Page 59 of Changing Tides
“What are you doing?” They turned, but didn’t pull out of her embrace. “I thought we weren’t doing this?”
“I genuinely can’t help myself. You’re irresistible.”
Joey twisted away then. “Don’t be silly. Plenty of people have resisted. You’ll manage.”
“But what if I don’t want to, Joey? You feel it, too, I can see it. What if it’s too good to resist?” She moved closer but kept her hands to herself.
Joey turned back to the grill. “The fish will stick.”
Marianne retreated to the hammock and wondered if she’d messed it up. What if Joey didn’t want anything to do with her, attraction or no? She wasn’t exactly an ideal catch with a small child and a faltering career. She watched Joey as they cooked. What did she even want from this? Immediate gratification, or something more?
Joey’d been very clear their life was here on Inishderry, and she didn’t plan on staying forever. Did she? She thought of Denny’s wonderful life here and her own satisfaction in the kitchen. But it wasn’t an option in the long term.
Joey dropped the spatula and came to sit on the bench next to the hammock. “I do feel it, more than you’ll ever know.” Their eyes were wide and dark in the flickering lights. “But I don’t want to get hurt. And I don’t think you could avoid hurting me.”
Marianne rolled out of the hammock and sat down next to Joey. “The way I feel about you makes me want to protect you from hurt, not to cause you any. I think we’d be good for each other.”
She’d never had to try this hard with anyone before. Amira had chased her down, and in all her previous relationships she’d only had to show some interest, and it was reciprocated. But she didn’t fear that Joey didn’t feel the same way. She could feel it in their every look, the energy they gave off when they were close.
She shivered now as she took their big hands in her own and felt them tremble. She lifted a hand to her lips and kissed along every finger, Joey’s rough calluses dragging against her skin. Joey groaned, reflecting how Marianne felt.
She stood in one quick movement and pulled Joey upright. They didn’t resist. She ran her fingers through their silky hair and pulled their head down just a little, so she could reach their lips. At five feet nine, she’d been taller than every partner she’d had, and she reveled in the novelty. Joey pulled back for just a moment, then they dipped their head and kissed her, hard.
Sensation flooded Marianne. She’d thought her interest in physical satisfaction had long since deserted her, but Joey brought everything flowing back. Literally. She staggered back toward the house, pulling Joey with her. She nearly tripped on the doorstep, but Joey’s hands around her waist caught her and almost lifted her into the house.
She broke away long enough to pull Joey to their room, pushed the door open with their weight, and shoved them down onto the bed. She stripped quickly and looked into Joey’s eyes.They were filled with a mix of desire, admiration and…was it terror?
She held herself back. “Are you sure?”
“Oh, God, yes.” Joey groaned, and she straddled their leg, naked, feeling the rough friction of their jeans and the solid muscle beneath just where she needed it most. Resisting the urge to get off by humping Joey’s leg while they watched, she leaned in for a kiss. Joey responded, but she pulled away, trapping their lip with her teeth. The look in their eyes was the biggest turn on she’d ever known.
She reached down and slowly started to unbutton the plaid shirt, starting at the top. Joey placed their hand over hers and she paused. “Please. I need to touch you, everywhere.”
Joey’s head rested back on the pillow, but they didn’t break eye contact.
She finished undoing the buttons and pulled Joey’s shirt loose from their waistband. Then she pushed it back over their shoulders. Joey’s body wasn’t ripped. A softness to the curves hid the muscles beneath. Muscles sculpted by heavy work, not hours spent in the gym. She ran her hands across their chest and her reaction to their body produced a patch of moisture where she rested on their leg.
“Fucking hell, you’re beautiful.” She leaned in, running her tongue along smooth skin and across Joey’s hard nipples. The noise they made sounded like the one she was making inside. Joey was probably as close to the edge as she was, and they hadn’t even got started.
She pulled back for a moment to get her breath and take a good look at the sight of Joey half naked. She swung her leg away, feeling the rush of air on her soaking wet center.
She reached for Joey’s belt buckle, but their hand came down to cover hers. She pulled her hand away. She wanted Joey to trust her. “You do it, then.” She looked deep into their eyes,trying to convey the emotion she was feeling, too. Joey needed to know this was more than a fuck. What it actually was would need to wait to be picked apart later.
Joey undid the buckle and the buttons on their jeans with one hand. Then they used both hands to slowly push them down over their hips. They raised themself from the bed and lowered them past their knees. Their boxers stayed in place. That was okay, Marianne could work around them.
The wait, as much of a turn on as it was, had made her feel slightly more in control. She helped Joey slip the jeans over their bare feet and they sat up to slip their arms out of the shirt. She knelt on the bed in front of them, not wanting to rush things.
Joey shivered. It was warm in the room, so Marianne suspected it was from the exposure, rather than the temperature.
“Are you okay?”
Joey nodded and reached for her, pulled her back across their lap until they were sitting chest to chest. Joey’s kiss was tentative, then became more confident as they devoured Marianne’s mouth. Mari’s whole body shot straight back to the edge and she pulled herself away so she could regain control.
She pushed Joey back onto the bed and rested her elbows either side of their head while she adjusted her position until she was between Joey’s legs. Joey dipped their head and took one of her nipples between their teeth and her knees almost gave out. But she wanted this to be so good for Joey. She widened her legs until they were spreading Joey apart and then slid a hand down to the waistband of Joey’s boxers. Their head shot up.
“Relax.” She looked into their blue eyes until the wariness subsided and they bit their lip. She smiled and slipped her finger just under the elastic and ran it along their stomach, feeling the abs tighten beneath the skin.
Joey ran their hands up her rib cage and grasped her breasts fully in each hand, their rough thumbs running over her already sensitive nipples. It was exquisite, but Mari was on a mission. She ran her fingers lower, inside the tight underwear toward the heat she could already feel.
