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“Hi,” Kendra said. “Can I get this ice off before you get up?”

“Oh, yeah.”

Kendra stared for a minute longer before she finally moved and got the now-melted ice off Aspen’s ankle. She rewrapped it and helped Aspen stand, walking her toward the bedroom.

“Why are we going this way?”

“I put it in the bedroom so that you can eat and just fall asleep whenever. I thought it would be easier.”

“Oh, that’s smart. You’re smart.”

“Thanks,” Kendra said with a laugh and helped Aspen get into bed before she put the tray over her lap and stood back. “Need anything else?”

“Where’s your food?” Aspen asked, looking around.

“I left it in the kitchen. I figured, if you were going to sleep, I’d just take it home.”

“No, stay. Have dinner in here with me. We can watch something, if you want.”

“Watch something?”

“Yeah. Like, volleyball, or not volleyball.”

“Those are my options?” Kendra laughed a little.

“We can watch whatever you want. I just have film to watch, so I thought if you wanted to watch it with me, you could. If not, we can watch something else. Get your food, and we can decide?”

“Yeah, okay,” Kendra agreed.

Minutes later, she was half-sitting, half-lying down in Aspen’s bed, eating a sandwich, and Aspen had the TV remote in her hand.

“Volleyball or not?”

“Can we watch something else?”

“Sure. What are you in the mood for?”

“Movie? Or are you too tired?”

“I’m okay. I think you rubbing my leg just put me to sleep,” Aspen told her with a wink.

Kendra wished they didn’t have food between them right now because she wanted to move into Aspen’s side and hold her close.

“What kind of movies do you like?” Aspen asked.

“I’m not picky.”

Aspen laughed, and they settled on a movie to watch while they ate their meals as it played across the screen. When they were done, Kendra took the trash and leftovers to the kitchen and came back into the bedroom to finish the movie and go home, but Aspen was out again.

“You’re okay, huh?” she said softly, teasing the other woman.

She pulled a blanket from the end of the bed up and over Aspen’s legs, and since she didn’t know what else to do, she decided to leave a note telling Aspen that she’d be back tomorrow morning to take her to the doctor and reminding her not to do too much walking. She added that she was only a text message away before she placed the note on the bedside table. Looking down and seeing that Aspen was still sleeping peacefully, Kendra couldn’t help herself then. She leaned down and kissed Aspen on the forehead.

“Night, babe,” she said more to herself to see how it would feel to say that out loud.

She smiled because it sounded pretty good to her. Then, she left, making sure to lock the house after herself, and headed home. A few minutes later, her phone dinged.

Aspen Ashley: Thank you. I had to get up to turn on the alarm, but I’m back in bed now, and I’m going to get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow. Maybe we can finish the movie sometime.