“I think that you are going to have to scrape me off the floor” Tina whispered lacing her fingers through the brunette locks that rested on her thigh.  She was as satisfied as a woman could be. The aftershocks still rumbled through her making her pulse sporadically.  

Bette smiled, “sounds like your bones melted”.

“Don’t get smug Porter” the warning tone in her voice indicated that her strength was returning.  

“Never” the enormity of what had just transpired went through her.  This was not anything that she could treat lightly or casually.  “Can you wait until after the ‘Ride for the Cure’ for me to tell Jodi that it’s over?  Bette moved to Tina’s side and laced her fingers through the blonde’s. “She lost an aunt to breast cancer and I would like her to be able to enjoy the ride with my support.”  It was the least that she could do.

“Depends on what kind of support you will be offering” Tina replied with some measure of guilt that she knew Bette could read in her eyes.  

“Tina the only woman who will touch me from this point on, the only woman who has ever really touched me is you.”  She thought about Tina’s declaration and her unflinching honesty and she could not offer her anything less in return.  “The only woman I want… truly want is you.”  

“I hate thinking about how much this will hurt her.”  The hazel eyes clouded with remembered pain.  

Seeing the pain Bette stepped up.  “It may sound self-serving yet I have to say that I don’t think we can compare situations.” She paused knowing Tina would make the connection without her having to verbalize the particulars. “You said it before that it would hurt her more if I let this go on any longer.  I am not in love with Jodi.  I love her but I am not in love with her.”  She took a deep breath. “I am completely and utterly in love with you.”  The ebony eyes locked into hazel.  

As Bette moved towards her time stood still.  This time Bette took her mouth filling her with her tongue causing her to grunt as the piercing ache flooded her yet again.  “I feel the earth moving” Tina complained breaking the kiss that threatened to consume her.  The foggy haze of desire blanketed her senses. 

“Fuck” Bette swore as she realized what was happening.  “We’re moving the power is back on.”

“Fuck. Help me up.”  Tina struggled to focus as Bette scrambled to her feet and pulled her up.  They both slipped back into their shoes and frantically smoothed out their clothes.   “Where are my panties?” 

Bette found them and barely had time to shove her prize into her purse before the doors slid open. 

Dan greeted them anxiously “Are you two ok?”

They stepped off the elevator together.  

“We’re fine.” Tina answered for both of them giving the brunette precious seconds to compose herself further and assure that the errant panties were well tucked away.  

“You were in there for almost an hour I hope it wasn’t too traumatic.”  He ushered them into his waiting area. “Do you still want to have the session?”  His eyes darted between them.  “Or reschedule?  It’s up to you.”

“We got a lot off our chests being stuck for so long, maybe we can reschedule for another time.” Bette offered this time looking to Tina for confirmation.

Tina met Bette’s eyes and held them as she responded. “Yeah, let’s hold off on the session.” Nodding her confirmation of the brunette’s assessment “I think we can take it from here.”    

Dan noted that the two linked hands before plunging through the stairwell door.  He mentally crossed them off his couples counseling list.