“It’s just—I’m married. Married. To a man. And—”

“Cora. You don’t need to explain. Really. We shouldn’t have let this go on so long.”

“No.” Cora shook her head. “We shouldn’t have.”

Her voice was hoarse. Low. And not sexy, Frazer reminded herself.

Not at all that.

“Are you okay?” Frazer asked.

Cora nodded. “Yeah, I… I’m okay. I need to figure some stuff out.”

“Good. That’ll be good, for you.”

So what now? Did Cora just walk out and from now on they clicked straight into no sex? That’s what Frazer had agreed to. So probably.

Friends. Just like Frazer had told herself since they started to get to know each other.

Frazer had never hinted she wanted more than that. Since it started, she’d known that wasn’t an option. Cora wasn’t even gay. Unless she was bi. Surely she had to be; this couldn’t just be experimentation at this point. That wasn’t the issue anyway—she was married.

To a man that didn’t deserve all of this.

Frazer had been some kind of fun, some kind of distraction, and now that was ending.

Frazer was an idiot.

“Okay.” Cora said. “So, I’ll see you around?”

Because Frazer was an idiot, she nodded. “Yeah. Of course.”

And because she was still an idiot, Frazer stood up and walked forward. Leant her shoulder next to Cora against the door. Looked her in the eye. It was always Cora who instigated. Who sought Frazer out. Who touched first. Who let her know it was okay.

But all Frazer could think was that this was it. There wouldn’t be any more.

So this time, she didn’t play by unspoken rules. She ran her fingertips against Cora’s cheek. Memorised how Cora pushed into the touch. How she turned her cheek slightly, her lips a whisper from Frazer’s fingers.

It was easy, to close the gap. To hover her lips over Cora’s. Breathe her in, feel the warmth that radiated from her. Watch her eyelids flicker closed.

It was a simple pressing of lips. Of sinking into softness.

It started that way. And then Cora’s hands were in her hair, her body flush against Frazer’s. Her tongue was demanding, her lips dominating. Nails bit into Frazer’s neck, and Frazer pushed back with the same intensity.

Until Cora pulled away. Stepped back. Used a foot of distance as a shield.

Cora’s eyes opened lazily. Her eyes traced Frazer’s face and then held her gaze for a minute.

Then she unlocked the door and left.

There was no rush of cold air this time. But there might as well have been.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“The prodigal sister shows up!”