A large smile covered her face when she saw the Chevy Lumina pull into her driveway. Karen quickly made her way to the door and pressed the button activating the electronic garage door, closing it once Whitney drove in. She stood at the doorway smiling warmly. "Hi."

Whitney quickly exited the car grinning. "Hi yourself." She walked through the door Karen was holding open for her. "So what're we going to have for breakfast today?"

"If it's not too much trouble, a cheese omelet sounds great. We could have bacon or sausage with it. What do you like?"

"An omelet sounds good. I have a taste for bacon, how about you?" Whitney walked over to the two skillets sitting on the stove and turned the burners on low.

"Same for me. I made some coffee, want a cup?" When Whitney nodded, Karen got two cups out and filled them both. Handing one to Whitney, she opened the refrigerator and removed the eggs, bacon, and margarine, setting them on the counter. "I'll make the toast."

They ate breakfast, enjoying each other's company, and the meal was spent mostly in companionable silence, occasionally peppered with small talk. They both helped clear the table and clean up the kitchen, and then sat back down at the table.

"Want some more coffee?" At Whitney's affirmative answer, Karen walked over to the pot and refilled their cups. She returned to the table and sat down. "Do you have plans for today?"

"Just for breakfast." She grinned and looked at Karen speculatively wondering what she was thinking. "What about you?"

"I have a favorite place I like to go sometimes, just to get away." Karen paused, watching Whitney closely. She saw curiosity in the green eyes meeting hers, and continued. "It takes over an hour to get there, but it's a nice drive. Would you like to go with me?"

"Oh Karen, I'd love to." Whitney was unable to contain her excitement. "Where is it?"

"It's a really nice place." Karen answered evasively. She wanted to surprise Whitney with her discovery, made a few months before. The weather had turned out perfectly, and it would be pleasant and private. The tourists would be heading further south this time of year.

"A mystery, huh? Well, if you're not going to tell me, am I dressed okay?" She couldn't believe how great the weekend was starting out. A whole day with Karen. Yes.

Karen grinned and winked. "You look fine. I'll bring along a warmer shirt for both of us, in case it gets too cool." She left the table, returning a short time later with two long sleeved, button-down shirts.

Whitney stood up and smiled. "We ready?"

"Yep. Just gotta make a couple quick calls. She dialed SFC White's home number. "Hey John. We still on for today?" Karen had already talked to him Friday to make sure he would be home in case she did take off with Whitney.

"Yeah. Just give me a call when you get back. Wherever you're off to, have fun. You don't get away from here enough."

"I plan to. Thanks." Karen then dialed the barracks, and when the CQ answered, she informed him SFC White was to be notified in the event of any emergencies. She hung up the phone and turned to Whitney grinning. "We're ready. Mind if I drive?"

"Not at all." She was perfectly content to ride instead of drive, but decided to tease the tall woman, and crossed her arms. "It's probably a good idea since I don't know where we're going."

Karen quirked a half-smile. "It'll be worth the wait. You'll see."

Whitney chuckled. "Well, okay, if you say so."

"Good. Glad that's settled."

They'd been on the highway for about fifty minutes; Karen had pointed out a few landmarks they passed, and Whitney had been sharing some of her past experiences when something they passed reminded her of home or her few years in Chicago.

"Karen." The tall woman briefly glanced over at Whitney, her eyebrow raised in question. "I want to start looking at apartments and wondered if you would mind helping me out. Like which ones are nicer and stuff like that."

"Sure. Just let me know when you want to go looking. I know of a couple nice complexes that aren't all military if you want some privacy."

"That would be great." It had almost seemed as if Karen had read her mind. That was exactly what she was looking for. A place where her every movement or visitor wouldn't be monitored. Impulsively, she asked, "What do you think of the fraternization policy?"

Karen almost swerved when she riveted her eyes on Whitney for a moment too long. That was one of the things she'd wanted to talk about today. It was almost eerie that Whitney had obviously been thinking along the same lines. "In some cases it makes sense. Like when two people are in the same unit, it could compromise their ability to make unbiased decisions."

"What about if they aren't in the same unit? Do you think it should matter then?"

The XO knew by Karen's immediate reaction to her question, it was something she'd thought about, too.

"No I don't. If each is assigned to separate units, the potential for favoritism or biased decision making no longer applies." Karen glanced at Whitney and smiled ruefully. "Obviously the Army doesn't agree with me. What about you? What do you think about it?"

"Pretty much the same as you." Whitney watched Karen carefully as she formed her next question. "How do you feel about regulations you don't agree with? I mean have you ever considered breaking one if it didn't really serve any good purpose?"

Whoa. Well, you wanted to talk, so talk. "Yes." Karen glanced at Whitney. "You look surprised."

"I guess I just thought, well you seem so, oh, I don't know." Suddenly uncomfortable, Whitney looked away from Karen and out the window.

"So military?" Karen decided to help the younger woman out. She was curious if this was going in the same direction that she wanted it to. Curious green eyes met hers briefly before she returned her gaze to the road.

"Yeah." Whitney smiled, relieved she hadn't offended Karen.

"My aunt died when I was eighteen." Karen paused, trying to decide just how much to tell Whitney. She glanced over and saw friendly, interested eyes turned her way. "I was her sole beneficiary, but the money was to be held in escrow until I was twenty-five. She left her house to me, but I didn't want to stay there. One day I was watching TV and a recruiting ad came on, so I had the lawyer sell the house and signed up for four years. I reenlisted the first time because I didn't have anywhere to go, and that never changed, so I kept reenlisting. That's it in a nutshell."

"Are you glad you stayed in?" Whitney watched an unreadable expression float across her companion's face before it disappeared. "If you want me to shut up, I will."

"No." A quick smile accompanied the answer. "I just really never thought about it that way. There are a lot of things about the military I love, but there are some things I hate, too. The Army really needs to readdress some of its policies. I thought in the right position, I could help get some of those changes made." Karen glanced at Whitney. "What about you? Are you glad you traded education for military service?"

"Yeah." If I hadn't, I never would've met you. "It was the only way I could swing college and I'll always have my education. I figured I could put up with four years for that."

Karen exited the highway and turned onto a state route. "We're almost there."

"We're getting close to the ocean. Do you think we could stop and see it before we go back? I've never seen either one."

Smiling inwardly, Karen shot Whitney a cagey grin. "Sure." A short time later she steered the car onto a narrow gravel road before turning into a dirt road and pulling off to the side at the end of it, the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean visible before them.

Whitney stared at the view in awe. The white-capped waves gently splashed against the shoreline before retreating only to surge forward again. She turned to Karen, her voice just above a whisper. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah. I love it here. Wanna take a walk?"

Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and the car door swung outward. "Are you kidding?"

Karen chuckled, pleased that Whitney liked her hideaway. They walked side by side across the pebble-strewn beach, stopping just short of the water. Whitney kicked off her shoes, preparing to take her first walk in the ocean.

"Watch your feet. Some of these pebbles are sharp, but it keeps the tourists out." She removed her shoes, joining Whitney at the water's edge, and looked at her grinning. "Last one in has to spring for dinner."

Whitney ran forward stopping as Karen passed her by. "It's cold!"

"Yep. Always is this time of year." Karen was standing in knee-deep water. "Guess you lose."

"You cheated!" Whitney tried desperately to glower at the tall woman, but was unable to keep a smile from appearing on her face.

"I did not. You're the one who stopped."

"You knew the water was cold." Whitney turned as if to leave the water and suddenly whirled around sending her hand skimming across the top of the water splashing Karen who'd moved closer.

"Oh, wanna play dirty!" Karen returned the favor, and the two engaged in a free-for-all water fight amidst much laughter. Thoroughly soaked, they both left the water for the beach a few minutes later.

"At least the sun's warm." Whitney crossed her arms, a little chilled.

"Just a second, I'll be right back." Karen slipped on her shoes and jogged to the car. She opened the trunk, removed a blanket, two towels, a bottle of Skin-so-Soft, and a thermal water jug then returned to where Whitney was still standing. "Come on. There's a clear patch of beach over there."

Whitney put her shoes on and followed Karen eyeing the items in her arms. "You came prepared. Want some help with that?" She reached out and took the water jug when Karen handed it to her.

After she spread out the blanket, Karen took the water jug back from the smaller woman and threw her a towel. "Come on and sit down." Karen briefly turned away, hiked her t-shirt up around her neck before turning back around, bra in hand and T-shirt back in place. "This'll dry better in the sun."

Whitney had watched Karen, surprised at her obvious comfort level in the open and decided to follow suit. She gasped when the cold tank top hit her sensitive breasts, and pulled the front of the top away from her body. "This is cold."

"It'll be better if you lay down. The sun'll dry it real quick." She reclined to a prone position on one side of the blanket, and glanced at her companion.

The smaller woman quickly joined her after pulling her eyes away from the sight of Karen's fully erect nipples clearly outlined by the wet T-shirt. Whitney felt the beginnings of desire course through her, and tried to ignore it. "Sounds good."

Lying down, she was embarrassed to notice that her tank top was just as revealing as Karen's T-shirt, and was unable to keep from sneaking peeks at the woman beside her. "How'd you find this place?"

"By accident. I was looking for a place on the beach that wasn't full of tourists, so I kept driving further away from the main beach area." Karen was actively fighting with her libido, thoroughly aroused by the revelations of Whitney's wet tank top. It was your bright idea to take off your bra. What'd you expect? "It tends to stay empty because of the pebbles. I cleared this spot the first time I came. You like it?"

"I love it." She met the deep blue pools looking at her. "Thanks for sharing it with me." Whitney knew how private Karen was, and it made her feel warmer inside than she already was at the sweet gesture.

"I thought you'd like it, too."

The women remained silent for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Karen wanted to talk to Whitney about them and was searching for a way to bring it up so she could still escape gracefully if she'd been reading her companion wrong. Whitney was in the same quagmire, and she was the one who finally broke the silence. "What do you think of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Karen was immediately pulled form her thoughts by the question and met the sparkling green eyes looking at her. "It sucks. It shouldn't even be a policy. Sexual preference has nothing to do with the way someone performs their job."

"If one of your soldiers came to you and told you they were a lesbian, would you turn them in for breaking the policy?"

The tall woman never hesitated. "If they wanted out of the military, I would help them get discharged, but no, I would never turn them in. I would strongly advise them not to tell anyone else, though." Karen watched Whitney intently. "Why?"

"I was just wondering. Well, no, I, what.. Let's just say, hypothetically, I told you I was a lesbian. What would you think of me?"

Karen raised an eyebrow, probing for more information. "Hypothetically?"

Whitney glanced away, unable to meet her eyes. "Yeah."

"If you mean would I think less of you, of course not." Karen paused, trying to gather her thoughts. "Whitney, our sexual preference has nothing to do with the kind of person we are or how we perform our job or anything except just that. It's nothing to be ashamed of, but it's tough being gay or lesbian in the military."

"Hypothetically, what would you think if you were ever attracted to another woman?"

Karen looked away and gazed at the sea gulls calling as they fished over the water. This conversation had quickly spiraled out of control. She'd intended to talk to Whitney about fraternization today, but hadn't intended to push the limits to include lesbian relationships. "I wouldn't think anything of it."

"You wouldn't think it was odd?"

The tall woman turned back to Whitney and met her eyes. It had been a long time since she'd gambled with her future, but it was time. "No. I've always been attracted to women." Karen held her breath waiting for her companion's response.

A myriad of emotions flickered through her mind as she comprehended the magnitude of the risk Karen had taken by the intimate revelation that had opened an entirely new realm of possibilities. Whitney realized the admission wasn't so much surprising as courageous, and overwhelmed by her thoughts, she was rendered speechless. Karen was the first woman she'd ever been attracted to, so she couldn't identify with her companion's comment without admitting her attraction, and she wasn't sure how the tall woman would feel about that. Desperately searching for the right thing to say, she stammered, "Umm, I uh…"

Karen watched the changes dance across the beautiful green eyes, and sighed inwardly, hoping she'd made the right decision. "Does that bother you?"

"No." She quickly added fervently. "No it doesn't." Whitney was still searching for a way to approach Karen about their friendship and her own feelings, but didn't know where to start.

Not wanting to put Whitney on the spot, Karen chose to remain silent for the time being. She was sure the "hypothetical" wasn't hypothetical at all, but she wasn't going to push the smaller woman either, especially after getting a glimmer of hope about the direction that they might be headed. Changing the subject might be helpful right about now. "You get anymore surprise packages in the mail?"

Whitney relaxed, temporarily setting aside her thoughts. "No, but I talked to Nana yesterday, and she's going to send a care package this week. No telling what she'll put in it." She chuckled. "You're invited to the opening."

"Thanks." Karen was pleased by the invitation. "Nana's a good cook."

The two women spent the next few hours talking and growing even more comfortable around each other. Both told stories of their childhood and life before the military, while remaining acutely aware of how close the other was.

Karen sat up, slapping at her arm. "These bugs gotta go." She reached for the Skin-so-Soft, removed the lid and began spreading it on her arms and legs. "Best bug repellent there is." She stuck her leg in the air applying oil to the back of it.

Whitney watched fascinated with the woman next to her. Words spontaneously spilled from her mouth. "It'd be easier if I got the back of your legs for you."

Now that's an offer I can't refuse. "Okay, and then I'll do the same for you." Karen handed Whitney the bottle, and lay down on her stomach, turning her head towards the small woman.

Pouring a little oil in her hand, she leaned over and began spreading the oil over Karen's thigh, immediately feeling herself react to the feel of the smooth skin covering the muscular leg her hand was sliding so effortlessly over. She slowed the motion of her hand, in no hurry to complete the task or end the pleasurable sensations racing through her own body. She slowly worked her way down Karen's leg taking care to make sure no one spot missed her attention. Whitney moved to Karen's other side and began repeating the process. A little more confident, she moved her fingertips to the very edge of Karen's short cutoffs, working across her thigh before beginning to work her way down, ever so slowly.

Karen was trying desperately to contain her libido when she wanted nothing more than to pull Whitney into her arms and passionately kiss her. The young woman was driving her crazy with the slow massage of her legs, and the teasing movement of her fingertips. She's killing me. Karen hands pressed into the ground as her desire grew.

Unable to prolong her task any longer, Whitney finally sat back. "Done."

Karen took a deep breath trying to contain her tumultuous emotions before turning over and sitting up. "Thanks. It's your turn now."

Grinning to cover her anticipation, Whitney moved to her side of the blanket and laid face down. Karen sat on her heels appreciating her first unobstructed view of the beautiful legs in front of her. She poured some oil in her hand before laying it on the smaller woman's leg. Karen's pulse began racing again as she slid her hand slowly over the smooth expanse of skin, her fingertips grazing the area just above the rough hem of Whitney's shorts and working her way down. She took care to spread the oil thoroughly, first sliding her hand along each leg and then gently rubbing it in. Another area of exposed skin caught her attention. "I think you need a little on your back. That tank top is kinda low."

Whitney had been lost in the pleasurable feelings emanating from the tall woman's touch and readily agreed. "Okay, thanks."

She gently brushed Whitney's hair away from her neck and poured a little more of the oil into her hand. She began on her upper back, gently massaging the liquid into her skin before deciding to move upward to include the bottom of Whitney's neck. Her fingers danced across the soft surface, and suddenly Whitney jerked and scrunched her neck down. "Hey, that tickles."

"What does?" She grinned mischievously and moved her fingertips across the same spots. "That?"

Whitney turned over laughing. "You did that on purpose!" The words had barely left her mouth when she was caught up in the intense blue eyes looking at her. Blue orbs became darker, and she was not willing or able to break the gaze. Her heart began racing wildly and she reached up, placing her hand on Karen's face needing to touch her.

Karen took the small hand and moved it from her face, fleetingly kissing Whitney's palm before returning her gaze to sparkling green eyes, intently looking for any sign of acceptance or rejection. She didn't have to wait long. The younger woman began to rise and placed a hand on her neck urging her down. Their faces were only inches apart when Karen threw all caution to the wind. "I want to kiss you."

"What are you waiting for?"

She didn't need another invitation, and slowly lowered her lips to the mouth awaiting hers, barely brushing them before pulling back, enjoying the brief, sweet taste. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

Whitney smiled. "Me too. Since we both wanted to, think we could try that again?"

"Oh yeah." She looked at the desire reflected in the young woman's eyes, and knew her own mirrored their passion. Karen leaned down and was met half-way as the younger woman pulled her head down, meeting her searching mouth with soft full lips, eliciting a jolt to her core as she allowed her emotions free rein. The kiss was long and lingering, open mouthed but noninvasive, ending only when breathing became more important than pleasure.

Propping her head on her elbow, Whitney reached over and brushed a lock of hair from Karen's face. "You're a good kisser."

"You aren't exactly a novice either." A sultry expression covered Karen's face, and her voice became low and sexy, sending shivers through her companion. "Bet we could get better with practice. Wanna try?"

Whitney smiled in anticipation. "Sounds like a plan." She reached for the tall woman urging her closer. Karen shifted the top of her body over Whitney's and once again lowered her mouth, firmly meeting her lips and urging them open with her tongue, starting a mutual exploration of the sensual orifice.

Whitney felt like every nerve ending in her body had come to life and took the short reprieve after the kiss to slow her racing pulse. "I think we practiced enough for now." She wished they weren't out in public, because the last thing she wanted to do was stop, but this just wasn't a good place to continue this. Whitney wasn't sure how long she could take the sexual onslaught before ceasing to care.

The tall woman eyes were purple with passion. "Can we practice later? At my house?"

Whitney winked at her tall companion eliciting a raised eyebrow in return. "I think that's a great idea."

Karen leaned forward, her voice husky. "Can I have one more kiss for the road?"

"I'd like that, too." Whitney was shocked a moment later when Karen raised her top and began a series of small moist kisses across her breast, grazing her teeth lightly across a fully erect nipple before carefully replacing the tank top to its original position.

Whitney moaned. "You cheated."

She wrapped a long arm around the smaller woman's shoulder and pulled her close. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't change your mind."

"Trust me, that won't happen." Her knees feeling rubbery, Whitney got to her feet, and held out her hand. "Come on. Let's go."

Karen winked. "Yes, Ma'am."

"You know what you can do with that ‘ma'am,’ right?'

The tall woman chuckled, gathered up their gear and trekked back to the car with Whitney. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been this happy.

Whitney followed Karen into the house, suddenly nervous, stopping in the kitchen when the first sergeant did.

Karen closed the distance between them and rested her arms on Whitney's shoulders. She'd picked up on the small woman's uneasiness, and her blue orbs reflected concern. "You okay?"

The XO nodded, smiling nervously. "Yeah." She turned uncertain eyes on Karen. "I don't know…"

"It's okay. We don't have to practice anymore." Karen's voice was gentle and soothing. "I don't want you to do anything you're not comfortable with. Okay?"

"It's not that." Whitney looked away embarrassed, not sure how to tell Karen she'd never been with a woman before. "It's just…" She was still unable to find the words to convey her inexperience, but not wanting the tall woman to misunderstand, she hugged her. "I still wanna practice."

Karen wrapped her arms around Whitney luxuriating in their closeness. She wasn't sure exactly what was bothering her friend, but didn't want to rush her. "Plenty of time for that. How about you get a shower and I'll order us some pizza." She quirked a half-smile. "I'll go get you some clean clothes to wear."

Whitney felt her body react to the tall lean form she was pressed up against from the moment their bodies connected, and she laid her head against soft breasts. "Umm…I like it right here." She looked up shyly. "Could we take a shower together?"

Oh, yeah. Karen's heart missed a beat and then began thudding wildly. She tried to will her control back in place, only partially succeeding before admitting to herself it was hopeless. "I'd like that." She leaned back and raised an eyebrow. "You sure?" Swirling green orbs met her deep blue eyes, and she saw the answer clearly reflected in their depths. Karen was totally unprepared when small fingers lightly pinched her nipple through the T-shirt precipitating a sharp intake of breath. "Ah…"

Looking at her innocently, Whitney rolled the nipple again before releasing it. "Paybacks are a bitch, aren't they?"

Karen's eyes darkened. "I think I'm gonna like this payback." She lowered her head searching out the smaller woman's full sensuous lips. The kiss was soft and lingering, a promise of things to come.

"I think we’d better take that shower now." Or we might never make it. Whitney's nervousness was lessening as her desire rose, and she shivered in anticipation.

Nodding her head in agreement, Karen released Whitney and took her hand. leading her to the bathroom. She kissed her lightly in the doorway. "I'll get you a change of clothes."

Whitney laid a hand on her arm. "Later."

Karen sucked in a breath. "Okay." She opened the linen closet, removed a couple of towels and washcloths, and joined her companion in the bathroom. Turning on the shower, she adjusted the water and partially closed the curtain, before turning to face Whitney.

The XO watched Karen, enjoying the smooth movement of her body as she performed the routine tasks. When the tall woman turned to face her, she smiled nervously and unfastened her shorts.

"Need some help?" Karen moved closer to Whitney, a sultry smile covering her face.

Her heart beating a staccato rhythm, Whitney's knees became weak. You are so sexy! She nodded her head, giving no outward indication she was treading on new ground, and answered sassily. "Love it."

Karen didn't need a second invitation and she unzipped the shorts, sliding her hands inside, softly caressing Whitney's buttocks through her underpants as she eased the denim over her hips. When they fell free, she hooked her thumbs on the elastic waist band of the thin bikini pants and lowered them, her fingers trailing over the skin leaving goose bumps in their wake as she lost herself in the deep green orbs.

Whitney's body tingled in the wake of Karen's soft touch, and her voice became low with desire. "Come here." She slid her fingers around the inner waistband of Karen's shorts before unfastening them, her hands acting of their own accord as she gazed into blue eyes almost black with passion. As she slid Karen's shorts down, her hands found their way beneath underwear to firm flesh that quivered at her loving exploration, driving her own arousal higher. Whitney's caress moved over hips on their journey forward, lightly grazing curly hair before hooking Karen's underwear and urging them down.

At Whitney's touch, Karen's breathing became rapid and her voice husky. "I think we’d better make this a quick shower." She raised her fingers to Whitney's face and softly stroked it before quickly flinging her top over her head. She'd never been particularly modest and waited for Whitney to do the same.

Whitney looked at the gorgeous woman standing in front of her with the perfectly formed body. Modest by nature, she was surprised that it seemed incredibly erotic to see Karen standing naked before her. Perfectly formed breasts and the gentle curve of her hips accentuated the long lean planes of her body. Acting of their own accord, her eyes moved downward to dark curly hair at the apex of Karen's legs. Suddenly realizing she was staring, Whitney felt blood rush to her face and she glanced up. She forgot her embarrassment when she saw Karen looking at her with a gentle, knowing smile. Whitney shyly lifted her top and suddenly felt larger hands on top of hers helping complete the task.

Karen stepped back, her eyes slowly raking the length of the small woman, pausing momentarily on her breasts and again on the thatch of blonde curly hair as her orbs continued their downward journey.

Whitney had never felt so vulnerable, and had to momentarily fight the urge to cover up. That thought was short lived as she felt her body tingle in reaction to the open appreciation in Karen's eyes. She tentatively reached out, wanting to feel the tall woman against her.

Accepting Whitney's invitation, Karen hugged the small woman close, every nerve ending in her body responding to the contact. She brushed her lips across the inviting mouth before softly speaking. "You're beautiful." Karen smiled at the blush her words caused, and her heart soared at Whitney's response.

"So are you."

She stepped into the bathtub, holding the smaller woman's arm as she followed her. "Want me to do your back?"

Whitney nodded. "Then I'll do yours."

Karen soaped up the washcloth and began to wash the short woman's back, doing her best to contain her arousal as the water rained down on them. Unable to resist, she ran soapy hands over Whitney's breasts and down the front of her body, before bringing her hands together on the inside of the smaller woman's thighs. She slowly raised them, pausing where Whitney's legs joined before slowly moving her hands upward never touching the locks of wet curls. She handed Whitney the washcloth. "Your turn."

Her eyes alight with passion, Whitney gently scrubbed Karen's back, her body still tingling from the feel of the tall woman's touch. She noticed a jagged scar beneath Karen's shoulder blade, and her brow furrowed. "What happened to you?"

"Just an old war wound. Piece of shrapnel." Karen turned around and smiled in admiration of the full breasts facing her. "Need any more help?"

"I think I can handle it. How about turning back around? I'm not done."

Karen winked as she turned around. "Whatever you want."

Smiling to herself, Whitney soaped her hands and pressed her body against Karen's back, relishing the contact. She moved her arms forward and lovingly ran them over Karen's breasts, before a finger on each hand began concentrating on cleaning the erect nipples. When she felt her shower partner begin to breath deeply, she moved her hands down across the dark wet curls, lathering them in a slow exploration until she felt larger hands cover hers and still them.

The tall woman turned around and drew Whitney close, her voice ragged. "You're driving me crazy." Not waiting for a response, Karen's mouth sought out Whitney's lips with a deep passionate kiss which left both women breathless.

"I think we’d better get out of here now, while we still can. I mean…" Whitney trailed off and blushed.

Karen nodded. "I know what you meant. And you're right." She turned off the water and stepped out of the tub, holding her arm out to the smaller woman. They dried each other's backs and finished toweling themselves off.

Pulling a terry cloth robe from a hook on the bathroom door, Karen handed it to her companion. "Here you go. I'll go find you some clothes."

Whitney followed the bare woman down the hall, grinning appreciatively at the tall form walking in front of her which seemed to glide across the floor, finely toned muscles untaxed by the motion.

Karen dug through her dresser drawers, finding a T-shirt and a pair of jogging shorts that had shrunk in the wash. She knew the top would be huge, but she didn't have any smaller ones. "These should work…" Karen trailed off when she saw Whitney standing there with the robe hanging open, smiling sexily.

The forgotten clothes fell from her hands back into the drawer, and she closed the distance to her companion, drinking in the sight. Leaning down, she fleetingly kissed the smaller woman, and then murmured in her ear, "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"

Warmth flooded through Whitney, her voice but a whisper. "I hope it's the same thing you're doing to me. Wanna practice some more?"

"Guess that means pizza can wait?" Karen had been fighting to control her desire the entire time they'd spent in the shower, but those four words sent a jolt of sensations through her body, culminating in a throbbing at the apex of her legs. She stroked Whitney's face. "I'd like that." Wrapping her arms around the smaller woman, she drew her close enjoying the feel of their skin touching and meeting the open mouth that eagerly awaited her lips.

Whitney never knew she had so many nerve endings, and every one was screaming. She ran her hands though the dark woman's hair as she deepened the kiss, her tongue seeking and gaining admittance in a sensual dance. She moved with Karen as the taller woman walked backward towards the large double bed, falling onto it before rolling them both over.

Passion filled green eyes met blue orbs darkened by desire, and a sensual exploration began as Karen began placing moist wet kisses across Whitney's soft neck. The smaller woman reached up, gently rolling a nipple between her fingers, drawing a low moan from Karen and driving her own arousal higher.

Karen sucked in a breath at Whitney's touch, and knew she needed to slow down. She took both of Whitney's wrists and held them gently to either side of her head as she lowered her mouth to a firm breast sucking softly. She saw the trust in her partner's eyes, and began showering her body with kisses as her leg parted the smaller woman's.

Whitney was quivering under the onslaught and unable to stop her hips from rocking against the thigh between her legs. "Ooh, Karen…"

The tall woman released Whitney's wrists and moved her hands down the smooth soft skin. She gently caressed a breast as she met Whitney's mouth with her lips. Drawing back from the contact, she lovingly explored the small body, generously planting kisses on the soft skin, and relishing the smaller woman's reaction to her attentions.

Whitney never knew she could experience so many sensations at once, and was overwhelmed by her body's response to Karen's touch. She moaned with desire when Karen placed a series of kisses along her neck, and ran her hands through long black hair urging the tall woman's head down into a hot sensual kiss.

Sensing her partner's readiness, Karen's hand drifted lower, parting wet lips eager for her touch, circling lightly over the inviting opening before concentrating on the swollen nub so ready for her attention. A timeless while later, Karen's loving strokes sent Whitney hurtling over the edge, almost pulling Karen in her wake.

She wrapped her arms around the smaller woman, holding her securely as Whitney's body rocked with pleasurable sensations. Karen felt a contentment she'd never experienced before and with it came the realization she was absolutely, totally, impossibly in love with the beautiful woman in her arms.

Whitney was unprepared for the magnitude of her release, and when able to speak, she gazed up into the blue eyes watching her. "I never, I didn't..." Trailing off, she sighed happily. "That was great."

Karen heart skipped when she looked into the soft green pools filled with meaning. She leaned over and kissed Whitney. "Mmm. Good."

The small woman's face turned serious. "Karen."

"Humm."

"I want to do that to you."

Karen's pulse was racing, and she felt an electric jolt course through her body. She took a deep breath. "I'd like that, but we can wait until later if you want."

Whitney felt Karen's heart rate increase and placed a palm on Karen's face. She looked deeply into her eyes. "I want to make you feel like l did. Now."

The tall woman felt her center throbbing and knew it wouldn't take much. Her body had never reacted this way to anyone else, and all Whitney was doing was talking to her. She nodded her head and filled with anticipation, released Whitney.

Whitney scooted out of Karen's embrace and moved over her, straddling her abdomen. She eased down placing a leg between Karen's, thrilled at the wetness that she came in contact with. Whitney rained kisses over responsive breasts and shifted upward, capturing warm lips for a fleeting encounter, as her tongue flickered over Karen's mouth.

She looked into the passion filled eyes and lowered her head again, excited by the desire reflected in the blue orbs. Leaning forward she met the sensuous mouth and squirmed when Karen began caressing her breasts. A gentle smile covered her face. "No. It's my turn."

Whitney saw vulnerability in her partner's eyes as she trapped her wrists with her hands, and instinctively knew it was something other people never saw. Reveling in the trust she'd been granted, Whitney's tongue began teasing one of the erect nipples; stimulated by Karen's quiet moaning, she lovingly ravished her breasts.

The younger woman loved the feel of the soft skin covering the sleek muscles, and she explored the long body thoroughly, liberally leaving kisses along the way. Once again, she returned to the full breasts, caressing and kissing them before drawing a nipple into her mouth and gently raking her teeth across it, increasing her own desire at the erotic sensation.

Karen was sure she couldn't hold out much longer. Whitney was mounting a sensual assault on her breasts and teasingly running her fingers across the opening between her legs. Her voice laced with passion, she coaxed her partner on. "Whitney, now. Please."

The small woman separated the swollen lips, her fingers finding the most sensitive part of Karen's anatomy easily, and quickly driving her lover into the throes of a powerful orgasm. She hugged her close and waited for her companion to still. She smiled contentedly, her nervousness but a memory.

Karen hugged Whitney. "You're awesome."

Whitney leaned over and kissed her. "Had a good teacher."

An unreadable expression covered Karen's face, and she felt the beginnings of jealousy begin to stir. "Oh?"

The small woman delivered her answer with a warm smile on her face. "You."

Karen's mouth dropped open, and she shook her head. "This was, you've never…"

"Been with a woman before."

"But you said…"

"Hypothetically." Whitney grinned at her surprised partner.

Karen pulled Whitney on top of her and winked. "Am I ever in trouble, and I love it. God help me when you have more practice."

Whitney chuckled delightedly, a warm feeling coming over her as she looked at the relaxed face of her lover. This was a side of Karen she'd caught only glimpses of before, and hoped to see much more often. "I'm gonna squish you."

"Nah. Not a chance." Karen rested her hands on Whitney's back, enjoying their closeness before rolling on her side facing her partner. "This better?"

Whitney brushed a lock of hair from the tall woman's face. "Umm. I could stay here all day."

Karen hugged her, murmuring with pleasure. "Sounds good to me." She nuzzled Whitney's neck drinking in her scent and committing it to memory. "You know this changes everything. Are you okay with that?"

"You mean, do I want this?" Whitney raised her head trying to read Karen's expression. When the tall woman nodded her head, she met the blue orbs wanting to emphasize her answer. "I've never wanted anything more." The large smile that covered Karen's face warmed her, and she teased, "Since I must not have convinced you, guess I gotta try some more."

Karen grinned and pulled Whitney closer. "Sounds like a plan."

Leisurely, the two began to explore each other again, delighting in each caress and sensual discovery, rejoicing in the pleasure they drew from mutually eager bodies, until finally resting, they lay contently in each other's arms. Lazily, Karen asked her partner, "You hungry?"

Whitney ran a finger idly across Karen's breasts. "Um hum." After leaning over and kissing each of the firm mounds, she ran her tongue across her lips, her eyes conveying an eternal invitation.

Karen chuckled and shook her head in mock exhaustion. "Greedy woman," she teased, before meeting the sensuous mouth with her own, happily accepting the offer as food and time ceased to have meaning for the new lovers.

***

Much later, Whitney walked over to a computer desk in the corner of Karen's bedroom and looked at the PC sitting on it. The case was plain and larger than the ones she'd used in college. She glanced over at Karen who had just finished dressing. "What kind is this?"

"No particular kind. I built it from scratch. Couldn't find one that had everything I wanted and was upgradeable, too."

"What's in it?" Whitney's first exposure to computers had been in college, and she taken to them right away.

Karen rattled off the components. "Pentium III, 900Mhz processor, 256MB RAM, 20.5 Gig hard drive. I'm thinking about adding another one."

Whitney studied the PC. "You’ve got a CD recorder, too."

"Yeah. It's great for storage." Karen shrugged. "I used to spend a lot of time on it, but haven't since I was promoted."

"It's nice. I've thought about getting one, but there's not a whole lot of extra room in the BOQ." Whitney turned back to Karen. "Maybe when I get an apartment."

"You can use this one anytime you want to." Karen picked up the clothes she'd dropped back in the drawer hours ago, and held them out to Whitney. "These'll be a little big, but I don't think they'll fall off."

Whitney tightened the belt on the robe not wanting to take it off. It carried a faint scent of the oatmeal soap they'd used in the shower, and she liked wearing something that Karen had worn. So what if it hung half way to her ankles. "I thought maybe I'd just leave this on, if that's okay."

"Sure." Karen walked over to Whitney and peeked down the front of the robe, grinning. "Yeah. I like this better, too."

The small woman laughed. "You are so bad. We’d better order that pizza while they're still delivering."

"Sounds good. Pepperoni?" When Whitney nodded, Karen picked up the phone and placed their order, before quickly dialing another number. "Hey John. Karen. Anything I need to know."

"No. Been real quiet. Glad you took the whole day off. I figured I'd hear from you hours ago."

Karen winked at Whitney. "Nah. I was kinda busy. I'll give the CQ a call and let him know I'm back. Thanks."

"Sure. Anytime. You know that."

After making the last phone call, Karen glanced at Whitney. "Wanna watch TV for a while?"

"Sure. Hope they hurry with that pizza. I just realized I'm starving." Whitney followed her companion to the living room and sat down on the couch next to her.

"Me, too. Worked up quite an appetite somehow."

Whitney poked her in the ribs, blushing. "What are we gonna watch?"

Shrugging, Karen began flipping through the channels. "Do you like Unsolved Mysteries?" At Whitney's nod, Karen flicked it on and set the remote down. "Want something to drink?"

"Any cranberry juice left?"

Karen nodded. "Be right back." She opened the refrigerator and took out the juice setting it on the table. Her thoughts on the small woman in the living room, she wondered why she'd pushed her away for so long. Karen's mind immediately answered. Because it's illegal and a double taboo. She mulled that thought over and came to a sudden realization. I don't care. It felt right to be with Whitney, and Karen wasn't about to let anything spoil it. After pouring a glass of juice for each of them, she returned to the living room and handed one to Whitney.

"Thanks." After taking a sip and setting the glass on a coaster, the XO turned to face Karen. "I want to talk to you about something."

Karen's brow furrowed when she saw the serious expression on her lover's face. "Okay."

"You remember when we talked about fraternization today?" When Karen nodded, Whitney continued. "The first time we went to breakfast together, you mentioned I could probably get reassigned since I was slotted wrong. I checked into that Friday because, well, I thought, if I changed units you might…" She trailed off. After today, it didn't seem as important, but it would probably still be for the best.

"Want to be more than friends?" Karen supplied, gently looking into the deep green orbs. She leaned over and softly brushed Whitney's lips with her own. "It was a good idea."

Karen's thoughts turned inward. There was no way their relationship could any longer be construed as even remotely legal in the military's eyes, and if they were found out, a court martial was the likely result. If Whitney transferred, it might help prevent them from being discovered and allow them to justify their decision to disobey the regulation, since they'd agreed it shouldn't matter if the involved people were in different units. It was a temporary fix, but selfishly Karen hated the idea. How often would she get to see Whitney? It's not like they could be together every night without causing speculation about their relationship. She was drawn from her thoughts by her lover's voice.

"What are you thinking?" Karen had been quiet for so long, Whitney was worried she might be getting cold feet. This afternoon had happened so spontaneously; maybe the implications of it hadn't set in until now.

"Would transferring make you feel better?"

Whitney took hold of Karen's hand. "I was thinking more of you. You're a career soldier. You've got almost thirteen years in, so you've got a lot more to lose than I do." When Karen raised an eyebrow, Whitney grinned. "I checked out your personnel form." She glanced away, before turning unhappy eyes on Karen. "To be honest, no. I'd miss you."

"Then it's unanimous, because I don't want you to, either." Karen spoke from her heart. "I feel alive when I'm with you. I've never felt like this around anyone before. I'd forgotten what being happy felt like. You showed me. If you're willing to gamble, so am I."

The impact of Karen's words slammed against the smaller woman. "You'd risk your career for me?"

Karen held both of Whitney's hands and spoke with conviction. "You're worth the risk." She smiled. "Besides I'm being a little selfish. I don't want to be lonely anymore, and I'm not when I'm with you."

Throwing her arms around Karen, Whitney drew her into a big hug. She murmured in her ear, "You sure know how to make a woman happy."

Karen returned her hug and leaned back, meeting happy pools of green. "I meant it." She winked to lighten the moment. "Would you spend the night with me?"

"Just try and get rid of me."

Karen sat on the couch with her arm draped across Whitney's shoulders. They'd finished the pizza some time before, and were just relaxing enjoying each other's company. She picked up the remote. "Any requests?"

Whitney smiled at the contented look on Karen's face as she snuggled against her. "Uh Uh." It was enough to be sitting next to the woman she'd managed to fall in love with in the few short weeks since her arrival. It's true. I am in love. I have to be. I've never felt like this before, and I like it. She sighed blissfully.

"You're kinda quiet." Karen loved listening to the younger woman talk, and even though the silence was a comfortable one, she wanted to make sure they were okay. You're so insecure. Look at her. Does she look unhappy or like she's having any second thoughts? Karen grinned at the truth of her inner voice.

"I'm just too happy to talk. What are you smiling about?"

"Us."

Whitney feigned a totally innocent look. "Us? What about us?"

Karen moved her arm from Whitney's shoulders, and rested her hand on the back of the small woman's neck. Locating the ticklish spot she'd found on the beach, she ran her fingers across spot, laughing when Whitney scrunched her neck down. "I think you know exactly what I mean."

"I really don't." Whitney laughed. "Now stop that or..."

"Or what?" Karen chuckled, continuing to tickle her lover.

Whitney suddenly leaned forward, sliding her hands under Karen's T-shirt running her fingers across Karen's sides trying to find a ticklish spot.

"No fair." Karen was trying hard not to laugh, and reached over untying the belt on Whitney's robe. Pulling it open, she grinned, her heart beginning to race. "That's much better." She forgot her intent to tickle Whitney's sides instead choosing to caress the soft breasts. Karen's voice lowered as her desire rose. "Nice. Very nice."

Whitney leaned into the caress, aroused by the large hands gently stroking her skin. "Umm, Karen?" When Karen looked up, she winked. "I don't think those are ticklish."

Karen leaned forward and kissed Whitney on the nose. "I just wanna make sure."

Whitney's breathing quickened as Karen's hands moved lower, and she drew her into a lingering kiss. She lay down on the couch and held her arms out, further aroused by the glint in Karen's eyes. "You're insatiable."

The tall woman didn't need a second invitation as she joined her lover whispering in her ear, "And you're not?" TV became a muted sound in the background as the women explored the physical pleasures of their newfound love well into the night.

***

The tall woman fumbled in the dark and picked up the phone. Her voice was still raspy from sleep when she spoke. "Hello."

"Top?" A tentative male voice questioned.

Karen quickly became alert. "Yes."

"It's Sergeant Alexander. I just got a call from the local cops. They said Tilford's been hit by a car, and he's bad off. They took him to Mercy Hospital. Should I call CPT Johnson?"

"I'll do it." She turned on the light, and opened the nightstand drawer pulling out her copy of the alert roster.

Blinking sleepy eyes, Whitney slammed them shut when the lamp suddenly came on. She opened her eyes against the glare, sensing the seriousness of the conversation. "What's wrong?" Her voice was barely audible.

Karen placed her hand over the phone receiver, and whispered, "Tilford got hit by a car. Cops reported he's seriously injured. I'm gonna call Gary and then head over to the hospital."

The small woman listened as Karen filled Gary in and waited until she hung up the phone. "I want to go, too."

Karen furrowed her brows. "Um, you don't have any clothes here."

"I'll stop on post and meet you at the hospital." Whitney quickly moved off the bed and changed into the clothes Karen had selected for her earlier.

The first sergeant quickly donned jeans and a T-shirt, finishing about the same time as Whitney. "Mercy's on Main and Green. You know where that's at?"

Whitney nodded. "We saw it that day we toured Fayetteville."

"Oh, yeah. Ready?"

Karen followed Whitney to the garage, leaned over, and quickly kissed the small woman. "See you in a little bit."

Once both cars cleared the garage, she lowered the door and began speeding towards the hospital.

Karen walked into the bright fluorescent-lit emergency room and approached a large desk. She pulled out her ID and showed it to a receptionist. "I'm First Sergeant Wilson. I want to check on the status of Tilford. He was hit by a car and brought here."

The receptionist barely glanced at the tall woman standing in front of her. She was used to the military presence in Fayetteville, and knew the soldier would be transferred to Ft. Bragg's hospital once he was stable. Rifling through paperwork, she pulled out a form. "He's in trauma three. They haven't reported his condition yet." She nodded toward the hard chairs lining the emergency room waiting room. "Have a seat and I'll see what I can find out."

Karen turned away from the window and paced around the emergency room before walking through automatic doors to the parking lot. She knew it was too soon for Whitney to arrive, but she wished for her company. Noticing a couple of cops standing outside their patrol car, she approached them.

One of the officers nodded when Karen walked up. "Need some help, ma'am?"

"I'm First Sergeant Wilson and I'm looking for the officers that responded to a hit and run. The injured man is assigned to my unit."

The taller cop ran a hand through his hair. "That'd be us."

Karen unconsciously settled into an interrogation role. "Does anyone know what happened? Were there any witnesses?"

"There was one witness. He's running scared right now and asked us to keep his name out of it. From what he says, the car deliberately ran your soldier down. He was crossing the street and when he saw the car coming, he ran for the sidewalk. Made it, too. Car never stopped, though. Jumped the curb, slamming him against a building before taking off. We've got an all points out on the car, but it's probably stolen. We'll be forwarding a copy of our findings to the MP's."

"Thanks." Karen turned away and walked back across the lot, her mind racing. Deliberately run down? She'd sensed something was bothering Tilford, but there'd been nothing to indicate it was life threatening. What in the hell is he into?

Whitney arrived back at the BOQ, and hurried to her room. Glad she hadn't run into anyone while in Karen's oversized clothes, she donned a pair of white slacks and a russet-colored blouse, and was on her way within minutes.

Driving to the hospital, Whitney thought about the little she knew about Tilford. She'd met him while inventorying Commo. He seemed quiet and polite, but was otherwise unremarkable. She hoped he would be okay, but judging from what Karen had said, that was doubtful. Arriving at the hospital a few short minutes later, Whitney parked next to Karen's car and then went in search of her.

As she made her way into the emergency room, Whitney saw Karen talking to a guy in a green scrub suit and decided it was probably one of the doctors taking care of Tilford. She walked over and stood next to Karen, hearing the last part of the conversation.

"He's got a broken pelvis, a compound fracture of his left femur, and multiple cuts and abrasions. Our biggest concern is internal bleeding, and we won't know the full extent of his injuries until after we operate. He is in extremely guarded condition, and there's a good chance he might not make it through surgery. If he does survive the procedure, he'll go directly to ICU. I recommend you go home and come back tomorrow. Give the receptionist your number to put on his file."

Karen glanced at Whitney, a fleeting smile on her face, before returning her attention to the physician. "Did he say anything?"

The doctor took his glasses off and ran a hand across his brow. "He was very agitated when he arrived and wanted us to give a message to someone named Top."

"That's me. What was the message?" Karen felt herself tense. Tilford must have thought the message was very important if it was on his mind even though he was severely injured.

"Nothing that made sense. He kept repeating three words, that sounded like dent, Jordan, and light." The man shrugged. "Told you it didn't make any sense. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have patients to attend to."

Whitney watched the doctor walk away and spoke her thoughts. "Dent, Jordan, and light. I wonder if he was talking about Sergeant Jordan. But 'dent'?" She shook her head, glancing up at Karen, and had to forcibly stop herself from taking a step back. She had that look on her face again, the really scary one. "Karen? What's wrong?"

Karen's eyes were narrowed, and her eyes ice-cold as she watched the scene play out again in her mind's eye. Whitney, lying on the ground unconscious. Her jeep wrapped around a tree. Jordan and Tilford the only ones nearby. It had only taken her a moment to realize 'dent' was ‘accident’ once Whitney had repeated the words. He couldn't have been talking about tonight, because Jordan was Staff Duty NCO at Battalion. He knew I'd understand.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a small hand on her arm, and the worried voice of her lover. Karen's expression softened as she turned to face Whitney. "I think Tilford was trying to tell us Jordan caused our accident."

"You've been suspicious about that all along. But why? That seems a strange thing for him to be thinking about, now."

"Not if this hit and run is tied to it in some way. Doesn't make sense, though. I did threaten Jordan with an Article 15 over that missing generator."

Whitney contemplated that and decided it just didn't seem likely. "An Article 15 is no reason to deliberately cause an accident. If it's related, there has to be more to it."

"I hear ya." Karen shrugged. "I told him I was gonna recommend a reduction in grade, but that sure doesn't seem worth going ballistic over." They began moving towards the door. "I need to go back to the Orderly Room and find his home number. Looks like no one called his wife."

As they walked past the receptionist, a woman could be heard talking. "Someone called me and told me my husband was in a car accident. His name is Richard Tilford. Is he okay?"

Whitney felt her heart go out to the aggitated woman standing at the window holding a carrier with an infant lying in it. She approached her. "Mrs. Tilford?"

Kim whirled around, a frantic expression on her face. "Yes. I'm Mrs. Tilford."

"I'm LT Gordon, executive officer of your husband's company, and this is First Sergeant Wilson. He's just been taken to surgery. I'll go find the doctor that took care of him." Whitney turned and headed for a nurse that had just entered the hallway.

"She'll be right back." Karen assured the woman standing in front of her.

Kim began talking nervously. "He's always spoken so highly of you. He loves the military. Did anyone call his brother?" When she saw Karen furrow her brows, she continued, "He's stationed here, too. I’d better call him." Kim set the baby carrier on a chair and pulled a small telephone directory out of her purse.

"Mrs. Tilford." Looking for the source of the voice, she thrust her phone book into Karen's hand, before picking up the baby carrier and hurrying to meet the doctor walking towards her.

Karen met Whitney coming down the hall. "Just found out Tilford has a brother stationed here. I'm gonna call his company now." He's spoken highly of me? I never expected that. She decided it was another thing that didn't fit in with his performance.

Nodding, Whitney walked over to the bank of phones with Karen, and watched as she flipped the small phone book open to "T."

"Good, she's got his company address and phone number in here, too." After calling the company and procuring the first sergeant's number, she dialed it and related the accident to her peer.

Karen glanced at Whitney after hanging up. "I want to talk to Tilford's wife. See if she knows anything. I've got to return her phone book, anyway."

Whitney sensed her partner's anger, and placed her hand on Karen's arm, speaking gently. "Do you think that's a good idea right now? Why don't we wait until we come back?"

Karen willed herself to relax. The idea that Jordan may have been behind the accident infuriated her. Whitney could have been killed, and that she couldn't forgive. Her lover was right, though. There was time for that later. "Okay. She's got enough to deal with right now. I'll be right back."

The XO smiled when Karen returned. "You gonna go home now?" Whitney had no desire to spend the day in her room while waiting to be updated on Tilford's condition. She could just as easily be waiting with Karen.

"I told Gary I'd call him once I knew anything. I've gotta stop at the orderly room and get his number, then stop at the barracks." Karen glanced at Whitney. "Are you gonna come back to my house?"

Whitney smiled warmly. "I'd like that. I wanna pick up a few things from my room first, though."

Karen nodded as they stepped outside into the cool, early morning air. She walked Whitney to her car, reaching over and squeezing the smaller woman's hand before releasing it. "See you soon."

"Real soon." Whitney got in her car, and looked in her rear view mirror as she pulled away. Karen was still standing in the parking lot watching her drive off. She waved and grinned when the wave was returned.

The first sergeant drove to the orderly room deep in thought. She had no evidence to turn over the MP's, just the words of a disoriented, severely injured man relayed to her second hand. It was obvious Tilford was into something over his head, but none of it made much sense. Why would Jordan deliberately cause an accident that could've been fatal? Why didn't Tilford say anything before now? She shook her head in exasperation, and her thoughts turned to Mrs. Tilford and her child. She sent a silent entreaty to whoever might hear that he would be able to return to his young family.

Arriving back in her room, Whitney pulled a small suitcase out of the closet. She planned on spending a lot of time at Karen's house - providing the first sergeant didn't mind - and was going to be prepared from now on. She didn't want Karen to think she was assuming anything, and decided to keep the suitcase in her car. The tall woman had made no promises, nor asked for any. Whitney grinned, acknowledging that she intended to be around for a long time if she had anything to say about it.

Her thoughts turned to the injured soldier and his family, and she hoped he'd be all right. Whitney wondered about Jordan's involvement in their accident. Nothing Karen had told her warranted the attack on them that night. Which one of them had been targeted? Had it been Karen for threatening disciplinary action, or her for uncovering the missing generator? She pushed the worrisome thoughts away. It wouldn't do any good to dwell on it until they had more information.

Whitney got some of her personal effects out of the bathroom, added them to the suitcase and closed it. She needed to go shopping and pick up some shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, at the very least, so she'd have them at both places. Well, rather, one set in her suitcase and one in her room.

After parking her car, Karen sat on her front steps watching the sun rise as she waited for Whitney. She wasn't particularly worried about the XO being observed when she arrived, because it was early yet and her neighborhood was still quiet.

Karen’s thoughts turned to the change in her relationship with Whitney. She'd fought off her feelings since meeting the younger woman because of the career threatening repercussions of being discovered.

What had changed? How had Whitney, in less than a month, managed to become more important to her than anything else, including her career? Since meeting the young XO, she'd suppressed her cautionary inner voice so effectively, that it had finally been silenced. Karen grinned to herself. Thank god! A sense of contentment came over her. How can this be wrong? It can't - unless it's wrong to be happy, or to love someone. One thing Karen knew with certainty was that she would do everything within her power to make this relationship work.

Whitney pulled into the garage, pleased to see Karen sitting on the steps waiting for her. She got out of the car as her lover lowered the garage door. "Hey."

"Hey yourself." Karen closed the distance between them and kissed Whitney before following her into the house. "I can make some coffee."

"Sounds good. I'll get out the cups."

Karen smiled inwardly at Whitney's obvious comfort in her kitchen. Well, at least one of us is. After starting the coffee, she turned to the smaller woman. "Want to go sit in the living room while it brews? It's more comfortable."

"Sure. Lead on."

Once they were settled comfortably next to each other, Karen reached for the phone. "I'm gonna call the hospital and see if Tilford's out of surgery yet."

"I think it may be a little soon. It's only been a hour." Whitney knew Karen was worried about Tilford, but she hadn't realized just how concerned she was until now. "They have your number if anything happens. Why don't we watch TV for a little while?"

"I know. I just hate sitting here waiting." Karen picked up the remote and began flipping through channels. "Half the channels have those infomercials on this time of morning." She handed Whitney the remote. "Here you go. I'll go get our coffee."

Whitney didn't have any better luck and finally settled on the news. She took one of the cups from Karen and gratefully took a sip. "Umm. This is good coffee."

"It's Colombian. Grocery store I shop at carries a section with special blends."

"Do they have flavored coffee, too? I love those." Whitney laughed at the face Karen made. "I take it you don't."

"Nope. I like real coffee."

The small woman poked her in the ribs with her elbow. "Flavored is real coffee, too. Do you like cappuccino?"

"Never tried it." Karen quirked a half-smile. "Couldn't see drinking something hot with a bunch of whipped crème on top of it."

"It's good. I bet you'd like it."

Karen grinned. This could be fun. "Bet what? Better make it good if you want me to try that stuff."

"Let me think a minute." Whitney decided to make the bet mutually beneficial. "If you don't like it, I treat you to dinner in Raleigh. You like it, you treat."

Karen raised an eyebrow. "Raleigh, huh?"

"Yep. No one should recognize us there."

"Good idea." Karen glanced at Whitney and grinned. She knew her lover had purposely made the bet a sure winner. Woman after my own heart. "Okay. You're on." Karen put her arm around Whitney urging her closer. "You tired?"

"A little." Whitney looked up and met the warm eyes gazing at her. "We didn't get much sleep."

"That's cuz you’re insatiable." She chuckled when Whitney poked her.

"I didn't notice you objecting."

Karen grinned. "Never. You wanna lie down for a little while? Only one of us needs to stay up."

"No. I'm fine." She had no intentions of leaving Karen to wait alone. "You remember when you told me if I wanted to know something, to ask?"

Karen looked at Whitney speculatively. "Why, when you ask that, do I always feel like it's gonna be a loaded question?"

The XO chucked. "Probably because it usually is." She reached over and took Karen's hand. "It's kinda personal."

Slowly nodding her head, not sure what to expect, Karen squeezed Whitney's hand. "Ask away."

"Do you ever hear from your mother?" When her lover looked away, she hastened to add, "You don't have to answer, I was just curious."

"No. It's okay." Karen paused, gathering her thoughts and trying to decide just how much to reveal about her skewed relationship with her mother. "I hear from her around the major holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas when she wants me to come and visit. She thinks families should be together during those times." Karen shrugged. "I see it a little differently. She wasn't there for me when I was a kid, and now since I'm no longer a problem, she wants to do the family thing. Just doesn't work for me."

Whitney sensed the pain behind the casual explanation, and squeezed Karen's hand in understanding. "Since you don't go home, what do you do for the holidays?"

"Nothing, really. It's just another day."

The young woman vowed to herself that would change this year. Thanksgiving was fast approaching, and she was going to make sure it was one that Karen remembered.

The two women spent the next couple of hours companionably, enjoying each other's company.

After watching a commercial advertising cat food, Whitney glanced up at Karen. "Did you have any pets when you were growing up?"

"Yeah. My mother had one of those little fufu dogs. My aunt had a black cat named Halle, short for Halloween. I kinda adopted her when I moved in."

Whitney was barely able to suppress a guffaw. "Fufu?" She couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping. "Karen, just what is a fufu dog?"

Karen started laughing when she realized how her description of the little dog had come across. "You know, one of those little ones with long hair and a squashed up face. Mom named her Princess." She rolled her eyes. "How very original. I bet every one of those little cutesy dogs has a name like that."

"Those little dogs are adorable. What do you have against pretty little dogs?" Whitney laid her head against Karen's shoulder, enjoying the light-hearted conversation.

"Nothing. Just can’t figure out what they're good for. Sure ain't gonna protect anyone."

Whitney chuckled. "No. But sometimes people want pets just to love. Ya know? I mean, did your aunt's cat have a job?"

"Yeah. Keeping me company."

"That's what those little cute dogs do, too."

Karen shook her head, and teased. "Oh, the voice of reason."

"Look who's talking." Whitney yawned. "We had a bunch of dogs and cats on the farm. My favorite was a cat named Boots. I miss that. Not having any pets, I mean."

"You do make sacrifices in the military. Even if you live off post, it's unfair to have a pet because if you get shipped overseas, who’s gonna take care of it?"

Karen thoughts turned inward. She'd come to consider the Army her home and had only just recently realized it wasn't enough by itself. Pets were but one of the things you sacrificed. Even the bet she'd made with Whitney had to take place out of town because of their fear of being seen together. That bothered her more than it had in any of her past relationships. She was happy, and hated the idea of being discreet. Being discreet, hell. It just doesn't seem right that my personal life really isn't my own.

"Hey. Where'd you go?" Whitney had watched Karen disappear into her own thoughts. and wondered what she was thinking about.

"Just thinking about us." Karen smiled at the small woman.

Whitney snuggled closer. "Good thoughts?"

"Everything about us is good." Karen leaned down and kissed Whitney. "What isn't good is the way the military looks at a relationship like ours."

"Are you sorry?" Whitney watched Karen's face closely.

Karen's feelings were reflected in her vivid blue eyes as she met the worried green orbs searching hers. "I could never be sorry. Don't ever doubt that, okay?"

"Okay." Whitney fleetingly kissed her lover, and smiled. "I feel the same way."

"I'm glad." Karen glanced at her watch. "I think I'll call the hospital now." She picked up the phone, and then set it down. "I've got to look up the number. Be right back."

She returned carrying the phone book. Once Karen found the number, she dialed the phone. "This is First Sergeant Wilson. I'd like to check on one of my soldiers that was taken to emergency surgery." Karen fiddled with the phone cord as she was transferred to the surgical suite. Identifying herself again, she asked about Tilford. "They're just finishing up. Let me check and see if any of the surgeons have left the room."

"1SG Wilson, This is Dr. Carden. Tilford has multiple internal injuries including liver and colon lacerations, three broken ribs, one of which punctured his lung, and multiple internal hematomas. We removed part of the colon, removed his spleen, and performed an incidental appendectomy. He is in guarded condition, but stable right now. I just sent his wife and brother home. He can't have any visitors until later in the day. I've got to go. Another emergency just came in."

Karen thanked him, and hung up the phone. She related the information to Whitney as she dialed Gary's number to brief him. Once she'd done that, Karen turned back to Whitney. "Gary said he's going to stop up there later on. Want to take a nap?"

"Do I ever. I'm beat."

"Me too." Karen stood up and held out her hand to Whitney, pulling her up. "I've got a sleeping shirt you can wear if you want."

Whitney had brought pajamas with her, but the idea of wearing something of Karen's was much more appealing. "Thanks. I'd like that."

Karen woke up to a weight on her chest, and smiled as she looked at the blonde hair hiding her lover's face. Very carefully, not wanting to wake Whitney, Karen reached over and switched off the alarm clock she'd set for 4. They'd both been anxious to check on Tilford, and had decided to make sure they got up in time.

She gently brushed Whitney's hair out of her face, wanting to look at the beautiful woman. What I'd give to be able to wake up like this each morning. Knowing that wasn't possible, she decided to do everything in her power to make Whitney want to come over every weekend.

Karen softly kissed Whitney on her head in no hurry to get up, yet feeling guilty because she had an injured soldier to check on and a mystery to solve. She justified her inaction with the knowledge the hospital would've called if Tilford had taken a turn for the worse.

Blonde hair shifted when a sleepy face rose from its comfortable pillow. Whitney's green eyes flickered open, and she looked up with a contented smile. "How long you been awake."

"Just for a little while." Karen brushed her lips against Whitney's. "I was gonna wake you soon."

"What time is it?" Whitney hoped she hadn't delayed their trip to the hospital.

"1615." Karen smiled reassuringly. "We're okay. ICU visiting hours are until 1900."

"Guess we should get up." Whitney sat up and stretched.

Karen joined her and draped an arm over Whitney's shoulder, urging her closer. "Do I get a wake up kiss?"

Whitney grinned. "I thought you already got one of those."

"That was a hello kiss." Karen looked at Whitney seriously. "There is a difference, you know."

Playing along, Whitney feigned a puzzled expression. She leaned over and fleetingly kissed her partner. "That was a hello kiss, right?"

Karen chuckled. "Um hum." She lowered her head and met Whitney's moist sensuous mouth with her lips for a soft lingering kiss. "That's a wake up kiss."

"I'm not sure I got that one." Whitney couldn't stop a smile from appearing at the charade. "Think we could practice it some more later?"

"Sounds good to me." Karen reluctantly let go of Whitney and swung her long legs over the side of the bed. Leaning over and kissing Whitney one last time, she headed down the hall to the bathroom.

Whitney got up, slipped on her shoes and walked out to the garage. She opened her car trunk and then her suitcase. Carefully moving clothes, not wanting to wrinkle them, she selected a pair of teal slacks, and a white pull over top. Next she took out underwear, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste before closing the trunk, and heading back into the house.

Karen was in the kitchen rummaging through the refrigerator. "Where'd you go?" She turned around and saw the things in Whitney's arms, and grinned. "Oh, you came prepared."

"Yeah. Thought it might be a good idea. What are you looking for?" Karen was still standing in front of the open refrigerator.

"I'm starved. Nothing in here except a ton of breakfast stuff. Want to stop and get something after we leave the hospital?"

"Sounds good. I'm starved, too. Okay if I grab a shower?"

The tall woman walked over to her lover. "You can do anything here you want. You don't have to ask, okay?"

Whitney felt a warm glow come over her. The same woman who'd gotten totally upset with her for just looking at a couple of movies, had now given her carte blanche. She smiled warmly. "Okay."

"I'll start some coffee. You want any?"

Whitney nodded. "Yeah. It feels like morning for some reason." She stood on her toes and kissed Karen before walking out of the kitchen.

Karen's hand absently went to her mouth as she watched Whitney walk down the hall, her thoughts following the attractive woman. Love you.

She started the coffee, and then proceeded to her bedroom to find something to wear. Whitney had chosen to dress a step up from casual, and so would she. Karen ended up selecting a pair of navy Dockers and a light blue pullover top.

Sitting down on the bed, Karen thought about Tilford's message. She hoped his wife or brother would be able to shed some light on whatever the soldier was into.

Karen heard the bathroom door open and stood up as Whitney walked into the bedroom wearing her oversized white robe. "You need any help?" she asked hopefully.

Whitney chuckled. "I'd love it, but I don't think it's a good idea. We'd never get out of the bedroom, let alone to the hospital."

Karen's lower lip protruded. "You're no fun."

Laughing, Whitney walked over, and hugged her. "Well, you could help me undress when we get back."

Karen felt her heart start racing, and released her partner. "I'm gonna take you up on that."

Whitney winked. "I'd be disappointed if you didn't."

***

The two women walked into the hospital and stopped at the information desk to inquire as to the location of ICU. After being advised it was on the fourth floor, they proceeded to the bank of elevators.

"I hate hospitals."

Whitney looked up surprised at the vehemence of the comment. "Why? I mean I know people are usually in them because they're sick, but most people get better in them."

"Most people. My aunt wasn't one of the lucky ones." The elevator door opened and Karen followed Whitney into the cubicle, pressing the button for their floor.

"What happened to her?" Whitney was curious about the woman who'd taken Karen in and raised her as her own child.

"She was in a car accident. Drunk driver. Lived for a week, but never woke up." Her face reflected her pain as she remembered the sight of her aunt hooked up to all kinds of tubes, a ventilator breathing for her. "I never got to say goodbye."

The words were spoken so softly, Whitney barely heard her. "Oh Karen. I'm so sorry." She took her partner's hand and squeezed it. "It must have been terrible for you."

Karen was surprised at the thought she'd voiced aloud. She'd never admitted that to anyone, and while embarrassed at allowing the hurt to show, Whitney's concern felt good and she returned the hand squeeze.

They walked through the double doors of ICU and approached the large desk in the center of the room. There were beds lining the walls, the only separation being green curtains partially drawn around some of them.

"We'd like to see Richard Tilford."

A secretary looked up at the tall woman who'd spoken. "Are you a relative? Only immediate family is allowed to visit."

"This is LT Gordon and I'm 1SG Wilson. He's assigned to our company."

The secretary nodded. She pulled out her authorization book and looked up the page on military protocol. Commanders, executive officers, and first sergeant's were authorized visitation rights if the patient was a member of their company. She looked at Whitney. "Are you the commander or executive officer?"

Whitney smiled, and nodded. "I'm the executive officer."

"Okay." She pointed to a cubicle across from the desk. "He's right there. Please limit your visit to ten minutes."

Karen and Whitney walked over to the cubicle and stood on either side of the bed. The first sergeant's eye's narrowed. Whoever did this should be shot.

The XO's heart went out to the young man in the bed. His leg was suspended in traction and he was breathing with the help of a ventilator. Parts of Tilford's face and arms were covered in bandages, and multiple bags of IV fluids hung around the bed infusing their contents into the lines invading his body. Whitney sighed and leaned over the supine body.

"Richard. Are you awake?" Whitney shook her head, angry that anyone could deliberately hurt someone this way. It was obvious he was still too heavily sedated to hear her, but just in case Whitney continued. "You hang in there."

She glanced at Karen to gauge her reaction. Oh God. There she goes again. "Karen."

"I'm gonna make sure that whoever did this goes down, hard." Karen tried to ease the tension from her body, only partially succeeding.

"Let's go see if we can find his doctor."

Karen nodded and they left the cubicle, returning to the desk. Making their request, they waited in silence until the physician responded to his page.

The secretary hung up the phone. "He's already in the hospital. He'll be here in a few minutes. The waiting room is right outside the doors to the left. Dr. Simmons will meet you there."

Karen and Whitney both stood up when a short man wearing a white laboratory coat approached. After introductions were made, Dr. Simmons updated them on Tilford's status.

"Richard is still in guarded condition, but is doing very well considering the extent of his injuries. He came through surgery fine, but the risk of infection is high. The next few days are critical, but every hour that passes increases his chances of a full recovery. I'm sorry I can't be more optimistic than that, but you need to understand the severity of his injuries."

"Has he been conscious at all?" Whitney hoped he had.

"Yes. We woke him up after surgery. He's now heavily sedated to give his body a chance to heal itself. Any other questions?"

Karen shook her head. "Thanks." She watched the doctor walked through the double doors of the ICU. "I wish his wife was here. I want to talk to her."

"Looks like you're gonna get you wish. Here she comes."

Kim saw them and walked over. She didn't have the baby with her and looked worried, but less frantic than she had earlier. "Hi."

"Hello, Mrs. Tilford. I'd like to ask you a few questions after you see your husband."

"Thanks for being so considerate." Kim smiled wanly at the tall woman. "I know he's stable or they'd have called, but I need to see for myself."

Whitney smiled. "Take your time. We're in no hurry." Kim smiled her appreciation and hurried through the automatic doors.

"What are you going to ask her?"

Karen shrugged. "I just want to know if she's got any idea what's going on. Even if she doesn't, she'll know who his friends are, or if he was having problems with anyone. It's a starting place."

"True." Whitney glanced at Karen trying to gauge her mood. "If you find out anything, what are you going to do? Wouldn't it be better for the MP's to handle this?"

"I think this is tied into our accident." She met Whitney's concerned face. "You know what the Army thought about that. It was an accident. Do you really think if I went to them and related what Tilford said they'd reopen the case? I don't."

"No, they probably wouldn't. I'm just worried. Someone tried to kill him, Karen. I don't want you putting yourself in danger."

Karen quickly squeezed Whitney's hand and released it. "I don't intend to." She wanted her partner to understand, and tried to explain. "You almost got killed. If Jordan was behind that, he'll go down if it's the last thing I do."

Whitney didn't know what to say to that. She briefly laid her hand on Karen's arm. "Just be careful, okay? I don't want someone trying to run you down."

"I'll be careful."

They looked up at the sounds of a door opening and smiled at Mrs. Tilford. Karen waited for her to sit down.

"Did the police tell you what happened?"

Kim looked at them with worried eyes. "Yes. They said it wasn't an accident. I can't imagine anyone doing something like this."

"Does Richard have any enemies that you know of?"

"That's the same thing the police asked me. No. He usually comes home right after work. Lately he's been going out at night and drinking. I knew something was bothering him, but he said it was better if I didn't know. Now I wished I'd pushed him. I figured he'd eventually tell me. He always had in the past."

Whitney spoke softly. "You couldn't have known anything like this would happen. You can't blame yourself."

"I know. I just wish I could be more helpful. I asked Bruce if he had any idea what was going on. He was worse than I was. He never stopped pacing until Richard was out of surgery, then he took off, and I haven't seen him since."

Karen was curious about Tilford's brother. "Are they close?"

"They used to spend a lot of time together. Now, they hardly ever see each other. I overheard part of a phone conversation between them last week. Richard was really angry and yelling about someone named Jordan. I knew he was talking to his brother because he said, 'Bruce, you are a pig headed idiot,' and then he slammed down the phone. When I asked him if everything was okay, he just said, 'I can't believe how stupid Bruce is.'"

"Thanks, Mrs. Tilford. We don't want to hold you up anymore."

Whitney smiled at Kim. "You be sure and call if you need anything."

"I will. Thanks."

Karen and Whitney watched her walk back into ICU, and then turned to leave. "Something's definitely going on. Seems like his brother is the one I should be talking to."

"Karen, you can't do that. You don't have any authority in his unit."

The first sergeant frowned. "I know. I am gonna talk to Jordan again, though."

"I think we should wait a few days and see if Tilford can tell us anything. From what you said, Jordan is slick. If he thinks you're bluffing, he'll probably turn you into the IG for harassment."

"That is a possibility, although personally, I couldn’t care less." Karen sighed. "It would alert him, I'm on to him, though. Okay, we wait for now." For a very short while. Karen glanced at Whitney and smiled. "Let's go get some carryout and go home."

Whitney smiled warmly at Karen's words. She said go home. Not go to my house. When the elevator doors closed, she pulled Karen's head down and kissed her.

"What was that for? Not that I minded."

"Just because."

***

Bruce Tilford stalked around his room. He'd tried to contact Sommerson three times, and each time had been told he was unavailable. He'd told that cold bastard he'd keep his little brother quiet.

Richard might be a nerd, and naïve, but he was his brother. Someone was going to pay for this. He dialed his contact number again, and slammed down the phone when the tinny voice of an answering machine began reciting its recorded message. "Sonofabitch!"

Bruce was totally frustrated. They'd gone overboard now. Richard had told him what Jordan had done, but he'd blown it off. Now he was fighting for his life in ICU. Tilford grabbed his jacket with a new destination in mind. Bruce snorted. Hope you're up for some company, Jordan.

Whitney stood in the living room of Karen's house looking out the bay window, thinking about how much things had changed between them since yesterday. It was so hard to believe, almost like living a fairy tale. Once they'd decided on Mexican food, Whitney had planned on following Karen to the restaurant, then to her house. She'd been totally astounded when her lover pulled a key off of her ring and handed it to her. Karen had just shrugged and said it made no sense for both of them to go since they were in separate cars. It was just like the tall woman to completely blow off the gesture as if it were no big deal.

Smiling, Whitney acknowledged that her earlier intense curiosity had been blunted. A heart-felt conviction that Karen was opening her life - all of it - to her, undercut any desire to inspect the tall woman's possessions. It was much more fun waiting for Karen to make each revelation as she allowed Whitney deeper into her world, and her heart.

Whitney noticed two glass birds sitting on the TV and walked over to look at them. She picked up an owl first, surprised by its weight. The bird was exquisitely designed, with every feather detailed in the clear glass. Whitney set it down and picked up the other bird, an eagle. Its wings were extended as it prepared to take to the air, and she decided it reminded her much more of Karen than the owl did. It seemed so regal and free. Looking around, Whitney noticed there were no other knickknacks, and wondered if the two birds were significant in some way. She set the eagle back on the TV making a mental note to ask Karen about them.

A short time later, Karen pulled into the driveway, and Whitney walked into the kitchen to greet her. "Hey." She took one of the bags of food from Karen, walked over to the table, and set it down. Whitney turned to face her grinning partner. "What are you smiling about?"

"Just happy to be home." Karen pulled Whitney into a hug. "Missed you."

"I missed you too." Whitney placed her hands on the back of Karen's head and met her mouth in a soft, lingering kiss.

Karen looked at Whitney intently before releasing her, and walking back towards the door.

"Where you going?" Whitney's forehead was slightly furrowed.

"I just thought I'd come back in again." Karen winked at her lover.

Whitney chuckled while breathing an inward sigh of relief. Everything was still so new, she'd wondered if something was wrong. "Come here." After sharing another kiss with her lover, Whitney glanced at the bags on the table. "What'd you get?"

"Burritos for you, just like you wanted, and chicken enchiladas for me. I got us a couple of soft shell tacos, too. Figured we could have them for an appetizer, besides they're great." She walked over to the refrigerator. "What do you want to drink?"

"Coke's good." Whitney opened a bag and began taking out their food. "These are huge! There's no way we're gonna eat all this. Geez, they must weigh a pound each."

Karen grinned. "I got us the supreme. They are kinda big, but we can have leftovers."

Whitney bit into the burrito, savoring the taste. "This is really good."

"Want to try mine?" Karen cut a good-sized chunk off of her enchilada and handed it to Whitney. When the small woman offered to return the favor, Karen grimaced, shaking her head. "I hate refried beans."

"And just what's wrong with them?" Whitney asked, amused at the look on her partner's face.

"I'll tell you when you get done eating."

Whitney rolled her eyes. "Oh, I can tell this is gonna be good."

Karen grinned. "You like it. That's all that matters."

After finishing, both women cleaned off the table and put things away. "Okay, now that we're finished, what's so bad about refried beans?"

"How they look." Karen decided not to go into detail.

Whitney put her hands on her hips. "How they look? That's got nothing to do with how they taste. Have you ever even tried them?"

"Yep, and they don't taste good enough to make up for what they look like."

"Well, they aren't the most appetizing thing to look at, but they're good. You just need to expand your horizons a little and not be so picky."

"I'm not picky." Karen walked over to the freezer and opened it. "Look here. I have macaroni and cheese, Salisbury steak, chicken…"

"Karen! You eat those things! Yuck!"

"What's wrong with TV dinners. They're fast and easy. And they look good, too."

"They might look good, but that doesn't mean they taste good. I'll take my refried beans over that stuff anytime."

Karen closed the freezer and turned to face Whitney. "The best things are the ones that look good and taste good, too." She pulled her partner into a hug, nuzzling her neck. "Like you."

What could she say to that? Whitney leaned her head forward enjoying the attention being lavished on her neck as she felt her body begin to react to the soft moist kisses Karen was placing in her wake. "Umm. I like that."

"Me too. Let's go into the living room." Leading Whitney to the couch, she pulled the small woman into her lap.

Whitney laid her head against Karen's chest. "I wish the weekend wasn't almost over."

"I hear you." Karen rested her chin on Whitney's head, and laced her fingers with her partner's. Her days off had been boring affairs, which she spent good portions of on post for no other reason than it was something to do. When was the last time I wasn't looking forward to Monday?

Whitney moved from Karen's lap to the couch when the phone rang. She grinned at the disgusted look on her partner's face because it mirrored her own thoughts. She'd been quite comfortable right where she was.

"Hello." Karen voice was at once crisp and all business.

"Top? This is Sergeant Hartman. I'm sick. Think I got the flu. Billings said he take over."

"Let me talk to him." Karen shook her head. It was always something.

"SGT Billings."

"Everything quiet?"

"Yes, Top."

"Good. Keep it that way. Tell Hartman he can go home. I'll make the switch on the duty roster. He can pull duty for you next week."

"Okay, Top."

Karen hung up the phone and joined Whitney on the couch. "CQ got sick."

"Good. I mean I'm not glad he sick, I just was worried it might be the hospital." Whitney snuggled up next to Karen. "Do you get a lot of calls at home?"

"No. I've usually been on post when something came up." Karen rested her arm across her partner's shoulders.

"I hope you start getting a lot more calls at home."

Karen brushed her lips lightly across Whitney's. "So do I." She turned on the TV and selected one of the audio channels the satellite company offered.

"Those birds on your TV are really nice. I've never seen glass with such detail in it before."

"My aunt gave me the eagle on my sixteenth birthday. She said I'd soar to great heights." Karen chuckled. "Corny, huh?"

"No. She was right. It fits you." Whitney smiled when her lover blushed. "She give you the owl, too?"

"No. It was hers. I kept it as a keepsake." Karen shrugged.

"When I was six, Mom and Dad took us to the circus. I guess I talked about it for days because Dad whittled me a little elephant. I loved that little toy. I used to pretend it was magical, just like the circus was to me, then. I still have it, but one of the tusks is broken off."

Karen listened to Whitney talk, picturing a pretty little blonde, bright-eyed child awed by the bright lights and mystique of seeing a real circus for the first time. "My aunt took me. I was older than you were so it was different for me, but still fun."

Listening to the soft music emanating from the TV, the two women continued to enjoy each other's company and shared memories intermingled with frequent kisses and caresses.

Karen inwardly sighed. She didn't want Whitney on the street too late and it was already after 2200. "It's getting late."

"I know. Guess I should go now." The last thing Whitney wanted to do was leave, but tomorrow was a workday.

Karen followed her lover to the door. Before Whitney could open it, she wrapped her arms around her, breathing in her essence. "I wish you didn't have to go."

"Me too." Whitney hugged Karen back and spoke her mind. "I'd rather stay and leave early in the morning."

"I hate the idea of you driving back to post by yourself at that hour. You know, drunks and nutsos." Karen lowered her head searching out Whitney's lips. They shared a soft lingering kiss. "I could follow you, but we'd have to go in real early."

"Works for me." Whitney urged Karen's head lower and met her mouth for a hot sizzling kiss.

Karen took a deep breath. "Me, too." Winking, she smiled alluringly. "Want to go to bed."

"You needed to ask?"

The tall woman chuckled softly and led Whitney towards the bedroom.

***

Jordan closed his front door, leaning against it with a sigh of relief. It had taken him a couple of hours to calm Tilford down, but he finally convinced Bruce that he couldn't have been behind his brother's accident, because he been on duty at Battalion all night.

For the first time since he'd been in the military, he was thankful he'd been scheduled for duty. Damn, Sommerson didn't waste any time. At least now he was off the hook for the accident. That had been a bust, anyway. He was still getting the Article 15. Maybe I can convince Johnson to just fine me if I explain what a hardship it would be on my family. It's worth a try.

Jordan knew he was going to have to lay low for a while. Things were a little too hot now with Tilford's accident. Bruce was probably going to end up getting knocked off if he tried to confront Sommerson, and then things would heat up even more. No problem, I can play good soldier just fine.

***

Whitney walked into the BOQ, and stood inside the doorway watching Karen drive off. It was only 0500, but they had both decided it would be better to arrive before most of the post began coming to life. Whitney knew Karen was going to the orderly room, and wished there was a better solution than having to get up even earlier than usual. It wasn't as bad for her, because she was still on light duty this week and exempt from PT. She'd have time for a nap before meeting Karen in the Mess Hall at 0730.

Walking over to the bed, Whitney reached over and set her alarm clock for 0645. She had no intentions of oversleeping and missing Karen. She lay back, closing her eyes. What a weekend! It had exceeded her wildest expectations. Whitney nodded off with the image of Karen smiling at her, and unconsciously her lips turned up in answering smile as she drifted deeper into sleep.

Karen briefly glanced at the paperwork in her office, and then decided it could wait. She was already dressed for PT, and kicked her chair back against the wall to give her long legs room to clear the desk, before propping them on the surface. She folded her arms deep in thought.

The first sergeant had never expected to find the happiness she'd found so quickly with Whitney, nor the contentment she experienced when with her. It was new ground for her. Karen had never allowed anyone this close before. She'd always used the Army as an excuse; now that very excuse was becoming onerous. Where would they go from here?

Karen knew there was no way to know, but she resented the fact that the Army could invade her private life and choices. How long could they go without being exposed? What happened when she or Whitney got reassigned? Sure, her partner was only in for three and a half more years, but chances were good that she would be reassigned at least once or twice during that time. Reassignment all depended on the needs of the Army, and one year at each duty station was the only guarantee made. Whitney was already slotted incorrectly. That wouldn't go unnoticed for too long. Karen shook her head, frustrated. There were no easy answers.

Not quite two hours later, after showering and donning her uniform, Whitney made one last check of her hair before leaving the room. She hadn't even had a chance to lock the door when she heard a familiar voice.

Continued

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