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Those were big words, especially given the new terrain she found herself navigating. Self-exploration was no joke. No one knew about her attraction to women other than Brent and Lacey, and for now, she wanted to keep it that way. At least until she understood it better herself. But there was no denying its existence or sustainability at this point. It wasn’t a fluke. It was a part of her. Standing in Megan’s kitchen confirmed it hadn’t been a momentary fixation. As she watched Megan cook, she had flashes of domesticity that sent shivers through every inch of her. She imagined coming up behind Megan as she cooked, placing her hands on Megan’s waist, kissing her neck. Every part of Ally went warm. No, hot.

“Where’d you go just now?” Megan asked.

She exhaled slowly, her heartbeat accelerated and distracting. “I don’t know that I can say.”

Megan watched her, set her fancy cooking spoon on the counter,and closed the distance between them. “Listen, I don’t have answers, either. But I know this must be scary for you in a lot of ways I don’t have to deal with anymore.” She took Ally’s hand. “I want you to know something. You don’t have to be worried or on guard with me. We’re just hanging out. Spending time together because we want to. That simple. Tonight doesn’t have to change your life.” She gestured to the pan. “Just food.”

Allison nodded, already lost in a haze of Megan. She regained her smile and the ground beneath her with those reassuring words. “What if it does?” Ally whispered.

Megan’s lips parted. Her big brown eyes searched Allison’s. “Well, there are some things that are beyond our control, I guess.” Her gaze dropped to Allison’s mouth, and it seemed like the world paused, leaving just the two of them in it. She wanted nothing more than to lean in, close her eyes, and lose herself in the caress of Megan’s lips, surrender to her mouth, and let her hands explore. Loud sizzling and the recognizable scent of something burning alerted her already overtaxed senses.

“Shit,” Megan said, racing back to the stove. A moment later, “I hope you like a little char on your veggies.”

Allison, now alone in her space, located the air. “It’s the only way I eat them.”

“Bless you.”

Ten minutes later, they sat across from each other at Megan’s dining table, devouring the best sweet-and-sour chicken. “You don’t do anything halfway, do you?” she asked.

“No, I do. But I try not to make it for public consumption. If I’m inviting you to dinner, I’m only going to cook a dish I’m certain I’ve got a good handle on. Just smoke and mirrors. The catastrophes are for me alone.” She slid a bite of green pepper into her mouth with the grace of someone on a commercial.

Ally sat back, studying her. “You’re such a perfectionist. Has it always been that way?”

“My mother would say yes.” Megan sipped her wine, leaving a hint of a lip print on the glass. Sexy. “But it’s definitely a quality I’ve watched develop over time. It serves me well in a lot of ways, but it’s also…”

“Exhausting.”

“Yes. That’s a good word for it.” She grinned as she went back to her food.

“Take it from someone who embraces mediocrity—it’s okay to fail once in a while. Face-planting can actually reset the bar nicely.”

“Easier said than it is to accept. I’m a work in progress.”

Allison reflected on their time together. Megan always knew exactly what to say, how to put the other person at ease, and she never had so much as a hair out of place. Even when Ally had stayed over, Megan was dressed and put together well before Allison woke. She had a sudden urge to break through that barrier to the true Megan underneath and get to know her on a deeper level. She craved it, in fact. On a whim, she used her fork to toss a couple pieces of sauced chicken onto the table. “Whoops.”

Megan eyed her, raising an eyebrow. “Why did that look like it was on purpose?”

“Because it was. I’m sorry about that. But now that it’s done, why don’t you try it?”

“Throwing food off my plate?” She laughed the suggestion off and returned to her meal.

“Scared?”

Megan balked and then narrowed her eyes, sensing the challenge. “I’m definitely not scared.”

“Okay, then.” Allison folded her arms.

Megan shook her head and tossed a carrot onto the table.

“Whoa.” Allison stared at the offending vegetable. “What is wrong with you? It’s like you were brought up in a cave.”

Megan gasped and tossed a forkful of rice and chicken off her plate.

“And how did that feel?”

“Gratifying as hell.” She laughed. “Happy?”

“Satisfied. And I might have a tiny crush.” She was proud of herself for saying the words, owning them.