Confucius Jane (23 page)

Sutton gasped and pulled her closer, one hand clutching a fistful of Jane's shirt while the other came to rest on Jane's lower back. When Jane swirled her tongue, Sutton's fingertips scraped against her skin, setting her nerves aflame. Suddenly breathless, Jane pulled back just enough to look into Sutton's eyes. Only the thinnest ring of blue encircled her pupils.

“Sutton.” Jane didn't know what to say, only that she felt she had to say something. “You're so … you feel so…”

And then Sutton's hand was cupping the back of her head and pulling her down, down until their lips met again in a surge of softness and heat unlike anything Jane had ever felt before. The kiss went on forever as their tongues tangled in a passionate give and take. Wanting to be even closer, Jane reached down to cup Sutton's hip, her fingers instinctively dipping below the waistband of her slacks. Hot skin seared her fingertips as Sutton's abdomen trembled at her touch. More. She had to have more.

Deepening the kiss, she slid her hand up to the first button on the blouse and prayed her fingers wouldn't fumble. Thankfully, it gave way. As did the next. And the next. When her knuckles brushed against the side of Sutton's breast, all the air left her lungs and she suddenly had to pull back. Breathless, she looked down to behold the pale strip she had just revealed. The edge of a black bra was barely visible.

When Jane looked up, needing to be certain, all she saw in the depths of Sutton's eyes was a need that seemed to match her own. Slowly, she flicked the right half of the shirt aside and then the left, baring Sutton's torso to the cool air. Her mouth began to water as she stared down at the taut expanse of skin framed by her rib cage, now rising and falling with Sutton's quick breaths. She reached out to trace the lower edge of one breast, delighting in Sutton's swift inhale and the smooth sensation of silk beneath her finger.

“You are exquisite.” Jane let her palm rest lightly against Sutton's abdomen and stretched out her fingers. Under the soft skin, muscles flickered. Thrilling at Sutton's responsiveness, Jane dipped her head and claimed another long, deep kiss.

Only when Sutton whimpered into her mouth did Jane realize her hand had moved up. Pulling back, she looked down in awe at the sight of her fingers cupping Sutton's left breast. It fit perfectly in her palm, and when she brushed her thumb against the tip, Sutton's nipple pebbled instantly beneath the thin fabric.

“Oh, Jane.”

The sound of her own name, whispered in passion, unleashed a storm of desire that frightened Jane with its intensity. She wanted to push that bra up and wrap her tongue around Sutton's nipple. She wanted to rid Sutton of the skirt and slide her hand into the wetness she knew would be waiting. She wanted to crush their bodies together and kiss Sutton hard as she made her come.

Too much. She wanted too much. Her desire would frighten Sutton. And no matter what she might want, she needed never, ever to make Sutton feel afraid. In the next heartbeat, she tore herself away, sitting back on her heels so their bodies were no longer touching. The separation was physical pain, and she clenched her fists against it.

“I … I have to stop.”

Sutton's glazed eyes sharpened. In the next moment, she fluidly raised herself up, mimicking Jane's position on the mattress. Without blinking, she reached out to touch Jane's cheek with two gentle fingertips. “No. You don't.”

“Sutton…”

“Shh.” Sutton's fingers stroked her jawline with infinite tenderness. “I need you to trust me tonight. Can you do that?”

Jane hesitated. How could she? She didn't even trust herself. But Sutton had used that magical word,
need,
and it made Jane want to try. “All right.”

“Good.” Her smile was gentle. “Watch me now.”

As Sutton reached behind her back, her breasts brushed lightly against Jane's. Even through several layers of fabric, it felt so good that Jane barely managed to hold back a moan. She watched in awe as Sutton pushed her skirt down her hips to expose a black bikini that hugged the juncture of her thighs. Her mouth suddenly dry, Jane raised her hands to her own shirt. She was getting left behind.

“No, let me.” Sutton hurriedly kicked off the skirt and knelt before her, easing Jane's hands away and slowly freeing each of her buttons.

As she worked, Jane felt a new surge of anxiety. She hadn't done this, or even anything close, in a long time. She wanted so much to make Sutton feel good, but what if she couldn't? What if she failed? Sutton knew more about the human body than Jane did about anything. What if she couldn't keep up?

When Sutton peeled off Jane's shirt and then pushed her bra over her head, Jane gripped the blanket with both hands, suppressing the urge to cover herself. She felt exposed, and the sharp rush of panic caught her off guard. What if Sutton didn't like what she saw? Or worse, what if this didn't mean to Sutton what it meant to her?

“Jane.” The voice was as soft as the fingertips stroking her shoulders. “Look at me.”

Sutton's eyes were dark, dark blue—almost black—and swirling with flecks of gold. They held a promise she'd never seen before, and she wanted to fall into them.

“You're beautiful,” Sutton whispered, leaning forward to join their lips again in a kiss as soft as the last one had been fierce.

Her hands came up to cradle Jane's face, fingers lightly caressing Jane's cheekbones in synchrony with the slow strokes of her tongue. Instinctively, Jane reached out in return, her hands sliding beneath the parted edges of Sutton's shirt to cup her waist. When Sutton gasped into her mouth, Jane pulled back, dragging her thumbs up and down.

“I want to see you,” she said hoarsely, barely recognizing her own voice.

Mutely, Sutton lowered her arms, allowing Jane to rid her of the shirt. Once she had tossed it aside, Jane drank in the sight of Sutton's elegantly sculpted torso, her skin broken only by the black satin bra that cupped her full breasts. Leaning forward, she slid both hands up Sutton's back, fumbling with the clasp as she pressed light kisses to the column of Sutton's neck. When she gently dragged the straps down Sutton's arms, a shiver greeted her touch.

“Are you cold?” she whispered.

“No.” The syllable didn't tremble. “I want you.”

At the quiet admission, Jane finally let her gaze drop. Sutton's breasts were in perfect proportion to the rest of her body. Pale and full, tipped with dusky pink nipples, they pebbled beneath her admiring stare. When she reached out one hand to brush her fingertips across them, Sutton shivered again. Jane wanted so badly to press her into the mattress and feast on both her mouth and her skin, but she held the impulse firmly in check and looked up, wanting to see into Sutton's soul.

Her eyes held a heat that burned away the last of Jane's doubt. But as she moved to close the remaining space between them, Sutton met her halfway and grasped her shoulders, urging her down. Jane fell willingly, hips surging against Sutton's as they tumbled onto the sheets. Immediately, Sutton loomed over her, hair brushing against her collarbone as she bent to join their lips again.

Beyond pretense, Jane plunged her tongue into Sutton's mouth, needing to be inside her. When Sutton battled back, Jane pulled her hips closer and moaned at the pressure of their bodies grinding together. And then, quite suddenly, Sutton pulled away. Blinking through the haze of her desire, Jane looked up in confusion only to feel her racing heart shift into a higher gear at the sight of Sutton undoing the first button of her slacks.

“Lift your hips.”

Jane obeyed, transfixed by the intensity of Sutton's gaze as she eased the trousers down. Once they were off, Sutton trailed her fingers slowly up along Jane's legs. This time, the moan escaped before she could hold it in. But before she could pull Sutton into her arms, Sutton straddled Jane's waist and flipped her hair over her shoulder. Her lips curled in a sensual smile as her gaze roamed down Jane's torso. Spanning her hands across Jane's rib cage, Sutton slowly moved up her body, before finally closing her fingers around Jane's aching breasts.

“Oh, God.” Jane struggled to keep her eyes open. She didn't want to miss one millisecond of Sutton gently kneading her skin, looking down with an expression equal parts hunger and delight.

“Mm. You like that, don't you?” Sutton sounded immensely pleased with herself.

Forcing herself to concentrate through the blizzard of desire, Jane skimmed her hands up Sutton's sides. “You're driving me crazy,” she said hoarsely. “I need to touch you. I need you to let me.”

Sutton cocked her head, regarding Jane thoughtfully. “Oh? You need to?” Falling forward, she rested her palms on either side of Jane's shoulders. Her breasts swayed at the motion, and Jane surged up to capture one nipple in her mouth. It pebbled instantly as she swirled her tongue around it and began to suck. Wanting to tease Sutton into abandon, she fluttered her tongue and was rewarded by sharp gasp. As she continued her light caresses, she raised her hands to sift her fingers through glossy golden hair that had formed a curtain around them.

The longer she teased, the faster Sutton moved against her thigh, and Jane gloried in the clear evidence of her desire. Gradually, she increased the pressure of her mouth against Sutton's breast before daring to bite down gently. When Sutton cried out, arms trembling, she did it once more. And then she switched to the other and began all over again. Sutton's frustrated moan quickly became a soft keening sound that went straight to Jane's head. Resting one palm in the small of her back, Jane urged Sutton's hips down to press more firmly against her leg. As she licked and sucked, she cupped Sutton's free breast, sliding her thumb in slow circles around the sensitive tip. Sutton's responsiveness was beyond anything she could have imagined. Every concern, every insecurity, turned to ash in the conflagration of her desire.

Sutton's movements became even more urgent. “Oh, I … I'm—”

Jane pulled her mouth away and surged up, wrapping her arms around Sutton's back and rolling them over. When Sutton's legs opened beneath her, Jane groaned at the sensation of her stomach pressed snugly against the juncture of Sutton's thighs. The need to taste Sutton, to feel her come apart under her tongue, was all consuming. As Sutton shivered beneath her, Jane kissed down the centerline of her body, forcing herself to go slower than she wanted, teasing Sutton and testing herself.

When she reached the boundary of her underwear, Jane hooked her fingers beneath the edge of the fabric. “I want to take these off.”

Sutton arched to allow it, and the sensual sight nearly caused Jane to fumble. The last barrier gone, Jane inhaled slowly, pulling Sutton's warm, musky scent deep into her lungs as she settled her shoulders between Sutton's legs. Her pulse leapt again as she took in the delicate beauty of Sutton's sex. Pearls of moisture clung to her rose-colored lips, and at their apex, the tiny, swollen knot of nerves was visibly begging for her touch.

“Please,” Sutton whispered brokenly. “Oh, please.”

Ducking her head, Jane dipped her tongue into Sutton's opening before sliding it up through her soft folds and ending with a gentle flick. Galvanized by her wordless cry of pleasure, Jane did it again, increasing the pressure. When Sutton began to writhe beneath her, Jane clamped down on her thighs, pushing them even further apart as she willingly lost herself in the act of worshiping Sutton's body.

More than anything, she wanted to make Sutton feel cherished and desired. Wanting to draw out her pleasure, Jane forced herself to be patient. Only when Sutton's pleas reached a fever pitch did Jane finally stop her teasing. She worked her tongue in slow, firm circles, and Sutton clutched at her hair, pulling her even closer. Groaning at the sensation of Sutton's nails digging into her scalp, Jane had to hold on even more tightly when Sutton's hips bucked at the vibration.

“Jane, oh God, I need you to—”

Need.
There was that word again. Sutton needed her. Pride filled her chest, along with something else—something deeper and stronger that tugged at her thoughts like a riptide. Suddenly desperate to see Sutton come apart, Jane hollowed her lips, sucking gently while she continued the swirling motion of her tongue. Beneath her palms, Sutton's legs tensed, the muscles growing hard as iron. And then she shuddered violently as the ecstasy found her, and Jane thrilled to the soft cries that accompanied her passion.

Raising her head, Jane met Sutton's pleasure-glazed eyes and fell into them. Wanting her to feel safe and cared for in the aftermath of her release, Jane moved up the bed and gathered her close. The sensation of Sutton curled against her, still shivering, dissolved her pride into awe. Sutton had turned to her, not only for pleasure and comfort, but also for strength. Jane stroked her hair and listened as her gasps gradually resolved into the slow rhythm of sleep. Despite her unfulfilled desire, Jane felt only contentment. Rubbing her cheek lightly against Sutton's hair, she luxuriated in the sensation of Sutton cradled in her arms. Jane wanted to hold her all night, until she had to get up to go to the hospital.

Her grip tightened. Despite her parents' opposition, Sutton had been firm in her conviction to go to Sweden. As proud as Jane was of Sutton's accomplishments, the idea of being an ocean apart from her after all they had shared over the past few weeks—and especially after tonight—filled her with an anxiety to which she was unaccustomed. Why couldn't they have just a little more time to solidify what was happening between them before they were separated?

“Jane.” Sutton's murmur brought her out of her thoughts, and she loosened her arms as Sutton struggled to raise her head.

“Hi.” Jane's heart thumped painfully when their eyes met. “You're so beautiful.”

“And you're amazing.” Sutton blinked sleepily even as her hand began to trail down Jane's side.