Page 79 of Once a Month

“Not as hot as you,” she says, pulling me in.

“Nice,” I say, laughing.

“I’m serious,” she says, kissing me. “But I’m down to watch a movie of two hot women getting it on – as long as I get to touch you while we do.”

“That can be arranged,” I tell her, wrapping my arms around her neck. “Can you lose the rest of your clothes and join me in the hot tub? There should already be perfectly hot water in there, with the bubbles already going and a bottle of champagne chilling. I asked for chocolate-dipped strawberries, too. Do you eat those?”

“I can’t say I’ve ever really had the opportunity to eat a chocolate-dipped strawberry.”

“Oh, I’m going to feed them to you, then,” I tell her, sliding her underwear off her body. I kiss her collarbone and pull her shirt the rest of the way off. “I love that you don’t wear a bra. Your nipples are so perfect.” I lean down and pull one into my mouth.

“We can’t go to that hot tub if you’re doing this,” she says, holding my head in place.

“I was going to do this in the hot tub,” I tell her, kissing her neck.

???

After we get out of the hot tub, we sit at the small table against the wall of windows overlooking the city. We share the appetizers that were prepared for us and another glass of champagne. We sit there completely naked, not worrying about someone maybe seeing in the windows. Honestly, I don’t think about anything outside this room – I can only see her. We talk for a long time until we’re up to our college years. She went to state school. I was at an Ivy. We discuss how different those experiences were, and by the time we’re up to her first job post-college, it’s already so late, that I’m happy to skip the movie and sex the rest of the night if it means more talking and laughing with her like this. There’s a sense of dread that has nothing to do with us not having sex again for a month. It’s about not seeing her until then.

“Bed?” she asks.

“What?” I say.

“Bed?” she says.

“Oh, sure,” I say.

“What movie did you order?” she asks as we walk into the room hand in hand.

“Something with a terrible title,” I say.

She laughs and says, “That’s all of them.”

She sits back on the bed, spreading her legs wide. I look. She rolls her eyes. I sigh and move to sit between her legs, and she pulls me against her as I turn on the movie.

“Can we just watch something else?” I ask.

“You don’t want to watch what you picked out?” she asks, kissing my shoulder.

“No. Maybe just a regular movie,” I say.

“Whatever you want,” she tells me.

The hotel’s selection is extensive, and I’m able to find a lesbian rom-com. It’s not sexy, but at least it’s not one of the tragic ones. I lean back against her, and we watch the movie. Occasionally, her hands roam my skin, and her lips press to it. By the time the movie is over, it’s three-thirty in the morning, and I can almost feel the time slipping away. She reaches between my legs and gently strokes the hairs there.

“I don’t want to leave without touching you one more time,” she says.

“Yes,” I reply.

“Can I get it?” she asks.

I nod, and she gets up and returns wearing the strap-on we used last time. I lie back with my head against the pillow. She moves over me, and we kiss for a long time; so long that I worry the knock will come any moment. Then, I remember: we have a private elevator leading to this room. They can’t knock on the door. They’ll probably just call the room if we’re not out of it by four.

“Hey,” she says softly.

“What?” I ask softly back.

“Are you here?” she asks.

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