Page 43 of So Not My Type

How does Ella say something like that and allow this unbearable energy to fester?Sophie didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know what to do. Leave? Stay? Move closer. She froze, staring at the water, her pulse pounding in her ears.

And then… Ella moved. She inched closer and pressed her leg against Sophie, and everything in Sophie’s body tensed. Water droplets dangled from Ella’s straps, trailed her arms, her neck, her chest, and Sophie licked the corner of her lip ring.

Chlorine-laced steam, mist, and the smell of cherry blossoms collided. The pull toward Ella was so strong that Sophie didn’t know who moved first. But there she was, staring at Ella’s shoulders, the crook of her neck, the slope above her lips. Was Ella’s heart beating as fast as hers? Was her mind swirling between deep want, fear, and uncertainty? Time clicked by, with the only sounds of mist on pavement, the gentle gush of water lapping the sides of the hot tub, and increased breaths.

And then… holy shit… Ella lifted herself and straddled Sophie.

“Whoa.”

Ella paused, caught Sophie’s eyes, and held her gaze. When Sophie lifted her hips to press into her, Ella flattened her hands behind Sophie, gripping the end of the tub, caging Sophie. She hovered over Sophie’s lap, her eyes darting between Sophie’s eyes, like she wanted to read her soul.

Touching Ella was a hard no. They were co-workers. Never once had she mixed business with anything but business. But it had beenso long, and Ella’s voluptuousness and curves were so perfectlyright there. Her face was fearless. Shyness, awkwardness, evaporated. Ella was in full control.

Ella lowered herself more, her bottom settling on Sophie. Her chest rose and pressed against Sophie, and Sophie wanted to crumble. God, she smelled so good, like sand and beach and fresh flowers, and Sophie wanted to bury her face into her neck and consume her scent.

This felt good. Too good.

Warm lips grazed Sophie’s ear. “If you want me to stop, all you have to do is say it.”

Jesus Christ.Honey layered Ella’s whispery voice, and Sophie’s pulse nearly clouded her eyesight. She was useless, powerless, as her hands rose and she pressed her fingertips into Ella’s hips.

Did she want Ella? Did Ella want her? Sophie had seen the ad Ella posted, firmly stating she wanted a one-night stand only. Sophie wanted a lifetime. And this, no matter how amazing, would not help her meet that goal.

“Do you want me to stop?” Ella whispered again.

Sophie’s breath hitched. “No.” The words were breathless, fleeting, escaping her mouth like her willpower. The water was charged, dancing, and Ella’s legs tightened around hers. Sophie trailed her palms, reaching higher, holding Ella close.

Ella’s lips swept Sophie’s neck. One kiss, two kisses… higher. She pushed her body against Sophie’s, and Sophie’s legs trembled. Yes, she was scared. But it was more than fear. She dangled her fingertips in Ella’s hair, the sensation of Ella’s mouth on her skin nearly unbearable. This was complicated, yes. But right now, she didn’t want to worry about complications or conflicts, or anything but warm, wet skin pushing into hers and the feel of Ella’s lips as they moved from her neck, to her collarbone, to her shoulder.

She was collapsing, a useless, squishy entity that dissolved beneath skillful touches. Ella hooked her finger below Sophie’s strap and lowered, kissing her shoulder, behind her ear, the line of her jaw.

The feelings were too much, the need to taste Ella’s lips burned her mouth. Sophie gripped Ella behind the neck now, staring hard into those dark amber eyes, her pulse pounding so hard she was sure Ella could feel it through her veins. Ella sighed, staring at Sophie’s lips, looking at her like she was heaven, and leaned.

Sophie closed the gap, pushed her lips on Ella’s, andahhh… her soft, pretty mouth was everything. Strong, full, smooth. Ella relaxed into the kiss, her tongue gently pushing against Sophie, and pressed her chest against Sophie’s.Fuuuu… God, this all felt so good. The missing piece in Sophie’s life. She explored Ella’s luxurious, velvet tongue and soon Sophie didn’t know whose breath was whose and she didn’t care.

Ella pulled back again, and stared at Sophie, her cheeks flushed. Was she thinking the same? Almost as if she could hear her thoughts, Ella pressed her mouth back against Sophie, her hands dragging against her shoulder, her fingertips gliding. She filled her mouth with Sophie’s lips, her tongue circling Sophie’s lip ring, her air coming out in spurts. Her fingertips swiped Sophie’s dip in her lower neck, and trailed lower. Sophie’s insides heated, her legs tensed.

So much time had passed since Sophie had been touched like this, with purpose, with strong, heated desire. She wanted Ella. Now. She tugged on Ella’s bikini top, loosening the strings as Ella’s fingers dipped even lower, her thumb grazing the sensitive skin on her side. A little lower, they slid more, so close…

“Ella! My God, are you in the hot tub alone?”

A screeching voice and the hard crack of heels against a wood deck slashed the moment. Sophie dropped her hand as quickly as Ella hopped from her lap. A flurried moment passed in embarrassed blushes and clearing throats.

“Mom, no,” Ella called out. “I’m here with a friend.”

Ella’s mom bolted down the stairs, all crisp blouse and crisp hair and crisp heels, and Sophie wanted to dive under the water and not come up. The heat in her body turned cooler, but still tingled, which Sophie decided was a terrible way to feel. She couldn’t look at Ella as she tried hard to act normal.

“Thank God!” Her mom clasped a hand over her heart. “I thought you were in there alone. I should know you’re more responsible than that.”

Sophie cringed at the probably well-intentioned, but terribly delivered words, as her libido officially shriveled.

“I’m good.” Ella’s voice had morphed from sex kitten to full-on irritated daughter. “Mom, Sophie. Sophie… meet my mother.”

This was not how she’d picture a meet-the-mom moment, nor meeting the CEO’s wife—with a lingering horny-charge.

Ella’s mom did a quick double take. “Sophie from the office?”

What did that mean?The delivery was not unkind, per se, just… unreadable. “Yes, that’s me.”

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