Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 14300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 72(@200wpm)___ 57(@250wpm)___ 48(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 14300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 72(@200wpm)___ 57(@250wpm)___ 48(@300wpm)
"You come so pretty," she tells me, then rolls my clit against the tip of her tongue. I nearly come again, my entire body clenching up in response. She chuckles at my actions, murmuring soft sounds of pleasure as she kisses my thighs and waits for me to come down. When I can breathe again, she lays her head on my thigh and gazes up at me. "Want to do that again?"
"In a bit. I need to catch my breath." As I lie there, panting, some of the awkwardness returns. I came a lot faster than she did, and I wonder if I didn't please her enough. Or if I was a shitty lover. My throat locks up and anxiety rises. "So…um…what now? With you and me?"
"Well…" She traces a lazy circle on my hip. "I thought we'd take a break, maybe have a snack, and then get back into bed again and see if we can make each other come at the same time. And then, I don't know. Dinner? You feel like going to the cantina or want to stay in?"
"Are you going to stay the night?"
She sits up. "I said I would. Do you not want me to?" A worried look crosses her face. "Did you not enjoy yourself, Ali?"
"I did," I blurt out. "It was amazing—"
"Then why all the doubt?" It's clear Haina's concern remains. "Do we need a safe word—"
"I love you," I say quickly. The moment it crosses my lips I feel like a damn idiot again. I'm always squawking about how much I love her. She's going to think I'm losing my mind. But she only grins and presses another kiss to my thigh. "I just want this to work," I add. "And I'm afraid of messing it up. Or of disappointing you."
"You don't disappoint me in the slightest," Haina says with a soft smile. She reaches up and cups my cheek, and I want her to hold me forever.
But she doesn't tell me she loves me back, either. I tell myself that it doesn't matter…but I also know I'm lying. Two months ago, I wanted nothing more than to have Haina smile at me. Now that I've had a taste of more, I'm not going to be satisfied with things being casual. I'm just not sure what she wants out of this.
After spending all night in each other's arms, morning comes far too quickly. I hop into the shower with Haina, scrubbing her back and looping my arms around her waist as she soaps her hair.
"I can't make it back sooner than next Thursday," she tells me, turning to wash the suds out of her hair.
I wrap my arms around her again and rest my chin between her breasts, gazing up at her. Next Thursday seems so far away. "I understand. You have to work. When's your next day off? Maybe you can come by and spend some time then?"
"I wish." She wrings her hair out and then puts a dollop of shampoo in my hair and begins to wash it for me. "They're letting some of the staff go. Budget cuts. It means I'm picking up some extra routes, unfortunately. The scheduling is a little wild right now so I don't get any time off for the foreseeable future."
I frown. "No time off at all? That's not fair."
"Like they care about fair?" She runs her fingers over my scalp, tilting her head as she focuses on washing my hair for me. "They're just interested in profits. And since I'm interested in staying employed, I can't really complain. I'll still be here Thursday, but I don't know if I'll be able to stay all night again."
"Oh." I try not to be crushed at that, and fail.
"Don't look so sad, Ali." She turns us and then I'm under the spray, the water running through my hair. She's careful with me, though, using her hand to shield my face from water and suds. "I'll make time for you. And if there's not a lot of time, we'll just have to make out on my lunch break. How do you feel about cantina sex?"
"I feel very negative about it," I tell her sourly. "The cantina is kinda gross."
"It is," she agrees, grinning. "But if you wear a skirt, I can make you come under the table."
"What about you?"
"I'll let you do me in the sled."
"So generous."
"Didn't you know? I'm the queen of generosity," Haina teases. She locks her arms around my wet body and presses me against the tile. "Want me to show you?"
And she nudges my nose with hers, then kisses me, slow and utterly thorough.
5
ALI
Next Thursday
There's no sign of Haina's ship at the regular time. She always comes by in late mornings, but by the time the afternoon sun is high in the sky, there's still no garish pink and red ship. I check my comm board, but Haina never sends me a comm. I'm bad about figuring out the tech and she laughs at my fumbling efforts. She's always said that whatever we have that needs saying can wait for Thursday…