by Julie Cannon
She was still reeling from the proximity of their bodies when they were practicing in the sand. Now, when she touched Elizabeth again, her body reverberated as she remembered how it felt. Whether she moved her foot closer to the front of the board, placed her hand in the small of her back to emphasize posture, or touched her thigh to level her leg, she was turned on. Colby almost fell off her board when an unexpected wave crashed into her.
“Okay, now let’s talk about what to do when a wave comes your way. You need to adjust your body weight as it reaches you. Slightly shift backward, then forward again. This rocking motion will keep your board from sliding out from under you.” Just then another wave came and Elizabeth did exactly what Colby had told her to. “Good, very good.”
She told Elizabeth to start paddling, then moved next to her and took one of her arms. “Let me show you. Like this. Nice, firm, slow strokes. That’s it, just like that,” she said as Elizabeth took over again. She learned quickly and soon mastered the movement.
“Okay, now let’s try sitting up. This move is a little tricky. Watch me,” she said, demonstrating each step. “First, push up with your arms and arch your back a little. Then open your legs and straddle the board. Hang on to it so you don’t tip, then straighten up.” She completed each movement in slow motion to show Elizabeth exactly what to do. “Be careful and pay attention to the swell of the water. You want to ride it up and down, not fight it, or you’ll tumble off. Lean into the wave when it comes and arch your back when it passes.”
When Colby finished that part of the lesson she looked at her student. Elizabeth had desire written all over her face before concentration replaced it. She knew that look, had seen it before on Elizabeth’s face, the night they kissed on the beach. Her insides started to throb. Good God, would she always get like this in this woman’s company?
“Okay, I think I got it,” Elizabeth said, turning Colby’s attention to the board.
She did get it and smiled as she sat comfortably on top of the big board. “Now what?”
Colby had no clue. Elizabeth had followed her directions to the letter and in doing so had just completed one of the most erotic movements she had ever seen. Her body was fluid, her muscles flexing, chin high, back arched, legs spread. Colby envisioned that Elizabeth would look just like that on top of her as she orgasmed.
“Colby?” Elizabeth shouted over the wave that splashed water into her face.
“Oh, um, okay, good.” She was having trouble forming a coherent thought, let alone a sentence. She had seen other women complete the same maneuver, but none evoked the image that still danced in her mind.
“Ready to try one?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Elizabeth said with enthusiasm. “What do I do?”
She gave Elizabeth step-by-step instructions, and after six or seven tries and spills off her board, Elizabeth succeeded in standing up. She gave an excited yelp just as a miniature wave dumped her into the water. Colby laughed as Elizabeth’s head popped up. “You had it until you got carried away with yourself. You’re doing great. Now all you do is practice, practice, practice.”
Thirty minutes later Colby called it quits.
“But I was just getting good.” Elizabeth almost pouted.
“Did you forget one of the safety rules? Rest when you’re tired. You don’t know it yet but you’ll be exhausted soon, and you need to get back to shore. Come on, I’m the teacher and you’re the student. I don’t know how you do it in that fancy school of yours, but in my school the teacher is always right.” She slid off her board and into the thigh-deep water. As she lifted her board out of the water Elizabeth gazed at her with a wicked gleam in her eye. “What?”
“But I thought I was the teacher’s pet?”
Her heart skipped and the sand suddenly became very difficult to walk in. “You are, and the teacher wants to keep it that way. Now, unstrap your tether and go sit down. I’ll get us something to drink.”
On fire, Elizabeth watched Colby walk away. She had been so aroused by Colby’s half-nakedness and nearness on the beach she could hardly concentrate on what she was saying. Somehow she had managed to do everything she needed to in the water and, even with too many spills to count, found she really enjoyed it. But right now she was thoroughly enjoying watching her surf instructor walk away from her.
Colby’s body was strong and powerful yet she had the grace of a cat. Her shoulders were broad, her back tapering down to slim hips that somehow managed to keep her board shorts on. Just a slight sway in her walk indicated she was female. She was one fine specimen of a woman. For the umpteenth time she asked herself why she was fighting what she obviously wanted.
Colby returned with two large bottles of water and Elizabeth sat next to her, a mirror of the position she had taken. The board stuck in the sand provided a perfect backrest, and she leaned into the solid surface. A flashback reminded her of the last time her back was pressed against this board. Another hot flush spread through her. God, what was going on? She reminded herself again why she needed to stay away from this woman.
“What are you grinning about?”
“Nothing,” she replied, trying unsuccessfully to wipe the expression off her face.
“Don’t give me that. You’re thinking about something? Tell me.” Colby moved her fingers in sync with her words.
“I was just thinking how sexy surfing is.” So much for self-discipline.
“Sexy?” She looked confused.
“Yes, sexy. Have you ever thought about what you say, the instructions you give, how they sound?”
“Not really. What am I missing?”
“Practically everything you said, every instruction or technique, had a direct allusion to sex.” Or was it just her overactive libido and wishful thinking? “I mean, come on, Colby. Push with your arms, arch your back, open your legs, rock back and forth. Holy shit, it sounds like chapter five in The Joy of Lesbian Sex.” Was Colby blushing?
“I’d never really thought about it.”
“Well, I certainly did,” she murmured under her breath, but not quite low enough.
Colby turned her head in her direction and nailed her with a look of complete desire. “And?”
“And it was just an observation.”
“And?” she repeated, her eyes not leaving Elizabeth’s. While Colby waited for her response, her eyes grew darker, her pupils dilating even in the bright late-afternoon sun. Colby wanted her, no doubt about it. But what did she want?
She was no stranger to casual sex. It worked for her and she had very few regrets afterward. So why not now, with this woman who was so obviously offering? It wouldn’t mean anything for either of them. How could it? They barely knew each other. A quick vacation fling for her and whatever Colby would get out of it. No harm, no foul, no complicated feelings. No feelings at all except the raw hunger reflecting back at her.
“Would you like to go back to my room?” Her voice was husky.
Colby raised one eyebrow. “Are you inviting me in for afternoon tea?”
It was almost impossible for her to take a deep breath. This was it. The moment they both knew would come when they couldn’t or didn’t want to dance around the pull between them any longer. Slowly she looked at the tan legs splayed out beside her, the flat stomach, small breasts moving up and down quicker with each passing second, and finally into dark, black eyes. “I don’t have any tea.”
By the time they got to her villa she could barely restrain herself. Their kisses and initial exploration on the beach that night were simply foreplay. Colby stepped close, her body fitting nicely behind her, and she fumbled with the card key before sliding it into the slot. The blinking green light on the keypad signaled more than the unlocking of the door.
Chapter Ten
Colby followed Elizabeth into the villa, too nervous to notice the furnishings. She did see that the curtains were open, allowing the late-afternoon sun into the large room. In her experience, most women, for whatever reason, pr
eferred the dark of night. But not Elizabeth. She had invited her here for only one reason. Colby wanted to make love to her in the daylight when she could see every curve, peak, and valley that was only Elizabeth. She wanted to watch her climax, see her lose control. That thought alone kicked her desire level up a notch.
She wanted Elizabeth desperately but at the same time she was cautious. Elizabeth had so many appealing qualities, the combination a powerful aphrodisiac. But something about her touched Colby.
She didn’t allow her emotions to get in the way of having sex with a woman. In fact, she rarely felt anything anymore. Over the years she had simply lost interest in anything other than surfing. She went through the motions with her friends and when other social situations required it, and the same was true with her sexual liaisons. She was simply responding to a natural bodily function. The need for sexual release was very different from the need to be loved and cared for. She would never allow that to happen again.
Elizabeth stopped in the middle of the room and turned to her, her face flushed and devoid of emotion except for the desire flickering in her eyes. She tossed the card key, her towel, and whatever else she had in her hands on the couch. Without taking her eyes off her, Elizabeth peeled her top over her head and slid the bottom of her swimsuit to the floor. She stood there waiting for her to make the next move.
Her pulse rocketed. Elizabeth was more beautiful than she imagined. She was trim with just enough curves to be appealing to any man or lesbian. Her breasts were firm and exactly as they should be for a woman her age, and she immediately remembered how they felt and tasted. A tan line on her flat stomach separated it from the neatly trimmed curly hair below. Colby couldn’t wait to have Elizabeth wrapped around her.
She dropped her own things and slowly crossed the room. Elizabeth didn’t move, and the sheer boldness of her actions made Colby’s knees weak. Being with a woman who took charge of her own needs and desires was exciting, and if she wasn’t careful she’d come at Elizabeth’s first touch.
Her hand shook when she caressed Elizabeth’s cheek with the back of her fingers. She wanted to explore every inch of the soft skin, warmed by desire and the sun. But she wanted to kiss her even more.
Before she had a chance, Elizabeth spoke, a catch in her voice. “You have too many clothes on.”
“Then take them off,” she countered, her own voice more than a little shaky.
Elizabeth quickly disposed of her tank top, but with almost agonizing slowness she trailed her fingertips over every thread of Colby’s bikini top before slowly untying the two strings that held it together. It landed on the same pile on the floor.
Elizabeth took her time removing her board shorts, which drove her crazy, but she didn’t reach for Elizabeth or touch her in any way. She let Elizabeth take control, which was thrilling. She was always the one in charge, the aggressor, the taker versus the taken, but not this time.
“You’re beautiful,” she whispered.
Elizabeth licked her lips and Colby stepped closer, the tips of their breasts almost touching. The heat from their bodies rose in waves, and her breathing matched the shallow in and out of Elizabeth’s chest. She desperately wanted to touch her but held back. She was afraid all this would go away, Elizabeth would go away if she did something wrong. For the first time in a long time she wanted to do everything right.
Elizabeth cupped her hand behind Colby’s neck and pulled her down for a kiss. When their lips met, an explosion shot through her and she had to fight the urge to take Elizabeth in her arms and never let go. The sensation was more powerful than the first time they kissed. Then they were two strangers, now they were more than that.
Elizabeth deepened the kiss and stepped into her, and she couldn’t hold back any longer. She wrapped her arms around Elizabeth’s waist, pulling her closer, and reveled in the feel of her naked skin. She didn’t know what aroused her more—Elizabeth’s kisses, the feel of her breasts against hers, or the soft hair tickling her thigh. She didn’t try to figure it out, simply struggled to maintain what little control she still had.
She explored the soft skin of Elizabeth’s back, and when she trailed her hands up her spine, Elizabeth arched her back, her hard nipples pushing against Colby’s chest. When Elizabeth moaned, Colby slid her thigh between hers.
Elizabeth practically climbed her leg, her wetness a mirror of what Colby knew was her own. Dragging her mouth away, she slid her lips and tongue down Elizabeth’s neck. Her head dropped in surrender, giving Colby complete access, and she sucked on the throbbing pulse point. Elizabeth’s hands were in her hair, pulling and guiding as she ground against her leg.
“I can’t stand up much longer.” Elizabeth’s voice was choked with passion. “Take me to bed or take me now.”
Her ears roared and her pulse skyrocketed with desire. Just those few words aroused her almost to orgasm. She wanted to carry Elizabeth to bed and spend hours making love to her, yet she wanted her right here, right now. She couldn’t make up her mind. Elizabeth decided for her.
“Touch me,” she breathed into Colby’s hair. Not giving her a chance to respond, Elizabeth grabbed her hand and guided it between her legs. Warm wetness filled her hand, Elizabeth’s sigh of pleasure filled her ears. Elizabeth started to move and her clitoris hardened with each stroke.
“God, yes,” Elizabeth said, wrapping her arms around Colby’s neck. Colby spread her legs, distributing her weight more evenly to hold Elizabeth as she rode her fingers. She wanted to feel Elizabeth under her, above her, inside her. She slid one finger, then two into her warm center. Elizabeth’s arms tightened around her and she stopped breathing. Frightened, Colby started to pull away.
“No,” Elizabeth emphatically replied, which was all Colby needed to hear. She began to stroke Elizabeth’s clit with her thumb. Elizabeth stiffened, the flesh around her fingers pulsated, and Elizabeth came in her hand. She held her as wave after wave of pleasure clearly shot through the woman in her arms. She was on the verge of orgasm herself but focused on giving Elizabeth as much pleasure as possible. When Elizabeth’s shudders subsided, she flicked her thumb over Elizabeth’s hard clit again, causing another round of orgasms to spill from her. This time she couldn’t hold back her own climax and her knees gave way. She and Elizabeth slid to the floor, Colby on top, breathing heavily.
“Oh, my God.”
She could barely speak. Her breathing was too fast and she was light-headed. She raised herself up on her arms, taking some of her weight off Elizabeth. “I’ll say.” The words were barely out of her mouth when Elizabeth slid her fingers into her, then had her on her back with her lips fastened to her breast. She climaxed again almost before she knew it was coming.
Elizabeth didn’t let up, and it was two hours before they got up off the floor and headed into the bedroom. They ricocheted off the walls, their desire for each other overtaking them in the middle of the hall. She lifted Elizabeth, and finally those legs that had tantalized her for days wrapped around her. Hands and fingers and mouths were everywhere, and they shared several more orgasms in the hall before they finally made it to Elizabeth’s bed.
Colby woke, at first not sure where she was. She had not woken in a place she wasn’t familiar with in more than fifteen years. Elizabeth was asleep, curled against her, her hand on her breast. Colby watched her nipple harden just by looking at Elizabeth’s hand against it. Her skin was lighter there than anywhere else on her body, and the contrast between Elizabeth’s tanned hand and her skin was as clear as the differences between them.
From what she knew of Elizabeth she had a successful career and a life she loved. Her future was in front of her and she was making the most of it. Colby, on the other hand, was ashamed of hers. Her old life, that is. How would Elizabeth react if she found out? Naturally she’d be shocked. Anyone who knew what happened would be, and rightfully so. Next she would be repulsed and disgusted because she had allowed someone who had done what she had to touch her. She would shower with the stron
gest soap and the roughest brush to erase all traces of Colby’s hands from her body. She would never forget Colby, but for all the wrong reasons. And that’s why Colby never wanted her to find out.
This was exactly why very few people knew anything more about her than she wanted to divulge. In the beginning, her dinner buddies had peppered her with the usual questions that passed between burgeoning friends. She became a master at avoidance and small lies to cover her tracks. She didn’t let anyone too close, having concluded that she couldn’t handle taking on the emotional or physical responsibility for another human being. Unfortunately that realization had come too late.
Elizabeth stirred, snuggling deeper in her arms. She wanted to wake her and rewind the last few hours. Making love with Elizabeth had been unbelievable. Just thinking about the warmth of her body, the softness of her skin, the tangy taste of her lips, she grew wet. Elizabeth must have sensed something because she woke.
“Hey, there,” she said, sounding groggy.
“Hey, yourself.” Since Gretchen died she had not woken up with a woman regardless of whose bed they were in. Typically it was the other woman’s, but she always left before it reached this point. So why was she still here? And, more important, why was she not at all anxious to leave?
“Have you been awake long?”
Elizabeth’s hand was moving in delicious circles on her stomach and she already had a hard time concentrating on anything other than the growing throb between her legs. “No, not long.”
“I’m hungry,” Elizabeth murmured, raising herself on an elbow.
Her hair was tousled but her eyes clear, and she was the most beautiful woman Colby had ever seen. The sprinkling of freckles on her nose gave her a youthful appearance. She asked about them.
“I usually cover them up. Something about a college president with freckles that loses the desired punch.”
