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There was a list, and as much as Natalie wished to ignore it, she found it impossible to push it out of her mind. Though the hands that traversed around her form did well to offer a distraction, as was every kiss that she graciously offered. Each one made the thought of letting go that much more of a task. The push and pull contrast had her head spinning, or maybe it was just the way her heart rate elevated from familiar hands at her waist.
It hadn't mattered if she was tired, she was very much awake now.
Slowly, she let her elbow lose the pressure that was keeping them somewhat upright, and as her back hit the bed, she was sure to keep Teddy close. "You do." She still tried to agree, but her voice felt weak compared to the conviction of her hands.
The surrender to leaving bed was well worth the gain she received from it. Briefly, she thought she'd find resistance in her counterpart, but was pleasantly surprised to feel how easily Teddy moved. Pressure against her lips was hardly short, and Natalie was thankful for that. Her eyes fluttered closed, quickly realizing this was a dangerous line to walk on. Because any thought that she had about wishing the lawyer would stay was surely heightened by the way she kissed her.
Her hand kept firm pressure at the small of Teddy's back, like it was really okay if she just held her for a few minutes longer.
A hand on her chest prevented her from moving any closer, but she didn't have to when Teddy closed the distance between them. It wasn't enough to catch her lips, and the lawyer must have known how much of a tease that was. If not, then the way she glanced down at hers might have given it away.
Picking up her own coffee was an argument Natalie couldn't quite argue. Her lips pursed as she thought to think of something, like Teddy's desire to win had caught on with the trainer. The thought brought a little laugh out of her. "If you insist." She gave in with the rise of her eyebrows, hand drawing around her waist to press to her back, pressure begging for her to dare and come closer.
When she finally moved, there was a small groan of protest that came unwillingly from the base of her throat, eyes finally opening to catch sight of the one threatening to leave her bed. Logic offered sound reason, but the desire to keep her there was hard to hide. By losing her hand, her own reached up, dancing lightly across her leg before settling at her hip. She was beautiful, even so early in the morning and lacking in sleep. It drew a tired smile out of Natalie as she propped herself up onto her opposite elbow.
It took a moment to reach her eyes, but when she finally had, she held them. "You'll need the caffeine if you plan to make it into work." She pointed out, the corner of her mouth hinting at amusement. "Given how late you stayed up."
The offer was supposed to help one or both of them find motivation, but it hardly seemed like it was working. She squeezed the lawyer a little tighter letting her cheek settle against her shoulder blade as she smiled. If she let the silence settle, she would have surely fallen asleep again. It was a tempting thought.
"If you have to get up, I might as well." It was a lazy argument to match her tiredness. Really, she'd prefer it if both of them remained where they were, but she doubted her bed would feel as comfortable once it had one less occupant.
The comfort of her bed with a familiar form pressed up against her own made the agreement made feel impossible. Worse, was the way Teddy seemed so content laying there - like she had yet to consider the idea of actually getting up at all. Her mere presence made this difficult, but she had no reason to complain. Her eyes had yet to open, and it was part of her downfall. She had to at least try.
"I can make you coffee," Natalie offered lightly, her mouth dragging up against the lawyer's ear.
Keeping herself wrapped around the lawyer was completely counterproductive, but the hand that took her own was encouragement that she'd made the right decision. Fingers intertwined easily as she pulled herself even closer, form pressing against Teddy's as she let out a long breath.
Okay. Right. They could do this.
Tired as she was, and as she imagined her counterpart to be too, Natalie wouldn't let herself be the reason Teddy didn't make it into the office, even if every muscle in her body protested the idea of moving. The animals weren't even stirring yet.
Her lips pressed against soft skin again, drawing out the contact with lazy gentleness.
An agreement to let Teddy get some sleep never ended up passing Natalie's lips, and in the end it was probably good she didn't promise to do so. Keeping it would have been impossible.
The sound of the alarm that was haphazardly set came far too soon. She had promised to make sure the lawyer would get up in the morning with enough time to insure she would make it to work in an appropriate fashion, but the tune that played through her phone drew a little groan out of the trainer. An arm detangled itself from the mess of limbs under the sheets, nose crinkling as she grabbed her phone, quickly hitting the snooze on the alarm. Even if the form next to her was already stirring, Natalie pressed her lips against her shoulder, eyes refusing to open despite her promise. "It's time to get up." She mumbled, but an arm was already finding its way back around the lawyer's body, drawing her in close.
Steps moved in sync with her own and she appreciated how easy it was to make the shift. Her hands pressed to Teddy's shoulder blades, fingers crossing along the fabric as she caught those words. An official agreement that meant there was no room for misconceptions; the word that followed solidified her desire to stay.
Clever fingers already caught the zipper at her back, drawing it downward as she took backwards steps through the threshold of her bedroom door. "As early as you need." She reassured. "I'll make sure you get up on time."
Palms against her back seared her skin, her own hands falling to Teddy's shoulders to insure there wouldn't be much distance created when Natalie started to take a step towards the bedroom, keeping gentle pressure to pull Teddy along with her. Long forgotten was the glass she set down and the plate of food she had prepared herself. Such things hardly seemed like they mattered when she was kissing her like that.
Forced distance wasn't welcome, but completely necessary for the breath she had to take. The moment her lungs filled up, she kissed the lawyer again, though this time shorter than the last, if only to fit in a request before catching her lips a third time. "Stay the night."
Natalie hadn't known what to expect when she offered those words, true in their meaning despite being well aware of the prior conversation they had. Why Teddy had made an impromptu visit to her home in the first place. That didn't seem like it mattered though, because it wasn't about asking for reciprocation. It almost made that admittance easier, because it was a absurd to offer heavy words like those so early on, but she couldn't hold her cards to her chest.
Silence settled, and that was okay. It was something to take in, and Natalie could only hope that it wasn't too much too fast. And when Teddy finally did offer something of a response, it was perfect in its own way, lacking eloquence yet carrying acceptance. She'd take it.
Before she could even consider a response, heated pressure caught her off guard, but she was quick to reciprocate with matched intention.
Light pressure against her lips still packed a punch. Because although there was brief silence as a response, that gentle connection carried significance, perfect in its delivery. Her own eyes remained closed, instead taking in every other sense of the lawyer she could. Everything to cement her into Natalie's memory, despite how sure she was that she'd never be able to forget the details of Teddy James.
Compliments hit her like she truly believed them. Like in eyes that could see everything, she still couldn't find a flaw in the trainer. It ripped the air from her lungs to feel so adorned by someone as perfect as her.
"I'm yours." Her voice stayed low, hands filtering to press to either side of Teddy's face.
Hands at her waist did well to keep her in place, even if Natalie had no intentions of moving in the first place. Her own hands stayed securely on the lawyer, and she even dared to inch a little closer, were it possible.
A question like that - regardless of its intent - made her heart rate speed up. "I thought there was strength in admitting we don't know what we want or need." She was quick to point out, but she knew her face said something different. She could have tried to stop there, but she wasn't the best at hiding her thoughts. "But," she offered the conjunction with purpose. "I want you." Such simple words came out on a low breath. "I feel like I need you."
Tips from a lawyer would always be noted, and Natalie's humor didn't fade when Teddy offered one so willingly. She supposed she had shown her hand too early, even if it turned around in her favor in the end, though only thanks to her counterpart. Dark eyes looked at the woman in front of her, an eyebrow slowly rising up.
"Does that mean I'm supposed to step away from you?" She asked, daring to keep a teasing tone. "Because I definitely don't think I can do that."
Despite this woman being a practical stranger, Natalie felt a desire to give her everything she possibly could. Like a connection was readily born between them at the first clink of a glass. Nails against her shoulder hand't hurt, but it was enough to draw her up, heavy breaths dusting her skin, lips grazing the surface until she was above the lawyer. An elbow planted into the mattress, free hand resting against her chest, tracing idle circles.
She pressed another kiss to her shoulder, eyes drawing closed as she lingered in the connection. "Someone who was your equal in what ways?"
