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Part Five

 "You never lose by loving. You always lose by holding back." -Barbara de Angelis

 Karlie paced around the kitchen, grabbing spices from cabinets, ingredients from the pantry and fridge, and bows from other cabinets. After a few minutes things were neatly places on the granite counter top with just enough space in between to feed her need for everything to be organized.

almond flour       

gluten-free oats   

kosher salt       

cornstarch        

baking soda     

baking powder      

slivered almonds   

 mini chocolate chips    

olive oil   

agave         

vanilla extract

  "Tay! Put the show on pause and get in here, girl." Karlie called out from her small kitchen to the country star who sat in her living room, looking intensely as Olivia Benson, the character in Law and Order, interrogated her suspect.

 "Yeah, Yeah coming.." She said softly, not paying a bit of attention to to the request from Karlie. Her subconscious mind knew she wanted her in the kitchen but the other half focused on the intensity of the show, taking in every detail and processing her own hypothesis. 

  "You're still watching it." Karlie called out, know putting her hands on her hips. She couldn't see the blonde for the wall that closed off the kitchen from the living area but knew perfectly well she was still sitting glued to the TV.

 "N-no I'm." Her words drifted off as detective stabler started yelling at his suspect, getting all up in his space, playing the bad cop to pry for answers. Before Taylor could get another minute of the show the screen went black. Completely snapping out of her trans-like state, she looked up to an adamant Karlie. "I said I was coming.." She said, a cheeky grin showing as Karlie playfully rolled her eyes clearly doubting those good intentions. 

  Both girls moved their way to the kitchen, Taylor eyeing all the different ingredients, "There's not sugar...or butter.." She observed before looking at the brunette in concern, "How do you make cookies with no sugar or butter?"

 "Agave, it will be the replacement along with a few other things. It's okay." She said as she raised her eyebrows, taking a hand to the girl's shoulder, "You'll live. You're in good hands babe."

 "I don't know Karls..." A laugh left her lips, concerned at all the healthy ingredients, somewhat doubting these would turn out well. 

 Karlie's Kookies were a cookie the supermodel had come up with in order to sell for the benefit of sixty schools in New York. The money made from the selling of the cookies would support meals for children, making sure they didn't go hungry while at school.

After a few days of not seeing each other, they'd agreed to hangout, with the intention to learning how to bake the famous cookie. Both being bakers, they always found themselves swapping recipes or their own treats they'd made. 

  Taylor mixed the dry ingredients together with the intention of getting everything eventy mixed as Karlie mixed together all the liquids, "How's Josh?" 

 "Fine. Just busy as usual." Karlie said, whisking together the liquids a few more times, "Besides watching reruns of Law and Order, how have you been?" 

 "I miss tour," Her eyes stayed focused on mixing, taking the rubber mixer and scouping around the sides, "But I've been going down to music education center in Nashville. There was this fourth grade class--so cute." 

 The small talk continued as the girls threw together everything at Karlie's word. Once both their bowls were mixed into one and created a doughy like texture Taylor reached one long arm out for the mini chocolate chips, heaped to the top of a small bowl.

 "Alright just do about half the--"

 Before Karlie could get another word out Taylor turned down the bowl, letting the little chocolate chunks fall to their sweet grave of dough. 

 "Or the whole bowl.." She looked at the mound of chocolate chips then to the guilty blonde who made a snorted laugh at her look. 

 "I'm just..."

 Karlie raised her eye brows, "Just what?.."

 "Improvising." She nodded, her smile leaving as she put on a straight face, "Improvising. Like you always say, Improvising is..satis...fying." The girl lied through her teeth, not making eye contact before stealing away a mini chocolate chip and eating it.

 Karlie raised her eye brows once again, "Bullshit." A laugh erupted from her lips. 

  Taylor's serious face cracked as the brunette caught her red handed at her lie. 

 After everything was mixed, set into a cookie sheet, and slipped into the oven that heated to three hundred and fifty degrees, the preparing was over. The cookies were waiting to rise into imperfect circles. 

  A few minutes into the waiting process both were laying on their back on the hard wood floor between the counter and the oven. Taylor recalled a memory, laughing loudly as she retold the story Karlie knew very well. Karlie laughed, placing the palm of her hands over her face, "Don't remind me! That was so mean and you know it."

 Taylor giggled as she reminded the brunette of the time she'd come to her apartment in Nashville with the instructions just to walk in. As Karlie had made her way into the colorful, fantasy decor home she took notice to the fact that the placed seemed to be vacant. Taylor was no where to be seen and not even Meredith was sitting by the balcony of the small upstairs loft. Taking another few steps in and calling the girl's name, she remembered Taylor jumping out of no where and screaming at the top of her lungs, sending Karlie straight for the ground. Screaming out a few words of profanity she had quickly com eto the realization of the trap she'd so willingly walked into. Meanwhile Taylor stood doubled over clutching her small frame and also trying to cover her mouth. 

 Karlie laid stil, her face still covered with a pouty lip underneath.

 "I-I'm sorry you just..you just went down." Another laugh burst out, "I love you." She giggled, dragging out the world 'you'. When Karlie didn't respond she looked over, "Karls." She sang, an amused smile still on her face, "Oh Karls."

   Karlie sat still, not responding or moving. Taylor sat up, grabbing the girl's small wrist and peeling back her hands, "Peak-a-boo." She giggled before seeing the pitiful pouted lip."Don't pout." She said, pouting her own lip also.

   "You're so mean." She said halfheartedly, looking up at the blue eyed blonde.

  "It was cruel, I'm sorry," She said softly, still looking down at the beautiful girl. Taylor thought, her hands became warm, the heat slowly traveling up her hand until a tingly sensation took it's place. In one swift movement she leaned down to kiss the girls cheek. She was pushing her limits and she knew very well. She knew it from the first time she'd ever decided to satisfy the hunger of her selfish needs.

 Before Karlie or Taylor could make another movement or sound both girls popped up from their positions. Taylor grinned ear or ear as she grabbed the hand mits from the counter. With one open of the oven door and sliding out the pan, the home baked cookie aroma wafted into the air. 

 Still a bit surprised, Karlie stayed quiet, letting her take out the pan and place it on the island counter top. Her eyes followed Taylor, not wanting to lose sight as if it had been possible. Her hazel eyes narrowed at her rosey red lips then to her facial expression as she commented on something that didn't resister in her mind. There was something about the girl, something she wanted to be a part of in some way but she shouldn't. Her thoughts were forced back to the back of her mind and a forced smile spread across her face.