Maybe they had. Maybe the same scenario had played out with different roles before. Or maybe past lives didn't exist. Either way, all the theories in the world couldn't replace the sheer fact that Allie O'Leary, without a shadow of a doubt, had been put here just for her.
♥♥♥
Late morning light creased Sofia's face dragging her from deep sleep. Allie had molded herself perfectly against her back with one arm draped over her shoulder. Despite Sofia's height advantage, Allie played the big spoon to perfection. The end of the blanket had been haphazardly pulled across their bodies leaving their legs exposed. She was thankful they had nowhere to be this morning, because she had no desire for this moment to end anytime soon. Surrounded by the warmth of Allie's body, she pressed back further, smiling wider when Allie's arm tightened possessively across her chest.
Perfect. Just for her.
CHAPTER FORTY
"Mmm, this is so good," Allie mumbled between bites.
Sofia chuckled. The spoonful in her hand hovered near her mouth as she stared at her lover scarfing down the food as if it were her last meal. "It's just steel cut oats, vanilla yogurt, and fruit."
"Well, it's amazing." There was no resting between bites as Allie continued to devour her breakfast.
Shaking her head, an amused grin tickling her lips, Sofia replied, "I think you're just extremely hungry. Or still high on endorphins." She took a bite of her own. It was one of her favorite quick and easy meals.
Allie stopped mid-chew and tipped her head. With a cheeky grin and a gleam in her eye, she purred, "Someone did give me one hell of a workout last night." She waggled her brows and laughed as Sofia's head fell to hide the certain rush of blood that threatened to turn her cheeks pink.
There was no denying that statement. They'd given one another quite the workout and truth be told, Sofia was happy to power up in case of a repeat performance—something she would not be opposed to. Now that she had surrendered the last of her reservations, she was more than willing to run wild.
"And yes," Allie added. "I am definitely still on a high. Last night was," she let out a long, satisfied sigh, "beautiful." A lazy grin settled in.
Sofia's heart skipped and swelled at the same time. In this moment, she was really and truly happy—the first time in a long time—and, she hoped she'd get to enjoy it for a long time to come. "Yes." She looked into Allie's brown eyes that held a new depth of emotion. "It really was." She leaned over and placed a tender kiss upon Allie's cheek.
They ate the rest of their meal in comfortable silence, stealing glances and sharing shy smiles. There was something so surreal and yet, still so completely normal about the scene. What was it about Allie that could make every little ordinary thing seem so extraordinary, while still feeling completely commonplace?
Sofia's usual walk on the beach had turned into a life altering event. A slow dance became so much more, with all the makings of forever together, in the middle of a crowded street no less. Okay, so those moments had had romantic vibes from the start, but breakfast? It was a routine Sofia, like billions of other people, indulged in daily, despite a twist here and there. How could Allie possibly turn breakfast into something so surprisingly uncommon?
Somehow, she did. Here they were, just two women who had enjoyed a passionate night together and were starting their morning-after with a meal. She'd done it before with her wife and previous girlfriends. There were always lingering feelings; tension if she wanted to hand them a bagel and get them gone, lust-filled joy if it was a fling she wouldn't mind seeing again, or the fondness that came with sharing such a passionate act with someone she cared for deeply—like Kylar.
But, like every other experience, Allie had made it her own. Sofia was filled with lust-filled joy for a woman she definitely wanted to see again...and again...and again...but there was more. From the moment they had met, there'd been a familiarity, a built-in fondness she couldn't explain and couldn't deny. Even before the first kiss, there seemed to be a deep, underlying bond. The dictionary defines intimacy as "a close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with another person or group." All of those fit their relationship perfectly from day one.
It was uncanny, but she wouldn't complain for even a millisecond. And now, the only word to describe her mood was euphoric. As for how she felt in general about her relationship with the beautiful, charismatic, and kind woman beside her? Complete...whole. She would always cherish her life with Kylar. Always. But Allie had filled the void and it felt as if she'd been in her life ever since, as if there had never been a gap filled with pain and anger. She prayed it would stay that way for the rest of her life.
Sitting naked and propped up against the couch on her living room floor, sparsely covered by a blanket, they ate side by side like the most normal thing in the world. The silence was comfortable. The routine, as if it had been practiced a million times over. The heat between them as they exchanged glances and light touches, enough to melt steel. Just for a moment, Sofia wondered how any of it were possible and dared to make comparisons to Kylar, but she quickly decided she didn't care. At least for now, none of it mattered. She didn't need an explanation. She just needed Allie.
"What's on your mind, gorgeous?" Allie set her empty bowl down and smiled warmly as she looked upon Sofia with tenderness and reverence.
"Just this wonderful woman I met."
"Really? She couldn't be that great if I've already stolen you away."
"She was pretty great, but you...no one can hold a candle to you." Sofia leaned over and pressed a quick, but passionate kiss to Allie's lips.
Allie's smile turned supernova and her eyes fluttered open as she whispered, "I like to hear that." Her gaze fell to Sofia's lips. "Is it weird that having breakfast on the floor naked with you feels like the most normal thing in the world?" Allie asked with a laugh. Her eyes took a slow track upward.
Sofia's lips turned up into a smile before meeting her gaze. Shaking her head, she replied, "No. I was thinking the exact same thing."
After carefully setting her bowl down, then doing the same to Allie's, Sofia crawled onto Allie's lap and straddled her waist. With a seductive grin upon her lips, Sofia ground her hips into Allie's, eliciting a groan that sent shock waves throughout her body. When she rolled her hips again, Allie countered with a move of her own, striking the match to re-ignite the fire between them. Sofia leaned forward, her mouth blazing a wet trail between Allie's breasts, up her neck, and to the pair of luscious lips she couldn't get enough of. Reaching her destination, she drowned herself in kisses and sank into the curvaceous body below. Allie met her with feverish enthusiasm, unleashing a delicious onslaught of tongue and teeth that stoked the slow burn into a raging inferno. Her arms snaked around, pulling Sofia even closer as they succumbed to their passions once again.
♥♥♥
Later that evening, after they had finally managed to part ways, Sofia showered, slipped into her robe, and settled out on her patio with a glass of pinot noir. The last twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind of pleasures. They'd fueled one another like air fed fire and together they'd let their desires burn like wild. She struggled to remember the last time she'd been so thoroughly sated. Years. Many, many years. It felt good. The complete surrender to her desires was amazingly freeing and that didn't include all the things Allie had made her feel.
Allie.
She sighed as she sipped from her glass. An honest smile that made her warm and tingly from her toes to her nose overcame her and she shook her head with a laugh of disbelief. Allie had turned her world around. It was truly that simple. Just one look was all it took. She thought back to all the wonderful emotions that had swept through her over the last many hours and one moment came to the forefront—one that almost felt like a lie, but now that she'd had time to think, it was as true as the sky was blue.
Though she'd told Allie no one could hold a candle to her, it hadn't been entirely truthful. There had been Kylar. But, as she had ev
er so slowly opened herself up to it, there was room for two loves in her heart. Sofia was just thankful she didn't have to choose between them. They both made her feel glorious.
While both Allie and Kylar had evoked the feeling of "home," those "feelings" were not the same. Try as she may to avoid comparisons—though books and support groups had said it was normal—her mind would often ignore her wishes and drift between the two. She fought the desire to create some kind of mental checklist. Instead, Sofia had come to the realization that just as similar memories could evoke a wide range of feelings, two people could do the exact same thing.
Finding the pendant laying against her chest, she took it gently between two fingers and traced over the gold bands. Sofia could never discount the love she had for her wife. It was real and true and beautiful and Kylar had made her feel all kinds of wonderful in all kinds of ways, but she did notice differences. The way Kylar had made her feel was like...what was the best way to describe it? Like the memory of Grandma Lola's cookies or Grandpa Carlo wrapping her in a blanket on his lap by the fire at Christmas growing up. Those times were an important part of her life that she adored. Both had always melted her heart and made her feel good, warm, loved—like a hug for her soul.
Allie? She was more like her mother pushing her higher on the swing set or playing airplane with her dad as he swung her in circles by her arms. Giddy and exciting, daring yet safe, but still enveloped with warmth and love and happiness. Until now, she hadn't registered the subtle difference between the handful of cherished experiences that forever lived on in her mind. Were her current feelings amplified by so many years of loneliness? Possibly. She set the pendant back against her skin and stared at the sky.
Maybe it was the wine. Or perhaps, it was some kind of Zen moment resulting from the flood of endorphins still coursing through her body after so many wonderfully explosive orgasms. Whatever the reason, she was content, exhilarated, magnificent, and a thousand other superlatives. She couldn't wait to see Allie again.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Allie rested her head against the shower wall as the water beat down upon her body. Hot liquid trails seared her skin, reminiscent of the way Sofia's fingertips had scorched a similar path just hours earlier. Their first time would be forever etched in her mind. The whisper of her name like a prayer from Sofia's lips, who begged her not to stop. "Never," she had replied softly, reverently.
The flush across Sofia's chest, the want in her darkened green eyes, and the beads of sweat between her breasts still brought Allie a sense of pride. She was the one lucky enough to give Sofia such pleasure, to draw the most heavenly sounds from her, to bask in the warmth of her smile, and best of all, to indulge in the hot, wet, rush of pure desire pooled between two magnificent thighs each time she had pushed her over the edge.
A slow smile made its way across her lips, pulling them ever upward to the edges of her eyes. There was a feeling building in her chest she couldn't explain, but she liked it. She liked it a lot. What she liked even more was Sofia being the reason for it. Light, yet heavy at the same time, an overflow of warm fuzzy feelings bubbled beneath the surface, filling her until an explosion seemed imminent. She wanted to run through the streets, shout from the rooftops, and tell anyone who would listen that she had found the one person in the world who was truly meant for her.
She reached down and turned the knob to cease the flow of water, then squeezed out her hair. Unable to take it anymore, Allie grabbed her towel and bolted into her bedroom. She had to tell someone, to set the words free, even though she was unsure which words would adequately explain how amazing she felt. Maybe she should look some up.
Maybe later.
Unable to keep her happiness to herself any longer, she quickly slipped into some shorts and a tank top and grabbed her phone. She flopped onto her bed and dialed up her sister. "There you are!" Kat shrieked so loud Allie had to distance the phone from her ear. "I was about to send out a search party."
She laughed before responding, "No need. I was safe and sound with Sofia."
"For over twenty-four hours? That's some kind of record for you. Hell, two hours was considered too long for you."
"I know, I know. But none of them were Sofia," Allie gushed, her heart racing once again.
"Stop it, you're gonna make me hurl."
"Well, get used to it. She's the one, Kat."
Silence. Then, she asked, "You've decided that already?"
"Actually, I think my heart knew the first time I saw her, but I wasn't sure until our second date."
"I thought you didn't believe in BAM?" Kat asked, dripping with smugness.
Allie laughed. "You were right. Is that what you want to hear?"
"Yes, and still, give me a heads-up next time you go into hibernation. You had me scared to death."
"Sorry. I wasn't thinking about that."
"Oh, I know exactly what you were thinking about," Kat said and followed with a ridiculous laugh. "But Al, did you not even check your messages? I was seriously worried."
Allie cringed. Having been lost in a Sofia-induced haze, she hadn't even looked at her phone, until now. That's also gotta be a record.
"So, that's a no. You really are head over heels, aren't you?"
"And then some. She's...I can't even begin to explain it, but there is just something so inherently natural about being with her and she makes me happier than I ever thought I could be."
"That's great, Allie. I'm really happy for you."
"But?"
"But be careful, you know? I mean, I want you to have your happily ever after, but she's already had a few secrets. How do you know there's not more?"
"It's okay, Kat. She had a life before me and I know it won't always be smooth sailing, but I'm willing to work through the hard times. I look forward to learning more about her."
"Well shit." Kat sniffled. "That's awesome."
"Are you crying?"
"What? No."
"Yeah you are. I got you all teary, didn't I?"
"Pfft. No way."
"Yeah, okay..." Allie rolled her eyes and grinned with satisfaction. "Anyway, how about you and I hit that new movie tomorrow night? It's been a while since we had sister time."
"What, no Sofia tomorrow night?"
"No." She tried to hide the disappointment in her tone. Seeing Sofia again couldn't happen soon enough. "She and Reyna have plans and besides, we aren't going to be together every night."
"But you'd like to be."
"Well...yeah, but that's kind of clingy. Plus, we both have friends and family. It's not like we're just going to drop everyone and hole up together."
"Umm..."
Allie quickly added, "Except maybe once in a while. Fair enough?"
"As long as you'll be buying me dinner before the movie for all the worry you caused."
"Fine. I'll pick you up at seven."
"Can't wait. Sweet dreams, lover girl."
Kat made kissy noises and then hung up before Allie could issue a retort. She would most definitely have sweet dreams and the cool thing was that her reality was even sweeter. Allie should probably be exhausted, but she was too amped up to sleep. Before it got much later, she fired off a text to Sofia. I had a wonderful weekend with you and I can't wait to see you Tuesday.
She dropped the phone onto the bed, trying not to stare at it in wait of a reply. Sofia may have already been asleep. She wasn't sure if Sofia's regular routine was early or late. Maybe she was one of those early to bed, early to rise types. After all, she was terribly organized and her apartment looked like a model home—from what she'd seen of it, anyway. Allie herself was more of a night owl who thrived on five or six hours of sleep, and while she was clean, a little disorder was not out of the ordinary.
How would their routines work if they lived together? If they got married? Was she really thinking those sorts of things already? She hadn't thought of marriage since she was a little girl, but all the dreams from her youth stormed back to the forefront.
Before her thoughts could wander any further, her phone buzzed and her face lit up seeing Sofia's name on the screen. With a quick swipe, she anxiously read the words revealed.
Me too. Sorry I have plans tomorrow. Would it be weird to say that Tuesday sounds so far away?
Allie sighed in relief. At least she wasn't the only one clamoring for another fix. Not at all. I was thinking the same thing. But not to worry, it will go fast. But since I'm on my own tomorrow night, I'm going to have a sister's night out with Kat.
That's good. Soon we should all have a get together.
Allie blew out a breath. Yes, she'd love them all to get together, but given the way the last double date had worked out, she'd rather be selfish a while longer. I'd like that, but mostly, I can't wait for you and me to have another get together ;D
You and I both :D Goodnight Allie. xo
Goodnight Sofia. xo
With a buzz of excitement running through her body, Allie dropped the phone beside her and folded her arms behind her head. How could she feel so invigorated from just a few silly texts? Sofia did things to her she couldn't explain and now she wondered how she'd ever get to sleep when her body surged with enough energy to run a marathon.
"Dammit," she muttered and rolled of the bed. Now was as good a time as any to try out those new workout DVD's.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Sofia hummed as she hurried toward the door, wiping her hands on her apron before reaching for the knob. Her chest thumped like wild and her stomach fluttered as she remembered the last time Allie had been in her apartment. Had it really been two months? She was greeted by the brilliant smile of Allie O'Leary, who pulled a single pink rose that had not yet opened from behind her back.
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