"You're in trouble!" I called out before the bathroom door shut.
I laughed, covering my face again as I lay completely naked on Dax's sofa, save for my socks. I wriggled out of them, and turned on my side slightly to get more comfortable. The honey-rich afterglow Dax left me in settled me while alone, and I closed my eyes as my skin continued to respond as if ghosts of her tongue still lashed at me; a residual haunting that I could get used to.
While the sounds of the shower pattered from down the hall, I allowed my thoughts to wander. What would our future look like together? Could I live on this farm with Dax? There were so many things we hadn't talked about yet. Kids, holidays, pets, and yet, I loved her. And none of that even mattered. Not any of it.
"In the light of the setting sun in that window, I can see your pussy glistening like a prism," Dax announced when she'd returned to the living room, a wicked grin plastered on her face.
"I can't with you." I laughed as I opened my eyes to see her standing there, soaking wet and holding a towel around her torso. "And your obsession with my bits."
"They're sexy bits." She approached, kneeling over my thigh while she bit her bottom lip. My hands fell to her hips where I stroked the fuzzy towel. Seriousness fell over us in that moment as her non-verbal cues screamed for me to notice. My stomach fluttered with excitement and I bent my knee so that my thigh met her bare core for the first time. With her gaze locked on mine, she held the towel so tight that her knuckles whitened.
"Come here," I whispered, holding my arms open to her. She melted into them, her body curling against me in an almost fetal position. I kissed her cheek, her nose, then lips as I urged the towel from her fingers. She let go and I pulled it away, leaving the two of us naked against each other.
I kept her in the kiss, leading her lips with mine, until the heat of her body burned and she closed the space between our thighs. Her fiery, wet core met my flesh and she shuddered when I ran my hand down her back to grip her rear.
There weren't any words necessary, no playful banter, or laughter that interrupted our connection, as if the universe aligned to the importance of the moment. I remembered what she told me in earnest. Her word, "Gently," echoing in my mind as we rolled together, tumbling from lust to love in a heartbeat. For the first time, without caution or restraint, my hands explored her body, all of her as we made love on the sofa where our journey first began.
Moans met our lips, her hips bucking against me, and while we clawed and pulled at each other, rising together in our dual pleasure. Dax's flesh against my core scored my body and my memory, forever embossed on my psyche.
When she came, she ended the kiss as her back arched, and her face contorted with pleasure. I wasn't a beat behind as release coiled around my softened parts, tangling me with Dax. I cried out a moment before she kissed me, and the weight of her slid down to rest on top of me. She puffed breath against my neck when she lay down, the swell of afterglow twinkling around us. I hugged her to me, cupping her head while caressing her back.
"I love you, Dax," I whispered in her ear. She nodded, though I felt her move her hand to cover her face when she let out a soft sniffle. "You are incredibly beautiful and you make me happy. So happy."
She squeezed me tighter and she sobbed once before saying, "You make me happy, too."
We must've stayed like that on the sofa for hours, because when I opened my eyes again, darkness surrounded us save for the dim sconces on either side of the fireplace. Dax stirred, rolling on her back beside me while I gazed down at her, my elbow propped on the pillow. She slept peacefully, even more than usual, with one arm above her head, and the other flush against me. I ran my hand over her taut stomach, then traced the elegant lines of her beautiful tattoo. The design, more vibrant than any body canvas I'd ever seen, held my attention. Gazing at Dax, seeing all of her, even in the dull light, left me breathless. I hadn't noticed before that the tip of one of the phoenix feathers ended just beside her labia, angled toward her clit. The curves of her body, soft in some places, sharp in others, made the design seem almost real like the mythical bird existed only to emerge from her flesh.
"Like what you see?" her raspy voice asked.
"Yes. Every inch of your lavish beauty." I leaned down to kiss her. "Also noticing how close your ink comes to your pussy. Did it hurt?"
"A bit. She had to stop a few times and I was pretty swollen." She reached down and pointed to the sharp black lines. "There the most."
"Well, it's incredible now." I scooted down to kiss the space where her fingers lay. To my surprise, she parted her legs as if inviting me in. My gaze landed on hers and she smirked. "Can I?"
She nodded, her lip between her teeth again.
I shifted around and she settled into the pillows, though the way her nails dug into her stomach told of her worry when I lay between her legs. She let her knees fall open and I ran both of my hands over her inner thighs. Her pussy glistened with dampness, and my mouth watered at the same time that my clit throbbed for attention.
"D-don't…" She gulped, her eyes shimmering. I stopped until she said, "Don't hold me down."
"Never, honey. I won't." Remembering the first time she allowed me to touch her, I made the effort a more conscious one. "Only gently and with all the kisses in the world." I pressed my lips to her inner thigh and she started at first, though didn't recoil. "How about we turn the light on so you can see me better?"
She nodded right away as if she never considered it, then reached above her head to the table lamp beside us to click it on. Her eyes returned to me, and I took my time drowning myself in the sight of her. I placed my hand on her chest between her breasts, and she toyed with my fingers as her body relaxed.
"Safe with me," I said, holding her gaze. She nodded as I kissed her inner thigh again. "Always safe with me."
"I know, baby."
"Do you want me to? It has to be for you, honey. Not me."
"More than anything," she confessed, taking a deep breath. "Do you want to?"
"More than anything." I lay between her legs and kissed along the wing of the phoenix, leading toward her core. "I have you, baby." Her hands gripped my hair the minute my lips brushed her clit. When her mouth fell open, I knew she'd tumbled over the edge from fear to hungry.
I swept my tongue over her in soft, delicate flicks. Dax's entire body seized and she tugged fistfuls of my hair. The way she nodded, eagerly while writhing, urged me on. I lashed my tongue over her clit as my own ached with excitement. I'd longed to have her this way, to taste and devour her the way she'd done to me. My body quivered almost as much as hers.
"Willa," she gasped out my name, her hips lifting to me as a wave of warmth rushed my mouth the moment I parted her folds with my tongue. She moaned through her release, holding my head against her core.
I worked her as long as she wanted, and as much as she urged until she erupted in plenteous orgasms. The sweet sounds of her moans turned a pitch higher when she no longer worried for fear or modesty. And when we ended, her body spent and beaded with sweat, the sleep that followed furled us together in warmth and comfort on the sofa in the heart of her house.
***
"I need a haircut," I said as Dax and I sat outside on the back deck, looking over at the sun shimmering on the clear pool. "It's been like a year."
"Where do you usually go?" she asked, in between bites of eggs. We both awoke well after sunrise, and I fixed us eggs and toast for breakfast after quick showers.
"The Mermaid Salon in Seattle."
"Jordan's place," she said, nodding. "I've gone."
"Want to come with me if I make an appointment?"
"Sure." She smiled at me, her lips curving around the bite of toast slathered with strawberry jam. She'd never been more relaxed, and her affectionate behavior soothed me. No matter how we moved, she never stopped touching me. "What time do we need to meet Sage?"
"About eleven," I said, setting my napkin down beside my empty plate. "She said she'll bring l
unch."
"Do you catch and release?"
"Catch to eat only. No overfishing. Then Jake cooks it up for dinner. I think he went crabbing last night so they're planning a Sunday fish fest."
"I love crab." She dropped her head on my shoulder and I wrapped my arm around her. "Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?"
"I haven't."
"Want to try? We can take the Harley to Sage's instead of the truck."
"That freaks me out a little." I laughed softly as I smooched her cheek. "But I trust you, so yes."
"C'mon." She patted my leg. "Let's go."
We headed out to the garage where Dax got the Harley ready to go. Unlike yesterday, the sound of the engine grew smoother, though she seemed to love the guttural, rumbling sound of it whenever she twisted the handle. I knew nothing about motorcycles, but one thing I was sure of was how hot Dax looked perched on it. She rolled it out of the garage, two helmets balanced on the gas tank before she dropped the kickstand.
"Come sit on it with me."
"It's so big. Will I fall off the back?"
"No, baby. You hold on to my belt."
"What if I knock off your gun?" I gestured to her hip.
"I'll put it in the saddle bag." She laughed softly, her hands resting on her thighs. "I've never seen you scared before."
"I'm not…" I shuffled my feet over the gravel while standing beside her.
"You are. It's okay, Willa. We can drive if you prefer."
I thought of how Dax pushed through all of her fears in order to enter into a relationship with me, and how silly this was in comparison. It fueled my momentum and I broadened my shoulders. "No. I'm going to do it."
"Well good then. C'mon." She patted the seat behind her after securing her gun in the pouch near the rear tire. "I'll help you settle."
I mounted the bike, not unlike straddling a horse, and Dax showed me where to put my feet. She kicked up the stand and showed me how she balanced the bike with both of us. "Hold my belt so you can feel how it'll move with us. Stay close and hold on to me."
"Okay." My front pressed against her back.
"When turning, we need to keep the center of gravity. Keeping your upper body straight and away from the turns. Just follow my body and hold on, okay?" She kissed my cheek and stroked my arms.
"I'm nervous. But okay." I leaned into her kiss and hugged her tighter. "I trust you."
"I know, baby. Helmet on." She handed me a full face helmet that matched hers, both of them a sleek black. "You're sitting a little higher than me so we should be comfortable."
"Got it." I slipped it on, fastening the strap under my chin. My hands shook a little, but Dax's confidence drove me on. She adorned hers, and we were ready to go.
Dax rocked the bike, demonstrating the balance we needed and I moved with her. She flipped open the shield of the helmet. "I won't be able to hear you when we're going so if you're not okay, pat my chest twice." She pulled my hand to the space above her breasts where I would still be able to hold tight. "Don't let go of me, Willa. No matter how unbalanced you might feel. There are roll bars on the bike to protect our legs if we tip over."
"Okay." I held tightly to her, taking a deep breath and giving over all of my trust to her after closing the visor of the helmet. "Ready."
"Off we go." She mimicked my gesture and eased us down the driveway.
At first, I worried I might cut off her circulation from holding on so tight, but once we drove on flatter, open road, the ride became smooth.
Because of the country roads and short distance to Sage's, we didn't seem to be speeding as fast as I thought we would. After about five minutes, I found myself relaxing against Dax and enjoying the way the warm air whipped against my skin. The freedom of it, the lack of protection from airbags or doors, magnified the adrenaline rush that seemed to accompany it.
We made it to Sage's just as she and Jake loaded up their huge van. Dax and I decided to take the bike the rest of the way to the boat, following them for the distance. It took us all of twenty minutes, with Macie bouncing about, to load up on the fishing boat and head out to deeper waters. As always, Jake took the wheel while the rest of us sat around the deck. Macie bumbled about, showing Dax her pink and purple fishing rod. In turn, Dax showed her how to bait a hook with synthetic lures rather than live bait.
Sage sat beside me, snapping a few pictures of the two of them. "They're sweet," she said.
"I know."
"Dax seems...better." She nodded in their direction as Dax took Macie to the side of the boat to prep for casting her line.
"She is. Things have been good."
"I've missed you though. No more sister beer nights three times a week." She pouted at me and I draped my arm around her shoulders.
"I'm sorry I've neglected you."
"I figure you had good reason." She glanced at Dax then back to me. "And the two of you needed time."
"Yeah." I leaned my head against hers and she smiled. "Still do."
"I know. Are you scared? Of how much you love her?"
"Of course. That and…" I shrugged, shutting myself down before I even got to talking. I focused on Dax, the way she had Macie between her knees while she cast her line, her hand protectively on her life vest. Jake idled the boat at that point and stood beside them. He and Dax shared a relaxed conversation which was new as well.
"And making your heart vulnerable again?" Sage rubbed my back when I nodded. "Ask yourself, Will. Is she worth it? If the answer is yes, then all of it is worth it."
"She is. She's worth it," I answered without hesitation. "When I look back, I realize I didn't love Kari by any means. Not like this. It was more of the matter of her breaking my trust. And then Dad died, I had to leave my life in Seattle, and I lost all faith in the universe in general."
"I know, sissy. I'm glad you've caught up with yourself. You sacrificed your life to keep Dad's dream going. That's a lot."
I shrugged, leaning into her again as a swell of emotions tightened my throat. "It's worked out. Being my own boss, the money is good. The families make me happy, even when there is sadness in loss."
"I'm glad you brought on Doctor Harmon to share some of the work though."
"Same. He's a good vet."
"He must be or else you wouldn't have brought him on."
"Yeah." I hid my face against her shoulder when a wave of unwelcome tears grabbed me. Everything I said crashed down on me as if I hadn't felt the reality of them until now. Sage turned in her seat and pulled me into a hug when I broke into a round of soft sobs. My chest squeezed as I tried to stay quiet.
"You're okay, sissy." She sniffled, smooching my forehead while rubbing my back. "About time you cried."
"Shut up." I chuckled and looked up at her again after wiping my face on my shirt. "I've cried."
"Crying alone is different than crying with support," she said, leaning her chin on my knee when I bent my leg. "It's interesting how things turned out. You took Dad's business, stepping into his life, and Mom came to live with us, even though she doesn't need to."
"I know. It turned out okay."
"Yeah, sissy. It did."
"Willa," Dax called out before her figure shielded me from the sun. Her hand gripped my shoulder and I looked up at her, worry narrowing her brow.
"I'm okay, honey." Though when I gazed up at her, another tear snuck down my cheek. "Sit with me?"
"Of course." Dax sat down beside me, and I curled up against her when she leaned back. Her arms wrapped around me and I placed my head on her shoulder. Sage continued to rub my knee while Dax held me. I glanced over to see Jake with Macie at the front of the boat where they continued to cast their lines.
I never expected to have an emotion-laden day, but it turned out to be more than that. With the sun beating down on us, Dax held me while I pulled myself together. Her concern never ceased nor did her affection. Sage patted my hip when Macie started to grump at her dad then joined them to get lunch set up.
"What made
you sad, baby?" asked Dax, her voice soft.
"I was just thinking about my dad and how much things have changed. Not all sad tears. Some happy, too." I sniffled and she brushed her lips over my forehead.
"Tell me about your dad."
"This was his boat. We used to go fishing all the time when we were kids." I looked up at her, burning the image of her beautiful face, while the sun kissed her skin, into my mind. "I'm so happy that you're here with me. With us."
"Me too," she said, leaning down to kiss me.
"I love you," I ended the kiss to say.
"I love you back." She shifted her position, turning in her seat to wrap her legs around me. I settled against her chest and we both looked up to the crystal clear sky.
"Auntie Will." Macie bounced her way over to us, and plopped two wrapped sandwiches on my stomach. "Here you guyses go."
"Us guyses say thank you." I laughed and handed one to Dax.
"Thanks, Macie." Dax chuckled after accepting the sandwich.
We sat up together and placed the food in our laps. "Sage makes killer sandwiches. Just to be warned."
"I'm open to dying by deliciousness," she said as she unwrapped hers and took a bite. "This will do it."
"Yeah." I laughed as I tore into my own pastrami sandwich. "Yum."
Dax smooched my cheek then Macie returned to sit beside us, swinging her feet. "Auntie Will, we need to catch a halibut."
"We will, peanut." I gave her ponytail a tug while she devoured her bologna sandwich. "It'll go good with crab legs."
"Dax, do you like halibut and crab legs?" Macie's cheeks lifted with her hopeful smile.
"Sure do. I like almost everything."
"Me too. But not bean sprouts. They're slimy worms!"
We laughed at the cute kid. Jake and Sage set the rest of the food, chips, and drinks down on the low table in the center of the deck. As before, Macie handed out sodas and napkins, while Sage and Jake looked on with proud smiles. Dax folded seamlessly into our little family, and it made my heart soar.
Dad would've loved Dax, and mostly, he would've loved to see our family grow.
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