Playing Catch-Up

by Zoey Lennox

In those brief seconds, Alexis became riddled with nerves.

  She was about to have sex. With a woman.

  As soon as Ramie finished their makeshift bed, she whisked off her top and motioned for Alexis to join her.

  Alexis sat frozen, completely mesmerised by the expanse of soft, satiny, tan skin spilling out of Ramie’s black lace bra. Alexis’s cheeks burned as she envisioned nuzzling her face between the cups and getting lost in Ramie’s unique scent.

  “Lex?”

  Alexis squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. She could do this. She wanted to do this.

  “Are you okay?” Ramie asked.

  Alexis nodded and moved to join her on the bed. Now was not the time to tell Ramie that she had never dated a woman, let alone had sex with one!

  “If I’m moving too fast, we can stop,” Ramie said. “We don’t have to go any further. I promise.”

  Alexis fell into her favourite spot between Ramie’s neck and shoulder and inhaled a lungful of her jasmine scent.

  “No. I want to.” She burrowed close. “I just needed a second to regroup. I’m ready now.”

  Ramie searched Alexis’s eyes one final time for any sign of doubt and then gently pushed the blanket from her shoulders. Alexis trembled. Under the harsh light of the boat, all her flaws were on display. She didn’t know if she was ready for such open scrutiny.

  “Hey,” Ramie gently cupped Alexis’s chin and turned her head until their eyes met. “You’re gorgeous, Lex. Do you know how much I want you?”

  She grabbed Alexis’s hand and placed it over her chest.

  The frantic hammering beneath Alexis’s palm instantly calmed her. Ramie was nervous too.

  Spurred on by the knowledge she wasn’t alone in her insecurities, Alexis leaned in for a kiss.

  “Off.” She tugged at Ramie’s bra. They were in this together. Side by side. Step by step.

  Ramie reached behind her back to unhook her own bra. Giving Alexis a sexy smile, she pulled it from her breasts, her smouldering eyes daring Alexis to take a long, hard look.

  Alexis steeled herself before accepting the challenge—her eyes committing living, breathing perfection to memory.

  She hissed as she cupped both generously sized breasts.

  “Is this all right?” she asked, a note of uncertainty creeping into her voice.

  Ramie grabbed Alexis’s head and directed her mouth to flushed skin. Faced with an engorged nipple mere centimetres from her mouth, Alexis stuck out her tongue and began to feast.

  Ramie whimpered at the onslaught, gripping Alexis’s shoulders and pushing her chest out for more of the same attention.

  When both nipples were a deep red, Alexis returned to Ramie’s lips. She had no idea what she was doing, but it felt so right. Every sexual act she had performed to date paled in comparison.

  “I need you,” Ramie croaked when their lips parted. She grabbed Alexis’s hand and directed it to the top of her jeans. “Please,” she begged when Alexis hesitated.

  Alexis couldn’t refuse Ramie when she was so desperate. She took a deep breath and fumbled with the top button of Ramie’s trousers.

  Eager to assist, Ramie lifted her behind so the material could be pulled from her legs, and then threw the garment in a heaped pile on the floor.

  “I need to feel you,” she said, pulling Alexis flush against her body.

  When their nipples brushed up against each other, the sensation was almost too much for Alexis. Her breath caught and a flood of moisture deposited itself between her legs.

  “Rub my clit,” Ramie gasped between kisses when Alexis began stroking between her thighs. “Please, Lex.” Her voice was as strained as the corded muscles in her neck.

  Alexis let her hand be directed towards Ramie’s heat and briefly marvelled at the narrow strip of dark curls before giving Ramie what she so desperately needed. As soon as she brushed against hot, slippery flesh, Ramie’s hips lifted off the sofa bed.

  Alexis had never explored another woman so intimately before and found herself immediately intoxicated. The scent of Ramie’s arousal invaded her nostrils and they flared.

  “Lexi!” Ramie panted when Alexis located her clit and rubbed in small, frantic circles.

  Taking this as a sign she was doing something right, Alexis quickened her pace before dipping into Ramie with two fingers. She stared in fascination as Ramie’s breathing became ragged, her fingers pumping in and out of her slick folds until finally her chest flushed and her body tensed in release.

  “Fuck!” Ramie’s eyes slammed shut and Alexis stared in wonder as hot juices trickled down her hand. Knowing she could produce such a reaction was startling.

  Ramie’s body went limp against the sheets, and Alexis carefully removed her fingers. She looked around for a place to wipe them but didn’t think the sofa bed’s upholstery would be a suitable option.

  “Uh…”

  Don’t let your inexperience show now, you idiot.

  Ramie solved her dilemma by taking her hand and sucking digit after digit between her lips.

  Alexis just about died. She’d never seen anything more erotic.

  “Now it’s your turn.” Ramie grinned wickedly. She planted a hand on the mattress to push herself up and then tugged Alexis until their positions were reversed. “Do you like being eaten out?”

  How the hell was Alexis supposed to answer that?

  “Well?” Ramie prodded. “Cause I’m dying for a taste.”

  Alexis had never felt comfortable enough to let her exes go down on her. She knew she was supposed to like it, though. Everyone always made a big deal about how great it was supposed to be.

  “Yes, I like it,” she finally said. Ramie did have a talent for making her drip with want.

  She was still wearing her dress, which was now a tangled heap around her midsection, and she quickly assisted Ramie with the complex task of pulling it from her body. Once she was free of the restrictive garment, she lay back, her head resting on the sofa cushion, and locked eyes with an almost feral-looking Ramie.

  “These need to go too.” Ramie tapped Alexis’s mound through her sodden knickers. Her touch was firm and unyielding and sent little shocks of pleasure through Alexis’s centre.

  When she didn’t move to comply, Ramie hooked her fingers into the sides of the plain white cotton material and shimmied them quickly and efficiently down Alexis’s legs, then crawled on her hands and knees until she was hovering above Alexis’s prone body.

  Oh, God. Alexis couldn’t believe she was finally doing this.

  With the lightest of touches, she squeezed Ramie’s breasts which hovered deliciously close to hers. If she could focus on Ramie’s body, maybe she would stop obsessing over her own.

  Ramie sighed and closed her eyes as she leaned into the caress.

  “Are you trying to distract me?” Her eyes opened to reveal a mischievous glint. “Because I can tell you right now, I won’t be derailed from my mission.”

  With heat in her gaze, Alexis surged forwards and dragged Ramie’s face down for a sensuous kiss. She took her time exploring Ramie’s mouth. Oh, how she loved kissing her.

  Ramie was the one who broke their connection when she braced herself with her hands on either side of Alexis’s head.

  “You ready?” She smiled.

  Hell yeah.

  Alexis spread her legs impossibly wider.

  Ramie pressed a final kiss to Alexis’s lips and then descended her body. She stopped briefly at each breast for a few lusty sucks before continuing southwards.

  “Pretty,” she murmured upon reaching her destination.

  Ramie was so close Alexis could feel her hot breath as it washed over her centre.

  Now Alexis was the one begging. “Please. Do something. Touch me.” The anticipation was killing her. She wanted to grab Ramie’s head and shove it against her sex but had to settle for gripping the sofa cushion behind her instead.

  Ramie lifted her head and met Alexis’s eyes. All traces of
cockiness had fled, leaving only tenderness in its place.

  Desperate to be closer, Alexis grappled for Ramie’s hand. She needed to be tethered to safety during this life-changing moment.

  Ramie must have sensed this, as she entwined their fingers.

  Alexis gasped as her lips were gently parted and Ramie’s silky tongue darted out to circle her clit. Still aroused from making love to Ramie, every nerve ending in her body was on fire, each swipe of Ramie’s tongue bringing her closer and closer to orgasm. If Ramie kept this up, she would come undone in a matter of seconds.

  “Can I go inside?” Ramie’s muffled voice asked. She kept her eyes on Alexis’s centre as she spoke, a reverent expression taking hold of her face.

  “Oh yes.” Alexis sucked in a breath as she waited for Ramie to make her move.

  Ramie traced her opening with one finger, and the air rushed back out of Alexis’s lungs. Her clit throbbed and her insides churned, poised to react to the slightest movement.

  “So wet.” Ramie ran her finger up and down Alexis’s drenched folds, collecting her juices and distributing them evenly around her labia. When she returned to Alexis’s entrance and thrust inside, Alexis’s body seized.

  “You like that?” Ramie asked after a couple of long, incredibly deep penetrations. She amplified Alexis’s arousal by squeezing in another finger.

  Alexis’s hips gyrated mid-air, and Ramie had to grip her hip to keep her in place while she continued to thrust into her.

  Alexis gasped as Ramie found a sweet spot.

  Ramie took note and concentrated on the nerve-filled area, adding her tongue into the mix for good measure.

  It wouldn’t take much more to send her over the edge. Her climax started with a tingling in Alexis’s curled toes before working its way up her legs and exploding at her centre.

  Ramie kept on thrusting in and out while Alexis’s orgasm hit. She hummed into Alexis’s pulsing flesh.

  The final tremors of Alexis’s release began to recede, and she stared down at Ramie, affectionately stroking her hair.

  “I’m boneless,” she groaned. “You’re awfully good at that. I hope you know I’m going to want to do that all the time now.”

  Ramie’s eyes sparkled. “Have I turned you into a nympho?”

  “Maybe.” Alexis giggled. She watched as Ramie continued to lap at her pussy as though determined to remove all evidence of her arousal.

  When she grew too sensitive for any more of the intimate attention, Alexis forcibly extracted her.

  Ramie reluctantly gave up her prize, pressing a final kiss between Alexis’s legs.

  “That was amazing,” Alexis said after Ramie had scrambled up the sofa bed to lie beside her. She traced Ramie’s wet lips with one of her fingers. She couldn’t believe it was her very own juices glistening on Ramie’s mouth.

  The two lay together for the longest time, and when it got cold, Ramie got up to fetch a duvet and they snuggled back together in a tangle of limbs. For the first time in a long time, Alexis was at peace.

  Chapter 11

  Alexis woke to blunt nails trailing up and down her bare back. She sighed in contentment, snuggling into the warm body at her side, then looked up and caught Ramie staring at her with a fond smile.

  “Hey,” she said, stretching her arms over her head and yawning. Her limbs felt like jelly after last night and she grinned when she remembered all the ways Ramie had devoured her.

  She turned over onto her side and brushed the pad of her thumb across Ramie’s full lower lip. “You’re really something, do you know that? No one’s ever made me feel as cherished as you did last night. I feel so safe and content when I’m with you. Like no matter what happens you’ll always be there.”

  Ramie averted her eyes, and the comforting motion on Alexis’s skin ceased.

  “Do you want a cup of tea?” she asked, shrugging on an oversized t-shirt and scampering out of bed. “I could kill for one right about now.”

  Ramie’s sudden departure had Alexis replaying their conversation in her mind.

  Fuck. Had she come on too strong? Talk about a sure-fire way to ruin the mood.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. Maybe it wasn’t too late to turn things around and convince Ramie there was no truth to her words. “I think I just got caught up in the morning after glow there for a second there. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  Ramie waved away her comment. “It’s fine.”

  On the contrary, Ramie’s suddenly cool behaviour made it clear that it wasn’t fine. At all.

  “Are you sure you don’t want a drink?” Ramie asked.

  When she didn’t get a reply, she turned around. Alexis guessed she must look as defeated as she felt because Ramie’s shoulders slumped, and she retraced her footsteps.

  Crawling up the bed she braced herself over Alexis. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m such an arse.” She lowered herself until their bodies were flush. “It’s just been a while since I’ve had a sleepover. It’s going to take time to get used to it again. That’s all.”

  Alexis hissed as their breasts made contact and dropped a soft kiss onto the shell of Ramie’s ear.

  “So, you don’t regret last night?” She knew she sounded pathetic but didn’t care.

  Ramie lifted her head. Her eyes were troubled, or maybe scared.

  Alexis wasn’t surprised after the lovey-dovey shit she’d just dumped on her.

  “Of course not.” Ramie’s voice was overly bright. “Last night was one of the best nights of my life.” As if to prove it, she kissed Alexis squarely on the mouth.

  “Good.” Alexis stared into Ramie’s dark eyes and cupped her bare behind. “I was wondering if you were freaking out on me for a minute there.”

  “Who, me?” Ramie laughed. “I don’t think so. We agreed we were going to keep things casual. We’re still on the same page about that, right?”

  Alexis gave Ramie a slow nod. “Uh huh.”

  “Then what’s there to freak out about?”

  A pang of something unexpected shot through Alexis’s heart. Disappointment? Regret? Whatever it was, she pushed it to the back of her mind. She didn’t want Ramie to bolt just when things were starting to heat up between them.

  “Do you want to come furniture shopping with me and Lauren this afternoon?” Alexis asked.

  Ramie bit her lip. Why did Alexis get the distinct impression she was about to be given the brush off?

  “I’m sorry, but I’m scheduled at the craft shop today.”

  “Okay. No worries.” Alexis forced a smile—the worst thing she could do was act all clingy when Ramie had explicitly stated she didn’t want any strings—then got out of bed and searched for her clothes. She’d never felt so naked.

  “How about I help you set everything up tomorrow instead?” Ramie asked.

  Alexis tried to keep her tone light. “Sure. That’ll be a great help.”

  “About time, you dirty stop-out,” Lauren called out as Alexis shut the front door behind her.

  Alexis smiled sheepishly and heat poured into her cheeks. She had never done the walk of shame before.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  She dropped her keys and handbag onto a table in the hallway and headed into the kitchen, where she tried to cover up her embarrassment by making a cup of tea. Denial was the only way to deal with the situation. Deny everything.

  “Don’t play the innocent with me,” Lauren teased as she followed behind. “You look like you got lucky last night. I should know, having been on the receiving end of an orgasm a time or two.”

  Alexis froze halfway to grabbing the kettle. “I did not! If you must know, we fell asleep watching a film.”

  She turned her back and filled the kettle with water. It wasn’t that she was ashamed of her night of passion with Ramie; she just wasn’t used to sharing the intimate details of her life with anyone.

  “Yeah, right.” Lauren laughed. “Why is your dress inside out then?”

/>   Alexis tugged on the front of her crumpled dress, searching for signs of a wardrobe malfunction.

  Lauren laughed again. “Gotcha!” She pumped her fist in the air with glee. “You wouldn’t have checked if you hadn’t shagged last night.”

  Alexis tried to tame the vivid flush heating her cheeks. “Okay. You got me. Can we please not talk about this? I’m embarrassed enough without you taking the piss out of me.”

  The laughter in Lauren’s eyes evaporated. “Hey. I’m only winding you up. I think it’s great that you’re taking your relationship with Ramie to the next level. She seems nice. I think she’ll be good for you.”

  Alexis threw a teabag into a mug and added a spoonful of sugar. “Thanks. I’ve never felt this way about someone before. It’s weird. I should be freaking out. I mean, I slept with a woman for the first time. It should be monumental, but I’m oddly calm about the whole thing.”

  Lauren hoisted herself up onto the kitchen worktop. “That’s good though, right? It means you don’t regret anything.”

  “No. I definitely don’t regret it,” Alexis said. “It was incredible. Even if Ramie was a little distant this morning.”

  That got Lauren’s attention. “Distant how?”

  Alexis shrugged. “I said something dumb about how she makes me feel safe and cherished, and I think it freaked her out. One minute we’re lying there grinning at each other like fools, and the next Ramie’s bolting out of bed like she’s been burned. I apologized, and reassured her that I want to keep things casual too, but…”

  Lauren rolled her eyes. “Then forget about it and stop worrying. The whole point of a causal relationship is that it’s casual. That means no over analysing, and no developing feelings. Your priority is to have fun. Everything else should be off the table.”

  “I suppose.” Alexis wasn’t convinced.

  Lauren hopped off the counter. “I think you’re right to keep things low-key. This is your first time dating a woman. It should be a time to explore, not shackle yourself down at the first given opportunity.”

  Maybe she was getting a little ahead of herself. It was still early days, and it was completely understandable that Ramie wouldn’t want to get serious after her breakup with Kenya. She should stop obsessing over every tiny detail and focus on getting to know Ramie. And maybe try to keep a tighter lid on those pesky feelings.