Jenny hip-swayed across the room, head tilted just so, to Marina’s arms.  With fuck-me pumps, she didn’t have to stand on tiptoe to kiss her lover.  “You are SO beautiful,” she whispered hoarsely to her.

            “And you too, ma petite,breathtaking.”  Marina slid her tongue into Jenny’s mouth as her fingertips crept round to the bare skin of her back, sending ripples of desire down the young writer’s spine.  Dark eyes met iridescent green, the lightning of passion sparking skin to skin.

            Marina pulled back reluctantly.  “If we keep this up, ma petite, we are going nowhere but to bed.”

            “Mais oui, ma Domme,” Jenny smiled, lowering her eyelids, dark lashes lying bold and distinct against her pale cheeks.

            Marina tilted her head back, eyes closing and opening in a long slow blink of seduction that said, “Later, my little sub, and I will give you all you ask and more.”

            Hand in hand, they walked into the living room, picked up small bags that matched their dresses, and walked out into a pleasantly cool evening, the sky clear and lavender in the twilight.  Marina helped Jenny into the car, slotted the key, and pulled off into the gathering night, leaving behind a house blazing with light.  A small dark car followed them into darkness.

*~*~*~*~*

            Lara was unloading the last of the small tastes from the back of her SUV when Helena pulled into the lot.  Heedless of the possibility she might stain the off-white Stella McCartney suit she was wearing, Helena walked briskly across the lot to help.  “That’s all right, I’ve got it,” Lara objected, her chef’s shirt partly unbuttoned to reveal the thin wife-beater underneath.  Helena gave her an appraising up and down look, smiling approval, took two trays off the top, and led the way into the CAC.

            Lara followed, shaking her head at the perceived contradiction.  There was no doubt that Helena had been raised with wealth and privilege, and probably a small army of servants and staff to cater to every need.  But she treated Lara with the warmth and appreciation of a social equal.  She had seen the woman be aloof, even supercilious and in the next breath, kind and compassionate and yearning to be a part of, a part of what, Lara wasn’t sure, maybe a part of whatever she didn’t have in her other life, whatever that was.