Page 48 of In the Works

It made me laugh, especially after she winked at me. I gave her legs a squeeze, and Sarah took her cue, hopping off my lap and onto the seat next to me. I could watch her move all night; just the way she held herself made my heart swell.

A part of me wished this could last forever. That we could stay in this car, in this desolate parking lot, and just hold each other.

But reality was just across the river, and there was no running from it.

So I reached for the door handle, seeing Sarah’s handprint on foggy glass.

“Sorry about that.” She bit her lip, a blush rising to her cheeks.

Shaking my head, I squeezed her thigh. “No need. I might never wash my car again.”

Sarah rolled her eyes and shoved me out of the backseat before climbing out herself. Once we looped back around to the front of the car, I watched as she put her seatbelt on and settled into the passenger seat. When she was ready, I put the car in drive and pulled us out of the parking lot.

Beacon was a ghost town this time of night; it was nearly two in the morning. Sarah leaned her head against the window and watched the blocks pass silently as we neared the bridge. Resting my hand on her thigh, I got us on the highway, willing the roads to grow longer as we soared along.

But Sarah’s exhaustion couldn’t be held off any longer. It only took a few miles of the car’s gentle purr to rock her to sleep. The way her eyelids fluttered shut reminded me somehow of falling snow. And each gentle breath she took only made my heart ache for her even more.

I wasn’t sure exactly how I’d managed to get Sarah Greenwood in my car, but here she was. We’d broken the seal on whatever was happening between us, and now all we could do is let it ride.

24

SARAH

I wasn’tsure how much time had passed, but when my eyes opened again, Vic’s car was already over the bridge, slowing as she pulled off the highway. Sucking in a deep breath, I sat up straighter. Vic pulled her hand from my thigh and smiled at me.

“Sorry I fell asleep.” I blinked the sleep out of my eyes.

Vic shook her head, a sweet smile on her lips. “That’s okay, I’m glad you got to rest a little. We’re a couple minutes away.”

Nodding, I sat up and smoothed the top of my hair. I knew the house would be quiet when Victoria dropped me off, but just in case my nosy sister had stayed up to see what I got up to, I wanted to have some plausible deniability about what happened between Vic and I.

I cleared my throat as Vic turned down my road and slowly rolled down my driveway. Before I could say anything, Vic was hopping out of the car to open my door. Even this late at night, her chivalry was undeniable.

As my door swung open, I gripped Vic’s elegant hand and stood on my tired feet. She closed the door behind me and leaned up against the car.

Looking at the house, I could tell all the lights were out. So I positioned myself between Vic’s legs, wrapping my arms around her neck. I leaned in, pressing my lips to hers.

Vic let out a relieved sigh as we kissed. The kiss was slow and sweet, our movements a bit sloppy as exhaustion set in. Pulling away, Vic smiled at me, her eyes barely open. “Thanks for coming tonight.”

“You’re welcome.” I couldn’t stop myself from smirking at the double entendre.

Vic rested her forehead against mine, her brows furrowed. “And listen… If you don’t want to keep this going, I won’t be offended.”

Giggling, I pulled back to look at her. I could see her genuine worry, real concern washing over her face. I put my hands on her biceps and gave them a light squeeze. “Why would that be the case?”

“Because you work for me, and you have a lot going on.” Vic shrugged.

Biting my lip, I sighed. “Well I don’t know what I’m looking for right now, but I know I like spending time with you. So as long as you’re okay with this being casual and open, I would like to see you again.”

It felt strange to admit I was seeing someone else. That Bri had managed to get in my bed just last week. But I hoped Vic would read between the lines for now, until I could work up the courage to say it outright.

With a knowing nod, Vic smiled. “That’s fine. I’ll be here whenever you want me.” She pulled me close for another kiss, and her shoulders dropped as her anxiety eased.

“Well, okay then.” I grinned as we separated. Resting my hand on her chest, I whispered, “Enjoy my dirty underwear.”

Her face flushed as I pulled away and headed up the pathway toward the front door. I quietly dug out my keys from the smallred purse that had followed me around all night. When I peeked over my shoulder, sliding the key into the door, Vic was still waiting right where I’d left her.

She watched my every move, unable to tear her eyes away. But she didn’t just watch my ass or the peek of my legs that slipped out of the high slit in my dress. Her eyes moved with my arms and my hair, like she was trying to memorize every detail of me.

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