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Kendra put on a bath robe and ran downstairs. The aroma called to her empty stomach. The gentle vibration that flowed through her caused her hands to tremble as she placed the pizzas on the living room coffee table. She collected their wine and returned to the living room.
Sarah wound her arms around Kendra’s waist from behind, and Sarah leaned against her back. Kendra turned and kissed her. “You smell…soapy,” she said. She kissed Sarah’s neck and inhaled the scent of them.
Sarah smiled. “I’m starving,” she said.
They sat on the couch.
Sarah rested her legs across Kendra’s as she sat. She stared at her in profile. “You’re very handsome,” she said, and sipped her drink.
Kendra turned and rested her arm along the back of the sofa. She took a sip of her wine. The warmth hit her empty stomach, and it was as if what she was doing here with Sarah was normal and right.We’re not a couple.She fought the voice that tried to levy guilt, finished the wine in her glass, and leaned back against the chair.
“Are you okay?” Sarah asked and held Kendra’s hand.
Kendra smiled. “I’m enjoying being with you,” she said, refusing to accept the tightness in her stomach. She was invested, and she got the impression Sarah was too. If they were sensible, they would be fine, though the niggle of doubt remained.
“Eat,” Sarah said and handed Kendra a slice of pizza. “You’re going to need your energy for the rest of the night.”
Sarah’s smile stirred another wave of vibration that caused Kendra’s pulse to race. She hadn’t got much of an appetite, but she’d eat, because she needed the energy to keep up with Sarah’s demand. If this was going to be their way, she was intent on making the most of what little time they might have together.
13.
SARAH ENTERED HER CONSTITUENCYhome after the two-hour drive and headed straight to the downstairs bathroom. She held her head over the toilet. “Christ, I feel like shit,” she said. “I’m going to have to cancel Haley.”
Kendra bent towards her and touched her forehead. “You’re burning up.”
Sarah wretched. She was shaking. She’d woken feeling a little worse for wear after having been kept occupied until the early hours, and she’d put the feeling down to a lack of sleep. They hadn’t even got through the first bottle of wine, so it wasn’t as if they’d drunk that much. She’d popped a couple of pills with breakfast to stem her headache and shivering but over the last half an hour, she’d headed downhill fast. She’d been tempted to stop and get Kendra to drive but had pressed on, because it had given her something to concentrate on. Now in the safety of her home, she could release whatever it was that sickened her.
“Do you have any pain killers anywhere?”
“I took some earlier,” she said.
“I’ll get you some water.”
Kendra left the bathroom, and Sarah slumped to sit on the floor. The shaking rattled through her in violent bursts, and her bones ached. She wanted to cry, but her eyes were dry and burning. Bizarrely, she wanted her mum to comfort her, and she hadn’t wanted that since she was a child with an ear infection, and the pain had been frightening. She was pretty sure that she’d caught the bloody virus.
Kendra lifted her head and held a glass to her lips. She took a sip of the water.
“We need to get you to bed,” Kendra said. “Come on.”
“I think it’s the damned virus. You need to stay away.”
“I’m not doing that. I’ll probably have it already after last night.”
Sarah didn’t have the energy to argue. She staggered to her feet, and her bones screamed at her. She couldn’t straighten and cried out in pain, and Kendra’s arms tightened around her.
“Come on,” Kendra whispered. “Easy does it.”
Sarah took small steps and climbed the stairs slowly. Kendra pulled back the covers and helped Sarah into the bed. She closed the covers around her.
“What meds did you take earlier?”
“Ibuprofen, but it’s a good three hours ago,” Sarah said with a stutter, and her teeth clattered.
“I’ll get you some paracetamol.”
“Kitchen cupboard, top, to the left of the fridge. There’s a test kit there too.”
Kendra left the room.
