"Says who?"
"Says everyone. I'm the responsible one. I'm meant to set the example, show everyone how it's done… I’m meant…"
"To be perfect?" Sasha stepped even closer, eliminating the last bit of space between them. "That sounds absolutely exhausting."
"It is." The admission came out as barely a whisper.
"Then stop." Sasha's free hand came up to cup Victoria's face, and Victoria felt her breath stop at the contact. "Be human instead. Be flawed. Be someone who sometimes gets made redundant through no fault of her own and has to figure out what comes next."
"I don't know how to be that person."
"Sure you do. You're doing it right now." Sasha's voice had dropped lower, intimate. "You told me the truth. That's a start. A good start."
They were standing so close that Victoria could feel Sasha's breath on her face, could see the way her pupils had dilated in the lamplight. Every nerve ending in her body was suddenly, acutely aware of Sasha's proximity, the warmth of her skin, the way she was looking at Victoria like she was edible.
"This is a terrible idea," Victoria said quietly.
"Probably." Sasha's gaze dropped to Victoria's mouth. "Though I have to say, your terrible ideas are significantly more interesting than most people's good ones."
"Sasha…"
"Tell me to leave." Sasha's voice had gone rough, urgent. "If you want me to go, tell me now, because in about five seconds I'm going to kiss you and I'm not sure I'll be able to stop."
For an agonizing second, Victoria debated the wisdom of what she was doing, of what was about to happen. And then, the last barriers broke, whatever piece of her it was that was sensible gave up the ghost, walked out of the room, and slammed the door. Victoria's hand slid to the back of Sasha's neck, fingersthreading through soft blonde hair. "I really, really don't want you to leave."
"Thank God," Sasha breathed, and then they were kissing.
It was nothing like their first kiss, nothing like the tentative exploration in the library. This was pure need, days of tension finally snapping like an overtightened string. Sasha's mouth was hot and demanding, and Victoria made a sound she'd definitely be embarrassed about later as she pulled Sasha harder against her, needing more contact, more everything.
Sasha's hands were everywhere, sliding under Victoria's dress, mapping skin with increasing urgency. Her touch left trails of fire, and Victoria found herself walking backward toward the bed, pulling Sasha with her, not breaking the kiss even as they stumbled over the rug.
"We should—" Sasha gasped when Victoria's mouth moved to her neck. "We should probably—oh God, that's—"
"Lock the door?" Victoria bit down gently on her pulse point and felt Sasha shudder against her.
"Already did it when I came in."
"Clever girl." Victoria's hands found the zip of Sasha's dress, pulled it down slowly. "Very forward thinking."
"I've been told I have excellent survival instincts." Sasha's fingers were working at the buttons of Victoria's dress with less patience. "And walking away from you right now would be the opposite of survival."
They tumbled onto the bed in a tangle of limbs and increasingly desperate breathing. Victoria's dress hit the floor, followed by Sasha's, and the feel of skin against skin made Victoria's vision blur at the edges. Sasha was soft and warm and perfect, and Victoria couldn't quite believe this was actually happening.
"I've been thinking about this," Sasha murmured against her mouth, hands sliding up Victoria's sides. "For days. Wanted youso badly I could barely think straight. Do you have any idea what you've been doing to me?"
"Then stop thinking." Victoria rolled them over, pinning Sasha beneath her, enjoying the way Sasha's eyes went dark. "And show me exactly what you've been thinking about."
What followed was heat and hunger and desperate relief. Sasha's hands on her skin, learning every curve, every sensitive spot. Her mouth blazing a trail down Victoria's body, pausing to bite and kiss and taste until Victoria was trembling and incoherent. When Sasha's mouth moved lower, when she settled between Victoria's thighs with clear intent and a wicked smile, Victoria had to clamp a hand over her own mouth to muffle the sound that tried to escape.
"Quiet," Sasha murmured, and Victoria could feel her smile against sensitive skin. "Can't have the whole house hearing what a mess you are for me."
Victoria would have argued, would have said something cutting and clever, but then Sasha's mouth was on her properly and thinking became impossible. There was only sensation, building and cresting like waves until Victoria came apart with Sasha's name caught behind her hand, her body arching off the bed.
She lay there trembling, aftershocks still coursing through her, while Sasha kissed her way back up slowly, looking thoroughly pleased with herself.
"Smug doesn't suit you," Victoria managed when she could speak again, though her voice came out rougher than intended.
"Doesn't it?" Sasha's grin was absolutely wicked. "I rather think it does. You should see your face right now. Little Miss Perfect, are we? Or did I just make you fall apart?"
