She wanted to kick herself for saying “stuff,” but neither Amanda nor Cal seemed to mind. Amanda waved a hand. “The yearbook deadline isn’t until September.”

  “You won’t have to wait that long, I promise.” She didn’t add it was because she had no other clients. “I should be able to turn them around in a week or two. Does that work?”

  “Yeah.” Cal’s nod had some energy to it, such a far cry from when she arrived.

  “Do you want me to pay you now?”

  Thanks to her prep session with Taylor, the question didn’t catch her off guard. And they’d already agreed on an amount. “On delivery is fine.”

  She didn’t want to jinx herself.

  “Is it okay if I give your info out to people?”

  Taylor had joked about her becoming the “it” photographer in town. Not like there was much competition. Still, she’d brushed this off as a one-time thing. A fluke. “Um, of course. That would be great.”

  “I think it’s great you’re doing this.” Amanda put a hand on her arm. “I’m sure your family is thrilled to have you back at the winery, but this, this is for you.”

  The combination of her words and the gesture made tears prick at Julia’s eyes. She blinked them away. Nothing less professional than crying on the job. “Thanks.”

  “We really should grab a drink sometime. I’d love to catch up.”

  Unlike some of the other invites she’d gotten since returning home, this one felt genuine. Julia smiled. “I’d really like that.”

  She offered a good-bye to Cal and headed to her car. She forced herself to back out of the driveway and make it around the block before pulling over to text Taylor.

  OMG that went amazing.

  Taylor didn’t immediately reply, so she pulled back onto the road and drove home. Maybe it wasn’t a good thing she wanted to tell Taylor everything. That it felt like Taylor’s success as much as her own and she wanted to share it. But even as she chided herself, she remembered Taylor’s enthusiasm and encouragement. Taylor had no reason to fake that. Especially since Julia had been trying to get into her pants and not the other way around.

  By the time she pulled into her driveway, Taylor had replied. Of course it did. I want to hear all about it. Dinner? Tonight?

  She’d taken the whole day off for the photo shoot, so she literally had nowhere else to be. Yes!

  Taylor’s response came immediately. 7pm. Casual. I’ll pick you up.

  Can’t wait. It felt silly to admit, but she liked Taylor’s directness, her willingness to take charge. It didn’t come across as bossy or suffocating. Just confident. Quietly confident, too, not brash or arrogant. Taylor had a lot of things going for her in the sexy department, but her confidence might be at the top of the list.

  Julia unloaded the car and checked the time. She had over two hours before her date. Was it a date? Or a friendly celebration? She had no way of knowing, save, perhaps, asking Taylor directly, and she wasn’t about to do that. They’d scheduled their second date for later in the week, so this might just be something casual.

  Ugh. Why did it have to feel so complicated? She sighed. Because she liked Taylor and she didn’t want to mess it up, that’s why.

  She’d prep like it was a date but not expect anything. That was reasonable, right?

  Even with that mindset, she didn’t need two whole hours to primp. So she pulled out her laptop and started transferring the photos from the memory card to her computer. As they loaded, she clicked through, deleting only the obviously bad ones. Even after doing that, she had close to two hundred. She started a second pass, trying to be more discerning, and whittled it down to about a hundred.

  A hundred solidly decent photos of a kid who had absolutely no interest in having his picture taken. Taken by her. Not just with her finger on the shutter button, but at her direction, her attempts to make Cal comfortable. Crazy.

  Julia glanced down at the clock in the corner of her screen and realized she’d left herself barely half an hour to get ready. She took a quick shower, not bothering to rewash her hair, and settled on a navy and white polka dot sundress. She debated footwear while doing her makeup, settling eventually on her favorite red heels. Not exactly casual, but they made her feel sexy.

  Taylor pulled in just as she clasped her floating pearl necklace around her throat. She stepped back from the mirror to take in her full reflection. Not half bad.

  Downstairs, she grabbed her purse and opened the front door, expecting Taylor to be waiting in her truck. But of course she wasn’t. She stood at the door, hand raised like she was about to knock. In her other hand, flowers. Sunflowers this time, five of them tied together with ribbon.

  “You don’t have to bring me flowers every time, you know.”

  Taylor smiled. “I do know. That’s why I do it.”

  This definitely felt like being courted. Would Taylor use that word to describe it? “Well, thank you. They’re beautiful.”

  “Besides, today was your first solo photo shoot. That’s something to celebrate.”

  Julia took a deep breath and smiled. “It feels like something that warrants a celebration.”

  “Good.”

  “Let me put these in water before we go. Come on in.” She headed to the kitchen, not bothering to see if Taylor followed. The first bouquet from Taylor still sat on the kitchen table. Fortunately, Meemaw had a collection of vases. Julia filled a tall one with water and set the flowers in it. “They really are beautiful. And so cheerful.”

  “Like you.”

  The compliment could have come across as cheesy, but it didn’t. It made Julia blush in all the good ways. She mumbled a thanks before changing the subject to where they were headed for dinner.

  “I thought we’d take a drive up the lake. Is that okay?”

  It was fun and sweet and totally romantic, not to mention more than she expected when Taylor asked if she wanted to grab dinner. “Absolutely.”

  Guess it was a date.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Taylor settled on Gianna’s, an old school Italian restaurant with stunning views of Seneca Lake. The menu had been updated in the last couple of years, and it was one of the more romantic spots in close proximity to Kenota. Julia seemed pleased, which was what really mattered, and they decided to share a few dishes and a bottle of wine.

  She asked Julia perhaps too many questions about the photo shoot, but Julia answered with enthusiasm. When the plates were cleared, they lingered, finishing the last of the wine. For an impromptu date, it was turning out to be a pretty good one.

  During a lull in conversation, she found Julia looking at her with a certain added intensity. “You’re good at this, you know.”

  Taylor offered her a quizzical look. “Good at what?”

  “Dating.” Julia tipped her head back and forth. “Wooing. Courting.”

  She set down her wine glass and leaned back in her chair. “I’m not sure that’s a compliment in your book.”

  “Oh, it definitely is.”

  “Then thank you.”

  “I like it. I guess I’m not used to it.”

  Taylor let a few seconds pass before answering. “Maybe you should be.”

  She anticipated a pithy comeback, but Julia said, “I’m starting to think you have a point.”

  “If it’s what you want, then you shouldn’t hesitate for even a second to think you deserve it.” Her tone was perhaps a touch too adamant, but she believed it and wouldn’t take it back.

  Julia took what appeared to be a shaky breath before continuing. “Is it too forward of me to ask about rules?”

  Taylor studied her, trying to glean meaning. “Rules?”

  “Well, you made it clear you don’t have sex on the first date.” Julia lifted a hand. “Which I respect, by the way, despite my recent adventures.”

  Oh, that’s what she was getting at. “I’m not sure I’d call them rules. Principles, maybe. A personal code.”

  Julia nodded. The suggestive look in her eye was almost enough to make Taylor forget all those principles. Almost. “Okay, then. Tell me about your code.”

  “I’m not sure there’s much to tell. I’m traditional, I guess. I’m not precious about sex, but I’m not flip about it either. I have too much respect for women to be flip.”

  “I see. What does that look like, in more practical terms?” She traced her finger up and down the stem of her wineglass as she spoke, driving Taylor to distraction. It didn’t help that the conversation was a thinly veiled proposition. One in which Julia was making her interests known, but leaving it to Taylor to take the lead.

  “It means I want to make sure the woman I’m with knows she’s more than a hookup, that I like her and value her as much as I’m attracted to her.”

  Julia leaned forward, resting her elbows lightly on the table. The shift gave Taylor the most delicious glimpse of Julia’s ample cleavage. She allowed herself the briefest of looks before returning her gaze to Julia’s. It wasn’t like she was claiming to be a saint. Julia, who clearly knew where Taylor’s eyes had been, angled her head. “Do you like me?”

  A loaded question if ever there was one. She opted to keep it simple. “I do.”

  “I know.” Julia offered her a slow, seductive smile.

  “I value you, too. And respect. So much respect.” Taylor desperately hoped her words came across as playful and not, well, desperate.

  “I know that, too. And for what it’s worth, the feeling is mutual.”

  It was so strange, having such an innocent conversation laced with so much innuendo. “I like being respected.”

  Julia’s lips twitched. “So much respect.”

  Their waiter appeared and Julia made a move to her purse. Taylor waved her off and she didn’t argue, which Taylor appreciated. She slid her card into the holder and handed it over. Julia studied her but didn’t speak. She’d made her desires clear and now she was waiting for Taylor. Taylor appreciated that as well. The waiter returned and thanked them for coming. Taylor scribbled a tip and her signature, closing the folder with a snap.

  “Would you like to go home together tonight?” She expected a clever answer, or maybe a suggestive one. But Julia looked right into her eyes, so deep she had to fight the urge to squirm.

  Julia swallowed and tried to calm her now skittering pulse. “I would.”

  Taylor took her hand and led her from the restaurant. Julia, a step behind, studied their laced fingers, mesmerized by the contrast of Taylor’s tanned, slightly roughened skin next to hers. Outside, anticipation crackled in the air. Taylor’s words, about respect, but also her exquisitely simple invitation, singed into her mind. Between that and the look in Taylor’s eyes when she said it, well, Julia wasn’t sure she could wait even the short time it would take to get to one of their houses.

  It made her realize how lackluster the attraction had been in her recent dating.

  They walked to Taylor’s truck, both to the passenger side, of course. Taylor opened the door, but didn’t let go of her hand. “You’re not stalling, are you? Or changing your mind?” Julia tried to keep her tone playful.

  The kiss Taylor gave her was brief, but held all the promise of what was to come. “No.”

  “Good. That’s good.” She climbed into the truck and Taylor shut the door. Julia fumbled with her seat belt, nerves and desire and anticipation swirling together and making her shaky. It made her feel like a teenager almost, but with the benefit of knowing what was to come and not just speculation.

  Taylor joined her and started the engine. “Your place or mine?”

  The question, direct and laced with promise, turned her on even more. But the arousal mixed with a flash of discomfort. Julia bit her lip. “Yours, if that’s okay?”

  “Of course.” Taylor glanced over at her with a look of concern. “Are you okay?”

  Julia cringed. How could she say this without being awkward or breaking the mood? “Yes. It’s just—”

  “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, or if you’re not ready. I mean it.” The firm tone made Julia smile.

  “Oh, no. I absolutely want to. It’s, well, my house sort of feels like my grandmother’s house still.” Including the bed she slept in.

  “Oh.” Taylor elongated the word, indicating she understood.

  “I hope that doesn’t seem weird.”

  “Not at all.” Taylor reached across the seat and put her hand on Julia’s knee. “It’s sweet, really. I’m not sure I could have sex in my nana’s house either.”

  Rather than making things worse, the comment dispelled any awkwardness. “Thanks.”

  Taylor drove in the direction of her house and they fell into a comfortable silence. Well, not entirely comfortable. Sexual tension simmered in the air, making it seem even warmer than it was. She worried about letting her expectations get the best of her, but she’d not wanted someone as bad as she wanted Taylor in a very long time.

  * * *

  When they arrived at her house, Taylor fought the urge to get Julia naked and under her as quickly as possible. She wanted to savor the moment, as cheesy as that might sound. She had no idea if this would be their first time together or their only and she wanted to commit every detail to memory. But perhaps even more, she had a feeling Julia expected hurried, if not frantic. And as much as she wanted Julia to be comfortable, she also wanted to keep her on her toes.

  In the bedroom, she flipped on a lamp. Even though dusk cast a soft light through the windows, it would fade long before she planned to come up for air. She stopped short of the bed and turned, pulling Julia into a kiss.

  Julia’s hands went to work on the buttons of Taylor’s shirt. Taylor didn’t try to stop her, but once the shirt was gone, she twined her fingers with Julia’s. “I want you to talk to me, okay? Tell me what you like, what you don’t like.”

  Julia looked right into her eyes, then away. “Okay.”

  The sudden timidity made Taylor’s stomach flip. She brought her index finger to Julia’s chin, gently nudging her to make eye contact again. “And we can stop anytime.”

  Julia shook her head. “I won’t want you to stop. I’m not shy or changing my mind or anything. It’s just, I don’t know, it feels like this matters.”

  Taylor’s heart thudded against her ribs. Paired with the flippy stomach, she had to take a slow breath to steady herself. “It does matter. Because you matter.”

  Julia blinked, fear evident in her hazel eyes. “I like you a lot, Taylor. You’re the best friend I have since coming back. I don’t want to fuck that up.”

  “You’re not, we’re not, going to. Because we like each other. That’s not going to change, no matter what. Deal?”

  She nodded, looking a fraction more certain. “Deal.”

  “Now,” Taylor grabbed the fabric of Julia’s sundress below each hip, “as I was saying, I want you to tell me what you like.”

  Julia tipped her head to the side. “I like you. I want to feel your hands and your mouth and your skin. The more the better.”

  “You will. I promise.” She lifted the dress up and over Julia’s head. Underneath, Julia wore a pale pink bra and matching panties—sexy and sweet at the same time. “But I need to take a second to appreciate how stunning you are.”

  Julia’s head dropped and she smiled. If Taylor wasn’t mistaken, she blushed, too. “You don’t have to say that.”

  Something in Julia’s voice gave her the impression it was about more than being bashful over compliments. “Julia, do you have any doubt that you’re gorgeous?”

  She shrugged. “Let’s not go there, shall we?”

  Oh, they were going to go there, but it didn’t need to be right now. “I guess I’ll just have to show you.”

  She took Julia’s hands again, lacing their fingers together. She wanted to touch Julia—everywhere—but she also wanted to control the pace. She brought her mouth to Julia’s, pulling Julia’s bottom lip between hers before tracing it with her tongue. Unlike the first, and second, times they kissed, her brain didn’t scream at her to stop.

  So she didn’t. She kissed Julia long and slow and deep. She kissed Julia until Julia sighed, until she moaned. And then she kissed her some more.

  When she finally stopped, Julia’s eyes were glazed with desire. “Wow. I mean, I know I said that last time, but wow.”

  Taylor couldn’t help but smile. It was nice to know she wasn’t alone. “For the record, I’m just getting started.”

  She walked Julia backward toward the bed, gently nudged her onto it. Julia sat and Taylor guided her onto her back. Julia’s fingers roamed over her shoulder blades, stroking, teasing, and scratching in the most soothing, yet provocative, ways. Taylor alternated between kissing her and kissing her neck, her collarbones. She worked her way to Julia’s breasts, biting and sucking and telling herself over and over to take her time. Julia arched and Taylor took the opportunity to reach around and unhook her bra.

  Her breasts were even more beautiful than Taylor’s overactive imagination had conjured—pale and full, with large areolae in dusky pink. Her nipples stood erect, practically begging to be sucked. “You are perfection.”

  Julia started to shake her head, but seemed to think better of it. “You are.”

  Yet another deflected compliment. They were going to have to work on that.

  She continued her exploration of Julia’s body. Her ribs, her soft stomach, the swell of her hips. Julia’s hands continued to move over her with a sort of restless urgency, but she otherwise left Taylor in charge. It was as much of a turn-on as having Julia’s nearly naked body beneath her.

  Until nearly naked was no longer good enough. She hooked her fingers into the waistband of Julia’s panties and started sliding them down. Julia lifted her head and pointed to Taylor’s still mostly clothed body. “Hey, no fair.”

  Taylor didn’t stop what she was doing, but after dropping Julia’s underwear to the floor, she quickly dispensed with the rest of her clothing. She returned to the bed, pressing the entire length of her body to Julia’s. Every inch of her tingled at the contact.

  “Oh, that’s so much better.” Julia’s hands resumed their wandering—over Taylor’s shoulders, down her arms and back up, over her chest. “You’re so strong.”

 

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