what do you love

Sharing what you love and learning what your partner loves are definitely ways to show love without saying the words. So continuing the theme for my writing this month, I give you: “What do you love?”

There’s no specific dialogue in today’s excerpt to match the prompt because Jess and Elena’s personalities are given to much more subtlety than flat out asking what do you love. But in this excerpt from my WIP We Fit, Elena is determined to learn more about Jess and a mall shopping trip provides more information.

After you’ve read, tell me what you think?

“Thanks for the car ride,” Jess said. “I just have a few errands.”

“It’s never a problem,” Elena replied. “I’m glad you asked.”

“It’s just Gus normally lets me borrow his–”

“Jess, it’s all right.” Elena placed her hand gently on Jess’s thigh in the passenger seat which instantly cut off the younger woman’s ramble.

She maneuvered the car into a space at the large mall and turned off the engine. Putting her hand back on Jess’s leg, she waited until the blonde looked at her. 

When she did, Elena looked directly into the uncertain green eyes and said, “I am glad you called. I had been thinking we could spend time together.” She rubbed the muscle under her palm a bit. Her smile widened with her enthusiasm. “Besides, I love shopping. C’mon,” she added, giving the muscle a squeeze before releasing Jess and throwing herself out of the driver side door.

She stood waiting outside the car until Jess had exited. With a quick tap to the fob she locked the car. “How about a coffee first?”

“Okay.” 

From the tone, Elena guessed she’d have a bit of a discussion of who was paying for the drinks, but she was just so damn happy that the blonde had called she shook her head. 

She surveyed the other woman as she walked around the back of the car and met her next to the trunk. The jeans Jess wore were well-worn, with faded patches of blue in the knees and rear. The top had sleeves for a change, a baseball jersey style with three-quarter length sleeves in cardinal red, and was equally worn with a few gray stains from things that had obviously not come clean with laundromat detergents. The white athletic shoes on her feet were scuffed and the leather was cracked all through the blue piping.

She lifted her head from her perusal and smiled again at green eyes that questioned silently. Brushing Jess’s hand she turned shoulder to shoulder with her. The blonde looked around them as they started walking toward a mall entrance. After what seemed like an inner debate, with several emotions crossing Jess’s features, she felt Jess lightly entangle their fingers.

Once inside the mall, Jess walked up to a board listing all the stores.

Elena asked, “Looking for some store in particular?”

Ducking her head close to Elena’s, Jess murmured, “I need a new bra. And some underwear.”

Knowing the blonde’s figure intimately meant the words made Elena’s mind fill with very clear pictures of the other woman nude. Her arousal hit her, making her take a sharp breath.

“I would’ve just gone to Target,” Jess added, “but there’s not one listed.”

“There’s department stores,” Elena said helpfully. “With changing rooms,” she felt necessary to add.

She looked at the map herself and her gaze briefly caught on Victoria’s Secret, Frederick’s of Hollywood, and Lane Bryant. She knew immediately that the blonde would decline the pricy places. She thought about Jess’s style. “Are you thinking only functional or would you consider including something sexy?” she asked.

Jess hesitated. “Let’s just go to one of the department stores.”

“Macy’s?” Elena suggested. They would pass a couple of the other stores on the list enroute to the anchor store. Maybe she could entice Jess with a little window shopping.

“All right.”

They walked down the wide corridor. Just a few stores down, they stopped at a counter service Starbuck’s. There wasn’t any argument over who would pay. Elena asked Jess what she wanted to drink; the blonde chose a simple blonde roast with cream, and Elena hemmed and hawed so long, Jess’s drink was readied and she had to step away to the far counter to retrieve it. So Elena ordered her caramel macchiato and paid for both.

As they walked further through the mall, Elena was pleased when Jess’s head turned at a few store displays. She’d have to let Eric know the other woman had been attracted to the contents of Spencer’s and a comics shop with several fantasy figurines on display. The blonde might not be one for buying a lot of things for herself, but Elena and Eric would be more than happy to gift her with a few delights.

When they passed Victoria’s Secret, Jess turned her head but then quickly turned back, cheeks red. Elena couldn’t resist asking, “See something you like?”

“All that lace,” Jess said. “Sometimes I feel like I should try some, but it’s so impractical.”

Elena said, “Oh, but very, very sexy.”

“Some of your things are from there?” Jess asked.

“I have just two outfits I think.”

“Anything I’ve seen?”

Elena thought for a moment, sipping on her coffee. Finally she said, “I think you’ve seen my cream lace teddy?”

“With the garters?” Elena nodded. Jess swallowed, obviously having pictured Elena in it. “Okay, yes, I’ve seen it.”

“If you’re not sure what you’d like, we can just play dress up,” Elena suggested. “Have some fun?”

They’d played dress up from the treasure chest in the playroom before, but those were costumes. Elena could only imagine how stunning Jess would look in lacy lingerie specifically suited to her creamy skin and fit figure. 

“I love your style,” she said, earnestly holding Jess’s gaze for a long moment. “But I bet I’d love seeing you in delicate things, too.” She swept her gaze up and down Jess’s figure.

Her words and bold actions made Jess blush. The blonde briefly retreated behind her coffee cup as her gaze darted at the others walking around where they’d stopped. 

“Maybe?” Jess finally said, lifting her lips from the cup rim.

Elena saw a dreamy spark appear in green eyes. Eagerly Elena took Jess’s hand and led the way into the store. “Let’s go.”

—

So what do you think? (No need to ask: yes, I am including Elena and Jess’s playful dress up session in the book.)

~ Lara