Chapter 22

Jace wiggled around in the bed. She looked up as Taryn exited the bathroom. "Hey." Jace muttered shyly.

Taryn climbed onto the bed. "Hi, yourself. Don’t go all shy on me. I promise to behave myself and not have my wicked way with you." She saw the flush rush over Jace’s face. "You are so cute when you blush." She watched as Jace lowered her head under the covers. "Hey, come back. I was teasing. May I?" Taryn lifted the edge of the covers. She wanted to make sure everything was on Jace’s terms.

"Taryn, it’s your bed. Come on, get in." Jace lifted the covers sending a silent hint to Taryn that she wanted her close. She watched as Taryn turned off the main light. She opened her arms, guiding Taryn’s body into them, and smiled when she felt Taryn’s body meld against her own. "Comfortable?"

"Mmm, very." Taryn rested her head on Jace’s shoulder and wrapped her arm around the trim waist. She could feel the deep and erratic breaths coming from her partner. "Are you sure this is okay?" Jace felt Taryn’s hot breath whispering over her neck and upper chest. "Last time you felt awkward and we switched positions."

"Ye..ah, I’m fine." Croaked Jace, valiantly fighting her nerves and desires. "This time I want you here. Not that I didn’t before." She added hastily. "I mean, this time you know how I feel and what I feel. Last time, I hadn’t told you and I didn’t want you to know."

Taryn snuggled closer to Jace. "Are you tired?"

"My body’s exhausted." Came the weary response. "But my mind won’t rest."

"I know what you mean." Taryn paused. "Jace, when did you decide to stop running from this?"

Jace moved her chin down and looked at the spikes of hair. Even in the dark, she could picture the various shades of blonde. She kissed Taryn lightly on the head. "I guess I began to wonder what I was doing when I saw you fall apart on Saturday. I didn’t like the way you were dealing with your anger and grief." She felt Taryn hold her closer. "It also hurt when you said those things to me in the kitchen. When you pointed out that I was the one running. Then, JJ talked to me on Sunday." She felt Taryn move away and look at her. "You didn’t really think she spent ten minutes outside getting her planner, did you?"

"Never thought about it. I was too busy telling Cory about all your faults and how I was never going to talk to you again!" Taryn tickled Jace’s ribs to show she was joking. "I’m just kidding. What did J say?"

"She gave me two choices. Either tell you how I felt and we try and work something out, or watch you leave my life completely."

Taryn’s hand slipped under Jace’s tank top and she gently rubbed the taut stomach muscles. "That would never have happened, Jace."

"You say that now." She paused for a second. "But things were shaky between us. If fate hadn’t caused Patrick to have that car crash and his health wasn’t deteriorating, we might never have been forced to talk. You may not have come over to my house and I could have slept with Vanessa." Jace murmured the last section.

Taryn lifted up and turned onto her side, resting her head on her hand. "You said downstairs you wouldn’t have slept with her."

Jace turned to look at Taryn. She could make out the glint in Taryn’s eyes. "I’ll never know for sure. Seeing you outside my house blew me away, and made me see reason. Anyway, I finally stopped running away from my feelings about five o’clock this morning. The sun was rising over the trees outside your window and I looked into the most beautiful, peaceful and angelic face I’ve ever seen. It stole my heart. I vowed that I didn’t want another person to wake up to that sight. Of course, I didn’t know you felt the same way. I was worried half the night that you’d wake up and be pissed I was there. We really said some mean things to each other."

Taryn leaned forward and kissed Jace tentatively on the lips. She went slow and made sure Jace understood that it was a chaste kiss. She didn’t want to get either of them overexcited. "I guess the old saying is true. You really do hurt the one you love."

Jace stroked Taryn’s face. She placed her other arm under her head and gave a gentle sigh. "So, when did you start to have feelings for me?"

"Umm that’s a hard one. I think I really began to notice you after Thanksgiving. Your pajamas didn’t leave much to the imagination. Don’t get me wrong. I’d noticed your looks and body before, but never in a romantic way, more as an appreciation of the female body. It kind of crept up on me. The more time we spent together, the closer we got. The week I stayed at your house made me see how compatible we are and I saw a different side of you." She stifled a yawn. "I really missed you when I moved out. Then you became the ‘catch of the week’ in Massachusetts and I was jealous."

Jace pulled Taryn back against her body. "I’m all yours."

"Did you check the alarm? I don’t want a repeat of the last time we spent the night together."

Jace opened one eye. "I checked it three times. Night, Ryn."

"Night, Jace." Taryn kissed Jace’s cheek and settled down for what she hoped would be a restful night.

***

Jace woke up lying flat on her stomach. She felt a heavy weight on her back. What is it about this woman? She thinks I’m the bed! Jace smiled. It was nice knowing that even in her sleep Taryn needed to be close to her. She managed to maneuver her body out from under the sleeping woman. She placed a light kiss on Taryn’s cheek, and quietly tiptoed out of the room. She ran down the stairs and opened the cupboard that led under them. She grabbed the bag and carried it back upstairs. She carefully reached inside the bag and placed a surprise on each of the children’s pillows, kissing every child while they slept. She reentered Taryn’s room and left the door ajar. She placed the bag next to the bed and climbed back in, wrapping her arms around the cute blonde.

Taryn felt the mattress move and cold arms circle her stomach. "Where did you go?" She mumbled into the pillow, her brain still far off in la-la land.

"You’ll find out soon enough." Jace snuggled her head into Taryn’s hair. "Good morning, sweetheart."

Taryn rolled over. "Is it time to get up? I never heard the alarm."

Jace pulled Taryn as close as she could. She wanted to bottle this feeling. She closed her eyes and tried to memorize this perfect moment. "I shut the alarm off. I would say that in about three minutes we’re going to have our own little human alarms in the room."

This comment made Taryn slightly open her eyes and give Jace a puzzled look. "Why?"

"Surprise!" Jace kissed Taryn lightly on the lips. "Happy Valentine’s Day."

"Happy Valentine’s Day." Taryn deepened the kiss.

Jace pulled away from Taryn. "Close your eyes!" She ordered, pleased to see Taryn obey her command. She climbed out of the bed and picked the gift out of the bag. She knelt on the floor, very aware that tiny humans could interrupt them at any time. "Open your eyes."

Taryn opened her eyes and blinked a few times. They focused in on a red teddy bear with the number one written on its chest. Around the teddy was clear wrapping with hearts printed over it. Inside the bear’s arms was a bag of Hershey Kisses. "Jace…that’s so cute. When did you get this?"

"Yesterday, when Tom and I went out. He helped me pick it out." They both turned their heads when they heard excited whooping and squeals coming from Taylor’s room.

Taryn raised an eyebrow. "Did the Valentine Fairy visit the kids, too?"

Jace nodded. She was feeling quite proud of her idea. Taryn looked relaxed and happy. She turned away from her love to see Taylor at the door, a big white bear in his arms. "I got a Valentine’s bear and a bag of Jelly Beans." He looked at Taryn. "You got one, too?"

Taryn nodded. "Yep. What else did you get?"

"A card. Want to see it?"

Taryn nodded again. She opened the card and read the short sentiment. ‘Happy Valentine’s Day, Tay. We love you. Jace and Ryn.’ She looked over at Jace. "Thank you." She mouthed.

"You’re welcome." Jace mouthed back, overjoyed that her plan had worked out.

"Auntie Jace! Auntie Jace! Up! Out!" Came an excited cry from the baby monitor.

"I see someone else got a visit. What did you get him?"

"Elmo." Jace left the bedroom and went to get the shouting toddler. She caught him trying to climb over the sides of the railing.

"Tom! No! Come down to the bottom of the bed or wait for me to release the guard rail." She released the catch on the side of the bars and let the little boy clamber the rest of the way down. "You were a good boy waiting for me to come." Jace had been a little concerned that Tom would wander around in the night, but Jane had reassured her that he knew he had to call someone before he got out of bed. She ruffled Tom’s hair and knelt down in front of him. "What have you there?"

"Elmo! See?" Tom pressed the tummy of his new toy and the screeching tones of the stuff toy echoed in the quiet of the room.

Oh, boy. Next time pick a silent one, Jace! They walked together down the hallway, stopping to nudge Josie awake and they all congregated back in Taryn’s room. "Okay, kids. Time to make your beds and get dressed. Breakfast will be on the table in thirty minutes." Jace shooed the children out of the room.

Taryn watched the tall woman’s interactions with the children. "You’re really good with them, Jace. A natural." She linked her fingers with the quiet woman and they snuggled for a few moments enjoying the comfortable silence.

"I learned a lot from Jane and Bill. Jane really wanted me to be a hands-on godmother. I think your mother’s death really hit home with her and she questioned her own mortality. I know she questioned seriously whether to have Tom so late in life. I mean, thirty-eight isn’t old, but it is in terms of pregnancy. When she asked me to be his godmother, she made pretty sure that I understood the terms. If anything happens to Bill and her, I become their legal guardian." She went very quiet. It was a difficult conversation to have with Taryn. She knew that if circumstances had been different that Taryn would have been in her shoes. "I didn’t know you existed in their lives." She looked sheepishly into Taryn’s eyes. "I wasn’t trying to replace you."

Taryn pushed back old hurts. "Hey, I know that. Bill and Jane had to look past family ties and to the person best equipped for the job. You have stability, a large home, and are financially stable to take on three children. I’d never have been able to come back here if Patrick was still around. What about kids of your own?"

"Never given it much thought. I need to get showered and dressed. Would you mind doing breakfast?"

"For a price!" Taryn smirked impishly.

"Can I afford it?"

"A proper good morning kiss." Came the reply.

Jace climbed on the bed and crawled up Taryn’s body. "I can deliver that one." She closed her eyes and lowered her lips to Taryn’s, tasting the sweet chocolate of the candy kisses.

***

Taryn used her key to get into the apartment. She could hear the soft music echoing under the door. Shit! I should have checked J wasn’t home, too. I hope they’re not doing it on the couch. Taryn steeled herself for a surprise and covered Tom’s eyes just in case. She was relieved to see Cory sprawled on the couch, a pen sticking out the corner of her mouth and her hair ruffled by her hand, which was holding her head up. "Hi."

"Hello. This is a surprise. Good morning, Tom."

"Hey, Cory." The little boy replied politely.

Cory cleared some of her books from the sofa. "Sorry about the mess. I’m trying to work on one of my language projects."

"Which one?" Taryn grabbed an apple out of the fruit bowl. "Do you mind?"

"No, go for it. I did a writing sample with one of Helen’s nephews. I had to find a child with learning disabilities. Luckily, Helen mentioned her brother’s son, Joseph. The child had to be on an Individualized Education Plan; otherwise I’d have asked Jane if I could use Taylor. Anyway, they had to write a sample and we handed in what we did. Now, she’s given it back to me and I have to analyze the word usage and spellings to develop strategies and areas that Joseph needs extra support in. I’m having trouble putting the words into just four categories."

"Sounds tough."

"More a pain in the arse!" She looked at Tom as he stared at her. "I’m sorry. I hope he doesn’t start shouting that at home. How old is he now?"

Taryn looked at the young boy. "How old are you, Tom?"

"Two." Came the shy reply.

"He’s going to be three in May. Why?"

"My next project is to video tape or record a child between the age of two and three while they’re playing. We have to analyze their speech for development. Do you think Jane would mind?"

Taryn shrugged. "I doubt it. I can ask her later if you want."

"Thanks. Cup of tea?"

"Sure."

"What about Tom?"

"He has some juice in his sippy cup." Taryn dug around in the blue diaper bag and pulled out the juice cup. She took out a few of his toy trains and checked the surrounding tables for anything sharp. "Here, you go, buddy." She passed the items to Tom and he set about playing quietly by himself. She walked over to the edge of the kitchen and leaned against the wall, keeping Tom in her peripheral vision, but also looking at her roommate.

"Shouldn’t he be in day care this morning?"

"Normally, he would be, but the woman who runs it called this morning. Her kids have a stomach bug and she thinks she may have it, too. To be on the safe side, Jace and I decided to keep him away. Those things spread like wild fire and neither of us wanted him to catch it. Anyway, it’s good for me to spend time with him. On Monday, he was really unsure about being with me, but now we’re really making a connection." Taryn eyed the red roses on the dining room table. She also noted the clutter of files and books along the dining room wall. "Cory, what do you think of me moving out during spring break? Jane’s asked me to consider moving in with them."

Cory glanced at her friend. She poured the boiled water into the two mugs and stirred the contents. In her mind, she was weighing the question. It was a big decision for Taryn, and one that could affect JJ and her. The money that Taryn paid in rent was definitely useful and afforded them little treats, but the lack of privacy was also something to consider. "We’d miss you, Taryn. But if Bill and Jane have asked you to move back to your old home, then I think you should think about it. For one, it would be cheaper. You said the house was paid off years ago. So, you’d just be paying for living expenses and money on repairs and refurbishment. How have you felt living there this week?"

"Pretty good. Well, miserable the beginning of the week, but Jace and I cleared the air last night." She paused. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to tell Cory about the breakthrough. She really didn’t know where she stood with Jace. They had declared their feelings, but hadn’t really defined what kind of relationship they had. She wasn’t sure if they were just really good friends who kissed, or girlfriends. She had wanted to let Jace take the lead. She decided to hold back the news until she was sure neither woman was going to run away from their feelings.

"Good. I was beginning to think we were going to have to separate the Center off. We used to have to segregate the playground and have certain kids assigned to set areas to avoid confrontation." She passed a steaming cup of tea to Taryn.

"Nice flowers."

"Thanks. JJ was remembering back to this time last year. We hadn’t met in person, but both of us knew we were meant to be. It’s our year anniversary next week. What are your plans for the weekend? It’s a long one. I can’t wait to not have to work on Monday."

"I don’t have any. Bill’s flying down to be with Jane tomorrow. We talked to the children yesterday and told them about Patrick. Taylor’s not taking his mother’s absence very well. Josie’s being her usual practical self, and I think Tom’s a little confused. We were going to plan a trip somewhere with them."

"We’re off to New Hampshire. Remember, I told you JJ’s friend had a house up there?" She saw Taryn nod in affirmation. "We’re driving up tomorrow evening. Helen and Jo are joining us Saturday morning and we’re hoping to find a bit of snow. JJ was hoping to have gone skiing before this, but with the weather being so nice there’s been no snow. The weathermen forecast some on Saturday, so we’re hoping to spend Sunday or Monday on the slopes. Not that I ski!" Cory sipped at her drink. She was pleased to see Taryn looking a lot more relaxed. It couldn’t be easy becoming a stand-in parent. A thought struck her. "Why don’t you guys come up with us? There’s plenty of room. One of the rooms has a queen size bed and bunk beds and there’s three rooms upstairs."

"Seriously?"

"Sure. I mean, I’d have to check with the others, but I’m sure JJ would love to spend some time with Jace. They seem to get on really well."

"I’d heard." Taryn wasn’t sure if Cory knew about her girlfriend’s meddling and decided to err on the side of caution. "Let me talk it over with Jace and you call the others. Cory, don’t feel you have to twist their arms. It’s a holiday weekend and not everyone wants to be surrounded by children."

Cory watched Tom playing. "I know. I’m sure JJ will love it. She likes kids and it will give you and Jace a break. We’re here to support you, Taryn. You’ve both become instant parents overnight! Don’t feel pressurized, either. If Jace doesn’t fancy it, then it's no big deal. Okay?"

"Okay. Where are you going after this?"

"Back to the house, but we’ll give you a ride up to the college."

***

Taryn and Cory both held Tom’s hands as they crossed the road outside of the Center. Taryn had decided to ask Jace right away about going up north. She didn’t feel like playing phone tag with the others later. Once she had Jace’s answer, she could leave Cory to check with her friends and lover, and then call Taryn with an answer. The added bonus of going to the Center was that she got to see Jace. A little shiver of uncertainty passed through the blonde. What if she’s changed her mind? What if last night was just a one-time deal? Taryn shook her head. She remembered back to the morning fun and games with the children, and the quick, loving glances and occasional brush of hands under the breakfast table. She blushed when she remembered the kiss Jace had stolen before leaving for work. Her director was definitely getting confident with the kissing aspect of their relationship. When they reached the Center door, Taryn bent down and looked into bright, brown eyes. "Tom, remember you have to be quiet. There are lots of students trying to do their work."

Terri looked up from checking the Center mail. "Hey, Taryn. You don’t usually work on a Thursday?"

"I’m not. I’m just dropping Cory off and I brought Tom in to see Jace."

"I wondered who was looking after the kids. It’s good of you to give up your day off to help out Jane and Jace."

Taryn nodded. She hadn’t thought about what others would think of her looking after Tom. "I offered my services. I tutor Jane’s other son, Taylor. When I heard she was going away, I gave her my number. Jace asked if I’d look after Thomas today."

Terri peered over the counter. "Hi, Tom."

The little boy hid behind Taryn’s leg. "He’s a little shy."

"He probably doesn’t remember me, it’s been a while."

"Is Jace in her office?"

Terri checked her watch. "She should be, unless she popped out the back door. Do you want me to call and see?"

Taryn shook her head. "No. We’ll go down and surprise her." Taryn held Tom’s hand and walked through the Center. The hum of students being tutored, keyboards tapping, and quiet chattering charged the atmosphere. Taryn hadn’t realized it got so busy on a Thursday. She walked by Cory’s office. "I’ll let you know." She said into the office and got a nod in reply.

When they reached the corner of Jace’s office, Taryn bent down and whispered into Tom’s ear. The little boy giggled and put his finger over his lips. He kissed Taryn on the cheek and ran around the corner. "Supise, Auntie Jace!"

Taryn heard more giggles and peered into the open doorway. Jace held Tom above her head and was flying him around helicopter style. "Surprise!" Taryn entered the office, pleased to see Jace grinning from ear-to-ear.

Jace’s heart fluttered. How could one person get more beautiful? She tickled Tom a little more and kissed his cheek. "What have you two rascals been up to today?"

"Play with Cory. Watch Teletubbies and Barney." Tom settled on her lap, eagerly reaching for pens and paper clips. Each time he reached for something, Jace quickly removed the item. She looked around and saw her light, rubber hand-exercising ball. She reached over and picked it up.

"Here you go, play with this." She looked up at her grad assistant. "This is a nice surprise. Why did you go to Cory’s?" Jace wasn’t sure she liked the idea of Taryn discussing their developing relationship, especially as they hadn’t really talked about it properly themselves.

Taryn saw the differing emotions flicker across the complex woman’s face. She had seen the delight and then confusion as Jace had heard Tom’s innocent words. "I went to collect a few more clothes and to see what she thought about me moving in with the Westons."

"What did she say?" Jace lowered Tom to the floor and then walked around to close her office door.

"She didn’t seem bothered either way. I’m sure they’d miss the extra money, but with JJ’s promotion they do okay. She was more concerned about how I’d feel moving back there. I figured I’d think about it this weekend. Maybe, talk the pros and cons over with a really good friend." Taryn winked as she said it.

Jace leaned against her desk. She couldn’t resist touching Taryn’s shoulder to show her support, and because she couldn’t be near the woman without needing to feel some sort of contact. "That sounds like a good plan. I’m sure your friend is interested in helping you make a decision." She was very conscious that her office was not at all soundproof. Although, it was tucked away in the corner of the office block and separated from the other offices, noise traveled and office workers were everywhere. "Have you had lunch yet?"

"No. Tom and I were wondering if we could entice you away for half an hour. If you have time?"

Eagerly, Jace grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair. "I have time. It’s been a slow day. Come on, buddy. Where shall we eat?"

"Restran." Came the simple answer.

"A restaurant, huh?" She looked at Taryn. "The Ninety-Nine diner in the Campus Plaza does kid’s meals. We can get him a burger and some fries."

Taryn beamed at Jace. This was definitely more than she’d expected. "I’ll meet you there. My car’s parked in the lower parking lot."

"Okay. Give me five minutes to sort out this afternoon’s jobs and check in with Terri." She looked over at Tom. The tot was crawling under her desk after his ball. She quickly darted forward and placed a quick kiss on Taryn’s cheek.

***

Taryn placed Tom into the large wooden high chair. "You’re getting a little too big for these seats, handsome. What do you want to eat?" She slowly read the kid’s section of the menu while she waited for Jace to arrive. The waitress returned and asked what drink Taryn would like.

"Bubbles, pease." Tom asked, looking beseechingly at the waitress.

Taryn rubbed Tom’s slender fingers. "He means soda. Sprite or Pepsi, Tom?"

"Sprite, pease."

"Good boy." She turned her attention back to their server. "Three Sprites, please." As she ordered the drinks, she spotted Jace entering the building. She waved to get Jace’s attention. "Hey."

Jace slipped her jacket off, and kissed the top of Tom’s head as she slipped into the booth. "Hi."

"I ordered you a soda. Is that okay?"

"No problem. It’s good to get out of the office. I hate weeks like this. One day you’re so busy you can barely breathe, and the next day it’s as quiet as can be. I sent the data report by email this morning, and I’ve just been clearing small projects away. This afternoon, I’m going to tackle the AccuTrack manual." She turned her attention to Tom and asked him a few questions about his day. She wanted to make sure he wasn’t bored.

Taryn grabbed a few crayons from the diaper bag and picked up one of the restaurant’s paper play mats. "Tom, you can draw on this." She handed him the crayons and both ladies watched as he doodled lines over the paper.

Jace fiddled with her napkin. She was feeling a little shy with Taryn and felt like this was some kind of first date. "What are you going to eat?"

Taryn perused the menu. The choices were vast and she turned it over to the back page to try and narrow her choice down to just the lunch selection. "I think I’m going to keep it a light lunch. I thought we could have pasta for dinner tonight. I took out some chicken. I’ll do a creamy sauce for you and I, and keep it plain for the children."

Jace smiled at the waitress. "I’ll have a steak wrap with French fries. This little man will have the chicken nuggets and fries. Thank you."

"I’ll have the steak wrap, as well, with mushrooms and American cheese."

Jace began to relax a little more, and spent some time drawing shapes for Tom to fill in. The little boy’s giggles filled the restaurant when Jace drew some pictures of his favorite train characters. Although she appeared relaxed, Jace still had nagging thoughts and wanted some answers. She took her eyes off Tom and returned her attention to Taryn. "Did you and Cory talk about anything else this morning?"

Taryn stopped chewing on the popcorn that the waitress had left on their table. Jace’s question hadn’t been asked casually, there had been a harsh edge to it. Before answering, Taryn took a few moments to assess Jace and to try to work out what she was really asking. She could see the rapid shifting of Jace’s eyes and the subtle tapping of the fingers against the back of the leather-covered booth. "I didn’t mention anything about us, if that’s what you’re worried about?" Taryn tried to get the hurt out of her voice.

Jace relaxed a little, but realized she had upset Taryn with the question. "I didn’t mean it as an accusation. I was just curious. For months we’ve been talking to others about how we feel and I was hoping we could begin to talk more about us, between us. Does that make sense?"

Taryn nodded and smiled at Jace’s explanation. "It does make sense. It’s one of the reasons I didn’t say anything to her. I mean…well, I wasn’t too sure what was going on."

Jace licked her lips. "I had the same problem this morning. I wasn’t sure how to classify our friendship." She turned her head and took the crayon out of Tom’s mouth. "This probably wasn’t a good idea. I thought we’d get a little privacy away from the office, but this little tyke doesn’t like being ignored."

"I did tell Cory we were on speaking terms. She asked if we’d like to join them in New Hampshire this weekend. Jo and Helen are joining them on Saturday. We could take the kids tubing. Taylor could try out his Christmas present. What do you think?"

"Is there room for five extras?"

Taryn waited while the waitress served their food. She watched as Jace cut up Tom’s nuggets and blew on them to cool them down. Next, the dark haired woman placed a copious amount of ketchup on the side of his plate and put the fork in his hand. After making sure he was sorted out, she watched as Jace returned her questioning gaze back to her.

"She says there are bedrooms and beds for everybody. They’re going to ski on Sunday and Monday, but she offered to look after the kids on Saturday. She’s just checking with JJ and the others. What do you think?"

Jace took a bite of her wrap and chewed methodically. In her mind she weighed the pros and cons. The pros list definitely had more going for it. She swallowed and took a sip of her drink. "Four extra baby sitters would definitely give us some timeout. Plus, we promised to take the kids out and Taylor hasn’t had a chance to try out his snow tube. If she says yes to them agreeing, I say we should go for it. We’ll have to ask Bill and Jane, but that should be just a formality."

"Good. I’m quite excited about it. Maybe later, we could talk about the other stuff?"

Jace winked. "I was wondering what you were doing later?"
Taryn fluttered her eyelashes coyly. "It depends what you were thinking about."

Jace blushed. "I…I was going to ask you for a date." She swallowed her nerves and then continued with her question. "Taryn, will you go out with me?"

Taryn’s brow furrowed in puzzlement, "Jace, we have the kids. Where would we go?"

"It’s in-house entertainment. I was wondering if you’d just pretend. We could make the kitchen and living room our rendezvous. It’s Valentine’s Day, and I’ve never been out on a Valentine’s date. If circumstances were different, I’d have asked you out. I tried to think of a baby sitter but no one I know would be willing to give up a night with their significant others."

"I can do make-believe. So, when are you picking me up for our date?"

"After the children are in bed, about eight-thirty. Oh, the dress code in this establishment is casual." Jace smiled coyly at Taryn and then continued with her meal. The day was just getting better and better.

Chapter 23

Cory cuddled up to her girlfriend on the couch. She loved Thursday evenings. She didn’t have class and JJ picked her up from work earlier than usual. They usually grabbed a takeout and watched the Thursday night comedy shows. Both women loved Friends and Will and Grace. "I called Taryn and told her about the weekend. She’s very excited and so are the children. She looked really happy today. She said Jace and her had a talk and settled things. I just get the feeling there’s more to it."

"Why?" JJ stroked Cory’s side and pulled her tighter in the embrace.

"I don’t know. She’s been really down lately and talked a lot of things over with me. But today, she didn’t really talk about Jace. You know when you have a huge secret and you don’t want to spill it?"

"Yeah."

"Well, you tend to talk about anything but that subject. That’s what Taryn did. She avoided any Jace related conversation. It was just weird. Did Jace call you?"

"No, why would she?"

Cory shrugged. "She seems to think of you as her agony aunt. I just thought if something happened she’d ask you for advice."

The taller woman shook her head. "It doesn’t work that way with her. She’s a brooder, Cor. I usually pick up on what’s wrong with her. She’s pretty easy to read. Every time she’s had a problem or a question I’ve usually initiated the conversation. She’s very wary about what she admits or says. Babe, is this going to be difficult for us?"

Cory turned in her girlfriend’s arms. "What do you mean?"

"I don’t want to end up with us being hurt if things between Taryn and Jace fall apart. The only reason I began to prompt Jace was because I sensed she wouldn’t make the move herself, and I really didn’t know Taryn as well as you did. Now I love Taryn like a sister, but I admire and really like Jace. I know Jace intimidates you and you’re very protective toward Taryn. I just don’t want to be caught in the crossfire. There’s also the keeping secrets’ issue. If Jace tells me something I feel like she did it because she could trust me. I’m not sure how she’d feel about me telling you. Not because you’d tell Taryn, but it puts you in an awkward position. The same goes for what Taryn tells you. Just because we’re lovers, doesn’t mean we have to tell each other our friend’s secrets."

Cory thought about it. She’d never really analyzed it before. "I guess it depends who it is. But in this situation I think you’re right. I don’t like keeping things from you and I know you don’t like keeping things from me, but I understand why you’ve done it. I don’t think I need to know certain things about my boss."

JJ kissed Cory slowly on the lips. "Babe, I don’t have any secrets from you. My life’s an open book." She repositioned her body and moved her lips along Cory’s neckline. "My body’s yours for the taking." She nipped gently at Cory’s jugular. "And I appreciate how defensive you are of your friends. Maybe this weekend we’ll find out what’s going on. Tonight, though, is my night!" JJ kissed a path down Cory’s t-shirted body, and then slowly peeled the shirt back up her girlfriend’s torso.

Cory aided her girlfriend’s ministrations by slipping her head through the top of her shirt. The candlelight shimmered against Cory’s naked breasts. She pulled JJ on top of her and returned the undressing favor, grinning as she saw JJ’s pert breasts dangling above her mouth. "I think I’ve found dessert."

JJ lowered her body to Cory’s waiting lips. "I thought the cake was dessert?" Her voice hitched as Cory’s teeth grazed her breasts.

Cory slowly devoured a nipple, tugging and nipping, as she tasted the essence of JJ. "I can adapt. I’m quite partial to frosted nipples." Cory placed her hands on her girlfriend’s slender hips and pushed her gently down, until their lips were barely apart. Her fingers slipped under the waistband of JJ’s lounging pants and she eased them over the taut butt. When she could no longer move the pants with her hands, she deftly moved a leg and pushed the pants down until they reached JJ’s ankles. Only then did her lover aid her battle, and swiftly kick them off. Cory then wriggled out of her own shorts, smiling as JJ helped her lower them down her legs.

JJ pulled back a little and slowed the kissing down. She looked into the bright green eyes that shone with love. "Can you believe we made it a year?"

Cory leaned up trying to bring JJ’s lips back to hers. She raised her leg and hit JJ’s wet center. "I thought the talking was over. It’s been a fantastic year, babe. In fact, my life didn’t really start until I met you. The past six months living here has been a dream come true. Now kiss me before I explode."

JJ spread Cory’s legs and lowered her body in between. She kissed her lover with passion and slowly pushed her sex into Cory’s. She could feel the blonde hairs mingling with hers and the friction made her own arousal swell. Using one elbow to balance her body she rolled over onto her side, keeping an arm around Cory.

Cory helped JJ move them both onto their sides. The couch was narrow and she didn’t want her girl to slip over the side. She felt JJ spread her legs and her free hand slowly trailed down her lover’s trim, muscled stomach. She whirled patterns as her lips were recaptured and tongues fought for pleasure.

JJ bucked when she felt the fingers trail down her inner folds. She felt the oily wetness being spread across her swollen bundle of nerves. When Cory’s fingers dipped inside of her in a slow agonizing manner, JJ gave a low guttural moan that shook her body. "Don’t tease the animal, babe. You know how I like it."

Cory giggled as she heard her girlfriend’s unique style of begging. "I’ll stop teasing if you touch me, too."

JJ moved her hand down the smooth skin. She stopped at the full breasts and tweaked the hardened nipple. Rejoining her lips to Cory’s she felt her way across the curves that she knew so well. Her arm crossed with Cory’s and they rearranged their bodies to accommodate their actions. JJ dipped her finger into the pooled moisture, and stroked up and down in a slow and steady pace. She felt Cory match her rhythm. Lips broke apart as the thrusting and groaning of two women’s passion forced them to take breaths and concentrate on their own needs and their partner’s wants. JJ could feel herself toppling over the edge. "I’m…coming, babe. I…love…you." The blood rush to her head made her thoughts swirl and she felt her hips buck against Cory’s hand. Her legs twitched and she fought hard to keep her fingers connected to Cory’s nearing climax.

"Yes…J, I love...you…too." The orgasm rushed through Cory like a run-away train. She gasped against JJ’s chest, her body starved of oxygen and the water sucked from her mouth.

JJ wiped the sweat off her lover’s forehead. "You get more beautiful everyday. I think we should move this party to the bedroom."

"Good idea. I’ll bring the cake." She kissed JJ one more time. "Always and forever?"

"Always and forever, babe."

***

Taryn walked nervously down the stairs. She had offered to read to the children as Jace had ‘things’ she needed to do for their date. She could hear the quiet music coming from behind the living room door. She stood for a moment outside the door trying to collect her thoughts. She had no idea why she was feeling so nervous. She was the one with all the experience, not Jace. She contemplated that fact for a while and knew in her mind it was for that exact reason she was a little anxious. She didn’t want to push Jace too far, but she also didn’t know if she could keep her own needs under control. The light tapping of the front door made her realize she had been waiting outside the door longer than necessary. Who the hell is calling this late at night? She cautiously looked through the frosted glass and she beamed at what she saw.

Jace jiggled anxiously on the front door step. The idea of knocking on the front door had seemed good at the time, but now she wasn’t so sure. She didn’t want Taryn to think she was being a goofball. She knew she was acting very out-of-character, but she wanted it to be special. As she heard the tiny squeak coming from the door hinges, she held the flowers up to her chest. "Hi." She said bashfully.

Taryn looked at the bunch of red roses. The woman in front of her was such a romantic. "Hi. Come in." She took the flowers that were offered to her. "Thank you." She hopped from foot to foot. She had no idea what to do next. The whole evening was Jace’s idea and yet she felt like the host. "I got you a card." She dropped her head. "I wanted to get you a gift, but I wasn’t sure what you’d like. You don’t seem to be a flowers or a stuffed toy kind of person. I…err…I…" A pair of lips brushing across her own cut off her words.

Jace broke the gentle kiss and looked into soft brown eyes. "This is my gift, Taryn." She pushed down on the living room door handle, opened the door, and gently pushed her friend through the doorway.

Taryn gasped as she took in the soft lighting and lit candles. There were snacks on the table and a bottle of wine in an ice bucket. On the floor, Jace had placed a fleece blanket and plenty of sofa cushions. "Jace, it’s beautiful."

Jace poured a glass of wine and handed it to Taryn. She then poured another for herself. She held up her glass to Taryn’s. "To new beginnings."

Taryn clinked her glass against Jace’s. "New beginnings."

"I was hoping we could really relax." Jace indicated the blanket as she spoke. "I got us a DVD."

Taryn sat down on the blanket and rested her head against the edge of the couch. "Sounds good, but I kind of like the soft music and your company for a few minutes. If that’s okay?"

Jace lowered herself onto the blanket. "Sounds good to me." She fiddled with a piece of fluff on the blanket. She was unsure of what to do next. Usually, she didn’t have a problem knowing what to do.

Taryn reached over and tugged the sleeve of Jace’s sweater. "A cuddle would be good. I know this is our first date, but I think we’ve crossed the initial intimacy borders."

The tall woman crawled closer to Taryn and wrapped her arms around the blonde’s waist, resting her head on the younger woman’s lap. She felt Taryn’s fingers gently begin to massage her scalp, and a low moan of delight escaped from her lips. "That feels great. In fact, all of this feels great. I hope you weren’t expecting to do something exciting."

Taryn lowered her head and looked into deep blue eyes. "This is more than great. It’s just nice to be able to relax after being with the kids. It’s nice just spending time with you…like this."

Jace closed her eyes and reveled in her feelings. "It’s good. I’m looking forward to the weekend." She kept her eyes shut as she pondered whether to verbalize some of her thoughts. She decided the timing couldn’t get any more perfect and she rolled over and leaned up on an elbow. "We’re going to have to either pretend to just be friends this weekend or tell people about us. What do you want to do?"

The younger woman looked into eyes that were level to her own. She fought the temptation to just lean forward and kiss the full lips that moved temptingly close to her own. "I’ve always been very open, Jace. I kind of go on the theory of take me as I am or leave me. I consider Cory and JJ to be my closest friends, and I like Jo and Helen. I don’t have a problem telling them about us, but I don’t want you to feel pressured. What do you want to do?"

Jace shrugged. "I’ve thought about it. JJ already knows how I feel, and Cory knows about how you feel. I trust Cory and I know she wouldn’t bring personal things into the workplace. I also get a good feeling about Helen and I know she’d respect my privacy. We don’t usually meet up at college anyway as Jane deals more with the student athletes. Therefore, the people I deal with in meetings wouldn’t be the same. So, I would rather the four know about us and we can be natural together." Jace paused. There was more she wanted to say. She decided to just get it all off her chest. "Err…Taryn, I was thinking about you a lot today and I wasn’t sure how to classify what we are. I mean…we’re not lovers." She felt the red blush rise up her face.

Taryn kissed Jace’s cheek. "Not yet."

Jace smiled coyly. "What I’m trying to say, very unsuccessfully, is that I don’t know what we are. I know we’re more than friends, but what do I call us? Is it too soon to be thinking like this?"

Taryn realized that the dark-haired woman was way out of her depth and needed rescuing. "I had the same thoughts as you." She gave Jace another innocent kiss on the other cheek. "We are definitely more than friends. I guess, some people would say you’re my girlfriend; others would say you’re my partner. It’s really a debatable issue. I think we’re past the dating issue as we know each other so well." She looked at the intense concentration on Jace’s face. "Look, let’s not overanalyze this. How about we go with thinking of each other as girlfriends and go from there? Okay?"

Jace nodded enthusiastically. "I have a girlfriend!" She uttered, and then immediately felt embarrassed when she realized she’d actually verbalized the comment.

Taryn hugged Jace to her. "You are so cute."

Jace pulled back and arched one dark brow. "Are you making fun of me?"

"No! I swear, Jace. Your innocence in all of this is so refreshing. It’s ironic, to begin with it was what scared me so much, and now it’s kind of alluring. You’re so different in work than out of work. It’s like our roles kind of switch from you being the leader in work, to me being the more experienced out." She caught the crestfallen look on Jace’s face. "But that won’t always be the way. As my mother would say, I’m making a real pig’s ear of this, aren’t I?"

Jace shook her head. "No. I think sometimes we over-analyze our thoughts and then other times we internalize too much. Would you like to dance with me?" She held out her hand. When she felt Taryn take it in hers, she stood to her feet and pulled the blonde up and into her arms.

Taryn let Jace set the pace. It was easier to follow the taller woman’s lead. She tried to keep her distance, but as the couple swayed in time to the music, Taryn found herself craving Jace’s touch. Her body seemed to fit into every niche of the taller body. Where Jace was curved and hard, Taryn’s own body seemed to naturally fit like a piece of a puzzle. Her head was level with Jace’s shoulder and she rested it there. She felt the warmth of Jace’s body immediately and closed her eyes, breathing in the scent that invaded her senses.

Jace moved the couple around the tiny area that was available for them to dance within. As the minutes ticked away, she slowly forgot to move her feet and ended up just swaying slightly to the slow rhythm. Her mind had completely forgotten to move her feet because her only thoughts were focused on Taryn. She gently brushed her lips over the soft spikes of blonde hair. When she felt her girlfriend squeeze her a little harder in response, she purposely kissed the top of Taryn’s head and then moved her head slightly so she could kiss the edge of Taryn’s forehead. She pulled Taryn even closer and kissed the lips that had turned her way. The kiss was gentle at first. She was getting used to Taryn’s lips. She also knew that Taryn was letting her lead. She ran her tongue over Taryn’s bottom lip and gently pushed against the smooth teeth, which were blocking her entrance to the warm mouth.

Taryn could feel Jace’s tongue pressing on her teeth. She opened her mouth slightly and smiled internally when she felt the warm tongue enter her. At first she sucked gently on it and then the passion overtook her and she couldn’t get enough of Jace. She wanted to taste more of her. She could feel the slight trembling of Jace’s arms and legs against her own shaky limbs, and without breaking the kiss she steered them back to the blanket. Taryn pulled Jace down onto the blanket, never breaking the contact. She was savoring the warm breath that fluttered over her face as she felt Jace’s breathing increase and the occasional groan emanating from the older woman. Finally, needing to breathe properly she broke the kiss. "I think I’ve found a new hobby. I love kissing you." She gasped before she reclaimed the moist lips that hovered above hers.

Jace savored the kisses. Her need to get closer to Taryn was driving her insane. No matter how deep she plunged or sucked, she never seemed to get enough. The veins at the side of her head were pulsing with life and energy and she didn’t want the moment to end. She could feel Taryn’s hands sliding down the side of her sweater and she froze when she felt those same hands rise back up her torso, touching her skin. Her nerve endings were very sensitive and she felt an involuntarily shiver follow in the pathway of the hands. She broke from the kiss.

Taryn felt the tremor pass through Jace’s body. She also sensed that the sensation wasn’t due to passion. Seconds later, Jace paused and broke contact with her mouth. Taryn opened her eyes and looked into the frightened eyes of her girlfriend. She knew her hands were hovering very close to the edge of Jace’s bra and she slowly lowered them to the outside of Jace’s sweater. "Sorry. I got a little carried away."

Jace rolled over onto her side, still caressing the side of Taryn’s cheek, not wanting to lose contact and feeling bad that she had stopped their make out session. "No. I didn’t want you to stop…well I did and I didn’t. Does that make sense?"

Taryn grinned in response. "Yes. Jace, my next move would probably have been to whip your sweater off and release your breasts from your bra. We’re not really in a position to lose control in here. The kids could interrupt us at any moment. Plus, I don’t think you’re really ready, are you?"

Jace stroked Taryn’s cheek and then down to her neck. She continued the trail until her fingers stopped short of Taryn’s breasts. She swallowed a gulp of saliva that had suddenly pooled in her mouth. She kept eye contact with Taryn and willed her fingers to move the half an inch that would have them fondling what she desperately craved. "I’m not sure I’m ready to…to make love with you. But I would like to touch you…or feel your skin against mine. I may be new to this, but that hasn’t stopped me imagining what it would be like to feel you." She saw Taryn’s eyes widen in surprise. "Believe me, you’ve been in many of my dreams, and while I may not have intimate experience of making love, I have witnessed several sex scenes in movies and wondered what it would be like for me and you."

Taryn looked nervously at the door. "The kids?"

Jace pulled Taryn into her body and hugged her, relishing the feelings of contentment she felt within herself. "I know. It would be our luck to be in the middle of something and have Josie come in and ask for a glass of water."

The grad assistant giggled. "Could you imagine her reaction? Oh my god, Jane would kill us."

Jace relaxed against Taryn and kissed her forehead lightly. "Oh boy! I can just picture the scene. How about we just settle for a little cuddling and watch the film I rented? Unless you want to talk or have other ideas?"

Taryn shook her head and rearranged her body so she was at least comfortable. "Let’s watch the film. I definitely do not want to ruin the mood by talking about certain things and any other ideas I have at the moment would definitely end up with you and I naked and doing things that would not be appropriate for little children to witness." She felt Jace’s chuckles before she heard them.

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