REFUGE

43

Aria grabbed Evelyn's lusciously soft waist and pulled until their bodies connected under the water. She ran her hands over every inch of Evelyn's delicious curves, savoring every dip and swell.

Evelyn's hands met both sides of Aria's jaw, cradling her head and tipping it up to join their lips. Aria felt the warmth of the kiss flow through her, smooth and luxurious, melting their bodies together. Evelyn moaned softly into her mouth, the hum of it tingling along Aria's tongue before Evelyn took her bottom lip between her teeth and tugged gently.

Aria moaned at the bite, desperate to place a few of her own. She trailed her lips down Evelyn's throat, across her collarbone, down to the ample breasts waiting for her. Evelyn guided Aria's hands to the same destination, cupping them around each one. They overflowed around Aria's fingers as she squeezed, gently at first, and then harder, eliciting a purr from the panther. She took one of those pink buds between her teeth, biting softly, sucking at the hardened peak beneath as the taste of the water's minerals lingered on her tongue.

When she came up for air, Evelyn's mouth found hers again, their swollen lips connecting tenderly. Evelyn's tongue traced a path from Aria's lips to her jaw before nibbling on Aria's earlobe, Evelyn's breath heavy in her ear. "Let me taste you," she whispered.

"Where are your manners?" Aria teased, gripping at Evelyn's generous ass, eliciting another soft sound from the stoic woman who was quickly turning into putty in Aria's hands.

" Please , Princess," Evelyn whined, "let me taste you."

The way Evelyn begged, Aria could tell she liked to be led. Liked to be told what to do. Aria stepped backward toward the ledge, pulling Evelyn with her. Evelyn understood what she wanted and helped lift Aria onto the edge of the stone. Evelyn's eyes followed her hand as it traveled along her shin, her thigh, those strong hands of hers so gentle. So intentional.

It was this side of Evelyn she'd grown to care for the most. Careful, deliberate Evelyn. Vulnerable Evelyn.

"Say it again," Evelyn said, her eyes now focused on Aria's. She hadn't realized she'd said the panther's name out loud. "It sounds so good on your lips," she whispered, her eyes now traveling to Aria's hard nipples, her tanned stomach, down to that glistening bundle of nerves between her thighs that rested at eye level.

Aria spread her legs, revealing herself to Evelyn's greedy stare. "Make me," she retorted with a suggestive smile.

Evelyn's face was eager, but she started gently, slowly. Kissing along Aria's thighs, she found Aria's clit and ran her flat tongue in circles around it methodically, steadily, building a rhythm as Aria tried to keep from bucking her hips at the pleasure that coursed through her.

Aria's hands gripped the grass beside her as Evelyn's tongue met Aria's entrance and lapped at the sweetness seeping from it. Evelyn moaned into her, sending vibrations through her core. Aria echoed with her own as Evelyn's hands squeezed her thighs and spread them wider, her tongue traveling back up to Aria's clit with those intoxicating, rhythmic strokes.

She pushed Aria further back into the grass and pulled herself up until her knees landed between Aria's legs. Their eyes met as Evelyn lowered herself back to her position at Aria's center, now heavily dripping with want. She slipped a finger into her, followed quickly by a second when she wasn't met with any resistance.

" Fuck ," Evelyn swore under her breath, curling her fingers in, relishing the way Aria felt around her. "There?" Evelyn asked her softly.

"Lower… Yes ," she gasped when Evelyn found that perfect spot, sending a jolt of electricity through her veins.

Evelyn's eyes lit up, an eyebrow raised. "Yes?"

" Yes ," Aria rasped, leaning further up to meet Evelyn's piercing gaze.

"Yes, what?" Evelyn added a third finger, stretching her just a little, and pressed a flat hand against Aria's front, adding to the already intense pleasure of her fingers curling in and in and in while her tongue went back to—

"Yes , Evelyn ," Aria collapsed onto her back as her climax coursed through every part of her body. Wind ripped past them, circling their hair around their faces. Evelyn took her free hand and clamped it over Aria's mouth, stifling the screams that poured out of her, praying their friends—or their enemies, for that matter—hadn't heard those beautiful sounds.

When Evelyn felt Aria loosen the grip on her fingers, she pulled them out and ran her tongue over them, saving only a little bit of that nectar as she brought her face to Aria's and slid one between Aria's lips. Their eyes remained locked as Aria closed her lips around it, still catching her breath but savoring her taste, before Evelyn replaced that finger with her tongue, grazing over Aria's lips and teeth .

"Come here," Aria whispered between kisses. "Let me return the favor. Right fucking now."

Evelyn made her way slowly up Aria's body until her knees rested on the grass, straddling Aria's face. Aria's hands traced the outside of Evelyn's thick thighs, up her soft, supple stomach, pushing gently until Evelyn leaned back and rested her hands on either side of Aria's hips.

Aria ran her tongue along the inside of Evelyn's thigh, that tender, sensitive skin leading her toward the delicacy she craved. Had craved from the moment they'd met.

She couldn't see Evelyn's face past her swollen breasts, but she heard the sharp inhale that came from her as Aria took her clit between her lips and sucked gently. She reached her hand up and bound one of Evelyn's nipples between her fingers, twisting softly, forming chilled bumps across Evelyn's skin. Aria teased Evelyn's entrance with her other hand, her fingers grazing back and forth through her folds as she licked in tandem.

"Fuck me," Evelyn exhaled in a curse.

Aria obliged, sliding two fingers into her with ease. A low purr sounded above her.

"More," Evelyn rasped.

Aria pulled at Evelyn's clit with her tongue in that steady rhythm and added a third finger, a fourth, cupping them toward her until Evelyn released a deep, guttural moan.

"Not yet," Aria muttered around her full mouth. She planted her hands around Evelyn's thighs and flipped the woman onto her back, a look of shock—mixed with a bit of protest—crossing her face. "I want to see all of you when you come for me," Aria assured her, filling Evelyn again with her fingers, turning Evelyn's snarl into an open mouth.

Aria relished the leverage this position gave her, and the view of that blissful face, once again contorted in pleasure. She resumed her rhythm, Evelyn's breasts bouncing with each thrust of her hand. Aria ran her tongue along her thumb before placing it above Evelyn's clit, and rubbed slow, steady circles around it. Evelyn arched her back at the touch before Aria replaced her thumb with two fingers on either side, doubling the sensation.

Propping herself up on her elbows, Evelyn pulled Aria up by her chin, their lips meeting. Their palates mingled with the honeyed cocktail of their efforts, Evelyn's breath hitching against Aria's mouth.

Aria could feel Evelyn tightening around her hand, so she slowed her thrusts, focusing on matching those pulses, brushing that dangerous spot every time. Pressing deeper, deeper…

"Look at me," Aria said, pulling back to soak in every feature of Evelyn's face. Their eyes found each other, and Evelyn imploded, no sound escaping until it rushed out of her all at once in an exhaled moan. Aria watched her intently, refusing to remove her hand until she felt the release, Evelyn collapsing into the soft grass in exhaustion.

"You are so beautiful," Aria whispered as she laid down next to Evelyn, pulling her into a lateral embrace.

Evelyn inhaled deeply, the stars of the night sky seeming to twinkle in delight above them. "Shall we bathe," she smiled, speaking between breaths, "for real this time?"