Part 19 (1/2)

”You know how much it turns me on,” Honor murmured, leaning down to suck on Quinn's lower lip as Quinn's belly danced under her fingertips, ”when you get all hard and quivery like this.”

Quinn blinked lazily and spread her legs farther, pressing her crotch against Honor's hip. ”Yeah. I know.” She circled her cheek over Honor's breast. ”Jesus, it feels so good when you do that. I think you could get me off if you just kept rubbing me like that.”

”Honey,” Honor sc.r.a.ped her nails lightly up and down the center of Quinn's tense abdomen, knowing just exactly how hot and how wet that would make her lover. ”There are about a hundred lesbians in our immediate vicinity, and I have no intention of letting a single one of them get a glimpse of what belongs to me.” She nipped at Quinn's neck. ”You're beautiful when you're excited, and you're mine.”

”No one's watching us,” Quinn said. ”But just the same, I'll pretend nothing's happening. Keep going.”

Honor laughed and skimmed her fingers through Quinn's short, thick dark hair. ”You might have perfect control in the operating room, Dr. Maguire, but there are some things even a big tough trauma surgeon like you can't manage.” She slid her other hand between Quinn's legs and squeezed her through her shorts. ”And being quiet when I make you come is one thing you haven't mastered.”

”The music's loud enough so no one will notice,” Quinn gasped, covering Honor's hand with hers and guiding her fingers over a spot just to the left of the seam in her shorts. ”This week is the first time I've had you completely to myself, and I can't get enough of your hands on me.”

Honor grew still. ”I know it's tough, walking into a relations.h.i.+p with a ready-made family. Then with both of us heading up departments-”

”Honor,” Quinn said, lifting Honor's hand from between her legs and cradling it against her cheek. ”That's not what I meant. I love Arly almost as much as I love you. I love our family. I just like having all your attention.”

”Oh, you've got my attention all right.” Honor drew Quinn's hand to her breast where her nipple tightened into a hard prominence against Quinn's palm. ”You're not the only one who can't get enough. I'm so swollen right now I'm not sure I can walk.”

”Let's go make that call, and then let's go to bed,” Quinn said, her voice husky. ”What did she have after school tonight? Karate practice, right?”

Honor nodded, keeping Quinn's hand in hers as they rose. ”Yes. She's working on her fourth form, remember?”

”How could I forget?” Quinn circled Honor's waist with her arm as they wended their way through the crowd of laughing, dancing women. ”We've been working on that backhand knife block for weeks.”

”Yes, we'll be home in time for the tournament.” Quinn sprawled on the couch, the phone cradled between her shoulder and ear, and grinned at Honor, who stood beside the bed unb.u.t.toning her blouse. ”You still have the schedule, right? We'll be back in Venice the day after tomorrow. I promise we won't miss the plane home.”

Honor dropped her blouse on the floor, her eyes holding Quinn's. Quinn gave her a look as if she were in pain and mouthed Have mercy. Honor smiled.

”What, kiddo?” Quinn frowned. ”Master Cho made you do twenty extra sit-ups? Oh. Well, if you leave your mark before the count, it might seem like you weren't listening.”

Honor trailed her fingers over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and down the center of her abdomen as she walked over and stood in front of Quinn.

”I know you just wanted to explain and weren't really arguing.” Quinn hooked a finger over Honor's waistband and pulled her closer. Then she leaned forward and kissed Honor's stomach at the edge of her navel. ”But Master Cho has to keep the cla.s.s running on schedule, and part of learning to be a good martial artist is to follow the rules. You can do that, right?”

”Phone,” Honor whispered before sinking her hands into Quinn's hair and rubbing her belly over Quinn's face.

”Your mom wants to say hi,” Quinn said, stroking Honor's thigh. ”I'll see you soon and then we'll talk about what happens when a rule doesn't seem fair. Here's Mom.”

”Hi, sweetie,” Honor said, caressing Quinn's neck. ”How's everything?”

Quinn unzipped Honor's shorts, pulled them down, and let them pool on the floor around their bare feet. Then she skimmed a fingertip beneath the edge of Honor's pale yellow bikinis and kissed lower on her belly. Honor's thighs trembled, and Quinn followed the path her finger had taken with her tongue.

”Isn't it about time for you to get ready for bed?” Honor said, catching Quinn's chin in her fingers to stop her movements. ”We miss you too. Bunches. We'll talk to you tomorrow, okay? Love you too. Bye, sweetie.”

Honor tossed the phone onto the sofa and grabbed a fistful of Quinn's hair, pulling her head back until their eyes met. ”You cannot do that to me while I'm talking to our daughter.”

”I wasn't going any lower.”

Honor b.u.mped her hips forward. ”Wanna bet?”

”At least not until you got off the phone.” Quinn grabbed her around the waist and rested her chin on Honor's stomach. ”Is she okay?”

”She's fine. Just misses us.”

”I miss her too,” Quinn said with a sigh.

”I remember when we first met you said you weren't very good with kids.”

Quinn looked up. ”It's different when they're yours.”

”I know. You're great with her.” Honor stroked Quinn's face. ”She really wants a brother or a sister.”

”Well, we're trying,” Quinn said gently, knowing how hard it was for Honor not to have gotten pregnant the first two times they tried. She had been careful not to let her own disappointment show, because she never wanted Honor to think she wasn't completely happy with their life. ”Sometimes it just takes a while.”

”Mmm,” Honor said, ”it sure seemed that way.”

Quinn slipped her fingertips beneath the bikinis and skimmed them down and off, needing Honor naked, needing the connection that centered her world. ”Don't worry, it will hap-” She stopped abruptly and jerked her head up. Honor was smiling. ”Seemed that way? Seemed as in past tense?”

Honor nodded.

”You're...?”

”Uh huh,” Honor said, suddenly sounding shy.

”How... how long... when?” Quinn rose slowly to her feet, holding Honor gently. ”How long have you known?”

”Just today.”

”You're sure? I mean... you checked?”

”I didn't say anything earlier because I wanted to test it twice. The second time was just now when I was in the bathroom.” She smiled hugely. ”I'm pregnant. I can tell.”

Quinn briefly closed her eyes. ”G.o.d. G.o.d, Honor sweetheart, that is so...” she framed Honor's face and kissed her deeply, carefully. Then she whispered, ”I'm so happy.”

”So am I.” Honor grasped the bottom of Quinn's T-s.h.i.+rt and dragged it up her torso. ”Get this off. I'm happy and really, really h.o.r.n.y. G.o.d, I need you to finish what you started a minute ago.”

Quinn glanced at the bed, then back at Honor, suddenly looking uncertain. ”Maybe we should wait?”

Honor's eyebrows rose. ”For what?”

”Just to be sure everything is okay.”

”Baby, I'm pregnant, not sick.” Honor popped the b.u.t.ton on Quinn's shorts and unzipped her fly. She pushed the khakis down over Quinn's hips, catching her underwear along with them.

”Out of these.”

Quinn stepped free. ”I know you're not sick, but, you know, maybe we should take it easy.”

”Okay. We can take it easy.” Honor grabbed Quinn's hand and dragged her toward the bed. ”We'll lie very, very still while you make me come until I scream.”

Quinn groaned. ”Easy will be hard. I'm already half ready to go, and you know when I get turned on I... forget myself.”