Chapter 15

Emily let out a soft sigh as they pulled apart, swaying slightly in place as the kiss left her feeling lightheaded and a little dazed. If the way Paige's eyes fluttered open, and the soft, slow smile tugging up the corners of her lips were any indication, she was feeling the same way.

"Hey." In the past the husky rasp of Paige's whisper had never failed to make Emily's knees go weak. She was happy to discover that hadn't changed.

"Hey." Emily felt her lips turn up in a soft, answering smile. A gentle, quiet moment following as they stared into each others eyes. It was late, and Emily knew she should be heading inside, but she wasn't ready to say goodnight just yet. She got the sense Paige felt the same, from the way she lingered, hands still resting lightly on Emily's waist.

"Did you want to come inside?"

Paige bit her lip, hesitating a moment before answering.

"Very much so, yes," she breathed, her words coming out in a rush. The rawness in her voice, the want in her eyes made Emily shiver. "But, I think I should call it a night and head home." Paige's hands slid from her waist and clasped her fingers instead. "Tonight was absolutely perfect. Exactly what I think we needed for starting over. And I don't want to ruin that by rushing it .As much as I want to...I don't think we..."

"No, you're right." Emily tamped down on her disappointment, knowing that despite her desire, Paige was right and interrupted Paige's halting explanation. She reached up and cupped Paige's face smoothing her thumb across the soft, cool skin of her cheek. "You're a hundred percent right and I shouldn't have asked. I just..."

"Don't want to say goodnight," Paige finished for her when she trailed off. "I know. Believe me, I know." She chuckled softly and Emily couldn't help but follow suit.

Another quiet moment where neither of them made a move or say goodnight followed.

"We're pathetic aren't we? Don't answer that," she warned before Paige had a chance to actually respond. "Hannah was bugging me earlier about acting like a thirteen year old before their first date. I think we're having the equivalent of the hang up, no you hang up conversation."

Paige laughed softly. "As much as I hate to admit it, you're not wrong. We are pathetic. Okay." She took a deep, steadying breath, squaring her shoulders and nodding once. A gesture Emily was well familiar with as Paige setting her resolve.

"Thank you for tonight, Emily," she said, her words oddly formal. "I had a great time."

"Me too."

Paige's lips turned up into a pleased grin. "I'd really like to take you out again sometime. And I know I'm supposed to be cool and wait three days before I call and all that but, are you free tomorrow?"

Emily couldn't help but be charmed by Paige's upfront approach. She had never been one for games, having neither the patience or the temperament to go along with what she felt were useless and arbitrary rules when it came to things like dating. Emily had always found it one of her more endearing qualities. And she was happy to see that it hadn't changed over time.

"For you, I'm wide open. Call me tomorrow and we'll figure something out?"

Paige's grin only got wider. "I can't wait."

Suddenly, Emily couldn't either.

"Guess this means I actually have to go, huh?" Despite her question, Paige made no move to actually leave.

Emily could see Paige's resolve was fading. Though hers was practically non existent, Emily knew it was her turn to be the strong one.

"Yes. It does. I need my beauty sleep if I'm going to see you again tomorrow."

Emily put her hands on Paige's shoulders and turned her gently around, giving her a little shove towards the elevators.

Paige tool a few steps before spinning around. "You're beautiful, Em" She offered up a heartbreakingly sweet smile before turning and disappearing around the corner. Emily lingered in the hallway until she heard the doors slide shut, then headed inside.

The loft was in darkness. The lack of soft snores coming from Hannah's room told Emily that her friend wasn't home yet. She and Caleb had plans for dinner and a movie in Philly, so Emily knew there was a possibility she wouldn't be home at all tonight.

She was a little disappointed to return to an empty apartment, because she had been looking forward to recounting every detail of her date with Paige in glorious, gushing detail. But it didn't dampen her mood as she made her way through the shadows up to her room. Being alone just meant that she could play the evening over and over again in her head as she brushed her teeth and got ready for bed.

The warm, giddy feeling that had filled her all evening returning as she recounted every moment, from greeting Paige at the door through to sending her reluctantly on her way.

Though she was alone, Emily found herself grinning ear to ear as the memories washed over her. It had been as perfect an evening as she'd ever had. That fact quelled the lingering fears she'd had that she and Paige wouldn't be able to make a go of it. She'd been so worried that old feelings and resentments would make it impossible for them to start fresh. That the past would be too difficult to move on from.

Or worse, that the rekindled romance wouldn't have any depth to it, compared to the past.

Maybe it didn't carry the urgency of falling in love for the first time at sixteen. Or the exhilaration of taking on the world together at eighteen. Or the do-or-die of sticking it out at twenty.

But being with Paige tonight, holding her hand and laughing with her and kissing her goodnight on her doorstep, it had all felt so right. There was a warmth to it. A sweetness.

Like falling in love all over again with a whole new Paige. It was as butterfly inducing, heart racing, palms sweating, breathlessly exciting as it had been the first time around. Without the added dose of teenage angst and uncertainty.

They were both older now, and knew who they were and what they wanted. She was having a wonderful time discovering this grown up version of her teenage sweetheart. Seeing all the ways in which Paige had changed, and all the ways in which she was the same.

Emily's phone chimed as she was climbing into bed. The smile on her face only growing as she reached for it, because she knew without looking who it was. Sure enough when she swiped her thumb across the screen she saw that she had a text from Paige.

Goodnight, Em. Sweet dreams.

Emily swooned. She honest to God, giddy and squealing like an adolescent, swooned. She could just picture Paige sliding into bed and firing off one last text before turning her phone over and settling in for the night.

"Night, Paige. Sleep tight." She fired off a text of her own before following suit.

Emily woke from a pleasant, dream filled sleep feeling rested. She stretched languidly and rolled onto her side to burrow further under the blankets, in no particular rush to move. Content to lay and try to recall the hazy dreams, impressions more than images coming back to her.

The feelings of contentment, happiness, laughter and love. It all stemmed from her date last night. She didn't need to remember her dreams to know that much. She felt like she could lay here all morning wallowing in the feelings.

Eventually the scent of coffee brewing and the faint rumblings of her stomach drove her from her bed however. It was with some reluctance that she slipped from beneath the covers and headed downstairs.

When her feet hit the cool tile of the kitchen she stopped and rubbed her eyes, wondering if she might still be dreaming. It wasn't Hannah leaning sleepily against the counter beside the coffee machine, waiting for it to brew. Or even Caleb, who had become a fixture at the loft, lately. It was Paige. She had her back to Emily, her attention divided between the pot, which was nearly full and the frying pan on the stove that was just starting to sizzle.

"What are you doing?" Emily asked, even through it was plainly obvious what Paige was up to.

Paige jumped and let out a little yelp at the sound of her voice.

"Jesus, Emily." She spun around, hand pressed to her chest. "Give me a freaking heart attack."

"Yeah? Well, that's what you get for breaking in." Emily crossed the distance between them, coming to rest beside Paige at the counter. She leaned against it and crossed her arms, offering up a small smirk.

"Breaking in?" Paige's lips twitched into a grin of their own. "I love that you think I have the skills to do that."

"You do have the skills to do that. I know Spencer taught you senior year."

"You uh...you knew about that?" Paige rubbed the back of her neck and shifted in place. "And I didn't have to break in. Hannah let me in."

"Hannah's here?" Emily glanced back towards her friend's bedroom, surprised that she was home and not out here impatiently waiting for food.

"No. She came in, changed and went right back out again. I guess she and Caleb have plans."

Emily nodded, glad that the two of them seemed to have found their footing once again.

Paige handed her a cup of coffee, steaming hot and fragrant. Emily wrapped her hands around it with a thankful smile and took a long whiff.

"I stopped by to see if you wanted to go for breakfast, but you were still asleep so I thought I'd bring breakfast to you." Paige gestured towards the stove.

"You were just hungry and didn't want to wait for me to get ready." Emily bumped Paige's shoulder, and laughed when Paige didn't deny it, merely shrugged.

"So, what's on the menu? And what can I do to help?"

"Omelettes, hash browns and toast. I think I have everything under control here. But if you want to grab some plates and pour some juice."

Emily took a fortifying sip of her coffee, then another, before placing her cup down and shifted around Paige to get to the cupboard. She rested her hands lightly against Paige's waist as she eased past, enjoying the way she swallowed audibly and shivered as her fingers lingered before sliding away.

She flicked on the radio on the counter, filling the room with the soft strains of classic rock, as she began to pull cups and plates from the cupboard and then utensils from the drawer. Paige moved to the stove, grabbing the spatula and checking on their food. The two of them moving around each other in a comfortable, easy silence.

It wasn't long before breakfast was ready, and Emily was suggesting they take it into the living room to eat. They carried their plates in and settled next to each other on the couch.

It was quiet as they first delved into their meals, but slowly they fell into conversation. They talked about Paige's upcoming first day at work and how nervous and excited she was. And Emily's classes, and how much she loved kinesiology, but hated gross anatomy. They talked about how Paige was settling into the new house and how much Emily loved living with Hannah but would really appreciate her own space. And maybe a place with a couple more walls.

It was light, easy conversation. Exactly the kind of stuff that people just getting to know each other would talk about. And even though it hadn't been expressly stated, Emily was starting to feel more and more like this was a second date.

Albeit a slightly unconventional one, seeing as how she was still in her pj's and sporting a serious case of bed head. Definitely not something she would be comfortable with this early into the relationship if it were anyone other than Paige.

But, for all that she agreed they needed to take this slowly and get to know one another again as adults, she felt like she knew Paige better than she'd even known anybody else. There might be new facets and developments to her personality, and several years worth of experiences she wasn't privy to. But Emily believed that she knew Paige on a fundamental level.

She knew that didn't guarantee them anything. If they wanted this to work they were going to have to put in the effort. But there was a degree in comfort in already knowing that they could, and did work well together. It took away some of the fear and guesswork that came with the beginning stages of a relationship.

When breakfast was finished Emily cleared their plates, carrying them into the kitchen and loading them into the dishwasher. She was suddenly nervous as she returned to join Paige on the couch. Her heart rate increasing and her stomach fluttering in eager anticipation as she settled a little closer beside her.

The air between them shifted, becoming expectant, charged. The feeling only increased as Paige inched closer. A part of her felt ridiculous for her sweaty palms and breathlessness. She wasn't a kid and this wasn't their first time alone in a room with a couch. They had been together for years, and done far more than just make out. But mostly she embraced the excited, jittery feeling. There was something simple and sweet about it.

She bit her lip against a laugh as Paige faked a yawn and stretched, draping her arm across the back of the couch to curve around Emily's shoulder.

"Smooth," she teased as she allowed herself to be guided a closer.

"Yeah, well I don't see you making any moves."

"You want a move, I'll give you a move."

Emily shifted sideways to face Paige. She reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, then cupped her cheek as she leaned in. She pressed her lips against Paige's in a light, feathery kiss once, twice, three times before capturing them in a long, lingering one.

Paige grinned into the kiss, a laugh rumbling in her throat. "Smooth," she murmured, as she slowly eased Emily back and shifted to hover over her.

Emily slid her hands into Paige's hair, raking her fingers through the short, silky strands as she parted her lips, deepening the kiss.

Paige's tongue teased against her own as her hand slid up and down Emily's side, fingers splayed as she caressed from her hip to the curve of her ribcage. Emily shivered at the light, feathery touch. Not quite ticklish, but raising goosebumps across her skin.

Her own hands slid from Paige's hair to her shoulders, using her grip to pull Paige down more firmly on top of her. She sighed softly as Paige's weight settled above her, pushing her lightly down into the cushions at her back, before beginning to roam up and down her back, nails scratching lightly.

It didn't take long before Emily's fingers began to itch for the softness of Paige's skin. The thin cotton of her t-shirt suddenly too much of a barrier between them. She slipped her hands beneath the hem of Paige's shirt and traced her fingers along the contours of her back. She loved the way Paige's muscles twitched and shifted under her touch.

Paige moaned softly into the kiss, her touch faltering for a moment before resuming.

Her fleeting touches skirted closer and closer to Emily's breast with each pass. Each time, Emily's her breath hitched in anticipation, again and again, the ache for Paige to touch her growing almost the point of unbearability. Until finally Paige's palm slid up to cup her, kneading gently.

"Fuck. Paige." Emily tore her mouth away from Paige's to moan. Her words coming out jagged and hoarse as she fought against the pressure in her lungs to draw a breath.

"You feel so good." Paige diverted her attention to Emily's neck, nipping along the column of her throat as she continued to knead with her hand.

Emily murmured a wordless agreement as she dipped her head and pressed her lips to whatever part of Paige's body she could reach, brushing sloppy kisses to her neck and shoulders.

Her arousal, which had been slowly simmering, was suddenly on full boil. She shifted her hips restlessly, frustrated to discover that there was nothing above her to provide friction. While Paige's torso was crushed against hers, she had been careful to keep their lower halves apart.

Paige's hand slid from her breast to her hip. Emily let out a whimper of protest and nipped at Paige's lips as they returned to her own. Paige's kiss was soft, pacifying, before she pulled back and shifted to settle alongside Emily on the couch. It was a tight squeeze, but Emily didn't mind the close quarters.

"Maybe we should take a minute?" The husk in Paige's voice and the way she rubbed her thighs together gave away her own arousal.

"Yeah." Emily reluctantly agreed.

She knew it was the right thing to do. They were trying to be mature and responsible and not let their libidos get ahead of their emotions after all. But her body still resented being teased towards the brink with no payoff.

"Do you want to watch a movie or something?"

"Maybe in a bit. For now can we just lay here, like this?"

Emily wrapped an arm around Paige's back and snuggled closer in response. As her frustration dissipated she could appreciate the simple pleasure of just holding Paige, of being held by her.

"Know what this reminds me of?" Paige's voice was soft so as not to jar the stillness that had settled between them.

"Hmmm?"

"That summer. The one when the power kept going out."

Emily remembered it vividly. Their first summer in California, their first apartment. A tiny little shoebox of a place a few blocks off campus. A heat wave had swept over the city, bringing with it rolling brownouts that had left them without air conditioning for hours at a stretch. They had spent their days lying on the couch under the window, trying to catch even the faintest breeze. It had been hot and sticky and miserable. And Emily couldn't remember a time when she had been more content than those hot, hazy days just laying around with Paige.

It warmed her heart to know that Paige looked fondly on those days as well. And she could only hope that they would continue to build more memories like that, more moments like this. As difficult as their past had been, despite the challenges the weeks ahead might bring, Emily could only be grateful for this opportunity.