Chapter 20 #3
“Later.” Camila waves as she and Valeria watch Clara’s taillights disappear down the street.
“You want to come in?” Camila asks, and Valeria nods.
They turn and head inside, leaving their bags by the front door. Miso welcomes them both with a meow, and immediately purrs. Camila grabs her and rubs her head against her.
“How are you, my sweet girl? Did Raven take good care of you?” she asks as she walks into her living room, plopping straight onto her couch, and Valeria follows, sitting by Camila’s feet before lifting her legs and throwing them on top of herself.
“I don’t want to drive right now, do you mind if I stay for a little? We can watch our show, and then I’ll go get ready.”
Camila nods. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
Camila reaches for the TV remote and scrolls through her streaming services until she finds the one she’s looking for, pressing play on the episode they’d left off on.
Camila watches for a bit, but without meaning to, she falls asleep.
When she wakes up, the show is still playing, and Valeria is lying next to her, her head on Camila’s stomach.
For a sleepy second, the sight makes her smile, then a sudden dryness overtakes her mouth at the feel of Valeria’s breath on her lower abdomen, right where her shirt lifted when she threw herself on the couch.
Valeria stirs then, nuzzling further into Camila, and that familiar flicker of heat sparks, making Camila’s skin erupt in goosebumps. Valeria seems to realize what she’s doing because she shoots up, wide-eyed.
“I am so sorry,” she says quickly, covering her face with both hands as a deep red glow blooms across her cheeks. “I have no idea how I ended up like that.”
“It’s okay,” Camila says quickly, as her heart drums frantically. “We were both asleep. For all we know, I pulled you closer.” An image of Camila pulling Valeria on top of her flashes vividly in her mind, sending her pulse skittering faster.
“I seriously doubt that,” she says, voice muffled behind her hands.
Camila forces a soft breath. “My point is that there’s no way to be sure. So let’s not let things get awkward,” Camila says, though she’s finding it increasingly difficult to ignore the electric tingling spreading across her skin at every brush of the other woman’s touch.
Valeria nods and lowers her hands slowly, cheeks still flushed. She clears her throat. “I should probably head home. I’ll see you later?”
“Of course.” Camila nods a little too fast. “Do you want me to pick you up?”
Valeria chews on the thought before she nods. “Yeah, that would be perfect, thank you.”
They both stand, and Camila walks Valeria to the door, where they both grab her things and head toward the garage, where they load Valeria’s bags into her car in silence.
When they’re done, they meet back by the driver’s door.
“Text me when you get home?” Camila tucks a strand of hair behind Valeria’s ear.
Valeria nods, fidgeting with the rings on her fingers.
Camila senses the embarrassment oozing from Valeria, and she hates it, but she knows there’s nothing she can do, so instead of calling attention to it, she lets it be.
“Drive safe,” Camila says, reaching for Valeria’s hand, not ready to let her go yet, already dreading the silence she knows exists in her home without Valeria there.
“I will.” Valeria presses Camila’s cold fingers against her warm cheek.
After a few seconds of staring at each other, Camila lets Valeria go, and she takes a big breath as Valeria gets in her seat. Camila closes her door, and Valeria pulls out of the garage and blows her a kiss before speeding off.
Camila walks back into her house and sighs.
She grabs the remote and turns off the TV before heading toward her room to pick out what to wear for Lily’s birthday dinner, trying hard not to focus too much on how much she already misses Valeria or the emptiness in her chest. She does an admirable job for about .
. . three minutes before giving in to the feeling, pulling her phone from her pocket and texting Valeria.
Camila 3:56 p.m.:
Too soon to say that I miss you?
Valeria 3:56 p.m.:
Funny you should say that, I was wondering the same thing.
Camila 3:56 p.m.:
In that case, then no. It’s perfectly acceptable timing. Tell me all about it.
Valeria 3:56 p.m.:
I’ve embarrassed myself enough for one day. Why don’t YOU tell me?
Camila laughs, and her stomach flutters at the reminder of Valeria asleep on top of her.
Camila 3:56 p.m.:
Currently missing you extra because I don’t know what to wear, and I could use your input.
Camila’s phone starts ringing, and it’s a FaceTime from Valeria.
“Are you sure you should be FaceTiming me while you’re driving?” Camila answers.
“It’s perfectly safe. I have you on a mount. It’s no different than me looking at my phone for directions.” She says it so confidently that Camila can’t argue her point.
“What are the options so far?” she asks only briefly, looking at the screen.
Camila heads into her closet and pulls out her favorite shirt.
“This black T-shirt,” Camila says, lifting it so Valeria can see it.
“That’s a good start. What about bottoms?”
“Haven’t looked at that yet,” Camila says, immediately scanning her closet. “I was thinking maybe some straight-legged chinos, rolled up, and my boots with that black shirt I showed you. Too simple?”
“No, I think that will look great. We’re just going to Lily and Isabella’s house, so no need to dress up.”
“What are you wearing?” Camila asks, laying the clothes out on her bed.
“You’ll have to wait and see,” Valeria says, turning to the phone and winking at her.
“That’s not fair.”
Valeria shrugs playfully. “I never said I would be!”
“I’ll remember this,” Camila says before plopping onto her bed, and the smell of smoke trails after her.
“I should get in the shower; I smell like a bonfire.” Camila wrinkles her nose.
“Go, I’m almost home. Text me pictures when you’re ready!”
“Will do,” Camila says before they both say bye and hang up.
Camila walks into her bathroom, quickly undresses, and prepares the hottest shower her pipes will allow. She stands under the spray, watching it cascade down as it turns into murky brown water swirling around her feet. Gross.
Once she’s all done, she changes into her outfit and quickly does her makeup. Adding a thin wing to her lids, she wants to look her best for Valeria after looking a mess for the past couple of days.
When she’s done, she paces her living room, feeding Miso earlier than usual just to have something to do to keep her from hopping in her car and driving straight to Valeria’s two hours before Valeria probably expects her.
She takes a picture of her outfit and sends it to Valeria.
Camila 4:26 p.m.:
What do you think?
Valeria 4:28 p.m.:
I think you look perfect! Are you all ready?
Camila 4:28 p.m.:
Yes! I needed to get the smell of smoke out of my hair, and figured I’d get ready early.
Valeria 4:28 p.m.:
Come over! I wasn’t joking when I said I missed you.
Camila’s heart flutters, and a nervous excitement trembles through her fingertips as she types that she’s on her way.
The drive to Valeria’s, surprisingly, doesn’t drag on as much as Camila expected. Before she realizes it, she’s pulling into Valeria’s apartment complex, parking right next to her car.
Camila quickly texts Valeria to let her know she’s here, and almost immediately, Valeria replies, telling her the door is unlocked and to let herself in.
“Val?” Camila calls out as she closes the apartment door behind her.
“In my room! Make yourself at home. I’ll be right out,” Valeria calls back.
Camila walks farther into her living room and sits on the couch. Last time she was here, she didn’t properly take in Valeria’s space, too focused on being there for her. Now, she sees Valeria has plants and books everywhere, photos and paintings on almost every wall.
A few minutes later, Valeria walks out of her bedroom in an oversized shirt and shorts, face bare and hair damp.
“Wow, you look even better in person,” Valeria says, and Camila blushes.
“You think?”
Valeria shakes her head. “I know,” she says, leaning in to kiss the top of Camila’s head.
“You want to come hang out with me while I do my makeup?” Valeria asks, reaching for Camila’s hand.
Camila takes it and nods.
Valeria guides them to her bedroom, and Camila can’t help but take everything in. The bookshelves in her room are crammed with books, art prints, and figurines. When Valeria walks them into the bathroom, there are more plants in the bathtub.
“I’m watering them,” Valeria says, her cheeks going red.
Camila laughs. “I figured. I do the same thing,” she says as she takes a seat on the closed-lidded toilet, still holding on to Valeria’s hand as she sits on the counter.
“You want a drink?”
Camila shakes her head. “I don’t think I’ll have alcohol ever again, thanks to Clara,” she laughs. She hadn’t drunk nearly as much as everyone else had seemed to, but it was still enough to leave her bones aching this morning.
“Oh, I know. She’s such an instigator.” Valeria shakes her head as she turns toward the floating shelf where she keeps her makeup.
As she begins applying her foundation, Valeria tells her how much worse Clara used to be when they were younger.
Camila hums in response, trying to follow the story, but her focus keeps slipping.
She can’t help but get a little lost in watching every single one of Valeria’s movements, happy with the excuse to stare at her.
Valeria reaches for a liquid eyeliner and turns to Camila, her mouth curving into a shy smile. “Will you do it for me? I always mess it up.”
Camila nods and stands.
Valeria turns on the counter, legs in front of her. Camila stands opposite her, reaching for the pen, glad Valeria’s knees are adding distance between them because her heart is already beating hard.
“Hold still,” Camila murmurs as she uncaps the pen and takes a deep breath, struggling to focus with Valeria’s eyes trained on her.
“Would it help if you were closer?” Valeria asks.
The question alone feels like a hand on Camila’s spine.
Valeria’s legs part slowly, and Camila’s gaze drops despite herself, and her entire body grows feverish.
It takes everything she has not to make a sound—not to show how sharply the moment affects her or how badly she wants to reach out and learn the softness of Valeria’s skin.
“Um . . . yeah,” Camila manages, the word barely steady.
She steps forward, only halfway, not daring to go any further. Valeria closes the distance for her. Her hands settle on Camila’s waist, drawing her in until there’s no space left, and Camila’s chest is pressed against Valeria’s.
Camila’s breath hitches, and a small gasp escapes before she can stop it. Her lips part, tongue flicking out to wet her lips subconsciously as heat coils low in her body. A flush crawls up Camila’s neck, her skin buzzing where Valeria touches her, every nerve suddenly awake.
When she looks up, Valeria is watching her—eyes dark, focus unwavering, her breath no longer even. Valeria’s gaze snaps down to Camila’s lips; that alone makes her stomach flip.
It’s only day one, and slow already feels impossible.