“Go inside.”
“Why? So I can be reminded that she’s not here? Jesus, Michael. I get that you think I fucked up, but when did you become such a goddamn—”
“Aspen, I need you to hit pause on the dramatics and listen to what I’m telling you: get your ass in the airport right the fuck now.”
She whirled around to glare at the airport in question, prepared to absolutely fucking unleash all her hurt and anger and frustration on him, but the tirade got lost somewhere between her brain and her mouth because Eve was sprinting out of the terminal like the building was on fire, and making a beeline right for her. “Holy shit. Eve…”
“Ah, never mind, then,”Michael laughed.“Go get your girl, cuz. We’ll talk more later.”
Aspen barely heard him as she dropped her phone in her pocket and took off toward Eve, who launched herself into her arms with a sob. Her heart felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest as Eve’s momentum sent her stumbling back two steps. Still, she didn’t let go. She’d never let go again. “You’re here,” she muttered, still not quite believing it even though she held Eve in her arms. “You’re really here.”
“I am.” Eve choked out a watery laugh, her hands visibly shaking as they lifted to tenderly cradle Aspen’s jaw. “I just couldn’t—” Her voice broke off, and she caressed Aspen’s cheeks with her thumbs. “I love you, and I just couldn’t—”
Aspen cut her off with a slow, deep, exquisitely tender kiss that trembled under the weight of her emotions. Eve was really here. She was her in her arms and somehow, miraculously, she loved her, too. “God, Eve…” She nuzzled Eve’s cheek, the last vestiges of her heartache forgotten as clear blue eyes blinkedslowly open as if waking from a dream to stare into her soul. “I love you too.”
A tremulous smile quirked Eve’s lips. “You love me?”
“I do,” Aspen murmured. Her heart squeezed at the way Eve’s smile solidified and widened at the reassurance, and she kissed her softly. “So much.” A delighted whoop escaped her as she tightened her hold on Eve’s waist and whipped her into a joyous spin, and she sighed as she slowed to set Eve back on her feet. The joy dancing in Eve’s eyes made her feel like she was flying, and she made a vow to herself then and there that she would do everything in her power to make Eve smile like that every day for the rest of her life.
Eve’s fingers played lightly at the back of Aspen’s neck as she held her gaze. “What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?”
Aspen smiled and shook her head. She may have fallen hopelessly in love over a long weekend, they could take things a little slower on their way to forever. “I love you.”
Eve’s answering smile was pure sunshine and radiance. “I love you.”
Aspen hummed and smoothed her hands over Eve’s hips. “I can’t believe you’re really here.”
Eve laughed. “I am.”
“But what about your show?”
“I can prep for it here just as easily as in New York. I…” Eve licked her lips, a hint of nerves pinching the corners of her eyes. “I can work anywhere. And I want to be where you are.”
“Even if that’s here?”
Eve’s fingers tightened on the back of Aspen’s neck as she nodded. “Yes, Aspen.” Laughter danced in her eyes. “Even if it’s here in Aspen.”
Aspen rolled her eyes fondly as she allowed the press of Eve’s fingers to guide their lips together. “We’re gonna need to movesomewhere else just so you can’t keep making those jokes, aren’t we?”
“Maybe,” Eve chuckled as she kissed her softly. “But we don’t need to rush. We have time to figure it all out.”
“Time,” Aspen sighed as she angled her head to chase after Eve’s lips.
“A lifetime’s worth, if I have anything to say about it,” Eve murmured.
Aspen smiled. “I really love the sound of that.”
Four months later…
“So, not to, like, question your intent as the artist or anything…”
Eve looked up from the duvet that she’d been carefully arranging into a perfectly rumpled mess at the sound of Aspen’s voice, and watched, suddenly breathless, as she sauntered out of the bathroom in a fitted white tank and a pair of low-slung jeans that looked like they’d been painted on her. It’d been a blessing that Aspen’s schedule aligned with hers in a way that allowed them to travel to London together while she was teaching a photography seminar—not just for this view, or what they were about to do, but because the idea of spending even a few short weeks away from Aspen was still enough to make her cry.
“…but why do I need to wear this if I’m just gonna be taking it off?”
The glint in Aspen’s eyes said she knew exactly why, but Eve played along, licking her lips slowly in the way she knew drove her wild as she gave her a thorough once-over. Her stomach fluttered at the way Aspen’s nipples stiffened against the thin fabric of her tank as she ogled her, and she bit her lip as she reached out to grab her by the belt loops and yank her closer.
She smirked at the way Aspen whimpered as she rubbed upagainst her, and nuzzled her cheek to tease her with the promise of a kiss as she murmured, “Because I like the way you look in it,” against her lips.
