Spring’s Wake

by Aurora Rey

  Will disappeared from time to time, emerging from the kitchen with more ice or a fresh basket of pita chips for the buffet. Having the help was nice, but Nora found herself more struck by how much Will remained by her side. She would have expected it to feel clingy and smothering, but it wasn’t. It felt like they were a team. A couple.

  Will offered a brief toast. Emerson and Darcy said a few words, mostly expressing gratitude. By a little after eight, everyone but the guests of honor had taken their leave. Will helped Emerson and Darcy pack up the gifts they’d not expected to receive. Nora wrapped up some cookies for Darcy’s son Liam, not so much because he needed cookies but because she wanted him to feel remembered. Darcy thanked her and they agreed to get together soon for tea and to talk shop.

  The four of them hovered at the front door as Emerson and Darcy put on their coats. “I’ve never had such a nice party thrown in my honor,” Darcy said.

  Emerson nodded. “Agreed. What can we do to thank you?”

  Nora waved a hand. “Not a thing. It was an absolute pleasure.”

  Darcy pulled her into a hug. “Well, you at least have to promise to come for dinner. Before things get too hectic around here.”

  “Absolutely.”

  Will hugged her sister, then Darcy. “I’m so happy for you both.”

  Emerson lifted a brow at Will. “Same.”

  Will flushed slightly and looked down. Nora took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “You two have a good night. And drive safely home.” When they were alone, Nora turned her attention to Will. “So, what do you think? Success?”

  Will smiled and seemed to get shy. “More than.”

  “Are you sure? You seem quiet all of a sudden.”

  “Absolutely. I’m not quiet, just happy.”

  Nora got the feeling Will was talking about more than a well-executed party. “You make an excellent cohost.”

  Will nodded. “I was happy to help, but let’s be honest. It was all you.”

  “Nonsense. You did at least half the work. On top of that, you worked the room. That’s the most important part, making people feel welcome and comfortable.”

  Will continued to nod slowly, as though turning that over in her mind.

  “What is it?” Maybe she’d misread Will’s response and something was bothering her.

  “The one time Kai and I had a party, we had a huge fight right before, then another one after. She accused me of flirting with people she worked with. I’d sort of forgotten about that until just now.”

  “Ah. Let me guess. You did just what you did tonight—took care of your guests and tried to make sure everyone had a nice time.”

  Will looked at her and her eyes were shiny with tears. She blinked a few times so that none of them fell, but she couldn’t hide the fact of them. “Something like that.”

  Although they’d talked about Will’s former girlfriend before, it was only in that moment that Nora realized how toxic the relationship had been. Or how much Will carried the baggage of it with her. Nora gave into the urge to lift a hand to Will’s cheek. “I’m sorry.”

  Will covered Nora’s hand with her own and shifted it so that she could kiss the tops of Nora’s knuckles. Everything about the night had been perfect. She had no desire to ruin it with talk of her stupid and naïve relationship choices. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Thank you for helping me pull off a better party than I could have imagined.”

  Nora angled her head. “It was a pretty great party.”

  “And now you’re going to go take a bath while I clean up.”

  Nora planted her hands on her hips. “Absolutely not. We threw it together, we clean up together.”

  Will loaded the dishwasher while Nora put away leftover food and put empty wine bottles in the recycling bin. She hand washed trays and platters, handing each to Nora to be dried and put away. It didn’t take long for the kitchen and dining room to be put back together. “So, does this mean we get to go to bed now?”

  Nora smiled. “You didn’t eat much. Do you want some dinner first?”

  “Not even a little.”

  “Good. Me, neither.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Nora went to the bathroom to undress and wash her face. Will used the moment alone to get ready. Once she’d physically gotten herself situated, she tried to center herself mentally and emotionally. Not only was she about to be with Nora in a way that would take their intimacy to a whole new level, she was still riding the high of the party and all it seemed to imply about their relationship. The combination left her feeling a strange mix of invincible and tender.

  The bathroom door opened and Nora emerged wearing the ivory silk robe Will had come to know and love.

  “You are exquisite.” Will slowly removed the robe, kissing and caressing as she went. Nora had a softness to her that felt different from their previous times together. Will couldn’t put a finger on it, but she felt a huge responsibility—not just to please Nora, but to take care of her. Will gently eased her onto the bed.

  Will didn’t think she’d ever seen anything as beautiful as Nora was right then. Her skin glowed in the soft light of the lamp. Her hair spread on the pillow like a crown of gold. Her whole body seemed open, poised in a mixture of anticipation and desire. Knowing that anticipation and desire was for her made Will’s head swim. She wanted Nora with a fire that threatened to engulf her. But even more than that, Will wanted to please her. She wanted to make Nora feel things no one had before. Part challenge, part promise—although it was hard to tell whether she meant that for Nora, or for herself.

  Will took her time, kissing and caressing each inch of Nora’s torso. She worshiped her neck and her arms, her hip bones, her thighs. Nora shifted slightly under her, not quite writhing, but moving against Will in a way that drove her crazy. When Will finally grazed her fingers over the small triangle of blond curls, Nora arched to meet her. Will braced an arm near her head and leaned in.

  “Easy.” Will whispered the command close to Nora’s ear, but she didn’t stop the movement of her hand. Nora relaxed, but began to squirm in earnest. “Are you ready for me? Do you want me inside you?”

  Nora nodded, but without opening her eyes. “Yes.”

  “Look at me.”

  Nora’s lids fluttered open. Her pupils were dilated. “Yes.”

  Will swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. The anticipation, she’d expected. The desire, too. The nerves, however, caught her off guard. Even more than the first time they’d slept together, a knot of uncertainty gripped Will.

  “Please.”

  Will held Nora’s gaze. “Sorry. I’m not trying to torture you.”

  Nora let out a ragged laugh. “Are you sure?”

  Will chuckled. “Promise. It’s just that this feels like a big deal all of a sudden.”

  Nora shook her head, almost imperceptibly. “No. It’s just like before. Mutual enjoyment. Only more enjoyable.”

  Will smiled. She didn’t want to let Nora see how much her words hurt. Will was so far beyond mutual enjoyment. Now wasn’t the time to bare her soul. She needed to give Nora more time. Eventually, she’d have to see that what they had was so much more. In the meantime, Will resolved to do anything and everything in her power to bring them closer. And this was one of them. “I’ll do my best not to disappoint.”

  Nora’s laugh was low and sultry. It helped to ease the tension. “I’m sure you won’t.”

  Will shifted on the bed, kneeling between Nora’s thighs. Nora arched slowly in anticipation. Will positioned the head of the cock, rubbed it gently over Nora’s sex. She could give Nora this. And maybe, just maybe, she could lay the foundation for what she really wanted.

  Slowly, and with more care than she thought herself capable of, Will eased inside her. When Nora gasped, Will froze. “Are you okay?”

  In lieu of words, Nora nodded. She bit her lip in a way that drove Will absolutely mad.

  “If you want me to stop, you have to tell me.”
/>   Nora’s reply was soft, but clear. “I don’t—I won’t—want you to stop.”

  Will slid the rest of the way in. She’d been so focused on Nora—her reactions, her desires, her pleasure—that she’d almost forgotten how incredible it felt to be with a woman like this. The sensations pulsed through her. Pleasure, of course, but also a heady mixture of power and responsibility. She’d often grappled with both those things, so the feeling threatened to overwhelm her.

  No, she was going to enjoy this. And she was going to be sure Nora did, too.

  Will focused her attention on Nora’s face. She’d closed her eyes again and her head rocked gently from side to side. Will set a slow pace, wanting to make sure she wasn’t too much for Nora, but also wanting to savor every second. She rested her hands on Nora’s thighs, sliding her fingers up and down the smooth skin with each thrust. Nora’s body undulated, rising to meet Will and taking in the full length of her each time.

  Nora’s breaths became more punctuated, each ending on a sound somewhere between a moan and a sigh. Her gorgeous mouth, the sight of her hands fisting in the sheets, almost undid Will. She leaned forward, bracing a hand on either side of Nora’s head. Nora opened her eyes and they locked gazes.

  “I needed to kiss you,” Will said.

  One of Nora’s hands came up to Will’s neck. She gently pulled Will’s mouth down to hers. The taste of Nora’s mouth, the press of their bodies, sent ripples through Will. The change of angle created a delicious friction against Will’s clit. Even without a vibrator tucked into the harness, it wouldn’t take much longer for her to come.

  The shift must have had the same effect on Nora. Her sighs were definitely moans now. And she was muttering Will’s name, interspersed with ohs and yeses. The sounds were so fucking sexy, Will couldn’t take it.

  Will increased the pace. She wanted—needed—to hear Nora come undone, to scream her name. Over and over, she pushed into Nora, filled her. Will swore she could feel Nora clench around her, pull her in deeper and tighter. She felt Nora begin to tremble beneath her. Nora’s words became a chorus of yes. It grew louder and louder until Nora called Will’s name. As she did, her body went stiff.

  It was the sound that did Will in. She thrust into Nora a couple more times, then gave herself over to the quaking orgasm. A groan escaped her lips, along with something that sounded like a whimper. She rode it, imagining their bodies fused in a shared ecstasy.

  In what felt like seconds, but was probably a few minutes, Nora’s breathing evened out. Will eased herself just far enough away to slip off the harness. She slid back toward Nora, easing an arm under her. In sleep, she curled into Will without hesitation. Will allowed herself to read all sorts of meaning into the unconscious gesture. Things between them were shifting. Nora’s brain might not be fully caught up, but her body was on board. Will hoped her heart was, as well.

  * * *

  Will stood in the kitchen, preparing the coffee pot for two. The sky was light, but the sun had yet to appear between the trees. It was a rare day that she beat Nora out of bed. Not that they’d spent that many nights together, but still. Will relished the quiet, as well as the prospect of bringing Nora coffee in bed, perhaps climbing back in with her. Nora’s body would be soft and warm, pliant from a good night’s sleep.

  Even if things between them continued to go well, there wouldn’t be many mornings like this. As soon as the high season rolled around, Nora would be up before dawn every day, preparing breakfast and focusing most of her attention on her guests. Will didn’t mind. In truth, she relished the idea of them working side by side before Will went off for a day aboard the Dolphin Fleet. She’d come home just as happy hour rolled around. She’d shower and put on clean clothes, then as the guests headed out for dinner or a show or an evening stroll, they would sit in the garden with a glass of wine. Nora would talk about her day and then they’d make dinner together. They’d read books in the library or, if no one was around, put on a movie in the sitting room.

  It was so easy to imagine, even easier to want. She hadn’t let herself at first. The thrill of their physical chemistry, the fear of jinxing it—those forces had kept her mind squarely in the moment. But now she let herself dream.

  Last night had felt like they were a couple. A real, honest to God, no longer a secret, couple. She was hesitant to press, but wanted desperately to know if Nora felt the same way. It mattered so much. It felt like the time to get things on solid footing, before the constant presence of guests and the summer staff. It might only be March, but it felt like time was running out.

  Feeling less buoyant, but resolved, Will poured coffee and returned to Nora’s room. She found her still asleep. Will set the mugs on the table by the bed, then stripped off the shirt and flannel pants she’d thrown on. Under the covers, she inched toward Nora, slid a hand over her hip.

  Nora rolled toward her, moaned softly. Just like the night before, the gesture—unguarded and likely unconscious—gave Will hope. Will nuzzled her neck. Nora shifted to give her better access. Will took advantage, placing a line of kisses from her shoulder to her ear, then along her jaw to her chin.

  “I could wake up every morning for the rest of my life like this.” Will whispered the words, fairly certain Nora would neither hear nor respond to them. She took Nora’s contented sigh as all the answer she needed, at least for now.

  She ran her hand up Nora’s side, cupped her breast. When Nora’s eyes fluttered open, Will caught her gaze for a moment, then leaned in to kiss her. It started lazily enough, but she could feel Nora wake against her. Both her body and her mouth came alive, turning the gentle warmth of sleepy affection into something hotter and more insistent.

  Will broke the kiss so she could lavish attention on other parts of Nora’s body. Before she could go far, Nora framed Will’s face with her hands. “What are you doing to me?”

  Will offered what she hoped was a playful smile. “If you have to ask, I’m afraid I might not be doing it right.”

  Nora smiled, but her gaze, her eyes, remained serious. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “I’m enjoying you.” Will didn’t know if that would satisfy her, but she continued. “I’m delighting in you, worshiping you. Hopefully, I’m pleasing you, too.”

  There was a softness, a vulnerability, on Nora’s face that threatened to take Will’s breath away. “You make it seem like you’ll never get enough.”

  Given that her feelings frightened even her a little, Will knew better than to let them all come flooding out. She trailed a finger down Nora’s cheek. “I’m not sure I ever will.”

  “I don’t…I’m not exactly sure what to do with that.”

  She might be pressing her luck, but Will decided to go there. Even if it was in baby steps. “You don’t have to do anything with it. At least not right now. Just know how much I adore spending time with you.”

  Nora glanced away, but Will kept her gaze firm. Eventually, Nora looked into her eyes again. “Okay.”

  “And I mean all of it—working, relaxing, talking, sleeping.” Will raised a brow. “Being in bed and not sleeping.”

  “We seem to do that last one really well.”

  “Exceptionally well. And since I finally woke up before you, I intend to take full advantage.”

  Will kissed her again. She hoped, even if Nora didn’t yet feel comfortable with the words, she’d let Will show her in other ways. Will poured all of the passion, all of the hope she’d allowed herself to feel, into that kiss. As the kiss grew into more, Will poured herself into that as well.

  Perhaps it was wishful thinking on her part, but Will believed that Nora gave it back to her in return. Never had they made love so slowly, or with such care. When Nora came, it felt like surrender. And while Will had no desire to conquer her, the beauty of it left her breathless. Even her own orgasm felt different, leaving her shaky, but feeling indescribably whole.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “What the fuck?”

  Nora jerked
her head in the direction of the voice. Even before she saw Graham standing in the doorway, Nora knew it was her. She instinctively pulled at the sheets to cover herself. Not that it mattered. She glanced at the clock. It was the middle of the afternoon and she was in bed with Will, naked. There was no other way to interpret what was happening. “Graham.”

  Without answering, Graham turned on her heel and disappeared. Nora heard her footsteps in the hall. But by the time she pulled on a robe and followed, Graham was gone.

  She stood in the front hall, staring at the door. As though staring might make Graham reappear. Or might undo what had just transpired.

  She heard footsteps behind her, felt Will’s hand on her shoulder. She shook her head. This could not be happening.

  “Is she gone?”

  At the sound of Will’s voice, Nora whipped around to face her. “Yes, she’s gone. I have to get dressed. I have to find her.”

  “Calm down. I’m sure she was weirded out, but it’s not that big a deal.”

  Nora looked at Will with a mixture of disbelief and anger. “It most certainly is a big deal. I can’t believe I let this happen.”

  She tried to brush past Will, but Will blocked her path. She looked confused and exasperated. “What do you want me to do?”

  Nora pushed past her, this time with more force. “You’ve done enough. You should go.”

  Nora went to her room, leaving Will standing alone. Will remained there, trying to process what was happening. Yes, Graham walking in on them was less than ideal. But Nora made it seem catastrophic. Catastrophic and all Will’s fault. And what about Graham? Will expected surprise, awkwardness maybe. But Graham walked out without even waiting for a conversation.

  Almost as quickly as she’d disappeared, Nora emerged from her room fully dressed. “Where are you going?” Will asked.

  “I don’t know. But Graham couldn’t have gone far on foot. I assume she didn’t drive here, at least.”