Page 68 of To the Moon and Back

“Stay tuned,” Lauren said and bopped it. “The rumors were awful.Then you showed up late. You didn’t seem to care.”

“Yeah, I’m really sorry about all of that. I feel like I’velearned a lot since then.”

“Not at all the point of my story. Do you want to listen or apologizesome more?”

God, Carly loved it when Lauren took charge and teased her. It gother all tingly and a little turned on. “I want to listen to you some more.Please go on. Regale me.”

Lauren smiled, and Carly’s heart warmed. “But what happened, despitemy preconceived ideas, is that I couldn’t stop stealing glances at you. Iwatched you work. I took note of how kind you were to everyone you spoke with.Your beauty took my breath away.” Carly’s lips parted, and she sifted throughthis new information. Lauren had noticed her that early on?

“You’re not making this up?”

Lauren shook her head. “The point of this story is that thoseheads turning have nothing to do with the fact that you’re famous. I’m sure itdoesn’t hurt, but you need to take my word for this.” Carly blinked, realizingshe was holding Lauren so tightly that she had to have noticed. “You come witha life force, Carly, a presence that draws people to you. You’re special inthat way, and just being here with you tonight, I feel incredibly lucky.Getting to know you and seeing that what’s on the inside is just as beautifulas what’s on the outside has been the most amazing journey.”

Carly couldn’t find words, and she was a person who always hadthem. Hell, she rarely shut up. After spending the day feeling inconsequentialand small, Lauren, in under five minutes, had managed to make her feel like shemattered again. More than that, she feltimportant.What a gift Lauren had just given her. “Thank you for that. You didn’t have to,especially when I’m acting like a pathetic jerk and knee-deep in wine.”

Lauren gave Carly’s chin a little shake. “It’s all gonna turnaround. Just you wait. What did Alika say?”

The corners of Carly’s mouth tugged. “She said I have an auditionfor a film on Thursday.”

“What?” Lauren practically yelled, leaping off Carly’s lap andfacing her. “And you’re just now saying so? Talk about burying the lede.”

Carly laughed and held up a hand. “I’m not going to get excitedabout it yet, but the director knows my work, and if he’s asking me to come in,it’s a good sign. He’s aware of what he’s getting, right? And still asking.”

“In my experience in the room with directors, yes, that’s beenexactly the case. I think this bodes really well for you.” Lauren held out herhand, and Carly accepted it, standing.

“Where are we going?”

“We are going to your amazingly large kitchen where I’m going tocook us up some chicken carbonara while we sip wine and talk about our days.”

“I have no groceries.”

“Good thing I stopped at the store on my way home.”

Carly shook her head. “God, you’re good.”

“We’re not going to watch that video on your phone anymore becauseit’s stupid and not you. And if things go well in the kitchen, we might evenfool around later. Who knows?”

Carly blinked. “That sounds like exactly the kind of night Ineed.”

Lauren kissed her hand. “I was hoping you’d think so.”

As Lauren tugged her into the house, Carly raised an eyebrow. “Youreally think my kitchen is big?”

“Do lesbians rent U-Hauls on Saturdays?”

“That big, huh?”

* * *

Lauren shifted in bed as the early morning sunlight tiptoed in.She blinked against it, slowly waking up. Her body felt heavy and wonderful andwarm. God, what was happening to her? She grinned. Carly was happening to her.Carly softly tickled Lauren’s stomach, waiting patiently for permission. Laurenhad discovered early on that Carly loved morning sex, and it hadn’t taken muchto make her a believer, too. She turned her head and found Carly’s baby blues.She still had those wonderfully swollen lips, a sign that Lauren had spent thenight kissing them. Her blond hair fell across the pillow, and her hand circledLauren’s belly button. Carly raised an eyebrow. Lauren shook her head with achuckle, knowing exactly the plans Carly had. Except Lauren had plans of herown.

“You’re sexy in the morning,” Carly said. Lauren pulled the sheetdown from Carly’s chest for a more fulfilling view of her body. Carly followedher gaze down to her breasts and then back up again with awell, welllook.Carly’s skin caressed by sunlight appeared so soft. Lauren wanted her.

“I’m not the only one who’s sexy,” Lauren said. With the stirringbetween her legs propelling her, she eased Carly onto her side and pressedherself against Carly’s back. With her arm wrapped around Carly midsection, shehad excellent access to the breasts she enjoyed so much. She cupped one,kneading it, pressing it, all the while listening to Carly’s quiet gasps. Shepinched the nipple. Carly hissed in a breath. She slid her arm between Carlyand the mattress, which allowed her to pay the same attention to the otherbreast. There was a bird outside, singing to them in the middle of November,Lauren realized distantly. The perfect soundtrack for the morning. She partedCarly’s legs with her knee and eased her hand between them from behind. Sheclosed her eyes at how ready Carly already was. She pushed against Lauren’shand, but teasing her was so much more fun. She kept her touches light,fleeting, until she had Carly making the most adorable whimpering noises.Finally, she circled the spot she knew would take her over the edge and watchedas her body flexed and clenched, her hips rolling in the most sensual abandon.

“You’re shaking,” Lauren said, gathering Carly into her arms, onceshe’d gone slack.

Carly smiled. “It was that good.”

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