Secret Cravings(26)

Amy cocked her eyebrow. “I’ll behave, if you do.”

Nichole laughed and it felt as though the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. “I need to take a shower first.”

A predatory smile lit Amy’s face and Nichole felt as if hot honey was running through her veins. She squeezed her legs together, thinking of fun ways Amy could entertain her in the shower. What the hell was she doing? She didn’t need another failed relationship. But pizza, she could do. Nichole relaxed and pushed thoughts of sex from her mind.

“Give me ten minutes after you get the couch taken care of and I’ll be over.”

“Sure. Nick, get down there and start moving this beast.”

Nichole couldn’t just stand there. She helped Amy and Nick manoeuvre the large piece of furniture up the stairs and into Amy’s apartment. Nichole begged off and raced into her place to take a shower. She contemplated dressing provocatively before she pulled on a loose-fitting T-shirt. Amy was cute, but she didn’t want the attention.

Nichole knocked on Amy’s door, her stomach twisting in knots. Why had she come down here? It felt a bit like she had something to prove, but she knew she didn’t. The thing with Luke and Bryan had been a mistake. They hadn’t been interested in her and she’d known it. Okay, Luke had been that first night, but not anymore.

Amy opened the door and Nichole had to hold back and not step into Amy’s arms. The woman looked so similar to Charisa that she wanted to feel the comfort of being held in a welcoming embrace.



Amy couldn’t believe her luck. Nichole was coming to her place. She’d asked Nick to leave, then to stay, changing her mind about fifteen times, driving him crazy. In the end she decided that it would be best to have Nick there and she would pay him with pizza. Her new couch fitted right into her small space, not taking up too much room but providing a comfortable place to relax.

The knock on the door startled Amy. She giggled, then put on her lawyer face, trying to be serious. Just before she opened the door she realised the lawyer face would be the wrong look so she smiled, allowing her joy to show through. She pulled the door open and, after a few seconds of looking at Nichole, she thought she’d made a mistake by being too happy. Nichole looked as if she was about to bolt.

“Nichole, thanks for coming by. Nick ordered the pizza and it should be here in about twenty minutes.”

“Cool, where did you order from?”

“Pino’s, just downstairs.”

“Good, I love Pino’s.”

Amy stepped out of the way, not wanting to scare Nichole. The girl looked scared already and that was the last thing Amy wanted. “Come in. The place is small, and I’m sure it’s a lot like yours, but I’m happy here.”

Nichole stepped into her tiny space and shut the door behind her. “I like the small space—not big enough to get messy.”

“You said that right.” Amy felt like an idiot. Her conversation wasn’t riveting. Hell, it wasn’t even interesting. Amy fell back into wishing she’d talked to Nichole at the bar. At least then they would have had music to fill the lull in the conversation. Nick wasn’t being any help.

Nichole stood next to the couch and Amy had the strong urge to go to Nichole and take her hand, to draw her down onto the cushions and kiss her, but that would be wrong. They didn’t know each other, though Pink had been the star of Amy’s dreams lately.

“So, Nichole, what do you do for a living?” Nick asked.

Amy wanted to slap him, but she had been rendered mute and needed someone to carry the conversation. Nichole’s short stature and cute, turned-up nose made her think of elves and pixies.

“I walk dogs.”

“You walk dogs?” Nick asked.

“Yeah. I enjoy the work, and it’s better than being a fry cook.”

Nichole’s job didn’t bother Amy at all. She was used to dating women who were closer to her income level, but with Nichole she didn’t care. The woman was beyond attractive.

“What do you do for a job, Nick?”

“I’m a lawyer, like Amy.” Nick beamed as he spoke. His pride in his job blazed through. Normally, Amy would have joined in on Nick’s show of pride but Nichole’s gaze grew hard and she looked away, a red flush coating her face.

“Oh,” Nichole said.

She had to save the situation. The last thing Amy wanted was for Nichole to feel awkward in her presence, but anything she came up with to say sounded ridiculous so she just stood there, looking stupid. Nick finally realised his gaffe, thank God, and started talking about helping Amy move.

“…her old roommate was a total bitch, more like a ball and chain, and Amy finally dumped her.”