“Amazing,” Carly said and dabbed her mouth with her cloth napkin.
“It really was.” They stared at each other, and Lauren swore the temperature in the room doubled.
“I didn’t get to see much of your place,” Carly said, finally. Lauren was an adult and knew the implication. She didn’t hop into bed easily and wasn’t sure she was ready, even with the surprising feelings she already had for Carly. Okay, the lust factor wasn’t helping her keep a clear head, either. Carly must have picked up on her hesitation. “But we can just hang out. I don’t want you to think that I’m trying to seduce you.”
“I like you a lot. Let me emphasize the a lot part.”
Carly grinned. God, she had the best smile when she responded to something that made her genuinely happy. This particular smile was different than the others, the ones that were polite, or friendly, or fun-loving. “I like you, too. I want to keep liking you.”
“Then, yes, come see my place, and hang out,” Lauren said.
Their bill arrived and Carly snatched it up. “I’d like to pay for this one.” She opened the leather portfolio and deflated. “Already taken care of.”
Lauren quirked an eyebrow. “They comped the check because you’re Carly Daniel? Does that happen a lot?”
Carly looked forlorn. “Yes. But I was hopeful it wouldn’t tonight, outside LA. I really wanted to buy you dinner.” Anguish flashed in her eyes. “That’s part of this.”
“This?” Lauren squinted. “You’ll have to explain.”
“You know.” Carly stared hard, like it was apparent. Finally, she lifted a shoulder. “The wooing.”
“Oh. The wooing.” A pause. Lauren frowned and had to run that by herself again. “You’re wooing me?”
“I was trying. How’s it going? Be honest.”
Just when Lauren thought Carly couldn’t get any cuter, she got an eager look on her face that made Lauren want to kiss all over it. Instead, she maintained her composure. “I suppose, on evaluation, I would say it’s going well. There were flowers, doors opened, and now an attempt at paying the bill. Yes, now I can see the wooing quite clearly.”
Carly leaned in. “Sorry for the epic check failure. Next time, it’s on me. Trust me. I’m good for it.”
Lauren nearly spat out her Baileys. “I’ve heard that somewhere. Oh yes, I think it was Fortune magazine.” Underneath her amusement, Lauren was beginning to understand that Carly had a very specific idea of what would impress her, when really, all she needed was a nice night out with Carly, talking, laughing, stealing glances. The kind of date they were having truly fed her soul. “You know what, though? You don’t have to woo me. I’m happy to just sit with you.”
Carly exhaled. “Good. Wooing is hard. You have to think several steps ahead, which I must admit, has never been my strong suit.” She glanced at the door. “Shall we get out of here?”
Lauren nodded. Once they hit the parking lot, it was clear a cold front had moved in. She scrunched her shoulders to her ears and took Carly’s hand in hers. Whoa. How was it that they fit together so effortlessly, as if those hands had been holding each other for a long time now?
“Hey, Carly D, marry me!” a man yelled from the window of a passing SUV. Carly ignored him, focusing entirely on Lauren, and when Carly focused on someone, it felt like they were the most noteworthy person on the planet. Lauren felt that way now.
It wasn’t a long drive to Lauren’s place, but now that the sun was down, it was getting colder by the minute. They were expecting rain that night, and Minneapolis was ready to introduce Carly to its infamous lower temperatures. Carly’s jacket was light at best, and she seemed to cling to it for dear life. Lauren cranked the heat and placed a hand on Carly’s knee. “You okay?”
“Just getting used to what September can feel like here. I’m not in California anymore, Toto.”
“That’s for sure. Do you miss it?”
Carly nodded. “Would you want to visit me there sometime?”
Lauren took in the question. She hadn’t imagined that whatever this was would extend beyond the here and now of the show. Like it or not, she knew the game. She saw the showmances crop up, and she saw them recess as soon as the show closed. Everyone moved on to their next project. Sometimes, the inevitable breakup left one of the two heartbroken. That was the hard part. “Could be fun,” Lauren said, keeping it vague, guarding her heart, but underneath thinking how much fun it would be for Carly to show her around LA. She decided to amend her answer. “I’d like that.”
The temperature seemed to have dropped even more as they made their way up Lauren’s walk.
“Holy hell full of icicles and frozen witches.” The first cold front of the season was not messing around, but Carly was also a bit hyperbolic in her reaction.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Lauren said. “You’re kind of a baby.”
Carly did a freezing little dance up the walk. “I don’t even care. It’s Santa’s workshop weather. Are the elves in the bushes? Send them out here.”
Lauren laughed. “While this is cold for a Minneapolis September, there’s no ice or snow to be seen.” Lauren estimated the temperatures to be in the forties. Not a big deal.
“I think Minnesota is hazing me,” Carly shouted, as the wind whistled past. “Minnesota is laughing with its northern friends about my frozen ears. They’re probably tossing back hot toddies and high-fiving.” The wind picked up and the branches of the trees in front of Lauren’s house swayed noticeably. “Ahhh! Get me inside. I’ll die!”
“Working on it.” Lauren landed on the front porch just behind Carly and put her key in the lock. “Do you think it’s possible that you might be overreacting just a little bit?”
“No,” Carly said, her expression dialed to panic, and her nose red. She shifted from one foot to the other in a ridiculous looking march, waiting for Lauren to get the door open.
Lauren laughed. Actresses were dramatic. She’d always known that part. She liked it on Carly, though. It felt playful, and fun. “Well, then come inside. I hear there’s no wind.” With the door unlocked, she held it open for Carly, who raced through as the wind howled behind her. Lauren closed the door and joined Carly in the dimly lit entryway, bringing them to silence, having left the escalating weather outside. Well, silence except for the very quiet sound of Rocky snoring on the couch on top of his favorite plaid blanket.
“You lived,” Lauren said quietly. Her smile receded and her heart thudded.
“You saved me.” Their voices seemed so quiet, the air thick and heavy. She could almost hear the snap, crackle, and pop of the tension coiled between them. “I owe you for that. Come here.” Carly held out her hand, and Lauren took it, allowing herself to be pulled in. Every part of her hummed with wonderful anticipation. She wanted to be close to Carly, to take in her scent, and touch her skin, and feel Carly’s lips beneath hers. They’d kissed in rehearsal, and one drunken night out. Nothing came with the same level of intent as right this moment.
Carly was shorter, but with her wearing heels, and Lauren in flats, they were square. Carly made the move. She turned her head to the side and hovered just shy of Lauren’s mouth. “You do things to me,” she whispered.