Too Close to Touch (31 page)

The windows were open and a stiff, hot breeze was blowing through the room, carrying with it the smell of rain and ozone. The two Þ nally naked women wrestled for top position, clamoring all over one another with hands, lips, and teeth. Gretchen was much stronger than she appeared, but she was no match for Kylie’s taller, more muscular frame

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and before long, she found herself ß at on her back, Kylie straddling her hips and pinning her arms over her head.

Both of them breathed raggedly, their chests heaving, their skin slick with sweat, the air charged with the heady combination of sex, desire, and love. Their gazes held, the connection electric. Kylie switched her grip so she held Gretchen’s wrists in one hand while she allowed the other to roam Gretchen’s body. Her eyes never left Gretchen’s as her Þ ngertips skimmed along the pale, soft skin of Gretchen’s shoulder, her chest, down the center of her torso, and then her palm ß attened over the quivering abdomen. There was a slight paunch there and it made Kylie smile with affection.
As it should be.

She reversed her path and moved back up to catch one small breast in her hand. Gretchen squirmed beneath her as Kylie kneaded the ß esh, liking its compact size. She felt the pink nipple tighten beneath her palm and she focused in on it, capturing it with her Þ nger and thumb, rolling it and tugging it gently until Gretchen bit her bottom lip and her eyes ß uttered closed. When Kylie bent forward and took it in her mouth, Gretchen growled and pushed her head back into the pillow, twisting her wrists in Kylie’s grip.

“God, Kylie. You’re driving me crazy.”

“Get used to it,” Kylie replied, biting down and then smiling as Gretchen’s entire body ß inched.

The thunder rolled on relentlessly, as did Kylie’s mouth. By the time she had freed Gretchen’s hands and her head was tucked securely between Gretchen’s thighs, Gretchen thought her entire body might simply implode. When she tried to participate in the directing of things by digging her Þ ngers into Kylie’s hair, Kylie stopped her ministrations just long enough to command, “Let me,” and grasped her wrists Þ rmly, holding them to the mattress at Gretchen’s sides.

Relinquishing control was not something Gretchen did eagerly and she actually struggled a bit, but Kylie held tightly. When she tugged on Gretchen’s wrists, it caused her mouth to push more Þ rmly into Gretchen’s center and she used that maneuver to her advantage, enjoying the gasp it forced from her partner. It happened three times before a guttural groan erupted up from deep in Gretchen’s body and escaped from her throat as the orgasm took her, full force. She arched her back, slamming her head back into the pillow and hissing Kylie’s name, her hands Þ sted in Kylie’s grip.

Kylie held tightly, her mouth still moving, still tasting, but her

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eyes watching Gretchen’s body. The display was a most magniÞ cent performance, dazzling in its sensuality, and made more beautiful by the ß ash of lightning that sizzled through the room.

“Okay,” Gretchen whispered, her voice ragged and breathless, her chest heaving. “Okay. Stop. Stop. Christ.”

Kylie smiled and released Gretchen’s hands. She placed one last, gentle kiss on the warm, slick ß esh beneath her lips, causing Gretchen’s hips to jerk in response.

“Please,” Gretchen begged. “Come up here.”

Kylie did as she was asked, feeling more satisÞ ed than she had in ages. She kissed Gretchen sweetly on the mouth, lingering only a little before Gretchen wrapped her arms around her and pulled her down.

“Oh, God,” Gretchen moaned as Kylie settled her weight. “You’re so warm.”

Kylie burrowed in and sighed in happiness as she felt Gretchen’s arms tighten around her. She slid a little to the side so her full weight wasn’t crushing Gretchen, and threw one leg over hers. She settled her head on Gretchen’s shoulder. She could feel Gretchen’s wetness on her knee and she fought hard to keep from pushing into her. Gretchen pressed a kiss to Kylie’s forehead and they lay in silent contentment for a long while. Kylie was just about to drift off when Gretchen spoke.

“Kylie? You asleep?”

“Yes,” Kylie answered wryly.

“Can we talk a little?”

“You can talk as much as you want. You have no idea what your voice does to me.”

“Oh yeah?”

“If you weren’t such a great sales manager, I’d suggest a career in the wonderful world of phone sex.”

Gretchen smiled. “I’ll Þ le that away for later. Maybe I’ll call you sometime and you can rate me.”

“You’re on.”

“Kylie, I…” Gretchen faltered and seemed to be searching for the right words.

Kylie lifted her head. “Oh, Gretchen, you’re not dumping me already, are you?”

“What?” Gretchen’s eyes widened in surprise. “No! No, of course not.”

Kylie settled back down. “Thank God.”

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Gretchen chuckled. “I guess I’ve sort of given you the right to expect that, haven’t I?”

“You do seem to like to check out during the afterglow, so to speak.”

Gretchen grimaced, realizing the validity of the statement.

“Is that when you panic?” Kylie’s voice was soft and without accusation.

Gretchen nodded. “Yeah. I think so.”

“Are you panicking now?”

“No.” Gretchen inhaled and let the air out slowly. “But I am worried.”

“About what?”

“About a lot of things.”

Kylie drew small patterns on Gretchen’s stomach with her Þ ngertips. “Name a couple.”

Gretchen cleared her throat. “Well, let’s see.” She paused, trying to determine exactly how honest she should be and decided on 100

percent. “I’m worried that I’ll screw this up. I’m worried that I’m not what you think I am. I’m worried that I’m going to hurt you.”

Kylie smiled. “You’re so predictable. Do you know that?”

Gretchen turned to face the woman in her arms, her face showing a combination of insult and puzzlement. “I’m predictable?”

“It’s not meant as a jab, sweetie. I just mean that I’m not the least bit surprised that you’re worried about these things.”

“You’re not?”

“No. You’re a perfectionist and a control freak.” She laughed at the mock anger that crossed Gretchen’s face. “Oh, come on. I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. All I’m saying is, given your personality type, it would be very strange for you
not
to be worried about those things.”

“Oh.” It was the only answer she had to respond to such an accurate assessment.

“And for what it’s worth, I worry, too. So there.”

“Yeah? About what?”

“The same things you do. I don’t want to screw this up. I don’t want to hurt you. And I want to be everything you want me to be, everything you think I am, but I’m sure that I won’t.”

Gretchen absorbed the information in silence.

“All we can do is our best, right?” Kylie asked.

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GEORGIA BEERS

And just like that, the simplest answer was the right one. Gretchen nodded and tightened her arms around Kylie. She pulled the sheet up to cover them lightly. They lay in each other’s embrace and listened to the sound of the rain falling gently around them, the thunder a distant, rumbling memory moving east.

“I love you, Gretchen,” Kylie whispered, just before she let go completely and allowed sleep to claim her.

v

Kylie felt like she was underwater, the sound mufß ed, her body throbbing as she debated pulling herself into wakefulness. She was so warm and comfortable in this place, a sensual tingle buzzing through her, making her limbs seem exhaustedly heavy and feather-light at the same time. Then the tingle became stronger, more of a pulse that settled directly between her thighs, a delicious aching need that had an unmistakable rhythm.

She pulled herself up from the depths with effort and opened her eyes to three wonderful realities: Gretchen’s body stretched along the length of hers, Gretchen’s mouth fastened onto and sucking one of her breasts, and Gretchen’s Þ ngers between her legs, sending little shocks of pleasure throughout her body as if controlling her completely from that nerve center.

“Oh, my God,” she whispered as she tried to focus in the darkness of the room. “Gretchen.”

“I’m sorry,” Gretchen whispered back as she looked up, her Þ ngers never ceasing their movement. “I couldn’t help it. I woke up and I was watching you sleep and you were just so damn beautiful, I had to touch you.” She didn’t sound the least bit regretful and her eyebrow arched wickedly as she continued, “And you were
so
wet.”

Kylie could respond with nothing more than a whimper, and then Gretchen’s mouth covered hers in a searing kiss. Tongues battled, pressure increased, and Kylie was rushed to the edge before she was even fully awake, her body refusing to wait for her. Her muscles tensed and strained as she teetered, waiting for release. Her body arched, and Gretchen felt the delicious pain of Kylie’s Þ ngernails on her back.

“I love you,” she hissed into Kylie’s ear, giving her a Þ nal push with her Þ ngers, her voice, and her heart.

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The erotic cry ripped from Kylie’s chest was almost enough to send Gretchen over right behind her.
God, I love that sound.
She watched and listened, awed by the effect Kylie’s climax had on her, how it Þ lled her so completely with love and passion and conÞ dence. She wished with every ounce of her being that it would always be this way and she knew instinctively, deep inside, that it was actually possible. With Kylie by her side, anything was possible.

They lay together in the aftermath. No more words were spoken as Kylie struggled to catch her breath. Gretchen kissed her neck, her cheek, her forehead, and withdrew her Þ ngers gently. She wrapped them up in each other until they were nothing but a mass of tangled, exhausted limbs, heaving lungs, and racing hearts covered with a midnight blue cotton sheet.

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TOO CLOSE TO TOUCH

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Stephen Jenkins’s ofÞ ce, this is Kylie. May I help you?”

“What are you wearing?”

“Who is this?”

“Funny.”

“Why are you harassing me at work?” Kylie did her best to hide the smirk, knowing Gretchen could hear it anyway. “I have very important things to do, you know.”

“Are you wearing the black silk set or the blue one?”

“I think you’re single-handedly keeping Victoria’s Secret in business.”

“If you didn’t look so damn edible in their stuff, I wouldn’t be forced to buy it. Just tell me which color. Please?”

“If you had come over last night, you’d know, now wouldn’t you?”

Kylie adopted a teasing tone to take any sting from the words.

“Touché. I’m sorry, sweetie.” Gretchen’s voice sounded truly apologetic. “I really needed to get my monthly sales Þ gures in order and I knew if I was anywhere near you, there would be no work getting done. Not to mention I needed some sleep.”

“Are you saying I’m a distraction?”

“The biggest.”

“And I prevent you from getting any sleep?”

“You have no idea.”

“Well, I’m sorry about that.”

“Liar.”

Kylie laughed because it was true. She was still learning the effects she had on Gretchen, physically as well as emotionally. She

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chuckled inside because Gretchen had the exact same effects on her; she just didn’t realize it yet. All Gretchen had to do was look at her and Kylie could completely lose her train of thought. She could be speaking to other people and if Gretchen glanced her way, she’d falter in mid-sentence, totally forgetting what she was going to say. It was unnerving…and devastatingly sexy.

She was well aware that their “newness” would eventually wear off—or at least tone down a little—and they
would
be able to actually sleep when they were together. She vividly recalled three nights ago when they’d made love on Gretchen’s kitchen ß oor, unable to wait even long enough to make it to the bedroom. Clearing her throat, she pressed her lips together and looked around in embarrassment, wondering if any of her colleagues could read her Þ lthy mind.

“What time are you picking me up tonight?” she asked, thinking a change of subject was deÞ nitely in order.

“About six thirty.” Gretchen’s voice softened. “Nervous?”

“A little. Yeah.”

“No need, love. Pete already adores you and Allyson is the sweetest woman on the face of the earth. You two are going to hit it off and I’m going to have to drag you out of there kicking and screaming when it’s time to go.”

“You think so?”

“I’m sure of it.”

“Okay.” In truth, Kylie was looking forward to their Þ rst dinner with friends as a couple. It had been several weeks and they were taking things very slowly, but dinner with Pete and Allyson was a big step for Gretchen; Kylie knew that. They were a part of Gretchen’s life that she didn’t share with many people. The ramiÞ cations were not lost on Kylie. “How’s your day going?”

“Really well. It’s still a little weird being at a small company like this. I keep expecting the usual corporate bullshit and politics, but there really isn’t any. It’s kind of nice.”

“You seem a lot more relaxed, you know.” Kylie had noticed almost immediately the change in Gretchen. She was not nearly as tightly wound. “This new job agrees with you.”

“I think there are other factors involved.”

Kylie felt her heart warm. “Maybe.”

“Listen, sweetheart, I’ve got another call coming in so I’ve got

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to go. I’ll scoot to your place in a bit and let Jake out during lunch, okay?”

Kylie couldn’t hide her surprise. “Are you sure you have time? I can do it.”

“No, no. It’s okay. I want to. If you don’t mind.”

“Mind? Of course not. Brandy asked me to lunch anyway.”

“Tell her you’re spoken for.”