What Matters Most

by Beers, Georgia

  She nodded.

  “It’s a gorgeous night for a swim. What do you think?”

  “You have a pool?” Kelsey followed Theresa into the kitchen where she could look out the back window at the small, kidney-shaped pool, its light giving off a soft glow. “Oohhhh,” Kelsey murmured.

  “Like it?” Theresa was suddenly close enough to set all Kelsey’s nerve endings tingling.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  “It’s a big part of why I bought the house. Not that we get much swimming weather here, but...” She shrugged as she returned to the counter and opened a bottle of wine. “I’ve always wanted my own pool.”

  “Me, too.” Kelsey smiled at her.

  Theresa poured two glasses, then gestured to a hallway with her chin. “There’s a powder room right there where you can change. There are beach towels in the linen closet next to the toilet. I’m going to run up and put my suit on. I’ll meet you out back?”

  “Sounds great.” Kelsey waited for Theresa to disappear up the stairs before she took a huge slug of wine. “A little liquid courage,” she muttered, then took her bag into the powder room, which was small and cute and sparsely decorated.

  Now came the big decision.

  She set down her bag and looked up at her reflection in the mirror. “What’s it gonna be, Peterson? Play it safe with the one-piece? Or go crazy with the two?”

  She pulled each one out. The one-piece was nice. A very acceptable navy blue with white pinstripes and a racer back. It looked just fine on her and she never worried she might accidentally fall out of it.

  The two-piece... Well, hell, she should just call it what it was. A bikini. It was a bikini. She’d actually bought herself a black bikini last summer. She’d lost some weight, felt like she was almost over Janice, and wanted to do something to make herself feel good, confident. Sexy. Chris had gone shopping with her (something Chris despised doing) and after convincing Kelsey to let her see the bikini on, had gone utterly speechless.

  Kelsey stood there in a panic. “Is it a good thing or a really, really bad thing that you’re not saying any words?” Chris stayed quiet, just stared. “Chris! You’re killing me. And also creeping me out a little bit.”

  Finally, Chris had blinked, looked up at Kelsey, and a big, tender smile broke out across her face. “Jesus, Kelserrific, you look...gorgeous. Amazing and gorgeous.”

  “Really?” Kelsey’s voice was small, but hopeful. “You’re not just saying that?”

  “I am not just saying that. I promise”

  “You’d tell me if I looked ridiculous?”

  “Trust me. You look far, far from ridiculous. Whoever you wear that suit for will be one lucky woman.”

  Kelsey remembered that conversation now, smiled at the fact that the bikini had been in a drawer for well over a year, and the person she was about to wear it for was Theresa. She shed her clothes, folded them into a neat pile and left them on the vanity, then slipped the suit on. The bottoms were typically tiny, but hugged her curves, and the black was flattering. The top was a halter and tied behind her neck. Not ideal for swimming, but perfect for sunbathing. The center dipped lower than she was used to, and Kelsey had to gaze into the mirror, remind herself that showing a little bit of cleavage was okay, that it was allowed, that she wasn’t the first woman in the world to do that. She was a little self-conscious, but did her best to shake it off.

  As Theresa had instructed, she found beach towels in the linen closet and grabbed two, wrapping one around herself like a robe. Which was ridiculous, as it was still fairly humid out and she’d be sweating in a matter of seconds. Still...

  She exited the powder room and saw no sign of Theresa yet, the wine glasses still on the counter. Kelsey grabbed them, opened the sliding glass door off the back of the house, and went out onto Theresa’s back deck.

  The powder room may have yet to be decorated, but Theresa had obviously focused on the backyard. The deck looked new, made from that synthetic wood that never needed to be stained or maintained and didn’t give you slivers in your feet. A wrought iron high-top table and four chairs were tucked into the corner, and to Kelsey’s left, a small hot tub bubbled away. Pots of flowers were scattered around the whole area, which was only slightly larger than the pool itself, but they lent little splashes of color that made the yard feel homey and welcoming. A six-foot privacy fence went all the way around, and Kelsey felt like she was tucked into a safe and private little resort.

  A look back at the house showed her a light on in an upstairs window she assumed belonged to Theresa’s bedroom, and she had a sudden flash of naked Theresa changing into her bathing suit. The flush that went through Kelsey’s body then made keeping the towel on impossible, so she tossed it off and went to one end of the pool where she could see steps leading down into the water. She gently set the wine glasses down on the concrete and dipped a toe in. She’d never been the girl who just dives in all at once, and she wasn’t about to start now. She had to step in carefully, gingerly, a little at a time. But the water was perfect: not cold, but not so warm as to not be refreshing. Four steps down and she was in up to her stomach—her very bare, very exposed stomach. She took another couple of steps until she was on the floor of the pool, and then she lowered herself until the water was at her shoulders.

  She was looking around at the yard when lights along the fence turned on, throwing a soft, gentle glow over the space. Then the lights in the pool dimmed a bit, making it so Kelsey couldn’t see her feet as clearly anymore.

  Mood lighting. She grinned at the thought and turned toward the house.

  Theresa stood there in a short, white robe with a hood, belted around her waist, her feet bare. Her eyes landed on Kelsey and held, and they stayed that way for a long, erotic moment.

  Finally, Theresa spoke as she approached the pool. “You beat me in.”

  “You took too long.”

  Theresa arched one eyebrow and tilted her head slightly to the side. “Well, then. I apologize.” She reached for the belt, untied it, and dropped the robe to the concrete.

  Kelsey’s mouth fell open and she stood there, staring like some kind of pervert, but she didn’t care. She couldn’t pull her eyes away. Theresa’s white bathing suit was one piece and barely there. It covered her breasts, but the neckline plunged low enough to show her belly button and Kelsey felt her mouth water at the thought of following the edge of the fabric with her fingers, with her tongue. One strap went from the left side of the suit around Theresa’s back to the right side and that was about it. It fastened behind Theresa’s neck and Kelsey suspected that with one simple flick, she could have it open and off. That made one corner of her mouth pull up mischievously.

  “You should get in here,” she said, that unfamiliar, husky tone returning. “Right now.”

  “Is the water fine?” Theresa asked teasingly as she walked to the end where the steps were.

  “It’ll be perfect once you’re in it.” Kelsey was not teasing. Judging by the suddenly serious look on Theresa’s face, she got that.

  Theresa waded into the pool, walked toward Kelsey as if she had all the time in the world—though the intensity in her eyes just then was sizzling. Sexy. Undeniably erotic—and Kelsey swallowed hard as their eye contact held.

  “Why are you so far down in the water?” Theresa asked quietly. “I can’t see you.”

  “Maybe that’s the idea,” Kelsey said, her bravado suddenly replaced with self-consciousness. She took a subtle step back. Then another as Theresa continued her slow approach. In four steps, Kelsey couldn’t touch the bottom anymore and began to tread water, still backing up slowly, finding it surprisingly sensual to wonder if Theresa would follow her.

  Theresa did, swimming and undeterred, and now a rather mischievous glint had appeared in her eyes. The pool wasn’t big and Kelsey had backed up against the far wall before she expected to. “There’s a ledge that runs all the way around,” Theresa said, almost to Kelsey now. “You can stand on it instead o
f treading water.”

  Kelsey’s feet found the ledge and she stood, still keeping the water at her shoulders by bending her knees, and leaned comfortably against a curve that was almost a corner.

  Theresa stopped in front of her and braced a hand on the edge on either side of Kelsey’s head. “Hi,” she said softly.

  “Hey,” Kelsey replied, and her smile seemed to appear all on its own. Theresa was beautiful up close like this. Her skin—so much skin—looked creamy smooth even in the dim pool lights, the ends of her hair wet and hanging around her shoulders. Kelsey felt Theresa’s feet looking for purchase on the ledge, felt them against the insides of her own feet. She continued to hold on to the edge of the pool, but her face was no more than a couple inches away from Kelsey’s. When her gaze dropped from Kelsey’s eyes to her mouth, Kelsey felt everything below her waist tighten in excited anticipation and in the next breath, Theresa’s mouth claimed hers.

  The kiss started slowly, again as if Theresa had all the time in the world. She began with a gentle melding of lips. It was warm and soft and blissful, and Kelsey felt light, like she was floating. Long moments went by like that until Theresa deepened the kiss. Little by little, she increased the pressure, used just the tip of her tongue to coax Kelsey along on the same path. But once Kelsey opened her mouth to the request, all bets were off. The kiss went from gentle to firmer to almost demanding. Tongues came into play as the two women battled for the upper hand. Which Theresa claimed easily by pushing her body into Kelsey’s and using her feet and knees to push Kelsey’s legs apart and up until Kelsey was pretty much straddling her thighs in the pool. Kelsey’s legs wrapped around Theresa’s waist anchored Theresa so she was able to let go of the edge and use her hands for other, more delicious activities. Like digging her fingers into Kelsey’s hair. Like cupping Kelsey’s ass and pulling her more tightly against her own stomach. Like running the back of her finger over Kelsey’s nipple through the fabric of her suit, causing it to poke forward as if looking for more contact.

  The kiss never broke. Theresa’s tongue was deep in Kelsey’s mouth when both of her hands closed over Kelsey’s breasts, kneaded them, scratched her thumbnails across the nipples. Kelsey finally had to wrench her mouth away so her moan would have somewhere to go.

  “God, Theresa,” she whispered as their gazes met. Kelsey had one hand around Theresa’s shoulder for balance. She laid the other palm against Theresa’s cheek, ran her thumb across Theresa’s swollen bottom lip. “You’re so beautiful,” she said quietly.

  Theresa grabbed Kelsey’s hand and kissed the tip of that thumb. “Thank you. You should maybe check out a mirror once in a while because you are stunning. And this suit?” Kelsey followed Theresa’s gaze down and realized the the underwater lights in the pool were at a much better angle in this spot; Theresa could see Kelsey’s body very clearly and she seemed to appreciate the view. “Yeah, you’re killing me with this suit.” When she looked back up at Kelsey’s face, her eyes had gone even darker and more hooded than they’d been ten seconds ago. “And I want it off,” she said, her tone low and sexy, before crushing her mouth to Kelsey’s.

  Kelsey heard a small whimper, was puzzled for a split second before realizing it had come from her own throat. She’d never been this aroused, this utterly and undeniably turned on. She didn’t understand what it was about Theresa Keene, but my God. Kelsey was beginning to understand how intense it all was, that the woman could look at her from across the room and soak Kelsey’s underwear with only her eyes. How was that even possible? When did I become so easy? That train of thought faded away as she felt Theresa’s hand behind her neck, tugging at the tie on her top. And just like that, she was naked from the waist up. Theresa’s hands on her had felt like sensual magic through her bathing suit top, but now? The pleasure of her touch increased tenfold for Kelsey as all barriers between Theresa’s fingers and her breasts were gone. Theresa was gentle...and then not. She kept kissing Kelsey even as her hands explored Kelsey’s breasts, stroked them, cupped them, rolled the nipples between her thumbs and forefingers until Kelsey thought she might lose her mind from being too aroused.

  Was that even a thing?

  Time seemed to fade away then. Kelsey couldn’t explain it, she only knew that everything dimmed except for Theresa’s hands, Theresa’s mouth, Theresa. Kelsey did her best to give as good as she got, and she ran her hands along the bare skin of Theresa’s back. When her fingers came to the clasp of the strap that ran from one side of her suit to the other, Kelsey didn’t even think about it. She slid her other hand up Theresa’s back to behind her neck, flicked both clasps open, and Theresa’s bathing suit fell away from her body like it had simply let go, held to her now only by her thighs. The surprised gasp she let out was so sexy, so hot, and it made Kelsey smile against Theresa’s lips before closing her hands over both newly bared breasts.

  God, she felt good. Her breasts were small, but that only meant they fit more perfectly into Kelsey’s hands. Theresa’s nipples pushed into Kelsey’s palms, making themselves known and demanding attention, which Kelsey gave with her fingers. She wanted her mouth on them in a big way, but the water made that difficult. She was debating whether she could lift Theresa high enough to taste her nipples without drowning when all coherent thought was chased from her mind by fingers slowly and gently stroking between her legs, over the fabric of her bathing suit bottoms. Kelsey sucked air in through her teeth, dropped her head back...which Theresa took as an invitation to run her tongue along Kelsey’s throat.

  “Oh, my God,” Kelsey whispered as Theresa kept a slow and steady rhythm.

  “Nope, just me,” Theresa whispered back. Kelsey lifted her head so she was face-to-face with Theresa, their eyes locked, Theresa watching her expression closely as she continued to play Kelsey’s body like a beautiful, much-loved instrument. “You feel so good.”

  Maintaining eye contact during sex was not something Kelsey had ever been any good at, but so many things were different with Theresa, and that was one of them. Their eyes stayed locked. Even as Theresa grabbed Kelsey’s bottoms with one hand and slid them down her legs and off, their gazes held. And when Theresa helped Kelsey adjust her position, wrapped her legs tightly around Theresa’s waist, their gazes held...and stayed that way until Theresa’s fingers finally, finally touched Kelsey’s heated and swollen center. Then their eyes closed as they rested their foreheads together, Theresa moving slowly through wetness that had nothing at all to do with the pool.

  Kelsey felt like her entire body might simply combust, just burst into flame, pool water or no pool water. When she opened her eyes, Theresa was looking at her, into her, and Kelsey could feel waves of heat coursing through her body, guided by Theresa’s fingers. Part of her wanted to shriek at Theresa to hurry, to put her out of her misery, to tip her over the edge. Now. Please. But another more powerful part thrilled at the slow and steady strokes, at how intently Theresa was focusing on taking her time, judging by the way her brow had furrowed slightly in concentration. When Theresa finally broke eye contact, it was because, once again, her gaze fell to Kelsey’s lips, and Kelsey nearly cried out loud with joy when Theresa kissed her again, as if she’d been missing that mouth so badly (and she had).

  How is it possible to feel this good?

  It was the only thought in Kelsey’s head, repeating again and again, more intensely as her own arousal ratcheted higher. She had one hand at the small of Theresa’s back, holding on for dear life. Fingers of the other hand were dug deeply into the soft blondness of Theresa’s hair, her palm against the back of Theresa’s head, keeping their mouths melded. Theresa picked up the pace and her nipples brushed against Kelsey’s below the surface of the water, causing Kelsey to make a sound deep in her throat. She was so close now, so close, and her hips moved on their own, following Theresa’s rhythm, moving slightly left or right to help her find the exact right spot. And when Theresa pushed her tongue into Kelsey’s mouth and her fingers into Kelsey’s center at exactly the sam
e time, that was it.

  Kelsey tore her mouth from Theresa’s and let out a small cry as every muscle in her body tightened into near-spasm. Theresa didn’t stop; she kept up the rhythm and Kelsey could feel eyes on her face, knew Theresa was watching her intently, and she didn’t care. Her body didn’t care. The only thing on this planet right now was Kelsey’s orgasm and the gorgeous woman causing it. She rode it out as colors exploded behind her eyes and her fingers gripped a handful of Theresa’s hair. It seemed to go on forever, though Kelsey knew that wasn’t reality. But her chest heaved and her body quivered and she never wanted to let go of Theresa. Ever.

  And that was a very, very new feeling for her.

  When the contractions inside her body finally began to wane, she gently reached down, closed her hand over Theresa’s and whispered, “Okay. Stop. Stop. Stop.” Theresa obeyed, but stayed inside, and Kelsey’s breathing gradually returned to normal. When she finally opened her eyes and focused on the gorgeous face in front of her, Kelsey felt a lump in her throat. Swallowing it back down, she mentally admonished herself for getting sappy over a woman she barely knew. A woman she’d slept with on the first date. She should be annoyed with herself. She should be ashamed and she knew it. But one look at the tender smile on Theresa’s face as they stayed in the same position, Kelsey’s legs wrapped around Theresa’s waist, Theresa’s fingers still tucked snugly inside Kelsey, and the self-deprecation evaporated like a drop of rain on a hot sidewalk. Kelsey was able to simply bask in the glow of those beautiful blue eyes.

  “That was...” Kelsey’s voice trailed off and she shook her head.

  “Horrible? A nightmare? The worst experience of your life?” Theresa’s voice was low, coy.

  “None of the above. It was...amazing. Mind-blowing. Possibly limb-melting since I can’t seem to feel my legs right now.”

  “Oh, I feel them. They’re there, don’t you worry. In fact, I very much like them there.”

  Kelsey tightened her thighs, giving Theresa’s waist a gentle squeeze. “There?”