fingers between Cadence’s. “It hurts me how much I want to love you that way, but I just can’t. Please try to understand.”
It’s clear that Cadence really doesn’t understand—or doesn’t want to. She barely says a word for the rest of the day, and things are so strained between them that, when it comes to bedtime, Marlee isn’t even sure if the sulking teen wants to be tucked in.
Collecting Cadence’s laundry from the dryer, she uses its delivery as thinly veiled subterfuge for entering the bedroom, and starts putting things away quietly while Cadence brushes her teeth. With a few minutes to think, she decides to let Cadence be the one to break the stalemate if she wants to, and if not, then maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. A cooling off period might do them both some good.
But that’s not the way things play out.
Cadence returns from the bathroom, exploiting her peripheral vision to watch Marlee remove the last item from the laundry basket, waiting for her to speak first. When that doesn’t happen—and as soon as she realizes Marlee intends to leave without saying a word—she finally calls out to her, breaking the silence.
“Will you tuck me in?”
Marlee’s more relieved than she thought she’d be to hear her ask. “Of course I will, darling. I wasn’t sure if you’d want me to.”
She abandons the laundry basket on the floor and settles Cadence into bed, pulling the duvet up around her shoulders before perching on the edge to say goodnight.
“Sleep well, my love.” She moves stray hair away from Cadence’s eyes, brushing her bangs aside, smiling fondly at her, pleased not to be fighting anymore.
“I still want a goodnight kiss,” Cadence reminds her.
As if Marlee could forget. Hoping to get their relationship back on the right track, she bends to kiss Cadence’s cheek … but Cadence evades her.
“Not that kind,” she insists. “It has to be lips, else I’ll still be cross with you.”
“Cadence …” Marlee frowns disapprovingly.
“Marlee.”
At the unexpected sound of her name, Marlee feels a surge of arousal between her legs. How is that possible? How can one word do that?
“Say my name again,” she begs.
“Marrrrrrlee,” Cadence whispers, drawing it out. “I love you.”
That almost does the trick. Marlee rolls her tongue over her lips, moistening them.
“Marlee,” Cadence tries again, determined to win this battle of wills. “I want you to kiss me.”
With a whimper, Marlee capitulates. Hoisting the white flag of surrender, she bends forward and brings her lips to Cadence’s, stealing another illicit, closed-mouth kiss from her charge—but Cadence isn’t sated by that. When their mouths touch—the tentative bumping of lips quickly evolving into an erotic clinch—she flicks her tongue against Marlee’s lips.
This daring escalation of intimacy manages to elicit a soft, involuntary murmur from Marlee, but nothing comes of it. Sticking to her guns, Marlee pulls back and sits up, retreating from the kiss entirely.
“What did I tell you about kissing me like that?” The disapproving frown returns.
“But it’s so unfair,” Cadence protests. “It’s only a kiss. Why shouldn’t we be allowed to kiss?”
Sensing Marlee’s lingering weakness—positively pouncing on her inability to say no—Cadence sits up and moves toward her. Swiftly initiating another kiss, she teases Marlee’s lips apart with her tongue, and shudders with pleasure when she feels Marlee give in to her. Win!
Eyes closed, Marlee lets Cadence’s tongue find hers, murmuring again as Cadence invades her mouth, kissing her so deeply. It’s adult in every way, their lips locked together, their tongues caressing, probing, and exploring, and she whines with disappointment when it breaks.
Cadence flops against the bed. “That was perfect. Just like I imagined it would be.” She grins up at Marlee from the pillow. “I like kissing you a lot.”
Marlee licks her lips, tasting
It’s clear that Cadence really doesn’t understand—or doesn’t want to. She barely says a word for the rest of the day, and things are so strained between them that, when it comes to bedtime, Marlee isn’t even sure if the sulking teen wants to be tucked in.
Collecting Cadence’s laundry from the dryer, she uses its delivery as thinly veiled subterfuge for entering the bedroom, and starts putting things away quietly while Cadence brushes her teeth. With a few minutes to think, she decides to let Cadence be the one to break the stalemate if she wants to, and if not, then maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. A cooling off period might do them both some good.
But that’s not the way things play out.
Cadence returns from the bathroom, exploiting her peripheral vision to watch Marlee remove the last item from the laundry basket, waiting for her to speak first. When that doesn’t happen—and as soon as she realizes Marlee intends to leave without saying a word—she finally calls out to her, breaking the silence.
“Will you tuck me in?”
Marlee’s more relieved than she thought she’d be to hear her ask. “Of course I will, darling. I wasn’t sure if you’d want me to.”
She abandons the laundry basket on the floor and settles Cadence into bed, pulling the duvet up around her shoulders before perching on the edge to say goodnight.
“Sleep well, my love.” She moves stray hair away from Cadence’s eyes, brushing her bangs aside, smiling fondly at her, pleased not to be fighting anymore.
“I still want a goodnight kiss,” Cadence reminds her.
As if Marlee could forget. Hoping to get their relationship back on the right track, she bends to kiss Cadence’s cheek … but Cadence evades her.
“Not that kind,” she insists. “It has to be lips, else I’ll still be cross with you.”
“Cadence …” Marlee frowns disapprovingly.
“Marlee.”
At the unexpected sound of her name, Marlee feels a surge of arousal between her legs. How is that possible? How can one word do that?
“Say my name again,” she begs.
“Marrrrrrlee,” Cadence whispers, drawing it out. “I love you.”
That almost does the trick. Marlee rolls her tongue over her lips, moistening them.
“Marlee,” Cadence tries again, determined to win this battle of wills. “I want you to kiss me.”
With a whimper, Marlee capitulates. Hoisting the white flag of surrender, she bends forward and brings her lips to Cadence’s, stealing another illicit, closed-mouth kiss from her charge—but Cadence isn’t sated by that. When their mouths touch—the tentative bumping of lips quickly evolving into an erotic clinch—she flicks her tongue against Marlee’s lips.
This daring escalation of intimacy manages to elicit a soft, involuntary murmur from Marlee, but nothing comes of it. Sticking to her guns, Marlee pulls back and sits up, retreating from the kiss entirely.
“What did I tell you about kissing me like that?” The disapproving frown returns.
“But it’s so unfair,” Cadence protests. “It’s only a kiss. Why shouldn’t we be allowed to kiss?”
Sensing Marlee’s lingering weakness—positively pouncing on her inability to say no—Cadence sits up and moves toward her. Swiftly initiating another kiss, she teases Marlee’s lips apart with her tongue, and shudders with pleasure when she feels Marlee give in to her. Win!
Eyes closed, Marlee lets Cadence’s tongue find hers, murmuring again as Cadence invades her mouth, kissing her so deeply. It’s adult in every way, their lips locked together, their tongues caressing, probing, and exploring, and she whines with disappointment when it breaks.
Cadence flops against the bed. “That was perfect. Just like I imagined it would be.” She grins up at Marlee from the pillow. “I like kissing you a lot.”
Marlee licks her lips, tasting
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