by B J Phillips
Andi’s face looked up at her with that same expectant look, however once again Andi didn’t wait for Kelly to kiss her. Kelly felt Andi’s lips on hers and she felt herself melting. Their kiss deepened, mouths open, tongues playing, and their bodies welded together. Kelly thought her legs could collapse under her, taking them both to the floor. She ended the kiss abruptly.
“I…I didn’t bring you up here to…” she began.
“Maybe you didn’t, maybe you did. It doesn’t matter,” Andi whispered. “Kelly, I…I want you. I look in your eyes and I know you’re the one. Every time I find out something new about you, I care for you even more. Are you telling me you don’t want me?”
“Oh, God, no.” Kelly brushed Andi’s hair at her temples lightly with her fingers. “I want you, I just…”
“What? Do you still doubt me?”
“No. I don’t.”
“Then what?”
When Kelly didn’t say anything more, Andi reached up to put her hand over Kelly’s hand in her hair. She brought both their hands to her lips, kissed Kelly’s palm, and placed it on her breast, over her heart. “Can you feel my heart beating? It’s been yours for a while now. Yours and only yours. And I want you to claim it.”
At the touch of her hand to Andi’s breast, Kelly swallowed hard. She knew she was in deep.
Chapter Twenty-nine
KELLY’S HAND HADN’T MOVED from where Andi placed it over her heart, and she had pulled just inches away and gazed into Andi’s eyes. “Andi, you know I care about you.”
“I know that.” Andi smiled. She placed a brief kiss on Kelly’s lips.
“And you can tell I want you.”
“I can tell. Is there a ‘but’ somewhere in there?” Another little kiss.
“I thought so, now I think I lost it.” Kelly grinned as she wrapped her arms around Andi and pulled her closer. She closed her eyes and felt Andi melting into in her arms. She had dreamt of doing this so many times. She could smell Andi’s hair, her shampoo something sweet and fresh. Her fragrance was also a clean, soap and water.
After what seemed like forever she opened her eyes and looked into Andi’s. “I so want to believe all of this is real.”
“It is. We’re here. Together. Alone.”
“In my bedroom.”
Andi grinned. “Yes, in your bedroom. What should we do next?”
“Hmm…I don’t know. What do you want to do?” Kelly grinned back.
“Well, it’s your house…”
“And you’re the guest, so…”
Andi’s lips on Kelly’s stopped the conversation and answered the question. Andi’s hands on Kelly’s face, then the back of her head, pulling her into the kiss, their mouths admitting each other’s tongues to probe, taste, and play.
Whatever Kelly’s brain might have been trying to say, her body and heart shut it down. Her heart was ready for this. Her body wanted Andi. Now. If Andi left tomorrow and never returned, she’d still have tonight. She wanted Andi now and she knew Andi wanted her. She could feel it down to her core. She felt herself open the gate in the last fence between them and Andi walked in.
Kelly’s fingers found the bottom of Andi’s T-shirt. She reached beneath it and touched the soft skin on Andi’s back. She could hear herself breathing heavier as a soft moan escaped from Andi’s lips. She reached down and caressed her behind, pulling her closer. Andi’s fingers were reaching for Kelly’s shirt, pulling it up, forcing them back apart as her shirt came off over her arms.
Andi’s T-shirt came off next, exposing a black lace push-up bra. Kelly kissed the soft exposed part of Andi’s breast and heard her moan in response. She reached to unclasp the front closure on Andi’s bra, releasing the rest of her and dropping the bra to the floor.
“You’re so beautiful,” Kelly whispered into Andi’s ear. “I do want you. I want you so much it hurts.”
“I’ve waited so long to hear you say that,” Andi whispered back. “I want you, too. Now.” Andi’s lips were on Kelly’s again, hard. The kisses deeper and more demanding as she reached for Kelly’s sports bra and pulled that off over her head, then quickly unbuttoned her shorts and slid them down where Kelly stepped out of them and kicked them away.
Piper must’ve figured out that she should move somewhere else, because she jumped off the bed and into another little dog bed near the dresser, where she promptly laid down and ignored them.
Kelly reached to throw back the quilt before she picked Andi up and placed her gently on the bed. As she lay down next to her, she stopped and looked at her for a few seconds. “You really are beautiful. You take my breath away.”
Tears escaped from Andi’s eyes as she tried to keep from crying. “I’ve never been with anyone who said anything remotely that sweet to me. Ever.”
Kelly gently wiped the tear from each of her eyes with her thumb, then kissed her eyelids. “Then you’re overdue. They were blind,” she whispered into Andi’s ear.
“I…I so want you. You have no idea.” Andi pulled Kelly to her for a kiss.
Kelly whispered back, “I want you, too.” She traced the outline of Andi’s face with a finger while gazing into her eyes, and then traced a line of kisses from Andi’s ear down her throat to the swell of her breasts as Andi moaned her name and made little whimpering noises. She cupped one breast, feeling its softness in her hand as her tongue played around Andi’s now hardened nipple and sucked on it. She heard her breathe in sharply in pleasure as she kissed and licked her way to Andi’s other breast.
Kissing her way down Andi’s tummy, she slid off Andi’s shorts and black lace bikinis and tossed them to the floor. Her hand slowly explored the silken skin on the inside of Andi’s thigh as her lips returned to Andi’s. Their tongues danced as the kiss deepened. Her fingers explored Andi’s wet center—her erect clit and the warm wetness below, knowing her own was just as wet.
Andi pushed against Kelly’s hand as she stroked her, matching her rhythm, their breathing ragged from desire. “Oh, yes, oh, yes,” over and over as her hips ground harder against Kelly’s hand, bringing Kelly’s own desire closer and closer to the top.
Andi cried out Kelly’s name in release as Kelly came seconds later in response. Both breathing hard, they laid wrapped in each other’s arms and legs for a few minutes, unable to move.
“Oh. My. God.” Andi took a deep breath and hugged Kelly closer. “That was amazing. You’re amazing.”
“So are you.” Kelly rolled over on her back, pulling Andi with her, wrapped in her arms. Andi lay dozing and Kelly no longer had any doubts that Andi was the one she wanted. She knew they’d work out the whole “not living here” thing somehow. They had to. She moved a small strand of hair out of Andi’s face and knew her heart had found a home. They only had to figure it all out.
Chapter Thirty
“I’M GUESSING THAT you and Kelly made up, since you didn’t come back last night?” Elise smiled and patted Andi’s hand as they sat across from each other in the kitchen nook.
“Yes, you could say that. I think I’m definitely forgiven.”
“You have quite a glow about you.” Andi blushed as Elise grinned at her. “I’m glad. You know, I wish you two had met before you got involved with Jo, although I can’t imagine how that would’ve happened.”
“I know. It was serendipity that we met at all. If you hadn’t wanted those bookcases and if the construction company hadn’t sent her…well, we might never have run into each other. So, I guess I should thank you for setting all of this in motion.”
“For what it’s worth, you’re welcome. I’m happy to see you happy. So now what? What’s next?”
Andi took a deep breath. “Well, what’s next is that we need to have some time to be together and see how it goes. I still have a business to run, however I think we will work it all out. Your idea of another gallery here in Fort Myers or Naples could be exactly the thing. Do you know any good real estate agents who handle commercial property?”
“I’m
sure I can find someone for you if you’d like me to get the ball rolling. Friends of friends, if you know what I mean. Everyone around here seems to have some connection. I’ll ask around if you’d like.”
“That’d be great, thanks. Oh, and one more thing. Last night Kelly told me she’s just about finished with the house she’s currently renovating. She said she’ll put it on the market soon and when she does, I want it.”
“Really? That nice, huh?”
“Wait till you see it. You’ve seen what she can do with a bookcase, try to imagine that on a whole house.”
“Well, you did say you wanted a place here. If that’s what you want…”
“Aunt Elise, it’s wonderful. It’s cozy. Exactly enough room. I’m sure I want it.”
“Okay, then. Why don’t you simply tell Kelly you want it and pay her what she asks?”
“I could. I know she needs to sell it to move on to the next renovation and I can offer her a cash deal. What’s worrying me is that since I want to live there with her, it might feel like I was pushing our relationship forward quickly when we just got together. That might be moving too fast for her. Is there some way I can buy it without her knowing it’s me?”
“I don’t know. We’ll have to look into it. Are you sure you want that house and not a condo?”
“I’m sure. I’ve never been so sure of anything like this before. It feels completely right.”
“Okay, let’s see what we can do. I’ll ask around about an agent, and we’ll go from there. It would be nice to find one that handles both residential and commercial property. I have an attorney here in town, too. If we need to, I can check with her and see what she says about buying property.”
“Thank you. You’re always there every time I need help and I do appreciate it.”
“I love you, sweetie. And I love being able to help you any way I can. I have a thought. Does Kelly know the name of your gallery or the name you hold it under?”
“No, she doesn’t. Why? Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“If it’s to buy it as your company, yes, that’s what I’m thinking. You’re incorporated, right?”
“Right. I guess I could buy it under the company name, which isn’t the same as the SoHo gallery anyway. After it’s all done, I could sign it over to myself as personal property. That might work, as long as it’s all legal.”
“We can run it by my attorney and see what she says. She’s used to getting oddball questions from her clients, I’m sure.”
“I bet she is.” Andi laughed. “Sounds good. If we need to, we could call her this afternoon if she’s available.”
“I’ll call around about a realtor first and set up an appointment, then see if my attorney will be in her office if we need to call her while the realtor is here. I love doing this. I’m getting excited for you!”
“Aunt Elise, you’re wonderful. You always seem to have a solution to every problem I come up with. How do you do it?”
“Sweetie, I’ve been around the block a few times. There’s not much I haven’t had to deal with myself already. Now, I’ll admit I haven’t tried to buy property from someone I was interested in as a lover.”
“No, I’m sure you haven’t. That didn’t stop your brain from coming up with some great ideas for solutions.”
“Ah, well, what can I say? When you’ve got it, you’ve got it.” Elise grinned again, holding her hands up.
“And you’ve definitely got it. You’ve always had it. I still say it’s amazing you’ve stayed single for so long. I’m surprised someone hasn’t snatched you up.”
“You have to make yourself available for something like that to happen. I really haven’t been interested in anyone else since…” Her voice trailed off, then she waved her hand as if she dismissed the thought. “Anyway, I’ve been quite busy.”
“One of these days, you need to not be so busy. When will you have time for you?”
Elise took a deep breath. “I have time for me. I don’t know if I have time for someone else in my life. Perhaps I’ll be able to make time if the right one falls into my lap.” She winked at Andi. “Kind of like Kelly did for you.”
“Right…well, here’s to hoping that someone wonderful magically appears into your life, too.” Andi held up her glass of soda in salute.
Elise held hers up as well, then clinked her glass to Andi’s as she smiled. “Sure. I’m not holding my breath.”
Chapter Thirty-one
SOMETIMES THINGS JUST HAPPEN. Sometimes they happen for a reason, sometimes they don’t. These words kept going through Kelly’s mind as she mulled over the night before. Holding Andi in her arms, kissing her, touching her, making love with her, they all came when she wasn’t sure she was ready for them. She knew she cared for Andi. Was she ready for a relationship with her?
Piper looked up at her as they enjoyed a Saturday morning on their lanai. Scratching Piper’s ears absently, Kelly knew it wouldn’t be long until this house would no longer be hers. It would sell quickly and she’d move on to the next house to renovate. It had always been fun before, exciting even. For some reason, today she was feeling rather melancholy about leaving this house.
Maybe it was because this was where she was living when she met Andi. This was where she was living when she adopted her adorable Piper. It was also where she was living when she watched Shawn and Carrie marry. She’d stayed in this house much longer than the other renovations, so that was probably it. It was only someplace she’d lived in longer. That’s all.
No, that wasn’t all. For some reason, this house had gotten to her. She’d spent more time working on it because it wanted her to. It needed her to. The house had given her a home. She had given it love back. And now she had to put it up for sale and move on. She wasn’t going to be happy about it, but that’s the way it was. She hoped whoever bought it would love it like she had.
Her real estate agent was on the way over to do the paperwork. Lauren Prescott had worked with her for several years and several houses. She always did a great job and the houses practically sold themselves the way Lauren presented them. She always knew exactly what to point out to each potential buyer and was great at getting the buyer to pay well for what they were getting. There had even been bidding wars on some of those houses. They were a great team. So why didn’t she feel great this time?
Piper leaped off the loveseat and dashed for the door, barking. Must be Lauren. Piper could always hear someone pull into the driveway before Kelly knew they were there. She sometimes affectionately referred to Piper as her personal dog bell.
“Got another one for me?” Lauren asked as Kelly held the door for her. Lauren was old enough to be Kelly’s mom, except she was not at all mom-like. She was taller than Kelly by several inches, trim and athletic-looking, with rather striking grey eyes and very light strawberry blonde hair. Kelly always thought she colored it because she didn’t see any grey in it. If she did, it was a great job.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Well, I’ve been working on this one for much longer than any of the others. I think you’ll like it and I hope someone nice will want to buy it.”
“You always say that…like the buyer is adopting the house.” Lauren stopped still inside the door. “Wow, I love this. I can see you’ve done some amazing work in here, from standing in the entry. That stair bannister, for one, is gorgeous. It sure looks different than it did at the time you bought it.”
“Well, that’s the idea.” Kelly closed the door behind them. “Come on back to the kitchen and let’s chat first. Afterward, I’ll give you the big tour.”
Lauren’s eyes moved constantly as they walked, taking in the cozy little living room. Kelly knew Lauren was going ka-ching every time she noticed a little detail that Kelly had put into this house that was unique. She wouldn’t talk about an asking price until she had seen the whole thing in detail.
Kelly handed Lauren a bottle of Diet Coke, Lauren’s staple drink. Lauren took a sip from the bottle after th
ey sat at the kitchen nook table. “Wow, look at this tabletop. It’s amazing. It’s such a nice place to sit now and it’ll be a big selling point. The little wooden table someone had pieced together and shoved into this spot before did it no justice. This thing even feels sweet to the touch.”
“Thanks. I know you love built-ins, and this one was fun to make. I may do something like it again in another house.”
“Now that would be nice. By the way, since you’re getting ready to sell this one, I know you’re looking for another one. If you have something in mind, tell me. I do have a few pictures here to show you. We can see if anything strikes a chord with you. If you see something you want to look at, all you have to do is say so and we can go look any time you want.”
“Well, I’ve seen something I might be interested in at the right price. It’s a cracker house…”
Lauren put up a hand to interrupt her, pulled a picture out of her folder, and slid it over for Kelly to see. “By any chance, could it be this one?” It was the one Kelly had driven by multiple times.
“That’s the one. Wow, do you know me or what? Do you have more pictures? Is it a mess inside or is it worth saving?”
“I haven’t seen the inside other than a few pictures posted on the MLS. I printed those out for you, as well. You can see them better than on a tiny laptop picture.” She slid those pictures across the table as well.
It was fairly clear the house was not in pristine shape. It’d been well-used and probably somewhat abused over the decades, however that didn’t rule it out as a possibility. “How big is the lot?” Kelly asked.
“Good sized. Probably as big as this one. I think it has potential as a fixer. Do you want to see the pictures of the other properties I picked out for you to see or do you already have your heart set on this one?”
“Let’s look at the other pictures. While I still like that one, I’m not closed minded about other possibilities.”
Lauren pulled out pictures of five other properties in various stages of handyman special condition. “There were more properties that fell into your usual category. These, including the one you already liked, seemed to be the best value as far as I could see. I’ve toured all the rest of them except for that cracker house.”