One Degree of Separation (22 page)

Liddy’s back was to the door and her hips answered Marian’s urgent stroking. She played in the sweetness until Liddy’s knees buckled. Marian eased Liddy to the floor. She began to settle on her hip next to Liddy, but Liddy pulled Marian urgently on top of her.

Water streamed off her clothes and warmed on Liddy’s body.

There were too many clothes in the way, Marian realized, but her fingers wouldn’t stop their exploration. Liddy moaned and opened her eyes.

Falling into turquoise, Marian held Liddy’s gaze. She was stunned to realize she could read the heaving chest, the flushed arms and the vulnerable desire that reflected in Liddy’s eyes. She had never felt so sure in her life of not only what was wanted, but how. “Yes, yes, look at me. Watch my face as I go inside you.” Liddy groaned and lifted her hips. One hand cupped Marian’s head, twining in her hair, while the other reached down to grasp Marian’s wrist. “Yes ... Marian, please.” Liddy was dancing against her, a sensuous, rolling wave of passion. Her moan of desire turned to a gasp as Marian’s fingers slid slowly inward, exploring and pleasuring.

It felt so good to have a woman moving against her like this. It had been too long. It wasn’t the time to compare. There was no time to think about anything but the shudder that ran through Liddy’s body and the shock that abruptly showed in Liddy’s face.

“Marian! Don’t stop—”

“I won’t—”

“More, more—”

The grip on her hair was painful, but perversely pleasurable, and Marian felt her own body tighten and clench as Liddy froze against her. Nothing moved except what Marian stroked with her fingertips.

Silken flesh shuddered there, and then everything was so wet and so tight.

They weren’t words from any dictionary, but Marian knew what Liddy’s incoherent words of ecstasy and climax meant. Then Liddy stopped breathing and arched again, her body straining hard against Marian’s hand.

Only when Liddy finally sobbed for air did Marian find she could breathe again, too. She took her hand away just long enough to get out of the windbreaker, then she touched Liddy again. So wet, so open.

“Oh, Marian, I can’t ... yes ...” Liddy’s hips moved and the hand in Marian’s hair pulled Marian’s mouth down to her breasts.

Lush and firm, Marian rested her forehead on them for a moment. The wet cotton was cool. Then her teeth found one erect nipple that begged to be noticed, and Liddy groaned in response.

Marian reveled in the intricate ripples and folds between Liddy’s legs while her mouth drew another gasping moan out of Liddy’s throat. She could do this all night, enjoy the feel of Liddy’s rolling body against her all night.

Waves on the ocean, peaking and falling only to crest again, and so wet. So very wet.

“I can’t again ... oh, yes ... touch me like that ...” They left the floor eventually. Found towels, found the bed, found each other. Found their yes, hours of yes.

Liddy stirred against the arms around her.

Marian, she thought. She was in Marian’s arms. It felt so good.

In the gray light of very early morning, she could see the circles under Marian’s eyes as she slept. They were proof of Marian’s vul-nerability, Liddy thought. A strong woman who still felt her own tears.

She was tempted to slip away, nearly to give into the desire to be alone to think. Last night—nothing in her life had been like last night.

How could she want more, she wondered. She remembered being on top of Marian, grinding against Marian’s palm, and telling Marian what she liked, how she liked it. She gave Marian every key to loving her, and Marian had used them all.

I ought to be sore. I ought to be satisfied.

Part of her was unquestionably satisfied. But that kind of comple-tion had never happened to her before. She liked it. She wanted to feel it again.

She felt shy for being so greedy, but Marian had gasped in her ear, over and over, how much she loved what she was doing to Liddy.

Other lovers had told her she was beautiful to get her into bed.

Marian had told her she was beautiful when her body was covered in sweat, hair tangled, skin mottled with exertion and passion.

She’d been nearly asleep at one point, and Marian’s magic fingertips had gently played with her hypersensitized nipples, then again between her legs until she climaxed again.

She had never ... so many times.

She kissed Marian’s forehead tenderly. Breathing hard, she nuz-zled Marian’s mouth and felt it come alive. Marian’s hands went to Liddy’s hips and then it seemed like it wasn’t the morning after, just a continuation of the night.

She had meant to make love to Marian, but found herself on her back, again, tasting Marian’s name in her mouth as Marian’s slender, sensitive hand slipped between her thighs.

“Good morning,” Marian murmured some time later.

“Hi.” For a long while, all Liddy could think about was breathing.

“Be right back.”

She missed Marian’s warmth, but a visit to the bathroom was necessary for her too. Her mouth was so dry. Small wonder.

Marian returned with a full glass of water in her hand. “You must be thirsty.”

Liddy grinned. “You think?” She gulped nearly half the glass without stopping. “Okay, my turn for a break.” With all her other lovers she had felt shy the morning after, not wanting to be naked in front of them no matter what they had done the night before. Robyn had complained that Liddy was always covering up. Guys had mostly asked that she leave her top off at least.

She didn’t feel that way with Marian. Naked felt wonderful, and Marian’s gaze following her movements was very welcome. It seemed silly to close the bathroom door.

A few minutes later she was rinsing her mouth with a dollop of toothpaste on her finger, and aware that Marian was watching her from the doorway. She’d donned her T-shirt, but it no longer hid the generous female attributes Liddy knew were there. Marian liked her breasts touched, Liddy knew that much. Their gaze met in the mirror and the intimate smile turned from sweet to heated in a matter of moments.

“I don’t believe this,” Liddy muttered. She washed her suddenly shaking hands.

“Believe what?” Marian slowly moved behind her and Liddy broke out in a sweat when one hand lazily caressed her lower back.

“I can’t believe the way you make me feel.”

“You let me in and let yourself feel it,” Marian murmured.

In the mirror, Liddy could see her chest and shoulders reddening with a sexual flush in response to the intimate look in Marian’s eyes.

Chagrined, she splashed water on her face, then let out a choking gasp as Marian’s hand sensuously caressed her ass.

She gripped the sink as Marian’s fingers slipped again through all the wetness and went inside her. She moaned helplessly when the other hand found and gently pulled one nipple. “Oh, Marian, I can’t ...”

She could. She nearly fell, but somehow she stayed standing as Marian bent over her, whispering, “That’s right, Liddy Emma Peel, come for me one more time.”

Marian helped her to stand upright again, then turned her around. The embrace and kiss wasn’t for cooling down, but heating up. Kisses so deep and sensuous that Liddy arched against Marian’s pelvis in a dance of sexual abandon. Never in her life had she been like this, not with anyone. She didn’t want it to ever stop and she had no idea how much more her body could take.

Marian reached behind her to turn off the forgotten tap, then pushed Liddy up onto the counter. Standing between her legs, rocking slowly, she whispered, “I like fucking you.”

“I’m glad. It makes it all so much easier that you like it.” Liddy gasped. “Oh ... Marian, yes, touch me again.” Marian’s fingertips were unbelievably sensitive, pressing firmly, then retreating to tease. How could she know with such certainty when Liddy wanted what? How did she know it was time ... to go inside ...

“Yes, sweetheart, one more time. Feel me inside you and let go.” Their mouths met for a deep kiss and Liddy felt Marian trembling. “Do you want me to? Come for you again?”

“Yes, please.
Please
.”

It had only been a few minutes since the last one. It ought to have been impossible. But the ragged plea in Marian’s voice unlocked any last door to Liddy’s mind and body and she cried out, thrusting herself again and again against Marian and reveling in the moans that Marian breathed into her mouth.

Which way was up? Liddy wasn’t sure, then decided that up would be away from Marian’s shoulder.

“Liddy,” Marian was saying, “I have to lie down ... I can’t ... hold you up anymore.”

Liddy raised her head, a smile hovering, but Marian wasn’t smiling. Her eyes were unfocused. Her skin showed patches of red.

Liddy said, “Bed, that’s a good idea.”

Had her migraine returned? Liddy yanked back what covers were in the way and pulled a pillow into position for Marian’s head. She expected Marian to collapse so was surprised when Marian reached up, arms open.

Their bodies melted together and the kisses began again.

Dizzied, Liddy resisted the impulse to roll onto her back and realized that for the first time, Marian was the one arching with more and more urgency.

“I’ve been so selfish,” she whispered in Marian’s ear. “You are an amazing lover, Marian. I have never been like that with anyone.”

“Neither have I. You ... needed. It felt wonderful to take care of you.”

“And now you need, don’t you?” Liddy touched her tongue to the tip of Marian’s ear, then rubbed her lips along Marian’s cheek and jaw. “I am not a pillow queen, Marian. I don’t think you want me to be, either.”

A smile flitted over Marian’s mouth. “I can’t say I minded your being that way last night. Not at all.”

“But now ... please, can we take off this T-shirt?”

“Yes.” Marian smiled nervously but sat up enough for Liddy to pull it over her head.

“Oh, my ... you’re so beautiful,” Liddy breathed.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Did I say something wrong?”

“I’m not beautiful.”

“Isn’t beauty in the eye of the beholder?” Liddy kissed Marian’s collarbone, slowly moving down Marian’s body. “I like what I see. It’s beautiful to me.”

Liddy moved slowly on top of Marian, sensing a skittishness that could shatter the mood in a heartbeat. Their nipples brushed and they both gasped.

“I liked the way you touched me,” Liddy admitted.

She felt Marian relax slightly. “That was apparent. You’re very responsive. Wonderfully so.”

“I mean, my breasts. You touched them ... just right. So gently.”

“They are lovely.”

“I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with them. You made me love them last night. This morning. Thank you.” Marian swallowed noisily as Liddy kissed the underside of one breast. “You are incredibly good for my ego.”

“I hope ... to be good for more than that.” Her lips closed around one nipple and she felt it harden in her mouth. Could anything be more sensuous than knowing Marian liked her touch? She gently bit down and teased, listening to Marian’s ragged breathing to know when she should be less gentle or more tender.

Marian’s skin was so soft. Liddy sat astride Marian’s hips and let her hands roam over stomach and ribs, shoulders and breasts, always ending with a caress of Marian’s nipples. It made Marian moan and move her hips under Liddy, and Liddy began to feel drunk on Marian’s voice. She bent, slowly, to kiss Marian and they both gasped again as their nipples brushed.

“I may not survive,” Marian murmured. “If you don’t make love to me soon, I think I might have a stroke.”

“Darling, I’ve been making love to you all along.” She slid her hand between their bodies and cupped Marian’s heat. Marian gave a startled gasp that was all hunger and Liddy inwardly smiled. “But you mean like this, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I love touching you, Marian. I love saying your name and feeling you against me. I want to love every part of you. I don’t think I can do what you did to me—”

“That’s not what I want—”

“Tell me. Help me get it right. I want to make you feel wonderful.” She pressed gently with her fingers and shuddered at the explo-sion of silky wet that greeted them.

“Yes, like that. Kiss me, stay close to me. Don’t ... don’t go.”

“I’m here,” Liddy said urgently. “I’m here.” She pushed carefully inside Marian, glad of her long arms that let her slowly move inward while holding Marian close. She kissed the corners of Marian’s mouth, then her neck. Marian was panting and rising to meet her.

“Like that? Is this okay?”

“Yes ... yes ...” Marian’s hands gripped her shoulders, then pulled Liddy down for a deep, hot kiss. They shared the same air, striving together while Marian grew more and more frantic.

“Here with you, darling, I’m here. Feel me.” They kissed again and one last time, then Marian pulled Liddy against the length of her body as she shuddered. Her shaking had barely subsided when she burst into tears. Before Liddy could wonder if that was a bad thing, Marian was calming down.

I made her cry.
Liddy felt ... like a goddess. She wiped the tears off Marian’s cheeks, fancifully thinking she was touching diamonds with her fingertips.

Their heartbeats matched rhythms for several minutes, then Marian whispered, “Thank you, Liddy Emma Peel.”

“You keep saying my whole name.”

“Does that bother you?” Marian arched an eyebrow.

“You could pick one part.”

“Peel is good. Very evocative.”

“My dad calls my mom that when they’re lovey-dovey.” Marian’s shoulders rocked with laughter. “I’ll avoid it. Emma. How about that?”

“What’s wrong with Liddy?”

“Nothing, except I’m not sure you like it.” Liddy blinked at Marian, a bit awed by her perceptive conclusion.

“You’re right, I’m not sure I do either.”

“Emma does roll off the tongue well, though.”

“So does Marian.” Liddy kissed Marian’s nose. “You’re okay?” Marian’s sudden smile could have lit up the Golden Gate. “Okay is for peanut butter. I am much more than okay.”

“Do you ... It occurs to me I haven’t ...” She kissed Marian, using her tongue to suggest what she would like to do.