Gail was in the middle of washing her hands when someone knocked on the bathroom door. "Just a sec," she called, reaching for the towel and drying her hands quickly before grabbing the doorknob.

She rolled her eyes when she found Holly standing on the other side of the door, but stepped to one side to let her in. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked—except she knew what Holly was doing and, if she was being honest, she had kind of been hoping for a scenario like this when she'd excused herself to go to the bathroom a few minutes before.

"Oh, shut up," Holly muttered fondly, wrapping her arms around Gail's waist and tugging her close.

Gail looped her arms around Holly's neck and sank into her, sighing softly as their bodies molded together seamlessly. "Your parents will absolutely know what we're doing if we don't go back soon."

Holly shrugged, looking unconcerned, and leaned close, brushing her lips teasingly against Gail's—almost a kiss but not quite. "Don't care."

Gail gave her a look that she hoped seemed stern. "Well, you might not care if your parents think they've raised a sex-crazed lunatic, but I for one am trying to make a good first impression."

"Oh, baby," Holly murmured, her smile softening at the edges, "you already have. Now shut up and let me kiss you properly."

Before Gail could respond, Holly's mouth covered hers. Gail groaned softly into the kiss, feeling her body come alive under Holly's touch. She parted her lips, sighing in satisfaction at the first slide of Holly's tongue against her own. She pressed closer and pushed her hands into Holly's dark curls, deepening the kiss.

When they finally pulled away for breath, they both were panting, pupils wide and dark. Gail shivered as Holly ran her hands up her back and down again, teasing her fingers beneath the waistband of Gail's pants.

"God, you feel so good," Gail groaned, pressing her face to Holly's shoulder and shuddering helplessly.

"Mmm, you too," Holly breathed.

"What are you doing to me?" Gail said, lifting her head to meet Holly's eyes. "I'm going soft and it's your fault."

Holly chuckled and leaned forward to nip at Gail's full lower lip, before running her tongue along the faint red spot she'd left behind. "Heaven forbid."

"Gail Peck is not soft," Gail informed her. "Gail Peck is prickly and…and mean!"

"Oh, shush," Holly said, pressing a hard kiss to her lips. "And don't worry, you're still plenty annoying."

Gail swatted at her shoulder, looking indignant. "How dare you."

Holly only smiled and kissed her cheek and her forehead and each of her closed eyelids. Gail melted into her, couldn't help it, until a thought suddenly occurred to her and she reared back again, meeting Holly's gaze with wide eyes. "Is this what it's like to be in love?"

Holly laughed. "Yes, dummy. You're just now realizing this? When you fall in love, your brain goes a little crazy. Serotonin and dopamine are flying all over the place."

"Okay, nerd, cut the sciencey talk."

Holly smiled and kissed Gail again, loving her all the more for her huffiness. "You're high on love, babe."

Gail considered that. "So in a few months I'll be back to my normal, prickly self?"

"Probably," Holly said. "You'll go back to being the Gail who told me I smelled bad and made fun of my clothes and called me 'Lunchbox'." She tightened her arms around Gail's waist, her mouth brushing along Gail's jaw and slightly parted lips. "The Gail I fell in love with."

Gail smiled and pressed a firm kiss to her lips. "Good. Because I've got a reputation to uphold."

Holly edged them backwards until Gail's back hit the wall. Holly swept her hands underneath Gail's loose top, her fingers brushing the edges of her breasts. Gail shivered, and pressed against Holly, her body already tingling with the first whispers of release.

"Holly," she breathed against her girlfriend's mouth. "We have to stop."

"I want you," Holly growled, pressing closer, her lips trailing down the smooth skin of Gail's neck.

Gail's eyes fluttered shut, her hips rocking into Holly's. "God," she gasped. "I want you too, but…not here."

Holly paused, her face pressed to Gail's neck. "You're right," she sighed. "Later."

"Yes," Gail said, just as breathless. "Later."

—

Holly left the bathroom first and Gail waited a couple minutes before walking outside. As soon as she stepped into the hallway, she nearly slammed into Holly's younger sister, Sam.

"Oh, Sam, sorry," Gail said, reaching out automatically to steady the younger woman. "I was just—"

"I know you and Holly were getting it on in there," Sam said, hooking her thumb towards the bathroom door.

Gail blinked at her, completely flabbergasted and at a loss for words. "I, uh…we…"

Sam rolled her eyes. "I really couldn't care less and, don't worry, I won't tell anybody. But I…"

Sam's bravado seemed to evaporate before Gail's eyes. She dropped her eyes to the floor and shuffled a little self-consciously. "I actually, um…I wanted to ask you something."

"Okay," Gail said slowly.

"I, well, I was wondering how you…knew."

"Knew what?" Gail asked.

"Knew you were gay," Sam said. Before Gail could answer, she rushed ahead, "Because, like, I've been with guys before and it was okay. But lately I've been…just…wondering. And Holly mentioned how you'd never been with a woman before her, so I thought…" She trailed off and looked at the floor again, her cheeks flaming pink.

"Look, Sam," Gail said. "I'm probably not the person to ask. I don't even know if I'm gay."

"But you're with Holly!"

"I am," Gail said. "I fell in love with Holly and she happens to be a woman. That's how I see it. Why does the rest even matter?"

Sam considered this for a second. "Good point. So what if I date a woman? Even if I've only ever dated men?"

Gail nodded. "Exactly. If you don't care, then no one else will give a fuck. Except for homophobic assholes and they don't count."

Sam grinned. "Does Holly yell at you when you curse too?"

"No," Gail said. "But I'm not her baby sister."

"I'm not a baby," Sam all but growled.

Gail rolled her eyes and patted the younger woman on the back. "Uh-huh."

"Are you going to tell Holly I talked to you? I almost talked to her, but she's always just known she was a lesbian so it's different."

Gail nodded. "I get that. But I probably will tell her. I'm a terrible liar. Especially around your sister. She sees right through me."

Sam nodded in sympathy. "Yeah, she does that to me, too."

"C'mon, let's re-join the party," Gail said. She stepped past Sam and headed towards the living room, shaking her head at the irony that she had weirdly intense conversations with both of Holly's sisters. It made her happy, knowing they seemed to trust her.

As the thought occurred to her, she rolled her eyes in exasperation. She was totally going soft and it was all Holly's fault.

—

When Gail and Sam walked into the living room, they found everyone huddled around the television. Gail stopped next to Holly and pressed a quick kiss to her lips when the brunette turned to greet at her.

"Hey, babe," Holly murmured softly, leaning in to nuzzle Gail's neck.

"Heya, nerd," Gail returned with a grin. "What's going on?" she asked, tilting her head towards the TV.

"Snowstorm," Holly said, sounding unconcerned. "How would you feel about sleeping here tonight?"

"But you have four-wheel drive," Gail pointed out.

Holly cast a quick glance at her mother, who was watching the weather report with avid attention. "Try telling that to my mom. She already told me we have to stay. It's basically a lost cause."

Gail didn't really mind sleeping over at the Stewart house. But she would mind if Holly's parents insisted on them sleeping in separate bedrooms. This was the twenty-first century, after all, and she planned on having sex with her girlfriend tonight, come hell or high water.

She leaned close to Holly, her mouth brushing the shell of her ear. "I'm fine with staying," she murmured. "But only if I get to hold you tonight."

Holly grinned down at her. "Deal. My bedroom didn't get much action during high school. Maybe we can fix that?"

Gail smiled and pressed a fleeting kiss to Holly's lips. "I think that can be arranged."

—

Sorry that this chapter took a little longer than the others. I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think, and come say hi to me on my tumblr!

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