Just One Orgasm!

Kylie almost choked. She coughed once.

Emilia immediately became attentive. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Kylie cleared her throat. "Just swallowed wrong."

Emilia frowned. "You didn’t eat anything."

"Air." she lied, still trying to breathe properly.

"Air?"

"It went down wrong."

Emilia stared at her.

Kylie gave her a small smile. She picked up the YSL box again, pretending to examine the packaging.

Brazil would mean a week trapped in the same country with him. Maybe the same hotel, maybe the same car, maybe meals together, maybe late nights, and maybe accidentally finding herself alone with him again.

No.

Absolutely not. Inside, her heart had started beating far too quickly.

Emilia continued talking. "He said Christian has been having a difficult time lately, so he wants him around."

Kylie’s fingers tightened slightly around the box. She kept her voice casual. "That’s... nice. He seems like a good friend."

"He is."

Kylie nodded. "I’m sure."

Emilia looked at her.

Kylie kept her eyes on the box. She could feel the question before Emilia asked it.

"Have you met him?" Emilia asked suspiciously.

Kylie looked up. She forced a blank expression. "Christian?"

"Yeah."

Kylie shook her head. "No."

The lie came too quickly. Emilia didn’t seem to notice.

"He’s apparently very funny from everythinh Adrian had casually said about him."

Kylie gave a small laugh. "Adrian’s friend?"

"Yeah."

Kylie smiled. She looked away. She hated how easily the lie had come. Not because she was ashamed of knowing Christian, but because she knew exactly why she didn’t want Emilia to know.

The point was that she couldn’t spend a week around him while pretending nothing had happened.

She had already failed at that in her own apartment.

Brazil would only make it worse.

Kylie put the box down. "I’ll stay."

Emilia’s expression softened. "You sure?"

"Very."

"You really don’t want to come?"

Kylie smiled. "I do." She shook her head. "You and Adrian deserve your time together."

"He won’t mind."

"I know."

"Then what’s the problem?"

Kylie shrugged. "No problem."

Emilia watched her.

Kylie could tell she wasn’t completely convinced. So she smiled wider. "Seriously. Go. Enjoy yourself."

"You’ll be okay?"

"Of course."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Emilia leaned back against the headboard. "We’re going to call every day."

"What if you’re in the middle of dinner?"

"I’ll call."

Kylie smiled. "Okay."

Emilia held out her pinky.

Kylie stared at it. "You’re twenty-one."

"So?"

"You still make pinky promises?"

"Yes."

Kylie sighed sweetly. Then hooked her pinky around Emilia’s. "Fine."

"Every day."

"Every day."

"Video calls. Long ones."

Kylie laughed. "Emilia."

"I mean it."

They released their hands.

Kylie looked at her best friend. For a moment, she almost changed her mind. She almost said yes.

But then she remembered Christian’s face when he had left, her fingers curled against the blanket.

No.

She couldn’t go. Distance was exactly what she needed.

Emilia reached for the bracelet again. "Help me put this on?"

Kylie smiled. "Of course." She took it from her and fastened it around Emilia’s wrist.

The compass rested against her skin.

"There."

Emilia admired it. "I love it. It fits perfectly."

"Adrian did good."

Kylile smiled. There was almost a wistful feeling in her voice.

"You’ll find someone too."

Kylie immediately looked at her. Her smile disappeared immediately. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"I don’t need someone."

"I didn’t say you needed someone."

"You implied it."

"I said you’ll find someone."

Kylie shook her head. "I’m not looking."

Emilia smiled. "You’re going to fall in love one day." she promised calmly.

Kylie froze. Her eyes reddened. "No." she managed to say. "It’s beautiful but unpredictable. I would rather remain single than wake up one morning, and wonder where the person I fell in love with went to while he stands before me."

"Oh, Kylie."

Emilia didn’t hesitate. She moved closer and pulled Kylie into her arms.

Kylie went still. For a second, she didn’t return the hug. Then her arms slowly came around Emilia’s waist.

She pressed her face against Emilia’s shoulder.

A single tear slipped from the corner of Kylie’s eye and landed on Emilia’s shoulder.

Emilia tightened her arms around her.

Kylie’s breath trembled. "Sometimes, I miss my dad," she whispered.

Emilia closed her eyes.

Kylie’s fingers tightened around the back of her shirt.

"I wish he was better," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "I wish he was present."

She drew in another deel breath.

"I wish I could remember him as someone who loved us without having to remember everything he did first."

Emilia’s heart ached.

Kylie swallowed. "I hate that I can miss someone and still know I don’t want them back in my life." her voive trembled.

"You’re allowed to," Emilia whispered.

Kylie lifted her head slightly.

Emilia brushed the tear from her cheek with her thumb.

"You’re allowed to miss the father you wished you had," she said softly. "That doesn’t mean you have to forgive the father who hurt you."

Kylie’s lips trembled.

"But you don’t have to pretend it doesn’t hurt."

Kylie looked down. "I don’t know why I still want him sometimes."

"He’s your dad."

The answer was simple.

Kylie leaned back into the hug. "I wish he had been different."

"I know, baby."

"And sometimes..." Kylie paused, her voice cracking slightly. "Sometimes I wish I could go back and be the little girl who thought her dad was perfect."

Emilia’s arms tightened around her. "You deserved to be that little girl."

Kylie closed her eyes. For a moment, she let herself cry softly. Just enough for the tears she’d been holding back all morning to finally escape.

Emilia stayed there. She didn’t tell her to stop. She simply held her.

Eventually, Kylie’s breathing steadied.

She pulled back and wiped her cheek quickly. "Please don’t ever ask me to be in love. I don’t want it."

Emilia nodded. "Okay, princess." She cleared the bangs off Kylie’s forehead. "I’m sorry."

Kylie gave a tiny, embarrassed laugh. "I hate crying. It makes my face ugly."

Emilia smiled. "Your face is still pretty."

Kylie smiled faintly.

Emilia reached for a tissue and handed it to her.

Kylie wiped beneath her eyes, and pulled Emilia into a soft hug. "I love you, Emilia."

"I love you too, Kylie." Emilia returned the hug. "Always, and forever."