The desire to reach over and touch the warmth of Tilly’s knee set a desire in Kate’s heart that was painfully heavy. Her fingers twitched with the impulse to trace the curve where muscle began below the hem of Tilly’s dress. It wasn’t difficult to imagine the sensation of the thin denier of Tilly’s stockings against her fingertips, the silky roughness at the slightest friction…

In the past, she’d taken for granted how easy it was to reach out and innocently stroke a lover’s knee. She’d disregarded how meaningful such a permission happened to be. But even when she’d had that easy intimacy, that sweet softness, such a caress had never garnered the surge of emotion that consumed her at the mere thought of touching Tilly in such a way.

Tilly shifted, and as their arms brushed, heat poured through the thin sleeves of Kate’s shirt, of Tilly’s dress. Longing unfurled in her chest.

It wasn’t until interval that Tilly pulled away.

Chapter Fifteen

With a sigh, Kate collapsed onto her bed. For a hotel, the pillows were decent, much better than her own at the cottage. The night before Tilly had arrived at St. Joan’s, Kate had swapped her own therapeutic pillow with the guest room pillow so Tilly wouldn’t have to suffer. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t miss it.

Kate pulled her eyes from the ceiling and glanced across the room. She watched, enchanted, as Tilly plaited her hair, her skilful fingers working quickly. Damp from the light rain on the walk home, it was darker, wilder than usual.

“The remote’s on the bedside table,” Tilly murmured, shucking off her light jacket and hunting through the wardrobe for a coat hanger.

“That’s okay. I don’t really feel like watching TV.”

“Tired?” Tilly asked as she disappeared into the bathroom.

Kate rolled onto her side and held herself up on her elbow. “Nah, it’s early. Early enough to go out.” Early enough to call Elodie and get that drink. It would certainly keep her mind off Tilly for a few hours…

Silence. And then… “What time are you meeting Elodie at the hotel bar?”

Kate swallowed as she listened to a tap turn on, then off. Tilly had heard their conversation on the theatre steps? “I’m…I’m not meeting Elodie at the hotel bar.”

“Oh. I was under the impression that you were.”

Stunned, Kate remained quiet.

“If you don’t have plans,” Tilly called out, her voice wavering ever so slightly, “I was thinking we could go and get coffee. That place on the corner was still open when we passed.”

Kate blinked in surprise. “Really?” It wasn’t a very Tilly thing to suggest.

“Sure,” Tilly replied, her voice echoing off the bathroom tile. “The girls will be fine. I could go knock and tell them we’re heading out for a little while. If you’re interested, that is.”

Spencer Street was quieter than when they’d returned from the theatre half an hour before. Fluorescent lights from the twenty-four-hour convenience stores and adult bookstores brightened the dampened strip.