Release the Stars

by Harper Bliss

  Charlie’s skin broke out in gooseflesh at the thought of what Ava was asking of her. “You’re not even going to make me breakfast first?” Charlie wasn’t the least bit interested in breakfast. She’d barely eaten since Ava had turned up on her doorstep last Thursday. Her stomach was wholly upturned by butterflies.

  “Why are you stalling, Charlie? Are you nervous?” Amusement shone through in Ava’s voice.

  Hell no, Charlie wanted to say, but decided to be truthful instead. “A little, I guess.”

  “That’s so sweet and adorable.”

  Sweet and adorable were not words Charlie wanted associated with what she was about to do. “We’ll see about that,” she said, and started to slide away from Ava. “You stay here. Don’t move an inch.” Charlie got out of bed and regarded Ava. Judging by how silent she had fallen, she was ready for what would happen next—so ready she’d woken Charlie up for it.

  Charlie grabbed the harness they’d examined extensively together the day before and disappeared into the bathroom.

  She and Ava had gone over the instructions together—and it wasn’t all that difficult. But Charlie hadn’t done this in a very long time, and she had to brace herself, hands on the sides of the wash basin, and take a few deep breaths. There would only be one day in her life when she’d fuck Ava this way for the very first time.

  At last, Charlie took another good look at the straps and the dildo. It had traveled quite a distance already and finally come all this way—just like Charlie. She maneuvered herself into it, tightening the straps around her buttocks, the silicone toy standing proud between her legs. Despite the sense of power it gave her, Charlie had to mumble a few words of encouragement to herself. To show herself like this to a new lover was highly intimate. The addition of a toy always demanded an increased level of trust and abandon.

  Charlie stepped back into the bedroom. Ava lay on her side, her elbow propped underneath her, her head resting in her palm. At the sight of Charlie all strapped-on, her eyes widened. As a manner of invitation, she threw the sheets to one side. Charlie walked to the bed at a solemn pace, the toy dangling between her legs. When she climbed on, Ava came for her instantly, bringing her hands to Charlie’s neck, pulling her close.

  “You walking over here is one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen,” she whispered, before kissing Charlie. There was nothing slow or tentative about this kiss. It was all intent and probing tongues and pulling Charlie as close as possible by the back of her neck. There was no doubt as to exactly how much Ava wanted this. Funny how Charlie had believed it would be the other way around. Now, sitting here with Ava’s hands all over her, she couldn’t imagine it any other way.

  Charlie pushed Ava down onto her back. No more words were needed now. She sat naked with nothing but a dildo strapped to her loins. Beneath the panel of the fabric keeping it all together, her clit pulsed along with her heart. Even when she’d finally allowed herself to indulge in images of her and Ava together, this particular scene had been off limits. Charlie hadn’t dared to dream this boldly. She hadn’t dared to do a lot of things.

  But here she was, in Ava’s bed, the ocean outside ebbing away for the low morning tide, Ava looking up at her with lust in her eyes. No wonder Charlie hadn’t yet experienced the overwhelming sensation of all her dreams coming true since arriving in LA. This was the only dream that mattered. She was worthy, and she was ready. And she had Ava by her side.

  Charlie lay down next Ava and kissed her. Their lips met again and again in a frantic, charged connection of mouths and tongues. The dildo was lodged between their upper thighs, and the feel of it against her skin made Charlie’s flesh sizzle.

  “Fuck me, Charlie,” Ava said when they broke from their kiss. “God, please, fuck me.”

  A wicked grin spread over Charlie’s lips. She remembered how Ava had teased her the very first time she’d been in her bedroom, how she’d made her wait for it. It was Charlie’s intention to do exactly the same. She wanted it all now, wanted to explore every nook and cranny of Ava’s body, drive her completely crazy before giving her what she wanted.

  “Why don’t you turn around,” Charlie said. It wasn’t a question.

  Ava responded with a prolonged stare into Charlie’s eyes, before turning on her belly, her arms slipping underneath the pillow she rested her head on.

  Charlie gasped at the image of beauty displayed before her eyes. Ava’s dark skin looked scrumptious against the cream sheets. Her back flowed into her behind in a sensual curve. Without thinking, Charlie extended her hand and stroked Ava’s smooth skin. At first, she used only her fingertips and let them skate over the soft expanse lightly, creating a field of goose flesh in their wake, but soon, Charlie couldn’t resist and caressed Ava with her full hand. By the time she’d dragged it all the way up Ava’s legs, she was kneading, her own arousal and impatience reflected in her actions.

  Charlie wanted this just as much as Ava—if not more. Making her wait wasn’t an easy task. She planted her hands on either side of Ava’s back and lowered herself until her body was flush against Ava’s. The length of the dildo pressed into the soft flesh of Ava’s behind. Charlie kissed her neck, her shoulders, and slowly made her way down, until her lips reached the curve of her ass. Charlie bared her teeth and sank them into Ava’s behind gently. Beneath her, Ava squirmed with delight and, surely, impatience.

  As lovely as Ava’s backside was, Charlie had to see her face. “Turn back around,” she asked, a much more pleading tone in her voice than when she’d asked the first time.

  “I’ve been awake for hours, Charlie.” Ava reached out her hands and pulled Charlie to her. “Thinking about this. I’m ready.” There was urgency in her voice—need. Their lips met again and Ava’s tongue was hot and slippery in Charlie’s mouth, making her resolve crumble. She would need more time to learn to say no to this woman. Or at least, not yet. Charlie let her hand roam across Ava’s skin, her fingers searching out her nipples. She wanted to play with them for hours, take them into her mouth, gaze at the perfect roundness of Ava’s breasts, etch their shape into her memory forever, but her pulse was ever-quickening, her pussy swollen against the strap-on harness.

  “Fuck me,” Ava repeated. The way she said it made Charlie’s head spin a little.

  Charlie pushed herself onto her knees and took a short moment to revel in the beauty of Ava’s body. Her hands lay draped above her head, her chest completely exposed. The ease with which she offered her body to Charlie set her blood on fire. Most exciting of all, however, was the look in Ava’s eyes. It was demanding and vulnerable at the same time. It was the look of a woman Charlie never wanted to disappoint again. Ava Castaneda, the woman who compelled Charlie to find herself again.

  Charlie kissed Ava’s nipple, her hand grabbing for the other one. Intoxication overtook her. She was inebriated with raw lust for Ava. Charlie let her body take control. Her one hand squeezed while her tongue flicked Ava’s nipple. Then, Charlie felt a hand on hers. A hand that pushed hers down. Ava forced it down as far as she could. Her legs were spread wide. Charlie propped herself up a bit and looked into Ava’s eyes. The same pleading look of need shone in them. Charlie let her hand drift lower, over Ava’s pubic hair, to the wetness pooling between her legs.

  She gasped when she discovered how wet Ava was for her, how ready. Charlie darted her fingers over Ava’s soaked sex. It was all softness and arousal and desire. Juices soon coated her fingertips. She locked her gaze on Ava’s, and slipped two fingers inside.

  Ava’s muscles tensed instantaneously, but Charlie was still sitting next to her, and her position was not right. She gave Ava one more deep stroke, her own body tensing at the feel of all this warm, slick body, then retreated.

  “Oh, Christ,” Ava moaned. Her hands were above her head again, her features drawn into an expression of pure agony. “You’re such a tease.”

  Charlie tried to ignore Ava’s pleading and moved between her legs. The tip of the toy touched Ava’s upper thigh,
and it was enough to make her writhe underneath Charlie’s gaze. But Charlie wanted to do something else first. She needed to taste. She lowered her head to Ava’s pussy, inhaled her scent, and kissed the spot right next to her clit, then traced a path along Ava’s drenched, puffed-up lips, let her tongue slip inside, until, finally, she dragged it up to Ava’s clit again, and licked before sucking it into her mouth.

  Ava moaned louder and Charlie needed to stop. Reluctantly, she pulled away from Ava’s pussy. Charlie cupped some of Ava’s juices in the palm of her hand and stroked them along the shaft of the dildo. She inched close enough to let the tip skate along Ava’s lips and gave her clit a quick nudge with it.

  “Oh, God.” Ava moaned. “Please, Charlie, please.”

  Delighted by the moment, Charlie acquiesced. She shifted her weight forward, and, slowly, pushed the dildo inside of Ava. The sight of the pink toy disappearing between Ava’s lips made Charlie’s mouth go dry. Her heart hammered in her chest.

  “Oh, yes,” Ava said. “Oh, yes, Charlie. Fuck me.” Ava’s voice was a low whimper, insistent but quiet.

  Half inside, Charlie changed position, draping herself over Ava’s body. The choice between watching the dildo enter Ava’s pussy or the enchantment on Ava’s face from close up was an easy one for Charlie to make. She thrust into Ava, slow and gentle at first, and every time she pushed forward, her clit met the panel of the harness.

  Charlie had watched Ava on TV for years. She’d seen her enjoy food, put on a serious face when she had to eliminate a contestant, and celebrate when a winner was announced. None of Ava’s TV faces came close to how her features contorted in a mask of pleasure, a study in the focus of ecstasy, a display so utterly beautiful and arousing, Charlie believed she might very well come just at the sight of it.

  Ava had brought her hands to Charlie’s back and dug her nails in deep. Then, Ava pulled up her legs, and folded them across Charlie’s lower back, and Charlie felt so extremely close to her—such a stark contrast to how far she had removed herself emotionally from Ava to protect her wounded ego.

  Charlie increased the pace and force of her strokes. Ava drew a heavy breath, head thrown back, eyes mere slits, and her neck long and exposed. She turned Charlie on even more. Every bit of Ava sparked arousal in Charlie. The patrician line of her nose. The thought of her painted fingernails digging into Charlie’s flesh. The syncopated sighs coming from her mouth. How her heels dug into the flesh just above Charlie’s behind. They were one now. And Charlie reached that space where her body took over, where she was only feeling and sensation and fire. The fire came from somewhere deep inside her body, and was stoked every time Ava uttered another cry of pleasure. Charlie was right there with Ava.

  Ava brought one hand to the back of Charlie’s head and pulled her close, her mouth brushing Charlie’s ear. “Oh, God, Charlie,” Ava whispered. “Oh—” Then, along with her body, her voice stilled for a moment, her legs tightening around Charlie’s middle, her nails digging into her skull.

  Charlie gave one last thrust, delved deep inside Ava one last time. Her clit rubbed against the panel, which was now soaked in her wetness, and she cried out at the same time Ava did.

  Ava’s legs fell away, but her arms remained curled around Charlie’s neck. Charlie fell against her, her body stunned by this orgasm. Hers and Ava’s—but mostly hers. When she came to her senses, she remembered she was still inside Ava, and levered herself up again, looking down from Ava’s face to between her legs. The sight of the dildo slipping from Ava’s swollen lips ignited a new fire where the previous one had started. She understood now why Ava had woken her. Charlie, too, wanted to repeat variations of this all day long.

  “Come here.” Ava waved impatiently with her arm.

  Charlie didn’t bother taking the harness off and landed half on top of Ava.

  “Did you come?” Ava asked, bringing her hands to Charlie’s cheeks and positioning her face in front of hers.

  “You know me. Easily combustible.” Charlie grinned.

  “Oh, Charlie.” Ava craned her neck and planted a kiss on Charlie’s lips. “That was so incredibly hot.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  “I think you deserve your breakfast now.” Ava smiled one of those wide, toothy smiles. “You must keep up your strength. It’s going to be a long day.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  “Even I can get star struck,” Ava said. “Elisa Fox belongs to the big league.”

  They were on their way to the wrap party of season one of Underground. All ten episodes had been filmed. A fact that excited Charlie disproportionately. Regardless, if a season two of the show was commissioned, Charlie wouldn’t be part of the writing staff, making this party an even more emotional event for her.

  “Are you okay?” Ava asked. She squeezed Charlie’s leg.

  “Yeah, just, I don’t know… Coming to Hollywood and witnessing the birth of Underground the TV show has been quite the experience. It has exceeded my expectations in many ways, even though some of those ways were highly surprising.” Charlie cast a glance at Ava, who, despite the brief to not dress up, looked über-glamorous in a tight, red dress and matching lipstick. Charlie suspected the presence of Elisa Fox had something to do with that. “I’m also nervous because I’m to give a speech, which is hardly my strong suit.”

  Ava curled her lips into a smile. “When you’re giving the speech, focus on how wet you’re making me just by standing there and being all gorgeous and cute… and mine.”

  “Oh, Christ, Ava.” Charlie rolled her eyes. “That’s not helping at all.”

  “Hm.” Ava clutched her fingers around Charlie’s knee a little more tightly. “Let me try again.” Her fingers loosened and started walking upward, in the direction of Charlie’s crotch. “The advantage of living in Malibu is it takes long enough to get anywhere to take off the pressure.” Ava’s fingers had reached the apex of Charlie’s upper thighs and remained there, stroking lightly. Charlie could barely feel anything through the fabric of her jeans, yet her clit responded to Ava’s words and actions by swelling and pushing against the confines of her underwear.

  “Again. Not helping.” Charlie put her hand over Ava’s between her legs, flattening it.

  Ava sighed. “Okay then, let me try something else.” She pulled her hand away and put it on Charlie’s shoulder turning to face her as best she could in the backseat of a car. “Without you, this show would not exist. It came from your brain. You conceived of it. You wrote it, and then came to Hollywood to help shape it. You’ve done your part, whether you give a speech or not—and I’m sure no one will hold it against you if you don’t. Your work speaks for itself. Besides, you’re a writer. You can always use that as an excuse.”

  Warmth spread through Charlie’s chest. “Hot, sweet, and wise,” Charlie said. “How on earth did I end up with someone like you?”

  “Definitely because I choose to only see the best in people.” Ava’s face was serious, but there was a smile in her voice.

  Charlie chuckled, but quickly succumbed to nerves again. “It would be different if I didn’t feel as though I also had to say a sort of goodbye.”

  “Then look at it differently. This is not goodbye. It’s only the beginning. You’ll have the premiere party in a few months. You’ll have a few promotional activities to do. And if the show does get renewed, you will still be a part of it, even if you choose a more limited role. You’ll always be a huge part of it.”

  “I guess.” Charlie pursed her lips.

  “I know you a bit by now, Charlie Cross. You’re nervous because this whole journey has been so overwhelming for you, and this wrap party marks some sort of ending for you. I understand. And I’m with you every step of the way.”

  Charlie grabbed Ava’s other hand, brought it to her mouth, and kissed it. “More than that, it marks a big transition for me. For the longest time, I believed that this was what I wanted. The glamour that comes with working on a TV show, with being on set as som
eone like Elisa Fox recites lines I came up with, to gaze up at the Hollywood sign and feel as though I belong. But I was wrong. All I want is to sit in a room by myself and make up more drama.”

  “Such is life.” Ava cupped Charlie’s jaw in her palm. “Everything is a process, and the process never ends. God knows where we’ll be in a few years’ time. Where life will take us.”

  Ava’s use of the word “us” when talking about the future dislodged a knot in Charlie’s stomach. It was Ava who made her feel as if she belonged. Ava, and Nick and Jason, and Liz and Sarah, and her softball team, and now even Jo. It was the people, not the place and its connotations and the gravity Charlie had awarded to it for years, that anchored her here.

  The car slowed, and they pulled into the studio’s parking lot.

  “Everything’s going to be all right, Charlie. I promise you,” Ava said. If anyone else had spoken those words to her under any other circumstances, Charlie would have instantly cataloged them as bullshit, but coming from Ava, Charlie believed them.

  * * *

  Elisa Fox had brought her fellow A-list husband to the party, and the pair of them were the center of attention. Even though this was a private event, it was also the first time Charlie and Ava had stepped out together. Charlie had been beaming with pride since they’d arrived. She’d introduced Ava to Liz and her fellow writers, making her feel like part of a proper couple again.

  “This has, by far, been the most amazing experience of my life,” Liz said.

  “Hey.” Sarah elbowed her in the biceps.

  “Apart from marrying my lovely wife, of course.” Liz rubbed her upper arm as if Sarah’s jab had actually hurt.

  “How long have you been married?” Ava asked.