Ready or Not

by Melissa Brayden

  “God, I loved every second of that,” Mallory said, planting a soft kiss on the underside of her jaw and stretching out next to Hope. But all Hope could do was stare, still not fully a part of the here and now. She knew Mallory came with a certain quiet drive about her, but this experience had gone above and beyond. Overachiever? Yeah, she’d agree.

  “What did you just do to me?” Hope asked, turning onto her side to better see Mallory, who brushed a strand of hair from Hope’s forehead.

  “I think I just had my way with you,” Mallory said in satisfaction.

  “Is that what you call it? Because I have a few other choice words.”

  Mallory’s mouth formed a tiny outraged circle, and her eyes went wide. “Language, Ms. Sanders.” It was clear she was teasing, but it was the cute kind.

  Hope raised an eyebrow. “After what you just did to me, I don’t think you have a lot of room to talk about manners and decorum.”

  Mallory bit the inside of her cheek as she considered this point. “I did make you wait a bit, didn’t I?”

  Hope stole a lingering kiss. “Ya think?”

  “Couldn’t help it. I was busy,” Mallory said sweetly as Hope moved on top of her.

  “I think I’m going to make you a drink. Do you have simple syrup?”

  “Wait. You’re going to make me a drink?”

  “That’s what I said. I make great drinks.”

  “I’ve heard this. But we’re kind of otherwise engaged.”

  “What? Did you want me to do something else right now?” she asked, tracing the outside of Mallory’s breast and watching as her eyes widened and her lips parted at the contact.

  Mallory’s eyes fluttered closed and she bit her lip. “You’re a tease and you know it.”

  “What?” Hope asked, feigning shock. “Never. Is that a no on the simple syrup?” She got out of bed then, which prompted a sigh from Mallory at the loss. Hope moved naked about the room, looking for something to put on that wasn’t a wet cocktail dress.

  Mallory watched her movements with a lazy smile. “That’s a no on syrup. If you’re looking for clothes, that’s a shame because I’m enjoying this visual. But you’ll find a robe on the back of the door,” Mallory said. Hope slipped into Mallory’s blue robe, loving that it smelled amazing, like the hair she’d just nuzzled. “I’ve never seen anyone wear my robe before. I like you in it. I’m thinking it may look better on you than it does on me.”

  “I completely disagree with that statement,” Hope said, resisting the very powerful urge to skip the drink and take what she really wanted. Mallory lying there nearly naked and looking sexy as hell was a temptation she was hard pressed to resist. But there’d be time, she told herself. Plenty of time. And good things come to those who wait. “You coming?” she asked Mallory before heading out to the kitchen.

  “I can’t believe this is happening,” Mallory said in amusement.

  Hope opened the fridge and surveyed what she had to work with. It didn’t really matter. Give her some booze and she could make a drink out of anything, but it turned out she was in luck. “This is great news.”

  “What’s great news?” Mallory asked, emerging from the bedroom.

  “You have fresh mint. No one ever has…” But the words died on her lips because Mallory wore a T-shirt that said Game Over that came just to the tops of her thighs. She looked appetizing, and if Hope’s lust meter had already been pushing over the top, it might have just busted altogether at the amount of skin on display. Plus, Mallory had the most awesome legs, olive-toned and smooth. Hope wanted to run her hands across each and every inch of their length.

  “You forget what you were saying?” Mallory asked and slid up and onto the counter.

  “No. I just…” She covered her left eye with her hand, giving up. “You know how to work a T-shirt.”

  Mallory smiled. “You noticed.”

  “This plan is beginning to backfire.”

  “It better not. I want that drink you promised me. I happen to be very thirsty.”

  Hope closed her eyes and cursed herself. “Fine, even though I’m now the stupidest woman alive, fine. Right. Drink coming up. A very fast drink.”

  “Well, I’m really more of a sipper,” Mallory pointed out.

  Hope met her eyes and shook her head. This whole thing was her fault. “Do you have a pestle and bowl?”

  “This is sounding fancy.”

  “It really isn’t.”

  Mallory pointed to a lower cabinet, and Hope found what she needed and went to work crushing a few mint leaves while Mallory looked on.

  “When did you first know you were good at it, making drinks, crafting cocktails?”

  “Well, I wasn’t always,” she told Mallory. “I sucked at bartending for about the first two years. Then I met Thompson. That was his last name, but it’s what everyone called him. He owned this little hole-in-the-wall place on Seventh that was packed every night. It was because the guy knew what he was doing when it came to making good drinks. The décor didn’t matter. I was hired on as a waitress initially but paid attention to everything he did, watched his techniques, memorized his recipes, and learned how much the little things matter. Glass temperature, sugar balance, and how a less-than-precise pour can ruin the whole drink. When he caught on how interested I was, he opened up quite a bit, took me under his wing. Over time, I became kinda popular behind the bar myself.”

  “Oh, I bet,” Mallory said. “I’ve seen it firsthand.”

  Hope chuckled.

  “And what about the business side of things? How did you go from behind the bar to owning it?”

  “Now that took a lot of time. A decade.” Hope poured some sugar and water in a pan and heated it. As Mallory didn’t have simple syrup, she’d make some herself. “I pretty much read every book I could get my hands on that talked about restaurant management, business ownership, and entrepreneurship. Talked to a lot of folks who’d done it before me and learned the pitfalls to watch out for. The rest was just about saving enough cash.”

  “Wow. That’s impressive. You’re impressive.”

  Hope measured the rum against the lime juice she’d squeezed. “Speaking of impressive, try this,” she said, topping her masterpiece with a couple of mint leaves. She carried the glass over to Mallory and held onto one for herself.

  “To drinks in a thunderstorm,” Mallory said, touching Hope’s glass with hers.

  “And to beautiful women on countertops,” Hope added. “You know I’m never going to get this image out of my head.”

  “Is that such a bad thing?” Mallory asked. “Wow. This is good.”

  “A mojito,” Hope informed her. “Lusting after you? No, it’s not bad. And it certainly wouldn’t be a new thing.”

  “I remember the first time you sent me a drink. I thought it was super cliché.”

  Hope grabbed her heart as if wounded. “I cannot believe you just said that. I was nervous, doing that, and I never get nervous.”

  Mallory seemed to soften. “That’s actually very sweet. And now I feel horribly guilty. Come here so I can kiss you.”

  Hope moved until she stood in front of the counter and settled in between Mallory’s legs. She leaned in and kissed Mallory slowly, thoroughly. As they kissed she placed her hands on Mallory’s thighs and inched upward until she heard Mallory’s breath hitch and she broke the kiss. Her breathing ragged and her lips swollen, Mallory pointed at her beverage on the counter next to her. “Not finished yet,” she said.

  “We can come back for the drink later,” she said, kissing Mallory’s neck.

  “It’s too refreshing to leave behind.” Mallory sipped from the glass. “And though I am playing a little hard to get, I really like this drink and have to finish it.”

  “Okay, fine,” Hope said with a sigh. She slid up onto the countertop across from Mallory. “Did you play sports as a kid?”

  Mallory smiled. “I did. Varsity tennis. I was all-state.”

  “Wow. Remind me not t
o play you. Let me guess. Student council?”

  Mallory pointed at her face. “President.”

  Hope laughed. “I’m gonna guess summa cum laude.”

  “And valedictorian.”

  “Seriously?” At the question, Mallory passed her a look, which prompted Hope to laugh and hold up her hands. “Sorry, of course you were valedictorian. I don’t know what I was thinking.” Mallory took another sip from her glass and Hope did the same.

  “What were you like in school?” Mallory asked.

  “I was a decent student. On the honor roll here and there, though I didn’t do a lot in the way of extracurricular activities. That required transportation and there wasn’t a lot of that.”

  “What about your mom?”

  “Worked nights, so we were mainly on our own after school. She tried, but there were bills to pay.”

  Mallory nodded. “I can’t imagine what that must be like.”

  “I’m happy you didn’t have to. Your parents seem great, by the way.”

  At the comment, Mallory glanced at her drink, a distant look now present behind her eyes. “I was lucky.” And then refocused the attention back on Hope with an upshift in energy. “When did you stop dating boys?”

  “You’re changing the subject,” Hope said.

  “That’s totally allowed.” God, she was cute. And way too far away, but Hope pressed on.

  “I never started,” Hope said.

  Mallory inclined her head. “Seriously? You just always knew.”

  Hope shrugged. “I don’t know about always, but I knew enough to never date a guy. You?”

  “Buddy Laughlin was my boyfriend until late in my junior year of high school.”

  Hope enjoyed the look of disdain on Mallory’s face. “And how did that go?”

  “Shockingly not well. Our parents were best friends. It was this match made in heaven that simply wasn’t.”

  “Mallory.”

  “Yes?”

  “Did you break little Buddy’s heart?”

  Mallory laughed. “I’m afraid so. He still won’t look me straight in the eye. It’s all very awkward. He was at the party tonight.”

  Hold the phone. “And you didn’t point him out to me?”

  “That would have been awkward.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m kinda into awkward. Do you know what a loss I’m experiencing right now? Do you?”

  “I can’t even imagine.”

  Hope placed a hand over her heart. “And the only thing that could possibly remedy this oversight is if you found a way to make it up to me.” Hope eased off the counter and reclaimed her spot in front of Mallory, who eyed her progress in amusement.

  “And how could I do that, do you think?”

  “Well, I’ll need to be kissed,” Hope said and moved in closer. As Mallory’s eyes met hers, they darkened with heat. She set her nearly empty glass on the counter and took Hope’s face in her hands slowly, purposefully. She leaned down and brushed Hope’s lips before deepening the kiss. And that ever-present magnet that seemed to exist between them snapped to attention, as Hope couldn’t keep her hands off Mallory. She slid them up the warm skin of Mallory’s legs to her upper thighs, taking note of the hitch in Mallory’s breath at the intimacy of the touch. She pushed her tongue into Mallory’s mouth and enjoyed the taste of alcohol and lime, all the while inching her hands higher until her thumbs met at the apex of Mallory’s thighs, which pulled a quiet gasp.

  The damn T-shirt, which had looked so good on Mallory earlier, was now in her way, but she wasn’t ready to be done with it quite yet. Her hands were on the move and she was enjoying every intoxicating second of it, and that was how Mallory made her feel. Intoxicated with desire, with a need for her.

  That need was out in full force tonight. Her body was infused with hot arousal as she settled on Mallory’s breasts, full and amazing in her hands. Yeah, no more T-shirt. She pulled her mouth from Mallory’s and lifted the offending shirt over her head to reveal the perfection beneath. As she stared at Mallory on display for her, now in nothing but her panties, she swore quietly, reverently, because she was that beautiful. It had been a long time since she’d felt anything remotely close to what Mallory was able to elicit in her, and scary as it was, she wanted more.

  She lowered her head to Mallory’s breast and pulled a nipple into her mouth, moving her tongue across it once, twice, and a third time before skating her teeth across its surface as Mallory clung to her. She repeated the process and moved on to the other breast.

  “Hope,” Mallory breathed, seeming to search for purchase. Her hips moved subtly, signaling her need. With her hands on Mallory’s ass, she drew her closer. As the robe Hope wore had come untied, she could feel Mallory’s panties, damp against her bare thigh. She closed her eyes to steel herself against the pulsing intensity that moved through her. It would have been nice to go slow, it really would have, but in this moment, Hope couldn’t remember the logic behind that mentality. Because Mallory made her forget everything, including her own name.

  All she knew was that she needed this.

  Now.

  She made quick work of the panties, and with Mallory already ready for her, she slid her fingers inside, prompting Mallory to throw her head back and whimper quietly, a sound Hope would never forget. It wouldn’t take much, she could already tell. The warmth that enveloped her as she pushed into Mallory had her closing her eyes and reveling, only not for long, because she wanted to watch Mallory when she came, to experience all of it.

  She wrapped one arm around Mallory’s waist to steady her as she moved in and out of her with her other hand, gaining speed to match the thrusts of Mallory’s hips. Just as it seemed she was close, Hope pressed a purposeful thumb to Mallory’s center and watched in awe as she called out and tossed her head back, clenching Hope’s hand, moving wildly in a gorgeous display against it. Hope leaned into Mallory and kissed her neck as she moved her hand slower and slower still, easing her back down again.

  Mallory visually traced the texture of the ceiling, and she scrambled to return to herself. Her world had just been rocked, she knew that much, and she took a moment to figure out the rest. She was on the kitchen counter with Hope still inside her, of that much she was aware. And the pleasure that still moved through her was staggering. This had been hot; they were together.

  She wrapped her arms around Hope’s neck and kissed her.

  “You are so sexy,” Hope said between kisses.

  “Yeah?” Mallory asked. “Because I’m not even sure what that word means after what you just did to me. On my counter, no less.”

  “You don’t like the counter?” Hope asked, those sky-blue eyes dancing with amusement.

  “I love the counter now,” Mallory said, slipping her hands into Hope’s robe. Her robe. “Is that what you do with all the girls? Get them onto counters and then have your way with them?”

  “I’ve never done this with anyone,” Hope said, meeting her eyes, and Mallory knew it was true. The knowledge resonated, and her chest experienced a rush of emotion in a manner she hadn’t expected. Whoa. Where had that come from? Before she could marinate further, Hope scooped her into her arms and carried her toward the bedroom.

  “We’re going back to bed?” Mallory asked.

  “Why, yes, yes we are.”

  But they didn’t do a lot of sleeping. In fact, sleep took a definite backseat that night to other tempting activities between the sheets, as they explored each other into the wee hours of the morning.

  Mallory, her head tucked into Hope’s shoulder, lay there sated, exhausted, and contemplative. She stole a glance at the clock. It was after three. She only stayed up that late for work. Hope smoothed her hair and Mallory smiled up at her.

  “What are you thinking about?” Hope asked, then placed a kiss on her temple.

  “I found out tonight that my father is screwing his secretary.”

  Silence reigned.

  Hope eased to the side to better face Mallory. “
I’m sorry, what?”

  Mallory shook her head. “When I went to get my coat, I saw them. Together in his study, just after he made an eloquent anniversary toast to my mother in front of the world.”

  “Mallory, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you say something?”

  “What do you say when the person you look up to most is not at all who you thought they were? And while the whole thing is horrific, and something I’ll probably have to process later, you made it better just by being here. This should have ranked as one of the worst nights in my life, and it would have, if not for you.”

  Hope slid down the bed until she lay face-to-face with Mallory. She touched her cheek. “Well, there was nowhere else I wanted to be.”

  Mallory smiled and kissed her, this woman who was so much more than she’d ever given her credit for. She’d walked into this thing between them begrudgingly, blaming the overt physical attraction she had for Hope for their kissing sessions early on. But maybe it wasn’t just physical, she thought, as a wash of genuine feeling moved through her. The concept was a little too terrifying to examine in that moment, so she sidelined it in favor of the spark that kiss had ignited. It seemed she didn’t tire easily of Hope.

  “Are you going to talk to him about it? Your father?”

  Mallory eased herself on top and inserted her thigh between Hope’s legs. “I don’t really want to talk about him anymore,” she said, and lost herself in the feel of the woman beneath her. Their coming together was much more leisurely this time around, but no less intense. They were more familiar with each other now, but the magnetism didn’t dwindle. When she brought Hope to climax with her mouth, she was near the brink herself and gave herself over to Hope’s skillful touch moments later.