Page 23 of In Too Deep

“Are you OK?” Izzy shouted over the music. “You’re not gonna puke are you?”

Kris knew that she must look dumbfounded. She shook her head and put her lips close to Izzy’s ear. “Is this a lesbian bar?”

“Sure is, cutie pie,” Izzy said, her lips quivering with a devilish smile. “Are you OK?”

Like a deer in the headlights, Kris looked back at Izzy with eyes wide. “Yeah, I just…” She cleared her throat, more than a little terrified of what she was about to say. She used her free hand to touch the spot where her brand new tattoo was beneath her jacket sleeve. The burning sensation gave her the courage to utter the words she had never said before. “I have to tell you something.”

“No you don’t,” Izzy said, cupping Kris’ chin in her hand. Her dark eyes softened, giving off a warmth that made Kris smile. “I knew you were gay the second we met, cutie pie. You haven’t been fooling anyone but yourself.”

“Is it that obvious?” Kris groaned softly.

Izzy shook her head. “Not to everyone.” Kris closed her eyes and sighed. She opened her eyes again when Izzy tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. She smiled at the kind, loving way Izzy stared at her.

Izzy said, “I don’t blame you for denying it. I can only imagine how hard coming out would have been for you, coming from Iowa, of all places. Shit, my parents are from Manhattan and they all but disowned me when I came out.”

“They don’t approve?” Kris asked, offering a sympathetic look.

“They just prefer I keep my private life private,” she said, a sad smile crossing her lips. “Which is why I never go home and they never visit.”

Kris took in a sad breath and raised her hand to Izzy’s freckled cheek. “They’re idiots, if you ask me.”

Izzy put her hands on Kris’ hips and pulled her close until their bodies were touching. Kris felt the breath catch in her chest. The sudden closeness lit a fire deep within her and she felt a tingle between her legs. She wrapped her arms around Izzy and rested her palms on Izzy’s ass.

“I’ve never told anyone that I’m gay,” she whispered, her lips touching Izzy’s ear. She pulled her head back and stared deeply into Izzy’s eyes.

Izzy smiled and leaned her forehead into Kris’. She kissed the tip of Kris’ nose and said, “Your secret is safe with me.”

Kris shook her head. “I don’t want it to be a secret. I’ve been keeping it a secret for the last eighteen years and I’m ready to tell the world.”

“Don’t be shocked if the world doesn’t reciprocate your feelings,” Izzy said sadly. “There are a lot of people out there who don’t like people like us.”

“I don’t care,” Kris said. “I like us. And that’s all that matters.”

Her arms tightened around Izzy’s body and she pulled her close, closing the gap between their lips. The kiss was tentative at first. Kris was scared; she had never kissed anyone, let alone another girl. But still, she was sure that no kiss had ever felt so good and so right as theirs did at that moment.

Izzy’s tongue lapped her lips, coaxing them to open. When their tongues met, heat rose in her cheeks and fireworks exploded behind her eyes. Kris was completely lost in the softness of Izzy’s lips and in the wonderful sensation they produced.

Despite the loud music that still thumped around them, Kris could hear only their heartbeats. It played like a soundtrack to the best night of her life.

The intensity of the kiss had turned Kris' breathing heavy, and as she looked into the beautiful face of the girl who had her heart, she wanted more of what they had just done. She wanted more of everything.

Kris licked her lips, tasting Izzy on them, and said the first thing that came to her mind. “Do you want to head back to the dorm?”

Izzy smirked and leaned close. “I’d love to. Cutie pie.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

The subway ride and the walk through the campus took forever. The only thing holding Kris together was the fact that Izzy never once let go of her hand.

The entire time they kept their arms wrapped around each other and whispered sweet nothings back and forth. By the time they reached the dorm room, Kris literally burned for Izzy. She wanted to be with her more than she’d ever wanted anything else in her life.

Izzy delivered soft kisses to Kris’ neck as she opened the door. The Christmas lights they hung earlier that day illuminated their room with a warm red glow.

Without breaking eye contact, Izzy walked to her bed, grabbed the mattress and pulled it down to the floor. With an adoringly smile on her lips Kris did the same, placing hers flush against Izzy’s. Kris’ heart pounded in her chest as they lay down and turned on their sides to face each other. For a long moment they just stared at each other, committing every inch of the other’s face to memory.

Kris was the one to finally break the stand-off. She reached out and pulled Izzy closer, wrapping her in an embrace as she pressed their lips together. Their kiss was long and passionate and utterly amazing.

Kris moaned softly in Izzy’s ear and pulled her closer still, pressing their bodies together until there was no space between them. There were no words to explain how much she enjoyed the feel of Izzy against her. If there was a heaven, she was certain it would feel like this.

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