Guilty as Sin - chapter 22 (Patreon)

I mostly wanted to just say at the beginning of this chapter - I'm so glad to have this community on here! Someone actually messaged me to discuss migraine medication, which might be a game changer. Who knows if I'd have found it otherwise?!

Alas, who would have predicted that the worst month I'd have in the last 12 months wasn't while on any deadline, but taken out by my own self?

Onto Guilty as Sin -

I did see someone ask just a little while ago if they should be prepared for spice in this chapter...

Yes, you should be prepared.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Charlotte hated feeling out of control.

And, if she was being honest, she also didn’t entirely enjoy experiencing new, unprecedented situations. Which – from the outside – likely seemed nonsensical. Given that she was literally choosing to embark on a life path that would be full of uncertainties, full of days dealing with new people and unprecedented situations.

But in those unknowns, there was still an element that made sense to her. In those unknowns, there were protocols and logistics and solutions.

Those situations weren’t personal.

Unlike the situation she was in right now. Completely out of her mind, in a situation she’d never have imagined herself in.

Still straddling Sutton’s lap in the back of her town car, as Sutton had two fingers buried inside of her. Rocking her hips down into Sutton’s hand with increasing urgency, as Charlotte thought she might be losing her goddamn mind.

What was wrong with her? She didn’t – she didn’t do things like this. Even with tinted windows and a soundproof partition, she’d have never done this with any other woman.

It wasn’t like she’d planned this, either, though. Not even close.

One of her hands gripped Sutton’s shoulder, the other holding tightly in her hair. Charlotte wasn’t really riding Sutton’s hand, just rocking down against her. Sutton had built a rhythm in the last… she had no damn idea how long it had been. Normally, Charlotte had a great sense of time. Right now, that was gone. Could have been ten minutes, could have been thirty.

She didn’t know; all she knew was that Sutton was curling and flexing her fingers inside of her, angling her hand up to rock against Charlotte’s clit every couple of seconds. Not giving her enough lasting contact to make Charlotte come, but she was at the point where – where just a little more and she’d shatter.

Her clit was throbbing, aching, and she was so close. So fucking close.

Pressing her forehead against Sutton’s, her eyes tightly closed, it was all she could do to breathe her in, while trying to bite back the sounds that continuously fell from her lips.

She knew she couldn’t entirely silence herself right now, while she was teetering right on the edge of an orgasm that promised to take her to another universe. But even with the soundproofed partition, she knew that could only protect so much volume.

If she shouted the way she wanted to, it would be heard. And Charlotte wasn’t going to do that.

“Sutton,” she breathed out – was that her? Was that whining, pitchy sound her?!

She couldn’t bring herself to care, as she dug her nails tighter against Sutton, trying to keep herself sane.

Sutton leaned in, pressing her lips to Charlotte’s. Licking into her mouth, humming out a throaty, hungry noise. Like she, too, was on the same brink Charlotte was on.

She rocked her hips down harder, working to grind her clit against Sutton’s hand more firmly, looking for more friction.

Not that friction really existed right now with how fucking soaked she was. Sutton’s entire hand was covered in her. Charlotte was positive her wetness had dripped onto her own dress and onto Sutton’s as well. Normally, that sort of thing would have been something she considered the logistics of before getting into this situation.

Right now, she couldn’t possibly.

Charlotte had felt heady with desire before, obviously. But it was never so targeted as this was. This wasn’t about sex, this was about Sutton. She’d never been with anyone and felt this acute need so sharply. She wasn’t near to coming, reaching for an orgasm just out of her reach, because of any person. It was because of Sutton.

And when Sutton angled her hand away from Charlotte’s clit, she realized that – that it wasn’t because Sutton couldn’t angle her hand correctly, or didn’t know what Charlotte needed to fall into her orgasm.

Sutton had been doing this deliberately. She’d been working Charlotte into one giant, pulsing, needy excuse for a human being, and she’d known it.

Charlotte groaned, clenching so tightly around Sutton at the realization. It shouldn’t surprise her, because she’d already learned – firsthand, literally – that for all of Sutton’s adorable, shy demeanor, she wasn’t timid during sex.

Still, it rocked through her, pushing her even higher. So close, so fucking close, but she needed more.

She broke from their kiss, unable to keep pace with Sutton’s hungry, demanding mouth on hers. Charlotte could barely even catch her own breath, every inhale feeling like it was catching and holding in her throat.

Like every single time she managed to intake oxygen, her body was prepared to fucking come. At any moment, she was primed. Clenching on Sutton’s fingers, thighs trembling, so –

“Make me come,” she half-pleaded, half-demanded, dropping her head forward, landing in the crook of Sutton’s neck. “Please, darling, I–”

She bit off on a moan, feeling utterly crazed. Feeling so out of control, it was terrifying. Or, it would be, she was sure. When she was able to think clearly.

Sutton gripped her waist tightly through her dress with one hand, then pressed her palm up. The direct, unyielding contact on Charlotte’s clit almost made her shout.

Almost, because before it could escape, she dug her teeth into the base of Sutton’s neck to keep herself quiet. Muffling the desperate, needy sounds that tore out of her as she came.

It was overwhelming, Sutton’s firm, constant touch on her clit after having been teased with it for so long. She came so hard, she was unaware of – everything. Of where they were, of what they’d been doing tonight, of their circumstances.

Nothing else registered, except for Sutton. Sutton’s fingers inside of her, tasting Sutton’s soft skin in her mouth, breathing her in with every inhale she could manage, as Charlotte shuddered against her.

When Sutton had taken everything Charlotte had to give, she simply collapsed against Sutton. All of her weight pressing into her lap, against her chest.

Sutton was deceptively strong; she could handle it.

Charlotte’s breathing was still labored as she came back to herself, trying to slot back into having some sort of grip on reality. Traffic or no, they had to be approaching her place soon. There was simply no way they weren’t close by.

“Fuck,” she murmured, only realizing then that she still had her mouth on Sutton’s body.

Especially as she felt Sutton shiver under her lips.

Charlotte could feel Sutton’s chest pressing against her own, rising and falling rapidly. Felt the hard bite of Sutton’s fingers against her waist.

“Charlotte, I… can you…” Sutton trailed off, her voice bafflingly hesitant given what they’d just done.

She snapped her head up, at attention. All of the post-orgasm fatigue and the creeping in of the Real World halted at the raspy tone of Sutton’s voice.

“I’m sure I can,” Charlotte stated, confident in herself even if she didn’t know what it yet was that Sutton was requesting. She would, absolutely, fulfil whatever sexual desire Sutton wanted.

Sutton’s lips twitched into a smile, even as she darted her eyes away from Charlotte’s. “I was thinking–” She cleared her throat. “Do you want to use a strap-on? On me. Tonight. I mean, or other times. And, I’d like to use it on you, too? But–”

Oh god. Briefly, her eyes closed of their own volition. Because the visions in her mind’s eye of all of the ways she could have Sutton, every way she could take her, flashed through with such clarity, it was shocking that they hadn’t yet done so.

Even though she’d just had an orgasm so strong, her clit was still twitching and even though Charlotte absolutely couldn’t come again for a little while, she felt her proverbial fuse get re-lit.

Charlotte reached out to place two of her fingers against Sutton’s jaw, turning her head back to look Charlotte in the eye. “Yes.” She wouldn’t clarify what she was affirming from anything in Sutton’s ramble. Yes. “To all of it.”

Sutton’s face was illuminated by the streetlights they drove by, and still, Charlotte could see the pink on her cheeks.

“I really want to be able to feel you against me. Like… completely,” Sutton’s voice dropped an octave lower, as she swept her eyes down to Charlotte’s chest. “While you’re inside of me.”

With the way Charlotte was settled in Sutton’s lap, it was very easy for Sutton to lock-in, focused there.

They were in the back of the car, Charlotte had to remind herself.

Because she was so damn tempted to bare herself to Sutton right now. To watch Sutton’s face as she took her in. Seeing Sutton’s responses, how expressive she was to Charlotte, had been one of the aspects she’d delighted in the most from their weekend together.

Charlotte had thought about it in the last two weeks. A lot. She’d thought about many things, mostly centered around Sutton, and she’d been nearly driven crazy by it all.

She felt the car slow down, tearing her eyes away from Sutton to look out the window and confirm – they were turning onto her street.

Quickly, she lifted her leg from Sutton and sat herself down on the seat, reality hitting her.

She smoothed one of her hands over her dress, smoothing her other hand through her hair, needing to be presentable before Neil opened the door for them. Like every person in her employ, Neil adhered to the utmost discretion. Being a great driver was half of the reason he was so highly recommended. The other half was his complete and total ability to not pay any attention to what was happening in the back of the car.

“Do I look okay?” She asked, turning completely to face Sutton.

“You look… incredible,” Sutton breathed back, a sweet, admiring smile on her lips.

It made Charlotte’s stomach do that fluttering-thing that she was still not used to. Not at all. But she undeniably enjoyed it.

Even so, she arched Sutton a look. “Thank you. But do I look as though you’ve just fucked me?”

Sutton’s blush deepened, her smile fading slightly. “Uh – not really, actually.” She reached out with both of her hands toward Charlotte’s hair, then froze, her gaze landing on Charlotte’s wetness clinging to her fingers. “I’ll, um, just use this hand,” she muttered, huffing out a quiet laugh, as she continued to reach forward with her dry hand, quickly pushing back any loose strands into her bun.

As she did so, Charlotte reached for her other hand, lifting it and sucking Sutton’s fingers into her mouth.

She felt the tension snap through Sutton’s body, felt the way Sutton flexed her fingers against Charlotte’s tongue, and she smiled around them. God, she tasted good on Sutton. The only thing that would be better would be tasting Sutton directly.

Slowly, she dragged Sutton’s hand back by the wrist, holding Sutton’s gaze with her own as she pulled her fingers out inch by inch. Flicking her tongue over her fingertips. Sutton didn’t exhale until Charlotte released her fingers completely.

Sutton didn’t put her hand into her lap, though. She held it between them, staring for several seconds. “I’m…” Her words sounded strangled, before the door opened, and she dropped her hand into her lap, curling it into a fist. She blinked up at Neil, before putting on a smile that wasn’t entirely convincing, but Charlotte was surprised by how normal Sutton managed to look. “Um. Thanks, Neil.”

He held out his hand to Sutton, which she resolutely did not take. Instead, she ducked her head and obviously pretended not to see him, keeping her hands to herself as she exited the car.

Charlotte did the same, if only to attempt to make Sutton’s movements appear less conspicuous than they were. “Thank you, Neil. Sutton’s going to be meeting a friend just down the block, so you are all set for the evening.”

He nodded at her. “Have a lovely evening, ma’am.” He also nodded at Sutton, “Ms. Spencer.”

Sutton offered him a wave that was slightly too quick to be totally normal, but overall, not too bad. Not too suspicious. “Have a good weekend.”

Sutton managed to speak in a normal tone, and Charlotte was incredibly pleasantly surprised. Impressive.

Then again, Sutton had managed somewhat normal interactions while Charlotte had been touching her thigh tonight under the table, too. She’d been reckless there, but had been unable to help herself.

It was as though, where Sutton was concerned, the part of her that was able to stay controlled was dulled down. She’d exercised all of that control while at work the last two weeks, and now… now she had to keep it together just until they made it up to her apartment.

The only contact she allowed herself at all was a hand on Sutton’s lower back as they walked, something that she’d done dozens of times before.

Granted, the dozens of times she’d done so in the past, Sutton hadn’t just made her come so hard she’d almost forgotten her own name.

Charlotte rolled her shoulders back and kept her head held high, as she nodded to her doorman, and then again at the older woman they shared an elevator with up to her floor.

Inside, she was counting down the seconds until they were in her apartment, the door securely closed behind them.

As soon as it was, she turned to press Sutton against it, thankful for her heels because they put her at the perfect height to capture Sutton’s mouth with hers in a blistering kiss.

Sutton responded immediately, releasing sharp, needy sounds into Charlotte’s mouth.

She only pulled back to break their kiss because she needed to say, “You – in this dress… god, Sutton.”

Charlotte leaned back enough to drag her eyes down, taking her in. The way the color made her eyes pop, how it accentuated the long lines of her body. And she’d had to not only take Sutton in while she wore this dress in front of colleagues, but Sutton’s parents.

When she thought about it in those terms, Charlotte was actually proud of herself for the self-control she’d exerted tonight. She was absolutely positive she’d given nothing of her attraction to Sutton away tonight, not in public.

“Charlotte,” Sutton’s voice was so low, it made her shiver. “Please, take me to your bedroom.”

She didn’t have to be asked twice.

As they entered her room, though, Sutton’s footsteps slowed.

“Have you…” Sutton trailed off, shaking her head before she cleared her throat. “Have you done that with other women?”

Charlotte was attempting to maintain a level-head, even though all she could see in her mind’s eye was Sutton, naked, laid out before her, ready to take Charlotte’s strap.

But – no.

She shook her head, bringing herself back to the present. Back to Sutton, her hand clasped together in front of her, asking her about – other women?

“Other women?” Charlotte echoed her confused thoughts aloud. “Done… what with them, exactly?”

Sutton’s fingers entangled tightly, flexing, as she grimaced. “Um. Had sex in the car?”

“Ah,” Charlotte hummed, realizing where Sutton’s mind had gone. “No, I haven’t.” She slowly tilted her head at Sutton, holding onto her gaze, staring intently at her. Hoping Sutton could see how serious she was as she said, “I’ve never been so reckless with anyone, as I’ve been with you.”

Because that was precisely what having sex in the car was: completely, utterly reckless. It was, objectively, thoughtless and full of unnecessary risks and dumb, even with having her own, private car, tinted windows, soundproofing, and a driver who signed every privacy agreement known to man.

“I’ve never wanted someone so much that it overpowers everything else,” she stated, feeling the slight edge of nerves with it.

Sutton’s eyes fluttered closed, and it filled Charlotte with an odd warmth, knowing that she’d been able to allay some of Sutton’s… concerns? Maybe they were just questions, but she obviously liked Charlotte’s answer.

“I’ve never wanted someone like this, either,” Sutton informed her, blinking her eyes open, staring so openly back at Charlotte.

Whose lips curled into a smile. It wasn’t shocking to hear Sutton say that, but it also didn’t mean that the words didn’t feel good. Hitting a place inside of her that demanded Charlotte be Sutton’s best. That she fulfil all of Sutton’s wants and desires and needs more than anyone else ever had.

With that, she took Sutton’s hand and tugged her over to the dresser, where she opened the top drawer and revealed her – admittedly relatively modest – sex toys.

Even so, Sutton came to a halting stop as soon as she saw the contents in the drawer. Blue eyes widened, the color high in her cheeks, which Charlotte found unreasonably charming, given that this woman had just done to her in the back of a car.

Gently, she skated her fingertips up Sutton’s shoulder, over to her neck, then up, tucking her hair behind her ear. Lingering, just to feel the softness against her own skin. “Are you all right? You are the one who wanted to use a strap-on…?”

She trailed off, gently teasing. Hoping that it wasn’t pushing Sutton too far, hoping she didn’t come off as callous.

It was… well, this whole dynamic was so different from anything Charlotte was used to, anything she knew.

No, she’d never have mocked or genuinely teased any sexual partner she’d ever had. It was important to her, even in her – as Caleb loved to say – “fuckboy” days to treat every woman she was with, with utmost respect. Anyone walking away from a sexual encounter with a negative feeling or impression of her was appalling.

But all of that was simply being a decent person. She didn’t have any investment in anyone’s individual feelings.

If she, in any way, pushed Sutton too far, or made her feel badly, Charlotte would bear the heavy weight of that on her shoulders.

But Sutton shook her head, blinking away from Charlotte’s variety of sex toys, turning to look at her. “No, it’s not – I mean. It’s just. Wow. You’re… really… prepared.”

Her voice grew quieter, self-deprecating, as she gestured needlessly in front of them.

Letting out a relieved breath, Charlotte could lean into her amusement. “Yes, well, always be prepared isn’t a slogan that only benefits the boy scouts.”

In fact, tonight – imminently, she hoped – it would benefit the two of them.

Charlotte felt a shudder work through her whole body. Again. But she drew in a deep breath, tempering her expectations.

When she could zoom out from the heat pulsing through her body, she could very much see and feel the magnitude of tonight.

Tonight, the first time she and Sutton were going to take their relationship and move it into something real. The very first time Charlotte was ever going to take a step toward a genuine romantic relationship with anyone, beyond easy and uncomplicated sex.

If Sutton had second thoughts or if she wanted to hit the brakes a little bit –

“I guess I just didn’t expect you to be so prepared?” Sutton cut off Charlotte’s thoughts before she could get too ahead of herself. A hesitant little smile played on her lips, as she gestured at the drawer again. “I mean. Well. You have had a lot of partners in the past, so–”

Charlotte brought her hand up, holding it over her chest, a bit affronted. “Sutton, nothing you are seeing in front of you has ever been used with anyone else.” Tilting her head, she gestured at the purple vibrator. “Save for that. I use that on myself.”

A soft whimper broke from Sutton’s lips, her mouth parting with it, and Charlotte locked onto her gaze.

Sutton licked her lips, breathing a little faster, as she shook her head. “I…” Sutton’s eyes fell to Charlotte’s mouth, and she very deliberately ran her own tongue over her bottom lip, shivering at the way Sutton watched her. Then Sutton squeezed her eyes closed, as if trying desperately to get a hold of herself. “I mean. You just keep unused sex toys on hand?”

Charlotte couldn’t stop the absurdly entertained chuckle from escaping her if she tried. “Ah, no. These are purchases I’ve made in the last couple of weeks.”

Sutton’s eyebrows lifted, and she turned back to look at the drawer. “The last couple of weeks?”

“Yes,” she confirmed, pressing closer. Right into Sutton’s personal space.

She reached up, gliding her hand up Sutton’s back, until her fingers found the zipper of her dress. She toyed with it in her fingers, deliberately arching Sutton a look and waiting to pull it down.

She could feel the way Sutton’s breath shuddered out of her, as she nodded.

Without hesitating another second, she smoothly slid the zipper down, reaching her other hand up to trail down the soft, revealed skin of Sutton’s back. Like warm silk under her fingers, and both of their eyes closed at the contact.

“I thought my control had been tested before my birthday,” she said, quietly, blinking her eyes open once more. Needing to look at Sutton’s face. Craving her. “I thought it was the hardest possible thing, having you in my proximity at work but being unable to really have you in any way.”

Sutton slowly nodded in agreement, as she reached back and fumbled slightly in her search for the zipper on Charlotte’s dress. She arched into Sutton, maneuvering to make it easier to find.

“But the most difficult thing, really, was being so close to you after having you like this. I’ve never been so tested in my entire life,” Charlotte breathed out, surging up onto her tiptoes to press her lips to Sutton’s.

She kissed Sutton the way she’d imagined doing for the last two weeks.

Every time she’d walked into the office and seen Sutton in those preppy-professional outfits, that were begging to have Charlotte reach down and take a fistful of the collar, kissing Sutton every time she passed by her desk.

Every time Sutton would be concentrating and would dig her teeth into this bottom lip – she groaned, nipping her own teeth into the softness now.

Impatient hands shoved Sutton’s dress down her body, taking her barely-there underwear with it, then did away with her bra. She only stopped touching Sutton for a few seconds in order to assist Sutton in taking her own dress and bra off as well.

Sutton had been onto something, Charlotte thought, as the electricity buzzed through her veins. She pressed herself against Sutton, feeling the hard press of her nipples, the soft heat of her skin, and she shuddered.

She really wanted this – this whole-body connection.

Sutton kissed her back like a woman starved her hands streaking down Charlotte’s body, then scratching back up, like she couldn’t decide where to touch.

That had never been a problem for Charlotte before. Keeping enough of a level-head in the bedroom, staying focused on whatever it was she wanted to do.

Right here, right now, with Sutton, though, Charlotte very well might lose herself in her touch.

No – no.

“On the bed,” she managed out, pushing Sutton’s hips back, forcing her back a step.

Sutton nodded, pausing only to turn back to look at Charlotte’s drawer. She pointed to the 6-inch silicone in the middle, also the middle in terms of the sizes of the three options Charlotte had purchased.

Again – she needed to be prepared.

“That one.”

Charlotte wasted no time in putting the harness on and affixing Sutton’s choice, before she turned to the bed.

Where Sutton was laying, staring at her with dark eyes. One of her hands was gripping tightly at the comforter, the other –

“Fuck,” Charlotte breathed out on a low groan.

Sutton was touching herself, rubbing her clit in gentle circles.

Charlotte would never take nude photos on her phone, of herself or Sutton, given the possibility of them being found. But she noted mentally in this moment that she had to invest in some sort of instant-print camera or – or something.

The way Sutton looked laying against her bed, her red hair fanned out behind her, a soft blush on her skin, all long legs and…

Sutton was breathing heavily, and as soon as she locked her eyes onto Charlotte’s she ceased all movement. The color in her cheeks darkened, as she blinked up at her. “I – I didn’t even mean to, I just–”

“You certainly don’t have to stop on my account, darling,” she encouraged, and… wow, Charlotte had officially overcome the need to wait as long as she typically did before she’d be ready to come again.

Her clit throbbed, the orgasm she’d had less than thirty minutes ago entirely forgotten, at the sight of Sutton touching herself in her bed.

How had this not been on Charlotte’s long list of visuals she needed to experience?

“I didn’t – I just – I’m so… ready,” Sutton’s voice fell to a whisper, as she stared up at Charlotte. Raking her eyes over her entire body, her lips parted as she took her in.

A rush swept through her so strongly it made her lightheaded. Charlotte didn’t consider herself vain; yes, she liked how she looked. Yes, she was very confident in her physicality as well. And of course, she enjoyed how the women she’d been with seemed to respond to her, too.

But she’d never felt like this. Felt so heady and wanted and simply thrilled because of the way Sutton so obviously desired her.

Charlotte knelt on the bed, taking the time to spread Sutton’s thighs wider. Looking down between her legs, and seeing the way Sutton was dripping for her.

“I can tell how ready you are,” she murmured, unable to stop herself.

She gripped both of Sutton’s thighs and slid down, drawing her tongue up her slit, before she concentrated on her clit. Hard and throbbing and so ready to be devoured by Charlotte, and Charlotte was so ready to devour.

“I – oh my god,” Sutton’s words were laced with a keening whine, and both of her legs bent at the knee, pressing tightly against Charlotte’s ears. She brought both of her hands down, tunneling into Charlotte’s hair, gripping against her tightly.

Sutton’s hips jerked up against her, as she let out a long, shuddering moan, and Charlotte moved with her, using one of her hands to grip Sutton’s waist, pressing her down against the bed.

She swept her other hand over the back of Sutton’s thigh, teasing Sutton’s opening with her fingertips. Coated in Sutton entirely within seconds.

Charlotte moaned against Sutton, flicking the tip of her tongue against her clit, as she slid two of her fingers inside. Then immediately added another, as soon as it was clear that Sutton had absolutely no issue taking her fingers all the way to the knuckle.

“I – Ch-Charlotte, I’m – it’s – I’m going to–” Sutton broke off, rocking her hips up into Charlotte’s face harder.

She curled her fingers inside of Sutton, worked her tongue back and forth over her clit one more time…

Then used every ounce of self-control she had to pull away.

Sutton dropped her head back, groaning long and low in her throat. “What? I – no? Charlotte, I’m…”

Her tone was shaky and her thighs were trembling as Charlotte lifted her head, looking at Sutton’s body. The way she was laid out for Charlotte. Her nipples so tight, her stomach clenching with every rough exhale.

“You’re close to coming,” Charlotte finished for her, knowingly. “And I want you that close when you take me inside of you.”

“Jesus,” Sutton released on a whimper.

Then, before Charlotte could get into position, Sutton swiftly moved. She scooted backwards, before pushing up onto her knees.

“S-sit, there,” Sutton’s voice shook, clearly more from being so close to orgasm and not from nerves or hesitancy. There were no nerves etched into her expression, only raw need.

And Charlotte had no issue listening to her, following Sutton’s breathy command to sit against the headboard.

Sutton promptly moved to straddle her lap, reaching back to brace herself against the headboard, as she reached down with her other hand to angle Charlotte’s toy up.

Then, as soon as she found the angle she was looking for, she slid down and took Charlotte right to the hilt. She kept her heavily-lidded eyes open, staring up at Sutton, unable to look away. Like hell would she miss a moment of this.

She couldn’t miss how Sutton’s head fell back, her long hair a waterfall of fire down her back, the way the her hips looked as she started lifting herself up a few inches, before rocking down against Charlotte.

Sutton moved faster, and Charlotte’s headboard thumped against the wall, mixing with the cries and groans that were on a free fall from Sutton’s lips.

Charlotte felt as though she was in a trance. Her hands on Sutton’s hips, feeling every movement, every jerking shudder.

“You’re close, aren’t you?” She asked, staring intently at Sutton’s face.

How her lips were parted and her eyes were glassy, and she held Charlotte’s gaze, nodding intently. “So – so close.”

Charlotte wrapped her arms tightly around her waist, then, pulling Sutton down onto her. Full-body contact, just as Sutton had requested.

“This was what you wanted, right?” She asked against Sutton’s ear, as she felt Sutton immediately claw her hands down her back.

She arched impossibly closer at the bite of her nails.

“Yes. Yesss,” Sutton moaned against her, breathing getting choppy.

“My whole body against yours,” Charlotte jerked her own hips up into Sutton, before holding Sutton down into her and grinding them together.

“Mm-hmm, yes, god, Charlotte.”

“Then come for me, darling. Do you know how desperate I’ve been for it? How many times I’d come home from work and touch myself while thinking of you?” She asked, and was entirely honest.

She’d kept such a tight lid on at work, but she’d been dying on the inside. In ways she’d never experienced before, in ways that were honestly a little frightening.

Sutton’s entire body shuddered in her arms, her hips jerking uncontrollably into Charlotte’s, and she hissed in a long, low breath through her teeth, feeling her clit ache at the contact.

There was nothing she could imagine better than this. Better than the feeling of Sutton coming for her, while Charlotte was buried inside of her. Better than the cacophony of sounds Sutton released as she came for her.

She slowly stroked her hands up and down Sutton’s back as she came down from her orgasm, feeling her relax. Feeling something soft and beautiful take root inside of her at the way she felt Sutton completely relax against her.

No, she thought, taking a deep inhale against Sutton’s hair.

There was nothing she could imagine that was better than this.

And that… well, that was kind of terrifying, wasn’t it?

***

Later that night, when they were both lying in Charlotte’s bed, and she’d turned the lights out, that feeling returned.

That feeling inside of her that was good, but… but was so good, it was also scary.

Sutton was on her side, facing Charlotte, her blue eyes looking electric in the moonlight that filtered in through the window.

“Your hair is really beautiful,” Sutton’s voice was quiet, as she reached out and gently stroked back some of Charlotte’s waves.

It had taken her a bit longer than usual before bed to untangle them, given the intricate bun she’d styled earlier, plus the way Sutton’s hands had then destroyed that hairstyle.

“Says you,” she teased back, because there was no one on the planet with hair more gorgeous than Sutton’s, more eye-catching.

Sutton rolled her eyes at her. “But yours – the waves, and it’s so incredibly soft…”

She sighed, before pulling her hand on the bed between them, staring inquisitively at Charlotte. “You know, with the dress you had on tonight and the way you’d done your hair, I kind of thought you looked more appropriate for a wedding than a dinner…?”

Charlotte felt her cheeks heat at the realization that Sutton knew her that well, that she’d been able to see exactly what Charlotte had done. “I – yes, well,” she cleared her throat. “I wanted to make a good impression.”

“On… my parents?” Sutton asked, sounding so very pleased.

Charlotte pursed her lips, before humming out the confirmation. “Yes. I wanted to make a good impression on your parents. Not only do I care about their professional opinion, but… yes.”

There, that was all she needed to say; Sutton obviously understood what she was getting at.

But Charlotte had never struggled to dress for a work event – or any event, honestly – the way she had for the dinner earlier tonight. She owned many beautiful clothes, a wide variety of outfits that would make sense to wear and would be very flattering on her. But she wanted Jack and Katherine Spencer to see her and have no doubts in their minds about the quality and caliber of her person, via the first impression.

“On a related note, how could you possibly have doubted that I still wanted you? That I had second thoughts?” Charlotte asked, thinking about when Sutton had joined her in the car earlier, about how she’d doubted that Charlotte was still in this.

“Do you know how hard it was for me to stay all… normal the last two weeks?” Sutton challenged, pushing herself up slightly, staring down at Charlotte with wide eyes.

It was adorable and comical, and she chuckled, staring up at her.

Sutton had done an impressively good job, though. Charlotte had been slightly concerned about that lack of a poker face when they were at work, but largely, Sutton had done very well.

Which had only served to make Charlotte feel even more sure about this, about seeing where they could go.

“And?” Charlotte challenged right back. “What makes you think I wasn’t feeling the same?”

“You had no slip-ups. You were completely – it didn’t even seem like you struggled at all,” Sutton shot back, exasperated. “You smiled the same, occasionally touched my shoulder. All the usual stuff.”

“Yes, and I’m very proud of that fact. Because I have to be able to do that,” she stated, firmly, some of her amusement fading away. She really needed Sutton to know that, though. That Charlotte needed to stay impassive and undetected, no matter what. Even if they were together. “But… it has been torture,” she confessed. “If I gave even an inch, I’m not sure I’d have been able to stop.”

Shaking her head, she tightly closed her eyes.

“I shouldn’t have touched your thigh like that tonight, either.” So incredibly risky. “But we finally crossed the finish line, and I was feeling so…”

Charlotte trailed off, unable to describe how, precisely, she’d been feeling. It had all been so much, rolled into one.

The two-week torture was done. They were going to be able to have sex again, and – and more, whatever that was going to entail. Sutton looked so gorgeous, and she was so sweet, and she’d apparently talked about Charlotte to her parents long before the romantic aspect of them was a possibility.

It was so enticing, all of it.

And on the heels of thinking through all of that, Charlotte reached up and rubbed her hand over her eyes.

“Sutton…” She paused again, searching for the right words, the right way to say this. Charlotte was used to communicating, often and in-depth. But this kind of communication, involving personal feelings – it was so out of her wheelhouse.

Charlotte did not enjoy being out of her wheelhouse.

But she would do it for Sutton. For… for whatever it was that they were embarking on. She thought it was especially relevant given Sutton’s comments earlier.

“I know that I’m, ah, a bit more experienced, sexually,” she summarized, succinctly, arching Sutton a wry look.

Sutton flushed, but nodded.

“But, darling, you have to understand that this,” she gestured in the few inches of space between them. “Is entirely new to me. I’ve never thought about someone for weeks, counting down until we’re able to do this again.”

She’d yearned for Sutton. Which made Charlotte feel utterly insane. Because for most of that time, she’d seen Sutton every day. Sutton had sat at her desk, twenty feet from Charlotte’s.

But she’d been unattainable, untouchable, and Charlotte had longed for her in a way that had started to make her concerned about her own mental health.

“Do you understand how much I’ve wanted you? And not only regarding sex, but – you. The fact that you thought at all that I’d possibly changed my mind about you, about us, about this, is absolutely mind-boggling. Because you’ve been the only subject I’ve been capable of focusing on, to the point of distraction. And you are singularly the only person I have ever come close to feeling this way about.” She stared intently at Sutton, her heart pounding harder in her chest, as she hoped Sutton could see and hear and feel the gravity of that.

Of what this was to her.

“This isn’t normal. This can’t be normal,” Charlotte found herself murmuring, shaking her head against her pillow. Did other people really feel this way?! “It makes me feel crazy. Am I going crazy?”

“It is normal.” Sutton’s tone was so gentle, and so was her touch as she reached out and laid her hand over Charlotte’s. Those blue eyes were so wide and so sweet and so understanding, as she assured her, “Charlotte, this is the most normal thing in the world.” Sutton bit at her bottom lip, holding Charlotte’s gaze and refusing to let it go. “I’m sort of still struggling to understand how you haven’t felt this way before. And that you feel it for me. But… it’s normal.”

Charlotte stared. Sutton, with her ocean blue eyes and her flame red hair and her light smattering of freckles and her tall, lithe, sinfully sexy body and her earnest vulnerability and her surprising fortitude and her even more surprising firm sense of self, and her most surprising dogged courage to chase what she wanted – even if what she wanted was her fucking boss! – was baffled as to how Charlotte felt this way about her?

It didn’t matter if Charlotte was experienced in relationships or not; it was clear as day to her that Sutton Spencer was a catch.

It was even more clear to her that if Charlotte didn’t at least try to explore a relationship with Sutton that she’d regret it. How many Suttons were there in the world?

“No. I actually don’t think there is anything normal about this at all,” she said, softly, as she slid in closer to Sutton, tangling her hand into her hair, pulling her into another kiss.

***

Charlotte yawned as she made her way through her apartment, toward the door.

The morning sun was filtering in through her windows, bright and unapologetic. It felt even brighter, given that she and Sutton hadn’t finally collapsed into bed together to sleep until that same sun had started coming up this morning.

She’d never slept with someone in her bed.

That had been the first thought on her mind when she’d been awoken by the knock on her door. From her bedroom, it hadn’t been very loud, but she swore she’d heard it.

She cinched her robe closed, shaking her hair back as she walked down the hall.

Her doorman wouldn’t just let anyone into the building, so it wasn’t as though this would be a solicitor. Her grandmother? Caleb?

She was pre-emptively annoyed by the very thought, frowning at the door as she approached. But she had no idea where she’d dropped her clutch last night – oh, there it was, next to the door. Of course – and she’d left her phone in it all night, so she couldn’t check her messages and tell them to go the fuck away.

And she wanted her grandmother or brother or best friend to stop knocking before waking Sutton up. Why were either of them coming to pound on her door on a Saturday morning?

All right, granted, it wasn’t early on a Saturday morning. The glance at the clock on her microwave informed her that it was – holy shit, it was after eleven?!

She supposed it made sense, again, given that they’d only gone to sleep about five hours ago. But… she never slept this late. And she was one-hundred percent certain that Sutton didn’t either. She didn’t think Sutton had ever stayed up as late as they’d been up last night, though. And she’d been deliriously tired when she’d fallen next to Charlotte, dropping immediately into a deep sleep.

But – it was after eleven, and that itched at something in Charlotte’s mind.

Regardless, she scrubbed her hand over her face once more, prepared to open the door and either tell Caleb and/or Dean off or tell her grandmother now was not a good time.

Only – only it wasn’t her grandmother or Caleb or Dean.

It wasn’t anyone here for Charlotte, at all.

Pure horror filtered pierced through her at the sight of Katherine Spencer.

Standing here.

On her doorstep.

Phone in hand, concern etched into her expression.

At least, it was concern, until she registered Charlotte. And then her expression shifted into something… else.

Charlotte’s hands immediately went back to her silk robe, tugging it tighter around her body, making sure nothing was being revealed that shouldn’t be. Her mind raced, because what the hell was she doing here?!

“Mrs. Spencer,” her tone wasn’t quite normal, but she didn’t hold that against herself. Not right now. “What–” She cleared her throat, her pulse skittering through her veins. “Apologies. What are you doing here?”

“We’re looking for Sutton. Who, apparently, never made it home last night. And wasn’t there for brunch this morning. Which has never… happened… before,” Katherine’s voice went brittle, her lips curling downward as her eyes narrowed.

Charlotte’s heart sank to her floor. She’d obviously just woken up, her hair was a fucking mess, she was clearly wearing a short robe with nothing else on underneath.

And, for once, she didn’t know how to handle this situation. Katherine obviously had decided to come to her home to look for Sutton; did that mean she knew Sutton was here, or was she merely looking for her?

How could they have forgotten to set an alarm?!

… all right, Charlotte knew the answer to that.

Before she could figure out what to possibly say, though, everything got worse.

“Charlotte, did you realize the time?!” Sutton’s voice came from behind her. “I’m – well, we’re? – late for–”

She turned just in time to see Sutton behind her. Sutton, who’d obviously thought Charlotte was in the kitchen and not answering the door, wrapped in only a sheet from Charlotte’s bed.

Oh god. She might have a cardiac event. If Sutton showing up on her birthday weekend and stripping hadn’t done her in, this very well might.

Sutton came to a stumbling halt, her mouth falling open, eyes wide. “Mom?!”

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