Bette opened her eyes to see Stephanie sleeping with her face just inches from hers. She smiled thinking how incredible this woman was and felt guilty that Tina was consuming her thoughts and had managed to latch on to all 4 chambers of her heart. Bette couldn’t shake it. 7 months later and Tina had permanently rooted herself.

Stephanie deserved all of her and she couldn’t give her that right now. Not until she could get Tina completely out of her system, Bette sighed and leaned over capturing Stephanie’s lips and lightly placing a soft kiss upon them. Stephanie moaned and slowly opened her eyes wrapping her arms around Bette pulling her close. Bette felt a tear start to fall down her cheek that fell on Stephanie’s neck. Stephanie felt it and immediately turned Bette onto her back and looked at her.

”Babe? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Stephanie asked concerned

Bette’s chin quivered as she fought the urge to completely lose it and managed to choke back those that were threatening to escape to join the others.

”Bette? Please tell me what’s wrong baby. You are scaring me” Stephanie said stroking Bette’s hair to comfort her

”Steph? We have been together for almost 4 months now and it’s been incredible. I love being with you and you are incredibly sexy, kind, generous, and of course the sex—Well the sex it speaks for itself” Bette said honestly then paused

”Bette, This has been the best 4 months of my life. You make me happier than I have ever been in my entire life. You are so beautiful, sexy, smart, and an incredible lover. I mean you are the woman I have dreamed of..But why am I getting the feeling you are going to come back and start your next sentence with a but?” Stephanie asked scared of where this conversation was heading,

Bette reached up to cup Stephanie’s cheek and sighed.

”It’s because I am” Bette said as Stephanie’s closed her eyes and sighed and nodded for Bette to continue…” But before you and I got together I fell in love with someone hard and extremely fast and she didn’t feel the same. I have tried to get her out of my thoughts and my heart and I can’t let her go. I can’t give myself to you completely with her haunting me….And the fact that she is now in L.A only makes it that much more difficult and-” Bette stopped when Stephanie turned over and sat up on the side of the bed and now had her back to her.

”So how do you two know each other?” Alice asked the two curiously taking a sip of her champagne.

Stephanie was intrigued as well and looked at her girlfriend for a response

”I broke down on a road just outside of Chapel Hill when I flew out there to lecture at UNC  seven months ago . Tina came along and got me running again and I took her to lunch to repay her.” Bette explained not taking her eyes off of Tina

”Well..Small world” Stephanie responded as she heard someone calling her name ”Excuse me Babe. I need to go speak to Jeff. It was nice meeting you Tina. I’ll see you soon” Stephanie said kissing Bette on the cheek and walking off

”So? Porter? Is this the woman you were telling me about that made your heart skip a beat?” Alice asked slyly and smirked

Tina turned and looked at Alice in shock then back at Bette

”Uhmm? No Alice! Tina was kind enough to get my rental car going again. We had lunch then I had to get back here” Bette responded quickly feeling Tina was uncomfortable with Alice’s revelation.

Alice looked at Bette skeptically then at Tina who was looking down at her champagne and decided to grill Tina later

”Uh huh. Ok. Well I need a refill. How about you Tina?” Alice asked

”Uhmm? Yeah. Please?” Tina answered

Alice walked back to the bar leaving Tina and Bette staring at each other

”You never returned my calls” Bette said sadly

Tina sighed.

”I know. I’m sorry” Tina replied softly

”I want to talk to you. Can we meet tomorrow?” Bette asked

”I don’t think that is a good idea” Tina said looking around trying to avoid looking at Bette as her heart was beating out of her chest seeing the brunette again

”Please Tina. I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened in the restroom” Bette said stepping closer to Tina.

”It was a mistake” Tina said glancing at Bette then looked away

”I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let that occur especially in a public restroom but I wanted you and I felt that you wanted me. That I don’t feel was a mistake” Bette said honestly

Bette stopped at an intersection on a back road just outside of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and pulled out her map. She saw she wasn’t too far from Hwy 16 that would get her to her hotel in Chapel Hill for the lecture she would be presenting to the graduate art students at UNC in two days. She was invited by Mrs. Frances Hillman Dean of Arts last month when she visited Bette’s Art Gallery in Los Angeles during their semester break.

Bette flew into Raleigh to see some of her mother’s relatives that had moved there recently and rented a car to take her the rest of the way and somehow took a wrong turn and ended up going southward when she needed to go west. After circling back around she ended up a few miles from Hwy 16 that would get her to her destination.

Bette wiped her forehead as the air conditioner wasn’t putting out cool air as it should and it was unbelievably hot as a massive heat wave was bearing down across the region in the middle of August. The temperature was 100 degrees at 1pm as the weather just reported over the radio.

”Shit. I can’t take this heat and this fucking air conditioner doesn’t work in a practically brand new rental car” Bette huffed as she started out north to take the road that would lead to the main highway.

After a mile or so Bette was fiddling with the air conditioner to see if she could get more cold air to come out when the engine suddenly died  and every light on the instrument panel lit up.

”Fuck!” Bette yelled in frustration as the car slowed and forcefully turned the wheel which had no power steering now and came to stop by the side of the road. She put the car in park not really knowing why as the car wasn’t going anywhere and shut off the engine.

”This is great. Just great. Damn it!” Bette slammed the steering wheel and opened the door. Upon stepping out she kicked at the gravel on the ground and swung her fists in the air and landed them on her hips looking up at the sun bearing its relentless heat down upon her. She ran her hands through her hair that had begun to soak up the sweat that was now dripping down her neck and her blouse was soaked. She unbuttoned it and took it off leaving her with her tank top that wouldn’t be as uncomfortable in the heat to stay in.