She curled her legs back into bed and turned on her side.  This was the best conversation she and Tina had had.  Nothing had been settled, but things were looking up. 

She struggled to fall asleep, but scrutinizing every word of their conversation took energy.  Bette couldn’t relax.  She fluffed her pillow, then grabbed Tina’s and squeezed it against her face.  Sleep wouldn’t come.  On the nightstand, Bette saw the clock brightly announcing the time.  It was 3:03 am. 

Turning onto her back, Bette tried to still her racing mind, but to no avail.  She heard Tina’s soft voice telling her that she still cared for her.  She smiled when she thought of Tina asking if Bette had thought the ***** was good.  Tina had been a responsive and open-minded lover from the very beginning.  When they first got together, Bette wondered if she’d be able to keep up with her.  Tina had wanted to try and do everything, perhaps making up for those lost years she had dallied with men.   The thought of Tina wrapped in her arms filled her mind.  Tonight was the first night in weeks that Bette felt any type of arousal and it was Tina she was thinking of, not Candace.  That was a relief.  Bette’s eyes closed as she imagined a scene from many years ago.

Tina coming into the house from the pool.  A dark blonde eyebrow arching dramatically, a saucy smile to let Bette know she was in the mood. Tina, in a sundress, smelling of sunscreen and clean sweat, walking toward Bette who wore cargo shorts and a baby-T that showed off her abs.  She remembered Tina licking her lips as Bette watched her move across the room, closer to where she sat.  Bette had just crossed her ankle over her knee and was untying her athletic shoe.  One shoe was already off and she pulled off the second, letting it drop to the floor without taking her eyes off of her lover. 

“Hey, baby,” Tina had said.  Her voice was low and playful.

“Tee,” Bette had answered softly, feeling the sexual tension rise in the room.

Alone, now, Bette thought of that day.  Her eyes fluttered closed as her own hand moved up her body.  She thought of how it felt to kiss Tina, the way that Tina had approached her that day and bent to capture Bette’s lips.  Bette’s hand slid across the sapphire colored, silk, men’s styled pajama top she wore.  Her hand squeezed her breast through the top, feeling the nipple already erect and beginning to ache as she used an open palm in a circular motion against it.  She moaned softly as her memory went back to that day.