Krystal walked through Amber’s old apartment with her. “Why did you want to stay here and not with me?” 

Amber wiped dust off of a kitchen counter. Her roommates had moved out two days ago, but there was still furniture she needed to get rid of. “I need to repaint the walls and plaster some of these holes so I can get my money back.” 

“I could help with that,” Krystal said, wrapping her arms around Amber’s waist from the back. 

“You don’t have any photo shoots?” 

Krystal shook her head. “Not for the next week, and my drama filming is still postponed until they can find a new male lead. I can’t believe Jong Hyuk had a ual harassment scandal. I’m so glad it was uncovered before I had to work with him.” 

Amber agreed wholeheartedly. She knew there were a lot of snakes in the business, lingering to find an opportunity to strike an unsuspecting victim. The more that were eradicated, the better. 

“Then I guess we can go out and pick up some new wall colors and plaster. I don’t really have any of the tools here either. We can probably borrow them from the landlord.” 

Krystal had been half expecting her to turn her away. Amber was still being rather private about something. 

“My bedroom’s already been done, so I won’t have to deal with a lot of paint fumes while I’m trying to sleep.” 

“Can I sleep over with you?” 

Amber laughed and turned in her arms, kissing her nose. “It’s just a pallet on the floor.”

“I’m sure it’ll feel like the most expensive mattress in the world if I’m laying there with you,” she winked. 

Amber kissed her firmly on the mouth, lingering. Krystal released a desperate moan and Amber pulled away, delivering one last little peck before reaching beneath the kitchen sink and setting out a few cleaning supplies. 

“Alright, we’re definitely going to need some bleach and maybe a few buckets. Let’s get some of those rubber gloves too. Some of these products irritate my skin.” 

Krystal folded her arms over her chest and propped her hip against the counter. “I really don’t want to discuss cleaning supplies right now.” 

Amber rose up from where she’d been crouched among the various spray bottles and sponges and rested her hands on the wooden countertop on each side of Krystal’s hips. “What do you want to talk about, then?” 

Krystal leaned back slightly so her pelvis rested against Amber’s. “It’s been a month.” 

“You really keep track of these things, huh?” 

“I’m not in the mood to joke around with you right now,” she glared.

Amber leaned forward, hip to hip, to , eye to eye. “I know exactly what kind of mood you’re in right now.” 

Krystal breathed hard. Amber’s ability to effect her remained undiminished. She moved to slip her thigh between Amber’s but she was suddenly a foot away from her. 

“But I need to get my deposit back and I’ve only got two days to get everything cleared out.” 

“You’ll stay with me until you get a new place then?” 

Amber shook her head. “No. I’m going to crash with Henry for a while.” 

Krystal stared at her head as she continued to take inventory of what she would need to pick up from the store to get the apartment in shape. She seemed to be completely unaware of what she was doing to Krystal and if she were, she didn’t seem to care. Krystal slung her purse over her shoulder and made to storm out, but Amber caught her by the elbow. 

“I’ll be ready in ten minutes. I just need to check what I need to get to clean the bathroom.” 

Krystal glared at her, but it had zero affect. So she stood in place while Amber went and took her notes, then went with her to the store even though she was pissed, and even helped her clean up and repaint patches of the wall. 

After they showered, they fell down exhausted on the little pallet together, Amber laying her head on Krystal’s arm. 

“Thank you for helping. There’s only a little left to do tomorrow aside from getting the furniture to the donation drop off.” 

“It was nothing.” 

She felt Amber wrap herself around her and fall almost immediately to sleep. She sighed and threaded her fingers through Amber’s hair and brushed them over the soft skin on the back of her neck, then down over her shoulder. 

“You make me crazy.” 

“Hey, Jess,” Amber said nervously. She had driven over from Henry’s house to be Amber’s manager for the day. She was taking her to two photo shoot locations and a meeting later. “Thought you’d moved across town to be with your husband. He’s getting on your nerves already?” 
Jessica punched her lightly in the arm. “No. But you are. Krystal told me you were coming over later so I decided to hang around until I could talk to you.” 

“You could’ve just called.” 

Jessica rolled her eyes. “What are you doing to my sister?” 

“What do you mean?” Amber asked innocently. 

“She says you’re being weird.” 

Amber’s brows rose. “Aren’t I always being weird.” 

That earned her another punch to the arm, this one with a little knuckle in it. 

“Ow!!’ 

“She says you refuse to sleep with her!” 

Amber’s eyes went round. “Urm…feels weird to hear you talking about our life. Gross?” 

“Don’t play cute with me! What are you doing to my sister?” 

“Lots of things. Just… isn’t on the table right now. I thought she understood that.” 

“How is she supposed to understand something you haven’t even talked about?!” 

“Well, we haven’t been having , so I figured she’d just…I don’t know…get it.” 

Jessica folded her arms and rolled her eyes, looking so much like a copy of Krystal that it made Amber’s head spin for a second. 

“Let my baby sister know whatever’s going on with you before I shove my house slipper up your so far you’ll be tasting it!” She warned. 

Amber grinned and shook her head. “It’s more fun this way.” 

“You-“

“Krystal!” Amber said loudly when her girlfriend appeared at the top of the stairs. “You look beautiful!” 

The woman was wearing a white tank top and short blue jeans and had done nothing with her hair since stylists would be working on it in a few hours, so Amber got an eye roll for her compliment. 

Jessica glared at them as they made their way out the door, wondering what the tomboy was up to.