Tomorrow's Promise

by Radclyffe

  Tanner didn’t answer. She simply moved nearer until her body was against Adrienne’s. Her tongue slipped gently into Adrienne’s mouth. She kissed her a long moment, and then she leaned away, studying Adrienne’s face.

  “I don’t believe you,” she said quietly. “I can feel your body respond to me. If you can’t feel it, it’s because you don’t want to. I’m going to kiss you again, and this time I’m not going to stop.”

  She slipped one naked thigh between Adrienne’s legs, and pressed into her again. Her lips met Adrienne’s and she thrilled to the answering surge of Adrienne’s hips against hers. She moaned slightly and moved her lips to the suntanned triangle of skin between Adrienne’s open collar, savoring the warmth and sweet taste of her. Her body soared as Adrienne cupped her butt in both hands and rocked Tanner against her. Tanner stifled a cry and buried her face in Adrienne’s neck. She knew that if she weren't careful, it would end the same way it did last night. She already felt the first faint twitches of orgasm building. She usually wasn’t so quick to reach such a critical state of arousal, but somehow Adrienne could bring her to the edge with just a touch. She wasn't going to be able to hold off for long, and she so wanted to please Adrienne too! She pushed away, breaking that exquisite contact, and fought to catch her breath.

  Adrienne’s eyes were closed, and she was breathing rapidly. She opened her eyes, startled and confused. “Why did you stop me?” she asked urgently.

  Tanner shook her head. “Because I’m too close. I don’t want to come. I want you. Come inside.”

  Adrienne wanted to refuse, but she didn’t have the strength. She wanted Tanner desperately. Her arms ached to hold her, her lips hungered for the taste of her. And she couldn’t deny any longer her own almost painful need to be touched. She had to go with her. She had no other choice.

  She didn’t resist as Tanner took her hand and led her toward the double doors to the bedroom. Only when they reached the threshold did Adrienne hesitate, suddenly afraid. She didn’t think she would be able to bear it if Tanner turned away from her in revulsion, or looked upon her with pity.

  “Tanner,” she whispered, “I’m not sure I can do this.”

  Tanner kissed her gently and pulled her forward. “Yes, you can. We can.” She pushed Adrienne gently down on the bed and stood before her, slowly unbuttoning her own shirt. When she was naked she eased herself up onto the bed until she was straddling Adrienne’s hips with her thighs. She pulled Adrienne's shirt from her shorts, stroking her abdomen softly with her fingertips.

  Adrienne leaned back against the pillows, her eyes locked onto Tanner’s face. She knew she would see the truth in Tanner’s eyes. God, if she flinches, or looks away! She was barely breathing. If she had been physically able to, she might still have run away.

  Tanner leaned toward her to kiss her again, her full breasts swaying as she moved. Adrienne gazed at them and gasped. “Oh, god,” she moaned as she caught both breasts in her hands. She ran her thumbs over Tanner’s erect nipples and raised her head to capture one in her lips.

  Tanner pulled back a little. “Don’t make me crazy,” she ordered with a smile. “There are a few things I want to do first.”

  She began to unbutton Adrienne’s shirt, slowly and carefully. Adrienne’s body stiffened beneath her, but Tanner merely whispered, "It will be all right. I promise."

  Then she brought her lips to Adrienne’s and kissed her slowly and deeply. When she finally lifted her head again, they were both gasping for breath. Tanner rested back on her knees and lightly traced Adrienne’s face with her fingertips, slowly stroking her way down Adrienne’s neck until her fingers slipped under the collar of Adrienne’s shirt. Finally, she parted the garment and gazed down.

  Adrienne’s left breast was not large, but round and youthfully firm. The nipple was small and taut, a deep rich rose in color. Where her right breast had been there was a faint red scar that extended from just under her arm nearly to the center of her chest. Tanner could see the well-defined chest muscle outlined just underneath the skin. There was no nipple at all. She wanted to touch her there, but she hesitated.

  Adrienne watched Tanner’s face, trying to read her reactions. Tanner’s expression had grown serious, but she didn’t flinch or avert her gaze. She seemed to be studying her. Strangely, Adrienne didn’t mind. At last Tanner raised her eyes to meet Adrienne’s.

  “Will it hurt you if I lie down on top of you?” she asked.

  Adrienne laughed softly and shook her head. “No. I want you to.”

  Tanner lowered herself slowly until her breasts were touching Adrienne’s chest, and their legs entwined. Her hands slid up Adrienne’s lean arms into her hair as she allowed her full weight to rest against her.

  Adrienne held her tightly as their bodies merged. After a few moments she whispered into Tanner’s hair, “You feel so good against me.”

  Tanner only moaned softly in response, pressing her face to the long curve of Adrienne’s neck, reveling in the wonderful sensation of being so close to her at last. Her body was still acutely aroused, throbbing in fact, but she was in no hurry. She wanted to remember every second of this first sweet meeting.

  “Tanner?” Adrienne asked.

  “Hmm?”

  “Could I take my shorts off, please?”

  “Not if it means you have to move,” Tanner replied in a husky voice. After a moment she rolled onto her side and sighed. “If you must, I’ll do it,” she continued in mock exasperation. She loosened the snaps and zipper with one hand, managing to kiss Adrienne as she did so. She finally reached down and pushed the garment aside, leaving Adrienne naked.

  “Come here,” Adrienne demanded, pulling Tanner against her. She suddenly felt terribly exposed.

  “In a minute,” Tanner murmured. She gently cupped Adrienne’s breast, encircling the nipple with her thumb and forefinger. She could almost hold all of it in her hand.

  Adrienne gasped at the pressure on her nipple. “That's nice,” she whispered softly.

  Tanner put her lips where her fingers had been, teasing and biting, her other hand resting on Adrienne’s chest just below her collarbone. She felt the muscles there tighten as Adrienne's excitement grew. She took her time. Moving slowly down Adrienne's body, alternately licking, kissing and lightly biting, she worked the other woman into a crescendo of excitement.

  "Tanner," Adrienne murmured hoarsely, "I need you to touch me."

  Tanner shifted her body so that she was lying between Adrienne’s legs. She smiled to herself, heady with the power she felt at arousing the woman she so desired. She began to kiss her then, light teasing kisses on her inner thighs. Adrienne moaned as Tanner stroked her with her tongue. Tanner kept up the slow steady rhythm as she drew her fingers over Adrienne’s buttocks, slipping in and out of her wetness. Adrienne thrust her hands into Tanner’s hair, guiding her. Tanner followed her signals and increased the pressure of her motions. After a few minutes Adrienne tugged Tanner’s face away and gasped, “Come up here. I want to hold you.”

  "I want to make you come," Tanner protested softly.

  Adrienne smiled, her eyes nearly closed. "I want you to make me come. In a minute. It feels so good – I don't want it to end."

  Tanner moved up, slipping her thigh between Adrienne’s. She drew in her breath sharply at the touch of Adrienne’s body against her own engorged clitoris. Bracing her arms, she began to thrust downward as Adrienne matched her rhythm. Tanner whispered, “You’re beautiful.”

  Adrienne’s lids fluttered and her eyes, glazed with passion, sought Tanner’s. Their gaze held as they moved more insistently against one another, more erratic now as each sought release. Adrienne struggled to keep her eyes open, wanting to see Tanner's face as she came, but her control failed her. She gasped and dug her fingers into Tanner’s back as her long-dormant need finally exploded with almost overpowering force. She cried out as a thousand nerve endings burst with sensation and fire streamed through her limbs.

  Tanner held h
er tightly, trying to absorb every sound, wanting to memorize every tremor in Adrienne's body. So precious, so special, so – "Oh!" she cried in surprise as her clitoris twitched, lengthened and exploded in one endless spasm. "Oh, god—"

  Much later Adrienne stirred and slid a little out from under Tanner’s weight. Tanner slept where she had collapsed, her face buried in Adrienne’s neck. Adrienne looked down at Tanner's hand on her chest, tanned and strong, lying across the ravaged plain of her body. For the first time, she didn’t hate that thin red line.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  TANNER AWOKE IN the late afternoon and lay with her eyes closed, getting used to the idea of Adrienne beside her. Adrienne’s chest rose gently under her hand with each breath. It was warm in the room, and Tanner felt lazy from the heat and the aftermath of love. She opened her eyes but didn’t move. She wanted to savor the feeling of being there with Adrienne a while longer, before conversation and activity broke the spell.

  Adrienne was turned slightly away from her, curled on her side. Her hair, partially covering her face, fluttered gently in the breeze from the open door. Tanner noticed the tiny freckles on her shoulders from the sun and the downy hair on the sides of her cheek. A feeling of tenderness, so intense it surprised her, welled within her. She wanted to protect Adrienne, to keep her from harm, as if such a thing were truly possible. She wished that the force and depth of her feelings would be enough to shield her from injury. She sighed, knowing it was foolish, but part of her still clung to the desire nevertheless.

  From this position Tanner couldn’t see the scar on Adrienne’s chest, but she remembered every detail of it. She had never truly understood before what that kind of surgery meant. She had heard about it and read about it, of course, and it had become such a common topic that it seemed familiar—until today. It wasn’t horrifying, or really even ugly. The strangest thing was the absence of the shape she was used to. Women’s breasts had always been a source of mystical beauty to her, long before she had begun to love women sexually. She remembered when she was young, watching her mother naked. Her mother's breasts had fascinated her. They were so soothing to look at, flowing and bouncing as she walked. She could recall looking down at her own flat chest and trying to imagine what it would be like to have such wonderful things on her own body. Now she tried to imagine what it would be like not to have them. She rarely thought of her breasts as separate parts of herself. They were just there, like her arms and her legs. Would losing one be like losing an arm? Would she feel unbalanced, out of touch with her physical self? She tried to imagine how she would feel letting someone else see her like that. Despite her strong ego, she knew that she was always a little insecure that a lover would find her less than perfect. How would she cope with knowing that she truly was less than physically whole? Tanner wasn’t at all sure she would have the courage to find out.

  She looked at Adrienne, sleeping peacefully beside her. How brave she was! Tanner was proud that Adrienne had trusted her enough to take that chance. She cuddled closer, stirred by a new respect for the woman who had gone through so much and was still willing to risk more.

  Adrienne stirred and sighed softly, turning toward Tanner in half-sleep. Her hand trailed softly over Tanner’s hip and up to her shoulder. Adrienne nestled her face against Tanner’s breast and gently kissed her there. Tanner extracted her arm from between them and settled Adrienne’s head in the crook of her arm.

  “Hello,” she said softly.

  “Mmm—hi,” Adrienne replied, burrowing her nose against Tanner’s nipple. Tanner giggled and kissed the top of Adrienne’s head.

  “Are you waking up?” Tanner asked.

  “No.”

  Tanner smoothed the hair back from Adrienne's temple, kissing her lightly. God, she felt good! “You know, I don’t think I’ve eaten for at least a month. I may perish right here in a few minutes.”

  “That would be criminal,” Adrienne responded, kissing her again.

  “Can I take you out to dinner, then?” Tanner continued.

  “How about room service?” Adrienne joked. She really didn't want to face the world. Or to allow reality to dispel this brief moment of peace. She looked at Tanner, who smiled back, her face still dreamy with satisfaction. “I suppose we must get up,” she sighed.

  “Just for a little while,” Tanner said, kissing her lightly. “I have to refuel.”

  “I have to shower,” Adrienne said, coming fully awake at last. “I’m downright indecent.”

  “I like you indecent.”

  “Really?”

  “Most definitely.”

  Adrienne sat up abruptly, turning her back to Tanner. She reached for a robe on a nearby chair. “I’ll go shower then.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Tanner said quickly.

  “No.” Adrienne said sharply. Tanner stared at her for a second and then sat up, wrapping her arms around Adrienne’s waist from behind.

  “I want to.”

  Adrienne leaned the back of her head against Tanner’s shoulder and sighed. “You don’t give up do you?”

  “Nope.”

  "Has it occurred to you that having you see me naked might make me uncomfortable?"

  Tanner tightened her hold, rubbing her cheek softly against Adrienne's hair. "Does it?" she asked quietly.

  Adrienne suddenly saw them together, Tanner's hands and lips on her, her face tender and gentle. "No."

  She reached for Tanner’s hand and pulled her along toward the bath­room.

  * * *

  The water was cool and they both gasped as it struck them. Adrienne began to shampoo Tanner’s hair, massaging her head and taking advantage of the opportunity to look at Tanner unobserved. Whereas previously she had only stolen glimpses of her, now she took the time to feast. Her gaze wandered over Tanner's sleek torso to her strong legs, lingering for a long moment on the dark wavy hair at the base of her smooth belly. Adrienne acknowledged the quick flush of desire, shaking her head in self-reproach.

  She was acting like she was seventeen again! She had to remind herself that this could develop into a difficult situation if she didn’t keep a firm control over things. She had to make Tanner understand that anything serious between them was out of the question. How could she possibly become involved? She hadn’t anything to offer anyone - especially someone as young and vital as Tanner. She was startled by the touch of Tanner’s hands on her waist.

  “That feels so good,” Tanner murmured with a sigh, lulled by the steady gentle pressure of Adrienne’s strong fingers in her hair. She allowed herself to be guided by Adrienne’s touch as she felt her body being turned in the stream of the water. She knew that Adrienne was studying her, and she was secretly pleased. She was wholly satisfied but arousal was just a breath away. She wanted Adrienne to desire her. She felt ripe and lush with the slow burning aftermath of their lovemaking and sought silently to pull Adrienne into that fire with her.

  Adrienne sensed Tanner’s body grow soft and somehow fuller under her hands as she turned her slowly in the warm spray of the shower. She watched the rivulets of water run in curving trails over Tanner’s face and down onto her body. She pushed the wet strands of dark hair back from the strong planes of Tanner’s face, brushing her thumbs over Tanner's cheeks and down to the edge of her jaw. Tanner turned her head and captured Adrienne's thumb in her mouth, sucking gently.

  "You're bad," Adrienne whispered, knowing she had to have her again. One more time.

  She backed Tanner against the shower wall, lowering her head to capture a nipple in her mouth, her thumb still between Tanner's lips, her fingers splayed along Tanner's jaw, holding her head against the glass. Tanner moaned softly.

  She alternately sucked and licked the tiny erect bud between her lips until Tanner's hips were twisting against her. She was lost in the exquisite sensation, pressing her face against Tanner’s breasts, her other hand in that tiny hollow just above Tanner’s buttocks.

  Tanner gasped, almost a sob, her neck arched under
Adrienne's hand. "You're driving me crazy. Nobody ever did this to me before."

  Adrienne smiled to herself, bringing her hand to the smooth flat plane of Tanner’s abdomen, brushing her fingers through the wet curls below. "Oh yeah? Used to being in charge, are we?"

  Tanner merely groaned, arching her hips, silently pleading.

  "Patience, lover," Adrienne teased. When she stroked lower between the swollen lips, she found wetness that was not from the water streaming over them. She lingered, fingering her softly, enjoying her ability to arouse this passionate young woman.

  Finally, Tanner begged, her legs quivering with need. "I can't stand it – please."

  She slipped inside those warm folds, sliding deeply in and slowly out, her thumb pressing the length of Tanner's clitoris with each stroke. Tanner stiffened, her breath coming in short hoarse gasps. Adrienne stifled a moan as Tanner’s body contracted around her fingers. Somewhere a pulse beat rapidly against her hand. She tightened her hold as Tanner began to tremble in her arms. She tried to focus, tried to match her movements with Tanner's inner rhythm, but she was so excited now herself it was impossible to concentrate. Faster, harder now – some instinctive sense guiding her, she pressed inward, deeper. And then there was only Tanner, crying her name, clinging to her, coming.

  "Don't come out," Tanner managed to gasp when she could breathe again.

  They swayed, locked together for a long time, until finally, Tanner took a deep breath and grinned shyly. “Adrienne! If I don’t drown first, I’m going to fall down!”

  Adrienne laughed. “I doubt it! You survived more water than this in that gale storm, remember?”

  “That wasn’t quite the same thing,” Tanner murmured, circling Adrienne in her arms, holding her close. “I wasn’t nearly so aroused then!” A flicker of almost pain flashed across her face as Adrienne slipped from inside her, feeling the loss already.

  "We're going to lose the hot water," Adrienne warned regretfully.

  Tanner sighed and stepped back. “Well, let me have the soap, then.”