Chapter 7: Decisions

Taylor's hands trembled with a mix of arousal and adrenaline as she fumbled with her keys, finally managing to get the apartment door open. She could practically feel the weight of Ava's gaze burning into her from behind, the heat of those smoldering whiskey eyes raking over her body in a way that had Taylor's knees going weak.

The tension had been an almost physical force all night, surrounding them in an exquisite sort of torment at the club. Every heated glance, every accidental brush of their bodies as they danced, stoked the raging fire of need coiling low in Taylor's belly until it blazed hotter than a supernova. Now, alone together and mercifully away from prying eyes, the blistering energy between them was crackling with imminent promise.

Taylor had barely made it two steps inside before she felt Ava's hand at the small of her back, that simple point of contact somehow managing to scorch right through the thin fabric of her dress. She gasped softly as Ava's warmth seeped into her, unable to bite back a shudder of pure, visceral need.

With a practiced movement, Ava kicked the door closed with one booted foot. The dull thud seemed to echo through the cavernous space of Taylor's apartment, underscoring the rising tension with an air of finality. They were alone, free to finally unleash the boundless lust simmering between them.

Turning into Ava's personal sphere, Taylor was immediately enveloped in the other woman's intoxicating floral scent, warm and rich and utterly enticing. Her mouth went dry as Ava trailed smoldering eyes over every inch of her, seeming to take her time drinking in every lush curve, every tantalizing expanse of bare skin.

There was something both predatory and profoundly sensual about the way Ava looked at her - as if she wanted to consume Taylor in one molten sweep, to savor and explore every inch to the fullest before divesting her of the few shreds of clothing that remained. A shiver of undisguised want rippled through Taylor as the connection between them deepened, sizzling beneath the surface.

In that moment, with her back pressed against the solid oak door, Taylor was powerfully aware of Ava's presence, impossibly close and utterly magnetic. She could feel the pulsing heat radiating from the other woman's body, and could hear the slightly elevated cadence of her breathing. When Taylor finally lifted her eyes, her breath stuttered in her throat at the naked hunger she found in Ava's piercing gaze.

For a few eternal heartbeats, they simply stared at one another, locked in a silent wrestling match of wills and temptation. Taylor's lower abdomen clenched sharply as she recalled Ava's wicked promise from mere minutes ago.

"You'll get your taste soon enough..."

God, she wanted nothing more in that moment. Every fiber of her being ached to beckon Ava impossibly closer, to surrender to the ravenous hunger blazing like a wildfire between them. With just the slightest tilt of her head, Taylor knew she could capture those full lips in a searing embrace.

But before she could give in to her impulse, a sliver of restraint seemed to filter through, bolstering her resolve. Taylor reluctantly broke their heated stare to glance at the wine glasses and open bottle still sitting neglected on the coffee table. Clearing her throat, she gestured vaguely in that direction.

"Why don't you, uh...make yourself comfortable?" she said, proud of herself for keeping her tone measured and even despite the arousal fogging her brain.

Ava arched one perfect eyebrow, as if daring Taylor to hold true to her statement. Then, after a stretch of heated silence, the corner of her full mouth quirked.

"Okay, Swift, you're playing hardball," she murmured, voice dripping with flirtation and dark promise. "I respect it. For now."

With that, Ava made herself at home on the plush leather couch, every sway of her hips utterly devastating. Taylor could only watch her with fascination, rooted in place by a potent mix of desire and the sudden spike of her own nerves.

This was really happening. Ava was in her apartment. On her couch. Waiting for Taylor to join her for what would inevitably become one of the most explosive nights of her life. The reality of that heady realization sank in heavily, sending a fresh rush of heat pulsing through Taylor's veins.

With slightly shaking fingers, she busied herself pouring two glasses of the deep Cabernet as requested. Her motions were sluggish, far more labored than usual under the searing weight of Ava's bold stare. Even from across the room, she could feel the producer's piercing eyes mapping every movement, lingering appreciatively on the curves of her body.

Finally, Taylor managed to gather both glasses and cross back over to where Ava lounged, radiating sensuality and confidence. As Taylor handed her glass over, their fingers brushed in the most casual of contact - yet the resulting spark of electricity seemed to jolt them both. Taylor felt her pulse trip and race in her throat as Ava's generous bottom lip slipped between her teeth in clear appreciation.

"Thanks, baby," she husked. Taylor found herself utterly transfixed as Ava darted her small pink tongue to taste, unable to tear her eyes away from that devastatingly sensual mouth.

When Ava lowered her glass, Taylor shook herself from her stupor, remembering too late that she should probably sit down herself. Not trusting her legs to propel her across the room, she opted instead to settle on the couch cushion beside Ava. As she did so, the floral perfume wafting off the other woman enveloped Taylor like a blanket.

She felt Ava shift closer beside her until their thighs were pressed flush together, every point of contact searing with delicious, unbearable heat. When Taylor dared to meet her eyes, Ava was smiling at her - a full, heated grin that made Taylor's mouth go bone dry.

"So here we are," Ava murmured in a low, sultry tone. "Just the two of us, a bottle of wine...and all of these bubbling sexual tensions about to finally boil over."

Taylor swallowed hard at the words, a shudder of pure, visceral need pulsing through her at their implications. This was torture of the sweetest kind, the gradual kindling of a raging inferno she knew would soon become an unstoppable blaze.

"Ava..." she started, voice already faintly husky. "As much as I want that - god, you have no idea how badly I want that - I...we can't. Not like this."

Taylor half expected Ava to yell at her. Her sudden reluctance was the final finger curl of temptation, a purposeful case of brakes being pumped when they were already speeding toward something devastatingly sublime.

But to Taylor's mild surprise, instead of irritation or impatience, Ava merely blinked at her slowly, a trace of genuine confusion crossing her beautiful features.

"Uh, what? What's the issue?" She asked, no trace of mockery in her tone.

"The issue is, we're both more than a little drunk right now," Taylor said quietly, almost hating herself for the words even as she knew they were the right thing to say. "I...I realized something tonight, realized I can't just keep stumbling into physical stuff with you constantly buzzed. I want to do this right, not just because my judgment is impaired."

For a long pause, Ava merely stared at her, dark eyes searching Taylor's face intently. Then, as the weight of her words seemed to sink in, the other woman did something utterly unexpected - she smiled. A full, unrestrained grin that managed to be both fond and slightly indulgent.

"Damn, Swift," she murmured with a shake of her head, her tone colored with grudging admiration. "Look at you, making good choices and shit. I'm almost offended you want to be sober for our first time."

Taylor released the breath she'd been holding on an incredulous exhale. Ava's quiet acceptance, her easygoing indulgence of Taylor's sudden desire to do things properly, was unexpected - but deeply reassuring. She felt the knot of anxious tension in her chest begin to unwind as relief washed over her.

Before she could formulate a response, however, a sharp metallic jingle cut through the silence of the apartment, shattering the heated bubble between them. Taylor's head whipped toward the source of the noise with a creeping sense of dread while Ava merely arched one cool brow in confused interest.

The sound repeated - the unmistakable rattle of keys in a lock. Taylor's heart began to pound in double time as the deadbolt slid back and the door swung open with a soft creak. Joe stepped over the threshold, looking weary but peaceful, clearly not expecting to encounter the scene frozen before him.

Ava clocked his presence instantly, her eyes lighting up with a familiar reckless spark that had Taylor's stomach swooping with trepidation. But the other woman, to Taylor's immense relief, remained utterly silent for once.

Joe blinked in surprise at the two women perched together on the couch, Taylor's flush of panic cloaking her cheeks in a rosy stain of color. His whole demeanor clouded with perplexed exhaustion.

"Uh, hey...didn't realize you'd have company over tonight." His voice was mild.

Taylor sucked in a ragged breath as Ava shifted subtly beside her, every muscle in her body tensed like a panther about to strike. She could only watch in mounting horror as the producer lifted her wine glass in a mocking toast of greeting.

The smirk on Ava's face as she met Joe's bemused gaze was downright feral.

"Believe me, neither did we..."

"Oh, uh...Joe, this is Ava. My producer for the new album," Taylor said quickly, the words tumbling over themselves in her haste to catch whatever verbal grenade Ava was about to throw.

She cast her eyes pleadingly toward the dark-haired woman, silently begging her not to detonate the situation further. But Ava, clearly perceiving the sudden panic in Taylor's expression, merely arched one brow higher as if both acknowledging and rebuffing Taylor's silent appeal in one fell swoop.

Joe, oblivious to the undercurrent of tension crackling between them, offered a tight smile and a halfhearted wave. "Hey, nice to meet you. Sorry, I'm just..." He trailed off on an explosive yawn that he didn't even bother trying to cover. "Completely beat," he finished simply. "Long day on set and all that."

"I'll bet," Ava drawled, somehow managing to imbue the innocuous statement with a teasing sort of challenge as she slanted a knowing look at Taylor. "Still, Taylor's told me so much about you. It's nice to finally put a face to the name of such a supportive partner."

Taylor felt her cheeks flame hotter than the fires of a thousand suns at the none-too-subtle dig in Ava's parting remark. Surely she couldn't know the realities of Joe's role in Taylor's life - the growing distance, the bitter silences. Could she? Nevertheless, Taylor's guts twisted guiltily at the implication that Joe was anything close to supportive these days.

As if sensing her discomfort, Joe shifted his focus onto Taylor, the first faint lines of confusion creasing his brow. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything..."

Taylor cut him off before her already reeling mind could take that statement anywhere dangerous. "No! No, it's...not a problem at all," she said quickly. Too quickly, if the subtle cocking of Ava's head was any indication. "Ava was just...she, uh...wanted to go over some specifics for tomorrow's session one more time."

Even as she stammered out the flimsy excuse, Taylor couldn't bring herself to meet Joe's gaze, afraid of what she might find reflected back at her. More guilt? More confusion and hurt over her blatant dishonesty? God only knew what her face was betraying in that moment.

"Well, all righty then," Joe said neutrally, already shuffling back toward the bedroom with palpable fatigue weighing down his movements. "I'm about to pass out, so I'll leave you ladies to your...session review. Just try to keep it down out here, okay?"

With that parting request, mild and free of any accusation, Joe disappeared down the hallway, utterly unaware of the thick tension he was leaving in his wake. Only when the bedroom door clicked closed did Taylor finally release the breath she'd been holding in a harsh rasp, shoulders sagging with a bone-deep weariness.

"Well isn't he just a ray of fucking sunshine," Ava commented acidly once Joe was out of earshot.

Taylor closed her eyes, wishing she could simply tune out the world for a few blissful moments. She hadn't meant to reopen old wounds by bringing up Joe. She knew how fractured and joyless the majority of their interactions had become as of late. That seemingly innocent comment from Ava was like a harsh spotlight illuminating everything that had gone stale in her once vibrant relationship.

"Please don't..." Taylor said without opening her eyes, her voice hushed to conceal the tremor of emotion threatening to spill over. "He's just tired. We both are."

Another pause, the air between them growing thick once more. Then Taylor felt the couch cushion dip as Ava leaned closer to her. When she risked opening her eyes, she found the other woman's face mere inches from her own, dark eyes burning with unspoken promises and desire.

"Then maybe it's time you stopped being so tired," Ava murmured huskily. Taylor's pulse kicked up a notch at the sultry invitation lacing her tone, the undisguised heat radiating off her in waves. "Maybe it's time you let go of whatever's holding you back and just...lived a little."

Taylor couldn't breathe, couldn't break away from the searing intensity of Ava's eyes as they openly traveled over her parted lips, down the slender column of her throat. She knew what was coming next.

And oh god, did she want that. She wanted it so badly it made her bones ache with remembered need. But with Joe only a room away, Taylor's wants and her guilt were staging a full-scale battle for dominance inside her.

As if in slow motion, Taylor watched Ava lean closer still, lips pursing as she clearly prepared to take what she desired. The moment seemed to stretch into eternity, heavy with the scent of Ava's perfume and the thunderous pounding of Taylor's pulse in her ears.

Then, just as Ava's warm breath caressed Taylor's quivering lips, she found her voice. "I...I'm sorry, Aves. I can't do this. Not...not with him here."

Taylor could practically see the frustrated denial warring over Ava's features as she pulled back, a muscle ticking in her elegant jaw. For a long, strained moment, Taylor was positive she would demand an explanation, would flat out refuse to adhere to Taylor's sudden desire for restraint.

But then Ava sighed, the sound laced with traces of exasperation and something deeper - understanding, maybe even regret. Slowly, she nodded once, the ghost of a wry smile tugging at her full lips.

"All right, Swift. Whatever you need," she murmured. "But eventually...you're gonna have to make a hoice here. One way or another."

Taylor knew she was right. She couldn't keep straddling this line forever, indulging in temptation but always snatching gratification away at the last possible second. Eventually, Ava's infinite supply of patience and restraint would run out. And then Taylor would be forced to make the hardest choice of her life.

Seeming to sense the fresh wave of turmoil clouding Taylor's features, Ava sighed again and brushed a stray lock of hair back from her forehead in a surprisingly tender gesture.

"Hey," she said softly, demanding Taylor's attention with that single syllable. "Take all the time you need to figure it out, okay? But I won't wait around forever."

The simple reassurance, layered with Ava's typical teasing confidence, somehow managed to bolster Taylor even as it twisted the knife of her internal struggle deeper. She searched Ava's face helplessly, finding only warmth and understanding shining back at her from those dark, soulful eyes.

In that moment, Taylor knew there was no going back. She was in too deep - had been since the second she first laid eyes on Ava, if she was being honest. Her wants had taken root, growing into an unbridled, insatiable craving that demanded to be explored and quenched to the fullest.

Swallowing hard, Taylor felt the sudden overwhelming urge to reaffirm the undeniable connection thrumming between them, to recommit to the rollercoaster of emotions Ava inspired in her with seeming ease. So she leaned in once more, the scant inches between them stretched taut with possibility.

"Ava, I..." she started, trailing off as the other woman automatically leaned closer in response, clearly anticipating whatever Taylor was about to say. Several heated heartbeats passed, the air around them seeming to thicken and crackle with static electricity.

Then, mustering the dregs of her rapidly dwindling self-control, Taylor tore her conflicted gaze away from Ava's parted lips and the simmering temptation they represented.

"Thank you for understanding," she said lamely, the words stumbling out in a tremulous rasp utterly at odds with the fiery want still pulsing through her veins. "God, I'm such a mess."

Ava's low chuckle was tinged with fondness, the hand cupping Taylor's cheek sending skittering jolts of awareness ricocheting through her with each brush of skin on skin.

"Believe me babe, you've got nothing on me in that department," she said with a wink, deftly defusing the heaviness hovering between them. "I'm like, the reigning queen of beautiful trainwrecks."

This startled a genuine laugh from Taylor, the sound bright and welcome in the otherwise still apartment. Ava's grin widened as if glorying in the fact that she'd elicited such an uninhibited response.

Then, before Taylor could overthink it or attempt to come up with another flimsy excuse, Ava leaned in and pressed the gentlest, most fleetingly soft kiss against the corner of her mouth.

"Get some rest, Tay," she murmured, the words warm and intimate against Taylor's tingling skin. "I have a feeling you'll need it for what comes next..."

With that whispered promise, at once vaguely threatening and utterly thrilling, Ava pulled away and slipped off the couch in one graceful motion. Taylor could only watch, utterly transfixed, as the other woman gathered her purse and leather jacket before stalking back toward the front door, radiant confidence oozing from every line of her body.

Just before disappearing across the threshold, Ava paused and tossed one last heated look over her shoulder, eyes raking over Taylor in a silent challenge, a tantalizing promise.

"Oh, and Taylor?" She called out, voice low and rich with unspoken insinuations. "I wasn't kidding earlier. Eventually, you'll have to make a choice."

Taylor's mouth went dry at the boldness of the statement, the unspoken implication that further indecision between them would be...unacceptable. 

With that parting shot hanging between them, Ava disappeared through the doorway, leaving Taylor reeling in her wake. The implications of Ava's ultimatum ricocheted through her with the force of a hurricane, scattering her thoughts and leaving only a singular, unassailable realization in their wake.

She would make her choice - and soon. Both options lay before her, agonizing yet tantalizing in equal measure. Because for better or worse, Taylor knew in her bones that what she felt for Ava, this all-consuming inferno of lust and affection, was no passing fancy.

Taylor exhaled a trembling sigh and buried her face in her hands.