Page 64

She cried out, shuddering and shaking against Tilly’s hand, aware of nothing other than the sensations running through her, washing over her, taking over her.

At the end, Tilly sat up, her hand still in place, her other arm holding Sophie against her, her cheek pressing against Sophie’s stomach, holding her until her breath started to even out, until she was finally able to form words again.

“Jesus,” was the first word that came out.

“Don’t think he had much to do with this,” Tilly said, tilting backward so that Sophie could see her face.

“No,” said Sophie with a grin. “No, probably not.”

“Are you tired?” Tilly asked.

“Not a bit.”

“Oh good.”

“Why?” asked Sophie.

“Because I don’t think I’m done yet,”

Sophie swung her leg back over Tilly’s body and snuggled down so that she was lying beside her, head on her chest. “I’m not sure that I am either,” she said. Her tongue snaked out and licked the tip of Tilly’s pink nipple.

Tilly gasped. “Glad we’re on the same page,” she said.

“Glad we’re finally on the same bed,” said Sophie. Then she busied her mouth doing things that weren’t talking.

Chapter Twenty Six

Tilly held Sophie close, listening to her breathing, perfectly content until Sophie finally stirred.

“It’s half ten.”

“Not quite,” Tilly said. “We’ve got a few minutes yet.”

Sophie snuggled closer again. “Okay, but just a few minutes. Don’t let me fall asleep.”

The flat was littered with the remains of an Indian takeaway and smelled of spices, but Tilly was happier than she’d been for months, perhaps ever.

Every other night for the last few weeks, Sophie had come in through the back door after work, sneaking home again as it got late. It was all Tilly could do to get through the workday so that she could rush home.

Okay, so things couldn’t stay this way permanently. She got that. But for right now, it was working. Any doubts that she’d had about her feelings for Sophie were long gone. This was what she’d been waiting for, this sense of complete familiarity even in someone she’d just met. This comfort.

She put her chin on Sophie’s head, letting one naked arm pull her a little closer. “I like you a lot,” she mumbled.

“Careful,” Sophie said with a laugh in her voice. “That almost turned into a bigger L word.”

For a second Tilly felt a squeeze of anxiety, but she shook it off. So what if it did? She was allowed to have feelings, wasn’t she? “Should I not be using that word yet?” she asked.

Sophie moved now, propping her head up on one hand so that the duvet fell off her shoulder, baring her creamy skin. “I don’t know,” she said. “Should we?”

“We? So you might have some big L energy going on too?” Tilly teased.

Sophie bit her lip and looked down. “There might be some feelings swimming around.”

Tilly nodded, her heart tripling in size. “Well, okay then. As long as we both know where we stand. We don’t have to say it just yet.”

Sophie looked up. “We can wait for the right time.”

Tilly grinned at her. “Patience is a virtue.” She reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind Sophie’s ear. “How’s it going at home?”