Noel ran to the passenger side and jumped in, grinning wildly. “I can’t even tell you how excited I am to see you.”
Toni smiled back. “Then that disgusting drive was worth it. I’d blow a hole in my head if I had to do that very often.”
“You don’t want to sit here in the driveway do you?”
“What do you have in mind?” Her grin suggested she hoped it was something racy.
Noel reached into her pocket and dangled a set of keys. “April’s house. It’s ten minutes from here.”
Toni put the car in reverse. “Direct me.”
***
April’s house might have been ten minutes away, but Toni made it in six. Noel had a hand on her thigh and was rubbing it lasciviously, making Toni ignore the speed limit. By the time they got in the front door, they were wrapped in a passionate embrace, kissing and being kissed.
They wrestled each other out of coats, sweaters and Toni’s shirt, but Noel stopped Toni as she was starting to unbutton her blouse. She took both of Toni’s hands and put them on her breasts. Her voice was low and sexy when she said, “Would you like your Christmas present?”
Toni’s eyes were glazed when she said, “You already gave me a present.”
Smiling, Noel put Toni’s fingers on the top button of her blouse. “This is a bonus. Go ahead and open it.”
Hurriedly, Toni undid the buttons, stopping to marvel at the wonderful gift. Noel was wearing a black bra that presented her breasts as though a pair of hands were holding them up. The bra stopped just below her nipples, leaving the top half of each breast completely exposed. “You wore this to Christmas dinner with your grandmother?”
“No!” Noel started to laugh. “When you called, I grabbed April and ran upstairs to get my coat and ask her to cover for me. I was just going to go to your car and make out, but she suggested we go to her house. She insisted I put this bra on.”
“You’ve got the strangest family.”
“She was with me when I bought it. It was her idea.”
“I can’t imagine my sister ever suggesting anything to enhance my sex life.”
Noel laughed. “I think April is as interested in mine and she is in her own. I hate to admit this, but my mom’s not far behind April.” She kissed Toni, running her hands along her scalp to hold her close. “I really want you to meet my family. But tonight…tonight I want you to focus on these.”
Toni brushed her thumbs across Noel’s nipples, her gaze so intent that it almost burned. “Does April know how much I love your breasts?”
Noel sucked in a breath when Toni pinched her. “Uh-huh. So does my mom.”
Stunned, Toni leaned back and stared for a few seconds. “A lesser woman would let that screw with her mind.” She was laughing when she leaned over and captured one of the beautifully presented nipples in her mouth. Her smile was luminous when she tilted her face and looked into Noel’s eyes. “Luckily for you, I’m not a lesser woman.”
That look…that smile…the cocky confidence that Toni sometimes showed when she was aroused shot Noel’s desire into orbit. There was nothing…nothing that had ever turned her on as much as Toni’s dominant side. It wasn’t always in full force, and that just made it all the more alluring.
Toni could easily show her sweet, even shy, side and Noel loved that part of her as well. Sometimes she was so tender—achingly so—that Noel thought her heart would break from the feelings that welled up inside of her. But nothing turned her on like Toni’s aggressive side. That was a whole new dimension to arousal, and she craved it like a drug when she hadn’t seen it for a week or two.
Having those bright, shining eyes looking at her like she was about to become dinner was just the Christmas present she’d been hoping for, worth far more than any tangible gift Toni could have presented.
Every part of Noel tingled, but her breasts felt like thousands of tiny pins were dancing on them. Her pussy felt swollen and exquisitely sensitive, even though Toni hadn’t touched it.
Suddenly, the air left her lungs as Toni pushed her, hard, against the front door. Noel grabbed the frame, trying to hang on as Toni devoured her. The black bra was still in place, but Noel couldn’t even see it, given Toni’s dark head which flitted from breast to breast, ravenously consuming Noel’s flesh.
She put her hands on Toni’s head, not to control her, but to tease her. Toni’s head was remarkably sensitive, and scratching and rubbing her scalp was a surefire way to turn her on. Not that Toni needed a lot of help at the moment. She was in a frenzy, making soft, hungry moans and whimpers as she moved against Noel almost frantically.
A fist was insinuated between Noel’s thighs, and she sank onto it, seeking blessed relief. Toni pressed it into her, and Noel responded, grinding her hips to feel the firm pulsing in every part of her pussy. Her heart was beating hard, feeling like it was thrumming in her breasts as Toni continued to suckle them.
Then everything shifted. Noel found herself in front of Toni, who was now against the door. One hand grasped and squeezed a breast while the other dove into her slacks, blindly fumbling for her sex. Noel thrust her hips up, trying to spread her legs while remaining standing. Toni’s fingers slid into place, surrounding her clit, which felt like it had doubled in size.
As soon as Toni touched it, Noel gasped in relief, then tried to hold still, knowing that Toni knew just what to do. In their months together, Toni had learned her body like no other lover ever had. She seemed to read Noel’s cues like a gifted musician reads the conductor. Tonight she didn’t disappoint. She pressed her fingers around the hypersensitive flesh and squeezed—just enough—to make Noel bite her lip as she squirmed against her. “Yes, yes,” she moaned, her feet tapping on the wood floor, unable to stay still.
Toni leaned into her and bit her neck, still pressing against her clit and pinching a pink nipple. Noel pushed back, her entire body weight pushing Toni against the door. Moving her hand just an inch, Toni slid into Noel, who nearly lost control of her legs. She fought to stay upright as that life-giving hand filled her while still rocking against her clit.
Noel’s body curled into itself as she cried out. Toni was wrapped around her, holding her up with one arm, while the other remained buried between her legs. Every movement felt like a tiny orgasm as Toni slowly and gently continued to move, making Noel come until she could no longer fight gravity. They collapsed onto the floor in a heap, then started to laugh, continuing until Noel, with extreme reluctance, slowly extracted Toni’s fingers from her body. “Who says Christmas is for kids?”
***
By ten forty-five they were back in the car. Toni drove with one hand while Noel seductively sucked on the fingers of the other. “Please don’t do that,” Toni moaned. “I’ve got a long drive ahead of me.”
“I’m just trying to keep you alert,” Noel said, giving her a naughty grin.
“If I were any more alert something would burst.”
Noel kissed Toni’s hand and put it on her breast, giving her an unrepentant grin.
“That’s not a lot better, you know. Thank April and your mom and your grandmother for picking out such a nice present for me.”
Noel took Toni’s thumb and index finger and pressed them around her hard nipple. “Silly girl. My grandmother had nothing to do with this. She’s a Carpenter. It’s my mom’s side of the family who are obsessed with sex.”
“I love your mom’s side of the family,” Toni said dreamily.
They pulled up in front of the house and seconds later the porch light flipped on and off a few times. The door opened and April’s sons stood in the doorway, waving madly. Toni shook her head. “The boys don’t know about the bra, do they?”
“God, I hope not, but you never know with April.”
Toni waved back and someone must’ve told them to close the door because they turned and looked like they were trying to convince an adult of something, then quickly closed it. “This has been quite an interesting little trip.” She reached over and tri
ed to make Noel’s blouse look like she hadn’t been rolling around the floor in it.
“How did you get away?”
“There were a lot of people over, and the little kids were in bed or asleep on the floor. My sister’s car was blocking mine so I told her to give me her keys.”
“You didn’t say where you were going?”
“She knew. I’ve been mooning over you all week, and I made her use her fancy phone to get directions for me earlier today. She knew I was waiting for the opportunity to make a jailbreak.”
“Will your mom be angry?”
“Yep. But I already got my knit hat and gloves with the matching Christmas sweater, so I’m good.”
Noel giggled. “I can’t see you in a Christmas sweater.”
“The day you see me in a knit hat is the day I move to Greenland. But my mom doesn’t notice little details like that.”
“I’m glad you like the present I gave you better.”
Toni looked over her shoulder to see the porch light flipping on and off again. “I guess you’d better go in.”
“I guess so. This time it might really be my grandmother.” She got out and dashed around to Toni’s window. She leaned down and they kissed, their earlier frantic caresses giving way to ones soft and slow and tender.
“I’m so glad I got to see you,” Toni said.
“Seeing you was better than having Santa and all of the reindeer prancing around on my roof.” Noel kissed her one last time and started to stand up. Toni blinked a couple of times, then her mouth opened and closed. She said something that was too quiet for Noel to hear, so she started to lean into the window, catching a breathy, “I’m in love with you,” before Toni popped the car into reverse and nearly left tire tread in her hurry to drive away.
***
Toni’s heart was racing so quickly she was afraid she was having a coronary. Even though it was cold, she was covered in sweat. She shrugged out of her coat, glad that she had waited until the very end to say what had been aching in her chest for days.
She wasn’t absolutely certain, but she thought Noel looked both stunned and pleased as the car hurtled down the driveway. She was almost certain that flicker of emotion that flashed just before Noel leapt backwards was pleasure. Or terror.
***
Noel made her way to the furthest reaches of Virginia on Monday morning. Toni’s brother’s house was just as she expected it to be—a very large, lot-filling behemoth. It had taken her a while to find his street, traversing street signs that heralded ridges, vales, and mews, none of which she’d noticed from a topographical standpoint.
She walked around to the back of the house, assuming that’s where Toni would be. She let her ears lead her, spying her lover at the end of a nail gun. Careful not to surprise her when she was wielding a power tool, Noel opened the newly installed French doors and waved her hands. Toni’s head shot up and she beamed. She carefully put the nail gun down and walked over to Noel, then hugged her brashly. She held on for a long time and burrowed her face against Noel’s ear. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, too.” She summoned the courage she’d been trying to build and added, “I love you, too. It scares me to death, but I love you.”
“What? Did you say something?” Toni reached up and removed a pair of custom fitted hearing protectors. “I’m deaf with these things in.”
“Uhm…” Having Toni looking right into her eyes made her nerves kick in, and she chickened out and mumbled, “It’s been killing me not to talk to you.”
“I know. It’s hard when I’m not in my own space. Plus, my dad’s been working me to exhaustion.”
“It looks great. Did you do all of this last week?”
“No, he had someone local pour the foundation. We just did the framing.”
“I’m amazed you got so much done. That’s a lot of work.”
“It was. I think my brother was happy to go back to work.” Toni laughed, her eyes twinkling. “My dad yelled at him all week. ‘How can you get to be a thirty-five-year-old man and not know how to tell if something’s plumb?’”
“Luckily, his sister knows all about plumb.” Noel gave her an enthusiastic hug. “How can I help?”
“Well…” Toni scratched her head, and Noel could just see how diplomatic she was trying to be. “Do you have any experience?”
“Sure do.” She tossed her head, letting her French braid fly over her shoulder. “Girly girls know their way around hammers and nails, too. We did a lot of our own work when we renovated our house. If nothing else, I’m great at following instructions.”
Toni took off her glove and tenderly stroked Noel’s face, looking into her eyes as though she were under a spell. “You always do just as you’re told in bed.”
“So do you.” They stood there assessing one another, then Noel said, “We broke my sister’s house in. Want to do your brother’s?”
“Desperately.” Toni grasped her and started to kiss her. In seconds their hands were wildly running over each other’s bodies. Things started off hot and got hotter quickly. After a stunningly short time, Toni said, “Let’s go to a motel.”
“We’ve got a great big house right here. No one is home, right?”
“Right.” Toni’s eyes darted from Noel to the doorway of the main house. “But where would we go? I’m certainly not gonna do it in my brother’s bedroom. I’d never get over that.”
Noel pulled back and looked at her, trying to avoid giggling. “Why, Toni Hooper, I believe I’ve finally found a sexual hang-up in that fantastic body.” She put her hands on her waist and tickled, making Toni laugh and twitch out of the way.
“Wouldn’t you think it was a little funny if I could go right into my brother’s bedroom and do all sorts of nasty things?”
Noel played with the buttons on her denim jacket. “There’s nothing nasty about what we do.”
“I mean nasty in a good way. Nasty as in hot.”
“Well, in that case…I suppose I do like having a girlfriend with some boundaries.”
Toni giggled, her eyes nearly closing. “I’m glad you don’t have any because I loved going over to April’s the other night.”
“You little rat!” She took a swing and tried to hit Toni on the butt, but Toni was too fast for her and darted out of the way. Noel started to chase her, following Toni from the addition into the main house. They ran through the living room, dining room and kitchen and were headed upstairs when they heard a door open and slam and the sound of little feet running up the stairs after them.
“Toni?” A woman’s voice called out.
“Uh-oh,” Toni said, her eyes wide. “We’ve been caught.”
***
At about nine o’clock Toni walked Noel out to her car. “My sister-in-law meant it when she said she’d love to have you stay overnight.”
“I know she did, and it was very sweet of her to offer. I had a great time tonight, but I don’t think either of us would be comfortable sleeping together on the sofa bed in the family room.”
“It’d be fun,” Toni said with false enthusiasm. “I’m sure a couple of kids would get in with us…it’d be a real party.”
“My sentiments exactly. You go back to your nephew’s little single bed, and I’ll go back to Baltimore.”
“But you’ll come tomorrow?”
“You couldn’t keep me away. I’m going to bring a change of clothes, and after we’re done working, I’ll take you and any of your favorite relatives out to dinner.”
“We’ll see about that. I might want to have you all to myself. After I exploit your tile-laying skills. You did a great job on the floor. Tomorrow you can start on the walls.”
Noel got into her car and rolled the window down. She turned the car on to start the heater, taking some of the chill out. “I’ll wait until traffic calms down to leave in the morning.”
“Okay. Sounds good.”
Toni leaned in and kissed her goodbye. Noel put her hand on the side of Toni
’s face, then slid it back and scratched behind her ear, a place she knew was particularly sensitive. She kissed her tenderly, put the car in gear, then whispered, “I’m in love with you, too,” as she stomped on the gas pedal. She was just able to hear Toni’s laughter ring out over the sound of squealing tires.
***
Noel would have kicked herself if she could have moved her leg enough to do it. She had firmly decided that she wasn’t going to tell Toni she loved her until they’d had a frank discussion about fidelity. But when she’d seen those limpid brown eyes gazing at her that morning, she lost her mind. Having dodged that bullet once, why jump in front of it now? They needed to talk, not just fall into bed! Her imprudent words gnawed at her for a few minutes, then she decisively pulled over and searched her cell phone for Toni’s brother’s number. She dialed before she could talk herself out of it, and when Toni got on the phone, she said, “I’m going to find a motel and check in. Wanna join me?”
“Oh, Noel. You’re such a romantic!”
It hit her like a slap in the face. Toni thought she wanted to be with her to celebrate their declaration of love. It was too late to be honest now, so she tried to be smooth. “I’ll call you back in a few minutes when I find a place. I can’t wait to see you.”
***
A half hour later they were embracing in a fairly nice motel room. Toni had stopped and bought a bottle of champagne and some fading, but well-intentioned flowers, making Noel feel even worse about her true motive for wanting to talk. As nearly always happened when they were together, she lost track of her intentions for a good hour, during which Toni nearly made her forget her name. They lay in bed, Toni resting against the headboard, one arm draped across the wood. Noel’s head in Toni’s lap, her legs dangling over the side of the bed. Fingertip by fingertip, Toni fed Noel drops of wine, smiling down at her. “It could take us three days to finish the bottle at this rate.”
Susan X. Meagher - The Legacy Page 24