Page 79

“It happens more often that you’d think,” Morgan offered. “If you ever need to talk about it…”

“Thank you. I might take you up on that,” Grace said, “…once I’m ready…it feels like all I’ve done lately is talk.”

Silence enveloped them all for a moment.

“I’m sorry, I’ve brought the mood down,” Grace said, trying to smile. “I was telling Caz about a quote I read that said the sadness is on me, but I am not sad. That brings comfort.” She took Caz’s hand when it was offered. “And of course, it forced us to examine what we really are and what we both want.”

“And that is something that is making us happy,” Caz offered, now taking a sip from the bottle.

“Well, then, a toast,” Alex said, raising her glass. “To love, and all the routes to it…”

“To love,” they all chimed back as the glasses clinked together.

Chapter Fifty-One

The walk back along the sand, and up the short street to the cottage, had taken longer than it had taken to stroll there, five hours earlier.

Several beers and glasses of wine meant a lot of stumbling and giggling as each of them swayed or wandered off course and added a few extra minutes to the journey.

Now, with Grace leaning against the door, Caz having one arm around her to hold her up while her other hand fiddled with the keys, it was almost three in the morning.

“Shh, you’re going to wake everyone up,” Grace warned, with just the hint of a slur to her words.

“Youare everyone.” Caz laughed and finally pushed the key into the lock. As it turned, the door opened and they both almost fell through it, causing another fit of giggles as Caz landed on the arm of the sofa, pulling Grace on top of her to save her from falling.

“Hi.” Grace grinned, as she now hovered above Caz. “Do you prefer your women on top?”

“Sometimes,” Caz flirted back, “if they can handle it.”

“I can handle it,” Grace said, leaning down to kiss Caz, “if you show me.”

“What do you want me to show you?” Caz said, following it up with a hiccup and a wriggle as she tried to toe the door closed with her foot and failed.

Grace moved until she was straddling Caz’s midriff. “Everything.”

“You’re drunk.” Caz giggled.

“I am…” She pushed herself back up, palms resting against Caz’s shoulders. Then Grace exhaled slowly and slid her hands lower until each one covered the softness of Caz’s breasts. It was the first time she’d intentionally touched anywhere quite so intimate on the body of her best friend.

Their eyes locked, and for a moment the silence was palpable. Slowly, Caz moved her gaze away from Grace’s face and let her eyes roam until they were fixed on palms that now kneaded gently.

“Is this…okay?” Grace asked. All of the alcohol-fuelled daring she’d started with seeming to dissipate into a nervous disposition.

“Yes,” Caz answered with enough confidence for them both, as her right hand raised and slid behind Grace’s neck, pulling her closer and back into a kiss that said more in its intensity than any drunken words might.

Caz’s left hand landed against Grace’s thigh—bare skin, warm to the touch from where her skirt had ridden up. Without thinking, her fingers caressed and inched higher until they cupped the silk-clad backside she’d been trying so hard not to think about all these weeks.

“Is this alright?”

“Yes,” Grace whispered, moving in to continue kissing Caz.

From her supine position, Caz could only register two things: She loved kissing Grace, and it was freezing.

“Mmph, Grace, we should…” She didn’t want to pull away. Neither did Grace with the way her lips were chasing Caz’s, nipping and biting, encouraging them to return.

“Shh, just kiss me.”

“Door...open…” Caz managed, before Grace thrust her tongue back into Caz’s mouth and she groaned and submitted to it until cold air became a sobering factor.