My heart is pounding madly as I close my arms around her. For a long, loaded moment, we just stay like that. Holding each other. Holding our breaths. Like we’re waiting to see if the couch will grow fangs or swallow us whole. After the longest while, Karli releases a deep, pained exhale. Her body relaxes. And I hold her tighter. “Fuck—I needed that,” she whispers into the collar of my shirt. I bury my nose in her hair and breathe her in, unable to deny how good she smells. How good her curves feel. Can’t lie—I needed that, too.
