Wait. How had a door creaked? Was someone here with her? She opened her eyes again, ignoring the brightness this time. For a second, she didn’t know where she was. The window was on the wrong side of the bed and much too close. The bed was different too—not uncomfortable, just not hers.
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep,” a voice whispered from behind her. Lena’s voice.
Jess relaxed. There wasn’t an intruder in her home; she was the intruder. She rolled onto her other side and smiled at the sight of Lena. Her skin glistened pink from hours outside, and her hair was in a loose bun. Strands of light-brown curls had escaped and stuck to her temples. Her clothes were rumpled, and she looked so lovely Jess couldn’t keep her hands off her. She reached for Lena’s hand and tugged her down for a kiss.
“Hey, back already? Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep here.”
Lena pecked her on the lips but resisted being pulled onto the bed. “I’m sweaty and need a shower. It’ll only take a minute. And you’re welcome to stay here anytime.”
Jess rolled onto her back and crossed her arms behind her head. If it were up to her, she would tell Lena to stop selling preserves at the market and make up the loss of money herself. But it wasn’t up to her, and she admired Lena for her independence. The women she’d dated previously had never hesitated to let her pay for everything, and Jess had expected and accepted it but never respected them for it.
And that’s why she was here—to show her support for Lena, not to nap. She got up and went to the kitchen, stretching her arms over her head as she walked.
She had barely seen Lena in the last two weeks since they’d become a couple. The first week she’d worked her ass off to organize everything for her reduced schedule, and last week Ella had fought her first of presumably many viral infections with a high fever and relentless crying. And then she’d caught the virus herself as Ella was on the mend. She’d had to call in sick to work, and they’d hunkered down in the condo despite her mom and Lena’s insistence they should come to the house. The last thing she wanted was to infect even more people, especially people she cared for. People she loved.
A quick glance confirmed Ella was still enjoying her midday nap in her baby carrier in the living room. She was sleeping even more than usual after last week.
Yesterday had been Jess’s first day back at work, and she’d put in long hours to catch up on all her paperwork. But now everything would be different. Her new schedule started tomorrow. Only two full and one half day a week, and half the number of nights on call. Some colleagues would hate her for the increased workload, but others would be glad for their chance to shine. She shrugged. Not her problem.
Jess poured two glasses of the herbal iced tea Lena enjoyed so much and she’d grudgingly come to like and placed them in the bedroom. Then she fetched three of the little bottles of massage oil from Lena’s collection along with the colorful sheet that covered the massage table. She spread the sheet over Lena’s bed and sat down to wait. It didn’t take long for Lena to return from her shower, clad in a towel that ended mid-thigh.
Valiantly ignoring the beautiful skin on display, Jess stood and offered Lena a glass. “How was your day?”
“The wind was relentless at the market today.” Lena drained the glass in one go and placed it on the nightstand. “The rest was fine. I’ve nearly sold out.” She glanced at the bed and raised her eyebrows.
With an innocent grin, Jess offered her the other glass too, but Lena declined with a shake of her head, so she placed it on the nightstand without drinking from it herself.
She was thirsty too but not for tea. She stepped closer until she brushed against Lena’s towel.
As if she could read Jess’s mind, Lena leaned in and kissed her with all the pent-up passion that had been building between them for the last two weeks.
Texts and calls weren’t enough. Jess reached for Lena’s hips and pulled her closer. The towel was warm and damp against her skin, and the knowledge Lena was naked underneath it drove her crazy.
She trailed her hand up Lena’s bare arm to her shoulder and her collarbone. A sexy white line crossed it, where the tank tops she often wore had protected her skin from the sun. Jess kissed it softly, then blew on the damp skin.
Goosebumps erupted, and Lena’s breath caught. “More.” Her whisper was barely audible.
Jess obliged all too willingly, showering Lena’s shoulders and cleavage with soft kisses, edging closer to the towel hiding her breasts with each pass but never dipping beneath it. After two weeks apart, she was torn between worshipping Lena for hours and ripping the towel off to show how desperately she’d missed her. But this wasn’t about passion alone. She’d missed Lena’s gentle smile, her insights, and her soothing calmness, and she wanted Lena to know that too. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” Lena’s hands played with Jess’s hair, running to the back of her head and down her neck, stopping at the T-shirt. One finger slipped inside the collar.
Jess lost her balance. How could the simple touch of one finger be so powerful? “Wait.”
Lena’s fingers stilled. “Not good?”
“Very, very good. But I wanted to show you some support after a long day working at the market.” Jess leaned back to look at her. “I would love to massage you.”
“That’s dangerous. I might fall asleep.” Lena grinned.
“I doubt that.” Jess traced her hands up and down Lena’s arms. “And if you do, I’d be honored I could help you relax
