When Love Lasts: A Sapphic Short Story Collection

🍒 Chapter 13.3's previous draft

The current chapter 13.3 in Cherry On Top is heavily modified from this chapter in the first rough draft. The start is similar but the ending has RJ a lot more... assertive than the published draft. I removed it because it no longer fits RJ's personality to be like this, but it's still a rather hot scene, so I hope you enjoy.

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Chloe

I've never slept naked before. Or slept with another person on the same bed before. Or slept naked with another person on the same bed before.

But today, I wake up naked on my bed. RJ's equally bare body presses against my back, while her arm slumps over my waist.

My heart rate increases as I recall what happened last night. So much happened, so, so much. I did things that I never thought were possible; I felt things that I never knew existed. And RJ is so gentle, so gorgeous, and so experienced.

I turn around to face RJ. Her breath tickles my neck as she breathes, and her hand never leaves my body. My heart rate increases yet again. I can't believe she's sleeping next to me. If I had not been thoroughly exhausted by the end of last night, I don't think I could have fallen asleep next to her like this.

Gently pushing her away, I reach for my phone. Ten new messages from Clementine. My heart sinks.

As if woken up by my absence, RJ sits up and rests her head on my shoulders. "Good morning, Chloe," she mutters in between a yawn.

My attention is on my phone, however. "Clementine says she notified the guy's family about him being in the club. The bar is big on privacy so she says it's one of the typical punishments she doles out to customers breaking the rules. And she says she's firing Man- I mean, my colleague, and also blacklisting her from all other affiliated bars and clubs for her to work in." I lower my voice. "Clementine's influence is huge. She's basically blacklisting her from this line of work forever."

"Wait, the person who let that man in is a fellow bargirl?" The anger in RJ rises. "Jesus. What's wrong with people? I'll still sucker punch her even if she's a girl—"

"RJ," I chide, "come on. She's already punished."

"Not a good enough punishment. And that man just gets snitched on? He should be jailed."

I sigh. I know why RJ is angry, but I can't help feeling bad. Mango did betray me last night, and what she did was terrible, but she has been a colleague and a friend. And I know just how much she needed a job like this. We all do, in Tropic Falls; we all desperately need to get money, as fast as possible, in the safest possible way. And as for the man, well, I just wish to erase his memory off of my mind forever.

I put my phone away and return to snuggling in RJ's arms. Just as I expected, the short-haired girl calms down.

"How's your sleep, RJ?"

She plants a few kisses on my head. "Best night I've had in a while."

I let out a giggle as she pulls me under the blanket. "Why are we getting back to bed, lazy bum? It's already nine."

RJ's arms tighten around me. "It's the weekend. And you're gonna leave for work later, so I need to get all the snuggles while I can."

"Oh, Clementine is also giving me the weekend off," I say with a wink. "Paid. As compensation for what happened yesterday."

"Really?" RJ's eyes widen, before hugging me closer. "This is the best news ever."

"Yeah," I agree with a smile. "It's just been a cycle of work, school, and study, over and over. I can't wait to have an actual break from life this weekend."