Cheradine- Lost and found

Chapter 37

“Babe?” Cheryl calls from the bathroom.

Nadine’s on the bed, trying to read but in reality she’s read the same paragraph six times already, could easily read it another twenty times and still be unable to relate the content of it to anyone. She’s distracted and antsy because she knows that just beyond that thin door Cheryl is naked and wet and surrounded by bubbles and every splash of water makes her self-control slip further.

“What?” she shouts back, then remembers that it’s well after midnight and her neighbours won’t take kindly to her carrying on a conversation with someone at this volume.

With a sigh, she sets her book aside, and pokes her head around the bathroom door. Thankfully there are suds covering all the indecent parts but the sight of Cheryl in the bath is tantalising all the same.

“Will you scrub me back for us?”

The Geordie’s face is the picture of innocence but there’s a cheeky glint in her eyes that Nadine recognises far too well.

Wordlessly Nadine perches on the side of the bath, taking the loofa from Cheryl’s hands and waiting for the other woman to sit up. Cheryl leans forward, hugging her knees, giving Nadine full access to her back. She dips the loofa into the water and starts rubbing circles over Cheryl’s shoulder blades and down the notches of her spine, the firm but soothing motion releasing knots of tension and drawing out a long sigh from the Geordie.

“That feels so good,” Cheryl mumbles, pressing her forehead across her knees.

Nadine continues like that for a few minutes in silence, trying to pretend that the noises Cheryl’s making aren’t affecting her, that it’s just the steam making her face feel flushed and not the way her fingertips keep brushing the smooth expanse of Cheryl’s back and giving off what feels like tiny little sparks of sensation.

She doesn’t notice Cheryl turn her head on its side to look at her, not until the Geordie speaks. “The tub’s big enough for two, you know.”

It’s embarrassing, really, how quickly Nadine’s able to strip off.

She steps in behind Cheryl and if she notices that the water’s a bit lukewarm, it doesn’t seem to matter because the other woman’s skin feels burning hot when Cheryl settles back against her chest, hips and bum fitting snugly between Nadine’s legs.

She barely has time to register the stiff peaks of the Geordie’s nipples before Cheryl twists her neck to kiss her, swallowing the words Nadine was going to say. The kiss deepens quickly, the swipe of Cheryl’s tongue demanding entrance and Nadine allows herself to get lost in it.

She’s only dimly aware of Cheryl’s hand clutching her own but everything seems to sharpen into focus when Cheryl drags her hand meaningfully down her stomach and Nadine’s fingertips come into contact with a slickness that has nothing to do with the water.

“Cheryl-“

The Geordie’s other hand tangles in Nadine’s hair, made frizzy and darkened by the humidity. “Please. I need you,” Cheryl says and there’s a new, desperate edge to it.

So they resume the kiss, lips clashing together as Nadine’s hand dips lower.

***

They’re on the bed, skin still prune-like from the bath, recovering from yet another round of sex. (If she's to add it all up, she's probably had more sex in the past two weeks than she's had in the last year, which is both an achievement and something to be a bit ashamed about.)

Cheryl rolls onto her side, head propped up on her elbow as she studies Nadine’s profile. Aware of the attention, Nadine turns to look at her, gratified by the just-been-fucked glow to the Geordie’s cheeks.

Fingers reach out, mapping the contours of Nadine’s face, tracing slowly over her eyebrows, the bridge of her nose, over the planes of her cheeks before finally landing on her lips. She patiently allows the exploration, enjoying the gentle touch.

Then Cheryl leans down, kissing her so softly that it makes Nadine’s heart catch. When the brunette pulls away, there’s that look in her eyes again. She wants to dismiss it as post-coital endorphins or something because the alternative seems too good to be true.

She has to know, though, because the uncertainty is killing her.

“Last night, when you said-“ Nadine begins haltingly, only for Cheryl to place a finger over her lips, silencing her.

“I meant it,” Cheryl says, holding Nadine’s gaze for a minute, before kissing her again as if for emphasis. “I love you.”

She’s trying to contain the elation she feels but Nadine’s almost certain that her heart’s going to burst right out of her chest because it’s beating so fast. As much as she wants to wallow in the moment, she's never been one to lose sight of practicalities. She swallows thickly.  “Cheryl, how are we goin’ to do this?”

There’s a look of confusion on the Geordie’s face now. “How do you mean?”

“Well... I have to go back to LA soon. I can’t keep puttin’ it off forever.” She watches the conflicting emotions flicker across the other woman’s expression for a second. “And then there’s goin’ to be a whole bloody ocean between us.”

A hand cups Nadine’s jaw, dark eyes staring down at her earnestly. “Babe, if it means I have to get on a flight to LA every week then I’ll fuckin’ do it. All we can do is promise to make it work.”

As romantic declarations go, it’s strangely touching. She wants to believe it too.