Chapter 22

"So, does over-protective little sister approve?" Emily teased as she crashed onto the bed.

Alison shrugged sheepishly, "She seems alright, don't you think?"

"She seems nice," Emily agreed, "And Cece seems to really like her… it's nice seeing that different side to her."

Alison smiled, "It is."

"I hope you didn't lecture her too hard," Emily chuckled.

Alison took her jacket off and joined her girlfriend on the bed, "Only a little. Like you said, I'm basically her sister, it's my job to be protective. I'm all she has."

Emily bit her lip and nodded, "I know," she said quietly.

Alison nodded and put a hand in Emily's hair, "Are you done talking about Cece yet?" she murmured.

Emily grinned, "Sure."

"Unless it's some kind of weird turn on or something," Alison teased.

"Oh haha," Emily rolled her eyes, "You're my only turn on, babe," she pressed her lips to her girlfriends gently.

"Liar," Alison whispered, "I've seen you watch those Beyonce videos," she chuckled.

Emily laughed, "Well, I'm only human, right?"

Alison ran a hand underneath Emily's shirt, "Mm, you are," her hand ghosted over Emily's breast through her bra, "Speaking of turn on's, you look so hot tonight," her hand came down to fiddle with the bottom of Emily's shorts, "These shorts are…"

Emily smirked, "Too short?" she asked innocently.

Alison giggled, "No such thing," she whispered.

Emily grinned, "Oh yeah? Cause you know I was considering jeans – "

"Don't even think about it," Alison growled.

Emily laughed at her girlfriend, "Okay, okay. But winter will come around, you know."

Alison pouted, "Well, I don't care, short shorts all year round!"

"Even if I freeze?" Emily asked.

Alison sighed, "Hmm, I've got ways of keeping you warm."

Emily smiled, "You do?" she asked mockingly, "How might that be?"

Alison leant her lips to Emily's ears, "Would you like me to show you?"

Emily's breath hitched as Alison's hand traced back up her stomach and she nodded, "Well, I am a little cold," she giggled.

"Good," Alison breathed.

Alison ran her fingers underneath Emily's bra. Emily hummed in pleasure. Alison smiled as Emily's eyes fluttered closed. She pinched her girlfriends nipples between her fingers, her smile widening as Emily moaned.

"See, when you're cold… or aroused, your nipples get like this," she fiddled with Emily's taut nipple.

Emily's eyes opened, "Uh-huh."

"So… are you cold or aroused?" Alison whispered.

Emily squirmed, her hand moving to Ali's lower back, "Guess," she whispered huskily.

Alison's lips curved into a smirk, "Your moans tell the story," she winked.

Emily giggled.

Alison's eyes glowed as she leant in and kissed Emily passionately. She ran a hand through brunette hair and then down to behind Emily's ear, pulling her deeper into the kiss, eliciting another moan. Alison grinned as she pulled back, breathless.

Alison traced her lips down Emily's neck, sucking on her collar bone and then her shoulders. Emily's palm ran over Alison's back, between her shoulder blades. Alison's hands found Emily's belt at the same as her lips found her breast. Emily groaned, her fingers combing through Alison's hair lazily. Alison smiled as she sucked on her girlfriend's nipple.

"Alison," Emily breathed.

Alison grinned as she pulled back to look at Emily.

"You're so pretty like this," Alison whispered, kissing Emily's nose with a little giggle, "Your eyes half closed," she murmured, kissing her girlfriends' eyelids, "Your throat making that sexy sound… your lips," she pressed her own against them before licking her lips as she pulled away.

Emily couldn't help grinning and she pulled Alison close, "I love you," she nuzzled her nose into Alison's cheek, whispering in her ear.

Alison smiled as she ran her hand through Emily's hair, "I love you more."

Emily growled, "No way."

Alison chuckled, "Let me show you," she whispered, her eyes hungry as she winked and traced her lips down Emily's body as the brunette nodded.

Emily's eyes glazed over as she tuned out the droning teacher before her. Her gaze lingered on her bag on the floor, wanting to pull her phone out but not daring. Her math teacher was known for confiscating phones.

"Em? Em?"

She looked up, class was over. She'd been so zoned out she hadn't even heard the bell. She grinned sheepishly at Aria, who was looking at her concerned.

"Sorry. I totally zoned out," she admitted.

"I could tell, your eyes were doing that glazing over thing," Aria claimed with a smile, "You wanna borrow my notes?"

Emily bit her lip, "Sure, thanks."

"Can you believe we're only weeks away from graduating?" Aria was saying as they filed out of the classroom, "It's going to be so weird… not coming here every day. Seeing you guys every day."

"Yeah, it is," Emily sighed a little sadly, "Are you… you know, scared at all?"

Aria nodded, "Of course!" she exclaimed, "I mean, I'm excited but terrified. I can't wait to live out of home though but…" she thought for a moment, "Hey, you and Ali are both going to Philly, right?"

"Right," Emily nodded.

"So… are you gonna like live together?" Aria questioned with a squint of her eyes.

Emily bit her lip, "Um, I was wondering the same thing…"

"You haven't spoken about it?" Aria sounded a little surprised.

"No, not exactly," Emily shrugged, "I think I've been kind of scared to bring it up…"

Aria frowned, "Em, you guys are like… serious. You really think she won't be up for it?"

Emily shrugged again, "I don't know," she mumbled, "Sometimes I just… think this is just some perfect dream," she sighed, "I'm scared to believe it's real."

Aria smiled, "But it is, Em," she pressed, "Ali really loves you. We can all see it."

Emily smiled a little, "Yeah… "

Alison swallowed her food, watching Emily push hers absently around her plate. She frowned.

"Everything okay, Em?" she asked, concerned.

Emily faked a smile, "Sure. Dinner okay?"

Alison's frown deepened, "It's great. Cooking lessons with your mum are really paying off," she offered a smile.

Emily nodded, "Great."

Alison put her cutlery down, "Okay, Em, what's going on? Spit it out."

Emily shrugged, "Nothing's going on."

"You're quiet. Even for you. You're barely looking at me and you haven't eaten a single bite," Alison pointed out.

Emily looked at her plate, "You're imagining things."

"Have I done something?" Alison asked, "Has something happened?"

Emily gave up pretending to eat and put her own cutlery down with a heavy sigh, "Can you just drop it?"

Alison was confused, "Em, I'm kind of worried. You're acting really… odd."

"You're over-reacting, Ali. Seriously – "

"Stop lying to me, just – "

"I want to move in with you, okay?" Emily snapped.

Alison blinked, "You…" she laughed.

"Great, this is funny to you?" Emily stood up and walked away.

Alison quickly followed her, "Hey, no it's not funny," she pulled Emily onto the couch, "I mean, it's sort of funny…"

Emily put her head in her hands.

Alison opened the laptop on the coffee table in front of them. She put a hand in Emily's hair.

"Em, look," she said gently.

Emily pulled her head from her hands with a sigh and looked at the laptop screen and then at her girlfriend and then back again.

"I just thought it was like a given," Alison shrugged, "I've been looking at places for weeks, Emily. Of course I want to live with you. I love you."

Emily smiled weakly, "Okay, now I feel like an idiot."

Alison grinned, "You're not. You're a stress-head. You're a bit silly. But you're not an idiot. Well, sometimes you might be an idiot," she chuckled, "But you're my idiot."

Emily rolled her eyes, "So… you found anywhere good?" she grinned.

Alison laughed, "A couple of alright places. I want to find the perfect place for us."

"Anywhere with you is perfect," Emily kissed her girlfriends lips.