Page 109 of Flirting Lessons

“Oh, trust me, I remember. Fine, what’s my surprise?”

Avery laughed as she flipped over on top of Taylor.

“You don’t know the meaning of the wordsurprise, do you? You’ll see, after the shower.”

Taylor let out a loud groan.

“Afterthe shower? But what if I can’t wait that long?”

Avery didn’t answer that, she was too busy with Taylor’s breasts. She sucked one nipple into her mouth and heard a gratifying moan from Taylor.

“Are you saying you want me to stop this?” she asked, after she released Taylor’s nipple. She rubbed it back and forth between her fingertips, and watched Taylor watch her fingers. “Because I don’t want to stop, but I will if you want me to.”

She started to move her hand away. Taylor grabbed it and put it back.

“You have an evil streak, has anyone ever told you that? It’s one of the things I’ve liked about you from the beginning. And no, fuck you, don’t stop a single thing you’re doing.”

Taylor pushed her head back down, and Avery laughed.

Later, she lay in bed with her coffee and watched Taylor get dressed.

“I’ll be at the winery by eleven,” she said. “I think Sloane is planning to get there at the same time.”

Taylor took a gulp of her coffee. She’d begrudgingly admitted that Avery made decent coffee, an enormous compliment coming from her.

“I’m going to be very glad when this is over, you know that, right?”

Avery laughed out loud.

“All of Napa Valley knows that. Probably most of Sonoma, too.”

Taylor walked over to the bed and kissed her hard.

“Okay, see you soon.” She walked to Avery’s bedroom door and stopped. “And if I haven’t said it enough, thank you for everything that you’re doing for this shower. This would be a nightmare without you.”

Avery knew Taylor was grateful for her help, but it still felt very good to hear that.

“You’re very welcome. See you later.”

Taylor opened her eyes wide.

“Don’t you think it would be just as much of a surprise if you told me about it now?”

Avery burst out laughing.

“It absolutely would not be, but nice try.”

Sloane was already at the winery when Avery got there, even though Avery was right on time. Taylor was going to have to get over this thing about Sloane at some point. She was pretty sure Taylor resented how close Sloane was with Erica, but right now, Taylor and Sloane were companionably setting up the decorations in the garden, so Avery just joined in to help Taylor put up the umbrellas to shade the food tables, and all three of them set up the balloon backdrop. (They’d decided on balloons, since flowers would wilt in the late September heat.)

Then Callie arrived with the food, with Erica and Sam right behind her. Avery had been curious to meet Sam, whom Taylorseemed to like just fine but never really mentioned. Avery understood why when she met her; Sam was very nice but quiet. Erica was definitely the extrovert in that pair. Sam smiled at Avery without being effusive but seemed very appreciative of all their hard work.

Avery had been nervous to be at Erica’s shower, where she felt like she didn’t really belong. It would be one thing if she were actually the event planner, but she was there as Taylor’s sort-of girlfriend, and everyone else already knew one another except for her. Would they all give her a look like they were wondering who she was and what she was doing there?

But no one did that. There were people she knew—Taylor’s friend Callie, of course, and Liz and Dani and Nadia, whom she’d met at trivia, and they all gave her hugs and said how happy they were to see her. And everything at the shower went according to plan. They made flower crowns, and all wore them—even Taylor. They played the games that Taylor and Avery and Sloane had come up with, and when people laughed until they cried at the answers to the “invent a new baby food flavor” game, they exchanged pleased glances.

“Time for the toasts,” Avery whispered to Taylor. Taylor nodded and caught Sloane’s eye, and they both went over to Erica and Sam. Sloane tapped her wineglass in an attempt to get everyone’s attention, but that accomplished nothing. Then Taylor whistled, and the crowd quieted down immediately.

“Does everyone have a glass of something?” Taylor asked. She didn’t wait for an answer. “Good. Thank you all so much for coming. As many of you know, baby showers are not, shall we say, my usual milieu—” Everyone laughed, including Erica. “But Erica and Sam and their upcoming baby mean so much to me that I would do anything for them, and that includes throwing a baby shower.”There was more laughter, and Taylor grinned at the crowd. She looked right at Avery, and her grin got bigger. Avery couldn’t help but laugh again; Taylor might not be big on baby showers, but she was great at talking to crowds, that was for sure.

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