Come Home with Us

"Cuddle with me, just until Ben gets back?"

"I'd love that."

Maria settled back, her eyes-half lidded as she tried to focus on Catrin slipping out of her pants and shirt. "So beautiful," she whispered.

Catrin slid into bed beside her, and Maria twisted onto her side to look Catrin in the eyes. Catrin couldn't resist kissing the other woman softly, more a friendly gesture than a sexual one. Maria smiled, and slid back down into sleep as Catrin stroked her arm.

Maria was so wonderfully warm, and the blankets cocooned hem tightly. Catrin kept stroking her friend's arm until her eyes closed and she fell asleep too.

* * *

A phone rang, but it wasn't Ben's. Maria's, sitting in one of the cupholders up front. She must have left it in the SUV

He thought about letting it go to voicemail but picked it up to look at the name. Arturo. He knew that was one of Maria's brothers, so he felt okay about answering it in case it was an emergency.

"Hey, Arturo, this is Ben."

"The guy she's with this week, right?" Arturo's voice was soft and musical, the male version of Maria's.

"That's right. She left her phone in the SUV. I'm just running out for snacks if you need me to go back and hand off the phone."

"Nah, that's all right. I was calling to let her know we're stopped for the night on the way to Papa's." He pronounced Papa as Puh-Paw. "She worries if she knows we're on the road."

"That sounds like our Maria," Ben said.

Arturo chuckled. "You three having a good trip? Uh... Knife... River?"

"Pike Bridge," Ben said. "Yeah, it's been great. Sledding last night and skiing today."

"Ahhhh, jealous, jealous. I bet she loved that. She always liked the snow."

"The snow, absolutely. The cold, not so much."

"The man does know my sister." Arturo was silent long enough Ben started to wonder if there was something he was supposed to say. Finally, hesitantly, Arturo asked, "Is she all right? Is she happy?"

"I think so. Why do you ask?"

"Ah, it's..." Arturo let out a long breath. "Maria deserves a... a nice Christmas. One like we used to have before Mama passed. They... haven't been so good since then."

Ben turned into the grocery store's parking lot and slowed. "You know, I kinda got that impression. She hasn't said much, but sometimes she... I don't know, gets this look?"

"Yeah. She... Martin and I, we... aggggh," Arturo said as Ben found a spot. "I'm talking in circles. I hate when people talk in circles. Our Papa, he hasn't been so kind to Maria since our mother passed. She was his everything, and Maria is so much like her. Good and sweet. Christmas was their time of the year, Mama and Maria."

"And your father is still hurt by that," Ben said, a spike of sadness hitting him hard.

"Yes. Very much so. It's good she's away from here. I hate to say that, but it's true. He can be..." He clicked his tongue. "...tough on her. Maybe Martin and I, we'll bring up our families there next year. But this year, Ben, you do me and mine a favor. You give her the best Christmas you can."

"Of course," Ben said. It sounded like the other man was choking up. He said a quiet goodbye, and that was that.

Ben spent a few minutes more than necessary in the store, lost in thought. Give Maria the best Christmas he could. Yeah. He would do that. Humming "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," he walked through the Christmas aisle, taking notes on his phone.

By the time he left the store, he had not just the popcorn in hand, but two bottles of wine and a hell of a plan. It would take a lot of time and some fast effort, but he hoped he could rope Ross, Andy, and Katrin's sister Shawna into it.

He returned to the rental, his mind now sliding towards what he thought would happen that night. Maria was ready to take this beyond a friendship, he was sure of that. But when he stepped inside, no one was in the living room.

"Cat? Maria?" he asked. A slow grin spread. Oh shit, were they getting started already?

He dropped the bags on the table but held onto one of the bottles of wine. The bathroom was unoccupied, but a pair of mugs were on the counter, forgotten about. His dick coming to life, he pranced down the hallway to the bedrooms.

Catrin's name fell away from his lips when he saw the pair on the bed, tucked underneath the covers, nearly forehead to forehead. The bedroom light was still on but both women were completely out. Ben watched for a while, his heart swelling.

This was right, he thought. We'll always take care of you, Maria.

* * *

Catrin woke first. Sometime during the night, Maria twisted around until she was nestled with her butt against the other woman's midriff. She was still nude, while Catrin had on her underthings.

For a long minute until biology kicked in and need made her get out of bed, all Catrin wanted to do was rest there and feel the warmth of the other woman. It was so different from cuddling with Ben. His height and muscles made her feel protected and safe. With Maria, she felt almost like the protector but it was a softer aura they shared between them, something peaceful and delicate she hated to break.

But soon she had to get out of bed. Maria stirred but didn't yet wake. Good. Let her be a while longer. Catrin went to the bathroom, took a few minutes to shower and brush her teeth, and poked her head in to see if Ben was still sleeping. He wasn't in the master bedroom, though the blankets were askew so he must have slept there the night before. In the living room she found a note on the table.

"Need to take care of Xmas things. Will be gone most of the day. U 2 have fun! -B"

Catrin put the note back down and headed for the bedroom again. This time, when she slid into bed still nude, Maria turned around.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Catrin said, her voice husky with growing need of the other woman.

"Don't be," Maria said, reaching a hand out lazily and pulling Catrin in closer. Her eyes searched the redhead's. "Is that okay?"

For an answer to that, and to forever salve Maria's worries, Catrin leaned in and kissed the other woman. Unlike their gentle, friendly kiss from the night before, this one bore the weight of what she wanted, what they both wanted, and Maria's lips parted with a soft, "Oh."

She pushed forward, her soft lips embracing Catrin's again, her dark eyes wondering and lighting up. Catrin cradled her face with one hand, and Maria's rose to do the same to her. "We are both so crazy about you, Maria."

"I'm crazy about both of you too," Maria said.

They did nothing but kiss and stroke each other's faces for long minutes, both still warm and comfortable. Maria eventually had to slip out of bed to use the bathroom. Her bare bottom on the way out of the room gave Catrin such wicked ideas and she ran a hand down her body to her pussy. She pulled the covers back with her other hand and teased her clit and her pussy lips until Maria reappeared, freshly showered.

Maria watched from the doorway, her eyes traveling a slow line from Catrin's mussed hair to her red cheeks and darkly desirous eyes, to her parted lips, the delicate lines of her neck, her full breasts, her petite arms, her slim stomach, the shaven mound, her pussy gleaming with desire, her fingers shyly exposing herself, her hips, her athletic legs, her curled toes.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," Maria said. "I've never done this. Not with a woman."

"Neither have I," Catrin said. "Ben and I, we've talked about it. We want a third. We didn't know who until we met you."

"A third? Like... for a night or..."

Catrin smiled softly and curled a finger at the other woman. "I told you. Anything you want."

"More than a night."

"So much more, I hope."

Maria moved back to the bed and climbed onto it. Catrin rose to her knees and pulled the other woman to her for another searing kiss. Maria's fingers went to her hair and slid through it. A moan escaped her when Catrin did the same with her long, silky strands.

Catrin took over, gently nudging Maria onto her back and sliding down her body. She took Maria's foot in hand, and brought it up off the bed as the other woman's hand rose to her mouth, her finger tracing her lips. Catrin kissed her big toe and brought her lips down further, holding Maria's eyes as she traced the pad of the foot down to the ball.

"That tickles," Maria said, barely a whisper.

"Want me to stop?" Catrin asked, sliding her tongue out and flicking it against the ball.

Maria shook her head quickly. "I like it."

"You like what?" Catrin asked, bringing her mouth to Maria's ankle and flicking it too with her tongue.

"I like..."

"Tell me, Maria. You don't need to be shy around me. Or Ben."

"I like you licking me," Maria whispered. "And kissing me. All of me."

Catrin settled that foot down and took up the other one in her hand. She sucked Maria's first two toes into her mouth, not a move she'd ever done before but she planned on kissing and licking every inch of her submissive friend, and that started now.

Maria twisted her head to look back at the pillows and pulled a few of them towards her, stacking them up quickly behind her head so she could better watch the pleasure Catrin was giving her. The redhead trailed kisses and licks to that ankle, then scooted forward to get better access to Maria's toned legs.

"Ohhhh, Catrin..."

"Ben left a note," Catrin said, nuzzling Maria's supple skin. The other woman's need formed a glimmer of wetness on her soft pink lips, and Catrin couldn't wait to taste it. "He won't be back for a long while. It's just you and me, baby."

"Baby... I like that," Maria said. "And honey. I like when you call me honey." She sucked her finger into her mouth to the first knuckle, then popped it out. "Will he be mad, us doing this without him?"

Catrin smiled and let the leg go to pick up the other. "No. I'd never do anything I thought would hurt our relationship. You... this..." She kissed Maria's other calf, a hint of flowery soap intoxicating her. "This is only leading to more. And besides, he knows. I'll show you the note. Later. Much..." She kissed her bare skin, nearing her knee. "Much..." Kiss. "Later."

Maria's thighs and hips were exquisite, toned but with real flair to them, a delicious combination. She twitched as Catrin's mouth moved across her sensitive skin, nearing her sex. Her eyelids fluttered, her throat visibly working. "That's... so... good," she whimpered. "I'm already so... mm..."

"Wet," Catrin said.

"Yessss."

"Say it, honey. Say you're wet for this."

Maria's eyes opened and focused on Catrin. "I'm so wet for you. I'm always so wet for you. And if you keep kissing me like... like th-that, I'm going to, mm... orgasm..."

"Come," Catrin said, brushing the tender flesh right beside Maria's sex, her breath hot against the other woman's skin. "You're going to come for me."

"Mmm hmmm..."

"Say it. Say you're going to come..."

"I'm going to c-come for you, Catrin. I'm going to come so hard for you."

"Do it," Catrin said, and licked the warm skin. Maria's head dropped back and she arched her back, her hands balling.

"Oh... oh! Cat... Catrin!"

Maria crested, stilling for a few long seconds as Catrin watched, still licking that delicate bit of skin before sliding her tongue up, still not touching Maria's pussy, though she wanted to, badly. Instead, she brought her tongue across the other woman's mound, teasing the waxed skin there, drawing more shivers out of her friend, more soft coos of her name. Then Catrin's mouth pressed to Maria's other thigh, tracing heart shapes into it that Maria would claim she felt for hours afterwards.

Then upward, slowly upward, teasing Maria's mound again, her fingers on the other woman's knees. Higher, Catrin's whole body rocking with the kisses and licking she was giving Maria, her own need rising within, a kindle not yet a blaze but swiftly approaching it.

Maria giggled when Catrin teased her belly button with her tongue, and Catrin couldn't take another minute without kissing the other woman again. She rushed up, their lips coming together with more natural ease this time, Catrin's hands now on her stomach. Maria brushed her red hair away from her face and Catrin caught her hand to kiss that too. One by one she kissed Maria's fingers, adoring her nails, painted like red-wrapped packages with tiny white ribbon-like stripes dividing them.

Maria made her boldest move yet since cuddling closer to Catrin at the start of this. She pushed one of the fingers delicately into Catrin's mouth, her eyes widening in consternation. That nervousness was adorable and Catrin looked forward to teaching her to wick it away, to never be shy around her or Ben.

She sucked the finger as Maria offered it to her, bathing it with her tongue. Maria's other hand went to Catrin's back and down, trailing her nails across her skin until she reached Catrin's bottom. Catrin let the finger slide free and said, "Touch what you want, but you're not getting me off until I've made you beg me to stop."

"I don't think that'll ever happen," Maria said.

"A challenge. I like that," Catrin said.

Maria giggled and leaned up to kiss her again. She kept a hand on Catrin's ass, exploring it, and Catrin touched her breast for the first time, loving the way it filled her hand, the nipple already so very responsive and hard. Maria moaned wordlessly.

Catrin liked Maria's hand on her bottom and decided to forego the mirrored finger and hand kissing and licking for the moment. Instead, she explored Maria's other arm, kissing the skin around a gold bracelet she rarely took off before traveling up, her cheek nearly brushing Maria's breast. When she cruised along Maria's shoulder to a particularly sensitive spot on the side of her neck, Maria gasped and clutched her butt harder.

"Like that?" Catrin asked, keeping her lips right there.

"Uh huh," Maria said, almost girlishly high.

"Does it make you wet?"

"Everything you touch does."

"Mm. Let me find out."

Catrin reached down and for the very first time, she touched another woman's pussy. Oh, Maria was wet all right, and responsive, so very responsive. Her knees spread wide and Maria's back arched, especially when Catrin sucked and nibbled at the spot on her neck.

Catrin's fingers slid along Maria's lips, testing her slickness. Maria's eyes fluttered and her breath came in tiny bursts, her butt rising, falling, trying to urge Catrin to slide those digits inside her. Catrin moved her head to the spot on the opposite side of Maria's neck where she was kissing, brushing her hair out of the way and then following with her lips. Maria let go of the redhead's ass to clutch at her head, letting out a wail at the same time.

"Oh... ohhhh, Catrin!"

"Come for me again," Catrin whispered. Her tongue flicked the sensitive skin and Maria writhed. "God, you're beautiful, the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and I love watching you come, love seeing you be mine..."

"Yo... URS!" Maria cried out.

She quivered again, clutching Catrin's head and sobbing out her pleasure. Catrin hurried to kiss her lips, her fingers sliding into Maria's wetness finally, pumping a finger deep inside her and curling it to brush her trimmed nail across the sensitive skin inside.

"Oh f-fu..." Maria gasped against Catrin's lips.

"Fuck," Catrin agreed happily.

She sucked Maria's tongue into her mouth, toying with it, and now Maria was kissing her back fervently, humping at her hand, her own going to Catrin's big breasts and squeezing. Catrin moaned and let go of the other woman's tongue to travel down to explore Maria's own tits, running her tongue down the hollow of her neck, the valley between her breasts, and under.

All the while, her finger kept pumping in and out of Maria, keeping her on the edge. Finally Catrin allowed herself the pleasure of moving her lips to one of Maria's nipples, so ready for her lips, her tongue, her touch.

"Please, please suck it," Maria begged. "I'm burning up for you..."

No more teasing. Catrin brought her lips to the nipple and sucked. At the same time she pushed another finger into Maria's nearly virginal folds, ramping up the other woman's pleasure. Maria's leg dropped and she kicked the mattress, her whole body pumping up and down to meet Catrin's fingers and her eager lips.

"Oh God oh God ohhhhh!" Maria cried out.

Catrin devoured her other nipple, sucking it hard, a moan of need escaping her lips too. She pressed her thighs together, so wet and ready for Maria's touch. Much as she wanted to prolong Maria's pleasure, she was right on the verge herself, the intensity of their play driving her wild. She dropped her free hand between her thighs and played with herself, her hips rocking with her eagerness.

But first there was something she wanted -- needed -- to try.

To taste.

She traveled up Maria one more time to kiss her. Maria's half-lidded eyes fluttered and she whimpered Catrin's name over and over again, soft breathy moans barely audible over the squicking of Catrin's fingers inside her. Without a word, Catrin dipped down again, lower, lower, lower.

She pulled her fingers free, and Maria sucked in a sharp breath.

Catrin tasted pussy for the very first time.

The word that came to mind was "fresh." Maria tasted mostly of soft soaps, her natural musk so faint that it faded to the background. Catrin wasn't sure she would know what to do until she did it, simply going for what felt natural in the moment, long, gentle laps of the other woman's delicate skin, ending in flicks across Maria's cute button.

"Oh, Catrin, Catrin, this is real?"

"It's real," Catrin breathed against Maria's wet lips. "You're ours now, and we're not letting you go."

Maria giggled, a hint of exhaustion to it. "Yours. Always yours. I... can I taste you too?"

"Anything you want, honey."

Catrin didn't want to stop, so she twisted sideways inch by inch, crawling over Maria's leg and moving up the bed like hands on a clock. All the while she kept licking until she nudged Maria's shoulder. Her leg came up and she looked over her shoulder to make sure she wasn't going to accidentally knee the oher woman.

She ended up on top, her pussy inches from Maria's face. Maria stared up at her adoringly, brushing Catrin's pussy lips with trembling fingers. Then, slowly, ever so slowly, Maria brought her hands around Catrin's butt and brought her down, her lips parted, her eyes closing as Catrin made contact with Maria's tongue.

And there it was. Both women were tasting another for the first time in their lives. Maria's first few laps of Catrin were tentative and careful, but something changed quickly within her, some need rocketing up. Soon she lapped eagerly, pulling Catrin tight to her face and keeping her there.

"You taste so good," Maria said, her voice breathy and wondering.

"You do too," Catrin said, wiggling her hips.

They devoured each other, their tenderness giving way to an unbridled enthusiasm. They moved together, writhing, touching, licking, kissing, and once, when Maria jumped as Catrin's fingers touched her bud, laughing. It was the best kind of sex, joyous and exploratory, and it stretched on far longer than either realized. Their orgasms were numerous, small things but no less warm. This wasn't about reaching climax, though. This was about the last few steps to fall in love, a breathless, effortless love that would last the rest of their lives. Neither would think to say it for a few weeks, but there it was on that day.

Love.

Exhaustion and Maria's physical limits reached, they finally fell apart. Maria snuggled into Catrin, her head low, face pressed in the nook between her breasts and her chin. Catrin pulled the covers up around them.

"You like being submissive, don't you?"