“You’re not broken at all.” Solo pulled Janie in tighter. “You’re healing. There’s a difference.”
They reached the car, but instead of getting in, Janie turned to face Solo, her back against the passenger’s side door. The setting sun caught in her hair, turning it bronze and gold, and Solo’s breath caught. How could she have stopped seeing how beautiful Janie was?
“I don’t want to go home yet,” Janie said quietly.
“No?” Solo was enjoying this time together too much for it to end so quickly, for their reality to push back in. “What do you want to do?”
Janie put her hands on Solo’s shoulders, and Solo pulled her in closer on auto pilot, their bodies fitting together in that familiar way they always had.
“I want...” Janie ran her fingernail over Solo’s bottom lip. “I want to keep being just us for a little while longer. No responsibilities, no triplets needing us, no legal cases hanging over our heads. Just us.”
“Okay.” Solo’s heart pounded against her chest, and other things pulsed in hope. She gently slipped a lock of Janie’s hair behind her ear, not wanting to push anything. “What did you have in mind?”
“I made a reservation at a hotel downtown.” Janie’s cheeks flushed pink. “We don’t have to use it if you’re not ready, but I thought maybe?—”
Solo kissed her. Not tentatively or carefully like she thought she’d have to do while they slowly found their way back to each other, but deeply, desperate with all the want and love and longing she’d been holding back. Janie made a small sound of surprise, then melted into it, her fingers digging into Solo’s shoulders.
Solo pulled back, breathing hard. “Take me to the hotel,” she said. “Please.”
Janie’s smile was wide and confident. It was the same smile Solo had come to know as a sure-fire indication of her sexual arousal.
Janie wrapped her hand around the back of Solo’s neck. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Solo kissed her again, softer this time. “I want you. I want this. I want us to remember what it feels like to just be together without the weight of everything else.”
“Get in the car,” Janie said, already moving around to the driver’s side. “Before I can’t wait for the hotel and just drag you into that alley over there.”
Solo laughed, giddy and reckless in the best possible way. She climbed into the passenger seat, and as Janie started the car and pulled into traffic, Solo reached over and held her hand. “I love you,” she said. “I’ve missed telling you that.”
“I’ve missed hearing it.” Janie brought Solo’s hand to her lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “You’ve got some making up to do.”
“I love you. I love you. I love you.” Solo punctuated each repetition with a squeeze of Janie’s hand. “There. That’s a start.”
Janie laughed her full, uninhibited, and joyful laugh. “You’re ridiculous,” she said.
Solo wiggled her eyebrows. “You love it.”
Janie glanced at her and nodded, the love in her eyes clear. “I really do.”
They drove through the city as the sun painted the sky in shades of pink, orange, and purple, and Solo smiled widely. She couldn’t help but hope they were finally driving toward their future instead of running from it.
CHAPTER 20
The hotel lobbywas elegant in an understated way, with its marble floors, soft lighting, and foliage everywhere. Janie couldn’t have cared less about any of it; she wanted to be safely ensconced in any of its many rooms as soon as possible, and this fancy décor didn’t figure into that desire one bit. The front desk was staffed by a young man who barely glanced up as Janie gave her name, then he handed over a key card with a professional smile that suggested he’d seen countless couples check in without luggage and thought nothing of it.
“Thank you,” Janie said, her hand shaking as she took the card. Almost instantly, the warmth of Hannah’s hand was against the small of her back, steadying and grounding her with ease.
“Are you okay?” Hannah whispered into her neck.
“Nervous,” Janie said as they walked toward the elevators. “Is that crazy? Being nervous about this?”
“No.” Hannah traced small circles against Janie’s spine through the thin fabric of her dress. “I’m nervous too.”
The elevator arrived empty, and they stepped inside. The doors slid shut, cocooning them in mirrored silence. Hannah stood slightly behind her, close enough that Janie could feel her warmth, and she caught Janie’s gaze in the mirror.
“We don’t have to do anything,” Hannah said softly. “We can just talk. Order expensive room service. Watch bad action movies from the nineties. I’m here for whatever you need.”
Janie turned to face Hannah and cupped her face gently. “I needyou,” she said, her voice hoarse. “I need to remember what it feels like to be yours. To be us inthisway.” She kissed Hannah hard, wanting her to feel that need like it was driving allthe blood in her body.
