“Is this what you wanted? Is this okay?” Linda kissed her again with a tenderness that took Marissa’s breath away. The flutters became long, sure strokes and abruptly there were no words left in Marissa to answer. She wished the lights were on and she clutched Linda close.

“I’m here,” Linda said, her voice rising. “I’m here . . . yes, hold me tight. Hold on to me. I’m here.”

Tears were inevitable but they felt like nurturing rain on Marissa’s cheeks. Linda’s mouth was at her throat then her nipples.

“That’s right.” Linda made a small cooing sound as she slipped one leg between Marissa’s. “That’s right. I’m here. You like this, don’t you?”

She’d never been touched quite like this, for so long, with such intensity, and she had never felt that the woman touching her was getting more and more excited with every passing moment. She arched, tensing, and worried that she didn’t know what to do with all the pleasure that was building. Gasping, she thought she said, “Don’t stop, please.”

“We’re just starting.” Linda moaned and twisted her hand, bringing her fingers firmly against muscles deep inside Marissa.

Someone cried out—that’s me, Marissa thought incredulously. A ripple of pleasure rolled over her, starting at the places where Linda continued her caresses. She felt something hot and wet on her thigh and realized it was Linda arching against her.

Moaning with release, amazement and joy, with awe, even, Marissa relaxed against Linda for a dozen heartbeats before wriggling out from under her. “I want to taste you. I could feel how wet you are.”

Even in the dark it was easy to find what she wanted. She filled her mouth with the sleek, wet folds, then let her tongue swirl and dip. When she felt Linda’s tongue dancing on her she moaned, long and hard. It was the most intimate experience she’d ever shared. She luxuriated in Linda’s wetness, loving the shudders of response and feeling similar responses in her own body as Linda’s mouth explored her completely.

Just as Marissa thought the sensations between her legs would make her forget all about the joys her tongue was experiencing she felt Linda gasp for breath and rest her forehead on Marissa’s thighs.

“That feels so good,” Linda said, panting between words. “I can’t believe how good.”

Marissa moaned her pleasure as Linda’s hand slipped behind her head, pulling her in even closer and tighter. Marissa slipped two fingers alongside her tongue and then held on as Linda surged to meet the first stroke, then the second, and again, and again.

Words were soft and loving as their arms found ways to wrap tight after Marissa pulled up the sheet to cover them. Against her ear she heard the steadying beat of Linda’s heart and it calmed her own.

“You’re not even a dream I had,” Marissa said softly. “So how can you be real?”

Linda, her breathing slow and even, didn’t answer. In the distance the surf quietly rolled onto the beach and Marissa rolled just as easily into sleep.