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Vanessa pulled back, meeting Heather’s eyes before surveying the room. There were maybe fifty guests left now if Heather had to guess. “I know we need to talk,” Vanessa said softly, “But I can’t stop thinking about you. About us. And after thinking that it could never happen again, that’s all I can think about now.”
Heather’s heart stuttered. This couldn’t be real. Her fingers drifted to the nape of Vanessa’s neck, hidden beneath her luxurious hair, lazily tracing a pattern there as they swayed to the music. “Do you think anyone would notice if we left?”
“No,” Vanessa answered, her voice breathless, as if Heather’s light touch was having a serious effect on her. “No one would.”
“Then maybe we should go.” Heather felt like she was floating. If she thought there was electricity in the air between them at the wine bar that night they met, this was a full on electrical storm. Every single touch, every look set off a wave of reactions, and by the time they’d left the ballroom, trying to look as casual as possible, and stepped into the elevator, Heather’s skin was tingling, her breathing uneven, her stomach filled with butterflies.
Vanessa hit the button for the third floor, and then her hands were on Heather’s waist, her head tilting as she leaned in to capture Heather’s lips in a breathtaking kiss.
As the elevator ascended, Heather lost herself in the kiss, her fingers splayed against Vanessa’s cheek. She could feel the heat of Vanessa’s body pressed against her own, and the scent of her perfume filled her nose. Heather moaned when Vanessa’s tongue slid across her own.
Would she ever get enough of this woman?
The doors pinged open, and it took them a second to pull apart, turning just as the doors started to close again, but they weren’t on the third floor.
They’d somehow gone back down to the lobby, and standing there, in her white satin dress, was Anna, her mouth open, her eyes moving between them.
Vanessa lunged forward to keep the doors from closing. “It’s not what you think,” she said, the doors trying to close again against her arm.
“I don’t know what to think,” Anna said, her eyes still wide as Heather stepped out of the elevator and Vanessa did the same, standing beside her as the doors finally fell shut.
Vanessa pursed her lips. “Megan and Heather were never together,” she said in a rush. “Megan was telling all of us about her new friend from work, and you assumed they were a couple. Look, it’s fine. It’s all just a bit of a misunderstanding.”
“Megan asked me to come with her this weekend,” Heather added, because she felt like an idiot standing there and not saying anything. “I’m her best friend, so of course I agreed to come as her date, but we’re just friends.”
Anna inhaled a deep breath as she shook her head. “So, no one’s getting hurt here? No one’s cheating on anyone?”
The tension building up in Heather’s body came out as a soft laugh, a smile coming to her lips. “No. Not at all.”
“No,” Vanessa said at the same time, shaking her head. “We actually met before. In the city.”
“Last month?” Anna guessed, looking between the two of them.
Heather nodded.
“So, this is the woman you met who you said it’d never work out with,” Anna continued. “And presumably, why you wouldn’t give Gabriella a chance.
Vanessa sighed. “Yes.”
Anna pointed down the hall. “I was just on my to the restroom. I didn’t mean to… Interrupt.”
“Anna, this was your weekend,” Vanessa said with a sigh. “I didn’t want to take anything away from that with my own drama.”
“And Megan was the same,” Heather said softly. “She didn’t want you worrying about her.”
“I’ve had the best weekend,” Anna said with a warm smile. “And if this is the start of something more serious, then… Well, I couldn’t be happier. For both of you. I’ll say goodnight then,” Anna said, reaching out to give her younger sister’s shoulder a squeeze, a hint of a smile on her lips as she turned.
It wasn’t until Anna was completely out of sight that either of them could relax.
“Did that just happen?” Heather asked as Vanessa pressed the button for the elevator again.
“I’m just glad that we’ve cleared the air. I hate lying. Especially to Anna.”
The doors slid open and when Vanessa hit the button for the third floor again, she found Heather’s hand, interlacing their fingers as she leaned back against the metal wall.
“You okay?” Heather asked, a different kind of nervousness consuming her now. Was Vanessa doubting this now that her sister knew? Now that they weren’t sneaking around?
“Yeah,” Vanessa said with a hint of smile. “I was nervous about telling her, assuming there was something to tell her. I’m trying not to get too carried away with this, but it’s hard not to.” Her eyes softened as she gazed at Heather, her smile widening ever so slightly.
