“Wait.” Gloriously naked, and completely unself-conscious, Derian knelt. “Let me do this.”

Emily braced her hands on Derian’s shoulders and looked down, watching Derian’s hands move on her body. Her thighs quivered. Her vision clouded. “Hurry.”

Derian laughed softly. “Not tonight.”

“Whatever you want,” Emily whispered, catching her lip between her teeth as Derian pressed a cheek to her stomach and slid a hand up her back to release her bra. Derian stroked her hips and hooked her thumbs under the scrap of lace she’d so carefully chosen, knowing Derian would see them.

“These are pretty,” Derian breathed against the sheer fabric. She looked up and grinned her arrogant grin. “For me?”

“Mmm.” Emily raked her fingers through Derian’s hair, words having abandoned her to the primal language of desire. Derian’s fingers lightly trailed across the delta of her thighs, stroking her through the silk. Emily’s hips lifted to her touch. “Derian, take me to bed. I want you on top of me.”

The plea in Emily’s voice broke Derian’s patience. She surged to her feet and, circling an arm about Emily’s waist, half carried her the few feet to the bed. Reaching down with her free hand, she tossed the covers roughly aside and guided Emily down. When she slid on top of her, their legs entwining and Emily holding her tight, Derian hungered with an ache that threatened never to be satisfied. Stripping away the last shimmer of material between them, she filled her hands with Emily’s warm flesh, tasted her, drank of her, gloried in her. She didn’t hurry, kissing and caressing her breasts, her stomach, the insides of her thighs. She lost herself in her and still the hunger roared.

“I want you so much.” Derian braced herself on one arm, watching Emily’s face. “I want to make you come.”

“So, so good.” Emily arched beneath her touches, electric with desire. “Take, touch me.”

Derian stroked between Emily’s thighs, and Emily’s eyelids fluttered. Emily’s lips parted, her unfocused gaze sought Derian’s, and her body tightened. Derian kissed her gently and slid deep inside her. Emily’s cry against her mouth filled her with a primitive surge of triumph. She stroked in time to the lift and fall of Emily’s hips, and when Emily covered her hand to guide her, her heart nearly stopped. Chained by desire, she willed herself to Emily’s call.

“You’re going to make me come,” Emily exclaimed, part shock, part pleasure.

Derian stilled, every sense focused on feeling her, hearing her, seeing her come apart with pleasure. When Emily gave herself over, the moment was forever and swifter than a heartbeat. So powerful, so exquisitely perfect.

“More,” Derian whispered and slid down to take her into her mouth. Emily’s hands came into her hair and she surged into Derian’s mouth. Derian teased her, stroked her, took her to the edge and over again. Emily’s wild cry rifled down her spine, fired her blood. She wanted never to move, but the pull of Emily’s hands on her shoulders drew her upward and then somehow she was on her back.

Emily straddled her thighs and leaned down to kiss her, her hair a soft curtain around Derian’s face. She clasped Emily’s hips, guided her back and forth in a slow roll against her as they kissed. Emily came again in short, ecstatic thrusts against Derian’s stomach. Derian rose up and cradled her in the curve of her body. She kissed her, stroked the damp hair from her cheek. “You’re amazing.”

Emily laughed weakly. “I think that’s my line.”

“No line,” Derian whispered, kissing her closed lids, her mouth, her neck. Emily made soft contented sighs, caressing Derian’s breasts and belly. Derian shuddered. “And you’re pretty much driving me crazy.”

“My turn,” Emily said in a throaty commanding tone. She pressed her hand to the center of Derian’s chest and pushed her down. Still curled beside her, her hair spread out on Derian’s chest, she kissed her throat and stroked her chest and belly and cupped between her thighs.

“I love the way you touch me.” Never had Derian wanted so much to be taken.

Emily gave another of those contented sounds, her mouth traveling over Derian’s breasts as her fingers closed around her and tugged in slow, sure motions. Derian gritted her teeth, incredibly close but willing herself to hold on. Somehow Emily knew just how fast and how far to take her, until every muscle was poised to explode, and then she’d let her down just enough to keep her on the brink. Once, twice, three times she brought her within a heartbeat.

And then Derian begged. “Please, don’t stop this time.”

Emily gathered Derian close, her mouth a breath from Derian’s. “I won’t.”

Emily kissed her then, a kiss to steal her breath, a kiss to steal her reason, a kiss to steal her old life and take her to a place she’d never been. Derian came hard, she came helplessly, trembling in Emily’s arms.

Chapter Twenty-four

Derian woke at dawn with Emily spooned against her, back to front. Her arm was around Emily’s waist, her cheek nuzzled against Emily’s nape. Chestnut hair twined across her face. The oddest sensations, contradictory yet forged into a single flame, fired her blood. Contentment, warm and soothing, along with banked desire, edgy and wanting. Kissing the back of Emily’s neck, she lightly stroked Emily’s breasts and abdomen, fingers drifting lazily. Pieces of the night played through her mind—Emily moving beneath her, sharp cries of pleasure, pleas for more and again. Emily riding her, stroking her, taking her—surely and without reserve. Derian’s clit pulsed and she groaned, sliding a hand between Emily’s thighs. She was warm and wet.

Emily gave a pleased murmur and pressed her hand over Derian’s, rocking her hips into the curve of Derian’s body. Derian’s contentment rapidly gave way to consuming craving.

“That’s a nice way to wake up,” Emily said drowsily.

Derian kissed a spot below Emily’s ear she’d discovered the previous night that Emily liked very much. The swift gasp of breath encouraged her to keep going, turning Emily gently onto her back to claim her mouth. She eased on top of her, keeping her weight on her arms, and indulged herself.

Emily nipped at Derian’s earlobe. “If this is what you’re like in the morning, I’m very glad you stayed.”

“It’s a new experience for me,” Derian said, making her way down Emily’s neck to her breasts. She rubbed her cheek against Emily’s rapidly hardening nipple. “And one I like very much.”

Emily loved the weight of Derian’s body over hers, the sensation one of equal parts owning and being owned. Stroking both hands over Derian’s shoulders and down the arch of her back, she clasped Derian’s hips and wrapped her legs over Derian’s. Their bodies fit together as if they’d joined a thousand times, but the excitement racing through her was as great as the first instant they’d touched. “I’m afraid you may have unleashed a demon.”

Derian chuckled and slid a little lower. “I certainly hope so.”

Thought fled as Derian’s mouth awakened her. Emily gripped the sheets when she could no longer reach Derian, her body open and vulnerable and alive with anticipation. Derian’s groan, a low rumble of possessive pleasure, shot through her, stirring her even more than the impossible glory of Derian taking her with her mouth and hands. How could every move be so perfectly timed, unerringly stroking and pushing her to places she had never realized she could go?

“I love touching you,” Derian muttered. “You feel so damn good.”

The words, as powerful as Derian’s touch, thrilled Emily to the core. Derian’s delight in her was as wild and wonderful as the orgasm unfurling inside her. She cried out, her back arched, her legs taut, and felt Derian’s fingers entwined with hers. She held on to the slender tether while her body, her very essence, took flight.

“I can’t keep coming like that,” she gasped at last. “I’ll disappear.”

“Oh no, you won’t.” Derian kissed her and sent another aftershock spinning over her. “I won’t let you.”

Emily drifted and almost fell asleep, until a hard, hot body pressed against her. She dragged herself back to reality and opened her eyes. Derian lounged beside her, her head propped on her elbow and a supremely self-satisfied smile on her face.

Emily laughed. “Have I ever mentioned you’re the most arrogant woman I’ve ever met?”

Derian kissed her lightly. “I’m wounded.”

“You’re wonderful.” Emily lightly scraped her nails down the center of Derian’s abdomen.

Derian’s eyes grew smoky. “Only if you think so.”

Emily pushed Derian onto her back. “I do, but don’t let it go to your head.”

“Right now, I’d agree to anything.” Derian’s voice was husky, her muscles twitching wherever Emily teased.

“Really?” Emily had never imagined the thrill of possessing a woman, of filling her hands with beauty and passion and vulnerability. She snugged between Derian’s thighs and, starting with her breasts, worked her way slowly down the center of her bowstring taut body, kissing and nipping and sating her every urge.

Derian groaned, determined to let Emily take what she wanted and praying she could last. The waiting was excruciating. The sounds torn from her throat were unlike anything she’d ever heard before. When Emily’s lips closed around her, white lightning burst inside her head, incinerating every thought. A second later, she was lost.

“I’m sorry,” Derian finally said, aware her cheek had somehow come to be nestled against Emily’s breast. “I’m not usually so quick off the block.”

Elated, Emily kissed the top of her head. “I thought it was unbelievably sexy.”

Derian tilted her head, caught the gratified smile. “You seem to do very unexpected things to me.”

“Do I,” Emily said with a low purr. “Good things?”

“Fabulous things.”

“Mmm. That’s handy, since I really want to do it again.”

Derian laughed and started to sit up.

Emily’s arm tightened around her shoulders. “Stay a minute. I like you there.”

Derian stilled, unused to being held by women. She wasn’t used to being possessed, and she damn sure wasn’t used to being controlled in bed. Until Emily. Giving Emily whatever she wanted, including her body and her will, had suddenly become her greatest pleasure. She sighed. Why fight what felt so damn good? “I would be happy to stay here the entire day, but I want to go with Henrietta to her rehab appointment.”

“You have to go—or else she’ll browbeat them into shortening her program. Besides, it’s a workday and I should get going too.” Emily rested her cheek against Derian’s head. “Although I don’t know how I’m going to concentrate on any of it. I can’t seem to think of anything except…”

Derian finally had enough energy to sit up and dragged Emily into her lap. “Except?”

Emily kissed her. “More.”

“There’s always more.”

“I’m very glad to hear that.”

Derian nuzzled her throat. “How about now?”

“Oh, that’s nice. A nice thought, I mean.” Emily laughed. “And if you keep doing that, you’re going to get me started again.”

Undeterred, Derian muttered, “I’m afraid that’s not going to make me want to stop.”

Halfheartedly, Emily gripped her hair. “Later?”

“When?” Derian said instantly. The idea of being apart from her was strangely disturbing. She didn’t want to stop touching her. Hell, she didn’t want to let her out of her sight. She had no idea what to make of that.

“Come to dinner,” Emily said. “We still haven’t had the red.”

“I’m sorry if we ruined last night’s bottle.”

“I stoppered it. Not form, I know, but it will probably be fine.”

Derian frowned. “When?”

“When you fell asleep.”

“I can’t believe I didn’t feel you get out of bed.”

Emily kissed her lightly. “You were sleeping pretty heavily. By the way, I like watching you sleep.”

“Uh…okay. Good, I think.”

“Mmm. Very good.” Emily hopped out of bed, just managing to escape Derian’s grasping hand. “Stop.”

Derian groaned.

“If I stay, I’m going to want you inside me again, and you need to waylay Henrietta before she makes some kind of end run.”

“You’re really trying to kill me, aren’t you?”

“I know you’re tougher than that.” Emily leaned down, her breasts brushing Derian’s shoulder, and kissed her. “You can always join me in the shower.”

“Not if you want to go to work anytime soon. Like in the next week.” Derian grabbed Emily’s hand. “I’ll be thinking about tonight all day.”

“So will I.”


*


Emily was determined to get some work done, even though she couldn’t stop thinking about the night before. She thought she’d known what it was like to make love with a woman, but she hadn’t even begun to fathom the addictive, exquisite exhilaration of bringing Derian pleasure. She loved knowing Derian desired her, loved running her hands over Derian’s body, loved answering Derian’s need. She loved seeing her passion reflected, her hunger met and matched. All she could think was again. Again. Again. Again.