"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.
"We'll compare work schedules later, okay?" Taylor has one foot out of her front door and the other turned towards Karlie as they share a sweet kiss. Karlie's off day has aligned with Taylor's busy day, leaving them little to no time to get acquainted with one another in the intimate way that Taylor has been craving. She has a string of interviews lined up for the week but she is determined to set aside time for Karlie whenever she can.
"You already know my schedule." Karlie points out.
"Well now you'll know mine." Taylor says as she runs a hand down the length of Karlie's arm. "Okay so you're welcome to stay as long as you want, and if you want to go before I get back then just tell security and they'll lock up after you. Meredith and Olivia already ate breakfast but they'll be begging for a snack soon so if you can handle that, that'd be great...—"
"Taylor." Karlie interrupts her rambling.
"Yeah?"
"Go to your interview. I'll be fine, the cats will be fine."
Taylor gives Karlie a grateful smile and then she is out the door, leaving behind an amused Karlie and the warm familiarity of her apartment.
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Karlie is, quite literally, bored out of her fucking mind. Taylor has been busy all week, jetting off from place to place for all kinds of events and obligations she has to fulfill. She goes to California for a couple days to do a photoshoot for Rolling Stone, and Karlie is counting the days until the blonde comes back to her. It's still weird enjoying someone's company so much. Karlie has gone her entire adult life not needing anyone, never one to crave human contact, but there is something different about Taylor. She is given free reign of the singer's apartment while she's away to make sure the cats are fed, and Karlie ends up taking advantage of Taylor's kitchen the night before Taylor is set to return to the city.
The lone security guard that has been left behind to guard Taylor's apartment building isn't surprised when Karlie calls to ask him to let her into the apartment at one in the morning.
"Good evening Miss Kloss." He greets her, looking oddly alert considering the late hour. Sometimes she wonders if the guys who guard Taylor ever sleep. They literally seem to work around the clock, and Karlie wonders where Taylor even found them. They're all scarily dedicated, stoic and intimidating as hell.
"I told you to call me Karlie, Greg. I'm not your boss."
He apologizes but she knows that he'll continue to bestow her with the formal title. She knows that all of Taylor's guards call her by her last name, but Karlie just can't see herself getting used to that. It's all still so foreign to her.
"Do you ever sleep?" Karlie asks as they climb up to Taylor's floor together.
"No ma'am." He deadpans, looking extremely serious as he stares straight forward. Karlie stares at him for a long moment, wondering if he's kidding. Is Taylor employing androids or something?
"You're fucking with me." Karlie says when she notices the amused little glint in the man's eye. He lets out a chuckle, and it's the first time she's seen one of Taylor's guards show human emotion.
"I catch a few hours here and there. Nothing I'm not used to."
Karlie is dying to ask what he used to do, because she knows it had to have been something badass, but she refrains. Maybe later. When they get to Taylor's front door, Greg unlocks it for her and steps aside.
"Will you be staying or should I lock up after you?"
Karlie glances at the time on her phone, and shrugs noncommittally. Her plans will take at least an hour, and she doesn't want to keep him up just so she can bake some desserts.
"I'll stay."
He nods his head and then leaves Karlie to her own devices. Taylor's apartment is eerily quiet, and Karlie navigates through the dark until she reaches the living room. She cuts on the overhead light and her eyes quickly adjust to the change. She grins when she sees Meredith lying across the back of one of the many couches placed in the spacious room. Olivia is nowhere to be found but Karlie is sure the kitten will pop up eventually.
She sits her bag down and kicks off her shoes, stretching as she looks around Taylor's beautifully furnished living room. It's still a little surreal that she's allowed to be here, and that Taylor's security know that she's a special exception to Taylor's airtight security detail. She can come and go as she pleases, no matter the hour, even if Taylor is away.
After making herself at home, Karlie wanders into the kitchen and starts pulling out the needed ingredients for her late-night baking excursion. She's in the middle of measuring out chocolate chips when her phone buzzes on the counter, the screen lighting up and showing Taylor's contact photo. Taylor has been calling before bed every night since she's been away, and Karlie has started to look forward to those phone calls. It's nice to hear the singer's voice, especially after stressful shifts at the bar.
"Guess where I am right now." Karlie says in lieu of a formal greeting. She tucks the phone between her right ear and her shoulder to free her hands.
"Uh, home?" Taylor sounds exhausted, probably winding down from another busy day.
"Nope, guess again."
"On your way home?"
"Wow you're bad at this." Karlie teases as she continues to count out the perfect amount of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
"I'm half asleep, okay? I only called to say goodnight. Where are you?"
"I am in your kitchen using up all of your baking ingredients. You're almost out of agave by the way."
"You're baking at two in the morning?" Taylor asks, sounding a bit more alert.
"Sure am. There will be a dozen of my famous cookies waiting for you when you come back tomorrow."
"So you're telling me that the first thing you wanted to do after your nine hour shift was go to my house and bake cookies?"
"Why do you sound so surprised?"
"Because after your shifts all you want to do is eat and sleep for fourteen hours."
"Well, yeah, but I was in a mood. Plus you're coming home and I just thought...I don't know." Karlie suddenly feels very embarrassed. Her face heats up when she hears Taylor giggling at her awkwardness.
"You're cute." Taylor finally says.
"That's new."
"No one's ever called you cute?"
"No. I've been called hot and things like that, but never cute."
"Well you're all of those things too but you're being very cute right now. Baking cookies for me in the middle of the night even though I'm on the other side of the country."
"I still owe you for my birthday." Karlie tries to downplay the entire situation. She didn't think of this as something that would be looked at as cute. She just wanted to do something nice for Taylor because the blonde was always doing things for her.
"Oh my god, if you mention paying me back one more time I'm going to scream. Let. It. Go. Karlie. Let it go right now."
"Okay, okay. But I have to mix this cookie dough and put it in the oven, so go to bed."
"Are you kicking me off the phone?!"
"Yes." Karlie lets out a laugh. "Unless you don't want cookies?"
"Goodnight!"
Karlie rolls her eyes at Taylor's childishness, and says a quick goodnight before the call disconnects. The line goes dead and Karlie just stares at her phone for a moment, a dumb grin plastered across her face. She eventually sits her phone down and goes back to focusing on making the best cookies she's ever made.
She ends up making more cookies than anticipated because there's extra dough after the first batch is finished. She munches on one while she puts the rest in one of Taylor's large Tupperware containers. When she's finished cleaning up the kitchen, she breaks off a little bit of her cookie for Olivia, who has been hovering around her feet since the first batch came out of the oven.
"Don't tell your mom." Karlie whispers as Olivia chews at the piece of cookie. She doesn't know when she started talking to the cats as if they are real people, but she does it about as much as Taylor does now.
Karlie ends up passing out on one of the comfortable couches in the living room. She intended to put one of the guest bedrooms to good use, because it doesn't feel right sleeping in Taylor's bed, but the exhaustion hit her unexpectedly soon after she sat down and turned on the TV. Her head hits a decorative pillow and her eyes slip shut of their own accord.
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Taylor sighs loudly as she walks into her apartment. She sits her suitcase down by the door and closes it quickly, wanting nothing more than to kick off her shoes and slide into bed. She is wondering why she thought leaving Los Angeles at four in the morning was a good idea, but she's quickly reminded of the reason behind it when she walks into the living room.
Karlie is sprawled out across one of the couches, her face buried in a pillow and her long legs hanging over the arm of the couch. Her hair is messy and covering her forehead and eyes but Taylor can still make out the peaceful expression on her face. Karlie only ever looks this peaceful when she's reading a good book or sleeping. Taylor can't help but whip out her phone and snap a picture, and she contemplates making it the wallpaper for her lock screen but decides against it. She knows Karlie wouldn't appreciate that.
"Karlie." Taylor nudges her gently, but gets no response. She pushes at the girl's shoulder a little harder, and all she gets in return is a soft groan.
"Wake up so I can kiss you."
Karlie grumbles something unintelligible and then her eyes open. Taylor can hardly see the iridescent green because of Karlie's hair, so she takes it upon herself to brush Karlie's bangs back. Taylor gazes into Karlie's sleepy eyes for a moment, and then she leans in and presses a kiss to her lips. It's not meant to be anything more than a kiss hello, and when they pull apart Karlie looks adorably stunned.
"Hi." Taylor smiles.
Karlie says nothing in return, simply reaching out and pulling Taylor in for another kiss. It is nowhere near as sweet as the first one they shared, and Taylor feels her face heat up as Karlie's tongue dances across her bottom lip. Taylor opens her mouth eagerly, and what was supposed to be a sweet little reunion has turned into something carnal. Karlie is no longer sluggish and disoriented, pulling Taylor on top of her in an impressive display of strength.
Taylor is bombarded with a number of emotions at once. The exhaustion she had felt upon arriving has all but evaporated, replaced with the desire to touch Karlie wherever she can reach. Her knees are pressed into the couch on either side of Karlie's waist, and her heartbeat starts to race when Karlie's hands slide up the length of her torso. Nimble fingers slip under Taylor's shirt, moving across her stomach and stopping at the underside of her bra. Taylor is surprised at Karlie's boldness because the brunette has been frustratingly restrained since their breakthrough. Yes, they kiss freely now, but Karlie is holding back. There is always an underlying tenseness, as if the brunette is afraid to truly let go. Taylor knows she shouldn't complain but she can't help but wonder what it would feel like to be around an uninhibited Karlie Kloss, if only for a few hours.
Before Karlie can even think about pulling her hands away, Taylor starts to move her hips. She doesn't know what comes over her in that moment, and for once she doesn't overthink her actions. All that matters in that moment is how unbearable the feeling in her lower stomach has gotten, and how good Karlie smells and feels beneath her. Karlie lets out a sharp gasp against Taylor's lips, breaking their kiss for the first time in what feels like hours. Taylor doesn't mind, far too focused on the movement of her hips and the friction it's causing. She begins kissing at Karlie's neck, unable to keep her lips to herself for too long. Her hands move above Karlie's head to grip at the arm of the couch, and Karlie's move down to hold onto her waist.
"Maybe we shouldn't..." Karlie manages to choke out between a few breathy gasps. Taylor quickly silences her by reattaching their lips. This is always how Karlie ends things when they get too heated, and Taylor isn't ready to stop. She is close to the point of no return. Karlie's words die in her throat, and Taylor knows she has won when the brunette moans into their kiss. The triumph she feels is short lived.
Something starts vibrating, and Taylor pulls away in annoyance when she realizes that it's her cell phone. Karlie lets out a little laugh at the interruption, but Taylor isn't nearly as amused. She pulls the annoying device out of her back pocket and tosses it across the room without glancing at the caller ID.
"Taylor!" Karlie attempts to sit up but Taylor shakes her head adamantly, pushing Karlie back down.
"It's so not important right now." With those words, Taylor bends down to reconnect their lips. Karlie is having none of it, however, and turns her head so that Taylor's lips press against her cheek instead. Taylor huffs impatiently and tries again, only to miss a second time.
"Go get your phone!" Karlie laughs, continuing to shy away from Taylor's advances.
"Karlie," Taylor whines loudly, "do you know how worked up I am right now?"
"I can relate."
"Then forget about the phone, it's probably my mom and I can just call her back."
"Nope, I have cookies for you to try and then I need to head back to my apartment. I've been neglecting my share of the housework because I'm always here, and Jourdan's gonna kill me soon." Karlie is adamant, and Taylor knows that there is no persuading her. Karlie is once again in control of her emotions, and her willpower is shining through.
"I'd rather try something else." Taylor says lowly as she climbs off of Karlie.
She goes off to search for her phone and finds it under one of the loveseats. Luckily it is in one piece, and she sighs when she sees that her mom had indeed been the one ringing her. Taylor decides to call back later, knowing she won't be able to focus on a conversation in her current state. Taylor proceeds to pout for the next hour, even while stuffing her face with cookies, but Karlie's resolve never falters. She just presses a sweet kiss to Taylor's forehead and promises that she'll make it up to her eventually.
Taylor doesn't know what Karlie means by 'eventually' but she can only hope that it means in the near future, because she is one kiss away from combusting.
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A/N: A cute little filler because the next chapter is monumental :)