Chapter 13

13

Q uinn stared into Rebecca's eyes, her own wide with disbelief. She had just shared her first real kiss with a woman. A kiss that wasn't for the cameras or an audience. A kiss that had ignited a rush of desire, leaving her wanting more. But it was also a kiss that felt wrong, forbidden even.

"We shouldn't," Rebecca murmured, her hand gently caressing Quinn's cheek. The tenderness of the gesture conflicted with her words. "This is a bad idea."

Quinn's heart hammered in her chest as she struggled to process the whirlwind of emotions swirling within her.

But as Quinn opened her mouth to speak, her words failed her. Instead, she leaned forward, craving another taste of Rebecca's lips. The kiss deepened, and a flood of sensations washed over Quinn, both familiar and entirely new.

Her hands found Rebecca's hips, pulling her closer, longing to feel the warmth of her body against her own. It was madness. She knew that. Yet, in that moment, all rational thought escaped her.

Rebecca pulled back slightly, a hint of hesitation flashing across her face. "Quinn, we can't?—"

Before she could finish, Quinn's thumb brushed across her bottom lip, still tingling from the kiss. "Don't," Quinn whispered. She didn't want to hear the reasons why this was a mistake. Not now, when all she could think about was how right it felt to be in Rebecca's arms.

The air between them crackled with unspoken desire. Quinn's breath quickened as she waited for Rebecca to push her away, to remind her of the boundaries they were crossing. Instead, Rebecca's hand found hers, and she interlaced their fingers together.

Rebecca leaned in, and this time, there was no hesitation, no resistance. Their lips met, and the kiss ignited a wildfire within Quinn. It wasn't just the softness of Rebecca's lips against hers or the gentleness of the touch. It was the electric current that coursed through her veins, awakening every nerve ending.

As their tongues met, Quinn felt a surge of desire that took her breath away. Her hans instinctively found Rebecca's face, gently cupping her cheek as she angled her head, deepening the kiss.

A moan escaped Quinn's throat, low and impassioned. She had never known a kiss could be so intoxicating. It wasn't just the press of lips or the dance of tongues. It was the way Rebecca's hand found its way to her waist, pulling her closer, or the subtle scent of her perfume that lingered.

Quinn's heart hammered in her chest as she lost herself in the kiss, her body leaning into Rebecca's touch. She felt a pull unlike anything she had ever experienced, a gravitational force drawing her inexorably toward this woman. It was as if her body knew what it craved even before her mind could fully process it.

In that moment, Quinn felt alive, truly alive, as if her senses had been heightened. The fabric of Rebecca's sweater brushing against her skin sent shivers down her spine.

As the kiss intensified, Quinn's hands began to explore, tangling in Rebecca's hair, anchoring herself to this moment, to this woman, her other hand resting on her jean clad thigh.

A rush of emotions washed over her: desire, fear, elation, and confusion. She knew this was wrong on so many levels, and yet, she couldn't bring herself to care.

Rebecca's taste, a hint of the wine they had shared earlier, lingered on Quinn's lips. She felt drunk on the sensation, lightheaded with desire.

Rebecca's hand gently caressed Quinn's back, sending a shiver down her spine. The touch was electrifying, and Quinn found herself wanting more. She knew she was treading in dangerous waters, yet she couldn't bring herself to pull away. Not now, not when she finally felt like she was truly living.

She had fantasized about this—about tasting Rebecca's lips, about feeling the warmth of her body. But the reality far exceeded her imagination.

Without breaking the kiss, Rebecca gently urged Quinn to straddle her lap, their bodies fitting together perfectly. Quinn's hands found their way to Rebecca's shoulders, her fingers splayed across the soft fabric of her sweater before sliding up her neck.

The kiss became more urgent, fueled by pent-up longing. Quinn could feel Rebecca's heart racing beneath her palm, matching the frantic beat of her own. She wanted this. She wanted to feel Rebecca's hands on her, exploring her body.

And Rebecca's hands roamed, boldly claiming what they had both denied themselves. Quinn moaned into the kiss, arching into the touch. It was as if Rebecca knew exactly where to touch her, exactly how to make her melt.

Quinn's eyes fluttered closed as Rebecca's lips brushed against the sensitive skin of her neck, sending shivers down her spine. She had dreamed of this, fantasized about the feel of Rebecca's lips on her skin, but the reality was infinitely better.

Rebecca's hands slid up her thighs, drawing ever closer to the center of her desire. Quinn's breath caught in her throat as she anticipated the touch. She was aware of the need pulsing between her legs, the want that threatened to consume her.

"Quinn," Rebecca said as she broke the kiss. "We have to stop."

Quinn silenced her with a kiss, and Rebecca responded, parting her lips, allowing Quinn in. She wanted this. She wanted Rebecca with a desperation that surprised her.

Rebecca's hands were on her shoulders now, but they gently pushed her back, and Rebecca's eyes fluttered opened as she leaned back against the couch. "We have to stop."

Quinn pressed her lips together and attempted to slide off Rebecca's lap as gracefully as possible.

"I don't want to," Rebecca said with a sigh.

"But?"

Rebecca shook her head.

"But?" Quinn asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She couldn't quite meet Rebecca's gaze. The intensity of the moment, the raw desire that had flared between them, left her feeling exposed, vulnerable.

Rebecca's hand found hers, their fingers intertwining. "Even if all the reasons why we shouldn't weren't enough," Rebecca said, her thumb gently stroking Quinn's hand, "I wouldn't feel right moving so fast. This is…new for you."

Quinn finally looked at Rebecca. Her eyes, usually warm and inviting, held a flicker of something Quinn couldn't decipher. Regret? Uncertainty? She searched Rebecca's face for answers, for some indication of what she was thinking, what she was feeling.

"New?" Quinn echoed, the word catching in her throat. It was true. Just weeks ago, she'd been living a completely different life, a life where kissing a woman, wanting a woman, had never even crossed her mind. Now, here she was, straddling Rebecca's lap, her body still thrumming from their kiss, the taste of her still lingering on her lips.

"This whole…experience," Rebecca clarified, her gaze locking with Quinn's. "Questioning your sexuality, exploring these feelings…it's a lot to process. I don't want you to do anything you'll regret."

Quinn's heart ached at Rebecca's words. They were spoken with such care, such concern, that it made the sting of rejection even sharper. She knew, logically, that Rebecca was right. This was a lot to process. But logic had no power against the pull she felt towards this woman, the magnetic force that had drawn her in from the moment they'd reconnected.

She swallowed, trying to dislodge the lump that had formed in her throat. "I don't think I'd regret it," she whispered, the words barely audible even to her own ears. "But I know what you mean."

Rebecca's expression softened, and she lifted a hand to brush a stray strand of hair away from Quinn's face. The gesture was tender, intimate, and it sent a wave of longing through Quinn. "Please don't think that I don't want to." She leaned in and kissed her softly. "And that's why I'm going to go. If I stay, I know that I can't trust myself."

A wave of disappointment washed over Quinn, a dull ache settling in her chest. Rebecca's words, though gentle, felt like a rejection. She understood the reasoning, the caution behind them, but it didn't make the sting any less potent. She wanted Rebecca, but she was right. It was a lot, this sudden shift in her world, this unexpected pull towards a woman she'd known her whole life, but never truly seen until now.

Quinn nodded slowly, her throat tight. The air, thick with unspoken desire just moments before, now felt heavy, charged with a different kind of tension, full of restraint, of longing.

"Let me walk you out," Quinn offered, her voice regaining a semblance of its usual strength. She needed to move, to break the spell that had woven itself around them.

Quinn followed Rebecca to the front door, the silence between them punctuated only by the steady patter of rain against the windows. She grabbed an umbrella and handed it to Rebecca, their fingers brushing for a fleeting moment. The contact, brief as it was, sent a jolt of electricity through her.

Rebecca hesitated, her hand hovering over the umbrella's handle. Her eyes met Quinn's, a silent conversation passing between them. Rebecca leaned in, her hand coming up to cup Quinn's cheek. The touch was feather-light, yet it sent a wave of warmth through Quinn, chasing away the chill of the rain, the chill of disappointment.

Their lips met in a soft, lingering kiss. It was different from the kisses they had shared moments before. Less urgent, less demanding, but no less potent. It was a goodbye, a promise, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken feelings that swirled between them.

"Goodnight, Quinn," Rebecca whispered against her lips, her breath warm on Quinn's skin.

"Goodnight, Rebecca," Quinn replied, her voice barely a whisper, and she watched as Rebecca stepped out into the rain and into the darkness.