Page 17 of Ravished By Her

It was a boxed set of Jane Austen’s works all with gorgeous embossed fabric covers, sprayed edges, and ribbon bookmarks.

“I saw them, and I knew you’d have to have them,” she said, putting the set on the coffee table. It was heavy, but the books were so gorgeous I didn’t even care.

I pulled out Persuasion and flipped through the pages.

“They’re beautiful, Sterling,” I said, almost at a loss for words.

“I know how much you love pretty hardcovers,” she said as Kai joined us, almost draping herself in Sterling’s lap.

“I’ve talked Joy into ordering more of them at the bookstore. People can’t get enough of the special editions we have now, and if they’re signed by the author? Forget about it. I have to keep stopping myself from putting them aside for myself,” Kai said.

“Thank you,” I said, and I truly meant it.

“Of course. What are sisters for?” Sterling said, leaning into Kai.

“What did you get up to today?” I asked, and they told me about their trip and visit to a bookstore and the terrible dinner they’d had. Both of them took turns telling the story and it was incredible how in tune they were with each other after only being together for a short period. It was as if they’d always been together.

It gave me mixed feelings that I didn’t feel like sorting through, so I excused myself and went back to the van, but I brought my new books with me even though I had to pile them on the passenger seat. It hadn’t been a bad day. Not bad at all.

* * *

Sterling and Kai did house chores on Sunday, so I did the same as Sterling helped with maintenance on the van. I had zero intention of driving it anywhere, but it was good to keep it in working order just in case.

In the afternoon we sat outside on the new patio furniture that Sterling and Kai had gotten for the backyard. They’d also set up a little fire pit and birdfeeders and buckets with flowers in them.

“It’s not an in-ground pool or a secret garden, but it’s the best I could do,” Kai said, reclining in one of the chairs. We’d also brought a cooler with ice and drinks out with us. What else was there to do around here on a lazy Sunday?

If I was back in Boston, I’d probably be on the roof deck of my apartment with a drink in one hand and my ereader in the other. I might have dipped in the pool and then sweated it out in the sauna.

Fuck, I missed my apartment. I missed the elevator and getting groceries delivered right outside my door and the gym and the view.

I reached into the cooler for a drink.

“I should have invited Karissa and Ingrid over, but they’re so busy,” Kai said, speaking of her closest friend and her girlfriend. I’d met them and they were lovely, as was their daughter, Athena. Kids weren’t always my thing, but Athena was absolutely adorable, and you couldn’t help but laugh at her antics.

I wish I knew what Lacey was doing today. I didn’t know if she would like hanging out with us, but I could absolutely picture her in one of the other chairs with a frosty can of beer in her hand.

“You there, Gwennie?” Sterling said, catching my attention.

“Yeah, just thinking,” I said, giving her a quick smile.

“About anything in particular?” Sterling asked, studying me in a way I didn’t like. I hadn’t breathed a word about my attraction to Lacey and if I could, I was going to keep my sister in the dark. What purpose would it serve to tell her about something like that? She’d probably just end up teasing me until I couldn’t deal, or worse, trying to get me to make a move.

“No,” I said, sipping my drink. I was going to need a few more of these before my tongue got loose enough to talk about what I really thought.

“Hmmmm,” Sterling said, narrowing her eyes. “There’s something you’re thinking about. Something you’ve been thinking about for, oh, I’d say a week.” Her eyes glittered and I glared at her.

“Yes, I’ve been thinking about my business. That’s it,” I said, and Sterling smirked at me.

“Oh come on, Gwen. We both know that the job isn’t the thing that you’ve been thinking about when you keep drifting off.” She wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, keeping my face neutral.

“She’s hot, you know. You should go for it,” she said casually before getting out her phone and pretending to ignore me. “Don’t think I didn’t notice that she’s exactly your type when I first saw her.”

“What the hell, Sterling?” I asked. “Were you trying to get me a job or set me up?”

She grinned and didn’t answer my question, pulling something up on her phone. “Did you know she makes jewelry? Really amazing stuff.”

---