by MJ Duncan
“Hmm?”
“I just want our first time to be when we’re actually together, if that makes any sense.”
“No. I understand. And I want that too.” Bryn squeezed her legs together and shifted beneath the covers, trying to ignore the way the smooth fabric of her nightgown rubbed against her nipples and failing miserably at it. “I just…”
“Yeah,” Anna murmured. “I know. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
Bryn sighed. “I’ll be home in three days.”
“Yeah.” Anna huffed a breath. “So…what’s on tap for the rest of the week?”
“More of the same. Meetings and then more meetings, and then the best part of my day—talking to you at night.”
“That’s been the best part of my day too.”
Bryn smiled and rolled onto her side. “How was dinner with Jess and Jules last night?”
“Good. Jules said to tell you that she’s glad you ‘finally pulled your head out of your arse’ and realized what an awesome catch I am,” she reported in a terrible British accent.
Bryn laughed. “I did, indeed. How did she even know…?”
“I may have whined to her once or a million times about how much I liked you when I thought that you and I would never actually get together.”
“Thank God I pulled my head out of my arse, eh?” Bryn murmured.
“Absolutely,” Anna agreed. “Anyway, they invited us both over for dinner one night when you’re back and it fits into everybody’s schedules. I told them I’d talk to you about it.”
“As long as we’re talking dinner, my schedule is fairly flexible,” Bryn said. “I’m going to be busy with the harvest during the day for the next couple months, but my evenings should be all yours, Doctor. Schedule them as you see fit.”
“Right. So I’ll tell her that maybe we’ll do something sometime next year?”
Bryn laughed. “If that’s how you wish to spend our evenings…”
“I just want you with me. I wish you could just blow off those meetings and come home.”
Oh, how she wished for that too. “Unfortunately, that is not an option. If I do that, I’ll be summoned back even sooner than December, and as I’ve already suffered through two days and one attempted set-up, I’d rather just see this trip through to the end so I can pretend this stupid city doesn’t even exist for the next three months.”
“I was just kidding. I know you can’t come home yet. What time do you start again in the morning?”
“Eight. You?”
“The same. No surgery tomorrow, just clinic. I may try and jam over to Vert during my lunch so I can get a workout in and still be home and waiting for your call tomorrow night.”
“If you want to go climbing after work, I can always call later. Or you can just call me when you’re done.”
“Nope. I’d rather talk to you.”
Bryn smiled. “Are you working this weekend?”
“I was supposed to be, but I traded with Stevens. I’ll be on for the next two because I had traded this past weekend for that one with Patel, but there was no way I was going to work this weekend after not seeing you all week.”
“You’re incredible. I can’t wait.”
Anna sighed softly, the sound a gentle caress to Bryn’s soul despite the distance that separated them. “Neither can I.”
Thirty-Two
“I’m on my way home,” Bryn reported into her phone as she made her way through the aisles of cars in the long-term lot at Portland International Airport. Despite the fact that her internal clock was convinced that it was well past midnight, there was a distinct spring in her step. The knowledge that she would finally see Anna again overrode any exhaustion she should have felt.
“I can’t wait,” Anna said.
The wheels of Bryn’s suitcase hummed against the textured concrete floor of the parking structure, the low sound reverberating through the cavernous space. She spotted her car parked at the end of the next row over, and she hurried toward it, all but throwing her bag into the back of the SUV in her rush to get home.
“Do you remember the garage code?” she asked as she climbed behind the wheel.
“I do. I’m heading up there now, so I’ll be waiting for you.”
Bryn smiled. “I can’t wait.”
“Drive safe.”
“I will. See you soon.”
Thankfully, the evening exodus out of the city that left I-84 a congested mess of brake lights and frustrated drivers had eased hours before, and Bryn was able to merge onto the interstate at a few miles per hour over the posted limit. She zoned out as she drove, using the time alone with nothing but the reflective white lines stretched in front of her as an opportunity to decompress from the week. The car radio was silent, the soft sound of her tires against the pavement a perfect white noise soundtrack to accompany her shifting thoughts.
All things considered, it had been a much less painful trip than usual. Her mother, convinced that she had succeeded in her set-up, had all but left her alone for the remainder of her trip—only sending one predictably blunt text reminding her that she was getting too old to take opportunities like Edward Lowry for granted, and that she should try her hardest to “not sabotage the relationship with [her] atrocious lack social graces”. Things at Nakamura Financial had also gone as well as she could have expected. The meetings were long and tedious, and her father’s demands that she sell Spectrum and return to Boston became increasingly less subtle as the week wore on—but, for the first time in a few years, it was not difficult for her to ignore it all. On her last few visits, her conviction to continue doing what made her happy had begun to waver by the end of each trip, but just thinking about what was waiting for her at home was enough to keep her focused on her goal: surviving the week so she could return to her beloved Spectrum and Anna.
The Columbia River was a wide, dark abyss as she drove over the Hood River Bridge that connected Wellington to northern Oregon, and Bryn’s foot pressed just a little bit harder onto the accelerator as the lights of Wellington became brighter.
She was almost home.
It was as if Wellington were welcoming her back as every light through downtown remained green for her, letting her zip past darkened storefronts and beyond until she was on the narrow county road that led to Spectrum. By the time she turned off of Halcyon and onto Spectrum’s property, her stomach was swarming with butterflies. Her thumb was on the remote for the gate at the bottom of her driveway well before she was within range, and she sat up straighter in anticipation as her car bumped over the track.
She was home.
The sight of Anna’s car parked in its usual spot beneath the oak in the courtyard made her smile, as did the soft glow of lights shining through the textured glass windows that flanked the front doors. The garage door seemed to take forever to open, and she inched through the slowly widening gap until she was able to pull all the way into the garage and turn off her ignition.
The sound of The Aviators playing over the speakers in the great room greeted her as she made her way down the hall toward the main part of the house. She paused at the edge of the room to drink-in the sight of Anna dozing on the couch, her head resting on her hand and her sock-clad feet tucked up under her on the cushion as a fire blazed in the fireplace. Affection bloomed in Bryn’s chest as she stared at Anna, who somehow managed to look even more beautiful than she remembered.
She pulled off her boots and left them in the foyer with her bag, and padded across the room to the couch where Anna slept. She braced her left hand on the back of the couch near Anna’s elbow and combed the fingers of her right hand through Anna’s hair that was loose around her face as she leaned down to kiss her. Anna purred sleepily as she woke up, her lips curling into a smile against Bryn’s as she straightened. The kiss was soft and slow, a perfect end to an exhausting week, and Bryn sighed when it reached its inevitable end.
“Hi,” Bryn whispered.
“Hey.” Anna grabbed onto Bryn’s
hips and gave a gentle tug. “Come here.”
Bryn was glad she had changed into pair of jeans for the flight home as she placed her knees on either side of Anna’s hips and lowered herself to her lap. Anna’s hands slid up her back to tangle in her hair, and she did not resist the gentle tug that pulled her head forward. The gentle press of Anna’s lips was even sweeter than she remembered after having gone so long without, the taste of her tongue even more intoxicating after so many late-night phone calls that, while nice, did not provide this same feeling of closeness.
“I missed you,” Bryn murmured between kisses, her left hand curled around Anna’s cheek, holding her close.
“Missed you too,” Anna whispered, lifting her chin to brush the softest of kisses over Bryn’s lips. “How was your flight?”
Bryn shrugged and leaned her forehead against Anna’s. “A flight. Nothing exciting. How was work today?”
“Work. Nothing exciting,” Anna replied with a playful smile.
“Smartass.”
“You know it.” Anna turned her head to the side and yawned, and then flashed Bryn a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s late.” Bryn smoothed her thumb over Anna’s cheek and blinked as she resisted the urge to yawn herself.
Anna closed her eyes and smiled as Bryn continued to stroke her thumb over her face. “Is it okay if I crash in one of the guest rooms?”
“Of course.” Bryn kissed her softly, her heart sinking at the idea of having to say good-bye—even for a few hours. It was ridiculous, she knew, but she could not help the way she felt. “Or you can crash in my room, if you want,” she suggested, pleased that her voice showed none of the anxiousness she felt that her offer might be rejected.
“Mmm, cuddling with you on the super-comfy bed,” Anna murmured, nuzzling Bryn’s cheek.
Bryn nodded.
“That sounds like heaven. Can I borrow something to sleep in?”
“Of course. What would you like?” Bryn asked as she slipped off of Anna’s lap and held her hands out to her.
“Whatever.” Anna grabbed onto Bryn’s hands and pulled herself up. “Beggars can’t be choosers. Shorts and a shirt or something would be fine.”
Bryn was not at all surprised that Anna’s choice in sleepwear was so simple, and she took her hand as she started toward her bedroom. “You are more than welcome to help yourself to anything you can find in my drawers.”
“Anything?” Anna teased.
“If it fits, yes,” Bryn sassed without missing a beat.
“And if nothing fits?”
Bryn laughed as she walked into her room, bypassing the switch on the wall beside the door and instead turning on the small lamp on her bedside table. “Then I guess you’re going to have to get creative.”
Anna wrapped her arms around Bryn’s waist from behind and sighed as she pressed a lingering kiss to the side of her neck. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” Bryn closed her eyes as she leaned her head back on Anna’s shoulder, enjoying the feeling of Anna’s lips against her skin and the strong arms that held her close. When Anna’s arms around her waist finally loosened, she crossed to the tall dresser beside the closet. “Here are my running shorts,” she said as she pulled out the bottom drawer. “T-shirts are on the shelves in the closet,” she continued, waving a hand at the open door to the darkened walk-in as she pulled a silver nightgown that was nearly identical to the one she had taken with her to Boston out of the top right-hand drawer. “Pick whatever you’d like.” She paused for a moment as she debated her options, and then tilted her head at the bathroom behind her. “I’m going to go change.”
“See you in bed,” Anna replied with a playful grin.
Bryn changed quickly, and tried her best to ignore the way her heart began racing as she made her way back into her bedroom. True to her word, Anna was already in bed, lying on her side with her head propped on her hand as she waited for Bryn to return.
“Wow,” Anna murmured.
Bryn smiled and ducked her head. “Thank you.” She could not suppress the yawn that escaped her as she started for the bed, and she rolled her eyes at the knowing look Anna gave her. “I’ll have you know that I’m still functioning on Eastern Standard.” Anna’s eyes raked over her as she slipped beneath the sheets, making her acutely aware of the way her nightgown clung to her body, and her stomach fluttered in anticipation of things she had honestly not considered when she proposed Anna sleep beside her instead of in one of the guest rooms.
“I like this,” Anna purred as she reached out to run her hand over Bryn’s hip, the warmth of her touch absolutely searing through the thin fabric.
“I’m glad.” Bryn closed her eyes as Anna shifted toward her, one leg sliding between her own as the hand on her hip pulled her closer.
“Me too,” Anna whispered.
The kiss that followed was surprisingly tender considering the longing Bryn had seen burning in Anna’s eyes, and Bryn licked her lips when Anna pulled back with a contented sigh. “Wow.”
Anna chuckled. “Yeah. Tell me about it.” She dropped a kiss to the tip of Bryn’s nose. “Now, you need to stop kissing me like that before I forget how tired we are and decide to try and do something about it.”
Bryn smiled and gave the hem of Anna’s shirt a playful tug. “Would that be a bad thing?”
Anna shook her head, and then made a loud sound of frustration when her body defied her and let out a big yawn. “Shit. No.”
“You would think that you were the one operating on a different time zone,” Bryn teased.
“I know, right? Instead I’m just a lowly doctor who was up before dawn every day this week to do rounds,” Anna retorted. She sighed and ran the tip of her nose along Bryn’s as she reached past her to turn off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into darkness. Her fingers were soft against Bryn’s jaw as she added, “I’m so glad you’re home.”
“Me too,” Bryn whispered as she leaned into Anna’s touch. She turned her head to press a chaste kiss to the middle of Anna’s palm, and then yawned. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s late. Come here,” Anna said, pulling Bryn with her as she rolled onto her back.
Bryn sighed as she rested her head on the plane of Anna’s chest. The steady beat of Anna’s heart beneath her ear was incredibly relaxing, and she hummed as she stretched and wiggled against Anna’s side to make herself comfortable, eventually ending up with her left leg thrown over Anna’s and her left arm draped across the brunette’s stomach.
“Comfy?”
Anna’s voice was warm and amused, and Bryn nodded as her eyes drifted shut. “Exceedingly so.”
“Good.” Soft lips ghosted across Bryn’s forehead. “Sweet dreams, Nakamura.”
Bryn smiled and snuggled closer, letting the quiet beat of Anna’s heart lull her to sleep. “Sweet dreams, Ms. Fitzpatrick.”
Thirty-Three
Bryn awoke slowly late the next morning, coaxed from sleep by the feeling of Anna’s fingers stroking up and down her spine in a gentle caress. She felt warm and content, her limbs heavy and her mind pleasantly fogged, and she sighed as she blinked her eyes open. “Good morning,” she murmured.
“Good morning.” Anna brushed a kiss over Bryn’s forehead as she drew a chain of lazy, looping circles across the small of her back. “Sleep well?”
“Yes.” Bryn pressed her lips to Anna’s throat as she stretched her toes toward the foot of the bed, and groaned as she relaxed back against her. Her left hand had snaked its way under Anna’s shirt during the night, and she flexed her fingers against the warm skin of her abdomen as she added, “That was the best sleep I’ve had all week.”
“Good.”
The smile in Anna’s voice was obvious, and Bryn could not contain her own as she picked her head up to look at her. Anna’s hair was adorably tousled, the corners of her eyes crinkled with the smile that curled her lips, and Bryn’s heart fluttered as she pushed herself up onto an elbow. “Hav
e you been up long?”
“Eh.” Anna shrugged as she wrapped her arms around Bryn’s waist and rolled them over so that Bryn was looking up at her. “Not really.” She smiled and added, “I’m going to kiss you good morning now.”
Bryn looped her arms around Anna’s neck as soft lips covered her own, pulling Anna down into her as their mouths opened and the kiss deepened. She closed her eyes as she sank back into the bed, enjoying the feeling of Anna’s body stretched atop her own. They traded slow, languid kisses that seemed to never end, each one blurring seamlessly into the next as they more than made up for the time they had spent apart. Bryn let her hands wander as they kissed, tracing the powerful lines of Anna’s back and shoulders and the soft skin that was exposed along the waistband of her shorts. Her pulse raced with excitement as her hands covered Anna’s behind, squeezing and pulling Anna’s hips into her, loving the way the smooth satin of Anna’s shorts felt rubbing between her legs.
A shiver ran down the length of her spine at the feeling of Anna drawing a ragged breath against her lips, desire and restraint warring together in the simple sound that made her stomach clench.
“Please,” she whispered, opening her eyes to look at Anna as hesitant fingers slid down her throat and over the plane of her chest. She arched into the hand that hovered uncertainly over her breast, and a low whimper escaped her when Anna’s palm finally raked over her nipple.
“Bryn,” Anna rasped, touching their foreheads together as her fingers wrapped around Bryn’s breast, squeezing gently.
Bryn’s eyes fluttered shut as Anna’s thumb brushed over her nipple. She threaded her fingers through Anna’s hair, holding her close as she whispered, “Please don’t stop,” against her lips.
The hand on her breast tightened as Anna’s lips covered her own, and Bryn moaned into the kiss as Anna’s hand shifted and her nipple was caught between thumb and forefinger. Every tweak and roll shot straight between her legs, and Bryn clung to Anna as she began trailing, hot, wet kisses down her throat.
