Page 44 of To Love the Stars too Fondly

Goddammit, she never failed to make me swoon. I let her direct me to the pillows, setting up a perfect throne for her princess before placing gentle kisses upon my thighs. A mere breath from my messy, wet vulva, she peeked up with a lurid grin. “All night, remember?”

She buried her head between my thighs, worship in the words she spelled with her tongue, and so my cries began anew.

It would be a long and blessed night, indeed.

Thursday

Of course, all night did have to end, and I awoke at a habitually early hour, exhausted beyond measure yet elated.

My eyelids dragged down from sleepiness despite the soothing light of the star lamp, accidentally left on after our sexual revelry. Alex was fast asleep, the peace in her visage so sweet to behold.

In my haze, I kissed her lightly on the cheek, gratified when she turned toward it.

I rolled over and let myself drift back to sleep….

But not for long. I wasn’t suited for sleeping in.

Though still exhausted, I rose and felt around for my phone, uncertain if I’d even brought it up here, but found it in the pocket of my discarded robe.

6:56 AM. One unread message from Mom:

Be safe. Text me in the morning so I know you’re still alive. Don’t forget about dinner tonight ❤️

I gathered myself back together enough to put the robe on, then groggily walked to the bathroom—which did, in fact, feature yet another incredible shower set-up.

I snapped a selfie with the message: Still alive ❤️ I’ll be at dinner.

And sent it on.

On one hand, I knew Alex wasn’t an early morning person. On the other, she arrived pretty consistently around 8 AM ready for the day, so she wouldn’t sleep in too late. I left her for the moment, wandering downstairs in search of caffeine.

Mabel glanced up from her nap, meowing cutely as she acted as my escort to the kitchen. If nothing else, I absolutely adored the cat and happily placed a kiss on her head when she jumped up onto the counter and headbutted me.

Alex wasn’t exactly a coffee connoisseur, but she had to be an energy drink-type, right? There had to be something stashed away in her kitchen.

But to my absolute appall, there, on the counter, was an espresso machine.

And not just any. A really fucking nice one.

Curious, I switched on the light and took note of the accessories around it, notably the frother, the collection of expensive creamers, the stash of beans in the cupboard beside it—

My jaw dropped.

There had to be an explanation. Fortunately, I heard her rustling around upstairs.

I took a seat at the little bistro, stroking Mabel like a supervillain as Alex entered the room. “Good morning, sleepy,” I said, fighting both my grin and my appall. “You have some explaining to do.”

She looked so stupid in her maroon robe and sleep-ridden eyes as her brain visibly computed both my presence and the question. “Am I in trouble?”

“I haven’t decided.” I stood and released Mabel, then gestured toward the admittedly cute coffee station, though the fact that she even had what one could call a coffee station was quite condemning. “What’s this?”

Alex looked so endearingly confused. “Coffee bar.”

“Pretty good coffee too. Whole beans, even. Fancy grinder, frother, a very nice espresso machine….” I turned my judgement onto her. “A funny thing for someone who orders black coffee with espresso to own.”

Alex grimaced as realization settled upon her countenance. She leaned against the arch leading to the kitchen. “I may have better taste in coffee than you think.”

Was I mad? I hadn’t decided yet. “Go on.”