Page 29 of Hearts Like Hers

“Hey.”

With a hand behind Kate’s head, Autumn sankinto a heady kiss that left her out of breath and making plans. Kate’s handsslid up the fabric of Autumn’s sundress to her thighs, which had her archingher back and pushing against Kate. But this was so not about her right now…

“You know,” she said in exaggeratedenthusiasm as she stood, “I’ve not seen your room yet, and I’m known for beinga curious person. Show me?”

Kate took a final sip of her wine, and hereyes noticeably danced. “Through here,” she said, and led the way to thebedroom down a short, darkened hallway. She flipped on the light when theyentered, and Autumn took in the medium-sized bedroom. There was a queen-sizedbed jutting out from the wall with a painting of an exotic-looking mermaidhanging above.

“Friend of yours?” Autumn asked, as sheplaced her arms around Kate’s waist from behind. Kate turned in them.

“We’ve only just recently met.”

“Good. Then you won’t mind if I…” She hit thelights, leaving them in darkness with only the sound of their quiet breathing.With a gentle hand to the front of Kate’s shoulder, she walked her backwardtoward the bed. “There are things. That I want to do to you.”

With the back of Kate’s knee against the bedframe, Autumn had her where she wanted her. “You think we can take this off?”she asked, giving Kate’s shirt a tug. Kate obliged, unbuttoning her shirt asAutumn watched. The bra underneath was black, illuminated faintly by the lightfrom the hallway, and held back the breasts Autumn had only glimpsed the topsof on the beach the day she’d turned her ankle. She swallowed. Good things cameto those who waited.

“What about these?” Autumn asked, unbuttoningKate’s jeans and taking the zipper down slowly. She watched as Kate took themoff the rest of the way, revealing black hip-huggers beneath. “You like black.”Autumn slipped her arms around Kate’s waist and felt her way down her bare backuntil she cupped her ass, which was, quite frankly, the best ass she’d ever hadher hands on. Toned. Athletic. Awesome.

“I like black,” Kate repeated, seemingly in ahaze. She captured Autumn’s lips in an open-mouthed kiss. While Autumn hadimminent plans, she could also kiss Kate all night long. Resisting thattemptation, she pulled her mouth away and pushed Kate softly on the bed. Withmeasured speed, she pulled her dress over her head, discarding it on the floor.

Kate’s eyes were on her, and the least shecould do was put on a show. She took her time unclasping her bra. When she finallylet it fall, Kate’s lips parted. The cool air danced across Autumn’s skin, herstomach, her breasts, and she enjoyed it, knowing that in moments, there wouldbe nothing cool about her temperature. She slid her thigh-high bikinis down herlegs with measured ease and watched as Kate blinked and sucked in air. Thatstare made her wet. She climbed onto the bed and straddled Kate, sitting atopher naked and rocking ever so slowly. Kate’s hands were on her, moving up herthighs, her back, down to her breasts. She closed her eyes and murmured, “Wow.”

“No, no,” Autumn said quietly. “I need to seeyou if you’re going to touch me.” Kate’s hand slid between Autumn’s legs, buther eyes obeyed, opening and meeting Autumn’s gaze. She’d never seen suchintensity behind Kate’s eyes, and her arousal skyrocketed all over again.Refusing to forget the mission, she dipped her head and kissed the tops ofthose breasts, until she couldn’t wait any longer and freed them entirely,making quick work of Kate’s bra and tossing it onto the floor.

“Fuck,” Kate breathed, as Autumn licked andsucked each nipple. Through Kate’s little gasps, Autumn found great motivation,though she remained keenly aware of Kate’s hand between her legs and what itwas doing to her as she worked. Her eyes fluttered at the ever-increasingbuildup and she wondered if she’d beat Kate to the finish line.

No way in hell.

She upped her game and concentrated solely onthe beautiful woman beneath her. Kate’s breasts fit perfectly in her hands, andAutumn closed her eyes at the rush that came from touching her this way. Shewanted to touch more of her and dropped her hand down Kate’s stomach, beneaththe waistband of her hip-huggers into fantastic warmth. It wasn’t enough. Sheeased herself down the bed, forcing Kate to release her, and removed the laststitch of clothing from Kate’s body. She parted her legs and happily went towork with her mouth until Kate squirmed quietly beneath her detailed attention.She gave and gave, taking Kate to the brink with her tongue and then pullingback, enjoying the give and take, the sounds she elicited. It felt good to takecontrol. In desperation, Kate clung to the headboard and circled her hipsagainst Autumn’s mouth in search of release. Autumn was ready to give it toher. She pushed inside and pulled Kate into her mouth all at once, holdingnothing back. When Kate’s body bucked and shuddered, Autumn raised her gaze toenjoy the beautiful show. Kate’s brows were creased and she turned her cheekagainst the pillow one way and then the other, with a few quiet cries escapingher lips. Autumn crawled up the bed beside Kate, trading her hand for her mouthand easing Kate back from the heights she’d just taken her to with soft,intimate touches.

“I’m wrecked,” Kate managed, grasping Autumn’swrist, yet still moving beneath her touch.

“Really? Because I could keep going. I havenowhere to be.”

Kate smiled and shook her head. “Can’t takeany more.”

“Well, okay,” Autumn said, withdrawing theattention. She tucked a strand of hair behind Kate’s ear, loving that she hadthe power to take Kate to those heights. She didn’t have long to pride herself,however, as with one unexpected stroke from Kate, her body, primed and ready,sent her over the edge into her own blissful oblivion.

Autumn wasn’t as quiet as she clutched Kateand held on for the ride.

Distantly, she heard Kate chuckle and murmurone word: firecracker. She couldn’t help but smile at its use herself. WithKate, everything felt fun, easy, and unencumbered. While there might not be nightslike this for them in the future, she would hold on to the heated memory of thethings they’d done to each other, and how much she’d enjoyed it.

“You don’t have to go,” Kate said, fifteenminutes later when Autumn began gathering her clothing from various spots onthe floor. She was being nice again.

“I think it’s probably for the best, don’tyou?” Autumn asked.

Kate paused, biting her lower lip. Nothelping. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Once she’d put herself back together again,Autumn returned to Kate’s bed and sat on the edge. Kate turned on the bedsidelamp and sat up with the sheet wrapped around her from the chest down. For thefirst time since they’d met, she looked surprisingly youthful with her featuresrelaxed. Her eyes were bright, and her smile came with a whole new quality, oneAutumn could only describe as genuine. Kate seemedhappy, and it made Autumn’s heart flex.

“Thank you for tonight,” Autumn said andtouched her cheek. “I had a lot of fun at the observatory…and after. Afterprobably wins, though.”

“Me too,” Kate said. “I saw stars duringboth.”

She laughed. “Just so you know, any othertime in my life, you would be in some trouble.”

“And so would you.”

Autumn smiled, and a sadness moved to thecenter of her chest. “You’re a good one, Kate Carpenter.” She gave Kate’s china little shake in place of anything more intimate. The window to their stolenevening was closing, and Autumn took a proverbial step back. “Come by the shoptomorrow.”

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