Sutton’s arm had been slung over her back, and she felt herself continuously shiver as Sutton’s fingers traced invisible patterns over her skin.
Charlotte had so many thoughts spinning in her head in that moment?—
When had Sutton taken such control over her sexuality? Was this just who she was in bed?
It felt so good to get fucked the way she desperately wanted but hadn’t had. On the rare occasion that she hooked up with or, even more rarely, casually dated someone after she’d come out, she couldn’t really let go with them. Even if her body and mind wanted to really befucked, she could never let that control drop fully with anyone else.
It felt so good to be in a warm, comfortable bed. In a warm, comfortable bed that smelled like Sutton.
And it felt so unreasonably good to actually be in bed with Sutton herself.
“You can stay if you want to,” Sutton murmured, her voice taking on a tone that told Charlotte she was very tired. Probably mere minutes away from falling asleep. The cute, drowsy look in her eyes said the same thing.
And the fact that she remembered these things didn’t feel ridiculous, for the first time. They were here in bed together, weren’t they?
“I know you don’t usually—or you didn’t…” Sutton trailed off, moving her hand from Charlotte’s lower back to put it in front of her mouth and attempt to stifle her huge yawn. “So that’s fine, t?—”
“I’ll stay,” she whispered back, nodding her head where it rested on Sutton’s pillow. She missed Sutton’s hand on her back when it became clear that Sutton was keeping it tucked under her chin.
There was a cute little smile on Sutton’s face and a nearly imperceptible head tilt of acknowledgement before she fell asleep.
Sleep didn’t come as easily for Charlotte.
Because it was so easy to remember the moment Sutton had referenced. Charlotte hadn’t really spent the night at Sutton’s place back then, even when Sutton had started sleeping over her house, and on the night she had, she’d “met” Sutton’s sister in what she still thought of as a disastrous introduction.
She’d been so comfortable in Sutton’s bed back then that it had scared her.
And as she lay in Sutton’s bed now, thirteen years later almost to the day, she wished she could shake her younger self. She wished she could tell herself that even though she’d been scared, that right behind that fear wasthis—a comfort and softness that would be there for her at the end of the day. Right behind that fear was a time when Sutton wouldn’t pull her hand away before sleep.
She’d blown out a deep breath, telling herself that upon releasing that breath, she was releasing those regrets and the wants and the missed time. She couldn’t change those things.
She could only exist right here, right now.
And right now was pretty good. She had the career and the track she’d always wanted, and she was in Sutton’s bed.
She’d fallen asleep, then, easily, drifting into one of the most restful sleeps she could remember having, which was also ironic, given that she hadn’t slept in a shared bed since the one she’d shared with Sutton all those years ago.
She’d only woken when Sutton gently shook her, long fingers softly resting on Charlotte’s shoulder. She’d blinked awake, feeling sleepy and pleasantly sore and so ridiculously cozy, snuggled in the warm blankets.
Sutton had been sitting there, showered and dressed and smelling amazing. Her hair was slightly damp still as it fell over her shoulders. There was a sweet, gentle smile on her face that gave Charlotte feelings that somehow matched the comfort she felt physically.
She could only smile back for a few time-blurred seconds because… yes. This was probably the best possible way in the universe to wake up.
“Good morning,” Sutton said, her voice quiet and warm.
Which in itself was a relief, as Charlotte woke up a bit more. Because they’d had sex last night. The last time they’d done that, Sutton had avoided her and wanted to act as if it hadn’t happened. There’d been a small kernel of concern deep inside of Charlotte the night before that something similar might play out this time, too.
It didn’t seem like it would, though.
Especially not as Sutton trailed her fingers softly down Charlotte’s shoulder to her upper arm, seemingly unaware of her own movements.
“Good morning,” she said back, clearing her throat as she pushed herself to sit up against the headboard. She reached up to rub the sleep out of her eyes as she looked at Sutton again, more awake and able to really register what she was seeing. “You’ve already showered.” She turned to look out the windows.
The sun streamed in brightly, which was odd, given that even on weekends, Charlotte never slept in.
“What time is it?”
“Almost ten,” Sutton answered easily, following her gaze to the windows. “It’s supposed to be beautiful out today. I’m meeting my parents and Lucy for brunch at ten thirty, so I have to leave soon… just wanted to wake you up first and see if you wanted a coffee.”
