When we left off…

“Why don’t we skip the swim?”  Bette asked huskily, reaching for the tie on Tina’s top.  Tina pulled back gently, meeting Bette’s gaze. 

“We could skinny dip first, baby,” she suggested with the lift of an eyebrow.  What she lacked in winking ability she more than made up for in suggestive eyebrow-raising, Bette mused distractedly, her thoughts focused on Tina’s implication that the swimming might be a sort of warm up for more rigorous exercise to follow later, and in spite of the galloping progress of her arousal, she found she wasn’t actually eager to end the outdoor portion of the evening, when she thought about it.  It had been so magical…why not prolong the spell? 

 Lifeline

 Chapter 6B

“Yeah,” Bette agreed languidly, shutting her eyes for an instant in an effort to be a good sport, “that does sound nice…if…”

“If…?” Tina echoed, sliding the brunette’s blouse over her firm shoulders, eyeing her closely.

“If I can hold out that long,” she murmured, mostly to herself, feasting her eyes on Tina’s partially enclosed breasts again.   With a look of amused compassion Tina placed a finger under her lover’s chin, lifting her face until their eyes met, and without warning Bette flashed her thousand megawatt smile and Tina’s eyes widened, seemingly taken aback.  Her aspect changed instantly and Bette wondered what would come next.  Something had shifted.  She felt it.  Several moments passed in silence and then Tina, blinking, fixed her with an earnest stare that commanded her full attention.

“All these years,” she began slowly, her soft voice unexpectedly trembling with emotion, “in the midst of whatever we happen to be going through – the ups and downs, good and bad, tears or anger or frustration – ” she was gathering steam Bette thought a little worriedly, the formerly killer smile fading into an expression of concerned anticipation. 

Tina took a breath and went on, “sadness, jealousy, hurt, whatever…” she exhaled as Bette grew more wary, her stomach tightening uneasily.   “No matter what was going on with us, that smile, the one you just unleashed on me with barely an inkling of its power…” she said archly,  holding Bette’s face in her hands for emphasis, shaking her head,  “that incredibly dazzling smile has always pulled me through, as ridiculous as it sounds, even to me.  Sometimes I have been close to hating the power it wields over me, but I’ve come to believe that there’s a reason for it.