Page 125 of Appointing

“I…” Elin’s hands rubbed up and down Ingrid’s back. “I…”

“Should I stop?” Ingrid asked, moving her lips to Elin’s jaw and then back to her lips.

“No,” Elin replied. “I want you. You have no idea how much I…”

“Say it, Elin,” Ingrid encouraged, kissing her again.

“I don’t just want that; I don’t just want sex.”

Ingrid smirked. “You said it.”

“Icansay the word.”

“Whatdoyou want, then?”

“Everything with you.”

Ingrid lifted Elin up until she was sitting on the island. Elin laughed a little until Ingrid kissed her again. Then, Ingrid forced herself to step back for a second and stared into Elin’s eyes.

“We should go upstairs.”

“Finish what you started, Ingrid,” Elin told her.

“What about…”

“No one will come in here. They sawmecome in here.”

Ingrid reached forward and pulled one of Elin’s suspenders down. After removing the other one and stepping between Elin’s spread legs, she cupped Elin’s face and kissed her slowly. Then, she stepped back again.

“Not like this; not the first time,” she said.

“But you took my suspenders off,” Elin replied, sounding totally adorable.

“I’ll take them all the way off upstairs. But, Elin, I don’t just want sex, either: I want to make love to you.”

Elin swallowed. Then, she nodded. She stood up and placed back her suspenders.

“I want– I mean, I want that–” Elin put her hands back on the island behind her. “Ow!”

“What happened?”

“Nothing. The cheese knife.”

“Did you cut yourself?” Ingrid took her hands to look at them.

“No, it just kind of poked me,” Elin replied.

Ingrid kissed both of her palms and said, “I need you tonotcut these off, okay?” She kissed each of Elin’s fingers. “I haven’t seen what they can do yet.”

“Oh, I… Yeah, I won’t. I’ll…”

Ingrid smiled at her, kissed her, and said, “I’ll just hold on to one of these hands while we walk back to your room; for safety.” She winked at Elin.

CHAPTER 34

The ride upstairs was the only elevator ride Elin knew she’d remember for the rest of her life. They weren’t touching; they were staring. Ingrid’s eyes raked over Elin’s body not once but several times. Elin’s did the same and ended at Ingrid’s hands, which were balled into tight fists at her sides. Elin wanted to reach for her, but this moment – standing there andnottouching Ingrid – was the sexiest moment of Elin’s entire life. She was picturing everything she wanted to do, one exciting thing after the other, until she heard the ding of the elevator arriving at their floor. The doors opened, but neither of them got out. The doors closed. They continued to stare.

Elin knew what she wanted. Her heart knew. Her mind knew. Her body knew. Her entire soul knew. Without hesitating another moment, she reached for the top button of her shirt and undid it. Ingrid looked down, watching her hands move. Elin undid the second and the third button. Ingrid didn’t say anything; she just watched. Elin watched her watching. She moved her hands to the fourth and fifth button, finally finishing with the sixth. She removed her suspenders, letting them fall at her sides, and pulled off her shirt, leaving her only in her bra.

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