The Morning After

Una's eyes slowly opened. Sunlight flooded through the windows, a rare sight for a space explorer. A soft blanket lay across her waist and upper thighs, leaving bare chest, arms, and legs. Her long hair cascaded across and down her shoulders. She lay on her side, Erin on her back. Una's right thigh crossed Erin's, its ankle tucked under Erin's left calf. The other woman's hand rested on the small of Una's back. With her head nestled there, Una could feel the rise and fall of Erin's chest and the accompanying quiet breaths.

Feeling content and satisfied, Una closed her eyes and cataloged each sight, fragrance, taste, sound, and touch; recorded every sensation from last night into her extraordinary memory. Hookups were a rarity in her life for multiple reasons. Meeting someone new was capricious and infrequent when living and working on a starship away from port for weeks or months at a time. Her position as first officer and it's role of liaison between captain and crew complicated casual intimacy with subordinates and superiors. And anything more enduring threatened carefully built fictions protecting her.

Una could not openly live as her true self.

One- or two-night encounters never repeated with that lover were her rule. She hid a natural physical demonstrativeness, yet craved touch from another and yearned to give it. Remembrances had to fill the voids.

Last night with Erin, for a few brief hours, the boundaries dissolved, veils dropped, and Una embraced and was the whole of who she is. This morning she straddled the border. In a few hours when they parted, her mask would fully snap back into place.

"Morning Commander," a voice whispered as her hand trailed up from Una's back and softly stroked her hair, gently running fingers through the silky and tangled locks.

Though reluctant to leave her snug cocoon, Una propped on an elbow. Her lips brushed Erin's before trailing to the cleft of Erin's chin, rounding it.

Turning her head to the side, Erin bared her neck. She closed her eyes and sighed as the soft affectionate kisses continued down and across it.

Drawing on those memories from last night, Una targeted Erin's two favored and sensitive spots, stroking her inner thigh and at the same time resting a hand on Erin's left breast, fingers idly caressing it. Erin placed her own hand over Una's and lightly squeezed.

The caresses quickened, crossed into rubbing. Una's hand kneaded echoing the tightening squeezes, while her mouth lowered to the other breast. Erin's soft coos urged more, her squirms and arching back, which Una silently labeled delicious, aroused.

"Together this time," Una whispered in her ear.

"You're insatiable," Erin teased while tucking hair behind the other woman's ear.

"I've always wanted to make love with a ballerina," Una murmured. During the night, Erin had confessed her childhood dream.

"And I've always wanted to sleep with Diana Prince," Erin replied with a grin. "Top or bottom?"

Una chuckled. "Superhero's always on top." She nipped Erin's earlobe before repositioning with head facing the foot of the bed.

ooooo

Afterwards both lost track of time as they lay on their sides, facing one another, foreheads touching, arms encircling the other's waist, whispering compliments and romanticisms in the other's ear. Sweet nothings in old slang.

"Shower?" Erin murmured.

"Hmmm, bath?" Una countered before explaining, "That's a nonexistent luxury on a starship." A pause. Una hands withdrew and fidgeted.

Erin found the outwardly cool, professional, confident officer's nervous fumbling endearing.

"I noticed your soaking tub … and … uh … we'd both fit," Una haltingly proposed.

The other woman smiled in response.

Una thought, her easy smiles, they spring from within and are charming.

"I'll get it started and grab a snack," Erin replied. She rolled out of bed.

Una furtively admired Erin's lissome body as she glided across the room and pulled a robe from the closet, laying out a second which would fit Una's taller, larger frame.

While she cinched the belt around her waist, Erin admired Una's toned form as she stretched like a satisfied cat, extending arms and legs to their fullest reach, back arcing off the mattress. And noticed a small tattoo on the Starfleet officer's back, but her slight nearsightedness couldn't discern its detail.

In the bathroom a delicate floral scent wafted from the warm water. Una guessed lotus or orchid, the fragrance was slightly exotic. And tempered by a clean aroma as well as a tropical note, maybe coconut? Shedding her robe, she trailed fingers through the clear water before entering the tub, it felt like the softest of silk. Erin had drawn the bath with oils rather than bubbles. Once immersed Una noticed scents hinting of mandarin, jasmine and green like a spring forest. She leaned against the back of the tub, settled into the pampering. And sighed.

Erin entered and placed a tray on a nearby table. "Scooch up," she directed as her robe fell onto the floor. After Una complied, Erin climbed into the tub behind her. "I brought strawberries and a flavored sparkling water. After this I'll make us a proper breakfast. Do you like strawberries? If not, I have other fruit."

"Strawberries are good … my comfort food actually," Una said, pausing before revealing a personal datum, then reaching for one of the fruits. Erin handed her a glass. The fizzing water tasted faintly of oranges and red berries.

"It enhances the flavor," Erin explained. They finished the food and drink.

Resting against Erin's chest, wrapped in the comfortable embrace of her arms and legs, lulled by the warm water and fragrance, entranced by the song softly playing in the background with its Latin rhythms, guitar and drum, two female voices singing a duet in language not recognized yet clearly infused with intimacy and affection, Una settled into the moment.

Neither initiated sex. This was about being playful, about the feel of another against skin, about cuddling, about enjoying desire rather than satiating it. About reveling in sensual indulgences, ones lost in the mistaken assumption the goal of all intimacy is climax. They petted and chatted.

"How long is your leave?" Erin asked. She reached for a sponge sitting by the tray on the table.

"Three days. I report back Tuesday morning."

Erin soaked the sponge in the bath water then dribbled it across Una's abdomen. "I've been rather selfish, monopolizing your evening and now first full day of vacation. You must be looking forward to spending time in your own place and seeing your friends."

"Ah …" Una paused. "I'm from a colony planet and don't have a house or apartment here. Not really worth it. When off ship I bunk in officer's housing."

"Oh. I didn't think that through. Yes, of course. For you, maintaining a planet-side residence is a lot of work and expense with little use." Erin soaked the sponge again and rubbed it over Una's shoulders and arms, down to her fingertips, over her palms and wrists. "Sit up." Then across and down her back. "What other professions did little Una consider?"

"None."

Erin continued sponging Una, now moving it in circles across her body.

Una continued, "I only ever wanted to join Starfleet and explore the galaxy. And beyond."

"That's …"

"Odd?" Una posed.

"No. Not at all. Amazing really. To be so sure. Have you ever regretted the choice? Sorry, you don't have to answer that."

"Never," Una confirmed.

"Want me to wash your hair?"

Loosening the locks from their messy bun Una slid under the water, wetting her hair, then resurfaced.

Erin chuckled, "I'll take that as an affirmative." With shampoo in her hands, she ran fingers through Una's hair to its tips, coaxing suds. Her fingers then massaged those suds around the scalp. Water poured from a cup washed the shampoo away before Erin repeated the process. "Feel good?"

Una nodded. "Very. You next."

"This is a special treat for one of the many who protect us. A vacation present," Erin replied before applying conditioner and working it into every strand. After rinsing, Erin patiently toweled the water out of Una's hair until it passed from wet to damp then carefully removed every snarl with a comb.

She smiled. "A kiss may be your tip."

Una shifted, effortlessly turning and sliding onto Erin's lap, straddling it and bracing her weight on bended legs. She tilted Erin's chin up and deposited a chaste kiss. Which served as a prelude to a longer one, this time Una's hands cupped Erin's cheeks.

"Lull as long as you want," Erin said as she exited the tub and pulled on her robe. "I'll make … well at this point I think we have to call it a late lunch. Any allergies or dislikes I should know about?"

"None. Replicated is fine, really."

"Oh for goodness sake. I don't own a replicator," Erin retorted. "So, I'll surprise you."

Una's expression and tone of voice turned sheepish, "I should find my uniform …"

Erin grinned before saying, "Hallway," Then added, "And it's a bit wrinkled, or rather a lot wrinkled. I left another choice in the bedroom, nothing fancy, just yoga pants and tee shirt. She paused at the door, her voice faltered a bit and her body language telegraphed hesitancy and vulnerability rather than the breezy confidence Una had seen to this point. "This may be forward … but … you could stay here for your leave … instead of … an impersonal barracks." As she spoke her cheeks pinked. Without waiting for an answer, she left for the kitchen.

Una's body flooded with warmth at Erin's sexy blush. Only a small bending of the rules, four nights instead of two, she justified in her head.