“Can we take our wine to the living room?” Bette asked.

“Sure,” Tina agreed. “I’ll get a few snacks out so we don’t get too hungry.

“What can I help with?”

“You can slice an apple and put some walnuts on the centre of this,” Tina pulled a serving platter from under the counter. “I’ll get some crackers and a few cheeses out to go with the wine.

It wasn’t long before they were sitting in the living room, the tray of plenty set before them along with the bottle of wine and their glasses.

“Can I make a toast?”

“Of course,” Tina replied, lifting her glass.

Bette raised hers level with Tina’s

“To a long slow boil,” Bette said with a wicked grin.

Tina clinked her glass with Bette’s and they both drank.

“I do pick good wine,” Tina said, metaphorically patting herself on the back.

“And you’re modest too,” Bette noted. She then leaned in for a kiss. It was quick and quite innocent, but arousing to both of them nonetheless. She glanced at the platter of food. “Shall we?”

“Absolutely,” Tina agreed and pointed to one of the blue cheeses. “Try that with the wine; so decadent.”

Bette placed some on a cracker and savoured the flavour as it played over her taste buds. After swallowing her first small bite, she drank of the wine.

Her eyes rolled back in her head as the flavours intermingled on her palate. Tina grinned at Bette’s reaction and couldn’t help but imagine how she might react when other, greater pleasures were part of the evening’s agenda. She had to look away for fear of giving her thoughts away.

“That is so good,” Bette managed. “Now let me kiss you again.”

Tina took Bette’s face in her hands and sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, encouraging Bette to grip her glass even tighter for fear of dropping it as Tina kissed her.

“I love the way you kiss,” Bette tried to compose herself as they parted once again.

“My turn,” Tina reached for a morsel from the tray and popped it into her mouth, careful to select the smallest of pieces in order to facilitate a rapid follow up drink of wine. She sipped from her glass after swallowing and looked expectantly at Bette.

Bette set her wine glass down and leaned in toward Tina, but only made the slightest contact on the tip of her nose before speaking.

“Do you think we could take our wine into the bedroom after we finish eating?” Bette smiled as she felt Tina reach for her.

Tina cleared her throat nervously.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Nothing’s going to happen that you don’t want to happen,” Bette said. “I promise you that.”

“I don’t know if I’m going to be able to resist you,” Tina admitted.

“You won’t have to resist anything, because the only thing I’m going to do is kiss you,” Bette pulled back and spoke as she looked at Tina. She thought she should offer some clarification of her intent. “From the waist up.”

Tina moaned involuntarily. The thought of Bette’s mouth on her breasts was so incredibly arousing to her she could barely speak.

“As long as you don’t mind if I caress you a little,” Bette said. “With my tongue.”

“Oh God,” Tina uttered. She kissed Bette deeply.

“I won’t mind that at all,” she whispered upon finishing.

“I’m done eating,” Bette said succinctly.

“Me too.” Tina stood, solid in her resolve

Bette stood, and again took Tina’s hands in her own. She was still slightly taller than Tina.

“I’ll put this away later,” Tina motioned toward the leftover food. “Grab your glass and I’ll bring the wine.”

Tina made her way back up the stairs and into the bedroom. She poured herself a glass, with slightly less concern for how much of the rich liquid ended up inside. She turned to see Bette close behind her and silently offered to fill hers as well. They both set their glasses on the shelf beside the bed, the settling twilight still casting shadows around the room.

“Come here,” Tina requested. She pulled Bette closer by the lapels of her suit jacket and then worked it back off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

Their hands wandered innocently over the other’s body, their mutual pledges lingering in the backs of their minds.

Tina sat down and scooted to the far side of the bed, patting the free side in invitation. Bette crawled onto the bed on her hands and knees and quickly made her way between Tina’s legs as Tina leaned against the stack of pillows.

Tina bent her legs up and drew Bette higher, eventually holding her face in her hands as the kissing consumed them.

They rolled around the bed for the next two hours, necking like teenagers, barely coming up for air. They each teased at the other through the thin fabric of their respective tops, but neither wanted to make the move of removing clothing.

Tina broke first.

“You’re making me crazy Bette,” she whispered, punctuating the heavy breathing with the first comment in some time. “Stop being so noble. I want to feel your mouth on me.”

Tina boldly took Bette’s right hand and moved it up her knit top, thoroughly enjoying the sensation of Bette’s fingers arousing her even more.

“Lean forward so I can take it off,” Bette asked quietly.

As soon as it was discarded to the side, her hands returned to touch the delicate skin of Tina’s breasts while she continued kissing her. She felt Tina’s hands on her upper back, moving up and down somewhat tentatively. She moved down only briefly to suck at Tina’s nipples and felt Tina arch back to encourage more of the same. She felt Tina remove her top from the waistband of her slacks before unfastening the buttons of said garment. They soon returned to kissing, trading off caressing each other with their teeth and tongues. As they rolled back and forth, Bette found herself underneath, Tina’s teeth tugging at her nipples, alternating with gently sucking them.

Bette drew her higher and gazed into her eyes.

“I get the impression you’re enjoying this,” Bette said giggling in spite of herself.

“Yeah, I am,” Tina laughed. “Not that I thought I wouldn’t.”

They kissed innocently again. That was soon lost though, as they continued down the same path until they finally fell asleep exhausted in each other’s arms.

**********

Tina woke at 4am shivering even though she was cuddled back up against Bette. They were both on top of the covers though and Bette didn’t feel all that warm either as she reached back to touch her.

She disentangled herself as quietly as possible and pulled some pyjama bottoms and t-shirts from the closet. After removing her slacks, she slipped hers on and gently nudged Bette awake.

“You’re getting cold, put these on, and get under the covers with me,” Tina said quietly.

Bette barely woke up to attend to the task, quickly resuming the position she had behind Tina.

They both fell into a peaceful sleep once again, as if they’d always been together, mindful of the gift they’d found in the other.

(the end - sorry, truly, no time for ongoing stories right now...)