by Chris Zett
“They’re from playing drums.” Diana’s voice was barely audible, but Emily thought she detected a hint of insecurity. “I’ve had them for over twenty years. I guess they won’t go away anytime soon.” She tried to turn her hand, but Emily held it open with soft pressure.
“I like them. They’re you.” Emily leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the callus next to the thumb.
Diana stroked her cheek, and different textures glided over her skin.
She had to hold back from leaning in to the touch. Diana’s hand tensed slightly and lifted Emily’s head. Had it been too much, too soon?
Emily looked up just in time to see Diana move closer. The smile told her it hadn’t been too much, and then she stopped analyzing her behavior as Diana’s mouth met hers.
Her lips were softer than she remembered. After a minute of tentative pecks and licks, Diana kissed her harder, and heat shot from Emily’s mouth to her core.
She tried to move closer and was stopped by something hard against her abdomen. She didn’t care and pushed closer still.
Diana seemed to have the same idea and twisted in her seat to put her arms around Emily. “Ow.” Diana pulled back, breathing fast. “Stupid armrest!” She rubbed her middle and laughed.
Emily fell back against the chair and joined in her laughter. “Not such a good idea.”
“Oh, I liked the idea, but we have to work on the details.” Diana looked from one chair to the next. “I guess both of us won’t fit on one of them. I hadn’t thought of that when I went furniture shopping.”
“No? No rating according to style, comfort, and make-out possibilities?” Hiding her real feelings for a moment behind the banter took the pressure off Emily. The kiss had been intense, and she hadn’t cared about the armrest or anything else. It wasn’t like her to lose awareness of her surroundings, and that frightened her a bit.
“Mmmh. I must definitely take you with me next time.” She sat up straighter and stretched.
Emily couldn’t help staring at the skin revealed by her shirt riding up. Since when are you ogling anyone? What’s wrong with you? No, she corrected herself, not anyone, but Diana. Diana who hadn’t let herself be driven away and was on the verge of becoming her girlfriend. If you only let her. “We can do some tests now. You know, scientific research.”
Diana looked at her and blinked. “You want to go furniture shopping now?”
“No.” A flush spread out from Emily’s neck to her cheeks. Flirting was something she’d never initiated before, but it felt natural with Diana. “I want to test your other furniture so that we have a basis for comparison.”
Her furrowed brow was replaced by a sexy grin as Diana caught on. “Oh yeah. I’ve got a nice couch, a few armchairs, and a bed. I’m all for research.”
Bed? Emily’s heart skipped a beat. Heat that had nothing to do with the sun melted her brain into a useless puddle.
Diana stood and offered her hand to Emily. When she accepted, Diana pulled her to her feet and into her arms. “We can take it as slow as we want to. Proper research takes time.”
Strong arms encircled her waist, and a sense of security and trust flooded through Emily. Knowing that Diana would support the pace she needed gave her the freedom to move forward.
Emily leaned in for another kiss. She couldn’t get enough of those lips and the way Diana caressed her back.
Her taste and scent mingled in Emily’s mouth, and she couldn’t find a description that fit. Some traces of strawberry lingered after their breakfast, but mostly Diana tasted uniquely of herself. And what an intoxicating taste it was. Emily buried her hands in Diana’s hair to draw her closer. She just wanted to lie down and get lost in her. They both came up for air at the same time.
“Furniture testing?” Emily asked.
“Inside, now!” Diana said at the same time.
The door to the deck wasn’t wide, and they barely fit while holding hands, but neither of them seemed to want to let got. Emily bit her lips to suppress a giggle. She felt like a teenager on her way to an illicit make-out session. Not that she had ever done anything like that as a teenager.
Diana steered her to the couch, sat, drew Emily down next to her, and immediately kissed her again.
How could each kiss be better than the last? She had never understood the appeal of kissing in her previous short relationships. It always had been messy and slightly awkward. Now she knew. Each kiss was different, but they all had the most important aspect in common: Diana.
Their bodies touched along their sides, which was an improvement on the deck chairs. Emily still needed to get closer. She held on to Diana’s shoulders and raised herself a little to bring their upper bodies together. Wow. So much better.
Diana sighed, and her hands slowly wandered down her back until they rested on her butt, half supporting Emily’s position, half caressing her.
Emily didn’t know where the idea came from, but she wanted to straddle Diana. She hesitated for a second and then just did it. She moaned as she slid into place. They touched all along their bodies; her legs cradled Diana’s, their breasts skimmed, and Diana’s arms wrapped completely around her. She had never done anything so forward before. The excitement made her light-headed, and she stopped kissing to lean her head against Diana’s.
They were breathing fast, and Emily had the sudden vision of herself hyperventilating until she fainted. This time, she couldn’t suppress a laugh.
Diana looked perplexed for a few seconds, but then she joined her.
“So, Dr. Barnes. What is your scientific evaluation of my couch?” Diana slid her hands lightly up and down Emily’s spine over her bare skin.
When had she moved them under her shirt? Maybe it was a good idea to slow down a little to get back some control. Emily examined the back cushion with a mock-serious expression. She patted the dark gray canvas and slid her hands along the thick seams and the boxy corner. Then she pushed first one leg and then the other against the seat as if to test its firmness and noted the effect the movement had on Diana.
She groaned, and the stroke on Emily’s back turned into a firm grip on her hips.
To tease her some more, she pushed down with both legs simultaneously. Heat shot to her core as her crotch connected with Diana. They both leaned in for another kiss, this time with increasing passion.
Gasping for air, Emily leaned back again. The idea to tease Diana had backfired, not that she minded much. “Well, Dr. Petrell, the couch has sufficient make-out potential, at least in one position. I guess the result is inconclusive without further studies.”
“Mmmh. Further studies.” Diana resumed her light stroking up and own Emily’s back. “Maybe a variation of the variables could be a good idea.”
Emily tried without success to concentrate on the conversation and not on Diana’s fingers that had reached the edge of her jeans and slowly dipped beneath it. The touch sent shivers up her spine. The good kind of shivers. “Maybe. Do you have a suggestion?”
“I thought of a reversal of the parameters.” The corners of Diana’s mouth twitched, but otherwise she managed to remain serious.
Emily licked her lips; that twitch just asked to be kissed. “Reversal?” Uh, not such a clever answer.
Diana just grinned as her hands clutched Emily’s hips. “Reversal.”
That grin meant trouble. What was she up to?
Diana prompted Emily to lift up and guided her to lie down on the couch on her back. Slowly, she crawled over Emily, giving her enough time to stop her, and lowered herself inch by inch.
Protest was furthest thing from Emily’s mind, and she lifted her head to kiss Diana again. Now their bodies were touching from head to toe. Emily moaned. Had she ever felt so good before? They fit as if they were made for each other. Emily’s body seemed to move without her directions. Her hands roamed all over Diana’s back and ass. One le
g slid out and wrapped around the small of Diana’s back to press her even closer. Where had all this passion been hiding until now? The next kiss wiped all self-analytical thoughts from her mind.
Emily didn’t know how much time had passed when they both came up for air. She loved that Diana was as breathless as she was. She groaned as Diana lifted up on her arms and her leg pressed harder against her crotch. Was she as wet as Emily was? Was that even possible? The urge to find out was nearly irresistible, but she hesitated to explore further. She had never before considered herself passionate. Sex with her lovers had been more about curiosity, and satisfying herself had always been merely a fulfillment of a bodily requirement, like eating or sleeping, never this out-of-control need. Heat crept up Emily’s neck. Was this the same for Diana?
Diana’s lips were moving, but it took a moment for Emily to hear her over the pounding of her pulse in her ears. “We’re not going slow anymore.”
Slow. Why had she ever thought that slow was a good idea? Struggling to come up with an answer, she suddenly yawned. Heat shot to her face. Had Diana noticed it?
Diana rolled on her side and giggled. “I’m crashing too.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just the night shift and…” She unsuccessfully tried to stifle another yawn that Diana immediately mirrored. “I feel as if all my systems are overloading and shutting down. Maybe I should go home.”
“Or you could stay.” Diana reached for her hand. The soft strokes were hypnotic. “I’m not talking about sex. I’d rather be fully awake to enjoy it. But you could stay on the couch or in my bed, just sleeping. I’m sorry, I haven’t set up the guest room yet.”
Diana’s offer was tempting. Sleeping in the same bed sounded very intimate, more so than sex. Now that her libido was succumbing to weariness, Emily feared she might not be ready for that. “The couch sounds like a good idea. If it’s not too much trouble.”
“No trouble at all.” Diana’s smile was brilliant as she sat up. She removed a book and a few journals from the large wooden chest that served as her couch table and opened it. Inside was a cushion, a stack of sheets, and a neatly folded blanket. “I’ve everything you need right here. I’ll leave a new toothbrush and a T-shirt in the bathroom.” She hurried away, presumably to do just that before Emily could protest.
Emily stood and stretched. Why should she protest? If she was honest with herself, she liked being here. Diana’s house had an open floor plan that gave the impression of it being much larger than it was. As much as she liked her own apartment full of books, sometimes it isolated her like an ivory tower. Emily took the oversized cushions from the couch and stacked them on the floor before she spread one of the sheets. It was soft like Diana’s skin, only cooler. She snorted. Not really comparable, but currently all her thoughts revolved around Diana. And if you’re honest with yourself, she’s the reason you want to stay, not the house.
Diana returned, dressed in a different T-shirt and plaid PJ bottoms, carrying a nearly identical outfit for Emily. “Do you need anything else? Tea? Water? A book?”
Emily shook her head. “I’m fine. Thank you.”
Diana stepped closer and kissed her on the cheek. She smelled of a simple soap. “Sleep well. Sweet dreams.”
“You too.” Emily kissed her back. It was sweet and chaste compared to what they had done before, but her heart skipped a beat just the same. “See you later.”
Diana turned onto her side and extended her arm to reach the alarm clock. Ugh. Only four p.m. She’d slept enough to feel relaxed and reenergized, but not enough to get her through another night shift. Turning onto the other side, she willed herself to go back to sleep, no matter what her internal clock insisted on doing instead. Wait. The night shifts are over. She jumped out of bed, keen to spend the rest of her day moving, preferably outside. Emily. The thought slowed her gait to tiptoeing. Three hours obviously weren’t enough for her brain, even if her body seemed relatively awake. On her way to the bathroom, she paused to listen for a noise indicating that Emily might be up, but the regular breathing hadn’t changed since she’d stepped out of the bedroom.
While she brushed her teeth, Diana contemplated what to do now. Should she wake Emily? What was her routine on a day after night shifts to reset her circadian rhythm? She knew many personal details Emily probably hadn’t shared with many others but had no idea about the most mundane things. Their relationship had progressed in leaps and bounds from colleagues to friends to something more—lovers or girlfriends—all without following the usual steps that included the getting-to-know-you small talk parts. She spit and took some extra sips of the fresh water. We need to remedy that, soon. She smiled. Maybe they could put their days off to good use.
Back in the bedroom, Diana opened her closet to look at the clothes, still undecided. Usually, she’d go running in the park, but that option was off since she had a guest sleeping on her couch. On the bright side, that left out cleaning, washing, and doing the dishes. Reading would put her back to sleep, and then she’d have trouble adjusting to the day shifts again. That left her with only one method of acquiescing to her urge for movement.
She pulled jeans and a tank top from the closet, dressed, and tiptoed to the kitchen to fill her largest bottle and a glass with water. She left the glass on the table next to Emily, adding a note that she was in the garage and how to get there. Emily had turned her face into the cushion, and her hair spilled over the edge of the couch. Diana wanted to touch it, to stroke the silkiness, but she forced herself to leave. Emily hadn’t slept much the last few days and needed any minute she could get.
Diana detoured to pick up a pair of trainers, then left the living room via the deck. She had to chuckle as she found the remains of the breakfast where they had left them. She shrugged. Her mind hadn’t been on housekeeping duties, and now they could wait some more.
The two-car garage had a door in the back that she preferred. The detached building with thick walls and an unusually high ceiling had been one of the selling points for her, next to the deck and the small garden. She had renovated it completely, putting in a new floor to remove the oils stains, high-quality soundproof insulation, and a top-of-the-line alarm system. She’d left one of the side walls as it was. It was built out of frosted glass blocks that let in light but shielded the inside from view. She guessed one of the previous owners had been a car enthusiast who spent too much time inside the garage with his darlings. And now she used the room to spend it with hers.
She picked up a set of drumsticks from the shelf, placed her water bottle next to the throne, and performed a quick set of stretches. After sitting, she quickly touched every drum and cymbal with a flick of her wrist in her usual ritual. Closing her eyes, she played slowly to warm up. She ran through a few of her earlier songs that she knew in her sleep, then turned to improvising.
Every beat drew out her frustrations and conflicting emotions. Since her teenage days, the music had helped her work out her problems. Scenes from the last few days at work flickered through her consciousness. Her annoyance at her fellow residents, her helplessness when she held the hand of a dying octogenarian, and her insecurity at Emily’s intentional distance. She channeled all these moments into her playing until her muscles were pleasantly weak and her mind was empty. Now it could refill with positive thoughts.
She paused to drink some water and to slow her breathing. A draught caught her, chilling her back through the sweat-soaked tank top. She swiveled her throne to look at the door.
Emily leaned against the doorframe, her hands in her jeans pockets, watching Diana with a smile. She was still wearing Diana’s T-shirt. Too large, it obscured her figure, but revealed a sexy clavicle on one side. “Don’t stop because of me.”
“No, I’m all played out. I don’t have the endurance for endless sessions anymore. Come in and meet my favorite toy.” She stood to grab a fresh towel and cleaned first her drumsticks then herself from the sweat
she had worked up.
When Diana had finished toweling her neck, Emily still hadn’t moved, and Diana followed her gaze. Emily seemed to stare at the tattoo on her right biceps. Her head snapped up, and she blushed an adorable shade of crimson.
Diana chuckled and couldn’t resist flexing her muscles to move the scaly tail of the dragon. “Come, we’re not biting.”
“Just smelling.” Emily winked, stepped closer, and kissed her quickly on the lips. “Are these the drums you played in your band?”
“Partly. Depending on the gigs and the tours, we often used a smaller drum kit. Here, I used the maximal configuration as I have enough space and don’t plan to move it anytime soon.” Diana flicked a finger at a cymbal and let it ring. She gestured to the different cymbals and snare drums. “For most songs, I don’t need it all, but I like to improvise and play around. It’s a great feeling that I don’t have to rehearse the same songs over and over and get to reclaim it as a hobby.”
“And a workout.” Emily pointed at the wet towel.
“Yep. Beats weight lifting in the fun department every time. And speaking of workout, I need something to eat and a shower, not necessarily in that order.” Her stomach used the cue to growl. Ignoring it, Diana picked up her drumsticks and offered them to Emily. “Do you want to play?”
Emily shook her head. “Now that you mentioned shower and food, I noticed I desperately need both as well. May I have a rain check?”
The way Emily asked was more than a polite brush-off and conveyed genuine interest.
“Sure. You’re welcome back anytime.” Diana stowed her drumsticks, took the towel, and went to the door. After Emily had stepped outside, she switched off the light, set the alarm, and locked the door. “Do you want to shower first?”
They walked through the garden to the deck. As usual, Diana brushed her hands over the rosemary bush that had been a housewarming gift from Mel.
