Cliffs Edge [Kaylor]

nine

"How am I going to hide this?" Taylor frets as she looks at her neck in the mirror. There are splotches of red smattered over the pale skin, leading down to her collarbone and disappearing past the collar of her blouse. She pulls down her collar and groans loudly when she sees that her chest is also sporting the red marks.

"Don't." Karlie sounds unbelievably nonchalant, sprawled out across Taylor's bed like an oversized cat. She has her arms folded behind her head and is leaning up against the headboard, eyeing Taylor with that intense stare of hers.

"That's not happening, I have an interview in three hours." Taylor sighs as she starts pulling out the makeup that'll be needed to cover up the hickeys.

"Wear a turtleneck." Karlie slowly slides off of the bed. She sidles up behind Taylor and rests two hands on her tense shoulders. Taylor melts a little under the contact, and her hands freeze as she stares in the mirror. The height difference between them is exaggerated since she is barefoot, and Karlie's green eyes are staring back at her in the reflection. Taylor can't help but notice how good they look together. It's picture perfect.

"I already have my dress picked out. It'll hide my chest but my neck is going to need work."

Taylor's words teeter off towards the end when Karlie brushes aside her hair and bends down, pressing a soft kiss to Taylor's neck. She should be pulling away, because she is already running late, but the feeling of Karlie's arms wrapping around her body makes her stay put. Karlie has been more touchy than usual, ever since their breakthrough, and Taylor is still getting used to these impromptu displays of affection.

"Call in sick." Karlie murmurs the words against Taylor's neck, her hands roaming down Taylor's body until they come to a stop on her waist.

"I can't," Taylor's voice is laced with longing, and she suddenly wishes she were back in bed with Karlie lounging by her side. Her eyes slip shut when she feels Karlie's teeth teasing at a patch of skin on her neck. Taylor knows that it will develop into yet another mark that she'll need to cover up but she doesn't push Karlie away. She doesn't have the willpower.

"Aren't you the boss?" Karlie's voice is sweeter than honey, and a chill runs down Taylor's spine at the sound of it.

"Yes but even bosses have obligations, and this is an important one."

Despite Taylor's words, she continues to melt into Karlie. She tilts her head to give the brunette more space to work with and she feels her body heating up with each kiss that is pressed to her skin.

"I need a few more days to get used to being able to do this." Karlie all but whines, pouting as she finally looks up and glances at the mirror. Taylor sees the way Karlie does a double take, and she wonders if the brunette is also stunned by how good they look wrapped around one another. Her heart flutters when a wide grin spreads across Karlie's face. It is genuine and rare, and Taylor cherishes the sight of it.

"We have a little more time. October is when things start getting crazy, and that's nothing compared to tour. We'll figure this out when I get off of this promo stint, deal?" Taylor rests her hands over Karlie's, biting her lower lip as she stares at Karlie in the mirror.

Karlie sighs dramatically and gives a small, reluctant nod. After pressing one final kiss to Taylor's shoulder, she takes a calculated step back.

"Deal."

Taylor feels cold without Karlie's arms around her but she goes back to focusing on the task at hand, which is getting ready to leave and meet her hair and makeup team. She still needs to go over the focal points of the interview with Tree and she hasn't even began preparing. Karlie has been a welcome distraction, but a distraction nonetheless. She knows that Tree is frustrated with her recent inattentiveness, especially since Taylor has been obsessing over this era for two years, and it's about time for her to get her head in the game. She just wishes that didn't mean less time with Karlie. She has literally just gotten the girl, and now she is kissing her goodbye.