Mistletoe Mishap

by Siri Caldwell

  “If you want to stop…” Viv said.

  And lose?

  “Don’t think so.”

  Viv wasn’t going to deprive her of this. No way. Kendra loved doing this. Her knees weren’t happy, but she wasn’t that old. Jesus. She’d survive.

  She pressed another kiss, openmouthed and insistent, to Viv’s pulse point.

  Viv was still holding up the wall. Her knuckles turned white.

  Kendra pulled Viv’s not-necessarily-Christmas underwear all the way down and licked into her wet heat.

  Viv gasped. “Finally.”

  Finally? Was that all she had to say? Kendra slowed the movement of her tongue. I’ll show you finally.

  Viv groaned.

  Kendra tightened her hold on Viv’s thighs.

  “Come on.” Viv’s voice was low and pleading. Breathless.

  Kendra melted at the sound, helpless to do anything but chase Viv’s pleasure and give her what she wanted, find her hardness and make it harder.

  Viv groaned again, and Kendra’s body thrummed with arousal. The more Viv panted, the more Viv slammed her ass into the wall and thrust forward, the more Kendra became so turned on that she had to concentrate on not losing her coordination.

  “More,” Viv whispered.

  Kendra moaned into her, and Viv bucked her hips, hard, and came.

  “My turn,” Viv said after that, pulling Kendra shakily to her feet, and moments later the score was tied again.

  Chapter 7

  ———

  Day 7

  ———

  KENDRA 2 : VIV 2

  Kendra sent a text as she pulled into the lot behind Viv’s building and parked in a prime spot reserved for someone with more seniority. Viv’s assigned spot wasn’t nearly as convenient, and there were only a few cars in the lot, so whatever.

  Viv had gone in to check on her virus cultures, and, since they shared a single car, Kendra had dropped her off and taken the car to go grocery shopping.

  Kendra sat in the car and waited for Viv to reply, searching in vain for a radio station that was not playing Christmas songs. One of these days she’d have to figure out how to stream music she actually liked.

  Viv? I’m parked.

  Still no reply.

  Kendra sighed. When Viv was engrossed in the lab, it could be hard to get her attention. Even if her phone wasn’t muted or forgotten in her office, she was completely capable of not hearing it at all.

  Viv. I’m coming in.

  Kendra cut off the radio mid-song, exited the car, and headed for Viv’s office.

  —

  Viv was in the hallway, handbag over her shoulder and clearly on her way out, but she’d been waylaid by Thor‌—‌Theodore Cardini‌—‌her department chair. Viv acknowledged Kendra’s arrival with a flicker of relief before turning her attention back to their conversation. Kendra leaned against the wall to wait.

  “You’re in town for the duration, right?” Thor was asking Viv. “Not visiting family?” Kendra had chosen a spot far enough away to give them the illusion of privacy, but she could hear every word, since Thor believed a thundering voice was key to holding students’‌—‌and faculty’s‌—‌attention.

  “No, I fly back to Argentina only in summer,” Viv said. “That is to say, Northern Hemisphere summer. We do see Kendra’s brother shortly before Christmas, but he’s local.”

  “Good, because the development office has organized a New Year’s Eve party for major donors,” Thor said. “I want you there to tell the donors about the great things we’re doing in our department. If you’re available, of course.”

  Ugh. One of those work things that was phrased as a request to make it sound optional, but wasn’t.

  “Are you sure I’m the best choice for this?” Viv asked doubtfully. She had to know she was supposed to say yes, she’d be there, but hey, if she thought she could talk her way out of it, it was worth a shot.

  Don’t make it a question, babe. Tell him you’re not. Tell him you’re terrible at coming up with amusing anecdotes. Which was a lie, but if it worked…

  “Neville is much better at this sort of thing,” Viv told him. “You are much better at this sort of th—”

  “But it’s New Year’s! Champagne. Dancing. No one wants to dance with a room full of boring old men like me and Neville, now do they?”

  Viv’s face went carefully blank.

  No. No no no. Don’t do this to her.

  With her figure and her looks, Viv had always believed she had to ramp up the sexless brainiac vibe in order to be taken seriously as an intellectual equal. No amount of I’m‌-‌too‌-‌busy‌-‌being‌-‌academically‌-‌rigorous‌-‌to‌-‌even‌-‌think‌-‌about‌-‌flirting could make her less hot in Kendra’s eyes, but Viv thought it helped at work, so who was Kendra to try to stop her? Even when untouchable in public became so ingrained she sometimes became untouchable in private, too, and hurt something deep in both their souls.

  “Neville’s not old,” Viv said. “Neither are you.”

  “So diplomatic. That’s why you’re the perfect choice.”

  “Because I can discuss HIV research diplomatically? Or because I’m a respected expert in my field?”

  There was a dangerous edge to her voice, but Thor laughed, like he thought Viv was joking.

  “Also,” Viv said, “I don’t dance.”

  “Don’t be so modest. You Latinas are born with rhythm.”

  Uh-oh.

  Viv and Kendra exchanged a look.

  Kendra’s look said, That sensitivity training they force us all to sit through really works, doesn’t it?

  Viv’s look said, Kendra, don’t kill him.

  Hmm. Perhaps Kendra’s look had not said quite what she thought it had.

  Viv’s look also said, I’ll handle this. Not you.

  Kendra nodded her encouragement.

  Viv crossed her arms and straightened her shoulders and turned back to Thor. “If I attend, I will not be dancing.”

  Thor’s smile faltered. “Well, hey, I understand. Not in your job description, I guess.”

  “I need to get going,” Viv said, because she really was diplomatic. “Shall we discuss this later? My ride is here.”

  “Yes. Sure. I’ll call you. But Viv. Listen. The party will be fun. You’ll have a great time.”

  “Hmm,” Viv answered noncommittally.

  Ugh. Sounded like Viv might not get out of this one.

  “Come on, Kendra.” Viv headed her direction and Kendra pushed away from the wall to join her. “Let’s go before you’re caught parked in someone else’s space.”

  “How did you—”

  “I know you.”

  Which felt so wonderful that Kendra almost reached for her hand.

  She didn’t, though, because Thor was watching, and she didn’t want to see Viv flinch.

  —

  “It’s okay to be both sexy and smart,” Kendra told Viv through the partially closed bathroom door, waiting in bed for Viv to finish brushing her teeth. If their run-in with her colleague had reminded Viv of all the reasons she had to shut down… “It doesn’t have to be one or the other.”

  “I know,” Viv said.

  “Because you know it’s day seven, and—”

  “Worried?”

  Viv emerged from the bathroom wearing not the ever-present pajamas but a negligee Kendra had almost forgotten about. The skirt part was solid black silk that draped from an empire waist to her knees, while the upper panel was black lace that made it impossible not to notice the exact color of her nipples.

  Kendra blinked. Why had Viv decided to keep this negligee all these years rather than donate it to Goodwill? And how did it still fit?

  She realized with a pang that she couldn’t remember the first time she’d seen Viv wear this thing, or when she’d stopped, or why.

  “This is unlike you, Viv.”

  Except it was. It was like her. She could shy away and then an hour later do this. />
  “You should be worried,” Viv said. “You should be worried that you’re going to lose.”

  “No way.”

  “Yes way,” Viv said, neglecting to turn off the lights before she padded toward the bed, all slinky without hardly trying.

  Kendra shook her head, impressed. “If you’re using this to gain an edge in the competition, it won’t work.”

  “It won’t?” Viv said, sliding under the covers.

  The score was two and two, so no, it wasn’t going to work. Kendra had a plan. She was going to make Viv come and then she was going to make sure she didn’t come herself. She wasn’t the type of person who forgot her plan and turned stupid at the sight of the woman she loved wearing lace that was…‌what was the word? Uh…‌yeah. Extremely see-through.

  “I like you in your normal clothes,” Kendra muttered. “That lace looks itchy.”

  Viv shrugged. Kendra did not notice how her breasts moved up and down.

  “Won’t you be cold in that?”

  Viv scooted closer to Kendra’s side of the bed. “Oh, I think I can come up with a way to heat up.”

  “Perfect,” Kendra grumbled, sliding down her pillow in surrender and pushing the sheets off her chest, suddenly much too warm. “I thought the six cheesy come-ons were supposed to be yesterday.”

  Viv encroached even more until she was completely on Kendra’s side of the bed. Together, in silent agreement, they tugged off Kendra’s sleep shirt and underwear. Viv crawled on top of her as Kendra lay on her back, tugging Viv into place.

  Viv braced herself on her forearms. “Cold?” she asked, grinning down at her.

  “If I say yes, will you do this all night?”

  “What, lie on top of you?”

  Kendra nodded.

  “And sleep?”

  “Yeah,” Kendra said, because resisting the more energetic option was the plan. Besides, sleeping like this did sound nice.

  “Of course,” Viv said. “But first I have something I have to do.” She slid up Kendra’s body, making as much contact as possible. “Win.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “You’re going to beg me to win,” Viv promised, the challenge in her voice doing nothing to conceal her affection. She rolled off of her and slid her palm, firm and sure, up Kendra’s inner thigh.

  Kendra arched. “I’m not…” Viv kept going, and she arched even higher, until her spine felt like it might cramp. “I’m not begging.”

  “Not yet.”

  Viv was…‌holding her. Cradling her. At the juncture of her thighs.

  If only Kendra could relax, she’d probably admit it was pleasant.

  Soothing.

  Good.

  She could lie here, enjoying Viv’s easygoing seduction, no expectations, no pressure, and just be, just feel, just sink into how nice it felt, maybe eventually even be in danger of dozing off if it weren’t so…

  Maddening.

  What was Viv doing? It felt good, of course it felt good, and she wouldn’t mind falling asleep with Viv’s hand between her legs‌—‌and waking up a little before midnight, just in time to score a point against Viv‌—‌but it wasn’t enough. It made her want. It made her squirm.

  She needed Viv to do something. Anything.

  Kendra’s knees slid apart. She couldn’t help it.

  Viv moved her hand, just a little.

  More. Babe. Please.

  Viv stroked down her inner thigh. And let go.

  Kendra squeezed her legs together and clenched her pillow in frustration.

  “Viv.”

  “You’re right. That doesn’t sound like begging at all.”

  “You…”

  Viv smiled as she lowered her head. Kendra tightened in anticipation, watching her moisten her lips, riveted by the slight movement of Viv’s throat as she swallowed.

  Closer…‌and closer…‌and closer…

  Viv sucked her nipple into her mouth. It hardened instantly.

  “Fuck. Viv.”

  Viv licked sweetly at her like she was trying to make her harder, like that might even be possible. Arousal coiled and uncoiled inside her, pulsing with the rhythm of Viv’s tongue.

  Viv pulled off her nipple, leaving it wet. Viv stared at what she’d done and her breath hitched.

  Kendra reached up and tucked Viv’s hair behind her ears, lingering to trace her eyebrows, her cheekbones, her jaw. “You’re so…” Beautiful. Impossible. Perfect.

  Viv touched her tongue to the wetness she’d left, barely moving, but utterly, completely focused.

  Kendra’s ribs moved up and down. She might have been panting.

  She was supposed to resist. She needed to resist. That was the plan. She wanted to be flushed and squirming and not…‌not…‌losing control. She wanted Viv so preoccupied that she wouldn’t notice Kendra was running out the clock.

  So if Viv wanted to take her time, that was a good thing.

  Really.

  A good thing.

  A very good thing.

  Kendra moaned in frustration. If Viv’s touch got any better, it was all going to be over.

  Viv made a satisfied sound and closed her lips on her.

  “Viv.” Her voice sounded oddly strangled.

  Viv rubbed against her side, warm and familiar, then swung a leg over her thighs to straddle her. Kendra stretched up to kiss her, and Viv cradled the back of her head, supporting her, and kissed her back.

  Once again Kendra’s legs slid apart, but this time, with Viv on top of her, her knees pushed at Viv’s thighs until Viv had to spread her own legs to accommodate her.

  Kendra gripped Viv’s ass, pulling her close, anchoring herself against the rush of vertigo as Viv rolled off her again, never breaking the kiss.

  “Love you,” Viv said against her mouth. And pressed between her legs. Almost inside her, but not quite.

  Kendra’s thighs trembled. The warmth and the gentle pressure of her hand, her mouth, her body‌—‌her love‌—‌made her ache.

  The plan was in trouble. The only way to salvage it would be to turn this around and make Viv come first. She’d need to not let Viv make her come, and not let her and not let her and not let her, and then it would be midnight and then she could come. After.

  Viv kissed the base of her throat.

  Kendra’s inner muscles clenched as if Viv was already inside her.

  But Viv wasn’t inside her. She was circling, gliding in slick.

  “Viv. For God’s sake.”

  Viv continued to circle, slow and deliberate.

  Kendra was going to kill her.

  After Viv gave her what she wanted.

  No. She wasn’t supposed to let Viv give her what she wanted.

  No. Fuck the challenge. She needed Viv to—

  “It’s early,” Viv said. “We have time.” She paused. “Before time runs out.”

  Kendra lifted her head in disbelief, glared, and flopped back onto the pillow. “You’re thinking about the competition right now?”

  “And you’re not?”

  Yes, fine, she was.

  She wished she wasn’t.

  “If you don’t touch me where I need you sometime this century,” Kendra said, recklessly disregarding her plan because she couldn’t remember why she’d come up with it, “you won’t win.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll make you come.”

  “I’m not worried, I’m…‌God, I can’t think like this, just…‌oh.” Kendra’s hips thrust hard. She could make Viv slip. She could show her where she wanted her.

  As if Viv didn’t know.

  Viv didn’t slip.

  Kendra thrust again, harder. She needed Viv to move, goddammit. Frustration whipped her head left and right, and somewhere in the midst of it, she caught a glimpse of the bedside clock.

  “Is that an eleven?” she said, turning to get a better look, but Viv shifted and obstructed her view.

  “What, on the clock? No.”

  “What time is it, then?�
��

  Viv turned her away from the clock and slid home. She curled her fingers inside her, and it was like she was still holding her, still cradling her.

  Kendra shuddered and let her. “Oh. My. God.”

  “Five minutes till midnight,” Viv whispered.

  “What?”

  Kendra moaned. The scheming little shit had stolen her idea. Made Kendra believe her strategy was to wear that see-through negligee while she snuck her real plan right past her. Sabotaged her. And now they were out of time. Correction: Kendra was out of time. Viv was about to squeak out a point right before midnight, and Kendra didn’t think she had it in her to stop it.

  “You did this on purpose.”

  She should have made Viv come first. She should have been thinking more clearly.

  “Mm?” Viv moved slowly in and out.

  Viv was so good at this.

  So.

  Good.

  She’d been good when they first met, but years of experience had made her great. She knew exactly how to make Kendra lose her mind.

  Viv pushed into her harder, forcing an embarrassing sound from Kendra’s lungs.

  “You totally…‌did…‌this…‌on…‌purpose.”

  “Was I supposed to put my hand here by accident?” Viv asked mildly.

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Mm.” Viv adjusted her angle.

  Kendra trembled helplessly as the energy of impending orgasm took over and rose up her spine. Her heels dug into the mattress and her hips lifted. The backs of her legs were on the verge of cramping and she was so close, so close, so…‌so…‌so…‌God…‌Viv…‌I love you…

  She sobbed as her hips arched impossibly higher, and then she lost it, crying out in relief.

  —

  “Midnight,” Viv said. “How about that. I’m ahead by one point.”

  Kendra laughed up at the ceiling and tucked Viv more securely against her shoulder, their bodies tangled together on the bed.

  “I let you win,” Kendra said.

  “Yeah, no. You didn’t.”

  No, she hadn’t, but she was too relaxed and blissed out to care. “You can make it up to me later.”

  “Why would I want to do that?” Viv said.

  “Because it’s more challenging when the score is tied.”