Grace’s groan of pleasure resonated through Lauren, and her nails dug into her hips.
“Feel good?” she whispered into Grace’s ear, intentionally bathing the rim of her ear with her hot breath.
All Grace managed was a nod. Her hips moved faster against Lauren’s fingers, urging them deeper.
Lauren’s pulse tripped. She sped up her movements, eager to push Grace even higher. If she twisted her fingers a certain way…
“Yes!” A raw cry escaped Grace. “There! Right…there.”
A rush of liquid heat coated Lauren’s fingers. Still angling her wrist, she used the heel of her hand to press against Grace’s clit. The muscles in her arm started to burn, but she ignored it.
Grace twisted her head around and sought out Lauren’s lips for a breathless kiss. Soon, she wrenched her mouth away, though, and sharply drew in air. Her breath came in short gulps as she rocked faster against Lauren.
When her legs started to shake, Lauren pulled her more firmly against her own body and steadied her. Grace’s hungry little sounds of need sent bolts of desire through her.
She could sense that Grace was close. Just as she was about to send her over the edge, a need of a different kind gripped Lauren. As hot as watching her in the mirror was, she wanted to be face-to-face when Grace came, wanted to see pleasure wash across her beautiful features firsthand, without having to rely on the reflection. “Wait. God, please, wait. I want to see you face-to-face.”
Exhaling sharply, Grace nodded.
Lauren pulled her around and immediately pressed kisses to Grace’s flushed chest and neck. She backed her up to lean against the closet and then started to thrust again.
Grace’s eyes drifted closed.
“Don’t close your eyes,” Lauren said in a throaty whisper. “Look at me. Look at me, Grace.”
With obvious effort, the incredibly blue eyes she loved fluttered open. Grace clutched two handfuls of Lauren’s blouse and surged against her.
They kissed again, this time with a much better angle, before Lauren tilted her head back to watch. She moved her fingers faster and flicked her thumb over Grace’s clit.
The first contractions of Grace’s muscles fluttered around her fingers. Grace’s grip on her blouse tightened. “Oh. Lauren! I…” Her mouth, swollen from their kisses, fell open, and she came with a long, low groan.
Lauren gentled her touch but kept up her rhythm, guiding Grace through her orgasm and drawing every bit of pleasure from her that she possibly could. She watched in awe as Grace’s eyes grew hazy and the flush on her face deepened.
Finally, Grace’s knees buckled and she collapsed against Lauren, who tightened her one-armed grip and held her close.
Small quakes continued to run through Grace.
When the quivering around her fingers stopped, Lauren eased her hand away and wrapped her right arm around Grace too.
“God.” Grace panted and burrowed her head against Lauren’s neck. Heat came off her in waves. “That was…” She shook her head as if unable to find the right word and then lifted her face to kiss Lauren instead.
Lauren hummed into the kiss. She felt nearly intoxicated from directing Grace’s pleasure that way. “Yeah,” she whispered when their mouths drew apart, “it was. You are incredible.”
“Me?” Grace laughed. “You were the director of this scene. I’m just sorry we don’t have time for a reverse shot.” She played with the top button on Lauren’s blouse.
Lauren covered her hand with her own, stilling it against her heart, which was beating just as rapidly as Grace’s. “That’s okay,” she murmured. “I plan on doing a couple more takes later.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah. Just to make sure we get the perfect shot, you know? That’s what directors do, isn’t it?”
Grace nodded. “Unless…”
Lauren arched an eyebrow. “Unless…?”
“Unless the actors take over the scene. It’s been known to happen.” Grace leaned up on her tiptoes, slung her arms more firmly around Lauren’s shoulders, and kissed her, teasing her with hot, slow circles of her tongue before withdrawing. “I need another shower. And you,” she playfully slapped Lauren’s ass, “need to get changed. Your blouse has more wrinkles than a ninety-year-old.”
Lauren looked down at herself. Grace was right. The blouse was wrinkled in several places where Grace had clutched at her in the throes of passion. “Well, if I’m getting undressed, I might as well join you in the shower.”
“Oh, no. We’re already late as it is, and if you join me, it’ll turn into the longest shower in the history of mankind.” Grace pushed her back with both hands flat against Lauren’s chest, but her palms lingered longer than necessary. “Later,” she promised, heat in her eyes.
“Later,” Lauren repeated.
One last look, then Grace turned and strode to the edge of the loft without bothering to pick up her towel first, confident in her nakedness.
Lauren followed her with her gaze, drinking her in.
When Grace reached the ladder, she turned and climbed down the first few rungs but then stopped with just her head visible. Her full lips curled up into a soft smile. “I love you.”
The words still made Lauren’s heart stutter. She wanted to rush to the ladder and pull Grace back up and into her arms, but she forced herself to stay where she was. “I love you too.”
When Grace climbed down, Lauren listened to her footsteps on the wood floor for a moment and then let herself sink onto the bed in her wrinkled blouse. She rubbed her face with both hands and groaned when she caught a whiff of Grace’s scent.
“Lauren,” Grace shouted from the bathroom. “I forgot my dress. Would you mind bringing it down?”
“On my way,” she called and then picked up the dress. She inspected the silk for wrinkles and stains. It looked none the worse for wear. Grinning, she placed it over her shoulder, climbed down the ladder, and headed toward the cottage’s small bathroom. God, she loved afternoons in the cottage—especially since she would now get to witness another dress-tease from Grace.
If you enjoyed this short story, you might want to read Jae’s Damage Control, the novel in which Grace and Lauren met.
The Cat Emergency
by Chris Zett
“I hate Christmas!” Liz sank onto the couch in the staff lounge and massaged her temples. “And the day after Christmas even more. Why does everyone need to come to the emergency department today?”
“Nah, you’re just cranky because we missed lunch.” With two mugs of coffee in one hand, a yogurt in the other, and a medical journal balanced on top, Diana sat down next to her. She placed both mugs on the table and nudged one over to Liz.
“Mm, maybe. Thanks for the coffee.” Liz unwrapped her sad excuse for a lunch and studied the greens in her sandwich. Not wilted, so that was a plus. But the cheese looked awfully boring. “Or maybe the people are up to more and more crazy stuff over the holidays each year. Mixing too much food, alcohol, and emotions is a recipe for trouble.”
“Oh yeah. I took Emily to the family Christmas dinner for the first time. All my nieces and nephews were on a sugar high.” Diana laughed. “What did you do?”