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That was a tempting offer, for sure. But was it too tempting? Agnes was all too aware that she was walking a tightrope here. If she lost control and did what she truly wanted to do—kiss Cora with all the passion she felt boiling under her skin—she would end up hurting Cora again, and that wasn’t acceptable.
“I don’t know… I need a shower. I’m freezing.”
“So shower at my place. You can go first, while I make the hot chocolate.”
That did sound really good. Certainly better than going back to her empty apartment. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
“Excellent! I’ll meet you there.”
The drive seemed quick to Agnes, and soon enough, she was parking in Cora’s driveway. Cora had arrived first and opened the door for her.
“You go ahead—the shower is down the hall to the left.”
“Thanks.”
Agnes got into the bathroom and peeled off her wet clothes before stepping into the shower. She sighed in relief as the shower started to steam up, sending streams of deliciously warm water down her body. She soon stopped shivering, and though she would like to draw this out, she knew that Cora must be cold too and didn’t want to leave her waiting for too long.
Agnes washed quickly and got out, wrapping herself in one of the towels hanging on the rack.
Then, she realized her mistake. She didn’t have anything to change into, and she wasn’t exactly inclined to put her wet clothes back on.
She wrapped the towel tighter around herself and edged out of the bathroom.
“Um, Cora? I don’t have anything to wear.”
“Oh!” Cora appeared in the corridor, her eyes flicking up and down Agnes’ body, which was covered only by the towel. “Um, right. I’ll get you something. My stuff will be a bit big on you, but it should be alright.”
“Thanks.” Agnes stood awkwardly in the hall for a few moments before Cora came back with a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved t-shirt.
Agnes took the clothes gratefully and retreated to the bathroom to change. When she emerged, Cora flitted in behind her, clearly eager for her own warming shower.
Agnes went through to the living room to find a nest of blankets on the couch and a mug of steaming hot chocolate ready for her. She happily crawled under the blankets and took a sip of the hot chocolate, which had marshmallows in it.
She was halfway through the hot chocolate when Cora came in, slightly flushed from her shower and still drying her hair with a towel.
“You look comfortable.”
Agnes grinned. “Very much. Join me?”
“I think I will.”
Cora quickly made herself a mug of hot chocolate before sliding under the blankets on the opposite side of the couch to Agnes.
Agnes was both grateful for and disappointed by the space between them. On the one hand, it was already hard enough not to pounce on Cora and kiss her. On the other, Agnes longed for more closeness between them, closeness that she knew she could never have.
“I wanted to talk to you about something.”
Well, that didn’t sound good. Agnes struggled to take a full breath. It had finally happened. Cora had decided that she was done waiting for Agnes, and that this friendship was too much of a hardship when she wanted more. Agnes did her best to keep her voice even. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes—more than okay, actually. Agnes, I want you to go on a date with me.”
Agnes stiffened. “You know I can’t do that.”
“I know that you feel you can’t, but I think you’re wrong.”
“I’m not ready.”
“I disagree. Look at the facts, Agnes. We’re basically dating already. The only things missing are the kissing and the label.”
