Chapter 8 #2
Elizabeth stepped onto the balcony, the door clicking softly behind her.
The night was quiet except for the occasional groan of the estate settling in the cold.
Snow had begun to fall again, fine flakes drifting lazily against the iron railing.
The air bit at her cheeks, but she barely noticed; she needed space from the warmth and gold of the ballroom, from the memory of Riley’s gaze across the table, from herself.
Her gloved hands flexed at her sides. She shouldn’t have let it go this far, the way her hand had lingered too long when she reached for Riley’s plate, the way her eyes had trailed over the curve of Riley’s neck.
Riley’s soft laugh. Riley’s courage in stepping into a world she didn’t belong to. It was a dangerous, beautiful lie.
Footsteps on the snowed balcony made her tense. She didn’t turn, but she knew.
“Don’t walk away from me again,” Riley’s voice was low, hard, cutting through the quiet like a knife. “I’m not doing this silent treatment thing with you, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth exhaled slowly, shoulders stiff. “You should go inside.”
Riley came closer, boots crunching softly. “Why are you like this?” she asked, voice quieter, edged with frustration. “Why are you cold to me when we’re alone and smiling for everyone else?”
Elizabeth finally turned to face her.
Riley stood under the low archway of twinkling lights, cheeks flushed with cold, hair curling wildly around her shoulders, arms crossed over her chest like she was holding herself together.
Her cocktail dress was mostly hidden under a coat that didn’t quite fit, probably borrowed.
But her expression, furious, hurt, determined, made her look anything but small.
“We need to talk,” Riley said.
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Bullshit.”
Elizabeth’s mouth twitched. “Charming.”
“Don’t deflect,” Riley snapped. “You’ve been doing it all night. I felt you pulling away, right there in the ballroom. You couldn’t even look at me.”
Elizabeth looked away now, back toward the snow-laced hedges. “It was a lapse in judgment. Last night. That’s all it was.”
Riley inhaled sharply. “You’re really going to stand there and call me a lapse.”
“That’s not what I meant—”
“Yes, it is,” Riley interrupted. Her voice wavered, but she didn’t look away. “You think if you call it that, just a mistake, you can box it up and bury it under your perfect career and your fake smiles. But you don’t get to rewrite what happened.”
Elizabeth’s hands curled into fists in her pockets.
“You kissed me like you meant it,” Riley said, stepping closer. “You touched me like you knew exactly who I was and wanted me anyway.”
Elizabeth flinched, just slightly. “Stop.”
“No.” Riley’s voice rose, not loud but fierce. “Because I’m not going to stand out here in the snow and let you pretend I imagined it. That I made it up in my head. I’m not some passing mistake you get to regret in the morning.”
“I can’t want this,” Elizabeth said suddenly, her voice low and brittle. “You think I don’t lie awake every night knowing exactly how reckless it is? You work for me. We live in two different worlds. If I start, if I let myself feel anything for you, it all comes apart.”
Riley blinked at her. “It’s already coming apart.”
They stared at each other under the weight of that truth.
Snow collected on Riley’s shoulders. Elizabeth’s throat ached.
“You’re not scared it’s going to fall apart,” Riley said quietly. “You’re scared it means something. And it does.”
Elizabeth looked down at the snow between them.
For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. The silence was too thick. Too loud. Snow fell steadily, softening the edges of the world.
“You don’t get it,” Elizabeth whispered. “I have spent my whole life building something I could control. A life that doesn’t collapse if I let someone in.”
“Then maybe you built the wrong kind of life.”
That landed hard, too hard. Elizabeth stiffened. Her chin lifted, mask sliding firmly back into place.
“I think we’re done here.”
Riley’s jaw worked, eyes shining, but she didn’t cry. “Right. Of course. Run away again.”
Fury surged within Elizabeth. She might not be the perfect person, even a good person when she thought about it. But she was no coward.
Unthinking, she spun back to face Riley, catching the sleeve of her jacket and pulling the smaller woman in towards her.
Their faces practically nose to nose. Elizabeth could feel Riley’s hot breath against her cheek.
Could smell the remnants of the perfume she always wore to meetings she was nervous to attend. Her “big girl” perfume, as she’d joked.
Sweet, just like Riley herself.
Elizabeth couldn’t decide whether following through with her desires or walking away would be the bigger mistake right now. If both were mistakes, perhaps she should at least choose the mistake she’d find pleasure in.
Her head was still fuzzy from all the alcohol and schmoozing she’d done that evening, cozying up to contacts and investors as if her dignity was nothing.
Fuck it. After such a hellish evening, she may as well finish it with a bang.
Decision made. Elizabeth ducked, pulling Riley in to a stinging kiss. Their lips met with a clash. Hot. Fiery. Elizabeth didn’t care what anyone else might think of her. Tonight she was taking what she wanted.
The satin of Riley’s dress felt cool against her skin. A sharp contrast to the immense heat radiating from Riley. Elizabeth pulled back from their kiss, opening her eyes to see Riley melting in her arms.
God, she was hot. Elizabeth grabbed Riley’s hand and pulled her, wordlessly, back into the house. Ignoring the remaining gala attendees, she made her way through the estate and back to their suite.
Once the door to their rooms closed firmly behind them, Elizabeth wound her fingers through Riley’s auburn hair. The up-do she’d spent hours on earlier that evening had long since given up and fly away strands of hair had formed a halo around Riley’s head.
“How the hell do you get your hair so soft? I’ve seen the way you abuse it with that brush.”
“It’s terrified of me.”
“Hmm, should I be too?”
“Only if you won’t do what I want.”
“And what do you want right now?”
“I think you know. The question is, is it what you want too?”
“Fuck yes.”
Nothing could hold her back now. Elizabeth stalked forward, claiming her prey, shooing Riley toward the bed.
Grasping the silk bed sheets, Elizabeth peeled them back.
“Dress. Off. Now,” she ordered, a spike of pleasure coursing through her as Riley gasped in pleasure at the command.
Elizabeth perched on the edge of the bed. Her gaze firmly fixed on Riley before her. Inch by inch, Riley pulled the dress up her body, revealing creamy skin second by second. When the green dress finally hit the floor, Elizabeth’s mouth hung agape.
“I think I’ll take over from here,” she said, walking over to Riley once more.
Elizabeth snaked her arms around Riley’s chest, unclasping her black lace bra in a single fluid motion.
She could hear Riley’s breath fluttering as Elizabeth grazed her lips across the sensitive skin of Riley’s neck. She bit and sucked at one spot, claiming Riley as hers, until a small red mark appeared.
Satisfied, Elizabeth’s hands roamed from her back to Riley’s chest, and finally cupping her breasts. Soft. So soft. Everything about her was soft. Maybe that’s why Elizabeth had always been drawn to her, so different to her own hardness.
No. She stopped herself, tonight was not for thinking. Only pleasure.
She brushed her thumbs across Riley’s nipples, pleased as Riley shuddered and her nipples pebbled under Elizabeth’s touch.
“Are you going to get on with it?” Riley moaned in impatience.
“Shh. You’re not in charge here.”
Elizabeth’s fingernails grazed down Riley’s sides, leaving faint red trails in their wake.
Finally, her fingers reach their destination, the stockings and panties that still hid Riley from Elizabeth’s hungry gaze.
Elizabeth pulled both down Riley’s smooth legs in a single motion, leaving Riley open before her.
She was a vision.
One Elizabeth wanted to remember.
Riley stepped out of the gathering pile at her feet, and took a step back to rest against the bed.
Exactly where she belonged, Elizabeth thought. She looked regal, defined. Perched there against silk sheets.
Pushing Riley backwards onto the bed, Elizabeth climbed over her, pulling Riley’s thighs apart, and settling between them.
She fixed her attention back on Riley’s breasts, playing, stroking, squeezing. Relishing in every tiny squeak Riley let out.
It wasn’t long before she couldn’t hold herself back.
Riley’s pussy was begging for attention.
Achingly slowly, Elizabeth walked her fingers south.
Teasing every few seconds by returning to Riley’s nipples.
Finally, she relented and slid a finger down between the now hot and slick folds of Riley’s pussy.
Riley threw her head back in pleasure, and Elizabeth moved forward, capturing a nipple between her teeth, gently biting and licking it in time with her finger’s strokes.
Slow, languid circles. She could see Riley tensing both in frustration and pleasure, the heady combination overwhelming her. But Elizabeth was not done just yet. She pulled her finger away. Returning them to Riley’s breasts as she pulled Riley into another searing kiss.
Her teeth grazed against Riley’s soft lips as Riley let out another keening whine.
“You can’t want it to be over yet. We’ve only just begun.”
“Please. Fuck, please.”
“Are you sure? I’m not sure you’ve been good enough.”
“God, please, Elizabeth. I can’t—”
Elizabeth returned to stroking Riley’s clit, her finger circling the sensitive nub. Slightly faster now, gradually picking up speed until Elizabeth could feel Riley panting against her.
“Though maybe you do deserve a reward.”
“Elizabeth.”
“You looked so fucking hot in that dress.”
“Elizabeth.”
“And seeing everyone’s eyes on you as you entered the ballroom.”
“Fuck.”
“Exactly what I thought too. I wanted to fuck you right then and there. Show everyone you’re mine.”
At that, Riley started bucking, her climax ripping through her violently. Elizabeth kept holding her, kept stroking, kept whispering in her ear as tremor after tremor swept over Riley’s body. Finally, the shaking stopped, and Riley gazed up at Elizabeth.
“What the fuck was that?”
“Was that not what you wanted?” Elizabeth smirked.
“No, I-I—not what I meant. I’m not sure how I’ll match that, though.”
“I’m sure you’ll give it your best.” Elizabeth teased, sitting beside her on the bed. “Now, on your knees.”