“Do you want clean dishes or not?”
“Your immune system can probably use the boost.”
“If that’s the way you feel, then remind me to bring my own utensils next time I come over to eat.”
I nudge her with my hip. Lex hip-checks me back. Then I take a handful of bubbles and blow them into her face. She shrieks, wiping the suds away like I’ve just coughed tuberculosis onto her. I laugh as Lex’s eyes shift dangerously, then before I know what’s coming she’s twirled the tea towel and cracked me on the ass with it.
“Ow! Jesus Christ, woman!”
She grins, dimples popping.
“I’m gonna get you for that!” I scoop a handful of bubbles and launch it at her, but Lex dodges the soapy missile and cracks me on the thigh with another towel snap. I squeal, then grab the faucet extension and spray water across the kitchen.
Lex holds her hands up to shield her face. “No fair!”
“All’s fair in love and—eep!” Lex tackles me against the counter to evade the water spray, then reaches for the handle to turn it off. I move to twist her away, but slip on some suds on the floor and fall to the ground, bringing Lex with me. We collapse on the tile in a wet, giggly heap.
“You okay?” Lex asks, lifting herself off me. Her short brown hair is damp and hanging over her forehead, blocking my view of her bright blue eyes. I reach up and push a lock back off her forehead. She blinks as if startled and her smile falters, those big eyes of hers darting back and forth between mine.
She’s managed to land right on top of me, settled between my thighs while I’m flat on my back. The weight of her body on top of me has jump-started a physical reaction. Flutters race down my belly to my core, my skin tingles to life, and my centre throbs with a longing ache.
Lex gazes down upon me for another long moment, a small crease teasing her brow. “Aubrey? Did you hit your head?”
My throat works as I swallow. I nod, and then shake my head. “I’m fine.”
Lex gazes down upon me for another long moment, as if not fully trusting that I am. She inches forward, lowering closer as my heart stammers, pounding against my rib cage.
Water begins pouring over the countertop. “Shit, Lex, the faucet!”
She snaps back into focus and stands, turning the water off before reaching down, grabbing my hands, and pulling me up. “You’re soaked,” she comments.
I look down at myself. My white tank top is see-through, revealing my pink bra. What Lex doesn’t know is that my shirt and pants aren’t the only thing that’s wet. Fuck, this months-long dry spell has really done a number to my nervous system if I get turned on by someone accidentally going near my vagina. How embarrassing.
The sooner we break this curse, the better.
“Why don’t you go get changed and I clean this up?” Lex offers, eyeing my soaked clothes.
“You sure?”
Lex gives me a wink. “I got you.”
Ignoring the weird feeling in my tummy from that wink, I turn and walk back into my bedroom, peeling my shirt off as I go. I take a little extra time getting dressed, tying my hair back into well-practised braids and fixing my runny eyeliner before rejoining Lex in the living area. By the time I’m done she has the rest of the dishes washed and stacked, the water and suds cleaned off the floor, and there’s a fresh glass of rosé waiting on the coffee table. Lex stands by the TV, laptop in one hand and remote in the other. She looks up from the screen and does a double take.
“Sorry.” I tug at my PJ top, second-guessing removing my bra. “I felt like getting comfy.”
She shakes her head quickly and drops her gaze back down. “By all means.”
I flop onto the couch beside Winston and pull him into my lap. Something tells me I’m going to need my emotional support gremlin to get through this. I’ve been so excited for this for weeks, but now that it’s actually happening my stomach is twisting in knots. This is the first time anyone’s ever taken my curse seriously, and the first time anyone’s ever tried to help me through it.
Lex stands off to the side of the TV, balancing her laptop onone hand and clicking around with the other. She looks like one of those professors in university that is equal parts cool and feared, like she’d extend your paper for you if needed but would also rip you a new asshole for asking a question that’s already been answered because you weren’t paying attention. After clearing her throat, she clicks a button and the TV lights up.
My mouth drops open. “Holy shit, you made a PowerPoint presentation?”
Lex’s eyes twinkle. “Oh, I did more than that.” She clicks to the first slide, and I’m met with a big-ass Excel spreadsheet loaded to the tits with data.
I cannot contain my squeal of delight. “This is amazing!”
Lex lifts her chin proudly. “It’s nice to know you love spreadsheets almost as much as I do. Shall I begin?”
