Cadence of My Heart (9 page)

Yes, now it’s definitely a date.

Dinner is a quiet affair, full of innuendo and calf rubs. Cadence is wearing her debutante party dress, just as she said she would, and she looks delicious. Her hair’s down, curled, her eyes painted with smoky eye shadow. She’s even wearing some of Marlee’s lipstick, and the shade looks good on her.

Also dressed to the nines, Marlee’s out of her nanny outfit once again—it being banished to the suitcase for the duration of their trip, as per Cadence’s strict orders. She’s wearing a wine-colored dress, tight where it matters, with heels to accentuate her calves, and she feels like a sardine squished into a tin. The dress is fitted to her ribs so snugly she feels like there’s a boa constrictor wrapped around her chest. She can barely breathe. Or is that because she’s nervous?

Sex with Cadence! The more she wants it, the more she comes to realize that she’s discovered a tenth circle of hell, reserved just for her: the nanny who abuses her position of trust by accepting the advances of her employers’ daughter.

This is bad.

This is really, really bad.

There’s something else on her mind, though, and in the end, she just comes right out and asks Cadence, “Are you gay?”

Indicative of the fact that she’s been asking herself the same thing for quite some time, Cadence isn’t at all caught off-guard by the question. She shrugs, not even looking up from her dinner plate. “I want you. Does that make me gay?”

Marlee doesn’t want to put words in her mouth, so she leaves that question unanswered, turning her mind instead to a niggling concern that struck her when Cadence mentioned how old she was when her passions first surfaced.

“Did finding out that I was gay have any impact on … your feelings?”

Marlee remembers a not-quite-fourteen-year-old Cadence coming to her innocently, a look of confusion plastered on her face, wanting to know what the word ‘dyke’ meant. That day, Marlee found out what Cadence’s mother calls her behind her back, and Cadence found out that there’s more to love than the union of a man and a woman.

Cadence nods, devouring the last bite of her dinner. “That’s when I knew I wanted you for real. Before then, I didn’t understand why I felt the way I did.” She pushes her empty plate aside. “I didn’t know two girls could do stuff that way.”

Marlee suddenly makes a connection. “Is that when you started sneaking into my bed?”

Blushing, Cadence nods.

Now, Marlee has a suspicion. “Did you ever share a bed with your old nanny?”

Cadence shakes her head vigorously. “She was a wicked old bat. I just told you that so you wouldn’t think I was being a freak.” Still blushing, she shifts the focus of the conversation smoothly onto Marlee. “When did you start falling for me?”

“I’m not exactly sure.” Marlee abandons the rest of her soup, still having difficulty believing that Cadence really wants what she thinks she wants. “I suppose it’s been happening gradually, but still so much sooner than I would’ve liked. And I hope you don’t think … I mean, I want you to know that I don’t … with other girls your age. This isn’t … and I’m not …”

I’m not a pervert. Why is that so difficult to say?

“It’s okay, Marlee.” Cadence reaches for her hand. “I’m not a little girl.”

“I know.” Marlee lets Cadence entwine their fingers. “But the law says I can’t have you. Not yet.”

“Well, the law is dumb,” Cadence exclaims emphatically. “How does it make any sense at all that I can give myself to anyone but the one person I love? That’s bollocks.”

“The law’s there to protect you, Cady.” Marlee squeezes her hand reassuringly. “It’s meant to prevent people in my position—often very much older people, like myself—from taking advantage of the hormone-fueled adolescents in their care.”

“Very much older?” Cadence scoffs. “Do you know there’s less age difference between us than there is between my mother and father? Nobody thinks their relationship is weird.”

“Yes, but your father’s exceptionally rich. He could marry a goat and people would still say things like: Gosh, I love your wife, she has really big eyes.”

Cadence almost snorts her drink through her nose. Picturing what an awkward coupling that would be on the wedding night, her mind veers off in another direction. “Have you ever done it with a bloke?” She whispers that as if it’s something dirty.

“Yes, that’s how I found out I was gay.”

That makes Cadence giggle. “Was it yucky? I’ve seen straight porn. It looks yucky.”

“Men are hairy and smelly, and testicles are ugly. Give me a pair of nice, smooth legs, a handful of boobs, and a wet, velvety vagina any day.”

Cadence fidgets with nervous excitement, thrilled by this new sexual openness. “Have you been with lots of women?”

Marlee shakes her head. “I haven’t really had the opportunity.”

“Because of your job?” Cadence looks unnecessarily apologetic.

Nodding, Marlee smiles warmly. “A very worthwhile sacrifice.” She pauses and lowers her voice. “But I am exceptionally good in bed if that’s what you’re worried about.” Wink.

Cadence’s cheeks burn. “Are you saying we’re going to have sex tonight?”

She says that a little too loudly, and Marlee flits her eyes around the restaurant quickly, making sure no-one’s paying any attention. They’re not.

“I’m saying”—she leans close, whispering—“I won’t deny you anything that feels natural and easy between us. Is that fair?”

Cadence plays with Marlee’s feet under the table, grinning. “Do you want pudding?”

“Absolutely.” Marlee smirks, asking the waiter for the bill.

She’s in a heightened state of arousal on the walk back to the bed and breakfast, Cadence’s arm looped through hers. She’s so certain Cadence will initiate intimacy tonight that she’s momentarily taken aback when—dressed in enticing black silk lingerie—she steps out from the en suite bathroom and finds Cadence already in bed.

Curled on her side, she’s sound asleep in the queen bed, her chestnut hair splayed across the pillow. Most telling of all, she’s wearing those fuzzy guinea pig pajamas again, and Marlee knows what all of this adds up to: she’s changed her mind.

Climbing into bed with her, Marlee smiles, kisses the side of her head, whispers goodnight, and retreats into her own space. Truth be told, she’s somewhat relieved. Everything is perfect just the way it is, except that the build-up to this rather anti-climactic moment has left her with a persistent heat between her legs.

Dare she tend to herself? If she’s quiet, and Cadence is asleep, why not? She needs to come again. She
wants
to come again. Slipping a hand between her legs, she tiptoes her fingers over a wet patch in the gusset of her knickers. This’ll be quick.

Careful not to jar the bed, she worms a hand inside her undies and begins touching herself. Nothing vigorous, just a gentle tickle over and around her clit. God, that feels good. She spreads her legs and holds her breath, hoping to bring herself to peak in under a minute.

She’s close.

So close.

Until …

“What’re you doing?” Cadence rolls over.

Marlee freezes, too afraid to move a muscle. “I’m sorry, darling. Did I wake you?”

“Are you flicking your bean?” Cadence peeks under the duvet.

Marlee takes a long time to answer, distracted by the unfamiliar phrasing. “Yes.”

“Why did you stop?”

“I thought you were sleeping.” Marlee starts to pull her hand back from her clit. “If I knew—”

Cadence stops her, urging her hand back inside her knickers. “Keep doing it.”

“Cady …” Marlee gasps as her fingers reconnect with her needy flesh.

“I want to watch.”

Marlee groans. Really? Cadence wants to watch her come? Damn. In no position to argue—her body on the brink of climax already—she starts ‘flicking her bean’ again, maintaining eye contact with Cadence right up until the crest of her orgasm comes crashing down over her.

Biting hard on her lower lip, she tilts her head back, her eyes closed, her legs jerking and twitching as she whimpers sensually, her cunt pulsing.

“Wow.” Cadence puts her hand on Marlee’s thigh, feeling the tremors, completely fascinated by them. “What just happened?” Porn hasn’t prepared her for this.

“I had an orgasm,” Marlee whispers breathlessly. “Have you never had one?”

Cadence seems uncertain. “I don’t think so.”

Marlee rolls to look at her. “You’ve never pleasured yourself?”

Slightly red in the cheeks, the innocent girl shakes her head.

“Well, I think you nearly came last night, when you were rubbing yourself on me.” Marlee forms an idea. “Do you remember how that felt?”

Cadence nods, now blushing fiercely. “Hot.”

“Would you like to try again?”

Cadence doesn’t object, so Marlee pulls her closer, lifting one of her legs up.

“Here”—she pulls Cadence’s leg over her hip—“tell me how this feels.”

Angling her thigh against Cadence’s core, she holds the teen’s bum tightly and thrusts forward, generating delightful friction against her crotch.

Cadence closes her eyes. “It feels …”

Suddenly, Marlee’s thigh rubs against her clit and her body jolts.

“Oh! Nice.”

Marlee keeps gently humping her until she starts to spasm.

“Marlee …” Cadence whispers, clutching at her shoulder. “Oh, Marlee!”

Cadence’s orgasm is incredible, her virgin body quivering in Marlee’s arms. When it passes, she flops onto her back, sighing contentedly.

“
That’s
an orgasm?! I’ve felt that before!” she recalls with glee. “I woke up as I was having it. My … umm … my place was throbbing and squeezing, and I thought I had to pee, but then it passed so I just tucked myself against you and—”

“Me?” Marlee can’t help interjecting.

“Uh-huh.” Cadence nods, not understanding the importance of the fact. “We were sleeping together.”

Marlee’s heart almost bursts. Cadence had a wet dream! While they were lying together, she’d had her first orgasm and neither of them had known about it.

Marlee tingles with excitement. “Good god.”

“What?”

“You were lying next to me, all hot and horny, and I had no idea.” Marlee turns onto her back, pulling Cadence to her chest. “I bet your knickers were so fucking damp.”