“I should say something like, ‘I know you’re tired, and we can just hold one another and go to sleep,’” KT murmured, her voice thick and low. She shivered and grinned weakly. “But I can’t. I just can’t hold back anymore.” She let go of Pia’s hand and placed her arm around Pia’s waist, slowly drawing her forward in the same motion until their bodies touched. Groaning, KT brushed her mouth over Pia’s. “I’m dying for you.”

“Oh, I don’t want to wait anymore. I want you.” With a nearly inaudible whimper, Pia clutched KT’s shoulders, slipped her tongue into KT’s mouth, and pressed as close as she could.

At the touch of Pia’s skin to hers, KT’s mind filled with searing white light and every barrier physical and emotional disintegrated. She slid her hand down Pia’s back to her hips and turned Pia beneath her, moving over her to settle upon her. As she kissed her, probing kisses that teased and claimed, her fingers drove into the rich fall of her hair, twining in the soft, thick waves. Pia was everywhere, filling her senses, drowning her in a flood of desire. When Pia’s hand found its way between them and cupped her breast, lightning struck between KT’s thighs. She jerked her head away. “Christ. God, you feel so damn good.”

“Tell me what you like,” Pia gasped, closing her fingers on the erect nipple beneath her palm. Her heart skipped when KT groaned. “I want to touch you everywhere. I love to make you want me.”

KT laughed, shivering beneath the onslaught of sensation. “Want you?” She dipped her head and nipped at the skin just above Pia’s collarbone. While Pia tormented her breast with tiny tugs and pinches, making her pulse stutter and soar, she eased her thigh between Pia’s. Pia was wet, hot against her skin. The unbridled evidence of Pia’s desire made KT desperate to be inside her. “Pia. God, Pia.”

Pia sensed the storm brewing in KT’s taut body as the nipple hardened beneath her fingers. She loved the way KT’s breath caught and fled as she worked her teeth over KT’s breast. More. She wanted more. She wanted KT to feel the ache she had inside for her. She wanted to infuse KT’s body with the terrible, wonderful pressure she felt building inside her own. She wanted things she couldn’t describe and barely knew how to contain. She dug her fingers into KT’s back and pressed her face hard to KT’s breast. “Help me. Help me make love to you.”

Nearly out of her mind from the pleasure flowing from her breast through her belly and pooling between her thighs, hungry for the taste and feel of Pia’s body, KT was beyond thought. “You are. Baby, you are. Can’t you feel what you’re doing to me?”

“I want… “Pia dragged her hands over KT’s shoulders, fisted in her hair, pulled KT’s head back until she could stare through glazed eyes into her face. “I want to make you come. Tell me how.”

“I think…” KT pulled in great gasps of breath, trying to form sentences. Pia’s desire cut through her, a sweet piercing pain that made her bleed from the beauty of it. “I think I’m supposed to… please you… the first time around.”

Pia laughed, a wild, urgent laugh, “Says who?” She placed her palms against KT’s chest and pushed gently. “Lie down. I want to touch you.”

KT had waited so long, so long to hear those words and all that lingered in their depths. Even more than her body craved the blessed relief of Pia’s hands, her heart longed for Pia’s tender solace. She didn’t struggle, couldn’t resist, wanted to shed the past all of it: all the long, empty nights; all the frantic, desperate days; every regret and sorrow and shame. She wanted another chance. As she turned onto her back, she cupped Pia’s cheek, brushing her thumb across Pia’s mouth. “There are things I want to say. I can’t I don’t know how.”

“You will,” Pia whispered, her mouth moving along the column of KT’s throat. “We both will. Not now.”

KT eased her fingers into Pia’s hair, gently now, unhurried, almost peaceful despite the frantic beating of her heart in her chest, in her belly, in her loins. She guided Pia down, back arching, muscles tightening, as Pia’s lips and mouth explored her breasts and her abdomen and finally the tender hollow at the juncture of her thighs. In the last thinking part of her brain, KT worried that it was too fast or too soon, but the low hum of pleasure that reverberated through Pia’s chest and throat and into KT’s flesh drove all thoughts of caution from her mind. She nearly screamed when Pia gently parted her thighs and kissed the very heart of her need.

“You’re so beautiful,” Pia murmured, toeing her thumb between the flushed and swollen folds. She hesitated for an instant before pressing the base of KT’s clitoris and moaned softly at the sudden jerk of KT’s hips. “I want to taste you.”

“Please.” KT’s hand trembled against Pia’s face as she raised her head, urgently seeking Pia’s eyes. “I need you so much.”

Pia clasped KT’s hand with hers, intertwining their fingers as she lowered her head and drew KT inside her mouth. KT’s hand tightened around Pia’s as she surrendered to the spell of passion and sweet, tender promises.

“Take me,” KT whispered. “Oh, Pia, please…just take me.”

Pia wasn’t certain when she started breathing again. It seemed like forever that all she knew, all she heard, all that filled her senses was KT. The wonder of KT exploding beneath her hands, between her lips, inside her heart. She wanted more. She wanted it never to end. She might not have stopped exploring, taking, driving KT higher and higher, beyond reason, if KT had not finally twisted away with a hoarse plea.

“Baby…stop, before I have a heart attack.”

Shakily, Pia laughed and rested her cheek against the inside of KT’s thigh. She couldn’t bear not to be touching her, though, and ran her fingers lightly over KT’s clitoris. KT twitched and groaned. “You feel amazing.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt so good,” KT muttered, weakly stroking Pia’s hair.

Pia raised her head and peered at KT. “Yeah?”

“Oh yeah.” With effort, KT turned on her side and curled around Pia’s body, gently urging Pia up until they lay side by side. She traced Pia’s lips with her fingers. “I’m going to get addicted to your mouth.”

“I hope so,” Pia said fervently, kissing KT lightly. “Because I’m already addicted to you.”

“How do you feel?” KT asked gently, smoothing her hand over Pia’s breast and down her belly. She felt the muscles in Pia’s abdomen quiver beneath her fingers. She knew what Pia had not yet sensed. She was ready. And KT wanted her, wanted her enough to go slowly.

“Fabulous.” Pia’s voice held a note of wonder. She was reliving the sounds of KT’s pleasure, the taste of her, the incredible sense of awe she’d experienced as KT climaxed again and again beneath her demanding mouth. As she felt it ail, heard it all again, she didn’t realize that her hips had begun to thrust against the palm that KT had laid between her thighs. As her clitoris swelled with remembered pleasure and the soft steady brush of KT’s fingers, Pia’s belly tightened and her nipples grew taut. When KT lowered her mouth and caught one between her teeth, Pia cried out. “Oh. I oh, I want to come!”

“I know,” KT soothed. She gentled her fingertips just on the verge of entering and let Pia push against her, drawing her in, setting the pace. She wanted more, she wanted fast, she wanted deep…and she waited. “Take me inside, Pia. Let me please you.”

Pia braced both hands on KT’s shoulders and rested her forehead against KT’s. With her eyes holding KT’s and her breath shuddering, she pushed down slowly, another small cry of wonder escaping as KT filled her. She wanted to let go, she wanted to scream and thrust until the pressure between her thighs exploded, but even more she wanted to fix in her memory that first miraculous instant when they were completely joined. She tried to hold back, but the orgasm caught her by surprise and wiped her consciousness clean in a single wild rush of heat.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Allie woke to the sound of insistent tapping somewhere nearby. It took her a moment to place her surroundings.

Couch? Sunlight…ugh. Bri!

She sat up in a flash, the memories flooding back. The party, the raid, Bri and all that blood. Her stomach lurched, and she pushed the faint nausea away. Bri was okay. Would be okay. She looked around the room, her fears abating. Tory and Reese’s. Everything is okay.

She’d fallen asleep almost immediately, despite her protests that she wouldn’t be able to relax until she was certain that Bri was all right. Tory had simply handed her a T-shirt, said, “Stretch out on the couch and close your eyes,” and the next thing she knew, the sun was streaming in the double glass doors that led to the deck and someone was outside, wanting very badly to get in. Still a little groggy from the combination of stress and fatigue, Allie rose and stumbled to the door, scrubbing a hand over her face to wake herself up. She slid open the door and stared at a very frantic blond.

“Oh!” Allie said. “How?”

“Is she here? Reese said she would be here.” Caroline Clark peered past Allie anxiously. “Is she all right?”

Allie stepped aside, automatically reaching for the overnight bag Caroline carried. “She’s asleep in the guest room. How did you?”

“Reese got me the tickets.” Caroline took a step inside, her eyes tracking across the room to the hall that led to the bedroom as if she would able to see Bri through the walls. Then she turned her attention to Allie, her expression narrowing briefly as she took in the oversized T-shirt and the apparent absence of any other clothing. Evenly she asked, “Did you stay with her?”

“Couch,” Allie muttered, tilting her head toward the sofa. “I just wanted to be sure she was okay.”

Caroline studied her, saw the shadows beneath her eyes, “Thanks. It’s good to know she has a friend.”