4. Chapter 4

A week has passed since Maya last saw Carina. There have been a number of texts and video calls and even a few phone calls, but they can’t get their schedules to align to see each other in person. But Maya has another bad day at work and the first person she thinks of seeing or talking to is Carina. She calls her as soon as her shift is over that morning.

She calls and asks if she can see her at lunch. Indicates a lunch sex meet up. The thing is that Maya is still struggling with the whole captain thing. She needs Carina. She needs the sex, she thinks. That’s what it’s about, the physical. To release some of the tension. The pressure.

But Maya could get that with anyone. A random hook up. Someone she doesn’t know. But Maya knows somewhere deep down she doesn’t want that. She actually wants something that’s familiar. Something that she knows. A comfort. So, she keeps going back to Carina. She can’t quit her for some reason. Maya knows the reason, but she shoves it down every time it surfaces. Call it denial. Call it trying to remain sane. Call it what you want, but Maya needs Carina. She needs her touch. She needs her soft foreign tongue in her ear. She needs her and she hates to admit it. Because Maya doesn’t need anybody. She never has.

Until now.

And she knows she’s headed down a particularly dangerous path. One with uncertainty and possible twists and turns. One that could disrupt the control she has over her life. And Maya just shrugs at it all. There’s some tiny part of her that is thrilled by the unknown. It’s so unlike Maya to do something that isn’t calculated, planned, that she isn’t in control of.

The problem with the sex is that it brings up all the emotions in Maya. She doesn’t want it to, but this is where she’s at. She sits there. She can feel the tears coming. If it’s just quiet maybe they will pass, and Carina will be none the wiser. Maya doesn’t need this right now. She doesn’t need to fall apart in front of this person.

But then Carina is saying something. Something about going back to work. And Maya can’t hold it in any longer.

‘I’m the truck.’

Maya mumbles her words through tears.

She feels the arms wrap around her and the delicate kiss pressed to her cheek.

Carina holds her as she cries. She would be embarrassed but instead Maya just feels comfort in Carina’s arms. Comfort in the soft Italian that is being spoken into her ear. She doesn’t understand any of what Carina says in her native tongue, but Maya is soothed by it none the less.

After she has calmed down and they are laying on the mattress Maya finds Carina’s hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. “Thanks.”

Carina just hums. She realizes that Maya called her to come over today for more than just sex. And also that maya is too proud to admit that. Carina is glad that she was here and that she could help Maya through a difficult moment. She wonders briefly if that is what they’ve always been about. Maya in a difficult moment or hard time and Carina being there to calm her down and support her and help her through. She realizes that’s probably not the healthiest sort of relationship. It’s not the sort of relationship she wants with Maya. Especially after her father, and mother, and now what Andrew is going through. She doesn’t need another person ‘to take care of’. But there’s something about Maya that makes her want. And that’s the scary part. She finds herself wanting to be there for Maya despite everything else. Carina vows to end things with Maya if this is the only way their relationship is going to be moving forward but for now, in it’s early stages, Carina is fine with being Maya’s support system.

“You can go back to work now.”

“Are you asking me to leave?” Carina sits up a little.

Maya opens and closes her mouth. No words come out. She doesn’t want Carina to leave. She actually wants her to stay but she knows she’s already been a burden on Carina today and that the Italian has a life and a job and work to get back to. If it were up to Maya, they would lay in bed like this all afternoon. She feels exhausted. Maybe gets some sleep, maybe have some more sex. “I’m sure you have to get back to work.”

“I took the afternoon off.”

“When? You said you had to get back to work.” Maya is confused.

Carina smiles softly. “When I went to get you a glass of water after you had calmed down some.” She had gone to the kitchen for the water but made a detour to her bag where her phone is and called into work to take the remainder of the day off. It wasn’t a big deal in Carina’s opinion. She didn’t have a lot going on in the afternoon. Just two appointments with expecting mothers. She just had them rescheduled.

But it’s a big deal in Maya’s mind, though. “You did that for me?” She can’t believe it.

“I did.” Carina hums. “I told you I want to do nice things for you. And it seemed like you needed someone around today. So that’s my nice thing for you for today.” It sounds so simple the way Carina says it.

Maya wants to say that Carina does too many nice things for her, but she doesn’t voice that out loud. “So, what should we do this afternoon?” She asks instead.

“Whatever you want to do.” Carina runs her fingernails up and down Maya’s arm gently.

“I want to sleep. But it seems rude to sleep when you’re here and when you took the afternoon off-“ For me. She leaves that part out.

“Maybe we could have a little nap.” Carina yawns. “You tuckered me out earlier.”

Maya grins at that. “Yeah.” She’s excited about the possibility of sleeping. Or maybe it’s the possibility of sleeping with Carina, sleeping next to Carina. Or maybe it’s the thought of waking up and Carina possibly still being there in her bed when she does. She hopes she is but Maya is too afraid to ask Carina to stay and lay in bed with her so all she can do is hope.

“Get some rest.” Carina says and presses a kiss to Maya’s cheek. Maya blushes. She ducks her head and curls up on her side. Carina mirrors her position except that she wraps her arm around Maya. There’s a moments hesitation before she pulls Maya close, to her chest. Maya shudders unfamiliar with such care and affection from another human being directed at her.

They both sleep. Maya longer than Carina.

Carina wakes up and looks at the fire captain. She looks so calm and peaceful in her sleep. Like she doesn’t have a single worry. Carina knows that’s not true though. Maya worries about a lot of things, she’s found out.

She thinks about getting up and going to make something to eat but this isn’t her house, and she doesn’t know where anything is and she doesn’t want to be accused of snooping around.

Instead, she watches Maya for a while. When Maya shifts in her sleep and wraps an arm over Carina’s waist she can’t help but smile. She leans in and presses her lips softly to Maya’s forehead.

Maya wakes up after a little while, groggy, her eyes sting. She knows it’s from the crying. She has a slight headache. Also, from the crying. But then she opens them and sees Carina. She’s a little surprised at first and she pulls her head back slightly.

“Hey, bella. Did you sleep well?”

All Maya can do is nod. She realizes she has her hand on Carina’s hip. The intimacy isn’t lost on her. She tries to pull it away; but Carina grabs her hand, almost reading her mind, and keeping it in place on her hip.

“I have a headache.”

“Oh.” Carina pouts. “Let me get you something.” She moves to get up.

“No. Wait.” Maya doesn’t want this moment to be over. Even if she just tried to pull her hand away from Carina and distance herself from her. “Stay here.”

Carina nods. “Okay.” She pinches Maya’s chin between her thumb and index finger and leans in for a kiss.

Maya moans softly into the kiss. “I think I like waking up to you in my bed.” She speaks against Carina’s lips.

“You do.” It’s not a question. Carina rubs her nose against Maya’s.

“I do. Yeah.” Maya deepens the kiss, rolling over on top of Carina.

They have little make out before Maya gets up to get some ibuprofen.

“We could do a puzzle.” Maya comes back in and ties her hair back into a ponytail.

“Puzzles are boring.”

“Puzzles are calming. It’s all about the structure and organization of doing it. You separate the pieces first. The edge pieces from everything else. Then you do the edge and then you separate the interior pieces by color or whatever the objects are in the picture and do those accordingly.”

“Wow.” Carina stares at her with wide eyes.

“What?” Maya frowns, feeling like she is being judged.

“That’s a very tactical approach to a puzzle.”

“That’s how I always do them. It’s the easiest way.” Maya doesn’t see any other way.

“And sounds the least fun. I’d rather watch paint dry.” Carina huffs.

Maya furrows her brow. So, they won’t be doing a puzzle anytime soon, or maybe ever. “I have an idea.” Maya licks her lips. Carina brought up paint. “Have your ever used body paint?”

Carina lifts an intrigued eyebrow at that.

“We could literally watch paint dry. If you wanted.” Maya shrugs. “I mean there would also be applying it, so that it could dry. And it would be messy, and I don’t know if I like that idea but- I just thought since you mentioned paint. I just-“ She looks to Carina to see her reaction. Carina is looking at her with a lopsided smile. “What?”

Carina shakes her head. “You are something else, Maya Bishop.”

“I am?” Maya doesn’t know what’s happening. “I was just suggesting an activity. We could just regular paint if you don’t like the idea. It was just an idea. Forget I mentioned it.”

“Your nervous ramblings are so cute.” Carina leans in for a quick kiss. “I very much like the idea of sexy paint time, bella.”

“Oh. Okay. Good.”

“Do you have any?” Carina asks. Maya shakes her head. Carina wonders where the idea came from then.

“I can run out and get some. Or you could come with me. We could go together.” Maya is just saying words at this point. She’s not sure if she’s comfortable with the activity that she suggested. She doesn’t even know why she suggested it.

“Where does one get body paint?”

Maya shrugs. “I’ll google it. Where’s my phone?” She starts looking around the room for her phone.

“I think I saw it in the kitchen when I was out there.” Carina offers. “Si, si. On the counter.”

“Thank you.” Maya presses a kiss to Carina’s shoulder before slipping out of the room. It is right where Carina said it was. Maya stops in the kitchen and looks around the area. She looks around the rest of the apartment that she can see. Nothing has changed or looks different since the last time she was out here, but something definitely feels different. A chill runs down Maya’s shine. She shivers and shakes it off before returning to her bedroom.

“So, looks like craft stores mostly.”

“Wonderful.”

“Did you want to stay here or come with?” Maya almost can’t believe the words as they spill from her lips. She would never willingly leave a person alone in her apartment when she wasn’t there and yet she offers to do just that. Also, she clearly slept, and Carina was ‘alone’ while she was asleep, and Maya was completely fine with that too. She almost doesn’t recognize herself.

She thinks maybe it’s the comfortability that she has with Carina that allows these things to be possible. Maya doesn’t have much time to ponder that though because Carina is tugging on her hand.

The Italian knees on the mattress and gets close to Maya’s ear. “I’ll stay here, bella. You go and come back quickly.” Carina’s tongue pokes out and licks the shell of Maya’s ear.

“You’re not fair.”

Carina laughs. “You’ve said that before.”

“I know. It’s still true.”

“Are you wearing that to the store?” Carina wiggles her eyebrows.

Maya looks down at her tank top and panties. “I’ll have to put something on.” She mumbles and goes over to the dresser.

“Nothing to fancy cuz it’s going to come right off as soon as you get back.” Carina reminds from behind Maya.

Maya just nods, thoughts of body paint on bare skin fill her head.

But as she leaves her apartment, locking the door behind her, Maya wonders if she’s making the right decision. She’s leaving Carina alone in her apartment. She doesn’t know Carina all that well yet. They have been having a good time together, but they haven’t talked about anything too in depth that’s happening in their lives. But the decision has been made and Maya will just have to deal with the consequences. Carina could be a stalker, or a serial killer and Maya would have no idea. She’s could have just fallen for her charms and when she gets back Carina will abduct or kill her.

Maya shrugs as she walks out onto the street.

She tries to make her trip brief, but she is stopped by someone on the street asking for directions and that turned into Maya just leading them to where they were trying to go because the person couldn’t understand directions. She’s been gone longer than she would have liked.

“I’m back.” Maya calls as soon as she opens the door.

She doesn’t get a response.

“I’m sorry it too so long.” It’s quiet and Maya is starting to think that Carina left. She wouldn’t blame her, but she would be disappointed. “Carina?”

Maya removes her shoes and starts moving through the apartment. There’s still no response. Maya pushes the bedroom door open. She spots Carina sitting on the bed, her head down, looking at her phone.

“I’m back.” Maya holds the paper bag up higher in the air. “I got what we need.” All she gets from Carina in response is a nod of the head. “Are you not- Did you not want to-“

“Oh, no, bella.” Carina throws her phone aside. “I was just taking care of some emails.”

Maya nods slowly, not convinced she was looking at emails. “Bella.” She mumbles.

Carina raises an eyebrow and hums.

“You keep saying that. Bella this and bella that. Bella. Bella. Bella.”

Carina grins brightly. “Si.”

Maya stands there at the end of the bed. “I’m a dumb American and don’t know what that means.”

Carina nods and wiggles her finger for Maya to come closer to her.

Maya does. She sits down on the edge of the bed next to Carina’s hip.

Carina reaches up and tucks a few stray hairs that got out of Maya’s ponytail behind her ear. “It’s an Italian word.” She watches as Maya rolls her eyes playfully. “It means-“ Carina licks her lips before leaning in so that her face is right in front of Maya. “Beautiful.” She whispers and watches the recognition in Maya’s eyes. They widen only slightly before settling back. She can see the apprehension on Maya’s face. “Does it make you uncomfortable?”

Maya shakes her head. “I don’t think so. It’s just- different.” Maya has been called beautiful or hot or attractive before, but this feels different. Somehow this feels like it has more depth. Maya thinks maybe that’s because it’s a foreign language. In the past, if she was called those things, it was because the person using the words wanted something from her. Carina hasn’t used bella like that though. She doesn’t want anything from her just for using it. She’s just using it at the end of a sentence or in simple conversation.

“Different? Good or bad?”

Maya smiles finally. “Good.” It makes her feel good.

“Bene.”

“What’s that?” Maya is liking this impromptu Italian lesson.

“The word for good.”

“Oh.” Maya chuckles. “Bene, then. What other Italian words can you teach me?”

Carina raises an eyebrow. “What do you want to know?”

“I don’t know.” Maya shrugs.

Carina runs her palm up and down Maya’s arm. “Well, how about we put that body paint that you just picked up to good use then?”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I’ll teach you a word for a body part and then if you can say it correctly, I get to paint that body part on you.”

Maya crinkles her brow. “That doesn’t seem fair. What do I get?”

Carina leans closer so that her lips are a hairs breath away from Maya’s. “The thrill and excitement of watching me do it. And the pleasure of having my hands on your body.” She whispers.

Maya closes her eyes and moans softly. “That does sound pretty good but-“ She licks her lips, in the process brushing her tongue against Carina’s lips. “I want to see you, touch you.”

“You can do that any time you like, bella. I’m not stopping you.” Carina presses her lips to the corner of Maya’s mouth. “Now.” She pulls her shirt over her head. “What did you get?”

Maya groans. Carina is practically crawling on top of her to get to the bag with the paint. She slides her hands around Carina’s waist and holds her into place, keeping her there for a moment. She looks up and waits for Carina to lock eyes with her. “Blue and yellow and red.”

Carina nods. She forgets about the bag for a moment, instead she wraps her hands around Maya’s ears and pulls her in for a searing kiss. One full of need and hunger and intensity.

They get carried away for a little bit. Maya’s shirts and jeans come off. But that is necessary for what they are going to do with the paint anyway.

“Do you care about this bedding or-?” Carina whispers against Maya’s lips.

“Yes. Here.” She stands and takes Carina’s hand and helps her off of the bed. Then Maya pulls the bedding from the bed. She throws it on the floor in the corner of the room. If this were a different situation, she would have never done that. But in the interest of time, that’s where the bedding ends up for now. “I’ll be right back.” Maya scurries into the hall to get a few old sheets that she has in the closet that she doesn’t care if they get paint on them.

Carina takes the opportunity to open up the bottles of paint, break the seal, and set them on the table next to the bed.

Maya comes back in a flash; she hurriedly throws two sheets over the mattress. “There.” She puts her hands on her hips, satisfied. “Where were we?” She grins and turns to Carina. Maya goes in for a kiss, but Carina stops her.

“No, no, no.” She reaches behind Maya and unclasps her bra. “First, we take this off.” She slides the straps down Maya’s arms slowly. And then Carina kneels at Maya’s feet. Maya watches, mesmerized as Carina hooks her fingers into her panties and slides them down her legs. She steps out of them when Carina gets them to the floor. A flood of insecurity courses through. Maya wants to turn away. Instead, she rolls her shoulders inwards and shrinks in on herself.

Carina runs one hand up Maya’s left calf before getting to her feet again. “Ready?” She whispers.

Maya nods, silently.

Carina opens the cap on the blue paint and puts a little bit on her finger. With her left hand she reaches out and runs the tip of her finger over Maya’s nose. “Naso.” She says.

“Naso.” Maya repeats.

Carina smiles. “Bene.” She taps the tip of Maya’s nose with blue paint.

Maya chuckles and wiggles her nose. Carina giggles with her. “I hope you like looking like a Smurf.”

“Noooooo.” Maya whines.

“I’m joking.” Carina bites her lip. She is only sort of joking. “This.” She points to her own forehead. “Fronte.”

“Fronte.”

Carina lets her lip pop and smears the rest of the blue paint on her finger across Maya’s forehead.

“Did you watch the Smurfs when you were a kid?”

“Si, we got things later in Italy than when they were released here but, si.” Carina focuses on rubbing the paint across Maya’s forehead. She makes three streaks going the long way. “Did you?”

Maya hums. “I know about them. I had seen them at friend’s houses when I was young, but I wasn’t allowed to watch them at my house. I was only allowed to watch one hour of cartoons per week.”

“That’s harsh.” Carina comments, not thinking much about it.

“Those were his rules.”

“Who?”

“My dad. He was very strict. He comes from a military family. Rules are important. You have to follow the rules at all times. Even as a kid.” Maya explains.

“That doesn’t sound like much fun.” Carina pouts. She looks over Maya’s face. “This is fun though.” She leans in and rubs her nose against Maya’s, spreading the blue paint to her own nose. They giggle at the feeling and then into the kiss.

“Next is cheeks.” Carina gets more blue paint on her fingers.

“Can’t you use a different color.” Maya practically whines. “You said I wasn’t going to look like a Smurf and blue is the only color you’ve used so far.”

“It’s because the blue makes the blue of your eyes that much more brilliant. Your eyes are absolutely amazing, Maya. Not only are they blue but they hold so much emotion and it’s like I can almost see what you are thinking just by looking in your eyes.”

“Really?” Maya whispers, small.

Carina nods. “Gauncia.” She swipes a streak of blue over Maya’s left cheek. “Gauncia.” And then a streak over the right.

“Gauncia.” Maya whispers. She doesn’t think she’s ever felt more vulnerable than in this moment. It’s terrifying but Carina is looking at her with soft, tender eyes and a pleased smile so Maya doesn’t put a stop to this even though she wants to run away and hide.

“Now I’m not going to put any on but-“ She kisses Maya. “This is your bocca. Mouth. And this is-“ She kisses Maya again, licking against her lips, getting Maya to part them. She slips her tongue into Maya’s mouth. Flicking and licking at her tongue. Maya wraps her hands around Carina’s back, pulling their bodies together. She tilts her head to the side, deepening the kiss. Carina pulls back after a minute, a little breathless. “-my lingua in your bocca.”

They break out into uncontrollable laughter.

Once they settle, Maya glances between them. “Take this off.” She dips a finger under the material that is between the two cups of the bra. She pulls it away from Carina’s chest slightly before letting it snap back. “Even the playing field.”

Carina smirks but shakes her head, no.

“Please?” Maya doesn’t beg but she’s going to ask, which is real close to begging.

Carina raises an eyebrow. She wonders how much she can get Maya to do. See how far she will go. “No.” She watches the frown that forms on Maya’s face as she puts some red paint on her right hand. She points to her own chest. “Cuore.”

Maya repeats the word. “Cuore.” She doesn’t know what it means though. She wonders if it’s chest or breast.

Carina rubs her hands together getting red paint on the entirety of both of her hands, then she presses her right hand to Maya’s chest, right over where her heart is. “Heart.” She pulls her hand back leaving a red handprint over Maya’s heart.

Maya looks down at the handprint. “Oh.” She mumbles. She didn’t think that was the word. She tries it out again. “Cuore.”

“Si.” Carina puts her hands on Maya’s waist and pulls her into a kiss. “I want you to lay down now.”

Maya nods and gets onto the bed. She lays down with her head on the pillow. Carina kneels on the bed before swinging a leg over and straddling Maya’s hips. She reaches back and unhooks her bra, taking it off and throwing it across the room.

“Finally.” Maya reaches up and hooks a hand around the back of Carina’s neck and brings her down for a kiss.

Carina’s hand slides up Maya’s arm and she wraps her palm around Maya’s throat. “La gola.” She says into the kiss.

Maya groans into the kiss.

“The throat.” Carina pulls back and looks down at Maya, waiting for her to say it.

“La gola.” Maya finally finds the words, forgetting for a moment from the distraction of the kiss. “You’re a very sexy teacher.” She sighs and licks her lips. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.” Carina laughs heartily and Maya absolutely loves the sound of it. She takes pleasure in being able to make the Italian laugh, among other things.

Carina lets go of Maya’s throat. There is a subtle handprint left there. She rubs her fingers over Maya’s windpipe.

Maya swallows thickly. “I’m either going to learn a lot or nothing at all.”

Carina bites her bottom lip. She reaches for the yellow paint and squirts some onto her right hand before rubbing her hands together. The remaining red mixes with the yellow. It’s a sort of orange tint to the yellow. She smirks and looks down at Maya. She gets the blondes attention, so they are looking at each other before Carina takes a breast in each hand. Maya sucks in a shocked breath. “What are these?”

Maya has no idea. The Spanish word pops into her brain. “Tetas.” She chuckles.

Carina rolls her eyes. “Correct but wrong languages. Tettes.” She gives a squeeze.

Maya tips her head back. “Close enough.” Carina rolls her thumbs over Maya’s nipples. Maya moans. “Don’t-“ She has to swallow. “Don’t tease if you aren’t going to go any further.”

“Who said I wasn’t going to go any further.” Carina bends and takes a nipple into her mouth sucking on it, well aware of the yellow paint that spreads to her mouth and face. She flicks her tongue over the nipple before sucking again.

Maya’s hips buck uncontrollably. If it wasn’t for Carina sitting on top of her, Maya thinks she might have jumped right out of bed.

“Easy tiger.” Carina whispers and sits back up. “What’s next?” She smirks.

“I don’t know how much more of this I can take.” Maya groans.

“So big, tough, fire captain Maya Bishop can’t take a little teasing.”

Maya rolls her head to the side. “No.” Usually when it comes to sex Maya is all about speed. How fast can you get to climax or your partner? Fast, hot, intense. This, this is completely opposite of that and it’s driving Maya crazy.

Carina gets some more red paint on her hands. She takes Maya’s wrists and hold her arms above her head. “These are the polso. Wrist.”

“Polso.”

“Bene.” With one hand holding Maya’s wrists above her head Carina leans down and kisses her. Some of the yellow paint transfers to Maya’s face and lips. “Mano.” She holds her red hand in front of Maya’s face.

“Mano.”

Carina leans towards Maya’s ear. “The fingers that I’m going to make you come with are dita.” She whispers in Maya’s ear before taking Maya’s earlobe between her lips.

“Di-ta.” Maya stutters out.

“You have been a very good student.” Carina’s lips travel from Maya’s ear down to her neck. She stops to suck on her pulse point which has Maya absolutely squirming. Carina giggles as she licks over the spot. “That’s going to leave a mark.”

Maya groans. “Can you just fuck me already?”

“I think it’s impossibile to just fuck you.” Carina sits up and reaches for a tissue from the bedside table. “But-“ She wipes the excess paint off of her hands. Carina looks down then. Both of their chests and torsos and faces covered in paint. She smirks before getting off of the bed.

Maya sits up onto her elbows. “Where are you going?”

“Just here.” She slides her underwear down her legs.

“Oh.” Maya watches, enraptured. “Come here.” Maya reaches out for her as she sits up properly.

“Vieni qui. Remember?”

Maya nods. She remembers Carina whispering that a few days ago in her office. “Vieni qui.” She holds her hands out and Carina takes them as she kneels on the bed again.

“Bacami.” Carina mumbles and reaches up to take Maya’s face in her hands before crashing their lips together. Maya wraps her arms around Carina and pulls her close. The feeling off their breasts pressing together sends a shiver down Maya’s spine.

Carina gently pushes Maya back and has her laying on her back, head on the pillow again. She gives her one more sure kiss before Carina shifts her focus elsewhere. She straddles Maya’s right thigh as she hovers over the blonde. She looks into Maya’s eyes, asking the silent question. Maya nods.

Carina runs her left hand down Maya’s arm. When she gets to Maya’s wrist she flips her hand over and locks her hand in Maya’s. It was all fun and games earlier but this, now, feels different for Carina. She feels a real connection to Maya. Something that is more than just fun. More than just sex. More than just a quick hook up. She knows it might just be her Italian blood and her big emotions but to her it feels like whatever this is, whatever they have has the potential to be real.

She puts their connected hands up near Maya’s shoulder and leans onto her left side. The paint that is on them has mostly all dried by now. Some is on the sheets but not much really. Carina strokes her thumb over Maya’s chin before her hand slips down her front and finds wet warmth. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t turned on as well. But just feeling the wetness between Maya’s legs on her fingers only make Carina that much more wet herself. She flicks her thumb over Maya’s clit and receives a jolt through Maya in return.

“I’m so sensitive.” Maya moans.

Carina knows, that was the whole point of the foreplay with the paint. She presses a kiss to Maya’s shoulder. “I’ll be gentle.” She whispers.

Maya’s eyes widen. She doesn’t think anyone has ever been ‘gentle’ with her. She doesn’t dare say anything though. She needs release and saying something will most definitely stop that from happening.

Carina pushes herself up onto her left elbow to adjust her angle. She slips one finger inside Maya and waits until Maya adjusts to it.

Maya has to close her eyes. Everything feels like it’s too much.

“You okay?”

All Maya can do is nod her head.

Carina slips in a second finger and the moan it pulls from Maya is glorious. She smirks.

Maya bends her right leg at the knee, bringing it up, allowing more room, better access but in turn her thigh pushing up into Carina where she straddles that leg.

It gets a hiss out of the Italian. She wasn’t expecting that and definitely wasn’t ready for it. Maya chuckles a little at the fact that Carina is just as turned on, wet, and sensitive.

Carina starts a slow rhythm with her fingers. Maya tilts her head to the side as the pleasure builds. She pops her eyes open and looks at Carina. The Italian was already looking at her, so their eyes meet immediately. She wants Carina to feel good too. “Ride me.”

“What?”

“Ride my leg.” Maya says a little louder.

Carina nods and settles her weight against Maya’s thigh. It’s a little awkward to do both at once so Carina focuses on Maya first. A steady rhythm until her hand that is in Maya’s is being crushed. “Let go, bella.” She whispers and that’s all it takes.

Maya is arching her back, moaning out Carina’s name in between desperate gasps of air. She frees her hand from Carina’s so she can put her hands on Carina’s hips. Partially because she needs to hold onto Carina with both hands but also, she wants Carina to follow her over the edge.

Carina gets the hint that Maya is giving her and grinds herself against Maya’s thigh. “Touch me, Maya.” Carina moans.

Maya moves her hand. She finds Carina’s clit circling it with her index finger a few times before Carina throws her head back in a long moan. “Merda.” Carina lurches forward, hunching over, before collapsing on top of Maya.

“That good, huh?” Maya rubs Carina’s back.

“Dio mio, si.”

Maya laughs. “Did I break you? Have you reverted back to only Italian?” Maya gets a string of Italian sentences in reply. She presses a kiss to Carina’s forehead.

Carina wraps her right arm and leg over Maya’s body. This right here is what she was talking about. Those big Italian feelings that make her think that what is going on here is something special.

After she catches her breath, Carina starts laughing.

“What?” Maya asks.

“You look ridiculous.” She rubs her thumb across the blue paint that is under Maya’s left eye.

Maya smiles. “It’s your fault.”

“It is.” Carina licks her lips and steal a lazy kiss from Maya.

“Maybe I should shower.”

Carina stops her. “No. Wait. I need evidence.”

“Evidence?” Maya squeaks. “Are you going to report me to the police for something? If anything, I should report you for making an absolute mess of this bed.”

“You love it, though.” Carina reaches for her phone. She sits up and straddles Maya’s hips. She sucks in a quick breath as her center presses against Maya’s pelvis. “Not evidence then. Proof that this happened. Smile.”

Maya’s brain is stuck on the part where she loves it. Because Maya does. She has absolutely loved what they’ve done this afternoon.

“Maya?” Carina takes a few photos of Maya with her phone.

Maya comes back to earth. “Uh, you better not show those to anyone.”

“I won’t.”

“I’m serious.” Maya frowns. “This.” She twirls her hand around in a circle. “Isn’t for anyone else to see.”

“I know, bella.” Carina leans down and kisses the frown off of Maya’s face. She flops down onto the mattress at Maya’s side and holds the phone out in front of them, switching the camera around. “Now smile.” She instructs. Maya pouts. Carina takes a few photos. “Come on.” She leans over and presses a kiss to Maya’s cheek. That gets her to smile, and Carina snaps the photo like that. “Okay. Now we can shower.”

“We?” Maya raises an eyebrow.

“Si.” Carina gets out of bed and grabs Maya by the hand, pulling her up and towards the bathroom. “I made you all dirty. Now I’m going to make you all clean.”

She doesn’t know if it’s the words themselves or the way Carina says them in her Italian accent but Maya moans. “You’re not fair.”

Carina laughs and pulls Maya into the bathroom. “I know.” She closes the bathroom door.

Maya swings Carina around and presses her against the door, nipping at her shoulder. “Stay here tonight.” She doesn’t dare look up. Too afraid to see Carina’s reaction to the request.

“Maya.” Carina wraps her hands around Maya’s face and tries to get her to raise her head.

“I know.” Maya sighs. “You have to go. It was stupid. Can you forget I said anything?” She takes a step back, still not able to look up. She steps out of Carina’s reach. “I’ve ruined this. Made it awkward. Sorry.” She turns away from Carina and tries to keep her breathing normal though Maya can feel it turning erratic. She doesn’t need to have another breakdown right now. One in a day is bad enough. One in front of Carina was bad enough. But two? That would be a cherry on top of the cake that is this weird, wonderful day.

Carina takes a step and then two until she is right up behind Maya. She rests her chin on her shoulder and wraps her arms around her from behind. “I was just surprised.” She whispers and presses a kiss to Maya’s shoulder. “I’ll stay but I have to leave super early in the morning so I can get ready for work.”

Maya can’t help the smile that pulls at the corners of her lips. “That’s fine. I’m up at like 5:30 anyway so I can go for a run.”

“Even on your day off?”

“Yes.” Maya nods and spins around in Carina’s arms. She looks up into those warm brown eyes. “I’ve been told before that runners are crazy. And that’s probably true. So, you can call me crazy if you want.”

“I’ll just call you Maya. Or bella. Or maybe Captain Bishop.”

“I like that last one.” Maya smirks. Nobody else likes that Maya is captain or believes she can do the job. But Carina does. It feels good to have at least someone in her corner.

Carina rolls her eyes playfully. “Okay, then.” She smacks Maya on the ass. “Turn on the shower, Captain.”