Parts 10 - 11

Jamie felt the nuzzling of her neck for many minutes before she could force her eyes open. "Mmmmm," she mumbled, rolling over languidly to kiss her bright-eyed partner. "You smell good."

"I wish I could return the compliment." Ryan delicately sniffed various parts of her lover’s body. "But you smell a bit like a brothel...or an ice cream parlor." Her gentle laugh rang out as she scooted out of the way of Jamie’s fingers, which were poised for another pinch.

"And whose fault is that?" the blonde asked petulantly, sitting up to offer a mock glare. "I’ll have you know this is your scent all over me."

"I’ve gotta admit, sex smells a lot better before it cures overnight."

Ryan’s grin was so infectious that Jamie could not maintain the guise of anger. "Okay, I’ll wash it off, but only if you promise to reapply it later," she conceded with a sleepy grin.

"I think the smell of sex is like sun block, ‘apply liberally and reapply throughout the day,’ " Ryan happily agreed.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Ryan was sitting at the counter in the kitchen eating an enormous bowl of oatmeal when Jamie arrived. "I’ll go fetch the car while you finish up," she announced, kissing Ryan’s cheek as she passed.

"I can do that," Ryan mumbled through a mouthful of her breakfast.

"Relax, Hon, I’ve got it covered. You need to get a proper breakfast if you’re gonna dazzle me today." Her waggling eyebrows showed just how much she was looking forward to watching her partner perform.

Before Ryan could say another word, Jamie was striding out the back door, keys in hand. Several minutes later she pulled up to the side entrance in a huge white Suburban. Loaded on the roof rack was her father’s longboard, which she had assured Ryan he would not mind lending out. After adding all of the "necessities" that Ryan insisted they take, they were on their way.

They stopped at the first Starbuck’s they passed so Jamie could get an eye opener. Ryan came back out with two huge lattes, two scones and three muffins of various flavors. "Fifteen bucks for a little breakfast," she grumbled.

"Some people would think this was a big breakfast, Honey." Jamie patted her leg fondly, shaking her head a bit at Ryan’s nearly insatiable appetite.

Ryan had a happy little grin on her face and she chatted away nonstop on the drive up. Jamie rubbed her leg as she grinned over at her. "You love this, don’t you?"

"What, surfing?"

"No, not just surfing. You seem to love anything that is risky or hard to do, or that really stresses your body."

"Yeah, I do," she admitted. "It makes me feel totally alive to do things where I really put myself out there. Do you understand that?" She cocked her head in question and spared a glance at her partner, hoping that she would understand this instinct.

Jamie was silent for a moment, considering her answer. "I don’t share that predilection, but I think I’m beginning to understand how important it is for you to satisfy that need. It seems pretty primal for you."

"It is, Jamie. I need to do things like this. I don’t think I’ll ever be the kind of woman who can always take the safe road. Do you think you can live with that?"

"I can live with almost anything, if I get to keep you in the bargain," she said as she flashed her a fond smile.

"Well, I’m yours forever," Ryan confidently assured her as she mirrored the smile.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The drive to Santa Cruz took a little less than an hour, and the surf report was absolutely correct. The waves were breaking just the way Ryan liked them: big enough to scare away casual surfers, but small enough to keep her safe.

Ryan pulled the car up to the shoulder of a surfing beach that she had visited a number of times. As she stripped off her navy blue sweatpants and white hooded "Cal" sweatshirt, Jamie had to stifle a laugh at the fight she had to put up to get into her wetsuit. Just before she zipped it all the way up, she twisted her hair up into a bun and stuffed it into the attached hood. Her tight sports bra/swimsuit top, and the absence of her long hair, actually did hide her sex very effectively, and the smaller woman now understood how people could fail to notice she was a woman when she was in the water. They worked together to get the board off the roof, and then Ryan hefted it over her head as they walked together to the shore.

Before she took off, Ryan squatted down to the beach chair where Jamie lounged and kissed her gently. "Promise that you’ll be careful," Jamie demanded as she placed her hands on Ryan’s shoulders. "I love every little piece of you, and I want them all back."

"I promise I’ll be careful," Ryan said somberly, staring into her partner’s eyes.

Jamie threw her arms around her and hugged her so firmly that Ryan had to gasp a little. "Now, go play," she said indulgently, patting her on the butt as a send-off. As Ryan reached the water, she turned and gave her a little wave and a very big smile, flashing all of her teeth. Just then, and for reasons that she didn’t fully understand, Jamie felt an overwhelming sense of sadness for Ryan’s mother.

She watched Ryan cavort in the surf, furiously paddling out to sea. You did such a wonderful job in such a short time, Fionnuala. A few tears slid down her face, and she wiped them from her chilled skin with the back of her hand. You’d be so proud of the woman she’s become. I hope you can see her and know how happy she is now.

Staring out at Ryan, Jamie felt an odd sense of peace settle over her. For just an instant, she felt an eerie connection to a woman she would never meet, a woman who would always retain a vitally important place in her partner’s life. In that moment, she felt calm and centered, and she knew in her soul that Fionnuala approved of their union.

She realized that she was idly twirling the ring on her finger, and acknowledged that it had already become a habit. I’ll do my best to weave our lives together, just like you promised to do with Martin. Against all reason, she felt like every one of her words was clearly heard. I promise I’ll do everything I can to love her as much as you did.

As quickly as it appeared, the feeling vanished, leaving Jamie slightly confused but deeply relaxed. It took a moment or two to snap out of her reverie, but the sight of Ryan gracefully standing on the board and riding a couple of small waves did the trick. It looked like she was merely trying to get comfortable with the board and the waves as she took several short rides. Even though she got dumped numerous times, she looked blissfully happy, and Jamie was terribly pleased that she had been able to satisfy Ryan’s desire to come to the beach.

Ryan was in a group of about 20 other surfers, all jockeying for the same good waves. A really good set came along, but the guys to her right grabbed on before she could get in position. To avoid being left behind again, she paddled out a little farther and cut right, going to the far end of the group. When the next set came, she was ready. She hopped on the board and caught just the leading edge of the wave; balancing gracefully on her flexed legs, right foot well forward of her left. The wave gained height and speed as it came towards shore, but Ryan hung on, riding it for every foot that she could pull out of it. Jamie was struck by the mixture of power, strength, grace and daring that this act required. Ryan’s bold, confident style seemed to almost dare the wave to knock her off the board. But she won the round, and slid in towards the shore as the wave meekly ran out of steam.

Not willing to rest on her laurels, Ryan immediately paddled back out to begin the process again. She rode wave after wave--some large, some small—the size seemingly irrelevant to the graceful woman. A few tossed her forcefully off her board, and some lifted her gently and almost lovingly deposited her into the water. No matter the outcome of each little foray, the deeply satisfied smile never left her face. Most of the other surfers were either concentrating furiously, or trying to look bored, and Jamie was very grateful that her partner didn’t feel the need to affect a "look". She considered that one of Ryan’s most precious traits was her willingness to show her true feelings—in this case, abundant joy—even if it wasn’t the cool thing to do.

Ryan had been in the water almost an hour, playing ceaselessly, and Jamie was tired just from watching her. When the waves stilled for a bit, she paddled out farther than she had been all day and just sat on her board for a while. It looked to Jamie like her lover was tiring, and needed a break. At just that moment, a big swell headed right for her, and she shook off her fatigue and quickly jumped on the board and took off. She caught the wave just as it began to pass her, and it was a big one--a very big one, easily the biggest of the day. It rose dramatically as it raced towards the shore, and Jamie’s heart jumped to her throat as another surfer cut right in front of Ryan. Jamie watched in horror as the scene played out in slow motion before her eyes. His board caught the edge of hers, and they both flew skyward. Jamie’s heart nearly stopped as Ryan’s body flew end over end, resembling a rag doll more than a human. Her board flew off at an angle, safely out of the way, but the other board looked like it landed on top of her as her body and the board hit the water hard, almost simultaneously. Jamie’s mind raced, trying to decide what to do. She knew that if Ryan was unable to save herself, she couldn’t swim out to help and get there in time. Panic washed through her body as she stood, frozen in place, feeling completely powerless.

She felt a scream tear from her lungs but no one responded to her tortured cry. The lifeguards were not on duty yet, and none of the other surfers made a move to go towards the spot where Ryan disappeared. Without even knowing that she was moving, she ran to the edge of the surf, scanning the horizon frantically, searching for Ryan’s dark head as she fought to focus through her tears. After seeming hours had passed, she finally spotted her much farther down the shoreline, swimming in without her board. Jamie took off and ran faster than she ever had in her life, her footfalls pounding so hard on the packed sand that her heels ached.

Ryan was about ten feet from shore when Jamie grabbed her with a force that surprised them both. The smaller woman held on for dear life, her head buried against Ryan’s wet chest. Ryan soothed her and patted her back, giving up on her desire to try to keep her lover dry. After a long while, Jamie lifted her head and asked with a panic-laced voice, "W…w…what happened?"

Ryan tightened her hold, realizing how horrible the entire event must have been for her partner. She spoke in a soothing, low tone, trying to reassure her with her voice as well as her embrace. "I assume you saw that kid cut me off?"

Jamie nodded emphatically.

"My board flew away, but his came right for me. I don’t know how I got lucky enough to be in this position, but I was thrown onto my back and the board came right down on top of me."

Jamie stiffened at her words but Ryan quickly continued, "I grabbed it with both hands and prevented it from hitting me, but when I hit the water, I got the wind knocked out of me. Luckily I was strong enough to hold onto the board as I hit, but it took me a minute to be able to swim in."

"Where’s your board?" Jamie asked, as she tried to control her shaking voice and body.

"The surf will bring it in if somebody else doesn’t."

Jamie threw her arms around her again and squeezed her hard. "God, Ryan, I’m so relieved that you’re okay," she said into her chest. "I didn’t know what to do," she moaned as she continued to sob.

"I’m so sorry that I worried you, Sweetie. I really was careful, but not everybody else was today," she murmured into her damp hair. "But I’m fine, Jamie, I’m really fine."

"But you could have been ki…ki…killed," she gasped out, as the tears continued to stream down her face.

"I wasn’t hurt, Jamie," she soothed as she dipped her head to make eye contact. "You can’t let yourself imagine all of the bad things that might happen. That will just make you crazy. The fact is that I had a bad scare, but I got away without a scratch. You’ve got to focus on the reality, Honey."

It took a few minutes of struggle to gain control once again, but the fair-haired woman finally stood tall and took in a deep breath. "You’re right," she said, with as much composure as she could muster. "I’m just going to have to get used to watching you do things like this." She did her best to adopt a stoic demeanor, and looked up at Ryan with what little confidence she had. "I’m sure I’ll toughen up over time."

Ryan felt a pang of regret for the pain her partner was experiencing. "I don’t want you to be tough, Sweetheart. I really love how you care about me and watch out for me. Don’t ever stop that." She wrapped her arms around her lover a little tighter and nuzzled her face into Jamie’s hair. "Please don’t ever stop that," she murmured in a shaky voice. "I depend on it."

"I won’t. I promise I won’t," Jamie’s small voice choked out. They stood in the shallow surf, hugging gently, and as the shock eased from her body Jamie realized how cold the water was on her legs. Breaking the embrace, she grasped Ryan’s hand and started to walk back towards the car.

About 20 yards down the shore the errant board was bobbing around in the surf. Ryan dashed out to retrieve it, and as she tucked it under her arm Jamie could see her body tension change.

Sensing what the change signaled, she called in amazement, "Are you going back out?"

Ryan was now within touching distance, but a stoic nod was her only reply. Jamie could feel her guts clench, but she tried to sound as normal as possible. "Do you have to, Baby? I’m getting a little chilled." She was, in fact, freezing now that her clothes were drenched from her unplanned dip, and the fear that still gripped her wasn’t helping one bit.

"Go on back to the car," Ryan said gently. "I just have to take care of one little thing. Go on," she urged as she pushed her firmly in the correct direction.

Jamie was having none of it. She looked up at Ryan and begged, "Please don’t get into a fight with the guy who cut you off, Honey. It’s not worth it."

Ryan smiled and placed a gentle kiss on her trembling lips. "I have no idea who did it, Babe. Even if I did, I wouldn’t fight him. Surfing is dangerous and you have to learn to take your lumps. Now will you go back to the car?"

"No. If you stay, I stay."

From the set of her jaw, Ryan could see that she would not be dissuaded. "Okay," she said, acknowledging that Jamie’s mind was made up. "I’ll be as quick as I can." She was dashing along the shore before Jamie had a chance to say one more word.

As she ran along, she reached up and tugged off her hood. Since she had not affixed her hair with a band, it tumbled out and fell against her back, bouncing gently as she ran. Just before she lay on the board to paddle out, Jamie watched her inexplicably yank the zipper of her suit down far enough to expose her white sports bra. What in the hell…

As soon as Ryan got back to the pack and readied herself into position, she adopted a radically different attitude than she had previously shown. This time she did not play nice with the other children. She paddled out to the edge of the group and jockeyed for position, sticking her chest out and tossing her hair back out of her eyes repeatedly. She seemed to be trying to make sure that everyone knew she was there. This demeanor was so markedly different from her previous attitude that Jamie had a hard time making sense of it. Ryan seemed roughly aggressive, like she was trying to not only attract attention—she was trying to annoy the members of the pack.

After about ten minutes of impatiently waiting, a monster of a wave began to build. Ryan got to her feet and aggressively cut to the front of the pack, catching the leading edge of the cresting water and dropping down to begin carving it like a pro. The other riders tried to get into position, but no one could match the show she was putting on. She was too far away for Jamie to see her face, but she didn’t actually need to. She was absolutely certain that her lover looked cool, calm, cocky and oblivious to every other person fighting for position. When Ryan was really "into" something, she often looked like she was waiting for a bus. But Jamie had learned that the cool exterior was a mask that was easily misunderstood. She was, in fact, concentrating so hard and enjoying the experience so much, that she was no longer connected to the rest of the world. She transported herself to another place, a place that Jamie would truly love to visit, but she doubted she would ever be privy to the secrets that would lead her there.

Watching her lover masterfully carve the wave actually sent chills down the smaller woman’s spine, and when Ryan had exhausted the wave and trotted over to her minutes later, she knew that she still wore a big dumb-looking grin. "Now we can go," Ryan said matter-of-factly.

"Were you getting hot out there?" Jamie teased her as they walked away, hand in hand.

"No," she replied with a furrowed brow. "Oh…you mean because I unzipped?"

"Yeah, wasn’t it cold?"

"Freezing!" Ryan laughed. "But I wanted to make sure every guy out there knew that a girl was dusting their sorry asses!"

Jamie stopped dead in her tracks. "You did that just to make a point!"

"Partly," Ryan revealed. "That guy really dissed me by cutting me off so rudely. And I was really irritated that nobody paddled out to see if I was okay."

"Couldn’t you have stood on the shore and just taken off your wet suit?" Jamie couldn’t imagine going out in the frigid water with that much exposed skin just to make a point to a bunch of strangers.

Ryan laughed at the wide-eyed look her partner was giving her. "Sure. That would have made my point. To tell the truth, I was pretty scared by the whole experience, though, and I refuse to let my last run of the day scare me. I really had to go back out just to build my confidence back up. Unzipping let me kill two birds with one stone."

"Did it work?" Jamie asked unnecessarily, seeing the twinkle in the sparking blue eyes.

"Like a charm. I feel…electric," she decided. "My whole body is tingling."

"Mine too," her smaller partner revealed. "But my feeling is localized." Her own version of the wiggling eyebrow had Ryan in hysterics, and they walked the rest of the way laughing aloud.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Ryan opened the doors to the truck and sat on the bumper to remove her wetsuit. Jamie stood in front of her with a big beach towel to give her some privacy from passing cars. She peeled her wetsuit off and wriggled out of her wet bathing suit. As soon as she was naked, Jamie got a gleam in her eye and pushed her down onto the floor. "Oh-oh," Ryan said with a chuckle as Jamie crawled on top of her, pulling the towel over them both.

The Suburban’s third seat had been folded down, providing a nice, flat surface about the size of a double bed for them to play in. It was still quite cool, and Ryan was pretty chilled from being in the water for so long. As she scooted up to pull her legs in the truck, Jamie closed the doors with a thud. She climbed astride her hips as Ryan gazed up at her serenely. "Why do I think you have more in mind than helping me dry off?" she asked with a smile.

Jamie just gave her a knowing smirk as she crawled over her to put the key in the ignition, cracking the windows and putting a beach towel in each one. Privacy curtains now firmly in place, thethe she rolled the windows back up, then opened the windows on the highway side a few inches for ventilation, and crawled back into the back. She sat cross-legged on the floor next to Ryan as she pulled out two self-inflating air mattresses that she had stashed in the back. She watched the smirk form on Ryan’s face as their little bed became even more comfortable. When the mattresses were fully inflated, she motioned for Ryan to climb on top, which she willingly did. It was obvious that this was Jamie’s game, so she just relaxed into the sensation and let her drive.

Jamie shucked her sweatshirt and then her sodden pants, and started to remove her swimsuit, but Ryan just shook her head with a little grin. The blonde smiled back and left it on, letting Ryan decide when it would come off. She climbed onto her favorite place, astride Ryan’s hips, and felt the cool body underneath her. She bent from the hips to kiss her, and within moments they were grinding against each other passionately. The scare of the surfing incident was fueling Jamie’s desire, and she willingly threw herself into the maelstrom of her emotions. She wanted to consume Ryan, to prove to herself that her lover was right here with her and that she was whole and safe.

Ryan sensed that this was more than just sex. She could feel that Jamie needed to be reassured, so she did her best to do so. Jamie spent a long time kissing Ryan , starting at her mouth, then slowly working her way down her body. She tasted like salt and the sea, but her natural scent came through, and the calming power of her aroma slowly brought Jamie some comfort. She looked down at her lover. The loving smile on her beautiful face broke some dam in Jamie’s reserve, and she began to shed the tears that she had been holding in. She fell onto Ryan’s chest, sobbing and gasping for breath. Ryan patted her back and spoke to her in a low, calm voice. She reassured her that she was fine, that she knew how to protect herself. She pointed out that she was very strong and had very good instincts. She teased her a little bit by reminding her that even a lead pipe to the head hadn’t taken her out for long, so a little surfboard certainly wouldn’t.

Jamie looked up at her and gave her a small smile. "I just get so scared, Ryan. You mean so much to me, that I can’t bear the thought of losing you."

"I know, Sweetheart, I know," she soothed. "I promise I’ll try to take better care of myself. I know how much I scare you sometimes, and I’ll try to be more careful."

"I don’t want you to give up the excitement that you need, Ryan. I just want you to be as careful as you can."

"I know, Baby, and I do try to be careful. I need to keep in mind how much you need me to stay healthy."

Jamie slid off her hips and curled up next to her in a little ball. Ryan rolled their sweats up into a makeshift pillow and drew Jamie closer. She rocked her slightly and hummed a little lullaby to ease her into sleep, but she was too wired to join her partner. The near-constant hum of traffic and the calm, even breathing against her ear began to soothe her, but she chose to remain awake. The feel of Jamie in her arms was so satisfying that she often wished she didn’t need sleep at all, and could just hold her for hours at a time. Her musings grew less focused and, before she knew it, she had joined her partner in a well-deserved nap.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

When they woke, Ryan was pleased to see that the sparkle had returned to her partner’s eyes. They spent a few minutes kissing while they awakened fully, and then Ryan ran over to the public shower to rinse off.

When she emerged, she was dressed in her running clothes, and Jamie gave her a startled look. "Ryan, you’ve been surfing since dawn! Don’t tell me you want to run now!"

Giving a sheepish shrug in return, Ryan tried to explain. "I got very agitated today, Honey. I thought the nap would calm me down, but I still feel antsy. A nice run will let me get my equilibrium back."

"Hard to believe we are of the same species," Jamie mumbled.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Ryan helped her partner carry their gear down to the shoreline, and Jamie sat down in her beach chair with a book. Bending to kiss her goodbye, Ryan lingered just a bit as she grinned through the kisses. "There is something so sexy about kissing your sweet, sweet mouth," she said with a seductive tone in her voice.

"Do you need to go back to the truck for a little love?" Jamie asked when she noticed her sparkling eyes.

"No, I’m just getting used to being aroused all of the time," she decided with a lopsided grin, as she gave her another little kiss and took off. Jamie watched her for as long as she could keep her in sight. Few things pleased her as much as watching her lover run. She mused that Ryan actually looked like running was her natural way of moving. She had a long, economical stride that just ate up ground as she moved along the asphalt path. Jamie had a demure little smile on her face, and she realized after a long while that she wasn’t going to read her book. She was so totally content to just sit and wait for Ryan, that she didn’t need the distraction of reading. My God, will it always be like this? She shook her head a little to try to clear it, but realized that the image of her partner rarely left her mind. How will I ever be able to concentrate on school? I can’t even read a book while she’s running!

The sun was finally starting to peek through the marine layer, but it was still too cool to remove her sweats. She leaned back in her chair and watched the still-weak rays fight to break through the clouds, and let her thoughts drift back to her lover. I still can’t believe that I was naïve enough to believe that I was in love with Jack. What a mistake it would have been to marry him! Our relationship was actually more like a business partnership than true love. Shivers chased down her spine at the thought of being married to him for the rest of her life. I would have never known what love could be, she thought with regret. Now that I know, I am determined to hold on as tight as I can to this feeling. It’s far too wonderful to ever let go. She closed her eyes and let her thoughts drift inexorably towards her partner. A very satisfied smile graced her face as she relaxed into the reverie. Now I just have to figure out a way to keep her alive, she mused, as she shook her head at the daunting prospect. It was a lot easier with Jack. With him I only had to worry that he’d get a fatal paper cut!

* * * * * * * * * * * *

It was nearly an hour before Ryan returned. She was wet, but the day was so cool and breezy that the perspiration was drying fast. Jamie insisted that she put her sweats back on, which Ryan did after removing her wet shirt.

"Guess what I am?" she asked with a big smile, leaning over her partner like a predator.

"Either hungry or horny, I’d say," Jamie replied with a laugh. "Which oral craving do you need satisfied?"

"I’d like to start with eating, but I could easily be convinced to partake of the other later on," she said with a leer.

"I just bet you could," she replied as she patted her tummy. "Let’s feed the beast and then decide on the rest of the day."

There were still two muffins left from breakfast, and Ryan polished them off quickly. Now sated, she stretched for a minute and said, "I think I’m ready to shop."

Jamie was surprised by this suggestion, and she gazed at Ryan for a moment, trying to make sure her partner was serious. "You hate to shop, Honey."

"Uh-uh," Ryan insisted. "I love to shop—I just like to shop for the things that I really like. Ready to go?"

"Okay, you’re the boss," Jamie agreed.

"Don’t I wish," Ryan teased as she patted her on the butt.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

They moved the car to a parking lot near the Santa Cruz boardwalk, but instead of heading back to the beach, Ryan led Jamie to the little shops that lined the streets of the town. Both women had slipped back into sweats and sandals and they strolled along the busy streets, hand in hand.

After surveying the neighborhood, Ryan finally informed Jamie of her objective. "I need new wheels for my skates," she said. "I wear them out pretty fast, and I’m sure the sand will chew up my current ones." Given the choice of three likely looking stores, Ryan chose the one that looked the grungiest. The salesclerks were dressed in big, black, baggy jeans and huge black T-shirts with logos of various bands on them. They were heavily tattooed and pierced, and Ryan thought they looked like they knew how to skate.

After chatting with one of the clerks for a moment, Ryan had her wheels, but a new toy caught her eye, and she had a hard time leaving the store.

"You look like a kid in a candy store," Jamie joked. "What'cha looking at?"

"It’s kind of cool," Ryan said with a crooked grin. She showed Jamie a shoe that had a steel-reinforced piece of plastic right at the arch. It sat horizontally in the thick-soled shoe, and looked like a piece of pipe cut in half.

"What in the world is the point of that?" Jamie asked.

"It’s hard to explain," Ryan said. "I’d have to demonstrate."

Their sales clerk heard the conversation and casually asked, "What size do you take?"

Ryan told him her size in both women’s and men’s, and he gave her a little smile as he went in the back of the store. He came back out with a pair in her size that had been returned due to a defect in the leather upper. "These have to go back to the company," he said as he looked her up and down. "You up to giving ‘em a try?"

Ryan knew a challenge when she heard one. She figured the kid didn’t think she would accept, but he didn’t know Ryan very well. She yanked them out of his hands and sat down to lace them up. They were a tiny bit snug, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her. "Where should I go?" she asked him.

"There’s a bank just down the street, and they don’t patrol it very well," he said casually, jerking his head in the proper direction.

Jamie had no idea what was going on. With a very confused look on her face, she looked from the clerk to Ryan, trying to figure out what they were talking about. Ryan turned to her and said, "Let’s go. I may need you to bail me out," she added with a grin.

Jamie trotted along behind Ryan, who was purposefully striding down the street. Grabbing her arm roughly to stop her, the smaller woman demanded, "Where are we going? And what are you going to do that can get you arrested?"

"I was just kidding. I don’t think I’ll get arrested. I’m pretty fast when I have to be," she said with a chuckle.

"Did that answer my question?" Jamie persisted.

"Wait and see, Jamie. I’m going to show you how I whiled away the hours of my misspent youth."

When they came close to the bank, she could see Ryan gazing all around, sizing up the layout. The cool blue eyes glanced around carefully, trying to see if there were any guards present. As they went around the bank to a side entrance, her eyes lit up with delight. She turned to Jamie and said with a twinkle in her eye, "This could be kinda cool, or I could split my pants or my head open." When Jamie’s eye widened, she added, "My insurance card is in my wallet," as she took off running up the stairs.

The bank was a big, impressive structure, probably 75 or so years old. There were about 20 steps up to a wide, graceful entry. This side entrance had obviously been modified to make it handicapped accessible, since there was a new ramp that curved up next to the stairs, making the incline less steep. When Ryan got to the top, she focused her eyes on the ramp, and Jamie saw her rock back and forth a few times, planning her attack. Finally, a small smile came over her face, and her posture took on an air of confidence. She went to the far end of the entrance, turned, and started running--first in small steps, and then in a few long strides--and finally leapt into the air with her feet tucked up under her body.

Jamie nearly passed out from shock and fear. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her eyes were wide as she stared, open-mouthed, at the image of her lover, flying through the air.

When Ryan’s momentum carried her to the ramp, she lowered her feet and caught the handrail with the plastic inserts in her shoes. She sank down into a crouch, and rode the rail just like a surfboard, but when she hit the first curve, she lost her footing and started to fall. Jamie’s heart was in her throat as images of Ryan’s broken body flooded her head. The dark woman’s momentum was throwing her towards the concrete stairs, but just when it looked like she would crash, she pulled her feet back under herself and did a tight somersault in the air, landing neatly on both feet with a small stutter step to bleed off some of the force.

As soon as her feet hit the ground, a massive grin broke over her face, and she raised her arms like a gymnast and took a bow.

Jamie was too stunned to move. Her mouth hung open and she tried to force sound from her lips, but nothing would come. Ryan gave her a quick look saying, "I almost had it, Babe. Next time for sure!" as she bounded back up the stairs.

She repeated her little ritual, bearing that same confident look as she began her approach. This time she hit the railing with more force than her previous attempt. She got down lower in her crouch and leaned back a bit, centering her weight over her butt. As she hit the first curve she leaned into it like a racecar on a track. She settled her weight again as she careened down the straight section of rail. The next turn was at a 90-degree angle and Jamie assumed she would jump down. But when she got close she jumped in the air, still in her deep crouch and made a half turn, coming down the next section backwards. As she slid off the end of the rail, Jamie saw a bank guard come huffing out of the side door. "Hey!" he called. "Get off that rail!" As he came running down the steps, he stopped for a second, and with a look of surprise he shouted, "How old are you, anyway?"

Ryan shot him a grin as she ran past Jamie. "Run like hell!" she shouted as she blew by. Jamie heeded her advice and took off down the street; running as well as she could in her sandals. When she trotted into the store, completely winded, Ryan was already sitting in a chair trying on the shoes in her proper size. "I gotta have these," she said, with a look in her eyes that reminded Jamie of Caitlin with an ice cream cone.

The winded blonde plopped down next to her and admonished her firmly, "You have to warn me earlier when there’s chance we’re going to be arrested." She pulled in another deep lungful of air, "I could at least have worn my running shoes." When her breathing returned to normal, she looked at Ryan with concern, "Are you sure these are a good idea, Ryan? You know you can’t take many more blows to the head."

"I’ll be careful," she promised with a wide-eyed look of pleading.

"That’s a laugh!" Jamie said with a shake of her head. "You don’t have a careful bone in your body!"

Ryan just gave her a little shrug, along with a sheepish grin, as she handed the shoes to the clerk to ring up. She insisted on paying for the shoes herself, reminding Jamie, "If I do break my neck, do you really want to be responsible for purchasing the instrument of my demise?"

As they walked back to the car with their purchases, Jamie stopped and turned to her, giving her a big smile as she shook her head. "What was that for?" Ryan asked as they resumed walking.

"You just never cease to amaze me," she said simply. "I mean, I really don’t like you doing things like that. I love you so much that it frightens me to death to think of you getting hurt."

Ryan started to interrupt, but Jamie placed both hands flat on her chest, stopping her rebuttal. "You will get hurt, Ryan. You have before, and you will again. Let’s be realistic," she said firmly.

Ryan pursed her lips before giving her a reluctant nod. Jamie continued, "Despite that, your wild side is so much a part of who you are, that I can’t ask you to give it up just to keep yourself safe for me." She leaned in and gave her a small kiss on the lips, "To be completely honest, I think you look really hot when you do crazy things like that."

Ryan gave her a broad grin and hugged her soundly as people passed by, staring at them as they went. "Hot, huh?" she whispered.

"Very," Jamie whispered back. "You look all wild and untamed, and your face breaks into this sexy, confident smile that just makes me want to ravish you."

"I’d love to be ravished," she hummed into her ear.

"Um...Tiger?" she asked as she felt her knees beginning to weaken. "We’re kinda in a public place. Can I ravish you at home?"

"Well," she said with a grin as she pulled back. "I’d love to be seduced in public, but I guess home’s okay too."

Jamie gave her a firm pinch on the butt as they started up again. Ryan just casually tossed an arm around her shoulders as they sauntered down the street.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

As they passed a good-smelling coffee shop Jamie looked into Ryan’s eyes and begged, "Can we stop here for a jolt? Getting up at 4:30 is hard on this little body."

"Anything you want, Babe. You run in. I want to check something out." Jamie did as requested and, just as she received her drink, Ryan sidled up to her, looking a little smug.

"Where’ve you been, Sweetie? You look like the cat that swallowed the canary."

Shifting a paper bag from one hand to the next, Ryan pursed her lips and puffed out her cheeks, feigning the removal of something from her even, white teeth. She gulped audibly, and smacked her lips together, looking at Jamie with dancing eyes. "Got a feather stuck between my teeth," she grinned, unwilling to reveal anything more.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Seeing Ryan’s purchase spurred Jamie on to buy a little something, so they walked around for a while, looking in the little shops. Jamie finally decided on a cute pair of board shorts for her long-legged lover. They were quite a bit shorter than the men’s style, and were a very bright red, with a white design of pineapples and palm trees, and a white waistband and lace that pulled steel grommets together to hold them up. She looked terribly cute in them, and Jamie was completely pleased with the purchase.

Heading back to the Boardwalk, Ryan decided she needed a little blow out to test her new wheels. She got back into her blades, kissed Jamie lightly on the lips and wiggled an eyebrow. "Back in a minute," she said with a twinkle in her eyes.

She took off down the path, heading away from the populated section. Within three strides she was bent forward at the waist, her extended arms crossing in front of her with each long stride. Surprisingly, she didn’t use her knees much at all. She had them flexed, but her real movement came from her powerful hips. She propelled herself by pushing out strongly toward the side with long, deep strides. When she was whisking along at her desired speed, she placed her hands behind her back, grasping one lightly with the other. Jamie watched her with amazement. Is there anything she can’t do well? She looks like every sport was just made for her. As she watched, she began to get a familiar tingling and she mentally rebuked herself. If you get hot every time you watch her do some activity, you’re going to spend your whole life turned on! After a moment she gave herself a mental slap and thought, What’s the problem with that?

Ryan returned after about 15 minutes, winded and slightly sweaty, but content. Jamie couldn’t help but give her a strong hug, smiling to herself at Ryan’s puzzled expression.

Ryan was starving by now, so they stopped at the first place that looked non-lethal and loaded up on fast food. Exhaustion overtook them both, and without a word they agreed to head home. As soon as they reached the house they collapsed into bed, fully clothed.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

When Ryan woke, she slid out of bed and stretched for a few minutes. She was rested and ready to do something, but Jamie looked like she’d be out for a while. Rather than leave the room to look for entertainment, she decided to investigate the bookcases of her partner’s childhood room. There were a number of family portraits placed around the room, and Ryan spent a few minutes studying them. She was particularly taken with one of the whole family when Jamie was about a year old. The resemblance between her lover and young Caitlin was really astonishing, and Ryan barely moved for a few minutes, studying the photo closely. Jamie came up behind her and slid her arms around her waist, laying her head against Ryan’s back. "You were such an adorable baby," Ryan said as she turned and wrapped Jamie in her arms. "Of course, given how adorable you are now, that isn’t surprising," she said with a grin.

"Flattery will get you everywhere," she replied with a crooked smile as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss her partner. She continued the hug, nuzzling her face into Ryan’s chest for a full minute. "When do you want to start our family?" she asked casually, releasing her hold and stepping back to look at her lover.

Ryan stood stock-still and tilted her head before she asked, "Where did that come from?"

"There were quite a number of kids at the beach this morning, and it just started me thinking. How do you feel about having kids? I mean, I know you want to, but I don’t know when or how."

"Hmm," the dark woman said, addressing the issue seriously. "Well, being with you has changed my mind about that a little bit," she admitted. "Before we got together, I was pretty sure I wanted to have a child right after I graduated. But now I’m not so sure."

"I don’t understand why you would change your mind because of me?" Jamie asked, a small frown forming.

"I used to think that I would raise a child alone, and it seemed like a good idea to do it before I started a career. With you, I’m not in as big a rush. I won’t have the same worries about child care, being able to afford it, and things like that."

Taking Ryan’s hand in hers, Jamie led her to the window seat, where Ryan leaned up against the side wall, extending one long leg and bending the other at the knee. Jamie sat between her legs with her torso resting against Ryan’s chest. "Much better," the smaller woman sighed, as Ryan’s arms encircled her body. "Do you think it will bother you to let me pay for a lot of the expenses of child-rearing?" Jamie asked.

Ryan’s deep laugh rumbled through Jamie’s body. "I’m sure I’ll have a few issues," she admitted. "But if we’re going to have kids, my primary concern is to make sure they’re well cared for. I think I’ll be able to put my concerns aside to make that happen."

"That’s good to hear," Jamie said. "I’ve been afraid that we would argue a lot about things like that."

"Oh, we probably will," Ryan chuckled. "I have a sneaking suspicion that you and I have different standards about what constitutes the necessary expenses of raising a child. We’re going to have to come to some agreement about things before going forward."

"Details, details," Jamie assured her. "I certainly don’t need to raise our children in the style I was brought up, and I don’t think we need to stick with your family’s austerity, either. We’ll come up with our own little model."

"Sounds like a deal," Ryan agreed. "But, I would like to give you one little piece of reality, Babe. My youth was not austere. We were very average in our neighborhood, and I can’t think of anything I ever really needed that I didn’t have."

Jamie squeezed her partner’s arms as she quickly apologized. "Oh, Baby, I didn’t mean that like it sounded. I just meant that your upbringing was austere compared to mine. I was given everything—far too much, in reality. I don’t want to raise our kids like that. But I also don’t want them to have to work like you did for every little extravagance."

Ryan returned her squeeze and leaned over to nibble on Jamie’s ear, "We’ll see," she murmured, closing the door on the money issue for the time being.

"Given that, when do you think you’d like to start?" Jamie asked, returning to her initial question.

"I guess it still depends a little on what I want to do professionally. And of course, on what you want to do, also. I’m not in this alone anymore," she said with a smile.

"Is it important for you to give birth?" Jamie asked, assuming that it was.

"As selfish as it seems, yeah, it is important to me. I know I would love any child of ours the same, no matter which of us gave birth to it. I just feel that there is a connection to my mother that I can only have if I actually give birth myself. I want to feel that primal, instinctual connection that childbirth gives you."

"I can’t imagine how cute you would be pregnant," Jamie mused, picturing her partner’s perfectly flat tummy expanding to massive proportions.

"I feel the same way about you," Ryan replied, as she nibbled Jamie’s neck. "You would be devastatingly sexy."

"Do you find pregnant women attractive?" Jamie asked in a surprised tone, as she turned a little to make eye contact.

"Totally," Ryan said firmly. "And I’m sure you would be so completely hot looking that I’d be on you like flies to honey."

"So if our sex life gets boring, I could just get pregnant to spice it up?"

"Well, that’s one of the worst reasons I’ve ever heard of to have a child, but I bet it would work," Ryan conceded with a leer. She gave her a firm hug as she asked, "Is it important to you to give birth?"

"I’m certainly not averse to the idea," Jamie mused. "I always assumed that I would, since I would be married to a man, and they’re not very good at doing that. Now that I have a built in baby-making machine, I’m not so sure. I think I’ll just have to wait and see if I have a real need to reproduce. There is a part of me that might prefer to adopt a couple of kids."

"I’d be more than happy with that arrangement," Ryan agreed. "Although I have a very strong desire to have a cute little Jamie clone running around the house."

"I’d love to give birth if I could actually have a child with you, Ryan. But my desire is much less strong if I just have to use some stranger’s sperm."

"Well, there are a couple of near clones that you might be able to hook up with," she said with a wiggling eyebrow.

"Do you mean your brothers?" Jamie asked in surprise.

"Yeah. Conor has already offered. He told me years ago that he’d be happy to help out."

"Wow!" she replied with excitement. "That puts a whole different spin on the issue. That would almost be like having a child with you."

"It’s a close as you can get without cloning," she said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Gee, I don’t know, Ryan," Jamie hedged. "Having Conor for a dad and you for a mom could be really dangerous."

"And just why is that?" she asked somewhat indignantly.

"You’re both so wild and full of energy! I don’t know if I could keep up."

"Yeah, but your moderating influence would be important, too. Maybe the baby would take after you."

"Have you paid any attention to the dominance of the O’Flaherty genes?" Jamie demanded. "Everyone but Rory looks like they came from the same mold. Even your cousins don’t look like their mothers. Those are some powerful genes, Baby."

"I guess you’re right, there. Maybe you would do better to just go to a sperm bank."

"Uh-uh," she said with a determined shake of her blonde head. "I love every little O’Flaherty gene," she insisted, as she turned to kiss Ryan soundly. "I would be pleased beyond words to bear a child that resembled you in any way at all."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

***Part 11***

They sat in the window seat for a long while, each silently musing about their future children. Ryan’s libido woke up after a bit and she started to caress Jamie sensually. Her partner gave her a devilish little smile and said, "Let’s go somewhere else. We’ve done this room thoroughly."

Ryan gave her a crooked grin and asked, "Where to?"

"Well, first, you need to hop in the shower," she decided. "I want to munch on every little part of you, but you’re still salty and sandy."

"Be right back." Ryan smiled as she hopped to her feet and scampered into the bath.

When she emerged, she noticed that Jamie had set out a little outfit for her to wear. "Mmm, dress up time?" the dark woman asked.

"Yep," the green eyes danced. "I love having my own life-sized dress-up doll." Ryan was still drying her hair with the towel, and as she paused to comb it Jamie asked, "Did you play with dolls when you were little?"

"Yeah, but not much here," she mused, sliding the wide-toothed comb through her tresses.

"Here?"

"America," she clarified. "Aisling and I played mummies and daddies all the time in Ireland."

"Mummies and daddies?"

"Yeah. Playing house, you know?"

"Oh, right," she said. "Why not here?"

"Which of my cousins do you think I could get to play house with me?" she asked, blue eye twinkling.

"Riiight," Jamie drawled, finally realizing the problem. "Didn’t you have any little girl friends?"

"Nope. I didn’t make friends with girls until I was in grade school. Sara was actually my first real girl friend in America."

"Sara?" Jamie interrupted. "You didn’t have girl friends until high school?"

"No, no," Ryan laughed. "I think I told you that we were friends in grammar school. She was in third grade when I was in second, and we were on our school’s pee-wee soccer team."

"I don’t remember if you told me that, Honey," she said softly. "But it makes it even clearer why losing her friendship was so horrible for you."

"Yeah," Ryan nodded, unwilling to go into the incident again.

"So tell me more about this mummies and daddies thing," the blonde asked, trying to lighten up the mood.

"It was funny," Ryan recalled, apparently content to continue talking about her youth. "In Ireland, all of my friends were girls because of Aisling. But in America, it was all boys."

"Which did you like better?" Jamie asked.

"Neither. I liked them both. They were just different. I did different things and played different games, depending on whom I hung out with. I was actually quite good at playing mummies and daddies. Guess which I always was?" she asked with a wide grin.

"Hmm, how many guesses do I get?" Jamie teased, slapping her partner hard on her bare butt.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

As Ryan stood surveying the outfit that had been prepared for her, she held up a tiny scrap of fabric and asked, "Is this a hankie?"

"Nope," the blonde head tossed in denial. "Those are your panties."

"Panties?" Ryan asked as she held the fabric up, spreading it with both hands. The little elongated triangle of shiny black material, would actually have been too small to be an effective handkerchief, Ryan had to admit.

"It’s a G-string," Jamie chided her gently. "Come on, let me help you into it."

Ryan gamely placed her hands on her partner’s shoulders and lifted first one foot and then the other. "You know," Ryan said as she felt behind herself and ran her fingers up the string leading to the tiny waistband. "I never understood why it was called a G-string. But it’s actually shaped just like a G that’s lying on it’s back." She twitched her hips a few times to settle the material between her thighs. "I bet most women who put one of these on end up on their backs pretty quickly too," she mused, with a leer at her grinning partner. "So where do you want to take this off of me?"

"Not so fast, Pal," Jamie chided, as she handed her the rest of the outfit. Ryan looked at her with a puzzled frown as she accepted the tight gray ribbed tank and black Lycra boy-cut shorts.

"Are we going out?" she asked, not wanting to journey far with the G-string flossing her butt.

"Not really," the smirking blonde answered rather enigmatically. She watched as Ryan added the tank and workout shorts, then handed her a pair of socks and her cross-trainers.

"Workout clothes?"

"Come on," Jamie urged. "Play nice, and I’ll give you something good to suck on later." Her dark blonde eyebrows wiggled dramatically, causing Ryan to laugh out loud.

"I just bet you will," she said with a wry grin. "But first, I get to choose an outfit for you. If I’m gonna display my wares, so are you!"

* * * * * * * * * * * *

When the smaller woman was dressed in a green and blue print sports bra and blue running shorts, they walked along the path to what looked like a large garage. Ryan asked, "How do you know none of the key-holders are here today?"

"The gardeners were here this morning, as you can tell." She indicated the overflowing green recycling bins near the garage. "The housekeeper only comes once a week when no one is home. I’ve gotta admit I don’t know when the pool guy comes, but we’re not going far," she said, leading Ryan to a door on the side of an enormous five car garage. There was an interior staircase just inside the door, and they walked up it, hand in hand.

Jamie opened the door at the top of the stairs and turned to see Ryan’s jaw nearly hit her chest. The large room ran the length and breadth of the massive garage. It was carpeted with nice deep green plush, and floor to ceiling mirrors covered every wall. The room held the latest and finest weight machines and free weights that Ryan had ever seen. There were machines to work every part of the body, and racks of free weights neatly lined up along a wall. There was a treadmill, an elliptical cross trainer and a recumbent bike. A large screen TV sat against a far wall, and huge speakers hung from the ceiling.

Ryan turned to Jamie wide eyed and said, "Why didn’t you show me this before?"

"Because I wanted to hold your attention. I wanted you sweating over me, not over this iron," she said with a grin. "But now I want you to sweat for me," she revealed, as she leaned in to capture Ryan’s ruby lips.

Ryan pulled her head back slightly as she gave her partner an indulgent grin. "I have got to say, Jamie, that if I had known what a little firecracker you were, I would have put the full court press on you that first day in class."

"Well, you know now, Sweetie. So get ready to light my fuse," she breathed, right into Ryan’s smiling face.

"Name your pleasure," Ryan said as she looked around the room, still amazed by the completeness of the gym.

A slight flush grew on Jamie’s cheeks as she said, "I need you to indulge me a little bit, if you don’t mind, that is. I’ve been dreaming of this since we worked out together on our ‘Gay for a Day’ outing."

"Was that when you had really good sex with Jack?"

"Good memory, Sweetie," she laughed. "Yeah, I still feel guilty about that. He was making love to me, but I was making love to you," she said with an even pinker blush. "My powers of denial even amaze me sometimes. I convinced myself that all of the women in the gym wanted you, and that it was perfectly natural to have those feelings. I just chalked it up to animal attraction."

Ryan was intrigued to find out some more facts about how this process had worked for Jamie. "Did you fantasize about me after that?"

"Not when I was with Jack. I really did feel guilty about it, and it took some of the pleasure away. But ever since February, I don’t think I’ve touched myself without seeing your face or your body."

"I thought you said you didn’t touch yourself very often."

"I didn’t. I think that is a very big reason why I didn’t. My denial is only so strong, Ryan. And masturbating while thinking about your lean little body was tough for even me to reconcile," she laughed. "So I think I tried to suppress my entire sexual response."

"Well it doesn’t seem very repressed now," Ryan whispered into her ear.

"No, I would tend to agree with that diagnosis, Dr. Freud," she said, kissing Ryan on the lips. "Now, let’s get busy." She led her smirking partner over to the machines dedicated to the shoulders and back. "I don’t know if I’ve ever told you this, but I’ve found out that I’m a back woman," she said with a little eyebrow wiggle, as she kissed each exposed shoulder.

"I don’t think you have," Ryan said. "As a matter of fact, I don’t really know what about me turns you on, besides these," she added with a grin, as she placed her hands under her full breasts and lifted them tauntingly.

"That’s because everything about you turns me on, silly." She gave Ryan a little squeeze as she added, "Looking at other women has shown me that some parts just get my attention first."

"And just where have you been looking at other women? Hmmm?" Ryan’s tone was light and she clearly was joking, but Jamie still flushed deeply.

"I…I…I don’t really look…" she began, but Ryan cut her off.

"Everybody looks, Honey. Most people just aren’t honest about it. It’s not a problem."

Jamie rolled her eyes in relief, happy that her partner was so low-key about these issues.

"Soooo," Ryan urged, her playful grin back in place. "What works for you?"

"Well, as I just told you, shoulders and backs are big favorites." She trailed her fingers down Ryan’s back, feeling each individual muscle under the gray cotton. "And I like to go a little farther down, too," she whispered, as she placed both hands on Ryan’s firm rear and palmed her cheeks. She turned her around and ran her hands all over her muscular thighs. "And these make me throb," she said, as she knelt to snake her tongue up one taut quadriceps. She looked up from her position to see Ryan’s tightly closed eyes and small smile. "C’mon, Baby," she said, as she stood and took her lover’s hand and led her to the lat pull-down equipment. "Time to sweat."

Ryan pulled up short and asked, "So…the game is to have me work out and then make love?"

"Umm…well…I guess that’s about it," she admitted. Looking up at her partner with a questioning gaze she quickly added, "That doesn’t bother you, does it?"

"Ahh…no, " Ryan laughed. "Combining two of my favorite activities is all good. But if I’m going to work out to turn you on, it only seems fair if you do the same for me."

Jamie crossed her arms over her chest, striking a confident pose. "So…tell me what floats your boat, Hot Stuff."

"Pardon?" Ryan asked, blinking her blue eyes ingenuously.

"I told you about my favorite body parts. What do you like about me?"

"Hmm," the brunette mused, walking around her partner to study her thoroughly. "What do I like about your smokin’ little body."

"Come on," Jamie urged. "We haven’t got all day."

"Don’t rush me," Ryan insisted, continuing her perusal. "I don’t really focus on individual parts very much. I have more of a macro approach."

"Really?" Jamie asked, dropping her arms and cocking her head. "You don’t have certain parts that always arouse you?"

"No, not really," Ryan said, shaking her head briefly. "I meant it when I said that I was most attracted to energy. Oh, I notice certain parts, if someone has an extraordinary something-or-other, but I wouldn’t say that any part particularly arouses me."

Jamie sat down on a padded bench, staring at her partner for a long moment. "Do you think it’s weird that I focus on…things?"

Ryan squatted down next to her, placing her hands on Jamie’s knees. "Do you think it’s weird that I don’t?"

A quick headshake and a furrowed brow indicated that she did not. "That’s not the same thing," Jamie said. "Not doing something is never as weird as doing something."

"Ahh…I would tend to disagree, and I have hundreds of examples to support my case, but let me assure you that I do not think you’re weird in any way, Babe. My guess is that more people are like you than me."

Jamie leaned over and placed a quick kiss on Ryan’s lips, then pulled her up to join her on the bench. "So, tell me how you get aroused," she asked, in a shy voice.

"Okay," Ryan happily agreed. "Let me think…I’ll tell you how it is when I’m with you, all right?"

"Sure."

"This is pretty simple actually. I’m always aroused when I’m with you." A goofy grin covered her lovely face, and Jamie couldn’t help but laugh at her.

"Okay, Smarty-Pants, tell me how it is…I should say ‘was’ with other women."

"Alright," Ryan agreed once again. "It’s sort of a ‘what came first, the chicken or the egg?’ with me," she posited. "I’d be kinda horny, and I’d call someone or go to a club and meet someone. I’m kind of a self-starter," she laughed.

"Surely that wasn’t always true," Jamie admonished.

"No, of course not. Sometimes someone I knew would call, or I’d run into them. If they asked me to come over, I’d get aroused thinking about how we’d had sex before. If I met someone that I didn’t know, I’d have to say that the thought of exploring someone new was always arousing for me."

"That’s how you got in the mood," Jamie insisted. "I want to know how you actually get aroused once you’re in the mood."

Ryan looked perplexed for a moment, staring into space as she tried to answer the question. "It’s the same thing for me," she finally said. "Once I’m in the mood—I’m aroused."

"That simple?" Jamie gaped. "You’re ready to go once you’re in a receptive mood?"

"Yeah," Ryan nodded. "I’d have to say that’s true. I get aroused really easily, Babe. I can go from having no thoughts of sex to being completely aroused in a couple of minutes." She shrugged her broad shoulders as she turned to look at her partner. "It’s not like that for you, is it?"

"God no! I have to work up to it pretty slowly. It feels like a slowly rising thermometer for me," she said reflectively. "But I stay down in the low range for quite a while most of the time. I have to touch and be touched to really get worked up."

"Hmm, let’s test that hypothesis," Ryan grinned, standing and extending a hand.

"Name your poison," Jamie smirked, as she joined her by the lat pull down equipment.

Ryan adjusted the seat and sat down, waiting for Jamie to set the weight when she indicated her preference.

Before she began she said, "I’ll do my normal routine, and you can tell me where you are on the scale. Give me a one to ten on how aroused you feel, and I’ll do the same for you, okay?"

Staring at her partner for a moment, Jamie said, "You know, you could make millions as a trainer if you used this tactic on all of your clients."

"No way, Babe," Ryan laughed. "This is private training in the best sense of the term."

Jamie stood back and watched her partner glide through a 12-rep set of the back exercise. "Nice," she muttered, coming close to place a kiss right behind Ryan’s ear.

"Scale?" the smirking brunette asked.

"I’m a ten for being in the mood, but about a one in arousal," Jamie admitted. "You?"

"Mmm, I’m not registering yet," she said. "Do you know what it is about working out that makes you hot?"

"Hmm," she mused as she considered the question. "I uh…think my main goal is to get you all flushed and sweaty," she admitted, blushing as she revealed her secret longing.

"I like sweat, too," Ryan purred.

"It surprised the holy heck out of me when I discovered that I like to see you sweat, but I’ve fantasized about it often since that time you took me to work out at the football stadium." Ryan gazed at her curiously, so she continued. "You were leaning over me, and the sweat was dripping off your face and landing on my bare skin. I almost came right then and there!"

"Did you know you were attracted to me then?" Ryan asked, unclear as to the date.

"Nope. It was right before Christmas break. I was clueless…on many levels," she laughed.

"Well, I’ll sweat for you any time now, Love," Ryan promised. She gripped the wide bar with her hands spread about 18 inches apart and began to smoothly move the weight, barely letting the plates touch the stack before she raised them again. She completed her second set of 12 repetitions without interruption, but as she paused, Jamie’s hands began to trace over her back muscles, applying almost no pressure at all to the skin. As Ryan began the third set, Jamie’s hands rested lightly on the flexing muscles, feeling each fiber as it strained and relaxed, strained and relaxed.

"This is so hot," she whispered into Ryan’s pink ear. "Just keep going, Buffy."

Ryan pulled the bar down again and again, concentrating on her form, while Jamie rubbed her thumbs in a sweeping pattern, starting at her spine and fanning out. The small hands moved lower, inch-by-inch, until she had covered the entire surface of the back, continuing until Ryan began to tire and stopped to collect herself.

"Five!" Ryan gasped out with a laugh. "When you whispered in my ear, everything started to tingle."

"I’m about a two," Jamie said. "But it’s moving in the right direction."

"You know, it’s hard for me to concentrate if there is loud music at the gym," Ryan admitted with a smirk. "This is a whole new level of distraction."

"Do you like it?" Jamie asked, afraid that maybe she was pushing her too far.

"I love it. I absolutely, positively, love indulging your fantasies." She turned around to bestow a tender kiss on her partner’s lips, lingering a little longer than necessary. "As long as we’re going to be here for a while, do you want to test my capacity?"

"Huh?"

"That’s when I work from a light weight with many reps and gradually increase to the heaviest weight I can handle for just one or two reps. Wanna see?"

"Sure."

Ryan went to the seated cable row and set the machine at 60 pounds. She sat down on the long padded bench and executed 15 perfect reps, sliding the straight bar back to its terminus as she finished. She raised the weight to 70 pounds and started again, after a rest. This time she did 12 reps and Jamie could detect just a few drops of perspiration trickling down her neck and running down to her tank top. The cotton wicked most of them away immediately, but Jamie managed to snag one and rub it into Ryan’s back with her index finger. "Three," the blonde whispered into a flushed ear. Chills ran down Ryan’s back.

The next set saw another ten pounds added, and Ryan looked like she was really ready to stop when the tenth rep came. Another short rest allowed Jamie to capture a few more drops of sweat and chase them around the smooth skin.

At 100 pounds, the eighth rep seemed like it was going to fail, but she managed with a deep grunt to pull the bar against her chest. This time the rest was a little longer, allowing Jamie more time to play.

When the weight stack was set for 130 pounds, Ryan took a few deep breaths and steeled herself. She gripped the bar and grunted heavily as first one, and then two reps were successfully completed. She slid down and collapsed against the long bench, dropping her arms to dangle off of it. "Wow, that’s a bitch," she muttered, as she got to her feet.

"Not for me," Jamie murmured as she slid her arms around her waist and leaned in for a sweaty hug.

"Like that?" Ryan smirked, looking down as her partner took in a deep breath.

"Umm-hmm," was her enthusiastic reply. "Four…in the express lane… headed for five."

"I actually fell down a little," Ryan mused. "I really had to concentrate hard to do those reps right, and the blood must have been needed in my back muscles more than my love muscles."

"Oh, we’ll get you back up," Jamie promised. "Just you wait."

"That’s about all I can handle on my back," Ryan decided. "Now it’s your turn." Wildly waggling eyebrows accompanied this statement.

"Name it," Jamie asked.

Musing silently for a moment, Ryan decided on her pick. She rolled a large green exercise ball over and held it still with her feet. "Crunches," she announced firmly.

"On that?" Jamie cried.

"Yep. Put up or shut up, Babe."

"Oh, all right," Jamie sighed. "How do I do ‘em?"

"I’ll hold the ball still, and you lie down with just your upper back resting on it."

"I can’t do that!"

"Of course you can," Ryan admonished. "It’s not that hard. Come on now." To make it a little easier, Jamie got on the floor and rolled onto the big ball, with Ryan stopping the progress with her feet when she was in position. All of the weight of her torso was resting on the ball, with her legs merely providing stability. "Looks good," Ryan decided. "Now fold your arms across your chest, but hold them away from your body…good….good," she proclaimed. "Now do a set of crunches just like you normally do them."

Jamie shot her a look, but complied with the instructions, getting through a set of 15 with little difficulty.

"Excellent!" Ryan cried. "How did that feel?"

"It felt like I’ll feel it tomorrow," she groused. "And my number went down, too!"

"Well, mine went up," Ryan decided. "Let’s do another."

By the third set, Ryan’s eyes were definitely twinkling, and Jamie decided that she didn’t mind feeling a little pain to keep that fire in those blue eyes. After the fourth set, the fatiguing woman rested by sliding father onto the ball, letting her arms dangle against the lime green surface. Even in repose, the muscles stood out in the bright halogen light, and Ryan got to her knees next to the ball and leaned in to raise her number a little.

She started to trace the protuberant muscles with the very tip of her warm tongue, gliding over the dips and raises as Jamie held perfectly still, soaking up the gentle sensation. "Back to five," Ryan murmured between swipes of her tongue.

"Right there with ‘ya, Babe," the smaller woman murmured languidly, willing the touch to continue.

"Time for another set," Ryan whispered, breaking the mood.

Her compliant partner crunched her way through an even 100 reps, and as she collapsed against the ball, Ryan started to work on her tummy once again. By the time she was finished licking and sucking on the moist, flushed skin, both of them were cruising along at a six.

"My turn again," Ryan announced. "Would you rather see chest or shoulders?"

"Shoulders. Definitely shoulders," Jamie immediately replied.

Ryan chose the exercise that she knew would highlight her muscles to their best advantage. She pulled a weight bench right up next to the rack of dumb bells and picked up a pair of five-pound weights to begin. "What are you going to do?" Jamie asked.

"Back delt fly," she replied. "If you could hand me the next increment as I finish each set, it would help."

"Love to," she smiled.

Ryan sat at the very edge of the bench and leaned forward until her back was just a few degrees from parallel to the floor. She held the weights behind her knees and slowly began to raise them to shoulder height. She looked a bit like a very large bird, slowly flapping its powerful wings, but Jamie found this particular bird to be terribly sexy. She climbed onto the bench and sat directly behind her partner, trailing her fingers down the now slick skin.

Ryan eased through 12 reps and paused just a moment, while Jamie handed her the seven pounders. Just before she began, cool hands began tugging at her tank top. "I think this exercise would be perfect if it was performed topless," a soft voice hummed in her ear.

Lifting her arms immediately, Ryan smiled up at her partner as the smaller woman tugged the wet garment off. The reps fell as the weight, and Jamie’s arousal number, increased, until Ryan was visibly straining to lift the 30 pound weights for just two reps. Jamie loved the little grunts and "oofs" that she made, most of the sounds reminding her of Ryan’s cute little orgasmic cries. For her part, Ryan loved the feel of Jamie’s fingers gliding over her hot, wet skin as she strained with the weights.

The taller woman stood and stretched a bit when she was finished with the exercise. Her skin glowed pink under her golden tan, and the already-prominent muscles of her back stood out even more, evidently from the demands being placed on them. Raising her arms high above her head, she reached for the sky with one arm, then the other, smirking slightly at Jamie’s fascinated stare.

The blonde was nearly drooling as she took in the vision that stood before her: sweat beading all over the smooth torso, muscles rippling, chest straining from the effort of the workout.

"Number?" the dark beauty asked teasingly.

"Duuuuh," Jamie replied vacantly. "I’ll get back to ya."

Ryan leaned her head back and laughed heartily, her breasts bouncing against her chest as she did so. Just as Jamie’s hands lifted to grasp the slick globes, Ryan stopped her advance. "Uh-uh, Sparky, your turn to sweat. You’ve barely got a glow on."

"Unnnngh," the feisty blonde cried, trying in vain to wrench her hands from her partner. "Just one squeeze?"

"Nope," Ryan decreed, standing tall and crossing her arms across her chest to block access. "Work first, then play."

A frustrated sigh and matching scowl signaled Jamie’s forced compliance. "Okay, what next?" she grumbled.

"Hmmm," Ryan thought carefully. "I’m gonna choose…pull-ups."

"Pull-ups? That’s cruel!"

"Play by the rules, Babe. I want to see those shoulders and abs straining."

Rolling her eyes skyward, Jamie allowed her partner to lift her so that she could grasp the pull-up bar. She stuck her legs straight out, and started to raise and lower her body, keeping her form tight and smooth.

The effort she was forced to expend to perform the reps properly caused her muscles to stand out vividly, and Ryan delighted as she watched the veins on Jamie’s biceps bulge from the stress. Indulging her evil streak, Ryan stood behind her partner, and began to take long swipes of her tongue down the straining back.

"Ohh, God," Jamie cried, as she fought to focus. "Gonna fall!"

Ryan caught her easily, and lowered her softly to the ground. "That might have been the worst set I’ve ever seen you do," she laughed. "But for being a good sport, I’ll give you a little treat." Jamie batted her eyes and smiled seductively as her partner tugged the damp sports bra from her body. Her eyes fluttered closed as Ryan stepped a few inches closer and squatted a little. She grasped Jamie’s hands to deny her normal urges, and then allowed their rigid nipples to brush lightly against each other.

"Unnggghhh," the frustrated blonde cried as she tried to raise her hands to grasp the objects of her desire.

"Uh-uh-uh," Ryan insisted. "If I let you have your way, we’re done for the day," she sagely predicted. "Let’s keep going until we’re both at ten."

"No fair!" Jamie cried. "When I work, my arousal drops, and the same thing happens to you! We’ll never get there."

"Hmm, you have a point," Ryan considered. "How can we accomplish our goal…"

"I’ve got an idea," twinkling green eyes decided, confidently taking Ryan by the hand. She led her to a bar, resting at chest height on a structure that allowed the bar to glide up and down on a track. "Some squats should do the trick," she proclaimed.

"Squats don’t normally make me hot," Ryan advised her.

"You haven’t been doing them my way," the confident woman insisted.

"As usual, I’m game," Ryan grinned, allowing Jamie to lead the dance.

"Okay," the thoughtful woman decided. "Do a warm-up set first. What weight do you need?"

"Give me 50 for the warm-up," Ryan said. Jamie did so and watched as her partner moved the bar to the highest position and stood under it. She released the locking hooks and let the weighted bar settle onto her shoulders, carefully spreading her feet shoulder-width apart. She bent slightly at the waist to secure the feel of the bar and then began a set of squats, her thighs and butt taking on all of the weight.

Jamie stood behind her, letting her eyes wander all over the powerful body. Even though Ryan’s thighs bore most of the weight, her back muscles flexed and stretched nicely, providing the smiling spectator with a nice show.

When the set was finished, Jamie decided, "Now that we’re both warmed up, let me make one small equipment change." Ryan stood and waited patiently as Jamie peeled the shorts off of her, leaving only the G-string. "Gotta see the whole canvas," she chuckled, as Ryan smiled down at her. "Okay, Sport, gimme another set."

While Ryan got the bar ready, Jamie pulled a short bench over and sat down right behind her. Ryan took a quick look over her shoulder, shaking her head at the prospective torture she knew was in store for her. Nonetheless, she hefted the 80 pounds and began her set. On the second rep, a pair of cool hands met her cheeks as she squatted into the exercise. Those questing little hands roamed all over her ass, sending tingles down both spines simultaneously.

The tiny little strap that bisected Ryan’s butt was much more visually alluring than actual nakedness would be, and the smaller woman’s heart thudded in her chest as she watched the performance. The halogen spots that illuminated the space were providentially positioned to send a pool of warm light right onto Ryan’s ass. The sculpted cheeks glowed with a fine sheen of perspiration and, as Jamie leaned forward, she found that her mouth was actually watering at the sight. Her tongue automatically darted out of her mouth, and she found herself licking at the smooth, firm mounds as she would a delicious ice cream cone on a sizzling hot day.

Ryan’s groan snapped Jamie from her focus, and she sat up, letting her partner catch her breath. The weight slid back onto the self-locking hooks, and Ryan stood for a moment, her legs shaking from the combination of fatigue and arousal. Without a word, Jamie rose and added ten more pounds to each end of the bar, making it an even one hundred.

Sparing a suspicious glance, Ryan got back down to work, lifting the bar onto her shoulders and flattening her back. On the third rep Jamie’s hand slid between her partner’s spread legs, sliding along her cleft in an intentionally incendiary touch. A low moan sprang from the dark woman’s lips as she shrugged out from under the weight, letting it drop and clang loudly against the padded floor. She turned in the same motion and pulled Jamie into her arms, carrying her onto a pair of exercise mats. As she lowered her to the floor, she leaned down close and growled, "Ten!" as her lips captured her partner’s in a fiery kiss.

They rolled around on the thin mats, laughing wildly as they wrestled. Miraculously, Jamie won, tossing the larger woman onto her back, legs slightly spread, with the tiny piece of fabric just barely covering her vulva. Little black curls peeked out the sides of the material, beckoning Jamie to explore the ineffectively hidden treasures.

Jamie leaned back and gave her a cool appraisal. Azure eyes silently begged for relief, hips twitching with need. The tantalizing body was flushed from head to heel, hair damp with sweat, bangs stuck limply to forehead. She had a fine sheen of perspiration covering her completely, and little rivers of sweat ran down her sides. Besides the tangy aroma of exertion, Jamie was also rewarded by the scent of the arousal that flowed from Ryan, occasionally wafting up to reach Jamie’s nose.

She began to run her hands slowly up and down Ryan’s wet body. Her hands glided along smoothly, aided by the lubrication. Ryan’s head tossed back and forth in frustration as she sucked in a deep breath. Jamie’s hands were not idle for a moment, stroking her slick breasts and her belly. "God, I love your scent," Jamie growled into her ear, as she bent to cover her chest and belly with tender, emotion-filled kisses. The kisses became more heated and soon progressed to firm sucking and sharp nibbles. Ryan groaned and gasped for breath as Jamie continued to lick and suck all down her body. Her breathing was ragged and quick, and she was nearly beside herself with arousal. "You have to…I’ve got to…" Ryan shook her head roughly, frustrated with her inability to form a coherent sentence. She grasped Jamie’s hands and forced them between her legs, locking her clear blue eyes on her partner. Her features were tense from the frustration that pounded through her body, and she managed to speak only one word, but her meaning was crystal clear, "Pleeease," she moaned, shivering roughly. "Please."

"Please?" the intentionally obtuse blonde purred. "Please what, Baby?"

Ryan’s blue eyes were largely unfocused as she gazed at her partner in amazement. She knew that her request had been understood, and it dawned on her that Jamie actually wanted her to beg. It’s your own fault, Ryan, she chided herself. I think you might be biting off more than you can chew when this one lets loose. Ah well…she thought with a mental shrug, I’ve begged before, and I’ll beg again.

Her hands slid up her slick belly to cup her breasts, clearly Jamie’s favorite spot. Her eyes fluttered closed as her hands grasped the tender flesh, now so slick with sweat that she had a hard time holding on. Her head tilted back as she squeezed firmly, the flushed skin peeking out from between her splayed fingers. A small gasp of pain flew from her lips as she grew a little too enthusiastic, and she bit down on her lower lip as she intentionally kept up the pressure. The throbbing between her legs increased dramatically, and her hips began to twitch of their own accord, as she continued to squeeze her now-tender breasts roughly.

It was impossible to open her eyes fully, but the heavy-lidded glance she spared her partner showed that the demonstration was working according to plan. Emerald green eyes focused on her hands like lasers, and the blonde licked her lips as she leaned in so close that her hot breath floated across the simmering flesh.

Ryan knew she had her at this point, and she reveled in the power she felt in being able to affect her partner so strongly. Her desire flared even brighter as their eyes locked together and she could see the stark need displayed in the verdant depths. The power had definitely shifted, and Ryan offered a knowing smile as she slid her thumbs into the tiny waistband of her G-string and slipped it from her body. Her legs splayed wide open as she made her final plea.

One elegantly shaped finger was slowly pulled into her warm mouth while Jamie watched in fascinated silence. Ryan’s cheeks pulsed as she sucked deeply, wetting the lucky finger thoroughly. Withdrawing it with a "pop", she trailed a wet path down her chest, moving to one firm nipple, then to the other—leaving a thin trail of moisture as the finger passed. Pausing to replenish the lubrication, Ryan continued her erotic demonstration, heading further and further south. She gasped and thrust her hips sharply when her finger grazed the edge of her swollen lips, and her eyes flew open when Jamie let out a growl and dove for her. Before she could blink, determined small hands had slid under her thighs and pulled her forward just enough for Jamie’s questing tongue to lave her throbbing need.

A deeply satisfied smile graced Ryan’s lips as she relaxed into the touch, her hands coming to rest gently upon Jamie’s fair head. Two can play the begging game, my love, she thought with a wry smirk.

Even the distraction of reflecting on her accomplishment could not hold off her fulfillment, and after mere seconds of this exquisite torture, Ryan felt herself cresting near the edge. She gritted her teeth, trying to hold off the inevitable terminus, since the journey had been so arduous. But she was powerless over the fantastic sensations radiating from the center of her body, and after a scant few moments, her head began to toss back and forth, a low, strangled cry bubbling up from her chest as she climaxed.

As the pulsing slowed, her fingers found Jamie’s shoulders, and she pushed gently, forcing the determined woman away from her stimulated flesh. "No more," she moaned weakly. "No more."

In a heartbeat, Jamie was at her side, wrapping her in a loving embrace, holding her close until her rapid heartbeat had calmed. "I’m covered in your scent again," the small woman murmured, rubbing her wet face against Ryan’s cheek.

Ryan chuckled, deep and low in her chest. "You seem to have warmed up to the scent thing pretty quickly. What happened to that innocent young thing I knew just a few days ago?"

Jamie looked at her, eyes slightly wide. "Do you like it?" she asked with a good bit of hesitation in her voice.

"Like it?" Ryan asked with an even bigger laugh. "I love it! I knew there was a little firecracker hiding behind that demure demeanor."

"Mia was right," Jamie mused, as she snuggled up against Ryan’s chest.

"Mia? Where does she figure into this discussion?"

"When we were talking on the beach, she told me that oral sex was one of the most fantastic things to do with someone you cared for," Jamie revealed.

"Hmm, I’m not sure I’d agree if I was straight, but there’s nothing I like better with a woman," the dark beauty agreed.

Jamie knew that Ryan had not a clue about Mia’s dabblings, but she didn’t feel that she should reveal the truth, so she merely agreed with her partner. They rested together for a few minutes before Jamie looked up at her lover and asked, "Um…why haven’t you done that to me, if you like it?"

Ryan’s low laugh rumbled through both of their bodies. "I tried to, Hon, but you were having none of it. I decided to hold off until you indicated that you were receptive."

"Ooh, I guess I did that, didn’t I?" she asked with a little giggle. "Well, it’s okay if you want to do it now," she offered magnanimously.

"Uh-uh," Ryan smiled down at her. "I want you to tell me when you’re in the mood."

Jamie sat up and stared at her. "Tell you?" she gasped.

"Yep," Ryan decreed. "You’ve been uncomfortable before, and I don’t want to make you feel odd about it. When you want to try it, I want you to tell me, or signal me somehow." Ryan’s eyes danced with humor as she reminded her partner, "You said you’d rather signal me than ask for what you want, remember?"

"Oh, Honey," she moaned, as she collapsed against her partner’s side. "I don’t think I can do that. Can’t you just be in charge?"

It was obvious that Jamie desperately wanted her partner to take responsibility for this decision, but Ryan was adamant. "Nope. I told you the other night that isn’t how I want this relationship to be, and you agreed, Jamie. We need to learn to ask for what we want, and be comfortable with our desires. It might take you a while, but I want you to ask me for what you need. I promise I’ll satisfy every request, if I’m capable."

A deep sigh expressed Jamie’s unhappiness with this arrangement. "I don’t like it," she groused.

"Humor me," Ryan insisted. "Own your desires, Babe."

"Oh, all right," she grumbled, rolling onto her back. Quickly shucking her shorts, she held her arms open and demanded, "I desire to have you make love to me until I’m faint."

"Your wish is my command." Ryan smiled, flashing her white teeth.

Within moments they were gliding against each other in a slick, sensual dance, warm, wet bodies moving with tortuously slow grace. Ryan had taken her partner’s wish with the utmost seriousness, and she was determined to make Jamie beg for mercy.

Bit by bit she loved her squirming body, kissing every surface, nibbling and sucking on most. The small woman writhed under the loving assault, moaning softly as she tried in vain to quicken her partner’s pace.

Ryan was moving slowly, investigating every spot that caught her interest. Making her way down her partner’s shaking body, she was now lying between her lover’s trembling thighs, dark head resting on a firmly muscled leg. The fiendish woman seemingly was trying to drive her victim absolutely mad, as she languidly teased the sensitive skin of the inner thighs that lay just within reach. Her warm, wet tongue had been drawing complex patterns on the baby-soft skin for long minutes, never drawing closer to the goal Jamie desired but was too shy to request.

Trying to lure Ryan closer was having scant success. Jamie’s legs were spread as wide as was humanly possible, but neither her position, nor her moans and whimpers had the desired effect. Come on, Baby, she urged silently. You know I want it, and I know you want to do it…come on…just another inch!

Ryan’s head moved just a fraction of an inch, giving the silent woman hope, but the soft lips fell onto the skin just adjacent to the spot where they were so desperately needed. For one tantalizing second, as Ryan lifted her head again and hovered just above the throbbing spot, Jamie was sure that her partner would take pity on her and continue on her path,. Her warm, humid breath floated over Jamie’s overheated skin, so close and yet, so far. The dark head tilted just enough for cerulean eyes to lock onto mist green as Ryan pursed her ruby lips and blew a small kiss at the slick flesh and began to pull back.

Realization dawned on Jamie, and before Ryan had traveled three inches, determined small hands grabbed her head and pulled it forward, forcing Ryan’s face into her moistness. "Do it, Ryan! God! Please do it!" Jamie cried unnecessarily.

Without hesitation, Ryan tilted her head and let her tongue travel in an unbroken path, trailing all along Jamie’s need with a long, wet kiss. "OHH! My God!!" the gasping woman cried, her legs impossibly sliding open even further.

For just a moment, Ryan lifted her head and made contact with Jamie’s heavy-lidded eyes. "This was worth the wait," she murmured, the sincerity of her words reflected in her ardent gaze. "You’re absolutely magnificent."

Green eyes fluttered closed as Ryan bent to her pleasure-filled task. Small hands went to the back of her lover’s head and caressed it as the dark woman settled down to feed upon the nectar of her arousal.

Quicker than either woman wished, the blonde head fell back, and Jamie cried out loudly, moaning and gasping as powerful waves of sensation washed through her body. Ryan stayed right where she was, watching in delight as a series of spasms rolled through her partner’s coiled form. She gently stroked the trembling thighs, murmuring words of love as her lover’s body slowly calmed.

When the pulsing seemed to have stopped, Ryan crawled up and cuddled her still-spent partner in her arms. After several minutes, Jamie rolled onto her back and smiled lazily. "You always know best."

"Another convert to the cunnilingus club?" Ryan gently teased.

"As soon as my hands stop shaking, I’ll sign up for a lifetime membership," the satisfied blonde smirked, dropping her head onto Ryan’s chest for a short, well-deserved nap.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Return to The Bard's Corner