Mattie nudged Nell onto her lap and embraced her. “I want to give you all of me.”
“I want that, but there’s no rush.” Nell looped her arms around Mattie’s neck. “We can build together, at our own speed.”
“You are one glorious woman.” Mattie gestured at her Christmas gift and smiled. “We can smell the roses together.”
The need to touch became overwhelming. Nell leaned forward and nuzzled at Mattie’s throat, her lips clumsy with desire. Mattie’s whimper in response caused a moan of her own. “I know there’s still a lot more to say, but can we go to bed now? I would like to show you what I’m feeling rather than telling.”
“Yes, sweetheart,” said Mattie.
In her bedroom, Nell had a flashback to the first time they’d been here together. Mattie had nudged her back into life, and she’d been wide awake ever since. She closed the curtains while Mattie crawled onto the bed.
“Join me.” Mattie patted the space next to her.
Nell smiled, anticipation warming her. Before she realised what was happening, Mattie rolled her so that her back was propped up against the pillows, and Mattie was straddling her thighs. Nell laughed. “That was some move,” she said, her hands drifting up Mattie’s legs.
Mattie brushed them away gently. “Hands to yourself. I want you where you can see me.”
Nell watched as Mattie pulled off the borrowed hoodie. One by one, she undid the shirt buttons. Nell drew shallow breaths. God, it’d been too long since they’d last shared this. Mattie unclasped the last of the buttons and slowly slipped the shirt off her shoulders. Nell’s mouth went dry as she realised Mattie’s intention. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I do.” Mattie reached behind to unclasp her bra.
Her fingers trembled as she pulled the straps away and dropped the bra on the bed next to her. Then she carefully swivelled around so that she was facing the opposite direction,giving Nell an unobstructed view of the scars on her back and shoulders.
“Ugly, right?”
Nell knew Mattie would see sugar-coating the truth for what it was. Nor would she appreciate it. “They’re...not pretty.”
“Told you.”
“But they’re also pretty incredible in their own way. Your body has found a way of physically healing.” Nell hesitated. “Can I touch them?”
Mattie’s head whipped around. “Why would you want to do that?”
Nell held her gaze. “They speak of who you are. Brave. Courageous. Full of heart.” She waited until Mattie nodded her assent. Then she brushed her lips across the bare skin of Mattie’s neck until she reached the scars. She kissed each one lightly.
Mattie arched her back but didn’t jerk away. Nell took that as a positive sign and continued, slow and unhurried.
“Nell?”
“Mm?”
“Don’t stop,” Mattie murmured. Nell moaned, her sharp breathing loud in her own ears. She slipped her own top and bra off, then wrapped her arms around Mattie’s waist and pulled her closer so that Mattie’s bare back rested against her breasts.
Mattie made puffs of delight as Nell explored the contours of her stomach, before moving upwards to her breasts. “That feels good.”
“Face me so I can feel your breasts against mine,” Nell whispered.
Carefully, Mattie turned around and edged closer to Nell. When their bodies finally came together, Nell moaned at the sensation of nipple against nipple. Seeing them touch, feeling them touch, was a level of eroticism she’d never experienced.
“I’ve lost the power of speech,” Mattie murmured.
Nell laughed softly. “That’s a first.”
The gentle rush of air from Mattie’s laugh tickled Nell’s hypersensitive skin, and she smiled as she ran her hands up and down Mattie’s back. She didn’t linger specifically on the scars, but she didn’t avoid them either. The simple freedom of being able to caress her without any physical barrier was sublime.
“I’ve missed these freckles,” said Mattie, dropping brief kisses on her chest.
“They’ve missed you.” Nell tugged at the elasticated waistband of the joggers. “These need to come off.”
