Page 83 of Any Kind of Life
“I don’t hurt anymore.”
“No?” Paige smiled, knowing exactly what Juliet was trying to say. “Not at all?”
Juliet didn’t respond. She simply stared back at Paige, waiting for her to make the first move. Was Paige worried she wasn’t ready? Yes, she was. But she didn’t want to discuss it with Juliet for fear of her believing Paige was trying to get out of whatever was about to happen. Honestly, she missed touching Juliet so much. Because nothing should have been this way, and Juliet was right. They’d had so many filthy plans for when Paige came home.
“Paige, if you don’t want?—”
Paige silenced Juliet with a kiss, deepening it as Juliet wrapped a hand through Paige’s hair. She never wanted Juliet to look at her and question her love. Never. All she wanted was to feel their connection, deeper than ever before.
Juliet tightened the hand in Paige’s hair, pulling back to catch her breath. When she looked back at Paige, fire in her eyes, Paige knew Juliet wanted whatever she claimed she did only moments ago. She gripped Juliet’s hip, careful to avoid her stomach and wound area, and went back in for another kiss.
She slid her tongue into Juliet’s mouth, savouring the very taste she had missed. No woman in this world would ever taste as good as Juliet did. Juliet loosened the hand in Paige’s hair and brought it between them. She took the hand Paige had settled on her hip and guided it past the waistband of her sweats. “P-Paige, I need you.”
Paige didn’t wait a second to feel Juliet. If this was what worked for her, then so be it. Paige would always feel honoured to be the woman pleasuring Juliet. Life may be up and down right now, but this right here was who they were. It was what they wanted from one another. Paige…could never turn it down.
She pressed two fingers between Juliet’s lips, smiling against her mouth when Juliet gasped. That sound was as beautiful as ever but far more powerful tonight. Paige drew back and gazed into Juliet’s eyes. “I never want you to think I don’t need this as much as you, babe.” Paige dipped lower and eased into Juliet. Her eyes shone, the love undeniable, but it was quickly taken over by intense arousal as Paige slowly pushed in and out. “I’ll always want you. Every minute of the day.”
“O-oh, Paige.” Juliet’s lips parted when Paige touched her forehead to Juliet’s. “Y-yes.”
Paige cradled Juliet with one arm, unable to take her eyes off the woman she would call her wife one day. “Fuck, Juliet.”
Juliet whimpered, her walls squeezing Paige’s fingers.
“I can feel how much you need me.” Paige dipped her head and kissed Juliet again. Was she surprised that Juliet was so desperate for her? Yes. Should she be? Probably not. If there was one thing they had plenty of…it was hot and steamy moments together. “And you’re close.”
“S-so close.” Juliet slipped a hand down her sweats and moaned as she teased her clit. “F-fuck, baby.”
“Mm, that’s it.” Fewer things in life were greater than watching Juliet come undone. “You wanna come for me?”
“I-I…” Juliet came silently, her eyes locked on Paige’s.
Paige grinned, watching several emotions cross Juliet’s face. “God, you’re so fucking beautiful when you come.”
Juliet shook against Paige, still working her clit slowly. Paige slipped out of her, joining in as she entwined her fingers with Juliet’s. “T-that,” Juliet said, light gasps falling from her mouth as Paige pressed a little harder. “Oh, fuck, that was exactly what I needed.”
Paige slowly rolled her fingers, aware that Juliet’s eyes were barely open as she nuzzled into Paige’s chest. “Relax and close your eyes. This is our bed for the rest of the night.”
Chapter 29
Paige watched Juliet from behind her sunglasses, enjoying the quiet of a late morning on the dock. They had decided to sit outside one of the bistros and drink coffee, and even though Paige knew it was time to leave, she didn’t want to. She wanted to sit here and admire Juliet. It was all she ever wanted to be doing.
She smiled when the server placed the bill down on the table. Juliet hadn’t even flinched, and right now, that was a positive. It didn’t take much for Juliet to feel uneasy lately, and yes, that extended to the simple task of a server approaching the table.
“I’ve got the bill, babe. Did you want to keep walking or head home?”
Juliet turned to Paige, a gentle smile playing on her lips. “I’m enjoying being out of the apartment. Let’s keep walking.”
“Perfect. I’ll just go inside and pay, okay?” Paige rose to her feet, looking down at Juliet. “You good?”
“I’m fine. Just enjoying the view.” She looked back out at the dock and sighed. “I’m so lucky to have you in my life, Paige.”
Paige grinned. This ‘gazing longingly’ Juliet was one of her favourite Juliets. “Right back at you, babe.” Paige rushed inside and paid their bill, opting to leave Juliet for as little time as possible.
Yesterday had been a mixed bag of emotions for them both. Paige had hated seeing Juliet so up in the air, then they’d had an amazing evening with Hannah and Caz, and then what followed…well, Paige hadn’t expected it at all. But if Juliet felt as though she was in a place where she wanted to be intimate again, Paige wouldn’t turn her down. Their intimacy was the only thing nobody had interfered with in recent months.
She landed back outside on the walkway between the bistro and the dock edge. Juliet smiled out at the water, her shoulders relaxed. If they could have little moments like this in the coming weeks, then life would begin to return to normal. The normal Juliet so desperately craved last night.
Normal. Paige snorted and shook her head. Nothing would ever be the old normal again, but in some ways, Paige was happy about that. Their normal had once consisted of watching their backs and living their life under Henry’s constant gaze.