EXCERPT FROM "Orbits"

The moment Ruby closed the door Jen was all over her, kissing, touching. Despite all this time her hands, her lips, felt comfortable, felt right. Ruby managed to set their dessert on the counter before Jen kissed her all the way across the room and to the couch. Above them, Earth turned slowly, so slowly -- the planet they had both left behind for a new beginning here. Orbiting above their past, it was almost easy to imagine being with Jen like this regularly, like they had tried and failed to do decades ago.

"I missed you," said Jen through her teeth as she bit Ruby's bottom lip and pulled.

"It's been too long. A year?"

"Two," said Jen, moving closer on the couch and sliding her hands along Ruby's legs, up her skirt. Her touch tingled like the twinkle of a thousand stars. "Remember what happened last time you wore this?"

"Mmm." Ruby dove in for another kiss. Her hands moved up Jen's arms, doing their own personal inventory of Jen's body. They stopped to caress her breasts through her shirt and Jen breathed in sharply, tickled the sensitive skin behind Ruby's knees. Jen twisted, pushed Ruby down on the couch on her back, straddled her.

"Lucky the couches in this place are so large," she said, mouth at Ruby's neck. Her hair cascaded down and around them and Ruby slipped her hands up under Jen's shirt. She would never get too old for this. She only hoped it wasn't their last time.

"Do that thing you did last time," breathed Ruby, hoping it came out more like a sexy gasp than a plea. Jen pulled back, grinning, and descended. Ruby rolled briefly and grabbed the lube she had set out near the couch before changing. She almost felt guilty that the Earth was looking on as Jen pushed up her skirt, kissed her inner thigh.

"No panties?" asked Jen, her breath curling around Ruby's thigh as she slowly kissed her way up.

"You make me feel young and rebellious."

Jen laughed lightly.

"You've always been young and rebellious. I never made you that way."