“I…I don’t think I want to get in the pool anymore,” Laura said quietly.

Cassidy frowned. God…had she changed her mind? Why? She swallowed with difficulty. “What’s wrong? Are you not ready?”

“I…I think…I think I want to go inside.” She met her eyes again. “Not the pool.”

Cassidy sighed with relief. “I see. Bedroom?”

“Yes. Bedroom.” Laura smiled then. “Any bedroom…I don’t care at this point.”

They didn’t make it to her bedroom, however. Not right away, anyway. Halfway up the stairs, she paused to look at Laura. Laura’s eyes were full of wonder, excitement…desire. Cassidy stopped, meeting her gaze. Laura was the one to pull her closer, the one to close the gap between them. Their lips met and—like their previous kisses—it caused her heart to race, her knees to wobble. Laura’s bare breasts smashed against her own and she felt hands tugging at her bra. Cassidy pulled away far enough to rip the thing off, then found Laura’s mouth again, swallowing the loud moan from Laura as they pressed together. Her hands slid to Laura’s hips, pulling her closer, feeling Laura arch against her.

“I can’t stand up any longer,” Laura whispered against her mouth. “I’m going to fall down.”

Cassidy smiled as she pictured them tumbling down the stairs in a heap, their mouths still locked together.

“You think I’m kidding?” Laura asked with a smile of her own. Then Laura kissed her again, her tongue teasing Cassidy’s. Cassidy put a hand against the wall, steadying herself. Yeah…they were going to fall down the damn stairs. When Laura’s fingers moved between them, touching her breast, her nipple, Cassidy gasped.

“Bedroom,” Laura murmured. “Now. Please.”

Cassidy nodded and stumbled up the stairs as fast as her shaky legs would allow. She was as nervous as a virgin bride and she wasn’t entirely sure why. She had taken women to her bed more times than she could count. But none of them were Laura. None of them ever meant anything to her. Sex. Physical. Never emotional. Never like this.

She looked at Laura now, remembering a conversation of theirs. Laura had a rule. If she wasn’t emotionally invested, she didn’t have sex. Sex was too personal, she’d said. Cassidy hadn’t really understood that at the time. Sex was just an act, a game. A game she played well. It wasn’t personal.

Now? Now she was trembling at the thought of touching Laura…of Laura touching her. Not a game. Not an act. Everything that was about to happen wasn’t hers to control, to orchestrate. No. Because Laura was in control.