Gerri Hill - One Summer Night

But was it really?

One night, in the middle of December, they sat on the floor beside the fire and held hands, their dinner plates 225

pushed aside. Jo caressed Kelly's palm with her thumb, moving it slowly, gently against her. Kelly made no move to touch her, instead, her hand remained still, her fingers limp.

Jo stopped and looked at her. Kelly was staring into the fire, her thoughts far away.

"What's wrong?" Jo finally asked.

Kelly turned to her, her eyes veiled. "Nothing."

"You haven't wanted me for awhile now," Jo said.

"Why?"

"Is that what you think?"

Jo nodded and looked away. "It's my fault, I know.”

"Please don't think that. I want you more than I ever have," Kelly insisted.

"It hasn't been the same."

"The same as when?"

"Before," Jo said simply.

"I made you a promise," Kelly said quietly. "When I'm with you like that, I have a hard time keeping that promise."

Jo went to her and kissed her on the mouth. "You've been so far away from me."

"I've been right here," Kelly said and touched Jo's breast, over her heart.

"Make love to me like before," Jo pleaded, her eyes looking into Kelly's, searching for the love that had once been there.

"You said that you. . . ."

"Shhh," Jo whispered, her fingers covering Kelly's mouth. "Just make love to me."

Kelly kissed her gently, her lips soft and slow. She raised her eyes and Jo melted under their power. They hid nothing.

Kelly pulled her to her feet and led her into the bedroom. She undressed Jo slowly, her hands warm where they touched. She bent her head and touched her lips to Jo's breast, then found her mouth waiting. Jo urgently pulled at 226

Kelly's clothes and soon they were naked, their eyes traveling over each other.

Kelly moved to turn the light out, but Jo stopped her.

"No, leave it on. I want to see you.”

Kelly laid down and pulled Jo after her, and their mouths met, not gently, but with a hunger that had been missing for so long. Jo thrilled to the touch of Kelly’s hands again as they held her possessively. Jo's tongue pushed into Kelly's mouth, and she tasted every part of her, pulling out slowly, only to go back for more.

Kelly's hands moved over Jo, pulling her snugly against her, her legs opening as Jo's hips pushed against her. They lay together, their breasts touching, and Jo rubbed against her.

"I want you so much," Jo breathed into her mouth, her voice husky with desire.

"I'm all yours," Kelly whispered.

Jo captured Kelly's hands and moved them above her head, holding them there on the pillow. Her tongue snaked into Kelly’s ear, wetting it, then moved over her neck, kissing her throat where the pulse beat rapidly. Jo paused for a moment and looked at Kelly, so desirable, her eyes shut, her lips slightly parted as her breath came quickly.

Jo lay on her side, one leg pressed hard between Kelly's thighs, her mouth settled over one of Kelly’s breasts, her tongue touching the nipple, feeling it swell against her lips.

Kelly moaned softly and tried to free her hands, but Jo held them tight, her mouth hungrily sucking at Kelly’s breast.

"I want to touch you," Kelly pleaded.

“No,” Jo murmured. “Let me have my way with you.”

Kelly groaned as Jo moved to her other breast, then back to her lips. Jo know she would never tire of making love to this woman who was so responsive to her touch. She drew back and their eyes met. Kelly closed hers slowly as Jo 227

reached up and caressed her face, thumbs gently touching Kelly’s lips.

"It's never been like this before. No one's ever made me feel the way you do," Kelly whispered and opened her eyes, and Jo acknowledged the love that she saw there.

"For me either," Jo admitted, and she kissed Kelly’s mouth again.

Then she straddled Kelly, letting Kelly feel her wetness as she kept Kelly’s arms pinned above her head. She dipped her head, teasing Kelly’s nipples with her tongue, causing Kelly to squirm under her. She moved down Kelly’s body.

She could wait no longer.

Jo pushed Kelly's legs apart gently with her hands, and she could see how ready Kelly was for her. She wanted her mouth there. Her tongue reached out and touched Kelly, sliding through her wetness, tasting her, and Kelly let her breath out, a low moan escaping her.

"Oh, Jo," she breathed, and Jo saw her hands reach for the headboard.

Jo's breath came fast, and she pushed Kelly's thighs up with her shoulders, and her mouth covered her, her tongue sliding into her, warm and soft and wet. She could love her this way all night, she thought, and her eyes closed as she moved over her, into her, her tongue moving fast against her.

Much too soon, Kelly's hips rose, and Jo moved even faster until Kelly cried out, her legs trembling with orgasm.

Kelly's legs fell limp to the bed, and Jo kissed her thighs gently, then kissed her soft mound of hair again and crawled up beside her. She gathered Kelly in her arms and held her, her own eyes closed as her heart slowed.

"Jo, I love you so much," Kelly whispered. "I ache from it."

"I don't want to hurt you," Jo said. She opened her eyes and watched Kelly, her eyes still shut.

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"I wish you could trust me."

Jo felt her own heart ache. Kelly's brow was drawn, and Jo saw her squeeze her eyes tighter, saw the tears that escaped anyway. Tears she had caused. She reached up and kissed them away, her tongue drying them as they fell.

"Please don't cry," Jo whispered.

"I love you."

"I know you do," she said gently.

Jo wanted to say the words back to her, though she dared not. She surely felt like her own heart would burst if she didn't, for she knew she was in love with Kelly. She had been for a very long time, she admitted now. But saying the words out loud was more than she could allow. Admitting them to herself was scary enough. Saying them to Kelly would change everything. It would make their relationship real. It would mean commitment.

Kelly opened her eyes and stared into Jo's for a very long time. Jo didn't look away. Kelly finally drew her down to kiss her.

“I'm sorry."

"Please don't say you're sorry," Jo whispered. "I...”

She stopped before the words rushed out and she closed her eyes, so afraid Kelly would see the love there.

"Let me make love to you," Kelly said as she rolled over, pinning Jo beneath her.

Jo smiled and guided Kelly’s mouth to hers. Yes, she could show her love that way. She could tell Kelly she loved her by her actions, if not by her words.

Kelly's mouth slowly assaulted her, and Jo lay back, her eyes closed to the light as the feel of Kelly's tongue and mouth dissolved her. Her own tongue drew Kelly's into her mouth, and she held her near, her hands on her face holding her close. She had never wanted another person as much as 229

she wanted Kelly. She was consumed with desire for her.

Wrapping her arms around her, she held her tightly.

Kelly pulled away and watched her. Jo closed her eyes again, afraid of what they might reveal. Her hands slowly moved over Kelly’s back and she pulled Kelly to her breast.

Kelly's mouth found her, sucking her nipple, causing Jo to rise up to meet her mouth. Kelly's mouth opened, and her hand squeezed Jo’s breast, and Jo let her breath out slowly as Kelly's tongue licked at her nipple.

"Oh, yes," she breathed and held Kelly there for a long time.

Kelly moved her hand down between them, her fingers searching for Jo’s wetness, and she glided into her, her fingers moving over her.

"Tell me what you want," Kelly whispered.

"I want to feel your mouth on me," Jo sighed.

Kelly covered Jo's mouth with her own and slowly slipped her tongue inside. "Like this?" she asked.