Breaking Routine

by Melissa Tereze

  “O-oh,” Cait whispered, her hips rocking against Harper’s hand. “Y-yes.”

  As one hand of Cait’s gripped the bedsheet, the other wrapped around Harper’s neck, Harper pressed her thumb to Cait’s clit, her fingers sinking deeper. Cait’s walls clenched and her thighs started to shake, all sense of time and space vanishing around Harper. She’d had many dreams over the years, but none compared to the dream she was living this morning. If anyone had told her she would be on top of this woman several months ago, Harper would have slapped them silly.

  “I-I, oh…shit.” Cait hissed, her back arching.

  “Let go, beautiful.” Harper’s words filtered through the air, sending Cait’s mouth agape as she came undone beneath her. “That’s it. Let go.” Harper took one of Cait’s nipples into her mouth, sucking and nipping, heightening the pleasure that was surely surging through Cait.

  Harper rocked against Cait’s thigh, her own body faltering as she neared the peak. Cait’s breathy moans had Harper losing her mind, but when Cait suddenly flipped them, Harper’s fingers still buried inside, her eyes had darkened way beyond anything Harper had seen before.

  Cait’s face sat millimetres from Harper’s. “Fuck me again.”

  Oh. That was bold. But Harper loved it. “Say please…”

  Cait grinned, spreading Harper’s legs and settling over one of them. “Please, fuck me again.”

  Harper’s belly swirled with delight, Cait’s fingers creeping closer to exactly where she needed them to be. She’d been so close just moments ago, and now Cait really needed to finish the job. “Gladly.” Harper’s fingers moved in and out slowly, the sound of Cait’s wetness turning Harper on more so than before. But when Cait entered her with two fingers, her incredible breasts in full view, Harper forced back the urge to top Cait again. “Shit, Cait.”

  Cait rocked, her hand buried in the mattress as she put a little more strength behind her thrusts. From the outside it would appear carnal, but inside, Harper felt pure bliss raging through her. Every emotion was heightened, but before she could think about Cait and how she brought out the best in her, Harper was gripping the bedsheet while Cait whispered complete filth into her ear. Mm, my kind of woman.

  “Fuck, I-I…” Harper relaxed her body, allowing her orgasm to take over her in its entirety. “Fuck, I’m coming.”

  A cry tore from Harper’s throat, followed by Cait’s guttural moans. Cait fell forward, panting as her face buried into the mattress. “Wow,” She mumbled. “That was…”

  “Intense.”

  Chapter Twenty

  The ticking of the clock on the kitchen wall had Cait driven to distraction, her every sense and emotion heightened this evening. It was strange—she would admit that—but Cait didn’t know what to do to remedy the fact that she missed Harper tonight. A stark contrast to last night.

  But Harper had work to do. She had so much going on in her life right now that Cait would willingly step back until the time was right. This morning had meant the world to Cait, she knew she wouldn’t ever feel that way again with another woman, but Cait understood the pressure that came with having bills to pay. She also understood that Harper needed her own space to work in, one that didn’t include Cait lounging around.

  Cait laughed. She couldn’t say she’d ever lounged around in her life. But with Harper, that was exactly what she wanted to do. She wanted to switch off once the clock reached 5 p.m. and put her feet up, Harper’s arms wrapped around her.

  But then her mind drifted back to this morning. To the moment Harper flipped them and kissed every inch of Cait’s skin. She felt the fire rip through her, the desire to scream out in ecstasy. Harper Grey knew her way around Cait’s body, no doubt about it.

  Cait swallowed, crossing her legs as she pushed all thoughts of a naked Harper from her mind. Every part of her body throbbed with the reminder, something she had to curb right now. It wasn’t as though Harper was here to take care of how Cait was feeling, so she would bookmark it for another time. A night when they had all the time in the world to continue where they left off this morning.

  Cait removed the kettle from the stove, poured hot water over her teabag, and then set it down on a heatproof mat, leaving her tea to brew for a few minutes. She really needed to find something to do to pass the time this evening.

  And then a knock at the door had Cait’s hairs on the back of her neck standing to attention. It had to be Harper. Nobody else ever called by.

  Cait rushed through the living room, catching her calf on the corner of the coffee table. She grimaced; the pain would subside as soon as she saw Harper’s pretty blue eyes. But as she opened the door, Cait found herself bitterly disappointed. “Mandy, hi.” Mandy threw an arm around Cait, guiding her best friend back into the living room. With the door kicked shut, a bottle of wine in Mandy’s grip, Cait frowned. “Everything okay?”

  “We need a night together.” Mandy disappeared into the kitchen, wine glasses clanging together as she returned with them resting between her fingers. “I brought red. The one you like.”

  “Oh, uh…” Cait tucked her hair behind her ear. “I’m just brewing a cup of tea.”

  “Don’t be so boring. It’s Friday night.”

  “And I have to work tomorrow,” Cait explained. “But you enjoy a glass, by all means. I’m fine with tea. I’m shattered anyway so was planning an early night.”

  “Look, I know you’re a bit mad at me for setting you up with Liz, but I did it with good intentions.”

  Cait hadn’t even remembered Liz. That sounded terrible, but Harper constantly infiltrated her every thought. Liz had been forgotten about the moment she left the restaurant. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “No. I owe you an apology. I shouldn’t have set you up; I knew you wouldn’t like it.”

  Cait perched herself on the edge of the coffee table. “So why did you do it?”

  “Because you spend your life in this place. And I know your flat is cosy, but aren’t you bored to tears sitting here alone night after night?”

  Cait had always been content with her own company. It meant less drama was likely to ensue. “No, not really.”

  Mandy cocked her head, smiling. “You always did like the simple life, didn’t you?”

  “I just don’t need someone by my side to make me happy,” Cait lied. “And I know you don’t feel the same way, but we don’t all have to be seen with someone on our arm to keep the locals from talking. I was always happy doing my job and then turning in for the night.”

  “Was?” Mandy quirked an eyebrow.

  Shit. “What?”

  “You said you was happy doing your job.”

  “I love this place.” Cait smiled a half smile as her eyes took in her flat. It was small but it was quaint. It was typical Cait. “And the B&B is about to go into business with the health spa down at the lake…”

  “You decided to take them up on their offer?”

  “I did.” Cait breathed a sigh of relief as she managed to knock Mandy off the scent of Harper. Cait didn’t know what was going on yet, so the last thing she needed was Mandy jumping on board to give her opinion on it all. “Guests will be allowed to use the facilities for free. It’ll mean a slight increase in the cost of a room, but it’ll be so small that people won’t notice. They will then be offered twenty percent off their bill if they decide to eat in the restaurant at the spa.”

  “Sounds like a good idea.” Mandy nodded, sipping her wine. “But, back to you. We have to get you involved with someone.”

  “Mandy,” Cait warned.

  “No, I’m sorry, but I can’t watch you continue on like this. It’s depressing.”

  “Depressing? It’s my life, Mandy. I don’t know what you have to be depressed about. It really doesn’t concern you.”

  “Cait, you could have been married with kids by now. Living in a house far away from here. Just…happy.”

  Cait bit her tongue. She loved Mandy dearly, they’d been friends since foreve
r, but she knew where this was going. “Please, don’t start this again.”

  “Have you even thought about maybe joining a dating site? One that has a little bit of everything…”

  “I don’t want a little bit of everything.” Cait shot to her feet, aware that her tea would likely be ruined now. “So please, don’t even go there.”

  Cait braced herself against the breakfast bar, blowing out a deep breath. Mandy had never really fully understood Cait’s sexuality, claiming to be old school, but tonight of all nights, Cait wasn’t in the mood.

  As she turned, she found Mandy standing in the doorway. “Just try it. What’s the worst that could happen?”

  “Try it?”

  Mandy sighed. “You never know. You might enjoy it. Men are…complicated, but maybe you’ll change your mind when you meet someone.”

  Cait’s forehead creased. She didn’t often get angry, preferring to let things go 99% of the time, but had Mandy really just said what she thought she had? “A man?”

  “Have you ever dated a man?” Mandy rolled her eyes, sloshing her wine in her glass.

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “Then how do you know you don’t like them?”

  Okay, Cait wasn’t doing this. Not now, not ever. She’d had the most incredible time with Harper since last night, and Mandy would not bring that mood down for her. Whether she knew about Harper or not didn’t matter, Mandy had no right to say what she had.

  “Well?” Mandy pressed. “How do you know?”

  “Mandy.” Cait pinched the bridge of her nose, stepping closer to her best friend. “We’ve been friends for 36 years. Please, don’t say something to ruin that.”

  “I’m sorry. I just don’t understand what’s wrong with you. I set you up with Liz. She’s a woman. She’s a lesbian. So, why didn’t it go well?”

  “Because she’s just not my type. And just because she’s not my type, it doesn’t mean that I should look for a man. I’ve never been attracted to a man in my life, and I know I never will be. I don’t need to explain myself to you, and I have no intentions of doing so, so please…don’t make a fool of yourself.” Cait turned, trying to salvage her cup of tea. “By all means, stay a while and catch up, but do not think for one second that I won’t ask you to leave if you continue this ridiculous conversation. My own parents accepted me all those years ago, you can either do the same, or you can leave.”

  “Sorry, Cait.” Mandy held up a hand. “I don’t know where that came from. I just want you to be happy.”

  “I am happy. So happy you couldn’t begin to understand.”

  “So that’s it?” Mandy asked, returning to the living room and flopping down on the couch. “You’re happy working yourself into the ground, and that’s that?”

  As Cait opened her mouth to speak, a gentle knock on the door interrupted her. Jude was probably calling by to say goodnight, but maybe he could stay a while to keep Cait company. God knew she needed someone in her corner while Mandy was here. “Sorry, give me a minute.”

  Another light knock had Cait rushing to open the door. When she did, Harper and her intense blue eyes stared back at her.

  “Hi. Sorry to just call over.”

  Cait stepped out into the hallway, aware that guests were just a floor below. “Is everything okay?”

  “Of course, yeah.” Harper fiddled with the set of keys in her hand, looking down at them, then back up at Cait. “Just wanted to see you for five minutes.”

  “Oh, well now isn’t really a goo—”

  Harper lunged forward, planting her lips on Cait’s with a passion that tore through her. The door swung open as Cait lost her footing, but neither cared. “I’m sorry.” Harper held Cait’s face. “For showing up. But I just really needed to kiss you.”

  The clearing of a throat brought Cait and Harper from their own world. And as Harper glanced over Cait’s shoulder, she winced.

  “And you are?” Mandy stood, clearing her throat. “I mean, I’m assuming you know my best friend and you haven’t just forced your way in here by accident.”

  Harper backed out of the door, shaking her head lightly. “Cait, I’ll see you soon, okay?”

  “Oh, no.” Cait gripped Harper’s hand, following her out into the hallway. “Why are you leaving?”

  “I can’t believe I just did that. I mean, I don’t even know if you’re out around here and I just show up, kissing you.”

  “You can kiss me anytime you like.”

  Harper blushed. “Yeah?”

  “Mmhmm.” Cait pulled Harper against her, gripping the lapels of her jacket. As she leaned in closer, she lowered her voice. “I think after this morning, you have every right to show up at my door and do what you feel necessary.”

  “Your friend doesn’t look very happy to see me.”

  “That’s Mandy. She decided to come over tonight to sort out my love life.”

  “R-right.”

  “And I was considering telling her about you, but well, you’ve just done that yourself.” Cait’s hands fisted in Harper’s blue and grey flannel shirt. “You should come in. Because when she leaves, I get you all to myself.”

  Harper sat in a single bucket seat in the bay window of Cait’s living room, her eyes focused on the fireplace. She could feel Mandy watching her, the intensity of her stare sending a wave of anxiety through Harper, but this woman wouldn’t intimidate her. After all, she wasn’t who Harper was dating.

  Cait had been called away ten minutes ago by Jude, completely understandable given the fact that she lived at her business, but Harper was now wondering if she should just leave and see Cait when she was available. She wanted to hang around, to potentially spend the evening with Cait, but Mandy was her friend, and Harper had no right to hijack their night together.

  Harper cleared her throat, rising to her feet. “So, it was nice to meet you, but I should probably head home. I’ll send Cait a message to let her know.”

  “Sit down.” Mandy stared up at Harper, wearing a suspicious look.

  Harper returned to her seat, confused by this woman’s tone. She hadn’t spoken two words to Harper since she’d arrived, but now she wanted company?

  “Are you a lesbian, too?”

  Harper almost choked on the air she’d just inhaled. “Excuse me?”

  “Like Cait. Are you a lesbian?”

  “Look, I don’t know what the etiquette is around here, but that’s really not the kind of thing you just come out and ask.”

  Mandy frowned.

  “Are you straight?” Harper asked, relaxing back in the chair.

  “What kind of question is that?” Mandy scoffed.

  “So now you realise how stupid your own question was. I’m not sure why it matters, but since you met me when I had my tongue down your best friend’s throat, you could probably hazard a guess.”

  Mandy huffed, filling her wine glass to the brim. “I want her to be happy. I want her to have what the rest of us have. A family and a husband—”

  “Whoa.” Harper sat forward as she cut Mandy off. Harper couldn’t be sure, but after this morning, Cait didn’t appear to want this husband Mandy seemed to think she had the right to speak of. “What makes you think Cait wants any of that?”

  “Every woman does.”

  Harper clenched her jaw, breathing deeply through her nose. “I don’t know Cait very well, not yet, but I’m not sure she would appreciate you saying this stuff.”

  “She doesn’t know what she wants. She’s always been like this.”

  Oh, she knows what she wants. Harper held her tongue. She would never disrespect Cait by discussing their relationship with another person. “I think maybe you should let Cait figure things out herself.”

  “Where did you come from? I’ve never met you. I’ve never even heard of you.”

  “I moved here recently.”

  “And how did you come to meet my friend?” Mandy sipped her wine as she crossed her legs.

  “I had to stay at the B&B wh
ile I had some work done at my house. Cait was kind enough to take me in unexpectedly when I realised the place had flooded.”

  “So, you took advantage of her. That’s what you’re saying?”

  “What? No.”

  “Mm.” Mandy pursed her lips, giving Harper a look of complete disdain. “I think Cait and I need to have a little chat.”

  “And I think it’s time that I left.” Harper shot to her feet. “You know, for someone who is so wonderful and kind, Cait sure keeps shitty company.”

  Harper made a beeline for the front door, disappointed by Cait’s best friend’s interpretation of her. Sure, they didn’t know one another, but offending someone on a first meeting really didn’t do it for Harper. Chances were, this woman wouldn’t ever support Cait. And that was sad. Harper couldn’t imagine Autumn asking the questions Mandy just had.

  As the door closed softly behind Harper, she leant against the hallway wall. Her palms rested flat against the smooth white paint, Harper’s breathing returning to normal. She could have flown off the handle, but what would that solve? Not a lot, Harper had come to realise over the years. Shouting and screaming never solved a single thing.

  With a final deep breath, Harper pushed off the wall and headed towards the stairs that would lead her out of Cait’s cosy B&B. Surprised to find Cait heading up the same stairs she was descending, Harper froze.

  “You’re leaving?”

  Harper nodded. “Yeah. I should get home.”

  “Sorry. We had an issue with the broadband.”

  Harper stepped down another stair. “Don’t ever apologise. This place would fall apart without you.”

  “But now you’re leaving…”

  “Your friend is visiting. I really don’t want to get in the way.” Harper knew that wasn’t quite the truth, but Cait would go into panic mode if she told her what she really thought of Mandy. “Go and enjoy a glass of wine with her.”

  “It’s bad luck to cross on the stairs,” Cait said, her voice hoarse as she eyed Harper with her deep brown eyes.