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There was relief in Teddy's reply that Natalie couldn't help but to notice; she had to wonder the details of Olivia's thoughts on the matter. Specifically why she felt the way she had, but it certainly wasn't her place, and the trainer wondered if it was appropriate for her to find her way into the firm again. She had no desire to make anyone uncomfortable, especially in their place of work.
But she enjoyed the idea of visiting, and that was enough of a distraction from her thoughts within itself. She glanced down to their hands, a laugh escaping her as she turned her palm up to take Teddy's. When she looked up again, she was able to catch those eyes that made the air catch in her lungs. It took a moment to finally be able to let go of her breath and say something. "Would it be better if I stayed away, then?" She asked, but the hint of a teasing tone took some of the weight off of a serious question.
As an explanation came forth, Natalie quickly realized she was the cause of this. Had she not have visited the office - especially unannounced - it seemed that Olivia wouldn't have found reason to be upset. Guilt easily found itself on Natalie's features as her lips pressed together, even as she tried to tell herself that this would have likely come out regardless.
But the hand that took her own brought a form of comfort - like she somehow already knew that Natalie would need it. She lost the lawyer's eyes, but she still looked. She couldn't help it. "I appreciate the transparency." Natalie smiled, using Teddy's own terminology. "But I don't think I hold the same stance as Olivia on the matter."
Admittedly, it wasn't really a conversation that Natalie had expected. She inched herself a little closer, though maintained a distance that made it easy to look at her. Dark eyes were completely held under those of brighter color, and a small laugh escaped her from her own lack of clarity.
"Both, now that I think about it." Natalie replied, a light humor playing in her tone. Whether she favored one question over another hardly mattered now that both were on the table. "I understand that you don't want me to be upset, and I appreciate that, but this seems very sudden to bring up." She could only suspect that someone had become bothered by the fact. "And I'm not upset; I'm just wondering why you'd want to see someone in your field."
Nothing was wrong, and Natalie had to be thankful for that, mostly because it was a confirmation that she believed things were going well. Great, even. The corner of her mouth twitched upward, but she remained silent to let her counterpart finish, and as she explained herself, confusion slowly set into her features. Eyebrows threatened to twitch together, and though they didn't in the end, she doubted that a set of perfect eyes missed the fact.
"Okay," she said finally. Natalie had been given a vague description as to why this information was brought to the table, but she still wasn't positive she understood why it seemed so important. Regardless, it seemed to be a pressing matter to her. Enough to have her come by unannounced. That within itself was enough for the trainer to offer her complete attention. There wasn't much surprise in hearing that Teddy was seeing someone else; she was wonderful and attractive. Who wouldn't want to?
But something else caught in the back of her mind. Olivia. The woman she worked with that had let her into Teddy's office. "Olivia." She offered her name with a nod. "Is it strange of me to ask why?"
A clever response quickly made Natalie's smile grow, an airy laugh escaping her lips as she tucked her hair behind her ear with her free hand. Bright blue eyes were lost, but they hadn't wandered far; it was impossible not to notice where they fell. Little details in the way Teddy looked and offered attention so easily were a constant form of affection. It made her already want to kiss the lawyer, but as she continued she quickly realized that she'd have to find the willpower to wait.
The lack of a word between them was growing more and more common in their conversations, and when it was addressed now, she felt the instant rise of her heart rate. If only because it was something that would filter across her own mind in a way she was sure was far too soon.
So she offered a nod, and a small squeeze of her leg to give some sort of understanding of a lack of term.
With the connection she made, another one came immediately after, and it did well to bring a smile to Natalie's features. Gentle pressure eased them further into her small home, stepping around the various creatures that had come out to greet the lawyer. They were curious as ever, and Natalie did her best to ignore the thoughts they were pressing into her mind. Most of which were teasing over her own rapidly growing feelings.
Back at the couch, she didn't reach for her plate immediately, instead taking a seat and resting a hand on Teddy's knee. It was hard - if not impossible - to keep her hands off of the lawyer. She had some sort of magnetic pull that Natalie was naturally drawn to. "So what brings you here?" She asked, her tone light with curiosity. Though she had no reason to complain, she had to wonder what the visit was for.
The air became stuck in her lungs as she looked at her - she was lucky to have her in her doorway, and on what possibly appeared to be on a whim. There were no complaints from the trainer, she stepped aside, motioning for Teddy to come in. "No need to be." Natalie waved her hand at the idea of an apology. If anything, she was happy to see the lawyer find her way to her doorstep, call or not. "And it's not as if I had called you on my way into your office earlier this week." It was a fair trade off - no call for no call.
Once inside, she closed the door behind them, the hand used to do so immediately finding its way to the small of Teddy's back. "Are you hungry at all? I've just made dinner, and there's enough for a second plate." Often she'd make enough for lunch the next day, but she was more than happy to share in this instance.
Without company, Natalie preferred her evenings staying in at home. Really, it was a preference she had either way. Her little home carried the aroma of sweet spices and tomatoes as she finished making herself dinner.
Her work attire was already abandoned for something far more comfortable, the trainer favoring sweats and a t-shirt over anything too fancy.
She was settled on the couch, dogs at her feet when they were the first to alert her of a new presence. They were up before there was a sound made, tails wagging. Then came the knock that pulled Natalie up to her feet and to the door.
Swinging it open, she found herself pleasantly surprised to see the family room woman at her door, despite not having expected her. Dark eyes lit up as she immediately swung the door open wider. "Just in the neighborhood?"
Slowly, her hands filtered off of the lawyer, despite the desire to keep them on her. She sucked in a deep breath as to try and level her rapid pulse, dark eyes following the way Teddy's hand moved to fix the makeup she had smudged.
It brought a little laugh out of Natalie, and for a moment she hadn't moved even as the doors opened. "I'll have to try it on more often." Her own eyebrows quirked upward, reaching forward to give Teddy's arm a light squeeze before finally taking a necessary step out of the elevator. Anything more and she feared she wouldn't be able to leave her to her work at all.
The kiss was shirt lived when she felt a harsh breath immediately against her lips, and the fabric at her shoulders grew tight from the way it was taken hold of. Though that was hardly anything bad, and neither was the laugh that came shortly after. It forced a grin to Natalie's own lips, feeling the humor escape in her lungs just moments after.
It was like they were teenagers, though Natalie couldn't recall a time she behaved like this, even when she was younger. She caught her lips again, though this time more gently, before drawing away at the feeling of the elevator leveling with the ground floor.
Within the proximity, Natalie could practically feel the smile against her own lips. It drew a short breath out of the trainer, a little bit of humor escaping her. Because it was so crazy how this woman made every thought in her mind so elevated.
"We absolutely should." Natalie agreed on another breath, letting it dust her counterpart's features. As much as she wanted to be completely wrapped up in her, the parking lot of a yoga studio wasn't exactly the best time nor place. To combine it with the dangerous thoughts that ran through her mind, they needed to stop. At least for the moment.
But she lifted the hand that held her own, creating distance only to draw it to her lips. A slow kiss to against her knuckles to make up for the distance that would have to be created for the lawyer to drive.
Natalie couldn't think of many that could handle silence as well as they managed to - even in something that felt as emotionally high as this, there was a comfort in it. And there was no need to break it with words. She wasn't positive with what she'd say were that the case, anyway.
And she moved so perfectly. Gentle lips pressed against her own were enough to make the trainer melt against the connection, eyes drawing shut. As light as it was, it felt packed with everything that might have been voiced, but wasn't. And that was perfect.
Her breath wavered when she needed a breath, forehead pressing to Teddy's as she kept her eyes shut. Briefly, she forgot where they were. In a car with someplace to go. It hardly seemed like it mattered when she kissed her again.
Familiar hands finding their way into her jacket was the perfect form of encouragement; it pulled her through the minimal distance remaining between them, form pressing against her counterpart's as her hands slowly shifted down her shoulders and arms before settling at the lawyer's waist. Anything to keep that connection alive while they had the time. A little bit of pressure let her know that she was thankful for the shared thought.
Breathing was never something that came easy when she was around Teddy, even more so when she captivated her attention so well in moments like these. When a break between them was necessary, the breath Natalie let out was exasperated, if only because she didn't wish to take the time knowing that there wasn't much. When she breathed in again, she was quick to kiss her a second time, tongue daring to run across painted lips.
The share of an awkward laugh was unexpected; she hadn't been sure if Teddy knew what it was like to be awkward at all. Yet there they were, eyes caught in some sort of understanding that made the air seize in her lungs. And there it was - voiced. Understanding, and Natalie believed it to be true. Her lips parted, tongue crossing the line of them as if she were ready to speak, but words failed her when silence fell between them. It was probably better that way.
The way she looked back at Natalie made her pulse spike, and her smile settle into something warmer as she shut her lips. The affection Teddy offered was insurmountable, even in the way she stared. Dark eyes gave her every ounce of attention in return, prior anxiety completely escaping her when she could just look.
As the doors slowly came to a shut, the trainer was thankful for the privacy that four small walls provided. The decent to the ground floor was slow, and given their history with elevators, she had to find humor in it as she detangled her arms from the lawyer's only to properly face her. A hand pressed to each side of Teddy's face, drawing her in and catching her lips, the burning impatience of wanting to kiss her properly coming through with the connection.
Because it wasn't as if she believed people were to be watching in the office, but true privacy offered something more intimate, even if it was on a short lived elevator ride.
