Page 71 of When You Smile

“Uncomfortably,” Taryn answered without hesitation. “Write the damn ending.”

“Oh, I kind of enjoy when you tell me what to do.”

The seconds seemed to crawl by, and she decided Charlie was the slowest writer on the planet. Taryn adjusted her position on the couch, uncrossing her legs, hoping the new arrangement would lessen the aching between them. It didn’t. The sound of the keyboard continued to mock her. She simultaneously understood that each word written got her closer to a naked Charlie beneath her fingertips, beneath her lips. It meant release from the pent-up tension coursing through every inch of her body. She could almost hear the little sounds Charlie made right before she came, feel Charlie’s heated skin pressed to hers and the weight of Charlie’s body pressing down on her. God, she loved to be pressed.

Just then, the light over her head went off, leaving the room dimly lit by a small lamp on an end table across the room. The result was cozy and romantic. At last. Anticipation licked its way around her body. She turned to Charlie just in time to see her walking toward Taryn as she pulled her sweater over her head, leaving her with a generous view. God bless sweaters and the manner in which they came off. Charlie slid her jeans down her legs and stepped out of them. The technique impressed.

“You’re done?” Taryn breathed. Charlie stood in front of her in just panties, and there was no sexier image in life.

“The end,” Charlie said quietly with a tilt of her head. Taryn loved her quiet voice. The manner in which she strung thoughts together. The way she looked when she did so. Everything.

“Best words ever.” She waited for Charlie to reach her, surprised when she did and then passed her by. The crook of Charlie’s finger beckoned Taryn, and she grinned. “Bedroom it is. I really like the bedroom.”

But she was hijacked in the darkened hallway and pressed up against the wall and kissed into the sweetness of next week. Charlie’s hands were on her bare waist below the sports bra, the softness of Charlie’s breasts pressed into Taryn’s.

“God, you’re worth waiting for,” Charlie murmured into her mouth, owning her.

“And you’re really good at sweaters.”

Charlie chuckled. “I don’t know what that means, but I don’t care.” She dropped to her knees and pulled Taryn’s joggers to her ankles, which prompted her to step out of them. Grasping her hips, Charlie kissed the small rectangle of fabric between her legs as Taryn hissed in a breath. When she increased the pressure of the kiss, Taryn placed her palms flat on the wall for support.

“Don’t get comfortable,” Charlie said, resting back on her heels. “My bedroom. Now. I’m going to kiss every inch of your body.”

Taryn, whose words had been stripped from her just moments ago and hadn’t returned, went hot like molten lava. Her bones were liquid and she was fire. She nodded obediently and allowed herself to be pulled through the door to Charlie’s room. The overhead was off, but the white twinkly lights Charlie had strung across the perimeter of her ceiling cast their luminance gently over the room like a halo.

“Come here,” Taryn murmured, pulling Charlie to her.

She went up on her toes and slid her arms around Taryn’s neck where their gazes connected just before their lips did. Kissing Charlie in a dizzying storm, Taryn was in heaven. Time was no longer a thing, nor was reason. She walked Charlie to the bed and waited, knowing full well what she’d do. She loved that she was learning her moves. With a grin, she turned them, gave Taryn a little shove onto the bed, and followed her down.

“Such a top,” she said.

“Please. You love it.”

“More than you know,” Taryn said. “Just know it’s temporary.”

That did it. Charlie crushed her mouth to Taryn’s and pushed her tongue inside. Moments later, she sat up, a show Taryn wouldn’t miss for anything. Charlie smiled and shook her head. “Such a boob girl. Is this what you wanted?”

“Yes, please.” Her hands were on them, pushing, releasing, kneading. She loved Charlie’s breasts and could spend hours with them alone.

Charlie nodded in appreciation, and when Taryn sat up, ultimately placing Charlie in her lap, Charlie slid her fingers into Taryn’s hair, gave it a tug, and pulled Taryn’s head back, exposing and kissing her neck. “Fuck,” Taryn breathed. She closed her eyes and let the pinpricks of pleasure wash over her, leading to a much larger need she wouldn’t be able to ignore for long. She was wet and on the very edge, but Charlie had announced her plans in the hallway and nothing about them sounded fast. That might be a problem.

“I’m gonna need you to take me soon,” Taryn whispered.

Charlie looked up and grinned. “Excuse me?”

Taryn cradled her face and kissed her thoroughly, taking what she needed. “I’m not gonna last. Too much short-story foreplay.”

“I should have written more,” Charlie said with a wicked grin. “How’s this?” Charlie asked, stroking her softly, which equated to slow and torturous. It was something, though. It was everything.

“Yes.” Taryn’s eyes slammed shut as a shot of something potent and powerful moved through her. She pressed herself against Charlie’s hand, only to have it pulled away. “Mean.”

“Hot,” Charlie countered.

The tension was unreal, the ache so very intense. Taryn was over the bikinis she wore, and Charlie must have been, too, because they were adeptly removed from her body moments later.

“What are you doing to me?” Taryn said, half question, half rasp.

Charlie leaned her back and settled her hips between Taryn’s legs. “I don’t know what you’re referring to,” she said, as she went up on her forearms and began to rock against Taryn, softly at first and then with more intention. She slid her fingers inside, and she slowly took Taryn higher and higher with each well-placed thrust.

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