Homestead

Chapter Twenty-four

Tess couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, but she knew what she wanted. More. She wanted more. More of the incredible freedom of being in the moment and only the moment—not the past or the future—without thought, with only sensation. More of Clay. “Oh my God.”

“I’m not going to answer to that because I can’t defend myself right now,” Clay muttered.

Tess laughed and caressed the length of Clay’s back until her hand rested on Clay’s ass. Clay covered her, her weight unfamiliar but welcome. The room was hot, their skin sweat-slicked, but she wouldn’t have had Clay move for anything in the world. She slid her leg around the outside of Clay’s, draping her calf in the bend of Clay’s leg, tethering her. “I wasn’t talking to you.”

“Someone joined us while I wasn’t looking?”

“I’m not going to feed your ego and tell you that was wonderful.”

“I don’t mind telling you it was incredible.” Clay pushed up on her elbow and propped her head in the cup of her hand. Playing with Tess’s hair with her other hand, she grinned down at her. “I think—no, I know—I’ve never had an orgasm just from making someone come before.”

Tess narrowed her eyes and squeezed Clay’s ass, letting her nails dig in just a little. “Talking about other…experiences…might not be a very good idea at the moment.”

“How about…” Clay nipped at Tess’s chin. “You’re amazing. Unbelievable. You fry my brain. I want you again.”

“That’s better.” Tess tightened inside, felt herself swell again. “Because I want you to have me again.”

“Mmm. Good.” Clay pushed up on both arms and started to slide off Tess’s body. “This time I plan to make you—”

Tess gripped her around the waist, holding her in place. “But not just yet.”

“Why not?”

While Clay was off guard, Tess lifted her hips and managed to roll her over. She laughed at the look of consternation on Clay’s face when she landed on top of her, pinning her down. “You don’t think we’re going to do everything on your timetable, do you?”

“To tell you the truth,” Clay raised her head, brushed her cheek over Tess’s breast, and kissed her nipple, “I can’t think of much of anything at all. Except I can’t get my fill of you.”

“You’ll have plenty of time to try before the sun comes up.” For an instant, a curtain fell in Clay’s eyes, preventing Tess from seeing beneath the solid brown surface. The barrier was a shock after what they’d just done—what she’d just experienced—and she wanted that shield gone. She kissed Clay hard, delving into her mouth, calling her back, demanding she be with her. With her in the moment. When Clay’s arms came around her, firm and possessing, she gentled the kiss, teased a little along the edge of Clay’s lower lip until Clay groaned. “Any complaints?”

“None,” Clay murmured, cupping Tess’s breast. She brushed her thumb back and forth over Tess’s nipple, making it pucker and pulse. She smiled a satisfied smile when Tess caught her breath. “None at all.”

“So for the time being…” Tess kissed Clay on the mouth, on the edge of her jaw, on the slope of her neck. Clay tasted of forest, rich and pungent. A drop of sweat beaded in the hollow between her collarbones, and Tess caught it on the tip of her tongue. Tangy and sweet, uniquely Clay. “This is where you lie still.”

Clay grimaced, her eyes flashing. “I already did that.”

“No,” Tess murmured, circling Clay’s nipple with her tongue, “you were standing still then. This is the next stage.”

Clay tangled her fingers in Tess’s hair. “How many stages are there?”

Tess grinned, resting her chin on Clay’s chest. The pressure of Clay’s thigh between her legs was making it hard for her to concentrate on words. All she wanted was taste and touch and smell and the sound of Clay out of control for her. “Not sure yet. I’m making it up as I go along.”

Clay laughed, a deep resonant sound that vibrated into Tess’s chest. She loved the sound, wanted to hear it again and again. “Laughing at a woman in bed could be dangerous.”

“Oh no, baby. You’re doing great as far as I’m concerned,” Clay said.

“And that’s all that matters.” Realizing how much she meant that, Tess pushed away thoughts of what would happen in the morning. For tonight, there was no tomorrow.

Inching down, kissing Clay’s breasts and abdomen, she settled between Clay’s spread thighs. She tugged on the skin around Clay’s belly button until Clay hissed and her thighs tightened against the outside of Tess’s hips. Clay was wet and hot against her belly, and Tess forgot what she had intended to do. Slow, that was it, she was going to go slow and tease her, but God, she wanted her now. She wanted to taste her, to swallow her, to fill herself with everything that was Clay.

“Damn it,” Tess gasped, “I can’t wait.”

“Good,” Clay said, her voice raspy. She pushed herself up on her elbows and looked down at Tess. “Neither can I.”

“Just one more minute. You look so gorgeous right now.” Tess stroked Clay’s breasts, her belly, and the base of her clitoris until Clay’s thighs trembled and her eyes glazed. The glory of Clay in need threatened to stop her heart. Cradling Clay’s hips in her hands, Tess took her into her mouth. She was slick and sweet and hot and hard and everything she desired. Everything.

Clay watched Tess take her, forcing her arms to support her as her muscles melted and her control shattered. Devastated by pleasure, she fought to memorize everything about the moment—the silvery glow of Tess’s face in the moonlight, the fall of her tangled blond hair over one shoulder, the way she murmured softly in her throat as she took Clay deeper into her mouth. If morning was the end of this miracle, she needed every minute to last a lifetime.

“I love watching you make me come,” Clay whispered and Tess jerked, moaning softly. Tess’s eyes were nearly closed, her expression possessive and fierce. “I like when you own me.”

Tess looked up, her lips brushing Clay’s clitoris. “I like owning you.”

“I’d like it even better if you came while you were making me come.”

Tess kissed her clit and Clay jerked. Tess grinned. “Is that what you want? Me to come with you in my mouth?”

“Yes. Yes.” Clay shuddered, sensing the last of her control snap, one strand at a time. “Fuck yes.”

“Like this, then?” Tess’s pupils flickered, her lids lowered, and she slid one hand down the bed under her belly and between her legs. She caught her breath as her hips involuntarily lifted.

“Oh yeah,” Clay said, scarcely breathing. “That’s exactly what I want.”

“This will drive me crazy,” Tess said.

“Then I won’t be alone.” Clay cupped the back of Tess’s head and pressed up against her mouth. “Take me deep. I’m ready for you.”

Heat flooding through her, Tess cupped herself and closed her lips around Clay again. Easing her fingers on either side of her clitoris, she stroked lightly. Pressure built deep inside as Clay rocked faster and faster against her mouth. She was no stranger to making herself come, but never like this, never having Clay inside her mouth and about to explode. The sensation of Clay on the verge of coming pushed her to the edge faster than she meant to come. She pulled away, cried out, “Oh God, I’m going to come.”

Clay gripped her head in both hands and pushed up against her mouth. “So am I. Don’t stop. I want to be in your mouth when you do.”

Tess closed her lips around Clay’s clitoris as pleasure broke over her. She came in waves as Clay pulsed inside her, giving her exactly what she wanted. Everything.

Clay lay awake watching the sun come up with Tess curled against her front. Tess’s ass was cradled in the curve of her pelvis and her back against Clay’s breasts. Clay lightly stroked her belly and thighs, not wanting to wake her, but needing to touch. She hadn’t slept much, too hungry for Tess to do more than doze between orgasms. Each time awareness returned, the need came with it, a wild mindless thing clawing inside her, demanding Tess’s taste and scent and heat. Clay took her, again and again, with her hands and mouth and heart, devouring, consuming, reveling in the possession of her. She’d finally taken pity on Tess and let her sleep even though the need still pounded through her.

Carefully, Clay feathered her fingers over the soft delta between Tess’s thighs. Tess’s breathing changed and Clay knew she was awake. She kissed the tip of her shoulder. “Morning.”

“Good morning,” Tess said quietly. She’d been awake a few minutes, absorbing the sensation of being in Clay’s arms, of the way Clay touched her—reverently, as if she were precious, and with an unapologetic sense of ownership that made her want to be filled. She reached down, caught Clay’s hand, and entwined their fingers. She drew Clay’s hand up to her breast and her nipple hardened against Clay’s palm. Clay squeezed her, her clit tingled, and somehow, unbelievably, she was ready again. “What time is it?”

“A little after five.”

Tess sighed. “I can’t believe I slept so late. I need to go help with the milking.”

“If I help, can you stay here a little longer?”

“Clay—you don’t know anything about cows.”

“I learn fast.” Clay sucked the juncture of Tess’s neck and shoulder, and Tess shivered.

“You don’t have to.” Tess had a little trouble catching her breath. Clay did things to her she couldn’t control and didn’t really want to. All the more reason to get up and get some sense back into her addled brain.

“The air smells like rain,” Clay said.

Tess shook her head. “Not in the forecast.”

“Forecasts are wrong sometimes. Unpredictable.”

“I know.”

Clay nuzzled Tess’s neck, kissed the spot just below her ear that made Tess moan. “How you doing?”

“I don’t know.”

Clay tensed, waiting for the recriminations and the regret. “Tess—”

“I’m pretty sure I’m going to be sore in unusual places for a day or two, and”—Tess rolled onto her back and kissed Clay’s throat—“I’m also pretty sure I want you to fuck me again.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Clay almost sighed out loud. Tess was still here, with her. The hand that had been fisted around her heart, slowly crushing the life from it as the hours of the night had bled away, let go and she could breathe again. She still had time. She kissed Tess lightly and caressed Tess’s belly and cupped between her legs. Tess was wet, open for her, and she gently eased inside.

Tess sucked in a breath, her lids fluttering.

Clay kissed her. “Good?”

“Amazing.” Tess covered Clay’s hand and held her motionless inside her. “Just stay right there for a minute. If you move, I’m going to come too soon.”

“It’s never too soon. But I’d stay here like this forever if you wanted.”

Tess’s eyes glazed, and she caught her lower lip between her teeth. “I love feeling you make me come.”

Clay kissed her breast, brushed her mouth over Tess’s nipple, and returned to watching her face. “I love making you come.”

“If you fuck me just a little right now, I will.”

“Anything you want.” Clay gathered her close, one arm around her shoulders, and held her tight against her chest. Tess slid her leg over Clay’s hip, opening herself, giving Clay room to move. Clay stroked long and slow and deep, her thumb just brushing Tess’s clitoris each time she entered. Tess’s hips set the pace, and she followed. When Tess pushed harder against her hand, she picked up speed. When Tess’s teeth grazed her shoulder, she kissed her, drinking in Tess’s cries of pleasure as Tess’s orgasm flooded around her fingers. When Tess sagged in her arms, she buried her face in the curve of Tess’s neck. “God, Tess, you’re so beautiful. I lo—”

“Clay, don’t,” Tess murmured. “Just—don’t.”

Silently, Clay nodded. She understood. Tess wanted her in bed, at least right this moment, but that’s all she wanted. She didn’t trust her for more. And Clay didn’t blame her. Tess didn’t have any reason to trust her, and the knowledge was a knife in her heart.

A cracking boom split the air and Tess pulled away, half sitting. “Oh my God. I think that was thunder.”

The sky outside the open window turned black as night. Tess jumped from the bed and raced to look out. “You should see the sky. Lightning everywhere.”

“Something big coming,” Clay said, knowing the storms of change had arrived.