Cool sand squished beneath Clare’s toes as she followed Rue down the beach. This was her last night on Driftwood Island, and she’d hoped she might spend it with Alicia. They’d had such a nice time tonight that Clare thought they might be on the verge of something more than friendship. Then that random guy came over and interrupted them, and Alicia had just shut down. Once they got home, she’d gone straight to bed.
Now Clare was taking Rue for one last moonlit walk on the beach and trying not to feel too disappointed about the way things had ended. The sky overhead was heavy with stars, and the ocean churned beside her. Somewhere on the island, a turtle might be nesting at this very moment. The thought made her smile.
Back at the house, Clare got ready for bed. When she turned off the light, Rue curled against her feet and was out almost immediately, but Clare took longer to wind down. Her mind circled back over the evening, remembering the heat that had risen between her and Alicia while Clare was teaching her to flirt. Alicia’s face, eyes bright with desire and a warm, relaxed smile on her lips, was the last thing Clare saw before she drifted to sleep.
She woke sometime later, blinking into the darkness. Disoriented, she reached for her phone, which told her it was just past two. Rue was scratching at the door, which was probably what had awakened her. Clare slid out of bed and opened the door. As she stepped into the hallway, Rue darted between her feet. Clare tripped, stumbling forward. Her outstretched hands slammed into a warm body.
“You okay?” Alicia whispered as her hands settled on Clare’s hips.
“Yep,” Clare answered just as quietly. “Tripped over Rue.”
Her senses felt heightened by the darkness. A shaft of moonlight spilled into the hallway, illuminating a single strand of Alicia’s hair like a thread of gold, guiding her in. She felt the warmth of Alicia’s fingers through her shirt and smelled the vaguely fruity scent of her shampoo. Clare’s heart thumped hard and fast, arousal swamping her sleep-softened brain to give the moment an almost dreamlike quality.
For several long seconds, neither of them moved. They stood so close, Clare could feel the gust of Alicia’s breath on her cheeks. Rue ran in circles around them, nails clicking on the hardwood floors. Her tail brushed Clare’s bare calves, and somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered relief that her dog didn’t need to go outside, because that would mean stepping away from Alicia.
Alicia pressed forward, and her breasts brushed against Clare’s. She gasped, and there was an echo as if Alicia had gasped too. And then soft lips covered hers. Clare closed her eyes, not that it mattered in the dark. A tingling sensation swept over her as if every hair on her body was standing at attention, every inch of her skin begging to be touched.
Alicia’s kiss was gentle at first, her lips moving tentatively against Clare’s. Her fingers clenched in the fabric of Clare’s sleep shorts, pressing against her hips, while her tongue teased the seam of Clare’s lips, seeking entrance.
Clare wrapped her arms around Alicia as she opened her mouth, deepening the kiss. Her hands slid down Alicia’s back, familiarizing herself with the soft nightshirt she wore and the shape of her body beneath it. Alicia’s ribs expanded as she sucked in a breath.
Her lips moved against Clare’s, growing firmer and more insistent. Clare felt simultaneously wide awake, adrenaline sharpening her senses, and like she might be dreaming, standing here in the dark with her hands fisted in Alicia’s shirt. Rue was still circling them, her body brushing against Clare’s legs with each lap.
And then, Alicia broke the kiss. She lifted her head, and the air filled with their gasping breaths.
“I’d been wanting to do that,” Clare murmured, giving Alicia’s shirt a gentle tug.
“Yeah?” Alicia asked, something fragile in her tone, the opposite of her usual brusqueness.
“Yeah,” she confirmed.
“You’re leaving in the morning,” Alicia said quietly.
“But we still have tonight.”
“Do you want that?” It was hard to tell in this darkened hallway, but it felt like Alicia’s eyes were searching hers.
“Yes,” Clare whispered, pressing her lips against Alicia’s for emphasis.
“I do too,” Alicia whispered against her lips as her hands slipped beneath Clare’s tank top.
Clare moaned as Alicia cupped her breasts, her fingers warm and soft. This was one of Clare’s favorite things about sex: being touched. She could give herself satisfying orgasms, but there was nothing emotional about masturbating. It didn’t compare to having another woman’s hands on her body, the thrill of each touch, and the anticipation of how this particular woman would make her feel.
Clare loved that, and she couldn’t wait to see what kind of lover Alicia would be. She was so intense, and Clare sensed a passionate woman behind that tough veneer. As if to prove her point, Alicia gripped her hand and tugged Clare toward her bedroom. Sometimes Clare liked to be in charge, but tonight, she wanted to see what Alicia had in mind and if she preferred to be in control. Clare hoped she did.
They stood together by the bed, hands groping, ridding each other of clothes as their mouths sought every opportunity for kisses. As Clare lifted Alicia’s shirt over her head, she briefly wished they weren’t doing this in the middle of the night when she couldn’t appreciate the sight of Alicia’s bare skin or learn what kind of bra she’d worn under her dress earlier tonight.
Within moments, they were both naked. Alicia’s hands swept up and down Clare’s sides, her nails scratching lightly over Clare’s skin, making her tremble with anticipation. Need built between her thighs, throbbing to the runaway beat of her heart.
She took Alicia’s breasts in her hands, loving how warm and firm they were beneath her fingers, how Alicia’s nipples tightened when she rubbed her thumbs against them. There was something to be said for exploring each other in the dark, because she was exquisitely aware of everywhere they touched, her skin hypersensitive to every stroke of Alicia’s fingers and the brush of her hair on Clare’s cheeks as they kissed.
Alicia’s hands settled on her shoulders, pushing her onto the bed. She followed Clare down, settling on top of her with one thigh pressed between Clare’s.
“Yes,” she whispered, arching her back as her arousal spiked.
Alicia dipped her head and kissed her, pressing her body against Clare’s. Their legs threaded together, bodies moving, seeking friction. The sheets were cool beneath her, offset by the warmth of Alicia’s body as it covered hers.
“Touch me,” she gasped.
