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Tori’s breath slowed and deepened, and Miranda looked up from where her head rested on Tori’s shoulder. Her eyes were closed, and her face looked even younger in the post-orgasmic bliss.

Miranda smiled, and her heart felt all manner of oversized within her chest.

Oh fuck!

twenty-one

Miranda had no idea why she was even there. Everything told her to turn around and leave, but she went against that gut instinct. Rebel rocked against her side as Miranda clutched her so she didn’t escape. As she went to knock on Tori’s door, Rebel leaned in and pressed her palm to it, as if she was knocking.

“Yeah, that’s right. We knock when we want to let someone know we’re here.”

Miranda’s cheeks flared with heat. She had definitely knocked the last time she’d been at Tori’s. Hard. Repeatedly. And when she’d been let in? Let’s just say it was well worth her anger. Though none of that would be happening tonight because Harley was around.

Speaking of, Harley opened the door and busted out in a grin that matched her mother’s million-watt smile. “Rebel!”

“Hey, Miranda,” Tori said with a sly smile on her lips.

Miranda could so easily melt into that look, but she hesitated to let herself do it. This was what was holding her back. This was why she hadn’t wanted to come tonight. Something was off, but she couldn’t put her finger on what it was other than her. But so much had changed in her life over the last two and a half months. She’d been off her game starting then.

“Hey.” Miranda set Rebel down and let her run off with Harley.

Tori glanced over her shoulder before stepping out of the apartment and pulling Miranda in for a hug and a kiss. As soon as their lips touched, Miranda sighed. And it wasn’t because it felt good. It did feel good. Anytime Tori was in her arms was amazing. But it was the undergirding of devastation that overwhelmed her.

What was wrong with her?

“I’m really glad to see you again.” Tori took Miranda’s hand in her own and led her inside. As soon as they were through the doorway, she dropped it and straightened her back as if nothing was going on.

The hot and cold threw Miranda every time. She couldn’t keep up with it. Mostly, she didn’t want to. This wasn’t a relationship, so she didn’t have to force herself to pretend to hide what wasn’t there from the kids. She just had to keep reminding herself of that.

“Aili will be here in a few minutes.”

Miranda’s shoulders tightened. “Aili?”

“Yeah.” Tori’s eyes shifted to Harley and Rebel as they raced back into the living room. “I thought we could go out—properly.”

Miranda’s stomach sank. This was a date. Not only was this a date, but she was pawning Rebel off on Aili, the director at her daycare. Everything in her was a live wire, just waiting to be let loose to electrocute whatever came nearby, preferably Tori who thought this idea was anywhere near what Miranda wanted.

“Is that okay?”

What was she supposed to say? Miranda glanced down at Rebel as the two of them played together on the floor. “What did you have planned?”

“Just a dinner out where we didn’t have small eyes watching us.”

“Siena won’t mind?” It was the best defense she could come up with at the moment that didn’t involve her being rude, angry, or too bitchy for her own good, because she wanted nothing more than to tell Tori no, grab Rebel, and walk away.

Tori shook her head. “No, because we won’t be here.”

Panic wheedled its way into her chest, wrapping around her heart and lungs making it so hard to breathe. Miranda clenched her fists against her sides, wishing someone from work would call and beg her to come in tonight and deal with a body. Anything that would get her out of what was about to happen.

The knock on the door was sharp. Tori grinned as she went to answer it, leaving Miranda rooted to the spot nearby, not prepared for anything that was happening.

“Aili!” Tori wrapped her arms around Aili’s shoulders and dragged her into a hug. “I didn’t make you give up a date night for this, did I?”

“No.” Aili winked. “But that is going well, thanks for asking.”

What fresh hell was this? Tori was way too close to all of her exes. Talking about current relationships as if there was nothing wrong about spilling every detail and secret out there. Miranda couldn’t breathe. She was so close to being pushed into a panic and running. It would be the best way to get out of this, whatever this was.

“Aili! Aili! Aili!” Harley shouted and ran forward, wrapping her arms around Aili in a huge hug. Rebel followed Harley’s cue and did the same.