Breaking Character

by Lee Winter

  After a playful moment, Summer peeled off the briefs, then sat back on her haunches. She studied Elizabeth’s naked body with a hungry gaze.

  Self-consciousness pricked at Elizabeth, as it always did, heat suffusing her cheeks. She’d never been the best at nudity; it made her feel too vulnerable.

  “You’re gorgeous,” Summer assured her.

  “I appear to be at a disadvantage.” She eyed Summer’s still-dressed body.

  “Oh. Right.” Summer scrambled off the bed, tearing off her T-shirt and bra. She hauled her jeans and panties down with little finesse. Kicking the clothes away, Summer straightened. She stood, bare and delectable, hands dropping to her hips. With a nervous grin, she asked, “Better?”

  Elizabeth’s gaze scorched her from tip to toe. She’d seen Summer almost nude before, but she’d never soaked her in like this. Now she was free to swallow the shape of her—strong bones, soft, generous breasts, and curving hips. “Delectable,” she decided.

  Summer grinned and pinned her down again in an instant, her lightly tanned skin sliding over Elizabeth’s much paler body. Summer’s hand slipped low between them with determination.

  “You’re so wet,” she said in wonder.

  “All your fault.”

  “Can’t wait to taste you.” Summer didn’t wait for a reply, sliding into position. Bending forward, she explored Elizabeth’s folds with enthusiastic attention to detail.

  Oh God. Elizabeth’s hips jerked. Her fingers curled into fists, clutching the bedding. Muscles in her arms turned into writhing ropes. Elizabeth’s breath became shorter, deeper, rasping out her pleasure. Oh yes. She was close.

  Summer suddenly slowed her teasing to a crawl. Her expression turned impish.

  No! That taunting little… When she’d told Summer she wanted slow, she’d just meant she didn’t want everything over in thirty seconds.

  “Faster,” Elizabeth growled, earning a small snort of laughter.

  Summer began using her tongue like a feather.

  “This is evil.”

  Summer licked even more lightly.

  “Fas-ter!” She clenched her jaw. Desperately, she tried to chase the ecstasy dancing just out of reach. Her hands burrowed deeper into the bedding, becoming white-knuckled fists. “Summer, please.”

  Summer gasped against her, and then nearly whined. Her swirling tongue hardened. Two fingers slid inside Elizabeth, curling upwards.

  God. Lights seemed to be going off in Elizabeth’s head “Oh. Ohh.” She couldn’t hang on. She couldn’t… Her body went rigid. Ecstasy crashed through her. For a moment, between one stuttering heartbeat and the next, it felt as if she’d lost all her walls in the tumbling, chaotic wash of sensations. She was bared. Exposed.

  Totally naked.

  Elizabeth braced herself for the crush of anxiety that always came with it. Yet her throat continued to freely take in air. Her hands slowly unfurled. Her brain sighed in bliss, offering no fretful doubts. Sagging in relief, she steadied her breath. Trust Summer to somehow breach all her walls, and for Elizabeth’s blissed-out mind to just shrug.

  Her legs shifted. Christ, I’m so wet.

  Getting her breath back, Elizabeth gave Summer a dangerous, half-lidded look.

  Summer swallowed shakily, eyes wide and dark.

  Excellent. Flipping them over, Elizabeth pushed Summer onto her back, and took in the sight of her.

  Ghosting her fingers across Summer’s throat, down her neck and lower, Elizabeth considered all the ways she could take her. All the delectable choices to make her whimper helplessly, the way Summer had done with her. Her hands drifted up to cup Summer’s breast.

  Summer watched avidly, breath ragged. Her nostrils flared.

  “You’ve been driving me crazy.” Elizabeth gave that plump nipple a tweak. “All the times Hunt got to touch you, I imagined this. Us.” Tweak. “Alone.”

  Summer’s nipples hardened into points.

  “I see I wasn’t the only one.” Elizabeth gave her a knowing look. “Was I?”

  “I…No.” Summer gasped. “I wanted you. So much. All the time.”

  “I’ve thought rather a lot about what you’d like. What I might do when you’re laid out before me, like this. Naked. Needy. So wet for my touch.” She trailed a finger down Summer’s side, jumping a rib at a time.

  Summer’s lip caught between her teeth.

  “I expended considerably more thought on it than I should have.” Elizabeth’s voice was mischievous. “All this chemistry everyone keeps talking about? It’s apparently electric. Oozing. Sizzling.” She slid the back of her fingertips over to Summer’s belly button, doing a playful swirl around it. The skin quivered. “It’s high time we explored it, don’t you think? High time I took advantage of…” Her fingers drifted lower, to the trimmed blonde curls between Summer’s thighs. “our chemistry.”

  Summer trembled.

  Settling between Summer’s legs, Elizabeth slid her gaze up the length of her to the wide eyes staring back. Her hands flattened to part Summer’s strong, tanned thighs. “Is this your fantasy?” She blew against the slick folds spread before her. “You, open for me? Me, having my way with you?”

  “N-no.”

  “No?” Curiosity streaked through her. “It isn’t?”

  “No,” Summer moaned. “It’s touching you. This is far beyond my fantasies.”

  Elizabeth touched her languidly. “You didn’t dare to dream?”

  “Not like this. Please,” Summer pleaded, hips arching up. “Stop teasing. I can’t…”

  “You can. You made me suffer a little, didn’t you?” Elizabeth murmured, her mouth moving closer, gaze pinned on Summer’s. “What if I got the Hunt jacket out? Would you enjoy that? All those long looks for the camera and we couldn’t do a damn thing? What if we finished it right now.” Her finger slid forward, poised at Summer’s entrance.

  “Oh God, stop it,” Summer groaned. “I’m dying.”

  “Are you sure you want me to stop? Really, Dr. Carter?” She hit exactly the right tone.

  “Fuck…you’re killing me.” Summer’s voice cracked. Her hips quivered.

  Arousal swamped Elizabeth’s fingertips. “Well, we can’t have that.” Elizabeth smiled, then buried herself between her lover’s legs, licking and peppering her with kisses, alternating with deep strokes of her fingers.

  Summer’s whispered sighs soon turned into gasps, finally a cry. She arched and bucked, coming as her fingers clenched hard in Elizabeth’s hair.

  The sight of her lover in the throes of orgasm was intoxicating. Elizabeth was suddenly on the edge again, almost dizzy with desire. She reached between her own thighs and rubbed her clit, hard. Unfocused and trembling, she shut her eyes, her breath coming in short, heated gasps against Summer’s center. It took only moments before she shuddered and peaked again.

  When she opened her eyes, her first sight was Summer’s smoldering gaze.

  “God,” Summer breathed, voice reverent. “You…that was so hot.”

  “Hmm.” Elizabeth scribbled her soaked fingers across Summer’s thighs, admiring the wet trails. She slid forward, onto her side, to lie beside her lover. “I agree.” She gave Summer a teasing look. “So, be honest. I think you like me being Hunt sometimes.”

  Summer’s mouth opened, apparently ready for a denial, before she chuckled. “Maybe. Every now and then. But really, you’re my turn-on. I’d happily stay like this forever. They’d have to haul me out of here by my fingernails.”

  “Forever’s a long time.” Elizabeth pretended to give the flippant line serious thought. “I might have to rearrange my schedule. I’m sure bedding you 24/7 might give Delvine, Rachel, and Autumn matching ulcers.”

  “Probably.” Summer gently ran her hand through Elizabeth’s hair.

  “What are you thinking?” Elizabeth asked.


  “That I’m a lucky woman. And the other thing. What I said earlier.” Summer huffed out a breath. “The most embarrassing ad-lib ever. What Joey said.”

  “What Joey said,” Elizabeth repeated. She might not be quite there yet, but it would be so easy to love Summer. “I’m deeply flattered by what Joey said.” She kissed Summer again and sighed. “It’s late. Come home with me. Stay the night. I can promise a beautiful view from my bedroom in the morning.”

  “Mmm. Sounds great…I’d love to see you when I wake.”

  “I meant the view out my window.” Elizabeth’s lips curled. “You can see almost as far as the bay. It’s magic.”

  “As if I’ll be looking outside in the morning.” Summer’s smile was wide. “Let’s go.”

  Chapter 26

  It had been weeks since their first night together. Since then, Summer had burrowed into Elizabeth’s bed and showed little sign of ever wanting to leave. Elizabeth approved of this development a great deal.

  Summer would reach Elizabeth’s front door each night after work and melt into her. They’d come together in a frantic clash of lips and skin and fingers. Mornings involved languid touches and slower kisses; exciting in a different way.

  It was Finola who finally forced them out of bed. For some reason, she alone had the power to motivate Summer to crawl out from the sheets and work out where her clothes and car keys were. Elizabeth hadn’t even realized the pair had become so close.

  Today was Sunday and the date of a party she’d invited Summer to, apparently with instructions to bring “that cynical, charming co-star you keep practicing mouth-to-mouth with”. Of course Finola would think that was funny. No doubt further ribbing lay ahead.

  They were on their way to Summer’s place to pick something up for the party. Elizabeth’s eyes slid to her grumbling, monologuing driver.

  “If it was anyone else,” Summer muttered, “I’d have told them where to jump. Interrupting the best sex of my life…”

  Elizabeth decided that preening was somewhat vulgar, but she loved Summer’s enlightening speech. Best sex of her life? Well, she concurred.

  Summer’s mood had improved by the time she let herself into her Silver Lake bungalow.

  The place was cute, although the Kermit-green painted exterior was an acquired taste. Maybe Skye had helped with the décor? Elizabeth laughed when she saw the garden’s succulent patch, and a few prickly specimens in particular. “You do grow cacti! I told Jean-Claude no lies.”

  “It’s cactuses,” Summer teased back. “And the most I ever do is look at them occasionally. There’s not much hands-on growing involved. Come inside.”

  Although it was almost eleven, Chloe was mid-crunch of her cereal, sprawled on the couch, when Elizabeth trailed after Summer into the living room.

  “Hey stranger,” Chloe greeted her roommate. “Starting to think you’d moved out.” She arched her neck to see behind Summer. “Oh, hey. A Choosing Hope double header. Awesome.”

  “Single header,” Elizabeth said. “I’ve left the show now.”

  “Oh, ’kay.” Chloe resumed chewing. “Good timing, but. Summer, your mum’s here for lunch. She’s in the kitchen so you could probably do a camo-crawl to your room if you don’t want to see her.” She grinned.

  “Skye’s here?” Elizabeth asked. “Does she often come for lunch when Summer’s out?”

  “It’s Sunday. She’s here every Sunday, with or without me,” Summer said. “She’s adopted Chloe as a third kid.” She turned back to Chloe. “Autumn here too?”

  “Nope. She’s coming later when the chook’s on the table.”

  “Okay. Well, we’ll say a quick hello before we get going. We’re here to pick up a present on our way to see Bess’s old assistant.” She glanced at Elizabeth with a slightly guilty look. “It’s, um, a birthday thing.”

  Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “Wait, it’s Finola’s birthday?” Why hadn’t Summer told her? Or Finola for that matter? She didn’t have a gift or a—

  “No, her son’s, don’t worry,” Summer called over her shoulder. “It’s cool. I’ve got a present for both of us. You’re covered. Anyway, back in a sec.”

  Elizabeth wandered the living room, taking in the nick-knacks under Chloe’s watchful gaze.

  “Someone got lucky,” Chloe observed, putting down her now empty bowl.

  Elizabeth shrugged. “I feel lucky.” It was the truth.

  “Don’t worry about the kid birthday thing. Summer does it with everyone. Makes friends with the universe. Remembers the most random people’s anniversaries, birthdays, all that jazz. Just go with it.”

  Elizabeth nodded, but it was still a little unnerving.

  Skye appeared, bustling out of the kitchen. “Chicken’s in the oven. Should be an hour or so and… Oh, Elizabeth, darling! When did you get here? How lovely to see you! Where’s Summer? Are you staying for lunch? You must!”

  “Sorry, we can’t,” Elizabeth said. “There’s a birthday party for my former assistant’s son this afternoon. We’re making an appearance.”

  “How nice of you! Isn’t that nice, Chloe?” Skye turned to her.

  “Totally.” Chloe grinned at Elizabeth, mischief in her eye.

  Elizabeth shot her a narrowed look that earned her a laugh for her trouble. Okay. She officially liked Chloe.

  Skye dropped to the couch beside Chloe and patted the spare seat on her other side. “Sit, for a moment, dear. We need to talk.”

  Wary, Elizabeth slid onto the appointed cushion, giving the woman a quizzical eyebrow lift.

  “Darling, where are you?” Skye called.

  Summer appeared holding a gift bag festooned with ribbons. “Finding the gift. What’s up?”

  Turning to Chloe, Skye said, “Would you mind keeping an eye on the chicken? Just for a few minutes.”

  Chloe took the hint, nodded, and grabbed her bowl, disappearing into the kitchen.

  Pointing to the vacated seat, Skye eyed Summer. “Sit, sit.”

  Summer obeyed, wearing a confused expression.

  “So, you two.” Skye slid her eyes from one to the other and smiled. “I’m so glad it’s worked out.”

  “Um, of course.” Summer glanced at Elizabeth. “Why wouldn’t it?”

  “I wasn’t sure it would,” she said, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “I know, I know, I’m a meddling mother but I just couldn’t help myself.”

  Elizabeth peered at her, suddenly getting a very odd feeling. “What did you do?”

  “Oh, I knew you two weren’t dating. Back when Jean-Claude originally asked me. I thought it was a shame and all, because, oh my goodness, how much Summer used to talk about you. ‘Elizabeth Thornton this’. ‘Elizabeth Thornton that’.”

  “Mom! Geez.” Summer groaned.

  “It’s true, dear. Jean-Claude saw the paparazzi photos and called to ask about them. I knew why he was asking. He loves to put couples in film. It’s a chemistry thing. So…a little white lie just spilled out. I thought maybe you could get to know each other a little better on set. And the way Summer was so insistent on telling me it wasn’t true, I thought she was protesting too much. And maybe, Elizabeth, you could see how wonderful Summer is away from your show, because I know you don’t have many scenes together, do you? Well, you didn’t used to.” Her eyebrows lifted. “That Hunter hashtag is everywhere now.”

  Summer froze. “Mom? Are you saying you…set us up?”

  “Yes, dear, I did.” She beamed with pride. “It was enormously funny watching you at the pool party. Goodness me, did you actually know anything about each other then? I was biting my cheek not to laugh. Your father was incredulous you were even friends. I told him to give you both time. Oh, he doesn’t know the truth. He’s terribly indiscreet, not like me. And look at you now.” She cupped both their cheeks. “So happy together. Do I know a good match
or what?”

  “You knew.” Elizabeth barked out a laugh.

  “Well, Chloe didn’t, though she probably does now,” Skye said. “She’s an atrocious eavesdropper.”

  “Am not!” came an indignant call from the kitchen. “And, oh my God, you fakers!” Her raucous laugh followed. “Fuck me dead!”

  “I told you it’s rude to eavesdrop,” Skye called back. She rolled her eyes.

  “I don’t understand,” Summer said. “How did you know we’ve really gotten together?”

  “That Twitter photo—the one at the diner? It was obvious if you’ve met either of you. You only had eyes for each other.” Her smile widened. “I love being right about this.”

  “What about Jean-Claude?” Summer frowned. “He’ll be furious if he finds out.”

  “Yes. We’ll just be sure he never knows, all right?” She nodded firmly to herself. “Good. On your way now. Don’t want to disappoint that birthday boy. And Summer, call me tonight about this.” Her finger swirled between Summer and Elizabeth. “I require details.”

  “Mom!”

  “Not those kind of details. Good heavens. I swear you make me sound like I raised a prude!”

  Outside the front door, Summer and Elizabeth exchanged looks.

  “I had no clue.” Summer slumped against the shut door. She couldn’t believe it.

  “I gathered.”

  “I’m sorry. My family is totally mad.” She hoped Elizabeth wouldn’t freak out about this. Although, she wouldn’t blame her.

  “I gather that too.” Elizabeth smiled. “It’s fine. You tipped me off about them going in, remember? I expected a certain amount of craziness.”

  “What about your family? Please tell me your folks are a little special, too? Prone to some charming eccentricities? It can’t be just mine.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “Not like yours, sorry. My parents rarely ask me anything personal in case I might offer an embarrassing answer. And I guarantee they’d never try to fix me up with a woman I liked either.”

  With a groan, Summer banged her head gently against the door. “Great. Normal parents. I don’t even know what plane of existence my mom lives on. She’s nuts.”