Share the Road (Challenge Book 2)
Page 9
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It wasn’t until 7:00 p.m. that evening when Vanessa finally opened her eyes. She smiled when she realized where she was and that Taryn was next to her. “Good morning,” she offered with a husky voice.
“Hi,” Taryn said cutely.
“What time is it? I feel like I slept through an entire day.”
“You kind of did. It’s 7:00 p.m.”
“Holy shit! I hope I didn’t keep you from any plans today. I am so sorry,” Vanessa said worriedly.
“It’s okay. I had some lectures to keep me busy.”
Vanessa smiled and nodded her head. “Thank you. I haven’t felt this good in a long time.”
Taryn put her computer down on the nightstand and laid down, propping her head on her hand. “Glad I still have that effect on you,” she said with a smirk.
Vanessa laughed and laid her head down on the pillow. “Hmm.” She didn’t know where to go from here. She wanted to take Taryn in her arms and make love to her, but that seemed a bit hasty. Especially since she still wasn’t sure how Taryn felt about her after being gone so long.
“What do you say to you taking a shower and we order in something to eat?”
“That sounds perfect,” Vanessa said. The last thing she wanted to do was to be separated from Taryn for even a minute, now that she was home. Home.
“I still have some of your clothes here. Go ahead and shower while I order.”
Vanessa wanted to kiss Taryn, but decided she better wait to let Taryn call the shots.
However, Taryn noticed her hesitancy and made the move to lean over and give her a memorable kiss. “I missed you,” Taryn said calmly even though her heart was beating a mile a minute.
“I’m sorry. I won’t ever leave you again.”
Taryn knew from Vanessa’s expression that she was sincere. She hugged her tight and then climbed from the bed. “Meet you in the kitchen.”
Vanessa jumped up from the bed and walked into the bathroom with a smile on her face. They had a lot of catching up to do and she wanted to know everything that Taryn had done in the last month. She vowed to herself that she would spend every minute letting Taryn know how much she cared for her.
By the time she entered the hall, Taryn was standing in the doorway paying for their food. Vanessa pulled two glasses from the cabinet and raised her eyebrows when Taryn entered the kitchen.
“Wine?”
Vanessa nodded her head and exchanged the glasses in her hand with wine glasses. Taryn handed her an unopened bottle of Merlot before getting two clean plates from the dishwasher and taking the food from the bag. In silence they sat down across from one another and filled their plates with Mediterranean food from the restaurant down the street.
“This is a nice treat. Thank you,” Vanessa said, her cheeks warming at Taryn’s thoughtfulness. Mediterranean food was one of her favorites and Taryn hadn’t forgotten.
“I thought you might miss it.”
Vanessa smiled and took her first bite. “So good,” she uttered with a mouth full of food.
Taryn smiled as they ate the food without chatter, both watching one another enjoy the meal. “You don’t have to walk on egg shells with me. I really do understand. And when I finally realized what you might be going through, I decided that I would be here for you when you needed me.”
“I needed you, I just didn’t realize it. Taryn, I meant it when I said I won’t ever leave you again. Victoria needs to stay in Florida for a while, and there’s actually a chance that she might stay permanently.”
Taryn wondered when that would happen. It had always been in the back of her mind.
“Taryn, I want to be with you… more than anything.”
Taryn’s shoulders lifted slightly as she looked up into Vanessa’s eyes. “Okay,” she said almost in a whimper. Vanessa’s word were such a relief that she didn’t realize she was holding her breath.
Vanessa got up from her chair and stood in front of Taryn. She held out her hand, pulling her up from her seat. When Taryn was standing in front of her, she pushed a few strands of hair over her shoulder, while looking into Taryn’s watery eyes. “I love you,” she said before leaning into Taryn, bringing their lips and body together in a hard embrace.
Just seconds later, they were on each other, grasping at one another’s clothes, discarding them on their journey to the bedroom. “I missed you so much. God, I could barely breathe without you,” Vanessa exclaimed as they hit the bed with Taryn on top.
“I love you, and I can’t wait to show you just how much,” she said grinning up at Vanessa’s half lidded eyes as she blew a hot breath on her panty covered clit. Instead of removing them, she teased her, licking at Vanessa’s clitoris through the silky material.
“Oh, fuck, that feels so good,” Vanessa called out. Her hips began a slow and steady thrusting motion into Taryn’s tongue that tortured her with every swipe.
When Taryn couldn’t take it any longer, she climbed to her knees, swiftly removing Vanessa’s underwear and pulling her to the end of the bed. “I have missed your taste,” she said just before thrusting her tongue and sucking the wetness from Vanessa’s center. This contact pulled a throaty groan from Vanessa. Hearing her lover’s need, Taryn’s didn’t waste any more time as she took Vanessa’s clit into her mouth, lavishing it in a circular motion. Vanessa gripped the sheets and scream out Taryn’s name.
Taryn held tight as she crested on the bed, lifting her hips, pulling every last shudder from her body before stopping Taryn’s mouth on her sensitive sex. As Taryn began kissing her way up Vanessa’s body, she realized that Vanessa had tears streaming down the sides of her face.
“Hey, are you okay?”
Vanessa nodded her head and smiled up at Taryn who covered her body with her own. She laughed at herself and swiped her face to clear her eyes. “You are so beautiful. I feel like I can breathe again.”
EPILOGUE
“I can’t believe how long it’s been. Her flight gets in at 6:42 p.m. Wednesday.” Vanessa put her phone down on the table and took Taryn’s hand.
“Are you sure you don’t want her to live with us. We have plenty of room and an elevator.”
“No, she needs to be independent. She needs to know that she can do EVERYTHING on her own,” Vanessa said with worried eyes. “I can’t wait to see her. The only other time we’ve been apart for months at a time was when she interned during her junior year of college.”
“Do you want to have a welcome back party or dinner next weekend?”
“No, she would hate that. It would remind her too much of why she’s in a wheelchair. Her psychiatrist still hasn’t signed off for her to return to her regular position, and probably won’t until she admits what’s going on in her head. She still hasn’t admitted that she has Post Traumatic Stress. Faith told me that she’s been having nightmares now, too.”
“What a mess. Are you sure you don’t want her living here?”
“I appreciate the offer sweetie, but she wouldn’t do it even if we offered. She’s stubborn like me.” Vanessa said giving Taryn a quick kiss on the nose. “But I do appreciate you being so understanding.”
Taryn smiled and pushed Vanessa back on the couch. “I got you something for our trip.”
“Oh?” Vanessa said with raised eyebrows and a wide grin.
“Not that silly. I told you I want to pick that out together.” Taryn pressed her lips to Vanessa’s before standing from the couch and pulling Vanessa up with her. “Bedroom!”
“I love it when you’re demanding,” she said following Taryn step for step.
Taryn grabbed a bag that she had hidden in the closet, handing it to Vanessa with a large smile. “I hope you like it. I was going to wait until your birthday, but decided you might really like it for the ride Sunday.”
Vanessa smiled up at her lover and shook her head. Instead of opening the bag, she went to the dresser and pulled out a box of her own. “I got you something, too.”
They sat down
on the bed with their knees touching. Vanessa opened her gift first, removing it from the black bag it was hidden in. “Oh my God! This is so cool. I can’t believe you got me this Taryn, it must have cost a fortune.” Vanessa examined the box, reading a few of the features that her new Cycling Garmin possessed.
“Nope. Josie got me a deal, and I knew you wouldn’t buy it for yourself.”
Vanessa leaned over and gave her a hug, kissing Taryn’s cheek before pulling away. “Open yours.”
Taryn smiled and flipped the top off of the box. She opened the second box within to find a platinum band with a diamond setting. She looked up into Vanessa’s questioning eyes and raised her brows.
“I love you Taryn. Will you marry me?”
“Are you serious?”
Vanessa nodded her head and grinned from ear to ear. “Very much so. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Taryn squealed as her body forced Vanessa to fall backwards onto the bed.
Vanessa laughed and hugged Taryn tight to her body. “We can do it whenever you want, but I was thinking maybe we could check out the Black Walnut Point Inn in Tilghman this weekend. Wouldn’t be such a bad place to visit every year for our anniversary.”
“I love you and I love that idea, a lot.”
Other Books by This Author
CHALLENGE SERIES
Saturdays
ANIMALIA SERIES
Slither
Bee Charmer
BATGIRL
Purple Gallinule
Painted Turtle
Dragonfly
Coyote
Warts and All
Monarch
STAND ALONE STORIES
Anatomy of a Romance
Mile Marker 7
Her Diary
White Picket Fence