8. Chapter 8

Maya is pacing the room. Stressed out about what they are going to do on their vacation. She knows she shouldn’t be stressed. That’s the whole point of going on vacation. That was the whole point of her going on vacation because she has too much stress going on right now. But she can’t help it.

She knows Carina is in the bathroom, doing what, she doesn’t know. She takes the opportunity to call the station. She just needs something to occupy her mind. The whole thing about doing nothing on vacation isn’t exactly Maya’s thing. She has a very hard time just doing nothing. If she can get the quarterly numbers from the station, then she’ll have something to do.

But Travis won’t give her the numbers and actually berates her for thinking about work when she’s got a gorgeous Italian woman that she could be spending every minute with.

Carina comes out of the bathroom and Maya knows she does but doesn’t recognize her until she speaks, too busy thinking about work yet.

She finally turns to Carina and sees her in her swimsuit and towel and remembers she was supposed to be getting ready to go to the pool. Maya sighs. She’s messing this vacation up already. But it doesn’t take much convincing to get Maya to get ready and Carina kisses her.

“Okay, okay, okay. Screw the station.”

Carina walks Maya backwards until her calves hit the mattress.

“Mmm, Carina.” Maya moans as she pushed backwards onto the bed. “What about-“ There are lips on her neck. “-the- the-“

Carina stops, sucks on Maya’s pulse point before pulling away from her.

“What about the what?” She is amused at Maya’s loss for words.

Maya’s eyes roam the Italian’s face before sinking lower to the skin exposed by the swimwear. It’s not like Maya hasn’t seen it all before but every time she gets to view that gorgeous tan skin of Carina’s her mind just goes blank for a little bit.

“Maya?” Carina caresses her arm. “Earth to Maya.”

“Hmm.” Maya shakes her head.

“You were saying something.” Carina raises her eyebrows at Maya.

“The pool.” Maya mumbles.

Carina laughs. “After this.” She leans back in for a slow kiss. She takes her time shifting the kiss, deepening it. Carina brings her hand up to the side of Maya’s face, tilting the blonde’s head. “You have way too many clothes on, bella.” She giggles into the kiss.

The snaps on Maya’s button down shirt make it really easy to remove. Maya reaches for either side of the shirt and pulls it open. She grins as Carina laughs and looks down at her chest. “Dio mio, bambina.” While Carina is distracted, Maya takes the opportunity to put her hands on her hips and roll them over, so that she is perched above Carina.

She sits back on her heels and pulls the shirt the rest of the way off. She rakes her eyes over the body beneath her. “You’re absolutely stunning.” She purrs and licks her lips.

Travis’ words ring in her ears. Go sex up that gorgeous Italian woman of yours.

Maya takes it to heart. She fingers the strings on the sides of Carina’s swimsuit bottoms and pulls them loose.

“Maya.” Carina moans her name as she squirms, more than ready for Maya to pay some careful attention to her.

Maya bends and presses a kiss to the side of Carina’s jaw and then finds her lips. Carina grabs her by the back of the head, kissing her hard. It’s takes Maya a few minutes but eventually Carina lets go of her grip on the back of Maya’s head. She slips down, pressing her lips to the side of Carina’s neck before licking at the dip at the base of her throat where her collarbone is. She licks down the center of Carina’s chest all the way to her belly button.

“What are you doing?” Carina moans.

Maya smiles against the skin that covers Carina’s ribs. She presses a kiss to each rib on her left side and then does the same to the ribs on the right before moving up slightly to take Carina’s nipple in her mouth, sucking.

Carina gasps and her hands clamp down on Maya’s shoulders.

Maya pulls the nipple and releases it with a pop. “I’m memorizing your body with my lips. It’s important work.”

Carina laughs. “Dio mio.”

Maya pays attention to Carina’s left nipple before pressing a quick peck over where Carina’s heart is. Maya slips down the bed, her fingers hooking in Carina’s swimsuit bottoms and pulling them down and off of Carina’s legs altogether. Her lips find a hipbone, pressing a kiss there and then moving to the other side. As she goes across, Maya drags her tongue along the skin, before finding the other hipbone and sucking at it, hard.

Carina’s hands are in Maya’s hair now. Broken English smattered with Italian whispered in moans from her lips.

“I need you, Maya.”

Maya hears that sentence loud and clear. She can smell Carina’s arousal; eager, herself, to get a taste. She wastes no more time. Maya lays flat on the mattress and shifts Carina’s left leg over her shoulder giving herself better access. She takes the first swipe through Carina’s folds. Carina squirms and tries to wiggle away. Maya knows she’s super sensitive then. She looks up and Carina has her head back, her eyes squeezed shut.

“Hey.”

Carina looks down at Maya between her legs. A glorious sight.

“Hold my hand.” Maya says and offers up her hand, setting it on Carina’s right hip. Carina latches onto the hand and Maya smiles up at her before diving in. Carina’s other hand still in Maya’s hair, holding on.

Maya pulls a high pitched whine from Carina when she sucks on that little bundle of nerves. She flicks her tongue over the spot a few times before lapping through Carina folds again. Her tongue slipping into the Italian before swirling around.

Carina tries to clamp down around Maya’s head, but Maya holds onto the leg that she over her shoulder. “Not yet.” She says against the inside of Carina’s thigh, pressing her lips to the spot. She goes back to focus her attention on the woman’s clit. Licking, and then sucking, before blowing air over the swollen area.

“Maya.” Carina starts to shake a little, desperate for release.

“Shhhh.” Maya takes the bud into her mouth sucking and flicking her tongue over it until Carina’s back is arching off the bed and legs are tight around her ears. Maya only able to her Carina’s muffled moans as she comes.

Carina relaxes, her hand brushing lazily through Maya’s hair. Maya laying there with her head resting on Carina’s left thigh.

“We should go to the pool.” Carina mumbles after a few minutes.

“Do we have to?” Maya whines.

“Si.”

“Can’t we just stay here and have sex all day?” Maya suggests.

“While that might be fun. Vacation is about more than just sex. Plus, I want to work on my tan.”

“Fine.” Maya frowns. She’s not going to deny Carina a chance to sit by the pool.

“I’m going to need few more minutes to recover though.” Carina smirks.

Maya bites her lower lip and pushes herself up onto her elbows before crawling up Carina’s body and kissing her. Carina moans into the kiss. “Do you need anything?” Maya asks softly.

“A glass of water maybe. Do we have any snacks? A granola bar or something.”

Maya gets up. “You didn’t bring any chocolate bars with you?” She winks at the Italian.

“I, unfortunately, did not.”

After Todd leaves, Maya suggests a swim while they are waiting for Carina’s fries and mozzarella sticks.

“Do I have to?” Carina whines.

“Yes.” Maya pulls her up out of her chair by her hands. “Come on.”

“Noooo. Maya.”

Maya puts Carina’s hand on her hips, holding them there as she walks backwards. “Come on. Just a quick little dip.”

“Fine.” Carina rolls her head to the side. “But as soon as she comes over with my food I’m getting out.”

“Deal.” Maya grins. She turns and holds onto Carina’s hands still as Carina walks behind her over to the pool stairs.

Though Carina doesn’t want to go in the pool, she is more than happy of the view she gets of Maya as they walk to the pool. The curves of her hips, her backside, those stronger shoulders have Carina licking her lips. The firefighter is absolutely built, and Carina absolutely loves that. Though she thinks if Maya weren’t strong and didn’t have muscles, she thinks she’d probably like her just as much. It’s really just a bonus. Carina loves Maya stronger tough exterior only because she gets to see her gentle soft interior.

Maya steps down into the water and holds her hand up for Carina to take and step in. “Grazie, bella.”

Maya just grins and nods. She tugs Carina into a little deeper water. She dips down until the water covers everything below her shoulders and then encourages Carina to do the same with a simple nod of the head.

Carina shakes her head with a playful smile. Maya is going to have to try harder than that in order to get her hair wet.

Maya tilts her head to the side. “Oh really?”

Carina nods.

Maya smirks. She jerks forward and wraps her arms around Carina’s waist, pulling her down into the water. Carina laughs as she and Maya dunk under the surface for a moment before coming back up. She wraps her arms around Maya’s shoulders. Maya spins them around slowly, pulling their bodies together. Carina takes the opportunity her wrap her legs around Maya’s waist. For her part, Maya stands there holding them strong, upright, though the water helps to distribute the weight.

Carina scratches her fingers lightly against the back of Maya’s neck. “Bacami.” She whispers for only Maya to hear.

Maya swallows thickly. She can feel the eyes of the people around them on her. She’s not big on PDA but- but here is Carina again making her think that things don’t always have to be one way. Showing her that there isn’t a strict set of rules for life. And it contradicts everything Maya has been taught and learned. She looks around them and she’s right, a few people are watching.

“Bella.” Carina gets her attention again. “Just focus on me.”

Maya nods. Her eyes flick around Carina’s face. From her eyes to her lips. She glances over her nose and back to her lips before leaning in as a soft smile tugs the corner of her lips upwards. Maya’s nose rubs against Carina’s as she slowly connects their lips. Carina’s legs squeeze tighter around her when Maya deepens the kiss.

Any older lady clears her throat a few feet away from them. Carina looks over and gives her an apologetic smile. She unclasps her legs from around Maya and stands on her own two feet. Her arms stay around Maya’s neck though.

They move around in the water for a little bit, never letting go of the other. A hand on an arm, or around the waist, or on a shoulder. Never too far away.

The waitress comes back with Carina’s food and their drinks and Carina swims over to the edge of the pool with speed that Maya didn’t know she had. When she reaches the edge, she puts her hands up on the concrete and pushes herself up and out of the water in one fluid movement. Maya stands there watching, she swallows thickly, before licking her lips. Her throat suddenly dry. She definitely needs that drink that the waitress brought. Maya goes over to the pools stairs and climbs them before taking her place on her lounge chair again and picking up her drink.

“Where do you put all that?” She teases. It still amazes Maya how much Carina can eat and stay so skinny.

“It’s my Italian metabolism. I’ve told you that before.” Carina dunks a mozzarella stick into a little cup of pizza sauce before bringing to her lips, moaning as she takes a bite. “Plus I think I burned quite a few calories back in the room.”

Maya laughs.

Carina pulls Maya by the hand after Maya shuts the door to their room.

“What are we-“ Maya mumbles.

Carina pulls her into the bathroom. “We need to get the chlorine off.” That’s just her excuse. But seeing Maya outperform that douche guy in pushups was super hot. And then Maya pulled her into the pool and Carina had a hard time not making a show in front of all the other resort guests. If she hadn’t just ordered food, then she would have just dragged Maya back to the room then and there. She turns on the shower and waits a moment for it to warm up. She steps inside, pulling Maya with her.

“Oh.” Maya smirks.

Carina is on a mission. She pulls down the zipper on Maya one piece and pushes the fabric off of the firefighter’s shoulders, freeing her breasts from the fabric. “This swimsuit looks great on you but-“

Maya moans as Carina takes her breasts in her hands. “But my boobs have been suffocating in there.”

Carina giggles. “Well, then I’m glad I can be of assistance.” She rubs her thumbs over Maya’s nipples and Maya tilts her head back in pleasure.

Maya reaches up and grabs Carina’s face, pulling her in for a much needed kiss. Carina takes the opportunity to push Maya’s swimsuit down further, rolling it over her hips. “Mmm, you’re so sexy.” Carina moans into Maya’s mouth.

Maya stops and pulls back. “Really?”

Carina furrows her brow. “Yeah, really. Maya, what do you mean?”

Maya shrugs. “I just- I never really think of myself as- sexy.”

“Well, you are.” Carina leans in for a kiss. “So, so sexy.” She runs her palms down Maya’s chest, over her stomach and finds her hips, pulling Maya into her. She dips her tongue into Maya’s mouth, rolling it around Maya’s before pinching Maya’s lower lip between her teeth and pulling it out before releasing it with a pop.

They rock back and forth under the stream of warm water for a while trading little nips and kisses. Carina’s right hand slips from Maya’s hip. She takes a step forward forcing Maya to take a step back, her back presses up against the cold tile which produces a hiss from the blonde. Carina smirks at the reaction. It’s just what she wanted. She reaches down, her fingertips ghosting over Maya’s skin as she does so. She feels a shiver run through Maya. “That tickles.” She husks.

Carina grins. “Does this tickle?” She cups her hand between Maya’s legs before applying a little pressure with her fingers and dragging her hand forward.

“N-no.” Maya stutters.

Despite the water from the shower, Carina can tell just how wet Maya is. It’s a different kind of wet all together. There’s no better feeling, well maybe there is, than knowing she can get Maya this way, than knowing that Maya needs and wants her this much.

As she circles two fingers around Maya’s clit, Maya reaches up and grabs onto Carina’s shoulders, her legs shaky and weak.

“I’ve got you.” Carina whispers, meaning it in more than one way. She would happily hold and support Maya through this and everything else in life.

Maya closes her eyes and presses her forehead to the inside of her right arm.

Carina slips two fingers into Maya, her thumb stroking over her clit. Maya shifts on her feet and Carina forgoes the penetration for just clitoral stimulation, rubbing her fingertips in rapid circles. Maya leans into her, practically hanging from her shoulders. The blonde lets out a loud groan as her orgasm courses through her.

Maya moans and rolls her head from her arm to Carina’s shoulder. “Car-ina.” She stutters out, her voice shaky as she tries to catch her breath.

Carina takes the shower soap and rubs it over Maya’s back as Maya clings to her. She ducks Maya under the water to rinse her back off after it’s all lathered up. “Tilt your head back.”

Maya slowly opens her eyes and rolls her head around on her shoulders. “I’ve never-“ She tries to find her voice.

“Had shower sex?”

Maya shakes her head. “No, no. I have. I just I’ve never- that was really-“

“Amazing.” Carina smirks.

Maya nods and surges forward to kiss Carina. “More than amazing. I don’t know what the word for that is though.”

Carina laughs. “Can I wash your hair?” She asks, feeling slightly nervous. It seems like such an intimate thing, and she doesn’t know how Maya is going to reaction to that. But Maya just kisses her and nods. “Can you turn around?” She’s not sure if Maya can stand by herself yet.

Maya turns and Carina grabs the shampoo. She rubs it in her hands before bringing her hands up to Maya’s head. She scratches the shampoo against Maya’s scalp receiving a moan in reply. “Feel good?”

“Can you always wash my hair?”

Carina laughs and shakes her head. She has Maya rinse her long blonde locks before Carina puts conditioner in and runs her fingers meticulously through the wet strand of hair, getting all the snarls out. She’s really enjoying this. Yes, the sex is great. Yes, they get along well. Yes, there is a bond between them. But this, in the shower, is something else. Something intimate. Something sacred. Something that no one else can see or touch or feel. It’s just them, in their own little intimate bubble. Where nothing else matters. There aren’t any issues or problems or distractions. It’s perfect.

“Can I do you now?” Maya asks, over eager, and spins around to face Carina.

The question breaks Carina from her thoughts. She raises an eyebrow at Maya.

“Not like that. Your hair.” Maya twirls her fingers in some of Carina’s wet dark hair. “I love-“ She stops.

“You what?”

“I love your hair.” Maya looks away from the intense brown eyes that are staring her down. “It always looks so effortlessly beautiful.”

With a finger on Maya’s jaw, Carina brings her back so she can look her in the eyes. “It’s not always so effortless.” She has a small playful smile on her lips. She saves Maya from her own embarrassment. “Will you wash my hair, bella?”

“I don’t know if I can reach the top of your head.” She groans at Carina being a few inches taller than she is.

“What if I kneel?” Before Maya can answer, Carina is on her knees in front of her. She looks up at Maya with soft, tender eyes. She reaches out. Maya’s swimsuit still sort of around her hips and thighs. She pulls it down the rest of the way. Maya puts a hand on Carina’s shoulder and steps out of it completely. They never break eye contact. Carina then runs her palms up the back of Maya’s calves before running them back down softly. “Maya?” She questions. Maya nods and reaches for the shampoo before lathering up on the top of Carina’s head. She scrapes at her scalp lightly. Carina sighs and rocks forward on her knees.

“Stand up. I can’t reach the ends.”

Carina stands and turns around so Maya can get the ends of her hair. “That feels real good, bambina.”

Maya’s fingers shift from her hair to the string on Carina’s swimsuit tops and tugs it loose. The gasp she gets from Carina is worth it. She reaches up and slips the straps off of Carina’s shoulders before pressing a kiss to her left shoulder.

Carina feels the water start to turn colder. “Maya. Conditioner. Now.”

Maya fumbles with the bottle.

“Nevermind.” The water is too cold now. Carina shuts it off. “Out.” She points for Maya to get out.

Maya pouts. “But?”

“No. Out.” Carina puts a hand on Maya’s lower back to get her going.

They dry off, put on robes, and head out to the other room. Carina runs the brush through her hair before throwing her hair over her right side. She holds the brush out to Maya.

Maya stands at the end of the bed and runs the brush through her own hair. Carina lays back on the bed and watches Maya.

“I’m sorry the water got cold.”

“That’s not your fault.” Carina smirks. “We just took too long. Actually, I think, in the future, maybe we should just skip the water all together. Skip the showering together if we can’t keep it to just showering. It’s a huge waste of water.”

Maya hums. “True.”

“And I know I can’t keep my hands off of you so-“ Carina smirks. “Vieni qua.” She holds her hand out for Maya.

Maya puts one knee on the bed and then the other before crawling over Carina and sitting astride her hips. Carina runs her hands up and down Maya’s sides coaxing Maya to leans down and kiss her.

“I think I could just kiss you forever.” Maya mumbles.

“Just kiss?”

“Well, you know, if it leads to other things that’s not bad either.”

Carina laughs and connects her lips with Maya’s again.

Maya’s phone beeps in the distance. “Ignore it.” Carina mumbles into their kiss.

And Maya does. She ignores it the second time it goes off, and then the third, but it’s bugging her. If she is getting multiple messages than something must be serious.

“Don’t even think about it.” Carina knows Maya is thinking about looking at the phone though. “Bacami, bella, bacami.”

Maya tries to focus solely on that and for a few minutes she is successful. The phone doesn’t go off again for a while and Maya forgets about it. That is until it buzzes again, and she reaches out for it, much to Carina’s displeasure.

Maya is hyperventilating. Carina gets her to sit down on the bed and kneels in front of her.

“Look at me. Your eyes only need to be on me.”

She hears Carina say the words but can’t focus.

“No, no, no, no. No eyes forward.”

Maya recoils and pulls back, trying to get away from Carina. She knows she told Carina about eyes forward and how her dad drilled that into her and how that helped her focus in the past but now. Now, that’s the last thing she wants to hear. She also doesn’t want an image of her father in her head right now. Maya tries to get away from her.

But then Carina’s hands are on her face, holding her there, helping her focus. “No eyes forward. Eyes only on me.”

She locks eyes with those gentle brown ones that she’s come to love so much.

“Good. Breathe.” Carina takes a deep breath in, and Maya follows the action with her own, slightly shakily breath in. Carina lets out her breath. “Good.” She whispers as Maya lets out her breath too.

“In.” Carina breathes in again and then out.

“One more.” Carina breathes in with Maya. “And out.”

They breath normally, but in sync, as Carina’s eyes stay locked on Maya. Her thumbs stroke over Maya’s cheeks. “It’s okay. You’re okay.” She leans up and presses a kiss to Maya’s forehead.

Maya closes her eyes as she comes back to reality and the embarrassment sets in.

“Maya?”

“Yeah.” She peeks her eyes open and looks at Carina cautiously.

“Has that ever happened before?”

“Not with- not that bad, but yeah I think so.”

“Okay.” Carina stands up and releases Maya’s face.

“Where are you going?” Maya whimpers. She feels like she might fall apart again if Carina goes away.

“Just over here, bella. I’m getting us some water.” She pours two glasses of ice water from the pitcher and brings them over to Maya. “Here.” She holds a glass out to Maya.

Maya’s hand shakes as she reaches for the glass. Carina doesn’t let her take the glass as she sees the shaky hand. “Here.” She sits down at Maya’s side, holding the glass and having Maya wrap her hand around her own hand around the glass.

Maya takes a shaky drink, but it helps. She swallows and lets out a long breath. “I’m not a baby.”

“I know you’re not.” Carina takes Maya’s glass and takes a drink from it, forgetting that she has her own glass in her other hand. “I know, Maya.”

Maya nods. They sit there for a while just breathing and drinking water.

Carina gets up and sets the glasses on the table. “Let’s lay down.” She suggests and crawls up on the bed. Maya scoots back and lays down, staring up at the ceiling stoic, cold, unflinching. Carina wraps herself around Maya.

She’s worried about Maya. Panic attacks are a serious thing. She worries about the stress Maya is under and the stress Maya puts herself under. She knows the blonde is super hard and critical of herself. She’s also figured that’s because of Maya’s father always pushing her to be the best at whatever she is doing, whether that is running track or being the fire captain. That’s a lot of pressure and expectation to put on one person, on oneself. Carina thinks this panic attack is probably a result of everything coming to a head and blubbing over.

She lays there with Maya for a while. She would be worried about Maya not saying anything and just staring up at the ceiling but as soon as she shifts so she can see Maya’s face Maya’s eyes flick to hers. She smiles tenderly for the blonde. Maya doesn’t smile back but she blinks, and she knows Maya is in there, and that she’s alright and that she’s just trying to wrap her head around all of this.

“You’re alright.” Carina whispers. It’s not a question.

Maya nods, coming back to herself more.

Carina runs her hand over the side of Maya’s head, stroking her fingers through her hair when she gets down past her ear. She tucks her other hand inside the collar of Maya’s robe, placing her palm on her collarbone for skin to skin contact. She feels Maya relax finally. It’s accompanied by a sigh from the blonde. Maya’s arm wraps around Carina’s back loosely.

“Oh, Maya.” She coos and kisses Maya’s cheek.

Maya has calmed down. They lay in bed, Carina with her leg thrown over Maya as she lays on her side and twirls Maya’s hair in her fingers. “You are the captain, but you don’t have to be in captain mode all the time.”

“I’m not in captain mode all the time.” Maya sighs. She hates that she just had a panic attack. And in front of Carina. She wonders if Carina thinks differently of her because of it.

“No, but you got that text and went right into captain mode.” Carina lifts her eyes from looking at Maya’s hair to catch her eyes.

“I can’t help it.” Maya rolls her eyes. “I’m ruining this vacation, aren’t I?”

“I wouldn’t say it’s ruined. You had a small burp.” Carina grins, knowingly.

Maya laughs. “Hiccup.”

“Si, hiccup.”

“You just did that to get me to laugh.”

“Maybe.” Carina wiggles her eyebrows. “But it worked.”

Maya sucks her bottom lip up between her teeth. “I just want to prove myself as captain. Now that it’s more settled.” Carina nods. Maya thinks of something. “I’m the captain now.” She puffs up her chest.

Carina narrows her eyes at Maya. “You are.”

“No, no, no. I’m the captain now.” Maya sighs when Carina doesn’t get it. “It’s from that movie with Tom Hanks when the pirates take over the ship.”

Carina shakes her head. “Never heard of it.”

Maya pushes herself up onto her elbows. “What? Okay, we need to start having movie nights. What other movies haven’t you heard of?”

Carina giggles. “Well, if I haven’t heard of them how will I know.”

“I’m serious. Weekly movie night. When you and I aren’t both working.”

“Like date night?” Carina raises an eyebrow.

Maya frowns. “If you want to call it that.” She was opposed to dates or dating or whatever when her and Carina started sleeping together but now- now things are different. Maya wants things to be different. To be proper. There something inside of Maya that makes her feel like Carina deserves the right, proper things in a relationship.

Carina laughs. “I don’t think we’ve ever been on a proper date.”

“You’re right about that.” Maya flops back down onto the mattress. “There is just always this expected pressure on a date. I never liked that. How you have to be prim and proper and fake.”

Carina pats at Maya’s chest. “Don’t worry. I won’t make you go on a date with me if you don’t want to. I hate fake. I don’t want fake from you.”

Maya hums and stares at the ceiling. “Though it would be cool to take you to a fancy restaurant and walk in with you on my arm and show you off.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” Maya nods. “I have thought about it.” Maya admits, a little sheepishly. “Would you want to do that? Or would you want something more lowkey?”

Carina licks her lips. She likes that Maya wants to show her off. She doesn’t like that other people would be looking though. “Lowkey.”

Maya nods, committing that to memory. “So, no getting all dressed up and going to an expensive restaurant. Got it.” She glances over at Carina. That feeling in Maya’s chest that resides there now becomes clearer every day. More defined. More pronounced. It’s the scariest thing she’s ever felt. But at the same time, it’s the best feeling she’s ever felt. “Dr. DeLuca?”

Carina hums.

“Will you go to dinner with me tonight?”

Carina laughs and kisses Maya. “Si, bella.”

Maya is supposed to be getting ready for dinner. She is rummaging through her luggage. “I don’t know if I have anything that is appropriate for this dinner. Maybe I should have thought of this beforehand.” She groans and runs her hands through her hair.

“I don’t know what to wear.” Maya complains. “Will you help me?”

Carina slinks out of the bathroom and comes up to Maya’s side. “Hmm.” She hums and looks over the options Maya has laid out.

Maya looks at the options for a moment, but her eyes shift to Carina. Carina has changed and is wearing a long flowy white dress. “Holy crap.” Maya mumbles. She turns and takes Carina’s hands in hers, holding them out to her sides, so she can get a good look at the dress on her. “You are an absolute goddess.”

Carina blushes and ducks her head. “So, you like it?”

Maya hums. “I love it.” She grunts out a frustrated breath. “I’m going to look like a slouch next to you. Maybe we should cancel dinner.” She lets Carina’s hands drop to her sides.

“Bella, you won’t look like a so called slouch. You will look amazing in whatever you choose to wear.” Carina encourages her. “You’re just indecisive. Will you let me pick?”

“Yes.” Maya frowns. “Please do.”

“Okay.” Carina goes through Maya’s clothes. “How about this?” She grabs a loose light blue top. “With this?” She takes Maya’s black skinny jeans.

“Won’t I be too hot?” Maya whines, worried about the long jeans.

Carina chuckles. “You’ll be fine. The restaurant is air conditioned. But yes, you will look very hot in that outfit.”

Maya can’t help the small smile that slips across her lips. She looks at the outfit that Carina has handed her. It is a good outfit, probably not what she would have chosen though.

Carina can see that Maya is having reservations about the outfit. “What?”

“Nothing.” Maya takes a deep breath. “I’m never very good at picking outfits. I usually just wearing work out clothes or like sweatshirts and t-shirts with jeans. Now I have to have my girlfriend pick out my clothes for me cuz I’m such an idiot when it comes to this sort of stuff.”

Carina runs her finger down the sleeve of Maya’s robe with a big grin. She didn’t miss that Maya used the word girlfriend. She doesn’t bring it up though. She doesn’t even think Maya knows she said it. “I’ve noticed. That’s your style.” She quite likes Maya’s simple style.

“And maybe a jacket.” Maya is still focused on the clothes. She definitely didn’t notice what she said.

“I wouldn’t recommend a jacket in this weather. Seattle, yes. Here, no.”

“No, I agree. I was just saying.”

“Maya, don’t worry about it so much. I think you get in your head too much sometimes. Your style is great. You always look great. So, what if you don’t go out to dinner or anything a little more fancy and don’t know what to wear. That’s fine. Listen, I don’t care. You could wear a trash bag to dinner, and I would be fine with it. Remember what I was saying before.”

Maya nods. “Lowkey.”

“Si.” She kisses Maya. “Now, get changed so we’re not late.”

Maya smirks. She likes it when Carina bosses her around. “Can you do that for me too?”

Carina raises an eyebrow. “Then we will definitely be late.”

Maya shrugs. Carina laughs. “Get dressed.” She points a finger at Maya.