5: Most of all, she knew—now, for certain—that Sutton wanted her, too. She couldn’t fake that.
Something Charlotte loved about Sutton, still to this day, was that Sutton couldn’t fake the important stuff. There was a raw honesty to Sutton that was absolutely captivating.
And the way Sutton kissed her, had leaned her whole body into Charlotte’s, how she’d dug her fingertips right into Charlotte to try to hold herself steady… She couldn’t fake that.
ShewantedCharlotte, maybe even just as much as Charlotte wanted her.
However.
That led Charlotte to the most insurmountable issue she’d faced in quite some time, which was that Sutton had asked her to leave. And she’d been firm about it.
Maybe Sutton wanted Charlotte, but she was notopento wanting Charlotte.
She pursed her lips and stared down at her desk.
Honestly, she understood where Sutton was coming from. She did. She was scared because she’d been hurt before. Both in her divorce—Charlotte’s lips curled in distaste at the thought of the blonde woman in the photograph cheating on Sutton. Howdaresomeone cheat on Sutton? The idea of it was unthinkable to her. To have everything Charlotte herself had wanted, the life she would have killed for, and then to just throw it away?
She shook her head and took in a deep breath.
Never mind that.
More important than the divorce, when it came to Sutton, was that not only had she been hurt by others, butmostlyshe’d been hurt by Charlotte herself.
Charlotte understood that. She could be patient.
All right, so it wasn’t one of her many virtues, but shecoulddo it.
She was doing it already, wasn’t she?
After she’d kissed Sutton four days ago, Sutton had missed their Tuesday meeting with a flimsy excuse, and Charlotte had been totally and completely patient and understanding and, as a matter of fact,chillabout the entire thing.
So chill.
Unbelievably so.
Charlotte stared down at her phone, unable to resist tapping on her text thread with Sutton, pursing her lips as she stared down.
Tuesday—or, as Charlotte thought of it, the day after the monumental and disastrous kiss?—
Charlotte—2:35 p.m.
Very hectic day in the office, likely going to place an early order for dinner, likely just before our meeting. Would you like something?
Sutton—3:13 p.m.
I actually forgot I have a department meeting this evening. No big deal, right? I have your notes now, so I’ll make sure I’m submitting the partial draft to the editor before I see you next.
Wednesday
Charlotte—12:05 p.m.
I have a few pieces I’d like to go over that I thought of last night. Are you free for a meeting before Saturday?
Sutton—2:57 p.m.
A meeting? I really do have a lot going on this week. Can we make it a phone call? Maybe tomorrow night?
Charlotte—2:59 p.m.