Page 77 of Novel Problems

“You are so goddamn amazing, Hannah Taylor,” George growled, her voice low.

“You’re pretty fucking incredible too, George O’Grady,” I replied.

We slowly rocked our hips in unison, maintaining eye contact as our breathing became more labored. I picked up pace, and George followed suit, increasing the momentum of her hips and the pressure and speed of her fingers on my clit.

I gripped her hair, tugging, and George moaned.

“I’m so close,” I whimpered, my thighs trembling.

“Me too,” George said, her voice husky, as she pumped her hips and worked her hand harder.

Explosions surged through me. As the orgasm engulfed my body, George came as well, throwing her head back against the pillow and gasping as she continued to thrust into me, sending the last waves of pleasure washing over me. It was so intimate, coming together, knowing that we were both experiencing the same out-of-body experience.

“Fuck,” George said, pulling me close for a kiss. “That was…”

“Phenomenal,” I finished with a smile, my muscles continuing to twitch from the powerful orgasm.

Ten minutes later, my heart rate back to normal and my body relaxed, I lay on my side in bed, gazing into George’s warm brown eyes only inches from mine. I let out a happy sigh. She gently lifted her hand and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.

“How are you feeling now about your identity being disclosed?” George’s voice was low and sympathetic.

“Honestly, still not great.” I made a face.

“I’m sorry, babe,” George said, stroking my hair.

“As much as I appreciate my readers, I really don’t wantto be a public figure. And after years of carefully guarding my identity, it kinda sucks that now when you Google H. M. Stuart, my real name immediately pops up.” I pressed my lips together. “But in some ways, it hasn’t been as bad as I thought. Except for being recognized at Chris’s book event in Brooklyn, I haven’t had anyone approach me. And the event was full of fantasy readers, and it was the day after my identity was leaked, so it probably wasn’t that surprising.”

“That’s good. It shouldn’t be too difficult to avoid fantasy book events in Sapphire Springs, especially since we’re the only people who would organize them,” George said, her dimple on display.

“True.” I smiled at George. “And it was reassuring that no one mentioned anything about it in the café today. I have a good feeling that it’s not going to impact much, if at all, on my life in Sapphire Springs. And since I’ve pushed back on doing any further publicity, hopefully we’ve contained the damage as best we can.”

“If anyone bothers you about it at the café, just let me know, and I’ll set them straight,” George said, her tone serious.

I smiled, imagining George sternly telling off a customer who dared to ask for my autograph. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m sure I’d be able to cope myself.”

It struck me how differently I was feeling about the whole thing, compared to my initial reaction when I’d first heard the news three days ago. It still sucked, but it no longer felt like an enormous, catastrophic event that had ruined, or could ruin, my life.

“And while it has been kind of shitty, there have been some silver linings.”

“Like Mom finding her calling?” George chuckled.

I laughed. “Well, that. But it also led to me building upconfidence to speak to my parents and Tania. And it’s been a bit of a wake-up call that I need to get back to therapy. My anxiety has felt a little out of control the last few days.”

George wriggled closer to me and put a hand on my waist. “I’m sorry to hear that. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.”

George’s presence was so comforting and grounding it reminded me of the worries I’d had about our relationship while I was in New York. Was the fact that I was feeling so much better about everything now that I was back in Sapphire Springs evidence that I was too reliant on George? Maybe I should just practice my newfound skills at difficult conversations and talk to George about my worries. Before I had a chance to chicken out, I took a deep breath and went for it.

“After Tania and I broke up, I realized that I’d become way too dependent on her. We worked and lived together. I really relied on her for my social life—all my friends were originally her friends, and we were living in an apartment she’d bought. It also felt like she’d been so fundamental in my writing process that I couldn’t write without her. So, when our relationship fell apart, it seemed as if I’d lost everything—my home, my friends, and my writing. Sorry, I know that sounds really dramatic.” I gave George a weak smile.

“No, it makes sense,” George said.

I swallowed, shifting my body on the bed to get even closer to George. “And I guess I’ve been starting to worry if I’m falling into the same trap with you. I feel like I already rely on you so much for support, both emotionally and with my writing, and we obviously work together. I’ve also managed to infiltrate your friend group. While I love how supportive you are, I want to make sure I’m not relying onyou to an unhealthy extent. So I’ve been thinking about ways I can avoid that happening.”

I bit my lip and stared at George, trying to gauge her reaction, leaving my words out there as almost a question. George looked at me with soft eyes, as if she was carefully considering my concerns.

She reached out and brushed a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “Hey, that makes sense too. For what it’s worth, if we ever broke up, your job here would be safe—although, as you said yourself, you don’t need to work at Novel Gossip. I’m also confident that Blake, Jenny, Olivia, and Amanda would all want to continue to be your friend. They really like you. And while you sometimes bounce ideas off me, the writing is all you. Having said all that, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with relying on your partner for love and support.”

I smiled, my body sinking into the mattress. Everything George had just said was exactly what I’d tried telling myself. But somehow, hearing it from her was a lot more convincing. And I kind of loved that she’d just used the wordspartnerandlovein the context of our relationship, albeit in a roundabout way. But still, it sounded so…official. And serious. Which was how I felt about her too.

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