She opened her eyes and met Rebecca’s again. “Okay, let’s check, shall we?”

The look of gratitude that swept over Rebecca’s face nearly brought tears to her eyes. She could do this. She had to do this—Rebecca needed her. Pushing aside the unbidden and completely inappropriate thought that she was about to see Rebecca topless for the first time, Mandy squeezed Rebecca’s hand and then stood up.

“Bedroom, yes?”

Rebecca stood and pulled Mandy into a close hug. “Thanks,” she whispered.

Mandy didn’t trust herself to speak. She gave Rebecca a squeeze and then stepped back.

They walked to the bedroom in silence. Rebecca switched on the two bedside lamps, casting the room in a warm glow. Then she sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers going to the hem of her jade-green sweater. Mandy noted absently how that sweater was one of her favourites on Rebecca. It brought out the colour of her hazel eyes and contrasted nicely with the colour of her hair. Rebecca pulled the sweater up and over her head and tossed it to the floor. She reached for her bra, and a tightness knotted in Mandy’s throat.

All the times she had fantasised about Rebecca undressing in front of her, and now she was. It was all so horribly fucking wrong. She tried to keep her breathing steady, tried not to think of Rebecca’s body as a sexual thing, but when Rebecca unhooked the bra and her—God, perfect—breasts tumbled out of the satin, it took every ounce of Mandy’s strength not to groan out loud.

Rebecca lay back on the bed and rested her arms loosely above her head. Mandy shut her eyes briefly against the sight in front of her. Under any other circumstance, she would have been panting. Willing herself to be the friend that Rebecca needed right now and not the woman who had been in love—and lust—with her for over a decade, she knelt on the bed beside Rebecca’s prone body.

Rebecca laid her hand on Mandy’s forearm. “Thank you for this,” she whispered, her gaze intense. “I know…I know this is asking a lot from you. I’m sorry to put you in this position.”

Mandy stared at her. Did Rebecca mean what she thought she meant?

Rebecca nodded slightly, reading the question that Mandy must have inadvertently shown in her facial expression.

“I know,” Rebecca whispered. “I’ve known for years. I’m sorry…I’m sorry I could never be what you needed me to be. But I’m so glad you’re my friend.”

A tear slid down Mandy’s cheek before she realised it had even formed. She closed her eyes. Fuck. She’d always known Rebecca was never going to be interested in her that way. And for Rebecca to acknowledge Mandy’s feelings now, of all times, to admit that she’d always known and had never shirked from being Mandy’s friend, while asking Mandy to lay hands on her bare breasts—oh, the fucking irony.