She pressed her face into the crook of Anne’s exposed neck, hot breath against her skin, little puffs of air that came fast, then faster. Kissed her there, again and again, slow and light. And then, with a little groan, Sadie lowered her open mouth to the base of Anne’s neck, in the little hollow above her collarbone, and nothing she did next was slow or light.
With each stroke of Sadie’s tongue, the hot, wet suck of her mouth, the empty space between Anne’s legs pulled, getting heavier. She moaned, answered by Sadie’s shuddered breath, her teeth’s soft scrape.
“More,” someone said, and Anne was shocked to realize it was her. “More. Please—ah—”
The clasp of Sadie’s fingers pressed into the soft edges of her stomach, a hard spasm, as Sadie sucked at Anne, as they both made noises—small, shocked sounds.
Then, just as Anne slid her hands around Sadie’s back, about to pull her even closer, Sadie abruptly drew away. “I need,” she stuttered, “I need a minute, otherwise I’ll—I don’t think I can—I’ve never—how,howare you doing this to me?”
Panting, Anne leaned back on the bed, onto her left elbow, at an angle she knew she couldn’t hold for long. That didn’t matter,though. All she cared about was Sadie, panting, too, with a look like she’d been struck.
“Do you want to stop?” Anne managed. She’d never wanted to do anything less in her entire life.
Sadie shook her head quickly. “Maybe,” she said, after a moment, “you could take off your shirt. While I watch. I’d like that. Very much.”
So would Anne, who sat up again and immediately obeyed, pulling her shirt over her head.
Sadie’s gaze dropped to Anne’s chest, and Anne knew exactly what she saw: one of her Fleur du Mal bras, black with scalloped lace edges and see-through tulle cups. The one she’d changed into before they’d left for the desert, her fingers clumsy with possibility.
Helplessly aroused, Anne lifted her chin a little. She wouldn’t look down at herself—Sadie could do that for them both.
Sadie wasn’t saying anything. For an impossible length of time, Anne waited. Their rapid breathing was the only sound in the room.
“Touch yourself for me,” Sadie whispered. “Show me how you like it.”
Show me. Anne didn’t have to be told again.
She touched the upper plane of her stomach first, tentatively, fingers wide. For a moment, she stayed still, getting used to the pressure, and then she slid her hand higher, inhaling with a flicker of pleasure as she stroked her left breast.
Sadie stared, her mouth slackening.
Under the lace of the bra, Anne’s nipple was already taut. She pinched it lightly through the fabric, giving herself what she liked, and between her legs, an answering shock flared, violent enough to make her hips jerk.
“God,” she gasped, feeling the scald of Sadie’s stare. “My God—”
“Anne—”
“Please,please, Sadie—”
Before Anne could get out the rest of her plea, Sadie kissed her again, kissed her and kissed her until staying upright no longer seemed possible. When they next came up for air, Anne had the scratchy polyester bedspread pressed against her back and the glory of Sadie’s weight heavy against her front. Sadie, her arms braced on either side of Anne. Sadie lying on top of Anne, scarlet and wild and amazed.
Sadie lowered her head near Anne’s, gasping. “I’m—I’m—I don’t know what—”
Her neck was so close. Anne nudged it with her mouth, and the promise of what she could do was enough to make Sadie’s dizzy sentence hitch on an inhale.
Anne couldn’t help herself. It was her turn. She sucked hard—harder than she’d meant to—tasting salt as she pulled at Sadie’s skin.
Instantly, Sadie moaned. Her hips bucked against Anne. And then—then she reached down and grazed the side of Anne’s right breast, caressing the small, spare curve of it.
Anne let her head fall back to the bed, losing Sadie’s neck. The ache inside her was getting deeper, thicker, made so much worse—so much better—by Sadie’s gentle touch.
“Did you put this on for me?” Sadie asked, still stroking Anne’s breast through the bra. She was propped up on one arm. “This lacy thing?”
Anne was past denial. She nodded.
“You wanted to be so pretty for me, didn’t you? In case we did this?” A sound like a growl purred low in Sadie’s throat. “You thought about me seeing you in it.”
Anne nodded again, unable to hide, but also not wanting to.