Author's Note: I apologize for the wait between chapters, but I make up for it in the form of a super long chapter. This is the first half of their date. I'm working on the second half, and should (hopefully) have it up for you shortly.
Viva33 I'm glad I got you hooked, and I'm sorry that there isn't more for you to read. I don't plan on using the –A storyline in this one, it's all about Paily, and friends.
To all the guests who have posted reviews, thank you for your comments, I'm glad you're enjoying the story. And thank you for reading, and taking the time to let me know what you thought.
Chapter 40
Paige refused to tell Emily where they were going on their date, despite Emily pestering her all day via text message with questions in an attempt to get her to divulge any information. The only thing she would tell Emily was to dress nice. Dress nice, as if those words actually meant anything. Did that mean fancy, or super cool, or sophisticated? She spent the morning shopping with Hannah, trying to find something "nice" to wear. Then half the afternoon agonizing over the purchases she'd made. She was pretty sure she drove Spencer an Aria a little nuts, modeling, and then re-modeling, trying to determine if they were "nice" enough.
The most frustrating part was, Paige, for her general disinterest in anything fashionable or trendy, was going to show up at her house looking beautiful. Or dashing. But, either way she was going to look amazing. And she was going to be able to do it without even having to try. Because she knew where they were going.
With Spencer and Aria's help, she'd narrowed her choices down to two, and now that they had left, gone home to get ready for their own dates, she had called her mom in to help her make the final decision.
"Okay. So, what do you think, this one?" She held up the first of her options, a sleek red dress, with a plunging neckline, and a slit up the side. It was cool and sexy, and had been more Hannah's taste than her own, but she couldn't deny that it looked good on. And it would be funny to watch Paige's eyes bug out of her head as she tried not to stare to hard, or for too long at her cleavage. "Or, this one?"
The second option was a classic little black dress, with a spider web of shimmery silver inlay on the bodice, and a ruffled skirt that swished around her knees.
Her mom glanced back and forth between the two. "I'm sure they'd both look good on."
Emily resisted the urge to huff and roll her eyes. Not to be immodest, but she knew they both looked good. But, she didn't want good, she wanted perfect. She wanted to pick the dress that would make Paige's eyes widen, and have her say "wow."
"Yeah, but, which one is better?"
It was her mother's turn to resist huffing, or rolling her eyes, as she leaned back against the headboard of Emily's bed, settling in for the duration. "I can't know that until I see them on."
Emily glanced from the dresses, over to her mom, then back to the dresses. Somehow, she doubted her mother would approve of the red dress, if she saw it. But after a moment's indecision, gamely stepped behind her closet door to pull it on. She shimmied into it quickly, before stepping back out into the room, and doing a little spin for her mother.
"Well?" She held her arms out to the side, waiting.
"I'm pretty sure if you wear that one, Paige isn't going to know what hit her," Pam said, with a faint chuckle. Not at all the reaction Emily was expecting. The dress was pretty revealing after all. "And the other one?"
"Right. One sec." Emily slipped back behind the closet door, and stepped out again a moment later.
Emily could tell that this was the dress by the way her mom's eyes lit up the moment they laid eyes on her. "Oh, honey, you look beautiful."
Emily wiggled her bare toes into the carpet beneath her feet, and swayed back and forth, checking her reflection in the mirror, feeling a little bashful. "You really think so?"
"I really do." Pam pushed herself off the bed and padded across the room towards her. She paused behind Emily, and met her gaze in the reflection of the mirror. "You look so beautiful. And so grown up," she said, hugging Emily from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder. "My little girl, not so little anymore."
"Mom," Emily protested, shifting in her mother's embrace, but not pulling away. Her mom tearing up was going to make her teary as well, which she could not afford to so close to her date. But she appreciated the sentiment. There was a part of her that could still not believe that her mother was standing there, helping her pick out dresses for her date, with a girl. It was a small, but monumental show of support. One that, even a month ago, Emily could not have fathomed.
Her mom gave her a soft smile, and a gentle squeeze, before pulling away. "You're going to be late if you don't get a move on. Want me to help you with your hair and makeup?"
Emily glanced at the clock, which revealed that Paige was going to be there in less than half an hour. "That'd be great. But, when Paige gets here, can you go downstairs and keep her company? I don't want to make her wait alone."
Another thing she still could not quite believe, that not only was she allowing her mother and her girlfriend to be in the same room alone together, she was actually encouraging it.
"Of course." She gave Emily a reassuring smile, and reached for her makeup bag. "So, where are you going tonight?"
"Don't know. Paige won't tell me." Emily was aware that she was pouting, just a little. But she still didn't appreciate her mother laughing at her.
"A surprise. I see."
"You don't seem too concerned about me heading off for the evening, whereabouts unknown. You wouldn't happen to be in on it, would you?"
"No. Paige hasn't told me anything," she said, as she began applying Emily's eyeliner. "Not that I'd tell you, even if she had. And, hold still, or I'm going to poke out your eye."
Emily huffed, but fell silent, enjoying the sensation of her mother pampering her. It reminded her of when she was a kid, getting ready for dance recitals, and her mom would help her with her hair, and do her make up for her. There was something calming, comforting, about the sure, even strokes of the brush against her face, and the gentle warmth of Pam's hands as she turned and tilted her head to different angles.
She had just finished with Emily's make up, and was about to take the curling iron to her hair, when Emily's cell phone buzzed across her desk, Paige's name flashing across the screen.
"She's here."
"I'll go down and let her in. Please try not to take too long."
"I won't."
"And Mom. Thank you."
Pam squeezed Emily's shoulder, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, before retreating.
Emily listened to her footsteps down the stairs, and the front door opening a moment later. The sounds of voices, but not the words, drifted up to her, though quickly she had tuned them out as she focused on creating soft, cascading waves.
Ten, maybe fifteen minutes later she was done, unplugging her curling iron and grabbing her purse, before pausing and giving her reflection one last once-over, before heading downstairs. She carried her heels, a new pair of suede sling backs, as she descended, making her footsteps nearly soundless, so neither her mother nor Paige noticed her at the moment she stepped downstairs. So she had the opportunity to observe the two of them seated on the couch, both looking relaxed and at ease together as Paige relayed some tale, her hands moving as she spoke. Pam was nodding along, giving her full attention.
Her gaze shot to Emily as she stepped fully into the room, and Paige faltered in mid-sentence as she realized that Pam was no longer paying attention. She glanced up, following her gaze, and stopped speaking altogether as she shot instantly to her feet. Her eyes never leaving Emily as she rounded the coffee table and made her way towards her.
For her part, Emily couldn't keep her eyes off Paige either. She had been right. Paige looked beautiful. And dashing. She was wearing black dress pants, paired with a white dress shirt, and a blazer, with a tie hanging loosely around her neck. Her hair was long and loose, framing her face with gentle curls. She'd gone light on the makeup, using only a shimmery lip gloss, which made her lips look looked deliciously kissable, and some eyeliner, which made her eyes pop.
"Hey," she said, smiling softly as she approached. "You look…"she shook her head, hear smile growing wider. "Wow."
That had been the effect Emily had been going for, but she was in no place to gloat, her own gaze roaming over Paige, unable to process, or express, how good she looked.
"You too."
Paige blushed lightly, and dipped her head. That she was still bashful, even now, was too cute. And Emily couldn't resist tipping her head and giving her a soft kiss. Paige's blush only darkened, but she raised her gaze, and offered Emily an even broader grin.
"We should probably be going," she said, casting a glance over at Pam, who had watched the whole exchange from the couch.
"Of course," she said, with a small nod. "You two have a good time." No mention of a curfew, not reminding Emily not to be out late, or to be careful. She would be offended, her mom could never resist saying those things to her when she was heading out with Maya, if not for how happy it made her to know that she now trusted Emily with Paige enough to not to feel like she needed to make those warnings.
They said their goodnights, then Paige took her hand and led her out the door.
"Will you tell me where we're going now?" Emily asked once they were in the car and on their way.
Paige glanced over at her, biting her lip as she considered, and Emily put on her best puppy-dog face.
"Okay. Fine. I thought, tonight we could go for dinner, and then dancing."
"Dinner and dancing?" Emily had never done that on a date before.
"Yeah. It's not lame, is it? Of course it's lame. I got the idea from my parents. Oh, God. Em-"
"It's not lame." Emily reached out and laid a hand on Paige's knee, squeezing gently and trying to forestall her panic attack.
"Do you mean that? Or are you just saying that?"
"Of course I mean it. Do you really think I would do that?"
"Lie, to spare my feelings? Of course you would."
"Hey."
"What, are you denying it?"
Emily's brief hesitation before answering was all the proof Paige needed. A triumphant grin crossing her features, despite Emily's protests that she did deny Paige's claim.
"Oh, please, like you wouldn't do the same," she scoffed, but Paige was too busy gloating to notice, so Emily just rolled her eyes and leaned forward to adjust the radio.
By the time she sat back in her seat, Paige's attention was focused solely on the road, though a small smile still played at the corners of her lips. Though, that could just have been because she was in a good mood.
"So, how was your day?"
They hadn't really talked much today, aside from their usual good mornings, and Emily's barrage of questions about where they were going tonight.
"It was really good, actually," Paige said, nodding a little as she spoke, the smile on her face growing. "My dad had plans at the club with his buddies, but not until like, noon. So he was home all morning. He made breakfast, which he hasn't done in forever. And…I don't know, it was nice. And then my mom had a bunch of errands to run this afternoon. So I went with her. We stopped for coffee on the way back and just…talked." She shrugged, like it was no big deal. But, even though Paige didn't talk about it much, Emily knew how much it affected her, the way her parents weren't around. That they were seemingly too busy with their own lives to pay much attention to her.
"A part of me feels like it's a monumentally stupid thing to do, to start opening up to them now, before I drop a huge bomb on them and mess everything up. Like, wouldn't it be easier to just keep my distance, so when I do tell them, it's not so hard to take, when they freak out?"
Emily had a feeling that the question was rhetorical, so she just squeezed Paige's knee, in a way she hoped was soothingly, and let her talk it out.
"But, your mom told me that would actually make things harder. That it really is better to try and iron things out with them now, before the big reveal, so I'm trying."
When had her mom said that? Emily was both confused, and impressed. She had known that the two of them got along, and were starting to bond, but she'd had no idea that Paige had taken to confiding in her mom.
Though, looking back on it now, she supposed walking in on their tearful embrace the other day should have been a sign.
She was glad that her mom could be there, for Paige like that. It was one more thing that would make her coming out that much easier. Especially if her parents took it as badly as Paige seemed to think they would.
"That's good, Paige. That's really good."
"It feels really good," Paige said softly. "I know that it makes me uncool, and I'm supposed to be all indifferent, and not want to spend time with my parents, but I've missed having moments with them. Y'know?"
Emily nodded. She had never felt more distanced from her family as she had in those weeks, those months, before she'd come out, when the truth of her sexuality had been too much to willfully ignore, or deny. Even though she still saw her mom every day, still spoke to her dad whenever she could and sent him emails, there had been this wall between them that had seemed insurmountable.
"I do know. And, it's doesn't make you uncool."
She didn't know anyone who didn't want, or need, their parents love and attention. She'd seen the way Hannah had struggled with her father's absence, and his remarriage, and the way Spencer and Melissa constantly vied for their parent's affection and praise. And the way Toby missed his mom, and yearned for his dad's approval, and heard the pain in Caleb's voice the few times he'd spoken about the indifference of his foster families and the way his real family had so callously abandoned him.
"Or at least, that's not what makes you uncool," she teased, and Paige scoffed, feigning offense.
"Low blow, Fields. Low blow." She shook her head and tsked. "What did you do today?"
"Hung out with the girls. Shopping with Hannah, then Spencer and Aria came over for a bit." She gave a shrug, like it was no big deal, decidedly not mentioning that she'd been stressing out over what to wear. And that for the first time ever, it was Hannah who complained about shopping with her.
"Did you get to talk to your dad today?"
"No." Emily shook her head, sadly. "I probably won't get a chance to. He's going to be pretty busy, getting everything ready to come home."
"And, when's that going to be?"
"This week." Emily bounced a little in her seat, unable to restrain her excitement that it was finally, actually happening. "He'll get here Tuesday morning. My mom's letting me skip school to go pick him up at the airport. We'll have a special dinner or something for him Tuesday, just the three of us. Then, on Wednesday, we're going to have a welcome home party for him. Which, you're invited to, by the way."
"I am?" Paige's eyes widened in surprise, a pleased smile gracing her lips.
"Please, like that was even in question. You know my mom loves you. And my dad can't wait to meet you."
"I can't wait to meet him too." She sounded sincere, but her voice shook a little with nerves. Which were completely unnecessary. There was no reason for her to be nervous. Her dad was on board with their relationship and already totally adored Paige, based solely on the things Emily had said about her, and one brief skype conversation.
"My mom's going to invite your parents as well."
Paige's eyes went wide again, this time in panic. "What? Why? Em, that's not a good idea. I know that our moms have be hanging out, but don't you think it's a little weird? I mean, won't that raise suspicions?"
"Hey, easy. She's also inviting the Hastings, the Montgomery's and Hanna's mom. It's not like your parents will be the only ones there. Which, admittedly, would look a little suspicious."
"Oh. Okay. Sorry." Paige sagged back into her seat with a sigh.
"It's okay."
She was just glad it had been that easy to talk Paige down. Of course, as the day approached, she was going to have to deal with Paige being a nervous wreck about their parents being in the same space. And them being in the same space as their parents. Along with all of their friends, who knew the truth. And okay, maybe Paige wasn't the only one who was going to be nervous about the party.
But, she still thought it would be a good thing.
"If it starts to freak you out, just think, state champions is next weekend. That should calm you right down."
Paige made a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and groan. "That was just cruel, Emily. Just cruel."
It did lighten the mood in the car though, and the rest of the drive into the city passed pleasantly. Emily tried to determine where they were going, but glancing around for familiar landmarks gave her no clues. She didn't know her way around this area of Philadelphia very well, a small neighbourhood just west of the downtown borough where she and her friends usually went when venturing into the city for shopping, or dinner, or entertainment.
Paige seemed to know where she was going though, maneuvering her way through the city traffic with ease, until finally pulling to the valet station of a swanky looking little bistro. She turned the ignition off and a moment later, Emily's door was opened by an elderly gentleman in a velvet red vest and a pressed white shirt. He smiled warmly and offered his hand, guiding her smoothly out of the car and onto the sidewalk, where Paige was waiting to offer her arm. Impressed, and somewhat amused, Emily took the proffered arm, curling her hand around Paige's bicep and allowing herself to let through the swinging glass doors into the restaurant.
One look around the interior told Emily that this place was pure class. The chandelier lighting, the flickering candles, the string quartet playing quietly in the corner. When Paige had told her to dress nice, she was understating it. But, Emily was glad for that forewarning at least, and she was glad she'd chosen the outfit she had, because she didn't feel underdressed amongst the sea of formal wear.
The hostess glanced up as they approached, eyes narrowing a little, even as Paige gave her last name for the reservation. She sounded surprised to find that McCullers, for two, was actually on her list, and begrudgingly picked up two menus and instructed them to follow her.
Paige motioned Emily ahead, hand falling to the small of her back as she followed her through the maze of tables. Emily's heels sank into the plush carpet beneath her feet, and she felt conspicuous as they passed the other patrons, not because the two of them were girls who were clearly on a date, but because everyone else had at least ten years on them.
They reached their table, and Paige pulled her chair out, before sliding into her seat across the table.
"Can I start you off with something to drink?"
"One glass of cabernet sauvignon, one of merlot" Paige said confidently, without batting an eye, or even asking about a wine list. She made eye contact with the hostess briefly before turning her attention to Emily, handing one of the menus to her, and taking the other for herself.
The hostess looked dubious, but nodded before striding away. Emily watched her for a moment, before turning to Paige, who had opened her menu, and was peering at it thoughtfully. Emily opened her own, and scanned the offerings, a listing of maybe a half dozen appetizers in small, stylized script on one side of the fold, and a half dozen entrees on the other. No prices were listed for anything. She knew what that meant.
"Paige." She put aside her menu for a moment as she leaned forward. "This place…"
"I know it's a little much," Paige said with a shrug. "But, the food here is amazing. They have one of the best chefs in the city."
"A little much? Paige, this place is extravagant. I can't let you-"
Emily cut herself off as their server approached with a tray laden down by two wine glasses. He placed them down in the table in front of them, and hovered, appearing to be waiting for something. Paige picked up her glass, and Emily watched in confusion, and appreciation as she went through some sort of ritual of swirling and sniffing and sipping her wine before nodding her thanks. He nodded back, smiling faintly.
"And, what can I get for you this evening?"
Emily hadn't really had a chance to look over her menu, so she pulled it towards herself once again, hoping she would be able to pick something while Paige ordered.
"We'll start with the blue cheese and pear tartlets, but I think we need a few more minutes to decide on the entrees."
"Very well." He nodded, and slipped away.
Once he was gone, Paige turned her attention back to Emily.
"I've got it covered, okay," she said, reaching out and squeezing Emily's hand. "Don't worry about it."
"I am worried about it. I'm pretty sure a meal here costs more than what my mom pays for groceries in a month."
Paige chuckled, but didn't refute it. "Please, let me do this for you. I just wanted tonight to be special."
"And it is special. I'm out, with you, so it's special. But you don't have to go to these lengths to impress me."
"I'm not trying to impress you. I'm just trying to show you a good time."
"I know, but I'm just saying, it doesn't have to be some place so…so…"
"If you want to leave, we can," Paige said, sounding wounded at the thought.
Emily didn't really feel comfortable with Paige spending this much money just on a date, but she also didn't want to hurt her feelings by going somewhere else.
"No, I don't want to leave," she said, turning her hand over in Paige's and lacing their fingers together. "This place is lovely. And, I'm sure the food is amazing. I just don't want you to feel like you need to go to go to such extremes for me."
"For you, nothing is too extreme." It would have been totally cheesy, if not for the sincerity shining in Paige's eyes. "And, honestly, the money, it's not that big of a deal. So, please, don't worry about it. It's not going to break me. I promise," she added, seeing that Emily wasn't completely sold. "It'll barely even make a dent."
"Is that true? Or are you just saying that so I don't feel guilty?"
Paige ducked her head, and Emily sighed.
"Paige…"
"It's true. I told you, my parents made some good investments. And my dad has a lot of really important clients and my mom works a lot of crazy hours. My allowance each month is…insane. And I barely ever spend any of it. So please, believe me when I say that I can afford this meal. Easily."
Emily studied her for a moment, evaluating her words, before nodding. "Okay. I believe you. And Paige?"
She turned wide, expressive eyes on Emily.
"Thank you. It's very sweet of you to bring me here. As far as dates go, so far this one has been so special." She glanced around, and seeing that nobody was paying them the slightest bit of attention, leaned forward and kissed Paige softly.
She knew that their relationship wasn't at all something that Paige was playing at, but she was impressed by the amount of game Paige had displayed so far this evening. And she had a feeling it was only going to increase.
Paige was right about the food at the restaurant being amazing. From the first bite of the appetizers to the last crumbs of her appetizer that she scraped off her plate, Emily's taste buds were dazzled. Not that that stopped her from feeling guilty over the cost of the meal, especially when the bill came, and Paige snatched it up before she could even get a peek at it. She barely even looked at it herself, opening the billfold just wide enough to give it a quick glance, before tucking her credit card discreetly into it and handing it back to the waiter. Before Emily even had the chance to suggest paying for half, or even thank Paige, once again, for the wonderful meal, for the wonderful date, the waiter was back with her card, slipping it back to her so smoothly, so subtly, that if Emily had blinked, or turned away, she would have missed the gesture. Paige nodded imperceptibly to him, as she tucked her wallet back into her pocket, and then turned to Emily with a soft smile.
"Shall we go?" Paige asked, standing even as she spoke, so Emily followed suit. She had a feeling that, if she had a coat, Paige would have helped her into it. As it was, Paige's hand drifted to the small of her back, guiding her through the maze of tables towards the entrance of the restaurant.
Once outside, Paige's hand slid along her back, to come to rest against her hip, her arm slung low around Emily's waist, as she steered her away from the valet stand and down the street in the opposite direction.
"It's a nice night out," she said softly, tipping her head slightly to speak directly into Emily's ear, her breath tickling, and sending a light shiver down Emily's spine.
"What do you say to taking a little walk?"
Emily had a feeling that this walk wasn't spontaneous, or meandering, but she was game, as she wrapped her arm around Paige's shoulder, and enjoying the feeling of being tucked into Paige's side, walking together through the darkened streets of Philadelphia, striding past pedestrians and motorists, restaurant patrons and random passerby, very clearly a couple, and feeling no tension or hesitance from Paige. In fact, the other girl was the one to initiate the contact.
It wasn't quite as satisfying as walking down the streets of Rosewood in a similar fashion, but it was honestly more than Emily had expected.
"Very smooth, McCullers." She was teasing, but not entirely. Paige's cheeks pinked, and she ducked her head, a bashful smile playing on her lips. It was reactions like this that made her occasional cockiness charming, rather than off putting. Because she just didn't have the ego to back it up. Clearly she was trying to impress Emily, with this well put together date, and the suave charm she had displayed in the restaurant. And, it was definitely working.
"I'm having a great time tonight," she whispered, and as they paused at the corner for a red light, she couldn't help but press forward and brush a kiss against Paige's cheek. "It's been a perfect date."
"And it's not over yet," Paige reminded her, subtly guiding her around a corner, and up a slightly less trafficked street. "We had dinner, now what do you say to, dancing?"
She paused in front of a bar, and nodded her head towards the entrance, eyebrows raised.
Emily had had such a great time at dinner she'd forgotten that it was only the first stage of their date. She nodded eagerly, and fell into step beside Paige, only to pull up short just before the doorway.
"Wait are we going to get in? I have my fake ID in my wallet but-"
"I have one too."
That surprised Emily. She wouldn't have thought Paige the type to sneak into bars or clubs. It didn't really seem her style.
"I got it last year, some of the girls on the team wanted to go out clubbing after a meet." She shrugged one shoulder, like it wasn't any big deal. And, really, it wasn't. But, it also wasn't Paige. "I haven't really used it since then. But, I thought it might come in handy tonight."
"Oh. Well, okay then." Emily nudged Paige forward, eager to get inside and dance with Paige.
It was still early, so there wasn't a line. They let themselves in, Paige pulling back on the heavy metal door to usher Emily ahead of her, where they were halted by a burly bouncer, with an eyebrow ring and a snake tattoo down the side of his neck.
"Cover's ten dollars. Each." He said, as his eyes flicked over them. Paige reached into her pocket and pulled out a twenty, pressing it into his outstretched hand, before guiding Emily around him and through a second metal door.
The low thumping of bass had reverberated dully in the little alcove they'd been standing in, Emily could feel it in her chest and head, and the feeling intensified as the door swung open and the stepped into the bar.
The place wasn't packed, but it was far from deserted. A dozen or so patrons crowded around the bar, vying for the attention of the two bartenders, who were deftly mixing drinks. About half of the booths lining the walls were occupied, some by couples, others by groups of six or eight crammed into a space meant for significantly less people. The dance floor was the most crowded area, a sea of bodies moving in sync with the beat pouring through speaks placed strategically around the room.
Emily's eyes swept over the space a few times, trying to get it all to sink in.
"Is this a….did you bring me to a gay bar?" She asked, when it finally dawned on her that the crowd was predominantly women. There were a few guys scattered around, but most of the patrons, and all of the couples, were women.
She had to yell to be heard over the music, though she knew Paige could probably barely make out what she'd said.
Paige nodded, glancing over at Emily uncertainly. "Is that okay? I've never been to one, and I thought-"
"It's fine. I'm just surprised." She slipped her arm from around Paige's shoulder to take her hand instead, giving it a squeeze. "How did you even find this place?"
"You're not the only one who knows how to use google, you know." Paige tugged on her hand, pulling her further into the room. "Do you want something to drink?"
Emily glanced over at the bar. She didn't relish the thought of fighting her way through the crowd. Or, she amended, sending Paige up to fight through the crowd.
She shook her head. "I'm good for now. I'd really rather just dance." She took the lead, tugging Paige out onto the dance floor, and then spinning around to face her once she'd found a spot in the crowd.
Paige nodded, and grinned at her, already swaying slightly to the beat of the music, before her grin turned wry and she leaned in.
"I'm not really much of a dancer," she shouted into Emily's ear.
"That's okay," Emily said, dropping Paige's hand and reaching for her hips instead. "I can show you." She pulled Paige's hips first one way, then the other, getting her moving in time with the music, her own body falling in line.
Paige draped her arms loosely around Emily's shoulders, grinning widely at her, eyes shining as she allowed her body to be manipulated back and forth. Emily returned the grin, pulling Paige's a little closer to her, until their thighs brushed with each movement of their hips.
The motion reminiscent of another activity they'd been getting up lately. The resemblance enough to heat Emily's face up in a blush, and stir arousal in the pit of her belly. She could feel the firm muscles of Paige's stomach and thighs brush against with each pass of their bodies, feel the warmth emanating from her, and could smell the faint citrusy sent of her shampoo. It was enough to make her dizzy and giddy.
Paige was apparently feeling it too, from the way she tightened her arms around Emily's neck and pressed a little harder into her.
"Can I make a confession?" Paige whisper-yelled, her lips brushing the shell of Emily's ear.
Emily nodded.
"I lied. About not being a very good dancer."
Emily could hear the smile in Paige's voice, and shook her head, letting out a soft, throaty chuckle, which died in her throat as Paige began pressing soft kisses just behind her ear.
She let out a low moan, and shifted closer, her fingers slipping beneath the hem of Paige's jacket, to press into the soft skin at the small of her back, just above the waistband of her pants.
She felt Paige smile against her neck, before continuing to trail soft kisses up and down the side of her neck.
Emily cast one worried glance around, and when it was apparent that nobody was paying them the least bit of attention, let herself relax into Paige's ministrations, letting out soft murmurs of contentment as the tip of Paige's tongue came into play.
She closed her eyes and let herself get lost in the feeling of Paige's body pressed against hers and the beat of the music as it coursed through her. She could feel sweat starting to bead down the back of her neck and the side of her face, her temperature rising at the combination of the physical exertion and Paige's actions.
Time lost all meaning as they danced, trading kisses and the occasional "accidental" grope as their hands passed restlessly over each other's bodies, which were being pushed even closer together, as the dance floor around them grew more crowded. They were constantly being jostled by the other dancers, the other couples around them. But, Emily didn't mind.
She had never seen Paige so relaxed, so at ease, in a roomful of people. Even if they were strangers. And to be honest, even she herself found it a little easier to let loose and not feel self-conscious about dancing so intimately with Paige while surrounded by other lesbian couples.
Like Paige, this was her first time visiting a gay bar. And, despite being out for several months now, she hadn't really found much of a community in Rosewood. As supportive as her friends had been, and as much as she loved them for it, it wasn't quite the same thing as meeting like-minded people. And so even though she wasn't going to get to know anyone else in this bar, she wasn't likely to so much as say hello to any of them, she still felt a sort of kinship with them.
It made he feel bold, and maybe a little reckless, she acknowledged as she shifted even closer to Paige, eliminating the last bit of space between their bodies, and slipped her thigh between Paige's. The motion caused the other girl's breath to hitch, and then release in a rush that she felt against the side of her neck. She held herself still for a moment, hesitating, deciding, before mirroring Emily's actions, her leg slipping between Emily's.
Her heart fluttered, and she had a moment to think, "are we really doing this?" before she subtly rolled her hips, grinding down on Paige's thigh. A slow burning heat ignited in her belly as Paige ground back. Her arousal stoked with each thrust of their hips, and Paige's soft sighs and moans, delivered directly into her ear, as Paige had raised her head from Emily's neck.
Paige's arms wound tighter around her torso, and her movement became jerkier, less fluid. Emily felt her own hips motions becoming more insistent, sliding along Paige's thigh with more pressure, a spike of arousal shooting through her at the increased friction. It didn't take long before she was breathless, panting lightly into Paige's ear, the tension in her belly coiling tighter, and tighter, until it released with a snap that had her trembling, and burying her face in Paige's neck to muffle her moan of release.
Paige fell over the edge a moment later, her body stiffening, and then relaxing, her grip tightening to an almost painful degree before loosening, becoming almost lax.
The music was almost deafening around them, but all Emily could hear was the pounding of her own heart in her ears. She raised her head from Paige's neck and caught her eye, the two of them exchanging a smile and a laugh, equal parts incredulous and mischievous.
Emily couldn't believe they'd just done that. And yet she couldn't find it in herself to feel ashamed, or regret it. From the way Paige's eyes shone in the muted light, and the irrepressible grin on her face, she knew the other girl was feeling the same way.
"Want to get out of here?" Paige leaned in close to yell, her words barely reaching Emily's ear. "Go someplace a little more-"
"Remote?"
"I was going to say private," Paige said, offering up a grin. "But, remote…well remote works just as well."
Emily didn't really care what term they chose to use, she was just eager to go somewhere where there weren't any eyes on them, because their little stunt on the dance floor had only served to work her up, and she was primed and ready for some quality alone time with her girlfriend, who she hadn't had the opportunity to do much more than kiss in the past few days.
True to Emily's prediction, her mom hadn't left them alone in the house for any length of time, and Paige had been reluctant to go beyond kissing, and some over the shirt action while her mom was in the house.
Releasing her grip on Paige she stepped back and reached for her hand instead, giving her a tug towards the direction of the door.