by Bryce Oakley
“Sure,” Isla said with a small laugh.
Isla’s lips parted eagerly, and Freya swept her tongue inside of Isla’s mouth. The intimacy of the kiss was startling — was it just because they were such good friends? It felt like she had known Isla forever, had been kissing her forever.
She pushed Isla’s shirt up and over her head, leaning back a moment to stare at the woman in front of her. “You are so fucking gorgeous.”
“Wow, a true compliment from an artist,” Isla said with a grin, leaning back onto the pillows.
Freya propped herself up on her arm beside her, unable to keep her hands to herself. She reached for Isla’s breast tentatively. “Can I… can I touch you?”
Isla nodded. “You’d better.”
The simple demand kicked Freya’s heartbeat up a notch. Isla’s skin was soft and warm under her touch, and exquisitely smooth. Her breast fit in the palm of Freya’s hand as her thumb twirled around the nipple.
Freya leaned in, kissing Isla’s neck, her jaw, nipping at her earlobe. Isla’s breathing grew ragged.
“More,” she said.
Freya’s hand slid down Isla’s stomach, dipping under the waistband of her shorts. She touched Isla, stroking the warm wetness she found inside of her underwear.
“Like this?”
“Yes,” Isla breathed, pressing herself into Freya’s hand, her hips growing insistent and needy.
“God, you’re so wet,” Freya said in whispered worship, kissing and nibbling along Isla’s neck and collarbones.
Isla wove her hands into Freya’s hair. “Well, you’re good at this,” she said, her hips bucking suddenly, as if they had a mind of their own.
Freya grinned, waiting for Isla to be close to climax before sliding her hand out of her pajama shorts.
Isla groaned in frustration.
“I’m not letting you come for the first time in my hand,” Freya said, leaning to kiss down Isla’s sternum.
Isla gave her a skeptical and impatient look as Freya eased her pajama shorts and underwear over her hips in one swift movement.
And then, perhaps just in the spirit of making Isla more impatient, Freya paused, moving her hands to Isla’s breasts. She tried to hide the mischievous grin she felt tugging at the corners of her mouth, then took Isla’s nipple between her lips.
Isla moaned, her hips moving, begging for friction.
Freya moved a knee between Isla’s legs, pressing her thigh against Isla’s core.
Isla gripped Freya’s hips and held her still, rocking against her leg.
“Are you always this demanding?” Freya playfully scolded.
Isla whimpered, looking down at Freya.
“Okay, okay,” she said, kissing down Isla’s stomach.
“Wait,” Isla said, reaching for her.
Freya paused, confused. “What?”
“Take off your clothes. I’m not going to be the only naked one here,” Isla said.
“So bossy.” Freya teased, and yet, she loved it. She moved back on her knees as she pulled her shirt over her head. It would have been so much easier if she had just left on the robe instead of pretending this wasn’t what she was hoping would happen.
The hunger and intensity on Isla’s face as Freya’s body was revealed to her inch by inch made Freya’s entire center hot with arousal. When was the last time someone had looked at her as though she was the most stunning piece of art they’d ever seen?
Growing self-conscious, Freya continued her slow descent of Isla’s body, skin on skin, reveling in the feel of their bodies pressed together without anything between them.
Freya pushed Isla’s legs apart and Isla shifted against the pillows to have a better view.
She looked up at Isla as her mouth found Isla’s clit, then purposefully avoided it as she traced slow and gentle patterns anywhere but the very spot that would send Isla over the edge.
She took her time, watching Isla’s eyes flutter closed, her head tip back, her back arch, her hips rise to meet her mouth.
She slipped two fingers inside of Isla, drawing a breathy moan and words of encouragement, feeling powerful and glorious for making Isla moan in pleasure.
Finally, when it seemed as though Isla was nearing her peak, Freya flicked her tongue exactly where Isla needed it most. Isla tensed and cried out, fisting the sheets on her hands as she nearly lifted off of the bed. Freya held fast to her hips as the orgasm racked Isla’s body, her cries growing more frantic until she reached to hold Freya’s wrist. “Too sensitive,” she said, pulling away with a laugh.
Freya gave her one last gentle swipe of her tongue before pulling away to settle beside her.
“Holy wow,” Isla said, her forearm thrown over her face. "I feel like I'm seeing stars."
Freya could only see Isla’s large smile and the way her chest rose and fell with her fast movements, but the praise made her grin. "I think that's a good thing?"
She reached again to cup Isla’s breast, but Isla caught her wrist.
“Oh no, you don’t,” Isla said.
Freya looked at her in confusion.
“It’s payback time. You’re going to get a taste of your own medicine,” Isla said, rising up to take Freya’s mouth in a hard kiss.
Freya grinned against Isla’s mouth. “Oh yeah? Do your worst.”
Chapter Five
Isla
Isla awoke early, her limbs tangled in Freya's. They'd fallen asleep somewhere after Freya's third orgasm, which would have made... four? Four for Isla.
It had been a truly mind-blowing night full of laughter and cries of pleasure and whimpers of impatience and demands...
What was that?
She stopped short of reaching out to brush Freya's dark hair out of her face. Get it together.
She was deliciously sore as she untangled herself, climbing out of the bed.
She showered outside to avoid waking Freya, the cool water reinvigorating her. She threw on a sundress and a hat before very quietly tip-toeing out the villa's front door. She wasn't sneaking. She just didn't want to wake Freya, of course. That was all. Definitely not avoiding her.
She just needed a little time to herself. Time to get over her starry-eyed feelings of last night's magic. It meant nothing to Freya, so why was she feeling as though all of her emotions were swirling inside? Even as she had woken up, she had smiled, seeing Freya beside her.
She had to get it together. If Freya knew she was acting like a girl with a crush, it'd ruin their friendship. No amount of communication could resolve, “Having sex with you made me feel feelings.” Nope. This was the worst case scenario for a purely platonic, just friends having fun situation.
And she'd just... never felt this way after a one-night stand before.
She jumped on her bike and rode to the cafe at the main building, intent on eating some type of chocolate. She had eyed-up the crepes the day before, but she'd already ordered a parfait and hadn't wanted to bother the server for another entree.
Sabrina and Domino were sitting at a covered table in the sand, giggling over orange juice. Domino spotted Isla as she walked up and waved her over.
"Where's Freya?" Sabrina asked, turning after she noticed Isla.
"What? Why?" Isla asked quickly.
Oh god, they already knew. They definitely knew.
Sabrina frowned in confusion. "Because you’re rooming with her and breakfast is an all-hands-on-deck affair?"
Affair?! She definitely knew.
Domino raised a brow, but simply lifted the glass to her mouth in a slow sip.
"Want to sit with us? Grab a seat," Sabrina said, pointing to a chair from another table.
"Or we could move to that four-person table," Domino said, pointing to a table behind them.
"Oh, is Freya coming? Sorry, I am so stinking out of it today. We stayed up way too late last night," Sabrina said, rubbing her eyes.
"Freya's not coming," Isla said quickly. Why were they so obsessed with Freya? "Why did you stay up so l
ate?"
Sabrina grinned, but didn't answer. She simply shrugged.
"Love is in the air," Domino said, playfully patting Isla's shoulder.
"What do you mean? Why do you say that?" Isla asked. She just knew they knew and were messing with her. She just knew it.
Sabrina pulled her sunglasses down on her nose as if to get a better look at her. "You okay, bud?"
"I'm fine, and you look like a judgy grandma right now," Isla said.
Sabrina reached out to jokingly smack Isla’s arm. “You haven’t even begun to see what Grandma Sabrina can do here.”
The server appeared, and Isla ordered two shots of espresso and a coffee.
"Are you sure you need that? You already seem a little jumpy, and I know how you can get when you're over-caffeinated," Sabrina said, eyeing up Isla. She glanced at Domino, adding, "And it is not pretty."
"Someone else must have had a late night," Domino grinned.
Isla fidgeted with her dress in her lap. "Fine, yes, we—"
"Good morning, party people," Freya said from behind her.
Domino's eyes widened and she smiled in delight. Isla was almost surprised Dom didn't rub her hands together like a cartoon villain.
"There you are," Sabrina said, smiling. "We were just asking about you. Let's move to that table."
Freya laughed. "My ears were burning." She was dressed casually in shorts and a tank top, but somehow managed to look completely put together, whereas Isla's hair was still sopping wet and her dress was wrinkled.
As they switched tables, Freya sat across the table from Isla. Isla couldn't even look at her. Why was she so nervous? Why had she ordered so much espresso?
She slammed the first shot as if it had been something stronger. It was hot and bitter, making her cough slightly.
Three pairs of eyes stared at her in shock.
"Hey, I think I left my phone back in the villa. Do you want to grab it with me?" Sabrina asked, slowly reaching out to move the second espresso away from her.
"Sure," she said,
Freya blinked, her brow furrowing even behind her oversized sunglasses.
"We'll be right back. Sorry, I know it's silly, but you know how I get," Sabrina said, laughing and rolling her eyes.
Isla resisted the urge to hug her. Sabrina was winning the friend of the year award for the millionth time in a row.
They walked away from the table and Sabrina linked her arm in Isla's.
"Okay, spill it," Sabrina said as soon as they were out of ear shot.
"I have no idea what you mean," Isla said as calmly as possible.
"You and Freya?" Sabrina said, sounding incredulous.
"What? No," Isla said. She cleared her throat. The espresso still burned a bit.
Sabrina gave her a skeptical look.
"It's purely platonic." Isla cleared her throat again.
"Yeah, it definitely seems fine and platonic and not awkward at all. Definitely doesn't seem to be bothering you, babe," Sabrina said, nodding.
"It's clearly just been too long since I've gotten laid," Isla said, turning onto the path to Sabrina and Domino's villa. It was gigantic. They needed all 17 rooms in there? She couldn't have just stayed in another wing of their palace and avoided whatever she had gotten herself into?
"Uh oh," Sabrina said, opening the front door. She walked over to the minibar in the lounge and handed Isla a bottle of mineral water. "Or do you need something stronger?"
Isla laughed. "No, this is perfect. I just... I have this really weird feeling in my waters."
"Sorry, in your what?"
"In my waters. You know," Isla said, gesturing to her stomach. "Like your instincts."
"Your instincts live in your gut?"
"Of course." Isla grinned. "Don't everyone's?"
"Kind of sounds like maybe your gut isn't what's weird, and it's that brain of yours that's overdoing it," Sabrina said, pulling out a bottle of juice from the small fridge.
Isla groaned, sitting at an absolutely massive dining table.
"I wasn't made for this. I don't do this," Isla said.
"Don't do what?" Sabrina leaned against the table in front of her.
"Like the whole... you know, the... Like all of the..." Isla gestured wildly with her hands.
"I believe the word you're looking for is feelings," Sabrina said.
"No," Isla said, shaking her head. "Nope."
"I don't think it's something you can just Nope out of," Sabrina said.
"I can and I will," Isla said.
Sabrina giggled. "Come on. What's the worst that could happen?"
"Humiliation. Heartbreak. Public humiliation. Public heartbreak."
"Gosh, you know what could really help this situation?" Sabrina asked.
"Sleeping with someone else as soon as possible?" Isla grinned.
"First of all, we're literally on a remote island where you and Freya are the only single people here, and second of all, what the heck?" Sabrina's eyes widened as she shook her head in mock-disapproval.
"Don't forget Phoebe," Isla said.
"True, but I have a feeling she'd be a little, uh, dominating," Sabrina said, shrugging.
Isla grinned. "I don't hate that idea. Maybe I should go find her."
Sabrina rolled her eyes, but laughed anyway.
Isla sipped at her mineral water as a comfortable and familiar silence stretched between them.
"Also, not to the change the subject, but I have some news," Sabrina said with an excited smile.
"Oh my god, show me," Isla said, reaching for Sabrina's hand to see the ring.
"What?" Sabrina said, holding her hand back out of reach.
"You guys didn't get engaged?" Isla asked, a pit growing in her stomach.
"...No," Sabrina said slowly, looking skeptically down at Isla. "What makes you think that?"
Isla blinked. Shit. She had to get out of this one quickly and without offending Sabrina or tipping off Domino that she had told her. "Uh..." She said with extreme eloquence.
"Netflix wants me to have my own show," Sabrina said with a giggle. "They just approached me about it last week, but I'm really excited."
Thank goodness Sabrina had distracted herself out of the engagement kerfuffle.
"That's so awesome," Isla said, jumping up to hug her friend. "I'm so proud of you."
They hugged for a moment, then agreed they'd better go save Freya from Domino, since certainly the latter would be having quite a bit of fun with the knowledge that Isla and Freya had slept together.
As they walked back into the cafe area, they found Domino seated at the table without Freya.
"Where'd Freya go?" Sabrina asked.
Domino shrugged, running a hand through her short hair. "She said she wasn't hungry."
"What'd you do?" Isla asked, her voice lowering into a near growl.
"I didn't do anything," Domino said defensively. "I swear."
Sabrina crossed her arms. "Tell us everything you said."
Chapter Six
Freya
She had woken up alone and confused after reaching out across the bed to scoop Isla back into her arms and finding nothing there.
Not a good sign.
Great, she had seriously freaked out Isla.
Was it because she said the sex the night before was some of the best of her life? Had that made Isla run?
She had dressed and walked to the cafe to find food, but found Domino, Sabrina, and Isla instead. And then Isla wouldn't even look at her.
Had Sabrina noticed how awkward things had gotten, and that's why she had saved her friend?
After Sabrina and Isla had left, Domino turned in her chair.
"So, what are your intentions with Isla?" She said formally, but Freya could tell there was a bit of a smirk.
Freya rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't you dare start with me, young lady," she said with a grin. "Remember when you messed up Pia and Zoey's chances at happiness and then we had to play fairy godmother to fix it?
Don't you dare meddle."
"I wasn't," Domino said with a shrug. "I've learned my lesson. Nevermind the fact that it seems like me meddling in the relationships of Billie, Zoey, and Meg all eventually worked out."
"Despite you, not because of you," Freya teased.
"Touche," Domino said. "I deserve that."
"I'm not exactly sure what to do now," Freya said candidly. She knew that Pia had been in the exact same situation — a friends with benefits situation that Freya had desperately warned her about in the beginning. But somehow, saying it to Domino felt safer. Like she could say it aloud and not have it wrapped up in years of history, of knowing her track record of sleeping with strangers and then never calling them again, or of dating when she was younger and crashing miserably headfirst into heartbreak.
"If I've learned anything from loving Sabrina," Domino began, pausing for a moment. "Just talk to her."
"Well, that's easier said than done," Freya scoffed. She thought of Isla’s assurance of communication the night before. Well, that wasn’t exactly working.
"Alternatively, you could... just talk to her," Domino said again with a grin.
"Some help you are," Freya said, reaching for the other espresso Isla had ordered. She sipped the bitter, warm liquid. "I think maybe I'll just go sketch on the beach."
"Sure, wallowing for a bit helps, but you know what helps more?" Domino said.
"You stop it," Freya said, pointing at her as she downed the rest of the espresso.
The beach was quiet. She felt as though she was the only person in the entire world, perhaps marooned on some deserted island. Apart from the plane in and out, she kind of was.
She held the sketchpad on her lap, a tray of colored pencils beside her. Not her favorite medium, but definitely the easiest to travel with.
She stared out at the water before her, it's iridescent blue and green and white so clear. It almost appeared as if there was no horizon, with the sky simply blending into the sea at the edge of the world.
She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, and began to sketch.
She focused on the coral, the reef, the fish... The vivid colors she had almost never seen in natural life before.