Chapter 10
PAIGE
Of fucking course there’s only one bed.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
Paige has a front desk associate who is obsessed with this trope from movies and shows and is always joking about wanting to orchestrate her own only one bed situation at the inn.
But, since most of their guests are couples and families, there’s not an ample opportunity, so Paige doesn’t take her seriously.
She would get such a kick out of it happening to Paige.
Remi offers to sleep on the floor. A suggestion that—while thoughtful—is swiftly rejected.
Paige does take Remi up on her offer to let Paige shower first. She takes her time scrubbing her skin, shaving—for no reason in particular—and drying off.
She didn’t overthink her pajamas when she was throwing her bag together, but now she regrets it.
She packed for a platonic night away with a friend. Yet her normal nightly attire of a comfy shirt and sleep shorts—that are far too short for a night spent lying inches from Remi—feels anything but friendly. Especially not after everything that happened at the wedding reception.
This is ridiculous, she thinks. They’re both adults. They can handle sharing a hotel room. This is what Paige wears to bed every night. It doesn’t mean anything.
None of this means anything.
They are friends—friends who make very convincing fake girlfriends, but friends nonetheless.
Remi is quiet as she moves around the room after her shower. Internally, Paige is screaming. She’s not sure what she wants to happen. Does she want Remi to make a move? For Remi to curl up beside her? To let her hand roam over Paige’s skin under the sheets?
Silently, Remi eases herself into the bed. Paige braces herself, subtly shifting toward the middle of the mattress in an attempt to draw contact.
Only, they don’t touch. Remi doesn’t say anything. A minute passes.
Then another.
Remi’s breathing grows heavy, and Paige lets out a small, frustrated sigh.
Remi’s asleep. Perfect. She was so dumb for thinking anything else would happen tonight.
Paige should follow Remi’s lead and this night will be over in a blink of an eye.
Easy peasy. Or … it would be if her damn body wasn’t so worked up with restless energy now that Remi is literally right here.
After all the kissing—and touching—how is she supposed to lie with Remi only inches from her and not do anything about it?
Shit.
Now her side hurts, and she needs to roll over. It’s fine. She’ll put a pillow between them. Carefully, she repositions herself and inhales sharply at Remi’s proximity. She wasn’t expecting her to be so close or to be facing Paige.
With Remi’s eyes shut, Paige takes the rare opportunity to stare at her, soaking in the strong cut to her jaw, the softness in her cheeks as she relaxes against the pillow, and, most importantly, Paige takes in her freckles.
She’s obsessed. Slowly, her eyes trail over them, counting.
Twenty-two.
Remi has twenty-two adorable freckles. Paige wants to kiss every single one.
Her gaze drops to Remi’s lips. Paige’s mouth remembers how soft they are and how good they felt pressed to hers. She liked kissing Remi. It ignited a fire inside her. One that hasn’t fully cooled off. All the embers need is one small poke and sparks will catch again.
Remi and Paige are both adults. Would it be so weird to ask her consenting adult to consenting adult to take things a step further? It can be casual or for practice. Paige doesn’t care as long as Remi’s hands are on her skin again.
“Remi?”
Paige has to repeat herself when Remi doesn’t immediately respond.
“Hm?” Remi finally mumbles, her voice thick and groggy with sleep.
Maybe this is a bad idea. Paige doesn’t want to bother her or wake her up. But then Remi looks at her, eyes heavy-lidded as she snuggles deeper into her pillow. The room is dark except for the faint glow of moonlight streaking in from the window.
“You okay?” Remi asks.
“Could we …” Paige licks her lips. “Would you … maybe want to … practice some more?”
God. What was that? Paige is so embarrassing.
“What?” Remi asks. Her face scrunched in confusion shouldn’t be so cute, but it is.
“I mean … would you want to …” Paige shuts her mouth. With words failing her, she reaches out and cups Remi’s cheek. Her thumb strokes Remi’s face, ghosting over her lip.
Remi’s eyes widen—she’s fully awake now. “Wait. Do you mean …?”
With Remi’s focus so sharp and attentive on Paige, she swallows.
Then nods.
“Paige,” Remi says carefully. “Are you sure?”
Paige nods again.
“I need to hear you say it.”
Her heart pounds. “I know nobody’s watching—that we don’t have to prove anything to anyone—but could you maybe … Can you kiss me again?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” she whispers, more to herself than to Paige.
Then Remi leans forward. Her lips—so soft and full—are on Paige’s again. This kiss is slow and tender. Their lips move like they’re trying to fulfill all the promises they made to one another in the touches they’ve shared.
Remi cups Paige’s jaw, deepening the kiss, and Paige goes dizzy with desire, heat searing her skin.
Paige sweeps her tongue into Remi’s mouth, catching her off guard.
Remi gasps, pulling back to look at Paige with wide eyes and shaky breaths.
Remi’s pupils are blown wide, and Paige feels drunk on power—the power to affect Remi like this.
“Can I tell you a secret?” Remi asks.
Paige swallows. “Yes.”
“I didn’t kiss you to sell our fake relationship. I kissed you because I couldn’t go one more second not knowing what it felt like to have your lips pressed to mine.”
“Really?” Paige smiles. “Can I tell you my secret?” Remi nods, and Paige takes a deep breath. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since our first practice date when you were teaching me how to flirt.”
Remi’s lips part. “Seriously? It took every ounce of willpower not to kiss you then.”
“What?” Paige lets out a surprised laugh. “You should have!”
“I didn’t want to be selfish.” Remi’s gaze drops. “I wanted you to be able to have your first sapphic kiss with someone you have feelings for.”
Paige uses her finger to tilt Remi’s chin up so she’s looking at her. “I did.”
“You … you have feelings for me?”
“Don’t sound so surprised. Have you met you?”
Remi lets out a breathless laugh. “Then how come you’re always talking about dating other women?”
“Because you do. I thought you were just offering to help me gain confidence because you’re a good friend.” Paige scratches between her eyes for an excuse to look away before quietly adding, “I didn’t think you were attracted to me.”
“Oh, no.” Remi lets out an incredulous scoff. “You have no idea how attracted to you I am.”
There’s a seriousness to her tone that Paige doesn’t doubt for a second. The way Remi’s looked at her all night—the way she kisses and touches her—Paige is honestly surprised she managed to be in denial this long.
“I like you.” Remi reaches for Paige’s hand, and Paige threads their fingers together.
“I like you too.”
Remi stares down at where Paige’s thumb strokes the back of her hand. “Can I kiss you again?”
“Anytime you want.”
Remi smiles before she presses her lips to Paige’s. Paige tugs on the front of Remi’s shirt. She takes the invitation and pushes up. She shifts to cover Paige’s body with hers. The weight of Remi—so strong and warm—on top of Paige is something she’ll gladly get used to.
Remi slots her thigh between Paige’s legs, pressing against the ache at her center, and she moans.
Remi curses and pulls back. “I’m sorry. We don’t have to do anything more.” Her voice is strained and a little raspy. “Only whatever you’re comfortable with.”
“Remi.” Paige curls her fingers into Remi’s dark hair, making Remi’s eyelids flutter shut in response. “I want this. I want you.”
And she really does. She’s a little nervous, but she’s also never wanted anything like she wants this. Kissing Remi has made her feel more than every single past kiss combined ever has. What could sex with Remi feel like?
Remi doesn’t respond with words, but instead kisses Paige again, hungrier and with more intensity.
Remi’s hand moves to Paige’s belly, her pinky so close to the place where Paige’s shirt has ridden up her stomach.
Despite having a piece of clothing between them, the touch has an inferno raging in her core.
She gasps into Remi’s mouth, and she shudders.
“You are so beautiful,” Remi says against Paige’s cheek before trailing kisses down her face to the column of her neck.
Paige tilts her head, allowing Remi a better angle.
“You have no idea how long I wanted to do this.”
“Yeah?”
“Mhm,” she purrs. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since the moment you stepped foot in the gym.”
Remi can’t be serious. That was almost four months ago. Remi’s fingers sweep lower and graze Paige’s bare skin. The touch makes her jolt and swear.
“But kissing you isn’t all I wanted to do.” Remi nips at Paige’s ear, bringing forth a pleasant sting.
“Is not?” Paige says, because she’s incapable of forming a proper sentence.
“Nope. There are many things I want to do with you.” Remi pulls back to meet her eyes. There’s a hungry gleam in Remi’s expression that makes her stomach swoop.
Remi slowly drags her thumb across Paige’s swollen bottom lip. “I want to take my time with you. I want to hear all the pretty sounds you’ll make when I touch you like this.” Her fingers tease over Paige’s center before moving up, eliciting a sharp inhale from her.
Remi’s eyes darken. “I want to get you undressed and find out how you taste. I want to know what you look like when you’re coming apart under my tongue.”
Remi’s dirty words make her melt into the mattress, her body pliable and ready as it begs for Remi to follow through on her every promise.
She’s had sex before, with four different guys to be exact, but it never felt like this. It was always slightly rushed—one partner choosing to completely bypass all foreplay in favor of a quick in and out—and never so intentional, with so much emphasis on her pleasure.