“It’s the time of the season… for lovinggg,” Rowan sang the classic line by The Zombies.
Anita squealed with laughter, grabbed the hand towel she had draped over her knee, and swatted Rowan with it. She sidestepped out of the way just quick enough to avoid a pop on the thigh.
“What do you know about old folks’ music?” Anita asked, trying to get her laughter under control.
“She’s always been a grandpa at heart.”
Rowan looked over at Juniper’s position leaning against the counter with her arms crossed, ready to go. Rowan tried to convey her ‘I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it,’ face as honestly as possible. Juniper simply rolled her eyes and did her best to suppress the smile that threatened to make itself known.
After they’d said their final goodbyes, Rowan closed the screen door behind them. No sooner had it shut did she feel herself pressed against it and Juniper’s lips pressed into hers. Rowan tangled her hands into Juniper’s hair and deepened the kiss reflexively, reigniting the intensity that they had discovered together earlier in the afternoon.
Breathlessly, Juniper pulled back but kept Rowan’s shoulders pinned against the door with her hands. “It’s the time of the season for loving, huh?”
Rowan shrugged innocently and smirked, trying to calm her racing heart. “So it is.”
“And you think you’re so funny going on about it to my Mom of all people?”
Juniper let her go to poke a finger into her chest, but Rowan grabbed it and squeezed her hand into hers.
“First of all, she started it. Second, I would feel more threatened if you didn’t have to stand on your tiptoes to do it.”
To further make her point, Rowan placed a quick kiss at the top of Juniper’s forehead as she threaded their fingers together. Juniper glared at her playfully but allowed herself to be led down the steps.
“Shut up.”
“Have a good night, girls.”
They both jumped at the voice booming through the open window.
“Night, Auntie,” Rowan answered loudly as she pulled Juniper into her side. “Fuck, I forgot the window was open,” she whispered into her ear, laughing.
“You forget she’s sneaky like that.”
Chapter 14
“Oh, honey, is that what I think it is?–” Gloria interrupted herself by flicking a finger right to left indicating Juniper to move. “Scoot to the side.”
Holding an unopened coffee box that had originally been the target of Gloria’s questioning, Juniper sidestepped over with a confused look on her face.
Gloria lowered her voice conspiratorially. “So youhavegotten to know that mystery woman. I feel like I haven’t seen you inweeks, Juniper.”
Juniper’s eyes widened as she followed Gloria’s line of sight as it bounced from the unopened coffee pot box to Rowan scratching the back of her neck behind her. Juniper set the box down on the counter and pulled Rowan forward.
“Funny story, Auntie. We’ve known each other since we were kids.”
Gloria narrowed her eyes at Juniper. “And now you’re coming to work on a Monday morning at the same time as each other?”
Deadly, that woman.
“We just happened to arrive at the same time.”
After planning it that way over the fifty text messages we’ve sent each other since 11pm last night when we finally forced ourselves to stop making out.
“Hmm.” Gloria tilted her readers down her nose slightly toassess Rowan. “So this is the infamous heartbreaker.”
Juniper quickly looked at Rowan whose uncomfortable gaze met hers then back at Gloria. “Well, yes, but we’re moving past that.”
The weekend had been full of rekindling, but her feelings were still so very messy. And intense. And as much as they were based on feelings from the past, they were also unnervingly new.
