Caution to the Wind

Chapter 19

"No regrets," Tara said, wrapping an arm around Emily's shoulders and kissing her temple, "I'd do any job in the world, as long as I got to be with you."

Emily rested her head against Tara's shoulder. "I love you so much, Tara," she said.

"I love you, too." Tara gave Emily's shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "Oh, you're so tense, baby," she cooed.

"Yeah, I know," Emily sighed.

"Let me help you," Tara murmured, massaging Emily's neck, "I can work out some of these knots, make you feel good."

Tara led Emily into the bedroom and placed both wineglasses on the dresser before kissing Emily and gently undressing her, letting her hands graze slowly and tenderly over newly exposed skin. She unzipped her own dress and let it fall to the floor around her. Emily lay on the bed on her stomach, and Tara straddled her hips. She started massaging Emily's shoulders—Emily always held so much tension in her shoulders—and worked out all the knots she'd accumulated at OPR before moving down her back, working her way down Emily's spine with strong, sure hands. It felt so good, but Emily wanted Tara's hands somewhere else, too. When Tara finished her massage, Emily rolled over onto her back and pulled Tara down on top of her, kissing her deeply as she reached around and unhooked Tara's bra. Tara nestled a toned thigh between Emily's legs, eliciting a quiet, strangled whimper.

"I want to hear you, Em," she husked, "You know how much I love those pretty sounds you make." She slid her hand down, gathering Emily's wetness on her fingers, and Emily didn't hold back her moans, nor the whine of protest when Tara pulled her hand away, but she wasn't complaining anymore at the sight of Tara bringing her fingers to her mouth and sucking Emily's arousal off them with a satisfied hum.

"Oh, you taste so good, baby," she cooed. She slid down Emily's body and spread her legs apart to taste her again. She grazed the tip of her tongue along Emily's pussy, teasing her with soft, gentle little licks that made her whine and pant, desperately seeking more of Tara's tongue. Tara loved that she could have this effect on Emily, almost as much as she loved the decadent moan Emily let out when Tara finally stopped teasing and swirled her tongue over Emily's clit, or the way Emily somehow managed to stretch her name out into four or five syllables as her orgasm made her legs tremble around Tara's head. She kissed the inside of Emily's thigh before sliding up the bed to lie next to her, brushing her bangs aside and stroking her flushed cheek. Emily looked so beautiful, and Tara felt like her heart might burst from pure love.

"You're so good to me, Tara," Emily purred with a coy smile, trailing her fingers down Tara's sternum between her breasts, "But don't you need to feel good, too, sweet girl?" She circled her index finger over Tara's nipple and kissed her neck as she shifted her weight, propping herself on one elbow to hover over Tara, who smiled up at her with bedroom eyes. Emily's hand slid down Tara's body until it reached the waistband of her underwear.

"Em..." Tara whispered. She plunged her fingers into Emily's hair and pulled her close, crashing their lips together in a passionate kiss as Emily's hand slipped into her underwear and started stroking her. Tara broke the kiss with a sharp gasp when Emily's fingers found her clit, and she released her grasp on Emily's hair, instead gripping the bedsheets as Emily's touch made her body feel weightless. She arched her back up off the mattress and came with a long, low moan.

Emily fell asleep with her head resting on Tara's chest and the covers—much more than her fair share of them—pulled up to her chin. They both slept soundly, feeling peaceful and happy in each other's arms, but when Emily's alarm went off in the morning, the bubble burst. Another day of stakeouts and couple's counseling awaited them, and they had to get up and face it. Emily buried her face in Tara's shoulder with an anguished groan.