“Hey.” Harlow appears at my side. “There’s a cute bakery next door. Want to grab something?”
Slowly, I peel my gaze away from the candy and nod, my throat too thick to speak.
The line is long, but we don’t mind. I shove the resurfaced memories down—today has revolved too much around Mikayla—and I need to switch gears. I bump Harlow’s shoulder. “Did you bring the thing I asked about?” I wiggle my eyebrows suggestively, because I have enough tact not to ask her if she brought her strap-on out loud.
She gives me a sly smirk and leans down to whisper into my ear. “I brought that and a whole bag of fun toys we can play with. Including a little surprise you mentioned wanting to try.”
My lips part as my fair skin flushes with heat. My mind flashes back to drunkenly texting her if we could try nipple clamps a couple weeks ago. She wants to do that?Now?
I dart my gaze around, hoping no one notices how deep my blush is, as Harlow grins.
“You’re adorable when you’re flustered.” She interlaces our fingers and lifts them to kiss the back of my hand. “But you have to be patient, remember?”
Her smug smile shouldn’t be so hot, yet I can already feel how slick I am between my thighs. I open my mouth to respond, but it’s our turn to order. She winks and tugs me forward. I let myself be pulled against the side of her warm body and breathe in the delicious woodsy and citrusy scent of her cologne.
We can’t get out of here soon enough. Harlow and I had plans to explore more of the city the next morning, but we don’t leave the hotel room until it’s time for the van to pick me up for the airport.
Interstitial 6
Thursday, April 23rd, 2026
Harlow (12:06 p.m.):
Okay your mom is officially a badass. I think I’m scared of her.
Lily (2:09 p.m.):
You should be
Lily (2:09 p.m.):
But also
Lily (2:10 p.m.):
Tell me more
Harlow (2:18 p.m.):
Okay, well, I took your advice and told your mom about George. I’ve never seen her look so furious, it was kind of scary. She told me she’d handle things and I just found out he lost the commercial space he was counting on to open up his ownice cream shop.
Lily (2:20 p.m.):
Holy shit!! Seriously?!
Harlow (2:22 p.m.):
Turns out someone anonymously undercut him with an all cash offer and bought the space.
Lily (2:23 p.m.):
WHAT?!
Lily (2:24 p.m.):
That’s wild!!!
Lily (2:24 p.m.):
