"I'm so close, so close now."
Your fingers are inside me, your lips tugging at my clitoris...
"I need to come. I need..."
. ..your tongue working me back and forth. I'm going to come soon. I won't come until you say-but oh, God—I need to. Tell me when I can come, tell me when.. .
"I'm coming...coming..."
...soon, soon, please tell me, tell me, tell me...
"Oh God, Teddy...please, hold me."
"I'm right here. I won't let go."
Gayle clung to Thane, pressed her face to Thane's neck, trembling and shivering. "Oh, Jesus. I can't believe you."
"What?" Thane whispered, smoothing Gayle's hair, kissing her temple gently. "What, babe?"
"Everything," Gayle said with a sigh, overcome with the pleasant torpor. "You are so fucking talented, and so beautiful, and so...good."
"I guess you liked it, huh?" Thane chuckled, supremely satisfied.
"Nah, not really." Gayle bit Thane's ear weakly. "But I would like to try reenacting that shower scene."
"Now there's an idea."
"Is that by any chance what you had in mind when you let me read that?" Gayle met Thane's gaze and arched a brow. "Hmm?"
"Who, me?" Thane smiled, her eyes dancing. "No way. I'm innocent.'''
Chapter Twenty-Eight
H ays woke early even though they hadn't set the alarm. It was a little before seven, Friday morning. She gently fondled Auden's hair, letting the silken strands slide slowly through her fingers. She thought, as she lay in the utter stillness, feeling Auden's heart beat against her chest and sensing her own answering rhythm, that this might be the finest moment of her life. When a breath of warmth against her neck became a kiss, she knew that the woman curled in her arms was awake.
"Good morning."
"Mmm," Auden sighed, stretching indolently, nestling closer to Hays. "God, you feel incredible."
"Yeah, I do." Smiling, Hays turned her head on the pillow and kissed the corner of Auden's mouth. She smiled again when Auden gave a small, satisfied moan. Steadfastly, Hays ignored the faint pounding behind her eyes. Headache. It had been lingering just beyond the edges of her awareness for several days. It hadn't made itself completely known until last night. She'd felt it first when they'd reached the hotel after a full day at work and the usual aggravating drive to New York City. When they'd made love, the pleasure had nearly been eclipsed by the escalating pain deep in her skull—almost, but not quite. Nothing could obliterate the joy of being with Auden.
"You ready for today?" Auden shifted until she was lying on top of Hays, her head propped on one hand, one leg between Hays's. The room was brightening quickly. Hays looked so beautiful, with her dark hair framing her face and a smile lifting one corner of her wide, full mouth. As always happened when Auden looked at her lover, her heart gave a small jump.
"Sure," Hays replied. "I can handle two hours of social interaction."
"It'll be more than two hours," Auden pointed out. She ran her finger along the edge of Hays's jaw, then tapped her chin affectionately. "An hour signing this morning, then one this afternoon. And you're not going to be able to just disappear in between. Rune is popular. She has devoted fans. They want to meet her."
"Anything anyone needs to know about me is right there in my books," Hays insisted. "You know—art for art's sake, uncontaminated by the artist's presence."
"That's a point we could argue forever. Art historians certainly would disagree, I imagine." Auden leaned down and kissed the small frown on the enticing lips. "But I can tell you this. Public appearances are appreciated by readers, and it's a way of saying thank you to them for their support."
"Yeah, I know that," Hays grumbled good-naturedly. "Which is the real reason I agreed to come. Other than it makes Liz happy, and she's so hard to deal with when she's cranky."
Auden laughed. "Well, yes. We can't ignore the fact that it helps sales."
"At least I'm sharing a table with Thane. She can entertain everyone."
"She is unbelievably charming," Auden agreed.
"Hey—watch it."
"Ah," Auden crooned, fitting herself still closer to the curves and planes of Hays's body. "You have nothing to worry about. Ever."
Hays caught the back of Auden's head in her hand and pulled her down, kissing her with unexpected fierceness. She slid her other hand to the hollow at the base of Auden's spine, holding her firmly as she pressed her leg more tightly between Auden's thighs. Auden moaned softly and Hays felt herself grow hard against Auden's skin. As they explored one another's mouths, small teasing touches became hungry thrusts, and Hays's desire stirred urgently. Along with the rising arousal, her headache unexpectedly ratcheted up a notch, and she bit back a gasp of surprise.
"You make me so excited so quickly," Auden murmured when Hays broke the kiss. She rocked her hips, her lids heavy with desire. "Do we have time?"
"Time enough." Hays read the need in her lover's eyes. No amount of discomfort could distract her from this moment. Auden was wet against her leg and breathing heavily, hips rolling insistently, "I love how you get—so passionate, so ready."
"You..." Auden arched her back, moving in short hard jerks now. "You do this...to me." She gave a small cry and grew still, her body rigid. "I have to stop. It's...too much."
"No, keep going." Hays's voice was hoarse, her vision wavering with the pain. "I want to see you come."
Auden bit her lip, her stomach muscles quivering as she fought the need to orgasm, "It's all right?"
"It's wonderful." Hays brought her hands to Auden's breasts, cradling them as she grasped her nipples. "Just watch my face. See how you please me."
Auden braced herself with her hands on either side of Hays' shoulders and stared into the gold- and silver-shot depths of her lover's eyes. She wasn't aware of moving, of moaning, of twisting beneath the tormenting fingers that drove her ever higher. All she knew was Hays— her tenderness, her patience, her passion. The steady pressure on her nipples merged with the pounding pulse of blood between her thighs and the first ripples of orgasm whispered along her spine. "Oh!"
"Yes." Hays's heart beat frantically and she was faintly dizzy, but all she cared about was the beauty of watching Auden approach her climax. I love you.
In the final instant as her muscles clenched, then shattered, Auden closed her eyes, the image of Hays's face, alight with love, emblazed on her soul. Still coming, she collapsed into Hays's waiting arms and held on tightly.
"Thank you," Hays murmured, treasuring the gift.
"I feel..." Auden struggled to catch her breath and tried again. "I feel a little selfish."
Hays pushed the damp hair back from Auden's face and kissed her. "Oh, no, darling. You've given me something so special." She drew a long breath, pulling Auden even closer. "You've given me your trust"
"I love you, Hays. I'd give you anything." Auden slid a hand down Hays's belly, but Hays stopped her with a gentle grip on her wrist. Auden tensed at the unexpected restraint, "What?"
"Can I take a rain check?" The headache had turned brutal, and Hays knew the nausea was coming next.
Auden half sat up, her expression questioning. "Yeah?"
"I'm a tiny bit preoccupied." Hays managed a grin. "Thinking about the convention."
"Ah. Rune's debut." Auden laughed and stroked Hays's face. "Sure. I'll collect from you tonight." She leaned over, kissed Hays's breast once, then bounded from bed. "Let's shower and get dressed, and I'll treat you to breakfast."
Hays nodded. "You go ahead. I'll be right there." When Auden disappeared into the bathroom, Hays switched on the bedside light and sat on the edge of the bed. She examined her arms and looked down at her thighs, her heart plummeting. There were bruises where Auden had pressed her hands when they'd made love the night before. Bruises that shouldn't be there, not so soon. Oh, sweet Auden. I am so sorry.
"Here's my card," Auden said to the middle-aged woman in the windbreaker and jeans. "It sounds like a gr
eat story line. Send me the manuscript when you have it ready, and I'd be happy to take a look at it."
"Great. Thanks!"
As the woman turned away, Gayle edged through the small group of people until she reached Auden's side. "Hey. How's it going?"
"Terrific. This is so much fun. I've been talking to writers, other publishers, artists, and of course, readers. It's amazing." Auden took in her best friend at a glance. As usual, Gayle looked hot in skin-tight hip-hugger jeans and a painted-on black top that stopped somewhere in the vicinity of her navel. When she stretched, Auden glimpsed a hint of gold against her slightly darker skin. "Hey," she said, lifting the bottom edge of Gayle's top. "What have we here?"
Gayle grinned "Piercing."
"Ooh, I like." Auden raised an eyebrow. "Is there a story behind this new acquisition?"
"Well, let's say Teddy supervised, and it was...fun." Gayle remembered how carefully they'd had to make love the night they'd had it done, and how damned horny it had made her when Teddy had told the young woman doing the piercing just where she wanted it on Gayle's body—and then demonstrated, drawing her finger lightly over Gayle's navel.
"I'll bet it was fun if Thane was helping." Auden looked over her shoulder toward the table on the far side of the conference room where Thane and Hays sat signing books. "They're attracting a lot of attention."
"I can't believe I let Teddy out of the room in those leather pants."
"Uh, Gayle, sweetie, I don't think it's the pants—I think it's the leather vest with nothing under it. I just about died when she walked out of the elevator."
Gayle groaned, "When I saw her upstairs, I was too pheromonally impaired to censor the outfit. All I could think was yummy, yummy, yummy."
"Delightfully descriptive, Dr. Dunbar," Auden commented wryly.
"And now look," Gayle wailed, "Other women are drooling on her."
Auden laughed. "Well, I don't believe you have to worry. She's too busy working to get into trouble. Margo has a good crowd, too. We've sold a goodly number of Pale Imitations already. Our debut release is a hit."
Gayle watched the line moving slowly toward the authors. "Hays looks mighty tasty, too. Who would have thought that stonewashed jeans and a white shirt could look so appetizing?"
"Depends on who you put them on," Auden murmured, watching Hays return a book to a woman waiting at the head of the line. When Hays smiled, Auden's heart did a flip. "God, she's gorgeous."
"Mm, like I said...yu—"
"Enough," Auden hissed. "No more culinary commentary on my girlfriend, if you please."
"So, how does it feel being Rune Dyre's honey?"
Auden blushed. "It feels,..odd, and exciting, too. I think about people wanting to meet her or buy her books, and I'm proud and jealous at the same time."
Gayle nodded. "I know what you mean. Teddy writes stuff that makes me want to pull her clothes off and crawl all—"
"Uh, I got it. I got it." Auden laughed.
"Yeah, well, I don't like thinking some other woman might be feeling the same way,"
"Sometimes, I'll look over when Hays is writing, and I'll see Rune. Really see her, as if I know her, too."
"You do, don't you?"
Auden followed the author's hands as she opened a book, carefully held it flat, and signed with a flourish. "Yes. There are times, like now, when Rune is as real to me as Hays."
Gayle grinned. "So, does it feel good?"
"What?"
"The girlfriend thing."
"Better than good," Auden said contemplatively, her eyes still on the dark head bent over another book. "Better than anything."
"Life is good, huh?" Gayle said quietly, not a hint of levity in her voice now.
Auden slid an arm around her friend's waist and squeezed. "Life is grand."
Thane pushed her chair back and stretched. "I want a drink. How about you, buddy?"
Hays shook her head. She could barely focus, and she was afraid that if Auden saw her right now, she'd be able to tell something was wrong. "I'm going to find someplace quiet and decompress for a few minutes. I think Auden wants us at the opening reception at six."
"Where are they?" Thane asked, scanning the room. "I saw Gayle and Auden talking a while ago, but I don't see them now."
"I lost track of them. Auden and Liz are probably off in a corner somewhere with their heads together discussing marketing strategies."
"Gayle said she might sneak off to the gym," Thane mused "I can't believe I miss her this much after just a few hours."
"Sounds pretty serious."
"Yeah. Well, I am serious." Thane was uncharacteristically quiet for a long moment. "I'm not so sure Gayle believes me, though."
"Why do you say that?"
"I think maybe Liz gave her the idea that I was a big player."
"And...you're not?"
"Well, I've been around." Thane shrugged. "Not as much as people think. Not everything I write is autobiographical." She laughed. "But this is different—it's not just good fun and sex. Gayle is like no one I've ever met; it's like she knows me, or at least sees me, and...she seems to like what she finds." Thane grimaced. "Jesus, that didn't make any sense, did it."
"Not true," Hays replied, thinking of Auden and all the things she'd never needed to explain. "It makes perfect sense."
"Man. Listen to us. A couple of gon—Christ, Rune. You're bleeding!"
Hays felt it at the same moment. She fumbled for her handkerchief, but Thane pressed a couple of paper napkins from a nearby tray into her hand. After a minute, Hays muttered, "Thanks."
"You okay?"
"Yeah." Hays's voice was muffled. "Look, I'm going to go upstairs and get cleaned up. I might be late for the reception. If you see Auden..." Her voice trembled, and she almost lost it. Everything was coming apart so fast, she could barely think what to do next. "If you see Auden, just tell her I got held up. Don't mention this, okay?"
"Okay, sure. Look—do you need me to come with you?"
"No. I'm fine. It's stopped." Hays shook her head carefully. "I've got to go. Listen, Thane. About Eros —go ahead and use my stuff if you want."
Thane stared at her, startled by the sudden turn of the conversation. "Great, Excellent. We'll have to get together and decide which ones we want and how to order them. Maybe talk to Paula Young about tossing in a couple. She's popular with the soft-romance set."
"Anything you want." Hays held out her hand. "Thanks, Thane."
Thane shook it, still confused. "I'll see you later, then?"
"Sure."
Two minutes later, Hays was upstairs in her room. The first thing she did was make a series of phone calls. Then she sat down at the desk and booted up her laptop. As she typed, her hands shook.
Forty-five minutes into the reception, Auden was starting to worry. Neither Hays, nor Thane, nor Gayle had appeared. It wasn't absolutely obligatory that the authors attend the opening reception, but most did. And she and Hays had agreed earlier that Rune would go.
With a quick surge of relief, she saw Thane and Gayle enter hand in hand. They'd both changed clothes and both looked a bit sheepish as they approached her through the crowd. Thane turned aside a few feet from Auden to speak to a woman who asked her a question.
"Sorry we're late, Aud," Gayle said, genuinely contrite. "We lost track of time."
"It's okay. I'm not going to penalize you." Auden was too concerned about Hays to care that her friends had apparently taken some time out to make love. "Have you seen Hays?"
"No." Gayle frowned. "Isn't she here with you?"
"No, she's not. I haven't seen her for hours. By the time Liz and I finished talking to the people from Lambda Book Review, Thane and Hays had finished with their signings. I thought the two of them were off doing author stuff or just hanging out." She tried not to sound as panicked as she felt. "I went up to my room for a few minutes and called hers, but there was no answer. I just assumed we'd meet here, so I came back down to network some more."
&n
bsp; "Where's Rune?" Thane asked as she joined them. "I'll kill her if she backs out on this little get-together."
"I guess you don't know?"
"Know what?"
"Where she is?" Gayle and Auden said in unison.
"Should I?" Thane was beginning to feel as if she had tripped down the rabbit hole, "You mean where she is now? The last time I saw her, she said she was going upstairs to—uh, she said she'd see me here."
"She went to her room?" Auden studied Thane's face intently. "When?"
"Right after the signing. I'm sure she'll be here. She said—"
"Was she all right?" Auden asked sharply, aware that Thane was uncomfortable about something.
If you see Auden, just tell her I got held up. Don't mention this, okay? Thane hesitated.
"It's important, Teddy," Gayle said gently.
"She was fine. She just had a little nosebleed, but—"
"Oh my God." Auden started toward the exit.
"Where are you going?" Gayle asked urgently, hurrying along beside Auden with Thane following on her heels.
"To her room."
"I'll come, just in case there's a problem."
Once in the elevator, Thane looked from Gayle to Auden. "What's going on? Does this have something to do with her collapsing at the Four Seasons?"
Gayle took Thane's hand. "We can't talk about the details, okay, baby?"
"Sure." Thane rested her hand on the back of Gayle's neck, stroking her softly. "Okay."
The instant the elevator doors slid open, Auden rushed down the hall and knocked on Hays's door. "Hays? Sweetheart? It's Auden."
When she'd tried three times to no avail, Auden turned to Gayle, desperate. "What should we do? What if she's lying in there and needs help? What if... oh God, what if she hit her head or—"
"I'll call the hotel manager and play the doctor card," Gayle said quietly. "I'll ask him to send someone to check, okay?" When Auden nodded mutely, Gayle added, "Come on, our room is down the hall."
Auden paced the room while Gayle placed the call and asked for the manager. She wanted to scream as she listened to Gayle explain that she was a doctor and that she was concerned about a guest with a life-threatening illness. Life-threatening. No. Oh, no. Not now. Not so soon.
Radclyffe - Love's Masquerade Page 27
