by MJ Duncan
Anna grinned. “Excellent.” She waved a hand at the glass in Bryn’s hand. “How’s the wine?”
Bryn took a sip and feigned concentration for a moment before she declared, “This is spectacular.”
“I know, right?” Anna winked. “I told you I knew people who know things.”
“Indeed you did. Though, I’ve heard through the grapevine that their Pinot Noir is even better.”
“I will have to make note of that.” Anna laughed. “So, have you talked to Kendall lately?”
“I actually spoke with her this afternoon. She just called to check in, see how things went in Boston, harass me about you…the usual.”
“Harass you about me?” Anna grinned. “Why?”
“Because she can,” Bryn rolled her eyes. “She’s been teasing me about you from the day we met.”
“Oh, really?” Anna drawled leaning forward. “Tell me more.”
Bryn laughed and shook her head. “I don’t think so, Fitzpatrick.”
Anna pouted. “You know she’d tell me if I asked.”
“Probably. What’s the latest gossip from the hospital?”
“Wow. Smooth segue there, Nakamura.” Anna laughed. “But, anyway, you remember how I was telling you about how Stevens was trying to put together a team to join the softball league in town…”
Bryn nodded and leaned back in her seat, and sipped at her wine as Anna filled her in on all the latest gossip about people she had never met. The meal ended up being none too different from other ones they had shared in the past, and Bryn smiled at Anna as she slipped on her coat. “Thank you.”
“Thank you,” Anna murmured as she got to her feet. She tilted her head toward the front door. “Shall we?”
Once they were in the car, shrouded in shadows and safe from prying eyes, Bryn reached for Anna. Her eyes sought Anna’s in the dim light as she leaned forward to press the sweetest of kisses to Anna’s lips. “I had a lot of fun tonight. Thank you.”
Anna’s answering smile was radiant as she reached up to gently cradle Bryn’s face in her hand. “I’m so glad,” she whispered as she pulled Bryn forward, sealing their lips together in a tender kiss.
Forty
“Hey, beautiful.”
“Hey, yourself.” Bryn looked toward the open lower level door of the winery and shook her head. It was already twilight. She ran a hand through her hair, not at all surprised that she had completely lost track of time again. The harvest was always a whirlwind, but with her also trying to establish some kind of a work-life balance, she had been running herself even more ragged that usual. It was a good problem to have, but the constant combination of late nights and early mornings had her worn nearly to her breaking point.
And it must have shown in her voice, because Anna asked, “Are we still on for tonight? Or do you just want to sleep?”
“No. Yes. Of course we’re still on.” It was Friday, and though she would be back at the winery bright and early the next morning, she was not willing to forfeit the opportunity to spend the evening with Anna. “Sorry. It’s just…”
“I know. How about if I pick up some dinner and bring it out there. We can just hang out and watch a movie or something and relax?”
Bryn glanced at Gerald, who was punching the cap on the last fermentation tank of Cabernet for the night, and nodded. Their work for the day here was done. “That sounds wonderful.”
“Great.” Anna’s voice was warm and soft and understanding, and Bryn smiled in spite of her exhaustion. “I’ll be there in a bit.”
“I need to shower, so I’ll leave the front door unlocked for you. Just come on in whenever you get here.”
“Will do. See you soon.”
Bryn slipped her phone into the back pocket of her jeans and wandered across the floor to where Gerald was working. “How’s it looking?”
He wiped his hands off on the back of his jeans and nodded. “Good. Numbers are right where we want them. Another day or two, and all this will be ready to go into casks.”
She looked around the room. “How much longer do you think the crews will be in the fields?”
He shrugged. “A week? Week and a half? The northeast quadrant is hilly, so it’s taking longer to get through. Only good thing is that it’s also more shaded because of the topography, so the grapes are just now beginning to peak. I’ll bring in more laborers if it becomes an issue, but so long as the weather continues to hold, we’ll be good.”
“Good.” Bryn sighed and gave him a tired smile. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Bright and early,” he agreed with an equally tired expression. He waved a hand at the door. “After you.”
They walked outside together, and Bryn climbed into the driver’s seat of the Ranger as he locked up behind them. She waved good-night as she started the engine, and then turned the wheel toward her house. The fields around her were cast in shades of black and gray as night blanketed the vineyard, the lone light she had left burning outside her garage a beacon guiding her forward through the dark.
With her work for the day finally done, a familiar hazy fog of exhaustion swept over her. Her every movement was carried out without conscious thought as she pulled up to the garage, pressed the button on the remote and pulled inside, barely remembering to close the garage door after herself. She dropped her boots in the mudroom as she shuffled through it, the thud of leather and wood barely registering with her tired mind as she turned toward her bedroom, pausing in her trek just long enough to unlock the front door for Anna. She stripped out of her clothes and left them on the floor near the hamper as the shower warmed up, and moaned when she finally stepped beneath the scalding stream.
She folded her left arm against the tile opposite the showerhead and leaned her head against it as hot water pounded against her lower back. The dull, throbbing ache that had followed her home every night for the last week was worse than usual, and she closed her eyes and focused on her breathing as she let the water and the heat try and work their magic.
The mirrors above the vanity were completely fogged over when lukewarm water finally chased her from the shower, and she shivered as she dried herself off. Her back still ached, but the pain was not as noticeable as it had been before the shower, and she could only hope that it would be better in the morning.
There was too much work left to do before she would have time to relax.
She wrapped a fluffy gray towel around her body as she made her way into her bedroom to find some clean clothes, and smiled when she spotted Anna lying on her side of the bed in a pair of jeans and a loose black T-shirt. “Hello.”
“Hey.” Anna grinned. “Nice towel.”
Bryn gave a small curtsey, and grit her teeth when her back screamed in protest. She could have used a little more hot water in the shower. “Thanks.”
Anna’s playful grin was instantly replaced by a look of concern as she sat up. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Bryn shook her head and rubbed her lower back. “My back’s just bugging me.”
“Do you want me to look at it?” Anna slipped off the bed, her gaze focused on Bryn’s middle.
“It’s just sore,” Bryn said. The strain in her voice was clear, and she was not at all surprised when Anna’s brow wrinkled with worry. She took a deep breath and sighed. She was being stupid. She crossed the room to where Anna was standing, and nodded. “Okay, Dr. Fitzpatrick. I’m all yours.”
“Thank you.” Anna kissed Bryn softly. “Turn around?”
Bryn turned away from Anna and let her towel drop low enough for Anna to see the entire length of her back. She bit her tongue as careful fingers felt along her spine, pushing gently, but could not keep from hissing in pain when Anna reached the small of her back.
“Here?”
Bryn grimaced. “Yeah.”
Anna prodded at the sore muscles for a few seconds longer, and then pressed a tender kiss to Bryn’s shoulder. “I can give you a massage, if you’d like. That would probably help
.”
A massage sounded heavenly, but Bryn frowned as she turned to look at Anna. “Don’t you want dinner?”
“Gee, let’s see,” Anna drawled, holding her hands in front of herself as if they were a scale. “Pizza, or you?” She winked and dropped her hands. “Pizza can be reheated. Lemme take care of you first.” Her brow wrinkled thoughtfully. “You wouldn’t happen to have any massage oil just lying around, would you?”
Bryn shook her head. “I’m afraid not.”
“Right.” Anna arched a brow. “Lotion?”
“Of course.”
“Where?”
“In the cupboard below my sink.” Bryn nodded toward the bathroom. “You want me to get it?”
“Nah, I got it. Just lie down on the bed on your stomach and get comfortable. You can cover yourself with your towel, if you want.”
Bryn nodded pulled the duvet back as Anna disappeared into her bathroom, and she let her towel drop to the carpet as she crawled gingerly onto the bed. She was tired and sore, and Anna had seen her naked too many times for her to worry about modesty. Thankfully, her back did not protest too loudly as she stretched out on the cool sheet, which actually felt quite refreshing against her skin as she bent her arms up over her head.
She had just finished making herself comfortable when Anna reentered the bedroom with the pump bottle of Bryn’s favorite lotion.
“Is it okay if we use this?” Anna asked, showing the bottle to Bryn. “It looks kinda expensive.”
“It’s not that expensive,” Bryn assured her. “And yes. That’s all I have.”
“Okay.” Anna grinned as she set the lotion on the bedside table. “I see we’ve opted for a naked massage. I must say, I approve.”
Bryn smiled and arched a brow at Anna, who was making no effort to hide her ogling. “I can see that.”
Anna laughed and shrugged unrepentantly. “Can you blame me?” She shook her head and sighed. “You really are beautiful, Bryn.”
The open adoration in Anna’s tone made Bryn blush, and she tried to hide it by joking, “Thank you. But you have on far too many clothes, I’m afraid.”
“Oh, I do, do I?” Anna chuckled and reached for the button on her jeans. “How’s this?” she asked once she had kicked them off.
Bryn shrugged, and drawled in a wholly unimpressed tone, “Getting better.”
Anna laughed. “I see. Goodness, you’re so demanding,” she grumbled as she lifted her shirt up over her head. She gave it a twirl before letting it go, and winked at Bryn as she shed her bra and underwear as well. Gloriously nude, she held her arms out from her sides, offering herself up for inspection. “So…is this what you wanted?”
“Mmm, very much so,” Bryn murmured. She reached her right hand toward Anna and beckoned her forward. “Come here.”
“As the lady commands,” Anna replied with a smile.
Bryn closed her eyes as the mattress dipped beneath Anna’s weight as she straddled her thighs, and she sighed as soft lips began laying even softer kisses up the length of her spine. “I like that.”
“I know,” Anna whispered, kissing Bryn’s cheek as she reached for the lotion. She pumped some into her hand, and rubbed her hands together. “Tell me if anything hurts, okay?”
“Of course.”
Bryn smiled at the feeling of warm, soft skin against her ass as Anna’s hands swept up her back, thumbs tracing each side of her spine before digging into the nape of her neck. Anna’s hands were pure magic as they stroked and rubbed along her back, chasing away the tenseness and stress that had settled in her muscles from the harvest. But even more incredible than the massage itself was the feeling of Anna’s body rocking atop her, lulling her to a state of blissful relaxation.
“Okay?” Anna asked as she began lightly pressing against the small of Bryn’s back.
Bryn hissed as Anna’s right thumb dug into a particularly sore spot, and nodded. “Yes.”
“Let me know if it’s too much.”
Bryn nodded. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter as Anna began methodically massaging her lower back, thumbs digging into sore muscles, relentlessly seeking out the knots that made Bryn wince. They did not talk, Bryn’s grunts and groans told Anna where she needed her most, and after a while those soft sounds of pain became richer moans of pleasure as the tension in Bryn’s muscles released completely.
“God, you are good at this,” Bryn murmured.
Anna scooted down Bryn’s body until she was perched over Bryn’s knees, and pressed a lingering kiss to each of the dimples at the small of Bryn’s back. “Thank you.”
Bryn chuckled as firm hands glided over her ass, squeezing and lifting before settling into a gentle kneading motion. “I didn’t realize this was going to be a full-body massage.”
“Do you want me to stop?” Anna asked, giving Bryn’s behind a firm squeeze.
“No,” Bryn groaned as her hips reflexively lifted into Anna’s hands.
Anna squeezed again. “Good.” She nipped at Bryn’s left cheek. The mattress dipped again as Anna adjusted her stance, her right knee easing Bryn’s thighs apart as she straddled Bryn’s left leg. “Because I am really enjoying this.”
Bryn moaned as Anna rubbed against her as if to prove her point, painting a stripe of slick warmth over her skin, and she bit her lip at the feeling of Anna’s hands stroking up and down the back of her thighs, thumbs dipping low enough to tease damp curls before pulling back and starting all over again.
The tenor of Anna’s touch shifted from gently caring to arousing as Bryn’s legs opened wider in invitation, showing Anna exactly how much she was enjoying her touch. Anna lingered on Bryn’s upper hamstrings, rubbing and squeezing, kneading firm muscle until Bryn’s hips rolled with every slow swipe of her hands before moving lower.
Bryn’s pulse pounded between her legs as Anna caressed her calves with long, hard strokes, and her heart fluttered up into her throat when Anna told her in a low, rough voice to turn over. Their eyes locked as she rolled onto her back, and she was struck by the naked desire that was painted across Anna’s face. Her heart skipped a beat as Anna’s hand wrapped around her left ankle, lifting her foot and holding it in front of her chest as she dug her thumbs into its arch.
“Good?”
Bryn nodded. “Yes.”
“Good.” Anna smiled and pressed a kiss to the bottom of Bryn’s left foot before lowering it back to the bed and giving her right the same treatment.
Their gazes remained locked as Anna’s touch moved higher, kneading and caressing her thighs. The slow, steady pace of the massage was as maddening as it was arousing, and Bryn could not contain the groan of frustration that escaped her as Anna’s hands skipped right past where she was literally throbbing with need.
“Yes?” Anna hummed, the most ridiculously sexy, lopsided smirk curling her lips as she palmed Bryn’s breasts.
Bryn licked her lips as she took Anna’s right hand in her left and pulled it back down her body. She guided Anna’s hand between her legs, and her pulse spiked as she whispered, “You missed a spot.”
Anna moaned softly and fell forward, holding herself up on her left arm as she brushed their lips together. “Show me where.”
A thrill shot through Bryn as she directed Anna’s fingers where she wanted them. Her eyes fluttered shut as she stroked their fingers through the length of herself, before sliding higher to rub a firm circle over her clit. “Right there.”
“Oh.” Anna grinned and dropped a quick kiss to Bryn’s lips. “How in the world did I miss this spot?”
Bryn pulled her hand away as she felt Anna’s fingers began moving independently from her own. She stroked the back of her fingers over the length of Anna’s forearm, and rolled her hips against Anna’s hand. “Hell if I know.”
She laughed with Anna as soft lips claimed her own in a languid kiss, and smiled when Anna pulled away just far enough to touch their foreheads together. A breathtaking intimacy surrounded them as Bryn stared into Anna’s eyes, he
r hips rocking slowly with the hand between her legs. There was no hurry in Anna’s touch, nothing beyond pure adoration shining in her eyes, and Bryn sighed as she cupped Anna’s cheek in her hand and pulled her down into a sweet, lingering kiss.
“Good?” Anna asked when they broke apart.
“So good,” Bryn whispered. Anna’s fingers dropped lower, thrusting lightly against her, and she whimpered as she lifted her hips to force them deeper. “God, Anna.”
Anna’s smile was beatific as she rested her forehead against Bryn’s as she kept her stroke long and slow, providing just the right amount of pressure and friction to bring Bryn to orgasm as gently as she possibly could. “I could touch you like this forever,” she confessed quietly.
Bryn whimpered as the heat and desire that had been building inside her began to crest. She clung to Anna as orgasm swept over her in rolling, trembling waves, encouraged by the continued steady push and pull of skilled fingers inside her. She held Anna’s gaze as she rode out her climax, and her hips jerked spastically when Anna pulled out to rub firm circles over her clit.
She could not contain the gasp of surprise that escaped her as she was thrown into a second orgasm with just a few deft swipes of Anna’s fingers, and she shook her head at the knowing smile Anna gave her when she finally relaxed beneath her.
“Feel better?” Anna teased.
Better did not even begin to describe the way she was feeling in that moment, and Bryn could not keep from laughing as she nodded.
Anna grinned. “Hey, giggles.”
“I’m sorry,” Bryn apologized, trying and failing to control her laugher.
“Don’t be,” Anna murmured, kissing the tip of Bryn’s nose. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this relaxed.”
Bryn sighed and shook her head. She could not remember a time when she had ever felt like this. Her body felt completely boneless from the massage, and her mind was gloriously blank in the wake of her orgasm. She felt like she was floating, and it was incredible. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this relaxed before,” she said once she got control of herself. “Thank you.”
