by Lyn Gardner
“I do.”
“Good,” Gina said, squeezing Kate’s hand. “So stop worrying about all the other crap, finish your bloody beer, and let’s go do some more shopping.”
“More?” Devon said, sliding down in her seat. “Honestly, Gina, haven’t you two bought enough clothes today?”
“Clothes, yes,” Gina said, flashing a knowing grin a second before kissing Devon on the cheek. “Lingerie…no.”
***
Standing amidst chrome fixtures filled with brassieres of every style and color, Kate pondered the shades in her hand. Already choosing a matching set in dark green and another in chocolate brown, the remaining would either be royal blue or pale pink. Unable to make up her mind, she was about to return both to the rack when she heard a familiar voice.
“If it matters, I like the blue.”
Kate’s face creased into a smile, and she turned around. “Hi, Brodie.”
“Hi yourself,” Brodie said, taking a step closer.
As if bewitched by the other’s gaze, for a few moments, they just stood there like enamored teens on a first date until a passing customer jostled Kate and brought her back to the planet. “How’d you find me?”
“I texted Devon a short while ago, and she let me know where you’d be. I have to say, though, I’m a little surprised your arms aren’t full of packages.”
“They’re in the car.”
“Oh, I see,” Brodie said, unable to break eye contact with Kate. “Hopefully, not a large car.”
“It’s large enough,” Kate said, her cheeks turning rosy. “So, how’d your meeting go?”
“Good. He asked for a few changes, so it took longer than I expected, but the contract is now signed, and Ethan will start work next week.”
“I see you found us,” Devon said, walking from between the rows of lingerie.
“And I see Gina likes to shop,” Brodie said, watching as Devon struggled with the bags she was carrying.
“These are Gina’s,” Devon said, holding up the bags in her left hand before shoving the bags in her right hand in Brodie’s direction. “These are Kate’s.”
Brodie took the packages and then looked back at Kate. “I thought you said yours were in the car.”
“Okay, so maybe not all of them,” Kate said with a laugh.
“So,” Brodie said, adjusting the bags in her hands. “Are you done here, or should I find a comfortable chair and take a kip?”
Kate’s need to shop any further was lost and holding up the blue lingerie set, she said, “I just have to pay for these, and we can go.”
A short time later, all four met at the entrance to the store, two loaded down with bags, and two discussing their plans for the evening. It was a tradition that all their shopping extravaganzas ended with dinner at a Chinese restaurant, but today’s spree was ending earlier than usual.
All Kate wanted to do was to return to her flat and continue where she and Brodie had left off. Unfortunately, she knew her reasoning would be transparent. She had put up with more than enough playful banter and sexual innuendo at lunch to last for one day, and she wasn’t about to add fuel to the fire. After everyone tossed ideas about, Brodie finally suggested they meet at her flat later that night for Chinese takeaway, and once Kate’s purchases were transferred to Brodie’s car, Devon and Gina headed for home.
Brodie climbed into her car, glancing at her watch before looking over at Kate. “So…your place or mine?”
Without missing a beat, Kate said, “Yours. It’s closer.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Kate would have never described herself as oversexed, but while they rode the lift to Brodie’s flat, Kate was beginning to have her doubts.
She had spent the better part of a day in opulent department stores and small, eclectic shops, trying desperately to keep her mind on the business at hand, but every time Kate ran her hand over silken fabrics or fingered the lace of a bra, her mind returned to the night before. A frantic hour on the sofa and then several more in her bed hadn’t begun to quench the thirst she had for the woman who was standing beside her. The chime signaled the end of their ride, and as they exited and approached the door to Brodie’s flat, Kate’s core pulsed.
Brodie was a consummate professional when it came to dealing with her clients. She was always polite, always attentive, and changes they’d suggest were always—always—taken into consideration, except today, when her client asked for a few revisions, it was all Brodie could do not to huff out a breath. Brodie didn’t want to work. She wanted to play, and she wanted to play with Kate. She had yet to savor all that Kate had to offer, and that thought created damp knickers each time it entered her brain. More than once, Brodie had to ask her client to repeat his question, and more than once, she mentally scolded herself for the titillating thoughts running through her head.
Brodie unlocked the door and ushered Kate inside, and both dropped the bags they were carrying on the floor. The flat was cool and quiet, and when their eyes met, questions not asked were answered. Taking a deep breath, Brodie slipped her fingers through Kate’s and led her to the bedroom. As they neared the bed, Brodie felt Kate squeeze her hand, and when she turned, she was met with a kiss.
Neither tentative nor hungry, but rather somewhere in between, they melted into each other, the flavors of coffee and ale blending as their passion grew. Brodie found the buttons of Kate’s blouse, deftly unfastening them as Kate did the same with Brodie’s, and when their shirts fell away, fingers found clasps and bras of black and ivory followed. They came together again, and as breasts, with nipples dimpled and erect touched, they consumed each other with kisses passionate and probing until, fighting for air, they parted. Overwhelmed by their need for each other, they stepped out of their jeans and knickers and fell on the bed, legs intertwining and hands touching all that could be reached.
Kate’s lips traveled over Brodie’s face and down her neck, stopping to suck and taste as she slowly made her way down Brodie’s body. She cupped Brodie’s breasts, their plumpness so perfect in her hands, she could effortlessly sweep her thumbs across the dark centers, and watching as they grew pebbled and stiff, they became too tempting to resist. She pulled one into her mouth, and Brodie’s reaction was instant. Grabbing Kate’s bottom, she squeezed the roundness again and again as Kate nibbled and sucked until Brodie’s breathing grew shallow.
Driven by something stronger than she could have ever imagined, Kate slithered upward. She captured Brodie’s mouth in a ravenous kiss, and using her knee, she nudged Brodie’s legs apart, grinding her pelvis into Brodie’s to further fuel the fire building between them.
As Kate’s slickness began to mix with her own, Brodie opened her eyes and more want pulsed from her center when she saw Kate, on outstretched arms, above her. Brodie stared in amazement. Kate, with eyes closed and lips parted, seemed lost in the eroticism of the moment. Absorbed in the feral nature of the act, concentration lines were etched into Kate’s forehead. Her face was flushed, and her body shimmered with sweat, yet over and over again, she arched into Brodie until finally, her eyes fluttered open.
Kate’s breath caught in her throat when she realized Brodie was watching her, and freezing in place, streaks of heat colored her face.
“Don’t,” Brodie said, reaching out to touch Kate’s cheek. “You’re beautiful, Kate. Please don’t stop.” When Kate didn’t move, Brodie cupped her chin. “Do what you want, darling. Do what you feel.”
Kate gazed into Brodie’s eyes and taking a ragged breath, she returned to the tempo she had set. Slow and deliberate, she rubbed herself against Brodie, and Brodie met each stroke by lifting her hips. It was sheer carnality, and it was almost perfect. It was missing only one thing and slipping her hand between their bodies, Brodie pulled up on the fold of skin above her clit to expose it in all its engorged glory.
“Oh…” Kate said in a breath, her tempo increasing instantly. Her mind went blank as instincts took over, and thrusting harder into Brodie, she wa
s unforgiving as below her, Brodie struggled to breathe.
There was nothing Brodie could do to stop the urge any longer, and as her soul-shattering climax claimed her, she bucked one last time, sending Kate over the same precipice.
Low, guttural moans were all that could be heard as both crested at the same time, and as Kate fell to the side, surrendering to every spasm that swept over her, Brodie clutched at the sheets, riding each glorious wave right to the end.
Time didn’t exist until ragged breaths calmed and rolling her head to the side, Brodie gazed at Kate. “Are you okay?”
Kate opened her eyes, her cheeks coloring again. “Um…yeah.”
“What’s wrong? Why the blush?”
“I…uh…I don’t even know where that came from.”
“I would hope from your heart.”
“That goes without saying,” Kate said, propping herself up on her elbow. “But…but…”
“Are you embarrassed?”
“No, well, yeah. I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Why? You obviously liked what you were doing.”
Brodie smiled when Kate’s cheeks grew even darker. “Kate, what you did, what we did, was natural and beautiful, and there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
Kate rested her head on Brodie’s arm. “I suppose.”
Brodie flicked her gaze to the ceiling. “Come here,” she said, crooking her finger at Kate. “Afterglow isn’t nearly as nice unless you get to hold the person you love.”
Kate inched closer and snuggling against Brodie, she let out a contented breath. “This is nice.”
“Yes, it is.”
“I could stay like this all night.”
“Me, too,” Brodie said, unconsciously running her hand down Kate’s arm. “But unfortunately, we have guests coming over.”
“I forget. What time are they supposed to be here?”
“Um…seven.”
“Oh.”
Brodie looked at the clock on the nightstand. She quickly did the math, and then rolling Kate to her back, she began placing butterfly kisses across Kate’s shoulder and up her neck, allowing her tongue to taste as she went.
“What are you doing?” Kate murmured, closing her eyes.
“Like you have to ask.”
“Didn’t you just say we have guests coming over?”
“I did,” Brodie said, climbing over Kate. “But that’s a whole three hours away.”
Kate’s eyes flew open when she suddenly felt herself being pulled to the edge of the bed, and seeing the look on Brodie’s face, Kate knew exactly what was about to happen.
For a second, Brodie waited, but when she saw Kate’s breasts begin to rise and fall as she sucked in one quick breath after another, Brodie knelt by the side of the bed and gently moved Kate’s legs apart. “And three hours means I don’t have to rush this, not one…little…bit.”
***
A room without doors, and a shower without walls, no longer concerned Kate. The oversized showerhead allowed water to fall like rain, gently washing away the lather that took with it the smell of sex and sweat. They embraced time and again, unable to resist the need to touch and to feel amidst the steam and the foam, both knowing they couldn’t take things further, but nonetheless, wishing they could.
Shutting off the valve, Brodie handed Kate a towel. “How you doing?”
Kate sat on the tiled bench to dry her legs and chuckled. “Well, given the fact twenty minutes ago I couldn’t stand or form a complete sentence, I think I’m doing much better.”
Brodie laughed and knelt at Kate’s feet. “A bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think?”
“You’re amazing,” Kate said in a breath. “I’d ask you where you’d learned how to do that, but I don’t think I want to know.”
Brodie cupped Kate’s chin in her hand. “That’s in the past, Kate. All they did was teach me how to love you…for the rest of my life.”
Kate’s eyes misted over. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Brodie said, placing a light kiss on Kate’s lips before standing up. “But now I’d best get dressed and get ready for the girls. Are you going to be okay?”
“I’ll be fine, Brodie.”
“Good,” Brodie said, wrapping her towel around her torso. She made her way across the room, only to stop and turn around when she reached the doorway. “By the way, your blouse is probably a bit wrinkled. There are T-shirts in the second drawer and blouses in the wardrobe if you want something clean to wear. Oh…and knickers are in the top drawer.”
“You don’t mind?”
“Of course not,” Brodie said through a toothy smile. “Nothing says love like sharing one’s knickers.”
***
While Brodie readied the flat for Gina’s and Devon’s arrival, Kate finished in the bathroom and then began gathering her clothes. After making the bed, she tossed her crumpled shirt on a chair and took one of Brodie’s Oxfords from the wardrobe. Enjoying the feel of the soft cotton against her skin, Kate sat on the edge of the bed and took a deep breath.
It had been less than twenty-four hours since she’d become Brodie’s lover, and Kate knew her life would never be the same. Before she met Brodie, Kate had been convinced the road she was to travel would be straight and narrow, but now she wasn’t sure, nor was Kate sure she cared. Earlier in the day, she had witnessed the slack-jawed faces of strangers, shocked to see Gina’s and Devon’s open displays of affection, and Kate was bothered by their rude reactions. She wasn’t yet prepared for that kind of attention, although in time, she told herself it wouldn’t matter. After all, she was happy, and she was in love. She’d get past this. She just needed some time.
Kate ran her hand over the duvet. Her thoughts returned to Brodie’s lovemaking when, with her fingers and tongue, she had taken Kate to orgasms that had left Kate unable to speak or even to move. With delicious strokes, Brodie had tasted every crevice of Kate’s sex, and as promised, when Kate begged for more, Brodie gave it…time and time again.
Kate blushed as her body reacted to the memories, and filling her lungs with air, she tried to push the thoughts from her mind. It would be hours before they’d be alone again, but when they were, Kate hoped to show Brodie exactly how quick of a study she was.
Jumping off the bed, Kate rolled up the sleeves of the borrowed Oxford as she headed to the kitchen, just in time to see Brodie filling two glasses of wine. “Are one of those for me?”
The sight of Kate wearing one of her Oxfords brought a smile to Brodie’s face. “Of course,” she said, handing Kate a goblet. “Come on. I want to show you something.”
Kate slipped her fingers through Brodie’s, and a minute later, they were ascending the circular stairway in the back of the flat. Climbing the iron treads, Kate admired the sway of Brodie’s bottom until they reached the top, and Brodie pushed open the metal door.
Brodie stepped out onto the roof and waited until Kate joined her before flipping on the light switch mounted on the brick.
Kate gaped in astonishment as the entire rooftop became alive with the soft twinkle of fairy lights. Planters of every shape and size were everywhere. Ordinary terracotta sat alongside glazed ceramic vessels decorated in vibrant colors, and each container overflowed with greenery and flowers. “Oh, Brodie, this is amazing.”
“Thanks. It took Devon and me months to carry all this stuff up here, but it was well worth it, I think.”
“It certainly was,” Kate said, her eyes darting here and there. Noticing a wooden chaise lounge in the center of the roof, she inclined her head. “Is that where you got your tan?”
“Yeah. I come up here on the weekends and relax with a book or some music. It’s my way of escaping the world for a bit.”
“I…uh…I noticed you don’t have tan lines.”
The glint in Brodie’s eyes outdid the fairy lights. “The walls around the perimeter give me a bit of privacy, and the only buildings taller than this one are way over there.”
&nbs
p; Kate looked in the direction Brodie had indicated and then clearing her throat, she concentrated on the flowers surrounding them.
“Let me guess,” Brodie said, inclining her head to look Kate in the eye. “You don’t approve of sunbathing in the nude?”
“I never really thought about it,” Kate said, her voice trailing off as she focused on another planter filled with greenery.
“Well, you could always try it sometime. You might just like it.”
Kate sighed. It had taken her months to come to terms with her feelings toward Brodie, and after finally admitting them, in only a few short weeks, most of her insecurities had fallen to the wayside. But never in her life had she been involved with someone as confident as Brodie. That, coupled with the fact the woman enjoyed what some would call a self-indulgent lifestyle, began to weigh on Kate’s mind.
Kate took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You are so totally different than anyone I’ve ever dated.”
“Because I’m a woman?”
“No, that’s not what I mean,” Kate said, shaking her head. “I used to think you were cocky, but that’s not it at all. You’re just comfortable being who you are.”
“It’s all I can be,” Brodie said, placing her glass on a small iron table. “I can’t worry about what others think. Life’s too short for that, and since I’ve only got one life, why shouldn’t I enjoy it as much as I can? So, if I want to lie out under the sun, nude, who’s to say that I can’t? If I want fancy cars and high-tech gadgets, why shouldn’t I have them? I don’t want to look back one day and wish for something I could have had, but didn’t, just because I was too afraid to try.”
“That’s an admirable trait,” Kate whispered. “But I’m not sure I possess it.”
“You are who you are, Kate, and I love you,” Brodie said, wrapping her arms around Kate and holding her close. “That’s all that matters.”