I devote myself to her, desperately trying to ignore the truth that reverberates through me with each thud of my heart, the knowledge racing through my mind—I love more than her beautiful contradictions, her supple body, melting for me. I love—
“Please,” she whispers, tugging at my collar, toward her.
Standing, I drag her inside my arm and bring my hand back to where she’s wet and tight, her hips moving against me.
Our mouths meet and she sighs as she tastes herself against me, as I groan into our kiss.
“Christopher,” she whispers, her hand rubbing over my heart. “Oh God, please. I need to—”
“Shh, honey. Easy.” I kiss her, slow and deep, coaxing her to relax. “Don’t chase it. I’ll give it to you.”
Pinning her against the counter, I slip my fingers out gently, just enough to bring her body’s wetness up and rub her clit.
She cries out, burying her face in my neck as I stroke her softly, working her up to orgasm. Her cries get faster, hoarse and pleading, and I feel my body tighten, begging for its own release as she chases hers. Denying myself like this is as foreign as trying to speak another language and just as difficult, but it’s gratifying, pouring all my attention solely into what she needs, worshipping Kate the way she deserves.
Feeling how close she is, I slip my fingers inside her once more on a deep, curved stroke. Kate yanks me toward her by the collar, until my mouth finds hers, and I’m lost to her sounds, her cries as she comes against my hand.
Panting, she drops her head against my chest. “I can . . .” She sighs, dazed and satisfied, her hand slipping down my chest, toward my tented jeans. “I can return the favor.”
My hand finds hers and stops its progress. I bring it up to my chest again, clutched against my heart. “I don’t want a damn thing from you.”
She scowls. “Gee, thanks.”
I laugh roughly. “I didn’t say that right. Sentences are difficult right now, given I barely have any blood in my brain.”
“Which is why I—”
“There’s no rush.” I kiss her slowly, softly. “What I just did, that is more than enough for me right now.”
She arches an eyebrow. “That is not what the state of your pants indicates.”
I smile against our kiss, teasing my fingers lower again, ready and hungry to give her more. “Ignore that.”
“Impossible,” she whispers.
“Hmm. I can think of a way to distract you.” Watching her smile in spite of herself, I tell her, “Now, hush, and let me make you come one more time before company’s here.”
? THIRTY-ONE ?
Kate
Some things have changed over the past week—I’ve gotten very confident with making out and dry humping on all sorts of household surfaces. And some things have not changed. Like my capacity to stay on top of my laundry.
“Kate!” Christopher calls, followed by the sound of the apartment door shutting.
“One second!” I call back, scouring my room for a single piece of clothing that’s clean and isn’t riddled with holes or questionable stains on it. It’s pretty difficult, seeing as my laundry is a mixed-up disaster and my room looks like a bomb went off in it.
I hear his footsteps coming down the hallway and, out of sheer desperation, yank a long-sleeve shirt from his Christopher drawer, throwing it over my head, cuffing the sleeves to a slouchy three-quarter length. Rich cerulean blue and superfine cotton, it’s soft and comfy, long enough to pass for a tunic.
“I can work with this,” I tell my reflection, tugging on black leggings and quickly stomping into my Doc Martens. Then I rush out of my room, shutting the door behind me right in time.
Christopher stops just short of the door and frowns. “Everything okay?”
I nod, my grip firm on the doorknob. “Mm-hmm. Let’s go.” I take his hand and start down the hall, but he doesn’t budge, sending me boomeranging back into him.
“Oof.” I bump into his chest. “C’mon, we have to go.”
He stares down at me. “You’re wearing my shirt.”
I grimace. “I was hoping you wouldn’t notice that.”
His eyes darken as he steps closer. “That was a very foolish thing to hope, Katerina.”
“I’m behind on laundry,” I tell him apologetically. “The machines in the basement creep me out, and I was so busy all week, I kept forgetting to go to the laundromat, but I’ll do laundry soon, I promise. I’ll wash it right away and give it back to you—”