“We’ve been taking it really slow, just being relaxed. Taking our time. But that—I didn’t expect that. And it was…” She shook her head. “It was amazing.”
“Sex?” JoJo asked. The waitress arrived with her second martini, raised her eyebrows, then left.
“Not yet, but…” Leah hesitated.
“But what?” Tilly wiped her mouth with her napkin and slid her fork and knife onto her plate, a clear sign she was finished.
“But…probably tomorrow.”
“Oh?” JoJo leaned forward, her eyes almost comically bright.
“It’s killing you not to pounce, isn’t it?” Leah arched an eyebrow.
“You have no idea.” JoJo visibly clenched her teeth, and Leah laughed.
“Sundays are good days for her because she usually has a wedding on Saturday, and if it’s an evening one, which it often is, she works late.” She paused, sipped. “She asked me over tomorrow.”
“For sex.” JoJo stated it, didn’t ask.
“Well, she didn’t say that, Jo.”
One raised shoulder. “It’s implied, though.”
Leah wanted to argue, but JoJo wasn’t wrong. After the discussion in her office, the invitation did kind of imply more. Didn’t it? Or was she way overreaching? Seeing things that weren’t there.
“You look worried.” Tilly’s brow was furrowed, expression serious.
“Nervous,” Leah corrected, then grimaced at the admission.
“Oh, man,” JoJo said, eyes a little wide. “You really like this one, don’t you? That’s why you’re doing the whole slow burn thing.”
Leah had been trying not to think about exactly that, but she’d failed spectacularly. Because it was there. It was definitely there. And it scared the hell out of her. Instead of replying, she simply looked from JoJo to Tilly and back again.
“Oh, sweetie, it’s fine,” JoJo said and reached across the table, making Leah wonder what expression her face was making that her friend was suddenly all mushy and gentle. “It’s all going to be fine.”
JoJo’s voice was soothing, her expression positive. Tilly was…well, Tilly—stoic and hard to read, but with a ghost of a smile. JoJo was right about one thing, though: Leah liked Teddi. A lot. And maybe it was all going to be fine and she was way overthinking it all. All she knew for sure was that she couldn’t wait for tomorrow. She already had those anticipatory flutters in her stomach, and she had another twenty-four hours to go, at least.
Was Teddi having the same thoughts?
* * *
Every now and then, a wedding would make itself known as a Murphy’s Law Wedding: Everything that could possibly go wrong would. Saturday’s wedding wasn’t quite that bad but had more crises than an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, and Teddi felt like a firefighter, running around putting out fires all over the place, dragging a heavy hose behind her.
The day had been sunny and crisp, but the wedding was an evening one, and by late afternoon, the wind had picked up, clouds moved in, and snow began to fall, whipping around and causing drifts that made driving a little dicey. In the bridal room, the bride stepped into her dress, fastened it up, and the bodice was just loose enough that she was worried her girls would give an unexpected appearance the second she moved. A meltdown came next, complete with bridesmaids doing their best to calm her so as not to ruin the makeup that had taken over an hour to apply—something Teddi never understood, even as a woman who could appreciate a smooth foundation and a lifesaving under-eye concealer. Luckily, a distant cousin was a seamstress and, once located and brought to the bridal room, was able to work safety pin magic and secure the boobs from possible escape. A groomsman had been overserved and had the entire staff looking for the lost wedding bands until they finally found them in his inside jacket pocket. The minister was late. The DJ forgot a very important cable and then mispronounced the groom’s name, even after being coached.
But now Teddi stood off to the side and watched the daddy-daughter dance in relief. As she finally felt herself calm down, her shoulders drop, she watched her client, this young woman she’d met with for nearly a year, helping her organize, take care of scheduling, make difficult decisions, as she swayed in her father’s arms, both of them teary with enormous smiles. Across the dance floor stood the groom, also watching, also smiling.
The scene must’ve nudged something in Teddi, loosened a couple of the screws she’d used to fasten a lid on the emotions surrounding what she’d done on Thursday night. When she’d left Leah’s office, she’d felt like she was floating, like her shoes were little jetpacks, zipping her along without her having to make any effort.
That lasted until she’d gotten home.
Then she’d panicked. And the questions had hit.
What the hell was I thinking?
How stupid am I?
On what planet was that a good idea?
And back to What the hell was I thinking?
She was a smart girl and none of this confused her. She knew exactly why that panic had set in: vulnerability. Since the end of her marriage, she’d taken that, packed it up in a lockbox, and put it away on a high, high shelf, vowing never to open it.
Ha.
The panic and the questions plagued her all day on Friday, even as she texted back and forth with Leah, spinning around in her head like the numbered balls in a bingo cage, until she thought she’d scream. And then something strange happened.
She saw Leah’s face in her mind.
Not just her face in general, but her face when she’d opened the door of her office and seen Teddi sitting there. The way it had gone from exhausted and flat to lit up and smiling. She saw Leah’s face as Teddi had sat there and poured out her heart like a sap. Leah hadn’t looked at her like she was a sap, though. She’d looked at her with excitement, and—if Teddi hadn’t mistaken what she’d seen—an element of admiration, as if Leah understood completely that Teddi didn’t normally do that, didn’t normally slice herself open and let somebody see inside.
Once that had happened, once she’d had a clear reminder of how Leah looked at her, all the panic, the nerves, the internal freak-outs had simply dissipated like dew on the grass on a summer morning.
And now, as she stood there watching two newly married twentysomethings dancing and laughing and totally in love with each other, she was able to take a deep breath and just enjoy it.
To the right, Teddi could see Harlow precariously balancing on a chair, snapping photos, using the DJ’s red, blue, green, and yellow lighting to create some gorgeous ambiance and mood shots. She knew this from experience. Harlow was the best she’d ever seen, and she went to extremes to get the best shots. After Harlow got what she wanted, she headed over and stood next to Teddi.
“Too bad there are no trees in here for you to climb,” Teddi teased, thinking back on an outdoor wedding two years ago that had featured Harlow in a giant oak, way too many feet off the ground.
“Hey, did you see that shot? Totally worth nearly breaking my neck.”
“Your husband didn’t think so.”
“Yeah, well, in my defense, you weren’t supposed to tell him.”
They stood side by side, watching as things wound down and guests began to trickle out. Another hour and it would be safe to start breaking down the venue.
“How are things?” Harlow finally asked, and Teddi knew exactly what she meant.
“This seems to be when we talk about that subject, doesn’t it? When we’re waiting for a wedding to die down.”
Harlow smiled her agreement. “It’s a good time to talk to you. All the pressure is off, no more stress—you’re just chilling.”
“I see your point. And things are going well. She’s coming to my place tomorrow.” Teddi did her best to remain steady, keep her usual resting bitch face the same as always, but something must have given her away because she could actually feel Harlow’s eyes on her. She waited as long as she could before it began to drive her crazy. “What?”
Harlow sh
ook her head, bit down on her lips, and failed miserably at hiding a grin. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” To prove her point, she lifted her camera and took a couple random shots of the dance floor. Lips still rolled in, smile still not very stifled.
To her own surprise, Teddi grinned back. Even softly laughed. And then her whole body flushed with heat and anticipation.
Leah was coming over tomorrow.
Chapter Seventeen
Turning in a slow circle in the middle of her living room, Teddi gave things a final once-over. She’d vacuumed the area rug and even used the long, skinny nozzle to get into the cracks and corners of the room. She’d dusted everything, her very least favorite chore in the entire world, and one she really should think about doing more often given the amount of crud on her dust cloth. She unfolded the fluffy purple blanket and refolded it.
The doorbell rang.
Inhale deeply through the nose. Out through the mouth. A takeaway from the three yoga classes she’d taken last year, but it definitely worked and helped her feel more centered.
Here we go.
“Hi.” Leah stood on the front steps looking super cute in her casual winter attire. Snow had fallen last night, but today was clear, sunny, and very cold. Leah’s ski jacket was a bright blue, a white knit hat on her head that Teddi wondered if Kelly had made. Low boots on her feet, her white mittens cradling a bottle of wine. Those green eyes were bright, sparkling, and her excitement to be there was apparent. Teddi felt her entire body relax at the sight.
“Come in. It’s freezing.” Teddi stepped aside as Leah entered the foyer, stopping to give Teddi a quick peck on the lips.
“Hi again.”
Pounding heart, heated cheeks, nerves and joy racing each other for dibs in her head. That was Teddi in a nutshell. “Hi,” she said back. “Here, let me take your stuff.” They went through the whole shedding of outer garments that was a regular routine of winter in the northeast. “You know, I don’t mind winter, but I hate wearing sixteen layers in order to go outside.”
“Like, why can’t winter just be warmer, right?” Leah’s eyes crinkled at the corners whenever she smiled, and Teddi realized in that moment how much she loved those laugh lines.
“Exactly. I don’t think that’s asking a lot. Do you?”
“Not at all. Should be an easy fix. You just need to get your request to the right people.”
Teddi hung Leah’s coat in the closet, hat and gloves tucked into a sleeve just like her mom had always done. “Well, I happen to know a great lawyer, so who knows?”
“My God, it smells good in here.” Leah lifted her nose, still red at the tip from the cold, and followed it in her socked feet to the kitchen. She wore faded jeans worn through at the knees and a simple green crewneck sweater that made her eyes pop. “What is that? Heaven? Is this what heaven smells like?”
“If heaven smells like roasted chicken with rosemary, then yes.”
“I hope this goes.” Leah handed over the bottle of wine. “I like to drink wine, and I know the names of what I like, but I am completely uneducated in what goes with what.”
“Pairing.”
“Yes. That.” Leah pointed at her and their gazes held as the kitchen clocked ticked softly. “I’m so happy to see you.”
“I’m really glad you’re here.” Teddi stepped into Leah’s space because she simply couldn’t not be next to her any longer. Leah’s arms slipped up and around Teddi’s neck just as their mouths met. The kiss was sensual, but the heat index ratcheted up so quickly, Teddi was surprised they didn’t burn each other. Oh yeah, they were so going to have sex tonight. Teddi knew it, could feel it in her bones—and other places low in her body. If they could wait that long. When Teddi finally broke the kiss, it was only because she really needed to check on the chicken.
“Corkscrew?” Leah asked, and Teddi indicated a drawer as she donned oven mitts and tried not to stare at Leah’s swollen lips.
They moved around each other in the kitchen like they’d done so for years, which blew Teddi’s mind a little bit. She remembered trying to maneuver around the kitchen when she was with Julia, how they’d bump into each other constantly, how Julia was always exactly in Teddi’s way. Not so with Leah. They sidled by each other, turned sideways here and there, never once bumped or had to stutter-step.
Once the wine was poured and the chicken was sliced and plated, the two of them sat at Teddi’s square bistro-style table to eat. She had placed the table settings across from each other but noticed Leah had slid hers over one chair so they were closer together. No argument there, as they sat and Leah’s knee pressed against hers.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Teddi said for the second time as she raised her glass.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Leah said and touched her glass to Teddi’s.
“Well, since this is my house and I live here…”
“You’d be here anyway.”
“Pretty much, yeah.”
Gazes held. Happy expressions stayed. Leah leaned over, pressed her lips to Teddi’s, then sat back before the kiss could take on a life of its own. “I want to say I’m not surprised by this table setting, but my God, woman. It’s just me. You didn’t have to go to all the trouble. This is gorgeous.”
Teddi looked at the table. Charcoal place mats, black chargers under her deep red plates. Black linen napkins and hammered silver utensils. Wineglasses with red accents. A gray slate vase in the center, with a lovely combination of dahlias and zinnia in red and white. It was a beautiful setting, if she said so herself. “Oh, this was no trouble.”
Leah’s expression screamed skeptical.
“I’m serious. This is just regular for me.”
“Oh, so I’m not special, I’m just regular?”
“You are so not regular to me. Trust me.” It was another moment that held them, that cranked the sexual tension in the room up yet another notch, along with Teddi’s arousal. She wondered if Leah was feeling it, too, but was afraid to ask.
“Well. I like knowing that. You are also very irregular to me.” Light brows furrowed adorably. “Wait…”
“Ah, I see how it is.”
“Let me rephrase.”
“Overruled.”
“Are you trying to lawyer-talk a lawyer?” Leah pointed her fork at Teddi.
“I am because I watch a lot of Law & Order, so I probably know as much about the law as you do. Is it working?”
“It’s amusing, I’ll give you that.”
“Amusing is good. I’ll take amusing.”
More held gazes, and when Leah’s finally slid away, it went south first, to the peek of cleavage Teddi knew her white V-neck sweater revealed. Another notch up on the tension scale. Teddi wondered how long it would be before she simply burst into flames right there in her chair.
Perhaps wondering the same thing, Leah picked up her fork and knife and cut into her chicken.
Okay. We’re eating. This is good. Teddi followed suit.
Dinner went quickly and was delicious, if Teddi said so herself. Leah solidified that with continual hums of joy and delight as she chewed, along with constant compliments about how good everything was. And while neither of them spontaneously combusted, the level of sexual tension stayed high enough to keep Teddi perpetually wet.
They cleaned up together, again, as if they’d been doing so for years, sidling expertly past each other, working in a rhythm that felt more natural than things had ever felt with Julia. Kind of freaky, if Teddi was honest.
“I thought maybe we’d just relax and watch a movie or something,” Teddi said as she wiped her hands, then folded the dish towel over the handle of the oven.
“Cuddle on the couch?” Leah asked, and the hope in her eyes made Teddi laugh.
“I’d like that.”
They settled the other way this time, with Teddi in the back, Leah’s smaller form between Teddi’s knees, leaning back into her. Alarmed and amazed was the weird mix Teddi felt at their perfect fit. She could
probably sit there forever, just like that, Leah’s warmth in her arms, Leah’s hair close enough to her nose that Teddi could smell the scent of strawberries and a hint of vanilla…
“What should we watch?” Leah’s soft voice yanked Teddi back to the topic at hand.
Handing Leah the remote, she said, “You choose.”
“Oh, dangerous. You know where I’ll go.”
“I do. It’s okay, I’m braced.”
The channel surfing began, and it was instantly obvious that Leah was a channel surfing pro. She zipped through channels and made decisions in less time than it took Teddi to register what was on.
“Um, are you trying to send me into a seizure?” she joked.
“Listen, you’ve got to keep up. I can’t help it if your brain is way slower than mine.” Leah barked a small cry and then laughed when Teddi squeezed her knees together, giving her a little smoosh. The surfing stopped as Leah said, “Oh,” and drew the word out softly. “Have you ever seen this?”
“What is it?” Teddi vaguely recognized one of the women onscreen.
“Imagine Me & You. It’s a romantic comedy with two girls.”
“I hardly knew there was such a thing.”
“Yeah, that’s the problem. This one is really good, though. What do you say?”
“You’re the expert here. I trust you.” That last sentence felt almost loaded, like it had dual meanings, and Teddi realized that it did. She trusted Leah to find something for them to watch. Of course she did. But also, she trusted Leah. Period. A hard swallow followed that mental statement.
Leah hadn’t been kidding about the movie. An hour and a half later, Teddi was completely invested in Rachel and Luce, and when they stood on top of cars to shout their commitment, Teddi’s eyes filled with happy tears.
“Excuse me, but are you crying?” Leah had craned her neck around so she could see Teddi’s face. “You? The romance hater? You’re crying over a romance?”
Hopeless Romantic Page 16
