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right. As right as the night wrapping around them, the stars up there staring

down like they had for millions of years, the earth just as old below.

She thought about how sweet it would be to just lay there forever

beside Christina. She thought about kissing her, touching her, holding her,

until the early morning light spread across the sky. She thought of their

bodies pressed together, blissfully warm, a perfect fit, a compliment to one

another. She knew they had time. She wanted to take that time and go slow

and savour the new moment together, even if her body demanded instant

gratification. Her mind said something else and she was determined to

listen, to draw out the night for as long as possible.

She’d never, not once felt like that with another person. It was what

Taylor had always known was missing.

“Opening day is coming soon,” Taylor whispered against Christina’s

cheek. “It’s been such a crazy ride.”

She thought everything between them had been crazy too, but she

didn’t want to say it.

“It has been, but there’s so much more to come.” Christina

obviously wasn’t just talking about work, and it made Taylor flush with

wild heat to hear that promise in her voice. “When we leave here, when

your business opens, we’ll still have this.” It was obvious what she meant,

and it made Taylor’s chest swell all over again. “We’ll do it together.”

Together.

That one word meant so much to Taylor. She marvelled at how

Christina was willing to be open and show her all those soft spots that she

probably never showed to anyone else. Beneath that cool exterior was a

warm, soft, wonderful beating heart that Taylor had already come to

cherish. She never expected that Christina could be so willing, so

wonderful, so open, so different than she was at work, when other people

were watching her. They still had a lot to work on and work out, but the

moment they were sharing gave Taylor more hope than she’d ever had.