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Chapter 19

Wakingup with Lea Monday morning was a dream. Everything about it was so different than before. Jewel turned on her side, wrapping her arms tightly around Lea and snuggling in to try and sleep away a few more minutes. Lea pinched her hip. Groaning, Jewel ignored her.

“Nope, you have to get up,” Lea stated firmly. “You still have to go home to get dressed.”

Jewel groaned again, burying her face in Lea’s hair in hopes she could fall back asleep for a few more minutes.

“J, come on.”

“Don’t wanna.”

“Get up.” Lea tried to wiggle her way out of Jewel’s grasp. It only made her hold on tighter. She did not want to move into the reality of the school day yet. It wasn’t even sunny outside yet. “Jewel.”

At Lea’s stern tone, Jewel started. “Fine.”

She flipped onto her back and stared at the ceiling with her hand tossed over her face. Lea rustled around next to her, but she didn’t pay too much attention until there was a warm hand at her wrist, dragging her arm down and Lea’s mouth pressed against hers in a chaste but heated kiss.

“You need to go home.”

“What?” Confusion swam in her brain.

“You need clothes for work today.”

“Oh, right.” Jewel pouted. “I need coffee, too, obviously.”

Lea’s low chuckle was welcome. “We both do.”

“I could, you know, just bring some clothes here if it’s easier, or you could bring some clothes to my place.” Nerves rampaged through Jewel’s chest as she waited for Lea’s reply. She just wanted it to be easier all around if they were going to have another impromptu sleepover. Maybe even if Lea said no, she’d stash away a bag in the back of her car just in case. Those extra twenty minutes of sleep really were precious, especially in the morning.

Lea’s lack of a response was telling, so Jewel didn’t push. Lea climbed out of the bed, stretching her arms over her head in all her naked glory. Arousal curled deep inside Jewel, begging for her to do something about it, but if Lea was that insistent about Jewel waking up, she highly doubted she’d want a quickie before work.

“I’ll start the coffee,” Lea murmured as she pulled fresh clothes out of her drawers and tugged them on.

Jewel huffed. She was going to have to get back into her dirty clothes from last night and do a walk of shame to her car before she could change. It had all been worth it, though. Coming back to finish the conversation was exactly what both of them had needed.

After she downed a cup of coffee and left that morning, she didn’t manage to catch sight of Lea again that day. As Jewel lay in her bed that night, staring at the ceiling and remembering everything about the past few weeks—every nuance, every kiss, every moment where she truly felt connected with Lea—she knew what she was feeling.

She was happy. For the first time since she’d moved out there, she was truly settled and happy. She felt at home, and she didn’t want to lose that. Grabbing her phone, she dialed Lea’s number and waited for Lea’s smooth voice to answer.

“Hey,” Lea said, sending a shiver of excitement through Jewel.

“Hey.” Jewel’s lips curled upward. Yes, she was right, she was completely in love with Lea. There was no turning back now. All she had to do was figure out how to tell her, how to share that little nugget of information in a way that wouldn’t make Lea run all the way to Kansas City in fear.

“How was your day?”

“Busy,” Jewel sighed. “Yours?”

“Same. I’m still working.”

Jewel squinted at the clock on the far wall of her bedroom. “It’s after eight.”

“Yes, I know.”

“What are you doing?”

“Prepping for this week. I’m still a little behind from Indigo.”

Jewel’s heart warmed. The name Indigo brought such good memories. She was never likely to forget that white-washed house tucked into the hillside. “If you weren’t so busy, I’d come over and distract you.”