"Nothing out of the ordinary. We both went to work, and you met her for your session. I got home just after you left, and she seemed a bit distant, but then she relaxed, and we ended up..." Laura stopped, her face darkening yet another shade. "...we ended up burning dinner."
Tickled by Laura's obvious embarrassment, Abby asked, "And then what?"
"We eventually made it up to my room, but when I woke up in the middle of the night, she was gone."
"Gone!"
"No, I mean, she went back to her room to sleep. At first, I thought she just wasn't comfortable, new surroundings and all, but I don't think that's it. And since then, she hasn't even tried to kiss me or hold my hand or...or anything."
Mulling over what she had just heard, Abby asked, "You've been lovers since when? Last Saturday?"
"Yes."
"And you've..."
When Abby stopped, Laura looked up, and seeing her friend's obvious hesitation, Laura said, "Just ask me what you want. I'm not embarrassed."
"No, but I am," Abby said with a giggle. Pulling herself together, she said, "Okay, so...how many times have you made love since Saturday?"
Taking a moment to tally up the times, Laura said, "Seven or eight, I think."
"Between Saturday night and Monday?"
"Yeah."
Fighting to hide her smile, Abby said, "Oh my."
"Like I said, it's good between us. Well, at least it is for me."
"And you don't have any...oh, Christ, Laura, this is definitely not my forte," Abby said, running her fingers though her hair. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Okay. I'm just going to ask this and get it over with. You don't have any issues with things she may want to do...well, in the lovemaking department, do you?"
"No, none at all."
"And you return in kind?"
"Very much so."
The room grew quiet as Abby became lost in her thoughts. Allowing her friend to ponder, Laura got up and walked to the window. Staring down at the busy street, after a few minutes, she returned to her chair, drumming her fingers on the arm as she waited.
Finally, Abby looked up. "You're food."
"Excuse me?"
"You're food."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"She's rationing you."
"What?"
"Laura, think about it. She's doing the same thing with your relationship that she did with food. She's preparing herself for when you're no longer there."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"She doesn't know that, or at least she hasn't come to terms with the fact that you will be there. She's afraid that if she loves you too much, wants you too much...has you too much, someone will take you away from her. She doesn't want to get used to having you for fear of losing you. And I'm fairly certain that she doesn't have any idea that she's even doing it."
"Why do you say that?"
"When she and I met on Monday, it was obvious she was happy. She finally admitted that you had become lovers, and I saw absolutely no sliver of doubt in her eyes, Laura. She loves you. She loves you a lot, so I'm thinking this is just a habit that's returned. A sneaky little bastard of a habit, but one that needs to be dealt with."
"Well, how am I supposed to do that? Have Property of Toni Vaughn tattooed on my bum?"
With a snicker, Abby said, "That could work, but I think maybe you should just talk to her. I told you a long time ago that there is no quick fix for what ails Toni, and unfortunately, this is a prime example. Where Toni is concerned, I'm afraid you'll be facing quite a lot of one step forward, two steps back throughout your life together. However, knowing your tenacity when it comes to her, somehow I don't think that's going to be a problem."
As was their norm, Friday night dinner for Toni and Laura consisted of curry take-away, and after finishing off most of what had been purchased, they sat quietly in the kitchen, sipping their wine and digesting their dinner.
"Do you consider me tenacious?" Laura asked.
"Is the sky blue?"
Laughing, Laura said, "I went to see Abby today."
"Oh yeah? Just catching up?"
"No, I went there to talk to her about you."
"Have I done something wrong?"
Laura's shoulders sagged. She could hear the worry in Toni's voice, and she wanted to cry. Reaching across the table, she took Toni's hand. "No, sweetheart, you didn't do anything wrong, but I was concerned because you've seemed a bit distant, so I wanted to talk to Abby about it."
"And what did she say?"
"She said I'm food."
"Excuse me?"
"That's exactly what I said, but then she explained that she believes you may be rationing your...your affection for me because you're afraid that you're going to wake up and discover this is all a dream."
"Oh."
"Is that true? Is that how you feel?"
Without saying a word, Toni pulled out of Laura's grasp and walked to the lounge, leaving Laura alone with her thoughts...and her wine.
Laura took a minute to reflect, and then finishing what was left in her goblet, she calmly refilled Toni's glass as well as her own. Carrying both into the lounge, she found Toni sitting in her usual corner of the sofa staring off into space. Considering her options, Laura placed the wine on the coffee table, and before Toni could react, she quickly straddled her lap and smiled at the surprised woman staring back at her. "This is where my tenacity comes into play."
As hard as she tried, Toni could simply not get angry, and slowly, her scowl turned upside down. "You truly are a pain in the arse sometimes. Have I told you that?"
"Lots of times, but who's counting?"
Gazing at Laura, Toni sighed. "I love you so much."
"I love you, too, sweetheart, and that's why I went to talk to Abby."
"I'm trying not to feel this way, but this is so surreal, you know? It's more than I ever thought I'd have after...after Thornbridge, and it's so bloody perfect that it scares me. I'm afraid that I'm going to wake up one day and it's all going to be gone. You're going to be gone."
"And what if I am?"
"What?"
"What if tomorrow never comes, Toni? What if tonight is all we have? What if something happens tomorrow and I'm gone?"
"Don't say that!"
"Toni, if this is the last night we have together, how would you want to spend it?"
"Laura, please-"
"Just answer the question."
Toni didn't have to think. "I'd want to spend it in your arms."
"Then stop wasting time. Stop thinking about tomorrow and concentrate on today, because if today is all we have, is this really the way you want to spend it?"
"No," Toni said quietly, and raising her eyes to meet Laura's, she became lost in the pools of green.
After a few moments of Toni staring back at her, Laura grinned. "This is the part where you're supposed to kiss me." Seeing the look in Toni's eyes, Laura knew she wouldn't have to say it again.
With a groan, Toni threaded her fingers through Laura's hair and pulled her down. Over and over they kissed, their heads tilting this way and that as they drank in each other's flavor. Invading with their tongues, they each eagerly took all that they could.
Finally, with their faces flushed and their lips swollen, they came up for air, and when Laura saw the fire in Toni's eyes, desire seeped from her core. In a voice filled with want, Laura said, "Take me, Toni. Take me here. Take me now."
Toni's response came in the form of a low, throaty growl. Quickly unbuttoning Laura's blouse, she tossed it aside and licked her lips at the sight of breasts hidden behind shimmering gray spandex. Cupping each in a hand, she squeezed and Laura squirmed, and then drawing the straps down, Toni exposed the plump rounds, their tips distended and ready for tasting. Covering one peak with her mouth while she tweaked the other with her fingers, Toni feasted on the nipple in all its erect glory. Flicking her tongue over the hard and beaded center, she pulled it gently between her teeth as she took Laura's words to heart. If this was to be their last day, it would be magnificent.
Laura was lost. She was being totally consumed by the woman at her breast, and between her legs an ache was growing at breakneck speed. Threading her fingers through Toni's hair, Laura held her in place as the woman sucked hard against her nipple, and when Toni began to pinch the other tip, torturing it with attention, Laura quickly found herself out of control.
Ravenous for the woman, Toni's hands found the waistband of Laura's trousers, and before she could ask, Laura raised herself to her knees to give Toni full access. Within seconds, the button was opened and the zip pulled down, and with Laura still on her knees, Toni pushed her hand inside.
"Oh...yes," Laura breathed as Toni cupped her sex. "Oh, Toni...yes."
Through the silk of Laura's knickers, Toni could feel the slick, wet heat of her lover, and cupping her hard, she smiled as Laura moaned above her. Again and again, she pressed and rubbed, never once venturing under the soaked fabric as Laura wriggled above her. With her breasts well within reach, Toni continued to suckle against one dark center while she relentlessly tortured Laura's center with divine friction until Laura could take no more.
"Please, Toni. Oh, God...I need you. Please...please..."
In an instant, Toni rolled Laura to the couch. Yanking down her trousers, Toni pushed aside the fabric of Laura's knickers and quickly pushed two fingers inside her lover's deliciously moist center.
Crying out in pleasure, Laura grabbed hold of the sofa cushions. Lifting and lowering her hips, she moved in unison with Toni's strokes, her needs turning wild as Toni drove into her again and again. Fingers were buried to the hilt, and each time Laura pushed hard to take them even deeper until finally she squeezed her legs around Toni's hand as spasms of pleasure erupted from within.
Toni gasped for air as she watched Laura shudder beneath her, and when she finally stilled, Toni slowly removed her fingers and climbed off the sofa.
Opening her eyes, Laura watched as Toni stripped in front of her, dropping each garment to the floor and exposing her body to the light of the room. Slack-jawed, Laura took in the view, and when Toni came within reach, Laura sat up and brazenly grabbed her arse to pull her closer.
Pressing her face into Toni's belly, she covered it with kisses as she kneaded Toni's firm bottom, and smelling the aroma of want, Laura burrowed through short dark curls and flicked her tongue across Toni's swollen petals.
"Oh, Christ," Toni breathed. "Oh, Laura. Oh...sweet Laura..."
Lustfully, Laura lapped against the tender flesh. She tasted and teased with lascivious abandon, but when Toni tugged at her hair, Laura sat back and looked up into the eyes of the woman she loved. The message they were sending was clear...foreplay was over.
With the taste of Toni swirling in her mouth, Laura knew what she wanted to do. A week before, Toni had taken her to climax with only her mouth, and remembering the feeling...remembering the absolute euphoria of that moment, Laura slowly lay back across the sofa and beckoned Toni with a curled finger.
In an instant, Toni knew Laura's intention. "Are you sure?" she said in a raspy voice.
Drinking in the sight of the nude woman standing before her, Laura licked her lips. "Oh, yeah."
Toni's jaw dropped open as she fought for more oxygen, and slowly straddling Laura's shoulders, she waited. Seconds later, her body arched as Laura covered her sex with her mouth.
Just as Toni had done to her, Laura probed with her tongue, gently pushing here and there before drawing it down one side and up the other. With Toni slowly gyrating above her, Laura uncovered what she sought and flicked her tongue over Toni's swollen clit.
The only sounds Toni could manage were unintelligible murmurs and gasps as Laura devoured her. Doing her best to take Toni over the edge with only her tongue, Laura was close to getting her wish. Between nuzzles, licks, and sucks against the engorged sex of her partner, Laura was pushing Toni to the point of no return, and frantically, Toni began to move against Laura's mouth. Each time Toni rocked, Laura teased with her tongue, flicking it here and there with abandon, and as the rhythm increased, she could feel her own center begin to tremble again.
A sound, guttural and deep, began to rise from within Toni, and unable to wait any longer, Laura parted Toni's swollen lower lips and pushed her tongue inside.
It was instant. Blood-rushing and not to be denied, it forced the air from Toni's lungs and the want from her body. Her moans grew loud as waves of splendor washed over her, and as she rode each one to its shuddering conclusion, Laura remained beneath her, tenderly lapping at the release.
A few minutes passed before, on shaky knees, Toni lowered herself to Laura's chest. Slowly opening her eyes, she gazed at the woman beneath her. "You're amazing," Toni whispered as she pushed strands of hair from Laura's forehead. "You are utterly...utterly amazing."
At the very least, Toni thought her compliment warranted a smile, but when she saw the look on Laura's face, Toni was the one who smiled. Slowly sliding off Laura's chest, Toni placed her leg between Laura's. "What do you want me to do?"
"I don't know," Laura said in an embarrassed squeak. "I can't believe...I can't believe this is going to happen again."
Stroking Laura's cheek, Toni whispered, "Fast or slow, darling? Tell me what you need, because I don't want to hurt you."
Laura's jaw dropped open, and taking a few quick breaths, she said, "Taste me, Toni. Taste me and take me to heaven."
Walking back into the lounge, Toni couldn't help but snigger at the naked woman sprawled on the couch. Coming to a stop in front of the sofa, she refilled their wine glasses. "Aren't you cold?"
"After what you just did to me? I don't think I'll cool off until spring," Laura mumbled as she slowly opened her eyes. Enjoying the sight of Toni dressed in only a T-shirt and knickers, Laura moved toward the back of the sofa. Patting the cushions, she said, "Sit. There's room."
Taking a sip of her wine, Toni handed Laura the other glass as she sat down. Amused by Laura's obvious exhaustion, Toni said, "I believe this comes under the heading of 'be careful what you ask for.'"
"You're telling me," Laura said, chuckling under her breath.
"You doing okay?"