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CHAPTER SIX
The last thing Carine wanted was to be left alone with her thoughts, but Heidi mumbled something about coffee and sudoku and abandoned her in the room.
Carine didn’t know if she should thank the woman for her hospitality and let her have a quiet Sunday to herself or if departing too quickly was considered a breach of booty call etiquette. She suspected the rules were different from when she was in college or even with any of the men she’d been with recently.
They’d done things in reverse order. Typically, the orgasm came before the sleeping.
Getting up, throwing her clothes on, and putting a pair of sunglasses over her swollen eyelids before hauling her ass home was logical. What her instincts were telling her to do at the moment was grab the remote control from the nightstand and see if she could watchRick and Mortyon-demand.
That was too familiar, though. She needed to at least act like she was going to get out of Heidi’s hair, even if she didn’t really want to. She didn’t want to go home and be alone.
So, she got up and made the bed. She found the toothbrush she’d used the night before and freshened up her mouth. A few splashes of cold water on her face soothed the heat beneath the skin.
She went in search of her clothing and found the stack where she’d left it before bed. Or at least, most of it.
Bashfully, she stepped into panties and skirt and situated her tits into her bra. It wasn’t much of an outfit because Heidi was wearing her blouse.
She was at the kitchen island with her reading glasses on, sipping coffee and tapping away on her phone screen.
Carine hugged her arms against her body and scanned the great room for an afghan or blanket.
Heidi’s technically a warm-blooded creature. She’s got to have something around here to wrap up in.
“You hear the clinking?” Heidi tilted her head to the French doors that likely led out to her back patio. “Neighbors are still up and at it.”
“How long does it usually go on?”
Heidi grunted aggrievedly. “An hour. Ninety minutes. Depends on what kind of Saturday night they had, I suppose.” She set down her mug and her phone, then lowered her glasses. “You know, there’s no dearth of shirts in this place. Pick one.”
“Aside from the one you’re wearing?”
“Collected as tax.”
“Oh. I see,” Carine murmured. Her mother used to tax her Halloween candy haul. She was familiar with the scam and knew there was no appeals process worth her effort. “How much is the tax on a cup of coffee? Not sure I can afford it.”
“Maybe I’ll overlook the balance due once or twice. I can be benevolent on occasion.”
“Taxation without representation is tyranny.”
“You’re perfectly represented. You can put all your complaints right here in the suggestions box.” Heidi pointed toward the garbage disposal.
She’s quick.
Carine giggled and retreated to the bedroom. It was too early to be getting into a verbal knife fight with Heidi when Carine was sparring with the conversational equivalent of a pool noodle. She stepped into Heidi’s cavernous closet and headed straight for the sweatshirt stack folded in one of the hanging organizers. She wriggled out a gray striped one she’d seen the other woman wear before and knew to be oversized.
Squelching the temptation to linger and fondle the lavish gowns, luxe blouses, and designer coats she’d never seen Heidi wear, Carine turned off the light and headed back to the great room.
During Carine’s absence, Heidi had placed a pile of thick books at the counter’s edge. Closer inspection revealed them to be cookbooks, and pristine hardbound editions for gourmands of refined sensibilities.
Heidi rolled up her borrowed, orstolen, sleeves and gave Carine a crooked smile. “Stick around, and that’s what you’re getting yourself into. Measuring, chopping, sautéing, and dishwashing.”
Carine didn’t really have to think about it, but she was a saleswoman. She knew that sounding like she was too eager or too ready to close a deal would tank her ability to negotiate when she needed to. “Sounds like a great plan for you. What do I get out of it?”
“Comfortable pants and my Netflix password.” Heidi canted her head toward the television. “You can see the screen perfectly from here. Takes the monotony from the food prep.”
“If I take off this skirt again, will it vanish into the ether like my shirt almost did?”
“I only wear leather at the clubs. That cowhide is safe from me. Or at least safer than the rest of your hide might be if you insist on showing it to me.”
