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Alexander. Natalie nodded, her own smile widening at the way hers grew. It was uncontrollable. And it seemed like she needed to ask so little to learn so much about Teddy, and she was happy to listen to anything the lawyer had to offer. Any question she had to follow up was promptly answered; how her brother wasn't interested in law - and how her father felt about it. As Teddy dove into how her father loved her so unconditionally for everything she was and wanted to be made her chest swell like she really could share those emotions.
"You don't see that very often at all. He sounds like an amazing man." Purposefully, Natalie didn't offer a past tense when referring to the man Teddy very clearly looked up to. She bent at her knees, slowly lowering Oz down to the floor before standing upright again, all while keeping contact. "So does Alexander know what he wants to do if he's not interested in law?"
Without another party between them, Teddy felt the struggle to maintain a proper conversation grow. But she was still questioned, and she was still willing to answer it all. After all, she was the one who brought it back up. Hands pressed together instead, waiting to be reached for like it was inevitable.
"I don't think he knows. I don't think he has to, either. He's fortunate enough to have that freedom." They had enough money that if he wanted to, he wouldn't have to work for years at least. Completely fortunate. "He deserves that time. He deserves the world." And she genuinely meant that. Despite the distance, the connection would always remain.
"They're the only two men ever allowed in my life." She added idly, sounding incredibly satisfied about the fact.
Teddy spoke affectionately about her brother, she wondered what it would be like to ever see the two of them in the same room. Closeness with a sibling was a foreign concept to Natalie, but she could think to compare it to the family that lived in her home with her - that bond was something that should be taken seriously.
Hand empty, it was already making its way to Teddy's form, settling on the lawyer's waist and slowly circling around to the small of her back. Closeness was something she couldn't help but to be drawn to; had she a hand free, it would almost always surely find its way to her in this sort of proximity.
"Do you think he'll visit?" Given their closeness, she could only imagine that he would want to - or at the very least, Teddy would make her way back to London to do so.
There was anticipation for what seemed like the smallest thing, now. Another hand found its way to her and it was enough to draw her in. Teddy felt unhappy about any space between them, so to break it finally was worth the wait. Even if they'd fought so hard to get away from each other in the first place.
"Absolutely." She replied, as if the conversation had already come up.
Hands were slow to make their way up the arms that held her, across the line of her shoulders to loop around the back of her neck. Keeping herself close, she felt the difficulty in the intent to kiss her. "And I'll go back from time to time. I've only been once since I moved here, so I'm overdue, really." Now that she had people to stay for, it made planning it harder. The thought of it had her leaning in through the distance, brushing the tip of her nose against hers to recognise the small space left. It forced her voice to drop a fraction as she tried to continue; "I'm still on the board for the old firm, so there's business, too."
It was sweet how close she was to her brother - how the answer to her question felt like so much more than a simple yes. There was reassurance in her voice - like there was already a plan in action. That confidence Teddy was known for shined with such a short answer. And of course, she would visit him. It only made sense, and moreso when Natalie learned she was still an active member of the board at her father's firm. The work was truly never finished for her - and yet here she was, in Natalie's arms rather than in her office.
It drew a little laugh out of the trainer, breath dusting the set of lips that were now so close to her own. The little bit of contact against the tip of her nose was almost teasing, and Natalie hadn't the willpower to resist. She kissed her. Lightly. Slowly. They'd only just gotten to a point where they had stopped, and that all seemed to crumble with a little bit of contact.
And it was as if her final statement had reminded her of their ultimate goal. "You really should call your office." She tried, though weakly.
One kiss and Teddy quickly understood that it wasn't enough. The thought of the struggle to get away from her was gone now that she had her back again; nothing clouded her mind better than this now that she had it.
Though there wasn't much force behind the way she kissed her, Teddy knew she purposefully dragged it out. She could tell her mind was elsewhere before she opened her mouth to speak. Though Teddy let her have the whole statement, there wasn't an ounce of her that dragged away. Those words hit her lips like she could inhale them.
"I know." Teddy replied, practically cutting her off before she could finish the statement. She sealed the thought away with a heavier kiss.
Though she offered something of a lighter connection, it was weighted with its own emotions. Overwhelming, just like she was. And it wasn't hard to feel the way it left her breathless - or to recognize the inevitable way it made their situation shift. She had to try to be responsible, even if she knew it would likely end in failure. Though she had no complaints about that.
And, at the very least, Teddy recognized those words. She even agreed to them, though barely before her lips were stolen in something far more heated. It brought strength to her arms as she pulled the lawyer in closer, tired of any distance that was left between them when she'd much rather have her flush against her own form.
It was impossible to forget the range of things they had only just talked about. Every message Natalie hadn't given verbally had been ever present in her eyes. She exhibited the varying notions Teddy found so wonderful about her. Caring optimism deserved its own recognition and reward, even if she'd never see it that way.
Final degrees of separation were severed with clever hands already against her own body. Everything about her was beautiful and so everything was worth acknowledging. Reciprocating the intensity of the connection was its own kind of danger. Hands filtered into her hair instinctively; it was all far too easy to indulge in.
"Okay." She said finally. It was only fair, after all. Natalie had already tried, and she couldn't expect her to do so twice.
There was so much about the lawyer that could completely consume Natalie. Work was a priority, but she was so affectionate that it hardly seemed so. Hands in her hair were adorning, offering a stark contrast to the word she tried to convey. Okay. Like she could really find the means to let go and progress with the day. Such a thought seemed almost impossible, even for the optimistic woman.
She kissed her again instead, packing the weight her first one hadn't carried physically. Hands even dared to tighten around the fabric that she had only just put on. At the very least, she needed to make it known how hard it was to even fathom stepping away from her long enough to pick up a phone. "Okay." She repeated, though breathless and with eyes still closed as her forehead pressed against Teddy's.
If nothing else, the little word was Teddy's only means of communicating her willingness to even try. Indulging in the obvious now that she'd started was far too easy, especially when she was so willing to give in. It was all too perfect.
The form fit clothes she wore managed to tighten with a set of hands practically clinging to them. It was difficulty personified, and she understood it completely. Her eyes drew shut as she forced a slow breath inward.
"It'll only take a minute." She reassured her, smart enough not to kiss her again just yet; "Then I'm yours."
It seemed that with both of them in an attempt to half try to take some sort of responsibility, it was enough to get them moving, even if it was slowly. And what seemed like a promise was reassurance that they'd find their way back to this spot. That it would really only take a minute. It pulled a little nod out of Natalie as she finally let her grip ease, hoping not to have wrinkled perfectly pressed clothes. They stayed on her for a few moments longer, drawing down the length of her form slowly before dropping.
"Alright." She breathed with a heavy exhale. She knew she had to take a step back before she lost the little bit of willpower that kept her. Still, she found the means to smile, because Teddy was there, and that meant everything.
Reassurance hopefully helped ease the situation at hand. It wasn't as if Teddy had great plans to leave her home just yet; though her company was bound to be a great distraction, she was the reason Teddy was calling in in the first place. She deserved the attention because it was hard not to give it to her.
Then those hands were gone, and she let her own slip away. Before she took a step back, she brushed her lips against her cheek for good measure. Little points of affection felt paramount in a connection like this.
And then she eased back, and the second she did, she was making strides towards her phone. Better to get it over with as soon as she could. Pressing the device to her ear, her eyes dwindled back to her almost immediately as she waited through the dial tone.
"Hey, it's me." Like her voice was so recognisable. To the other end of the line, it absolutely was. "I won't be in today. Forward all the important calls to me, and everything else can be rescheduled."
She took a few steps back and was reaching out again, fingertips tracking the length of her arm to take hold of her hand; "No, I'm fine."
The moment Teddy stepped away, Natalie was taking a breath. With the minute of time where her attention was occupied, Natalie knew she should have been finding her own phone to cancel for the day. But dark eyes instead watched the lawyer call up her office, and only then did it filter into her mind the person she would call to make such an announcement.
Though she shouldn't have assumed, she absolutely did. And with it came the reminder of the strange encounter she had the prior day.
Familiar fingertips found her again so easily, like the perfect little reminder that she wasn't forgotten about, even while Teddy was on the phone. Intertwining her fingers with the lawyer's, she gave a little pull, leading them out of the bedroom and across the length of her tiny apartment to let the dogs out into the backyard.
The small effort given to drag her away worked like a charm; as she listened to the words on the other end of the line, Teddy was taking following steps through the growingly familiar home of the trainer.
She didn't have to give a reason. That was the best part of being the boss, and her tone gave no insinuation that questioning her was an option.
“Tomorrow won't be a problem, I promise.” She sounded reassuring, and then she laughed lightly. “And yes, I'll tell her. Thank you.” Quick words already sounded like they were being wrapped up. Teddy hardly left anything to chance when she tried again; "I'll see you in the morning. Bye."
With the phone hung up, it was practically forgotten about. Instead, she turned her attention to her
Though Natalie was on a small task of her own, that didn't prevent her from listening. It was hard not to, especially when Teddy was so close. Her free hand clicked the lock of her door, drawing it open, followed by the screen as her two dogs happily went outside. She closed the screen, allowing them to take their time just as her counterpart was wrapping up her phone call. Already, she had her attention again, and Natalie smiled at the fact as she gave her hand a little squeeze.
"Was that Olivia?" She couldn't help but to ask, curious. "I actually saw her yesterday at Bellefonte. I hadn't realized she had family there."
