Side Order of Love Read online

  “I wanted to be sure that I was in this for the long haul. That I would fight for you. For us. That I didn’t want you like you were some trophy to win and put up on a shelf. I needed time. I’m sorry it took me so long. And now I’m hoping like hell it’s not too late.”

  Impulsively, Torrie slid off the couch and dropped to her knees in front of Grace. She felt a sudden sob rise in her chest. “Grace,” she said thickly. “I love you so much.” She laid her head in Grace’s lap and allowed herself to cry, her shoulders heaving with every sob. Grace’s hands softly stroked her head. Fingers wound gently through her hair.

  “It’s okay,” Grace soothed, and Torrie believed her. “You’re here with me now.”

  “I don’t want to go through life without you, Grace.”

  Grace’s hands cupped her head and tilted her tear-stained face up. Torrie was surprised to see tears shimmering on Grace’s cheeks.

  “I’m so sorry too, Torrie. I shouldn’t have let you go the way I did. I didn’t think you knew how to love.” She swallowed visibly. “I thought I’d made a mistake again choosing you, like I did with Aly.”

  Torrie pulled Grace to her and kissed her lips delicately, as though she were afraid to come on too fast, too strong. Though she wanted so much to make up for lost time, she knew she needed to know how Grace felt, and whether Grace was about to put the brakes on. She didn’t think her heart could go through the wringer again.

  She pulled back and watched as Grace’s wet eyelashes fluttered and her eyes slowly opened. They were like puddles of gray and green. “Grace,” Torrie said softly. “I need to know how you feel. I need to know if there’s a future for us, because all I want to do is spend my life loving you.”

  Grace’s mouth curled up into a shadow of a smile. “I would love a future for us, Torrie.”

  “You would?” Torrie’s heart danced. She pulled Grace to her and kissed her with complete abandon. She felt Grace’s mouth respond with its own brand of impatience. They pressed hard into one another, almost like the crashing together of waves on rock in a wild, pounding surf. Lips parted and tongues roughly explored one another—first the outline of lips, and then they fought a duel of playful passion. Grace moaned from deep within, and Torrie disengaged enough to look into Grace’s eyes again.

  “Grace, I want you to know I’m not just asking for tonight.” She was slightly breathless and more than a little nervous with the anticipation of what she would say next. She tried to settle her pounding heart. “I’m asking for every night, Grace. I’m asking for a life with you.”

  Grace looked thoughtful. “We both have pretty crazy lives, you know. It wouldn’t be easy.”

  “I know, and I don’t care how hard it is. I’ll do anything it takes, Grace.”

  A pale eyebrow quirked teasingly. “Anything?”

  Torrie laughed, and it was cleansing like a good spring rain. “Yes. Anything.”

  Grace smiled brightly, then kissed the tip of Torrie’s nose. “I love you, Torrie Cannon. And if you don’t take me to bed this minute, I’m going to combust. And it wouldn’t be a pretty sight.”

  “No, we definitely wouldn’t want that to happen.” Torrie stood and extended her hand invitingly. “I do believe I remember where the bedroom is.”

  Grace winked slowly. “Take our glasses and I’ll meet you there with the bottle.”

  Torrie was waiting naked for her beneath the cool Egyptian cotton sheets with their high thread count. She propped herself up on an elbow to allow Grace to fill her wineglass. Grace sat down on the edge of the bed with her glass and sipped, in no hurry. Torrie was in a hurry, but this was nice too.

  “Are you okay?” Torrie asked tentatively.

  “I’m more than okay.” Grace beamed.“I missed you like crazy these last months, Torrie. I was getting downright pissed that you hadn’t ridden into town on your white steed to sweep me off my feet. Luckily you finally did, and just in time.”

  “You can’t rush these chivalrous things and ruin the mystique, you know.” A question rose in Torrie’s mind, and she felt a little roguish. “What would you have done if I hadn’t?”

  “Oh, probably pined for another few months and then maybe taken up with…hmm…let’s see…a professional tennis player?” She laughed so that Torrie would know she was teasing.

  “Come here,” Torrie said, suddenly more turned on than she could stand.

  Grace sank into her and they kissed, Torrie’s fingers finding the first button to her crisp white blouse, then the next. She rolled Grace onto her back beside her, halting with the buttons long enough to trace a finger along Grace’s cheek.

  “I can’t believe I almost let you go,” Torrie whispered, her breath suddenly catching in her throat.

  Grace bit her bottom lip, looking like she might cry again. “I can’t believe I was almost stubborn enough to let it happen.”

  Torrie’s fingers resumed their quest with the buttons. She liked the way the smooth cotton of the blouse molded around Grace’s shapely breasts and liked it even better when the material fell away with the unfastening of each button. “I will never make that mistake again.” Torrie’s lips brushed the newly exposed skin of Grace’s chest.

  “Good.” Grace’s breath was growing more halting with each kiss.

  Torrie parted the blouse, then unhinged the lacy white bra, enjoying the momentary feel of the fabric between her thumb and forefinger. She liked Grace’s femininity. These weren’t things that she would ever wear herself, but on Grace, they were beautiful.

  “You’re beautiful, Grace.” Torrie pushed the bra aside and marveled at Grace’s round breasts, white and creamy next to her tanned chest and stomach. “So incredibly beautiful.”

  “Oh, Torrie. You make me feel beautiful.”

  Grace stroked her face, but Torrie couldn’t take her eyes off the rosy stiff peaks of Grace’s nipples. Impulsively, she moved her mouth to one, flicked her tongue over it. It felt hard, like a pebble, but soft too. She sucked a little, flicked faster with her tongue, and felt Grace squirm beneath her. She would make love to this woman every night for the rest of her life if she could.

  “I want you so much, Torrie.” Grace’s voice sounded far away and strained with passion. “I’ve never stopped wanting you.”

  Torrie moved her mouth to Grace’s, and she kissed her tenderly at first, her hand cupping a breast and squeezing gently. She tugged and nipped and sucked roughly on Grace’s lips, knowing she would probably leave them swollen and bruised the next day, but she didn’t care right now. Besides, Grace was giving every bit as good as she was getting. She was not fragile. She was pressing her body into Torrie’s, demanding friction and release.

  “You don’t mind if we get these pants off, do you?” Torrie teased.

  “Ha, mind? I’m about to rip them to shreds if you don’t hurry.”

  Torrie laughed and fumbled with the zipper. “Has anyone told you that you can be bossy sometimes?”

  “Of course. I’m an executive chef, remember? Bossy is my middle name.”

  “How could I forget?” Torrie began to slide the slacks and bikini underwear down, Grace helping by finally kicking them off the rest of the way. “As someone who usually does the cooking, I hope you don’t mind being the main course this time.”

  Grace’s eyes widened with desire. “If it means you’re going to devour me, I’m all for it.”

  Torrie’s laugh was deep and low. She wanted nothing more than to devour Grace, but a little mischief was too tempting.“Can I write a review afterward? Say, rate you on a five-star system?”

  Grace swatted Torrie’s bare shoulder. “Only if I can score your performance. How does it work…an ace is the best, right? And then an eagle. Is birdie next?”

  “You can rest assured, my love, that I will come in well under par.”

  “Ooh, I can hardly wait.”

  “You won’t have to, darling.” Torrie thrust her hand between Grace’s legs. She kissed Grace again, moved down to kiss
her breasts, her hand moving in slow circles against the wetness between her thighs. “You’re so warm and wet,” she muttered against Grace’s breasts. She felt like the luckiest woman in the world.

  Grace pushed up into her hand, moaning from deep in her throat. At the same time, she arched further back into the pillow, her neck a smooth, graceful, curving line. Torrie squeezed and stroked the soft, velvety folds, then slipped two fingers inside. She felt herself grow impossibly wet at the thrill of being inside Grace, of being accepted deeper and deeper into the hot, welcoming depths of her lover. She pumped quicker, heard Grace’s breathing quicken, felt her pelvis greedily meet each thrust. With her other hand, Torrie palmed her, quickening her pace to match the plunging fingers. Grace squealed and stiffened, thrusting herself against Torrie one final time, then shuddered with a loud gasp.

  Torrie clutched Grace to her, kissing her neck tenderly as the final tremors died. She felt a tear drip onto her face. She was surprised Grace was crying.

  “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

  Grace’s smile was watery. “I’m stupidly happy, Torrie. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

  Torrie licked a tear away. “Promise me you won’t ever doubt my love for you again.”

  “I promise you that, Torrie.”

  Relieved, Torrie resumed her kisses. Without looking at her, she knew Grace was smiling happily. She felt Grace’s joy in her own core, and it was the most wonderful feeling she’d ever known. She wanted to share everything with Grace, make every sacrifice for her. She rolled onto her side and propped herself up on an elbow.

  “I meant what I said earlier, Grace. About doing anything it takes to make this work.”

  “I appreciate that, Torrie, but I don’t want you to have to do anything drastic.”

  “You mean with my career?”

  “Yes.”

  “Hell, I’ll be a stay-at-home wife if you want me to.”

  Grace laughed and impulsively kissed Torrie on the lips. “Somehow, I can’t quite picture that.”

  “What, being the queen of domesticity?”

  Giggling, Grace said, “Do you even know what that means, my sweet?”

  “Of course. I took home economics for a year.”

  “Great, so you know how to sew and cook and clean, be a hostess at parties, iron my clothes. Hmmm, what else could we have you do?”

  “How about make love to you every day? That I would much prefer!” She rolled on top of Grace again, pushing her hard center against Grace’s. “I’d be a lot better at that part anyway.”

  “I’ll bet you would.”

  Lightly, Torrie clasped Grace around the wrists and pressed them into the mattress. “Want me to show you?”

  Growing breathless, Grace said, “I thought you just did.”

  Torrie nibbled her throat. “I’m not sure I quite got the point across. That was just the appetizer.”

  Grace chuckled throatily. “Oh, I see. I can hardly wait for the other courses then.”

  Torrie pulsed into Grace, hard and rhythmically, until her own breath was being sucked out of her chest. The friction made her so wet, and she throbbed achingly as she felt Grace grow excited too. She continued to push against her, still pinning her wrists, caught up in her own fierce desire with each thrust of her pelvis. “Oh, yeah,” she said thickly. “Oh, Grace. You make me want to come so hard.”

  “Yes, baby,” Grace cooed between breaths. “I want you to come for me.”

  “Ohh!” Torrie yelled, and with a final thrust, she came, collapsing on Grace. Trembling, she let go of Grace and Grace’s arms enclosed her. Grace softly kissed her temple, soothing her, loving her, and Torrie felt her own tears surface.

  “I love you so much, Torrie. I’m never going to let you go again, my beautiful, beautiful lover.”

  Torrie couldn’t speak, even though she wanted to express her love for Grace again, her mouth wouldn’t work, and even if it could, she wouldn’t have been able to find her voice. Grace seemed to sense it, and she held her tighter.

  They stayed that way for a long time. Vaguely, Torrie knew it must be getting late, but she didn’t care. She fully expected to stay up all night, talking with Grace, making endless love to her. There was no sense in pacing herself now, not when she’d waited all her life for this.

  She kissed Grace, then rolled onto her back and let Grace nestle into the crook of her shoulder. “I’m so incredibly happy, Grace.”

  “Me too.” She looked at the ceiling, unblinking. “I never thought I’d find this, Torrie. I never thought I’d find you.” She turned her head to look at Torrie and the smile reached all the way to her eyes. “There’s so many things I want to do with you.”

  “Really? Didn’t we get off to a good start already?”

  Grace blushed a little. “The best. But there are other things too.”

  “Not laundry, I hope.”

  Grace laughed shortly. “You’re off the hook for laundry, but I want to do stuff like, I don’t know, go to concerts together and stay for the whole thing next time!”

  “Agreed.”

  “And go on trips together, and read out loud to each other in bed. Maybe even get our own place together on Sheridan Island.”

  “That would be awesome,” Torrie said. “Aunt Connie would love that.”

  “She would, wouldn’t she? I’d love it too.” Her eyes flashed with a revelation. “Torrie, I’m going to teach you how to cook.”

  A surge of panic rose through Torrie. “Are you sure you want to take that project on?”

  “I’ll bet you’d be a wonderful student.”

  “Only if I get to be the teacher’s pet.”

  “I can most certainly promise you that.”

  “Whew. I don’t have to waste my time bringing you an apple.”

  Grace shook her head, laughing. “I love your sense of humor, Torrie.”

  “Good, because we’ll need that sense of humor when I teach you to golf.”

  “What?”

  “Oh, yes.” Torrie narrowed her eyes playfully. “If you get to teach me how to cook, then I get to teach you how to golf!”

  Grace leaned over and nipped at her throat playfully. “I don’t think that’s a fair tradeoff.”

  “It sounds perfectly fair to me.”

  “You know,” Grace said before planting a kiss on her chin. “We could call it a draw and take up tennis or skiing.”

  “Kiss me and we’ll negotiate.”

  Grace crawled fully on top of her and kissed her spiritedly. “If I do more than kiss you, will you let me choose our new hobby?”

  Torrie looked into Grace’s eyes, enjoying the playfulness in them. “All right. Just as long as you don’t choose knitting.”

  Grace kissed her again, the spark in her eyes bright when she looked at Torrie and said, “Okay, I’ve got it.”

  “Oh, no.” Torrie feigned concern. “What?”

  “Dancing!”

  “What?”

  “Ballroom dancing! God, I would love to do that with you, Torrie. We could take lessons and be just like the people on Dancing With The Stars. It would so much fun!”

  “Are you serious?”

  “I am, actually.”

  Torrie laughed, feeling surprisingly exultant. Being in a relationship was so incredibly different from the way she’d been living her life, where she had only to think of herself and plan for herself. Her house now had so many more rooms. She was a part of something so much bigger, and she loved it. She would go anywhere with Grace, do anything with her. “I’d love to whirl you around the dance floor. But only if we can call it Dancing With The Dykes.”

  Grace laughed and looked pleased. “It’s a deal.”

  “Now, how about those things you were going to do to me since I let you choose dancing?”

  “Hmmm, let me think. I could give your hair a trim. Or, let’s see. I could give you a manicure.”

  Torrie’s brow furrowed. “Do I look like the kind of per
son who wants a manicure?”

  “Okay.” Grace grinned. “How about a massage then?”

  “Only if it’s a certain kind of massage.”

  “You’re a picky customer.”

  “Yes, and don’t you forget it.” She grabbed Grace’s hand and pressed it between her legs. She only meant to tease, but… Oh! It felt so good when Grace touched her. She could not get enough of Grace, even wrapped tightly in her arms like this. The sudden, skilled stroking of Grace’s fingers was rapidly pushing her to the edge once again—almost too quickly. “Oh, honey. You don’t know what you do to me.” Her voice sounded rough and gravelly to her ears.

  “I think I do,” Grace burred. “Judging by how wet you are.”

  “I just want you so much.” Air came thinly into her lungs now. Her chest heaved. She felt Grace sliding down her body, kissing her way down, and Torrie had to use all her concentration and effort to stop herself from coming just at the thought of Grace going down on her. “Grace,” she said hoarsely, trying to warn Grace she was barely holding on, but it was too late. Grace’s mouth was on her and Torrie felt the center of her world expand and burst into a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes. And then it all collapsed into itself, like a house of cards, and she came harder than she’d ever come before.

  Gently, she pulled a protesting Grace up.

  “I was only getting started, you know.”

  Torrie kissed the disappointment from her fair eyebrows. “Sorry, but when you touch me like that…”

  “I’ll just have to go slower next time. Torture you a little.”

  “Don’t you dare!” Torrie let Grace nestle into the crook of her arm again. It felt so natural, like the fit of her favorite pair of boots. Only much nicer. “Just remember. I have plenty of ways in which to torture you too, my love.”

  “I can’t wait for anything you can dish out.”

  “Oh, really?” Torrie turned on her and began tickling Grace relentlessly under the arms, down her sides and across her stomach. She squirmed and giggled, finally squealing and begging Torrie to stop.

  “That was pretty cocky of you to dare me like that.” Torrie kissed her nose, then her lips.