Shadow Haven

by AJ Schippers

  Chapter 10

  Alexandra chuckled softly when she walked into her bedroom and saw Julia sleeping, having claimed the entirety of the bed. She crawled onto the mattress and placed a hand on either side of Julia as she hovered over her. Her face was inches away from Julia’s, and a grin spread on her face. It would be so easy to kiss Julia awake, and she would be lying if she said that wasn’t exactly what she wanted to do. “Julia,” she whispered as she brought her mouth close to Julia’s ear. “Wake up.”

  “Go away,” Julia murmured, still half-asleep.

  “That is definitely not chocolate-rewarding behavior,” Alexandra playfully scolded before placing a soft kiss on Julia’s cheek. She smiled when Julia’s eyes flew open.

  “Hi,” Julia said, a light blush appearing on her cheeks.

  Alexandra’s heart fluttered as her eyes took in the sight beneath her. Julia was absolutely gorgeous, with her blonde hair all tangled up and her eyes shining, even as she avoided looking at Alexandra directly. And was that a hint of…desire? It was both endearing and delicious. “Did you sleep well?”

  “Mhm.” Julia nodded. She was still trying to look anywhere but in Alexandra’s eyes.

  “You’re cute.” Alexandra only grinned when Julia’s blush deepened. She wanted to tease her further, but let herself fall on the bed beside her instead. “How come I do all the work around here, and you get to take all the naps?”

  “Maybe you should get a concussion as well. I hear it’s perfect if you want people to do your every bidding.”

  Alexandra propped herself up on one elbow as she looked at Julia, who was still stubbornly looking in the other direction. “Is that so? Why, do tell me, Miss ‘Concussion’ Julia, how may I serve you?”

  “Really?”

  “Sure. You get one last request.” She quirked an eyebrow before sternly adding, “After that, you’re done milking this concussion for all it’s worth. So I would think about it carefully.”

  “Anything I want?”

  “Within reason,” Alexandra knowingly smiled. “I have the right to say no if it involves me.”

  “Do I have to let you know right this instant?”

  “Yes.”

  Julia sat up straight and chewed on her bottom lip. She had been hoping for a different answer. She had no idea what to ask for. Well, she could think of one thing, but she was pretty sure Alexandra would shut it down immediately and not give her a second chance to come up with another request. Her eyes closed as she pondered her options. She could ask for an unlimited amount of chocolate, but that would take all the fun away from their little game. Her lips curled up in a small smile before she opened her eyes and looked down at Alexandra. “I know what I want.”

  “Do share, Ms. Quinn.”

  “Wait,” Julia said as her brows furrowed. “Do I get a do-over if you say no?” Alexandra didn’t reply. “Didn’t think so.” Julia huffed as she let herself fall back onto the pillows. “Do you really think I’m milking my concussion?”

  “Julia.”

  “Right. One last request. You know that sounds like you’re about to throw me in a dungeon and never let me out again, right? ‘Any last words, inmate?’” she mocked with a low voice.

  Before Julia knew what was happening, Alexandra was on top of her, straddling her thighs. She grabbed Julia’s hands and pinned them over her head, “Is this okay?”

  Julia slowly nodded.

  “Good. Now, tell me: what do you want, Julia?”

  “Alexandra,” Julia moaned softly as she involuntarily jerked her hips.

  “Yes?”

  “A massage,” she said.

  “A massage?”

  “Yes. I want to give you one.”

  Alexandra was clearly taken aback, and it took her a few seconds to respond. “You want to give me a massage?”

  “Yes.” Julia admitted, a little surprised herself. She hadn’t intended to say that at all; in fact, she had been planning to ask Alexandra for one.

  “Your last request to milk your concussion is you wanting to give me a massage?” Alexandra asked again.

  “Apparently so.”

  “Well, you definitely earned brownie points with that. Ask me nicely.”

  “Please?”

  “I think you can do better than that, don’t you?”

  “May I give you a massage?” Her cheeks grew warm when she saw Alexandra’s smile turn into a teeth-baring grin.

  “I think you forgot to say please,” Alexandra said, seeming to revel in the fact that Julia was practically squirming beneath her, so desperate for Alexandra’s approval.

  “May I please give you a massage?”

  “Yes, you may—tonight, after dinner. I expect you to do a thorough job, and when you do, I shall reward you.”

  Julia’s breath hitched in her throat. “Chocolate?”

  “No, this reward is better than chocolate.”

  “What is it?”

  “Let it be a mystery. It wouldn’t be much fun if I gave away all my secrets. Do you trust me?”

  “To a certain degree.”

  A big grin appeared on Alexandra’s face. “Look at the progress we’re making!” She rolled off Julia and got out of bed. “Come on, it’s dinnertime.” She looked back at Julia before walking out of the door. “You should eat lots. I’m sure you could use the energy for later.”

  Julia’s heart was beating so loudly in her chest, she was certain if Alexandra had still been on top of her, she would have heard it. Whatever it was that Alexandra was implying, it already excited Julia, and she wanted more. Adrenaline pumped through her body as she got out of bed and followed Alexandra into the living room, faintly aware of the throbbing between her legs.

  Julia yawned as she jumped off the kitchen counter. Alexandra had made amazing, delicious zucchini fritters. While Nicky had joined them for dinner, Ella still felt too ill to join them, so Nicky had excused herself afterward to take care of Ella, leaving Alexandra and Julia to deal with the dishes. Once they had finished cleaning them, they had lingered in the kitchen and drunk a glass of wine, and when Alexandra had suggested moving to the couch instead, Julia had eagerly agreed.

  “I may hire you as my personal chef for when I go home,” she said as she lay down on the couch, making it impossible for Alexandra to join her.

  “What makes you think you can afford me?” Alexandra slapped Julia’s feet off the couch and sat down, giving Julia a don’t-even-think-about-it look when she tried to put her feet on Alexandra’s lap.

  “I’m sure I can pay you in other ways,” Julia said without giving the statement much thought.

  “I nearly forgot. What was it you wanted to do again?”

  Julia stared at her own hands. “A massage. For you. You know, from me.”

  “That’s right. Let’s go,” Alexandra stood up from the couch and offered Julia a hand.

  “Right now?”

  “No time like the present.”

  Julia took the offered hand and stood up.

  “Let’s move to the bedroom.”

  Neither of them spoke a word as they walked over there, Julia’s hand still firmly in Alexandra’s. When the door closed behind them, Julia shuffled on her feet, unsure of how to proceed. “So,” she drawled as she averted her gaze.

  Fingers threaded into Julia’s hair, and her eyes briefly closed, opening again when Alexandra cupped her cheek and traced her thumb over Julia’s lower lip. “Take off my blouse.”

  Julia’s eyes grew wide. “W-what?” She wasn’t quite sure if she could deal with seeing Alexandra naked for the first time.

  “Take off my blouse,” Alexandra repeated more firmly as she moved her hand to Julia’s and grabbed it. “You can’t give me a proper massage if I’m dressed, now can you?” She moved Julia’s fingers to one of the buttons. “Take it off,” she whispered.

  Julia’s hand trembled as she undid the buttons, one by one. She swallowed thickly with each bit of skin that she uncovered. Alexandra was absol
utely breathtaking.

  “Good girl,” Alexandra said when Julia gently removed the blouse from Alexandra’s shoulders and put it on the chair. She kicked off her shoes and pulled Julia close to her again. “Pants next, please.”

  “You can’t be serious?” Julia’s gaze dropped to Alexandra’s chest and the breasts that were hidden beneath the laced bra.

  “I’m very serious, Julia. Take them off. I told you I expect you to do a thorough job, and you can’t do that while I’m dressed. But…” Alexandra tipped her head to the side and gave Julia a serious look, “…perhaps this would be a good time to remind you of the traffic light system. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

  “Fuck me,” Julia whispered. Julia had wanted something that had sounded easy in her imagination, but when faced with reality, she realized how intense it was. Her fingers fumbled with the button of Alexandra’s jeans, and she was careful not to touch Alexandra’s skin; she didn’t think she could bear it.

  “All in good time,” Alexandra chortled.

  Julia pulled down Alexandra’s zipper and moved her hands to the waistband of her pants, slowly pulling them down while sinking to her knees.

  “Good God.” Julia was sure she was going to die any second now. The olive skin was incredibly inviting. Julia looked up as Alexandra stepped out of her pants. “You’re beautiful,” she said shyly and got back on her feet.

  “Thank you,” Alexandra said with a smile. “Guess what comes next?” Alexandra said as she turned around and looked at Julia over her shoulder.

  “Yellow.”

  “I’m proud of you for using that. Are you okay?”

  Julia took a deep breath and nodded before unclasping the bra. She immediately took a step back.

  Alexandra smiled approvingly as she removed the straps from her shoulders and flung the bra onto the chair. She covered her breasts with her arm and walked over to the bed. “You cannot wear shoes in my bed, Julia.” She moved to lie down on her stomach.

  “Right.” Julia kicked off her own shoes, her eyes fixated on the body in front of her. Alexandra was absolutely stunning, and the mere thought of Alexandra being naked, aside from her panties, made Julia wonder how the hell she was going to get through this. There was a faint throb between her legs as she crawled on top of the bed.

  “There’s a bottle of oil in my nightstand,” Alexandra said.

  Julia leaned over and opened the drawer and couldn’t help but snort. “That’s not all that’s in there!” She grabbed the bottle and closed the drawer again. “Have you no shame?”

  “As if you don’t have any toys in your nightstand,” Alexandra retorted.

  There was nothing she could come up with to say to that. “So, what do I do now?” she quietly asked as she turned the bottle over in her hands.

  “I highly recommend that you start putting your hands to good use,” Alexandra said with a smirk.

  Julia cleared her throat. “Can I—”

  “Yes.”

  “Seriously,” Julia said. “You don’t even know what I was going to ask.”

  “Straddle me.”

  The statement left no room for argument, and truth be told, it was exactly what Julia had wanted to ask. She placed her knees on each side of Alexandra’s legs and swallowed thickly as she uncapped the bottle and squirted oil on her hands. As she rubbed her hands together to warm the oil, her eyes took in every curve of Alexandra’s back.

  “It’s just a massage,” Alexandra said encouragingly.

  “Right,” Julia nodded before moving her hands to Alexandra’s shoulders. She slid them all the way down Alexandra’s lower back, and she bit her lower lip when Alexandra made a sound of approval. “Is this okay?” she asked as she applied more pressure, then slid her hands back up to Alexandra’s shoulders.

  “It’s perfect,” Alexandra murmured. “Your hands are really soft.” She groaned as Julia kneaded her shoulders. “If you keep that up, you’ll definitely be getting a reward later.”

  Julia used her thumbs to rub out the knots on Alexandra’s shoulder blades. “And what shall be my reward?”

  “I’m still contemplating that little tidbit,” she said and inhaled sharply when Julia’s hands slid down her sides to knead the skin on her lower back. “I suppose it depends.”

  “On what?” Julia whispered as she grabbed the bottle once more. She wanted more oil, loving the way it glistened on Alexandra’s skin. It was almost as if the universe had been mapped out on her body, and the glistening reminded her of bright stars in the sky. She opened the bottle and carefully poured a little directly onto Alexandra’s back. She smiled when Alexandra hissed at the cold. She spread it out with her fingers, loving how responsive Alexandra was to her touch. Her mouth became drier with every sound of pleasure that erupted from Alexandra’s throat. It felt so good to be able to give something back to Alexandra after all that she had given to her.

  “It depends on what you want, Julia. I know what I want, but I’m not sure if you’re ready for it.” She moaned quietly when Julia moved her body further down Alexandra’s legs. When Julia’s fingers massaged the small of her back, Alexandra jerked her hips. “God, that’s good,” she moaned. “I might make you do this every night before we go to sleep.”

  Julia applied more pressure to the soft skin beneath her fingers. She was absolutely enthralled by the way Alexandra squirmed beneath her touch. She moved back up Alexandra’s body and settled down on her ass as her hands slid up to her shoulders again. She brushed the hair away from Alexandra’s neck before using her thumbs to stroke and knead the skin.

  It felt as if her fingers were laced with magic. She could literally feel the tension seep away from Alexandra’s body as she kneaded, stroked, and probed the skin. And there was something else—a scent that penetrated her nostrils, a scent that she wanted more of because she knew what that scent meant: Alexandra was aroused, aroused because of Julia’s massage. It was invigorating.

  “You’re a good girl, Julia.”

  Julia smiled shyly, glad that Alexandra couldn’t see her face. “Thank you,” she whispered as she sat up on her knees to reposition herself.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  Julia chuckled. “Nowhere. Just repositioning myself so I can do this…”

  A moan seemed to come deep from within Alexandra and Julia felt herself blush to her inner core. Her fingers gently kneaded to the soles of Alexandra’s feet. With every stroke, she could feel Alexandra relax more. It was absolute bliss to be able to make someone feel this good just with the stroke of her own fingers.

  Becoming increasingly more daring, Julia worked her hands up Alexandra’s legs to her thighs. She thought she was going to faint when Alexandra rolled over. “What are you doing?”

  Crooking a finger, Alexandra beckoned Julia to come closer. “Lie down and close your eyes.”

  Julia knew it wasn’t a request and happily obliged as she lay down next to Alexandra, her heart pounding her chest.

  “Thank you for my massage, Julia. You did wonderfully.” She traced Julia’s jaw with a finger. “I think you deserve your reward now, don’t you?”

  “Definitely!”

  “Have you ever gotten a massage, Julia?”

  “Never,” Julia softly said.

  “Well, there’s something special about slender fingers that dig into your skin. You did a really splendid job. I feel incredibly relaxed, but there’s this ache now that I need taken care of.”

  Julia stopped breathing when she felt Alexandra move on top of her, straddling her. “O-oh,” she stammered.

  “You made me feel good, Julia, but I want to feel even better.” She grabbed Julia’s hands and pinned them over her head. “Are you okay?”

  Fuck. “Yes.”

  “What’s your safe word?”

  “Magic.”

  “When do you use it?”

  “When I want you to stop,” Julia croaked out.

  “You will keep your eyes
closed. Do you understand?”

  “Yes.”

  Alexandra smiled. “I want to play a game with you. Do you want to play?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good girl. You will not speak unless I ask you a direct question, understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “I want you to call me ‘Miss’ when I play with you, Julia. Can you do that for me?” Alexandra purred as she leaned forward and huskily whispered in Julia’s ear. “Can you always call me ‘Miss’ when we do things like this?”

  Julia’s breathing became ragged as she mulled over Alexandra’s words. She knew there was only one correct response. Still, it surprised her as it fell from her lips. “Yes, Miss.”

  “Good girl. You have no idea how much that pleases me.” Alexandra clenched her thighs around Julia. “Do you want me to stop?”

  “No.” Julia squirmed.

  “No, what?”

  Julia bit her lip. “No, Miss.” Her hips jerked involuntarily against Alexandra’s thighs, the faint throb between her legs increasing with every second.

  “You made me wet,” Alexandra said, her voice husky. “No one has ever made me this wet.” She let go of one of Julia’s hands, and there was a pressure on Julia’s lower thighs, as if Alexandra were leaning back. “Because of you, I have to touch myself. You can’t see, but I’m putting a finger inside my panties.” She moaned softly. “Now I’m stroking myself, sliding it up and down. I have played with so many people, but they never made me ache with desire the way you do.”

  She was either dreaming or dying—it was hard to tell which one, and she found it hard to care.

  “Open your mouth,” Alexandra said. Julia parted her lips. “Taste me.” Alexandra traced Julia’s lips with her finger before slipping it inside of Julia’s mouth.

  With her lips closed around Alexandra’s finger, Julia moaned loudly, sucking with all her might and whimpering when the finger was pulled away. Her tongue darted out and traced her own lips, savoring the ghostly taste there, eager for more.