“Not so much.” Emily tensed a little and Lana didn’t understand why. “Saskatchewan was really flat, in a way that makes you feel small and insignificant. The people were great, but I really missed the trees and the ocean. As for Manitoba, it was—” She faltered a bit. “Really rough.”
Hearing the note in her voice, Lana half turned so she could look in Emily’s face. “What is it?”
Emily made a face, sort of a self-abashed wince. “Sorry, that’s a story that requires a little more preparation. But I will tell you all about it someday if you still want to hear it.”
Lana held her gaze for a moment, recognizing that whatever it was had to be pretty intense but that Emily wasn’t yet ready to share. “Okay.” She kissed her softly on the lips. “I’ll listen. Whenever you’re ready.”
“Thank you.” Emily kissed her back, reaching up to tangle her fingers in Lana’s hair, deepening the kiss. “So, ever try scuba diving?”
Lana smiled, desire sparking once more. Sleep was suddenly the last thing on her mind. Shoving aside the linens, she turned and straddled Emily, wrapping her arms around her neck.
“Yes, I’ve been scuba diving,” Lana murmured against her lips. “How about this? Tried this before?”
“Oh, yes, I’ve done this before.” Emily pulled her close. “But that’s okay. This is something I don’t mind trying as many times as necessary.”
Emily’s hands were tracing over her back as they kissed, trailing down her spine with a feather-light touch. She tasted wonderful, her tongue moving against Lana’s, the tip tickling the roof of her mouth as passion rose, swift and heady. Lana couldn’t get enough of it, discovering how much she truly enjoyed kissing Emily, how good it felt to be in her arms, feel her touch on her skin.
She allowed Emily to push her back a little, granting her access to her breasts, which she fondled with loving care, her palms rasping over her sensitive nipples, and then her fingertips, rolling over them, teasing them into greater sensation. Catching her breath, Lana threw her head back, baring her throat to Emily’s mouth. She trailed down Lana’s chest to replace her hands, lips closing over one hardened tip, tongue teasing gently.
“Oh, Emily,” Lana said, the pleasure settling within her like a stone sinking into the depths of the ocean floor, as if planning to remain there forever. “Don’t stop.”
Emily responded with the most wonderful of nonverbal replies, continuing to attend to her breasts with her mouth as Lana held her head. Then Emily was reaching to Lana’s intimate folds, slipping easily into her, making her rock on Emily’s lap in an irresistible rhythm. Her thumb rotated over Lana’s center, rubbing over it with intensifying skill. Lana gasped and moaned, squeezing tight around the fingers inside her that flexed and moved, finding that special spot that rocketed her past all reason.
“Yes,” she hissed, bending her head so she could rest her chin on the top of Emily’s head, hugging her tight as she tried to stave off the rising plateau, trying to prolong the pleasure for as long as possible.
Emily nuzzled into Lana’s throat, dragging her tongue along the length of it as she deepened her touch, drawing out even more sensation. Lana could hold off no longer, plunging over the brink, spasming helplessly around Emily’s hand.
Whimpering, she clung to Emily’s body, seeking her strength in this moment of utter surrender. Emily eased her touch, still intimately connected but no longer driving her mad with delight, allowing Lana to finally relax into the warmth of her embrace, feeling so close to her, tenderness and affection welling so strongly inside that she nearly wept.
Emily lifted her head, and Lana covered her lips with her own, sinking deep into her kiss, absorbed by her presence.
“Yes,” Emily muttered when they finally parted. “We definitely have to repeat that.”
“Oh, love. What you do to me.” Mouth dry from panting, Lana kissed Emily again and slipped from her embrace. “I need some ice water. Do you want anything while I’m downstairs?”
Emily granted her a lazy smile as she lay back against the pillows, lounging like a lioness after a kill, all golden and satisfied with her place in the world. “Water would be lovely. Thank you.”
“Well, don’t go anywhere,” Lana said as she tossed on a robe, black silk, cut short to show off her legs and, from the way her eyes followed her, clearly a garment that Emily appreciated. “I’ll be right back.”
Padding downstairs on bare feet, Lana refilled the woodstove and checked on the candles. They’d burnt down to stubs, and wax had spread over the table. She smiled as she saw it and gathered up the plates they hadn’t cleared away before they danced. She placed them in the sink and quickly washed them, then filled two glasses with ice from the fridge freezer and poured some filtered water from the pitcher. On her way upstairs, a thought struck and she decided to check her e-mail. Carrying the glasses, she made what she planned would be a brief detour into her study.
As she sat down at the computer, however, it wasn’t the e-mail icon she clicked on. Instead, moving almost against her will, as if the hand on the mouse belonged to another, she slipped the arrow over to the word-processing icon, where she clicked twice. The screen flickered to bring up the familiar window, and she stared at the blank page on the large screen, the cursor flashing as it awaited her instruction. Slowly, she began to type the words, black and stark against the white background.
A title. Her name. And then, as if traveling directly from her subconscious, past her frontal lobe directly to her fingertips, the opening line, one that instantly turned into another, and then another.
The words came faster and faster, and before she knew it, she was on the second page, and then the third. So engrossed was she that it took her some time before she became aware of a presence behind her.
Shaking herself, as if waking from a dream, she turned in her chair, looking over her shoulder. Emily was standing in the doorway of the office, dressed in a T-shirt that barely covered her, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed over her chest. A half smile wreathed her face as she watched her, a combination of affection and happiness brimming in her eyes.
“Oh.” Lana glanced at the water glasses she’d put on the small table beside her desk. She’d used coasters, but the condensation from the glasses had beaded and run down to puddle around the wooden circles, the ice cubes having shrunk considerably. “I’m sorry. I meant to bring up your water.”
“God, Lana,” Emily said, a little catch in her throat. “I don’t care about the water.” She smiled tremulously. “You’re writing again.”
Glancing back at the screen, Lana smiled. “I guess I am.”
Emily came over and put her hands on Lana’s shoulders, leaning against the back of the office chair as she read over her head. “The Golden Cross,” she recited. “By L. E. Mills.” She paused. “E?”
“Well, you were there, weren’t you?” Lana said, feeling a bit odd. “Is that okay?”
“Of course it is,” Emily said. “I’m flattered. But are you sure?”
“Well, we’ll see how good you are when it comes time for me to bounce ideas off you,” Lana said dryly. “I’m not an easy edit. I resist and argue and dismiss and then end up using your suggestions anyway.”
She picked up her water and took a long swallow, having to wipe her hands free of the condensation on her robe, leaving a discernible stain against the silky black material. She wasn’t sure how the next part would go over, but she had to be up-front with Emily, let her know what she was really getting into.
“And when I’m writing, when I’m fully into the book, I can forget everything else, like bringing you the water I promised or, for that matter, even letting you know I wasn’t coming back right away. It’s not the easiest thing to live with.” She hesitated. “It took a while before Sarah got used to it, and even longer before she was all right with it.”
“Don’t worry, I can deal,” Emily said, confidence strong in her tone as she squeezed Lana’s shoulders lightly. “Do y
ou need me to leave you alone right now?”
Lana reached up and snagged her hand, gripping it tightly. “No,” she said, turning her head and leaning back into Emily’s belly, her cheek pressed against the thin material of the T-shirt. A part of her grew calm, settled, as if it had been out wandering and now had finally found its way home. “I want you to take me upstairs and inspire me some more.”
Emily bent down and kissed her jaw, nuzzling into her neck.
“I think I can manage that.”
The End
About the Author
Gina L. Dartt, born and raised in the Maritimes, is the author of Unexpected Sparks and Unexpected Ties, romantic mysteries that take place in her home town of Truro, Nova Scotia, published in 2002. She’s also been known to write a Trek fanfic or two, which can be found on her Novel Expectations website when she’s not at work or on the tennis court.
Gina is currently working on the fantasy novel, Shadow Rider, the first book in the new Elemental trilogy.
Gina can be contacted at [email protected]
Website: http://users.eastlink.ca/~ginadartt/
Books Available from Bold Strokes Books
Camp Rewind by Meghan O’Brien. A summer camp for grown-ups becomes the site of an unlikely romance between a shy, introverted divorcee and one of the Internet’s most infamous cultural critics—who attends undercover. (978-1-62639-793-4)
Cross Purposes by Gina L. Dartt. In pursuit of a lost Acadian treasure, three women must not only work out the clues, but also the complicated tangle of emotion and attraction developing between them. (978-1-62639-713-2)
Imperfect Truth by C.A. Popovich. Can an imperfect truth stand in the way of love? (978-1-62639-787-3)
Life in Death by M. Ullrich. Sometimes the devastating end is your only chance for a new beginning. (978-1-62639-773-6)
Love on Liberty by MJ Williamz. Hearts collide when politics clash. (978-1-62639-639-5)
Serious Potential by Maggie Cummings. Pro golfer Tracy Allen plans to forget her ex during a visit to Bay West, a lesbian condo community in NYC, but when she meets Dr. Jennifer Betsy, she gets more than she bargained for. (978-1-62639-633-3)
Taste by Kris Bryant. Accomplished chef Taryn has walked away from her promising career in the city’s top restaurant to devote her life to her five-year-old daughter and is content until Ki Blake comes along. (978-1-62639-718-7)
The Second Wave by Jean Copeland. Can star-crossed lovers have a second chance after decades apart, or does the love of a lifetime only happen once? (978-1-62639-830-6)
Valley of Fire by Missouri Vaun. Taken captive in a desert outpost after their small aircraft is hijacked, Ava and her captivating passenger discover things about each other and themselves that will change them both forever. (978-1-62639-496-4)
Basic Training of the Heart by Jaycie Morrison. In 1944, socialite Elizabeth Carlton joins the Women’s Army Corps to escape family expectations and love’s disappointments. Can Sergeant Gale Rains get her through Basic Training with their hearts intact? (978-1-62639-818-4)
Before by KE Payne. When Tally falls in love with her band’s new recruit, she has a tough decision to make. What does she want more—Alex or the band? (978-1-62639-677-7)
Believing in Blue by Maggie Morton. Growing up gay in a small town has been hard, but it can’t compare to the next challenge Wren—with her new, sky-blue wings—faces: saving two entire worlds. (978-1-62639-691-3)
Coils by Barbara Ann Wright. A modern young woman follows her aunt into the Greek Underworld and makes a pact with Medusa to win her freedom by killing a hero of legend. (978-1-62639-598-5)
Courting the Countess by Jenny Frame. When relationship-phobic Lady Henrietta Knight starts to care about housekeeper Annie Brannigan and her daughter, can she overcome her fears and promise Annie the forever that she demands? (978-1-62639-785-9)
Dapper by Jenny Frame. Amelia Honey meets the mysterious Byron De Brek and is faced with her darkest fantasies, but will her strict moral upbringing stop her from exploring what she truly wants? (978-1-62639-898-6E)
Delayed Gratification: The Honeymoon by Meghan O’Brien. A dream European honeymoon turns into a winter storm nightmare involving a delayed flight, a ditched rental car, and eventually, a surprisingly happy ending. (978-1-62639-766-8E)
For Money or Love by Heather Blackmore. Jessica Spaulding must choose between ignoring the truth to keep everything she has, and doing the right thing only to lose it all—including the woman she loves. (978-1-62639-756-9)
Hooked by Jaime Maddox. With the help of sexy Detective Mac Calabrese, Dr. Jessica Benson is working hard to overcome her past, but it may not be enough to stop a murderer. (978-1-62639-689-0)
Lands End by Jackie D. Public relations superstar Amy Kline is dealing with a media nightmare, and the last thing she expects is for restaurateur Lena Michaels to change everything, but she will. (978-1-62639-739-2)
Lysistrata Cove by Dena Hankins. Jack and Eve navigate the maelstrom of their darkest desires and find love by transgressing gender, dominance, submission, and the law on the crystal blue Caribbean Sea. (978-1-62639-821-4)
Twisted Screams by Sheri Lewis Wohl. Reluctant psychic Lorna Dutton doesn’t want to forgive, but if she doesn’t do just that an innocent woman will die. (978-1-62639-647-0)
A Class Act by Tammy Hayes. Buttoned-up college professor Dr. Margaret Parks doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into when she agrees to one date with her student, Rory Morgan, who is 15 years her junior. (978-1-62639-701-9)
Bitter Root by Laydin Michaels. Small town chef Adi Bergeron is hiding something, and Griffith McNaulty is going to find out what it is even if it gets her killed. (978-1-62639-656-2)
Capturing Forever by Erin Dutton. When family pulls Jacqueline and Casey back together, will the lessons learned in eight years apart be enough to mend the mistakes of the past? (978-1-62639-631-9)
Deception by VK Powell. DEA Agent Colby Vincent and Attorney Adena Weber are embroiled in a drug investigation involving homeless veterans and an attraction that could destroy them both. (978-1-62639-596-1)
Dyre: A Knight of Spirit and Shadows by Rachel E. Bailey. With the abduction of her queen, werewolf-bodyguard Des must follow the kidnappers’ trail to Europe, where her queen—and a battle unlike any Des has ever waged—awaits her. (978-1-62639-664-7)
First Position by Melissa Brayden. Love and rivalry take center stage for Anastasia Mikhelson and Natalie Frederico in one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the nation. (978-1-62639-602-9)
Best Laid Plans by Jan Gayle. Nicky and Lauren are meant for each other, but Nicky’s haunting past and Lauren’s societal fears threaten to derail all possibilities of a relationship. (987-1-62639-658-6)
Exchange by CF Frizzell. When Shay Maguire rode into rural Montana, she never expected to meet the woman of her dreams—or to learn Mel Baker was held hostage by legal agreement to her right-wing father. (987-1-62639-679-1)
Just Enough Light by AJ Quinn. Will a serial killer’s return to Colorado destroy Kellen Ryan and Dana Kingston’s chance at love, or can the search-and-rescue team save themselves? (987-1-62639-685-2)
Rise of the Rain Queen by Fiona Zedde. Nyandoro is nobody’s princess. She fights, curses, fornicates, and gets into as much trouble as her brothers. But the path to a throne is not always the one we expect. (987-1-62639-592-3)
Tales from Sea Glass Inn by Karis Walsh. Over the course of a year at Cannon Beach, tourists and locals alike find solace and passion at the Sea Glass Inn. (987-1-62639-643-2)
The Color of Love by Radclyffe. Black sheep Derian Winfield needs to convince literary agent Emily May to marry her to save the Winfield Agency and solve Emily’s green card problem, but Derian didn’t count on falling in love. (987-1-62639-716-3)
A Reluctant Enterprise by Gun Brooke. When two women grow up learning nothing but distrust, unworthiness, and abandonment, it’s no wonder they are apprehensive and fearful when an overwhelming love just won’t be denied
. (978-1-62639-500-8)
Above the Law by Carsen Taite. Love is the last thing on Agent Dale Nelson’s mind, but reporter Lindsey Ryan’s investigation could change the way she sees everything—her career, her past, and her future. (978-1-62639-558-9)
Jane’s World: The Case of the Mail Order Bride by Paige Braddock. Jane’s PayBuddy account gets hacked and she inadvertently purchases a mail order bride from the Eastern Bloc. (978-1-62639-494-0)
Love’s Redemption by Donna K. Ford. For ex-convict Rhea Daniels and ex-priest Morgan Scott, redemption lies in the thin line between right and wrong. (978-1-62639-673-9)
The Shewstone by Jane Fletcher. The prophetic Shewstone is in Eawynn’s care, but unfortunately for her, Matt is coming to steal it. (978-1-62639-554-1)
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