Page 81 of See You Next Month

“I can’t tell you that you’re beautiful?” Isabella asked softly.

“You are such an important part of my life now, Bella. You keep saying things like that and what’s going to happen? We have a fling in the islands and after our year is over we go back to our lives.”

“Who says it has to be over?”

Kelsey closed her eyes. “I don’t want to lose you,” she whispered.

“What if we made it?”

Kelsey’s eyes popped open and Isabella looked at her seriously. “I don’t want to go back to my life the way it was before. The time we’ve spent here is the best part of my year. Why can’t we have it all month long?”

Kelsey sighed. “This wouldn’t just be a fling for me.”

“It wouldn’t be for me either. I can’t stop thinking about you. And when I think about you, my next thought is of kissing you. I miss you when we’re not here.”

“I miss you, too,” Kelsey said.

“But what do you think, Kels?”

Kelsey let out a breath and reached for Isabella’s hands. “I think this is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, yet I don’t know how to make it happen.”

Isabella scoffed then smiled. “Aren’t we a couple.”

That got a small smile from Kelsey.

“I want our next trip to be just us. We’ll do some kind of relaxing vacation theme where we won’t have to video and post as much. We’ll have time to figure this out.”

Kelsey raised her eyebrows. “Figure this out? You’ve never been with a woman. We can walk this back and still be friends, Bella.”

Isabella felt heat rise to her cheeks and a sinking feeling in her stomach. “Can we, Kelsey?”

Kelsey sighed in frustration. “I’m afraid if I tell you everything that’s swirling in my heart it’ll scare you away.”

“That’s what next month’s trip is for. We can talk about all our fears, doubts, hopes and what it means to this job we’re doing?—”

“And our families,” Kelsey said. “It’s not such a big deal for my girls, but your boys are younger.”

Isabella smiled. Of course Kelsey was thinking of her. “They won’t always be that way.”

Kelsey smirked. “You know what I mean. This is different from just going out with someone new.”

“Because you’re a woman?”

Kelsey nodded. “Yes. Unfortunately, that adds another layer to the other things we have to consider.”

“Do you want to date me, Kels?” Isabella asked.

Kelsey grinned. “Date you? We live in different states and see each other once a month.”

“If you think about it, we’ve been dating pretty much since the moment we met,” Isabella said.

Kelsey tilted her head. “Hmm, that’s one way to look at it.”

Isabella leaned over and cupped the side of Kelsey’s face with her hand. “I know who you are, Kels. I want to know more and I think you do, too,” Isabella said, staring into her eyes. “I’m falling in love with you and I think you’re in love with me.” Isabella smiled softly.

Kelsey opened her mouth to speak and Isabella reached over and put her fingers over her lips. “Don’t start with the what ifs. Kiss me. Then you’ll know we can make it work. Because how could we not.”

Kelsey crashed her lips to Isabella’s in a steamy kiss. They both moaned and Isabella felt Kelsey’s fingers fist in her hair, holding their lips together.

---