<div class="floatleft">(http://orig05.deviantart.net/b1d8/f/2017/187/0/5/elisa01_by_ravagedgirl-dbf9vv9.jpg)</div>Elisa shivered as Lyari gently stroked her hand with soft fingers.  They were warm and kind, yet sent a tingling flame up the nerves of her arm.  It had been so long since she'd been touched that she felt the contact all the more keenly.<br/><br/>When Lyari leaned in close, her eyes seductive, lips parted to whisper gentle encouragements Elisa found it hard to breath.  She felt herself stretched between heaven and hell in that moment, desperate desire and swirling anxiety tearing her apart.  On some level she knew that she was in public, in a slowly filling tavern with many other customers able to see and even hear everything she did.  That part of her was kicking herself for picking such an obvious, open seat, or even for coming inside at all.  That part of her mind screamed for her to run, to hide, to go back to the lonely, comforting distance she always held herself at.<br/><br/>That choking voice of fear was only one part of her, however; the rest of Elisa was thoroughly caught up in the moment.  Lyari was so sensually beautiful, and when the slightest, most gentle touch of fingers was enough to send her heart pounding and fill her stomach with butterflies, she could scarcely imagine what a kiss would be like, much less more.  And she wanted it.  More than she'd wanted anything for a long, long time.<br/><br/>Torn nearly in half, the world seemed to fall away as she stared into the promise filled eyes so close to her own.  The promise of companionship, of pleasure, of the ending of loneliness, even if only for a few hours.  And she could see that Lyari wanted to know if she would make the first move.  Offering for her to make the final choice.<br/><br/>Before she could second guess herself further Elisa let her eyes slip shut as she leaned forward.  Closing that gap of inches took more courage than a campaign of battles stretching a hundred miles, and left her heart pounding louder in her ears than it ever had surrounded by enemies seeking her death.  Her arms felt numb, and her whole body tingled with a heady mixture of fear and desire.  The only thing keeping her grounded was the soft hand still gently clasped in her own calloused one.<br/><br/>Then their lips met, and she felt a shock like pure magic bursting from the point of contact and filling every inch of her body.  She felt sustained, like Lyari was giving her air after drowning for so long, but at the same time everything became foggy, as if the two were alone, floating in the clouds without a care in the world.<br/><br/>The kiss had been tentative at first, but as seconds past awkward, out of practice motions became more confident, and Elisa leaned forward, pressing harder as her free hand slowly rose to softly caress the woman's cheek.  With a boldness that shocked herself she parted her lips slightly, letting her tongue glide against Lyari's lips.