Casting Lacey

by Elle Spencer

  Lacey was alone, whether she liked it or not. She had no family, besides an aunt she barely knew who lived in Montana or New Mexico, she could never remember which. But she didn’t want to talk about that. “Did you really cook breakfast?”

  Quinn held out her hand. “Don’t make me eat it alone.”

  Lacey took her hand and stood up. “Is it edible?” she joked, trying to lighten her heavy mood.

  “Very funny.” Quinn pulled Lacey into an unexpected hug. “Good morning. I missed you.”

  Lacey closed her eyes and inhaled Quinn’s scent. It instantly comforted her and she relaxed into the hug, wrapping her arms around Quinn’s waist. “Good morning.”

  “How did you sleep?” Quinn pulled back and cupped Lacey’s cheeks, studying her face. “Not well, I see.”

  “Terrible.”

  “You’re sleeping with me tonight. It’s too soon to be alone. I don’t know what I was thinking, leaving you out here like this.” Lacey gave her a slight nod. “Good, then it’s settled.” She took Lacey’s hand and led her outside. “It’s a beautiful day.”

  Lacey shielded her eyes from the sun. “A good day for mountain biking?”

  “A good day for flying.” Quinn tightened her grip on Lacey’s hand and grinned.

  Lacey narrowed her eyes. “What are you talking about?”

  Quinn pulled out a chair at the table for Lacey. “We’re going to Napa, but we’re going to fly there.”

  Lacey looked at her with big, questioning eyes. “Today?”

  “Yeah. We’ll eat breakfast and then we’ll pack an overnight bag. And tonight, we’ll have an excellent meal in the middle of a vineyard.” Quinn put a plate of fresh fruit on the table, and took the omelets out of the oven. She set one in front of Lacey. “It’s your favorite. Spinach and Brie.”

  Lacey felt a little bit overwhelmed, but she held it together and smiled. “I can’t believe you cooked for me.”

  “Don’t get used to it,” Quinn said with a wink. She picked up her fork and took a bite. A surprise moan escaped her mouth. “Not bad!”

  Lacey took a small bite. “It’s wonderful. You’re wonderful.”

  Quinn picked up her coffee cup and grinned behind it. “So, you’re in?”

  Forget the fan mail. Forget their pending breakup. Forget everything else. Lacey only wanted to be with Quinn – for as long as she could have her. “Yeah. I’m in.”

  ***

  Lacey stepped out of the guesthouse looking as gorgeous as ever with her hair pulled back into a ponytail and her dark sunglasses on. She was wearing a low-cut white gypsy blouse with a denim mini-skirt and wedge heels.

  Quinn’s breath caught when she saw her. “You look beautiful.”

  Lacey leaned in for a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, honey. So do you.”

  While Lacey was showering, she’d decided she wouldn’t hide her feelings anymore. If she wanted to kiss Quinn, she would. If she wanted to call her honey or another pet name, she would. She’d just be herself and whatever came of it – or whatever didn’t come of it – she’d have to be okay with.

  Life was too short, even if you were being paid to pretend.

  ***

  On the small, private plane, Lacey buckled her seat belt and immediately reached for Quinn’s hand. She brought it to her mouth and kissed it. “I adore you for doing this for me.”

  “I couldn’t leave you all alone out in that guesthouse. And this trip is for both of us. A change of scenery.” Quinn mimicked Lacey’s action, taking their joined hands to her mouth and gently kissing Lacey’s. “And if you still need to shed a few tears, it’s okay.”

  Lacey leaned in and relaxed, resting her head against Quinn’s shoulder. “I love you.” She closed her eyes, not caring what the reaction would be.

  Quinn urged Lacey’s head up and put a small pillow under it. “Just rest now. I’ll wake you when we get there.” Once Lacey was asleep, she snapped a quick photo.

  ***

  Quinn stared at the selfie she’d taken of the two of them. Lacey looked content and relaxed and beautiful sleeping on her shoulder. What surprised Quinn even more, was how content she herself looked. Her blue eyes had a sparkle to them and her smile seemed so genuine. She looked happy in a way that she’d never seen in photos of herself before.

  She gently kissed Lacey’s head, being careful not to wake her up. You’re the reason.

  Quinn decided to send the photo to her mom – something she really never did – with a message.

  Taking her to Napa. We both need the break.

  It didn’t take long to get a reply.

  Oh, what an adorable photo. Thank you for telling me, darling.

  Have a wonderful time!

  Quinn smiled at the reply and then decided to tweet the photo as well, with the following message-

  She keeps me warm.

  She sent the tweet and took a deep, cleansing breath. It felt good to keep her mom up to date on her life. That was new. It also felt good to have an amazing woman sleeping on her shoulder. It felt right and good and everything she’d always dreamed it would be. Quinn was gay. And now, she was out and proud. It could only get better from here.

  ***

  After a hard, dreary week in New York City, the fresh, crisp air of a Napa Valley evening felt like heaven to Lacey. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

  “Your color looks a little better tonight.” Quinn reached across the table and filled Lacey’s glass with a full-bodied merlot.

  “Have I been pale?” Lacey touched her face, wishing she’d touched up her makeup before dinner.

  “A little bit. The color in your cheeks is back.”

  “The walk felt good.”

  They were literally in the middle of a vineyard, having dinner on a small wooden platform with only enough room for a table and two chairs. Tiki torches and candles lit up the space, creating a very romantic atmosphere.

  Lacey had assumed they would be staying in a hotel, but they drove straight to the winery and were greeted by the owners with hugs and kisses. Friends of Quinn’s, apparently. They were given the key to a cozy guesthouse where they freshened up and then went for a long, slow walk around the property. They had total privacy which Lacey was very grateful for. She wasn’t looking forward to being in public with Quinn again just yet. That would come soon enough.

  They’d walked hand in hand, taking in the beauty of their surroundings. Quinn had carried the conversation and Lacey nodded and smiled when appropriate. Now that they were seated for dinner and she’d had a glass of wine, Lacey was feeling a little more talkative. “I want to make a scrapbook.”

  “A scrapbook? Like one of those storyboards on your phone?”

  “No,” Lacey replied with a firm shake of her head. “Like a real scrapbook with real memories in it. Something I can hold in my hands and turn the pages and remember. I have two boxes full of photos, postcards and letters that my parents collected and I think I’d like to turn it into something tangible, you know?”

  “I thought you weren’t very crafty. Isn’t scrapbooking a crafty hobby?”

  “Why are you busting my balls about this?” Lacey picked up her glass and took another good, long sip.

  “I’m not busting your…” Quinn pushed the charcuterie board across the table. “Have some food with that wine.”

  Lacey threw a few cashews in her mouth. “So what if I couldn’t bedazzle your damn sling. That doesn’t mean I can’t put a scrapbook together. How hard can it be?”

  “Fourteen thousand likes,” Quinn blurted out. She seemed instantly relieved that she’d gotten that off her chest. She also threw a few nuts in her mouth and nodded her head, just to punctuate her point. “So far.”

  Lacey swirled the wine in her glass and narrowed her eyes. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Twitter.”

  “Did you change the subject? I was talking about a scrapbook. For my deceased parents.”

  “And I fully sup
port you in that effort. I’ll even help. We’ll watch YouTube videos. Take classes. Whatever it takes, okay?”

  “Thank you,” Lacey said, feeling slightly better about the conversation. “I can’t forget their faces. Or the sound of their voices.”

  “So, back to the digital album?”

  “We’ll do both,” Lacey said. “But we’ll have to hire a professional for that one. I’m technologically inept.”

  Quinn rolled a small piece of melon in a slice of prosciutto. She stabbed it with a fork and offered it. “Agreed. Now, try this.”

  Lacey took the fork. “Are you trying to shut me up?”

  “Never.” Quinn smiled. “I love talking about scrapbooking.”

  “You hate it. And this is delicious.” Lacey washed it down with more wine. “Now, what’s this about Twitter?”

  “I thought you’d never ask.” Quinn was so excited it was bubbling out of her. “I posted a photo.”

  “And it’s gotten fourteen thousand likes?”

  “And counting.” She reached down and took her phone out of her purse. “It’s a photo of us.”

  Lacey frowned. “When?”

  “You were asleep. Oh my god. Fifteen thousand and counting. The comments are awesome.”

  “Wait.” Lacey leaned forward. “I was asleep? What the hell, Quinn?”

  Quinn handed over her phone, watching Lacey closely for her reaction.

  “She keeps me warm.” Lacey looked up and searched Quinn’s eyes. All she saw was a look of satisfaction for a job well done. Quinn pumped her fist as Lacey pushed her chair out and stood up, setting the phone on the table. “Good job. Jack will be very happy.” She turned and stepped off the platform, disappearing into the darkness.

  She didn’t get very far. Once she was a few feet away from the torches, it was so dark she couldn’t even see the rows of vines that surrounded them. She stood still for a moment, hoping her eyes would adjust. Hoping her heart wouldn’t break in two right then and there.

  She looked up at the clear night sky, wishing she believed in God. Wishing someone could make sense of this mess she was in. Wishing she could call her dad. She hadn’t called him enough since she’d moved in with Quinn. It was awkward, telling him half-truths. Lying to her own father. God, how she wished she’d handled it differently. The whole thing, she’d handle differently, given the chance.

  It wasn’t worth all this heartache. Being so goddamned in love with someone who only saw her as a means to an end. Not being there for her father during the last months of his life. No job, no amount of money was worth it.

  The darkness was fitting. Lost in the inky blackness, barely able to see her own hand. That seemed okay. She wanted to disappear for a while. Maybe forget to breathe and just…float away.

  “Lace? Honey, come back.”

  Lacey didn’t turn around. She wrapped her arms around herself, needing protection from that voice. “You should post it on Instagram too.” She hoped if Quinn posted the damn photo enough places, maybe they could avoid having to make a public appearance and just end this fucking charade asap.

  “I meant it. Those words I wrote. You keep me so warm.”

  “It’s my job,” Lacey said, her voice cracking. She desperately did not want to cry. Not right now. She turned around, her arms still tightly wrapped around her body. Quinn was a silhouette backlit by the torches. She couldn’t see the expression on her face, and maybe that was for the best, since she didn’t want to lie anymore.

  Lacey was over it. Done with this farce. Yes, she’d fulfill the terms of her contract. She’d stand by Quinn’s side and smile for the cameras. But she wouldn’t spend one more second denying how she really felt. If her dad were still here, she knew what he would say. Tell her.

  And what better place to admit that you’d fallen in love when you weren’t supposed to, when you’d sworn to yourself that you wouldn’t, when you’d laughed it off and told Quinn she was arrogant to even think such a thing could happen, what better place, than in a pitch-black vineyard, where the woman you love can barely see you as you say it?

  “It’s not just my job.” Lacey lowered her gaze, still gripping her stomach. “It stopped being a job a long time ago, and I know you don’t want to hear this, but…”

  “I love you too.”

  Lacey froze. She played the words over in her mind, making sure she’d heard right. Lifting her gaze, she squinted in the darkness. Why was it so damned dark out? Where was the damn moon when she needed it? Because now, she needed to see Quinn’s face more than she needed air.

  Quinn took a few steps forward, making her even harder to see as the darkness enveloped her. Lacey took her by the hand and led her back onto the platform. She held her by the shoulders and said, “Say it again.” Quinn opened her mouth, but Lacey put her fingers over it, preventing her from saying the words. “Wait. This isn’t just because my dad died and you think I need to hear it.”

  Quinn shook her head, the hand still on her mouth.

  “Or, because I’m feeling sorry for myself now that I have no family.”

  Quinn shook her head again.

  “Or, because…”

  Quinn took Lacey’s hand away, keeping hold of it. “Stop trying to find reasons other than the real one – that I fell in love with you a long time ago, too.”

  “Real. Not fake?” Lacey’s voice sounded so unsure. And it was. Her heart, her mind, her soul – none of them were ready to accept this truth.

  Quinn took a step back and held out her hand. “You said I couldn’t just hold out my hand. I also had to tell you that I love you. And even though I’ve fought it, and thought it would be one-sided. And even though I was scared to death to feel anything for you, because there was always Dani, and your life back in New York. And even though you might break my heart because you’re bigger than life and your career is going to explode now – even with all of that, I would be an absolute fool to keep those words inside for another second. So, yes, honey. I love you. And I want you, if you’ll have me.”

  Lacey took Quinn’s hand, still trying to process all of it. “None of that BFF stuff?”

  Quinn shook her head. “No. I mean, I hope you’ll always be my best friend, but you’d make a shitty maid of honor.”

  Lacey dramatically swiped her hand across her forehead. “Whew! What a relief.”

  “For me too. Peach really isn’t your color.”

  “Not to mention that you really shouldn’t want to fuck your maid of honor.” Lacey paused, realizing what she’d just heard. “Peach?”

  Quinn removed the space between them and wrapped her arms around Lacey’s waist. “Do you think you could maybe stop with the banter and the whole not kissing me thing, and maybe…”

  Quinn whimpered when Lacey’s lips hit hers. The electricity between them was immediate and even more powerful than it had been on the set. “Oh god,” she whispered into Lacey’s mouth.

  “Yeah,” Lacey whispered back, right before she deepened the kiss. As her tongue found Quinn’s, a hand slid from her back down to her ass. She giggled. “I knew you were obsessed with my ass.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Everything. Quinn was obsessed with everything. Her hands were everywhere, squeezing Lacey’s ass, gripping her back. There were way too many clothes. She pulled away, her eyes dark with lust. “Let’s take this inside.”

  Lacey grabbed Quinn’s blouse and pulled her back. She worked her way over to Quinn’s ear, kissing her cheek, her jaw, her neck. She ran her tongue over her ear and said, “You need to be sure. Are you sure? Because I can’t hold back everything I feel for you anymore. You’ll have all of me after this.”

  Quinn's panties were wet. Her body was on fire. And Lacey whispering in her ear was making her crazy with lust. She wanted her naked. She wanted to taste her and know what she sounded like when she came. She wanted to make up for all the times she didn’t tell her how beautiful and funny and sexy she was. She wanted to own Lacey Matthews’ heart. “Go
d yes, I’m sure.”

  Lacey grabbed the bottle of wine off the table and put out her hand. “Let’s go.”

  Quinn was pushed up against a wall, her clothing slowly being stripped from her body. Her chest was heaving, her eyes were tracking Lacey’s every move. It would happen soon. Lacey’s mouth would be on her – “Oh god.” She ran her fingers into Lacey’s hair and closed her eyes, pressing her breasts closer, needing more pressure.

  She’d imagined this so many times, the things Lacey’s mouth would do. Her tongue, flicking and sucking. Her warm hands gripping her waist, like they were right now. Quinn needed them lower. She took Lacey’s hands and placed them on her ass. Yes. That was better.

  Lacey urged Quinn to turn around and face the wall. Quinn gasped when she felt the bite on her shoulder. Lacey’s hands reached around and cupped her breasts as she sucked on the spot she’d just bitten.

  Quinn’s breaths were excited and shallow. She couldn’t wait to see where Lacey would go next. Zipper. They would go to the zipper next. “You’re so beautiful,” Lacey whispered as she let Quinn’s pants fall to the floor. She turned her back around and pressed their bodies together. Her hands slid into Quinn’s panties and squeezed her ass as her tongue found Quinn’s again.

  “I need to see you,” Quinn whispered. She pulled Lacey’s blouse over her head and tossed it aside. Then, unzipped her skirt. Lacey stepped out of it and Quinn stared in awe. She’d seen Lacey in her bikini, but this – seeing her in a sexy pink bra and matching thong? Good god, Quinn couldn’t take it anymore. She pushed the straps off Lacey’s shoulders and pulled the bra down. “Oh my god,” she whispered as her fingers trailed down Lacey’s chest and over taut nipples.

  Lacey took Quinn’s hand and led her to the bed. She unhooked her own bra and then Quinn’s, leaving them both in just their panties. She urged Quinn onto the bed and straddled her hips, putting them in the same position they were in when they shot the love scene, minus the bras. “I should finish what I started,” Lacey said. She kissed Quinn soundly and then worked her way down her body, kissing and sucking as she went.

  Quinn pushed herself up onto her elbows, needing to watch Lacey’s every move. Just before she got to the edge of Quinn’s panties, Lacey looked up and gave her a sly grin. “You want this so bad, don’t you?”