Page 26 of Backhanded Compliments

Luca bites her lip and hunches forward. Ricci’s thumb digs in, and she closes her eyes, pain and pleasure twisting together in an elegant dance.

And then her hand is gone. The gel bottle squeaks, then both of Ricci’s hands land on her shoulders. Lightning sizzles through every nerve, and Luca exhales heavily, lower lip viciously caught in her upper teeth. The sensations ripple through her, and Luca wants Ricci to touch every part of her, to unravel Luca with this same tender care.

Ricci stills.

“Come on, Ricci,” Luca urges, but it feels wrong to use her last name in this intimate moment.

Juliette. Her thumb sweeps across her wrist wrap. Heat builds beneath it even though that patch of skin was protected from the sun.

The ache of the burn returns, twice as bad as before now that she’s come to expect the soothing gel to distract her.

“How far down does the sunburn go?” Juliette’s hands curve along her shoulders.

Luca breathes out softly. Then, with more courage than she usuallyhas, she pulls her tank top off, clutching it to her chest to cover her breasts.

Juliette whistles. “Oh.”

Heat blooms through Luca that has nothing to do with the sunburn. She holds her breath, closes her eyes. Juliette pauses and both of them hang on the edge of this moment. Is it too much? Luca’s eyes sting as she tries to brace for another rejection.

Then, Juliette’s hands move down her back, still so achingly gentle, the gel making them glide. Juliette’s fingers skate down her ribs, her sides, to her hips. Luca bites her lip, sighing through her nose as the cool gel soothes her inflamed skin.

Juliette’s thumbs brush across the dimples at the base of her spine, and Luca whimpers. She never wants Juliette’s hands to leave her skin.

“Feels good, doesn’t it?” Juliette’s voice is a low purr, her breath a hot puff against the back of Luca’s neck. She doesn’t even know when Juliette got that close, but she can feel her body heat, hear the whisper of her silk shirt. Luca wants to curl up against her and be held.

The best she can do for now is lean back. With each panting gasp, she can smell the suggestion of whatever citrus-scented haircare product Juliette uses. “Keep going. Please,” Luca whispers.

Juliette’s breath catches, ragged and rough. Luca isn’t the only one effected by this. She hadn’t considered that Juliette might be enjoying this too. Excitement zips up Luca’s spine, and she shudders.

Juliette rubs more gel onto Luca’s shoulders. Her thumbs rub tiny circles into her skin, and Luca goes boneless. The gel has sunk in and taken most of the sting out of the burn.

Luca’s breath evens out as Juliette continues to caress her skin. She doesn’t know how long they stay there, indulging in this moment, but for the first time in days, the buzzing in Luca’s head quiets.

Juliette slowly slides her hands over the crest of Luca’s shoulders, sliding across her collarbones. Luca holds her breath and silently pleads for Juliette’s hands to continue their exploration. Juliette sucks in a sharp gasp, and heat boils in Luca’s stomach at the thought of Juliette’s hands elsewhere.

Juliette’s hand splays and treks down Luca’s sternum. The gel is tacky now, and the slide isn’t perfect. The calluses on Juliette’s palms catch on her skin, and Luca gasps, lowering her arms and exposing herself to Juliette’s hands. Juliette’s fingers and palm curve to cup Luca’s left breast, so close to her nipple that Luca whimpers with need.

“Juliette,” Luca whispers, desire bleeding into her voice. Her name fits perfectly on Luca’s tongue, as perfectly as it fits on her wrist.

Juliette jumps, and in a rush of cool air, her hands are gone.

The moment shatters, and Luca’s eyes fly open. She clamps a hand over her mouth, embarrassment coating her in a fresh wave of heat. Now that she’s had a taste, she wants more. With just her hands, Juliette has stripped Luca bare. A pang of longing ripples out like radar from her chest, making her whole body feel like a bruise.

Juliette slams the aloe bottle onto the counter next to Luca, and it’s like a splash of cold water over her head.

“I trust you can reach your chest and stomach.” Juliette tosses the words over her shoulder, not even looking at Luca as she flees.

Luca pulls her tank top over her head, and it sticks to her skin. Her throat tightens with a lump. She cannot let that happen again, even if she desperately wants it. Juliette touched her for barely fifteen minutes and it unfurled something inside her that she has to keep buried. Juliette may havelikedtouching Luca, but Luca can never have something that is just physical.

Not again.

Luca snatches up the aloe, glaring at it. Her hands shake as she applies the gel to her own stomach. Her touch is nothing like Juliette’s.

And she’s never craved anything more.

JULIETTE

Juliette cannot stop her hands from shaking.

---