Not knowing that she’d used the exact same words as her brother in
reference to Alice’s guitar playing, Dana was surprised to see the
expressions on her girlfriend’s face as it went from amused to
thoughtful. Alice was lost in thought as she looked back at the past
couple of hours from this morning with Howie and when she’d arrived at
the Planet until now. Seeing the look on her face, Dana grew concerned,
“Al, are you okay… what’s up?” At her question, Al looked at her with
yet another expression on her face: approval.

“It’s just… I just wanted to say how proud I am of you.” Alice beamed
at Dana, which caused the tennis player to blush yet again. Al gestured
inside, towards their table, with her thumb, “It’s about Howie. I
didn’t even think about it this morning when I asked him to come. I
thought you’d flip when you saw him, and for a second you looked as if
you would …but something changed. It was only like five seconds or
something, but it was there. What happened?”

Dana shrugged, she didn’t think anyone would notice her internal
decision-making process. “I don’t know… when you guys came in, I
didn’t know what to do or what I should do. But when I heard his voice,
I remembered what I promised myself.” Pausing to look
at Alice’s reaction, and seeing that she wanted her to go on, Dana
continued, “I promised myself last night, when we saw him here, that I
would be there for him. When I figured out I was *****, I was alone, Al.
I was hurting and I had to hide it. Howie shouldn’t have to feel that.
He shouldn’t have to hide like that. Especially not from me.” Dana
finished, a resolved attitude evident on her face.

Alice thought she couldn’t feel prouder of her girlfriend, but she did.
“That’s what I figured. You’re great like that. You should know, you
are definitely a first-class big sister for being that way!”

Thinking of Howie and Alice’s interaction earlier, Dana mirrored
Alice’s proud smile. “Oh yah, well, you are definitely a first-class
girlfriend for being the way you are!” Seeing the questioning look
thrown her way, Dana explained, gesturing inside with her thumb as Al
did. “It’s about Howie. I can’t believe how great you are with him.
It’s amazing! It’s like kindred souls, the two of you. And, I gotta
say, it’s kind of a turn-on.” Dana wiggled her eyebrows playfully at
Alice, showing just how much she approved of her girlfriend’s
connection with her little brother.

Alice wiggled her eyebrows back. “Oh yah…”

Reaching out her hand to grab a hold of Alice’s shirt, Dana pulled her
closer as she replied, “Oh yah, definitely.” To prove her point, the
tennis player brought their lips together in a hungry kiss, showing the
blonde just how much her actions attracted her. Alice, who was more
than eager to comply in letting Dana “make her point,” deepened the
kiss by placing her hands on the post behind Dana’s head, allowing more
of her body to lean against her girlfriend’s as Dana tousled her hair.
Alice moaned into Dana’s mouth at the feel of the caresses on her
scalp. And then…

GRRRRROWWL!

Their lips parted abruptly, their eyes met, and they both broke into
almost uncontrollable giggles. “Unbelievable! Just when I was ready to
devour you right in the middle of the courtyard!” Dana pretended
frustration, the laughter evident in her voice, “It’s those damn
cravings, isn’t it, Al? I just can’t compete with the Inner-hunger, can
I?” she asked, shaking her head at Alice, a knowing smile on her face.

Alice tried her best to act cool and not swoon. “Hmm… did you say
devour?” she teased, leaning in for a quick kiss and spoke into Dana’s
lips, continuing to kiss her in between sentences, “Keep that thought
in your mind, babe. What d’you say we eat brunch here,
and then go home and have dessert?”

Al could almost feel her neck crack as Dana suddenly whipped around and
pulled her back inside heading towards their table, eager to finish
with brunch.

TBC