Page 57 of A Little Light

“Unless you wanted me to set the record straight with everyone?” Andi had to consider how Rachel felt in this. She never wanted her to think Andi was avoiding public displays of affection around people. That was so far from the truth. She had just been pulled in all kinds of directions since they had arrived at Hillary’s. She hadn’t had much of a chance to speak to Rachel so far this evening. Although Rachel had spent thirty minutes dancing and chatting with Sally and Claire when they’d arrived. Andi loved seeing the woman she was dating being welcomed by her best friends. “You do feel comfortable, don’t you?”

“God, yes. Of course I do. I just wanted to make you aware of it, that’s all. No need for either of us to be caught off guard suddenly.”

As Andi opened her mouth to respond, she caught sight of Sally out of the corner of her eye. She was headed right towards them.

“I’m prepared. Don’t worry.” Andi shifted closer to Rachel, dying to lean in and kiss her. “I did want to discuss something with you, though. Not tonight, and it’s nothing overly important, but I wanted to talk…if that’s okay?”

“A-about what?” Rachel frowned.

“Can we do this later? Sally is coming over, and it’s not something she needs to hear.”

“O-okay.” Rachel visibly swallowed.

Andi looked towards Sally, thankful that somebody had caught her on the way over to them. It gave Andi a few more minutes to calm Rachel down. “Hey, it’s nothing to worry about. I just wanted to discuss your…job title with you.”

“My job title?”

“Yes, but as I said, can we do it later?” Andi couldn’t care less what people knew about her personal life. Still, she wanted to know how Rachel preferred to be known by other people. While Andi was comfortable with the truth, Rachel may not be. Even if she was proud in front of Andi, that didn’t necessarily mean Rachel wanted complete strangers to know about her line of work. “Baby,” Andi said, entwining their fingers. “Relax. It’s nothing important, okay?”

“Okay.”

Sally appeared beside Andi, nudging her shoulder. “You do realise where you’re standing, don’t you?”

Andi’s brows drew together. She was standing between the kitchen and the conservatory. “Um, I’m sorry?”

“You and Rachel.” Sally grinned, then looked up between them.

Andi followed her line of sight, laughing when she realised they were standing directly under the mistletoe. Could this be any more predictable…or romantic? Andi smirked in Rachel’s direction, gauging her reaction to the realisation she was potentially going to kiss Andi in front of all of her friends, but all she found staring back at her were those blue eyes, soft and gentle. Andi took a step closer, cradling Rachel’s chin in her hand. “I guess they’re all about to know.”

“Andi, you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I don’t care what ‘tradition’ says.”

“Oh, I want to. I’ve been dying to kiss you all night.” Andi leaned in and captured Rachel’s lips as though she was kissing her for the very first time. She tasted sweet, familiar…she tasted perfect. She touched her forehead to Rachel’s, smiling as she stroked her thumb against Rachel’s cheek. “I hope you know how much I enjoy kissing you.”

Rachel’s lips parted as she closed her eyes. Andi never thought she would have that effect on another woman again, but here she was, very much having some kind of effect on Rachel. “God.”

“Stay with me tonight.”

Rachel simply nodded, blushing when Andi’s friends started to clap and cheer. “I’d love to.”

“Do you…want to step outside for some air? My friends can be a little full-on when they want to be.” Honestly, Andi was the one who needed air right now. She hadn’t known how freeing it would feel as she kissed Rachel under the mistletoe. She also hadn’t anticipated how a positive reaction from her friends would make her feel. “Come on.” She took Rachel by the hand and guided her out of the patio doors. As they stopped on the decking, she turned Rachel to her again. “Are you okay?”

“Me? I’m great. Are you okay?”

“Mmhmm. I’m just perfect. Though, I’ve felt like that a lot lately.”

“You don’t know how much it means to me to hear you say that.” Rachel seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at that. Had she been waiting for this to fall apart?

“You…seem relieved.”

“I am. But let’s discuss it another time. Maybe when we have that other discussion you want to have.”

“Okay.” Andi smiled into another kiss, swaying Rachel out on the decking. “If that’s what you want to do, then okay.”

“I…wondered if you wanted to call it a night here soon, too?”

Andi caught that glint in Rachel’s eye as she asked that. “I think that’s a very wise idea.”

“Good. Finish your drink so we can get out of here unscathed. I love your friends, but I’m not in the mood for a million questions about us right now. I’d rather be alone with you…and naked.”

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