CHAPTER 35 #2
“As much as I would love that – and trust me, I would – I do not have the energy to have sex right now. We’ve had sex every night this week. You’ve exhausted me in the best way, and I need at least six hours of sleep tonight.”
“So, does that mean my chances at morning sex are also zero?” Stella teased.
“I didn’t say that.” Violet kissed her. “But I feel like I might have distracted us from my first point.”
“The girlfriend point,” Stella said with a nod.
“Yes, that one.”
“It’s only been a few weeks. Technically, only one where we were actually dating.
Are you sure? We can go as slowly as you need to, Vi.
I don’t want to rush anything here. I know how we started might make that statement seem like a lie, but it’s not.
I want this with you. I don’t want anyone else, but–”
“Honestly, out there, it did just kind of slip out,” she admitted, wrapping her arms around Stella’s neck.
“Oh, okay. We can just keep dating. I–”
“Stella, hold on.” She chuckled a little. “I was trying to explain; that’s all.”
“Oh,” Stella repeated and looked at her expectantly.
“Out there, it was an accident. But in here, it’s very much deliberate, okay?” Violet pressed her forehead against Stella’s. “You are my girlfriend. I don’t want anyone else, either.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she confirmed. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a girlfriend, though, so you might have to help me out a little here.”
“No problem,” Stella replied. “So, now that we’ve said that we only want each other and that we’re together, we kiss.
It’s going to be one of those long, slow kisses, like at the end of a movie.
Then, I’m going to move us to the bed, where I’ll get on top of you, and we’ll continue to make out until our lips get so swollen that we have to stop.
We’ll change into our pajamas, I’ll put on the show for us, and we’ll snuggle up.
I’ll be behind you, with you leaning back into me, and we’ll talk through the show because we’re alone and we can, and we’ve seen it a million times.
After that, we’ll brush our teeth, take care of everything else that we need, and we’ll go to sleep.
I’ll hold you until you eventually get too hot and push me away.
” Stella smiled, and even though Violet’s eyes were closed, she could still feel it.
“Then, tomorrow, we’ll wake up together – in fact, we’ll do that at least three to four times a week, if not more – and we’ll go from there. How does that sound?”
“Perfect,” Violet replied with a smile. “Can the kissing start now?”
Stella didn’t answer. Instead, she leaned in and captured Violet’s lips.
◆◆◆
“I thought you were bringing coffee and bagels,” Sarai said the following morning when Violet and Stella walked into the kitchen.
“What? Why did you think that?” Violet asked.
“Arlowe said it last night when we all got home.”
“If Stella and I had stayed at her place, you all would’ve expected us to bring something for the morning meeting, yes. That’s what we were talking about.”
“So, there aren’t any bagels?” Enya asked, walking in behind them.
“No, there–”
“Make way for the hero!” Arlowe said, swiftly moving around Enya and then Stella and Violet before she set a bag of bagels, as well as four coffee cups in a holder, on the kitchen table.
“Did you forget that Stella was joining us today?” Violet asked, worried that Arlowe hadn’t gotten Stella a coffee.
“No, one of those is hers. Mine is still in my car. I grabbed donuts, too, but I couldn’t carry them all in at once. I wasn’t sure if Stella was a donut or a bagel person, and the coffee is just a latte because I didn’t know what you drank. Hopefully, that’s okay.”
“That’s amazing. Thank you,” Stella replied.
“And I got Violet her triple chocolate on top of chocolate with extra sugar and chocolate thing she calls coffee.”
Stella laughed at first, but when she turned and noticed that Violet wasn’t laughing, she stopped immediately.
“What? That was funny.”
Violet tilted her head.
“It wasn’t funny?” Stella asked more than said.
Violet laughed, leaned in, and kissed her.
“You’re cute,” she whispered into Stella’s ear.
“You two had sex this morning, didn’t you? Violet looks flushed.”
“Enya!” Violet laughed.
“I’m going back to the car for my coffee and donuts. Can we start the meeting right after? I haven’t gone to sleep yet, so I’d like to get this over with and take a nap.”
“We’ll carry the bagels and coffee to the garage,” Sarai replied.
They all went about whatever tasks they needed to complete and, a few minutes later, ended up in the garage, where Violet stood by the big monitor and Stella sat next to Sarai.
“Okay,” Violet began. “We’re about to get investment dollars.
Real money. For the first time ever. Which means, we need to act like a business that’s actually had money before and put it to work for us.
We’ve already established our list of priorities, which includes hiring two junior engineers to work remotely and report to Arlowe, giving Sarai a little more marketing cash, and paying for contractors to help Enya with translations, so we’re going to start there, take stock, and then make more decisions.
Today, though, I thought we could focus on what’s important and allow our guest to make a presentation of her own. ”
“Huh?” Stella said with half a donut in hand.
“Yeah. What?” Enya asked.
“We’re going to learn more about a certain television show that’s near and dear to our hearts today.”
“Oh, my God,” Sarai grunted.
“This is important?” Enya asked.
“Very,” Violet said. “Stella, you have the floor.”
Stella laughed and replied, “Let me go get my laptop.”
With Stella out of the garage for a minute, Arlowe said, “I like you with a girlfriend. You’re happy, aren’t you?”
“Yeah. I’m even willing to endure whatever the hell this presentation is about to be because you seem really good, Vi,” Sarai stated.
“I am. I can’t believe it, but I am. She makes me really happy.”
“Let the countdown begin, then,” Enya said.
“Countdown?” Violet asked.
“It was only a matter of time,” Sarai added.
“What are you all talking about?”
“We’re talking about the house, Vi. You’re already over there a lot,” Arlowe reasoned. “You and Stella spend most of your time there, which makes sense because she doesn’t have any roommates, but if you two work out, you would probably move in with her, so we’re on the clock.”
“It really was only a matter of time,” Sarai said.
Violet thought about it, and while it had only been a few weeks, she could see it.
Not tomorrow, and not next month, but she did like the idea of living with Stella one day, assuming they got that far.
And by the look on Stella’s very happy, adorable face when she hurried back into the garage to tell them all why she liked her favorite TV show, they just might.