First Christmas Read online

  Erin leaned forward and brushed her lips against Ariel's. The touch was magic. Her lips trembled, and she opened her eyes to find Ariel with her eyes shut. She drew back and sighed.

  “Is this okay?”

  Ariel opened her eyes and her lips twisted into a smile. “More than. I was kind of hoping you'd do it again, actually.” She tugged Erin forward and wrapped her arms around her loosely.

  The softness of Ariel's breasts pressed into Erin's chest, and she purred. Her hands roamed tentatively along Ariel's back, inching lower toward the shapely curve of her ass.

  Ariel moaned, and her hand imitated Erin’s, reaching down to caress Erin's backside.

  Want.

  Erin drew back with a jagged breath, and her lips parted with desire.

  “Wow. Between that and you staring at me like I'm a pork chop, I think my panties are wet.” Ariel grinned.

  “So...the connection. You felt it too?”

  Ariel nodded, her lips curving into a provocative smile. “Spark?”

  “Spark.”

  “Wow. And you're still in raccoon mode, too. What do they say about love being blind? Or maybe it’s just lust.” Ariel snickered and put the water down on the table. She grinned at Erin. “So now what, tourist girl? Shall I wow you with my super-secret lesbian sex antics, or would you like to see the ship? After you change, that is. And fix that mascara.”

  “Oh, my god.” Erin giggled. “I've never gone out with a girl before.”

  “It's not hard. Promise.” Ariel winked.

  “Hard isn't a concern here,” Erin whispered, and pressed her mouth to Ariel's. “I want softness.”

  “Oh, god, girl. You're making this impossible.” Ariel groaned. “Do something for me?”

  “Sure.”

  “Wash your face and please for the love of all that's holy fasten your dress, or you and I aren't going anywhere.”

  “Who says I want to go anywhere?” Erin let the dress fall open and had the satisfaction of watching Ariel's eyes light up.

  “Wow.” Ariel blinked and cocked her head. “Are you sure?”

  “I've waited my whole life to experience the things I'm feeling now. I don't want that to stop. Not ever.”

  “Good.” Ariel tugged her toward the bathroom.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Making you wash your face.”

  “Mmm. Why don't we take a shower instead?” Erin pressed her lips to Ariel's and let her hand slide down the curve of her ass. “You've got glitter in your hair, and you look like one of those mermaid ornaments I saw on the tree in the ballroom.”

  “What if I was a mermaid?”

  “I'd still want you.”

  “Oh...you say that now. Just think of all the complications. Fins. Scales. Allergic to water in public. Didn't you ever watch that movie? You know...where the girl gets the hose turned on her and changes into a fin-bearing chick right there on the street?”

  Erin crossed her arms under her breasts and shook her head.

  “You never saw Splash?”

  “Nope.”

  Ariel reached into the bathtub and switched on the water. She flung a handful at Erin. “Splash! Now off with the dress, girlie.”

  “Hey! That was cold.” Erin giggled and slid the dress from her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. She scooped it up and laid it across the commode. Clad in her black panties and bra, she’d never been more aware of how sensitive her skin was than she was at that moment. With shaking fingers, she reached behind her back to release her bra.

  Her nipples tightened as her breasts fell free. Erin hooked her fingers in the elastic of her panties and tugged them down her thighs. Nervous, she raised her eyes to meet Ariel's.

  “Nice.”

  Ariel flipped the faucet to shower mode and pulled her shirt over her head. She kicked off her shoes and unzipped her jeans, shimmying them over the curves of her ass. The lacy aquamarine panties and bra soon joined the rest of her clothes as she stepped naked into the bathtub. As she turned, Erin could see a mermaid tattoo on her shoulder.

  “I love your tat.”

  “Thank you. Now, are you coming?” Ariel curved her finger and motioned Erin forward with a come-hither wiggle.

  “I hope so!”

  “You are a naughty girl who must be shown the error of her ways.”

  Erin stepped into the tub, and the curtain flapped shut behind her. Ariel stood in front of her, water running down her body, holding a wooden shower brush.

  “Bend over, little miss. Such impertinence deserves a swat with my brush.”

  “What?” Erin squealed as Ariel tugged her forward and dragged her under the spray. The water hit her full in the face and drenched her hair in moments flat.

  A spanking? She wanted to give her a spanking?

  Her pussy slickened at the thought.

  “You heard me. Brace yourself against the tile. Ass out, and you best be ready.” Ariel waved the brush and narrowed her eyes menacingly.

  “Yes, ma'am!” Erin backed up a step and turned to face the wall. The bathtub wasn't overly large, and they didn't have much room.

  The first whack came, and Erin stifled a gasp. It stung. A lot! But it also made her want more. The cleft between her legs began to throb.

  Whap!

  “Ow!”

  “Too much for you?”

  “No.”

  “Good.”

  Another whack came—pop!

  “Ohh.” Tears prickled in Erin's eyes as the heat from one cheek spread to the other.

  “’Oh’ is right. I could do that all night. But what I really want to do is this.” Erin heard the brush clatter to the bottom of the tub. The sound of liquid being squeezed out of a bottle met her ears.

  “Here. Let's get rid of those undead eyes of yours.”

  “You...”

  Ariel spun her around and touched a soapy sponge to her breasts. Rubbing along the ivory globes, she watched Erin as dollops of suds slipped between them.

  “Close your eyes.”

  Her lids lowered, Erin felt the soapy sponge carefully brushing across her face, scrubbing free the hurtful remains of the day. No more Dylan and his engagement. No more doubts and fears. There was only Ariel, and they were together. Here. Right now.

  Another sound of squirting liquid as strawberry-scented shampoo was rubbed into her hair.

  “Oh...”

  It felt so amazing having someone wash her hair. To have a gorgeous naked woman taking care of her. Erin thought of the commercials with the orgasmic shampoo, and as the first rush of warmth pooled between her legs, she became a believer.

  She was tugged forward into the stream of water, and it rinsed away all evidence of makeup, shampoo, and stress.

  “God, I love mascara that washes off in the water.” Ariel picked up the sponge and added some more soap.

  Erin blinked and wiped her eyes as Ariel slid the sponge down between Erin’s breasts, down the taut lines of her stomach, finally to rest at her mound.

  “Do you want me to do your back first?”

  Nervous bubbles popped and leapt in Erin's belly.

  “No.” She took the sponge and dropped it into the tub. “Later.” Erin grasped Ariel's hand and captured her lips. The sensation of Ariel's delectable breasts, wet and luscious, rubbing against hers made her weak in the knees.

  “I want...”

  “I know.” Ariel slipped her fingers between Erin's thighs. “Let me show you.”

  Ariel helped her brace against the tile, and her fingers found the hidden delights of Erin's pussy.

  Two fingers slipped inside her, stroking. Two became three, and Erin gasped at the fullness.

  “I never...”

  “Yup.” Ariel angled her head upward to meet Erin’s eyes as her lips sealed around one very happy nipple.

  “Ohhhh.” A searing heat wave moved through her body with each thrust of Ariel's fingers. Ariel’s hand brushed against her erect clit, and Erin sucked in a shuddering b
reath.

  Never had she experienced pleasure so intense. A trail of fire blazed down her body as Ariel kissed down her stomach and knelt at last in front of her mound.

  “I want to savor you.”

  Erin placed her foot on the edge of the tub and braced herself in the corner, almost losing her balance as Ariel's tongue connected with her silken folds and then swept inside her pussy.

  “Oh god!”

  Fingers slid inside Erin's pussy, and Ariel's tongue lapped at her clit.

  Lights exploded behind her eyes, and Erin fought to remain upright as the orgasm rode her body. Pussy clenching around Ariel's thrusting fingers, she grabbed onto Ariel’s shoulders to keep from falling. After a moment, Ariel stood.

  “Now that is lesbian sex, tourist girl.”

  “Sign me up.”

  “I thought you might say that.”

  ***

  Erin was happy. “Are you heading back up?”

  “Sure. How about I walk up with you? I want to stop off at the kitchen to talk to the cook about what kind of tables she wants for the party tomorrow anyway.” Ariel smiled a lazy grin and pecking a quick kiss on her cheek.

  “Sounds good.”

  “Have you been on a cruise before?”

  Erin shook her head. “Nope. The gang wanted to drag me out for my first big holiday away from home.”

  “That was nice of them.”

  “It was.” Erin fought the pull of melancholy that tugged at her heart whenever she thought of home and, like a reflex, Dylan.

  “You left someone behind?”

  “It's just complicated.” Erin followed Ariel as she led her from the hallway toward a flight of stairs.

  “Oh. One of those.” Ariel gave Erin a knowing glance.

  “Not exactly. I just don't want to talk about it right now.”

  “Fair enough.” Ariel shrugged. “I’ll walk you up so you can find your friends, and then I'll wander back down to the kitchen.”

  “Okay.” Erin shrugged and wrapped her arms around the dress as it loosened. “God, I need to change out of this thing.”

  “It's got some issues but hey, I'm not complaining.” Ariel waggled her eyebrows and sent Erin an exaggerated leer.

  “You're terrible.” A thrill ran along Erin's skin at the reality of Ariel noticing her. It was...invigorating and somehow right. More right than she ever expected to feel.

  “Please tell me you're coming to the party tomorrow night.”

  “Yes.”

  “Is this the dress? You have to give a girl reason to keep living.”

  “Errr. No. I need to find something on the ship. I didn't realize there was going to be a mega party.” Her mouth pinched shut in annoyance. She was happy to be here, but if she spent any more, she'd have to ask her parents to wire her money, and that was something she tried never to do. She was out on her own. It was time she paid her own way. School was on scholarships, and she paid for everything else with a part-time job that was pretty darn near full-time if she thought about it—thirty hours a week. Just enough time to study and balance it all. This cruise had been a much-needed break, but she was afraid it was going to break her.

  “Here. Come with me.” Ariel tugged her toward another hallway, and soon they were back on the main floor of the ship. A row of shops was lit up, and shoppers thronged the wares.

  “Wow.” Erin paused in front of a bookstore with a mountain of the newest romance from an author she loved. “I'm coming back for that one.” Then reality set in. She could no more afford a hardcover book than she could a new dress.

  Reality bites. A lot. The library would have an e-copy to borrow. After the waiting list dwindled down, like next year.

  Erin shuffled past the display and tried to put the shiny new book out of her mind.

  “You can drool over bestsellers later. Come on before all the good dresses are gone.”

  “Okay! I'm coming! Not like I can get one anyway.”

  “Just shut up and come on.”

  Ariel dragged her to a shop laden with dresses in all shapes and colors.

  “Hey, Michelle!” She waved at the stylish brunette behind the counter. “I'm going to help Erin here out with a dress, okay?”

  Michelle raised her eyes. “Sounds good. Give a shout if you need me.”

  “Will do.” Ariel marched forward, a woman with a purpose. Again, Erin admired the way she just took charge of the situation. She hardly knew her, but somehow she thought that wasn't going to last long.

  “Nothing yellow.”

  “Ugh. Do you think I'd do that to you? Come on. These are the ones you'll want for tomorrow night.” Ariel pointed out a sparkling array of flounces and fabric.

  “Oh, boy. I wish I'd brought Jace. He'd know which one would fit the best.”

  Ariel rolled her eyes and snorted. “Are you kidding me? We got this.” She marched over to the next rack of dresses and began to sort through the styles.

  Erin gulped and jumped into the fray. Every price tag she saw was way more than her budget.

  “I can't do this, Ariel,” she whispered, hoping the girl behind the counter couldn't hear her.

  “They're expensive.”

  Ariel waved her off. “Don't worry about it.”

  “I have to. I'm just a student with a part-time job. I can't...”

  “It's all right. I borrow dresses all the time for these things. Michelle is pretty easy on me unless I tear one. Then I get to work it off in her shop until I pay off the damage.”

  Doubts niggled at Erin. She couldn’t just take a dress. That was way into the twilight zone. Nobody just got to borrow a thousand-dollar piece of art—and every dress her eyes caressed was just that. The stitch work was fine, the beadwork intricate. Jace would have drooled a puddle on the floor by now. As it was, Erin was in awe. They were the loveliest things she'd ever seen, and more than anything, she wanted to try one on. Even if it was just for a minute or two.

  “And she's going to let a complete stranger walk into her store and borrow a random dress?”

  Michelle walked up and wrapped her arm around Ariel. “No, I'm going to let my friend help her friend. But she's right. Don't hurt it, chica. If you do, you suddenly work for me on your off time, and this isn't like a job in the city, if you understand what I mean.” She winked and sauntered away, her hips swaying in the smart dress suit.

  “Wow.”

  “I know. She's something.”

  “Did you date her?”

  “Oh, god no.”

  “Why not? She seems to like you.”

  “Not my type.” Ariel looked away and proceeded to riffle through the racks once more.

  Curiosity niggled at Erin. Her new friend was quite the enigma.

  “What is your type?”

  Ariel raised her eyes from the dress rack. “Do you really want to know, tourist girl?”

  Tourist girl? That was the second time she said that.

  Irritation pricked at Erin. “Yeah. All of a sudden, I think I do.”

  “You are.”

  “Oh.” Erin paused. “How do you know?”

  “Well. Let's play a game.” Ariel grinned, eyes dancing. “Sushi or cheeseburgers?”

  “Cheeseburgers.”

  “Thought so. Reality TV or The Walking Dead?”

  “Oh, wow. Walking Dead for sure.”

  “Umm hmmm. Favorite dessert?” Ariel picked up another dress and made a face, slipping it back on the rack.

  “Chocolate. Anything.”

  “Yep. My kind of girl.”

  Erin giggled. “You are so funny.”

  Ariel turned back to the rack and held up a stunning gown of aquamarine.

  “Now, this is great.”

  Erin started to caress the intricate beadwork on the bodice but snatched her hand back before it was too late. The empire waist flared down into sheer panels of almost iridescent fabric.

  “I love it.”

  “Told you.”

  “But I can't...”<
br />
  “Try it on.”

  “But...”

  Ariel grumbled and pressed the dress into her hands. “I know you're getting over someone. It's hard. I get it. But you need to live a little. If Michelle is willing to trust me with her dresses, why can't you trust yourself?”

  Erin didn't know what to say.

  “I...”

  “Go. Try. It. On.” Ariel narrowed her eyes and pushed her toward the changing rooms.

  Erin wobbled forward, the black high-heeled shoes starting to pinch her toes.

  She nodded awkwardly to Michelle and made her way into the dressing room. Erin hung the gown on a hook and turned to peer into the mirror. Her green eyes were luminous with excitement. Something about being with Ariel made her feel alive...to want reach out and explore new things. If only she had the budget to do that. But this could work. Erin pulled the curtain closed, letting the clasp open and the sleek black dress fall from her shoulders. She slid it off, carefully stepped out, and draped Jace's baby across the bench.

  Erin slipped into the dress and let out a moan as the material slid over her skin. It was so soft. The beaded bodice cupped her breasts and pushed them out to their best advantage. It was a wintery dream.

  Her thoughts wandered back to her old life, and she shook her head. No. Enough looking back already. She was here for a reason. Did she have the courage to reach out for what she wanted? A warm pulse between her thighs echoed through her body.

  Ariel.

  The sensation of wanting the other woman staggered her. They had only just met. Erin had never dated a woman. Well...she hadn’t really dated anyone, except for Dylan. But the way Ariel had taken an interest in her and pushed her to enjoy herself touched something deep inside Erin. She wanted to understand what Ariel saw in her, a random tourist on board for the weekend.

  And, of course, Ariel was freaking hot.

  Erin admired herself in the mirror, twisting right and left so the dress fluttered around her ankles and legs. Her fingers gripped the zipper tightly, and she pulled it up as high as she could but wasn’t quite able to reach the top. Maybe she could get Ariel to help her.

  “Hello in there! You okay?”

  Erin stuck her head outside the curtain and grinned.

  “It seems like you might have to save the damsel in distress. I can't reach to pull it all the way to the top.” Erin ran her fingers down the sides of the skirt, nervously playing with the fabric.