when she thought about Christina, when she saw her, when she was near her
or not, wasn’t dislike. Oh, no. It was the polar opposite of dislike. As in, the
furthest thing from it. What she felt was attraction.
Taylor stood up abruptly. “It’s late. I should get Chloe and go.”
“No! I mean, it’s late, yes, but maybe you shouldn’t wake Chloe up?
You’ll both be exhausted tomorrow. It’s probably a long drive back for you
to your place. You could sleep here. In my room. With Chloe. I have a guest
bedroom. I could take it for the night.”
“It’s not that late,” Taylor protested.
“Eleven is late enough when you’ve been putting in long hours of
physical labour and have a little girl to look after. I really don’t mind.”
Taylor wanted to explain that she wasn’t worried about putting
Christina out. She was worried about what she herself would do in the next
few minutes. Christina stood and Taylor’s gaze went straight Christina’s
full, inviting lips.
“Oh,” Christina whispered. “I think I understand.”
“So, you know why I should go.”
Christina stepped around the coffee table. She paused, her eyes
huge, shining like two clear blue crystals. Taylor couldn’t stop herself. Now
that she was here, now that she’d fully realized what was happening, that
she’d been lying to herself, her blood surged, and her entire body throbbed
with need. She realized how lonely she’d been, not just the past few years,
but her whole life. She’d never seen a woman more alluring than Christina.
Christina pushed back a strand of her own black hair in agitation.
Both of them stood there, staring at each other.
“I should…” Taylor repeated, but as soon as the words left her
mouth, Christina stepped forward.
She set one hand at Taylor’s waist and cupped her face with the
other. Taylor closed her eyes, inhaling the subtle sweet scent of Christina’s
skin or hair. The heat of her palm scorched Taylor’s face. She’d never been