May 2016
Karlie loves Sundays. It's always been one of her favourite days of the week, even when she was a little kid and she knew that school was waiting for her again in the morning. She would always try to savour the last few hours of freedom which when she was younger meant baking with her Mom in the afternoon and then trying to convince her parents to let her and her sisters stay up as late as possible. As an adult it means quiet, lazy days curled up with Taylor, maybe not even venturing outside the confines of the apartment before the demands of another hectic week start again in earnest.
This particular Sunday, she feels like she's hit the jackpot. She and Taylor are curled up together on the couch, the remnants of the breakfast that they had cooked together that morning left on the coffee table and the Cardinals game playing on the large t.v. screen.
"What do you think about a gas stove top?" Taylor asks looking up at Karlie from her position tucked into the model's side.
"Hmm?" Karlie hums distractedly, tearing her gaze away from the game. She glances down at Taylor and she can't help but notice that from this angle she can almost see down the front of the loose button down shirt that Taylor had thrown on this morning. That coupled with the knowledge that all Taylor has on besides is her underwear does little to help her concentrate on Taylor's question. Karlie darts her eyes up to meet Taylor's and the smirk she receives in response lets her know that she's been caught staring.
Karlie clears her throat and looks away, feeling her face flush under Taylor's gaze.
"For the kitchen?" Taylor presses deciding to take pity on her girl.
"You already have a stove in the kitchen?" Karlie says confused.
"For the new kitchen," Taylor explains, showing Karlie some pictures on her iPad.
"Why do we need a need a new kitchen? I like your kitchen," Karlie asks, shifting to get a better look aver Taylor's shoulder.
"That's the point, I don't want it to be my kitchen, I want it to be our kitchen," Taylor explains, pressing a kiss to the underside of Karlie's jaw.
"I see," Karlie says smiling at her girlfriend, filling with warmth at the thought of having a place that is fully theirs. Karlie can't fight the urge to lean down and steal a short soft kiss so she doesn't.
"I've never lived with anyone before," Karlie whispers shyly as they break apart.
Taylor tilts her head in thought as she runs her fingers through Karlie's hair. "Me neither," Taylor muses before swaying forward and capturing Karlie's lips in another slow kiss.
Taylor's smiling when she pulls away and has to blink to clear her head as she melts further into Karlie's side. "So, gas stove top?"
"I'm not sure how I feel about having you near a naked flame," Karlie teases, letting out a surprised yelp when Taylor delivers a swift poke to her side.
"That was one time Karlie," Taylor fires back indignantly. "One little video and suddenly I'm a pyromaniac," she adds under her breath.
"Whatever you want baby," Karlie assures leaning over Taylor, plucking her iPad out of her hands. Karlie presses Taylor back into the couch cushions and settles between her thighs to kiss her again, baseball forgotten.
Six months later, after countless Pinterest boards, a lot of antique shopping, and endless bickering over paint swatches, they were finally ready to move back into their renovated apartment. The place was freshly painted and they had hired movers to bring by all their stuff and get the larger furniture set up but they had wanted to unpack the rest of their boxes together to decide where everything should go. They had ordered pizza and were unpacking boxes, listening to music playing from the bluetooth speaker.
Karlie is working on a box of books, stacking them on the shelves by the grand piano when she hears Taylor call out. "What are these?"
Karlie looks up but is momentarily distracted by the sight of Taylor bending over with her head buried in a box. Karlie shakes her head to dispel the flush of heat that burns her cheeks and the tug of arousal that settles low in her belly.
Taylor turns to look at Karlie and finds her staring at her with a familiar look on her face, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. Taylor can't help but smile as Karlie makes her way over to her stumbling over the corner of a box. Taylor feels Karlie press against her back, dropping a kiss to her neck and peering over her shoulder to look into the box.
"My baseballs," Karlie says excitedly and it's Taylor's turn to gulp as she feels Karlie's breath on her ear.
"You have so many," Taylor murmurs, still distracted by Karlie who has crouched down to rummage through the baseballs that are all encased in glass cases. Taylor's no expert when it comes to sports but she figures that these must be pretty special.
"Yeah, I kind of collect them," Karlie says sheepishly, looking up at Taylor. Taylor rolls her eyes and fights a smile at her dork of girlfriend.
"How did I not know this about you?" Taylor asks holding out her hand to Karlie and pulling her back in to drape her arms around Karlie's shoulders.
"Well, now that we're gonna be living together I'm sure you'll find out all my secrets," Karlie smiles as she settles her hands low on Taylor's hips pulling her close.
Taylor smiles an exasperated smile up at Karlie and Karlie can feel her breath catch in her throat at the sight. Karlie feels more than hears the muffled "uh huh" that Taylor mumbles against her lips.
Taylor pulls back and turns in Karlie's arms to pick up one of the baseballs in its display case.
"That's my favourite, it's from the very first Cardinals game my Dad took us to," Karlie explains resting her chin on Taylor's shoulder. "I was six and I wanted to catch a ball so bad."
"And you did?" Taylor asks twisting to look at Karlie.
"No, not exactly, I was so disappointed. But you can buy balls that were used during the game afterwards and my Dad got one for me."
"Where are we gonna put them?" Taylor asks.
"I was thinking the living room?" Karlie replies, scanning the room for potential spots.
"Yeah we could," Taylor muses.
"What?" Karlie asks, knowing there's more that Taylor wants to say.
"It's just, I'm not sure if they will go with the theme," Taylor responds shrugging her shoulders.
Karlie nudges her nose against the skin of her neck, breathing her in. "What's the theme?"
"Sophisticated, lesbian chic," Taylor deadpans, and she feels Karlie's snort of laughter against her neck.
"Well, it could definitely help with the lesbian part," Karlie mutters under her breath.
"Ha ha," Taylor laughs dryly.
"Also, who put you in charge of decorating this place, you have a birdcage in your living room in Nashville," Karlie says, ducking out of the way when Taylor rounds on her in outrage.
"Hey, I was young, that was my first apartment," Taylor defends. "Besides, I don't remember you complaining when we had sex on the swing."
"Okay, you got me there," Karlie admits, smiling at the memory. "Now your favourite decorating technique is to just put an award on any available surface," Karlie fires back teasingly, dodging the pokes that Taylor is trying to land on her ribs.
"You take that back!" Taylor gasps trying to shove Karlie away but Karlie just tightens her hold on her.
"Oh please, if this place was on fire and you could save me or your Grammy's, which one would you choose?" Karlie asks staring down at Taylor, raising an eyebrow expectantly.
"I can't believe you would ask me that," Taylor says indignantly, crossing her arms. "That's not fair, my Grammy's couldn't walk out themselves."
"I can't believe you," Karlie fires back but the gentle squeeze of Karlie's arms around her waist is enough to assure Taylor that there's no bite to Karlie words. Karlie finds Taylor too adorable when she gets worked up to be mad at.
"You know that scene in When Harry Met Sally where Carrie Fisher is arguing with Harry's friend over the wagon wheel coffee table when they move in together?" Taylor asks with a mischievous smile.
"Yeah," Karlie responds not liking what Taylor is implying.
"I dunno, just something about this made me think of it," Taylor says shrugging her shoulders innocently.
"Are you comparing my baseballs, one of my most treasured possessions to his stupid wagon wheel coffee table?" Karlie accuses skirting her fingers up Taylor's sides in an attempt to tickle her into submission.
"Karlie, don't you dare," Taylor threatens, trying to squirm out of her hold. Karlie refuses to budge, thoroughly enjoying listening to Taylor's laughter turning to breathless gasps.
"Do you surrender?" Karlie asks as she continues her assault. Taylor can't speak so she just shakes her head as she continues to flail at Karlie.
Karlie takes pity on her girlfriend when she starts to worry that she can't breathe.
"I hate you," Taylor gasps, sagging against Karlie's chest as she tries to catch her breath.
Karlie doesn't respond, just hums and sways to the music with Taylor in time with the music.
"I love this song," Karlie whispers as the opening notes of Africa by Toto fill the room, echoing slightly due to the lack of furniture.
"Dance with me?" Taylor asks, her voice a little too breathless to be blamed on the fact that she has just been tickled to within an inch of her life.
"Always," Karlie smiles intertwining her fingers with Taylor's. "What dance are we doing?"
"How about the one where you just hold me and we sway to the music?" Taylor asks smiling up at Karlie, draping her arms around her shoulders and pulling her close.
"My favourite," Karlie mumbles, pressing her lips to Taylor's temple and wrapping her arms around her girlfriend.
Karlie relishes the feel of Taylor pressed against her, and she holds her close. Taylor sings the lyrics softly under her breath and feels Karlie press kisses to her neck, the underside of her jaw and the patch of skin behind her ear.
The song fades out and Taylor nudges her forehead against Karlie's and leans in to kiss her soft and slow.
"I love you," Taylor whispers when they break apart. "And your baseballs."
Let me know what you think, comments make me smile!