Page 63 of Hearts Like Hers

“I’ll stop by after closing,” Autumn said.

Kate nodded and watched her go, regretwelling up thick and tight. She wasn’t sure how you got over someone likeAutumn. She’d infiltrated Kate’s life and made her feel things she didn’t thinkwere possible. Who was she going to talk to well into the night, or teaserelentlessly, or recount the latest Grisham book to? Autumn had become herperson. How was she supposed to just let that go?

* * *

Autumn knocked on Kate’s door just before tenthat night. The day had been a long one, made longer when her newest employeehad been a no-show and she’d ended up covering his shift in addition to herown. Her neck pulled, her arms ached, and her feet felt like if she didn’t getoff them soon, she might just keel over. Yet nothing hurt nearly as much as herheart, no matter how hard she tried to brace herself against it.

When Kate finally opened the door, theapartment behind her was dark. “Hi,” Autumn said. She peered inside. “Were youasleep?”

“Not even close,” Kate said, and took hersoftly by the hand, leading her inside. Only once she did, she understood thatthe room wasn’t dark, but dimly lit with tealight candles. One on the island inthe kitchen. One on the end table, and two on the bookshelf.

“It’s so pretty in here,” Autumn said, tryingto make her brain work after such a bitch of a day. Kate continued to lead herfarther into the apartment. “Wait. We’re not staying in here? It’s sobeautiful.”

“Nope.” They walked down the short hallway toKate’s bedroom, where there was another handful of candles interspersed, and onto the adjoining master bath, where Autumn’s breath caught in her throat. Thegarden tub was full and she could feel the magnificent warmth wafting her way.There were candles at all four corners of the tub and rose petals drifting ontop of the water. Gorgeous. “For you,” Kate said. “You had a long day.”

Autumn nodded and looked up at Kate. “No onehas ever done anything like this for me.”

“Well, now they have,” she said simply. Shepointed at Autumn’s Pajamas T-shirt. “May I?”

Autumn nodded and raised her arms, as Katelifted the blue T-shirt over her head. Kate carefully undressed her one pieceof clothing at a time and held her hand as she stepped into the waiting bath.“Oh, man,” Autumn said in exhale. “This is heaven.” Heaven grew exponentiallymore wonderful when Kate handed her a glass of wine that was waiting on thecounter.

“Get out of here.” She sipped the wine andsighed. “This is crazy.”

Kate smiled and, with a slight candleadjustment, sat on the edge of the tub. Autumn sucked in a breath as Kate soapedup a washcloth and softly washed her shoulders, her back, her breasts. Autumnexhaled languidly, relaxing for the first time that day.

“I could get used to this,” she said, andthen realized she couldn’t. That part wasn’t an option. A lump rose in herthroat, painful and persistent.

Kate must have picked up on the realization.“Don’t,” she said. “Tonight, let’s not think about it.”

Autumn nodded at the lofty request. After alengthy and wonderful soak, she allowed herself to be helped from the tub and intoa waiting towel, fluffy and soft. Kate wrapped it around Autumn, but not beforeher eyes blazed a trail across Autumn’s naked form, sending a shiver throughher that rivaled the heat from the tub. Channeling the confidence she’ddiscovered most recently, Autumn opened the towel once more, welcoming thatgaze, reveling beneath it. She heard the air as it escaped Kate’s lungs, andthe flash of desire in her eyes told Autumn that the invitation had not beenlost on her. That gaze led to an erotic thought, which led to another, whichled to another, until Autumn was all keyed up and bothered. She wanted Kate,but more than that, she needed her. Moments later, she found herself liftedeasily and set on top of the counter just feet away, towel still open and aroundher shoulders. She smiled at the intense look in Kate’s eyes, doing everythingshe could to encourage this mission. Her gaze hadn’t left Kate’s but she feltthe pressure between her legs, Kate’s hand. She pushed back against itslightly, and then more firmly. Kate’s lips parted and her eyes fluttered.

“You could have left today,” Autumn told her,holding her gaze.

“No, I couldn’t have.”

“And why not?” Autumn asked.

“You know,” Kate said.

“Because of me?”

Kate nodded, pushing into Autumn fully. Aragged moan tore from Autumn’s lips at the sensation and the sentiment.

“You,” Kate said, and pressed her lips toAutumn’s neck. “Of course you.” Autumn clutched Kate’s shoulders, encouragingthe motion of her hand, and her own need climbed like a sure and steadystaircase, higher and higher and higher. Kate knelt in front of her. She kissedher inner thigh and went to work with her tongue in—oh God, wondrous ways. Herhands held Autumn in place on the countertop, strong and gentle at the sametime. Autumn held on to the marble as the orgasm ripped through her in only amatter of seconds, shattering any semblance of control. She was calling Kate’sname, that much she was aware of, as she fell further and further into ablissful oblivion.

A rag doll.

That’s all she was, spent and breathless, andsitting on a bathroom countertop, a fluffy towel pooled around her waist. Katekissed her cheek tenderly. “Should I carry you, or would you like to walk tobed?” she whispered.

“I got this,” Autumn whispered back with a smile.On wonderfully wobbly legs, she followed Kate to bed where the crisp sheet waspulled back for her. She wasn’t quite ready to slip beneath it and would muchrather wrap herself around Kate. “Why are you still dressed?” she asked Katesimply, and took extreme pleasure in watching Kate remedy the problem. Autumn’seyes moved across that olive skin and toned physique. There was no getting usedto it, and every time she had the pleasure of staring at Kate’s body, shecounted herself lucky. As Kate slid into bed, Autumn went to work immediately,enjoying the romantic glow of the candles not far away, the way they flickeredacross Kate’s skin. She traced the pattern of that flicker with her tongue,chasing it. She made love to Kate slowly, savoring each gasp, each connection.

Curled into each other, limbs tangled, theystayed like that, talking, stroking each other’s hair, and staring into eachother’s eyes, knowing this would be the last time.

“It’s not your fault, you know,” Autumn said,quietly breaking the silence. “The fire. You didn’t set it.”

“I didn’t set it,” Kate repeated evenly.

“And you’re not responsible for that man’sdeath.”

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