“You’re like magic,” murmured Lou after a few moments. “I don’t know how you did it, but somehow something about you made me forget all my other crap, made me almost forget how shy I was.” She chuckled. “Well, until you knocked me back, of course…”

Stephanie poked her in the ribs. “Something tells me I am going to have to make that up to you for a while, huh?”

Lou smiled slyly. “Maybe…”

Stephanie grinned, raised herself up on her elbows, and leaned in for a kiss that started softly but quickly became anything but.

“I think I’ll start now, then,” she murmured and let her tongue drift down Lou’s neck, across her collarbone, and onto her breasts.

“Oh…good start…”

* * *

Stephanie woke at daybreak, desperate for a pee. Lou was fast asleep beside her, and she eased herself gently out from the bed and carefully left the room to go in search of a bathroom. Once she’d taken care of that, she stretched a few times in front of the bathroom mirror, grinning inanely at her own reflection. Oh, my God, what a night. She chuckled—she’d had no idea it was possible to feel that good, that extraordinary, with another human being. Why, oh why, had she waited so long to find this? Well, no point torturing herself about that now—she just needed to be thankful she had found it and with someone as wonderful as Lou.

She left the bathroom and headed for the kitchen. She smiled to herself. She wanted to make breakfast in bed for Lou, surprise her, look after her. She had such feelings of…tenderness towards her. It made her feel all quivery inside. She never knew she could be such a romantic fool.

The kitchen was a small open-plan space off the living room, with a narrow breakfast bar separating the two areas. She glanced around at her surroundings, noting the cool, minimalist furniture, which didn’t surprise her. Some gorgeous pieces of artwork were sprinkled around the room as well. They were full of warmth and passion, which did surprise her a little. She thought a bit more closely about it, and about the gorgeous woman she had just spent an incredibly passionate night with, and then it made sense.

She turned back to the kitchen area and quietly set about opening cupboards. She found teabags and mugs and filled the kettle. She’d just discovered a nice crusty loaf in a bread bin and was hunting for a bread knife when the bedroom door crashed open. She yelped with fright and dropped the loaf on the countertop. She whipped round to find a stunned and slightly bedraggled-looking Lou framed in the living room doorway.

Her mind registered the panicked look on Lou’s face, but the rest of her couldn’t help but notice the magnificent sight of that toned, lean body braced by two outstretched arms gripping the door frame. Muscles flexed, breasts perfectly pert, and legs slightly parted. Wetness pooled between her legs before her brain took charge and told her to deal with the panic Lou was expressing.