“That hurt the most Bette. I couldn’t believe you thought so little of me that you would say such things.”

“I said them out of hurt and anger Tee. I know our relationship was real. I know you loved me and it wasn’t just some trivial experiment to you.”

“I still love you, you know.”

They both realized at that moment that the conversation had taken a decidedly different direction again; maybe after three years apart they were finally ready to process some of what went wrong between them. “I love you too.”

They held each other’s gaze and smiled. With mere inches separating their lips it would have been so easy to act on the impulse to kiss but no matter the temptation they resisted. The emotional turmoil churning in their hearts was too strong. Any sexual encounter between them now would be a rebound affair, and neither wanted that; especially with her ex-wife.

***

Finally Bette broke the gaze and stood up. She offered Tina a hand and they walked into the house together.

“Kit and Angie won’t be back for a couple of hours. Do you want to stay for dinner? I told Kit not to let Angie eat a lot of junk food.”

“Yeah right; what are you making?”

“Just some stir-fry chicken vegetables and noodles.”

“That won’t take long. Do you want to go for a swim first? I think we could both use some stress relief.”

“That sounds like a great idea. Do you still have swimsuits here?”

“Yeah. I keep a couple in Angie’s room for when we use your pool. I’ll go change and be right out.”

Tina retrieved her bathing suit from a drawer in Angie’s dresser then made her way to the guest bathroom to change. When she returns she finds Bette in the kitchen preparing refreshments for them to take out to the pool.

Tina takes advantage of the fact that Bette doesn’t hear her approaching because of the running water in the sink where she’s washing fresh fruit and vegetables. She checks her out unabashedly noticing that Bette had selected a particularly revealing white two piece that accentuated all of her womanly assets. Tina had been kidding herself to think she could resist the lure of the female form; especially one as well-endowed as Bette Porter’s.

“Bette …”

Bette stops her motion and turns off the water.

“Turn around.”

The End.