So she vowed she would simply enjoy the weekend—and the pool—and Cassidy’s company and her cooking. Laura was going to help—mostly watch—Cassidy make the sauce for the green jerk chicken. Then playtime in the pool…all afternoon if they wanted. Then dinner, which again, Laura had volunteered to help with. Cassidy said she had a Jamaican rice dish she wanted to try, a pilaf of some sort. It would be another full day, and she knew she’d be scrambling tomorrow to get the house in order and laundry done before her mother came back. But for the time being, she was going to enjoy her free weekend…and not worry about the chores that were being pushed aside so she could play. Her mother would understand.

* * *

“Wow, that smells hot! I love it!”

Cassidy grinned. “I suspected you liked things hot,” she said with a teasing wiggle of her eyebrows.

Laura wasn’t afraid to meet her gaze. “Are you flirting with me?”

Cassidy’s smile didn’t falter. “Flirting? I don’t flirt.”

“No, I don’t suppose you have to, do you? Those women flock to you like a moth to a flame.”

Cassidy made a show of looking around the kitchen. “I don’t see anyone flocking.” She held the spoon up. “You want to taste it?”

“Dare I? I saw how many jalapenos you put in.” She watched as Cassidy’s tongue came out, grabbing a taste of the green sauce.

“Good stuff,” she said as she reached for her water bottle. “Nice and hot.”

“Okay, give it here.”

Instead of handing her the spoon, Cassidy held it up for her, close to her mouth. Their eyes held as Laura licked a little from the bottom of the spoon. Cassidy smiled at her as Laura’s eyes widened.

“Wow! That is so spicy. And so good!”

“Thanks. When the chicken grills, the sauce gets a little smoky flavor to it. It’s not quite as sharp, but still plenty spicy.”

Laura stood back as Cassidy coated the chicken—thighs and drumsticks—liberally with the sauce. It was a thick, green goo, and she didn’t remember all of the ingredients, but it smelled oh so good and dinner was still hours away.

They cleaned up the mess together, easily working around one another in the spacious kitchen. After the Vitamix had been dried and put away, Cassidy announced that it was pool time…and beer time.

“I’m glad you like beer,” Cassidy told her as she added ice to the bucket with four bottles in it. “Some women don’t care for it.”

“You mean all your pretty model types?” she asked as she pulled their two floats from the closet.

“Yeah, them.”

“My dad was a beer drinker. When my mother wasn’t looking, he’d let me sneak a swallow or two.” She grinned. “Or three,” she added, remembering the fun conspiracy between them.