For so long, Hallie had let herself be defined by what was missing from her life. She didn’t want to be that person anymore. Especially not if it meant that there was a world in which she couldn’t show up for Brynn in exactly the way that she deserved.
Which was to be loved and celebrated and supported, without reservation.
Surging forward, she captured Brynn’s lips in a kiss. She hoped that, for now, it could convey all the feelings that were swirling through her body.
Brynn sighed into the contact, and sparks shot through Hallie at how right it felt whenever they came together. The way their lips slid against one another. How nothing else even came close to the feeling of being wrapped up in Brynn’s arms. And definitely the way that, for the first time in hours, all of her fears and concerns floated away.
Hallie couldn’t say how long they stayed like that, but eventually, Brynn took a breath and pressed their foreheads together, her chest rising and falling erratically. And even though Hallie wanted to chase the kiss, she resisted. Even more, she needed to hear whatever Brynn had to say.
“Your water’s getting cold,” Brynn groaned, exasperation clear in her tone. “Even though I’d love to continue this later.”
An hour later, Hallie was so relaxed that she wondered whether her body had a physical shape anymore.
She was lying facedown on her bed in a pair of underwear with Brynn straddling her, giving her a massage that Hallie could only describe asalsostraddling the bounds of decency. Lots and lots of straddling was happening, which was not their smartest idea. Especially not when Sydney and Reese would be arriving at any minute.
Hallie sighed in pleasure as Brynn’s fingers kneaded into her tight muscles. “Why did you invite them over again?” she forced herself to ask. She could barely remember why she’d been so upset earlier.
Brynn laughed. Then, she tried to pick up one of her legs that was astride Hallie’s right hip. This was immediately vetoed, as Hallie reached behind her and grabbed onto Brynn’s knee, pulling her down.
“I’m trying to be good here,” Brynn breathed out when her body pushed against Hallie’s ass, though Hallie noticed with a certain satisfaction that she pressed her weight down.
Hallie reveled in the contact. “You are being good. You’re beingverygood to me,” she said, her tone hitting a breathy pitch she hadn’t intended.
But for the last thirty minutes, she’d been touched almost every place on her body except where she needed to feel Brynn most.
It was a need that was growing more pressing as time wore on. So much so, that she pushed her hips down into the mattress, trying to get some relief.
The massage had started innocently enough. Brynn had waited patiently for Hallie to finish her bath, which she’d languished in until the water had gone cold. There’d been a set of fluffy towels waiting for her on the sink, which she’d wrapped herself in. When she’d come out of the bathroom, Brynn had been sitting on Hallie’s bed, reading a book.
Sure, Hallie had caught Brynn sneaking a glance or two as she’d dried off and put on a pair of underwear, but she’d loved every second of it. The hunger in Brynn’s eyes only made how responsible Brynn was trying to be that much more endearing.
Then, Brynn had directed her to lie down on the bed. This had sent a thrill through her, even as Brynn had clarified, “For your massage. Which is because you’ve had a hard day and for no other reason.”
“Not at all because you want an excuse to touch me?” Hallie had teased, crawling across the bed and lying down on her stomach.
For the first part of the massage, it had been easier to control herself. Brynn had stood above her, focusing on her legs and then her arms and then her head. It was only when they got to the back, where, to be fair, Hallie did hold most of her stress, that things had started to go off the rails.
“It would probably be easier if you got on the bed, too,” Hallie had encouraged.
She would have laughed at how quickly Brynn had complied, but then she’d been on top of her, and every nerve ending in Hallie’s body had lit up, begging for attention and pressure and relief.
Which was how, for the last ten minutes, Hallie had been existing in a state of both frustration and bliss.
She would definitely be thinking about this later, when she was in bed alone. For right now, she turned all thought off; she didn’t want to miss this moment.
Turning quickly, which she knew was successful, given the sound Brynn let out, she managed to get on her back. “You haven’t done my chest yet.”
“Your chest,” Brynn echoed, her pupils blown wide as she stared down at Hallie. And god, Hallie really did love it—the clear want on Brynn’s face, like Hallie was a Christmas gift she couldn’t wait to unwrap.
Hallie reached for Brynn’s arms, dragging them down to rest on her stomach before she lifted an eyebrow in challenge. “I’m sure that we can control ourselves.”
“We can control ourselves,” Brynn parroted again, her hands unmoving. But Hallie could see how the tips of her fingers were fidgeting, like she was holding herself back.
“Then touch me.”
And Brynn, to her credit, was really, really good at following directions. So good, in fact, that Hallie couldn’t help the indulgent sigh that slipped out as she did so. Because Brynn’s hands—her perfect, perfect hands—were massaging Hallie’s chest.
“Like this?” Brynn questioned, her voice little more than a whisper.
