Page 24 of Closer than Ever

Hayley stood up. “I believe you.”

Anna just looked at Hayley in her tiny living room, filling the room. She was larger than life. She always had been.

“What is it?” Hayley stared back at her.

Anna shook her head, feeling her cheeks redden. “Nothing. I’d better swap the sheets.”

“There’s no need. I don’t mind.”

“Er.” Anna was confused.

“We’ve shared a bed plenty of times before. It doesn’t matter.”

“We’re grown-ups now.” Anna stood up, feeling slightly amused at Hayley. “At least we’re meant to be. I’m swapping them.”

Hayley pressed her lips together and smiled. How was Anna supposed to be around this level of beauty both inside and out and not be affected by it?

“At least let me help. There’s nothing more tedious than making beds.”

Anna gathered up the sheets for the sofa bed and carried them through to the bedroom. They stripped the bed and worked together to fit the sheet around the mattress. Hayley swapped the pillows as Anna shook out the bedcovers. The exertion was making her hot, so she pulled off her jumper and threw it onto the laundry basket.

“Anna, you didn’t tell me you had a whole sleeve of tattoos!”

In a t-shirt now, her tattoos were visible. She’d been in long-sleeved tops since Hayley’s arrival, come to think of it.

Hayley walked around the bed and touched Anna’s forearm and then bicep. “Fucking hell, Anna.”

Her touch was warm and steady, sending a gentle buzz around Anna’s entire body. Hayley traced her fingers all over Anna’s arm as if it was the most natural thing to do. Her breathing became slightly uneven as Hayley examined her arm, right within her personal space, tactile as ever.

“These are so fucking cool. It really suits you.”

“Thank you.”

Hayley’s fingers left her arm. Anna mourned their absence already. Shit, that wasn’t good.

“What do they mean? Are they connected?”

“There’s a bit of a story to it.” Anna shook her head, feeling off balance and a bit overwhelmed. “If it’s okay, I’ll tell you some other time?”

“Sure. I’ll look forward to it.”

Anna went back to straightening out the duvet as Hayley openly looked around her room, not saying much but taking it all in.

“Is this what I think it is?”

Anna looked up.

“My blanket?”

“Ah.” Fuck. She’d forgotten about that. “Yes.”

“You still have it?” Hayley picked up the maroon and golden tartan blanket from the chair in the corner. The skin in between her eyebrows furrowed. “In your bedroom?”

Anna stopped arranging the duvet. Hayley had left the blanket behind when she moved back to the states. That Hayley hadn’t wanted to keep the gift Anna had got her for her birthday was another part of the jigsaw puzzle of reasons why, ultimately, Anna knew that Hayley didn’t like her back. It didn’t stop Anna from cherishing the blanket ever since, however. How was she supposed to answer this without lying. She shrugged, desperately trying to downplay the meaning of it. “It’s a good blanket.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Right, well, I’ll leave you to it.”

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