CHAPTER 1
“Is anyone sitting here?”
“I hope you are,” Celeste replied, looking up at the woman who had just been staring at her from the end of the bar.
The woman chuckled and settled on the barstool next to Celeste. “I saw that pretty drink and had to know what it is.”
Celeste smirked. “And here I thought it was my eyes that drew you this way.”
The woman threw her head back and laughed. “Oh, you’re a charmer.”
Celeste leaned in and quietly said, “Not at all, but don’t tell anyone.”
“Okay, I’ll keep it to myself, for now.” The woman raised her eyebrows and nodded at the drink.
“This is some kind of fruity drink with vodka that they called Purple Passion, I think,” Celeste said.
“Ah, so you’re looking for passion.”
Celeste took a sip of her drink and met the woman’s mischievous brown eyes. There was a sparkle there as she narrowed her eyes at Celeste as if doing some kind of assessment.
“Let me guess,” she said. “You’re off to the airport in the morning and this is your last night here and you didn’t want to drink alone in your room.”
Celeste widened her eyes. “Wow, are you some kind of fortune teller?”
“Nope.” The woman chuckled. “I’m doing the same thing.”
Celeste relaxed and held out her hand. “I’m Celeste.”
“Hi, I’m Esse,” the woman took her hand and held onto it. “Is that your real name?”
Celeste chuckled. “It is.”
Esse slid her hand out of Celeste’s and nodded. “Mine, too. But do we really need to know what each other does and all that stuff? Besides, we’d probably just make something up.”
Celeste chuckled. “I saw you staring at your phone like many other people in this bar and you laughed at something. Your face lit up in delight and it made me smile. That’s when you looked up and saw me staring. You’re beautiful.”
“Oh,” Esse leaned back on the bar stool. “You brought out the beautiful word. I can be cute sometimes, but I don’t know about beautiful.”
Celeste grinned. She liked this woman’s honesty about the situation and her humor.
Celeste tilted her head and let her gaze wander over Esse’s face.
Her complexion was darker even though it was the middle of winter, suggesting she’d spent time in the sun.
Those brown eyes sparkled with delight every time they met Celeste’s.
Her medium brown hair was resting just below her shoulders and curled slightly on the ends.
Celeste was drawn to her pale pink lips.
Her bottom lip was plump and Celeste suddenly wondered what it would feel like sucked between her lips.
She took a breath and gazed back at Esse’s eyes. “Nope, you’re definitely beautiful.”
Esse smiled. “Maybe I need to have one of these purple passion drinks if they make you think I’m beautiful.”
Celeste gestured to the bartender. “Could we have another one of these,” she said pointing to her drink.
“Coming right up,” the bartender said with a smile.
“I don’t need a drink to show me the beauty in your eyes,” Esse said, propping her elbow on the bar and resting her chin in her hand. “They’re so blue.”
“Now who’s a charmer.” Celeste smirked.
Esse chuckled. “It’s settled. We’re beautiful.” She shrugged. “We should own it.”
The bartender sat the drink in front of Esse and nodded.
Celeste reached for her glass and held it up. “To beauty.”
Esse smiled and touched her glass to Celeste’s. “To us.”
They both sipped their drinks and Esse’s eyes widened. “This is good.”
Celeste nodded.
“It makes me wonder if either of us would’ve thrown out the beautiful word if not for these drinks or perhaps we’re angling for the same thing.”
Celeste raised her brows. “And what would that be?”
Esse raised a shoulder. “Having our next drink upstairs in my room?”
Celeste watched as Esse took another sip and gazed at her over the rim of her glass.
It had been a long time since Celeste had spent the night with anyone and she couldn’t ever remember going to someone’s room she’d just met in a bar.
This might be her last chance at a little fun before she started the research project that had her traveling to a remote and sparsely populated area of Texas.
“Don’t think about it too long,” Esse said, setting her drink back down on the bar.
“I’m in,” Celeste said.
A sexy smile grew on Esse’s face. If Celeste thought she was beautiful before the way her eyes sparkled gave her an ethereal glow. She suddenly couldn’t imagine not kissing those plump lips.
Celeste took a healthy sip and pushed her drink away signaling she was finished. She tore her eyes away from Esse and raised her brows at the bartender for the check. When she brought it over Celeste quickly scribbled her room number on it and added a hefty tip.
“Thanks, here’s to getting lucky,” the bartender said softly with a wink.
Celeste chuckled and nodded.
They walked out of the bar towards the elevator. Once the elevator doors opened Celeste walked inside, turned and leaned against the railing.
When the elevator doors closed Esse stepped in front of her. “You’re not really coming up to my room for a drink, are you?”
Celeste pressed her lips to Esse’s and kissed her. When she leaned back she said, “Nope.”
Esse grinned, put her arms around Celeste’s neck and claimed her lips in a kiss that left Celeste with no doubts about what was going to happen.
Celeste put her arms on Esse’s hips keeping her pressed to her. She ran her tongue across Esse’s plump bottom lip and affirmed her thoughts from earlier on how sweet they would taste. As she deepened the kiss she felt Esse’s arms tighten around her.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened.
Celeste followed Esse off the elevator and when she opened her door they stepped into her room. The door closed and Celeste pushed Esse against it and pressed their lips together again to finish the kiss in the elevator.
“Uh, we both know what’s going to happen, right?” Esse asked with a sexy grin.
Celeste stepped back and pulled her shirt over her head. Esse mirrored her movements and they both stood naked in the room, giggling.
“Have you heard that Billie Eilish song LUNCH?” Esse asked.
Celeste grinned. This just gets better and better. “I could eat that girl for lunch, yeah she dances on my tongue,” Celeste sang.
Esse giggled and Celeste thought it was the cutest sound she’d ever heard. “Really?”
Celeste backed up towards the bed then plopped down, prone. She raised her eyebrows and waited.
Esse climbed on top of her on all fours. “I might need a few more of those kisses first.”
Celeste pulled Esse’s down and instead of the heated kiss in the elevator she softened her lips, while running her hand through Esse’s hair.
Esse moaned and Celeste let her tongue explore the other woman’s mouth. The heat of the kiss may have started with a smolder, but it quickly ignited a scorching inferno.
Celeste ran her other hand up Esse’s back encouraging her forward. Esse pulled her lips away and looked into Celeste’s eyes. “Come on,” Celeste whispered. “Let’s see if Billie knows what she’s talking about.”
Esse nodded and slowly positioned herself over Celeste’s mouth. “Ready to dance?”
Celeste ran her hands under Esse’s legs and slowly ran her tongue through Esse’s wetness.
“God.” Esse moaned.
“Mmm,” Celeste hummed. She let her tongue explore Esse’s folds and circled around and around while Esse planted her hands on the wall.
Esse groaned as Celeste’s tongue found her opening then licked up the length of her once again.
She kept sweeping her tongue up then around over and over while Esse’s moans grew more insistent.
Celeste had to hold back a smile, but she was definitely smiling inside.
When Esse’s groans became urgent Celeste finally sucked her into her mouth, holding her there with her hands.
She fluttered her tongue and felt Esse’s body stiffen above her.
Celeste held them in the moment waiting for Esse’s muscles to ease as the climax hit her.
Esse fell onto the bed, on her back, gasping for breath. “Oh, that was fun!” she gasped.
Celeste chuckled, rolled onto her side and took the opportunity to study Esse’s body. “You’ve got great…”
Esse opened her eyes and looked at Celeste. It was obvious Celeste was staring at her chest. “Tits? Yeah, I know. Gotta go with what God gave me.”
Celeste raised her brows, giving Esse an appreciative look.
“She gave me these so why not enjoy them.” Esse shrugged and sat up.
Celeste watched Esse’s hand start on her thigh then move up her body leaving goosebumps in its wake. “You have the softest, smoothest skin,” she said. “You don’t get out in the sun much.”
Celeste shook her head. “No, big city girl. I’m out at night.”
“Hmm, I’d ask doing what, but I want to find out how this skin tastes,” Esse said. She planted a soft kiss on her thigh then Celeste felt those beautiful lips trailing nips, kisses, and licks up her body until she could capture them with her own lips.
“God, you’re a good kisser.” Celeste moaned.
“I’m also good with my hands,” Esse said as she cupped Celeste’s breast.
She felt Esse softly pinch her nipple as her lips placed soft kisses on her neck. When Esse’s lips found Celeste’s other breast she sucked it inside her mouth and Celeste almost came right then.
What was it about this woman’s mouth!
Celeste almost didn’t notice Esse’s fingers feathering down her stomach, outside her thigh then back up the inside.
“Mmmm.” Celeste groaned. She was ready to experience what these hands could do.
Esse raised her head and Celeste gazed into her eyes.
“Your eyes are very dark blue,” Esse said. “They look like stormy seas ready to erupt.”
Celeste swallowed with anticipation, but Esse didn’t make her wait. She couldn’t keep her eyes open as Esse’s finger softly slid through her wetness.
“That feels so good,” Celeste whispered.
“Oh, it’s going to feel even better,” Esse cooed.
Celeste felt Esse’s finger slipping through her folds, circling her clit then resting at her entrance. Her hips raised, urging Esse’s finger inside.
“We’ll get there, honey,” Esse whispered as her finger circled again then slid inside.
Celeste could feel her add another finger and groaned as she pushed even deeper.
“I love how you feel,” Esse said softly.
All Celeste could do was moan as her hips began to move. Esse’s lips found Celeste’s as her fingers began a rhythm that Celeste was happy to match.
Celeste didn’t know what felt better. This kiss that felt like Esse was marking her as her own or her deft fingers moving in and out. She could feel Esse everywhere and tore her lips away sucking in a needed breath.
There was no way Celeste could form an intelligible thought and simply let the sensations build and wash over her as her body stiffened with release.
“Oh, my God,” she finally said, opening her eyes.
Esse was smiling down at her with a satisfied look in her eyes. “Damn, that was fun, too.”
Celeste chuckled. “Yeah, it was.”
“Your body is so responsive.”
Celeste watched Esse’s gaze travel down her body and back to her eyes. How could she be ready for this woman again so soon? It was as if she knew exactly where to touch Celeste for the maximum amount of pleasure.
Esse’s hand was resting between Celeste’s legs. She moved her hand on top of Esse’s and stared into her eyes. Celeste wasn’t usually this bold in the bedroom, but they both knew this was a one-night thing so why not make the most of it.
Esse’s sexy grin was followed by her finger gently massaging Celeste’s excited clit. She didn’t say anything but understood as Celeste took a deep breath and pulled her down for another searing kiss.
It didn’t take long for another wave of intense pleasure to rip through Celeste’s body. She held Esse’s hand in place wanting to savor every last bit of passion in this moment.
When Celeste finally relaxed she took a deep breath and blew it out. “Esse! That was—”
“Fucking awesome!” Esse exclaimed.
Celeste opened her eyes and laughed.