She runs her hands up my back until they’re hanging over my shoulders. Our mouths slant and we mumble calming noises in our mingling breaths. My tongue sneaks between her lips for one circle of her tongue right before we begin to part, only to quicklymagnetize back into another kiss. Finally, we pull away, with our lips gently tracing the other.
“I couldn’t wait so I sat on your steps,” she whispers.
I drag my thumb up the line of her cheekbone. “I noticed. It’s a good way to arrive home, to be honest.”
“I’m not sure what happens next.” She captures my thumb between her teeth before planting a kiss on my thumbprint.
“I’ve been on a plane all afternoon. Let me shower and we can talk after. You can wait in my bed.”
Hailey retreats her head back, her lips in one line, attempting to keep her smile locked away. “Ah, I see how it is. We’re going straight to that part.”
My long finger lands on her lips to shush her. “One, talking after reunion sex is always a great way to communicate. Two, I don’t exactly expect you to leave my bed tonight, so you might as well get comfortable. Three, when I say wait in bed then you wait in bed.” I’m half-joking.
She croaks a laugh and blows my finger away. “I can speak and decide for myself, thank you very much… just so happens thatIwant to do all of those things. That’s becauseIwant to, not because Oliver is demanding.” She’s teasing me, and I can get used to this.
“But seriously, give me five minutes or just join me in the shower,” I suggest.
“I think you know that answer.”
And two minutes later we are standing under the stream of hot water with my bathroom steaming up. We face one another with our bodies pressed together and her smile permanently painted on her lips.
“Is this where we are having our conversation?” Her voice floats, echoing in the shower.
I swipe water through my hair as if this is a normal shower, even though there is a woman right in front of me who I get to have for another night.
“Where shall we begin? The part where for a long time I’ve done things to you in my head that even I couldn’t get myself out of jail for, and I’m a damn good lawyer.”
“You’re not a defense lawyer,” she deadpans before she grabs the bottle of shampoo.
“Feisty,” I retort.
She flashes me a look of feigned annoyed. “I meant the discussion about the reality of our situation.”
I sigh as I switch my demeanor to being more serious. “Your brother is away on his honeymoon for three more weeks,” I remind her again.
Hailey focuses on rubbing suds on my chest. “And? What about when he returns?”
“I’m not sure, but he doesn’t need to discover our new dynamic, not now. We’ll figure out our direction in our own time.” I’m a little scared my choice of words lacks optimism.
But then she nods once. “Agreed. We can do that. I also think it’s better that we don’t tellanyonethat we’ve entered fuck-buddy territory.” My eyes gawk at her choice of words, and she notices. “We don’t have a label, okay? It’s hard to title it. But we can keep it quiet. Esme knows about the road trip, but she has no clue about the wedding night or the fact that I’ve been waiting on your step.”
“Likewise for Keats. Plus, I’m not particularly fond of the idea of both of them watching from the sidelines giving commentary.”
She bubbles a laugh. “Even when you and I were platonic they gave their views. But yes, let’s not give them more ammunition.”
“Then there is the neighbor factor,” I add to our list while I rub her slick back with soap, causing her to be tightly glued to my body.
“We live on opposite ends of the street. We’ll just get creative on sneaking around. I haven’t jumped fences since I was twenty and needed to escape a party, but I’m sure I still have that skill in me.”
I study her for a second. “Do I want to know that story?”
“No.” She’s blunt.
A calm silence fills the air as we look at one another, our eyes in a trance, the smell of mountain-fresh shampoo wafting to our noses and our bodies slippery.
“Now, tell me about your bed? I’ve never been in your room. Is the mattress up to my high standards? How’s the thread count of your sheets?” Here is entertaining Hailey which means we can close the serious discussion and move on.
I walk her back against the tile wall, hooking my hand under knee to raise her leg, and I encourage her to keep it right where I want it and create the perfect opportunity for me to drive straight into her. She flinches but her face remains coy, right until I give her an open-mouthed kiss.
