by Aurora Rey
Despite Mat’s intentions, Graham asked about her family. Mat went with her stock answer—they were close, but being gay complicated things. As expected, Graham acknowledged how hard that could be, then didn’t protest when Mat steered the conversation to lighter topics. She felt a little bad shutting Graham down so quickly, but it was probably better—and definitely easier—that way.
When the check came, Graham put up more than a token argument about splitting it. Mat insisted but promised Graham could pay the next time. It surprised Mat to already know she wanted there to be a next time. They left the restaurant and wandered down Bradford Street. Despite being nearly nine, the last strains of sunset remained in the sky, streaking it with pink, orange, and purple. The thinnest sliver of moon hung overhead.
“Nice night,” Graham said.
Mat gave in to the urge to take her hand. “The summer more than makes up for how much the winters suck.”
Graham smiled and raised a shoulder. “I love summer, but I don’t even mind the winter so much. Everyone huddles in and hunkers down. I invite myself to my aunt’s inn when she doesn’t have any guests and curl up by the fire all day with a good book.”
“I guess there’s some of that. I’m thinking about trying to do a day’s work when it’s ten degrees out.”
“Don’t you stop for the winter?”
“Definitely the worst of it. By January, I’m glad to come in out of the cold for sure. But even then, I get restless pretty quick.”
“You? Restless? I can’t imagine.” Graham’s eyes sparkled with humor.
“There’s also the non-existent social scene.”
“Ah.” Graham nodded. “Now the truth comes out. The off season cramps your style.”
“Well.” Mat cringed slightly. How’d she manage to walk into that one?
“No, no. I feel you. I’ve got friends and my aunt, but I can get bored, too.” Graham looked away, seemed to get wistful for a minute. “Although, honestly, I’m a homebody at heart.”
Mat smiled. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Not bad, just,” Graham paused, looked at Mat. “This is where I confess that this isn’t how I usually go about things.”
“This like right now?” Mat pointed back and forth between the two of them.
Graham laughed. “More like last time. Going home with someone from a bar.”
“Oh.” Mat tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her chest. “Do you regret the other night?”
Graham quickly shook her head. “No, not at all. It was great.”
“But?” Mat waited. There had to be a but.
“I should have asked the other night, but I didn’t think about it. And I really don’t want to be clumsy about this, but I’m pretty sure I am, so please forgive me. I know we’re low risk and all, but like, do you get tested?”
Oh. Mat swallowed the sigh of relief, not wanting to seem indifferent. “No, I’m the one who should apologize for not bringing it up. I do, probably not quite as often as I should, but at least a couple of times a year. Clean bill of health.”
Graham did let out a sigh. “Okay, good. Thanks. Sorry I was awkward.”
“Not awkward at all. What about you?”
“What about me?”
Mat chuckled. This had to be the most endearing conversation about STDs she ever had. “Do you get tested?”
“Right.” Graham rolled her eyes. “Me. Yes. It was a year ago, but I haven’t been with anybody since.”
“Excellent. We’re good. Thank you for bringing it up. Really.” They continued to stroll. Although they’d not discussed it, there seemed to be a mutual agreement about where they were headed. It struck Mat that she shouldn’t presume. “Did you want to stop for a drink? Dessert?”
Graham smiled. “I’m good I think.”
“Okay. Were you thinking—”
“I’d love to go back to your place.”
Mat gave her hand a squeeze. “Good.”
They turned onto Mat’s street. Mat stole a glance at Graham, who seemed happy and relaxed. Not that Mat wasn’t those things, but Graham’s words replayed in her mind and made her think. Graham hadn’t been with anyone in a year. It wasn’t any of her business, but something about it made her uneasy. Like it didn’t compute.
She shoved the questions aside. It wasn’t any of her business. Graham didn’t owe her an explanation, nor had she expressed any expectations about what their night together meant, or should mean. From the looks of it, she didn’t seem to have a care in the world. And that, Mat reminded herself, was exactly what she was looking for.
She unlocked the door to her apartment, focusing on the way anticipation seemed to hang in the air. She closed the door behind them, but Graham didn’t move any further into the room. Her hand brushed Mat’s arm, settled on her side. Through the thin fabric of her shirt, Mat felt its warmth. She could so easily imagine that hand on her bare skin—touching, grabbing, scratching. Although Graham’s initial vibe had been subdued, hesitant almost, she’d opened under Mat’s touch. By the end, she’d come out of her shell. She’d been bold, brazen. Mat hoped that was the Graham she’d get tonight.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Mat asked, more out of habit than anything else.
Graham smiled at her, more coy than shy, and raised a shoulder in a casual shrug. “I’m good, actually.”
“Okay, then.” Mat took that as all the invitation she needed. She closed the space between them and plunged her hands into Graham’s hair. She brought her mouth to Graham’s, no longer worried about being gentle or light.
Graham’s mouth, and her body, responded with enthusiasm. Her tongue came out to tease Mat’s and her hands crept under the hem of Mat’s shirt. She raked her nails over the skin of Mat’s lower back.
“Mmm.”
Mmm was right. Mat almost always found something to enjoy in kissing a woman, in taking her to bed. But something about Graham was different. It went beyond pleasure, threatening to take over her brain as much as her body. She set aside any alarm over the intensity of her reaction, focusing instead on getting Graham out of her dress. She ran her hand up and down the back, feeling for a zipper. Not finding one, she grasped the fabric at Graham’s hips, thinking she’d need to pull it over her head.
“It’s on the side.” Graham’s words were muffled against Mat’s mouth, but Mat got her meaning.
“Got it.” Mat found the zipper and eased it down. It created enough give to slide the straps from Graham’s shoulders and push the dress to the floor. Graham stepped out of it and Mat took advantage of the space between them to appreciate the view. Her bra was hot pink satin with lime green embroidery and matched the hip-hugger panties. “Much better.”
“Fair’s fair,” Graham said. She made quick work of Mat’s shirt and sports bra, then started on her pants.
Mat watched her hands. Something about slim, manicured fingers unbuckling her belt turned Mat on like nothing else. When Graham was done, but before she could push the pants down, Mat grabbed her around the waist. “Let’s move this to the bedroom, shall we?”
Once there, Mat kicked off her shoes and let Graham dispense with her pants. They tumbled to the bed in their underwear, then rolled. The next thing Mat knew, Graham was on top of her, straddling her hips. She could feel Graham’s heat as she writhed on top of her. Combined with the vantage point—Graham’s strawberry blond hair spilling over her shoulders, her breasts peeking out from the top of her bra—the position might have been Mat’s favorite.
She sat up just enough to reach around Graham’s back and flick open her bra. She cupped Graham’s breasts, grazed her thumbs over rosy nipples that hardened on contact. Even better.
Graham continued to move on top of her, driving Mat just the right amount of crazy. She moved her hips, pressing them up and setting a slowly delicious pace. Graham closed her eyes, made little noises that made Mat want nothing more than to plunge into her. But she waited, wanting to draw the moment out, make
Graham frantic for release.
When her own need began to throb more insistently between her legs, Mat slid her hands up the front of Graham’s thighs. She stilled her hips and used the resulting space to slide her fingers into Graham’s panties. God. She was so fucking wet.
Graham’s eyes flew open, her gaze fixed on Mat’s. Mat offered her a knowing smile. She watched Graham bite her lip, take an uneven breath. And then, without any further coaxing on her part, Graham started to ride her.
It was beautiful to watch. As much as Mat enjoyed having her own orgasm, she preferred this. Watching another woman come undone at her touch.
Graham shifted slightly, coming up onto her knees just a bit. Mat took advantage, sliding her fingers down Graham’s slick folds and plunging two into her. Graham cried out and fell forward. She placed a hand on either side of Mat’s shoulders, braced herself in a way that caused her nipples to brush Mat’s each time she rocked back and forth. Her hair curtained both their faces.
Mat felt Graham tighten around her fingers. Her lips formed a perfect “O,” but no sound came out. Mat held her fingers in place. A wave of liquid heat enveloped her hand. Graham’s entire body went rigid, then shuddered.
After a long moment, Graham eased herself away. She sat back on her heels and rested her forehead on Mat’s stomach. If Mat had any concerns about the intensity of her reaction to Graham, she could at least take comfort in knowing it seemed to be mutual. She patted the mattress next to her. “Come here.”
Graham lifted her head and grinned. “No way.”
Without another word, Graham inched down the bed. She hooked her fingers in the waistband of Mat’s boxer briefs and tugged. Mat lifted her hips to make the job easier. When they were gone, Graham settled herself between Mat’s legs. Mat lifted her head, thinking perhaps this view might actually top the one from earlier.
“Talk to me. Tell me what you like,” Graham said.
Mat opened her mouth to speak, but before any words would form, Graham’s tongue pressed against her clit. She made circles around it, sucked it gently. The throbbing she’d experienced earlier had nothing on this. Mat closed her eyes, content to let Graham do whatever she wanted. “That. Yep. All of it. It’s all good.”
She thought she felt Graham smile against her. Mat smiled in return, even though Graham couldn’t see. Graham continued to work magic with her tongue. She stroked and sucked and did all sorts of incredible things, but never one thing long enough to make Mat come. It was amazing until it wasn’t, until the need for release took on an edge that bordered on pain. “Right there. Exactly that. Don’t stop.”
Graham obliged. Her tongue made long swipes, passing squarely over Mat’s clit with each upward pass. It didn’t take long for the pressure to build. Mat grasped at the sheet beneath her. She bore down, letting the wave of pleasure radiate outward. She groaned and gave herself to it. Her muscles trembled and her skin flushed hot as the orgasm permeated her entire body.
The ripples finally subsided, leaving her weak and disoriented. She felt sated, but also spent. Mat shook her head back and forth, trying to clear the fog from her brain.
“No? You’re shaking your head no. Is something wrong?” Graham’s voice held worry.
Mat shook her head with more intention. “No. I’m good. That was good.” She picked up her head and saw Graham’s face, still between her thighs. “More than good. Beyond good.”
Graham smiled, but she didn’t seem entirely convinced. “Just checking.”
Mat crooked a finger, beckoning Graham to join her. Graham obliged. Mat stretched out her arm and Graham nestled into it, curling against her. “That was incredible. Like, knock-my-socks-off amazing. I swear.”
Graham laughed softly. “You don’t have to say that. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Mat planted a kiss on the top of Graham’s head. “I am so much more than okay.”
“Good.”
“I’m hoping maybe you’ll let me show you. Will you stay?”
Graham lifted her head and looked at her like that was the most absurd question in the world. “Of course I’ll stay.”
Mat smiled. “Great. Just give me a minute to get circulation back to my extremities and we’ll be good to go.”
It was Graham’s turn to shake her head. She reached up and kissed Mat on the mouth. “No rush. We have all night.”
They most certainly did.
Chapter Nine
“Ah, fuck.”
The expletive yanked Graham from sleep. “Huh? What?”
“Sorry.” Mat set down her phone and looked at Graham. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Graham blinked. It was still dark outside. She had no idea what time they’d finally fallen asleep, but it felt like hardly any time had passed. “Is something wrong? What time is it?”
Mat sighed. “Just after four. My cousin is sick.”
Graham couldn’t remember the last time she got a text at four in the morning. “Is it serious? Is he in the hospital?”
Mat smiled at her. “No, no. He’s just not coming out with me today.”
“Oh.” Of course he’d be calling in sick at this hour.
“He’s claiming a stomach bug, but I’m guessing it’s a case of morning after.”
Graham lifted her head so she could study Mat in the dim light. “Morning after?”
“He finally hooked up with this girl he’s been flirting with for weeks. I’d bet money he’s looking for round two this morning.”
Graham tried to process Mat’s explanation, decipher her feelings on the subject. She didn’t seem angry. Resigned, maybe. “Does he bail on you often?”
At the question, Mat smiled. “No. He’s quite responsible. But he’s been boning on this girl pretty hard. And he hasn’t dated all that much since his top surgery.”
“Ah.”
“Yeah. I don’t begrudge him this. It just fucks with my schedule. I was hoping to do a double haul today to avoid the storm we’re getting tomorrow.”
Graham swallowed. The idea of spending the whole day with Mat took root in her mind. She might not have experience, but she was able-bodied and not afraid of a little hard work. “I could go out with you.”
Mat rolled onto her side. Even with the low light, Graham could read skepticism on her face. “Have you ever even been on a lobster boat?”
Graham scowled. “No, but I’ve been on a number of fishing vessels, including a crab boat down in Maryland.” She didn’t add that those times had been as a research assistant, not a fisherman.
Mat sat up. Graham hoped that meant she was considering the offer. “What did you do exactly on those boats?”
Caught. Damn. “Measured specimens and looked for geographic trends.” She could see Mat’s expression change. “I also helped to bait traps.” The second part was technically true, even if she’d only done a couple to say she had.
“I wouldn’t work you too hard. But it is safer to have a second body on board.” Mat nodded. “Even if we only haul fifty, the day wouldn’t be a total loss.”
Graham tried not to bristle at being referred to as a second body. Especially since she really didn’t have any idea what the work would entail or if she’d prove herself useful. “When do we leave?”
Mat raised a brow and offered a smile that felt to Graham like a challenge. “Right now.”
Without waiting for further direction, Graham bounded out of bed. She was awake now, and ready to go.
Half an hour later, she was aboard the Paquette, pulling on a pair of rubber overalls. Closer quarters than what she was used to on a boat, but in a good way, given the company. And the open back kept it from feeling claustrophobic.
Although her initial desire had been to spend a day with Mat, to see her in her element, the prospect of learning the art of lobstering now sat pretty high on her list. She just hoped she didn’t make a fool of herself in the process. Mat, who’d gone to collect several bins of bait, reappeared on the dock. “Can I hand the
se down to you?”
“Sure.” Graham wiggled, trying to acclimate to the heavy pants.
“They’re pretty heavy.”
Graham gave her a bland look. “I’m not fragile, you know.”
Mat smiled. Graham thought there might be a hint of smugness in it. “Right.”
She handed Graham the bin. Heavy, but nothing crazy. Thanks to the gym and helping out at the inn when Aunt Nora broke her arm, her upper body strength wasn’t half bad. “Got it.”
Three more bins and Mat was joining her back on board. She started the motors and began what looked to Graham like a series of checks. She wanted to ask a hundred questions, but didn’t want to make Mat regret taking her along. “I don’t want to drive you crazy, but I’d love to know anything and everything you’re willing to explain.”
Mat nodded. “Okay. Let’s get out on open water and then we’ll have a little lesson.”
“Sounds good.”
They moved at a fairly rapid clip, the wind whipping Graham’s ponytail around. The air was misty and cool, making her extra glad she’d borrowed a jacket in addition to a sweatshirt. Mat explained where she set traps, how she kept track of them. She also talked about her family’s decision to keep with the traditional single trap per line. “The big commercial trawlers like to brag about having fewer lines in the water, but if a whale swims into one of mine, I’m a hundred percent sure it will be able to break free.”
Graham thought about her training with the Dolphin Fleet. She’d been taught to highlight the delicate balance between conservation and economic forces, often cited the local lobstering industry as an example of those forces working together. Listening to Mat allowed her to truly believe it.
