Page 81 of Undoing

“Are you laughing?”

“Me?” Cass shook her head, pointing to the TV. “I, uh, saw something funny on the TV.”

“We’re watching a drama.” Rebecca playfully tapped Cass on the leg. “You’re laughing at me because I can’t reach the coffee table, aren’t you?”

Cass’s body shook again as she lost the battle to hold in the laughter. “I’m sorry!” she gasped. “You’re scooting so far down on the couch, your ass is about to hit the floor.” She observed Rebecca’s position and laughed even harder when Rebecca stuck her tongue out at her. “You’re gonna get a crick in your neck.”

She sat up and pulled the table closer. It didn’t matter that her own feet would now hang off the other side as long as Rebecca could sit more comfortably.

“Better?”

Rebecca snickered at the new dilemma. “Surely we have a more effective way of doing this that benefits us both.”

“Well, yeah, but…”

“But?”

Cass hesitated. “You, um, kinda lay on me. Y-your head on my lap, I mean. With a pillow,” she amended quickly, hoping to make it less awkward. It didn’t help. She lifted a shoulder when Rebecca just stared at her.

Rebecca reached over Cass and plucked what she now knew was her favorite pillow from the couch’s arm. She deposited it onto Cass’s lap and proceeded to lie down.

“Oh, you’re right. This is much better.”

Cass smiled down at Rebecca before they both turned their attention back to the movie. It was easier to pretend this wasn’t affecting them than to deal with emotions Rebecca didn’t quite understand. However, Cass remembered that this position had two different outcomes. If Cass trailed her fingers across Rebecca’s shoulder, their night lasted into the wee hours, doing incredible things to each other. But if Cass softly scratched Rebecca’s head, Rebecca would fall asleep before whatever they were watching ended. She gently scratched Rebecca’s head, carefully avoiding the area of the incision.

Sunlight filtered in between a small opening in the curtains, landing on Rebecca’s face. She frowned, slowly opening her eyes only to close them against the brightness of the morning. Morning? Her eyes flew open, and she moved her arms out, fanning them as though she was making a snow angel. She was alone, in bed, and — she lifted the covers — still dressed in her sweats. That explained why she was hot but didn’t explain how she got here.

The last thing she remembered was lying on the couch, her head on Cass’s lap, and Cass’s incredible fingers doing wonders on her head. No amount of meds had made Rebecca feel so relaxed. She obviously fell into a deep sleep in her thoroughly relaxed state since she had no recollection of coming to bed. Cass wasn’t here, though. And while part of her was disappointed by that, her trust in Cass grew.

She rolled out of bed and cracked open the bedroom door to listen for any activity downstairs. When she heard none, Rebecca wondered if Cass was still sleeping or had left to run errands or do… whatever Cass did during the day.

Rebecca stopped in her tracks on her way to the bathroom. What did she do? She had been forced out of the business world when she was with Samantha. Had she gone back to it after? Did Cass allow her to work? Rebecca signed with frustration. She needed to stop thinking of Cass the way she thought of Samantha. Cass had already said Rebecca worked. But it was still frustrating that there was so much she didn’t know. The only thing that kept Rebecca from crawling back into bed and throwing the covers over her head was the fact that she had taken the first giant step by moving in with Cass. Last night was wonderful with Cass, and Rebecca felt hopeful that this was the right decision. She wouldn’t allow herself to screw this opportunity up.

Rebecca was determined to remember, starting today. Now that her brain knew what to envision, it was game on! She’d jump in the shower and put on something other than sweats. If she were lucky, Cass would be home, and they could have breakfast together.

Cass looked at her watch with surprise. Nearly two hours before double digits meant it was way too early for Rebecca to be tooling around in the kitchen. At least it was for the Rebecca that Cass knew before the surgery. Was this another change? Whatever it was, Cass didn’t want to scare Rebecca by sneaking up on her. The last time that happened… well, it wasn’t something Cass wished to repeat. So, she made as much noise as she could while coming up the stairs from the gym.

Rebecca smiled when she heard Cass but continued with her task of making a rather large cup of coffee. The shower had helped clear the sleep fog from her brain, but her energy could use a caffeine boost. And she was surprisingly hungry after last night’s absolute feast. As anxious as it made her, Rebecca wanted to cook for Cass. She just hoped Cass wouldn’t mind.

Cass cleared her throat, giving Rebecca yet another warning that she was there. “Good morning.”

“Good morning. Would you like to…” Rebecca turned, coffee in hand, and saw Cass in short shorts and a sports bra. Her skin glistened with sweat, and her abs… oh god, her abs. Rebecca’s knees buckled at the sight of that sexy as fuck six-pack. “Fuck me. Eat me!” She exclaimed quickly. “Eat with…” Rebecca carefully put her coffee down with a shaky hand and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Would you like to eat breakfast with me?” she asked as calmly as her racing heart would permit.

Cass was torn between laughing at the situation and being irritated that she couldn’t do anything about Rebecca’s first suggestion.

“Yes. The answer to all of the above will always be yes.”

Rebecca let out a sound she’d never heard herself make before. The crazy part about what had just transpired was that while she hadn’t meant to say those things, she certainly wanted them.

“I’m so sorry. I… wasn’t expecting you to come in here looking like that.” But now I understand why you can carry me so easily and why I’m attracted to you.

Cass glanced down at her barely there workout attire. Shit. She’d been so distracted by the thought of Rebecca being awake and not wanting to startle her that Cass forgot about what she was wearing.

“I, uh, was downstairs working out.” She grinned sheepishly. “I wasn’t expecting you to be up so early.”

That little space between Rebecca’s eyebrows crinkled in confusion. “Am I not normally up at this time?”

Cass shook her head. “You’re more of a double-digits kind of woman. You don’t like getting up before double digits, and you don’t like going to bed during double digits.”