There wasn’t a single time Darcy could think of in ten years that she’d ever seen a photo of Juliet in public that didn’t look immaculate. Even when she wasn’t “dressed up,” she was always perfectly put together. So, it made sense.
Darcy sat up, running a hand through her hair – wincing as she encountered knots, even as she vividly flashed to the ways Juliet had gripped her hair, her body buzzing with the memory – as she darted her eyes around again, frowning.
Nope, no idea where the hell her phone was.
She trailed her eyes back to Juliet. “What time is it?”
Juliet was putting on mascara, her mouth slightly parted in a way that was ridiculously enticing so soon after their marathon sex. Darcy was… a little sucked in.
And Juliet took her sweet time doing it, expertly holding Darcy’s gaze in the mirror where Darcy couldtellthat she enjoyed keeping her waiting. That she knew she had Darcy’s attention.
She narrowed her eyes back, feeling that stir inside. She kind of enjoyed it, too.
Finally, Juliet leaned back, capping her mascara. She delicately placed it down in a spot that was obviously dedicated to it in a drawer next to her. “It’s just after ten in the morning.”
Shock slashed through her, and she sat up ramrod straight. “Ten?”
No way. No freaking way. She hadn’t slept past ten in – she had no idea.
Because that meant she’d slept for… well, she didn’t knowexactlybut she knew that Juliet had grabbed them water a little after one, and then they’d gone for another round. So, she’d probably slept for at least seven or eight hours.
She supposed that explained why she didn’t feel absolutely run ragged. The first thing she was accustomed to in the morning now was jaw-cracking yawns until she mainlined caffeine. But… no yawns. Her eyes didn’t feel gritty and sore.
Huh.
Even with so many other unknowns right now – because in the back of her mind that was processing, all she could think was!!!and???– she felt herself grin, her shoulders moving in a little dance.
She feltgood.
Juliet slowly turned where she sat on her throne – that was what it looked like, anyway – to face Darcy directly rather than through the reflection in the mirror. “If you have somewhere to be, might I suggest not falling asleep immediately after sex ends? I’d turned to get a sip of water, and when I turned back around you were out like a light.”
Yeah, that wasnother usual behavior. Last night she had felt so completely satiated. Exhausted. Perfectly wrung out, until she’d simply had no energy left to be anxious or stressed. Not even when she’d had sex with women from the bar the last few years.
Whether it was a positive thing or not, she and Juliet were… aligned.
It was like Juliet had looked into her mind and seen precisely what Darcy desired.
“Well the good news is that I don’t have somewhere to be. I was just surprised.” She eyed Juliet from across the room. Unlike Darcy, still naked in Juliet’s bed, Juliet was completely put together.
She wore a floral sundress, she’d clearly showered and dried her hair, her makeup had just been flawlessly applied.
She was back to looking like Good Girl Juliet, nothing like the bombshell of a woman who’d been wearing the short, silk robe as she’d awaited Darcy’s arrival last night.
“Doyouhave somewhere to be?” She asked, tilting her head.
“Yes,” Juliet succinctly replied, but didn’t provide any other details as she stood up from where she sat. “That’s why I made a point of waking you up. I have to leave in less than an hour… which means so do you,” she tacked on, as if Darcy needed to be informed that she couldn’t stay in Juliet’s home after she left.
Darcy dropped her mouth open in mock-surprise. “What? But, Juliet, I thought this reallymeantsomething to you. I thought I’d be moving in here with you now.”
“It devastates me to break your heart like this.” But there was a hint of a smile on Juliet’s lips.
“If you have to leave relatively soon, why didn’t you wake me earlier? You’ve obviously been up for a while.”
Juliet huffed out an irate breath. “I tried; I wasn’t quiet when I was getting ready. Finally, I decided I just had to slam the drawer shut until you stirred. If you didn’t, I was going to have to check if you’d passed away.”
“You’re really good in bed, but not sent-me-literally-into-cardiac-arrest good,” Darcy shot back. “Thankfully, I might add.”
Those dark eyes narrowed at her, as Juliet started walking across the room.
