Page 115 of Backhanded Compliments

Juliette chuckles. She shifts back, sliding Luca’s T-shirt up. “Put your hands up,” Juliette says, “let me admire you.”

Luca rips her shirt off and keeps her arms above her head, one hand holding her wrist and showing off the stark black ink of Juliette’s name. Fiery red and gold streaks of sun play across Luca’s skin. Her thighs are moon-blanched, pale like she normally is, similar to her stomach and chest.

Juliette’s hands flutter uselessly, unsure of where to touch first. Luca lets one arm rest on the top of her head, soulmark still revealed, but her other hand trails down her neck, languid and light. Then, she cups her breast and plucks at her nipple, making her lashes flutter.

Juliette’s mouth waters as Luca’s legs tip open, displaying her flushed center. Her hands shake. She is consumed with the desperate need to touch. “I want to make love to you,” she says suddenly, her heart hammering.

Luca blinks. “Oh.”

“This isn’t just sex,” Juliette says. She’s never been more sure ofanything in her life. “I want to be able to see your face,” Juliette adds.

Luca scrambles to sit up and drags Juliette into an all-consuming and desperate and sloppy kiss. “Need you, Jules,” Luca pants against her mouth.

“Get comfortable,” Juliette says. Luca works a pillow underneath her back, so her hips are tilted up at an angle. Juliette pushes Luca’s knees wider so she can see all of her. She gently slides one finger into Luca’s slick folds. She takes her time before adding a second, and it isn’t until Luca is squirming that she uses her other hand to rub against her clit.

Luca’s body pulls taut like a bowstring, and a guttural groan is punched out of her. The sound ripples through Juliette, and the heat boils in her.

“Come on,” Luca whines, bucking her hips.

Juliette steadies her with a hand on her hip. She pulls out her fingers, much to Luca’s displeasure. “What’s the rush?” she asks as she uses her other hand to press a finger into herself.

“I want to feel you,” Luca gasps out. “Please, don’t make me wait.”

Juliette drops her head to pepper kisses on the inside of Luca’s thigh. “Let me take care of you,” Juliette murmurs.

“Jules,” Luca whines.

“I love you,” she whispers, unable to stop herself.

“I’d love you more if we fucked,” Luca gasps out, her hips flinching.

Juliette clicks her tongue and decides they’re both sufficiently wet. She moves, her whole body trembling as she straddles Luca’s thighs and slides until their bodies meet. Luca’s hips roll up and their clits nudge together.

Juliette pauses, panting and afraid to move and get away from the hot wetness of Luca. She wonders, delirious and trembling, if it’s possible to melt during sex. The sweet, delicious heat of Luca’s pussy meeting hers might make her.

Juliette reaches for Luca’s hand, twining their fingers together, and their soulmarks bump. It’s a searing blaze of gorgeous energy, andJuliette swears she can see the fabric of the universe twisting together, aligning in a spectacular wash of color that saturates them both.

Luca grinds her hips up, and pleasure spikes through Juliette. She drops to her elbows to kiss Luca. She’s sure if they aren’t touching, skin-to-skin, from forehead to toes, she’ll combust into thousands of sparks, and they’ll start a wildfire in the middle of New York City.

“Jules,” Luca breathes against her mouth as they barely even kiss. “Please.”

Juliette’s wrist lifts off Luca, and clarity rips through her. Despite how much she wants to drag this out, she’s desperate. She thrusts her hips into Luca and Luca meets her, the slick heat grinding together making it hard to keep an even pace. Luca clings to her, fingernails raking down her shoulders and threading in her hair.

The simmer of her orgasm winks on the horizon. Juliette blinks the sweat out of her eyes so she can see Luca properly. Cotton fills her throat, emotion washing over her in powerful waves, consuming her in love that burns through all the hatred and jealousy she’s ever harbored. How could she ever consider a negative feeling toward Luca when all she knows now is ultimate, unequivocal, and ardent love?

Luca is splayed out below her, vulnerable and trusting, panting and sobbing, falling to pieces, and hanging on to Juliette as she does.

“Jules,” Luca whispers, and then Juliette feels Luca’s fingers press against her, curling inside of her and pumping in and out. Flames of pleasure consume her and leave nothing but glorious ash behind. “Come for me,” she whispers.

Juliette does, shuddering and trembling and she rocks her hips down. Luca shudders, and Juliette can feel her throbbing through her own orgasm, the pulsations a feedback loop that seems to elongate Juliette’s orgasm.

“I love you, I love you, I love you,” Juliette says, over and over again because it’s all her body is capable of knowing.

Love is all she is. Love is all she can be.

It’s so intense that Juliette has no idea how long it takes her to come back to reality.

She has collapsed on top of Luca, exhausted and burning hot likeshe’s run a marathon with a fever. She turns her head, forehead pressed into the juncture of Luca’s neck and shoulder. A hand runs over her curls, over and over again.

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