Denial (26 page)
That evening, lying in bed, alone and exhausted, Amy wondered why the day had gone so wrong. She pushed and pulled her pillows into shape, then pulling the covers around her, went over the day’s events.
†
Standing outside the gallery, filled with a sense of excitement when Susan said she had to go meet Ritchie, her libido roared to life. Amy looked at Celeste and entertained the thought that, if they hurried, they might just have time to get back to the hotel and make love before attending the show that evening.
“I have an idea,” Susan said to them. “Why don’t Ritchie and I come to the show with you tonight?”
“Eh…yes…Susan. Of course,” Celeste said.
In disbelief, Amy managed to quash a sudden urge to stomp her foot in frustration.
“Is that okay with you, Amy,” Susan asked.
Amy smiled graciously. “Of course, Susan,” she replied, hiding her annoyance. “Both of you should join us.”
Smiling, Susan hurriedly pulled her cell phone out of her purse, and hugging Celeste, then Amy, told them that Ritchie would be thrilled.
Amy didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. All she knew was that her need for Celeste was in overdrive and she couldn’t do a thing about it. Rubbing her brow, she listened to Susan prattle on about how much Ritchie would love to catch up with Celeste and how much he loved the theater.
Eventually, to Amy’s relief, Susan pressed digits on her phone then turned and walked away from them.
Watching her, Amy realized that Susan hadn’t stopped talking in hours.
She must be on crack cocaine to be as hyper as that!
Amy folded her arms. She looked at Celeste and felt her temper rise dangerously close to the surface. She couldn’t believe she was going to have to spend another minute with Susan never mind a whole evening, and God only knows what Ritchie was going to be like.
“I’m sorry. It was too awkward to say no,” Celeste said.
Looking down at her feet shoes, Amy decided to play it cool. She shrugged.
“Are you okay with them joining us?” Celeste asked.
No, goddamit!
“It’s not a problem,” Amy said.
Celeste gave Amy a look.
Amy blushed, knowing Celeste knew she wasn’t being honest.
“Well, I guess it’s good it’s not the two of us tonight,” Celeste said.
She reached out to stroke Amy’s face then dropped her hand. “That would be far too intimate.
And
, intimacy is not part of the arrangement. Is it?”
Amy didn’t respond. Instead, she watched Susan waving madly for their attention.
Celeste nodded when Susan gave them the thumbs-up.
Dreading the next few hours, Amy closed her eyes.
Turning her back on Susan and positioning herself in front of Amy, Celeste said quietly, “Saddle your broomstick, Amy. Tonight, you’re in for one helluva ride!”
Amy stared at Celeste. This might not have been a deliberate act of sabotage, but it clearly suited the brunette who was obviously still hurting from her comments last night. She frowned and thought two can play this game.
Checking over Celeste’s shoulder, Amy could see Susan was still on her cell phone. Too annoyed to worry about the passing crowd, she lifted her hand and stroked Celeste’s cheek, then ran it down her throat and over the lapel of her jacket. She moved her hand back up then down Celeste’s throat until she reached the gentle swell of her breasts and, for the first time that day, feeling calm, she smiled flirtatiously.
Pleased, Amy watched Celeste’s pupils dilate and her skin color deepen. “Oh, I don’t think it’ll be all that bad,” she replied throatily as she ran a finger over Celeste’s bottom lip.
Celeste’s eyes widened.
Amy moved closer to Celeste. Lifting her head she whispered in her ear, “You’ll just owe me,” she said then bit her earlobe.
Celeste yelped.
Amy tilted her head and batted her eyelashes innocently, then fixed a smile for Susan who was rushing toward them.
†
That night, unbelievably, things got worse. There was no doubt Susan and Ritchie were a double act. Ritchie, if it were possible, chatted even more than his girlfriend. After the introductions, the couple spent most of their time squabbling for airtime.
Amy didn’t utter more than a few words the whole evening.
At the show, Ritchie positioned himself next to her and, to Amy’s frustration, revealed little bits of the story line during the performance. After the show, she couldn’t believe it when Celeste invited the couple back to the hotel for a nightcap. It was after midnight when they left.
Alone, they rode the elevator in silence. When it stopped at their floor, Celeste got out first and walked briskly ahead. Amy followed a few steps behind.
Feeling shell-shocked, Amy rested her head against the door of her room. Suddenly aware Celeste was speaking, she lifted her tired head. Apologizing, she asked Celeste to repeat what she had just said.
“I have a headache. I think it’s best that we get some rest,” Celeste repeated. Sliding her key in the door, she added, “It’s been a busy weekend, and I have a few errands to run before we leave tomorrow afternoon.”
Surprised, Amy watched Celeste unlock her door quickly and enter without a backward glance.
†
Throwing off the covers, Amy tried to stop thinking about what had happened. She forced herself to clear her mind and focus on getting some sleep. After a few minutes, like a wayward child, she kicked her legs out. Regardless of how angry she was with Celeste, right now, if she walked into the room…into her bed…she would forgive her anything.
Staring at the connecting door, Amy willed Celeste to walk through. Several times, she got out of bed and made her way to the door only to lose her nerve and turn back.
†
Unable to sleep, Celeste tossed in her bed. Restless, she thought over the events of the day. Meeting Susan was unexpected and had brought a reminder of the life she had before Amy consumed it. Tonight, she had needed some distance from the blonde. If she was truthful, she was still smarting from the comment from the previous night.
Unwilling to explore why she was feeling so put out, Celeste closed her eyes. She groaned when Laura flashed into her mind. She hated this part. Every time she got involved, which was rare, the relationship seemed to move faster than she ever wanted it to. She hadn’t thought about Laura that much since coming home, but this morning when she checked her e-mail, there was one from her, detailing that she would be traveling from Sudan to attend a conference in Boston next month and wanted to spend time together.
Celeste felt ashamed. She knew Laura didn’t understand her cooling off. Although she hadn’t said as much, she could tell by her e-mail that she was hurting.
Since her marriage ended, Celeste had intentionally never been seriously involved. She had hoped the time apart would cool things between them, but now realized that Laura was in much deeper than she had thought. She needed to make it clear that it was over, and soon.
Trying to settle, Celeste punched her pillows into shape. Throwing her head on them, she forced her eyes closed. Immediately, an image of Amy lying next door, naked, flashed. No matter how she tried to change it, the image was always of Amy, naked and enticing.
Determined that she wasn’t going anywhere tonight, Celeste clenched her jaw and pulled the covers around her. But, after what felt like hours, she turned and looked at the clock, it had barely moved. Her determination crumbled.
Unable to stay in bed any longer, Celeste threw back the covers, and headed for the connecting door. There was some natural light filtering through when she opened it. Her eyes adjusting, she swallowed when she saw Amy lying on her back with the covers off, naked and asleep.
Groaning inwardly, Celeste told herself that if she had any willpower she would turn and leave. Needing some sleep, she justified, as she slipped through the door that she would just lay beside Amy.
Slipping into the empty side of the bed, Celeste lay still. She thought about turning her back, but somehow couldn’t. Instead, she closed her eyes, and let Amy’s breathing lull her to sleep.
Within minutes, Celeste’s eyes flew open when, still asleep, Amy’s hand rested on her inner thigh. Groaning at the razor sharp heat the light touch generated, Celeste felt the fight leave her. Sitting up, she slipped her T-shirt off.
Slowly, Amy opened her eyes and whispered, “Celeste?”
Celeste smiled. She loved the sultry quality of Amy’s voice. The seductive huskiness and Scottish burr. She lightly kissed Amy’s lips. “Hi,” she said.
Still sleepy, Amy whispered, “My stomach flipped just then when you kissed me.” Looking at Celeste, she said in surprise, “I’ve never had that before.” Amy held eye contact for a long moment. “I missed you.”
Catching her breath, Celeste’s stomach clenched.
“Why didn’t you tell me about Laura,” Amy asked.
Celeste sighed. “I didn’t tell you because it’s nothing.”
“Do you have feelings for her?”
Celeste whispered. “Some.” She frowned. “But not enough.”
“Have you had many lovers?” Amy asked. “Women lovers I mean?”
“A few.”
“Felice?”
Celeste nodded.
“Where did she fit in?”
“My first.”
“Oh,” Amy said. “That explains a lot.”
“What?”
“Your openness that night.”
“The night in your apartment?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I didn’t mean for it to happen.”
Amy nodded. “I know. Neither did I.”
Celeste stroked Amy’s face.
“Is that really why you stayed away for so long?” Amy asked.
“I should have come home earlier.”
“But you didn’t, because you thought this might happen?”
Celeste nodded. “But I hoped it wouldn’t.”
“What are we doing?” Amy asked. “You’re involved. I’m married, and we’re doing this.” She shook her head. “What does that make us?”
“Confused,” Celeste offered. Smiling slightly, she kissed the tip of Amy’s nose.
Amy laughed. “Okay, agreed,” she said, looking at Celeste. “Confused is definitely where I’m at.”
“But I know now that, when it comes to you, I’m not confused,” Celeste said, looking at Amy intently.
Amy frowned. “But when it comes to you, I am.”
Celeste pressed a finger against Amy’s lips when she formed another question.
Amy raised her eyebrows and looked at Celeste inquiringly.
Wanting to change the subject Celeste said, “I think Susan and Ritchie really like you.”
Slowly, Amy removed Celeste’s finger from her lips. “No kidding. Why did you want to spend so much time with them?” she asked, frowning.
“It wasn’t deliberate Amy.
It was really good to see her, and out in the field Susan is a great antidote to the grim day-to-day situations we face. I genuinely have a soft spot for her.”