Chapter 9

Lauren had booked a half day PTO when Mika was due to return. When she awoke,her girlfriend would be thirty-five thousand feet above the Pacific. She checked her phone for updates. Sure enough, she had waiting texts. They weren’t updates to arrival times, though.

Mika: “Flight left on time. Unless there are customs delays I’ll be on the flight arriving just after 1:30.”
Mika: “Looking forward to seeing you.”

Lauren felt that their relationship had become much less tentative during Mika’s trip. Teasing her had felt comfortable, and Mika seemed to be less reluctant to show affection. She wondered if that would be able to continue after her girlfriend’s return. Perhaps they’d turned a corner. Though she knew that even if that was true, there was plenty of work ahead of them.

Of course, she’d worn stockings to work, to capitalize on Mika’s willingness to be teased. She sent Mika a selfie to show her working clothes. A little later, sitting at her desk, she surreptitiously hiked up her skirt and snapped a photo of her stocking top, sending that in a text message.

Mika: “You know, it’s not a good idea to look flustered at the customs counter.”
Lauren: “Why would you look flustered?”
Mika: “I don’t know why I like you, I really don’t”

Lauren was finishing her Starbucks when Mika entered the baggage claim area. She’d debated getting a coffee for Mika, but she probably couldn’t carry a paper cup with her suitcases. And after all this time she didn’t know if Mika liked coffee. She certainly preferred tea, and though the menu included tea she’d never considered what kind Mika would want.

She left her coat on the chair, tossing her paper cup into the trash before taking her girlfriend into her arms. Their kiss was tender but brief, Mika seeming to want the contact of a close hug as much as Lauren did.

Eventually they separated, Mika stepping back to cast her eyes over Lauren’s suit, a smirk on her face, before leaning close to whisper, “I really want to peek under that skirt to see if you really are wearing what you claim.”

“I sent you a photo!” Lauren stated.

“Mmm, you could have taken that at any time,” Mika objected. Then her expression sobered. “Uh, could you take me to your place, not mine? Or not immediately to mine? I want to talk before going home.”

That should sound ominous, but it didn’t. Lauren felt that they’d built enough of a bond that if there was a problem she’d be able to sense it. She didn’t need to consider the state of the house; she kept it tidy, so she just nodded, and wrapped her arm around Mika’s back as they waited for the cases.

During the drive to her house, Lauren frequently sensed Mika’s eyes on her. If she glanced over, Mika’s eyes immediately flicked away, her cheeks turning red.

After the third such glance, she said, “I think you missed me as much as I missed you, didn’t you?”

Mika nodded, and though she didn’t turn toward Lauren, her lips formed a soft smile.

After Lauren had eased the Lexus into the garage, Mika had asked her to open the trunk so that she could bring her bag and one of her cases into the house.

Once inside, Lauren said, “I don’t have tea. I can brew coffee or open a bottle of wine. It’s a little early, but…” she frowned. “You know, I have no idea if it’s early or not for you.”

“It’s around breakfast time by my internal clock,” said Mika, “but I’m sure I can drink wine for breakfast once without it becoming a habit. Maybe you’ll let me take a nap later.”

“Of course,” replied Lauren. She had a German white in the fridge which wouldn’t be too heavy. She hung Mika’s coat and her own, then opened the wine while her girlfriend waited for her on the couch. A minute later, she was presenting the wine to Mika, then sitting beside her.

“I think my house is holding me back,” said Mika. “The memories I have there are making it hard for me to become as close to you as I want to. At my parents’ place, I felt more free to be with you. With the unfortunate issue that we were five thousand miles apart.”

“But I love your house, Mika,” said Lauren.

“As do I,” Mika stated. “I will be keeping it, and will be living there, but perhaps for a time our snogging sessions could be here? And… anything else we choose to do together.” She gave Lauren a shy smile. “I’d really like to share my bath with you, but maybe… in a couple of weeks?”

“That seems like a wise idea,” Lauren replied. “When you say, ‘anything else we choose to do…'”

Mika grinned wickedly. “That depends on how I feel after you let me watch you change out of your skirt and blouse,” she said. “I want the full effect of what you showed me in our chat.

“I see,” said Lauren. “You know, you’re asking for a great sacrifice on my part.”

“Oh, I know,” said Mika, her tone infused with irony. Then she reached for Lauren’s wrist, gripping it lightly while her eyes held Lauren’s intently. “I’m ready, Lauren. I’m so ready for you I’m hurting.”

A charge of arousal lanced into Lauren. Her clit tingled and her voice caught. “You want me to tease you just like I did in the video chat?” she asked, her voice husky. When Mika nodded, she said, “Come with me,” leading her into the bedroom, both bringing their wine glasses.

Lauren’s bedroom was decorated in soft peach tones, with light peach paint, a warm cream-colored comforter, and pillowcases in the same cream and peach. An old rocking chair, more comfortable than it appeared, faced into the room beside the little-used desk. Lauren guided her girlfriend to the chair, then placed her silk pajamas on the bed.

Before beginning to remove her skirt, she hung her jacket in her closet, then connected her phone to the bluetooth speakers on her nightstand. It wasn’t the greatest stereo system, especially from this corner of the bedroom, but the quality was good. Then she selected Debussy on her mp3 player and pressed play. Mika’s eyebrows rose in appreciation as she recognized the piece.

Standing before Mika, she unzipped her skirt, then slid it over her hips and down, before stepping out of it, revealing the stockings and garter belt. She took care to straighten the skirt before laying it on the bed. Then, changing the order from the last time she’d teased Mika with her business suit, she took off her ribbon tie, fastening it in a bow around her girlfriend’s left wrist. Mika’s eyes were wide as she watched Lauren’s fingers.

She unfastened her blouse from bottom to top, again folding it meticulously before placing it on the bed. Her bra was black, as before, but this time it was lacy, matching her panties.

Slipping a finger into each side of her left stocking, she drew it downard, then over her foot. This she tossed onto the bed, before stepping close to Mika.

“You can do the other one,” she murmured.

She saw Mika’s chest rise and fall more quickly as she inserted her fingers between Lauren’s right stocking and her thigh, pulling it down to her foot, at which point Lauren backed away and finished removing it, dropping it onto the bed. She moved closer to Mika, taking her fingers and moving them to her garter belt to pull it down. Her girlfriend made a frustrated groan as she drew the garment over her hips and down her thighs.

This bra didn’t have detachable straps, so she unhooked one shoulder, working her arm through it without unfastening the rear clasp, then sliding her other arm out the same way. She slipped into her pajamas, then unhooked her bra, dropping it to the bed before standing before her girlfriend, whose cheeks were now flushed.

Mika’s eyes followed her as she hung her skirt with her jacket. Then she knelt before Mika, taking her fingers in her own and moving them to her pajama jacket, placing them on her nipples. “You said you wanted to touch,” Lauren noted.

Her girlfriend’s voice rasped in a deep register as she said, “I am so turned on right now.”

Lauren’s fingers stroked her face. “Then come to bed with me,” she whispered, leaning forward and pressing her lips to Mika’s, her fingers caressing her girlfriend’s jaw.

“Yes,” Mika croaked.

Slowly, Lauren raised herself to her feet. Mika’s fingers fell from her breasts to unfasten her jeans as she stood. The jeans fell to the floor, followed by Mika’s plain black tee shirt, as Lauren turned back the duvet and slipped between the sheets.

Moments later, Mika had also discarded her bra and was lying against her. As her lips met Lauren’s, her fingers began to work on the buttons of her pajamas top.

The kiss was gentle. Exploratory, at least at first. It had been almost a month, other than airport kisses. Even a slow, tender kiss built Lauren’s arousal, especially when her girlfriend’s fingers parted her shirt and cupped her breast, fingers and thumb caressing.

Lauren drew her own fingers down her slender partner’s back, hooking them into her panties, then drawing them down. Mika eagerly wriggled out of them, freeing Lauren to stroke her sex, finding her moist. Mika groaned into the kiss as her fingers brushed her clit.

Her girlfriend’s breathing was heavy, the kiss becoming steadily deeper. When Lauren pushed a finger into her, Mika’s tongue pressed against hers, and Lauren’s breath caught. Mika’s hips began to move, grinding herself into Lauren’s hand.

Lauren set her free hand on Mika’s waist. Using it and the hand curled into her sex, she lifted her partner, breaking the kiss, then moving her body higher, so that she could fasten her lips to Mika’s nipple. Her lover gasped, thrusting her sex against Lauren’s hold. Lauren felt wetness against the base of her thumb. As she rubbed her hand against it, her finger curled inside her lover, the walls around her finger twitched, then clenched hard. Mika cried out, her body quivering over Lauren.

The sounds of Mika’s pleasure thrilled Lauren. The muscles around her finger relaxed, then gripped again as she continued to moan.

Gradually, Mika’s body relaxed. Lauren still felt her passage clenching her finger with aftershocks until she withdrew it. Of course they’d been here once before, and Lauren worried that her lover’s rapture would again turn to tears, but it didn’t happen. Mika moved lower, her eyes full of joy as their lips met.

After a minute or two of languid kissing, Mika’s lips moved to Lauren’s neck. “I’ve been visualizing this for the past three weeks,” she said, “but it’s even better in person than I hoped.”

“Not gonna lie,” said Lauren, “but I’ve been imagining the same.”

Mika slid down Lauren’s body. She tugged Lauren’s pajama top to the side, until Lauren had worked her arm out. After doing the same with her other arm, she kissed all around Lauren’s breast, making her squirm as her belly tingled. Then she drew back, her eyes following where she’d been kissing. “You kept teasing me by stripping to your bra, or your PJs. So I’ve definitely been picturing these.”

She lowered herself to take Lauren’s nipple into her mouth and began to suckle. The feelings that spiked in Lauren’s belly made her groan. She ran her fingers through Mika’s hair as her teeth and tongue drew against the hard tip.

When Mika switched to her right breast, her hands roamed downward, easing off Lauren’s pajama shorts and panties. With Lauren’s enthusiastic cooperation, they were soon tossed over the side of the bed. Mika’s lips also travelled downward. Lauren parted her legs further as her lover’s tongue found her clit, beginning to caress it with damp strokes.

“I visualized doing this, too.” Mika’s voice tickled Lauren’s clit, charging her arousal. Lauren could see her beneath the duvet, her head rocking slowly as her tongue stoked the fires of Lauren’s need.

Lauren had always felt that she needed to be touched inside as well as out, but her lover was already pushing her to her limit with a consistent slow motion. She tried to rein in her desire, but her girlfriend was just too damned exciting, and as much as she worked to hide her reaction, the tensing of her thighs probably gave her away. The stroking of Mika’s tongue on her firm clit became more insistent, and suddenly it was all Lauren could do not to slam her sex into the other woman’s face as her arousal drew taut, then released, her climax fierce.

She moaned at the sudden intensity of the feeling of Mika’s tongue still licking her sensitive clit as delicious pulses of pleasure flowed into her.

When Mika emerged from beneath the duvet to lie against her chest, she was flushed, her face seeming to radiate warmth.

“Did you get a little overheated?” Lauren asked.

“Worth it,” replied Mika, beaming, lowering her face to kiss Lauren’s neck.

They lay together for several minutes, Mika’s teeth and tongue exploring the base of Lauren’s neck, as her fingers trailed through Mika’s hair.

“I saw myself needing to do something that might not be a great idea,” she said. Her body had no tension as it nestled into Lauren’s, but her voice was uncertain. “But I knew I would have to do it as soon as I could be sure I wasn’t going to panic. I knew it as soon as I realized how much I was missing you. I need this relationship to work, Lauren.” She was silent for a few moments. “I need to tell you that I think I’m falling in love with you.”

Lauren’s heart soared. “Oh, honey,” she said, taking Mika’s face in her hands and giving her a passionate kiss, tasting herself on her lover’s tongue. “I’m already there,” she said, when she released her. “I didn’t want to tell you until I was sure you were ready to hear it, and I don’t want my feelings to put any pressure on you, but I fall a little more in love with you every time we’re together, even if being together is just seeing your lovely face on my tablet.”

Mika was silent, then her body shook. Lauren felt damp on her neck. “Oh no, Mika, what is it, honey?”

She heard a muffled, watery laugh. “Happy tears,” she heard her lover’s voice say. “I feel so lucky to have you.”

“I should probably go,” Mika said.

They’d made love again. Mika had fitted her thigh between Lauren’s when her eyes had dried. Lauren had held her close for comfort. She wasn’t sure which of them had first started to move, but by the time their lips met, they were both moaning. Lauren’s climax had hit first, but she succeeded in coaxing Mika’s body into joining her in passion. Spent, they’d snuggled together until now.