Girlfriend.
Last year, the thought of calling any woman that would have sent me running for the hills. Now, with Lily, the word filled me with an overwhelming affectionate possessiveness.
However, I was trying not to push her too fast, too soon. This wasn’t about the instant gratification of the best sex ever. It was about reassuring Lily that I wanted her in a very permanent way.
Since we were both extremely busy with the last semester of school, we’d decided we’d study and work on our dissertations together. That way, we could easily spend our breaks with each other.
Lily dug into her kung pao chicken, her long silky hair tied up into a messy knot. She was making “yummy” noises that were driving me crazy. I couldn’t stop staring at her, marveling at thefact that she was here with me. That I’d somehow, incredibly, managed to talk this amazing woman into giving me a second chance.
She looked up from beneath her lashes and swallowed a bite of food. “You’re staring again.”
“You’re stare-worthy.” I shrugged, taking another bite. I observed the necklaces nestled between her breasts. Next to the book pendant January gave her was my diamond lily. I gave it back to her yesterday and she put it on right away. Lily then gave me my belated Christmas present—a vintage Stephen SpielbergEmpire of the Sunfilm poster. It was framed and everything. I knew how expensive those things could get, so I was very moved that Lily had spent her hard-earned cash on something so thoughtful for me.
We spent the entire day after my public declaration of love catching up with each other and what we’d been up to for the past month. There was more apologizing, some kissing and petting, but nothing more, even though I was desperate for her.
Suddenly, Lily reached out with her free hand to stroke my cheek. “You shaved.”
“Had a bit of a grizzly bear thing happening.”
“I quite liked it.”
“Really?”
She grinned, her dimples appearing. “I did. I also like you with a bit of scruff. You look all rugged and sexy unshaven.”
Pleasure filled me. “Oh really?”
“Hmm.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“You do that.” Lily cocked her head in thought, the hair on top of her head bobbing adorably. “Would you rather spend every minute of every day shaving or never be able to shave again?”
Being invited back into Lily’s Would You Rather discussions felt symbolic, so I took the question seriously. “Never shave again.”
“Wouldn’t you constantly trip on your beard?”
“Well, if I choose to spend every minute of every day shaving, then that means I never, ever get to make love to you again … so I’d rather never shave and you could braid my beard into weird and wonderful creations.”
Her eyes glittered flirtatiously. “Who’s to say I’d be attracted to a man with a very long beard?”
“Are you saying your attraction to me is entirely dependent on my appearance?” I teased.
She laughed and shook her head. “You know it’s not. I’ll braid your beard, Gandalf.”
I gave her a nod of imperious thanks. Then asked, “Would you rather write a dissertation for the rest of your life or listen to ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’ every day for eternity?” I’d learned over the holiday season that Lily couldn’t stand the Jackson Five Christmas track.
“That’s just cruel.” She let out a heavy sigh. “Dissertation.”
“Really? You hate it that much?”
“Aye, I hate it that much.”
Chuckling, I took another bite and murmured around the mouthful, “Good to know.”
“Would you rather eat vomit for the rest of your life or embarrass yourself and your girlfriend with romantic declarations in a public place?” Lily asked with a straight face. Then she snickered like a five-year-old. “Oh, I’m sorry, you already did the latter.”
“I am never going to live that down, am I? And thank you for mentioning vomit while we’re eating kung pao chicken.”
