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“Do me the honor of showing me how your body moves on top of me.”

A tilt of the head implied that Arianna wasn’t sure what Elle meant, but it was fairly obvious after the soft undulation of the bed lulled them both into the quiet motions of making love again – this time, with Arianna riding on top.

“There you go,” Elle encouraged her through a subversive smile. “Lose yourself, Aria.”

Watching her enjoy herself in a room that was not completely dark was half the fun for Elle, who had long moved past the awkwardness of being naked – and erotically raw – before someone else. But she remembered what it was like. Wondering if I was too fat, too round, not feminine enough. Arianna didn’t outright say denigrating things about her body, but Elle recognized the way her girlfriend carried herself and tentatively undressed. It was a rare woman who didn’t get at least a little shy in front of a new lover. Elle respected that… but she also needed Arianna to know that she was safe in this room, naked or clothed.

And she would never be safer as when she rode atop her girlfriend, taking up space in that king-sized bed and not giving a single fuck about who she was beyond these walls.

It wasn’t about garnering more pleasure, although Elle was thrilled for Arianna if that happened. It was about reclaiming that piece of one’s self that was sometimes lost in the shuffle of indecision, inferiority, and insecurity.

Not here. Not now.

Arianna yelped in happy surprise when she got so into it that she almost fell off the bed. After straightening herself back atop Elle, she said while fixing her hair, “I think that’s enough of that.” The playful hue in her cheeks suggested this would not be the last time they did this, though. “Isn’t it your turn?”

Elle folded her hands behind her head. “My turn for what?”

“Stop. You know what I mean.”

“Nah, I want to hear you say it.” Elle lightly lifted her hips, throwing Arianna off balance again. “In English.”

“Why English?”

“Because it sounds sillier.”

“That’s torture!”

“I’ll inform the Hague that you think so!”

Arianna fell forward, laughing as she rolled onto her back and splattered her hand across Elle’s face. When she realized what she had done, she apologized through another sputter of laughter.

“I’m glad you’re having fun.”

Arianna turned toward Elle, who met her halfway, their noses close enough to touch. “Most of you First Class types aren’t this kind of fun.”

“Sleep with many of your passengers to know, huh?”

“You know what I mean…”

Elle propped her head up on her hand. “You’re a helluva woman, you know that?”

“What’s ‘helluva.’”

“Hell of a.”

“Like Hell?”

“Straight from Hell, you sexy demon.”

With a smile constrained behind her teeth, Arianna lightly touched the tip of Elle’s nose. “It’s still your turn.”

“You must like the idea of it being ‘my turn’ if you keep bringing it up.”

“What can I say? I’m inspired. By the way you make me feel.”

“How do I make you feel?”

Arianna’s naked foot kicked up behind her. “Like I’m a teenager.”