Chapter Forty-Seven
“I’m home,” Caz called out as she opened the door. Pulling her coat off, she kicked her shoes off and glanced into the lounge, finding it empty. “Grace?”
“I’m upstairs,” came the response, and then Caz looked up to find Grace leaning over the banister. “Did it go okay?”
“Yeah.” Caz nodded. She wouldn’t be mentioning her own moment of falling apart. “They’re just worried about you, that’s all.”
“I know, I just…I can’t right now, you know? But I feel a bit better. I’m just trying to be logical and not emotional about it. For now, anyway.”
“Of course. I’m going to make a cuppa and then I’ll come up and help finish packing and then we can get on the—” The doorbell rang. “Who’s that?” Caz said, more to herself. She took a look out of the small side window beside the door and sighed. The black Mercedes was on the drive.
“Who is it?” Grace whispered.
Moving to the bottom of the stairs, Caz answered, “It’s your mum.”
Grace’s eyes widened. “I thought you told them to stay away. I don’t…I can’t…Caz.”
“I did. It’s okay, I’ll deal with it. Stay up there.”
Lila knocked with the letterbox, pushing it open to shout through the hole, “Grace?”
“For fuck’s sake,” Caz muttered before opening the door and forcing a smile. She stood with one hand on it as she stepped into the small space, her other hand landing on the door frame, blocking Lila from entering. “Lila, I thought I just explained—”
Lila sagged. “I want to see my daughter, Caz.”
“I know, and I’ve explained she doesn’t want to see anyone.”
“Caroline, step aside,” Lila said, clearly more annoyed than she’d ever been with her daughter-in-law.
“I can’t do that,” Caz said, standing firm. “Like I said, Grace doesn’t want to see anyone right now.”
Lila threw her hands up dramatically. “I’m her mother,” she shouted.
“And I’m her wife,” Caz said, just the hint of irritation in her voice. “She has said she doesn’t want visitors. So, until that changes, I’m sorry, but no. I will let you know when she’s ready, or she will call, but I have to say, Lila, I’m very disappointed in you.”
She closed the door and waited to make sure Lila didn’t try again. When she heard the engine start up and the throaty sound of it roaring out of the driveway, she wandered down to the kitchen to make the tea she’d promised. Halfway through filling the kettle, she heard a small cough from behind and spun around to find Grace staring at her.
“What? Are you alright?” Caz asked.
The intensity of Grace’s stare unnerved her—no—excited her. There was something there that she’d not seen directed at her before.
Grace continued to look at her, head tilting slightly to one side as her eyes narrowed.
“You just told my mother off and sent her packing.”
Caz chewed her own bottom lip. “Yeah, that’s what you wanted, right? Did you change your mind? I can call her—”
She didn’t have time to finish the sentence before Grace crossed the room with all the gusto of someone on a mission. She grasped Caz’s face between both palms and pulled her closer, pressing her lips to Caz’s mouth. “That was…” she said between kisses, “the hottest thing…” Caz’s hands slid around her waist. “I’ve ever witnessed you do.”
The kiss intensified, past any level of heat they’d ever reached previously. Caz found herself pinned to the counter. Tongues battled in a duel for supremacy. Caz felt her fingertips moving, grasping at the material blocking them from touching the flesh she’d desired for so long.
“Grace…” Caz said when she finally had the sense to pull back. “What is happening?”
Getting her breath back, Grace covered her mouth with her hand, before lowering it and admitting, “I don’t know, but I suddenly felt this surge of…I guess, attraction?”
When Grace then giggled, Caz felt torn. She wanted Grace to feel better, after all, and though laughter sounded good to hear, Caz felt it hit differently.
“Okay…and that’s funny?”
“Yeah. I mean…you’ve always been protective of me. It was one thing when you told that bloke to back the fuck off, that was hot, but…my mum? That was…I’m sorry, I guess I just got lost in the moment and—”
Caz raised a brow as she stepped forward and pulled Grace closer again.
“So, what does this mean for…you know, us?”
“I guess maybe I can imagine us, like this…more…intimate…”
Caz nodded. “Noted. But to be clear, I am not taking advantage of your…”
“My mental state?” Grace smiled up at her.
“Exactly that.” Caz leaned forward, kissing Grace gently. “In our own time, okay?”