The question dragged her eyes to him. She’d called him to relax and not think. “It’s a thing couples do. We are not a couple. We meet up in a hotel and make each other come.”
He shifted on the bed and his smile widened. “Don’t think of it as spooning, but basking in the afterglow.”
“I do. In my car on my way home. I have a pep in my step the rest of the day.”
He looked down at the comforter. “With your husband.”
She was not going to get into the details of her marriage with a one-off, a mistress. She knew that wasn’t the right word. Was there a word for a male mistress? Likely not. The world didn’t work that way. In any case, someone with whom she occasionally swiped right did not get to cuddle with her. He filled the sole gap in intimacy between her and her husband. The only thing missing from their lives was sex with each other. Druv didn’t swing on the bi tree, so that option was out. Yet they did have physical intimacy. They held hands, hugged, they shared a bed. She didn’t need Cuddlebug for that.
Explaining to her swipe-right that cuddling crossed a boundary was too much.
“Leave this alone,” she said. “I’d hate to have to end us because you refuse to let this go. If you’re not comfortable sleeping with a married woman, I get it. Definitely don’t fall for me. The feelings won’t be reciprocated.”
He pulled the comforter up and leaned forward. “I’m not uncomfortable. I’m confused.”
“It’s not something you need the details about to understand. If it’s a problem, walk.”
He dragged a hand through his hair and sighed. “I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
He put up his hands. “The sex is good so I’m shutting up now.”
Surprised at the frank answer, she laughed. “Now you’re getting it.”
“But—”
Her phone rang. Aditi lunged for it and answered before the second ring. “Hey,” she answered, and tried to sound upbeat about it. Cuddlebug was getting up from the bed. She waved him off, giving him a sorry-got-to-get-this-bye kind of face. He dropped back onto the edge of the bed. She made her escape from the room.
“Have you ever heard of edge play?”
Thrown by the question, Aditi put more space between herself and the hotel room. “Not really. Is this something you want me to research and do a post about?”
“God, no.” Michelle cleared her throat. “I’ve seen it mentioned in more than one place and I’m not going to Google it without recommendations.”
Aditi’s steps slowed, she was so confused by the trajectory of the conversation. “Why do you think I would know what edge play is?”
“You have romance authors as friends.”
Aditi snorted. “I met a few of them while at the con, but there wasn’t a lot of time to really get to know them.”
“I hoped you’d have all the dirt. I’m… doing some research.”
Aditi pushed opened the stairwell door, then leaned against the railing. “And this research involves vetting edge play before you Google it?”
“Yes. I looked up the humiliation aspect of BDSM and got pictures of scat for my trouble.”
“What?” Aditi reeled back at the mental image that popped into her head. “What are you doing?”
“I’m actually taking a lunch and decided to do something useful with my free time.”
Aditi shook her head, amused by her friend’s relentlessness. Not to mention that lunchtime had been a few hours ago. “Maybe try a nap next time. Order your assistant around. Or have her bring in someone who can give you a foot massage.”
“I’ll take it under advisement. The day has been crazy long already.” A pause followed, then Michelle asked, “Why does your voice sound like you’re standing in an echo chamber?”
Aditi turned around so her back rested against the railing. “Just finished with Cuddlebug. I’d rather not run into him in the hallway. He might get clingy again.”
“Couldn’t find anyone else?”
“I’m going to say this and I might lose some street cred.”
Michelle laughed on the other end of the line. “This is a judgment-free circle.”
“The dick is good.” Aditi smiled at the big laugh Michelle let out. “I know. Am I taking the feminist struggle back a few years with that? I should feel bad, but it’s like having a human rabbit. I always come more than once and he never gets tired.”
“I’m not sure Susan B. Anthony would approve, but she wasn’t fighting for people like us anyway.”
It felt good to hear her friend laugh, and to laugh with her friend. She’d forgotten it could be like this. The last few weeks—the past year—had been tense between them, and a constant balancing act of being a friend and being an author.
“I guess I can sleep at night knowing that.” She didn’t want to talk about work, and that meant it wasn’t often she got to ask Michelle about her life. Now seemed like the best time. “How are you, Michelle? How are you really?”
“Oh you mean the demise of my marriage? Dealing with egotistical authors? My mother calling to complain about Christina not calling her? Everything is fine, fine.”
Michelle played it off as a joke, but Aditi could hear the strain. If her friend didn’t want to get into the details, she’d let it be for now. “Is this why you were looking up edge play? Need some kind of relief?”
“I’m focused, as always. Hold on.” The phone line clicked softly and Aditi waited in the quiet. Ten seconds later, Michelle came back. “I have to go. Fires to put out. Capes to wear.”
Aditi smiled at the last part. It fit her friend. “It was good talking to you.”
“We talk all the time.”
Yeah but about deadlines and blog posts.
“Yeah,” was all Aditi said. “You gotta go and I need to make my great escape. Cuddlebug might have a tracking device on me that I don’t know about.”
“Later.”
Aditi stood there and held on to the warmth left from the phone call.
CHRISTINA
Somehow, Christina found herself in front of a three-way mirror in a beaded gown. Her reflection showed a woman with a petulant pout, and still somehow the look worked. The California sun gave her skin a nice, year-round tan. They’d pinned back her long bangs, and that only made the shaved side of her hair stand out more. She looked damn good.
She hated it. Every sequined inch of the dress. Her thighs touched. Her thighs—which were little more than two slabs of muscle over bone. She thanked genetics for it, because if she’d had one more inch of anything, the whole dress would have exploded right off her body.
Christina thought maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea, given that she’d told Vivi she’d never wear it. Ever. Yet here the fuck she was in the damn dress. If only that was the bad part. Cherlydam all nodded at her and kept debating about the right accessories.
Vivi stood off to the left, eyeing Christina with a frown. The actress hadn’t bothered to throw on a robe, since one of the Cherlydams had kept her busy by trying on different styles that could go with the dress they had foisted on Christina. They were all now waiting on Vivi’s final yea or nay. They were going about this, and loudly.
Finally, Vivi made face of disapproval. “The more I look at you in this dress, the less I want to fuck you. It has to go.” Vivi turned to one of the Cherlydams. “Find something else and fast. I’m losing my patience.”
Even Christina blinked at the quick reversal. Then again, Vivi’s whims changed with the wind. She’d done it on set, and it was no surprise that she’d do it with her personal assistants when coordinating gowns. On a scale of one to ten of Christina caring, it was a negative five. She wasn’t going to have to wear the stupid dress.
Vivi’s assistant’s cheeks flushed. “I thought we’d decided.”
“I’m changing my mind,” Vivi said in a voice not to be argued with.
“What about that picture I showed you? The wedding where the lesbians dressed as two Disney princesse
s? It’s in right now for both women to be femme.”
“How about we lean more into her androgynous side. Her cheekbones were made for a hat. No, think Bowie.”
Christina offered up a suggestion: “I was always more of a Prince fan.”
That made all three assistants perk up. “I think I saw a mesh veil in here somewhere.”
“Find the heavily embellished suit jacket.” The next blonde grinned. “And just wear the jacket.”
They buzzed around and Vivi met Christina’s gaze. Christina liked to think that after bribing her into the gown with sex, Vivi had realized the whole thing was a mistake. Vivi wanted to compromise, like a person does in a relationship. That’s what Christina wanted, needed to be true. “I don’t have to wear the dress?”
“Please don’t tell me now you do want to?”
“No.”
“Good.” Vivi said to her assistants, “Girls, figure this out on your own time. I’m done for the day. Been done. I have a script to go over.”
It took the women another twenty minutes to pack up what they absolutely needed and leave. Christina plopped back onto the bed. Who knew one could miss inhaling deeply? She pressed her fingers to her ribs and prayed nothing had been fractured from the tight fit of the dress.
The bed shifted as Vivi joined her. “I promise everything is still there.”
“Are you sure? My spleen feels funny.”
“Let me see.” Vivi brushed her fingers beneath Christina’s breasts. “Seems to all be there. I can always…”
“Yes,” Christina answered without needing to hear the full suggestion.
Vivi raised her brow. “Does that mean you’re not mad at me anymore?”
“I wasn’t mad. I was annoyed.”
“And now?”
Confused. A little pissed. Having “the talk” didn’t fall under things Christina ever felt the need to do. She didn’t feel like starting one now—especially after suffocating herself in a gown, and for what? To appease Vivi? When had that become important? Jesus. She was losing it. What had happened to the woman who preferred—no, demanded—no strings attached to anything. Her work couldn’t hold her down, because production wouldn’t stop on a dime if she didn’t show up. Her parents had long since stopped depending on her to be reliable. Her sister still had hope, but Michelle was delusional like that. Her friends were probably the only people she allowed to put strings on her.
She had to act like herself, and quickly.
Christina asked, “Do you have any Molly?”
Vivi gestured toward the dresser. “I think I have some around here somewhere.”
With the hand gone, Christina could think clearly again. “We have to do this all again tomorrow?”
Vivi moved toward her dresser. “Are you pouting again?” Vivi checked over her shoulder, then laughed. “You are. Why?”
“I’m over here at your house too much.”
“Because you’re usually too drunk or high or”—Vivi’s smile was slow and seductive—“walking too crooked to call a cab when I’m done with you.”
This was true. They rarely had a lucid moment together. “This conversation is making me feel girly.”
And too invested in what’s going on.
It wasn’t like they were going to go house shopping next week. Any talk that needed to happen could wait. “Come here.”
“How many times will I come if I do?” Vivi opened and closed the dresser. “And you’re feeling girly because we’ve been spending a lot of time with each other. You know how it is on sets.”
Christina did, and that was why she usually stayed away from the actresses. They often opted out of reality and rarely had any contact with it between jobs. Not every actress, just enough that not dating one had become a rule. Until Vivi barreled into her life.
“You’re still pouting. I would be annoyed if it wasn’t cute.”
“Why, thanks.”
Vivi placed the pill on her fingertip. Christina leaned forward to close her mouth around the digit. After she swallowed, she looked into Vivi’s blue eyes.
“You’re going to look good on the red carpet. So will I. That’s all that matters, Christina.” Vivi pushed her back onto the bed and straddled her lap. “Now, are we done arguing about this? It’s tiresome.”
Christina couldn’t argue with that. Yet the subject didn’t feel settled. She’d put on the stupid dress and the only reason she wasn’t going to wear it was because Vivi had decided against it. Had she done it for Christina?
Didn’t matter, though, not when Christina leaned forward to catch Vivi’s mouth. Her lips were full, warm, and perfect on Christina’s. She felt the kiss in every limb. The slow glide of tongue slipping in and out made her moan.
“More,” she begged.
Vivi pressed her hands to Christina’s shoulders, then kissed her harder. The sharp bite of teeth only made it better. That’s what Christina really wanted—hard, angry. She was acting like a schoolgirl with a crush. Christina didn’t normally act insecure or clingy. She fucked then moved on. She didn’t let herself get dragged into the glitz and glamour.
Yet here she was. Running her hands up Vivi’s back to grip her, to pull her closer so they were chest to chest. Christina needed the soft swell of Vivi’s breasts to rub against her own. She nipped the corner of Vivi’s mouth, then chin. Vivi tilted her head back and Christina closed her teeth on the tendon. At the other woman’s tremble, Christina sucked hard but not long on the sensitive flesh.
Christina arched her hips a fraction and Vivi did the same. She feathered her fingertips down Vivi’s arms until goose bumps prickled along the skin. It was nothing for Christina to trail her fingers over Vivi’s chest, over the strapless bra and then into it. Christina tugged at Vivi’s taut nipples. She did it again to elicit another moan, and make Vivi’s nipples stiffer and ready for Christina’s mouth. A suck, a nip, and then Vivi ground against her middle.
“Why aren’t you touching me already?” Vivi murmured.
Christina unlatched the bra and let her hands do the talking. Wasn’t long before they rolled and switched who was on top. Christina played submissive to no one for long. And Vivi had smooth-as-butter skin, a musky scent that smelled like money and was everything that currently made Christina’s skin tight and tingly.
The haze was trying to edge its way in but she wanted hard and angry. After the day of feeling like a couple, that’s what she needed. She didn’t want soft comfort. So Christina began to kiss down Vivi’s torso, tugging the lace panties off as she worked her way to Vivi’s mound.
She closed her hands on Vivi’s hips and pulled her closer, licked along her slit, and then sucked her clit into her mouth. A salty, sweet tang filled her mouth and she got lost in the taste, craved more and licked until she got it. Maybe the drug was just kicking into her system, but the sensations of Vivi’s slippery slit seemed magnified, leaving Christina’s mouth tingling. Her throat had never been more coated with sweetness.
So when Vivi’s hands went searching, Christina didn’t stop the exploration. Her nipples needed some attention, a little more than teasing. She didn’t protest when she was pulled back up to Vivi’s mouth and her lover’s fingers buried deep into her pussy.
Christina couldn’t draw a line to say when the drug slipped into her veins. Or was it Vivi who did? Christina’s head was spinning, her breath a staccato sound in the room as Vivi pumped her fingers faster.
Did it matter if it was the drug or Vivi making her heart pound? Did it matter that she put on the dress? That Vivi got what she wanted, always?
All that mattered in the moment was Vivi moving under her, using her mouth. Who cared if Christina didn’t know who she was turning herself into. She could care later.
Geek, Actually
Season 1, Episode 6
Can You Not?
Cecilia Tan
#REBELSCUM
Christina: It’s been realllly quiet around here today
Michelle: Not all of us have
as much downtime at our jobs as you do.
Christina: Aditi’s probably hiding from you sis
Elli: ZOMG didn’t realize you guys would feel so neglected now that I’ve got a job!
Taneesha: Job? Did someone say job?
Aditi: Not hiding! How’s it working out, Elli? Good? This is with that author you met at the con? Ruby?
Elli: YES she’s completely amazing. Author and comic book artist you guys. She was in a car accident when she was a little girl and so she’s in a wheelchair for life.
Aditi: She seemed really nice. So awesome you’re getting along!
Michelle: Elli, you’re assisting her?
Elli: Yes it’s great. I went to the post office for her today and she didn’t even mind that I caught Pokemon on the way. She even wanted to see what I’d caught! I’ve never had a boss like that before. She’s a real person like us.
Taneesha: Well? What’d you catch?
Elli: LOL finally got enough charmanders to evolve one. There’s a spawn point right near the post office.
Taneesha: To charmeleon? Or all the way to charizard?
Elli: Charmeleon. But if I have to keep going back to the spot I’ll have a charizard in no time. *roars*
Christina: I only have the vaguest idea what you are talking about
Taneesha: Eighty million people are playing this game. How did you avoid getting sucked in?
Christina: The pocket monsters I deal with are NSFW
Michelle: And how’s she paying you, Elli?
Elli: Um? With money?
Taneesha: Not pokecoins? LOL
Michelle: I mean is it above board, taxable 1099 income, or whatever the equivalent is in Canada?
Elli: Yeah, it’s all very official.
Michelle: Okay.
Elli: She even agrees with me on my theory that the reason Draco is so completely emotionless in the scene where he doesn’t expose Harry to the Death Eaters is that by then he’s secretly in love with Harry.
Christina: Elli, I love you, but you’ve been reading too much slash.
Elli: No, really, Ruby pointed out something I hadn’t even thought of! All the times in Deathly Hallows when Harry has visions of Draco? We always assumed it’s because of Harry’s connection to Voldemort. But what if it’s actually something about Draco? Why would those be the only scenes Harry sees and not stuff like when Charity Burbage was killed?
Geek Actually Season 1 Omnibus Page 20
