“Yeah,” the blonde giggled, scrunching her nose, “I haven’t departed yet.”

“Sorry,” said Ashley, “I didn’t know if I should stop and put a blanket on you,” she admitted, half jokingly.

“But you haven’t had yours yet!” Spencer wriggled out from under the girl on top of her and mirrored Ashley, kneeling on the mattress. Her hands brushed Ashley’s hard, tanned stomach, tracing every defined muscle. Ashley sighed and rested her forehead on Spencer’s as both girls watched the slender fingers on her abs.

“So sexy…” Spencer purred sultrily.

Ashley bit her lip, a smile perking the corners of her delectable mouth.

Spencer’s blood was pounding in her ears, her whole head a whirlwind of colliding, scrambled thoughts as she serenely stroked Ashley’s body. Was this normal? Was this ‘gay’? Spencer could make only one conclusion easily: this was definitely not straight. What did this mean? Did Ashley share her feelings? Spencer recalled the wisdom Ashley imparted to her earlier: don’t worry, it is what it is. Just make a move and worry about fixing things only if it goes wrong.

Spencer took a deep breath and closed the thin gap between her and her secret crush.

“Ashley?” she barely whispered.

“Yeah Spence?” Ashley replied, wincing inwardly as her voice cracked under the tension.

Spencer squeezed her eyes shut and did it before she had time to talk herself out of it.

“Will you kiss me please?” she inquired.

The question hung in the humid air. Spencer held her breath.

Ashley was unruffled. It wasn’t like she hadn’t played this moment out in her mind a million times beforehand. The words flowed smoothly with a cool, comforting logic that earned the rest of Spencer’s faith in her best friends thinking.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to, Spence. You’re an absolutely stunning girl,” Ashley told Spencer sincerely, “If you were anyone else I wouldn’t think twice about it. But our friendship,” Spencer’s heart sunk, “is something different than I’ve ever had with another person and I’d never forgive myself if I screwed it up. We can do this, but no matter how hard we try things won’t go back to the way they are now after this. Are you sure this is what you want Spence?”