“Sorry?” Tarryn arched an eyebrow. “That’s great between you and me. But when it next comes up at a planning meeting, it would be good if you acknowledged it wasn’t my fault.”
Allie smoothed her damp palms down the front of her jeans.
Tarryn’s gaze followed the movement, licking down the front of Allie’s thighs.
“I will.”
Tarryn gave a short nod. “Good.” She pushed the mug and the milk carton toward Allie and put a fresh pod in the machine. “You know, Sophie, sometimes I can’t figure you out.”
Allie’s pulse kicked up a notch. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve got such great ideas, but other things… It’s like you don’t know how to cope. Phyll said your business was just kicking off, but you were very experienced. Even so, I wonder at times.”
Allie licked her dry lips. “You said it. My business is new, and this is my biggest contract to date. I’ve managed bigger before, but not when it was all on my head. I just…want everything to be perfect.” She gripped her mug tightly, willing Tarryn to accept the explanation.
“I guess.” Tarryn’s gaze didn’t stray from her face. “Don’t fuck this up, Sophie. My town is relying on you.”
“I won’t.” And she wouldn’t. At least, she hoped not. It wasn’t only Quandong relying on her. Her twin stood to lose everything if she messed up.
Tarryn sipped her coffee, and Allie counted her heartbeat in her ears. After ten, she said, “So you and Phyll are counting the votes tomorrow.”
“We are. I’m fairly sure Garrett and Will have it.” Her lips tightened. “It better not be you and me. No offence, but I don’t want to walk down any aisle with anyone, not even a pretend one.”
“And certainly not with me.” Allie huffed out a breath. “I get it. You’re not my choice either.”
Tarryn laughed. “I know. Your choice would be…let me guess…” She tapped a finger on her lips.
Allie tried not to look at her finger tapping on those full and curvaceous lips.
“Another femme, like you. Sweet, very girly. You’d both wear white dresses and carry matching bouquets.”
“Wrong, actually.” The words slipped out before she realised her mistake. Now Tarryn would ask what her type was, and that wasn’t something she could answer truthfully.
“Then what is your type?”
An image of the woman who’d kissed her leaped into her mind. Ronnie, that was her name, short for Veronica. Tall, statuesque, blonde. Her jeans had hugged her curvy thighs lovingly, and her T-shirt had skimmed the top of those jeans, brief enough Allie had seen a strip of pale stomach and a belly ring.
Allie shrugged. “It’s more about the whole person for me.”
“The last woman you kissed, then. Or person. I shouldn’t presume.”
Allie strangled a nervous laugh. The last four people she’d kissed had all been male. But in the here and now, she was Sophie. And Sophie was firmly the L in LGBTQI+. If she talked about a male partner, it might make it harder for Sophie should she return to Quandong in the future. “Ronnie, short for Veronica. Amazon type. More sporty than femme.”
“Relationship?”
“No. Just a kiss in the corridor of a dark nightclub.”
“Good kiss?”
The memory made her lips curve into a smile. “The best.” With a jolt, she realised it was true. As kisses went, it was at the top of the heap. She took a sip of coffee. But that didn’t mean much. Relationships, sexuality, partners were all more than a kiss in a dark place. For a moment, she stared at Tarryn. What would she be like to kiss in a shadowy corner?
“Then that’s another reason to hope we don’t get picked as the fake couple.” Tarryn’s voice hummed with a smokiness that had been absent a minute ago. “Your eyes have darkened with the memory. The kiss must have been a scorcher. If we had to kiss as part of the ceremony, I couldn’t compete.”
“Right. But Will and Garrett will have it.” Allie’s gaze rested on Tarryn’s lips. A low buzz started in her mind. What if shehadto kiss Tarryn, if she had to find out if her lips were as soft as they looked. What if she had to hold her hand and smile and gaze into her eyes. If she had to pretend she was marrying a woman.Oh my God.It would be torture. Torture of the exquisite kind.
Tarryn stared at her with an inscrutable expression. “Earth to Sophie. You look quite horrified. Don’t worry. It won’t happen.”
Allie forced a smile. Tarryn thought she looked horrified?If only she knew.
