The Song in My Heart (17 page)

Erika smiled. The song was exactly the way she felt about Dess, and she knew in that moment that she was in love.
You make me smile
, Erika began to sing along, and they laughed as they moved into each other’s arms.

Chapter Fourteen

Dess and Erika danced to another three or four songs, never stopping their rhythm even as they fell into a romantic kiss every verse or so. Dess had pondered many times the question of whether there was a heaven after death. And while she was no closer to an answer, she knew that if there was, she wanted it to feel exactly this way.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Erika whispered against her.

“Hell, I’m holding out for at least a dollar.”

Erika squeezed her. “You drive a hard bargain, lady. Especially since you’re the one with all the money.”

Dess feigned surprised horror. “Oh no. You’re not a gold digger, are you? My mother warned me about those.”

Erika’s laughter made Dess smile. “Tell me you didn’t spot my shovel and hard hat in the closet?”

“Come to think of it—”

Erika swatted her ass lightly. “Keep it up and I’m going to spank you for real. And with your pants pulled down.”

A tingle swept up Dess’s thighs. Imagining Erika sliding her pants down her legs, caressing her way back up… It was almost too much, and Dess stumbled a little.

“Whoa, I’ve got you, baby.”

They tightened their hold on each other, and Erika bent her head to kiss Dess.
Oh
, Dess thought,
I could kiss these lips for hours
. It was like a guilty pleasure, except there was nothing to feel guilty about. Dess happily let the kiss go on and on, losing herself in the thrill of it until all sense of time and place vanished. The kiss only stopped when Erika pulled back to look deeply in her eyes.

“Do you feel safe with me, Dess?”

There was nothing to think about. She did feel safe with Erika, and that was no small thing. She felt strong with Erika too. “Yes. I do. More than you know.”

Erika stroked her cheek, her jaw, her eyes never leaving Dess’s. “Then come to bed with me.”

Dess gasped. A low thrum at the base of her spine, in her belly, had commenced at Erika’s bold suggestion. “This,” she answered in a trembling voice, “is going to change everything.”

“I know. But with you, I want everything to change.”

Dess placed her hand in Erika’s and let herself be guided to the bed. Giving up control had never felt so easy, so right. For once, she didn’t question her next move, didn’t analyze the crap out of it. Whatever happened now was going to be exactly the right thing.

Erika sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes roaming ravenously over Dess as she stood, legs apart, before her.

In a voice thick with lust, Erika said, “Take your clothes off.”

Dess shed her blouse first, slowly sliding it from her shoulders, letting it billow to the floor like a parachute. Her eyes never left Erika’s face, and she smiled at the slight tremble in Erika’s jaw. And at the rapid rise and fall of Erika’s chest. Knowing she was turning Erika on only heightened her own desire. She wanted Erika to touch her. Anywhere. Everywhere. She needed Erika to touch her. But only Erika’s eyes caressed her as she unclasped her bra and let it too fall to the floor.

“Oh, my,” Erika muttered on an exhalation.

“More?” Dess teased.

“Oh God,” Erika moaned. “I might not survive it, but yes. Please.”

Dess released the button on her capri pants, then the zipper. She’d never felt so desired, so appreciated, as she caught a flash of Erika’s tongue escaping her mouth, as if it were impatient to get to work.
Oh, yes
, Dess thought.
I want that tongue, those lips all over me. I want her mouth to suck me, to lick me, to make me come
. Her legs trembling, she slipped the cotton pants down her hips and to the floor, where she kicked them away. Only her panties remained.

“Goddamn, you’re beautiful,” Erika breathed, her eyes again sliding over Dess like a blanket. “But, um, sweetheart?”

“Yes?”

“You forgot something.”

Dess laughed and said in a teasing voice, “If you want my underwear off me, you’re going to have to do it yourself.”

Erika leapt from the side of the bed and knelt before Dess, her face inches from Dess’s belly as nimble hands reached out and carefully slid the underwear down her hips and thighs. Dess held her breath, ready to burst as she waited for Erika to touch her.

“You’re so, so beautiful,” Erika whispered in a voice full of awe.

Then touch me
.

Erika reached for her ass, cupping each cheek firmly, as her mouth kissed each hip, each thigh, and Dess wanted to collapse into a heap. She was so wet, her desire a thundering pulse between her legs. All she wanted now was to experience the joy she knew Erika would give her, followed by its sweet, mind-blowing, violent release.

The first touch of Erika’s tongue sent a laser beam up and down her spine. She clutched two fistfuls of Erika’s hair, pulled gently on the silky waves as confirmation resonated that this was really happening, that this gorgeous young woman was actually kneeling before her, pleasuring her with her mouth. Her legs shook, and they threatened to collapse under Erika’s oral ministrations.

“My…legs,” Dess sputtered, pleasure rocketing up into her belly.

Erika guided her to the bed, the momentary absence of her mouth nearly making Dess beg for its return. Erika settled her on the edge of the bed, and, still on her knees, kissed and nipped her inner thighs.

“Oh,” Dess breathed. “Please, baby.”
Okay, I’m begging now, but I don’t care
. “I need you. I need…your…mouth…on me.”

It was pure liquid pleasure as Erika’s tongue circled her clit, then delivered the quick hard strokes that Dess craved, tossing her like a little boat in a thrashing sea. Every nerve ending ignited, every sense was thrown into overdrive. And when Erika plunged two fingers inside her, Dess was a goner. Synchronized perfectly, the strokes launched a wave of ecstasy that began in her curled toes and rumbled its way up her legs, like a massive tsunami overpowering everything in its path.
Oh, yes
, Dess thought,
I am going to be selfish, dammit
.
I am going to come over and over again. I don’t want this to stop. Ever.

She reached down and pulled Erika’s mouth harder against her, pushed her hips higher to accept Erika’s fingers more deeply. “Oh God,” she cried out. “I’m coming, baby. Oh, I’m coming so hard.” The shudders roared through her body with a crushing force. She rode the sweet, powerful, undulating waves like a surfer. And Erika, God love her, didn’t stop for a single second. Her tongue kept flicking, kept stroking, kept pushing her back to the precipice to start the delicious sequence all over again.

“Oh, Erika,” Dess rasped. “Honey, you’re going to kill me with kindness.”

“Good,” Erika muttered against her thigh. “That’s my plan. And just so you know, I’m not stopping until you come at least three more times.”

Her mouth resumed its glorious pursuit, and Dess welcomed the gathering of another volcanic orgasm. She was melting from the inside out. She would be a puddle on the floor before this was all over. But God, she couldn’t stop. She was giving her body completely over to this woman as pleasure consumed her like an out-of-control wildfire. She let herself be possessed by Erika and her spectacularly talented mouth and fingers. God, she loved the way this woman made her feel. That was the truth, even if her voice refused to give life to the words.

Erika’s fingers remained inside Dess, even as she let Dess pull her up so they could kiss.

“You’re wonderful at this,” Dess purred, the glow of orgasms and happy exertion leaving her sleepy and spent. She pelted Erika’s face with more kisses. “Do you know how wonderful you are?”

“Only with you, sweetheart. Only with you.”

Erika’s fingers began moving inside her again, and instantly Dess grew hard and wet. She was ravenous with Erika—a horny, libido-driven teenager who couldn’t get enough sex, who couldn’t say no. And it set her free. For the first time in decades, she was untethered from her fears, her cares, her worries. What it all meant for her, for them, for their summer tour, for after their summer tour, she would think about later. Much later. Right now she wanted to come again, and she moaned her acquiescence. Yes, her moan said, fuck me good.

And Erika did. Her fingers plunged hard inside Dess and her mouth devoured her breasts, her nipples. Dess was quick this time, rocking against Erika as the violence of her orgasm pulverized her. She opened her eyes to a self-satisfied grin.

“You’re…pretty pleased with yourself,” Dess said, smiling through her breathlessness.

“No, sweetheart. I’m pleased with
you
. You’re a tiger in bed.”

Dess squirmed, embarrassed. “I’m not normally…I mean, I didn’t…I haven’t…”

“Stop trying to apologize. Or justify. I love it. And I love you.” Devotion and conviction rose in Erika’s eyes. She wasn’t lying.

Dess swallowed hard against the tide of emotion. She cared for Erika too, but it wasn’t that simple. Love was much more than the dopamine-saturated high she got whenever she was around Erika. And it was certainly much more than the great sex they were sharing. And
great
was an understatement!

Dess rolled herself on top of Erika and kissed her neck, her luscious throat that sang directly to the heavens. She wanted to do all the things to Erika that Erika had done to her. And more. Slowly she worked her way down, feeling Erika tense in anticipation. Her skin quivered wherever Dess touched her.

Erika moaned. “I want you so badly, Dess.”

“And I want you, darling.”

“I’m not a patient woman, just so you know.”

Dess smiled against her stomach. “I’ll remember that.”

“No. Really. I mean it.”

Erika gently pushed her down, down, down, until Dess was nestled between her thighs. Her center rose up to meet Dess’s mouth, not waiting, and her need shot fresh arousal through Dess. With her mouth and her tongue, she worked the velvety moist flesh as though it were the most delectable, sweetest fruit she’d ever tasted. Erika pushed into her, and Dess devoured her with a fervor and boldness she’d not shown before in making love to anyone. She nearly came herself when Erika bucked against her and screamed her name. “Oh, yes, baby, I’ve got you,” Dess answered soothingly and slid her way up Erika’s body. They moved against each other, whispering dirty things to each other, nipping each other’s flesh, leaving little bruises. Heat and friction and tension fused them together in a possessive dance that said yes, they belonged together. They rocked harder and harder together, increasing the friction until they both exploded in a shattering orgasm.

Exhausted, sweat-slicked, Dess moved off Erika and lay beside her. They both panted as if they’d completed a marathon.

“Oh my God,” Erika said. “That was incredible.”

Dess giggled wearily. “I don’t know what we’re going to do for an encore, but I think it’s going to have to wait.”

In seconds they were asleep, limp noodles curled in each other’s arms.

* * *

It was after five in the morning when Erika slid her hand over Dess’s naked thigh, wanting to wake her but not wanting to be obvious about it. She wanted Dess over and over again. Even her dreams during their scant hours of sleep had been about making love to Dess.

She’d been thrilled and surprised by Dess’s eagerness in bed. Each time they’d made love, they’d only grown hungrier for each other. And Erika knew exactly why. It was because they were in love, because only love made sex this good. Even if Dess couldn’t say the words, it was okay. Erika wouldn’t rush her. She would be patient with Dess, because she loved her. And because Dess was worth it.

Dess shifted against her, awakening with Erika’s bold caresses that had moved to the soft skin inside her thigh. Erika felt Dess’s breathing increase and moved her hand higher to cup Dess between her legs. She was greeted by velvety moistness.

“Oh,” Dess gasped. “Oh, yes.”

“Yes, what?” Erika teased, knowing she was being evil.

“Make love to me. Please.”

Erika kissed her on the mouth, flicking her tongue against her lips, enjoying the feel of her body coming alive beneath her fingers. Dess was wet and quivering, moving against her hand. Erika palmed her in a circular motion, muffling her moans with more hot kisses. Fingers pushed inside, and she met the slick softness there with rapid strokes until Dess shuddered and quaked and groaned her name. God, how she loved the sound of her name on Dess’s lips as she spent herself.

“One of these days,” Dess said, “we’re going to have to get out of this bed.”

“Hmm, I suppose you’re right. Unless we can teach Maggie to bring us food.”

“Ha. You’re asking a Lab to bring food?”

“Oh, right. What am I thinking? Besides, I don’t need food. I’ll just eat you instead.”

Dess laughed, her eyes gleaming with mischief in the light of dawn. “Come here, you.”

Erika let Dess climb on top of her, let her playfully restrain her hands by the wrists.

“Now I’ve got you where I want you,” Dess breathed.

“Fine. I give up. Have your way with me.”
I’m yours, Dess Hampton. All yours.
In a flash, she knew she would do anything Dess asked her. Go anywhere, say anything, be anything.
As long as she keeps loving me
.

Her thoughts quickly dissolved in the tumult that Dess’s fingers were causing. She squeezed her eyes shut and surrendered to the orgasm bearing down on her like a freight train.

Chapter Fifteen

It took no small effort to get out of bed, shower and eat, then feed and walk Maggie. Afterwards, Erika laughingly serenaded Dess with “Afternoon Delight,” and they made love again.

“You’re unstoppable,” Dess said, but she wasn’t complaining. She loved that Erika couldn’t stop wanting her. Her desire, carnal but full of love and tenderness too, was a gift that made Dess feel more alive and vibrant than she’d ever felt. Even singing to tens of thousands of hysterical fans couldn’t come close, because that stuff wasn’t real. This sure was.