Finding Home (15 page)

“Hi, baby,” she cooed at him as he waggled his butt and bathed her face with dog kisses, obviously happy to see her.

“Mama’s working late, so it’s you and me tonight. Okay?” He went directly to the sliding glass door off the kitchen and Natalie peered out to see the chain lying on the cement patio. Knowing he didn’t need it, but clipping it to his collar anyway, she let him out to do his business, and turned back toward the empty townhouse, wanting to explore a little bit, knowing she shouldn’t, but sure she was going to anyway.

The living space had an appealing open design, with the sink and part of the glossy granite counter overlooking the living room. Trying to picture Sarah Þ xing snacks or a meal for guests while they chatted near the Þ replace, she realized she had no idea whether or not Sarah could cook. Natalie could, but spending the majority of her day in a kitchen, cooking was the last thing she wanted to do when she got home. Still, there was something

• 123 •

GEORGIA BEERS

about the smell, the taste, and the atmosphere created by a home-cooked meal, and this was a terriÞ c space for hosting company.

The visual of Sarah in a sexy apron stirring up some concoction in a bowl was alarmingly appealing, and Natalie turned abruptly away from the kitchen.

Sarah’s tastes in colors tended toward what Natalie would call “earthy,” not surprisingly. She would never peg Sarah for a hot pink or electric blue kind of girl. Her couch was taupe and her carpet was almost the same shade, but the throw pillows, afghans, and curtains in various shades of deep eggplant and gentle lavender softened it all to form a very inviting and livable appeal. The thick, so-purple-it-was-almost-black throw rug in front of the gas Þ replace seemed especially alluring and Natalie pictured herself lying on it, propped against a pile of pillows, reading a favorite novel and sipping a hot toddy on a brisk Sunday afternoon in the winter.

The place was spic-and-span, right down to track marks in the thick carpeting from the most recent run of the vacuum, and Natalie found herself speculating whether Sarah even lived there.

Recalling the disarray in which she’d left her own apartment—

last night’s clothes in a heap on the bedroom ß oor, dirty dishes on the kitchen counter, hair in the bathroom sink—Natalie was almost embarrassed. She made a mental note to be sure to scour from ceiling to ß oor and everything in between if there ever came a time when Sarah would see the interior of her living space.

Built-in bookshelves took up one corner of the living room and Natalie stepped closer, curious as to what books and photographs Sarah thought were important enough to display.

Noting there wasn’t a trace of dust anywhere in the room, Natalie Þ gured Sarah must have a cleaning woman or something. With her crazy schedule, there was no way she had time to keep her own house so spotless, and the image of Sarah dusting and vacuuming just seemed…wrong somehow. Turning her attention to the items on those dust-free shelves, she scanned an entire hardcover collection of Sue Grafton’s mystery series, pristine

• 124 •

FINDING HOME

and lined up in such a neat row that she had to wonder if Sarah had used a ruler and level when placing them. Natalie smiled at the precision but nodded in approval at the choice of books. She had the same series herself, albeit in paperback.

Framed photographs of all sizes decorated the shelves, sprinkled among and around the books and knickknacks, and Natalie was surprised. She didn’t see Sarah as a knickknack kind of girl, but there were several little trinkets taking up residence in the living room, from a ceramic dog that looked like a replica of Bentley to some weirdly shaped brown bird made of wood that didn’t look at all familiar to her. She picked it up—it was heavy and about the size of brick—and turned it around in her Þ ngers, but didn’t recognize the long bill or squatty build. She went to set it back in its place when her eyes fell on the 5x7

photograph that had been tucked in the back. Gingerly, she pulled it out and studied the two women, standing side by side with their arms around one another. The woman on the right was Sarah, obviously several years ago judging by the complete difference in hairstyle. She was smiling widely, her eyes dancing, her cheeks rosy, evidently having a wonderful time. The woman on the left was smaller, maybe three inches shorter than Sarah. Her reddish brown hair skimmed her shoulders, and the joyous sprinkling of freckles across her nose did nothing to brighten the faraway look in her dark eyes. She was smiling, yes, but it was apparent that she wanted to be anywhere else.

The ex
, Natalie thought, certain.
She was gone even before
she left. Poor Sarah. I bet she never saw it coming.

Bentley chose that moment to jump at the door, and the sound caused Natalie to ß inch where she stood. Feeling suddenly and inexcusably intrusive, she quickly put the picture and the weird bird back in their places and then let the dog in. As she passed back through the kitchen, she noticed a notepad and pen near the phone on the counter and decided to jot Sarah a note.

“All set?” she said to Bentley after setting the pen down.

“Let’s go for a ride.”

• 125 •

GEORGIA BEERS

At the mention of the R-word, Bentley began waggling and bouncing, making funny noises and causing Natalie to laugh.

“Come on, goofball.”

v

Good Lord…

It was the only coherent thought that came to Sarah’s mind, given the situation and the dazzlingly erotic buzz her body was experiencing.

Good Lord…

She could hardly believe the situation. It was so…
unlike
her.

She stood in a darkened corner of McGinty’s parking lot, out of the glare of the overhead lights. Her back was pressed Þ rmly against the side of Suzanne Kennedy’s black SUV, and she was trapped between the vehicle and Suzanne’s body. Her arms were wrapped around Suzanne’s torso, holding on for dear life because Suzanne’s tongue was buried deep in Sarah’s mouth, exploring every inch of it, doing swirling, twirling things that only set Sarah’s blood to racing and her heart pounding when she thought about where else those oral talents might be applied.

Suzanne Kennedy didn’t say much once the kissing had begun. Frankly, she’d taken Sarah by surprise with her assertiveness. Sarah was used to being the one in charge, the one in control, the one to make the moves, and now the roles were reversed. It was no easy feat to force herself to relax, but she’d had no idea how sensual and sexy it could be to let somebody else take the wheel for a change, to be led…
to be felt up
, she thought with a jolt as Suzanne’s hand slipped deftly up her blouse and cupped her breast. Her nipple stiffened in painful attention at the touch, and Sarah tried unsuccessfully to recall the last time she’d been handled with such promise, such ownership.
Not by Karen.

Never by Karen.
Suzanne Kennedy knew what she wanted—

and was obviously prepared to take it right here in the parking lot, Sarah realized as Suzanne’s knee pushed between her own,

• 126 •

FINDING HOME

forcing her legs apart enough so she could push a thigh against Sarah’s hot and drenched core and then groan into Sarah’s mouth at the feel of it.

Releasing Sarah’s lips, Suzanne moved down her chin and forged a steaming wet assault on her throat and the pulse point in her neck, nipping just enough to make Sarah ß inch, but not enough to make her pull away. Reveling in the touch of another woman after so long, realizing how much she missed having somebody want her, Sarah let herself drift along on the waves of pleasure Suzanne created with her tongue, her lips, and the Þ ngers that were squeezing and pumping her nipple through the fabric of her bra, nearly making her cry out in ecstasy, it felt so blissfully good.

“Jesus Christ almighty, you’re fucking sexy,” Suzanne whispered, her Þ rst words since she’d begun kissing her.

Sarah opened her eyes to smile at the compliment and then noticed a handful of people coming out the back door of McGinty’s. She was reasonably sure they couldn’t be seen where they stood, but still.
I’m not some eighteen-year-old who’s going
to allow herself to be fucked in the parking lot of a bar.
Grasping Suzanne’s head in both hands, she lifted her face so she could look into her eyes—eyes with pupils so dilated with desire they were nearly all black. She needed to gain some sort of a hold on the situation so she didn’t feel like she was totally adrift.

“I’ve had a fabulous time tonight,” she said in a low voice, then kissed Suzanne softly on the mouth.

“I’m sensing a but,” Suzanne said with a half-grin.

“But I have to get home.”

“We could continue this there, you know.”

“I’m aware of that. But—”

“But you don’t sleep with a woman on the Þ rst date.”

“That’s right.” Sarah arched an eyebrow. “Point for you.”

Suzanne leaned in close so her lips were butterß y soft against Sarah’s ear. “What about on the second date?” she whispered, her hot breath sending a shiver down Sarah’s spine. She ß icked

• 127 •

GEORGIA BEERS

her tongue over Sarah’s earlobe, causing a literal swoon, Sarah’s knees practically buckling on her as she gripped Suzanne’s shoulders for support.

“God,” Sarah breathed. “The second date is an entirely different story.”

“That’s what I was hoping. I have to go out of town tomorrow.

Are you busy late next week?”

“I believe I may have some free time,” Sarah said with a wink.

“TerriÞ c. Call me.” Suzanne held up her business card so Sarah could see it, then lowered it, slipped it slowly down the front of Sarah’s pants, and tucked it snugly into her panties, giving the crisp hair there a quick caress with her Þ ngertips before withdrawing her hand. “To remember me by.”

Sarah felt light-headed as Suzanne stepped away, and her body felt suddenly, achingly cold. She took a step backward and watched as Suzanne got into the driver’s side and clicked her seat belt into place, then started the engine. With a wink and a wave, she backed out of the space and drove away.

Deciding she was fond of—and a little turned on by—the rough scratchiness of the rectangle of paper tucked into her underwear, Sarah left it there as she walked around her own car, astounded by the sopping state of her crotch as she took the wheel, certain she was going to leave a wet spot on the seat. God, when was the last time she’d been that excited? That ready to just whip off her clothes and go at it? It had to be the very early stages of her relationship with Karen, when they were newlyweds and doing it on every piece of furniture they owned. She gave herself a quick check in the rearview mirror, noting her disheveled hair and seriously ß ushed cheeks, and began to giggle.

“Good Lord,” she said aloud, over and over as she drove home.

Despite the events of the evening, she found the silence of her townhouse to be a little depressing. She’d never been able to fully adjust to coming home to an empty place, although now

• 128 •

FINDING HOME

that she had Bentley several days a week, it was better. But she remembered that she’d asked Natalie to come get him earlier and now she was truly alone, the dark and the quiet seemingly closing in on her, quelling her giddy mood.

Squinting in the kitchen light she’d ß icked on, she stood still for several seconds, allowing her eyes to adjust, then reached into the refrigerator for a bottle of Gatorade. She always vowed to drink water alongside her cocktails when she went out, but the idea seemed to slip her mind once she was seated on a bar stool. She’d been proud of herself tonight. She’d only had two Bombay and tonics and she’d sipped them slowly, not wanting to drive Suzanne Kennedy away with any loud, drunken antics—or worse, talk of her ex. So she’d nursed her drinks and ended up making out in the parking lot with an incredibly sexy woman as a reward.

Not a bad deal
, she thought with a grin.

Taking a slug of the sports drink directly out of the bottle, Sarah noticed a piece of paper near the phone with some unfamiliar writing on it.

Hi, Mama –

Just wanted to tell you that I miss you and hope you
didn’t have to work too late. Get some rest and come to
meet me and Natalie tomorrow at the park. I love you!

Love, Bentley.

PS: Natalie says hi!

Sarah grinned widely, feeling suddenly much better. She admitted to the tiniest sliver of guilt over having lied to Natalie about the reason she would be late, but the truth was, she hadn’t really known what would happen. Suzanne Kennedy might have stood her up and then she would have ended up going back to the ofÞ ce and working late. So it wasn’t really a lie, just a tiny twisting of the truth. Right?

Regardless, it wasn’t any of Natalie’s business. They shared

• 129 •

GEORGIA BEERS

the dog, that was all. Still…she Þ ngered the note in her hand, thinking it was a sweet gesture and surprised by how much she’d actually ended up liking Natalie, despite the foot they’d gotten off on. She was sweet and kind and fun to be around. With a gentle grin, she tacked the note to the refrigerator door with a whale-shaped magnet she had purchased on a trip to Cape Cod, then took her Gatorade and headed up to bed, Suzanne Kennedy’s business card still rubbing provocatively inside her panties.

• 130 •

FINDING HOME

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Natalie and Bentley were frolicking in the park for about half an hour on Friday evening when Sarah appeared, looking like the cat that ate the canary. Natalie said hi, then squinted at her as if trying to see further in.

“What?” Sarah asked, taking the slobbery ball from Bentley’s mouth with a grimace and tossing it for him.

“You’re all smiley,” Natalie replied.