CHAPTER 23

When Ashley brought her lips to Carly’s, she didn’t flinch. This is it. For real now. Don’t back down. Carly opened her mouth to progress the kiss; Ashley took the hint, and soon they were making out on the bed. Faster than before, but still careful and tentative—Carly could feel the passion in Ashley’s touches.

“The light?” Ashley asked after a moment. “Can we do this in the dark?”

Carly thought of a Fall Out Boy lyric she hadn’t heard in ages and let out a laugh. “Yeah, yeah. The dark is good. Don’t worry. I’m good.”

Ashley gave her a wry grin before plunging them into black. “You’ll have to tell me about that joke later.” Her whispered words vibrated against Carly’s neck and collarbone, while Ashley’s hands found her waist. She tugged and twisted Carly’s shirt, only exposing an inch of skin at a time to touch.

“Oh,” Carly let out a breathy moan. This was all going too slow—and too fast—at the same time. The Fall Out Boy song still played in her mind; Carly swore it matched the rhythm of their breathing. Just like high school, only now I know what I’m doing. Kind of. Ashley’s number of girlfriends and one night stands piled up in Carly’s mind. Carly had only been with a handful of people for sex, and only one of them was a long-term relationship. What if I don’t know what I’m doing? Fall Out Boy faded away, and Carly’s hands shook as her kisses grew more frantic.

“Hey, hey.” Ashley grabbed Carly’s fingers. She kissed each knuckle, then placed Carly’s palms over her chest. At first, Carly thought Ashley just wanted her to feel her breasts. But, as Ashley held Carly in place, she realized Ashley wanted Carly to feel her heart beat.

“See?” Ashley confirmed. “Just as scared as you.”

“So should we wait?”

“Hah,” Ashley said. “Only if you’re not ready. But being scared isn’t always a reason to stop.”

Carly thought about this. Ashley’s body warmed under her palms. When Carly kissed Ashley again, she felt Ashley’s heartbeat rise.

“Yeah, now is good.” Carly bit her own lip, before she kissed Ashley’s neck. Ashley hummed from her throat. She didn’t say anything for quite some time. When Carly’s hands moved over Ashley’s breasts, her nipples grew hard. Carly slid her hands under fabric, onto bare skin, and heart rates rose again.

Carly lost her clothing in a matter of minutes, followed by Ashley. In only bras and underwear, they returned to the bed and continued to kiss. Ashley’s hands were urgent, but kind. Each time she caressed Carly’s breasts or thighs, she hummed to her as she kissed. When the Fall Out Boy song from before returned to Carly’s mind, she knew she was ready.

“Can I?” Carly asked, sinking lower over Ashley’s body. She held the rim of Ashley’s boxers briefs in her fingers, tugging lightly.

“Oh yeah. Definitely.”

In another flash, they were naked. Carly hovered between Ashley’s legs and their mouths met again. She traced a finger over Ashley’s folds and felt wetness right away. Wow. Carly pressed her thumb around Ashley’s clit, eliciting a shuddered moan. Ashley’s hand clamped down on Carly’s arm.

“Good?” Carly hovered above Ashley’s lips. She moved her thumb around her clit again.

“Yeah,” Ashley said. Even in the dark, Carly could still see Ashley’s smile. The smile that I caused. Carly swirled her thumb again, before she kissed down Ashley’s collarbones to her breasts. She sucked a nipple into her mouth as she slid two fingers inside.

For a while, this was all they did. Ashley moaned and guided Carly, encouraging her with shudders of pleasure and kisses when she could. Carly soon grew bolder, more daring than she remembered herself being. She sunk down between Ashley’s legs, kissing her thighs. Ashley opened willingly to the embrace.

“Fuck, Carly Rogers,” Ashley said through a shuddered breath.

Carly tried to hold back her giggles. “Really? Right here? Right before I’m about to go down on you, and you use that nickname?”

Ashley started to laugh too. “What? I guess I never excelled at dirty talk.”

“Yeah, well, me neither, Ashley Poindexter.”

“Oh. I like hearing my name like this. With you between my thighs.” Ashley closed her legs a bit, playfully squeezing Carly between them. “Come here? I want to kiss you again.”

Carly did as she was asked. When their lips met, Carly was taken aback by the sudden urgency. Ashley held Carly’s chin, then pressed their foreheads together. When the embrace was done, Carly was relieved to slide back between Ashley’s thighs. Almost as if we both needed a moment. To remember that this isn’t really that big of a deal after all. Carly kissed another line over Ashley’s thighs, before she drew along Ashley’s folds. She was so warm and wet, Carly lost herself for a good couple moments, tasting Ashley with no real goal. When Ashley moaned, though, Carly grew focused.

“Oh, G—” Ashley ran her fingers along Carly’s hair. Urgent, but considerate. “Like that.”

Carly repeated the same motion with her tongue. She wrapped her hands around Ashley, steadying herself as she moved. When Ashley came, Carly’s heart skipped to hear her name inside her mouth.

“Carly, Carly, Carly….” Ashley panted. Constant and musical, like a charm or a spell. Ashley pulled Carly up for a kiss, which soon turned into a heated embrace.

“Now,” Ashley whispered, sending chills up Carly’s back. “It’s your turn.”

Carly allowed Ashley to slide next to her in the dark, feeling no fear as they went forward.

* * *

“Can I show you something?” Carly asked.

“Yeah, sure. Though I don’t know how much longer I’ll be awake. I get kinda drowsy after I come.”

“You were certainly energetic a minute ago.” Carly chuckled, as she snuggled close to Ashley. They were in bras and underwear again, but only out of necessity rather than desire. Since the only bathroom was down the hall, and the house was still shared by others, it was an unfortunate reality that they couldn’t sleep naked. As much as Ashley apparently wanted to. With Carly so close, Ashley slid a hand under Carly’s underwear to caress her bare skin.

“Seriously,” Carly said after kissing Ashley. “I just want to show you something small. I promise.”

When Ashley relented, Carly rolled out of the bed. She found her iPod in her purse, then came back under the covers. The screen lit up the room, as she browsed her music. She had to focus on the iPod—and not use its light to stare at Ashley and the small marks she had left on Ashley’s skin. “Here it is,” Carly said, selecting a song. “Listen to this.”

“Oh wow. Fall Out Boy. This takes me back,” Ashley teased, then put in the headphone. She bobbed along to the music. “I don’t know this song.”

“It’s one of their later ones. After their big album that made them famous. What do you think?” Carly bit her lip as she waited for Ashley’s response.

“Not bad. Why did you want to show me? Not that I mind, of course.”

“Of course,” Carly parroted. When the song was over, she slid away the iPod with a sigh. “No reason. I just…thought of this song. While we…were…”

“Really?” Ashley grinned.

“Yeah. Is that weird?”

“Not really. I mean, there are worse things to think of while fucking.”

“Not while we were fucking,” Carly said, exasperated. Even with this minor frustration, Carly couldn’t stop smiling. “Just before. When I was nervous.”

“Oh. I see.” Ashley ran a hand over Carly’s hip, then her thighs. Carly shuddered, remembering the feel of Ashley against her skin. She wondered if they had time to go again. How much recovery did they really need? And how long was the night going to last? We waited so long for this, we may as…

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Ashley asked. She stuck a finger under the edge of Carly’s panties. When she caressed Carly’s clit, she shuddered. A bit sensitive, but totally doable.

“If you go slow…”

“Go slow and listen to music?” Ashley suggested.

“Yeah.” Carly laughed. “I like that a lot.”

“Good.” Ashley reached for the iPod, then cranked the volume. Listening through headphones on the floor wasn’t the same as speakers, and certainly wasn’t the most romantic song Carly could think of…but she liked it. It made her feel safe. As soon as Ashley slipped between her legs again, she knew she could definitely grow to love all of this.