Chapter Twenty-one. Juliet loved being able to watch Trent sleep, her face unguarded and peaceful

Juliet loved being able to watch Trent sleep, her face unguarded and peaceful. Leaning up on an elbow, she unabashedly studied all she never got a chance to see when Trent was wide awake and vibrant. Her strong face, too handsome to ever be considered feminine, drew Juliet’s loving eyes. You are so beautiful you make me want to weep, she thought, moving her gaze down across Trent’s shoulders, down her arm marked by the stark tattoo. In the growing morning light Juliet was able to study the artwork that wrapped around Trent’s upper arm, the small alien shapes falling down in waves. Only you could have that etched into your skin, my darling, and have it look so right.

Trent’s hand twitched in her sleep and Juliet was drawn to the large palm with its long blunt fingers. Hands that could race across the buttons to beat an opponent in a death match yet be so gentle and tender when they touched Juliet’s skin. Carefully, Juliet pulled the sheet down to Trent’s hips. The sunlight streaming through a gap in the blinds lit Trent’s lean chest and firm breasts. Juliet held back from reaching out to touch. For now she was just observing because the minute Trent was awake, Juliet would probably be flat on her back with Trent roaming seductively over her. Trent turned as if hearing her thoughts, and the sheet fell away from the rest of her body, baring her completely to Juliet’s eyes. Juliet bit her lip to stop from reaching out and taking what she considered hers.

“What you looking at? ”

Juliet peered down at a slowly waking Trent. “I’m looking at you and thinking how lucky I am you’re beside me, because you are way too sexy to go to waste.”

Trent’s slow smile made Juliet’s insides quiver. “You sure you want to garden today? ” She edged closer to Juliet, who quickly put a hand to Trent’s chest to stop her from getting any nearer.

“I’m supposed to be helping Monica work on your yard. You hired us to do that, remember? ”

Trent pressed against her hand. “But I have a much better place in mind for you.” She moved swiftly and Juliet was pinned beneath Trent’s long body.

“How’s it going to look to Monica, who is my boss on this project, if I beg off today because I’d rather stay in bed with my girlfriend? ”

Trent kissed her then pulled back. “It would tell her that you have a whole other kind of bed in mind for this Saturday.”

Juliet tried to ease out from under Trent, but Trent trapped her, raining kisses on her face until Juliet broke into helpless laughter.

“What time is Monica, Gardening Goth, due to arrive? ” Trent asked.

“In about an hour, ” Juliet informed her, trying to dodge Trent’s lips. “So I need to get up and ready.”

Trent grabbed for her hand and pressed Juliet’s fingers between her legs, issuing a grunt as Juliet unerringly touched Trent’s waiting hardness. “I’m already up and ready.” She pulled her hand away but Juliet kept hers where it lay.

“It’ll have to be quick, ” she said, enjoying the pleasure on Trent’s face as she slipped over and around the nub of flesh, making Trent’s hips rock and her breath catch.

“I’ll take a quick fuck before you run off to be with another woman.” Trent eye’s drifted closed as she concentrated on what Juliet was doing between her legs.

Juliet nudged Trent’s legs more open and lay back with Trent poised above her on all fours, pinning Juliet between her arms and legs but herself the captive to every stroke of Juliet’s fingers. Trent’s head fell forward and she blindly nuzzled Juliet’s breast before finding her nipple and sucking on it.

“Trent, ” Juliet moaned. “This is supposed to be a quickie.”

“It can be a quickie for both of us.” Trent slipped a hand between Juliet’s legs and strayed through her wetness. “You’re already getting wet for me. It won’t take either of us long.” She bucked as Juliet rubbed a little harder. “Especially if you keep doing that.”

Trent’s thumb begin to move around Juliet’s clitoris, rubbing around the hood, teasing her before brushing across the sensitive tip, shooting sparks down to her toes.

“Monica will know what we’ve been doing, ” Juliet said, bowing her back to try to get more of her breast to Trent’s mouth.

“She’d be thinking we’ve done this even if we hadn’t, so don’t worry about it.”

“I’m not worried, ” Juliet said as white-hot heat spread through her legs at Trent’s magic touch.

“No, you’re excited, aren’t you? Isn’t this how lovers should spend their Saturday morning? ” Trent’s fingers grew faster as her whole body started to tense. “I’m going to come soon. You’re making me come pinching like that.”

Squeezing Trent’s clitoris gently, Juliet had the satisfaction of Trent falling apart above her. Hearing her name called out hoarsely by Trent was the most beautiful sound she’d ever known, and watching Trent come because of her hand was equally humbling. Juliet didn’t last long after witnessing Trent’s orgasm. Her whole body twitched and the explosion ripped through her body like a tidal wave. Trent collapsed beside her, drawing Juliet to her while they both rode out their pleasure. Finally Trent spoke.

“Okay, now you can go garden.”

“I can’t even feel my limbs, let alone get out of bed.” She slapped at Trent’s arm playfully.

“You don’t want to keep Monica waiting.” Trent lay back against the pillows, arms propped behind her head, lounging like a big lazy panther, satisfied and indolent.

“You’re not staying in bed while I’m working, ” Juliet said, pushing at Trent to try to move her.

“I thought I’d rest after my morning sex- ercise, then get dressed and maybe play a little war with the boys, then take you girls out for lunch.”

Juliet sat up beside her, unable to stop from laying her hand on Trent’s chest, needing the feel of Trent’s flesh, not wanting to lose the connection. “Sounds like a brilliant Saturday plan to me.”

Trent hesitated and Juliet cocked an eyebrow at her. “I know you need to be in work early Monday, but I figured we could spend as much of the weekend as possible doing stuff together until you had to leave.”

“I just need to do my last-minute preparations, like ironing my best blouse. Truth be told, if I stayed here all weekend, I’d never turn up at work on Monday.”

Trent’s grin was wry. “Would that really be so bad? ”

Leaning over to kiss her, Juliet thought again how much she loved the feel of Trent’s lips. “No, it would be all kinds of wonderful. But if I’m going to move on, I need to finish up there so I can walk away without any regrets.”

Trent nodded, then settled back down in the bed and waved Juliet away. “Go. Your gardening buddy will be here soon. You don’t want to keep her waiting. After all, she’s your boss and all. You want to make a good impression if you’re intending to work together.”

Juliet slipped over Trent to stand beside the bed, satisfied at the soft noise from Trent’s throat as she deliberately made sure her body had touched as much of Trent’s as possible. “So now you’re kicking me out of bed. You weren’t doing that a few minutes ago when you were hot and sweaty in my hands.”

Trent lunged after her, making Juliet hastily step back out of her grasp. “No no no, lover girl, you’ve had your quickie for this morning. Some of us have a job to go to.” Her chest tightened at the wicked glint in Trent’s eyes that threatened retribution of a sweet and passionate kind. Juliet was tempted beyond reason to just get back in bed and spend the day loving Trent. She lay there, still flushed and wet from their lovemaking. Juliet could hardly stand to turn away from the seductive picture Trent made. “You drive me wild, wanting you.”

“Good, because I feel exactly the same way where you are concerned, sweetheart. Now go before I beg you to stay.”

Juliet, her heart singing in delight at the sweet name Trent had called her, blinked deliberately knowing full well what it did to Trent when she gave her that look. “I like it when you beg.”

A pillow hit the door behind her as she swiftly ran from the room to the sound of Trent’s heartfelt groan.

Monica ended up joining Trent at the kitchen table having a bowl of cereal while Trent readied tea and toast for Juliet.

“And here I was worried I was running late, ” Monica said, looking around the kitchen with an exacting eye. “Trent, you seriously need more color in here.”

Trent spooned a mouthful of cornflakes into her mouth, preventing her from having to answer straight away. She just nodded at her and hoped that would satisfy Monica’s curiosity. She’d invited her in. She’d known Monica was going to make some comment or another on the fact that Trent’s kitchen looked unused.

“I mean, I applaud the minimalist look you’ve created here, but really, could it be any more white? ” Monica got up to wash out her bowl, nudging Trent out of the way with her hip as she crowded near her. “Your kitchen quite frankly makes Elton’s look like it’s positively bustling with culinary knickknacks.”

“I have a microwave, ” Trent said, pointing to one piece of equipment in the room that actually showed use.

“And you probably have the same six pizzas that Elton shoves in his.”

Trent was never more grateful to see Juliet descend the stairs and take Monica’s attention away.

“Your tea and toast are going cold, ” Monica said.

Juliet brushed past Monica, leaned up to kiss Trent, and then sat at the table. “Thank you, Trent.” She began eating. Trent was grateful for the look of contentment on Juliet’s face as she tasted the buttered toast. She noticed Monica staring at her with an indulgent look. Trent tried to ignore her.

“You’ve got a nice house, Trent, ” Monica said when she slipped out the back door following after Juliet. “It will make a nice home one day.”

Trent stopped in her tracks and considered Monica’s bald words. She realized it wasn’t really a home, it was where she came back to from work, played her games, and slept. It was hers, but she’d never really treated it as such, occupied only in keeping her precious possessions safe, keeping herself safe locked inside a house alarmed to keep people out and old memories at bay. She’d hidden away, secured her borders and existed, but never truly lived. Work and playing her games had become her whole existence, and she’d remained untouched in her safe little world she’d created for herself. Until Juliet. Juliet had slipped right in past all her defenses and claimed her place beside Trent.

I know I love her. I just need to find the right time to tell her. Trent leaned against the back door while Juliet removed plants from their trays and prepared holes for them to be transplanted. Now isn’t the time. Not with the presentation looming so big in her mind. But soon, I need to tell her soon so she knows how I feel before I blurt it out when we make love. I don’t want bed to be the place I tell her first. I need to say it because I don’t think I can be without her now.

Juliet looked up and caught Trent’s eyes on her and smiled. Trent grinned back and settled down on the back doorstep, content to just sit there and watch Juliet and Monica work away in her yard. She lifted her face to the sky, closed her eyes against the sun and let its warmth seep through her skin. Juliet’s voice rang clear and Trent opened her eyes to find her stretched out over something, reaching toward Monica, the movement separating her shirt from her shorts and exposing her belly. Trent’s mouth went dry. It took all her strength not to go drag Juliet out of the yard and back into the house to explore that patch of skin further. She stood quickly.

“Where you going? ” Monica asked.

“To shoot someone.”

Monica blinked at her, startled. “Sorry I asked.”

Trent padded around her house inexplicably and uncharacteristically at a loose end. Juliet had only been gone an hour, but already Trent was aimless and moping. She wandered past her game room but barely gave it a second thought as she slipped inside the spare room directly opposite. Trent had claimed the two larger bedrooms for her own use. This room, however, had remained empty. It overlooked the backyard, and from her vantage point Trent could look down at the progress being made. She leaned on the windowsill and peered through the open blinds. She was pleased with the transformation she could see below.

“Beautiful.” Her eyes followed the pathway through the flowers that led to a small area Monica had designed for a gazebo, the focal point to the yard and a place to sit in and contemplate, she’d told Trent. Trent wasn’t sure what Monica expected her to contemplate out there, but she’d seen Juliet’s pleasure at the design so had agreed readily. She wandered back to her bedroom, the bed made and not revealing any of the passion and pleasure that had gone on in it the night before. Trent picked up a pillow and breathed in the scent left there by Juliet’s perfume. With a decision made, Trent threw down the pillow and reached for her cell phone. She pressed on a quick-dial key.

“Elton? Does your cousin Rick still have that van of his? ” She smiled at his answer. “Think he’d let us borrow it for the evening? There’d be a six-pack of beer in it for his trouble.” She punched the air at hearing exactly what she wanted. “What? Oh, I knew he’d be over at yours today. He usually mooches a sandwich off you every other Sunday. He’s very reliable.” She checked her watch. “Can you come pick me up, then? The mall is still open and I need you to help me spend some of my savings. I have two things in mind that this house needs. I’m buying myself a future, Elton. I think I’m long overdue.”