by Gerri Hill
“No. I imagine you know which ones are more invested in it than you are. Ashly? The model? She was straight, wasn’t she?”
Cassidy laughed. “She likes to play both sides, yes.” She held up her hand. “And for the record, I did not sleep with her.”
“I saw her naked in your pool,” she blurted out.
“Doesn’t mean I slept with her. She wanted to, don’t get me wrong.”
“But?”
“I wasn’t in the mood to pretend, I guess.”
“You invited her out for the weekend with that intention, though.”
“Yes, I did.” Cassidy took a scoop of water with her hand and splashed Laura. “Why all the questions?”
“I’ve never met anyone as attractive, as nice, as successful,” she said, motioning to the house, “who is perpetually single.”
“You’re attractive, you’re nice…you’re single.”
Laura laughed and threw two handfuls of water at her. “Left out successful, huh?”
“Well, your yard business isn’t up and going yet.”
Laura sighed. “My mother says I’m too picky and that I’m looking for perfection. She also says that person doesn’t exist.”
Cassidy nodded. “My mother tells me the same thing. Maybe they’re right.”
“I see no need to lower my standards. I’m fine being alone. You, on the other hand…” she said with a smile.
“I’m alone this weekend.”
“So you are. Are you enjoying it?”
“Yes. I was thinking earlier how great I slept last night. And…I’ve enjoyed spending time with you.”
“Me too. It’s been a rather lazy weekend. I haven’t even had to cook!”
“You can help me with the rice dish.”
“I will. I can’t wait to try that chicken.”
“We can eat earlier than normal, if you want.”
Laura grinned. “You don’t have to offer twice.”
Chapter Thirty-One
“It’s huge.”
“I know it’s huge. But if I ever live here permanently, I want a stocked pantry. And I also want to be able to walk around in there and find whatever I need.”
“It’s as big as my bedroom.”
“Oh, it is not.”
Laura arched an eyebrow. “You haven’t seen my bedroom.”
“Are you offering?”
Laura smiled into her eyes, then patted Cassidy’s stomach as she walked past her, causing Cassidy to catch her breath. She dropped her gaze to Laura’s hips, then quickly averted her eyes as Laura turned around.
“How many mushrooms for the rice?”
“A good handful. Slice, then quarter.”
It occurred to her then that this was the first time someone had shared her kitchen while she cooked. While they cooked. Laura obviously knew her way around a kitchen, and she made quick work of the mushrooms. Before long, they were back outside, wineglasses in hand while the amazing aroma of green jerk chicken filled the air.
“I can’t wait to try that,” Laura said when Cassidy closed the lid on the grill. “How long?”
“It’s got to cook slow. A good thirty minutes, at least.”
They sat under the shade of the outdoor kitchen, the ceiling fan stirring the air around them. The sky was darkening to the south and she wondered if they might have rain later.
“It’s been a really good weekend,” Laura offered.
“I’ve enjoyed it too. Thanks for helping cook. I normally do that alone.”
“I didn’t realize I enjoy cooking as much as I do. When I lived alone, it was something I seldom did. Now, with Mom, I cook nearly every day.”
“During the week, I don’t cook much.”
“Dinner dates?”
Cassidy shook her head. “Not every night, no.” She smiled. “What? Do you think I have an unlimited number of women to choose from?”
“Don’t you?”
“Not really. I mean, I know a lot of people—women—but I don’t date all of them.”
“You have couple friends too, I guess. I mean—”
“The ones you’ve seen out at the pool?” At Laura’s blush, she laughed. “Just how well can you see from the windows up there?”
“From my bedroom, the pool is all but blocked by the maple tree. From my writing room, there’s a perfect view of the pool.”
“I see.” She leaned forward. “So…I do remember stripping one day. Were you watching then?”
Again, a very cute blush covered Laura’s face. “I, of course, was looking at the blonde and not you, smarty-pants.”
Cassidy laughed, knowing Laura was lying. She had made no secret that the women Cassidy had brought over did nothing for her.
“You have the worst taste in women.”
She sighed. Yeah, she did.
* * *
“Oh, my goodness! This is amazing,” Laura said as she licked at the green sauce at the corner of her mouth. “Just spicy enough. Tender. Juicy.”
“Glad you like it. And glad that you know how to eat a chicken drumstick properly—with your fingers.”
“Growing up, I used to fight Carla for the drumsticks. She was quick, but I had longer arms.” Laura paused. “So when you made this the last time…who was it?”
“Ashly.”
“Right. Ashly…the model you didn’t sleep with. When you made it then, what?”
“Knife and fork.”
“Oh my God! To eat a drumstick? What’s the point?”
“Exactly.”
Laura put her chicken down and licked her fingers before wiping them on her napkin. “I’m sorry. I guess I must seem a little simple to you after dining with women like that.”
Cassidy frowned. “Simple? What do you mean?”
“The opposite of sophisticated.”
“Oh, Laura…no,” she said with a wave of her hand. “You’re…you’re real. That’s how I described you to Tanya. Real. No pretense.”
“Who’s Tanya?”
“My assistant. She and her husband are coming next Saturday, actually. You should join us. Ribs and chicken on the smoker.”
Laura smiled. “Why do you keep enticing me with food?”
Cassidy smiled. “Because you’re not shy about eating.”
Laura picked up her chicken again. “I’m going to get fat.”
“I don’t believe it for a minute.” She took a bite of her own chicken. “So does that mean yes?” she asked as she chewed.
Their eyes met across the table, the candle flickering between them. “Will you have weekend company?”
“Like a date? No.”
Laura nodded. “Okay. Then I’ll join you.”
* * *
It started innocently enough. Laura was helping load the outdoor dishwasher when the wineglass hit the granite countertop. She tried to catch it before it shattered. The next thing Cassidy saw was red. Laura’s hand was covered in blood and she held it up, her eyes frightened. Cassidy grabbed a towel.
“Let me see.”
There were two cuts and Laura winced as Cassidy pressed the towel against the biggest cut at the base of her palm.
“I’m sorry,” she said gently.
Laura shook her head. “No. I’m sorry. It slipped and—”
“Don’t worry about the wineglass.” She lifted the towel, only to see blood still seeping from the cut and she covered it again. “It looks deep. Here…sit down.” She walked her over to the table, still holding the towel in place.
“You’ve got blood on you,” Laura said.
Indeed, Cassidy had blood on both of her hands. “What? Should I be worried I’m going to catch something from you?”
Laura smiled. “I’ve been practically a saint my whole life. I’m certain I’m clean.” She raised an eyebrow. “You, on the other hand, have been with more women in the short time I’ve known you than I have in my whole life.”
Cassidy peeked again at the wound. “Just because I have female company doesn’t mean
I always sleep with them.”
“No?”
“No. Ashly, for instance.”
“The model? The naked model who was floating in your pool?” Laura smiled. “So you keep saying.”
“Really. And I’m very careful. I get tested. And I’ve given up on oral sex. I absolutely don’t do it anymore. Those dental dams are a big turnoff, in my opinion.”
“I’ve only used a dental dam once, and yeah, it was kinda weird. It was kinda like…well, it defeated the purpose. But no oral sex? Wow…that’s got to suck.” Then Laura laughed. “Sorry.”
“What? Oral sex? Is that at the top of your list?” Their eyes met and Cassidy felt a jolt in her midsection, imagining oral sex…with Laura.
“We’re not having this discussion. No way.”
Cassidy smiled. “You’re blushing.”
“No doubt.”
Cassidy stood. “Let me get something to bandage this with.”
“It’s probably fine.” Laura lifted the towel. “Oh.” She met Cassidy’s gaze again. “Yes, maybe you should.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Now that I’ve looked at it, yes.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
She hurried into the house, trying to remember where she’d stashed the first aid kit. Her bathroom? The main bathroom downstairs? The kitchen? She paused in her search, her eyes staring at nothing. So Laura liked oral sex. Judging by her blush, she liked it a lot.
Cassidy blinked her eyes several times, then shook her head. Don’t go there, she warned herself. There was just enough attraction between them to be dangerous. And this was Laura. Her friend. Not some blond model type she’d invited to dinner to…to what? To date? To have sex with? She shook her head again. No. This was Laura. Best to get the image of Laura…and oral sex…out of her mind.
“The utility room,” she said out loud, remembering where she’d put the first aid kit.
Laura was still sitting when she came out. “Sorry. I couldn’t remember where I put it. Come up here, let’s wash it.”
Laura grimaced. “That’s going to hurt.”
“I’ll be as gentle as I can.” Laura still tried to jerk her hand away when the water hit the deepest cut. “Sorry.”
“Stings.”
The other cut, slightly below her little finger, wasn’t deep at all and had already stopped bleeding. The cut on her palm, at the heel of her hand, was deeper and nearly an inch long. As soon as the water washed the blood away, more appeared, but it was slowing.
“You might need stitches.”
“Oh, no. No, no, no. Just slap something on it, it’ll be fine.”
Cassidy dried her hand, then put a gauze patch on the wound, pressing down gently, holding it there. Blood seeped through and she discarded it, getting another one. She went through three of them before she was satisfied.
“Hold that there.” She got two bandages out—one for the small cut and a butterfly for her palm—then another piece of gauze and some tape. “Okay, take it off.” She quickly put the butterfly bandage on, then covered it with the gauze before securing it in place with the tape.
“You’re very good at this,” Laura said quietly.
Cassidy looked up from her task, meeting Laura’s gaze. Darkness surrounded them yet they were in the light. Laura’s hand was still cradled in her own. Again, a sense of…of something hit her. She swallowed, trying to push it away.
“My mother was a nurse, you know. And as a kid, I had my share of scrapes that I watched her tend to.” Laura still held her gaze but said nothing. Cassidy wasn’t able to look away this time. “I’m…I’m attracted to you.”
The words were out before she could stop them, and Laura slowly moved her head back and forth.
“I’m…I’m not your type. I’ve seen the women you’ve brought here…and I’m not your type.”
Cassidy let Laura pull her hand away, but she held firm to her gaze. “You’re attracted to me too.”
There was a moment of silence, then Laura smiled and took a step away from her. “God…damn that sixth sense of yours,” she said in a teasing tone. Then her smile faded. “That doesn’t matter though, does it? I’ve seen the women you bring here. I’m not one of those women, Cassidy.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to be one of those women.”
Cassidy had no reply to that. Laura didn’t want to be one of those women? Those women who came around for a weekend, sometimes two? Or like Claudia, a month before Cassidy tired of them, ending whatever semblance of a relationship they had. No, she didn’t blame Laura in the least. So she nodded.
“You’re right. You’re not one of those women.” She smiled apologetically. “Not my type at all.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Laura rolled to her side, silently pleading for sleep to come. As had been the case for the last two hours, it eluded her.
“I’m attracted to you.”
God, what was she supposed to do with that? Shocking, yes. And as she’d told Cassidy, judging by the women she kept parading through here, she wasn’t her type. She wasn’t even close to her type.
Then why?
And how could she possibly know that Laura was attracted to her? She’d been so careful, hadn’t she? What had given it away?
Oh, God…now what? Now what were they supposed to do?
She rolled onto her back again and pulled her hands out from under the sheet. She touched the bandage on her right hand, remembering Cassidy’s soft touch, her gentle fingers…remembering the way her stomach had flipped over—like a damn teenager’s—when Cassidy had been holding her hand. Remembering the look in her eyes…remembering her words.
“I’m attracted to you.”
Laura took a deep breath and closed her eyes. What if…what if she was Cassidy’s type, yet Cassidy didn’t know it? Cassidy had ended up waving her words away, apologizing for saying them in the first place. However…the other part of the equation was still out there; Laura was attracted to her, and Cassidy knew it. Laura had made no attempt to deny it.
Now what were they going to do?
Chapter Thirty-Three
Cassidy intentionally stayed late at work, making up some excuse to Tanya. She’d pushed her out the door with a “see you tomorrow” and a wave, then had closed her office door and leaned against it. No, there was no urgent work she had to tend to. Tanya most likely knew it too. Tanya knew everything that went on at the office. No…she was simply delaying her trip home, her trip to the country. She tilted her head thoughtfully. Home? Yes, it was starting to feel like home, wasn’t it? And she was afraid to go there.
Because of Laura. Because she was afraid to see her.
“I’m attracted to you.”
“Jesus, you’re so stupid sometimes,” she whispered.
She pushed off the door and went to sit down at her desk. She spun the chair around, facing the window and city beyond it. Downtown. Five o’clock traffic on a Friday. The fifteen-minute drive to her apartment would take over thirty, at least. She decided she’d wait until six to leave the office. She had a few things to pack. She wouldn’t hurry. She had a stop at the grocery store to make too. If she was lucky, it would be nine or later when she got there. Much too late for Laura to be outside.
But what was she going to do? Avoid her from now on? For what reason? They’d each said their part. It was over and done with. They were friends and that’s what they would remain. No, Laura wasn’t the type of woman she dated. And hell, for all she knew, she wasn’t the type that Laura dated.
It was a damn stupid thing to blurt out, and she wished she could take it back. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t that night and she couldn’t now. And God, when was the last time she’d told someone she was attracted to them? She frowned. Surely she had, but no names or faces would come to her.
And tomorrow, Tanya and Derrick were coming over. Laura had said she’d join them. Cassidy had half a mind to invite someone along…anyone. But it would be awkward enough. No sense in addi
ng to it. Besides, she’d already told Laura that she wasn’t bringing a date.
She blew out a deep breath. She was a grown woman. Forty-four years old, for God’s sake. And here she sat, afraid to go, afraid to see Laura. What exactly was she afraid of?
“It’s just Laura,” she murmured.
With that, she spun around and closed her laptop. She couldn’t possibly sit around here until six…thinking. She’d rather fight five o’clock traffic.
* * *
Laura sat on the patio sipping iced tea. Friday night and she was drinking sweet iced tea. She had beer, but she wasn’t in the mood for it. She had bourbon, but that too wasn’t appealing.
Where was she? Was she even coming this weekend? Since Laura had moved there—what was it? Over two months now?—Cassidy always came early on Fridays, even a few times on Thursday. But today? No. Here it was, nearly nine and there had been no sign of her. Laura knew why, of course.
“I’m attracted to you.”
Yeah…that was it. That was still it. She’d almost called her this week, just to clear the air a bit between them. She didn’t want there to be awkwardness. She didn’t want Cassidy to feel uncomfortable around her. But in the end, she didn’t. And now Friday had rolled around again and the weekend was here. Was she even coming? Didn’t she say she was having a Saturday barbeque? Had that been canceled? Was Laura even still invited?
She saw lights flash across the trees, and she turned, listening. Sure enough, she heard Cassidy’s gate opening. She was surprised by the nervousness she felt, surprised that her heart rate kicked up a notch or two…surprised by how thankful she was that Cassidy had come home after all.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Cassidy leaned against the island, a steaming cup of coffee in her hand. It was barely daybreak. Was she out there on her patio? Was she already sitting, having coffee, watching the birds?
She walked to the double doors and stared out at the pool, her gaze drawn to the fence as if she could see through it. Yes. Laura was out there. She could almost feel her.
Damn.
She’d busied herself in the kitchen last night, seasoning the ribs and chicken. She wanted to get the ribs on the smoker about nine this morning. She’d busied herself with unpacking, with tidying the house for company. She’d busied herself, yes, but that didn’t mean that Laura wasn’t on her mind. She had been, just as she’d been on the drive home. Just as she was now.