The first thing Brooke was aware of when she rose to consciousness was the warmth, the next thing she sensed was that she was being stared at. Confused, she opened her eyes and gasped in alarm as she was nose to nose with La La. Reflexively, she tried to push the fat cat away from her face, when she realized she was trapped. Gathering her scattered thoughts, it took her a moment to understand that she had apparently fallen asleep after a night of making love, and was now wrapped in Cayden's arms. A warm feeling spread through her body and she sighed happily. Concentrating on the warmth of Cayden's skin where their bodies met, she snuggled her face deeper into the pillow and smiled. This is pure heaven. she thought, I could lay like this forever.

Long peaceful moments passed, with Brooke contented to listen to her lover breathe in sleep. She must look so sweet, so serene. I wonder if her mouth is open or closed. I bet her hair is a mess. She wanted to turn around, longed to watch Cayden's beautiful face in repose, but didn't want to wake her up. Settling back down in the comfort of strong, yet soft arms, Brooke closed her eyes and soaked up the wonderful feeling.

"Wakey wakey corn flakey!" Wade shouted from somewhere.

La La jumped from the bed and tore for the door. It was then that Cayden stirred. She groaned and grunted and stretched her legs. "Why is my door open?" she asked in quiet, husky voice.

"I don't know, maybe Wade opened it." Brooke replied, fighting a shiver from the sound of Cayden's morning voice.

Cayden's head popped up fast and she stared at Brooke for a second or two. "Oh... yeah... cool." she mumbled, then dropped back down onto the pillow with a happy sigh of her own. "We fell asleep." she said, reminding herself.

"Looks like it." Brooke smiled indulgently as Cayden's arms tightened around her. "Mmmm. This is nice." Cayden nodded, and Brooke felt it on their shared pillow. "Your so warm and cuddly in the morning."

"You're not so bad yourself." The brunette replied.

"Ooo, you have the sexiest morning voice." Brooke purred, scooting her butt deeper into Cayden's body.

"Hey," Cayden chuckled, "What are you trying to do to me?"

"Me? You're the one with the melty voice."

"Melty? That's new." The shop keeper backed away and pulled at Brooke until she turned over. Looking into sleepy green eyes, she smiled. "Morning."

"Morning, yourself."

"Come on you decadent wenches! Some people have to work today!" Wade said from outside the door.

"We're not moving until there's coffee involved." Cayden replied, then grinned.

Brooke still glowing in the feeling of waking up with Cayden, giggled.

"What's so funny? Is my hair a nightmare?"

"Yes, but that's not what's funny." Brooke answered, attempting to smooth the brunette's unruly locks. "I just can't believe that we, us, who were at each others throats just a short while ago, are laying here contented in each other's arms."

Cayden snorted. "Yeah, imagine that." She moved her leg and slid it between Brooke's until it reached it's goal.

Brooke groaned and squeezed the long leg with her own. "What are you doing?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

"You wanna?"

"Now?" Brooke asked in surprise. "I haven't even brushed my teeth?'

"Your teeth aren't what I'm interested in, actually." Cayden said with a devious smirk, rubbing her thigh against Brooke's sex.

"Oh.... mmm.... Cayden! Stop that!" She said with a laugh. "Wade's right outside, probably making us coffee as we speak."

Cayden pouted dramatically. "You're no fun at all."

"Oh, yes I am." She glanced towards the door for a few seconds. "Fine. You let me brush my teeth and you can have anything you want." Brooke replied with a devious smile of her own.

The brunette perked right up. "Okay!" She disentaged herself from Brooke and sat up. "Go ahead, brush quickly, I'm next."

Brooke jumped out of bed, and looked around for her clothes. Just then Wade tapped at the door.

"Knock, knock, is everyone clothed?"

"NO!" Brooke yelled and jumped back into bed.

"Well, I'll just leave this here..." he backed into the room and placed two mugs of coffee on the dresser. "Brooke, your mother called at 6 this morning. Boy, were her panties twisted."

"Oh my god! Where did she get the number from?"

Cayden wrapped an arm around Brooke and sighed. That'll teach me to put the phone in my name. "It's alright, she should really have the number, you know, in case of an emergency or something."

Brooke hung her head and groaned. "Oh, is she gonna let me have it."

Cayden scowled, now that Brooke's mother was involved, the blonde certainly wouldn't want to fool around. "Wade, why'd you go and tell her that for?"

Wade turned around, in hopes they were covered. "Hey, I didn't want to break up the after sex snuggle any more than you did. It's her mother, she should know." he replied defensively. If he had to wake up at 6 to speak with Harriet, someone else should suffer too.

"What did she say?" Brooke asked, a nervous expression on her face.

"She wanted to know if you were here. She was just dying to know more but I wouldn't say anything." He smiled broadly. "Just look at you two! Snug as two bugs in a rug!" Wade jumped into bed with them and hugged them. "OOooo, I could just eat you both up!"

Fabulous." Cayden muttered under her breath, trying to push Wade off of her naked woman.

"Oh my god, you two stink like s..e..x!" he declared, and ran off the bed with the willies.

Cayden rolled her eyes. "Well, that'll happen." she replied sarcastically. "No one told you to jump in bed with us."

"I thought it was cute." Brooke said, blowing a kiss at Wade.

"Thank you." He blew one back. "I like this. I like having Brooke here in the morning, she gives the house some class."

"Hey!" Cayden replied, throwing a pillow at him.

Wade ran away from the pillow like it was on fire. "I can't be smelling like vagina, I work in an underwear store! " He smelled himself. "Smell me, quick!" he asked Brooke.

"Nope, you smell fine to me."

"How would you know? You have her up your nose. Oh ew, now look! I'm talking like a lesbian!"

Cayden and Brooke watched as Wade ran out of the room, his shirt halfway over his head.

"You know, I should call my mother." Brooke said with a sour face.

Cayden frowned. "Damn."

Brooke smiled and kissed the brunette on the lips. "After I get of the phone, I'm getting right back into this bed and letting you have your way with me."

"Woohoo!" Cayden bounced up and down. "Well hurry up then." she swatted Brooke's butt playfully.

"You wont be needing this." The blonde said as she pulled the blanet off of the bed and wrapped it around her.

"Hey! You can't leave me here naked! I have to go pee!"

"Throw something on." Brooke said with a cheeky grin as she left the room.

Cayden couldn't help but smile at the swathed blonde as she waddled down the hallway. "Wade, can you bring me my coffee on your way out?"

*********************

Brooke pulled the phone away from her ear and grimaced. "Yes, ma... I know ma... I swear I will next time....." She winked at Wade as he passed her by, wearing a completley different outfit. She saw him heading towards Cayden's room and tried to get his attention, but couldn't.

"AAAAAHHHH!"

Wade came barrelling past her waving his arms in the air frantically. "My eyes! I'm blind! I can't see!!"

Brooke covered her mouth and stifled the laughter. "Nothing ma, it was Wade, he saw a bug. Yes, I will call next time. No, I don't think I gave you 32 new gray hairs. I think you grew them all by yourself. I'm going now.... I don't know when...later... MOTHER! I'm going now!" She hung up the phone and took a deep breath. Boy, she sure was mad. She then opened and re-wrapped herself in the blanket, her lips pursed. Maybe I should go home.... calm mom down. Then again, Cayden is waiting for me, naked...

Wade kissed her on the cheek. "I'm leaving. Put a towel on the couch if you're gonna sit on it naked."

Brooke glanced over at the front door as Wade left for work. We're all alone and Cayden's naked. A wicked grin spread across her lips. Mom can wait.

The brunette was all washed and brushed when Brooke reappeared in the bedroom. Blue eyes watched hungrily as the blonde dropped the blanket and approached the bed. "Well, hello there." Cayden drawled, opening her arms.

"Hello to you too." Brooke replied as she climbed on top of her naked lover. "Mmm, I love how your skin feels against mine. It's so soft, no scratchy hair."

Cayden chucled. "I should hope not." She pulled Brooke down for a kiss, and hummed as their lips met. If it were up to her, she could kiss Brooke all day. She slid her tongue over and around the blonde's, smiling to herself at the joy she felt in doing so. I can't believe this is really Brooke. she thought. She couldn't figure out how it went from a screaming fight outside her shop to this. She shrugged. Who really cares?

Brooke ran her hands through Cayden's hair, enjoying the feel of it as it slipped through her fingers. God, this is so not a man.... this is perfect. She squirmed on top of Cayden, recapturing the feeling of their skin meeting. Mmm, yes.... perfect.

Cayden dragged her fingertips down Brooke's back and settled her hands on the blonde's backside. She caressed the silky skin, and sighed when Brooke shivered. "Want me to get the blanket?"

Unhappy that Cayden broke their kiss, Brooke pouted. "Nope." she shook her head and sucked the brunette's bottom lip.

"Mmm. I like that." Cayden whispered.

"What else do you like?' Brooke wondered. Drawing back to look into the tall woman's eyes.

"Huh? I like a lot of things."

"No, I mean sexually, what do you like? What can I do to make you feel good?"

"You're doing just fine." Cayden emphasised her statement with a squeeze of Brooke's butt. "What do you like?"

The blonde smiled. "Baby, you seem to know exactly what to do."

"Really?" Cayden asked.

"Oh, yeah, exactly what to do." Brooke rolled off of her lover and shot Cayden a devilish look. "Come over here and prove my point."

"You don't have to ask me twice!" The brunette pounced on Brooke with a growl.

*********************

The couple eventually peeled themselves apart and Cayden saw Brooke off. She sat down on the couch and revelled in the last kiss goodbye. A bright, genuine, smile lit up her face as she relived the moment. La La hopped up onto the couch and head-butted her. She absently pet the fat cat and sighed happily. "Well, La La," Cayden propped her feet up on the coffee table, I had me a hell of a night."

La La purred, threw himself onto his side, and began kneading Cayden's leg.

"The morning wasn't too shabby either." she snickered and leaned her head back. "That Brooke, she's a fast learner if I ever saw one." The tall woman chuckled a bit, then became serious. "Wow. You know," she began scratching his belly, "used to be, I craved my alone time, especially Sunday's. Couldn't be bothered with anyone or anything. Here it is Sunday, Brooke just left and I want her back. Isn't that something?"

**********************

Brooke hurried into the apartment, and ran quickly to her room.

"Brooke!"

She cringed at her mother's annoyed tone. "Just a minute, mom." She stripped down fast and threw on her robe.

"Brooke!"

The blonde winced. Harriet was on the other side of her bedroom door. "Yes?"

Mrs. Hewitt let herslf in, and stood there. Arms folded and foot tapping, she demanded Brooke's attention.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Mom, I told you, I fell asleep. It happens, I will make sure I call you next time, the second I yawn."

"The least you could have done was left me her phone number so I didn't have to go half blind squinting at the phone book."

"Sorry." Brooke played sheepish.

"You should be. I was worried half to death! I woke up for my middle of the night pee and you weren't home!"

"Ma, it's done. I'm fine, I'm here and it won't happen again. You can calm down now. It's over."

"Just wait until you have children." Harriet threatened. "Oh, wait a minute..." She turned deadly serious. "You are going to give me grandchildren aren't you?"

Brooke's eyes widened. "I don't know that."

Harriet looked crestfallen. "You don't?"

"Ma, please! Can we not talk about this now?"

"Don't you want kids?"

"Maybe. And don't you bother Cayden about it!"

"Oh! Cayden is coming?"

"I'm going to ask her to dinner, and if you do one thing, ONE THING to embarrass me, I'll stab myself in the heart with the salad fork. I swear."

"Brooke! Don't talk like that. I wouldn't do anything of the sort." Harriet huffed.

Brooke narrowed her eyes. "Well, alright." she said, still skeptical.

**************************

Cayden was roused from an afternoon nap by the doorbell. She sat for a minute in hopes the person would go away, but the bell kept ringing. She scowled as she shuffled sleepily to the door. "Who?"

"It's me, who else?" Jodie replied.

The shop keeper scowled harder, knowing exactly what the visit was all about. She sighed and opened the door to stare at Jodie.

"Just spoke to Wade, lemme in!"

Cayden's shoulders slumped, and she stepped to the side. She watched Jodie waltz right into the living room and make herself comfortable. "Why don't you harass Brooke?" she asked, closing the door.

"Oh, I will, trust me." Jodie smiled and patted the space next to herself on the couch.

Cayden yawned and sat down purposely in a chair instead.

"I don't smell." Jodie said, sniffing her armpit.

"No, but I do. I haven't showered yet." Cayden said with a short chuckle.

"Oh, so Wade was right! You guys were at it all morning?"

The tall woman nodded. "Pretty much."

"That means that Brooke found her groove! Fantastic!"

"Believe me Jo, she didn't need to look very hard to find it." Cayden grinned. "That woman is something else, insatiable."

Jodie bounced up and down on the couch with excitement. "Really? I'm so happy for her.. and you, you lucky shit!"

"That's true, I am lucky." Cayden pursed her lips in thought.

"What's wrong then?" Jodie leaned forward and looked concerned.

Cayden sighed and cleared her throat. "I'm not sure that anything is wrong, but a whole lot of stuff is new. I'm not used to it yet."

"Like what?"

"Well, sex was never all that important to me before, now I just look at Brooke and .... well... I want her." She motioned with her hands, her eyes wide. "Then, she leaves, and five minutes later, I want her to come back. Even worse, I don't even want her to go in the first place!"

Jodie smiled knowingly. "Aw, Cayd, that is so fucking sweet."

"To you, maybe, but to me it's not. I don't know where all this is coming from."

Jodie moved to sit on the floor in front of the brunette. "Cayd, you big dummy, you're in love with her."

Cayden's eyes widened like saucers. "What?"

"Alright, tell me, when she smiles at you, does your stomach get all tingly? Do your legs feel soft when you kiss?"

"Uh.... yeah, but..."

Jodie patted Cayden's leg and shushed her. "Is her skin the softest you've ever touched? Does she smell better than anything you ever smelled?"

"Yes." The tall woman was starting to get scared.

"Is making her smile, the single most important thing to you?"

Cayden nodded. "I'm in love with her?" She asked, in awe.

Jodie giggled happily. "Yes!" She jumped up and threw her arms around Cayden. "Oh my god, this is so cool! It was bound to happen to one of us and I'm so happy it's you!"

Cayden's eyes felt dry and it occurred to her she hadn't blinked in a while. "This is what it's like to be in love?"

Jodie nodded and pulled away, climbing back down onto the floor. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"I suppose."

"Come on girl! Get excited, this is great news!" Jodie popped up and ran into the kitchen. She returned with two beers, handing one to the still dumbstruck shop keeper. "Well, open it! We need a toast." she said, taking the caps off of both bottles. She clinked her's to Cayden's. "To happiness. I couldn't think of a better couple."

Cayden swallowed her beer quickly, and shivered.

"So, when are you going to spring it on her?"

Both of the tall woman's eyebrows shot up. "I can't tell her! What if she doesn't feel the same? What if she freaks out? I'm her first woman."

Jodie smiled reassuringly. "If you've never trusted me before, now's the time. She feels the same."

"How do you know." Cayden's eyes narrowed.

"I just do."

Cayden sat there quietly, digesting this new information. She does? I can hardly believe I do! Am I supposed to tell her first? Can't she say it first and I can just agree? Oh wow.... this is crazy. I don't know her long enough to be in love with her. Then again, there is love at first sight... heh, but that didn't happen, or did it?

The phone rang and jolted Cayden from her thoughts. She reached for it and mumbled her greeting.

"Huh?" Brooke wondered if she got the wrong number.

Cayden sat straight up in the chair. "Oh, Brooke, hi!"

Brooke giggled. "What was that all about?"

"I was sort of thinking, sorry." Cayden replied sheepishly.

Jodie smiled from ear to ear, and hugged herself. Cayden waved her away and turned her back, blushing.

"I was just wondering, are you doing anything for dinner tonight?"

"No." Cayden answered rather quickly. She would love to see Brooke again as soon as possible.

"Great! Would you want to come over here for dinner? I know mom and dad are a turn off, but you know, if you do it now, it will be over with and you hardly have to do it again." Brooke closed her eyes and held her breath.

"Uh," Cayden scrunched up her face. There? Over there? With her mother?

"Please, Cayden?"

"Okay." Cayden's mouth hung open in suprise at her own answer. All she said was please and I gave in like that?

"Oh, thank you so much!" Brooke breathed again. "Mom is going to make pot roast, you'll love it, it's pretty good. You know, I'm glad you said yes. I miss you so much already." she confessed.

"Me too." Suddenly, the tall woman's palms began sweating and all she could think of was that she loved Brooke.

"You really do?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah, I really do. I sorta missed you right after you left." she said quietly, but not quiet enough. Jodie was standing in front of her grinning like a fool.

Brooke's insides felt warm and fuzzy. "Hearing you say that just made me melt. I wish I was with you so I could kiss you right now."

Cayden gave Jodie the evil eye and once again turned her back on her. "I'd like that very much. When should I be by your place?"

"6-ish. Dad likes to eat at a certain time. Thank you again for coming."

"Don't thank me, I want to see you. I would have asked you to come over here anyway."

Brooke melted again. "I really can't wait to see you tonight."

"Me neither. I'll be there at 6."

When they hung up the phone, Jodie just smiled at Cayden with a sappy look. "What is your problem?"

"It's so sweet to see you all gushy and stuff. Who would have ever thought?"

Cayden blushed and grinned, still uncomfortable sharing her feelings. "Anyway, I'm going over there for dinner tonight, can you believe I said yes? Just like that?"

"Stranger things have happened, Cayd. Get used to it, you'll find yourself doing anything for a pout."

The tall woman chuckled. "It's like that huh? I used to laugh at people like me."

"Who says you can't laugh at yourself? Stop being so serious, tis is a good thing you know. This is love! How often does it happen? Have fun with it, get down with it."

"I have a feeling I'll be looking for that fun at dinner tonight. I can't believe I agreed to it. Dinner with Harriet and Bert." Cayden shook her head solemnly.

"Well, you can always picture them naked."

"Oh god Jo! Don't put that in my head!" Cayden squeezed her eyes shut and winced. Suddenly she leered and grinned wolfishly. "I'd rather picture Brooke naked."

Jodie laughed loudly. "That'll be great! I love it! Speaking of naked," Jodie giggled and then wiggled her eyebrows. "Was it really as good as you say or are you protecting Brooke."

"Oh no, she was super amazing. I had no idea what to expect, I was nervous, probably as much as she was, but it was perfect. I swear, I created a monster, she can't get enough."

Jodie snorted. "Oh, you poor thing." she said sarcastically.

Cayden snickered. "Yes, pity me." She joked. "Hey, you know how I just love to sit and chat...."

"I know, I know... you need to shower and think about dinner. I'm going." Jodie got up to leave. "I hope you know, I really am excited for you. This is a good thing, don't go and do anything to sabotage this. Brooke is the coolest woman I've met since I met you. You're both important to me now."

Cayden smiled shyly. "Thank's Jo. I will try my best. I promise. Now go, I have things to do."

Jodie kissed Cayden on the cheek and was gone.

part 35

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