It had gotten loud at the Christmas party. Anna wore her hair up except for a few curls that fell beside her face, and her black cocktail dress showed most of her leg as she sat on a tall bar stool. A tall man came towards Anna, she recognized him from work and smiled as he approached.

“I hope you like wine?”

He offered her the second drink in his hand and she smiled. 

“That’s great thank you.”

The man perked up, she couldn’t remember his name. She thought he may have worked in accounting. Anna distractedly listened to the man as Lara, a woman from her office had just joined party. Lara glanced around, her gaze barely rested on Anna and the man, before she made her way to the bar. Anna looked down at her drink disappointedly, the relief of seeing Lara made her realize that she had been waiting for her. She tried to tune into the man talking to her, but it was half hearted as she looked for Lara in the crowd.

“How are you finding work?” the man asked loudly.

“Pretty good, nice to have a bit of a break now with Christmas and all…” the man interjected,

“No kidding, I love Christmas.”

Anna smiled politely as the man swallowed a mouthful of wine. He started talking again, but was interrupted by a woman at his shoulder. Lara appeared, her wavy blonde hair brushed against the man’s shirt as she passed him to sit beside Anna.

“Lara!” The man’s voice was drunken and brash. Lara ignored him, and instead looked at Anna, smiling. Anna felt a rush of warmth as Lara sat beside her. It was if a deep blush had risen in her chest and had begun to spread towards her stomach.

“Merry Christmas,” Lara clinked her glass against Anna’s, which she had been lazily balancing on her leg. Anna smiled and sipped from her drink.

“Ho ho ho, that’s how that tune goes,” the man standing above them rambled. Lara laughed softly into her cup and pressed her hand against Anna’s leg.

“Have you been here a while?” Lara smirked.

Anna raised her eyebrows towards the man and whispered, “Too long.”

Lara leaned into Anna’s shoulder, “Lets get you fresh drink,” Anna nodded and stood to follow Lara across the bar.

“Looks like this party’s moving!” their drunk coworker spun around and started towards a group of people dancing. The room was filled with familiar faces, yet Anna felt strangely unsettled. It was different seeing everyone out of the office swaying around each other. Everyone looked rose-coloured, and the bar smelled like cinnamon.

“What would you say to a Christmas-y drink? Something with eggnog?” Lara gave her a sideways smile. At work they spent a lot of time smiling at each other. They looked over at one another too often, and said good morning in a way that seemed to mean more.

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Anna watched Lara reach over the bar for their drinks. She was wearing a low cut blouse tucked into high waisted dress pants, her sleeves were rolled to her elbows, and Anna noticed she wore delicate charm necklace. Lara leaned her back on the bar to face Anna, “Cheers,” she winked and they clinked their glasses again.

“Mistletoe check!” someone roared from the back of the bar. Riotous laughter followed as coworkers found themselves exchanging drunken kisses.

“Looks like I got you!”

Anna looked around quickly – she was in the clear, but a woman beside Lara had leapt forward. Lara laughed, as the woman threw her arms around her neck and kissed her. Though their lips brushed together quickly, Anna felt her stomach sink and she turned away from them abruptly.

“Merry Christmas!” the woman hollered hugging Lara before grabbing her drink and running towards the dance floor. Anna twisted her fist against her stomach, nausea coursed through her as she watched the girl move away. Anna started towards the washroom.

“Anna?” she ignored the sound of Lara’s voice and pushed through the crowd towards the back of the bar. The exit was closer than the washrooms so she made her way through the doors into the cold air. The sidewalk was slick with ice. She made her way off the busy street and into the alley beside the bar. She felt stupid for walking out, but she had needed to get her bearings. Still holding her drink, Anna took a quick sip and placed it on the road beside her. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the cool brick of the alley wall. Just as her stomach began to settle, she replayed Lara’s lips pressing against the girl at the bar and felt her insides twist again. She groaned out loud and kicked the side of the pavement.

“Anna?” she looked up as Lara rounded the corner.

“Oh, hi,” Anna looked around embarrassedly, “I was getting really warm, sorry, just needed some air you know?” Lara tried to meet her eyes, but Anna looked away purposefully.

Lara moved closer, “Are you mad at me, something seems wrong?” Lara’s voice was soft and soothing, it made Anna feel more exposed than she already was.

“No, no, why would I be mad? Really I’m just cold, or, I was warm in the bar and now I’m getting cold.”

Lara looked at her, “Well we can go back in and warm up?”

“No, honestly, I may just go I’m feeling a bit sick,” Anna started moving towards the main street crossing her arms against the winter air, which she had started to feel more sharply.

“Wait Anna, I brought you something.” Anna looked backwards towards Lara who was holding something out to her. Anna walked back towards her and reached out her hand. Lara passed her a green mistletoe leaf.

“Oh um,” she stuttered “Are you allowed to move these I think they’re, um, in fixed places…”

Lara’s hand pressed against Anna’s face so that she met her eyes. Lara looked at her searchingly, Anna felt breathless as Lara touched her.

“What do you want,” Lara whispered. Her voice was soft and knowing, everything about her seemed smooth. Anna looked down towards the mistletoe.

“That girl at the bar… she seemed nice… do you know her we-” Lara rolled her eyes, pulling Anna towards her before she could finish. Their hips collided. Lara held either side of Anna’s face, pausing before their lips met and brushing her nose against Anna’s cheekbone.

“What do you want?” Lara breathed against Anna’s neck running her teeth against her jaw. Shivers tickled Anna’s spine and she trembled against Lara’s body. Lara smiled, and Anna felt her stomach knot, she couldn’t stop herself any longer. She pushed Lara up against the wall behind them and pulled her face towards hers. They kissed each other hungrily. Lara was soft and strong. Anna felt lost pressed against her. Anna moved her hands through Lara’s hair and Lara gripped her hips steering them against her body. Lara bit Anna’s lip teasingly, she felt a burning ache between her thighs, “I want…” Anna breathed heavily as Lara kissed her neck, “I want you."

The cab ride felt long. They had stumbled out onto the street and into a taxi. Anna gave her address, she was still breathing hard from their kiss in the alleyway. They sat farther apart than she would have liked, and she worried that Lara had changed her mind. Anna gave Lara a sideways glance. She had rubbed the frosted window with her hand to look outside, but Anna could still see her eyes, green and sultry, reflected in the glass. Lara could feel Anna watching her. She remembered the feeling of Anna’s lips, sweet and desperate against her own. Anna’s hand accidentally brushing Lara’s hip pulled her from the memory.

“Sorry, this backseats a little small.” Anna repositioned herself in her seat crossing her legs so that her dress rode up her thigh. Lara turned from the window to look at her.

Anna had always been shy with a surprising dry humour – she had a way of making Lara more curious. Anna had regained the nervousness that she had felt before their kiss in the alley. She was disconcerted by her inability to shake the feeling, and her words sounded shaky and unsure. Lara followed the line of Anna’s dress from her legs up to her bashful, but pleading eyes.

“I like your dress,” Lara smiled and reached to touch the bottom of Anna’s dress, grazing her bare leg as she played with the fabric.

Anna laughed nervously, “I like your necklace.” Lara looked down at her neck, “I noticed it in the bar,” Anna said chewing one of her fingernails as Lara fiddled with the charms hanging loosely on her chain.

Lara started to speak, but the cab stopped and Anna reached to pay. Anna lived in a small basement apartment downtown. Lara stepped out of the cab and shivered as snow fell around her. She heard the cab door close and then pull away.

Anna walked up beside her. Thick snowflakes peppered her dark brown hair and her teeth chattered as snow landed against her skin.

“Come on its freezing,” Anna motioned for Lara to follow her as she took a side entrance into the house and down into her apartment. The door opened into an adjoined living room and kitchen. It was messier than Lara expected. Anna shook snow from her hair, flipping it to the side of her face and brushing the front of her dress clean.

“Sorry it’s a bit messier than usual, I would have cleaned, um, do you want a drink or something to eat, anything?” Anna spoke quickly without pausing, her chest rose and fell quickly.

“Sure a drink would be nice,” Lara smiled and Anna exhaled gratefully.

“Wine?”

Lara took off her coat, “Perfect.”

Anna hurried to the kitchen to get glasses as Lara looked around. Anna struggled with the cork on a bottle of wine. She swore under her breath as the bottle slipped from her hands and into the sink. Reaching for it again Anna felt Lara come up behind her, “Here, let me.” Lara leaned into Anna taking the bottle from her hand and twisting the cork free.

Lara looked at Anna, “I was a worried there,” she laughed, “now I feel a bit heroic.”

Lara’s laugh put Anna at ease. Anna looked at Lara, her wavy blonde hair curled around her face more than usual. Anna noticed how Lara’s face dimpled at the ends of her smile. Lara reached across Anna for a glass, pausing as their faces passed each other closely. Without meaning to Anna let out a soft whimper as their bodies brushed together. The sound felt electric. Lara turned quickly dropping the wine bottle and her glass in the sink. Anna reached forward, pulling Lara towards her by a wisp of her blouse. As they kissed, Anna untucked Lara’s shirt. They grabbed at each others clothes backing out of the kitchen and into the hall way which lead to Anna’s bedroom.

Stumbling through the doorway of Anna’s room, Lara pushed her onto the bed before her. She looked down at Anna, her lips were red with her own lipstick, her dress was disheveled. Anna looked longingly at Lara as she stood above her. Lara smiled to herself and slowly began to unbutton her shirt. Anna pulled Lara to the bed before she could finish, and pulled the rest of her buttons undone.

Lara straddled Anna, her shirt tossed aside, she unclasped her bra. Anna pulled herself forward, Lara fell backwards onto the bed and Anna kissed her neck. Her hands wandered towards her bare breasts. Lara moaned as Anna grazed her nipples with her fingertips. She pinched them gently and felt them harden under her touch.

“You’re so sexy,” Anna breathed into Lara’s ear. Lara smiled, moaning again as Anna rolled her nipples between her fingers. Lara reached towards Anna wanting badly to touch her. Without warning Lara flipped Anna on her back. She kissed Anna softly and unzipped her dress.

Anna’s head raced, she was overcome with the feeling of Lara moving so purposefully on top of her. Lara pulled Anna’s dress over her head. She kissed her stomach tracing her hands along Anna’s thighs. Lara moved her way up Anna’s body pausing over Anna’s erect nipples. She tugged them lightly with her teeth before taking them into her mouth. Anna breathed heavily, her stomach dropped, and she pulled one of Lara’s legs between her thighs. Anna ground her hips into Lara, arching her back as Lara played with her breasts.

“Lara,” Anna gasped, “take off your pants.”

Lara pulled herself away from Anna body. She unzipped her pants and Anna sat up to pull them off of her. Anna grabbed Lara’s waist kissing her hip bones and teasing the band of her underwear down.

Lara propped herself up, “Have you done this before?” She looked down at Anna, usually quiet and shy, her nervousness had always made her seem inexperienced. Anna smiled at Lara from between her legs and pulled off her underwear.

Anna pushed Laura’s legs wide. She fell backwards, breathless at Anna’s confidence. Anna kissed the insides of Lara’s thighs circling around her pussy and smiling as Lara groaned.

Anna pushed her hair over her shoulder, “What do you want,” she snickered, as Lara pushed her hips towards her mouth whining softly.

“Please…”

Anna flicked her tongue towards Lara’s clit and licked it teasingly. As Lara whimpered, Anna stroked her more firmly. Lara squirmed underneath her, her chest rising and falling quickly. As Lara’s breath grew louder Anna quickened her pace circling Lara’s clit with her tongue, and digging her nails into the sides of her hips.

“Anna,” Lara moaned grabbing her hair, “Anna I’m going to come.”

Lara arched her hips, her body started to shake. She felt warmth spread across her thighs, the heat of her orgasm building. She could feel Anna’s tongue moving against her rhythmically, the heat continued to build, and then it released. Her stomach trembled and her body contracted strongly against Anna’s mouth.

Lara’s moans were uninhibited as she orgasmed. Anna moved from between Lara’s legs as her body settled. She took Lara’s face between her hands kissing her lips firmly. Lara’s body tingled as Anna kissed her, she was surprised by Anna’s confidence, she liked the way her hands felt wandering over her body. Lara pulled herself on top of Anna. She fondled her nipples with her hands enjoying Anna’s whimpered breaths. She let her hand wander down Anna’s stomach, she grazed her waist and allowed her fingers to rest on her clit. Anna dug her fingernails into Lara’s back, “Please, I want you inside me.”

Lara felt goosebumps rise on her neck as Anna begged for her, but she continued slowly her fingers rubbing the smooth edges of Anna’s clit. Anna let out a moan as Lara rolled her clit between her fingertips. “Please,” Anna groaned into Lara’s ear. Lara took one of Anna’s nipples into her mouth as she lowered her hand from Anna’s clit.

She was wet for her, Lara almost moaned at the feeling. “Can you feel how badly I want you?” Anna whispered raising Lara’s mouth to her own. “Please Lara, I need you.”

Lara stroked the lips of Anna’s pussy mercilessly. She brushed two fingers against her opening, Anna moved her hips forwards towards her desperately. Lara gave in, her fingers eased inside Anna’s warm pussy. Anna moaned Lara’s name, gasping as Lara kissed her neck and pushed herself more deeply into Anna’s warmth. Lara moved effortlessly inside her. Her fingers motioned rhythmically, her palm grazed Anna’s clit as she thrust in and out of her pussy. Anna bit hard on Lara’s lip as her fingers quickened inside her.

“Yes, yes,” she moaned as her hips moved with Lara’s hand, the feeling of orgasm was building.

Lara looked into Anna’s eyes as she pumped her fingers inside her tight pussy. “Come for me Anna.”

Anna’s eyes widened with pleasure, her hips rocked forward and Lara felt her pussy pulsate against her fingers. Anna’s nipples hardened as she lost her breath. Her orgasm felt like a wave, and she trembled violently against Lara as a rushing heat took over her body…