Just as she was about to wrap her arms around Rory’s neck, she remembered they were in the pub and there were at least a hundred people around them. Feeling her cheeks blaze with embarrassment, she pulled away from Rory, satisfied at the squeak of disappointment that emitted from the other woman.
Relief flooded Gemma as she realised Rory hadn’t been put off after Gemma had put the brakes on them having sex earlier. She grabbed her drink from Brad and gulped at least a third of it down before realising it was much stronger than the last one. Her eyes widened, and she looked at Rory, who grinned and waggled her eyebrows mischievously at her. This was a different Rory from the one who had escorted her across the gardens at the opera. Gone was the stuffy lawyer, and in place was a happy, bright Rory. Gemma’s heart tripped at the thought that she was finally seeing some of the real Rory for the first time.
She let the music wash over her as she swayed in time next to Rory. She knew she had a goofy smile on her face and didn’t care. This was the perfect evening with her friends and the woman who was starting to be a lot more than just a friend. There were more bodies packed into the bar now, and it was hard to keep her place. She felt Rory stand behind her and an arm wrap possessively around her. In the past, this sort of thing from a woman she was on a date with would have her backing away and feeling trapped, but with Rory it felt natural and protective. She had chosen a pair of skinny jeans and a short top for the evening and was so pleased she had. Rory's fingers danced across her overheated skin, sending shots of desire straightto her clit. It was like the opera house all over again, but this time there was nothing furtive about it. She pressed her bottom back into Rory’s groin and then hissed as Rory’s fingers went from her stomach to the side of her rib cage. Damn, this woman knew how to touch her and ignite flames within her. She remembered all the tickle fights they’d had as kids and how innocent they were. There was nothing innocent about Rory’s touch tonight, and Gemma couldn’t wait until they were back at her flat. She would talk to Rory, and then she would finally get the woman she had desired for the last few weeks to fuck her senseless.
Apparently, Rory was just as impatient as Gemma. Just as she had got her breathing under control, Gemma felt Rory’s hand slide down her font and slip behind the waistband of her trousers to brush the hairs behind her knickers. Gemma gulped. Surely Rory wasn’t going to fuck her here, was she? A wave of white-hot desire and an exhibitionist streak that Gemma didn’t know she had washed over her as she realised that was exactly what she wanted Rory to do.
“Shit.” Rory’s breath tickled her neck as she spoke into Gemma’s ear. “These jeans are too tight.”
Gemma spun around in Rory’s arms to see Rory’s gorgeous brown eyes drunk with a mixture of desire and alcohol, the exact same thing Gemma was feeling.
“Perhaps we should get out of here?” Gemma spoke into Rory’s ear. The noise from the band and the crowd made talking hard.
“God yes.” Rory breathed out before kissing Gemma again. “But I can’t see Brad and Teagan. We need to let them know we’re going.”
Gemma flipped her phone out of her pocket only to find it was out of battery. She slumped her head forward ontoRory’s shoulder. They stood for a moment before Rory spoke up again.
“Let’s wait here until the end of this song, and then if they’re not back, we’ll go.”
Gemma nodded her agreement and was content for a moment to stand in Rory’s arms as they swayed to the music. Before long, her fingers snuck underneath Rory’s shirt, and she caressed the smooth skin she found there. She felt Rory shiver in her arms and lifted her head to capture Rory’s lips in another searing kiss. Her body was on fire for this woman, and she was about to cup Rory’s very pert behind when she heard Brad and Teagan return.
“Shots!”
Gemma groaned as Brad thrust a shot glass with a bright green liquid in it at her.
“What the hell is this?” She wrinkled her nose and sniffed it dismissively.
“Apple sour.” Rory grinned as she downed her drink in one go.
Gemma did similarly, wincing as the sourness of the drink was followed by the burning of the alcohol.
She leaned into Teagan. “I think we are going to head off.” She lasered her friend with a pointed look.
“Okay, I’ll stay at Brad’s tonight.” Teagan winked unnecessarily, and Gemma slapped her on the arm.
After the goodbyes were said, Rory took Gemma’s hand in hers and pulled her through the crowd. They finally emerged onto the pavement outside the pub and the cool fresh air hit Gemma along with the sudden lack of noise. Her ears were ringing, and her feet hurt. Rory wrapped an arm around her, and Gemma again melted at her body being pressed into hers. For a few steps they tried to walk like this back to Gemma’s flat, but soon Gemma realisedthey were both pretty drunk and unable to walk like that for long. She pulled away but quickly took Rory’s hand and intertwined their fingers. Her thumb rubbed along Rory’s and she hoped that as they walked, they would both sober up a bit. She had big plans for Rory when they got back to her flat.
22
RORY
Rory stirred from a very peaceful sleep to hear Gemma groaning next to her. A smile ghosted across her lips, and she propped herself up on her elbows just in time to see Gemma’s semi-naked body disappear from her bedroom, presumably to the bathroom. Over the last few weekends that Gemma had stayed at her house, Rory had become accustomed to Gemma’s quirks and routines. As soon as her eyes opened, she would shuffle out of bed and into the bathroom to use the loo and then brush her teeth. Of course, in her house Rory had a second bathroom she could use, and then she would head down to the kitchen to get the coffee started. But today they had to share the flat’s only bathroom. Fortunately, she had awoken an hour ago and had crept out to use the loo and brush her teeth before slipping back into bed next to Gemma. She wouldn’t make the same mistake of leaving Gemma sleeping and finding her gone.
Her heart thumped as she gazed at the bedroom door, hoping that Gemma would find her way back to her. There was still a lot in the air between them, and Rory was morethan ready to finally show Gemma how much she meant to her. When she had woken up earlier, Rory had taken a couple of paracetamol and grabbed a glass of water each for them. She hadn’t realised how drunk she was until they’d been walking home. Normally, a walk in the cool night air would have sobered her up, but last night it seemed that with every step forward, and sideways, she had become more inebriated.
Her musings about the night before were interrupted by a warm body slipping back under the duvet and a minty-smelling Gemma settling in her arms.
“Oh God, my mouth feels like the cat’s litter tray.” Gemma’s voice was still raspy from sleep.
“You don’t have a cat.” Rory kissed her forehead
“Doesn’t matter.” Gemma sighed into Rory’s shoulder. “I, um, don’t really remember much since leaving the pub. Please don’t tell me I did anything embarrassing.”
Rory grinned. “You firmly told me I was your girlfriend, and that you were going to have your way with me when we got home.”
“Ugh.” Gemma hid her face in Rory’s shoulder again.
“And you insisted that we have sandwiches and water when we got in, so we didn’t get a hangover.”
