Exquisite Perspective

A lesbian romance set in a seaside town. This is a continuation of Exquisite Perspective Ch.01 and won't make much sense if you haven't read the preceding chapter.

A gracious thank you to

WaxPhilosophic

for fantastic suggestions and advice. You are awesome!

******

Amelia sat back down in her chair after hugging Morgan, taking a bite of her chicken and smiling somewhat demurely at her. She was giddy from the afterglow of their impromptu door lust and still reeling from the news Morgan brought. She couldn't believe she was sitting across from the realtor sharing lunch with her. Since the last moment they saw one another, the only thing she wanted was to be in Morgan's embrace again.

During their first weekend together, she had grown fond of Morgan, but it didn't hit her how much they had in common until she was working on her manuscript. They discussed her writing most conversations, but found themselves increasingly deviating from that topic, delving into their interests. From their favorite movies to their coincidental love for the ocean, their shared interests were varied and numerous. "How long are you staying?" she asked.

"Probably just tonight. I called to check if the hotel Allison and I stayed in had any vacancies, and they do if you -," Morgan began, her eyebrows raised in question, but Amelia cut her off.

"Don't be silly. You are more than welcome to spend the night with me and I would be offended if you didn't. I'd have you longer if you could stay," Amelia admitted with a blush.

Morgan smiled at her, reaching across to take her free hand. "I really wish I could, and to be honest, I'd stay all week if that were the case. But, I've got a client selling their house and we're going to be looking at the offers tomorrow afternoon before he makes a decision. So my stay has to be short."

Amelia was disappointed for it to be such a rushed visit, but she wasn't going to allow her feelings to muddle their time together. There was a brief pause before she spoke. "It's Tuesday," Amelia stated with a grin, her fingertips caressing Morgan's knuckles.

Morgan quirked a dark eyebrow, chewing her pasta thoughtfully. "Yes, it is," she agreed, unsure where this was going.

Amelia sipped her water and wiped her face on a napkin with her free hand. "The Mummers will be on the boardwalk tonight."

"The who?"

Amelia's grin widened. "The Mummers!"

Morgan chuckled. "The same people who dress up in feathers and crap and strut down the streets of Philly on New Year's Day? They do that more than just once a year?"

Amelia nodded. "Yes, every Tuesday in July and we're going. Their outfits aren't as crazy as they are on New Year's but it's still great music," she squeezed Morgan's hand before letting go to clear off the table. Morgan followed her with the rest of the take-out trash, easing her way into the small space.

Amelia watched Morgan throw the items she carried into the garbage can before she turned and captured Amelia's arms. She pulled Amelia close, kissing her on the lips. "I don't care what we do, as long as I go to bed with you tonight."

"I wouldn't have it any other way. Now, I'm going to get the heck out of these clothes and find something appropriate for public and then we'll go," Amelia concluded.

Morgan's eyes trailed up and down her body and Amelia couldn't help the blush that rose to her cheeks. "I think you look fantastic in what you have on," Morgan's hands ran up and down Amelia's arms, biting her own lip as she stared at Amelia ardently.

They gazed at each other for a few silent moments until Amelia swallowed her desire. As much as she wanted to stay in and surrender to her libido, it was Amelia's turn to feed the stray cats under the boardwalk. "We're going to miss the music," she muttered before pulling away to make herself more presentable.

****

The music echoed through the streets as they walked toward the boardwalk, cheers blending with the Mardi Gras styled tunes the band played. The descending sun was obscured by fog and a thick humidity hung in the air, coating the railing on the staircase with a layer of dew.

Morgan shot Amelia a dubious look and Amelia smiled before taking her hand. Despite Morgan's protests that she looked good in glasses, Amelia had replaced them with her contacts. She also changed into a blue strapless sundress that hugged her hips and Morgan could barely keep her eyes off her lover. She narrowly avoided missing the first step as they began up the staircase and Amelia giggled at her near miss.

As they scaled the twelve steps up to the boardwalk, their view met a sea of brightly dressed dancers through the crowd of people. Groups were clapping and children were dancing on the outskirts of the space made for the Mummers. Amelia tugged Morgan's hand, pulling her toward the edge so they could see the glamorous musicians.

Five people were strumming tiny ukuleles dressed in purple and orange feathered jackets. Another couple were wearing clown costumes and playing accordions. A few of the Mummers were waving elaborately decorated umbrellas while blowing on kazoos. Morgan laughed aloud when Amelia grinned up at her, grey eyes mesmerizing in the setting sun. Morgan wrapped an arm around her so they were hip to hip, breathing in her flowery scent. It was boisterous and loud, the joyful atmosphere seeping into everyone gathered around.

A little while later, Amelia and Morgan headed to the flower shop, Amelia telling her to stay in the front while she went into the back room. Guiltily, Morgan couldn't stop herself from watching Amelia sashay her hips through the threshold of the door to the back. She came out with a small tote bag and beckoned Morgan to follow her.

"Where are you taking me?" Morgan asked suspiciously as Amelia led her down the stairs toward the beach side of the boardwalk. With the beach long deserted and the sky a pinkish purple hue, Morgan had to take pause to soak in the ambience. The music from the Mummers thrummed upon the boardwalk and the sound mixed with the crashing of the waves on the shore, a shrill cry of a seagull only adding to the symphony. The balanced harmony was hypnotic and mellifluous to Morgan's senses.

She glanced down at her lover, the rising moon casting a haunting violet glow to Amelia's grey eyes that sent a shiver through Morgan.

She's so beautiful.

Morgan sighed as Amelia's hand ran up her back in a tender caress before both of them gazed out at the ocean. The dune grass rippled atop the sand covered hills on either side of them, the soft scents of fried food mingling with the sea. She turned to her lover. "It's beautiful," Morgan observed. With a nod, Amelia let her hand drop and she headed to the staircase they'd walked down. "Where are you going?"

The skirt of Amelia's dress fluttered in the light breeze coming from the ocean and Morgan bit back her longing. "Just follow me. I have to do something before I forget," Amelia said as she disappeared behind the wooden staircase, hidden in the shadows beneath the boardwalk. The song above died down, The Mummers evidently taking a break from their performance.

Morgan's eyes adjusted to the darkness and she could make out Amelia's figure kneeling beside a shadow with reflective eyes. Amelia's head turned to Morgan and she put a finger to her lips before dumping something from the small tote into a bowl in the sand beside what Morgan realized was a cat. A quick survey of the area deemed it wasn't the only cat there. Morgan counted at least five cats in varying colors and a handful of cat cubbies scattered about.

"Cats?" she whispered.

Amelia laughed as she stood, two of the five cats running. "Yes. That's Mac," she pointed to a black cat sporting a white spot on his face, "and that over there is Lindsay," an orange cat the size of a small dog cleaning itself, "and Gollum," she pointed to a tabby watching Morgan precariously from the cover of a piece of wood. "We, the other shop owners and I, feed them. They've all been spayed and neutered, but a lot of us can't take on any pets in where we live. So, they live here."

Morgan beamed at her as she stepped closer to Amelia, careful not to disrupt the cat with its head in the food bowl by her feet. "You're adorable," she said before kissing her.

Amelia took Morgan's hand and tugged her away from the mini cat sanctuary, climbing over a small hill of sand to a deserted portion of the undercarriage of the boardwalk.

The sun had set, darkness draping the space. Footfalls above them coalesced with laughter and the whirling of machinery from the amusement park. "Don't you find it a little creepy down here?" Morgan mused.

Amelia laughed and began humming

Under the Boardwalk

by The Drifters. Morgan laughed when she recognized the tune. "Are you serious? You know that song is about having sex under the boardwalk, right?"

Amelia bobbed her head without silencing her humming. "Is it really?" she tilted her head ruefully at Morgan. "Huh. I guess I never thought about the lyrics. I think the last time I heard it was when I was walking up to the venue when I went to my high school prom," she chuckled, stepping up to one of the many pillars holding the boardwalk in place and leaning her back against it.

"That's an interesting choice for a bunch of horny teens in skimpy dresses," Morgan noted as she moved closer to her.

"Oh, I agree now that I think about it. But, I didn't take much notice back then. I do remember it was down at the convention center in Wildwood and the tickets were ridiculous."

"Who was lucky enough to be your date?"

"I actually went stag with my best friend, Liz. However, the entire night I watched my crush waltz around the dance floor with her girlfriend. God, I was so smitten with her and had been all four years of high school. I never got the courage to talk to her until we graduated," Amelia admitted with a smirk.

Morgan raised her eyebrows, surprised by her sudden jealousy. "Oh, yeah? Did anything ever come of that?"

"Yeah. We dated on and off for a few months, but I realized the attraction was mostly physical. She and I had next to nothing in common."

"Do we have anything in common?" Morgan asked, curiosity prompting her question.

Amelia smirked again, edging closer to Morgan and wrapping her arms around her neck. "We have loads in common," she claimed.

"Yeah? Like what?" Morgan pressed, her face hovering inches from Amelia's. A robust yearning to delve between Amelia's legs and to taste her almost took over Morgan's reason. She wanted to kiss her, to slip the cute little dress down her body, to caress her pale silky skin until her face relaxed in bliss. Instead, she ran her nails over the naked expanse of Amelia's upper arms, their bodies nearly touching.

"We both like to read."

"Mhm," Morgan granted herself a chaste kiss on Amelia's lips before allowing her to continue.

"We both like fudge," Amelia added with a tilt of her head, causing her hair to fall slightly into her face.

"Who doesn't like chocolate?" Morgan's hand came up to Amelia's cheek and she pushed back an errant strand of hair, letting her fingers tickle the nape of Amelia's neck. The action elicited a shudder from Amelia, her eyes closing briefly before opening again and continuing her list.

"We both like pasta," Amelia countered, and Morgan kissed her again, letting her lips linger a moment longer that time.

She truly wanted Amelia to explain what they had in common, however, her desire to consume the other woman was quickly overpowering her active listening skills. Heat radiated from Amelia's body and Morgan arched her back to capture the warmth of her. She chuckled. "Again, who doesn't like empty carbs? That's on the same level as chocolate! What else?"

"We both love the ocean and cult classics."

"That's true," Morgan admitted, remembering their recent phone discussion regarding the movie Donnie Darko. Morgan had been surprised the writer had even seen it let alone have strong opinions about the confusing plot. She kissed her again, her tongue sweeping Amelia's lower lip as her fingers ran through her hair.

Amelia appeared to remain undeterred, although her voice was strained. "We both enjoy classical music," she murmured when Morgan's kiss relented.

"True," Morgan answered, her free hand trailing over the curve of Amelia's hip, her lover nearly squirming when she reached her breasts. "Do continue," she could feel the distinct hardening of Amelia's nipple even through her bra.

"We both find each other unbelievably attractive," Amelia managed as Morgan's thumb and forefinger softly pinched her nipple through the barriers.

"'Unbelievably?' Is that so?" Morgan inquired teasingly, the hand in her hair finding Amelia's earlobe, fingers tenderly tracing the outline. She was right to assume it was an erogenous spot for her, Amelia taking a sharp breath and pulling Morgan closer yet from the combination of stimuli.

"Oh, yeah. I find you gorgeous," Amelia whispered with candor, her eyes closed, and lips parted. Her arms were still snug around Morgan's neck, simply basking in the attention from her.

Morgan's hand moved to Amelia's neglected breast, the nipple already stiff and she brought her head close to Amelia's ear. "I don't think you have a clue how beautiful you are," Morgan's breath was hot over the sensitive skin of Amelia's neck with each syllable. Amelia's erratic respirations were leading Morgan to believe she was gaining the desired effect on her. She pressed her lips against the taut muscles of Amelia's neck and Morgan felt Amelia's arms drop to surround her waist. Her tongue darted, drawing a circle with tantalizing precision over the area.

"You're really intuitive, for a shoobie," Amelia hissed. Morgan dropped her right hand to Amelia's waist while the other secured a grip in her hair, gently tilting Amelia's head to the side as her tongue continued its mission. Morgan felt a sense of accomplishment as Amelia cooed softly, her body beginning to writhe against her own. A nip of Morgan's teeth caused a throaty moan to escape Amelia.

A loud pair of footsteps trudged above their heads, causing Amelia to pull back and stare at Morgan. Her blue eyes were shimmering in the low light, pupils wide and Morgan could feel Amelia's rapidly beating heart against her breasts.

Amelia blinked, pursing her lips before she spoke in a husky tone, and Morgan's desire unfurled. "We...we both kiss really well," she stammered.

The fingers in Amelia's hair urged her forward, Morgan determined to prove Amelia's words true. Her tongue skirted Amelia's lips before they parted and met its consort. Her hips pressed into Amelia, her unoccupied hand gathering the fabric of Amelia's dress to allow her fingertips access to the bare skin of her thighs.

Their lips met, Morgan tangling her tongue with Amelia's. Amelia's soft moaning quickly transformed into desperate whimpering from Morgan's caress of her legs and the previous provocation. Morgan pulled back from the kiss, her hand dropping from Amelia's neck.

She grinned mischievously at her lover before kneeling in the cool sand. "What are you doing?" Amelia whispered as Morgan lifted her dress and draped it over her head, kissing Amelia's thighs. "Morgan, what if...oh," Amelia's words were stifled by Morgan's expert hands grazing the skin of her belly, "What if someone comes down here?"

It was dark, but Morgan's hands found Amelia's panties and she shimmied them down to her ankles. She sprinkled wet kisses up Amelia's thighs as her fingers parted the glistening flesh.

Amelia let out a low moan when Morgan's kisses moved upward to the newly exposed area and Morgan presumed Amelia either forgot about where they were or didn't care anymore. She nuzzled the dampened lips, her tongue swiping the entire expanse of Amelia's need. The festive music above heightened again, the Mummers back from their short intermission, and the song filled the space through the boards.

Morgan felt Amelia's hands grasp her shoulders as she delved deeper with her tongue, gently sampling her sweetness. She couldn't satisfy her hunger, Amelia's taste far too delicate and intoxicating to quench her longing. She moved to Amelia's clit, circling the tender flesh before she gave it a nibble. Amelia's hands tightened on her shoulders, her thumbnails nearly piercing Morgan's skin.

Slipping two fingers inside the origin of Amelia's nectar earned Morgan a hoarse groan from above. Morgan wanted to steal a glance at Amelia's face but couldn't see anything through the fabric of the dress over her head. Her tongue circled countless times causing her lover to whimper and her breathing to become sporadic.

She relished in the feel of Amelia's burning desire, swollen and wet with her yearning. Muscles hugged Morgan's digits and she curled them as she thrusted into Amelia. Capturing the bundle of nerves in her mouth again, Morgan heard Amelia draw a breath before she let out a sharp cry, her thumbs no doubt leaving marks in Morgan's shoulders that time. "Oh God, Morgan!"

Luckily, Amelia's cry was drowned in the cacophonous eruption of applause as the Mummers music came to a crescendo. She hadn't anticipated such a swift release from her, but she greedily lapped at the results of her efforts. "Get up here," Amelia breathed, rubbing where her hands had sat. Morgan slipped Amelia's panties back up before obeying the request.

She rose, her lips curled in a cocky smirk and Amelia wrapped her arms around her. "No fair. At this rate, I'm never going to be able to reciprocate, you turd," she murmured and Morgan laughed at the honesty in her tone.

"Did you really just call me a turd? You're so cute," she kissed Amelia, the other woman moaning when her tongue dipped into her mouth. Morgan found it endearing that her lover didn't use curse words. She hadn't heard her say any in the time they'd been together.

Were they together? This thought crossed Morgan's mind as she wrapped her arms around the beautiful brunette and held her close, their lips meshing together in a heated exchange of lust. Their quick make up that afternoon hadn't resulted in an explicit conversation about their relationship and what status it took on. Morgan knew she wanted to be with Amelia, exclusively, but the thought of such a discussion was a little nerve wracking.

It occurred to her that she hadn't asked Amelia her thoughts on monogamy nor had she asked how she felt about being in a committed relationship. Monogamy had only recently become the norm for Morgan, as she'd finally matured enough to appreciate the depth of commitment.

Though, it still scared the shit out of her.

Prior to her dropping the news about the flower shop's building, they had discussed continuing their liaison but with a slower approach. That steered her opinion away from believing Amelia would want something strictly causal. However, she couldn't stifle the slight consternation at the thought of the possibility.

Morgan hadn't been the most caring lover in the past and she worried karma would claim her when she found someone she liked a great deal. She wondered if it would be a good time to bring such a conversation up but decided against it. The talk could wait while she reveled in the affection of the woman in her arms.

Much later that evening, Morgan watched the steady rise and fall of Amelia's chest, fatigued from their love making but her mind too awake to rest. The subject of the nature of their relationship hadn't come up organically and Morgan had yet to gather the courage to bring it up herself. They shared a lovely dinner at Manco & Manco pizza as they walked down the boardwalk after the music died down. Amelia had been so happy, her eyes bright and cheeks flushed when she smiled at Morgan, which she did most of the night. They'd gone back to her condo and Morgan spent a great deal of time pleasing her until she allowed Amelia her own chance.