Zoey peeked at Harriet, who was lounging on the couch like a kid, engrossed in a game on her phone. A smile crept onto Zoey's face as she leaned against the wall, watching Harriet from the top of the stairs. She could hear the faint sounds of the game's music and chuckled.
"You look like a kid," Zoey said, drawing Harriet's attention. Harriet looked up, momentarily caught off guard as she took in Zoey, who was now dressed in an oversized white T-shirt and black denim shorts.
"Looking hot," Harriet said with a grin, making Zoey laugh and turn a little pink.
"Smart mouth," Zoey replied, heading toward her. "So, what do you want to eat?" she asked, giving Harriet a playful look. "Just so you know, I'm no Michelin chef, so don't expect a five-star meal," she teased.
Harriet scoffed, setting her phone aside. "What do you feel like making? I'll eat whatever you're having," she replied, stretching her arms.
Zoey raised an eyebrow. "So, if I make instant noodles, you'd eat it?" she asked, half-joking.
Harriet clicked her tongue. "Does that even count as real food? Let's try something a little better," she said, getting up.
Zoey laughed as she made her way to the kitchen, noticing Harriet following right behind. "What? Why are you following me?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.
Harriet shrugged, pulling a chair up to the countertop. "Just wanted to see you," she replied casually.
Zoey rolled her eyes but didn't respond, rummaging through the fridge. "Alright, let's see what 'real food' I can make with what I've got here," she muttered, pulling out some pork chops and bell peppers. She looked at Harriet with a smile. "How does skillet pork chops with sweet and sour peppers sound?"
"Impress me," Harriet said, raising an eyebrow as if daring her.
Zoey chuckled as she tied on her apron and began washing and slicing the bell peppers. "What are you, a cooking judge now?" she teased, getting into her element in the kitchen.
Harriet watched Zoey intently, admiring the way she moved while sautéing the peppers. Quietly, she pulled out her phone, snapping a few pictures of Zoey in her features. As she glanced at the photos, Harriet took a deep breath and went to the settings to change her wallpaper. Her thumb hovered over the option for a moment, hesitating.
"What harm could it do?" she whispered, reasoning with herself. "I want to start fresh with this woman." She took a steadying breath and finally replaced both her lock screen and home screen with the new photo. I'm moving forward, Sophie, she thought, her heart aching slightly. At least, I'm trying. A small smile crept onto her face as she glanced back at Zoey, feeling a newfound warmth in the simple act of letting go, just a little.
Zoey turned off the stove and spun around, startled to find Harriet standing so close behind her. She inhaled sharply, caught off guard by the scent of Harriet that lingered in the air. Meeting Harriet's gaze made her heart race.
"What are you doing...?" she mumbled, trying to steady her breath. Harriet smiled sweetly at her, and Zoey felt a flutter of nerves.
"Your cooking smells amazing. It's making me hungry," Harriet replied. Zoey couldn't quite tell if there was a double meaning behind Harriet's words or if her mind was playing tricks on her.
"Of course, it smells nice; I cooked it," Zoey said, trying to sound confident as she removed her apron and hung it up.
"Zoey," Harriet said, stepping closer. Zoey found herself cornered between the countertop and Harriet's warm presence, leaning on the counter to steady herself.
"What is it? And why are you so close?" she asked, attempting to maintain her cool demeanor.
Harriet looked deeply into her eyes. "Can I kiss you?" she asked, tilting Zoey's chin to meet her gaze.
"K-kiss? What?" Zoey blinked, processing Harriet's words.
"I just really want to kiss you," Harriet said, her gaze unwavering. Zoey gulped, desperately trying to avoid the intensity of Harriet's stare. Her heart raced faster than ever.
"Zoey?" Harriet called softly again. In a moment of impulse, Zoey buried her face against Harriet's chest, laughter escaping her lips.
"Don't catch me off guard like that!" she exclaimed, her fingers pinching the hem of Harriet's shirt. "I wouldn't know how to respond if you ask me like that!" she said, her eyes squeezed shut as her heart thundered in her chest. Stop beating like that! she scolded herself internally.
"Then maybe I should just kiss you," Harriet said, cupping Zoey's cheeks and leaning in.
Zoey's eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting Harriet to actually go through with it. What began as a simple kiss quickly escalated as Harriet lifted her onto the countertop. Zoey instinctively wrapped her arms around Harriet's neck, her legs encircling Harriet's waist. With Harriet's hands resting on her waist, the kiss deepened.
Harriet's tongue slipped inside Zoey's mouth, eliciting soft gasps between kisses. Zoey arched her back as Harriet's fingers traced along her spine, sending shivers down her body. Gradually, Harriet's kisses moved down to Zoey's neck, leaving marks that tickled her skin.
"Harriet..." Zoey murmured, burying her face in Harriet's shoulder. "You said it was just a kiss," she chuckled, still nestled against her.
"It is just a kiss," Harriet replied, continuing to stroke her hands along Zoey's spine.
"That... that's literally leaving hickeys on my neck, you know!" Zoey exclaimed, her arms still wrapped around Harriet's neck, a mix of amusement and exasperation in her voice.
Harriet chuckled, her gaze fixed on Zoey.
"Don't look at me like that," Zoey mumbled, turning her face away.
"Why not?" Harriet asked, tilting her head, a hint of curiosity in her smile.
Zoey sighed, giving in. "Because... it feels strange. Every time you look at me like that, it makes me feel something," she admitted, laughing softly. "It's like... your eyes are hypnotizing me or something."
"Zoey," Harriet whispered, gently holding Zoey's chin to turn her face back toward her. "Look at me, sweetheart," she said softly, her voice warm and steady.
Zoey exhaled sharply before meeting Harriet's gaze. Harriet smiled. "That's a good girl right there," she teased, chuckling as she leaned in to kiss Zoey's lips. The kiss was gentle, but Zoey couldn't help tugging Harriet closer, eager to deepen their connection.
As Zoey sat on the countertop, Harriet's hands moved to her shorts, deftly unbuttoning and unzipping them. With a teasing touch, Harriet's fingers slipped inside Zoey's shirt, sending warm shivers coursing through her body.
A soft gasp escaped Zoey's lips, and Harriet seized the moment, sliding her tongue into Zoey's mouth. Zoey's nails dug into Harriet's shoulder, urging her closer. With one hand, Harriet explored Zoey's covered breast, gently massaging it with light pressure. Zoey arched her back, her head tilting back as Harriet's lips traveled down to her neck, biting softly.
"S-shit," Zoey stuttered, gripping the edge of the countertop tightly as her back arched. In one swift motion, Harriet unclasped Zoey's bra and removed her shirt, letting it fall to the countertop.
Zoey cupped Harriet's cheeks, pulling her in for another kiss. Her hands found their way to Harriet's sweater, tugging it up and letting it drop beside her shirt. Breathless, Zoey bit her lip as Harriet pulled away briefly, only to suckle her left breast while fumbling with the right. Zoey tangled her fingers in Harriet's hair, pulling her closer, as if to deepen the connection. Each lick and suck of Harriet's tongue sent waves of pleasure through Zoey, making her gasp with delight.