by C. Fonseca
“Aruishi.” Lili spoke in the low tone she’d learned was successful if she wanted her to comply.
Aruishi ran for the French doors. “Okay. I’m going,” she said sombrely. Just before she hightailed to the kitchen, she called, “How come no one else has to wash their hands?”
Lili stared at her daughter, who quickly shut the door with a bang. She shook her head. “I don’t know. I swear she’s getting bolder by the day.”
“She’s got a point though, right?” Alex grinned. “I mean, what do we drill into new staff during health and safety training?”
Lili laughed. “Wash your hands.”
With her arms outstretched and her hands splayed, Jess jumped to her feet and walked over to Lili. “Want to check them?” Her eyelids fluttered playfully.
Without thinking, she reached out and pinched Jess’s cheek.
“Ouch.” Jess rubbed her face, obviously play-acting. “I’m going to wash my hands and check on Aruishi while I’m there.” She flashed Lili a taunting smile and headed inside.
For a few seconds, Lili stood in front of the charcoal barbeque, staring after Jess. She looked up at Alex, who was gazing at her with raised eyebrows.
“What?”
Alex put her hands on her hips. “What’s going on?”
Lili rotated the skewers on the grill, slowly basting each fish satay with the spicy marinade. “You’ll have to be a little more specific, Alex.”
Alex leaned in close. “Blatant flirting.” She smiled at Tash, who’d joined them at the barbeque. “Just because I’ve been in a relationship for nine years doesn’t mean I don’t recognise the signs.”
Tash stood behind Alex, placed her arms around her waist, and kissed the top of her head. She glanced at Lili. “I did notice the looks between you two. The playful touching. The eye contact.”
“You’ve slept with her.”
“Alex, stop. No, I haven’t slept with her.” She wasn’t lying. There had been no sleeping, although the thought of lying in bed with Jess was on her mind, despite everything she’d said to her.
Alex laughed loudly. “Oh, shut up. You’re not denying it, then? We’re about to eat dinner, but Jess looked like she’s ready to devour you.”
“Okay, you two.” Lili glanced up towards the door. “Please, behave. And don’t say anything around Ru.”
“But you said—” Alex tilted her head in question.
“Shush…” Tash whispered. “Here they are.”
Jess and Aruishi stepped out onto the deck, waving their hands in front of them.
Lili gave Alex a pleading look.
“I think we’d better follow their example, Tash,” Alex said. “Come on, let’s wash our hands, and we’ll get the rest of the food on our way back.”
“Thanks, Alex.” Lili breathed a sigh of relief. “And please bring the cider from the fridge, and the champagne glasses.”
“Cider in champagne glasses?” Jess asked.
“It’s Cider Methode Champenoise. It’s fresh and light and goes well with spicy food.”
“I’m going to help carry out dinner,” Aruishi announced loudly, and followed Alex and Tash into the kitchen.
“This smells incredible. What are they? And what are those green sticks? They’re not wood.” Jess hovered near Lili, watching her work.
Lili placed the skewers onto the platter and added the bowl of lime wedges and spiced peanuts at one end. “The sticks are lemongrass. The flavour permeates into the fish mixture during cooking, mingling with the kaffir-lime zest and sour-sweet of the tamarind.”
As Lili lifted the platter, Jess placed her hands over hers. “Here, let me carry that for you. I can’t wait to try it. You are making me a more adventurous eater.”
Lili looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “But you’ve travelled all over the world. You must have tried lots of different foods.”
“When I first arrived in England I was fussy. I’d hardly eat a thing.” Jess sighed. “I missed my mum and Usha’s cooking.”
“That’s hardly surprising.”
“Plus, I have to be careful when we’re competing. Things can be mislabelled, contaminated, or have banned ingredients that show up in tests,” Jess said. “The team usually eats together, sticking with simple high-protein foods.”
Lili released the platter in to Jess’s hands. “Um,” she said. “You didn’t tell me you were having dinner at Ailie tomorrow with Simon and Haley.”
“What? Haley?” Jess frowned. “Simon’s invited me to dinner with a group of his cycling friends. He never mentioned Haley would be there, as a guest.”
“Oh, I see,” Lili said. “But you didn’t even mention you were invited to my restaurant.”
“I’m so sorry. Simon only rang me a couple of hours ago to let me know he’d managed a last-minute booking, and did I want to come? I’ve had no chance to tell you, Lili.”
“Come on, you two. Everything else is on the table,” Alex called.
“Are we okay?” Jess asked in a serious tone. “There is nothing going on between me and Haley.”
She sighed with relief. They were okay. “Yes, we’re okay.”
“Mummy, I want some of the yellow rice, but do I have to eat this stuff?” Aruishi pointed at the large bowl of mixed-vegetable salad.
Lili sat down in the chair beside Aruishi, and Jess sat beside her. She heaped a small mound of rice onto Aruishi’s plate and chopped a minced fish satay into bite-sized pieces. “I think you should try a few veggies. How about some green beans, sprouts, and carrot with a little grated coconut and some of the peanut sauce you like?”
Aruishi picked up a long bean in her fingers, dipped it in the peanut sauce, and munched. She picked up another bean and waved it in the air before taking a large bite. “Yummy,” she said with her mouth full.
Lili jumped as Tash popped the cork on the sparkling cider and Jess squeezed her knee, the heat from her hand radiating through Lili’s trousers.
“Lili, shall I pour you a glass?” Tash asked.
“Yes, please,” Lili rasped as Jess’s hand moved along her thigh. “I could use a drink.”
“This is tasty.” Aruishi shovelled a loaded spoon of fish and rice into her mouth.
Lili watched Jess take a sizable bite of the satay and lick the peanut sauce from the tips of her fingers.
Lili’s hand shook slightly as she lifted her glass to her lips and she took a sip. “Eat up, everyone,” she said, looking from Jess to Aruishi. “We have the approval of the fussiest eaters at the table.”
Aruishi didn’t even make it to dessert. She finished her main meal, then clambered onto Lili’s lap and fell asleep. Lili carried her inside, put her pyjamas on, and tucked her into bed. Aruishi didn’t stir when Lili placed Princess Teddy against her shoulder. With any luck, she would sleep through the night.
Lili stopped in the kitchen to collect Alex’s tray. Miniature citrus tarts with dollops of tangy lemon curd, crisp coconut pastry, and a touch of candied orange peel. It would finish the meal perfectly.
With platter in hand, Lili rejoined the group on the deck. She sat quietly as Alex explained to Jess how she and Tash had first met.
“At a women’s football game, of all things,” Alex said. “We were barracking for different sides. When the ball sailed over the boundary line into the crowd, we both reached up to catch it and missed. Instead, we collided into each other.”
It was a story often told, but Lili couldn’t help but smile as Tash and Alex grinned at each other and playfully bumped their foreheads together. Jess put her head back and laughed along with them.
Lili felt her heart expand. Jess seemed to fit right in—like she’d known them all for years. She half turned in her chair to look out over the moonlit bay. She was skirting dangerously close to risking a deeper emotional connection with Jess.
&
nbsp; Lili needed to know she could trust her. She could almost convince herself it was no big deal, but it was. Jess’s explanation about the dinner engagement with Simon and Haley seemed genuine. Even where things stood between them now—with an uncertain future—honest communication was essential.
Tash and Alex went home just after midnight. Lili gently pulled Aruishi’s bedroom door almost shut, relieved her daughter was still asleep. When she walked into the kitchen, there was Jess, stacking the dishwasher. It was mind-boggling somehow, having Jess in her kitchen doing tasks like she belonged there, in the house that she’d shared only with Aruishi for four years.
As if sensing Lili’s presence, Jess looked over her shoulder. “She still asleep?”
“Like a log.” Lili walked towards her. “You didn’t have to clean up, but thank you.”
Jess closed the dishwasher with her knee, wiped her hands on a tea towel, and turned around to face Lili. “Too late. It’s all done now.” She reached out and circled Lili’s waist, and her eyes widened with a questioning smile.
Lili swallowed hard as a pleasant fluttering stirred in her stomach. “Would you like a hot drink? A whiskey? More wine?”
“No, I’m perfectly fine,” Jess said. “The meal and the company were terrific.”
“I hope Alex didn’t ply you with too many questions? She’s an inquisitive one.”
Jess lifted the hem of Lili’s top with her thumbs, stroking her bare midriff. “I enjoyed every minute of it.” She pulled Lili close. “Everything.”
Lili cupped Jess’s face in her hands. Craving a closer connection, she leaned forward and kissed her. She linked her hands around Jess’s neck and kissed her again with a deeper intensity that even she found surprising. Jess’s tongue caressed hers with soft, sensual strokes. It was sweet and lush, and Lili tasted a hint of apple cider and lime.
Finally, out of breath, Lili lowered her head and buried her face between Jess’s breasts. Kissing was wonderful, but it wasn’t enough. She leaned into Jess, pushing her against the kitchen bench.
Their chests rose and fell together. Jess’s heart pounded, and she seemed as breathless as Lili. She rested her chin on top of Lili’s head. “Lili,” she said, releasing a quivering sigh.
“Come to bed, Jess.”
Jess’s hands tightened around her waist. “Are you sure? To your room? What about Aruishi?”
Lili nodded, recapturing Jess’s lips in a brief kiss. “If she wakes in the middle of the night, she’ll call out. I wouldn’t hear her at the other end of the house.” She stroked Jess’s cheek. “My room is best, and I have a way to secure the door.”
“If you’re sure?” Jess looked down to meet Lili’s gaze, and Lili was stunned by the vulnerability and the desire reflected in her eyes.
“Yes, I’m very sure,” she whispered. She slid her hand down Jess’s arm, grasped her hand, and led her along the hallway.
Lili quietly closed the door behind them and switched on the light. She raised one finger. “Give me a second.”
While Jess waited by the door, Lili opened her dresser drawer and rummaged around until she found what she was looking for. “Got it.” She held up the small flexible bracket, walked back to the door, and fitted it into the ready-mounted block on the doorframe, which was well out of Aruishi’s reach. “It’s called a Houdini door,” she explained. “Ru can open it a crack, but she won’t be able to come in without us unlatching it.”
Jess peered at the contraption, pressed Lili back against the closed door, and put her mouth to Lili’s ear. “Brilliant. You did have me wondering.” She flicked the light switch off. “Does that mean I’ve no escape?”
“Absolutely none.” Lili pushed Jess backwards towards the bed. Moonlight seeped through the sheer blinds—just enough to illuminate their way. “No escape.” She smiled against Jess’s lips as they covered hers, and they kissed until Lili’s breath came out in ragged gasps.
Jess wasted no time and started undoing Lili’s shirt. She released the last button, slid the shirt off her shoulders, and let it fall to the floor.
Lili worked her hands under Jess’s shirt and pushed it upwards just as Jess took hold of the hem, lifted the shirt over her head, and tossed it on top of Lili’s discarded top.
“Hey, that’s my job,” Lili said in a commanding tone. She feasted her eyes on the swell of Jess’s breasts, visible through her gauzy black bra, and marvelled at the way her shiny hair rippled sinuously about her shoulders in waves. She took pleasure in the curve of Jess’s waist that tapered to slim hips and the defined muscles of her almost-flat stomach. She found her voice. “Jess.” Her body pulsed with need. She wanted no more barriers between them.
As she urged Jess backwards onto the bed with a soft push and tugged off her already unbuttoned shorts, Jess let out a startled gasp.
“Want help with yours?” she asked with a grin at Lili.
Lili shook her head and quickly shed her trousers. She straddled Jess’s knees and tumbled with her across the bed. “Are you suggesting that I’m slow?”
They wrestled playfully with their tangle of undergarments until they were both naked.
Jess inched her way up the bed. “You’re not slow. I just want to speed things along.” She laughed.
“I don’t want to rush.” Lili crawled over Jess, crouched above her, and rested her hands on the bed on either side of Jess’s shoulders. She let her gaze linger on Jess for a few moments before trailing her hand across her shoulder, to her chest and down to her midriff. She paused purposefully, relishing Jess’s skin glowing in the silvery light. Was she Nike, the goddess of strength and speed, reincarnated? Lili brushed the top of Jess’s right thigh with her fingers—along five small, almost indiscernible lines. Jess flinched under her touch. “What are these from?” Lili asked.
“Cycling saved my life,” she said slowly and deliberately after a deep breath.
Lili recalled Jess’s nervous habit of rubbing the top of her leg when she was upset. She should have realised the scars were too regular to be the result of an accident. She used to cut herself. Cycling saved her life. She stroked Jess’s cheek tenderly and saw no sign of anguish now.
Jess placed her hand over Lili’s and gently moved it away from her face, down to where she obviously wanted her.
Lili refocused, responding to Jess’s need and her own desire to connect. Jess arched up to meet her—their bodies intimately and inimitability aligned.
They moved in rhythm—adjusting, brushing, and pushing against each other. Lili slipped her hand between them, finding, caressing, stroking, and Jess lifted her head, her breath coming out in uneven gasps. She tensed and then called Lili’s name, exhaling in a rush as her body trembled, then stilled. Their gazes locked. The unguarded trust she saw in Jess’s eyes caused another wave of unexpected tenderness. Jess fell back against the bed, shielding her eyes with her arm.
She watched the rise and fall of Jess’s chest and lazily drew circles through the faint sheen of sweat on her midriff. She kissed her there, teasing her belly button with her tongue, until Jess’s fingers combed through her hair, stilling her movement.
Placing kisses along Jess’s body, Lili moved up and rested her head on Jess’s shoulder. Cinnamon, basil, and vanilla were known to be erotic stimulants, but the unique scent of Jess—spicy, rich, and smooth—was a heady mix, and, tonight, Lili’s aphrodisiac. “Hey,” she murmured.
Jess lowered her arm from her face and pushed herself up on one elbow. “Hey.” She smiled. Her eyes were deep pools of emotion.
She prided herself on her pragmatism, but at this moment it was difficult for Lili to face the reality that whatever was between them could only be temporary. She lowered her head to Jess’s breast, avoiding her gaze, unable to face her own emotions. “I tired you out,” Lili whispered.
“You think so?”
She let out a puff of air
as Jess nudged her shoulder and flipped her onto her back. She grinned, holding Lili’s wrists on either side of her. “Don’t you know athletes adapt to physical stress? We have superfast recovery. It’s a skill.”
“I’m out of practice,” Lili murmured. “It’s been a while since…” She hesitated, suddenly lost for words and a little dazed, not just from the tension building inside but the exquisite desire that surged through her.
Jess trailed her tongue along her neck and murmured in her ear, “Then let’s not waste a moment. I am a firm believer in making up for lost time.”
Chapter 25
Jess slipped out from under the sheet, collected her clothes off the floor, and pulled on her shorts and singlet as quietly as she could, careful not to wake Lili. She stole one more glance at her and laid a kiss on her shoulder as she recalled their steamy hours together, bodies entwined. The last thing she wanted to do was leave, but she couldn’t risk Aruishi finding her in Lili’s room. How would they explain that to her four-year-old niece?
Lili slept soundly, one arm tucked under her pillow, the other extended over the side of the bed. Jess adjusted the sheet over her and stealthily crept to the door. It opened a couple of inches, then jammed. Damn, she’d forgotten about the childproof device. She fumbled to get it unlatched, succeeded finally, and let herself out. She walked quietly past Aruishi’s bedroom door, through the dimly lit house to her own room. She closed the door and leaned against it.
According to Lili, whatever was going on between them was just a bit of fun. But surely, after last night, it was more? She pushed her hands through her hair and inhaled deeply. Lili’s scent was on her fingers, her skin, and on her clothes. They’d connected physically, but it wasn’t just skin deep.
Jess sighed, collapsed into the chair close to the window, and stared out across the dewy meadow and the trees silhouetted against the morning sky. She knew with all certainty her attraction for Lili was beyond just fun and way beyond physical gratification.
Her phone sat on the dresser, and she reached across to check the time. It was only five o’clock. She wished she was still curled up in Lili’s bed, wrapped around her incredible body. If she got into her own cold bed, she’d never get back to sleep, but it was still too dark and dangerous to take her bicycle out.
