“Your hair is sexy like that. Don’t touch it?” It was a request, not an order. Carly was watching her with interest. No, that was appreciation. But she also gave Lauren space, and that helped Lauren’s mind slow down.
Finally, Lauren gestured between them. “This is…good.” She blew out a steadying breath and leaned one arm on the counter in front of her. “The way we kiss…” Lauren shook her head in wonder.
Carly nodded.
The rain that she’d predicted was on the way was here and began to pelt the side of the house. They were in the midst of a storm, and Lauren could identify. Why wouldn’t her brain just shut up and let her enjoy this woman whom she very much wanted to undress?
“Lauren? We don’t have to jump into bed.”
“I want to.”
Carly grinned, but her eyes also held understanding. “But you also want to get your feet underneath you when it comes to me.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“It’s how you work. You like order, and processes, and all your pencils sharpened for the day.” Carly had been paying attention. Lauren, as stage manager, started every rehearsal with four sharpened pencils. When she’d taken on the role of Mandy, she’d kept the practice. Carly came around the island and faced her. “I’m not quite sharp yet.” She shrugged. “I’ll get there. Hopefully. But I’m not in a hurry.”
With Carly so close to her, Lauren’s body began to wake up all over again. She moved closer and touched Carly’s bottom lip lightly with her thumb. “Maybe we could wait a little bit?”
Carly nodded. “We can wait. I can wait.” She nodded about eight times and Lauren had to laugh and kiss her again. And oh, that led to a lot more kissing. God, they were advanced placement when it came to it. She’d never enjoyed kissing another human so much in all of her life.
“I’m regretting that decision about now,” she confessed between kisses.
“It’s okay. We can do this instead. I really like doing this.” Carly breathed, and dove back in, this time backing Lauren against the counter.
“You like me up against things.”
“Because you’re fucking hot up against things.” A kiss. “And up against me, too.” Another kiss. “Really anywhere, you’re hot.” More kissing. “Have you seen yourself play pool? God. It’s hard to stop kissing you. Distract me.”
“Tell me a joke,” Lauren said.
Carly paused mid-kiss. “That’s your solution? Stand-up?”
Lauren ran her hands up and down Carly’s shoulders. “I’ll try anything.”
“Who do you call when you need your pants hemmed tomorrow?”
Lauren’s gaze drifted to Carly’s collarbone. She touched it and traced it lower, to the glimpse of cleavage peeking out of her top. “I don’t know. Who should I call?”
Carly watched the progress of Lauren’s finger, her breathing rapid. “Taylor Swift,” she said and offered a half-hearted smile followed by a desperate swallow.
Lauren grinned and a portion of the tension eased. “That was a pretty good one.” She dropped her finger, knowing she’d been playing with fire and should back away from the ready-to-ignite flame.
“New idea,” Carly said. “Separate countertops, one fact each.” Carly pointed to the counter across from her. “Your back goes there. Mine will stay here.”
“Bossy, all of a sudden. I thought I was the stage manager.” She did as Carly commanded and stood across from her, back against the opposite countertop.
Carly mirrored her stance against her own counter. “Tell me one fact about you.”
Lauren looked to the ceiling as she combed her brain. “Office supply stores turn me on.”
“Really?” Carly nodded and touched her temple. “Filing that one away.”
“Your turn. One fact.”
Carly didn’t hesitate. “I love it when food is burned a little.”
“Oh, you mean like cookies.”
“No, I mean anything. A little bit of char on my vegetables, my fries, my burger, anything.”
Lauren balked. “Blasphemous. Your burger? No, no, no.”
Carly extended her hand and shook her finger. “No judgment. Only facts. Go.”
She was being bossy again, and damn it, it made Lauren even hotter for her. “I love matching underwear sets, but I’ve never been able to master a thong.” She watched as Carly’s lips parted. Yeah, that one had affected her, and Lauren enjoyed the response. “Your turn.”
“I’m wearing one right now.”
Lauren squeezed the countertop behind her. Her body had been on high alert since they’d arrived at her place, but that last comment sent her to a whole new level of arousal.
Lauren blinked. “I’ve always wanted to have sex in public but have never had the courage. Go.”