Page 44 of Hairpin Curves

Scarlett’s eager expression shifted to something more hesitant, and she turned aside, biting the inside of her cheek. “I think you’d really like the city. I got excited to show it to you. And I kind of miss it. I haven’t been back since I moved away.”

Megan wasn’t going to say no to that. “Then let’s do it.”

After the traffic of DC, the highway rolled out ahead like blissful relief, and Megan’s tension eased away as they drove north in the growing darkness. Scarlett seemed in good spirits, too, humming quietly to herself in the stillness of the car as she steered them north. Maybe Megan could get some of the answers she’d been hoping for.

“Hey, Scarlett?”

Scarlett made a noise.

“Why’d you move to New York?”

Scarlett stayed focused on the road for a long moment, maybe trying to decide whether or not to answer. After all, she had very recently shut down this line of questioning altogether.

“I ran away.”

Megan waited, but Scarlett didn’t elaborate. “I think if you’re twenty-three, it’s just called moving,” Megan said.

Scarlett smiled, thin and without teeth. “My life sort of went to shit all at once: I got laid off from my retail job, my roommate told me she wasn’t renewing the lease, and I discovered that my new boyfriend was actually married. So I ran away. I answered a Craigslist ad for a sublet in Queens, sight unseen, threw all my stuff in a U-Haul, and moved to New York.”

Megan looked down at where Scarlett’s arm lay on the center armrest, inches away from her own. She wanted to touch her, itched to press her hand to Scarlett’s and squeeze. Swallowing, she put her hands in her lap. “What did you do for work?”

“Anything I could. I tried waiting tables, but I was really bad at it. Couldn’t do the barista thing, either. Ended up doing third shift loading cargo for a trucking company.” She smiled. “I think the boss just felt bad for me, because I was bad at that, too. Anyway, I kept it up for a while, but it wasn’t like I was happy or anything. The city was great, but it wasn’t for me. Eventually my mom called and convinced me to move back home.”

Megan had always liked Scarlett’s mom, who was young and kind and endlessly patient. “I’m glad you did.”

Scarlett smiled, a little bigger, a little more relaxed. “Yeah, me, too.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this story before?” It was unfortunate, but it wasn’t like Scarlett had done something terrible.

“It’s one more dumb Scarlett thing. An impulsive, rash decision that turns out to be a terrible idea.” Scarlett sighed. “I feel like my whole life is a string of terrible ideas brought on by being too impulsive.”

“I could use some of that impulsiveness.” Megan seldom did anything without a pro/con chart. “I’ve become boring.”

Scarlett snorted, surprising Megan into looking over. “You’re not boring,” Scarlett said. “You’re methodical, yeah, but not boring.”

“It’s been less than a week since you said I lived a beige life.”

Scarlett shrugged one shoulder. “So, I was wrong. I’ve learned a little more about you since then. Like, you take beautiful photographs and put them in beautiful pages in your scrapbook. And you’re terrible at snowball fights.”

“You fight dirty!” Megan objected, but Scarlett just kept going.

“I’ve learned that you’re a real asshole when you haven’t eaten, and you like paper maps better than the GPS. And you name your mix CDs.”

“None of these are particularly not-beige things,” Megan said.

Scarlett looked over at her, eyes twinkling. “Okay. You want the not-beige things? I’ve learned you sing like a professional, and everybody in that karaoke bar wanted to go to bed with you.” As Megan tried to object, Scarlett talked over her. “Also!” She reached across the space to press a finger to Megan’s lips. “Also! I’ve learned that you’ve slept with eight people and aren’t at all as straight as I thought you were.”

Scarlett’s finger pressed into the soft skin of Megan’s lips, and Megan’s heart began to race. When she opened her mouth again to speak, Scarlett’s finger brushed the soft pad of her inner lip, and Megan had to resist the urge to chase that fingertip with her tongue. Adrenaline seared through her. “And,” Megan said, speaking before she could let herself think, “you know what I sound like when I come.”

Scarlett pulled her hand back, her gaze snapping over to Megan, and then smiled an absolutely filthy smile. “That’s not very beige at all, is it?”

Megan’s skin felt tight and hot. “No, it isn’t.”

Scarlett made a thoughtful noise, a low “hmm” that went right to Megan’s clit. “You know, a little impulsiveness is good for the soul, now and then.”

“I suppose.” Megan licked her lips and wished they were Scarlett’s.

“Truth or dare?”