I wouldn’t be surprised if my answering laughter could be heard miles away.
* * *
Ed and Thomas, the two lightning bugs we caught, were living happily in their jars on the back patio. I’d had a shower earlier that night, but when I got back to the room, I needed another one.
Hot water pounded on my back. I could still feel the curves of Polly’s body under my hands. My dick had finally calmed down, but at the first thought of Polly, Jace Junior sprang back to life. Which wasn’t too hard to believe. Since meeting Polly, Jace Junior was in asemi-permanent state of being, so to speak.
I grasped my length, giving it firm strokes. Last night, I’d started on the third book of the American Tail series that started off with a shower scene that was fire. I imagined Polly here in the shower with me, doing everything that was laid out in the book, my fantasies running wild. I pictured her fisting my cock, biting my shoulder, licking my neck, and whispering dirty things in my ear. I imagined water running down her body, her nipples hard, her core hot and ready for me as I turned her against the shower wall and thrust deep into her from behind.
I exhaled deeply, stifling my groan as I came hard, leaning back against the shower wall to catch my breath. I’d never been so confused about a woman before now. It was somehow simpler in the weeks I’d only been valeting her car. Then, she was this unattainable mystery of a woman, but she’d become real to me, and every new thing I learned about her made me want her more. She was strong and passionate with wit for days, yet at the same time humble and vulnerable. I genuinely cared for her. And I genuinely cared about her kids. I felt protective over her, in a way I didn’t realize until today, when I had my best friend pinned against the garage.
Then tonight, pressing up against her, feeling her shiver . . . it sure felt like interest. And even though she was out of my league in a hundred ways, even though I knew it was impossible, if I ever got the confirmation that this attraction wasn’t one sided . . . I was fucking going for it.
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
POLLY
Friendship is like peeing your pants; everyone can see it but only you can feel it.
Penny Reid,Neanderthal Seeks Human
Iwas strangling the neck of a wine bottle with my sweaty hand as Leah and I walked up to Rose’s front door. I lied to myself, blaming the sweat on the summer heat, but I knew better. Nerves wracked my body. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d hung out with a group of girlfriends. Oh, wait. Never. Because you’d have tohavegirlfriends in order to hang out with them.
I turned to Leah just before she grabbed the door handle. “Wait! Isn’t forcing me to go to book club going against this “best friend” code?”
Leah put her arm around me, giving me a half hug. “Nice try. But no. This is in the glossary of the best friend code.”
“There’s no glossary in the best friend code.”
“Maybe it’s in the appendix. Whatever. A true best friend can call someone on their crap and push them out of their comfort zone because they know and understand their friend’s true boundaries. They’re gonna love you. Let’s go.”
Without waiting for my reply, Leah opened the door and shouted, “We’re here! I hope y’all are eatin’ because I didn’t have time for lunch!”
Rose’s home smelled like cinnamon and baked bread. As I toed off my shoes, I spotted a fully decorated, artificial Christmas tree with seashell ornaments and aquamarine garland; a large sand dollar sat at the top of the tree. Darting my eyes to Leah, she didn’t seem to give the tree any mind, so I assumed this was maybe just an eccentric entry way decoration.
As we made our way through the living room to a hallway, I huffed out a laugh when I spotted another artificial Christmas tree near the other end of the living room. This one was massive, easily eight feet tall, and decked out with all different Disney ornaments. And if I wasn’t mistaken, it was rotating.
“Polly?”
I whipped my head to see Leah standing in the hallway, presumably waiting for me to follow. I merely pointed to the tree and raised my eyebrows.
“Isn’t it great? That’s the Disney tree. I’m so jealous. It would never last in our house. Bernie would knock it right over. Some of those ornaments are vintage.” Leah gave a longing look at the tree, then turned, done with that conversation. I followed her, the mystery of the summertime Christmas trees distracting me from my nerves.
A cozy kitchen had a rectangular island where four women were gathered. Two women were seated on one end of the island, drinking wine. They both had ash-blonde hair and glasses, and had to be identical twins because they looked, well, identical. Rose and a woman with dark hair were organizing a tray of cookies at the opposite end of the island.
As I debated how to say hello, Leah announced our arrival as subtle as a herd of elephants. “Y’all, this is Polly, my best friend, the one I told you about. She’s agreed to come hang out with us, and if we’re not nice she won’t come back. So . . .” Leah took a deep breath in for dramatic effect, “Best behavior! Smiles! Be welcoming!” She pointed to one of the identical-looking women drinking wine. “That means, you, Tiffany.”
“What the hell, Leah?” The woman—Tiffany presumably—shouted, narrowing her eyes behind her black-rimmed glasses.
“I said what I said,” Leah deadpanned as Tiffany shrugged and took another sip of her wine.
“Honestly, Leah, if she’s doesn’t come back, it’ll be because of you, not us,” the identical-looking woman sitting next to Tiffany quipped.
“Me?” Leah’s tone was incredulous as she reached for a chip, scooping up a generous helping of taco dip. “No way. We’re ride or die.” She then shoved it all into her mouth.
“Polly! It’s so good to see ya again. Welcome!” Rose came around the island and went right in for a hug, then linked her arm through mine and turned me to face the group. “Y’all, this is Dr. Polly Alberton, the new medical director for the school, and the savior of my hair color. I was going gray, wouldn’t you believe, with all the stress I’d been under.”
She pointed to the identical twins at the end of the island.
