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Halle shuffled down the bed, star fishing. “Let me have it, baby.”

“Oh my God,” Lydia laughed. “You’re an idiot.”

“True, but your idiot, so who really wins? Me!”

“You really mean that, don’t you?” Lydia scooted down the bed, half draped over Halle’s long body, their faces just inches apart.

“I told you, and I’ll keep telling you until you believe me. I’m yours. Have been for a while now. Does that freak you out?”

Lydia bit her lip. “It feels foreign. But it doesn’t freak me out.”

“I don’t want to come on too strong. Even though we’ve known one another for years, we need to get to know each other as partners.”

“I think we’re getting to know each other quite well,” Lydia murmured seductively.

“Oh, we’ve definitely got this part covered. But what about the big things?”

“You don’t think sex is a big thing?”

“It’s one part of us, sure. But not the biggest. And I knew we would be good in bed together.”

“You did, did you?” Lydia nuzzled Halle’s nose with her own.

“Yes. There is no way we would be anything other than fantastic.”

“So, what are the big things you want to learn?”

“Do you want to get married? Have kids? Join a reading group. You know the big things.”

Okay, wow, they were getting to it. The big questions already. “Yes, I want all those things. But… the kids could be an issue.”

“Not impossible, though, right? That’s what you said.” Halle leaned up on an elbow, kissing Lydia sweetly.

“Not impossible.”

“Would you consider other methods, such as adoption? Or…”

“Or?”

“Well, not to get too ahead of myself, but I have a womb, too.”

“You’d carry our baby?”

“Of course I would.”

“Wow, okay. So, we’re getting married and having kids. That’s what I got from this,” Lydia grinned.

“Hold your horses,” Halle laughed. “Maybe we could date for a few months longer first.”

“Hey, you brought it up.”

“Only to test the waters. If we’re giving this a go, Lyds, I want us to be on the same page.”

“I know. I’m messing with you. Plus, we still have to experience the full honeymoon period.”

“Ah, yes, constant sex,” Halle laughed. Lydia smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Halle sat up, pulling Lydia on to her lap. “I was joking, Lyds. You know I don’t expect that.”

“But you should. Expect that, I mean. That’s what normal couples do, isn’t it? Get together and have sex for weeks.” There was that gnawing feeling again. The one that made Lydia feel she was going to hold Halle back if they continued down this road.