Unexpected Harmony

21. Heart to Heart

Chapter 21

Heart to Heart

A spen spent the drive home focusing on the trees passing in a blur. She would have been worried about the growing silence, except Zoey’s hand was resting in hers. There was a certain comfort in not speaking. There was so much to talk about, but right now, they soaked up the calmness of being together.

Every so often, the streetlights illuminated the inside of the car, casting shadows along the seats. When she stopped at a red light, Aspen turned towards the passenger seat, unable to keep her eyes off Zoey. Zoey’s teeth were buried in her bottom lip as their eyes connected. Her heartrate sped as she took in the woman who had her heart.

And still, they stayed silent. Aspen supposed she could have started the conversation, but it felt wrong to talk and not be looking at her. This wasn’t a side-by-side conversation in a car.

Pulling into the darkened driveway, Aspen put the car in park and twisted towards Zoey, who had a hand on the door.

“It was nice of Kelsey to offer to take your car home.” Aspen mentally cringed at that being the sentence that broke their silence.

“You already said that, silly. Let’s talk inside. I’ll put on some tea.” Zoey smiled, pushing the door open.

Aspen was left in a flood of light, exposed to the imperfections of the last few weeks. Hurrying out of the car, she took a moment to soak in being home. The briny smell of the ocean paired with a light scent of the flowers that lined her yard brought a sense of peace that had been missing in New York. It also didn’t hurt to have Zoey just a few feet from her, getting things ready in the cottage. Smiling, Aspen grabbed her bags from the back before following Zoey’s path to the house. She couldn’t go another minute without having her arms around the woman she loved.

The tea kettle’s whistle met her when she walked into the house.

“Per Kelsey, I should have the hair of the dog, but tea sounds a little easier on my stomach. Want some? Or would you like a glass of wine?”

Aspen set the bags down in the hallway before joining Zoey in the kitchen. “Tea sounds perfect. Something with honey and vitamin C. I didn’t get a chartered plane on the way back, and a toddler sneezed on me in first class.”

Washing her hands, Aspen scanned the window looking out over her yard. “Shall we go outside? I can turn on the heat lamps if we need them.”

“Yeah, maybe we can put on some instrumental music as well.”

Aspen walked outside, turning on the lights that hung along the edge of the gazebo before turning on her favorite composer. The ambiance brought a tingle of home to her heart. Lastly, she grabbed two blankets from the edge of the couch and walked out to where Zoey had settled on one of the outdoor couches.

“Here you go. You might want this for your legs.” Aspen handed over the softer of the two blankets on her way to turn on the heat lamps. A slight wind coming off the water dipped the temperature as the sun started setting. Pink, orange, and yellow hues glinted off the water.

Aspen took the chair across from Zoey. She couldn’t wait to be closer, but needed to see Zoey’s face while they discussed the last few weeks.

“Was there something you were celebrating last night with Kelsey?” Aspen asked, breaking the silence.

“Damn, a lot can happen in a few days of no contact. Yeah, I sent off the final edits to the movie score. The producers and directors all loved it.”

“You finished already?” Aspen took a look at her watch, noting the date. “Were you okay? Did you take breaks? How did you finish so soon?”

“It’s not a very long movie.” Zoey shrugged, although there was a prideful way she was holding her shoulders.

“Don’t sell yourself short. It’s your first movie, and to be finished so quickly is not something to brush aside. I wish I’d been here to take you out.” Aspen took a sip of her cooling tea.

“It’s not like you won’t ever have the chance. I’m sure we can find a time to squeeze in a celebratory date. Unless you move back to New York.” The words were cautious and teasing.

“Let me know when you’re free. I’ll clear my schedule for whatever works for you.” Aspen held off on sharing more information about the house she’d bought sight unseen. They would get to it, but for now there were more pressing matters.

“Tomorrow, somewhere nice since I worked so hard.” Zoey smirked.

“Perfect. Be prepared to be wooed,” Aspen warned. “And I’m really proud of you. Congratulations. I know how hard you’ve worked toward this.”

“Thank you. It was a journey that I think is only starting now.” Zoey’s attention turned toward the setting sun. “So, are you going to tell me what happened? I’ve been patiently waiting.”

It wasn’t like the question caught her off guard, but Aspen had no idea where to start.

Zoey must have seen her struggle and added, “Maybe start with Geno. I know he’s your new manager, but that’s probably a good place to start.” She curled a foot up on the couch.

“You’d think that would be an easy place to start, but that’s actually the end. Let me start from the beginning.”

Aspen went through the night Morgan had surprised her when she was out with friends. They compared text and call logs, both pointing out their attempts to connect. Then Aspen launched into the fiasco when Morgan came to her house, not leaving anything out even though retelling the story was uncomfortable. A foundation of truth needed to be built or it would all crumble later.

“Andi had already set up some interviews for a manager, which leads us to Geno. I interviewed a few people, but they weren’t good fits. My last appointment was with him. Even if he hadn’t figured out what happened, I still would’ve hired him.” Aspen’s throat itched from talking so much. The tea was long gone.

“So what happened next?” Zoey leaned forward, enthralled in the conversation.

“Well, during the interview, Geno noticed my reaction to a phone call. He dug into the contacts and saw you’d been blocked. After that I had to cut Geno’s first interview short because there was no way I could concentrate, but we met again a little bit later, and I hired him on the spot. I still couldn’t get ahold of you, or your mom since she was closed up this week, but it took Geno twenty minutes to find your grandfather, who was more than happy to let me know where you’d be today.”

Aspen stopped talking, letting everything she said seep in. Night had descended. There was a certain anonymity in the shroud of darkness with only the twinkling lights hanging along the canopy, casting shadows. Zoey’s face was covered in shadows that danced along her skin. Aspen wanted to cuddle up to her side and feel safe in the knowledge that they would be okay.

“When I stopped getting any responses, I buried the phone in the depths of my clothes. You’re a distraction, Aspen Lake; even in your silence, I couldn’t concentrate.” Zoey patted the seat next to her.

Scrambling from her seat, Aspen settled up to her, pulling her closer. She never wanted to spend weeks away from this woman again. Her heart couldn’t take it.

“Is that why you didn’t answer when Geno finally unblocked your number?” Aspen’s fingers lightly rubbed up and down along Zoey’s arm.

“Yeah, I needed to finish the score, and it didn’t help I was looking at my phone every three seconds. It was dead this morning, and I forgot it before heading to the picnic.” Zoey’s head found her shoulder.

“Are we okay?” Aspen whispered.

The pause that followed was filled with etches of the future—a path waiting to be filled. She could see clearly her life with Zoey: their house and the music they would make together. The longer Zoey waited, the more translucent the image became.

“We’ve talked around the subject, and these last few weeks have taught me that I will be okay without you, but I don’t want to be. I want to talk about our days, even if it’s just what you had for lunch. My first thought when I wake up is when I get to talk to you, and the last thoughts are sent in your direction, wishing I didn’t have to waste time with sleep because that means being apart from you. I love you, Aspen, which means I need to know if you are moving back to New York.”

Aspen’s smile was hidden in Zoey’s hair as she kissed the top of her head. Her heart tingled at the sound that Zoey loved her. She’d heard some fantastic music in her years, but that was the sweetest tune she’d come across.

“There was one part I forgot to mention when retelling my time in New York.” Aspen started pulling Zoey onto her lap. Zoey straddled her hips as Aspen pulled her down, taking the brunt of her weight onto her thighs. Her fingers traced up and down her back. “I sold my house and in two days, I’m meeting my realtor to close on another place. Do you want to know where?”

Zoey leaned in to capture her lips, the future sealed in their kiss. “Where?”

“I’ll show you later, after I show you how much I love you, too.” Aspen wrapped her arms around Zoey, effortlessly picking her up to take her to bed.

Large houses zoomed by Zoey’s open window as she tried to capture her loose hair in a ponytail. Instead of rolling up the window, she continued battling her wayward strands until she finally got them into some resemblance of order.

Turning down the volume of the pop song blaring through the speakers, Aspen slowed at a massive, sprawling gate. At the keypad, she typed in the temporary pin to get access. “When we close on the house, they’ll give us a fob so we won’t have to do this.”

The gates swung open, revealing the sprawling houses and professionally maintained streets. Zoey shrank into the seat, feeling the overwhelming press of opulence squeeze at her diaphragm.

“Hmm.” She took in the new views, trying to let the scent of the ocean calm her scattered nerves.

“That’s the pool house, and I think there’s a gym over there. Closer to the back, there are tennis courts, although I think pickleball is slowly taking over. I believe there is a basketball court, and even a spa tucked somewhere in this labyrinth,” Aspen rambled, pointing to random areas.

“It’s beautiful, but a lot,” Zoey said.

Aspen must have heard the hitch in her breath because she slowed the car to look in her direction. “This is the turn for our street,” she said softly.

The seatbelt strained across Zoey’s chest as she leaned forward to get a better look at the sign. “Our street, huh?” she mused, liking how that sounded.

“Yeah, it’s gated, obviously. And secure. The community helps cultivate a lot of jobs. It’s in a good school district. I don’t know why I said the last part. I think I’m nervous babbling. You’re so quiet. Maybe you should stop me. Say something, anything.”

“Did you know wearing a tie can reduce blood flow to your brain by nearly 8 percent? It can make you feel dizzy and cause headaches.” Zoey plucked that random fact out of thin air.

Aspen pulled up next to the Audi already parked in the driveway in front of a beautiful forest-green house with white trim. It sat alone on the corner, tucked away from the other houses. The click of Aspen’s seatbelt was the only sound in the car.

A woman in a tailored suit leaned against a pillar on the porch, her short, bleached hair ruffling in the wind. Aspen held her finger up to the woman before twisting in her seat.

“As much as I love random facts, I would love to hear your opinion even more. Are you deflecting because you hate it, or is there something more happening?” Her words were kind but firm, not allowing Zoey any wiggle room to get out of the conversation.

Zoey sighed, gathering her thoughts like the flyaway hairs a few minutes earlier. “I don’t hate it. It’s gorgeous, and I’m so happy you’ve found something you love. You might not know this, but Kelsey and I used to drive by this neighborhood, imagining the houses we would live in. We didn’t know about these houses because we couldn’t get in, but not far from here was my dream home. I think my issue is this is so fancy. Sometimes I forget you’re a famous singer. That this is more your cup of tea than the small cottage I accidentally walked in to all those months ago. I don’t belong in this world.”

“Well, I hope you love it and will someday move in, so we’ve got time for you to settle into knowing what you’re worth. There is one view in this house that sold it for me, and I want to share that with you. It’s over the top, I’ll agree with that, but I like my privacy. Even though one of the best things that ever happened to me was you walking uninvited into my living room, I don’t want to make a habit of that.” Aspen leaned forward silently, asking for a kiss.

Zoey didn’t even have to think about it. She captured her mouth, hoping to soothe the anxiety in Aspen’s expression.

“I’m sorry. This is your big day, and I’m ruining it with my insecurities. I’m so grateful we’ll be in the same time zone.”

“And I have all the time in the world to break you down and get you to move in with me.” Aspen’s clear blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight. “Come on, let me give you the nickel tour.”

Zoey scrambled from the car, following Aspen up the driveway.

“Zoey, this is my realtor Rox. Rox, this is my girlfriend Zoey.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. Let’s go.” Rox’s no-nonsense attitude had Zoey grinning as they followed her into the front door.

Aspen linked their fingers together as Rox pointed out different features of the admittedly beautiful house. The empty canvas of blank rooms allowed for their imaginations to run wild.

“I know a few paintings that would go great right there.” Zoey indicated above the fireplace, imagining curling up with Aspen in front of a fire.

“Ooh, my favorite room is coming up,” Aspen whispered as they walked up the stairs.

“And the one view that makes my job nearly obsolete, because as soon as someone sees it, the deal is closed.” Rox stood to the side, letting Aspen and Zoey into the primary bedroom.

Letting her hand drop from Aspen’s, Zoey ran to the French doors that opened to an upstairs deck only accessible through the primary bedroom. The sun reflected off the water, and tiny boats littered the sound. Zoey soaked in the view, imagining endless days of this view starting her morning. The future was clearly painted out on the rolling waves.

“I’ll give you some privacy.” Rox held her phone up, indicating she was going back downstairs to make a call.

“When she showed me this view, even though it was only on FaceTime, I knew I was buying this place. Seeing the ocean and sunset gave me a peaceful feeling.” Aspen stepped up behind Zoey, putting her hands on her shoulders. “I could see us out here together, watching the fireworks display over the water or talking about our latest adventure in music. I saw us making love to the sound of the ocean in the morning or screaming our frustrations out to the birds. I saw our life beginning with the crest of the wave and ending with the foam coating the beach.”

“Such poetry, Ms. Lake.” Zoey turned in her arms, digging her fingers into Aspen’s hips to pull her closer. Flush together, Zoey captured Aspen’s mouth. Moving one hand to tangle in her hair, she took her time exploring all that Aspen was willing to give. Their tongues swirled around, getting reacquainted after such a long time apart. “How about when we get back to the house we bring out that little toy you saw the first night you were in New York?” Zoey played with the tiny hairs at the back of Aspen’s neck.

“I thought you’d never ask.” Aspen’s legs wobbled when they broke apart. “I’ll schedule the appointment with Rox to review the paperwork tomorrow. Are you free? Do you want to come with me?”

Zoey tilted her head. “I’d love to be a part of it. Thank you. And thanks for talking sense into me earlier. I’m sorry my insecurities almost ruined such an exciting time.”

“Never apologize for your feelings, Zoey. I don’t want you holding things in.” Aspen stepped back into the primary bedroom, holding her hand out to Zoey, who took it with a smile.

“Do you need anything?” Aspen called from the bedroom.

Zoey studied her reflection in the bathroom mirror. They were back at the cottage, having only stopped by Zoey’s house to grab a change of clothes and a certain toy, which was the only thing she currently had on.

A bout of nerves took flight in her belly. It wasn’t the first time she’d put on a strap, but she was finding a certain amount of performance anxiety trying to wiggle its way into her consciousness.

“Zoey, is everything all right?” Aspen called again, worry tinging her tone.

“Yeah, everything’s fine.” Zoey opened the door. Standing in the frame with one hand on her hip, her eyes took in Aspen, who was lying on her back with her elbows supporting her partly raised body. When she got a good look at Zoey, she collapsed onto the mattress.

“Have mercy.” Aspen’s breathless whisper punctuated the silence in the room. A deep flush developed above Aspen’s breasts.

“Never.” Zoey found her confidence watching the effect she was having on Aspen. She walked up to the bed, not saying anything, just letting her gaze travel the whole length of Aspen’s nude body. Only when she saw Aspen squirming under her did she move, placing a knee on the bed and grasping one of her wrists with one hand to pluck her straining nipple with the other. “Are you ready for me?”

“Yes,” Aspen responded in a breathy moan.

“Good girl.” Zoey knelt on the mattress, swinging her leg over Aspen’s body, positioning herself over the top of her thighs. Leaning forward so her hands were on either side of her face, she swirled her tongue with Aspen’s.

A few minutes later, Aspen’s hips were rolling while Zoey swallowed her frustrated grunts. Taking mercy on her, Zoey leaned back onto her legs. A sheen of sweat coated them both and Zoey took a moment to catch her breath.

“You’re amazing.” Zoey leaned forward, capturing a nipple in her mouth.

“Zoey, please.” At Aspen’s desperate cry, Zoey maneuvered her hand between Aspen’s legs, teasing her outer lips with a gentle massage. Wetness coated her fingers as Aspen tried to chase the contact.

Reaching over to the side table, Zoey flicked open the lube, rubbing some on the dildo. Aspen was dripping, so she probably didn’t need the help, but Zoey wanted the experience to be as pleasurable as possible.

“Are you ready for me?” Zoey asked.

“I’ve been waiting for you my whole life, Zoey. I’m ready.”

The unexpected declaration hit her in the solar plexus as she hovered above Aspen. The months of working outside helped her hold the pose as she kept eye contact with Aspen, sliding in the dildo at a devastatingly slow pace. She watched Aspen’s face go through the gamut of emotions as she sank deeper into her.

“Keep your eyes on me,” Zoey said as she pulled out just as slowly. “I love you.” She leaned forward to capture her lips before finding a faster rhythm.

Aspen hooked her feet over Zoey’s hips, coming together as Zoey thrust into her. The base of the dildo hit her clit perfectly.

“Fuck yes, right there, don’t stop,” Aspen called. “Don’t stop.”

Their breathy grunts filled the room. Aspen reached between them to play with her own clit while Zoey kept with her thrusts. The combination was effective, and soon they both tensed, coming together, their moans creating a beautiful song.

Pulling out slowly so as not to hurt Aspen, she slipped off the harness before settling at Aspen’s side with her head on her shoulder. She could see Aspen’s heartbeat in her neck as she continued to try to catch her breath.

Playing lightly along her skin, Zoey enjoyed the moment of connection, content in the knowledge that whatever happened from here on out, they would tackle it together.