The sound that bursts from Delphine startles the man on the couch awake while Cosima's eyes shoot open, "What's wrong?"
"Stay back, Cosima," Delphine pulls Cosima behind her as she stalks towards the couch, grabbing the man's lapels and pulling him up. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh shit! Hey, hey, hey, it's okay, don't kill him," Cosima rushes over to them.
"Hot, French, and fierce! Way to go, Dreads," The man holds up his hand and Cosima returns the high five.
"You can let him go, Delphine, he's not dangerous, he's Tony."
"Tony?" Delphine releases her hold on him. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were an intruder."
"He is intruding." Cosima punches his shoulder, then pulls him into a hug, "Dude, what are you doing here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"You really think I'm not gonna come see my best friend race for the triple crown? I wanted to surprise you."
"Well you did. And almost got yourself killed in the process."
"Yeah, you've got quite the bodyguard here, superstar." Tony steps back, admiring Delphine, "Damn girl, you are smokin'. What are you doing with this dork?"
"I don't think she's a dork."
"Relax, Delphine, he's kidding."
"No I'm not," he smirks at Cosima before turning his attention back to Delphine. "Sorry for startling you, Curls."
"It's okay, I should have figured a true criminal mastermind would not have fallen asleep on the couch mid-burgle."
"No, this mastermind probably would have. He once got caught shoplifting a tv."
"How do you shoplift a television?"
"Exactly," Cosima snorts.
"Hey, I thought I had a pretty good excuse."
"Yeah, when he got stopped by security, he told them it was his tv and he just wanted to compare the color quality to one in the store. And if that wasn't stupid enough, he left the empty space on the wall where the television had been displayed."
"Did you get in a lot of trouble?"
"Nah, they threatened to call my parents so I told them to go ahead, that my parents already hated me enough for the transition. They ended up letting me go with just a warning."
"Transition?" Delphine asks with confusion.
"From female to male," Tony explains. At Delphine's look of surprise, Tony turns to Cosima, "Did you not tell her anything about me?"
"We've had a lot more interesting things to talk about," Cosima shrugs.
"No, it seems that Cosima has been very tight-lipped."
"Really, Delphine? I think I've been far from tight-lipped," Cosima smirks.
Delphine rolls her eyes, "In regards to your friend." She takes Tony's hand and leads him back to the couch, "Tony, sit down, tell me all about yourself, this is fascinating."
"I don't know if it's that fascinating."
"To me it is. You were born female?"
"Yup, had all the same parts you do, though I'm sure they weren't quite as perfect."
"Oh come on," Cosima groans as she sits down in an adjacent armchair, "are you really gonna flirt with my girlfriend while I'm right here?"
"Hush," Delphine chastises her. "Thank you for the compliment, Tony. Please, go on."
"Well, I guess I kinda always felt like I was stuck in the wrong body, that I should have been a boy. But it wasn't until high school that I really started researching it and talking with doctors. My parents freaked out when I told them that I wanted to transition,refused to give their consent for surgery. It got pretty bad between us and, eventually, I left home. I would have been living on the street if not for Cosima insisting I stay with her family. And her folks were great, they even helped pay for my surgeries. I'm still paying them back to this day."
"They were happy to help," Cosima states.
"How are things with your parents now?"
"Better. I never went back to living with them, but we've slowly started reconnecting. I got a card from them on my birthday and we went to dinner together a few weeks ago. They've started referring to me as their son, which is a huge step for them."
"I'm glad to hear that. I know it doesn't compare, but I had some problems this week with my father over my relationship with Cosima and we had a huge breakthrough tonight, thanks to Cosima. Though she won't tell me what she said to him," she reaches over and pokes her in the side."
"Hey, I can't reveal all my secrets."
"Cosima has a way with parents. Mine are super conservative, and when they found out Cosima was a lesbian, they were pretty taken aback, this was before my whole reveal mind you, but after she assured them she had no interest in me, and described the many virtues of the female form over the male, which I won't take offense to by the way, they were fine with it. I mean we're talking about the freaking smartest kid in our class here and me, a total slacker. They kept hoping some of her intellect would rub off on me."
"As long as I wasn't rubbing up on you."
"Yeah. Can you imagine if it was my dad walking in on us in bed? Forget him yelling at me, I'm pretty sure that image would have seared into his brain and killed him right then and there."
Cosima laughs with him, stopping abruptly when she feels Delphine's eyes boring into the side of her head. She quickly glances at her wrist. "Wow, would you look at the time," Cosima yawns and looks over at Tony. "Man, I'm so sorry, I am wiped and I have to get up early for training tomorrow. Would you be totally offended if I ditched you for bed?"
"No, not at all, get some sleep, we'll catch up more tomorrow."
They both stand and Cosima hugs Tony, "It's really great having you here."
"It's great being here and seeing you in the flesh rather than on a 4 inch screen."
"Ditto," Cosima smiles. "Do you mind crashing on the couch tonight?"
"Not at all, I already was."
"True," Cosima chuckles. She approaches Delphine tentatively, "You still staying over?"
"Yes, but I'm not tired yet, I think I'll stay out here for a while, get to know Tony better. I'll be in in a little while."
"Okay," Cosima gives her a kiss then points a finger at Tony, "Don't say anything bad about me."
"I'm not making any promises."
Cosima goes off to bed and Delphine turns to Tony, "Would you like some tea?"
"Sure."
Tony follows Delphine into the kitchen where she prepares the drinks for them and they sit at the table.
"Are you mad she told me about your dad walking in on you guys in bed?"
"Non, it's definitely embarrassing, and caught me a little off guard that you knew, but I told my best friend what happened, so it would be hypocritical of me to be mad at Cosima. But it's not to say I can't have a little fun with her worrying about my reaction."
"You've got a little devilish streak in you, don't you, Curls? I like it."
"Sometimes I just have to give Cosima as good as I get. She can be quite the brat."
"Yeah, she always been a little bit an imp, but in the most harmless, loving way possible."
Delphine nods her agreement. "So you and Cosima have been friends for a long time?"
"Yeah, since kindergarten. I still remember the day we met," Tony grins at the memory.
"She does leave a pretty indelible impression, doesn't she?"
"Yeah, she didn't crash into my boobs, but it was still pretty memorable."
"Tell me how you met," Delphine implores.
"You really want to hear about this?"
"Of course, I want to know everything about Cosima, and who better to fill me in than you?"
"Okay, it was the first day of school, all the kids were being dropped off at the classroom; some were crying, others were running around like they've never been out of their homes. I was sitting on the floor playing with a toy truck, minding my own business. Several minutes after the first bell rang, I looked up and saw this little girl with her hair in braids appear in the doorway. Her mother apologized to the teacher for being late, then kissed Cosima goodbye. Cosima scanned the room, her eyes wide behind her eyeglasses as she glanced from the wall of planets, to the alphabet strung atop the blackboard, then settled on the book nook. She went straight for them. Most of us couldn't read yet, but Cosima was always ahead of all of us in the brain department. She pulled out the biggest book on the shelf and just sat, stretched out on the floor, immersed in it. I watched her in awe for a bit, wondering if she really knew how to read or was just pretending, when this asshole, Daniel Rosen, came up and told me that trucks were for boys and tried to pull the toy away from me. Cosima looked up from her book, stared this kid straight in the eye, and asked him where on the truck it says it's just for boys. Daniel insisted that's just how it is, boys play with trucks and girls play with dolls. Cosima closed her book, walked over to us and said unless he had supporting evidence to prove that only boys are allowed to play with trucks, he should let go and leave me alone. He had no idea what what the hell she was talking about, neither did I, but he let go and walked away. Then she sat down, introduced herself, and played with me and the trucks. That was it, from then on we were the best of friends."
"That is such a sweet story. I wish I knew her then, she sounds just as special as a child as she is now."
"Yeah, they broke the mold when they made her. She's always been there for me. When we were 12, I finally told Cosima how I felt, that I was a boy trapped inside a girl's body and that I wanted to be called Tony instead of Antoinette. She did it without hesitation. There has never been a moment since that day when she called me by my given name. And a few years later, when I told her I wanted to start the transition, she did a ton of research and went with me to all my doctors appointments, sat in the waiting room during all my surgeries, and took care of me after each one. I really don't think I'd be where I am today without Cosima. To be honest, I don't know if I'd even be alive without her. It's gonna be hard not having her close by anymore."
"I'm sorry, that's my fault," Delphine says with tears forming in her eyes.
"No, no, please don't apologize, I didn't mean it like that," Tony assures. "I'll miss her, for sure, but even with how vibrant Cosima is, the amazing lust for life she has, I've never seen her as happy as she's been since she met you. You're the one thing her life's been lacking. You don't ever have to apologize for giving my best friend that kind of joy. She deserves it more than anyone."
"She is pretty wonderful," Delphine smiles. "And everything you just said about how much she's helped you, been there for you, that warms my heart, but it doesn't surprise me. I've seen it, felt it. She's so incredible and I can't believe she's mine." Delphine laughs and covers her face, "That must have sounded terrible. I don't mean that I own her."
"No, no, I get what you meant. And she is yours, Delphine. From the moment she met you, she's been yours. You're pretty much all she ever talks about."
Delphine blushes, "I have a hard time talking about anything else but her as well."
Tony notices her face change, her mind focussed on the girl sleeping in the other room. "Hey, I'm sorry, again, for showing up out of the blue uninvited."
"No, you're her best friend, you're always welcome to show up. It was really sweet of you to want to be here for her."
"But I should have told her. I'm just so used to going over to Cosima's place whenever I want, that I stupidly didn't think about the fact that she wouldn't be alone, that I'd be interrupting something."
"Is she usually alone?"
"Well, alone isn't the right word for Cosima. She's got this energy that draws people to her, friends, girlfriends, but she values her solitude. A lot of times I'll go over to her apartment and find her sitting on the floor reading a book. She'll often be so wrapped up in it that she doesn't even notice me for a good half hour or so. Even when she's been in a relationship, she rarely shacks up. Spending days at a time together," Tony shakes his head, "that's not her style."
"That's surprising. She asked me to stay here with her pretty soon after we started dating."
"That's because she feels comfortable with you, safe. I think there's a connection with you that's been missing before. She also worries a lot more with you than when she's been in other relationships."
"Worries? That doesn't sound good. What is she worried about?"
"I think, for the first time, she has something she's afraid to lose, someone she really wants to hold onto."
"I guess that's why she was concerned about us not continuing to be together once I went back to school."
"What are your intentions with Cosima? Oh god, did that sound totally like a dad thing?"
Delphine laughs, "Yes, it did."
"You don't have to answer, it's not really my place to ask."
"You're looking out for your friend, I understand. Like I told her, our relationship doesn't come with an expiration date. I want to be with her and I don't see an end in sight. She has been the most unexpectedly amazing thing in my life. I don't fall easy, but, with Cosima, I fell hard and fast."
"I still can't believe it," he marvels.
"Believe what?"
"That she scored you. What's her secret?"
"I'm assuming you've never kissed Cosima."
"Nope, can't say that I have."
"Well that'll pretty much do it."
"Really? She's that skilled?"
"Mmm-hmm."
"Damn!"
"My sentiments exactly," Delphine grins. "Really, though, it's her beautiful heart and that twinkle in her eyes that's at once completely mischievous and unconditionally tender. You know," Delphine takes a long look at Tony, "I see a similar sparkle in your eyes."
"Oh, yeah? Are you saying you want to get it on while Cosima sleeps in the next room?"
Delphine wags her finger at him, "I see cheekiness is a common trait in this friendship of yours. No, Cosima is the only one I want to 'get it on' with."
"Good, that was a test and you passed."
"Phew," Delphine wipes her brow before glancing at the clock. "I think I should probably get to bed, let me grab you a blanket and pillow so you'll be more comfortable."
After making sure Tony has everything he needs, Delphine shuts the lights and heads into the bedroom, locking the door and undressing before crawling into bed and snuggling against Cosima's bare back. She wraps her arm around Cosima's stomach and nuzzles into her neck, placing featherlight kisses along her shoulder.
Cosima stirs slightly, exposing more of her skin for Delphine to savor. As her lips and tongue lick, kiss, and bite with slightly increased pressure, her hand slips lower, past firm abs and belly button, sliding south until cool skin is replaced with an overwhelming heat. She experimentally runs her index finger along the warmth, a small moan escaping Cosima's lips. Delphine smiles and continues her ministrations.
"Delphine?" Cosima asks sleepily.
"Oui?"
"Am I dreaming?"
"No." To prove it, Delphine presses her finger inside.
"Ohhh," Cosima groans louder.
Delphine withdraws her finger, "Shhh, we're not alone, remember?"
"Yeah," Cosima reaches for Delphine's hand, "don't stop."
"Can you be quiet?"
Cosima nods, "So quiet."
Delphine teases her increasingly sensitive sex before slowly entering her again as a strangled moan leaves Cosima's lips and her hips jerk, her ass pressing into Delphine, causing a pleasant friction that incites Delphine to increase her pressure and speed, her own hips gyrating against Cosima.
As Delphine feels Cosima getting closer and closer to climax, she tilts Cosima's head so their lips meet, swallowing her cries of ecstasy as she comes.
She eases her fingers out of Cosima and returns her hand to her belly, squeezing tightly.
"Not that I don't enjoy being woken up for impromptu late night lovin', but what brought this on?"
"Just you being the best person that I've ever known."
"You must not know a lot of people."
"I know enough." Delphine wraps her legs around Cosima's and nuzzles her nose into the nape of her neck giving her a small kiss, "Goodnight."
"Great night," Cosima grins as she entwines her fingers with the hand on her belly and closes her eyes.
The sound of the alarm several hours later rouses Cosima and Delphine from a blissful sleep. Cosima quickly turns it off and rolls towards Delphine, "I hate mornings."
Delphine leans forward and kisses the tip of her nose. "One more week and then you have six weeks off to sleep as late as you want."
"Will you sleep late with me?"
"More time in bed with you in my arms?" Delphine asks. "I think I'd like that."
"I know I'd like that," Cosima insists with a kiss to Delphine's lips.
Delphine pinches Cosima's butt, "Go get ready."
"Who's the cheeky one now?" Cosima asks as she reluctantly gets up and heads for the door.
"Cosima?"
"Yeah," Cosima turns towards Delphine questioningly, her hand on the door knob.
Delphine scans her naked body, "Are you planning on giving Tony a show?"
"Whoops, I forgot," Cosima quickly throws on her robe before exiting the room.
Twenty minutes later, Cosima returns having showered and eaten a quick breakfast. "Tony is sound asleep. I could have danced naked in front of him and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have noticed."
"It would have been quite the wake up call if he did," Delphine laughs.
"I'll reserve all my naked wake up calls for your eyes only." Cosima winks as she starts getting dressed.
"I appreciate that."
"Hey, are you busy today?"
"No."
"Can you bring Tony down to the stables at lunch time?"
"Sure."
"Cool, thanks." Cosima pulls her shirt over her head then leans down to give Delphine a kiss before heading out of the room. Just as she's out the door, she spins around, "Oh, um, Delphine?"
"Yes, I'll bring sandwiches," Delphine responds, reading her mind.
"You're the greatest girlfriend of all time," Cosima grins.
"That's impossible," Delphine states with a shake of her head. "I'm looking at the holder of that title."
Cosima pulls away from the door and strides back towards the bed with intent, reaching Delphine and leaning down to give her a passionate kiss. "It's definitely you," she says as she pulls away slightly, resting her forehead against Delphine's.
"No, it's absolutely you," Delphine disagrees.
"Tie?" Cosima suggests.
"Okay, tie," Delphine relents, capturing Cosima's lips once again.
"We're gross."
"Tres dégueulasse." Delphine nods, giving Cosima another quick kiss. "You better go, it's already 7."
Cosima turns towards the clock, "Shit! See you later." She rushes out, through the living room, past a snoring Tony, and out the front door, before breaking into a run walk down to the stables.
"Sorry, sorry," Cosima apologizes as she runs in. "My best friend, Tony, showed up unexpectedly last night and I got off to a slow start this morning."
"It's fine, you're not too late," Felix waves her off. "But, I've been dying to hear how dinner with Pierre went last night. So spill."
"Oh, man, it was pretty uncomfortable, at first, but by the end of the night everything was totally cool and Pierre is fine with our relationship."
"Really?" Felix asks skeptically as they walk out of the stables.
"I swear."
"How'd that happen?"
Cosima shrugs, "Guess he saw the light." Cosima hops up on Leda, "Let's go for a little run, shall we girl?"
After showering and getting dressed, Delphine enters the kitchen and puts on a fresh pot of coffee. A few minutes later, Tony shuffles in wearing a white tank and boxers.
"Bonjour, Tony," Delphine smiles. "Did you sleep okay?"
"Mornin' Curls. Yeah, I slept great."
She gives him skeptical look, "I've fallen asleep on that couch, it's not the most comfortable."
He shrugs, "I've slept on worse."
"Well you shouldn't have to." Delphine thinks for a second, a smile spreading across her lips. "I have an idea. First, sit down, join me for breakfast. "Would you like coffee, a croissant?"
"Yes to both, thanks." Tony sits at the table and Delphine fills up two mugs.
"How do you like your coffee?"
"Black, please."
"Me too," she places the mugs on the table and grabs the tray of croissants.
"Thank you," Tony says as he takes a sip of his drink and then a bite of his pastry.
"Cosima wants us to come down and have lunch with her later."
"Cool."
"Is there anything you need? I can take you into town."
"No, I think I'm good for now, thanks."
"I should be thanking you."
"Me? For what?"
"For telling me about Cosima last night, about your friendship. I felt like I already knew her, knew the kind of person she is inside and out, but you gave me an even deeper understanding of who she is and it was just really nice to hear."
"Well, then, you're very welcome," Tony grins as he finishes off his croissant.
After Tony has showered and dressed, Delphine has him grab his bag and they head up to the main house.
"Nice pad," Tony marvels as he glances around the first floor.
"Thanks. You'll have to tell Maman when she gets home, she decorated it herself. Please, follow me."
They head up the stairs, walk past Delphine's room to the very end of the hall. Delphine opens the door, "This is our guest room."
"Whoa, this room bigger than my studio apartment."
"I suppose guest suite is more accurate. It has its own bathroom, with pedestal tub."
"This is pretty swanky," he admires.
"I'm glad you like it, this is where you'll be staying the rest of the week."
"What? No way, I can't impose on your family like that. I'm sure your parents don't want a stranger in their house."
"It's not an imposition, and you're not a stranger, you're Cosima's best friend and my parents think the world of Cosima. I'm sure they'll be happy to have you here. Besides, we can't expect you to sleep on the couch all week."
"Cramping your style?" he teases.
"Non, I mean, well, I do spend quite a bit of time at Cosima's at night, over night, but if you would prefer to stay with her, I don't have to sleep over there, I could stay here."
"Curls, relax, I was just kidding. I'm pretty sure no matter how happy she is to see me, Cosima would kill me if she has to go without you in her bed for a day, let alone a week."
Delphine blushes, "I don't know about that, but what do you say, will you stay here?"
"Well, Delphine," he puts his bag down and lays down on the queen bed, "it'll be a hardship, but I think I can suffer here for the week. If your folks don't mind, that is."
"They won't," Delphine promises, then taps his shoes. "Come on, help me prepare lunch."
"Oh, I see how it is, I gotta work for these accommodations."
"Yes, you do," she winks as he gets up and follows her down to the kitchen.
—
"Hey guys," Cosima happily runs over when she spots Delphine and Tony approaching the stables.
"Bonjour ma chérie," Delphine greets her with a kiss, "we brought the lunch I promised."
"Ooh, whatcha got?"
"We raided Maman's kitchen and Tony helped me whip up some sandwiches."
"You got this lazy bum to help? I'm impressed."
"Hey, I take offense to that statement," Tony protests.
"Yeah? What have you ever made besides a call to Marcello's for pizza?"
"Cosima," Delphine interrupts, "are you sure you want to go down this road with him? After all, you did have Cal prepare us dinner on our first date."
"Burn," Tony says with delight.
"Hey, I wanted you to actually have an enjoyable time, I didn't want to give you food poisoning or anything. And I'm learning."
"So is Tony."
"Dreads, I think your girl likes me better than you now, guess it's you who's being shipped off to the big house and I'll stay at your place with this lovely specimen."
"The big house?"
"Tony will be staying in the guest room at my parent's house."
"The bed there feels like I'm floating on a cloud," Tony remarks.
"Dude, that's what I said about Delphine's bed. I could have slept there forever."
"Slept?" Tony asks skeptically, looking between Cosima and Delphine. "I'm not moving in with her folks so the two of you can just sleep."
"Shut up! Come on show me what you brought. Felix will join us after he feeds Leda."
Delphine leads them under a tree and starts setting up, "We made ham and gruyere sandwiches on a baguette. And we have fresh squeezed lemonade."
"I did the squeezing," Tony says with glee.
"What's this about squeezing?" Felix asks as he approaches the trio.
"Felix, this is my best friend, Tony. Tony, this is Felix, the best horse trainer this side of the Mississippi."
"You're Tony?" Felix asks as they shake hands.
"No, I'm Harry freakin' Potter. Why do you sound so surprised?"
"You're not what I envisioned when she went on about you."
"What were you envisioning?"
"Less flannel and more leather."
"Excuse me Fee-Fee, is that some sort of diss on my masculinity cause you're not exactly macho except by Village People standards."
"Tony, relax, I told him you drove a Harley."
"Someone's very touchy I see?" Felix comments.
"I'm not touchy, I just don't appreciate jabs at my style."
"Is that your idea of style?" Felix asks judgingly.
"Okay, boys, we're here to have lunch, not to argue about petty bullshit. Delphine and Tony prepared a nice meal for us, so I suggest we eat and appreciate their culinary generosity."
"Thank you, Cosima," Delphine reaches for her hand and it gives it a rub.
They all sit under the tree and begin eating.
"So, Delphine, Cosima tells me your father has come around about your relationship."
"Yes, one minute Papa was being completely unreasonable and insufferable, and then after a private conversation with Cosima he was hugging me and apologizing, saying he just wanted me to be happy. It was quite miraculous."
"It wasn't a miracle," Cosima insists, "it was just a father seeing how he wasn't acting in the best interest of his child, and that nothing he said was going to change how we feel about each other."
Delphine scoots closer to Cosima and kisses her.
"Oh bloody hell, why did I even bring it up? They take any opportunity to go at it," Felix complains at the sight of them kissing. "Hello, we're trying to eat here, I'd very much like to keep my lunch down."
"Ignore him, ladies, I'm enjoying the show," Tony encourages.
"It was a good idea sending him to stay with your parents, we could use the privacy," Cosima says as she pries her lips away from Delphine's.
"Thank goodness you keep some things private, I've had to bleach my eyes daily from all your PDA, I don't think I could survive seeing anything more. I pity Pierre for having to endure that."
"You know about the father interrupts, too?" Tony asks.
"Yes, seems Cosima can't keep anything to herself," Delphine responds.
"Hey," Cosima pouts, "I keep plenty to myself. Like that one birthmar-"
Delphine quickly covers Cosima's mouth with her hand.
"Oh come on, let her finish, this was getting good," Tony complains.
"No, please, never let her finish that statement," Felix fake gags.
"Tony, why don't you tell us more about yourself," Delphine changes the subject. "Cosima mentioned you've been working as a training jockey?"
"Yeah, I mostly do mechanic work, but a couple years ago, Cosima got me a side job with the stable she was jockeying for, pretty much doing what she did when she first joined up with them, breaking in the horses."
"Do you want to become a racing jockey?"
"That would be the ideal, but I don't know if I'll ever be that good."
"Oh, please, he's being modest, he's a great jockey," Cosima insists. "He's really got a nice way with the horses. You just need more confidence, man."
"Yeah, yeah, we'll see," Tony responds with none of his usual bluster before returning his attention to his sandwich.
As they reach the end of lunch, Felix looks over Tony, "Why don't you join us for practice tomorrow morning? We could use a horse to run with Leda, push her a little, get her ready for the pressure the rest of the field is going to put on her on Saturday."
Surprised by the offer, Tony turns to Cosima, who nods encouragingly, then back to Felix, "Okay, I'll be there."
"Wonderful," Felix claps. "Thank you both for a lovely meal, I am going to check on Leda and get her out to the exercise pen. Tony, I will see you bright and early at 7am."
"Wow," Tony remarks when Felix is out of ear range, "that guy really runs hot and cold."
"Felix is pretty cool once you get to know him," Cosima insists.
"I beg to differ," Delphine states.
"Don't listen to her, those two bicker like brother and sister, but I can tell they really care about each other. I should go join him and," Cosima points towards the driveway, "it looks like your parents are home. Thank for the lunch. Good luck with them." Cosima kisses Delphine and fist pumps Tony before heading off.
"Alright, Tony, let's go solidify your stay at Chez Cormier." Tony follows Delphine up to the house.
"Maman, Papa," Delphine calls out once they enter the foyer.
"We're in the kitchen, Delphine," Marie responds.
"This is a nice surprise," Pierre says as Delphine walks in. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
"There's someone I'd like you to meet." She waves Tony in, "This is Tony Sawicki, Cosima's best friend. He surprised us with a visit last night. He's here to support Cosima in the triple crown race."
"That's very sweet of you, Tony," Marie says as she approaches him. "Welcome to Paris."
"Madame Cormier," he takes her outstretched hand and places a kisses upon it, "lovely to meet you. I see where Delphine gets her beauty."
"Well," Marie smiles, "thank you very much. It's very nice to meet you, Tony."
Pierre comes over and shakes his hand, "How do you do young man?"
"Very well, thank you, Sir."
"Tony is also a jockey," Delphine mentions.
"Is that so?" Pierre asks.
"I'm training for it, I mostly fix up cars at a garage in San Francisco."
"Oh, maybe you can take a look at my Peugeot, I haven't been able to get it running for a few years."
"Yeah, sure, I'd be happy to get under the hood and take a look for you."
"That would be much appreciated."
"I noticed the exquisite chess set in the den when Delphine was showing me around earlier, I'd love to play sometime."
"You would? Nobody around here ever wants to play, that would be wonderful," Pierre grins.
"Also," Delphine pipes up, "since Tony is planning to stay the week, I thought it would be more comfortable for him to stay in the guest room here, rather than the couch at Cosima's."
"If that's okay with the two of you, that is," Tony adds.
"Certainly, it would be our pleasure having you here, wouldn't it Pierre?"
"Yes, of course."
"Thank you. I'd stay with Cosima, but I worry I may walk in on something I really don't want to see, if you catch my drift."
"Ah, yes, I understand completely," Pierre nods. "Let the girls enjoy their private time."
"Mon dieu," Delphine puts her hand on her forehead. "I think I'll get going so I can prepare for 'private time' with Cosima when she finishes practice."
"Okay, sweetheart, have fun." Pierre puts his arm around Tony's shoulders, "Come on, Tony, let's have a go at the old chess board."
"Tony, I hope you like veal," Marie calls after them.
"Yes, I do, though I'm sure whatever you prepare will be divine," he winks.
—
"Delphine, how'd it go with your parents?" Cosima shouts as she enters the cottage. "Did they let Tony stay?"
"Let Tony stay?" Delphine asks as she enters the living room. "I think they're on the verge of adopting him."
Cosima chuckles, "Well that sounds good."
"My father was so happy to have someone to play chess with, he urged me to leave and go have sex with you."
"What?" Cosima asks with surprise.
"Well, he didn't say it like that but the implication was there."
"No, I mean about chess. Tony doesn't play."
"Seriously?"
"He's an excellent bullshit artist though," Cosima shakes her head and laughs.
"Hopefully he's a quick learner," Delphine laughs with her. "Does he eat veal at least?"
"Tony will eat anything you put in front of him."
"Okay, that'll make Maman happy."
"Great, now back to the us having sex thing," Cosima wraps her arms around Delphine's waist. "I still owe you for last night's wake up call, and I plan to pay you back. With interest."
"Right now?" Delphine asks. "Don't you want to have dinner?"
"I'd rather work up an appetite first. Besides, it's what your father wants, Delphine." Cosima moves her arms to grip Delphine's shoulders as she pulls herself up into a kiss. She walks Delphine backwards towards the bedroom, undoing buttons and lowering zippers as they go.
—
"Tony," Cosima runs to catch up with her friend as she makes her way to the stables.
"Good morning, Dreads."
"Things going good up at the house?"
"Yeah, the Cormiers are great. Marie is a great cook and both of them are really friendly."
"And how's your chess game? Dude, I can't believe you told him you play."
"Hey, I needed to find some common ground with the man. The first couple games he thought I wasn't giving it my all, that I was letting him win. What he didn't realize was that I was observing how he played, learning what to do, and by the fifth game, I actually won. I thought chess was a nerd game, but it's pretty cool. I may be the next Bobby Fisher."
"Alright, Chessmaster, one thing at a time. First let's concentrate on the horse racing." They enter the stables to find Felix finishing saddling up the horses.
"Good morning, Cosima, Tony. Tony, this is Archimedes, he's our best distance runner, and with Belmont at 12 furlongs, we'll need him to help give Leda that little push she needs to keep her momentum." Felix pats the horse, "Come get acquainted."
Tony approaches the horse and gently rubs his nuzzle, "Hello Archie, nice to meet you."
"Archimedes," Felix clarifies.
"I agree, Archie, Felix is extremely stuck up."
"Excuse me?" Felix asks with annoyance.
"Come on, let's not start this again. Tony likes nicknames, just accept that and let's get to work," Cosima implores.
"Yeah, listen to Dreads, Fee-Fee."
Felix rolls his eyes.
"Good morning, Leda," Cosima kisses the horse. "This is my best friend, Tony."
"Hi there, Leda. I've been watching you on tv, awesome job winning those races and making my friend here look good."
Leda whinnies in response and rubs her nuzzle against Tony's cheek.
"Hey, I think she likes you already," Cosima asserts.
"Of course she does, I'm a regular marekiller," Tony winks.
"Alright, sorry to break up the lovefest, but we've got work to do. Come on you two, saddle up," Felix instructs. "First we're going to do some exercises. I want you to get comfortable atop Archimedes before we have you hit the practice track."
—
"Maman," Delphine calls out as she enters her house.
"Bonjour, ma fille," Marie kisses her daughter on each cheek.
"How was the first night with your houseguest?"
"Tony is a lovely young man, he eats very well, and he insisted on doing the dishes after dinner."
"Great, I'm glad it's working out. Thank you for letting him stay here."
"Of course. Come, join us for lunch."
"Actually, I already ate. I wanted to come by and mess around on the drums a bit."
"Oh, okay, go ahead."
"I will stay for dinner though."
"Wonderful," Marie grins.
Delphine heads into the basement, pulls out a printout of sheet music, and begins playing.
An hour later, Pierre finds Marie standing at the basement door, listening to the music as it travels upstairs. "What's going on?"
"Shh, Delphine is playing the drums."
Pierre stands with his wife as they listen. "She sounds good, what song is that?"
"I'm not sure, but she's been playing it for the last hour."
"The same song?"
Marie nods, "She also said she'd stay for dinner tonight."
"That's terrific. It's nice to have her back home."
"Yes, it is. I'm happy you did the right thing by her, mon amour," Marie gives him a kiss and they listen to the music a little more before shutting the door.
—
"Okay, Tony, you need to settle Archimedes when he gets a little wild like that," Felix instructs.
"Whoa, Archie, chill out, bro," Tony purrs at the horse, who calms down as Tony gently pats his mane.
"You both have a very odd way with horses," Felix observes.
Cosima shrugs, "It works."
"Alright, let's get to the track, it's time to race." They follow Felix and get behind the practice gates. Felix signals the start and the barriers drop, the horses running out immediately. Felix begins his stopwatch as soon as they take off. His eyes moving from the horses to the time throughout the run.
As soon as Leda crosses the finish line, Felix stops the clock. "Yes! That time was better than your solo runs, Cosima. You cut 1.46 seconds off her fastest time."
Cosima trots over, "She didn't show signs of fatigue. I think the extra pressure helped. How'd you feel out there, Tony?"
"Besides the fact that you whooped our asses, it felt good. Archie's a strong horse, he has great speed, but Leda is like lightning."
"You both did fabulous," Felix insists. "Let's keep at it this week and you should be all set for Belmont."
Cosima high fives Tony as they direct their horses back to the stables.
"Dude, come back to the cottage with me. We'll order a pizza and hang out."
"Alright, sounds good." Once inside, Tony plops down on the couch. "Where's your girl?"
"She's having dinner with her folks. She wanted to give us some alone time." Cosima orders the pizza then settles on the couch next to Tony. "That was fun today."
"Yeah, totally. It was nice getting to ride with you, it's been a while."
"You really handled Archimedes well, Tony. You shouldn't put yourself down, you're a really good jockey."
"I learned from the best."
"I am not the best."
"Dreads, are you kidding me? Who's a hotter jockey than you right now? You are killing it on the racetrack, all the pony press is about you and Leda."
"Ugh, I'm so not used to all that. I kinda feel like this is all too good to be true."
"What is?"
"The wins, the attention, the offers, Delphine. It feels so undeserved."
"Undeserved? You're a fucking awesome jockey, you've been working at this a long time, you finally got your shot at the big time, and now it's your chance to shine. Bask in it."
"And Delphine? What did I do to deserve her?"
"Nothing. You did absolutely nothing to deserve her."
"Thanks a lot."
"You don't find your soulmate because you deserve them. You find them because it's meant to be, because there's no way you two couldn't be together."
"You think we're soulmates?"
"All I know is, I already knew how gaga you were for her, but I was unprepared for just how totally freakin' insanely head over heels she is for you."
"Yeah?"
"Are you kidding me? The other night, after you went to bed, you're all she wanted to hear about, talk about, think about. It's one thing listening to you yammer on about her, it's another to hear her do the same and see the two of you together. You got something real there, Dreads. Hold onto it."
"Wow! When did Tony Sawicki get so mushy?"
"Hey, I am not mushy, I'm just stating the obvious. And I'm pretty sure Curls could kill me with one arm tied behind her back, so I know she'll take good care of you. You've spent so much of your life looking out for me, it's time you had someone doing the same for you. Just behave yourself with that one, I have a feeling she's not gonna take any shit from you."
Cosima laughs, "No, she definitely won't. Thanks, Tone," Cosima gives him a hug just as the doorbell rings.
"Oh, thank god, this was getting too sappy," Tony declares as Cosima opens the door to the pizza boy, who's got a disappointed look on his face.
"Sorry, kid, the half dressed blonde isn't here today," Cosima says as she hands him money, takes the pizza, and shuts the door.
—
On Thursday night, they all gather in the backyard for a barbecue.
Cosima is assisting Pierre as he grills hamburgers and hot dogs.
"Felix says training went very well this week. And that Tony has been a big help."
"Yeah, it's been really good for Leda having another horse out there with her. She endures the length far better with competition than solo. I think she's going to do just fine on Saturday."
"Wonderful!" Pierre notices Cosima look over at Delphine, who's laughing at something Tony is saying. "I don't know how I never caught on."
"Excuse me?" Cosima looks at him befuddled.
"About you and Delphine. It seems so obvious now, the way you look at her. And maybe it's because I know now, but thinking back, I should have seen it."
"We tried to keep it private."
"And with good reason, I suppose, given my initial reaction, but that look in your eyes right now, when you look at her, you had it that morning."
"Which morning?"
"The morning I asked Delphine to show you around. When Delphine and I were arguing about your relationship, she brought up that day, how I pushed you together. You had that look then, maybe with slightly less affection, but it was there."
"I was intrigued by her, but she had no interest in me."
"By the next day she had certainly changed her tune about you."
"How so?"
"After the argument over dinner, she came back and apologized about getting so upset with me and running out. She mentioned speaking with you, how it gave her clarity. But I remember, when she said your name, there was this warmth in her voice. I don't know, they say hindsight is 20/20, but it should have been clear to me for a while that something was blossoming between you, especially with how much time you spent together, how close you got. I guess I've just been so distracted by this racing season that I wasn't really seeing things clearly. But I see it now, and I'm very happy to take the credit for your relationship."
Cosima laughs, "It's all because of you."
"What are you two laughing about," Delphine asks as she sidles up next to Cosima.
"Oh, just how your father played matchmaker for us."
"Did he now?"
"Yes, I did. And I obviously did a fine job of it. And, on that note, I have something for the both of you, from Marie and I."
"For us?" Delphine asks, gesturing between herself and Cosima.
"Well, for Cosima, but I have a feeling you'll benefit from it," he reaches into the pocket of his apron and pulls out an envelope, immediately handing it to Cosima. "You've been working so hard, and with Felix off to London for a month, we thought you deserved a vacation. Delphine mentioned the other night that you had only been to New York City once when you were younger, so," he indicates for her to open the envelope.
Cosima pulls out a printout, "No way! 10 days in a suite at The Pierre hotel New York. You own a hotel?"
Pierre laughs, "The name is just a coincidence, but it's Marie's favorite, with gorgeous views overlooking Central Park."
"This is too much, I can't accept it" Cosima insists.
"Don't be silly, please, Cosima, it's my pleasure."
"Ok, wow, thank you so much. This is awesome."
"And I assume you'll want to take a guest."
"Yeah, I should find a cute girl to take with me. You know where I can find one?"
Delphine pinches Cosima's side.
"Ow." She turns towards Delphine, "Oh, here's one now. Delphine would you like to spend 10 days in Manhattan with me?"
"I'll think about it," she jokes. "Papa, this was very kind of you. Merci."
"You're both very welcome. I hope you have a good time."
"Oh, we will," Cosima winks.
Pierre smiles as he leaves them to carry food to the table.
"This is so incredible!" Cosima exclaims as she looks at the paper. "A suite, with a king size bed, and a view of the park."
"I never thought I'd see the day when my dad would send me off to a hotel in the city with my girlfriend. When did my life get so weird?"
"April 3rd," Cosima answers.
"Mmm, yes, April 3rd," she leans down and kisses Cosima.
They rejoin everyone at the table for dinner.
"Cosima," Felix calls out as he's getting ready to leave, "remember we leave at 6am, get some sleep and don't be late."
"Yeah, yeah. No problem." She turns to Delphine, "Hey, why don't you come with us?"
"On the bus?"
"Yeah, why not? We're going to the same place. You and Tony should both ride with us. It'll be fun. And we can pick up Krystal on the way."
Looking into Cosima's eager eyes, Delphine nods, "Okay."
"Tony," Cosima shouts, "you're riding the bus with us in the morning. Delphine and Krystal, too."
"What?" Felix yells. "No, no, no. I need peace and quiet that early."
"Sorry, Fee-Fee," Tony puts his arm around Felix, "looks like you're stuck with us."
—
Sarah pulls off the highway in Arlington, stopping in front of Krystal's building and opening up the doors to the bus.
Krystal climbs on, pulling a cotton candy pink, rolling, hard suitcase behind her.
Tony scans the new arrival, starting at her hot pink heels, up to her tight pink dress, large sunglasses, and bleach blonde hair, and immediately jumps to his feet. "Please let me take your bag for you." He puts it on a rack. "Good morning, Goldilocks. I'm Tony and I've got a seat next to me that's just right."
"Oh my, aren't you charming," Krystal beams.
"Don't encourage him," Felix bellows.
Krystal greets Felix and Delphine, while Cosima sleeps with her head on Delphine's shoulder. "Aww look at her, she's precious," Krystal remarks about the sleeping jockey before sitting down next to Tony.
"So, you're Delphine's best friend?"
"Yeah, Del and I have been besties since high school."
"Cool. Cosima and I have been besties since kindergarten."
"Oh, wow, you've got us beat."
"Cosima mentioned you're a manicurist. What would you do for these mitts," he places his hands in hers.
"Well, you could use a good filing, but other than that, you have lovely hands, they're very soft."
"Thank you, I work with my hands a lot, so I make sure to apply lotion a couple times a day."
"Very smart. What do you do?"
"I'm a mechanic, but I've also been getting into jockeying."
"Oh, wow, that's fabulous. You've come to the right place for that." Krystal looks over at Cosima and Delphine, "Cophine are so adorable, aren't they?"
"Cophine?"
"Cosima and Delphine. Cophine is their squish name."
"Squish name?" Tony asks, confused.
"You know like Kimye? Brangelina?"
"Um…"
"You don't read US Magazine, do you?"
"Sorry."
"You basically smush together the names of the couple. Like they could've been Delsima, but Cophine sounds way better."
"Ah, okay. So by that logic, if you and I were dating, we'd be Krystony?"
"Yeah," she smiles, "you got it."
"Oh man, if Fee-Fee and I were dating, we'd be Felony."
"That would be criminal," Felix grumbles as he increases the volume on his earbuds to block out their chatter.
"Anyway," Krystal dismisses him, "they looked super hot in the pics."
"Who looked super hot in what pics?" Tony asks.
"Them," she points to Cosima and Delphine, "in the SALT spread."
"What?" Delphine asks, turning her head towards Krystal.
"You didn't see it? It launched last night. Let me see if I can pull it up on my phone." Krystal pulls out her phone and starts tapping at the screen, her nails interfering with her ability to operate the touch screen quickly.
"Please, allow me," Krystal hands Tony the phone and gives him the web address. "Damn, she was right, you two are sizzling."
"Let me see," Delphine sticks her hand out towards Tony, but Felix snatches the phone.
"Well, what did I tell you, Delphine, you looked good that day. These are actually very nice."
"Oi, Felix," Sarah shouts, "come show me." Felix gets up and brings the phone to the front of the bus. "Shite, Frenchie, you two do look quite stunning."
"Thank you. Now that you've all seen the photos, can you please bring the phone here? I'd look it up myself but I can't reach my phone without waking her." Felix trudges over and hands her the phone. She examines the images, wordless.
"What you think, Del? My fave is the one where your arms are wrapped around her waist from behind and you're kissing her cheek."
"I didn't even realize Katja was still taking pictures when I did that."
"Aww, it was a candid. You guys are so cute. Aren't they cute?"
Tony says "yes" and Felix says "no" in sync.
"The photographs are really lovely," Delphine admits with a smile. "Cosima looks beautiful."
"You both do," Tony affirms.
Delphine continues to look at the photos while Felix goes back to listening to Tears for Fears and Krystal asks Tony his birthdate so she can run his charts.
About a half hour later, Cosima opens her eyes and slowly lifts her head.
"How long have I been asleep?"
Delphine turns to face her, "You fell asleep on me as soon as we sat down."
"Oh, sorry," Cosima wipes a little drool off Delphine's shoulder.
"It's fine, you needed your rest, you've got a big weekend ahead of you," Delphine kisses Cosima's forehead.
"When did you get a sparkly pink phone," Cosima points to Delphine's lap.
"This is Krystal's, she was just showing me the pictures."
"What pictures?"
Delphine hands the phone to Cosima, who's eyes go wide at the sight. "Whoa, I didn't realize these were up yet."
"You didn't?"
Cosima shakes her head, "I haven't checked my email in a couple days." She looks up at Delphine, "You didn't think I was keeping these from you, did you?"
Delphine shrugs, "I wasn't sure."
"Why? Delphine, these are amazing. Look how gorgeous you are." Cosima scans the photos. "I'm gonna ask them to send me the negatives so I can blow some of these up and hang them on the walls of the cottage. I should put this one above the mantle," she points to the photo that Krystal had singled out.
Delphine looks at the photo, then into Cosima's eyes, "That would be nice." She cups Cosima's cheeks and gives her a tender kiss on the lips.
"Look who's finally awake," Krystal squeals.
"Hi, Krystal," Cosima waves as she and Delphine break apart.
"Good morning, Cosima. Your photos look hot."
"Thanks." She notices Tony sitting beside Krystal, "I hope this guy isn't bothering you."
"Not at all. Tony, is like, a super great conversationalist."
"He's definitely mouthy," Cosima agrees.
"Hey," Tony turns and flicks his fingers against her leg.
"Alright, children, we've arrived," Sarah announces as they pull up to their hotel.
"Oh, thank god, I'm famished," Felix announces as he gets up, grabs his bag and walks off the bus, the rest following suit.
They check in, then head to the dining room for lunch. After eating for an hour, Felix glances at his watch, "Cosima, we better get going, we have to tour the track, talk to the press, and all that jazz. I know you all will miss us desperately."
"Me and these lovely ladies will just have to suffer by soaking up the rays by the pool," Tony says as he wraps his arms around the girls.
"See you tonight," Cosima kisses Delphine before she and Felix depart.
At the track, Cosima and Felix meet up with the other jockeys and trainers as they're given a tour of the the track. Afterwards, the press approach them for interviews, with most of the attention focussed on Cosima. Reporter after reporter line up to talk to her, looking for soundbites to include in their pre-race stories. One of them points out a billboard for SALT optics featuring Cosima that's looming over the racetrack and she smiles and shakes her head in disbelief as she looks at it.
"Wow, I always thought it would be you," Rudy says with a shake of his head.
"Pardon me?" Rachel responds tersely.
"The first female jockey to race for the triple crown," he states. "But you just couldn't get it together at the Derby. How much did you lose by? This much?" he holds up two fingers with barely any space between them. "What a shame. But that Leda, what a stellar horse she turned out to be, huh? She's made of the good stuff. Oh, wait, weren't you supposed to be riding Leda this season?" He shakes his head, "Guess you chose the wrong horse to back."
"Why are you so smug? That same horse has been beating you, as well."
"Yes, but I am man enough to admit when I've been outmatched. In the battle of the twins, Leda has crushed Castor. Now that doesn't mean I'm giving up on this race, but look at all this fanfare for Leda and Cosima, nobody will care if I win, it will still be all about Ms. Niehaus, 'Ooh she won' or 'aww she lost.' Who would have thought a newbie would be getting this much attention? That girl wins and she'll be a legend. And, to think, it's all your doing." He smiles and walks away, leaving a seething Rachel with her eyes fixed on a grinning Cosima as another reporter approaches her for an interview.
"Cosima, would you care to comment on the photos SALT posted online featuring you and Delphine Cormier, daughter of Leda's owner Pierre Cormier," a reporter asks.
"I think the pictures speak for themselves."
"So is that confirmation that the two of you are dating?" she asks.
"Yes, we are dating."
"How long have you been together?"
"I'd prefer to keep the details of our relationship between the two of us."
"Well I'm sure many members of The Clubhaus will be very sad to learn that you're taken."
"The Clubhaus?"
"Is this the first you're hearing of them?" Cosima nods. "That's what your fans are calling themselves. They've already reserved a section of the bleachers for tomorrow's race."
"Wow, that's pretty cool."
"Is there anything you want to say to your fans."
"I just want to thank them for their support and let them know I'm very happy and I hope Leda and I can bring home a win for them."
"Thank you, Cosima. Good luck tomorrow."
"Thanks," Cosima grins.
As she walks in the direction of the exit, where Felix is waiting, Rachel steps in her path.
"So, you are sleeping with Delphine Cormier."
"My relationship with Delphine is not something I care to discuss with you."
"Think she'll stay with you when you lose tomorrow?" Rachel asks.
Cosima simply gives her the finger as she walks away.
Felix and Cosima head back to the hotel and attend a dinner hosted by Pierre and Marie. Later, Tony, Krystal, and Felix head to a club, while Delphine and Cosima go up to their room.
"I still can't believe that Rachel bitch."
"She's just trying to shake your confidence. She's jealous, don't let her get to you, that's what she wants."
"I know, but to use you to do it? I should have punched her."
"No, you did the right thing walking way. But, if she says anything to my face, she'll be sorry."
"Don't mess with the Delphinator," Cosima jokes.
"Exactement," Delphine nods. "On another subject, it looked like Maman and Papa loved the photos."
"Yeah, that was cool. You really don't mind that I confirmed we're dating to that reporter?"
"No, Cosima, I'm happy that everyone finally knows. It feels, I don't know, freeing. Are you sure you're okay with it, especially now that, what did you say your fans call themselves?"
"The Clubhaus."
"Now that you'll have members of The Clubhaus throwing themselves at you?"
"They can throw themselves all they want, I already caught the one I want," Cosima wraps her arms around Delphine neck and pulls herself up towards Delphine's lips.
Delphine pulls back before Cosima makes contact, "You caught me? Like a cold?"
"Yup, I'm infected and I refuse to be cured."
Delphine laughs, "What kind of line is that?"
"Is it working?"
"All your goofy lines work."
"Goofy?" Cosima takes mock offense.
"But effective."
"Okay, I'll accept that," Cosima grins before closing in for a kiss.
"Wait," Delphine puts her hand against Cosima's chest, stilling her movement, "I thought athletes weren't supposed to have sex the night before the big event? We don't want you exerting all your energy."
"Well, hopefully Leda isn't getting busy right now, but me, all I need to do is ride."
"And what if you're too sore to sit?" Delphine asks as she reaches down, hikes up Cosima's dress and begins peeling off her underwear.
"That's just the price I'll have to pay." Cosima steps out of her shoes, along with the underwear now pooled at her ankles.
Delphine lifts Cosima's dress over her head, removes her bra, then guides her to sit back on the bed, "You won't blame me for being uncomfortable?"
Cosima shakes her head as she watches Delphine remove her own clothes, "Nope, this a blame free zone."
"Good," Delphine grins as she straddles Cosima's lap.
Cosima sits up and runs her hands through blonde curls, before bringing Delphine's mouth towards her own for a passionate kiss.
As they kiss, Delphine runs her right hand slowly down the front of Cosima's body, Cosima gasping as it reaches its final destination. Delphine rolls her hips into the back of her hand as her fingers enter Cosima. As Delphine's fingers slide in and out, Cosima falls back onto the mattress, pulling Delphine with her, the blonde not missing a beat in her movements. Their new position allows Delphine more room to work and she quickens the pace of her hips, increasing the pressure against her hand.
"Oh god," Cosima moans as Delphine's lips leave her own.
Cosima's breathing becomes more labored, the back of her head pushing hard against the pillow beneath it. Her own hips responding to each thrust into her.
"Cosima," Delphine calls out. "Cosima, look at me."
Cosima's eyes open, staring directly into the golden ones above her. For several moments, Cosima gets lost in them, mesmerized, until stars cloud her vision and she can't control the quaking of her body. Soon, the fullness in her groin is replaced by a warmth in her chest as Delphine covers her body with her own.
Delphine kisses her neck, her cheek, her lips, "You okay, Chérie?"
Cosima nods.
"Are you mute now?" Delphine giggles.
Cosima nods.
"Wow, I fucked you speechless, I'm impressed with myself," Delphine grins as she rests her chin on Cosima's chest, feeling the rapid beating of Cosima's heart beneath her.
Without warning, Cosima grabs Delphine's shoulders and rolls their bodies, a yelp escaping Delphine's lips at the unexpected maneuver.
"I still have some sense left," Cosima declares as she kisses Delphine then begins her descent, her tongue tracing the blonde's body, over tender breasts and down into her navel, savoring salty skin. Cosima's hands grip Delphine knees, spreading her legs wide, her tongue continuing its exploration along the inside of her thighs, legs quivering in response.
"Cosima," Delphine pleads.
A grin forms on Cosima lips as she runs her tongue back up Delphine's inner thigh, skimming along the outside of beckoning lips before landing upon a tight mound. Each swirl of her tongue elicits a throaty moan and a twitch of eager hips, still pinned to the mattress. Delphine stretches her long arms and grips Cosima's head, attempting to guide her where she needs her most. Taking the hint, Cosima dips her tongue into a welcoming well, the taste of desire greeting her upon entry. Delphine whimpers as Cosima's tongue plunges deep into the abyss, her hips fighting against the weight upon them. Cosima curls her tongue, hitting Delphine's sweet spot and causing the blonde to cry out, her body convulsing. Cosima laps at the resulting deluge until the spring has run dry. She then releases her grip on weakened knees and drags herself back up Delphine's body.
Face to face with the blonde, she's greeted by a huge smile. She covers ecstatic lips with her own, her tongue immediately welcomed into a warm mouth.
Eventually, Cosima pulls back, looking into Delphine's eyes, "Why does this feel too easy?"
"What does?"
"This. Us. It's so perfect."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"It's a great thing. Things just normally don't come so easily for me."
"Did I come easily?" Delphine asks.
"Pretty much," Cosima smirks.
"Not as easily as you did."
"I beg to differ."
"Oh non, non, you are the easiest."
Cosima scoffs.
"Oh, that sounds like a challenge," Delphine flips their positions, straddling Cosima, pinning her arms above her head and grinding against her pelvis, "and you've seen how I handle a challenge."
After proving her point to mutual exhaustion, Delphine wraps her arms around Cosima and pulls her close, spooning her so tightly their bodies practically meld together. They lay in companionable silence for several minutes, their breathing syncing up.
"Delphine?"
"Yes?"
"I have an important question to ask you."