by C. J. Birch
“I’m not going to be able to stand much longer.”
“Then don’t.” Lauren nudged her onto the bed, climbing up to straddle her. “I like you better in this position anyway.”
Hayley weaved her hands into Lauren’s hair and drew her in for a kiss. Her hands skimmed down Lauren’s back, pushing into the back of her underwear. Lauren’s heart hammered as every point in her suddenly focused on what Hayley’s hands were doing. The soft stroke of Hayley’s fingers between that sensitive dip had Lauren so turned on she was pretty sure she’d come any second now, and Hayley hadn’t even touched her yet.
Lauren broke free and pushed her underwear down and off, then settled back on top. Hayley continued to caress softly, teasing, until Lauren’s hips pulsed against her, pleading. She was so close now, it wouldn’t take much.
Hayley moved her hands to the front, running them through her folds. “Oh God, Lauren.”
Lauren leaned forward, bracing her hands on the bed, and began thrusting back onto Hayley. As she was about to come, she captured Hayley’s mouth, crying out as she rode out her climax, then collapsed on the bed next to Hayley.
“Holy shit,” she said once she’d caught her breath. “That was…”
“The best birthday ever.”
Lauren swung a leg over, draping herself onto Hayley. “And it’s not even over yet.” She kissed the side of Hayley’s breast, then the soft skin underneath. Slowly she made her way down to Hayley’s hips, nipping at her skin as she went. Each time she did, Hayley twitched and squirmed. She trailed her fingers up the inside of Hayley’s thigh and received a gasp. But what she really wanted was a moan. She wanted to hear what Hayley sounded like when she came. It had been an obsession of hers for weeks now.
Lauren kissed the inside of Hayley’s thigh, first one side, then the other. “Tell me what you want,” she said.
Without hesitation Hayley answered. “You.”
“Where?”
“Inside.”
Without teasing any further, Lauren pushed two fingers inside, marvelling at how incredibly turned on her boldness made her feel. Part of it was the power, knowing that she could make Hayley this wet, but another part was being connected in this intimate way. She hadn’t expected it to be so intense. As she began a steady rhythm, she dipped her head and circled Hayley’s clit with her tongue. Her hips bucked, causing Lauren to smile and apply more pressure. Before long, Hayley was gripping the sheets, her hips thrusting forward, and a deep throaty moan escaped her lips. Lauren slowed her tongue and fingers and crawled up Hayley’s body.
“Best. Birthday. Ever,” Hayley said as she pulled Lauren close.
They lay there for a few moments, coming down from the high, the sound of the street below mingling with their breathing. Lauren’s stomach gurgled, making her laugh out loud. She covered her stomach. “Sorry. I guess we worked up an appetite.”
“Hold that thought.” Hayley jumped off the bed, pulling clothes on as she made her way to the door.
“Where are you going?” But it was too late. The bedroom door had already shut with a loud click. Lauren sank back into bed. That was without a doubt the most intense experience she’d ever had. But what exactly did this mean? The clock on her nightstand read eleven fifty. It was too late for overanalyzing. It was better to leave all this thinking until the morning.
Five minutes later she heard the door creak open, and Hayley entered carrying the rest of her birthday cake. She set it on the bed with two forks and began taking off her clothing.
“Didn’t want it to go to waste.”
Lauren grabbed one of the forks. “And there’s no doubt we’ve earned this.”
And that’s how the best birthday of Hayley’s life ended, with the two of them sitting cross-legged on Lauren’s bed eating birthday cake.
* * *
Lauren woke up warm and cozy, snuggled into the crook of Hayley’s arm. A hissing sound was coming from the end of the bed, but she ignored it and buried deeper under the covers.
Jerkface made his way up the bed, clawing his way along Hayley until he reached her head and gave it a quick swat.
“Your cat is a menace. I vote we kick him off the island.”
Lauren reached up and grabbed Jerkface from Hayley’s back, cuddling him to her. “But he’s too pathetic to kick out. Look at this face.” Lauren turned him so he was facing Hayley.
“He’s got you brainwashed. He’s just waiting for you to keel over so he can eat you. Why do you think he kneads your back like that? He’s preparing you for future consumption.”
“That is so not true. Jerkface would never eat me, would you?” But the scowl Jerkface gave her left it up to debate.
Hayley snaked a hand over Lauren’s stomach, caressing her hip. “At least kick him out of the bedroom. I’m not baring skin until his claws are sheathed.”
Lauren huffed, but it was just an act. Hayley ducked her head under the covers and ran her tongue around Lauren’s nipple, sucking it into her mouth. The hand that had been caressing Lauren’s hip inched lower, trailing down her stomach, and Lauren opened her legs, inviting Hayley in.
“Just imagine how much more fun this would be with one less pussy in the room.”
Lauren’s loud laugh reverberated around the room, but it quickly turned to a moan when Hayley’s fingers dipped inside. She spread her legs farther and released the cat to the floor but didn’t have the inclination to move. She was too preoccupied with what Hayley was doing to her.
The phone on her nightstand beeped, and she looked over to see that Vic had texted her. Aaron was downstairs waiting for her. Shit. “Hayley, honey. I have to go.”
Hayley didn’t answer. Instead, she switched to Lauren’s other nipple, pulling it deep into her mouth. Lauren sank back, lost in sensation. Maybe it could wait a few minutes. She pulled back the duvet covering Hayley, wanting to watch. There was something so incredibly sexy about watching. And when Hayley turned her azure eyes on her, Lauren’s breath caught at the sight, and she was over the top before she knew it, tightening and convulsing as Hayley continued to thrust deep inside of her.
* * *
Lauren slid the bolt shut on the diner and flipped the sign. A light sprinkling of snow was dusting the pavement. The flakes fluttered in the orange glow of the streetlamp. For a second their beauty lulled her, until she remembered she’d have to shovel the front walk tomorrow morning.
In the back, Hayley cranked “The Passenger” by Siouxsie and the Banshees, and by the time Lauren had refilled all the sugar dispensers, Hayley had doubled the volume and was dancing around the kitchen with a rag. Lauren stopped to watch at the door, enthralled. When Hayley noticed she had an audience, she danced over to Lauren and pulled her into an embrace, spinning them around the island.
The music changed to The Specials’ “Friday Night, Saturday Morning.” When the bridge came, Hayley slowed them and pinned Lauren against the counter. She leaned close and kissed her softly on the lips.
“I haven’t been able to do that all day.” Hayley licked her lips and smiled. “You taste like cinnamon and apples.”
“It might have something to do with this thing called work.” Lauren circled her arms around Hayley’s neck and gazed into those impossibly blue eyes.
“Work? Isn’t that something only schlubs do?”
“Nope. It’s for everyone now.”
A silence sprang up between them as they stared at each other, both full of heavy thoughts. It was a promising silence.
They’d been packed for most of the evening, and usually Hayley loved the quick pace. It meant her shift went a little faster. But today, it meant she hadn’t had as much time to watch Lauren, which was quickly becoming her favourite hobby.
Hayley felt the vibrations against her stomach. She reached down and fished Lauren’s phone from her apron. “For you, madam.” She hiked a thumb toward the kitchen to indicate she was getting back to work.
They hadn’t really defined their roles while at
work, but Hayley was thinking it was probably best if they didn’t work too closely, or alone. Otherwise the frozen buns might get a show they never expected.
“He’s where?” Lauren’s panic filled the diner.
Hayley stuck her head out from the kitchen. “What’s wrong?”
Lauren turned away from Hayley’s question, the phone pressed hard to one ear, a hand covering the other. “Okay. I’ll come right away…No. I’ll be there.” When she turned to face Hayley, her face was ashen. “My dad fell. He’s in the emergency room. I have to go.”
“Of course, go. I’ll lock up.”
Lauren stared down at her phone, and then, almost like she was shaking herself out of a panic, she shook her head. “Right. I’ll leave the keys and the code. The register needs to be emptied and counted. Do you know how to tally till receipts?”
Hayley grabbed Lauren’s coat from its hook in the back. “Of course. I grew up working in a grocery store, remember?”
“Right.” Lauren slipped into her winter pea-coat. “Oh, and the cash needs to be night-dropped at the TD down the block.”
“I’ve got it. Go. Take care of your dad.”
Lauren nodded, evidently in shock. She rushed out the door, then back in and pecked Hayley on the lips. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Chapter Twenty-four
“That’s ridiculous.”
“It’s not, Dad. You need help getting around. The doctor said it would take several weeks to recover, and you can’t do it on your own.”
Max was propped up in his hospital bed, a tray of hospital food untouched to the side. “Why can’t you come stay with me until I’m well?”
“Because with the hours I work, it’s impractical. You’d still be on your own most of the time.” He was in a room with an older woman whose family was having an almost identical conversation. Max’s bed was next to a giant window overlooking Dundas Square. It was bright, but a definite chill was coming through the double pane.
“I’m not moving into any old folks’ home.”
“It’s an active living community.”
“They can call it whatever they want now, but it’s still where you stick people you don’t want to deal with anymore.” He was still attached to an IV, the tube sneaking up under his arm to a mobile pole next to the bed. The doctors were encouraging him to move around with help. It surprised Lauren to hear that he should be up and walking so soon.
Besides her, the only people who came to visit him were his physiotherapy team once a day to help him use a walker to get around. This situation was wearing on her dad, apparently making him feel old and useless.
Lauren sighed and took a seat on the bed. Until a few months ago her dad hadn’t looked old, but when she watched him try to maneuver in his hospital gown to the bathroom, he seemed like a totally different person. She’d been there all morning arguing with him. He’d fallen down the stairs at the back of his building. They hadn’t salted that entrance to the building because so few people used it, and he’d slipped on the ice and broken his hip. It had been three days since he’d had surgery to replace it, and they were planning to release him in a few more. No way was she letting him go home alone to his own apartment. She’d found him temporary space in a short-term-care facility, but trying to convince him to sell his apartment and move to an assisted-living space was proving harder than convincing him to let her borrow his car when she was seventeen.
“Dad, what are you going to do if you fall again?” Not only the fear of him falling had her pushing for this. These communities all had restaurants that catered to the tenants, and she could guarantee that he was eating much healthier. In fact, his doctor had mentioned that one possible cause of his break was lack of a good diet.
“I’m healthy and strong. The doctor said there was no reason I wouldn’t be able to recover from this.”
“Yes, with help.”
Max lay down and looked out his window, his eyes glazed. Lauren was about to give up the fight for another day when she heard a soft knock on the wall behind them. Hayley stood there holding a small container.
“Hi.” She waved. “I hope it’s okay that I stopped by to visit.” She held up her package. “I thought your dad might want to eat something that isn’t hospital food.”
Max perked up at the mention of food. The hospital’s idea of good food was a toasted multigrain bagel with sugar-free jam and a hard-boiled egg. He’d announced that he’d rather starve than eat that crap. He pulled himself up to more of a sitting position with the help of the railing.
Lauren waved her in. “Dad, this is my friend Hayley. And this is my dad, Max.”
“Hi, Max. I made you some chicken.”
His face fell a little when Hayley mentioned she’d made it.
“Hayley is one of the line cooks at work. She’s really good.”
Hayley set the box down on the table in front of him, pushing the tray of food and a tall pile of books out of the way. She opened the box to reveal lemon chicken in a bed of brown rice seasoned with cilantro. The smell that filled the room was enough to entice the pickiest eater.
Max grabbed the utensils from his breakfast tray and cut into the chicken. “I seem to recall something about a new roommate named Hayley.”
Lauren took a seat on the side of the bed. “Yep. She moved into the spare bedroom two months ago.”
Max nodded but didn’t respond, his mouth full. He pointed his fork at the food, still chewing. “This is delicious. You said you’re a line cook?”
Hayley sat in the chair across from his bed. “For now, yes.”
“You’re wasting your talents. This is really something.”
Hayley’s cheeks pinked. “I’m glad you like it.”
“So is that the end of your ambitions? Line cook in a diner?”
“Dad,” Lauren warned him. “This isn’t an interrogation.”
“What? I’m curious.” He cut another slice and rammed it into his mouth. You’d think he’d never eaten the way he was shovelling it in.
Hayley shrugged. “I’m not sure. It’s all right for now. I hadn’t really thought about the future.”
“Did you go to culinary school?”
“Not even close. I learned at the heels of my nana and my mom. They’re the real cooks in my family.” Hayley leaned forward to check out the selection of books next to him. “Mysteries, huh? My nana is a huge fan of Dorothy L. Sayers. I used to read her books when I was in high school.”
“I’ve read some of her stuff, but I prefer P.D. James.”
“I started Death Comes to Pemberley but couldn’t get into it. I did like her Cordelia Gray novels though.”
Max grunted and continued to devour Hayley’s lemon chicken. They chatted for a few more minutes before Hayley looked at the clock on the wall and excused herself for a shift she didn’t want to be late for.
Max waited a whole five minutes before saying, “You know, you don’t need to hide behind a roommate. If you two are dating, you can tell me.”
Lauren stilled. She hadn’t meant to bring it up until she’d had more time to digest what was happening. “What makes you say she’s more than a roommate?”
“If she were just a roommate, she wouldn’t have brought me food. That’s something you do for someone you care about.” That thought followed Lauren for the rest of the day, warming her against the frigid weather.
* * *
Lauren heard the loud clang before she even turned off the faucet in the shower. “What was that?”
“Nothing,” Hayley called.
Lauren grabbed her towel off the rack, afraid to leave Hayley alone in her kitchen. Lauren had a system. She hated explaining it because people tended to stare blankly when she pointed out her fridge chart. She saw nothing wrong with being organized. But since Hayley had moved in, her clean, orderly house had become less ordered, less clean.
When she entered the kitchen, Lauren wished she’d stayed in the shower. Jerkface was lounging on one of the shelv
es above the sink watching the mayhem below with mild anticipation.
Every surface was filled with either dirty dishes or spilled food, sometimes both at the same time. It was as if Hayley had decided to make breakfast by throwing everything into the air and hoping it would land together in edible form.
“You weren’t supposed to see it like this.” Hayley began stacking dishes in the sink, trying to consolidate the mess.
Jerkface rose, stretched each leg in succession, then hopped onto the counter, picking his way through the mess until he reached Lauren. He slinked past, rubbing up against her, fluttered his tail, looked back at Hayley as if to say, You’re in so much shit, then jumped off the counter and disappeared.
Hayley turned, sheep-faced. “It was supposed to be breakfast in bed.”
“You didn’t have to.” And Lauren meant it. As sweet as the gesture was, the cleanup was enough to give her anxiety for weeks. “What’s the occasion?”
Hayley turned back to the counter and began arranging two plates. “We don’t need to have an occasion, do we?” But her tells were showing. Living together was a crash course in getting to know someone, even if you weren’t dating. In the few months since they’d known each other, Lauren had learned Hayley was failingly honest. Not that she couldn’t lie, but when she did, it was obvious. She’d do anything to avoid eye contact, and with the softest nudge, she’d spill everything. So Lauren decided to give her a nudge.
Lauren slipped up behind Hayley. “So you just thought I’d like,” she leaned over Hayley’s shoulder to see fluffy blueberry pancakes in the shape of hearts, “some pancakes for breakfast?”
Hayley turned and grabbed some napkins and utensils on her way to the table, sliding past Lauren. “Yep. Don’t you like pancakes? That’s a silly question. Everyone loves pancakes.”
Undeterred, Lauren sauntered over to Hayley and placed her chin on Hayley’s shoulder. “As far as I know, the only reason you’d make me breakfast is for my birthday, but that isn’t until March.” Lauren planted a kiss on Hayley’s neck. “Are you buttering me up for something?”