Page 14 of To the Moon and Back

“He’s also a really good dog. Mostly.”

Carly froze on her way up the walk. “He’s a dog? Rocky is a dog?”

Lauren laughed. “Yeah. What did you think he was? A hamster?Hamsters are no Dolph Lundgren.”

“You’re going to have to explain that one later,” Carly said,watching Lauren try three times to pull her keys from her bag. “Here. Let me dothat.”

“You are really nice tonight.” Lauren leaned against the brick andstared at Carly, who felt Lauren’s gaze boldly roam her body. It sent a flashof heat all over. “God, you’re pretty, Carly Daniel. Just like the movies. No.More.” A pause. “Maybe you should come in after all.”

Damn it. Lauren might actually be into her, and because she wastoo drunk to decide, Carly couldn’t do a damn thing about it. “I think I’lljust get you in there safely and take off.”

“Okay, if that’s what you want. Is that what you want? You’re freeto say, you know.”

Carly chuckled, just as the key turned in the door. She opened itfor Lauren and stepped back. “If I went after what I wanted, this night wouldend very differently than it’s about to. Not that you’ll necessarily rememberall of this conversation tomorrow.”

“Right? The world is a little…spinny, which is the most fun word.Spinny.” A pause as she marveled at the sound. “Spinny, spinny, spinny.” Carlylaughed. Lauren was cute and made her smile. “Thank you for seeing me homesafely, Supergirl. I’m going to drink water and sleep, okay?”

“Sounds like a great idea to me. Maybe the spinning will stop.”

Lauren walked past Carly into her home, paused, walked back out,and stared at her with those luminous green eyes. She didn’t say a word.

“Lauren? You okay?”

She nodded, grabbed the material of Carly’s shirt with one hand,and kissed her. Well, hello. Carly didn’t have time to think, to stop Lauren,because her body had taken the lead and had elbowed wisdom in its boring face.It was a simple kiss, but Lauren’s mouth was warm and wonderful, and she tasteda little like mango. Her tongue touched Carly’s lower lip and made her shiver.When Lauren stepped back and steadied herself with an arm to the doorjamb, allCarly could do was blink and smile. Well, that was settled. Not straight.Lauren Prescott was one hundred percentnotstraight. This was big. This was a victory, but it also had to beover for tonight. Lauren was drunk. Not that she could articulate that at thispoint. Carly, on the other hand, reveled. She bit her lower lip and let hertongue run over the same spot Lauren’s had, still tasting the sweetness fromLauren’s lips.

Finally, when her language skills drifted back to her, she passedLauren a soft smile. “You certainly know how to say good night to a girl.”

Lauren grinned. “I just…wanted to. Oh, man. I’m going to regretthat tomorrow, aren’t I?”

Carly backed up down the walk a few steps, her lips still pleasantlybuzzing. “I think this is when we wait and find out.” She pointed at Lauren.“Drink some water. Pop a couple Advil, and I’ll see you at rehearsal.”

Chapter Four

What the hell had she done? That was the question of the day, andit played over and over in Lauren’s brain from the second she opened her eyesthe next morning. Her head throbbed like someone was beating a bass drum insideher skull, but she couldn’t pay that any attention, because somehow she’dkissed Carly Daniel on the steps of her home, and if her memory servedcorrectly, it had been really, really good.

“Lauren, are we going from act one, scene three, or are westarting at the top?”

She blinked, not at all thinking about a pair of full, kissablelips beneath hers that never should have been there. Trip was speaking to her.Had it been important? She had no clue because she was too busy reliving akissing scene from a movie starring Carly Daniel, only it wasn’t a movie. Itwas her own life. “I’m sorry. What?”

“Rehearsal setup? We go in half an hour, and I was double-checkingwhere Ethan wanted to begin. Did you chat with him?”

“Oh. Yes, top of the show. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. You in there? You need a Red Bull or twelve?” Hetouched her shoulder lightly as he passed.

She laughed ruefully. “I’ll take the twelve. Just a crazyweekend.”

“Oh, right. The Carly thing. Wow.”

She froze. How in the hell did Trip know about Carly? There wasonly one explanation, which of course she should have anticipated. Carly hadtold someone in the company, maybe multiple someones, forever tainting Lauren’sstellar reputation as a professional in the field. Stage managers didn’t engagewith actors currently in their shows. That was just basic.

Trembling slightly, she turned around and faced Trip as hearranged the rehearsal furniture for the top of act 1 to simulate gate nineteenat the airport. “It was a passing moment. That’s all. I don’t even know how itgot to…that. It never should have.”

“Oh, I know. But talk about attention, right? Otherworldly the waythese things take off.”

Lauren chuckled along with Trip, because she had no idea what thatmeant but didn’t want to appear totally daft. But then, forget it, because sheneeded to know, and right the hell now, what he was referencing if she had anyhope of squelching this thing early and fast. “What attention? I’m sorry. Slowtoday.” Her heart thudded as she awaited what would surely be a catastrophicreply.

“On Instagram. The post that rando put up got a lot of play.”

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