"Mmm. I wasn't expecting red, or something this fancy," Robin whispered, cupping Tess's breasts through the fabric of her lingerie. "How many people know that you wear such sexy things under your work clothes?" The words, murmured against a warm pink cheek, made Tess's breath catch. Somehow, she tore her hands away from Robin's hips and reached behind her, struggling with the clasp for a moment and letting the bra fall to the floor between them.
"Please..." That quiet plea, whispered so softly that even Tess was unsure if she had spoken it aloud or only thought it, hung between them like a promise.
"Please?"
"Touch me..."
Deciding that she had submitted to Tess's desires for long enough, Robin pushed forward, leaving the wall and forcing the smaller woman to step back until she was pressed down into the black leather chair. This time, it was Tess's turn to be trapped as greedy hands roamed over her upper torso, stroking her arms, gripping her shoulders, squeezing her breasts and coaxing both nipples to hardness with needy tugs from her fingertips.
Swinging a leg up and over the chair, Robin straddled her, bringing their hips together to relieve a little of the sweet, aching pressure inside of her. Robin reluctantly left her breasts and dragged her hands down Tess's sides, scratching lightly with the edges of her nails to raise goosebumps across her soft skin. Caressing both stocking-covered thighs, she toyed with the hem of Tess's skirt, easing its edge up several inches along her body, gasping when she felt the thin bands of Tess's garters under her hands
Pressing a searing line of kisses down the center of her lover's chest, she took the swollen tip of a breast into her mouth at the same moment that her hand grazed the wet, thin strip of fabric that made up Tess's panties. Tess let her head fall against the back of the chair, feeling her hot cheek stick to the fake leather material.
Realizing that Robin was still wearing all of her clothes, Tess gripped the bottom of her shirt and began tugging, baring as much skin as possible until Robin had to take over and do the rest. Tangling her fingers into short brown hair, she pulled Robin's head back to her chest, urging her to continue.
Robin's fingers returned immediately, flipping her skirt over her hips and grinding down against her with the heel of a hand, coaxing a desperate whimper from her willing captive. Tess gazed up at her with glassy blue eyes, her expression more open and vulnerable than Robin could ever remember seeing it.
"Jesus," a tight, strangled voice cried out, and as Tess arched helplessly against teasing, torturous fingers, she realized it was hers. She was slightly horrified that such a desperate, needy sound had come from inside her, but she was too far gone to care.
Sensing Tess's conflicting emotions, Robin grazed her teeth along the edge of an exposed nipple, soothing the scrape with a warm tongue. Adjusting her weight, she shifted higher along the length of Tess's body, keeping her hand in place but lifting her head so that she could take the woman’s mouth in another deep kiss. "Tell me what you need," she sighed into her lips. "All you have to do is ask."
"Inside – please... I need –"
Robin shook as a wave of desire coursed through her. Head spinning, she slipped her hand beneath the soaked fabric of Tess's underwear, amazed at the wetness painting her fingers. Slowly, wondrously, she traced Tess's outer folds, overwhelmed by the heat, the softness. Having this woman beneath her, wanting her, pleading to be taken, was the most beautiful thing she had ever experienced. With a sigh of satisfaction, she slid inside of her lover, curling the tips of her fingers against tight, velvet walls.
Rocking her hips shamelessly against Robin's hand, Tess clung to her shoulders tight enough to leave red pressure lines. She had never risen so quickly, never burned so strongly before in her life. Being with Robin was like nothing else in her experience. It tugged something deep inside of her loose, barreling straight past want and hurtling into need. Instead of simply using another person to bring herself pleasure, she was completely lost in someone else, helpless to stop herself from falling. She could only pray that Robin would catch her.
When Robin's thumb rolled over the hard bundle of nerves above her entrance, Tess was sure that she would die if this moment ever ended.
Pushing aside her own excitement, Robin watched the muscles of Tess's body lock, seizing and shuddering as her hips gave several short, unsteady jerks before freezing. Before she shattered completely, Tess’s teeth nipped at Robin's neck, marring the smooth brown skin with a brilliant purple mark. Robin's lips split in a wide smile, too enthralled by the feeling of warm silk pulsing around her fingers to notice the brief pain.
They stayed there for what felt like forever, but was probably only two minutes, tangled in the large seat of the chair and just breathing together. They were too shy to look into each other's eyes, but savored the deep, intimate connection that existed between them anyway. Neither of them could recall any words to describe what had just happened.
Robin recovered first, shifting one of her legs to prevent it from cramping. This pushed her fingers deeper inside of Tess, causing a brief round of shuddering aftershocks that surprised both of them. Gently, Robin removed her hand, pressing a kiss to sweet smelling blonde hair when Tess whimpered at the loss.
Waiting a moment to regain her balance, Tess eased herself and Robin off of the chair, relieved when neither of them fell onto the carpet. There was something in her eyes that Robin could not quite read, something almost frantic in the way that Tess pushed her back into the chair and dropped to her knees, her cheek rubbing against the denim of her jeans. Her hands began exploring the bare skin of Robin's stomach, dipping below her waistband and hurrying to unbuckle her belt. Soft pink lips kissed the snap of her jeans, tugging on the metal button with her teeth before undoing it with her fingers and sliding down the short zipper.
Tess helped Robin to lift her hips and pulled her jeans and underwear down to her knees with a few firm tugs. She shivered as Tess's hands caressed her legs, easing them apart, beginning at her knees and sliding higher, urging her to scoot closer to the edge of the chair. Without hesitating, Tess dipped her head, burying her face in the sweetness between Robin's thighs.
Chapter 26
Tess nearly moaned along with Robin as her tongue parted the agent's folds, savoring her wetness. She swirled her tongue against her entrance, causing Robin to fist her hair and buck forward. That time, Tess did moan. She felt her own core throb with need again even though Robin had just brought her to climax. She had imagined how Robin might behave lost in such carnal acts, but this was better than any fantasy. She sucked Robin's swollen clit between her lips and was rewarded with another delicious moan from her lover.
“Tess,” she gasped, tilting her hips forward. “Oh, Tess...”
Hearing her name ignited a fire within her, and Tess redoubled her efforts, determined to bring Robin to orgasm as quickly as possible. She needed to hear those low, needy moans and feel Robin’s thighs tremble. She flicked her tongue again, enjoying the way Robin whimpered.
“Oh God.” Robin worried that she might be gripping Tess's hair too hard, but she seemed to moan louder the tighter her fingers held on. She felt her abdomen coiling as she threatened to release, far too soon to be ready. A small part of her wanted this moment to last, but the rest of her wanted to let Tess drive her over the edge. She gasped once again as Tess's lips wrapped around her, beginning a gentle sucking motion. “Tess... I- I’m going to -”
That was the only warning Tess received before a flood of wetness coated her chin. She moaned, releasing Robin's clit and moving her tongue back down, eager to taste her reward. Her tongue swirled, pressing past the tight ring of muscle at Robin's entrance, feeling the final fluttering aftershocks of her orgasm.
"Too quick," Tess panted as she pulled away, examining Robin's swollen, slick folds with a mixture of pride and determination. "I want more."
"More?" Robin croaked, staring down as Tess dipped forward again and sucked the point of her clit back between her lips. This time, Robin gr
ipped the arms of the chair instead of Tess's hair, afraid that she might tug too hard. She let out a startled but pleased cry when she felt pressure against her opening, and two of Tess's fingers slid inside her, curling upwards and forming a hook as they searched for something.
Both of them gasped when they found it. Robin was so warm, clutching down around her fingers, and Tess felt herself pulse as she remembered how good Robin had felt inside of her. "Fuck," she whispered, pulling back for a moment and reaching a hand between her own legs. She knew it was selfish, but she wanted to come with Robin this time. Her thumb settled knowingly over her clit, rubbing in quick circles as she slid two fingers inside of herself, rocking against her own hand.
Robin felt Tess's fingers pause inside of her, and she groaned at the loss, almost pleading for more. But first, she looked down and noticed what Tess was doing. The sight of the beautiful blonde on her knees, grinding against the heel of her own palm, was nearly enough to make her come again. The way Tess's fingers rubbed against her made her want to scream, but she tried to hold out, to make the bliss last just a little longer. She did not want to think about what would happen after they finished. Would Tess want to be her girlfriend? Lover? Or was she going to remain some closely guarded secret? Tess might even reject her completely. More negative thoughts ran through the back of her mind, but they were swiftly drowned out by the rising tide of pleasure.
"Tess..." Robin tried to speak, to form a sentence longer than a handful of gibberish, but could only manage the name. Words failed her as Tess curled her fingers, catching the swollen spot inside her, and tightened the seal of her lips. Robin cried out and threaded a hand through her hair, rocking forward into her mouth. She felt the pressure in her lower abdomen double, coiling tighter and tighter until it finally burst in a series of violent shivers.
Beneath her, Tess whimpered at the sudden slickness that slid into her palm. She came seconds later, moaning against Robin as she bucked into her own hand. For a moment, Robin felt a flash of jealousy. She wanted to taste Tess so badly, to be the one causing her release, but her body contracted with pleasure once more, and she couldn't think about anything else.
Once their pleasure finally faded to shivering aftershocks, Tess slowly withdrew her fingers. Robin groaned, not wanting to lose the sensation of fullness, but she slumped back into the chair, completely exhausted. She reached down, hoping to pull Tess up onto her lap, but the politician only gave her thigh a kiss, ignoring her reaching hand. When Robin frowned and tried again, Tess stood up and glanced nervously around the room.
Her legs still shaking, weak from what they had just done, Tess bent down to pick up their discarded clothes. Robin's jeans and underwear were slumped in a pile against one wall, and her shirt was on the other side of the room. The sleeve of her brown leather jacket peeked out from beneath the desk, but Tess was too distracted to notice it.
"Don't do that yet," Robin murmured, getting up from the chair and wandering over to wrap the smaller woman in her arms. She looked confused and a little hurt when Tess flinched, jerking out of the embrace. Looking uncomfortable, Tess adjusted her skirt and began re-buttoning her blouse. She would have to find her bra and stockings later. They had to be somewhere underneath the furniture. "Tess, what are -"
Tess shook her head, taking another step back to put more distance between them. She shoved the clothes into Robin's outstretched arms, trying not to watch as the naked woman began to dress herself. "Love is for storybooks, Robin, not real people. I have a chance to do something great here, something bigger than just me or you... I – I can't throw that away."
"You've got to be kidding me." Robin's wounded expression urged Tess to take back what she had said, to change her mind. It took every ounce of strength that Tess possessed to turn around and face the wall. She couldn't do this if she had to look at Robin's haunted brown eyes.
"I think you should leave," she said. Her voice wavered, cracking slightly, but Robin was too angry to notice.
"I guess now that you got what you wanted, you're done with me," Robin said, the disgust in her voice piercing Tess’s heart.
All of the color drained from her face. "You have to understand, my job –"
"Oh, I understand perfectly. You're throwing away something wonderful, something I've never felt before, without even giving it a chance... just because you're afraid."
Not caring about the messy state of her hair, Robin finished pulling her shirt over her head and reached under the desk for her jacket, almost forgetting to button and zip her jeans. They felt stiff and uncomfortable against her legs. She should have been holding Tess right now, savoring her warm skin, soaking in the afterglow... not running off into the night like a high school kid sneaking through their girlfriend's bedroom window. Obviously, what they had done meant nothing to her. She rubbed at stinging eyes with the back of her hand, glad that she and Tess had their backs to each other so that the other woman couldn't see her fighting back tears.
"Robin..."
For a moment, both of them forgot to breathe.
"I'm sorry things aren't... different."
Tess expected an argument, shouting, curses, something – but Robin did not try and convince her to turn her chair back around. She did not speak at all. She simply stood in silence, numbing herself against the sting of Tess's rejection.
Staring at the drawn window shades because she could not bear to watch Robin leave, she listened to the quiet click of the door and the melancholy sound of retreating footsteps. Words rose in her throat, words calling Robin back, but she clenched her teeth and swallowed them back down. Hadn't Robin already taken enough of her soul?
When she was sure that she was alone again, Tess finally let her defenses fall, collapsing onto the desk and burying her face in her arms, crying into the sleeves of her crookedly buttoned blouse.
Chapter 27
Cincinnati, Ohio: October 15th
"You rang?" Samantha combed her fingers through her mussed hair, blinking tiredly at the worried looking woman at her door. Robin's brow was creased in concern, and her brown eyes were angry and haunted all at once.
"McCaskill," she said, the name falling awkwardly from her mouth.
"Samantha," she corrected, "unless you feel like calling me Your Majesty."
Robin narrowed her eyes and studied the person she considered to be her competition. Wearing a revealing tank top and a pair of pink boxers, Samantha looked especially intimidating somehow. Never one to back down from a challenge, Robin pressed her lips into a thin white line. "I'll call you the Empress of Luxembourg if you tell me how to get Tess back."
The former escort smiled, looking particularly pleased by that statement. "The big, bad FBI agent is prepared to beg for help from little old me?" She tapped her chest flirtatiously. "How sweet."
"Listen," Robin said, "I'm trying to be nice so you'll help me, but it doesn't have to stay that way."
"You haven't been very nice so far," Samantha pointed out, "but I'll play ball. Get your fine ass in here and I'll give you a donut to keep your mouth busy while I give you some advice."
Resisting the temptation to make an inappropriate comment, Robin reluctantly followed the sparsely dressed woman into her apartment. Closing the door behind her, she trailed behind Samantha's swaying form, her eyes fixed firmly on the back of the woman’s head. Samantha, who was used to feeling people's gazes taking in her figure, glanced over her shoulder and winked. "So, you're a gentleman, huh?"
"Just not a pervert," Robin said, dismissing the comment. She tailed Sam into the kitchen, ignoring the way her tank top rode up as she leaned backwards to brace her elbows on the counter, revealing a strip of tanned abdomen.
"Too bad. Tess likes perverts. Want a donut, Secret Agent Girl?" she asked, flipping open the lid of a cardboard box to reveal half a dozen Boston Creams.
Robin snorted at the nickname and rolled her eyes, but the growling of her empty stomach distracted her. "Sure." Robin took one of the offered donuts, ma
king a small sound of pleasure in the back of her throat as she bit into the creamy center. "I like you more now," she said around the mouthful.
Quietly, Samantha congratulated herself on getting Robin to relax slightly. She took one of the remaining donuts and ate as well, licking the sweet glaze from her fingers after a few bites. "So," she said, "you're here about doll baby."
Robin's forehead furrowed in confusion. "Doll baby?" she repeated. "I bet Tess hates that." Samantha just grinned.
"That's why I gave her the nickname. Nicknames are always best when the other person hates them." She punctuated the sentence with a juicy wink.
Robin began reconsidering her decision to come here. Samantha might be Tess's friend and former lover, but that didn't mean she knew the best way to woo her. "Maybe asking you for advice isn't such a good idea."
"Don't worry, I'm the only one who gets to annoy Tess." Samantha smiled and took another bite of her Boston Cream. "You need to romance her instead."
"Romance her?" Robin asked skeptically. "The last time I saw her, she kicked me out after we had sex in her office..."
"Yup. Listen, Birdy, I'm on your side here. I want Tess to be happy, and I'm obviously not the kind of woman she needs. She's in it for the long haul."
Robin raised one eyebrow. "Birdy?"
"You get your own nickname, too. Robin – Birdy – get it?"
Robin just sighed. "Yeah, I get it." She knew that complaining was useless. In fact, it would probably just encourage Samantha. Making sure that there was no sticky residue from the donut left on her hands, Robin ran nervous fingers through her hair. "So, now what?"
"Here." Samantha reached into a fake alligator handbag, which was conveniently lying sideways on the breakfast bar, and tossed something shiny in Robin's direction. She caught it in both hands, staring down at a black onyx bar.
"What is this?"
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