Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
DAISY
I was a total creep. Kaia was asleep under me, and I was just watching her, staring at her. She looked so beautiful I couldn’t help myself.
I reached up and started playing with her hair. My heart warmed when she smiled sweetly and snuggled closer to me. It was a new feeling, waking up with Kaia holding me, especially a naked Kaia, but it was a good feeling. It didn’t feel weird like I thought it would. It felt… right.
She was starting to stir, but I used that time to think about what had happened the night before.
Memories of kisses, touches, and orgasms filled my mind, and I smiled so widely I thought my mouth would crack. I took a chance, kissing her at the party, and I was relieved when she returned the kiss. Then, coming back home and finding out her feelings for me. It all made up my mind for me.
I had wanted her for a while, but I’d pushed those feelings aside and made excuses for them.
But after last night, there was nowhere else for them to go.
Now, I just needed to know what her thoughts were on the whole situation.
I told her I wouldn’t regret what we did, but did she?
Did she want it to happen again, or was it a one-time thing only?
I didn’t have to wait long, because she opened her eyes and I smiled. Her eyes met mine, and she frowned, looking confused and so adorable.
I kissed her nose and signed, “Good morning, pretty lady.”
“Good morning,” she replied, brows coming together. “I’m naked.”
I looked down at her body and laughed. “Yes, you are. Do you know why?”
“I wasn’t drunk, Daisy. We had sex… right?”
I licked my lips, remembering all the ways I felt her body against mine, and nodded. “Yes. We most definitely did. How are you feeling?”
A slight blush appeared on her cute little cheeks. I brushed a piece of hair behind her ear, and she smiled. I was taking the fact that she wasn’t running out of here as a good sign.
“I thought so. I feel sore, and confused.”
“You’re welcome.” She nudged me, and I kissed her softly. “Confused? Why?”
“Well, you’re my best friend, who I’ve had feelings for for a while, and we had sex. You told me that you like me too, and we had sex. We had sex, Daisy! Best friends don’t have sex with each other! What is happening?”
I smiled. “I think, from what I’ve gathered, is that we have feelings for each other that go beyond friendship, and we dealt with those feelings in a very good way.”
She scowled. “I’m spiraling, I know. I don’t know what else to do.”
“Okay, tell me, why are you freaking out about it?”
“Because, Daisy, I’m not freaking out!”
“I’m going to need more context than that, honey. You’re freaking out because you’re not freaking out?”
“Yes! I’m freaking out because I should be panicking, running out of here terrified and regretful, but I’m not. I don’t regret anything that happened, and I thought I would.”
“That’s good, right? If it makes you feel any better, I don’t either. Last night was… a revelation.”
“Yeah, it’s good, I think. Wait, you don’t regret last night either?”
“No. I don’t regret having sex with you. I told you I wouldn’t. In fact, I’d very much like to do it again, a lot.”
“Yeah, I mean, me too. I would like that very much as well. But, I… What are you saying? Are you wanting to start a friends with benefits arrangement? Are we dating now?”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Arrangement? I’m not signing a contract, Kaia. I’m saying that I’m just getting started with you. I don’t know what that means for us. Can’t we just see what happens? Take it one day at a time?”
She bit her bottom lip, and I wanted to suck it into my mouth. Perhaps later. “One day at a time. Okay. So what happens now?”
I kissed her adorable nose and caressed her cheeks. “Now, I’m going to take Duke out and make you breakfast, and you’re going to do your morning yoga and meditation wearing what you’re wearing right now.”
“I’m not wearing anything right now.”
“Exactly.” I winked.
She kissed me softly, and I wanted to forget all about work and our adult responsibilities and do some very adult things with her in bed. She pulled away and I pouted.
“I wasn’t finished with that kiss, you know.”
She kissed my forehead. “I know. Trust me, I wasn’t either. We have to get going, though. We can continue this after work.”
“Pinkie promise?” I asked, holding out my pinkie.
She smiled, linked our pinkies together, and kissed her thumb as I kissed mine. “Pinky promise.” She kissed my cheek and got out of bed, giving me the best view to enjoy as she walked out of my room. How was I supposed to get anything done today? At least I could watch her yoga stretches.
Kaia somehow managed to make it to work on time, even after her… extra-long yoga session. I couldn’t help it. She was bending over and she was naked. What else was I supposed to do with that? I had to taste her again, and she was already in the perfect position.
I also insisted on taking a shower together, to save more time, but I just wanted to touch her more. I wasn’t the only one. She had a hard time keeping her hands off me too. Sadly, it was only a serious shower and not a fun one.
I didn’t go into the store until around lunchtime, and we went to our favorite restaurant down the street.
Everything was surprisingly normal, except for the small touches here and there.
The light foot touches under the table. Holding hands while we walked.
She even held her hand against the small of my back while we walked in and out of the restaurant. The store was a different story.
Once we got close to the store or in the store, we went back to being just friends. Not whatever we were now, which was fine.
When we walked in, Drea looked up from the counter and smiled. “Welcome back, Kaisy. How was lunch?”
I smiled at the cute nickname and waved as we approached. “Lunch was good.”
“Good. Well, I’m glad you two figured things out.” She smiled and I frowned, looking to Kaia for help. Had I missed something between the party and now?
Kaia blushed and turned toward Drea. “What… what do you mean, Dre?”
“Well, you kind of ran out of the party, freaking out. I’m sorry about that. I wasn’t trying to upset you. It was all in good fun.”
I raised my hands to say something, but Kaia stopped me. “Yeah. It’s all good. Thanks again for inviting us. I better get back to work.”
She turned to me, and I couldn’t hide my irritation. “Walk home after I’m done?”
I put on a fake smile for Drea’s sake and nodded.
“Of course.” I turned to take my usual seat on the couch, but I couldn't get any work done. Was she ashamed of me? Of what happened last night? I made a mental note to ask her on our walk. She told me she didn’t regret it, but maybe she changed her mind in the light of day.
Maybe being back at work had cleared the sex-filled haze of the house.
I spent the next several hours of her shift sulking. I tried to get some work done, but my eyes would linger off my screen and land on Kaia. It would’ve been easier if she had been in the back all day, but of course she worked the register the entire time I was there.
When she’d look up to see me, she’d smile and wink, but I didn’t return her smile.
I tried. I wanted to. But I just kept thinking about how different she was acting when we were alone versus in the store and around Drea.
Maybe I was reading too much into it, and she just wanted to be professional at work.
But from the stories I’d heard about Drea’s best friends, and even Drea herself in her store, I didn’t think professionalism was too high on their list of priorities in the store.
Drea sent Kaia home early, and Kaia didn’t ask any questions as she gathered her things and rushed us out the door.
“Why are you in such a hurry?” I stopped our power walking down the sidewalk, trying to catch my breath.
“Because, if I linger, she might change her mind, and I’d love to get home and relax.” She tried to pull me in for a kiss, but my heart wasn’t in it. I wasn’t ashamed of what happened, and I didn’t want to be kept a secret. I needed answers before we did anything else.
She must’ve sensed my reservations, because she pulled back and looked at me with soft eyes. She looked like a sad puppy, and it broke my heart. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I—” I sighed, knowing it wasn’t right to lie to her. “When we are home, or outside of the store, you touch and kiss me, but as soon as we come anywhere near the store, you create space between us. Why is that? Why are you hiding me?”
“Trust me, Daisy, I don’t want to hide you.” She grabbed my hands and pulled me toward her, nearly knocking the breath from my lungs. She grabbed my face in a kiss so soft it was barely noticeable.
She pulled away and grinned at my pout. I hated when she broke our kisses. “I don’t think you can hide anything, Kaia. Everyone was at the Christmas party. They saw that kiss. They know.”
She blushed, and I started playing with the hem of her shirt, remembering that party and what followed. “I know. It’s just all so new, and I wouldn’t know what to tell them. You know Drea would ask a million questions that I don’t have the answers to.”
I frowned. She was right. “I understand, and I’m glad you have valid reasons for hiding me away.” I grinned to let her know I was teasing.
“If they ask you, you can tell them whatever you want. If they happen to bring it up, I won’t lie to them, and I’ll deal with it when it comes. I just don’t want to send out an email about it. I want to enjoy you all to myself for as long as possible.”
“In that case, why don’t we go home so we can enjoy each other… at the same time.”
She bit her lip, and I knew it was going to be a very good night.