Page 78 of Finally Loved

“Are you sure?” she finally managed to whimper.

Alba smiled, holding Neve’s face with both hands like she was the most precious thing in the world. “I’m sure.”

“It’s okay if you later change your mind and you need sex and need to break up.”

Alba nodded. “I appreciate that, but I really don’t see that being a thing. I just want you, Davenport. You, for the rest of time.”

Neve laughed. “That’s the first time you’ve used my last name like that.”

“Yeah, but it made you laugh, so it worked.” She smiled. “Seriously, Neve, just you and me and everything we’ve already been becoming lately for the rest of time.”

Neve nodded. “You’re really sure?”

“I am. You know, if you’ll have me?”

“Yes, please.” She bit her lip. “And, um, you know, you don’t have to leave the room to take care of yourself.”

“I don’t want to do anything that makes you the least bit uncomfortable.”

Neve shook her head. “I’m not uncomfortable about you being turned on or needing to get off. I just—”

“Don’t want to be involved.”

“Not more than potentially being in the room. But you don’t have to stay if it makes you feel weird.”

“Noted.”

Neve watched her for a minute before she smiled. “It’s okay if that turns you on too.”

Alba grinned. “Am I that transparent?”

“Maybe I just know you.”

Alba’s smile became softer and she leaned towards Neve. “I’m glad you do.”

“Me too.”

Her eyes darted from Neve’s eyes to her lips. “Say, how do you feel about kissing?”

Neve felt herself blushing again. “Um. Big fan.”

“I thought as much.”

Neve made a very undignified noise. “What? How?”

Alba grinned. “Because, sometimes, you stare at my lips like you want to devour me.”

Neve groaned. “Oh, that’s embarrassing.”

“I think it’s fantastic.”

“I’m sure you do.”

“Hey, I just basically told you I get off thinking about you, you think I haven’t been desperately thinking about kissing you too?”

Neve paused, looking back up at Alba. She had noticed the signs, but part of her hadn’t really been letting her acknowledgehow much she wanted to know that, how much she wanted it to be real. To just have Alba admitting it out loud felt like the most wonderful gift in the world.

She wasn’t really sure why she was surprised. They’d frequently been so close together they’d almost kissed. She knew she’d seen Alba looking at her lips. She’d just been so worried, that it felt easier to pretend it couldn’t truly be real. But here they were.

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