Tina studied Bette thoughtfully. She was simply and utterly the most gorgeous woman Tina knew. Her hair was balanced loosely on her head and her cheeks pink from the steam. The top curves of her breasts were visible and as she reached for her wine Tina saw a little more, her areola surfacing. Tina loved that. She swallowed. Bette was attentive, quietly waiting patiently to hear more, knowing Tina had something on her mind. Tina loved that too.

“That night changed me too, Baby. Did you know Eric and I had gotten in a huge fight that night? I didn’t even want to come to the opening. He was pressuring me for a wedding date, it was the first time he had ever raised his voice to me… and I didn’t know why I couldn’t give him what he wanted…when he touched me, I was still angry with him…”

“You never told me that. About the fight… I did know you were engaged to marry him, you poor thing… mp wonder you are glad you met me…” Bette teased and blew Tina a kiss, making her smile beautifully.

“I was trying to come up with a new reason to delay the inevitable, and then I met you”. Tina replied, wistfully. “And suddenly nothing made sense to me, while at the same time everything made sense to me. Everything…well, anything seemed possible. You were stunning, Baby…spectacular. So confident, so poised… so sure of yourself. You smelled so fucking good and you were this intoxicating mixture of strength and vulnerability… I was drawn to you immediately.”

Tears sprung to Bette’s eyes. Tina often talked about that night, but it had been a long while that Tina had such emotion in her voice. Bette never tired of hearing it. She was captivated. She looked at Tina over her wine glass and Tina smiled softly, noting the moisture in her wife’s eyes.

She continued, “I was confused by how I felt. Scared. And then the strangest thing happened…it was when you came up to me to ask if I was going to sit down for dinner…” Tina sipped her wine, looking at her wife. She sunk a little farther into the tub, extending her leg so that her toes teased Bette’s side.