“Are you okay?” Emma’s soft, silvery eyes morphed to steel blue asshe gazed at Dex, and the memory of her face that night became clear.
“I guess I need to get that Northwestern T-shirt back to you.”
Emma grinned. “I’m surprised you haven’t torched it by now.”
“The thought had crossed my mind.” She laughed and then took adeep breath. “Thank you,” she said as she tugged Emma into her arms and ran herthumb across her soft, full bottom lip. When she gazed into her eyes again,they had darkened to an almost cobalt blue. Dex took Emma’s face in her handsand kissed her softly at first and then more urgently when Emma slipped hertongue into Dex’s mouth, slowly touching and baiting as it deepened. It was themost perfectly arousing kiss, one that she could continue forever if her bodyhadn’t been commanding more.
Emma broke away and pressed her forehead to Dex’s. “I’d do it athousand more times for a thank-you like that.” She turned and led her to thebed.
There would be no need for that—her drunken self-pitying days wereover. Dex would willingly kiss her that way every day for the rest of her life.From that point on, neither of them uttered a word. Emma just made tiny soundsas Dex explored her body, slowly savoring it like this was their first time. Inessence it was a new experience again, now that Dex knew the depths of howwonderful Emma truly was. A ragged moan escaped Emma’s lips as Dex pushed herfingers into her and stroked her thumb between her folds. Dex watched as hereyes fluttered closed and then open again. Such a beautiful sight. How couldshe have forgotten those eyes, those lips, that face? She stroked faster, andEmma grabbed hold of her shoulders, bringing her closer, kissing her until shetore her lips away and let out a cry as the orgasm ripped through her. It wasthe most wonderful sound in the world to Dex.
They stayed tangled in each other, kissing and caressing, enjoyingthe heat between them for what seemed like hours until a loud growl came fromEmma’s stomach. A huge laugh erupted from her mouth immediately.
Dex widened her eyes and laughed. “Hungry?”
“Oh my God, yes. I’m starving.” She rolled into Dex. “Breakfast ordinner?”
“Pancakes?”
“Definitely pancakes, and eggs, and hash browns. I need somecarbs. I haven’t had this much exercise in years.” Emma kissed her. “Maybe eventoast.”
“Ooh. Do you have any of that ginger jam?” Dex remembered itszippy flavor.
Emma smiled. “You liked that, did ya?”
“It was the absolute best jam I’ve ever had.”
“Did it work for the hangover?” Emma seemed nervous all of asudden, like she was embarrassed about the entire exchange, even though Dexshould be the one worried.
“It did.” She smiled and kissed her again.
Emma touched Dex’s chin with her fingertips. “I wasn’t sure if itwould.”
“Was I your guinea pig?”
“No.” She chuckled and shook her head. “It works for me, but I’venever been quite that drunk.”
“I’ve never been quite that drunk before either.” Nor had she beensince she’d decided to move on. Dex took in a deep breath to purge the nightfrom her mind. She didn’t want to think about Grace. Not now, while she waslying next to this sweet, beautiful woman. Each time she was with Emma, itbecame clearer that they fit each other more perfectly than Dex had ever fitwith anyone else.
She’d never experienced such feelings before. This felt genuine,emotional, and deep. She wanted to swim in Emma’s essence, stay there with herforever, drowning in the warmth surrounding her. All she’d ever known beforewas longing for something she couldn’t have. Now she had something real.
* * *
Emma lay in the dark staring at Dex. She appeared sweet andrelaxed, like her dreams were filled with rainbows and unicorns. The expressionof pure passion Emma had seen on her face earlier made the sight all the morebeautiful. They’d made love again after their late-night breakfast, and Emmahad satisfied Dex completely, at least it seemed so from the way her bodytrembled beneath her. She’d been worried how the night would go when Dexrecognized her kitchen and realized she’d been there before. She couldn’t havebeen more embarrassed and had apologized more than enough times. The blush thatcovered her face had made her green eyes sparkle, the golden sunbursts in thembecoming brighter.
Emma was thankful she hadn’t recalled any of it before last night.If Dex had remembered, she might not be in this very spot right now, lying inher arms, loving her.Loving her? She moved a swatch of hair from Dex’s face and took in adeep breath. These feelings were much deeper than she’d ever experiencedbefore, even with Amy, whom Emma had once thought she’d be with forever. Shewanted to stop time and stay right here, in this very moment, indefinitely. She could be the one.
Dex slid her hand across Emma’s stomach. “You’re awake.”
“Uh-huh,” she said and kissed her softly.
“You should sleep. You have work tomorrow.” Dex slid her handlower.
“I should.” She tried to think of what she had going tomorrow, buther thoughts scattered as Dex’s fingers skimmed her center. Holiday client lunch.
“Fuck,” she said as she halted Dex’s fingers from going anyfarther.
“Not the response I was hoping for.” Dex twisted her face into acomical frown.
She laughed. “I need to make a cheesecake for work, and I have noidea how to do it.”
“You volunteered to make a cheesecake, and you’ve never done itbefore?”
“I was actually voluntold to make it.”
“Ah, last one to sign up, eh?”
She nodded, hoping Dex would be willing to help.
“Well, let’s see what we can do about that.” Dex seemed thoughtfulfor a moment. “Do you have cream cheese?”
“Yes.”
Dex flicked a nipple with her tongue. “Eggs?”
“Always.”
Dex took Emma’s other nipple into her mouth and sucked it slowlybefore letting it pop back out. “Sour cream?”
She moaned. “Uh-huh.”
Dex trailed her tongue across her stomach. “Vanilla?”
“Oh my God. Yes.”
She dipped her tongue into her belly button. “Sugar?”
“Yes…yes. I have everything you need.”
Dex hovered just above her center. “Graham crackers?”
“Fuck. I forgot those,” she said
