Afterglow ❃ l.m.j

• chapter fifty six •

"Are you cold?" Normani asked. I was currently leaning into her side with her arm around me. My bouquet of roses crinkled with every movement we made, but I didn't care. She felt like a goddamn furnace.

"No, not as much as I thought I'd be. Why?"

She loosened her grip on my shoulders to take my free hand. "Do you want to walk for a bit?"

I looked around at all of the fairy lights that hung between the plaza. There were still some stores open and a few people bustled around us. I smiled.

"Okay."

There was no set direction for us to go, and so, we just went forward. We were still coming down from the highs of the dinner and our time afterwards in the bathroom. But only sweetness filled the air while we walked. I looked at my feet in happiness. Three dates and we were here. Several months and we were here. Finally, someone who saw every part of me and didn't leave. It felt surreal. To have such a simple pleasure all while on a journey to finding myself was insane.

Heaven's Door was the last place I ever thought I'd meet my next partner. Nonetheless with the way things went. Our relationship took so many twist and turns from dancer to client to colleagues to two people just fucking to two people who were now dating. And the entire time, there was nothing but understanding between Normani and I. She understood that my comfortability with my body would take some time. And I understood that she needed more time than most to make a decision regarding romantic matters. But no matter the journey, there wasn't a single moment where it wasn't worth it.

It felt like standing next to someone who was the whole package. Normani was sound, caring, thoughtful, honest. Between the two of us there was great sex and even greater dates. I didn't have to worry about callous arguments about my insecurities. And even if she feel average compared to others, nothing she ever did felt that way to me. I actually cherished it. I think the painting in my living room was evidence enough of that.

And there was no doubt about the way that she felt for me too. Even when she couldn't put words to her feelings, she still told me. I never had to guess. And when I felt like I wouldn't be enough, she let me say that to her (and shot me down too).

"What are you thinking about?" Normani broke my thoughts.

Even as she spoke, her attention wasn't fully on me. I caught her looking ahead at a kid steering a remote controlled car alongside his brother. She grinned.

"You. How happy I am."

She rubbed at her nose, now looking back down at me. "Me too. I'm really grateful we made it past three dates."

I raised my eyebrow. "Did you think we wouldn't?"

"No." She shrugged a bit. "I was just nervous I guess. I wanted it all to be enough."

"It is enough." I soothed. "You worry too much."

"Because I care." She kissed my forehead. "I worry too much because I care."

"I know, I've noticed."

A bit of gravel crunched under her shoe. "I just realized, should we really be walking? You're wearing heels."

"It's fine."

"I'll carry you."

"You're being ridiculous."

She giggled. "Come on." She pulled us towards a bench that was just barely dry after an early morning rain.

When we sat, I propped my legs up onto hers. She fixed my hair, smoothing a flyaway. And I leaned my hand onto my elbow that rested on the bench.

Normani exhaled. She took a moment to think before just saying it. "I don't want to wait anymore. I want to be with you. Like seriously be with you. Even when it gets complicated or when I don't understand it."

I smiled, placing a hand on her thigh reassuringly.

"I do too."

"I don't have any goals for us yet. I feel like eventually we should make some down the line. But for right now, being with you is enough. I've wanted to ask you for so long but I was just nervous. And I'm tired of caring about that."

"What were you nervous for?"

"I don't even remember now. It doesn't make sense." She chuckled. "I know I'm a broken record but I'll keep saying it. Lauren, I want you. I want you happy, upset, scared, angry. I want you in every emotion and every way and I feel confident in the fact that I really like you. So, please..." She grinned at my surprise when she said please. "Please be my girlfriend. I promise I won't make you regret it."

That feeling rose in me again. It curled its way from my stomach to my chest to my mouth. I moved my legs from her lap and went to go sit on top of her. She giggled as I kissed her. Her smile against my lips was infectious.

"Say please again."

She almost pushed me off with a snort. I held onto her tighter with a boisterous laugh. My mouth found hers again.

"Of course I'll be with you. It's been driving me crazy having to wait. Not that I wouldn't wait longer if you asked me to."

She rubbed my waist. "It's okay."

I looked at her, rubbing her cheek. A small squeal escaped me as I pulled her into my arms.

"I think it's unnatural to be this happy."

She burrowed her head into the crook of my neck. "You think so?"

"I don't know. But what I do know, is after we sleep tonight, I'm fucking you for hours. And I'm making you breakfast in the morning. And I wanna spend the whole afternoon in bed with my girlfriend. And then be insufferable at the fact that I can officially call you mine."

Normani shook her head at my cheesiness before lifting her head to squint at me.

"Wait a minute... Are you trying to butter me up? Are you flirting with me?"

I did a fake gasp, kissing her cheek.

"A little bit." My grin got wider. "And would you look at that? You finally noticed."