“Hey there, sleepy head. Would you come here for a second? I want to show you something,” Brianna breathed from the bathroom, her ocean blue eyes sparkling with unabashed bliss.
Abby sprung to her feet and hobbled towards the bathroom. The trendy but uncomfortable leather boots she had on were chaffing her heels. She could feel the blisters starting to break. She was never wearing those boots again. She couldn’t wait to get the feet-murdering boots off her feet once she got home and bury them in the deepest part of her closet.
Abby’s jaw dropped when she stepped inside the swanky bathroom and saw lit red and pink candles everywhere-on top of the sink, on top of all the shelves and all around the edge of the gigantic bathtub. The inside of the tub was brimming with snow white foam, and music played softly. Abby didn’t know where the music was coming from, but she recognized the song instantly. It was Yo-Yo Ma’s ‘Carinhoso’, one of her favorites.
On a table by the bathtub, Abby spotted a bottle of champagne chilling inside a bucket of ice, a pair of wine glasses, and a plate of assorted chocolaty treats.
Abby was starting to wonder how Brianna got all those things inside the bathroom when she noticed the bathroom had another door that connected it to the rest of the apartment.
“What do you think? Do you like it?” Brianna asked, standing behind Abby.
“It’s beautiful. It’s perfect. I love it,” Abby replied, turning around and picking her jaw up off the floor. “You did all this for me?”
Brianna wrapped her hands around Abby’s waist. “Yes. I wanted to make this night special for you too. What do you say? Do you want to take a bath with me?”
Abby nodded enthusiastically with a huge smile on her face. She was impressed and touched by all the time and hard work Brianna had put into turning that bathroom into the most romantic setting that ever existed.
“First, let’s get you out of all that leather,” Brianna quipped pointing at the revealing outfit.
“Please. I’m burning up. I don’t know what I was thinking wearing leather boots in this warm weather.”
Brianna kneeled in front of Abby and slowly began to peel the stylish boots off Abby’s legs and feet. “So, this outfit and these boots…I’m guessing you didn’t have them lying around in your closet. You just bought them, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I just bought them today, and I’m going to have to do overtime for a whole month just to pay for them,” Abby said with a heavy sigh.
“Oh, honey no!” Brianna lamented, sucking her teeth. She finished taking both boots off Abby’s feet and then stood up. She curled her arms behind Abby’s waist, looking for the zipper of Abby’s skirt. “Let me pay for them.”
“Absolutely not,” Abby countered, while Brianna unzipped her leather skirt and pushed it down her thighs.
After Abby had stepped out of the tight skirt, Brianna straightened up and held Abby’s gaze. She sighed, frustrated with Abby’s unyielding stubbornness.
“This is not me trying to take care of you, Abby. I just don’t want you to spend your entire summer working. I want you to spend your free time with me.” She reached for the hem of Abby’s sheer halter top. “Look, you can refuse any other gift I offer you if you want. Just accept this one, please?”
Abby lifted her arms up so Brianna could lift her halter top up and pull it over her head. Left in nothing but her bra and panties, Abby thought about Brianna’s proposal. She hated the fact that she was always so cash-strapped. She hated being taken care of even more. But Brianna had a point. If she spent the whole summer working overtime, they were not going to spend much time together. Abby didn’t want that. So she swallowed her pride and accepted the gift.
“Okay. But this is the only gift I’m taking from you. I mean it,” Abby snapped, holding up a finger and pursing her lips.
“Fine,” Brianna snapped back, imitating Abby’s tone and facial expression. She couldn’t help but chuckle and shake her head as she reached for the snap of Abby’s strapless bra. She was relieved she was finally making some progress with the stubborn girl.
“Fine, then,” Abby countered.
After getting Abby out of her black lace bra and panties, Brianna reached for a jar of makeup remover sitting on top of the sink behind Abby. She smeared some of the white cream on a small cotton pad and gently rubbed it against Abby’s eyelids and lips to remove all the dark eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara and lipstick that weighted Abby’s pretty face down.
When she was done, Brianna took a step back and eyed Abby from head to toe. She needed a moment to admire Abby’s flawless, petite body and freshly scrubbed face. The sight took her breath away. “Turn around, Abby,” she cooed.
Abby did as instructed and was met with her own reflection staring back at her. She couldn’t help but feel vulnerable and self-conscious as she stared at her perky but humble breasts in the mirror. Her gaze flew to Brianna who was standing behind her and stepping closer. A shock of electricity coursed through Abby when Brianna brushed her hair away and nuzzled her nose on her neck.
Abby was on sensory overdrive when Brianna wrapped her arms around her torso, just under her breasts and began to nibble on her neck. The warmth of Brianna’s breath on her neck, the softness of Brianna’s skin enveloping her and the hardness of Brianna’s nipples poking her in the back was too much for Abby to handle. She moaned softly as she watched her chest rise and fall in the mirror. The moment was extremely erotic but also very sweet.
“Do you see that?” Brianna asked, pulling her lips off Abby’s neck and resting her chin on Abby’s shoulder. “Do you see how beautiful you are? You don’t need any slutty, expensive clothes to impress me. This outfit you have on right now is my favorite one on you. There’s nothing prettier or sexier in this world than your own skin hugging your amazing curves. I fell in love with you, not your clothes. You’d be perfect and gorgeous even if you just wore a plastic garbage bag. Don’t ever forget it.” She nuzzled her nose in Abby’s neck once more, inhaling her intoxicating scent and kissing the tender skin.
“I’m not perfect,” Abby countered, shaking her head and gazing at her naked body in the mirror. She appreciated the compliment, but she wasn’t delusional. She knew she was far from perfect. “My breasts are too small,” she added.
Brianna slid her hands up to cup Abby’s breasts and gave them a squeeze. “These breasts? Well, they fit perfectly inside my mouth. They’re the perfect size as far as I’m concerned.”
Abby giggled and flinched at the feel of Brianna’s moist lips nibbling on her earlobe. “What about my hips? They’re too wide.”
“No, they’re not.”
“Yes, they are.”
“No, they’re not.”
“Yes, they are too wide, way too wide.”
Brianna shrugged. “So? What if they are a little wide? The sugar between them is all that matters to me.”
Abby giggled and lowered her gaze to the floor while Brianna tightened her embrace and tugged at Abby’s earlobe with her teeth. Abby turned around, leaned against the edge of the sink and wrapped her hands around Brianna’s waist.
“I’m not perfect. You, on the hand, are the definition of perfection. You are stunning Brianna.”
“And so are you,” Brianna replied, cradling Abby’s face. Her words were full of honesty and conviction. “To me, you are the most stunning, beautiful, gorgeous, yummiest creature in the world.”
Abby raised an eyebrow. “Yummy?”
“Yes, yummy.” Brianna leaned in and placed several tender kisses on Abby’s lips before reaching behind Abby to grab a pair of hair clips off the sink top. She used one of the clips to hold Abby’s hair on top of her head and used another clip to do the same to her own hair.
“Come with me, yummy girl. Come take a bath with me,” Brianna purred, grabbing Abby’s hands and walking backwards towards the bathtub. On the way to the tub, she reached for the light switch and dimmed the lights. The room looked even more breathtaking illuminated by just the glow of the
multicolor candles.
Brianna got in the bathtub first, careful not to burn her legs on all the pretty candles. With water splashing around her and foam spilling out of the tub and dribbling onto the floor, Brianna lowered her body into the warm water. She grinned at Abby as her body disappeared in the foam. After she was comfortably seated in the heated tub, Brianna offered her hand to Abby who took it and stepped inside. Abby sat between Brianna’s legs and leaned her head back. With her back pressed against Brianna’s chest, Abby closed her eyes and savored the beautiful classical musical filling the air.
While soaking in the water that never got cold because the tub was heated, Abby and Brianna spent some time getting to know each other a little more. They talked about just about everything while indulging in the sinfully delicious chocolate treats and the expensive champagne.
Brianna talked about her plans for after her run as Roxy Hart in Chicago ended. She told Abby she was going to go back to L.A. and try to get parts in independent films. She explained to Abby that while she had nothing against commercial films, she felt doing independent films with substance would satisfy her more.
She also shared with Abby her desire to direct and produce films one day. They also discussed, in more detail, Brianna’s aversion to the limelight and her fear of becoming a tabloid celebrity. She spoke of the many magazine covers and movie roles she had to turn down over her short career because they required she take her clothes off. She wasn’t against doing nude scenes if the script required them and the story was good. But that had not been the case with any of the film parts she had been offered.
Abby revealed her desire to become a famous author and her secret fantasy of winning a Pulitzer Prize one day. She told Brianna she’d be thrilled if any of her books were ever adapted into a movie. They joked about Abby writing a book that Brianna could adapt to film and star in. Abby also revealed her fear of failing as a writer. Ending up stuck in a job she hated for the rest of her life was one of Abby’s biggest nightmares.
Brianna reminded Abby she was too smart and hard working to fail at anything and guaranteed her she would do great as a writer.
After chatting about many other subjects-some serious, some silly-Abby and Brianna got quiet and just enjoyed the relaxing bath. For the duration of that bath, it was as if nothing and no one else existed. They just listened to the beautiful music playing with their arms and hands tangled together.
“I’m in love with you, Brianna,” Abby breathed out of nowhere.
Brianna did not reply, the revelation had taken her by surprise and left her speechless. She had told Abby several times she was in love with her, but until then, Abby had not said it back. Brianna was okay with that. She understood Abby was still in love with her brother and hadn’t even ended that relationship yet. Abby was also dealing with a lot of confusion regarding her sexuality. Brianna knew she needed to be patient. She didn’t want Abby to utter the L word to her until she was absolutely ready to do so.
Abby held her breath. Her heartbeat quickened as she waited for Brianna’s reaction to her revelation. Earlier in the bed, she had almost uttered those three little, life-changing words, but chickened out at the last second and decided to wait for the right time. As she lied on that bathtub surrounded by pretty candles and listening to some of her favorite music, she knew it in her heart that it was the right time.
Seeing that Brianna wasn’t going to say anything, Abby turned around in a haste. Water and foam splashed around her as she twisted her body around and knelt between Brianna’s legs. She cradled Brianna’s stunned face and gazed into her glassy blue eyes. “Did you hear what I just said? I’m in love with you. I love you Brianna.”
The more Brianna heard those three wonderful words, the sweeter they sounded in her ears. She gazed into Abby’s pretty hazel eyes and could tell Abby meant those words. No one had ever looked at her the way Abby was looking at her in that bathtub. A lump formed in her throat as she remembered how she had grown up believing she was not worthy of love. She wished she could show her parents, the heartless pastor, her brother, and the people of Glen Falls how wrong they were about her. She was not defective. She didn’t need to be fixed or cured. She was just a girl who wanted and deserved to be loved.
“I love you too, Abby,” Brianna replied, fighting back tears and stifling the sobs building in the back of her throat. With sheer joy overwhelming her senses, she leaned forward to share another frenzied kiss with the love of her life. She snatched Abby’s lips, holding them hostage in hers while exquisite string music continued to fill the air.
“I’m so thankful to have you in my life. I wish we could’ve met under different circumstances, but I’m grateful nonetheless,” Brianna breathed after breaking the kiss. The light produced by flickering candle flames as well as the unadulterated joy emanating through her pores made Brianna’s face glow and her pretty blue eyes sparkle.
Brianna cradled Abby’s face. She decided to follow Abby’s unexpected, bold revelation with an unexpected, bold proposal of her own. “I want you to move to L.A. with me. After you graduate from NYU and my run in Chicago ends, I want you to pack your things and come live with me. You can even bring Joaquin with you if you want. What do you say?”
Abby stared blankly at Brianna with her mouth hanging open. She was not sure how to respond to that bomb. The offer was very tempting, but it was a major decision she was being expected to make on the fly. Her first thought was that she was going to miss her family. She had planned to move back home to Michigan after graduation to be close to them. That and she didn’t know anyone in L.A.
She also worried that she and Brianna were moving too fast. Living together temporarily for a few months was one thing. Moving in together and relocating to the other side of the country was another thing entirely. She gazed into Brianna’s eyes and tried to imagine her life without them. She realized she couldn’t. Once again she listened to her heart and responded to Brianna’s offer.
“Yes, I will move with you to L.A. I want to be with you,” Abby answered before leaning in and taking Brianna’s lips into hers. Yes, she was going to miss her family and friends, but she could always visit them and they could visit her. L.A. scared her, but she figured that if she could conquer New York City, she could conquer L.A. too.
Abby was not the type of person to make hasty decisions. She hated change and uncertainty made her anxious. But her heart told her she was doing the right thing by agreeing to move cross country. So what if they were rushing things a bit? She was in love. She wanted to be with Brianna, and Brianna’s work was in L.A. Abby felt it was time to stop being afraid and take some risks.
“Let’s go back to bed,” Brianna suggested after breaking the kiss and noticing they were out of champagne and chocolate treats.
After getting out of the tub and donning matching pink bathrobes, Abby and Brianna staggered back to the bedroom, giggling, joking and unable to keep their hands off each other.
Abby broke free from Brianna’s eager hands and stumbled backwards until she fell on the bed. She couldn’t stop giggling as she dragged her body up the middle of the enormous bed and laid her head on a pair of soft pillows. The champagne had made her a little tipsy, but she would have been delirious with joy even if she had been sober. The euphoria she was experiencing that night was all natural. It did not need any stimulants.
Abby lifted one hand to the top of her head so she could unclasp the plastic clip holding her hair up. She grinned at Brianna while her luscious brown locks cascaded around her face and shoulders.
Brianna climbed on the bed, and on her hands and knees, crawled over Abby until she was straddling the tipsy girl.
“You look so beautiful right now, Abby,” Brianna whispered with an adoring look on her face. But the adoring look quickly morphed into a mischievous one when her glance briefly shifted to the nightstand next to the bed.
“What?” Abby asked narrowing her eyes and cocking her head to the side. She knew Brianna was up to someth
ing when she saw her lips curled into a devilish smirk.
Brianna dragged her teeth over her lower lip and her grin grew wider. “Nothing. I was just thinking that you may be ready to meet some of my friends,” she giggled as her eyes darted between Abby’s face and the nightstand next to the bed.
“What friends?” Abby asked. She didn’t have the slightest idea as to what Brianna was hinting to. “I thought you didn’t know anyone here in New York. Do you mean the people from the musical?”
“No. Those are not the friends I’m talking about. You will meet the people I work with soon, but there are other, more intimate, friends of mine I’d like you to get acquainted with.”
“I don’t understand,” Abby replied, her brow crinkling with confusion.
Brianna chuckled before reaching for the nightstand she had been eyeing and pulling the top drawer out. “Take a look.”
Abby narrowed her eyes at Brianna before sitting up to look at the contents of the open drawer. She craned her neck, curious to find out what was making Brianna act so coy. When she realized what she was looking at, she immediately wished she hadn’t looked. The drawer was full of toys-sex toys. Abby had never played with such things. She was genuinely scared of some of the things she saw inside that drawer.
With an exaggerated gasp, Abby snapped her head back to Brianna. Her brown eyes seemed to have doubled in size and her jaw had dropped to her lap. She made a noise that sounded like a mixture of a gasp and a whimper before reaching for a pillow and hiding her face behind it.
Brianna had a good belly laugh at Abby’s reaction. “Don’t worry about it. You will learn to love my friends. I guarantee it.” She grabbed the pillow Abby was holding against her face and tried to wrestle it away from Abby’s grip, but Abby wouldn’t let it go. “Stop being so silly, Abby. You have nothing to be afraid of. By the end of the night, you will love my friend as much as I do. I promise. Let go.”
Abby let Brianna lift the pillow away from her face and toss it to the side. She had her lips pursed and her brows were still knitted together.
Betrayal: Kyle's Revenge (The Betrayal Series) Page 8