She glanced over at Jenna, who was hunkered down so her butt was on the very edge of the couch and her knees were up, feet propped on the coffee table, engrossed in the show, obviously unaware of the crazy, twisty path Ashley’s brain was taking. Ashley envied her for a moment before she was submerged once again in the pool of questions.
Would she get any of them answered?
She had been so looking forward to this date with Lisa. Still was, really. But now there was a new emotion involved: fear.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Lisa was nervous, and it was pissing her off.
She wasn’t normally a nervous person, either. Being nervous freaked her out a bit and made her clumsy. She’d already broken a glass, stubbed her toe on the foot of her bed, torn the seam of the shirt she wanted to wear, and stepped on one of the cats, who was none too happy about it judging from the pained squeak he let out.
Standing in the kitchen, she put her palms out in front of her like a magician and just willed herself to breathe calmly, to relax her tensed muscles, to ease the rhythm of her pounding heart.
She was aware of the little panic attack that had her convincing Ashley to let her cook instead, and then they could watch a movie here. Ashley had hesitated, but ultimately agreed, and while Lisa was relieved by that, she was also slightly disappointed. Which was crazy, because why the hell couldn’t she make up her mind?
Regardless, the ball was back in Lisa’s court where she liked it. Except she was nervous. She knew exactly why…she just didn’t want to think about why. Instead, she went to the refrigerator and opened it, forcing herself to focus on dinner. That would occupy her mind. She removed the Ziploc bag that held marinating chicken breasts. She also grabbed ingredients for salad. A sizzling sound caught her attention and a swear word escaped her lips as she grabbed the pot of boiling-over rice off the burner. Lowering the heat, she set it back down and gave it a stir as two different cats wove themselves between and around her ankles. A glance at the clock on the stove told her Ashley would arrive any minute.
Ashley would arrive any minute.
So many mixed emotions about that statement…
The doorbell pulled her off of that train of thought—thankfully. Lisa put a lid on the pot, smoothed her hands over her hips as she blew out a slow breath, then tucked her hair behind her ears. A quick glance in the mirror in the foyer told her things were as good as they were likely to be in the appearance department, and she wet her lips as she pulled the door open.
Lisa swallowed hard.
Ashley wore soft-looking capri-length jeans and a button-down tank top in a royal blue that made the color of her eyes pop. Her blonde hair was in a French braid down the back of her head and several rebellious wisps lined her tanned face, looking like they were intentionally curled around a finger before being allowed to dangle in front of an ear or along the side of her neck. A silver watch was clasped around one wrist and in that hand was a bottle of red wine. The other hand held a small, colorful bouquet of daisies, which Ashley held toward Lisa with a smile.
“Hi,” Ashley said softly. “These are for you. Also, you look amazing. Wow.”
Lisa felt herself blush as Ashley’s gaze roamed from her sandaled feet up her bare legs over the skirt of her grass-green sundress with the cream-colored polka dots, stopped briefly at the peek of cleavage, then continued to move up until it settled on Lisa’s eyes.
“Hi,” Ashley said again.
“Hi,” Lisa replied, feeling a wide grin cross her face. “Come on in.” She stepped aside and let Ashley enter just as Keeler made his way from the living room. “Wow, buddy, you’re a little slow on the uptake today. She’s been here for a good thirty seconds, you know.”
Keeler ignored his mistress, instead choosing to bathe the new arrival in love and kisses—tardy or not—which Ashley seemed to love almost as much, given how quickly she handed the bottle of wine off to Lisa and plopped herself on the floor. Lisa shook her head with affection as she closed the door and took the wine and flowers into the kitchen.
“I’m going to throw some chicken on the grill. Is that okay with you?” she asked.
“Sounds perfect,” came the answer, punctuated with girlish giggles as two of the cats joined in on the love fest on the floor.
“I’m going to open this wine and I’ll leave a glass for you on the counter if you want it,” Lisa said in a teasing tone.
“I want it. I want it.” Ashley managed to get herself back to standing. “God, don’t you ever give these animals any love? They seem so neglected.”
“Love?” Lisa asked, feigning a face of confusion as she pried the cork from the bottle. “What do you mean? Why would I love them? I give them food, shelter, a warm bed to sleep in. You mean I have to love them, too? Nobody told me that.”
Ashley laughed as she took a wineglass from Lisa’s hand and held it up. “To love,” she said, and the glimmer in her eye had Lisa feeling warm and slightly panicked at the same time. They touched glasses, sipped, and then Lisa pulled her gaze away from Ashley’s to get the chicken.
“Come outside with me?” she asked.
Ashley grabbed Lisa’s wine and followed her through the living room and out the sliding glass door to the small patio. Lisa’s shiny new grill gleamed in the fading sun and Ashley held a hand out, obviously feeling the heat from it. “Do you cook a lot?” she asked.
“I used to a long time ago. Then I sort of got away from it for a while.” Lisa opened the lid of the grill and laid the chicken breasts on the rack with a sizzle. “I’ve been getting back into it more recently.”
“You cooked for your dad and brothers,” Ashley stated, obviously remembering Lisa’s past.
“I did. So once I moved out, it was kind of a relief not to have to cook for three other people. I ate a lot of takeout for a while there,” she added with a laugh. “It was not a good year for my hips, believe me.”
Ashley shook her head with a smile. “I find it hard to believe you were ever anything but gorgeous.”
Her voice was soft, her eyes sincere, and Lisa felt a tingle low in her body. She cast her eyes back to her cell phone and the timer she’d set for the chicken. “Well. I don’t know about that.”
“I’m sure of it.”
“Thanks.”
“Welcome.”
They sipped, studying one another over the rims of their glasses and that was the moment that Lisa knew exactly where things would end up tonight.
“So. Tell me about your day,” Lisa said as she checked the chicken.
Ashley perched on the edge of an Adirondack chair, then let her butt slide backward until she was tucked snugly into the body of it. “Oh, let’s see. I went to see my mom and stepdad. I try to stop by on the weekend if I can, have a cup of coffee with them and catch up.”
“Every weekend?” Lisa could hardly imagine.
“I try,” Ashley said with a shrug. “Doesn’t always happen.”
“And you like your stepdad?”
“He’s great. Treats my mom like a queen.”
Lisa’s phone beeped and she turned away to open the grill. “What about your dad?”
“God, that smells good,” Ashley said from directly behind her, her nose so close to Lisa’s neck she wasn’t sure if Ashley was talking about the chicken or her. A pleasant shiver ran along her spine as she used tongs to flip each piece.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, then arched an eyebrow in expectation.
“Oh, right. My dad.” Ashley took a step back out of Lisa’s personal space, and Lisa felt the loss immediately. “My dad is dating somebody new from what my mother keeps telling me.”
“Your parents still talk?”
“Oh, yeah. They’re pals. Better pals than they were spouses, actually.” Ashley smiled, as if that was the most normal thing in the world to say. Lisa just blinked at her as she went on. “My dad has dated on and off since their divorce. He’s even had a couple of steadies, but this one—according to my very nosy mot
her—is a big deal.”
“Have you met her?”
With a shake of her head, Ashley said, “No, but he wants me to. So, maybe soon.”
Lisa nodded, trying to imagine sitting down to a meal with her mother and some new beau. It was not an image that slid smoothly into place. At all. It was yet another reminder how different she and Ashley were. Removing the chicken from the grill to a plate, she turned to Ashley. “Hungry?”
They ate at the small table tucked into the breakfast nook, laughing and talking, and Lisa couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this comfortable with somebody. It was an unfamiliar, strangely uneasy feeling that, at the same time, had her stomach doing an enjoyable fluttering thing and had her leaning forward in her chair to better hear (and see) Ashley when she spoke.
“More wine?” Lisa asked.
“Love some.” As Lisa stood to get the bottle from the counter, Ashley went on. “This is fabulous, by the way.” She held up her fork with a piece of chicken on it.
“It’s just chicken, rice and salad. Not terribly complicated.” Lisa topped off each glass. “But thank you.”
“Well, I don’t cook much, so…thank you.”
When dinner was done, they stood together, but Ashley held up a hand. “No. Sit. I got this.”
Lisa shook her head. “It’s okay. I’m used to cleaning up.”
“Lisa.” Ashley’s tone stopped her in her tracks and she met kind blue eyes. “Please,” Ashley said softly. “Sit. You cooked. Let me take care of this. All right?”
Much to her own surprise, Lisa felt herself sinking back into her chair. “And what should I do while you’re cleaning?” she asked.
“Sit there and look pretty.” Ashley held her gaze and a sensual sizzle ran between them. Lisa sipped her wine and, after a few moments of uncertainty, allowed herself to sit back and enjoy the view, which was ridiculously sexy, she had to admit. The soft-looking denim of Ashley’s capris hugged her backside closely, and Lisa had an almost unstoppable urge to slide her hands into the back pockets. The tank left Ashley’s shoulders bare, a smattering of freckles visible on each one, the smoothness of the skin apparent even from where Lisa sat. She felt her heart rate kick up a notch as Ashley glanced over her shoulder and smiled. Lisa sipped her wine to distract herself.
It was nearly nine o’clock when they carried their glasses into the living room and made themselves comfortable on the couch while discussing movie options. Ashley kicked off her shoes, as did Lisa, and put in her vote for a critically acclaimed independent film, a romantic dramedy. Lisa agreed with the choice and pushed the necessary buttons on the remote. When she sat back, Ashley’s arm was up, offering the space beneath it to her. Surprisingly unhesitant, Lisa snuggled in against her and asked, “Is this okay?”
“It’s very okay,” Ashley replied with a smile. She gave Lisa a squeeze and then tucked her hand against Lisa’s side. Keeler somehow fit his not-terribly-small body between the couch and the coffee table, so both women propped their feet up on the table. Three of the four cats found spots on the couch as well, Groucho next to Ashley’s thigh, Tiny on Lisa’s lap, and Clyde along the back. Ashley started to chuckle.
Lisa hit the pause button on the remote and craned her neck to look up at her. “What?”
“I just had a flash of Snow White. You know, with all the animals circling around her? I’m waiting for these guys to start singing or something.”
Lisa grinned. “They might. You never know.”
The movie was good. At least, Lisa was pretty sure it was. She’d lost the ability to concentrate about a half hour in when Ashley’s fingers began to move against her skin, trailing a delicious path from her elbow up to the top of her shoulder, circling, then traveling back down. Up and down…up and down…so slowly and sensually that goose bumps broke out along her entire body, and the gentle throbbing between her legs made it hard to focus on the television screen. Swallowing hard, she furrowed her brow and did her best to ignore what her body wanted and concentrate on the film.
Her mind would not allow it, however. Instead, it insisted on taking in every single thing about Ashley that it could. Her scent—still vaguely like cupcakes, but also fresher: soap, coconut, a little musk. The softness of her hands as they moved along Lisa’s skin. Warm, velvety, with just enough length to her nails for Lisa to feel the gentle scratch. The color of her hair, which Lisa could scrutinize from her vantage point of being on Ashley’s shoulder. So many different shades of gold…lighter on top where the sun could have its way, darker underneath, and several varying colors in between, the waves curling around on themselves.
Yanked suddenly out of her reverie by the words, “Don’t you?”
Lisa looked up at Ashley, whose beautiful blue eyes sparkled in amusement.
Lisa cleared her throat and spoke. “I’m sorry. Um…what?”
“Are you even watching this movie?” Ashley asked, her voice low and husky.
Lisa shook her head slowly.
“Oh, good. Then it’s okay if I do this.” Finger under Lisa’s chin, Ashley tipped it up and brought her mouth down slowly, inch by inch, until only scant millimeters separated their lips. Her eyes searched Lisa’s and Lisa held her gaze, every fiber in her body as taut as a rubber band stretched to its limit, waiting, anticipating, preparing…
When their lips finally met, it was like a jolt of electricity, hot and bright. Ashley had the softest mouth in the world, Lisa was certain, and she savored the feel of it. The taste. “God, why do you taste so good?” she asked, not realizing she’d posed the question aloud until she felt Ashley chuckling.
“Obviously so that you’ll keep kissing me,” Ashley replied. “Is it working?”
Lisa responded by grabbing the back of Ashley’s neck to pull her closer.
Tiny and Groucho both decided they’d had enough at this point and abandoned ship, followed shortly by Clyde, which was fine by Lisa, as it allowed her to get closer to Ashley. She pushed forward and tossed her leg over Ashley’s thigh. Then Ashley pushed back and they played that delicious game for a long while, that push and pull, their mouths never parting.
The movie played on unwatched. When Lisa shifted to straddle Ashley’s lap, her bare foot brushed Keeler’s back, and the last animal evacuated the living room.
Lisa grinned as she watched him saunter off, then turned her gaze back to Ashley’s and settled her weight down against the denim-clad legs. Ashley moaned as she slid her warm hands along the sides of Lisa’s bare thighs, under her dress.
“I am a big fan of lap sitting,” Ashley said with a grin. “FYI.”
“I’ll make a note.” Lisa grinned back, but became serious again when she looked into Ashley’s eyes, their bright blue dark now with desire. She leaned close until they breathed the same air.
“You are so beautiful,” Ashley whispered, and that was all Lisa needed. She took Ashley’s face in her hands and crushed their mouths together in a blistering kiss that stole the breath from both of them.
Sensations blended together at that point. Lisa knew Ashley’s hands were on her, felt them skim along her thighs, over her bottom, and up her back, but it seemed like they were everywhere at once. She knew they were kissing, could feel Ashley’s mouth melding with hers, knew Ashley’s tongue was pushing against her own, but she couldn’t differentiate between her lips and Ashley’s. It was all sensation—hot, wet, thrillingly erotic sensation that seemed to go on for hours.
It wasn’t until Ashley’s warm hands cupped her bare breasts that Lisa had any inkling at all her bra had been unclasped. But it had been. And Ashley was zeroing in on her hardened nipples in a way that sent pinpoints of pleasure zipping through her body from her breasts down to her center. She wrenched her mouth from Ashley’s long enough to let, “Oh, my God,” escape from her lips. Ashley took that moment to lift Lisa’s dress up over her head and off. The unclasped bra followed and Lisa was left in Ashley’s lap wearing only her white bikinis.
Ashley was qu
iet, but her expression made Lisa’s face heat up. It was reverent. It was admiring. It was hungry.
Bringing her hand up to Lisa’s sternum, Ashley trailed her fingers lightly downward, between Lisa’s breasts and down her stomach to the elastic waistband of the bikinis. She dipped one finger under it, slid it from side to side.
“I need these to come off,” she whispered, and it was as if it took her great effort to pull her eyes from Lisa’s bare torso and look her in the face. “I need to see all of you. Can we go to your bedroom? Please?”
The idea of taking things slowly went right out the window for Lisa, as did her desire to keep the upper hand. Ashley was everything right now. Ashley owned her and the realization was alarmingly erotic. There was no way Lisa was going to stop this. She was too hot. Too ready. She too badly wanted Ashley’s hands on her. Immediately. She slid backward off Ashley’s thighs, stood, and held out a hand.
“Oh, my God, that’s the most beautiful sight I have ever seen, right there,” Ashley said as she remained in place, moving one finger up and down in front of Lisa’s nearly naked body.
Lisa made a come-hither gesture with her fingers. “Let’s go. You have clothes on that need removing.”
Ashley wasted no more time and put her hand in Lisa’s. Lisa pulled her to her feet and tugged her toward the stairs. Lisa couldn’t remember the journey; they were suddenly standing in Lisa’s bedroom. The moon was full and cast a bright bluish light onto the paisley spread of the bed, and the ambiance was so shockingly romantic and sensual that Lisa didn’t even think about turning on a light. Instead, she faced Ashley and reached for her top.
“You are ridiculously overdressed,” she said quietly as she worked on the buttons, a little disconcerted by the trembling in her fingers.
Ashley covered them with her own, looked Lisa in the eyes, and gave her a tender smile. Then she grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it up and over her own head. “There,” she said, dropping it on the floor. The bra followed and Ashley stood before Lisa, naked from the waist up, her small nipples standing at attention under Lisa’s gaze.
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