The Before

The Before

AGE: 26

Riley breathed out an appreciative laugh at the ire in Gianna’s tone.

“All right,” she heaved out, pushing herself up with one hand, keeping her wine glass carefully held in the other.

After her sex date had gone miserably awry and Eric had left – so, so disappointingly early. Riley had pre-made them a late-night post-sex charcuterie and everything! – she’d laid in her bed, staring at the ceiling, debating if she should just… stay in.

Sure, it was a Saturday night and it was only eight-thirty, but Riley felt like it would still be a good time to wallow. Wallow in the fact that she’d been anticipating having sex for the first time in months and it had been so unsatisfying. Wallow in the fact that Eric had been the best potential relationship she’d had in over a year, and now that was totally not happening.

But then Gianna had texted her – (I know you’re busy, so this is just for you to look at later) – along with a link to a new designer shoe collection coming out, complete with excited !!!!!

Of course, Gianna – who rarely ever initiated texts when she knew Riley was on dates – would take exception to the rule for fashion. The text had made Riley laugh, perking her up enough to realize: why should she wallow at home, alone?

She’d texted Gianna back –

SOS – are you busy?

Gianna – 8:34PM

Not especially. Debated going to check out that new wine bar, but haven’t started my going out makeup yet. Aren’t YOU busy???

Riley – 8:34PM

Not especially :/

Gianna – 8:35PM

Then I’m not either. Who needs the wine bar when I can have wine at home with you. Want to come here or me to come to you?

Riley had looked around her bedroom, grimacing at the fact that she now had to wash her sheets and it was all for nothing.

Riley – 8:35PM

I’m coming over

Once she arrived, she’d promptly handed Gianna the charcuterie board before letting herself fall down onto Gianna’s couch.

Now though, Riley shook her head, trying to shake herself out of wallowing too much. It was easy when she leaned into Gianna, who was staring back at her, expectantly.

“Want me to blast him on socials? I totally will,” Gianna offered, sounding entirely too excited about it.

Riley laughed, bumping Gianna’s shoulder with hers. “No. I want to forget about my experience with him and try to remember what good sex is like.”

Gianna leaned her head back against the couch, letting out a long, guttural sigh. The column on her throat was on display, and Riley stared at it. Thinking, not for the first time, about the physical beauty that was Gianna M?kinen. Her silky blonde hair lay like a curtain over the back of the couch, her skin had almost a glow emanating from it. Riley had often wondered if it was due to the impeccable skin care regimen Gianna implemented or if it was genetics. Probably a combination.

“I was thinking earlier about how I could really use some good sex, myself.”

“Tell me about it,” Riley murmured, laying her head back next to Gianna’s.

Her best friend took Riley’s off-handed agreement quite literally. “I could really, really do with going down on a woman. I just – I have so much energy lately, and I want to burn it off with sex so badly. There’s really nothing like it, when you feel a woman so wet for you, desperate for you. And then after, I want to be fucked. Like. God , do I want to be fucked. Just… deep and hard, until I’m begging for a release.”

Riley was very familiar with these sort of comments from Gianna. Very familiar with the graphic, frank descriptions of sex, of pleasure, of what she liked or was in the mood for.

What she was unfamiliar with was how she felt her body respond to Gianna’s words.

Because she did . She felt the answering tug deep in her core, the heat spark through her, landing heavily between her thighs.

Surprised, her breath caught in her throat, making her sit straight up as she coughed.

Thankfully, Gianna took that as her cue to not elaborate any more as she turned to look in alarm at Riley. Those blue eyes seemed so luminous in the room that was lit mostly by candles, a Gianna specialty.

“Are you okay?” She reached out, sliding her hand down Riley’s back, rubbing.

Riley nodded even as her eyes watered, still trying to regulate her breathing. “Fine,” she wheezed out, “I’m fine.”

Gianna’s expression was dubious, and she reached forward to grab Riley’s wine glass from the table. “Here, drink this.”

“I think people are usually supposed to drink water in moments like this,” Riley managed, taking the wine glass anyway.

“Well, I’m not Jesus and this is what I have on hand.” Gianna smartly tapped on the glass. “Drink.”

Riley did, and she felt a little calmer once she was able to really catch her breath. She wiped her hand over her eyes, gathering her bearings.

It was because she was worked up . After all, she’d had very unsatisfying sex tonight, had essentially been halfway to having an orgasm given to her by another person for the first time in months, and her body was still primed.

Yes. That was it.