night after night (camren)

40.

Nerves raced through her, as she wondered what Lauren would do next.

......

So this is where she lay at night when she'd sent all those emails. Curled up on her king-size bed, on top of the wine-red covers, half-naked, wearing only her shirt.

At least, that's how Lauren liked to imagine her, and how she liked to look at her.

Lauren had never been one to think much about a woman's home décor, but something seemed quite fitting about the deep reds, royal purples and gold colours in Camila's bedroom - sexy shades for a woman who exuded sexiness in her style.

On Camila's nightstand was an e-reader and Lauren was willing to bet it was well stocked with the books she loved - adventure tales, she remembered. Stories of daring behaviour, of destructing innocence, of adventure, of succeeding, of life. She was an adventurous woman, and what she read reflected that side of her. A cobalt blue scarf was draped over the lamp on the nightstand, and Lauren's mind flashed to other uses for that scarf. She checked out the framed photos on her bureau - pictures of her best friend and her, and her best friend and a dog, too.

"That's Dinah's dog. Ms Pac-Man"

"Cute dog"

"She is cute and smart" Camila said, a not of pride in her voice, almost like an aunt beaming about a child. "She'd also loyal and devoted"

"As a dog should be"

"And a person" she added.

"Yes" Lauren said emphatically, "Are you loyal and devoted?"

Camila nodded, her face serious, her brown eyes holding Lauren's gaze. Their was a fierceness in her look. A certainty, "I only want you. I only think of you" she said.

"I know that feeling well"

She patted her bed, "I like the way you look in my apartment"

"I like the way you look right now" the girl said, climbing up on Camila's bed and joining her.

"Are you going to take off those pants and stay the night? Camila asked, eyeing Lauren's half-dressed state.

"I am considering it" Lauren said in a wry tone.

"What can I do to convince you?"

Lauren was surprised to find her voice stripped bare of flirting as she posed the question. She was used to Camila's seductive side, the way she'd trail her fingernails along her arm to get what she wanted. But this was a newer side of Camila, a vulnerable one, and it gave her hope that Camila was finally opening up to her.

She ran her index finger along Camila's jawline. She swallowed, taking a beat. She was going to put it out there. Put herself out there. "Let me in" she said, as she moved her fingers to Camila's heart, tracing it.

"How?" Camila asked in a wobbly voice.

"Tell me why you're scared. Tell me why you ran"

Camila sighed heavily, shifting from her side to her back. She closed her eyes; her face seemed pinched. Lauren ran her hand along the girl's bare arm, "Hey" she said softly, "You're here now. I'm here now. I want to know what I need to do so I don't scare you away"

Camila opened her eyes, and turned back to face Lauren. Her expression was softer now, "It's nothing you can or can't do. It's me"

"Right. It generally is. But tell me how I can help you be comfortable with you and me" Lauren said, "Because for a while there I was damn sure you were history. My friend Lucy even said so, in no uncertain terms"