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“Bunny.”

“I’ll be outside waiting. If you want tocome—” Bunny put a specific emphasis on that word “—then get your things and meet me.”

Without another word, Bunny grabbed Piper’s phone and headed for the table. She left Bea on the piano bench to make her decision. Bunny dropped her phone right in front of Piper, leaned over and whispered into her ear, “If you disturb me tonight, I’ll kill you.”

Bunny couldn’t look at her. She straightened up, slapped some bills onto the table to pay for everyone’s meals and walked out. She couldn’t take the close proximity anymore. She needed to breathe fresh air, she needed to figure out what she’d just done.

Running her hands wildly through her hair, Bunny pulled at the strands as she asked for the valet to bring her car around. She was an idiot. Bea wouldn’t want her. Bea wouldn’t want anything with her. A quick fuck was all they’d agreed to, nothing more. In fact, they’d hardly agreed to that. It had been during little moments of anger.

The rain was cold against Bunny’s skin, but it was a good reminder of what idiotic decisions she’d been making lately. Bea wouldn’t want her. Bunny had nothing to offer other than quick moments of sex. There was nothing more that could be between them.

She was chilled to the bone when the driver brought her car around and handed her the keys. She stepped around the driver’s side and opened the door.

“Bunny!”

Bunny froze. Looking up, she stared directly at Bea as she walked toward her, one heel in front of the other, dress perfectly cut for her curvy figure. It showed off everything Bea had, everything Bunny wanted. Bunny’s heart was in her throat. She put both feet on the ground and faced Bea as she walked around the hood of the car and shut the driver’s door.

“You invite me with you and then leave without me?”

“What?” Bunny’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“That’s pretty rude, don’t you think?” Bea clasped her hand around Bunny’s upper arm, pulling her in. “And I don’t like it when people are rude.”

Their mouths pressed together. Bunny’s knees went weak. She sucked in a sharp breath and stepped closer, pulling Bea in by the small of her back as she parted her lips and slid her tongue against Bea’s lower lip.

“But I think you can make it up to me,” Bea murmured, kissing Bunny again quickly. “What do you say?”

Bunny had no idea what to say or think. She’d never been this thoroughly seduced before, and hell, it felt amazing. Bunny wanted this to happen every day. She moved, pushing Bea back toward the hood of the car and around the front of it.

She opened the passenger side door and held onto it firmly while she gave Bea a long and deliberate once over.

“Get in the fucking car,” Bunny ordered.

FIFTEEN

jo

“Bea?” Jo turned and looked up as Bea slowly returned from the piano. Concern filled Jo in an instant. She hadn’t expected them to fight in public like they did at the studio, but she also hadn’t expected Bunny to just up and leave so quickly.

“Um.” Bea’s face was flushed as though she had run a few times around the block before returning to their table. But she didn’t sit down. “I think I’m going to call it a night as well. I’m exhausted after this week.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes.” Bea smiled. It was a smile that Jo wasn’t sure she had ever seen before. “I think I will be. I just need some rest.”

“Okay. Be safe and call if you need anything.”

“Thanks for a lovely evening, Piper.” Bea’s soft voice was filled with emotion, and Jo wasn’t sure the plan had actually worked the way they had wanted. Something new washed over her sister, and she had no idea if it was good or bad. “I’ll see you both back in the studio tomorrow.”

Silence settled over the table for a moment.

“Well, that happened a lot sooner than expected.” Piper leaned over to Jo after both Bunny and Bea had left. “For a successful evening, I get the impression something else is goingon.” Piper lifted her eyebrows in Jo’s direction. The soft touch of a smile on her lips soothed Jo instantly.

“I’m just worried, I guess. Bea and I are close, but sometimes she forgets she isn’t actually my protector. And keeps me a little at arm’s length when I think she could actually use someone to talk to.”

“Ah.” Piper nodded and picked up her drink, taking another sip. Jo now couldn’t remember what round of drinks they were up to or what she and Piper had been drinking.

“I guess we’ll have to see how it all shapes up tomorrow.” Jo forced a smile on her face.