Show Me That I'm Better | Post Malone

LVI

The flight back to LA had been short, as had the drive back to her house. They had climbed into bed quickly where she had owned him again, her hands still showing remnants of her reward, before he had drifted off to sleep.

It had quickly become one of her favourite things, watching him unravel before her, feeling his release as his jaw dropped and a gentle moan escaped him. It made her proud, she loved the fact that she had chosen this, had wanted to give him pleasure, had wanted to make him feel this way rather than the choice being stripped from her completely.

She had lay draped over him for hours, waiting to drift off in his arms before finally admitting defeat. Her mind was racing with the events of the past few months, the number of massive life changes she had managed to embrace.

Her life had become almost unrecognisable to her. Where she had always been so isolated and kept her distance on the outside, she had now been thrown into the centre of Austin's universe. She knew it rotated solely around her and while she hadn't been able to admit it out loud yet, hers had shifted to revolve solely around him.

Her nights were no longer spent at home, alone with Spencer, waiting for something, anything. She had gone from constantly focusing on work and always being available to having switched off entirely.

As much as she hated to admit it, there was one change she was still struggling with.

She missed Gia.

For better or worse, Gia had been her person during some of her most difficult times. Sure, she had always kept Gia at arm's length, only allowing her a glimpse behind the curtain of her life, but she had been a constant nevertheless.

Delilah had always had many friends, however not many people she had trusted to allow into her inner circle. She had never allowed herself to feel lonely in the past, managing to convince herself that she worked better on her own.

Austin had blown that theory right out of the fucking water.

She couldn't get Gia's words out of her head.
"It's like I don't even recognise you anymore."
As much as she was sure Gia had intended for those words to hurt her, she couldn't feel anything but accomplished with her transformation. But for some reason, she couldn't quieten the voice in her head that was telling her to call Gia. 

"What ya doing out here baby?" Austin's soft drawl interrupted her thoughts as he crept through the door onto the balcony behind her.

"Couldn't sleep."  She smiled, pulling back the blanket she had tucked around her, silently inviting him to join her on the outdoor chaise.

Austin crawled in behind her, tugging her against his warm chest as she straightened the blanket over them again. "You miss her?" He asked, nodding towards her phone in her hand, still alight with the most recent messages between Gia and herself. They were so short, so vague they may as well have been between two strangers

"I'm not sure." She tried to blink back the one stray tear that was threatening to spill as her eyes glanced down to the phone in her hand. "I think I more miss the idea of her, not sure I miss her. I guess I miss having someone to talk to more than anything."

"Darlin'" His brows drew together with concern as his arms wrapped around her tightly. "I thought speaking to Jodie today helped?"

"It did, really." She smiled at him, hoping to show him she really was fine, before leaning back against him again. She loved having him behind her like this.

"You can talk to her any time, about anything. I know it's going to be a process for you but you can trust her. Or what about Ali? You guys are close right?"  He spoke against her skin, his lips dancing over the soft skin of her neck. She could feel the goosebumps erupting from his touch. She needed to regain control of this stupid body of hers...