roses & thorns

chapter 1

She didn't know how she ended up here, but she hated it already. Cheryl had never been the party girl type and the most alcohol she had ever had was a few glasses of wine. And that was only to make holidays with her family more bearable. But now here she was in the middle of a bar crawl in Brooklyn with her cousin Betty and four of her friends from high school. Cheryl was only slightly familiar with them. She grew up in the same town as everyone else, but she was homeschooled and was kept far too busy with her daily activities to have much of a social life. And after her brother died and her parents divorced when she was sixteen, she didn't like to associate herself with many people.

"Come on, Cheryl, keep up!" Veronica turned back to face her, giggling, nearly stumbling over a crack in the sidewalk. Veronica was Betty's maid of honor, and this whole bachelorette bar crawl thing was her idea. It didn't seem like Betty's scene either, but even the blonde was having more fun than Cheryl was.

The leggy redhead just held her purse tighter against her side as she stepped carefully around a subway grate in her five inch heels, trying to keep up with the small group of inebriated women.

"Oh my god," she picked her head up at the sound of Josie's chuckling voice, nearly bumping into her as they all came to a stop. She really needed to stop looking at her feet when she walked. But she felt so uncomfortable in her tight red mini dress, surrounded by cat calling men around the busy sidewalk.

"No," Betty giggles, blushing as she shook her head, her ponytail swinging slightly behind her head, "Guys, come on-"

"Excuse me, I'm your maid of honor, I choose what we do," Veronica stated firmly, starting to tug on her arm towards the nearby door.

Cheryl looked up at the sign, curiously, her eyes widening.

Roses & Thorns
Adult Toys, Videos, Novelties, and More!

"Come on, we'll just look around and then head to the next bar," Valerie ushered Betty towards the door with the help of Veronica, Josie, and Melody. And Cheryl had no choice but to follow, or else she'd be left alone on the sidewalk with the creeps.

Entering the store, the giggling from the group of tipsy twenty-three year olds overpowered the soft rock that came from the speakers. The store was much bigger than it looked on the outside. A wooden staircase near the entrance leading to the second floor. The lighting was dim and it smelled like burning incense, which actually put Cheryl's mind a bit at ease for the briefest moment.

"Welcome to Roses & Thorns," a bored female voice came from a few feet away. Cheryl turned her head to see a girl sitting at the small, glass checkout counter, aimlessly flipping through a magazine. She bit the inside of her cheek as she looked at her, grateful that she hadn't even lifted her eyes to greet them as they came in. She was wearing a stringy, black mesh tank top with what looked like a lacy red bralette underneath. She had a few tattoos on her arms, and maybe it was the poor lighting, but her long brown hair looked like it was streaked with bubblegum pink highlights.

"Hello? Earth to Cheryl?" Veronica appeared in front of her all of a sudden, making her nearly jump out of her skin, "Come on, we're going to look around."

"Right," she nodded, turning away from the pink haired beauty at the counter, "Sorry." She ignored the look Veronica gave her, grateful for the dim lighting that hid the blush that rose to her cheeks. God, she might as well have been caught drooling over the counter girl. But she shook it off and tucked her long red hair behind her ear, following Veronica and the rest of the girls further into the store.

So far, it was nothing but novelty toys and gag gifts such as penis-shaped lollipops and party hats for bachelorette parties.

"Please don't buy those and wear them around," Cheryl cringed at the thought, but turned her lips up into a slight smile as the rest of the girls giggled over everything. She was not wearing a penis hat. Especially not in public. She would rather be eaten alive by the rats that fills the streets of this city. She had no interest in the male anatomy and she certainly had no desire to wear it on her head.

Glancing around, embarrassed, she watched as a man walked nonchalantly through the room towards the back, going through a beaded curtain into the next room. She didn't even want to know what was back there. Though, she assumed it was the video section, which made her skin crawl. Her only time seeing porn was a complete accident. Her sophomore year of college, she had been doing research for an assignment on her laptop when suddenly her screen was covered in naked and scantily clad women, touching themselves or each other. She remembered snapping her laptop shut faster than the speed of light. And as much as it made her blush with juvenile curiosity, she made sure to install the highest rated pop-up blocker she could find.

"Let's see what's upstairs," Melody lead them to the staircase after they'd looked around and laughed at every blow-up doll and penis-shaped toy in sight. Apparently they were skipping over the lingerie section across the room, which Cheryl was fine with. Her choice in undergarments weren't completely modest, but she didn't exactly have a need for the sheer nighties and crotch-less panties she was sure this store had to offer.

Heels clicked on hardwood floors as the six of them walked up the stairs. Cheryl kept her arms crossed tightly against her chest as everyone else looked around, giggling as they picked up some of the dildos and vibrators that were on display, playing with them and laughing like a bunch of twelve year old boys looking at a Playboy for the first time. The redhead just glanced around, her blush increasing as her eyes took in everything around her. The store seemed to be divided into different departments like some kind of kinky walmart. The room they were currently in had a whole wall of toys of different shapes, colors, and sizes, no two were the same, but they all served the same purpose.

She wandered away from the girls, biting her lip as she glanced at the selection in front of her. Cheryl was no stranger to self-pleasure, but she wasn't exactly a connoisseur either. On the rare occasion that she did decide to explore herself and give herself some much needed release, all she knew was her own hands. Which worked fine for her, but the array of toys in front of her hard her curious about what was so special about them. This little red one didn't look too scary...

"Need any help?" a male voice made her jump with a slight yelp, retracting her arm that had been reaching for the small red bullet vibrator.

"No. Thank you. Just browsing," she nervously tucked her hair behind her ear and straightened out the wrinkles in her dress, not making eye contact with the man who would probably be about her height if she weren't wearing these heels.

"Okay. Well, my name is Fangs. I'm working the floor, so just holler if you have any questions," he smiled politely.

"Fangs?" she quirked an eyebrow, admittedly looking a little judgmental.

"Just a nickname. I'm not as scary as the name makes me sound," he waved a hand with a shrug before walking off.

That was definitely a sign that this just wasn't for her. With a deep, cleansing breath, she walked across the room to where the others were playing with a fluffy pair of handcuffs. She just wanted to leave. This place made her skin crawl. There was a fucking bed in the corner with different restraints wrapped around the four corner posts. Apparently for people wanting to test them out before buying them. A chill ran down her spine as she tightened her arms across her chest. She felt like such a prude, blushing at every little thing she saw while the girls were completely comfortable making jokes about it. She already knew that she was the only virgin in the group. And the only lesbian, since all the others seemed to think this was the perfect time to discuss and compare their boyfriends' sexual stamina.

"Betts, I'm gonna go see if they have a bathroom downstairs," she interrupted the fit of girlish giggles.

"Okay, we should be right down," the blushing blonde smiled before Cheryl turned and walked back down the stairs. She was tempted to grab the red toy she had been eyeing and subtly buy it quickly and hiding it in her purse. But then she would have to face the girl at the counter. And there was no way she was going to put herself through that embarrassment.

Holding onto the railing on her way back down, her heart leapt in her chest when she spotted the pink-haired girl near the bottom of the stairs, fixing a crooked display of body jewelry with the same bored expression on her face.

"Finding everything all right?" the girl looked up at her with what Cheryl could only assume was her customer service face. But she had an enchanting smile nevertheless.

"Yeah, just waiting on my cousin and her friends," she ducked her head a bit shyly as she reached the bottom step, subtly taking in how good this girl's ass looked in her tight black jeans.

Stop it, Cheryl.

"Bride squad?" she chuckled.

"How'd you guess?"

"Years of experience. Drunken bridesmaids in the middle of their bar crawl are basically the target audience here. Only thing I see more than that is middle-aged dads who run straight back to the video section," she crossed her arms over her chest with a shrug.

Cheryl just breathed a light laugh as the pink tint refused to leave her face as she ran her hand nervously up and down her arm. "That must get annoying. Especially if they're all like my cousin and her friends."

"Well, if your cousin and her friends are anything like a majority of the bachelorette parties that come through here, you're leaving here with something dick shaped," the shorter woman quirked an eyebrow, "For your sake, I just hope it's not the hats."

Cheryl laughed through an obvious cringe, shaking her head, "God, I hope not." She bit the inside of her cheek, noticing deep brown eyes looking her up and down before her body suddenly went numb. But like a rude awakening, the sound of her loud crew coming down the stairs behind her made her stiffen up and walk away from the pink-haired goddess. With how invasive and nosy Veronica was when she was tipsy, she knew if she had gotten caught chatting with the employee, the maid of honor would be giving her hell for it.

No one knew for sure that Cheryl liked girls, though she was sure they all had their suspicions. Cheryl always chalked her lack of relationship experience up to the fact that she wanted to focus on school. Which was partially true. Being a psychology major, she spent most of her time studying. But being a closeted lesbian made dating much more difficult, and Cheryl wasn't exactly the type to put herself out there.

"Cheryl, we're going to pick out lollipops, come pick out a flavor or I'm choosing for you," Veronica grabbed her by the elbow to lead her to the array of penis shaped lollipops. The redhead turned back to the girl with the pink hair, smiling a little at the wink and shrug she received.

After what should have been a much shorter decision, the girls all brought their ridiculously shaped candies to check-out counter. It took everything Cheryl had not to stare at the nameless woman in black. If only she were wearing a nametag or something. But maybe it was better this way. She wasn't from this area and they were only here for the weekend. Names would lead to attachment.

"Have a good night, be safe out there," she bagged up their purchases and handed the bag to Veronica.

"Thanks, uh..."

"Toni," she smiled politely at the raven-haired bridesmaid, sending a subtle glance in Cheryl's direction.

Veronica grinned with a nod before gesturing to herself. "Toni, I'm Veronica. This is Josie, Valerie, and Melody. That's Betty, she's getting married next week," she slurred a bit and pointed to each of the girls before finally landing on the redhead off to the side, "And that's Cheryl, she's Betty's cousin."

"Nice to meet you," she chuckled at the talkative girl before smiling in the blonde's direction, "And congrats, Betty."

Betty thanked her politely before the girls started making a beeline for the door, filing out one by one. Cheryl, the last one out, glanced over her shoulder and lifted her hand for a slight wave. "Bye, Toni," her voice was just barely above a whisper, but the girl at the counter heard her loud and clear, mirroring her wave with more confidence.

"Bye, Cheryl."

xxx

Cheryl rarely ventured to Brooklyn. She went to school in New York City, but it was rare that she traveled outside that area. But for the past few days since Betty's bachelorette party, it was like the mysterious downtown area had been calling her name in Toni's raspy voice. It was stuck in her head along with everything else about her. Her smile, her laugh, her dark eyes and the way they made her feel when they traveled along her body. She even invaded her dreams. And Cheryl took advantage of the time her roommate was out to make herself writhe under the covers with her newest romance novel in her free hand and Toni in her thoughts. It was getting to a point where she couldn't even focus in class.

Stepping out of the subway train car, she held her purse tightly to her side as she made her way to the exit, climbing the stairs that lead to the sidewalk, following the route they had taken the other night to get to the strip of buildings and lower level stores, bars, and restaurants. It's a good thing she decided not to drink with everyone else that night, otherwise they probably would have never made it back to The Plaza.

It looked different in the daylight, but it made it much easier to find her way around. And before she knew it, she was standing in front of Roses & Thorns. Adjusting the baseball cap on her head, she took off her sunglasses as she entered, glancing nervously at the counter.

"Welcome to Roses & Thorns," the Fangs guy from that night greeted her cheerfully.

"Thank you," she muttered, heading straight upstairs. At least she had plans to buy something so this wasn't a total stalking mission. But if Toni wasn't at the counter, she was starting to worry that she wasn't even working today. Or at least right now.

Biting her pink bottom lip, she headed for the wall of vibrators, looking for that little red one again while she subtly glanced around for the pink haired girl that had been running through her mind for days. Sighing, she picked up the small box that held the bullet vibe inside, reading over the description. It didn't look like it would do much, but the box bragged about multiple speeds and vibration patterns, making her blush as she read over each one.

"Finding everything all right?" she gasped and flinched as a voice sounded from behind her, making her drop the box on her perfectly polished toes. People really needed to stop sneaking up on her in this place.

Picking up the box, she turned around almost furiously, but her anger quickly diminished when she saw familiar brown eyes looking back at her with a smirk that made her want to melt into a puddle on the floor.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. Long time, no see," Toni chuckled as Cheryl held a hand to her pounding heart, the adrenaline masking her embarrassment. For now, at least. "For real, though, are you finding everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just came for, um..." there was the embarrassment. "This," she held up the box she had dropped quickly.

"Can I be honest with you?" Toni leaned in to ask quietly, making Cheryl mirror her actions unconsciously.

"Y-yeah...?"

"That's a cheap piece of plastic, it'll probably die after a few uses. Especially if you use it on a high setting or one of the patterns. Not to mention it's loud as hell," she stated simply, walking around her to glance around the shelves. She scanned them determined until she found what she was looking for. "This," she picked up a small black one that looked just about the same, "It's a little more pricey, but does all the same stuff. It's quiet, it's plastic with a rubber coat so it's softer and more comfortable. Plus it's waterproof, unlike the one you picked out."

"O-oh," Cheryl's mouth hung open a bit.

"Were you looking for something more small and compact specifically or...? What made you pick that one?"

"It was red," she blushed, giving her an honest answer, "It just seemed more...simple than everything else."

"Have you ever bought a vibrator before? For yourself?"

Cheryl looked around, biting her lip before shaking her head, blushing furiously.

"Hey, it's not a big deal. This is a judgment free space," Toni rested a hand on her shoulder with a reassuring smile, "But I get that it can be tricky and fucking embarrassing picking something out for the first time, so I'm here to help. I don't work on commission or anything, so everything I suggest to you is for your own benefit, not mine. Okay?"

Cheryl searched her eyes for signs of insincerity, though she didn't know why this girl would have any reason to be insincere with her. She was still nervous, but she nodded, watching as Toni's pink lips curled up into a bigger smile, showing off her pearly white teeth. "So first things first, Cheryl, are you on a budget?"

The redhead's breath hitched in her throat when Toni used her name without needing to be reminded.

Don't over think it, she probably just has a great memory.

"Not really," she murmured, "I'm not looking to spend hundreds of dollars, but I don't want to get anything too cheap."

Toni nodded and clasped her hands together. "Well, like with anything, vibrators go through regular wear and tear if they're not cleaned properly or if they're used frequently. Some hold up better than others, but obviously those ones are gonna be more expensive." Cheryl nodded, following her around. "So, if you're comfortable telling me how often you masturbate, that'll point us in the right direction of what price range we'd be looking in. If not, we can still figure something out."

The taller girl nearly choked on her own tongue as her eyes widened, jaw slacked as she tried to find the words. She didn't really even have an answer to that question. It wasn't like she had a set schedule. But she'll admit that it had become more frequent in the past few days. All thanks to the girl who was standing so patiently in front of her, waiting on an answer.

"I-I guess normally it's once e-every week or two," she stammered shyly, averting her eyes. She didn't know what she expected, but seeing Toni just nod and glance back at the boxes on the shelves gave her a sense of relief.

"Okay. So you wouldn't be looking for something to use too frequently. So you said you were drawn to that first one because it was red?"

"I-it's my favorite color," she giggled nervously.

"Okay, good to know," Toni laughed, "So it wasn't the size or anything that you were specifically going for?"

"I guess not...I saw it the night I was here with my friends, I figured the smaller the better so I could hide it from them until I got back home."

"So another personal question, but when you masturbate, what do you like?"

"W-what do you mean?" she swallowed thickly, feeling her palms start to sweat.

"I mean, do you prefer clitoral stimulation, penetration, anal play, or a mix of anything?"

Cheryl was sure that her face was as red as her hair at this point. But she cleared her throat and straightened up, trying not to look so nervous. "I guess just...c-clitoral. Penetration only sometimes..."

"When you're in the mood for it?" Toni asked, watching her nod, "Well, we have anything that can suit any need, honestly. But if you mainly focus on clitoral stimulation, but enjoy penetration sometimes, I recommend one of these." She lead her to a shelf of straight rod vibrators, some rubber, some silicone, some a mix of the two. She reached for one of the ones on display, it was soft purple plastic with a thin rubber coating, smooth to the touch and not scary looking at all. "This is a good one. And it comes in red," she handed it to her with a smile, "You can turn it on if you want. It has a few speeds."

Cheryl nodded and bit her lip, pressing the button towards the bottom and flinching when the toy came to life, vibrating gently in her hand. It was quiet, which would come in handy.

"Hold it against the tip of your nose," Toni instructed.

"What?"

"I know it sounds weird, but trust me. And don't worry, it's clean," the shorter girl chuckled, watching as Cheryl did as she said, holding the vibrator to the tip of her nose. "How's that feel?"

"Weird. Is this some kind of joke?"

"Surprisingly no. Actually the tip of your nose is just as sensitive as your clit, but without the extra nerves. So if a certain vibration speed feels too strong or intense on the tip of your nose, it's gonna be too much for your genitals," she explained, "It's just a little trick to keep in mind."

"O-oh."

"So is it too strong?"

"No, it's okay," she pressed the button again, feeling like an idiot holding a vibrator up to her face. But at least she was learning without judgment.

"Cool. And the good thing about those is you can use it on your clit if that's all you're looking for, but you can also use it for penetration if you decide that's what you wanna do at any given time."

Cheryl took the toy off her nose and nodded, biting the inside of her cheek. How could this girl be so carefree in how she spoke about sexual stuff? Cheryl found herself blushing if she even talked about kissing.

"I-I like girls, so i-is it normal for me to like...um..."

"What? Penetration?" Toni quirked an eyebrow at her, "Totally normal. You don't have to be attracted to guys to enjoy penetration. The attraction is in your mind. Your body just wants the pleasure. Just like guys can enjoy anal penetration without being gay. This is why toys were made."

Cheryl nodded, remaining quiet. She could feel her body heating up, but she remained as neutral as possible. Toni didn't need to know that her heart was beating a mile a minute in her chest.

"Did you wanna look around some more or do you think we have a winner?" the pinkette cocked her head to the side curiously.

"I think I'll stick with this one," Cheryl whispered involuntarily. Her voice was slowly disappearing and she just hoped her roommate wasn't in when she got back to her dorm.

"Do you want the red one?" Toni smirked, putting the purple one back on display, already reaching for the red one on the shelf and handing it to her. Cheryl thanked her quietly as she lead her back downstairs. "I can check you out, I've gotta relieve Fangs for his break anyways."

Cheryl watched Toni's hips sway as she made her way behind the counter, shooing the tan-skinned man away for his break before typing into the computer and scanning the box.

"Did you wanna sign up for a loyalty account? Totally free and you'll already earn a ten dollar credit for next time you come in for purchasing something over fifty bucks," she looked up at the fidgety redhead.

"Sure," she nodded. She wasn't sure how often she would be back in, but as of right now she wasn't thinking clearly. As much as she was enjoying Toni's company, she wanted to get home.

"Just fill out this info, I'll put it into the system," Toni traded her a piece of paper for her credit card, doing the transaction while she filled out the information slip.

Signing the receipt after finishing filling out the paperwork, Cheryl took the bag from the shorter girl and bit her lip gently. "Thanks for your help, Toni."

"Anytime, Cheryl. You should get an email about your account in about an hour," she smiled, eyes shining.

The redhead smiled shyly, ducking her head briefly before showing herself out.

xxx

Cheryl sat in class the next day, admittedly feeling much better than she had been in the past few days. Her mind was clear and she was able to focus, though the image of Toni still popped up in her head. She didn't know how that woman knew so much, or how she was able to talk about it with a straight face, but she certainly appreciated it. She'd never met anyone like her before. The only person she'd really talked to about sex was Betty. But the blonde, like herself, would just blush and try to change the subject. God forbid the topic ever came up around Veronica or Josie, they spoke so explicitly and made such a big deal out of it.

But with Toni, while it was still embarrassing for Cheryl, she made it seem so normal and made her feel like there was nothing to be embarrassed about. Then again, it was her job to help people find what they're looking for. She probably just talked about it so much that it was boring to her now. But she couldn't help but wonder what else she knew...

"Miss Blossom?"

"Hm?" she flinched, picking her head up. Apparently she'd been unconsciously doodling again.

"Your presentation?" her professor quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, right," she shook her head quickly to wake herself up a bit, retrieving her notes and making her way to the front of the class.

A few hours later, she was sitting towards the back of the lecture hall, trying to stay awake. She loved majoring in psychology, but this professor had such a boring, monotone voice. She tried to keep her phone in her purse most of the time, wanting to focus on the information that she was learning, but if she had to listen to this man speak another sentence in his low, boring tone, she was going to lose it.

Her brows knit together in confusion at the group of missed texts from an unknown number, glancing around before unlocking her phone.

[Toni]: hey this is toni from roses & thorns.
[Toni]: i know this is really invasive and creepy of me, but i just think you're really cute and i was gonna see if you wanted to go out for drinks or something.
[Toni]: you can totally ignore this if you want or just tell me to delete your number and i will

Cheryl could feel her heart pounding rapidly in her chest and she honestly wondered if anyone else could hear it. It was like a percussion band in her ears as she read over the texts over and over again, her palms starting to sweat as she typed out her reply.

[Cheryl]: Hi. How did you get my number...?

She watched with high anticipation as a little grey bubble appeared on the bottom left of the screen, adjusting herself in her seat so she could sit up straight.

[Toni]: you put it on the loyalty account info slip yesterday.

Oh right, she forgot she had signed up for that.

[Toni]: which i know it's super unprofessional for me to do that, but you said you liked girls, so i figured i'd shoot my shot.
[Toni]: plus i didn't know if i'd ever see you again to ask for your number in person.

A blush came to her cheeks as she bit her lip. Even through texts, this girl had the power to make her face flame up.

[Cheryl]: Is this how you pick up everybody you take a liking to?

She bit her lip harder as she tried not to giggle to herself at her own boldness.

[Toni]: i'm happy to say you're the first person i've broken company policy for ;)
[Cheryl]: Well, I suppose I'm flattered.
[Cheryl]: But...why me?

Nervousness continued to rage like a fire in her chest as she watched the grey text bubble pop up again.

[Toni]: honestly, you just seem really sweet and easy to talk to. plus did you even SEE yourself in that red dress last weekend?

If it was possible for the flush on her cheeks to get more intense, it was happening right now. And she was sure that she would draw blood if she bit her lip any harder.

[Cheryl]: You're easy to talk to, too. But I know it's probably in your job description to make people feel comfortable while they're shopping.
[Toni]: i mean, yeah, no one's gonna feel comfortable buying dildos and handcuffs if we make a big deal out of it. but you learn after a while that we're all just human and pleasure is nothing to be ashamed of. but i didn't feel like i had to use my customer service voice with you.
[Toni]: to be honest, while we were talking, i forgot you were even a customer for a second.

She clutched the phone harder in her hands as she resisted the urge to tell her how pleased she was with the purchase she'd made yesterday. Toni didn't need to know that. She barely knew her, and regardless, they were having a personal conversation. She didn't need to treat this girl like a rate and review page on Amazon.

[Toni]: you still there?
[Cheryl]: Yeah, sorry I'm in class.
[Toni]: oh sorry! i'll leave you alone. but how bout that drink?
[Toni]: no pressure.

She closed her eyes in deep thought. What harm could one drink do? Was she really willing to go out with the random pink-haired girl who sold her a vibrator just yesterday?

[Cheryl]: When are you free?
[Toni]: i work pretty much every night :( and i'm sure you have classes during the day if you're in one now.
[Toni]: do you have anything you would need to be up early for on saturday morning?
[Cheryl]: Not to my knowledge.
[Toni]: the store closes at 11 friday night if you wanna meet here? we can just walk over to one of the bars nearby if you want.

Cheryl bit her lip as she thought it over. It was obvious that she liked this girl, and she seemed to like her back. But...what happened if things worked out between them? Her mother would never approve. When would they be able to make time for each other with their schedules being so different already? What if Toni got bored of her or vice versa? What if Toni was just using her?

You're thinking way too deep into this. It's one night, one drink. You're gonna regret it if you don't.

[Toni]: your hesitation is worrying me, red.

Just say yes, Cheryl. Who knows the next time you'll meet a pretty girl who not only likes you back, but makes the first move? You deserve this.

[Cheryl]: I'll be there.
[Toni]: really?
[Cheryl]: Of course.
[Toni]: okay! i work the floor friday night, so if you get here before closing just come find me upstairs.
[Cheryl]: Okay :) Can't wait.
[Toni]: me either :) see you then, cheryl.

Placing her phone down on her desk, Cheryl pursed her lips together in a tight line, trying to contain the smile the threatened to take over her entire face. Thankfully her excitement overpowered her apprehension. She was sure that when the dust settled she would be more nervous than ever. But for now, she was floating on cloud nine.

xxx

The subway trip to Brooklyn on Friday night had Cheryl shaking so much that she couldn't even stand upright steadily in the moving train car. Just as she suspected, her nerves took over. She was still excited, but she felt like she would vomit any minute at this point.

[Toni]: can't wait for tonight :) wear comfortable shoes just in case.

She smiled at the text she'd received from Toni earlier today before glancing down at her red Vans. They were just going to a bar, so she didn't feel the need to dress up, but she hoped she didn't look too casual. She figured her red shoes, high-waisted jeans, and white and red polka dot blouse would suffice.

She was early. Like, really early. Roses & Thorns didn't close for another forty-five minutes and she was already a five minute walk away. And with it being a Friday night, she didn't want to wait outside with all the creeps on the sidewalk. It was bad enough that she had to walk there on her own at ten o'clock at night.

With a sigh, she kept her eyes straight ahead, ignoring any and all cat calls as she walked down the sidewalk. The second she saw the illuminated neon sign for Roses & Thorns, she doubled her already fast walking speed, anxious to be in the safety of the dim lighting and sage scented air.

Seeking safety in a sex shop. That's a new one for you, Cheryl.

Even the jingling bell over the door sent a wave of comfort through her as she stepped inside.

"Welcome to Roses & Thorns," someone new greeted her from the counter. He was much taller than Fangs, his ripped sleeveless denim vest making him look rather intimidating.

With a quiet thank you, she wandered the area around her on the first floor, gazing aimlessly around the body jewelry and lotions they had to offer before glancing at the time on her phone again. 10:25. She was still embarrassingly early. But she ventured slowly to the stairs, feeling more awkward standing in front of the tall employee behind the counter in uncomfortable silence.

The music got a bit louder as she ascended. Apparently the genre of the day was 90s R&B, and someone was singing quite well along to it. Stepping through the beaded curtain at the top of the stairs, she bit her lip, stifling a giggle when she saw Toni swinging her hips to the beat as she wiped down display items with sanitizing wipes, unaware of her presence. Cheryl wondered how long it would take for Toni to notice her. She was tempted to clear her throat to make herself known, but she was biting down on her pink tinted bottom lip, watching the vivacious woman enjoy the home stretch of her shift.

She waited until K-Ci & JoJo's "All My Life" faded into silence before clearing her throat quietly, stepping closer on the creaky hardwood.

"Hey!" the pinkette turned her head, an unashamed chuckle escaping her lips as she continued to clean the toys on display.

"Hi. I wasn't sure how long it would take you to notice I was standing here," she giggled shyly.

"Maybe I knew you were there the whole time and just wanted to give you a show," Toni's smirk had Cheryl cursing her naturally porcelain skin. She could feel the itchy heat of the blush rising to her cheeks already.

"I'm sorry I'm here so early, I didn't want to risk being late. You know how the subway can be..."

"No, you're totally fine. I just hope you don't mind waiting on me to get the floor cleaned up. I just have to sweep and I should be good to go," she sent her a smile that might as well have been an arrow through her heart, "You can have a seat if you want, it shouldn't take me more than ten minutes."

Cheryl nodded and glanced around for a chair or something to sit on, finding nothing but the bed in the corner. It was a basic four poster bed with a set of smooth, satin sheets adorning the mattress and pillows. If she weren't so concerned about how many people had been on it, she would have thought it actually looked comfortable.

"We change the sheets every few days, by the way. Not too many people use the test bed," Toni chuckled as Cheryl looked hesitantly at the bed in front of her. Suddenly Cheryl was paranoid that the girl could read her mind.

If you can read my mind, come sit over here with me.

She stared at Toni as she kept on doing her job, breathing a little sigh of relief as she sat on the edge of the bed, running her hand over the smooth sheets. Though the variation of restraints connected to the corners was off-putting, making her tense up with curiosity. There were ropes and leathers of different sizes and lengths, some lined with fur, some connected to metal chain links. It was terrifying, but intriguing all at once. Cheryl was such a control freak, she could never imagine putting her trust in anyone so much to a point that she would let them tie her to the bed posts. God forbid they never let her free.

A weight plopping down on the bed behind her made her flinch slightly, turning her head to see Toni laying against the pillows, scrolling through her phone. "Did you sweep already?"

"Yeah, I just finished. You didn't see me?" she eyed her with an amused laugh.

Cheryl glanced at her phone again. 10:40. How long had she been lost in her own thoughts?

"I guess I was distracted."

"All this stuff can be a lot to take in," Toni shrugged in understanding, reaching up to toy with one of the thin chains above her head, "Especially for a newbie."

Cheryl's perfectly shaped eyebrows raised a bit, "Who says I'm a newbie?"

"No offense, but your whole...demeanor just screams newbie," the pink-haired girl made a gesture in her direction, "There's nothing wrong with it, though. I mean, restraints aren't for everybody."

"I don't think I could ever bring myself to be into it," Cheryl blushed, ducking her head as she rubbed her arm.

"You never know, Red, you might surprise yourself," Toni laid back down against the pillows.

The redhead just huffed through her nose with a smile, shaking her head. She just barely had the confidence to buy herself a vibrator, there was no way she would ever have the guts to be tied up.

"Lemme just go clock out and we can go," Toni got up, stuffing her phone into her back pocket quickly, "Sweet Pea's not the patient type. Last time he almost locked me in."

With a giggle, Cheryl stood up from the bed and followed her down the stairs, lingering in the front room while Toni gathered her things and clocked out.

"So you're the girl Tiny's been tellin' us about," the tall boy smirked at her from behind the counter.

"Shut up, Sweets," Toni slapped his arm as a blush came to her own cheeks, making Cheryl giggle again.

"Cheryl," she extended her hand to him, unsurprised at his rough handshake.

"Sweet Pea," he smiled.

Sweet Pea? Fangs? What's up with the names of these people? At least Toni is somewhat normal.

"Nice to meet you."

"Bout time you bagged a nice girl, T," he elbowed the girl next to him as she clocked out on the computer.

"Oh my god, please stop talking," she shook her head in embarrassment before rounding the counter with her things, smiling at the waiting redhead, "You ready?"

She nodded eagerly and followed her out of the store and down the sidewalk, curious as to which bar they would end up going to. Each one was slightly different, but for the most part, they were all the same from what she remembered from Betty's bachelorette party.

"Any specific bar you wanted to go to?" Toni asked as they made their way down the sidewalk.

"Not really. I didn't particularly enjoy any of them last weekend," she admitted honestly.

"How come?"

"It's just not really fun being the responsible one in a group of drunk bridesmaids that you don't even consider as friends," she shrugged with a sigh.

"Well, there's one up here that's my favorite. I'm gonna make sure you have a good time tonight, okay?" Toni smirked, "I owe it to you after my creepy approach to asking you out."

"To be fair, I came back to the store earlier this week cause I wanted to see you, so...I guess we both have a few stalker-ish tendencies," she blushed furiously at her confession.

"At least I'm not the only creepy one," Toni chuckled before grabbing onto Cheryl's elbow, pulling her to the side, "Whoa, watch out."

Cheryl yelped a little when she was tugged, but Toni had saved her from walking straight through a puddle of vomit. "Ugh gross. Thanks," she turned to face her with a grateful smile, a chill running down her spine when the shorter girl's hand trailed from her elbow down her forearm until their hands were woven together.

"No problem," Toni smirked, hiding her small victorious grin from the redhead. God bless whatever wasted person stumbled out of that bar. "It's not too much farther."

"Okay," Cheryl smiled with a shaky breath. Only she would be this nervous about holding hands with a girl. It wasn't a big deal. Toni didn't seem to think it was, since she just kept her eyes straight ahead and didn't seem to be having an internal freak out. But if it wasn't a big deal, why was her heart beating a mile a minute?

Before she knew it, her hand was empty as Toni opened the door for her, a gracious smile on her face as she ushered her in first.

"Thank you," Cheryl grinned shyly, stepping into the dimly lit bar. The music wasn't too loud and it wasn't too crowded. But she waited for Toni's lead. Her hand itched to be in hers again, and like the mind-reader she was sure she was, Toni took her hand to lead her over to the row of bar stools. She sat down in one carefully, straightening her back and crossing one leg over the other as Toni flagged down the bartender, giving her time to glance up at the chalkboard menu on the back wall. She wasn't sure what was going to happen tonight, but she didn't want to get too drunk. She just wanted to loosen up a little.

"Hey, Toni," the bartender greeted her when he came over, wiping down the space in front of them, "The usual?"

"The usual for me," she nodded with a smile before turning to Cheryl, "See something you wanna get?"

"Um, can I just get something small where you can't really taste the alcohol, please?" she smiled, a bit embarrassed. She didn't mind drinking, she was just picky. Not to mention alcoholism ran in her family. The bartender nodded and walked away after checking Cheryl's ID, leaving the two girls alone in their own little world. "So...you come here enough to have a usual?" Cheryl laughed nervously as she turned her head to face the pink-haired woman beside her.

"I work here, actually," Toni chuckled, "Only every now and then when they need the extra help, though." She watched as Cheryl nodded and traced her fingertip along the marble wooden counter nervously, placing her hand up on the surface beside hers. "Did you have class today?"

"Just a morning class," she shrugged.

"Do you go to NYU?" Cheryl nodded, "What are you studying?"

"Psychology. With a minor in child development."

"Do you wanna be a child psychologist or something?"

"Exactly that," Cheryl nodded.

"That's so cool. I don't think I could handle that. I don't mind listening to people vent, but trying to help them through their problems...just seems like too much responsibility for me. Especially for kids. What made you wanna do that?"

"You know that saying 'be the person you needed when you were younger'?" Toni nodded, "I saw that quote somewhere online when I was in high school, still wondering what I wanted to do for college. And the whole child psychology thing just...clicked, I guess. I feel like it would be a very rewarding career."

"Yeah, totally. It takes a special kind of person to wanna devote their life to helping kids," Toni subtly ran her pinky along the side of Cheryl's hand.

The redhead's breath caught in her throat as a shiver ran down her spine. "Are you in college?" she asked, her voice breaking a bit with nerves, watching as Toni shook her head.

"Nah. The whole college thing never seemed right for me. It's way out of my budget, and what I wanna do doesn't really require a degree anyways," she chuckled, thanking the man behind the bar when he dropped off their drinks.

"Any idea what this is?" Cheryl asked her, looking at the fruity looking drink in the old fashioned glass.

"Looks like a vodka sunrise. Literally just orange juice and grenadine with a little vodka. It's not strong at all," she shook her head, watching as the redhead swirled it around with her straw before taking a sip, "Good?"

"Really good, actually. Sorry, I'm kind of picky when it comes to drinks. I'm not a big fan of the taste of alcohol," she smiled, resting her head in her hand.

"I don't judge," Toni chuckled, sipping at her gin and tonic.

"So you just work, then?" she cleared her throat, getting back into their conversation.

"Pretty much. I do a bit of freelance photography every now and then. Weddings, concerts, senior photoshoots, that kind of thing."

"That must be fun. You must be really good if people trust you enough to take pictures of their weddings," Cheryl sipped at her drink again, "What's your favorite thing to take pictures of?"

"Depends on my mood, I guess. Sometimes I just feel like going to the roof of my apartment and taking pictures of the skyline at sunset. I love working with people and letting them be models for a few hours. But weddings are probably my favorite," Toni smiled, picking up her drink and standing up from her stool, gesturing for her to follow.

"Why do you say that?" she asked, following her to a table along the wall towards the back corner, slipping into the booth seat beside her.

"I dunno. I haven't really thought about it, honestly. It's probably just the environment. There's just something about weddings and capturing the look on a guy's face when he sees his fiancée start walking down the aisle, or photographing a first dance....Ugh, it just gives me that warm fuzzy feeling, y'know?"

The taller girl nodded as that exact same warm fuzzy feeling took over her. Maybe it was the alcohol going to her head already. Maybe it was the look on Toni's face when she talked so passionately about her hobby.

"But what about you, Cheryl? What do you like to do when you're not at school?"

Cheryl blushed as the attention was put back on her, trying to think of what she did in her free time. "I like to draw, I guess. I'm not that great at it, but I enjoy it."

"I'm sure you're amazing," Toni grinned, "Do you have pictures of anything you've drawn?"

Biting her lip, Cheryl nodded and reached for her phone, scrolling through her camera roll for one of the things she'd drawn recently. It was a copy of the portrait of herself and Jason that had been taken not long before he died. She never really shared her art with anyone, but despite her nervousness, she felt comfortable with Toni. Pursing her lips into a tight line, she handed her phone over to her, sitting anxiously in her seat as she waited on her reaction.

"Holy shit, you drew this?" Toni gaped, glancing between her and the phone, "You didn't trace this or anything?"

"All freehand," she blushed.

"Who's the guy? He's cute," Toni chuckled, zooming in on the details.

"That's my twin brother Jason."

"You're a twin? That explains why he's so attractive," she smirked, making Cheryl's blush turn a deeper shade of pink.

She wanted to tell her about Jason, about what had happened to him back in high school nearly ten years ago. But the last thing she wanted to do was put a damper on the night like that. She felt awkward enough already.

"You're really talented. That's amazing, Cher. If you hadn't told me it was a drawing, I would have thought it was a black and white photo at first glance," Toni chuckled, handing her phone back to her.

"Thank you...Do you have any of your photos on your phone?"

"All my best work is on my blog," Toni shook her head. "But...that one on the wall right over there," she pointed across the bar to a large framed photograph of the New York skyline, "I took that."

"That's beautiful," Cheryl smiled, looking at the photo.

"I guess you could say I've got an eye for beauty," she shrugged with a slight smile, placing her hand gently on top of her pale one.

Cheryl swallowed thickly, slowly turning to face the confident woman beside her. She tried to think of something, anything to say back to her, but everything she could think of made her cringe internally. Flirting wasn't exactly her forte. Defeated, she just breathed a bit of a laugh and took another sip of her drink with her free hand, trying to ignore how heavily her heart was beating.

"You're not used to compliments, huh?" Toni chuckled, somehow making Cheryl feel more comfortable and nervous at the same time.

Scrunching her face up uncomfortably, she lowered her shoulders with a deep breath, shaking her head. "I get them, I've just...always had a hard time believing them, I guess," she bit her lip, meeting brown eyes with her own.

"Well, believe me," Toni squeezed her hand on top of hers, "It's not just some dumb pick-up line. You're a beautiful girl, Cheryl. Fuck whoever made that hard for you to believe."

The redhead felt like water was flooding in her ears as she stared at the serious but gentle look on Toni's face. She found no trace of insincerity in her eyes. "Thank you. I think you are, too," she whispered, barely audible over the music and buzz of voices from the surrounding people. Toni squeezed the top of her hand again before leaning back against the booth, propping up her elbow and leaning her head against her hand.

"So tell me more about yourself, Cheryl," she smirked, sipping her gin and tonic.

"What do you want to know?"

"Something that no one else knows," Toni grinned in a way that sent a chill down her spine, but in a very good way.

She had to think about that one. There were a lot of things about herself that no one else knew. No one knew she was gay. If they did, they never brought it up to her. No one knew that she was the one who lost her and Jason's pet hamster when they were eight. He took the blame for it like the chivalrous brother he had always been. No one knew that the boy she dated for five months in high school used to make her feel miserable and ugly every day until she had the guts to break up with him. There were plenty of things she could choose from.

"You were right," she muttered quietly, sipping the last of her drink through her straw, "Earlier when you called me a newbie."

"That doesn't count, I already pegged you for someone who hadn't been tied up before," Toni laughed, keeping her voice at a respectably low volume.

"No, I mean, I'm new to...everything."

Toni's brows furrowed in confusion until realization noticeably dawned on her. "Wait, are you saying you're a virgin?" she seemed so shocked.

Cheryl's face scrunched up a bit at that word. The group of girls she called her friends had tormented her with it for so long.

"Don't be such a virgin, Cheryl," Veronica would tease her for not wanting to go out clubbing in high school. She always claimed that it was meant in a loving, joking way. But Cheryl always hated it, joking or not. The jokes stopped when she snapped, telling the raven-haired cheerleader that Nick St. Clair, her dreaded ex, took her virginity back in high school before he moved back to Boston with his family. And while she had hoped that the lie would keep Veronica off her back, she just found new ways to make her the butt of every joke within their inner circle.

"I guess so," she nodded as her eyes shined with tears of embarrassment, keeping them at bay.

"Hey, it's not a big deal," Toni scooted closer to her on the bench, placing a hand on her shoulder, "I promise. I was just planning on going with the flow tonight. If something happens, cool. If it doesn't, it's not gonna make me lose interest in you, Cheryl...Okay?" She watched with her heart clenched as Cheryl quickly wiped a tear from her cheek, nodding.

The flushed redhead stared at the empty glass in front of her and took a shaky breath. Thankfully with the bit of alcohol in her, she was calm enough to not be completely embarrassed. But she felt all her worries melt away when Toni wrapped her arms around her in a tight, reassuring hug. She stiffened at first, not used to the affection, but she felt herself not wanting to let go when she hugged her back. She didn't know what it was about Toni, but she felt like she could tell her anything. The woman was just so naturally approachable, Cheryl felt like she'd known her all her life and she could trust her with anything. All this time, she had been waiting for the right person. The right woman. And now here she was right in front of her, holding her hand and rubbing her back, bringing her the comfort she'd always craved. And she found herself craving more and more.

Pulling back, she looked into the warm brown eyes she was already so fond of, shivering as Toni grazed a thumb delicately over her cheek. Her jaw slacked, causing her lips to part slightly as she took in the look on Toni's face. She couldn't even describe it. But under her gaze, Cheryl felt warmth spread through her body. A warmth that she could curl into, safe and happy for the rest of her life. Comfort wasn't something she felt often, but she felt comfortable here with the tattooed, pink haired girl she barely knew.

But regardless of how content she felt in this moment, she still surprised herself when she leaned in to kiss the pillowy pink lips that looked like they tasted like strawberry candy. A mousy whimper escaped her as she pushed herself closer, needing to be closer to Toni. The woman's polished fingernails lightly scratched at her lower back under her blouse, pulling her in. Cheryl couldn't be bothered to think about anyone else in the bar right now. As far as she was concerned, they were the only ones there. Running solely on instinct, she hooked a hand around the back of her neck, toying with the soft tufts of baby hair at the bottom of Toni's hairline, keeping her close until she had no choice but she pull back
for air. She gasped for breath and swallowed thickly, a blush coming to her cheeks as a smirk spread to Toni's.

They sat in silence for a few moments. A stunned silence on Cheryl's part. She shivered as Toni's nimble fingers tucked loose strands of red hair behind her ear, trailing her fingers along the sharp line of her jaw to her chin to lift it gently. "What's on your mind, cutie?"

Licking her lips, the redhead glanced down at her denim-clad lap where Toni's hand rested on her thigh, lightly playing with the frayed strands from the holes that had been manufactured into the fabric. She had a tattoo of a wolf on her forearm, drawn on and shaded like something from her own sketchbook. She ran her own finger against it, tracing the faded outline as she thought of what to say. What was on her mind?

"I-I want to...with you," she stammered quietly, biting her lip hard as she tried not to cringe at her own words. But she watched as Toni's smile grew as her hands grabbed hold of hers gently, running her thumbs over her pale knuckles.

"You wanna get out of here, then?" she smirked, the tone of her voice sending another chill down Cheryl's spine as she nodded eagerly.

Her lips were met with Toni's once more before she was being gently helped onto her feet, her hand tightly in the shorter girl's safe grip. Her mind was racing and she felt like she was floating in water, liquid clogging her ears as she felt light and weightless. She remembered watching Toni talk briefly with her friend behind the counter. She remembered sitting under the florescent lights on the train, kissing the pink-haired girl shyly as tanned fingers ran through her hair. She remembered key points, but it was mainly a blur between the bar and where she was now, standing in the middle of Toni's dimly lit bedroom, hands fumbling with the buckle of her studded belt.

Her breathing was heavy as the pinkette backed her up towards the bed, lowering her down against the soft mattress. It smelled like a comforting mix of detergent and whatever perfume Toni wore. If she weren't busy tossing Toni's belt off the edge of the bed right now, she wouldn't have minded curling up in the warm softness of the comforter.

Toni's lips moved fervently against her own, leaving her breathless and pinned beneath her. A slight whimper came from her throat as the soft lips she was quickly becoming obsessed with trailed down to her jaw, nipping at her earlobe. Her face was buried in the thick mane of pink as she felt herself being shifted up towards the head of the bed. Toni had one hand hooked under the bend of her knee, gently easing her up the mattress until her head was rested against the pillows by the wall.

"Toni," she gasped, her voice needy and wanton before she was silenced with a gentle kiss, tanned fingers cupping the side of her face. They were warm but felt cool against her hot, flushed skin. Cheryl kissed her hard, trying to release any and all apprehensions she was feeling. "Please," she whined against Toni's lips, arching her back against her chest.

"Please what?" Cheryl could tell she was grinning so smugly into the kiss.

"W-want- hmm," she hummed breathily, catching Toni's lips in hers again, unable to get enough.

"Tell me what you want, Cher," Toni tore her smirking lips away, attaching them to her neck again, kissing a hot, aimless trail against her throat.

"Y-you," she gasped, lightheaded and breathless as she whimpered in her ear.

Toni continued the mind-numbing assault on her neck, scraping her teeth against her pulse point before soothing over the skin with her tongue, sending as shiver down Cheryl's spine. She sat up carefully, straddling Cheryl's thighs as she brought the redhead up with her. Chests flush against each other as Toni took Cheryl's hands in her own, lacing their fingers together, just squeezing them reassuringly as she stared down into her dark, lust-filled eyes. The pink blush on her ivory cheeks turned a deeper, rosy shade as she averted her eyes and flicked her tongue shyly over her lips.

"It's okay to be nervous you know," she whispered, untangling her fingers from hers to cup her cheeks again, brushing their lips together softly, "You call the shots, okay? I'll do my thing, you just do what feels right to you. But if you want me to stop, tell me to. I promise, it's okay."

Cheryl flicked her eyes back up to Toni's, seeing the genuine concern and sincerity in the deep brown orbs. She barely knew this woman, but she felt like she could trust her with anything. She wouldn't laugh at her or make her feel like nothing. In fact, she felt like Toni had the ability to make her feel everything that Nick never could. All the pain and heartache Nick put her through, Toni would make her feel just the opposite.

As confident as she was trying to feel, she must have still worn apprehension on her face since Toni cupped her cheeks reassuringly again, grazing her thumbs over the soft, flushed skin before pressing a kiss to her lips once more. "I've got you, okay? You can trust me," she whispered, making Cheryl's heart flutter in her chest. Cheryl's heard the promise of trust from many people, and not one person, besides her brother, has kept their promise. But she could just feel that Toni would be the exception. She felt it in the way she looked at her and touched her.

"Okay," she whispered, nodding slightly before she felt Toni's lips on hers again. She didn't think she would ever get over that feeling, not that she wanted to. "I trust you," she murmured against her lips, her heartbeat picking up speed as Toni took her hands again, guiding them to the hem of her loose muscle shirt before letting go so she could take the reins. With a deep breath, Cheryl gripped onto the frayed hem of the tank top, lifting it up slowly as Toni pulled back and raised her arms so Cheryl could ease the shirt over her head. The redhead already felt so overwhelmed as she took in the sight of the smooth caramel skin than had been hiding under the loose cotton material. The lacy black bralette she had on left little to the imagination, but Cheryl just knew that once it was off, she would be left breathless once again.

"Can I take this off?" the pinkette kissed her again, whispering in reference to the white and red polka dot blouse she had on. But she made no effort to remove it after a quick nod from Cheryl. "This is only gonna work if you're verbal and honest with me, babe," she kissed her again before pulling back to look into her eyes. She tugged gently on the neatly tied not at the bottom of the blouse, toying with the ends teasingly as she asked again, "Can I take this off?"

"Y-yes," Cheryl nodded again, leaning up to kiss her. Her hands roamed curiously along the soft skin of Toni's sides and back as she untied and unbuttoned her blouse, pushing it gently off her shoulders. she bent her neck back as the pink-haired girl sat up higher on her knees, giving herself some height over her.

Toni grazed her lips against Cheryl's jaw, leaving no inch of skin untouched as she took her time memorizing the feeling of her skin against hers. She thought it was cute that the consistent blush on Cheryl's face seemed to spread to the rest of her body as far as she could see, the pink contrasting with the white lace bra that would have otherwise blended with her skin.

Bravely, Cheryl ran her fingers up Toni's front from the waistband of her jeans to her breasts, smirking a bit at the feeling of goosebumps rising under her touch. Either Toni had sensitive skin or she really had the power to make this girl shiver. Either way, she was feeling a little cocky as she pressed her hands more firmly against her chest, her fingertips toying at the edge of the lacy material as she palmed at the full breasts beneath.

"Mmm, fuck," Toni grunted, deepening the already heated kiss, gliding her tongue against Cheryl's. The redhead couldn't help but giggle, her lips curling up into a smile as she fiddled with the little plastic clasp between Toni's breasts. As confident as she had been feeling, she hesitated, pulling back from the kiss to duck her head so she could see what she was doing. "You can take it off, cutie. I know you want to," the shorter girl teased, flicking tongue over her lips as she took the moment to catch her breath.

Cheryl bit her lip shyly, undoing the clasp with trembling fingers and removing the bralette with Toni's help. Her teeth sank into her lip harder as she gazed over her breasts, swallowing hard. She found herself at a loss for what to do, but Toni the mind reader took her hands in hers, guiding them back to where they had been before, pressed back against her chest. The redhead's heart pounded as she kneaded at them, getting used to the feeling of them in her hands as Toni lulled her head back with a hum of pleasure, boosting Cheryl's confidence as she explored her body.

"Y-you can take mine off, too," she mumbled quietly, just above a whisper, "If you want."

"Do you want me to?" Toni lowered herself back to sit on Cheryl's thighs again, her fingertips already teasing up and down her back near the back clasp of her bra. She smirked when the timid redhead just nodded, leaning in to kiss her before resting her forehead against hers. "Tell me to do it, baby. You call the shots, remember?"

Cheryl's breath hitched in her throat as her jaw slacked, breathing heavily against Toni's lips that were so close and yet so far. "Take it off...please," she whispered, tightening her hold on Toni's breasts as if she needed leverage.

"Good girl," Toni smirked, her words doing something to Cheryl that she'd never felt before. It made her lose her breath and fogged her already cloudy mind as she let out the tiniest whimper, feeling Toni smirked into the kiss she planted on her lips. Skilled, nimble fingers trailed tantalizingly slow up her back to where her bra rested against her skin, and before she knew it, she was helping ease the material off, leaving her just as exposed as Toni.

She lost her breath at the feeling of skin against skin. She rarely had physical contact with anyone even with clothes on, and this had her feeling like she was already having a sensory overload. It was comforting , but it sent a chill through her as she found herself getting more aroused by the second.

Toni eased her down onto the mattress again, kissing from her lips to her neck, slowly and teasingly making her way down to her collarbone. Cheryl's chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. But every kiss and teasing lick Toni placed on her hot skin had her losing it all over again. Her hands moved from her perfect, tanned chest to tangle in the mane of pink that was hovering over her chest, tugging gently as she scratched at her scalp.

"Fuck, you're gorgeous," Toni grunted, reacting positively to Cheryl's fingers in her hair as she kissed down the valley between her breasts. She teased her with a smirk, trailing her lips up the curves, avoiding the sensitive skin of her nipples as the redhead writhed and whimpered weakly beneath her.

"T-Toni," she gasped, bringing a hand down from her hair to cup her cheek, subtly trying to guide her to where she wanted her.

Compliant, Toni chuckled low in her throat, nuzzling her nose against the pale pink nipple at the peak of her breast, closing her lips around it. She held onto the sides of her ribs, trying to keep Cheryl from writhing, though it was nice to see her squirm in delight. "You like that?" she smirked, pulling at the pink bud with her teeth and letting go so the taut skin could snap back into place.

"Y-yeah," the redhead mewled, nodding her head.

"You want more?"

"Mmhm," she must have sounded so needy and desperate, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Her body was on fire and Toni was the ice she needed to cool it down. She cried out when the pinkette switched to her other breast, the suction of her lips going from gentle to firm as she pinched and toyed with the one she had just finished with. She tossed her head back against the pillows, gasping for air as she felt every suck and nibble against her sensitive skin.

It was over far too soon, and it took everything she had not to whimper in disappointment as Toni moved her lips back up to hers. She kissed her hard, needy and wanting for more from the aficionado hovering over her. "How you feeling?" Toni whispered, gingerly tucking frizzed out hair behind Cheryl's ear, gazing down at her affectionately.

"Really good," she panted, looking up into the beautiful eyes that were staring down into hers. Reaching up, she cupped her face softly, bringing her down for a tender kiss. She was sure that she would never get sick of kissing Toni.

"Mm, good," her voice was low and raspy, sending a jolt of electricity to Cheryl's core as her hips jerked up involuntarily. "Think you can handle more?" Cheryl bit her lip anxiously, nodding her head with doe eyes that could melt the coldest of hearts. It made Toni's own heart clench before she leaned down to kiss her again. And the kisses didn't stop there. She left chaste pecks and slow, affectionate kisses all over Cheryl's neck once again leaving no inch of skin unappreciated before she moved down to her chest. She teased at her breasts again, leaving teasing bites and soothing licks on the perky pink buds on her way down.

Toni was no stranger to sex, obviously. She had a natural charisma about her that made it rather obvious that she was a girl with experience. She'd be the first to admit that she had several trysts in the past. She'd taken the virginities of several men and women, but she'd never felt anything like this with any of them. Toni could play a woman's body like a fiddle, but she found herself caring more about learning Cheryl's body. Figuring out every little thing that made her twitch with need while memorizing every freckle and birth mark on her pastel skin. It was a new feeling and she would be lying if she said it didn't scare her. But she made a promise to this girl, and she had never been the type to break a promise.

Kissing a fiery trail down her torso, Toni eased her way down the bed, her body nestled comfortably between Cheryl's thighs as she flicked her tongue teasingly into the dip of her belly button, chuckling at the reaction she got. She could feel the redhead's abdominal muscles trembling and clenching with each kiss that she pressed along the waistband of her jeans.

"Hey, look at me," she whispered, reaching for one of her hands, tugging gently to get her attention. She stilled her movements until Cheryl was perched up on her elbows, glancing down at her curiously. "Tell me if I'm going too fast, okay?"

Cheryl's eyes shimmered with a glint of adoration as she nodded, biting down on her lip when Toni's skilled fingers reached for the button of her jeans and popped it open. "Okay," she whispered, nodding and flicking her tongue over her lips. She could feel her mouth going dry.

With a nod in return, Toni placed a slow kiss to the heated skin below the button of her jeans, teasingly dragging her fingertips under the denim until they were hooked into the sides. She tugged at the material tantalizingly slow as Cheryl lifted her hips, propping herself up on shaky legs to give her a hand. If she wasn't blushing before, she certainly was now knowing that her arousal was probably embarrassingly obvious through her white cotton panties.

Sitting up, Toni slowly peeled the skin-tight jeans off of Cheryl's slim legs, dropping them over the edge of the bed as she just took in the sight of her, wet and wanting against the plum colored comforter. Humming quietly, she ran her fingers up the soft skin of her legs, scratching lightly at her inner thighs as she crept closer to Cheryl's aching center. She could practically feel the heat radiating from her core, and she'd be lying if she said it didn't leave her mouth watering. Cheryl shivered under her touch when Toni walked her fingers from her inner thigh to the waistband of her underwear. She purposefully avoided her center, giggling when Cheryl whined and arched her hips up.

"Somethin' you want?" she smirked, rubbing her palm over her flat, quivering stomach.

"S-stop teasing me, p-please," Cheryl's brows knit together as she whimpered, arching up again, wanting to feel Toni's touch in the one place she hasn't yet.

"I'm just taking my time with you," the pink haired girl smirked, feigning innocence.

"Yeah right," she panted, a light chuckle coming from her lips as she propped herself up on her elbows again.

Toni leaned over her, placing herself between her thighs once again before placing a slow, sensual kiss to her lips, easing her back down onto the comforter. Lips tied together in a string of searing kisses as Toni ran her hand up and down Cheryl's bare side, keeping herself propped up with the other. She traced the lines of her ribs and kneaded at her breast before slowly massaging her way down her torso once more. Cheryl held her face in her pale, trembling fingers, sliding her tongue against hers as Toni gave her warm shivers all over.

It seemed like an eternity to the redhead, waiting for Toni's fingers to finally reach the apex of her thighs. And when they did, it was well worth the wait. Even through the damp cotton of her panties, she felt like she could come right then and there. Her body was on fire and she knew that Toni was only just beginning. It was only the first touch and she had no idea what was in store.

"Toni," she mewled against her lips, her jaw dropping with a gasp as the shorter girl palmed her center, giving her the friction she desperately needed. Her hips bucked up to meet her touch as she cupped her through the ruined fabric, the heel of her palm rubbing just right against her throbbing clit.

"You're so wet already," Toni hummed, smirking against her lips as she noticed the material dampen even further at her words. Meanwhile Cheryl just whimpered into the feverish kiss a blush of embarrassment took over her face once more.

Tearing her lips from hers, she slid her tongue along her hot skin, the air conditioning making Cheryl shiver as Toni made her descent down her body again. She did as she had with her jeans, kissing a line along the waistband. But while Cheryl expected her to take them off next, she was surprised to feel her start to kiss over the pristine white cotton and lace that covered her hips. Toni really knew how to make her feel good and special, even if she was a terrible tease, Cheryl appreciated the fact that she was taking her time, going slow with her to warm her up and give her time to adjust. But nothing could prepare her for the jolt of warm electricity that shot through her body when she felt Toni's lips over her clothed clit, lightly sucking through the cotton.

"W-wow," Cheryl panted, unconsciously reaching up to grope at her own breasts as the pinkette took hold of her legs, bending them up with one draped over her shoulder. Her heart was racing more than ever as she felt Toni's hot breath on the warm, wet cotton that covered her.

"God, I can't wait to taste you," Toni whispered, breathing against her as she hooked her finger onto the side of the material, pulling it aside to expose her smooth, rosy pink folds. She couldn't even bring herself to smirk at how Cheryl appeared to quiver at her words, only able to focus on trying not to dive right in and devour her until she wasn't able to speak. She held herself back, taking her time in leaning in to flick her tongue against her clit, keeping her eyes up to watch her reaction. She held her hands on her hips, keeping her grounded as best she could as her hips jerked up at the sensation.

"This okay?" she whispered, pulling herself away from her only briefly while she waited for an answer, bringing a hand up to rub her clit in circles under her thumb. But Cheryl just mewled in response, nodding her head as her heel dug into Toni's shoulder blade. "Talk to me, baby, tell me if I should keep going," she mumbled, sitting up on her knees to strip off her own jeans.

Cheryl squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to feel embarrassed in how exposed she was. But she couldn't help but close her legs now that Toni wasn't placed between them as if would shield her from potential judgment or embarrassment.

"Cher?" Toni's concerned voice sent a shiver down her spine and she could feel her shift up the bed beside her, "Hey...babe, look at me." She ran a comforting hand up and down her arm, propping herself up on her elbow, "What's wrong? Do you wanna stop?"

"No! No, not at all, it's just..." the redhead trailed off, shaking her head and biting her lip, "Embarrassing."

Toni glanced over Cheryl's face as she averted her eyes, biting her lip before leaning in to kiss her softer than ever before. "You're so fucking beautiful, baby, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. I know it's new and different for you, I totally get that. If you wanna stop or take a break just say the word, okay?" she reached for her chin, holding it gently between her fingers.

"I don't want to stop," Cheryl whispered, biting her lip anxiously. Her body was still on fire and she was honestly rather upset with herself for causing this stand-still. "Please..."

The pink-haired girl smiled warmly and kissed her again. "I'm gonna take care of you, baby girl, don't you worry," she mumbled against her lips, chuckling at Cheryl's tiny whimper. She kept her lips on hers, rubbing a hand against her ivory chest before sliding it between her thighs, sliding her fingers through her wet, swollen folds. Cheryl shivered as Toni coated her fingers in her arousal, nearly passing out on the spot when the pinkette brought those fingers to her lips, sucking the gloss off with a pleased hum that made her weak in the knees.

As if that and the look on Toni's face weren't bad enough, the fact that she leaned in to let her taste herself on her tongue made Cheryl feel like she was floating. Her head was spinning with need and she knew it wouldn't stop until she got that release she knew Toni was going to give her.

Tearing her lips away, Toni brought her fingers back down to the apex of Cheryl's thighs as she nipped at her earlobe, chuckling low in her throat as Cheryl brought her trembling hands up to cradle one of her tanned breasts bravely. She could feel the redhead getting wetter by the second and she knew she wouldn't last much longer without a proper taste.

With one last slow kiss to her slack lips, Toni laid her back down against the pillows, sliding down her body until she was comfortably nestled between her legs again. She draped one pale leg over her shoulder again, gently pushing the other one further to the side so the rosy pink flower petals could bloom open before her. Her mouth watered as she felt Cheryl's thighs trembling around her. Keeping her eyes on the quivering redhead above her, she leaned in to flick her tongue lightly against her clit, smirking when her hips bucked. She traced the line of her slit with the tip of her tongue, just barely touching her clit again as Cheryl whimpered, trying to squirm through Toni's grip on her hips and thighs.

"T-Toni," she panted, blindly reaching down to grasp one of her hands, feeling like she would float away if she didn't.

"I've got you, baby, just enjoy," Toni smiled against her folds, placing a gentle reassuring kiss to the spot above her clit before suckling it between her lips. Cheryl gasped at the feeling of the sensitive bundle of nerves in Toni's mouth, being laved over by her skilled tongue.

Cheryl gripped hard at her hand, her hips rocking into her mouth to the rhythm of Toni's gentle suckling. She was so sensitive, she could feel every bumpy taste bud on her tongue. Every breath the pink haired girl took through her nose might as well have been a harsh gust of wind. Her tongue lapped at her slit expertly, hot and wet against the her slick skin. "F-fuck," she gasped, raising a hand to cover her mouth, trying to muffle the moans of pleasure that were escaping her.

"You can be loud, Cher. Tell me how you're feeling," Toni took a hand from her hips to reach up for her arm in an attempt to pull her hand from her mouth, "How are you feeling, baby? Am I making you feel good?"

"Mmhm," Cheryl nodded weakly, her voice sounded so pitiful, "S-so good, I w-want more."

Toni just smirked, sucking her clit between her lips again, a bit more harshly this time. "Mmm," she hummed against her, sending vibrations through her body, "Good girl." Her level of cockiness grew as she tasted the effect of her words, sliding her tongue against her hot, throbbing entrance.

"Toni," the weakened redhead whined, becoming more bold and vocal as the minutes went by, "S-say more things l-like that, p-please." She was practically begging at this point, finding the warm wave of arousal that shot through her at Toni's praise too addicting to deny.

"Like what, baby?" the pinkette grinned devilishly, bringing a hand up to trace her slit with a fingertip as she kissed around her inner thigh, "Like how you're being such a brave girl for me? Or how amazing you taste on my tongue?" She held in a chuckle when she felt Cheryl shiver as she became impossibly more wet under her touch. "Things like that?" she asked, biting her lip as she tickled the underside of her clit with the gentle tip of her finger.

"Y-yeah," Cheryl nodded, her face twisting in pleasure as she rocked her hips into Toni's simple touch, wanting more.
Toni teased her entrance with a single finger sliding it inside only slightly to test the waters as she dragged and flicked her warm tongue against her clit, knowing she was enjoying it. Her finger snaked and inched in farther, taking her time so Cheryl could adjust. She could feel her walls clenching tightly around the single slim finger, seeming to pull it in more as Toni bit her lip in anticipation. "You feeling good, baby? You want more?" she practically cooed, stroking her inner walls slowly as she placed a second finger at her entrance, not inserting it until she had her permission.

"More p-please," Cheryl's back arched up desperately, trying to push herself further against Toni's fingers, "Please, Toni. I want more." She never imagined herself in such a position, and she certainly never imagined herself being so vocal. But Toni seemed to like it, and god, she loved getting what she wanted. With a high pitched squeal, she bucked her hips up as Toni slid a second finger inside her, nearly losing her breath when she curled them up. "Th-that feels -ah!" she gasped as the pads of Toni's fingers stroked against a certain spot that had her seeing stars, "Oh my god."

Toni relished the sound of Cheryl's gasps and whimpers, giving herself a mental pat on the back as she felt her arousal leak into her palm from the stimulation on her g-spot. "You're doing so good, baby girl," she whispered, bringing her lips back down to suck her clit into her mouth again, flicking her tongue over the bud quickly as her fingers picked up a bit of speed, "So good."

It was driving Cheryl crazy in the best possible way. She felt lightheaded as she tried to control her breathing. But it was hard to control when every flick of Toni's tongue and fingers sent her into overdrive. She wasn't sure she was going to last much longer. All she was sure of was that this was so much better than the toy that brought them together in the first place.

Propping herself up on an elbow, her fingers reached down to tangle in the pink and brown strands, raking Toni's hair back so she could watch. She didn't think anything could be better than how the shorter girl was making her feel. But to her surprise, the sight of Toni doing what she did so well heightened her pleasure more than she thought possible. Just looking into her lustful eyes as she lapped and sucked on her clit had Cheryl quaking.

"I want you to come for me. Can you do that for me, beautiful?" Toni asked low in her throat. She kissed soothingly over her thighs, being slow and gentle despite her fingers picking up speed, rubbing against her diligently, "Come on, good girl, come for me."

Cheryl arched her back again, her hips bucking up into Toni's touch, losing rhythm as Toni sped up. She could feel her own wetness coating her skin, but she couldn't even bring herself to care of be embarrassed like she normally would be. Her breathing became more erratic as her chest heaved. She tried to push herself further against Toni's expert touch. It was all becoming too much. With Toni's fingers inside her, her kisses and licks against her clit and quivering thighs, her hot breath against her, she knew she wasn't going to last much longer.

"T-Tonii," she whined, writhing into her touch as she felt herself approaching the edge quickly.

"Let it go for me, baby, come on," Toni hummed against her, sucking hard on her clit again.

She tugged at her pink hair, pulling her closer as she finally let go. She released a high-pitched cry, unable to hold back as Toni guided her through her orgasm. Her hips jerked wildly as she lost all control of her body. Even with Toni's tight grip on her, she felt like she would fly off the bed. She tossed and turned as best she could as she rode out her high, never wanting the feeling to end. Her cries and moans turned into pathetic whimpers and sighs as she came down. Toni's fingers slowed to a stop inside her, pulling them out carefully, leaving the redhead feeling empty. But she kept her tongue lapping soothingly against her aching folds, cleaning her up in the most nurturing manner as she twitched uncontrollably.

Staring up at the ceiling, Cheryl tried her hardest to catch her breath, barely feeling Toni moving around beneath her. Her whole body felt like jell-o and she had a feeling that it would be a while before she could even move her legs again. Kisses were being placed onto her neck and chin before she knew it and it took what little strength she had left to turn her head enough to catch Toni's arousal-covered lips in her own, kissing her breathlessly.

Toni just smiled against her lips and brought a hand up to the side of her face, gently tucking damp strands of red hair behind her ear as she kissed her slowly. "You okay?" she whispered, stroking her cheek with her thumb, tangling her legs with hers as she turned onto her side.

"Mmhm," Cheryl hummed, swallowing thickly as she curled into Toni's arms, trying to hide her yawn in the curve of her neck and pouting at the chuckle Toni gave her in response, pulling back to look at her, "What?"

"You're cute," the pink haired girl shook her head with a grin, kissing her slowly.

The familiar itch of a blush tickled her cheeks as she hid her face again. She wanted to make Toni feel as good as she just had. She just needed a minute to gain back the feeling in her limbs. But her heart dropped when she felt Toni pulling away from her, getting out of the bed. Her anxiety was back, telling her that the girl who just blew her away was going to tell her to leave. Biting her lip, she didn't question Toni's actions. She just sat up slowly, awkwardly quiet as she wrapped a nearby blanket around her so she could reach for her clothes, her back turned to Toni so the pinkette wouldn't see the embarrassment all over her face.

"What are you doing?" her voice made Cheryl flinch a bit, despite how gentle her words were. Turning her head, she saw Toni back in her loose tank top, holding a grey t-shirt in her hand as she stood confused at the side of the bed.

"I-I thought you would want me to leave..." Cheryl bit her lip, holding the blanket firmly to her chest.

"No, I was just grabbing something for you to sleep in...if you wanted to stay, that is," Toni shook her head, holding out the t-shirt to her. She didn't usually let people sleep over, but Cheryl was different. She still wasn't sure how or why, but she knew that she didn't want her to leave so soon.

With a shy smile, Cheryl nodded, reaching for the shirt and slipping it over her head, inhaling the scent of Toni that clung to it. "Thanks," she muttered, following her lead as she got under the covers and laid down against the pillows, "Wh-what about you, though?"

"I can wait," Toni shrugged with a smirk, leaning over to kiss her again, "Tonight was about you. And fuck, you were amazing."

"So were you," she giggled shyly, "I didn't think feeling like...that...was possible."

"You deserve it," Toni smirked against her lips, moving down to place a line of comforting kisses against her neck, "Get some sleep, cutie. Not to toot my own horn, but I know you're exhausted." She chuckled a bit into her skin as Cheryl smiled against the shell of her ear.

"Thank you," the redhead yawned, not bothering to hide it as she laid her head down, falling asleep almost instantly with Toni's hands tracing random patterns on her lower back under her t-shirt.