Chapter 24

The cold February wind seemed to be foreboding things to come, as it whipped around the trees and cars in the apartment parking lot. Jace watched the sand whirl on the ground in front of her and hoped the winter storms held off long enough for them to make their three-hour journey north. She listened to the quiet beeps of the Game Boys and the frantic tapping of eager little fingers on the control buttons. The occasional sigh or squeal of delight was all she needed to know that the children were settled and had entertainment. She checked her rearview mirror and smiled as she watched Tom rub his hand over his brother’s sandy hair. He seemed to be satisfied just watching his older brother play. Her attention was drawn to the back door of the large apartment as she watched and waited for her girlfriend to make an appearance. She couldn’t stop the smile that adorned her face when she caught sight of her partner. She watched as the two blonde women and their taller companion battled their way through the door and tried to walk against the powerful winter wind. She shuddered as JJ fought to keep her cap on her head and shivered in sympathy as Taryn tried in vain to zip up her fleece. She leaned over and opened the passenger door, holding onto the handle to avoid the large door being swung open by the vicious wind.

Taryn scrambled into the seat, pulling the door quickly shut. "Not that I’m stating the obvious, but it’s cold out there! I hope the wind calms down, otherwise we’re all going to be housebound this weekend."

Jace watched as JJ reversed the Toyota truck out of the parking spot and then moved the gear stick into drive. "I know. I listened to the weather report and the storm isn’t due until tomorrow morning, however, some people have forecast it earlier than expected. Did you get the directions?"

Taryn nodded and then waved a small piece of paper in Jace’s direction. "They’re pretty easy to follow, but JJ said she’d keep us in her sights. If we do get split up or lost, I have my cell phone. She said to give her a call if we need to make a stop. There’s a regular bathroom stop just after the toll when we get into New Hampshire." She turned to look at the children. "Are we ready for an adventure?"

Josie rolled her eyes at her cousin in response. "You’ve asked us that five times! No, I don’t need the bathroom and yes, I have packed all my things."

Taylor giggled as he listened to his sister’s cheeky reply. "Me, too."

Taryn tickled Tom’s tummy and was delighted when the little boy blew her a kiss. "Kids these days! No spirit of adventure!"

Jace patted Taryn’s leg. "I think we may have been a little obsessive compulsive when we made them pack!" She whispered.

Taryn pulled her seatbelt over her chest and secured the clip into the hole. "I know. But I’ve never had to think about more than myself when taking a trip. It’s hard thinking about what they’ll need. What if we forgot something?"

Jace shook her head. "Taryn, we’re going to New Hampshire, not a desert island. They have shops there. Jane sent us a pretty extensive list, which you checked three times to be sure we had packed everything. I think we’re all set."

The younger woman looked out of the window. The flags at the entrance to the apartment complex were being tugged all over by the wind. "I know. I should be used to it. I used to manage thirty monsters everyday in school."

Jace watched as the truck in front of her signaled and moved to the left hand lane. She concentrated on her driving. She wasn’t used to having to drive, watch children and participate in a conversation. Once they were on the main road, she returned her attention to the conversation. "That’s different. In a school situation, you’re concentrating on their academic and social growth. Plus, you only have them for eight hours a day in a controlled environment. As a parent, there are so many more things you need to consider. All I’ve ever had to consider before going away was making sure the fish were fed."

"How are they doing?"

Jace watched the traffic merge onto the highway. She followed JJ’s lead and merged successfully into the slow moving traffic heading toward the center of Boston. She had collected Tom earlier that afternoon. Then she had driven by her own house to check the mail and feed the fish, before collecting some more casual clothing and heading back to the house to meet Taryn and pack up the children’s clothes. "There were no fish floating so I always take that as a good sign! I cleaned the tank out a little and added in some fresh water. Tom helped me feed them. I placed one of those weekend feeding blocks into the tank. The algae problem seems to have calmed down since I moved the tank. Then, I checked my mail and aired out some of the rooms."

As the traffic grew denser, the conversation between Jace and Taryn slowed down and Jace turned her attention to the many cars that were trying to beat the system, weaving dangerously from lane to lane. The wind had violently buffeted the SUV a few times causing her to swerve slightly and her two hands had remained constantly on the steering wheel. The occasional spots of rain had littered the windshield and the headache that had been a dull throb was becoming an intense sore spot above her left eye. The fading daylight hadn’t helped and she had found herself putting on her driving glasses to help her focus a little better.

Taryn watched as Jace rubbed her temples for the umpteenth time. The battle to get through Boston alive had been successful and they were now traveling down the quieter New Hampshire highway. JJ had called to let them know that the stop off area was coming up. She had helped to keep the children occupied once the Game Boy’s appeal had been lost. They had begun to play the alphabet game, but that had stopped after a thirty mile gap of no billboards or signs beginning with the letter Q. Tom had drifted off to sleep, soon followed by Taylor. Josie had eagerly discussed the latest gossip that was going around her classroom. After she had exhausted that topic, she had swiftly moved on to brainstorming ideas for her science project that was due at the end of the month. Taryn sighed with relief when she saw the huge liquor store sign that JJ had told them was next to the stop area.

Jace groaned with delight when she could finally stretch and enjoyed feeling the tense muscles at the top of her back and neck relax a little as she moved her arms around in varied directions. She opened the rear door and smiled at a definitely grumpy toddler. She was thankful that the wind had died down, but there was still a chill in the air. She zipped up Tom’s jacket, and winked at Taylor as he waited patiently for his sister to move so he could follow.

Taryn mirrored Jace’s actions and held the door open for Josie. She checked that the young girl had her coat on and then pointed in the direction of Cory and JJ. "Wait over there with them, Josie." She watched as her headstrong cousin skipped toward her friends. She then held her hand out for Taylor to take. "How are you doing, Tay?"

"I’m okay. I need the bathroom."

Taryn looked around at the scattered cars that were parked along with their own. She smiled as Jace came up behind her and they headed toward the large doorways and out of the winter chill. When they reached the bathroom area, Taryn kept hold of Taylor’s hand as he tried to pull away and head toward the men’s bathroom. She looked down at her cousin. "Tay, I think you should come into the women’s with us." She saw Taylor screw his face up and she knew a mini outburst was on its way.

"I’m not a girl!"

"I know, but your dad usually accompanies you and we don’t have anyone to go in there with you."

"I’m not using the girls’ bathroom, Josie will tease me!" Taylor pulled even harder against Taryn’s grip and placed a hand over his groin area to try and prevent the urge to pee. "Ryn, I’m desperate. I promise I won’t talk to anyone!"

JJ watched and listened to the interaction. She sympathized with Taylor’s plight, but she could see Taryn’s concerns. There were definitely some shady looking people coming out of the liquor store. She saw Josie skip out of the ladies’ room and decided to intercept the young girl.

"Hey, Josie. They have an Information Center here. Would you like to come with me? We could maybe pick up some leaflets." She saw the huge smile and looked over at her friend who was still having a battle of wills with Taylor. "Hey, Taryn, I’m going to take Josie into the Center. We won’t be anywhere near the bathrooms."

Taryn smiled gratefully at JJ. "Thanks. Did you hear that, Tay? Josie isn’t going to be around here. Now come on. No arguing. The quicker we get in there, the quicker we get out unseen."

Jace looked up as she saw the young boy run past her. "Problems?" She saw the stress lines on Taryn’s face.

"Not anymore. Next time, I’ll take the one who has yet to develop a mind of his own. Tay’s not happy with me because I made him use the girls’ toilets. I didn’t want him out of my sight."

Jace rubbed Taryn’s arm before she watched her girlfriend walk into one of the cubicles. My girlfriend. Now that has an awesome ring to it. She played with Tom as she waited for Taylor to finish. "I think mommy is going to begin potty training you soon, young man. You’re getting a little big for all this diaper changing."

"Big boy like Taylor."

"Yes, a big boy like Taylor." She saw the blonde-haired boy wash his hands and then make his way back over to where she stood with his brother. "Hey Tay, why the long face?"
"Ryn thinks I’m a baby. She made me use the ladies’ room, Mom and Dad never do!"

Jace lowered Tom to the ground and walked out of the bathroom holding both young boys’ hands. "Taylor, Taryn wasn’t being mean so please stop scowling. Did she explain to you why?"

"Yeah. She said she didn’t want me to go in there with no adult. I do it all the time with Mom and Dad."

"She was trying to make sure we all leave here together. Do you remember the little boy that was taken from the mall by a stranger last week?" She watched as the pouting boy nodded. "Do you remember how upset his parents were?"
"I watched them on the TV. The mom kept crying and said she hadn’t seen the person take him."

"Exactly. Taylor, we couldn’t go into the men’s bathroom with you. Your mom and dad let you because your dad can go in there and guard you. What would you have done if someone had come in and taken you?" She saw the little boy shrug. "Tay, please don’t be mad at Taryn forever. Think about it, okay?" She smiled over at Taryn and indicated that she should come over and join them.

Taryn tried not to be offended when Taylor didn’t take her offered hand. She shrugged up at Jace and waited quietly for JJ and Cory to appear from the Center. This didn’t take long and an excited Josie ran over to her guardians, waving a colorful leaflet at them. "They have a tubing slope near the house. JJ says if there’s enough snow tomorrow, we could go on Sunday. Tay, look at this."

Jace was pleased to see a smile light up on Taylor’s face when he heard the words tubing. While the two children poured over the leaflet, Jace rubbed Taryn’s back gently. "He won’t be mad forever. If you want my opinion, you did the right thing. In fact, I’m glad you were with him, as I might not have even thought about it. You acted in a very responsible manner, Taryn, even when you knew it was going to make Taylor angry. I’m proud of you."

***

Taryn sighed when she saw JJ’s truck pull up outside a large house. The rest of the journey had been quiet, and Taylor was still harboring a grudge against her. It was a delight to know that a soft couch was waiting for her to sink into. "I’ll get the kids settled, if you get the bags out of the trunk." Taryn followed Cory up the concrete steps and blew warm air on her cold hands. The house was only slightly warmer than the cold winter’s night. Cory showed Taryn to the downstairs bedroom and pulled the blankets down off the main bed. Taryn lay Tom down on the bed. "I swear, Cory, I’ve never seen a child sleep as much as he does."

"His routine must have been thrown off."

"I suppose so. He did spend the afternoon with Jace and I know she never stopped." Taryn made sure Tom was settled with pillows placed around him. Then she followed Cory out of the room and back into the living room. There they found a very cold Taylor and Josie shivering on the sofa.

"It’s cold, Ryn." Josie whined as she uncharacteristically huddled up to her brother.

Cory smiled sympathetically, "I hear you. Where are Jace and JJ?"

"At first JJ went upstairs, but then she told Jace she was going down into the basement." Taylor pointed to the open door beside the bathroom. "Jace is still bringing the bags in."

Taryn went in search of her girlfriend. She caught the director trying to juggle five bags and lock the SUV doors. "Here, let me take one or two of those." She wrestled two of the heaviest bags out of Jace’s hands, nearly losing her footing in the process, as the extra weight sent her feet in awkward angles on the slippery floor.

Jace dumped the bags in the living room. "The food bag is already in the kitchen, Taryn." She turned to see the scowls on the kids’ faces. "Cheer up! We’re supposed to be on vacation!"

"It’s freezing!" The two children reiterated and proceeded to show their chattering teeth to the watching adults.

Jace ran her fingers through her hair. The kids weren’t wrong. The house definitely didn’t feel any warmer inside than out. "JJ’s working on it. She’ll get the heating to work." As she spoke, a grim-faced JJ came up the basement stairs.

"I wouldn’t be that confident in my skills! I’m a computer tech, not a miracle worker. The oil heater seems to be working but it doesn’t seem to be getting past the first set of pipes. I lit the wood stove. I know for certain that the downstairs will get some heat." She glanced at her pensive girlfriend. "What’s wrong?"

"It’s freezing upstairs, J. We’re going to freeze our arses off!" She flopped on the couch and pouted with the kids.

Jace leaned against the counter and raised her eyes to the ceiling. She could feel the frustration rolling off JJ. "Does the wood heater warm upstairs, too?"

JJ wandered into the kitchen area and grabbed a beer off the counter. "I think so. The house is usually run on oil heating, but the upstairs air vents are screwed. The house should warm up eventually…." She lowered her hand over the wood stove vent and smiled as she felt the warm heat rising. "Okay guys, be patient the warmth is coming."

Taryn wandered up behind Jace and rubbed her back subtly. "I’ll get some snacks ready and try to get those three to smile." She indicated to the three snuggled bodies on the sofa.

JJ passed Jace and Taryn a beer, and then carried one into the living room for Cory. "Do you want a soda?" She asked the kids, as she ruffled Cory’s hair.

"Yes, please." Chorused the pair as they began to feel the heat from the stove.

Taryn checked her watch before she carried the snacks into the lounge area. "Okay, I estimate we have about two hours before bedtime. As we’re on vacation and it’s not a school night, you two can stay up until nine-thirty. Deal?"

"Yeah. Can we put the T.V. on?" Taylor asked.

"Sure." JJ answered and passed the clicker to the smiling boy.

All six sat comfortably as they watched a film on the Disney channel. The room had definitely warmed up. Cory and JJ had cuddled together on the sofa with Josie and Taylor sitting on either side. Jace was slouched in one of the armchairs, half watching the movie and half watching Taryn. She missed the close contact that they usually had after the kids were in bed. She could see Taryn’s fingers strumming on the arm of her chair and desperately wanted to ask to sit with her.

An hour and a half later, JJ quietly went upstairs to check on the heating. The musty odor of the old house seeped into her senses, and she could see the dead flies lying all over the floor of Nancy’s room. Ewww, Nance, I don’t envy the clearing up job you’ll have to do at Easter. JJ checked the room thermometer and didn’t like the fact that the room didn’t appear to be heating up as quickly as downstairs. In fact, she could still see the condensation coming out of her mouth. She grabbed their bags and carried them back down the stairs and dropped them in the back living room.

"Is it any warmer?" Cory queried.

JJ shook her head. "It looks like we’re going to be sleeping on the sofa tonight!"

Jace stood up and stretched her back. She walked toward the room that had been designated for them. She checked on Tom and was pleased that she had had the foresight to change him into his pajamas at the rest area. She made sure he was warm enough before heading back to the living room. On the way out she looked at the two bunk beds. They were definitely a lot longer and wider than the ones Josie and Taylor had at home. A plan formed in her head and she tapped the top bunk as she left the room.

Rather than sitting back in her seat, Jace decided she couldn’t resist being close to Taryn any longer and perched herself on the arm of Taryn’s chair. "It’s time for bed, Josie and Taylor." She handed the backpacks to each child and the shared toiletry bag. "Change into your nightclothes and don’t forget to clean your teeth." She waited for Josie’s eyes to focus on her and not the television. "Josie, you can change in the back room." Then she looked at the young boy, "Taylor, you get to use the bathroom first." She waited until the children were out of hearing range before she shared her plan with the others. "The bedroom is really warm; a lot warmer than out here and the beds are pretty big. I think if those two pair up, then JJ and Cory would fit into the bottom bunk. It’ll be a lot comfier." She looked at Taryn to try and gauge her reaction before proceeding. When she saw the small smile on Taryn’s face, she turned back to JJ and Cory. "Taryn and I can share the queen bed with Tom. What do you think?"

JJ looked at Cory and shrugged. "The bunk is definitely wider and quite comfortable. I’m all for it. I have a feeling the wood stove could burn down by morning and seven bodies in a room will definitely keep the room warmer."

Cory nodded when she heard JJ’s logic. "Sounds good to me. Will the kids mind?"

Taryn shook her head. "No. They just pretend they hate each other. They’ll get a kick out of us all sharing."

JJ’s eyes dropped to Jace’s left hand. It had wandered onto Taryn’s lap and was busily stroking the supple thigh.

Taryn’s eyes followed the direction of JJ’s and she blushed when she caught the knowing smirk off her roommate. She curled her fingers around Jace’s hand and squeezed it gently. The gesture caused Jace to look down at her in an adoring way. It made Taryn’s heart flutter. Jace reminded her of a puppy that had been given a treat.

JJ nudged Cory, "Thank God." She whispered and tilted her head toward the pair.

Cory smiled in relief, pleased that her friend looked happy. "They’re too wrapped up in each other to even remember we’re here! I’m going to love teasing them once the kids are in bed."

Taylor came out of the bathroom dressed in his pajamas. He smiled shyly at JJ and Cory and climbed on top of Taryn’s lap for a cuddle. He placed his head near Taryn’s ear and whispered quietly. "I’m sorry, Ryn. I’m not mad anymore."

Taryn pulled the boy closer to her. She liked the minty fresh smell on his lips and kissed him softly on the head. "That’s okay. I missed cuddling with you tonight. Cory got the better deal tonight."

The young boy hung his head. "I shouldn’t sulk. Mom tells me off all the time. She said I get it from the Walton side of the family. Do I?"

Jace raised an eyebrow at that comment. "It would seem the apple does not fall far from the tree in the Walton family, huh?"

"Oh no, now you’ve done it. Tickle her, Tay! Come one, I’ll help you." The two bodies lunged at Jace, who was too slow to get out of their tickling range.

"Hey, let me help!" Josie shrieked as she came around the corner.

"Timeout! Timeout!" Jace giggled as Taryn got her in a particularly sensitive spot. "I thought you wanted to call your parents before bedtime?"

"Yeah!"

"Shh, remember your brother’s asleep. Okay, we’ll call your parents, but I have something to ask of you first." Jace explained. She knelt on the floor in front of the children. "Guys, we were thinking about the sleeping arrangement and I don’t think it’s really fair to make JJ and Cory sleep on the sofa. I mean, they did invite us here. I was thinking that they’d be more comfortable in one of the beds." She saw the children nod in response. "But that would require you two to share. Could you do that for just one night?"

Josie pulled a face. "He smells. I can’t sleep with him. I’m too old to sleep with my brother."

Taylor opened his mouth to reply but stopped when he saw Taryn shaking her head. "Couldn’t I sleep with you and Taryn? Josie wriggles too much. The last time we shared a bed, she kicked me out of it."

Jace looked at Taryn. "It’s a solution."

The blonde nodded back and opened her arms to hug Taylor. "Thank you, buddy."

JJ and Cory watched as the would-be parents negotiated the sleeping arrangements.

"Can we call Mom and Dad now?" whined Josie.

Jace dialed the number on her cell phone and waited for Jane to pick up. She was relieved to hear the tone of Jane’s voice seemed more relaxed. "Hey there."

"Hi. I was beginning to worry. It’s a little later than usual."

Jace stood up and walked into the kitchen, not wanting to disturb JJ and Cory’s TV time. "I’m sorry. We gave the kids an extra hour as a treat. We got here just after seven. The roads were clear, but the house was a little cold. Tom’s asleep, but Taylor and Josie want to say goodnight." The director gave Taylor the phone and wandered away to give the boy some privacy.

After both Josie and Taylor had spoken to their parents, Jace took the phone back from them and settled into the dining room seat to catch up with her friend. "Hey there."

"Thanks, Jace. The kids sound great. You and Taryn are doing a good job. I can’t tell you how relived Bill and I are that we can rely on you two."

"No worries, Jane. Remember, that’s what families are for." She watched as Taryn shepherded the children quietly into the bedroom.

"How’s Taryn holding up, Jace?" Jane asked.

Jace couldn’t suppress the smile that beamed across her face. "She’s doing great."

"And how are you?"

"I’m doing fine."

Jane caught the light playful tone in Jace’s voice. "Jace, I get the feeling you’re more than fine. I may be a couple of thousand miles away, but I can still tell when you’re keeping something from me." Jane playfully lectured. She could hear her friend clear her throat nervously.

"Well, let’s just say that I am officially off the market."

"As in you got yourself a girlfriend?" Jane squeaked delighted by the happiness she could hear in Jace’s voice.

Jace blushed, even though there was no one around to see it. "Yes. No more haphazard dating. She said yes to me, Jane. Can you believe it? Taryn said yes to me!"

"Taryn?" Jane questioned, unsure she’d heard her friend. "You and Taryn? Since when?"

"Wednesday. We finally stopped playing guessing games and admitted things. It’s early days yet but I can’t believe how good it feels."

Jane shook her head. She wished she could see the two of them together with her own eyes. "So, um does that mean you’ve …you know!"

Jace’s jaw dropped. "No! Jane, I’m shocked. No, we haven’t gone passed kissing and quit embarrassing me! So, you’re okay with the news?"

Jane nodded her head and then realized that Jace couldn’t see the gesture. "Of course I’m okay with it, as long as you and Taryn know what you’re doing. I’m excited for both of you. I have to say I had a feeling things were a little shaky last weekend."

Jace frowned, unsure whether to tell Jane the truth. "Things weren’t good for a little while, but we worked through our problems and we’re both committed to making this work. It’s early days and I’m a complete novice, but I love her to bits. Um, I wanted to check with you about us telling the kids. I promise we’re not going to make out in front of them, but I wasn’t sure how you’d feel if we held hands or made them aware that we’re a couple. Do you think it’s too soon?"

Jane took the phone away from her mouth and indicated to Bill that he should come closer. "Bill’s here Jace. Do you mind if I tell him?"

"Go for it, any decision that involves the kids involves him, too." Jace waited patiently while she heard her friend explain the news. She heard Bill gasp and then cheer enthusiastically. She was sure she heard the words ‘about time’ come out of his mouth. She sighed in relief. She had been a little worried that Bill wouldn’t accept their relationship.

"Hey, Jace. Bill’s very happy. He says you make a wonderful couple and if you want to tell the children then that is your decision. We’re trying to bring them up in a more diverse manner and not to bring prejudice into the house. Of course, they’ve had to listen to Patrick’s thoughts, but overall we want them to see differences in the world and embrace them. You’ve seen their reaction to JJ and Cory, and for Marti. Bill says welcome to the family. I mean you’ve always been a member, but now you’re dating family. He says are you sure you’re up to dating a Walton?"

Jace laughed at the comment. "I’m not sure! After spending five days with four of them I’ll let you know. Look, I should go and help Taryn get them in bed. Thanks, Jane. It means a lot to me that you support us."

Jane shook her head. "Jace, it’s Bill and I that owe you and Taryn a lot of thanks. It felt so good to see him today. You and Taryn have both put your lives on hold for us by taking in the kids. We really appreciate that."

"Jane, the week’s been good for us. In fact, if it hadn’t been for this, I’m not sure we’d be where we are now. Send my love to your parents. I’ll call tomorrow."

"Tomorrow. Kiss the kids for me."

Jace switched the phone off and looked up to see JJ hovering near the counter. "Hey."

"How’s she holding up?" JJ asked as she opened up another bottle of beer.

"Better now that Bill is there. Where did Cory go?"

"She took the opportunity to clean up while everyone else was busy. She hates not having her own bathroom and prefers to go when there’s no one around, if you catch my drift."

Jace opened her mouth in an ‘O’ gesture and took the beer JJ offered her. She took a sip of it. "It’s nice to just relax. Thanks for letting us come up here."

JJ shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, we love you guys. So come on, what’s with the hand holding?" She saw the red tinge Jace’s cheeks. "What? Did you think we were blind? Last time we spoke, neither of you were talking nor were you at the holding hand stage. For once, let me get the gossip before Cory!" She nudged Jace playfully.

Jace looked at the deserted living room. "We finally talked on Wednesday. We both actually admitted how we feel. Can you believe she loves me?"

JJ patted Jace’s shoulders. "I never doubted it."

"I may have dropped you in it though. I ended up telling her about your part in my dating scheme."

"Oh."

"She didn’t seem too mad at you. I’m sorry. I know you didn’t want her to know."

JJ shrugged. "I came clean with Cory and I hope Taryn doesn’t hold it against me. She’s been okay with me so far. How’s it going?"

Jace beamed. "Fantastic. I can’t believe it’s finally happening after all these months! But when she’s in my arms, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Does that sound corny?"

"No. It’s how it should be. I’m really happy for you, Jace. If I can help in any way just holler."

"I will."

Jace walked through the living room and into the bedroom. She watched from the doorway as Taryn read quietly to Taylor. She was pleased to see the boy huddling up to his cousin. She knew his earlier disposition had upset her partner. She walked up to Josie and kissed the girl on her forehead. "That’s from your Mom. She’s very proud of you."

Josie flashed Jace a wide, white toothy smile. "Auntie Jace, if it will help I’ll sleep with Taylor."

Taryn looked up at the comment and felt Taylor pinch her arm lightly. "What?" She asked as she looked down.

"Do I have to? She really does kick, Ryn. If I fell out from the top bunk, I’d break my neck. It’s so high up there."

Taryn ran her fingers through the light blonde hair. "You can sleep with Jace, Tom and I, but it’s going to be a squeeze."

"That’s okay."

"Which side of the bed do you want?"

"What side are you sleeping on?" Taylor asked.

"The left."

"Then I am, too."

"Good boy. I’m going to spend some time with JJ and Cory. Will you make sure Tom is okay and be careful you don’t push him out? If you change your mind and decide to share with Josie, don’t fall climbing the ladder." She kissed Taylor on the cheek and tucked the cover up to his chin. "Sweet dreams."

Jace leaned over and kissed both boys. "I love you."

"Love you, too, Auntie Jace." Taylor mumbled.

Taryn closed the bedroom door and saw two sets of eyes on her. "What?"

Jace put her arm around her waist. "I may have told JJ about us."

"May have or did?" Taryn twisted in her girlfriend’s arms and kissed Jace on the lips. She saw the wide-eyed stare of her roommates and the totally embarrassed look of her partner. "Now that the attention is no longer on me, I’m going to take a little walk outside."

"But it’s freezing cold?" Jace uttered.

"I know, but I have something I need to do. I promise to button my jacket up."

"It’s dark, Taryn." Jace stated feeling like a mother hen.

"Then come with me. You can tell me about Jane and Bill."

Jace watched Taryn put her jacket on and walk out of the door. She turned her attention to the other pair and shrugged her shoulders. "Do you mind listening out for the kids?"

"No." came the chorused response.

***

Taryn walked down the stone steps and pulled her jacket around her body. The fresh air felt good against her face, if not a little chilly. She pulled the packet of cigarettes out of her jacket and stared at them. You don’t need them any more. Just throw them away. One more won’t hurt. No, a clean slate is what you need! She shook her head as her internal psyche debated the consequences of one more cigarette. She heard the door shut and looked up to see Jace tentatively walking her way. "Hey."

"Hi." Jace’s eyes were fixed on the cigarette in Taryn’s hand. "I…I didn’t realize you were still smoking."

"I’m not. Well, I haven’t had one today if that aids my defense."

Jace rubbed Taryn’s back and wrapped her arm around the smaller woman’s waist. "I wasn’t accusing you of anything. I just never realized you were a smoker."

"I’m not! I mean I wasn’t. What I’m trying to say is, I used to when mom was ill, but I stopped. Now it seems to be a therapy thing for me. A bad kind of therapy, I’ll admit. I’m not proud of myself. Your actions last week triggered my need for a release. My old release was women, alcohol and smoking. Last weekend I didn’t want women. Well, I wanted one particular woman, but the alcohol and smoking were easier to get." She felt the arm around her tighten and she didn’t need to look at Jace to know there would only be compassion and concern on her face. "I actually came out here to throw them away, but my internal demons were battling over me having one more. I’m sorry if I let you down or made you think I was less than perfect."

Jace kept her hold on Taryn, but walked her body around the blonde. "Taryn, I don’t hold any illusions about you. I was disappointed to see you smoke last week because it’s a quicker way to the grave and you’re too precious to me to see you self-destruct. I’m not going to preach or lecture. You’re an adult and you know the risks. I just came out here to be with you. I have the feeling there’s something else on your mind. Last night, we promised not to talk about the other issues, but I want you to know I am here for you. No matter what."

Taryn twirled the cigarette around in the fingers of her left hand. With her right, she flicked the lid of her lighter. Her head was listening to what Jace was saying, but the craving she felt for the slight nicotine smell was overpowering. Even though it had only been a week, the addictive nature of the cigarettes had taken a grip of her body and she had spent the previous day trying to wean herself off the five-a-day habit she had begun to develop. "I’m trying to stop. It took me a long time after mom’s death to break the habit, but only a week to become hooked again. I’ve been much better since Wednesday and yesterday I only had three. Today I haven’t had any and it’s hard."

Jace took the cigarette out of Taryn’s hand and placed it in Taryn’s mouth. "So, today we go with you having one and then maybe tomorrow none. See how it goes. Did you ever have a problem with alcohol?"

Taryn lit the cigarette and took a few steps away from Jace. "Not really. I did learn something from Patrick. I don’t drink a lot. You’ve seen me when we’re out. I know my limits. There are times when I will drink to forget like last Friday night, but the repercussions the next morning are enough to make me steer clear for a while. I’m very aware that I may develop Patrick’s addictive personality. He’s a compulsive gambler and drinker, but I try to focus that side of my character into my work." She sucked in the smoke, enjoying the sensation of the nicotine in her system. "What about you? Ever smoked?"

Jace shook her head. "No. When I was young I was too scared of my uncle’s reaction if he ever caught me. In college, I never really saw the appeal. It’s the smell that I find repulsive, especially when it’s on my clothes and hair. It irritates me when I smell it on others, but even more so when I leave a bar or restaurant and wake up smelling the smoke on my clothing."

"I bet I’ve been driving you crazy this week then?"

Jace shook her head. "No. To be honest, I thought you’d stopped after the weekend. I hadn’t seen you smoking or smelled any on you."

"I learned a long time ago that smoking outside helps and having body spray." She sucked one last time on the cigarette and tapped the end on the gravel floor. She placed the butt in the cigarette packet and popped a mint in her mouth. She offered the mints to Jace. "What do you think of the house?"

"It’s big. A little run down, but very useful if you like skiing. Speaking of which, when are you going to use that snowboarding weekend?"

Taryn shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe over spring break. I was going to see if you wanted to maybe accompany me?"

"Of course, without a doubt. Whenever you want to do it, I’m your girl." Jace could feel a distance developing between them. "Can I have a hug?" She asked tentatively.

Taryn opened her arms wide. "So long as you don’t mind your girlfriend smelling of smoke."

Jace pulled Taryn to her. "For you I’ll make an exception." She brushed her face over Taryn’s hair. "I’ve missed holding you. I wanted to kiss you this morning at work. I had to resist the urge to pull you into the copying room and kiss you senseless. I so wanted to hold your hand in the car on the way up. By the way, I…um… told Jane about us."

Taryn was a little surprised at that comment, but she didn’t move away from Jace. She was enjoying the sensation of being held. "What did she say?"

"I think she was a little shocked and I think she’s a little worried that things will be awkward if we don’t work out. Overall though, I think she was happy for us. I know I’ve never been happier. I hope it’s okay that I told JJ"

Taryn pulled back. "And here I was thinking that you would want to keep it quiet. I leave the room for five minutes and you’re telling everyone." She grinned up at Jace to try to show her that she was teasing. "What did JJ say?"

"She was over the moon. I told her that I’d dropped her in it by mentioning her part of the scheme. I think she’s a little worried that you’re upset with her."

"Not any more. I may have been on Wednesday, but if she hadn’t given you the hints, would you have made a move on New Year’s Eve?"

Jace raked her upper teeth over her bottom lip. "Maybe not."

"And if she hadn’t given you the advice on dating, would you have gone out with other women?"

Jace proceeded to chew on her bottom lip and tap her fingers nervously on her teeth as she thought about the question. "Probably not."

Taryn put her hand on Jace’s and pulled the fingers away from the director’s teeth. "So, I really should be thanking JJ that I am currently being held by you. I’ll make sure I do that. I’m a little cold, can we go inside?"

Jace pecked Taryn on the tip of her nose. "Sure. I’m looking forward to sleeping next to you tonight."

"Well, keep looking forward because we have two boys in the bed that will be in between us."

"No way!"

"Yes way."

"Can’t they sleep on the outside of us?" Jace pouted. "It’s going to be torture having you so near and yet not be able to hold you."

"Jace, we can’t put the boys on the outside. What if we end up pushing them out of the bed? Plus, it’s probably for the best, since Cory and JJ will be in the room, too."

"That’s not fair. JJ gets to hold her girlfriend while she sleeps."

Taryn rubbed the taller woman’s stomach. "Well, I could maybe offer you a kiss and a cuddle on the porch if you’re that desperate."

"No. I think I can manage. See you’ve spoiled me. Thirty-five years of sleeping on my own and two nights with you and I’m addicted."

"I know. I promise to hold your hand. Come on, we should make an appearance before JJ and Cory think we’ve abandoned the kids." Taryn kissed Jace lightly on the lips.

Chapter 25

JJ drifted between consciousness and the dream world. She loved action dreams and currently was involved in flying an airplane close to the ground. She didn’t want to open her eyes and ruin the perfectly good dream she was having, but she could feel a tingling sensation in her right leg and arm. Still refusing to open her eyes and accept that she was awake, she tried unsuccessfully to remove her leg from the gap between the wall and side of the bed. After a few moments of frustrated maneuvering, she opened her eyes and surveyed her situation. Somehow in the night, she had managed to jam her leg down the hole and her arm was wedged under Cory’s pillow. The light in the room was faint and she could tell from the tiny snores coming from the large bed that it was still early. Her bedclothes had gathered and twisted around her body making her feel suffocated. She gently slipped her arm from under Cory. Wiggling her fingers, she grimaced as she felt the pins and needles tingling down her long fingers and into her hand and arm. Her actions had not disturbed her partner and she tried to quietly lift her huge frame out of the tiny bed. Holding on to the top of the wooden bunk, she pulled her leg up and onto the bed. Once her leg was free, she crawled out of the bunk bed frame making the old springs and joints of the mattress creak and groan.

Relieved that she was finally free to stretch, JJ bent over and touched her toes enjoying the almost orgasmic stretch of her cramped back muscles. Standing tall, she looked at the cute girl on the top bunk. Josie had managed to free herself of any blankets and was sprawled across the bed. With one more long stretch of her arms above her head, JJ felt a little more awake. She pulled the covers of Josie’s bed over the bottom of Josie’s bare legs to ward off the morning chills. Then she moved her attention to the main bed. She couldn’t resist smiling when she took in the sleeping arrangement. Taylor had managed to tuck his body against Taryn’s. Her arms were wrapped around the boy, but one hand was holding onto one of Jace’s. Tom was lying flat on his back, with half his body snuggled into the crook of Jace’s neck and chest. The covers were tangled around the tall woman’s waist and JJ could make out the tangle of long limbs with shorter, paler legs. She didn’t want to disturb any of the others so she quietly slipped through the half open door and padded into the kitchen.

Jace could feel the pressure building inside her bladder. She blinked her eyes open and closed them quickly as she felt hair tickling her eyelashes. She brushed the offending object out of her eyes and tried again. She could smell Tom’s scent and could feel the beginning wriggles of a stirring toddler. She opened her eyes fully and took a few moments to wait for her eyes to adjust to the light filtering in. She wiped the sleep from the corner of her eyes and took in her surroundings. She had slept well. It had taken a few minutes to adjust to the narrow confines of the bed and her need to be in contact with Taryn. She looked over at the two blonde heads sleeping side-by-side. Even in his sleep, Taylor’s need to be by his cousin was evident. Jace was pleased that the young boy had recovered the bond he had obviously had as a small child with Taryn. She looked down at her own little charge and decided to let the others sleep on. She could tell by the dim morning light that it was still quite early. She picked up Tom and lifted them both out of the bed. She noted that JJ was missing from the bottom bunk and how Cory now seemed to have spread across the whole bed, mimicking Josie’s current sleeping position. She half wished she were able to sleep in past the usual five or six a.m. wake up call of Mother Nature.

JJ heard the bedroom door creak and looked up from her book. "Hey." She whispered as she saw Jace carrying Tom in her arms. "How’d you sleep?"

"No complaints. JJ, can you take Tom from me? I desperately need to use the bathroom and he’s not quite awake."

JJ held her arms out and felt Tom’s little chubby arms encircle her neck. "Does he like anything special in the morning?"

"Juice." Jace replied as she dashed to the bathroom.

JJ stroked Tom’s back and whispered soothing words to the stirring boy. She saw bleary brown eyes look at her in surprise and a little startled. "Hey there, Tom. Did you sleep well?" She watched as the boy dropped his head to her shoulder and covered his face with his arms. "Are you hungry?" Again she felt the head shake against her shoulder. "Would you like a drink?" This question seemed to get a response and she saw Tom lift his sleep-tousled head and face her way.

"Pease. Where Auntie Jace?"

"She just went to the bathroom. She won’t be long." JJ poured some juice for the young boy and handed him his cup. She smiled as the boy took the cup in one hand, while rubbing his other hand through his hair.

"Down, pease. Want new diaper." Tom said, as he dribbled juice down his pajama top.

"Okay. Tom, everyone else is still asleep so you have to be quiet. Please."

"Down. Find Auntie Jace."

JJ put Tom on the ground fearing that if she didn’t he’d begin to cry. She looked up, relieved to see Jace coming out of the bathroom. "There she is."

"Auntie Jace. T.V. on. Thomas Tank. Pease." He pointed desperately at the television set.

Jace knelt down beside him. "Tom we didn’t bring any videos with us." She mentally berated herself for not thinking of that. She opened the cabinet door beneath the television set and began to look through the videos left by the owners of the house.

"There should be something in there for young kids. Whenever we come up with Ellen or Katy, they always put in some videos. Mary Poppins and some singing animals come to mind."

Jace pulled out the few videos and looked at the labels. "We have The Wiggles, Mary Poppins or Buzz Light Year. Which one?"

"Buzz."

"Okay. But let’s change you first. You’ve had that diaper on since last night." She hugged the boy to her and kissed his head, before leading him over to the diaper bag.

JJ placed a mug of coffee on the table and watched as Jace performed the parental duties. "Shouldn’t he be out of diapers by now?"

Jace shrugged. "I have no idea. I think he’s heading toward that time. This is all new to me. I heard Jane mention that she was going to start potty training him, but I think Patrick’s illness interrupted." She wrapped the diaper around Tom and tickled his stomach. Do you want your pajama bottoms back on?" She watched the boy shake his head. "Okay, you have to sit on the chair to watch the video and remember everyone else is still asleep."

"Tank you." Tom climbed on to the chair, still clutching his juice cup

"You’re welcome."

"He’s a really good boy." JJ commented.

"I know. We lucked out this week. The kids have been great. Jane and Bill really have worked hard to nurture them. I know it’s been hard on Jane to be separated from the kids. She sounded very happy last night with Bill near her."

"True. Well at least she has one less thing to worry about. Was she pleased about you and Taryn?"

"I think so. A little worried that we may not be ready, but nothing that Taryn and I haven’t already talked about."

JJ looked toward the closed bedroom door. "I wish I could just sleep longer some mornings."

"You read my mind. What time is it?"

"Just coming up to six."

"What time were you up?"

JJ rubbed her eyes and stretched her arms above her head. "About half past five. The bed was comfortable but Cory tends to demand more space than someone that size really should. We struggle to share a queen bed fairly, let alone a twin bunk! I was going to go for a run. Want to join me?"

Jace looked over at Tom, "Sure. But we have to wait for one of the sleeping demons to wake up. I can’t leave him on his own. Do you mind waiting?"

"No problem. There’s a good trail through the woods that loops around the village and leads back here. It’s about four miles. Is that far enough?"

"Sounds good."

***

Jace was relieved to see Cory come out of the bedroom. They had watched Buzz Light Year and trying to keep Tom quiet was becoming a problem. "Any sign of life in there?"

Cory shook her head. "Josie’s out for the count and Taryn and Taylor never stirred, even though the mattress creaks so loud in those bunks." She walked over to JJ and cuddled up on her lap. "Good morning."

JJ kissed Cory. "I missed you."

"What time did you two get up?"

"‘Bout an hour or so ago. You, my little sweetheart, were hogging the bed again!"

Cory looked down sheepishly. "I’m sorry."

JJ cuddled her closer. "No you’re not and you know it! Babe, Jace and I were going to go running. Do you want to come?"

Cory got up and peered out of the window. "It looks cold out there!"

"Wimp!"

"You bet."

Jace smiled at the interplay between the lovers. She liked seeing the playful side of the grad assistant. At work, Cory was always very distant and professional. Jace had a feeling she intimidated Cory sometimes and had tried really hard to be more approachable at work. "Cory, would you mind keeping an eye on Tom until sleeping beauty wakes up?"

Cory giggled. "I’ll have to tell her you said that! Of course, I’ll watch him. Plus Tom and I may hatch a scheme to get the others up and out of bed. Go."

Neither Jace nor JJ needed to be told twice. Jace went into the back room and rummaged through her bag until she found her long running pants and long-sleeved shirt. She peeled off her sleep clothes, pulled the sports bra over her head, and put on a pair of sport’s underwear. She looked up as JJ came in and couldn’t prevent the automatic reaction for modesty as she covered her body with her arms.

"Sorry. I can change in the bathroom. I didn’t think." JJ apologized, noticing her friend’s obvious embarrassment.

Jace shrugged, "No worries. Did you find your stuff?" You look like an idiot, drop your arms before she thinks you’re not comfortable around her. She dropped her arms to her side and purposely turned more toward JJ to try and dispel her initial reaction from JJ’s mind. She wasn’t used to being so exposed and had never felt comfortable dressing in front of others, especially in school. Her tall form in school and college had always caused people to stare. She felt a little less self-conscious as she saw JJ focus in on her own bag of clothes.

JJ averted her eyes off Jace’s semi-clad body. "I’m going to have to see if the guy who maintains the house is around to look at the heater. Jo and Helen will be up midday and it’s going to be hard trying to find room for everyone downstairs. I’ll call Nancy later. She’s not an early riser." She pulled her t-shirt off and replaced it with a sports bra.

Jace tried to keep her eyes off JJ’s body, but curiosity won out and she couldn’t resist a small glance. The skin looked firm and solid. She could see the definitions of muscle, especially along JJ’s stomach. She looked down at her own stomach. She knew she wasn’t fat by any means, but the definition wasn’t as toned as JJ’s. She rubbed her hand across her stomach and felt the slight ripple of soft relaxed skin. Time to start those sit-ups! She pulled her pants up over her legs and the shirt over her head. Gathering her hair into one hand, she placed a band around the long tail. She then threaded the ponytail through the back of her baseball cap and positioned the hat firmly on her head. She mirrored JJ’s action of putting socks and running shoes on and then began her stretches.

***

Jace could feel the cold burn at the back of her throat. She concentrated on breathing through her nose, even though it tingled uncomfortably from the cold air. She could see the large plume of condensation that as she breathed. The pace JJ had set was a little faster than Jace was used to, but she didn’t want to admit that to JJ. It would hurt her ego to have to say it out loud. The path wound through the woods on a slight incline and Jace put her head down and counted the rhythm in her head. She could feel JJ breathing slightly heavier and she glanced sideways to look at her running partner.

JJ looked at the wet ground in front of her. She had set a quick pace and now it was beginning to hurt her. She glanced sideways and smiled slightly as she caught Jace’s eye. Jace seemed to be comfortable with the pace and she didn’t want to look less fit by slowing down. She powered her legs up the incline focusing her mind on moving her legs and praying that she wouldn’t pass out from lack of oxygen.

Jace was thrilled to see the opening in the woods that would lead them back to the main road and down the hill they had just climbed. She came out of the tree line just ahead of JJ and pointed with her hand the direction she thought they needed to go.

"Yep." JJ gasped as she sighed in relief. The downhill section would take the pressure off her leg muscles and allow her to catch her breath. "You lead."

Jace continued with the running rhythm she had set for herself, but found that she had to slow a little to prevent herself running to quickly down the slope. She eased back slightly and felt JJ on her shoulder. "Is this pace okay?"

"Just right." JJ panted. "The road cuts back into the woods about half a mile down and then we just follow it back to the house. Are you okay?"

Jace nodded. Her breathing was labored but she felt the tightening in her chest release slightly since her muscles were now accustomed to the cold and the additional strain of the hill climb. "I’m not used to running hills, but this section helps. My usual route is mainly flat ground and road. This is really cross-country running and I’m sure I’m going to suffer later."

JJ nodded in agreement. "For sure. I’ve run this a few times before, but it always hurts."

The two women wove their way back through the woods and across the bridge that crossed the little stream behind the house. JJ pulled the brim of her cap further over her eyes as the light icy morning drizzle blew into her face. "Miserable day!" She muttered.

"Yep. When’s the snow due to arrive?"

JJ slowed down as they reached the road where the house was. "I usually walk from here to the village common and the gazebo. It helps stretch the muscles out. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure."

JJ enjoyed the warmth flowing through her hot body. She could see the steam rising off Jace’s shirt and knew that the same was happening to her own clothing. Her mind returned to Jace’s previous question. "The forecast had the snow arriving later or overnight. Do you have any plans for today? Cory mentioned us child minding for you?"

"I…err think that was a Taryn/Cory conversation. Taryn did mention that Cory offered to look after the kids if we wanted some time alone. I think Cory wanted to give us a break from them." She knew she was rambling. She didn’t want JJ to think they were being put upon.

"I was just curious. Cory and I have to wait for Helen and Jo anyway. The kids seem okay around us and you and Taryn have been on the go all week. It’s got to be a little difficult trying to get some quality time alone."

Jace nodded. "It’s been a little difficult. At work yesterday, I think we purposefully kept our distance. It’s just so hard not to want to be around each other. At the beginning of the week, the kids were a welcome distraction as we weren’t really talking. But then we had the talk on Wednesday and since then the kids were either around or we’re just so tired." Jace wiped the sweat off her forehead with the sleeve of her shirt. "If you’re sure about looking after them, I was hoping to go for a drive and just spend a little time alone with her. We wouldn’t be gone too long, I promise, it’s not fair on the kids, as we’re supposed to be having a vacation together. I’m sure we could get a couple of videos that would occupy them."

"Don’t worry about it. I’m sure Cory has a few tricks up her sleeve. She used to spend all day with kids Josie and Taylor’s age. There’s a new Wal-Mart that opened up just outside of Plymouth. I was going to go down there and stock up on food. I could grab some art supplies that should keep them busy."

"Thanks." Jace climbed the steps of the gazebo and stretched the muscles in her legs. She could feel the muscles tightening from the cold. The wind was beginning to cool her down a little too much. "I need to head back in. I’m a little cold."

JJ pushed the door open and smiled when she smelled the aroma of toast, waffles and bacon. "Morning, Taryn."

"Hey." Taryn pushed Tom’s chair up to the table and grinned as she caught sight of Jace. "Morning, Jace."

"Good morning." Jace desperately wanted to hug her girlfriend and give her a decent morning kiss. She saw Josie and Taylor watching her and knew that she would have to wait. "Go ahead and eat. I’m going to hit the shower." She turned to JJ, "Unless you want to go first?"

JJ shook her head. "No. I’ll wait and shower with Cory."

Jace’s opened her mouth, but no words came out. She didn’t know how to react to the image that was being created in her mind. She also knew Taylor and Josie would have heard the comment and wasn’t sure how she felt about them being exposed to people sharing showers. It seemed so sexual to Jace. Unsure of what to say she smiled at Taryn and left the room.

JJ watched Jace retreat from the room and turned back to the others. "Was it something I said?"

Cory blushed and walked over to her partner. She put her arms around the taller woman and pulled JJ’s ear closer to her mouth. "Babe, we may share a shower at home and Taryn may not be bothered about it, but now my boss knows that I don’t shower alone and even I’m feeling a little embarrassed about it."

JJ pouted. "But we always shower together on the weekend."

"I know, honey and I was planning to wash your back this morning. I just don’t think you needed to announce it to Jace and the kids. We could have done it subtly."

"Sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I guess I’ve gotten so used to it that I don’t realize other people may find it weird."

"Come on. I made you a cup of coffee and some breakfast. Taryn heated the waffles and we have bacon. I can make you an omelet if you show me a smile." Her response was a huge wide, bright smile and a kiss on the cheek.

***

Jace felt much better after her shower and enjoyed the breakfast that Cory and Taryn had warmed up for her. She could hear the shower running and looked over at Josie who was still sitting at the breakfast table. The young girl had her head firmly entrenched in the fourth Harry Potter book and didn’t seem to be aware of anything around her. She glanced into the living room and saw Taylor sitting on the sofa with his brother watching a cartoon. "Did you sleep okay?"

Taryn looked up from reading the newspaper that JJ had left on the table. "I think so. Taylor woke me up and there was nobody else in the room. I couldn’t believe it was so late. What time did you and JJ get up?"

"JJ was up before me. I took Tom out of the room at about six and then Cory was up around half past seven. I’m surprised you didn’t hear Tom this morning. He became very restless after watching Buzz Light Year."

"Nope. I came out of the room to find Cory reading the Harry Potter book to Josie, and Tom was quite happily listening to her. She definitely has a way with the kids."

"I know. JJ was saying they’d look after the kids for an hour or two if you want to get out for a bit?"

"Sure. When they get out of the shower we can make a move." She watched as Jace’s eyes flicked to the bathroom door. "Does it bother you that they’re in there together?"

Jace chewed the inside of her bottom lip. Her nostrils flared a little as she tried to work out what she was thinking. "I guess I never considered it before. I mean why would anybody want to share a shower?" She whispered, her eyes flickering to Josie. "And I think they should have thought of what the kids would think."

Taryn chuckled. "Well, I hope one day I can change your mind. A lot of couples shower together."

"Mommy and daddy do." Josie piped up and flashed a grin at Jace and Taryn. "Daddy says it’s good for the environment and conserves water."

"That’s right, Josie." Taryn smiled at the matter-of-fact manner that Josie had used, compared to Jace’s obvious discomfort. "Lighten up, Jace. It’s no big deal. The kids don’t see it the way you do." She lowered her voice so that only Jace would hear. "They shower together all the time. It’s just a part of their routine and ritual. It’s not a sexual thing, but an extension of their bond with each other."

Jace didn’t want to continue the discussion especially with Josie so near. She obviously didn’t know anything about having a relationship and the rules and routines that lovers engaged in. She could tell the children weren’t fazed by JJ and Cory’s obvious need to be together and tried to get the thoughts out of her mind.

***

Taryn watched as Jace fiddled with the gear stick and felt the truck kangaroo bounce down the driveway. She tried to stifle her mounting giggles as the director cursed and muttered out loud. She automatically tightened her seatbelt and looked at the fierce concentration on her friend’s face. "Jace, why didn’t you say you couldn’t drive a standard?"

"Hey, I am driving. It’s just been a very long time." She winced as the gears crunched and the truck stuttered. The road ahead was clear and she checked the rearview mirror to make sure no poor person had to suffer her driving either.

Taryn placed her hand on Jace’s leg and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You’re doing better then me. I’ve never driven a standard in my life."

Jace relaxed a little as the timing between clutch and gear changing became smoother. "Where do you want to go?"

Taryn looked at the tree covered hills and the open road ahead of them. "I’ve never been up here before and I’m guessing neither have you. We could just drive for a while and see what comes up. As much as I love the kids, I’m enjoying the quiet and being with you."

Jace wished the weather were better. Thankfully, the rain had stopped, but Jace was wary of any ice on the road. The temperature had dropped slightly and the sky was white with clouds. "I know what you mean. I’ve been looking forward to being alone with you since JJ said they’d definitely watch the kids." She saw the sign for the viewing point up ahead and signaled before pulling off the road. The semi-circle parking lot was empty and afforded them a little privacy.

Taryn looked out of the windshield to the valley below. The view was magnificent even through the slightly dirty window. After a few moments of silence, she turned to see Jace fiddling with the edge of her shirt. "Hey. This is so peaceful."

"Do you want to get out?" She smiled when she saw the look of horror on Taryn’s face.

"Are you crazy? It’s freezing out there. I’m quite happy enjoying the scenery from where I am. Although I have to say, my current view is great, too." Taryn dropped her head. "That sounded so corny." She reached over and took Jace’s hand and stroked the soft skin. "I feel like a teenager again sitting in a car with a date. When I was in school, my friends would drive with their boyfriends to the local park area and make out."

Jace lifted an eyebrow. "Really? And you always stayed home, huh?"

Taryn dropped her eyes to her lap. "Well, not always." She watched as Jace turned in her seat and saw the inquisitive look on her face. "You really want to know about my early days of dating?"

Jace relaxed against the door of the truck. "Yep. Every little detail."

Taryn reclined her chair a little before beginning her story. "When I was a senior in high school, I knew I was different from the other girls. I wasn’t interested in dating boys. I’d been asked out a few times but I always made up an excuse. No one ever said anything to me and my friends were cool about it. There was another girl on the softball team who was a bit of a loner and didn’t fit in. After one game, my friends all left early as there was some dance being held in the gym."

"And you and this girl were left behind?"

Taryn nodded. She tilted her head to one side and furrowed her brow, desperately trying to remember the girl’s name. She shrugged her shoulders. "I feel a little embarrassed, I can’t remember her name. Mandy…no…Mary…it began with an M, I’m pretty sure …her last name was Murtock." She saw disbelief on Jace’s face.

"You can remember her last name but not her first." She laughed at Taryn’s embarrassed face.

"Hey, she stood next to me at role call. Melanie! That was her name. Melanie Murtock."

"So, what happened between you and Melanie Murtock?"

"You really want to know?"

"Yep! Like I said before, I have to live my teenage years through you."

"It was summer and school was nearly over. I remember she looked really nervous, but she asked if I wanted to get an ice cream and a soda. I hadn’t really spoken to her much before, even though we were on the same team. She drove us to get ice cream and then we spent a little time just driving around. She turned out to be really interesting. We ended up in the section of the park the kids all called ‘Make-out Central’. It was deserted because everyone was at the dance. We’d been kind of dropping hints all evening about not liking boys and after a few minutes of small talk, she kissed me. Not wanting to offend her, I kissed her back."

"Of course, you did. It was the polite thing to do!" Jace leaned forward and tickled Taryn. "Never let it be said you lack manners, huh?"

Taryn giggled and tried to get away from Jace’s probing fingers. "That’s right!"

"So, what happened after you kissed her back?"

"You know, we kind of fiddled about."

Jace burst out laughing. "You fiddled about? Specifics, Taryn."

Taryn could feel the red flush rising in her cheeks. She knew she couldn’t back out of the conversation. In her mind, she tried to think of what to say that would clarify the events in the least amount of words. "She groped me, I groped her. I got my first taste of a female breast and she was the first person to get her hands inside my pants."

"So, you lost your virginity that night?"

Taryn shook her head. "No…well, yes…no." She could see the confusion on Jace’s face. "It’s complicated and simple at the same time." She saw the characteristic raised eyebrow that always indicated Jace wanted to know more. "In a heterosexual relationship, a girl doesn’t technically lose her virginity until the guy puts his winkie inside her."

"Winkie?" Jace shook her head in amazement. "Sometimes, I really think you’re the more experienced here and then you come up with such technical terminology I realize that you really do hate talking about sex. You sound like you’re talking to Taylor or Tom."

"Sorry. But, you’re right I never know what words to use. You know what I mean, though?"

"I understand about men/women and penis/vagina penetration." She demonstrated the action with her fingers and loved watching the red flush over Taryn’s pale skin. The younger woman looked so coy and innocent.

Taryn grabbed hold of Jace’s fingers and pulled them apart. "Jace! I’m beginning to see a different side of you."

"Sorry. Continue." Jace beamed a smile at Taryn.

"But when it’s a lesbian relationship, a lot of people think that finger penetration is considered losing your virginity. I was just beginning to explore my sexuality and I don’t count my few times with Melanie as losing my virginity on such a technicality."

Jace squeezed Taryn’s hand. She sensed a shift in the seriousness of the conversation. "I understand. So, who was your first?"

Without hesitation, Taryn murmured her college sweetheart’s name. "Ann. She was my girlfriend in college. I fell hard and quickly. She was all I thought about during my freshmen and sophomore years. She was so different from Melanie. Melanie and I just used to meet up late at night and we were just a body for each other to experiment on. I’d never seen her naked or spent a night with her. Ann was so different. She made me feel special and our first time was in her room. It was the first time I’d really looked at a naked woman before. Took my breath away."

"She must have been really special."

Taryn nodded. "I thought so…until she dumped me. It hurt for a long time and I have always been very wary about letting anyone else in."

Jace tried to calm the nerves that had begun to gather in the pit of her stomach. She didn’t want the conversation to turn morbid. She’d been enjoying seeing the smiles of reminiscence on Taryn’s face and the youthful charm that Taryn didn’t often display. "I know." She raised her hand and stroked Taryn’s cheek. "So, as a beginner would you recommend making out in a car?"

Taryn looked into smiling blue eyes. "Nope! Way too cramped, but a truck…well the possibilities are endless." She leaned forward and brushed her lips against Jace’s. She pulled back slightly and watched the pupils of Jace’s eyes dilate and contract as they focused in on her. "I’ve been desperate to kiss you all morning."

Jace opened up her arms inviting Taryn into them. "Be my guest. Kiss away."

Taryn didn’t need any further invitation. She crawled onto Jace’s lap, knocking her leg on the gear stick as she tried to maneuver her body onto Jace. She reached down and pressed the lever beside Jace’s chair, shooting the chair back and a surprised Jace into a more horizontal position. "See, it’s not as easy as it looks."

"I’m beginning to realize that. It looks easier in the films."

"Everything looks easy in the films. Now where was I?" She pulled Jace’s lips into her mouth as she straddled Jace’s hips. She ground her own body into the brunette’s enjoying the rub of Jace’s jeans against her turned on body.

Jace’s breathing hitched in her throat when she felt Taryn press down on her lower torso. The stretch of denim material pulled against her skin and she could feel the tightening of her groin against the seam of her jeans. After the initial uncomfortable moment passed, Jace decided the rubbing felt good and she felt an almost erotic need to deepen the sensation. She gripped Taryn’s hips and used her arms to keep Taryn’s weight where she needed it. She tried to concentrate on kissing Taryn’s mouth, but wandering hands had caught her attention. She remembered back to the night in the living room and did not want to give Taryn any excuse to back off. She tried to forget that nimble fingers were rising dangerously close to her left breast, but she couldn’t stop the tiny moans escaping from her mouth.

Taryn used her left hand to pull Jace’s head into her own. She couldn’t get close enough to Jace, yet there wasn’t a sliver of air between the two of them. Her other hand had found its way under Jace’s sweatshirt and Taryn knew exactly where it was headed. As if on autopilot, her hand sought out the pert breast and no amount of self-control could prevent Taryn from touching the bra covered skin. She could feel Jace pressing into her and when her girlfriend didn’t pull away, Taryn dipped her hand inside the bra cup.

Jace’s hips bucked upwards the first time Taryn squeezed her nipple. She pulled away from the kiss, opening her eyes to look into Taryn’s. "Don’t stop." She gasped as she felt Taryn’s fingers roll over her tight nipple.

"I won’t." She leaned back away from Jace and slipped her second hand under Jace’s top. Soon she had a breast in each hand and she began to knead them simultaneously.

Jace could feel the tingling sensations travel southwards and center in her swollen groin. The wet that pooled there seemed to intensify the need for release. She pressed herself closer to Taryn. She felt herself rock against Taryn. Her hands rose to Taryn’s waist and she began to move them upwards. She could feel the swell of Taryn’s breast and mirrored Taryn’s actions. "Ca…can I touch yours?" She saw the sexy smile and nod of consent.

Taryn could feel the pump of Jace’s hips against her own. She released the pressure on the breasts and stroked them gently. She watched as Jace’s eyes dropped to the edge of her sweater.

Jace lifted the edge of Taryn’s top and tentatively moved her hands up the front of Taryn’s torso. The skin felt soft and warm and she could feel a slight hitch in Taryn’s breathing as she ran her fingers across the front of Taryn’s bra.

Taryn could feel cold fingertips stroke gently up her body. The cold air that followed caused her skin to develop goose bumps and she leaned back further placing her hands on the side of Jace’s body to steady herself.

Jace looked up from Taryn’s chest area into eyes urging her on. She watched as Taryn’s hands reached behind her body, and in seconds, Jace felt the silk material of the bra give way. She lifted the edge of the bra over the small mounds and felt the smooth skin and slightly rougher nipple against the palm of her hand.

"Are you okay?" Taryn asked as she watched Jace who seemed mesmerized by the actions of her hands.

"Uhuh!"

Taryn briefly glanced out of the window, desperately hoping they were still alone and cursing that their first sexual exploration could potentially be witnessed by others. The condensation that was gathering on the side windows and windshield helped mask their actions. "I’m not rushing you, am I?"

Jace lifted her eyes to Taryn’s. "I’m good. This is good." Great vocabulary skills! Get your mind back in place, Jace! You sound like a prepubescent school kid! In fact, she felt like a teenager from a movie that was getting their first grope of a woman in the front seat of a car. "I’ve wanted to do this for ages." She fondled the tiny breasts a little more fervently. "I can see why men are fixated on breasts, they feel awesome."

"Not just men, Jace. I happen to be very partial to breasts myself!" Taryn exclaimed.

Jace removed one hand from under Taryn’s sweater and placed it gently on the back of Taryn’s neck. "Come here!"

Taryn liked the authoritative tone of Jace’s command and immediately gave in to Jace’s slight forward tug. The couple resumed kissing and both sets of hands roamed over their counterpart’s torso and breasts.

Jace didn’t want to interrupt their make-out session one little bit, but she could feel the slight tugging sensation running down her left leg. She half concentrated on the kissing and at the same time on stretching out her stiff leg muscle. Unable to relieve the pain, she pulled away from Taryn.

"Problem?"

"Cramp in my leg." Jace helped Taryn off of her legs. She could feel the blood begin to circulate more freely down her thighs and into her calves.

Taryn laughed. "Now you can understand why I said it wasn’t exactly like in the movies."

Jace stamped her foot on the floor. "I hear you. Not that I’m complaining." She grinned over at Taryn. "I’m definitely having fun!"

Taryn wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "I aim to please!"

"You do that very well." Jace leaned over the center console and kissed Taryn gently. "Thank you for being so patient with me."

Taryn concentrated on returning the kiss before she replied back. "You’re welcome, and Jace, it does me good, too. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a relationship where I’ve been able to be myself. You know more about me than anyone I know and you still love me. You were patient with me last night. You didn’t demand I give up smoking. You didn’t lecture me. That means a lot to me."

"Good." Jace looked at the clock on the dashboard. She’d told JJ and Cory that they wouldn’t be gone too long. She estimated they still had half an hour before they’d have to head back. "Are you hungry?"

"Yep." Came the short, sharp response.

"Anything in particular you fancy?" Jace noticed that Taryn’s eyes had dropped down to take in the sight of her breasts.

"Uhuh!"

"Why do I feel like I’m on the menu?"

Taryn’s eyes glinted mischievously. "Because you are! I can wait to eat until later, if that’s okay with you?"

Jace didn’t need a second invitation. She moved her body onto its side and waited for Taryn to slip in beside her. She wrapped her arms around the blonde and pulled her tight against her body. "You read my mind. Now where were we before I interrupted us?"

Taryn took hold of Jace’s hand and placed it under her sweater. "Your hand, if I remember correctly, was here." She then placed her free hand under Jace’s sweatshirt and tickled her way up the tender skin. "And I think my hand was here."

"Good memory!" Jace murmured as she nibbled lightly on Taryn’s ear lobe. "You have great breasts."

Taryn beamed at Jace. "Thanks." She really wanted to taste Jace’s skin and suckle on the tight breasts she had now memorized by touch. She kissed Jace’s lips a little, pulling gently on her probing tongue and licking along the full lips swollen from their joint passion. She kissed down Jace’s neck and felt the strong pulse as she gently nuzzled the major vein that marked out Taryn’s pathway. After a few seconds on each part of Jace’s neck, Taryn moved her head lower and at the same time slowly lifted Jace’s sweatshirt up. As she began to coordinate her final assault over the bunched up sweatshirt, she felt Jace’s hand move off her breast and stop her movements.

"Not here." Jace whispered, disappointed at her own cowardice.

Taryn pulled Jace’s sweatshirt down and removed her hand. "Are you okay?"
Jace looked away. She wished she could block out the here-and-now and just go with her feelings. Great move, idiot! She’s going to think you’re such a prude! "I’m fine." She knew she was lying, but the physical and emotional overload on her senses was close to exploding point. Her crotch area felt saturated with moisture and the scent of her desire and obvious need embarrassed her. She felt Taryn climb over the center console and back onto her side of the truck. When she saw that Taryn was clear of her seat, she flicked it back upright, grimacing when she felt the warm wet patch spread against her skin as she moved.

"Are you sure you’re okay?"

Jace flashed angry eyes at Taryn. "I’m fine! I just didn’t think flashing my goods to the world was a good idea. I’m sorry." She turned the key in the ignition and was relieved to hear the engine growl to life. "We need to get back to the kids."

One step forward, two steps back! Taryn couldn’t stop the hurt that she felt at Jace’s abrupt attitude. She blinked back the tears that threatened to fall and tried to reason out Jace’s behavior. She dropped her head in defeat. She had let her own needs get ahead of Jace’s. You knew she needed to feel in control and you pushed. She glanced at Jace’s tight grip on the steering wheel. The knuckles on her hand were a pale contrast to the darkened skin of the back of her hand.

Jace’s mind was screaming at her. You are an idiot! A fucking idiot! Say something before she thinks you’re a lost cause! She knew she’d acted irrationally. The thought of Taryn seeing her naked breasts had scared her. The lack of control around Taryn terrified her. No one had ever touched her so intimately and the feeling of Taryn’s caress still burned her skin. But more importantly, she knew that Taryn had done it all before and she had been frightened that her body just wouldn’t be good enough.

Taryn stared out of the window. How can one moment of bliss turn out be so disastrous? She glanced back at her sullen partner and knew if she stared hard enough Jace would look her way. One…two…three…She counted patiently in her head. Four…five…six…seven…She saw the turn of Jace’s head her way. Bingo! "Hey."

Jace smiled sadly. "Hi. I’m an idiot." She returned her eyes to the road.

Well that’s a start. Taryn was just happy that Jace was communicating. "Want to talk about it?"

Jace shook her head. "I’m fine. I over-reacted. I’m sorry. Can we move on?"

Taryn knew it wasn’t the whole story. The fact that Jace hadn’t looked back at her hurt, but she tried to put herself in the older woman’s shoes. "Sure." She put her hand on Jace’s leg. "I had a great time this afternoon."
"Really?" Jace took her eyes off the road and smiled at Taryn.

"Really. And I’m hurt you couldn’t tell." Taryn stuck her bottom lip out as far as it would go and pretended to pout.

For the first time since they started for home, Jace’s body relaxed and she released her death grip on the wheel. "Thanks. I had a good time, too."

***

After turning into the driveway, both women turned to each other when they noticed the absence of the SUV.

"Should we be worried?" Taryn asked as she checked the time.

Jace opened her door and climbed out. Before doing anything else, she had to stretch the kink out of her back and the tightness in her sore legs. "I’m sure there’s a good reason for it. We do have a bigger problem, though."

"What?"

"No key!" Jace peered through the windows, hoping to find one of their friends at the house.

Taryn began to look under the doormat and then under and in the plant pots. Jace took up the search and looked on top of the porch shelf. She ran her fingers along the surface, feeling inside tubs and around cobwebs. Her fingers finally landed on a metal object.

"Yes!" She shouted as she placed the silver key into the door lock.

Once inside, Taryn took in the paintings arranged on the kitchen table. "It looks like they had fun." She giggled as she saw Josie’s painting. She recognized herself in the Weston line up and an extremely tall, curly-haired woman that she knew had to be Jace. The difference in height between the other adults and Jace was noticeable. "Look at how tall she’s drawn you!"

Jace tried to cover the hurt. She hated her height. It was one of the reasons she enjoyed hanging out with JJ. With the other tall woman she felt normal. Trying to ignore the age-old feeling, she looked for a note that might explain the absence of the others. She didn’t have to look too far before she saw the sticky note on the television screen.

Hey guys,

Jo & Helen arrived and the kids had cabin fever. We’ve gone into Plymouth for lunch and a walk. We’ll be back before the snow arrives.

Enjoy yourselves! J

J & C

"We have the place to ourselves for a while. The others went down to Plymouth." Jace could feel the damp cold wetness against her body and needed to get out of her jeans and underwear.

Taryn watched as Jace closed the bedroom door. She knew something wasn’t right with her girlfriend and with the others out, she wanted to get the comfort level back between them. She knocked lightly on the door. "Jace, can I come in?"

"Hold on!" Jace danced around with her jeans and underwear around her ankles.

"Are you okay?"

"Just changing." The director kicked her clothes free from her feet and looked around for her bag. She slapped her forehead when she realized her clothes were out in the backroom. "Shit!" She turned to put her pants back on and stubbed her toe on the foot of the bed. "Fuck!"

Taryn heard the expletives and opened the door.

Jace heard the creak of the door opening. "Stop!" She shouted and dropped down onto the bed, covering herself with an arm as she looked down at her lap.

Taryn took in the long bare legs and jeans scattered to the side. "I’m sorry. I heard you swear and got worried."

Jace sheepishly looked up at Taryn. "I forgot my clothes weren’t in here."

Taryn looked back at the discarded clothes. "Why are you changing? You looked fine." She saw the red wave wash up Jace’s neck and saw the nervous woman’s eyes flicker to the blue underwear. Finally, Taryn was hit by a huge clue. "I’ll grab your bag."

Jace pulled the bed cover over her legs and waited for Taryn to return.

Taryn ran her fingers through her short hair. She collected both of their bags and placed Jace’s by her feet. She sat down on the bed and kissed Jace’s cheek. "Look at me."

Jace kept her head down. "I’m too embarrassed."

Taryn lifted Jace’s head and looked into sad eyes. "Jace, it’s me. How about I give you some privacy like I should have five minutes ago, and then we can maybe talk about what’s on your mind." She saw Jace open her mouth to respond, but cut her off. "And if you tell me you’re fine once more, I think I’ll scream."

Jace pulled her bottom lip over her lower teeth and chewed the inside gently. Her initial embarrassment was lessening, especially as Taryn seemed extremely attentive and concerned. "Okay."

Five minutes later, Taryn knocked on the bedroom door. She had spent the time changing into her sweats. She had taken her bra off after trying unsuccessfully to re-clip it and being too lazy to take off her sweater. "Can I come in?"

"Sure."

Taryn took in Jace’s defeated posture. The tall director was stretched out on the bed, an arm under her head with the other covering her eyes. Taryn sat on the edge of the bed and placed her hand over Jace’s leg. "Please talk to me, Jace. I’m going crazy trying to work out what went wrong."

Jace lifted her arm off of her eyes. "It’s nothing you did, Taryn. I guess it’s all so new and it’s kind of scary."

"Scary?"

"In the way my body responds to you. I think my laundry pile has tripled this week. Practically every time you kiss or touch me, I feel like I’ve wet myself and I should be the one wearing diapers, not Tom."

Taryn moved closer to Jace and stroked her girlfriend’s arm. "Jace, it’s a two way thing. You turn me on so much and my body reacts in the same way. If it helps, I want you to know this is new to me, too. I’m not used to having to hold back my desire. Believe me when I say that you drive my body to distraction. You’re not the only one who needed to change their clothes."

"So, it’s okay?"

"Yes. Jace, have you ever…well, have you ever touched yourself in a sexual way?"

Jace’s eyes opened wide. "You mean masturbated?"

Taryn nodded, trying to suppress a grin that Jace’s astonished look was provoking.

The taller woman frowned. "No. It’s not something that was ever talked about or encouraged at home or in college. Before I met you, I didn’t even know there was life down there. Now it won’t stop. I think that’s what makes me so frustrated. I feel stupid. I read in the books about masturbation but I couldn’t bring myself to try it. It just didn’t appeal to me."

"That’s okay. Jace, your body is just adjusting to the new experiences and over time you’ll learn to control them. I remember my first orgasm was a huge shock to me and didn’t happen the first time I was with someone. All the time I was experimenting with Melanie, I thought there was something wrong with me. Then I met Ann and she did things to my body that nearly made my eyes pop out of my head. I would come and she’d only be kissing me. So, I think you have a lot of control over things."

Jace swallowed. Her anxiety about not being able to live up to Taryn’s past lovers had not been settled by the latter statement. "So, she was an excellent lover?"

Taryn took some time to think about the question. She watched as Jace chewed her lips. Taryn had never seen Jace do this habit in front of anyone else. It was definitely a sign that Jace was nervous and out of her comfort zone. "What do you mean?"

"You said she could make you come without touching you."

"Not because she was some great lover. She was a considerate lover. The fact that I came quickly wasn’t a sign that she was a good lover. I think that my feelings for Ann intensified my physical reactions. My fumbling with Melanie was just me experimenting. With Ann, I was in love and that made everything more exciting."

Jace tried to verbalize her fears. She opened her mouth, but couldn’t seem to form a decent sentence. She felt like a drowning soul trying desperately to swim back into calm, safe waters. "I bet you never thought you’d be having the birds-and-bees conversation with a potential lover?"

"No, but I bet you never thought you’d have to deal with someone with a shit load of emotional baggage and anger problems like I’ve dealt out over the past few months."

"True." Jace could feel the atmosphere lift. "Earlier in the truck, when I told you to stop because I didn’t want people to see me naked…it wasn’t quite the truth. I…I got scared that you wouldn’t like what you’d see."

"Jace! Where the hell did that come from?"

"I guess old wounds run deep. You saw what Josie drew. To others, I’m a freak of nature. Put me next to others and people stare. They always have. The kids at school used to tease me. All the girls made fun of me in the locker room and in high school, nobody ever wanted to date me. Even my aunt used to say I was all arms and legs."

"Jace, everybody has a nightmare growing up. Believe me, you’re beautiful and you have a great body."

"What if you see me naked and change your mind? I saw JJ’s body this morning and she’s all lean and her muscles defined."

"You were looking at JJ’s body?" Taryn squeaked.

"Accidentally." Jace attempted a timid smile.

Taryn tried to get her head around the many different angles their conversation was taking. "Jace, I’m not that shallow. But for the record, what I’ve seen and most definitely what I’ve felt seems to be a great body. You run every day, which is more than I do. Why do you think I wouldn’t like your body?"

"You’ve been with so many other people. What if I can’t compare?"

"Jace, this isn’t a competition! I don’t rate my girlfriends, lovers or acquaintances." She could see the shame in Jace’s eyes and tried to calm her growing anger. This is all new to her! Support her. Count to ten before you open your mouth. Remember what the counselor said, walk a day in her shoes before you judge how she’s feeling. Taryn took a calming breath. "Remember last week when you asked to read my research?"

"Yes." Jace frowned and her brow furrowed. She wasn’t exactly sure where the conversation was heading.

"I was really nervous. I mean, here’s this person who I like and admire, and who has so much more experience than me in regards to higher education and research, and she wants to read my work. It took a lot of trust for me to hand over months of work and have you look at it critically. But I did and do you know why?"

Jace nodded. "I think so, but go on."

"I trusted you. I trusted your experience and I knew that I could learn from you and that you’d tell me the truth."

Jace smiled coyly. "Thank you, that means a lot."

"Trust works both ways, Jace. You have to trust in my experience and when I say that you have a great body, I mean it. It drives me crazy when I see such a confident person doubt who they are. You drive me nuts. I’m desperate to touch, feel, taste and see you. When you’re ready, we will work on it. Okay?"

"Okay." Jace opened her arms and waited for Taryn to snuggle up to her. "When did you get to be so wise?"

"I’ve had a good mentor."

Jace kissed Taryn’s head. "Thank you for not laughing at me."

"Nothing to laugh at. I was beginning to worry that our relationship was too one-sided with me always having the meltdown and you picking up the pieces. Today has helped me see that we are more of a partnership." She closed her eyes and cuddled into Jace’s warm embrace.

TBC….

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