“Busted,” Emory mouthed. She pointed at Sarah who only shook her head innocently.

“We were just kidding around, monster. But you seem extra tired. We should probably head home now.”

“No, you guys finish the movie. I’ll just rest.”

“Would you rather lay down in the guest room upstairs?” Emory offered. “It might be more comfortable.”

The idea caught Grace’s attention and she sat upright. “Can you see the beach from up there?”

Emory considered this. “Yeah, really well.”

“Can I, Mom? It’d be cool to lie there listening to the waves.”

Sarah tilted her head to the side, mulling over the option. “All right, but just for a little while. I want you in your own bed before long. It’s been a long day for you. Agreed?”

“Agreed. Just a little while, I promise.”

“I’ll show you.” Emory escorted Grace to the cozy room in the corner of the house, which did have a magnificent view. Grace chose to nestle in on the small blue couch that faced out over the water, rather than the queen-sized bed on the inside corner of the room. Emory provided her with a blanket and watched as she snuggled down into it looking completely content.

“I love your house, Emory. It’s so dreamy.”

“Dreamy? What do you mean by that?”

“It just seems like a person could come up with a lot of good dreams for themselves if they lived here. It’s…what’s the word we learned? Inspiring.”

Emory was touched by the comment and instantly had a real-life reference for terms like warm and fuzzy because that’s exactly how she felt. “Thank you,” she murmured. And suddenly, she wished she’d done a little more dreaming of her own inside her “inspiring” walls. Realizing there was still time for that and more, she tousled Grace’s hair affectionately and turned to leave. “Let me know if you need anything.”

There was no answer, and before Emory reached the doorway, she heard the soft, even breathing indicative of serious slumber. She smiled in response to the peaceful sound, another puzzling surprise in a series of puzzling surprises.

Maybe there was hope for her after all.

She closed the door most of the way, deciding to leave it cracked in case Grace was to call for something.

Sarah waited patiently downstairs on the sectional, worried there was something she would do to get it dirty. The place was just so entirely chic that she found herself intimidated in its mere presence.

Sitting very still on purpose, she reflected on the day’s events. It had been such a fun evening for her and Grace, and she felt miles better than earlier that afternoon. Yet for most of the day, it had been the three of them, and with Grace present, she knew exactly what to expect and what tone to set. She was nervous now, realizing that the dynamic was about to shift. Whatever it was she was feeling for Emory brought up more questions than answers and she wasn’t sure how to proceed.

It was then that Emory descended the stairs and Sarah couldn’t help but admire what she saw. After swimming, Emory had changed into a simple pair of yoga pants and a white cotton T-shirt, and somehow she even managed to rock that outfit.

“She’s out like a light.”

“One of her many talents. Thanks for being so great with her today. In case you haven’t noticed, she’s really taken to you.”

“Well, I can safely say that the feeling is mutual.” Emory hit the bottom step. “How about a glass of wine?”

Sarah narrowed her eyes. “Not if it’s eight hundred dollars a bottle.”

“Very funny. Seventy-five at most.”

“Still high-end. Are you sure you don’t mind being seen with me?”

“Listen, you, do you want the wine or not?”

Sarah grinned like a kid. “Please.”

Emory returned with two oversized globes, handing one to Sarah and taking a seat on the sectional next to her, curling her legs underneath her. She watched Sarah take a cautious first sip.

“Verdict?”

“Um, pretty amazing.”

Emory seemed happy to hear the endorsement and turned to her own glass. Instead of drinking from it, she began by taking a deep inhale and letting the aroma settle. Sarah was intrigued. Next, Emory took a small sip and allowed the wine to roll around in her mouth a moment or two before swallowing. Sarah took another sip from her glass, enjoying the pensive expression on Emory’s face as she dissected the flavors. “You’re super serious over there. A true aficionado, it would seem.”

Emory smiled at her. “Just taking it in. Tell me what you taste.”

Sarah cringed. “Oh, no, I couldn’t. I don’t know anything about wine, except that I mostly enjoy it.”

“That’s okay. There’s no right or wrong answer. Everyone’s palate is a little different. I could tell you that I taste Cocoa Puffs and marshmallows in this wine, but if you taste plums and cinnamon, that’s what matters. A great wine is very complex…kind of like a woman. Tell me what you taste, Sarah.”

It took Sarah a moment to process the question because there was something very alluring about the way Emory described wine. And there was that mouth again. So full and almost heart-shaped. She was going to need oxygen any minute now. Forcing herself to focus, she took another sip and did her best to articulate what she experienced. “Okay. It’s got a strong taste of fruit, but it’s not sweet.”

“Dry,” Emory supplied, meeting her eyes.

“But it’s more than just the fruit I taste.” She grappled for a moment. “It’s got an edge, almost a kick at the end.”

“A spicy finish.”

“Spicy, that’s a good word for it.” Who knew wine tasting could be so incredibly sensual?

“What else?”

She took another drink. “I like that there’s no aspect of it that pulls me too far in one direction. There’s a little bit of everything.”

Emory nodded in slow agreement. “Balanced, clean.” She’d already finished her glass and set it on the table. “You’re good at this.”

As she looked at Emory, her heart rate escalated. Somewhere in the course of their conversation, they’d moved closer together on the couch. They’d kissed before, but both occasions had been in parting. Yet there was nothing she wanted more in this moment than to kiss Emory again. She was so close, and there was that very appealing mouth again. All she had to do was close the distance and capture it with her own.

“You know, I think I’m going to switch to water now, but can I offer you another glass?” Emory slid away from her and into the kitchen.

“No, I’m fine.” Damn it.

Alone in the kitchen and out of Sarah’s view, Emory grasped the edge of the countertop and let her head fall forward. It had all started so innocently. Okay, not entirely, because there had been some intense kissing in the entryway that last day. But it had been escapable. Something she could have walked away from. Should have walked away from.

But there was just something about Sarah. When she was with her she felt good inside. And now, after the time they’d spent together, her heart was turning on her and that hadn’t been part of the plan. She liked Sarah, hell, more than liked her, and the chemistry between them was somewhere off the charts, but she just couldn’t let herself give in to it. Why?

Because it was too big a risk. When she compared what she was feeling for Sarah with what the facts in this scenario were, it was a lose-lose. And she wasn’t one to ignore the odds.

But Sarah made her consider things she’d never once considered: love, a family, home. Sarah had broken through a barrier within her that no one else had. And those feelings were starting to invade her life. Damn it.

She straightened. Plain and simple, there were things she needed to say and questions she needed to ask. She stalked back into the living room on a mission now. “Can we talk?”

Sarah looked somewhat startled by what probably sounded like frustration in her voice. “Of course we can. What do you want to talk about?”