“I agree,” Dr. Tomlin said. “It should be an appealing option for our students who can’t leave the area—especially older students, those with children.”

  “What’s our relationship like with Pulaski?” Nina asked.

  “I’ve met the president, but I don’t know her well.” Dr. Tomlin paused. “Truthfully, she seemed a bit frosty.”

  Caitlyn averted her eyes, worried her coworkers could somehow detect that she had weekend plans with the woman under discussion.

  “They send recruiters,” Nina said, “but the information isn’t really tailored for our students. I’m not sure how well they accommodate nontraditional students. Plus they don’t accept some of our courses for transfer credit. So I’m not sure they really want our students to apply.”

  Nina was wrong. Ruth needs the enrollment. If there was an opportunity to improve the relationship between LCC and Pulaski, surely she would welcome it.

  “Hmm.” Dr. Tomlin rapped his fingers on the table. “Perhaps we should reach out to them. We’ll think about it. You can go to the next slide.”

  “I know someone at Pulaski.” The words came out before Caitlyn could think better of them.

  “Oh?” He lowered his glasses. “Who?”

  She could have said a number of names. After all, she had become acquainted with the deans, the director of research, and several faculty members. But most of them had never heard of Caitlyn Taylor, and with everyone staring, she was afraid to involve anyone besides Ruth. “I know the president. Ruth Holloway.”

  “Wait, really?” Dr. Tomlin didn’t hide his surprise. “How do you know the president?”

  “Well, my sister used to work with her at Pulaski, and we…became acquainted. She’s actually great when you get to know her. Very smart and hard-working. She really cares about students. I also happen to know that enrollment is one of her top priorities.”

  “I didn’t know you had a sister working in higher education,” Dr. Tomlin said warmly. “It must run in the family.”

  “I guess so. Anyway, I could talk to Ruth if you want—and if she’s interested, I’m happy to set up a meeting.”

  “That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

  Caitlyn hoped she hadn’t made a mistake. But on the bright side, they already had something to discuss on Friday night.

  * * *

  After work, Caitlyn drove to her mom’s house for dinner. She found Chloe in the living room, sprawled out on the couch and scrolling through her phone. She had already exchanged her work clothes for leggings and a T-shirt.

  Chloe looked up. “Look who can’t stay away.”

  “Hey.” Caitlyn plopped down on the armchair. “How was work?”

  “Not bad. I got a few interesting calls—like, one lady called because she wanted maintenance to remove a spider from her unit. She was hysterical, insisting it was poisonous. Anyway, the guy who went over told me later that it was a harmless house spider, about the size of a penny.”

  “Oh my.” Caitlyn laughed. “Imagine if a bee ever gets in.”

  “I’ll hear about it for sure.” Chloe set her phone aside and sat up. “How was your day?”

  “It was interesting. I might set up a meeting with my boss and Ruth.”

  Chloe’s mouth fell open. “Really? Are you going to pretend you don’t know her?”

  “No, I said that we knew each other—but not that I’d worked there, of course. My boss wants to increase the number of students who transfer to four-year colleges, and it seems like we have a missed opportunity with Pulaski.”

  “Wow. Well, good luck.” Chloe’s amusement shone in her eyes. “Don’t make googly eyes at her in front of your boss.”

  Caitlyn rolled her eyes. “I don’t make googly eyes.”

  “Oh please. You make them at your phone when she texts you.”

  “Ha ha.” Caitlyn turned serious. “So, I have a question for you. When you went to LCC, how serious were you about transferring to a four-year college?”

  “Oh.” Chloe turned somber. “Well, I don’t know. I always meant to finish my degree, but I wasn’t eager to actually do it. You know school isn’t my thing. Then when Jacqueline asked me to go with her, I told myself school would always be there. I didn’t know that it would be hard to go back after a break.”

  “Do you regret going with Jacqueline?” Caitlyn asked. “Sorry, I guess that’s an obvious question.” Of course, Chloe regretted giving up college for a failed relationship.

  “No, I don’t regret it.”

  “Really? I mean, no judgment but…”

  Chloe chuckled. “It’s okay. Look, it was a disaster. And after it went bad, I stayed too long. But at least I know, right? I don’t have to wonder if she was the love of my life.”

  “I guess that makes sense,” Caitlyn said slowly. “You had to play it out.”

  “Exactly. I feel the same way about Nick. I mean, at least I tried.” Her smile was lopsided.

  Once again, Caitlyn regretted that she hadn’t been more supportive of Chloe’s relationship from the start. “It was brave to go to Colorado. You’ve always followed your heart, and I admire that.”

  “Thank you for saying that.” Chloe’s eyes were shiny.

  “I mean it. I’ve never done anything like that. Part of me has always been jealous of you. I always felt this intense pressure to succeed, and I made so many sacrifices for school. Then I looked at you, and you were free. If I were more like you, maybe I wouldn’t have been so anxious and miserable for most of my life.”

  Chloe smiled. “I don’t know about that. You spent a couple of months impersonating me to be near a hot bossy lady that you liked. That was reckless as hell. It might be the biggest risk you’ve ever taken.”

  “It’s true.” Sometimes, Caitlyn still couldn’t believe she had done it. “It was a huge risk. I may have gone there for you, but I stayed for me. When you said you weren’t coming back, I should have quit and spent the summer preparing for academic jobs, but I wanted to stay and work for Ruth, and I did.”

  A feeling of peace settled over her as she processed the summer in a new way. For once, she had broken the rules and followed her heart.

  Chapter 25

  Caitlyn knocked on Ruth’s door and waited.

  And waited.

  As she reached for her phone, the door swung open.

  Ruth stood before her in an apron with disheveled hair and spots of pink on her cheeks. “Come on in.”

  Caitlyn grinned. She loved seeing Ruth a little out of sorts—not that she’d ever tell her. “You’re cooking?” As Caitlyn stepped into the house, the smell of burned food assaulted her nose.

  Ruth grimaced. “I’m trying to make a vegetable quiche. The first attempt is in the trash.”

  Caitlyn slipped off her shoes. When she looked up, a cloud of smoke wafted toward her from the kitchen. “Um.” She pointed.

  “It’s okay. I disconnected the smoke alarm. I’ll start over once it clears.” Ruth wiped her forehead. “Can I get you something to drink?”

  “Uh, that’s okay.” Caitlyn smiled. Ruth’s ineptitude in the kitchen was adorable. “Maybe we could sit down for a minute? Seems like you could use a break.”

  “Sure. Let’s sit in the living room.” Ruth untied her apron and slung it over the back of the couch before she sat.

  Caitlyn settled next to her. “So…hi.”

  “Hi.” Ruth cupped her cheek and gave her a kiss that tasted like minty lip balm, warm and cool all at once. “How are you?”

  “I’m good. Happy to be here with you.” Caitlyn noticed a smear of flour on Ruth’s jaw and another on her sky-blue T-shirt. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

  “I’m sure.” Ruth’s blush returned. “How was your week?”

  “Well, it was interesting.” Caitlyn hesitated. Just tell her. No more secrets, no more lies by omission. “Your name came up at work, actually.”

  “Oh?” Ruth tilted her head, looking intrigued but not concerned.

  Caitlyn prayed Ruth wouldn’t freak out. “We’re trying to improve the number of students who transfer to four-year schools, and there was a suggestion that we could collaborate more closely with Pulaski—since you’re so close to us.”

  Ruth frowned. “But we send recruiters to LCC every semester.”

  “Yes, but our dean mentioned that the presentation isn’t always relevant to our students. It sounds like there’s also an issue with transfer credit. We might want to explore some new articulation agreements, so our students would have a bigger incentive to transfer to Pulaski.”

  “Hmm.” Ruth tapped her chin. “It’s worth discussing. We’d certainly welcome more applications from LCC students.”

  “I’m glad to hear that because it came up in a meeting, and I sort of… Well, I said that I knew you.” She clasped her hands together to stop her fingers from fidgeting.

  Ruth straightened. “What did you say exactly?”

  “I said that my sister used to work with you, and that’s how we became acquainted. That’s all I told them. Um, and I volunteered to set up a meeting with you and some of our staff.” Caitlyn held her breath.

  “I see.” Ruth’s posture remained stiff.

  “I probably should have discussed it with you ahead of time. But I know you’re interested in boosting enrollment, and I didn’t want to let the opportunity pass.” The words tumbled out quickly as she searched Ruth’s face for signs of anger.

  Ruth took a deep breath. “It’s okay. If we continue to see each other—and I hope that we do—we can’t hide the fact that we know each other. Your story is as good as any. We’ll say Chloe worked for me and left on good terms. You and I met through Chloe, and a few months after she resigned, you and I began to spend time together.”

  “That’s essentially what I said.” Caitlyn paused. “I’m sorry we have to lie to everyone else. It’s my fault, and I wish I hadn’t put you in this position.”

  Sighing, Ruth leaned back on the couch. “You know, I’ve been thinking about this. I’ve been holding back a bit because of the past.”

  “I’m sorry,” Caitlyn said immediately.

  “No, that’s not—I don’t want you to keep apologizing. What I’m saying is that I made peace with it. What you did could have gone very, very wrong for both of us. But it didn’t. Instead, you helped me. My presidency is better than ever thanks to what we started together.” Ruth reached out and brushed her fingers down Caitlyn’s arm, then took her hand. “Most importantly, if you hadn’t done it, we wouldn’t be sitting here together. So if I said I wished you had never taken Chloe’s place, then I’d be wishing for those good things to go away. And that’s not what I want.” She shook her head. “We got lucky. We got so damn lucky, and I don’t want to waste it.”

  The words filled Caitlyn with joy and relief. “Thank you. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I’ll never take it for granted. I promise.” Unable to hold back for another second, Caitlyn launched herself into Ruth’s arms.

  Ruth sighed into the embrace and pressed her lips to Caitlyn’s temple before working her way to Caitlyn’s lips. The kisses started sweet and slow, but soon their breathing grew heavy as their tongues tangled and heat rose between them.

  Caitlyn melted against Ruth’s body, luxuriating in the scent of lavender and the feel of Ruth’s mouth.

  Suddenly, Ruth pulled her head back. “Let’s go upstairs.”

  “Are you sure? There’s no rush. Seriously.” Caitlyn took her hand. “I can wait as long as you want—weeks, months, whatever.”

  “I’m sure.” Ruth’s eyes were sharp and clear. “I want this. I’m ready. Unless—oh, I forgot about dinner. Are you hungry?”

  Caitlyn’s heart pounded. “Not even a little.”

  * * *

  Ruth lay on the bed and motioned for Caitlyn to join her. “I just remembered—this is your second time in my bedroom.” She flashed a smile to let Caitlyn know she spoke without resentment when referring to the “Chloe” days.

  Caitlyn’s teeth toyed with her lip as she climbed onto the mattress. “I have to admit, I loved seeing your bed. Of course, I didn’t snoop through your stuff, but since I had to walk through this room anyway…” She lay next to Ruth. “I looked around. Briefly.”

  “Well, you did me a tremendous favor that day. You were so kind and supportive.”

  “Of course.” Caitlyn brushed a strand of hair from Ruth’s face. “I’ve been through antidepressant withdrawal too. And even if I hadn’t known what you were going through, I’ve cared for you ever since I got to know you—the real you, not the hard-ass administrator you pretend to be.” She nudged Ruth’s shoulder playfully.

  “Hey, I am a hard-ass administrator.” Ruth gave Caitlyn her best withering glare.

  Caitlyn’s eyes widened in mock horror before she dissolved into giggles. “I’m sorry. It doesn’t work on me anymore. But don’t worry—I won’t tell the faculty you have a softer side.” She stroked Ruth’s arm, and the reassuring motion became a sensual caress.

  Ruth sighed as Caitlyn’s touch relaxed her and sent waves of warmth to her center. She accepts me. Caitlyn knew Ruth’s flaws, but she still gazed at Ruth as if she were perfect. The unwavering adoration in Caitlyn’s eyes gave Ruth the courage to speak. “I want this, and I’m ready. But I should tell you something first.”

  “Anything.” Caitlyn scooted even closer. “You can tell me anything.”

  “Okay.” Ruth let out an audible breath. “You know I take desvenlafaxine. I don’t know if you’ve heard of this, but I have something called sexual side effects.” She risked a glance at Caitlyn, whose expression hadn’t changed. “It’s not that I can’t have an…orgasm. I can, and I do. But sometimes it takes a while, compared to before the meds.” Her cheeks burned, and she fought the urge to bury her face in the pillow.

  “That’s okay.” Caitlyn took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “We have all the time in the world.”

  “Well. It was an issue with a past partner. She thought I wasn’t really into the sex or wasn’t attracted to her. And if I get nervous, I can’t get there at all. I don’t want you to think it means something if I can’t—I mean if my body doesn’t cooperate. It doesn’t mean I don’t want you, because I really, really do.” Unexpected tears stung her eyes as she flashed back to her former girlfriend’s cruel words.

  “Oh, hey.” Caitlyn ran her fingertips down the side of Ruth’s face. “You don’t have to worry about that. Not with me. I had sexual side effects on my medication for the first few months. They faded eventually, but I remember how it felt. Anyway, I would never judge or blame you for something you can’t control.” She gave Ruth a soft, reverent kiss on the forehead and then on her lips. “Never. I promise.”

  “Thank you.” Ruth thought she might actually cry, but she managed a watery smile instead. “That means a lot to me.”

  “All I want is to touch you and be close to you. Orgasms are nice, but that’s not what I care about.” She moved in closer and wrapped an arm around Ruth’s back. “All I need to be happy is for you to let me in. If you do that, you’ll never disappoint me.”

  Ruth pulled Caitlyn close. “How did I get so lucky?” She laughed as she realized the answer—Chloe’s irresponsible behavior had kicked off a series of events that somehow, against unfathomable odds, had led to this moment.

  “I’m the lucky one.” Caitlyn ran her hand up and down Ruth’s back. “I swear to God.” She kissed Ruth’s cheek and then moved her soft lips down to Ruth’s jaw.

  All thoughts of Chloe vanished. Ruth whimpered as the delicate kisses made her tremble.

  “Tell me what you like,” Caitlyn murmured. “I want to do what you like best—whatever it is. I just want you to feel good.” Her voice was husky, yet earnest.

  Be honest. There was little point in pretending. “Well. Sometimes penetration hurts without lube. But I like…ah.” Ruth glanced away, struck with sudden shyness, but faced Caitlyn again to see only warmth reflected back at her.

  “Oral?” Caitlyn asked. When Ruth nodded, Caitlyn’s smile turned delighted. “I would love to taste you. We will definitely do that—eventually.” Caitlyn pressed their bodies close and placed a wet kiss on Ruth’s neck. She sucked the tender skin with practiced delicacy, just light enough to avoid hickeys, followed by a tiny nibble.

  Ruth shuddered and squeezed her thighs together. “Your mouth should be illegal. A schedule-one drug.”

  Caitlyn chuckled against Ruth’s skin, then looked up with a questioning gaze. “Do you think we could…?”

  “What?” Ruth’s hips squirmed. Already, it was hard to keep still.

  Caitlyn tugged on Ruth’s blouse. “Take this off?”

  It was such a simple thing—of course they’d be getting undressed. Yet Caitlyn had checked in to ensure Ruth’s comfort before proceeding. The genuine care was touching and also sexy, causing another rush of desire. “Of course.” Ruth sat up and stripped off the blouse, then lay flat on her back and shimmied out of her pants, wanting Caitlyn to be sure of her consent.

  “Oh wow.” Caitlyn took in Ruth’s body with hungry eyes. “You’re so beautiful.”

  She means it. Ruth’s heart swelled as she basked in Caitlyn’s admiration. She thought of her figure as unremarkable—okay for forty-two, but she didn’t have much time for fitness. However, Caitlyn’s lust-blown pupils couldn’t lie.

  Caitlyn climbed on top and straddled Ruth’s belly, still fully dressed while Ruth was nude except for her panties and bra. The weight of her firm ass pressed down on Ruth’s hips, intensifying her arousal.

  Damn. That’s hot. Ruth shivered at a cool draft on her skin, while her belly filled with warmth.

  Caitlyn traced Ruth’s black satin bra strap with her index finger. “May I?” When Ruth nodded, she slid her hand behind Ruth to unhook the bra.