For endless minutes Laura took her spiraling upward until Crystal was certain she could go no higher. Laura's hand left her breast and moved down, around her hip and back over her thigh. Two fingers slipped smoothly inside, stealing Crystal's breath away as she found herself being taken higher still. When at last her world shattered away in a wave of pleasure, Crystal cried out Laura's name and clung helplessly as aftershocks throbbed through her. "Shh 's okay
I've got you," Laura murmured into her ear. There were other words but Crystal found it hard to concentrate on much more than the warmth and comfort of Laura's body against hers. It was a haven she had no interest in leaving. The first time Laura tried to pull back, she gripped tighter, silently conveying her need. Her hand moved over Laura's back, once again finding the waistband of the jeans.
"I can't believe you still have those on," she said, slowly moving out of Laura's embrace and into a sitting position.
"I was a little busy," Laura said, moving in for a quick kiss. "Oh, my knees are killing me."
"Maybe I should kiss them and make them better?" Crystal offered, putting her hands on Laura's elbows and standing up, bringing the writer with her. "Of course I can't do it through these," she said, tugging on the waistband. "They'll just have to come off." Slipping her hand between the denim and cotton, she pushed the jeans over Laura's hips.
"Oh they do, do they?" Laura asked, her hands moving restlessly over Crystal's back and shoulders. "What if I wasn't finished with you yet?" Crystal squeezed the panty covered bottom and rested her forehead on Laura's shoulder. "Damn woman," she huffed. "You're gonna kill me."
"I can't help it," Laura said, wrapping her arms around Crystal's back and squeezing their chests together. "I love touching you," she said, tipping Crystal's head down to kiss her brow.
Taking advantage of her position, Crystal began kissing Laura's throat, then down the writer's chest. "I love touching you too," she said as she lowered herself to her knees. "And right now I plan on touching you until you can't take it anymore." She pushed the jeans down to Laura's ankles, then offered her shoulders for her lover to lean on as first one leg, then the other came free. "Love the sensible white cottons but they've got to go too," she said, kissing the tuft of hair through the panties before pulling them down to join the jeans on the floor. A gentle push and Laura lying on the couch.
"The clothes," Laura said, reaching for the pile near Crystal's knees.
"Leave them," Crystal said, nudging Laura's knees apart.
"But"
"But nothing. In a minute you're not going to give a damn about where the clothes are," Crystal said. Bound and determined to win this little battle, she began running her fingertips up the inside of Laura's thighs. "For once, don't worry about it. Just lie back and feel." Then Crystal set out to give Laura plenty to feel, using her fingers, lips, everything at her disposal to send her lover to pinnacle once and then again, the crumpled clothes forgotten.
"Hey Doc," Crystal said when she opened the door. "Come on in. Laura's in the kitchen." She stepped back to let Jenny in. "Could it get any colder out there?"
"I hope this doesn't mean we're in for a brutal winter," Jenny said, shrugging off her jacket and hanging it on the coat rack next to the door. "You're going to have to trade in that denim jacket of yours for something warmer."
"You know how much a new jacket costs?" Crystal said, moving closer. "Do me a favor, okay?" she whispered. "Don't say anything about it to Laura."
"And just how long do you think she's going to let you get out the door in that thin thing?" Jenny asked in an equally low tone. "Hopefully at least two more weeks. I'm not going to have any extra money until then."
"Hey what are you two talking about in there?" Laura called from the kitchen.
"Don't worry, I'm not telling her all your secrets," Jenny said. "Besides, I'm sure she knows all your bad habits by now."
"Just about," Laura said, moving into the doorway between the kitchen and living room. "Who knows, she might just break me of one or two. Miracles are known to happen."
"You mean someday I'll stop in and find a dust bunny under the couch?" Jenny asked.
"Well let's not push it," Laura said, wiping her hands on her apron. "But I've been convinced it's not a crime to let the clothes go unfolded after I've taken them off."
Jenny looked from Laura to Crystal. "You're kidding."
"Nope," Crystal interjected proudly.
"She caught me at a weak moment," Laura added in her own defense.
"Must have been some moment," Jenny said, patting Crystal on the shoulder. "Now try getting her to go to bed and leave a dish in the sink." "Never happen," Laura said confidently.
"Ah ah ah," Jenny wagged her forefinger. "You forget, don't you?"
Laura gave her a confused look for a few seconds before the memory surfaced. "Oh."
"As I recall you got up in the middle of the night and washed them but I still count it as a victory," Jenny said, her posture relaxed and comfortable, not at all the body swirling with emotions that Crystal had seen at the end of her last session with the therapist. She had asked but Laura said little about the conversation with Jenny, only that she thought it went well. If Jenny's turnabout was any indication, their meeting was a total success as far as Crystal could see. Still there were questions that she needed answered before she would be totally convinced things were completely all right between the three of them.
"Hey Doc, I'm going to have a smoke before the guys get here. Come out and keep me company?" Crystal said, moving toward the sliding glass door without waiting for an answer. As she had expected, Jenny followed her out to the deck, sliding the door closed behind her. "Yes?" Jenny asked expectantly.
Crystal pulled her cigarettes from her pocket and lit one. "So," she said, moving so the smoke blew away from where Jenny was standing. "We still on for our regular sessions?"
"Of course," Jenny said.
"Good." Crystal turned away and concentrated on the blue smoke trailing from the end of the cigarette. "I was worried, you know." "About?" Jenny prodded.
"I was worried you wouldn't want to help me anymore because I'm involved with Laura," Crystal said, shaking her head. "Hell, for a while there I was even worried that you'd try and get her back."
"I would never do that," Jenny said, leaning against the rail and staring out at the leafless trees mixed with pines. "Laura and I just had some unresolved issues, that's all."
"Uh huh," Crystal said. "And they're completely resolved now, right?"