On the Same Page

by Haley Cass

“Riley, if someone was worthy of you? They’d move heaven and earth to be with you. There wouldn’t be any “moments of weakness” because you should be the only woman on their mind like that,”

“Listen. I’m not going to let you sit in my own house and insult my favorite person.”

“But the biggest, most important thing I have to say, babe, is this: you should never be less picky. You should only be with someone that you truly want to talk to after a long day. Not someone you just want to want. And that is the truthest truth I can say.”

“Then where are they when you come home drunk from a party all by yourself when you went out with them, yet

I’m the one who makes sure you’re okay? And why am I the only person you’ve talked to about your sexuality? Why am I the only one still around when you aren’t offering to pay for drinks or get access to designer clothes? Why am I the only one here when all you’re offering is you?”

“Olet tärkeä! Rakastan sua.” “I know that much Finnish, and I love you, too.”

And she did something she hadn’t done from Gianna, ever. She fled.

She’d realized that the only person who had texted her, personally, not asking for anything from her on either holiday… had been Riley.

She wished she’d never met Riley Beckett. She wished Riley had never said all of those things to her. She wished that all of the things Riley said weren’t true. She wished that she didn’t start hyper-fixating on everything her friends said and did after that night at the bar last week.

Riley’s other hand came out and she used both of her small, soft hands to coax Gianna’s fist open. When she did, Riley slotted her fingers between Gianna’s – and they just, fit. She rested her other palm over the back of Gianna’s hand, encasing Gianna’s larger hand between her own.

“If it means anything, I like you more right now than I ever have.” Gianna’s breath caught in her throat as she held Riley’s gaze with her own. Because… yeah. It meant a lot.

So, it’s going to be the part about Sutton

Spencer and Charlotte Thompson. People love them, they have huge engagement numbers.”

“Something funny, carina?” Gianna asked, the Italian endearment slipping off her tongue. Gianna loved to refer to people, mostly Riley, with little sweet terms. Babe and honey most often, but if Riley was honest, she enjoyed when Gianna slipped into Italian, the cadence of her bella or carina always sounding inherently… sweeter.

Right now, with the throaty sound of her voice and how it sounded like she was fighting to regain her own breath, it wasn’t sweet. It was fucking hot, and Riley swore she felt it right in her clit.

This time, it was Riley’s fault Gianna couldn’t finish her thought process. She arched up and pressed her lips against Gianna’s for the first time.

“You think I’d let you fuck me with a strap-on if we didn’t even kiss?”

Long, strong arms wrapping around Riley’s back and pulled her in close. Gianna’s hugs – the excited, exuberant ones – always yanked Riley right up to her tiptoes, as she wrapped her own arms around Gianna’s back, tightly holding for both balance and connection. At five foot seven, most women

Riley knew weren’t that much taller than she was, but Gianna was an exception.

In the last week, ever since picking Gianna up from the airport, Riley had learned, unfortunately, that her stomach tying itself in knots whenever Gianna was near and feeling heat streak through her veins at her touch, was not dying easily. It was, in fact, demanding to be felt.

“You’re so special, Riley,” Gianna breathed out, before she leaned down and slid her lips against Riley’s.

The tears in Riley’s eyes cut through everything.

And it always hurt Riley when Gianna was hurting. When she broke down in tears and leaned into Riley, like the strength she was made of needed to take a break and she was trusting Riley to be the one to hold her up.

Gianna’s voice was so reverent, like it – like Riley – was salvation itself.