by Aurora Rey
She looked up at Cam through her lashes, pulling out all the stops. “I am, too. We both want the Rose & Crown to be successful. We’ve even managed to compromise on some of the ways to make that happen.”
Cam nodded slowly. “That’s true.”
“And I’m pretty sure the attraction is mutual.” Cam might have thrown her off her game, but she knew desire when she saw it. She wasn’t that rusty.
“That’s true, too.”
“I won’t bite.” She smirked. “Unless you want me to.”
Cam returned the smirk, which Lauren took as a good sign. “It isn’t that I don’t want to.”
“I know it feels like there’s a lot at stake, but it doesn’t have to be anything more than you and me and the moment.”
Cam’s thumb traced lazy circles on the inside of Lauren’s wrist. Hardly anything, but everything. “Is it really that simple?”
Lauren took a deep breath. A little part of her brain said Cam was right. They’d finally managed a détente, and sleeping together could screw it all up. Still. If she and Cam didn’t just fuck already, she might literally burst into flames. “It can be. We can make sure it is.” She stuck out her free hand, essentially wedging it between them. “We can even shake on it.”
Cam looked at Lauren’s hand, then right into her eyes. “Are you making fun of me?”
She shook her head without breaking the stare. God, she loved the way Cam stared at her. “No.”
“Okay.”
Was that a yes or a no? “Okay?”
“Yes.” Cam smiled, the reticence gone from her eyes.
Lauren put her hand on Cam’s arm, stroked down to her wrist and back up. She was prepared to take the lead, but she didn’t want to come across as too eager. Cam lifted both hands, slid them into Lauren’s hair. She paused for just a second, her gaze shifting, like she was taking in every detail of Lauren’s face. The attention made her feel like something to be appreciated, treasured. It made her heart beat erratically and sent an unfamiliar flutter of butterflies to her stomach.
“Kiss me.” She hadn’t meant it to come out as a command, but the intensity of her reaction was making her uncomfortable. She was just really turned on. That had to be it.
Instead of obliging, Cam pulled back. Only a couple of inches, but it felt like a mile. She looked right into Lauren’s eyes. “You’re used to running the show, aren’t you?”
“Maybe.” Not that it was a matter of always wanting to, but she played to her strengths. She tipped her head slightly. “It’s because I’m good at it.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Lauren opened her mouth to retort but didn’t get the chance. Cam’s mouth covered hers with a kiss far more demanding than their first. The hands in her hair tightened, and Cam used the grip to angle her head. Cam took the kiss deeper, a skilled exploration with her lips and tongue. Lauren had always rolled her eyes when people said a kiss made them weak in the knees. Now she understood.
She moved her hands from Cam’s arms to her sides, gripping her shirt and pulling her closer. She wanted her hands on Cam’s skin. She started tugging at the fabric, untucking and hitching it up. At the first touch of Cam’s skin, warm and smooth under her fingers, she sighed. She’d been waiting for this for so long.
Before she could get to work on the buttons, Cam grasped the hem of Lauren’s shirt and eased it up. Lauren lifted her arms and Cam slipped it over her head. One of Cam’s hands returned to her hair and the other caressed her back, tracing her shoulder blade and then kneading the muscles at the base of her neck.
She moaned before she could stop herself.
Without a word, Cam’s arms wound around her, lifting her off the ground. Lauren wrapped her legs around Cam’s waist, and Cam carried her through the kitchen to a bedroom at the back of the house. The journey didn’t take all that long, but Cam never stopped kissing her.
In the room, Lauren reluctantly released her grip and returned her feet to the ground. She focused her attention on getting Cam out of her clothes. In a matter of seconds, they both wore nothing but underwear. Cam yanked back the quilt and nudged Lauren onto her back. Assertive. Unexpected.
Even more unexpected was how much she liked it.
She propped herself on her elbows and waited for Cam to join her. Cam took her time, her gaze traveling down Lauren’s body and back up. Lauren licked her lips in anticipation. “Come here.”
“Patience.” Cam smiled at her, clearly taking pleasure in drawing it out, making her wait.
She bent over, wrapped her fingers around Lauren’s ankle. Shoes. She was still wearing shoes. Cam took each strappy sandal off slowly, letting them drop to the floor with a light thud. She trailed fingers along Lauren’s calf, still smiling.
Lauren was on the verge of asking again, of saying please, when Cam set a knee on the mattress. Finally.
Cam crawled up the bed and pulled Lauren into another kiss. Lauren matched her this time, a dance of tongue and teeth that sent her libido into orbit. She roamed her hands over Cam’s back, down to her ass and over the plaid boxers she wore. She slipped a hand into the waistband, scratched her nails lightly over Cam’s skin.
Cam shifted, taking her mouth with her. Before she could protest, Cam’s lips were sucking her collarbone. In a move more practiced than she expected, Cam reached around and flicked open the clasp of her bra. Her mouth moved to Lauren’s breast, sucking and biting at one nipple, then the other. Lauren arched, pleasure bordering on pain in the most perfect balance. She put her hand on the back of Cam’s head, not wanting her to stop.
Only Cam did stop. It was all Lauren could do not to whimper. Cam got up on her knees, and for a split second, Lauren thought she was putting the brakes on. But no. The look in her eyes said she had no intention of stopping.
After an excruciatingly long minute, Cam hooked a finger into either side of Lauren’s panties and slid them down her legs. Lauren sat up enough to grasp at Cam’s boxers and off they went as well. The anticipation of full-body contact made Lauren smile. But Cam remained on her knees. “You’re so beautiful. I’m looking forward to watching you come.”
Oh. She didn’t know what exactly she expected from Cam, but it wasn’t this. The surprise of it turned her on almost as much as the directness.
Cam’s right hand returned to Lauren’s breast, pinching the nipple gently and rolling it between her fingers. Her left slipped between Lauren’s thighs.
“Wait. Are you left-handed?”
Cam gave her a quizzical look. “Did you not know that?”
Lauren chuckled. “I hadn’t noticed before.”
“I mean, I’m sort of ambidextrous.” Cam gave her a playful look. “But my left is more dominant.”
The comment, silly and not relevant, turned Lauren to mush. “Well. Sure.”
Instead of making another joke, Cam slid her fingers over Lauren. Lauren knew she was aroused, but even she was surprised by just how wet she was already. She looked into Cam’s eyes and smiled. “I’ve been wanting you for a while.”
Cam nodded, but didn’t speak. She eased one and then a second finger into Lauren. Lauren arched her hips, wanting as much of Cam as she could get. The skin on Cam’s hands was rough, the calluses creating the most delicious friction.
Lauren thought they might start slow, but Cam increased the pace and the force almost immediately, brushing her thumb up the length of Lauren’s clit with each stroke. It didn’t take long to establish a rhythm, Lauren rising to meet Cam, adding to the intensity of each thrust. She gripped the sheets beneath her, already feeling the pressure build low in her abdomen.
She made noises. Not the kind of encouraging sounds meant to convey yes, more, right there. No, these were the raw, uninhibited moans of being fucked really well. She didn’t hold them back. Nor did she hold back the orgasm that crashed over her, stealing her breath and leaving her weak.
She’d barely started to recover, to think about how it was even better than her fantasies, wh
en Cam said, “On your stomach.”
It was a command, not a question. Lauren’s body responded, betraying any argument she might have made over being told what to do. She did as Cam instructed. Without waiting for her to get settled or think about what was coming, Cam once again plunged inside her. Lauren came up onto her knees slightly, spreading her legs wider in silent invitation.
“That’s a good girl.”
Cam’s words, smooth as a sixty-year-old Scotch, addled her brain. But they made perfect sense to her body. She pushed back against Cam’s hand. She couldn’t bring herself to beg for more, but she didn’t have to. Cam pressed a finger to her ass, used her free hand to stroke Lauren’s clit. The orgasm ripped through her, a quaking of muscles and a tide of pleasure that made her cry out. The sound was so primal, she wasn’t sure at first it had come from her.
She collapsed onto the bed, rolled onto her back. “Fucking A.”
Cam came up and lay beside her, propping herself on one elbow. “That’s good, right? In American?”
Lauren let out a ragged chuckle. Her heart continued to thud against her ribs. “Yes. Very good. Lots of verys.”
“Just making sure.” Cam caressed the underside of her breast, then slid her hand down between Lauren’s legs.
“I don’t think I can.” The words came out staccato, breathless.
“You can and you will.” Cam grazed her free hand over Lauren’s stomach. “Just relax and trust me.”
Such a simple command, yet laced with so much meaning. Lauren swallowed the bubble of panic. Sex. They were only talking about sex. And on that score, Cam had proved herself more than deserving of trust. She took a steadying breath, looked into Cam’s eyes, and nodded.
Cam’s fingers moved gently, more caress than anything that would make her come. They eased in and out of her slowly, soothing almost. Her thumb traced wide circles, avoiding Lauren’s oversensitive center. It was like a sensual massage, coaxing her back to arousal.
“Fuck, that feels good.”
“Just let go. I’ve got you.”
It wasn’t exactly power play. She’d dabbled in that, with mixed results. No, this was something different, new. Some heady mix of confidence and skill, all bound up in an almost overwhelming focus on her, her pleasure. It was probably for the best that her brain was barely operating, because if she could really think it through, it would freak her the fuck out.
But just as the pseudo-thought threatened to take root, Cam tightened the circles with her thumb and timed them with the lazy thrust of her fingers. What would have been too much a minute before was now exquisitely perfect. Cam wound her up slowly, and Lauren’s body followed her lead.
“Come for me, Lauren.”
At the sound of Cam speaking her name, she came unglued. But it wasn’t an earthquake that rocked her, or even a tidal wave. Pleasure rippled over her like the warm water of a shallow beach in summer, sensual and easy and enveloping her whole body. She said Cam’s name, whispered it like a promise, as Cam held her there, suspended in a spell she never wanted to break.
When her pulse slowed and her breathing returned to normal, Lauren opened her eyes and rolled toward Cam. “That was not fair.”
Cam raised a brow. “What do you mean, not fair?”
Lauren walked her fingers up Cam’s arm. “I mean it isn’t fair for you to put me in a coma before I get to have you at all.”
“I’m sorry, did you want to file a complaint?”
She lifted a shoulder. “Not a complaint, technically.”
“I could give you the number of the bureau. There’s a bureau for that, you know. We’re England. We have a government bureau for everything.”
Lauren snorted before she could stop herself. “I think I’d rather rectify the situation myself.”
Cam nodded and her expression remained serious. “I respect that about you. You’re not afraid to tackle projects head-on.”
“And here I thought you hated that about me.”
“Not hate. I never said hate. And for the record,” Cam pointed, “I took issue with your ideas, not your methods.”
“I see. Well, let’s see how you feel about these methods.” Lauren rolled over and slinked down the bed.
Cam sat up partway. “I don’t want you to feel like you need to reciprocate. I mean, I’m not opposed or anything, but—”
Lauren silenced her with a kiss. “Shut up, Cam.”
She poked a finger into Cam’s chest and gently pushed her back. Cam didn’t fight her or offer any words of protest. Lauren took that as a good sign. She continued down the bed, nudging Cam’s legs apart with her body. Cam lifted her head. “You really don’t—”
“Cam?”
“What?”
“I’d like to go down on you right now. If you’re not cool with that, please just say the word. I’m all about consent.”
“Uh.”
“Would you like me to go down on you?”
Cam nodded.
“Excellent. Now, to quote this really hot person I just had sex with, let go. I’ve got you.”
Without waiting for a reply, Lauren plunged her tongue into her. Cam was hot and hard and her taste was almost enough to turn Lauren on all over again. Almost.
She started with long strokes, pressing the flat of her tongue into Cam’s wetness and sliding up over her clit. Cam groaned and grabbed a fistful of her hair. God, did she love a woman who wasn’t afraid to pull her hair.
Despite her intentions to draw it out, she couldn’t resist the urge to suck Cam’s hard center. She wrapped her lips around it, tugging it gently toward her throat. Cam arched toward her, mumbled her name.
Lauren continued to work her, feeling powerful and sexy. She wrapped her arms around Cam’s thighs, not so much to hold her in place, but so they could move together. She could feel the muscles in Cam’s legs tighten and quiver. Her breathing grew rapid and her sounds pitched higher.
Lauren forced herself to slow down, savor what was happening. She hoped it was the first of many times together, but still. She knew she’d look back on tonight for years to come and she wanted to make it last.
“Fuck. Lauren. What are you doing to me?”
The question, punctuated with panting, made her smile. She didn’t want to let go long enough to say anything but she hummed her pleasure and quickened her pace. Cam really started to tremble then, her body bearing down in search of release. Lauren followed, pushing her higher and willing her to climax.
Cam tumbled over the edge with a gush of liquid heat. It was so over-the-top sexy, Lauren groaned. Cam bucked and Lauren stayed with her.
When Cam’s grip on her hair eased, Lauren slowly pulled away. She rested her forehead on Cam’s thigh. “Fuck.”
Cam blew out a breath. “I think that’s my line.”
Lauren chuckled. “Let’s just agree the feeling is mutual.”
“Deal. Come up here.”
Lauren obliged, curling into the crook of Cam’s shoulder. She kissed the side of Cam’s breast. “You know, by rights, I get to do that two more times.”
“Is your goal to kill me? Because I’m pretty sure that’s what would happen.”
Lauren lifted her head and shot Cam a look of mock indignation. “I wasn’t given an opt out clause.”
Cam, who’d been running her fingers through Lauren’s hair in the most delicious way, gave it a little tug. “One, that’s the most corporate phrase I think I’ve ever heard. Two, are you saying you’d like to rescind one of your orgasms?”
Lauren liked this playfulness in Cam. She’d seen glimpses of it as they’d spent more time together, but this felt like an all-around easier, more genuine version of Cam. “One, I come by it naturally. You can’t hold that against me. Two, hell no. I’m a very satisfied customer. My sole desire at this moment is to give you more orgasms so we’re even.”
Another tug on her hair, this one a bit harder. “It’s not a competition.”
Lauren lifted her head, looked into Cam
’s eyes, and raised a brow. “It’s not?”
“No.”
She’d been kidding, but the ferocity of Cam’s reply told her this, at least, was not something to kid about. Which was fine, really. As competitive as she was in just about every aspect of her life, being competitive about sex seemed rather skeevy. “Okay. I concede the point.”
“You concede? I didn’t know you knew the word.”
“Stop.” She was pretty sure Cam was kidding, but she didn’t want to risk blowing her post-coital glow on a dumb argument. “In this case, yes. You win.”
Cam planted a kiss on her temple. “Banner day.”
The gesture did as much to reassure Lauren as Cam’s comment. Not that she needed reassurance. “I’ll just have to make up for it next time.”
“Since it’s not a competition, I have no problem with that.”
Lauren smiled, drowsiness and contentment starting to envelop her in a soft haze. “Look at us, in complete agreement.”
“Like I said, banner day.”
Cam reached over and shut off the lamp. Lauren cozied back into Cam’s embrace. Banner day indeed.
Chapter Sixteen
Cam stirred at her usual six and found Lauren sprawled on her stomach, one arm slung across Cam’s middle. She’d half expected Lauren to be up before sunrise, a tornado of tackle-the-day energy. The fact that Lauren had an off switch proved oddly reassuring. Or maybe it was something about seeing her so at peace. Either way, Cam liked being able to study her without fear of being caught staring.
Unable to resist, she ran her fingers through Lauren’s hair. It might be cliché, but she was such a sucker for filling her hands with long, thick hair. It was the kind of gesture that could be tender or demanding, gentle or possessive. Lauren liking the latter had been a surprise. A damn pleasant one at that.
Cam continued stroking. Lauren didn’t open her eyes, but she turned her head and let out a contented hum. Cam kissed the top of her head. “Good morning.”
Lauren smiled, eyes still closed. “Good morning.”
“I don’t want to chase you out of here, but I need to get ready for work. You’re welcome to stay as late as you want.”
