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At the words, Jo’s hands tightened a little and their hips fell into rhythm. One of Jo’s hands slid up Evelyn’s back, not quite teasing, but leaving a streak of heat in its wake. Evelyn was momentarily dizzy. Their faces were inches apart. The moment seemed to stand still, and then, like the DJ was in on the moment, the tempo shifted and a slower song came on. Not too slow, but sultry and Evelyn didn’t hesitate. She pressed herself tighter to Jo and watched as the woman’s face grew more serious. Her arms came around Evelyn without hesitation, sliding low on her body. Caught up in the moment, Evelyn rested her head on Jo’s shoulder. It was exactly like that first night.

Suddenly, Jo pulled away a little, making Evelyn look into her face. Worry coursed through Evelyn.Is she going to walk away?she worried.Leave me standing on the dance floor?But then Jo leaned down and kissed her. Not softly. Not with coaxing. But like she had something to prove. Right there in the middle of the dance floor, beneath the lights and surrounded by bodies, Jo kissed her like they belonged together. Like she knew people were watching and didn’t care.

Evelyn kissed her back fiercely, hands finding their way into Jo’s hair, holding on like she never wanted to let go. And then—

The song changed.

Something fast exploded from the speakers and the crowd screamed with delight. A familiar anthem. One of those songs that required jumping and screaming out the lyrics.Sapphire’sdance floor erupted around them. Brooke and Sophie descended from nowhere, grabbing Evelyn and pulling her into the chaos. “Come on,” Brooke yelled.

“You can’t resist this one,” Sophie added, already spinning. Evelyn gave in with half a laugh, caught up in the tidal wave of her friends. When she turned again, breathless and slightly dazed, Jo hadn’t followed. She was back near the edge of the floor, sipping her beer. Evelyn smiled at her, and Jo smiled back, but there was something still a little different in her look. Not the distance like the last two weeks, but definitely cooler than their kiss moments before.What is she thinking?she wondered.Or more like, what is she feeling?There was no way to know yet, but Evelyn promised herself she would find out.

Twenty-Five

Driving them back across town, Jo hadn’t said much since they leftSapphire, but neither had Evelyn. The car was quiet except for the low hum of the GTO’s engine and the rhythmic click of the turn signal as Jo pulled onto Evelyn’s street. Turning into a parking spot, she hesitated for a beat but then shut off the engine. Evelyn turned her head, her profile soft in the light from a nearby streetlamp. In that moment, Jo thought she had never looked more beautiful.And she is smart, and funny, and wants to be with me,she thought.Why is this so hard?

“You okay?” Evelyn asked quietly.

“Yeah,” Jo said as confidently as she could. A beat passed.

Then Evelyn smiled. “Would you like to come up?” she asked, and Jo studied her face. The woman’s blue eyes were inviting but not demanding. There wasn’t pressure in her voice, only invitation.

Nodding, Jo smiled back. “Yeah,” she said, matching Evelyn’s tone. “I do.” They got out and crossed the sidewalk.

As they entered the building and started up the stairs, Evelyn gave her a look over her shoulder, a half-smile, flirty but a little shy. “I was hoping you’d say yes,” she said. “I’ve missed alonetime with you.” Then, without another word, she started to climb, and after a beat, Jo followed. Halfway up, Evelyn stopped suddenly and turned again. Jo almost collided with her, but she didn’t mind one bit. Evelyn was one step above her, and the height difference brought their faces nearly even. She couldn’t miss the expectant look in Evelyn’s eyes, and determined not to overthink it, Jo didn’t hesitate and kissed her. Warm, open-mouthed, and lingering. One of her hands found Evelyn’s hip, anchoring them in place, while the other braced on the stair rail to stop herself from pushing forward too eagerly. Evelyn kissed her back, matching her passion, and the kiss deepened until Jo heard one of them moan. After a moment, Evelyn pulled back breathless. “God, you’re a good kisser.”

“So are you,” Jo said. “And I’ll be honest, I’ve been wanting to do that since you got in my car tonight.”

Evelyn leaned in to whisper in her ear. “You should have,” she said, before turning away and starting up the stairs again. They made it to the next landing before another kiss. A longer one. More urgent.

Not sure how much more she could take, Jo held Evelyn close. “If we keep stopping like this,” she said against her mouth. “We’re never going to make it.”

“Then stop stopping,” Evelyn whispered, and tugged her upward. By the time they reached Evelyn’s door, Jo had abandoned any pretense of restraint. All she wanted was Evelyn. The longing that had simmered between them all night had her on fire. Evelyn unlocked the door with shaking fingers, and they stepped inside a moment before Jo kicked it closed behind them without looking. Grabbing Evelyn, she pushed her against the inside of the door and kissed her hard. Evelyn melted into her, gasping softly, fingers locking behind Jo’s neck. Neither of them moved toward the bedroom, and Jo felt heat radiating from Evelyn’s body. It sent a surge of hunger through her. Sliding herthigh between Evelyn’s legs, Jo felt the short black dress ride up, letting her press against the woman’s center.

A moan escaped Evelyn’s lips, making a pulse start low on Jo’s body. “I want you so much,” Jo murmured, her lips trailing down Evelyn’s neck. She loved the way Evelyn’s skin felt under her mouth, the taste of her, the scent of her perfume.

Evelyn’s head fell back against the door, her body starting to tremble. “Then take me,” she gasped, and Jo felt a surge of satisfaction in knowing how much the woman wanted her. Her hands found the hem of Evelyn’s dress, pulling it higher, revealing more of her smooth skin. Evelyn gasped, and Jo couldn’t get enough of the way Evelyn’s body responded to her touch. Slowly, she brushed her fingers against Evelyn’s thigh, then hooked them under the edge of her panties. She felt the heat of Evelyn’s arousal, and it made her own need burn even hotter.

“Jo,” Evelyn whispered, her voice barely audible, a plea and a promise all at once. “Please touch me.”

In response, Jo let her fingers slipped inside Evelyn’s panties, stroking her clit gently, making Evelyn whimper. Her hips bucked against the touch. Since the first time they slept together, Jo loved the sounds Evelyn made, and she wanted to hear more, to feel more. Her fingers moved in slow, deliberate circles, drawing out a moan from deep within Evelyn. With their bodies pressed together, Jo felt the tension building within the woman, her body coiling tighter and tighter with each stroke.

Jo suddenly realized she wanted to make Evelyn come, to give her the pleasure she deserved. “You’re so wet,” Jo murmured against Evelyn’s lips, her voice husky. “So ready for me.” Evelyn could only nod, her breath coming in short gasps. Unable to hold back, Jo slipped two fingers inside her and started to move them. With each stroke, she went faster, pressing deeper, and Evelyn’s hips moved in time with her,grinding against Jo’s hand. As Evelyn’s body tightened around Jo’s fingers, Jo felt the woman’s pleasure building, her body on the edge of release, and it made her own heart race with anticipation.

“So close,” Evelyn gasped, her nails digging into Jo’s shoulders. “So close...”

Jo’s thumb found Evelyn’s clit, circling it with exactly the right amount of pressure. Evelyn’s body tensed, her back arching off the door. She cried out with pleasure, and Jo held her tightly as she came. Drawing out every last wave of pleasure with her fingers, Jo was ready to catch the woman when her legs gave out. Looking at her, Jo wanted to memorize the moment, the look of bliss on Evelyn’s face, the sound of her ragged breaths. “You are so beautiful,” Jo whispered, and even through the haze of her own unfulfilled need, she couldn’t believe how much she wanted this woman, how much she cared for her. It was more than just physical attraction. It was deeper and something Jo had never felt with anyone else before.

“Mmm,” Evelyn hummed. “You make me feel beautiful in so many ways, but we’re not done.” Raising an eyebrow, Jo wasn’t sure what that meant, until suddenly Evelyn turned them until Jo’s back was against the door.

Evelyn couldn’t believe how alive her body felt, every nerve tingling with anticipation. She looked into Jo’s eyes, seeing the raw desire mirrored there, and it emboldened her. “I want to do something,” she whispered. “But I don’t want to do it wrong.”

Looking at her with half-closed eyes, Jo gave a slight shake of her head. “You won’t do it wrong,” she murmured. “Just do what comes naturally.”

“Okay,” Evelyn said, licking her lips, as her hands started to explore, tracing lines down Jo’s body, feeling the musclesthrough her thin denim shirt. Taking a deep breath, she moved to the front of Jo’s jeans, her fingers trembling slightly as she undid the button and zipper. Her heart pounded with a mix of excitement and nervousness. She had never tasted another woman before, but she wanted to please Jo, to give her as much pleasure as Jo had given her.

Slipping her hand inside Jo’s jeans, Evelyn found her center, already wet and hot. Jo moaned, her hips pushing against Evelyn’s hand, and the sound sent a wave of heat through Evelyn. Going on instinct, she moved her fingers, exploring every inch of Jo’s body, drawing out sounds from Jo that made her own body ache all over again.

“Is this okay?” Evelyn whispered, looking at Jo and seeing her eyes filled with want.