Page 30 of The Hideout

“You’ll find another mixologist, don’t worry.”

Juliet closed her eyes, her bottom lip trembling. “But they won’t be you.”

When she opened her eyes again, Paige had her own closed, tears falling down her face. Juliet did the only thing she felt she could do. She leaned in, hesitating for a moment, and then pressed her lips to Paige’s. She tasted sweet, her lips so full and plump. Lips Juliet would quite happily kiss all night long. Expecting Paige to pull away, Juliet was pleasantly surprised when Paige reciprocated. She gripped Juliet’s bare thigh, sending a roar of arousal straight to where she expected it to be. Oh, God. Paige’s delicate fingers on her skin had her breath catching in her throat, wetness gathering between her thighs, Juliet’s nipples painfully taut.

She knew she should stop this, knew Paige was going to realise what was happening and run, but Paige slid her tongue into Juliet’s mouth, moaning when she grazed her fingernails down her thigh. Juliet’s only response was to moan too, their tongues rolling against one another’s. Because that exhilarating sensation that had just shot through her… Oh, she’d never felt anything like it.

“Paige,” she murmured against her lips, smiling when Paige went straight back in for another kiss. “You have to s-stop doing that.” She placed her hand on Paige’s, stilling her movements as her hand found its way beneath Juliet’s dress. Those fingers were far too close for the public. “You’re killing me.”

Paige frowned as she pulled away. “Fuck, I’m sorry.”

“Oh, don’t be. Don’t ever be sorry for kissing any woman like that.” Juliet held her bottom lip between her teeth, the taste of Paige and her bourbon still present. “Never be sorry.”

“I…have to go. I should go.” Paige got to her feet, looking around the bar. She patted her pockets frantically, checking she hadn’t left anything, and rushed away. But she stopped and turned back briefly, desire overtaking the fear in those eyes. “I wish I wasn’t leaving, too.”

Juliet swallowed as Paige fled from the venue. Her body ached for more, to take what had just happened back to Juliet’s place, but she couldn’t rush after her. Juliet’s knees trembled, an entirely different version of Paige now cemented in her mind. Gone was the quiet bartender she spent most evenings with. Gone was the uncertainty that permanently clouded Paige’s beautiful grey eyes. And all that remained was a new Paige Harrison. One who was sexy as hell. Fuck, that woman could kiss. She could fire Juliet up in a split second. That kiss…had been the greatest kiss of her life.

Yet here Juliet was…alone.

Chapter 10

HATE TO SEE YOUR HEART BREAK

Juliet stepped into the shower, the steaming hot water soothing her back as she allowed it to cascade over her from head to toe. It was all she could do this morning to stop her from reaching for her phone and calling Paige, or worse…walking the corridor and banging her door down.

Last night had been intense. So intense that Juliet hadn’t actually slept much at all through the night. She’d sat up nursing her herbal tea until the early hours of the morning, and today she was barely functioning.

She increased the water temperature a little, groaning as it lashed her skin. She needed this, something to distract her from the pain she felt when she thought of Paige. Nobody had ever touched her so gently. Nobody had ever made her lose her breath from a simple yet unexpected kiss. Nobody had ever kissed her quite like that before.

With Rachel, it had been hot and heavy. With Rachel, it had been pleasurable but meaningless. With Rachel, it was…a transaction. But with Paige? Oh, God. With Paige, it was stars exploding behind Juliet’s eyes. It was her skin igniting from the slightest touch. It was something so intense she didn’t know how to make sense of how she was feeling.

Unable to get Paige off her mind, Juliet lowered her hand down her stomach, moaning when her fingertips touched her aching clit. It had been swollen and sensitive since their kiss last night, but only now was Juliet so overcome with arousal that she felt able to relieve herself of the pent-up desire Paige had left her with. “Oh, fuck.” Juliet inhaled a deep breath, rubbing vigorously. All she saw was Paige. All she felt was that tongue slipping against her own. Those fingers slowly creeping beneath her dress and to where Juliet desperately wanted them to be.

She felt her orgasm roaring towards the edge…but then her doorbell sounded, and Juliet paused. It could only be one person. Paige. She knew it was the wrong move to make when she was just about ready to come hard for the woman outside her door, but Juliet turned the shower off and grabbed her towel anyway. She couldn’t pass up the chance to see Paige. Almost losing her footing on the tiled floor, she composed herself and shot to the door. But when she pulled it open, her clit aching for so much more, Rachel was standing in the corridor.

“H-hi.” Juliet frowned, squeezing her thighs together. Now was not the time to have Rachel in her home. “Why are you here?” As unusual as this unexpected visit was, Juliet didn’t actually care why her escort was there; she just wanted to get rid of her so she could slip off into the bedroom and take care of herself. “Rachel?”

“I’m sorry.” Rachel held up her hands, tears in her eyes as she stepped inside the apartment. “I know you don’t want to hear it because I was a complete bitch to you on Wednesday night, but I am. I’m so sorry, Juliet.”

No. This couldn’t be happening right now. Juliet appreciated Rachel’s apology, of course, just…not right now. “I… It’s okay. Really.”

Rachel took Juliet’s hand, kicking the door shut. “It’s not. You mean so much to me, Juliet, and I’ve been very out of character lately.”

“Come here. Everything will be okay.” Juliet pulled Rachel into a hug, hating the pain she saw in her eyes. Yes, she’d been out of character, but everyone had a moment at one time or another. “We’re okay. I promise.” She pressed a soothing palm to Rachel’s back, smiling as Rachel sniffled.

Slowly, Rachel pulled out of their embrace, bringing a hand up to Juliet’s cheek. She swiped a thumb across Juliet’s bottom lip, only fuelling that fire Juliet felt burning deep within. This really wasn’t ideal. It was Paige she wanted standing before her. It was Paige she desperately craved.

“I’d recognise that flushed look anywhere,” Rachel whispered, ghosting her fingers down Juliet’s neck and along her shoulder. “Tell me what you need.”

Juliet tried to calm her breathing, but it simply wasn’t possible. Her body was far too sensitive, her mind was racing, and she couldn’t hold on much longer. “W-what?”

Rachel slid a hand between Juliet’s legs. The towel she was wearing fell to the floor as Rachel stroked her clit. Oh, fuck.

Juliet’s breath caught; her knees went weak. “Rachel, s-sto—oh, shit.”

“That is a very wet pussy. I don’t think you really want me to stop at all.”

“N-no,” Juliet spoke breathlessly, stumbling back as Rachel guided her further into the room. “Rachel, please—”

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