Those Who Wait

by Haley Cass

  Sutton had never had sex somewhere in public before. Fully clothed sex. She’d never even considered it. Certainly not when there were a couple hundred people nearby.

  But she’d never wanted someone the way she wanted Charlotte. She’d never felt this satisfying feeling of knowing that behind these doors that separated them from everyone else, she had Charlotte like this.

  “Yes,” she breathed back, stroking her hands up Charlotte’s back and feeling the lean muscle through her dress.

  Charlotte didn’t hesitate, the hand on Sutton’s jaw tipping her head back as she dropped her mouth to Sutton’s throat. Her lips sucked kisses down the expanse of her skin and everything in Sutton felt molten at the touch, her hips bucking into Charlotte’s. Who merely slid her hand inches up Sutton’s dress, pausing to stroke her skin.

  Everywhere Charlotte touched burned and she wanted her to keep going, to slide up and touch her for real.

  Then she gasped, ending on a groan, when she felt Charlotte bite at her neck.

  It was hard, harder than Charlotte’s typical small nips and light, teasing scrapes of her teeth. She shuddered, feeling herself soak through her underwear, arching her back against Charlotte.

  And then crying out when Charlotte bit again, just a little lower, sucking on the skin there.

  Charlotte groaned back and she could feel the vibration against her, could feel the way Charlotte scraped her teeth against her in tandem with scratching down the other side of her neck, and the dual sensations sent sparks of arousal shooting through her.

  A moan left the back of her throat when she felt the backs of Charlotte’s fingers brush against her underwear. She whined when Charlotte slid back down, gripping her thigh instead.

  “Shh,” Charlotte murmured into her neck. “We have to be quiet.”

  Sutton tried to grind her hips down against Charlotte’s hand, needing to feel more than just that fleeting, light touch against her core. She felt desperate when Charlotte instead dragged her fingers slightly down, away from where she needed her.

  “Please. I’ll be quiet,” she whispered, panting, eyes falling closed when she realized that seemed to be what Charlotte had been waiting for.

  She traced her knuckles back up Sutton’s thigh and stroked through her underwear, the touch light. “God, Sutton, you’re so wet for me. I can feel you, already. You’re fucking soaked.”

  Biting her lip to try to stop herself from making too much noise, she nodded. Her head fell back again, panting when Charlotte sucked hard again at the spot on her neck, the way her fingers stroked at her at that same pace through her underwear.

  “Fuck, I love this dress,” the words were said into her skin. The roughness in Charlotte’s honey-smooth voice made her shudder and jerk her hips, and she was so fucking relieved when Charlotte stroked her firmly in response.

  Only once, as she kissed a trail back up her throat. “I couldn’t tell you the proper way when I first saw you outside, but . . . fuck, Sutton. Open your legs as much as you can for me.”

  Sutton broke out in goosebumps, her hips grinding down, clit throbbing hard, as she did what was asked of her. Which, frustratingly, wasn’t as much as she would have liked, with the cling of her dress not being very giving.

  It just made Charlotte chuckle darkly against her, though, “Don’t worry, baby. I can make you come just like this.”

  Everything felt so hot, and she whined as she could feel herself starting to drip down her thigh.

  Charlotte must have been able to feel how wet she was, as she moaned low in her throat, pressing her lips just under Sutton’s jaw and slipping two fingers into her underwear. She stroked her entrance, and Sutton whimpered, because she was already so –

  A guttural groan fell from her throat as Charlotte pressed her fingers inside of her. She felt like she could barely catch her breath as she dug her fingers into Charlotte’s back to try to ground herself.

  She didn’t have a chance to feel grounded, though, not when Charlotte slid into her as deep as she could, pulling out and stroking over her clit, before pressing back inside. Her back arched so hard it almost hurt, and she saw sparks behind her eyelids as the fingers inside of her moved even faster.

  Fast and hard, and she could dimly hear herself panting, then moaning when Charlotte rubbed at her nerves with her thumb.

  “Ch-Char –” She cut herself off, biting her lip hard, as she forced herself to open her eyes. She found Charlotte’s watching her, eyes big and dark and wanting and –

  She could feel her legs shaking, her knees feeling weak while the feeling in her stomach built and built, and Charlotte fucked her faster.

  Her mouth fell open on a cry as she came, Charlotte’s hand quickly coming up and clamping over her mouth as her orgasm washed over her. She was completely coming apart at the seams, hips jerking uncontrollably into Charlotte’s hand, unable to catch her breath, the unbelievable heat finally taking her over.

  Long moments later, she leaned back against the wall, blowing out a deep breath as Charlotte’s hand fell from her mouth. She shuddered when Charlotte slowly slid her fingers out from between her legs.

  “God,” she panted out, regaining her breath. Then losing it again when Charlotte sucked her wet fingers into her mouth.

  The hold she had around Charlotte’s waist tightened, pulling her forward to press their lips together again to taste herself on Charlotte’s mouth.

  She’d had no idea how quickly and easily she could want before, how desire could eat her up so fast, how hard she could come . . . She hadn’t known any of it, before Charlotte. She kissed her deeper, swallowing Charlotte’s quiet moan.

  Thinking about it, about all those small insecurities, thinking about Charlotte and someone else, about how jealousy had been the reason this was happening right now made her tighten her arms, and spin them.

  She didn’t realize how much pressure she’d used, how hard she’d pressed Charlotte into the wall, until she heard the thump of her back against the wall. Then felt Charlotte’s breath rush out, and heard her surprised gasp as she pulled out of the kiss.

  Panting, she was about to apologize when she saw how blown Charlotte’s pupils were, and the arch of her eyebrow.

  “You liked that?” She wondered aloud.

  Charlotte’s eyes absolutely gleamed up at her. “Dirty talk, Sutton Spencer? Tonight is full of new things,” she whispered as she slid her hand to the back of Sutton’s neck to pull her down.

  Sutton slid her lips over Charlotte’s, reveling in the damp softness as she dimly realized – Charlotte thought you liked that was dirty talk. And that she seemed to actually like it. Much like she’d possibly liked when Sutton had been – unintentionally – rough?

  Almost experimentally, she slid her hands down, wrapping each one around Charlotte’s wrists and tugging her hands away from her body. She held them above her head as she leaned in close enough to press Charlotte hard against the wall again, not giving her anywhere to go, grinding her hips down and into Charlotte’s.

  For a moment, she felt everything freeze, her heart stuttering, preparing to drop Charlotte’s hands and –

  Then Charlotte let out a choked, surprised groan. “Yes.”

  “You do like this, huh?”

  Charlotte flexed her hands, not trying to really move them, she realized. Just moving, feeling Sutton’s hold on them. She nearly reflexively let go, then squeezed lightly instead and Charlotte sucked in a breath, shuddering against her.

  “You like that I’m stronger than you,” she realized aloud, vaguely remembering past times where Charlotte traced over her toned muscles.

  “Fuck, Sutton.” Charlotte arched as much as she could against her, cheeks flushed. “I want you to take me.”

  The words hit her, hard.

  It felt like an entire new door had opened to her when it came to sex, and despite just having come, hard, she felt arousal slide through her all over again. She felt hungry for Charlotte, wanting to make Charlotte come a
s hard as she had.

  Wanted to give Charlotte something that she wanted from Sutton.

  Her eyes narrowed in determination – she could do this. She was shocked at how much she wanted to do this.

  Sliding her hands from Charlotte’s wrists to her hands, she tugged her from the wall and instead to the bit of the wall that had a waist-height bar attached to keep people from getting too close to the exhibit.

  With a deep breath, she put Charlotte’s hands behind her, having her hold onto the rail and squeezing her hands over Charlotte’s. “Here,” she whispered.

  Sutton leaned down, sucking Charlotte’s bottom lip into her mouth, before she could question herself.

  Nipping with her teeth, she dipped down a couple of inches and brought her hands to the backs of Charlotte’s thighs. She heard and felt Charlotte groan into her mouth when she dug her fingers harder than she typically would, confidence boosting.

  Boosting even higher when Charlotte pressed her hips against her, jerking them unevenly, so obviously wanting.

  Tightening her hold, she tugged her legs apart, then gripped and lifted. It was a thrill, holding Charlotte up like this, the way she gasped into her mouth and her thighs tensed.

  Easing forward, she pressed Charlotte against the wall, balanced as much as she could on the railing, as Sutton pushed forward. Hard enough that Charlotte was forced completely against the wall again, her thighs on either side of Sutton’s hips, and she slid her hands down under Charlotte’s dress to stroke up her outer thighs.

  God, her skin was so unbelievably soft and so warm under her hands. Biting her lip, she watched through heavily lidded eyes as Charlotte dropped her head back against the wall with a thump as Sutton reached below her knees and tugged her legs around her waist.

  She pushed forward, rolling her hips into Charlotte’s, hard, loving the way she bucked even more against her.

  Scratching her nails up Charlotte’s thighs, she reveled in her soft swearing and the goosebumps that followed her touch. She thanked God that unlike her dress, Charlotte’s was loose enough to be pushed up all the way to her hips, bunching it there.

  Sutton could see how wet Charlotte was, see the dampness on her panties and the little red lines from where she’d scratched forming on the outside of her thighs. Her mark. Her throat went dry.

  She slid her hands around, cupping Charlotte’s ass and lifting her off the bannister as she pressed back in, rolling her hips again.

  She could hear and feel Charlotte’s gasps and broken groans against her neck, her quietly hissed out, “Yes. Fuck, yes, Sutton.” When she ground hard enough into her, she could feel Charlotte’s clit throb against her, even through her underwear, her legs spread lewdly wide.

  Charlotte placed disjointed, wet kisses to Sutton’s neck, whimpering into them, rocking her hips faster. She could feel how uneven Charlotte’s breath was coming out as it washed over her neck, and knew she was going to come soon.

  When she felt Charlotte’s hands reach for her, grabbing at her shoulders as her thighs started to tremble, Sutton reached up, taking her hands and forcing them back down. “I said to keep them here. You’re going to come like this.”

  Her voice was rougher than she’d ever heard it, and she was shocked at herself – where did that come from? – even as she held Charlotte’s hands down and ground down as hard and close as she could, keeping Charlotte pressed between herself and the wall, Charlotte’s legs shaking around her hips.

  Charlotte’s hands flexed under hers, a strangled, “Fuck,” falling from her mouth before she fell into her orgasm, her chest arching hard into Sutton’s, breath panting out in choked off whimpers.

  Her body shuddered hard, rhythmically jerking against Sutton, and she pressed close, keeping Charlotte held up against the wall with her body. She brought her hands to Charlotte’s thighs again, this time stroking as she came down from her orgasm.

  Eventually, Charlotte slouched back against the wall, still breathing so hard Sutton could feel how hard her heart was beating. Her hair was mussed, her eyelids heavy as she looked up at Sutton.

  “That was . . . something else.” Charlotte’s voice was soft and throaty, an affectionate smile on her lips. “You are something else, Sutton Spencer.”

  It was teasing again, but also sounded almost reverent, which was probably somewhat silly to think. But all Sutton could imagine was how she was the only one Charlotte trusted like this. Who got to see this softness, got to see the difference between projection and truth, and how much more complex Charlotte truly was.

  No one was lucky enough to see all of that, except for her.

  The tough Charlotte, the enigmatic Charlotte, the sexy Charlotte, the vulnerable Charlotte, the needy Charlotte, the brilliant Charlotte.

  Knowing that made her chest feel so warm – unlike anything she’d ever felt. Something completely overwhelming, but calming, in a way. A way that made her want to stroke back the tousled curls of Charlotte’s hair and kiss her forehead and lean into her and just know that everything was good.

  Oh.

  Oh.

  In love, in love, in love.

  There was no maybe, possibly, probably about it, she realized. It was real, it was filling her up, and she inhaled sharply.

  Charlotte watched her closely, lifting her eyebrows at her in question. “What is it?”

  Sutton froze.

  She shouldn’t say anything. She should not say anything, at all, and she knew it. It was not the right time and entirely the wrong situation. They weren’t really together, not girlfriends, and things were confusing.

  “I . . .” I love you.

  Charlotte tilted her head, the amused expression on her face quickly growing more concerned.

  She took a deep breath, stalling to figure out what to say. Then she froze at a sound coming from the large, echoing hall outside of this particular exhibit.

  Not just any sound but footsteps, walking quickly and getting louder. Coming toward them.

  As if exploding into motion, Sutton let Charlotte’s legs down, and she jumped back from her so fast she nearly tripped over her heels. She started tugging her dress into place as fast as she could, panic making her movements jerky, her hands shaking.

  Charlotte had tugged her dress back down and was combing her fingers through her hair before they both came to a heart-stopping pause when the footsteps stopped right outside the door.

  Charlotte moved in what must have been a flash, gripping Sutton’s arm and pushing her back in front of one of the wall displays. Hastily she dropped her hand and stepped a good arm’s length away, also staring up at the wall, feigning interest just in time for the door to swing open.

  Sutton heart pounded – she nearly felt it absolutely stop at the idea of how this could look for Charlotte.

  “Ah, have I finally found them?”

  Of course, out of all people, it was David Verbeck. She hadn’t seen him earlier, but there had been hundreds of people there and she supposed it wasn’t necessarily shocking. He was involved in many big businesses in the city.

  But what did he mean by that?

  Despite knowing they’d been found she couldn’t move from where she was, facing the wall, wide-eyed and nervous.

  Thankfully, Charlotte was a miracle, and her posture wasn’t jerky or panicked at all as she turned. She shot him a glance that seemed casual. “Oh, were you looking for the new exhibit too? Sutton and I were dying to see it.”

  How did she do it? Sutton felt like her heart was beating in her throat – just a minute ago, she’d had Charlotte pressed against the wall, and now . . .

  Verbeck scoffed. “Of course I was looking for the exhibit. I just went on quite a little journey searching different halls for . . . it.”

  Swallowing hard, she forced herself to turn slowly. She tried to smile, even though it might have looked more like a nervous grimace. “Well, you’ve found it.”

  She couldn’t even dare look at Charlotte for fear of blushing darker than h
er hair.

  Verbeck gave her that look that he so often gave her, the one that made her skin crawl, with a slow smile. “Isn’t that just lovely? Speaking of lovely, I was quite surprised to see you here tonight, Sutton.” He flicked his gaze to Charlotte. “And you appear to be having quite the evening.”

  Oh, God.

  “It’s quite exciting to be able to see something like this in a private showing,” he concluded, gesturing to the painting behind Sutton.

  She was never prouder of herself than she was at that moment when she didn’t stammer, “Right, yes. The art is incredible. And, you know, it’s not every night you meet a former President.”

  He slid his eyes over her. “I would say so, indeed.”

  She was ridiculously relieved when Charlotte brushed by her, standing in front of her, with her eyes narrowed. “And are you enjoying your evening, Mr. Verbeck?”

  Her voice was a masterful combination of seemingly genuine but also with a firm edge that Sutton adored.

  Verbeck lifted his eyebrows, scratching at his chin. “Not as much as some, but yes, indeed. I wish I hadn’t wasted so much time trying to find this hall. But at least I’m here now.”

  “Lovely. Well, Sutton and I will make our exit so that you can properly enjoy the exhibit you’ve taken such an interest in,” Charlotte told him, that firm tone in place. She gave Sutton a look over her shoulder. “Come on, let’s get back to the party. I have it on good authority that desserts will be put out soon.”

  She waited for a moment and Sutton realized she wanted her to walk in front of her. Heart still hammering, she quickly walked by Charlotte and then Verbeck, keeping as much distance as she could from him. She could feel how closely Charlotte was following her.

  “Enjoy your evening,” he called from behind them.

  “Yes, you too,” Charlotte’s tone was purposefully insincere.

  Sutton forced herself to walk slowly, breathing deeply, until she rounded the corner at the opposite end of the hallway.

  Then she completely deflated, her limbs feeling like jelly with the residual nerves.