Charlotte unlocked her phone and opened the app store. “Okay. I’m doing it. Now you message those women.”
“Deal.” Marin’s thumbs flew over her screen. She typed for such a long time that Charlotte wondered if she’d done more than send a simple introductory question. Finally, she sat back, looking satisfied. “I messaged all three of them, said I was new to Vermont, and asked if they had any tips for handling the cold weather.”
Charlotte laughed. “I’m waiting for someone to write back offering to keep you warm.”
Marin cringed. “I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”
“Yes, but it’ll be a good way of weeding out the women who’re only interested in sex.”
“Let’s hope. And hey, if you ever want to talk about that messy breakup, I’m here to listen. Anytime.”
“I appreciate that, and I’ll definitely take you up on it, but not tonight. I’m in too good of a mood.” Charlotte looked at her newly reinstalled app, then put her phone down. The same thinking applied to horoscopes. She’d look at hers soon, but not tonight.
Marin’s phone buzzed in her hand. “Oh my god. Someone already responded.” She squinted at the screen. “And you called it. She saysher favorite way to keep warm in the wintertime is by exercising in the bedroom. Delete.” Marin tapped her screen.
“It’s okay. Just laugh and move on.”
“Even more anticlimactic now, but still ... I’m glad we did this. It’s a step. A big one.”
“Damn straight.” Charlotte giggled, embracing the tipsiness. “Ornotstraight. You know what I mean.”
Marin rolled her eyes, but she was smiling too. “Thanks again for your help. You made this a lot more fun than it would have been if I’d done it by myself.”
“I’m glad.” Charlotte smiled. She and Marin both moved to put their empty wineglasses down on the coffee table in front of them, and the cushion shifted beneath them. Charlotte lost her balance and thrust a hand out to catch herself before she pitched face first onto the carpet. Her hand landed on Marin’s thigh.
For some reason, Charlotte’s heart was pounding as she righted herself. She never would have thought anything about having her hand on a straight friend’s thigh, and she hated herself for feeling weird about it just because Marin was a lesbian. Charlotte had had gay friends before and never second-guessed herself, but right now, as she shuffled back to her previous spot, she was hyperaware of the warmth of Marin’s skin through her jeans.
Marin wasn’t even looking at her. She was laughing, completely unruffled by Charlotte’s blunder. Charlotte was being weird about nothing. She got up and went into the kitchen for a glass of water. Maybe that would help clear her head.
From the living room, Marin’s phone chimed again. “Oh wow. Someone just messaged me through the app ... someone new. Not one of the women I contacted.”
“Sound promising?” Charlotte asked as she filled her glass. She took several gulps of cold water.
“Actually ... yes.” Marin was staring at her phone with a giddy expression on her face. “She says she noticed I’m new to Vermont andthat she is too. She wondered if I’d like to do some exploring together, and ... she says she loves my smile.”
“Okay, you’re right. That’s a good one.” Charlotte rejoined her on the couch.
Marin didn’t even look up from her phone. Her thumbs were flying as she responded to the message. Finally, she looked up. Her eyes were sparkling. Her whole demeanor seemed lighter. Energized. “I just wrote her back.”
“Awesome. What’s her name?”
“Laura.” Marin was positivelybeaming.
Charlotte pulled out her phone and snapped a quick picture, then texted it to Marin. “I want you to remember exactly how you feel in this moment, because you’re glowing, Marin. I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks.” Marin looked down at her phone, then back at Charlotte. “This just got exciting. In fact, I feel like celebrating. Let’s break out the champagne.”
Chapter Seven
Marin woke slowly, tangled up in bits of dreams, fragments of future dates, conversations,kisses. She felt the ghost sensation of a woman’s hands on her body, sending warmth through her system. Smiling, she kept her eyes closed, lingering in this half-awake place where her dreams felt so vivid, almost real.
She imagined feminine hands on her skin, soft lips pressed against hers. It feltsogood, even though it was only a fantasy. A needy ache built between her thighs. She slipped a hand below the waistband of her sleep shorts, brushing her fingertips against her clit before dipping them lower, coating them in her arousal.
It wasn’t unusual to start her morning this way ... lost in sapphic fantasies. These days, she often felt insatiable, and with the added fuel of last night’s online-dating adventure, she was needier than ever. Soon, she would actually have a woman’s hands on her body, her lips on Marin’s. A breathy moan escaped her at the thought.
Fingertips now wet, she brought them back to her aching clit. She rubbed gently at first, but fueled by her fantasies, her arousal quicklyspiked. Her mind spun with hazy visions from her dream, blond curls and blue eyes ...
Marin froze as she realized she was picturing Charlotte. Charlotte, who she’d laughed and drunk two bottles of wine with last night. Charlotte, who’d taken those ridiculously sexy photos of Marin for her dating profile.
