Page 40 of Lost in Love
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A key in the door drew Katherine away from her book. She checked her watch. It was only nine.
Anna opened the door, removing her key from the lock as she entered.
Katherine leaned round onto the back of the sofa. “Back so soon? Surely it can’t be over?”
“No, I told them I have a headache,” she replied, hanging her jacket up.
Katherine stiffened into doctor mode. She stood and marched over to Anna. “Let me take your pulse. Do you feel like you’re going to have another attack?”
Anna held out her hand and faced Katherine.
“Your heart is racing.” Katherine placed her hands on Anna’s face and looked into her eyes.
“How long have you had a headache?”
“I haven’t got a headache. I just told them I had one.”
Katherine twisted her head and frowned at her. “Why did you tell them you had a headache if you haven’t got one?”
Anna laughed. “Because I didn’t want to be there.”
“So you do feel unwell?” Katherine felt Anna’s forehead, though it felt no warmer than usual.
Anna smirked. “I didn’t want to be there because I wanted to be here… with you.”
“Oh. But your pulse is racing — oh.” Katherine’s eyes shot straight to meet Anna’s.
Anna nodded slowly.
Katherine’s hand found its way down from Anna’s forehead to her cheek. “The last person I kissed was Helena.”
“It can stay that way for as long as you want; this is your choice. I’m in this whatever you decide it’s going to be.”
Katherine took a breath, wavering on a precipice. “You don’t give me any choice.” She pushed her lips onto Anna’s. Her warm mouth invited her in further, down a rabbit hole she knew she would never be able to leave.
Anna wrapped her arms around her and pulled their bodies together. She kissed her with such passion Katherine could feel her knees weaken. She wanted to cry. Helena was drifting away, and although she’d decided it was time, it still hurt.
They finally separated.
“Hmm, Dad had the whisky out, then?”
Katherine recoiled in horror and put her hand to her mouth. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry, he thinks I don’t know, but he has one every day before I get home from work. Who do you think buys the bottles and puts them there for him? I can’t stand the stuff personally, but your lips just improved it somewhat.”
Their eyes had trouble meeting, but smiles soon swept over their faces.
“Sorry, I promised myself I wasn’t going to flirt with you anymore. I promised I would let you lead,” Anna admitted.
“You did, and I am grateful for it,” Katherine replied.
“I thought you might not be ready.”
“I wasn’t earlier today, but your dad said something tonight that made me realise I actually was.”
Anna grinned. “Good old Dad. What did he say?”
