Page 118 of Whirlwind

“Shhh… there’s no wrong answer. Just tell me what you want right now.”

Nina propped herself up on her elbow so they could see each other. She was still a magnificent submissive, but she was confident, too, not the timid child she had been before. Angel liked that.

Nina looked her over carefully while she spoke. “I’d… like for you to stay the night.”

“I can do that,” Angel agreed easily. “I need to find a wrap for my hair, though. It’s already going to be a disaster just from laying on your pillow.”

“Really?”

“Girl, it takes hours to get these curls. And maintenance every day. You would not want to see me without it.”

“Huh,” Nina pondered. “I didn’t know.” Nina’s hair was beautifully disarrayed, but Angel knew it would only require a quick brushing to fix it. If only hers were so easy.

“I think I have a scarf in my purse, though. I can go look.” She was fairly certain this was the purse she’d had with her the day she moved out of her NYC apartment. There should be a head wrap inside, and maybe something else she’d just remembered. She’d have to go investigate.

“If you don’t, I’m sure I can find something.” Nina’s eyes traveled around her room. Angel was certain there would be a scarf around somewhere, but finding it would be a chore.

“I never thought you’d be the messy type.” She said it lightly, hoping it wouldn’t come off as an insult. She just wanted to know more.

“Because I followed regulations in school? I think it just made me want to rebel,” she laughed.

“No, because of how much you hated the clutter in the art studio. You said the supplies and things were too loud for you to hear what you were trying to paint.”

“You remembered that?” Nina sounded incredulous.

“I remembered everything.” Angel pulled her down for a kiss, gratified by how easily she followed the gentle command. She could have kissed her forever, but she needed to know something first.

“So, did you get better at handling the chaos? Or do you have another studio somewhere?”

Nina shook her head. “I… no. Too expensive.”

Angel couldn’t figure out how. “Didn’t you get your trust fund?” She wouldn’t have been surprised if her father found some way to screw her over, though that shouldn’t have been possible.

“I did, but by that time… I just wanted to do things on my own. And surgery was… not cheap.”

No kidding. Even with insurance covering some of the major surgeries, anything that was considered “cosmetic” was always out of pocket. It was actually astounding that Nina had managed it at all. But then, she’d always known that Nina was strong.

“I’m proud of you, baby girl,” she said, hoping that she wasn’t crossing a line. There was no other word for the fierce pride that she felt, though, for Nina standing up for herself and making her own life. If only she’d been there with her for more of it.

It was clear what the casualty was, though. Or at least the one casualty that she could see so far. There were probably more, but one that she could do something about. “So, you’re not painting anymore.” It was supposed to be a question, but it came out more like a statement.

“No. I’ve been busy. I work nights at Whirlwind and part time in the afternoons as an administrative assistant. It’s long hours.”

Angel wanted to step in and fix it. She wanted to fix everything. To take this powerful, confident woman and give her a place to rest. She wanted to be the foundation on which Nina could build her passions. Was committing to that now too soon? It didn’t feel that way. If anything, she felt like she was a decade too late.

Nina dropped her arm and nestled back into her shoulder.

“You should sleep.” It had to be past midnight now, and it had been a tumultuous day for both of them.”

Nina signed.

Angel couldn’t tell if it was a sound of contentment or disappointment. “Something else you want?” There was a long pause. Which meant she needed to press a bit harder. “Remember, I won’t judge. Whatever you want, I want to hear it.”

The first time Nina answered, face muffled against her side, she couldn’t make it out. She thought the last word was toes, though.

Angel smiled. “You have to be a little louder, sweetheart. Especially when you’re asking for some kinky, dirty thing that you need.”

Nina turned her head, and Angel wished she could see her blush. “It’s um, not dirty. Or maybe it is? I just… can I suck on your toes?”