Page 112 of Semantics

Violet leaned in and said, “No, but if you want, I might borrow some of your clothes to sleep in.”

“Oh, I’d love that.”

“I know,” Violet replied and kissed her.

CHAPTER 31

“I don’t want you to go,” Stella said before she kissed her again.

“I don’t want to go, either,” Violet replied and rolled on top of her. “But I have to get home. I only brought clothes to sleep in.”

She kissed Stella once more and straddled her.

“You can’t do that if you’re trying to leave,” Stella said, running her hands over Violet’s thighs. “And you slept in my clothes last night.”

“I know. I’ll change out of them so that you can have them back, but I have to get home to change, Stella. I have a very important meeting today.”

“I hate that our first date was on a Sunday night.”

“Saturday night was–”

“I know; work to prepare for today, which is meeting number two with Asset. Hopefully, this is also where they present you with their offer and you can accept it.”

“I’m a little worried,” she said as she climbed off Stella.

“Why? I thought they were very impressed.”

“I think they were. And they asked us for more paperwork than I’d need to buy a house, so I’m hopeful, but that’s not it.”

Violet found her bag on the floor and rifled through it, deciding she’d just wear her sweatpants and T-shirt home and not bother with the sweater.

“What is it, then?” Stella asked. “And you can keep the clothes, by the way. You already have one of my shirts. What’s one more and a pair of pants?”

Violet turned and said, “I forgot I had your shirt.”

“I’m deeply offended,” Stella joked.

“It’s in my drawer. I’ll bring it back.”

“Just leave it there. I can wear it whenever I stay over.”

Violet stood up fully, still holding her clothes, and said, “Confident you’re getting a second date, aren’t you?”

“You woke me up by kissing my neck, so I’m feeling pretty good about it, yeah.”

Violet just smiled at her and said, “Can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

Violet went around to Stella’s side of the bed then and sat down on the side, forcing Stella to scoot over a little, but she wanted to be next to Stella when she asked her question.

“Have you thought about it at all? I mean, I guess you have, given how you set up our date last night, but have you ever thought about what might have happened with us had we been able to put our egos aside for a minute and just talk to each other?”

“Why? Have you?”

“Arlowe was asking me the other day. What if I’d been single? What if we’d met under different circumstances?”

“How so?” Stella asked, running her hand into Violet’s hair and pushing it away from her face, which had Violet leaning into her touch.