Linguini had been emaciated and scared, but overall, she had been in fairly good health. And really, what should Hallie have done? Let that little angel spend a lonely night in a kennel when all she really needed was some love?
Had she mentioned how pathetic Linguini had looked?
Maybe it was something about the lost, scared look in Linguini’s eyes that had stirred something in Hallie. The dog didn’t have that look anymore, but Hallie knew what it was like to feel powerless.
And if she’d thought that Brynn would be the voice of reason and tell her that it was a premature decision, she’d been sorely mistaken. Because Brynn had come home from work a few hours later with more food, toys, and dog accessories than Linguini would probably use in an entire year. The dog-sized clothing had arrived days later in the mail.
Clearly, Brynn’s love extended to any creatures that Hallie decided needed to be brought into the fold.
She was rinsing out her shampoo when the shower curtain was pulled to the side. Brynn joined her, like she sometimes did, and Hallie’s body immediately softened against her girlfriend’s warm skin. “Didn’t want to take your extra hour of sleep?”
Hallie was still training Brynn’s replacement, which meant that she needed to be up earlier every day. And sure, she’d miss working so closely with Brynn, but when she’d brought up the idea to Hallie six weeks ago about an opening in fundraising at the humane society, Hallie had immediately been excited for her.
Because there was nothing more that Brynn loved than helping. Children. Animals. Wayward inn managers.
Something about it had just felt so right that Hallie had texted Reese immediately, letting her know that they needed to start looking for another manager. Thankfully, the process had only taken a few weeks. And the humane society was ecstatic to have Brynn, especially since she wasn’t exactly the type of person who was there for a paycheck.
“I missed you,” Brynn finally answered between peppering kisses down Hallie’s neck, which caused Hallie to sigh.
And yeah, Hallie knew the feeling. Another one of the paradoxes. The missing, even sometimes when they were together. The feeling that their love, which had only grown stronger, was so encompassing that it wasn’t possible for her body to hold all of it inside. It would float out, and Hallie would sense that there was more somewhere, even if she was filled to the brim with adoration and awe and all of the emotions on the good side of the feelings wheel.
“You’re going in today?” she asked as Brynn picked up the body wash and squeezed some in her hands. She started to lather Hallie’s back, rubbing in light circles.
“I was thinking that I could take Linguini if you’re okay with it. She can hang out with me in my office. And I can come home early, so we’ll both be here when you’re done with work.” Brynn worked from home some days, in the second bedroom that they’d converted into an office, but for the most part, she liked to go to the facility. Probably because she got to hang out with dogs instead of people.
Hallie turned her head so that she could look Brynn in the eye. “Do you think that will be traumatic for her? What if she thinks she’s getting sent back there?”
Brynn laughed and wrapped her soapy hands around Hallie’s torso, their bodies sliding together. “I think she’s a smart girl,but if you don’t like the idea, we don’t have to. I know that we’re all still adjusting.”
Which, in some ways, was technically true. But Linguini had already embedded herself into their life so seamlessly that, just like Brynn, it was like Hallie had always been meant to find her.
Hallie sighed. “No, it’s a really good idea. I don’t want to let my fear hold Linguini back from living life to the fullest.”
“The socialization will probably be good for her,” Brynn fairly pointed out.
Hallie side-eyed the love of her life. “She socializes with us.”
That only made her squeeze Hallie more tightly, and their bodies jostled when Brynn laughed. “You’re right. That’s absolutely my mistake.”
“Linguini fits in with our family. She loves to snuggle. She’s nervous around strangers. And she thinks that sweaters are the best clothing in the world.”
She was expecting Brynn to laugh. Instead— “Our family?” Brynn repeated, her voice full.
“Well, yeah,” Hallie stated without reservation. “You, me, and Linguini. We’re a family.” It was something that she’d voiced in her head frequently, but she hadn’t realized till now that she hadn’t said it out loud.
“I like that.” The breathy, pleased tone in Brynn’s voice made Hallie’s stomach swoop low at the same time that Brynn’s hands started to find their focus, trailing their fingertips back and forth across Hallie’s abdomen, below her belly button.
The wanting, even after months, hadn’t abated. If anything, it was growing stronger. Every day they spent together. Every new memory that they created. Hallie was falling deeper and deeper.
“Fuck,” she breathed out as Brynn’s fingers slid down to her entrance. Her other hand started to pluck at Hallie’s nipple, rolling the hard bud around.
“I love you, and I love our life.” Hallie would have believed her, anyway, but she really felt those words in this moment as Brynn’s fingers found her already wet entrance. Like, embarrassingly wet. She slid two fingers inside, coating them before pulling them out and focusing her attention on Hallie’s clit.
Hallie was powerless to do anything except brace her hands against the wall and spread her legs open wider, just to make sure that Brynn had all the access that she needed. There was nothing that she loved more than being owned by Brynn in this way, except for giving the same back in return.
She felt the press of Brynn’s chest against her back, the way that Brynn’s arm bracketed their bodies so that they were moving as one. And fuck, did being able to feel Brynn’s hard nipples against her skin and to grind her ass against Brynn’s pussy ratchet up the desire that was already careening through Hallie. Brynn and her exponential learning curve had learned how to play Hallie like a fiddle, and she was already feeling an orgasm building as Brynn massaged her clit in a focused, precise circle.
Brynn started to grind her hips into Hallie harder, her fingers picking up an aggressive pace. “Hold yourself against the wall,” Brynn commanded.
