Chapter Sixteen

AS SOON AS they entered the house and closed the door behind them, Ridley pulled her jacket off and helped Dana out of hers. With uncharacteristic impatience, she flung both jackets onto the back of a chair, wrapped her arms around Dana from behind and buried her face in Dana's hair. " You smell so good." She kissed the sweet spot just under Dana's left ear and whispered, " God, Dana. I want you more than anything."

Dana turned and wrapped her arms tightly around Ridley's waist. She pressed the length of her body against Ridley's. " This is going to be so good."

Ridley held Dana in her arms and savored the feel of her soft breasts as they pressed against hers. She kissed her deeply and when it was over, she said, " Come upstairs with me. I want to touch you and make love to you all night."

" Yes..." Dana closed her eyes. " I want that, too."

Ridley held the palm of her hand against Dana's cheek and met her eyes. " You know it's okay if you want to change your mind, don't you? " She kissed Dana's forehead. " I don't want you to do anything you'll regret later and it's not too late to say no."

Dana shook her head. " It's too late for me and I don't want to change my mind. I don't want to change a single thing about this night. I just want to be with you."

" That's what I want." Ridley took Dana's hand in hers and led her up the stairs and into the master suite. She'd left a small lamp on before they went out to dinner and it cast a mellow glow into the room. " Do you want me to turn the light off? "

" No, leave it on. I want to be able to see you." Dana stood in front of Ridley and rested the palms of her hands on Ridley's chest just above her breasts.

" Your heart is pounding."

" I know. I'm excited and nervous."

" Here, feel mine." Dana reached for Ridley's hand and held it over her heart. " It feels like it's going to burst right out of my chest."

" I see what you mean, " Ridley said. " I've wanted you so much and I've dreamed of being with you since I met you. I love your smile and those adorable dimples and your mouth..." Ridley moved her hand and traced Dana's lips with her fingers. " I can't look at it without wanting to kiss you."

" In that case, I think you should kiss me."

Ridley's body trembled as she kissed Dana again and again. She held her close with one hand on her back and when her desire became more than she could bear, she reached under Dana's sweater to cup her breast.

Dana stepped back and pulled her sweater off in one smooth motion.

" I want to see you." Ridley reached behind Dana and unhooked her bra. Cupping both of her breasts in her hands, she leaned down to kiss first one and then the other. " They're perfect, " she said just before she sucked a taut nipple into her mouth.

" God, your mouth is so soft." Dana pulled Ridley up again and captured her mouth. As they explored each other's mouths, Dana's hands traveled up the smooth skin of Ridley's back and unfastened her bra. She pulled Ridley's bra and sweater off together. " Mmm...nice. Now I want to see the rest of you." She wrestled with Ridley's jeans.

Ridley took Dana's hands in hers and held them. " Let me do that." She let go of Dana and removed her jeans along with the rest of her clothing until she stood naked before Dana. " Now you, " she said, opening Dana's jeans and sliding the zipper down.

" You're so beautiful, " Ridley said when Dana was finally undressed. " I've tried to imagine how you would look, but I never would have imagined this. You're better than even my wildest dreams." She stared at Dana's body while she ran her hands over Dana's shoulders and down her arms. " I need to touch you."

" Wait. Let me look at you." Dana studied Ridley's athletic body. " You look just the way I thought you would." She took Ridley's hand in hers and brought it to her lips for a kiss before she directed it between her legs. " You can touch me now."

Ridley almost fainted at the first feel of Dana's most intimate places. There would only ever be one first time and it was magical. She led Dana to the bed and lay down with her. Never had she experienced anything as exquisite as this first exploration of Dana's body and she closed her eyes as she continued to caress her. It was all perfect, the way they moved together, the feel of Dana and the sounds she made as Ridley made love to her.

" I'm so close, " Dana murmured.

Although Ridley would never have thought it possible, Dana became even more beautiful as she brought her to orgasm. She held her until the tremors subsided. " You're incredible. You take my breath away." Ridley's eyes held onto Dana's as she brushed a stray wisp of hair away from her slightly damp forehead.

Dana captured the hand Ridley had used to pleasure her and brought it to her lips. " That was amazing." Ridley watched as Dana kissed her hand and then she brought their hands to her own lips. " Mmm, you are completely yummy."

Dana rolled Ridley onto her back and lay on her side next to her. " Now it's my turn." As her eyes caressed the planes of Ridley's body, her hands touched in turn. " Your breasts are perfect, " she said as she cupped one in her hand as if to feel its weight. The nipple flushed a dark pink and stiffened as Dana rolled it between her thumb and index finger and they moaned together as she captured the erect nipple in her mouth.

" Please don't stop."

" I have no intention of stopping, " Dana said as she positioned herself so she was lying on top of Ridley. She wedged her thigh in between Ridley's legs and began to slide against her wetness as she rubbed her own wet center against Ridley.

" I need you so much." Ridley spread her legs and lifted her hips. " Please, Dana."

" No, not like this. I want to know what you taste like." Dana forged a path down Ridley's body with her mouth until she reached the silky skin at the very top of Ridley's thigh. Using her fingers, she opened Ridley and took in the sight of her and after a few moments, she lifted her head and looked up at Ridley.

Ridley met her eyes. " Don't make me wait any longer."

Dana covered Ridley with her mouth and began to take her the rest of the way.

It wasn't the first time anyone had made love to Ridley this way, but with Dana it felt like a totally new experience. She'd never felt this way about anyone she'd been with and she had no concept of how much her feelings could heighten her sensations and deepen the bond between them. She felt her soul slip away, her surrender absolute.

When it was over, Dana held Ridley close and showered her with the lightest of kisses wherever her mouth would reach. " I love the way you taste... your smell... how you feel. I'm afraid I'll become addicted to you."

" I should be so lucky." Ridley sighed and closed her eyes.

" Are you tired? " Dana asked her.

" No, I'm just..." Ridley opened her eyes. " I've waited so long for this."

" You can rest for a while, " Dana said. " I'm right here."

" I don't need to rest. I need you. I've wanted you for so long."

" Well, here I am, " Dana whispered against Ridley's lips.

" And I'm dying to taste you." Ridley kissed Dana's mouth and then the rest of her body on her way down. Driven by Dana's soft moans, Ridley wasted no time taking her with her mouth. The first taste and feel of her was incredible and as she stroked her, she filled her completely. From that point on, there was nothing but movement and soft sounds.

After it was over, Ridley rested her head on Dana's abdomen and breathed in the same rhythm as her until they both recovered. After a while, she moved up on the bed to lie beside Dana and gather her into her arms.

Dana pressed her fingers to Ridley's lips. " Making love with you has been..." She tugged on Ridley's lower lip and then let it go. " I've never experienced anything that even came close to what we just did. I've never felt this open or this passionate."

" It's the same for me." Ridley smiled. " I knew it. I just knew it."

" Knew what? " Dana reflected Ridley's smile.

" That you would be the sweetest thing I'd ever touched or tasted."

" No, it's you. You're the sweetest thing."

Although she felt the need to sleep, Ridley fought to stay awake. Being able to hold Dana and touch her was so precious that she couldn't bear to miss a single moment. Even if this turned out to be their only night together, she would have the memory of it to keep in her heart forever. She moved as close to Dana as she could get and still qualify as a separate entity so she could feel her breathe and share her heartbeat. Maybe, if she committed to memory every detail of this night and stored away every sensation for safekeeping, she'd never have to lose her and never have to be without her.

If some tragic twist of fate were to end her life at this precise moment, she'd have no regrets, for her life would have been complete. It would have lacked for nothing. She knew, just as she knew the sun would rise every morning and set every evening that she'd given her heart and soul away to the woman she held cradled in her arms.

AS DAYLIGHT SEEPED into the room, Ridley awoke on her side curled against Dana's back. Gently, she kissed Dana's neck and shoulder before she slid her arm underneath Dana's and cupped her breast from behind. The nipple hardened in her palm and as she rubbed it, Dana stirred. " Are you awake? " Ridley asked.

Dana rewarded Ridley with a low moan and pushed her backside against Ridley's belly. " I am now. That feels so good."

" Don't move. I have plans for you." Ridley shimmied even closer, her nipples achingly tight as they rubbed against the smooth skin of Dana's back. Already lost in a swirling sea of desire, she ran her hand over the curve of Dana's hip, down over the soft swell of her buttocks and into the crevice between her legs until she reached the wetness she knew she'd find there. " I want you so much, " she said as she touched her.

Dana turned around. " You sure know how to wake a girl up." Dana's eyes appeared to glaze over as Ridley touched her and it didn't take long before she reached her climax. Afterward, she held Ridley's face in her hands. " What you do to me. It's too much."

" No, you're wrong. It's not too much--it's not nearly enough."

" Is that so? " Dana said. " Let me see what I can do about that." She kissed Ridley's mouth and breasts and belly without lingering for any length of time in any one place until she was in position to pleasure her with her mouth.

Ridley clutched the sheets and came almost immediately. She wanted to hang on and make the exquisite sensations Dana was creating with her mouth last as long as possible, but her body ignored her wishes. It was so desperate for release, it cared about nothing more. Afterward, as they lay in each other's arms, Ridley stared at the ceiling and felt her eyes fill as she wondered if this would be the only time she would ever make love with Dana.

" How do you feel? " Dana asked after a while.

" Never better. And you? "

" I feel the same, but I could use something to eat and some coffee."

" So could I, especially the coffee part. Let's take a quick shower and get dressed and I'll take you out and treat you to a nice breakfast." Ridley reluctantly separated herself from Dana and got out of bed. " You know I'd much rather stay here with you all day, don't you? " she said from the side of the bed.

" Yes, but I'm really hungry." Dana stretched and opened her mouth wide in a lazy yawn. She watched Ridley as she turned and walked to the bathroom. " Hey! You've got a cute butt, " she called out as Ridley disappeared through the bathroom door.

Ridley peered back into the room. " Gee, thanks."

" Don't mention it, " Dana said just before another yawn.

As soon as the water was hot enough, Ridley stepped into the revitalizing spray. She'd just started to soap her body when she saw a ghostly image shimmering on the other side of the shower door. " I thought you were going to shower downstairs, " Ridley said, opening the door just enough to peek out.

" I was just watching you through the door." Dana opened the door a little bit more. " And I thought you might want me to wash your back."

" I might want you to wash more than that. Come in and shut the door before the floor gets any wetter." Ridley pulled Dana into her arms. " Don't make me promise not to touch you. That's a promise I can't keep. Not this morning."

" That's not a promise I want you to keep." Dana held Ridley's face in her hands and kissed her wet mouth hungrily. " Your mouth is so warm."

Ridley soaped Dana's body all over with her hands. " I can't stop wanting you. I've never wanted anyone this much. I don't even want to do anything else but this and if I had my way, I'd never leave the bed or let you out of my arms for God knows how long." Ridley guided Dana backward until she was pressed against the tiles.

Dana gasped as Ridley touched her. " Here we go again."