Another half hour went by before she managed to drag her body intothe shower, making the water as hot as she could stand it and letting it beatdown on her shoulders. She stood there, eyes squeezed shut, trying to seeanything but Spencer’s eyes in her mind.
She was only mildly successful.
Maybe a walk would do her good. Early September was gorgeous,Rebecca’s favorite time of year besides the Christmas season, and she put on apair of yoga pants and a T-shirt. Deciding to let her hair air-dry, she wasjust reaching for her Nikes when her doorbell rang. She left them in the closetas she glanced at the clock, then padded barefoot to the door. At ten thirty ona Saturday morning, she expected to see Jehovah’s Witnesses. Or possibly apolitician stumping early for the upcoming campaign season.
What she didn’t expect to see was Spencer.
They stood for a beat, just looking at each other, apparentlyneither one of them knowing what to say. Spencer looked unsurprisinglybeautiful in denim capris and a white button-up camp shirt. Sandals were on herfeet, and Rebecca noticed her purple toenails. Oddly, it occurred to her thatshe’d never seen Spencer’s feet, that she was always in sneakers when they weretogether. Eyes roaming back up, Rebecca took in the golden waves of Spencer’shair, held back over her ears by the sunglasses perched atop her head.
“Spencer,” Rebecca finally managed to say, her voice slightlyhoarse. “Hi.”
“Hey,” Spencer said, her eyes darting from Rebecca’s face tosomewhere behind her to her feet and back again. “Listen, can I talk to you fora second? I promise it won’t take long.”
Rebecca cleared her throat and stepped back, held out an armtoward the interior of her house. “Sure. Come in.”
Spencer stepped into the small foyer but didn’t enter further.Rebecca shut the door and they stood there. Silent. Spencer’s sandals must havehad a slight heel, and with Rebecca barefoot, they were exactly the sameheight.
“Your hair’s wet,” Spencer said softly.
Rebecca blinked at her, then reached up, grasped some with herfingers. “Yeah. I just…got out of the shower.”
Spencer nodded, stared for a moment before seeming to force hereyes away. She looked around the room, like she was taking it all in. After abeat, she cleared her throat. “Look. Rebecca. I just needed to address whathappened last night.”
Rebecca nodded. She’d hoped they could just go on about theirlives and never have to discuss it, but Spencer apparently didn’t agree.“Okay.”
“It can’t happen again.”
A beat. “Okay.”
“I mean it. I’m engaged. I have a…you shouldn’t have…I mean,Ishouldn’t have…”Spencer inhaled sharply and glanced off to her right as if frustrated with herstuttering and looking for a way to collect herself.
When she returned her focus to Rebecca, her eyes had that samegleam from last night and Rebecca felt her entire body straighten to rigidity,brace itself, because somewhere, somehow, deep down, she knew what was coming.
With a soft whimper, Spencer repeated, “Your hair’s wet.” Hershoulders sagged with what seemed to be defeat. As the breath seeped out ofher, she said very softly, “Goddamn it.”
And the next thing Rebecca knew, Spencer was in her arms, grabbingher face, kissing her. Just like last night, there was nothing gentle. Spencermoaned loudly as Rebecca wrapped her arms around her tightly, pulled her close,kissed her back with all she had.
Rebecca backed Spencer up against the door, a soft “oof” pushingfrom her lungs. Rebecca pulled the sunglasses from Spencer’s head and set themon a small table nearby, then dug the fingers of both hands into Spencer’sglorious hair, the waves seeming to immediately wrap around them as ifcelebrating the lack of her usual ponytail. Spencer’s hands trailed downRebecca’s back and she felt them cup her ass, squeeze it. Rebecca grinnedagainst Spencer’s mouth.
Seriously, had she ever kissed anybody like this before? Rebeccahad wondered the same thing last night. What was it about Spencer? Why waskissing her so astonishingly arousing? Rebecca had kissed her share of women inher thirty-five years, but not one of them had made her feel like this.Desperate. Needy. Uncontrolled. Not one.
Freeing a hand from Spencer’s tresses, Rebecca moved it down andslowly unbuttoned Spencer’s shirt until it hung completely open, exposingbra-clad breasts and a bare stomach to her feasting eyes.
Rebecca moved her mouth from Spencer’s and slid her tongue downthe side of her neck to that sweet spot where it met her shoulder. She closedher mouth over the skin there, savored the softness, the sweet taste of it. Herother hand still in Spencer’s hair, she tugged gently just like last night,forcing Spencer’s head back, allowing Rebecca free access to the long column ofher throat. With lips and tongue, Rebecca bathed it even as her free handslipped slowly up Spencer’s stomach and cupped one very full breast through herbra.
Spencer gasped and the sound yanked Rebecca back to her senseslong enough for her to glance up and see the desire, the naked arousal onSpencer’s face.
“Rebecca…” Spencer whispered, and it cut straight through Rebecca,down to her center, made her throb uncomfortably. “I can’t…”
Rebecca dropped her head, took a small step back. “You came tome,” she said quietly.
“I know.” Spencer grasped the sides of her unbuttoned shirt as ifto button it back up. “I know.”
It started to simmer a bit, low in Rebecca’s stomach, theconfusion seasoned with a pinch of irritation. “What do you want, Spencer?” sheasked, then wiped her fingers across her own swollen lips. “I can’t figure youout.”
“Join the club,” Spencer muttered.
Her eyes welled up, and just like that, Rebecca’s irritationvanished. She wanted to wrap Spencer up in her arms, protect her from theworld. That was something she hadn’t felt in a very long time, and she didn’tknow what to do with it.
