Tess walked into Girls Night Out for the first time since that awful night with Samantha. She had put this off too long. What’s the big deal, she thought… I can do this. But it was a big deal; her whole life had changed the night she met Samantha.

The club had always been a haven for her, a place she could get away from the world. She could have her pick of women, and she had. But now, things had changed. Coming back here brought it all back…how much she had hurt Samantha. It was a relief to know that this would be the last time she would ever have to come into this place again. She knew that if she ever hoped to have a relationship with Samantha, Girls Night Out, and all it entailed, would have to go. And the truth was, the thought of letting the club go didn’t even bother her.

Angela saw the tall woman walk through the door. The buff redhead had been managing the club for several years now, and couldn’t believe Tess was going to sign it over to her tonight. When the boss called and asked if she still wanted the place, she wanted to cry… it was a dream come true. "Hey Boss Lady, it’s about time you got here… been having second thoughts?"

"No…no second thoughts…I just…" She smiled at Angela and handed her the paperwork for her to sign. "Just need your signature and we’re all set."

"With pleasure," Angela said as she signed the sales contract. "Why don’t you come in for a while and help me celebrate."

"I’ll have to take a rain-check Angela…I gotta run," Tess said quickly, eager to be away from a place of such bad memories.

"Thanks again Tess…I don’t know why you changed your mind and decided to let me have Girls, I guess all my badgering finally paid off."

"I guess it did." Tess smiled at her, "and you’re welcome." Tess walked away, leaving her worst nightmare behind her.

The next few weeks flew by as the new friends spoke often but kept the relationship as just friends. It was a time to get to know each other and learn to be content to just be together with no other pressures.

Samantha and Tess both found that the dreams that had plagued them stopped. It was as if they had been there to help them find each other and were no longer needed.

Breathing hard, Samantha trudged up the rocky path. "Tess…slow down…I can’t keep up." She said with labored breath.

Tess looked over her shoulder to see a flushed Samantha, breathing hard and trying to catch up.

"I’m sorry…I didn’t think. We’ll take a break here, okay?"

Why does she want to have a picnic in a spot we have to hike to get to, Samantha thought as she sank to the ground, thankful for a much-needed breather. Unhooking her canteen from her belt, she took a long drink, then sighed. "Are we there yet?" She said, rubbing her cramping legs.

"Almost," Tess said, kneeling beside her. "Hey, I know…how about a piggy back ride? It’s really not too much farther…I can carry you."

"God Tess, don’t you ever get tired?"

"Sure I do. But Samantha…we’ve only been walking for an hour."

"Up hill Tess…an hour up hill."

Tess stood up and took off her backpack. "You’re gonna have to carry this," she said, slipping it on Samantha’s back. "Okay now, up you go." She pulled the young woman to her feet and knelt down in front of her. "Climb on."

Hesitantly, Samantha climbed on Tess’ back. "You sure you can do this?"

"Oh yeah…no problem." She grunted as she got to her feet. Slowly she moved up the path. About half way there she was breathing hard and had worked up a good sweat. Carrying an extra hundred and fifteen pounds up hill was quite a strain, but she wouldn’t admit that to Samantha. Besides, it was an excuse to touch her, and the feel of the young woman pressed against her back was sheer heaven. Just a little bit farther, she thought to herself. Finally they were at the top, and looking across a lovely green valley. Just off to the left glistening in the sunlight was a small clear lake. Tess put Samantha down and watched her face light up at the sight.

"Oh Tess… it’s gorgeous."

Tess smiled, and stretched out her aching muscles. "I knew you’d love it here. Want to take a swim before we eat?" Tess did not wait for an answer. She was well and truly overheated from the last of their trek up the hill, and was ready to cool off in the inviting lake.

Samantha couldn’t believe how fast the tall woman stripped down to her bathing suit and was in the water. "Hey…you never wait for me," she said as she started to strip as well.

"Come on slow poke." Tess shouted as she climbed out of the water, and started up a tall rock overhang. The rock ledge hung about twenty feet above the lake. Striding to the edge, Tess dove gracefully into the lake. When she broke the surface, she found Samantha paddling toward her.

"Wow, how’d you learn to dive like that?"

Tess smiled smugly. "I have many skills."

I’ll just bet you do, Samantha thought to herself. She paused for a moment. Something about that phrase was so familiar. Grinning, she splashed Tess, and then dove under the water kicking as hard as she could.

Tess was after her in a moment, catching her easily with her powerful strokes. Coming up under Samantha she propelled them both up and out of the water, then crashing back down with a big splash. They came back up sputtering and laughing. Exhausted after an hour of playing in the water, they climbed up on the smooth rock ledge and lay down to soak up sun, and dry out.

"You ready to eat?" Samantha said as her stomach started rumbling. She climbed off the ledge and walked to the pack that carried their lunch.

"Mmmm…I’m starving."

Samantha tossed a blanket to Tess. "Spread this out and I’ll get the food."

Tess unfolded the blanket as requested, and sat down as the pretty blonde carried the lunch basket over. Sitting on the blanket facing each other, they ate as if it was the last meal either of them would ever have.

"I guess all this fresh air and exercise affected my appetite. I don’t remember when I’ve eaten so mush." Samantha said as she stretched out on her back and patted her stomach. "I’m so glad you brought me here."

"This place is special to me. I’ve never wanted to bring anyone else up here till I met you." Tess smiled shyly, and dropped her gaze. Why do I feel like a tongue-tied schoolgirl with her?

"Thank you for sharing your special place with me, Tess. How did you find it?"

"When I was little, my mother used to bring me up here. Well not here exactly…we went to the other side of the lake. You can drive in that way, and there are lots of people. It’s a touristy sort of place, but I like it over here. It’s harder to get here, but it’s worth it. It’s wild, and free…when I’m here, I feel like there’s no one else in the world."

"You never mention your mother…are you still close?"

"I lost my mother when I was ten years old…I miss her." Tess smiled at the young woman, "You would have liked her Samantha. She was warm, funny, and a genuine good person. She deserved better then Tucker. I loved her a lot… I lost that for a while…because of him."

"What happened Tess?" Samantha reached over and covered a large hand with her own. "Is that why you hate him…he tried to turn you against your mother?"

Tess closed her eyes and swallowed. She had never shared her memories and private thoughts with anyone before, but it was different with Samantha. She wanted her to know her, and maybe understand a little better. "No, he never tried to turn me against her…but he succeeded in doing just that…for a while."

"I don’t understand." Samantha could see the pain in those beautiful blue eyes, and squeezed Tess’ hand in comfort.

Tess gazed down at their clasped hands and squeezed back. "When I was growing up my mother painted a glowing picture of him... I guess she didn’t want to spoil my image of my father. She gave me a photo of him, and I thought he was the handsomest man in the world. I would ask her why he didn’t come to see me and she would tell me he was very busy. She bought birthday and Christmas gifts for me and signed them Daddy. She was trying to protect me from the reality of the situation, but all it did was make me think there must be something really bad about me because this wonderful man didn’t want to see me."

"When my mother died, my mother’s sister Stella became my guardian. I wanted to go live with my father, but Aunt Stella said Mom would not have wanted that. We argued about it and when she left the room, I called my father. I told him my mother had died and asked if I could come live with him. It was the first time I had even heard his voice…" Tess brought her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. She could still feel the devastation of his words, even after all these years. Taking a moment to compose herself she continued. " He told me that my mother had been a gold digger… just out to get money from him, that he was not my father and not to bother him again." Tess brought her gaze up to meet Samantha’s. Her mask was down and the emotion was plain to see. " What kind of man would say something like that to a child? My mother had just died for God’s sake. I couldn’t believe the father I had believed in all those years didn’t exist. Aunt Stella walked in and I broke down and told her what had happened. She was livid. I asked her why my mother had told me he was my father. She said, because he is your father. She told me how he dumped my mother when he found out she was pregnant, and when she tried to get him to help support me he lied and said he was not my father. The court ordered a blood test and it came back that he could be my father, so he brought in several other men with the same blood type who swore that they had all slept with my mother. They said that she was a slut and slept with anything in pants. If it had been today they would have done a DNA test and had conclusive proof, but back then they could only prove he was a possible candidate."

Samantha couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She ached for the tall woman who was obviously in so much pain. She watched as a tear made its way down Tess’ cheek and reached to wipe it away. "You said that he turned you against your mother. How did he do that?"

"I realize now that my mother was only trying to protect me, but then I hated her for lying to me about him. And I hated him even more for making me feel that way about her. I decided some day he was going to pay, and believe me, he has. "

"Well, it sounds like you are your fathers daughter."

"I’M NOT LIKE HIM! I HATE HIM!" She stood up and walked a few paces away.

"Could you just look at yourself honestly for a minute? What has your life been up to now? Hatred? Planning revenge? Who does that really sound like, the mother who loved and protected you, or the father who abandoned you? Don’t you see? Like it or not, you have patterned yourself after him. He won. "

Tess didn’t like looking at herself through Samantha’s eyes… it hurt too much. "What do you expect me to do, go to him and say I forgive you daddy? I can’t do that."

"You don’t have to like him, you don’t even need to forgive him, but you do need to put him behind you, let go of the hatred and get on with your life. Don’t give him the rest of your life, he’s taken enough of it already."

Listening to Samantha, Tess could almost believe it was possible to release the hate and change her life. The woman seemed to be a walking example of what she was preaching. After all didn’t Samantha have every reason to hate her for the way she had treated her? "I don’t know if I can do that Samantha, when I’m around him, or even think of him I lose it."

"I have faith in you."

"You really do, don’t you?" She shook her head incredulously. "Why?"

"I’m your friend…I care about you."

"Would it be alright if I…if I gave my friend a hug?" Tess said hesitantly, not sure how Samantha would react to such physical contact.

Now Samantha’s tears started to flow as she got up and walked to Tess. She no longer dreaded the tall woman’s touch for fear it would bring back those awful memories. "I think I need a hug about now," she said as her arms slipped around the tall woman.

Tess gently wrapped her arms around Samantha, afraid to hold her too close or too tight for fear Samantha would misconstrue the meaning behind it. She realized her fear was unfounded when she felt Samantha’s arms squeeze tightly around her. She laid her cheek on Samantha’s head and just held on. If felt so good to just hold her and be held in return, nothing else was needed. She wished that they could just stay like this forever. The words ‘the other half of my soul’ played again in her mind and she knew without a doubt that it was true.

Tess had decided to take Samantha’s advise and try to find some type of closure with Tucker. She was going to meet with him and talk truce, and today was the day. He had been hesitant when she called and asked to see him, but things had been fairly peaceful between them lately and he thought, what the hell. When Tess arrived in his outer office and announced herself to his secretary, she was surprised at how calm she was. She had been working hard these last weeks to not let herself fall back into the cycle of hate and vengeance that had been her life for so long. This was different though; she was going to see him face to face, and these encounters always tended to make her blood boil.

Tucker opened his door and ushered her into his office. "What brings you to my neck of the woods Tess…what have you got up your sleeve?"

"I just needed to get something off my chest Tucker, and then I hope to be out of your life for good."

"Why do I have a hard time believing that Tess?" Tucker said sarcastically.

"I don’t really give a damn if you believe me or not. I’ve spent most of my life hating you for what you did to my mother and me."

"I’m not your father," he interrupted.

"You’re damned right you’re not. You were a sperm donor…nothing more." Tess stood and gripped the back of her chair. "A friend of mine reminded me that I have already wasted too much of my life hating you, and I don’t intend to do it any more. I came here today to call a truce…I hope we can put all this behind us and go on with our lives. I’m not saying that I forgive you… just saying I don’t want to hate anymore."

"I don’t know what you’re trying to pull Tess, but it won’t work."

"Like I said Tucker, I don’t give a damn if you believe me. I just needed to close out this part of my life so I can go on." Turning, she walked out of the office leaving a stunned Tucker watching her go.

It was not going to be easy, but just that first step had felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. Tess could not wait to tell Samantha about the meeting. She drove the ten miles to the young woman’s apartment with a smile on her face. She had actually been able to talk to him and not slip into that vindictive hate mode and she was glad that Samantha’s faith in her had been justified. None of this would have happened if Samantha had not come into her life. The young woman made her happy and she had not been able to say she was truly happy since her mother had died.

Samantha saw Tess pull up outside and was waiting at the door for her. The tall woman took the stairs two at a time. "I did it," she beamed as she picked Samantha up in her arms and spun her around.

"I wasn’t sure I could come face to face with him and not let the hate and anger take over again, but you were right. I actually talked with him and felt nothing."

"I knew you could do it. I had enough faith for both of us." Samantha said as she grinned from ear to ear. "And when you have faith, anything is possible."

"And I have faith in us," Tess responded, "And like you said…when you have faith, anything’s possible." Tess was feeling bold; Samantha was in her arms and not protesting. She wanted more then anything to lean down and kiss her, and almost followed through with that thought. Instead she put her down and said, "Samantha… I think it’s time for us to talk about our relationship."

"Yes…I guess it is," Samantha replied.

Tess took the young woman’s hand and led her to the bed and sat her down. She then pulled the chair from the drafting table over and sat down facing her. Summoning her courage she brought one of Samantha’s hands to her lips and gently kissed it. Her heart pounded when the young woman did not pull her hand away. "Samantha…I’m not sure if you can ever feel the same way I feel about you after what happened, but I need to tell you that these last few weeks with you have been the happiest of my life. I love you and want nothing more then to spend the rest of my life trying to make you as happy as you make me."

Samantha could not stop the tears as she flung her arms around Tess’ neck. "Oh Tess, I do love you…I do." She clung to her as if to let go would mean her very life. Pulling away far enough so that she could see into Tess’ eyes she said. " I want to start over, but this time can we take it slow?"

"We’ll take all the time you need. I promise. I’ll never rush you, or push you into something you’re not ready for. I just want to love you, and take care of you." Tess leaned down and gently brushed Samantha’s lips with her own. "Now get dressed. I’m taking you out to celebrate," she said rising and walking to the door. "I’ll wait outside to give you some privacy while you change."

"You mean you don’t want to be seen with me in my paint covered clothes?"

Tess flashed the most radiant smile Samantha had ever seen and her heart melted. "I will always be proud to have you on my arm…no matter how you’re dressed."

Samantha returned the smile. "It would help to know where we’re going so I’ll know how to dress."

"You tell me your favorite restaurant and I’ll take you there…then we’ll go dancing. Would you like that?"

"Mmmm…very much," Samantha said. "I’ve never been courted before…I think I’m gonna like this." She crossed to Tess and gave her a peck on the cheek. "I won’t be long," she said as she turned for the closet to find something to wear. Suddenly she froze in her tracks, realizing that there weren’t too many places where women could go out dancing with each other. Samantha could not bear the thought of going to Girls Night Out.

Tess saw the stricken look on her face when she turned around. "Samantha…what’s wrong?"

"Where are we going dancing Tess? I can’t go back to Girls Night Out."

Tess walked to Samantha and took both of her hands in her own. "Hon…I would never take you back there. I never want to do anything that would bring back those memories for you. Angela, the woman who managed the club for me, has wanted to buy the place for a long time… I signed the paperwork a couple of weeks ago… she’s welcome to it. I want us to be able to start over…without that hanging over our heads". Cupping the young woman’s face in her hands Tess said, "I love you Samantha. Please believe me. When I told you I would never hurt you like that again…I meant it."

"I do believe you…I’m sorry…" A tear trickled down Samantha’s cheek.

"Hey, it’s okay…I understand." She leaned down and kissed her forehead. Tess drew Samantha to her in a gentle embrace. "Its okay, I’ve got you." She whispered into her ear.

With those familiar words spoken into her ear so lovingly, the tender emotions they had always brought her in her dreams engulfed Samantha again. "I feel so safe and protected when I am in your arms like this," Samantha said as she snuggled into the warm embrace. "I love you Tess, and I’m sorry if I hurt you when I asked where we were going. I do trust you…I really do. If I had just taken a moment to think before I spoke, I would have realized you were not thinking of going there tonight."

"Do you still want to go out tonight?" Tess said, drawing back so she could look into the young woman’s eyes. "We can go another time if you prefer."

Samantha gave her a little squeeze then turned to her closet. "No way. You’re not getting out of taking me out that easy." Rummaging through her clothes she pulled out a lavender dress and nodded her approval. "I’m dressing up, and you’re taking me out.

Dinner had been wonderful, but Samantha was a little hesitant about dancing. She had never really dated, and had never learned to dance. Not wanting to look like a nerd, she was hoping that Tess would skip anything fast. Slow dancing she was sure she could do, and not make a fool of herself. Besides, it was an excuse to be able to hold onto Tess…to be held by Tess.

They walked into the bar, and Samantha was relieved to see that it was smaller then Girls Night Out, and much less crowded. Tess took the young woman to a table and seated her, then walked to the bar to order drinks. Even though this was not her normal haunt, she could see many familiar faces around the room.

One in particular caught her eye. Judy was a tall slinky brunette, with beautiful soft brown eyes, and sexy full lips. In the past she would have been glad to see her, but sex, just for sex, had lost its appeal. The need for constant sexual gratification, she realized, was her way of filling the void in her life. But no matter how often she sought out a partner for the night, the emptiness remained…the void never filled. Now, with Samantha in her life, she felt whole.

Judy saw Tess looking at her and smiled seductively. She always enjoyed her romps with the tall gorgeous woman, and was hoping to be her choice for a bed partner tonight. She was willing to play along with Tess’ rule of sex with no personal involvement, and it had paid off with many a passionate night of sex till dawn. Then they would go out to breakfast and Tess would say her good-byes.

Samantha watched from across the room as the beautiful woman walked up to Tess and draped herself on the tall woman. She could not hear what was said, but it was obvious the woman was attempting to seduce her companion. She could feel the hairs raise up at the nape of her neck as her anger began to flare. Chill Samantha, she told herself. You don’t own her. To her relief, she saw Tess remove the woman’s hands from her body as she spoke to her. Then she pointed to Samantha, and the young artist could see the woman’s gaze track to her own, a frown on her face. The tall woman turned back to the bar to place her order.

Judy stood for a moment studying the little blond at the table. She was definitely not Tess’ usual type. She looked so young…so innocent. As Tess joined the young woman at the table, Judy could see the look of adoration in the young blonde’s eyes as she gazed at the tall woman. That poor little thing is in for a real heartbreak, she thought.

As Tess approached the table she could hear the strains of The Indigo Girls song ‘Power of Two’. She placed the drinks on the table and took Samantha’s hand. "May I have this dance?"

"With pleasure," Samantha grinned as she stood and allowed the woman of her dreams to lead her to the dance floor.

Tess put her arms around the young woman and pulled her close as she briefly leaned down to rest her forehead against Samantha’s. Then she tightened her embrace, kissing the top of her head and resting her cheek against the silky hair. They closed their eyes as they swayed with the music, content to be in each other’s arms.

Well, I’ll be damned. Judy couldn’t believe her eyes; she had never seen Tess behave so tenderly. I guess a leopard can change its spots.

Samantha sat at her drafting table letting the last few weeks replay in her mind. Tess had been so attentive and sweet. And romantic, she reminded herself. When Tess just spoke her name she would tremble, and at night when Tess would go home the emptiness engulfed her. Nothing had happened beyond cuddling and kissing and Samantha had gotten comfortable with the physical closeness again. She wanted to be with this woman always and not just a few evenings a week. Tess had respected her wishes to take it slow, but now the young woman was ready to take the next step. Picking up the phone, she dialed the familiar number.

"Tess Richmond speaking."

The rich resonate tones were music to her ear and Samantha could feel her heart rate speeding up. "Hi, how’s your day going?" She said trying to pull her thoughts together.

"Much better now," Tess said, a smile coming to her face at the sound of her beloved’s voice.

"These last few weeks you’ve been taking me out and wining and dining me. Its been great…but I want to cook you a nice romantic dinner tonight…just the two of us. My cramped little apartment doesn’t really lend itself to a romantic evening… so how about I do it at your place? I want tonight to be…this weekend to be… special." Samantha was blushing, and she was glad Tess could not see her. "I could pack an overnight bag and we could spend the whole weekend together."

There was a long pause on the line as Tess tried to fathom the implications of Samantha’s words and tone of voice. "That sounds wonderful Hon," Tess purred. "I can’t wait."

"Can I drop by and pick up your key so I can get in early and have everything done when you get home?"

"Sure, I’ll run down the street and have an extra key made for you. Perhaps if you have your own key, you’ll feel more at home there." Perhaps you’ll even consider moving in, she thought, relishing the idea of the beautiful woman sleeping in her arms every night.

"Okay, I guess I’d better finish up here so I can get my shopping done and get over to pick up the key. I love you."

"I love you too…I just wish I had the words to tell you how much."

"I know how much…I can feel it. I can’t explain how…but I do. See you in a little while."

"Till then. Bye."

Samantha hung up the phone. Just the thought of tonight made her tingle all over with anticipation. It felt good to feel this way again. The phone rang and she picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hi-ya Sam, how’s tricks?"

"Hi Dusty, I’m great. It’s good to hear from you. One of these days soon, we have to get together so I can tell you everything that’s happened. You won’t believe it."

"How about this weekend? Your mother asked if Roy and I would like to spend the weekend at the cabin with her and your dad. Roy couldn’t turn down an offer like that from the Boss’ wife. Anyway, your mom is on her way over to ask you to come too. I thought I would give you a call and warn ya in case you need to figure out a way to say no to her."

"Thanks for the warning Dusty. I owe you one."

"Does that mean you’re not coming? It sure would be a lot more fun if you come. We’re leaving tonight so we won’t waste part of Saturday driving up there. It should be fun though Sam, whatdaya say?"

"I have plans this weekend Dusty."

"Maybe you should change your plans kiddo. She invited Rick from Engineering to come too, and he’s a real babe."

"Oh God Dusty…is she trying to set me up again?"

"Well…yes…but this one’s a real catch."

"I’m seeing someone Dusty…well…more then just seeing. I’m in love, and I’ve never been happier."

"Christ Samantha…why didn’t you tell me?

"I just…"

"You have to tell me all about him," Dusty interrupted. "Where did you meet? How did you know he was the one…and who is he?"

"This is what I wanted to talk to you about…I want us to get together so I can tell you all about her."

"Her?"

"Yes her… its Blue Eyes. Her name is Tess, and I love her with all my heart. Are you okay with this?"

"I…don’t know what to say Sam… I can’t believe you found her." Pausing a moment to organize her thoughts she said, "Of course I’m okay with it… I kinda thought you might be leaning that way, so it’s really no big surprise… except the Blue eyes part. Now that was a surprise."

"I really do want to talk with you more about her, and I want you two to meet, but I really need to think about what I’m gonna tell Mom. I promise we’ll get together real soon okay?"

"Okay Sam, but make it real soon. I’m dying to get all the details."

"Soon, I promise. Talk to you later." Samantha hung up the phone and just sat there. How am I going to tell Mom, she thought.

Picking up the phone again she called Tess. She knew this meeting with her mother would probably take a while and she didn’t want her to worry if she was late picking up the key. Just thinking of this talk with her mother had her stomach doing flip-flops, and she was not looking forward to it at all. When she heard Tess’ voice it seemed to calm her nerves a bit. "Hello love. I just wanted to call and let you know I’m probably going to be a little late picking up my key and I didn’t want you to worry."

The term of endearment brought a smile to Tess’ face as she said, "Thanks Hon. You’re right, I would have worried. Did something come up?"

"Well…yes. Dusty called and told me my mom is on her way over to invite me to the cabin for the weekend, and I suspect she’ll be here quite a while."

"I don’t want to cause a problem with your family Hon…We can put off our weekend if you need to."

Samantha could clearly hear the disappointment in Tess’ voice. "I have no intention of missing our weekend love, and besides mom is just trying to set me up with someone again. I’m not going to be a hypocrite Tess…I’m gonna tell her about us."

"Are you sure you want to do that Samantha?"

"I’m sure…I love you…I can’t hide that from the people I care about. I can’t live like that. I hope she’ll understand and accept me. If not…well I won’t worry about it till it happens. Besides, she has been worrying about me being a lesbian for a long time now…she even sent me to a shrink, so it won’t be that much of a surprise. At least it wasn’t for Dusty. I told her about us and she wasn’t surprised at all. Well that’s not true…she was surprised about us, but not about me. Does that make any sense?"

"Yes, I think it does." Tess thought for a moment about the possible consequences of Samantha telling her mother about their relationship. "If it doesn’t go well, you call me and I’ll come right over. Promise me."

"I promise…wish me luck."

"Always"

Samantha heard a knock at her door. "Oh god, she’s here…talk to you later. Love you."

She greeted her mother at the door with a smile, which hid the nervousness she felt. "Mother, what a surprise. I’ve been wanting to talk to you…and here you are." She opened the door wide to invite her mother in.

Sarah McBride gave her daughter a quick peck on the cheek and breezed past her into the small room. Looking around the cluttered little apartment with disdain, she remembered the only extra seat in the place was the bed. "I still don’t understand why you prefer this hovel to your place at home."

"Let’s not get into that again Mother. I like being on my own, and this is what I can afford." Samantha closed the door and crossed to her chair, pulling it over for her mother to sit on. "Please Mother, sit down." Walking towards the kitchen she asked. "Would you like something cold to drink?"

"Oh I’d love some ice tea if you have some."

"Sure do." Samantha smiled reaching into the refrigerator. Handing her mother the tea she asked, "What brings you to my neck of the woods? I know you don’t like slumming it."

"I just wanted to see you dear." Sarah smiled and sipped daintily on her tea. "You know you haven’t come to see us in a while…we miss you."

"I’m sorry Mother…I’ve been kinda busy lately."

"Your father and I were talking just last night about you, and saying that we just don’t get to see enough of you any more. We thought it might be nice if we all got away for the weekend and spent some time together."

"I’d love to Mom, just let me know enough in advance so I can make sure I don’t make other plans."

"Well…we were thinking of this weekend. It’s the first weekend you father has had off in God knows how long, and we thought a family weekend would be nice."

"I already have plans for this weekend Mom. I’ll have to make it next time Dad has some spare time."

"But we need you to come this weekend. I already invited your friend Dusty and her boyfriend Roy…and they accepted. Couldn’t you change your plans?"

"No, I’m afraid not…this weekend is kind of special." Samantha thought for a moment, trying to come up with the best way to explain to her mother.

"Samantha, you’re going to be 23 years old next Monday and we were trying to have a surprise party for you up at the cabin. This is a special occasion and I think you should reconsider changing your plans. Besides…I invited a very nice young man for you to meet."

"So, you finally decided to tell me the real reason you want me to come." Samantha got up and paced back and forth. "You’re trying to set me up again Mother, and you know how much I hate that."

"Samantha Rose, be reasonable. How are you ever going to find a nice young man and settle down if you won’t even try to meet anyone."

"I have met someone Mom." Samantha sat back down on the bed and grasped her mothers hands. "I have met someone whom I love very much."

Sarah’s face brightened. "Well why didn’t you say so before…bring him along, your father and I would love to meet him."

"I don’t think that’s such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because it isn’t a he mother…it’s a she; and I want you and dad to get used to the idea before you meet her."

Sarah sat staring at her daughter in stunned silence. Hadn’t she spent a small fortune on therapy to try to prevent something like this from happening? Finally she said, "I was afraid something like this would happen when you refused to give up your obsession with that imaginary woman."

"She wasn’t imaginary mom. She was real…and I found her."

"This is worse then I thought; you have convinced yourself she is real. What do they call people with those delusions…Schizophrenic?"

"I’m not Schizophrenic Mother, and I’m not going to argue with you about this. I already made plans to spend the weekend with Tess, and I’m not breaking them."

"Well…I guess there’s nothing more to say." Sarah rose and walked toward the door.

"I guess not."

Turning back to her daughter again Sarah said, "I don’t understand this, and I’m certainly not happy about it Samantha, but I love you… that’s not going to change." She walked back and embraced her daughter. "I’ll try…but I don’t know how I’m going to tell your father." Shaking her head she walked back to the door and left.

 Tess spent the afternoon pacing around her office. She couldn’t keep her mind on business, no matter how much she tried. She kept worrying about Samantha. What if her mother took the news really badly? Several times she almost drove to Samantha’s in case that had happened and she needed a shoulder to cry on. She stopped herself though, reasoning that the woman might still be there, and Tess’ presence could cause an even worse situation. So she had to sit and wait…and hope that everything went all right. This waiting was driving her crazy though, and she paced to the window again, sighing as she gazed out at nothing. A small voice behind her brought her out of her thoughts, and she turned to find Samantha standing in her doorway.

"Your secretary said you wanted me to come right in." Samantha said, closing the door behind her.

"I’ve been so worried about you," Tess said, as she crossed the room and pulled the young woman in for a fierce hug. "Everything go alright?"

"She wasn’t happy, but she took it pretty well. I mean she didn’t disown me or anything…she said she loves me and she’ll try. I can’t ask any more then that…can I?"

"No, I guess you can’t."

"I’m actually more worried about my dad, but…well…I just hope a little time will help them get over the initial shock…and then we’ll see."

Tess was relieved to see that Samantha seemed in good spirits, and that the encounter with her mother had not been as horrible as she had feared. "Well then…are we still on for tonight?"

"Yep…got my car packed with groceries. All I need is my key." My key, I like the sound of that.

Smiling, Tess reached into her desk and retrieved the key. "Is this what you need…hmmmm?" She took Samantha’s hand and placed the key in her palm closing her fingers around it. "My place, is your place, and I hope that soon we can make it a permanent arrangement." Lifting the clasped hand to her lips she brushed them across the young woman’s knuckles. "I love you Samantha." She leaned her forehead against the young woman’s. "Forever and ever."

"Forever and ever," Samantha repeated as she circled her arms around the tall woman with a sigh.

Samantha didn’t have a lot of experience in cooking. She hadn’t lived on her own that long, and at home she never had to cook. She did have a recipe for a chicken and rice dish that she liked very much. It was also quick and easy, which was a big plus. Some steamed broccoli and a green salad and she would have a nice, well-balanced meal. After all, it wasn’t what she served, but how it was presented that was important. She had bought a lovely lace tablecloth with a delicate pale mauve pattern. To go with it were two soft gray candles, and a beautiful flower arraignment. The table was perfect, the lights were dimmed, dinner was ready, all that was lacking was Tess. Samantha had timed the trip from Tess’ office to her house. It had taken her twelve minutes, but that had not been driven in the evening rush. She allowed extra time for that and thought it should take about twenty minutes…give or take a minute or two. It had been twenty-seven minutes since Tess called to say she was on her way home. Not anxious at all are you Samantha, she thought to herself.

Tess hung up the phone and smiled. She liked the idea of going home to Samantha…it just felt… right.

A quick stop to pick up a dozen long stemmed red roses, then home…to Samantha. The florist shop was right on the way home, so the stop would not cause much of a delay. She walked in the shop and saw a huge container filled with long stemmed roses. She caught the eye of the woman behind the counter and pointed to the red roses.

"Beautiful choice." The sales woman said. "How many did you need?"

Tess started to answer, when a small crystal bud vase caught her eye. In it was a single lavender rose. In her mind she saw the vision of Samantha in that beautiful lavender dress she wore that first time she took her out dancing…it was perfect. "I’ve changed my mind, I want the lavender rose in the crystal vase.

Samantha heard the hum of the garage door opening. Tess was home. She dimmed the lights in the dining room and lit the candles, then went to the door in the kitchen that led into the garage. When Tess opened the door she saw Samantha’s beautiful face beaming at her. She returned the smile and brought a rose from behind her back. "For you."

"Oh it’s beautiful," Samantha said as she pressed her nose to the petals taking in the delicate fragrance. "Thank you." She raised up on her tiptoes and kissed Tess on the cheek. Turning she took Tess’ hand pulling her toward the dining room. "Come on, I want you to eat while it’s still hot."

"Something sure smells good," Tess said following Samantha into the dining room. Soft music played in the background setting a sweet romantic mood. "My table has never looked this good… it needed your touch." Tess drew the young woman into her arms. "Almost as much as I do." She leaned down for a quick kiss, but couldn’t bring herself to let it end.

"I’m glad you like it," Samantha said coming up for air.

"Very much." Tess reluctantly escorted her lovely dinner companion to the table and seated her, then took a seat herself. For the first time her house felt like a home. She scooped up some of the chicken and rice and passed the dish to Samantha. "This looks wonderful."

"I hope you like it," the little blonde replied, passing the steamed broccoli.

Taking a bite Tess nodded her head. "Just as wonderful as it looks."

"I think you’re a little biased, but thank you." Samantha said tasting a bite herself.

Swallowing her last bite, Tess leaned her elbows on the table and placed her chin on her hands. She watched Samantha as she finished her meal, and wiped her face with her napkin. Such an ordinary thing, yet she was mesmerized.

"What are you staring at?" The little blond said as she licked her fingers.

"You…I love to watch you."

"I’m sure it must be a beautiful sight, watching me wipe my face, and lick my fingers." Samantha rolled her eyes and laughed at the thought. "I’m sure you’ve entertained women here that were a lot more beautiful to look at then I am."

The tall woman’s face became very serious for a moment. She knew what the young woman meant by ‘entertained’ "I have never…ever brought a woman here for sex…that’s what you’re talking about aren’t you? She watched as the little blonde silently nodded her head. You know that I’ve had sex with a lot of women…that’s no secret, but I never loved any of them…never wanted to bring any of them home. "I love you Samantha, everything about you …everything.

The little blond smiled from ear to ear. "I’m glad you let me into your heart and home."

"I really loved coming home tonight, knowing you’d be here waiting for me." Tess said as she reached out to cover her companion’s hand. "It was the perfect way to end the day… coming home to you." She lifted the small hand to her lips, kissing the tip of each finger.

"You cooked, so I’ll clean up," Tess said as she stood with her empty plate, and reached for Samantha’s.

She smiled over her shoulder as she carried the dirty dishes to the kitchen.

Samantha followed the tall woman into the kitchen and found her rinsing the dishes to put into the dishwasher. She walked up behind Tess, wrapping her arms around her and nuzzling into her neck. "Can’t these wait till later?" The young woman said, squeezing tightly.

"Yes," the tall woman said as she turned in the young artist’s embrace. Taking the beloved face into her hands, Tess softly said, "How did I get so lucky?" She leaned down to nibble on Samantha’s ear and brought a hand down to caress a soft round breast. "I love you."

When Samantha gently pushed her away, the tall woman froze. Had she misinterpreted the young woman’s intentions for this evening? Fear gripped her heart; she would rather be flogged then push her young love into something she was not ready for.

"Samantha, I’m sorr…"

Small fingers touched her lips, silencing her. " Shhh…I want you Tess…but I’m in charge this time." Reaching down she laced their fingers together, bringing the long slim fingers to her mouth and kissing them gently. With their hands still clasped, she turned and led her tall lover out of the kitchen and toward the bedroom.

Tess followed along like a lovesick puppy, relinquishing her normal role as the aggressor. She realized this was not a sexual conquest - it was making love - a totally new experience for her.

Samantha stopped in front of the bed, and turned to face her lover. Reaching up she cupped Tess’ cheek, and felt an involuntary tremor run through the tall woman’s body. Her heart started racing as her lover closed her eyes and pressed her lips into the young woman’s palm. She wound her fingers in the long black tresses, pulling Tess down and capturing her lips. She felt strong arms encircle her body, then slip down to her rounded behind, pulling her tight against the tall woman’s body and squeezing gently. Now it was her turn to shiver. Untangling her trembling fingers from the long hair, Samantha began to unbutton Tess’ blouse, kissing the exposed skin as it appeared.

Tess had never experienced anything close to the excitement building in her body. When she felt the exquisite lips press against the exposed skin of her breasts she heard a moan, and realized it was her own voice.

Samantha pushed the offending cloth off the beautiful broad shoulders of the woman she loved, and reached around behind her to unhook the last obstacle to her lovers breasts. As the bra fell to the floor, she gasped at the sight of the wonderful full breasts that in their aroused state seemed to be reaching out to her. She looked up into incredibly blue eyes, clouded with passion. "You’re so beautiful." Strong hands gripped her head and guided her to a breast, aching with need.

"Yesss Samantha…yes," Tess said, as she felt the warm, wet mouth close over an erect nipple. Her knees began to give way. "I can’t stand up any longer," she said clutching the young woman’s shoulders for support.

Samantha reluctantly released the breast she was making love to, and knelt before the aroused woman. She began to remove the rest of the concealing garments that were keeping her away from her lover’s need. Once the task was complete, she stood up and stepped a few paces away to take in the breathtaking sight of Tess in all her glory. Smiling seductively, she began to remove her own garments, enjoying the smoldering look of desire in her lover’s eyes.

Tess watched her little blond lover disrobe with barely controlled passion. It was all she could do to keep from tossing her on the bed and ravishing her. She had never wanted anyone in her life as much as she wanted Samantha. When the young beauty held out her hand, Tess nearly flew into her arms, drawing the delicious nude body to her and nuzzling into the sweetly scented blond hair. There were no words that could express the depth of love she felt for this precious woman, yet she felt the need to try to tell her. "I love you…I love you…" she whispered over and over, as her hands roamed down the lovely bare back, settling on Samantha’s firm round behind. "Mmmm…you have a great butt…you know that? So soft and squeezable." She accentuated the last word with a gentle squeeze.

"You could turn a girl’s head with that kind of flattery," Samantha said as she pushed the tall woman onto the bed, landing on top of her.

The feel of the beautiful nude body on top of her was sheer heaven. Wrapping her arms around the little blonde, Tess flipped them over, so that she was on top. With a hand on each side of the lovely face beneath her, she leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, then her nose, and finally her lips. "I said before that coming home to you was the perfect way to end the day, but I was wrong. Nothing could be more perfect then making love with the other half of my soul…I love you Samantha…I hope I never disappoint you."

Samantha saw the tremble of her lover’s chin as she spoke those final words, and she tightened her embrace around the tall woman. "Just never stop loving me Tess…"

"Never." The dark tresses mingled with the gold as the tall woman dipped her head to nibble and suck on an inviting neck. She could feel the rapid heart beat as her lips brushed the pulse point, feel the erratic breathing. Tess had to will herself to slow down, to be gentle and tender. Her only goal, to please the only person in her life she had ever loved. She slid off the little blonde to lay on her side. Propping herself up on an elbow, she drank in the beauty before her. "You’re so perfect," she said, running her hand lightly over the flat belly, then up to cup an inviting breast. "I’ve never wanted anything in my life more then to make love to you…pleasure you." She bent down and kissed the breast she was holding then gazed into the intense green eyes watching her. "I love you…No matter how many times I say it, it’s not enough."

Samantha rolled over to face her lover, and leaned in to capture those enticing lips. She pushed Tess onto her back again, reclaiming her position on top, as their tongues danced together. She slid down the writhing body, slowly making her way to her lover’s breasts. "So beautiful," she whispered, as she lowered her mouth, licking and nipping around the edge of the aching nipple, before sucking it into her mouth with a moan.

Tess arched her back, pushing her breast harder into her lover’s mouth, as her fingers entwined in the long golden hair. The soft moans coming from Samantha as she made love to her breasts were intoxicating, and she lost herself in them. She shut her eyes tightly and let the sounds and sensations engulf her, carrying her with them…soaring to heights she had never dreamed possible.

Samantha moved till she had better access to her lovers beautiful body, without releasing the breast she was caressing. She ran her fingers through dark curls, and long legs parted in invitation. She brushed a finger along the wet folds, and was rewarded with a gasp, as Tess clutched her firmly to her breasts in a death grip. Over and over she let her fingers brush against her lovers most private place, and felt strong hips thrust up to meet them. Then she pushed inside the slick, inviting warmth of Tess’ inner depths, her fingers matching the rhythm of her lover, thrust for thrust.

"Oh God Samantha….yesss." Tess gasped, as she tossed her head back and forth frantically. "Mmmmm," she groaned softly through gritted teeth as she felt the orgasm pulse to life, her inner muscles gripping and releasing her lovers fingers. Her body stiffened, and she felt wave after wave wash over her. When it ended, she collapsed back down on the bed. Pulling Samantha in for a fierce hug, she was overcome with emotion and found herself sobbing into the younger woman’s neck, "I love you…forever and ever."

Raising up on her elbows, Samantha kissed the tears from Tess’ cheek. "Forever and ever," she echoed with a sigh. She laid her head down on her lover’s chest, trying to calm the rush of emotions that flooded her as she had watched her lover surrender to her touch. God how I love this woman, she thought, closing her eyes, and breathing in the heady sent of her beautiful lover.

For the first time in her life, Tess felt truly whole, and complete. "You’re amazing," she said as she stroked the golden tresses.

Samantha pushed herself up to where she was straddling the tall woman. "You’re pretty amazing yourself." She said, as her hands began a slow survey of her lover’s breasts.

"Oh no, any more and I will melt into a puddle." Tess said as she stilled the small hands. Gripping Samantha by the waste, she lifted the small woman, tossing her to the side, then rolling over to capture a soft pink nipple in her mouth. The smell of her lover’s arousal was intoxicating, and she nibbled her way down the beautiful body seeking to savor the taste as well.

Samantha realized she could not hold back her release as soon as she felt her lovers tongue enter her. She tried to slow down the building orgasm to no avail. Gripping Tess’ shoulders, she just let go and lost herself to her lover's touch.

Climbing back up next to the beautiful blonde, Tess pulled her into her arms and held her. Samantha snuggled closer and Tess could feel her breathing slow to the quiet rhythm of sleep. She knew she wanted to end each day for the rest of her life with this precious woman in her arms. "Forever and ever." She whispered, and kissed the golden head as she closed her eyes, and let sleep claim her as well.

The End

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Samantha and Tess' adventures continue with The Enemy Within

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