Providence (The Velvet Series Book 2)

by Diana Kane

  “Sara these are expensive,” she whispers as she picks up one of the sets. Of course, Isabella knows her supplies, she would know how much I spent, but the money didn’t matter to me. I just want her to be happy.

  “I told the woman at the store that I wanted the best. If they aren’t right, we can exchange them.” Isabella places the set back in the box and turns to me. “I just wanted you to be able to be yourself while you’re here. You seem to love sketching. I didn’t want you to not have that.” Isabella’s hand finds the back of my neck, and she pulls me forward to meet her lips.

  “They’re perfect, thank you,” she says after the quick kiss. Her lips find mine again, and she slowly presses me down on the sofa as our tongues mingle. Her body presses against mine as we kiss, causing anticipation to build within me. She separates our lips and stares into my eyes. “Do you know what I really want?”

  “Hmm.” I meet her gaze with lust filled eyes and a silly smile. At this moment I’m eating from the palm of her hand and we both know it.

  “I want you to tell me what happened in the basement.” My features shift completely as I start to feel trapped. Isabella removes her weight from me and returns to a sitting position. I take a deep breath and slowly release it as I sit up and face Isabella.

  “You scare me.” Isabella looks at me and I know I haven’t phrased my feelings properly, she looks frightened. “Sorry, how you make me feel scares me.”

  “Tell me,” she whispers as her fingers stroke my cheek.

  “My last serious relationship was bad. She was selfish, manipulative and controlling. I foolishly allowed it, thinking that I was in love. I changed into a person I didn’t recognize, a person I couldn’t stand. When I finally ended it, I shut down parts of me, the parts that I was certain led me down the path to not recognizing myself in the mirror. I’ve kept them closed off. I’ve had flings and casual relationships but haven’t gotten attached. Sure it could get lonely at times, but I couldn’t trust myself with anything serious, couldn’t trust myself not to become that person I didn’t like again. But then I met you. Somehow you’ve snuck in. I think about you too much, I spend each day waiting for our next chat, and worst of all I want to feel those things with you that I told myself never again. I feel free to be myself with you, to have feelings for you, to let you in and it’s terrifying. I’m so happy that you’re here, I want you to meet my friends, and they want to meet you. These aren’t things I’ve felt in quite a while.” I’ve never readily expressed or been great at expressing my emotions. With every word that spills out of my mouth, more worry sets in that it will be too much for her, that I will have opened up only to scare her away. Instead, she looks at me with a warm smile on her lips, one that feels like it’s hugging me, comforting me.

  “It’s the same for me. I know we said we would talk, get to know each other better, but I never expected that I’d need to talk to you every day, that I would miss you as much as I do. I didn’t think that I would smell you on my pillow and feel happiness at your familiar scent coupled with a deep ache of wishing you were next to me. I didn’t expect for you to wind up here,” she takes my hand and places it over her heart, “but you did. I spend all day waiting for our next chat too. I’m painting more than I have in a long time because I need something to do with everything I’ve been feeling. I had to come see you, I couldn’t wait for you to come back to me.” She presses a kiss to my lips as she cradles my face in her hands. “So you see, it’s the same for me, only I’m not scared. I’m curious and excited. I need to discover what this is.” Now it’s my turn to smile at Isabella as my heartbeat rages out of control and emotions that I’ve denied myself access to flood my system. I lean forward, and Isabella meets me halfway as we slowly lock lips. The kiss is slow and deep, my hands eventually dropping to untie the robe I gladly let her wear. She does the same, and we each push the fabric off of the other’s shoulders and let them fall. I press my body against Isabella, and she slowly lowers herself back. We may check another room off of the list, but this will not be fast. Everything else can wait, right now we simply need to enjoy the emotions we’re feeling, to revel in the confessions we made. This is real, and no matter how much it scares me, I want it.

  *****

  “Are you ready?” Isabella and I sit in my car outside of the Italian restaurant that Catherine and Alex love. Somehow we made it a few minutes early, despite only leaving the pool and the hot tub for another time. Isabella looks at me, and it looks as though I’ll have to pull her from the car. “Wait, are you nervous?” Never in a million years did I think I’d see this woman, who is always so confident, a big bundle of nerves about meeting my closest friends.

  “I am. This is a big deal. What happens if they don’t like me?”

  “Baby, it’s going to be great. They’re going to like you, I promise. Why wouldn't they? Plus they’re going to see how happy I am with you.” I lean over the center console and kiss her. “Do you want me to cancel? We can go somewhere else by ourselves.”

  “No. This is important to both of us. I will be fine.” She kisses me again before we exit the car. We meet at the rear of the car and Isabella takes my extended hand. I try to lead us toward the restaurant’s entrance, but a slight resistance from Isabella stops me, forcing me to turn around. She closes the space between us and wraps her free arm around my waist. “How about a kiss for good luck?” I smile at her before softly planting my lips against hers. Her hand quickly drops mine and reaches up to cradle the back of my head. I feel her tongue slide over my lips, asking permission to enter, and feel my own lips part to allow it. We stand there and share the passionate kiss, our hands never straying anywhere inappropriate. I feel the tension melt out of Isabella’s body as we pour our feelings into one another. When we finally part Isabella leans her forehead against mine, her swollen lips tempting me to claim them again. I know we will never make it inside if I do.

  “Ready now?” Isabella smiles, she still seems a little nervous but better than she was. We enter the restaurant, and the hostess leads us to a table where Catherine, Alex, Abby and, to my surprise, Valerie wait for us. I introduce Isabella to everyone and am not at all shocked when Abby gets up from the table and hugs Isabella instead of shaking her hand. Isabella looks at me surprised but then focuses on something. I can hear the murmur of Abby’s voice but can’t make out what she’s saying. Whatever it is, Isabella visibly relaxes and smiles broadly at me as we take our seats.

  “It’s about time Sara, we were just about to draw straws to see who was going outside to pull you out of the parking lot.” Alex has never been one to not voice her every thought, but I had no idea that we had arrived before everyone.

  “So you saw—.” Isabella’s hand grips mine under the table.

  “Oh, we saw alright. It was hot. Catherine and I would have never made it inside.”

  “We do not act like that in public,” Catherine protests, but fails to hide her mock indignation behind her own chuckle.

  “Yeah, and fish now live without water,” Abby chimes in. Everyone is laughing at this point, any tension that had existed has now been vanquished.

  “In all seriousness though, welcome Isabella. Anyone who makes Sara smile as much as you do is very welcome with us.”

  “Thank you,” Isabella responds before looking at me. We smile at each other and share a quick kiss.

  “They are so the new you two,” I hear Abby say. I don’t have to look away to know she’s talking to Catherine and Alex. The waiter comes and takes our drink orders and a quiet falls over the table while we all examine our menus. By the time the waiter returns with our cocktails, we’re all ready to order, and the conversation resumes as though it never ended. Isabella excuses herself to use the restroom, softly kissing the top of my head as she slides her chair back to the table.

  “Good grief Sara, you never said how hot she is.” Catherine shoots Alex a look, one we all know is in jest. “What, like I don’t have eyes. You aren’t worried are you?�
� Alex wiggles her eyebrows at Catherine.

  “Hardly, you aren’t going anywhere.” They both smile.

  “No, I’m not.” They share a quick kiss and a quiet whisper that I’m unable to decipher.

  “She seems lovely, and as taken with you as you are her,” Valerie adds. Isabella returns to the table, lightly running her fingertips across my shoulders as she sits. The getting to know you questioning continues from all angles and by the time the waiter brings our meals I know Isabella has won each one of them over.

  “They adore you,” I whisper in Isabella’s ear under the pretense of feeding her a bite of my Cajun chicken Alfredo. She accepts the offered bite and loads up a bite of her lasagna to offer me.

  “Would they still adore me if they knew what I plan on doing to you in that hot tub later?” I feel the warmth between my legs as I take the offered food, my mouth suddenly dry. Isabella grins and goes back to her meal as I roughly swallow the food she just fed me.

  “So Isabella, where did Sara take you today?” Valerie’s question is innocent enough, but Isabella and I both struggle not to laugh as the last 24 hours flash through both of our minds.

  “I knew it, they never even left the house!” Damn that Alex and her all knowing grin.

  “I don’t remember any of us giving the two of you a hard time when you finally got together.”

  “That’s because we—ouch.” Alex’s counter argument is cut short by Catherine poking her in the ribs. I hear Abby and Valerie chuckle in response.

  “No, we didn’t. We holed up at the house and were shut ins. We still are.” They smile warmly at each other before Alex turns her attention back to us.

  “So Velvet Saturday night then?” Her enthusiasm is infectious.

  “If Isabella would like to, then sure.”

  “What’s Velvet?” I would answer, but Isabella wisely addresses Alex, the woman who brought it up.

  “Our local lesbian bar. It isn’t super fancy, but they have pool tables and we can dance.” Alex flashes Isabella her best you know you want to smile. She clearly has yet to learn that Isabella won’t be swayed by that.

  “Mmm, I do like to watch Sara dance. I’m in.”

  “Yes,” Alex exclaims. “We should invite Derrick, Dahlia, Shannon, Kevin, Nate, Jeff, and Katrina.” I feel Isabella stiffen next to me, but she keeps her facial expression static, ensuring that I’m the only one to notice. “Abby you should invite Blake.” I rest my hand on Isabella’s thigh and squeeze it lightly. She looks over and smiles at me, but I see the anger still burning in her eyes.

  “I think I will,” Abby responds. I look at her and see her beaming.

  “So things are still going well with Blake?” I spend more time with Abby than perhaps anyone else, yet I have to ask the question, I’ve been so wrapped up in my own head recently that I hadn’t thought to inquire.

  “Very well. I really like him, and Stella likes him, which is big.” I’m happy for Abby, she might be one of the kindest people on the planet, she deserves all the happiness she can find.

  “Isabella before I forget, we would love it if you would join us for Sunday brunch as well.” Isabella looks at me.

  “It’s sort of become our tradition, we all go to brunch on Sunday morning. We have a drink, eat too much and just relax before the start of another week. Totally up to you.”

  “We should do it,” Isabella informs me before giving me a quick kiss. Her hand lands on my thigh, and unlike my well behaved, stationary one, hers is anything but.

  “Ok ladies, I hate to do this, but I have to get home to Stella.”

  “Yes, and some of us have to operate in the morning,” Catherine says fixing me with a grin.

  “If memory serves, you guys always used to tell me I needed to take a vacation or even a day off. Well, I finally listened.”

  “Yes, and we have Isabella to thank for it.” Catherine gives Isabella a warm smile, which Isabella quickly returns. At least she has calmed down some. We settle our check and exit the restaurant en masse. Isabella is quiet on the short ride home. I know what’s bothering her, but I’d rather deal with it when I’m not driving. As soon as we enter the house and have kicked off our shoes, I head for the kitchen. I hear Isabella follow me and as I open the cupboard to get a pair of wine glasses, I decide to break the ice on the topic that sits untouched between us.

  “So, do you want to—.” Isabella has the same idea, and we both start speaking at the same time. “Go ahead,” I tell her, hoping she’s going to talk about the issue at hand.

  “Why haven’t you told your friends about Katrina?” Well, at least we’re on the same page. I set the glasses down on the counter and take Isabella’s hand, leading her over to the dining room table. I turn two of the chairs to face each other and motion for her to sit as I take the other.

  “Look, my friends were all there when Katrina kissed me. They all saw what happened, so they all know about it. I haven’t really told them anything else, though I’m sure Catherine and maybe even Abby suspect something else transpired at some point. They’re both smart, and both know that I wouldn’t have just run off to Punta Cana like I did without a reason. I haven’t specifically told them anything else because Katrina needs all of the friends she can get right now. What good would it do her for me to tell our mutual friends the gory details? What good would it do me to waste energy on maintaining that negativity? Who wins? I’ve told you everything. I’ve been honest with you. When she pulled that stunt that night, it was you that I contacted, because it was you that I wanted to talk to. I’m asking you, please do not tell them. It won’t do anyone involved any good.” I rub my thumbs over Isabella’s knuckles while she processes what I’ve just asked of her. Finally, she sighs and squeezes my hands.

  “You’re right, it won’t do anyone any good if I reveal this. That doesn’t mean that I’m not going to be upset about what she did.”

  “Thank you. I can’t ask you to not be angry, but I wish you could find a way to not be so upset about it. I’m here with you because I want to be with you.”

  “It isn’t that I worry about losing you to her. I just don’t like that she disrespected you in that manner.”

  “I know baby. Do we really want to let this put a damper on our night though?” Isabella’s smile is all the answer I need. I stand up and she rises with me. I pull her into my arms and kiss her on the cheek. “My friends adored you tonight.”

  “I like your friends too. Catherine and Alex are quite the couple.” All I can do is laugh because this seems to be everyone’s reaction when they meet Catherine and Alex. “What?”

  “Nothing, just everyone feels that way. They have quite the story. I’ll tell it to you someday.” I kiss Isabella quickly before breaking our embrace to retrieve the chilled bottle of wine from the refrigerator. I uncork the bottle and feel Isabella’s arms wrap around my waist.

  “Why not tell me now?” I set the bottle down before turning around in Isabella’s arms. I pull her to me so that I can whisper in her ear.

  “I can tell you now, if you’d like. Or you can take me out to the hot tub and do whatever it was you were planning to do.” I pull her earlobe between my teeth for added effect.

  “Mmm, hot tub please,” Isabella moans as she presses her body against mine.

  “Good,” I whisper, “because I want you.” I quickly turn around to grab the wine and the glasses. Isabella groans as she leans into my back before kissing and biting along my neck. “Come on, this isn’t the hot tub.” Isabella’s hands stay on my hips as she follows me out of the kitchen.

  Chapter 22

  “Baby are you almost ready? I still need to arrange a ride for us.” I know that any minute my phone will start going off, asking where we are, plus I feel like I’m starving. I pull my sangria hued v-neck on and button my black jeans. A quick look in the mirror to smooth my hair again and I’m ready to go. Simple has always been my way, even on a night when I’m going out. Besides, the only woman I care to impress is
getting ready in my bathroom. I grab my phone and send out the ride request. Isabella isn’t one to primp and preen for long, she doesn’t need to.

  “I’m ready,” she informs me as she steps out of the bathroom. My jaw drops when I finally see her in a pair of black skinny jeans and an amber top that snugly fits her form, the fabric crossing over itself at her stomach, the thin straps that show off her clavicles and the plunging neckline that pulls my attention to her perfect breasts. “I take it I look alright.” I can hear the slight tone of smugness in her voice, she knows she looks better than alright, but she does enjoy teasing me.