Bette suddenly realized what she was doing; dragging her pregnant wife into work with her. Maybe this wasnt romantic, was she just being selfish?

Tina felt Bettes grip on her loosen.

She looked up at Bette, the inquiry clear in her eyes and what she read in Bettes eyes was uncertainty.

Tina rested her hands on Bettes shoulders, raised herself up on her toes and when her lips were brushing Bettes ear she whispered I love youtake me with you..

Bette felt the warmth of Tinas breath, the heat from her skin as it brushed against hers. A frisson of delight ran up her spine and settled into her brain leaving a gentle buzz. The buzz a symptom of the euphoria she felt when Tina opened herself so completely to her.

She put her arms around Tina, her hands lingering in the small of Tinas back, her little finger straying across Tinas bare *****.

She fought an internal battle but gradually the urgency of getting back to work won out.

The moment over, Bette pulled away and playfully tapped Tinas *****; sent her on her way to shower and find something to wear while Bette went about locating her own clothes that shed recklessly abandoned in her haste.

~~

They managed to keep the magic alive through the lunch hour and into the afternoon.

But as Bette wandered the gallery with Tina and explained her plans she became a little more distracted by the phone calls and urgent questions from her staff.

And Tina, although shed enjoyed immersing herself in Bettes world for a while, started to feel the pull of the more practical side of their life, the jobs shed left undone at home, the messages shed promised to return today.

Finally, as Bette put the phone down after completing yet another placating call to an artist frantic about the shipment of her work, Tina walked around Bettes desk and said quietly I should go.

Bette looked up at her, a mixture of relief and disappointment in her eyes as she fought to maintain the closeness theyd felt. Stay Bette said, but it came out more like a question than a request.

Tina ran her hand down Bettes cheek, took Bettes hair into her hands and pulled lovingly on a strand. She looked into Bettes eyes saw in them the desire to hang on to what theyd experienced earlier and the knowledge that she didnt have that power. And she saw love, a whole lot of love Its OK.. Tina smiled reassuringly.

Bette opened her mouth to protest; she wanted to pull Tina onto her lap and hold her but the door to her office was open and she was the director of the CAC and as she hesitated the moment evaporated and Tina moved away.

Bette stood up and followed Tina across the room, watched her as she picked up Jem.

She put her arm around her wife and daughter, kissed them both OK..Ill see you soon she leaned closer I love you she whispered into Tinas ear.

Bette watched them leave, saddened that shed not been able to maintain the euphoria, disappointed that the demands of a job and a family had eroded it little by little until the practicalities of their lives had become more imperative.

She hesitated as she watched the door of the CAC close on her wife and daughter, a part of her wanted to run after them, leave the practical world behind and run away.

But once again she waited a fraction too long.

She sighed and turned around, anxiety over the work piling up on her desk forcing her back to her office and the frantically ringing phone.