Chapter 15
Mel gave her outfit a glance in the bathroom mirror. She huffed a sigh and opened the door to her bedroom. Brianna and Mase lay cuddled on her bed.
“How about this?” Mel asked. She trapped her lower lip between her teeth as she waited on Brianna’s assessment.
“I didn’t consent to this. I thought you invited me over to hangout,” Brianna whined. Mel rolled her eyes and laughed.
“You and I hangout all the time. But Willow is taking me to a play and I need to look put together,” Mel said.
Brianna let her eyes slide over to Mel. She rolled over on the bed so she could give her friend a more appraising look.
“Friend, you look great. But you’ve also looked great in the last three outfits. You look great in all your clothes.”
“Thank you. I do appreciate your compliments. But can you please just tell me what I should wear tonight?” Mel laughed.
“Wear your black dress and your heels,” Brianna sighed.
“Are you sure? I don’t know if this is a black dress occasion.”
“Mel, you’ve tried on every dress you own except the black dress. And we both know you’re a stunner in that one. I guarantee if Willow picks you up and you’re wearing that dress she’s going to have to pick her jaw up off the floor,” Brianna reassured her. Mel smirked.
“You really think I look that good in the black dress?” Mel asked.
“Stop fishing for compliments and try it on. I’m bored. And you know I hate boredom,” Brianna teased.
“Okay. Okay. Give me a second.”
Mel grabbed her black dress and threw it on. She admired herself in the mirror. Brianna was right, but when it came to fashion she usually was. Mel came out of the bathroom and smiled. Mase had grown bored of cuddles and had run out of the room. Brianna lay on the bed, eyes closed pretending to sleep.
“Ha ha, very funny. You were right about the dress,” Mel smiled.
“I’m always right,” Brianna smirked, her eyes still closed.
“Aren’t you going to give me the thumbs up on the outfit?” Mel asked. Brianna stuck her thumb up. Mel gave her friend a few pokes in the ribs. Brianna reached out and grabbed her pulling her down on the bed with a laugh.
“Seriously, you look great. That dress is stunning,” Brianna said with a smirk. She rolled over onto an elbow so she could face Mel.
“Thank you,” Mel grinned.
“Listen, you already know you’re a stunner. You don’t need me to tell you how good you look,” Brianna flashed her best smile.
“Maybe. But it never hurts my ego to hear you say it,” Mel teased.
“Is that why you keep me around?” Brianna laughed.
“Yes, that and your unwavering loyalty. But your compliments are high on my list.”
“Good to know,” Brianna shook her head and rolled off the bed.
“I should get going before your woman shows up,” Brianna giggled.
“She’s not my woman,” Mel groaned.
“Is she not? You guys have been seeing an awful lot of each other. I would have thought you’d want to make it official,” Brianna suggested.
“True. Willow’s last break-up was pretty bad. I get the impression she wants to take things slowly.”
“Sure. But what do you want?” Brianna asked.
“To be her girlfriend, of course.”
“Then why don’t you ask her to be?”
“I don’t want to scare her off,” Mel whined.
“I think it’s unlikely that you’re going to scare her off. Just be honest about what you’re feeling. If she isn’t ready that’s fine. But at least you’ll know where you stand,” Brianna offered.
“You’re very smart,” Mel grinned.
“On that note I’m getting out of here.” Brianna gave a wave as she saw herself out.
Mel lay back on the bed. Brianna wasn’t wrong, the two of them had spent almost every night together. Mel was doing her best not to get overly excited. Maybe Willow was just happy to get away from the house and her mother. Mel knew that her feelings for Willow had grown, and she could sense a shift in Willow as well.
A knock on her door gave Mel a funny feeling inside her chest. She walked to the front door so that she didn’t trip in her heels. When her eyes fell on Willow she felt her breath catch.
“You look stunning,” Willow gasped.
“So do you,” Mel said. She took a step back to give Willow an appraising look.
Willow wore a red dress that somehow perfectly brought out the color red in her hair. Willow stepped through the doorway, her eyes met Mel’s. Mel knew there was very little chance of them making the show on time. Not with the way they were eyeing one another, hungrily.
“We should probably get going,” Mel suggested. Willow’s eyes shone with amusement.
“If you insist,” Willow laughed.
Mel grabbed her jacket, knowing she was likely to get cold in the theater hall. WaterColor didn’t have a huge theater scene. But there was a local theater that brought in big shows. Mel wasn’t completely sure that she knew what they were saying. She knew it was something by Shakespeare, but outside of that she couldn’t be sure. The theater was surprisingly busy.
“Okay. What show are we seeing?” Mel laughed.
“ Macbeth . Don’t worry I got us a private box,” Willow said nonchalantly. Mel felt herself grow strangely dazzled.
“A private box?” Mel asked.
“I don’t want to have to share you with all of these people,” Willow smirked.
An attendant led them to a private box seating. There wasn’t much that kept it private other than a velvet curtain. Mel glanced around enthralled by the setting. For a town without much of a theater scene, the place was pretty ornate. The lights dimmed and the curtain behind them was drawn. They were alone. As the first actors came to the stage Mel grasped Willow’s hand in her own. She watched as the scene in front of her unfolded.
Willow allowed her hand to slide over Mel’s hand until it rested on her thigh. Mel felt a rising heat under Willow’s touch. Willow’s thumb brushed slow circles along Mel’s thigh. Mel swallowed hard. How was she supposed to pay attention to the show with Willow pushing all of her buttons? Mel let her eyes slide over to Willow and caught the woman smirking. She huffed realizing Willow’s intention. Mel covered her lap with her jacket and sighed as Willow’s hand moved past her thighs and closer to her core. Mel felt her whole body tighten with anticipation.
Willow’s hand slid under her dress. Mel allowed herself to sigh deeply, the noise gratefully drowned out by the production. Willow’s thumb drew slow small circles over her underwear. Mel took in a deep breath as she reached her own hand over to Willow, sliding it beneath her dress.
She glanced over and saw Willow’s lips part in a gasp. Their hands kept rhythm with each other until Mel’s body exploded with an orgasm. She managed to swallow her moans. Willow’s orgasm wasn’t far behind her. Mel watched as Willow’s head leaned back against the headrest, an expression of pure bliss hung across Willow’s face.
“We should come to the theater more often,” Mel teased.
“I agree this place is really starting to grow on me,” Willow laughed.
They remained focused on the show for the rest of the production. Once they got back to the car Willow leaned in and gave Mel a kiss on the cheek.
“I had a great time with you tonight,” Willow whispered.
“Me, too,” Mel managed to respond.
As they drove home Mel had a thousand questions rushing through her mind. When she finally landed on one Mel tried to bring it up as coolly as possible.
“I hope this is okay to ask…” Mel began.
“You can always ask me anything,” Willow brightened.
“I’m not sure how you define us in your head. But I was wondering if you were interested in being my girlfriend?” Mel asked. Her face heated to a deep shade of red.
“I would like that too,” Willow admitted.
Mel felt her heart soar in her chest. She looked out the window, suddenly very excited by the process they had managed to undergo in just one night. Mel was glad they were making the shift. There was no one else in her life that even began to approach the seriousness.
Later, as they lay in Mel’s bed together she felt the urge to ask all the questions she’d held back. Her biggest fear was finding out that she was more invested than Willow. But the time had come. Mel lay with her head on Willow’s chest as the woman played with her hair. The moment too intimate for Mel to consider it casual.
“Can I ask you a question?” Mel asked.
“You just did ask me a question,” Willow mused.
“It’s about something serious,” Mel said. She felt Willow straighten underneath her.
“You can always ask me anything,” Willow answered.
“Where do you see this thing between us going? Is this serious for you? Because I’m already developing strong feelings.” The words came out far more rambling than Mel would have preferred.
Willow was quiet for a long time. Mel wondered if she should make a joke to deflect from the unease she felt. But Willow cleared her throat.
“I’m developing strong feelings, too. What do you want this to be?” Willow posed the question in such a simple way that it caught Mel off guard.
“I want you to be my girlfriend.” It sounded strange even in Mel’s ears, but there was the truth of it.
“Then I guess we’re girlfriends,” Willow smiled down at her.
“Okay. But is that what you want? Or are you agreeing because that’s what I want?”
“I want it, too. And I want it with you. I didn’t expect to feel this way about anyone after what happened with Amy. But I want everything with you, Mel.” Mel could hear the genuineness inside Willow’s words. She reached up to brush a hand against Willow’s cheek.
Willow leaned down to kiss Mel on the lips. Mel could feel the moment etching itself in her memory. She would always remember this feeling. This moment would always be important.