“I think I’d have to insist on it. We’ll need to talk about the reality of our situation soon, you know?”
“I know,” Sharon replied and kissed Debra’s head again. “It’s a long-distance relationship.”
“Yes,” Debra said. “But it doesn’t always have to be.”
“What do you mean?”
Debra moved to sit, and Sharon was about to do the same, but Debra held out her hand for the one headphone in Sharon’s ear. Sharon gave it to her, and Debra put both away. Then, she moved over Sharon, lifting Sharon’s shirt to kiss her stomach.
“We could find a way to live in the same city one day. Maybe even the same house, if things work out.”
“Oh, yeah?” she asked and ran her hand again through Debra’s perfect short hair.
“Yes.” Debra kissed her again and hovered her nose over Sharon’s belly button. “I own my place, but we could find something else if we decided to move in together one day.”
“Why? Maybe I’ll like your place.”
“You might. It’s very nice.Ithink so, at least,” Debra replied and kissed her a little lower. “But if you want something else, I’d be okay with moving.”
“Where?”
“Right now, I go into the office once a week, but that’s mainly for an executive meeting and because I live by the office. Most of the company works from home these days, so I’m pretty open to living anywhere.”
“I don’t want to live in a city,” Sharon reminded her. “Somewhere in the burbs is fine, or the country, maybe. I’m still looking for a job, but I’ve been looking at remote jobs, hoping to save money on rent by being able to move out of my expensive apartment that was near my old office. I just haven’t gotten lucky yet.”
Debra looked up at her and lifted an eyebrow.
“At work.” She laughed. “I haven’t gotten lucky in my job search. I’ve gottenverylucky inother areaslately.”
“I want you to come to my place,” Debra said.
“When?”
“When we leave here.”
Sharon’s face fell, and she knew it.
“I can’t. I was barely able to get this week off work. I had to find people to cover for me. I have a shift the day after I get back.”
“Then, I’ll come to you,” Debra offered.
“You’ll come to me?”
“Your place. Is that not okay?”
“Of course, it’s okay,” she said. “It’s just a small one-bedroom, though. I have the internet, but no TV, so I watch shows and stuff on my laptop, and–”
“I don’t care,” Debra interrupted and undid the button of Sharon’s jeans. “I know we’re in different phases of our lives. Idon’t care if your apartment isn’t a palace, Sharon. I just want to be with you.”
Debra unzipped those jeans.
“You’re breaking the rules.”
“I just cried my eyes out while you held me. I need to be close to you in this way. Is that okay?”
Sharon smiled softly and said, “It’s more than okay.”
Debra sat back on her knees and pulled off her shirt. Her bra followed suit, and Sharon’s eyebrows lifted then. Debra’s body was all curves, and God, she had beautiful breasts. Sharon wanted to touch them, but Debra moved to stand and kicked her pants and everything else off before she climbed back onto the bed and began taking off Sharon’s clothes.
