Jenna kept her eyes locked on Sawyer’s for what felt like a long time before she said softly, “I feel the same way.” She leaned forward and kissed her tenderly.
Later still, they were cuddled on the couch, watching a movie, but also drifting a bit. The coffee table held a half-eaten bowl of popcorn and empty glasses that had held sparkling water. Jenna leaned back against Sawyer’s front, but every few minutes, her body gave a quick jerk as she dozed. Sawyer held her tightly and turned to gaze out the window.
Snow was falling slowly, had been for the last hour. Dusk was fast approaching, and the street outside was quiet, with only an occasional passing vehicle. It was like they were in their own little bubble, her and Jenna, snuggled up in their own private little snow globe.
She pressed a kiss to Jenna’s head before she spoke. “I hate the idea of getting up and going to work tomorrow.”
“You could call in sick again,” Jenna said, her voice teasing. “I have tomorrow off, too.”
“Listen, don’t tempt me,” Sawyer said, giving her a squeeze. “I have a big project due next week or I’d actually consider it.”
“Can you at least stay here again tonight?” Jenna shifted so she could turn her head enough to see Sawyer’s face. “Please?”
Sawyer took in the soft brown eyes, the rosy cheeks, the slightly pouting lips, and only one question rolled through her mind.
How am I ever going to say no to that face?
The snow had eased up by Thursday, which Jenna had been thankful for as she drove to her parents’ house for Thanksgiving, rolls in tow. Now, as she sat at the table and listened to her brother Jacob talking about his job in Human Resources, she couldn’t keep her mind from drifting to all things Sawyer Hall—all the time she’d spent at Jenna’s this week, how Jenna was headed to Sawyer’s parents’ house after this, how excited she was about it.
Then, inevitably, her brain decided to toss her some X-rated memories as she sat next to her mother. Memories of Sawyer’s naked body beneath her, Sawyer’s naked body above her, Sawyer’s head between her legs, Sawyer doing indescribably erotic things with her tongue…
“Right, Jen?”
Jenna blinked rapidly, her attention yanked back to the present by Jacob. “Sorry. What?”
“I said having to hire and fire sucks.”
She nodded, forcing herself back to the current conversation. “Hundred percent. That’s why I’m always telling Shane and Delia they can never leave me. I can’t handle the stress of interviewing potential new employees.”
“The worst,” Jacob said, then shoved a forkful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.
“How’s business?” Nathan asked, and she wanted to hug her brothers for making sure she was part of the conversation.
“This is my busy time of year,” she said, forcing a smile onto her face and confidence into her voice. “Lotta people buy books for Christmas gifts.”
Her mother nodded but said nothing.
Her father asked Nathan how his truck was running.
Jenna checked her watch.
“You’ve checked that four times in the past half hour,” her mother said, calling her out. “Do you have someplace to be?” Suddenly, everybody at the table was watching her. At least Nathan had a look of sympathy on his face, and that was the nudge she needed.
“As a matter of fact, I do.” She met her mother’s gaze. “I’ve been seeing somebody, and she’s invited me to her parents’ house later. I don’t want to be late, so that’s why I’ve been checking my watch. I apologize. I didn’t mean to be rude.”
Nathan grinned at her, and Jacob jumped in with “That’s great, Jen. What does she do?”
Thanks to her brothers, she spent the next fifteen minutes extolling the virtues of Sawyer Hall, and while her parents were their usual quietly unimpressed selves when it came to their daughter’s sexuality, they didn’t interrupt. In fact, they seemed to be attentively listening, taking it all in, and that felt new. Different. By the time Jenna had helped clear the table and load the dishwasher and was getting ready to leave, her mother approached her in the kitchen, a homemade apple pie in hand.
“Here. Take this.”
Jenna frowned. “Mom, I love your pie, but I can’t eat the whole thing by myself.” She wrinkled her nose. “Well, let me amend that. Ishouldn’teat the whole thing by myself.”
Her mother smiled and said, “No, it’s to take with you today. You can’t show up to somebody’s house empty-handed.”
While she had two bottles of wine in the car, as well as a new romance for Sawyer’s mother, she knew enough to appreciate her mother’s gesture for what it was: a peace offering. She took the pie. “Thanks, Mom.”
Her mother wrapped her in a hug, and Jenna tried to hide her surprise. Not because her mother hugged her, but because shehuggedher. Held on tight. Squeezed her close. It was new and different, and when she heard her mother whisper, “It’s nice to see you so happy,” close to her ear, her eyes welled up. When they parted, she saw her mother was also teary, and they both laughed about it. Her mother waved her away. “Go. Say goodbye to your father and then get a move on. You don’t want to be late. And be careful driving.”
