Her Swimmer

Come with me?

When they finally woke, it was to the shrill sound of Talia's phone ringing, slicing through the cozy cocoon they had created. Talia instinctively curled deeper into Alexia's warmth, a sleepy groan escaping her lips as she murmured, "Turn it off, Lex."

Alexia, still half-asleep, muttered back, "It's yours," her voice muffled by the softness of the sheets.

With a dramatic sigh, Talia reached out blindly, her hand searching for her phone. When her fingers finally wrapped around it, the ringing abruptly ceased. But just as she was about to drop it back onto the nightstand, it burst into life again, ringing insistently. She groaned in frustration, lifting the phone to her ear. The sound was jarring, and she had to pull it away for a moment, wincing at the volume.

Alexia's eyes widened, a mix of surprise and amusement dancing across her features as she heard Ellie's voice echoing from the device, loud and clear despite the lack of speakerphone. "Ellie, shut the fuck up, I'm tired!" she heard Talia snap.

"Were you sleeping?" Ellie chirped, oblivious to her friend's annoyance.

"No shit, I was sleeping," Talia replied, rolling her eyes even though she knew Ellie couldn't see her.

"Oh, well now show me the medal!" Ellie insisted, her excitement palpable even through the phone.

Talia sighed deeply, half-expecting that response from her overzealous best friend. "Give me a minute," she muttered, quickly muting the call. She turned to Alexia, who was already beginning to slip out of bed. "We need to put clothes on, and you need to stay out of camera."

Alexia nodded, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "That's Ellie?" she asked, glancing back at Talia while rummaging through the pile of clothes they had discarded.

"Yeah, she's crazy," Talia replied, a fondness lacing her tone as she pulled on a pair of shorts.

As Alexia ventured into the bathroom to retrieve her bra and top, Talia could hear Ellie's voice chattering excitedly on the other end. The enthusiastic monologue was a flurry of compliments and pride about Talia's performance, each word making Talia smile despite her irritation.

Finally, as Talia picked up the phone again, ready to tell Ellie to switch to a video call, she felt Alexia wrap her arms around her waist from behind. The surprise of the embrace sent a rush of warmth through her. Alexia turned her head to plant a kiss on Talia's shoulder, and Talia instinctively leaned back into her, lost in the moment. But then Alexia turned, capturing Talia's lips with her own in a sweet kiss that nearly made Talia drop the phone.

"I'll wait for you, amor," Alexia said softly, her words sending a chill of warmth down Talia's spine. There was something so reassuring in that statement—Alexia wasn't pushing her to come out with their connection to her friends; she was simply accepting it, willing to take her time.

Unable to resist, Talia pulled Alexia in for another kiss, the affection between them palpable. When they finally broke apart, Alexia gave her a gentle push toward the phone. "Talk to your friend; I'll still be here," she said, a smile lighting up her face before she stepped away, heading toward the kitchenette in the suite.

Talia took a deep breath, shaking off the lingering feeling of Alexia's kiss as she unmuted the call. "If you're ready and done rambling about how amazing I am, then switch to video," she said, her tone playful yet laced with a hint of genuine amusement.

Almost instantly, Ellie's face appeared on the screen, her expression beaming with excitement. "There she is!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with enthusiasm. "I can't believe you did it, Talia! Show me that medal!"

As Talia held up the medal for her friend to see, she couldn't help but steal a glance toward Alexia, who was now busying herself in the kitchen, a comfortable energy radiating between them.