Her smile slightly wicked, Laura said, "I think that means you'll just have to figure out how to be quiet for the night."
Her heart was beating so hard that Helen felt slightly faint. Even her scalp was tingling. "You're going to have to do the same," she warned.
"I hope so." The slightly sardonic smile was more familiar and Helen relaxed, just a little. She undid the loose knot of Laura's robe, finding a skintight gold cami and matching panties. The swell of her breasts and hard nipples took away what was left of Helen's breath.
"I want to feel you with my hands," Laura murmured. She shrugged out of her robe, then pulled Helen into her arms. Her hands swept around to Helen's backside. "Time for the first ass check?"
Helen burst out laughing. "Please don't ever say that in front of anybody else!"
Laura snickered in her ear. "I'll just look like I'm thinking it and watch you blush."
Helen broke free and pulled Laura to the bed. Their laughter faded.
When the bed was against the backs of Helen's thighs, Laura went to her knees. Her hot breath through the silk set Helen on fire. She'd worn nothing under the negligee. There hadn't seemed any point. She clutched the back of Laura's head, near swooning. Laura's hands were caressing her calves. She frantically pulled up her negligee-how could she have ever not known that she craved a woman's mouth on her? That she could feel so complete, so loved, so treasured? So taken, consumed?
With a little push she found herself sitting on the edge of the bed. Laura stopped only to shush her, then her tongue went back to teasing and swirling, sometimes subtle, sometimes hard. Laura's fingers explored her too, slipping and sliding in a game of delicious torment. Helen pressed her hands over her mouth to dampen the volume of her moan as Laura slipped inside her. She thought she might cry. Laura was pushing her further onto the bed. Her fingers felt so good and she pulled Laura down on top of her with a hungry mewl.
"Yes," Laura whispered. "Yes, I will. Hold on to me."
She loved the shape of Laura's head, her beautiful black hair-she hadn't realized it would feel so sexy and sensual against her body. She could feel Laura's nipples against her breasts and the sensation made her thirsty. They shared an electrifying kiss and tasting herself on Laura's lips sent a surge of pleasure rocketing down her spine.
"Yes, there," Laura said. She lowered her head to run her tongue across Helen's nipple, which tightened against the damp silk.
She gritted her teeth to hold back a shout. Please, please, please, she wanted to beg.
Though she said nothing, Laura still seemed to hear her. She pushed a little harder, bit down on Helen's nipple and held on as Helen exploded off the bed.
Her breath was ragged in her ears, and that was all she could hear for several moments. She was aware of Laura shifting to spoon behind her, arms holding her tight. There were light kisses on her neck that weren't the least bit soothing, not when one hand was moving lightly over her breast.
It was so easy to relax into Laura's arms. She stilled the wandering fingertips.
"Really?" Laura's voice was languid. "You want me to stop?" One fingertip brushed under her nipple in a gesture so knowing that Helen felt utterly naked.
"God, no. I just thought that…" Laura's hand swept down her ribs, over her hip and between her legs. "I don't know what I was thinking. Don't stop."
Her sizzling nerves weren't as fire-hot, but this time she felt more, and deeper. The sensual pressure of Laura's fingers made her shiver, and when she gasped quietly, Laura came back to that place again until Helen was writhing in her arms, sobbing again for breath. She nearly broke Laura's grip as another climax jolted through her.
It took all her strength to finally turn over to kiss Laura. Her arms were like lead weights. Her eyelids wanted so badly to close. She tried to sound displeased, and failed completely. "Look what you've done."
"I'm looking. I love what I see."
"Really, you should try not to be so perfect. You'll spoil me. And that's the last thing this diva needs more of."
"If you think you've been spoiled before this, you are in for some pleasant surprises. I'm going to love spoiling you, in every way I can think of." Laura kissed her on the nose. "You're pretty adorable when you're sleepy."
"I'm not sleepy."
"If you had pants on, they'd be on fire." She brushed an air kiss over Helen's lips.
"You are beyond sexy. Lesbians are idiots, and I'm pretty glad because you were single and I got you."
"I'm not perfect," Laura said. "Really. Well-established fact."
"Perfect for me." She knew she said more, and she heard Laura laugh, but the room was getting dark and she was so warm.
Laura wasn't prepared for the sensation of waking up in Helen's arms. Once Helen had fallen asleep she'd managed to pull some of the comforter over them, laughing quietly to herself that they hadn't even made it under the sheets. She searched her heart and found nothing but happiness. Then another sensation intruded and her happiness blossomed into joyful desire. Helen was gently tugging up her camisole.
"Oh, so you are awake." The bedside lamp was still on and Helen was tousled and bewitching in the soft glow. "It's okay if you're not. Your body is."
"Lecherous woman."
"As often as I can be. I have a lot of years to make up for."
Laura's chuckle of agreement turned into a hiss as Helen's lips, then tongue teased at her nipple. Sharp, rich pleasure drove away any lingering drowsiness.
Remembering Helen's relative inexperience, she murmured, "I love that."
Helen smiled as she arched up to kiss Laura softly. "So do I."
The sensation of Helen's breasts against hers was so delicious that Laura reached for them, but Helen pushed her hand away.
"None of that," she said. "I'll just roll over again."
"And that's supposed to keep my hands off of you?"
Helen pushed her knee firmly between Laura's. "Your hands are full of magic so you keep them to yourself."
"Sure." With a wicked look she slid her hand down her own stomach with a clear destination. "But I'd rather it was your hands doing this."
Helen lifted one eyebrow, but when she didn't intervene, Laura carried through on her bluff. She knew how wet she was and certainly knew how to touch herself, but she wished she hadn't started down this path-she wanted Helen to feel her.
"You keep doing that," Helen murmured. She sat up long enough to pull off her negligee, then her hair tickled across Laura's stomach as she settled between Laura's knees. Then Helen's tongue was sliding along the same places her own fingers were stroking. She groaned loudly, bit it back and clenched her teeth. She opened herself, lifted her hips and Helen was inside of her too. Finally, Helen knocked her hand away and covered her swollen center with her mouth as her fingers went deeper.
She tried not to hold her breath. She couldn't help it. She knotted her hands into the bedclothes and held on tight. Her climax left her shaking but she was proud of herself for not having let go of the scream that had bubbled up inside of her.
Instead it was Helen who shouted, "Yes!"
Still shaking, Laura beckoned to her, laughter mingling with her gasps of pleasure. It was safe to feel ecstasy-this had no price. No penalty. The small knot inside of her where she always suspected anything that felt too good finally unraveled. "Hush. C'mere. Hold me."
Helen gathered her up. "That felt amazing."
"You're telling me? Can we get under the covers?"
"Oh my Lord, that feels so wonderful," Helen murmured into her shoulder, once they were settled. "Sheets. You. In the morning I'll get a ticket on your flight. If Trevor Huntley can do nearly all his producing from sunny Mexico, I can surely do some of mine from California. I'm not letting you get too far away."
"Tell the kids?" Laura yawned. "In the morning?"
"Mm-hmm. Make them pancakes. They can be bought with pancakes."
Laura sighed. "I want to go to sleep so I can wake up and know this hasn't been a dr
eam."
Helen kissed her shoulder. Laura slipped her hand into Helen's. She was never going to let go.
EPILOGUE
"The camera loves that boy," the assistant whispered to the director. "When we get to number three, he should get some face time."
Helen had to agree. On the monitor Justin looked absolutely adorable and she wasn't just saying that because she was a very proud mother. Relatives weren't usually allowed into tapings of a cooking competition show, but she knew the producer and two chairs had become available once she and Cass had signed an agreement not to reveal the outcome before the program aired.
It didn't matter. Helen already knew the outcome of the Sliced: Family Feuds sweeps week special. Twenty minutes to make an appetizer out of a fruit, some fish, wheat cereal and coffee beans-child's play for her two stars. She watched Laura's hands on the flour and knew that coffee-scented pasta would be perfect. In the past four years, only the one batch of pumpkin pies had been less than perfect, and Helen accepted much of the blame. Laura had been distracted and not heard the timer's two-minute warning, or when it went off for real, and sounded one more time five minutes later.
It had taken several hours to clear out the smell of burned pie from the condo and reset the smoke alarms. As Laura had said, "Worth it."
All of the contestants had been introduced to each other before the taping began, as well as to the judges. While they had all been settling in, the host had stepped over to ask her for an autograph, saying that he couldn't go home to his boyfriend without it since they had already seen Auntie Mame five times. Helen never grew tired of it. She might never grow tired of it. Audiences certainly showed no sign of tiring either. With tickets selling out in hours, her decision to close two weeks out of every three months had been easy to implement. Nobody related to the project was suffering financially. If Mary Martin could play Peter Pan for decades, there was no reason why she and Mame Dennis couldn't be inseparable.
She'd finally seen Paris, Warsaw and Tahiti, and spent luxurious weeks at home in California too, all with the woman she loved. That woman right there, Helen thought, as she watched the host finally approach the cooking area where Laura and Justin were frantically working.
"Chef Izmani, you've been an executive chef all over the world and 'The Food's the Thing' is one of the most sought-after private caterers in New York," the host was saying genially. "Tell us about your goal here today."
"I have always loved the flavors of Jamaica and believe there is a spice combination that can make almost anything taste good." Laura smiled and gave him her full attention, completely ignoring the camera only feet away. Her hands, however, never stopped kneading the pasta dough.
"Tell us about your choice of helper."
"Justin Browning is my wife's son, and after he finishes college, he wants to go to culinary school. I have every confidence that he will be instrumental in helping us win today."
The host, in his trademark black-framed glasses and narrow tie, darted around Laura's work station to push the microphone in front of Justin. "Do you have any particular interests or point of view in regard to your culinary future?"
With a sideways smile and a half-sleepy look that made the assistant next to Helen sigh again, Justin said, "My sister has severe allergies to preservatives and dyes. I want to create food that's safe for her and is so good that it becomes commonplace. Chef Izmani has taught me for years that it's easy to cook without them, and everything tastes better from fresh."
"Admirable, young man. I hope your sister appreciates you."
Cass stifled a snort.
The cameras moved down to the final contestants, and then Laura and Justin were conferring over something. Justin dashed to the pantry and returned with one arm full of more ingredients and a blender in the other. In the short time he was gone, Laura had peeled whatever that fruit was. Helen had never heard of Buddha's hand.
She caught Laura looking in their direction, but didn't dare distract her. In her opinion, the camera loved Laura too.
When the twenty minutes expired the cameras were turned off and dishes quickly carried away to the judging table and for close-up still shots. A makeup artist moved between the contestants buffing away shine with a powder puff.
"Be right back," Helen whispered to Cass.
"I knew you couldn't make it the entire taping." Cass turned a winsome smile on the director, who was quite attractive.
Stepping over cables and skirting the hand-held camera operators, she was able to sidle up to Laura and Justin. "You guys are doing great."
Laura grinned at her. "I'm a wreck. This is way harder than it looks on TV." She elbowed Justin. "You better appreciate this."
"I do. I will." He rubbed his side in mock pain.
"Did you walk all the way over here to tell us that?" Laura gave Helen a hard look.
She sees right through me, Helen thought. "Of course."
"No, you just want me to check out your ass when you walk away."
Justin let out an exasperated gasp. "You two are so freakin' gross. It's just nothing but sex, sex, sex."
Heads swiveled in their direction as conversations paused. Helen assumed an innocent demeanor as she walked back to where Cass was still flirting with the assistant. As long as Laura checked it out she wasn't quite as obsessed about her ass, wrinkles or gray hair. She didn't fear the future these days.
She heard Laura say, "I am not staring. I'll focus. Don't worry."
Cass gave her a sidelong look when she sat down. "He's right. It's gross. You should pass out insulin."
"Can't help it. Like you and what's-her-name." She nodded at the director.
"I got her number. Her name is Kim. Isn't she cute?"
"They're all named Kim."
Cass smacked her on the leg. "Julie will be sorry she missed this."
"It's finals week at Smith. Justin goes back to M.I.T. this weekend."
She glanced at the monitor for Laura's station. She and Justin were waiting to be called to the adjacent set to be scored for their first round by the judges.
As Helen watched Laura turned her head to stare directly into the camera.
She winked and blew a kiss.
Cass heaved a sigh.
Helen blew a kiss back. Cass and her kids and even judges and critics-they could say whatever they wanted. This was the ride of a lifetime and she was going to enjoy every minute with her eyes wide open and Laura's hand in hers.
Publications from
Bella Books, Inc.
Women. Books. Even Better Together.
P.O. Box 10543
Tallahassee, FL 32302
Phone: 800-729-4992
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CALM BEFORE THE STORM by Peggy J. Herring. Colonel Marcel Robicheaux doesn't tell and so far no one official has asked, but the amorous pursuit by Jordan McGowen has her worried for both her career and her honor.
978-0-9677753-1-9
THE WILD ONE by Lyn Denison. Rachel Weston is busy keeping home and head together after the death of her husband. Her kids need her and what she doesn't need is the confusion that Quinn Farrelly creates in her body and heart.
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LESSONS IN MURDER by Claire McNab. There's a corpse in the school with a neat hole in the head and a Black & Decker drill alongside. Which teacher should Inspector Carol Ashton suspect? Unfortunately, the alluring Sybil Quade is at the top of the list. First in this highly lauded series.
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WHEN AN ECHO RETURNS by Linda Kay Silva. The bayou where Echo Branson found her sanity has been swept clean by a hurricane-or at least they thought. Then an evil washed up by the storm comes looking for them all, one-by-one. Second in series.
978-1-59493-225-0
DEADLY INTERSECTIONS by Ann Roberts. Everyone is lying, including her own father and her girlfriend. Leaving matters to the professionals is supposed to be easier! Third in series with Paid In Full and White Offerings.
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SUBSTITUTE FOR LOVE by Karin Kallmaker. No substitutes, ever again! But then Holly's heart, body and soul are captured by Reyna... Reyna with no last name and a secret life that hides a terrible bargain, one written in family blood.
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MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME by Karin Kallmaker. Take one Next Home Network Star and add one Little White Lie to equal mayhem in little Mendocino and a recipe for sizzling romance. This lighthearted, steamy story is a feast for the senses in a kitchen that is way too hot.
978-1-931513-61-6
2ND FIDDLE by Kate Calloway. Cassidy James's first case left her with a broken heart. At least this new case is fighting the good fight, and she can throw all her passion and energy into it. 978-1-59493-200-7
HUNTING THE WITCH by Ellen Hart. The woman she loves - used to love - offers her help, and Jane Lawless finds it hard to say no. She needs TLC for recent injuries and who better than a doctor? But Julia's jittery demeanor awakens Jane's curiosity. And Jane has never been able to resist a mystery. #9 in series and Lammy-winner.
978-1-59493-206-9
FAÇADES by Alex Marcoux. Everything Anastasia ever wanted - she has it. Sidney is the woman who helped her get it. But keeping it will require a price - the unnamed passion that simmers between them.
978-1-59493-239-7
ELENA UNDONE by Nicole Conn. The risks. The passion. The devastating choices. The ultimate rewards. Nicole Conn rocked the lesbian cinema world with Claire of the Moon and has rocked it again with Elena Undone. This is the book that tells it all…
978-1-59493-254-0
WHISPERS IN THE WIND by Frankie J. Jones. It began as a camping trip, then a simple hike. Dixon Hayes and Elizabeth Colter uncover an intriguing cave on their hike, changing their world, perhaps irrevocably.
978-1-59493-037-9
WEDDING BELL BLUES by Julia Watts. She'll do anything to save what's left of her family. Anything. It didn't seem like a bad plan...at first. Hailed by readers as Lammy-winner Julia Watts' funniest novel.
978-1-59493-199-4
WILDFIRE by Lynn James. From the moment botanist Devon McKinney meets ranger Elaine Thomas the chemistry is undeniable. Sharing-and protecting-a mountain for the length of their short assignments leads to unexpected passion in this sizzling romance by newcomer Lynn James.
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