Something she'd never done here. Something she hadn't had to think about before. She'd lived her own life, had her own place, and hadn't had to consider anyone else in terms of privacy and space. She had a sudden attack of nerves. Of doubt.
An image of Matty came to mind, then flashes of moments between them. The look on her face when Sloan had exploded at her over the coffee spill. The way she’d stopped and stared when Sloan had grasped her wrist in Art the first time. The way she’d leaned into the kiss as if she’d been waiting for it.
Sloan closed her eyes and breathed deeply.
“Sloan?” Matty’s voice broke through the fog. Sloan opened her eyes and found softness staring back up at her. “Everything okay?”
“Yes, I just... Let’s go to bed. It’s late.”
Matty smiled, took one step, and then the next. Before Sloan knew it, she was in front of her. Face to face, toe to toe. “I wasn’t sure if—”
“I thought I’d beenclear,” Sloan answered.
“You were. I think it’s my own self-doubt creeping in.”
Something in Sloan eased. “Why would you have self-doubt?”
Matty shrugged. “You know… Life.”
“I want to know about that… Your life.”
Matty chuckled and took Sloan’s hand.
“I’m serious,” Sloan said, leading her towards the bedroom door. They paused outside it. “I’ve not done this before.”
Matty frowned. “Slept with a woman?”
“No, I’ve done that, obviously.” Her free hand closed around the door handle. “I’ve not brought anyone home since moving back in here with Mother. This is a first for me.”
“Then I’m even more honoured,” Matty said, her eyes holding Sloan’s gaze.
Sloan pushed the door open and stood aside as Matty entered the room and looked around, just like she’d done the last time she’d stepped inside here.
Once she was in the centre of the room, Matty spun around and waited until Sloan closed the door and met her there.
“So, earlier we were coming here to do very inadvisable things,” Matty said, smiling beneath her blush. “And now...”
Sloan swallowed. Even exhausted, she wanted to do unspeakable things with this woman.
“Now, it’s three in the morning and I’ll be up in five hours dealing with Her Highness,” Sloan said, smirking as her fingers laced with Matty’s again. “I still want to do things we shouldn’t, but...I think the time has passed and now I just want to sleep.” She raised her free hand, the backs of her knuckles gently grazing against Matty’s cheek. “Next to you.”
“That might be the most intimate invitation I’ve ever had,” Matty said. “But I have one issue.”
“Oh?” Sloan said, stepping back before she could stop herself.
Matty stepped forward, closing the space. “I don’t have anything to sleep in.”
“Ah, yes.” Sloan cleared her throat. “That might have been easier earlier.” The thought sent a ricochet of sensation straight between her legs. “I’ll just—” She turned quickly, pulled open one drawer, then the one below it, searching for spare sleepwear, grabbing striped cotton bottoms with a matching button-up top, all neatly folded and pressed. “Will this work?”
Matty took it from her, leaned in, and said, “I’d have slept naked, but yes, this will work.” She sauntered away and out of the room, leaving Sloan to contemplate her choices.
She grinned and quickly undressed, pulling her robe around herself. She pulled back the covers and grabbed her nightwear, then thought better of it and tossed it into the laundry basket.
Tonight was supposed to have ended very differently. Looking back on it now, Sloan was almost glad it hadn’t. She didn’t want to need alcohol to sleep with someone, especially not with Matty.
What unsettled her was the fact she still wanted her. Sober now. Tired. Clear-headed enough to know that if this went wrong, Gloria would lose the best carer she’d ever had.
When the door opened, Sloan looked up.
