Chapter 22
CHAPTER 22
Sunlight streamed through the bedroom curtains. Joan rolled over, feeling the fading heat on the sage-green sheets where Sadie had been. At some point after falling asleep on the couch last night, they’d stumbled to bed and drifted off in each other’s arms.
Familiar sounds came from the kitchen. Her heartbeat drummed in anticipation. She couldn’t wait to kiss Sadie good morning. To kiss Sadie every morning they were together. Which would hopefully be many, many mornings to come.
She tossed the covers back and snuck into the bathroom to take care of business. She splashed some water on her face and rinsed her mouth out for a certain degree of freshness.
Sadie looked perfectly at home in the kitchen, scooping coffee grounds into the filter for pour-over coffee. “Good morning,” she said brightly.
Everything seemed bright this morning. “Hi,” Joan said.
She wrapped her arms around Sadie from behind, loving how they fit together. Joan kissed her cheek a few times, then nuzzled her ear.
Sadie hummed in pleasure and set the small bowl of coffee grounds down. “Did you get some sleep?”
“Yeah. I hope I didn’t drool or snore.”
“If you did, I was too comatose to notice.” She giggled. “This wasn’t how you envisioned spending the night with me, was it?”
“Not exactly. How are you feeling?”
Sadie touched one of her bruised wrists. “My shoulders are sore, but not too bad.”
“A long massage and arnica gel treatments are heading your way.”
“Awesome.” She turned and wound her arms around Joan’s neck. “It was nice to wake up to you.”
Joan settled her hands on Sadie’s hips. “It was nice cuddling all night with you.”
It was more than nice. It was right .
Sadie tilted her head, inviting Joan to kiss her. An offer she couldn’t refuse.
Their first few kisses were sweet and playful. Then Sadie sighed with so much contentment, Joan’s internal match lit. She gently prodded Sadie’s mouth open with her tongue, tasting minty toothpaste.
Sadie dug her fingers in Joan’s hair, bringing her closer. Desire zoomed to the heaviness growing between her legs. Sadie’s thigh grazed that spot, pulling a moan out of Joan. She bunched the cotton of Sadie’s shirt, wanting to get at the soft skin beneath.
“Oh my god,” Sadie breathed, nibbling a trail across Joan’s jaw. “I’ve got weeks’ worth of horniness built up.”
“We should take care of that,” Joan murmured.
Sadie nipped her earlobe, causing a low quake to rumble around Joan’s abdomen. “We should take care of that.”
“Here?” She slipped her fingers under Sadie’s T-shirt to the elastic waistband of her flannel boxers.
“Bedroom,” Sadie said. “I want to take my time kissing every inch of you.”
Joan’s inner fire swelled from the image of Sadie doing just that. Shit. This again.
Sadie slid her hands down, thumbs caressing the sides of Joan’s breasts. It made her knees quiver.
She gripped Joan’s black tank top and pulled her out of the kitchen. Well, shit. They had to work on honesty, so Joan paused, setting a hand on Sadie’s. “We should talk about…”
“Right. Yes. The…” Sadie made a whooshing sound and twirled her free hand. “Fire thing.”
“I don’t want what happened last time to happen again.” I don’t want to scare you.
“Does that usually happen?”
“Never,” Joan said. “I think it’s…”
Sadie blinked, waiting for her to finish that thought.
“I think it’s because I like you so much.”
“You do, huh?” she murmured.
“If you want complete honesty…” Pulse pounding, Joan said, “I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”
Sadie released a little gasp. “Me, too.”
Joan kissed her because she had to. Because she was head over heels for this wonderful, understanding woman. Because there was more than fire racing through her veins.
“Hmm,” Sadie hummed. “Can you, like, direct it somewhere specific? A certain place in your body to keep it contained?”
Joan raised an eyebrow.
“Not there .” Sadie gestured with her chin at Joan’s light-blue pajama bottoms. “Unless that’s a good spot.”
“It might be a good spot. For both of us.”
“Really?”
“I can direct heat where it’ll be most effective,” Joan promised.
“Mmm, nice. Or what about…” Sadie glanced up through her lashes. “Your heart? Unless that’s a bad place to store a bunch of fire. I’m not an expert.”
“Any spot is as good as another,” Joan said. “Although…” She tugged Sadie closer. “Some are better than others.”
“Try your heart,” Sadie whispered against her lips.
“Okay.” Joan brushed her nose over Sadie’s. “Let me know if anything feels too hot or off or uncomfortable and you need me to stop.”
They shared several languid kisses that only stoked the fire. Sadie giggled, then said, “This is the oddest safe sex talk I’ve ever had.”
Joan chuckled and heated in a different way—from slight embarrassment.
“I last saw my doctor a few months ago. Everything was fine. I haven’t slept with anyone since then.”
“I…” Joan cringed. “…can’t go to the doctor. At least not a proper doctor.”
Nodding, Sadie said, “Your lab results would be rather interesting.”
“I haven’t been with anyone in a while. I think everything’s okay.”
“Let’s hope so.” She tickled the skin beneath Joan’s top. “I want you so damn much, it’s become a taco emergency.”
Joan laughed loudly, her breath hitching at the end from how much she wanted this, too. “I’m here to take care of your emergencies.”
“And I’ll thoroughly fuss over you. Shit, why are we still talking? Get my clothes off.”
Laughter bubbled with her heat as she let Sadie drag her into the bedroom. Sadie didn’t seem to be bluffing to cover any fear or concern. But this desire was so sharp, so intense. What if Joan couldn’t contain it?
Try your heart.
Sadie sat them on the edge of the bed. Sunlight caught on her red hair, her luminous skin. The whole room was bathed in welcoming light.
Joan drew in a deep breath. She sent the swirling fire to her torso, then directed it toward her heart. It concentrated down, throbbing with each heartbeat.
Sadie cupped the sides of her face, drawing her in for a lingering kiss. She leaned back and smiled, so beautiful it should’ve been illegal.
Joan tangled her hands in Sadie’s thick hair, sharing kiss after kiss. Sadie tugged at the bottom of Joan’s tank top, saying, “We don’t need this anymore.”
Joan raised her arms to be freed. “Nope.”
She gave Sadie a moment to stare at her small breasts with keen hunger before pulling on Sadie’s T-shirt. Her breasts were lovely and full, little white stretch marks shimmering in the sun, rosy nipples awaiting attention.
Sadie wasted no time trailing her fingers across Joan’s nipples, sending tiny jolts through her chest. Her thumb grazed one tip, then circled it more deliberately.
Joan palmed Sadie’s left breast, kneading it, lifting it slightly for better access. A rainbow arched across one of her ribs. “Secret tattoo,” she noted with glee.
“That’s one,” Sadie breathed. She leaned in to press her lips against Joan’s pounding pulse point.
Sadie kissed and licked and nibbled down to Joan’s chest. Her heart stuttered as Sadie’s mouth took over for her hands. She toyed with Joan’s hardened nipple with her tongue, her teeth, teasing and tasting. Then she claimed the other breast.
A moan vibrated in Joan’s throat. She wanted to taste every bit of Sadie. She gently tweaked her nipples, rolling them between her fingers, until Sadie groaned.
Sadie pulled back and scooted up to the pillows. Reaching for Joan, she said, “Get over here.”
Joan lay down beside her—well, half on her, since Sadie grasped the back of her neck and made no bones about wanting Joan to kiss her breasts. Joan lightly flicked the tip of one pert nipple, gradually increasing the pressure, the length of each lick. Taking this slow and easy would hopefully keep the fire at bay.
Sadie dug her nails into Joan’s hair. Slid her legs against Joan’s. “So good,” she rasped. “More.”
Joan softly bit her nipple, causing Sadie to shudder. “More?”
“Mm-hmm.”
She moved to Sadie’s other breast. “More here?”
“Yeah.”
She kissed the tender skin and fine lines. Teased the tip with her tongue. Sadie squirmed to get contact at the apex of her thighs. She was at an awkward angle and struggled to rub against Joan’s thigh. Joan skimmed a hand down Sadie’s smooth stomach until her fingers found the wet spot on her boxers.
“More here?” Joan murmured, stroking the flannel.
Sadie moaned eagerly, fisting Joan’s hair in her hands. “A lot more there.”
She rubbed there for a short time before her own arousal shot through her body, shifting the carefully contained fire. Shit. She popped Sadie’s breast from her mouth and gripped the sides of her shorts.
“You okay?” Sadie said. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks flushed, and damn, she looked absolutely perfect, but also a little concerned.
“I just need a second,” Joan said. She took in a steadying breath.
Keep it in your heart.
“Everything’s really good,” Sadie said. She brushed Joan’s hair back. “You’re not hurting me. You feel amazing. And taste amazing.”
“ You taste amazing.” Joan backed that up by kissing the salty skin between Sadie’s gorgeous breasts.
“Kiss me,” Sadie said, tugging Joan’s shoulders upward.
Joan complied, soothed by the reassurance in Sadie’s kisses. She drifted her fingers to the waistband of Sadie’s boxers. Sadie hummed her approval and shifted so she was flat on her back.
Joan tickled down one leg and snaked her hand up and under the flannel. She was greeted by Sadie’s heat. Her small patch of hair. And how open and wet she was for attention. She slid her fingers through the slick folds, savoring the feel of Sadie’s most intimate places.
“ Ungh , much more there,” Sadie groaned. “You don’t have to be so gentle.”
Joan laughed a little, slight embarrassment creeping in again.
“I’ll tell you if something doesn’t feel good, but I’ll probably just point you to where I need you.”
She laughed again. No surprise Sadie would be as candid in the bedroom as she was everywhere else.
Joan made little circles, seeking the spot that made Sadie twitch and jerk. She kept her thumb there and moved two fingers down to her opening. When she tucked them inside, Sadie bit Joan’s lower lip.
“Oh, shit,” she gasped, wrapping her arms around Joan. “I’m not gonna last long.”
The way she ground her hips against Joan’s hand, Joan wasn’t gonna last long, either. She licked inside Sadie’s hungry mouth. Increased the rhythm, the pressure, the circling and tapping.
Sadie released a startled cry and came hard. Joan stayed with the rapid tempo as much as she could, trying not to lose the spot that was making Sadie shudder and shake. A pool of wetness surrounded her hand. Fuck, she needed to taste that.
She glided down Sadie’s body, pausing to suck one nipple as she continued fingering her. Then the other nipple. She looked up from kissing a path down Sadie’s stomach. Damn, she looked so gorgeous, so wanting, her chest rising and falling.
Sadie shivered and bobbed her head. Her eyes telegraphed one singular command: Keep going.
Joan kissed to the elastic waistband. She hated having to stop touching Sadie long enough to yank her boxers off. She flung them off the bed, taking in Sadie’s light-brown landing strip, her beautiful pink labia…
Her second secret tattoo of several small, round-petaled flowers on one side of her lower abs.
Joan kissed it, bringing her hands to pull Sadie’s thighs farther apart. Normally she’d tease and finger her some more, but she wanted Sadie to come again. And she wanted that on her tongue when it happened.
She pressed her mouth against Sadie’s mound, breathing in her essence, licking up the center. Sadie swore and grabbed a handful of Joan’s hair. She tucked a leg around Joan, shifting to give her greater access.
Joan’s heartbeat pounded wildly. Sadie tasted so fucking perfect. Deliciously savory. The way she was looking down at Joan, watching her, was perfect, too. She wanted this moment to last forever and be over at the same time so she could do it again and again and again.
She slid two fingers back inside and matched the rhythm of her tongue. Sadie seized Joan’s other hand and drew it up to her breast. She laced their fingers and guided them over her nipple, panting and moaning.
Heat squiggled up her throat. Right. She could direct it. She’d promised Sadie as much.
She focused the heat into her mouth, just enough to warm her tongue.
A strangled cry flew out of Sadie. She gripped Joan’s hair like it was the only thing keeping her alive.
Her body bucked wildly. Joan applied a tiny bit more heat to her tongue. She nearly lost herself making Sadie come so hard, she could barely make a sound. She released Joan’s head to grasp the comforter and ride out the remainder of her orgasm.
Sadie’s legs flopped to the sides. Her back returned to the bed. Her chest heaved, causing her damp breast to slip from their joined hands. Joan didn’t lift her head or stop caressing her on the inside until the very last of the delectable shudders and shivers had ceased.
Sadie dropped a loose hand on Joan’s shoulder. She stared at Joan like she couldn’t quite believe what had just happened but was happy it had.
Joan removed herself slowly. She kissed the inside of one thigh, then the other. Sadie guided her up until Joan lay against her. She wrapped an arm around Sadie’s belly that Sadie gripped with both hands.
A sated smile stretched across her face. “Holy shit,” she said, laughing. “I don’t know what you did, but whatever it was, never stop.”
“I told you I could direct heat where it was most needed.” Joan grinned, rather proud of herself.
“ Je-sus .” Sadie kissed her several deep, grateful times. “I’ve never felt anything like that in my life.”
“Plenty more where that came from,” Joan promised.
Sadie blinked at the haze covering her eyes. She readjusted to face Joan, running a hand down her cheek. “Tell me what you want, baby.”
Joan gazed into those coffee-brown eyes. She wanted a lot of things with Sadie, for Sadie, from Sadie. But there was one thing she needed right now. The pounding in her heart wasn’t lust, wasn’t a need for release. It pulsed with a deep need for connection.
“You.” She tucked her hand around Sadie’s waist. “I want you to hold me. I want to feel connected to you.”
“That will not be a problem,” Sadie said. She rolled on top of Joan and sat up. “I can’t create literal sparks, but I’ll come close.”
“I hope I don’t create literal sparks, either.”
“Keep doing what you’re doing with all that.”
Keep the fire in your heart.
Sadie skimmed both hands down Joan’s breasts, then her stomach. “What are these still doing here?” she teased, tugging on Joan’s sleep pants.
“Getting in the way,” Joan said. “Please relocate them.”
“With pleasure.”
Sadie inched them down, taking in every bit of skin as it was exposed. Once she dropped them on the floor, she stared at Joan.
“Your body,” she whispered, almost reverently. “God, Joan, you’re perfect.” She ran her fingers across Joan’s abs. “What do you have, a twelve pack? And these thighs .”
Her touch moved down one thigh, making Joan shiver. At least she thought it was a shiver. She’d never shivered before.
Sadie dragged her hand up the inside of Joan’s thigh, her pinky skipping over the outer edge of Joan’s trimmed dark hair. She shivered harder, marveling at the electric sensation.
Sadie climbed on top, stretching and purring like a sexy, turned-on cat. “I’m obsessed with your body. I can’t wait to spend the day exploring it.”
“We’ve got all day,” Joan assured her.
“And I intend to use it.”
Sadie lowered and kissed her, gliding a leg between Joan’s. She didn’t make contact with the throbbing center of need, making Joan whimper and rise to meet it. Her wetness slid against Sadie’s thigh. The friction made Joan sigh into her mouth.
“Can I touch you?” Sadie asked.
“God, yes,” Joan begged against her lips.
Sadie kissed her, then dipped her fingers into Joan’s mouth. The unexpected move caused a thrill to dance through her. Sadie used those fingers to tease one of Joan’s nipples on the way down. She sucked on Joan’s neck, swirling her tongue, using her teeth. It all felt so, so good. The anticipation was delicious torture.
Her hand finally made contact, fingers tickling through Joan’s swollen folds. She pressed into them, wanting this so badly.
“Joanie,” Sadie exhaled.
Joan could only whimper again. She reveled in Sadie’s exploration, her discovery of sensitive spots, driving Joan to moan when the contact made her quiver. She looped her arms around Sadie, wanting more connection. She slid Sadie to the side, wrapping around her.
“Keep doing that,” Joan said. “I just need to hold you.”
Sadie repositioned her hand. The heel of her palm rubbed high while her fingers dipped low. Joan squeezed an arm and leg around her, kissing her with all the emotions spiraling through her. Their breasts rubbed together, causing the tingles there to travel south.
“Hang on,” Sadie muttered. “This isn’t working.”
She maneuvered her bottom arm until she had both hands available. One continued teasing Joan on the outside. Then the solid pressure of fingers filled her. A jolt of pleasure rocked Joan’s body, making her suck in air.
Sadie’s fingers curled, working and tapping as Joan moaned and clenched against them. “Is this good?” Sadie panted. “Harder? Lighter?”
“Faster,” Joan gritted against her mouth. She ground her clit into Sadie’s hand, wanting to come so fucking badly.
Her orgasm built, and Sadie tongued her mouth deeply and pleasured her thoroughly with her hands, and they were so close, so connected physically, and…
The fire melded into one singular sensation.
Love.
She loved Sadie.
“Come for me, baby,” Sadie said.
The plea sent Joan over the edge. She cried out, clutching Sadie, shuddering as the release consumed her. She loved Sadie. Loved her so much. She wanted to stay wrapped in her arms for a lifetime, kissing her as heat escaped and warmed the inside of their mouths.
It was so overpowering, tears coated her eyes. She rode through the orgasm, shaking and shivering. Sadie relaxed her hands but continued gently playing with Joan, kissing her tenderly.
When it was definitely over, Sadie slid her hand across Joan’s hip. She leaned back slightly and grinned. Opened her mouth to say something. Then her face morphed into alarm.
“Joan.” She reached up to touch her cheek. “Honey. You’re crying. What’s wrong?”
Joan shook her head. “Nothing,” she said with a watery smile. “I’m really happy.”
Sadie sat up and wiped at the tears flowing from Joan’s eyes. Even though they were evaporating. “Is everything okay? Did I hurt you?”
“No, sweetheart.” Joan rested a hand on Sadie’s thigh. “I’ve never… And I just… And I…”
Sadie stared at her, eyes wide and worried.
Joan squeezed her thigh. “I love you. And I’ve never been in love. Not like this. It overwhelmed me, is all.”
She’d never felt more exposed. Vulnerable. Putting her whole heart—her whole true self—out there for another person.
Sadie cupped Joan’s face in her hands. “I love you, too,” she murmured, leaning in to kiss. “Never like this before.”
Relief flowed through Joan’s veins. She pulled Sadie to her, kissing with all the joy and promise they shared. Loving Sadie was the way to harness her fire and put it to good use.
Sadie kissed across one cheek, then the other. “No more tears. Not with me.”
“Thank you,” Joan whispered.
They hugged tightly, then nestled in for a proper snuggle in the warm sunlight. Joan ran her fingers across Sadie’s rainbow tattoo. “I can get a tattoo now,” she realized.
“Hmm?”
“Mark and I never got any tattoos. They’re identifying marks.” She let the silence speak the rest.
“You’re free to do whatever you want now,” Sadie said, skimming a hand up Joan’s arm.
Free. Free to love Sadie. Free to pursue new dreams.
Free to be Joan, not Spark.
“I love you, Sadie Eagan,” she murmured, a little thrill twirling through her.
“I love you, Joanie Maloney.” Sadie smiled brilliantly. She kissed the tip of Joan’s nose. “Do you need to take care of any excess fire or anything?”
“Nope. I’m good.”
“You were able to contain it?”
“Turns out falling in love and focusing it in my heart does the trick.”
Sadie nuzzled her nose. “I’m glad you discovered that. And doubly glad you discovered it with me.”
Joan kissed her, running a hand over Sadie’s rather perfect rear end. “Me, too.”