by Ronica Black
Jayden managed to turn the knob and push open the door. The dogs greeted them with excitement, some of them bolting in through the dog door. Kassandra shooed them, gave them a calm command, and told them all to lie down. She heard the door close behind her and then something else. The bolt of the lock engage.
She shivered with growing desire.
“Look at me, Jayden.”
Jayden turned. Kassandra walked toward her and reached out to touch her face. “Look at me like you did the first time we met. Like you want me so badly it hurts.”
Jayden inhaled sharply, took her all in, and trembled from head to toe.
“Yes, like that.” She inched closer, cupping her jaw with her right hand. “Now, tell me again what you want. Tell me that you want to read the book of my life. From page one to infinity.”
Jayden saw the desire in her eyes, heard it in her lowered voice. She stepped into her, nearly touched her lips to hers, but instead lightly kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear. “I want to read the book of your life, from page one to infinity.”
Kassandra shook and exhaled. “Oh God, Jayden. I want you so bad. I can’t fight it anymore. I think about you day and night. I can’t sleep. I can’t focus. I hear your voice and it floors me. I see your face and it wrecks me. I inhale your scent and my legs melt. And when I’m close to you, like now, touching you, no matter how delicate our connection, I feel it between my legs. This tingling, pulsing, swelling. Like all my blood has left my body to rush there. And I can’t think of anything else but how I want you to touch me there. With your fingers…with your mouth. Oh, God, I can’t take it anymore.”
Jayden moaned as her own center flooded with desire. She tugged Kassandra closer, stared wildly, deeply into her eyes, and then crushed her with a hot, hungry kiss. The feel of her mouth against hers, so hot, wet, eager, she moaned again and then nearly collapsed when she felt Kassandra press back with her own tongue. Jayden lifted her then, hands firmly under her thighs. Kassandra cried out with surprise but then continued to kiss her. So madly, so intensely, Jayden had trouble steering them across the living room, down the hallway, and to the bedroom. Once there, she tore her mouth away from her and set her on the bed.
“The dogs,” Kassandra said, tugging on Jayden’s polo shirt, like she didn’t want her to walk away from her.
“The dogs,” Jayden said, shooing them out. She pulled away from Kassandra only long enough to close the door, then she crossed back to her, bent, and kissed her long and heavy. Kassandra tugged her closer by the hips, then ran her hands up under her shirt.
“Take it off,” she said, looking up at her.
Jayden stripped off her shirt and threw it down, chest heaving. She tried to bend to kiss her again, but Kassandra stopped her. “Your bra,” she said. “Off.”
Jayden straightened and looked down at her.
“Please, I want to see you.”
Jayden reached behind, unclasped her bra, slid it off, and tossed it aside. Her small, taut breasts puckered as she breathed, as if they anticipated Kassandra touching them.
“I—you’re so strong. So beautiful. Can I touch you?” She reached up and Jayden took her hand and kissed it and then placed it on her abdomen. Kassandra’s breath shook as she lightly ran her fingers over her stomach and then up to her breasts where she teased her nipples with the delicate strokes of the backs of her fingers. Jayden shuddered, trying so hard to control herself and stand still.
“Does it feel good?”
“Yes.”
“I want to make you feel good,” she said. “It’s all I want to do. I think I could…climax just pleasing you.”
Jayden closed her eyes, knowing the feeling all too well.
“Can I take off your shorts?” Kassandra asked.
Jayden nodded. Kassandra trailed her hands down to her hips and unbuttoned her khaki cargo shorts. Then she slid them down below her thighs to her ankles and Jayden stepped out of them and kicked them aside, along with her shoes. Kassandra looked up at her, fingers teasing around the waistband of her boy shorts.
“May I?”
“Are you sure?” Jayden asked again.
Kassandra didn’t blink, didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
Jayden tried to breathe steadily and nodded. She closed her eyes as Kassandra gently and carefully lowered her shorts to her ankles. Jayden jerked as she felt the delicate kiss of her breath as she lowered herself and then came back up again to breathe on her center.
“You’re wet,” Kassandra said. “I can see it.”
“Mmm.” She felt dizzy, crazy. Like if she wasn’t touched soon she’d faint from desire alone.
“I want to touch you,” Kassandra said. Jayden jerked again as she felt the light press of a fingertip on her labia. “Here.”
Jayden clenched her jaw.
“Can I?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want me to? Do you want me to touch you there?”
Jayden shook and clenched her hands into fists. “God, yes.”
“Open your eyes,” Kassandra said. “I want to look into your eyes as I touch you there.”
Jayden opened her eyes. Kassandra held her gaze as she traced her fingers down Jayden’s smooth labia and into her folds.
Jayden’s knees went weak as she found her.
“Oh fuck,” Kassandra whispered. “You’re so hot and slick.” She moved from the pool of slick desire up to her clit, where she stroked.
Jayden’s hips jerked involuntarily and she bit into her lower lip.
“Dear God, you feel so good. So slick and soft.”
“Kassandra,” she said with great difficulty.
“Yes?” Her beautiful eyes were lidded with seduction. She was truly enjoying herself.
“I can’t take much more.”
She grinned. “Good.”
“I want to feel you,” Jayden said. “While you feel me.”
Kassandra stared up into her. “No, I don’t want to stop.”
Jayden groaned and her eyes rolled back in her head. Her hips went insane as Kassandra sped up her stroking. “Am I doing it, right? Am I touching you the way you like? Because this is what I like when I touch myself.”
Jayden gripped her shoulders. “Yes. Kassandra, yes.” The thought of her touching herself sent her over and she thrust wildly into her hand and came hard and long. She cried out and clenched her eyes, jerking and thrusting.
“Oh God, Jayden. You’re coming. You’re coming in my hand. Oh, God, it’s so beautiful. The way you feel in my hand, the way you’re moving, beautiful muscles flexing and straining. Come into me, come into my hand.”
Jayden threw her head back and cried out again. She lost all control then and fucked her hand as hard and as fast as she could, desperate for every last bit of pleasure her fingers were offering, until eventually she stilled and her legs shook and Kassandra milked her a little more, causing her to jerk a few more times.
Jayden fell to her knees, completely spent, breath heaving. She rested her head in Kassandra’s lap and went limp.
Kassandra stroked her hair, traced her jaw with her fingertip. “I can’t wait to put my mouth on you,” she said.
Jayden struggled to speak. “I can’t even imagine that at this point.”
Kassandra rubbed her back, teased her with the slight press of her short nails. Jayden could feel her own slickness as Kassandra rubbed up and down her back.
“I loved it,” Kassandra said. “I can’t believe how much I loved it. Touching you like that. Making you come.”
Jayden lifted her head. “I could tell.” No one had ever brought her to her knees before. No one had ever touched her like that, played her flesh like that. It was usually all about them, about her taking control and doing them. She didn’t know why things were different this time, but she honestly didn’t care. It had been incredible, the best, most body-wracking orgasm she’d ever had. And now she was lying in Kassandra’s lap, in pure heaven.
Beyond the bedroom door
the dogs barked, and Jayden swore she could hear the doorbell.
“Shit,” she said as she sat back and stood. She pulled on her clothes.
“Should I hide?” Kassandra asked, handing her her shirt.
“No. No way.”
“I’m not sure how the teens will take this.”
Jayden laughed. “You think they don’t know how we feel about each other?”
Kassandra’s eyes widened. “They do?”
Jayden stepped into her shoes. “They knew before we did.”
Jayden opened the bedroom door and soothed the barking dogs. Kassandra followed her and stood behind her as she opened the front door. A woman Jayden had never seen before stood smiling coyly at her. She had on a short white dress.
“Jayden,” she said. “They said I could just come find you.”
Jayden shook her head in confusion. “Okay. Who are you exactly?”
She looked Jayden up and down and licked her red lips. “I’m your dream come true.”
Jayden felt Kassandra tense behind her.
“Don’t be shy. I know you’ve been expecting me. And believe me, baby, the wait will have been worth it.”
Jayden felt bile rise in her throat as panic came over her. What was happening? And why now? She turned to try to explain to Kassandra, but she was already hurt and angry and shoving her way out the door.
Jayden chased after her. “Kassandra, wait. Please. Just stop.”
Kassandra waved her off, storming off. “Leave me alone, Jayden. Go see to your women. And to think I bought into your act, thinking you really cared about me.”
“I do!”
Kassandra turned. “Bullshit! It was all just a game to get me, wasn’t it? Well, you got me. Feel good about yourself now?” She turned and stormed into the office.
Jayden stood staring. She’d just had everything and lost everything in an instant. How was that even possible?
Chapter Twenty-seven
Kassandra poured herself more wine and took a hearty sip. Next to her, the outdoor fireplace warmed her left side, trying to lure her into some sort of peace. But peace, she knew from the last week’s experience, wasn’t easy in coming.
“We’re going to have to call an Uber for you if you keep on,” Wendy said, teasing her. She tipped her wineglass to her and took her own hearty sip. Happy hour was in full effect and nearing its end as the sun lowered in the sky, painting the clouds pink and purple just beyond the patio. Katelynn offered Kassandra some nachos, but Kassandra politely declined. She’d suddenly become very picky about her food lately. Nothing sounded appealing. And nothing seemed to get to her, touch her insides. Not even the beautiful sunset in front of her. She felt dead. Dead inside. And she knew why.
Her friends knew too, and they’d done a good job of avoiding the topic so far. A world record for them at ten minutes in.
“I can’t tell you again how sorry I am over Brian,” Katelynn said. She shook her head. “I just had no idea.”
“You couldn’t have known,” Kassandra said. “The cops said he probably followed me to your house one day and then made it a point to befriend you.”
“God, that’s beyond scary,” Wendy said. “What a freaking psycho.”
Kassandra stared off after the painted sky.
“We just thank God you’re okay,” Katelynn said. “And like it or not, we do feel responsible.”
“Don’t.” She sipped more wine. “I’m fine. He hasn’t been around. He can’t make bail, and the cops are mounting evidence against him. I’m not worried about it.”
She wasn’t really worried about anything anymore. She just did what needed to be done with little thought or emotion. And truth be told, it had really helped her at work. She’d told the teacher to get her own damn coffee just that morning. And soon after that she’d told the secretary it wasn’t her job to clean up after staff meetings. It was hers. That had led to a nasty letter from the principal, who led the staff in snobbiness, to send her a letter about being a team player. She hadn’t even read the whole thing, just deleted it and did her job. To top it off, when she’d left that evening, the office staff didn’t bid her a good evening, which had caused her to laugh as she’d walked to her car.
She’d driven to happy hour with the windows down, relishing the thought of buying out her contract and starting school as soon as she could. Tony was no longer at the school; most days she was bored sitting in the library alone. She’d miss reading to the kids, but she could volunteer and do that. No, she knew now she was needed elsewhere. And come Christmas break, she was putting in her notice and starting school in January for counseling. She couldn’t wait.
“I’m quitting my job,” she said, knowing it would set her friends off. “I’m going back to school in January to get my master’s in counseling. I’ve already applied and been accepted and spoken to an advisor.” She drank more wine as Katelynn and Wendy sat stunned. “It’s what I really want, and I’m a little nervous about such a big change, so I could really use the support.”
Katelynn grabbed her hand. “Of course you have our support. We just want you to be happy, remember?”
“We all know the job—or should I say the people at the job—suck. I don’t blame you for wanting something different.”
There was more silence and Wendy dug into the nachos. Katelynn stared at her with contentment, but her eyes gave away some concern. Kassandra knew what was coming next.
“Just ask,” Kassandra said. “I know you’re dying to.”
Katelynn looked to Wendy and Wendy spoke. “What exactly happened with Jayden?”
Kassandra thought she could handle hearing her name, but she had to grip the table in order to control the powerful feelings it stirred. “I just don’t think she’s ready for a serious relationship.” The words stung, as did the memory of the attractive woman standing at Jayden’s door, beckoning her. It almost made her physically sick. To think Jayden had been expecting her all along and she’d still gone ahead and made love with Kassandra. How could she have missed it? Was Jayden just like Brian? Some sort of chameleon? Or was it her? Was she just unable to read people somehow?
“Another woman?” Wendy asked.
Kassandra swallowed more wine, but it was painful. “Yes.”
“Really?” Katelynn said. “I just didn’t get that vibe from her. Not the way you talk about her.”
“I think I’m just clueless when it comes to reading people.”
“Don’t think like that,” Wendy said. “Some people enjoy misleading and manipulating. That’s not on you.”
“I just…” Kassandra said. “I just didn’t think it of her either. Not after what…we did.”
Katelynn leaned forward. “You mean you…”
Kassandra looked away. “We did something, yes. And it was incredible. I can’t get it out of my head, that’s how good it was. Like it was some kind of drug I tried for the first time. I just want more and more, and that’s what makes it hurt all the more. I had her, felt her, was one with her, and then wham, it was all slammed in my face when that woman arrived.”
“What woman?” Wendy asked.
Kassandra shrugged. “A really hot one. And she said Jayden had been expecting her and that she wanted to, you know, rock her world, so to speak.”
“Oh, Jesus,” Katelynn said. “What did Jayden say?”
“She acted like she didn’t know her and then she tried to chase after me. But I wouldn’t hear her out. I was too vulnerable, too torn up inside.”
“That’s rough, Kassie,” Wendy said. “I’m so sorry.”
Katelynn poured them more wine and passed the glass to Kassandra. “Oh, honey.”
“Well, in Jayden’s defense, you did make her promise you’d just be friends.”
“You’re not helping, honey.”
“No, seriously. Maybe she did date. Would that be wrong? As far as she knew, Kassandra didn’t want her.”
Kassandra drank her wine, fighting back tears. “You don’t unders
tand. You don’t understand how she was with me. It was like I was the only person in the world.” She downed her glass and stood a little unsteadily. Katelynn rose with her.
“You need to come home with us.”
“No, I want to be alone. You know I heal better that way.”
“Let us call you a cab. You can’t drive like this.”
“No. I got it.”
Katelynn gave Wendy a look and she too stood. She leafed out some cash and tossed it on the table. They helped Kassandra out to the car.
“What am I gonna do?” Kassandra said, climbing in and leaning over. “I’m so lost in her.”
Wendy drove and Katelynn tried to soother her. “If she’s meant to be, it will work out. If not, you just heal and move on.”
“Oh God. She has another woman. How can it work out?”
“Sometimes things aren’t what they seem,” Wendy said. “Remember that. And when it comes to relationships with women…you have to remember some can be very aggressive. If they want someone, they don’t take no for an answer, whether she has someone else or not.”
“What?” Kassandra’s mind spun.
“Just relax and try to push it all from your mind for the time being,” Katelynn said. “Wendy can give you advice some other time.”
“I’m trying to tell her it might not be Jayden’s fault. Remember when we first started how aggressive your ex was? It took several weeks for her to stop showing up, declaring her love for you. It didn’t matter that you told her no. It didn’t matter that you had me. Remember?”
Katelynn sighed. “Yes, unfortunately. But Kassandra doesn’t need to think about it at all right now. She just needs to go home and relax.”
Kassandra considered Wendy’s words, focused on them when she could, and then drifted off when she couldn’t grasp rational thought. Soon, the darkness took her for good, and when she awoke again, she was being helped down her sidewalk and placed on her couch, dogs licking her face. Katelynn removed her shoes and left her on her side. She placed her cell phone in her hand.
“Call if you need anything.” She kissed her cheek. “Good night, Kassie.”
