Betting the Farm Read online

  Elly tore her mouth away. “Please,” she whispered.

  Alex kissed her again, this time barely a flutter of her lips against Elly’s. “Lay down,” she said, withdrawing her hand. They moved until Elly felt the crocheted quilt against the back of her legs. She sank onto the bed, resting on her elbows. Alex knelt between her legs and she watched Alex tug off her underwear and toss it aside. Her hands traced up the outside of Elly’s thighs, over the dusting of freckles. Their gazes met.

  “You’re beautiful,” Alex told her, the light caress of her breath on Elly’s inner thighs almost tickling. Her hands held Elly’s thighs apart, her thumbs stroking the soft hollows at the apex. The unerring touch of her tongue on Elly’s clit made her whimper. Her head fell back as Alex tasted her, circling her clit before descending, pressing into her. Elly rocked her hips up to meet Alex’s touch. She felt Alex’s fingers parting her folds before her mouth fixed on her clit, sucking and nibbling, bringing her close to the brink.

  She cried out as Alex slid two fingers into her, simultaneously swirling her tongue around Elly’s clit. She came apart, trembling under the overwhelming wave of pleasure. Her body tensed and then fell limp. The perspiration gathering at the back of her bent knees and between her shoulder blades.

  Alex didn’t let up and she teased a second orgasm out of Elly, who gasped for breath. Alex stood and stripped off her jeans, revealing a slender thong that matched her discarded bra. Elly sat up and caught Alex’s hand, pulling her down to the bed. Alex tugged and they sprawled back onto the quilt gracelessly. Elly got to her knees beside Alex, bending to place kisses along her sternum, dipping her tongue into her belly button. She paused at the edge of the thong, resting her cheek against Alex’s stomach. Her fingers went between Alex’s legs and she could feel her underwear drenched with need.

  Alex’s breath hitched as Elly caressed her, finally drawing the damp fabric aside. Alex was bare except for a very thin strip of hair and at that moment Elly had never seen anything more delectable. Alex’s hand drifted down and clasped around Elly’s, directing her fingers where she wanted them, penetrating her core. She moaned and arched against Elly’s hand with satisfaction. Elly withdrew her fingers and put them in her mouth, tasting the musky flavour that was all Alex. She pulled off Alex’s thong and inched down the bed until her head was level with Alex’s delicately pink sex. She spread the labia with her fingers and ran her tongue up the center. She couldn’t get enough of Alex’s taste, curling her tongue into Alex’s center and making her whimper before withdrawing to savour her juices, again and again.

  “Elly, please.” Alex’s ragged voice got her attention. “You’re teasing.”

  Elly smiled. “Sorry.”

  “No you’re not,” Alex replied. Her hand snaked down but Elly pushed it away.

  “Wait. It’ll be soon.” This time as Elly thrust her tongue into Alex, she rubbed her thumb over Alex’s clit in a slow, careful rhythm. Alex’s hands tugged at her hair but she didn’t stop. Instead she increased the tempo and the pressure. Alex gasped and seemed to hold her breath, every muscle in her legs going rigid. A burst of wetness coated Elly’s tongue as Alex came hard. She rested her head on Alex’s thigh, her thumb circling Alex’s clit gently, drawing small shudders as she caught her breath and came back to herself. Her fingers loosened and she stroked Elly’s curls, apologizing for the earlier tugging.

  Elly shifted on the bed until she lay next to Alex, sprawled on the multi-coloured quilt. Alex turned on her side, one leg resting over Elly’s knee. It was intimate, more than Elly had experienced in a long while. She laid her hand on Alex’s pale skin, stroking over the bump of her kneecap.

  “How come we’ve never met before? We live in the same city, after all,” Alex remarked. Elly wondered if her question was rhetorical, but after a moment she realized that Alex was waiting for her to say something.

  “It’s a big place,” Elly replied, knowing her answer sounded lame. “I don’t get out much, as I’ve said before.”

  “What do you do with your time?” Alex had only curiosity in her tone, not the disdain Elly had been used to from relatives who’d found her life dull as dishwater.

  “I work. I go home. I cook. I read a lot. I do get out, but I usually go to coffee shops instead of bars.”

  “To read?” Alex’s hand cupped her breast and Elly could only nod. “What do you find in your books, Elly?”

  “Romance. Adventure. An escape from my quiet life.” Elly smiled. “But this is better than any book.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.” Alex braced herself on one elbow and leaned over, her tongue darting out to tease Elly’s lips. Elly pulled her down for a deep kiss. Alex straddled her thigh and she could feel the wet heat against her skin. She shifted and Alex rocked against her with a murmur of pleasure.

  “Again?” Elly asked.

  “Of course.” Alex trailed her mouth down the side of Elly’s neck, nipping and sucking even as she continued to grind against Elly’s thigh. Elly repositioned her leg and clasped Alex’s buttocks, giving her a better angle. The moan Alex let out made Elly smile with satisfaction. She moved her leg slowly, grinding back against Alex’s pelvis. The wetness spread over her skin and Alex slipped easily over her thigh.

  Alex slumped against her, though her hand moved lower, tracing over Elly’s stomach and between her legs. First one finger, then two, and then three. Elly gasped.

  “Can you take another?” Alex murmured against her neck. “You’re so wet.”

  Elly nodded and she felt Alex ease in another finger. She spread her legs wider and angled her hips upward, wanting to take in more. Alex pressed in and Elly shuddered. Before Alex could spread her further, the pressure of her fingers pushed Elly over the edge. She vaguely felt Alex’s thighs tighten around her own, the heat growing as Alex moved more erratically against her. She turned her head and took one of Alex’s nipples in her mouth. Alex braced her hand on Elly’s stomach and Elly could feel the wetness of her own juices.

  Alex made a low keening sound in her throat and Elly felt the shiver and heard Alex’s heart beating rapidly as she gave a cry, burying her head into her shoulder and collapsing into Elly’s embrace. Her hair fell across them in a dark, soft curtain.

  Elly closed her eyes. Even though the breeze tickled their bareness, she had never felt so cozy, so deliciously content. She played with a lock of Alex’s hair that curled around her breast. Alex opened one eye.

  “You still have energy?” she teased, her voice a husky whisper.

  “Not much,” Elly whispered back. Alex chuckled.

  “Good.” she shifted and rose. “Get up El, I want some covers.”

  Elly moved and they crawled between the sheets, pulling the covers up to their chins. They lay face to face, their heads resting on the somewhat lumpy pillows.

  “I can’t wait for next weekend,” Alex told her. Elly smiled, feeling sleepy now that she was cocooned in warmth.

  “Me too.” And the last thing she knew was a glimpse of Alex’s answering smile before she drifted off to sleep.

  Elly woke to the sound of magpies squawking in the tree outside her window. She stretched and found the other side of the bed empty, but still warm. She sat up. Alex had her back to the bed and she pulled on her t-shirt. Elly cleared her throat.

  “You’re awake.” Alex turned, looking pleased. “I thought you might sleep the day away.”

  Elly drew back the covers, reaching for the robe she’d left on the end of the bed the day before. Alex bent and picked it up from where it had fallen on the floor. Elly slipped it on and tied the belt.

  “Are you going already?” She tried not to sound disappointed.

  “Soon,” Alex said. “I have a lot of miles to make up. But I wouldn’t have left without giving you a proper goodbye.”

  Elly followed Alex down the stairs to the kitchen. She put on a pot of coffee while Alex puttered in the pantry, coming out empty-handed.

  “There’s not much for breaksfast.�
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  “No - sorry. I don’t eat much. But I always have coffee.”

  “I love that old pot.” Alex looked past her to the stove. The aluminium coffee pot was battered from years of use and the sides showed patches of wear. But it still worked and Elly saw the coffee starting to perk, splashing up into the glass bulb.

  “Perfect.” Alex sidled up to her, kissing Elly’s cheek before her hands moved beneath the robe. “I’m going to miss you.”

  “I’ll come to the city for the weekend,” Elly promised.

  “And we’ll go out. It’ll be fantastic.” Alex caressed the underside of Elly’s breasts before she spotted a pad of paper and a pencil that rested by the old rotary phone. “I’ll write down my information for you.” She scribbled a phone number, an email address and a street address onto the top sheet.

  “I don’t have an internet connection out here, but I’ll call you.” Elly poured the coffee into a pair of mugs she’d taken down from the cupboard. Alex took one of the cups.

  “Write down everything for me,” she said, tearing the page off the pad and thrusting it at Elly. Elly scrawled her phone numbers on the pad, and her street address.

  “You’re only a few blocks from me,” Alex said in surprise. Elly took a closer look at Alex’s address.

  “We're close.” She grinned.

  “Come ring my bell when you’re back in town. Anytime.” Alex leaned forward and kissed her. “And make it tomorrow.”

  “If I can.” Elly laughed. “I’ll try.”

  “Good.”

  They retreated to the living room, curling up on the sofa until Alex took a long last sip of her coffee and set the empty cup aside.

  “Will you walk me to my bike?”

  “Of course.”

  Elly followed Alex out, watching as she shrugged on her heavy leather jacket. She paused on the front step, not wanting to step down into the muddy yard. Alex hooked the helmet over the handlebar of the bike and came back to the step. From the corner of her eye, Elly noticed Jack Collins’ tractor making its slow way down the road. She didn’t care. Time that he knew. She bent and kissed Alex, feeling the cool leather through the thin robe, loving the warmth of Alex’s hands on her back.

  “I’m a ruined woman; it’s going to be all over town soon,” she teased as Alex drew back.

  “They’re just jealous,” Alex quipped. She heard the tractor and glanced over. “Let’s give him a treat.” Her hand slid under the robe and Elly caught a glimpse of Jack gaping in surprise before Alex kissed her. She giggled with delight as Alex caught her about the waist and dipped her, giving Jack a view he hadn’t bargained for. As they straightened, Alex grinned.

  “Bring your cute button-down shirt on Friday. We’ll pretend we’re back on the farm.”

  * * *

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  * * *

  Coming in February 2015, the full-length sequel to BETTING THE FARM, entitled BETTING ON LOVE. Find out what happens between Alex and Elly…

  Land poor, Elly leaves the family farm and heads to the big city to become something better than a waitress at a small-town diner. Though she’s succumbed to economic necessity and the siren song of her one-time lover, Alex, she can’t bear to give up the farm, which has been in her family for generations. As much as she wants to, she can’t have everything she desires, and she’ll have to decide what is more important: the past or the future.

  Alex has always been a daredevil, up for anything, never tying herself down to anyone. When she falls head over heels for quiet Elly, everyone’s surprised, no one more than her best friend and occasional lover, Will. As things heat up between them, Elly must choose between her past and her future, and Alex is faced with a decision that will shake her to the core of all she holds dear.

  To be released by Bold Strokes Books (boldstrokesbooks.com)

  ***

  Looking for more lesbian romance? Check out PROHIBITED PASSION, available for $2.99 at most ebook retailers.

  Ruth wants to escape the boredom of Bandit Creek and the strict expectations of her father, the local pastor. Her life changes the day she meets CeeCee, a world-wise flapper, and an irresistible attraction develops between them. She’ll be disowned and shunned if anyone discovers their prohibited passion, but can they keep their growing affection a secret?

  CeeCee is drawn to Ruth, but things become complicated when her gangster companion disapproves of their liaison. He’s in town to broker a deal with the owner of the local speakeasy, and he’s not above using them to further his own plans. Can CeeCee protect Ruth and their budding relationship?

  As Ruth gets drawn further into their world, she must decide between her familiar life and a new, dangerous path with the woman she loves.

  And a little bit more? VEE: Volume 1 is available for $0.99.

  “Sylvia, my brightest star, my desire. My lust, my soul.

  “She was Lia to her co-workers at the bookstore, Sylvia to her mother, who clicked her tongue disapprovingly at her bright blue and hair and her Monroe stud. But to me, she was simply Vee.”

  In Alex’s notebooks, the story of Vee unfolds, from their first kiss, their first date, and the moments in between. It’s a May-December romance between a former punk girl gone conservative, and a gamine young woman in combat boots and fishnets. They find each other on the streets of New York City and it’s love at first sight.

  * * *

  Other books by Alyssa Linn Palmer

  THE PARIS GAME: The Le Chat Rouge Series Volume 1 (Released June 2013)

  On the darker side of Paris, it’s dangerous to not pay your debts…

  A singer in a jazz club past its prime, Sera Durand must come up with thousands of euros to pay back her boss, a ruthless gangster. A confrontation with her ex, an art dealer profiting on the wrong side of the law, leads her into a questionable wager, but one that could solve her problems.

  Marc Perron knows a winning proposition when he sees one. Seducing a shy young woman of Sera’s acquaintance will be the easiest thing in the world, and the prize, to have Sera in his bed once again, is worth the chance of losing a sizable sum. What he didn’t expect was the depth of Sera’s desperation.

  When one of his deals goes awry, Marc’s solution could cost them more than money…

  Available at all ebook retailers, and in paperback.

  MOONLIGHT & LOVE SONGS: The Le Chat Rouge Series Volume 2 (Fall 2013)

  When Le Chat Rouge's pianist, Benoît Grenier, meets the club's new singer, his world is turned upside down. He'd given up ever finding someone to love, and his hopes and dreams of a life beyond the club are revived.

  Daniel Marceau has come from Marseille, looking to escape bad decisions and worse memories. He never expected to fall in love, and when his past catches up with him it could ruin the only thing he's ever found worth living for.

  His reluctance to ask Benoît for help could cost them everything…

  Available at all ebook retailers, and in paperback.

  THE CHRISTMAS GAME: The Le Chat Rouge Series Volume 0.5 (December 2013)

  Alone in London on business just before Christmas, Marc Perron meets an intriguing young woman working at a bookshop. A light flirtation seems to lead nowhere, but the night before he returns to Paris, she knocks on his hotel room door.

  Madelaine’s taking a risk, but no one’s ever looked at her the way Marc does, and she’s not about to pass up a chance to get to know him better. When he suggests a game of wagers, she can’t resist challenging him. And herself.

  Their matchup is a fiery one and each wager tops the last, the sexual heat between them crackling. Neither want to lose the game, but Madelaine fears she might be losing her heart as well.

  This novella is a part of the Le Chat Rouge series, but can be read as a stand-alone story.

  Available at all ebook retailers.

  About the Author


  Alyssa Linn Palmer is a Canadian writer and freelance editor. She splits her time between a full-time day job, and her part-time loves, writing and editing. She is a member of the RWA, the Calgary RWA, and RRW (Rainbow Romance Writers). She has a passion for Paris and all things French, which is reflected in her writing. When she's not writing lesbian romance, she's creating the dark, morally flawed characters of the LE CHAT ROUGE series and indulging in her addictions to classic pulp fiction. Her next book, BETTING ON LOVE, will be released in February 2015. You can find her online at www.alyssalinnpalmer.com, or on Twitter @alyslinn.