by Radclyffe
Honor slid her fingers under the waistband of Quinn’s jeans. “Good. Neither am I.”
Then she tugged Quinn into her bedroom, reached around her to lock the door, and then laced her arms around Quinn’s neck. Sighing at the first touch of their bodies, she nuzzled her face in the curve of Quinn’s neck. “I had a wonderful time today. I wouldn’t change a thing about it.”
Quinn encircled Honor’s waist and spread her hands over Honor’s hips, snugging her closer still. With her lips against Honor’s forehead, she murmured, “But?”
“But,” Honor replied indolently, her mouth brushing over Quinn’s lips, her hips rocking gently, “I thought I was going to die if I couldn’t touch you soon.”
“Mmm.” Quinn moved her mouth along the edge of Honor’s jaw in quick, feathery kisses, then caught an earlobe between her teeth and nipped, drawing a sharp gasp from the woman in her arms. “You can touch me now.”
“I’m going to make you pay for that,” Honor warned breathlessly, tugging the T-shirt from Quinn’s jeans.
“Promise?”
In lieu of an answer, Honor kissed her, darting her tongue between Quinn’s lips until Quinn groaned. With the kiss unbroken, they stumbled their way toward the bed and tumbled onto it. Then they drew apart, laughing quietly. Honor slid her hand under Quinn’s T-shirt and over her breasts, teasing her nipples into hard points of desire. Breathing rapidly, Quinn worked the button loose on Honor’s shorts with one hand and then dipped her fingers inside. Honor stiffened and caught her breath sharply.
“Quinn, darling...that’s not exactly my idea of punishment.” With a swift lift of her hips, she dislodged Quinn’s hand and rolled over on top of her, straddling her hips. Laughing at the look of consternation on Quinn’s face, she pulled her shirt and bra off over her head and dropped them behind her onto the floor. She arched her back and gave a low contented sigh, drawing both hands up her abdomen to stop with her fingers splayed over her breasts. When Quinn raised her shoulders to reach for her, Honor shook her head.
“No, I don’t think so.” She cupped her breasts, squeezed gently. “You can look, but not touch.”
Quinn’s eyes grew round with surprise at the same time as her pulse skyrocketed. Her throat went dry and arousal poured through her like quicksilver, hot and slick. She groaned. “Do you know what that will do to me?”
Honor cocked her head and smiled, a slow teasing smile. She flicked one of her hard nipples with a fingertip and barely managed to hold back a moan. Breathless, she said, “Let’s find out.”
The muscles in Quinn’s legs were so tight she thought she’d cramp as she watched Honor push her shorts down over her hips, shifting quickly back and forth until she kicked free of the restraining material.
“Hands on the bed, now,” Honor murmured as she unzipped Quinn’s jeans and worked them off.
When Honor settled back down, a leg on either side of Quinn’s body, she was nude, and Quinn was desperate with the scent and sight of her.
“I like the way you look at me,” Honor whispered, trailing the fingers of her right hand between her breasts and then down over her belly. She fixed on Quinn’s eyes as they followed the movement of her fingers, and it was almost as if it were Quinn touching her. Honor’s excitement escalated and she pulled her lip between her teeth, biting down to hold her focus. She was wet, throbbing, and she wanted Quinn’s hands on her. “You look a little wild. A little dangerous.”
“I am dangerous. I want you.” Quinn dared to touch her then, because she couldn’t bear not to any longer. Still, she only rested her palms against the outside of Honor’s thighs, needing to feel the heat of her skin. “All of you.” She smoothed her hands up Honor’s sides and then down to clasp her hips. “I want to be inside of you like you’re inside of me.”
Honor rested her fingertips on the insides of her spread legs and drew her hands upward until she framed the center of her desire, then brushed her fingers lightly over herself. Someone groaned. She thought it was Quinn. It might have been her. Her lids closed as the pleasure settled in the pit of her stomach, and she heard Quinn panting softly as her hips jerked between Honor’s thighs. She held her fingers still then, afraid that her control would snap. “Do you know how ready I am for you?”
“Honor,” Quinn pleaded, cupping Honor’s hips and urging her upward. “Let me have you. Please.”
Unable to hold back, Honor leaned forward and braced her arms on the headboard, letting Quinn guide her to her mouth. She cried out softly as warm lips enclosed her, her head dropping between her arms, her thighs trembling. “Oh,” she moaned, “oh God, Quinn.”
Quinn caressed Honor’s back in long strokes that echoed the movement of her tongue, soothing even as she stoked the embers of Honor’s passion to bright flame. When she felt the pulse beat wildly between her lips and sensed Honor gathering her strength for the climb to completion, she gripped Honor’s waist and held her firmly. When Honor sobbed out her pleasure, Quinn drew her deeper, claiming her with relentless tenderness.
Even before the last gripping spasm had released her, Honor collapsed into Quinn’s waiting arms. She shuddered with the still-powerful aftershocks, pressing her face to Quinn’s neck. “Please don’t let go.”
Quinn tightened her hold, molding her body to Honor’s and wrapping her arms around her. “No,” she murmured, her lips pressed to Honor’s damp hair. “No, sweetheart, I won’t.”
Eventually, Honor stilled and her breathing returned to normal. “When you touch me, I feel so exposed.”
“I love the way you let me touch you.” Quinn caressed Honor’s cheek and kissed her softly. “You can trust me.”
“I think I do.”
Quinn closed her eyes, gratitude and desire filling her in equal measure. “By the way, you can punish me any time you please.”
“I don’t think...that plan worked very well.” Honor laughed just a bit wildly, remembering how easily she had given herself to Quinn, how she had wanted so desperately for Quinn to take her. God, how can she turn everything around and make it feel so right?
Gently, Quinn took Honor’s hand and drew it between her own thighs, gasping softly as warm fingers brushed her painfully swollen clitoris. “I think...it worked...just fine.”
“Is that right?” Laughing with delight now, Honor leaned up on an elbow and watched Quinn’s face as she worked her slowly but inexorably to orgasm. When Quinn’s eyes, fixed on her face, lost focus and her stomach tightened on a groan, Honor moaned softly. She felt powerful and humbled and blessed by the exquisite connection she had never hoped to experience again.
“That’s right, baby,” she murmured as Quinn, shuddering violently, pressed her face to Honor’s breasts. “That’s right. Everything is fine, just fine.”
“Oh,” Quinn gasped after a time. “You make me feel so good.” She leaned her head back, searching Honor’s face, her expression still dazed. “So damn good—everywhere.”
Smiling tenderly, Honor brushed her fingers through Quinn’s hair, then eased Quinn’s head back to her breast, loving the sensation of holding her in her arms. “Then we’re even, because you make me feel so good, too.”
“I’m happy,” Quinn mumbled, floating on the edge of sleep. “Really happy.”
“Yes,” Honor whispered wonderingly, her voice just barely audible. “So am I.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Quinn awoke on her side, her breasts pressed to Honor’s back, an arm around her waist, and Honor’s hips nestled into the curve of her belly. She cradled the heavy warmth of Honor’s breast and thrilled to the heartbeat beneath her palm. Honor was everywhere, everything. Quinn nestled her face in the curve of her lover’s neck, nuzzling the soft skin just below her ear. She smiled to herself when Honor murmured her pleasure and rocked her hips against Quinn’s pelvis. She couldn’t think of a single thing that worried her and would be content never to move from that spot.
Close to drifting off to sleep once more in sated torpor, Quinn
groaned in near-ecstasy as the faint but exquisite aroma of coffee reached her. Oh God, yes. Coffee.
Coffee!
Quinn’s eyes flew open. “Holy Christ.”
“What?” Honor questioned, drowsy and slightly grumpy.
“Coffee. Phyllis is downstairs—in the kitchen—making coffee.”
Honor grasped Quinn’s hand and held it tightly between her breasts, preventing Quinn from jumping up. “She always comes over in the morning around this time when I have to work.”
“Yes,” Quinn whispered urgently. “But I’m not usually upstairs in bed with you.”
“Mmm.” Honor worked her hips a little tighter into the bend of Quinn’s body, eliciting a startled but appreciative gasp from Quinn. “Maybe we can work on that.”
“And maybe I can make it down the maple tree outside your window, too.”
“Well,” Honor muttered, pressing Quinn’s hand to her breast a second longer before releasing her hold, “I can see that you’re immune to my charms this morning.” Laughing, she turned onto her back and regarded Quinn with lazy, satisfied eyes. “Phyllis is not going to care that you’re here.”
“Yes, but she’ll know what we’ve been doing.”
Honor’s lips curved into a full, ripe smile. “I very much doubt that she’ll know that.”
Quinn grinned and couldn’t resist kissing the beautiful mouth. When she drew away, Honor’s eyes were liquid and warm. “I meant in generic terms.”
“Kiss me like that again, and she will have all the details.”
“Oh no. Not on your life.” Quinn dipped her head, stole another kiss, and then slid from the bed. “I’m going to get dressed and try not to look like I spent the entire night reveling in your body.”
Honor sat up and pushed her hair back with both hands, her breasts lifting with the motion. “Did you?”
“What?” Quinn asked, losing her train of thought as she followed the rise and sway of Honor’s breasts.
“Revel?”
“Oh yeah.” Quinn brushed her palm down the center of her own chest and abdomen, unconsciously trying to contain the sudden surge of arousal. “I feasted.”
“You did, didn’t you?” Honor’s voice was low, throaty. Her eyes followed the path of Quinn’s hand over the gentle swell of breast and taut muscles, imagining her own in its place. “Either get dressed or get back into this bed.”
“Work. We have to go to work.” Quinn tore her eyes away from Honor’s hungry gaze and found her jeans. She tugged them on and closed the fly with trembling hands. Her T-shirt lay by the side of the bed, and as she reached to get it, she felt Honor’s fingers drift along her spine. She shivered and stepped out of touching range. “Do you have any idea how much I want you? Any idea at all?”
Through the mind-blurring mists of arousal, Honor heard the nearly agonized tone of Quinn’s voice. Her vision cleared instantly, and she searched Quinn’s face, startled to see a flicker of pain wash through her eyes. Without another thought, she slipped naked from the bed and quickly went to Quinn. She framed the handsome face gently in her palms. “Quinn.” She tenderly kissed her mouth. “I never want to hurt you. Am I?”
Quinn closed her eyes and shook her head. She rested her hands on Honor’s waist. “No. Sometimes, I feel...so much, it hurts. But I don’t mind.” She opened her eyes, smiled faintly. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
“As long as you’re sure.” Honor brushed the hair from Quinn’s forehead, then softly stroked her cheek. I want to give you more, I want to. I just...can’t...yet.
“I’m sure.” Quinn grinned, stronger this time. “I have to go home and shower. I need to change for work.”
“Yes, you do. You don’t want to be late.” Honor raised her brows. “I’ve heard your chief is a ballbuster.”
“Yeah.” Quinn shrugged into her T-shirt. “But I kinda like it.”
Honor’s voice was honey warm. “Oh, really?”
Quinn didn’t answer, glancing around the room in consternation. “Shit, I left my sneakers in Arly’s room.” She glanced at Honor in concern. “She shouldn’t know I spent the night, right?”
“She’d probably be fine with it, but I’d rather tell her ahead of time if you’re going to be here when she gets up. Plus, she’s going to want you to stay for breakfast.” Honor gave Quinn an affectionate pat on the rear. “I’ll get your sneakers and bring them down to the kitchen for you. She won’t wake up just yet.”
“Great,” Quinn sighed.
While Honor went to retrieve her Nikes, Quinn pulled on her socks and headed downstairs. She hoped that Honor was right about Phyllis. There was a big difference between knowing something in theory and being confronted with it in fact. Regardless of anything that Phyllis might have said, she was still Terry’s mother, and Quinn had taken Terry’s place in Honor’s bed, if not her heart.
Phyllis , a cup of coffee in her hand and a smile on her face, turned at the sound of soft footsteps behind her. She blinked at the sight of Quinn, shoeless and uneasy, framed in the kitchen doorway. Her untucked T-shirt was rumpled, her hair was mussed, and her eyes were apologetic. Quinn. Honor’s new love.
For just an instant, Terry’s face flashed into Phyllis’s mind. That heart-melting grin that could charm the spots off a leopard. Oh, baby love. I miss you so much.
“Hi, Phyllis.” Quinn didn’t move, watching Phyllis’s face. “I’m sorry I took you by surprise.”
“That’s all right.” Phyllis gestured to the coffeepot. “Do you want some?”
Quinn shook her head. “I need to get home. I was just—”
Honor appeared at Quinn’s side, sneakers in hand. “Here you go.” She ran a hand down Quinn’s back, the gesture intimate but discreet, then stepped around her and into the kitchen. “Morning, Phyllis.”
“Hi, sweetie.”
While Quinn leaned against the wall and tugged on her Nikes, Honor poured coffee into a travel mug. She held out the mug to Quinn. “If you’re only going to have one cup today, it should be Phyllis’s. Are you going to bike in, or do you want a ride?”
“I think I’ll bike.” Quinn crossed the room and reached for the cup. Her eyes met Honor’s and, uncertain, she lifted a shoulder. “I’ll talk to you later.”
Leaning forward, Honor kissed Quinn lightly on the mouth. “Be careful. See you soon.”
Honor waited until Quinn had disappeared off the back porch. Then she turned to Phyllis and softly touched her arm. “Are you okay about Quinn?”
“Yes.” Phyllis rested her hips against the counter, sipped her coffee, and regarded Honor thoughtfully. She’d seen Honor almost every morning for the last six years. This morning, Honor looked different. Phyllis hadn’t realized until just now that she had grown used to the hollowness in Honor’s eyes, the emptiness left in the wake of unrelenting pain. Now, something else had taken its place. Something that looked a great deal like happiness. “It wasn’t as if I didn’t expect it. In fact, I’ve rather been rooting for it.”
“For Quinn to spend the night?” Honor’s lips curled into a fond smile as she remembered the pleasure of waking in Quinn’s arms. She didn’t realize how much that simple smile revealed.
“More than that,” Phyllis murmured. I’ve been waiting for you to let someone into your heart.
Honor blinked, caught in the memory. “What? I’m sorry...”
“Nothing.” Phyllis laughed and handed Honor an empty coffee mug. “Here. Pour your coffee and get going, or you’ll be late. I’m going to make Arly’s lunch.”
Dutifully, Honor did as she was told. She stopped in the doorway on her way out and turned back, regarding Phyllis tenderly. “I don’t know how I would have managed without you. I don’t think I could have. I hope my being with Quinn doesn’t hurt you.”
Phyllis stood in front of the kitchen table with a jar of peanut butter in her hand. She met Honor’s gaze steadily. “Does she make you happy?”
For an instant, Honor closed her eyes, afraid of the fe
elings. Then she opened them and nodded. “Yes. She does.”
“Then I’m happy, too.”
Linda frowned at the closed curtain in the last patient cubicle at the far end of the hall. She was certain that she hadn’t put anyone in that one since it was too small to work in comfortably, and she usually reserved it for overflow or for boarders who were waiting for a bed to open up on a regular floor upstairs. Plus, there were no charts on the rack for that room. She reached for the curtain irritably. The last time she’d checked a supposedly unoccupied cubicle, she’d come upon one of the surgery residents bare-ass naked humping one of her nurses. At the last second, she decided not to fling the barrier open and risk giving the entire ER a show. Pulling the stiff blue material aside a few inches, she peeked into the room. What she saw had her stepping quickly all the way inside.
“Are you all right?”
Grimacing, Quinn looked up from the treatment table upon which she was stretched out, shirtless, trying unsuccessfully to position a series of EKG pads across her own torso. Honor was at an administrative meeting, and Quinn had thought she’d have enough time and privacy to run a twelve-lead EKG and rhythm strip.
“Yes. Fine.” Another lead fell off. “Fuck.” Casting Linda a desperate glance, she pleaded, “Look, can you help me with this?”
Linda folded her arms over her chest and regarded Quinn solemnly. “It depends.”
“On what?”
“Are you going to tell Honor what’s going on?”
“What makes you think anything is going on?” Quinn sat up and strapped a leg lead around her ankle. When she did, another of the six pads on her chest became disconnected. She groaned.
“I thought we were friends,” Linda said quietly.
“I’m sorry.” Quinn blushed. “I don’t...want her to know.”
“Know what?”
Quinn gestured to her chest and the scar over the implanted defibrillator. “Did she tell you?”
Linda shook her head. “No. But I saw your chest x-ray the day you injured your shoulder. It wasn’t her fault. I just walked in on her.”
