by Amber Jacobs
“Yep. I was over there a few years ago, and I fell in love with them. I almost strained my wrist filling out all the licensing paperwork to get a permit, and she wasn’t the cheapest pet I could have got, but it was worth it.”
Leandra watched the sleepy reptile. “I thought you’d have more animals. I mean, you spend all your life around them.”
“Yeah, I do,” Ashley agreed. “And I’d love to get a dog or something, but my life’s not exactly suited to having a lot of pets. Melanie doesn’t need that much care, so she doesn’t mind my not being around much. My niece, Casey, absolutely adores her, so she takes care of feeding and cleaning duties when I’m overseas.”
“I see.”
Ashley held out her hand. “Come on, I’ll show you the rest. My bedroom’s upstairs.”
Leandra grinned at the mischievous twinkle in her lover’s eyes and accepted the offered hand happily. “Lead on.”
Ashley led her through the dining room and kitchen, pointing to a closed door as they passed it. “That’s Casey’s room,” she explained. “She spends a lot of time here, so I gave her some space of her own.”
A short hallway led to a study, filled wall to wall with overflowing bookcases, and beyond that was a spacious bathroom. Leandra smiled at the thought of taking a shower using water that wasn’t icy cold. She decided that was one of the first things she was going to do, as soon as she’d seen the rest of the house.
Upstairs, she was shown a second, rather empty bedroom, as well as a sunroom that led out to a wraparound balcony. Finally, Ashley pushed open the last door and pulled Leandra into what was obviously her own bedroom. It contained a large, neatly made bed, a dresser, wardrobe, and all the other usual bedroom furnishings. A doorway to the side led into an adjacent bathroom, and another led outside to the balcony. Leandra lifted her head and sniffed as her sharpened senses detected the scent of her lover in the air.
Ashley spread her arms out to encompass the room. “I hope you like it. If you need some space of your own for a while, you’re welcome to use the other bedroom, but…” she gave a shy smile. “There’s plenty of space in here.”
Leandra hesitated, a little overwhelmed by the changes in her life this past day and night had brought about. Accustomed to living among creatures that placed great importance on possession of their own territory, she had a lot of respect for personal boundaries. “I don’t want to crowd you, Ashley. It’s enough for you to offer me a place to stay in your home.”
“I don’t mind,” Ashley quickly reassured her. “It’s a big bed after all, and it would be such a waste for me to have to sleep alone on it now that you’re here to keep me company.”
Leandra saw only sincerity in the younger woman’s face. “Okay, then.” she agreed. “If you don’t mind.”
“I practically insist.” Ashley wrapped her arms around Leandra’s waist and pulled her close. “I didn’t drag you halfway around the world just to have you sleep in another room. I want you as close to me as I can get you.”
Leandra bent down and kissed her. This kind of affection was still new for her, but she was quickly accepting the way her body craved contact with Ashley. “Can I talk you into sharing a shower with me?” she purred. “I could use a change of clothes.”
“Mmm, I don’t know.” Ashley grinned, and her eyes narrowed to seductive slits. “Are you going to make it worth my while?”
Leandra almost growled. “I think we could come to an arrangement.”
“Okay.” Ashley stepped back and released her hold on Leandra. “Just give me a minute. I should call my sister and tell her I’m back. Why don’t you look around a little and make yourself comfortable? You know, rummage through the wardrobe, open a few drawers, stuff like that. Maybe you can find something of mine to wear.” She ran her eyes appreciatively over Leandra’s long, muscular form. “I think we’re going to have to take you shopping, though. Can’t have you running around naked for too long.”
Leandra cocked an eyebrow saucily. “You can have me any way you want me,” she husked throatily. “Anytime.”
Ashley threw her a smoky, lustful grin. “That sounds like the kind of offer I can live with.” For a moment she leaned nearer, not quite pressing the warmth of her skin against Leandra’s body. Before their lips could meet, however, she teasingly withdrew. “Later. Let’s get settled in first.”
Leandra watched her lover exit the room and enjoyed the extra little swagger Ashley threw in for her benefit, then she took a deep breath and looked around. Deciding to do exactly as Ashley had suggested, she opened the wardrobe. Inside, the clothes were organized into neat sections, and Leandra began to search for something that might fit her larger frame. She found a sleep shirt and a pair of sweatpants that would have positively swamped her smaller lover, and threw them on the bed. As she closed the wardrobe door, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror on the dresser. She paused and studied the face looking back at her.
It had been four years since she had seen her reflection so clearly; the rippling surface of water ponds in the jungle couldn’t match the clarity of the glass mirror. Those four years had taken their toll, she thought, running her fingertips over her face. Her skin was pale from being covered by mud and paint, and there were a few more lines creasing the corners of her eyes and mouth. Her hair, once her proudest feature besides her electric-blue eyes, now framed her face in a mass of tangled snarls. Although she’d always kept herself in shape, life as a jungle predator had equipped Leandra with a body built for endurance, speed, and sheer power. Whipcord muscles rippled along her arms, thighs, and stomach. Leandra stood straighter in front of the mirror and flexed the enhanced muscles.
“Not too bad,” she whispered, eyeing herself critically. “Not too bad at all.”
Leandra had lost any sense of self-image during her exile—it hadn’t mattered how she looked, since no one who saw her during that time lived long enough to offer any compliments—but it was nice to know that she was still attractive. It mattered more to her now that she had Ashley in her life.
Turning away from the mirror, Leandra padded around the room, her footsteps as silent as they’d ever been. She studied the few ornaments that rested on the bedside table and the dresser, seeing photographs of people she guessed were Ashley’s family members. Stepping around the bed, she ran her hands along the quilt, luxuriating in the soft, feathery sensation after having slept on the ground for so long. Wandering around the room, she took a tour outside onto the balcony and looked around at the view of tranquil forests and placid gardens.
Should be fun to explore, she thought, looking forward to learning more about her new environment. Although Ashley’s home was very nice, and she had no doubts that she would be comfortable here, Leandra knew it would take a long time before she could fully break free of the desire to return to the protective embrace of the forest shadows. Four years alone in the jungle can’t help but leave a mark, she idly observed. It’ll be in my blood forever. I just hope Ashley can understand that.
Returning to the bedroom, Leandra sat on the bed, thinking. After a moment or two, her eyes wandered to the bedside table, and she gave in to the temptation to snoop a little. Pulling open the drawer and peeking inside, she studied the contents curiously. A wrinkled, obviously much-loved romance novel, a small box of mints, an appointment diary, and finally…
Leandra’s eyes widened slightly, and her lips formed a wicked grin. “Well, well, well, what have we here?” She reached in and pulled out the smooth, cylindrical plastic device that lay at the very back of the drawer. “I guess Little Miss Innocent’s not so pure after all.” Her sensitive ears picked up the sound of footsteps approaching, and she raised one dark brow devilishly as she held up her find.
Ashley entered, talking. “Well, I hope you don’t mind, but my sister wants to come over for a visit. She hasn’t seen me in a few months, so I said she could drop b—Eeek!”
Ashley’s eyes grew wide as saucers, and her face colored with an instant blush when she saw what Leandra was holding.
Leandra grinned and waved the vibrator at her lover. “You should have told me I was going to have some competition.”
“Where did you…” Ashley sprang forward and grabbed for the plastic device. “Give me that!”
“Why?” Leandra used her longer arms to good advantage, keeping her find out of Ashley’s reach. “Are you going to give me a private demonstration? I think I’d like that.”
“Leandra.” Ashley tried to wrestle Leandra’s arm down, but couldn’t manage it. “Give it here.”
“Oh, come on. Didn’t your mother ever teach you to share your toys?” Leandra pouted and began retreating toward the bathroom with Ashley stalking her every pace, emerald eyes narrowed to menacing slits.
“Leandra…” Ashley stepped closer.
“I guess a girl needs something to keep her happy on those lonely nights, right?”
“Hey, I’ve gone without a boyfriend for a long time now,” Ashley defended. “I have normal appetites that need to be satisfied, just like everyone else.”
Leandra purred. “I know.” She backed up a few steps, feeling the cooler air of the tiled bathroom behind her. “You want to take that shower now?” Long, tapered fingers caressed the length of the plastic shaft seductively.
Ashley paused, her face glowing with a crimson blush, as she considered Leandra’s proposal. “Give it back first.”
“Why?” Leandra teased, sensing the younger woman’s rising desire. “I was thinking maybe we could play a little.”
Mahogany eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“Well…” Leandra considered, studying the vibrator thoughtfully. “It’s just a suggestion, but I wouldn’t mind letting you…watch me.”
Ashley’s lips were parted, her breathing accelerated. “I don’t know…”
“It’ll be fun,” Leandra promised in a husky whisper. “We can make it an ‘active audience participation’ kind of thing, if you’d like.” She began unbuttoning her shirt with her left hand, enjoying the look of naked lust that immediately bloomed in Ashley’s eyes. “You know, I haven’t had a hot shower in four years.” Leandra slipped the khaki shirt from her shoulders, exposing her naked chest. “It’d be a terrible shame if I had to do this all by myself.” Ashley’s eyes darkened to a smoky hue, as Leandra turned around and entered the small bathroom.
Behind her there was a moment of silence, then a quiet, “Well, we don’t want that.” Leandra struggled not to laugh at the sound of clothes being shed with frantic haste; clearly Ashley didn’t want the show to start without her.
Sometime later, a flushed, tousled, but extremely satisfied Ashley emerged from upstairs, still toweling her hair dry. After the shower, which had involved a comprehensive and thoroughly enjoyable demonstration of her “plastic friend,” Ashley had spent nearly fifteen minutes using a comb and plenty of conditioner to work out the worst of Leandra’s hair tangles. She had left her lover to get dressed while she went in search of something to eat.
Wandering into the kitchen, Ashley began to rummage through poorly stocked cupboards, hoping to find a packet of cookies or something that hadn’t expired during her overseas trip.
“Hey, sis, what’s up?”
Startled, Ashley whirled around, almost slamming the cupboard door on her fingers. Cursing, she glared at the intruder.
“Jesus Christ, Evie! Can’t you knock on the door or something, next time?”
Evelyn gave her an unrepentant grin and swept her into a warm hug. “It’s not often I get to take you by surprise, Ash. And for your information, I did knock. You didn’t answer, so I figured you were in the shower or something and let myself in. It’s great to have you back.” Ending the hug, Evelyn held Ashley by the shoulders and ran her eyes shrewdly down her body. Ashley knew she was looking for signs of injury; it wasn’t uncommon for her to return from these trips covered in insect bites, nasty scratches, and sometimes worse. “Well, you don’t look too bad for someone who spent the last few weeks roughing it. How was India? Did you bring anything back with you? You know Casey’s going to kill you if you didn’t get her that singing bowl she was asking about.”
Ashley glanced at the stairs. “Well, I didn’t get to go shopping as much as I wanted to. Things got a little hectic toward the end. But yeah, I did get to bring one really interesting surprise back with me.”
“Really? What?”
At that point Leandra’s husky voice called from upstairs. “Hey, Ashley? If you can’t find anything in the kitchen, I’ve got something up here you could nibble on.”
Evelyn looked from the stairway to Ashley—who was struggling to keep a rising blush at bay—then back again. “Who’s that?”
Ashley shrugged sheepishly. “That’s my surprise.”
Evelyn raised an eyebrow, but before she could ask for more elaboration, Leandra appeared at the bottom of the stairway. The clothes she’d borrowed from Ashley fit her a little snugly, and her hair and body were still dripping with water, making the clothes cling to every impressive curve of her six-foot-something frame. When Ashley saw her lover, she rolled her eyes at the water pooling around her feet. I guess she’s forgotten about towels and stuff, too.
Leandra stopped uncertainly when she saw Evelyn. “Oh. I didn’t hear the door…” She gave Ashley an apologetic look and stepped closer to her.
“Evie, I’d like you to meet Leandra.” Ashley quickly made introductions. “Leandra, this is my sister, Evelyn.”
Leandra smiled shyly. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Evelyn studied the tall, dripping woman curiously a moment, then turned her questioning eyes back to Ashley.
“Leandra’s going to be staying with me,” Ashley explained, reaching out a hand to pull her lover closer.
“I see.”
Leandra squeezed Ashley’s hand lightly, but her eyes darted hopefully to the door. “I was actually thinking I might take a look around outside, if that’s okay. I’m sure you two have a lot of catching up to do.”
“Sure.” Ashley understood that Leandra was giving her some space and also that she needed some herself. “Just don’t go climbing too many trees or rolling around in any mud patches. I just got you clean, and I’d like to keep you that way for a while.”
Leandra made a face. “I know.” She glanced at Evelyn, then leaned down to give Ashley a quick kiss, taking the opportunity to whisper, “I love you,” into her ear. She then turned and offered a nod to the watching Evelyn. “Ashley’s told me a lot about you. It’s nice to finally meet you in person.”
“Well, I look forward to getting to know you better, Leandra.”
Leandra smiled, then headed for the door with silent footsteps.
“Leandra?” Ashley called just as she reached for the handle.
“Mmm?”
“If you see anyone out there, try not to growl at them,” Ashley said with a touch of humor. “Remember, we have to live with these people, okay?”
Sapphire eyes glinted playfully. “Don’t worry, I’ll be good.” Leandra gave her lover a quick wink before disappearing outside.
Ashley watched the door close, then turned back to face her sister. Evelyn raised an eyebrow at her, and she shuffled somewhat awkwardly. “Um… That was Leandra.”
“So I see.” Evelyn was obviously trying to hide a shit-eating grin.
Ashley had been subconsciously preparing for this conversation, knowing it was coming, but Evelyn’s surprise visit had caught her off guard. “You know, I could use some coffee. You want a cup? I think I have some in here.” She began to rummage through the cupboards again.
“Sounds good.” Evelyn claimed one of the barstools and rested her arms on the breakfast counter, continuing to watch her with an amused smile. It was rare for Ashley to g
et flustered, and her sister was clearly enjoying it. “So, let me see if I understand this.” She cleared her throat. “You went to India on a shoot, and you brought home a woman? What’s the matter, couldn’t find anything good in the souvenir shops?”
“It’s a long story.”
“Oh, I’ll bet. I can’t wait to hear it.”
Ashley set the kettle on to boil and occupied herself with preparing two cups. She glanced at Evelyn a few times, trying to gauge her reaction. Thankfully, she found no trace of persecution or distaste being aimed toward her. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I don’t really know where to start.”
“You two are involved, right?”
Ashley nodded.
“I see.” Evelyn was silent for a moment, studying her with a neutral expression. “You never told me you were interested in women.”
Ashley shrugged awkwardly. “Well, you know me. I’m not really comfortable talking about that sort of stuff. And I guess you could say Leandra’s kind of a first for me, in more ways than one.”
“Ah. Well, she seems nice. A little quiet, maybe.”
“When you get to know her better, you’ll understand why that is.”
Evelyn cocked her head. “What was that bit about her growling at the neighbors?”
“Believe me, it was a valid warning.” The kettle boiled, and Ashley added steaming water to the cups along with instant coffee and sugar. She handed one cup to her sister and left the other on the counter. “Wait here a minute, I’ll get something that might help explain better.”
She raced upstairs and returned a moment later carrying a small paper folder. Reaching in, she drew out a couple of Polaroid’s and handed them to her sister.
Evelyn took the pictures and studied them curiously. “What’s this?”
“That’s Leandra, before I got her back here,” Ashley explained. Evelyn’s eyes narrowed in confusion. Each photograph showed Leandra dressed in her striped tiger-fur outfit, her body painted up like a Halloween costume. The jungle filled in the background, vines and palms obscuring the scene. Even in the still picture, Leandra managed to convey at least a sense of the savage, primal energy that so characterized her in the jungle. “Why is she dressed like that?”