Friends and Lovers

by Tara Mills

  * * * *

  Saturday came and Lauren checked herself in the mirror at least five times while she waited for Wes. She chose to wear the linen suit to the shower then added her favorite gold earrings and a wide bracelet. She considered a necklace but in the end decided against it. Her neckline plunged enough as it was without drawing more attention to the obvious. Lauren was so tense when the knock finally came that she jumped and dropped her hairbrush.

  Facing the door, she popped up on her toes and strained to see through the peephole. Wes’s wonderful face looked back at her. Lauren slid back the chain, flipped open the deadbolt, turned the lock on the knob, and finally opened the door.

  “Think you’ve got enough locks?” Wes’s teasing chuckle died abruptly with his first glimpse of her.

  The look on his face, not to mention the whoosh of breath that went with it, tickled Lauren and banished her insecurities, but when his blatant stare turned into a visual caress all her amusement drained away. His warm eyes brushed over her like a lover’s touch. It smoothed over her hair, brushed across her cheek ever so subtly, and slid down her throat like warm kisses.

  Lauren’s entire body flared with heat at Wes’s thorough appraisal. She shifted her bare shoulders self-consciously when his gaze lingered on her cleavage. Lauren slowly glanced down herself, wondering just how much he could see from his vantage point. Quite a lot actually. With his height Wes had a very good view of her barely-there lace bra and what it was covering. Deeply embarrassed, Lauren’s hand flew to her chest, cutting off the peep show.

  Too late to plead innocent, Wes laughed instead. “Would it help if I told you how stunning you look?”

  “It’s possible.” The words were calm enough, but she knew her deep blush gave her away.

  “Lauren, you’re a vision. I’m so sorry I made you uncomfortable.” He gave her a disarming smile and added, “You did something to your hair.”

  Her hand went to her head self-consciously. “Highlights.”

  Wes caught her wrist and brought it down. “Don’t be embarrassed. It looks great.”

  Lauren bit her lip and fidgeted, not sure whether his frank approval or his touch was affecting her more. “Thank you.”

  “So, you ready to go?”

  “Just let me get my purse.”

  * * * *

  Standing on the front steps of the strange house, Lauren knew that if Wes weren’t beside her, she would have bolted. She turned her head and looked at all the unfamiliar cars parked in the driveway and along the road. She wasn’t ready for this.

  Wes pressed the doorbell again and a second later the door swung open. A pretty brunette squealed in delight when she saw him. She reached for Wes’s hand and pulled him inside, nearly knocking Lauren off the edge of the steps at the same time. Lauren was not amused.

  “Oh good, you made it! Come on in, we’re just about to start,” the woman said.

  Lauren was appeased, temporarily, when Wes slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her in with him.

  “Jolene, this is Lauren McKay.”

  “Lauren.” The woman offered her hand with a friendly smile. “I’m so glad you could come.”

  Wes eased back, nodding to Jolene as she took possession of Lauren, leading her down the hallway, chattering the entire time.

  Anxious, Lauren looked over her shoulder and Wes smiled back. “I’ll bring in our gift.”

  Resigned to the inevitable, Lauren tried to relax and get into the spirit of the occasion. Then her footsteps faltered. There was Sherry, surrounded by a crowd of unfamiliar women.

  Seeing her again was so much harder than Lauren expected. Pain, there was actual pain, both physical and emotional, now that Lauren was mere feet from her dearest friend. She’d learned to live with the ache of separation, the longing, and the haunting dreams of loss, but this was too much. It hit her like a snowball in the face—stinging and cold—that she was the stranger here. It was even more startling to realize that all this time she’d been mourning the loss of two of the most important women in her life, not just one.

  Sherry turned and saw Lauren. There was hesitation and sorrow in her eyes, but then the corners of Sherry’s mouth flickered up and she broke away from the pack and waddled over.

  Lauren was trembling all over again. On the verge of a panic attack, she wondered whether being flayed alive wouldn’t be a whole lot easier.

  Then Lauren noticed Sherry’s comical gait and found she could smile after all. That alone helped ease her tension, at least temporarily.

  Sherry stopped in front of Lauren and took both of her hands. “I’m so glad you came.”

  “Me too.”

  It was difficult to say who moved first but suddenly they were hugging and crying, swaying back and forth as they tried to accommodate the solid belly between them. The mass gave Lauren a boot and she pulled back with a gasp.

  Sherry laughed and caressed her belly. “Happens all the time.”

  * * * *

  Wes was in the middle of fighting the chair through the doorway when he saw their emotional hug. Feeling a bit overcome himself, he paused with the rocker suspended in midair and waited it out. Seeing them together again warmed him inside like hot cocoa.

  Sherry brushed the tears from the corner of her eyes and finally noticed her brother. “What have you got there?”

  “It’s your present from Lauren and me.”

  She looked back and forth between them with startled eyes. “You didn’t.”

  “We did,” said Lauren.

  “Excellent! Bring it in here,” she said, waving impatiently at her brother.

  She tore off the bow and sat down with a happy sigh. “This is great, really great.”

  Wes bent and kissed the top of Sherry’s head and she beamed up at him. Then, turning back to Lauren, Wes whispered in her ear, “So I’ll be back for you around three.”

  “You’re leaving?” she sputtered.

  “Notice any other guys hanging around?”

  “I guess not.”

  “I won’t forget you.” Ever. “Have fun today, okay?”

  “I’ll try.” Her attempt at a brave smile failed.

  Wes chucked her under the chin. “You’ll be fine. See you in a couple of hours.”

  * * * *

  Watching his swift exit, Lauren felt abandoned but Sherry stepped in and took Lauren around, making introductions. Lauren didn’t think she’d remember even one third of the names.

  Afterward, standing all forlorn by the buffet table, Lauren watched the happy chatter with a sinking heart. This was tougher than she thought it would be.

  “How’s the cheese spread?”

  Startled, Lauren turned and admitted, “I haven’t tried it yet.”

  The woman was beautiful, tall and blonde with cornflower blue eyes and a perfect smile.

  “Then I’ll let you know.” She buttered a cracker and took a taste. “Mmm, not bad, but mine’s better.”

  Lauren grinned. “I’m Lauren McKay.”

  “Kelli Murphy.” Kelli turned and watched the gaggle of women with a slight smile. “I couldn’t help noticing, you don’t exactly know anyone here besides Sherry either.”

  “I don’t.”

  Kelli turned her lovely blue eyes back to Lauren. “How do you know Sherry?”

  “She was my best friend since high school. You?”

  Kelli studied her, clearly wondering about the past tense. “I introduced her to my brother.”

  Lauren’s jaw dropped. “You’re Ken’s sister?”

  Kelli laughed. “Guilty as charged. I just thought they’d hit it off, and they did.”

  “How did you know Sherry?”

  “We were in the same aerobics class, and sometimes we’d hang out afterward, but once we both got more involved with our husbands that tapered off. Of course, now that Sherry’s due date is so close she doesn’t come to class at all.”

  “I haven’t met Ken yet, but I hear he’s a great guy.”

 
; Kelli beamed. “He is. They’re good together.” She raised her glass of punch and Lauren’s eyes popped at the rock on Kelli’s finger.

  “That’s a beautiful ring,” said Lauren with a tinge of reverence.

  Kelli turned her hand and admired it herself. “I love it. Hal picked it out for me. My husband has incredible taste.” She looked off dreamily. “We just had our first anniversary last month.”

  “Congratulations.”

  “Thank you. Is it my imagination or did I see Sherry’s brother Wes deliver you to this shindig?”

  “You don’t miss much.”

  “I wouldn’t say that, but you’re lucky. He’s quite a catch.”

  “Oh, we’re not together.”

  Kelli’s eyebrows curved slightly. “Are you sure about that?”

  Lauren nodded, unable to mask her disappointment.

  Kelli’s eyes softened. “You’re in love with him.”

  Lauren shrugged, then after an uneasy beat gave another fatalistic nod. “Yes.”

  Kelli smiled kindly. “Be patient. I’ve got a feeling about you two.”

  “Are you a love medium?”

  Kelli laughed. “Hardly. I’d say it’s more of an intuition about these things.”

  Once the shower got underway Lauren was more of an observer than a participant, though she tried her best to smile and gush along with the others while all the little outfits and gifts were unwrapped. Occasionally she’d catch a little smile from Kelli but overall Lauren felt like an intrusion. When Wes came back ten minutes early she could have kissed him.

  * * * *

  Not wanting to disrupt the fun, Wes went over to the treat table to graze. Dipping a tortilla chip, he smiled as Sherry fawned over a colorful mobile. His gaze drifted back to Lauren and he was startled to find her watching him with a look of quiet desperation on her face. Shit. Had she enjoyed herself at all?

  Taking pity on her, Wes drifted over and leaned down to speak softly in her ear. “I take it you’re ready to go?”

  “Yes,” Lauren whispered. She rose and hurried upstairs to find her purse.

  Wes looked up and met his sister’s eyes. Sherry shook her head helplessly and mouthed a silent call me later. Wes nodded.

  Lauren came back downstairs and stopped to give Sherry a quick hug and congratulations then fled through the front door. Wes followed. She was waiting at the car. Even from a distance he could see she was trembling. He hit his key fob and the locks clicked. She was in her seat before he could get the door. He closed it gently after her, and Lauren stared straight ahead as Wes got in on the driver’s side.

  Driving Lauren home, Wes found her silence disquieting. He could see she had a lot on her mind. He glanced over repeatedly but didn’t know what to say or how to broach the subject. Something went drastically wrong today, and he had no idea how to help.

  It was a shock when Wes realized Lauren was silently weeping as she looked out her window. He pulled the car over and shut off the engine. Releasing his seatbelt, he turned to her. “What happened? Can you talk about it?”

  Lauren shook her head and went searching in her handbag for a tissue. Blotting her eyes and wiping her nose, she finally sobbed, “I feel like I don’t even know Sherry anymore.”

  Wes gripped the back of her headrest, wishing he could stroke her hair instead. “Sure you do.”

  “I didn’t know any of her friends. I’ve been replaced. It’s like we’re strangers. I’ve missed so much.”

  Now he understood. “Do you care about Sherry?”

  “Yes,” said Lauren without hesitation.

  “Then you have to make the effort to repair the friendship. Just because Sherry has new friends doesn’t mean she doesn’t want you in her life too. You have to reestablish your connection, that’s all. It isn’t going to happen overnight or even in two short hours. What did you expect?”

  She threw up her hands. “I don’t know.”

  He’d never seen a more forlorn expression in his life. The tears clinging to Lauren’s lashes were too much for him. Expelling a deep sigh, Wes cupped the back of her neck and pulled her in. His kiss was soft, compassionate, and infinitely tender. The wet tissue in Lauren’s hand flattened out against his shirt and he felt the moisture leech through the light cotton, dampening his skin underneath. He didn’t give a damn.

  The timing was wrong, all wrong, and yet he couldn’t help himself. The need to be close to her, comfort and caress her, was almost unbearable. In his mind he’d held back long enough. Now it was up to her. If Lauren pulled away or asked him to stop he would.

  She clutched his shirt instead.

  Chapter 9

  Wes was lost to everything but sensation. Lauren’s subtle perfume wrapped around him like a seductive veil as his lips grazed along her damp lashes and swept over the shell of her ear. He felt her shudder when he kissed her neck, and she drove her fingers up into his hair, gripping him at the scalp. That’s when Wes’s instincts took over and he seized her, dragging Lauren tight against him. He wanted everything she had to offer. There wasn’t an inch of her satiny soft skin he didn’t need to touch, to taste. When he took her mouth again, he took it hard, and her soft gasps and moans were as delicious to his ears as the tongue that shared them with him. He wanted to feel Lauren’s silky hair falling across his bare skin, brushing his chest, his stomach, his…

  Beep! Beep!

  Two sharp blasts from the horn of a passing car startled them so much they both jumped.

  Pulling back, Wes ran his hand through his hair and stared at Lauren in wide-eyed shock. “I can’t believe I just did that. I’m so sorry.”

  Only now did he finally glimpse the elementary school directly behind her and he got even angrier and more disgusted with himself. So what if it was Saturday? It didn’t change the fact that this was a public street, not lover’s lane for fuck’s sake! No way would he let anyone else get away with going tonsil diving like he just did without issuing a stern warning. Incredible. How could he fail to notice a school? If his raging hard-on had left any blood in his brain whatsoever this never would have happened.

  Then he noticed the hurt and confusion in the eyes staring back at him and felt like an even bigger ass. All the headway he’d made recently with Lauren was now totally fucked. Shit.

  “I’m sorry,” he apologized again.

  “Me too,” she mumbled.

  When Wes dropped Lauren at her parking lot the awkwardness between them was worse than ever. He’d never felt more despicable than when she fled into the building alone.

  He wanted to follow her but how could he explain what he didn’t understand himself? Wes put the car into gear and drove back to Sherry’s. Maybe Ken would give him a beer. He could use a guy’s company right about now.

  * * * *

  Lauren slammed her apartment door and, dropping back against it, slid to the floor in a miserable heap. For ten minutes she cried, lamenting the distance she’d felt between her and Sherry and even more, agonizing over the critical misstep she just took with Wes. No doubt the kissing was going to damage their fledgling friendship.

  She could hardly get her head around what just happened. Talk about extremes! One minute she was so high she was floating off the seat and the next, she was plunged into an icy bath of rejection! That first heady kiss had been a long time coming but she wouldn’t have been had they kept going. She never believed she would get that close to Wes, yet it wasn’t nearly close enough. She’d wanted to absorb him, step inside him, lose herself in a way she never had before.

  She’d felt like warm clay in his hands. She wanted Wes to mold her, shape her, and yes, please, please, seduce her. There was so much she wanted to learn and experience with him. When he coaxed her lips apart, she offered more, willingly, knowing it would never be enough. Lauren remembered cupping his ears. His hair was so soft when she buried her fingers in it. She felt dizzy remembering the next intense kiss. Wes could have consumed her whole and she wouldn’t have cared. The tears pool
ing in the corners of her eyes were all for him by then, for the sheer wondrous joy of finally getting a taste of her unattainable fantasy.

  But with Wes’s horrified withdrawal, Lauren fell back to earth with a mighty crash. Oh God, he regretted touching her, comforting her! Swamped by humiliation, Lauren slipped under the cold waves completely at his apologetic rejection. That stung more than anything ever had in her life.

  Of course Wes would regret it. She should have known he’d act on instinct when she started to cry. That’s the kind of guy he was. Trying to make things better was second nature for him. What did she think it meant, that he actually cared about her, wanted her? No, she inspired his pity, nothing more, and it crushed her.

  How could she be such an idiot?

  Easy, emotions didn’t travel in the realm of reason. She got carried away by her feelings. To make matters worse, Lauren knew damn well she would have gone even farther if Wes had been willing. It wouldn’t have taken much. Her mind was already there, so was her heart, her body was merely catching up.

  By kissing Wes, Lauren learned something about herself. She’d never felt so empty, or so hungry in her life. She fed from his lips like a starving thing, tasting the chocolate truffle with raspberry filling he ate just before they left the party. She flared with heat when she realized how desperately she wanted more than just his tongue inside her, though that would have been nice too. In the absence of consummation, they made love with their mouths instead, or at least she had. She couldn’t vouch for anything Wes was doing or thinking. All she knew now was they’d crossed a line that threatened to sever everything between them.

  She curled up on the floor, rested her cheek against the cool tiles, and gave into the exhaustion of misery, finally falling asleep where she lay.

  * * * *

  Ken eyed the empty bottle in Wes’s hand. “That was quick. Do you want another?”

  “I want a whole goddamned case.”

  “Then you’re staying over.”

  Wes laughed bitterly. “No problem.”

  “What the hell happened today?”

  Wes flicked the mouth of the bottle with his middle finger and got a dull ring from the glass. “I’m pretty sure I fucked things up with Lauren. She actually ran from me.”