At Your Most Beautiful by Harper Bliss (best free ereader .TXT) 📗

her, she wouldn’t let go of her any time soon—and said, “It’s from a Bianca Bankole song that goes, ‘But my darling, always know your secret’s safe with me.’ I figured the whole lyric was too long. I only have so much skin.” She paused. “When someone sees it, it’s usually in an intimate setting like this, and I thought it was a funny idea at the time.” She couldn’t suppress a smile.

Quinn could feel Maya’s body shake softly as she chuckled against her. “Wow.” She craned her neck so she was looking into Quinn’s face. “That’s actually quite beautiful. And I love the way you celebrate your sexuality with such confidence.”

“Thank you.” Quinn was taken aback again. Maybe she would have to rethink her plans for sneaking out of the house to spend the night with Maya again. There was something special about her, and Quinn didn’t want to run the risk of getting hurt again—not so soon after Rachel.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Maya said, her gaze kind and her tone as sweet as the term of endearment she had just used. “You have no idea what you’ve given me tonight.”

“An orgasm and a great deal of ambivalence.”

“There’s that.” Maya’s finger slid up from Quinn’s belly to her chest. “Speaking of.” Maya’s finger circled Quinn’s nipple. “I think can handle a bit more of both.”

Chapter 9

As soon as Maya woke, she went to war with herself. Part of her wanted to ignore the ambivalence that had increased exponentially throughout the night, throw her arms around Quinn, and do it all over again. But the other, much more prevalent and rational part of her, hoped Quinn wouldn’t be there when she finally dared to open her eyes. The grown-up, wise woman that Maya knew she was, but most decidedly hadn’t been last night, wished that last night had never happened because then she wouldn’t have to deal with the awkward aftermath.

But when Maya opened her eyes, Quinn was there. She was still sleeping. She lay on her back, every inch of her glorious skin exposed to the heat that already hung in the bedroom despite the early hour. It was going to be another sultry hot day.

Maya’s gaze was drawn to Quinn’s tattoo. It was impossible not to look at. But she couldn’t give in to any of that any longer. She had allowed herself to give in last night. Now was the time to face the music.

When had Quinn said Bill and Brooke would be returning? Maya hoped there wasn’t some emergency that made them come home early. Imagine if they arrived while Quinn was still in her bed? The thought was so unbearable, she nearly woke Quinn and asked her to leave there and then. But she wanted to look at her a few moments longer.

She didn’t exactly regret what they had done—it was impossible to regret the avalanche of satisfaction that had engulfed her throughout the night. Even though she was still lying in bed, she could already feel it had changed something in her body. Her limbs felt looser. Her shoulders were less tense. She knew that the next time she danced, her hips would sway a little wilder and the curve of her back would be more pronounced.

Every single second she had spent with Quinn in bed last night had been memorable and exquisite, and Maya was glad for the memories they had created, but that was all they were and could be now. Memories.

As though the intensity of her thoughts created a shift in the air, Quinn stirred. Eyes still closed, she stretched her arms above her, her chest protruding. Maya knew she should look away, but she couldn’t. Her eyes were glued to the triangles of lighter skin around Quinn’s nipples. She had to stop herself reaching for them with her hand or her lips.

No. She had to stop. It was Sunday morning. Bill and Brooke would be home soon. Quinn would return to just being the neighbors’ daughter. There simply was no other choice.

Quinn opened her eyes. “Morning, gorgeous,” she said. Instantly, she broke into a smile and turned on her side. “Did you get some sleep?” Her hand sneaked close to Maya’s belly, but mercifully she didn’t touch her.

Maya had no idea how, despite her very best intentions, she would react to a touch from Quinn.

“You exhausted me.” Maya silently instructed herself to get out of bed, but her body failed to cooperate. “So, yes.”

Maya could see Quinn’s gaze drift from her face to her breasts and it felt as arousing as a touch. Why hadn’t she covered herself properly?

Quinn brought her hand to Maya’s hip. “You don’t look as though you still need your beauty sleep. You already look so beautiful.” Quinn shuffled closer. “It should be illegal this early in the morning.”

“Ever the charmer.” Maya swallowed hard.

“It’s not charm.” Quinn started tracing a fingertip up and down Maya’s hip. “Not with you.”

“Quinn.” Maya put her hand on top of Quinn’s so she could keep it from moving. “We have to stop this now.”

“We have all day. Mom and Dad won’t be back until late tonight.”

“That’s not the point.” Did Quinn really expect them to have a careless day of canoodling by the pool? “I won’t say that last night shouldn’t have happened, but it does need to stop. Now.”

Quinn jutted out her bottom lip and narrowed her eyes into an expression of utter sadness.

“Look…” Maya allowed herself a quick squeeze of Quinn’s hand. “Last night was wonderful. It will always be a wonderful memory for me. But I need to get back to myself now.”

“I believe you were more yourself last night than you’ve been in a long time.”

“Quinn,” Maya said on an exasperated sigh. “One night with me does not equate to you knowing me. The simple truth is that you don’t know me very well at all. You don’t know how I live my life and what my principles are.” Maya let go of Quinn’s hand.

“Fair