"I am not property. I cannot be owned. I cannot be stolen."
At least, that's what Delphine told herself. Growing up, she'd always sort of felt like property. Always under her parents' scrutiny, expected to be the best in everything. Even once she got into university, she had expectations to meet and people to obey. Then she met Dr. Aldous Leekie when she was studying for her doctorate.
He was brilliant and charming, and the work he did was incredibly enticing. She was flattered by his interest in her. He was actually interested in her mind as well as her physical charms, which was something she couldn't say about the majority of men she'd dated. So it didn't strike her as particularly odd when Aldous made a pass at her. Though it did strike her as odd that she allowed a sort of romantic relationship to build between them. He was twice her age at least, but she thought stranger things had happened.
However, there was something missing… a lot missing actually. Although Aldous admired her intellect and he obviously thought she was attractive, she felt… like property… again. He would bring her to important meetings and business dinners with him, allowing her to charm his colleagues and then he would close deals with them. When he touched her, she felt a hint of possessiveness. And not a sexy kind of possessiveness, but a controlling one. He was never cruel or abusive, not really. But he operated with a kind of subtle manipulation that sometimes frightened Delphine.
She couldn't say she loved him, but she had grown fond of him and rather attached. And she knew he didn't love her. Aldous only loved his work and himself. Besides that, he also held an enormous amount of power over her. He literally controlled her future, and that did not sit well with Delphine at all. She didn't know what would happen if she tried to end things, but she did know that that's what she wanted. She wanted to be free, and she wanted her options to be open. It was right as she was coming to the realization that she needed to end things that she met Cosima Niehaus.
Cosima was sitting in on one of Aldous' lectures, seemingly very skeptical and more than a little sassy. Delphine had to admit her line about "basic lasik" was pretty good. She didn't know what it was about this girl with her dreadlocked hair, nose-ring, and admittedly perfect physique… but she was drawn to her on an almost molecular level. Her eyes kept drifting back to her as the talk went on. Normally she got really caught up in Aldous' speaking. But not that day. One time their eyes locked from across the room, and Delphine hoped she was able to avert her gaze quickly enough… to pretend to just be glancing around the room. But when she looked back at Cosima, their eyes met again. Cosima was still looking at her, and she had the king of all smirks painted on her face.
There was a visitation after the lecture, and Delphine naturally stuck around Aldous and chatted with various people, talking up Aldous' work and the concept of Neolutionism. She was just pouring herself a glass of wine when she felt a presence by her side.
"I was just gonna ask if you drank the Kool-Aid, but apparently Leekie's brand of crazy is served via wine. Seriously, there has to be over 100 bottles in here," Cosima said as Delphine looked up, already sipping on her drink.
Delphine didn't know what to say. The first thought that came into her head was that this girl was even more beautiful up close. Her eyes were intelligent and sparkling with mischief, and sporting some wickedly on-point winged eyeliner, behind charming black-rimmed glasses. Her smile was gorgeous, and she had naturally sharp canines that would surely make some of the Freaky Leekies jealous with how vampiric they looked. Delphine became aware (a little too slowly) that she was staring, so she decided to pretend as if she didn't understand.
"Quoi?" she asked innocently.
"Oh shit, you're French. I'm sorry. Parlez-vous anglais?" Cosima's hands waved through the air, accenting each word. Delphine thought that, in combination with her accent, was adorable.
"Oui… yes I speak English. I just didn't quite get what you said," Delphine said. It was a lie, but better to lie than admit she'd been checking Cosima out.
"Oh. Well I basically asked if you believed any of the stuff that dude was talking about," Cosima explained. "I think a lot of it is bullshit, personally. But I'm evo-devo, so naturally I'm 'show, don't tell.'"
"Evo…? Oh! Evolutionary development. From your skepticism, I had guessed you were a Darwinist of some sort."
"Totally," Cosima grinned. "Charlie D and I go way back… been crushin' on him big time since like 5th grade." Delphine couldn't stifle a laugh. The girl was charming, she had to give her that. "But what about you?" Cosima continued, her gaze going from playful to thoughtful.
"I'm in immunology," Delphine said plainly.
"A girl into the gross and contagious. I can dig it. But actually I meant do you buy into all of this stuff? It seems kind of eugenical. Maybe utopian? I don't know. It just screams agenda of young adult novel villain to me."
Delphine had to think about that for a second. That word had always bothered her… eugenicist. She didn't like to think of herself as one. Did she think humanity should strive to be the best it could be? Yes. She saw nothing wrong with trying to make the human race better. That was actually the main reason she decided to study immunology. But she would never be comfortable forcing people into things if they were unaware or unwilling.
"I buy into some of it, perhaps. I believe humans should try and reach their full potential. I do not condone a lot of what past eugenicists have done… experimenting on people and trying to eliminate certain races or genes. That is inhumane and extreme. I'm not sure I would classify Neolutionism as eugenical or utopian anyway. Neotopian, maybe?"
Cosima cocked her head to the side, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Hmm… alright then. I guess I can see your side. I don't necessarily agree, but hey, maybe one day. You'll just have to show, don't tell… like I said. I'm Cosmia, by the way." Cosima stuck out her hand to Delphine, which Delphine took firmly in hers.
"Delphine," she said. They were smiling at each other warmly, both apparently unwilling to let go of the other's hand. Then Aldous appeared, his hand going to the small of Delphine's back in his usual possessive manner as he made to introduce himself. Cosima was observant and Delphine saw her eyes note his hand on her back. Then Cosima withdrew her hand and Delphine suddenly felt very uncomfortable. She stiffened slightly under Leekie's hand, and clasped her hands in front of her. His presence was actually… annoying her. He'd just walked up and inserted himself into their conversation and she didn't like it. That was new.
"Aldous, this is Cosima. She's studying evolutionary development," Delphine said. "Cosima, this is Dr. Aldous Leekie, my… mentor."
Cosima was far too intelligent to miss even just the second's pause between Delphine's words. There was no doubt in Delphine's mind that Cosima knew what was going on. She felt herself start to blush, both with embarrassment and the confusion of why the opinion of someone she just met should matter so much to her.
"A pleasure, Cosima," Aldous said as he reached out to shake Cosima's hand. "An interesting field you've chosen there. Are you here at my lecture hoping to broaden your view on the possibilities of human evolution?"
"I was just kind of curious, actually," Cosima said nonchalantly. "Saw an interview with one of your so-called Freaky Leekies on the Ellen Show. Thought I'd come check this out."
Delphine had to bite her lip extra hard to keep from laughing. "She is very cheeky, this girl…" Delphine explained to Aldous, who was looking equal parts amused and intrigued by Cosima's sassy remark. "But that's why I like her." Delphine said it before she realized what she actually meant by it. She'd really only just met Cosima but she could already tell that Cosima was an extremely likable person.
"Cheeky is good," Aldous said, studying Cosima closely. "Cheeky is outspoken and that's something more people should strive to be. Perhaps you should have a look at DYAD, Cosima?" He pulled one of his business cards out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her. "It would be an honor to have you consider us." He looked at Delphine as he said "us" and Delphine again felt very annoyed by the possessiveness. Then he excused himself to go talk to an alumnus of the university, and she and Cosima were left alone by the wine table again.
"Well maybe it's just my cheekiness coming into play here," Cosima said with a grin. "But I'm pretty sure he's not just your mentor."
Delphine blushed furiously, her teeth worrying her lower lip. "It is… complicated. Aldous appreciates my mind. He understands me like no one else."
"So you let him appreciate the rest of you as well?" Cosima asked. She certainly didn't beat around the bush. But then again, with what they were discussing, there really wasn't a need to. Still… the way she said it made Delphine feel defensive.
"I'm not sleeping with him for a grade if that's what you're insinuating."
"It's not. I doubt you'd have to sleep with him for a grade, anyway. You're clearly hella smart. Plus all a girl like you would have to do to charm a guy like him is flirt a little and bat those pretty eyes and he'd be puddy in your hands. Hell… that's all you'd have to do to charm anyone, probably." Cosima smiled warmly, her tongue poking out from behind her teeth. "I was just wondering if there's any real passion or emotion there. Or if maybe you're just with him because he's the only person who's been mentally on your level and he's… ya know… rich and powerful and all that stuff. Wouldn't be the first girl to fall for that kinda thing."
Delphine didn't know if it was the intimate nature of the discussion (with a perfect stranger, basically) or the fact that Cosima was almost dead-on with her analysis… it was most likely a combination of the two… but she felt really raw and uncomfortable. She crossed her arms over her chest, inwardly cursing herself for being so open and honest.
"Hey, don't get upset, please?" Cosima reached out to her, placing her hand over one of Delphine's. "Look, I'm not judging you. I'm just… well, cheeky… like you said. But also I can kinda sense that you aren't as happy as you'd like to be and that kinda sucks." She stroked her thumb across Delphine's knuckles, her expression warm and sincere. Delphine found herself wanting to lean into that warmth.
"I'm not upset," Delphine said. "Not really, anyway. It's just a bit odd saying all of this to a stranger."
"Totally get ya," Cosima nodded. "Sooo maybe we should ditch this place and get to know each other better?" Cosima looked around and grabbed two bottles of wine from the table, slipping them discreetly into the bag she was carrying and motioning for Delphine to follow her as she headed for the doors. Delphine gasped quietly, mouthing no at Cosima, but Cosima wasn't having it. So, against her better judgment, Delphine followed Cosima outside.
"I totally feel like Aladdin taking Princess Jasmine on a magic carpet ride right now," Cosima giggled as she took Delphine's hand and they started across the snow-covered courtyard. "Just don't ask me to start singing to you. I'm awful."
"That's a shame. I love A Whole New World." Delphine made a great show of looking around. "Where's the magic carpet?"
"Oh damn! It's in the shop… or… at the cleaners? Guess we'll have to improvise. Oh! Let's steal some bikes!" Cosima tugged on her hand.
"Oh no, that's too much crime for me," Delphine said, digging her feet in and shaking her head.
"Aww okay," Cosima pouted cutely. "How's about a good old fashioned bus ride?"
"A bus?" Delphine asked incredulously. "Where to?"
"That's a surprise," Cosima said, then she got the dorkiest grin on her face before lightly singing, "Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?" Delphine giggled immensely.
"I thought you couldn't sing!" Delphine had to admit that Cosima couldn't sing very well but it was still very cute. Cosima just ignored her, continuing the song as they headed to the bus stop.
"I can open your eyes… take you wonder by wonder. Over, sideways, and under, on a magic carpet ride." Cosima took Delphine's hand and held it up, twirling and dancing under it, moving over, sideways, and under as she sang the words. Delphine couldn't help but sing along quietly as she got to "No one to tell us no or where to go. Or say we're only dreaming." Because Cosima felt like freedom, and that was something Delphine craved desperately. And as they got on the bus, Delphine felt a buzz of excitement in her that she hadn't felt in so long.
Everything about Cosima was the opposite of Aldous. Where he was detached, Cosima was open and inviting. She was warm and comforting where he was a calculating. She was small and soft and beautiful… full of youthful energy, life, and passion. Aldous was… well, he was Aldous. He was twice her age and, while he was charming and charismatic, he held none of Cosima's allure.
But there was one thing… Cosima's mind. After just a few minutes of talking, Delphine could tell Cosima was undeniably brilliant. Probably just as brilliant as Aldous, if not more so. And plus, Cosima was one thing that Aldous had never been… compassionate. She cared about people and things. Love and happiness and understanding… those things were what drove her and they were also her goals. She didn't want to control people or change them to fit her ideas. She wanted to help them for their sake and their sake alone. This touched something in Delphine.
She almost forgot they were actually going somewhere. She was so caught up in Cosima… in her laugh and hand gestures and the way she smelled. As they kept on talking, Delphine found herself increasingly aware of Cosima's mouth. Cosima had a really pretty mouth. Her lips were perfectly pink, and she had on this shimmery lip gloss that only drew more attention to how full her lips were. They were nowhere near Angelina Jolie or Scarlett Johannson level, but they were just the right amount… kissable, Delphine realized. Cosima was definitely kissable.
Delphine had never been attracted to a woman before, though she was not adverse to the idea. She had gay and bisexual friends, and scientifically speaking, sexuality seemed to be more of a spectrum to her anyway. But she was definitely attracted to Cosima. Cosima… with her tattoos and tight burgundy dress and dreadlocks done up in a messy bun. Cosima… with her insanely toned arms and a body that looked deliciously curvy despite her small frame. Yeah, Cosima was definitely her type of woman, Delphine decided.
"Ours is the next stop," Cosima said after they'd been on the bus for quite some time, barely containing her urge to bounce up and down on the seat.
"Should I be afraid?" Delphine said with fake apprehension.
"Maybe. Maybe not. I'm gonna keep you guessing," Cosima nudged her with her shoulder playfully.
Delphine was torn between being bold and playing it a bit coy. She had an inkling that Cosima was into women. Most women didn't… well, they didn't act with other women the way Cosima was acting with her unless they were interested. She decided to at least give it a tiny shot.
"So… you said I'm Jasmine, and you're Aladdin…" Delphine started off shyly.
"Yeah," Cosima said, smiling. "And I guess that makes Leekie Jafar."
"Hey, that's…" Delphine started out defensive but then had to admit that the image of Leekie dressed as Jafar with a talking parrot was nothing short of hilarious. "… pretty good, actually. And I guess this is our magic carpet. But…"
"But what?" Cosima said, watching Delphine closely.
"… well, you remember what happens at the end of the magic carpet ride, right?"
"I'm not going to lie to you and say I was actually royalty in disguise the whole time, don't worry," Cosima replied innocently.
"That's a relief, but not what I was referring to," Delphine said, nibbling her lower lip.
"Oh… right. Then what were you referring to, princess?" Cosima was clearly the one playing coy, but she had inched closer on the seat to where their thighs were touching and her upper body was turned to face Delphine.
"I… well, everyone knows that's when Aladdin and Jasmine finally kiss." The words sort of stumbled out of Delphine's mouth, but they elicited the hoped-for reaction from Cosima. Her face lit up with a cocky grin and her gaze flicked down to Delphine's mouth.
"Yeah, that's how it goes, right? And I'm at your service, princess," Cosima started to lean in, her eyes searching Delphine's face. Delphine had a brief second of panic… not at kissing a girl, but at kissing THIS girl. It was in that brief second that their "magic carpet" drove over a speed bump and jostled her, making her lean directly into Cosima and her lips. They giggled softly against each other, and even though it could have been horribly awkward, Delphine thought it was the exact opposite: it was the perfect icebreaker.
Delphine saw Cosima's eyes close, and Cosima's hand reached up to Delphine's shoulder as their lips brushed gently against each other's. Cosima's lips were just as soft as she'd imagined, and infinitely sweeter. When Cosima took her lower lip between hers and sucked lightly, Delphine's eyes fluttered and so did her stomach, a soft sigh escaping her. Without her knowing it, one of Delphine's hands came up to stroke along Cosima's neck, following the smaller woman's lead and alternating between kissing each of her lips. Delphine felt a shiver run through Cosima when she flicked her tongue against the seam of her mouth, and Cosima's lips parted eagerly. Delphine's hand slid behind the brunette's head, tilting her head back slightly as her tongue slipped against Cosima's.
Just as their tongues brushed, the bus driver announced their stop. Cosima made a noise that vaguely resembled a growl, her hand squeezing at Delphine's shoulder before pulling away, giving Delphine's tongue a determined suckle in the process that made Delphine squirm on the seat. Delphine opened her eyes, looking at Cosima dazedly.
"This is our stop," Cosima said with a satisfied smile.
She was still a little in awe of how different it felt to kiss Cosima. It hadn't even been that long of a kiss but it was really, REALLY good. And yeah, it was different from kissing a guy, but in the best way she could think of. She subconsciously let her tongue run along her lips, picking up the remaining traces of Cosima's lipgloss and the taste that was just distinctively Cosima. She didn't even realize she was doing it until she heard Cosima groan quietly.
"Don't do that," Cosima whispered, leaning in to give Delphine a quick peck, "Not here at least." Then she winked and grabbed Delphine's hand, leading her off the bus. A few of the people around them gave them stern looks, but Delphine couldn't care less. All she cared about was the girl holding her hand and where she was taking her. It made her feel a little… well, easy, but it crossed her mind that she hoped it was Cosima's place they were heading to.
They walked from the bus stop and around the block. Cosima smiled at the guy working the flower stall on the corner and he held up a flower for her free of charge. Apparently everyone was susceptible to Cosima's charms, Delphine thought to herself. Then Cosima turned to hand the flower to Delphine, but before Delphine could take it, Cosima reached up and tucked it into her hair.
"Flowers in winter are amazing, aren't they?" Cosima said. "Like a little blossom of life when everything else is hiding away."
"Oui… I like that," Delphine said, blushing. "So… where is it you're taking me?"
"Voila!" Cosima said with great emphasis as she stopped in front of Delphine, making a grand gesture to the building beside them. "Here we are, your majesty!"
Delphine turned to look at what she was pointing at. They were in the heart of downtown, and the shop Cosima was indicating was a bookstore. It also dealt specifically with antiques, maps, and vinyl records. One look at Cosima and you could definitely tell she liked to mix the old or "vintage" in with the new. Delphine couldn't help but smile.
"I know it's nerdy, but I thought you might appreciate it. They have some really amazing stuff. Besides," Cosima looked at her feet, looking very much like a neglected child, "no one else ever really wants to come here. It'd be awesome to share the awesomeness with someone, ya know?" Delphine immediately reached out for Cosima's hand, lacing their fingers together and squeezing her hand reassuringly. Then Cosima looked up with the most adorable, hopeful look on her face, and Delphine just barely suppressed the urge to kiss her again.
"Come on," Delphine said. "Show me all the wonders you told me about." The smile Cosima gave her just then was beyond blinding and she practically skipped into the shop with Delphine in tow. And show her, she did. Cosima showed her all of the books she'd fallen in love with over the years. They liked a lot of the same books, and they both dorked out over an exceptionally old copy of "An Origin of Species."
Cosima explained that she'd never been able to afford it, and even if she could, she was afraid it would end up ruined because she was so spastic at times. Delphine could see Cosima getting really into a conversation one day and accidentally knocking a mug of coffee over onto the book just as her hands got going. That would be sad, indeed. But what was even sadder was the way Cosima looked when she put the book back on the shelf. Eventually they came to the maps section, and Cosima picked a particularly large one out of a shelf and brought it over to a table in the middle of the room, rolling it out very carefully.
"We're actually not supposed to touch these. The ones on that shelf are hella old. But, the owners know me and like me so they let me play with the toys," Cosima grinned like a kid who knew she was getting away with breaking the rules. "This one is actually from the late 1700s. They were just filling in the missing pieces of the world…" Cosima was running her fingers over its surface. "Told ya I was gonna show you the world, princess."
Delphine giggled and leaned across the table, looking at the map. "Yes, but where will we go? There are so many places." She looked back at Cosima then, and was both unsurprised and incredibly pleased to see that Cosima had been checking her out as she leaned over. Cosima took her time dragging her gaze from Delphine's ass back to her face, looking very much unashamed that she'd been caught staring. Then she leaned forward on her arms so she was on Delphine's level, studying the map before turning her head to study Delphine.
"Wherever you wanna go," she said softly. "Wherever you are, that sounds good enough to me." And the way Cosima looked at Delphine in that instant, Delphine was completely certain no one had ever looked at her like that before. And they'd never said anything with such sincerity and what seemed like selflessness.
Guys had looked at her with desire, some of which was flattering and some of which was uncomfortable. Some had even regarded her in what she'd assumed was a tender fashion. Aldous always studied her carefully, and sometimes he visibly desired and admired her… but he'd never looked at her like Cosima was looking at her. It was such a potent mixture of pure desire and adoration, and Delphine felt herself blushing before she finally managed to look away.
"Okay… how about India?" Delphine said as her finger pointed to the country on the map. "I've never been, but I hear it's lovely. And so full of rich culture!"
"Mmhmm," Cosima murmured, reaching out to trace one of her fingers along the map. "And what about Paris? You're from there, but I've never been. Think you could show a silly American tourist around?"
"I would love to," Delphine smiled as she moved her hand, placing her's on top of Cosima's and letting their hands travel together across the map, their index fingers pointing to the same places. "And Amsterdam? The people are so friendly."
"Oh hell yeah, we could have loads of fun in Amsterdam," Cosima said excitedly. "And how about Iceland? It's supposed to be otherworldly in how beautiful it is."
"I can only imagine," Delphine said softly, glancing over at Cosima from beneath her lashes. She was hoping to be subtle. Cosima really was so beautiful. She'd thought that the moment she'd laid eyes on her. But the more time she spent with her, the more beautiful she became. And, as corny as it was, it wasn't just the physical stuff. Cosima radiated beautiful energy and warmth, and Delphine just wanted to get lost in her forever. She was hoping to be subtle, but apparently it didn't work.
"Delphine…" Cosima said slowly. She had noticed her staring, and for all Delphine knew, the look on her face was probably as hungry as she was really feeling. The moment Delphine decided to make her move was the moment it clicked for Cosima too. Delphine saw the shift in Cosima's posture, the slight darkening of her eyes, the flare of her nostrils.
Delphine reached for Cosima's hips and pulled her close, her lips finding Cosima's without hesitation. This wasn't like the kiss on the bus. There was no ice to break, no shyness or feelings of being unsure. This was heat and desire and it was instinctive. There was nothing to be unsure of, because her body and heart knew what they wanted even if her mind was still a bit foggy on the details.
Cosima's arms went around Delphine's neck, pushing herself up into Delphine until they were flush. This elicited satisfied whimpers from each of them. Delphine reveled in how soft Cosima was, and she wanted to feel more, to explore more of what Cosima had to offer. Delphine pushed back, Cosima's ass hitting the edge of the table behind them. Cosima started to hop up on the table, but then thought better of it.
"The map," she said. Delphine saw what she meant and for a second she considered rolling up the map and putting it back onto its shelf. But then she realized there was another table just a couple of meters from them. Apparently Cosima noticed this too because before either of them knew what was happening, they were stumbling back towards the table, lips locked passionately together as Delphine wrapped an arm around Cosima's waist and helped her hop onto the table.
Delphine had never been in this kind of situation before… she'd definitely never been in the more dominant position. She felt her confidence waver just slightly, but then Cosima's hands were sliding under her sweater, her nails scraping lightly across the skin of her lower stomach and hips before roaming around and down to her ass. She moaned into Cosima's mouth, a little too loudly probably but she didn't care.
Cosima had to reach down to adjust her skirt… it was insanely tight on her, which was perfect when she was standing up and wanting people to check out her ass. But when she was in this position, it just made things like… well, spreading her legs, insanely difficult. She wriggled slightly and hiked it up practically to her waist. Her hands immediately went back to Delphine's backside, pulling her in just as her legs wrapped around the tall blonde's waist.
Their kisses were reaching a fever pitch, an endless tangle of gasps and tongues and teeth. Cosima finally caught Delphine's lower lip between her teeth, tugging outward and then releasing before giving it a soothing kiss. Delphine moaned her approval, grinding her hips into Cosima in one slow, fluid motion.
She pulled Cosima's hips into hers, wrapping an arm around Cosima's upper body and lowering her onto her back. Then Delphine was leaning in, trailing kisses up the length of Cosima's neck, stopping every time she heard Cosima's breath catch to give that particular spot a lick or a nip. Her hand worked its way inside the tight material of Cosima's blouse, her fingers ghosting across Cosima's ribcage before finally closing around one of her breasts. There was still the material of a lacey bra between her hand and Cosima's skin, but Delphine was again in awe of the softness of Cosima's body. Cosima's breasts weren't particularly big, but Delphine thought they were absolutely perfect because they fit Cosima just right and they were also the perfect size for Delphine's hands.
It took her a minute, but she figured out that Cosima's bra was a front clasp, and then she undid it easily, brushing the material aside and letting her fingertips dance across newly exposed skin. She gave Cosima a soft squeeze and brushed her thumb back and forth across a hardening nipple. Just as she took it between her fingers and tugged, her tongue flicked out to tease the soft skin behind Cosima's ear. The passionate groan she got from Cosima, coupled with the feeling of Cosima arching and grinding up into her was almost overkill to Delphine's senses.
Cosima's fingers were nimbler than hers. One second Cosima's hands were just grazing along her lower back and the next they had undone the clasp of her bra and were sliding around to massage pliant flesh. The thought hovered in the back of Delphine's mind that they were actually in a public place and someone could walk in at any moment. But that thought evaporated as soon as she felt Cosima's fingers on her nipple, rolling it between her thumb and forefinger before pinching it. Cosima had also managed to turn her head and scrape her teeth along the arc between Delphine's neck and shoulder, the warmth of her breath and the slight sting of her teeth as they bit down making Delphine's breath hiss out between clenched teeth.
"You're really good at this," Delphine groaned next to Cosima's ear. She felt Cosima shiver, and that brought a smile to her lips.
"Said I was at your service, princess," Cosima said breathlessly, extracting one hand from Delphine's sweater to tangle it in her hair, bringing their mouths back together in a deep kiss. She managed to push herself up to a sitting position, her legs still wrapped around Delphine's waist. Her other hand slid down the taut plane of Delphine's stomach to the front of her jeans, fingers easily undoing the button and zipper before sliding under the denim and pressing intimately against Delphine through the fabric of her underwear.
Delphine mewled into Cosima's mouth, her hips thrusting as she tried to build more friction against Cosima's fingers. But determined to not seem incompetent or selfish, one of Delphine's hands found their way up the inside of Cosima's thighs, the material of Cosima's patterned tights rough beneath her fingers compared to the softness she encountered when she finally touched silky skin. She expected to encounter underwear of some kind, but instead her fingers found nothing but Cosima... hot and wet and apparently very, very sensitive. Delphine had never been more satisfied or aroused to feel someone's desire for her. The feeling of Cosima under her fingers was heady and addictive and each experimental brush of her fingers between Cosima's silken outer lips had Cosima whimpering and writhing against her.
"Tease," Cosima hissed as her fingers pushed aside Delphine's panties and dipped into liquid heat. Delphine felt her knees go weak and a very French curse slipped from her mouth. When Cosima's fingers, first just one, and then the second, pushed slowly inside of her, she couldn't hold in the deep moan that seemed to start all the way in her stomach. And then Cosima's thumb was rubbing back and forth with insistent pressure against her clit, and Delphine hoped that no one was on that floor because she was doing a horrible job of holding in the noises Cosima was coaxing from her.
She decided to follow Cosima's lead. Her fingers slipped between Cosima's velvet folds and into her core. Cosima groaned and Delphine couldn't bite back a sound of satisfaction at the feeling of being inside of her. She'd only ever felt one woman her entire life… herself. And it did nothing to prepare her for how arousing it was to feel Cosima pulsing hotly around her fingers. She was really tight, Delphine realized, and even wetter than she'd previously thought.
Then they started moving together, the backs of their hands pressed together between them as their hips thrust forward to meet the other's fingers. Their free hands seemed to be everywhere: running through hair, gripping hips and thighs. Cosima's legs held Delphine prisoner and Delphine's lips would never leave Cosima's for more than a few seconds. Almost every sound they made was swallowed by the other's kisses. It wasn't long before their movements became frenzied, their breathing labored as they each inched closer to climax.
"C-c-cli… clit!" Cosima gasped breathlessly. Through the haze of arousal and pleasure in her brain, it took a second for Delphine to understand what she meant. Then Cosima bit down on the underside of Delphine's jaw, growling softly. "Please baby… my clit…" She punctuated each word with a purposeful flick of her thumb against Delphine's sensitive flesh, and Delphine did as she asked, starting to rub forceful circles around Cosima's clit.
Her toes were just beginning to curl inside her shoes, her legs trembling beneath her when Cosima curled her fingers inside of her, stroking the front of her inner wall at the exact same time her thumb pressed against Delphine's clit. Everything seemed to go blank for a split-second before erupting in overwhelming sensation. Delphine cried out, her hips jerking forward a few more times and the fingers of her free hand digging into Cosima's ass as she shuddered in release. Even through all of it, Delphine was aware of Cosima reaching down to grab her hand and hold it there, grinding a few more times before going momentarily still, her muscles clenching tightly around Delphine's fingers and then she quaked against Delphine, a colorful stream of curse words slipping from her lips as she came.
Delphine didn't know how long they sat there just holding each other as their breathing slowed and their bodies stopped shuddering with aftershocks. But finally Cosima nuzzled against the hollow of Delphine's throat and kissed up to her chin, smiling as she looked into her eyes.
"Wow," she said happily.
"Hmm?" Delphine hummed as she brushed her nose against Cosima's.
"Princess has got a wild side," Cosima teased as her hands stroked along Delphine's sides and up to readjust her bra for her.
"Are you disappointed I'm not so innocent?" Delphine teased back.
"Fuck no!" Cosima said automatically, making Delphine laugh. "As a matter of fact, I think this might be my new favorite spot."
"Oui, mine too. You definitely… opened my eyes," Delphine said carefully.
"Mmmhmm," Cosima nodded, a wicked smile coming to bear as something entered her mind. Then she started humming. "Open your eyes, take you," Cosima wiggled her eyebrows as she said that, "wonder by wonder. Over, sideways, and under… Well I guess the table counts as over. Now for sideways and under I think we'll have to go back to my place…"
Delphine bit her lower lip, on purpose this time, her fingers playing along Cosima's thighs. "Alright," she whispered. "But you might have to take me to dinner first."
"As you command," Cosima said as she hopped down from the table, pulling her skirt down and fastening the buttons on her blouse. "And I've still got those bottles of wine." She gave Delphine a quick kiss before turning around and heading towards the back of the shop. "I have to go… freshen up. I'll be right back."
Delphine sighed happily. It had certainly been an eventful afternoon. In just a few short hours, she'd met someone who had completely turned her world upside down. Cosima was everything Delphine had ever wanted, and Delphine hadn't even been entirely sure of WHAT she wanted until very recently. But Cosima was free and wild and with her, Delphine could be free too. And yet… Cosima was also like coming home.
This made Delphine's heart and stomach flutter. Was she in love with this girl after not even half a day with her? She thought of the one time she'd believed herself to be in love before, and it didn't even compare to this in intensity. Maybe I do love her, she thought. Whatever this was, Delphine was not going to let it go. She wanted to know how Cosima felt, and she wanted to make Cosima feel the same way she did.
It suddenly occurred to her what she should do. She didn't know how long she had left but she rushed back to the bookshelf she remembered "The Origin of Species" being on and plucked it from its place. She had a good bit of money saved up and also from her parents. The book was expensive but she instinctively knew that Cosima was worth it.
She took it to the front desk and paid quickly. She was sure she looked more than a little suspicious with her rumpled clothes, messy hair, and kiss-swollen lips. The cashier sure gave her a curious look, but said nothing. Cosima was just getting back to the place they'd… consummated their affection… when Delphine made it back as well. She made sure to hide the book in her bag.
"Alright, let's go!" Cosima said enthusiastically. "I'm actually starving. Making love to a beautiful woman can do that to ya!" Then she winked and looped her arm through Delphine's as they headed out. Making love, Delphine thought. She called it "making love." She was a romantic. Delphine thought some romance would be a nice change of pace.
Cosima took her to a little sushi place just down the street. The food was delicious and they spent the whole time talking and giggling and playing footsy beneath the table. After they finished sharing their piece of chocolate cake and Cosima called for the check, Delphine decided it was time to give Cosima her present.
"So…" Delphine began.
"Yes, princess?" Cosima said, smiling that gorgeous, fanged smile of hers. Before that day, Delphine didn't really think she would have liked being called princess. But with Cosima, it was unbelievably cute and there was also a story behind it. All great nicknames and petnames had stories behind them, right?
"I… I got you something," she said shyly. Cosima looked confused, but pleasantly so. Delphine reached down to grab the book out of her bag. The cashier had wrapped it in tissue paper, which actually worked better toward Delphine's goal of surprising Cosima. She handed it to Cosima and mentally crossed her fingers that she'd love it.
"Oohhh what is this? Did you go snag a copy of the Kama Sutra while I was freshening up?" Cosima grinned mischievously and began unceremoniously ripping the tissue paper off.
"Non," Delphine said, smiling. "Something better, I think."
Just as she said it, Cosima had finished ripping and turned the book over to see the cover. She just stared for a few seconds, not saying anything. Delphine was about to ask if she was okay when Cosima looked up at her, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
"You… I can't…" Cosima shook her head and a small little sob shook her shoulders.
"Cosima, I am so sorry. If you feel uncomfortable accepting it, I will take it back…" Delphine started apologizing profusely. But then she realized Cosima was starting to giggle along with her tears.
"Nononono! I'm not uncomfortable accepting it. I mean, I am. You should not have spent so much money on me. But… this book means more to me than I even told you. Look," Cosima said as she pushed it across the table to Delphine, opening it to one of the first pages and pointing to a signature. "My mom owned this book in college. It was one of her favorite things in the world but it accidentally got sold at a garage sale at my grandparents' house when she was away. I found it last year and have been saving up to buy it ever since." Cosima smiled through her tears, sniffling quietly. "And you just bought it for me without question."
"I… I just saw how happy it made you to hold it and then how sad it made you to put it back," Delphine tried to explain. "And then you just make me so happy to be around you… I wanted you to feel that happy too."
"Well congratulations, sweetheart… you've done it." And then Cosima leaned across the table to kiss her, slow and sweet and it sent tingles all the way down to Delphine's toes. "Thank you so much, Delphine," she murmured against Delphine's lips.
Then they heard the sound of someone by the table. The waiter gave them a shy, embarrassed smile as he set down the check and walked away. "I'm sure we made his night," Cosima said. "Now, I've got the check… since you spent a small fortune on a book for me." She busied herself with paying the check, including a handsome tip for the waiter. Then they were up and walking toward Cosima's apartment. She said it was just a couple of blocks away.
"Hey Delphine…" Cosima started to say as they walked hand-in-hand along the sidewalk.
"Yes Cosima?"
"You think a princess would ever really just… ya know… choose a commoner?"
"Of course. Especially if the commoner was very beautiful and charming," Delphine gave Cosima a wink and then added more sincerely, "Or if she cared for the commoner very much."
"You mean like if they loved each other?" Cosima said with a hint of hopefulness in her voice.
"Oui. Like if they loved each other," Delphine nodded, smiling to herself.
"Well Aladdin loved Jasmine very much. Pretty much from the first moment he saw her," Cosima had stopped walking, tugging Delphine to a stop as well. Now they were standing very close and facing each other, illuminated only by the streetlights. "She was the most beautiful woman Aladdin had ever seen. And she was brave and strong-willed… and wicked smart."
"And Jasmine thought Aladdin was very exciting and gorgeous and charming beyond reason. Plus Aladdin was wild and free, which Jasmine always wanted to be," Delphine leaned in, her forehead resting against Cosima's. Cosima's arms went around Delphine's waist, her eyes fluttering shut.
"Be mine, Delphine?" It was so quiet, she barely heard it. But she did hear it, and those words made her entire world catch fire. Cosima asked it so tentatively… she wasn't possessive or demanding. Belonging to Cosima would never be a one-way street. Cosima would be hers, too. And it was just that: belonging. She belonged with Cosima. They belonged together. She'd known it from the start, but it hadn't really clicked until just that moment.
"I already am, mon amour," Delphine whispered softly. The way Cosima looked at her in that moment was the definition of love. She pushed up onto her tiptoes to kiss Delphine softly, and Delphine held her tightly until the cold wind started to make them both shiver.
"Come on, let's go inside. I still have more to show you, princess," Cosima smiled at her and it was equal parts loving and delightfully naughty.
"Okay, but promise me one thing?" Delphine asked. Cosima looked at her expectantly. "That we'll never get off this ride."
"Never," Cosima promised as she tugged Delphine towards her front door, and the start of the biggest adventure Delphine could have ever imagined.
She supposed she'd have to tell Aldous eventually. But only out of courtesy. He didn't own her… she'd never belonged to anyone. Not until this moment. And she wasn't property or a trophy… she was someone's beloved. Some might say she'd been stolen away, but you couldn't steal what was rightfully yours. And she'd been rightfully Cosima's all along.