Page 24 of Toni and Addie Go Viral

Addie

At first Addie felt a little silly keeping her shirt on when she was naked from the waist down, but suddenly, Toni was naked and splayed out like an invitation, and every other thought vanished.

Naked woman was the most articulate thought Addie had. Gorgeous naked woman.

“You’ll see better if you come over here,” Toni said, adopting the same tone she had when she was lecturing, confident and instructional.

Addie crawled up the bed to sit beside Toni.

“Sometimes I like a slow, soft touch,” Toni said in that professorial voice as her fingers stroked over her bare skin. Addie’s gaze was fixed on that roaming hand as Toni stroked the space between her breasts and over her taut stomach.

“I see,” Addie whispered.

“You can touch me, too, if you decide you want to,” Toni said with a smile. “You don’t have to if you’re uncomfortable.”

Addie nodded, not sure she could actually speak. She watched as Toni’s hands moved to the juncture of her thighs. Slow, steady, mesmerizing. Addie was uncomfortable, but in more of a craving than in a bad time-to-run-away way.

“Sometimes…” Three of Toni’s fingers disappeared inside her body. “… I want a fast, hard fuck. Do you ever feel like that, Addie? Or was that just that once in the garden that you were impatient?”

Addie reached out to trace the curve of Toni’s hip, sighing when Toni arched toward her like an offer. “I don’t know what I want yet,” Addie whispered. “ You. I want you.”

“Sometimes,” Toni said, breathier now. “I just want everything. ”

“Everything?” Addie couldn’t look away from Toni’s hands. “What’s everything?”

“Depends on the woman.” Toni chuckled. “Mouths, hands, toys. I liked being outside with you, knowing we could get caught. I liked seeing you holding on to that fence like I’d restrained you. I’d like to have you straddling my face.”

“And right now?” Addie whispered.

“Anything you want. I want to watch you fall apart and know it’s my doing.” Toni’s fingers were moving almost leisurely. “What do you want, Addie? Sometimes that’s the very best thing—knowing how to please your lover, watching them come undone.”

Addie reached out as if to stroke Toni but paused. She felt like all the years with no desire had combined in this moment. She might combust if she wasn’t careful.

Toni helpfully used her free hand to part her slick lips, and Addie couldn’t look away as Toni invited, “This doesn’t have to be just a spectator sport, Addie. It can be, but if you want to know what I like, I can tell you by the way I moan or beg.”

“Do you think I could make you beg?” Addie mused as she moved to half kneel, half sit in the wide-open frame of Toni’s legs.

Addie trailed her fingers over the defined lines of muscles, easing closer to where she wanted to touch.

“If I put my hand…” She stared at Toni’s thrusting fingers. “ There. ”

Toni moved her hand away and took Addie’s hand, directing her closer. The wetness on Toni’s hand made Addie shiver with longing.

“Do you want to try?” Toni offered. “I bet you can make me beg and writhe under your touch, love.”

Addie stared down at Toni’s flushed cheeks and slid two fingers inside Toni. She slowly thrusted in and out. “Like this?”

“Yes.” Toni spread her legs wider still, like an invitation to be touched. “Such a good girl. Do you like looking, love?”

Addie nodded, unable to tear her gaze away. “And this… I like this. Feeling you tense around me.”

“Mmmm. Me too. Another finger, Addie.”

Addie swallowed a small noise as she added a third finger. She felt Toni’s inner walls clench tightly around her suddenly. Addie looked up, mesmerized by Toni’s flushed cheeks and lust-heavy eyes.

I did that, Addie marveled. It was a heady thought.

“Are you wet, too, love?” Toni asked.

“Yes.”

“That’s how I felt touching you in Scotland. Touching you made my body drip with need.” Toni suddenly clasped Addie’s hip with one damp hand as Addie sped up.

Addie reached out with her free hand to do what Toni had done to her in the garden—circling, rubbing, and pinching Toni’s clit. She had wanted to make Toni moan and tremble for a year, imagined it over and over, but seeing Toni rise to meet her touch made even Addie’s best fantasies seem mild.

Could I orgasm just from touching her? The pulse between her thighs suggested that she might.

Toni hissed. “What a quick study you are.”

Addie paused. “Too much? Was that—”

“Wonderful, Addie. You’re wonderful.” Toni arched, pressing Addie’s fingers deeper inside her in the process. “Faster… there’s a good girl. Just… like… that.”

She was gorgeous; a thin sheen of sweat seemed like it outlined the ridiculous taut stomach and small but firm breasts. Toni’s hips were moving as she rode Addie’s hand, and when Toni fell apart under Addie’s touch, Addie felt a rush of power like nothing she had ever experienced.

I did that.

She looked down at the satiated look on Toni’s face for just a moment as she slid her fingers out of Toni’s grasping, pulsing warmth. For a moment, she left her other hand where it was, pressed against Toni’s clit.

The relaxed, open expression on Toni’s face was the same expression she’d had briefly when lecturing sometimes, as if everything was right in her world. Not hungry or cautious, not tense or reserved. Open, raw, and completely stunning because of it.

Then Toni looked like she was starting to rebuild a wall. She shifted so Addie was no longer touching her and nudged Addie’s knees apart. “Would you like me to touch you or put my mouth—”

“Touch,” Addie said quickly. The thought of the other thing was daunting still. “Touch this time. I’m not ready for… Maybe if we do this again and—”

“That’s okay,” Toni interrupted as she pushed Addie gently, so she was half kneeling. “There aren’t rules.”

“I don’t want to disappoint you,” Addie confessed.

“You aren’t. Not at all. Can you stay like this?” Toni asked, staring up at her. “Rise up a little more and part these lovely legs for me?”

Addie adjusted, feeling a little self-conscious about squatting on the bed in front of Toni.

Then Toni sat up and asked, “Can I take this off, love?”

“If you want…,” Addie started, but then Toni was kissing her. Her hands were under Addie’s shirt, and the thin fabric felt like an obstacle.

Addie tugged her blouse off, and in doing so realized that they were chest to chest. Her brain blanked out slightly at the fact that she had never been bare-chested against another woman.

“Up,” Toni ordered. Her hair was mussed, and her lips were kiss-swollen, and Addie was sure she’d never seen anyone more lovely. “On your knees, love.”

When Addie moved onto her knees instead of sitting back on her haunches, her breasts were in Toni’s face. By the time Toni had her mouth on Addie’s breasts and her hand between Addie’s thighs, Addie realized why Toni wanted her in this position.

Addie trembled from head to toe from the combined feel of Toni’s mouth on her nipples and her hand between Addie’s thighs.

Her body was already wet and ready, and unlike the night in the garden, Addie was fairly sure this wouldn’t last very long at all.

She pushed back her disappointment and within moments, Addie was clutching at Toni and holding on to her for support as her orgasm rolled over her.

The noises she made were feral-sounding, and even as she felt herself shudder, she still wanted.

But a few minutes later, Toni slid out of bed. “Do you need water or anything?”

Addie watched Toni seemingly reassemble her walls, as if she had to shift into a more reserved version of herself and create distance now.

Toni Darbyshire was clearly not at ease with vulnerability, even now after she’d fallen apart under Addie’s hands and driven Addie to a shaking mess, even as the room smelled of sweat and sex.

Toni pulled a sheet up over Addie. “It’s chilly in here. I can adjust the temp.…”

That won’t do. If Toni was uncomfortable, she was going to come up with a reason to send Addie away. I want to be here, with her, in all the ways I can.

Addie flopped back on the bed, staring at Toni as she returned. “Sooooo… you wrote a book after we met. And there’s a sequel soon?”

Toni glanced at her and smiled in what looked like relief as they resumed chatting as they had been all night.

“In theory. The Widow’s Curse is what I’m working on between lesson-planning and grading and promo for the first one.

I wrote the first book before I met you actually.

I sent it to Em that night, and I decided that if it sold, I’d name the protagonist after you. ”

“Not going to lie, I squealed when I saw it.” Addie stretched and stared up at Toni, whose mask of indifference slipped as she watched Addie’s bare leg emerge from the sheets. “It felt like that night meant something to you, too.”

Toni nodded. It wasn’t much of an admission, but it wasn’t a refutation either. The truth was that Addie was very used to being the person who wore every emotion on her sleeve, but she wanted to point out that she noticed, that she already knew she wasn’t alone in feeling things.

Life was short, so why waste time on hiding?

Instead of replying, Toni walked over to the hotel minibar and uncovered a highball glass. “Drink or…?”

“Water first.” Addie sat up and patted the bed. “Am I allowed a drink now that I’m already here in your bed?”

Addie accepted the glass of water Toni held out.

“Cheeky thing. Yes, but hydrate first.” Toni leaned down and dropped a quick kiss on Addie’s mouth.

“You follow a lot of rules, don’t you?” Addie asked quietly.

“My father was an alcoholic.” Toni held Addie’s gaze. “I typically don’t have more than two drinks on any day, and most days, I don’t drink at all.”

“I wasn’t judging you.” Addie took a long drink of water before she said, “So… new topic. Old topic, maybe? Your book is amazing. I mean, I’d still be here if not because I think you’re smart and incredibly sexy, but…

I read it several times already—and not just because you named her after me or because of the show. ”

“It’s a good name,” Toni deflected.

“It’s a really good book, and I bet a lot of people loved it.

I just felt like I was there. In the 1800s, trying to be me but knowing that I couldn’t have it all if I was me.

You really made me think about what it was like to be someone like us back then.

I wanted that Addie to find love, not just avoid marriage but fall in love. ”

“You and a lot of readers.” Toni shook her head.

“I do, too, but I think it was more important that she avoid being trapped in a marriage where she had to let a man paw at her because society lied and claimed women have no sex drive. I mean, we weren’t even allowed to marry other women, and what with the lack of financial rights and legal rights and—”

“I get that,” Addie agreed, leaning forward in excitement. “But maybe in The Widow’s Curse, you can give her hope. Women did have relationships. There was Anne Lister, of course.”

Toni sighed. “I know, and it would give me something to write about, at least. I mean, I have a mystery, but… it’s not writing itself like the first one did.”

“Pressure.” Addie nodded and continued, “I get that. Imagine trying to pull off the role of the character written by the only person you ever—”

“The only one, huh? The only person ever? Not just the only woman?” Toni’s brief moment of insecurity over her books was replaced by a look that was far from insecure. History and sex, those were clearly topics Addie could use to chase away Toni’s anxiety.

“Two nights in my entire life,” Addie stressed. “Both with you. Hey, for all I know, it could be like those poor Victorians not knowing for sure if my lover is even good at sex. Maybe you’re simply mediocre—”

“Not likely.” Toni’s husky laugh felt like music.

“How would I know? Maybe I was simply aroused because it had been more than a year since anyone touched me,” Addie teased.

“So you need more proof then?”

“That seems like a sound plan.” Addie barely had the words out before she muffled her own little squeal of joy as Toni threaded her hand through Addie’s hair and kissed her breathless.

Toni wasn’t the only person to ever kiss her, but she was the first to make Addie feel like a simple kiss could melt her bones.

Addie felt her body pulse with hunger, as if knowing what could follow had made her crave Toni more.

When Toni pulled back, she asked, “Shall I demonstrate again, Adelaine?”

“Yes, please,” Addie whispered. This was it. Everything Addie had wanted. And they were going to see each other regularly at events for the show based on Toni’s book. Things were closer to perfect than Addie could have dreamed.

Get the job.

Get the woman.

Done and done.

Nothing was going to go wrong, not now that Toni was in her life.