Interstellar
7

Stella had been working tirelessly to break down the elk since Cohen and Elise made their first delivery. When the scouts returned with the last of the prey animal, as well as her preteen children, she was concerned that her mate had still yet to return. The kids were running around, full of energy despite the 16 mile hike to join the hunt. Stella set down her skinning knife and called her kids in for a hug. “How did Dad do out there?” They screamed over each other in excitement and shared every last detail. Salem recreated the kill on his sister, who over-reacted to each bite with flailing limbs and shrieks. Stella could hardly contain her amusement at the display and encouraged them with her laughter.

“So yeah,” Salem panted, out of breath from his reinactment, “Dad didn’t do as good as Elise but he was still pretty cool, I guess. he’s still out there for some reason. Told Laken and me to come home and hang out with the pups. Do we gotta, or can we go play outside some more?”

“Yeah, can wwe go play? We’ll watch the pups after dinner, even give ’em baths. Promise!” Laken looked up at her mom with wide saucer eyes, her gaze a wordless plea.

“Go on, go have your fun. But no more killing today!” Stella gently shoved the kids toward the door. She picked up her knife again and continued breaking down the elk. She’d gotten almost 300 pounds of meat dropped into her lap and she wasn’t even halfway done. She removed the last of the skin and took it down to the cellar for tanning, but that could wait until her older boys returned, whenever that may be. When she re-entered the kitchen, Nova had taken her place at the butcher block, cleanly sectioning the meat into manageable peices. “Sure you want to be elbow deep in that right now?” Stella asked with a smirk.

Nova glanced over her shoulder and laughed, “I know my way around one of these things, you know. But here, I’ll grab my own knife so we can get this finished sometime this week.”

It took a couple of hours, but eventually, the task was complete and the kitchen cleaned with no evidence of the elk to be seen. Nova dropped into a seat at the kitchen table and leaned back in the chair, the front legs tilting off the ground. “Are you feeling alright? You look tired, Mama.”

Stella sat across from Nova and rested her head on the tabletop. “Tired is an understatement. I was expecting a few salmon today, not a mature bull elk. But I can’t complain when we’ll have meat for at least the next six months.”

“Why don’t you go take a nice, relaxing bath? I’ll run over to Mina’s and make sure she’s okay watching the pups a little longer.”

Stella rose from her seat, pausing before heading toward the loft stairs. “Will you join me?”

Nova felt that stir of passion ignited in her belly again, surprised to see it return so soon. Nova stood and found her way to Stella’s side, fingers grazing the other woman’s hand, “Just us?” She needed the reassurance nearly as much as she needed new memories to try and overwrite the old ones. She continued before Stella could answer, “I won’t submit to you, though.”

Stella interlocked their fingers and brought their hands to her face, gently kissing the back of Nova’s hand. “I’m yours for the taking, in whatever way you wish.”

Nova watched the older woman head toward the stairs, her robe slipping down her back to expose bare shoulders beneath her long blonde waves. Before she could change her mind or replace a reason not to, Nova paid a visit to Mina next door. Stella’s mother was more than happy to continue watching the pups, all to observant of Leon’s absence all day. Thankfully she did not try to engage Nova in conversation about him and instead encouraged her to get some time to relax for herself, as well.

Faint splashing could be heard when Nova arrived at the loft. She entered the en suite to see Stella had already filled the clawfoot tub and had her body hidden beneath a thick layer of bubbles. Nova kneeled behind the tub, leaning forward to drape her arms around Stella’s shoulders. The older woman leaned back into the embrace, reclining fully in the tub until her head dropped back against Nova’s shoulder. Stella’s eyes were bright with need, her expression pleading for Nova’s touch.

Nova leaned forward and pressed her lips to Stella’s ear, “Tell me what you want.”

Stella exhaled deeply, savoring the gentle yet domineering way the younger woman had commanded her. “I want you to join me. I want to return the favors you were so generous with last night.”

Nova’s hand dropped beneath the water, resting on Stella’s lean stomach before gliding between her small breasts and landing on her neck, applying pressure on the woman’s jaw. Stella turned toward Nova, exhilarated and panting as they once again caught each other’s gaze. Nova stole a chaste kiss, barely teasing contact between their lips, “No. Tell me what you want.” Nova punctuated her command with gentle pressure at Stella’s neck, cementing her need to be in control. The intent was not lost on Stella, and the older woman turned as Nova’s grasp loosened. Face to face, Stella looked closely at the woman before her. Love bites patterned her neck and chest, visible through her dense curls. None of those were as glaringly obvious as the deep purple bruises surrounding the punctures near her shoulder that barely peeked out from the neckline of her shirt. Her eyes did not hold the golden glow they’d had the night before, dimmed by events Stella presumed occurred after their shared experience.

“Use me to mend whatever in you is broken, even if just for a moment.”

Nova claimed Stella’s mouth fiercely, her tongue and hands exploring the older woman’s body with desperate need. Stella kept her hands on Nova’s, guiding them to the spots she most craved the younger woman’s touch. Each breathy whine and moan, each pleading remark from the blonde’s lips that begged to be allow release, resurrected a portion of Nova’s broken confidence. She found power in the woman who was so willingly melting to her touch. She found divine beauty in the crescendo of Stella’s climax, each moment of her wailing pleasures a stitch that gradually began to close Nova’s invisible wounds.

Nova toyed with the older woman until she was breathless and sagging into the now cool water, the exhaustion of multiple orgasms carved beautifully across her face. After each release, Nova would ask her if she wanted more. Each time, Stella would respond that she wanted as much as Nova needed to give.