Sasha sent Gigi out onto the rear deck with an ice bucket and Precious and pulled out the Champagne, spending an extra second in the open door of the fridge as she tried to cool off. Not just her body but her thoughts.
What was happening?
They’d been friends for almost twenty years…why did it feel different now? The air so charged?
And if she was feeling it so acutely, had it changed for Gigi, too?
She swung the fridge closed and took the bottle and two glasses outside, no closer to knowing the answer but all too keen to get back in Gigi’s orbit.
Though she stalled at the sight that greeted her…
Gigi reclining on the cabana, her body captivating in the soft glow from the fairy lights draped around its roof. One hand hooked behind her head as the other idly stroked Precious at her side.
How would it be to enjoy that same sight every night? That same hand, on her body…
Gigi turned her head, her eyes lighting on her. ‘Need a hand with that?’
‘As if.’ She all but puffed, the tension popping with it. ‘I’m an old pro.’
‘Hey, less of the old, we’re the same age.’
‘Thirty-three and counting,’ she said as she forced her limbs to do her bidding, placing the glasses down on the bedside table and releasing the cork on the Champagne. Too fast to steady the flow of bubbles that ran over the rim and sprayed onto her dress. ‘Oops!’
Gigi squealed and grabbed the glasses. ‘Here, quick!’ She proffered them up. ‘What was it you were saying about being a pro?’
‘Depends what effect you’re going for.’
‘Wet shirt contest or drowned rat?’ Gigi laughed out as Sasha’s pulse spiked and she gave a pitched laugh too.
‘I’m not answering that.’ Though her body was, as it raced ahead, taking the former path and igniting with the imagery.
She filled the glasses as their laughter filled the air, rousing a dozing Precious, who gave a grunt and moved to the end of the bed, away from the fuss.
‘Did I get you?’
‘Hardly. I can’t say the same for your dress though…’
She followed the direction of Gigi’s gaze, glancing down at the way the white fabric now clung to her thighs and torso. She should go change, but one look at the sizzle in Gigi’s gaze put paid to that idea.
‘It’ll wash out fine.’
‘That’s my girl,’ Gigi said, meeting her eye…that was desire, wasn’t it? ‘Ever the optimist.’
Was she? Surely if she was a true optimist, she’d put faith in what she thought she saw and act on it. Not shy away from the potential pain.
‘I don’t know about that.’ She placed the bottle in the ice bucket and took the glass that Gigi now held out to her.
‘No?’
‘I have my moments.’
Gigi took a sip of bubbles and gave a heavenly hum. The sight of her savouring the drink had Sasha’s grip tightening around her own before she dropped it.
‘You have all the moments, Sasha-darling. You’re the most optimistic, happy-go-lucky person I know. I keep thinking that one day that magic might rub off on me.’
She moved over to make a space for Sasha to join her on the bed, and Sasha hesitated.
‘Worried my pessimism might rub off on you instead?’ Gigi’s brows lifted, her eyes dancing with humour, and Sasha came to her senses, dropping down and gulping back bubbles in one swift move.
‘Hey, steady!’ Gigi exclaimed, sloshing Champagne over herself as the bed shifted with her arrival.
‘Well, I couldn’t be the only one wearing the drink could I? Sharing is caring after all.’
Yeah, right, that’s precisely what you were doing.
Not battling the intimacy of Gigi, the bed, the moonlight…
***
Gigi wondered if she should tell Sasha to change. The delicate white fabric of her dress was doing a rubbish job of concealing her modesty now that it clung to her like a second skin. Its colour turning nude, the dark dip of her belly-button obvious, the lace pattern of her nude thong too…
She was just lucky the top half hadn’t taken a hit, because then she’d truly be struggling to keep her eyes where they belonged.
As for her thoughts…she sipped her Champagne willing it to settle the whole freaking lot.
‘Have you ever thought that maybe what you need is a timeout from relationships?’
Sasha’s question was so left field, she balked. Why on earth had her friend gone down that road?
‘I just mean that maybe if you spent some time on your own, you’d realise it’s okay.’ Sasha settled back into the pillows and looked to the stars above. ‘You don’t always need to share your bed with another.’
‘Because it’s suited you so well?’
Gigi reached over Sasha to place her glass on the table — she’d have more Champagne after they dealt with this — and propped herself up on one elbow. Looked down at her friend, who looked all kinds of sheepish.
Sasha shrugged, flicking out her ponytail that had been trapped beneath her. ‘Me and Precious do all right.’
‘But I want to do more than all right…’
Gigi eyed the silky blonde strands that splayed out over Sasha’s shoulder and arm, their glossy sheen calling out to be touched…something she’d done a thousand times before. Styling each other’s hair, a regular pastime. But that was then, this was now. It felt…different. Less innocent. More thrilling.
‘I want to live a life full of colour and excitement, Sash.’ Her hand lifted with her words, unable to resist the glossy appeal as she ran her fingers through the strands. Inhaled Sasha’s scent on the subtle breeze and admitted, ‘I don’t want to spend it worrying about a connection I can’t keep. A person with their own mind, their own desires, who will pack up and leave.’
Sasha’s delightful nose wrinkled as she met her gaze. ‘So, you have to be excited enough, but not too much?’
She gave a sultry smile as her imagination fired with too many exciting scenarios, every one of them involving her best friend and drowning out the voice of reason. Of caution. ‘Precisely.’
‘And how’s that working out for you?’
‘It brought me here, didn’t it?’
Sasha’s throat bobbed, the electrical current in the air so thick it became impossible to draw a full breath.
‘Gigi…’ Sasha wet her lips, their glossy appeal provoking the fire within and drawing Gigi closer. ‘What are you saying?’
‘I don’t even know.’
Liar.
‘Then tell me what you’re thinking?’
You can’t. You mustn’t. You…
‘I daren’t.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because that would be too much.’
‘Why not let me be the judge of that?’
‘As an optimist, you’re no fair judge…’ she whispered, lifting her hand to sweep the back of her fingers against Sasha’s cheek. Her friend was flushed, warm beneath her touch. The pulse in her throat flickered as she wet her lips again… Was she teasing her on purpose now?
‘Then how about no judgement, no thought, just live for this moment and tell me, what are you thinking?’
Gigi's gaze flitted between Sasha’s eyes and mouth.
‘I think I’d rather show you.’
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