Chapter 17 #4
The massage had started innocently enough.
Brynn had waited patiently for Hallie to finish her bath, which she’d languished in until the water had gone cold.
There’d been a set of fluffy towels waiting for her on the sink, which she’d wrapped herself in.
When she’d come out of the bathroom, Brynn had been sitting on Hallie’s bed, reading a book.
Sure, Hallie had caught Brynn sneaking a glance or two as she’d dried off and put on a pair of underwear, but she’d loved every second of it. The hunger in Brynn’s eyes only made how responsible Brynn was trying to be that much more endearing.
Then, Brynn had directed her to lie down on the bed. This had sent a thrill through her, even as Brynn had clarified, “For your massage. Which is because you’ve had a hard day and for no other reason.”
“Not at all because you want an excuse to touch me?” Hallie had teased, crawling across the bed and lying down on her stomach.
For the first part of the massage, it had been easier to control herself. Brynn had stood above her, focusing on her legs and then her arms and then her head. It was only when they got to the back, where, to be fair, Hallie did hold most of her stress, that things had started to go off the rails.
“It would probably be easier if you got on the bed, too,” Hallie had encouraged.
She would have laughed at how quickly Brynn had complied, but then she’d been on top of her, and every nerve ending in Hallie’s body had lit up, begging for attention and pressure and relief.
Which was how, for the last ten minutes, Hallie had been existing in a state of both frustration and bliss.
She would definitely be thinking about this later, when she was in bed alone. For right now, she turned all thought off; she didn’t want to miss this moment.
Turning quickly, which she knew was successful, given the sound Brynn let out, she managed to get on her back. “You haven’t done my chest yet.”
“Your chest,” Brynn echoed, her pupils blown wide as she stared down at Hallie. And god, Hallie really did love it—the clear want on Brynn’s face, like Hallie was a Christmas gift she couldn’t wait to unwrap.
Hallie reached for Brynn’s arms, dragging them down to rest on her stomach before she lifted an eyebrow in challenge. “I’m sure that we can control ourselves.”
“We can control ourselves,” Brynn parroted again, her hands unmoving. But Hallie could see how the tips of her fingers were fidgeting, like she was holding herself back.
“Then touch me.”
And Brynn, to her credit, was really, really good at following directions. So good, in fact, that Hallie couldn’t help the indulgent sigh that slipped out as she did so. Because Brynn’s hands—her perfect, perfect hands—were massaging Hallie’s chest.
“Like this?” Brynn questioned, her voice little more than a whisper.
Hallie repositioned herself so that Brynn’s body pushed harder into her own, reveling in the pang of desire that shot through her. “Exactly like that.”
In spite of the need coursing through her, she was charmed at how much Brynn did try to keep things appropriate. Her hands, even though they were kneading into each of Hallie’s breasts, never focused on her nipples.
Which, Hallie had a sneaking suspicion, wasn’t what either of them wanted.
Hallie had learned, the more time they spent together, that Brynn was especially fixated on her chest. There was the night that they’d slept together, and then multiple times throughout the last few weeks, when Hallie had caught her staring.
Not only at Hallie’s lips or eyes or body, in general, but also, very specifically, at her boobs.
And, unfortunately for Brynn, Hallie had become fixated on Brynn’s fixation. So much so that she couldn’t help but push things.
“Just like that,” she sighed when one of Brynn’s fingers ghosted across her nipple, which was already hard with arousal.
They’d done a good job of not putting themselves in any compromising positions lately.
Well, except for the whole strip poker thing, but there hadn’t been any touching.
In Hallie’s book, that made her a saint.
Brynn had gotten down to her own underwear that night, and Hallie’s mouth had gone dry staring at perfect, hard nipples that she herself had wanted to take into her mouth and worship.
So maybe their fixation was a two-way street. It boded very well for the both of them, once they fully gave into the electricity that was ratcheting up every day.
Somehow, the conversation that she’d had with her mom earlier today had settled something in her. Which was crazy because she’d agonized over being honest with her parents for so long. But she’d ripped the Band-Aid off.
And Brynn had been there to quell any fears or doubts or reservations that probably would have made her spiral.
What a gift she’d been given. It was one that she didn’t want to waste anymore.
“Are you missing a spot?” Hallie asked as she moved her shoulders. Brynn’s knuckles brushed against a puckering tightness, more intense than Hallie had ever felt before. Her hardened buds were almost sore at this point, practically begging for relief.
Brynn pursed her lips for so long that Hallie wondered if she was even breathing. “What happened to being good?” she finally whispered. “Taking things slowly?”
“We’re getting to know one another better,” Hallie argued before quickly amending, “Unless you aren’t ready.” She would never put Brynn in an uncomfortable position, no matter how badly she wanted to be touched.
“I want it. God, do I want it,” Brynn said, her tone mirroring her words. She paused, tracing along Hallie’s nipple. “I just want it to be good for you. I’ve never been with a woman before, as you know, but I’ve been watching a lot of porn lately. To make sure that I’m ready.”
Hallie would have bit the comforter if she could have reached it, but she had to settle for an agonized groan.
“Research is so important,” she tried to tease, but it came out as more earnest than anything.
Her clit had its own heartbeat now, but she was trying her best to ignore it.
“I’m sure that whatever feels good for you will feel good for me.
I have no doubt that it will be good, so don’t ever worry about that, okay? Being with you is what I want.”
“Yeah?” Brynn asked, plucking at one of Hallie’s nipples, making her squirm.
So much for a tender moment between the two of them.
“Brynn,” she begged, squeezing her legs together. Brynn clocked this, shifting her focus to look down at Hallie’s underwear. She wondered if Brynn could see the wetness, whether it had already soaked through the garment that was both too flimsy and way too solid for what she needed.
Before Hallie could register what was happening, Brynn dipped her head down and pulled the nipple she’d just been toying with into her mouth, swirling her tongue around it.
Heat whipped through Hallie’s body, threatening to engulf her. God, she wanted this. Wanted Brynn.
For all of the clearly physical reasons, yes, but for the emotional ones, too. She trusted Brynn. More than she trusted anyone else with her body and her heart. And she just knew, on some instinctive level, that her trust was never going to be misplaced.
She didn’t want to wait anymore, but it was also quite possible that she couldn’t wait anymore. For the first time, she wanted to smash through the doors that she’d closed off to protect herself. “I trust you. Whenever you’re ready, I am, too.”
Dimly, Hallie registered a sound from the living room, but there was nothing as important as what was happening right now.
To Brynn’s credit, she was looking at Hallie like she’d do anything to keep this moment going. Her hand had already shifted down to Hallie’s underwear, where she was scratching lightly above the band.
“Hallie? Brynn? I have drunken noodles galore,” Sydney’s voice called from somewhere outside the door.
Hallie groaned. She should have never let Sydney keep an extra key to the apartment. All she could do was put her hands on her face and drag them down, willing her sanity to come back to her body.
“It would be rude to send them away,” Brynn acknowledged breathlessly, even as she didn’t move to stand up. She was still running her fingers teasingly back and forth across Hallie’s stomach.
Which made it all the harder for Hallie to push out, “It would.”
“And we don’t want to be those people,” Brynn affirmed, though Hallie wasn’t sure if it was more for Brynn’s own benefit than for hers.
Another nod. “We sure don’t. We pride ourselves on being good friends.”
She sighed when Brynn flexed her hand, the one that was toying with Hallie’s nipple. “Great friends, even,” Brynn said with a devilish smile.
Hallie managed to lift up on her elbows. “I hope that you don’t do this with all of your friends.”
Brynn scratched her nails lightly up Hallie’s stomach, who buckled at the touch. “I wouldn’t do this with anyone unless I wanted them to be my girlfriend. Unless I was serious about where things were going.”
“Your girlfriend?” Hallie panted out as her abs clenched, trying the word on for size. “You really have no idea what you’d be getting into. Me either, if I’m being honest.”
But hell, she was already in love. Why wouldn’t she want to make it official?
“Guys, seriously?” Sydney yelled from the living room. “Put some clothing on and get out here.”
“One second,” they yelled in unison. Sydney let out a disgruntled sound in response.
Slowly, Brynn leaned down, her lips only inches away from Hallie’s.
Her gaze flicked between Hallie’s lips and eyes, back and forth, just taking her in.
“I mean… I don’t want to be dating anyone else.
And I’m serious about you. About us. If you think about it, the brewery was a lot like a first date,” Brynn mused.
Hallie couldn’t stop the grin that bloomed across her face. “A little revisionist history, huh? I don’t hate it.”
“Well, I wanted it to be a date,” Brynn admitted, looking down at her. “Clearly, if what happened after was any indication.”
Hallie blushed, desire snaking through her again. She loved that they could do this now. All the cards on the table. “I wanted it to be a date, too.”
“Then it was a date.” The way Brynn said it made it sound so simple. “The order of operations isn’t the important thing. I want you, Hallie. I want to know that you’re mine. And you can be mine with us moving as quickly or as slowly as makes sense, but…”
The words sent a shiver down Hallie’s spine. You can be mine. Brynn’s. Hallie wanted that, too.
“I want us to be together. I want us to figure out things together. Is that what you want, too?”
Hallie knew that Brynn wasn’t a casual person. Neither was she, if she was being honest. It was just how her romantic life had materialized thus far. Because feeling this way—that is, letting someone in—should have been the scariest thing that she’d ever done.
Which made it so crazy that, when she looked in Brynn’s eyes again, she didn’t feel afraid.
A different, far more pleasurably intense feeling welled up in Hallie’s chest, and she smiled as it threatened to burst out of her. “Brynn Fitzpatrick, I’d love to be your girlfriend.”
There was a brief, perfect moment in which they were the only people left on the planet. And then— “I swear to god if you two aren’t out here in five seconds, I’m eating your food.”
Brynn planted a quick kiss on Hallie’s lips and then dismounted before she could properly protest.
But she’d forgive Sydney. Hallie was feeling very magnanimous at the moment. Because, all at the doing of her incredible girlfriend, Hallie was in a very, very good mood.