Thirteen Hours (9 page)

“We do,” Dana said.

“So have dinner with me.”

“I’m buying.”

“Oh, no,” Laurel countered. “I asked. I’m buying.”

Dana wouldn’t concede this one. If she was going on a date with a gorgeous woman, she was going to do it right.

As though sensing her resolve, Laurel said, “We’ve got plenty of time to debate who picks up the check. Why don’t you make me perform a dare instead?” Something mischievous sparkled in her eyes.

“It seems like the right time.”

Dana wondered if Laurel hoped she was going to dare her for a kiss. If only she had the guts to just go for the gold like that, Dana mused. She thought about various acts she could make Laurel perform, until she came up with something nearly as good as the kiss she really wanted.

H
OUR
N
INE
—3:00 A.M.

T
his is gonna be bad, isn’t it?” Laurel asked.

“Oh, I think it’s very good.” Dana beamed. “I dare you to finish that dance you were giving me earlier.”

“Oh, God. For real?”

“Fair is fair. Scott paid for it, after all.”

“You don’t think you got his money’s worth out of me yet?”

Dana shook her head. “Nope. I got to see the perfect breasts, but you pulled those jeans back on before I had time to enjoy the rest of you. How can we say that my birthday is complete?” She gestured over at Laurel’s iPod, which sat at the other side of the elevator car. “You’ve got the music. Piece of cake.”

Laurel’s face turned an interesting shade of red. “It won’t be easy doing a lap dance while you’re sitting on the floor.” Leaning over to her backpack, she produced the can of whipped cream with a challenging grin. “Shall I use this, too?”

Dana licked her lips, feeling faint at the thought. “How about we save that for later?”
I’d rather kiss you first.

“Okay.” Laurel seemed to be warming to the idea. She set the can aside, stood up, and kicked her shoes off into the corner. “So you just want to sit there?”

Dana nodded happily. “And watch.”

“And watch,” Laurel murmured. “Right.”

She picked up her iPod and made a quick adjustment to the volume as music blared. Immediately her hips began to sway with the beat, and she propped the iPod against the wall, hitched her T-shirt up to just below her breasts, and launched into a seductive dance. Just like that, she was all confidence.

The hem of her pale yellow T-shirt remained gripped in her hands, and she lifted and lowered it as she danced, sometimes revealing the undersides of her firm breasts, but never the dusky pink nipples Dana ached to see again. Now that she had given herself permission to enjoy it, Laurel’s dancing was one of the sexiest things Dana had ever seen.

Her palms were sweating.

“Do you always tease this much?” she asked.

“Always,” Laurel answered, her voice honey-smooth.

She raised a suggestive eyebrow at Dana, then eased her T-shirt up and over her head. After tossing it on the floor, she ran one hand through her dark, tousled hair and grinned. This time, Dana let her gaze slide over Laurel’s flesh with far more than a casual interest. She stared openly at the most perfect pair of naked female breasts she had ever seen in real life.
Happy birthday to me.
She grinned back.

“You like?” Laurel covered both breasts with her hands, cupping her flesh and giving it a seductive squeeze.

Dana managed a mindless nod, her eyes fixed on Laurel’s hands.

“Want to see more?” Laurel rubbed her bare breasts together for a moment before sliding her hands down over her stomach to the button on the front of her blue jeans.

“Please,” Dana rasped.
Thank you, Scott. You devious, underhanded,
wonderful
son of a bitch.

With a slow smile, Laurel unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans with one hand, and then brought both to grip the waistband to start another slow tease. Down a little, up, down again, then up once more. Dana felt dizzy at the seductive promise in her gaze.

“Breathe, honey,” Laurel murmured over the music.

Dana released one explosive breath, and could hardly draw the next. Her tongue seemed to be glued to the roof of her mouth as Laurel turned, offering a nice view of her jean-clad ass. Giggling, she lowered the waistband of her jeans, but this time kept going, pushing the denim over her hips and down her shapely thighs. She dropped her pants when she had them to her knees. Bent over at the waist, she presented Dana with the most perfect nearly naked female bottom she had ever seen in real life.

Those weren’t the panties she recalled from her covert glance back in the office. She was wearing a g-string. Dana wondered if she’d somehow fallen asleep earlier in the evening, and was trapped in the most erotic porn movie dream she could imagine. Stuff like this just didn’t happen to the Dana Watts who got up at the same time each morning to rush to work, then stayed until the lights were out everywhere in the Boynton Software Solutions building but at her workstation.

Laurel swayed back around, releasing a sweet peal of laughter.

“Baby, your face.”

“Baby, your
ass
,” Dana groaned. “I’m speechless.”

Laurel stepped closer so that Dana was staring right at the lacy black fabric covering the area between her legs. One hand tangled in Dana’s hair, drawing her face closer. Dana closed her eyes and inhaled, enjoying the scent of Laurel’s arousal. She couldn’t believe her own boldness. Her lips twitched with the desire to lean forward and kiss that warm, fragrant space.

Laurel released Dana’s head and sank down to the floor so she could straddle her thighs. Lap full of mostly naked stripper, Dana felt as though she were floating outside her body, looking down on the scene from above. She stretched out her legs and brought her hands up to rest against Laurel’s lower back, steadying her as she continued to writhe to the music. Her skin was smooth and warm, every inch of her flesh begging to be touched.

Rocking with the music, she settled down so her pussy pressed against Dana’s thigh, then leaned forward and breathed hot words into her ear. “I’m willing to bend the rules for you, Dana. You’re allowed to touch me all you want.”

Dana stared at Laurel’s breasts, bouncing gently mere inches from her face.
I’m going to pass out for real this time.
Her heart pounded so hard she feared it rivaled the volume of the club music. She felt her hands trembling against Laurel’s bare skin, the palms slick with nervous sweat. Her breathing disintegrated into nothing more than a frantic gasping for air, the sucking in of desperate mouthfuls of oxygen.

Laurel snaked her hand through Dana’s hair again, guiding her face to the impossible softness of the space between her naked breasts.

“Enjoy this, sweetheart.”

Unable to refuse, Dana kept her face pressed into Laurel’s ample cleavage and dropped her hands to rest on Laurel’s buttocks. When Laurel groaned, she tightened her grip instinctively, squeezing the firm cheeks with her fingers.

With a soft cry, Laurel sank against her, cushioning Dana’s cheek against the slope of her breast. Dana couldn’t believe that this was her life, that her lips were parted only centimeters from an erect nipple and her hands were full of naked Laurel.

She blinked, staring in wonder at Laurel’s pink skin and listening to the heartbeat thumping beneath her ear. In an instant, her feelings shifted from passionate to adoring, and she released Laurel’s buttocks and slid her palms up the length of her back.

“This is so nice.” Dana splayed out her fingers and held her closer.

Laurel returned the tender embrace, repeating, “Yes. So, so nice. Dana?”

“Yeah?”

“I dare you to let me kiss you.”

Dana’s heartbeat stuttered and she released an involuntary moan.

“Is that a yes?” Laurel asked in a breathless whisper.

“Yes,” Dana said. She loosened her arms and looked up at Laurel with a nervous smile. “Do it.”

Laurel smiled back. “I’ve been wanting to do this forever.”

I guess it does feel like we’ve been in this elevator forever,
Dana mused. She moaned as Laurel closed the distance between them, cupping her face and pressing her mouth to Dana’s in a gentle kiss.

Laurel drew away far too soon, asking, “Good?”

Dana forced herself to start breathing again. “Your lips are so soft.”

“So are yours. Want to do it again?”

Dana nodded. “Turn off that godawful music first.”

Laughing, Laurel turned and reached awkwardly toward her iPod, half falling on the floor to reach it. Dana moved with her as she stretched out. With a desperate jab, she cut the bass-heavy music and they were left with the sounds of their mingled breathing, heavy and aroused.

“Where were we?” Laurel asked, crawling back into Dana’s lap.

“Here.” Dana reached up to thread her fingers through Laurel’s chestnut hair. Their mouths came together harder this time, and immediately Laurel parted her lips to deepen the kiss. Instinctively, Dana did the same.

What ensued was the clumsiest, most teeth-clashing kiss Dana had ever had the misfortune to help create. As their mouths dueled in wet, awkward disharmony, Dana knew that it was she, with her lack of experience, who was responsible for the absolute messiness of their joining. “I’m sorry,” she sputtered, pulling away. Her cheeks burned with shame. “That was awful. I’m sorry.”

“Honey, don’t you dare be sorry about that.” Laurel’s face shone with sympathetic affection. “Despite what they write in stories, first kisses are often less than perfect.”

“You’re being generous.” Dana dropped her gaze to Laurel’s chest. And her bare breasts. “I’d say that was about as far from perfect as a first kiss could get.”

“That’s what practicing is for, Dana. I’m up for it, if you are.”

Sucking in a surprised lungful of air, Dana couldn’t help but crack a smile. “Practicing?”

“Do you think I started out as a great kisser?” Laurel asked. “I had to be taught. I had to practice for years. This stuff takes work, woman.”

“And you’re volunteering to practice with me?”

“I’m insisting on it,” Laurel said. Their next kiss was slower, Laurel approaching with soft lips and hot breath, pressing their mouths together with infinite tenderness. Dana didn’t move, frozen with fear that she would turn this perfect moment sour. She felt Laurel smile against her lips. “Enough truth or dare.” Her lips brushed against Dana’s, sending an excited shiver skittering throughout her paralyzed body. “Let’s play a new game.”

“What game?” Dana whispered.

She felt the tip of Laurel’s tongue slide across her upper lip, then retreat so she could whisper, “Kissing lessons.”

Dana trembled against Laurel’s supple body. “Sounds like fun.”

“Oh, I think it will be. Want to go first?”

Nodding, Dana managed a shaky exhalation. “Yes.”

“Let me use my tongue,” Laurel whispered. “Just surrender to me for a few minutes, okay?”

She’ll do all the work
, Dana translated. She felt her entire body relax. Thank God. She tipped her head in agreement. “Do you think you could—”

“What, darling?” Laurel licked at Dana’s lips again.

“Put your shirt back on?” Dana requested, breathless. “I think it’d help with the nervous thing.”

Laurel’s laugh caused her bare breasts to bounce gently in rhythm.

“All right. Fair enough.” She twisted away to pull on her T-shirt.

Dana felt mingled sorrow and relief when the pale yellow fabric once more covered those exceptional breasts. “Not that I don’t absolutely love them, you understand,” she murmured.

“I understand.” Laurel smiled. “Should I put my jeans on, too?”

“No. I think kissing lessons will be better with those off.”

Laurel brought her face close to Dana’s again, nipping at her lower lip with gentle teeth. “It’ll work out perfectly for lesson three: using your whole body to full effect.” She swiped her tongue across Dana’s mouth. “Let me inside, sweetheart.”

Parting her lips in wordless surrender, Dana accepted the gentle invasion of Laurel’s tongue with a grateful moan. She held still, letting Laurel explore her mouth with languid strokes, resisting the need to return her kiss with all the passionate urgency she felt. Instead, she concentrated on the taste of Laurel, on the feeling of her sharing herself so intimately, on the soft press of her lips and the silky wetness of her tongue.

Laurel pulled back with a contented whimper. “Oh, you show great promise,” she said, her voice throaty with desire. “We’re ready for lesson two, I think.”

“Lesson two?”

“
Your
tongue,” Laurel said. “Time for you to use it.”

Dana stiffened a little. Time for a little more of her slapstick routine.

Laurel wrapped her arms around Dana’s body and held her tight.

“Go slow,” she murmured. “Just explore. Play with me. Tease me and make me want you so bad I’ll explode if I don’t have you.”

No problem. Dana released a low, needy moan and pressed her tongue into the wet warmth of Laurel’s mouth. Laurel released her own noise of pure need, grabbing at Dana’s back with both hands and clawing her way up Dana’s shoulder blades with blunt fingernails. Dana did what came naturally. She traced the tip of her tongue over teeth and tongue and gums, seeking to memorize every inch of Laurel’s mouth.

She didn’t hurry, didn’t push; she simply reacted, trying to express everything she felt, and how much she wanted Laurel, without saying a word. Now well aware of what a great kiss felt like, she tried to mimic Laurel’s technique, holding her steady as they began a slow exploration with their tongues.

Advance and retreat. That was the new game they played, each taking turns licking at the other’s mouth, moving back and forth with unconscious ease. Dana concentrated wholly on their intricate dance, no other thought in her head but the give and take between them. Gone was the self-critical analysis that would normally have been occupying her mind at a time like this, and the doubt. In its place was pure instinct, driving her actions.

When they broke apart, both of them were gasping.

“I think you’re winning this game.” Laurel grinned.