Page 66 of The Reluctant Roommate

“Er, yes, please.” Heidi heaved a shuddering breath. If the bartender wanted to make her dinner choice for her, that was fine.

Morgan flushed, and she gave the menu a cursory study. “The chicken burger, please.”

“Sauce?” the bartender asked.

“Uh, just plain.”

“Suit yourself.” He scooped up the menus. “But the pesto sauce is good on that one.”

“I’ll have that, then.” Morgan looked as if she would have chewed cardboard if someone suggested it.

“On it. And a couple more margs?”

Heidi nodded. They were good. They were about to eat. They could handle this.

For a moment, they were silent. Their thighs still touched. Heidi wrapped her hands around her nearly empty glass simply so she didn’t drop her hand and rest it oh-so-casually on Morgan’s leg. Didn’t slide her palm around to Morgan’s inner thigh and feel the heat through her jeans. Didn’t trace a fingernail along the seam of her jeans just to hear Morgan’s breath hitch.

The bartender watched them in the mirror as he shook their margaritas. He took the lid off the shaker, added something from another bottle. Shook again, then poured the cocktails into two glasses. They seemed larger than the previous one.

“Here you go, ladies.” He slid the glasses across the bar. “Premium margs. See what you think. No extra cost for you tonight.”

“Thanks.” Morgan’s fingers shook as she picked up her glass and took a sip. “It’s good. And strong.”

The bartender nodded and moved away.

Heidi turned on her stool, picked up her glass. It was very good. And very strong. “I think I need food before I drink much more of this.”

Morgan leaned forward. “Do you think the bartender is trying to influence what happens between us this evening?” Her voice was husky, laced with amusement. “Maybe he knows someone at our motel. Knows we’ve got the last room with one bed. He’s seen how you stared at me in the mirror.”

Heat crawled up Heidi’s neck. “You were staring at me!”

“We were staring at each other.” Morgan tilted her head. “You’re an interesting person, Heidi. Attractive. Why wouldn’t I stare at you?” She tapped the back of Heidi’s free hand where it lay on her own thigh. One tap, another, and then the tap turned into a caress, and Morgan’s fingers slid over the back of Heidi’s hand, running down her fingers, back to her wrist. Slow, so slow that Heidi closed her eyes as the image of Morgan’s fingers running over other parts of her body surged into her mind. She was melting, caught in the moment. “What are you doing?” Her voice croaked.

Abruptly, Morgan sat back, and her hand lifted away. “Sorry. I guess the tequila is talking. I won’t—”

No, that wasn’t what she meant, and certainly not what she wanted. They’d kissed. And always in the back of her mind was the thought that this trip could lead to more. She’d hoped Morgan thought the same, and her fingers seemed to echo that. “Don’t stop.” She slid forward on her stool, faced Morgan, and pushed the stool closer, so that Morgan was forced to part her thighs.

Then Heidi leaned in, rested her hands on Morgan’s thighs and kissed her. Took her mouth as if they’d been lovers forever.Took her mouth in a kiss that was an instant ignition, that took off from the last time they’d kissed. No tentative, delicate kiss, this was a clash of lips, ataking, an acceptance that this was what they both wanted.

Heidi’s body took flight. Morgan leaned into her, and she curled her hands around Morgan’s shoulders to ground herself. Her head spun, a little from too-strong margaritas and a lot from how Morgan made her feel.

“Wow.” Morgan eased back from the kiss. “Did the world just tilt?”

“Maybe.” Heidi’s lips tingled, and she wanted nothing more than to resume their kiss. But, no. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the bartender approach with their meals.

“Burger with bourbon sauce for you.” He set one plate down in front of Heidi. “And chicken pesto for you.” The other plate went in front of Morgan.

They sat back on their stools. Even in the dim light, Heidi could see Morgan’s eyes, wide and dark. Her hair floated on her shoulders in a pale cloud.

Later, Heidi wanted to say.Later, when we get back to our room and there’s no one to disturb us.But later might bring reality, and that she’d have to accept, so she remained silent. Instead, she took a fry, dunked it in the paper cup of barbecue sauce. Took a sip of the oh-so-delicious marg and swiveled to face the bar so she could eat her dinner without dropping it all over herself.

Morgan, too, turned to face the mirror and picked up her burger.

The burger was good—great even—but Heidi ate mechanically. Sipped her drink. Watched Morgan in the mirror, watched Morgan watching her, until their gazes collided once more and Heidi looked away first.

They finished their food in silence. Heidi licked the last of the salt from the rim of her glass, took the final sip of her drink. “Do you want another?”

Morgan shook her head and nodded at the bartender to get the tab. “I’ll get this.”