By: Dreiser


***** was never something that Alice worried about. When she lost her virginity, both to a boy and then a girl, she hadn’t been the least bit nervous. No, instead she had been eager and excited. Lost in the moment and the sensations of bare skin against her own. As she got older, this didn’t change.

Alice saw the act of having ***** rather like going on a ride in an amusement park. It was a very enjoyable way to spend your time but for her, it was never something out of a Harlequin romance novel. There was no sweeping soundtrack in her head, no slow motion running to her partner, and certainly no dramatic confessions of love.

Horrible as it was to her, Alice had to admit she was starting to have those sort of thoughts about Dana. Which disturbed her a little bit. But what really scared her was the fact that Dana could make her feel more aroused than any of her previous partners had with only a kiss. If kissing Dana was that powerful then what would the ***** be like?

Then there was the *****. It wouldn’t be just ***** with Dana. With Dana it would be making love and Alice had never done that. Because to be brutally honest, she had never been in love. She might have told herself she was but she hadn’t been. Not really.

And she knew without a doubt her feelings for Dana were the real thing. While she had utmost confidence in their ability to not transform into one of those mind melded public displays of affection on overload couples part of Alice was truly scared.

Each time it was more. The touches, the kisses, the caresses, they effected her more and more with every passing minute in the day, overpowering her senses. She wanted to have a measure of self control when it came to Dana as she was well aware of the brunette’s lacking sexual experience. Although she hadn’t been lying when she told Dana she was the best kisser, toucher, and groper.

She was so good it was damn near impossible for Alice to control herself around Dana. Much as she’d like to deny it, the reason behind her hesitation was fear. Alice knew that the second she and Dana made love they would never be able to go back, that she would never want to stop, that she would want to have it forever, have them forever.

That wasn’t a word that exactly fit into her vocabulary when it came to relationships. Yes, she was a not so closeted romantic who had always wanted to have what she did now with Dana. Still, wanting something and having it are two very different things.

Wanting is safe. Having isn’t. Not in the least.

There was nothing safe about the way that Dana made Alice feel. Nothing safe in the press of her kisses, the way that she could easily make Alice open up in an insistent soft wet demand, making her weak in the knees and dizzy from desire. Nothing safe in the touch of hands, elegant yet callused and strong from training that held a constant warmth from a naturally high body temperature, as they explored her body with lazy pleasure. Nothing safe at all.

Here she was, having and not wanting, and in the process, not being safe. Losing herself in the feel, taste, and sound of Dana and wondering if there would ever be a way back from this should it all fall apart. Part of her thought there wasn’t and it was the same part of her that was scared.

The same part Alice knew had to be squashed when she heard Dana ask if she was all right in tones that were husky from desire but were nevertheless laced with a genuine concern.

Looking into blue eyes, dark in the lust they held, deep in the love they reflected, Alice had never felt so right in her life. With an easy smile curving on her lips, she tangled her fingers in Dana’s hair and pulled her down for a kiss.

She put everything into that kiss. All the desire, all the fear, all the love, everything was in that kiss and Alice felt Dana moan into her as she sucked on her tongue and when they finally parted for need of air she couldn’t help but release an enthralling chuckle.

“I’m fantastic,” declared Alice, her voice alight and her eyes twinkling happily. Pushing back a stray lock of brown hair and letting her hand linger on a tanned cheek, she lifted an eyebrow expressively and drawled, “I’m fantastically horny, in fact.”

“Dork,” Dana accused, laughing lightly and capturing her lips for another kiss.

The moment that laughter sounded, Alice made her decision to abandon whatever fears she had because they didn’t matter. All that mattered was Dana, her feelings for Dana, and showing Dana through her actions precisely what they were.

Slipping her leg in between Dana’s and using the gasp of surprise to her advantage, Alice pressed the tennis player onto the bed. Lowering the length of her body, sighing at the silken feel of skin on skin, Alice slid upwards and seized Dana’s lips with her own. Kissing her slow and thorough, sinfully sweet as she opened her up and explored deep, wanting to taste everything that was Dana.

She pulled away much to Dana’s displeasure and Alice smiled against bronzed skin when the brunette anxiously reached for her, wanting her to return for more kisses. But she couldn’t be distracted from the path she was currently on, moving down Dana’s body and kissing every inch on the journey. Her hands weren’t lax either, as they explored the perfectly toned skin, touching and caressing in a delicious attempt to memorize all there was to offer.

When she reached her destination, gently nudging long legs apart, Alice couldn’t help smiling in delight at the trembling that resulted from her light breath touching overheated skin. Dana reached for her, fierce in her need, and that was something that Alice could never or would never want to ignore and she laced their fingers as she lowered her head for the first taste.

Dana’s hips instinctively rose, arching her lean body off of the bed when Alice’s tongue slid inside. The fingers in one hand squeezing the pale hand in hers tightly while the other automatically pressed on the back of Alice’s head in a vague attempt to hold her steady.

“Alice,” she said the name in a low and guttural moan, hardly able to recognize the sound of her own voice in doing so. Her words trailing off into a loud gasp when the blonde’s tongue swept against her aroused ***** in a series of slow circular licks.

Then she was inside again, buried deep, tongue long and insistent only to pull back and suck lightly on the outer folds before Alice again returned her attention to the ***** with teasing kisses and long deliberate sucking. Feeling painfully aroused, Dana’s fingers wound into messy blonde locks to press Alice closer, wanting more, desperately needing more.

Which was exactly what Alice gave her. Sweeping luxuriously and firmly into her, caressing the length of her ***** then to kiss and pull lightly but so perfectly, again and again until Dana’s body went rigid, lifting off the bed, muscles taut and glistening with sweat as she came.

Sinking onto the bed and sighing, Dana decided she felt much like melted chocolate. Warm, gooey, and utterly delicious. Wrinkling her nose at this mental description, Dana reached down to caress the soft blonde head resting in between her legs. “Come here,” she requested in honeyed tones, lightly tugging on a pale hand. “I want to kiss you.”

Reluctant to leave her current position and feeling the same blissful aftermath that Dana was experiencing, Alice deposited a pair of gentle and reverent kisses onto tanned thighs. Nuzzling the skin affectionately then sliding up in a languid movement and stretching her body on top of Dana’s.

“Hi,” Alice drawled, her voice throaty and filled with love.

“Hi,” Dana echoed tenderly, blue eyes crinkling around the edges as her hands reached out and played with the ends of mussed blonde hair. Blushing hotly on realizing she was the reason why the hair was in such a state of disarray. Holding Alice’s face in a careful grasp, caressing the lines of it, she moved up to meet their lips for an unhurried kiss that took its time to taste and discover and learn. When they parted with muted sighs from them both, Dana pulled Alice to her, holding her close and smiling when the blonde rested in the crook of her neck then kissed her pulse point. “I love you, Al,” she whispered, hands dancing over pale skin. There was a pause then a tremulous note wavered in her voice as she went on. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” whispered Alice, sinking into Dana, losing herself in the feel and the touch.

Their lips met for a kiss which turned into another and another and another. Groaning in need, low and fervent, Dana’s lips becoming more insistent in their exploration as skilled hands played over Alice’s skin. Still, the kisses continued on, long and deep and never ending. Alice had never been kissed like this before. With one kiss seamlessly melting into the next, the longing and desire evident in every stroke, Dana’s lips were hungry and they fed on her as if she were a rare delicacy.

And those hands, warm and strong, traveled over her body to learn the curves and valleys until they knew nothing but. Leaving her trembling in desire, pressing eagerly upwards when they lightly played at the edges of her *****. Moaning into Dana who kissed her still, endlessly and expertly.

Managing to somehow make herself pull away from Dana and her kisses, Alice gasped, voice hoarse and pleading, “Dana… please.”

A solemn expression formed on bronzed features and Dana studied her for a long moment then leaned in, kissing Alice deeply, making the blonde tremble from desire and lose herself again in the sensation. Between kisses, Dana murmured against her, “Please what?”

Alice could feel the smile when Dana’s lips pressed into hers and she couldn’t believe how ***** she found that. To feel Dana’s smile and unable to stop herself, she pulled the tennis player in and kissed her passionately. When the kiss ended, she returned the smile, growling into Dana, “You’re a tease.” Her hand fell to cup a tanned cheek and she moved back to look into blue eyes, dark like the ocean during a storm. “I want you inside me, Dana,” she said, voice thick in desire. “Please.”

Returning Alice’s growl from earlier, Dana moved forward, kissing her with confidence then she ceased her playful torture and plunged two fingers inside, delighting in the gasp of pleasure she felt the blonde release at this action. Alice thrust her hips upwards impatiently, increasing the pace and rhythm that Dana easily matched. Their mouths still kissing, they were greedy and frantic, as if they could never have enough of each other.

Perhaps that was true. It definitely felt like it was.

The ***** hit Alice hard and fast, her body tense and frozen, arching into Dana’s, soothed by the burn of warm hands on her body, holding her close. She sank into the other woman and sighed against the soft lips covering hers, parting and relaxing into the simple joy of skin on skin. Smiling at the feel of fingers buried in her hair, caressing her gently, Alice chuckled.

“Dana,” she drawled, unable to fight the playful smile that formed and she moved to peer at the brunette. “Where have you been hiding this side of yourself, huh?” Alice’s brown eyes glowed with love and humor as she continued, lightly poking Dana in the side, laughing when the tennis player jumped at her touch. “Why didn’t you tell me you’re a bedroom dynamo?”

“I didn’t know I was?” Dana responded, eyes wide, somewhat stupefied by this response. Unable to keep herself from asking, her face reddening, Dana said hesitantly, “So it was good?” Biting down on her bottom lip, she averted her eyes and added quickly, “I was good?”

“Good, no,” Alice scoffed and Dana experienced a wave of anxiety. One that was immediately eased at the feel of pale hands cupping her face, lifting it up to meet their eyes. The love and desire present in Alice’s gaze was more than evident and on seeing it, Dana’s nerves disappeared. Moving forward for a slow and sensual kiss, Alice murmured, “You were amazing. No,” she smiled softly, “you are amazing.”

“I’m a stud,” said Dana, giggling at the expression Alice wore when she said this. Which she had seen ahead of time in her mind which was exactly why she decided to say it. To see that silly look on the blonde’s face.

Bemused and shaking her head, Alice tangled her fingers into brown hair and moved in for a slow kiss as she said, “Well, stud… do you want to have another go at it?”

A powerful kiss that led into another and another was the reply and Alice couldn’t help but think the answer was affirmative. Especially when strong hands slipped down to squeeze her butt.

After all, what else could it mean?

—

The Planet had changed drastically under Kit’s management but despite the changes, it remained the chosen place for coffee drinking during the daytime hours. At night it became the chosen place for alcohol drinking, music listening, wild and sometimes comically bad dancing.

It being daytime, they were gathered to drink coffee.

Happily gathered to drink coffee because today marked Bette’s return to their fold and it was at Tina’s request. Though she had seen her friends separately and in a group many times in the past weeks it had always been without Tina because of the promise she made. The promise to let Tina say when, where, and how they were to progress in their relationship.

Needless to say, Bette was thrilled when Tina called to ask if she would join them for coffee. Just coffee, she said wryly. But having just coffee with Tina was more than Bette could have ever hoped for. And so they were gathered, drinking coffee and chatting in that aimless way they favored.

Only not all of them were gathered. A certain shiny new couple was missing and being as this couple shared a very distinctive presence it was hard not to notice their glaring absence. Though they made a valiant effort not to discuss this fact, it was hard to fight the temptation once more than an hour had passed and the certain couple still had not made their promised appearance.

“They’re getting it on,” stated Shane like it was a known fact. Taking a long drink of her coffee, she lifted an eyebrow and drawled, “C’mon, you guys. Didn’t you notice their old married sexual tension yesterday? I think they finally did it after we left.”

“Old married sexual tension,” repeated Bette, before releasing a sputtering laugh and almost choking on her coffee. Blushing and smiling gratefully when Tina gently rubbed her back. She met their eyes and held their gaze, breaking it only when the blonde moved her attention away from her. Turning to Shane now, Bette asked, “And what, may I ask, constitutes old married sexual tension?”

“Dunno,” Shane shrugged and smiled slowly on seeing the interaction between Bette and Tina. “Hard to explain it. They’re like an old married couple though. You know, sniping at each other as usual but you can totally see the love, right? But,” the smile Shane wore turned mischievous, “they were so with the sexual tension too. See what I mean?”

“Old married sexual tension,” laughed Bette, shaking her head. Despite Shane’s odd and somewhat cryptic explanation, by just knowing Alice and Dana she was able to understand what the hairdresser meant with her description of their new relationship.

“Then I guess they’re busy having lots of old married hot monkey *****,” chirped Jenny, unable to prevent her feelings of triumph when Bette spat out her coffee at this remark. Damn she was good. The innocent schoolgirl look she naturally had fooled people every time.

Knowing full well, because of her roommate status precisely how uninnocent Jenny was, Shane chuckled and gave her a nod of approval. “We should call them,” suggested Shane, an evil humored look appearing in her eyes. “It would totally be within our friend rights. They’re over an hour late.”

“I’ll make the call,” Bette volunteered and she paused in wiping the table clean from her spray of coffee. An impish smile tugged on her lips and she chuckled on seeing the question in Shane’s gaze. “If they see it’s me calling, they’ll answer. We can’t exactly say the same for you, Shane.”

“Touche,” rumbled Shane, rubbing her chin thoughtfully as she considered it. Then giving a graceful nod of her head, she drawled, “Make the call, Bette.”

“You guys,” Tina shook her head and sighed in affectionate good humor. “Don’t you dare even bother them right now… just leave them alone. I think it’s sweet.”

“You tell them, baby girl,” declared Kit in her usual powerful but charming tones, winding her way around them to take a seat in one of the two empty places meant for Alice and Dana. Smirking, she leaned towards Tina and then added, “But what are you telling them exactly?”

Laughing fondly, Tina patted Kit’s hand and replied, “I’m telling them not to bother Alice and Dana. They claim that they want to call them because they haven’t shown up for coffee yet.”

“Claim, huh?” asked Kit, regarding Bette and the others with the suspicious look only an older sister could produce. “What’s the real reason they wanna call those two?”

“They want to interrupt them having *****,” Tina revealed gleefully, very much resembling an elementary school class tattletale who reveled in reporting wrongdoings to the teacher.

“What?” Kit drew the word out. Turning to face Bette, Shane, and Jenny, she pointed a finger at them in a warning gesture. “You let those lovebirds be. It’s not right to go on in and ruin a romantic moment like that on purpose. It’s downright mean.”

That said, Kit rose to her feet and headed towards the front order area where a line was beginning to develop for the famously strong Planet coffee. Soon as she left, the unspoken plan to get Tina on the side of calling Alice and Dana moved into the works. Bette cautiously scooted closer to Tina and tilting her head to one side, resting it in the palm of her hand as she smiled at the blonde.

“Tina?” said Bette a quiet smile in her voice which soon matched her face as hazel eyes turned in her direction. “Do you remember when we first started dating?”

An automatic return smile formed and Tina murmured, “Of course I do.” She hesitated for a second then gave into her natural urges and reached out to lightly stroke the hand Bette rested her head in before pulling away, folding her arms over her chest. “But what does that have to do with anything?”

“Well,” Bette nudged Tina’s foot gently with her own ducked her head down to meet their eyes. “Do you remember how many times Alice did exactly what we’re now proposing to us?”

They watched as comprehension slowly dawned on Tina’s features and a smile of wicked mischief tugged at her lips as she drawled, “Call them.”

“All right, T!” whooped Shane, clapping her hands.

“Excellent,” Jenny then added and she gave a thumbs up, sounding distinctly like a character from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure in the process.

“Lets call Dana’s condo first, shall we?” chuckled Bette, retrieving her cell phone and flipping it open. Shooting a look of loving significance to Tina, she continued, “Since we do know for certain that they aren’t in Alice’s apartment.”

“Yes, we know for certain,” Tina nodded in affirmation, releasing an unwelcome and uncontrolled giggle which caused her to turn bright red in embarrassment.

Jenny started to say something but a sharp elbow from Shane immediately silenced her and they watched as a smile of total joy transformed Bette’s normally solemn features. The brunette seemed to pause then made a timid move forward to clasp their hands. Rubbing the soft skin in a circular motion with her thumb, Bette peered up with wide dark eyes.

“That was the cutest thing I have ever heard,” said Bette in a tender yet fierce declaration, her gaze wet from unshed tears. She hesitated a moment then brought Tina’s hand up to her mouth and kissed it lightly before pulling away to move into a sitting position. Clearing her throat, she flashed a bright smile at Shane and Jenny. Holding up her cell phone, Bette lifted an eyebrow. “Shall I?”

Exchanging looks with Tina who was attempting to recover from Bette’s unexpected gesture of love, Jenny and Shane wore matching grins on seeing her smile and nod at them. Then all together, they chimed with an evil sort of merriment, “You shall!”

“Dana’s condo first, I think,” Bette murmured, pressing speed dial and waiting. She placed her cell phone down on the table after activating the speakerphone option so all might listen and make their own remarks to the missing couple. Instead of an answer, they were rewarded with ringing, ringing, and then more ringing.

Bette reached for the phone to end the call and try Dana’s cell phone next when Tina stopped her, holding her hand and then saying in explanation, “I think this is a new message. Lets listen.” On feeling the perplexed stares from everyone present, Tina sighed and rolled her eyes. “Al told me a story about Dana recording this. I guess the old message had Tonya talking on it and Dana wanted to change it. Anyway, if Dana is using the message that Alice spoke of this should be funny.”

Though they were baffled at the idea an answering machine message could be all that funny, the rest of the women silently went along with Tina’s request. Staring at the cell phone and waiting rather impatiently for the ringing to stop and the answering machine to finally pick up.

“This is Dana Fairbanks answering machine,” Dana’s voice floated out of the cell phone and she sounded like she usually did on the phone. Strange, stiff, and not at all like Dana. “I can’t come to the phone right now but if you…” Laughter could be heard in the background and magically sounding like her normal self again, Dana asked in irritation, “What are you laughing at?”

“Your phone voice is so weird, Dane,” came Alice’s reply. It was slightly faint but it grew stronger when she then continued in a teasing parody of Dana talking, “This is Dana Fairbanks answering machine.” There was a shriek and Alice was laughing hard. “Let me go! That tickles!”

“That’s what you get for making fun of me,” Dana said in the gloating tones of someone who had just conquered their enemy. “Now are you going to apologize for saying I have a weird phone voice?”

There was the sound of heavy breathing then Alice managed to gasp out another accurate imitation of Dana talking, “I can’t come to the phone right now–” A high pitched squeal of delight sounded and the recording was cut off by the answering machine beep that signaled to leave your message.

Reaching for the cell phone, Bette ended the call and looked to the other women at the table and as soon as she did so they all burst into hysterical laughter. Wiping at her tears, Bette said through her laughs, “I officially rescind any doubts I might have had in regards to your old married sexual tension description, Shane. On hearing that I cannot think of a phrase that could be more fitting.”

“I’m good,” agreed Shane, smirking confidently.

“Too good,” purred Jenny, bumping shoulders with her roommate.

“Now Jenny,” said Bette in chastising tones, her lips quirked into a smile and she dialed Dana’s cell phone as she spoke. “You realize that’s an oxymoron. Nothing in life can ever be too good.”

“I don’t know,” Jenny tilted her head thoughtfully and looked contemplative. “If food is too good you eat too much of it and you get too fat which then leads to less ***** and too much masturbation.”

The expression Bette wore in response to this remark told everyone gathered that if she had been drinking coffee once again it would have ended up sprayed on their table.

“I take it back,” Shane drawled, leaning comfortably against Jenny. “You’re too good.”

“Not bad for a Keebler elf, huh?” quipped Jenny as she rested her arm onto the back of Shane’s chair and grinned impishly at the other woman.

“Not bad at all,” Shane chuckled.

“Keebler elf?” asked Tina, curiously intrigued. She looked confused yet somehow still very entertained at the ease of their interaction.

“Oh,” said Shane, turning her attention to an inquisitive Bette and Tina that were looking at her and Jenny expectantly. “I took Jen back to The Palms the other day, right? And this uber bull ***** hits on her but when Jen shot her down, she didn’t take it too well. So she gets all puffed up, like a big man on campus, and says Jen looks like a Keebler elf anyway and she was never that interested.”

Bette and Tina stared at them blankly.

Jenny and Shane stared back blankly.

Several more blank moments passed and Shane shrugged then offered by way of explanation, “I guess you had to be there.” Diverting her gaze to Bette, she asked, “I bet Dane’s cell is going into the voicemail, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Bette sighed on hearing Dana’s usual stiff voicemail message begin playing. She ended the call with a press of a button and wearing an expression of devilish intent, Bette put in the speed dial number for Alice. “But all is not lost,” she declared, her dark eyes twinkling. “For those who know Alice also know what when it comes to her cell phone?” Tina and Shane immediately grinned like fools while Jenny appeared perplexed at Bette’s statement. Seeing Jenny’s confusion, Bette smiled at her as she listened to the phone ringing in her ear. “Alice never turns off her cell,” informed Bette wryly. “I think she’s gone through at least forty of those long lasting lifetime batteries already.”

“Ohhh,” said Jenny in understanding, nodding in acceptance.

At the sixth ring, Bette contemplated hanging up but as she was about to do just that, the phone picked up and she heard Alice say in a breathless exclamation, “Bette! What’s up?”

Beaming widely and looking much like a marathon runner who had finally won the race, Bette activated the speakerphone option and set her cell phone down on the table. “Not much, Alice. I’m calling because we couldn’t help wondering if you and Dana are in fact ever planning to fulfill your promise about meeting us for coffee. You do realize you’re over an hour late?”

“Oh yeah, the coffee,” Alice responded and she gasped halfway through the word coffee then the sound of rustling sheets filled their ears. “Sorry… we were just…”

“We don’t require the gory details,” countered Bette wryly. She paused to form a smile of delightful mischief and locking eyes with Tina, she then drawled, “Yet.”

“Right,” laughed Alice nervously before breaking into a moan. “Look… I love talking with you guys and seriously, no offense, but I really gotta go.”

“Dane are you getting forceful now?” Shane couldn’t help herself from making the joke again. It always got the best reaction from the tennis player.

There was silence, then the rustling of sheets again, and at last Dana’s voice, husky and low, answered with a droll, “Enjoy your coffee but I can safely say we have more important things to do.”

And then there was only the dial tone.

Silence and the four friends looked at one another and Jenny wore her infamous ***** eating grin then said in tones that reflected an ooh and ahh, “I think we’ve just encountered forceful Dana.”

Tina, Bette, and Shane considered this then laughing, they nodded in agreement. Exclaiming for good measure, “Forceful Dana!” Which, of course, confused people in nearby tables but that hardly mattered. They were having a good time.

Which was what having coffee was really all about.

—

“I think you need to learn how to turn off your phone,” Dana did a fair imitation of a menacing growl but the edge was taken off by the smile in her voice and the love in her eyes. Holding the phone up in front of Alice, she continued, “See, it’s easy. Watch me… I’ll show you how to do it so you don’t get confused,” she said in humorous inflection, grinning at Alice who rolled her eyes then crawled across the bed for a kiss. Moaning into the kiss, Dana pulled away and murmured against her lips as she pushed the power off button. “That’s how you turn it off. Did you catch that, Al?”

“What? How to turn the phone off or how to turn you on?” asked Alice slyly, laughing when Dana shot her a sardonic look that told her she wasn’t quite as amused. “Don’t pout, I saw and I learned.” Sitting up rigidly, Alice put a hand over her heart and recited, “From this day forth I, Alice Pieszecki, solemnly swear to turn off my phone before any and all acts of bedroom gymnastics commence.”

“Don’t call it that,” protested Dana in a muted mumble, losing herself with astonishing ease upon receiving another deep kiss from Alice. She sank into the soft mattress of the bed, limbs tangling in the disarray of blankets, and sighing at the feel of the blonde’s skin on her own. In between kisses, she whispered, “This isn’t gymnastics… it’s…” She trailed off in a moan, the fireworks in her head lighting and firing when skilled hands traveled the length of her body in a languid study.

“It’s what?” Alice murmured into her, nuzzling her pulse point, and then giving into her urges and gently sucking on the tanned skin on display. “What is it, Dana?”

“It’s so much more than that,” said Dana, gasping and tangling her fingers into messy blonde hair and pulling Alice to her for a searing kiss. When they parted, foreheads resting together, lips only a breath apart, Dana continued, soft and earnest, “It’s more.”

Alice didn’t respond and remained still but after a moment, she moved away to tuck her head under Dana’s chin, burrowing into the tennis player’s arms. “I know,” she said in a bare whisper. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this before.” She was silent and then a caustic burst of laughter sounded and Alice said dryly, “Okay. That was a huge lie. I know I haven’t ever felt like this before.”

“Does it scare you?” questioned Dana, her tones comforting as her touch and her hands ran down pale skin in a tender caress.

“A little,” Alice admitted in a tiny voice. “But it’s also good. I mean, god,” she laughed again, this time giddy and overjoyed. Pulling back in Dana’s arms, she grinned in a simple yet no less powerful sign of happiness. “It’s so good with us. I guess… uhm… how do I say it?” She nibbled thoughtfully on her lip, unaware as always of what this gesture did to Dana. “Oh! I have it!” exclaimed Alice, clapping her hands excitedly and bouncing on the bed. Dana arched an eyebrow in amusement and waited patiently for the explanation. “It’s scary but good scary… the kind of scary that thrills you but doesn’t make you afraid for your life. You know, like riding a rollercoaster.”

“We’re a rollercoaster?” said Dana skeptically.

“Uh huh,” said Alice happily, nodding her head and lowering herself onto the tanned body. Leaning forward to tug lightly on an earlobe as her hands slipped down to explore the curves and valleys she was already beginning to learn so well. “A rollercoaster of love,” she replied, halfway singing and sounding rather perverted in the process.

“Such a dork,” Dana mumbled, unable to help grinning into the kiss.

The grin dissolved into a moan and Dana’s body lifted off the bed, arching into Alice when seeking fingers found her wetness. Playing at the outside in a torturous tease while soft lips returned to hers for another kiss, thorough and earth shaking. She moaned again when Alice entered her, thumb lightly circling her ***** while she did so. Though she was lost in sensation and desire, her head swimming from all that she felt Dana did manage to realize one very important thing.

She wanted Alice to feel the same way.

And so Dana’s hands traveled down, swift and decisive in the mission, and she slid her fingers into the blonde. Unable to help the grin that formed once again on feeling Alice moan into her as her body rose up to meet her fingers. Their eyes locked and they stared deep, so deep they saw nothing but each other, the pace increasing, their bodies writhing together in a heated beat, almost like they were trying to crawl inside one another.

To be as close as they possibly could.

They came together with quiet shudders and a gasp. Alice collapsed on top of Dana, breathing heavy and once again tucking her head underneath the tennis player’s chin. Moaning when elegant fingers slipped out of her and traced the length of her back in a comforting gesture.

For a long while there was the sound of their breathing, hard and shallow, trying to recover from what had just occurred. Then Dana said wryly, “I can admit when I’m wrong. Rollercoaster of love is pretty fitting when it comes to us.”

“Told you,” chuckled Alice happily. She moved back to peer into blue eyes and before they knew it, they were kissing again.

Then they were moaning, then they were touching, then they were groping, and then surprise oh surprise they were making love again. A pattern that would follow several times in the day.

One that never lost its appeal.

—

7:26:37 p.m.

That was the exact time they officially decided to take a break from the nonstop rollercoaster that was them having ***** and eat actual food for the simple purpose of replenishment. Of course, they were also eating the food naked and in bed.

Dana sat leaning against the elaborate pile of pillows they arranged in front of the headboard with Alice sitting in between her legs, resting comfortably into her. A large and tangled mass of blankets covered them and a plate filled with various fruit and a small mountain of whipped cream was on the plate in Alice’s lap. The blonde pushed the fruit about the plate impatiently looking for the perfect strawberry. A few moments passed before she found it and smiling at her success, Alice dipped it in whipped cream then turned to peer at Dana.

“Say ahhh,” she said, eyes twinkling playfully and she held the strawberry up for consumption.

Instead of a reply, Dana rolled her eyes good naturedly and leaned forward, taking the fruit into her mouth. Slowly licking the whipped cream off of her lips once she had finished eating the strawberry, loving the mesmerized stare Alice rewarded her with at this action.

“That was naughty, Dana,” Alice finally breathed in response, her voice trembling and hoarse and she moved up to capture Dana’s lips for a passionate kiss.

“I know,” chuckled Dana around Alice’s lips, slowing the pace of the kiss down until it was enjoyable tugs and nibbles. “You didn’t like?”

“Oh, I liked,” said Alice, purring and moving to cover the tanned skin of Dana’s neck with her lips. Kissing and licking the pulse point only to stop when elegant fingers held a cherry in front of her in offering. Eating the fruit, she mumbled around it, “Good.”

“That’s the point,” Dana chuckled again and she deposited a light kiss onto the messy blonde head tucked in the crook of her neck. “You know,” she began thoughtfully, “I think this has probably been the best day I’ve had in a really long time. I wish we could stay like this forever.”

“Me too,” murmured Alice. They were still and then Alice started squirming until she was out of Dana’s arms then stretching across the bed, she placed the plate of fruit on the nightstand. Once she did this, Alice immediately burrowed back into the tennis player’s embrace and they both sighed at the sensation. “Hey,” Alice said with sudden insight, “that means you’ve finally surrendered to the sheer brilliance of my life plan. Ha!” she crowed in triumph. “I told you it was a good one.”

“If you bothered to tell me your life plan included us being naked in bed instead of clothed and on the couch maybe I would have gone along with it from the start,” said Dana with teasing observation.

“So it’s my fault now?” grumbled Alice.

“Yup,” Dana nodded her head solemnly though the mischievous twinkle in her eyes gave her true feelings away. “Entirely your fault.”

“Uh huh,” Alice drew the words out in a slow pronunciation, pulling away to lock their gazes. She studied the sculptured planes of the face in front of her and a reverent hand reached out to create a gentle path. A tiny frowned formed and Dana watched as Alice silently struggled with her thoughts only to surrender into instincts and lean forward to meet their lips in a kiss. Long, luxurious, and loving it took its time to show Dana everything Alice was feeling and when they parted, she wore an impish smile and murmured, “Every kiss before this was nothing by a waste of breath.”

“Yeah?” asked Dana, tilting her head and smiling sweetly.

“Yeah,” echoed Alice and she smiled against Dana’s lips. To then capture them for a powerful kiss, easily slipping her tongue inside to taste the other woman, soon shifting her attention to nibble on her bottom lip. Her smile widening at Dana’s low moan and sliding down the tanned body, Alice continued playfully, “And every I love you was just a whoop-de-doo.”

Dana gasped again, soft and surprised, her fingers instinctively tangling in Alice’s hair when the blonde disappeared under the blankets and gently pushed her legs apart. And although she had experienced this one, two, three, four… oh god, how many times? Dana didn’t know exactly, her mind was swimming and her thoughts were a jumble. She thought maybe the number was in the double digits. Perhaps a thirteen or fourteen but she couldn’t be sure.

No matter how many times she experienced this, be it thirteen, fourteen, one hundred and two, or even a thousand, Dana didn’t think she would ever be able to control the reaction she instantly had upon knowing who was doing this to her. Knowing it was Alice resting in between her thighs, knowing it was Alice inside her, knowing it was Alice sucking on her *****, knowing it was Alice… her Alice… making her come over and over again until she felt she couldn’t come anymore. Only to then prove her wrong with a mischievous smile and a strategic kiss of her lips and lick of her tongue.

Nothing had ever been like this and nothing would ever be like this and though this scared Dana it excited her endlessly because she had always secretly thought herself unable to be like this. She somehow felt that she didn’t have the capacity to ever experience a great epic love for someone and she certainly didn’t think that she could ever have ***** like this. ***** that was mind blowing and earth shattering, making her lose all grip on reality.

But here she was, doing just that.

And it was the knowledge that Alice, whom she had loved since the day they first met, was the cause of it brought Dana shattering and shaking over the brink each and every time. Because she never thought she would have this and she never thought she would have it with Alice. Not once did she allow herself to imagine what it would be like to have this with Alice. Simply due to the fact that Dana never thought it would happen and to think on it while knowing she couldn’t have it… have Alice… was too impossibly painful.

Now she had it, now she had Alice, and now Dana had never been happier in her life. Her body frozen, muscles taut, skin beaded with sweat, she arched off the bed, fingers reaching frantically to entwine with pale ones as she came long and hard.

Sinking boneless onto the bed, Dana released a quivering sigh, body and mind shaking. A tired though joyfully sated smile forming at the sensation of Alice slowly moving up her body after leaving her customary goodbye kisses on tanned thighs. Messy blonde locks peeked out from under the blankets and Alice wore a sheepish expression that couldn’t begin to compare with the love shining in her dark eyes. Folding her arms over Dana’s chest and resting her chin on them, she wore a goofy grin and she halfway sang her sincere declaration, “Never knew what I missed before this.”

Several minutes later the count increased from thirteen, fourteen, one hundred and two, or a thousand and Dana couldn’t honestly have been more pleased.

—

For the second day in a row they were happily gathered for coffee and this time Bette had vowed to refrain from taking drinks when Jenny got that strange gleam in her eyes. She didn’t find spitting out her drink all over a table to be the most dignified action and she hardly wanted it to become a habit.

“You sure they’re gonna show?” asked Shane in a skeptical rumble, lazily pushing aside her mass of hair and slumping further into her seat to finish off her shot of coffee in a gulp.

“They said they would,” Bette replied with a sigh. Somehow unable grasp the fact that they were all gathered in anticipation for Alice and Dana of all people to show up. Then again, she reasoned. You didn’t really know how precious something was until was gone. That included the easy humor and happiness their friends always brought with their simple presence. Bette sighed again, shaking her head and trying to ignore the natural line of thought that led her to the blonde she was now softly smiling at. “Alice promised you, didn’t she, T?”

“She did,” announced Tina, smiling happily and nodding in affirmation. Bette couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Once upon a time she had been able to make Tina look like that.

“Who did what?”

The sound of Alice’s eternally sardonic tones floated over them and as a group, the four women peered up at her. The blonde wore a curious look on her face that was practically the norm when it came to her, a pair of throwback 1970′s style sunglasses, and a sharp brown suit that had the same retro feel to it as the glasses. All in all, she looked stupendously attractive. Particularly when you included the natural glow of contentment she seemed to be carrying with her these days.

“Hey Al,” Shane rumbled, giving the journalist a slow once over. When the blonde settled in the chair next to her, she reached out to tap on the sunglasses and grinned. “Aren’t you big pimpin’?”

“I know, right?” said Alice, rolling her eyes and waving her hands about. “It’s stupid but you know, I have to attempt a look of semi professionalism since I haven’t seen my editor in like… two weeks and his undies are in a bunch about that mayonnaise article I’m supposed to be researching.”

“Which you haven’t?” supplied Bette, chuckling fondly.

“Bingo,” drawled Alice, taking off her sunglasses to place them on the table. “Actually, that’s a lie,” Alice continued, looking contemplative. “I have done the research. I just haven’t typed it in up article format yet. Which is my job… hence the problems with my editor.”

“Where’s Dana?” asked Tina, looking for the tennis player.

“She had to go see her new agent,” Alice responded easily. She twisted around in her seat and catching the eye of one the members of The Planet staff, she held up three fingers that signaled her usual order of coffee. Turning back to face her friends, she shrugged then said, “They have to work out some legal stuff when it comes to Tonya and those endorsement deals she got for Dana.”

“Ouch,” Jenny remarked, wincing. “That doesn’t sound fun.”

“As Dana said, and I quote,” Alice wore a huge grin and cleared her throat. Then she did a strangely accurate impersonation of Dana that was still very exaggerated. “Borrrrring, Al! This is going to be so borrrrrring! If boring was a galaxy this meeting would be at the center of it!”

“She actually said that?” Tina laughed.

Facing Tina with an expression of utmost solemnity, Alice said drolly, “No.” There was silence then Tina whapped at her and she squealed, twisting in her seat. “What? I was just teasing!” Alice scooted her chair away from Tina and looked at Bette to then say in a mock whisper, “Watch out. You’re sitting next to her and make an easy target. But don’t worry, if she gets violent I’ll help you. Pregnant ladies are bound to be easy to take down.”

“I appreciate that, Alice,” said Bette, chuckling and shaking her head.

“No problem,” said Alice and she smiled at The Planet staffer who was arriving with her order of coffee. “Thanks, hon,” she drawled, reaching for the coffee and taking a sip. “So,” Alice murmured around the cup, smiling against it as she drank. “Are you ***** ever going to apologize for interfering with my day of many multiple orgasms?”

Upon hearing the words multiple and orgasms, all four women seemed to spring forward in their seats with interest. Chuckling in satisfaction at this reaction, Alice drank more coffee and reveled in her fabulous new ***** life.

“How many multiple orgasms?” Tina was the first to pose a question, mostly because Tina was the one who, other than Dana, felt most at ease with Alice.

“Hrm,” Alice frowned thoughtfully and appeared to be counting in her head. Squinting slightly, she faced the other blonde and said, “Twenty two…? No… I think it was twenty three. Yeah,” she nodded, looking stupendously pleased. “Definitely twenty three.”

Shane released a wolf whistle. “Wow, Miss Dana.”

“Yeah… wow… how, I mean…” Jenny trailed off, appearing as if she wanted to ask specifics but was lost as to how to correctly word what she was really curious about.

“Dana’s that good?” questioned Bette, lifting an eyebrow in curiosity. Somehow managing to look utterly composed and classy even as she asked for the details of someone else’s ***** life.

“Yup,” replied Alice smugly, dropping her head in a nod and smiling around her coffee cup as she took a drink. Clearing her throat and putting the cup down, she continued, “I’m talking dynamo proportions here, people. I think it was all those years in the closet, right? They created this great storehouse of sexual fantasies for her to work with.” She opened her mouth to say more then snapped it shut. “*****,” she muttered angrily.

“What, Al?” asked Tina in concern, touching her arm lightly.

“Huh?” Alice blinked, looking up at Tina’s worried expression and shook her head wryly. “It’s no big, T. I just… look, we can’t talk about this anymore, okay? You guys know how Dane is. It would really embarrass her. I’ve said way too much already.”

“Al, it’s cool. I mean, it totally reflects well on her,” offered Shane in soothing tones.

“Shane, come on. You know better than that,” said Alice sardonically. She gave the brunette a significant look then continued, “Remember the morning after with her soup chef?”

“Oh yeah,” Shane murmured, recalling it and smirking. “Man,” she chuckled and shook her head. “Dane needs to stop being embarrassed over ***** most people would brag about.”

“I’m lost,” stated Bette with dry humor. Turning to Tina, she asked, “Are you lost? Because I am utterly and completely lost with no atlas anywhere in sight.”

Tina smiled sweetly for a response and Jenny chimed in, “I too am without an atlas but I doubt we’ll be given one anytime soon, Bette.”

“Yeah,” laughed Alice and her eyes twinkled mischievously. “Sorry to say but you guys are stuck traveling that lost highway because there’s no way I am ever going to explain.”

“Shane?” prompted Bette, immediately looking to the hairdresser.

“Uh uh,” Shane held up her hands in a gesture of supplication. “I’m neutral like the Swiss. There’s not gonna be a peep coming from me, man.”

“I want to know,” whined Tina, sounding much like a petulant child. Everyone instantly turned their attention to her at this and she blushed a dark red from head to toe. Looking wide eyed to Bette, she said in a mortified whisper, “Did I just whine?”

“You did,” Bette returned the whisper, grinning widely.

“That is so much worse than giggling,” declared Tina, dropping her head on Bette’s shoulder as her friends laughed at these words. The brunette hesitated then softly stroked her hair and she sighed in enjoyment at the familiar touch. “Giggling and now whining. What’s next? High pitched shrieks? This is not fun, you guys,” Tina groaned heavily.

“Wait until you start getting uncontrollably horny. I hear that’s a real problem for a lot of pregnant ladies,” said Alice, wiggling her eyebrows salaciously.

Tina turned even redder.

“Oh no,” Alice laughed and she tilted back in her chair, pointing at her friend. “Don’t tell me that’s already been happening to you, T? And I left you alone in an apartment filled to the brim with *****.”

“Extremely bad *****,” Tina moaned miserably, dropping her head onto the table and allowing Bette to massage her shoulders, relaxing at the touch.

Grinning at this, Alice started to reply but stopped upon seeing her friends good humor and comfortable body language vanish. Bette, Tina, and Shane all wore grim looks on their faces while Jenny appeared generally perplexed. Alice frowned at this and was about to ask what was going on when she felt a soft hand clasp her shoulder.

She looked up and locked eyes with Gabby Deveaux.

“Alice,” said Gabby, her voice warm and inviting as always. A charming smile of natural ease spreading on her features. “I’ve been wanting to see you for awhile but you’re never around.”

“Yeah?” asked Alice and she now looked inordinately uncomfortable, shifting in her seat and darting her gaze to her friends. “Why is that?”

Effortlessly reaching to cup Alice’s chin in her hand, Gabby leaned down and murmured, “The same reason we always come back to one another, Alice. We connect. You know that.”

Several moments of silence passed and Alice remained frozen, her face held by Gabby, and her eyes staring up at her. Then Shane lost all patience and delivered a sharp kick to the blonde who yelped and jumped in her seat. Scowling as she rubbed her leg, Alice realized just why Shane had done this and gave her friend a grateful look before turning to Gabby.

“I won’t do this with you again, Gabby,” said Alice sharply, peering up at the other woman and continuing to rub her sore leg. “Anyway, I’m seeing someone right now and it’s pretty serious.”

“When aren’t you seeing someone?” inquired Gabby, scoffing at the statement that she saw as nothing more than a lame cop out. “And please,” she drew the words out in derisive tones. “How serious can anything really be with you? We both know you’re not that type.” She pressed forward to put only a breath between them and she rested heavy hands on the blonde’s shoulders. “You’re meant for a good time, Alice. And isn’t that what we have?”

Alice’s face fell and she seemed to be absorbing Gabby’s words and taking them to heart. Something that utterly enraged Tina and she started to rise to her feet with a good deal of difficulty but was stopped by the tug of Bette’s hand. Turning to the other woman in fierce annoyance, she started to yank her hand away but saw the matching anger in Bette’s dark gaze. The brunette nodded her head and Tina followed with her eyes to where Bette was currently focused. In seconds she wore the same expression as Bette and Shane who had seen the person approach first. Their faces were relieved but nonetheless severe because of Gabby’s unwelcome presence.

“There you are, baby,” Dana announced her presence by pushing past Gabby and treating her like nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Wrapping her fingers around the other woman’s wrists to pull them far from Alice, she gave them a tight and measured squeeze by way of a warning. Then Dana released her hold on Gabby in the same manner you would a rabid animal. Focusing on Alice and smiling tenderly. “I missed you,” she murmured quietly, crouching down so she could look at Alice who had her head ducked low, avoiding her gaze.

“Dana,” whispered Alice shakily. Finding strength when the tennis player held her hand, entwining their fingers. Lifting her head slightly, she looked desolate and heartbroken. “I’m sorry…”

Smiling sadly, Dana stroked Alice’s cheek and moved forward for a kiss of quiet reassurance. Meeting their foreheads as she said, “There’s nothing to be sorry about.” Moving up from her crouched position, Dana gracefully sat in the empty chair next to Alice and wrapped an arm around the back of her seat. Seeing that Gabby had not left she regarded the woman with contempt. Flashing back to one of her favorite memories of Alice, she asked, “Why are you still here?”

“The tennis player,” stated Gabby incredulously. Shaking her head, she laughed then moved her hands about in a gesture of disdain. “What happened, Alice? Did the naturally enormous dating pool for bisexuals suddenly shrink? Is that why you’ve reduced yourself to ***** your friends?”

These words had an instantaneous effect. Alice shrank within herself, Dana darkened and her face filled with fury, Tina looked ready to attempt standing again, Bette appeared more than willing to let Tina try just that, Shane wore a veiled look of hostility, and Jenny was confused yet very pissed off.

Rising to her feet, very much reflecting the power and natural ease she carried from being a professional athlete, Dana locked eyes with Gabby. “You’re going to leave now,” she said steadily, not allowing the other woman to look away. Taking a step forward, Dana held her gaze and said lowly, “You’re going to leave and you’re not going to look back and you’re not ever going to come near Alice again. Do you understand me?”

“Is that supposed to be a threat?” ridiculed Gabby, lifting an eyebrow. “Because I’m not–” She stopped mid sentence when Dana’s hand snatched her wrist and held it in a tight grip that seemed to be increasing exponentially by the second. “Let go,” she hissed, trying to shake herself free.

“Do you understand me?” Dana repeated, squeezing harder and staring Gabby down, refusing to let go until she got the reply she wanted. When Gabby shook her hand again, flailing it in a futile attempt to rid herself of Dana’s hold, she let her fingernails dig slightly into soft skin. “Do you understand me?” she growled the words out this time.

“Fine! I understand!” Gabby declared in a strange mix of desperation and irritation.

For those present, it was as if Gabby wasn’t entirely sure how far she could push Dana with her antics and didn’t know how scared she should be of the athlete. Shaking herself free, as the tennis player had released her grip at these words, Gabby scowled and stalked away unceremoniously.

Dana watched Gabby walk away for a moment then turned back to Alice who was looking up at her like she had never seen her before. Then an enormous smile spread across her pale features and she bounced up from her seat to wrap her arms around Dana’s neck to pull her in for a kiss. Their friends watched on with impossibly large grins and they all came to the same wonderful epiphany.

And what was the epiphany? Oh, nothing much. Just that thanks to Dana the awful excuse for a human being that was Gabby Deveaux didn’t ever have a prayer when it came to getting with Alice again. Which was something to grin about indeed.


To be continued…


(Ehhh. I was going to put in one more ***** scene but being fickle and feminine, I decided to save it for the next chapter. Sorry! lol.)