For complete disclaimers, see part 1.

If you’d like to tell me what a wonderful writer I am, or that I royally suck, feel free at XenaNut@hotmail.com or Auth2b@hotmail.com

Part 11

Sighing again, Abel turned to her side. She fluffed her pillow, kicked the blanket off and turned to her stomach. Green eyes opened.

With a quiet growl, and turned to her back again and stared up at the ceiling that held an orangeish glow from the street lights across the street in the park. She glanced at the clock, groaning when she saw it was only one seventeen in the morning. She’d officially been in bed for two hours and seventeen minutes.

Trying again, the blonde rolled to her right side, her back to the rest of the room and Jessica who slept soundly across the way. Trying valiantly to reach an itch that was right in the middle of her back, Abel gave up. With a heavy sigh of frustration, she sat up and became a contortionist as she reached for that damn elusive spot.

Her hands plopped down onto her bare legs, hands rubbing over the smooth skin. She glanced over at her roommate and friend again, then looked at the clock once more. One twenty-one.

"This sucks," she muttered. It had been three days since she’d come back to Boston from the cabin. It was also the third night in a row that she could not sleep. She flopped back against the pillows again, thinking. Okay, why can’t I sleep? Let’s analyze this.

What was going on? School had been in session for a couple days, so nothing critical there. She wasn’t stressed, nor worrying about anything. Things were good at home, and at the apartment.

Something was missing at night. Like she’d forgotten to do something. Abel ran her tongue over her teeth, feeling the smooth cleanness. Check. She could still feel the tingle from her face cleanser. Check. She’d gone to the bathroom. Check. Homework was done. Check. Paper done. Check. Thought of Zac today. Double check.

Abel sat up in bed again, running a hand through her locks.

"That’s it," she whispered. She missed her friend. She missed Zac holding her in bed and cuddling with her. She missed the smell of the brunette’s skin, all natural and warm from the sun.

She hugged herself, eyes closed as the sensations coursed through her. The feel of Zac’s warm body wrapped around her own, strong arms protecting her from the night. The comfort and satisfaction of the brunette’s breathing as she fell into a peaceful sleep. No demons ever found Abel when she was in Zac’s arms.

Perhaps it was just having someone else there. The blonde glanced again at her roommate and thought about climbing into bed with her. Jess would be warm, too. She was breathing nice and even, that comforting white noise.

Chewing on her bottom lip, she contemplated this move. She had, after all, gotten used to having Zac with her every night.

"Shit," she hissed, sitting up again. She looked at Jessica. "Jess," she said, her voice quiet, but hopefully loud enough to waken her friend. She needed to talk. "Jessica!" she said louder.

"Hmm?" the darker girl mumbled, face still half-buried in her pillow.

"I need to talk."

"Then write to Dear Abby," Jess grumbled and turned over, her back to her roommate.

"About Zac and spring break." The blonde grinned when dark brown eyes were suddenly peeking at her over a shoulder. "Come on, Jess. I need to talk about this."

"You need to talk about this at," Her friend glanced at the clock. "One-thirty in the morning?"

"Sorry. Can’t sleep." Abel scooted back so she was sitting against the wall, knees drawn to her chest.

"You can’t sleep, so no one can, is that it?" Jess grumbled, copying the blonde’s position.

"Come on, Jessica. I’ve had midnight talks with you before."

"Alright, alright." Jess smoothed a dread back from her face and rubbed her eyes. "Talk."

"I miss her," Abel said, her words muffled by the blanket as she rested her chin on her knees.

"You woke me up to tell me that you miss your friend that you saw three days ago?" Jessica looked incredulous.

"No. It’s more than that, Jess." Abel’s voice was quiet, soft. It had taken on an entirely different quality than her friend had ever heard before.

"What’s going on between you two, Abel?" Jessica asked softly.

"I don’t know." The blonde rested her head against the wall, eyes half-hooded as she thought of this very question. It had been plaguing her whether she wanted to admit it or not. "We had such a good time." She smiled, remembering. "She’s so much fun. And so very sweet. And gorgeous! Oh my god." She quickly got off the bed, dressed in her nightly t-shirt, flannel shorts and socks. She dug through her desk. Hurrying over to Jess’ bed, she sat down and handed her a snap shot.

"This her?"

Abel nodded. "Yeah. I managed to snap it when she didn’t know any better." She grinned, remembering how angry Zac had been at the unexpected picture. Jessica took the picture greedily, dying to know what the enigmatic Zac looked like.

"Wow," she breathed. "She’s really pretty." Zac was looking at the camera, her amazing blue eyes intense and magnetic. Her long dark hair fell around her shoulders and face, wild and free. She seemed too tall in Jessica’s estimation. Jeans covered long legs and a sweatshirt hung from her shoulders. She handed Abel the picture back.

"Yes. She is very pretty," the blonde said, looking at the picture, which brought an instant smile to her lips. She set it aside.

"So what’s going on between you two, girl?" Jessica asked again. She leaned against the wall next to her bed again and studied her long-time friend.

Abel sighed, bringing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She shook her head. "I don’t really know." She sounded so miserable, the darker girl just wanted to take the small blonde into her arms and hug her and make it all better.

"Why don’t you start by telling me about your week," Jess suggested.

"Okay." Abel sighed and sat back against the wall next to Jess. "Well, she was there waiting for me with her dog, Aure." She smiled at the memory. "First time she’s ever done that." She looked into Jess’s face, near unseen from the shadows of the room. "Let me start at the beginning."

As Abel told her story, starting from the day she met Zac fifteen years ago, the other girl listened intently, never interrupting unless she wanted to clarify a point. She did, however, watch Abel closely. She noticed her enthusiasm whenever tall, dark and gorgeous was mentioned. The green eyes lit right up, her hands wild with gestures.

Most interesting.

Once Abel finished her story, Jessica studied her, finger tapping her chin.

"What?" the blonde asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable from the scrutiny.

"Dude, you’ve got a crush."

"What!?"

"Yes, ma’am. You’ve got a crush. I have never seen you so excited and enthusiastic about one single person in our entire friendship."

"A crush?" Abel looked skeptically at her friend, though somehow she didn’t feel it was right to argue. She was confused.

"Yes. If I say the name Zac, you light right up." Jessica grinned at the smile that was twitching at the corners of Abel’s lips. "Zac." Full smile. "Zac Lipton."

"Stop!" Abel smacked the darker girl, the smile still firmly in place.

"I rest my case." Jessica smiled triumphantly. "Okay. Now that we’ve got that settled, why don’t you tell me why you woke me up at a ridiculous hour of morning on a school night."

"I couldn’t sleep." Abel pouted.

"You woke me up cause you can’t sleep? I’m not so sure how I feel about that."

"I miss her, Jess." The blonde looked at her friend with pleading eyes, hoping that Jessica would understand and be understanding. "She makes me feel so safe and comfortable. Content, I guess."

"So why can’t you sleep? I can understand missing her during the day. So what’s the deal now?"

"Well, um, she um, she sleeps with me in the cabin." Abel’s eyes widened at the look on Jessica’s face. "Not that kind!"

"Ow, ow!" Jessica giggled as she was barraged by a pillow beating.

"She is the greatest cuddler," Abel said, tossing the pillow aside, only to be snatched up by Jess so she could hug it to herself.

"Really? Even better than Davis?"

"Much better." Abel grimaced at the thought of her ex. "I think that was the only thing he did well."

"Honey, I still say that Davis is gay. I will say that till the day I die."

"Yeah yeah. And I will say until the day I die that he is simply eccentric."

"Uh huh."

Abel rolled her eyes. "Anyway. She’s wonderful in the cuddle department. She has these long, strong arms." The blonde wrapped her own arms around herself and sighed at the memory. "She holds me so tight. God, it’s just amazing."

"Man, you’re gone," Jess said in wonder.

"I don’t get it, Jess. I just so don’t get it. She’s a, well, a she!"

"Uh huh. And?"

"What do you mean, and? She’s a woman. I’m a woman. This doesn’t make any sense!"

"Abel, honey, what does it matter? She seems to really make you feel good. Right?" The blonde nodded. "And she’s gorgeous, sweet, amazingly stuck on you, so why not?"

"God, I’m not programmed like that, Jess." Abel felt tears sting behind her lids as her confusion morphed into intense emotion.

"Sweetie," Jess laid her hand on Abel’s knee. "How do you feel about Zac? Like, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?"

"I really care about her. I crave her presence. God, it’s the weirdest thing, Jess. It’s like when spring break came along, and I thought about the trip with you guys to Cancun, I wanted to go. I really, really did. But then I thought about the fact that I won’t be able to see Zac until summer, and it tore me up. I wanted to see her so bad. I needed to see her."

Jessica could see the sincerity burning in Abel’s eyes. "Girl, what’s going on with you, huh? What’s in your head? What do you want from this girl?

"I don’t know. Jess, I kissed her when I left." Abel fell against Jess’s shoulder. An arm automatically went around her.

"Tell me about it," the darker girl said quietly as she gently stroked the soft blonde hair.

"That last night, we were laying in bed and I was looking at her. God, she’s the most beautiful person I have ever seen. And not just physically. Jess, she saved my life!"

"I know, sweetie."

"She’s amazing. Never in my life have I met someone like her. Never. I’d be a fool not to have her in my life."

"Then keep her there. Do you want her there as your friend? Or . . . something more?" Jess was careful, not trying to send a most confused Abel in any certain direction, but trying to get the girl to see what may be in front of her face. She wanted Abel to look at all the possibilities, and not let something that could possibly be wonderful get away.

"Definitely. I want her with me. I want so badly to bring her here to Boston. Introduce her to things she’s never seen or thought about. Things she’s never even dreamed of. Things that only I can share with her."

"Have you asked her?"

"In so many words. I promised her I’d never take her away from her safety zone. I can’t ask that of her, Jessica. She’d never survive outside the forest or rails. Zac is special. Very unique. She’s like nothing you’ve ever seen, and sometimes I think this world you and I live in isn’t good enough for her."

Jess just listened. She knew Abel was nowhere near a place where she could put any sort of name to what she felt, so she let it go. The blonde would tell her what she wanted to tell her, and the rest she’d figure out on her own.

Zac sat in her tent, away from the warm rain. She sat Indian style, her biology book in her lap and bottom lip tucked into her mouth.

"Breasts," she muttered, flipping to the index in back of the large text, fingers leading her gaze down the page until she came to the body part in question. "Page 319."

Swiftly turning the heavy, clay-laden pages, she found her way to the page and saw a colored drawing of the female body, replete with all private parts. She looked at the breasts of the drawing, the nipples erect to show what happens during certain stimuli. She saw the word written in bold print and began to read.

". . . can become hard during sexual arousal or when temperatures drop to colder levels." She looked down at her own breasts, clad in the thin material of her t-shirt. She had yet to put her bra on, so saw her nipples standing at attention. She was not cold.

Flipping back to the index, she looked up aroused, sexuality, stimulated, and finally, sex. Turning to the indicated pages, Zac read all that she could on the subject. She absorbed the information like a dry sponge did water.

Spinney had been gone for nearly two months, and the most interesting things had begun to happen to the brunette’s body. Ever since that last kiss before the blonde left for school, Zac had noticed the strangest feelings coursing through her body, always ending with her being most uncomfortable in her pants. The first time, she thought she had perhaps peed her pants without knowing, or her monthly had caught up with her.

Nope. None of the above.

The previous night she had dreamt of her and Spinney in the Jacuzzi in the cabin again, but this time Spinney did not have the bra on. Zac had been able to stare openly at the beautiful flesh per the blonde’s request. Never really seeing breasts in real life before, other than her own, the brunette decided to do a bit of research.

The first thing she had done was look up the strange discharge in her pants. She had come up with several possibilities, but figured she had it settled on two.

Either her bladder was beginning to lose control, she had a sexually transmitted disease, (which she was pretty sure she could count out), she had a yeast infection, or she was sexually aroused.

She was betting on the latter two. Though she was not experiencing the burning discomfort that the book said accompanied a yeast infection.

As she read up on the breast, nipples and their sensitivity to sexual stimulation, she was absolutely intrigued.

When Spinney had been at the cabin over winter break, and especially over spring break, Zac had noticed the oddest changes in her own body. Like when the little blonde would touch her, the way she felt it all the way through her. The way she craved touching Spinney. Craved being near her, and wanted to cry at the mere thought of being away from her. Which she did, once Spinney left, that is.

Never in her life had Zac had a problem with being alone. She really had been for her entire life. But now . . .

She sighed. She missed Spinney more than she cared to admit. Missed seeing those most amazing green eyes looking at her with so much love and acceptance.

Zac closed her eyes, slamming the book shut and wrapping her arms around it over her chest. She could still picture her dream. In the tub they had been, with Spinney’s blonde hair water slicked away from her face, and she had taken off the bra. She had been looking into Zac’s eyes the entire time as she reached back behind her to unsnap it.

Zac had been too stunned to ask just what the blonde was doing, and she didn’t want her to stop, anyway. The brunette had absolutely no idea what she was supposed to do, or what exactly she was hoping for, but the dream had caused a ton of that discharge stuff, and had left her pulsing at what felt like the center of her being. She had woken with a groan, not wanting to be in her tent. And certainly not alone.

"Oh, Spinney," she breathed. "What are you doing to me?"

Abel had been quiet after her enlightening middle-of-the-night talk with Jess. It had been two weeks ago, and she had been in a state of total inner investigation. She had no idea what was going on within her, but her dream the night before had been painfully telling.

Never in her life had she had such a dream about a girl before. Hell, she didn’t really remember having them about guys, either. She was very much a visual person with a reality-based nature. Rarely did the abstractness of dreams do anything for her.

But this time . . .

She sighed, leaning against the wall in the back cooler of the store where she worked. She was restocking the meat counter, but the dream images had assaulted her again.

She and another woman, who she had the distinct impression had been Zac, had been swimming in a lake. She felt that it was the lake up at the cabin. They were in bathing suits, but she could not keep her eyes off the body of her swimming companion, who conveniently kept getting out to get a drink of her bottled water. Green eyes would follow the form out every time, taking in the beautiful curves and smooth skin.

Once, Zac had returned and swum over to Abel. When she arrived at the blonde’s side, she had taken the smaller girl in her arms and had begun to nuzzle her neck with her lips and nose. Abel could feel the hardness of nipples against her skin as she had arched her head back, eyes closed as she reveled in the sensations. Unimaginable sensations.

"Shit," she groaned, feeling the warmth of arousal wash through her body again.

Jessica had been good, not bringing it up again but making it more than apparent that if Abel needed to talk again, she was more than willing to supply an ear. The blonde knew that Jess would be a wonderful person to talk to about this, not judging her at all. She needed that kind of support for something she did not understand.

Again she recalled the feeling of lips moving slowly up her neck, under her jaw and finally to her own. The kiss had been magnificent, sending tremors through Abel’s body. Her body had been so responsive during sleep that the blonde wasn’t sure whether she had actually climaxed or not.

She needed to talk to Jessica.

Finishing up with her day, quickly, she hurried home.

Jessica sat at the computer, books spread out all around her.

"Hey girl," she said when Abel came through the door. "What’s up, oh!" Startled when her hand was grabbed, Jess was led toward the bedroom she shared with the fiery little blonde.

"Sit." Abel began to change from her work clothes as she waited for Jessica – and her own thoughts – to get settled.

"What’s going on, girl?" Jess sat back, leaning her back against the wall to the side of her bed, and stretching long legs out to cross at the ankle as they dangled over the side of the bed.

"I am so," The blonde thought for a moment as she tugged the tank over her head. Blowing disheveled bangs out of her eyes, she plopped down on her own bed. "Confused, I guess, though somehow that doesn’t seem right."

Jessica waited patiently for her friend to figure out what it was she was trying to say.

"I had a dream last night, Jess. A sex dream."

"Okay. Thanks for sharing." Dark brows drew, not sure where this was leading.

"No, stop it. About Zac!" Abel’s eyes were wide and bright. She looked like she was about to cry. "Dude, and I enjoyed it!"

"Ohhhh," Jessica took a deep breath. Here we go. "How do you feel?"

"I have no idea. I mean, I thought about this thing all day. I mean, I love her dearly, you know that. And she is gorgeous, but how on earth can I be having sex dreams about her, Jess? Is it maybe that I haven’t had sex in so long and am desperate? Or because I do find her so beautiful? Both?"

"Honey, you could have had sex long before now. You stopped that, remember?" Jessica raised a brown in challenge. The blonde thought for a minute, then remembered that party they’d had at the apartment. That guy. What had been his name? They’d gotten to the condom part, she knew that for sure. The guy had been ready and raring to go. But she had stopped him. Why?

"Right. I do remember." She thought about it for a moment, and then it hit her. "Oh my god." She covered her mouth with her hand.

"What?"

"It was Zac. I stopped him, Jessica, because it felt wrong. I was thinking of Zac." This time a tear did manage to slip out of her eye.

"Ah, girl." The darker girl got up and went to her friend. "It’s okay, Abel. It’s all going to be okay. Hon, maybe you’re like bisexual or something. Or maybe it’s just Zac. I mean, you guys have been through some serious shit together. See what I’m saying? Maybe you two just have a really special connection."

"We do." Abel felt relieved for a moment, but it was a very brief moment. "God. I’m attracted to her."

No shit, Sherlock! Jess said nothing.

"Fuck. What do I do?" Desperate green eyes bored into brown.

"I don’t know. What do you want to do?"

"Well, according to my dream, I want to be kissed by her and see her in a hugely revealing bathing suit."

Jessica was surprised, but refrained from commenting. Her friend was in no state of mind to take friendly jabbing right now.

"Okay. But more importantly, do you want to pursue it? I mean, keep some things in mind, Abel. This chick has a real affinity for the woods, and not for people. She’d be there, you’d be here, and with you graduating next year, who knows where you’ll be. I doubt you’ll have the time to go to the cabin with your family much, you know?"

"Yeah." Abel nodded, still clutched in her friend’s reassuring arms.

"How do you think she feels?" Jessica ran her fingers through the silky blonde strands, always thinking her friend had the most beautiful hair. She also knew the movements would help to calm Abel.

"I don’t know. Over spring break I asked her if she had ever had sex or dated or anything. This poor girl is so sheltered from the world. She has never kissed anyone, never had sex, nor really the opportunity, I don’t think. She’s so innocent, Jessica. It’s absolutely amazing. She is like a child in so many ways, yet so wise and sensitive in others." She told her all about Zac’s reaction to hearing and reading about the events of the last century.

"She cried?" Jessica asked in amazement. She felt the blonde head nod. "Wow. What a sweetheart."

"She is. I wish so badly there was a way for you to meet her. She’s truly the most wonderful human being I’ve ever met. I want to bring her here."

"Then do it."

"I can’t. I told you that. That’s all she knows. She’d be eaten alive here."

"Sounds like the only one wanting to do any eating is you."

Abel pulled away and smacked Jessica after seeing the huge grin spread across her face.

"Jess! God, you’re so gross!"

"I’m kidding, I’m kidding!" She held her hands up in surrender. "No, but seriously. Don’t you think if she had you, she’d be okay? It seems you both have the same effect on each other."

"Hmm," Abel settled against her headboard. "I wish."

Zac roamed the forest, summer firmly entrenched in the green growth that surrounded her and Aure. It was beautiful, and she wanted to be able to share it with Spinney.

She looked down at her golden buddy, sometimes stunned by how much he’d grown. He was now a big boy at almost eight months old. Zac smiled, knowing that Spinney would be pleased at what a good job she’d done with the dog. He already knew lots of tricks and never left her side.

She glanced up into the sky, knowing from the direction of the sun that it was probably near one in the afternoon. Sighing, she headed toward the lake. Today she was going to take a swim. It was the first day in a while that it was nice enough for it. Aure loved the water, too, which was so neat. He’d follow her in, splashing around while the brunette bathed. Then he’d run to shore, shaking his coat free of the water droplets that clung, making his fur stand on end in all directions.

Peeling her clothes off, she looked down at her breasts, still totally intrigued by the mounds of flesh. They were so soft and responsive. She had had so much running through her mind for the past few months. She seemed to be terribly drawn to Spinney’s body, and loved to learn about it.

She could not wait until the blonde arrived for the summer and she could see it up close and personal again.

Happily, she ran out into the still slightly chilly waters of lake Wachiva, yelling her contentment out into the still, late spring air.

"You ready to go, girl?" Jessica laid her hand on Abel’s lower back, looking over the blonde’s shoulder at the suitcase she was about to snap shut.

"Yep. You?"

"Sure am."

"Going home?" Abel put the case with its twin next to her bed.

"Yeah. Mom’s birthday and all that. Soooo, off I go. And you, missy," She playfully punched Abel in the arm. "Off to the cabin, huh?"

Abel took a deep breath, then nodded. "Yes. I’m pretty excited, too. My folks will be there in about a week, so I’m gonna chill." She grinned.

"With Zac." Jess winked.

"Stop it." Abel hugged her friend. "I’ll miss you. See you next year, huh?"

"Yes, ma’am. If you need to talk this summer, you know where I’m at. Okay?" Jessica held Abel by the shoulders, looking deeply into green eyes. The blonde nodded.

"Okay."

"I gotta go. See you." The darker girl headed out, her car already loaded with what she’d need for the summer.

Abel sat on her bed, looking around the room and running her sweaty palms over her thighs. She was very excited indeed to see Zac, but was nervous as all get out. She’d had no more dreams since the one two months ago, but still. That one dream stayed with her, and all the feelings and emotions tied to it.

She had no plans for the summer other than to be with Zac.

The blue Jetta made its way around the largest of the dozens of blind curves as it wound its way into Wachiva Forest. A golden lab ran at full speed, followed by his master, desperate to get to the driver.

Abel opened the door, and was no sooner standing than was nearly bowled over by an extremely anxious Zac.

"Spinney!"

The blonde closed her eyes as she was taken into powerful, tan arms. She rested her head against Zac’s shoulder, wrapping her own arms around her friend’s waist.

"Hey, you," she said, hearing Aure barking his head off. The hug lasted more than five minutes, each reluctant to let go. But, at last, they did.

Abel looked up into excited blue eyes and brought a hand up, cupping one of Zac’s cheeks.

"I missed you."

"I missed you, too." Zac grinned, big and white, her hand automatically going to the head of her companion who sat obediently by her side, waiting to be acknowledged by his new friend. After staring into the bluest eyes she had ever seen for a moment, Abel did just that.

"You have gotten so big, Aure!" Like a growing child proud of his achievement, Aure began to chase his tail, whipping himself into a frenzy of excitement and pride. She knelt down and endured his kisses, which he tried to turn into French ones, and which were narrowly avoided. Finally Abel stood. "Come on, gorgeous. Let’s go inside."

Zac helped unload the small car and carried the heavier stuff inside, all the way up the two flights of stairs. Once everything was unloaded, Abel made a quick call to her parents to let them know she’d made it okay, and then turned to Zac.

"I really, really missed you." She allowed herself to be caught up in a massive hug again. She had worried that it would be awkward coming up here and seeing the star of her erotic dream. But she felt fine, and in fact closer to Zac than before. She felt an even stronger connection to the beautiful girl, and did not want to lose that. Zac, for her part, felt the same way.

Over the spring she had studied what she could about human sexuality and the female form. She wanted to understand just what it was about Spinney that made her tremble with anticipation of seeing the blonde again, as well as what made her own body tick. And boy, did the blonde make her body tick!

She sank into her Spinney’s arms, eyes closed at the feel of the warm body against her own. She could feel the blonde’s breasts against her, causing a shiver to race through her. She inhaled Spinney’s scent, wanting to be able to memorize every single thing about her friend for when she left after the summer.

Abel gave Zac a squeeze, then pulled back from her, keeping her hands wrapped around strong, corded forearms. She looked up into Zac’s eyes and smiled, getting one in return. Leaning up, she placed a soft kiss on Zac’s even softer lips. An even stronger current washed over her than the last time.

Zac closed her eyes at the contact, however brief, letting it filter through all her senses. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Abel watched the transformation come over Zac’s face, and wondered just what the brunette thought of the kisses. She looked as though she really enjoyed them, but did she truly understand them? In some ways, Abel felt as though she were taking advantage of Zac’s innocence. If her friend actually knew what lay behind those kisses, would she still be smiling so goofily?

She did not know. She wished there was some way to find out, but alas, there was none. Hell, Abel could barely understand it herself. She knew without a doubt that she was attracted to Zac, but had no idea why, or when it had begun. Never in her life had she thought of another woman like that, or thought past them being physically pleasing to the eye. Found attractive, not attracted to.

Instead of stepping into a think tank, she took Zac’s hand.

"Come on. I’m hungry."

Zac sat on the floor channel surfing while Spinney made a telephone call to her mother, begging her to bring more syrup when they arrived in a week.

She settled on the floor, Aure snoozing next to her. Grabbing a pillow from the couch, she stuck it under her head and watched as some guy on the History Channel talked about the rise of Adolph Hitler. She was transfixed, seeing the images of history flash on the screen in black and white video. The dictator’s harsh voice barking out words of encouragement to his comrades in German.

"What’cha watching?" Abel asked as she plopped down on the other side of the brunette. Zac was happy as a clam, sandwiched between her dog and her Spinney.

"Something about Hitler."

The blonde grimaced. "Evil, evil man." She laid her head on Zac’s stomach, wrapping an arm over her waist. She smiled when she felt fingers begin to play through her hair.

"How’s your mom?"

"She’s good. Trying to get the kids in her classes to actually pay attention. See, the year’s almost out, so they could care less about Spanish."

"Then they’re foolish. If I had the chance, I’d relish every moment of class."

Abel raised her head, looking into the blue eyes that watched the images on the TV. "Really? You’d like to go to school?" She began to tangle her fingers into the material of Zac’s shirt, twisting and untwisting.

"Well, I love to learn, Spinney," she said, taking hold of the smaller hand when fingers began to twist her skin, too. "Careful there, woman."

"Sorry." Abel grinned. "So, if you could go to school, would you?"

Zac thought about it for a moment, staring up at the ceiling, her hand absently running through Aure’s fur. "I guess so. Especially if there was a library. I’ve only been to one once, but it was amazing." Her eyes lit up. "So many books. It just felt like a smart place, you know?"

Abel nodded. "You ought to see the one at my school. Books as far as you can see. Our library there is huge. You’d love it, Zac. And there are so many different types of classes there. You could learn about just about anything. You could study plants or animals. You could even study forestry and become a forest ranger." Green eyes were lit up with excitement and hope. Zac studied those eyes and brought a hand up, running it through the fine hairs near Spinney’s temple.

"You’re so sweet," she said, her voice quiet. She watched as the blonde closed her eyes, absorbing the touch. She sighed, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly in contentment. Zac was so charmed by her. She felt her heart expand and heart rate increase. She wanted so badly for Spinney to kiss her again, but had no idea how to go about asking.

She didn’t have to.

Abel opened her eyes, seeing the gentle look in Zac’s, and felt drawn to them. Drawn to the woman herself. She held her weight on her elbow, and moved up so she was level with the taller girl.

"Hi," Zac said quietly.

"Hi," Abel answered.

For some reason, Zac felt her heart really begin to pound. Her palms were sweating and her mouth became dry. She had no idea what was happening to her, but couldn’t say that it was necessarily all unpleasant, either. She swallowed hard, then licked her lips, attempting to get some moisture, any moisture, into them. She had moisture in other places, though.

Abel looked down into Zac’s face, eyes searching it – for what, she did not know. The girl was beautiful, completely able to take her breath away with just one look from those amazing blue eyes. She closed her own and leaned down, brushing her lips against the softness that was Zac.

A small sigh escaped her as she felt one of Zac’s hands entwine itself in her hair, holding her steady. She held, her lips resting against Zac’s, their breathing soft and mingling.

Zac felt her heart stop, then begin to tick that much harder. She could smell Spinney’s own special scent. This was the scent she wished there was some way to keep once the blonde was gone. She had wanted to ask her friend if she could keep her pillow after spring break, but had lost her nerve.

Now, her nostrils were filled with it. She inhaled it like a drug, memorizing it for when Spinney left her again. She wanted to be able to bring it up again and again, lighting a smile on her face every time.

She reveled in the warmth that spread throughout her body, not just from her friend’s body heat, but the heat that her own body was generating. She felt like she could fly, but completely bound to earth by the partial weight the blonde was putting on her right side. Her fingers wound through the golden locks, so beautiful. So soft.

Abel pulled away, nearly breathless, though it was a simple kiss. She felt weak kneed and was glad she was not standing. Looking into the most amazing eyes on earth, she saw her own feelings reflected back at her. There was no need for words; anything she felt was plainly written across that beautiful, angular face.

Abel smiled, Zac smiled back, her fingers still running lazy patterns across the surface of her scalp. Finally Zac’s soft words filled the room.

"I’m really glad you’re here, Spinney."

"Me, too," the blonde whispered, her eyes drifting back to the full lips that remained slightly parted, then made their way to the ocean before her. "Let’s go to bed." Zac nodded, and the two stood. Zac took Aure out to relieve himself once more as Abel began to turn out the lights throughout the cabin before heading upstairs. She knew Zac could find her way easily without them. The girl seemed to be able to see in the dark. It was astounding.

Once upstairs, she went into the bathroom, her t-shirt and shorts under her arm. She closed the door and flipped the light on, staring at her image over the sink. Her heart was still racing and she had no idea how to stop it. The kiss had been so small and inconsequential, but still. There was something about it that made it one of the most intimate things she’d ever done.

She could still feel Zac’s lips. So soft. Softer than anything she’s ever felt before. Images of kissing exes popped into her mind, and she could not help comparing them. This, of course, was crazy. Giving Zac a couple sweet, soft, wonderful innocent kisses had nothing to do with the harried, sloppy ones she’d gotten from the guys. Totally different. Nothing alike, no siree bob.

"Shit," she muttered, leaning against the sink, head hanging. "Yes, they do."

"What?" she heard said from the other side of the door.

"Oh. Nothing. I’ll be out in a few," she called, finally turning to take her clothes off. She heard Zac talking to Aure and the dog whining as he was played with.

Abel grinned. Downstairs, just for a moment, it had almost had that same strange feeling she’d had over spring break. The feeling that she, Zac and the dog were part of some family. Lost in domestic bliss.

‘What the hell is wrong with me?!’ a voice screamed in her head. ‘This is Zac! She’s a she! We can’t do this. It could never be. You know that, Abel. You’re her Spinney, the strange city girl who encroaches upon her wild life in the forest every few months. She has no interest in you in any way other than her Spinney. The little girl who befriended her a ton of years ago.’

She knew this to be true, but she also knew that there was more to it than that. Jessica saw it, and deep down, Abel did, too. She was so drawn to the beautiful brunette. She could not lie to herself anymore. It had been difficult back in Boston, but not totally impossible. After all, Zac had been a very long drive away. But now . . . she was on the other side of the door.

Brushing her teeth and combing her hair, Abel opened the door and headed to the bed. Zac was changed and sitting cross-legged on the floor petting a zapped Aure. Blue eyes met her own and Abel smiled.

"Hey, beautiful," she said. Zac blushed and looked down.

"Hi."

"Aww. What are you so shy about?" She knelt down next to the brunette, running a hand down Aure’s golden back.

"I don’t know. I guess I’m just not used to being talked to like that. You know, called sweet names like that." Zac looked shyly up at Spinney.

"Want me to stop?"

"No!" Abel grinned at the brunette’s enthusiasm. Zac looked abashed all over again. "I mean, no. It’s okay. I don’t mind."

"Well good. It’s true, you know." The blonde cocked her head to the side, bringing a hand up to run through the dark strands of her hair. "You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. Personally, I think on the entire planet."

"Oh. Well, uh, I don’t know about that." Zac snuck a shy glance at her. "I think you’re biased."

"Maybe. But I still think it." She stood, grabbing Zac’s hand and pulling her up. "Come on. Do your stuff so we can snuggle."

Blue eyes blinked open several times before true awakening dawned upon the owner. Zac stared at the golden hair that was before her eyes, feeling Spinney’s back against her front, her arm laced protectively over the blonde’s waist.

She could feel the even breathing of her friend and it soothed her. The light was barely coming through the wispy curtains, but Zac always had a hard time sleeping that first night inside the cabin. It was part getting used to being indoors, and part excitement. She was with her Spinney!

She carefully, slowly disentangled her arm from the blonde’s possessive hand, trailing her fingers along the soft skin, taking in the texture. She noted the soft blonde hairs that covered the skin, glinting gold in the newborn sun.

She ran her fingers up over the forearm, feeling the curve and hardness of the elbow, then trailing up to the bicep, sneaking in under the loose material of Spinney’s shirt sleeve.

The blonde began to stir, a small sigh escaping her lips as she snuggled even closer into Zac.

Zac smiled, dragging her nails softly over the skin and muscle of Spinney’s bicep. She heard another sigh, but the blonde seemed to be fully asleep again. She could feel the contraction of the muscle under her hand, and traced her fingertips over the tricep. Her fingers worked their way further up the sleeve until she felt the roundness of a shoulder, then the sudden sharp contrast of her defined collarbone.

Abel felt soft, almost tickling touches on her skin. Trying to concentrate on them, she kept her eyes closed and her breathing even. She could feel Zac’s breath on the side of her neck as the taller girl continued to touch her. Pretending to still sleep, she leaned back even further into the warm body behind her, wanting to give Zac as much access as possible.

Zac stilled her movements as the blonde moved, leaning even further back into her arms. Her fingers felt the soft skin at the swell of Spinney’s right breast, and she nearly choked. She quickly moved her hand away, trailing back up to more familiar ground. The softness of Spinney’s sun-kissed shoulder found her fingertips dancing again.

Zac loved the feel of Spinney’s skin. So unbelievably soft and wonderful. She loved the smell of her hair, her clothing, everything. She loved the color of her hair, the color of her eyes. So green. She wished the blonde would open them now. The brunette leaned over a bit, taking in Spinney’s profile. Her eyes were closed, the dark blonde lashes lying on her cheeks, the face relaxed and peaceful, lips slightly parted.

Zac’s eyes concentrated on those lips. She brought her hand out of the sleeve, and tentatively touched those lips with her index finger. Tracing the gentle curve and fullness, she smiled, seeing the corner of one side twitch slightly from the touch. She ran her fingertip over the fullness of the bottom lip and received a kiss on it. Surprised, she looked into the eyes that were still closed, a soft smile curving the lips. Spinney was awake.

She was making no move to get away from Zac, so she continued. She ran her fingers back across the lips, receiving another kiss, which sent chills down her spine. The fingers continued on their path past the mouth, tracing the lines of Spinney’s jawbone, then up and over her ear, tickling the inside on her way, making the blonde giggle. She then traced Spinney’s brow bone and eyebrows, then over her lashes, feather light. So soft. Like satin.

Abel grabbed Zac’s hand, bringing it to her mouth and kissing the palm.

"I like you touching me, Zac," she said, her voice soft.

"I like touching you." The brunette squeezed her body even closer to Spinney’s, lining up their bodies perfectly. She sighed in contentment as her hand was taken yet again, and her arm was pulled around the blonde’s smaller body.

Abel smiled, loving the feeling of Zac’s body so protectively around hers. She also loved the feeling of Zac’s hands on her. For just a second, the fingers had come dangerously close to her breast, and in that second, Abel had wanted it there more than anything. She had held her breath, waiting for it, though somewhere deep inside, she knew it would not happen. She figured Zac was probably scared out of her mind when she realized where her hand was headed.

The blonde sighed. She was starting to believe that there was no more holding back. She needed to connect with Zac in a way that very few had ever connected with her. She had connected with the taller girl in every way save for one. She felt her body responding to everything Zac did, and there was nothing she could do about it.

She stayed on her side with her back to Zac because she knew if she turned around, she’d do something that neither of them were ready for yet. Hell, she still had no idea how Zac felt, or if she felt anything. Yes, she said she liked to touch the blonde, but was that because she never had anyone to touch? Other than Aure, that is. She just didn’t know.

God, she wanted . . . something. Abel was no stranger to desire or arousal, but this was approaching frightening proportions. She had no idea how to handle this. How the hell does one react to wanting a woman’s hands on your body for the first time!? The worry of what this could mean and the stigma attached plagued her.

*****

The sun was beating down, unusually warm for a late May afternoon. The water was clear and calm, bubbles heard every once in a while as small animals would come up for air.

Aure ran around, chasing the creatures of the forest to his heart’s content, his mistresses sitting on the bank of the river. The smaller girl sat with her back to the front of the brunette, the long arms wrapped around the blonde.

Abel sighed, leaning her head back against the shoulder behind her. She wrapped her own arms over those of Zac, eyes half closed as she watched out over the lake.

"It’s so beautiful out here," she said, her voice quiet and serene. "No wonder you love it out here so much."

"Yeah, it is beautiful. Personally I think it’s got to be the most beautiful place on earth."

"Hmm," Abel looked down at the arms around her waist, bare from the tank top Zac wore. "You are so tan already. It’s not fair." She ran her hands over the smooth skin of the taller girl’s arms, loving how unbelievably soft it was.

"Well, live mostly outdoors for the warmer months of the year and we’ll talk." Zac grinned, resting her head against Spinney’s.

"Do you use lotion when I’m not looking or something? You have got the softest skin of anyone I’ve ever touched. Smooth."

"Well, I do what I can. See, there’s this plant that you can pull, and when you squeeze the root, this gooey stuff comes out and keeps me real soft."

"Really?" Abel pulled away from Zac, turning to look at her. The brunette grinned.

"No. I’m just naturally that way, I guess."

"Snot." The blonde playfully smacked Zac’s arm and smiled up into her face. "You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen," she said, her voice soft as a whisper. Zac looked at her, stunned.

"Thank you. Funny. I was just thinking the same about you."

Without a thought, Abel found her eyes closing and her body leaning forward. She reached a hand up, entwining her fingers through the thick, dark strands of Zac’s hair. She swallowed a moment before she felt her lips meet the taller girl’s. She knew she couldn’t pull away. Not this time.

She tilted her head slightly, taking it slow. She knew Zac had never done anything like this, and did not want to scare her.

Zac’s mind was racing frantically as Spinney got closer to her. She closed her eyes on instinct, trying to think of everything she’d read about kissing. What was she supposed to do? What did Spinney expect from her? She had the distinct feeling this would be a different kiss than the others. They had been so soft and simple. This was different, she could tell.

Abel turned further in the circle of Zac’s legs and arms, raising up on her knees so she’d have better access and leverage. She caressed Zac’s lips with her own, craving the feel. The brunette seemed to be following her lead, only a second behind whenever Abel changed tactics.

Zac was enjoying this kiss a whole ton more than the others, which was amazing. She had enjoyed them a ton in their own right. She brought her hands around, resting them on the little blonde’s waist. She loved the feel of Spinney’s hands in her hair. It was making a little fire begin to flare in her belly, and she was afraid antacids wouldn’t be able to put out these flames.

She started when she felt the softness of Spinney’s tongue against her bottom lip, then the lip sucked into the warm cavity of the blonde’s mouth. A lightning bolt of arousal crashed over her, landing with a thud in her underwear.

"Open for me," Abel whispered against Zac’s lips. She smiled as Zac’s mouth suddenly became a small canyon. "Not so wide." She brought her fingers up under the brunette’s jaw, bringing the maw to a small gap. When her request was met, she tilted her head slightly, doing the same for Zac with a simple nudge of her hand on the side of the brunette’s head, deepening the kiss. The feel of the brunette’s tongue touching her own made her giddy with excitement and rightness.

All the thoughts about propriety from that morning disappeared as fast as her will power did. She wrapped her arms around Zac’s neck, burying her fingers into the short hairs at the nape of the brunette’s neck, bringing their upper bodies closer. She was almost in Zac’s lap, but the brunette certainly didn’t seem to mind.

Quite the contrary. She brought her hands up to mimic Spinney’s movements, her hands going directly to the silky, blonde locks. She could feel the softness of the beloved breasts against her own, and this brought a sigh to her lips. The blonde seemed to like that as a soft moan escaped her own lips.

Abel moved her head slowly with every stroke of her tongue, savoring all the tastes and sensations. The kiss, which had begun sloppily with Zac’s inexperience, was quickly turning into one of the most sensual things she’d ever experienced.

Zac could feel her heart racing in record time, sending blood pounding through her head, the only sound she could hear. Even Aure’s barking not ten yards away from them had disappeared. It was only Spinney and that kiss. She was melting right there on the shore that day in late May.

Continued...

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