DESTINED AFFECTION

TWENTY TWO

Lauren waited for Camila in front of the car, then took her hand and together, they climbed the back stairs to the kitchen. Wordlessly, Lauren led her down the hallway, dimly lit by a muted chandelier, to the stairs ascending to the second floor and her bedroom. At the foot of the stairs, she turned and met Camila's gaze.

"We could have a drink in the living room and listen to some music, or—" '

"You know," Camila interrupted gently, "you've been taking all the risks lately. It's about time I took some."

At Lauren's questioning gaze, Camila smiled. "You asked me out tonight, remember? And you asked me to come in just now, too. I know neither of those things was easy for you." Skimming her fingertips through the hair at the base of Lauren's neck, she framed Lauren's face in both hands, palms lightly cupping her jaw. Carefully, she brought her mouth to Lauren's and kissed her, a slow, thorough kiss that left them both slightly breathless. "Let me be the one to say that I want to make love with you now. Right now."

"Yes." Lauren's voice rang with both certainty and longing. Her grip on Camila's hand tightened as they climbed the stairs.

In the bedroom, Lauren released Camila's hand to cross the room and turn on a lamp in the far corner. It illuminated the room in a warm golden glow Hesitantly, she turned to Camila, who waited just inside the door. "Unless you'd rather not have the light?"

"It's perfect." The corner of Camila's mouth lifted. "I want to look at you as much as I want to touch you."

Lauren trembled even as heat suffused her. "I...believe it or not, this is new for me."

"Me, too." Camila walked to within a foot of her and stopped. She looked into Lauren's eyes as she said, "I've never been with a woman I've wanted so much in so many ways." She lifted her hand, rested her fingertips against the curve of Lauren's cheek. "I want to see you, touch you—know you. All of you—everywhere."

"Camila," Lauren murmured thickly. She slipped her hands inside the brunette's blazer, careful not to touch Camila's body as she lifted the jacket up and off, enjoying the waiting as much as the wanting. Then she wrapped her arms around Camila's neck and melted into her.

Each time they embraced, it was as natural as breathing. With a groan, Camila did what she'd been wanting to do for the last five hours. She slid her hands around Lauren's waist, gently pulled the blouse from the waistband of the silk slacks, and spread her hands across Lauren's naked lower back. The flesh beneath her fingers was hot, the muscles quivering. She spread her fingers lower, over Lauren's buttocks, and guided Lauren against the curve of her abdomen and thighs.

Rocking her hips indolently, Lauren nuzzled Camila's neck, then the undersurface of her jaw, then her earlobe, catching skin gently between her teeth before licking the tiny pinpoints of pain with the tip of her tongue. With a hand between their bodies, she deftly loosed the buttons on Camila's shirt and slipped her hand inside, pressing her palm to Camila's lower abdomen, fingertips barely grazing the upper edge of her underwear.

Camila jerked at the touch and brought her lips to the hollow at the base of Lauren's throat. "I've wanted this so much."

"Oh," Lauren breathed as the muscles jumped beneath her hand, "I love the way you get so tight when I touch you." Slowly, she raked her nails up the center of Camila's belly as she flicked her tongue along the edge of Camila's ear. When Camila shuddered and groaned again, she murmured, "You like?"

"You're killing me."

Lauren tilted her head back and laughed, the sound throaty and deep. Delighted. "Not just yet I'm not."

Fighting to clear her head of the haze of desire, Camila kissed Lauren's neck, then moved her lips in a languorous trail down the center of Lauren's chest. She worked the first button on the royal blue blouse free and parted the material with her fingers so that she could press her face between Lauren's breasts. When she turned her head and kissed the swell of firm flesh, Lauren's fingers came into her hair and drew her even closer.