Page 65 of When You Smile

“It is.” She paused, mug in hand. “It wasn’t a great exchange. I don’t think she wanted to hear what I had to say, and I’m not sure what to do about that.” She hesitated but then pushed forward. “It left me off center.”

“But you stood your ground, and I can’t tell you how that made me feel.”

She turned around, back against the counter. “Everything I said is the truth. All of it. These aren’t passing feelings.” She touched her chest. “I’m sure of that. You don’t have to be. But I am.”

Taryn was up and moving quickly until she stood in front of Charlie, downright in her space. “I know as plainly as I know it’s a morning in winter that we’re real.” She exhaled. “I’m a relatively fearful person but not about this, okay? I refuse to be.” She projected confidence and vulnerability, which was the perfect combination for the moment. It said she knew what she wanted and was open to the intimacy of their relationship. “And I love hearing that you’re sure because I am, too.” Taryn slipped her hands under Charlie’s sweater to rest on the skin of her waist. She loved the little liberties Taryn took with her. The touches, the advances, the kissing. She’d never had a relationship where she craved the other person’s touch with such intensity. Part of her wanted to crawl back in bed with Taryn, take their clothes off piece by piece, and just forget the world and everyone in it.

“Why does everything seem so much easier when I’m this close to you?” Charlie asked.

“I don’t know, but it’s the same for me.” Taryn kissed her softly.

“I could really get used to feeling this way.”

“I don’t think I ever will,” Taryn said, shaking her head. “I never in a million years thought I’d see you again, and I sure as hell never thought I’d be with you like last night.” She let her head drop back and looked at the ceiling. “Which, can I say, was life altering.”

Charlie took the opportunity to place a soft kiss on the column of Taryn’s now exposed neck and felt Taryn tighten her grip on her waist. “I love the cues you gave me.” Another kiss. “The way your fingers dug into my skin when you got close. So incredibly sexy. I can’t stop thinking about it.” She kissed Taryn’s collarbone.

Taryn returned to looking at her, her eyes wide. “Are you trying to turn me on?”

“Maybe. It’s a nice distraction from the trainwreck of a morning.”

“We could make it better,” Taryn said, stepping in and pressing Charlie more firmly to the counter. Her thumbs slid up Charlie’s ribcage to the bottoms of her breasts. A spark of anticipation erupted across her skin. She felt herself go damp. Her shirt was pushed up. Taryn’s hands moved to her breasts, at first over her bra, until she pulled the cups down, exposing them. God. Charlie gasped, her eyes slamming shut and then open again because she didn’t want to miss a detail. “I don’t have much time before class.”

“Noted,” Taryn said, pushing against her breasts, releasing them, rubbing a nipple between her thumb and forefinger, a move that made Charlie fully wet. She had no idea that was possible. She was aching and ready. Moments later, her jeans were undone and partially down her thighs. They were actually doing this. The presence of Taryn’s hand in her underwear while she stood in her actual kitchen nearly sent her over the edge immediately. She pushed against it, fitting her hips into the rhythm Taryn set. Then she was inside Charlie, as the intensity rose to near painful heights. Just when she thought she couldn’t take it another second, the pressure broke, and she was a shooting star hanging on to Taryn as the tidal wave of sensation engulfed her, wonderful and complete.

“Best thing ever,” Taryn said quietly in her ear as she floated back to Earth. She pulled Taryn’s hips up against her thigh and lifted it, to hear a murmur of appreciation from Taryn. She was just as aroused as Charlie had been, and late or not, she needed to do something about that. No choice.

“On the couch,” Charlie said, reassembling herself into her clothing.

“No, you need to get ready to leave,” Taryn said, but her eyes were hooded and had taken on a hazy quality.

“To the couch,” Charlie said, kissing her jaw. “I’ll make time.”

Taryn took a seat and Charlie knelt in front of her, pulling Taryn’s mouth to hers and kissing her, deep and long. All the while, her hands worked the button and zipper of Taryn’s jeans, and when they came up for air, she tugged them right off. Taryn held her gaze as Charlie removed the last bit of clothing between them and settled her face between Taryn’s thighs. She kissed the soft skin of one thigh and then the other, kissing her way to their apex. When her tongue touched Taryn intimately for the first time, she was greeted with a quiet murmur and adjustment on the couch. The circles she began to draw pulled a moan, and the repetitive swipes sent Taryn’s breathing ragged and quick.

“What are you doing to me?” Taryn breathed, which was the perfect signpost for Charlie, who was following her instinct and making it up as she went. Drunk on power and desire, she continued to tease, to give a little and then take away until Taryn tossed her face to the side, rested her cheek on the couch, and said, “Please.”

How could she resist? With the tip of her tongue, she altered her placement, moving in tiny circles where Taryn needed her most. It was seconds before Taryn cried out louder than she had the night before, arching her back and going still beneath Charlie’s mouth, and it was the most satisfying thing in the world.

No. The morning hadn’t started on the best note, but it had definitely ended on it.

Chapter Fifteen

Christmastime was meant to be spent with the people you cared most about, which made this separation that much harder. Taryn hadn’t seen Charlie in six whole days and felt every single excruciating one of them. Charlie had declined the somewhat icy invitation to the McHenrys’ Christmas and agreed to spend the holidays at Taryn’s place in Dyer. She’d remained at Hillspoint until the morning of the twenty-fourth and should be arriving at some point within the next thirty minutes. Taryn exhaled slowly and tried to remember what to do with her hands.

The house smelled heavenly. Her mother had been baking for the past three days and even had her hot mulled wine simmering on the stove, full of fruit, spices, and everything wonderful. Taryn hadn’t let herself indulge quite yet, wanting to wait for Charlie. That evening, her extended family would come over, dishes in hand for mingling, songs, and all-around Christmas cheer.

“You nervous?” her father asked, coming up behind her, hands on her shoulders.

“Not about you and Mom seeing Charlie again. But just in general, you know.”

“You’re quite serious about her, aren’t you? I can tell by the way you’re unable to settle.” He had a gleam in his eye that Taryn allowed herself to enjoy.

“I’m very serious about her, Dad. I think I’ve been serious about her since the moment we met. It’s only the capacity that’s changed.”

“Fate is a hurricane.”

Taryn turned. “What does that mean?” She frowned, trying to make sense of it.

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