Angelica frowned. Maybe Rex was right. There was a family here, and she shouldn’t keep pushing them away. Maybe it was time to stop holding back and let someone else in. Angelica nodded and took a step, still holding onto Hope’s hand. Perhaps she could do this with Hope. Strength in numbers, right?

  “Ange?”

  “Yeah?”

  “We’ve got this,” Hope said, squeezing Angelica’s hand before letting go.

  “Yeah, we do.”

  Episode 4

  SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA - RIVERSIDE PLAZA

  Chapter

  Twenty-Eight

  “Hey.” Hope’s lips curled upward into a brilliant smile as Angelica opened the door to her hotel room.

  “Hi.” Angelica’s eyes crinkled in the corners and her mouth bowed.

  Looking up and down the hallway, Hope leaned in and kissed Angelica quickly before pulling back. The last thing she wanted was for Angelica to get upset with the PDA, especially when anyone could walk down the hallway, see them, and spill their little secret.

  “I had to wrangle your room number from Lyric.” Hope bit her lip and leaned onto one leg more than the other. “So do I get to see your room?”

  Angelica blushed, a rosy tint to her cheeks. She flicked her gaze down to Hope’s suitcase in her hand and then back up to Hope. “You can see my room, yes. That,” she pointed directly at the suitcase, “can’t.”

  “What do you mean?” Hope’s heart went wild as a cold sweat trickled down her back. They’d discussed this right? That Eva was with Rex this week, which meant Hope had more time to spend with Angelica, and they could be together as often as they wanted. Well, Hope wanted that.

  Angelica’s lips pushed together as again she looked down to the suitcase. “Come inside a second.”

  She held the door open, and Hope stepped inside, but she didn’t walk any deeper into the room, afraid that she’d already screwed this up. She kept her fingers curled around the handle so she could leave as soon as she needed to.

  “What did I do wrong?” Hope asked, her stomach still twisting into a violent fury of bile.

  Angelica sighed and crossed her arms, staring directly at Hope. “I don’t have regrets about what we did in Vermont, I want to make that very clear. But I’m not ready to jump into a relationship with you, Hope. I’m not ready to let you move in here and play house on the weeks you don’t have Eva.”

  The punch to her gut was strong.

  “So what did I do wrong?” Hope bit her lip, staring down into Angelica’s baby blue eyes and trying her damnedest to figure out what misstep she’d taken.

  “Hope…” Angelica dragged out her name like she was chastising a child or perhaps just really annoyed with one. “Unlike you, I don’t move quickly, and after how last season ended, I’m not ready to jump into a relationship with you with both feet.”

  “Because I still need to prove something to you.” Hope bit her lip again, curling her fingers hard around the suitcase handle. She hated this. Hadn’t they worked through this already?

  “Love doesn’t make a relationship.” Angelica’s shoulders squared. “Work does.”

  “I know that. I’m the one of us who’s been married before.” Hope clenched her jaw at her own anger. She shouldn’t be mad because Angelica was just trying to share what she was feeling, but damn it, this hurt. Because it was her fault.

  Sighing again, Angelica rubbed her hand up and down Hope’s arm and then took her fingers and laced them with her own. “I’m not saying that I don’t want to be in a relationship with you, Hope.” Angelica stepped in closer, and Hope had to bend her neck even more to keep eye contact. “What I’m saying is that I’m not going to rush into anything, especially with what happened last year. All right?”

  “Okay,” Hope whispered, not entirely sure what else to say. “Is this because we’re still filming?”

  “No. Because when we get back to Los Angeles, I won’t let you just move in with me either.”

  “Me move in with you?” Hope frowned. “But I’m the one with a house.”

  Angelica’s face pinched. “This is exactly my point. Those things need to be discussed, which takes time. But beyond that, Hope, you told me I wasn’t worth a relationship last year. That’s going to take more than one night of sex to resolve. I won’t be your second choice that you settle for just because you need to be in a relationship with someone.”

  Hope nearly rocked back on her toes from the full force of that confession. She’d thought—no, she’d wanted to believe—that when they were in Vermont, they’d resolved this. But it ran deep, and she needed to remember that.

  “I never expected this to happen,” Hope said, her voice quiet and loving. She let go of her suitcase and cupped Angelica’s cheek. “I fully intended to come into this season and film to the best of my ability and be done with it. Romance—love—wasn’t anything I thought I’d find here again.”

  Angelica swallowed, her lips parting. She lifted her chin to look up into Hope’s eyes.

  “I thought we were done, and I’ve spent the last year trying to figure myself out again. I got lost, Angel. Even before I met you, I felt my wheels spinning as if I was trying to cling on to anything to control it and keep my head above water, and I very nearly drowned. I spent the last year in between seasons trying to figure out who I am and who I want to be. And I’m not going back. All right? I’m not going to be that person again.”

  “Good. I don’t want you to be lost.” Angelica’s lips pulled into a tight smile.

  Hope frowned. She’d done exactly what she hadn’t wanted to, hadn’t she? Moving in, she kissed Angelica’s cheek quickly. “We take this slowly, then, all right? Just you and me and no one else.”

  Angelica nodded and moved in to kiss Hope again, this time deepening it. She parted her lips and slid her tongue across Hope’s. Surprised, Hope pressed her hand to the small of Angelica’s back and pulled her in closer so they could kiss even more.

  “Angel?”

  “Hmm?” Angelica nipped at Hope’s lower lip and smiled at her.

  “Do I have to put my suitcase in my room before we continue this?” Hope kissed her again, already sliding her hands under Angelica’s blouse and finding hot skin. “Or can it wait?”

  Angelica gasped as Hope covered her breast and pinched her nipple. Hope stepped forward and pushed Angelica back into the wall. She had to believe that they could do this. That they could figure this out between the two of them and find a way to be together. They could do it. Hope kissed a line along Angelica’s jaw and down her neck. She nipped the soft skin just above Angelica’s collar bone.

  “Just as long as you…” Angelica breathed heavily, pulling at Hope’s tight t-shirt “…understand…” Angelica gasped as Hope pinched her nipple again.

  “I think I understand the assignment.” Hope nipped at Angelica’s earlobe and swirled her tongue around it and the small metal hoop earring there.

  Angelica pulled Hope’s t-shirt off and dropped it to the floor before immediately pushing Hope backward a step. She wasted no time pulling at the belt sitting across Hope’s hips and undoing the button and zipper on her tight jeans.

  “I have a meeting in thirty minutes,” Angelica mumbled, moving swiftly. “So I don’t have all day.”

  “I also understand that assignment.” Hope chuckled. She put her hands against her pants and shimmied them over her hips while walking backward toward the bed.

  “Just you this time.”

  Hope’s heart hammered. She’d wanted this, sure, but she always forgot just how sexy Angelica was when she put that note of command in her voice. Hope sat on the edge of the bed to toe off her shoes and pull her pants off. She bit her lip, raking her gaze up and down Angelica’s body. She wanted them both pressed together, naked, but that wouldn’t happen this time. Perhaps later.

  “Turn over on your belly.”

  Hope raised an eyebrow at Angelica and took another second before doing as she was told. Not seeing Angelica made every other sense in her body explode as it waited for information. From the soft touch of Angelica’s fingers against the curve of her ass, to the sudden change when it was no longer the pads of her fingers but the slight scrape of nails.

  Moaning, Hope shifted her elbows under her so she could sit up slightly and look over her shoulder. Angelica was watching her, those blue eyes not wavering from Hope’s face, and it sent another thrill through Hope’s body.

  “Close your eyes,” Angelica said, her voice calm and deep, seductive.

  She knew exactly what game she was playing, and Hope was only going to be along for the ride.

  “Lift up your hips.”

  Hope did as she was told, and Angelica slid a pillow underneath her hips. Her pussy clenched at the thought of what was going to happen next, over the fact that Angelica was going to touch her and have free rein over her entire body.

  The mattress dipped as Angelica moved. Heat from her body seeped through her clothes and into Hope’s skin as Angelica pressed her knee against Hope’s upper thigh. It was so damn hard for Hope to keep herself still, to keep her eyes closed like Angelica had told her to. She wiggled on the bed, waiting for Angelica to do whatever she wanted.

  Angelica’s hair against the nape of her neck surprised her and then it tickled. Hope licked her lips, breathing heavily with anticipation as she waited for whatever was next. Lips cascaded against the back of her neck and along her shoulder, ending with a small nip before another line of kisses started down Hope’s spine.

  Her heart raced. Hope lifted her hips up, trying to find whatever contact she possibly could with Angelica, but she couldn’t find anything. Angelica’s body was nowhere and everywhere at once. Hope shifted her arms around to press under her chest, fisting her hands. God, she just wanted Angelica to touch her already.

  They’d started so hot and heavy, and she wasn’t ready for this slowdown, this tantalizing tease that Angelica was taking her on. The scrape of teeth against her ass was unexpected, and Hope whimpered, clenching her eyes shut tight. Tingles rushed through her pussy, once again clenching at just the thought of Angelica touching her there. She’d longed for this for close to a year now, ever since she’d gotten that first taste of what it could be like.

  “Angel…” Hope murmured.

  But Angelica didn’t answer. Instead, she shifted one of Hope’s legs up and bent her knee, spreading her legs wide. Cold air brushed along her newly shaved nether lips and the twist of fate had never hit her harder. Angelica wouldn’t care about that, but Hope had wanted to prepare and make herself look and feel good for what she knew would happen this week.

  And now she was on full display.

  Angelica’s palm against her ass, spreading her cheeks as she massaged before she squeezed and then scraped those dull nails across her skin again was enough to elicit another moan.

  “Angel… this is a new definition of torture.”

  Angelica’s responding chuckle was low and full of satisfaction. She was enjoying this way too much, and Hope had never seen this side of her before.

  “Didn’t you say you only had thirty minutes?” Hope reached forward and pulled another pillow under her chest, gripping onto it for dear life.

  “And I plan on using every second to my advantage.” Angelica scraped her nails lightly against the back of Hope’s thigh. “You know how good I am when it comes to time management.”

  “Oh God.” Hope bit her cheek and wrinkled her nose. This was going to be a full thirty minutes of pleasure that built on itself until she burst.

  Angelica’s hair was against her lower back, trailing along wherever she deemed fit. Hope held her breath, trying to pay attention to everything that Angelica did, every place she touched. The tendrils of hair teased against the back of her thighs right as Angelica’s fingers pressed against her, whole and just simple pressure.

  Hope moaned, pushing her butt up and back. She wanted more of that, desperately. Angelica said nothing, but she did lick the curve of Hope’s ass from the bottom of her cheek to the base of her spine. Hope shivered. Her heart raced. As erotic as this was, she knew she’d combust in a second if allowed, and she wanted that and so much more.

  “More…” Hope whispered, biting her lip again.

  “Oh, you’ll get more,” Angelica replied, but she kept her hand in place. She blew air along the line that was still damp from her tongue.

  Hope wiggled, wanting desperately to see what Angelica was doing but also wanting to stay right here, right where Angelica could do anything she wanted. She’d thought sex before had been hot, but this must be Angelica when she wasn’t holding back. Hope gasped when Angelica circled her opening with her thumb—once, twice, and then a third time.

  “Fuck,” Hope whispered, trying to keep her body still just so she could experience that again.

  And again.

  Angelica didn’t stop. She kept the pace slow, the touches feather light. Hope’s entire world became that simple circle of Angelica’s thumb against her slick opening as her body continued to build upward with more pleasure. Her knuckles ached from how hard she gripped the pillow.

  “More.” Hope breathed out the word, not even sure if it was intelligible.

  “Not yet,” Angelica responded, continuing that slow tease.

  Hope grunted her annoyance, but she kept her eyes closed and her face pressed into the pillow. The mattress shifted slightly, Angelica’s knee once again against her hip, and the angle changed. Within seconds, Angelica was pressing against her back, the fabric of her unbuttoned blouse teasing Hope’s skin.

  “If I had a strap, I’d fuck you like this.” Angelica’s hot breath moved along Hope’s skin, rippling goosebumps in response. “Would you beg for more then?”

  Hope jerked instantly, already imagining what it would feel like to have Angelica pressed against her in that way. Angelica’s thumb pushed inside her just enough to give Hope a vivid idea of what that would feel like. Hope bit her lip, trying to catch her breath as heat overwhelmed her entire body.

  Angelica shifted her hand, pushing her thumb inside Hope even deeper than before. She pressed her fingers against Hope’s clit and started a gentle, teasing rub. Everything still moved so slowly, though. It drove Hope nuts. She wanted Angelica inside her. She wanted Angelica’s mouth against her. She wanted to lose herself in the physical pleasure that she knew Angelica would rip from her.

  “Would you beg then, Hope?” Angelica asked again.

  “Yes,” Hope answered, breathing in sharply on the word. “Yes.”

  Angelica increased her speed then. She pushed in deeper, intensifying the pressure.

  Hope cried out, her voice muffled by the pillow. She pushed back against Angelica just to try and get one more ounce of whatever Angelica was willing to give her. Angelica moved her thumb, then her fingers, then her thumb again. Hope keened. She was already so damn close. She was already⁠—

  “Fuck,” Hope said loudly.

  She careened through the orgasm, her body jerking and twitching so hard. Her nipples tightened. Angelica’s hand was still against her, still moving rapidly, still teasing. Hope gasped for breath, her body so overwrought with sensations that she couldn’t mentally keep up with the fact that Angelica hadn’t stopped. She hadn’t even slowed down.

  She’d shifted on the bed, her knees pressed between Hope’s legs, one hand around her hip and the other with two fingers deep. Hope pulled her knee up a little, using the mattress to lift her hips up just enough to give Angelica even more room as she added a third finger and flicked Hope’s clit so rapidly that Hope’s eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head.

  A second orgasm ripped through her.

  She choked, needing cold air in her lungs, but she couldn’t make them work the way they were supposed to. She had her face buried in the pillow, and she turned her hips to clasp Angelica’s hand between her legs and stop her from moving and touching and—thank all things holy—Angelica figured it out and stilled.

  Because Hope’s pussy wouldn’t stop clenching.

  Her body wouldn’t stop rippling with pleasure.

  Hope finally turned onto her side, freeing Angelica’s hand and staring down at her while she heaved breaths.

  “Oh my God.”

  Angelica’s lips quirked upward, as if she had gotten as much pleasure from that as Hope had. Angelica put her hands on Hope’s knees. She bent down, sliding her tongue against Hope’s cunt, drawing yet another gasp from the intense sensations tearing through her. Angelica hummed, doing it one more time, more slowly.

  “I need you to stop,” Hope whispered, still trying to find her voice. “I’m not sure I can take any more.”

  Laughing, Angelica pressed her fingers into her mouth and sucked them clean before she leaned over and pressed their lips together. The kiss was sloppy, wet, and tinged with the flavor of Hope’s juices. She tangled her fingers in Angelica’s hair, holding onto her tightly. Hope didn’t want to let go. Not after that.

  Angelica slowed the embrace and put their foreheads together. “Time to get dressed, Hope.”

  Hope whined.

  “You’ve got a meeting in eight minutes.”

  “No, you do,” Hope countered.

  “No,” Angelica said, her tone teasing. “We do.”

  “I don’t think I can walk after that.”

  Laughing, Angelica pulled away and stood up. She stared down at Hope still naked on the bed as she started to fix her blouse and put it back into place. “You’ll need to figure it out.”

  “Fuck, Angel… Why didn’t you tell me I had to be at this meeting?”

  “I assume you’re grown up enough to track your own schedule.” Angelica’s cheeks were still tinged red from arousal. “Besides, you would have told me no to that.”

  Hope snorted. “And people say I’m the impulsive one.”

  Chapter

  Twenty-Nine