“I rub you the wrong way?” She grinned.
“Yeah.”
“Look, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to. When we were kids it was so easy to wind you up, and I guess I’ve carried that into adulthood.”
Jennifer placed her hand on Riley’s bare forearm, absently noting the warmth of her smooth skin. “No, don’t apologise. I’m being a bitch to you for no reason, and I’m sorry.”
Riley beamed. “So, Jenny—”
“Don’t call me that.” Riley was the only person who ever called her Jenny and Jennifer hated the name. It made her sound like a child. She also hated how it always sounded so sensual in Riley’s husky voice.
“So, Jen … nifer. What are we going to do about Kelsey?”
“Well, I guess I’ll use her pregnancy against her. She can’t wait to be a mum, and if we make her see that going to the doctor is in the interest of the baby, she should see sense.”
Kelsey joined them in the lounge. She looked better. The colour had returned to her cheeks and her breathing was normal.
“You should be lying down,” Riley said.
Jennifer smiled, thinking how amazing Riley had been in the mini crisis. She herself hadn’t been able to move when Kelsey suddenly took ill, and she was glad Riley had been here, for them both.
“I’m fine now,” Kelsey said. “I think it was just the stress of you two arguing.”
Riley shocked Jennifer again when she said, “You need to go and have a check-up.” Kelsey rolled her eyes. “I mean it, Kelsey. There could be something wrong.”
“I’m fine. But if it will shut you both up I’ll make an appointment for later in the week.”
Jennifer prayed she would keep her word. If something was wrong with Kelsey or the baby, then they needed to know, before something bad happened. They had already lost their parents; she didn’t want to lose Kelsey too.
Chapter Five
Jennifer had left work five minutes ago. Her job as a PA for a small accounting firm didn’t pay well, but it was stable, and the lack of stress enabled her to continue studying for her degree at home. After she needed to leave school when her parents died to take care of Kelsey, her hopes of becoming a teacher had been dashed. Now Kelsey was all grown up, she had the time to think about her future and after working for Miller’s Chartered Accountants, she decided to get her accountancy license. She enjoyed the work and the structure it held, and found she was actually quite good at it. Over the years her boss had gradually begun to let her be more involved with the business and he encouraged her to get her degree.
She’d been about to pull onto the motorway to head out of town when her car started to judder. She managed to cut across the second lane of traffic and guide the car to the side of the road just as it came to a stop.
“I don’t believe this.” She fished her phone out of her handbag and dialed her sister.
“Kelsey? I need help. My crappy car has finally stopped working. Can you come and get me?”
“Why don’t you call your breakdown service?” She sounded tired. Since her funny spell last week, Jennifer had browbeaten Kelsey into taking some time off her job at the restaurant to rest. Jennifer assumed she had been to the doctor because Kelsey had said she had and that everything was fine. She didn’t entirely believe Kelsey, but she had no choice to but to give her the benefit of the doubt.
“I don’t have any. I had to cancel the policy as I couldn’t afford it this month.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have paid it.”
“I didn’t want to stress you out any more than you already are.” Jennifer exited the car and bent low, trying to see if anything had fallen off. With the age of her car it wouldn’t surprise her.
“Well, I’m busy sleeping, so you’ll have to call Riley. She’ll come and get you.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” She straightened. As if I’d know if something had broken off. “There’s no way I’m letting her know I couldn’t afford proper breakdown coverage.”
“God, you’re so stubborn,” Kelsey whined.
The line went silent and Jennifer heard the rustle of sheets. She assumed Kelsey was getting out of bed to come get her.
“Where are you?” Kelsey asked.
“Baker Street. Not far from my office.”
“Okay. Someone will be there soon.”
“You better not be calling Riley. Kelsey? Kelsey?”
The line went dead. Exhausted, she threw her phone through the open car window onto the passenger seat. “Damn it.” She leaned on the hood and settled in to wait for help.
Fifteen minutes later Riley’s dark blue tow truck pulled up in front of her, hazard lights flashing as she angled it behind Jennifer’s car. She thought this must have been Riley’s day off for her to be able to arrive so quickly. The other thought, that maybe Riley dropped everything to come help her, didn’t settle well in her mind.
“Riley’s Rescue to the rescue,” Riley said as she swaggered up to Jennifer, her ever-present grin plastered on her face. She looked great in her grease-stained grey jeans, holes ripped in revealing places, and her green polo shirt with the company logo, Riley’s Autos, stitched over her left breast. Jennifer let her gaze roam over her tight body. No matter how much Riley irked her, Jennifer couldn’t help but find her dashingly sexy.
“God, this is so lame.” She shook her head at her own musings. Riley’s eyebrows rose in apparent shock, and Jennifer blew out a breath in frustration for not being able to control her ogling. Not wanting to tell her what she had been thinking, she said, “Sorry. What are you doing here?”
“Kelsey said there was a pretty damsel in distress who needed me to come save her.”
“Normally, I would think you were joking, but knowing how much Kelsey likes to torment me, you’re probably telling the truth.”
“So, what seems to be the problem?” Riley said as she scanned the dilapidated car.
“It just came to a stop. It juddered a few times, then the engine cut out.”
“Is there fuel in the tank?”
“I’m not an idiot!” Her cheeks flamed. “Of course there’s fuel in there. The gauge is halfway.”
Riley opened the hood and peered inside. Jennifer stood at her back, looking over her shoulder. They were so close Jennifer could detect the faint whiff of coffee coming from Riley.
“Um, could you back up a little?”
She hadn’t realised her hand had moved to Riley’s back to help steady herself. She quickly moved out of the way as Riley went to check the tank.
A few minutes later, Riley said, “I hate to tell you this, but you have no petrol. It looks like your fuel gauge sender has broken. I won’t know for sure until I look at it in the garage, but I’d bet my money on it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” She looked from Riley’s serious expression to her car and back again. “Well that’s embarrassing.” She covered her face with her hand, trying to hide her mortification.
“Hey, don’t sweat it.” Riley shrugged. “Not your fault. The car is pretty old, and these things happen. I’ve got some spare petrol in the cab.” Riley nodded in the direction of her truck.
“Thank you.”
“So, why didn’t you want Kelsey to call me?” Riley asked a few minutes later as she poured the petrol from her jerrycan into the tank.
“She told you that?”
“Of course she did. You know how she likes to stir things between us.”
“I don’t understand that. She tells us not to bicker, then makes us bicker.”
“I think maybe I’ve rubbed off on her.” Riley put the cap back on the tank and walked over to her truck.
“You do seem to have a way of getting her in trouble.”
Riley’s back stiffened. She breathed deeply a few times before turning around to face Jennifer. “Is this about the baby?”
“No, no, no. I was just trying to make a joke. I’m sorry.”
“We’re a right pair, aren’t we? Do you thi
nk we’ll ever see eye to eye?”
“I’d like to think we could. No matter our differences, I’ve always liked you, a little.”
“A little?”
“Yes.” Jennifer smiled.
“I can work with that,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Are you trying to flirt with me?” Jennifer was shocked to feel her pulse quicken at the thought.
“Do you want me to?” Her voice had gone all husky again, and Jennifer had to concentrate hard on not letting her clit twitch. It didn’t work.
“Certainly not.” The flustered quality of her voice didn’t go unnoticed by Riley, who grinned at her. Jennifer avoided looking directly into Riley’s dark eyes. She failed miserably. Riley took two steps forward and got into her personal space. Jennifer’s first reaction was to grab hold of her and kiss those annoyingly smug lips. However, she wouldn’t give Riley the satisfaction of besting her in this game. Because this had to be a game. Riley was never serious about anything.
“Your mouth says one thing, but your blush is telling me something else.”
“You’re impossible. Listen to me carefully. There is no way on earth I would ever consider dating you.”
“Who said anything about dating?”
She waggled those damn eyebrows again, and thoughts of them in bed together flashed through Jennifer’s mind. She always thought Riley sexy and attractive, but this was the first time those kinds of images had ever passed through her head. Jennifer had never really questioned her sexuality before. She’d had a couple of boyfriends over the years, but they were nothing serious. She had been too busy looking after Kelsey. She had never considered her lack of interest in men might be because she was a lesbian. Save for her crush on Riley, she had never given women a thought. But who wouldn’t have a crush on Riley? She was gorgeous, but that didn’t make her a lesbian, did it? Now, though, having Riley’s raw sexuality directed at her, stirred her up so much she thought she was going to combust right where she stood. She needed to put an end to this attraction before it got out of hand.
“You’re a pig,” she said in her most pissed-off voice.
“Yep, that’s me.”
“It’s good to see your ego is intact.”
Riley gave her a reprieve by stepping away. The way Riley was able to turn on her sexy charm and switch it off so quickly prickled Jennifer’s nerves, and was proof this was all a game with Riley.
“I’ve got to get back to the garage. Bring the car in anytime this week and I’ll fix it for you, mates rates obviously. Say hi to Kelsey for me when you get home.”
Jennifer shook her stiff posture loose, trying to dispel the lingering arousal vibrating through her body. “Will do. And thank you for rescuing me.”
Riley opened her truck door, and before stepping in, she winked, “Always.”
Jennifer got back into her car, and after she pumped the accelerator a few times whilst turning over the key, the car sprang to life. She chuckled as she pulled back into the flow of traffic. Thoughts of Riley filled her mind as she headed for home. She needed to talk to someone about this attraction. The best person would be Kelsey, but she knew her sister. The first thing Kelsey would do is tell Riley, and that was something Jennifer wouldn’t be able to face. Riley gloating how she had managed to turn on her best mate’s stuck-up sister.
Chapter Six
Jennifer walked through the back door of her home twenty minutes later. She noticed Kelsey sitting at the kitchen table reading the daily paper. She looked drawn, and Jennifer couldn’t help but worry about her sister’s pregnancy. She hung her handbag over the back of a chair and shucked her jacket off, then hung it in the hallway closet. Coming back into the kitchen, she was about to ask Kelsey how she was feeling, but Kelsey spoke first.
“Hey. Did the superhero rescue you?”
Kelsey’s grin annoyed the hell out of Jennifer. “Ha ha, very funny. You damn well know Riley came out to help me. She says hi, by the way.” Her mind drifted to how close Riley had been standing in front of her, flirting with her. Jennifer couldn’t shake the lingering tension. Heat suffused her skin, her body trembled. How could a little harmless flirting turn her into a jumbled mass of nerves? It was Riley’s fault, obviously. She had that way about her. The tilt of her head, slight smirk on those moist lips, and a voice coated in promises. It was a play Riley knew well. Jennifer was both annoyed and thrilled from having Riley direct it at her.
“You look a little flustered. Anything I should know about?” Kelsey asked with a knowing smile.
“Nope.” She was not about to admit to her sister how turned on she had been just looking into Riley’s eyes.
“So, what was wrong with the car?” Kelsey asked as she folded the newspaper up.
Jennifer sat in a chair opposite her, running her hand through her hair. “Apparently the fuel-sensor thingy is broke. Riley said she’ll fix it for me when I can take the car in to the garage.”
“Well if anyone can fix that heap of crap you drive, it’ll be Riley.” She giggled. “She’s good with her hands.”
Jennifer narrowed her eyes. The thought of Riley being with Kelsey in that way made her nauseous. “And how would you know that?”
“I have my sources, Riley being one of them.” She giggled again. “Don’t look so angry. We have never crossed that line. She’s like my sister and that would be just icky. She tells me about her sexcapades, same as I tell her about mine.”
Relieved, Jennifer replied, “Yes. She isn’t shy about bragging.”
Kelsey’s face turned serious, her gaze boring into Jennifer’s. “You know, she doesn’t sleep with that many women. I don’t think she’s been with anyone for about a year.”
Jennifer shook her head. “And you’re telling me this because?” She did not want to think about Riley in bed with anyone, especially herself, but the images flashed through her mind without warning.
“Just in case you were wondering.”
“Why do you keep on insisting I like her?”
“Because I think you do.”
Jennifer looked away, afraid her feelings would be clearly written on her face. She did need to talk to someone about her attraction to Riley, and although she didn’t want that someone to be Kelsey, she could think of no one else to trust with the information. As far as everyone knew, Jennifer was straight, Kelsey included, but Kelsey already thought she had a crush on Riley, so she wouldn’t be so shocked if she knew the truth. She had never discussed her sexuality before with her sister and Jennifer had no idea how she figured out her crush, but she had. Obviously she had picked up on something that Jennifer didn’t realise she was putting out to the world.
Taking a deep breath to fortify herself, she said, “If I tell you something, do you promise not to tell anyone? And certainly not Riley.”
“Of course.”
Jennifer nodded, satisfied Kelsey would keep her secret. “I think you may be right.” Another deep breath. “I am finding myself somewhat attracted to her.”
“That’s great!” Kelsey clapped her hands, her face blossoming into pure happiness. “I bloody knew you liked her. This is so cool. My sister and best friend getting together.”
This was a mistake. If she wasn’t careful, Kelsey would turn into full wedding-planning mode, and that was not going to be happening, not with Riley.
“Hey, slow down. Just because I have a slight attraction to her doesn’t mean I’m going to act on it. You know what she’s like. She flirts relentlessly with everyone she sees. There is no way she could be in a monogamous relationship. And I’m too old to be messing around for fun.”
Kelsey shook her head. “I think you’re being too hard on her. And you’re only thirty-two, not exactly old. You could do with having a bit of fun. You’ve been so serious the last sixteen years, working and looking after us. Why don’t you go out with her a few times and let your hair down a little?”
“Not going to happen. I have my career to think of. And how awkward would it b
e when she moves on to someone else? It’s bad enough I have to see her around here all the time. It would be even worse if we hooked up.”
Kelsey narrowed her eyes. “Why do you assume she would move on to someone else? I’ve been telling you for years she likes you. You’re like the Holy Grail to her.”
“Has she told you that?”
“Not in so many words. But she is my best friend; I know her. I’ve seen the way her eyes follow you around, and she waits on your every word. Even when your every word is a dig at her.”
“Exactly. I never say anything nice to her. She’s not going to think I like her. In fact, she keeps telling me how much I hate her.”
“And yet she still looks at you like the sun shines out of your backside.”
“You’re being ridiculous. I think your hormones are playing tricks on you.” Not wanting to talk about her stupid attraction to Riley any longer, for fear Kelsey would combust with excitement, she changed the subject. “How are you feeling, anyway?” Jennifer stood and came around to Kelsey’s side of the table, where she placed her hand on Kelsey’s growing bump. She was showing now, and Jennifer couldn’t wait to meet her new niece or nephew in a few months’ time.
“I’m fine. A little tired, but all good.”
“What did the doctor say?” Jennifer asked carefully.
Kelsey looked away for a moment. “He said my blood pressure is a little high, but nothing to worry about.”
“You did go to the doctor, didn’t you?” Jennifer knew her sister. She knew that when Kelsey got a particular look on her face, and couldn’t meet her gaze, it usually meant she was lying.
“Of course I did. I didn’t want to, but with you and Riley going on at me, it was easier to go than have to listen to you both moaning.”
Jennifer wanted to believe her, but something wasn’t right. Her mind raced with possible problems and she had a thousand questions to ask Kelsey. She held back, deciding to give her the benefit of the doubt. There was no way Kelsey would cover up any issues with her health where her baby was concerned. Jennifer was overreacting and chalked it up to her stress over her situation with Riley.
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