“This is all kinda new to me. I don’t know if we should slow down or speed up. I don’t know if we should say we’re dating or going steady,” she said with a smile.

Laura nodded. “I was thinking about that too, actually. I’ve come to the conclusion that we’ve already been kinda dating, we just didn’t call it that.” She leaned closer and kissed her. “I don’t want to slow down or speed up. I like the pace we have. Playing with you in the pool is fun. I enjoy cooking meals with you. We never lack for conversation. I just want to be with you for a while, alone. Like we’ve been doing. Getting to know one another, spending time together.” She kissed her again. “Making love. Getting to know each other this way.” She leaned back, still holding her gaze. “But what do you want?”

“You fill all these empty spaces that I’ve had for so long now. I want to wrap you up in my arms and never let you go. I want to sleep with you and wake up with you and share my life with you.” Cassidy looked away for a moment, then met her eyes again. “And maybe that is moving too fast, but I feel like I’ve been searching for you my whole damn life. Now that I’ve found you, I don’t want to miss out on even a second of it.”

Laura touched her cheek lightly, then rubbed a finger across her lips. “Okay. We can go steady and I’ll be your girlfriend.”

Cassidy laughed. “That’s it? Easy as that?”

“Yes.” Laura sat up and pulled Cassidy up too. “But be warned. If you’re here during the week, I’ll put you to work.” She wiggled her eyebrows teasingly. “Because I got another job.”

“Oh?”

“Uh-huh. Mr. Hamilton, who lives two lots down past us, is in need of a yard gal.”

“You don’t say. How much is he paying you?”

“Not as much as you are. He does his own flowers.” She got out of bed and stood there, seeing Cassidy’s eyes roving over her body. She shook her finger. “No, no, no. We’re going out to the pool to play.” She took Cassidy’s hand and pulled her out of the bed.

“Do we have to dress?”

“Yes. I seasoned some hamburger meat earlier. You can grill burgers for us. I invited Mom to join us.”

“Okay,” she said easily. “I like Maggie.”

Laura wrapped her arms around Cassidy’s neck and pressed their bodies together. “Thank you.”

“For?”

“For the day, for the afternoon. For being who you are. For liking my mother,” she whispered before kissing her. “For loving me.”

“And thank you for stealing my heart.”

“Mmm. I’m not giving it back, you know.”

“That’s only fair. I’ve got yours locked up tight.”