A lone tear breached, tracking down Evelyn’s cheek. “No, she wouldn’t.”
“I can’t imagine how you feel, sweetie. I have my parents. They’re a little unusual, but they’re still with me. I don’t want you to think I’m interfering.”
“I don’t. It’s just hard spending this time alone.”
“But you’re not alone.”
Evelyn studied Alyssa’s face. There was an emotion present that Evelyn didn’t dare interpret. If she was wrong, she would blow up their friendship.
But what if I’m right?
Leaning in, Evelyn slipped her hand around Alyssa’s neck, hesitating to allow Alyssa to back out. She didn’t. Closing her eyes, Evelyn inhaled Alyssa’s captivating scent. Her senses came alive, and the surrounding atmosphere sparked as theirlips gently brushed without quite connecting. Alyssa’s breath caressed her mouth. Their noses brushed gently, and their eyes searching each other.
“Kiss me,” Alyssa whispered. Evelyn closed the last few millimetres of space.
From the moment Evelyn saw Alyssa, she knew those lips were going to be her undoing. Soft and plump, teasing yet forward.
Evelyn’s hand held Alyssa closer, her fingers massaged the nape of Alyssa’s neck, earning a whimper. Needing more, Evelyn softly stroked Alyssa’s bottom lip with her tongue. Her reward was to be taken wholly by Alyssa’s mouth.
Their lips clashed as the kiss heated. Tongues swirled, licked, and lavished. Alyssa brought her hands to Evelyn’s face, cradling her jaw. This was more than a kiss. This was the beginning of something spectacular.
19
Panic, Pizza, and Pep Talks
Alyssa
This was not what Alyssa expected to happen when she drove over to Evelyn’s. Actually, she surprised herself by going there in the first place. Who seeks out someone else after a date? A successful date at that!
Josh was a lovely guy. He brought flowers after volunteering to drive over to Alyssa’s place to pick her up, which would have definitely been out of the way for him. The restaurant was pleasant, and Josh was a proper gentleman. Not in the mansplaining, patronising way. He didn’t order for heror anything. He was charming, but not slimy. Attentive, but not over the top. He listened and took an interest.
So why had Alyssa wanted to see Evelyn? Why hadn’t she invited Josh back to her place? That was her usual behaviour. A one-night stand, or a casual hook-up arrangement. Something that Josh seemed okay with. Alyssa made sure he knew from the beginning that she didn’t do serious.
Yet here she was. Sitting on Evelyn’s expensive couch being kissed into oblivion. This was a head-swimming, stomach-flipping, world-tilting kiss. The heat between them built rapidly, and Alyssa knew she was dangerously close to taking Evelyn right here on the couch.
But that wasn’t how this was supposed to happen.
Alyssa had fantasised about sleeping with Evelyn—she wasn’t a nun, and Evelyn was completely gorgeous. But in all those fantasies, they’d take their time. They’d do exquisite things together in a bed. For hours. Having a frantic quickie on the couch with Bug snoring three feet away was not the way their first time should go.
Reluctantly, and with an impressive amount of willpower she didn’t know she possessed, Alyssa pulled back. They were both breathing hard, lips swollen, a testament to how close they’d been to ripping each other’s clothes off.
“Wow,” Alyssa gasped. It wasn’t the most eloquent response, but her brain had turned to mush.
“Yeah,” Evelyn breathed, her voice rough.
Alyssa grinned at the dazed, goofy smile on Evelyn’s face. God, she was beautiful. “As much as I would love to continue this, I think I should go.”
“Oh.” Evelyn’s face fell, and Alyssa’s heart clenched.
She grabbed Evelyn’s hand, threading their fingers together. “I want to go on that date with you, Evie. I want to do this properly. You deserve that.”
Understanding dawned in Evelyn’s eyes, and her smile returned, softer this time. “I want that, too.”
“So I’m going to go. For now.” Alyssa stood, pulling Evelyn up with her. “But how about I come by in the morning for breakfast?”
Was that too forward? She had a mountain of things to do tomorrow, but the thought of waiting more than a few hours to see Evelyn again felt impossible.
“That would be perfect,” Evelyn said, her smile widening. “I’ll send you the door code. Just let yourself in.”
