. Tomorrow. There’d be time to figure out what to do tomorrow.
Chapter Twenty-six
Jeremiah was back from his week off. The heat wave had broken. Drew had spent every night of the last week at her house and the sex kept getting better, if that was even possible. To top things off, Clare, marketing genius that she’d quickly become, suggested a garlic harvesting party. So instead of digging up a thousand or so heads of the stuff, she found herself working a makeshift checkout station in the field, giving away one head for every twenty unearthed. People loved it. It was a welcome reprieve from the backbreaking work she’d been up to most of the week. And at the rate things were going, the entire crop would be ready for drying by the end of the weekend.
“It’s not just free labor,” Clare said, laying the newly harvested bulbs in a crate. “People feel invested. And since they’re spending the day here, you know they’re posting and tagging us the whole time.”
Social media was a language Hannah was just starting to understand, but she got the gist of Clare’s declaration. She offered a dirt-streaked thumbs-up. “Hashtag awesome.”
Clare laughed, although Hannah couldn’t tell if she’d been funny or ridiculous. She was fine either way, truth be told. “So, you’ll let me come up with some other promotions?”
Hannah nodded. “Absolutely.”
Clare nodded back, all business. “You probably don’t need it with apples or pears, though.”
“True. But I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty good at finding hidden potential.”
Hannah folded her arms. “Speaking of, how are things with Kristen?”
“Oh, my God. That was about as smooth as Dad. You’re losing your touch.”
Hannah laughed. She’d resisted the urge to be nosy, but she was pretty sure Clare wasn’t confiding in their parents and she wanted to make sure things were okay. “Don’t try to distract me with insults.”
Clare shrugged. “They’re cool.”
Apparently acting like the parent qualified her for non-answers. “So, either they’re terrible or they’re so good it would be decidedly uncool to talk about it. Which is it?”
Clare blush
ed. “The second.”
“That’s really great, Clare. There’s nothing like your first love.” Her own had been right around Clare’s age. Maybe not love, but it sure had felt that way at the time.
“I haven’t told Mom and Dad yet. I know it’s supposed to be easy since you did it first, but—”
She lifted a hand. “I hope it makes it easier for you, but you still get to do it in your own way, in your own time.”
Clare’s shoulders dropped several inches, relief evident on her face. “Thanks.”
“And if you want me there or want me to help pave the way, I can do that, too.” Her heart swelled. She hadn’t hoped specifically for Clare to turn out queer, but now that it seemed to be the case, she could be happy about it.
“That would be chicken shit of me, wouldn’t it? Have you help me after you did it all on your own?”
She slung an arm around Clare’s shoulders. “It’s not a contest. It’s about you being happy and feeling good about who you are.”
“Yeah.” Clare perked up. “Thanks.”
“What about Kristen? Is she still nervous about talking to her parents?”
“Yes, but it’s getting better. She’s been asking them about you. Kind of laying the groundwork, I’d say.”
Hannah laughed. “I’m the tester lesbian. Like the canary you put in the coal mine.”
Clare winced. “Is that bad?”
“Not at all. It’s my right and privilege as a lesbian who has gone before.”
“Cool.” Clare’s affable nod told Hannah she meant it. “So, what about you and Drew? You two seem pretty cozy.”
Cozy. That was one word for it. “Pretty good, I guess.”
“Uh, you went away together. That’s a big deal.”
They had. But if the time with Drew’s family made her feel like more than Drew’s girlfriend, other parts of the trip had thrown it all up in the air. She was saved from having to put that into words by a group of college students with armfuls of garlic stalks. She tipped the brim of her ball cap. “I’m going to leave you to it.”
Clare shot her a this-is-not-over look and then turned her attention to the customers. It reminded Hannah so much of their mother, which made her laugh. She headed to the barn to check stock and get a report on the flow of other u-pickers. Based on the number of cars making their way around the loop road, she guessed it would be high.