Page 87 of You Had Me at Merlot

Leighton’s gaze fell to Jamie’s lips. It made her thighs tense. Leighton looked around. “This isn’t private enough. Can we get out of here for a little while?”

Jamie nodded. “Please.” She raised her arm, and in perfect timing,a cab pulled to a halt in front of them. Six minutes later, they stood in her building’s elevator, unable to look away from each other, the tension in the small car near explosive as it eked its way up. Had the ride to her floor always taken this long? Jamie’s body thrummed with desire. Her hands longed to touch. Her mouth needed to be on Leighton’s and soon. With a ding, the doors opened, and Leighton followed Jamie to her door. Jamie took the key out, but Leighton turned her around, pressed her up against the door, and kissed her long and good. Their mouths moved and clung. Jamie parted her lips and pushed her tongue into Leighton’s mouth, up on tiptoes for better access. Leighton pushed closer as they kissed, her hands wandering madly, both of them gasping for air, but needing more. Jamie’s hands slipped beneath the back of Leighton’s shirt, pulling her closer still, reveling in the warmth of her skin. She wanted to make Leighton come, to take her to heights she’d never experienced before. This damn door was in the way.

“Keys,” Leighton murmured.

“On the floor,” Jamie said, realizing she must have dropped them. But her fingers were all thumbs, and it took a minute to get the key in the lock with Leighton kissing her neck from behind.God. Her knees were weak, and her mind was one-track, but she needed to get into this apartment. Finally, the lock clicked, and she pressed them inside. Turning, she took Leighton by both hands and walked them backward into her bedroom. Flashes from the last time they’d been in there together overwhelmed her memory. This felt different, though. There was a freedom to the way they kissed and touched each other, born from the feelings they’d admitted to, uniting them fully.

“Where were we?” Leighton asked, hauling Jamie in. She very much liked the commanding version of Leighton.More, please. She slid her fingers into Leighton’s hair and gripped, lost in her eyes. Why was eye contact with Leighton sexier than with any other human?

“I think your hands were on the move,” Jamie said. Leighton grinned and nodded. Jamie’s shirt hit the floor. Leighton’s hands found her breasts and squeezed, causing Jamie’s center to throb intensely, so she slammed her eyes closed.

“And where were you?” Leighton asked.

Jamie unbuttoned Leighton’s pants, pulled down the zipper, and slid her hand into Leighton’s underwear. Leighton moaned when Jamie began to stroke her slowly. Her hips rocked and her hands went still, allthe while still cupping Jamie’s breasts. “How’s that?” Jamie whispered in her ear, which pulled another moan. Leighton dropped her head back, leaving a waterfall of blond hair, beautiful and thick.

“Jamie,” she breathed. She loved the sound of her name on Leighton’s lips. But she wasn’t about to take Leighton standing up in her bedroom. No. She wanted her naked and horizontal beneath her. With one last thorough stroke, she removed her hand and then every last piece of Leighton’s clothes. She cupped her ass and melded their hips together. “What are you doing to me, Jamie?”

“You’re about to find out.” She sat Leighton on the bed, and with sunlight slanting through the blinds, she undressed slowly, captivated by the way Leighton watched each and every inch of skin as it was revealed to her, her eyes dark, signaling her desire. “Now where do you want me?”

Leighton extended her hand to Jamie and guided her until she stood between Leighton’s legs. “I want to be inside of you,” Leighton breathed, kissing her stomach. She wrapped an arm around Jamie’s waist and touched her intimately between her legs, causing Jamie’s thighs to tremble. Leighton entered her with purpose, and she heard her own voice cry out. She was so close. Too close. If Leighton so much as moved, she might tumble. Very slowly, Leighton, her eyes on Jamie’s face, began to ease her fingers in and out, causing the pressure to build to astronomical levels that made Jamie squeeze Leighton’s shoulders for support. Brain cells were inaccessible, but she knew one thing for certain. She wanted Leighton to take her, claim her, right then and there. The second Leighton picked up speed and moved within her in rhythmic motions, Jamie broke, and her entire world came to a stop on its axis, and she shot in a million different directions. She saw light behind her eyes, and pleasure rained down hard and intense as she rode Leighton’s hand into sweet oblivion.

“Too good,” she murmured, as the shock waves receded. Her limbs were liquid.

“No such thing,” Leighton said back, pulling Jamie forward until she was settled on top of Leighton’s lap, straddling her. She closed her eyes and pulled Jamie tight to her stomach. “This is everything,” she said, kissing Jamie’s collarbone, nipping at her breast, before sucking on a nipple. “Stay here forever.”

“No, no. Work to do first,” Jamie said, still in recovery but verymuch capable of enjoying her skin pressed to Leighton’s. She gave Leighton’s shoulder a little shove until she lay back on the bed. Jamie followed her down and settled her hips between Leighton’s legs, aware of how wet she was, how ready. “Now, this is everything.” She began to circle her hips as Leighton squirmed beneath, her breathing shallow. Jamie dipped her head and kissed one breast and then the other, curling her tongue around a nipple, biting ever so softly. That inspired a hiss from Leighton, so she did it again, lavishing each breast with individual attention until Leighton was whimpering, asking for release. She nodded, slid down the bed, more than eager. She palmed Leighton’s thighs and parted them, marveling at her beauty for a few moments before tracing Leighton intimately with her tongue. Soft at first, and then again with more purpose. The sounds of approval, the pleas that came strangled in Leighton’s throat when she began to suck, only encouraged and guided Jamie’s path. With a few well-placed swipes of Jamie’s tongue, Leighton tensed and called out, intertwining their fingers as she reveled in pleasure.

“Oh, God,” Leighton said. Her eyes were closed with her hair spilled out around her on the pillow. She looked so incredibly beautiful that an uncomfortable lump formed in Jamie’s throat as she realized how very lucky she was.

“I’ve got you,” Jamie said, wrapping her arms around Leighton.

She looked up at Jamie and their gazes met. “I believe you. And I have you right back.” Leighton kissed her softly. “Jamie, I love you.”

“I love you, too. Let’s be happy together now. It’s been long enough.”

Leighton smiled, beautiful and sincere. “I’m never letting you go again. Just know that.”

She stroked Leighton’s hair, feeling anchored and relaxed. “Why did it take us so long?”

“Because perfection takes time. And look at us.” Leighton laughed.

“Did I mention I love you?”

Leighton slid on top. “No. So you should probably say it again. I will, too. I love you.” A kiss, deep and thorough.

“I love you back.” She pulled Leighton’s mouth to hers and kissed her slowly, like they had all the time in the world, and in reality, they did. They had a lifetime stretched out to laugh over wine, cuddle on thecouch, and fall into bed together when they simply couldn’t keep their hands to themselves.

With her hair spilled over Jamie’s arm, Leighton stared intently at Jamie. “This is it for me. You know that, right? You’re everything.”

“This is it,” Jamie murmured against her mouth.

She’d never felt more vulnerable, as open to another person, or as happy as she did in this very moment. She’d lived so much of her life underselling herself on what she thought she deserved that she never once dared believe that she could be this fulfilled and full of love. But Leighton, in her arms, made her feel complete.

“Please say you’ll be mine,” Leighton said, tracing her cheek with one finger, the love in her eyes a caress all its own.

“I already am. Always and forever.” She glanced over her shoulder with a grin. “Do you think Leo’s got the latte ready?”

* * *

---