Chapter 10: ... Favours the Bold
© kate7891
With the thick, ominous clouds gathering, I thanked the gods that be I only had one delivery left for the afternoon. Nothing worse than heavy rain to batter and bruise delicate petals.
Turning my Jeep down St Kilda's deserted Esplanade, water reflecting the dreary sky, palm fronds detaching in the growing wind, I felt a wave of excitement crest under my skin. I was making my first delivery to Vibe Hotel.
And was secretly hoping to see Lucille.
I pulled into the delivery parking bay -- cursed the lack of cover -- just as the clouds tore open. Shit. The rain was heavy, just as it promised to be. A late summer storm. Normally I loved nothing more than to sit out on my balcony, bong in hand, watching the lightning dance over the ocean.
But stuck in my car, with no umbrella? The worst.
I twisted in my seat, admired the flowers I'd put together for Vibe. A calm arrangement of pastel natives, tall and eye-catching for the reception area. The same flowers, packed away in trays in the boot, were used in smaller, recycled medicine bottled I'd wrapped in twine for the forty plus bedrooms. But it was the restaurant arrangement of which I was most proud. A bold statement of dark magenta heuchera, achiella that reflected a sunset, peachy begonia, filled out with ivory lathyrus and leafy primula.
Thanking my habit of storing a plastic tarp in the back, I resigned myself to a soaking at the expense of the flowers remaining fresh. I dashed from the car, rounding to the back, the heavy rain immediately fusing the forest green jersey dress to my skin. I hurriedly covered two trays of the smaller arrangements and carted them to the wide, double doors. Buzzed to get in.
And froze hot when Lucille opened the door.
She wore high-waisted red pants, a white, mannish shirt tucked in to accentuate her slender frame.
"Annika, hey!" she called over the deluge. "Let me give you a hand."
She took the tarp and ran out to my car -- moving surprisingly well in the rain in heels -- hastily covering the other two trays. Her shirt clung to her like a second skin, black bra visible underneath. Her slacks deepened to maroon and outlined her long thighs, accentuated the triangle between her legs.
I gulped, Nika fisting hard, and moved to a long stainless-steel bench to deposit the flowers. And to appease the ache.
Lucille ran back, and I took the tarp.
"I'm okay with the others," I told Lucille. "Stay dry."
I ran back out, ponytail dripping down my back, and wrapped the tarp around my shoulders like a cape. With some effort -- and the rain splintering noisily against my shoulders -- I tucked the larger bouquets under my arms and awkwardly moved crab-like back to Lucille, conscious of the damp dress running up my thighs, sandals stodging against the concrete.
My forehead was beading with rain, nose and chin dripping. The sensation of water running down my face reminded me of being in the hot tub, trapped between Lucille's legs. I was surprised the rain didn't steam from my overheated body.
"Here," Lucille said, exchanging one bouquet for a towel. I placed the other beside its mates, wrung out my ponytail before quickly tying it in a wet top-knot, and rubbed the cold wet from my forearms.
"Thanks," I said, dabbing at the moisture at my throat, cheeks. Lucille stood by the arrangements, blonde hair dark from the rain and spiky from the towel.
"Annika, these..." she trailed off, shaking her head, and I felt a lump of anxiety settle in my throat. "These are stunning."
I felt my whole body relax, a shy smile lifting the corners of my mouth.
"Thanks," I said, voice small, stepping next to the other woman. "I'm pretty happy with them."
Lucille fingered the petal of a delicate begonia, turned her head, eyes drinking me in, travelling from the tips of my black holo toes to the top of my head.
And then she smiled, slow and sly.
"You look so fucking sexy wet."
Heat flooded my face; I felt it pink my cheeks. In defence, I averted my gaze, focused on the flowers. Lucille put a hand to my shoulder, shifting the angle of our bodies, and stepped against me, hands gliding up my moist arms, our pebbled teats rubbing.
Again, my teeth sunk into my bottom lip.
"I missed you," Lucille whispered, hands moving up the sides of my neck, around my décolletage, and I lifted my eyes to Lucille's witch hazel green, and was immediately cast under their secret spells.
"Really?" I breathed, heart rattling my ribcage. Nika readily echoing the beat.
"Really, really," she replied, lowering her lips to mine as thunder rumbled outside. Her lips were soft, gently exploring, seeming to memorise the shape of my pouty mouth, the rough texture of my tongue.
In the back of my mind I was aware we hadn't spent any time at all in the hot tub learning of each other intimately like this.
Mouth answering hers, my hands grew bold, moving around to cup Lucille's ass, was greeted with firm flesh hiding under wet material. I squeezed, pulled her closer, Nika beginning to take control, my tongue moving as avidly as Lucille's.
With the rain smattering the windows, our kisses grew deeper, a little sloppier, as Lucille's tongue explored the dark recesses of my mouth. She tasted tart, fresh. Tropical almost. Her lips completely enveloped the mine, and she cupped the back of my head, angling me how she wished, pushing our faces closer. My nostrils flared against Lucille's cheek as the warm scent of jasmine wafted over me.
I sighed into Lucille's mouth, body tingling from the taste of our mingled breath, one hand fisting into the back of her white shirt. Lucille shifted slightly, pressing her thigh between my legs as she sucked my tongue between her lips. My sighs soon turned to moans and my mouth opened passively under Lucille's assault, giving her complete access and control.
Lucille's teeth scraped the top of my tongue, sending currents of pleasure down my throat and into my core where the tide turned in Lucille's favour. My hands moved up Lucille's back, felt the heat radiating from beneath her sodden shirt, and back down to her ass, pulling her thigh firmer against the ache Nika pulsed between my legs.
Lucille slowly pulled back, a small string of saliva connecting us, and gave me that bewitching smile. "Someone's needy, I see," she said, voice soft, before rubbing her lips once more over mine.
