Homecoming

by Nell Stark

  Sarah swallowed hard, the motion visible even at a distance. “Really?” Her voice was low and hoarse.

  “Yeah.” The swing had slowed almost completely, now. Rory let the toes of her boots scuff lightly against the grass as she watched Sarah take a few steps forward. Believe me. Have faith in me.

  “I’m sorry for leaving,” Sarah said. “I know that apologizing isn’t enough, but I want you to know that I really am sorry. And that I missed you.”

  “Why did you do it?” Rory asked, wanting to understand. She could come up with theories about Sarah’s behavior until her head exploded, but she needed to know the truth.

  Sarah ducked her head and rocked on the balls of her feet. When she looked back up, her eyes were shining. “I was afraid,” she said quietly. “When you told me that you had never—that I was going to be your first…” Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. “I realized just how big this was. Us, I mean. How much I wanted you. How much I needed you. And it scared me.”

  “Why?” Rory asked again, sliding her sweating palms up and down the chains of the swing. Keep talking, baby. Help me understand. I need to.

  “I couldn’t believe what you were saying,” Sarah said. “I loved Dar more than she loved me, and I loved Chelsea less. I think…I was scared that it would be the same way with you. Imbalanced. And that when you realized it, you’d leave.”

  “And? Are you still afraid of that?”

  Sarah smiled tentatively before shaking her head. “No. Not anymore. Not after seeing your movie.”

  Rory nodded. The strange calm that had suffused her earlier had all but disappeared. She wanted to jump off the swing, hug Sarah tightly, and kiss her with all the ferocity that had been pent up inside of her since Election Day. And now, she was sure that Sarah wanted the exact same thing. Grand passion. The knowledge was heady. But…

  “What about my family? Are you still worried about what they’ll do?”

  Sarah’s smile faded. “Yes. I don’t want them to hurt you.”

  “They can’t, baby,” Rory said, leaning forward to emphasize her point. “Not if I’m with you. They can’t touch me if I’m with you.”

  “But—”

  Rory stood up. “You can’t make this choice for me. That’s not your right.”

  Sarah sucked in a deep breath. “I know.”

  Rory took a step toward her. “You have to trust me.”

  “I do.”

  Sarah stayed where she was, but her gaze roamed Rory’s body, making her feel warm deep inside. She loves me. She wants me.

  “I need you to love me with everything you’ve got,” she said, taking yet another step. She was almost close enough to touch Sarah now.

  Sarah’s eyes shone even brighter. “I can’t do anything less,” she said, her voice thick.

  Rory smiled—really smiled—for the first time since Sarah had left. “Then we’re going to be just fine,” she said. And with one last step, she bridged the distance between them, threw her arms around Sarah’s neck, and pulled her head down for a long, hungry, loving kiss.

  *

  Sarah drew Rory into the room, pushed the door closed, and pressed her back against it before leaning in to thrust her tongue deep inside Rory’s mouth. She groaned as Rory’s hips jolted against hers, and shifted so she could slide one thigh between Rory’s legs. When she pressed in and up, it was Rory’s turn to moan.

  When Sarah finally pulled back, she was gasping. She let her forehead rest against Rory’s and tried to catch her breath. “I love you. Even more than I want you.”

  This time, Rory started the kiss. It was gentle at first. She sucked on Sarah’s lower lip, flicking lightly at it with her tongue. But within a few seconds, Rory was grasping the back of Sarah’s head to pull her close, and their teeth were scraping and their tongues were dueling and the need to feel Rory’s skin against hers rose in Sarah like a flash flood.

  “I have to feel you,” she panted, trailing her fingers under the hem of Rory’s shirt “Please.”

  “Take it off, then,” Rory challenged. When Sarah skimmed her knuckles along Rory’s sides as she did, she was rewarded by a sharp intake of breath.

  Sarah stepped back to set the discarded shirt over the back of Rory’s desk chair. When she turned around she paused, her mouth going dry at the sight of Rory wearing only a dark blue satin bra and slacks. Desire seared her brain like lightning, white-hot and crackling.

  “See something you like?” Rory teased.

  Sarah nodded, trembling. Her body cried out for her to do something, anything—to take Rory against the door, to pick her up and carry her into the bedroom, to pull her to the floor, slip one hand down her pants, and finger her until she came. Frozen in place, she fought against the competing urges, refusing to give in. I’ll scare her.

  But Rory frowned and came to her. “You’re holding back on me,” she said, her tone accusatory. She pressed a quick, hard kiss to Sarah’s lips. “Stop it. I want you. I want you, Sarah, the same way you want me. What do I have to do to prove it to you?” She reached for Sarah’s hands and brought them to her breasts. “Touch me, dammit. Please.”

  Sarah stroked Rory lightly, watching her face. When her eyes fluttered in pleasure, she made her fingers firmer. She pinched Rory’s nipples lightly through the fabric, then harder when Rory whispered her name. The satin felt amazing, but she needed skin. She stepped closer to Rory, reaching around to undo her bra. It fell to the floor, unveiling the gentle swells of Rory’s breasts. Her nipples were exquisite—large and dark.

  Sarah’s breaths were coming short and fast, and she felt a little dizzy. Rory’s voice echoed in her ears. You have to trust me. I want you, Sarah, the same way you want me. She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and sacrificed her fear. When she opened them, Rory was looking up at her, concerned.

  “What—”

  “Sit down,” Sarah ordered, barely recognizing her own voice. Rory sat in her chair immediately, eyes wide. They grew wider when Sarah dropped to her knees and sucked one nipple deep into her mouth.

  “So good—”

  Sarah skimmed her teeth across Rory’s nipple, bringing one hand up to roll the other between her thumb and index finger. After a minute, she alternated her hand and mouth. Rory was making small, breathy sounds of encouragement that ratcheted up Sarah’s arousal. She was wet and throbbing, but she needed to make Rory come more than…anything.

  With her mouth still at Rory’s nipple, Sarah slid her right hand down Rory’s body. Rory trembled violently when Sarah’s fingers skated over her clitoris through the material of the slacks. When Sarah pressed down firmly and made slow circles, Rory’s hips jerked forward.

  Sarah released Rory’s nipple with a pop. “I’m going to taste you now,” she murmured, undoing the button and pulling down the zipper on Rory’s slacks.

  “Yes,” Rory whispered as she lifted her hips. Within seconds, she was naked, and Sarah was pushing her legs apart.

  “So beautiful,” Sarah said reverently, transfixed by the sight of Rory’s sex. Short, dark hair framed her swollen clit, and beads of moisture clung to her labia. Exquisite. Sarah lowered her head and sent her breath cascading over Rory.

  “Please,” Rory said, tilting her hips.

  Unable to resist any longer, Sarah licked Rory from her opening to her clit. She tasted incredible—warm and salty and rich.

  “Fuck!”

  Rory’s thighs were trembling. Sarah smiled, her heart thumping hard in pride that she was bringing Rory pleasure. She teased delicately at her clit with the tip of her tongue—first swirling around it, then pressing in firmly, then backing off to feather gentle licks across the sensitive tip. And then, finally, she closed her lips around it and hollowed her cheeks.

  “Sarah!”

  She sucked even harder, thrilling to the sound of her name cried out in passion. But when Rory’s muscles began to tighten under her hands, Sarah pulled away.

  “Not yet, love,” she said over Rory’s pro
tests. “Not yet.”

  “You’re going to kill me,” gasped Rory, leaning back in the chair and gripping the handles hard.

  Sarah stood up as gracefully as she could manage. The maelstrom of desire still pulsed under her skin, stronger than ever. She extended one hand to Rory. “No,” she said. “I’m going to make you come in my bed.”

  Rory blinked and took Sarah’s hand. “Shit,” she breathed, allowing herself to be led into the bedroom.

  “Lie down,” Sarah said, stripping off first her shirt, then her bra, then her pants. Every nerve in her body was telling her to finish what she’d started, but she paused before joining Rory on top of the blankets. “You know how much I love you, right?”

  “As much as I love you,” Rory said, holding her arms open. “Come here.”

  Sarah went willingly, kissing Rory fiercely as she squeezed one hand between their bodies. “I want to be inside you,” she murmured against Rory’s lips.

  “Yes,” Rory said, spreading her legs even wider. “Need to feel you in me.”

  Sarah pulled back far enough so that she could focus on Rory’s eyes. She teased Rory’s clit with her index finger before moving down to her opening. So wet. The sensation made Sarah throb even harder.

  “I love you,” she said, sliding just the tip of her finger inside.

  “I love you,” Rory echoed breathlessly. “So good, baby, please—”

  Sarah watched Rory’s expression as she slipped further in. No pain registered on her face, only pleasure at being filled. When she was all the way inside, she moved her finger gently and was rewarded by a low gasp.

  “Good?” Rory nodded, and Sarah kissed her lightly on the lips. “You feel amazing, love. So warm. So tight. I can’t believe I’m inside you.”

  Sarah pulled out slightly—just an inch—before gently pushing back in. Rory’s eyes closed and her back arched, so Sarah did it again. And again. Each time, it was a miracle. I love you. God, how I love you. More than I’ve ever loved anyone.

  When Rory’s eyes suddenly flashed open, Sarah paused, afraid that she had hurt her. But Rory reached for her wrist and pulled in, urging Sarah to continue moving.

  “Don’t stop,” she said. “Fuck me, Sarah. Fuck me.”

  Oh my God. Sarah’s entire body clenched, reacting to Rory’s explicit command. Her words pushed Sarah over the edge of caution, and into passion. Pulling almost all the way out, she pushed her finger in again, hard.

  “Yeah,” Rory said hoarsely. “That’s it. Fuck me like that.”

  Sarah obeyed, moving her finger faster and faster, wanting to tell Rory just how beautiful and sexy she was but unable to catch her breath. Her heart hammered against her ribs and she watched through narrow eyes as Rory moved against her, willing herself to remember this moment forever.

  “It’s so good,” Rory chanted. “Don’t stop, don’t stop, oh please—”

  Still working her finger in and out of Rory, Sarah moved down the bed. She bent her head and sucked Rory’s clit into her mouth, swirling her tongue rapidly at the same time. Come for me.

  Rory screamed. Her hips surged and her muscles contracted around Sarah’s finger as she came, long and hard. Sarah didn’t stop until the last of the tension eased from Rory’s body. Only then did she lift her mouth from Rory’s throbbing clit and gently withdraw from her body. She pillowed her head on Rory’s thigh, breathing deeply and loving that she caught Rory’s scent every time she inhaled. I don’t ever want to leave this spot, she thought, closing her eyes and letting her heartbeat return to normal. Not ever.

  After a little while, Rory’s fingers began to comb through her hair. “Come up here,” Rory murmured. “I want to see your face.”

  Sarah obliged, collapsing next to Rory and sliding one arm over her stomach. Rory turned to kiss her, and Sarah could tell that she was tasting herself on someone else’s mouth for the first time. “Okay?”

  Rory gave her that look—the one that said she was clearly insane. “Okay? Okay?” She shook her head. “No. It was awful. Never do that again. Ever.” When Sarah muffled a laugh against her neck, Rory pulled away so she could look her in the eyes. “Listen up, you insecure nutcase. That was the most intense, incredible experience of my life, thank you very much.”

  Sarah grinned brightly and kissed Rory’s nose. She hadn’t felt this carefree…ever. “You’re welcome very much,” she said. “Please let me know if I can do it again sometime.”

  “Oh baby,” Rory said, punctuating her words with kisses. “You can do that any. Time. You. Want.” And then she reached down to tickle Sarah’s ribs. Sarah shrieked and tried to roll away, but in a surprising show of strength, Rory slid on top of her and held her down. “Not so fast, stud.”

  Sarah was laughing helplessly and squirming. Against Rory’s naked body. Suddenly, she didn’t feel so ticklish after all.

  “What?” said Rory, feeling the sudden change in mood.

  “You’re beautiful,” Sarah said, in awe. “You feel amazing.”

  “And you are the hottest girl I’ve ever seen.”

  “Whatever,” Sarah said. “Isn’t Chelsea considered the hottest girl on campus?”

  Rory growled again. “Don’t remind me. I have a jealous streak, okay? Thinking about her touching you made me crazy for months.”

  Sarah raised her head to kiss Rory gently. “She didn’t.”

  “Huh?”

  Sarah cupped Rory’s face in her palms and kissed her again. “She never made love to me. I just…I never really wanted her to. I always felt weird about it.”

  Rory blinked down at her. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously.”

  Rory’s expression shifted from surprised to concerned. “Do you want me to?”

  Sarah heard the uncertainty in her voice and brought her head down for a long, passionate kiss. “Does that answer your question?” she said, once they both surfaced to breathe. “Yes, Rory. Yes. I want you to touch me. I need you to.”

  The smile that curved Rory’s lips was crooked. “I might be awful at it.”

  “Doubtful.” Sarah reached for Rory’s right hand, determined to ease her anxiety. “You turn me on so much,” she said softly, easing Rory’s fingers between her legs. “Feel.”

  She hissed in a breath when Rory brushed her clit. “See?” she said, forcing herself to keep her eyes open so that she could watch Rory’s reaction.

  “God,” Rory whispered, teasing Sarah’s opening. “You’re so wet.”

  “For you.”

  And then, without any warning, Rory pressed one finger all the way inside. Sarah grunted in pleasure and her back arched involuntarily. When her vision refocused, she looked up to see Rory gazing at her intently.

  “Feels so good,” Sarah said.

  “I love you.” Rory pulled almost all the way out before pushing back in again, mimicking how Sarah had touched her. When Sarah moaned her pleasure, Rory leaned down to kiss her, hard.

  “Your thumb,” Sarah gasped against Rory’s lips. “Use your thumb on my clit.”

  Rory nodded, shifting the angle of her hand. Sarah cried out softly as her finger slid even deeper inside. And then Rory’s thumb was spiraling around Sarah’s clitoris, and Rory’s tongue was dipping inside her mouth to slide along her teeth, and Rory’s finger was curling up inside her body, and all Sarah could do was to clutch at Rory’s waist and hold on.

  She could feel her climax approaching like a gust of wind on the water. “Harder,” she said into Rory’s mouth, and Rory’s thumb moved more insistently. Yes, that was it—yes, yes, yes, Rory, just like that—and then it hit her, lifting her up, wringing out her muscles, driving her hard into Rory’s possessive embrace.

  After a while, the room stopped spinning. Sarah blinked, opening heavy eyes to the sight of Rory staring down at her in wonder. Exhausted, she nuzzled at Rory’s shoulder.

  “Came so hard for you,” she murmured.

  “Yeah. God. And you said my name, over and over.” Rory sounded like s
he couldn’t believe what she had heard. “That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

  “I know you are, but what am I?” Sarah said, grinning faintly even as her eyes closed again. She couldn’t seem to keep them open.

  “Oh, you wanna fight about this, huh?” Rory kissed her lips with a loud smack. “Do ya?”

  Sarah inhaled deeply and burrowed even closer to Rory. She felt warm and safe and content. “Fight in the morning,” she said. “Sleep now. Haven’t slept well for days.”

  “Me, neither,” Rory said, fighting to push down the covers and wrestle Sarah under them without having to break their embrace. “Don’t you ever leave again, okay?” Her arms tightened. “I need you. I need you to stay with me.”

  “Don’t worry.” Sarah fought against the wave of exhaustion that was pulling her under, knowing that Rory needed her reassurance. “Not going to leave you. I’m home now.”

  When she felt Rory relax, Sarah smiled and kissed the nearest patch of skin she could reach. And then, secure in the knowledge that she was loved as she loved, she slept.

  *

  Rory woke slowly, relishing the sensation of being held. Sarah’s arm was tight around her waist, and her deep breaths puffed against Rory’s shoulder. Rory smiled. She had never felt so relaxed. She closed her eyes again, fully intending to go back to sleep…but then she felt the muscles in Sarah’s forearm twitch against her stomach, and realized that Sarah’s breathing was much faster than it should have been. Uh-oh.

  “I can practically hear you thinking,” she said, turning so that she could see Sarah’s face. She leaned forward to kiss her lightly on the lips. “What’s going on in that stormy brain of yours, hmm?”

  Sarah smiled against Rory’s mouth. Her eyes were a brilliant blue today—darker than usual. “I love you,” she said.

  Relieved, Rory snuggled closer. As long as that was still true, they’d be okay. “Glad to hear it,” she mumbled. “But something’s bugging you. I can tell. Out with it.”

  Sarah kissed her forehead and began to gently massage her back with one hand. Rory shifted, sliding her thigh between Sarah’s legs…and her eyes flashed open again when she felt wetness against her skin. “Holy shit.”