61
QUINN
Quinn pulled the knot tight and leaned on the swing with her full body weight to make sure it was secure. It was just like her old swing that used to hang under the exact same willow, big enough for two adults or three kids. She vividly remembered the day her grandfather had built the original one. She and her brother were sitting on her grandfather’s knees, holding on to the sturdy ropes while they swung higher and higher. She remembered their laughter, his laughter, and her grandmother yelling at him to be careful. Her brother had lost a tooth to the swing, and she’d broken an arm one summer, but that didn’t stop them from getting back on it, always begging their grandfather to join.
Years later when she was older, the swing had become a place for her to retreat and gather her thoughts; a silent companion that cradled her. She’d found solace under the branches of the willow tree, pouring her emotions into the whispering breeze. This place had absorbed her laughter, caught her tears, and soothed her heartache. Maybe one day, it would do the same for someone else.
When she sat on it and started swinging, a wave of nostalgia washed over her. The rhythmic motion, a dance between earth and sky, lifted her and set her mind adrift. Flashbacks of long, beautiful summers and memorable days with her family made her smile. With each forward arc, she felt a release as she soared through the air. Quinn had no idea how long she’d been swinging back and forth by the time Riley came out with a glass pitcher of freshly squeezed lemonade and two tall glasses.
“Babe, you finished it. It’s gorgeous!”
“Thank you. Want to try it with me?” Quinn stopped the swing, scooted over, and waited for Riley to place the beverages on the table. She was wearing a white cotton summer dress that ended just above her knees and a gray cardigan that covered her arms. Barefoot and fresh-faced, she looked angelic in front of the lowering sun that radiated around her.
“Are you sure it will hold both of us?” she asked.
“Positive. Come here.”
Riley approached her with a teasing grin and instead of sitting next to Quinn, she hiked up her dress and straddled her. “Is this what you had in mind?”
“Not quite…” Quinn moaned when Riley shifted closer, pushing herself into her. Quinn’s core tightened at the sensual sight and the pressure of Riley’s pelvis against hers. “But I’m not complaining.” She ran a hand over Riley’s bare thigh from her knee upward, stopping just before the edge of her panties. “Maybe I should have gotten one for the bedroom after all.”
“I told you so.” Riley cupped Quinn’s face and ran her tongue over her lips, smiling when Quinn let out another soft moan. “I guess this swing will have to do for now.” Her eyes were sparkling with mischief, and she bit her lip as she ground into Quinn.
Their bodies entwined in an embrace. Quinn kept one hand on the rope while the other slipped underneath Riley’s dress to caress her back. Riley’s hair swayed around them, and every time they moved back, Quinn caught a waft of her fruity shampoo. They fell into a passionate kiss, and she closed her eyes, reveling in the moment. She felt dizzy, but she couldn’t stop kissing her, and hungry for more, she tugged at Riley’s dress. “This needs to come off,” she murmured against her mouth and held Riley so she didn’t fall while she took it off. They laughed when Riley tossed the dress behind her and it landed on a branch instead of on the lawn. “No bra?” Quinn arched a brow as her gaze was drawn to Riley’s bare breasts, and instinctively, she leaned in to fold her lips around a hard nipple.
“Who needs a bra? It’s not like there’s anyone here…” Riley pushed her chest forward and let out a strangled cry when Quinn bit her softly, teasing her with her teeth. She ground into Quinn, her body rolling as she arched her back. Everything about her was sensual and seductive, and as she inched back to look at her, Riley found her mouth again. They fell into a heated make-out, and Quinn felt like a fantasy she never knew she had was coming true. A beautiful, near-naked woman was straddling her, teasing her with her lips and grinding into her each time they swayed back. She couldn’t take it anymore; she had to have her.
“I think we should move to the lawn,” Quinn whispered, frustrated she wasn’t able to use both hands.
“I like your thinking,” Riley said.
Overcome by lust, she wanted to be all over Riley, on top of her, inside her. Scraping the sole of her sneaker across the ground, she brought them to a halt and grinned when Riley got off her and wiggled her hips as she walked away from the shade of the tree, where the grass was thicker and greener. Her ass looked exquisite in the white, lace panties that only scarcely covered it, and when Riley lowered herself onto the lawn and lay back, Quinn couldn’t get off the swing fast enough.
They both turned their attention to the drive when they suddenly heard a car coming up the drive, followed by another car.
“Fuck!” Riley slammed a hand in front of her mouth. “I forgot Gareth and Tammy were coming.”
“Oh, shit…” Quinn’s eyes widened as she saw Gareth’s truck pull up, followed by Tammy’s little Renault. She turned to Riley, who got up and covered her breasts with one hand while she tiptoed underneath the branch to grab her dress. She, too, had forgotten Tammy was coming in for a quick tidy and clean prior to Jane and Mindy’s arrival tomorrow, and the fact that Gareth would arrive at his usual time to water the plants hadn’t even crossed her mind.
“Help me, Quinn. Don’t just stand there.” Riley chuckled, jumping up and down. “I can’t reach.”
Springing into action, Quinn got back on the swing and raised herself onto her feet, pumping it until she went high enough to jump off and grab hold of Riley’s dress in the process. It tore at the neckline, and although the dress came down, a piece of white fabric remained hanging from a stub on the branch. “Sorry, I ruined it,” she said with a goofy grin when Riley scrambled to get it on. “But I like the lower neckline.”
Riley laughed and shook her head as she covered her face in her hands. “God, I’m so embarrassed. Have they seen me?”
Quinn noted both Gareth and Tammy had stepped out of their vehicles and were pretending to busy themselves with something in the back of Gareth’s pickup. They normally greeted them when they arrived, but they were making a point of avoiding contact. “I think so.” She closed the distance between them, pulled Riley into a hug, and the absurdity of the situation made her laugh. “You in your panties, your dress in the tree, me on the swing trying to retrieve it. At least it will give them something to gossip about.”
“Are we going to be the talk of the town now?” Riley blushed profusely when she finally found the courage to look up and wave at Gareth and Tammy, who waved back.
“Yes,” Quinn said as she raised her hand and smiled. “Tomorrow, everyone in Mystic will know why you have a swing in your yard.”
62
RILEY
“Mindy!” Riley bent down to pick Mindy up and spun her around in her arms.
Mindy studied her with adorable, furrowed brows. “You look different.”
