Chapter Twenty-one #3
When Charlie could talk over the giggles, she said, “I would have needed to protect you from me. I’m afraid we would have woken up with me spooned around you. I just can’t seem to stop touching you when we’re together. And sleeping in just robes felt like it might be a little too much.”
Harper shifted until Charlie was under her, and her hips were nestled between Charlie’s legs. “The horror. What if you’d…touched my bare skin with your hand?” She laughed.
“Like this?” Charlie said as she grazed her hands from Harper’s shoulders, lightly tickling, until they reached the top of her ass.
Heat surged through Harper again, and she wiggled her hips and rubbed her low belly against Charlie’s center. “God forbid.”
Maybe neither of them was as tired as they’d thought.
Harper had grabbed their clothes in the wee hours when Franky needed to go out so she didn’t have to walk around outside in the hotel’s robe, but she quickly stripped when she returned and found her way back into Charlie’s waiting arms, where she happily lay until the looming checkout time was too close to continue ignoring.
Although she knew they didn’t have anything to pack, they would need to shower.
Together, of course. Charlie had said they needed to save water after her incredibly long shower the night before, and Harper couldn’t find fault in that logic.
The morning felt pretty perfect, and she couldn’t remember having been this relaxed in a long time.
They’d been laughing nearly nonstop, yet something was niggling at the back of her mind. Before the uncertainty could start to take hold, she said, “Last night was good for you too, right?”
Charlie chuckled. “I would’ve thought you’d be able to tell, but, yes, last night—and this morning and in the shower—was fantastic. What has you worried?”
Harper averted her eyes, embarrassed. “It’s just been a while for me. In the moment, I felt really confident, but now…I don’t know.”
“Oh my gosh.” Charlie sat on the edge of the bed. “Was this your first time since…Kelly?”
“No, no, definitely not. I just…don’t very often, and you’re only the second person I’ve slept with that I had actual feelings for. Hell, that I’ve known for more than a handful of hours.”
“Oh?” Charlie’s brows furrowed.
“Yeah, I mean, Kelly was my first. I was so focused on getting into a good law school when I was in undergrad that I never dated, and then I met Kelly and knew she was the one. After moving here, I occasionally felt a little lonely and picked up someone from the bar and went back to her hotel. But I had very strict rules about it.”
“What kinds of rules?”
“Well, I would only initiate something if the woman was single, and it had to be the last night of her trip. I made it very clear that nothing could ever come after, but making sure they were heading home the next day seemed the best way to ensure no one got any ideas about a relationship. I also never brought anyone back to my place, and I never stayed the night. So I guess this is the first time I’ve spent the night with someone, the first time I’ve had multiple orgasms with someone.
” She waited for the knife of grief to slice into her chest as she said the words, but it didn’t come. She let out a long breath in relief.
“Did those rules help you move through the grieving process?” Charlie said as she studied her.
Harper shrugged. “I think so. I survived. And I’m here now with you and doing pretty well, I think.”
“Good. That’s all that matters, right? As long as you aren’t going to kick me out of your building now that we’ve slept together.”
Harper walked to Charlie and straddled her, pushing her torso back until Charlie was resting on her elbows. “Definitely not. We dragged this process out long enough, don’t you think?”
Charlie nodded without speaking.
“And after last night—and this morning—I want to keep doing this. Don’t you?” Harper leaned forward until her mouth was nearly on Charlie’s, but a sliver of air separated them. “Now, perhaps?”
“I do, but I’m not sure if we have time. I need to teach a yoga class at three. And we promised we’d check out on time.”
The expression on Charlie’s face was telling Harper that she didn’t really want to leave.
It seemed to be saying the opposite. “You know, it’s only eleven.
Even if we leave at eleven thirty, you’ll still be back more than an hour and a half before your class.
And I just took Franky out, so she’s good for a bit.
” Harper dropped her head to kiss the spot just below Charlie’s ear that she’d discovered the night before.
It drove her a little wild when she licked it just right.
“You’re not fighting fair right now.” Yet, Charlie pulled her closer.
“Your actions are not matching your words, Ms. Paulson.” She leaned up to look at her again. “Tell me what you want,” she whispered.
Charlie smirked and shook her head. “I want you to take these freshly washed clothes off me before my underwear is too wet for me to wear them home.”
“Now that I am happy to arrange.”