Chapter Twenty-Three
Em
EM GATHERED TOGETHER A fresh set of clothes from her room and a few necessities and headed into Shae’s room across the hall, gently pushing open the door. The bedside light was still on, casting a soft, golden glow across the room. Shae lay sprawled beneath the covers, her eyes closed.
Em felt a pang of disappointment. She wanted more time with Shae tonight, wanted to lie with her and talk until they crashed from exhaustion. Shae opened an eye, peeking over at her, her mouth curving up on one side in a way Em found incredibly charming.
“I think it’s funny you think you’re going to be wearing clothes to bed.” Shae joked.
“Is that right? Did you want me to wear my bathing suit instead?”
“I don’t want you to wear anything.”
Em strolled over to the bed, dropped her clothes onto the edge, and swung her leg around Shae’s waist, straddling her. Shae took Em’s hands, sizing them against her own before folding them together. “Tell me about your day,” she said.
Em chuckled nervously, feeling put on the spot. “You know about my day. We’ve been together for all of it.”
“Yeah, but I wanna know how it was for you.”
“It was exciting. Adventurous. Eye-opening. Thrilling.”
“Eye-opening?” Shae pulled Em toward her, “What happened today that opened your eyes?”
“Well...” Em hesitated. That I’m more in love with you than I ever thought I could be. That the idea of losing you is even deeper now. It makes me feel like I could drown in it. All of this, for starters. Em thought. These were words she couldn’t, wouldn’t speak to Shae. At least not yet.
The truth was, she wasn’t sure how to open up fully to Shae about how she felt. There was a hard line when it came to expressing feelings around Shae. Yes, they had a history, but in other ways, it was still early for them.
“Just the Claire stuff,” she settled on.
She wasn’t lying per se. It did surprise her how much it upset her when she thought there was still something lingering between Shae and Claire.
“I didn’t realize how much that sat on the surface of my mind.
” It was better now, knowing the air between them had been cleared, and she and Shae could dig deeper and get to know each other again.
Maybe feel safe enough to let go and be together without any obstacles in the way.
Shae tucked Em’s hair gently behind her ear the way she had a habit of doing. It made Em feel delicate. Like she could break in every sense of the word. And she did, she almost always had, but God, now she could combust at how one simple gesture could make her burn.
Em leaned down, bringing her mouth to Shae’s.
“Can you make me a promise?” Em asked.
“What’s that?”
“Can you promise not to fall asleep before me? If a killer is lurking, I’d much rather die in my sleep than run from him, thinking I’m going to survive. I won’t survive, I’m not a fast runner.”
Shae cracked up laughing. “I knew it, " she said. “I knew you were scared.”
“What? I’ve never seen that movie before. You know I don’t do scary!”
“I shouldn’t laugh, I’m sorry. I just… I thought maybe you’d grown out of it. Why did you sit through that movie? I gave you an out.” Shae pulled her in for a quick kiss. “I would have much rather been alone with you.”
“Really?” Em’s brows raised, surprised by this confession. She didn’t know why, but had assumed that if she chose to leave, she would be pulling Shae away from something she’d prefer doing. She’d given the room a once-over, everyone clearly enjoying themselves, and chose to stick it out.
“Em, of course! I was thinking about you through ninety percent of that movie, anyhow. Even with you sitting right next to me, digging your nails into my leg, or maybe I should say especially since.” Shae wriggled her brows, a faint smile curving her lips.
Em’s heart fluttered in her chest. I love you. The thought played quietly in the back of her mind as she lost herself in Shae’s eyes. Shae stared back at her, still fidgeting with her fingers.
“Now, are you ever going to get into something more comfortable?” Shae paused, then reached around Em, unhooking the clasp to her bathing suit top and sliding the straps down her shoulders.
Goosebumps bloomed across Em’s skin, and a slight tingle ran up her spine, causing her to visibly shiver.
“Are you cold?” Shae delicately ran her hands up Em’s arms, attempting to soothe her.
Em slowly shook her head, heat simmering at her core. Shae pulled the swimsuit top the rest of the way off, leaving Em sitting in front of her in the soft lamplight, completely exposed.
Shae blinked up at her, “You’re stunning, Em.” She breathed.
She sat up, drawing Em’s nipple into her mouth. Em sucked in a deep breath, exhaling in slow, pulsed waves.
Shae lowered herself back to the bed, reaching behind Em to guide her forward. “Come here.” She exhaled.
Em inched her body higher, until she was directly over her mouth, legs bracketing either side of Shae’s head. Shae planted an open-mouth kiss against the center of her swimsuit bottoms, lightly grazing her teeth against the fabric.
The heat of it sent a shot of electricity up Em’s entire body. She gasped, her legs going weak beneath her, threatening to buckle at her own weight. She braced herself, her hands gripping the headboard as Shae slid her swimsuit bottoms aside, and dragged her tongue deliberately up her center.
“Oh my God. Shae.”
Shae’s hands gripped her ass, guiding her hips into place.
Gliding her sex against her tongue in long, teasing strokes, slow and savoring.
Em attempted to move faster, to chase the pleasure, but Shae held her firmly in place—controlling the pace, drawing it out.
Em could feel her release hanging right on the precipice, and she fought the urge to throw herself over the edge, Shae holding her in limbo. It was both maddening and intoxicating.
Then Shae dipped lower. Sliding her tongue inside her.
It was warm and coaxing. Em clutched her own breast, kneading it in her hand, the other still gripping the headboard, the urgent need between her legs begging for release.
She sat down lower against Shae’s face, and Shae picked up speed.
Lapping at Em with a hunger that made Em shudder.
Shae slid two fingers inside her, and Em came undone, hips bucking against Shae’s mouth until her whole body tightened, clenching around Shae’s fingers.
“Oh, fuck. Yes.” She whimpered as her body jerked over Shae’s mouth, then went limp.
Em leaned her head against the head-board for a second, allowing her body to come down from the high she’d experienced before relaxing back down against Shae.
Shae brought a kiss to her mouth, the evidence of Em’s pleasure still on her lips, wet and sweet.
Then she flipped Em, tugging her swim bot-toms down her legs and hurriedly slipping off her own shorts.
Sliding against Em, her slick heat against Em’s thigh, unmistakable.
Shae moved her hips, slow but desperate.
Like she was trying to maintain control, while her body wanted her to let go, to surrender.
Em slid her hand beneath her, fingertips finding that tender place that was aching for more.
She wrapped her arm across Shae’s back, pulling her closer, their bodies coming together like they’d always been meant to.
Shae’s rhythm quickened, her breath stalling on every exhale. She trembled against Em’s touch.
“Fuck. Em,” Shae said, her voice breaking as she came. Her hips stuttered as her whole body curled forward before collapsing against Em.
Em held her tightly, feeling Shae’s heartbeat pound against her. Her skin was smooth and slick beneath Em’s palms. Shae lay bare in her arms, and yet Em still couldn’t get close enough. She wanted to unzip her skin and step inside.
They stayed tangled like that, locked in close, their legs wound together like ivy as they caught their breath. Their eyes were fixed on one another as if in a trance, communicating volumes without uttering a word.
Em’s fingers traced Shae’s face, across one brow, down the bridge of her nose, brushing across her lashes on the other side. Feeling them tickle the tips of her fingers. I’m in so much trouble.
She wanted to stay like this forever with Shae. Wrapped safely in her arms, in the afterglow. This is exactly how she’d always thought it’d be, and now she was living it, and the feelings were overwhelming.
Shae pressed kisses across her collarbone, lingering at the hollow of her neck to slide her tongue across it.
She continued up her jaw to her mouth, planting a deeper kiss against her lips.
She nuzzled her nose, leaning back to cast a smile at Em that was so pure, Em couldn’t help but match it.
Em reached up, cradling her chin with her hands, and for a second, she almost said the words.