by Harper Bliss
“Not a word of a lie out of your mouth,” Maya whispered when she encountered Quinn’s wetness.
“I want you so much,” Quinn groaned. “It should be illegal.”
Maya slid her finger a little deeper between Quinn’s legs. “What about your roommate?” she asked.
“I’ll be quiet,” Quinn murmured. “Just fuck me please, Maya. It was torture to be so close to you all night.”
“Torture, huh?” Maya slid two fingers all the way inside. “You youngsters with your hyperbole.”
Quinn probably didn’t register what she was saying any longer. She let her head fall back, exposing her neck, as she let out a half-suppressed groan.
Seeing Quinn like that, and having her fingers deep inside her, quickened Maya’s pulse. Fatigue made way for something else—even more feelings of infatuation for Quinn, Maya guessed. She kissed Quinn’s sweat-salty neck. Because Maya, too, had dreamed of a moment like this while they were out there on the floor.
She hadn’t only felt like royalty, she’d felt like Quinn’s one and only princess.
A bead of sweat pearled on Maya’s forehead. She wanted to take some space from Quinn, but the bed was so small, there was nowhere to go. Maya didn’t much feel like pressing herself against the wall either. She didn’t actually believe the apartment Quinn lived in was dirty, but it gave a too-lived-in impression and Maya might as well be honest with herself, she was used to a different standard of living. She had swanky wallpaper on her bedroom walls that was soft to the touch. Her kitchen had marble countertops instead of cheap plywood, and in the unlikely case one elevator broke down in her building, there was always the second one.
Maya understood that people in their thirties lived like this, although Tommy wasn’t even thirty yet and he most certainly didn’t live in a ‘Greenpoint walk-up’ as Quinn had put it. But Tommy was married to a TV news anchor and people who were on TV got paid a hell of a lot more than people who weren’t. Rationally, she knew it was perfectly normal for Quinn to live in a place like this in a city like New York with astronomical rents, but it did drive home a point to Maya as she lay squeezed against Quinn, who seemed totally out of it. If Maya listened closely, she could detect a soft purr coming from Quinn’s mouth at regular intervals.
Even though her body was exhausted, Maya’s mind refused to quiet down. When she heard a noise outside the closed bedroom door, she gently extricated herself from Quinn’s bed, found a robe that was hanging off the foot of the bed, and got up. Maya guessed she was about to make the acquaintance of Griff.
The apartment was so small, it wasn’t hard for Maya to find her way back to the kitchen in the dark. A woman of about Quinn’s age with short, tousled hair and dressed in a tank top and shorts sat at the tiny kitchen table, drinking a glass of water.
“Hey,” she said. “You must be Maya.”
“And you must be Griff.” Maya thought it a bit silly to offer her hand for a formal handshake in the middle of the night.
“The one and only. Do you want some water?”
“Sure.” Maya sat on the other chair and once Griff had rejoined her, found herself almost touching elbows with Quinn’s roommate.
“I hope we didn’t wake you,” Maya said.
“Nah. Sometimes I just wake up in the middle of the night for no reason. I suspect it’s hormonal.” She beamed Maya a warm smile. “How was your night out? Did you like the club?”
“I loved it. Have you been there?”
“It’s been a while.” Griff took a sip of water. “Couldn’t sleep?”
“Hm.” Maya chuckled. “Must be my hormones as well.” Maya couldn’t very well tell Griff the truth. For all she knew, Griff’s bed was even smaller than Quinn’s.
“New surroundings and all that, probably,” Griff said.
Maya nodded. “You didn’t go out last night?” Maya figured she might as well make some conversation, if only to take her mind off the issues that were keeping her awake.
Griff shook her head. “I’m keeping a low profile this year.”
“This year?”
Maya could see Griff hesitate, but then she nodded, and said, “I’m doing a ‘year of no’. It’s an experiment I’m doing for a book I’m writing.”
“How does it work? You say no to everything?”
“Nothing as drastic as that.” Griff laughed. “One full year of no flirting, no sex, and no relationships.”
“Seriously?”
“Oh yes.”
“Where did that idea come from?” Maya was intrigued. Quinn hadn’t told her that much about Griff.
“I’ve always been interested in how much of what we do and how we act is influenced by what we’ve internalized just by living in society, in this world that we’ve created. Being romantically involved with other people has been the norm for so long now, I wanted to experience what it would be like to actively go against the grain.”
“And? What does it feel like?” Maya had been single long enough to know exactly what it felt like. “For the record, I’ve had multiple years of no.”
“Until Quinn came along?” Griff asked.
“Kind of.” It wasn’t entirely true, although it felt like it had some truth to it.
Griff smiled at her again. “To answer your question, now that I’m a few months in, I had truly believed that it was going to be a lot harder. But maybe you should ask me again after spring. Or at the height of summer when everyone’s strutting around frisky as hell.”
Maya chuckled. “I can’t wait to read that book.”
“Quinn’s totally nuts about you, by the way,” Griff said.
Warmth bloomed inside Maya’s belly. “She’s, um… Well, I’m quite fond of her as well,” Maya half-said, half-stuttered.
“I’m just happy to see her like this again after Morgan did such a number on her.” Griff sounded concerned for Quinn. Either she was a really good friend or she had more than a friendly interest in her roommate.
Maya didn’t know what to say to that. She didn’t know what to think of any of this, which was why she was sitting at this kitchen table instead of lying in bed next to Quinn, soundly asleep. “We had a lot of fun tonight, but…”
“It’s complicated?” Griff emptied her glass while keeping her gaze on Maya.
“Her parents were my friends. That’s not something I can just ignore. She’s only six years older than my son.” Maya huffed out some air. “So, yes, complicated is surely the right word for it.”
“Yeah. My dad’s new wife’s barely older than me. She’s supposed to be my stepmother now. I’m not going to lie. It’s weird.”
Maya’s ears perked up. “Do you and your dad get along well?”
“Let’s just say I prefer to spend Thanksgiving at my mom’s.” Griff slapped her hand over her mouth. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I’ve always got along better with my mom, even before my dad married Brittany.”
“His new wife isn’t the main reason you don’t see him very often?”
“She contributes to it, but it’s more of a personality thing than an age thing. She’s just… insufferable half the time. Quinn’s like the opposite of Brittany. I didn’t mean to imply anything.”
“It’s like fifty/fifty in here.” Maya pressed her hand to her chest. “I have such a good time when I’m with Quinn. It’s magical. But I can’t picture it going any further than what we have now because of our age difference and our families. I just can’t see it.”
“Give it some time.” Griff twirled her empty glass between her fingers. “Enjoy yourselves together and see where it goes. No life-changing decisions need to be made right off the bat.”
“True.” Maya let her gaze wander around the kitchen. If she was going to enjoy herself with Quinn more, it wouldn’t be in this dingy walk-up—although she wouldn’t mind going to that club again.
“I’ve known Quinn for a long time and she’s good people,” Griff said. “She can be a little cocky but she has a kind heart and that
’s important, you know?”
Maya enjoyed Quinn’s cockiness. It was what had brought her to this point. It was also easy to tell that Quinn was a good person. But that didn’t solve any of Maya’s issues—on the contrary.
Chapter 30
When Quinn woke up she figured she was still in the exact same position she’d fallen asleep in, so deeply had she slept. The only thing missing from last night’s picture was Maya. For a second, panic overtook her. Had Maya left without saying goodbye? And if so, why? They’d had an amazing time at the club—and afterward.
Quinn hopped out of bed, threw on a T-shirt and a pair of boxers, and went in search of Maya. She found her drinking coffee with Griff in the living room.
“You’ve met. Great.” She hesitated a fraction before walking over to Maya resolutely and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Morning.”
“I’m going to take a shower,” Griff announced.
“You don’t have to go because of us,” Maya said, surprising Quinn. How long had she and Griff been sitting here? And more importantly, what had they been talking about? Quinn couldn’t put her finger on it, and maybe she was still tired from last night and brain fog was playing tricks on her mind, but she sensed something was off.
Griff waved off her comment and disappeared into the hallway.
Quinn took her place in the couch. She offered Maya her widest smile. “Did you sleep well?”
Maya shook her head.
“Oh.” Quinn shuffled a little closer. “Are you a little grouchy this morning because you didn’t get your beauty sleep?” She put a hand on Maya’s knee. She was fully dressed already. When had all this happened? Quinn must have really been out of it.
“Quinn.” Maya shook her head. “I didn’t sleep a wink. I—” She puffed up her cheeks and slowly let out the air. “I’m really tired.”
“We can go back to bed. Get some more sleep. It’s Sunday.”
Maya shook her head. “I just want to go home.”
“Hey.” Quinn gently rubbed Maya’s knee. “I get that you’re tired. Do you want me to take you home? We can hang out at your place, if you prefer.” Quinn was getting the impression that was the very last thing Maya wanted.
“I don’t ‘hang out’, Quinn.” She sighed again and it sounded much more exasperated this time. “This is not who I am. This—” She gestured her hand about. “It’s not how I live. It’s not me.”
“Last night you were you.” Quinn found Maya’s tone a touch too accusatory.
“Yes. I very much was.” Maya put her hand on Quinn’s. “And thank you so very much for that. I mean it.”
“But?” Quinn asked.
“Maybe we should cool things off for a while. Take a breath.”
“Cool things off? What do you mean? We went dancing. We had a great time. We can do it again whenever you want to. That’s it. I’m not asking you to marry me here, Maya. Nor am I asking you to tell Tommy that we’re seeing each other.”
“But can’t you see what’s happening?” Maya shuffled away from Quinn. “I’m falling for you and I think it’s a really bad idea.”
Such a fine line between elation and desperation, Quinn thought. “You’re tired. Last night was amazing and now you’re sitting here in the cold light of day, looking at me and wondering what the hell to do with me. I get it. It’s confusing. It might all seem like a bad idea right now, but you should sleep on it. Properly sleep, I mean.”
“I really should.” Maya held out her hand. Quinn took it in hers. “I know I’m being impossible.”
“It’s only because you’re feeling your age,” Quinn quipped but regretted it immediately.
Luckily, Maya could just about manage a chuckle.
“We’ll get you an Uber. Go home and rest. Call me tomorrow. Or later today. Whenever you feel like it. Okay?”
“Come here.” Maya pulled her close. “Why are you the reasonable-sounding one right now?”
“I’ve had a lot of experience dealing with… ladies like yourself.” Relief coursed through Quinn because she’d managed to defuse the situation.
“Oh fuck, Quinn, what am I going to do with you?” Maya cupped Quinn’s cheeks in her palms and kissed her softly but quickly on the lips.
“So, I hear you’re falling for me.” Before Maya left, Quinn would really like to hear her say that again.
“Turns out you’re very easy to fall for.”
Quinn batted her lashes. “That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”
“Sure.” Finally, Maya smiled, before leaning in and kissing Quinn properly.
“I’m pretty crazy about you as well,” Quinn whispered when they broke from their kiss.
“I know,” Maya said. “Griff told me.”
“Griff?”
“What a gem of a roommate.”
“Griff’s the best.” Quinn tried to peer deep into Maya’s eyes. “What else has she told you?”
“She told me about her ‘year of no’.”
“About me, I mean.” Quinn was well aware of how self-centered she sounded, but she was curious. If Maya didn’t tell her, she would grill Griff as soon as Maya left.
“It’s not very considerate of you to bring me to this apartment you share with her while she’s abstaining.”
“Griff and I discussed all of that beforehand. I didn’t do anything we didn’t agree to.”
“I’m just teasing.” Maya tilted her head. “It’s not easy to get you flustered like that.” Maya rose. “I’m really beat, Quinn.”
Quinn stood as well. She curved her arms around Maya’s waist.
“Thank you so much again for last night. I had such an amazing time,” Maya said.
“I’m sorry you didn’t get any sleep.”
“I’ll get over it,” Maya said, “I’m not that old.”
“How is Maya?” Quinn’s dad smiled at her fondly across the dinner table. “That’s a big move she made, from living in Milbury to a place like Manhattan.”
“She has a grandson she adores.” Quinn grinned at her dad. It was always good to meet up with him on his infrequent visits to New York. “But don’t let that put any ideas in your head. I’m not feeling broody in the least.”
“I remember when Tommy married that hotshot news anchor. What’s her name again?”
“Beth Robbins.”
“That’s right.” Her dad nodded. “There used to be a time when we were close enough with Maya that it felt like a given to invite each other to our children’s weddings, but something changed over the years. I’ve never really known what.” He shrugged. “But it’s good to hear she’s doing well. She’s a lovely woman.”
Quinn could only agree, but not too vehemently.
“Tell me about you, sweetheart,” he said. “Are you getting over that nasty business with Morgan?”
Her dad had always been so much easier to talk to than her mom. He asked as though it had never bothered him one bit that Morgan was ‘emotionally unavailable’—which was how Quinn had described Morgan’s marital status to her family. Quinn figured they were more than smart enough to know what she really meant.
“We met up, but nothing’s changed. I think I am actually getting over it.” Quinn couldn’t help a smile from bursting all over her face at the thought of Maya and how she’d been helping Quinn put Morgan behind her in an extremely efficient manner.
“That’s wonderful.” Her dad narrowed his eyes and examined her face. Sometimes Quinn forgot that he could read her like an open book. “Someone new in the picture perhaps?”
“Maybe.” Quinn could omit things, but she couldn’t flat-out lie to her father. “It’s early days and she’ll probably turn out to be more like a transitional person, but, yeah…”
“Tell me more.” He nodded in encouragement.
“No, Dad. I really shouldn’t.”
“You can tell me her name, at least.” He laughed. “Don’t tell me how old she is, though.”
“I’m not telling you anything. Let
’s pretend the conversation never took this turn and talk about something else pronto.”
“Why? Judging by that grin on your face, you obviously like this new woman quite a bit.”
“Trust me, Daddy, you don’t want to know.”
“I do very much want to know, especially now that you’ve said that I don’t.” He arched up his eyebrows. “I’m your old man. You can tell me anything.”
“Not this.” Or could she? Quinn’s mother would break out in hives, but telling her father could be a good test for telling other people.
“Who is this woman? Is she a high-profile Republican or something along those lines?” He huffed out some air. “We can turn this into a guessing game, if that’s what you want.”
“She’s not a politician.”
“Okay.” He tapped a finger against his chin ostentatiously. “I’m trying to think of plausible reasons for you not wanting to tell me. Is she famous? Is it Oprah? Or Ellen?”
Quinn burst out laughing. “Neither one of them lives in New York and no, she’s not famous.”
“So what’s the catch? I don’t get it.” He jutted out his bottom lip. “This is me, Pumpkin. Whoever it is, I won’t tell your mother. You have my word.”
“That would certainly make your life easier as well,” Quinn said.
“Come on.” He drummed his fingers on the table impatiently. “Out with it. You’ve tortured me long enough.”
Quinn looked at her father. Maybe he’d never see her in the same light again after she told him. But something inside her wanted to tell him. Not only because he was her father and she’d always felt safe with him and understood by him, but also because it would lend a certain legitimacy to whatever she and Maya were doing. And he was one of the most non-judgmental people she knew. “It’s Maya, Dad. Maya Mercer.”
His forehead wrinkled into a deep frown. “Maya Mercer? Whose portrait you took? Our old neighbor?”
“Yes.” Quinn’s palms started sweating. Maybe she’d finally pushed too hard against her father’s boundaries of understanding. “We’ve been seeing each other.”
