“Nope. I only dateyou. But I know how much you want this, so I’m not letting amazingly perfect sex get in the way, even though it’s a huge sacrifice for me.”
Larissa laughed and asked, “Just for you?”
“Well, I hope not,” Harlow replied as her hands cupped Larissa’s ass. “Can I eat while I’m getting ready for work?”
“Sure. I can try breakfast in bed another time,” she said. “Even though you’re moving out, I have a feeling that you’ll be staying over a lot, so I’ll get my chance.”
“Aboutthat…” Harlow said.
“About what?”
“I hope it doesn’t make you too upset, but I kind of lied to you yesterday.”
Larissa pulled back a bit, lowered her arms from around Harlow’s neck to her collarbones, and asked, “About what, exactly?”
“I didn’t go to the apartment to turn in the money for my new place.”
“You didn’t?”
Harlow shook her head.
“Why not?”
“So, here’s the thing… While I wanted my own place mostly because I didn’t want to keep being a burden on my best friend, I was also starting to feel like I was never going to tell you that I wanted more than friendship, and it was getting harder to be here andnotbe more. So, I found that place, and it’s great. It’s right by the office, has all the amenities, but the guy pissed me off yesterday. It’s their system’s fault, but he needsmeto run over there by six to give him the money, or he’s going to give the apartment to someone whocando that. I just sat at my desk thinking about how I didn’t like that because the system could be fixed the next day, and I would not have to drop by on a timeline he set. And if there’s an issue on rent days, and that’s their approach to things, am I now expected to skip work once a month to deliver them a check myself? Then, I started to think about how wearedating now, and how it might not seem like a big deal, but an hour one way on agoodtraffic day can get tiring. I know; I’ve been doing it since I started staying here. On bad days, when there are accidents, it’s much worse, and once you’re teaching again, your schedule is going to be different from what it is now. It’ll be harder for you to get to me, and I want to see you, Larissa. I want to see you all the time.”
Larissa smiled at her and replied, “Me too, babe.”
Harlow smiled back at her, and Larissa knew it was because that was the first time that she’d used that term of endearment.
“So, I told the guy that I wasn’t interested anymore. He wasn’t happy, but I don’t want to be that far from you when we’re just starting out. Besides, I don’t even know if I’ll keep my job. They haven’t promoted or hired people in a while, and you know I’m really bored there.”
“I know,” Larissa replied, placing her hand between Harlow’s breasts.
“I just didn’t want it, but I didn’t know how to tell you that it looks like I might be staying here a little longer over the phone, so I thought I’d tell you in person. Then, we…”
“Kissed?” Larissa said with a smile.
“Well, we didmorethan kiss – I’m standing naked in your kitchen.”
“You can stay here as long as you want; you know that, Harlow.”
“I know. I just don’t know that Ishould.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m standing naked in your kitchen,” Harlow replied with a laugh and rubbed Larissa’s back up and down. “We just started dating, and we already have about thirteen years of history here. I was thinking I could look for a place that’s between here and my office, like you suggested initially. I can find something that’s off the highway and makes it easier to get here or there instead of being a pain. You could stay with me whenever, and I could stay here whenever, but it would make it easier some days, at least.”
It was strange because when Harlow had first told her that she wasn’t moving into that apartment, Larissa had silently cheered, having had the same worries about seeing one another that Harlow clearly had, but the next feeling she had was a combination of fear and happiness. The fear was there becauseshe thought Harlow might just ask to move in with her, since Larissa herself had already made that suggestion before they started the new phase of their relationship, but the excitement, oddly enough, was for the same reason. She wanted Harlow to move in with her and not sleep in the guest room. God, she wanted that more than she realized it right up until this moment. She was also terrified because they just started this, and moving too fast could put too much pressure on them. So, as much as she loved the idea of sharing this home with Harlow, she didn’t know if she trusted it to be a good one just yet.
“Sounds like a good idea to me,” she chose to say and smiled at Harlow. “But can we make a deal?”
“A deal?”
“Yes. While you’re staying here, you’re in my room. No more guest room,” she said. “I know it’s unrealistic for us to have every night together once you find a new place and I’m teaching, and my schedule is crazy, but every night until you move and every night you’re here after that, you’re with me in my room.”
“Yeah, of course,” Harlow replied and kissed her forehead. “Now, let’s eat this amazing breakfast before I have to hop in the shower. And you can hop in with me, but only if you agree to behave.”
“I can behave.” She chuckled. “It’ll be hard, but I can behave. We can just leave at the same time. I need to get to campus soon, anyway, before the rooms fill up for the day. I forgot to reserve one.”
