Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay and I hope this chapter was worth waiting for. I just thought I would let you all know that I won't be able to post quite as regularly over the next three weeks as one of your fellow CJ fans has come to visit. As she's come from the other side of the world, it'd probably be rude to spend the whole time writing fanfiction so I will update when I can but not as regularly as I have been. By the end of the month, normal service shall resume but I will do my best in the meantime. For now, enjoy! IJKS xxx

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Chapter Thirty-Four

Charlie was nervous as she and Joey checked into the hotel together. The way that the desk clerk looked the two women up and down as they checked into a double room was not lost on her but with Joey beside her, she felt stronger. They carried their bags towards their room on the second floor and stepped gratefully inside. It was simple enough with just a bed and a small kitchen area, a large table, a TV and a mini bar with an en suite bathroom. Joey turned to face Charlie, absolutely delighted with her treat. She beamed at her and pulled her into a hug.

"This is amazing, thank you," she said.

Charlie wrapped her arms around Joey, glad to be away from the world they knew with an opportunity to get lost in each other at least for a night. She had spent hours that morning beautifying herself and scrutinising her body in the mirror, hoping that she would be perfect for Joey. If all went well, tonight would be the night that they would give themselves to each other completely. She was surprised to find that at least so far, her excitement was outweighing her nerves.

"I think you're just about worth it," Charlie teased.

"I got you something too actually," Joey said.

She pulled away and delved into the front pocket of her bag. Turning back around, she produced an envelope and handed it over. Charlie opened it curiously and then broke out into a smile. Inside were two tickets to a production of Romeo and Juliet.

"I thought it might be fun to see some professionals in action," Joey explained.

"These are amazing!" Charlie enthused.

She kissed Joey tenderly, thinking that she had the best girlfriend she could ever have asked for.

"So, maybe we could grab some dinner and then head out to the play?" Joey suggested.

"Sounds perfect to me," Charlie confirmed, kissing her again.

***

Charlie and Joey left the theatre holding hands feeling both romantic and inspired. The play had been exceptional. It had been flawless. Charlie and Joey had been moved to tears and they could only hope that their own performances could be even half as good as the actors they had seen tonight. The theatre was only a stone's throw away from the hotel so they took a slow walk back, enjoying the cool breeze of the evening air. Joey felt Charlie run her thumbs over the back of her hands. Both of them were wondering what would happen when they got back to their hotel room.

***

Charlie pushed the door open and Joey closed it behind them. Clicking on the lamp by the bed, the women stood and stared at each other, both attempting to catch their breath. They felt like they had been waiting their whole lives for this moment. Stepping towards each other, they held hands. Lips sought out lips and it felt like the first time. Joey closed her eyes, allowing her other senses to take over. Each point of contact with Charlie's body – their lips moving together, their tongues touching, Charlie's hands on her waist and Joey's hands on Charlie's back – made Joey tingle. She breathed in the scent of Charlie's perfume, she tasted her mouth and she could hear nothing but the sound of their souls uniting. Pulling apart ever so slightly, they looked at each other, confirming that this was really their moment, gliding in unison to the bed. Perched on the edge of it, they slowly began to remove each other's clothes, staying within the upper region that they had already explored several times before. Charlie felt fire coursing through her veins. She felt shy but certain that this was what she wanted, that Joey was what she wanted. She kissed her again and guided Joey onto the back, slipped down to attend to the breasts that she had come to know so well. Joey moaned, beginning to relax and loving Charlie's confidence. She opened her eyes when she felt Charlie undo the button of her trousers. Charlie pulled back, startled.

"Is that not okay?" she asked worriedly.

"No, no, that's perfectly okay," Joey promised.

She kissed her. Charlie looked relieved but her movements appeared to have halted.

"You may continue," Joey said with a grin.

Charlie giggled and unzipped Joey's fly, stroking a hand over the top of the black underwear that she had revealed. Joey shifted her hips in anticipation. She could hardly believe that this was really happening. The night had been so perfect with their seclusion, the meal and the theatre. Everything with Charlie felt like Heaven. Joey raised her hips as Charlie moved down her body to removed them from her, along with her shoes and socks. She fought a brief wave of fear over being so vulnerable with another person but then Charlie came to lie with her again. Looking into her eyes, all her concerns were stilled. How could she feel anything but safe in Charlie's arms? They continued to kiss tenderly, caressing each others lips and exploring each others mouths. Joey raised a hand and cupped Charlie's breast, teasing it and relishing the feel of her against her palm. Charlie took the opportunity to mimic her touch before Joey rolled them over. Straddling her like the first time she had when she'd first seen Charlie topless, Joey began to kiss her way down her girlfriend's perfect body. She reached Charlie's belt and fumbled with it and undoing it swiftly before removing her trousers and heels. Sitting back, she admired the view she had now of Charlie, stretched out on the bed in nothing but her underwear, one thin piece of material keeping them apart. Lowering her mouth, Joey placed a soft but lingering kiss on the fabric, feeling the heat coming off Charlie in waves. Charlie was rigid with nerves, wondering what Joey would think of her. She knew that Joey was anxious after everything she had been through but at least she had past experience. Charlie felt like a virgin again and she was afraid of getting it wrong. She wondered if lesbians expected a different kind of body than men did. She feared criticism or ridicule, even though she knew that Joey wasn't like that. She was so desperate to be perfect for the woman she loved and she was terribly afraid that she wouldn't be. They had waited so long to be together. What if, now that they were here, Joey was disappointed? What if she didn't like how Charlie looked or felt or tasted? What if Charlie's pre-conceptions about what lesbian sex was like was wrong? What if she'd completely misunderstood what girls did together? What if she responded wrong or worse, if when she was pleasuring Joey, she messed it up? What if she spent hours and hours struggling and Joey just lay there bored and unable to orgasm? Joey's face appearing in front of her brought her out of her thoughts.

"Where did you go?" Joey asked worriedly.

"Nowhere," Charlie lied.

"Charlie…" Joey said, her voice low, demanding an answer.

"I'm afraid of getting this wrong," she admitted.

Joey kissed her.

"Just relax," she said. "Everything is going to be perfect."

Charlie nodded. She unclenched her body and smiled.

"Are you sure you wanted to do this?"

"I do."

She gasped quietly when she felt Joey run her fingertips gently over the material of her thong.

"Because I can stop at any moment," Joey said, teasing.

Charlie felt her whole body responding to Joey's touch. She was more than ready for what was to come.

"Don't you dare," she warned.

Joey grinned, encouraged and aroused. She eased herself down Charlie's body, parting her legs a little further and removing Charlie's skimpy underwear. Charlie tensed again slightly, awaiting judgement. Joey just gazed at her.

"You're beautiful," she whispered.

Charlie lay back against the bed, relaxing into Joey's touch as she delved into her most intimate place, first stroking her with her thumbs, following with her tongue. Her exploration was tentative at first, without a specific goal. She just wanted to get to know her and learn her responses before building a delightful rhythm that pushed Charlie up and over the realm of joy. Thrilled that she had succeeded in pleasing Charlie, Joey saw her through to the end. She placed kisses on her centre and her inner thighs as Charlie struggled to recover. When she'd become still again and caught her breath, Joey crept up again to lie in her arms. Both were perspiring. Joey kissed her mouth. They smiled into the kiss, elated that they had begun this step of intimacy.

"Was that… was it…?" Joey asked a little nervously.

She didn't like to ask but she had to make sure that she was everything Charlie had hoped she would be.

"It was amazing," Charlie confirmed. "You were amazing."

Joey beamed.

"I hope I can…"

"Charlie, there's no pressure if you don't want…"

Charlie swiftly flipped Joey onto her back, making her giggle.

"I take it that you do!" she commented.

Charlie kissed her mouth.

"I very, very much do," she confirmed.

Lying on her side beside her, Charlie admired Joey's body. She let her hands wander down over Joey's breasts and tummy, resting at the top of her one remaining item of clothing. She slipped her fingers inside, maintaining eye contact with Joey as she crept down and found what she was looking for. She was delighted by how ready Joey was to receive her. Slowly, she began to explore, relying on her sense of touch and watching Joey's responses. She enjoyed the smile playing on her lover's lips, the way she breathed a little erratically, shifted her hips and jerked when Charlie touched a place that was particularly sensitive. Spurred on, Charlie shifted so that she was in line with Joey's waist. She could hardly believe that she was really there, making love to a woman. She had to see her, taste her, breathe her in. Judging by the way Joey felt against her fingers, the rest would be incredible too. Slipping Joey's underwear off, Charlie tentatively began to explore her partner, using her mouth and her fingers in unison. She let Joey's responses guide her, showing her what she particularly liked, which to be fair, seemed to be everything. The sound of Joey moaning and calling her name was enough to make Charlie want to orgasm all over again. Aside from experiencing what she just had at Joey's hands, feeling Joey writhing beneath her was the biggest turn on of her life. She felt Joey begin to shudder against her mouth. She couldn't help but smile, pleased with herself as she kept up her movements. Joey's orgasm came in a rush of delight for both of them. Charlie kept going, the same way Joey had but softly and carefully until Joey had recovered. Then she snuggled her face into Joey's breasts. Both their hearts were racing as they clung to each other, perspiring more than ever. Charlie lifted her face and smothered Joey's face with kisses.

"I love you," she breathed.

"I love you too," Joey replied. "That was… That was wow."

Charlie smiled, full of adoration, kissing her again. Nothing had ever felt so right before.