Grey shook her head as she made her way back down the length of the boat to the back deck. She enjoyed the majority of the clients she ferried about the islands, but Kim really was one of a kind. Grey’s step faltered when she spotted Lauren dancing in the kitchen, hips swaying almost in time with the beat of the music playing from the salon’s speakers, and she smiled to herself as she leaned against the doorframe to watch.
Even though she had lived every second, it was hard for her to believe that only a week had passed since she first laid eyes on Lauren. She had gone from both hating and craving the sight of Lauren because the redhead reminded her of Emily, to seeing the differences between the two women, and then seeing and appreciating Lauren for who she was. She still missed Emily, but the hurt she used to feel whenever she thought about her had become a dull, pleasant ache. She was moving on, learning to live again in Lauren’s understanding arms.
The song playing changed to an old Killers tune, and Grey covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her laughter at the way Lauren started bopping her head with the intro. A wooden spoon became a microphone as Lauren began singing and dancing in earnest. Grey had thought that what she needed was quietude—it was, after all, her usual method of dealing with days like the one she had just had—but as her feet carried her toward the galley, she realized that she did not need a few peaceful moments alone to recharge after the long day.
She simply needed Lauren.
Her smile grew as she sidled into the galley, close enough to touch Lauren if she were to just reach out her hand. The songbegan building toward the chorus and she waited, purposefully hovering beyond Lauren’s line of sight, until she began singing along. “Somebody told me, you had a boyfriend, that looks like a girlfriend…”
Lauren whipped around, wooden spoon held threateningly in the air, and froze when she saw Grey standing behind her. Grey’s hands were held up in front of her, ready to block any blows that might be directed her way, and Lauren shook her head as she tried to glare at her. “Don’t scare me like that!”
“Come on, Murphy.” Grey tugged the wooden spoon from Lauren’s hand and tossed it into the sink as she started dancing up against her. “Dance with me.”
“I don’t…” Lauren began to argue, but her voice trailed off when she realized that, contrary to every other person who had ever seen her dance, Grey was not laughing at her. The look in Grey’s eyes cajoled her to join-in, and she was helpless to resist. She was impossibly self-conscious as she started dancing again, her every movement much more muted than it was before, but as the song played on, she found herself letting go until she was dancing like she had been when she realized she was not alone.
“Oh, I love this one,” Grey said when the music changed. She laughed and captured Lauren’s lips in a playful kiss as she reached for the redhead’s hips and pulled her flush against her. “Come on, Murphy. Show me whatcha got.”
The feeling of Grey’s leg slipping between her own made Lauren gasp, and she froze as Grey began grinding against her. She could do silly dancing-in-the-kitchen dancing, but not this. She shook her head and stammered, “I…I don’t…”
“Yes you do,” Grey said, easily reading the apprehension in Lauren’s eyes. “Trust me.”
Lauren bit her lip and allowed the hands on her hips to guide her into motion. Her heart hammered with nerves when Grey’s hold relaxed and she was left controlling her own movement. Shefelt awkward and uncoordinated as she tried to keep pace with Grey, and just when she was about to pull back and give up, Grey’s lips covered her own, effectively holding her in place.
“You’re doing great,” Grey murmured reassuringly.
“I don’t know how to dance,” Lauren argued weakly.
“You do.” Grey wrapped her right hand around Lauren’s neck and pulled her in for another kiss.
The longer Grey kissed her, the less concerned Lauren became with the quality of her dancing. She looped her arms around Grey’s neck and deepened the kiss, and her body began moving of its own volition to the beat of the music and the rhythmic press of Grey’s hips against her own. The music became nothing but background noise, something loud and brash to contrast the soft moans and ragged breaths that filled their air between them. Their hips slowed to a gentle grind that was more akin to foreplay than dancing, and Lauren whimpered at the loss of Grey’s lips when they broke apart.
Grey smoothed a hand over Lauren’s cheek. “That was fun.”
“It was,” Lauren agreed softly. Her eyes flitted over Grey’s face and she smiled. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
Lauren shrugged and looked away. “Not laughing at me.”
“Oh, Lauren,” Grey sighed, hooking a finger under Lauren’s chin to lift her eyes up to her own. “You move beautifully.” She could see that Lauren was ready to protest her assessment, and she cut her off with another quick kiss. “You do.”
Lauren wanted to argue, but the earnestness in Grey’s gaze brokered no dissent, and she relented with a small nod. She knew that it was a lie, but she appreciated it all the same. “Thank you.”
Grey smiled and pulled Lauren into her arms. Her heart swelled at the way Lauren sank into her, clearly needing the physical reassurance, and she sighed as she brushed a light kiss over her ear. “You’re welcome.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
LAUREN WAS SURPRISED by how hard it was to say goodbye to the Muellers once they were back in Charlotte Amalie. She should have been ecstatic because their leaving meant that she and Grey would finally be alone for a few days, and she was, but there was also a part of her that hated seeing them go. She was going to miss the boys and their enthusiasm about everything, Will’s easy-going nature, and even Kim’s knowing little smirks and playful comments. They had been the perfect buffer during those first few days of awkwardness, and their acceptance these last few days had been a blessing.
“Goodbye, Lauren,” Reid pouted as he fell into her arms. “Thank you for making us yummy food.”
“You’re welcome, buddy,” Lauren murmured, giving the boy a good squeeze before letting go. She watched him turn to his brothers, who were hovering near the bottom of the port-side dive platform, looking reluctant to leave, and shook her head as she looked at Will and Kim. “Thank you guys, for everything.”
“Thank you,” Will stressed, shaking her hand. “Everything was amazing,” he added as he turned his attention to Grey.
Kim just pulled Lauren into her arms and hugged her tight. “Thank you. And good luck,” she added softly.
“Thanks.” Lauren’s gaze flicked over to Grey, and she cleared her throat softly as she backed out of Kim’s embrace. “Have a safe trip home.”
