“I’d love that,” Camila says with a wide smile.
“Perfect, I’ll come to your house first thing in the morning!”
“You can also come now.” Camila shrugs. “Why wait to do tomorrow what you can do today?” She winks.
Valeria considers her for a moment. Is sleeping over considered going slow? Valeria would argue yes, because she has stayed at Camila’s before. Yesterday, they slept together and were perfect little angels. How much more difficult could this be?
“Could we stop by my house so I can pack a bag?” Valeria asks.
“Of course.”
“Okay, that sounds perfect.”
When they arrive at Valeria’s, she all but sprints out of Camila’s car, running around her house, packing everything she can think of. Even a uniform, in case they do the most lesbian thing ever and keep extending their hangout for days.
A few minutes later, Valeria’s bag is all packed, and she heads back to Camila’s car, sliding into the passenger seat quietly as a woman’s voice sounds through Camila’s speakers.
“Perfect, I’ll see you Tuesday then,” the voice says before hanging up.
“Who was that?” Valeria asks.
“Zoe. She wants to hang out on Tuesday.”
“Oh,” Valeria says as her heart begins to shrink inside her chest.
She knows Camila has stayed in touch with Zoe—they see each other from time to time—but she hadn’t thought Camila might still want tokeepseeing her, and Valeria doesn’t know how to wrap her mind around that.
“Would it bother you that I see her?”
“No, not at all,” Valeria says, fighting the sudden onset of nausea. “I don’t expect exclusivity.” God, even saying that makes Valeria’s ribs grow tight, threatening to cut off her air supply completely. Which truly sounds much better than having to share Camila.
Camila shakes her head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean romantically, but as a friend.” Camila’s hand cups Valeria’s cheek. “I have no interest in getting to know anyone else the way I am you, but I do like Zoe, and I’d like to be her friend."
Valeria’s entire body relaxes, and she holds on to the feeling before she turns to kiss Camila’s palm. “Good, because I struggled to say that,” she says through a breathy laugh.
“I noticed,” Camila teases, before leaning over to kiss Valeria’s cheek, and the brush alone sends a shiver tracing its way down Valeria’s spine, goosebumps erupting on her skin.
“It’ll be just you until you decide you don’t want to continue exploring this thing between us,” Camila says, kissing Valeria’s other cheek. Warmth blossoms in Valeria’s chest, spreading outward like a gentle sun at Camila’s lips against her skin, and the thought of Camila’s attention being wholly on her.
“Impossible,” Valeria tells her as she takes Camila’s hand in hers. “I already can’t get enough of you.”
Camila smiles. “You’re not very good at this going slow thing.”
Valeria laughs. “No, I guess I’m not. Haven’t made it twenty-four hours, and I already want to speed up the timeline and have you all to myself.”
“Well, if you don’t keep us in check, then who will?” Camila says, before kissing Valeria’s hand and looking at her through her eyelashes.
Valeria runs her hand through Camila’s hair. “Maybe having a sleepover wasn’t my best idea.”
“We’re still in your parking lot. I don’t want you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. If you decide to stay, I’ll understand. If you decide to come, I promise to be on my best behavior,” Camila says, placing her hand on the smooth, bare skin of Valeria’s thigh, her thumb circling slowly.
A shiver runs through Valeria. Then, a gasp escapes her, a small, surprised sound. Camila’s eyes snap down to where her hand rests, her cheeks flushing crimson. She quickly pulls her hand away as if it burned, and fidgets with her seatbelt.
“Starting now,” she says, biting her lip.
Valeria knows she should probably stay home, keep herself from temptation, but honestly, common sense left her body hours ago.
“We can do this,” Valeria declares, trying to convince herself as much as she is Camila, who now can’t stop staring at the spot that burns with need on Valeria’s skin.
