“Fair.” Toni eyed the small garden in the next lot. There was a gate, a locked gate, but someone hadn’t fastened it thoroughly. “Come on.”
Addie paused. “Just so you know, Adelaine is myrealname. Adelaine Stewart.”
“Toni’s really my name, too.” She didn’t add her surname. She wasn’t keen on sharing that. For a moment, she frowned, thinking that Addie might have alreadysaidher surname, but that didn’t make sense. How would she know Toni’s name?
Hadthey met? Toni glanced at her again. She had a few fuzzy details about women in her past, but there was no way she’d forget having Addie in her arms before this.
Toni opened the gate enough for them to slip into the garden and took Addie’s hand. She pulled Addie behind her. “Is this scandalous enough for you?”
“Not yet.” Addie’s voice shook, but she squeezed Toni’s hand tightly.
“It’s private-ish,” Toni offered. “Unless you want to go somewhere—”
Addie lurched into her for another kiss, cutting off the question, and pressed her braless chest against Toni. The jacket was nowpressed to the sides, and Addie’s pebbled nipples against Toni’s thin blouse were a welcome reminder that Addie wore no bra.
Toni’s hands landed on Addie’s narrow waist, and she slid her thumbs upward to caress the line of her ribs. Eventually Toni’s hands moved upward, thumbs grazing Addie’s nipples.
When Addie pulled back, her pupils were blown wide. She glanced down at Toni’s hands and said, “More, please. More touching.”
Toni decided that this was where they were going to be staying. “Are your drawers period-accurate, Addie? I’ve been wondering that since you walked in,” Toni said, crowding the woman closer to the shadows of the hedge.
Addie nodded once. “I think so.…”
Toni closed her eyes, leaning her head against Addie’s for a moment. “Now is when you tell me you want to go home or… say yes.”
“Toni…” Addie reached out with one shaking hand and curled it around Toni’s hip.
“Going? Staying?” Toni felt like her voice had been rolled over gravel with how rough the words felt in her mouth.
“Kiss me, please?”
Toni lowered her mouth to Addie’s, tasting the tart lemon still on her tongue, but she kept her hands carefully still. She needed a solid yes before going anywhere that was going to be too far or too fast, and she still hadn’t sussed out what was character and what was real.
When Addie let out a little whimpering noise, Toni pulled back. “Answer, Addie. Are you staying here with me or going?”
Toni stepped back slightly. She might be more than a little tipsy, too, but she wasn’t going to coerce Addie into anything.
Addie stepped forward, raised her hands so they were flat on Toni’s collarbones. Addie’s voice was barely a whisper when she asked, “What would staying mean?”
Toni swallowed a sigh. Addie, apparently, was either truly committed to her persona or genuinely innocent. She was also eager. Herhands smoothed over Toni’s chest, like she was trying to memorize the shape of Toni’s torso as they spoke.
“Whatever you want.” Toni didn’t hide her own moan as Addie’s fleeting touch paused to cup Toni’s breasts.
“Would you kiss me more?” Addie whispered.
“Yes.”
“And touch me some…” Addie swallowed visibly.
“Do you want me to?” Toni asked, feeling more awkward than she was accustomed to feeling in hookups. She held Addie’s gaze. “Whatyouwant is what I need to know here, Addie.”
“I want you to”—she took Toni’s hand and moved it to the juncture of her thighs in a very clear answer—“let me know if my undergarments are historical enough. Touch methere.”
A slow smile came over Toni at the request. “It would be my pleasure.”
She stepped closer and nudged Addie’s legs apart so that Toni’s leg was between them.
As Addie reached out to touch Toni’s breast again, Toni caught her wrist. “Be a good girl, Lady Adelaine. You said you wanted me to touch you, so I need you to follow the rules now.” She directed Addie’s hand to the wrought-iron fence that was still visible in the hedge behind her. “Both hands on there now.”
