CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

" SLOAN? "

Sloan turned to gaze at Michael, who stood just inside the doors of the loft. Michael looked uncertain, and terribly vulnerable. Sloan's heart ached to see it, and she wanted to go to her and kiss the fear from her eyes. " What is it? " Sloan asked her gently.

Michael searched Sloan's face. Seeing the kindness and tenderness, she remembered Sloan's gentle touch and found the courage to continue. " What does this mean? Our being here? " She hesitated, her voice catching on the words. " Because I don't think I'll be able to forget you after this."

Sloan stood very still, struggling for the strength to accept the truth. " It means we--" she stopped, aware of the lingering fears hammering at her. She turned her mind from the memories, clinging instead to the image of Michael in her arms. " It means I want you, Michael. It means I need you. It means I will do anything I possibly can never to hurt you." She swallowed, then took a step closer to the woman who had captured her heart. " It means I love you, more than you will ever know."

Michael smiled, a tremulous smile that reflected the tears in her eyes. She crossed the remaining space between them, reaching for Sloan, threading her arms around Sloan's waist and nestling her head against Sloan's shoulder. " How is it you always know what to say? "

Sloan's arms closed around her, one hand gently stroking her hair. She laughed a little unsteadily. " For some reason, being near you makes it easy to say the things I feel. Even when they scare me to death, I can't stop them from coming out." She kissed the top of Michael's head, then reached gently to lift Michael's chin in the palm of her hand, gazing deep into her clear blue eyes.

" I love you, Michael Lassiter. So very much."

Michael smiled again, a full smile now that illuminated her features with hope and happiness. She brushed her lips across Sloan's, and echoed softly, " I love you, JT Sloan. So very much."

Suddenly, there was no longer any need for words. Each could feel the truth in the other's embrace. Michael pressed close, caressing Sloan's shoulders, her chest, her back. Their lips met as Sloan drew Michael's blouse from beneath the waistband of her skirt, running her hands over the soft skin she bared. She kept her mouth on Michael's, her hands rising to Michael's breasts, freeing them, starved for the feel of her flesh. Michael eased back enough to get her hands between their bodies and pulled at the buttons of Sloan's fly. She stroked Sloan's abdomen, running her fingers along the edges of the quivering muscles, desperately pushing at Sloan's jeans, trying to touch more of her. They twisted together, thrashing on twin hooks of desire, their kisses voracious, their hands greedy - hot and hungry and wild.

Sloan pulled away first, gasping, her stomach knotted with need so heavy she could barely stand. They were nearly naked in the middle of her living room, clothes in various stages of disarray. Sloan's hands shook where they lay on Michael's desire-dampened skin. Michael's face was flushed, her blue eyes cloudy with lust, and she moaned when Sloan's lips left hers.

" No, " Michael protested, reaching for her again.

" Michael, " Sloan groaned as Michael's fingers slid down the front of her jeans. Her knees buckled and she almost fell. " Michael, wait! Bedroom, now, or we'll end up right here on the floor! "

Michael was on fire. The only thing she wanted was to feel her and taste her and consume her until the famine of a lifetime was satisfied, and then she wanted it again. " Hurry. I want you so much, " she gasped.

They half stumbled across the floor, still embracing, shedding the rest of their clothes as they went. Reaching the edge of the bed, they tumbled onto the covers in a tangle of arms and legs. They couldn't seem to get close enough as limbs clasped and breasts cleaved and everywhere they licked and sucked and fought to join. Their groans echoed throughout the room until the air was thick with their passion.

" I can't stand it, " Michael moaned, reaching between Sloan's thighs to find the heat and the wetness she craved, stroking through the swollen tissues, entering her deeply, than easing out to tantalize her with light touches and teasing caresses. Sloan tried to roll onto her, wanting her more than she wanted to be pleasured, but Michael stopped her, stronger than Sloan had imagined.

" No, " Michael murmured, sliding inside again, reaching some place beyond the physical with her hands and her eyes and her pure selfless desire. " No, I want you. I want you. Trust me, please."

Sloan fell back, surrendering, giving her body and letting go, finally, of the pain. " Yes, " she whispered, the word ending in a small choked cry. Michael's mouth was at her throat, biting lightly, then moving lower, over her breasts, down the center of her abdomen, pressing into the soft skin at the base of her belly. Sloan's hands found Michael's hair, then her cheek, as she lifted her hips in silent offering. She waited, the breath stilled in her chest, her blood poised to burn, for the touch that would set her free.

Michael paused, awestruck with wonder, as Sloan arched and grew taut, shudderingly close to exploding. She closed her eyes in gratitude and told Sloan with her mouth and her tongue and her arms wrapped tightly around Sloan's hips how very much she loved her. And when Sloan grew full and hard and the bands of her restraint broke with a deep groan, Michael continued to glory in her until all that existed in that room was the perfect harmony of their blood and their breath and the beat of their hearts.

Sloan awoke in darkness, streetlights casting pale flickering shadows over the bed. Michael's head lay on her shoulder, and the soft weight of Michael's breast filled her palm. Even in near blackness, Michael's hair shown golden against her luminescent skin, giving her the look of a sleeping angel. Sloan ran her fingers through the silken strands, thinking about miracles and second chances. She realized that even in the first blush of love with Elise she had never felt so connected, nor so damn lucky. Maybe it took losing to understand what it meant to win. She sighed without knowing it, pulling Michael closer.

Michael lay quietly, listening to the comforting, steady rhythm of Sloan's heart, basking in the tender attention of Sloan's caresses. The second time she heard Sloan sigh, she asked, " What's bothering you? "

" Did I wake you? " Sloan murmured, kissing the tip of her ear.

" No, " Michael replied, snuggling a little closer, one hand resting lightly against Sloan's abdomen. She smiled when the muscles jumped at her touch. " And don't change the subject."

Sloan grinned to herself. " I was just thinking that I almost didn't let this happen. I was too stubborn to see that what I thought was love, years ago, never was at all."

Michael shifted until she lay on top of Sloan, raising up on her elbows and gazing into her face. " Don't. You were young and you were innocent, and there's no blame in that. We're here together now, and that's all that matters."

" I love you, " Sloan whispered, liking the sound of it.

" That works out well then, " Michael responded as she brought her lips close to Sloan's. " Because I love you, too."

It was slower this time, but no less powerful. When kisses weren't enough to quiet the fires, they shifted to face each other, trading languid strokes and teasing caresses as they stared into each other's eyes. When the matching pools of liquid desire deepened to overflowing, Michael arched her hips to take all of Sloan inside of her, murmuring, " Soon."

" Uh huh, " Sloan groaned, as the pressure began to build and pound in the pit of her belly. She clenched her jaws and tried to hold on.

Michael began to tremble lightly, her eyelids fluttering closed for long seconds as her teeth caught at her lower lip, then her eyes opened wide as her hips jerked hard into Sloan's hand.

" Oh god, " she cried just before her head snapped back and her voice tripped over the sudden spasm that gripped her.

The sound of Michael's pleasure was all it took to carry Sloan beyond her limits, and she surrendered with a sharp cry as tongues of fire swept through her muscles and along her nerves to burn a white-hot path into her brain. She was beyond words, able only to emit a series of broken groans.

Michael eventually found her voice, and whispered, " I've never felt anything like that before."

Sloan brushed at the tears on her own cheeks, and replied, " Neither have I."

Michael sighed, and tucked her head under Sloan's chin, fitting herself into every curve of Sloan's body. " That's all right then, isn't it? "

" Oh yes, " Sloan murmured on the edge of sleep. " Just right."