#adamsfoster

On movie night, Lena followed Stef into the kitchen. The popcorn popped in the microwave while Lena stepped up behind her, pushing her blonde hair over to one shoulder. She grazed a kiss against the back of her neck, exhaling slowly so the heat from her breath curled around it. Her hands gripped her hips, pulling her back until she was flush against her. She kissed a meandering path along its length, slow and torturous, sparking electricity up into Stef’s skull. She didn’t stop until the microwave beeped, and even then, she was reluctant to let go. Fortunately, as a family of five, they now needed two bags, so Stef got it going, fumbling a little in her haste, and they used the rest of the time to make out.

Later, while snuggled under a blanket on the couch, the kids sprawled across the floor watching Monsters Inc., Lena was stoically trying to ignore Stef’s hand creeping up the inside of her thigh. Her pulse raced beneath her tingling skin, growing faster with every inch. Just as Stef reached the center seam of her jeans, Lena took her hand, sliding their fingers together as she nestled them down into a more appropriate location. When she heard a little hrmph from Stef, she glanced at her, chuckling at the pout on her face. She then spent the rest of the movie torturing herself by imagining multiple scenarios in which she could have let her continue. 

Similar instances were frequent in the following few weeks, each more frustrating than the last. Between their work schedules, the house, the kids with their homework and their activities, and the extra time Lena was spending helping fill in some of the gaps in the twins’ education, and without nights to themselves, they just did not have time together. 

~

“I have a plan,” Lena announced, though the kids were too busy goofing around instead of eating their breakfast to pay her any attention. 

“And what’s that?” Stef asked as she poured coffee into her travel mug. 

“While you’re at work today, I’m going to take the kids to the beach.”

That got the kids’ attention, and all three of them began shooting off excited questions about when, how long, and what they would get to eat while there. 

“I’ll answer all your questions later. Right now you need to finish your breakfast and then go find your suits and towels.”

“Okay!” They all turned back to their plates, their excitement barely contained. 

“Goodbye my babies!” Stef called out before planting kisses on top of each of their heads. 

“I’ll walk you out,” Lena said, and Stef noted the mischief in her eyes as they turned to leave the room. 

“What else are you planning?” she asked when they reached the front door. 

“To wear them out. It’s a beautiful Saturday, we can spend the whole day out in the sun, and by bedtime, they’ll be so tired they’ll pass out for the whole night. All of them.”

“Ooh!” Stef crooned, looking both impressed and conspiratorial. “I like when you get all determined and take control.” She took a step closer as her gaze dropped down to Lena’s lips. 

Lena tilted her face up, brows raised. Her voice was thick with tension as the space between them closed. “Oh really?”

“Mhmm.” Stef leaned in, letting her lips linger over her lover’s until Lena finally captured them with her own. It was a slow kiss, tender but restrained, and yet both felt it burn through every nerve in their bodies. 

They said their goodbyes, and Lena watched Stef leave, the promise of later lingering on her lips. 

~

Their day at the beach had been fun. The kids had a blast, and they chattered about it all evening while Lena made dinner. Lena, however, had underestimated how exhausting it would be to take all three of them to the beach alone. Still, excitement thrummed through her whenever she thought about Stef coming home, and she was hopeful that if she was feeling as tired as she was, the kids would be feeling it, too. By the time they were settling down for dinner, she could see the heaviness on all their faces, the quieting of their voices, and she was sure her plan had worked. 

When Stef came home, the energy in the house picked up a few degrees. The kids told her all about their day—burying each other in the sand, seagulls trying to steal their picnic, and Jesús digging a hole so deep that even Mama could sit in it without her head sticking out! 

Stef got up to put her plate in the sink. “My goodness!” she exclaimed. “It sounds like you should all be thoroughly worn out then!” Grinning, she winked at Lena, who bit back a smile. 

“They’re not the only ones,” she muttered. 

“Oh, no!” Stef crooned, the concern in her voice entirely for show as she came up behind Lena and wrapped her arms around her neck from behind. “Don’t worry, love.” She pressed her lips against her ear, her voice dangerously low, “I’ll make sure you get plenty of time in bed.” 

Lena suppressed a shiver, suddenly feeling much more alert. Swallowing hard, she leaned back into Stef’s chest, at the same time as she slid her hand over the back of Stef’s to intertwine their fingers, their hands resting atop her shoulder. They stayed like that for a moment, letting the quiet undercurrent of desire they had been feeling all day pass between one another, each noticing their own heartbeat fall into sync. 

The kids starting to bicker pulled them out of the moment and back to the reality that stood between them and their much needed time alone. The next few hours passed as if time was moving at half speed. They trudged their way through dinner clean up and bath time, trying and failing miserably at not checking the clock every five minutes. By the time bedtime rolled around, they were both so desperate to be done that it felt like a race to get the kids all settled in their beds. Lena took on the boys while Stef laid with Mariana, making sure to give her extra snuggles, trying to ensure she was so comfortable and drowsy that nowhere else could be more desirable than her own bed. 

Finally, when the little girl’s breathing became steady and her head grew heavy on Stef’s chest, Stef carefully extricated herself and tiptoed out the door. She glanced around the hallway, noticing their bedroom door ajar, light shining into the hall. Padding her way to their room, a flutter of excitement started in the pit of her stomach at the possibility of what she might find. She poked her head around the door. Lena was nowhere to be found. 

“Lena?” she called quietly, entering the room and closing the door behind her. 

“In here.”

She followed Lena’s voice to the bathroom, only to find her doing laundry. Though it wasn’t quite the sight she had been hoping for, she certainly wasn’t bothered by the way Lena’s shirt rode up over her waistband, revealing her back as she reached down into the washing machine, or how her yoga pants fit perfectly along the curve of her backside when she leaned to toss the wet clothes into the dryer. She watched for another minute, heat slowly rising to her face, before she came to and shook her head, laughing at herself. If she was lusting over her partner doing laundry, she really needed to get laid. 

“I see laundry is higher on your to-do list than I am,” she said, feigning offense as she approached her from behind. 

Lena rolled her eyes at Stef over her shoulder, an easy smile on her face. “Not by choice,” she said as she grabbed the last handful, tossing it into the dryer and closing the door, then squealed when she felt Stef also grab a handful. When she turned in the small space between her partner and the dryer, Stef did not let go of her ass, instead allowing the motion to wrap her arm around her as she stepped closer, easing Lena up against the cold metal of the appliance.

Stef’s body was flush against her, the slight pressure making it just a little harder to breathe. Or, perhaps, it was the darkening of her eyes as they dropped down to Lena’s lips. 

“You have been hard to pin down these days,” Lena said, her voice down in her chest, restraining her lips from reaching, trying to play it cool despite the desperation creeping through her body.

“Not by choice.” Stef smirked, lowering her head slowly until her breath washed over Lena’s lips with every exhale. 

Lena wound her arms around Stef’s neck, one hand sliding up the back and into her hair. Their mouths were achingly close, their lips parted, poised. Stef brought her hand up to Lena’s jaw, caressing her thumb over her cheek. Leaning into the touch, Lena closed her eyes in anticipation, waiting for Stef to land her kiss. Instead, she felt her breath rush over her chin as she spoke. 

“Should we wait?”

Lena blinked her eyes open, confused as she pulled back. “Why?”

“To make sure she stays asleep, so we don’t get interrupted.”

Lena tucked her chin, taking a deep breath to think more clearly. Wait? They had done nothing but wait for weeks, and as patient as she usually was, she had no more waiting left in her. 

“What if we wait and she ends up coming in anyway, and we lose our chance?” 

Stef thought about it for a moment, her eyes drawn back down to Lena’s mouth where she was worrying her lower lip between her teeth. “You make a compelling argument, my love.”

Using her thumb, she gently tugged Lena’s lip out from between her teeth, gliding across the plush surface before capturing it with her own.

Fire flashed between them immediately, weeks of pent up desire blazing, ready to burn everything down. Lena slipped her tongue between Stef’s eager lips, her stomach twisting pleasantly when their tongues slid against one another. Stef pressed her harder against the dryer, her hand moving down to grip her thigh, pulling her leg up while she pushed her hips into her, causing a delicious friction between them. When her other hand pushed beneath the hem of Lena’s shirt, the cool touch of her fingers on her ribs made her gasp against Stef’s mouth. Her hand continued up, pushing under her bra so her breast was cradled in her hand. She squeezed it gently, teasing her thumb over her nipple, over and over, until the familiar sound of her lover’s breathless want spilled into their kiss.

“Please, Stef. I can’t…” she panted. “I can’t wait anymore.”

Pulling back to look at her, Stef felt a tightening deep inside at the unabashed lust on Lena’s face. Removing her hand from beneath her shirt, she grasped her slender waist and lifted her up onto the dryer. 

“Something wrong with the bed?”

“Yeah,” Stef looked at her with a devilish grin. “The bed doesn’t do this,” she said, reaching behind her and turning on the dryer. 

The vibrations, spreading from the backs of her things up into her entire body, made Lena’s breath catch in her throat, her mouth falling slightly open. Stef wasted no more time. She tucked her fingers into Lena’s waistband, tugging them off along with her underwear. She kissed her one last time before bringing Lena’s legs over her shoulders, urging her to lean back enough that Stef could anchor herself on her forearms. With her arms wrapped securely around her legs, she was just beginning to graze kisses along her inner thigh when she heard the familiar click of the bedroom door. 

She froze for a second, then, when she heard, “Mommy? Mama?” she felt panic rise up the back of her throat. 

“Shit!” she whispered, dislodging herself to shut the bathroom door. “Be right out,” she called through the door. 

Lena was already off the dryer, pulling her underwear back on while Stef leaned against the door, breathing heavily, her face burning red. Once Lena was fully dressed, Stef pulled her in against her, dropping a kiss into her hair. 

“I’m sorry, love,” she whispered, feeling more than hearing the whining groan coming from her very frustrated partner. 

“Do you mind if I take a shower? I need to cool down,” Lena asked in a tense monotone. 

“Of course. I’ll go lay with Mariana.” She smoothed a hand along Lena’s spine, feeling guilty despite knowing she did nothing wrong. Though, she did forget to lock the door. 

“Thank you,” Lena said flatly, and waited for Stef to leave before beginning to undress again. 

~

A week later, Stef had pressed Lena back against the fridge where they were sure to be out of view, her lips already busy with the tender flesh beneath the edge of her lover’s jawline. The denim of Stef’s jeans was rough and inviting against the inside of Lena’s thighs as her knee pushed between them, inching her skirt higher. Lena gripped the back of Stef’s shirt, knuckles digging into her ribs while she pulled her closer, closer, closer until there wasn’t space for even a whisper between their bodies. She couldn’t tell whose heart she could feel thumping against her chest, but decided, when the gentle scrape of teeth along her neck made it beat faster, it must have been her own.

It took an enormous effort for Stef to keep herself under control; they had to stop doing this. It was stupid to think it was going to do anything but make her more desperate, and still, every time she naively hoped it would offer a little relief. Now it was to the point where she couldn’t think of anything else; all day, every day, that undercurrent of desire consumed her. 

When she felt Lena’s fingers curl into the hair at the nape of her neck, she shuddered, a tiny moan escaping despite her efforts to contain it. 

“Do you think we can sneak upstairs without them noticing?” she asked, her breathy whisper snaking around Lena’s neck, making her shiver. 

“What if they need help?” 

“It’ll be fine. We’ll be fast.”

When Stef’s tongue dipped into the hollow at the base of her neck, Lena had to grip the edge of the fridge behind her for support. “I don’t think I can take getting interrupted again. It’s somehow even worse than just waiting it out.”

“They won’t. We haven’t heard a peep out of them this whole time. We can use the vibrator, and be done before they even realize we’re gone. It’ll at least hold us over until we can find some real time alone.” Stef kissed her way back up her neck to her lips, kissing her deeply until she felt Lena’s body relax all the way into hers. Pulling back enough to look at her, and seeing desire so unmasked on her lover’s face, she cocked a knowing eyebrow. “Wanna?”

“Yeah,” Lena agreed, her eager grin growing wider by the second. 

As if on cue, Brandon’s voice bellowed in from the dining room. “Moms! Jesús needs help with his math homework!”

Stef let out a despondent whimper, and dropped her head onto Lena’s shoulder. 

“I’ll be right there,” Lena called back, wrapping her arms around her partner’s shoulders while trying to ignore her own mounting frustration. She nuzzled her nose into Stef’s hair, eyes closed, just taking in the feeling of her for a moment before offering her a sympathetic squeeze. “I’ll be right back,” she murmured against her ear, then reluctantly extricated herself from Stef’s embrace.

By the time she returned, Stef was almost finished washing the dishes from dinner, so she grabbed a dish towel and started drying. 

“This is ridiculous,” Stef said, her aggravation evident in the tone of her voice.

“I know, but it’s just a phase. We’ll get through it,” Lena offered.

Stef looked over at her, studying her as she dried and stacked another plate on the counter. “How are you not going absolutely crazy? I feel like you’re usually worse than me about this, and I am going crazy.”

“I am,” Lena said, her calm and collected demeanor a stark contrast to the tense energy radiating off of her partner. “But I, um…” she pressed her lips together for a moment, “I might’ve… taken matters into my own hands the other day, which helped a little bit.” Her eyebrows lifted, and she tried to hold back a grin as she glanced at Stef, whose face was a mixture of shock and jealousy.

“You did?”

“You haven’t?” Lena countered, just as surprised.

“No! We can’t get any time alone for us, much less for, y’know, going solo.” As she handed Lena a bowl, she took the opportunity to watch her for a moment, appreciating that even the way she dried dishes was beautiful. But then she started picturing her naked, and she felt that familiar pulse begin, and she had to shake the image from her head and look away before she got worked up again. She picked up another dish and swiped the sponge across it. “When did you…?”

“Last weekend, when you took the kids to the movies.”

“Lena Elizabeth Adams!” Stef admonished, gaping at her, though a smile was unhidden in her eyes. “You told me you had a headache and needed to lie down!” It was an accusation, but made with nothing but affection. It was a fair play, she just wished she’d made it.

“I did,” Lena insisted. “I just figured, since I had the opportunity… Plus, it helped get rid of my headache.”

“I am so glad to hear that,” Stef snarked. After handing Lena the last dish, she shut off the water and turned towards her partner, leaning her hip against the edge of the sink while she dried her hands. She swept a gaze down the length of Lena’s body, biting her lip. “You know, that image really isn’t doing me any favors right now.”

Lena glanced at her, noting the flush in her cheeks.

“I know, sorry. That’s why I didn't tell you before.”

“I think maybe it should be your turn to take the kids to the movies this weekend.” 

“That can be arranged.” It was Lena’s turn to get caught up in her imagination for a moment, only to instantly regret it. With some very X-rated images clogging up her brain, she wanted to pull Stef to the ground right there, but instead she took a step back, hoping the physical distance would help her impulse control.

That was it, she decided. They had to figure something out. Soon.

“But what we really need is someone else to take the kids to the movies, because all it did was take the edge off. What I really want is you, the connection, the intimacy. That’s what we really need.”

Stef snorted and tossed her towel at Lena. “Yeah, says the woman who already had an orgasm.”

“What’s a orgasm?” The perky little voice came from the other side of the kitchen, and both women turned to see Jesús standing in the doorway, with his head tilted in question, and his familiar lopsided grin beaming at them as they both froze. “Can I have one?”

~

“Well, that was fun.”

“What happened?” Lena asked from their bathroom.

“I just gave Brandon his first sex talk!”

Wide-eyed, Lena poked her head out into the bedroom, her fingers still wound in her half-braided hair. “Wait, what? Why?”

“Apparently after our talk with Jesús this evening, he went to Brandon for clarification. Which left him with even more questions than Jesús’d had.” Plopping down on the edge of the bed, Stef scrubbed her hands over her face. Abandoning the braid, Lena came to sit down beside her.

“Did you talk to Jesús again, and answer his questions, too?” 

“No, love, I didn’t,” she admitted with a bone-weary sigh as she looked up at her. “Two impromptu, age appropriate sex talks were all I could handle today.”

Lena rubbed her hand across Stef’s back, resting her chin on her shoulder. “I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

Stef sighed again. “Thank you.”

She planted a kiss on Lena’s cheek, then patted her hand, and went to put on her pajamas. Lena returned to the bathroom, and they finished their nightly routine in a tired yet comfortable silence. Once in bed, Stef switched off her lamp and tucked herself down into the blankets.

“I’m gonna try to get some sleep before Miss Thing comes in. That girl windmills worse than you.”

“I do not windmill,” Lena insisted, turning off her own lamp and settling down on her side.

“Whatever you say, my love,” Stef laughed, unconvinced. She draped her arm over her hip, scooting closer so they were face-to-face. “I will say, though, this is the first time in weeks I haven’t even wanted to think about sex, so maybe this whole thing was a blessing in disguise.”

~

Perched at the table, Lena was just hanging up the phone when Stef walked into the kitchen after work, still in her uniform.

“Hey, babe,” she announced herself, making Lena look at her over her shoulder. “Sorry I missed dinner.” Even though it was unavoidable, and happened more than either of them would have liked, Stef always apologized when work kept her late. She never wanted Lena to feel like she took everything she did for granted, especially now that she was caring for three children by herself in the afternoons.

Lena smiled away her apology. “Hey.”

“Who was that?” she asked, coming up behind her and leaning down to kiss her temple before heading to the fridge.

“Kelly.” Lena set the phone down on the table and watched Stef pour herself a glass of water.

“Oh yeah? What’d she want?”

“I called her, actually.” 

“Really?” Stef sat down on the seat beside her, glass in hand. 

“Mhmm. We haven’t seen them in a while, I thought it might be nice to get the kids together for a play date.”

“That’s a great idea! When are we going?”

“Saturday.” Lena turned so their knees knocked together. 

“Great,” Stef said absentmindedly, her focus fully fixed on the length of skin along the inside of Lena’s thigh that beckoned her up into the darkness beneath her skirt. 

They had gotten two days of relief after their mishap before the awkwardness faded, and their sexual frustration returned, full force. Unfortunately, nothing else had changed; Mariana was still in their bed every night, and they were right back to surviving solely on stolen moments. Except now, they were working a lot harder to avoid another indiscretion, which meant even less time alone. 

“Where are the kids?” Stef asked, when Lena slid off her stool and came to stand in front of her.

“Playing in Brandon’s room.” Lena took another step forward, urging her way between her partner’s knees. 

“You’re sure?” She plucked at Lena’s sweater, pointedly keeping her hands in neutral territory, though her eyes and mind were already wandering. 

“Mhmm.”

There was a smile on Lena’s face and a flutter in her belly from the way Stef looked at her. She slid her fingers beneath Stef’s chin to tip up her head, running her thumb over her bottom lip before leaning in to kiss her. It was purposefully chaste, which only made Stef want her that much more. Stef edged her tongue between Lena’s lips at the same time as she brought her hands up to her waist. Lena’s heart beat harder in her chest at the feeling of her partners’ fingertips digging into her skin through her sweater, clearly losing a battle against her self control. She welcomed the deepening of their embrace, allowing Stef to part her lips and relishing in the sensation as her tongue swept against her own. Her hand moved from Stef’s chin, dragging down her neck to her chest. Stef urged her toward the counter and Lena reached for the edge, knocking over the glass with a clatter. Water spilled over the countertop and down into Stef’s lap, barely missing Lena as they sprang apart. 

“Shit!” Stef swiped at the water seeping into her uniform slacks. “I guess that’s one way to cool things down.”

“Sorry!” Gingerly avoiding the water on the floor, Lena grabbed the hand towel hanging on the oven door. She tossed it to Stef, then pulled another from the drawer. “Go change. I’ll wipe this up and then reheat your dinner.”

“Thanks, babe,” Stef said, patting her lap dry before heading for the stairs. As she went, Lena paused her clean up to enjoy the sway of her hips and that swagger she had always found so irresistible, realizing it was going to take a lot more than a glass of water to cool her down.

~

They usually split the kids’ bedtime routine as evenly as possible, but since she’d missed dinner, Stef offered to tackle it alone. Brandon didn’t take much assistance anymore, except a check for clean teeth, a kiss goodnight, and a reminder for lights out after his reading hour was up. Jesús and Mariana still needed more help, so while she got Jesús settled, Stef let Mariana hang with B. She liked listening to him read from his chapter books, and he never minded her quiet company. Plus, Stef offered him an extra twenty minutes as added incentive.

Once Mariana was tucked under her yellow Beauty and the Beast themed comforter, and after a bedtime story followed by a song—a recent addition to the routine at the little girl’s request—Stef sat on the edge of her bed, smiling down at her drowsy face.

“Do you want to try sleeping all night in your bed tonight?” She was careful to keep the question neutral, not wanting Mariana to feel rejected or unwanted.

Mariana looked up at her, her big brown eyes round and unsure. “Do I have to?” 

“Of course not, sweets.” Stef tenderly brushed away the wisps of hair from her forehead that had escaped her ponytail. “But wouldn’t it be nice to have your whole big bed all to yourself? It gets pretty tight with you squished in there between Mama and me.”

“I like it,” Mariana shrugged. “Feels safe.”

The warmest smile spread across Stef’s face, making the corners of her eyes crinkle, while her heart squeezed in her chest as if Mariana had wrapped her arms right around it. 

“And that is the most important thing. You know you are welcome in our bed anytime, yes?” Mariana nodded her head, looking far too serious, so Stef booped her nose to make her giggle. “Goodnight, Miss Thing.” She pressed a few quick kisses to her cheek, “I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Leaving Mariana’s door cracked, Stef went back downstairs to get a couple chores done. It was more than an hour before she was wrapping up her nightly check for locked windows and doors, turning off lights, and heading back upstairs. Lena was already in her pajamas, sitting in bed with her laptop. The papers strewn around her and the pen clamped in her teeth were a sure sign that she was working. Stef quietly got ready for the night, not speaking until she went to get in bed, only to find her partner’s paperwork had crossed well onto her side.

“You know, I said I’d do the kids tonight so you could have a break.”

Lena looked over at her, then down at the bed, and began scooping up the papers. “Sorry.” She stacked them into a neat pile and put them back into their file folder. “I appreciate it, but I’ve gotta get this stuff done.”

Stef grinned as she got into bed. Sitting beside her, she tucked her hand under her pajama shirt and began a gentle massage on her lower back. “So this wouldn’t be the best time for a distraction, then?”

A whining groan rumbled in Lena’s throat at both the suggestion and the way Stef’s fingers deftly worked at a knot she hadn’t known was even there.

“I’m sorry, babe,” she said after letting her partner work that tight spot all the way out, “but I really do have to finish this. Carina wanted it done yesterday, and I can’t tell her I need more time, again.”

Stef tried not to let her disappointment make it to her face, even though she understood. Lena was leaning back into her hand, eyes closed and head tipped forward, so Stef continued her massage. “It’s probably for the best anyway. I asked Mariana if she wanted to sleep the whole night in her bed tonight, but she didn’t seem too keen on the idea. So, who knows when she’ll be showing up.” After another minute, Lena straightened back up, so Stef kissed her shoulder before turning to lay on her back. Looking up at the ceiling, she audibly exhaled. “We can’t keep this up forever.”

Lena let out a commiserating sigh. “It won’t be forever. I’m glad she feels safe enough to seek out and ask for the comfort.”

“I know, me too but… I miss you.”

“I miss you, too.” Lena reached over and took Stef’s hand, running her thumb along the back in a familiar, comforting motion. “Soon enough, she’ll be ready to go back in her bed. Brandon went through this, too, remember?”

“Yeah,” Stef squeezed her hand, “but he at least had weekends at his dad’s. This just isn’t sustainable.”

“I know. We’ll figure it out, promise.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Stef said, looking at her with a challenging smirk.

Lena raised her eyebrows high as she brought Stef’s hand to her lips, brushing a kiss along the tops of her fingers. “You know I never do.”

~

The following Saturday, Lena and Stef had the kids buckled into the car, on their way to Kelly and Jenna’s. The kids were hyped. They loved getting to hang out with their son Garrett, and it had been a while since they had gotten the chance. 

When they pulled up in the driveway, everyone clamored out of the car, all talking at once. 

“Go ahead,” Lena told Stef. “I’ll be right there.” She headed around to the back of the car while Stef led the troops to the front door. 

The four of them were already inside when Lena let herself in the open door, and the kids were fully enraptured in setting up a board game in the middle of the floor. Lena came up next to Stef, who was already catching up with their friends. 

They exchanged greetings and hugs before Kelly asked if they wanted to have something to drink. 

“Oh, no,” Jenna swooped in before Lena could say anything. “You two love birds get on out of here. Don’t waste any time on us.” She wagged her eyebrows, grinning at them. 

Stef looked between her and Lena, trying to put the puzzle together without all the pieces. Lena wore a bashful grin as she slid a small suitcase over towards Kelly. Stef’s mouth slowly fell open as the pieces fell together. 

“Thank you, so much,” Lena said. Stef stared at her. 

“It’s no problem, honey.” Jenna grinned at them both, nodding her head in understanding. “We’ve got this covered. You guys go. Enjoy yourselves.” She winked, cackling quietly. 

“We’ll call if there’s an emergency, but otherwise you won’t hear from us,” Kelly assured them. 

“Thank you.” When Stef still seemed stunned, Lena took her hand, pulling her over to the kids to say goodbye, grateful they had all been able to keep their secret since she had told them about the sleepover yesterday. Waving goodbye to everyone, they walked out the door and back to the car, still hand-in-hand. 

Once they were in the car and on the road, Lena was surprised when Stef didn’t take her hand back, despite it resting on the seat between them, an invitation that would usually be accepted. Instead, Stef’s hands were curled around the steering wheel, knuckles white, as she stared very adamantly at the road. 

“How long have you been planning this?” Stef asked, still not looking at her partner. 

“I set it up when I called Kelly earlier this week.”

Aside from the tiniest head nod, Stef didn’t answer. 

Feeling a flutter of trepidation, Lena turned to look directly at her. “You’re not mad, are you?” she asked cautiously. She knew Stef sometimes had some complicated feelings about sex, and could embarrass easily, but these were their best friends. This was hardly the first time their sex lives had been a topic of conversation, and she really hadn’t thought Stef would care. 

Stef chewed on her lip for a moment, before turning to meet Lena’s gaze. “No, love. I am definitely not mad.” 

The look on her face made Lena tense against a full-body shudder that culminated in the start of a heavy pulse between her thighs. No. Stef was certainly not angry, and Lena understood that even holding hands would have been too much distraction while driving. 

A smile slowly spread across her face, as both of them turned back to watch the road. The rest of the drive was spent in silence, both women feeling the urgent ache of anticipation after holding so much pent up desire for so long. 

By the time they pulled into the driveway, Lena felt like she was ready to crawl out of her skin. They walked to the house, still maintaining their distance, until Stef managed to open the door, allowing Lena to walk in first. 

As soon as the door closed behind her, Stef grabbed Lena’s arm, turning her towards her and pulling her in to kiss her. There was no teasing, just lips and tongues and mingling breath as Stef guided her back against the door. Lena’s purse slid from her shoulder, hitting the floor with a thud. Her hands came to Stef’s hips, pulling her closer, wanting more. So much more. 

Stef trailed her lips over her cheek to her ear.

“God, I’ve missed you,” she panted, the rush of her words against her ear making Lena’s breath catch in her throat. A hand came up to cradle the back of her head, tilting her ear closer to Stef’s mouth as she ran her tongue along its edge. Lena’s eyes squeezed shut as need scorched through her body, her gasping breaths echoing up the stairwell as Stef began to suck on her earlobe. 

Lena’s head swirled, lust and love creating an insatiable need for her lover’s touch. 

“Stef,” she pleaded. 

“Yes, love?” Stef asked, knowing full well what she needed by the way she pushed her hips harder against her. 

“I need you. Please.”

Stef smiled, chuckling against her neck. “Need me to what?” she asked innocently.

Lena was too far gone for games. She took Stef’s face in her hand, bringing it up so she was looking her directly in the eye, giving her exactly what she was looking for. “Fuck me. Right now.”

Stef’s eyes dilated so far the green nearly disappeared, feeling both shocked and impressed, but also satisfied. There was nothing hotter than that word in her well-spoken partner’s beautiful mouth. 

She was smiling when she captured Lena’s lips again, her right hand slipping down between their bodies to find the hem of her skirt. She pushed it up, her hand gliding along her soft inner thigh until the skirt was bunched up by her waist and out of the way. She pushed her hand into her underwear and down into the dripping heat beneath. Understanding her orders, she did not dally; she pushed her fingers all the way into her, dragging a moan from deep in Lena’s chest as her muscles tightened around her. 

With the heel of her hand resting against her clit, she started slow, pulling nearly all the way out, curling her fingertips forward just enough to drag along her inner wall, then pressing them back in until her palm was flush against her. She continued this pace, feeling Lena’s hips and core work in tandem with her, pulling away from their kiss to watch the pleasure course over her love’s face with every stroke. 

It took almost no time before Lena’s legs were shaking, and she had to lean into Stef for support. Lena wrapped one arm around her waist, the other coming up to her shoulder, her fingers weaving into the blonde hair at the nape of her neck. Her head fell down onto Stef’s shoulder, her breathing coming in hitching bursts as her body tensed harder and harder before she exploded over the edge into blissful darkness. 

Stef kissed her shoulder, giving her a moment to recover before slipping her hand back out, putting her arms around her back to pull her into her, away from the door. She lightly rubbed her nose against the crook of her neck, following along with a dusting of kisses until Lena finally picked up her head. 

Using her hand that was still tangled in her hair, she guided Stef into another kiss. It started out softer than anything else had been up to that point, with Lena still existing in a semi-solid state, but it didn’t take long for Stef to urge it deeper. Her body was made of electricity and fire, raging for more heat, more touch, as it consumed her from the inside out. 

Lena could feel Stef’s desire burning in the force of her touch and the eagerness of her kiss. Happy to oblige her, she tugged her shirt out of her jeans, her hands seeking skin. They pushed their way up her sides, her fingertips gripping the skin over her ribs, feeling her breathe into her hands. She tugged the hem of her shirt up until Stef lifted her arms, allowing her to pull it off. It landed in a heap by Lena’s purse, followed immediately by her bra. 

Her hands traced around Stef’s ribs and up to cup her breasts. Her palms rubbed in urgent circles, her nipples rolling beneath them. Lena left Stef’s lips to find her pulse point, sucking it until she drew out a hiss, then soothed her tongue over the spot already pooling with color. 

“Couch or bed?” she asked against her neck. It wasn’t an option they had very often these days. 

“Mmm…” was all Stef could manage, both in response to the wet trail of Lena’s lips and tongue over her collarbone, and the question that was proving too difficult given the current wave of sensations clouding her mind. “Um, c- uh, couch, y-yeah, couch,” she finally stuttered, mostly because it was close and she wasn’t sure her legs were going to carry her up the stairs with how shaky they were starting to feel. 

Lena’s lips left her skin and she took a couple deep breaths, which didn’t help steady her swirling head. Smiling with her lower lip between her teeth, Lena took Stef’s hand, tugging her along to the living room. 

Standing in front of the couch, Lena hooked her hand inside the waistband of Stef’s jeans, pulling her closer. Her eyes captured Stef’s, holding them so she couldn’t look away as she slowly slid her belt out if it’s buckle. Stef’s heart beat harder in her throat, and she swallowed as Lena’s nimble fingers opened the button and tugged down the zipper of her pants. When her fingertips brushed over the skin just beneath, she had to press her lips together and remind herself to breathe to control her composure. Lena took a step forward at the same time as she slid her hands around beneath her waistband to her hips. Their lips were achingly close as Lena pushed the jeans down over Stef’s hips. She shimmied out of them, kicking them aside, eyes still locked with Lena’s. 

Leaning in, her lips hovered over Stef’s, just out of reach. Her hands swept up her body to her shoulders, and just as Stef could feel her lips brush hers, Lena whispered, “Sit down.” 

With a tightening in her stomach, she sat and watched as Lena tugged her shirt off and unzipped her skirt, letting it fall in a pool at her feet. Stef swallowed hard. Lena wore a matching set of black lace lingerie that was intimately sheer, and which Stef was sure she had never seen before. 

Her mouth hung open slightly as she swept a long gaze over Lena’s body, but then the sound of a car passing by caught her ear, pulling her out of the haze of desire she had been in since they got home. 

“Lena! The window!” she gasped, grabbing her partner’s hand and pulling her down. Lena tumbled on top of her, splayed out face down across her lap. She rolled over, and upon making eye contact, both women fell into a fit of laughter, setting each other off again and again whenever they looked at each other.

They were both gasping by the time they managed to regain their composure, and tears pooled in the corners of Stef’s eyes. She wiped at them, heaving a long sigh that was tinged with laughter. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, smiling down at Lena as she shook her head. “That might have been a bit of an overreaction.”

“You think?” Lena raised her eyebrows, her eyes full of amusement. 

“I just didn’t want anyone to see.”

Lena cocked an eyebrow, her lips pulling down at the corners as she shrugged, teasing. “What if I wanted them to see?”

Stef’s mouth dropped open, genuinely scandalized, her cheeks suddenly burning. “Lena Adams!”

“What?” she shrugged again, her eyes gleaming. “I look hot in this.”

Stef took a moment to really take her in, lingering on all of her favorite spots.

“Yeah, you do,” she crooned. Starting at the base of her neck, she trailed her fingers down through the valley between her breasts, over her abs and belly button to the silky skin just above the lace of her underwear. Lena tensed under the sensation, her skin tingling as Stef’s fingers came up to the sheer fabric of her bra. “Did you buy this for me?” she asked, her voice deep in her chest. 

“Mhmm,” Lena agreed, her voice thin in response to Stef’s touch. “And the neighbors,” she said, smirking. 

Stef narrowed her eyes, her lips pursing against a playful smile as Lena repositioned herself so she was sitting and straddling her lap. 

“I’m not very good at sharing, you know,” Stef said, her hands settling on Lena’s hips and her eyes darkening. 

“That’s good.” Lena brushed her fingertips along Stef’s jawline. “Because I’m all yours.”

A wicked grin pulled across Stef’s lips, her fingertips digging further into Lena’s hips.

“All mine,” she murmured as she lowered her head to Lena’s chest, momentarily distracted from her own needs by the vision perched on her lap.

She pressed open-mouthed kisses along Lena’s sternum, trailing over to the thin mesh covering her breast. Running her tongue over it, the wetness immediately seeped into the fabric, warm on Lena’s skin. She closed her eyes, biting her lips as Stef took her into her mouth. Her tongue ran back and forth, the slight scratch of the fabric on her nipple sending sharp waves of pleasure through her body.

Lena was starting to feel herself building back up; one orgasm was not enough to satiate her after so long. But that hardly seemed fair to Stef, who still hadn’t had any and had waited just as long. Especially since they had all night for more. As hard as it was, she could manage another short wait.

With a touch of reluctance, she urged Stef up with her fingers under her chin.

“We can finish that later,” she murmured before kissing her mouth, her chin, her neck. When she couldn’t comfortably reach any lower, she moved down to the floor, parting her lover’s legs so she could kneel between them. 

Stef wet her lips, the sight of Lena kneeling for her sending a streak of heat through her body. Lena’s hands dragged down Stef’s shoulders to her breasts again, making them harden with gentle strokes of her thumbs. Her lips found her pulse point, grazing her teeth over it, eliciting a stuttered breath. She began kissing her way down her chest, admiring all her familiar freckles and sun spots with lips and tongue, but from the mindless way Stef’s hands roamed her back, and the little whining sounds she made, Lena knew she was becoming needy in an unrelenting way, despite her best effort to remain patient. 

She let her hands move down over her stomach to her hips, her mouth following closely behind. Her tongue flitted over the outlines of her abs, down to her underwear. She placed open-mouthed kisses just above the edge of the fabric, watching her muscles twitch in response. 

Stef wriggled under Lena’s touch; everything was too much and yet she was desperate for more. When Lena began to slide her underwear down, she lifted her hips, then her feet so she could tug them all the way off. Lena’s palms pushed up her thighs like fire across a burning forest, urging them further apart. Stef’s heartbeat rushed in her ears as Lena’s lips moved lower, over her mound of curls, down into the wet heat of her desire. 

She was lost in the feeling immediately as Lena’s mouth worked her effortlessly, instinctively. It wouldn’t have taken much anyway, but she knew every trick to drive Stef to the edge, and she used each one. With every stroke of her tongue, Stef gasped through parted lips, and as the tension arched her back, she pulled Lena closer with her hand on the back of her head. When Lena hummed a laugh against her, the vibration made Stef’s head push back into the couch as she finally, mercifully tipped over the edge with Lena’s name on her lips. 

Stef’s chest heaved with every breath while Lena spread kisses along the inside of her thigh, waiting for the tension to fully melt from her body. It wasn’t long before the hand in Lena’s hair urged her upward, so she crawled back up onto the couch, and settled onto her partner’s lap again. With a dreamy smile, Stef brought her hand over to Lena’s cheek, her hazel eyes shining as she drew her into a soft, lazy kiss.

Their foreheads came to rest together, their breathing slowly falling into rhythm in the small space between them. A calm settled over them as the pent up frustration and desperation finally faded away. There was still desire humming underneath, but it was more like a warm breeze than a raging storm. Stef stroked her thumb across Lena’s cheek and she leaned into the delicate, familiar touch. 

“I’ve really missed this,” Lena said, a particular reverence in her voice. Sure, she had missed the sex. But more so, the intimacy and vulnerability of being as close as possible to the person she loved most. 

“Me, too, love.” Stef took her face in both her hands and kissed her temple, her nose, her cheek. 

“We need to make sure we’re making time for us.”

“Mhmm,” Stef hummed, her hands beginning a slow ascent from Lena’s hips to her ribs. 

“Maybe we can set a standing date night with K-Kelly and Jenna,” Lena said, her voice breaking as Stef’s lips began to tease the spot behind her jaw. 

“Let’s worry about that later, hmm?” Stef grinned wickedly as her mouth continued down over Lena’s chest, back to that enticing black fabric. “Right now, I have something to finish.”