Winter Hearts

by A. E. Radley

  She held the breadstick to her mouth. “Should I be concerned? You’ve gone to a lot of trouble to get me up here tonight. And there’s zero evidence a man has been staying with you.” She sniffed.

  “What are you? A bloodhound?”

  “Maybe in a former life. I have a great sense of smell, and right now, I’m only picking up cinnamon apple and pine.”

  “That’s the hotel’s doing. Not mine. To answer your question, I’m allergic to perfume and cologne, so neither of us wears any.”

  “Oh, I can’t remember if I sprayed any perfume earlier.” She slunk deep into the couch as if to keep me safe from an allergy attack.

  “It’s okay. I’m not that bad. I just can’t wear it or be around when it’s sprayed. I avoid cosmetic counters in malls, where they spray first and ask questions second.” I laughed. “Some people apply too much to start, and if I get in an elevator or subway car with them, I have to leave immediately.”

  “Steve didn’t mind? Not wearing cologne?”

  “Not really.” A light bulb went off, and I sat up on the couch. “Now that you mention it, though, he’d started wearing it a bit more recently. He said his mother gave him some for his birthday, and he kept it in his office.” I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “Maybe that was clue number one I missed about the affair.” I fell back into the cushions.

  “Hindsight is always twenty-twenty.” She wrapped her arms around her torso.

  “Are you cold?”

  “I don’t think I’ve warmed up completely from earlier.”

  “Fancy a dip in the hot tub?”

  She glanced about.

  “Sadly, we don’t have access to a private hot tub, but I doubt the public one in the hotel will be busy on Christmas Eve.” I rose. “You’d probably fit into one of my suits.”

  She got to her feet. “Do you always bring more than one swimsuit?”

  I nodded. “I do, actually. I like to swim in the pool in the morning and hit the hot tub in the evening, and I hate putting on a wet suit. As luck would have it, I haven’t had time for either, so both are clean.”

  “My lucky streak keeps on ticking.” Her smile was sweet with a smidge of bashfulness.

  CHAPTER 4

  The hot tub was located on the ninth floor, next to the hotel gym.

  The lights were off.

  Allison scoped out the place. “Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”

  “What do you say, lights on or off?” I slipped out of my bathrobe, dipping my toes into the water to test the temperature. “Ah, that feels good.”

  “I say no lights. The view is spectacular. You can even see the lights from Winter Wonderland.” She shed her bathrobe, boldly entering the water without allowing for her body to adjust. “I like to dive right in.”

  I sat on the edge, easing my legs in. “If it were a pool, I would. With hot tubs, I much prefer the baby step approach.”

  Allison dipped her head back, getting her hair wet. Running her hands through her dark locks, she said, “I didn’t think tonight would turn out like this. Truth be told, I wasn’t looking forward to hanging out with my friends. Young lesbian love can be sickening for the likes of me.”

  “Ha! The lesbian couple in line is what brought us together. Lesbian love is in the air tonight, apparently.”

  Allison cocked her head to the side, peering into my eyes. She parroted, “Apparently” in a tiny voice that sent shivers through me.

  I paused. “Wait a minute… was that couple… were they your friends? It never made much sense to me they’d blow you off.”

  “It’s possible.” Her expression said no matter what she wouldn’t confirm or deny.

  “You love being secretive, don’t you?”

  “It seems to be paying off at the moment.”

  I slipped into the hot tub like an eel, needing the water to envelop me completely. To cover my… unease, shyness, or whatever I was feeling, I rolled my neck to the side. “I feel like I’m slowly coming back to life.”

  “Hot water can do miracles. Especially after the night you had. Are you really going to try to sleep through all of tomorrow? You could spend it here.”

  “I don’t know. It would be weird hanging out in a hot tub all day by myself. What is it you’re doing again?”

  “I had to work today, much to my mother’s annoyance. I told her I wouldn’t be able to make it home this year, but I’m catching an early flight tomorrow to surprise her.”

  “That’s sweet.”

  She put a finger to her lips. “Don’t tell anyone. I have a rep to protect.”

  “Your secret is safe with me. Tell me about your friends you were supposed to meet tonight.”

  “What about them?”

  “Are you close friends? I mean, you ditched them on Christmas Eve. Don’t bother denying it. I can tell I’m right.” I couldn’t, but it seemed like the best way to get her to admit it.

  Allison chortled. “I doubt they even noticed. I had a short fling with one of them right after the breakup. It’s not a big secret, hence why I think neither of them bothered to text.”

  “You’ve already had your rebound, then?”

  “Am I limited to only one?” Her voice was sultry.

  “That’s a good question, and I haven’t put a lot of thought into it.”

  “Do you put a lot of thought into everything?” Allison took a seat to my right, within reach but still with enough distance not to seem too forward.

  “It’s the math geek in me. I like to calculate things and have neat and orderly answers. Like, Steve is taking me to London over Christmas. That must mean Steve is going to propose.” I shrugged. “Maybe that’s my problem. Trying to plan. Not feeling.”

  “I’m not sure you were the source of Steve’s problem. No matter how much we like to think we have that much control over someone else’s happiness, we don’t. I think Steve’s actions speak loudly that he was only thinking of himself.”

  I let those words sink in, resting my head against the lip of the tub, the bubbles swirling around my face. The blue hot tub lights in the darkness made the water seem somewhat magical. Healing, almost.

  The only sound came from the hot tub jets. Both of us stared out the window at the twinkling lights of London. The rain had stopped, but the clouds had condensed into dark gray, foreboding masses.

  “This is such a beautiful city. I can see why you don’t want to leave it.” I let out a contented sigh.

  “It has a way of winning over most hearts.” She swiveled her head to me. “New York isn’t so bad, though.”

  “I love the theater. Plays, musicals, ballet—you name it and I love it.” I licked my lips. “Sadly, I don’t think I’ll be able to afford the city or those things for quite some time.” I wiped water droplets off my brow. “But that’s a worry for when I get back. Not for tonight.”

  “What’s tonight for, then?” Her lips were full. Her eyes sparkled. Her chest heaved a bit above the waterline.

  “No consequences. I’m in a foreign place. With a stranger who in all likelihood I won’t ever see again. It’s like I have a Get Out of Jail Free card.”

  “And this stranger, what do you plan to do to her?” She inched closer on the bench.

  “What do you recommend?” My head moved closer to hers.

  “It’s Christmas Eve. The world is your oyster.”

  I laughed. “What does that mean?”

  “What do you want it to mean?”

  “Another good question. I’m a bit out of practice with coming on to someone, and it’s been forever since it involved a woman.”

  “Shut up and kiss me.”

  Well, if she insisted. I leaned into the kiss, our lips brushing against each other. Softly at first. I knew her lips would be welcoming, like crushed velvet on bare skin.

  She placed one hand behind my head, pulling me into her more, and deepened the kiss. Her tongue sought mine. Not to control, but to experience me. And me her.

  I c
ould kiss her all night.

  Allison moved me onto her lap, giving us better access.

  We’d reached the stage of pawing each other, while frantically kissing.

  She unsnapped my top, lifting me above the water to suck my hardening nipple into her mouth.

  I tossed my head back, savoring the sensation.

  She repeated the process on my other nipple.

  I wanted her.

  Inside me.

  But not here.

  Not in the open.

  And it was too hot. I feared I’d pass out and miss the fun.

  “Wait,” I said when her right hand traveled down my stomach. “Let’s go back to the room. I think I may pass out if we stay in here too much longer.”

  “We can’t have that. Not sure prison is where I want to spend the next twelve years.”

  “How’d you get to prison?”

  “I don’t think people will believe this gorgeous woman was a willing participant in a night of debauchery.” She stepped out of the tub, retrieving my robe for me to cover my half-naked body.

  “Such a sweet talker.”

  “Is it when I’m telling the truth? You have looked in a mirror at least once in your life.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Come on.” I scooped up my top, shoving it into the pocket of my robe. After she put on her robe, I grasped her hand and yanked her toward the elevator.

  “My, my, my. You are ready to love and leave me.”

  I peered over my shoulder. “Have you changed your mind?”

  “Not one fucking bit.”

  CHAPTER 5

  The light to the door kept flashing red. I waved the room key card again with the same result.

  Allison took it from my hand. “Let me try.” She had her body pressed against mine, and I leaned back into her more. The green light flashed, and the door unlocked. “What can I say? I’m good with my hands.”

  “I’m banking on that.”

  She pulled me inside, kissing me as she walked backward into the main room. The fire was still going, and the room was about ten degrees hotter. She untied my robe, easing it over my shoulders. All I had on was my bikini bottom. “You must swim a lot.”

  “My mom used to joke I was part fish.”

  Allison trailed her fingertips from my left collarbone, over the swell of my breast, down my stomach, landing on the top of my swimsuit bottom. “These have to go.” Getting on her knees, she lowered them, allowing me to step out. Her hands explored my calves, then thighs, bypassing the hot zone, working up to my breasts as she rose on her feet. “Such soft, creamy skin.” She kissed my neck, tenderly nibbling on my earlobe. Her breath was hot against my skin, although my body reacted by creating hundreds of goose bumps with each stroke of her tongue.

  Part of me wanted her to plunge her fingers deep inside, taking me right then and there.

  The other part enjoyed Allison’s slow seduction. She stood back, staring into my eyes, releasing my hair from the bun I’d hastily made before heading to the hot tub. Her fingers ran through my hair. “I’ve never looked deeply into eyes that truly sparkled like emeralds.”

  I started to deny, but she smothered my lips with her fingers. I sucked one of them into my mouth.

  Her sapphire eyes burned brighter, turning a deep blue, like a hot summer sky going on forever.

  I untied her robe.

  She removed her wet top and shucked the bottom.

  “Maybe I should hire your military man.” My eyes traveled over her toned arms, the hint of a six pack, and sculpted legs.

  “The commute back and forth would be brutal.”

  “For a body like yours, the sacrifice may be worth it.” I slowly reached out to touch the swell of her perky breast.

  She smiled, giving me all the time to make contact. “I won’t break. I promise.”

  “It’s been so long since I’ve touched someone other…” Probably not the best time to mention Steve.

  “We’ve got all night, and we can go as slowly as you need.”

  I pressed against her body, the contact igniting all my nerve endings like a circuit board with sensory overload. My chin rested on her shoulder. “It’s nice, being nearly the same height.”

  “One plus of lesbian relationships. Unless you’re dating a really short man or are an incredibly tall woman.” She peppered my shoulder with light kisses.

  My fingers dug into her back.

  Her mouth was on mine.

  My legs wobbled, but her arms held me firmly in place in front of the fire.

  Fire.

  My pussy throbbed for attention.

  Her tongue worked its way down my chin, dipping into the hollow of my throat. Skimming down to my right nipple. Taking it into her mouth with the perfect amount of sucking and pressure.

  I reached my hand between her thighs, getting firsthand knowledge of how much she wanted me.

  “Can I help you?” she teased.

  “I think I can help you,” I tossed back.

  “Is that so?” Her lips clamped down onto my left nipple. “What if I want you first?”

  “Should we flip a coin?”

  “That would be a first for me.”

  My index finger parted her lips, causing her breath to hitch. “We could share.”

  Her right hand quickly found its mark, the pad of her thumb caressing my bud. “Sharing is caring.”

  I didn’t care a wit about that right then and there.

  What I wanted was to rock her world and have my mind fucking blown.

  I moved inside her, only one finger. Which she mirrored.

  In and out all the while staring into the other’s eyes.

  She added another finger and more urgency.

  I did the same.

  Our rapid breaths were in sync.

  Our wrists snapping in the same motion.

  Her face reddened, and her eyes smoldered.

  She plunged in deeply, causing me to stumble some.

  Before I knew it, she had me on the plush cream carpet in front of the fire. On top of me, her fingers back inside. Her tongue in my mouth. Everything was happening so fast, although I felt everything times a hundred.

  Her mouth trailed lower, her tongue leaving a trace of where she’d been.

  When she arrived at my navel, my senses heightened to a level I’d never known. I couldn’t wait for her mouth to take me down there. To feel her tongue on my clit. To swipe and suck it. I nearly came just from imagining it.

  Her teeth grazed my pubic hair.

  She sucked in a deep breath of my sex pouring over her fingers.

  Before her mouth made contact, she gazed up at me, a crooked smile on her face. It was as if she was memorizing the way I looked at this moment. The moment before she tasted me.

  I held her gaze.

  She winked at me.

  Then she turned her attention to the pulsing sensation.

  Slowly her tongue extended, hovering over my sex for a split second longer than I anticipated.

  A gush escaped me.

  Allison’s eyes took it in, while her tongue lightly flicked my clit, and I let out the most satisfactory I want you to fuck me hard groan. The type you read about in novels but never actually experienced in real life. Or at least I hadn’t until this night.

  Was it the forbidden aspect of Allison?

  The stranger in my hotel room?

  Something more?

  She sucked my sex into her mouth, and I arched my back off the floor. Her fingers were deep, forcing even deeper.

  Dear God, don’t let this night end.

  She focused on circling my clit, allowing her tongue to break contact and then touch again. The on and off drove me insane with desire.

  I snapped my eyes shut to enjoy the flashes of light marking the beginning of my orgasm.

  Allison shoved deep inside, pulled back, and repeated.

  I pulled her head into my zone, wanting her tongue to get me to the finish line and beyond.

  She o
bliged ever so willingly.

  My thighs started to quake.

  Her fingers inside pulled upward, eliciting another round of flashing lights.

  I audibly groaned and imagined people in the hallway heard.

  The crest of orgasm roared into full-on, my upper body lurching up, my hands cradling her head as Allison didn’t let up, her fingers and tongue working in tandem.

  “Holy hell,” I said, tossing my head back. “Holy hell.”

  CHAPTER 6

  After my body stilled, Allison grabbed one of the blankets from the couch and covered us.

  “I wish I could use the fireplace in my flat.” She rested her flushed cheek on bent elbow, her chin glistening with my juices.

  “Why can’t you?” I rolled on my side to face her.

  “My landlord says it’s not safe, and I’m not adventurous enough to test it out.” She kissed the tip of my nose gently. “That’s one experience I’d rather not add to my list. Burning down a building.”

  “A sensible plan. I try to avoid fires of all types.” I stifled a yawn.

  “Am I keeping you up?” She waggled her eyebrows.

  “Worse things have happened to me.”

  She cupped my breast with her soft hand. “Has this been enough of a diversionary tactic to get you through the holiday?”

  “For the moment, but I’m hoping to find my reserve to experience some more.” I added, “With you.”

  Allison craned to look out the window. “The rain is back, so unless you’re a love ’em and leave ’em type, it appears I’ll be here for the duration of the night until I have to make a mad dash to the airport.”

  “I’m the type people leave, so I think you’re safe.”

  Her hand explored my torso. “I can’t think of one reason why someone in their right mind would ever leave you. I’ve only known you a few hours, but you are the full package. Intelligent. Kind. Funny. Beautiful—inside and out.”

  “Psssh. How can you say that?” I turned my face away from hers.

  With her finger, she pulled my face to hers. “I trust my gut when it comes to interacting with people. You, Dagny, are a good person. You didn’t deserve what happened. Especially tonight of all nights.”