“I didn’t mean that,” she murmurs.
My fingers tighten around her arm as if I have no control over them. “Are you sure about that?”
“I mean, yes, I’m a sexual unicorn.” She laughs, and I can’t help but chuckle. “But I didn’t mean to imply you should try to—capture me, keep me, whatever.” Her cheeks are pink, and damn if she’s not the cutest, and sexiest, thing I ever did see.
“I like unicorns,” I tell her conversationally, stepping closer, invading her space. She doesn’t step back. No, more like Stella leans in a little bit, and I don’t know if it’s the liquor or the conversation, or just the fact that it’s been a while since I’ve had sex and my body is remembering how compatible we are.
“So do I,” she whispers, just as l lower my head, my mouth hovering above hers.
A phone rings, startling us both, and I spring away from her, my hand dropping from her arm. She offers me an embarrassed smile before she goes into the living room and grabs her phone from where she left it on the coffee table.
“Hey,” she answers, then goes quiet. She’s listening to whoever’s talking, and from where I’m standing I can tell it’s a female. A young female. Probably one of her friends.
Hopefully not my sister. Talk about crushing the mood.
“Wait, really? Oh my gosh, that’s so romantic! Yes, let’s definitely get together! Okay, text me when you have more details.” A pause. “Uh huh.” Another pause. “Right, yes, that sounds perfect! Okay, talk to you later.” Stella ends the call and turns to look at me. “That was Sarah. Jared’s sister just got engaged.”
I’m frowning. I can’t keep track of all her friends to save my life. “Which one is she?”
“Candice. The one who’s with the Christmas tree farmer.” Stella gets this distant look on her face, her eyes going soft. “He’s got this gruff exterior, but really he’s just so sweet for Candice. It’s the cutest thing. I’m not a romantic, but those two together make me swoon.”
“Really?” I’m surprised. I remember Charlie the tree farmer. He’s a good dude. A little quiet. Not as polished as the rest of the men who are a part of this group.
She nods. “They remind me of Lara Jean and Peter from our movie, but they’re real, you know?”
“Ah.” Sounds like a bunch of phony bullshit to me, but whatever. I can play along. Though that phone call interrupted a major moment. I was fully intent on kissing her.
Maybe it’s best it didn’t happen.
We start the movie, but we’re only fifteen minutes in when the delivery shows up with our pizza. We pause the movie and grab more drinks—water this time for both of us—along with paper plates and napkins before we dive in. For someone who claims she doesn’t like pizza, Stella devours three, maybe four slices, and I hold my own with five.
“God, this is so good. I shouldn’t eat pizza. It goes straight to my thighs,” she practically moans.
I can’t help but drop my gaze to her thighs. They look good to me. “You’re fine.”
That’s the understatement of the year.
She flashes me a smile, the corner of her mouth with a napkin.
I keep eating all this food and don’t do anything about it. I need to start running again. I know Stella goes down to the beach and runs. Maybe she’ll let me join her.
“Can we use the blanket?” Stella asks once we’re done eating. “I’m getting kind of cold.”
Sharing the blanket with her is only going to heat me up, but I’m game for some torture. “Sure.”
I drape the blanket over both of us and stretch my legs out on the couch, bumping into Stella’s. She smiles, makes like she’s going to sit up, but I stop her, my hand settling on her feet. “You don’t have to move.”
“I’m in your way.”
“I don’t mind,” I tell her, my voice soft.
We return our attention to the movie. At least, I try. But I’m completely distracted by Stella’s presence, the way her legs tangle with mine. Every time she shifts, I feel it. Her pajama bottoms are soft; I can’t help but rub my toes along the hem of one leg, and I wish she was wearing shorts so I can actually feel her bare skin.
Fuck it, I can’t concentrate. I’ve lost track of what’s unfolding on the TV. Shooting a glance at Stella, I see she’s totally enthralled. Her eyes are wide, her lips slightly parted. She reaches up, scratching the side of her head before she tucks away a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. I keep staring, forgetting everything but the woman sharing a couch and a blanket with me, and I wonder if I could get closer to her somehow.
If she’d let me get closer.
After a few minutes of my blatant ogling, she glances in my direction, doing a double take when she catches me staring. “Is everything okay?”
I nod. “Not really.”
Stella’s frowning. I can’t blame her. I’m making no sense. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m just…” I look away, focusing on the TV once more. “Tired.”
I can feel her watching me, and I know she wants to say something. Ask questions. Tell me I’m acting weird. I know it.
But she says nothing. And neither do I. We watch the movie in silence, and when right when it’s over, Stella leaps from the couch, tells me thanks for sharing the blanket with her, and runs away to her bedroom.
Eighteen
Stella
Two days after the movie marathon that ended strangely, I’m walking into a restaurant in Monterey, right on the wharf and with the stellar ocean views, meeting Sarah and Candice for lunch.
“Show me it,” is the first thing I say to Candice when I settle in my chair at the table where she and Sarah are waiting for me.
Candice thrusts her hand in my direction, the giant diamond sparkling on her ring finger so large, I gasp. “Isn’t it gorgeous?” she says. Candice is practically bouncing in her seat, she’s so excited.
I hold her hand, turning it this way and that as I examine the ring. The center stone is massive, surrounded by smaller diamonds, and the band is covered entirely with a row of diamonds as well. “It’s absolutely beautiful.”
“It’s huge,” Sarah adds. “Charlie went all out.”
“He did,” Candice says approvingly, looking very pleased.
“I’m so happy for you.” I give her hand a squeeze. “I can’t believe you’re getting married. It feels like you two just met.”
“I know. Our relationship has been like a whirlwind, but when you know, you know.” Candice withdraws her hand from mine, positively beaming. “We’re getting married at the tree farm. In November, right before Thanksgiving!”
I blink at her. “Charlie is okay with that?”
“He doesn’t really know my plan yet.” Candice grabs her glass of water and takes a sip, her expression one of absolute innocence.
“You haven’t told him you want to get married at the tree farm, during their busiest time of year?” Sarah’s brows shoot up as she sends me a worried glance. Charlie is gonna flip the fuck out when she tells him. He’s pretty tense during the holiday season, at least according to Candice.