by Kim Pritekel
Eleanor had to fight hard to push the incredibly inappropriate images and thoughts out of her mind as she looked at Lysette sitting on her bed. Clearing her throat, she walked over to her and sat next to her, making herself focus on the situation at hand.
“No,” she said softly. “I see you and Jim as two people who are struggling in a situation that just isn’t working anymore.”
Lysette smirked. “If it ever really did.” She turned to Eleanor, giving her an affectionate smile as a hand came up to run through her unruly hair. “You’re absolutely adorable in the morning.”
Oh, don’t do that! I have to be an adult here and stay focused. “And you’re absolutely stunning in the morning,” Eleanor whispered, berating herself internally for giving in. “It’s not fair.”
Lysette chuckled. “It takes work. I don’t roll out of bed like this.” She gave her a sweet smile before her hand fell harmlessly back to her own lap. “Why is Jim here? Did he hurt you?”
“Not at all. I think he had himself all stirred up. I know the gun was scary, but it wasn’t even loaded. Honestly, when it was all said and done, he needed to talk.” Unable to help herself, she reached up and lightly brushed a soft cheek with her fingertips. “You guys really need to talk. We had drinks together, then I beat the pants off of him in rummy.”
Lysette smiled. “Finally, I have some real competition.”
“What?”
Before Lysette could respond, they heard loud coughing and a groan from the other room as Jim seemed to be waking up.
“I better get him home,” Lysette said with a heavy sigh. She leaned over and placed a quick peck to Eleanor’s lips. “Thank you.”
The two women got to their feet, and Eleanor pulled open the bedroom door. They were walking down the hall as Jim appeared, looking more like a rumpled teenager than a forty-year-old attorney. He took in the two women entering the room before his gaze settled on Lysette. He gave her a slightly sheepish look.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey, Jim. Come on, let’s get you home and out of Eleanor’s hair.”
He nodded, taking the few steps over to Eleanor and giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for everything.”
She nodded. “Anytime. Oh, wait.” She walked over to the kitchen table and grabbed the gun and booze, handing it to him with a small smile.
“Sorry about that.” He gave her an embarrassed glance.
To Eleanor’s surprise, Lysette walked over to her and gave her a tight hug. “I’ll be back later to pick up Jim’s car,” she said into it.
“Do you want me to throw some clothes on and follow you home?” she asked, returning the hug.
“No. Let me get him settled and in bed, then I’ll take a cab over and grab it.”
Eleanor nodded, feeling quite surreal as she watched the love of her life and said woman’s husband leave her apartment after he’d crashed on her couch the night before.
As she closed and locked the door behind them, she rested her back against the cool wood. “Crazy people, no kidding,” she muttered. “We’re all nuts in this.”
Pushing away from the door, she glanced down to the couch to see the blanket she’d given Jim lying halfway on the floor where it had flowed off the couch. Shaking her head, she walked around to the front of the sofa and gathered the heavy material into her hands to fold it.
As she did her mindless task, she considered her time with Jim Vaughn. She had to admit, she liked him. She could see what Lysette had seen in him. She felt some guilt in her unwitting part in everything, though at the same time, she was so relieved that Lysette felt it, too.
A small smile played across her lips as she considered their all-too-brief history back in Brooke View. Yes, they’d been young, yes, it had all played out in less than a year, but Eleanor knew with everything in her that, had everything played out the way they’d planned, they’d still be together. Even then, they both recognized the connection between them, a connection that apparently had not broken, just stretched across time.
She carried the folded blanket to the linen closet and put it away before deciding to get the coffee percolating while she took a shower. She felt guilty about not being in the classroom, but ultimately, she wasn’t sure how long Jim would be there, plus she was still a bit fuzzy with a slight headache.
Coffee started, she shed her bathrobe and nightgown as she walked to the bathroom where she brushed her teeth naked before stepping into the spray, closing the curtain behind her. As the warm water flowed over her body, her hands pushing her hair back away from her face, she thought about the last twelve hours. She considered all that she’d learned, the story of how Lysette had come to be in Jim’s life. Doing the math in her head, she assumed Lysette had remained in France until the late thirties, which meant she’d stayed for several years after everything had happened in Brooke View.
As she washed her hair, she thought about what was going on with her in 1938. She was still one of the youngest women there but no longer the baby. For years, she’d been preyed upon by some of the women, some wanting sexual favors, others wanting to beat her into submission. It had been some of the older ones, like Nannette, who had protected her, educated her, and ultimately gotten Matron Hadley to talk to the school system outside the prison system to get her a diploma. She’d been twenty by the time she’d earned it, but it was a proud day, the girls using their time in the kitchen to make her cupcakes to mark the event.
She smiled, thinking about the extreme differences in her life compared to Lysette. One living and learning in Europe while the other lived and learned how to survive in a five-by-eight cell. While one was being wooed and ultimately wed, the other was being released from prison and learning how to be an adult in a very large world of sudden choices.
Finishing with her shower, Eleanor stepped out and toweled herself off. She smiled when the smell of coffee reached her nose. She quickly combed her hair back before leaving the comb on the bathroom counter and turning off the light as she grabbed her bathrobe and slid her arms into the sleeves, the majority of the garment fluttering behind her naked body as she headed to the kitchen.
Humming softly, she reached into the cabinet and pulled out a coffee cup when there was a knock at the door. Looking down at herself, she quickly belted the robe as she padded over to the door.
“Who is it?” she called, not willing to open the door in her bathrobe to just anyone.
“It’s Lysette” came the muffled reply.
Without another word or hesitation, Eleanor unlocked the door and pulled it open with one hand, the other holding her robe together. “Hey.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Lysette said, taking in her wet hair and robe. “I can come back if you want.”
“No, it’s okay. Come on in.” Eleanor stepped aside, allowing Lysette to enter before closing the door again. “Is everything okay? Jim still alive?” she asked with a small smile.
Lysette returned the grin. “Barely. He went right to bed once we reached the house. I know he’s deeply embarrassed by his behavior last night,” she said, where they stood just inside the apartment. “I’m really grateful that you were so kind. I don’t know if I could have been so compassionate if the roles were reversed.”
“It’s okay, honestly. I learned a lot, too. Helped me to understand you, the you of the last twenty years that I don’t know. I’m just hoping you’re not angry I allowed him to stay to talk let alone crash on the couch.”
“Of course not,” Lysette said. Her gaze fell to the spot just above where Eleanor was clutching the robe together. Her touch was soft against Eleanor’s upper chest as she gently fingered the gold cross. “I’m glad you’re still wearing it.”
Eleanor could hardly breathe. It was hard enough having Lysette so close to her while wearing nothing more than terrycloth let alone being touched by her. “I didn’t realize how much I missed it until it was back,” she managed to say, her voice far more breathless than she intended. She met Lysette’s gaze be
fore her gaze fell to slightly parted lips. Her heart was racing.
Jim’s face flashed before her eyes, but she pushed it aside as, seemingly of their own accord, her hands reached out to rest upon Lysette’s hips, so beautifully defined in the dress she wore. She heard the hitch in Lysette’s breathing and could see the increased rise and fall of her chest, much like her own.
As if by magic or a magnetic force, their bodies drifted together. She could feel the soft warmth of Lysette’s breath against her face as her eyes slid closed. The first touch of Lysette’s lips drew a sigh from her. They were so soft, so pliant, but most importantly, it was Lysette.
The first touch of a silky tongue brought out a second sigh. Her hands slid around to Lysette’s lower back, pulling her in even more as Lysette’s fingers found their way into Eleanor’s hair, still damp from her recent shower. As the kiss deepened, Eleanor knew Lysette had been right the previous day: once they started, they could never stop.
It was very clear that this deeply passionate woman was no longer the awkward teenager she’d first been with. This woman knew what she was doing. The way she kissed was nearly bringing Eleanor to her knees, and her hand, wandering dangerously close to the belt on her robe, made her heart stop
Her hands slid over Lysette’s extremely shapely behind, using it as leverage to push their hips tightly together. Her body was being flooded with sensations and a desire she didn’t know could exist in a human being.
When her hands had been at her lower back, Eleanor had felt the bottom of the dress’s zipper. Slowing the kiss, she pulled away and gently turned Lysette away from her so she was presented with her back. She once again grasped her hips and pulled Lysette back into her, eyes closing as she inhaled the fragrance of her perfume, her hair, and her skin. She could also smell her need, which sent a thrill down her spine.
Her lips found the side of Lysette’s neck, and her hands made their way up to cup her breasts, a long sigh escaping Lysette’s lips as her behind pushed back into Eleanor, who responded in kind.
Continuing with her exploration of Lysette’s neck, one of Eleanor’s hands found its way to the zipper tab, slowly pulling it down, creamy flesh revealed with every inch. Leaving her neck, Eleanor watched, her need to touch the beautiful woman before her so great she almost couldn’t stand it.
Fully unzipped, she pushed the ends of the deep purple dress apart until it slid off smooth shoulders, Lysette’s arms still trapped within the sleeves. Her gaze focused on the black bra strap that bisected Lysette’s back, deciding that wasn’t a wanted distraction. She used deft fingers to unclasp it, the two ends falling away, kept on Lysette’s frame only by the straps and the material caught up in the dress.
Eleanor was in awe of the beauty before her. She ran her fingertips down the soft plane of Lysette’s back, marveling at the smoothness. She brought her mouth to that soft smoothness, running her tongue up along Lysette’s spine to the nape of her neck as her hands wormed around her side beneath her arms and into the pocket of material the front of the dress made. She loved the groan she got when she cupped Lysette’s beautiful breasts. When she tugged lightly on the rigid nipples, Lysette’s hands shot out to brace the door as she began to fall forward.
Eleanor was startled as suddenly Lysette pushed away from the door and turned around. The fire in her eyes was downright intimidating as she shrugged out of the top half of her dress, allowing the garment to fall down over her hips to the floor. That gaze was still locked on Eleanor as she reached down and with a simple flick of her fingers unsnapped her garters.
She reached behind her with one hand and turned the lock on the door before stepping out of her high heels and dress, walking the short distance in nylons, garters, and panties to where Eleanor stood. Taking her in a deep and almost possessive kiss, her hand swept the belt of her robe loose, Eleanor completely exposed with a simple wave of Lysette’s hand.
Eleanor was nervous, though she had no idea why. She’d always been told she was lovely, but the way Lysette strutted around with seemingly unending confidence in her nakedness, it made Eleanor feel vulnerable and acutely aware of Lysette’s every touch, every look.
Once Eleanor was exposed as her robe fell away, Lysette pulled out of the kiss and allowed her finger to trail down from the hollow of Eleanor’s throat between her breasts continuing until it slid through the dark saturated hair between her legs, partly wet from the shower and partly wet from the intensity of her arousal.
Eleanor gasped as that finger pushed into her folds, lazily exploring as Lysette again leaned forward, initiating a slow sensuous kiss. Her hips moved with Lysette’s finger. That finger found her engorged clit, and a second finger joined it as she rubbed in quick circles, torturously quick as it pulled an orgasm out of Eleanor that nearly made her fall. Lysette steadied her with her other arm, Eleanor’s hands gripping Lysette’s shoulders with a talon-like grip.
She was breathing heavily, forehead resting against Lysette’s shoulder as a chuckle bubbled up. “God, how pathetic.”
Lysette left a kiss to the side of her head. “Can we go to your bedroom?” she whispered.
Chapter Thirty-one
Lysette was ready to explode as she watched Eleanor shrug out of her robe, letting it drop to join the rest of the clothing on the floor. Without a word and with nothing but love in her eyes, Eleanor took her hand, and they stepped over the garments as they left the living room and made their way down the hallway to the bedroom.
“Tsk tsk, Ellie,” she teased. “Still didn’t make your bed.”
Eleanor grinned at her over her shoulder. “Hey, I barely achieved a shower before you returned.”
“Are you complaining?” Lysette teased, her voice not much more than a purr. She gasped as she found herself shoved to the bed flat on her back, Eleanor on top of her.
“Not even a little bit,” Eleanor whispered.
Lysette sighed as they kissed again. She so loved the way Eleanor kissed: so gentle and thorough. Yet with her tongue and full bottom lip, she could instantly set Lysette on fire. She sighed as Eleanor slid her thigh between her legs as their kiss continued, Lysette’s own thigh becoming instantly saturated as she returned the favor. She knew she had just as much wetness between her own legs.
As they moved together, Lysette’s head fell to the side when Eleanor kissed along her jaw, tongue flicking here and there. She let out a groan as the hot wet kisses moved down her throat and across one collarbone before heading south, the intended destination evident.
Lysette arched her back, offering her breast to Eleanor, needing to feel her mouth on her. Fingers buried in Eleanor’s hair, she nearly forgot that the pressure had been removed from where she desperately needed it as her right breast was engulfed with wet heat.
Eleanor hummed into her task, seeming to enjoy what she was doing as much as Lysette was enjoying what she was doing. Her taut sensitive nipple was sucked hard before being flicked with a relentless tongue, which made Lysette whimper. Her body was restless, her arousal nearing a painful stage.
“Please,” she whimpered, her hips bucking against any part of Eleanor they could find.
Getting Lysette’s none-too-subtle hints, Eleanor left that breast and moved to the other as her hand reached down and nudged Lysette’s thighs apart, moving her body to settle between them. Lysette allowed her thighs to fall open, thrusting upward against Eleanor’s stomach as she suckled her left breast.
“God, baby, please,” she whimpered again, nearly in tears.
Letting the nipple leave her mouth with a pop, Eleanor left a final kiss to the rounded side of the breast before she kissed her way down Lysette’s body, drawing a long, languid groan out of the woman beneath her. Lysette was softly asked to lift her hips as her panties and garter were removed, followed by her nylons. Lysette was impressed that Eleanor got them off in one fluid motion. Task finished, Eleanor gave Lysette the sexiest smile Lysette had ever seen in her life before she continued.
Lysette g
asped, her hips jerking at the first feel of Eleanor’s tongue against her clit, which was so overly sensitive that it was nearly ready to burst. Eleanor didn’t keep her tongue there but instead explored, roaming through her folds, teasing her opening before licking her way back up.
The slow, sweet torture lulled Lysette into a false sense of light, languid pleasure because suddenly her clit was sucked into Eleanor’s mouth. Like a pulse, she suckled her as her tongue beat ruthlessly against it.
Lysette nearly jerked to a sitting position at the explosion of sensation as her thighs tried to slap shut. Ahead of her, Eleanor had wrapped her arms around the undersides of her thighs, holding them open for her attack, which didn’t end until Lysette’s cry of orgasm rent the room loud and throaty. Her fingers tugged Eleanor’s hair as her entire body stiffened with the power of her release.
After what seemed like an eternity, Eleanor released her from her mouth, small whimpers still escaping Lysette’s lips as her breasts heaved and she tried to get herself under control. A forearm flopped uselessly over her eyes as her brain tried to wrap itself around what had just happened.
She let out a lazy purr as she felt Eleanor crawl up into her arms, the two sharing light kisses. “You are so beautiful,” she whispered against soft lips.
Eleanor smiled. “Thank you, but that would be you.” She moved off Lysette and to her side, pulling Lysette to hers, facing each other.
Lysette moaned softly when her thigh was pulled up to rest against Eleanor’s hip, one of Eleanor’s thighs resting between Lysette’s, hips pressed together. She ran her nails lightly down the arm attached to the hand that rested on her behind. She loved the closeness she felt to her, loved the feel of their breasts just barely touching yet so intimately connected.
Looking into Eleanor’s completely sated, relaxed, and painfully beautiful face, she smiled. “God, I love you,” she whispered. “It’s crazy, after all this time, it hasn’t diminished. Nothing has—my love for you, my need for you. I mean, the intensity of my wanting you frightens the hell out of me.”