Departure from the Script

by Jae

  Amanda’s breath caught. Her heart skipped a beat and then started hammering double-time as Michelle began to kiss every inch of exposed skin along her back. A nip to her shoulder made her knees go weak, so she caught herself with both hands against the wall. “If you don’t stop what you’re doing, we’ll never make it to the party,” she whispered, barely recognizing her own voice.

  “What am I doing?” Michelle slid the strap of fabric farther down Amanda’s shoulder. Her breath fanned over Amanda’s skin with every word, sending shivers down the rest of her body.

  “Driving me crazy.”

  Breathing heavily, Michelle pressed closer. Her left hand, the one that wasn’t caressing her thigh, slid around Amanda’s hip and came to rest just below her belly button. “Hmm. Good. Because you do the same to me.”

  Amanda lost all ability to answer or even to think. Instead, she turned around and kissed her hungrily.

  They crashed into the coatrack but didn’t stop kissing.

  Michelle pressed her against the wall and slid one leg between the slit in Amanda’s dress, rubbing against her in a way that made Amanda’s head spin.

  Amanda moaned and pulled Michelle’s shirttails out of her pants, desperate to touch her bare skin. “Bedroom.”

  “What about…” Michelle nipped one bare shoulder, “…the party?”

  “Forget the damn party.”

  Michelle smiled against Amanda’s shoulder but still hesitated. “Are you sure? You said you wanted more than just a quickie.”

  “I do,” Amanda said, exploring the smooth, muscular plane of Michelle’s back. “And we will have more. Later. But now, I really need…this. I need you.”

  Michelle enclosed her mouth with a passionate kiss the second she’d finished speaking. “I need you too,” she whispered hoarsely against her lips. She started walking backward without letting go of Amanda, pulling her with her to the bedroom.

  When Michelle’s back hit the bedroom door, Amanda fumbled for the doorknob with one hand while exploring the skin of Michelle’s lower back with the other.

  Finally, she got the door open.

  Tearing at each other’s clothes, they stumbled toward the bed.

  Instead of throwing her onto the bed, as Amanda had halfway expected, Michelle slowed things down. She trailed one finger over the fabric of Amanda’s dress. “Hmm, maybe you are overdressed after all.” Inch by inch, she slid the dress’s strap down Amanda’s shoulder and bared the top of her breasts.

  Amanda’s nipples tightened, aching to be touched.

  “No bra?” Michelle asked, her voice rough.

  Amanda shook her head. This dress didn’t allow for a bra, and now she was glad about it. One fewer article of clothing to get rid of.

  With a hum of appreciation, Michelle bent and kissed the bare skin of her collarbone, then let her lips wander down to her cleavage, nuzzling into her. Her hands trailed down Amanda’s back, finding the zipper of the dress and slowly lowering it.

  The rasp of the zipper sounded loud to Amanda’s sensitized ears. She struggled to get out of the dress and into Michelle’s arms.

  As the dress slid down, Michelle followed its path with her lips, kissed down her breasts, circled the areola, and finally flicked her warm tongue over one nipple.

  Jolts of pleasure shot through Amanda’s body. “Oh God. Bed. Now.” After kicking off her high heels and the dress pooling around her feet, she sank onto the bed and shivered at the contrast of the cool sheets below her and Michelle’s heat covering her.

  Without taking the time to undress first, Michelle instantly began making love to every inch of Amanda’s body. She kissed a path along her clavicles and then dipped her tongue into the hollow between. Her fingertips trailed up and down Amanda’s sides, brushing her breasts, as she slowly lowered her mouth to one of Amanda’s nipples again.

  Gasping, Amanda wove her fingers through Michelle’s short hair and pressed her head closer against herself.

  Michelle nibbled, flicked, and sucked. When Amanda started squirming, she rasped her teeth gently over the hardened nipple.

  Amanda’s back arched, and she pressed into Michelle’s mouth. Her body burned wherever Michelle’s lips and hands touched her.

  Never moving away from Amanda’s breasts, Michelle slid one of her hands lower. Her fingertips drifted along the edges of her black panties.

  “Yes.” Amanda shifted her hips, inviting Michelle to touch. “Please.”

  Still caressing Amanda’s breast with her lips, Michelle slid her hand down and into Amanda’s panties. “Oh God, Amanda.” Michelle’s pupils dilated until her eyes looked nearly black. She circled Amanda’s clit with one finger.

  A buzzing sound started in Amanda’s ears. She bucked against Michelle’s hand, wanting her closer, harder, faster.

  Instead, Michelle moved back. Before Amanda could protest, she kissed down her body until the edge of the panties stopped her. With gentle fingers, she stripped them off. She leaned over Amanda, staring down at her with an intense gaze. Her shirt was halfway unbuttoned, but otherwise, she was still fully dressed.

  There was something strangely erotic about being completely naked while her partner still had all of her clothes on. Amanda clutched her shoulders, pulling her down, and crushed their mouths together with an intensity that robbed them both of breath.

  When Michelle slid her hand between them and down her belly, Amanda moaned into her mouth.

  Holding herself up on one hand, Michelle gently massaged Amanda’s clit between the V of her fingers.

  A ball of tension gathered low in Amanda’s belly. She writhed against Michelle and broke their kiss to gasp for breath. “More. More.”

  Michelle flicked one fingertip directly over her clit. Then, when Amanda was just about to go insane, she slid her fingers lower and entered her.

  “God, yes.” Amanda dug her nails into Michelle’s muscled buttocks and moved against her fingers. Moaning helplessly, she buried her face against Michelle’s shoulder. The muscles in her thighs started to tremble, and she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. She tried to hang on and prolong the feelings coursing through her, but when Michelle skated her thumb across her clit, she shattered.

  Every muscle in her body tensed and then went limp. She fell back onto the bed, still clutching Michelle’s ass.

  Michelle rolled them around and settled Amanda more comfortably against her shoulder. After letting her rest for a minute, she pulled back her fingers, lifted her head, and kissed Amanda tenderly.

  Amanda slipped her fingers into Michelle’s hair and pulled her closer as the kiss became more passionate.

  With a groan, Michelle pulled away and glanced at the alarm clock on Amanda’s bedside table. “The party.” She tried to slip out from under Amanda. “We really need to get—”

  “Oh, no.” Amanda straddled her hips and pressed her back down. “I’m not a pillow queen. Lie still and let me love you.”

  Trapped beneath Amanda, Michelle stared up at her and then barked out a startled laugh. That laugh turned into a moan as Amanda bent and lightly bit her neck.

  Amanda slid her hands into the half-open shirt. Heat radiated off Michelle’s flushed skin. “Now you are the overdressed one.”

  When Michelle lifted shaking hands to unbutton her shirt, Amanda shook her head.

  “No. Let me.”

  Michelle let her arms flop to the bed, palms up as if surrendering herself.

  The gesture was a powerful aphrodisiac. Amanda pressed herself against Michelle and moaned at the friction of Michelle’s pants against her still sensitive clit. No. Not this time. This is for her.

  She lifted up a bit so she could focus on undressing Michelle. In her impatience, she was tempted to just rip off the buttons but forced herself to go slow and enjoy every moment.

  Finally, the fabric parted, revealing a sleeveless T-shirt that molded to her strong shoulders.

  “That too,” Amanda said, already breathless at the thought of Mi
chelle’s skin against her own.

  Michelle sat up with Amanda still straddling her, and they struggled to free her of the T-shirt.

  Amanda threw it on the heap of clothes next to the bed, never taking her gaze off Michelle.

  She wasn’t wearing a bra either. She didn’t need one since her breasts were smaller than Amanda’s.

  A perfect handful. Amanda’s mouth watered. She slid lower on the bed and licked a hot path down Michelle’s neck and chest, enjoying the saltiness of her skin. When she reached her breasts, she circled first one, then the other like an ice cream cone, making the circles smaller and smaller until she finally sucked one nipple into her mouth.

  Michelle thrashed against her but kept her hands pressed to the bed, as if Amanda had shackled them there. Gasps and moans and something that almost sounded like a prayer fell from her lips.

  Amanda massaged the other breast with her hand. Oh. She’s so sensitive. She watched the pleasure on Michelle’s face as she continued to caress her breasts with her hands and her mouth. Strong thighs and muscled hips arched beneath her, pressing against her own wetness and making her gasp.

  She had wanted to tease Michelle a little, but finally she was the one who couldn’t stand it any longer, so she moved lower, kissing down a flat belly and exploring the bands of muscles with her lips and tongue. In the past, she had preferred womanly curves and softness, but now Michelle’s strong body was a huge turn-on.

  Slowly, she unbuckled Michelle’s leather belt and pulled it free before sliding the pants down her long legs, taking unexpected pleasure in undressing her. For a moment, she sat back and admired the contrast between the boxer shorts and the smooth skin of Michelle’s legs; then she couldn’t stand the inches of space between them anymore. She helped her out of the boxers and slid between Michelle’s thighs. Her nostrils flared as she breathed in her musky scent. Again trailing kisses down Michelle’s chest and belly, she moved lower on the bed.

  Weakly, Michelle lifted her head and looked down at her. “You don’t have to—”

  Amanda lifted one hand and laid her index finger against her own lips in a shushing gesture. Without saying a word, she bent her head and kissed the inside of a smooth thigh. She stopped when she reached her damp, dark curls.

  Michelle arched upward, silently asking for her touch.

  With a gentle nudge, Amanda directed her to lift one leg over her shoulder and dipped her tongue into the wet heat.

  They both moaned at the same time.

  Amanda barely brushed along the outer folds, circled the stiff clit without really touching it, and teased her with a few quick flicks of her tongue.

  “Oh, Christ. You’re…” Michelle gulped in a mouthful of air, “…killing me.”

  Taking mercy on her, Amanda swiped her tongue more firmly over her clit and then pressed closer and sucked it into her mouth.

  Michelle clutched the bedding with both hands and rolled her head from side to side on the pillow. Tremors began to ripple through her, and a slow pulsing started against Amanda’s tongue. Michelle’s hips bucked uncontrollably.

  Amanda slid one hand beneath her and clutched her ass, keeping her pressed against her. Slowly, guided by Michelle’s rhythm, she increased her sucking and reached up to massage one breast.

  With a shout, Michelle threw her head back. Her body arched up and then went taut and dropped back against the bed.

  One last swipe of Amanda’s tongue evoked a shudder.

  Michelle let go of the bedding and tugged on Amanda’s shoulder. “Come up here,” she said, her voice hoarse.

  Amanda slid back up, enjoying the brush of Michelle’s sweat-dampened body against hers. She settled down half on top of Michelle, one leg tucked between her thighs.

  Michelle wrapped her arms around her. After blinking a few times, as if she had trouble focusing her eyes, she just looked at Amanda. Tenderly, she combed a strand of hair behind one of Amanda’s ears and then leaned up to kiss her, keeping eye contact until the very last moment, when their lips met.

  Tingles shot down Amanda’s body, and she was instantly ready for more.

  “You’re incredible,” Michelle said, her voice still raspy. “I’ve never let anyone top me like that before.”

  “I didn’t top you.”

  Michelle smiled and tapped Amanda’s nose. “Oh, yeah, you did.”

  “Did not.” Amanda rolled off Michelle and flopped onto the bed next to her. Laughing, she peered over at her. “God, we’re beginning to sound like your nieces. I think we better get our asses to the party.”

  Michelle jumped out of bed. “Race you to the shower.”

  For a moment, the sight of Michelle’s sculpted body distracted her. Visions of rubbing against that body in the shower and having those talented hands lathering soap all over her flashed through her mind. She shook her head to clear it. “Oh, no. We’re taking turns in the shower, or we’ll never get out of here.”

  On shaky legs, she stalked past Michelle and forced herself to close the bathroom door between them. While she waited for the water to heat up, she clutched the sink with both hands and stared at herself in the mirror. Except for the bedhead and her flushed cheeks, she looked the same as always, although she felt transformed by the experience of being with Michelle.

  “Oh, wow,” she whispered and then wrenched her gaze away from her image in the mirror and stepped beneath the warm spray.

  CHAPTER 14

  “Ah, you finally made it,” Lorena said when they joined her and her fiancé at the buffet table. “Fashionably late, like a true star.”

  Amanda felt her cheeks turn nine shades of red. “We got caught in traffic,” she murmured, figuring traffic always made for a good excuse in LA.

  “Oh, I bet you got caught in something all right.” Lorena winked and gave Michelle a long glance, letting her gaze slide over her from her polished loafers to her slightly disheveled hair. “Don’t you want to introduce me to your boyfr—” She did a double-take. “Your, uh…”

  “My girlfriend,” Amanda said. “Michelle Osinski.”

  After a few seconds, Lorena stopped staring and shook Michelle’s hand. She looked from Michelle to Amanda. “So you’re…?”

  “Gay. Yes.” Amanda forced herself to stand tall and not fidget under her colleague’s curious gaze.

  “Does Nick know? I got the feeling he has a thing for you.”

  Amanda sighed as she caught movement over Lorena’s shoulder. “He’ll know in about twenty seconds. He’s headed this way.”

  Nick joined them carrying two cocktail glasses. “Hey, there you are.” He sounded as if he had already had a few of whatever drink he was holding. “I was beginning to think you were standing me up.”

  Standing him up? Amanda exchanged a quick glance with Michelle. “This is a wrap party, Nick, not a date.”

  “Details, details. Here.” He held out one of the drinks toward Amanda. “I thought you could use a screaming orgasm.”

  Making good use of her acting skills, Amanda held back a smirk. Thanks, I already had one tonight. She jumped and grinned when Michelle pinched her butt behind her colleagues’ backs. “No, thanks,” she said to Nick. “I gave up drinking vodka. It makes me do stupid things.”

  “I don’t know,” Michelle said, her low voice rumbling through Amanda from right behind her. “Some of those stupid things turned out pretty well.”

  Amanda turned and smiled at her. For a moment, she forgot the party and her colleagues, who were watching her, as she looked into Michelle’s eyes. “Yes, they did.”

  Michelle took her hand, lifted it to her lips, and kissed it.

  Nick nearly spilled his cocktails all over himself. “Amanda? I thought the photographer is just a friend? What the hell is going on?”

  “Oh, get a clue, Nick.” Lorena rolled her eyes at him. “Amanda’s a lesbian, and I don’t mean that in the Britney Spears way, so do us all a favor and finally stop asking her out.”

  While Nick stood gaping, Wa
lt came over with the show’s executive producer and the head writer in tow.

  Amanda swallowed as she was faced with the show’s powers that be. Michelle’s hand seemed to burn in her own, but she refused to let go.

  But the three men either didn’t notice them holding hands or chose to ignore it.

  Walt looked from Michelle to Lorena’s fiancé. “If you’d excuse us, we need to kidnap our stars for a minute. There’s something important we have to talk about.”

  That sounded ominous. What was going on? A lump formed in Amanda’s throat. The show wasn’t going to be canceled, was it? The ratings were spectacular. But what else could be so important that they needed to drag their lead actors away from the wrap party?

  Michelle gave her hand an encouraging squeeze before letting go. “I’ll be right here.”

  David, the executive producer, led them to a back room and gestured toward a conference table. “I think you’d better sit down.”

  Uh-oh. It couldn’t be good news, then, could it? With weak knees, Amanda sank onto one of the leather chairs and exchanged worried glances with Lorena and Nick.

  Walt settled across the table from them. “No need to look so worried. This is all good. At least I think it is. We’ve already been renewed for a third season, and our ratings are better than we ever dreamed of, especially in the eighteen to thirty-four age group.”

  Amanda slumped against the back of the chair and exhaled. So the show wasn’t being canceled. Far from it. What was this impromptu little meeting about, then?

  “Which is why we think we should open the new season with a bang,” Ron, the head writer, said and slid clipped stacks of red pages across the table.

  “That’s what I’ve been saying all along,” Nick said. “We need bigger action scenes and—”

  “Not according to our ratings,” David, the executive producer said. “They’re always best when we air one of the episodes with a more personal story. This is why we think we can get away with this.” He nodded down at the script.

  Amanda stared at the red pages, almost afraid to touch them. She had heard of top-secret scripts that were printed on red paper so no one could photocopy them, but she had never seen one so far.