In My Skin (4 page)

I raised my hand slowly and laid it on her stomach, felt the muscles there flutter under my fingers, and almost with a will of its own, my other hand, moving just as slowly, eased up over her midriff and stopped at the curve of her breast. I saw that she was drawing in deep breaths, and I looked at her face again.

"I don't know what the hell I'm doing.” A huff of self-deprecating laughter escaped me.

Chaise smiled. “Just do whatever feels right. Your fingers feel so good on my skin. I want to feel them everywhere."

I wanted that, too, I realized. I wanted to touch every inch of her; I wanted to know her in a way that I had never wanted to know any man. I lowered my eyes to rest on her breasts; high and proud. Were they as firm as they looked? I swallowed audibly and brought one hand up to curve around one breast. It was the perfect fit for my hand, both firm and soft at the same time, and I could feel her nipple pressing insistently into my palm. Next to her smooth, soft skin, the lace of the bra felt almost rough, and I wanted it gone. I moved my fingers to the clasp nestled between her breasts and looked up at her for permission.

Chaise nodded jerkily. “Please, God—"

I realized then that she had hardly moved this whole time, but instead had stood still to allow me to explore her body. She was letting me set the pace.

I flicked the clasp and it parted, the two halves of the bra falling to the sides to expose Chaise to my hungry eyes; my eager hands. I bit my lip and ran my knuckles lightly over the nipples practically begging for my attention. Chaise gasped, and I looked up to see her head fall back and her lips part. The pink tip of her tongue came out to moisten her lips, and a shiver of pure want shook my body.

Without moving my gaze from her face, I covered her breasts with my hands and squeezed gently while I circled my thumbs around her nipples. I was rewarded with a moan from Chaise that struck me right at my core. The need to taste assailed me, and I leaned in to touch my mouth to the slender line of her throat. I let my tongue peek out just enough to taste the salt of perspiration that had broken out on her skin. She brought her hands up then to rest on my waist, her fingers clenching in the material of my sweater.

I spent a moment laving at the place in her throat where her pulse beat strongly before moving down, licking and kissing until I reached her breast. Chaise sighed when my tongue touched the very tip of her breast, swirled around it, and when I sucked it into my mouth she cursed and her body jerked against me, her hands coming up to fist in my hair. Emboldened by her response, I lowered my hand and skimmed my fingers across the elastic of her panties. I felt her stomach twitch, and her breathing became loud in the otherwise quiet room. I dipped one finger inside to tangle in her pubic hair, a little further and I encountered her moist heat.

"Anna!” It sounded like it had been torn from her.

I raised my head and looked at her. Her face was flushed and her eyes hooded. This was for me? This was how this beautiful woman was reacting to
my
touch? An emotion I could only call joy unfurled inside me.

I must have gotten lost in my thoughts, because suddenly Chaise was looking at me with curiosity in her eyes.

I smiled and shrugged. “You're very beautiful."

"And you say you don't know what you're doing?” She raised a hand and gently caressed my cheek before lacing our fingers together and leading me over to the bed.

Chaise sat down on the edge of the bed, and with her hands on my hips, she brought me to stand in front of her. She raised her eyes to lock with mine and slid her hands under the hem of my sweater, pushed it slowly up my torso and urged me wordlessly to remove it. I took the bottom of the sweater and pulled it over my head, and as I tossed it to the side, I felt Chaise's fingers unbuttoning and unzipping my pants. She pushed them over my hips, and I stepped out of my shoes, kicking both shoes and pants aside. My breathing became labored as I watched her hands move over my body, her touch the lightest of caresses, her eyes hot as they followed the movement of her hands.

"Take off your bra for me.” She traced the elastic of my panties with one finger while her other hand stroked up and down my thigh.

I reached behind me and unhooked my bra, but instead of letting it fall to the floor, I held it against me as the straps slid down my arms, feeling suddenly bashful. My face felt hot when she looked at me questioningly, and I slowly lowered the filmy material.

"I'm not all that well-endowed,” I said, feeling the need to say
something
, perhaps to keep her eyes on my face.

But she lowered her eyes and at the same time raised one hand to curve around my breast. “You're beautiful. Perfect.” Her voice was soft, and the thumb that caressed my nipple was gentle, but I still gasped at the sensations coursing through me. “Sit on my lap.” With her hands on my hips, she guided me until I was straddling her, my hands on her shoulders for balance.

"I'm going to taste you, baby, okay? If you don't like it, just tell me to stop."

I nodded as my body trembled with a combination of nerves and desire. Chaise leaned forward and licked a strip from the curve of my jaw to the tip of my breast. Her breath was hot on my skin, but still I shivered, and when she took my nipple into her mouth, encircled it with her tongue, I moaned and arched my back, pushing ever closer.

She sucked on me until I thought I couldn't stand it any longer, then she stopped, and I groaned in complaint. But she just moved onto my other nipple, paying it equal attention, rasping her tongue over it, lightly scraping it with her teeth and then sucking soothingly. Her hands were resting on my ass, kneading and massaging while my own hands clutched at her shoulders and my breath came in short bursts.

When she finally lifted her head I was gasping for air.

"Why don't we lie down together?” she suggested.

I stood up on shaky legs and we got onto the bed. Chaise urged me to lie back against the pillows and began to drag her fingers lightly over my body. When she reached the elastic of my panties, she looked up at me. “Lift your hips for me."

I complied, and she peeled the material from my body and tossed the scrap aside. I was now laid out before her, completely naked and exposed, and I could feel the blush all over my body. I had to fight the urge to cover myself with my hands.

Chaise lowered her head again and placed sucking kisses over my stomach, dipping her tongue briefly into my belly button and making me giggle, then moving down to kiss and lick at my thighs.

With gentle pressure she coaxed me to open my legs so that she could get to the skin of my inner thighs. Her mouth moved gradually north, and with every inch higher she got, she urged me to open my legs a little further until finally my feet were planted flat on the bed and my legs had fallen completely open, wanton and inviting.

At the first touch of her tongue on the lips of my pussy I bucked and let out a yell that sounded nothing like me.

Her fingers parted my lips and her tongue slipped in further, flexing and licking, teasing over my clit until I stopped breathing altogether, my hands grabbing handfuls of the comforter. I squeezed my eyes shut as wave after wave of sensation washed over me. Her teeth grazed my clit, and she pushed a finger inside me. I was groaning and humping against her like a whore, my thighs closing around her head, heart thumping like it was going to burst out of my chest.

I felt my orgasm begin in the trembling of my thighs and the tightening of my belly, and then suddenly I was soaring, my back arched, my head light as a feather, the sound of my own blood rushing in my ears. I collapsed back onto the bed, dragging in great gulps of air.

I felt Chaise move up the bed and settle beside me, her hand gently stroking my convulsing stomach muscles. I turned my head and, with some difficulty, opened my eyes.

"Is that the best you can do?” I asked, and my mouth curved up in a lazy smile. Chaise snickered.

I turned on my side so that we were facing each other. When my breathing had returned to something like normal, I ran my hand along her body, from her shoulder to her hip and let it slide down until I was cupping her mound. I wasn't exactly sure what to do, but I knew how I liked to be touched—how I touched myself, so I decided to just trust my instincts. I pressed my fingers in until I was touching her clit, flicked my nail lightly over it a few times. From the soft moans coming from Chaise, I could tell that I wasn't doing anything majorly wrong, so I continued to play with her clit, teasing and rubbing, eliciting mews of pleasure from her. The expression on her face became tight and concentrated, and she gnawed on her lower lip. When she came it was truly a sight to behold. Her eyes closed and her mouth fell open. Her face flushed and she groaned, long and low.

Some time later her eyes flickered open and a goofy smile lit up her face. “You know what? I think I might have to keep you."

I laughed, but felt a flutter of excitement in my stomach. “Don't expect me to put up too much of a fight."

Chaise lifted a hand and touched my cheek, her fingers gently stroking. “Oh, but just think of the making up."

Chaise is ticklish. I discovered this the next morning as I ran my hand from her knee to her hip while we were stretched out on the sofa, necking like a couple of teenagers. What had started out as a quick cup of tea before I had to rush off to change for work had fast become a full on make out session, with me lying on top of Chaise, her hands cupping and massaging my ass while she delved her tongue into my mouth.

She laughed into my mouth as my fingers trailed along the skin of her leg, and shivered.

"Hey, did I just discover one of your secrets?” I grinned and repeated the movement, delighted when she squirmed under me and giggled.

"If you tell anyone else, the consequences will be dire.” She brought her hand down in a playful smack on my panty-clad ass, and it was my turn to shiver. Her eyes widened and a light of mischief entered their smoky depths. “Well, well, well. Looks like I'm not the only one with secrets."

I felt my face heat with embarrassment and tucked it into the place where her neck met her shoulder.

"Does the big successful career woman like the occasional little spanking? This might be fun to explore.” She tagged her question with another light slap to my ass. I moaned in spite of myself. I could hear the laughter in her voice and raised my head to smile sheepishly down at her.

"I can tell you're going to be such a bad influence on me. I'm a good Catholic girl, you know.” Her raised eyebrow made me snicker, and I pushed up, getting off the sofa, and Chaise. “Now, unfortunately, I really do have to go.

She took one of my hands in hers. “Will I see you tonight?” The gentle sweep of her thumb over the back of my hand raised goose bumps on my flesh.

Looking at her, still stretched out on the sofa, dressed only in a tank top and panties, I felt my breath catch in my chest and heat gather between my thighs. “Yes.” It sounded more like a sigh.

She brought her free hand up and slipped it between my legs to cup me through my underwear. I gasped and tightened my thighs around her hand, hips moving, searching for friction.

"I wish we could spend all day in bed together,” she said, voice throaty and dark.

"Fuck, I would love that.” I laid my hand on top of hers and pressed it closer to me. I caught sight of the clock in the kitchen then and groaned. “I have to go.” There could be no mistaking the regret in my voice.

Chaise dropped her hand and got up to stand in front of me. “It's my turn to work late tonight, why don't you come by? Maybe it will be a quiet night and we can just sit in the corner and make out."

"Should I...” I faltered for a second before taking a deep breath and continuing. “Should I bring my toothbrush?"

The smile that lifted the corners of Chaise's mouth made my stomach flutter. “Perhaps a change of clothes so that you don't have to leave so early tomorrow?"

Thinking of how we could spend the time it would take me to go home and change, I nodded. “Definitely."

I dressed quickly, and we shared a lingering kiss at the door before I had to rush off. My mind was already fast-forwarding to that evening, when I would see her again.

I love my job, I really do. But that turned out to be the longest damn day of my career. For the first time I found myself clock-watching, willing the hands to move faster, positive that they were deliberately trying to torment me by going slower.

In spite of my lack of concentration, I somehow managed to get caught up on the paperwork I had accumulated while I was away and was hoping to cut out a little early—just after four—when I was called into an unexpected meeting by the office manager, Amanda Reid, and forced to spend two hours listening to her bemoan the cost of toilet tissue, the misuse of stationary and the ongoing contract negotiations with the cleaning service. I found myself thinking that if this woman had a hot lover waiting for her at home then none of us would be wasting our time talking about the bulk cost of legal pads.

By the time I got out the door it was after six, but I was grateful that I had thought ahead and packed an overnight bag that morning, so I was able to head right to Goddess rather than having to go home first.

Anticipation coiled in my stomach the closer I got, and as I walked along the cobbled lane the click of my heels was like the rapid fire of a machine gun.

I frowned when I arrived at Goddess and found that the doors were locked and it was dark inside. I looked up at the windows of Chaise's apartment before rounding the building to the side entrance to the apartment. I had knocked only once when I heard the sound of footsteps hurrying down the stairs. I tingled as I waited for the door to open.

But it wasn't Chaise rushing down the stairs to meet me; it was Sophie who opened the door, her expression a great deal less perky than usual.

I didn't have time to ask what was going on before I found myself virtually dragged inside.

"She wouldn't let me call you.” She guided me up the stairs with a firm hand on my back.