by Lynn Galli
“I love that about you,” she said in a shaky voice. Nothing in her expression said she didn’t want everything I wanted.
“I love you, Iris. More than I love writing. I never thought I’d love anything or anyone more than that. I want us to be together, to keep this great friendship, to cherish our love, and to share in everything we go through.”
Her eyes were filling as I spoke. My heart expanded at the emotions so clear on her face.
“When I listened to all those couples, I thought so many of their stories sounded cliché. That they were doomed to live lives of routine, stealing moments right out of books or movies that they thought were original.” My head shook. “I was wrong. Look at us. You’re a private investigator. I’m a journalist. Seems like every other lesbian romance published has one or the other in it. Hell, we met in a bar. Is there anything more cliché than that?”
She chuckled and moved her hands to grip my sides, anchoring both of us.
“But what we have and where we’re going is completely original. Everything about us.”
“Yeah?” She leaned in and kissed me softly. “I think we’re very original. You have no copy, my dear.”
“You’re just the same. It’s why we work.” Off-beat, quirky, imaginative, special. Every word I could think of to describe us together as something different. The way we both liked it.
Her forehead touched mine again. “So, you’re saying that you won’t move in with me until I’m ready to consider it a permanent arrangement, not just a try-out for a permanent arrangement.”
My pulse raced, not sure if I was reading her tone correctly. “Partners, that’s what I want for us. No wedding or anything. Just us making a promise in private.”
“To love each other and be together for the rest of our lives.” She filled in with absolutely no hesitation or question, as if she’d been thinking the exact same thing for as long as I have.
“But not in a creepy way.”
She laughed. “Not in a creepy way, except for how off you are, of course.”
“Of course,” I agreed.
“You’re okay with my house, aren’t you?” She looked so hopeful. I liked my place, but it was temporary. Always had been.
“Your house feels like home.”
“Especially now that you don’t have to park on the street anymore?” she guessed. Over the past month, she’d had Mariah’s crew extend her driveway into the backyard and build a detached two-car garage. It was just as useful for her, but I suspected she’d gone through the building process mostly for my benefit.
“I dig that garage. Thank you again, by the way.” I planted a kiss on her cheek as I’d been doing for weeks every time I came into her house from the easy parking spot that wasn’t on the street three blocks over. “And I like your house.” I grinned slyly. “I will be bringing my bed, though. Yours is too soft.”
“Picky and cynical. I’ll have my hands full with you.” Her hands spread wide to encircle my waist. “I was nervous to ask. I should have guessed you’d want exactly what I’ve been hoping for.” She brought a hand up to rub her knuckles against my jaw. “I think I told you that you’d be at my wedding.”
I remembered that. Back when she wanted to spend the contest winnings on a fake wedding to benefit her friend’s business. I’d laughed at the time, but my heart pounded now, half afraid she might be serious. “You don’t actually want one, do you?”
“No, but we could invite our parents and a few friends in for a party at Lane’s bar to celebrate.” Her eyes searched mine for the response she wanted to hear.
That sounded just about right. My mom would probably have a conniption if I started referring to Iris as my partner, not just my girlfriend, without having done something to mark the occasion. Something she could be invited to. My dad and brother were more like me. A text would be fine with them, but they wouldn’t object to a visit if there was a party planned.
“We could do that.” I raked my fingers through her soft, wispy hair. It was turning lighter again with the spring sunshine. Over the winter I’d loved counting all the different hues that made up the sandy brown shade.
Her knuckles slid down my neck and back up again. She pulled a shiver from me. “I love you so much, Vega.”
My head tilted into her caress. “I knew you were special from the day you told me you’d make a great friend.” I pressed up against her and gave her a passionate kiss. “All my life, I thought I’d be happy writing other people’s stories. Now, I get the chance to live my own. Thanks to you. You’re my original love story, Iris, and I can’t wait to live out every page with you.”
About the Author
Lynn Galli resides in the Pacific Northwest where she enjoys long walks on rocky beaches in the rain and standing in everlasting lines for a complex cup of coffee that will sustain her on a fifty-five minute, ten mile drive to her job writing software programs that allow her to build airplanes, save wildlife, and promote recycling. Her chilly summer evenings are usually spent writing about places that are much warmer and drier but nowhere near as beautiful or bursting with coffee, software coding, and airplane manufacturing.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS BY LYNN GALLI
VIRGINIA CLAN
Wasted Heart (Book 1) – Attorney Austy Nunziata moves across the country to try to snap out of the cycle of pining for her married best friend. Despite knowing how pointless her feelings are, five months in the new city hasn’t seemed to help. When she meets FBI agent, Elise Bridie, that task becomes a lot easier.
Imagining Reality (Book 2) – Changing a reputation can be the hardest thing anyone can do, even among her own friends. But Jessie Ximena has been making great strides over the past year to do just that. Will anyone, even her good friends, give her the benefit of the doubt when it comes to finding a forever love?
Blessed Twice (Book 3) – Briony Gatewood has considered herself a married woman for fifteen years even though she’s spent the last three as a widow. Her friends have offered to help her get over the loss of her spouse with a series of blind dates, but only a quiet, enigmatic colleague can make Briony think about falling in love again.
Finally (Book 4) – Willa Lacey never thought acquiring five million in venture capital for her software startup would be easier than suppressing romantic feelings for a friend. Having never dealt with either situation, Willa finds herself torn between what she knows and what could be.
Forevermore (Book 5) - M Desiderius never thought she could have a normal life filled with love. She gets all that and more when she marries Briony, including an amazing foster daughter named Olivia. Every wish she’d never allowed herself to voice became real. When someone from Olivia’s past threatens M’s newfound family, can she carry on in the face of loss or will it push her back into a life of solitude?
ASPEN FRIENDS
Mending Defects (Book 1) – Small town life for Glory Eiben has always been her ideal. With her rare congenital heart defect, keeping family and friends close by preserves her easygoing attitude. When Lena Coleridge moves in next door, life becomes anything but easy. Lena is a reluctant transplant and even more reluctant friend. Their growing friendship adds many layers to Glory’s ideal.
Something So Grand (Book 2) – A designer for the wealthy, Vivian Yeats doesn’t have time for relationships, yet she longs for romance. She’s had to settle in the past when it comes to women but won’t bother to again. If romance is going to happen for her, it’ll take someone special to turn her head. Natalie Harper, the new contractor on her jobsites, might just be the woman to do it.
Life Rewired (Book 3) – Two years ago, Molly Sokol decided she wanted to get serious about finding that special someone. She could picture her perfectly—petite, feminine, excitable, adoring, and ultra-affectionate. When the opposite of all that comes along in the form of Falyn Shaw, Molly never thought they’d be anything more than friends. Being wrong has never felt so good.
OTHER ROMANCES
Uncommon Emotions – When so
meone spends her days ripping apart corporations, compartmentalization is key. Love doesn't factor in for Joslyn Simonini. Meeting Raven Malvolio ruins the harmony that Joslyn has always felt, introducing her to passion for the first time in her life.
Full Court Pressure – The pressure of being the first female basketball coach of a men’s NCAA Division 1 team may pale in comparison to the pressure Graysen Viola feels in her unexpected love life.
One-Off – Weddings have never been Skye MacKinnon’s thing. When she’s put in charge of planning her friend’s big event, she’s less than thrilled. Finding out she’ll have to work with the bane of her college existence, Ainsley Baird, may push her right over the edge. Knowing there’s nothing she can do to change her circumstances or the company she’ll have to keep, her only plan is to make it through the happy occasion without setting fire to the whole show or one person in particular.
Table of Contents
Title
Copyright
Also by Lynn Galli
Synopsis
1 |
2 | Fran & Yvette
3 | Blake & Kerry
4 | Jay & Dakota | Montana & Mac
5 |
6 | Alex & Alex
7 |
8 | Gayle & Paul
9 | Shawn & Wesley | Drew & Finn
10 | Bailey & Dusty
11 |
12 | Max & Carter
13 | Lee & Emerson
14 | Hunter & River
15 | Eduardo & Norris
16 | Dale & Kennedy
17 |
18 |
19 | Helen & Joe
20 |
21 | Nykos & Mariah
22 |
23 | Marty & Tate
24 | Lorraine & Simon
25 | Pat & Marlowe
26 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
30 | Hayden & Billie
31 |
32 | Kelly & Vic
33 | Emory & Robin
34 |
35 | Jamie & Glen
36 |
37 |
38 |
39 | Dylan & Reese
40 |
41 | Alice & Neil
42 |
43 |
44 |
45 | Tristan & Presley
46 |
47 |
Epilogue | Iris & Vega
About the Author
Other Publications by Lynn Galli