“I haven’t seen you compete in what, twenty years?”

  Saylor’s head jerked up at that.

  “Just about.” Tia ground out the word and tightened her grasp on Saylor. “How have you been?”

  “Good. Good.” Abigail dropped her gaze to Tia and Saylor’s joined hands and then looked back at Tia. “You didn’t do half bad for a veteran who hasn’t been around.”

  “I’ve been around, just teaching instead of competing.”

  “Of course.” Abigail locked her eyes on Saylor. “You must be Saylor.”

  “Yes, I am.” Saylor stepped forward, holding her hand out for Abigail to take.

  “Will you be doing the circuit now, Tia?” Abigail raised an eyebrow. “It’d be nice to see you competing again.”

  “Oh, I don’t think so. This was a special occasion.” Tia glanced at Saylor, making eye contact briefly before focusing on Abigail again. “Call it a happy accident.”

  “All right.” Abigail didn’t look convinced. “Oh, I’ve got to go. Those are my students.”

  Abigail flounced away just like she’d come in.

  “You haven’t competed in twenty years?”

  “Since my brother…” Tia trailed off. She sucked in a sharp breath and bit her lip. “We have a lot we need to talk about.”

  “Yes, we do.” Saylor brushed her shoulder against Tia’s. “Where should we start?”

  “How about with this?” Tia lifted Saylor’s hand, her decidedly naked hand with no ring on a finger. “What about Jameson?”

  “I broke it off.” Saylor’s cheeks hollowed and her lips thinned. “I cheated on him, and I couldn’t keep hurting him while I figured myself out.”

  “And have you… figured yourself out?”

  “I don’t know.” Saylor brushed her thumb steadily over the back of Tia’s hand. “And for right now, I’m okay with that.”

  “Good.”

  “Who’s Abigail?”

  Tia groaned and rolled her eyes. “Let’s just say that I’ve made a lot of stupid mistakes in my past and leave it at that.”

  “How many students have you had relationships with?” Saylor giggled.

  “One. Well, two including you. Abigail wasn’t my student.”

  “Right, just your competition.”

  “In more ways than one,” Tia muttered. “Do we really have to stay here?”

  “Fuck no.” Saylor laughed. “I just wanted to see how well we did.”

  “Pretty damn well for a duo who hasn’t really danced together.” Tia pulled her lip between her teeth. The sudden rush of energy she had after the competition had calmed, but she still wanted to lean down and capture Saylor’s lips. Yet Saylor hadn’t given her permission for that. Saylor hadn’t even said it was something she wanted.

  “I think we should work on changing that, don’t you?”

  Tia frowned, a line forming in the center of her forehead. “Saylor…”

  “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

  twenty-nine

  “Is there someplace private you know where we can go to talk?” Saylor hadn’t removed her hand from Tia’s grasp, and she was holding onto Tia’s fingers like her lifeline. She wanted desperately to pull Tia to her, kiss her, forget that they had to talk about anything tonight, and deal with the hard stuff later.

  But that was avoiding.

  And she was tired of being called out on it. She was tired of being the reason nothing moved forward in her life anymore.

  “I have a hotel room.” Tia stopped short in the hallway just before the outer doors. “If that’s okay with you.”

  “It is.” Saylor’s stomach did a pleasant flip. This day hadn’t gone as planned. Moving to Seattle hadn’t either. But it was time for her to give up the plans and learn how to go with the flow a bit more. None of what had happened so far was for the worse.

  “Then let’s walk.” Tia led the way, and Saylor followed dutifully.

  Finally outside, the warmth in the air on the first spring-like day Saylor had experienced since moving up there brushed against her skin in a tender touch. She missed days like these back home, and was glad that she’d finally found one out here. It gave her hope.

  “I told Jameson about us before you came over to see me.”

  Tia stiffened visibly. “I figured that out.”

  “I couldn’t keep lying to him. He deserved better from me.” Saylor rubbed her lips together and stared in front of them. It was so hard for her to even look at Tia. But the hand in hers never left, and that at least gave her some semblance of comfort. “I ended up breaking up with him because I needed to.”

  “Where are you living then?”

  Saylor sighed heavily. “Still at the apartment for now. I’m working on an alternative, but it’s slow moving.”

  Tia wasn’t going to ask her to move in, was she? That was a thing lesbians did from Saylor’s recollection, but she really hadn’t expected Tia to move that quickly, especially when they hadn’t discussed their relationship.

  “I need to apologize.” The words slipped from Saylor’s lips suddenly.

  They stopped walking and faced each other. Tia had a curious look on her face, the sun catching on her skin in a golden brush of paint. Saylor’s breath caught in her throat, and she had to stop to breathe properly.

  “What for?”

  “Everything.” The word flew between them on the air. Saylor took both of Tia’s hands and brought them up to her lips, kissing Tia’s knuckles gingerly. “Everything, Tia. I’ve been such an idiot in so many ways. I spent most of my life following the path that was set before me, and at the first deviation from it, I couldn’t handle myself. I worked for decades to become the best skater out there, and when I met Jameson, I thought I’d found the out I’d been longing for.”

  “But you didn’t,” Tia filled in for her.

  “I didn’t. What I found was that I had no clue who I am.”

  “And have you figured that out now?”

  Saylor snorted and shook her head. “No, not at all. But I think I’m working on it now instead of avoiding.”

  There was that word again.

  Saylor sighed heavily and closed her eyes. She sucked in a sharp breath and took a sudden step forward into Tia’s space. She pressed their cheeks together and slid her hand along Tia’s side and back. The sequins and beads on her dress were rough against Saylor’s fingers. Saylor turned her cheek and pressed a kiss to Tia’s jawline.

  “I thought you were bringing me into that hall to ravish me,” Saylor murmured.

  “I probably would have if you hadn’t stopped me.” Tia nipped Saylor’s earlobe, pulling it between her teeth and flicking the edge with her tongue. “We still have so much to get to know about each other.”

  “Yeah, we do.” Saylor pulled Tia closer, sliding one leg between Tia’s as if they were preparing to dance again. “But right now, I don’t want to talk.”

  Tia chuckled low. “I could take you back to that hallway.”

  “I think right here will be perfect.” Moving her hand down Tia’s side, Saylor found the edge of Tia’s dress and slid her hand between it and Tia’s skin.

  “Saylor…” Her name was a prayer on Tia’s lips.

  “I’m done running from you.” Saylor touched the edge of Tia’s underwear. She fingered the line of it, rough against her fingertips, hot from Tia’s skin and arousal. Would it be damp if Saylor moved her fingers over slightly? Would Tia moan loudly in her ear on the streets of Portland?

  People walked by them, barely paying any attention. Saylor had an inkling of glances thrown in their direction, but she ignored them. She was tired of listening to the world around her and what they told her she should and shouldn’t do. Right now, all she wanted was to bury herself between Tia’s legs and forget that anything other than this stunning woman existed.

  “Saylor…” Tia said again, arousal coiling around the two syllables.

  Saylor found Tia’s lips, pressing their mouths together passionately. Flicking her fingers, Saylor moved against Tia’s pussy, the barrier of fabric dampening instantly. Tia groaned, nipping Saylor’s lip as she rutted against Saylor’s hand.

  “We’re…” Tia swallowed and tried again. “We’re on the street.”

  “Yes, we are.” Saylor said the words into the soft skin of Tia’s neck as she pressed kisses in a trail downward. She hooked two fingers under the edge of Tia’s underwear, brushing the backs of her knuckles against Tia’s swollen lips in a slow back and forth.

  Tia gasped. “Nope. Stop.”

  Stepping back, Tia put her hand up in front of Saylor. Her chest heaved as she caught her breath, her eyes wild with desire. Saylor wanted her even more now than before. She wanted to wrap herself around Tia’s body and lose herself in the wonder that was flesh against flesh, heat against heat.

  Tia said nothing as she shuffled forward just as quickly and snagged Saylor’s hand, dragging her down the sidewalk. Saylor stumbled in her heels, trying to catch herself but Tia managed to help her upright first.

  “I’m going to strip you down and lick you from top to bottom.” Tia’s voice was deep, wrapped tight with desire. “You’re going to beg me to stop.”

  A shudder ran through Saylor, peaking her nipples and moistening her panties. Her lips parted as she tried to come up with a response, but she couldn’t think of anything to say. She was stunned into silence by her own desire to have Tia do exactly that.

  Saylor managed to keep her hands off Tia until they got to the hotel. But as soon as they were in the elevator, all bets were off. She pulled Tia against her, sliding hands up and down her back, her fingers tracing the lines of her fabric, the edges of it as she slipped to hot, soft skin. She couldn’t get enough of Tia. She needed all of her right this instant.

  The elevator dinged, and Tia again broke contact and dragged Saylor through the doors and down the hall. Tia fumbled with the small purse attached to her wrist until she found the key card to let them in. Before the door was closed, Saylor grabbed Tia by the cheeks and pulled her in for a brutal kiss.

  Saylor started toward the bed, but Tia spun them around and started pushing Saylor backward.

  “Shower first.” Tia said through kisses.

  They got to the bathroom, and Tia spun Saylor again, pressing her front into the countertop. Saylor watched in the mirror as Tia found the tiny zipper at the back of her dress and pulled it down. She jerked the fabric off Saylor’s body, sliding it over her hips to pool at her feet. Saylor was about to move, but Tia put hands on her hips and held her still.

  “Not yet.”

  This directly demanding side of Tia wasn’t new, but Saylor had never seen it in this scenario before. She sucked in a sharp breath as Tia decisively moved her hand down the curve of Saylor’s back and cupped her ass.

  “I’m still waiting for my licking,” Saylor teased, though she wasn’t sure she was ready for whatever might come. A wave of pleasure washed through her at that thought. How many times would she succumb to pleasure tonight? How many times would Tia lick her from top to bottom? Saylor gasped.

  Two of Tia’s fingers were planted firmly inside her, a slow and delicate pulse in and out. Saylor closed her eyes, focusing on the sensations running through her. She was never going to run again, not from this, not from hope for what the future might hold. Saylor locked her eyes on Tia’s in the mirror, watching with rapt attention as her pleasure built up one second after the other.

  Tia reached around, their bodies pressing together. Saylor arched back as Tia cupped Saylor’s breast and tweaked her nipple, teasing the peak. Saylor gasped and closed her eyes. She was on the brink of falling apart in Tia’s arms, which was exactly where she wanted to be.

  “Come for me.” Tia’s hot breath trickled down Saylor’s neck, across her chest. “Come on, Saylor. You can do this.”

  Saylor clutched the edge of the counter, her fingers straining as she closed her eyes and concentrated. She was safe and whole here. She would be taken care of and loved. That last thought was her undoing. Saylor pulsed against Tia’s fingers, the pull of her pleasure continuing as she rocked her hips into Tia’s hand.

  “Get in the shower. We need to clean off first.” Tia hadn’t moved her hand yet, fingers still pressed deep inside Saylor as if they were joined together forever.

  “I’m not sure I can walk yet.”

  “Sure you can.” Tia scraped her teeth along Saylor’s shoulder to her back. “You just don’t want to.”

  “I’d rather keep you inside me.”

  Tia chuckled. Saylor’s cheeks heated with embarrassment before she closed herself off to it. There was nothing to be ashamed about. They both wanted to be here, and in Saylor’s case, she desperately wanted to be in Tia’s presence. As often as possible.

  Tia stepped away, leaving Saylor warm and tingly. Tia pulled the tendrils of her hair up and showed her back to Saylor. “Help me with this, will you?”

  Saylor’s lips curled upward in a satisfied smirk. “Absolutely.”

  The zipper snagged only once as Saylor pulled it down. There was a trail of freckles along Tia’s back that Saylor hadn’t noticed before. Dipping lower, Saylor pressed a kiss to the first one, then the second. Tia’s rough breathing spurred her on.

  “Get in the shower, Saylor.”

  Stopping her forward movement, Saylor stood up and looked Tia in the eye. In silence, she pulled her heels off and dropped them onto the floor, shimmying out of her underwear and starting to pull the pins from her hair.

  Tia mimed her movements, grinning the entire time as they plopped the bobby pins onto the counter. Saylor eyed the ever-growing pile, the tendrils of hair as they brushed the tops of Tia’s breasts. When she couldn’t find any more pins in her hair, Saylor stepped into the small shower, immediately changing the temperature of the water and lowering it.

  She was already overheated. She didn’t need to add to that. She slid her fingers between her legs, cleaning the sticky wetness from her lips and avoiding her sensitive clit. She didn’t want to touch herself. She wanted Tia to do it for her.

  Coming into the shower, Tia grinned broadly at Saylor. “Have you ever done this before?”

  “Had sex in the shower?” Saylor paled. Was Tia expecting her to know more than she did?

  “Yes.” Tia pushed Saylor’s shoulders, moving her under the spray.

  The chilled water hit Saylor’s skin, cooling her instantly. Her nipples pulled tight, hardening into tight little nubs. Tia touched the back of Saylor’s head, running her fingers through her long hair and pulling at the tangles as she wetted it. Saylor’s skin was chilled, but her entire body was on fire. When she was thoroughly soaked, Saylor took Tia by the shoulders and switched positions.

  If Saylor needed to be cleaned, then Tia deserved the same treatment. Saylor grabbed the bottle of body wash that Tia had clearly brought from home and squirted a dollop onto the palm of her hand. Without asking, she started to rub her hands all over Tia’s shoulders and arms, her ribs and stomach, her back. Saylor stepped in closer, capturing Tia’s lips in a gentle kiss as she cupped Tia’s breast and flicked her thumb over her nipple. Tia gasped, arching back.

  It was exactly what Saylor had been looking for. Keeping their lips locked, Saylor used both hands to tease Tia’s nipples. The soap disappeared with the water, leaving Tia’s skin shining and damp. Bending her head, Saylor captured Tia’s breast with her mouth, flicking her tongue in the same way she had flicked her thumb.

  Saylor couldn’t wait. She wanted to be inside Tia. She wanted Tia to pulse around her fingers in the same way that she had pulsed around Tia’s. Diving two fingers between Tia’s legs, Saylor slid them against the rough texture inside. She pushed hard and then relaxed. Tia groaned, the noise filling the small shower and drowning out the sound of the spray.

  Tia wrapped her arms around Saylor’s shoulders, holding on tightly as she ground down into Saylor’s hand. They weren’t leaving there until they were both satisfied, until they were clean and ready to move to the next step. Saylor pressed her palm into Tia’s back to hold her and bent her head. She couldn’t get enough of Tia’s breasts. She wanted them in her mouth at every available opportunity.

  Where had that thought come from?

  Saylor brushed it to the side when she scraped her teeth lightly, but she was drawn back to it. There was a reason she couldn’t get Tia out of her mind, and it wasn’t just sex. Whatever was between them was so much more than sex.

  It was attraction.

  Lust, yes.

  But it was deep, romantic, tangible in ways it had never been with Jameson or any other boyfriend that she’d had in the past.

  Tia grunted, her body jerking as if out of control. Saylor didn’t stop. She wanted to watch Tia come apart around her, naked, unafraid, finally completely in the open together. Saylor had no more need to hide. She knew what she wanted, and Tia was right in her arms.

  “Saylor…” Tia keened, digging her nails into Saylor’s back as she crumbled in Saylor’s arms.

  Their chests heaved together as they caught their breath, Tia finally coming back to herself. She dipped her head under the water with a wickedly satisfied smirk on her lips. “Let’s wash our hair and start again.”

  “I’ll follow you… this time,” Saylor added at the last minute.

  Tia’s eyes lighting up with mischief and pleasure was all she needed—she knew she’d done something right. For the first time in her entire life, everything felt right. She might not have a job or know where she was going to live, her life might still be in chaos with no answers in sight. But she had found herself in Tia’s arms.

  Saylor pressed their lips together in another kiss. “I’m all yours.”

  thirty

  Tia’s cheeks were warm.

  She turned on her side, finding even more warmth than before. Sucking in a breath, she was filled with the scent of her shampoo, but there was something else underneath it. Reveling in it, smiling, blushing, Tia shifted on the bed so she could be closer to the body that warmed her soul.