”Does it feel like that?” Gabrielle asked breathlessly, arching to the feel of Xena’s chest pressed into hers. Another gasp found its way to her lungs as Xena traced a single finger from the muscles of Gabrielle’s neck to the collarbone that she’d stared at for hours on end so many times before. It was a touch so delicate that it just nearly tickled, but Gabrielle laid still to allow Xena to feel her.

”No, Gabrielle,” Xena answered in her raspy way – verging on a growl of an animalistic nature. ”It’s not like that.”

”Ohhh …” Gabrielle moaned more openly, squirming when she felt Xena’s eyes on her top. On its laces. ”Show me what it’s like …?”

With strategic fingers, Xena began unlacing the top so gently that, at first, Gabrielle didn’t even notice. But before she pulled it open, Xena looked into her eyes. ”You really wanna know?”

As tribute to all the fighting lessons Xena had given her, Gabrielle smiled at last: ”Teach me.”

Obediently, Xena leaned in, and closed her mouth around Gabrielle’s naked breast, giving her no time to adjust to the pleasure she felt.

As quickly as Gabrielle could take a breath, the atmosphere had changed between them. In place of curiosity and understanding was a lust that burned uncontrollably. It was a feeling that felt almost dangerous – how powerfully it had taken them both into another world altogether.

Almost as if keeping in rhythm with imaginary music, Gabrielle rocked her hips, feeling Xena’s leg there between hers, delivering a wicked friction. Such sounds Gabrielle had never made were pouring from her lips as she grabbed at the straps of Xena’s leather tunic, pulling her closer. Impossibly so. Still, it wasn’t close enough.

Even with all of Xena’s attention to one hardened nipple, Gabrielle was a mess with need. Her legs were shaking, and her head was tilted back with her body’s expectation of climax, which was inevitable at that point. Already her body pulsed from between her legs, which was only an exaggeration of what she’d felt before around Xena. Had she always wanted this? Had her body known of the heaven that waited just beyond her reach before she had even comprehended it? Gabrielle moaned again as she wondered – her thoughts emptied as Xena’s hand snaked over her hip, and underneath her.