“Yeah,” Camila says, snapping herself out of it. “We absolutely can.”
Back at Camila’s house, Valeria quickly realizes they cannot. When they got to Camila’s, they changed into their pajamas, and that’s when everything got harder.
“Why would you do that to me?” Camila asks, her eyes wide as they trace down Valeria’s body.
She’s wearing a satin button-down shirt and matching shorts—which, okay, Valeria did pick out with Camila in mind. She could have grabbed sweats and a T-shirt, but she wanted to look cute for her. She didn’t choose it with any ulterior motive—at least, not consciously.
Valeria’s cheeks heat up, suddenly aware of how the soft fabric clings to her.
Camila bites her lip, tilting her head slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. “You’re really testing my self-restraint,” she growls, voice low.
But Camila isn’t the only one being tested. Camila is wearing a pair of black sweats and a cropped band T-shirt that cuts off mid-abdomen, and it’s undoing Valeria piece by piece. The bare strip of skin is already more than enough tohold her attention, her gaze locked there, waiting—hoping—for any movement that might make the fabric inch higher, reveal a little more of Camila. Even when it doesn’t, every shift, every breath, every careless stretch, sets her on fire with the possibility.
At some point in the night, they both stop pretending to be paying attention to the show they put on, and just stare at each other, waiting for any new patch of skin to be revealed.
“I can’t do this anymore,” Camila says, the words coming out strained, almost breathless, as she abruptly stands and disappears into her bedroom.
Valeria barely has time to wonder what she means before Camila’s back, arms full of an oversized throw blanket.
“Stand up, please,” she says. Valeria does.
Camila steps closer and wraps Valeria up. She turns her gently, tucking her in until Valeria is completely cocooned, immobilized, and warm. Camila pulls her in against her chest, holding her there. Valeria’s breath catches. Camila’s arms are solid around her, her heartbeat pressed right against Valeria’s chest, matching her own, fast and uneven.
“Much better,” Camila says with a warm smile, helping Valeria to her seat on the couch before leaning in to kiss her cheek, but she leans in a little too far right, and her lips graze the corner of Valeria’s mouth instead.
Valeria freezes.
Her heart slams so violently that she knows Camila must hear it pounding in her ears. For a moment, neither of them moves. Camila is so close that Valeria can feel the heat of her breath. The citrus-sweet smell of her shampoo plays with her senses.
They’re inches apart, suspended in a moment. Valeriathinks distantly that it’s probably a good thing she’s all wrapped up—if she weren’t, if she had even an inch more freedom, she’d give in. She’d throw her arms around Camila and pull her close.
Since that almost kiss, Valeria hasn’t been right. Her thoughts won’t stay where they belong. They have had to restart the same episode three times already, the same opening scene looping again and again because Valeria can’t focus—can’t breathe—can’t stop watching Camila do literally anything.
Camila drinks water, and Valeria’s attention follows the tilt of her head, the slow line of her throat as she swallows. Camila absently twists a strand of hair around her finger, and Valeria can’t stop watching it twirl.
She tells herself to look away, but she can’t. Valeria genuinely thought this whole “slow” thing would be easier.
“Camila?” Valeria says, voice low.
“Yeah?” Camila says, turning toward her.
“Do you think us going slow is silly?”
Camila sits up a little straighter. She frowns, eyebrows knitting together. “No? Why?”
“I don’t know.” Valeria picks at a loose thread in her blanket, already regretting asking. “We’re clearly into each other. Does it make sense to go slow when it’s clear we’re both struggling on day one?”
Camila shrugs, but it’s a thoughtful one, not dismissive. “I think it makes sense. Honestly, I’ve never done slow before. I usually go headfirst into whatever my feelings are telling me to do.” She pauses, considering that. “So maybe this is ... good. Different. You wanted time, right? To explore this without it feeling rushed because of your breakup. To make sureyou’re into me.”
There’s a small sting there, though Camila says it gently, but it lands regardless, right beneath Valeria’s ribs.
“I didn’t want to go slow because I wasn’t sure if I was into you,” Valeria says quickly. “Which, for the record, I am; there’s no doubt in my mind about that.”
“Then is it because you think it’s too soon?”
Valeria draws in a slow breath. “I guess, but also, part of it is letting more time pass so you can’t question us being together.”
Camila’s brows furrow again. “What do you mean?”
