“Marin?”
Charlotte’s voice was an echo of Marin’s fantasy, and it shot straight to her core. Her hand jerked almost involuntarily, pressing hard against her clit, and for a moment, she was in ecstasy. A blinding flash of pleasure. Of release. Of pure bliss.Charlotte ...
It was over before she could process it because she’d lurched to her feet, heart pounding for an entirely different reason.Charlotte was at the door.
“Just a minute,” she called, hoping she sounded normal and not like she’d just been interrupted while she came. Her core tingled with the aftershocks of that tiny but mighty orgasm.God.
She blew out a shaky breath as she reached for the towel she’d discarded earlier, using it to clean herself up. Then she dashed to the bathroom to wash her hands before sliding them through her hair, which was standing out in all directions. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright. She looked like she’d just been ...
No time to think about it. She scrambled into the sweatpants and hoodie she’d worn to take Ember out, then rushed to the door. She yanked it open, realizing as she locked eyes with Charlotte that Marin wasn’t wearing a bra or underwear. Charlotte’s tongue darted out to wet her lips, and Marin’s clit throbbed as fiercely as if she hadn’t come at all.
“Hi,” Charlotte said. “I just came from a showing near here, and I decided to grab coffees and stop by to see how you were feeling afteryesterday’s adventures, but ...” A slight furrow appeared between her brows.
Marin concentrated on steadying her breathing. “I love the way you think. Sorry it took me a minute to get the door. I was just getting out of the shower when you knocked.”
Charlotte’s wide eyes suggested Marin was a terrible liar.
Chapter Twelve
Charlotte stepped into Marin’s apartment and looked around. “Where’s Ember?”
“In her crate. Let me get her.” Marin turned and walked into her bedroom, leaving Charlotte standing inside the front door, heart racing. She wasn’t sure why she was here. Yes, she’d wanted to make sure Marin was okay. Marin had been in obvious physical pain when Charlotte left last night, so it was only reasonable to check in.
But that didn’t explain why Charlotte had gone home last night and spent the rest of the evening thinking about Marin, about the way she’d looked when she got home from her date, about the light in her eyes when she’d told Charlotte that Laura kissed her. It didn’t explain why Charlotte had woken up feeling like she’d dreamed about Marin, or why Charlotte’s heart had nearly burst out of her chest when Marin opened the door just now.
The look on Marin’s face ...
Charlotte didn’t know how to define it, only that it had caused her body to react instantly and uncontrollably, stomach sparking, cheeks blazing with heat. She was so confused about what she was feeling,which meant she should probably keep her distance, and yet she craved Marin’s presence every time they were apart.
So, here she was. She walked to the kitchen table and set down the coffee cups and brown paper bag she’d brought with her, just as a black puppy burst into the kitchen, tail wagging in a happy swirl. “Hi, Ember.”
“Can you watch her for a minute while I get dressed?” Marin asked, sounding vaguely embarrassed. She gestured to the hoodie and sweatpants she wore. “I tossed on the first thing I could find when you knocked, but ...”
Suddenly, Charlotte was aware that she could see the hard points of Marin’s nipples beneath the fabric. Marin wasn’t wearing a bra. Charlotte swallowed as her cheeks grew even warmer. “Sure. I’ve got her. Does she need to go out?”
“She might, but she can wait for me. I’ll be right back.” The bedroom door closed with a click.
Charlotte stared at that door for a moment, alarmed to realize she was thinking about Marin getting dressed on the other side of it, picturing Marin as she lifted that sweatshirt over her head, baring her breasts, and ...stop it. Charlotte blinked the image away, then spun to look for Ember. Marin had said the puppy could wait, but taking her out now would give Charlotte something to do and hopefully help clear her head. Plus, she still had her coat on.
“Come on, puppy.” She clipped the little pink collar around Ember’s neck and guided her out the door. Ember wandered around the yard, then led Charlotte toward the sidewalk that ran along the street. Charlotte followed her down the block until she’d taken care of business, and then they walked back to the apartment together.
Marin was standing in the kitchen when they returned, wearing dark-gray jeans and a rose-colored top, her hair neatly brushed but still damp around her face. She looked calmer now. There’d been something about her when Charlotte first showed up, an energy that made Charlotte blush. Shestillfelt flustered just thinking about it.
“Thank you for walking her ... and for bringing goodies.” Marin smiled at her. She had thebestsmile. It brightened her whole face and made her eyes sparkle, filling Charlotte with joy every time she was on the receiving end of it.
“I could tell you were in pain last night,” Charlotte said. “I wanted to make sure you were okay. Plus, I just wanted to see you.”
“Thank you. Yeah, last night was a rough one, pain-wise, but this girl ...” Marin gestured toward Ember, who ran over to press her head into Marin’s hand. “She lay beside me in bed all night. It was such a comfort. I don’t know how she knew, but ...”
“Animals can be really intuitive about things like that. What a sweet girl you are, Ember.”
The puppy wagged her tail, then bounded across the kitchen to grab her stuffed dragon.
“I’m lucky to have her.” Marin gave the puppy an adoring look, then turned her gaze to the kitchen table. “And you. I had oatmeal earlier, but this looks way better.”
“Betty’s Bakery has the best lattes in town, I swear.” Charlotte sat at the table. “And the coffee cake muffins looked irresistible, so I got two of those too.”
“Yum.” Marin sat across from her, and for a moment, they just stared at each other.
