Page 42 of The Reluctant Roommate

Fascinated, she watched Heidi’s eyes darken, the pupils widen, the emotions chase across her features. She only wished she could interpret them.

Heidi leaned back. “I won’t try to tell you what you should do. I’m lacking in the self-control department myself right now. But I—”

Morgan leaned across, gripped Heidi’s forearms with both hands. The beer tilted, and Heidi loosened her grip on it. It wobbled but then steadied, and Heidi rested it back down. Morgan stood, leaned farther in. Wine be damned. Maybe it was too much, but maybe she just wanted to do something for herself for a change, without thought of who might be watching, judging, demeaning.

She kissed Heidi.

Heidi’s breath left her body in a tiny “oh” against Morgan’s lips, although why was she surprised? Surely, that was where their conversation had been leading. To this. To this connection. To lips on lips.

Morgan kissed her properly, lips moving, caressing. And in only a moment, Heidi’s lips softened under hers. The bar noise came in waves, fading in and out. Heidi eased her forearms out from under Morgan’s grip and covered her hands, turning one over to entwine their fingers.

And still they kissed. Breath, lips, mouths, a touch of tongue.

“I told you she wasn’t into you. That’s why.” Logan’s voice, somewhere nearby. “Better luck with someone else, bro.”

Heidi eased out of the kiss, returned for a peck on the lips, then sat back and lifted her beer. “I think that’s a compliment.”

“It is.” Her lips tingled, and she raised a finger to touch them.

“After everything I said about roommates and romance.” Heidi shook her head. “And you do that.”

“I’m sorry… Was it unwelcome?” The heat of shame moved up her chest. “If so, I—”

“No. Not unwelcome. Unexpected, yes. Unwelcome, no. And I need to think about what I want. That is, if that kiss was any indication of whatyouwant. If that kiss was wine and spontaneity, that’s okay too.”

“I don’t do spontaneous very well.”

“Guess that answers my question, then.” Heidi picked up her beer, looked at it for a second and set it down. She leaned across the table and took Morgan’s lips in a kiss. It was quick, it was hot. And it was over as fast as it had arrived.

Heidi sat back. “That’s me thinking.” She picked up her beer again and drank. “Is it the wine, Morgan? How long did you want to do that?”

“I can’t answer that.”

“Because you might incriminate yourself? Or because you don’t know.”

Morgan pressed her lips together. Her mind was whirling faster than a Kansas tornado. “I honestly don’t know. I’m attracted to you, Heidi, but that doesn’t mean anything.”

“I’m so glad I’m just a meaningless person.” She folded her arms. “You’re not selling it.”

“No! I mean, I like you. But I’m… It’s…” She huffed in frustration. “Why do we have to talk about this?”

“It’s what people do when they’re trying to figure something out.” Heidi touched Morgan’s hand where it lay on the table. “Something unexpected, something that there are consequences for… Well, I talk about it with my friends. Especially if it involves that friend. Communication is sexy. And consent is sexier.”

“I’m not like you, then.” Morgan picked at the edge of a coaster with her fingernail. “I don’t talk. My family is full of things not said.” Aunt Linda’s face swam into her mind, pushing aside the wine fog. Linda. She couldn’t forget that. If she was to help Linda, she needed Heidi to be comfortable enough to keep living with her.

“Mine are an open book.” Heidi pouted. “Sometimes too open. I know what they earn, who they have sex with—”

“Even your parents?”

“Well, they only have sex with each other. But I know some of their previous.”

“My parents won’t talk about sex, period.”

“Do they know you’re out?”

“Yes, and because they don’t talk about it—it’s filed undersex—they don’t have a problem.” Her fingernail picked harder at the coaster, separating the layers. “Heidi, I apologize. I got carried away. The wine”—she gestured at the glass, just missing the rim by an inch—“you being friendly and gorgeous. But I like living with you. I’m not easy to live with—I know that—but I think we do okay. You’re right: Roommates and romance don’t mix.”

“So you want to forget about this?” Some of the sparkle left Heidi’s eyes, but she smiled and nodded. “I can do that.”