by Aurora Rey
“I’m trying,” Lia said. “I’m also a prune. Let me get out of the bath and dry off. I’ll call you in two minutes and I want to hear everything about this Christmas play Charlie is in.”
Lia ended the call and sat up. Just as she was leaning over to set the phone on the windowsill, it slipped from her fingers and landed with a plop into her bath.
“Fuck.” She fished it out of the water. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” She set the phone aside, climbed out, and dried herself off.
She needed rice and she needed it quickly, but of course she was out. By the time Lia got to the one supermarket in town, it was closed. She sat in the parking lot and thought. Alex would have rice. She’d have to admit to being a klutz, but she’d get to see Alex.
She’d go to Alex’s, beg a cup or two, and be on her way. Or…or she could show up on Alex’s doorstep, beg a cup of rice, and then seduce her. Lia gulped. She’d never attempted a seduction before, at least not like that. Could she pull it off? Should she even try? Maybe that was a little too ambitious. Maybe she should keep her focus on getting some rice and maybe making out a little. That seemed doable.
When Lia pulled up behind the café, lights were burning in several of the upstairs windows. She was about to climb out of her car when she was struck with the thought that Alex might not be alone. Her stomach turned over and she contemplated driving back to her place and abandoning the whole plan.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” If Alex was involved with another woman, or women, it was better she know that sooner rather than later.
By the time Lia rang the bell, she was convinced she’d be interrupting either a romantic dinner or an orgy. When Alex answered the door in jeans and a faded Boston Red Sox t-shirt, Lia was, for the briefest of moments, genuinely surprised. Alex, on the other hand, seemed both relaxed and perfectly happy to see her.
“Hi.” Lia tried to sound casual.
“Hi. I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”
Lia blushed. “I’m so sorry to show up on your doorstep unannounced. I dropped my phone in the bathtub and I didn’t have any rice and the store is closed, so I was hoping I could borrow some to try to save it.”
“You dropped your phone in the bathtub?”
“Yes. I don’t usually let myself talk on the phone while in the tub because I have a bit of a clumsy streak, but I did. And, of course, it was when I was done with the call and about to get out that I did it. So. Stupid.”
Alex, who’d been nodding intently as Lia related the story, let out a small chuckle. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t laugh. It’s kind of adorable, though. Come on up.”
She turned and walked up the stairs. Lia shut the door and followed her up, appreciating the vantage point of the way Alex’s jeans hugged her ass.
At the top of the stairs, Murphy was waiting and wagging his tail. “Murphy is always happy to have company. He’s been an attention hound all evening. Consider yourself warned.”
Lia bent to rub his ears. He pressed his head into her hand. When she switched sides, so did he. He was definitely a charmer and reminded Lia of Rhett, a dog her family had when she was little. She stood and, as promised, Murphy started nudging her. Amused, she continued to scratch his head lightly.
“So, you find clumsiness adorable, eh? I should warn you now, you might wind up finding me completely irresistible.”
Alex was rooting around in the pantry. She pulled out a clear plastic crock filled with rice and laughed. “Well, it was more the talking on the phone while in the bathtub in the first place. It’s such a girly thing to do.”
Lia lifted her hands as if she’d been caught at something. “Yes, I’m that sort of femme.”
Alex pulled a zip-top bag from a drawer under the counter and poured rice into it. She held it up and Lia dropped in her lifeless phone. Alex zipped it closed and handed it to her. “Sadly, I think you’ll have to wait a couple of days to see if it actually works.”
“I know, but at least I tried. You’re a lifesaver.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. I am, however, happy to help. I’m also making dinner. Have you eaten?”
“I’d hate to impose.”
“Seriously? Did you seriously just say that? I would love for you to stay.”
“You’re very sweet. Thank you, that would be lovely.” Lia sighed. So it wasn’t a seduction. Dinner was more her speed anyway.
“I’ll even let you do the dishes, as long as you promise not to break any.” Alex smirked and winked at her.
Lia bit her lip and shook her head. “I suppose I walked into that one.”
“Better that than the furniture. Sorry, sorry, I couldn’t resist. I’ll act like a grown-up now, I promise.”
Lia thought about how often Dani used to lose her patience when Lia had her clumsy moments, as though it was a fundamental laziness of body or mind that caused Lia to knock over glasses or trip over her own feet. Rather than good-natured teasing, the huffs and eye rolls had the effect of making Lia feel like a hippopotamus. It was hard feeling like a hippo when one’s partner was a sleek and graceful cheetah. For some reason, Alex’s teasing didn’t make her feel that way at all.
“I’m making spring rolls. Is that okay with you?”
“I love spring rolls. I’ve never made them, though.”
Alex had all of the ingredients prepped, so she filled a pie plate with hot water and walked Lia through the process of softening the rice paper, filling, then rolling them up.
“The only tricky part is the rice paper. It will stick to itself, which is good for holding them together, but bad if you don’t get it to lay flat on the board on the first go.”
She stepped aside so Lia could give it a try. It was, as promised, quite easy. Lia was fascinated by the texture of the rice paper, both before and after it was soaked in the water. “It’s funny. Sometimes, I have something in a restaurant and all I want to do is go home and try to figure out how to make it. But, for all that I love spring rolls, it never occurred to me to try them at home.”
“I know. I feel that way about Indian. I know that if I just buy the right spices, I should be able to make a decent curry, but I’ve never taken the leap.”
“You’re right,” Lia said. “It really isn’t complicated. My roommate from college is Bengali and she introduced me to what she calls ‘weeknight Indian,’ dishes that you can make in less than an hour. I’d be happy to show you sometime.”
“That would be great.” Within a few minutes, they’d piled a plate with a dozen rolls. Alex opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of white wine. “I find the brightness of a Sauvignon Blanc a perfect foil to the sweet and spicy dipping sauce.”
“Really?”
“Maybe, but it’s more that this is what I have in the fridge. Can I pour you a glass?”
Lia laughed. “Yes, please. I was prepared to be very impressed, you know.”
“I did take a wine class at school. I like knowing the different varietals, having a general sense of pairings. The rest of it, though, was way too fussy for me.” She poured two glasses and set them on the island. “Okay if we eat in the kitchen?”
Lia accepted the plates Alex handed her, along with a pair of orange linen napkins. She set them at the end of the island where there was a pair of heavy wooden barstools. She picked up her wine and raised the glass. “To not being fussy.”
Alex picked up her own glass and clinked it against Lia’s. “To not being fussy.”
Lia sat and waited for Alex to do the same. Instead, Alex walked up and stood very close to her. “If you don’t mind, there is something I’ve been wanting to do since the second you got here.”
Lia raised an eyebrow. It was enough of an invitation for Alex, who proceeded to take Lia’s face in her hands and kiss her senseless. It left Lia breathless, aroused, and aching for more. Alex picked up her wine again and sipped. She placed a couple of rolls on each of their plates. “Shall we?”
Lia swallowed. She wondered if Alex was trying to keep her unst
eady or if it was merely a side effect. It was true that it had been a while since she’d experienced the flash of a new attraction, but she didn’t think that could entirely explain the way Alex made her feel. Deciding she should try to keep the promise she made to herself about not over thinking everything, she picked up one of her spring rolls, dipped it into the bowl of sauce between them, and took a bite.
“Oh. Wow. These are good.” She wasn’t exaggerating. The flavors and textures played off of one another perfectly, and the sauce was nutty and salty, spicy with just a hint of sweetness.
Alex sampled her own. “Thanks. You did an excellent job rolling.”
When they finished eating, they did the few dishes together. Lia dried her hands on a dish towel. “Thank you again for the rice, and for letting me crash your evening.”
“Anytime.”
Lia didn’t want to leave, but she also didn’t want to overstay her welcome. She was about to excuse herself when Alex said, “No pressure, but I’d love for you to stay.”
Lia’s instinct was to say something about not wanting to impose, so she bit her tongue and smiled instead. “Yeah?”
“I mean, you’re going to be here in a few hours to start baking anyway. But even without that, yeah, I would.”
Lia’s heart beat a little faster in her chest. It felt in that moment like things with Alex might be more than a fling, but she didn’t pause to think about it. By way of answer, she put a hand around Alex’s waist and pulled her close. “Well, by all means, please lead the way.”
Alex led Lia to her bedroom, a space of masculine grays and blues that still managed to feel comfortable and inviting. Once it was clear that she was staying, Lia expected—hoped?—to be tossed on the bed and ravished. She hoped to do a bit of ravishing herself.
Instead, Alex kissed her slowly, with a patience and determination that left Lia squirming and aching for more. She removed Lia’s clothes as well as her own. She seemed impervious to Lia’s roaming hands and insistent whimpers. After what felt like an eternity, Alex pulled the comforter down and laid Lia on the cool sheets. Her pace remained maddeningly slow.
With tongue and teeth, Alex made her way down each of Lia’s arms. She kissed the creases of Lia’s elbows, the insides of her wrists; she nibbled fingertips and then took the index and middle finger of Lia’s right hand into her mouth. When Alex sucked them deep into the back of her mouth, a jolt of heat shot through her. She could almost feel Alex’s tongue on her, Alex’s fingers working her from the inside. The pleasure was so intense that Lia cried out. It was the closest thing to an orgasm she’d ever experienced without being touched.
Even then, Alex refused to hurry. She began a tortuously intense exploration of Lia’s breasts. Her mouth traced the valley between, her teeth scraped along Lia’s ribs. Only after covering every inch of them did Alex take one, then the other of Lia’s rock hard nipples into her mouth. With flicks of her tongue and gentle bites, she tested Lia’s boundaries of pleasure and pain. Although the pressure had been building, pushing her closer and closer to the edge, the orgasm surprised her.
Alex lifted her head and fixed Lia with a smoldering look. “No fair. You cheated.”
Lia laughed and let her head fall back onto the pillows. “That’s funny. I was about to say the same thing.”
Lia took advantage of the break in Alex’s concentration to roll onto her side.
“Hey, I’m not done.”
Lia nudged Alex onto her back. “I’m not saying you have to be. I am, however, going to take my turn.”
Alex scowled. “It’s not about taking turns.”
Lia rested her chin on her hand and studied Alex. “I know, but if I’m not careful, you’re going to have me in a coma before I get the chance to have my way with you.”
Alex shrugged. “And what’s the problem with that?”
Lia wasn’t sure how to explain the needs and fears that warred inside her. She thought about all the delightful things she’d read about being femme, as well as the bad. “The problem is that I have no desire to be…” Her voice trailed off. There really wasn’t a good way to say it. “A pillow princess.”
Alex looked at the woman who’d given her one of the best orgasms of her life. She opened her mouth to argue, but Lia swallowed her protests with a kiss.
“Let me.”
It was as much a plea as a demand. Alex wasn’t sure what was going through Lia’s mind, but she sensed it was something important, and deeply personal. She nodded her consent and gave herself over to whatever Lia had in mind.
She wasn’t unaccustomed to being teased, but it felt a little strange to be out of the driver’s seat. Lia’s mouth, however, was driving her insane. Alex couldn’t have pulled together a coherent thought if she tried. It was as though Lia had a direct line of communication to her body. Lia touched her, teased her, in ways she didn’t even know she wanted.
When Lia’s tongue glided over Alex’s swollen clit, she thought she might explode. Instead of coaxing her over the edge, however, Lia shifted her focus. She traced her tongue up one side and down the other, avoiding the one spot that would make Alex come. Lia timed her strokes perfectly with the slow thrust of Alex’s hips. She was overwhelmed by the sensation. She wanted to quicken the pace, to find the release that seemed to be eluding her, but she couldn’t tear herself away from the rhythm that was being expertly controlled by Lia.
Without changing her pace, Lia shifted her tongue slightly so that her strokes passed squarely over Alex’s throbbing clitoris. The shift alone was nearly enough to send Alex over the edge. Rather than a flash finish, however, Alex felt herself building even higher. When she thought she might come completely undone, the orgasm began to crash over her. Alex could feel her body buck and she was powerless to stop it. Lia’s arms were wrapped firmly around her thighs and she could feel Lia move with her, making the orgasm go on and on.
When her body went limp, Lia loosened her grip and rested her head against Alex’s thigh. “Fuck.”
Alex smiled. Fuck, indeed.
It was after one before they collapsed on the bed, exhausted and sated. Alex pulled Lia into her arms and kissed the top of her head. “I’m so glad you’re a klutz.”
Chapter Seventeen
The alarm went off at 3:30. Lia was startled at first, unsure of where she was. Alex rolled over, hitting the snooze bar.
“Five minutes.” Alex pulled her close and nuzzled her neck.
Lia was surprisingly awake given the hour, but had no complaints about the few minutes of cuddling under the blankets. With Alex’s arm tight around her waist Lia relished her position as the little spoon. Dani wasn’t big on snuggling to begin with, and she was so thin, it made Lia feel enormous. Alex’s breathing evened out and Lia realized she’d dozed off again.
She smiled and allowed her mind to wander to the night before. If their first night together was a flash point of explosive passion, last night was a low and smoldering burn. She couldn’t decide which she enjoyed more.
The second time the alarm went off, Alex groaned. Lia winced and felt compelled to say, “Sorry.”
Alex lifted her head. In the near darkness, she could see Alex squinting at her, only one eye open. “Why are you apologizing?”
Lia shrugged. “I feel bad for keeping you up so late. I barged in on you and kept you up to all hours.”
With surprising speed, Alex moved so that she was over Lia, straddling her and with an arm on either side of Lia’s head, bracing herself inches from Lia’s face. “I’m going to assume you’re joking, because if you would dare to apologize for last night, I honestly don’t know what I would do with you.”
She kissed Lia firmly on the mouth, then nipped her jaw before hopping out of bed. Lia watched her naked form walk from the room, then saw the bathroom light flick on. Lia bit her bottom lip and considered. It was playfulness. Alex was playful. Lia was utterly unaccustomed to it. How delightful. She climbed out of bed and followed Alex to the bathroom.
After quick showers and some borrowed clothes, Lia found herself in the startlingly quiet, brightly lit bakery kitchen.
“Are you sure this isn’t too snug?” Lia patted the front of the dark gray chef’s jacket.
“I’m sure. Your boobs are bigger than mine, but my shoulders are broader. It all works out. You look adorable.”
Lia smiled and adjusted the Red Sox baseball cap she wore, making sure her hair was securely tucked beneath. “Okay. So, what do we do first?”
“First, I make us some coffee.”
“What can I do? Seriously, just give me tasks and I’m good to go.”
“Sheet pans.” She gestured to a rack. “You can start lining them with parchment paper.” She pointed to a box. “I’ll be back in two minutes.”
Alex headed to the front of the shop and Lia started placing pre-cut sheets of parchment, creating a stack on one end of the main work table. Thinking of her own agitation with the perpetually curling ends of the rolled stuff, she wondered if Alex might sell her a box of the sheets. Commercial kitchens had all the good stuff.
As promised, Alex returned quickly, bearing two steaming mugs. “I’m going to do bread dough first so it can start proofing. How do you feel about getting some cookie dough that I made last week in the oven?”
Lia set down her mug. “I think I can handle that.”
Alex flipped switches and turned knobs and the convection oven roared to life. “It’s all in the freezer, portioned and ready to go. Chocolate chip and coffee with cocoa nibs need sixteen minutes. Oatmeal toffee, eighteen. Almond sandies and lemon-lavender shortbread are twenty. Let’s go with six dozen of each.”
Lia offered a salute. “Aye-aye, captain.”
The job was beyond basic, but Lia didn’t mind. It afforded her the opportunity to watch Alex move around the kitchen—weighing and measuring ingredients, manning the massive mixer. Watching her work was beyond hot. She had capable hands and casual focus. Had there been a walk-in cooler, she would have done her best to lure Alex into it.
