Ten minutes later, I push the door open to the studio. A check of the schedule that Aunt Claire has oh so helpfully put on my fridge at home revealed she’s got a break in classes right now, and as luck would have it, I was able to time my lunch break for the same hour she has off.
“Tippy? You in here?”
“Leo?” She comes around the corner and my greedy eyes drink in the sight of her in her dance clothes. A filmy short skirt covers a deep purple leotard, but her legs are bare except for ballet slippers on her feet. Her beauty is breathtaking, and it hits me like a punch to the gut, the warmth spreading throughout my body.
“I was hoping to join you for lunch,” I say, holding up the bag. When her face melts into a smile, I feel light inside. I forgot how good it feels to make this woman smile.
“That would be amazing. Do you want to come upstairs?” She gestures to a door off to the side. “I actually live up there.”
“Nice commute,” I tease, earning a soft giggle. Serena locks the door to the studio and flips over a sign that readsBe Back Soon, then I follow her up the staircase, trying not to stare too hard at her perfectly round ass. Then again, who could blame me when it’s right in front of me and covered in just two thin layers of fabric. While she’s focused on the space in front of her, I subtly adjust myself, for once grateful for the stiff material of my uniform.
She opens a door at the top of the stairs and I step in after her, taking a look around. The entire space is so quintessential Serena. Soft fabric drapes over the window, the small couch is covered in colourful pillows and blankets, and there’s a random mix of eclectic furniture and lamps. It’s like a chaotic explosion of happy energy.
Serena goes into the kitchen and comes back with two plates. “Do you want something to drink?”
“Water’s fine. I’m still on shift.”
When she’s back with two glasses, she sits down on the couch, folding her legs underneath her. I sit close, but not touching, and take the food out of the bag.
“How did you know that’s my favourite sandwich?” she says when I hand her the panini.
“My cousin helped,” I admit with a shrug.
“Oh yeah. I can’t believe your cousins have been here in town this whole time and I had no idea.” Her words hold the slightest tinge of remorse, and I’m weirdly happy she’s disappointed about missing how closely we were connected for at least some of our time apart.
“Apparently, her older brother works at the accounting firm you use, as well.”
“Wait. Oh my God, you’re right. Wow, I feel dumb for not connecting that faster.” Serena shakes her head, then takes a bite of her sandwich, letting out a hum of satisfaction. “Mmm, this is so good.”
Her finger comes up to wipe at a bit of sauce on the corner of her mouth. Fuck, do I ever want to lean over and lick it off.
“Glad you’re enjoying it.” Christ, my voice is hoarse, my dick is hard, and all she did was take a bite of a sandwich. I know it’s been a ridiculously long time since I had sex, but this is nuts.
No, this is how I’ve always reacted to Serena. She has a direct line to my sex drive. I’m completely helpless against my physical reaction to her. We were insatiable as teenagers, always wanting more from each other, and it only got worse after we finally had sex for the first time, our final year of high school. We’d been dating for over a year, messing around constantly. But once that line was crossed, we couldn’t keep our hands off each other or our clothes on.
“Do you remember that one school dance we went to when Jay Potter spiked the punch?” she asks, smirking at me.
I groan. Because yes, I do remember. “You mean the one when I was dared to race him in how many cups we could drink in a minute, and I ended up puking in the garbage can because I didn’tknowthe punch was spiked? Yeah. I remember. Why?”
She lifts one shoulder delicately. “I don’t know. That night is just one I remember.”
“I remember it for another reason,” I say quietly. Her eyes meet mine, and I’m transported back to that night where we danced under the cheesy strobe lights of a high school dance, and I told Serena I loved her for the first time.
“Yeah. I remember that, too.” She looks down at the sandwich in her hand, then back up to me. “I was so desperate for you to say it first, but I’d been waiting what felt like forever for you to do it. I wanted to tell you so badly that I loved you, but all my friends said I had to wait.”
Her confession makes me chuckle. “Seriously? And there I was panicking that it was too soon, that I’d scare you away. I almost didn’t say it that night.”
Her hand rests on my leg, and the heat emanating from her is matched by the one burning inside of me. When she takes her hand away, I feel the loss of her touch as an ache inside. I’ve missed her so fucking much.
We finish lunch, reminiscing about high school, keeping the memories light and away from anything emotional. When she takes the last bite of her sandwich, I reach into the bag and pull out a small box with The Nutty Muffin logo on it.
“Ooh, dessert?” Serena licks her lips.
I open the box, revealing the bar that Kat said Serena loves. “Word on the street is that these make you moan.”
Her eyes widen at the not-so-subtle innuendo in my words, and she nods slowly. “One of the few pleasures I have in life right now is Mila’s baking.”
“If baked goods are the source of your pleasure, you need to expand your horizons.”