First Lady (32 page)

“Like I care about those agents and their night-vision goggles.” She turned her head and stuck her tongue out just to be ornery, then tilted her head back and yawned, observing the now clear night sky. “They’re lucky I don’t throw you down on this porch and have my way with you.”

Dev smirked, knowing full well that most of the Secret Service and a healthy number of FBI and CIA agents had crushes on her wife. “Somehow I doubt they’ll consider you controlling yourself to be their good fortune.” She turned to regard her companion. “Too much to drink, Boris?”

“Eh…” Lauren wiggled her hand back and forth. “Close, Natasha.”

Devlyn sniggered as the hand on her rear began to slowly move up and down.

“Devlyn, just get the door open.” Her voice was a low growl.
 
“Ugh! If one more mosquito bites me, I’m going to get malaria!”

“I thought you liked it in the woods, ” Dev said.

Devlyn poked out her lower lip, and Lauren was tempted to grab it. The blonde sniggered loudly. “I like it everywhere. But I like to sleep in the cabin. Big difference.”

“Mmm… True.” Devlyn opened the door and took a step backward to stand behind Lauren. She gestured for Lauren to enter by placing her hand on the small of the shorter woman’s back and pushing slightly. “Our honeymoon suite awaits.”

“Tsk, you mean you’re not going to carry me over the threshold?” Lauren teased, already moving forward.

“If you insist.”

“Wh—!” Lauren’s squeal rang out into the night.

Before Lauren could stop her, Devlyn swept her off her feet and carried her into the cabin, managing to muffle a groan when she turned and kicked the cabin door closed.
 
She set a very surprised Lauren down and tried not to look too pleased with herself. Which was exceedingly difficult. She crossed her arms and waited for her reward.

“Wow.” Lauren said, clearly impressed. “That was nuts, Dev. Did anyone ever tell you you’re pretty strong for a middle-aged desk jockey?” She reached out to squeeze Devlyn’s biceps, all the while emitting a low whistle.

Devlyn bared her teeth in a false smile and slapped away her hands. “I am not middle-aged,” she said, straightening her back and throwing her chest out, much to Lauren’s delight. “I plan on living to be at least 107, which means—”

“Stop.” The blonde woman held up her hand. “Don’t do the math. I’m too tired to think about math.”

They both laughed softly and leaned against the cabin door, the wood feeling cool against their hot skin. The rain had stopped sometime during the reception, ushering in a wave of thick, muggy air that the air-conditioner had to work hard to repel. Candles, already burning low, had been lit and placed along the banister leading to the loft and around the fireplace in the main room. They emitted a soft, golden glow and sweet, vanilla scent.

Devlyn turned to face her new bride, her expression serious. She slowly ran her knuckles over Lauren’s cheek. “I love you.”

Lauren smiled, a little amazed at the fluttering in the pit of her stomach that Devlyn could incite with one touch, or look, or sultry whisper. “You know,” she said thoughtfully, as though she’d just had the revelation that very second, “I really love you, too.”

Dev’s smile reached her eyes, and she kissed her partner on the cheek and then turned her toward the living room.

“This is beautiful.” Lauren shook her head a little as she took it all in. “Your folks?”

“No, as I understand it,” Dev paused to remove her shoes, tossing them next to the door, “Beth and David did this. I did the same thing when they used this place for their honeymoon.” Dev’s gaze bounced around the room, then her eyes narrowed. “Only I was thoughtful enough to provide cold beer.”

“Oh no, you don’t.” Lauren groaned and moved to the sofa, settling down heavily as she struggled out of her own shoes. “One more toast after dinner and I would have ended up face down in the punch bowl. I stopped just in time, though I’m still a little buzzed,” she admitted. “Lord knows, I don’t want to be drunk on my wedding night.” She left off the word “again,” surmising that was more information than Devlyn really wanted to know. She covered her face with her hands and spared a thought for her first wedding night, now seeing what she thought was ordinary wedding jitters with very different eyes. What a moron I was.

“Ahhh.” Devlyn found an ice bucket loaded with bottled water. “I knew you weren’t my best friend for nothing, David,” she murmured as she grabbed two bottles.

 
Lauren wiggled her sore feet. “God, I’m tired.”

“Even I feel tired after today, and I gave up sleep for Lent last year.” Dev handed over a cold bottle of water.
 
“Why don’t you go take a nice hot shower and change into something more comfortable?” She eyed Lauren from top to bottom and her voice softened as she said, “Though I’ve never seen any woman look more beautiful than you did today, Lauren.”

Gray eyes sparkled with appreciation as Lauren returned the favor, happily giving her mate the once over. “I think you know I feel the same way.” The blonde drained her glass and handed the empty bottle back with a grin. “How about we go to bed now and do something that will require a shower later?”

Devlyn laughed low in her throat and extended her hand, suppressing another yawn with her other hand. She pulled Lauren into a long hug, allowing herself to revel in a moment of pure happiness.

Finally, Lauren gently pulled back enough to lay her palms against Dev’s upper chest, feeling the other woman draw in a slow, deep breath. “If you’re too tired…?” she whispered.

Dev’s eyes popped open. She could hear the smile in Lauren’s voice, and she blinked hard, feeling disoriented.
 
Then she recalled what Lauren had said. “No! Not on your life!” Devin cupped Lauren’s warm cheek and spoke against soft lips as she kissed her. “But, honey, I’m inching towards middle age as we speak. Let’s go.”

*
 
*
 
*

Bathed in soft moonlight, they lay together on the bed, nude. Sheets and blankets lay crumpled on the floor as they traded slow, deep kisses. Two sets of smooth, damp legs were tangled tightly together, tingling skin being caressed with each shift of their bodies. They’d been kissing for so long that they’d lost track of the time, their bodies thrumming lightly with excitement.

Without warning, Devlyn rolled Lauren on top of her. The blonde’s head swam, and she suddenly felt a little queasy. Even in the faint light, Devlyn detected the change in her coloring and pinned her with concerned eyes. “Lauren,” she said quietly, sinking her hands deeply into Lauren’s hair and tilting the younger woman’s chin up just a fraction so that she could look into her eyes.
 
“Are you okay?”

“Ugh.” Lauren grimaced. “I drank at least a bottle of champagne tonight, sweetheart. Gymnastics are so out for the evening.” Her body shook with Devlyn’s soft laughter. “Can we do this without spinning, please?”

Dev smiled fondly and used the tips of her index finger to lovingly trace pale eyebrows. “We can. But we can just go to sleep.” She leaned upward and softly bussed Lauren’s chin. “If you’re too tired.”

“Are you?” Lauren asked, half-hoping Devlyn would say yes. She was exhausted and that, in combination with the alcohol and food, had her yearning to crawl underneath the covers and sleep for a week. Problem was she also wanted to kiss and lick every square inch of the beautiful body beneath her. She was well past the point of no return and this was their wedding night.

“No,” Devlyn answered quickly, looking for any sign that Lauren might want to put this off. There was no doubting how aroused she was, but the bed was so soft and even the moonlight seemed too bright for tired eyes.

A genuine smile twitched at Lauren’s lips for a split second before she captured Devlyn’s mouth in a delicious, wet kiss.

Devlyn let out a soft, encouraging moan, forgetting all about being sleepy and reveling in the sensation of naked skin beneath her fingertips and Lauren’s soft, warm tongue against her own.

Lauren’s mouth moved to Devlyn’s ear then neck. “Mmm… Devlyn, you smell so — Ack Phft!” She lifted her head and tried to dislodge the chunk of hair stuck to her damp lips and chin.

“What’s wrong?” Devlyn moved her head, effectively cleaning Lauren’s face.

“Your hair tastes like hairspray.” She made a face and wiped at her tongue. “Yuck.”

“You’re not supposed to eat it.”

“No talking,” Lauren murmured playfully, attaching her lips to Devlyn’s throat and lightly sucking just as she brought up one hand to cup Dev’s breast.

The taller woman arched her back and groaned at the contact, her eyes fluttering shut of their own accord.

Lauren moved to begin kissing lower as Devlyn squirmed a little under her touch. Her elbow jabbed Dev’s breast and the President nearly shot up off the bed.

“Ouch!” Her eyes flew open, and she grasped herself in a gesture that made it look as if she were having a heart attack. She sucked in a huge breath, then let it out explosively. “Christ!”

“Oh, shit!” Lauren began to panic, just knowing that her accidental jab, in combination with the ridiculous stress of the Presidency, had been too much for Devlyn. “Shit! You’re having a coronary? Oh, my God! Is your arm numb?” She grabbed at Dev’s arm and shook it.

Dev wrenched her arm out of Lauren’s hands. “You’re… you’re insane!”

“I can’t remember which arm is supposed to be numb.” She scrubbed her face with rough, jerky movements. “Shit. Shit. Shit!”

“Nothing is numb,” Dev ground out, unable to keep from laughing. “Goddammit, Lauren, I told you I’m not even middle aged!
 
I am not dying! It’s my boob!” Miserably, Dev pointed at her own nipple.

“Oh.” Lauren blinked. “Ohhhhhhhh.” She let out a relieved breath, finally getting the message. “You nearly scared the life out of me,” she said, her heart still pounding. She was tempted to smack Devlyn for nearly giving her a heart attack of her own.
 
Then her eyes narrowed as she thought about what Devlyn said. Had she bumped her breast? “I can’t even remember doing it. I couldn’t have done more than barely touch you!”

Dev’s jaw clenched, then she forced herself to relax. “I’m near to cycling and they’re a little sensitive,” she told her, a little embarrassed at what might be characterized as an overreaction to the accidental jab. She was more startled than anything. “And if you even think the word ‘menopause,’” Dev said it as though it was a curse, "your next vacation spot will be adjacent to Jimmy Hoffa.”

“Aww… I’m sorry, honey,” Lauren said sincerely, trying her best not to laugh and utterly failing. She removed the hand that was clutching Devlyn’s breast and replaced it with her own, letting her mate feel the warmth of her palm. She made a concerted effort to let all the love she felt for Dev show in her eyes as she kissed Dev’s hand, paying special attention to each long finger. “It was an accident.” Her eyebrows lifted in entreaty. “Forgive me?” she said softly. “I would never hurt you on purpose. Please?”

Dev placed her hand over the one on her breast and squeezed gently, melting a little under the loving attention. “Of course. I’m sorry that I scared you.”

“Kiss it and make it better?” Lauren gestured towards the breast in question with a tilt of her head. Her own arousal, which had been like a pendulum all night, had all but evaporated at the thought of Devlyn croaking. But the soft, desire-filled eyes gazing so intently into hers were more than she could ignore.

The dark-haired woman nearly said no, that they could just resume this in the morning, God knows it wasn’t exactly going well, but Lauren looked so earnest that she couldn’t bear the thought of disappointing her new bride on their wedding night.
 
“Sure.”

Lauren smiled and kissed her way down to Devlyn’s breast, peppering her soft skin with even softer kisses.

It only took seconds before Devlyn was drifting on a wave of emotion. It was, Dev decided, utterly divine. The warm feeling of Lauren’s breath and lips and tongue gently caressing her nipple and the sides and undersides of her breast was so breathtaking that she couldn’t help but relax under the tender ministrations, sinking deeper into the bed, mesmerized.

Lauren’s mouth drifted lower and lower and she dipped her tongue in Dev’s navel, knowing that Dev was especially ticklish there. Instead of the chuckle she expected, she heard a… Lauren’s ears perked and she suddenly lifted her head from her task and gazed up at her lover. “Was that a yawn I just heard?”

“Nooo…” Devlyn insisted, her mind snapping back into the moment with almost brutal force.
 
“A moan.” She was sure going to hell for such a blatant lie, but some things just couldn’t be helped. There was no way she would hurt her lover’s feelings tonight.

“Okay,” Lauren answered a little skeptically, fighting the urge to yawn herself. “Because if you’re too ti—”

“I am not too tired. I’m not!” Dev said sheepishly, knowing she sounded a little like a 3-year-old who was fighting bedtime. Devlyn gently urged Lauren’s head lower. “Carry on.” She flopped her head back on the pillow and licked her lips in anticipation.

And Lauren did, settling herself between Devlyn’s legs and tenderly kissing each thigh before making more intimate contact. Both women groaned languidly at the first touch of Lauren’s tongue. But soon the contact wasn’t quite enough for Devlyn, who was thrashing around like she was on fire. Rather than instruct Lauren verbally that she needed to move just a teensy, tiny, bit to the left, Dev kept shifting over in the bed, frustrating her partner no end. Dev, unfortunately, mistook Lauren’s frequent, helpless chuckles and growls of frustration for those of pleasure.