Next Time (17 page)

Ryann switched to video, intent on catching Payton’s reaction to the bullish pelican. She watched as Payton walked over to the picket fence. Ducks came running, and the pelican approached warily. Payton was completely oblivious as she leaned way over to feed every duck she could reach. Ryann’s impish grin faded as she videoed the bird moving in slowly on Payton and wondered if it would actually harm her. Surely, they wouldn’t allow a dangerous animal in an area where people would be feeding the ducks, she thought just as the giant beak flopped open, and the winged demon charged.

Ryann began to stammer. “Payton! Peli-peli-devil pelican!”

The video caught arms and giant beak flailing, grass, and sky.

Chapter 22

Olivia laughed hysterically as she watched the recording.

“She set me up,” Payton said with a scowl. “All I saw was a giant mouth coming at my face, and I hear its scream in my nightmares. If that kid hadn’t have shown up and beat that bird’s ass with her Hello Kitty purse, I might’ve died.”

“Now we both hate the zoo,” Ryann said with a smile.

Olivia wiped her hands after finishing a slice of pizza and tried to compose herself. Every time she started to speak, she laughed. Finally, she asked, “So how did the date end?”

“We picnicked on the beach, rode the ferry to Dauphin Island, and Payton passed out,” Ryann answered with a smile.

“The ride on the water was really relaxing, and collectively, I think I slept about two hours in the car the night before, or morning rather. Every sound woke me up, the thing you plug the seat belt into stuck me in the ass, the hip, and thigh. I won’t mention names, but someone hogged the blanket.” Payton sighed. “She looked so damn adorable, mouth gaping open, snoring.”

“So, Ryann, at this point, you’re full steam ahead,” Olivia said as she made a note. “And Payton is understandably cautious. Obviously, y’all met in the middle. Was the transition a smooth one?”

“It was boom.” Payton spread her fingers mimicking an explosion.

Ryann laughed. “Oh, we transitioned all night long.”

*******

******

***

“Welcome back,” Ryann said with a smile when Payton sat up and looked around.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I slept the whole trip.”

“I have no complaints. I really enjoy driving your car. Did you know that it’ll do a hundred and forty miles per hour?”

“I’d laugh, but with you, I’m not so sure that’s a joke.”

Ryann grinned. “I wouldn’t disrespect your property or put you at risk, except for that whole pelican thing,” she said as she turned into her driveway. After she put the car in park, Ryann gazed at Payton. “Does your invitation still stand?”

“Most definitely.”

“Okay,” Ryann said softly with a smile. “I’m going to go in, shower, and pack some clothes. I’ll see you in an hour or so.”

“I’ll pick up dinner. Any requests?”

Ryann leaned over and kissed Payton, then whispered, “Surprise me.”

*******

Ryann showed up that evening with a bag slung over her shoulder in a pair of sweatpants and a Henley-style shirt. With no makeup on and her hair in a clip, she looked prettier than Payton had ever seen her. “I like this look,” Payton said with a sigh as she watched Ryann stroll in. “I picked up Chinese.”

“Wonderful.” Ryann dropped her bag into a chair, kicked off her sneakers, and wrapped her arms around Payton’s waist. “I got kind of nervous on the way over here. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I mean, I’ve had sex before, it’s not like I don’t know what to do, so I figure it’s you. That’s a good sign—now see what you’ve done, I’ve caught your overthinking disease and—”

Payton silenced Ryann with a very long and intense kiss. “Better?” Payton asked against her lips.

“Getting there,” Ryann said and buried her face in Payton’s neck. “You smell good.”

“I rubbed an eggroll behind my ear.” Payton wiggled out of Ryann’s embrace and took her by the hand. “You’re hungry, I can hear your stomach growling.”

“I’m—yeah,” Ryann said with a laugh as she noticed all the containers spread out on the coffee table, along with a bottle of wine and two glasses.

“As you can see, I got a little bit of everything, and I came up with a great idea. If you’ll allow it, I’d like to blindfold you and make you guess what I’m feeding you.”

Ryann sank down slowly on the sofa. “Will this include tying me up, too?”

“No,” Payton said with an awkward laugh. “Not that I’m opposed to that, but it’s not something I’d introduce the first time around.”

“Okay, good, we’re on the same page.” Ryann blew out a breath and smiled. “Blindfold me then, this sounds like fun.”

“I don’t actually have one, so we’ll have to use a bandanna.” Payton covered Ryann’s eyes and tied it into a knot. “Too tight?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Payton took a seat beside her. “I guess I should ask if there’s anything you don’t like.”

“Anal sex isn’t high on my list.”

“Food! I’m talking about food.”

Ryann flopped back against the couch and laughed. “I wish I could’ve seen your face when I said that.”

“I am so going to feed you the wrapper off the chopsticks.” Payton chuckled, then gazed at Ryann as she opened one of the containers. “You trust me, don’t you?”

“Um…yeah,” Ryann said, sounding unsure. “You’re not about to pay me back for the pelican, are you? In my defense, I did lose my nerve and warned you that it was coming.”

“No paybacks tonight, I promise. Open your mouth.”

Ryann accepted what Payton gave her and chewed slowly. “That’s a shrimp, and it’s spicy, very yummy.”

Payton poured Ryann a glass of wine and held it to her lips. “You never told me what you don’t like, food-wise.”

“Mushrooms.”

“Ready for the next bite?”

Ryann smiled. “Yes. Are you eating? I could follow the sound of your voice and feed you, too.”

“I’m not letting you go blindly at my face with chopsticks, open up.”

Payton watched as Ryann’s lips parted, and a rush of arousal swept over her. She swallowed hard and fed her the next bite.

“That’s…beef and a bell pepper,” Ryann said after she swallowed.

“Maybe we should talk about what you like…sexually.”

Ryann breathed out through her nose as a flush crept up her neck. “Ask me anything you want to know.”

Payton fed her another bite, watching her mouth closely. “My mind just went blank. I think it’s a circulation problem because every drop of blood in my brain just rushed south.”

Ryann smiled as she chewed. “I can be aggressive, and I like that in a partner.”

“I pretty much had that figured out already,” Payton said after she swallowed a bite of fried wonton. She held it to Ryann’s lips. “Bite.”

“I’ll do that, too, but they’re sweet bites.”

Payton was glad that Ryann was blindfolded because the comment gave her a shiver. She watched Ryann take a bite of the wonton and gave her more wine. She leaned in close and brushed her lips against Ryann’s.

“That was the most delicious thing thus far,” Ryann breathed out. “I’d definitely like more of that.”

“That was a taste of dessert,” Payton said with a grin and opened a container of chicken.

“Tell me what you like most.”

Payton’s brow shot up as she tried to get the chopsticks to cooperate. “I love going down on a woman. When I think about being with you, I see myself doing that.”

Ryann exhaled heavily. “I need more wine.” She flinched when Payton grazed the skin of her chest with her fingers.

“Your skin is turning very red here. I like watching the effect this conversation is having on you.” Payton watched Ryann’s nipples harden beneath her shirt.

The timbre of Payton’s voice sent her pulse into overdrive. Ryann licked her lips and asked, “What else do you imagine us doing?”

“I plan to show you,” Payton said as she fed Ryann another bite, then kissed her neck.

Ryann shook her head slowly as she chewed. “You have to answer that question.”

“I think about what it would feel like to be inside of you.” Payton downed the glass of wine, and her hand shook as she refilled it.

Ryann placed her hand on Payton’s thigh, her fingers traced a pattern in the fabric of the cotton lounge pants. “We’re not going to make it through this meal, you realize that, don’t you?”

“I don’t think we’re finished with this conversation yet. I kind of like having you at a disadvantage,” Payton said as she plucked a piece of chicken from one of the containers with her hand and fed it to Ryann. She inhaled sharply when Ryann grabbed her wrist and sucked the residue from her fingers.

“Where’re you going?” Ryann asked when Payton moved away from her.

“Not far.” Payton moved behind the sofa, leaned down, and whispered against Ryann’s ear. “Tell me what you want.”

Ryann exhaled shakily. “To find every sensitive spot you have.” Ryann bit her bottom lip. “To taste you.”

Payton crept around the front of the couch, moved the coffee table, and knelt in front of her. She smiled when Ryann again flinched at her touch. “You knew where I was that time, I made too much noise.” Payton pushed Ryann’s legs open and ran her hands up the inside of her thighs.

Ryann grabbed Payton by the front of the shirt with one hand and traced her lips with the other before pulling Payton’s mouth to hers. Payton’s hands slid beneath her legs, and Ryann felt herself being lifted up. She broke the kiss and exclaimed, “Are you crazy? I’m not that light.”

“No, you’re not,” Payton said with a breathless laugh.

Ryann ripped the bandanna from her eyes and blinked rapidly to rid herself of the blurriness. “Don’t throw your back out, I have a lot of plans for it.”

In the bedroom, Payton lowered Ryann to the bed and lay on top of her. “I like being able to see your eyes.”

“I’m ready to finish our chat now that I can see yours, too.” Ryann slipped her hands beneath Payton’s pants and ran her hands over her backside. “When my face is between your legs, do you want to be on your knees or on your back?” She turned her face away when Payton tried to kiss her. “Look me in the eye and answer that.”

“On my back,” Payton said and ground into her.

Ryann gripped the silky skin beneath her hands and stared into Payton’s eyes. “I want to be inside of you when you come.”

Payton devoured Ryann’s mouth as their hips began to move at a fevered pace. Ryann’s hands were all over her, pushing at her pants and pulling at her shirt. She broke the kiss long enough to allow Ryann to pull it over her head. Ryann gripped her sides and pushed up until Payton’s breasts were above her face.

“Thank you so much for not wearing a bra,” Ryann whispered as her tongue flicked over one nipple. Her hand slipped down the front of Payton’s pants, and Payton groaned as Ryann wasted no time filling her.

Payton gripped the blanket on her bed, wanting so much just to give into the pleasurable things Ryann was doing to her body. A minute or two longer, she’d be lost. Her back arched involuntarily as Ryann grazed her clit. She grabbed Ryann’s hand and pulled away, despite the protests.

Payton was a lot rougher than she wanted to be as she moved off of Ryann and yanked her sweatpants over her hips. She nearly ripped her shirt as she pulled it off and took a deep breath as her gaze raked over Ryann’s body. Seconds ticked by as images flashed through her mind. Ryann in the bar that first night, her smile at the barbecue, even her stunned expression when Payton had accidently hit her in class.

Ryann, who lay propped on her elbows, gazed at Payton. “Hey,” she said softly. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re here,” Payton said in awe.

“Right where I want to be.” Ryann took Payton’s hand and pulled her close again. “You went into what looked like a trance the minute I was naked. It made me a little self-conscious.”

Payton ran a finger down Ryann’s chest. “You’re the most exquisite thing I’ve ever seen. I’m so glad we left the lamp on,” she said and followed the path of her finger with her lips.

Ryann inhaled a shuddering breath as Payton’s mouth closed over one of her nipples, and her hand trailed lower. The muscles in her stomach quivered beneath the light touch, and she bit her lip when Payton’s fingers slipped into her wetness. She gripped Payton’s hair with one hand and the sheets with the other as Payton kissed her way down her stomach. She had no control over the noises she made when Payton settled between her legs, using her fingers and her tongue to drive her slowly insane.

Payton would’ve loved to have taken Ryann slowly, but she wanted release just as badly as Ryann did. She wanted to feel and hear her come. Every moan and sigh, every move of her hips sent a jolt of electricity coursing through her, and when she felt Ryann come around her fingers, she nearly followed her.

Ryann’s thighs trembled when she tried to move her legs. Payton was still deep inside of her as she kissed her way back up to her breasts. “You’re not going to let me catch my breath, are you?”

Payton breathed out over her skin as she said, “I don’t want to.”

“Come a little higher then.”

Payton laughed. “I can’t concentrate if you touch me.”

Ryann’s eyes slipped closed when Payton added another finger and slowly started to fuck her. “Please come a little closer,” she panted out as she gently pinched Payton’s nipple. Payton straddled a leg. Ryann hissed between clenched teeth as she ran her fingers through Payton’s wetness. “Lay down, Payton, let me—” Ryann moaned when Payton added another finger.

“You’re already messing me up.”

“I want to make you come, and I want to see your face when you do.” Ryann’s eyes were heavy lidded as she gazed up at her. “Stay right where you are.”