Magnetic (20 page)

Layne had been steadily shoving food into her mouth while Stacy talked. Flavors exploded on her tongue, and she hoped that she didn’t have sauce in her hair. “This is absolutely delicious.”

Stacy looked pleased. “Thank you.”

“Have you really hiked?”

“Some, but I’ve never encountered bears, nor have I had deer that allowed me to walk up on them, and I don’t have a wounded hawk named Socrates that I rehabbed and travel with on my journeys.”

Layne grinned. “Do you really tell people that?”

“Oh, yeah, and it gets worse as time goes on and they stick around. Sometimes, I really get caught up in the bullshit I’m spinning.”

Layne laughed. “I thought people just poured out their problems to the bartender.”

“They do that, too, and I just listen and nod. That’s the easy part.”

“I feel like a pig,” Layne looked down at her empty plate, “but I couldn’t stop.”

“I’ll take that as a good sign.” Stacy stood and collected the empty dishes. “You enjoy your wine and I’ll take care of these.”

“No.” Layne stood and followed her to the sink. “You did this for me. I can’t allow you to clean too.” She grabbed Stacy’s hand, both of them laughing as the plate clattered into the sink.

Stacy was the first to sober. “I should let you get settled in now. Thank you for the enjoyable company.”

Layne knew what she was doing and knew that she should stop. A polite “thank you” would’ve sufficed, even perhaps a chaste hug, but she’d lost restraint the minute she’d grabbed Stacy’s hand, and she couldn’t let go. The look between them lasted a millisecond, the kiss that followed much longer. Layne’s back hit the wall, her feet barely touching the floor, both her hands fisted in Stacy’s shirt. The fire that she’d fought to keep under control blazed inside of her.

Stacy pulled back suddenly, her eyes wild. “Layne?”

“Yes.” Layne refused to let her go. “Yes, I want this.” She inhaled deeply and took Stacy’s hand, pulling her toward the bedroom. And like the night they met, clothing flew in every direction in a race to get to each other.

Stacy groaned when they fell onto the bed and she felt Layne’s body pinned beneath her own. The connection she felt to Layne was so much more than physical, but the union of their bodies made it all feel so complete. Her heart thudded in her chest and desire flooded every ounce of her being, but she wanted to bask in the sweet tension. She could love Layne like this for the rest of her life and never get enough.

The kisses became long and languid. Layne smiled as she kissed Stacy’s fingertips, her face, her neck, her touches tender and at times demanding. What Layne could not allow herself to say was undeniably expressed in her actions. She felt the magnetic attraction, too, though it defied her logic, and Stacy was content to allow Layne to come to her own conclusions because she knew in her heart that it was right between them.

Stacy’s mouth and tongue on her skin made Layne’s senses come painfully alive. She craned her neck back as Stacy slowly moved down her body. Layne couldn’t touch her enough. Her hands were in Stacy’s hair, her fingers brushed Stacy’s lips, smiling when each one was kissed. Stacy’s touches were the perfect combination of affection and sexuality, so much so the line blurred between. Layne felt as though she were being made love to and devoured at the same time.

Layne inhaled sharply through her teeth when Stacy’s tongue dipped between her legs. To her, it didn’t feel as though Stacy was performing an act, a very pleasurable act. It was an experience they were both enjoying. She didn’t feel rushed as Stacy slowly coaxed her to the edge, and it surprised her how easily she trusted Stacy to take her there.

The setting sun streamed around the edges of the blinds, filling the room with warm subdued light. Stacy watched as it filtered across Layne’s abdomen, spotlighting the muscles tensing there, her hands fisted in the sheets. She was beautiful, perfect. Stacy closed her eyes, letting Layne’s breathless cry wash through her.

“Come to me,” Layne whispered as she tugged on Stacy’s hand. “Turn over and lay on your stomach while I catch my breath.” Stacy stretched out beside her. Layne kissed her temple before sitting up, running her fingers lightly over Stacy’s skin. “I’ve come to know this back rather well. I used to stare at the muscles in your shoulders, the way your body tapers down to your waist, then your hips flare.” Layne ran her hands down Stacy’s sides. “Just enough to be feminine.” Her touch was
featherlight
as her fingers fanned out over Stacy’s backside. “So hard to admire and not touch.”

Stacy’s eyes closed at the longing in Layne’s voice. She understood that hunger all too well. Her skin burned where Layne touched her.

Layne sighed as she ran her cheek along Stacy’s spine. “Your skin smells so good even when you’re sweating. The day we collided, I could smell you all over me.”

Stacy inhaled sharply when Layne straddled one of her legs and slipped a hand under her hip. She pulled her knee up and turned slightly when Layne kissed the skin between her shoulder blades. Layne moaned and breathed hotly against her back when her fingers dipped into Stacy’s wetness, and Stacy shuddered feeling her touch. Stacy tried to roll, wanting to face Layne fully to touch and kiss her.

“No.” Layne pushed her down with her upper body. “I know how you operate. You’ll distract me, and it feels too good to fight.” Layne’s voice was raspy as she said, “I want this,” and pushed her fingers inside of Stacy.

Stacy groaned into the pillow as she thrust her hips, taking as much of Layne as she could. She clamped her jaw and swallowed hard when Layne’s fingers grazed her clit. “I dream of this,” Layne said against her skin.

Layne kept her suspended on that sharp edge of pleasure and pain. “Layne,” Stacy rasped out when she could take no more.

“Turn over.”

Stacy rolled onto her back, missing the contact when Layne pulled her hand away. The skin of Layne’s neck and chest were flushed as she knelt between Stacy’s legs and balanced her weight on one hand above Stacy’s shoulder. “Keep those hands to yourself,” Layne warned with a smile. She stared deep into Stacy’s eyes as her hand slid between Stacy’s legs. Layne bit her lip and closed her eyes for a moment when her fingers slipped inside of Stacy.

Stacy watched as Layne’s eyes slowly opened, revealing a glimpse of blue mostly swallowed up by her dilated pupils. Her lips parted, breathing as heavily as Stacy. A small crease formed between her brows. “Don’t give it to me so easily,” she said with desperation.

Stacy sounded just as desperate to her own ears when she replied, “I can’t control it. You—” Stacy inhaled sharply when Layne stilled. “Don’t delay it…please, not this time.”

“You promise to give me more?”

“Yes,” Stacy said breathlessly.

Layne’s expression was pained as she began to move again. Stacy grabbed the arm above her shoulder and the side of the bed as Layne worked her, pushing her closer. The muscles in Stacy’s jaw quivered as she clamped her teeth knowing that she was about to completely lose her mind. She grabbed the back of Layne’s neck, pulling her head down onto her chest, needing the connection as sensation swept through her body unable to make a sound as air rushed out of her lungs.

Chapter 22

“I didn’t come here expecting this to happen.” Stacy lay partially on the mattress where the sheets had been ripped away. The room was now completely dark; dusk had faded into night, and soon it would be midnight. “I want to get to know you.” She ran the backs of her fingers across Layne’s bare hip. “More than just this.”

Layne switched on the bedside lamp and lay on her side, her gaze sweeping over the planes of Stacy’s body. “I have no self-control when you’re around,” she confessed softly.

“Apparently, neither of us is very good at restraining ourselves in the presence of the other. But there are things we need to talk about, Ronnie for one.”

Layne winced hearing her name.

“More importantly,” Stacy rolled onto her side and faced Layne, “I need to know how you feel. We’re too far gone for cat and mouse at this point. I have to tell you that I’m totally enamored with you, and I can’t make it stop. I don’t know why, I don’t care to know. I’m enjoying it far too much.”

“You don’t analyze what you’re feeling at all?” Layne asked, mystified by the lack of logic.

“Some, but I tend to go with what my instincts tell me, and I know what’s happening between us is a good thing.”

“We know very little of each other outside of the bedroom.” Layne sat up, remembering what she knew of Stacy’s history of loss and suffering. “I don’t want to lead you on or hurt you.”

Stacy gazed up at her and licked her lips. “Are you about to tell me it’s really all about sex?”

“No.” Layne shook her head. “I can’t say that. This is something just so out of control. I make decisions based on logic. But you…” Layne shook her head slowly and narrowed her eyes. “I’ve been thinking a lot about Detroit and seeing you again, and I wonder if that night hadn’t happened if I’d still be so…captivated by you, and the answer keeps coming back yes. That night was fantastic, but you really got under my skin in Florida.”

Stacy gazed up at Layne. “You consider that a bad thing?”

“I’m methodical. Things have to be in order for me. There should be a courtship where we get to know each other…but I feel like…I know all there is to know, and that makes no sense to me at all.”

Stacy traced her fingers down Layne’s arm. “I can accept that. I just need to know if you’re willing to fully explore what’s happening here. Are you open to love if that’s what it turns out to be?”

Layne inhaled deeply. “Yes, I am, but I don’t think it’s going to be simple for us. I have special people in my life that,” Layne waved a hand, “whatever this is has already affected.”

Stacy sat up and kissed Layne softly on the lips. “These are the things we need to discuss. Maybe we should do more talking than…what we seem to do best.”

Layne met Stacy’s lips again. “I’m open to that.”

“Good,” Stacy whispered before kissing Layne fully. “Now I have to go.”

*******

Alana made a show of looking at the clock when Stacy walked in. “It’s almost one in the morning. Explain yourself, young lady.”

“Explain yourself, old gal. What are you still doing up?”

“I’ve been
dozing
on and off on the couch, too lazy to get up and get into bed,” Alana said with a yawn. She blinked when she took a closer look at Stacy, and a slow grin spread across her face. “I figured when you didn’t immediately return that you and Layne talked, but it certainly looks like you did a lot more.”

Stacy looked down at her rumpled shirt as she sat. “We did talk.”

“Was it ‘fuck me now,’ or ‘right there and don’t stop’?”

Stacy grinned as her face warmed. “Ass.”

“I’m all for taking it to the sheets, but I thought your plan was to romance her.”

“It was.” Stacy slumped down in her chair. “Things just get crazy when I’m around her.”

Alana rubbed her forehead. “I can’t imagine Layne getting out of control. Frankly, I thought control was her middle name. Is there a procedure for how y’all have sex? Do you have to follow certain steps?”

“I don’t think we know the same woman,” Stacy said seriously.

“No, you just haven’t seen the one I know, but you will, and that’s what I worry about. She’s very focused about the things she wants and can be controlling to get it.”

Stacy thought about being controlled by Layne, and so far, she was enjoying it. “I’ll get to know that side, too, and draw my own conclusions.”

“Good,” Alana said with a nod. “I have no relationship advice except for how to avoid one. If you need help in that department, I’m your girl.”