Under Her Wing

by Ronica Black

They left her alone, locking the door after them. Within a few minutes, she fell asleep with tears running down her face and the memory of that attractive woman standing at Jayden’s door.

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Jayden tried Kassandra’s phone one last time as she pulled into her parking lot and killed the engine to her truck. The phone went straight to voice mail. Jayden had considered leaving her a message, but she needed to say the things she had to say in person. It had been a little over a week since she’d left her house crying, and Jayden had been ripped to pieces over the whole thing. She’d been going over and over it in her mind. Should she have chased after her? Called her numerous times every day pleading her case? She knew Kassandra better than that. She was worth more than that. She deserved to hear things in person.

  The condo complex was silent as she walked up the sidewalk. Some doors were open for the cool weather, and she could see the flashes of televisions through the security screen doors. One man was grilling and she could smell the tangy barbecue. Her stomach protested at the lack of food lately, but she swallowed against it, refusing to give in. How could she eat when Kassandra was suffering, thinking the worst of her? Jayden couldn’t even fully imagine what was going through her head. Especially after what they’d shared in her bedroom. The pain, the betrayal, it must be devastating.

  She came to her gate, opened it, and stood at her door. The porch light she’d repaired came on, and Dax immediately started barking. She couldn’t help but smile and she was glad he was still there. She hoped Kassandra still wanted him. With a deep breath, she pressed the doorbell. It was seven o’clock on a Friday night. She hoped she was home.

  Both dogs barked and Jayden heard movement near the door. She called out. “It’s me, it’s Jayden.”

  There was a pause in movement. A quick flick of the blinds. A bolt disengaged. Then the other. The door pulled open and Kassandra peeked out. Jayden inhaled at the sight of her sunken eyes and pale skin. She looked like she hadn’t eaten or slept in days.

  “Kassandra, are you okay?” It was the first thing out of her mouth.

  Kassandra stared through her. “I’m fine.”

  Dax hopped into the air behind her, excited. “Dax, calm.”

  Kassandra blinked and seemed to focus. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She unlocked the security door and opened it. “Please, come in.”

  Jayden entered, eyes still trained on her. “Thank you.”

  Kassandra crossed to the closet and retrieved a leash. “He’s been a great dog. Really helped me to feel safe these past few weeks. I don’t know what I would’ve done without him.”

  She handed it over. Jayden closed her hand over hers instead. “I didn’t come for Dax.”

  Kassandra met her gaze for the first time. Pain blew across her eyes like clouds moving in on a storm. “Oh, well, I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Please, Kassandra, can we just talk?”

  “About what?”

  “About what happened. I need to explain.”

  Kassandra walked to her bedroom and collapsed on her bed. She hugged a pillow and stared into space. Jayden followed and noted that her eyes looked glossed over as if fresh from tears. It tore at her heart.

  “Honestly, Jayden, I don’t think I can bear to hear it. I just don’t think I can.”

  Jayden sat, desperate to talk, to get her to hear. “That woman at the kennel, I didn’t know her. It was the one Mel sent a long time ago, the one that never showed. She’s who I thought you were that first day.”

  “You expect me to believe that?” She rolled over and faced her window. Lula jumped up and snuggled with her while Dax snuggled up against her back. Jayden wanted so badly to crawl into bed with them and hold her.

  “I had hoped you would. But no, I didn’t expect you to. Which is why—”

  The doorbell rang and Dax took off in an insane bark. Jayden rose. “I think I know who that is.” She crossed back to the door and opened it.

  “Am I at the right place?” Mel asked, hand on hip.

  “Yes, now get in here and be sincere.”

  Mel entered and followed her to the bedroom.

  “Kassandra, Mel has something she wants to say to you.”

  Kassandra didn’t bother to turn, she just squeezed her pillow tighter.

  Mel cleared her throat. “Kassandra, I owe you an apology. I never gave you a real shot because I thought you would only hurt Jayden. It was my fault the woman showed up. I’m the one that asked her to come to the kennel to seduce Jayden. She just did it a few weeks too late. Anyway, I was supposed to find her and stop it and I didn’t and I’ve been kind of a bitch to you. I’m sorry. I just really love Jayden, you know, and I want her to be happy. Now I can see that it’s you that makes her happy. So please, don’t think she was messing around on you or even thinking about it. Because trust me, even though you were both insisting you were just friends, this girl’s only thoughts and actions were about you. She even said she’d love you if you moved on with someone else. That as long as she could be in your life somehow, it would make her happy.”

  Kassandra wiped a tear, and Jayden began shoving Mel out the door to the living room.

  “What? Jesus.”

  “You didn’t have to say all that.” Jayden ran a hand through her hair.

  “Why not? You said to tell the truth.”

  “Nothing, just, thank you, you can go now.”

  Mel shook her head. “Fine, I’ll go. You’re welcome.” She let herself out the security door and Jayden closed the big door and locked it behind her. She returned to the bedroom slowly. Kassandra was sitting on the edge of the bed, head in her hands.

  She didn’t look up. “So you wanted me even though you promised to be friends?”

  Jayden bit her lip. She closed her eyes. “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I couldn’t help myself.”

  “But you never would’ve made a move on me.”

  “Never.”

  “Because of your promise.”

  “Yes.”

  Kassandra looked up at her. She stood, tears marking her face. She fingered her hair and tucked it behind her ears. Jayden couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

  “What?” Kassandra asked.

  “That thing. I like it when you,” she motioned with her hand, “do that thing where you tuck your hair behind your ears. It lets me know you’re nervous.”

  “Does it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Know what you do? You bite your lip.”

  Jayden relaxed her mouth. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

  Kassandra stepped closer. “So what now, Beaumont? You got any more women I need to know about?”

  “No.”

  “Swear?”

  “Swear.”

  “I’m a bit buzzed, you know. A little too much wine this evening.”

  Jayden felt her face fall with disappointment. She wanted her to remember the things she’d said. “Should I go, then?”

  “God no.” She stepped closer. Reached out, touched her arm. Jayden inhaled sharply. “I want you to stay and take full advantage of me.”

  Jayden shuddered. “I don’t think—”

  “I don’t want you to think. I don’t want you to do what you think is right. I want you to do what it is you want. What we both want. I want you to take me, Jayden.” She stepped into her, reached up and ran her finger down Jayden’s lips. “Now.”

  Jayden could hardly hear the last whispered word, her heart was pounding so hard in her ears. She knew she should tuck her in bed and fall asleep with her, make love in the morning if she still wanted to. But Kassandra was draining all reason from her body with her touch. As if she were some sort of magical being who could do such things with a touch of a finger. She stood on her toes and lightly kissed her lips. Snuck out her tongue and toyed with her desire.

  Jayden groaned and took her in her arms and took possession with her mouth. She dove deep into her with her tongue and lifted her so th
at her legs were straddling her. She walked her to the bed and collapsed with her, crawling atop her, like a hungry wolf over prey. “I want you,” she said. “I want you so bad, Kassandra.” She kissed her again and ran her hands up her blouse, tracing the tracks with her mouth. Kassandra made noises of pleasure as she writhed beneath her, scraping her short nails along her back. Jayden stopped, sat up, and tore off her T-shirt.

  “Yes,” she said into Kassandra’s ear. “Dig your nails into me. Make me yours.”

  “I will,” Kassandra said. “Oh God, I will.” And she moaned and drug her nails down her back once again as Jayden found her neck and devoured it. “You’re mine,” she said. “Jayden, you’re mine.”

  “Mmm, yes, I am.” Jayden bit her delicate flesh and rose again to remove her bra.

  “I want to taste them,” Kassandra said.

  “Not yet.” Jayden pinned her and then went to work on the buttons of her blouse.

  “Tear it,” Kassandra breathed.

  Jayden laughed and tore it open. Kassandra sat up, ripped it off her arms, and then tore off her bra to expose her full, perky breasts. Jayden shoved her back down, held down her arms, and took her nipples in her mouth, sucking and lightly nibbling. Kassandra writhed and shook her head from side to side. She called Jayden’s name and begged for release.

  “Oh God, if you don’t stop I’m going to come. I’m going to come, Jayden.” Jayden stopped, grinned, and blew on her. Kassandra twitched and sucked in air between her teeth. “Jayden, Jesus. It’s going straight between my legs.”

  “Is it?” Jayden teased her.

  “Yes.”

  “Down here.” Jayden released her and allowed her own hand to drift slowly downward to her center. She pressed her lightly and Kassandra bucked her hips. “Right here? Is this the spot?” She stroked her up and down, feeling the mound of heat beneath her fingers.

  Kassandra was lost for breath, squeezing her arm. “Yes. You know it is.”

  “Do I?”

  “Yes, don’t, don’t tease me.”

  “I won’t tease you, love. I’ll give it all to you. That’s what you want, right?”

  Kassandra struggled for breath. “Yes.”

  “You want me to give it to you until you can’t take it anymore.”

  “Yes.” She bucked. “God, yes. Hurry.”

  Jayden repositioned herself and unbuttoned her slacks and tugged them off her. Then she tossed them aside and crawled up between her legs, inching her way closer by wrapping her arms around her thighs and pulling on her. She snuck her tongue out and traced around the lacy rim of her panties, causing her to squirm and sigh in pleasure.

  “Jayden,” she said. “Put your mouth on me. Please. Agh. Yes. Put your mouth on me.”

  Jayden flattened her tongue and licked her hard from her moist hole beneath the fabric up to her hardened clit, struggling for freedom.

  Kassandra lifted her head and shoulders. “Oh, God. Oh, God!”

  Jayden reached up and played with her nipples. Kassandra took her hand, kissed it wildly, sucked on her fingers. The sensation sent Jayden into overdrive, and she licked her hard, flat clit again and again. Kassandra tensed each time there was contact, shuddering more and more. She clenched Jayden’s hair and tried to force her to stay at her hungry flesh so she could explode and spill over. But Jayden fought her, milking her desire as best she could. Stopping to rim the lace of her panties once again, sneaking her tongue under every once in a while, to hear her cry out.

  “I love you, Kassandra,” Jayden said, turning her head to rub her cheekbone against her hot flesh, heating right through the moist fabric.

  “Wha?” Kassandra sounded breathless. She opened her eyes and stared.

  “I love you.” Jayden bit her protruding clit, just enough to make her buck. “I love every last inch of you. I need you to know.”

  Kassandra tugged on her hair. “I love you, too, Jayden Beaumont.” She laughed, her voice nearly hoarse. “I think I fell for you the moment you came on to me.”

  Jayden grinned. “I felt you,” she said. “I felt you react to me.”

  “You did?”

  “Yes. And I meant every word I said. Now more than ever. No one has ever moved me like you, Kassandra. No one. It’s like you walked in from heaven. Just breezed right into my life, white light shining behind you.”

  Kassandra tugged on her again. “Come here.” Jayden crawled to her and they kissed, hot and languid, deep and searching. Kassandra clung to her, nails digging in. Then she lowered her hand and slipped it beneath Jayden’s shorts. Jayden closed her eyes, unable to move to stop her. Memories of Kassandra’s delicate fingers playing her, swam through her, warming her. Her clit was already full when Kassandra found her.

  “Oh fuck,” Jayden groaned.

  “Touch me,” Kassandra said. “And kiss me while we touch each other. Slide your tongue in my mouth like how your fingers are sliding along my clit. I want to come while we are kissing.”

  Jayden hurriedly lowered her hand and slid it under Kassandra’s panties. She found her incredibly slick and ready for her. Kassandra called her name when she ran her fingertips around and over her clit, once, twice, three times. When her chest and face bloomed in red splotches, Jayden slowed, kissed her, and framed her clit to stroke up and down. Their tongues met and danced, twirled, and stroked. They moved their fingers slow at first, teasing, sliding, gliding. And then when Jayden felt so full of desire she’d burst, she kissed her harder, delved deeper with her tongue, and slid her fingertips around and over her clit again.

  Kassandra matched her, groaning into her. Jayden pumped her hips into her hand, clenched her eyes, so overcome with the reality that she was about to come with Kassandra, that she was feeling her beneath her fingers, that she nearly cried, she was so happy. She made a small noise, one that made Kassandra move faster, harder, and when she finally stiffened, shuddered, and cried out in Jayden’s mouth, Jayden did the same, calling out into her mouth, hungry tongues still at it, slipping and sliding, starving. They moaned, pulsed, and stroked together, coming into the universe, soul to soul.

  Jayden played her clit until she could take no more of Kassandra doing the same to her. She collapsed next to her and their hands stilled, chests heaving. Jayden laughed, incredulous, moved beyond words. She couldn’t stop smiling. Next to her, Kassandra wiped tears. Jayden rolled toward her.

  “Hey, you okay?” She stroked her soft cheek. Her eyes were crystal green as if just having purged all that was painful and wrong.

  “God, yes. I’m really fucking great.”

  Jayden smiled softly. “You’re beautiful,” she said. “Like this. Right at this moment. Perfect. I wish I could capture it.”

  “Lucky for you you’ll get to see a lot more of it.”

  Jayden warmed. “Yes, that is lucky for me. I’m the luckiest woman in the world.”

  Kassandra touched her face in return. “You’re everything I didn’t know I wanted.”

  “Here’s to just being friends,” Jayden said.

  Kassandra punched her. “Smart-ass.” Then she kissed her softly, and then deeper. “Here’s to just being friends.”

  They kissed again and Jayden scooted lower, a hunger still eating at her insides. Quickly, she crawled over Kassandra’s leg and settled between them. Kassandra laughed, already playing with Jayden’s hair.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Giving you the full treatment, so to speak.” Jayden lowered and breathed up her sensitive skin, causing her to jerk and shake.

  “Jay-den,” she breathed. “Don’t tease me anymore. I can’t take it.”

  “You want me to lick you now?”

  “Ye-es. God, yes. Please.”

  Jayden kissed her lightly and then eased down her panties. She inhaled her deeply and snuck out her tongue. She licked her outer lips and then swirled, circling closer and closer to her clit. Kassandra’s eyes fell closed and she tangled her fingers in Jayden’s hair.

  “Yes,”
she said again and again. “Oh, God, yes. Please, Jayden.”

  Jayden took her cue and flicked her clit, sending Kassandra into a wild spasm. She tugged and tore at Jayden, thrusting her hips upward.

  “Please, Jayden, please. Make me come. I want to come in your mouth.”

  Jayden smothered her clit then, pressing and licking and slightly sucking. Kassandra nearly screamed as she held fast to her, bucking like a mad woman.

  “Feels so good, feels so good. Jayden!” And she came, bolting up off the bed to a sitting position where she clung to Jayden and rubbed herself into her again and again. “Don’t stop, don’t stop—oh God, Jayden!” And she came again, this time long and deep, and she collapsed back and pulsed into Jayden, eyes trained on her ceiling, mouth open, neck strained.

  “I love you,” she said. “I love you.”

  Jayden gave until she stilled completely and yanked her head away. Jayden covered her pulsing flesh with her palm and rose to rest on her heaving breast. She kissed her lightly, all the way up to her ear where she whispered, “I love you, too.”

  Kassandra wiped tears and turned to snuggle into her. “Oh, God, Beaumont. If I had known you could do that, I would’ve given you the green light a long time ago.”

  Jayden laughed and held her tighter. “There’s so much more than that to come,” she said, not quite sure she could wait to show her.

  “Jesus, will we ever leave the bedroom?”

  “Not if you don’t want to.”

  Kassandra kissed her neck. Licked her skin. “I don’t want to.”

  Jayden rolled into her and pinned her down. “Good.”

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  December brought temperatures in the sixties, and Angel’s Wings was all abuzz with holiday business. Kassandra walked next to Jayden, holding her hand while some of the teens walked around them, holding long leashes led by numerous dogs. Dax and Lula were at the head of the pack, walking slowly, stopping here and there to sniff. With the cooler weather, the staff kept the dogs outdoors as much as possible, teaching them leash training and walking manners.

  “Lula doesn’t quite know what to do with all this land,” Jayden said, squinting into the low sun.