“That’s not even remotely accurate.”Is it?
“You can’t have meaningless sex with Callie.”
“Not meaningless. Cathartic. A time-limited arrangement to purge us both of this goddamn chokehold we’ve had on each other for six fucking years.”
“I knew it!” Liam said, the smug son-of-a-bitch. “Iknewyou weren’t over it.”
“Of course I’m not over it!” Noah roared, shooting to his feet and pacing again. “She needed me and I wasn’t fucking there!”
“Noah…you didn’t know. None of us knew.”
But he couldn’t hear it. Some dim part of his brain knew what Liam said made sense. It was exactly what he’d been telling himself all this time, but no matter how many times he repeated it, he still didn’t believe it. He could still hear Mrs. Cole’s voice, see the accusation in her eyes, as they’d stood in that hospital waiting room.
“Maybe we both just need some closure,” he said quietly.
“And you think that sleeping with her will do that?”
“Fuck if I know,” he said, exhausted. “But I have to try something.”
Chapter 14
Callie lay in corpse pose, barely hearing the guided meditation the yoga teacher was leading them through. All she could focus on was the god-awful ambient “music” piped into the room through the tinny speakers, a repetitive tinkling cadence over a deep bass warble.That has to be a didgeridoo,she thought as the bass vibrated through the floor.
Finally, the teacher brought the class to a close. Liv and Min sat up at her sides, both looking dewy and fresh-faced while she was certain she was giving off more of a sweaty tomato vibe.
“That was such a good class,” Liv said. “Thanks for finding it for us, Min.”
“It was nice to have someone to go with for a change,” Min said, getting to her feet and rolling up her yoga mat. “My sister-in-law used to go with me but lately she’s so busy between work and my niece that she just doesn’t have the time.”
Liv reached out a hand to Callie, helping her to her feet. For now, Callie’s limbs were light, her muscles loose and warm from the hour-long class, but she knew that might not last. She’d have to be extra careful not to push herself too hard while she was still feeling good.
“What’s next on the agenda?” she asked.
“First, showers. Then you both are going to help me pick out my something blue,” Liv said with a mischievous smile.
After quick showers in the yoga studio locker room and a stop at their juice bar for something called a Zen Zinger smoothie (Callie was pretty sure it was just coconut water, strawberries, and yogurt, but it tasted fine, so whatever), the three women strolled out into the August heat. The yoga studio was in the heart of downtown, not far from The Barclay. The main street was a bustling two-lane road lined with trees and historic buildings, most converted into shops and restaurants.
Callie could see why Liv and Daemon had wanted to get married here. The salt air blew up from the beach just a few blocks away and baskets of flowers hung from the decorative lamp posts that ran along each sidewalk. It was quaint and charming but turn a corner and you’d be just as likely to find a boudoir photo studio as you were to find a seashell-themed gift shop.
They rounded one such corner and Liv led them to a small brick storefront. The windows were draped with heavy pink and purple curtains and a single word was written on the door: Desire.
“Please tell me your something blue isn’t a vibrator,” Callie said. “I mean, I’ll help you find the perfect one, babe, but that’s really more something Daemon should help you shop for.”
“It’s not a sex toy store,” Liv laughed. “Though I guess they might have sex toys, too. It’s a lingerie shop.”
They entered the shop, the bell above the door announcing their arrival to the stunning woman behind the counter. She was probably in her forties, tall with an hourglass figure, her dark hair sporting a single streak of gray on one side like that character from X-Men. “Good morning, ladies,” she said, setting aside her oversized coffee mug and greeting them with a wide, genuine smile. “Welcome to Desire. Are you looking for anything in particular today?”
“She’s getting married,” Min said, hooking her arm through Liv’s.
“Congratulations!”
“We’re on the hunt for her something blue,” Callie added.
“You came to the right place,” the woman said, rounding the corner. “I’m Natalia. Let me show you some of our customers’ favorites.”
Natalia led them around the shop pointing out corsets and crotchless jumpsuits alongside tasteful bra and panty sets. After a full tour of the shop, she left them to peruse on their own, returning to her place behind the counter and assuring them she’d love to help them if they had any questions.
Liv fingered the lace on the edge of a short chemise. “I have something similar,” Min confessed quietly, her cheeks bright red. “The lace gets itchy when it’s wet.”
