Breathless Page 21

  Sigh. Merry Christmas, Liz.

  Meghan O’Brien is a web developer and author of four lesbian fiction novels. Her third, Thirteen Hours, was a winner of the 2009 Golden Crown Literary Society award for Lesbian Erotica. She lives in Northern California amongst the redwood groves and vineyards, a far cry from her native Michigan, where she grew up in a suburb of Detroit. “The Afterparty” features characters from the 2009 contemporary romance novel Battle Scars. Her newest work, a paranormal romance / thriller titled Wild, is scheduled for publication in 2011.

  The Afterparty

  Meghan O’Brien

  Ray McKenna stood in the doorway of the North Coast Veterinary Clinic and watched with pride as her partner and owner of the practice, Dr. Carly Warner, bade the receptionist good night. Joyce was the last of Carly’s employees to leave the annual Christmas party, which had been a well-attended and utterly exhausting affair. For Ray, at least. Carly was positively glowing even after having spent the past four hours being the most charming, funny, and engaging host Ray had ever seen. It was clear that her employees loved her, almost as much as Ray did.

  “I guess it’s true what they say about opposites attracting,” Ray said as she watched Joyce load her Pomeranian into the car. “You’re great at parties. Which is good. Helps compensate for me.”

  “Don’t be silly. You were wonderful tonight.” Carly wrapped an arm around Ray’s waist and pulled her closer, giving Joyce one last wave as she drove out of the parking lot. “I was so proud of you.”

  “I barely spoke.” Ray knew that as far as Carly was concerned, her willingness to attend the party at all was enough. Having struggled with PTSD, agoraphobia, and crippling social anxiety after returning from Iraq almost three years before, she’d pulled off a minor miracle by surviving a raucous White Elephant gift exchange, eating with people she barely knew, and participating in general holiday cheer. Still, she wished she could have been half as amiable and outgoing as her partner. “I had a nice time, I just never know what to say to people.”

  “You were fine.” Carly pulled Ray inside the clinic, closing the front door behind them. “Every time you did speak, you were funny, and warm.” Leaning close, Carly gave Ray a gentle kiss on the lips. “And sexy.”

  Ray giggled, still a little self-conscious after an entire evening of feeling awkward. “I’m pretty sure you were the only person who thought that.”

  “That you were funny and warm? Doubt it.”

  “The other part.”

  Carly nipped at Ray’s lower lip gently. “The sexy part?”

  Ray’s face heated. “Yeah.”

  “I better have been the only one to think that.” Carly drew back from their embrace and winked. “I’ll fire anyone who even looks at you sideways.”

  “Whatever.” Laughing, Ray stole another kiss and eyed their attentive audience.

  The waiting area was decked out with strings of colorful lights and seasonal decorations. A small Christmas tree sat in the corner of the room with wrapped packages—donations for the local animal shelter—piled beneath. The most festive things in the room, however, were the two dogs that stood side by side behind them, wagging their tails. Jack the shepherd mix was still wearing the antlers Carly had slipped onto his head at the beginning of the party, and Ray’s therapy dog Jagger—a blue Great Dane—had a bell-covered collar around his neck.

  “Those poor abused animals.” Ray shook her head.

  Carly snickered as she walked to Jack and removed his antlers. “They’re good sports.”

  “Indeed they are.” Ray eased the jingle bells over Jagger’s massive skull. “It was Mommy’s idea. Not mine.”

  “Oh, sure. Blame me.” Carly scratched Jack behind his ear. It was clear from his beaming doggy grin that he wasn’t holding a grudge. “Playing good mommy, bad mommy, are we?”

  Ray glanced sideways, sharing a smile with Carly. “It’s just that you’re so good when you’re being bad.”

  Carly’s grin turned positively wicked. “Well, that’s true.”

  Ray broke eye contact first. She had made great strides as far as getting used to flirting so brazenly, but after such a socially intense evening, she slipped back into old habits without meaning to. Sometimes sharing such boldly sexual energy with a woman as beautiful as Carly was still overwhelming.

  “Hey,” Carly murmured, her smile gentle when Ray finally met her gaze, “you really were amazing tonight. Thanks for coming to the party.”

  “Are you kidding? I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” At Carly’s raised eyebrow, Ray chuckled. “Okay, so maybe that’s overstating a bit.”

  “Maybe a bit.”

  “Seriously, I wanted to come. It was your first office party since buying the practice. Kind of a big moment and everything.” Ray moved closer and touched Carly’s lower back. The connection centered her immediately. “It was important to you. That meant it was important to me.”

  Carly laced her fingers behind Ray’s neck. “Have I mentioned lately how brave you are? And how lucky I am?”

  Ray encircled Carly’s waist and drew Carly tightly against her. Now that they were alone, her nervous energy dissipated, replaced by familiar desire. “Yeah, but I like hearing it.”

  Carly gave her a slow, soft kiss. “I am so lucky.”

  “Damn right you are.” Ray dropped her hands to caress Carly’s bottom, exhaling as some of her newly discovered confidence came flooding back. Being around other people was getting easier, but nothing would ever feel as good as the time she spent with the woman who held her heart. Alone with Carly, Ray was at her best.

  “There she is.” With a sigh, Carly trailed her fingernails up Ray’s flanks, along the sides of her breasts. “There’s my sexy, confident, in-control Ray.”

  Ray kissed Carly’s neck, her skin tingling everywhere Carly caressed. She squeezed Carly’s buttocks and pulled her hard against her thigh. “Here I am.”

  “You may not be comfortable with crowds, darling, but you’re incredible in one-on-one situations.” Carly stroked over Ray’s stomach, then sneaked a hand up under her shirt. She palmed Ray’s breast through her bra, turning Ray’s legs to water. “Maybe we should go in my office and exchange presents.”

  “I love presents.” Ray released Carly with effort, not trusting herself to stay on her feet through much more teasing. “You don’t want to do presents at home?”

  Carly shook her head, giving her a smile that dripped with pure sex. Clearly the season brought out the naughty girl inside. “I’ve got something for you to unwrap right now. In my office.”

  Ray raised an eyebrow. “Is this a planned seduction, Dr. Warner?”

  “Maybe.” Carly grabbed Ray’s hand, pulling her past the dogs into the back room. “Let’s just say that I’ve always fantasized about being fucked in my office.”

  Ray stumbled slightly, clumsy with arousal. Being with Carly had opened up a whole new world as far as lovemaking was concerned. She had no idea whether sex was just plain better between two women or if the chemistry between her and Carly was theirs alone, but she had never experienced pleasure like Carly brought her. Each time was better than the last, and as far as Ray was concerned, there was no safer, happier place in the universe than between Carly’s thighs.

  Carly opened her office door and gestured Ray inside. “After you, my love.”

  “You’re in rare form tonight,” Ray said, zeroing in on Carly’s desk. The room was messy as usual, but the desk, normally cluttered, was pristine. “And you cleaned.”

  “I did.” Carly sat on the edge of the broad walnut desk, beckoning Ray closer. “Come here.”

  Ray obeyed, pushing Carly’s thighs apart so she could stand between them. She rested her fingertips on Carly’s throat and kissed her, sweeping her tongue deep into the soft heat of Carly’s mouth. When she drew back, she murmured, “You like in-control Ray, do you?”

  Carly hummed her agreement. “I adore her.”

  “Good.” Carly alwa
ys said she liked it when Ray took charge, and Ray could finally admit that she liked it, too. A lot.

  Ray fingered the top button of Carly’s shirt. “Is this what I’m supposed to unwrap?”

  “It is.” Carly bit her lip, wrapping her legs around Ray’s hips and tugging her closer. “Go ahead.”

  Ray undid the top button, holding Carly’s gaze. “I think I’m going to like this present.”

  “I know you will.” Carly batted her eyelashes as Ray got her shirt fully unbuttoned. “It’s new.”

  Dropping her gaze to Carly’s chest, Ray sucked in a deep breath. Carly’s creamy breasts were encased in a red, lacy bra that Ray had never seen before. Except possibly in her dreams. “Oh. Wow.”

  “Festive, isn’t it?”

  Ray licked her lips and eased Carly’s shirt off her shoulders. “Please tell me you bought matching panties.”

  “Why don’t you find out?” Carly’s finger traced a line down the center of Ray’s chest.

  A shot of hot dizzying lust rid her of all the day’s inhibitions. Alone with Carly in her office, she wasn’t afraid of anything. Ray’s focus narrowed to the two of them, to the pleasure they were about to bring to each other. She found the button on Carly’s pants and thumbed it open with one hand, the other hand exploring the swell of Carly’s breast where it rose above the lacy bra cup.

  Unzipping Carly’s pants, Ray pulled the material down just far enough to reveal a strip of crimson lace and grinned. “You are bad.”

  “I hope that doesn’t mean I’m getting coal this year.” Carly played with the neck of Ray’s shirt, curling her finger under the edge of the fabric. “Maybe if I promise to be very good for the next couple hours or so?”

  “Good is overrated.” Ray eased Carly’s pants down the length of her legs, taking her shoes off as she went. Then she stood, hungry at the sight of Carly in her revealing lingerie. “I can’t believe you were wearing this the whole time. I watched you during the entire party with no idea.”

  “You watched me?” Carly planted her hands on the desk behind her and leaned back, showing off her supple curves. “Really?”

  Ray brushed her hand over Carly’s bare stomach, enjoying the subtle twitch of her muscles as she reacted to the touch. “You know I did. I always do.”

  “And I always know.” Carly brought her leg up and braced her bare foot on the edge of her desk. Teasing Ray with a tantalizing glimpse of slick, pink flesh. “I love how your eyes feel on me.”

  “I guess you must.” Ray slowly traced a line up the inside of Carly’s thigh. She pushed her fingertip beneath the elastic leg of Carly’s panties, exhaling as she discovered the silky softness of Carly’s labia. “Good thing, too. ’Cause I can’t tear my eyes away from you right now.”

  “That was the idea.”

  Ray dragged her gaze from the lacy fabric between Carly’s legs to the enticing display of her cleavage. “I don’t know where to start.”

  Carly dipped her knee farther to the side, smiling slyly. “I have some suggestions.”

  Ray leaned in for another hard kiss. Caressing Carly’s throat, she whispered, “I think I’ve made a decision,” and pressed Carly backward, laying her down across the desk. “Stay there.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Carly grinned up at her, slowly running her fingers over the tops of her breasts. “I’ve been waiting for this all night.”

  “You should’ve told me there was going to be an afterparty.” Ray dragged Carly’s office chair closer, then sat down, pushing Carly’s thighs apart so she could roll herself between them. “Something to get me through the small talk.”

  “You knew you were getting laid tonight. Didn’t you?”

  Ray grinned, guiding Carly’s leg over her shoulder. “Well, I hoped.” She lowered her face and took a good, long look at the delicate, silky material that covered Carly’s pussy. “Beautiful.”

  Carly tangled her fingers in Ray’s hair, urging her closer. Ray went eagerly. She kissed Carly gently through her panties, moaning at the dampness against her mouth. Poking out her tongue, she sampled Carly’s flavor, loving the idea that the layer of fabric between them dampened the pleasure Carly clearly craved. Ray wanted to draw things out as long as she could stand it because Carly always came hardest when Ray built her up slowly.

  Carly whimpered at the deliberate motion of Ray’s tongue. “No. Not slow.” She tightened her hands on Ray’s head, arching her hips into the air. “Fast.”

  Drawing back, Ray grinned at Carly’s familiar strategy. “I thought you liked in-control Ray.”

  “I love in-control Ray. Especially when she makes me come hard and fast.”

  Ray kissed Carly through her panties again. “I don’t believe that.” Placing her palms against Carly’s inner thighs, she spread Carly’s legs as wide as they would go.

  Carly inhaled sharply then moaned.

  “You like feeling exposed. Vulnerable.” Ray hooked a fingertip under the edge of Carly’s panties, pulling the material to the side. Just far enough so she could gently lick Carly’s labia. “Don’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  Ray closed her eyes against the surge of power she felt at Carly’s submissive posture. She stroked up Carly’s stomach to her soft, lace-covered breast and licked Carly again, then once more, harder. Carly’s thighs trembled against Ray’s shoulders. Like that, Ray’s need to possess Carly shot into overdrive.

  “I love these panties,” Ray murmured. “And it’s time for them to go.” She rolled the office chair back so Carly could close her thighs. Carly’s triumphant grin didn’t go unnoticed. “Don’t gloat. I’m still in charge here.”

  “Sure you are.” Carly turned on a seductive smile that made Ray glad she was already sitting down.

  Ray curled her fingers under the waistband of Carly’s panties, tugged them off, and carefully set them aside. Those were definitely keepers. Ray steeled her expression as she stood and leaned over Carly, drawing so close their mouths nearly touched.

  “I am in charge.” Ray slid her hand along Carly’s inner thigh. She could feel Carly’s heat inches away from the source, could smell her scent hanging heavily in the air. Knowing that Carly was expecting slow, Ray entered her fully with a single finger, fast but careful. Carly tipped her head back and cried out, an ecstatic shout of surprised pleasure. Ray pulled out before Carly could adjust to the sensation and grazed the slick length of Carly’s labia with her fingertip. “Isn’t that right?”

  Carly made a noise that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob. “When did you get so good at this?”

  Ray’s confidence soared. They had been working toward this dynamic for months, and she was finally starting to feel at ease with it. Whatever had happened in the past, she was safe when she was with Carly. And she could do anything.

  Ray pushed her fingertip far enough inside for Carly to feel it, but not enough to satisfy her need. “We’ve been practicing. Remember?”

  “Oh, I remember.” Carly bit her lip and closed her eyes. She lifted her hips, but Ray moved with her. “Please, Ray. I’ve wanted you all night. You can’t torture me like this.”

  “But I can.” Ray rubbed her thumb over Carly’s clit, once, twice. Then she removed her hand altogether. “And I will.”

  Throwing her arm over her eyes, Carly groaned. “Mean.”

  Ray caught Carly’s lower lip between her teeth and bit down until Carly gasped out loud. Instantly she released her, soothing her lip with her tongue.

  “Want my mouth on you?” Ray rubbed her mouth over Carly’s, felt Carly smile. “Ask for it and you can have it.”

  “I’ve been asking.”

  Ray skimmed her lips over Carly’s ear. “Not how I like to be asked.”

  Carly shivered beneath her and gripped Ray’s biceps, squeezing tightly. The sharp bite of her fingernails had Ray so wet, so fast, she knew she wouldn’t be able to draw things out much longer. Her only hope was that Carly would hurry up and say the words Ray desperately wanted to he
ar.

  “Please, Ray,” Carly breathed against Ray’s cheek. “I need my pussy eaten. So fucking bad. If you don’t fuck me with your tongue right now, I’m gonna explode.”

  Ray shuddered. Carly’s incredibly sexy way with words set her on fire like nothing else. Too overcome with the dizzying need to taste Carly to muster a response, Ray kissed down Carly’s throat, between her breasts, across her stomach until she reached her destination between Carly’s thighs.

  Carly clasped the back of Ray’s head and forced her closer. Nuzzling Carly’s wetness, Ray opened her mouth and had a long, lingering taste. The balance of power had clearly shifted, but Ray couldn’t care less. She sucked on Carly’s labia, lapping at her with her tongue.

  “Oh fuck yes.” Carly moaned as Ray pulled her leg over her shoulder and dove in deeper. “Just like that. Suck me like that.”

  Ray reached beneath Carly with one hand, grabbing a handful of her ass and holding her in place. In a moment Carly would be wriggling all over the place—she always did when she was getting eaten out—and Ray didn’t want her to get away. Not when she was enjoying Carly so damn much.

  For the moment Carly wasn’t talking. Instead she moaned loudly, moving her hips in rhythm against Ray’s mouth. She could make Carly come as quickly as she wanted, and for all her threatening about taking it slow, the combination of the lingerie and Carly’s dirty talk left her with no choice. There was no holding back tonight.

  Ray toyed with Carly’s opening with the tips of two fingers and Carly’s moans escalated from just that little bit of penetration. Ray fought not to just thrust inside and find the sweet spot she knew would send Carly over the edge. But she waited, needing to hear Carly’s voice one more time.

  Carly seemed to read her mind. “Fuck me with your fingers, baby. I need you inside me now.”

  Circling her tongue around Carly’s clit, Ray eased her fingers inside Carly as deep as she could go, curling the tips upward as she thrust in and out. Carly groaned and one hand flew to her own breast, where she tugged at her nipple through the fabric of her bra.