JENNIE

Last night was one hundred percent not what I expected.

Showing up at Lisa's house uninvited was a bold move, I admit. But what I thought would be a quick handoff of a present for Lauren turned into a very grown-up game of truth or dare, a steamy hookup session, and a date for tonight.

Yeah. Life comes at you fast sometimes. I'd like to thank courage, bourbon, and Terminal Honor 3.

Now I'm digging my date-night wedges out of the back of my closet for the second time this week, and I can't help but think of how proud Jisoo would be if she knew. Two dates in less than seven days, and I didn't even have to resort to that silly dating app she was pressuring me to download.

Sure, the first date was about as romantic as a flaming dumpster rolling down a hill, but even that night served its purpose. One night with Mr. Wrong opened my eyes to what I really need in my Mr. Right. And if my gut feelings are right, Mr. Right may also be Mr. Right in Front of Me.

I guess I'll find out tonight.

Setting my wedges down on my bedroom floor, I step into them one at a time, trying to ignore the pinch on my pinkie toes. Less than an hour of wearing these bad boys the other night, and I still managed to develop the worst blisters of my life. That's how out of practice I am in the high-heel game.

I try out a few tentative steps, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from cringing at the pain. Power through, Jennie Girl. It'll be worth it to see the look on Lisa's face when she sees how amazing my legs look in these.

Speak of the devil, my phone buzzes on my nightstand, and when I totter over like a newborn baby deer to check it, Lisa's name flashes on my screen, causing my stomach to squeeze into a tight little ball.

Gosh, I'm so lame. One unexpected round of sexy time on the couch, and suddenly I'm acting as giddy as I did back in high school. But all that giddiness turns into panic when I read the two-word message she sent.

Bad news.

No, no, no. This can't be happening. After all her failed attempts to ask me out, I finally said yes—and now she's going to be the one to call it off?

Panic rises in my throat as I sit on the edge of my bed, typing out a string of question marks. Instead of a text back, my phone buzzes with an incoming call. It hardly vibrates once before I pick up.

"Hi, what's wrong?"

My mind races in a thousand panic-driven directions. Is it Lauren? Or her Mom? Or maybe she's changed her mind and decided we're too dangerous together after all.

There's a muffled sigh from the other end of the line. "Lauren's sick," she says, sounding defeated. "I'm so damn sorry. It's nothing serious, just a runny nose and a cough, but with Mom's weakened immune system, I can't risk having her over there."

A long sigh of relief leaks from my lips. Thank goodness. A case of the sniffles is a lot easier to deal with than the worst-case scenarios I was imagining.

"Maybe we can reschedule?" she says with the tiniest bit of hope in her voice. "She'll probably be over this in a couple of days, maybe a week, tops. Rain check?"

My chest squeezes as I remember what she shared with me last night. How she hasn't slept with anyone since before Lauren was born. I may think my dating life is difficult, but she's the one who's responsible for another human being. Add taking care of her mom to that to-do list, and it's no wonder her love life has been nonexistent. I'm not about to be just one more thing she has to juggle.

"Rain check declined," I say firmly, kicking off my wedges and jumping to my feet. "Because we're still having our date tonight."

Lisa pauses, and I can practically hear her brow furrowing through the phone. "Jennie, I can't just leave Lauren on her own in—"

"So I'll come over," I say quickly, wedging my phone between my ear and my shoulder. "We'll order takeout and watch a movie. Maybe we'll actually even pay attention to this one."

The line is quiet for a long moment, but when Lisa eventually speaks up, her voice is hesitant. "You . . . you wouldn't mind that?"

"Of course not. I think that sounds like a perfect first date. And to be honest, I really, really didn't want to wear those heels tonight anyway."

A groan rumbles low over the line. "Jesus, no fair. Now I'm picturing your legs in heels."

"I hope for your sake Lauren isn't within earshot right now," I say, scolding her with a smirk tugging at the edges of my lips.

"Don't worry, she's resting in her room," she says with an easy laugh. "I'll save the dirty talk for when you and I are alone."

Once we hang up, I hang my dress back in my closet and change into denim cutoffs, a slouchy pink tee, and a pair of comfy sandals that my feet instantly thank me for. Then it's a quick, familiar drive across town to Lisa's, where the door swings open before I even get a chance to ring the bell.

"Hey there, gorgeous."

In dark-washed jeans and a fitted black tee that hugs her shoulders just right, Lisa looks way too good for a woman who's been taking care of a sick two-year-old all day. In fact, I'd say she was date-night ready, if not for the toddler snot smeared on her shirt. And, of course, the grouchy-looking Lauren propped on her hip.

"Can you say hi to Jennie, love bug?" She bounces Lauren a little to get her attention, and she manages half a smile and a tiny wiggle of her fingers. Then it's right back to zombie mode, complete with a sad little whimper.

Poor thing.

"Looks like someone's about ready for b-e-d."

As if on cue, Lauren sniffs twice, then yawns. Yep, it's lights out for this one.

I follow Lisa inside and straight up to Lauren's room, where the usual mess of toys is now joined by a full-blown kiddie pharmacy. There's a big purple bottle of cough syrup on the dresser and, oddly, a box of fruit snacks next to it.

Lisa must notice me eyeing them and quickly offers an explanation.

"She'll only take the cough syrup if I give her those afterward." She nods toward the fruit snacks, then shakes her head. "What can I say? The kid drives a hard bargain."

"Gummies?" Lauren perks up between sniffles as her dada tucks her in. She's only recently graduated from the crib to a big-girl bed, and I can't help but smile at how sweet and small she looks snuggled up under the light pink quilt.

"No, sweetheart. You already did your medicine. You'll get more gummies tomorrow. Now, what story should we read?"

Without even glancing at her bookshelf, Lauren blurts out the answer I've heard a half dozen times. "Dwagons Play Dodgeball!" It's immediately followed by a coughing fit.

"Cover your mouth, honey," Lisa says gently. "Like this, see?" She demonstrates by fake coughing into her own elbow, and Lauren mimics her exactly, right down to the pattern of her coughs. It's pretty darn cute, to be honest. Like dada, like daughter.

"Quick learner, as always," I say, pulling the familiar blue board book from the shelf and handing it to Lisa.

A proud smile breaks out across her face. "Yep. That's our girl."

As quickly as the words come out, his eyes deepen with instant regret.

Not her girl. Our girl.

There's a long, awkward silence as she takes the book from me, but instead of addressing her slipup, she ignores it, sliding in under the covers next to Lauren and starting the story.

Meanwhile, another story is playing in my head. A very different story. One where Lauren is ours, not just Lisa's. And to my surprise, it's not as scary of a thought as it should be.

"Jen?" Lisa looks up at me with an easy smile. "Do you want to join us?"

Yes. In every way.

Lisa guides Lauren to scooch over a bit, making enough room for me on the edge of the bed. Even in her zombie state, she insists that I get under the covers too, tugging at the sheet until I oblige.

"Lauren sandwich," I say with a laugh, cuddling in extra close. "Now, where were we?"

Two and a half reads of Dragons Play Dodgeball later, Lauren is finally sound asleep. It takes some light gymnastics for us both to get out of bed without waking her, which only leads to more laughter that we have to muffle, but we eventually make our escape without her batting an eyelash.

Before long, we're back in the same spot on the couch as last night, this time with a bottle of wine and two take-and-bake pizzas Lisa rustled up from the back of the freezer.

"Thanks again for being so flexible about tonight." Lisa smiles as she pulls an extra-large piece off the pizza stone and plates it for me. Despite her ten years in New York City, the one hasn't lost the "ladies first" manners they teach us down here.

"It's really no big deal," I say, accepting the plate and lifting the slice to my lips. There's still steam rising off it, so I blow a cold stream of air along the hot, gooey cheese, looking up just in time to catch Lisa staring at my lips.

"You know how kids are. One second she's bouncing off the walls, the next . . ." She takes a deep breath, rubbing the tension out of the back of her neck. "That one is unpredictable."

"Some of the best things in life are unpredictable," I murmur, blinking up at her with a knowing look.

She responds with a soft, easy chuckle. "Yeah, I'd say a lot of good, unpredictable things have been coming into my life lately." She pauses, her gaze momentarily dipping down to my legs. "Speaking of which, I want an IOU on seeing you in those heels."

My eyes can't help but roll as I try and fail to suppress a smile. "Don't act like you've never seen me in heels before."

"I don't think my senior prom over a decade ago counts," she says. "Plus, your dress covered them anyway."

I nod, setting my plate on the coffee table and grabbing a napkin for each of us. "I still can't believe Hanbin bought that we went just as friends."

"Listen, you know I love Hanbin like he's my own brother, so it's with nothing but total respect that I say this."

Lisa pauses, her eyes darkening as she glances around the room, as if there were anyone around to hear her. Then she leans in close to me, like we're a couple of high schoolers gossiping in the back of study hall.

"Your brother?" she whispers behind a cupped hand. "He can be kind of a dumbass."

A laugh explodes out of me, loud enough that I have to smack a hand over my mouth to keep from waking our little patient upstairs. Once I get myself under control, I give Lisa a playful shove with both hands.

"You'd better hope I never tell him you said that," I finally manage to say on a strained laugh.

"Yeah?" Lisa lifts a brow in a challenge, shifting closer to me on the couch.

All at once, the mood changes, the sexual tension between us as thick as the humidity of an August night. She reaches toward me and tucks back a loose strand of my hair, causing my goose bumps to run wild as the pads of her fingers linger on the tender skin behind my ear.

"Well," she finally says softly, her tongue sweeping over her lower lip. "You'd better not tell him about this either, then."

Sliding her fingers to the back of my neck, she draws me into her, closing the space between us with a slow, open-mouthed kiss that sucks the air right out of my lungs.

Holy God in heaven, this woman. One kiss from her, and I'm putty in her hands.

She coaxes my tongue into her mouth, sucking and massaging it with her, and I moan into her, planting my hands against her firm chest. It's all I can do to find some semblance of balance in this moment where I feel like I'm totally and completely falling.

When she pulls back, it's only a fraction of an inch, barely enough space to catch her breath as she grabs my hand and lowers it from her chest to her zipper. The kick of her erection against my palm sends a gasp tumbling from my lips.

"Do you want this?" She growls, tilting her hips against my hand.

"Y-yes," I stutter. "But here?"

"Bedroom." She pulls away, nodding toward the staircase. "It's next to Lauren's room, though. We'll have to be quiet."

"Our parents never caught us back in the day, right?" I remind her. "I think I have plenty of practice in keeping quiet."

She chuckles, running one hand along her cheek. "Yeah? Well, I'm going to try to make it as hard on you as I can."

Dropping one last kiss on my neck, she pulls me up from the couch and straight upstairs to her bedroom. Despite all the time I've spent in this house the past few weeks, this is my first time in Lisa's room.

But now is no time to look around. My eyes are fixed on the woman in front of me, who's peeling off her shirt and backing me against her bed. No sooner have I sat down on the edge then Lisa sinks to her knees, freeing me of my shorts and panties in one swift motion.

"Please," I beg, my voice a harsh whisper as she plants infuriating kisses along my inner thighs.

"Hmm?" Her calm blue eyes gaze up at me, content to watch me lose my mind each time her lips brush against my skin. "You want something?"

"You," I say on a sigh. "Please."

With that, she pushes my legs all the way apart and dives into me, her tongue parting me with quick, furious strokes.

Good God in heaven. It's been ten years too long since this woman was between my thighs. As she sucks and licks at my core, my body tenses against her, my breath quickening into short, shallow pants.

"Lalisa," I say softly, hardly able to speak. "I'm so close."

She hums her approval against me, then sinks two thick fingers inside me, pulling a gasp from my lips. This woman remembers everything about me, every curve and sensitive spot, and more importantly, exactly how to make me come undone for her.

With one last crook of her nimble fingers, all the tension in my body comes to a head, spilling out of me in white-hot waves. The high lasts for a long, sweet moment, but before long, I'm back on earth, spread across her sheets in an exhausted heap.

Before I have time to catch my breath, she's joined me on the bed, an undeniable hunger flickering in her eyes.

I know that look. It was in her eyes the first time I saw her again, all those weeks ago in the park. But back then, none of this made sense. It's been weeks of this push and pull. Constantly slapping myself on the wrist for thinking there could be anything between us again.

But now that she's looking at me with those perfect, hungry eyes, none of it matters. It's just Lisa and me, right here, right now.

I know what she wants, and I want it too.