by Gerri Hill
Tanya laughed too. “I don’t think you’re going to win with this one, Cassidy.”
“Met my match, huh?”
“I believe you have.”
Laura felt her heart flutter as Cassidy stared into her eyes. A slow—sweet—smile appeared on Cassidy’s face, but she said nothing else. Laura finally broke the contact and took a step away, only to have her eyes collide with Tanya’s. She gave Laura a very subtle wink.
“Let’s set the table,” Tanya offered. “Eat out here, right?”
“Unless you think it’s too warm,” Cassidy said. “We can eat inside then.”
“This is fine by me,” Laura said, looking to Tanya for confirmation.
“Yes. It’s cool enough with the ceiling fan.”
Within twenty minutes, the four of them were seated, and they all held their wineglasses up in a toast.
“To good friends,” Cassidy said. “It’s been an awesome day.”
“Yes, it has,” Tanya agreed. “Cheers.”
“Cheers,” Laura echoed, her gaze drifting across the table to Cassidy. Yes, it had been an awesome day. She was so thankful to have been included. Cassidy smiled at her.
“Okay…now you can have a rib.”
Laura took not only another rib but also a piece of chicken—a thigh. Tanya’s potato salad looked delicious and creamy and Cassidy had a pot of beans that she’d been slow cooking all day. Her plate was full, but she managed to squeeze in a spoonful of broccoli florets, just because she felt she needed to. That, of course, didn’t mean that she would eat them. She had to save room for dessert…something chocolate and decadent.
However, when she finally pushed her plate away—her stomach full to the brim—she thought she would surely burst if she attempted dessert. The first thing Cassidy put on the table was ice cream…vanilla. Tempting, but Laura would politely refuse. But then here it came…a plate full of chocolate squares. Creamy chocolate squares.
“Double chocolate coconut fudge brownies,” Cassidy announced. “I won’t tell you how much butter and cream cheese is in there, but after one bite, you won’t care.”
“They look sinful,” Tanya said. “I’m going to want the recipe, aren’t I?”
“You are.”
“I should skip the ice cream,” Laura said. She pointed her finger at Cassidy. “You’re going to make me fat!”
“So you keep saying.” Cassidy scooped ice cream on her piece anyway, smiling as she slid it to her. “Enjoy it and don’t worry about the calories.”
Tanya was the first to take a bite, and her mumbled “oh my God” made Laura snatch up her fork too. Oh my God indeed. She closed her eyes as she savored the taste. Judging by her moan, she would have sworn her mouth just had an orgasm. When she opened her eyes, Cassidy was watching her.
“I have no words,” she murmured as she took another bite. “You should be ashamed of yourself for making this!”
Cassidy laughed. “Consider me reprimanded.”
* * *
Despite telling them that they didn’t have to help with the cleanup, both Tanya and Laura helped load the outdoor dishwasher while she put the leftovers away. Not a single rib remained and only two pieces of chicken were left. She had to admit, it was fun cooking for people who actually liked to eat. Like Laura. She wasn’t shy in the least about taking second helpings.
“You can give me the recipe on Monday, but I’m taking two brownies home with me now.”
“Take some for the boys too,” she offered. She glanced over at Laura. “Your mother would probably like one too.”
“Trust me, if one of those made it into the house, my mother wouldn’t be the one eating it.”
Tanya laughed. “I feel the same way. I’ll probably hide them from the boys.” Tanya walked over to her and hugged her. “I like her. A lot,” she whispered into her ear before pulling away. “Thank you for a great day, Cassidy.”
“Glad you came.”
Tanya then walked over to Laura and hugged her too. “So nice getting to know you, Laura. I hope we get to see you again.”
“Thank you. I enjoyed your company. It was a fun day.”
Tanya looked over at Derrick, who was patiently waiting. “Ready?”
“I should go too,” Laura said. “It’s getting late.”
“Stay,” Cassidy said without thinking. “I mean…have a nightcap with me.”
“Yes, stay,” Tanya said. “Don’t leave on our account.” She linked arms with Derrick. “See you Monday.”
“Be careful,” she called as they walked around the side of the house and disappeared.
She turned to Laura, suddenly feeling nervous. They’d spent the entire day together, yet they’d only had a few moments alone. They’d chatted like friends, they’d teased and played…and they’d flirted. And now here they were—alone—and she felt a little out of her element. She was used to being in control. With Laura, she never felt in control.
“I like them,” Laura said, breaking the silence. “Tanya is very nice.”
“She is.”
“She said you introduced her to Derrick.”
Cassidy nodded. “Derrick and I were buddies in college.” She walked over toward the pool, feeling Laura following her. The shadows were heavier here, the pool lights softer now as she’d switched from dark blue to red and yellow, giving the water a mild orange tint. It was…romantic. She turned to Laura, searching her eyes in the muted light. Yes, Laura was nervous too. What was she thinking? Was she thinking—like Cassidy was—that this was a dangerous situation they found themselves in? Was she wishing she’d gone home when Cassidy had asked her to stay? Or was she ready to explore this attraction that had sprung up between them? No. She’d already told Cassidy—in so many words—that she wasn’t interested. Yet…sometimes, Cassidy didn’t get that feeling at all. Sometimes, when Laura looked at her, Cassidy got a completely different feeling.
Like now.
She took a step closer. They were surrounded by the night and she could almost feel it touching her, touching them. She imagined she could hear Laura’s heartbeat, see her heart beat. The air around them seemed to sizzle as she took another step closer.
“Don’t…don’t do it,” Laura whispered.
Cassidy held her gaze steady. “Do what?”
“Don’t you dare kiss me.”
“No? I’ve thought of little else all day.” All week, really, if she was being honest with herself. “You have too.”
Laura shook her head. “No.”
Cassidy smiled. “Liar,” she whispered, seeing Laura’s answering smile.
Both of their smiles faded, however, as their eyes held. Again, Laura tried to protest.
“We can’t do this. We both know we…we shouldn’t do this.”
“We both know we’re going to do this,” she murmured as her gaze lowered to Laura’s mouth.
She didn’t know who moved first. She assumed it was her, but then Laura’s mouth was meeting hers with a gentle urgency, a gentle desperation. Twin moans broke the silence around them, and Cassidy felt her knees tremble. She felt weak. She felt light-headed. God…she felt faint. She deepened the kiss, moving closer to Laura. Her head began to spin and she was afraid she’d fall.
But Laura stepped away from her, her eyes wide. She backed up slowly, her own legs appearing a bit wobbly as she took several steps away before turning and hurrying past the shrubs and around the house.
Cassidy reached out a shaking hand and grasped the back of a chair before lowering herself into it. She still stared at the spot where Laura had been. Where Laura had been kissing her.
“What the hell just happened?” she whispered to the night.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Laura intentionally stayed in bed longer than usual. An hour longer and even then, she was afraid to get up. Afraid that she’d hear Cassidy’s familiar morning greeting at the fence.
“Hey, you out there?”
Of course, she could always just take her coffe
e inside. That would prevent her from having to answer. That would prevent her from having to see Cassidy. Because, right now, she simply couldn’t see her. She was afraid to see her.
She rolled over and faced the window. She wanted to tell herself that it was just a kiss…a little, silly nothing kiss. That’s what she wanted to tell herself. That’s what she wanted to believe. But it would do no good to lie to herself. Because never in her life had a kiss made her dizzy before. Never before had she feared her knees would buckle. Never had she felt a kiss all the way down to her toes.
She closed her eyes, once again reliving the kiss in her mind. And once again feeling butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
“Oh, God,” she whispered. What was she going to do now? How could she possibly face Cassidy after that?
She tried to muster up some anger toward Cassidy. It was her fault. She’d asked her not to kiss her. She’d told her it wasn’t a good idea. But no. Cassidy hadn’t heeded her warning. She kissed her anyway. So Laura wanted to be angry with Cassidy.
If only those damn butterflies would get out of her stomach.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
“If you don’t jump on this one, you’re out of your mind,” Tanya announced after ignoring Cassidy’s closed office door and barging inside.
Cassidy feigned ignorance. “What are you talking about?”
“Laura. I’m talking about Laura.”
Cassidy shook her head. “Don’t read anything into it. We’re just friends.”
“Just friends, my ass.”
Cassidy sighed and leaned back in her chair. “Tanya, she’s…she’s not my type.”
Tanya sat down across from her, her head shaking disapprovingly. “She’s exactly your type. It’s all these other women who keep waltzing through your life who aren’t your type. Don’t you know that by now?”
Cassidy met her gaze. “Laura…Laura scares me.”
Tanya’s expression softened. “You’re attracted to her and that scares you?”
Cassidy nodded. “Yes. I don’t feel like I’m in control when I’m around her.”
“And we all know you like to be in control,” she stated. “You should see your face when you look at her, Cassidy. It’s like you’re glowing or something.”
Cassidy snorted. “Oh, please. I don’t glow.”
“Believe what you want. I just hope you don’t run and hide because what you’re feeling scares you.”
“Well…I kinda did run,” she admitted. “We…we kissed. After you left, we kissed. And I thought I was going to faint.” She laughed nervously. “From a damn kiss.” She shook her head. “I was in shock. I couldn’t speak. We didn’t say a word. Laura left and the next morning, bright and early, I ran. I came back here.”
“So you kissed and you didn’t say a word to each other?”
“No.”
It was Tanya’s turn to shake her head. “You’re going to screw this up, aren’t you?”
Cassidy stared at her. “There’s not really anything to screw up. I told you—”
“She’s not your type. You’re just friends.” Tanya stood up. “You felt faint from a kiss. I don’t think you’re going to be able to outrun this, my friend.”
After Tanya left, Cassidy got up and paced across her office floor. Yes, she’d run. Like a coward, she admitted. But she couldn’t see Laura. She didn’t know what she’d say to her. Was an apology warranted? No. While she was the one to initiate the kiss, she certainly wasn’t the only one participating in it.
God, Laura’s lips were so soft. Soft and responsive and…and she wanted to taste them again. Because the truth was, the kiss didn’t last nearly long enough. No. Laura had pulled away. Laura’s eyes had been filled with wonder, shock…and something else. It was that “something else” that scared her.
She’d been with more women than she could remember, but that look in Laura’s eyes…Cassidy was certain she’d never seen it before. She was afraid. She was afraid that when she saw Laura, she might see that look again.
Or maybe she was afraid that she wouldn’t see it again.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Laura had a good week, she admitted. It hadn’t started out that way, but by Thursday, while she was mowing Cassidy’s yard, she’d finally gotten to the point where the damn kiss wasn’t at the forefront of her mind.
On Sunday, even after she’d realized that Cassidy had left—without saying goodbye—she hadn’t wandered outside of the house. If her mother was curious about her being underfoot, she didn’t mention it. A brief rain shower and the ensuing humidity was as good an excuse as any to stay inside. She’d roasted the chicken early and after dinner, she’d joined her mother in the den to watch TV. A mindless activity but at least it kept Cassidy—and the kiss—at bay.
Monday and Wednesday were water therapy days and she found her mother was actually looking forward to their sessions now. She also noticed that her mother was getting stronger. After they got out of the pool, her suggested walk was not met with rejection, and both days they’d made it to the end of the road and back without any missteps. And they’d finally agreed on a paint color for the house—a light brown with beige trim.
So yes, it had been a good week. Things were back to normal. She was the yard girl and she kept busy. The lawns were manicured to perfection, the flowers were watered and blooming beautifully. A good week.
But now that Friday had rolled around, she wondered if the good week would be followed by a good weekend. Would Cassidy avoid her? Would she avoid Cassidy? She supposed, really, there was no reason for them to even see each other. They had no plans for dinner. It wasn’t like they had to hang out at the pool together. And anyway, Cassidy was probably bringing company with her. Female company. Some skinny blonde.
She refused to acknowledge the stab of jealousy she felt at that thought. Jealousy, of all things! They kissed. A tiny, little, quick kiss. It was nothing. It meant absolutely nothing.
But it wasn’t tiny and it wasn’t quick, and when she closed her eyes, she could still feel Cassidy’s mouth on hers. She could still taste her…taste the lingering sweetness of her lips.
Damn.
No. She hoped she didn’t see Cassidy. She hoped that Cassidy brought company. Yes, that’s what she hoped. Cassidy and one of her women, hanging out at the pool…probably naked.
No! That’s not what she wanted. She didn’t want a skinny, blond woman—naked—out with Cassidy.
What she wanted was…
The ringing of her phone interrupted her, and she didn’t have to glance at it to know who it was. She’d changed the ringtone weeks ago. But why was she calling? Maybe she wasn’t coming this weekend after all. Maybe all this worrying was for nothing.
She swallowed down her nervousness before answering. “Hi,” she said, hoping her voice sounded normal.
“Hey. What are you doing?”
Laura bit her lip. “Thinking about you and that damn kiss” didn’t seem like the proper thing to say. She pushed open the back door and went out onto the patio.
“Nothing really,” she said. “Where are you?”
“Here.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Here here?”
Cassidy laughed. “Yes. So why don’t you come over? Pool?”
Bad idea, she thought. Very bad idea. But it was hot, she reasoned. The cool water would feel good. Damn. But no. She shook her head. Bad idea. Very, very bad idea.
“Please.”
Oh, God. “Okay. When?”
“Now?”
“Are you…are you alone?”
“Does that make a difference?”
“If there’s a skinny, blond model there with you, I’d just as soon not join you,” she said bluntly.
“Laura…I’m alone. Come over.”
She sighed. “This is a bad idea.”
“I promise I’ll behave.”
Laura grabbed the bridge of her nose and squeezed. “We should…we should talk.”
“I th
ink we are talking…right?”
Laura smiled. Well, apparently Cassidy wanted to pretend that the kiss never happened. She also wondered if she was going to pretend that she didn’t leave extra early last Sunday to avoid her. But she was here early, Laura noted. Extra early on a Friday. Oh, it didn’t matter. None of it mattered.
“Okay. Let me change. I’ll be right over.”
* * *
Cassidy wasn’t sure what it was about Laura that made her question her own self-assurance, but as soon as the call ended, she felt a little apprehensive…a bit nervous. She, who prided herself on her confidence, was feeling nervous, of all things…because Laura was coming over.
Maybe she shouldn’t have called her. Maybe she should have waited until tomorrow. But no. Erica and Amber were coming tomorrow. They were spending the night. And for once, Cassidy hadn’t been the one to extend the invitation. Erica had called on Thursday, saying they were free for the weekend and would she mind guests. What was she supposed to say? No? No, she couldn’t have guests because she was all mixed up inside because she and Laura kissed. Wouldn’t Erica find that amusing? Cassidy—who could date any woman she wanted—was feeling insecure because she and Laura kissed.
You’ve kissed lots of women, she reminded herself. Tons. Why was Laura’s kiss different? She swallowed, glancing to the spot where they’d been. It was different because she hadn’t been in control. No…she’d felt light-headed. She’d felt faint, for God’s sake.
“Are you okay?”
She jumped, finding the woman who had been invading her thoughts for the last week. She looked at Laura. Not just the last week, no. Much longer than that.
“Cassidy?”
She finally shook her thoughts away and smiled. “Hey.”
Laura came closer, a frown on her face. “A million miles away?”
Cassidy nodded. “Lost in thought, yes.” She took a step away from Laura. “Beer?”
Laura eyed her suspiciously. “You’re acting weird.”
“That’s because I don’t know how to act.”
“I thought you said that we didn’t need to talk.”