Chapter 9

Paige

The first thing she noticed when she started to stir was the warmth pressed into her front, followed by the tickle of hair against her nose and light breathing against her neck.

She suddenly remembered last night; she had finally been honest with Emily. She smiled slightly, opening her eyes a fraction. It was still dark, but she figured it must be early morning going by the sound of tweeting birds outside.

Emily must have turned in her sleep to face her since she was now nestled into her neck, her hands curled up in between them. Paige felt warm skin against her fingertips; her hand had slipped up the back of Emily's t-shirt while she was asleep. She was about to remove it before she realised she didn't have to; Emily knew now, she didn't have to pretend anymore; this was okay.

Her smile broadened. Yes, it had been terrifying saying those things, but the weight of her struggle had been crushing her. Sharing her thoughts with Emily had relieved a lot of that stress; for the first time in weeks she had fallen asleep without worrying about everything. She had made the right decision; she could feel it in her heart.

Her fingers traced absent-mindedly over the soft, smooth skin of the small of Emily's back as she recalled how sick with nerves she had felt coming home from the movies last night, making distracted conversation with Emily's parents before she made her way up the stairs.

When she had opened the door to discover the lights off and Emily in bed, the nausea had been replaced with disappointment. She had slowly been building up courage throughout the day to say what she needed to, and so when she had entered the bedroom she had planned to just start talking to Emily before she lost her nerve.

Seeing that Emily was already asleep was disheartening; maybe it was a sign to keep her mouth shut. She'd felt her resolve slipping away by the second as she got ready for bed. As she had stared at herself in the bathroom mirror while brushing her teeth, she'd shook her head and psyched herself up again, repeating over and over again. You can do this.

She would do it first thing in the morning, she had promised herself, stumbling blindly towards the bed in the darkness, not allowing herself to think about lying next to Emily; she would never get to sleep otherwise.

As it turned out, she couldn't sleep anyway; her body was still hyped up on the adrenaline she had built up. Fuck it she had thought, turning over; she wanted to tell Emily now; needed to tell her.

Thankfully Emily hadn't really been asleep, and her thoughts spilled out not at all like how she planned, but it didn't matter. Emily was there comforting her, and everything was okay.

She placed a soft kiss to Emily's forehead, her lips still touching her skin as she fell back asleep.

The next time she woke it was more abrupt, Emily's alarm startling them both. Paige felt Emily turn away from her, hearing her fumbling until her hand found the alarm clock. She slumped back down onto the bed heavily, rolling back over towards Paige and resuming her earlier position of burrowing into her neck.

Paige's heart felt like it could burst.

She wrapped her arm back around Emily, Emily's hand resting on her waist. Another few minutes passed before the alarm blared again, Emily actually snarling in annoyance. Paige couldn't help but laugh as Emily angrily turned the alarm off, Paige opening her eyes to see her sitting on the edge of the bed.

With great effort, Paige sat up, yawning widely. Emily looked over her shoulder at her, smiling shyly. "Morning."

"Morning," Paige replied with a smile of her own. They stared at each other a moment through the dimness of the room before Paige stood up, deciding that if she didn't she would give into the urge to pull Emily back into the bed. "So, swim?"

Emily nodded, standing up and making her way around the bed, flipping on the light before starting to pull clothes out of her chest of drawers. Paige kneeled on the floor as she picked her swimsuit and clothes out of the bag that was still by the side of the bed.

She stood up with an armful of clothes, turning to see Emily with the same. There was a moment of awkwardness before Paige stammered, "Uh, I'll get ready in the bathroom." She left the room quickly, trying not to cringe in embarrassment.

Once she had dressed and brushed her teeth, she returned to the bedroom, quietly asking through the door, "You decent?", and desperately trying not to think about Emily not decent.

"Yup," Emily replied, opening the door and walking past her. "I just need to brush my teeth then we'll go."

Paige checked through her school bag quickly to make sure she had everything before sitting on the bed while she waited for Emily. Sitting there alone with nothing but her thoughts made her start to feel on edge again. She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath.

That was how Emily found her a minute later. "Paige?"

She jumped slightly, having not heard her return. She stood up quickly. "Ready?"

"Yeah, just let me get my bag." She walked towards the window seat where her bag was sitting. "Paige? Are you… okay?" She looked at her with a creased brow. "I know it's a lot to process-"

"Em," Paige started, walking towards her. "I'm okay." And compared to how she had been feeling recently, it wasn't a lie; she did feel infinitely better now that she had admitted out loud she was attracted to Emily. She reached out, squeezing Emily's hand. "I have you." Emily smiled, a light blush covering her cheeks; Paige was astounded that she could have such an effect on her.

"Good. Come on, then," she said, nodding towards the door and beginning to walk around her. She didn't get very far however; Paige pulled her back towards her, kissing her like she had wanted to as soon as she woke up. She placed one hand on Emily's neck, the other snaking around her waist, pulling her flush against her.

She pulled back after a minute with a sigh, smiling. Something was different, she thought as she looked into Emily's eyes which were filled with such warmth that Paige melted right there. At first she thought it was because they now both definitely knew where they were in relation to one another, but then she realised that wasn't it; this was the first time they had kissed in the light; the first time Paige could actually see Emily's face when she pulled away from kissing her.

It left her breathless.

"Okay, now we can go."

Emily

The school day was dragging; time had stopped. All she wanted to do was spend time with Paige, preferably alone; in her room.

She smiled into her hand in the middle of her Math class. Paige's words from last night still echoed in her head. I can't stop thinking about you. It was the most romantic thing anyone had ever said to her, and to have it come from Paige...

She swooned slightly in her seat. She couldn't wait to get home.

A whistle blew through the natatorium. "Okay, ladies! That's us for today, good job!" Coach Fulton shouted from the side of the pool.

Their afternoon swim practice had finally finished. The team made their way into the locker room, heading to rinse their hair in the shower. Emily let the water stream down over her face, running her hands through her hair.

She found herself seeking out Paige; she was standing under one of the showers on the wall opposite, her back to her. Her eyes roamed over her body, the fantasy of walking over to Paige, pushing her against the wall and kissing her deeply filling her mind.

She shook her head, turning to face the wall. Now that she knew Paige liked her back, her mind was starting to dwell on the potential sexual aspect of their relationship. She had never had sex, and she wanted Paige to be her first. She knew that would probably be a while off, but something settled low in her stomach at the thought.

A hand touched her shoulder and she leapt a foot in the air, almost slipping on the wet floor tiles. Paige steadied her. "Whoa, sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Emily looked around seeing they were the only two left in the showers. A smile spread across Paige's face at the obvious fact she'd been daydreaming. "So, what were you so busy thinking about?" Paige's smirk told Emily she had a good idea what had been on her mind.

"None of your business," she smiled.

They grinned at each other stupidly before someone walked past the showers, reminding them that they weren't alone.

They made their way to their lockers, Emily trying her best not to check out Paige while she changed. When they were finally ready, they strolled out into the mostly empty school hallways, their hands brushing together as they walked. Emily was already looking forward to the day when they were both properly out and could hold hands for anyone and everyone to see.

Once Emily had started to drive them home, Paige took her hand in hers, not looking at her but smiling.

Emily grinned; she could definitely get used to this.

They entered the house, Emily feeling like she should at least say hello to her parents before disappearing up to her room with Paige.

They walked to the kitchen, finding her dad sitting alone staring into space. "Hey," Emily said hesitantly. He suddenly seemed to realise they were home, standing up and giving a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I was in a world on my own there, didn't even hear you come in," he said.

"Where's Mom?"

He paused. "Out."

Emily could see Paige shifting uncomfortably at her side, obviously deciding this was a family conversation. "Uh, I need to get started on some homework," she muttered before leaving the room.

"When?" Emily asked, her stomach knotting. Her parents usually only fought about one thing.

"Next month," he said solemnly. Emily wanted to cry. He hadn't even been home that long from his last tour. "But, it's not what you think. I'm not going back to Afghanistan. They want me to lead training at a base in Texas." The knot in her stomach loosened slightly. "So, I'll be away for another while, but I won't be in any immediate danger."

Emily sighed in relief, hugging her dad tightly. "I don't want you to leave though," she said sadly.

"I know, Emmy, but hopefully it won't be too long and you can come visit any time you want. And I might be able to squeeze in a few visits up here too."

"How's Mom taking it?"

She felt her dad's shoulders sinking. "You know how it is. She's upset, but she's just glad I'm not going to the front line again." Emily closed her eyes, feeling bad for both her parents; she knew they hated being apart, especially for that length of time. He pulled back, giving her a quick peck on the top of her head. "I think we'll just order in tonight? Chinese?"

"Sounds good," she said. "Shout us when it's here." Feeling the need to clarify, she added, "We're doing homework." He nodded, and Emily made her way up to her room.

Paige was standing staring out the window when she entered, concern etched over her face. "Everything okay?" She must have got all the information she needed from looking at Emily's face, since she walked over to her and wrapped her arms around her shoulders tightly, Emily's arms automatically going around Paige's waist.

"My dad's leaving again," she mumbled into Paige's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Em," Paige whispered sadly.

"It's not as bad as last time though, he's going to Texas to lead training at a base, not Afghanistan, so that's something I guess." Paige pulled back to look at her, her eyes wide and reassuring.

"That's more than something, Em," she smiled softly. "At least he'll be safe." Emily already knew that, but hearing it from Paige somehow made her feel better.

"You're right," she said. "Silver linings, huh?"

"Exactly," smiled Paige, hesitating momentarily before leaning in to kiss her gently. It was still amazing that they could do this now, and Emily didn't think the surreal feeling was going to wear off anytime soon. After being friends since they were eleven years old, she thought that kissing Paige should feel weird or wrong, but nothing had ever felt more right. Paige rested her forehead against Emily's, the intimate gesture telling Emily that Paige felt the same way.

"I've been waiting to do that all day," Paige murmured.

"Really?" Emily grinned, playing with the hair at the back of Paige's neck. She tried not to let her surprise show that Paige was being this open with her. "Me too."

"Mhmm," Paige hummed before kissing her with such intensity that Emily actually felt her knees weaken, the upset with her dad now at the back of her mind. Paige began to walk her back towards the bed, both of them laughing when Emily hit the bed and fell over backwards, Paige half-landing on top of her. Paige placed a hand either side of her head, lifting her upper body up off of Emily, Emily scooting further onto the bed so that only her feet were dangling over the edge. The smile on her face fell as they became aware of the position they were in, Emily's legs pinned beneath Paige's.

Emily could see Paige's eyes darken, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. Emily waited with bated breath, unsure what Paige was going to do. Just as she thought she was going to lean down and kiss her already, Paige groaned and flopped down onto her back beside her.

Emily propped herself up on her elbow, looking down at Paige questioningly.

"Sorry. I just can't-" Paige cut herself off, frustrated. Emily's face must have fallen because Paige grabbed her hand saying, "No, I don't mean it like that. I mean-" Paige's face became increasingly redder. It took a second for Emily to understand.

"Oh," she said, trying not grin too much, Paige already embarrassed enough as it was; she was scared she might not be able to control herself if they began kissing in such an intimate position. The thought sent Emily's mind spiralling; Paige wanted her. She gulped, suddenly doubting her own self-control.

She lay down on her side, just looking at Paige who was still staring at the ceiling, soaking in every detail of the side of her face. After a minute a shy smile spread across Paige's lips, her head lolling to the side to meet her eyes. "What?" she said bashfully.

"Nothing," Emily replied smiling sweetly, unable to comprehend how Paige could be this adorable.

"You're staring. It's creepy," she joked, Emily laughing and pecking her on the lips.

"Sorry, I can't help it. I don't think you realise how hard it is to not stare at you."

Paige smiled warmly before her face became more serious, looking away from her and staring at their joined hands. Emily worried she had said something wrong before Paige said, "Em, how long have you… liked me for?"

The question took her by surprise. She contemplated her answer. "Honestly? I don't know, a while. But I only became aware of it a few months back."

Paige turned fully onto her side, her eyes searching Emily's. "How? I mean, what made you aware of it?"

Emily snorted bitterly. "Alison Dilaurentis, actually." Paige's brow wrinkled. "I know, who would have thought. You know that pool party you had during the summer?" Paige nodded, still looking puzzled. "Well, Alison must have been studying me; you know how she liked to people-watch. I'd just gotten into an argument with Ben -I don't even remember what about now- and I stormed off. I ended up standing off to the side of your house by myself. I guess I must have been watching you in the pool, because Alison came up behind me saying, 'Were you wishing you could taste her cherry chapstick?'" Emily remembered the words vividly, burned into in her mind; they had made her blood run cold.

"What happened after that?" Paige said quietly, stroking her thumb over her hand.

Emily sighed, not really wanting to talk about it; but, she concluded, if she wanted Paige to open up to her, it would have to work both ways. "I can't remember what I said to Alison, but she must have seen the panic on my face. She laughed, Paige. She laughed right in my face and I was so scared that she was going to tell people-" The emotions that the memory brought back were painful. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

She had ran home without speaking to anyone after that, locked herself in her room and just cried for hours. It had been one of the lowest points in her life. Thankfully Alison had been sent to juvie not long after and apparently hadn't had the chance to spread that bit of news around Rosewood before she left. It had been a lucky escape.

Paige pulled her towards her, hugging her tightly. "I'm so sorry. That's awful."

"It was, but it's better now." She pulled back slightly from the hug, her face resting just a fraction away from Paige, nudging her nose gently against hers.

Paige gave her a sad smile, placing a hand over the side of her face and kissing her softly. This felt more intimate than any moment they had shared so far. Emily's eyes closed in contentment.

Paige

She studied Emily's face, stroking her thumb over her cheek. Perfect was the only word that came to mind.

She closed her eyes, her chest still hurting from what Emily had just told her. She had been so wrapped up in herself and her own confusion that she hadn't even considered what Emily must have gone through.

She had initially started the conversation out of curiosity if she had been the girl Emily had said she had a crush on the night she came out; that question now seemed childish and pathetic in comparison to the answer she got. She felt anger building up inside her that Alison could do that to someone; to Emily. Just as well Alison was already in juvie or else she didn't know what she would have done.

Emily was so strong; much stronger than she could ever be. It was mind-blowing to Paige that Emily managed to get through all of that alone, struggling through it without telling anyone; not only the realisation that she liked girls and had a crush on one of her best friends, but also the added complication of the worst bitch in Rosewood knowing about it. She didn't know how she had done it. Paige was only just coping and that was because she had Emily by her side.

She sighed; Emily was incredible. She had known that already, but this just confirmed it.

They must have dozed off, because suddenly they both jumped awake after Wayne had shouted "Dinner's here!" up the stairs. That was careless; he could have easily come up the stairs and caught us like that. Paige felt the anxiety creeping back in but then Emily smiled at her and she felt herself calm.

Thankfully dinner hadn't been a sombre affair. Pam had come back from wherever she was relatively happy; Paige figured that she had also decided to look at the fact Wayne was only going to Texas as a good thing.

Bedtime rolled around again, Paige's earlier arousal returning. She took her pyjamas to get dressed in the bathroom again, inhaling and exhaling slowly to try and calm her racing heart. She flushed, embarrassed by her raging hormones; she had never experienced this degree of want before, and having to sleep in the same bed as Emily for the week was going to be the ultimate test of self-control.

Emily's earlier amusement when she had fumbled out the admission that she was finding it hard to stop once they started flashed into her mind. She smiled as she changed into a t-shirt and sweats; Emily wasn't freaked out by her desire. Logically she knew that of course Emily wouldn't be bothered by it, but the society that she had grown up in had told her those feelings were wrong and she was doing her best to get that thought out of her head. How could it be wrong when it felt so right?

She went back into Emily's room. Emily was already in the bed, this time lying facing the door, and most definitely awake. Paige closed the door, turning the light off and sliding in beside Emily.

They stared at each other as their eyes adjusted to the darkness. Once Paige could make out Emily's features, she could see she was smiling. She grinned back, closing her eyes in the pretence that they were just going to go straight to sleep, laughing when she felt Emily grab her arm and pull her close.

They must have slowly fallen asleep while making out. It was obvious that they were both trying to show some restraint, hands staying strictly on necks or waists. Their kisses had been more lazy and relaxing rather than fast and intense which Paige had been thankful for, both of them slowly getting to know what each other liked. For example, Paige now knew that taking Emily's bottom lip in between her own and sucking it lightly made Emily hold her just that little bit tighter.

It was now Wednesday night, and they were lying side by side on top of Emily's bed trying to get some work done. Emily had made a point of reminding her that she had a test the following day that she really needed to study for and so not to distract her.

But Paige thought if she really didn't want to be distracted, she would have sat at her desk and not on the bed next to her, so.

She started poking Emily playfully on the arm with her pen, grinning into her Chemistry book as Emily eventually caught her wrist. She held onto her, Paige looking to her side to see Emily trying to conceal a smile beneath her hair. Emily brought Paige's hand to her mouth, kissing the back of her hand lightly; Paige's jaw went slack when she felt Emily's tongue dart out to taste her skin.

She had Emily on her back in a second, Emily's Biology book getting crushed beneath them in the process. Paige pushed Emily into the mattress as she flicked her tongue into her mouth, nipping lightly at lips. A strangled sound escaped the back of Emily's throat that made Paige's stomach dip. She ran her hand up and down Emily's side before placing it on her stomach. She was just about to work up the nerve to move her hand upwards when her phone rang loudly in her pocket.

She broke away, Emily running her hand through Paige's hair and placing it behind her ear as she struggled to get her phone free. She sat bolt upright when she saw who it was calling, getting off the bed quickly.

She cleared her throat, her body tensing as she answered. "Hey, Dad."

"Hey, just checking in. How's everything?" She could the chatter of voices talking in the background.

"Yeah, fine. Good." She looked over at Emily to see her watching her; she turned to face away from her, walking towards the window seat. Paige was about to ask how their trip had been so far but her dad jumped in with more questions before she had the chance.

"How have your times been this week? Did your coach say when she'll be announcing the anchor for the next meet?"

Paige gritted her teeth. "Dad, the next meet isn't for like another month. Coach won't be making that decision for a while."

"Well, it's never too early to show your worth. I want a sheet of your times when I get back." Paige wanted to scream at him down the phone -it really was none of his fucking business- but she didn't; she bit her tongue as he started to tell her that he had heard a rumour that there might be scouts from colleges attending the next meet so she should be prepared to impress them.

Finally, he seemed to realise he was droning on and that she hadn't said a word in about two minutes. "Where are you? It's awfully quiet."

"Emily's living room; why?" She closed her eyes as she blurted out the lie. She didn't know why she had said it; her dad wouldn't have thought anything of her being in Emily's room. She also felt bad that Emily had heard her.

"Just curious." He sounded slightly confused at her defensive tone. "Anyway, we should be home midday Saturday; we'll swing by and pick you up on the way."

"Fine." She was irritated that they weren't coming home on Sunday like they had originally said. That meant one less night with Emily. She didn't want to go back home yet.

He said goodbye. She hung up, taking a breath before turning to face Emily, who she caught quickly looking away from her, picking at something on the bedspread.

"Your dad giving you a hard time again?" she asked cautiously.

Paige was so frustrated and angry that she could only mutter a sharp 'yes', now feeling even worse for snapping at Emily. She picked up her Chemistry book from the bed and took it over to the desk. "I'll let you get back to studying," she said in the most neutral tone she could muster, sitting down and trying not to cry.

Her dad had punctured the bubble that she had been living in with Emily the past few days. And of course he had phoned when they had been making out. She tried to get back to the happy place she had been in a few minutes earlier, but she couldn't.

She just couldn't.

Emily

She stared at Paige's back; she was sat rigidly in the chair, hands moving to rake through her hair in what Emily could only read as aggravation. She desperately wanted to go and put her arms around her in comfort, but she was scared of how Paige would react.

Emily knew that Nick put a lot of pressure on Paige, more so than he should. But Paige hardly ever spoke about it, aside from the odd bitter comment that she would then gloss over with a joke or change of subject. Nick was an overbearing parent, of that Emily was sure, but she was also confident that it was coming from a place of love; he wanted Paige to succeed in getting an athletic scholarship into a good school; he just went about it in the wrong way. Emily wondered if it would make a difference if Paige actually opened up and told him how she was feeling; maybe he would back off a bit.

She decided that right now Paige probably needed a bit of space and it might not be the best idea to bring it up, but she made a mental note to try and get her to talk about it at a later date.

She turned her attention back to her Biology book, but something was niggling at the back of her mind. She realised it was the comment Paige had made about being in her living room. Paige had panicked about her dad phoning in the middle of making out with a girl and made up a pointless lie. It had been easy to forget these past days; Paige was still fighting a battle internally. Although they had become much more comfortable in their changing relationship (and strangely quickly, Emily mused, assuming the fact that they were already so close beforehand had something to do with it), Paige was still struggling and Emily would need to remember that, both for her sake and Paige's.

Emily had gotten to the point where she had started to contemplate how and when to tell her parents she was gay; Paige was at the point where that didn't even seem like a possibility. Hell, Emily wasn't sure if Paige had even truly told herself yet. Again, this was another thing they needed to talk about, but there was no rush. There was plenty of time for that.

Paige

It was around an hour later and her anger had slowly ebbed away. She stretched in the seat, her back feeling stiff. She turned around, seeing Emily still flicking through her Biology work with that little cute crinkle she got on her head when she was confused.

"Need help?"

She startled Emily with her voice. Paige smiled; she must have been in the zone. Emily's gaze was soft, giving her a smile of her own. "No, I'm good, thanks. I'm about to put this away for the night anyway, my brain can't take in anymore."

Paige stood up. "Okay, well I'm gonna go for a shower." Paige leaned over to give her a quick kiss before she went, silently apologising for snapping at her.

"I'll get you a towel," Emily said, giving her hand a light squeeze as she got up to let her know it was okay, walking out into the hall. Paige gathered pyjamas to take to the bathroom with her. Emily was turning on the shower when she got there. "If you want it any hotter or colder just press this button here," she pointed. Since she had been showering at school after swim practice she hadn't actually used Emily's shower yet.

"Okay, think I've got it," Paige smirked, their eyes connecting, the sexual tension in the room almost unbearable. Emily thrust a towel into Paige's hands, exiting the bathroom quickly. Paige leaned back against the closed door with a sigh, before stripping off and stepping into the shower.

Her mind began to wander, fixating on the fact that Emily had stood in this exact spot. Naked. She quickly pressed the button to make the shower colder. That line of thought certainly wouldn't ease her sexual frustration; only one thing would but she felt like that would be wrong to do in Emily's house.

She showered quickly, before drying herself and dressing in flannel pyjama pants and a t-shirt. She decided to put her bra back on; she had been sleeping in one all week, and she noticed Emily had been doing the same.

She made her way back to Emily's room, opening the door to find Emily mid-change. She was only wearing sweats and a black bra. Paige's mouth went dry; her heart stopped beating. "Shit, sorry," she said, ripping her eyes from Emily's chest.

Emily snorted, but looked slightly embarrassed. "Relax, Paige. It's not anything you haven't seen before." That was true; Paige had caught many glimpses of Emily in her underwear in the locker room over the years, but this was different. Much different. To Paige's disappointment, Emily quickly threw on a t-shirt.

Paige walked over to the side of the bed, dumping her dirty clothes into her bag. She took the towel that was around her shoulders to squeeze her wet hair with. "Can I use your hair dryer?"

"Sure, it's over there," Emily said, nodding at her chest of drawers. Paige picked it up off the top surface, plugged it in and started to dry her hair, all the while watching Emily in the mirror. She was settling into bed with a book, their eyes finally meeting when Emily glanced in her direction. Paige gulped; the look Emily was giving her could only be described as lustful.

She dried her hair as quickly as possible, Emily tossing her book aside as soon as she got in the bed next to her. They were bathed in the yellow glow emanating from the bedside lamp. Paige slipped her hand through Emily's hair, cupping the back of her head and pulling her mouth towards hers so that Emily was slightly on top of her. Emily's tongue pushed past her lips instantly; it seemed like Paige wasn't the only one with pent up sexual energy.

Emily's hand landed on her hip, her fingers toying with the edge of her t-shirt, before they slipped up underneath it at the back, her nails lightly dragging across her bare skin. Paige pulled Emily even closer, running her hand up and down her outer thigh, up her back, down her sides, before finally ghosting over her breast.

Her stomach flipped; she moved her hand off to the side again, Emily pulling back from the kiss and removing her hand from under Paige's shirt. Paige was disappointed, hoping that she hadn't just overstepped her mark, but then Emily took hold of her hand and slowly started to move it back to her chest, her eyes locked with Paige's.

Her heart hammered loudly against her ribcage as Emily guided her hand to where she wanted it.

It was the sexiest thing she had ever experienced.

They both moaned slightly at the contact, Emily's eyes closing when she squeezed her hand slightly. Even through a bra and t-shirt, Emily felt amazing. Paige kissed her again, Emily's hand moving back down to grip her upper thigh.

Paige rubbed her palm over Emily's breast before stroking her thumb over where she could just feel Emily's hardened nipple through her clothes, Emily responding by biting Paige's lower lip and pulling lightly. Paige's head was spinning, the throbbing between her legs progressively getting more and more distracting.

Emily began to kiss down her jaw, down her neck, running her hand over Paige's stomach. It was all starting to get a bit much. She was starting to lose control of her line of thought.

Emily's hand made contact with her own chest and she was a goner. She gasped, both of her hands sliding up the back of Emily's t-shirt, her fingers spread out so she could feel as much of Emily's soft skin as possible.

Emily kissed her hungrily, Paige becoming hyperaware of the slight grinding Emily was doing into the side of her leg.

She flipped them over, placing her hands either side of Emily's head and pushing her thigh up between Emily's. Her head pressed back into the pillows at the contact, Paige placing heated kisses over her exposed throat. Without Paige's permission, her hips rotated down into Emily, a small groan escaping her lips at the friction the movement created. She felt like she was going to combust if she didn't relieve some of the tension. Without thinking, she ground down into Emily again, this time Emily pushing back against her thigh.

Emily's hands came up to rest on her neck, pulling her down for a quick kiss as their bodies started to move slowly against one another. They stared deeply into each other's eyes, both of them gasping quietly with every rotation of their hips, Emily's breath hot against her face.

Paige could feel a familiar heat beginning to creep over her; her arms were starting to shake from the strain of holding her upper body off of Emily. Their breathing was starting to quicken. One of Emily's hands wondered up the front inside of Paige's t-shirt, rubbing her fingers over Paige's nipple through her bra. Paige groaned, beginning to rock harder, faster.

She studied Emily's body language. She had no idea how she knew, but Emily was close. She watched as Emily bit her lip in an attempt to stifle a moan, her body feeling tense underneath Paige. With a few final coordinated long drawn out grinds of their hips, Emily went rigid, her back arching off of the bed, her eyes closing and her mouth forming a slight 'O' shape, Paige feeling her shudder beneath her.

The sight alone was almost enough to make Paige follow her over the edge, but a few more thrusts against Emily's thigh were needed before her breath hitched; her vision exploded with light, pleasure shooting through every inch of her body.

She collapsed into Emily's neck with a moan, her breathing fast and uneven, feeling wetness seeping into her underwear. Holy shit.

They lay there in silence for a few moments, Paige trying to process what had just happened. She certainly hadn't expected that to happen tonight; so much for self-control. She had also just got to witness something that no one other than her had ever got to see. She smiled lazily against Emily's neck, pressing a light kiss to the skin there.

Emily shuffled down to look at her, her eyes looking glazed and unfocused. She smiled as she ran her fingers over her cheek, kissing her softly on the lips. "Are you okay?" she asked, a hint of worry appearing.

Paige gave her an incredulous look. "Are you kidding? I'm better than okay." To be fair, Emily had every right to think she would freak out about this, and maybe she would; but right now all she could think about was how perfect this moment was. She closed her eyes, trying to burn it into her mind how she was feeling at this exact moment so that she could recall it every time things got too much for her.

"Well, remember I'm here to talk to if you need to later," Emily said, that uncertainty still in her voice. Paige opened her eyes, almost taken aback at the adoring look Emily was giving her. She felt her chest swell, an indescribable feeling towards Emily passing through her.

She kissed her gently again. "I know."

A/N: Over 100 reviews! Wow, thanks so much guys. Your words give me warm fuzzy feelings. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, I wanted to make it a bit lighter than the angst-fest the last one was.