Notes: Hey gays I'm baaaaack with a new chapter. I just want to thank everyone for voting and commenting real quick it means so much to me y'all are the best. There's a lot happening in this chapter and I hope you'll enjoy reading it :) As always let me know what you think
Two weeks after the accident, Taylor went back to work with Gigi by her side. Her injuries had subsided and all that was left was a dark pink scar that ran into her hairline. It would fade away with time, but not everything about the accident would.
Certainly not the breakdown Karlie had in the hospital. Or the resulting night of nightmares directly after it. But Taylor was confident in them. She knew they could get through tough times if they could handle the possible heartbreak that entire day brought for the both of them.
Taylor looked forward to the moment that she would tell Karlie about how she felt for her. Karlie still didn't know that Taylor knew about her loud confession of love, and Taylor made Kendall and Gigi promise not to say anything. Taylor wanted to do this right. She wanted to hear it properly and ensure that Karlie was ready for Taylor to know.
The slow pace of their un-named relationship led to a couple of sweet nights of cuddling together until Karlie finally got the courage to ask Taylor on a date. A real date.
Taylor knocked on Karlie's door and it swung open a second later. Almost a little too quickly for someone to have walked across the apartment.
"Were you standing there waiting for me?" Taylor asked with a smirk.
Karlie blushed, but didn't comment, "You're late, Taylor."
Taylor glanced down at her phone to see the time. "It's 5:32, Karlie. Two minutes isn't late."
"5:30 means 5:30."
"5:30 means 5:30," Taylor repeated in a slightly higher pitch.
"Mockery is not the product of a strong mind, Taylor."
Taylor sighed and feigned annoyance at Karlie's formality. "Yeah, whatever. Where is my hello kiss?" She leaned in and pressed her lips to Karlie's plump bottom lip. Taylor pulled it between her teeth and gave a playful nip.
Karlie moaned quietly and moved the two of them inside the apartment. The door closed behind Taylor and Karlie pushed her up against the door a little roughly. It rattled, which perked up other ears in the apartment.
Suddenly, the two women were being pushed apart by the hips which caused their lips to cease movement. Taylor looked down to see Joe shuffle in between them. He looked up at Taylor and panted. "Hi there, Joe!" Taylor cooed. She bent over and placed a kiss on the top of his head and pet his nose.
Karlie let out an exasperated sigh. This wasn't the first time Joe wiggled his way between them for attention and she knew it certainly wouldn't be the last. "Joe," she whined. "Why do you always have to cock block me?"
Taylor grinned up at Karlie from where she knelt beside Joe. "Karlie, you don't have a penis."
"Maybe not a real one," Karlie muttered before she turned to gather her things.
Taylor sat on the floor slightly stunned and tried to keep her thoughts innocent. It didn't work. Instead, she stood up and made her way over Karlie who was faced the dining table. Taylor spun her around by the hips and pressed her against the side of the table. Karlie's face showed the surprise of Taylor's close proximity to her. She swallowed hard and Taylor smirked. "Not a real one, huh?" she said in a deep, sultry tone. "Maybe you could show me?" Taylor kissed Karlie's neck softly. Her lips dragged over the soft skin.
Karlie melted against the table, a pool of desire settled low in her stomach. "Taylor, we have a reservation to get to." Her protests were weak and Taylor knew it.
"For 6. We could have plenty of time."
Plenty of time to be interrupted, yes.
The apartment door opened and voices filled the room. Taylor released Karlie from the table and watched as Kendall and Cara carried grocery bags inside.
"Twice in one night. I can't wait to see how many times it will happen before we actually have sex," Taylor muttered dryly. She pecked Karlie on a flushed cheek and took her hand. "Nice to see the two of you are getting along," Taylor nodded to the other two women. She met Kendall's gaze, "Not like I didn't already know that you were, considering the loud sex I was forced to listen to last night."
Cara rolled her eyes, "Tay, I had to listen to it from you for months with Calvin, so don't even go there."
Taylor flushed, remembering how it had been in their honeymoon stage.
Before she could create a retort to that, Cara piped up again, "Actually, it was more him considering how fast of a lay he was."
Karlie snorted and tried to hide her smile. Taylor caught her before it disappeared though. "Yeah, he wasn't any good. Most of the noises were fake so just be happy that you didn't have to listen to your best friend come for hours." Taylor raised an eyebrow at Kendall who smirked proudly. "I want earplugs on my door next time."
Taylor tugged Karlie out of the apartment before Cara could get another quip about her crappy sex life with Calvin, but the topic didn't get pushed away.
Karlie cleared her throat as they walked out of the building and down the street towards the restaurant. "So, Calvin?" she asked. Taylor had never mentioned him before.
Taylor sighed. "Yeah. Calvin. We were together for almost a year. I really liked him..."
"Until you realized how bad at sex he was?"
Taylor let out a huff of laughter, "No, more like until I realized how many other girls he was having bad sex with."
"Oh. Taylor, I'm so sorry," Karlie's brow furrowed. Taylor didn't deserve anything but the best. "He's an idiot to have done that to you."
Taylor shrugged, her shoulder bumped against Karlie. "It's in the past. I'm over him. But he was one of the only somewhat serious relationships I had, so it hurt but he wasn't worth it."
Karlie squeezed Taylor's hand reassuringly. Taylor squeezed back. They continued to walk to the restaurant in comfortable silence. It wasn't more than five minutes before they reached the door and Taylor pulled the brass handle open and ushered Karlie inside.
The restaurant was filled with all kinds of different smells. Freshly baked Italian bread and hearty tomato sauce, mixed with sweet, sugary pastries. Karlie had never been in here before but walking past it on the street always caused her stomach to grumble. "It smells so good in here," she said.
Taylor nodded, "It looks nice in here, too. The walls are a burgundy colour, with a dark ceiling. The chairs are covered in black leather, placed around mahogany tables. Candles are in the center of every table, with two roses in a vase. They went into a lot of trouble to make this place a romantic setting." Taylor glanced over to Karlie who bit her bottom lip.
"Do you like it?" she asked shyly. "Kendall told me it was a good place to have a romantic date and she's not one for wooing but I wanted to do something special for you and it's difficult for me to do an entire set up alone so I thought it might be a better idea to-"
Taylor cut her off with a quick kiss, "It's wonderful, Karlie. Thank you."
Karlie smiled bashfully, "Anything for you."
The hostess appeared, "Hi, reservation?" she asked.
"Two for Kloss," Karlie stated.
The hostess gave Karlie a once over. She took in the glasses on Karlie's face and her nose wrinkled up. Taylor shot her a glare and the wrinkle quickly left. She guided the two of them to the table, told them someone would be with them shortly, and left promptly, lest she piss Taylor off further.
"So the utensils are set up like Kendall usually has them, except the water glass is on the left instead of the right, two inches above the forks, in case you want to move it," Taylor said as she opened up the menu in front of her.
"Thank you," Karlie said as she moved the glass to the opposite side.
Taylor skimmed the menu over quietly and glanced up to Karlie, whose hands were folded her own. Taylor cleared her throat, "We haven't shared a meal in public before."
Karlie's eyebrow quirked up over her glasses, "I'm aware." She waited for Taylor to continue. When she was silent, Karlie prodded, "What is it?"
Taylor sighed, "I don't want to offend you."
Karlie placed her hand on the table, palm up. She closed her fingers and opened them back up. Taylor pressed her palm into Karlie's and laced their fingers together. "You're not going to offend me, Taylor."
"Okay. Do you want me to read over the menu for you? The wine list? You can't do it yourself and I just don't know what I should be doing for you in this situation and what I should be letting you do on your own. Do I order for you? I just," Taylor rambled quickly as she tried to get it all out. "Tell me what I'm supposed to do, Kar."
Karlie smiled. She appreciated Taylor's honesty and initiative to help, "Well first off, I can order myself. If the waiter says something to you about me, like asking what I want or need, you should tell them to ask me themselves. But yes, you can read some of the menu off to me, Taylor, I would appreciate it. We should choose a wine first though."
Taylor let out a relieved breath and nodded. She picked the wine menu off of the side of the table and let out a low whistle. "Wow there are some expensive wines here."
"Let's get the best one," Karlie said. "That way we can thoroughly enjoy it."
Taylor smirked, "Is that what you're going to go with? Are you trying to get me drunk, Karlie Kloss?"
Karlie shook her head, "I can do that at home with a couple shots. This wine should be savored."
Taylor hummed in agreement, "Red or white then?"
Karlie pondered for a second, "Red. Something sweet but still tart?"
"Should we wait for the waiter to come around to ask for a recommendation?" Taylor asked.
As Karlie nodded her agreement, footsteps clicked across the floor behind her. Taylor heard the waiter approach but didn't look up from the wine menu.
"Hello, I will be your waiter for this evening."
Her head shot up at the voice. No.
"Could I start you off with something to drink?"
Calvin was giving Karlie the same once over that the hostess had when they walked in the door. Taylor cleared her throat and he looked over to her. His eyes widened and mouth gaped open. Before he could say anything else, Taylor spoke up. "If you would give us a moment to discuss the choices that would be wonderful." She glared at him until his eyes dropped to their interlocked fingers, back to Karlie's face, and then her eyes again. The hatred burning in her eyes caused Calvin to turn on his heel and leave.
Karlie was confused. "Taylor? We just decided to get a recommendation on the wines."
"I don't want any recommendations from him."
"Why? He works here. Surely he knows the wines they serve."
"He doesn't have good taste. I already know it."
"How, Taylor?"
"It's Calvin, Karlie. Calvin is our waiter."
Karlie gaped at Taylor for a moment before she released Taylor's hand. Taylor frowned. She watched as Karlie placed her phone back into her purse and grabbed her jacket. "We'll go somewhere else then," she said with conviction.
Taylor stopped her, "No! We came here to enjoy ourselves, Karlie. I won't let him ruin it just because he's here."
Karlie relaxed back into her chair slightly, jacket still in her hand. "If he is going to make you uncomfortable, it's not worth it."
Taylor shook her head, "He won't, Kar, I promise. That wasn't the reason I sent him away anyway." She waited for Karlie to settle back in completely before she spoke again. "He was giving you a look and I didn't want him to keep doing it."
"What kind of look?"
"The 'oh crap, a blind chick' look." Taylor said. "The same look I know you can feel when someone gives you. Your shoulders are always so tense when we're in public."
"People are going to stare, Taylor. I've gotten used to the feeling of constantly being watched. It's okay."
"It's not okay! They look at you like you're a beaten dog and it sickens me. The only way they ever stop looking at you like that is when they finally tear their eyes off of you to look at me," Taylor exclaimed.
Karlie frowned, "Why would they stop after that?"
"Because I'm sending them death glares."
Karlie chuckled, "Death glares, Taylor?" She placed her hand back on the table and Taylor took it immediately.
"Yeah, death glares. I can't stand it when people look at you like that, Karlie. It pisses me off."
Karlie nodded in understanding, "I know it does. Kendall used to scream bloody murder at people right after the accident."
"She was right to. Maybe I should start being more vocal about it."
Karlie shook her head, "Taylor, honestly, it's okay. I appreciate the sentiment but a simple death glare will suffice."
Taylor sighed, "Fine. But if he does it again then I will yell at him." Karlie nodded once. Taylor moved back to the wine. "So should we just pick a wine and hope for the best? I was serious when I said Calvin doesn't have good taste. He thought three dollar wine was the best he would ever taste."
Karlie smiled, "Which one sounds good to you?"
Taylor perused the list once more and settled on one in the mid-range of pricing. "Darmagi? It says it has primary flavors of cherry, cassis, and sweet oak. Sweet but tart?" As Taylor finished her sentence, Calvin reappeared. His eyes completely overlooked Karlie this time. They made eye contact and Taylor raised an eyebrow at him, like she dared him to say anything about Karlie.
"So, have you decided?" he asked.
Karlie nodded, "We will have a bottle of Darmagi, thank you."
Calvin ignored what Karlie said, eyes still trained on Taylor.
When he didn't say anything, the glare settled back on her face. "You heard her," she said in a clipped tone.
"Should she be ordering for you, Taylor?"
Karlie spoke up before she could yell. "I might be blind, but I'm not deaf," she said bluntly. "I can order a bottle of wine without someone holding my hand."
Taylor stifled a laugh and looked back to Karlie. Her face was stone, turned up toward Calvin.
"Right away then, ma'am," he huffed out.
Once he was out of earshot, Taylor spoke up again. "Karlie?" she asked softly.
"Yes, Taylor?"
"You can't order a bottle of wine without someone holding your hand."
"What?"
Taylor lifted their hands up off of the surface of the table with a laugh.
Karlie shook her head with a sigh and a smile plastered to her face, "You know what I mean, Taylor."
Taylor brought her hand up to her lips and placed a soft kiss to her knuckles. "I do. But you're fun to rile up."
Karlie scoffed, "I am not."
"You are so. You get so disgruntled and annoyed. Your nose scrunches up and you roll your eyes."
Karlie felt her eyes roll and nose scrunch and forced them back into their relaxed positions. "Quit distracting us from what's important and read me the menu," she said.
Taylor picked the menu back up and opened up to the entree section. "So, what are you in the mood for?"
The dinner passed with minor altercations between the women and their waiter. He kept his distance for the most part but he continued to demean Karlie throughout the dinner in little quips whenever he came to check on them. Karlie was ready to punch Calvin by the end of it, but she tried to relax for Taylor's sake, just in case Taylor would actually punch him if Karlie showed how much it truly bothered her.
"Here is the cheque. Will it be cash or credit?" Calvin asked as he placed the cheque in front of Taylor.
"Cash." Karlie said, as she held her hand out for the piece of paper. To Taylor, she said, "I asked you out, it's only fair." Taylor placed the piece of paper in her hand without protest. She flipped it over and felt the stains of ink with the tips of her fingers before pulling her wallet from her purse. Calvin looked stunned.
The bill was just over eighty dollars, so Karlie pulled out a fifty, and two twenty dollar bills. Karlie held it up where Calvin would easily be able to take it from her hands. "Keep the change," she said.
Calvin should have taken it with a nod, but he didn't. Instead he pointed at Karlie and turned to Taylor. "You let her keep all of your money like that?"
Taylor scoffed. "She makes more money than I do, Calvin. Why don't you get your head out of your ass and treat her with some respect."
"Taylor, I can treat you better than she ever could and we both know it," Calvin stated.
Taylor laughed. "Sure, Calvin. I'm so sure you could." She turned to Karlie, then back to Calvin, "She's turned me on more sitting in this restaurant than you ever did in our entire relationship." Taylor stood from her seat and gathered her things. Karlie set the money on the table, a smirk on her lips, and did the same. "Maybe you should think before you speak."
With that, Karlie pulled Taylor in for a quick kiss before she slipped their hands together and led them out of the restaurant. When they got outside Karlie started to laugh. "What an idiot." Taylor laughed along with her. "What did you even see in him?"
Taylor groaned, "I have no idea."
The laughter fell away and the smirk returned to Karlie's lips. "So," she started. Taylor hummed in question. "I turn you on?" she asked boldly.
"Of course that would be the one thing you pull from that conversation," Taylor huffed.
"It's true, though?"
Taylor nodded, "It's true."
"Good to know," Karlie bit down on her bottom lip in an attempt not to grin. She swung their hands back and forth between them happily.
Karlie had drunk a little too much of that wine, Taylor thought. She grinned at Karlie's antics and pulled her closer. Taylor pressed her nose into her neck and placed a soft kiss on the smooth skin as they walked on the mostly empty street. Taylor felt Karlie's throat move as she swallowed, along with a swift puff of air from her nose.
The kisses were quickly going to Karlie's head, the same desire building in her stomach like it had before they were interrupted by Kendall and Cara. "Taylor," she breathed out.
Taylor hummed against her neck and the vibration made Karlie shudder.
"You're supposed to be watching for obstacles."
Taylor quickly pulled away and looked back to the street, "Oh. Right." She cleared her throat and looked to Karlie. The previous boldness had been replaced with the same flushed cheeks Taylor had seen in the apartment.
"You can, um, you could do that again later if you want. When we get back to the apartment," Karlie stuttered.
Taylor squeezed her hand, "Good." Taylor paused, "So, I turn you on too then?"
Karlie nodded furiously, maybe a bit too eagerly, but she didn't care, "Yes."
They picked up in speed a little bit after that, both eager to see what was awaiting them in Karlie's apartment. They hadn't done much more than make out against walls and in bed, clothes all in place. Hands might slip against skin, but the encounters were always brief. Neither of them wanted to move too fast. But with the confirmation that the desire they felt was reciprocated, it was easy to tell what this would end up as.
Sex.
Too bad Kendall and Cara got there first.
When Karlie wrenched open the door and led Taylor inside, Taylor pulled her right back out and slammed the door closed after a quick, "Oh my God!"
"What?" Karlie asked.
Instead of answering, Taylor shouted through the door, "What happened to no sex on the table, Kendall?"
"Those rules are for children, not adults!"
Karlie groaned, "Oh my God. She isn't."
"She is. With Cara." Taylor pulled her back out of the apartment building.
"Where are we going?" Karlie asked.
"My apartment. Let's just hope Gigi and Lily aren't there doing the same thing." Taylor said. She pulled Karlie towards her new car but stopped short. She turned to Karlie, "Do you trust me?" she asked.
Karlie nodded, "Of course I do, Taylor."
"Would you get in my car if I asked you to?"
Karlie paused for a little too long, so Taylor pulled her away from it and marched down the street with more conviction. "Taylor, I'm sorry," Karlie mumbled sadly.
Taylor caught the frown on Karlie's face and stopped. "Why are you sorry? There's no reason to be sorry," Taylor swept her thumb over Karlie's cheek and pulled her in for a kiss. "Making out in the back of my car would be uncomfortable, I don't blame you for saying no."
"What?"
Taylor pulled back to look at Karlie's face, "What do you mean, what?"
"I thought you meant to drive to your apartment, not make out in in backseat."
"Right, that would have made more sense," Taylor mumbled. "I suppose I'm a little bit eager."
Karlie shook her head, "Eager is good. But you're right. Your apartment is likely more comfortable."
Taylor tugged on her arm lightly. Her voice dropped back into the same sultry timbre from before, "My bed is very comfortable."
Karlie gulped and walked a bit faster, "How long is the walk?"
They burst through the front door of Taylor's apartment in a fit of giggles, both ready to be against each other once more, without interruption. Taylor opened the door and pulled Karlie past Cara's empty bedroom, and towards her own when she heard voices coming from Gigi's bedroom. She went over to the door and knocked on it hard, then shouted, "We might have loud sex so please vacate the premises in the next five minutes."
Karlie let out huff of laughter, and then a full on laugh after Gigi yelled back, "Ooh get it, Tay!"
Taylor led Karlie into her bedroom and closed the door before she pressed her up against it, bringing their mouths together in an open mouthed kiss. Her hand met Karlie's hip, the other wrapped into her hair at the back of her neck. She pulled their bodies together until there was no space between them. Taylor's hand slipped up under Karlie's shirt and she felt the abs that Karlie worked hard to produce.
"You have abs," she panted.
Karlie nodded, recapturing Taylor's lips before responding, "I do."
"You're hot," Taylor mumbled against her lips. She moved her head down under Karlie's to get at her neck again, already knowing how much Karlie enjoyed it. Taylor kissed, nipped, and sucked along Karlie's throat, pulling small moans out of her.
Karlie thoroughly enjoyed what her body was feeling, but her mind started to panic. She placed her hands onto Taylor's shoulders and pushed her away.
Taylor pulled back immediately, her voice sobered. "What's wrong?"
Karlie dropped her hands and turned her head down to the ground. "It's been three years, Taylor."
Taylor's eyebrows furrowed, "I don't understand. What do you mean?"
"I haven't been with anyone since."
Taylor paused. "Oh. That's okay, Karlie."
"It isn't."
Taylor held onto Karlie's hand and pulled her over to the bed to sit down. They sat in silence for a moment until Taylor spoke again. "Why wouldn't that be okay?"
Karlie kept her head bowed. The insecurity raged in her mind. "I haven't had sex since Toni died and I don't want to disappoint you." Taylor placed her hand on Karlie's cheek. She continued. "I know you said that you're eager, and I'm eager but..."
"Just because we're both eager doesn't mean we're both ready," Taylor finished her thought. Karlie nodded her agreement. Taylor pressed a soft, chaste kiss on Karlie's lips before standing up and going to her closet. She pulled out clothes for them to sleep in and handed a set to Karlie. "We can take things slow, Karlie. I'd much rather cuddle with you for months until you're ready than have us move too fast and make you uncomfortable. There are many other ways to be intimate than to have sex." Taylor placed another sweet kiss on her lips before she turned to leave the room to change.
"Wait," Karlie tugged on her hand. Taylor turned back around to see her place the clothes onto the side of the bed. "Just because I'm not ready for sex doesn't mean I'm uncomfortable with my body." Taylor quirked an eyebrow. "I sleep much better in nothing but a pair of underwear," Karlie admitted with a small smile. "If you're okay with that."
Taylor picked up the pajamas and tossed them towards the closet. They landed with a loud thump on top of something else, and Taylor grinned at Karlie. "I am more than okay with that."