Chapter 17 #3
They had just bought some land a few months ago and were getting started on the building process.
Drea’s house had more than enough room for the two of them, but she’d said she wanted something they’d have together to start their new lives.
I only cried for a few minutes when they told me about the house.
I loved my best friend and was over the moon at her happiness. I wouldn’t have thought it before they got together, but Drea was absolutely obsessed with Blair and treated her like she deserved to be treated. She treated her like she wass the most important person in the world.
They continued talking shop while I sat there smiling and listening, Blair doing the same. Our women were really animated about their work and it was fun to sit there and watch them bonding over it.
Our women? I was getting way too into the act we were putting on. She wasn’t my woman. She wasn’t my anything.
The entire time they were talking, Vera’s hand was on my leg, drawing idle circles. It was making it hard to breathe. I kept finding myself wishing she’d move higher, but at the same time, wishing she’d stop touching me.
Eventually, the conversation trailed off and Drea and Blair decided to lay back and absorb the sun’s rays, which sounded like a good idea. Vera thought so too and had shut her eyes with a smile on her face.
I was getting overheated by the sun and Vera’s touch that had finally left my skin. I was not in the right state of mind. I was delusional from the sun. That was the only logical reasoning I could conjure up for thinking I could flirt back with Vera.
She had her eyes closed, as did my friends, and no one was paying attention to me.
I stood up to reach into my bag to pull out my sunglasses.
Something in my brain had snapped, and I found myself backing my ass up until I was almost sitting on her hand.
Why did I do it? Who fucking knows. Was it worth it to see her reaction? Absolutely!
“Oh, I’m so sorry, baby. I didn’t watch where I was going.”
The look on her face was the highlight of my day. I was still sitting on the edge of her chair, her hand almost grabbing my ass. Her mouth was parted and her eyes were wide and dark.
I was fully expecting her to squeeze my butt at any second or to pull me on top of her, but she did neither of those things. She didn’t do or say anything at all. I could feel her fingers twitching like she was using every ounce of energy she possessed to sit still.
“You can sit on me anytime, princesa,” she finally said with a grin. I didn’t want to unpack what those words were doing to me.
“So, Kaia, are you ever going to tell us how you proposed to Daisy? Or when?” I was so glad Blair brought up the engagement. I wanted to ask them about it, but I also wanted Kaia to be the one to tell me, but I was so nosey and wanted to know every detail at the same time.
“Yeah, like, when did it happen and why the hell did we have to find out on social media? Are we not family? Family don’t keep secrets from each other, Kaia Celeste!” I was surprised to see it was Mackenzie who was admonishing them.
Kaia blushed and brought her hands up to sign for Daisy while speaking to Mackenzie.
“Of course we are family, Kenz. I don’t know, I didn’t want to make it a big thing, especially with Drea and Blair’s wedding.
I didn’t want to take their moment. I didn’t want to do something flashy and public.
I wanted the moment to be private and something just for us. ”
“We respect that, obviously, Kaia. But we still want to know what’s going on in your lives.
We want to know what’s going on in everyone’s lives.
Just because we are getting married, doesn’t mean everyone else isn’t allowed to keep living their lives.
As long as no one proposes during our vows, we’re cool,” Drea said.
“Exactly. So how did it happen? Where did it happen?” Blair sat on the edge of her seat, as if she only had ears for what Kaia was going to say next. As if it were the most important thing she’d hear all day.
“Yeah,” I added. “We need to know everything!”
She shrugged. “There really isn’t a lot to tell. We were walking Duke one day when we saw a sunflower field, and I’d made a comment about how whenever I saw them I thought of her because when she smiles, it’s as bright as a sunflower field on a gloomy day, and I gave a sappy speech and proposed.”
“God! You two are so fucking adorable.” I couldn’t have agreed with Drea more. Kaia and Daisy were so cute and so perfect together.
After blushing and words exchanged between the two followed by sweet kissing, the topic of conversation shifted to updates on everyone’s work and home life, with everyone getting comfortable with their respective partners.
Blair was cozied up into Drea, as was Daisy with Kaia. Fallon was sitting on top of Mackenzie’s lap, and I was sitting a little too close to Vera.
She started dancing her fingers across the skin of my back, never inappropriately, but enough to cause goosebumps to appear on my arms. I glanced at Vera and saw she was looking directly at Drea, who was discussing their plans to get their dog, Milo, a little brother or sister.
I didn’t know if it was the alcohol or the fact that I was with all of my friends, either married or engaged and happy, that caused me to lean in to her touch slightly.
I hated to admit that I was actually enjoying myself.
Vera was pretty good company, and her touch had a way of calming me down without her having to say anything.
It was like she was using the touch to tell me to relax, and I had.
I was finding it easier to let those moments between us happen…
in front of my friends. I was getting comfortable with the lie we were selling.
The moment her hand moved lower, skimming the edge or my bikini bottoms, I jumped up so fast. I couldn’t breathe. Her hand on my back was too low and her hand on my thigh was too high and also not nearly high enough. “Excuse me. I need to use the restroom.”
Her touch was making me dizzy. Sitting next to her, smelling her cologne, was making my knees weak. Who wore cologne to a pool party and why the hell did it make me want to let her get me pregnant? Obviously, I knew that was an impossibility, but with the way my body was reacting, she could try.
Vera stood up with me, looking concerned. “Are you okay, sweetie. Do you need me to go with you?”
Damn it! She was being so sweet and I couldn’t think straight. I think the heat, mixed with everything about her, was making me feel light-headed. “No, I’m okay. I’m just going to the bathroom. Too much water.” I laughed, playing off the lie.
I needed to drown myself in ice to douse the heat boiling inside me. She was looking too damn good and her touch was getting too damn close and I was too damn turned on.
She smiled softly and placed her hand on my arm, stepping a little closer.
“I’ll be right here when you get back.” She leaned in, and I expected a kiss on my cheek, but she placed her lips on the corner of my mouth.
Not on my lips, but damn near close enough, and nowhere near my cheek.
I had to force my knees not to buckle. Why did she keep breaking rules, and why did I keep letting her? I felt like I was so screwed.
Her kiss lingered longer than a simple peck and I was getting closer and closer to turning my head slightly so I could finally capture her mouth in a kiss for real. With that thought, I took a step back.
She didn’t say anything as I turned and tried not to speed-run inside. Thankfully, no one was inside except for the caterers, so I made it down the hall and slammed the bathroom door closed, making sure it was locked.
Oh my god! What the hell is wrong with me? Stop reacting to her, vagina. She’s not for you! Yes, I remember how she made out with you, and caressed you, and—What the hell? I was talking to my vagina? I had really lost it!
I took a deep breath and shook my head. I had to pull it together.
I had to remember the rules. I couldn’t blur the lines just because she was a golden retriever butch who seemed to just want to cater to me, and had the body of a Greek God and I remember how that tongue and those fingers felt on me.
I turned on the sink, feeling the ice cold water run over the pads of my fingers.
I was already starting to feel better, but I took a puddle of water in my hands and splashed it onto my face and rubbed it on the back of my neck.
I was glad the party would be over soon.
I just had to stick it out for another few hours, then I could go home and not take care of myself at the thought of her touching me. That was the last thing I needed to do.
I dried my face off, enjoying the cool breeze it provided, and unlocked the door, taking one final breath before opening it and stepping back into the hallway.
“Fuck! I’m so sorry,” I yelled as I bumped into something hard.
Strong hands kept me from falling over, and I froze at that voice. “No, I’m sorry, princesa. I didn’t mean to startle you. I just came to check on you. You’ve been gone a while and I was starting to get worried. Are you okay?”
I pulled away from her, very in-tune with how our half-naked bodies were still touching. “No, I’m not okay, Vera. You’re breaking the rules!”
She frowned. “What? I didn’t grab anything. You bumped into me.”
“That’s not what I meant. That was not a peck on the cheek, Vera. That was a lingering kiss on the corner of my mouth. And no, you didn’t, but that thigh touch, and the one on my back, was anything but appropriate.”
“I didn’t kiss you on the mouth, it was still technically your cheek. But, you’re right. I was tiptoeing the line. I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Did it make you uncomfortable?”