No Experience Required

by Kimberly Cooper Griffin

  Jane stepped closer and let go of Izzy’s hands. She put her hands on Izzy’s chest near her collarbones and leaned close. “It doesn’t have to end,” she whispered and kissed her.

  The kiss was light and teasing at first, and Izzy returned it, enjoying the feel of Jane’s teeth gently nibbling on her bottom lip. Soon, though, the kiss became a deep exploration, and Jane’s hands were at the nape of her neck, tracing a line of fire across her back.

  When they took a breath, Jane held her close.

  “I should go home,” Izzy said.

  Jane’s smile was bright in the moonlight. “But you want to come in.”

  Izzy laughed. “I do, but I think I should go home.”

  “What if I say I don’t want you to go home?” Jane played with the hair at the back of Izzy’s neck, and tingles ran up and down her spine.

  Izzy swallowed. “Then I’d say you’re making it hard to stick to my plan.”

  “What plan is that?”

  Jane kissed her again, letting her lips linger on the corner of her mouth. Izzy had a hard time remembering what they were talking about.

  “My plan of taking it slow.”

  Jane ran her fingers along the open vee of Izzy’s button-down shirt and slid them along the neck of the T-shirt beneath. Her fingers felt hot against Izzy’s skin.

  “Do you always go slow?”

  Izzy ran her hands over the soft skin of Jane’s arms. She didn’t really want to get into the details of how she hadn’t been with anyone special since Kelly, and that was why it was important to go slow. Her thoughts started to buzz and she took a few deep breaths. The pressure in her head eased a little. “Not always.”

  “Why do you want to go slow now?”

  “Because I don’t want to screw it up.”

  Jane kissed a trail across Izzy’s jawline and nibbled on her ear. “I never understood how going fast is a bad thing. If it feels right, how can it be a bad thing? Besides, technically, we’ve known each other for several weeks. Doesn’t that count for anything?”

  Her logic almost made sense. Izzy shivered as Jane sucked gently on her ear lobe. Her resolve was almost gone. “You have a point.”

  Jane kissed Izzy’s neck. “So, you’ll come in?”

  Izzy’s thoughts were buried in a haze of desire, but she hesitated. If she went in, they would definitely take their relationship to the next level.

  She was still trying to organize her thoughts when Jane kissed her, driving all reason out of her mind.

  * * *

  Home plate, also known as scoring, is the full-on culmination of sexual togetherness. Or something like that. Some people are happy with staying at third base. There’s plenty of gratification in the kind of things you can do there. And, honestly, one could see the idea of home plate as being the apex of heteronormative bias. After all, not everyone enjoys penetrative sex, and some who do, don’t use an appendage attached to their partner, either organically or with straps, to accomplish it. So, basically, home plate is more of an understanding that all physical barriers have been removed, at least at a sexual level, than it is a specific sex act. If it happens at third base for you, well, baby, you’ve scored with a triple, which leaves you with more energy to go a little longer. You go, you!

  Some people go from first base to home plate in one interaction. Others take a lot longer to get from first to home. It depends on the people, their particular values around sex, and the level of attraction between them.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Izzy wasn’t sure how she arrived at the foot of Jane’s bed, but there she was, heart pounding, legs weak and shaking. She didn’t have words for the kiss she’d just experienced or the desperate need surging through her. Jane stood before her, wrapped in her arms, trembling. Izzy was dazed, and she dropped her gaze to the lips she’d just been kissing, fully intending to do it some more. But when she moved her head in their direction, Jane put her hands on Izzy’s chest and pushed her back so she was sitting on the bed, so that Jane was standing before her. She reached out to pull Jane into her lap, but Jane had other plans.

  She stepped back and slid one of the straps of her dress from her shoulder, tossing her hair back. Izzy looked up into Jane’s eyes, and their dark-brown beauty swam with a sexy intensity Izzy had never experienced. The gaze penetrated her with an electric heat, filling her entirely, and the beauty before her immobilized her.

  Jane pushed the strap all the way off and ran her fingers under the top of the dress to the other strap, sliding it from her shoulder. The top of the dress fell down until the soft cotton revealed a luscious expanse of cleavage and the top half of a lacy white bra. Izzy used her fingers to trace the lines of Jane’s collarbone and ran them down until they rested on the little pink rose sewn into the center of the fabric between Jane’s breasts.

  Jane captured Izzy’s hand and placed her fingers under the lacy garment. The back of Izzy’s fingers brushed over Jane’s erect nipple. Jane sucked in a breath while Izzy held hers. Jane pulled Izzy’s hand from the garment and kissed Izzy’s palm before slowly turning around.

  “Unzip me?” Jane looked back at her over her shoulder, and Izzy complied, moving Jane’s hair to the side. All thoughts of going slow had vanished, and the desire cascading through her completely eclipsed the anxiety that had plagued her. She kissed a small constellation of freckles dotting the space between Jane’s shoulder blades while she slowly lowered the zipper. The dress fell away, and Izzy stepped closer, encircling Jane’s waist with her arms. She kissed Jane’s neck and pressed against her from behind, flattening her hands against Jane’s stomach, moving them up until they were resting just below Jane’s breasts. Jane let her head fall back, and Izzy pressed kisses against her warm skin until Jane turned in her arms and kissed her.

  God. What a kiss. Feeling Jane’s skin, warm and soft beneath her hands, Izzy grew dizzy as she pressed her lips against Jane’s and traced the soft skin of her inner lips with her tongue. As their kiss deepened, Izzy ran her hands in random patterns over Jane’s shoulders, down over her hips, and up along her spine. She couldn’t get enough of touching her. She couldn’t get enough of kissing her.

  Jane unbuttoned her shirt and pushed it off. When Jane’s hands slid under the bottom of her T-shirt, Izzy gasped, and Jane pushed the shirt up and over her head.

  “No bra. Sexy.” Jane dipped her head and put her mouth around one of Izzy’s nipples. The sensation shot straight to Izzy’s groin. A moan poured out of her while she tangled her hands in Jane’s hair, throwing her own head back as Jane’s tongue played across her chest.

  She untangled her hands from Jane’s hair, skimming her fingers along Jane’s back until she found the hook to her bra and unclasped it. Jane stood back and pulled the undergarment off.

  “God, you’re beautiful,” Izzy whispered. Jane’s full breasts, tipped with dark nipples, swayed with Jane’s breathing. The matching lacy white panties Jane wore contrasted gorgeously with Jane’s light-brown skin and rode low across her hips, just below her slightly rounded belly. In the dim light of the room, she looked like a painting.

  Jane moved close and unbuttoned Izzy’s jeans, pushing them down with Izzy’s panties. Izzy stepped out of her clothing as well as her slip-on shoes and pulled Jane into her arms. Jane responded with a long kiss and pulled Izzy onto the bed. A startled cat jumped away, but Izzy barely noticed, the feel of their naked skin against each other the center of her attention. Jane rolled her onto her back and covered her with her body. Izzy ran her hands up and down Jane’s sides, pausing to cup the sides of her breasts, filling her hands with their softness. She gently rolled Jane’s nipples between her fingers and thumbs before taking one of them into her mouth. Teasing the firm flesh with her lips, she then ran her tongue around it before sucking and gently nibbling it. Jane straddled her thigh and pressed against it. The damp warmth of Jane’s panties revealed how excited Jane was, and Izzy slid her hands into the back of Jane’s panties, pushing them down. Jane ro
se and removed them, kicking them off the bed.

  “Is there anything you don’t like to do?” Jane asked as she lowered her head to tease one of Izzy’s nipples.

  “I don’t think so,” Izzy said. Her voice trembled with need.

  “Well, don’t hesitate to let me know if you want me to stop. Or if you want more of something.” Jane sucked on Izzy’s nipple while she pinched the other one.

  “Oh, God. Like what you’re doing now? I love that.”

  “You do? Good. Because I love your breasts.”

  Jane rubbed herself against Izzy’s thigh, and Izzy held her ass, pulling Jane harder against her. Jane moved her leg up placing it between Izzy’s leg, and Izzy’s hips rose and fell in the rhythm Jane had started. Between Jane’s artful attention to her nipples and the pressure of Jane’s leg on her center, a throbbing pulse started to fill Izzy.

  “I could come like this again.” Jane’s mouth was near her ear now, and soft lips closed around Izzy’s earlobe. “But I want you inside me when I come with you.” Jane reached back and took Izzy’s hand, sliding it between her legs.

  “I’m left-handed,” Izzy said, exchanging hands. She smiled and kissed Jane as her fingers teased through the damp hair between Jane’s legs, dipping into the warm wetness.

  Jane lifted her head and gasped. “I knew that,” she said just before she kissed Izzy.

  Izzy explored the slick folds around her fingers, tracing the edges and slipping between them to tease the opening. Jane guided Izzy’s fingers, moving her middle and forefinger against her clit. Izzy pressed it, getting to know Jane’s body, taking in the way it responded to her touch.

  “That’s it. Yes.” Jane moaned and pushed against Izzy’s fingers.

  Jane moved Izzy’s fingers around and over her clit a few times, showing Izzy how hard she liked to be touched, and then Jane let go, dropping her hand back to the bed to support herself as she rocked over Izzy on her hands and knees. Izzy moved her other hand to Jane’s breast and pinched the nipple while she rubbed Jane’s clit. She dipped her fingers into Jane and slid her fingers back over the sensitive area. Jane moaned, and wetness covered Izzy’s hand. Jane’s hips began to twitch more aggressively, and when Izzy slid her fingers into her, strong muscles wrapped around her fingers. She hooked them and stroked the front inside of Jane’s wall. Jane cried out and shook in Izzy’s arms before she dropped her head onto Izzy’s shoulder and lowered herself onto her. Izzy left her fingers inside Jane, the muscles gently contracting against them. She wrapped her other arm around Jane and held her until Jane caught her breath.

  It wasn’t long before Jane eased Izzy’s fingers out of herself and slid down to rest between her thighs, focusing her attention on Izzy’s pleasure.

  * * *

  What happens after you’ve had sex for the first time?

  Some people are come-and-go kind of people, and some like to bask in each other’s company after making love for the first time. It’s a delicate situation. Feelings come up and surprise you sometimes. It would be great if we could know exactly what we want before the situation arises so we could tell each other how we want to handle the post-coitus period, but even when we do, we usually don’t feel comfortable telling each other, preferring to play it by ear.

  Most important, the last thing anyone wants is to wake up alone after they fall asleep in someone’s arms. That’s just rude.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  The light from the streetlight in the alley illuminated the room enough for Izzy to make out most of the furnishings in Jane’s room. She was on her side, and Jane was spooning her from behind. Jane’s gentle breathing was even and deep as she slept. The press of her breasts against Izzy’s back was intensely erotic, and she wanted to move against their soft weight. They’d made love for hours, and Jane had finally pleaded exhaustion, falling asleep a moment later.

  This won’t last.

  A tremble of anxiety lodged itself in Izzy’s chest at the sudden thought. She should be content in the aftermath of their lovemaking. It had been incredible. But maybe it had been too soon. Had it? She felt as if they went from kissing to bed so quickly. She reminded herself they’d known each other for several weeks, during which her attraction had grown. Her sex still pulsed with desire when she thought about how things had escalated so quickly once they had kissed. Yet her chest was tight and felt as if it was getting tighter as she tried not to focus on how she was breathing. As much as she reveled in Jane’s naked skin molded against her back, something like claustrophobia started to descend. She needed to get out of bed.

  She lifted Jane’s arm and rolled slowly out of bed. Immediately, she missed the warmth of Jane’s body. She watched her sleep, wrapping her arms around herself against the chill of the night.

  Looking around, she had absolutely no memory of the layout of the house. She’d been utterly distracted by their kisses when Jane had led them to the bedroom. No bathroom connected to the bedroom, and on her way out of bed, she tripped over a large animal. Jane didn’t stir at her whispered surprise, and Lester barely acknowledged her clumsy pets of apology as he dropped his head back onto his paws and started snoring again.

  Out of bed and moving, she felt the tightness in her chest start to subside.

  The hallway was dark, but seeing a doorway directly across from the bedroom, Izzy reached inside and flipped the light switch, pleased that it was the bathroom. She quickly slipped inside and shut the door. Her refection in the mirror looked just like her, even with her hair standing on end looking like she’d just rolled out of bed after a night of making love. She smiled at the thought. The knot of anxiety lodged in her chest eased a little more. She ran the water and splashed some on her face, then dried off and sat on the toilet. As she peed, she wondered what was next. Should she stay the night? The tightness in her chest increased. Her knee bounced. Jane hadn’t said what she expected. Was this a one-night thing? Or was it something more to her? Izzy hadn’t thought it through. She’d spent so long closing herself off to romance. Was she open to it now? She knew she wanted more of what they’d just done. The whole thing. The dinner, the talking, and definitely the sex. But what about Jane?

  This probably won’t last.

  The tightness in her chest was back. She dropped her head into her hands and took several deep breaths. She straightened her back and let her head drop and took a few more. It helped.

  Izzy finished in the bathroom as quietly as she could and returned to the bedroom. It took a moment for her eyes to readjust to the dark, but when she got back to the bed, both of the cats were settled on the empty side. Jane was asleep on her stomach with the sheet pulled up to her waist. Her bare back was beautiful in the light coming in from the window, her long, dark hair fanned out on the pillow. A thick strand draped over her face, and Izzy slowly moved it, her fingers barely touching Jane’s soft cheek. She was like a beautiful sketch drawn by an Italian artist. Izzy couldn’t help but stare, filled with desire and tenderness. She started to move the cats to get back into bed when doubt crept in again, and the tightness squeezed her. She was exhausted. Had Jane meant for her to spend the entire night? Maybe she was supposed to leave. Indecision filled her. Should she at least gather her scattered clothing?

  “Are you going to just stand there and stare at me like you’re a heavenly goddess sent to watch over me and protect me in my sleep?” Jane hadn’t moved at all. Izzy had thought she was still asleep.

  “I could stand here all night and watch you sleep.”

  Jane rose on one elbow. “You can’t possibly stand there naked and beautiful and me not have my hands all over you. Are you going to make me get up, or are you planning to get into bed and make love to me again?”

  The tightness in Izzy’s chest disappeared, and she lifted the covers, forcing the cats to jump off. She slipped into bed and scooted over until she was next to Jane, who had rolled to her side facing her. Jane’s warmth washed over Izzy, and she sighed. She ran her hand along Jane’s side and bent
to kiss the warm skin of Jane’s shoulder.

  “When you got up, I thought you might be leaving.”

  “Did you want me to?”

  Jane ran a hand along Izzy’s arm. “Not if I have a say in it. I want to make my world-famous omelet for you in the morning.”

  “It’s settled then.” She sounded more confident than she felt.

  Jane moved closer, and Izzy kissed each of her eyes and then her mouth. The kiss started slow but quickly became more, and Izzy was swept away once again.

  * * *

  People have all kinds of mornings after. There’s the “how do I get out of here without hurting their feelings” morning after. There’s the “I slept so hard I must have drooled, and they saw it” morning after. There’s the “I haven’t slept enough, but I don’t care” morning after. I could go on and on. The thing about mornings after is getting past the uncomfortable feeling of not being in your normal routine whether you wake up in a new bed, or in your own, with a new person. The movies always seem to show the beautiful costars waking up with big smiles and big kisses. But in reality, ordinary mortals have morning breath, pillow hair, full bladders, and the unforgiving brightness of morning sunlight to contend with.

  Some people try to get around these unpleasantries by getting up early and sneaking to the bathroom to freshen up. Others accept the dishevelment, cuddle carefully, and shyly excuse themselves to use the bathroom.

  So, basically, the type of morning after you’ll have depends on the person you have the night before with. You will always experience some sort of insecurity. Just know the other person has the same insecurity you have. It’s best to just go with what feels right to you and check in with the person you wake up with.

  Chapter Twenty-five