Restart

Chapter 17

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" Lauren asked.

"Yes," Camila laughed, blushing slightly. "A few times, actually."

The two women were both a little tipsy from the wine they'd had at dinner and were now casually strolling the lively streets of Miami.

"Good," Lauren grinned. "Because you do, you look beautiful, Camz," she added as she stroked the back of the younger woman's hand.

"Thank you," Camila replied, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, causing Lauren to shake her head. "What?" she added innocently when she noticed the older woman's expression.

"You know what," Lauren said, playfully narrowing her eyes at the brunette.

Instead of replying, Camila reached for the hem of Lauren's top with her free hand, pulling their bodies together as they came to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk. She immediately leaned up slightly to connect their lips in a soft kiss.

"If you want to kiss me, just do it," Camila whispered when their lips separated.

Now Lauren was blushing slightly as they continued to walk. It had been so long since she'd been able to kiss Camila at all, and even when she had she was used to all of their affection being reserved for behind closed doors.

"I want you to kiss me, and hold my hand," Camila said, squeezing Lauren's hand gently. "I want you to know that it's okay, and that I don't care who sees, not anymore. I'm not ashamed of you; I'm not ashamed of us. It's completely the opposite, Laur. I feel so lucky to have you in my life again at all, and the fact that you're mine? I want everyone to know," she finished, stopping again to pull Lauren into her.

"Who said I was yours?" Lauren teased, her breath lightly hitting Camila's lips as their faces were only inches apart.

"Shut up," Camila laughed, shaking her head before bringing their lips back together.

Lauren smiled against Camila's lips, because it was impossible to contain the happiness she felt having Camila show her affection in public in this way after everything they'd been through in the past. She was sure she would never get sick of it. She could see people brushing past them on the sidewalk, some of them would cast a quick glance but most of them didn't even seem to notice them. She didn't care though, because with her lips on Camila's it felt like only the two of them existed.

"Thank you," Lauren mumbled once they finally broke the kiss. She could feel her heart beating in her chest and she knew exactly what she wanted to say next. She had known since the moment she saw Camila for the first time in Ally's classroom the other day, and now that she knew things would be different this time she didn't want to hold off any longer.

She loved Camila; she didn't think she had ever really stopped.

Camila looked up at her expectantly, as they still stood in the middle of the sidewalk with their bodies loosely pressed together. She took a deep breath, bringing her hand to the side of Camila's face as she prepared to say those three little words for the first time in years.

"Lauren? Camila?" A voice called.

Camila was the first to turn around, smiling when she saw Ally walking toward them, hand in hand with her much taller husband.

"Well look at you two," Ally smirked, glancing at the their intertwined fingers before looking up to raise an eyebrow at Lauren.

"Hey Ally," Lauren smiled, unable to feel annoyed about being interrupted in her cheery friend's presence. "Hi Troy."

"Lauren," Troy nodded, smiling politely.

"Oh, sorry," Ally laughed. "Troy, this is Camila. Camila, Troy," Ally introduced quickly.