“I think she got that when I told her I would be sleeping at your place.”
Maxima took a step closer. “I do not think you will be safe in bed with me tonight.” Maxima’s eyes were hot as they raked over her. “I have tried very hard to behave these past nights, but…” She raked her fingers through her short hair. “The way you looked at me when you entered the bedroom tonight…” She lifted a slightly shaky hand to Sara’s face. “You awakened a hunger that has been dormant for centuries, a hunger you put inside me all those centuries ago and a hunger only you can sate.”
Sara’s knees began to feel wobbly as she looked at Maxima. Before she could crash to the floor, she crossed the space between them and wrapped her arms around Maxima’s waist. She pressed her ear over the brunette’s heart, hearing how fast it was pumping. She had told her mother a lot of things about Maxima and herself today. Some of those things she’d only discovered as she was taking her mother through her mind. One such discovery was that she wasn’t angry at Maxima anymore. Instead she craved the intoxicating nearness of the woman and that one day very soon she also wanted to talk to someone about Maxima the way her mother spoke about her father. But she was scared. She had loved deeply once and somehow still carried the scars of that failed liaison.
"I’m terrified of this…of us," Sara opted for honesty.
“You have never to fear that I will hurt you or force you, my heart.” Maxima whispered. “I have waited so long for you and I will wait as long as it takes for you to be ready.”
Sara smiled where she had her face pressed against Maxima’s chest. “I know, Maxima. But that is not what I’m scared of.”
“Then why do you fear our destiny, agapate?” Sara tightened her hold on Maxima. “Do you know what the word means,” Maxima asked tenderly.
“Beloved,” Sara answered without thinking.
A soft chuckle sounded. “You are not supposed to know that, beloved. It is Koine Greek.”
Sara lifted her head and met Maxima’s warm gaze. “It was spoken between 300 BC and 330 AD. I’ve been doing a lot of research on Greek history since Andra brought you to the gallery.”
Maxima nodded. “That explains it.” Sara closed her eyes when Maxima lowered her head to brush a kiss over her forehead. “Tell me why you are afraid.”
The change in subject immediately affected the mood and Sara lowered her head to Maxima’s chest again. She inhaled the clean scent of the warrior as she tried to think of how best to form her scattered thoughts in a coherent answer. She took a deep breath.
“I’m afraid that your family will come to resent me.” Sara felt Maxima stiffen and she quickly continued. “You mean a lot to them and they might expect me to be or act like someone I don’t even know. What if I fail in their eyes?”
Maxima’s hand cupped the back of her head and cradled her. “They will not resent you. I believe that they are just happy and relieved that the search is over. They have all devoted their adult lives to finding Anima and for her to set me free.” Maxima leaned back and sought out her eyes. “But none of them have intimate knowledge of how it was between us. We are the only two people alive who know how great our love for each other was. . .is. Thus they cannot force you to be someone they have never met or known themselves.”
Sara searched Maxima’s eyes for a long moment. “You must’ve loved her a lot to have searched for her for 2,710 years. I’m so sorry that I cannot be more like her…for you. All I feel…I feel like a host body that only channels her memories.”
Maxima cupped her face in her calloused palms. “Let me tell you a secret. I loved Anima, and I loved her with my whole heart. But a lot of time has passed since the last time I held her in my arms. It is now your face that I see when I close my eyes to sleep. It is you, Sara Laramie, that I miss when I feel lonely. It is you I think of when I awaken at night, aching to be touched.” Sara felt a hot blush creep up her neck. “I fell in love with you. You happen to have received Anima’s soul, but I am truly and madly in love with Sara Laramie, gallery owner and the woman who talks to statues.” The last statement was accompanied by a teasing smile. “I love you with all my heart and I promise to love you until my dying breath.”
Tears blurred her vision as Sara tried to focus on the beautiful face looking down at her. “When I spoke to my mother earlier, I found out a lot of truths about her life. She told me about her love for my father and her face glowed with the love she feels for him. I want to be like that about you. I want to glow when I talk about you and I want to…ˮ Her voice broke.
“Hush, my love. If you will allow me, I promise to do everything in my power to make you want to talk about me that way and I will try to make you glow for me until the day I draw my last breath. I love you.” Maxima’s eyes too were swimming in tears now
A soft sniffle sounded and Sara, knowing it didn’t come from her turned her head to the door to find Claire standing there, a hand over her heart and the other trying to stifle her sobs. Her face was wet with tears as she looked at them. Sara simply looked at Claire, not knowing how to react to her unexpected appearance.
“I…I didn’t mean to…Nadia wanted…” A soft sob escaped her lips before she could finish and Sara walked over to her friend to hug her. “Please, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but that was so beautiful.” Sara felt Claire’s arms tighten more around her. “I have missed you so much.”
Sara felt her eyes fill up again. “I have missed you too. Let’s not do that again.”
“I promise we will never keep anything from you again.” She stepped out of the embrace and wiped at her eyes. “Nadia sent me to get you.”
Sara felt Maxima’s presence behind her and without looking stuck out her hand to her. She smiled when the large hand enfolded hers. “I believe we have a fairytale to conclude.”
***
Andra surged to her feet when Claire burst into the study. Her eyes grew wide with concern when the blonde skirted the desk and threw herself in her arms. Andra’s mind was racing with various scenarios as to why her wife was in such a state. She made soft shushing sounds as she rubbed Claire’s shaking shoulders.
“What’s wrong, honey?” Her breath caught. “Is it the kids? Did something happen to them?”
Claire shook her head. Feeling helpless, Andra held the blonde closer. Oh, please let it be something I can fix. She was tense as she patiently waited for Claire to pull herself together. After a few moments, Claire looked up into her eyes and Andra’s eyebrows shot up at the smile on her wife’s tearstained face. She continued to rub Claire’s shoulders.
“Everything is fine…better than fine,” Claire finally said.
“That’s good to hear, love. Why the tears then?” Andra silently applauded herself for sounding so calm even as it felt as if her insides were shifting; making her feel dizzy from the tension she was trying hard to hide. She lowered her head and gently kissed Claire’s tears away. “Come on, talk to me.”
Claire clamped her hands on the sides of Andra's face and pulled her into a deep kiss. The kiss wasn’t intended to arouse, but Andra could feel the wealth of emotion behind it. When it ended, she blinked down into Claire’s eyes.
“I love you so much and I don’t think I say it enough.”
Andra cleared her throat softly. “You are acting weird and it’s scaring me a little.” She smiled when Claire rolled her eyes dramatically.
“I went to get Maxima so she could tell Nadia a bedtime story and I caught them declaring their love to each other.”
“Maxima and Nadia?”
She flinched when Claire gave her a hard stare. “Maxima and Sara.”
Andra threw her hands up. “Finally.”
“Yes, finally. But you should’ve seen them, heard them. They’re truly soul mates.”
“Oh and what about us then?” Andra couldn’t help but tease Claire a little. She jumped when Claire slapped her on her ass.
“You, my gorgeous wife, are more than my soul mate. You own me and everything
that is part of me.”
“Including that skewed, weird-looking nail on your little toe?”
“Everything, sweet cheeks.”
Andra pulled her face. “That sounded so corny and…eeewww…cheap.”
Claire’s melodious laughter filled the study and she pulled Andra into her arms. This time Andra was the recipient of Claire attentions, as the blonde gently rubbed her wife’s back. Feeling the tension gradually draining from her body, Andra sighed contently. Everything seemed to be falling into place now and it was a wonderful feeling. She snuggled deeper into her wife’s arms as she closed her eyes. At that moment she was so grateful for everything…her wife, her children, her family and finally for Maxima’s happiness. She felt tears burning behind her eyelids and she quickly blinked them away. She blinked harder, this time in surprise, as a small hand trailed down her back to knead her butt. She slowly pulled out of the embrace.
“You wanna play a little tonight?” The green eyes swirled with desire as Claire fixed her with a meaningful gaze.
Andra’s slowly licked her lips, the urgent budget reports she was reviewing when Claire burst into her study, a distant memory. “It depends on what you have in mind.”
Claire chuckled huskily, the sound racing down Andra’s spine to settle heavy between her legs. It was amazing how Claire could still get her going so easily.
“That French maid costume from last year’s Valentine’s costume party still fits.”
Andra felt a little burst of heat in her nether region, she swallowed hard. “I thought I… uh… accidently tore it the last time you wore it?”
Claire’s hand brushed over Andra’s hip. “I bought a new one knowing how much you liked it.”
She narrowed her eyes, thoroughly enjoying the suggestive banter. “Maybe I’ll have to take a rain check. I have to finish the reports for tomorrow’s meeting.”
The blonde grinned. “Playing hard to get, are you? You know it just makes me want to devour you.”
Andra moaned softly. Claire was insatiable when she was in this mood and Andra simply loved it when her wife was the aggressor in bed. “I think the reports can wait until tomorrow.”
“That’s if you’ll be able to think straight after I’m done with you.” Claire pressed her lips on the silk blouse right over where Andra’s heart was. When she looked up at Andra, her eyes were serious. “I meant what I said earlier. I love you so much and I will make it a priority to tell you just how much every day so you’ll never forget.”
Andra felt a burning behind her eyes at her wife’s declaration. “I know you love me. I never doubt it and I promise to never forget.”
They shared a tender kiss.
***
Sara rolled over onto her side, her hand cupping her convulsing mound, as silent tears ran down her face. Whatever Maxima had done to her, still had her shaking violently. Her eyes fluttered open and immediately encountered smoldering blue eyes. Maxima’s body lay half across hers, drenched in sweat after their marathon lovemaking session. They just looked at each other in silence as her tears wet the pillow.
“What…what did you do to me?” she gasped after a while.
“I loved you.” Maxima rolled onto her back and pulled Sara over her. Stretched out on Maxima’s body, Sara lowered her head on a strong shoulder, still gasping for breath. She licked her dry lips and shuddered when she tasted Maxima on her lips. How could I have ever thought myself thoroughly loved before experiencing this? Maxima had turned her inside out. Sara doubted she would ever be able to not react when this woman was around her. Even now, her body was screaming for her touch. She lifted her head.
“Can you do it again?”
Maxima took her lips in a heady kiss. “I am your humble servant, milady.”
With a sigh Sara felt her body gently pushed to the mattress, held down by Maxima’s weight. With infinite gentleness, so foreign to conceive, Maxima began to strum her body like a fragile guitar string. Her hands were everywhere, her lips burning every part of Sara’s body exposed to her hungry eyes. Sara had never felt so loved as she threw her head back and pushed her hands through the sweaty dark locks as Maxima sucked on her nipples.
Her mind went through an unexpected vortex and Sara gasped when she saw herself/Anima lying spread-eagled on a lavishly decorated bed. The room was strategically lit, with light throwing flickering patterns over the broad sweat-slicked back heaving over her. She knew who it was because her body was humming with pleasure at the familiar touch.
Sara suddenly jerked her eyes open, abruptly cutting the vision short. She wasn’t going to allow Anima in bed with them. Maxima was hers now. She pulled on the dark locks and met the hungry pale orbs.
“I love you.”
Maxima gave her a beautiful smile and her fingers touched the slick opening between Sara's legs.
“I love you too.” Maxima's fingers gently pushed passed Sara's band of muscles and plunged deep, making Sara arch her back in pleasure at the exquisite fullness. Maxima held her gaze as she plundered her depths with deep even strokes, watching her intently as Sara felt her control slipping. Knowing she wouldn’t last long and still craving for more, she pulled her knees up allowing Maxima to go even deeper. Sara’s mouth was dry from all the panting and she licked her lips.
“I can feel you…so deep inside me…almost touching my soul.”
Maxima just smiled and lowered her lips to her breasts. Sara exploded when Maxima skillfully drew a nipple into her mouth, letting the tip chafe against the roughness of her tongue. A guttural scream escaped from deep inside her as she tossed back her head, riding out her orgasm.
***
Maxima stood transfixed, tears coursing down her face.
Her hands fell to her sides, brushing the cool leather of her uniform.
She had slipped out of their rumpled bed, just as the horizon began to lighten, her body, by now, so in tune with the celestial pattern. Rushing to put on her uniform, she had stepped onto the marble podium just as the first rays of the sun had hit the earth. With her eyes fixed on the golden sign on the wall where Anima’s name was scribbled in elaborated calligraphy, she had waited for the smothering paralysis to take over. She never had any control over the change in the mornings. It had to happen.
Now, almost thirty minutes later, she still stood on the podium, crying tears of relief and happiness. She slowly raised her hand and held it before her eyes. She was free—at last. A soft footfall sounded behind her and she turned to find a disheveled Sara, a sheet wrapped around her, looking at her with wide eyes.
“I felt…ˮ She bundled up the sheet around her feet and moved closer. From the height of the podium, Maxima looked down at Sara as the green eyes darkened with concern. “You’re crying. Are you okay?”
Maxima nodded.
“I felt something was wrong and when you weren’t in bed I came looking for you.” She looked Maxima up and down.
Maxima wiped at her eyes and smiled. “The curse is broken.” She saw the confusion in Sara’s eyes. “I turn every morning at sunrise. I know you come here to look at me before you go to work in the mornings. I felt your presence.” She was quiet for a moment. “This morning I did not turn because your love has broken the curse.”
She smiled as she saw Sara’s lower lip began to tremble and stepped off the podium to fold her in her arms.
“Is it over now?” Sara sounded nervous.
Maxima pressed her lips against Sara’s ear. “No, it has just begun. We are starting on the rest of our lives together.”
Sara pulled back to look into her eyes. “Really?”
“Yes, really. We can go back to bed now and pick up where we left off this morning or…” Maxima smiled as she studied Sara’s face. “or we can talk about our future. Marriage. Babies.” She leered at Sara’s breasts. “More sex positions we hope to try out…”
Sara smiled and standing on tiptoe placed a soft kiss on Maxima’s lips. “I think I will like spending the rest of my life with you, w
arrior.” Her small hand cupped Maxima’s cheek. “My mother would like to hear about the baby stuff. In fact, you will make her very happy.” Sara’s other hand slipped into hers. “Now let me show you how intoxicating morning sex can be.”
Maxima allowed Sara to lead her from the gallery. Throwing a quick glance at the podium, she smiled broadly. She wasn’t even going to miss the routine. It would definitely be the last time she would have to visit the gallery at this hour.
Epilogue
“Believe me when I tell you that you’ll never really get used to it no matter how many times you go through it,” Andra said all-knowingly.
“She’s right,” Gemma added and placed a hand on Maxima’s shoulder.
The warrior nodded, but didn’t lift her eyes from the small bundle in her arms.
“How’s the head, baby,” Sara asked softly as she brushed a lock of dark hair from Maxima’s forehead, exposing a large bump. “I can’t believe no one tried to catch you when you fainted. I will make sure that the management of this hospital knows that they shouldn’t expect our annual contribution this year.”
“Seriously? Have you seen how small that nurse was? Maxima would’ve squashed her if she’d fallen on her. The doctor was even smaller.” Andra yelped. “What? It’s the truth. How can you expect them to catch a 6ft5 muscled Amazon and live to…OWWWWW?”
“I think you should just keep your mouth shut for now, honey, before I’m forced to hurt you any further,” Claire said in a warning tone.
Through all this, Maxima didn’t once lift her gaze from her newly born daughter’s face. She was completely enamored with the tiny miracle she’d help create. For the umpteenth time that day she felt her eyes shoot full of tears. She had wanted so desperately to be able to continue her bloodline through their child, but having lived for over 2,100 years, her body had followed its natural rhythm and she had reached menopause millennia ago, leaving her barren. She raised the issue with the family and was surprised to find that Gemma still had some of her eggs frozen.
To Be Unbroken Page 13
