Divine Solace (Nature of Desire 8)

"Oh God. That makes me Gabrielle, doesn't it?"

"You're cute, short and have good tits," Lyda agreed. "Plus that really nice soft ass. But you're still coming back to my class one day. I particularly like the cool down period in the locker room."

"Nothing cooling about it," Gen retorted, though she got a little breathless, remembering it.

"You should have gotten video," Noah complained.

"Don't pout," Lyda said. "You'll get plenty of girl-girl action this weekend, unless you piss me off and I decide to put out your eyes with a hot poker." She packed up her laptop, tucked the folders into the case. "Barring a few panicked phone calls from Eric, that should take care of work. This looks like our place coming up."

Gen turned her attention to the cottage they'd be occupying for the next few days. A creek gurgled in front of it, the bubbling water and shiny dark rocks flashing with sun sparkles. A short bridge over the creek provided pedestrian access to the cottage from the street.

"I love it," Gen said, beaming at Noah.

Noah parked the car on the other side of the road. "It has one bedroom with a queen and a sleeper couch, so three people can be comfortable. Only one bath, but there's also an outdoor shower in back." He turned, handed the key to Lyda. "If you want, you can look it over while I bring in our stuff."

"I think you purposefully waited to tell me about the one bath until we arrived," Lyda said, though the humor in her voice told Gen she was teasing. Gen slid out of her side as Noah opened Lyda's door. If Gen had waited, he'd have offered the courtesy to both of them, because when they'd stopped for lunch, he'd done just that, opening the door for Lyda and circling around to Gen's side to open her door while she'd been fishing a brush out of her purse to freshen up.

He'd said people had called him a treasure. After traveling with him half a day, she thought he was a luxury. Taking responsibility for bringing in their luggage was only part of it. From pumping gas and driving, to verifying the air temperature they wanted in the car, he never seemed to tire of doing things to make the journey more pleasant for the two women. When Noah was in the convenience store restroom, she'd expressed concern about taking advantage of it. Lyda had shaken her head.

"You won't. You're too much of a service sub yourself. I doubt you'll ever feel truly comfortable having him do all the stuff for you he likes to do for me. But don't deny him the opportunity needlessly. Serving us nourishes his soul." She'd glanced up, seeing Noah returning from the convenience store. A light smile played around her lips as she saw he was carrying a bobble head cat Gen had seen by the cash register and remarked was really cute. "The man can't be trusted with his own petty cash."

She glanced at Gen then. "There's a mutual benefit to it between Dom and a service sub, but the Dom keeps in mind where the line is between taking advantage and fulfilling a mutual need for it. Follow my lead on it, and you'll be fine."

So, despite a twinge of guilt at leaving him with the luggage, Gen followed Lyda across the bridge to the cottage. They stopped halfway across, Gen pointing out a frog sitting on one of the rocks, staring at them with fixed expression. Lyda laid her hand on her back as they looked together, sliding her palm down to Gen's hip, a casual caress like lovers did. "Thanks for saying that, about how I should be proud of myself." Gen lifted a shoulder. "I am, you know, but you saying it made me feel special."

"You are special." Lyda leaned forward, kissed her mouth, her hand tightening on Gen's hip, thumb catching in the back pocket of her jeans.

"So are you. Actually, you're extraordinary. Which is part of why it meant so much to hear you say it." Gen dared to touch her Mistress's face. Lyda stilled as Gen stroked the distinct cheek bone. When she moved up, Lyda closed her eyes, let her tease her lashes.

"I really want to kiss you right now," Gen said.

"I just kissed you."

"I mean a really hot, scandalize-the-neighbors, make-Noah-hard and make-both-of-us-wet kiss." Where had this wanton side come from? Where was the "safe" Gen?

Who cared?

Lyda's eyes opened, so close to hers. "Are you waiting for permission?"

"Yes." Gen wondered how Lyda did that, put as much strength into her gaze as she had in the grip of her hands. "Because that turns you on. I like knowing I can get you worked up. That makes me feel pretty special too."

"Uh-huh." Lyda continued to study her for another protracted moment. One breath, two breaths. Gen took another step closer, so they were right up against one another. Lyda was wearing boots with block heels today, giving her a height advantage over Gen in her canvas sneakers.

"Do it," Lyda said, her voice getting that cool tone that sent shivers all the way down Gen's tailbone to spread out like an upside-down butterfly through her buttocks.

Gen slid her fingers along Lyda's neck, under her hair. Full, lips-on-lips, mouths opening, tongues tangling, pushing against each other, delving deep. Lyda snagged her belt loop with her thumb to bring Gen's pelvis against hers, initiating a nice, firm stroke of mound against mound. Then she gripped Gen's ass, increasing the pressure of that friction. Gen lifted up on her toes so her nipples made direct contact with Lyda's, both of them getting tighter and harder. It was still different to her, feeling that female mirror of her own responses, but that surge of pleasure, knowing she had the ability to increase someone else's desire, that was the same, male or female.

As Lyda pushed Gen against the bridge railing, her leg insinuating between both of Gen's, Noah slid behind them, bearing suitcases. He paused long enough to drop a kiss on Lyda's shoulder, close to her neck where the T-shirt she was wearing bared soft skin. Gen caught his silky hair, giving it a tug. It had fallen over his shoulder so she was able to pull the tie loose, send it all spilling forward. She glimpsed a brown eye full of heat beneath the fine strands before he shook it back and continued on his appointed task to carry things inside.

It was going to be a damn good vacation.

*

The inside was small but charming, embellished with touches that reflected the mountain surroundings. A fake bearskin rug made of stuffed animal plush had a whimsical black bear's head and felt claws that jutted out of the fuzzy black feet. Gen loved the feel of it on her bare feet when she slipped out of her shoes. Noah put Lyda's suitcase in the bedroom, his and Gen's belongings in a corner next to the sleeper sofa. It was an automatic assumption that their Mistress would take the bed, inviting them into it at her discretion.

Such subtleties were things Gen now accepted as much as he did. Lyda was making a circle of the place, and appeared as pleased as Gen with their accommodations. She also appeared to be considering something. As she moved toward her bedroom, Lyda picked up the bear rug, took it with her. Gen saw there was another one in there as well, a brown bear. Lyda picked it up also and then spread both on the bed, running her hands

over them.