Another Life (Book 3)

Chapter 14

We are spending two weeks at Lake Maggiore, Italy.

We left the reception after we had our first dance, and Sierra removed Sloane's gator. The look on Sloane's face when Sierra was up under there was telling. I know that face and I don't buy the bullshit of Sierra removing anything for an entire minute. Knowing Sierra, knowing how swift she is. She went in there for a taste.

I refuse to believe otherwise.

By eight A.M on January first, we arrive at our Villa in Lake Maggiore. Grace is super excited, even more so than Sierra, and it's strange to see. The entire plane ride, there have been these exchanges between her and Steph. None of them verbal, all of them just glances. Sometimes brief, sometimes long, longing ones. Sierra and I made jokes about them, but we don't plan on calling them out on it just yet.

The staff greets us when we arrive, and the butler takes our bags. The housekeepers show us around and when we got to our suite; they dismissed themselves, letting us know they'll be back tomorrow morning. Sloane blushes at the implications of the statement as she disappears into the room with the others. I thanked the staff then joins them.

They're all spread out on the huge bed, but there is this huge gap between Grace and Sloane. There always is. They don't ever get too close to each other. I steal the spot and look at them alternatively. "Still just a friend?"

Sierra pulls herself up on one elbow to watch, her fingers caressing Sloane's stomach. Grace scuffs beside me, keeping her eyes on the ceiling. "Don't start."

"I'm just asking," I defend. "because I'm sensing an energy shift."

Grace frowns, but she doesn't respond. Her heart is pounding against her chest and her breathing is shallow. She's nervous despite her efforts to stay unbothered. I turn to Steph and she's already looking at me. She's better at keeping her composure, but she too is saying nothing. I pull myself up and Sierra with me. "Okay, come on. Let's go."

She obliges, taking my hand and basically skipping to the door. Grace sits up then. I can feel her eyes boring holes in my back. "What do you think you're doing?"

"We're giving you two some space. Alone. To do whatever married people do for the rest of today and maybe tonight." Sierra tells her. "Live a little, will you? Love a little, fuck a little."

As she stares back at us, her face contorts into a mix of confusion, annoyance and disbelief. She says nothing, turning to glance at Steph. Their eyes meet and locked for a long while before they both look back at us, bursting into laughter.

"I'm confused," I tell Sierra.

She shakes her head, closing the door behind us again. She leans against it and folds her arms, her eyes squinting at them. "I'm not. They are not fooling me."

Grace falls back onto the bed with a deep sigh. "No one's fooling you, baby."

"So, you don't have feelings for her? You don't love her?"

Her heart skips a beat and I don't miss it or the way she gulps at the question. "Of course, I love her. She's my best friend."

Hmmm, well that tone of voice just says otherwise!

Sierra smirks knowingly and grabs my arm. "Cool so Em and I will be somewhere far. You two have the room to yourselves. Enjoy yourselves and DO NOT waste this opportunity."

Before we can get any protests, we're out the door and closing it behind us. Hand in hand, we lead ourselves to one of the other rooms and immediately as we touch the bed, we pass out.

When I woke up again, I snuggled a certain blonde against me. She lifts her head to look at me as I look down at her. A smile spread across her lips. "Good morning Mrs LaRue the third."