Page 29 of (Not So) Mad About You

“A phone,” Alli said, ignoring Bea’s beginning of an apology.

“It’s my phone,” Bea said.

But Alli was still looking at it. Bea shrugged. Maybe this was the easiest solution. “Here,” she said, holding it out. “Call whoever you want.”

Alli took the phone and held it in her hand, weighing it.

Bea sighed. “Look, this is as good as it’s getting right now. If you need to make a call, then do it. I’ll do my best to get your phone back, but I can’t promise anything, and it’s not going to happen in the next few hours, so you might as well.”

“You know, I’m not entirely sure what I’m getting out of this deal and that’s really not the way this is supposed to work,” said Alli, coming in closer, phone still in hand.

“Do you… do you smell of guava?” Bea had no idea where those words had come from.

Alli blinked. “Uh, yes.”

Bea swallowed. “Um, it’s nice. That’s all. A nice smell.”

“Is it not a little weird that you can identify the smell of guava?” asked Alli.

“Yes,” Bea said, grinning. “But I had this lip gloss when I was a teenager that was guava flavor. It took me ages to figure out what the smell was.”

“I like it, it’s refreshing and unique,” Alli said. “It’s Korres, a Greek brand. Surprisingly affordable.”

Which brought Bea back to earth. Affordable. Money. Job. Right. She cleared her throat. “So, um, do you need to make a call, or…”

Alli looked down at the phone. Then slowly she raised her hand. “No, not just now.” She lifted that eyebrow. “And I want my own phone back. Is that clear?”

Bea nodded.

“You’ve got until tomorrow.”

Right. This was blackmail. How could she have forgotten? Shenodded again.

Alli thrust the phone toward her and Bea reached out to take it.

Their fingers brushed and Bea clutched her phone, taking Alli’s hand at the same time.

For an instant they were locked together and Bea’s breath came faster and she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck start to prickle. She wet her dry lips and looked up to find that Alli’s green eyes were staring into hers a look of… something there. Fear? Something else?

The Alli was snatching her hand away. “Until tomorrow,” she said again.

“Right,” Bea said, as Alli walked away.

It wasn’t until later that Bea thought maybe Alli hadn’t had anyone to call.

In the moment, she was far too busy getting her breath back.

Chapter Thirteen

Bea’s dark hair fell over her face, her strong thighs gripped Alli’s waist as she straddled her. Alli could feel herself straining, pushing upwards, needing, wanting, as Bea smiled and teased her, bending lower to kiss her and then arching upward so that her lips were out of reach.

Alli’s breath was coming so fast that she was on the edge of panic as Bea reached for the bottom of her t-shirt, lifting the hem and slowly, oh, so slowly stripping it off and up, revealing swathes of tanned, soft skin, ridges of muscles, the curves of her breast. Alli thought she might explode then and there.

Then Bea was running long fingers along Alli’s torso, eyes glittering with wanting. Tracing fingernails over her ribs, down to her stomach, sliding her body downward until she was astride Alli’s legs.

She reached cotton underwear, her fingers just sliding around the waistband, and looked up with pleading in her dark eyes. It was all Alli could do to nod. The need was filling her, subsuming her until it was the only thing she could think about.

With careful hands, Bea slid down Alli’s underwear and Alli parted her legs unbidden as Bea lowered her head and…

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