Restart

Chapter 19

"Stay," Lauren protested, pulling on Camila's arm as she tried to get out of bed.

"We have to go get the girls," Camila reminded her as she tried to squirm out of Lauren's grasp. She ultimately lost the game of tug of war being played with her arm as Lauren pulled her back under the covers and into her naked body.

"Laur," Camila scolded weakly as Lauren began kissing her face and neck.

"Stay here with me," Lauren mumbled against Camila's cheek.

"I've stayed with you here all morning. It's almost lunchtime," Camila teased, reaching to stroke the back of Lauren's head, running her fingers through her hair.

The two women had been in Lauren's bed since they'd gotten home the night before; the only times they'd gotten up being to go to the bathroom or when Camila had snuck down to the kitchen to get a bowl of cereal earlier that morning.

"I mean stay in my house. It could be our house," Lauren added seriously. "Don't go back to Dinah's. Don't go live with your mom. Stay here, with me."

"Lauren," Camila sighed, hesitation in her voice.

"I like having you here. I like having Avery here," Lauren said as she pressed another kiss to Camila's cheek.

"We're doing a really terrible job at taking it slow," Camila laughed.

"It took us seven years to get here, Camz," Lauren contested. "I don't think we could've taken it any slower."

"You're really serious about this?" Camila asked, unable to keep from chewing on her bottom lip as she contemplated Lauren's proposition.

"Mhm," Lauren nodded, her lips pressing into a smile.

Camila sighed, shaking her head slightly. "This is crazy," she mumbled as she stared up at the ceiling.

"It's not like we just met, babe," Lauren replied, unwilling to give up as she moved to rest her forearm on Camila's chest. "We've been best friends our entire life. We dated. We were in love," she reminded her.

"Were in love?" Camila questioned.

"Are in love," Lauren corrected, leaning down to kiss Camila's lips lightly. "Even though we were apart for seven years, we never really stopped. At least I didn't."

"Me either," Camila admitted breathlessly.

Even though so much had happened while they were apart, it almost felt as if time had stopped completely. Camila's feelings for Lauren were still as strong, if not stronger, as they were all those years ago.

"At least try it out," Lauren pleaded, her lips forming into an excited smile.

"Okay," Camila nodded. "I'll stay."

--

"Mommy!" Avery's voice called as the front door of Camila's childhood home opened. She ran toward the entryway, pausing when she saw Lauren rather than Camila standing in the doorway.

"She's coming," Lauren smiled, briefly looking over her shoulder to watch Camila walk up the driveway. "Come here," she added, bending down and opening her arms to the tiny brunette.

Avery's smile widened as she ran to Lauren, immediately wrapping her tiny arms around the woman's neck.

"You're all wet!" Lauren teased, planting a kiss on the top of the head of little girl who was wearing a bathing suit.

"I went swimming," Avery beamed.

"You did?!" Camila exclaimed from where she was now standing behind Lauren.