‘Okay,’ said Kate, her voice ragged. ‘Not that I’m complaining, because I’m totally not, like I’m more than happy to spend the rest of night like this, but what brought this one?’
‘The rest of the night?’ Emily’s voice was breathy. ‘Someone’s eager.’
‘Very,’ said Kate. She would let Emily dodging her question slide. There would be time for questions later. And Kate had lots. ‘But this is fine, right? You’re not feeling pressured or anything? Because we can stop, no problems, that’d be totally cool too.’
‘I kissed you,’ said Emily pointedly. ‘Have I said I wanted to stop?’
‘No,’ said Kate with a little laugh. ‘Just wanted to check. Make sure we were both on the same page.’
‘That’s sexy,’ said Emily staring unblinkingly at Kate’s lips and she gnawed at her bottom lip. ‘Consent is very sexy.’
‘The sexiest,’ said Kate absentmindedly, her mind somewhere else entirely.
‘I’ll tell you if I want to stop, okay?’ asked Emily eventually. ‘If you’ll do the same?’
‘It’s a deal then.’ Kate smiled in way she hoped was charming and not awkward, but she wasn’t entirely sure she was doing a very good job.
Kate leaned in slowly and Emily met her half-way. They kissed slow and languidly, open mouthed, with all the time in the world. Emily ran her hands through Kate’s hair and tugged at it gently. Kate pulled away and kissed her way down Emily’s neck lightly. The other girl moaned softly, and that urged Kate on. She kissed Emily’s neck with renewed vigor. Kate hoped Emily didn’t mind hickeys because she had the feeling that was going to be a big one.
‘Should we take this somewhere else?’ asked Kate, her words mumbled against Emily’s neck. ‘Somewhere a little more comfortable?’
‘We should definitely do that.’ Emily untangled her limbs from Kate’s climbed off her lap. She grabbed Kate’s hand and led her to her bedroom. Kate followed her eagerly, wide eyed, anticipation building.
Emily pushed open her bedroom door and pulled Kate through. They made their way to the bed, somehow. Kate felt the back of her legs hit the side of the bed frame. She sat, but didn’t let go of Emily, and tilted her head up to meet the other girl’s lips before slowly pulling away.
Emily’s eyes were unfocused. And her lips were red. A flush had crawled up her neck and hair looked disheveled. Kate was fairly certain she looked the same.
Kate took a moment to savor the sight. To take it all in. To take Emily in. She wanted to commit the sight to memory. Kate thought Emily had never looked better.
Emily walked forward, and time seemed to still, and she kissed Kate again. She put her hands on Kate’s shoulders and wrapped her legs around her waist. They kept kissing till Kate could think of nothing else.
She could feel Emily’s hands start to pull at the hem of her shirt, pushing it and moving it, till she felt Emily’s hands on the warm skin of her stomach.
‘I can take it off,’ said Kate. ‘If you want me to.’
Emily looked at her wide eyed for the first time that night. She nodded slowly and smiled almost shyly. Kate pulled her shirt off in one fluid motion and threw it behind her. She felt Emily’s eyes on her chest. Fuck, thought Kate, why didn’t I wear a better bra? Her bra was a simple black sports bra, that normally, she thought she looked good in, But she wasn’t so sure all of the sudden. There was a difference between lingerie and and a sports bra. Normally Kate wouldn’t have cared. But the first time with someone new always made her more self-conscious than she might’ve normally been.
Kate didn’t want to doubt herself. Didn’t want to think herself into inaction. She looked up at Emily and tried to figure out what she was thinking. Tried to imagine what she saw when she looked down at Kate. She hoped it was good.
Emily seemed to be uncertain and her hands hung sort of limply at her sides. She looked at Kate and seemed uncertain to do anything else as if afraid it would all stop.
That just wouldn’t do, thought Kate.
‘You can touch me,’ said Kate.
Emily swallowed and bit her lip. She smiled softly, pleased at the the thought. ‘Okay, I can do that.’
‘Only if you want to,’ said Kate again. ‘No pressure.’
Emily shut her up with a look. She slid her arms around Kate’s back and pulled her closer, leaning up to kiss Kate. Emily’s hands ran up and down Kate’s back, exploring the vast expanse of skin like it was the most interesting thing she’d ever felt. She couldn’t keep them still. She couldn’t seem to get enough.
Kate loved every minute of it.
She felt Emily’s hands grabbed at her hips. Felt them drift near her navel and go lower. Kate shivered. It felt fucking fantastic.
Kate leaned forward, deepening the kiss. And before she knew it Emily was shirtless too and had pushed Kate down so she was laid down on her back. And Kate would kick herself later for having missed it.
But she couldn’t think about that for too long.
Kate gasped. Emily’s mouth was just above her neck. She could feel Emily’s hot breath on her skin before finally making contact. Emily kissed and sucked and nipped at the naked skin of her neck. Kate could smell Emily’s shampoo. It smelt of apple. And she lost herself in the combination of smell and the sensation of Emily’s soft lips and sharp teeth at kissing at her neck.
Kate gently pulled Emily’s head back so their eyes could meet. As much as she was enjoying Emily kissing her it felt a little one sided. Kate smiled, kissed Emily again, and stared to kiss her way down from Emily’s mouth, stopping to linger at her pulse point, before kissing her way down her chest. She stopped before Emily’s bra and lifted her head to look up at her, question unspoken.
‘Take it off,’ said Emily, breathless. She squirmed a little in Kate’s lap and that was all the encouragement she needed. Kate unclasped Emily’s bra in one quick motion and threw it across the room, and flipped them so that Emily was on the one on her back in between her pillows.
She cupped one of Emily’s breasts, not breaking eye contact, trying to gauge her reaction, and squeezed and palmed and ran her finger around her nipple. Emily threw her head back with a breathy sigh that should’ve been illegal. It was Kate’s new favorite sound.
‘Good?’ asked Kate with a grin.
Emily laughed. ‘You know it is. No need to be an ass about it.’
Kate took note of the reaction and her smile her. She crawled lower and took one of Emily’s nipples in her mouth. And stayed there for a tortuously long amount of time. Emily, fed up by Kate’s teasing, ran her fingers through Kate’s hair, grabbed it and pulled Kate’s head up.
‘As good as that is,’ said Emily, chest rising with ragged breaths, ‘I could think of somewhere else that your talents could be put to good use.’
‘Alright,’ said Kate, happily surprised. She had thought Emily would’ve been more blushing, more nervous, but she seemed entirely at ease laying there shirtless on her bed.
Kate made quick work of Jamie’s pants. But she took her time taking her own clothes off. Normally she wouldn’t have drawn it out. Wouldn’t have put on such a show. But she wanted to draw it out. To make Emily desperate.
Eventually she settled between Emily’s legs. Kissed her way up her thighs, marveled at the soft skin and how the flesh caved under her hands. Her expression must’ve been of poorly disguised wonder for wonder was what she felt.
And then, all that separated Kate, from where Emily wanted her to go was the thin black cotton of Emily’s underwear.
‘You’re sure?’ Kate had to be certain.
‘Yes,’ said Emily with an exasperated laugh. The rise and fall of her chest still unsteady. Her faced still gorgeously flushed. She bucked her hips slightly urging Kate on.
Kate moved her hands from where they were drawing slow circles on Emily’s thighs and palmed the damp fabric of Emily’s underwear. She rose and moved languidly back to her former position, holding herself by the arm as she kissed Emily once more, fi
rmly and with purpose, who answered eagerly, before lowly descending once again.
She pulled off Emily’s underwear. Her fingers knew what to do. They were good at this, deft and precise. First they teased, touches delicate and fleeting. Next, when Emily bucked her hips again, and groaned in frustration, they were firmer. They danced in a rhythmic circular pattern and Kate kept a steady pace. A pace that would take Emily to the brink but she would not tip her over. Kate felt her tense and moan. She looked up, innocence personified. As innocent as one could be given where her hands were. Emily didn’t buy it.
‘More,’ said Emily, breathless. Emily’s hand, no longer grasping and clutching at the sheets, drifted down to where Kate’s as if debating on whether to take her hand in her own urge her on. ‘Faster.’
Kate grabbed the wandering hand and intertwined the fingers of her free hand with Emily’s, clasping it tightly. She quickened her pace. The pressure of her fingers increased. Just enough to push Emily over the edge.
It didn’t take long. Kate could feel Emily tense below her. Could feel her muscles contract. She heard the speed Emily’s breathing increase, now ragged exhales, and panting echoed through the room.
The sound of Kate’s fingers as they brought Emily to orgasm were obscene as slick wet flesh met slick wet flesh. Then Kate saw it. Emily came to orgasm. She threw her head back sand let out a quiet moan. The aftershocks leaving her body trembling. Kate slowed her pace and instead of firm her touch was gentle for a moment, then finally she withdrew her hand and wet fingers. She wiped them down on the sheet. Figured Emily would have to wash the sheets regardless after tonight.
Kate could hear her own heartbeat. She could swear her heart was bound to explode from her chest. Her own desire a thunderous, deafening, sound in the back of her mind. It wouldn’t take much for Kate. She was certain of that. She’d last barely thirty seconds.
Kate crawled up the bed and laid down next to Emily. She didn’t say anything and waited for the Emily to catch her breath. Kate stared up at the ceiling. It was beige and none of the paint was chipped. Not like her room. Before she went to bed most nights she’d count the cracks and chips on her ceiling like most other people counted sheep. She’d counted thirty-seven and had been irritated it hadn’t been a more even number.
Kate wiped at her brow and slowly her ragged breathing returned to a more normal pace. Her heart beat slowed down and she let herself bask in the afterglow of it all. Kate felt calm. Relaxed. Happy.
She rolled over onto her side and looked at Emily, who, it turns out was looking at Kate. She looked at Kate as if she had never seen her before. Was truly seeing her for the first time now. As if before she’d been seeing some other version of Kate that wasn’t whole and missing parts.
‘You know,’ said Emily, ‘that I knew it would be good but I hadn’t thought it would be that good.’
‘I had a good time too,’ said Kate. And she had. Even if she hadn’t got off. There was something mesmerizing, and uniquely fulfilling, of bringing Emily to orgasm. It was a sight to behold and was beautiful in a sort of indescribable way that left Kate speechless.
Emily moved till she was leaning on her elbows. She kissed Kate slowly. It was soft and playful and utterly content. Kate could feel Emily’s hair brush against her skin and she couldn’t help but let out a soft huff of laughter. It tickled.
‘Okay,’ said Emily, her breath warm against against Kate’s cheek. ‘My turn.’
As Emily’s hands began to wander over Kate’s body again Kate couldn’t help but think this was going to a long night. One she hoped would never end.
Nine
The Morning After
As far as Kate was concerned she should never be allowed to meet parents. But, as luck would have it, there they were, bright and early, the morning after. And they weren’t alone. Kate knew that dour face. Sarah.
Kate wanted to die. Well, not really. She wanted to flee. But she wasn’t going to leave Emily alone with them now. Not when they had seen Kate.
And they had seen Kate. Were still seeing Kate, in fact. They were seeing her in the most sleep addled, coffee deprived, state. And to make sure there was no misunderstandings on what she had been doing there, in their home, she was wearing Emily’s clothes and had a neck that looked like it was mauled by a vampire. So, yeah, there really was no point in pretending they didn’t know what had happened. Kate probably wouldn’t have been able to pull it off anyhow. They had caught her as she was playing around with the fancy coffee machine. Emily was still in bed, sleeping peacefully, completely unaware of Kate’s current predicament. So, yeah, overall, this was not an ideal start to her day. She hadn’t even been able to make said coffee. Emily’s mum had taken over.
No, instead she’d been caught like a thief in the night, and instinctively did her best impression of a possum. Which was how she found herself sat, uncomfortable and wanting to be anywhere else, next to Sarah, as Mrs. Miller made coffee. Emily’s father had taken one look at her and made himself scarce. Hopefully, thought Kate, he’d wake up Emily. And hopefully Emily would be wearing something more than she had been when Kate had left.
Kate blushed. Right, not a good idea to think of a naked Emily. Not a good idea at all. But it was so tempting …
‘Nice weather we’re having,’ said Mrs. Miller. She stood on the other side of the kitchen counter with her own cup of coffee in hand. Emily didn’t look much like her mum, thought Kate speculatively. ‘It’ll be a shame when winter starts up again.’
Kate nodded.
‘Are you still swimming, Sarah?’
‘I am, Jill. I’ve got a meet in a week.’
‘I’m sure you’ll do wonderful, dear.’
‘Do you play sport, Kate?’ asked Sarah.
‘A little of everything,’ said Kate. She wasn’t entirely sure where this was going. ‘Thank you for the coffee, but I should really get going.’
‘Nonsense.’ Mrs. Miller smiled. It wasn’t a friendly smile. It was the sort of smile Kate imagined a wolf might give a lamb. ‘Finish you’re coffee, first.’
Kate took a sip. It was sweet. Sickeningly sweet. The sort of sweet she thought might giver her diabetes just finishing the one cup. She smiled and hid her grimace with a wane smile. ‘It’s delicious, thank you.’
Mrs. Miller didn’t wait. She was on to her next question. ‘So how do you know Emily?’
‘I’m a friend of Bryan’s.’
‘Oh,’ Mrs. Miller’s smile changed, it lost some of its bite. ‘He’s a nice boy. Very nice. The sort of boy you want your daughter to bring home.’
Ah. There it was. Emily’s hand rubbed at her neck. Tried to cover the hickeys from the night before. ‘Yup. He’s just swell.’
‘Have you met Bryan, Sarah?’
Sarah smiled, too. A thin smile. ‘Emily’s mentioned him before.’
‘Has she?’ Mrs. Miller perked up.
‘Yeah,’ said Sarah. ‘She says he’s a really good friend.’
‘That’s good then, isn’t it?’ Mrs. Miller wasn’t put off in the slightest. ‘When I met Emily’s father I thought he was a good friend, too.’
‘You can never have too many friends.’ And that was aimed at Kate.
‘Has he mentioned her?’ And that was aimed at Kate too. Joy.
She took a large nervous gulp of her coffee. The Spanish Inquisition. That’s what this was. ‘I’m not the person to ask.’
‘Of course.’ Mrs. Miller ran a red tipped nailed over the rim of her cup. ‘Silly of me. What did you girls get up to then, last night?’
‘Uh,’ Kate panicked. Two piercing stares had her pinned down. ‘Nothing interesting, really. Emily could probably tell you better.’
‘I won’t bother her just yet.’ Mrs. Miller didn’t seem at all deterred by Kate’s evasive answer. ‘She’s a late riser. She so rarely brings friends home.’ The what made you so different went unsaid.
‘Always has been,’ said Sarah. ‘Remember she slept through the brunch we plan
ned for her birthday last year?’
Mrs. Miller laughed. ‘And her phone was on silent? That girl. The only reason she made it at all was because you drove back to the house to get her.’
‘What else are friends for?’
Kate downed her coffee in a single nauseating gulp. She put the cup down on the counter harder than she might’ve liked. And scrambled to her feet. She couldn’t take another second of this. It was fake. All of it. The sort of fake nice that she was never any good at. She was a fish out of water and was not keen on floundering for another minute. And it would be a cold day in hell before she drank another cup of coffee that sweet.
‘Thank you, for the coffee.’ Kate had already begun moving. ‘But I really have to go. It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Miller.’ That was not true at all. ‘See you around, Sarah.’
Kate was in such a rush to leave that she forgot her bag. But she had her phone and bus card and that was enough. Hopefully Emily would forgive her. But Kate was not up to being given the third degree this early in the day. No, that was much better left till noon at least, by then she would have had her third cup of coffee and would’ve somewhat wrapped her head around all that had happened in the past twenty-four hours.
Ten
An Intervention
Kate was wrong. And she was wrong often. Not that she would ever admit it. She wouldn’t admit it to herself, even, and least of all would she admit it to anyone else. But as she sat waiting for Jenny and Iuan she was seriously reconsidering that policy – pride be dammed.
At least the campus coffee shop was not full. It never was this early in the morning. No, the campus looked like a ghost-town before midday. The only exceptions being professors and the rare five percent of students who really were there to soak up the knowledge and actually understood just how much debt they were accumulating. Kate was not either of those. Neither were her two friends.
More Than Friends Page 9
