Meridio's Daughter Part 18

*Casey chuckled slightly. "I told you it wasn't my fault you taste so good."

Tessa had to laugh at Casey's logic and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"You are extraordinary," Tessa whispered.

"You're not so bad yourself," Casey murmured sleepily, cuddling closer.

Tessa closed her eyes in exhaustion and pleasure, but her brain still worked for a few moments until sleep took her. Tessa never felt so utterly loved, so entirely satiated, and so much in love in her life. Incredible, she thought, absently tightening her hold on the woman in her arms. Her large muscular body and Casey's smooth, lean figure seemed in complete contrast to each other, but as they lay together, they seemed to fit so well. To Tessa's mind, it seemed so right.

A fleeting moment of negativity tried to rise up in Tessa's brain just before sleep claimed her. Being a natural pessimist, Tessa knew that anything good in her life was quickly followed by the bad. That was the way it had always been. For the first time in her life, she pushed that thought away instead of embracing it.

She didn't want to think about what the future held for them. She only wanted to focus on the reality of the present. The reality was that she was in love and held a woman in her arms who loved her.

For Tessa, that was more than she ever dreamed she would have.

Tessa was unaware of how quickly it could all unravel.

Chapter 13.

Casey took the car early the next morning to drive to the National Archaeological Museum in Exarcheia. Tessa tried to entice her back into bed, and it took all the willpower Casey had not to give in to Tessa's seductive advances.

Later, returning up the same road to Tessa's home, Casey pinched the top of her nose to try to ward off the pain of the headache the meetings caused.

She detested dealing with museum administrators, and the fact that they were all men didn't help, either. She was second in command of the dig; her a.s.sociate, another professor from the University in California, was in charge. Cyrus Bennington was a nice man and more knowledgeable than anyone in the field of Cycladic sculpture. In his seventies, he was still from the old school and fit in perfectly with the Greek curators at ignoring nearly every suggestion Casey made. She was not only furious, but her head was filled with a dull throb. G.o.d, this is going to be one long dig, she thought, pulling into the stone driveway of the estate.

"It's me," she said into the wireless console at the gate and listened as a click released the lock on the entrance.

After pulling the gate closed, she turned to find two Dobermans bounding toward her, tennis b.a.l.l.s held snugly between ferocious- looking teeth. The small nubs of their tails whisked back and forth quickly.

*"Hey there...where's your mom?" Casey tried to fend off the wet animals with her briefcase.

Tessa heard the exchange from her seat by the pool. She smiled slightly at the domestic feel of it all. A sudden frown pulled her brow together as she thought of the future again. There would be no domestic life for the two of them, of that she was certain.

She shrugged away the feeling of hopelessness. She refused to think about what would come later, at least not this weekend. This weekend, she would enjoy being in love, for the first, and most definitely, last time in her life.

"Hey, you look wiped," Tessa said.

Tessa wore a loose-fitting tank top and shorts, and sandals on her feet. She grabbed the tennis b.a.l.l.s from each of the dogs and threw them into the pool. Both animals leapt into the water, splashed, and swam around the shallow end for a few moments.

"Come here." Tessa held out her hand.

Casey removed her jacket and unfastened a few of the b.u.t.tons on the pale green sleeveless top she wore. She slipped out of the low-heeled pumps and set them on top of the patio table. Tossing her jacket over the back of another chair, she slid into Tessa's lap. Tessa ran her hands along Casey's arm, raising goose b.u.mps in the wake of her touch. Casey leaned her head on Tessa's sun- warmed shoulder and let out an easy sigh.

"I hate dealing with men."

"Do I need to go in there and knock a few heads together for you?" Tessa asked teasingly.

That caused Casey to laugh. "How do you do it? I mean, after two hours, I wanted to beat the c.r.a.p out of those s.e.xist a.s.sholes."

It was Tessa's turn to laugh. "Take a number, honey. Women have been waiting in line for centuries expecting men to wake up and treat them as equals. I figured out a little sooner than you that it's not going to happen. The time for being the woman behind the man is over. It's time to take what you want."

"But how? I can see how you do it, but I don't think I've got the physical presence to cause men to shake in their boots."

"No, you're never going to be able to strong-arm men. I can *because I can be physically intimidating, but it's more than that. I watch men and I understand the ways they think and how they'll react in different circ.u.mstances. The truth is, whether all feminists want to believe it, that men are different from women. Men react differently to fear. They have a completely different agenda in life and things that terrify them. One commodity that is common in almost all of them is that their pride or machismo will always be their downfall."

Casey lifted her head and listened intently.

"I can strong-arm men, but you'll never be able to do that.

You do have abilities that I'll never possess. You're an extremely intelligent woman. You're knowledgeable about what you do, don't let that intelligence hide under a rock. Secondly, you have a wit and charm about you that could disarm an entire regiment of soldiers. Use what you have and don't worry so much about what you don't."

"How did you get so smart?" Casey smiled, and Tessa's stomach flipped at the love her smile radiated.

Tessa smiled in return and they kissed softly.

"I think your girls feel neglected." Casey motioned for the two dripping dogs to come out of the shallow water of the pool.

"Mmm, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Tessa said with a knowing grin.

"Why?"

The two ma.s.sive canines shook the water from their fur, drenching the two seated women.

"Oh, G.o.d!" Casey laughed, now soaked to the skin.

"Warned you." Tessa was nearly shaking, trying to hold back her laughter.

"Oh, some warning." Casey couldn't stop laughing until Tessa gave in and joined her. "This is just the way my day is going."

Casey threw her hands up in defeat.

Tessa stood, easily holding Casey in her arms. Tessa turned to the sliding gla.s.s doors.

"Where are we going?" Casey asked.

"To the bedroom. I'm going to help your day get better,"

Tessa said seductively.

Chapter 14.

"You like wearing dresses, don't you?" Tessa asked Casey, who stood in front of the closet.

"Yeah, I'm not sure why, but I guess I do," Casey said, unsure of the reasoning behind the question.

The two spent the better part of the afternoon making love and lying around the house listening to music. Tessa suggested they go somewhere nice for dinner to get out of the house and enjoy the warm evening. Casey was in the process of laying out her clothes when she placed a low-cut, cream-colored dress on the closet door, preparing to dress.

They spent the day together, dined together, and eventually showered together, and still Tessa felt like she couldn't get enough of Casey. She watched as Casey moved about the bedroom, clad only in her short terrycloth robe. She admired the sleek, tanned legs and was secretly glad Casey was one of those women who felt comfortable in a dress or skirt.

"Dresses show off your legs. You have great legs, by the way," Tessa complimented, lying across the end of the bed, her head in her palm.

"Short legs, you mean," Casey countered.

"Uh-uh, just right. d.a.m.ned near perfect."

Casey turned around. "You're prejudiced."

"Yep." Tessa grinned.

"I bet you haven't worn a skirt since you were twelve," Casey teased.

0.

*"I'm just not the type. You'd lose that bet, though. I went to Catholic school in England until I was seventeen. Wool skirts were the standard issue."

"Tell me about it. Same thing on Long Island." Casey smiled in commiseration.

"Come here, love." Tessa smiled as she sat up on the edge of the bed. "You're so beautiful," she said as Casey walked over and slipped her hand in the one Tessa held out in offering.

Casey stood over her and Tessa pulled her close, enjoying the way Casey s.h.i.+vered in pleasure at her touch. Tessa untied the knot at Casey's waist and pulled the robe open slightly, revealing her naked figure. Strong arms wrapped around the slim waist and Tessa kissed the taut skin across her abdomen. She reached out a pink tongue and slid the tip against Casey's skin. Tessa moaned softly.

"G.o.d, you taste so good," she murmured, nuzzling the underside of Casey's b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Tessa pulled Casey down to sit next to her. She maneuvered to her knees in front of Casey, spreading Casey's legs apart. Tessa shrugged out of her silk robe and pressed her body close until she could feel Casey's wet center against her belly. Another moan and Tessa kissed Casey as if it were the first time. Tender and soft, she caressed her lips with her tongue before pressing harder, requesting entry. When she moved her kisses to Casey's neck, she pul ed the cloth robe from Casey's shoulders with a delicate glide.

"I need to know if you taste this good everywhere," Tessa murmured into her kisses.

"You tell me," Casey said, hoping Tessa meant what she thought she did.

In all their lovemaking, this was something Tessa hadn't shared with her yet, and Casey was desperate to experience this pleasure with her. Tessa never stopped Casey from going down on her, but she never reciprocated. Casey shrugged it off initially. It wouldn't be the first time she'd been with a woman who enjoyed experiencing the pleasure but refused to perform oral s.e.x. She didn't understand why Tessa waited so long, but Tessa seemed downright frantic about it now.

*Tessa held Casey's face in her hands and kissed her for all she was worth. Casey's whimpers of delight struck straight at Tessa's heart and her stomach flipped in antic.i.p.ation. She nuzzled the warm skin of her lover's neck and let her tongue play enticingly with a sensitive earlobe.

"I want my tongue inside you," Tessa whispered, unsure of how the words would affect Casey. She smiled when she received the answer she had hoped for.

"Oh, yes, Nikki, please," Casey pleaded, guiding the dark head down her abdomen.

A low growl emanated from the depths of Tessa's very being at the first luscious scent of Casey's arousal as she brought her head between Casey's legs. Casey leaned back on one elbow, her other hand pressed atop the raven head between her thighs. Tessa hovered over her glistening s.e.x, waiting for Casey's gaze to meet her own. The moment it did, Tessa ran her tongue along the entire length of Casey's s.e.x.

"Yes." Casey's hips rose from the bed to follow the source of the delicious pleasure. "Please...don't tease me...I need you."

Casey's impa.s.sioned plea drove all thoughts of games or teasing from Tessa's mind. "Do you know how beautiful you are?"

Not waiting for an answer, Tessa retraced her tongue's path along outer lips that glistened with sweet moisture. The tip of her tongue gently spread inner folds apart, and she lovingly explored each crease and crevice. She avoided the swollen bundle of nerves, even though she could hear Casey's frustrated whimpers. She continued her tongue's tender caresses until Casey's whimpers changed to throaty moans and her hips thrust against the tongue that slipped inside of her.

"Oh, G.o.d, please...oh, please...don't stop," Casey begged as Tessa concentrated on her swollen c.l.i.t.

Casey writhed and drove her hips in tune with the strokes of Tessa's tongue; faster and deeper, the muscle filled her until Casey knew she wouldn't be able to prolong the pleasure any longer. Casey finally allowed herself to give in to the absolute surrender Tessa demanded.

"Oh, G.o.d, yes! Nikki...Nikki!" Casey cried out.

*Tessa plunged her tongue deep inside, wanting to feel the convulsive spasms of her release as they rolled throughout her small frame like a never-ending wave. Casey cried out as she exploded in o.r.g.a.s.m, her whole body tensing, then releasing in jerks and shudders.

Tessa ran her tongue gently through the quivering folds, gathering the sweet nectar Casey's climax produced. She rose from her knees, climbed up to the bed, and pulled Casey against her. Casey delighted in the feel of her lover's arms around her, and when she tilted her head and felt Tessa's smooth lips on her own, she could taste her arousal on Tessa's lips.

"Thank you," Tessa whispered.

"Shouldn't I be thanking you?" Casey asked in wonder.

"Not this time, baby. I've wanted you that way from the moment I met you. I couldn't even explain it to myself. You see, it's not something I usually do."

"Well, you sure picked it up fast." Casey grinned, leaning up on one elbow to look down on Tessa.

Tessa smiled sheepishly, and a light blush worked its way up her neck. "I hope you enjoyed it." Tessa seemed genuinely worried.

"Enjoy wasn't the word. You're serious, aren't you? You never do this for other women?" Casey asked in surprise.

"Women do that for me, but I...Well, it's such an intimate act.

I've rarely felt enough for anyone to...Casey, s.e.x has never been about anything more than feeling good for me. I used women for what I needed. There were never any emotions involved." Tessa turned her head away in embarra.s.sment. You should have never opened yourself up this way. She's history for sure now.

"Hey," Casey said softly. "Hey," she repeated, taking Tessa's chin in her hand and turning it toward her. Casey watched as tears uncharacteristically rolled down the high cheekbones. "I know how hard this is for you...opening up in front of someone else. I'm not going anywhere, though. I already knew you weren't about to win any Mother Teresa awards. You don't have to hide your past from me. Those other women...we are talking past, right?" Casey asked hesitantly.

*Tessa displayed perfect white teeth in a smile meant only for Casey. "Yes, baby. They're all in the past."

"Can I ask you one more thing?"

"Anything, love."

"Can we go eat now because I am really hungry."

Tessa laughed and pulled Casey tightly against her body and kissed Casey pa.s.sionately. "By all means, let's get you fed.