“I do believe it would be beneficial if Josette or I were able to traverse the city on our own and I do think, at first, that will need to be me,” I agreed.
“You down with that?” he asked.
“I quite like driving. Your interstates are somewhat alarming but we’ll work up to that.”
He gave me a proud smile. “Yeah, we will.”
The door opened and both of us turned to it, me having to twist exceedingly to look over my shoulder, Noc simply having to turn his head to look over my other one.
Circe was inside.
And oh.
My.
Word.
“He so totally kissed her,” Noc whispered in my ear.
He so totally did.
She seemed barely awake. Sleep walking.
And dreaming good dreams.
“Circe, babe, you good?” Noc called quietly.
For a moment, she was lost in her own world and neither Noc nor I said anything for it was clearly a good place to be.
Suddenly, she started and looked to us.
“I’m sorry, what?” she asked.
“Did he kiss you?” I asked back.
“Frannie,” Noc clipped.
“I…he was…” Circe stammered and then started beaming. “Yes.”
My word.
“I take it he’s a talent with that,” I noted.
She glanced at Noc and bit her lip.
“No offense taken, Circe,” Noc muttered to her unuttered words, sounding amused.
“This is, um, awkward,” she glanced to me and back at Noc. “You are, of course, a very good kisser.”
I took no offense either to her saying without saying that she thought Dax was a better kisser and I felt it safe to say, should a woman have comment on this about my man, it would be me who would.
“Of course,” I agreed. “And I could assure you that Dax could kiss me and I would say that same thing. But I wouldn’t be looking like you after he’d done it.”
“I’m glad you understand,” she said, obviously relieved.
“Did he ask you out?” Noc queried.
“Tomorrow night,” she told him, moving to Noc’s armchair and sitting on it, but only on its edge, like she needed to be at the ready to burst from it given any good reason.
“Not letting any grass grow,” Noc said under his breath.
But I found this concerning.
“This gives us very little time to go shopping for an outfit,” I declared then asked, “Where’s he taking you?”
“Well, he’s cooking for me at his house,” she answered.
I stiffened.
Noc made a noise like he was choking…
On laughter.
A kiss on another man’s porch.
Dinner at his home the next night.
Circe would be bedded by this time on the morrow, I was certain of it.
Therefore, plans needed to be laid as soon as possible.
“It’s imperative you take off work tomorrow, and first thing when the doors at the mall are opened, we’re entering them.”
Circe looked confused.
“I have a lot of clothes, Franka.”
She probably did.
However, at the mall we’d be seeing to that.
But our primary mission would be undergarments.
I was thinking pink. Pale pink. With a good deal of delicate lace.
“Humor me,” I ordered.
She studied me and moved her study to Noc.
He must have communicated something to her silently for her face relaxed, and when she looked again to me, she was smiling.
“All right, I’ll take the day off.”
“Excellent. And now for a digestif.” I twisted to Noc. “You’ve been cooking and hosting for hours. I’ll go get them,” I offered.
“I don’t fuckin’ think so,” he replied.
I stared at him, surprised not only at his words but at the ferocity with which he’d uttered them.
He rose but bent deep, putting his face in mine.
“I take care of my girl,” he declared, straightened and looked to Circe with a far less fierce expression. “All of them,” he finished and sauntered away.
Well, he definitely did that.
I watched him go and continued to watch him, doing this knowing I wore a supremely smug look on my face and not caring a whit.
I did this until I felt Circe’s regard.
The instant I caught her gaze, I asked, “Happy?”
Something settled on her face and it took her a moment to reply. When she did, it was so quietly, I nearly didn’t hear.
“So this is what it feels like.”
I leaned her way, fully her way, dropping to the cushions of the couch to rest my weight in my forearms.
When I did, she shifted further to the edge of the seat and leaned toward me, perched precariously there as we assumed the pose of girlfriends in this world and any other.
“You see,” I whispered, “it’s so beautiful, when it’s yours, it’s difficult to believe it’s real.”
“Yes, Franka, I see,” she whispered back.
“He was lovely to you when we left you to yourselves outside?” I asked.
“He was…” she shook her head, “He’s so large, it seems impossible to believe, but he’s so gentle, it’s startling.”
Oh yes.
I was very right.
Just like in the other, Dax Lahn of this world was absolutely perfect for his Circe.
“Please tell me he used his tongue with the kiss,” I begged.
A flush hit her cheeks but her eyes lit. “He did.” She leaned forward, nearly toppling off the edge before she gave up and I had to sit up as she situated herself close to me on the couch.