I exhaled slowly, steadying myself. “You can do whatever you want, and I mean that.”
I heard her laugh quietly behind me. Moments later, the cork popped, and I heard the splash of wine in glasses. “For you.” I accepted and touched my glass to hers.
“To getting acquainted.”
She smiled. “I like that.” She wandered down the hall and peeked in on my bedroom. I leaned back against the kitchen counter and watched with the kind of permission that kiss had afforded me.
“I wasn’t expecting a moose.” She was referencing the framed painting across from my bed.
“Not many people do, but it’s my inspiration. Gives me strength when I need it. Like now, by the way.”
She made her way back to me. “Whyever would you need strength now?” she asked, amused. She traced a fingertip across my stomach to the underside of my breast as she passed. I sucked in air, and my breasts woke the hell up.
“Because you keep doing things like that, and I’m just…”
“Hot and bothered.” Her blue eyes had gone dark. She was hot and bothered, too. If someone tossed a match in the center of the room between us, the whole place would have gone up in flames in under a second. She sipped her wine. “What do you want to do about that? We should probably come up with something.” Her gazed moved down my body, and I felt every second of it.
“Are you kidding?” I watched. Waited.
“I have ideas, but you’re too far away. Come here.” I wasn’t feeling shy in the least bit.
Wouldn’t be a problem. I was ready to take control and go after what it was I wanted. I set my glass on the end table and watched as she slowly approached. Drunk on power and desire, I reached for her, pulled her in, my focus on the front of the sundress. She’d been on top of that neckline all day, adjusting her dress so it never dipped too low in front, that little line of cleavage peeking out and then disappearing again when she noticed. Not anymore. She’d abandoned the mission and showed a generous amount. I prayed it was on purpose.
“Hi,” she whispered as she leaned in and softly kissed my neck. Gasoline on the fire. My eyes closed automatically, and I leaned my head back, allowing access. Her left hand was working to open my shirt’s bottom button. Success. I inhaled. Then another button, higher. Air tickled my newly exposed skin. Distantly, I heard music. She had me hearing things. This was that good. Except the music got louder. It wasn’t in my head. I ignored it, shoving it to the side, waiting for her to reveal my breasts and take them into her hands. I swallowed my arousal, refocused, and kissed Carrie with renewed vigor, only to hear what I now recognized as a Timbaland song. Could that be right?
“Do you hear that?” Carrie asked, pulling back and looking behind her. The music had become oppressively loud, and now my phone was ringing in my bag. What was happening?
“I do. Let me see what’s going on.” I cursed whatever neighbor was ruining such an important moment for me. I swung open the front door and peered down the outdoor landing to the sidewalk below, shocked to see Kacey standing there with a bouquet of flowers and a Bluetooth speaker strapped to her ankle, blasting the song.
For a moment, I didn’t say anything. I gaped, speechless and trying to piece together what was going on.
Kacey beat me to the words. “Before you say anything, hear me out. I’ve heard everything you’ve been saying and gave it some thought. Like, I stayed up.”
I hurried down the stairs. “Kacey. No, can we not—”
“And I know now that you were right. Dead-on as always. This isn’t a fling. I want what you want. The on-demand hookups were great, but you want us to be more, and now I want that, too. We need to formalize this.”
I couldn’t believe what was happening. I could feel Carrie watching from above. I cringed. “This is not the time to do this.”
“Yes, it is, because I don’t want to waste another moment that we could be spending together. I was just stuck in this senseless loop of nonsense. A roller coaster never leaving the tracks. But I’ve caught up to you now. You knew all along that we belonged together, and now I do, too.”
“Things are different now.” I was speaking quietly, as if it could keep Carrie from hearing. Ridiculous. “Can I call you? This is all too much, and I have neighbors.”
She dropped the flowers and moved to me, taking both of my hands in hers. “But they don’t have to be different.” She looked around. “And I want your neighbors to know what I do. That I love you, Skyler, and I know you love me, too.” She shook her head as if the desperation was overtaking her. This was not the Kacey I knew. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to be yours.”
“Kacey,” Carrie said, descending the stairs. She had her bag on her shoulder and paused next to us. God, no, this wasn’t at all good. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard about you.”
Kacie nodded, still on the high of the mission. “Hi.”
I turned to Carrie. “It’s fine. This will just take a minute. Please don’t go.”
She scoffed but in that calm unflappable way of hers. “Oh, I definitely think I have to do that. I hope you two figure out your troubles. ’Night, now.” I felt the chill as she passed me on the sidewalk without so much as a look back. This wasn’t good.
My heart sank, and I dropped my hands. “You should go, too,” I told Kacey, who glanced behind her at Carrie’s retreating form.
“Was that the woman from the news? Why is she here?” Then understanding hit. “Oh.”
“Yeah.” A pause. “Look, I’m really sorry, but I can’t do this with you. I care about you a lot, but things in my life have shifted.”
Her fervor had quieted, and Kacey looked sad. “And you’re dating the anchor from your station.”
I sighed. “I’m not really sure but need to find out.”
“Fuck me. I’m too late.”
“Kace. No. It’s just not the path we’re supposed to be on. We’re friends. We had a good time, but it’s probably best for us to both move forward.”
She nodded, attempting to accept my words. “Are you sure? Because I just feel like I’m ready for more. You made me think about the bigger scheme.”
“And maybe you are. Find the woman for you. She’s out there.”
We stared at each other as she worked through it. Her brown eyes carried such shock. “I thought for sure this is what you wanted.”
“Well, now you get to find what it is you want.”
She nodded. “So…I guess I’m not staying over.”