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Rebecca’s eyes scanned Quinn’s face, searching for any sign of uncertainty, but all she saw was determination. She nodded, deciding to respect Quinn’s decision. “Okay, but be careful, okay?”
Quinn laughed, a soft, husky sound that sent a shiver down Rebecca’s spine. “I will,” she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
As Quinn headed for the door, she turned to her, a shy smile on her lips. “Thanks for listening,” she said.
Rebecca smiled back, her eyes meeting Quinn’s in a shared moment of understanding. “Anytime.”
“I might see you tomorrow,” Quinn said. “When I get my car.”
“I work from home, so you definitely will.”
“What do you do?”
“I’m a graphic designer.” Rebecca watched as Quinn paused at the door, her hand on the knob.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” Quinn said..
Rebecca felt a small smile tug at the corners of her mouth. “Sounds good.” She hesitated, wanting to say more, but not quite sure what. The evening had been so... Comfortable, in a way she hadn’t expected.
Quinn glanced back at her, and Rebecca was struck by the vulnerability in her gaze. “Thank you, Rebecca. For everything.”
The sincerity in Quinn’s words made something tighten in Rebecca’s chest. “Of course,” she said.
Quinn slipped out the door, and Rebecca stood there for a moment, the crackle of the fire the only sound. With a quiet sigh, she moved to lock the door, pausing to glance out into the darkness. The night was still, the only light coming from the porch lamps and the sway of the flashlight from Quinn’s phone fading into the distance.
She leaned back against the door, hoping that Quinn would come out to her family sooner rather than later, because Rebecca would have to pretend to have no idea what was going on with Quinn if Sarah asked her again, and she hated lying to her best friend.
9
Quinn sat on her deck, cradling a steaming mug of coffee between her hands. The morning air was crisp, but her thoughts were focused on the previous night with Rebecca. She couldn’t stop thinking about how understanding and attentive Rebecca had been, how she’d listened without judgment as Quinn poured out her heart.
And then there was the undeniable attraction. Quinn’s mind drifted back to how beautiful Rebecca had looked on the couch beside her, the firelight dancing across her features. She remembered the tingling sensation that had shot up her arm when Rebecca’s hand had covered her own, a gesture of comfort that had sent Quinn’s pulse racing.
It was almost laughable, really, that the first woman Quinn found herself truly drawn to was her mother’s best friend. The on-set kiss had been different. She’d been lost in the moment while she’d been acting and embodying her character as best as she could. But the jolt she’d felt when her co-star’s lips met hers had been a wake-up call that had shaken Quinn to her core.
Now, as she sat alone with her thoughts, Quinn could no longer deny her attraction to Rebecca. It was more than the fact that Rebecca was incredibly beautiful. It was the way Rebeccacarried herself. It was the way she listened, how thoughtful she was even just inviting Quinn over for dinner.
But Rebecca was out of her league. Quinn knew that. She’d even said that Chloe, at thirty-eight, was too young for her. What chance did Quinn have of capturing Rebecca’s interest? The thought left a hollow ache in her chest.
She stared out at the lake, watching the sunlight dance across the ripples, and wondered how she was supposed to navigate this newfound desire, this unexpected longing for a woman who seemed so tantalizingly close and yet so impossibly far away.
Quinn remembered sitting in this very spot just two days ago, the deck warm beneath her as the sun dipped lower in the sky. She’d been curious, her mind wandering to places she’d never allowed herself to explore before. So she’d indulged in a fantasy, an image of herself kissing a woman, slow and gentle, their lips soft against each other.
And now, as she sat here again, the memory of that fantasy collided with the reality of last night. Rebecca’s face had been inches from hers, concern and compassion in her warm brown eyes. And in that moment, Quinn’s imagination had taken over, picturing what it would be like to lean forward, to close the distance, and taste the wine on Rebecca’s lips.
The memory made her cheeks heat up. She’d never felt this way before. She’d never daydreamed about being with someone. She’d never thought of someone and felt her body respond as if they were here right now.
And now, reality hit her like a ton of bricks. Quinn knew nothing was ever going to happen with Rebecca. She could admit to herself that she found Rebecca attractive, but that didn’t change the facts. Rebecca was her mother’s age, for starters, and more importantly, she was her mother’s best friend.
Quinn knew how these things worked. She knew why actors dated other actors. It was a shared understanding of theindustry, of having your name splashed across magazines, of dealing with paparazzi lurking in the shadows.
She let out a long breath. This was crazy. Her heart was racing as if she’d just sprinted up a flight of stairs, and she tried to ignore the turbulent mix of emotions swirling within her. Just the thought of Rebecca sent a rush of adrenaline through her, a mixture of excitement and fear, desire and confusion. It was overwhelming.
And it was stupid. She had to get a grip. This was Rebecca, her mother’s best friend. Quinn was supposed to be here to relax, to hide out from the world, not get tangled up in a mess of feelings for someone she barely knew. The whole point of coming here was to get some space, to figure out her own feelings without involving anyone else.
She closed her eyes, willing herself to calm down. Whatever she felt for Rebecca, it wasn’t going to lead anywhere. She had to put those thoughts aside, no matter how much they lingered.
She also had to go get her car.
