Dare to Love

by A. L. Brooks

  “Just after eleven.”

  “Bloody hell, we’ve been here for hours!”

  Laughing, Ash nodded. “I have no idea where the time has gone.”

  “Are you tired?”

  “A little, to be honest. It was a pretty early start this morning.”

  “It was. How would you feel about calling it a night? The next shuttle bus must be leaving soon.”

  “Sounds like a good idea.” Ash held out a hand. “Here, lean on me. In fact, you could take the shoes off. I’m sure these boardwalks would be okay with bare feet.”

  “No, it’s fine. I’ve been in them all day, another fifteen minutes won’t kill me.”

  They wandered through the marquee, the one that had originally been set up for the ceremony but now housed the dance floor, and found Tamsyn and Maggie. They sat quietly in a corner, arms around each other, watching everyone else enjoying themselves.

  “Are you two off?” Maggie stood.

  “We are.” Carmen hugged her, then Tamsyn. “Too tired.”

  “So are we.” Tamsyn frowned. “But apparently, we have to stay to the end. Something about this being where we live and having nowhere else to go.”

  “Nah, just sneak off into the house,” Ash said. “No one will notice.”

  “This one is so good for my ego.” Tamsyn thumbed in Ash’s direction.

  Ash made a choked sound. “Oh God, no! That’s not what I meant. It’s just that—”

  “She’s teasing, Ash.” Maggie nudged Tamsyn in the arm. “Ignore her. But I do like your sneaking idea.” She tapped her chin in thought.

  “What’s the point, though?” Tamsyn asked. “With this bunch partying in our back garden?”

  “Ah. Yes.” Maggie slumped. “Okay, I guess we have to stay.”

  “Thanks for a wonderful day,” Carmen said.

  “Thank you for being here.”

  All four of them shared hugs and cheek kisses goodbye.

  Ash helped Carmen walk gingerly out to the lane where the shuttle bus stood waiting.

  Twenty minutes later, they walked into the hotel and headed up the stairs. At the top, Carmen turned to Ash. “As much as we’ve spent the day together, I almost feel like we haven’t had much time where it was just us two. I know we’re tired, but could we perhaps get a nightcap? Maybe order something up to one of our rooms?”

  Ash smiled and brushed her fingers down Carmen’s cheek. “I’d love that. Give me a few minutes to freshen up, and I’ll come to your room, okay?”

  “Deal. What would you like to drink?”

  “Gin and tonic would be great.”

  Carmen ordered the drinks as soon as she entered her room, then gratefully slid her feet out of the shoes and tossed them in a corner. She’d just used the bathroom and cleaned the make-up off her face when there was a knock on the door.

  The hotel staff member carried in their drinks on a small tray and set it down on the table. Just as she left the room, Ash appeared in the corridor outside.

  Carmen let her in. “Perfect timing.”

  “Nice.” Ash looked down at Carmen’s bare feet. “How are they?”

  “Sore!”

  “Hey, if you have any nice lotion or something, I can give you a foot rub. I’ve been told I’m good at them.”

  It was so tempting. “Um, that does sound lovely, but…” Carmen flushed. “Would it be okay if I washed my feet first? I mean, they’ve been in opened-toe shoes all day and—”

  “Totally fine. I understand. You do that while I just sit down and have a sip of this.” Ash picked up one of the drinks and moved to the armchair on the opposite side of the small table.

  Carmen chuckled. “Okay, you just make yourself at home.”

  Ash raised her glass, and Carmen left her to it.

  Washing her feet made them feel a hundred times better, although perching on the edge of the bathtub to do so and stop herself from sliding in, thanks to the silky nature of her dress, took a little concentration. Once she’d patted her feet dry, she retrieved the body lotion from her toiletry bag and headed back into the room.

  “Better?” Ash asked.

  “Much.”

  “Then let me see if I can make them even better still. Here, sit on the edge of the bed, and I’ll pull the chair nearer.”

  They quickly arranged themselves, and Carmen handed over the lotion. In return she was given her drink, which she sipped with pleasure.

  Ash carefully lifted one of Carmen’s feet into her lap.

  The first touch of the cool lotion on her tired foot was blissful. But when Ash started to firmly work the lotion into her skin, Carmen groaned aloud with unbridled pleasure.

  “Good?” Ash asked quietly.

  “Like you wouldn’t believe.” Carmen tipped her head back and closed her eyes.

  Ash slowly massaged the lotion into every pore, from the ends of her toes all the way up to her ankles. She switched feet and repeated the process. It was heavenly, and it didn’t take long for Carmen’s mind to start thinking about how good it would feel to have Ash’s hands working their magic on other parts of her body.

  A few moments later, she wondered if they had developed some kind of telepathic link as Ash slowly began to caress her calves, then the backs of her knees. The latter area was, unbeknown to Carmen up to that point in time, an erogenous zone. The minute Ash’s fingers began to stroke there, Carmen shuddered with arousal, her nipples hardening against her silk bra. She opened her eyes and lifted her head, meeting Ash’s intense gaze.

  Ash didn’t stop moving her fingers. She caressed in slow figures of eight, from the middle of Carmen’s calves to the backs of her knees. In the next moment, she lengthened her stroke and took the tips of her fingers up to the back of Carmen’s thigh, teasing at the skin there before repeating the gesture with her other hand on the other thigh.

  “Ash…” Carmen breathed, her heart thudding.

  Somehow that one word seemed to be all Ash needed. She gently let go of Carmen’s leg and lowered it from her lap. Then she stood and took the small step that brought her to the edge of the bed. Her legs touched Carmen’s where they dangled over the bed.

  “Sure?” Ash asked softly.

  Carmen didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

  Ash’s smile was molten. She placed her hands on either side of Carmen and kissed her.

  When Carmen inhaled sharply, Ash’s tongue immediately sought entrance, and Carmen gave it willingly. The touch of their tongues made her moan. She arched her torso upwards, needing to feel Ash against her.

  Ash responded, pushing Carmen onto her back and climbing onto the bed with her. She held herself over Carmen as she gazed down at her. “I want you so badly,” she whispered. “But stop me if you’re not comfortable, okay?”

  Carmen nodded but seriously doubted she’d tell Ash to stop anytime soon. Her entire body blazed with desire, with the need to know what it would feel like to make love with this gorgeous woman. Oh sure, a small part of her still worried about certain mechanics, but that was soon forgotten as Ash skimmed her fingers down Carmen’s neck to the bare skin above her left breast revealed by the cut of her dress.

  Ash caressed gently, teasingly, gazing into Carmen’s eyes the entire time. When she drifted lower and cupped Carmen’s breast through the dress, Carmen moaned and pushed up into her hand.

  Ash leaned down and kissed her, massaging slowly, using her thumb to rub over Carmen’s nipple, which stood so proud, even through the dress and her bra. Ash’s mouth plundered hers, becoming more passionate, more powerful, by the second.

  Carmen threw her arms around Ash’s neck and let her fingertips play with the shaved area at the back of Ash’s head. The hair there was incredibly soft.

  Ash groaned, and the throbbing between Carmen’s legs jumped into hyperdrive.

  She shifted and fumbled for the side zipper of her dress, needing to be naked, to offer more of herself to Ash.

  Ash’s hand stilled her. “Let me,” she said hoarsely
.

  Carmen nodded and watched as Ash pulled the zipper down and peeled away the front of the dress to reveal most of Carmen’s torso and bra-clad breasts.

  “I want to see you,” Ash whispered. “All of you.” She stood and held out her hand.

  Carmen took it and let Ash pull her to her feet. The dress needed only to be eased off her shoulder for it to fall to the floor in a gentle swish.

  Ash reached behind Carmen and managed to unhook her bra at the first attempt.

  Carmen smiled at her. “You’ve done that before.”

  Ash waggled her eyebrows. “A few times.”

  “Something new I’ll need to learn.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you’ll be fine. And trust me, you’ll get your first practice very soon.”

  As the bra fell away, Ash switched her gaze to Carmen’s body and sucked in an audible breath. “God, perfect.” She cupped both breasts.

  Carmen arched once more; Ash’s hands were so gentle. Almost too gentle. “Touch me. I won’t break,” Carmen managed to get out. “I want you. Please.”

  Ash crushed her mouth to Carmen’s and increased the pressure of her hands on Carmen’s breasts. It was exquisite. She kneaded and caressed, pinching Carmen’s nipples between her thumb and forefinger before pressing her palms into the whole of her breasts.

  Carmen clung to Ash, arms around her waist, and frantically pulled the shirt from Ash’s trousers. Then she started to work on the buttons at the front of the shirt.

  Ash broke their kiss and her concentration on Carmen’s breasts to give her room to open them all.

  Carmen pushed the shirt open and stared. Ash’s breasts were bigger than her own—she’d pretty much figured that out already—and the curves of them, held snug by the white bra, were more enticing than she would have ever imagined. She leaned forward and kissed, softly, at the top of each curve, then licked a line all the way along the top of each bra cup.

  Ash swayed and hissed out a breath.

  “Okay?” Carmen asked.

  “Very. Let me take this off.” Ash pointed at her shirt.

  “And these too.” Carmen tugged at the waistband of her trousers.

  Ash did as she was told and soon stood before Carmen in her bra and underwear.

  “Now I get to try this too.” Hesitantly, Carmen reached behind Ash and prayed she wouldn’t fumble. It couldn’t be that difficult, could it? I mean, I’ve been putting on and taking off my own bra for about thirty years now . She found the clasp with her fingertips, figured out it was three hooks, and voila , unsnapped it at the first attempt.

  “Very good,” Ash said.

  Carmen grinned. “Piece of cake.”

  Then words deserted her as she peeled the bra down Ash’s arms, revealing gorgeously shaped breasts that her hands—and, much to her shock, mouth—ached to touch. She moved back in and rubbed her thumbs carefully over Ash’s nipples.

  Once again Ash hissed out a breath, and Carmen, emboldened, this time swiped her tongue over one of the hard buds.

  Dear God . She licked again before taking the nipple between her lips and pulling slightly. Jesus, that’s incredible .

  Everything south of her belly throbbed and ached with an intensity that was almost painful. She licked and sucked on Ash’s nipples until Ash grabbed at her shoulders and growled, “I need to lie down if you’re going to keep doing that.”

  Carmen sighed happily and stepped back. “Then let’s lie down.”

  They stripped off their underwear, eased onto the bed together, and lay side by side, close but not quite touching.

  “Still okay?” Ash asked.

  Carmen shyly looked down Ash’s body, taking in the way her breasts shaped themselves now she was on her side, the flatness of her abdomen, the small patch of curls between her legs. This is her body. The woman I’m falling in love with. And I just want to touch her. Feel her. Love her.

  “Oh, yes.” Carmen reached for her.

  They took their time, but it wasn’t necessarily gentle. They ebbed and flowed between moments of pure tenderness that made tears prick at Carmen’s eyes and high passion that ripped long moans from her throat.

  When Ash pushed her onto her back and covered her with her body, Carmen shuddered with how perfect it felt. Ash spent many minutes worshipping Carmen’s breasts, laving them with her tongue until Carmen thought she might come from that alone.

  Ash moved down her body, placing open-mouthed kisses over her ribs.

  Everywhere her lips touched sent more fire through Carmen’s veins.

  “I’d love to taste you.” Ash gazed up at her, her eyes intense, her breathing heavy. “But it’s okay if that’s not something you’d like.”

  The thought of Ash’s mouth on her had Carmen swooning. “Oh God, yes. Please.”

  Ash dipped her head and trailed her tongue along Carmen’s belly, then moved down licking and nipping at the inside of Carmen’s thighs.

  Carmen thrust herself up towards her, not caring how wanton it might seem, merely desperate for Ash’s mouth to find her, and soon. She was aching with need, desperate to know how it would feel to surrender to Ash this way.

  The first touch of Ash’s tongue in her wetness made her gasp. The second made her groan. Then Ash started a rhythm of long, slow strokes that made every nerve in Carmen’s body stand at attention. When, a few moments later, her orgasm swept through her, Carmen clutched at Ash’s arms where they held her hips down and cried out her pleasure.

  “Still with me?” Ash traced a lazy pattern with her fingertips across Carmen’s gently rounded belly. God, how she loved this belly, loved every curve of Carmen’s body.

  “Mhmm. Sorry, I’ll be with you soon,” Carmen mumbled.

  “You take your time.” Ash kissed her on the ribs, just below her heart. “I’m quite happy where I am.”

  God, was that an understatement. Making love to Carmen had been every bit as exciting as she’d expected. She’d tortured herself a few times the last couple of weeks with thoughts of how it might be, but it turned out she’d vastly underestimated.

  Carmen was so sexy it took Ash’s breath away. And so responsive. The way she moved her body into Ash’s touches, the sounds she made. All of it had sent Ash extremely close to the edge of her own orgasm. She still throbbed. If Carmen wasn’t ready to do anything in return, Ash might just have to deal with things herself to release the pressure.

  “Do we have any water nearby?” Carmen lifted her head to look down her own body at Ash and smiled shyly. “Hi.”

  “Well, hello.” Ash blew her a kiss. “Yes, I can get you some water.” She eased away from Carmen’s warmth and shimmied off the bed.

  “Oh my God! Ash, your tattoo is fantastic.”

  Ash looked over her shoulder to see Carmen staring at her back. “Oh, yeah, of course! You’ve never seen it.” She turned a little to look at her own back in the full-length mirror on the wall beside the bed. “You really like it?”

  Carmen crawled to the edge of the bed and trailed her fingers over the phoenix’s wings. “It’s stunning.” She met Ash’s gaze in the mirror. “And it’s so perfect for you.”

  Ash nodded and shivered as Carmen’s fingers continued to trail over the design.

  “It’s also rather sexy.” Carmen threw her a wink in the reflection.

  “I’m glad you think so.” Ash cleared her throat. “Let me get you that water.” After finding a bottle in the minibar, she twisted the cap off and brought it back to the bed.

  Carmen took the proffered bottle and gulped greedily before handing it back.

  “Wow, you needed that.” Ash took a few mouthfuls herself.

  When she lowered the bottle back down, Carmen was staring at her, her gaze raking over Ash’s naked body.

  Ash swallowed hard. She put the bottle down on the bedside table.

  “Come here.” Carmen held out one hand. “Please.”

  Ash joined her on the bed. When Carmen pushed her swiftly onto her back, she let out a small y
elp that turned into a moan as Carmen lay on top of her. The pleasing weight of her, pinning Ash to the bed, had her libido roaring back into top gear.

  Carmen kissed her and pressed herself against Ash even more.

  Ash wrapped her arms around Carmen’s back, but they only got to stay there for a few moments since Carmen reached around and lifted Ash’s arms above her head. “Leave them there? Please?” she asked huskily.

  “Anything you want.” Ash was on fire; Carmen taking charge like this was a delicious surprise.

  Carmen smiled seductively at her, and Ash’s heart almost stopped. Then Carmen was on the move, and Ash could only surrender. First stop was Ash’s breasts, which Carmen seemed to revel in exploring. Ash’s nipples ached from all the attention, but there was no way she would ask Carmen to stop.

  When Carmen’s mouth drifted further down her body, Ash tensed. “You don’t have to; it’s—”

  “Shush.” Carmen gazed up at her, over the swell of Ash’s breasts. “I’m doing exactly what I want to do. Trust me.”

  Ash nodded slowly. “I do.”

  Carmen kissed Ash’s belly before continuing on her way. Her first few touches, with both tongue and fingers, were tentative, but that was okay because Ash could barely breathe as it was. As Carmen’s confidence grew, however, and her licks and caresses became firmer, Ash writhed beneath her, wondering if she would actually survive this. Carmen took her time, bringing Ash to the edge over and over again, whether by design or accident, and it was the perfect torture.

  “Please, Carmen. Harder. There.”

  And Carmen gave her just what she needed, at just the right time, to send her over that delicious edge into pleasure-filled oblivion. Ash arched her hips off the bed, then collapsed back onto it with a loud exhale.

  Carmen quickly crawled back up Ash’s body and lay on top of her once more. Her eyes were wet as she gently cupped Ash’s face. “My God, that was… You’re so beautiful,” Carmen whispered. “Sharing that with you was incredible.”

  “It…was.” Ash sucked in a breath, needing to fill her lungs as well as push past the lump in her throat.

  Carmen kissed her tenderly, and soft drops fell onto Ash’s cheeks.