Guys! Thank you so much for your reviews. You are all wonderful and I'm so glad you like it so far. I'm going to try to get a chapter out every few days from now on. Work has been kind of slow so that makes it easier for me.
The lodge was set up in five different buildings, placed in a grove surrounded by dense forest and the Blue Ridge Mountains. They were seven miles from the nearest town, a distance that allowed complete immersion in the wild. The surroundings were serene and though the lodge grounds were perfectly manicured, they still seemed to be carved straight out of the forest. A little cozy paradise in the midst of nature. Chloe liked it out here. It reminded her of camping with her family in the summer and Girl Scouts summer trips.
When she'd read Aubrey's email detailing her new job it had taken her by surprise. The wilderness and the kind of people who came to it didn't really fit Aubrey's profile. She was more of a ski trip to Aspen, summering on the Cape kind of girl. Now, that she'd seen Aubrey in the environment for herself, it fit. The subtle changes worked for her, making Chloe even more excited for her.
Aubrey's rooms were in a building opposite the guest quarters. Most of the staff lived in town but a few lived on the lodge property out of necessity. It was cozy and you couldn't ask for better views than the one out of the floor to ceiling living room windows. The decor was perfect, very Aubrey. Tasteful and cottage like but with a high end modern flair. The whole place was small and really like a two bedroom apartment than anything.
She opened the door, and sighed. Nothing had changed since she was last here. Colourful yet tasteful paintings and framed posters adorned the walls. The furniture was nice but comfortable and the kitchen was open to the living room, allowing for easy entertaining.
She dropped her keys on the oak side table and walked across the living room to deposit her bag in the bedroom. The bed sat centered against the far wall, a green distressed wood night stand with three different coloured drawers on either side. The bedspread was a light ice blue, a color Aubrey said reminded her of Chloe's eyes.
She smiled as she remembered the last time she was in that bed…
She woke from a deep sleep the best sleep she'd had in years. She felt safe and warm. Snuggling into the body beside her she realized why. Her sleepy eyes blinked open and she saw Aubrey beside her, hair fanned out above her head on the pillow, resplendent in sleep.
The other Bellas had gone back to campus already but Chloe stayed. They needed to talk, not just about Chloe's decision to graduate but about the future in general. There hadn't been much talking after Aubrey had kissed her but that was okay because the physical reconnection had spoken more than words. She reached up, grazing her knuckles along Aubrey's chin and then down under the bed spread onto her naked chest where she rested her hand.
The touch woke Aubrey. She smiled without opening her eyes, she pushed her arms above her head. Chloe smiled in reply, taking in the feel of their bodies twisted around other as Aubrey stretched her body. They were both gloriously naked, a condition that Chloe approved of most fully. "I loved last night," she said.
The capsule of silence broken, Aubrey opened one eye and looked down at Chloe, finished her stretch and settled back into the bed, fully awake now. "It was kind of awesome."
Chloe bit her lip. Four hours was all they had left before she had to leave and she needed to broach the topics they needed to address. Aubrey liked to process and she respected that but she needed some kind of direction. "So, what are we?" The phrase popped out, forced by her anxious mind. "I mean, what do you want?"
Aubrey blinked, her mind still sleep hazed and not ready to take on the heaviness. "Uh," she stumbled.
Chloe frowned and bit her lip, moving her head off of Aubrey's shoulder so that she could look at her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to just kind of spring that on you." She pushed her red waves away from her eyes with one hand and shrugged a freckled shoulder. "I've been thinking about it and I don't exactly know what I'm going to do after graduation yet but one thought I had was getting my masters in Ashville." She looked up, nervous.
Aubrey's face remained impassive and then slowly her lips raised on either side and she laughed, a small choked laugh. It wasn't a humerous laugh, but one of relief. Chloe's raised an eyebrow, and grinned. "Would you be open to that?"
Ashville was close, in fact, it was just seven miles down the road. "Yes, I'd be open to that." Aubrey launched herself at Chloe, rolling her over so that she was straddling her waist. "Are you sure you're not just doing this for me?"
Chloe reached up, settling her hands on Aubrey's hips and squeezing. "I'm doing this mostly for me, a little bit for you, but the part that's for you is also for me so that's okay." Her intentions were to let Aubrey know that she was going to be there fully. They both had some issues with relationships but she knew Aubrey rarely let anyone in. The entire four years at Barden she hadn't dated anyone seriously and only hooked up with a few people. Chloe was her longest running relationship that was anything past friendship.
"I want to move really slow with this. We both need to be comfortable," Chloe said
It was a new side, for Chloe to plan like this. Thought had been given to this speech. Not that Chloe was thoughtless normally, but she went about her affairs driven by emotion in the moment. Aubrey liked things to be structured and that was good for her, but Chloe liked to think her spontaneity helped Aubrey loosen up and enjoy life a little.
"Okay," Aubrey answered.
Chloe could see her processing and she reached out to smooth the furrows that appeared in Aubrey's brow. "I'm not saying I want us to move in together or anything."
Panic flashed in Aubrey's eyes and Chloe giggled, reaching in a gesture of comfort. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."
Aubrey rolled her eyes and sighed, secretly loving Chloe's mischief. "Ever since we started talking a lot again I've been thinking about us." She met Chloe's eyes. "You're the only person I can imagine in my life like that. You're the only person I want.. that I've ever wanted like that. I just need some time." She blinked, holding back emotion. "Can we ease into things. I don't want to lose you, but I can't jump into anything. It's just not…"
"You," Chloe whispered, fondly. She stroked Aubrey's face, smiling faintly. "I know. And I'm one hundred percent willing to go as slow as you need, but I'm not letting you get away without giving us a chance."
"Thank you," Aubrey mouthed and leaned down, her lips hovering over Chloe's.
The front door closed, causing Chloe to jump and drop her bag. How long had she been standing here lost in memories? She had no idea but she was soon surprised further by the feeling of Aubrey's arms encircling her from behind and the feeling of their bodies pressed together. "I thought you'd never get here," Chloe teased.
"Me either," Aubrey said, skipping the small talk and pulling Chloe's hair aside. Her lips met smooth skin and Chloe gasped. "But I'm here now."
Chloe could feel Aubrey's smile against her neck and she knew that they would be okay. They had a shot and they both wanted this. No matter what, she was glad that she had chosen to bring the Bellas here all those weeks ago. For many reasons, the most promising of which was giving love a shot.