Page 34 of Saving Graces
Afterwards, as they lay in each other’s arms, Rosalie sighed. She’d never felt this close to another human being in her life.
“I’ve never done that before,” Savannah said quietly.
“Oh,” Rosalie said, surprised. She’d figured that somewhere in all that kissing Savannah was doing out there at parties, she’d have gained more experience. Then again, there was something in the nervous reverence with which Savannah had touched her that made sense now. Warmth flooded Rosalie’s chest. “Me neither.”
Savannah giggled. “I mean, I kind of figured that.”
“Why?” Rosalie asked quickly. “Was I bad?”
Savannah flung her hand over her eyes, her face going pink. “Did it seem like I thought you were bad?”
Rosalie thought of Savannah’s moans as she’d touched her, the desperation in her eyes. She remembered the incredible moment Savannah’s eyelashes had fluttered before her whole body clenched under Rosalie’s and she trembled like a leaf. She’d gazed up at Rosalie afterward, her body limp, her eyes like she’d just seen Jesus.
“Huh,” Rosalie said, and rolled onto her back. “I’m good in bed.”
Savannah’s warm laughter rumbled through Rosalie’s body. “Yeah, you are. Should I be checking in too? Just to be sure?”
There was a slight tease in her voice. There was no mistaking how Rosalie had felt, when Savannah had tentatively slid down her body and done something with her mouth that Rosalie knew she would spend the rest of her life seeking out. Rosalie rolled her eyes, slightly embarrassed.
“Put it this way,” she said. “I’m very glad you turned up at my window one cold night.”
And oh god, she was. To think it might have taken Rosalie years to understand that the feeling she’d had from kissing boys was not the feeling that kissing someone should give you.
Savannah’s eyes went serious. She focused closely on Rosalie’s collar bones as she reached out to touch them.
“When my mom kicked me out,” she said softly, “I’d never even kissed a girl.” Rosalie turned on her side to face her again and Savannah reached out to wrap a lock of auburn hair around her fingers. “At least now I know that getting kicked out of home was worth it.”
Rosalie’s heart felt like it might burst. She leaned in and Savannah met her halfway, kissing Rosalie, softly, with heat. Then she pulled back.
“Rosie, we can’t do this again.”
“Why not?” Her chest started to ache.
“Because,” Savannah’s eyes started to shimmer, “you’re basically the only person I have in the world.”
“You’re the only person I have too,” Rosalie realized. Savannah bit her lip, and she realized Savannah was trying not to cry. She leaned in to kiss her again but this time, Savannah withdrew from her reach. “Why?” Rosalie’s voice cracked, her throat tight. “Why not have everything then, if we’re all we’ve got?”
“No one can be everything,” Savannah said. “I can’t let you be everything, because if something goes wrong, I’ll lose everything.”
“But-”
“I can’t lose anyone else,” Savannah’s voice got high and she began to untangle her limbs from Rosalie’s. “I can’t lose you.”
Rosalie grabbed her hand, stopping her retreat. Rosalie had lost her sister, but Savannah had lost hers too. And her parents, and her brothers, and her home, and her friend. Rosalie stared at her, sadness pooling in her chest. She made a decision, then and there, pulling herself up to sit, gripping the sheet to cover her body.
“Okay,” Rosalie’s voice cracked. “We won’t do that again. You won’t lose me, Savannah. I promise.”
Two days later, Savannah moved out anyway.
Chapter Eleven
Kinsey kicked back on the private jet, her feet up, nothing but blue sky and fluffy white clouds out her window. On the low table in front of her fizzed a glass of real champagne. They’d been in the air for just over an hour and Kinsey wasn’t sure she ever wanted to get off the plane.
“You’re really taking to this, aren’t you?” Cassidy said from her lounge seat opposite. She’d accepted the champagne only after Kinsey had insisted and instead looked deeply uncomfortable. Kinsey grinned widely.
“Look it’s a little earlier than I expected it to happen but I always knew we’d get here eventually,” she said.
“Ugh,” Cassidy said, rolling her eyes. “Honestly this is so gross. The carbon miles alone. Seriously, she’s such a hypocrite sometimes… donates to all these charities then flies this thing everywhere. We could have taken a regular flight just fine, but she insisted.” Cassidy crossed her arms and huffed. “I’m so fucking embarrassed.”
