(BL) Taming the Field Guide

Chapter 193: Karen believes in enthusiastic consent

"Taylor, princess, we can’t do this." Karen was at her wits end. She had no idea that getting a drunk Taylor back to her room was going to be this difficult, but hell, it was hard.

Karen had to be a damn saint.

She had a beautiful, drunk Taylor touching her, squeezing her, feeling her up as she tried to keep her head on straight. Taylor was keeping her hands in respectable places, but that didn’t make the intention any less obvious.

Karen was over the moon to find that the woman desired her. Drunk hands were usually honest hands in Karen’s opinion, but that didn’t mean that she needed to act on them.

Especially when the person who was this drunk kept trying to kiss and nibble on Karen’s neck.

Yes, Karen should get a damn ceremony for being so responsible and thoughtful. She knew several stupid Espers who wouldn’t be as considerate, but Karen would be damned if she wasn’t a better person then the others.

It was the whole reason that Taylor, responsible, respected, beautiful Taylor felt comfortable even doing all of this because she trusted Karen to keep a level head. Even if Karen’s body was screaming to let Taylor do whatever she wanted to Karen.

"Taylor." Karen tried to put on a serious voice, one with a bit more of a threat to it, but Taylor just pulled back and gave Karen a pout that was like an arrow straight through Karen’s heart. Holy shit was this woman too much for her.

She was so pretty and perfect and Karen wanted to devour her whole. However, she wasn’t sober, and Karen wasn’t a piece of trash on Kellen’s shoe. She wouldn’t dare to do something that would hurt Taylor’s honour like that. Especially when Karen had a very strong feeling that Taylor wasn’t going to remember this tomorrow.

How did Karen know this? Market research.

Taylor never remembers what she got up to after she went past the point of no return while drinking.

"Why do you hate me Karebear?" Taylor asked and Karen took a deep, calming breath. Case and point, calling Karen Karebear.

Karen had said it as a joke to get a reaction out of Taylor that one time. The fact that she remembered it and was calling Karen that now? A good sign, but a classic sign that she wasn’t going to remember a thing tomorrow.

"I don’t hate you, princess. I could never hate you, I just want to make your headache tomorrow not be a nightmare, alright? You’ll thank me tomorrow." Karen promised, her voice sugary sweet. She always wanted to talk to Taylor like this, loved watching as the responsible woman turned all shades of pink at her teasing. Taylor had dated, but she’d been selective. Karen had watched, curious but not fully interested before. She hadn’t realised the feelings she’d had for Taylor would grow to be this strong.

She’d thought they’d fade away, like most of her feelings did. When they didn’t and Kellen joined the Guild? That was when Karen realised that she had deeper desires that she couldn’t deny. She tried to, of course, but look at where she was now?

Carrying the woman of her deepest desires to her room, holding herself back as Taylor tried to kiss and lick and suck on any exposed skin she had. That and she was molding her muscles with her hands. It was made worse by the fact that Taylor was quietly muttering the proper muscle groups under her breath.

It was wrong that Karen found that as hot as she did. God, the way that her brain worked was one of the most attractive things about her. The second? Her big, blue eyes. Karen could stare into them for hours. When she got angry and a little crinkle formed on the bridge of her nose? That was so stinking cute that Karen almost forgave the people who made her mad.

Almost.

It was okay if it was Kellen. Kellen was her best friend and the number one person who was supposed to make Taylor’s life difficult. He was reckless, unlike most people who were on the front lines, but that was Kellen’s charm. He could be reckless and still make it out. Taylor probably had heart attacks whenever she came in contact with the man.

Karen smiled, thinking of their friendship.

Maybe...Karen would be able to displace Kellen someday. But, that day was not today. Certainly not by taking advantage of the sweet woman.

Karen arrived at the door of the room that Taylor was staying in. The room had been offered to her because it was close to the Medical Bay while still being spacious enough for someone of her rank in the Guild. No one would say it, but it had been made specifically for her. If they told her that, she would have turned it down.

Taylor liked promotions and money incentives, she didn’t like it when they tried to reward her for good results. Captain and the other Lieutenants learned that the hard way. Taylor had turned down everything but money. If Taylor thought she was keeping what her little ’quirk’ was a secret from everyone, she was doing a rather poor job of hiding it.

Such a sweet and thoughtful girl never turned down money? Yeah, like there was a chance that Taylor had a greedy bone in her body. It was the Healer curse that all Healer’s had. Taylor’s was money.

Honestly, it was pretty endearing to Karen. If she liked money, well, Karen certainly wasn’t lacking. It wasn’t talked about, but all of the competitions that Karen entered to prove her worth also had a money incentive, and she was paid very well for being a Lieutenant of the Saturn Guild, and she received a lot of hazard pay. Would it be hard for her to roll back her time on front lines if she started dating Taylor? Yeah, it would be hard, especially if Gunther was the other person she had to trade positions with, but they could come to an agreement.

Or, like the Guides had started to do, they could begin to branch out and start building a support system for the Espers too. Karen thought it was a great idea, and the Guild also wasn’t small anymore. They needed better structures in place. Time had passed and now, the next phase of the Saturn Guild needed to be built.

Karen smiled at the drunk woman in her arms.

"You’re so pretty." Karen told her and received the brightest, biggest smile from her.

"You too!" Taylor told her and Karen grinned.

"Oh really? What do you think is pretty about me?" Karen asked, teasing, and Taylor scrunched up her face. She was so fucking cute that Karen wanted to scream.

"You’re so strong." Taylor said and Karen felt her steps fumble. She was attracted to her strength? That was...unexpected. However Taylor’s mouth didn’t stop. "You’re also so bossy and kind. You get along with everyone, you make me happy, you know what I like. Your nose is so small and cute. I like when you wear those loose-fitting workout clothes because your boobs look fantastic in them and sometimes you tease your stomach a little. I’ve only seen you work out a few times but I nearly lost my mind." Karen had to stop, push Taylor against a wall for support so that she could cover her mouth.

Karen’s face was burning, her heart a drum in her chest.

"Taylor Green." Karen choked. "You are banned from drinking." Karen told her and stared down at the big blue eyes that were staring at her so defenseless and sweet. She even tilted her head to the side, her normal ponytail a damn mess. Karen’s sanity was barely holding on.

Yes, she deserved sainthood at this point.

Karen controlled herself, halted Taylor, and it seemed that Taylor didn’t want to wax poetic about Karen’s body anymore because she remained silent. Everything was going well until they arrived at Taylor’s room.

"We’re here, Princess. Do you have your card to get in?" Karen asked and watched as Taylor’s face scrunched up. She could smell trouble.

"No! I want to stay with you!" Taylor protested. Unlike the upper levels, these were more occupied. People stayed in them because they could just take a set of stairs up from the gym floor instead of the elevator. Karen could practically hear people stirring at Taylor’s loud, drunk voice.

It would only make her more embarrassed if she drew a crowd in this state.

"Taylor, sweetheart, please lower your voice." Karen begged but Taylor would not have it. Karen groaned and gave in. What else could she do? It was Taylor’s reputation over her sanity.

It was a no brainer.

So here Karen was, exhausted, her limbs shaking, her breaths uneven, and her body tensed like she had just fought a Boss battle without backup.

All because she tried to get Taylor undressed to a reasonable level and get her dressed in pajamas. That had been a trial. Taylor had tried to take off her bra facing Karen and as much as she was a saint, she wasn’t that good. She had forced the drunk woman to at least turn her back to Karen.

She needed something to not call herself a pervert. Seeing her in her underwear had made her already feel like she was seeing something she shouldn’t.

Even her underwear had money printed on it. Fuck. It was so cute that Karen wanted to punch something.

Karen had somehow managed to get her undressed, redressed, and now Taylor was, thankfully, passed out in her bed. She was wearing one of her shirts, a small win that she couldn’t give up, and she had outright refused to wear pants.

Karen had resolved that issue by covering her up with a blanket.

Karen felt flushed, a little unsteady, and she needed another drink. A harder one. She’d have another one before she joined Taylor in bed, but she doubted she’d be able to sleep.

Not with an angel lying in bed next to her, all soft hair, flushed cheeks, and braless in her shirt. Was she even going to wash it after?

Karen, that’s a disgusting thought. It’s even more disgusting that you’re still considering it. Even telling herself off wasn’t working, so grumbling to herself, Karen moved to the kitchen, poured herself a stiff drink and then went and sat in the living room. She sat on the couch, her orange gaze locked on the bedroom door and listening to the shuffling of the woman on the other side.

She sipped on her drink, her leg shaking as she let out a heavy sigh.

It was a good thing that she was a patient woman. Otherwise, she could be an asshole and make Taylor think that something happened between them. It paid better to be a good person, Karen. You knew that.

Your parents were a perfect example. Do not do what they did. Nice and slow. Calculating, but in a good way. Good people were rewarded handsomely. Bad people were punished.

Now if only she could get any sleep tonight.

Hmm, she should make sure that Taylor had a glass of water on her side of the bed in case she needed it during the night.