20. Chapter 20

Maya’s activity is visiting a bunch of historic houses/Victorian homes/museums in the area including Helmcken House. Which was built by Dr. John Sebastian Helmcken. A surgeon with the Hudson’s Bay Company. She’s got a whole list, with addresses that she’s mapped out. Maya is well prepared for their journey today.

They enter the property and Carina reads the sign at the entrance telling them what the place is. Maya, of course, already knows. When Carina realizes what the place is she cozies up to Maya’s side and takes Maya’s hand in hers, interlocking their fingers, putting her opposite hand on the inside of Maya’s elbow. “Maya, what is this place?”

Maya shrugs. “Let’s find out.” She leads Carina further into the house. They look around at all the ‘old’ stuff. In the doctor’s office, they see his medical kit. He was the first doctor in Victoria, the first president of the Canadian Medical Association, and a politician.

“Look at that.” Carina bends at the waist to get a closer look at the items. She can’t imagine practicing medicine back in the day. Things were so archaic. There was so much they didn’t know. It was more of a guessing game at times than anything.

Maya hums, standing there with a pleased smiles on her face as she takes in Carina’s enthusiasm. She knows she made the right choice in activity today. It’s not like she doesn’t enjoy this too. Maya loves old buildings, and architecture, and history.

They look over everything and then head outside again. “Should we take a photo?” Maya suggests.

Carina bites her lip and nods, excitement evident in her eyes.

Maya pulls her phone out of her pocket. They position themselves in front of the building, the building being the background for the photo and Maya holds the phone out in front of them. She snaps a few pictures of them. She’s about to stop when she feels Carina lean into her side and a press of lips to her cheek. Maya grins fully and snaps a few photos with Carina kissing her cheek. Carina lifts her hand to Maya’s opposite cheek and turns her face, so she can kiss her on the lips. Maya forgets about taking photos anymore. She puts her hand on Carina’s collarbone and leans into her, deepening the kiss.

They get lost in each other, in their kiss, that is, until a screaming child goes by on the sidewalk with its mother. They split apart and Maya hides her face in Carina’s neck. Carina wraps an arm around Maya, holding her there for a minute. “Someone woke on the wrong side of the bed.” She mumbles about the cranky child.

“Sounds like they need to go back to bed.” Maya adds.

Carina chuckles. “You’re probably right.” She rubs her hand up and down Maya’s back. “Where to next?”

Maya takes a step back, finding Carina’s hand and leading them to the next stop.

Late lunch is had at a taco truck and that’s when Maya learns that Carina loves tacos.

“Just because I’m Italian doesn’t mean I can’t like foods from other cultures.”

Maya rolls her eyes. “I know that. It’s just-“

“We haven’t spent any time exploring that together, yet.” Carina finishes Maya’s sentence. Maya can only lick her lips and nod in agreement.

At the end of the historic house tour that Maya has led them on; Carina asks if they can just stay in on their final night in Victoria. Maya isn’t going to say no to her.

“Whatever you want, babe.” Maya mumbles. “But what about supper?”

“Let’s pick something up now.” Carina pulls them off to the side so she can look up a place on her phone where they can pick up something to eat. “This way.” She steers them in the direction of a local grocery store. “Was there a microwave at the hotel?”

“I think there was one down in the lobby in that little breakfast corner that they have set up.” Maya thinks she saw one there.

Carina nods and grabs two Cup of Noodles. “Vieni.”

Maya follows her around the store dutifully.

“Pick something.” Carina has them come to a halt in the candy aisle.

“I don’t know. I don’t really eat candy.” Her father’s stern voice vibrates in her head, scolding her about junk food.

“I said pick something.” Carina commands.

Maya’s stomach does a funny little flip at the tone of Carina’s voice, the stern command of it, the sexiness. Maya looks over all the candy options. She grabs a bag of Skittles.

Carina giggles.

“What?” Maya feels self-conscious about her decision, already reaching to put them back.

“Taste the Rainbow.” Carina winks at her.

Maya sucks her lower lip into her mouth, chewing on it.

Carina grins like she has a secret and reaches out to grab a box of rainbow Nerds. The perfect match to Maya’s Skittles. “Let’s go.”

“Carina, this isn’t very healthy.” Maya whines as she walks behind her.

“I know. That’s the point.” She gives Maya a mischievous smile over her shoulder.

They go back to the hotel room. Maya is still thinking about the ‘food’ they bought.

“Today was amazing Maya, but my feet are killing me.” She sits down on the end of the bed, kicking her shoes off and bringing a foot up to rub it.

The food leaves her mind. “Sit back.” Maya nods at the bed.

Carina raises surprised eyebrows at Maya. Maya nods again. Carina taking the hint. Maya sits on the side of the bed and pulls Carina’s left foot into her lap, massaging it. Carina tips her head back and closes her eyes. She moans as Maya rubs her thumbs into the arch of her foot. “Dio mio, Maya.”

“That good, huh?” Maya chuckles.

“Si.” She gets lost in the foot massage. Maya switches feet after a few minutes and gives Carina’s right foot the same attention that she gave to the left.

Maya finishes and Carina has her eyes closed, her head back against the headboard of the bed. “You good?” She whispers, unsure if Carina is awake or asleep.

“I’m perfect.”

“Yes, you are.” Maya can’t help herself. The opportunity was just waiting for her.

Carina’s eyes snap open and she stares down the bed at Maya. Maya smiles bashfully and shrugs. She holds Carina’s eyes for a long moment before she has to look away. She feels the bed move and sees Carina get up.

“Let’s go.” Carina grabs the noodles.

“Where are we going?” Maya gets up and follows.

The man at the front desk in the lobby has an eye on them.

“I don’t know if we’re allowed to be using this.” Maya whispers. She looks over her shoulder. The man glares at her. “He’s giving us the evil eye.”

“Let him.” Carina puts the cups in the microwave and starts it. “If they didn’t want people using this then they shouldn’t have put it in a public location.”

“It’s for breakfast.” Maya whispers. She feels like they’re breaking the rules and are going to get in trouble.

Carina glances over at Maya. “Right now, it’s for my dinner.” She wiggles her eyebrows at Maya.

Maya chuckles and shakes her head. She can’t believe Carina is breaking the rules, getting her to break the rules. But she also loves the little bit of rebellion that Carina has gotten them into. There’s something scary and freeing about it.

“Get one those coffee stirrers.” She nudges Maya with her elbow.

“Why?” Maya is too worried about the man at the desk to think properly.

“So I can stir these.”

Maya stares at Carina for moment. “Right.” She takes a step towards the coffee maker and takes a stir stick from the bowl next to it. She comes back and holds it out for Carina to take.

“Grazie, bella.” She gives Maya the softest of smiles.

Carina stops the microwave the second before it beeps to tell them it’s done. She pulls the two cups out and stirs them. She puts the stir stick in her mouth and picks up the cups. “You’re going to have to get the door for me. And hit the elevator button.” She says around the stir stick.

They make their way back to their room. Eat the noodles at the little table. Carina changes into pajamas. Maya flips through the channels on the tv looking for a something to watch. Carina opens up the Skittles and pops a few into her mouth. Maya sits at the end of the bed, the tv directly in front of her.

Carina just watches her for a few minutes. She wants to try something. She crawls down the bed with the bag of Skittles in her hand. She knows Maya probably isn’t interested in having any. And she knows that comes from old trauma from her father, but Carina wants to try to ease that trauma and replace it with something else. She kneels at the very end of the bed, at Maya’s hip.

Maya looks over at her, looking Carina up and down.

“Hello.” Carina smiles.

“Hi.” Maya says suspicious of what Carina is doing.

“Want some Skittles?” Carina offers Maya the bag.

“No thanks.” Maya shakes her head and looks back to the tv.

As Carina suspected. “So, you’re going to make me eat these all by myself.”

“I’m not making you do anything.” Maya mumbles.

Carina frowns. “You’re no fun.” She pouts.

Maya looks over, taking offense to that. She holds out her hand. Carina raises an eyebrow and grins lopsided. “Really?”

Maya rolls her eyes and sighs. She knows she’s being difficult. “Yeah.” She sets the tv remote down on the bed next to her and adds her right hand to her left, holding them out together in front of Carina.

Carina shakes a few Skittles from the bag into Maya’s hands.

“Thanks.” Maya shifts them all to one hand and lifts that hand to her mouth putting them all in her mouth and chewing.

“You didn’t just do that?” Carina gapes.

“I think I did.” Maya says around a mouthful of gooey sweetness.

“Don’t talk while you’re eating. You’ll choke.”

“You know the Heimlich, right?” She continues to talk with ‘food’ in her mouth.

Carina nods.

“Then I’ll be fine.” Maya grins, finishing her mouthful.

Carina laughs. “I don’t want to have to save your life, Maya.”

“But you would, if you had to, right? You wouldn’t let me die?”

“Maya, stop.” Carina wraps her arms around Maya’s shoulders.

“Fine. But for the record, I would save you if you were dying.” She means it to be lighthearted, but it doesn’t hit Carina that way and she knows it as soon as the words leave her mouth.

Carina wraps her arms around Maya tighter and presses her face against her shoulder. “Stop talking about death.”

“You’re a doctor. There’s death there.” Maya thinks of it logically.

“I deliver babies, Maya. There’s not a lot of death there.”

“Oh.” Maya didn’t really think about it. “Have you ever lost a patient?”

Carina shakes her head against Maya.

“Oh. Wow. That’s impressive.”

“Have you?” Carina knows the answer. She doesn’t even know why she asks.

Maya sighs. “Lots. I kept count at the beginning, but then I realized I couldn’t do that. It was too hard. So, I stopped. Plus, the number got to double digits at one point and that seemed way worse than just single digits. Just cuz I stopped counting doesn’t make it any easier though.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thanks.” Maya reaches up and puts her hands on Carina’s arm that is draped around her sternum.

“Can we stop talking about this?”

“Yeah. Sorry I ruined the mood.” Maya frowns.

Carina lifts her head from Maya’s shoulder. “There was a mood?” She teases.

Maya rolls her eyes. Carina always catches her and makes fun of her for the silly things she says. “I don’t want to make you sad.”

“I know.”

“That’s all I meant.”

“I know.”

“I want you to be happy. I want to make you happy.” Maya locks eyes with Carina.

“Baciami.” Carina whispers, searching Maya’s eyes.

Maya reaches up and puts a hand on Carina’s cheek. She leans in slowly. Very slowly. She checks to makes sure this is alright. Carina nods subtly. Maya closes the remaining distance and presses her lips lightly to Carina’s.

Carina lets out a breath of air through her nose.

Maya rubs her thumb over Carina’s cheek. Back and forth, back and forth slowly. She pulls back, separating their lips and looking down at Carina’s lips. She looks back up and can see the concern in Carina’s eyes.

“Are you sure?”

Maya takes a deep breath. There is some apprehension. “Yes.” She says out loud because she knows they both need to hear it.

Maya stands up, causing Carina’s arms to slip off of her. She holds a hand out, though, and helps Carina stand. She walks them around to the side of the bed.

Maya runs her hands up Carina’s arms to her shoulders and back down again before taking Carina’s hands in hers. She lifts the right hand to her lips and presses a kiss to the back of it before doing the same to the left.

Carina watches intently as Maya moves about.

Maya lets the hands go softly at Carina’s sides. She slips her hands to the Italian’s hips and starts swaying them from side to side.

“What are you doing, Maya.”

“Shh. Dancing.” Maya whispers. She watches Carina’s hips as they sway back and forth.

Carina wraps her arms around Maya’s neck and steps forward to press into her. “That’s not dancing.”

Maya hums as Carina presses their hips together. “I was watching you dance.”

Carina rests her forehead against Maya’s, her hand grasping at the back of Maya’s head, holding her close. She starts to run her fingers through Maya’s hair.

“Can you not do that?” Maya whispers.

“What?”

“T-touch my hair.” She stutters anxiously.

Carina moves her hand immediately. “I’m sorry.”

“No. I just-“ Maya shakes her head, trying to get the thought of her father to go away.

Carina can see her struggling, starting the spin out, losing focus. “Hey, look at me. Focus on me. Listen to my voice. Look in my eyes.” Carina smiles when Maya focuses again. “Come on.” She takes a step back, taking Maya with her before her legs hit the mattress.

Maya refocuses on the magnificent woman in her arms. She reaches down for the bottom of her tank top and starts to pull it up. Carina lifts her arms in the process and Maya tugs it off. Her eyes roam Carina’s chest for a moment before they lift and she’s smirking at Carina.

“Like what you see, bambina?”

Maya leans in and presses her lips to Carina’s collarbone before licking over it. “Mmm, I love you.” She whispers. “All of you.” Her lips move to Carina’s neck.

Carina tilts her head back, reveling in the feeling of Maya’s lips on her neck. She moans as Maya reaches that one spot below her ear and makes her toes curl when Maya sucks on it. “Maya.” She moans out her name.

Carina sits down on the bed, or maybe it’s more that her legs buckle. She looks up at Maya. Maya stands there for a moment before shuffling forward, getting on the bed, sitting in Carina’s lap, her knees straddling the Italian’s hips.

“Hi.” Maya mumbles.

Carina reaches up and tucks Maya’s hair behind her ear before resting her palm on her cheek. “Hi.” She looks down. “Let’s level the playing field.” She says of Maya’s shirt. Maya nods and sits back a little. Carina reaches down, grabbing at the bottom of Maya’s shirt. “Ready?” She asks, just to make sure Maya is comfortable with this. Maya nods and Carina slowly lifts the shirt, Maya lifting her arms at the same time, up and over her head.

Carina wraps an arm around Maya and pulls her into her body, their chests pressing together. Maya closes her eyes at the feeling of skin on skin, taking a deep breath of air into her lungs, her chest expanding, pressing harder against Carina’s. Anxiety swirls in her stomach, that sudden feel of panic, but then Carina’s hands are rubbing up and down her bare back.

“You okay?” Carina whispers. She’s watching Maya. She sees her brow twist and furrow, even with her eyes closed, she can see Maya is going through something. She strokes her hands up and down Maya’s back, still holding her tight to her torso, then running her hands down Maya’s arms from the shoulders to her elbows and back up. She holds onto Maya by the shoulder blades on her back. Carina tilts her head up and presses a kiss to Maya’s forehead. “Hey.”

“Yeah. Yeah. I’m okay.” Maya sighs and opens her eyes.

Carina smiles at her and leans up to nuzzle her nose against Maya’s. “Bene.” She whispers against Maya’s lips before kissing them. “But if you aren’t good. At any point. You need to tell me.”

“I will.” Maya hopes that doesn’t happen, but is willing to be honest with Carina. She takes Carina’s face in her hands and presses a soft kiss to her lips and then one to the tip of her nose and then her forehead. A thank you to Carina for checking in.

She leans back and looks into Carina’s eyes. The brown’s that she loves so much shine back with so much love, so much tenderness. They are always talking about how Maya feels but never about how Carina feels. Maya can see her feelings right in her warm honey brown eyes right now though. She rubs her thumbs over her cheeks before leaning in to press an exploring kiss to Carina’s lips; one that grows, becoming increasingly passionate.

Carina’s hands find Maya’s backside, pulls her hips against hers. Maya rocks in her lap, creating a little friction for both of them. Maya lets out a shuddered breath, her head tipped back, as she rocks harder against Carina.

“Bambina?” Carina tries to get her to look at her.

Maya is lost in the feeling. It’s been so long since they’ve had sex. Since she’s had a release.

“Are you going to come without me touching you?” Carina questions with an amused smirk.

Maya snaps her head back, her desire filled eyes finding Carina’s. “I might just.”

Carina laughs, hooking her hands under Maya’s thighs and flips them around, pressing Maya to the mattress. Maya looks up at her with amusement and desire. “Impressive.” She bites her lip.

Carina reaches up and throws her hair over her right shoulder. “You think that’s impressive, wait til you see this.” She shimmies out of her sleep shorts and underwear at the same time.

“You’re right.” Maya licks her lips as she watches Carina, content to just lay there for a moment to watch the gorgeous woman undress. Not touching her, not kissing her, just watching and admiring her lean figure, her beauty. “You’re beautiful. So beautiful.”

Carina grins. “Off.” She tugs at Maya’s sweatpants. Maya lifts her hips from the bed and Carina pulls her pants down her legs before laying down on top of Maya, fitting her legs between Maya’s, elbows holding her up a little so all of her weight isn’t on Maya. Carina presses a kiss to the hollow of Maya’s collarbone before licking over it.

Maya tangles her fingers into Carina’s hair at the back of her head, holding her as skilled lips explore her chest, leaving a trail of wet kisses that cool in the air and make goosebumps spark on Maya’s pale skin. Carina’s lips find Maya’s again, sharing a hungry kiss. Carina leans back, rolling her body against Maya’s, arching her back, lifting her chest up and away from Maya.

“F-fuck.” Maya moans at the pressure between her legs, so Carina rolls against her body again before Maya pulls her down on top of herself again. Carina smirks and sucks on Maya’s pulse point. “Carina.” Maya whispers. She so worked up that she’s not going to last much longer. All of her senses tingle, her nerve endings on fire.

Carina shifts to the side a little, leaving just enough room that she can snake her hand down between their bodies. She slips her fingers into Maya’s underwear. Maya hisses and jerks at the contact. Carina slowly strokes over Maya until she feels Maya tensing and arching up into her, searching for release. “Let go, bambina.” Carina whispers in her ear, pressing a sweet kiss to her cheek and Maya comes undone with another stroke of her finger.

Maya’s muscles contracting, a strangled gasp coming from her mouth as she holds her breath and her orgasm rocks through her body. As the intensity starts to fade, Maya sucks in a quick breath of air, wrapping a hand around Carina’s back. She moans out as everything fades into pure bliss. Maya breaths hard as she tries to get her breath back.

Carina alternates between nuzzling her nose against Maya’s neck and pressing soft kisses to her skin. Her hand shifts from Maya’s underwear, to her hip, holding her there.

Maya tilts her head to the side, trying to find Carina’s eyes. When she does, Carina smiles and even though she’s not looking at her mouth, she can see the smile in Carina’s eyes. “Good?” Carina asks.

Maya moans. “Embarrassingly short but fucking amazing.”

“There’s not correct length.” Carina reminds her.

“Still.” Maya shrugs. “It’s been a long time and-“

“Shhhh.” Carina kisses her, shutting Maya up. She runs her fingers up and down Maya’s side.

Maya squirms, breaking the kiss. “That tickles.”

Carina grins. She tickles Maya’s side with more intention.

“Stop.” Maya whines, trying to grab at Carina’s hand, but Carina dodges her grasp. Maya takes matters into her hand, rolling over, rolling into Carina, and pressing her back against the mattress. “My turn.”

Carina chuckles. “You mean my turn.”

Maya shakes her head. “My turn to give you pleasure. My turn to watch you fall apart. My turn to hear those wonderful moans. My turn to worship your body. My turn to taste you and feel you. My turn.” Sometimes giving is just as good as receiving.

“Dio mio.” Carina moans, her eyes rolling back in her head, her hands roam aimlessly over Maya’s back and ass, not sure where they want to be.

Maya doesn’t waste any time. She reaches down, slipping her fingers through Carina’s wet folds, finding her center. Carina gasps as Maya enters her with two fingers. “What happened-“ Carina struggles to focus as Maya starts up a consistent rhythm. “-to tasting and feeling.” Not that Carina is complaining about this, but she thought Maya would take more time to appreciate her body.

“Later.” Maya rests her forehead against Carina’s, staring into her eyes. “We’re not just going one round.” Maya has found her confidence again. Her comfortability again.

Carina moans and tilts her head to kiss Maya. It’s a messy kiss that they can barely connect their lips for, opting for just resting their foreheads together instead. Carina pants as Maya works her closer and closer to her orgasm.

“Keep your eyes open.” It’s Maya’s one request.

“Maya.” Carina whines, close.

A few more strokes and Carina is tensing in her arms. She grits her teeth and groans as her orgasm hits, struggling to keep her eyes open like Maya wanted. Maya grins and that’s all Carina needs to keep her focus on her girlfriend’s face.

Carina comes down from her high as Maya is busy kissing her neck and chest, with special attention to her collarbones and shoulders. She reaches down the bed and grabs the bag of Skittles, shaking some out and popping them into her mouth.

Maya looks up, disconnecting her lips for a moment, to see what Carina is doing.

Carina holds up a Skittle. Maya opens her mouth, and holds out her tongue. Carina drops the candy on her tongue with a happy little smile. Maya chews the red Skittle and holds her tongue out again.

“Your tongue is red.” Carina giggles. She finds another red Skittle and puts it on Maya extended tongue.

Maya chews it again and smirks. She leans down and kisses at the underside of Carina’s jaw.

“Have I told you about self-care Wednesday’s.” Maya is thinking about how this is the longest she’s gone without having sex since, she thinks, the stretch right before the Olympics.

“No.” Carina pops some more Skittles into her mouth, chewing them and waiting for this story.

“I have-“ Maya shakes her head. “Had. I had this thing I called self-care Wednesday’s. Basically, I would go out on Wednesday night. Find somebody to hook up with. So, basically having regular sex.”

Carina nods, understanding the premise. “Is that how we met?”

Maya shakes her head. “No. It wasn’t a Wednesday. And I wasn’t looking for sex that day.”

Carina hums. She doesn’t remember what day of the week it was that they met but she’ll never forget that night.

“So, every week or two. At least monthly. So, five weeks without is a long time for me.” Maya says vaguely but hopefully not vaguely enough that Carina doesn’t understand what she’s saying.

“You didn’t do anything in that time?” Carina strokes her hand up and down the inside of Maya’s thigh, teasing. “Touch yourself?” She watches her hand make its slow movements.

Maya swallows and shakes her head. “Did you?”

Carina smirks and looks up to find Maya’s eyes. “Maybe.”

Maya moans at the thought.

“I’ve had long stretches of time, in the past, you have to do something to scratch that itch.” Carina tells her.

“I didn’t want to. I didn’t feel like it. I felt-“

“I know.” Carina won’t make Maya say it.

“How long?”

Carina hums. “I think the longest stretch was like six months.”

“Why?”

“I was back in Italy trying to take care of my dad. I was exhausted most days. I didn’t feel any need. I didn’t want to go out and find a useless hookup either.” Carina thinks back to that time. It was probably one of the most difficult stretches in her life. “So, when I was feeling up for it, which wasn’t often, I took things into my own hands. Literally. It’s perfectly normal.” She’s never told anyone this before. Why would she.

Maya hums. She wonders more about what Carina was doing in Italy and what that period of time was than what Carina did or didn’t do to get a little sexual release.

Carina holds out the bag of Skittles. Maya holds out her hand this time instead of opening her mouth. Carina pours a few into her hand. Maya pops a few into her mouth, sucking on them. The other three she has in her hand she puts on Carina’s belly.

Carina laughs, jiggling the candies. “What are you doing?”

“Hold still.” Maya tells her before pressing her lips to Carina’s throat and then slowly moving them south. She works her lips over the skin of Carina’s collarbone, sinking further into the valley between her breasts, over the faint line that goes down the middle of Carina’s torso that differentiates Carina’s stomach muscles, before finding the Skittles and sucking them up into her mouth. She chews the candies before slipping down the bed so that she can lay between Carina’s legs.

Carina grips the bag of Skittles in one hand and the bed sheets in the other. Maya’s lips driving her absolutely mad, but she absolutely loves it. “Maya.” She moans.

“Patience, my love.” Maya mumbles against the skin of the inside of Carina’s left knees. Her lip work there way up the inside of her legs, kissing and licking at the skin. She kisses her hip bone before sinking down again to Carina’s right leg and working her way upwards in the same manner.

Carina doesn’t remember anything after Maya’s lips come into contact with her most sensitive parts.

Maya wakes up in the morning feeling not as rested as the night before and maybe slightly sore.

She shifts and her senses come back to her. The feel of the arm draped over her stomach, the lingering smell of arousal in the air, the taste of her on Maya’s lips, the sound of the rhythmic breathing of the woman slumbering next to her.

Maya opens her eyes and looks over at her. She’s shocked to see a pair of rich brown eyes glancing back at her. She didn’t know Carina was awake. Maya looks up at the ceiling for a moment.

“How’d you sleep?”

The words bring her back. She rolls onto her side to face Carina, mimic her body position. Maya licks her lips. “Well, someone kept me up late but once I went to sleep it was great.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah, this bed is amazing. I think it’s done wonders the last few nights.” Maya bites her lip, suppressing her smile.

“The bed, huh?” Carina raises an eyebrow. She knows Maya is teasing.

“Or maybe it’s the amazing woman in the bed with me.” Maya can’t contain the smile that spreads across her face anymore.

“There it is.” Carina sighs happily. She’s been trying to find that big, full, joyous smile that Maya has for the last couple of weeks. At first, she knew she wouldn’t see it. Things were just too difficult. Maya was in such a dark place. But as the days passed and the worst seemed to be in the rearview mirror Carina vowed she would do anything to see that perfect smile again.

“What?” Maya’s smile flatters.

Carina moves her arm from Maya’s waist, reaching up and stroking her thumb across Maya’s lips. “This smile.”

It returns to Maya’s lips.

“This happy, full of joy, blissful smile that you have when you are content and satisfied. Happy.” Carina shrugs a little. “I’ve missed it.” She moves forward to kiss that smile, her thumb on Maya’s chin. Just a brief kiss to Maya’s lips before she’s retreating. She moves her head back to her own pillow. Her thumb stays at Maya’s chin, running along her jaw, before she lays her hand over Maya’s ear.

Maya would blush or give Carina a bashful smile, but that full happy smile remains in place. She’s happy. Truly happy. There’s a ton of work to do but Maya can see the future now, again. That’s not something she’s allowed herself to think about much. A future with Carina. She tried to ruin it and nearly succeeded but knows that’s what she wants. Wants. And it seems possible again.

Instead of saying all of that. “You’re smile is the best smile though.”

“Thank you, bambina.” Carina giggles.

“Did you sleep well?”

“I did.” She moves her hand from Maya’s head to her shoulder and runs it down her arm until she finds her hand, tangling their fingers together, and lifting their hands so they rest between their faces. Carina presses her lips to Maya’s knuckles. “So good.” She doesn’t elaborate further though.

Maya stretches her limbs a little and feels a little pull in her back. She groans. “I think I might be too old for sex.”

Carina chuckles. “No one is too old for sex.”

“Then why is my back sore?”

“Out of training.”

Maya hums. The saying is ‘out of practice’ but Maya doesn’t bother with a correction. She wonders if Carina ever gets annoyed with people correcting her when she mixes up her words. Maya thinks it’s the cutest, most adorable thing in the world when Carina does, and most of the time she understands what the Italian means, so it’s not a big deal to her; but she wonders if it bothers Carina.

“I guess so.”

“I’ll get you back in sex shape, Captain Bishop.”

Maya moans. She loves it when Carina calls her captain.

“Roll over.” Carina pats at Maya’s arm.

Maya complies, rolling onto her stomach. Carina throws the sheet off of them and sits up. She swings around and sits on the backs off Maya thighs, her hands coming down to Maya’s back. Maya moans at the touch. Carina rubs and needs at the tight lower back muscles.

“You have magic hands.” Maya moans about her massage. Carina smirks but doesn’t say anything. “Oh, right there. That’s the sore spot.” Carina rubs her thumbs to the spot and gets a deep throaty moan from the blonde.

Carina rubs some more but then her hands start to wander. She can’t help herself. Between where she sits and where her hands are on Maya’s back, Maya’s ass on is full display. Her hands move down, caressing Maya’s ass.

“Carina.” It’s a half warn, half moan.

Carina smirks and gives each cheek a squeeze before running her hands up the length of Maya’s back, all the way to her shoulder, bending forward in the process, and laying on top of Maya. It’s her turn to moan at the feel of her body presses against Maya’s. Carina unfolds her legs and lays more next to Maya then on top of her.

They lay there and Carina tries to play with Maya’s hair. It’s something that Maya has seemed to enjoy in the past when they lay in bed together. But Maya pulls her head away. “No.”

Carina furrows her brow. “No, what? I thought you I like it. Do you not like it?” Carina thinks it has something to do with the length of Maya’s hair now. She remembers Maya didn’t want her to touch it last night either.

“It’s fine. I just-“ Maya sighs and rolls onto her back, forcing Carina to roll onto her side to give Maya room, folding her arms over her chest. She still feels like her father has a hold of her even though she cut her hair. Not like a physical hold, but that too, like he will always have a controlling grip over her life, no matter what she does to try to change that.

“I told you about Pac-North.” She mumbles.

“Si, about the bombs and explosions and how your team saved the research. You were very proud of that day. And I’m proud of you.” Carina rubs her hand up and down Maya’s arm.

Maya huffs. “He pulled my hair.”

Carina scrunches up her face. “Who? When?”

“At the scene.”

“Pac-North?”

Maya nods. “He pulled my hair, so I cut it off.”

Carina knows there are lots of missing pieces here, so she’s not connecting the dots; but she sees why Maya doesn’t want her to touch her hair now. “I won’t touch your hair ever again if you don’t want.”

Maya snaps her head over to look at Carina. She doesn’t want that. She doesn’t want Carina to have to restrict herself. She opens and closes her mouth to say something, but no words come out.

“Who?” Carina asks again. She runs her finger across Maya’s brow trying to even out the worry lines. “Jack? One of the guys?”

“No.” Carina’s gentle touch soothes her agitated mood. “My father.”

Carina tilts her head to the side. “He was at the scene?” Maya nods. “Why?”

Maya rolls her eyes. “He came to blame me for the things my mom was saying.” Carina frowns. “He accused me of playing captain while my family was falling apart. He literally said that to make me feel guilty about it. I had a job to do though so turned my back to him to get back to work. That’s when he reached out, grabbing my ponytail from under my helmet, and pulled it to keep me from walking away from him.”

Carina sighs. “I’m sorry, bambina.”

“So, I went back to the station and cut my hair off. And now there’s all these feeling associated with my hair. And his face that I can’t get out of my head when I think about it.” Maya explains.

Carina scoots over and rests her hand on Maya’s chest, over her heart. She lays her head on Maya’s shoulder.

Maya wraps her arm around Carina’s back, holding her to her chest. “So, that’s why. It’s not that I don’t want you to, it’s just that you can’t right now cuz then I think about it.”

“Okay.”

They lay there in comfortable quiet for long minutes both thinking about what Maya just said.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today, Captain?” Carina knows that Maya has an itinerary planned out for almost every hour of their little trip. Even if it’s just in her head.

“We go home.” Maya corrects herself. “Back to Seattle.”

“What time?”

Maya looks over at the clock. “We probably have to leave here in an hour or hour and a half to make getting to the ferry reasonable. Why?”

Carina hums, hand on Maya’s shoulder, chin on top of her hand. “I want to call my brother. I haven’t talked to him since we’ve been here. I don’t want him thinking I’ve forgotten about him or something.”

“How is he?”

“Good. He started back at work this week. Half days.” Carina rolls over and pulls her phone from the nightstand before rolling back towards Maya.

But Maya is pushing herself up to get out of bed. “I’ll give you some space then.” She sits up on the edge of the bed.

Carina reaches out and puts a hand on Maya’s shoulder. “No.” Maya looks over her shoulder, back at Carina. “Stay here.” She wants Maya to be here for this. She wants Maya to get to know Andrea. It’s not that she’s been keeping them apart, but Carina didn’t want to introduce Maya to her brother when he was in his manic state. That might be wrong on her part, but she didn’t want him to make a bad first impression.

Maya has a tight-lipped smile on her lips. “But I don’t know him. He’s not my brother.” She feels like the call between brother and sister is personal, should be between only them. Carina hasn’t wanted her to be around when she’s been talking to or dealing with her brother before. Why should now be different?

“Let’s change that.” Carina gives Maya a hopeful smile, asking her without words to stay for the call.

“Yeah?” Maya needs to make sure it’s really what Carina wants. She knows Andrew is the only family Carina has in the Pacific Northwest. She knows he means a lot to Carina. She knows they have a complicated relationship, but that they love each other. Maya feels like it’s a big deal that Carina might want her to get to know her brother.

“Yeah.”

Maya sighs and gets back into back. She rests her head on the pillow again and lays next to Carina, a little nervous all of a sudden. Carina unlocks the phone, pulls up Andrew’s contact info and hits call. As the phone rings she sets it down on Maya’s chest and puts it on speaker. Maya looks at her with confused eyes. Carina raises a finger to her lips to tell Maya to be quiet.

“Carina, why are you calling me at such an early hour on a Sunday morning? Is something wrong? Is it papa?” Andrew answers.

Carina giggles. “No, fratellino.”

They hear Andrew sigh. “Then why have you woken me up?” He yawns now that the alarm is gone. “You know how important sleep is to me now.”

“You can go back to sleep after we are done with you.” Carina tells him.

Andrew is smart, he doesn’t miss anything. “We?”

Carina hums. “Si.” She grins up at Maya. “I have something I have to tell you.”

“I thought you said nothing is wrong.”

“It’s not.” The opposite is true. “I have a significant other.”

Maya wrinkles up her nose at the term. Carina shakes her head for Maya to not question it. She wants to mess with her brother a little.

“Dio mio. Not this again. Which one of my colleagues are you sleeping with this time? Is it Helm? She has a thing for like every hot female doctor at the hospital. Please, don’t tell me it’s her. Or is it someone else, someone worse? Owen, again. I know him and Teddy are a mess but that’s low. I can’t believe you are doing this again.” He rubs his hand over his face.

Maya can’t keep the amused smile from her face.

“No, Andrea. They’re my colleagues too. And it’s not someone from the hospital.”

He doesn’t mean for his relieved sigh to be so audible but both Maya and Carina hear it.

“Don’t be such a wierdo.” Carina scolds him.

“This is what you had to call me about on a Sunday morning?”

Carina gets serious. “Yes, because I care about you and even though you have a funny way of showing it, you care about me too. And don’t try to deny it. And I want you to get to know this person. They really mean a lot to me.” Carina finds Maya’s eyes and smiles for her.

Andrew groans.

Maya can’t suppress her chuckle anymore.

“Oh, you’re with them right now.” Andrew connects all the dots in his head. Early in the morning, meaning they spent the night together.

“That’s what ‘we’ implies. Si.” Carina grins up at Maya. “Say hi, Maya.”

“Ciao, Andrea.” Maya teases.

“Oh my god.” Andrew groans. “Only Carina can call me that. I’m not sure who you are, but that’s not going to fly.”

Carina and Maya laugh. “Can we video chat?” Carina asks him.

“Fine.” He gives in to his sister and her weird antics. He is curious about this mysterious ‘significant other’ that his sister has. He knows it’s probably something that’s been going on for a while but that he just missed it in his manic state. He hangs up the phone and waits for the Facetime call to come through.

Carina sits up and scoots forward. “Sit behind me.”

Maya rearranges herself so that she has her back to the headboard, her legs spread so Carina can shuffle into place between them.

“You know we don’t have any clothes on.” Maya reminds her.

“I know.” Carina smirks. “Andrea is going to flip is cap.”

Maya wraps her arms around Carina’s waist and pulls her tight to her body. “Lid. Flip his lid.”

“Si.” Carina lifts the sheet and tucks it up under her armpits, holding it in place over her chest. She video calls him.

Maya runs a hand through her hair when she sees their image in the phone. “We look like we had crazy sex all night.” She tries to fix her hair to look presentable. It’s not exactly how she imagined meeting Carina’s brother.

“Well, we did.” Carina smirks and holds the phone closer to her face so it’s just her in the screen that Andrew can see when he picks up.

“Hello.”

“Ciao, Andrea.” Carina grins at her brother.

He rolls his eyes. “Ciao. So, where’s this Maya?” Andrew gets to the point.

Carina grins. “Right here.” She extends her arm out away from her body so that their faces are both in the screen now.

“Hi.” Maya says shyly.

“Andrew meet my girlfriend.” Carina looks back at Maya, a twinkle in her eyes, while she introduces Maya. “Captain Maya Bishop.”

“I know you.” Andrew gasps. He points a finger at the phone.

“You and Herrera helped me find that kid that I lost.”

“So, you admit now that you lost it.” Carina can’t believe him.

They both ignore Carina’s comment.

Maya grins. “We did.”

“Oh my god, thanks for that, by the way. I probably would have lost my job if that kid died.”

“It’s my job. Or it was my job. I’m the captain now.” Maya uses her favorite dumb joke.

Andrew grins. “Are you a pirate too?”

“See.” Maya points at the phone. “He gets it.” She squeezes Carina with the arm that remains around her waist.

Carina just smiles at Maya’s enthusiasm. Her arm slouching a little, Andrew’s view of their faces is more like a view of the bottom of their faces and Carina’s shoulders and the top of the sheet.

“Are you in bed?” Andrew asks as things click into place.

“It’s early yet. Si.” She looks back to her brother, trying but failing not to smirk raucously.

“Please don’t tell me you called me without any clothes on.” Andrew grimaces.

“I told you he’d know.” Maya whispers.

Carina just shrug.

“Dio mio, Carina.” Andrew rolls his eyes. He starts off on a string of Italian. Carina comes back at him with her own Italian rant.

Maya observes the pair argue in Italian. She’s never heard this much Italian come out of Carina at once. She wraps her one arm around Carina’s shoulders and leans forward to watch her speak, staring at her profile, her lips.

Andrew’s words slow down. “Penso che la tua ragazza sia un po' stordita.” (I think your girlfriend is in a bit of a daze.)

Carina looks over at Maya. “Stai bene?”

Maya nods, coming out of her trance. “Yeah.”

“Have you been teaching her Italian?” Andrew asks at the lovesick look on both of their faces.

Carina ignores her brother as she looks into Maya’s eyes. “Bene.” She grins and leans in to press her lips to Maya.

“Really?” Andrew throws his hand in the air.

Carina giggles. “I can’t help it.” She lifts her free hand and strokes her thumb on the underside of Maya’s jaw before pinching her chin in her thumb and index finger.

“Where are you, by the way?” Andrew interrupts.

“Victoria.”

“British Columbia?”

“Yes.” She looks back at the phone. Maya rests her chin on Carina’s shoulder and looks at the phone too. “We’re coming back today. We had a little getaway. I just wanted to call and say hi and I wanted to introduce you to Maya.” Maya squeezes her arms around Carina and presses a kiss to her shoulder. “Did you want to get lunch tomorrow?” She asks her brother.

“Sure.” Andrew nods. “What’s your schedule?”

Carina hums. She’s not sure. “I’ll have to check when we get home. But I’ll let you know.”

“Okay, call me or text me later. When you know. So I can get it onto my schedule for tomorrow.” He’s really trying to focus on organization and timing right now with appropriate time for breaks and rest. “Ciao, Carina. And it was nice to meet you, Maya. Even if it was over video chat.” He rolls his eyes. “And while you are naked and-“

Carina hits end on the call before he can continue. She throws the phone down on the bed and looks back at Maya. “So?”

“He’s goofy.”

“That’s one word for him.” Carina mumbles. She runs a hand through her hair, fluffing it up before throwing it all over to the right side of her head. “Prude. Might be another.”

Maya chuckles. “We aren't all as open as you are.”

“It’s cuz he was raised in this country.” Carina leans her head back on Maya’s shoulder. She groans. “I suppose we have to get ready to go now.”

“Unfortunately.” Maya kisses the side of Carina’s head. “But before we do I just want to say that I really enjoyed this weekend and I’m glad that I got to spend time with you. Uninterrupted.”

Carina hums. “It’s been great.” It’s all she says before pushing herself up and out of bed. She hears the sigh that comes from Maya as she walks to the bathroom. Something twists in her chest at the sound.

Maya looks down at the sheets and wonders if she’s doing something wrong or if she needs to be more upfront about what she wants from Carina. She just wants to know more about Carina. Calling Andrew was a start, but there’s definitely something off right now. Maya can feel it.