Abby kicked the coolerthey’d left sitting on the back porch.
Mature.She’d wanted to pick it up and chuck it through the kitchen window, so she’d take her restraint as a win. After wandering around her house all morning, under the pretense of cleaning, she’d finally given up and retreated to the porch. She should have fixed herself something for lunch, but she wasn’t hungry.
She dropped into her rocking chair, drew her knees up to her chest, and hugged them against her.
Last night had been incredible. The best sex she’d ever had. This morning, by the light of day, maybe it wasn’t such a good idea. What had she expected? That everything would go on like before as if nothing had happened? Judging by Blythe’s reaction, that was how she’d planned to handle it, but apparently, Ricki didn’t get the memo.
Ricki couldn’t escape fast enough. Abby wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d left before they awoke, leaving Blythe to ride the train home.
Abby rocked in her chair, letting her mind wander to the night before. After she’d gotten over her fear and apprehension, it had felt so natural. She thought Ricki felt the same but obviously not.
Since she’d started dating Blythe, Abby had been looking for the romance novel sexual experience, and she’d gotten it last night. Was that what triggered Ricki?
After Blythe had fallen asleep, it hadn’t taken Abby long to bring Ricki to a climax. Afterward, she’d lain against Ricki’s shoulder while they talked about books and life. Blythe had slept through it all. Abby wasn’t sure who’d started what happened next, but before long, they were kissing, touching, and bringing each other pleasure.
It had been after three when a satiated Abby had fallen asleep nestled in Ricki’s arms. Abby didn’t know when Ricki had extracted herself and left the bedroom.
Had it been wrong? Was that what had Ricki so upset? Blythe had told them to finish up, but she likely hadn’t meant multiple times.
Abby groaned and hugged her knees tighter. Had Ricki been drunker than Abby knew? Perhaps she was having morning-after remorse. Should Abby be remorseful?
Maybe she should be, but all she felt was fear. Fear that one of the best nights of her life could turn disastrous. Madeline always encouraged her to experiment more, to be a little wilder, and that was what she’d done. And she’d loved it.
She snorted. Perhaps she was more of a sexual freak than she’d known.Right.Judging from TikTok, having a threesome wasn’t that big of a kink. It wasn’t like they’d tied her up or anything. Not that she was judging. She understood some were into it, but it was too risqué for her librarian sensibilities.
What the hell did that even mean? She hid behind being a librarian whenever something made her uncomfortable, but last night, she’d forgotten her go-to excuse and let herself be free. And it was incredible.
A thought niggled in her mind, one that had invaded often since she’d awoken this morning, but she’d pushed it aside. As much as she wanted to ignore her intrusive thoughts, she knew she shouldn’t.
“What the hell are you doing?” Madeline’s loud voice interrupted Abby’s reflection.
“Jesus, you scared me.” Abby folded in even farther on herself, squeezing her legs tighter against her chest.
“Going for the fetal position?” Madeline asked as she pushed the door to the porch open.
Abby glanced down at her posture, but she didn’t move to correct it. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I figured you’d be lonely since the adorable duo left.” Madeline snorted. “I still can’t believe they couldn’t stay for brunch. I wouldn’t have minded getting another opportunity to chat with Ricki.” Madeline wriggled her eyebrows.
Abby’s jaw tightened. “You could have last night, but you had better things to do.” A chill ran up Abby’s spine at the thought. A foursome wasn’t an option.
“Trust me, it wasn’t better.” Madeline dropped into the other rocking chair. “He was a creep. I’d have done much better hanging out with Ricki.”
Abby didn’t like that Madeline had singled out Ricki, but she decided against commenting. “That bad?” Talking about Madeline’s date was much safer ground.
“The worst. He spent half our dinner talking aboutCall of Duty, even after I told him I didn’t play. Who does that?”
“Early evening then?”
“Yeah, I swung past here, but you’d already put out the fire, so I went home. I didn’t think the city girls would be in bed by eleven.”
Abby shrugged, not trusting her voice.
Madeline didn’t respond right away, and Abby felt Madeline’s eyes boring into her, but Abby continued to stare out at the yard.
“What’s going on, Abby?” Madeline finally asked.
Abby decided clueless was the best way to play this. “What do you mean?”
