At Your Most Beautiful by Harper Bliss (best free ereader .TXT) 📗

don’t know, Maya, because this has never been an issue for me.”

“It hasn’t?” Maya could be just as straightforward as Quinn, especially if she really wanted to get to the bottom of something.

Quinn tapped a finger against her chin as though she was lost in thought. “My thing with Morgan turned into a big mess in the end, but that was because she lied to me about wanting to leave her husband.”

“But in the beginning, when you just started seeing her, you must have had some issues with that?”

Quinn expelled some air, her cheeks puffing up. “I didn’t have a conversation like this with Morgan when it all started. That’s the thing. It started and then it continued and before I knew it, I was in love with a married woman.”

“Which makes a good case for having this discussion right now.”

“As far as I know, you’re not married, Maya.” Quinn started shuffling in her chair, a nervous twitchiness to her movements.

“You know what I mean.” Maya leaned over the kitchen island. She stopped herself from grabbing Quinn’s hand. “Last time we talked, you advised me to just tell Tommy that I wanted to date women. I can hardly do that when I’m going on a date with you.”

“You don’t have to tell him you’re dating me.” Quinn sounded a touch exasperated.

“But what if, at one point, I do?”

“Would that really be the end of the world?” Quinn asked.

Maya had to give that question some serious thought, although her gut reaction was that, yes, it could very much signify the end of what was most precious to her in this world—her relationship with her family.

“I don’t know, but it sure wouldn’t be easy.” Maya didn’t even want to begin picturing telling Tommy about Quinn right now. It was a bridge too far. They were only discussing going on a date hypothetically.

“Think about it.” Quinn slid off her chair and walked over to Maya. She slipped her arms around her waist and looked her in the eye. “But try not to think it to death beforehand, because that would be a real shame.” She planted a gentle kiss on Maya’s lips. “Also because I can’t wait to see you again. No strings attached. It’s just some fun.” She leaned in again and Maya was expecting Quinn to kiss her again but, instead, she pulled back, let go of Maya, and started gathering her things.

Chapter 26

“Look what the cat dragged in.” Griff was sitting on the couch, watching CNN.

“We don’t have a cat.” The conversation she’d had with Maya this morning had been on repeat in Quinn’s mind all the way home. “We’re bad lesbians like that.”

“I thought you were just going out for drinks last night?”

“I thought you had to work today.”

“I am. Following the news is part of my work.” Griff nodded at the screen. “Look who’s on.”

Quinn looked at Beth Robbins’ face. Good for her that she never changed her name to Mercer, she thought. It was kind of funny to see Maya’s daughter-in-law on TV after the conversation they’d just had. But Beth was hardly presenting Fox News. She was a news anchor of color at a left-leaning news station. Even if Tommy was a bit square—although how square could he really be if he was married to Beth?—surely she had the power to set him straight.

“If it isn’t my future daughter-in-law,” Quinn joked.

“Beth and I would be honored to be your bridesmaids,” Griff quipped.

Quinn fell onto the couch. “Drinks turned into something… more,” she said, a flicker of the warmth she’d felt last night still burning brightly inside her.

“Wow, Quinn. Just when I think you can’t surprise me any more than you already have, you go and do it again.”

“Believe me, I’m the one who’s more surprised.” Quinn was distracted by Beth’s face on TV. “Can we switch that off for a second?”

“Sure. I’m suddenly much more interested in your news.” Griff pressed the power button on the remote and turned to Quinn. “Tell me.”

“Things turned flirty as soon as we sat. So much so that it made me nervous, because, well, this is Maya Mercer. I have this memory of her that’s been kind of sacred to me all these years and then we were having drinks together and she was looking more gorgeous than ever, and she was just as kind and engaging and interesting as she was then and there was still something between us.” Quinn came up for air. “It was just there, like that night we had together didn’t happen ten years ago but ten days ago instead. And I swear to you, Griff, she came on to me. She kissed me in the bar. Can you believe that?” Quinn could hardly believe it herself, although she could still feel the imprint of every last one of Maya’s kisses on her lips—and various other body parts.

“No fucking way.” Griff slapped Quinn on the knee with excitement.

“After that, it seemed almost natural that we would end up at her apartment.” A flash of heat coursed through Quinn’s body. “I’m still so attracted to her.” She let her head fall onto the backrest of the couch. “It was fucking amazing, Griff. I can’t really explain why. Maybe it was part nostalgia. Maybe even part unfinished business. Or maybe, over the years, in my subconscious, Maya has developed into the archetype of the one woman I can’t have and then to finally be with her… It blew my mind. And she… She seemed to be having the time of her life as well.”

“Did she ask you to keep it a secret again?” Griff asked.

“No. I even asked her to go out with me on a proper date this time.”

“And?” Griff was bouncing up and down with excitement, personifying how Quinn felt on the inside but was trying to keep a lid on.

“She didn’t say yes, but she didn’t exactly say no, either. I told her to think about it because she has all kinds