CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

Carly woke to moaning beside her and she turned in the darkness, listening as Pat nearly whimpered in her sleep. Carly reached for the flashlight, seeing the pain on Pat's face. The swelling was worse.

" Pat, " she whispered.

Pat opened her eyes, then shut them again. The throbbing in her face was too much.

" What is it? " Carly asked. " Are you in pain? "

" Throbbing, " she murmured. " Hurts like a son of a bitch."

" Let me get you a pain pill."

" Yes. Please."

Carly swung her bare feet to the floor, hurrying to the kitchen for water and her pills. She guessed Pat's cheekbone was fractured. That would account for the swelling. She hoped it was nothing more serious.

She walked back to the bedroom with the flashlight tucked under her arm, holding out the water in one hand and the pill in the other.

" Can you sit up? "

Pat opened her eyes and lifted up, fighting against the pain. Then her heart clutched in her chest.

" Jesus Christ, are you trying to kill me? "

" What? " Then she followed Pat's gaze to her breasts. She had not put her shirt back on and she stood beside Pat in nothing but her boxers. Pat finally raised her eyes to Carly's, a look of hunger in the blue depths.

" I was hot, " she said. " I'm sorry."

" Suddenly, the pain is gone, " Pat whispered.

" No, it's not. Now take this."

Pat took the pill and water from Carly, her eyes never leaving the exposed flesh before her. Carly was absolutely beautiful. Her small breasts were shadowed but Pat could see the aroused nipples. She wanted her mouth there. She wanted to feel them swell against her tongue.

She handed the glass back to Carly as her eyes roamed over the perfect body before her.

" Please come here, " she whispered.

" Pat, you're in pain. Lay down."

" Yes. I'm in pain and it's below the waist."

The beam of the flashlight moved across Pat's body and Carly allowed her eyes to follow it, settling on the swell of breasts that begged for her touch. She simply couldn't resist. She put the water on the small table beside the bed and turned the flashlight off.

" Please come here, " Pat said again, quietly.

" Don't start something you don't intend to finish, " Carly said. " Not this time."

" I want to make love with you."

In the total darkness, Carly moved to her voice. Pat's arms found her, pulling her down beside her on the bed. Flesh met flesh and Carly was lost. Mouths met and mated, tongues danced, and hands touched. Carly moaned when Pat's hands found her breasts, cupping them both. She forgot about Pat's injury, she forgot everything she had ever vowed. She wanted her. She wanted to make love to her. She pushed Pat onto her back, straddling her. Pat's hips came up and met her and Carly groaned.

" Am I hurting you? " she asked.

" No, " Pat whispered. Her face ached but didn't compare to the ache between her thighs. And if she weren't so tired, so drugged, she would already be inside Carly. But her movements were slow, her hands soft upon Carly's skin.

Carly bent down again, and her mouth and tongue moved across Pat's bare skin, finally finding her nipple. Pat arched into her and Carly's mouth closed over the erect peak, sucking it hard into her mouth. She felt Pat's hands slide over her back, moving inside her boxers and cupping her hips, pulling her more firmly to her.

Her hips pressed into Pat, undulating against her. God, she wished there was some light. She wanted to look at Pat, to see her eyes. Then she felt Pat's body relax, felt her hands still. She pulled away slightly, moving her mouth back to Pat's. But the lips that met hers barely moved.

" Pat? "

" Can't move, " she murmured. " It's your fault. You made me take the pill."

With an exasperated sigh, Carly let her head fall to Pat's chest. The fucking pain pill. Pat was out.

" I'm not believing this, " she whispered. " I'm really not fucking believing this."

But Pat didn't answer. Her even breathing told Carly that she was asleep. Carly rolled off of Pat, her body still on the verge of exploding.

" You will so pay for this, " she whispered to the sleeping woman. She lay on her back, staring into the blackness, barely hearing the storm. She had been ready to give herself to this woman, and she had been ready to take everything Pat could offer.

Her breathing finally slowed and she again gained some control over her body. She rolled onto her side, facing Pat. She couldn't see her but her hand reached out, touching bare flesh. She found her breast, her hand closing around it. She felt Pat stir, felt Pat move towards her. She smiled. It was enough. For now. She rested her head on the pillow, so close to Pat. She closed her eyes, her hand still upon Pat's breast, and she slept.