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An embarrassed smile curved her mouth and her cheeks heated. She was losing her mind for this female—far fromokay.“I’m great. How areyou?”

Juniper closed the distance, her unique scent softening the air. A thousand butterflies took flight in Adriel’s belly.

“I’m fantastic.” She laughed, almost to herself. “Better even.” Wrapped in only a towel, she bent to press a kiss to Adriel’s mouth, lingering for a moment to caress her jaw before slowly pulling away. “You sure you’re okay?”

Again, she blushed. “I…thought you left.”

She chuckled and tossed the towel aside, sliding under the covers to pull Adriel close. Her body was warm and soft—safe and welcoming. “I’m not going anywhere, babe.”

Adriel closed her eyes, breathing in the perfumed scent of the soap on Juniper’s skin. Relief melted the knots of tension inside of her like butter left out on a hot day. Her entire being became soft and malleable just from having her arms around her.

Should she confess she was having such an extreme reaction to the intimacy they shared? Was this normal? She honestly didn’t know if people discussed such things. She never knew anything could feel so incredibly…right.

Juniper’s lips pressed to her shoulder. Time slowed as she simply held her like that. No one had ever—that Adriel could recall—nurtured her so affectionately. The more she thought about the absence of touch in her life the more her insides ached.

Her aimless touch teased lower, and tensionunraveled, swelling and waning like waves along the coast that built and then faded into softness. Her gentleness disarmed her as much as it unnerved her. Each little stroke was a lesson in trust and kindness. Like oxygen, Adriel breathed the comfort in, holding the intangible sensations for the briefest moment, then letting go and surrendering to the delicious pleasure.

“You have the softest skin,” Juniper whispered, trailing her fingertips down Adriel’s side. Tender caresses skated over her hip, swirling low on her stomach, and glided upward to trace her ribs.

Adriel laughed.

“Ticklish?”

Was she? No one had ever touched her so softly before, so she didn’t know. “I suppose I am.”

“Hmm, I wonder where else you’re ticklish.” She shifted between her legs, tugging Adriel closer as she grinned. “Let’s find out.”

A sharp, delightful whisp of pleasure chased up her spine as Juniper nuzzled her neck. Adriel’s shoulders reflexively lifted as they both laughed. Soft lips teased the wing of her collarbone. Juniper watched her through thick lashes and violet eyes that hid dark promise in the depths.

Adriel stilled, the sole purpose of her entire existence now invested in seeing what she might do next.

“What about here?” Juniper whispered, kissing the slope of her shoulder. As she movedabove her, the tips of her breasts dragged against Adriel’s chest, teasing and titillating. “Or here?” Her fingers trailed low, past her hip, and lightly grazed her inner thigh. “Or maybe here.”

She rolled her hips and their eyes met. Juniper held her stare, her knuckle dragging upward between her legs at a glacial pace. Time stood still.

The precipice of curiosity needled with excruciating wanting until she could take no more. “June…”

Juniper’s mouth hooked into a playful grin, perfectly aware she was tormenting her. “Yes…?”

Adriel’s throat tightened at her teasing tone. Emotion rolled through her like a landside, pushing words out of her mouth before she could call them back. “I never knew it could be like this. So soft and pleasant yet so…intense. I heard whispers, but I always assumed they were embellished.”

Noting the tears in her eyes and the way her voice strained, Juniper sat up. “Hey, don’t cry.”

Embarrassed, Adriel wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s come over me. It’s as if you’ve loosened something that’s been lodged in my chest for hundreds of years.” She rubbed a hand over her heart where it hurt. “This is nothing like I imagined. Nothing like I remember.”

“I’m as surprised as you are.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Before you… I mean, I was a kid. Then…” Her stare skated away as if she didn’t want to see those memories. “Last night wasn’t planned, but it also wasn’t a mistake. When I’m with you, I feel…safe, like everything is going to be all right.” She laughed. “I sound like a Bob Marley song.”

Adriel shook her head, not understanding the reference to modern music. “I never know what you mean when you reference music.”

Juniper wiped away her tears and laid beside her, pulling her close and whispered, “Don’t worry… about a thing… ‘cause every little thing’s gonna be all right.”

Adriel turned to face her fully, her need growing as Juniper’s soft breath fanned over her damp cheeks. Her confidence and self-assured autonomy was simply stunning. Combing a strand of hair away from her eyes, she smiled. “I think you’re one of God’s prettiest creations.”

Her lashes lowered and she silently laughed. The spattering of freckles across her nose darkened as she blushed. “I’ve never been what anyone considers traditionally beautiful.”