Hadley drops her face into my bed and releases a long moan that has me ready to come apart. I slip my finger to her clit, and thrust, until her moans become gasps, and then her back arches, and her hands tangle in the blankets as she cries my name with the sound of her release. My movements become faster, and less rhythmic and then I fall over the same edge, my orgasm so strong it has me sagging over her, my face against her spine.
Neither of us moves for a second, both of us working to catch our breaths. I kiss along her spine as I slowly slip out of her, trailing my fingers along her bare skin as she rolls to her side, appearing like she’s ready to pass out for a week.
“How was that?” I ask.
“I don’t know if that was the best orgasm or the most frustrating orgasm,” she says, eyes still closed. “I seriously thought I was going to combust for a hot minute.”
I chuckle, running my hands over her thighs. “I wouldn’t have let you combust.”
She opens one eye. “I’m pretty sure there’s ash on my skin.” She half-heartedly raises a hand to me.
I smile and kiss the back of her hand. “I like making you burn for me.”
She grins as she closes her eye again. “I like that you text me in the middle of the night when you’re traveling.”
“I couldn’t sleep without your cold feet against me.”
“Cold feet? I sleep with socks.”
“And I can still feel how cold they are.”
She laughs a rich wonderful sound. “Hence the socks.”
“I missed you, Cutlass.”
I awaken to an empty bed. The place that Hadley is supposed to fill is cold, revealing she’s been up for a while.
I mutter a protest and pull on some clothes. She was right, the basement feels like a freezer now that it’s dipping into the cooler temperatures at night.
I find Hadley in the kitchen, mixing bowls covering the countertops, and pots on every burner of the stove.
“Is an army coming over for breakfast?” I ask, blinking at the bright light streaming through the window over the sink.
“Close,” Hannah, says, setting a vase of flowers on the table.
“Oh. Those are pretty,” Katie says. “I love chrysanthemums.” She sets two mini pumpkins on either side of the arrangement.
“What are you guys doing? And why are you all awake? You guys are usually like vampires, sleeping until noon on the weekends.”
“Hadley,” Katie says.
I turn my attention to Hadley as she finishes ladling batter into the waffle iron. The scents of gingerbread hit my nose, warm with hints of cinnamon and vanilla.
She stirs another bowl, giving me a sideways glance that reveals she’s feeling a little uncertain. Nervous. “I know you were kind of bummed about missing Thanksgiving at home, so I thought it might be fun to have a non-Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving.”
“A brunch Friendsgiving,” Hannah says.
My gaze is still trained on Hadley though, waiting for her to meet my stare. Finally, she does and it’s as though recognition snaps into place that this girl was put here for me to find. I know it in my bones—in my soul—because being around her makes me feel a sense of completeness and wholeness I’ve never known.
It’s exhilarating.
It’s fucking terrifying.
“This is the best idea. Thank you.”
She smiles, turning back to the bowl in front of her.
“Since we’re celebrating an early Thanksgiving, does that mean we can set up the Christmas tree this week?” Katie asks.