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Brinley wished she had the answer, but she didn’t. “That’s something only you can figure out. What I can tell you is that sexuality and gender are fluid. Maybe you’re compatible with women in bed, but when it comes to anything beyond that, you only have feelings for men. Maybe you have feelings for both. Maybe it all depends on the specific person—male, female, non-binary, gender nonconforming… doesn’t matter. As hard as it is, try your best not to overthink it. If you’re happy, then let yourself be. You don’t ever have to put a label on yourself if you don’t want to, but if you feel like a label fits and you want it, then go for it.”
“So, pretty much do whatever the hell I want and don’t think about it?” Annalise laughed. “You do realize who you’re talking to, right?”
“I know. Easier said than done.” Given all of her questions, Brinley figured this was the best time to check in with Annalise. “Are you… okay… with everything that just happened between us?”
Much to her surprise, Annalise laughed even louder now. She laughed so hard that tears started to stream down her face. She wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. “Sorry. I’m laughing because I’m more than okay with it. I’ve been questioning my sexuality for a little while now, but I’m questioning it even more now that I know how much I love touching you.”
Brinley lifted an eyebrow and smirked. “Oh, yeah? Maybe we could do it again sometime.”
“I’d like that.” Annalise looked down and ran her hand over Brinley’s comforter. “I should probably go for now though. This was amazing but still a lot.”
“Why don’t you stay?” What the hell? Why did I just say that?
“Stay?”
Brinley shrugged as if it was no big deal and tried to ignore how fast her heart was racing. “Yeah. Not to do anything. We can watch a movie on my couch… fully clothed. It’s late. You have a lot on your mind, so I’m sure you’re exhausted. I’d feel bad having you drive home when you can get a good night’s sleep here and drive once you’re fully rested.”
“You don’t have work or anything tomorrow?”
Brinley shook her head. “I just have to study. The bar is closed on Sundays because the owner is actually super religious, but in a cool way. The only time I work on Sundays is if he hosts events like Sips for the Soul , Gin and Jesus , or Lemondrops with the Lord . And before you ask—no, I did not make those up. Those are actual events he’s hosted.”
Annalise laughed but quickly became serious again. “And you’re sure this doesn’t break some unwritten rule?”
What’s with this girl and rules? “The only rule I have is that if you stay, I have to make you eggs and bacon.”
This finally caused Annalise to visibly relax. “I can agree to that.”
“Movie?”
“Sounds perfect.”
It took more time for the two of them to get dressed and choose a movie than it did for Annalise to fall asleep during said movie. She was snuggled underneath Brinley’s arm with her head resting against her chest. This wasn’t normally how Brinley acted with random hookups, but Annalise wasn’t random. She also felt more like a friend than a hookup at this point. A friend she was very compatible with in bed, but that was just an added benefit in Brinley’s mind. It didn’t mean anything because it didn’t have to. She was happy about where things stood between them and that was all that mattered.
When the movie ended, she woke Annalise up with a kiss to her forehead. As Annalise’s eyes fluttered open, Brinley ignored the other fluttering that was taking place in her stomach. She led Annalise back to her room and held her in her arms just as she had on the couch. This was a friendship she could definitely get used to…
Chapter 9
Annalise
When Annalise woke up, it took her a minute to regain her bearings and remember where she was. She opened her eyes and took in the room around her. She was at Brinley’s apartment. Last night, she had touched another woman for the first time then fallen asleep in that woman’s arms. Was that weird? It didn’t feel weird. It felt oddly natural. Almost too natural.
Don’t overthink. Don’t overthink.
Speaking of Brinley, where was she? As if on cue, Annalise’s other senses awakened at that exact moment, and the most wonderful smell hit her nostrils. Bacon and eggs. Brinley wasn’t lying.
Annalise stood out of bed and took the short walk to the kitchen, where she found Brinley standing by the stove, her hips moving slightly to the rhythm of whatever song was playing from her phone. Instead of saying anything, Annalise enjoyed the moment.
She watched the sway of Brinley’s hips and the way her head pivoted back and forth between the book she had sitting beside her on the counter and the pans in front of her. She looked so relaxed, so at home. Obviously, she was literally at home, but she somehow seemed even more content than usual, which was saying a lot for Brinley.
As if she could sense she was being watched, she turned around at that very moment, her whole face lighting up when her eyes met Annalise’s. “Good morning! I hope I didn’t wake you. I have an unspoken rule with myself that whenever I’m listening to Fletcher, the volume has to be as loud as it goes.”
“Fletcher?” That was a name Annalise had never heard before.
“Oh, sweetie, you have so much to learn.” Brinley turned off the stove then walked over to Annalise, her hand landing on Annalise’s arm once they were close. “Maybe between all the sex we could work in some lessons on Lesbian Gods and Bi-cons. Fletcher is definitely one of the top Lesbian Gods in my mind. She might literally be at the top.”
Annalise refused to think about how good it felt to have Brinley’s hand on her arm. She refused to consider how the heat radiating from that one spot and spreading throughout her whole body made her want to rip off Brinley’s clothes and have her way with her right there in the kitchen. No, she was going to focus on her words instead. Words that were now all jumbled in her head thanks to her other inappropriate thoughts. “What’s a bi-con?”
Brinley playfully rolled her eyes. “A bi icon. Duh. You know Renee Rapp?”
