Page 72 of When You Smile

“I’m so yours right now,” she murmured, hand flat against the wall.

“Look at me,” Charlie said, and Taryn did. It was those fathomless blue eyes that she was lost in when the ground fell out from beneath her and she was flying, overcome with trembling pleasure.

“Too good,” Taryn said, limp, eyes closed, hovering on a blissful cloud of satisfaction. But that didn’t mean her desire for Charlie had abated one bit. It was only a few moments before she sat up and ran her fingertip from Charlie’s neck to her bare shoulder. “Turn around,” she whispered.

Charlie complied and leaned against Taryn. With one hand around Charlie’s waist, she slid her other into her underwear and began to explore, to stroke. The tiny gasps and murmurs guided her until the undulation of Charlie’s hips had her pressing her fingers firmly to a cry from Charlie.

Taryn had been waiting for this moment all night and reveled in the feeling of Charlie tensing in her arms, in the sounds she made as pleasure tore through her. She kissed the side of Charlie’s neck softly as her hand brought her back down with soft, gentle touches.

With a final exhale, Charlie turned and kissed Taryn’s lips over her shoulder. “I should write on a deadline more often.”

* * *

Taryn had crunched the numbers, and if she picked up a class both this semester and next and did one of the summer semesters in addition, she could graduate a semester early and join Charlie in New York months in advance of when she’d originally anticipated.

“Is that something you’re honestly considering?” Charlie asked from across the high-top at Toby’s. It was the first week of classes, and Taryn had already checked the calendar. There was still time to make the change in her schedule. “I would be thrilled if you were able to make that happen, but I also don’t want you to overwhelm yourself.”

“I’m pretty positive I’m doing it,” Taryn said. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay with me showing up a little early.”

“More than okay,” Charlie said, raising her pint glass. “To speeding up the hard part.”

“To speed,” Taryn said, touching her glass to Charlie’s.

“What are we cheering to?” Sasha asked from the pool table adjacent to their table. “Is it love? Because I’m always a celebrator, even if my heart has been recently stomped on and crushed like a bug beneath a soccer cleat.”

“Did the snack machine girl not work out?” Charlie asked Taryn quietly, not moving a muscle.

“She left Sasha for the captain of the girls’ soccer team,” she answered. “It’s a bit of a tense topic around Alexander, and cleats have been banned on the fourth floor for the time being.”

“Fuck cleats!” Sasha yelled and returned to her game of pool.

“Words to live by,” Charlie said, raising her glass. “You’re cute,” she said to Taryn.

“I didn’t even do anything,” Taryn said.

“Exactly.” She checked her watch. “But I need to go.”

“No.”

“Yes,” Charlie said, kissing the back of her hand. “I have all of those prewrites to grade and respond to in the morning, and I want to get in an hour of writing. Any more of these drinks and I won’t be able to string words together.”

The time they’d spent together in Dyer had done wonders for their relationship. Charlie was more confident than ever. She held Taryn’s hand in public, introduced her to friends they’d run into, and one afternoon surprised her in the library with a to-go coffee from the Bump and Grind.

“You didn’t have to do this,” Taryn said, touched that Charlie had clearly gone out of her way after Taryn had texted that she was having trouble staying awake.

“Well, I was the reason you’re on so little sleep. Plus, if you can’t surprise your girlfriend with coffee every once in a while, what is the point of anything?”

They both paused because they’d heard it at the same time. Girlfriend. The first use of the word, even though that was clearly what they’d become.

“I’m your girlfriend,” Taryn said and sipped her coffee. She felt ten feet tall, capable of not only acing this entire semester but probably the rest of her life, too. As Charlie Adler’s girlfriend, she was unstoppable.

“You are,” Charlie said, running her hand down the back of Taryn’s head. It was a gesture Charlie favored, and Taryn was growing to love. “Now I better get to work and not steal glances at you with your concentration face on.”

“Do you like my concentration face?” Taryn asked, attempting to demonstrate in hyperbolic fashion.

“Very much. But that’s not it.” Charlie pointed at the Spanish textbook in front of Taryn. “Study those words. That subject is your weak spot.”

“I’m wounded you think I have one.”

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