Lacey and Maeve go to bed

Lacey had only a few minutes to herself to clean before Maeve, her eyes fluttering, appeared in the doorway. She blinked, confusion crossing her features. "Why didn’t you wake me up?"

"Oh, um, I thought you looked so peaceful. I didn’t want to disturb you," Lacey replied, forcing a bright smile as she approached Maeve.

Maeve frowned. "You should have! I like cuddling with you."

Before Maeve could question her further, Lacey leaned down, slipping her hands under Maeve’s arms and pulling her into the bed. "I’m sorry," she said, her tone playful. She gave her a light slap on the butt, and Maeve squealed in delight. Her eyes sparkled. "Hey!" she laughed, turning to swat Lacey back. "You’re lucky I love you."

Lacey grinned. "I know, I’m pretty lucky," she said, not quite returning the favor. "Besides, we can have a little more fun in there."

Maeve flopped onto the bed with a dramatic sigh. Her hair splayed out like a golden halo. Lacey climbed in beside her and pulled up the covers. They lay there for a moment, the room filled with a comfortable silence before Maeve spoke again.

"Am I really only your third girlfriend?" Maeve said, a teasing lilt to her voice. "Or are you keeping secrets?"

Lacey bit her lip. She knew Maeve wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she had insecurities about Lacey’s history with men. "Well, there was Sarah, but she was kind of a nightmare," Lacey said. "We were only together for a few months, and she was super possessive."

Maeve nodded, her brow furrowing slightly. "And before that? Anyone else?"

Lacey hesitated, the truth hanging heavy in the air. "I was with Jenna when I was a freshman," she said. "But that was forever ago."

Maeve’s expression shifted. "But you dated guys too, right? I mean, you used to… like them?" She bit her lip.

Lacey felt a rush of guilt surge through her. "I only want to be with you, Maeve," she said softly. "I haven’t even… slept with a guy since high school. I swear." She almost added, ‘or wanted to,’ but that wasn’t exactly true.

Maeve's eyes searched Lacey’s face. "You promise?" she said. "I just don’t want to be a phase for you."

"You’re not a phase," Lacey insisted. Paul would go unmentioned. They hadn’t done anything together, but Maeve wouldn’t understand that. He was too tall to stay on the couch, so yes, he had been sleeping in her bed, and yes, she had been sleeping in it with him. But they had both been fully clothed. She had gotten two different blankets so that they wouldn’t even touch by chance under the covers when they were asleep. Even if she hadn’t been with Maeve she wouldn’t have wanted anything to do with him, not like that. He was fresh out of a breakup. The people who thought girls were messy when they’d just been dumped had never met a man. Not only was he single, he didn’t even have a place to stay. Their arrangement was only temporary, until he found some proper roommates.