No Confessions

Ch28

Some playful jests and many suggestive ideas later, the ride slowed and the music stopped. "Dizzy?" Mina asked as Lucy clung to her arm, trying to find her footing. "Let's go home, shall we?"
    "I'd like to watch the sunset with you. Like when we went to the square together!" Lucy asked, still hugging her lover's arm. "Where you kissed me." she sang, embarrassing Mina for she turned her face away and covered her cheeks.
    "That's hardly where we had our first kiss." Mina said, wiggling her eyebrows with newfound confidence. "Remember that? You being so worried about Jonathan and yet—"
    "Don't remind me of my past actions!" Lucy cried, covering her face with her free hand.
    "You kissed me with such passion." Mina continued, ignoring Lucy's pleas. "Still I wonder, where was your mind after you pulled back? I may have been turned away from you but I could nearly hear you thinking. Where was your mind?"
    Lucy turned a beautiful hue of red. "P—places."
    "Like?"
    "Regrettable, sinful places."
    "Oh? Do tell." Mina purred, coaxing Lucy to look up at her. "Come on, love. I fair I could do far worse than your little thoughts." Mina whispered with a small smirk. "Wouldn't you prefer the real thing?"
    Lucy only whimpered in embarrassment. She looked like she was about to cry out of shyness. "I—I'm not saying."
    "You think I'll get ideas?" Mina asked with a hint of flirtation. "Perhaps."
    "Then I'm definitely not saying."
    "Would you rather show me?"
    "Mina!" Lucy shrieked in embarrassment. Her other hand came up to cover her face as well, which she turned away. Mina could still see a slight change of pink on her love's ears.
    "Sorry! Just thought you might've wanted to do rather than dream. It's only me, after all." Mina cooed, moving flyaway hair from Lucy's do-up. "It's just Mina."
    "Stop it, Mina." Lucy mumbled into her hands, cheeks still hot.
    "Stop what?" Mina asked innocently, taking Lucy's hands away from her face, forcing her to look at her. "Where were your thoughts?" she asked again, sitting both of them down on a bench in the park they found themselves in.
    "Stop it, Mina." Lucy mumbled, Turing her face away from Mina as the other woman held her hands away from her face. "You're making me hot, Mina. I can't take it." she pleaded softly, embarrassment in her voice. "You know this."
    "Yes, I do. That's why I'm teasing you. I like you like this." Mina whispered softly into Lucy's ear making her shoot up in shock. "Still interested in watching the sunset? Or would you rather catch a carriage home."
    Lucy held up two fingers, symbolizing her choice of the second option. "Let's just get home."
    "Or just behind closed doors?" Mina jested, nudging Lucy who only squeaked. "Lucy?"
    "Just call a carriage!"

____________________

    "Back at last." Mina sighed, waving a tired hello to Catherine. "Lucy and I are going up to her room. She's quite tired after the fair."
    Catherine nodded and bowed, allowing Mina to lead her and Lucy up the staircase. On their way, Mina whispered some ideas of how the two could spend the night. Lucy flustered at the words and clung to Mina tighter. The taller woman laughed and cooed at the other on her arm.
    Once in the room, Lucy let go of Mina's arm and flung herself onto her bed. "I would very much like to sleep."
    "And I would very much like to know what goes on in your head when we're alone." Mina whispered, sitting down next to Lucy. "What goes on in your dreams of me," she continued. "Your thoughts of me. I want to know everything."
    Lucy groaned and rolled over, resting her hand in Mina's. "And no matter how much I love you, I wish for you to know none of them. They're...embarrassing for me."
    "So you say." Mina exhaled lying down. "Shall I tell you mine? Then in exchange, you tell me yours; then you don't have to go first." Mina suggested, clearly set on learning Lucy's thoughts of her. Lucy's eyes caught on the window for a moment before returning to her love's face.
    "How about," Lucy started. "Actually, no. Mina, come with me." she calmly ordered, taking Mina's hands in hers and leading them towards the door. "Before you ask," Lucy said, not looking back. "Where we're going is a surprise. I could very nearly hear you thinking." Mina chuckled knowing that Lucy was quite right.
    Upon ascending a strange number of stairs, Lucy had stopped on the final landing and insisted that Mina close her eyes and let Lucy guide her to their final goal. She was reluctant but finally gave in with Lucy's pleading look.  She tripped through what felt to her like a door and felt the cool evening wind through her hair.
    "Welcome to the high west balcony. My favorite part of my estate." Lucy whispered to the wind. "You can look now, darling."
    Mina opened her eyes hesitantly. Her surroundings were both familiar yet forgein. Behind her, Lucy's home backed her. Ahead of her, the sky was open and welcomed her. The sun was low and the clouds were painted with gold. Below mid-sky, oranges and pinks blended together. Above, blue sky and gold clouds seemed to be in a still dance. The dark silhouette of London's skyline roughed the horizon; an audience to the snapshot waltz. 
    "I did want to watch the sunset with you," Lucy sighed, moving to hug Mina's waist from behind. "But you decided that teasing me was more important."
    Mina laughed lightly. "I like you when you're flustered. You're always so bold and forward; it's a cute change to see you shy."
    "And what of the sunset?"
    "The sun sets every evening. Seeing a flustered Lucy, on the other hand? Once in a lifetime." Mina     chaffed with a grin. "Oh come now, Lucy. I know you secretly like my teasing."
    Lucy huffed, setting her chin upon her shoulder. "Fibber. I do not."
    "Whatever you need to sleep soundly." She whispered into Lucy's temple. "Your mid-sleep adventures have been at bay the last while. Have you noticed?"
    Lucy nodded. "Do you have any idea why?" Her question was genuine.
    "Perhaps it's because I've been sleeping with you as of late." Mina laughed. "Or perhaps my love for you has soothed your restlessness."
    "Let's go with that." Lucy mumbled, hugging herself closer into Mina's warmth, surprising her. "I'm just cold, Mina. Quit fretting."
    Mina sighed, leaning her head back to find Lucy's. "I love you, my darling."
    "That's my nickname for you. Quite rude." Lucy said with a felt eye roll. "First you steal my heart, then you steal my bed, and now you steal my nickname for you? What next? My virg—"
    Mina straightened. "That's enough of that, Lucy."
    The blond scoffed. "So you can tease me, but I can't do the same to you? That is rightly unfair." Lucy mumbled.
    "You go much further than I do, my love." Mina stated. "Much further."
    "Well if I'm not allowed to speak of such topics, you'll never know my unsaid thoughts whenever us two are alone." Lucy sighed, hugging Mina tighter.
    Mina groaned. She saw what antics Lucy was up to, yet she wouldn't accept defeat. "You won't win me."
    "Oh, I can. And I will." Lucy purred, planting a chaste kiss on Mina's shoulder. "For now, let's go in. I can see you shivering and your skin prickles with the cold."
    "I'm not cold. You're the one clinging to me for warmth." Mina protested, making a gesture to Lucy's arms around her waist.
    Lucy only hugged her tighter. "I'm always cold. I have been since we were children. My poor mama thought it was anemia, however, it was not so. I'm just a cold person." Mina sighed. It was true. Lucy, for all the time she knew her, was always cold. No matter summer or winter, Lucy would be cold. "However, that is unlike my heart, which burns a passionate fire for you, darling."
    "Saccharine." Mina mumbled through a blush. No matter how much flirting she's endured from Lucy, Mina can guarantee that her lines never fail to make her flush. "Let's go in."
    "See, you are cold!"
    "No, I'm not!"