Her center heated. “If you don’t stop that we’re gonna be up all night,” she said.

  Laura brushed her finger over Jillian’s bare belly. “And what’s wrong with that?”

  Jillian groaned and set her hand on top of Laura’s to halt its movement south. “I have to get up in a few hours, and trust me that’s not a vision you want to behold.”

  Laura whimpered, and Jillian almost gave in, but instead she laid her head on her chest and sighed. They fit so well together, their dips and curves aligned as they held each other, neither content with the slightest space between them. Jillian wanted to be closer, to be inside Laura, body and soul. Wrapped in her arms in this perfect moment, Jillian had never been more connected to anyone.

  She fought against sleep as it came for fear that when she woke this would be just a dream. Laura’s soft, peaceful breaths on her skin lulled her busy mind. There couldn’t have been a more magical ending to a day filled with so much emotion.

  Jillian kissed Laura on the head and said, “I love you,” before drifting off to sleep.

  * * *

  Laura woke to the feeling of Jillian spooned up behind her with an arm wrapped tight around her waist. She playfully pressed her ass back against Jillian, which elicited a delicious moan into her ear. When Jillian slid her hand between Laura’s legs she groaned. She opened up to make room for Jillian’s roaming fingers. They found their mark in an instant, and Laura’s hips bucked at the first stroke of her clit.

  Jillian’s fingers moved fast and fierce against the swollen flesh. She was already wet and ready, and she’d not lost an ounce of her desire during the few hours she’d slept in Jillian’s arms. If anything, the feeling of having her naked body pressed into Jillian all night had kept her lust humming. Jillian slid her free arm beneath her and squeezed her breast, pinching her nipple between her fingers. Laura hissed. She needed more than just Jillian’s fingers on her clit. She wanted her inside. Laura shifted her hips and hooked her leg over Jillian’s thigh spreading herself open for her.

  Jillian didn’t hesitate to accept the invitation as she slipped three fingers inside, filling her fully. Laura cried out as she thrust in and out of her. Jillian’s thumb circled her throbbing clit in rhythm with her thrusts, and Laura’s hips jerked with each plunge deep inside her. When Jillian bit down on her neck, her body began to tremble. She was on the edge of ecstasy, but she fought against letting go. She wanted this moment, this pleasure, to last forever.

  Her body revolted against her mind as she began to tighten around Jillian’s hand. She turned onto her back, her leg still draped over Jillian. She wanted her kiss. She wanted to taste her as she came. Laura kissed Jillian’s mouth. Their tongues tangled together, and Laura moaned at the overwhelming intensity of her desire. She wanted Jillian to have all of her. To claim her and take her.

  Laura’s body convulsed; her muscles tightened as she gasped for air and came hard. She shuddered with each stroke as Jillian pulled her over the edge. Laura twisted her fist into the sheets and called out Jillian’s name. Every nerve ending tingled through her body as she lay there weak and sated.

  “That’s one hell of a good morning,” Laura said, her chest heaving to catch her breath.

  “I’ve been wanting to do that for the last forty-five minutes. But you looked too peaceful to wake.”

  Laura was embarrassed. “You’ve been watching me sleep? You should have been the one sleeping.” Now she felt bad that she’d kept her awake.

  “I did, sort of.”

  Laura turned onto her side to face Jillian. “I am so sorry. Was I snoring? Oh my God, did I kick you?” Laura covered her mouth.

  Jillian laughed. “No, my love. You didn’t do either. At least not once we moved into the bedroom.”

  “Huh?”

  “You don’t remember me waking you up because you were flopping around like a fish out there in the living room?”

  Laura hadn’t the slightest recollection of that. She did remember walking to the bedroom with Jillian and getting into bed with her though. Her embarrassment returned with a vengeance. “I honestly don’t remember that.” She sat up in bed and pulled the covers up around her.

  Jillian sat up as well. She took Laura into her arms and explained what had happened the night before. “You don’t recall a dream or anything?” she asked.

  “No. Not last night I don’t think. I used to have nightmares pretty much every time I fell asleep. Even if it was just a little nap. There was a time that I couldn’t close my eyes without some kind of flashback.”

  It had been ages since she’d had one of those, or so she had thought. Just then Jillian’s alarm blared to life, and Laura jumped out of her skin. She groaned when Jillian leaned over to hit the snooze button, refusing to let go of her as she did.

  “You can go back to sleep if you want.”

  Laura loved the idea of snuggling back into bed beneath the covers with her. “If you stay with me.”

  “Oh, my sweet girl. I’d love nothing more than that. But duty calls.”

  “Grrrr. Adulting sucks,” Laura whined.

  “Sometimes, yes.” Jillian gave Laura a soft pinch on her chin.

  It would be easy to fall back asleep in Jillian’s bed with her scent all around, but Laura decided against it. “I’ll go back to my room.”

  It was in her best interest to be in her own room when everyone started to rouse. The last thing she needed was to get caught in her walk of shame across the park. Although, there was nothing about what she’d done that she was even the least bit ashamed of. If anything, she wanted to do it all again, slower, longer, and better. She wanted to kiss her way over Jillian’s entire body and lick at her sweet sex. Her mouth watered, and her tingling body shivered.

  “What was that? Are you cold?” Jillian asked, rubbing her warm hands briskly over Laura’s arms.

  “No. Definitely not cold.” Laura gave Jillian a coy smile.

  “Oh. Don’t look at me like that. I’ve already been in bed…” She glanced over at the clock, “eight minutes longer than I should be.”

  Laura loved how pained Jillian looked at the idea of having to leave as she clearly wanted to stay. “When can I see you again?”

  “Any time you wish, my sweet girl,” Jillian said, kissing Laura on her lips. “If we had more time, I could break into my toy box and see what kind of trouble we could get into.”

  An unexpected shiver wracked her body at the thought of what that box might contain. It wasn’t as if Laura’s raging fire needed any more fuel, and she was too curious for her own good. Her imagination conjured an image of Jillian standing before her in nothing but a black leather harness. Less tactical than the one she’d worn earlier that day, but much more practical. At least for what Laura had in mind.

  The sweetness of Jillian’s kiss and the promises of hotter things to come was short-lived when Laura remembered that she was scheduled to begin overnight rounds with her team that night. There would be no way she could sneak over again to be with Jillian. Now she was the one who was pained.

  “I’ve seen you every single day for the last two months that I’ve been here, and now I have to wait forever to see you again.”

  “The great thing about being the boss is that I can be anywhere at any time without any rhyme or reason.”

  “Oh really?” Laura purred.

  “Yes, really. But right now, I have to get out of this bed and into the shower.”

  Laura waggled her eyebrows and smiled, and Jillian shot her down. “No. If you get in there with me, I’ll never make it out of this house.”

  Laura stuck her lip out even though she knew Jillian was a hundred and ten percent right about that. They shared one more kiss before Jillian jumped out of bed and shuffled off to the bathroom. Laura consoled herself by watching Jillian’s sexy, naked ass walk away.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Jillian thought about Laura all day to the point of being delightfully distracted and aroused at the idea of seeing her again. She hadn’t considered it at the time, but Laura was right about how long and painful the wait would be. Jillian had been slammed with administrative garbage all day and was stuck in her office because of it. Paperwork had always been her least favorite part of her job, now more than ever. At least when she was out in the park or working with her pod, Jillian was a hundred percent more likely to run into someone, preferably Laura.

  It wasn’t always her intention to seek out Laura during her rounds through the institute. Yet regardless, her feet often found their way to her. Jillian was almost certain that Laura was unaware of just how many times a day she saw her. Sometimes she would catch a glimpse of her across the lagoon and pause just to watch her walk by. But being stuck inside eliminated any opportunity for that. She could feel Laura’s absence deep inside her, like she’d walked off with a piece of her soul when she left that morning.

  A while later, Jillian glanced at the clock again. The odds of running into Laura now were against her. She would be headed to bed, if not already there, as she adjusted her schedule for the next week on the midnight shift. For a brief and wicked moment, Jillian thought about turning the tables on Laura and showing up at her door unannounced just as she had done the night before. Of course, there were a few too many logistical hurdles to overcome. The most impossible being how to get to her room in the dorm at three o’clock in the afternoon in broad, bustling daylight. Not that she didn’t run through a few not so good ideas.

  Jillian was running on empty. Her eyes were starting to glaze over, and the idea of just curling up in bed with Laura for a nap sounded almost as good as any of the naughtier activities she could come up with. She set her elbow onto her desk, rested her chin in her palm, and stared out the window into the parking lot at her truck.

  The foggy windows had long since cleared from their make out session. It seemed like so long ago that they’d kissed for the first time, yet it hadn’t even been twenty-four hours. If she couldn’t make love to her or snuggle up with Laura, maybe she could find a way to just kiss her again. Her hands, lips, and heart ached for some way to be with her if even for a moment. Although she didn’t think that she had the strength to stop at kissing. Jillian had tasted her passion, and she wanted to taste much more.

  The sun had long been set, and Jillian was well beyond being productive in the office. She needed to fall into bed instead of falling asleep at her desk. The air was still and heavy with fog. The paths and trails were pitch-dark amidst the dense shrubbery as Jillian ambled along in the silence of the early morning. This wasn’t the first time she’d found herself out for a walk in the moonlit twilight, especially on nights when she was restless and struggled to sleep. As always Jillian found herself at the lagoon with Pepper, Luna, and her boys. She sat at the edge of the pool and listened to the peaceful lapping of the water against the rocks. She crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knees. She closed her eyes and relaxed her shoulders, breathing in the fresh salted air.

  Through the quiet, Jillian heard her. She wasn’t close, but Laura’s voice was like a beacon in the night. Jillian opened her eyes and scanned the darkness. On the beach, two beams of light darted across the surface of the water. As they got closer, Jillian could make out two distinct figures in the moonlight, Laura and BJ. They had paused near the shore before he announced it was time for their break. Neither had noticed Jillian sitting less than fifty feet from where they now stood.

  He walked off toward the bathrooms leaving Laura alone. “Tell Brooke I said hi,” Laura shouted out to him.

  He laughed and said, “I will.”

  Jillian was afraid to move for fear that she’d scare the daylights out of Laura. But when Laura began to walk away, she became more afraid that she’d missed her chance to get that kiss she’d wanted all day. Before Jillian could call out for her, Laura stopped short at the edge of the pathway.

  “Are you just going to let me walk away without saying anything?” Laura said.

  “How could you possibly have known that I was sitting here? It’s pitch-black out.” Jillian stood and hopped into the sand a few feet from where Laura was standing.

  “BJ and I both saw you. That’s why he made himself scarce.” Laura chuckled.

  “And here I thought I was being stealthy watching you from the shadows.”

  “You do that a lot, I’ve noticed.”

  Jillian kind of liked the idea that Laura knew when she was being watched. “I must think I’m more enigmatic than I am.”

  “A little.” Laura began to walk away, stepping off the beach and onto the sidewalk that led around the lagoon.

  “Where are you going?” Jillian asked, following along behind her.

  “I’m working. I’d hate for my boss to find out I was out here in the middle of the night flirting,” she said as she kept walking along the dark forested path.

  “Well, surely you get a break, right?” Jillian took Laura’s hand, stopping her in her tracks.

  Laura turned back toward Jillian. “Mmm,” she said, looking at her watch. “I suppose it is about lunch time.”

  “Even better.” Jillian pulled Laura off the path, unclipping a rope barrier before leading Laura through and clipping it back behind them. She led her down a trail to a clearing on the edge of the river that wound through the park.

  “Where are we?”

  “It’s the small mammal interaction area. See?” Jillian pointed to the well camouflaged building beyond the thick shrubbery.

  This was Jillian’s favorite place to be when she couldn’t be in the water. It was secluded, peaceful, and except for the swift water crashing over the rocks, it was quiet. Few people knew that this place even existed except for the few small animal handlers and the groups of VIP tours that occasionally came through.

  Jillian stared at Laura as she stood near the stream with the moonlight reflecting off the ripples and casting sparks of light across her face. She was mesmerizing. She’d waited all day for this moment and couldn’t wait any longer. She pushed Laura back against a large tree and pressed their bodies together. Laura’s eyes flashed open when she felt it. Jillian was hard and ready, but this time she was the one with the surprise.

  Laura slid her hand between Jillian’s legs and cupped her crotch. The base of the strap-on pressed into her and she moaned. Jillian kissed her hard. It was just as good, if not better than she remembered. Neither of them held back. There was no hesitation in their touch as their hands and tongues explored each other. Jillian pressed her thigh between Laura’s legs. Her hot core burned through her thin nylon pants.

  Laura’s fingers were swift as they worked the button and zipper before pushing Jillian’s pants over her hips, following them down as she went. Jillian grabbed at her shirt and pulled it over her head. She looked at Laura who was on her knees with her hand wrapped around the shaft of her cock. She stuck out her tongue and licked the tip, and Jillian’s knees trembled. She could feel her wet mouth like it was against her very own skin.

  She pulled Laura up from the ground. She wanted her naked. She wanted to feel Laura wrap around her. With Laura’s help, Jillian stripped her free of her clothing. She cupped one of Laura’s breasts in her hand and dipped her head to take a firm nipple into her mouth. Laura wrapped her leg around Jillian’s hip and pulled in hard against her. She let out a hiss as she pushed open her legs. Jillian slipped her fingers through Laura’s wet folds coating her hand with her smooth liquid before sliding it slowly along the shaft. She guided the tip slowly over her clit, teasing her open farther. When she slid the dildo in, Laura let out a desperate cry.

  “Oh fuck,” Laura said as Jillian filled her.

  Stirred by her need, Jillian thrust into her again and again. Laura stared into her eyes with the sparkle of the moonlight reflected in them. She panted with each thrust, biting her lip to control her building pleasure. Jillian hissed in delighted pain as Laura dug her fingers into her ass. Laura wanted her deeper, harder as she now pulled on the straps for leverage. When Jillian pulled out, Laura begged her not to.

  “Come here, baby,” Jillian said, leading her to a bench nearby.

  Jillian sat and leaned back. She turned Laura around and pulled her down until she was straddling her lap. She lowered herself onto Jillian taking her fully inside. She held on to Laura’s hips as she bucked and rocked against her. Laura leaned back against Jillian’s bare breasts as she thrust her cock into Laura. She squeezed her nipples hard between her fingers, and Laura growled with need. Jillian was slick with sweat as Laura slid against her chest and her sweet liquid heat spread over her thighs as she rode her.

  Laura took Jillian’s hand and slipped it between her legs to her swollen clit. As Jillian flicked and circled the peak, Laura matched her rhythm. She rode her fast and hard as Jillian’s fingers danced over her delicious flesh. She was close. She wanted Laura to come loud and hard just for her.

  “Come for me, baby.”

  Laura moaned and whimpered as her body began to jerk. “I’m…I’m coming,” she said breathlessly. “Oh, shit.”

  Laura’s body convulsed as Jillian stroked, and she went rigid before collapsing against her. Jillian wrapped her arms around Laura’s waist and held her tight as she panted. Jillian kissed her slick back and licked the salty taste from her lips.

  “You are amazing, my sweet girl,” Jillian said, kissing her back again.

  A loud knock on the door startled Jillian causing her to fling back in her chair, nearly toppling backward. Her chest heaved and her heart pounded in her throat. “What the hell?”

  Katie stood in the doorway looking just as startled as she was. “Hey, it’s just me. Sorry, I didn’t realize you were asleep.”

  Jillian rubbed her face with both hands. “Unfortunately, neither did I.”

  * * *

  “What are you looking at?” BJ asked, squinting his eyes into the darkness.

  “Nothing. I thought I saw something.” Although it was more like a hope rather than a thought. Laura hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Jillian all day, and it was just about twenty-four hours since they’d been together. She found herself looking at every shadow wishing it were Jillian lurking in the dark just to catch a glimpse of her. Laura didn’t want to be the only one longing for their next chance together.