Chapter 13
Jewel had takento finding moments where she could kiss Lea when no one else was looking, which had been hard seeing as the Robinsons had been around all day for some odd reason. They hadn’t planned a day trip anywhere, and she and Lea just wanted to relax so they’d stuck close to Indigo. Eli, however, had been scarce.
It was their last night there. Reality set in that they were about to leave the bubble that was Indigo, and Jewel had no idea how long the aftereffects would last once they were back to teaching and the constant reminder that they worked together. Both of them had done a decent job at avoiding any conversations surrounding school and work.
Stepping through the living area and into the kitchen, Jewel found Lea helping Eli get dinner prepared. She leaned against the wall, crossing her ankles and arms, and listened in as the two of them bantered back and forth. She’d never seen Lea so relaxed outside of her home or Jewel’s home. It was a pleasant surprise and beautiful to witness. They’d spent so much time together in the past years, working together, traveling together whether it be for work or fun day trips, but this side of Lea was something she had never seen before.
It took about five minutes before Lea looked up and caught her eye. She gave a gentle smile, her whole face lighting up. Jewel nodded at her, staying right where she was until they finished and put the pans in the oven. Lea washed her hands off before drying them.
“It shouldn’t be too long,” Eli stated. “Maybe thirty minutes.”
“I’ll help you serve it in a bit,” Lea responded.
Lea dropped the towel on the countertop, making eye contact with Jewel. Jewel shuddered. She was being stalked. Lea left Eli and came around the counter and toward the dining area where Jewel was holed up. As she walked by, she whispered, “Come with me.”
Her voice was dangerously low and so quiet, Jewel almost missed what was said. Lea walked straight past her, and when Jewel looked up, Eli had a shit-eating grin on her face. Jewel pushed off the wall and followed Lea to the front door where they grabbed their jackets and headed to the front part of the deck.
As soon as Jewel had the door shut, Lea canted her head to the side but said nothing. She followed dutifully as Lea turned away and walked down the line of the deck. Inside, next to the lit fireplace and out of the damp weather, the Robinsons played a board game, all huddled over the coffee table in the den. Lea took her to the far side of the deck and stopped short.
“Care to explain what’s up?” Jewel asked.
Lea didn’t answer in words. She gripped Jewel’s hand and tugged her in close so Jewel was pressed against her front, her back smashed into the side of the house.
“I think I get the idea.” Jewel leaned in and pressed her lips tenderly to Lea’s.
This was what they had done for the entire day. Finding moments where they could be together for however long they could manage. They could have stayed upstairs and in bed all day, but Lea had insisted they join everyone else downstairs and show their faces. Lea threaded her fingers into the hairs at the back of Jewel’s head, keeping their mouths together.
Jewel marveled at her. Everything about Lea was soft. Her sides, her hips, her demeanor. Nothing about her seemed harsh or rough anymore. Lea’s fingers found the edge of Jewel’s shirt, her still-damp hands curling along the top of Jewel’s pants but not going any farther. When would they go further? Kissing was nice and all, but Jewel wanted more, she wanted everything Lea had to offer. Yet both of them seemed completely satisfied with just kissing and the barest of touches so far. Still, everything was so new.
Lea nipped at Jewel’s lower lip. “Don’t get lost in that brain of yours.”
Grunting, Jewel closed her eyes in embarrassment over being caught. She rocked her hips into Lea’s, intending to get a different kind of reaction. Instead, Lea turned them, plastering Jewel between the house and her. Their jackets rustled together, reminding Jewel there were far too many clothes between them. She wanted nothing but skin and fingers and lips on her body.
She heated at the thought, her cheeks flushing as she tried to rein in her overactive mind. It had taken so long for the two of them to even get to this point. It would no doubt take even longer to get to that step. Just as she thought, Lea kept her hands off anywhere Jewel wanted them. Lea gripped Jewel’s hips, holding her in place against the wall of the house.
Lea was just about to bend forward, their mouths almost touching, when Eli’s voice broke through the moment. “Hey, you two, it’s dinner time!”
“There’s no way it’s been thirty minutes,” Jewel muttered.
Lea giggled. She actually giggled before she pecked Jewel’s lips quickly. “No, it hasn’t, but there is setup to do.”
Jewel wanted to curse, but she kept her mouth closed.
“Azalea!”
“Yeah! I’m coming in a minute,” Lea called over her shoulder.
Jewel snorted, the sound bursting from her before she could stop it, but it covered the whine she wanted to make. The innuendo was awful. Lea focused on her with a raised eyebrow and an amused gleam in her gaze before she kissed Jewel one last time and left to head inside.
Jewel let out a huff and crossed her arms. “Tease is what that was. No doubt about it.”
Jewel followed Lea inside after another minute of standing in the crisp spring air. She shucked her jacket, noticing that the Robinsons had finished their game and were putting everything away. Coming around the corner, she found Lea and Eli pulling out stacks of plates to set the table. Rolling up her sleeves, Jewel grabbed some and helped.
With three of them, it didn’t take very long to get the table set for dinner. The Robinsons joined along with some of Eli’s workers. The table was long, seating at least twenty, and they could probably squeeze in two more on the ends if they wanted, though it’d be a tight fit. The table looked like it’d come straight from farm-house chic. Jewel sat in the middle, leaving room for Lea next to her.
It was always hit or miss if Eli would sit with them. Sometimes she sat with her workers. The Robinsons crowded around, finding their own seats as Lea and Eli brought the plates of food over for their evening meal. Once everyone was settled and eating, Mr. Robinson turned to her.
“So how long have you two been together?”