Page 39 of Promises We Meant to Keep (Love in Massachusetts #1)

thirty-nine

“Yes?” Kamryn asked, thoroughly confused. Hadn’t Elia just said no? And now she was saying yes? But it didn’t feel like she was answering the same question as before. “What questions?”

“No questions.” Elia had a hint of a smile on her lips.

Kamryn’s brain was struggling to keep up with everything. The relief as she walked out of that board meeting had been overwhelming, and she’d dragged her feet back to her apartment. She’d had every intention of curling up on the couch and probably falling asleep in her clothes because she couldn’t be bothered going to the bedroom and changing.

“Elia, you’re going to have to catch me up on what you’re talking about.” Kamryn was ready to sink into these couch cushions and sleep the night away, but at the same time it was such a struggle to keep her eyes closed and turn her mind off. She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the last few hours and all the conversations sprouting around the table, not to mention the last week, as everything had come to a head.

“Yes,” Elia said again.

Okay, Kamryn was really missing out on something now. She was just about to ask for more clarification when Elia answered her.

“Yes, you can kiss me. Yes, I want to be with you.”

Kamryn stilled. She hadn’t realized they were even talking about that. She’d mentioned it earlier, but Elia hadn’t seemed remotely interested. Then again, she might have just been overwhelmed by everything that had happened. Kamryn had more time to digest it all.

Sitting up a little straighter, Kamryn reached for Elia’s hand and took it in her own. “You can think about it more if you want. I’m not in any rush.”

“I am.” Elia raised her chin up, her lips still curled upward in a true moment of happiness. One that was so fucking rare for Kamryn to see from her. “I’m in a rush.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m tired of holding myself back.” Elia lifted Kamryn’s hand to her lips, kissing her knuckles gently. “I’m tired of living in fear and in the shadows. I’m ready to live.”

Kamryn’s heart raced. “Even if this doesn’t work out?”

“Even if it doesn’t work out.” Elia turned Kamryn’s hand over and kissed the inside of her wrist.

The touch of her lips sent shivers racing up Kamryn’s arm and straight into her chest. She couldn’t drag her gaze away from Elia’s mouth, the closeness between them mocking her to do something, but she was stunned speechless.

“I want you to kiss me,” Elia murmured, pressing another kiss, this one higher up and very near the inside of Kamryn’s elbow. “And I want to kiss you.”

“Yessss,” Kamryn whispered, the word barely audible over the blood rushing to her head. “I love you, Elia.”

Elia grinned fully then. She reached up, cupping Kamryn’s cheek with her hand, the softness of her fingers so tender and loving in the caress. Kamryn closed her eyes and leaned into the touch, reveling in it, savoring it. She needed this. They both needed it.

“Fucking kiss me already,” Kamryn demanded, keeping her eyes closed as she waited for what Elia would do next.

It didn’t take long for their lips to brush, for the brush to become more intense, for Kamryn to part her lips and move into the embrace. She threaded her fingers behind Elia’s head, holding her close and sighing into the kiss. God, she’d missed this. It hadn’t been that long, but it felt like forever. All that tension that had been pushing them apart had completely dissipated. Kamryn was ready to reconnect.

She moaned when Elia pulled her lower lip into her mouth, sucking gently before diving back in and deepening the kiss. Kamryn gave her whole self over to this moment, to the touches and the kisses, to the hope that was rekindled between them. They were actually doing this. They were going to be together.

“Elia…” Kamryn murmured before being completely distracted by yet another kiss. She started to lift up, pushing Elia back slightly. Kamryn caressed her neck, her shoulder, dropped her hand down to Elia’s and squeezed before breaking the kiss. “Elia, you’re sure?”

“More sure than anything. I promise you I’m not going to hold back.” Elia kissed Kamryn’s cheek, then her other one. She kissed her forehead. “I want to be with you tonight, to stay here and take care of you. This hasn’t been easy on you.”

Kamryn snorted lightly, shaking her head in agreement. “It’s been awful.”

“Then let me take care of you.” Elia kissed her lips again.

“Make love to me,” Kamryn begged. She was already pulling at her shirt to get it loose and away from her skin. “Make me forget these last few weeks for a little bit.”

“Are you sure? You don’t want to rest?” Elia was already helping Kamryn pull the shirt off, lifting it over her head and dropping it to the side of the couch.

“I’m sure.”

Kamryn stood up, taking Elia by the hand and leading her back toward her small bedroom. She didn’t look over her shoulder, and Elia didn’t tug or slow down either. As soon as they were inside, Kamryn cringed. Her room was a mess. It had definitely been a rough few weeks. The only advantage was that Greer had been around for a while, and she’d kept everything in the main area spotless while she tried to avoid her own problems.

“Just love me,” Kamryn requested. She pulled Elia in for another kiss, delighting when Elia started running her fingers up and down her back, touching her skin anywhere and everywhere that she could. Elia flicked the clasp on Kamryn’s bra and pulled it down, their tongues still tangled.

Immediately, Elia’s hands were around her front, cupping and massaging and teasing Kamryn’s breasts. Kamryn moaned and she reached for Elia’s shirt. She struggled to find the edge of it, her hands fumbling, especially when Elia bent down slightly and pressed her entire mouth over Kamryn’s left nipple and sucked.

Hissing, Kamryn had to stop everything she’d been trying to do just to concentrate. Being this exhausted and adding sex into the mix was making her entire body come alive. She didn’t have to fight her brain to feel things. She didn’t have to concentrate on anything because she literally couldn’t think about anything else except what was happening right here.

“I can’t think about anything but you,” Kamryn said with a little laugh. “Fuck, this feels so good.”

Elia hummed, but she didn’t move away from Kamryn’s body. She continued to tease until she moved to Kamryn’s other breast, giving it exactly the same treatment. Kamryn stumbled backward and braced herself against the small full-sized bed that the apartment had come with. She fell back, pulling Elia with her.

“Sorry!” Kamryn said.

Shaking her head, Elia stood back up and dragged her blouse over her head, her hair settling around her shoulders and framing her body perfectly. Kamryn could never get enough of looking at this woman. She wanted more every single time.

Elia bent down and pulled down the zipper on her boots, taking them off and tossing them to the side. “I want to taste you.”

For some reason, those words sent a ripple of anticipation and pleasure through Kamryn. Elia had never been lacking in confidence when it came to sex, but this version of her was something else entirely—confident, sexy, but completely in control. And Kamryn was more than ready to let Elia take the reins and guide their night.

Moving her hands to her waist, Kamryn pulled at the snap and zipper before she shuffled the fabric down her legs and onto the floor. She didn’t even bother to watch where they landed, because her eyes were locked on Elia’s face. She wanted to see only Elia in this moment, hear and feel exactly what Elia was hearing and feeling.

Elia stepped in between Kamryn’s thighs, trailing her fingers up and down the tops of her thighs as she stared down between Kamryn’s legs hungrily. That was a look Kamryn could get used to. She loved when Elia looked at her like that, as if she was the entire world, and as if Elia would do anything for her pleasure. And right now, Kamryn was pretty sure that was true.

“El…”

Elia’s lips quirked up at the nickname, and she swiftly moved down and pressed their mouths together. Fire and heat led the kiss, their tongues tangling as the speed increased. Kamryn fell backward, dragging Elia with her as she went.

Cradling Elia between her legs, Kamryn held her there. She loved the skin to skin, the press of Elia’s chest to hers, even if Elia’s bra was still in the way. She’d deal with that later. Elia broke the kiss, breathing heavily. She stared down at Kamryn, a hand pushed into the bed above Kamryn’s head as they looked at each other.

“I love you,” Elia said. “I told you that, and I’m not going to take it back.”

Kamryn’s lips quirked up. “I never doubted your feelings for me.”

Elia faltered at that. “You doubted me?”

“I doubted whether or not we could make this work. But I never doubted that you care for me.”

Humming, Elia bent down and kissed her again. “You’re right. I never doubted what I felt, just the possibilities of hope and what it would be to be loved and to love someone again.”

“Loving someone is the easy part, right?” Kamryn tried to hide her satisfaction at throwing that one back at Elia.

“It’s so easy to love you,” Elia responded, standing back up and taking off her slacks. She nodded toward Kamryn, indicating she wanted Kamryn to move farther onto the bed. Following the direction, Kamryn pulled herself backward. “It’s been much more difficult to love myself.”

“You’re so worthy of it, though. You’re amazing.”

“Kam,” Elia said in a warning. “I know that here.” Elia tapped the side of her head. “It’s a bit harder to make myself remember it when it’s easier to run the other direction.”

“It’s easier in the short term.”

“Once again, the student is wiser than the teacher.” Elia chuckled lightly as she climbed onto the bed, hovering over Kamryn on hands and knees. “It’s a good thing I’m out of lessons for you.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Kamryn couldn’t resist any longer. She traced the curve of Elia’s breast as it pushed against the cup of her bra. “I’ve learned plenty from you in these last few months.”

“Have you?”

“Yeah, like don’t turn in my resignation if I’m not ready to fight for it.”

Elia snorted loudly. “Fair.”

“And don’t think that I’m alone in a fight for my livelihood when I really do have allies all around me. If I’d only just ask for help.” Kamryn held Elia by her hips, ready to flip them over so that she was on top.

“Ouch,” Elia answered, but she was smiling just the same.

“You have a whole team of faculty that’s behind you, who are willing to risk their own careers for you.” Kamryn slid her fingers into the elastic of Elia’s panties. “Don’t you know how loved and revered you are?”

“By you? Or by the faculty and staff?”

“Us and more.” Kamryn pulled Elia’s panties down as much as she could, revealing the little bit of hair between her legs. Ideas worked their way into Kamryn’s mind, how she was going to go about continuing what they’d started. “But I’m ready to worship your body, that’s for certain.”

Elia hummed that knowing hum before she took Kamryn’s mouth with her own and moved her hips out of Kamryn’s reach in one swift move. Kamryn grunted her disappointment until Elia parted Kamryn’s knees with a sure hand. Kamryn let her, locking her gaze on Elia’s face and grinning when Elia looked directly back up at her.

Where the hell had all this energy come from? Kamryn had needed it hours ago, not now. Although she’d take it now for sure. She threw her hands above her head, gripping onto her pillow as she waited for Elia’s next move.

She started with kisses, soft gentle ones, against Kamryn’s hips and then the inside of her thighs. Kamryn struggled to stay still and let Elia do whatever she wanted. Because she wanted Elia’s mouth against her immediately. She didn’t have the wherewithal to wait any longer, not after the desert they’d just come out of.

“What are you thinking?” Elia asked.

“What? Why?” Kamryn winced at her tone.

“Because the look that just crossed your face was…interesting. And I’m not sure what it meant.” Elia put the flat of her tongue against Kamryn’s skin, licking her inner thigh firmly.

Kamryn groaned, her eyes fluttering shut as she could just imagine what Elia was going to do with that tongue next. God, she’d never wanted to be touched this much before. She’d never truly understood just what it meant to beg to be touched, but she got it now.

“Kam,” Elia said before licking her inner thigh again. “What were you thinking?”

“That this might be the best sex I’ve ever had, and we haven’t even gotten to the main show yet.” Where had those words come from? Kamryn chuckled nervously while Elia cocked her head to the side.

“Best sex?” Elia asked.

“Uh… yeah. I mean, if we get to that portion of the night.” Now Kamryn felt awkward and useless. She’d ruined everything they’d been going for, hadn’t she?

Elia grinned before she licked her lips and shook her head. “It’s good because it means something, don’t you think?”

“Uh huh,” Kamryn readily agreed. “But are we going to… move on? I’m not sure how much energy I have left for staying awake.”

“Message heard.” Elia moved back down, once again pressing gentle kisses to Kamryn’s skin.

She worked her way closer and closer to where Kamryn wanted her. As soon as Elia’s lips covered her clit, Kamryn sighed. She closed her eyes, tilting her head up and focusing only on the sensation of Elia’s mouth against her, the flick of her tongue, the licks, the sucks, the slow pattern that she finally started as soon as she stopped exploring.

Kamryn slowed her breathing, resting into the touches and feelings that were rolling through her body. Elia was so good at this, at finding exactly what Kamryn needed in these moments and delivering on them. Kamryn tightened her muscles, she prepared her body for the pleasure she knew was going to surge through her, and the inevitable rush of heat that would overtake her. But she knew without a doubt that Elia would be there with her through it all, that she would soothe and touch and taste and continue to care for Kamryn every second of the way.

And when she crashed through her orgasm, Elia did exactly that. She ran her fingers along Kamryn’s thighs, she slowed the flicks of her tongue, she tasted Kamryn’s juices, swallowing them and taking as much of her on her tongue as she possibly could. Kamryn beckoned Elia up with a wave of her hands.

Elia crawled up the bed, sliding against Kamryn’s side so they could kiss. Her lips were still damp, and Kamryn loved the sensations of hot and cold that it brought. She deepened the embrace, moving her hand down Elia, to her hip and back up again to tangle her fingers in Elia’s hair.

“I love you,” Kamryn whispered again. “But take this fucking thing off already.” She plucked at the strap of Elia’s bra before palming her ass and pulling her in closer. As much as Kamryn wanted Elia naked and next to her, she wasn’t sure she wanted to give Elia the space to do that.

Elia reached behind her and snapped the clasp of her bra. But she didn’t move very swiftly to divest herself of the fabric. Was she feeling the same way? Kamryn started to push Elia’s panties down with her hand, at least what she could manage in the positions they were in. She didn’t want to stop kissing Elia. She didn’t want to stop touching her. She wanted to stay right here and never go back to where they were that afternoon.

Elia finally sat up and pulled the rest of her clothes off. As soon as she was free from them, Kamryn pulled her back down and kissed her.

“I didn’t think you’d want to talk to me again after this afternoon,” Kamryn said, still worried about how everything had happened. She could have done such a better job of explaining and holding that tension.

“I didn’t really want to talk to you again,” Elia answered but kissed her anyway. “Not until I got some answers anyway.”

“I’m really sorry about that.”

“Seems it won’t be too much of an issue any longer since you won’t be my boss anymore. Hmm?”

“Yeah.” That was one good thing to come out of this situation. Kamryn smiled at that thought. It did allow them to have moments like this.

“Just use your fingers, Kam, and then we’ll go to sleep.”

“Good.” It was getting harder to keep her eyes open, the orgasm doing exactly what it was supposed to do and stealing the last vestiges of her energy. Kamryn moved her hand between Elia’s legs, glad when Elia parted her knees and propped one leg up to give Kamryn easier access. “I can’t wait to fall asleep in your arms.”

“Me either,” Elia replied. She clasped her arm around Kamryn’s neck and kissed her hard, their lips pushing into each other. “Fuck me, Kam.”

Not having to be told twice, Kamryn slid two fingers deep inside Elia. She was soaking, and her juices pooled onto Kamryn’s palm, which was exactly what Kamryn needed. She pulled out slightly and wet Elia’s clit before she started grinding the heel of her palm against Elia’s clit and tapping the fingers inside her.

The pace Kamryn started was brutal. This wasn’t meant for slow and sexy, for lingering in touches. This was meant as a relief of pent-up emotions and sexual tension and frustration. This was meant for comfort and release. And they were both going to get exactly what they wanted. Elia tightened her grip around Kamryn’s shoulders, pulling her upper body into Kamryn as her own pleasure intensified.

Kamryn could see it, not just in the way she moved but in the intensity of her gaze, in the brilliance of her smile, in the way Elia breathed rapidly and the rush of red to her cheeks from the exertion. Kamryn moved in harder and faster. She watched with rapt attention as Elia got closer to the pinnacle, closer to where they both wanted her to be. It was beautiful to watch—in fact, Kamryn wasn’t sure she’d ever seen something as wonderful as this before in her life.

Each time Elia pressed against her, each time Elia allowed her to touch and taste and bring pleasure, it amazed her. Kamryn was in complete awe, and she wanted so much more for each of them. She never wanted to stop this.

Elia let out a small groan, and Kamryn grinned in response. She pressed kisses against Elia’s cheeks and neck, to her lips. Elia clasped tightly onto Kamryn’s back, pulling her in and pressing their mouths together in a wild, passionate embrace.

“S-slow down,” Elia whispered.

Kamryn eased up on the movements, finally able to feel Elia pulsing against her, the clenching of her body around Kamryn’s fingers a sweet embrace that she’d been looking for. Kamryn hummed her own pleasure as she kissed Elia’s parted lips quickly.

“Please say you’re staying the night,” Kamryn said.

“Yeah, I’m staying,” Elia answered, her chest still rising and falling rapidly as she lay back on the bed. She smiled as she stared up at Kamryn. “That was good.”

“Wait until you see what I can do next time.” Kamryn winked. “But not tonight. Too tired tonight.”

Elia nodded her understanding. Kamryn forced herself to half-sit up and she reached for the bottom of the bed for the blanket. She was about to curl around Elia when Elia opened her arms, inviting Kamryn to snuggle into her side.

Lying next to Elia, Kamryn closed her eyes and absorbed her scent, her warmth, her comfort. She rested and relaxed to the feel of Elia’s fingers in her hair, combing through the long strands lovingly. Kamryn was going to stay here for as long as possible. She didn’t want to get up and leave. She wanted this.

Simple love.

And promises of more.