PARADISE FOUND

By Cruise & Stoley

Authors can be reached at: Cruise@clububer2000.com & Stoley8@aol.com

"Baby! Look what just walked in!" The exuberant woman exclaimed.

Jordan turned her head spying the woman in question and shrugged her shoulders casually replying, "She's okay."

"Are you crazy? She’s gorgeous!" Her friend whispered. Jordan wasn't very interested in looking around right now. She wasn't even sure why she agreed to come to Key West in the first place. Linda came down every year and had been bugging her for the past two years to come with her. She had finally caved in and agreed to this trip. After two failed relationships Jordan had given up looking for anyone and preferred to concentrate on her career. Listening to the music, Jordan looked out over the crowd and caught a glimpse of a tall dark-haired woman standing at the bar. 'Not bad,' She thought inwardly.

Linda caught her staring and asked, "So, something finally pique your interest?"

Jordan quickly looked away and replied. "No, just gazing."

"Hey Bly!" Julie called and hit her friend on the arm to get her attention. "There's a blonde checking you out my friend," she informed her with a sly smile. Bly took a long sip of her Jack and Coke and gave Julie a quick glance. She slowly and nonchalantly turned around to check out the ladies as she leaned back against the bar. When Bly caught sight of the blonde with fabulous green eyes, she stood up, captivated by her beauty. "Hey Bly, close your mouth before your teeth fall out. What's up with ‘Miss Smooth Operator’ making such an obvious display of fondness?" Julie teased.

Bly closed her mouth and turned her head to Julie. "I've never seen someone as beautiful as her. I feel like somehow we’re connected." Bly stammered with amazement at her thoughts regarding this woman and turned back to look at the green eyed beauty again.

"Bly, you're so full of it! You’ve had many beautiful women!" Bly gave Julie a serious look as she picked up her drink and drained it. "You're friggin' serious?" Julie asked, astonished.

"I've never been more serious Jules. I need to meet her." Bly confirmed, her heart racing in anticipation of an encounter with the woman.

Julie had known Bly for over ten years and knew that she was not fooling around with this one. "Well, ask her to dance!" Bly gave Julie a 'don't be stupid' look as she put her hands on her hips. "I know, I know, don't get in the way of the master smooth operator." Julie teasingly smiled. Bly grinned and headed across the crowded bar.

"Come on, dance with me." Linda begged tugging on Jordan’s arm. Jordan groaned, but allowed to be pulled up and onto the dance floor.

The music turned to a slow, sensual beat and Jordan looked at Linda questioningly when a deep voice behind asked, "May I have this dance?" Jordan turned to look up into the bluest eyes she had ever seen.

"Huh?” She stammered bewildered and heard a giggle from behind her.

"Dance? Would you care to?" The woman asked again, her eyebrow rising in question, worried that the green-eyed beauty would decline her offer. Jordan felt a shove from behind and found herself in the arms of the woman she had been watching at the bar. "I guess that means yes," the woman drawled with a chuckle.

Jordan grinned embarrassed and replied, "Sorry."

Bly slid her hand in the woman's hand and led her to an open spot. Bly turned to her dance partner; locking blue eyes with green and pulled her into her arms. Bly moved her head over the woman's shoulder and lightly grazed her cheek, feeling the softness of her skin against her own.

'This feels like paradise.' Bly thought as the slow tune of someone wishing another was their lover resonated through the bar. ‘What a fitting song,’ Bly thought, inhaling the sweet scent of the woman within her arms. Bly slowly slid her arm around Jordan's waist, pulling her closer and taking in the sweet smell of Lauren perfume on her neck as warmth swept throughout her body. It was everything Bly could do to keep from pressing her sensual lips along the soft skin of her neck. Jordan enjoyed the sensation she felt from Bly's thigh pressed against her sex. Bly began to grind her body against Jordan's to the rhythm of the music as Jordan's breathing increased. Jordan had never been so sexually aroused as she was by this woman's touch. Bly could feel her dance partner's warm breath along her neck and it sent chills down her spine. She held her tighter and continued to grind against her body. Jordan was afraid to say a word, instead deciding to enjoy the moment and moved her arms tighter around the woman to intensify the feel of their bodies against one another. They moved as one to the beat and before Jordan knew it, they were pressed as close as a couple of lovers dancing to the intoxicating rhythm. The song ended and a husky voice whispered in Jordan’s ear, "thank you," before the arms released her.

"No, thank you." Jordan answered disappointed that the song ended and watched the woman walk back toward the bar. Returning to the table Jordan sat down flushed and signaled for another drink.

Linda asked, "What was that about?"

"She wanted to dance," Jordan simply remarked.

"Honey that was not dancing! That was just short of illegal in twenty states!" Jordan just laughed and turned her attention to the dance floor.

"Here ya go buddy. You definitely need this drink after that display!" Julie laughed and handed her friend another Jack and Coke.

"Thanks Jules." Bly grinned accepting the drink offered. "Hey, Tara send one of my specialty drinks, a Maui Malibu Mama over to the overheated blonde with the beautiful green eyes across the bar," she requested speaking to the bartender. Bly looked over her shoulder so Tara would know who to send the drink to.

"Bly, what's her name?" Julie asked.

"I'm about to find out." Bly answered, flashing a sexy smile and turned around to watch the drink being delivered.

"Hey Linda, don't look now, but at the third table on your left, a brunette keeps giving you the eye," Jordan whispered in Linda's ear.

Linda nodded before letting her eyes casually scan the room and the woman in question. "I think you’re right my friend."

The bartender came to the table and set a drink in front of Jordan. She looked from the drink to the woman questioningly; "This isn't what I ordered?"

Tara smiled and replied, "Compliments of the tall babe at the bar."

Jordan's heart skipped a beat and she looked toward the bar but couldn't see her. "What is it?" she questioned skeptically looking at the drink.

"It's a specialty, Maui Malibu Mama, equal parts Malibu Rum, pineapple juice and a splash of cranberry juice. Try it, I guarantee you'll like it,” the bartender assured, winking.

Jordan took a sip smiling and said, "Tell her I said thank you." Tara nodded and walked away.

"Well, well, maybe I should just go over and ask that woman to dance with me so yours will come over." Linda snickered and stood up.

"No!" Jordan pulled back on Linda's arm nervously.

"Come on! Be brave!" Linda teasingly coaxed.

"Okay, okay." Jordan conceded, letting go of Linda's arm and watched her friend approach the brunette. She felt the hairs on her neck stand on end as if charged by electricity and she turned to looking up into deep blue eyes.

"Mind if I sit down?" Bly asked, pointing to the chair next to Jordan.

"Aah no, please." Jordan nervously gestured to the chair.

Bly sat down and looked into those incredible green eyes asking, "so, do you like the drink?"

"I love it. It's very tropical." Jordan smiled and took another sip of the tasty drink.

"Well, we are in a tropical setting so, the drink would be appropriate," Bly sarcastically answered.

"By the way, I'm Bly." She held out her hand to Jordan.

Jordan was taken back by the sarcastic remark, but reached out to shake her hand. Bly stared into her eyes and slowly raised the hand to her lips, placing a soft kiss upon it. "You might be who?" she seductively asked.

Jordan was a little put off by her aggressiveness. "My name is Jordan,” she answered, pulling her hand away and nervously raising the glass for another drink.

"So, do you like what you see?” Bly arrogantly asked.

"Excuse me?" Jordan asked, agitated by the stranger’s conceit.

"I noticed you staring at me and I wanted to know if you liked what you saw? Did you like how you felt in my arms?” Bly asked, kicking herself for having diarrhea of the mouth, especially when she had too much whiskey to drink. Jordan was obviously embarrassed and didn't want to continue the conversation. She nervously shifted in her chair making eye contact with Linda, which meant, she needed help. "Well? Are you going to answer me?" Bly asked with a cocky smile.

"Hey Jordan! Come dance with me and save me from that woman!" Linda requested, grabbing the blonde by the arm and pulling her out onto the dance floor.

Bly watched the pair on the dance floor and looked down thinking, 'You friggin' idiot! Why would you go and act that way around her!’ Getting up she headed over to Julie and thought, 'I've really got to consider finding something to drink other than Jack and Coke. It gets me in trouble every time.' "Hey Let's get out of here."

"What about the love of your life?" Julie teased.

"I think I just scared her away," Bly answered regretfully, and glanced at Jordan one more time before exiting the club.

 "You okay?" Linda asked, concerned by her friend's distress.

"I'm fine," Jordan, replied disappointedly while watching Bly leave the bar with another woman.

"Come on, Babe! I've known you too long to believe that. What did she do?" Linda asked, pulling Jordan over to the corner of the dance floor.

"Nothing. I guess it was more her attitude." Jordan shrugged her shoulders and shivered slightly.

Linda placed a concerned arm around her friend and led her back to the table. "What do you mean?" she asked, once they were seated again.

Jordan looked down and picked up the drink Bly had sent her and quickly set it down again frowning. "Remember Cindy?” She asked, looking up at her friend.

"Yes," Linda answered and sat up straighter. "She didn't try...?" Her voice trailed off.

"No! No! Nothing like that! It was intimidating like Cindy use to be. I felt like I was being backed up to that wall again."

"Damn! I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone." Linda apologized and comfortingly patted Jordan’s hand.

"What are you going to do? Baby-sit me and hold my hand? It's no biggie, I'll survive." Jordan smiled at her friend weakly.

"I know you will I can worry though." Linda grinned.

"Don't worry, you know me; I still have a weakness for those aggressive ex-jocks. Cindy was just the exception to the rule." Jordan chuckled and wiped the water off her glass, subconsciously thinking about the raven-haired beauty with the exquisite blue eyes to die for. The one that just exited her life and she was disappointed.

"Ooh, me too. That's why we’re here this weekend." Linda smiled.

"Hey, why don't we call it a night and head back? Tomorrow we can check out the jock's at the football game?"

"What about the brunette?"

"Nah, too chatty for me. I like my women quiet and meek like you."

"Ha Ha," Jordan chuckled, her spirits lifted.

***

The next morning Jordan awoke early and walked down to the beach while Linda slept in. The beach was pretty much deserted, and she sat down to look out over the water. Last night's incident had brought back painful memories that were best left forgotten. She couldn't really remember all that had happened. She had been drinking a lot and all she could remember now was fear and anger. She tried not to dwell on it too much and tucked it away in the past. It was a long time ago and she was not the same person now. Taking a deep breath she smiled as the sun made its ascent into the sky. 'That was yesterday, this is today!' She told herself firmly.

Standing up, she brushed the sand off her shorts and looked down the beach, stopping when she saw a familiar figure looking out over the ocean. She watched as Bly stood with her shoulders slightly sagged as if she were carrying a heavy weight. This morning the woman didn't look so threatening, and Jordan couldn't help feeling compassion at the woman's apparent sadness. Unsure of what to do, she stood rooted to her spot until the woman turned and blue eyes met green once again. Bly looked back down to her hands and fiddled with the shell she was holding, embarrassed over her display last night at the bar. She knew there was no way of avoiding Jordan. She threw her shell in the ocean and watched it skip across the water and disappear before she moved toward Jordan. 'Try not to be an idiot this time Bly, like you where last night.' Bly chided herself and hesitantly approached Jordan. She looked up into gorgeous green eyes and flashed a shy smile before hanging her head back down. "Nice morning, huh?" Bly asked, unable to make eye contact.

"It's incredibly beautiful here." Jordan answered as she scanned the blue-green water then turned back to Bly. There was an awkward pause before Jordan spoke.

"You okay?" Jordan asked with concern. Her heartbeat quickened when she looked at the attractive woman who wore a black sports bra and a pair of red shorts with a volleyball emblem on the leg of them. Jordan noticed that Bly had an incredibly toned, muscular body and a very nice tan.

"Yes it is. I love it here." Bly answered with a quick glance up at Jordan then back down. "Jordan I aah wanted to apologize for the way I acted last night." Bly shyly stammered as her eyes finally made contact, and Jordan could see the sincerity in them. "It was the Jack and Coke talking last night, and I wanted you to know that I'm really not that much of a jerk."

"It's okay, Bly. I accept your apology." Jordan smiled with a nod for reassurance.

"I would like to make it up to you if I could, well, if you would let me," Bly offered with a slight smile.

"You really don't have to do that. Your apology is enough.”

"I know I don't have to, but I want to. I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight?" Bly asked, smiling hopeful.

Jordan wanted to jump at the opportunity, but decided to not rush into things like she had in the past, which had led to two very big mistakes. "That's a very sweet offer Bly, could I get back to you with an answer?"

"I understand if you don't want to go out with me, and you have every right to not want to have anything to do with me. I'm sorry for last night and intruding today." Bly disappointedly answered and turned to leave.

Jordan grabbed her by the arm to stop her. "No. It's not that I don't want to; it's just that I need to speak with Linda before I accept. She purchased tickets for a fundraiser dinner at Kelly's and I'm not sure if it's for tonight or tomorrow. So, could I call you later when I find out?" Jordan knew exactly what day the fundraiser was for, but still didn't want to be impulsive about her answer. She wanted to give herself a chance to think things over.

"I didn't know Kelly's was having a fundraiser, but I'm staying at the Rainbow House in room 13 if you want to call me later with your answer." Bly smiled and headed towards the road to retrieve her moped.

"Okay, I will contact you later then," Jordan answered, biting her lip and wondering if she made the right decision. She watched Bly climb on her moped, quickly heading out of sight. Jordan thought about how much she was attracted to Bly and whether she was being too harsh to her. ‘She could be your soul mate Jordan, and you may have pushed her out of your life,’ she softly told herself and headed off to meet up with Linda to watch the football game.

***

Linda and Jordan pulled up to the field finding it packed with women for the flag football tournament. “Oh, yes! Women galore Jordan!" Linda exclaimed excitedly.

"I can see that!" Jordan answered, amazed. She scanned the crowd while the pair pulled out their lawn chairs and cooler. They picked a sunny spot on the sideline to get a great view of the game as well as, the ladies.

"I just love to watch a bunch of women running around playing football," Linda exclaimed with a big grin.

"I thought you didn't like football, Linda?" Jordan asked skeptically.

"That's men Jordan, but women playing is another story." Linda mischievously smiled. "Hey, check out the quarterback for the teal team."

"Which one is the quarterback?" Jordan asked, confused and looked toward the field.

"The one with the ball, #13! She's hot!" Linda exclaimed with disbelief at her friend's ignorance of the players.

Jordan looked over to #13, the quarterback as Linda said, and noticed a tall, tanned and strikingly beautiful woman. Her dark hair was pulled through the hole in the back of her Miami Dolphins ball cap and her eyes hidden behind sunglasses.

"She's very good looking, Linda." Jordan watched in awe as the woman gracefully ran from the defenders as she approached their sideline. The woman was shoved out of bounds and slid down to the ground right in front of an astonished Jordan and Linda.

"Now isn't that ironic!" Linda replied in amazement as they checked her out.

The woman stood up and took out her mouthpiece as she looked at the pair. "Hello, Jordan." The woman said with a smile before putting her mouthpiece back in and running back onto the field to join her team in the huddle.

Jordan sat stunned as Linda looked strangely at her. "Are you neglecting to tell me something? Who was that beauty?"

Jordan recognized the voice behind the shades and hat. "It was Bly," Jordan answered surprised, not knowing she played football.

"Wow! She is freaking hot, too bad she was such a jerk to you!" Linda exclaimed as she watched the game continue.

"I spoke to her on the beach this morning, and she asked me to dinner tonight," Jordan informed her.

"Were her manners better this time?" Linda asked with skepticism.

"Yes, and she apologized for the way she acted last night."

"Unbelievable. Are you going to go with her?" she asked, intrigued and hopeful for her friend.

"I'm not sure yet," Jordan answered with trepidation as they continued to watch the game. A group of women approached the area where Linda and Jordan sat to watch the game.

"I think I am in love with Bly," Jordan overheard a red-haired woman say.

"No, I'm in love with her and I will be the one she goes out with," a shorthaired brunette answered causing everyone to laugh.

"Deb, there is no way she will go out with you!" the red-haired woman answered.

Jordan became jealous of the women bickering over who would go out with Bly as she eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Dude, I'm a chick magnet and I just know she will go out with me. Especially when I flash my adorable dimples at her." the woman named Deb cockily answered and shared a laugh with her friends.

"You should know by now that Bly doesn't accept dates from people, she offers them. The only way you're going out with her is if she asks you!"

"I know, but it doesn't hurt to dream does it?" Deb grinned.

"All I know is that whoever she asks out is one lucky woman," the redhead answered with awe, admiring Bly’s effortless athletic prowess.

Jordan smiled as her decision had been made and leaned to Linda. "The answer to your question is yes."

"What did I ask you?" Linda asked confused.

"I am going out to dinner with Bly tonight." Jordan smiled and felt a happy nervousness sweep over her. She wondered what she was getting herself into with Bly.

"Did you see that pass? It had to have been oh, fifty yards! Oh, yes! Touchdown!" Linda excitedly yelled amazed at Bly's pass.

"That was incredible!" Jordan answered astonished, watching Bly celebrate with her teammates after the play.

"She is a very good athlete!" Linda exclaimed.

After the game, Bly approached the pair as they were packing up their chairs and cooler. "Did you enjoy the game?" Bly asked with a smile.

"Yes, very much so." Jordan blushed and slipped her sunglasses on to check Bly's sweaty, but still gorgeous body without her knowing.

Bly took a long sip of water. "Bly, man, you can really throw that ball. Where did you learn to do that?" Linda asked, awestruck.

Bly wiped the water off her mouth as Jordan wished she could lick it off those sensuous lips. "From watching the main man #13 himself, my boy, Dan Marino!" Bly laughed.

"So, you're a Marino fan?" Linda asked.

"If you saw my house you wouldn't ask that question." Bly laughed as she turned to her friends who called to her to get moving as they where ready to go. Bly held up a finger for one more minute and looked back at Jordan. "So, are you going to accept my offer of dinner?" Bly asked, smiling hopefully.

"Yes, I will be accepting your offer. What time?" Jordan grinned like a nervous schoolgirl.

"How about seven because the restaurant is small and gets very busy quickly. Where are you staying? " Bly asked as she waved to her still shouting friends, without taking her eyes off of Jordan.

"We are staying at Alexander’s guesthouse."

"Oh, great, it is just around the corner from there so, I will be out front at about 6:45 then, okay?" Bly asked for assurance that the plans she offered would be accepted.

"That would be perfect." Jordan smiled.

"Great! I will see you then. I have to get going to a volleyball game so, see you later!" Bly grinned and ran over to the waiting car. Bly jumped into the Mustang convertible and the carload of woman laughed as they sped off out of the parking lot.

Linda put her sunglasses back down on her eyes after watching Bly run off to join her friends. "Did you notice the nice ass she has?"

"Linda!" Jordan exclaimed embarrassed as she elbowed her friend.

Linda looked at Jordan and the two laughed. "You were checking it out too!" Linda laughingly accused, pointing at Jordan.

"Oh, behave!" Jordan laughed as the pair headed towards their car.

"So, do you want to got watch a volleyball game?" Linda teasingly asked as they pulled out of the parking lot.

"No, that would look too anxious, don't you think?"

"Maybe just interested." Linda reasoned. "But, you’re probably right. So, what are you going to wear tonight?"

"I have no idea where we're even going." Jordan complained, looking down at her shorts and T-shirt.

"Why don't we head over to the shops and see what we can find?"

"Great idea." Jordan answered relieved, making a mental list of the clothes she had brought. She didn’t have anything acceptable for a dinner date with Bly. Well, in her mind, she didn’t.

***

They parked their car back at the guesthouse and made their way through the various shops. "Jordan, what about this?" Linda asked excitedly. Jordan turned to look at the article of clothing her friend held up.

"I can't wear that!" Jordan bashfully exclaimed.

"Why? I think you would look hot in it," Linda questioned, looking at the skimpy outfit.

"I can see through it!"

"That's why you wear this under it!" Linda informed her and held up a white bra that went under the lacy top. "Come on, at least try it on," Linda coaxed with a sly grin.

"Linda!" Jordan whined.

"For me?" she grinned mischievously

"Give it to me!" Jordan groaned. Relenting, she went into the fitting room. Looking at herself in the mirror she thought, 'Not bad. I guess it covers enough yet, shows so much more.'

"Get out here!" Linda called impatiently. "Let me see what it looks like."

Jordan stepped out of the room and blushed when Linda let out a low whistle. "You have got to get that! You look totally hot in that." Linda enthusiastically approved. The top was a midriff lacy number with the white bra underneath. She could wear color shorts with it and opted for her navy one's.

"You sure it doesn't scream, ‘I'm cheap’?"

"No! It screams ‘Babe’!" Linda remarked and pushed her back into the fitting room to change.

At the next shop, Jordan found a pair of gold hoops to accentuate the alluring outfit. The afternoon was slipping away as they hurried back to their room to get ready for the sunset fest.

***

They made their way down to the dock just as it was starting to get crowded and finding a good spot, they waited. "Hey, Linda is that you?"

Linda and Jordan turned toward the voice behind them and Linda squealed in delight. "Judy! What are you doing here?" The two women hugged as Jordan looked on in amusement.

"I came down with some friends, and you?"

"I came down with my friend Jordan. Judy I'd like you to meet Jordan," Linda introduced and pulled Jordan forward. "Judy and I go back a long way."

"We were in college together," Judy explained. She looked over at Linda and thought about how good the woman looked after all this time.

"It's nice to meet you, Judy." Jordan cordially smiled, shaking the offered hand.

"So do you two have plans for the evening?" Judy asked, not sure if they were together or just friends.

Linda chuckled and gloatingly informed her, "my friend here has a date with this gorgeous jock."

"So then, you're free this evening?" Judy asked, hopefully.

"Sure, what did you have in mind?"

"My friends are all meeting at the Diva’s tonight. I thought we could go over for a little dancing? You up for that?"

"Sounds like my kind of evening." Linda answered and turned to find Jordan looking out over the water at the other side of the dock. Jordan looked across the water toward the other crowd of people on the dock and saw a familiar figure standing all alone looking out over the water. She had the same forlorn look as this morning on the beach, and Jordan knew something was bothering her. "What's up?" Linda asked her.

"I think I'm going to head over there. I think I see someone I know. You guys have a good time this evening and I'll see you later tonight? It was nice meeting you, Judy."

"Nice meeting you, too. Have fun on your date."

Jordan hurried through the crowd trying to find her way to where she saw Bly standing alone. She made it to the end of the pier and couldn't find the tall woman. "Damn," Jordan breathed. "Where could she have gone so fast?" She wondered out loud. Looking around once more, she gave up and headed back to the guesthouse to see if Bly was waiting for her there.

***

Jordan reached the guesthouse and didn't see Bly anywhere. She decided to wait on the porch for her. Alexander's Guesthouse was a homey 1910-conch house covered in tropical foliage. Jordan sat on a sofa on a wide veranda and looked out past the white fence for Bly to arrive on her moped. The stars were just beginning to come out and Jordan watched the sky as it filled with tiny sparkles.

"What'cha looking at?" Bly asked, standing at the bottom of the steps.

Jordan jumped, as she hadn't heard the woman or her moped arrive. "Jeez, you scared me. I didn't hear you drive up," she explained startled, and held her hand over her pounding heart.

"Sorry, I parked the bike over there earlier and ran down the street for this." Bly grinned and handed Jordan a white rose.

"What? That's so sweet. Thank you." Jordan blushed embarrassed at Bly's display of affection. "No one's ever given me flowers before."

"No one, huh? I'll have to remember that." Bly slyly smiled. "Well, you hungry?"

"Starving." Jordan chuckled and went down the steps to join Bly. Jordan unlocked the gate at the end of the walk with her room key as Bly held it open for her and waited for Jordan to precede her. "Hey, how did you get in the gate?" Jordan asked with wonder at how she managed it.

"I jumped the fence because I didn't want to break your concentration on what you were staring at." Bly sweetly smiled. Jordan smiled and thought about how romantic it was for Bly to jump the fence and to give her a beautiful white rose. Bly thought about how sweet and pure Jordan looked staring up at the stars in wonderment. She was very intrigued by this woman and wanted to get to know her better.

As they walked to the restaurant Jordan looked up at Bly's profile and thought about how surprisingly different Bly was turning out to be. She wasn't at all the intimidating person she had originally thought. Lifting the rose to her nose she breathed in it's scent and smiled, 'yep things are definitely looking better' as she glanced over to catch a glimpse of Bly. The woman looked stunning in her white cotton high neck tank top revealing her tanned, well-defined arms. Jordan noted how alluring Bly’s hair looked as she swung it to the side, off of her face. Jordan caught a whiff of her Cool Water perfume and smiled.

Bly smiled as she caught a glimpse of Jordan checking her out and liked the feeling. She turned to Jordan with her smile still left on her face. "Do you like Italian food?" She asked as she stepped off the curb.

"I pretty much love all types of food, except liver." Jordan answered with a laugh, which Bly shared easily.

"I'll make sure I remember no liver either." Bly smiled, pointing Jordan in the direction they needed to go.

"What do you enjoy to eat?"

"Pretty much everything except liver,” Bly answered with a laugh and a nod of the head as they turned the corner. "This is it," Bly alerted as she led Jordan up the steps and held the door open for her.

"This place is really cute." Jordan observed as she scanned the small quaint restaurant. It had benches in the front for customers waiting to be seated. Soft strains of Caribbean music floated through the restaurant and the large windows allowed patrons to look out over the tropical foliage that encased the old style Key West homes in the neighborhood.

"Bly! Welcome! I have your usual table in the corner," the host cheerfully greeted as he pointed to her table and ushered them there. "Dianne will be serving you tonight and welcome to our restaurant, young lady." The host spoke in a warm and friendly voice as he waited for the ladies to take their seats.

"Thank you, Mario." Bly smiled appreciatively as she looked back at Jordan.

"Do you come here often?" Jordan asked, amazed that the waiter knew her.

"Every chance I get. I love this place and they have really great food."

"It's very lovely." Jordan smiled, looking around the small restaurant as their waitress approached.

"Hello Bly, good to see you this evening." She greeted them with a smile while placing two glasses of water and a glass of ice tea on the table. "What can I get you to drink?" she asked looking at Jordan.

"I guess I'll have some ice tea as well." Jordan grinned as she looked up at the waitress before she left to fulfill her request. Jordan turned back to Bly, "so, what's good here?" she asked, perusing the menu.

"Everything!" Bly chuckled.

"You're not much help." Jordan teasingly smiled and arched an eyebrow.

"Sorry. I usually just leave it up to whomever is serving my table to choose something for me and you can do the same or you can check out the menu," Bly answered as she put some sweet n low in her tea and stirred it before taking a sip.

"Here you go hun." Diane drawled as she put a glass of tea in front of Jordan. "What can I get you ladies this evening?"

"You can choose for me, Diane." Bly informed her and glanced towards Jordan for her order.

"I'll have the meat tortellini please." Jordan decided.

"Great, I'll get this in right away and bring out your salads."

"Thank you," they answered in unison and smiled at one another.

"So, Bly where do you live?"

"I live in Ft. Lauderdale on the beach," Bly answered as she sipped her tea.

"That must be very nice to wake up to the noise of the waves crashing on the shore." Jordan cordially smiled and wished she could live on the beach. Unfortunately, her salary didn’t afford her such a luxury.

"It’s very beautiful in the mornings when I am out for my run." Diane brought their salads and Bly began to eat hers.

"What do you do for a living?" Jordan asked through bites of her salad. "This salad dressing is wonderful. What kind is it?"

"House raspberry vinaigrette, my favorite," Bly answered and hesitated, "Don't you just hate the uncomfortable getting to know one another questions?" Bly asked, smiling

Jordan laughed. "Actually I do, but I would like to know more about you," she answered, their eyes meeting.

"Here, let me give you my resume and then it will be easier." Bly laughed, pretending to pull out a resume from her pocket as Jordan laughed. "Well, let's see. I'm a Physical Therapist. I went to the University of Florida and I'm a diehard Gator fan so, hopefully you aren't a Seminole fan." Bly teased with a wink and a smile at Jordan.

"Nope, I'm a Michigan Wolverine fan. Gotta love the maize and blue!" Jordan laughed.

"Great, I’m a diehard Miami Dolphin's fan, I play flag football on tournament teams, beach volleyball and women's baseball on Sunday's in a league in Hollywood." Bly listed her passion for sports.

"A real sports nut, huh?" Jordan asked, smiling. ‘Damn, I have such a weakness for gorgeous jocks!’

"Well, you kind of have to be when your mom and dad are too." Bly chuckled.

"That's awesome. What sports do they enjoy?" Jordan asked, interested in Bly's family.

"Dad played football and baseball for the Gators, and mom played softball and volleyball for the..."

"Gators?" Jordan interrupted with a laugh.

"Yep, the Gators." Bly sheepishly grinned, finishing off her salad. She noticed Jordan had something on her chin and reached over with her napkin to clean it off.

"What?" Jordan asked with nervousness.

"You have a piece of lettuce on your chin that I thought I would wipe off." Bly smiled as she removed the food from her chin. When Jordan grabbed her hand to take the napkin, it sent waves of electricity throughout Bly's body from her tender touch. Bly smiled gazing into Jordan's eyes and put her hand down to take a sip of tea, She had never felt a sensation like that from someone before.

"Thanks." Jordan answered, embarrassed that she was out on a date with a beautiful woman and she had lettuce hanging off her chin. ‘Remind yourself ‘dummy’ to wipe your chin after every bite! Hopefully there is nothing stuck in my teeth!’ She chided herself and smiled at Bly, then looked back down to her plate mortified by the whole incident.

"Jordan I'm sorry I aah. Didn't mean to embarrass you." Bly regretfully stammered, staring into Jordan's eyes. She could see the chagrin there and it was the last thing she intended to do. The more time she spent with Jordan, the more smitten with her she became.

"Oh, no. Thanks, I appreciate that you got it then instead of letting it hang there all evening. Now, that would have been humiliating!" Jordan laughed, as did Bly. ‘Ooh, nice pick up on the embarrassment thing.’ Jordan inwardly thought. "So, you were telling me about your parents?" She desperately wanted to change the subject.

"Oh, yeah. They met at the University of Florida, fell in love and got married. Hence, producing me!" Bly laughed.

"What do they do for a living?" Jordan asked inquisitively.

"My father is an orthopedic surgeon with his own practice and my mother is a lawyer for my father." Bly laughed. "I'm only teasing. She has her own law practice."

Jordan laughed, "You have a very prestigious family, Bly.”

"Thank you. Not really, but I guess.” Bly smiled bashfully and added, “They are my parents. I suppose I don’t look at them that way. Do you enjoy football?”

“Well, I don’t watch it very much and I have no idea what’s going on, but I enjoy watching you.” Jordan grinned.

Bly blushed at Jordan’s last statement. "Well, maybe I can teach you some things about football then."

"That would be nice. Did you play any sports in college? Probably a stupid question huh?" Jordan cringed for asking the silly question.

"No, never a stupid question and yes. I played volleyball, softball and intramural flag football. I lettered in varsity for volleyball and softball all four years there, with which my mother was especially pleased." Bly chuckled.

"Wow! That’s amazing. Did you receive a scholarship to school for those sports?” Jordan asked, impressed by Bly’s accomplishments with sports.

“I was offered one, but I turned it down. There was no reason for me to use scholarship money when I had plenty of my own to attend school. I asked that they use it for someone else who didn’t have the means that I do,” Bly simply answered.

“That’s so nice.” Jordan smiled, admiringly. “So, you are close with your family?"

"Very much so," Bly answered and moved back. Diane placed her lasagna on the table in front of her as she looked up with an approving smile. "Thank you. Perfect choice."

"I thought you would like that one." Diane chuckled and left to attend to her other customers.

Jordan moved her tortellini around on her plate and looked up at Bly who had begun to eat her lasagna. "Is your family very accepting of your lifestyle?" Jordan asked hesitantly.

"Oh, yeah. They are great. They would love for me to settle down with someone though." Bly smiled as she stared into Jordan's green eyes. ‘I wish it was you that would be that person.’ Bly thought hopefully as she continued to eat.

Jordan was envious. “That’s great to have parents who are so accepting of you and your lifestyle."

"How could they not? They love me. When I told my parents they told me they loved me unconditionally and that they wanted me to be happy. I am very lucky to have such great parents." Bly answered with a smile and admiration for her parents.

‘If she has such a wonderful family, life and job; why does she always look so lonely?’ Jordan wondered, continuing to eat her tortellini. "This is the best pasta I have ever eaten. I’ll have to recommend it."

"I told you this place was great and you should recommend it. I do it all the time." Bly chuckled. "So, now it's your turn to tell me about you." Bly asked with a sly smile, staring at the blonde. She was very intrigued to know more about her.

"Let's see. I was born in Michigan which, of course, is why I'm a Wolverine fan." Jordan smiled, pausing to take a sip of her water. “I work in technical support for a computer firm in West Boca. My father works for a utility company up north and my mother is a bookkeeper for an engineering firm." Jordan stopped there and began to make an effort to eat her food. She hesitated telling Bly that her parents knew nothing about her lifestyle. ‘I don't want her to think I'm not serious about my life, in anyway,’ she thought, sadly.

Bly looked over at Jordan and noticed that she wasn't really enjoying her food. "Don't you like the tortellini?" she asked.

"No, it's terrific. I guess I'm just getting full," Jordan offered an excuse. The truth was, she wanted to devour it, but her appetite was lost talking about her family.

Bly watched Jordan and wondered it that was all there was to the story and decided to find out. "So, what about your parents. Are they Wolverine fans too?" Bly asked casually.

"Yes, the whole family is." Jordan laughed lightly and looked up at Bly nervously.

"What's wrong?" Bly asked, concerned.

"Nothing, why?" Jordan asked tentatively, playing with her water glass.

"Come on, it’s more than that." Bly pried and moved to put her hand over Jordan's as it gripped her water glass.

Jordan looked up with a half smile and explained, "It's just that your family seems so accepting of you and everything. Mine, on the other hand, doesn't know about my lifestyle, which is one of the reasons I live in Florida and not up north," she confessed hoping Bly wouldn’t think badly of her.

"You mean they don't know you are gay?" Bly asked, curious and surprised.

"No, they wouldn't be as accepting as your family I'm afraid," Jordan answered, disappointed. “They have their own beliefs on the subject and let's just say that they don't match mine."

"That's too bad. It must be very hard for you," Bly sympathized.

Jordan shrugged her shoulders and replied, "actually, we aren't that close of a family and since I live so far away, it really hasn't been a problem."

"Do you think you will ever tell them?"

"Yes, actually I do," Jordan, replied thoughtfully. "I've decided that if I ever find my life partner, then I don't want to live a lie and I will tell them."

"Sounds reasonable," Bly replied smiling. She released Jordan's hand when Diane stepped up to the table to clear some of the dishes.

"Are you up for some dessert?"

"No. I'm stuffed," Jordan laughed and patted her stomach. She lied; she wanted to eat everything on the table and the dessert. She knew that wouldn’t be polite on a first date though, but maybe the second date.

Bly smiled in reply and told Diane, "Just the check, please."

"Okay, be right back with it." Diane replied and cleared the last of their dishes.

"Would you be interested in going for a ride down for a moonlight walk along the ocean?"

"Yes, that sounds nice," Jordan answered, smiling. Diane came back and placed the bill in front of Bly. She slipped her credit card into the folder and handed it back to Diane. "How about we split the bill." Jordan offered, reaching for her purse.

"No, I asked you out. This evening’s on me." Bly refused, grinning.

"I can't let you pay for everything," Jordan guiltily protested.

"Yes, you can. I can afford it," Bly replied simply.

"That's nice, but I feel funny letting someone else pay my way," Jordan answered.

"Don't worry about it. You’re not taking advantage of me." Bly smiled and signed the check. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, thank you for dinner and the rose." Jordan smiled happily and rose from her chair. She blushed as Bly held the door open and waited for her to exit the restaurant. They walked back toward the guesthouse to retrieve Bly's moped.

***

Bly settled on the moped and held a hand out for Jordan, "Hop on."

Jordan took the offered hand and climbed on the bike behind Bly. The closeness of their bodies made Jordan tremble as she put her arms around Bly's waist. She felt Bly's warmth and the smell of her cologne. The combination was intoxicating in the night air. Bly felt Jordan shiver and reached down to pull Jordan's arm closer around her body. The ever-present butterflies in Jordan's stomach seemed to be making swan dives with her tortellini from Bly's gesture. Bly sped down the street at full throttle, causing a rush of adrenaline to flow throughout Jordan's body. Bly pulled up at a stoplight and pointed to her right at a small bar with mopeds parked out front and looked over her shoulder at Jordan.

"I call that bar the booger bar." Bly laughed.

"Booger bar? That sounds gross, Bly." Jordan asked, bewildered by the comment.

"That's because it is gross and that's why I call it the booger bar." Bly laughed. "See, booger means nasty, gross, ugly etc." Bly said explaining the meaning of the slang.

"That's an interesting name to describe something." Jordan answered as the light changed and Bly gunned the accelerator. "Do you always drive these things full out?"

"Oh, yeah. It's so much fun. Is it bothering you? I can slow down." Bly asked, concerned.

"No, I like it. I was just curious." ‘You fool! You know you love it especially if you can wrap your arms around this beauty,’ Jordan thought, smiling and reveling in Bly’s closeness. Bly turned the corner and noted the group of women standing there. She beeped her horn a few times and the women squealed in response to her gesture as they passed by. ‘I never thought I would have so much fun riding on a moped. Maybe it's the company that I'm with that is doing it,’ Jordan thought.

***

Bly parked the moped and Jordan climbed off while Bly put the kickstand down. She pulled the key out and looped the lock through the moped to keep it from being stolen. "I just don't want to take any chances." Bly grinned, looking up at Jordan. "Come on." Bly enthusiastically replied and led her to the steps leading up to the pool deck. Bly waited for Jordan at the top of the steps and held her hand out to Jordan. Bly held Jordan's hand as they passed the closed Tiki bar by the pool and made their way down to the end of the long dock. A steady tropical breeze blew across the dock from the ocean.

"How far out does this dock go Bly?" Jordan asked, looking at Bly who had a wind blown look in the moonlight.

"It’s not too much farther Jordan. The dock extends out into the Atlantic Ocean and if you go down those stairs you can swim in fairly shallow blue-green water to cool off from your nude sunbathing." Bly mischievously smiled as she pointed to the stairs. Jordan looked over the edge as Bly squeezed her hand a little tighter. Bly stole a sideways glance at Jordan who looked over the edge of the railing. The stormy sea crashed against the pillars below them as Jordan struggled to keep her long, blond hair away from her eyes. Bly turned Jordan to face her and gazed into her green eyes, slowly reaching up to gently brush Jordan's hair aside. Bly's heart raced as warmth swept over her and she leaned in to kiss Jordan who became very nervous, and turned her head towards the ocean.

"Did you hear that? What was that?" Jordan anxiously asked, looking over the edge. ‘I hope she thinks she heard something as well. I'm just not ready for her to kiss me or am I?’ Jordan argued with herself.

"I didn't hear anything, Jordan. Do you see something?" Bly asked, looking over the railing at the ocean beneath them. "It could have just been a fish that jumped out of the water." Bly offered, as she walked away from the railing towards the stairs. She descended a few steps and looked under the dock to no avail.

‘Whew! She really thinks there is something there. I should be ashamed of myself having her go on a wild goose chase like that,’ Jordan admonished and approached Bly.

"Whatever it was it's gone now." Bly shrugged her shoulders, baffled by what Jordan heard.

"Oh, well. It must have been a big fish to make that much noise. I can't believe you didn't hear it." Jordan coyly suggested, trying to cover herself.

"I was focused on something other than the ocean, sorry." Bly sheepishly grinned and walked to the railing. She looked out over the ocean, which had a moonlit glow to it. Her hair blew to the side from the steady tropical breeze. She rested her elbows on the railing and looked out, enjoying the tranquility.

Jordan approached and stood next to her recognizing that familiar forlorn look as she gazed out into the ocean. "Penny for your thoughts." Jordan smiled as Bly glanced over her shoulder at the shorter woman.

"Let's see the penny first," Bly sarcastically asked with a mischievous grin. Jordan reached in her pocket and pulled out a penny, holding it in front of Bly who smiled. "You can keep it. I was just kidding."

"No, I'm paying for your thoughts so, accept the penny and tell me about it," Jordan answered, moving the penny closer to Bly.

Bly turned to face her, still resting her arm on the railing and took the penny out of her hand. "This is the cheapest shrink session I will ever have." Bly chuckled, feeling completely at ease with the woman before her.

"Well, it seems to me you have something heavy on your mind. So, I paid for your thoughts and the doctor is in." Jordan teasingly smiled.

Bly flashed a sexy smile. "I guess I'm just lonely." Bly casually answered, trying to brush the conversation off.

"Seems like there's more to it than that Bly, You seem to be carrying a heavy weight on your shoulders. I'm just curious how someone who obviously has so many friends can be so lonely?" Jordan asked with curiosity.

Bly looked down at the penny in her hand and flipped it in her fingers. "Well, I really don't have that many friends, Jordan." Bly regretfully admitted, her blues flicking up to meet confused greens.

"Bly, who are all of those people you hang out with then?" Jordan asked, confused.

"They’re just acquaintances to me Jordan." Bly answered as she looked up at Jordan and then back down to the penny, rubbing the face of it. "I only have one really true friend that I trust completely, one that doesn't want anything from me other than friendship, and that's Jules. Everyone else just wants to hang out with me because I am wealthy and they try to take advantage of me."

Jordan put her hand on Bly's arm for comfort. "I'm sorry to hear that Bly, but what about girlfriends. There must be someone that doesn't treat you like that other than Julie," Jordan asked, concerned.

Bly laughed. "Girlfriends are just as bad Jordan. They only go out with me for my money. Not because they want to know me, but because they want to get to know my bank account better. It makes me skeptical of everyone I get to know or go out with, and I don't want to be that way. I want to fall in love with someone and have her fall in love with me for who I am inside. Does that make any sense to you?" Bly asked, a touch of sadness present in her blue eyes.

Jordan lowered her head. She placed her hand on Bly's and squeezed it for comfort while tucking her wind blown hair behind her ear before looking back up at Bly. "Bly, money has never been an issue with me because I have never had it. I don’t become friends with someone because of how much money they have, but for what's in their hearts. I would like to be your friend unconditionally if you would let me," Jordan wholeheartedly professed looking into her lonely blue eyes.

Bly looked into Jordan's sincere green eyes. "I would like that, thanks." Bly smiled shyly. She never expected anyone to ever say something like that to her. It touched her deeply. "Are you ready to head back?"

"Sure, if you are." Jordan smiled as Bly put the penny in her pocket. She took Jordan's hand as they made their way back down the dock to the moped. 'Jordan, you should have taken her up on the offer for the kiss when you had the opportunity. Then you tell her you want to be her friend? She may never want a relationship with you even though that's what you want.' Jordan chided herself for missing a wonderful opportunity to be closer to Bly.

***

Bly unlocked the moped and Jordan took the opportunity to watch Bly's muscles flex through her tank top as she struggled to unlock the bike and get the kick stand down. Jordan climbed in behind Bly and wrapped her arm around her as they pulled out of the parking lot heading down the main drag of Duval Street, which was crowded with partygoers. When they stopped at a light, Jordan noticed a group of women checking Bly out. Bly was oblivious to them as she peered into the bar with a drag show going on and laughed. Jordan became jealous of the women checking her out and tightened her grip possessively around her waist. Leaning forward she asked Bly in her ear softly, "What are you looking at?"

Bly swallowed hard and felt a chill run down her spine from Jordan's angelic voice in her ear. "Aah there's a drag show going on in that bar." Bly stammered as Jordan looked at the women with a mischievous smile, as if to say 'she's mine'.

The light changed and Bly gunned the moped away as the women yelled for them to come back. 'Jordan you're an idiot if you let this one slip through your fingers. She's a keeper and she' s definitely not Cindy. You have a connection that's hard to explain, but you need to create an opportunity to show her how you feel about her. If she gives you another opportunity, you need to take it,' Jordan told herself as they turned the corner to the street where Jordan’s guesthouse was located. 'Remember Jordan, now's your chance with her.’ She reminded herself as Bly pulled the moped in front of the guesthouse and stopped the engine. Jordan hopped off as Bly put the kickstand down and climbed off the bike to join Jordan who stood in front of the white gate. "I really had a great time tonight, thank you." Jordan smiled appreciatively and unlocked the gate to the guesthouse. Bly followed Jordan up to the front porch and stopped when they reached the door.

"Yes, I had a nice time too." Bly agreed, smiling and staring at Jordan. Jordan stood nervously waiting for Bly to make some sort of move toward her. Bly lost herself in a sea of green and realized the woman before her had to have cast a spell over her heart. Bly wanted to make a move on Jordan, but was unsure if that’s what Jordan wanted.

"Will I see you at the game tomorrow?" Bly asked.

"When is it?"

"Eleven AM, same place," Bly replied.

"Yes, I will be there," Jordan, answered with a smile.

"Great! Well, then I guess I will see you tomorrow?" Bly smiled and wondered awkwardly if she should try to kiss Jordan again.

"Would you also be interested in going on a Sunset Cruise tomorrow night?" Jordan asked before Bly could turn away.

"Sure, that would be nice." Bly smiled and thought, ‘maybe she did want something more than one date.’ "We can talk tomorrow after the game." Bly grinned and turned to walk back down the steps. Jordan grabbed her and pulled her back. Green eyes sought out blue, and the touch of Jordan's hand burned Bly's arm. She took a step closer and slowly pulled Jordan into her arms. Brushing a lock of hair off Jordan's face, she looked deeply into her green eyes. Seeing only acceptance, Bly leaned down and hesitated before brushing her lips across Jordan's. The touch sent a moan through both woman and there was no hesitation as the kiss deepened. Breaking off the kiss, Bly stepped back as they tried to catch their breath. The significance of the moment was not lost on either of them.

"So, I will see you tomorrow right?" Bly asked with a sweet smile. Jordan just nodded, lost in the feelings of their kiss. Bly winked at her and bounced down the steps, heading for the gate. Before Jordan could call out to her that the gate was locked, Bly jumped over the fence with an easy grace that left Jordan shivering. 'God, what a woman!' She gasped, watching the beauty.

***

Jordan entered the bedroom quietly and found that Linda was already in bed sound asleep. Jordan wondered what happened to her night out. It was only 11:00 pm and too early for Linda to be asleep. Changing quietly in the bathroom, Jordan climbed into her bed and went to sleep with one dark, gorgeous woman on her mind.

***

The next morning, Jordan and Linda were ready by ten and went out to get some breakfast before heading to the football game. Over breakfast Linda told Jordan about her disastrous evening and how she couldn't wait to get away from her old friend. "I can't believe how much she has changed," Linda told Jordan, disappointed.

"That bad, huh?"

"It only took me an hour to realize that I wanted no part of her or her friends." Linda answered.

"You ready to go?" Jordan asked, eager to see a certain dark-haired beauty.

"Yes, let's go check out the ladies. Who knows? Maybe I'll get lucky and meet someone at the field.” Linda chuckled as the women walked toward their car and headed off for the short ride. It was too far to walk and carry all their things so they opted for the car.

"How's this spot?" Linda asked, setting the lawn chairs down.

"Looks like a good spot to watch the activities."

"Don't look know, but there are two babes making their way over here and one of them, I think you'll really like." Linda teased with a mischievous grin.

Jordan looked up to see Bly walking over accompanied by another woman. Bly looked good this morning as her shorts showed off her tanned muscular legs. When she moved, well-toned abs would peek through from the cut off tank top she wore. Bly smiled and pulled off her sunglasses when she approached and leaned over to kiss Jordan on the cheek. Jordan blushed at the open display of affection Bly showed in front of the ogling women that dotted the sidelines. Bly slipped her arm around Jordan's shoulders and turned to introduce Julie. "Jordan, I'd like you to meet my best friend Julie."

"Hi, nice to meet you finally," Julie cordially smiled, shaking Jordan's hand.

"Yes, it's nice to meet you too."

"And this is Jordan's friend, Linda. Linda, Julie." Bly introduced the women.

Linda had been looking at Bly's friend with definite interest. Julie was an attractive, slim, dark-haired woman of Italian descent with brown eyes.

"Hi, it's very nice to meet you." Julie greeted, shaking Linda's hand and looking the woman over. She liked what she saw and held the hand just a little longer than necessary.

"Nice to meet you too." Linda murmured with a smile. Linda kept eye contact with the woman holding her hand long enough for Julie to get the message and smiled her reply.

"Well, I've got to get ready for the kickoff." Bly looked at Jordan smiling. “Cheer me on?"

"You bet!" Jordan enthusiastically agreed.

"I'll meet you back here when I'm done, okay?" Bly asked as Jordan nodded and smiled up into Bly's twinkling blue eyes. Bly leaned down to briefly kiss Jordan on the cheek before jogging off to join her teammates, leaving a blushing blonde on the sidelines.

"Mind if I join you ladies to watch the game?" Julie asked looking at Linda.

Linda smiled and replied, "By all means, join us." She was definitely intrigued by the woman.

"Let me grab my chair and I'll be right back."

Linda and Jordan watched the woman walk away until Jordan elbowed Linda in the stomach. "Not bad. This must be record time for you."

Linda laughed. "Well, when you've got it, you've got it baby!"

***

The three women watched the game, or in actuality, Jordan watched Bly and the two women next to her spent the time getting to know one another. Jordan watched Bly display her superior athletic prowess. She marveled at Bly’s agility. She couldn't take her eyes off the muscles of Bly's arms as they rippled with each pass. Her moves were sure and sleek like a hunting lioness. During one play, the offensive line broke, allowing the defenders to rush Bly. When Jordan saw Bly go down she jumped up from her seat in a panic, until she saw Bly get to her feet and back into the game. “Don't these damn refs know its flag football not tackle?” Jordan shouted angrily as Julie and Linda were oblivious to her statement. During a time-out, Bly looked over at Jordan and waved causing the women on the sidelines to turn in her direction. Jordan waved back and smiled, thinking, 'Go ahead and look ladies, but she's looking back at me.' Bly ran the ball twice into the end zone for a touchdown and Jordan cheered as loud as the rest of the women around her. Bly's team won as expected and when she had packed up her equipment, she came over to where the three women were waiting.

Instead of putting her arm around Jordan she grasped her hand and said, "I'm kind of sweaty right now."

Jordan laced her fingers though Bly's and smiled replying, "It doesn't matter to me."

"So, are we all set to go snorkeling?" Bly asked looking over at Julie in question.

"Yes. If you don't mind I think Linda and I would like to join you." Julie smiled. Linda looked over at Jordan who winked back in reply.

"I don't mind. The more the merrier." Bly grinned happy to see Julie had found someone and repositioned her equipment bag on her shoulder. "Let's get going because we have to catch the boat and I'd like to take a quick shower first." Bly informed them and tugged on Jordan's hand, heading towards the car.

"Bly I'm going to ride with Linda if you don't mind." Julie slyly smiled as Bly looked back.

"No problem. Hey, what time is it?" Bly asked, pulling the keys out of her bag as they continued to walk towards the parking lot.

"It's aah, 2:00," Jordan answered, fiddling with her wristwatch for the time.

"Damn. Do you think you can stand me stinky? I won't have time to take a shower." Bly asked Jordan with a smile.

"I'll take you anyway I can get you." Jordan answered provocatively, smiling and leaned up to kiss Bly.

"Hmmm. Hold that thought for later." Bly chuckled as she led Jordan to the passenger door of her black Mercedes 450 SL convertible, unlocked it and held the door open for Jordan to get in. Bly opened the trunk and threw her bag in the car and climbed into the driver's seat and started the car up. Bly slid her sunglasses over her blue eyes and backed the car out of the parking lot to leave the field.

"Bly, this is a gorgeous car and the leather seats feel so comfy." Jordan said with awe, looking around the luxurious car.

"Thanks, I happen to love it myself." Bly grinned as she sped down US 1 in a hurry to get to the guesthouse. She slipped her hand into Jordan's who turned and smiled at her.

***

Bly parked in front of the guesthouse, exited the car and ran around to open Jordan's door for her. "Thank you. That's very sweet." Jordan chuckled and climbed out of the expensive vehicle. ‘Ooh, I love how chivalrous she is and does she ever have some good manners!’ Jordan thought, impressed by Bly.

"Here's the key for the moped. Could you get it all set while I run up and change really quickly?"

"Sure." Jordan answered taking the keys from Bly and watched as she ran up towards the steps of the guesthouse before running back and standing in front of Jordan.

"What?" Jordan asked with a smile.

"This…" Bly smiled provocatively, leaned in, and kissed Jordan like she had never been kissed before. “Be right back," Bly whispered, taking her hands away from Jordan's face and disappearing into the guesthouse leaving Jordan standing alone, gasping for air. Jordan came to her senses when she heard Linda and Julie pull up behind Bly's car.

Jordan got the moped ready and everyone waited for Bly to come back down. Bly ran out of the guesthouse with an apple stuck in her mouth and two snorkeling equipment bags over her shoulder. She jumped the stairs and ran towards the mopeds in a hurry. "Here Jules!" Bly shouted, tossing Julie’s snorkel bag as she hopped on the moped with Jordan sitting behind her. Bly stuck the apple back in her mouth, cautiously navigating the moped onto the street as Jordan wrapped her arms tightly around her waist.

Jordan reached around and took the apple out of Bly's mouth so she could chew the piece already there. "Thanks," Bly said after she swallowed the part of the apple..."I think I could get used to you feeding me." Bly grinned slyly as she glanced over her shoulder.

Jordan smiled and kissed her shoulder lightly. “I think I could, too."

***

The group pulled up to the marina and locked up their mopeds, quickly gathering their belongings before heading off to the boat slip. "Linda, have you ever been snorkeling?" Julie inquisitively asked, walking beside Linda.

"Nope, will you show me?" Linda innocently asked as Jordan snickered, knowing that she had been on many snorkeling trips before.

Bly held Jordan's hand as they approached the boat. “Permission to come on board Captain Evy?" Bly asked, grinning.

"Permission granted Bly. How are you?" The older sea weathered woman while hugging Bly.

"I am doing fantastic Captain. This is Jordan and that's Linda with Julie. This is Captain Evy." Bly smiled, conducting the introductions.

"Well, find a spot to stow your gear and as soon as Deena unties us we'll head out," Captain Evy responded referring to her first mate and took her position at the helm.

Bly grabbed their gear and stowed it in one of the dry coolers Evy had on board. Bly went to the port side and helped Deena with the lines as Julie, Linda and Jordan took seats next to Captain Evy. She introduced them to the other passenger, Holly from Michigan. The women made idle chit chat as Captain Evy steered the schooner out of the marina and headed over the blue-green water to the open Atlantic Ocean.

"Hello ladies. I'm Deena the first mate and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. We have ice cold sodas in the cooler to the front if anyone is interested." She informed the passengers and pointed at the cooler.

Bly finished securing the ropes and made her way over to Deena. "What's the visibility today?"

"Beautiful Bly, one hundred percent visibility in ten feet of water with calm seas." Deena answered with a delighted smile.

"Excellent! I can't wait to get there," Bly excitedly answered and motioned for Jordan to join her at the front of the schooner.

Jordan stood up and took Bly's offered hand for assistance up the steps. Bly led her to the front of the schooner carefully placing their beach towels on the deck to do some sunbathing. Bly took off her tank top revealing the burgundy sport top, two-piece bathing suit. Bly folded her shirt to use as a pillow. Bly’s taut, tan body stunned Jordan. She gulped as her mouth watered with the notion of feeling that body against hers in the near future and felt a nervous tickle in her stomach. Bly finished folding her shirt and tucked it behind her where she would be laying her head down and slid her shorts off revealing her string bottoms. Jordan tried not to gawk at Bly's sleek body and glanced back at Linda with an awestruck look on her face.

Linda and Julie motioned for her to close her mouth and both laughed at her expression. Jordan did as she was instructed and gazed once more at Bly's spectacular abs, lying back to sunbathe. Jordan looked up at the blue sky and took a deep breath to calm her heartbeat. ’Whoa! She's way out of my league. How can I compare to that?’ Jordan wondered.

"Jordan?" Bly called and Jordan turned to find Bly lying on her side facing Jordan.

"Aah yeah?" Jordan stammered nervously, looking at Bly who had her head leaning against her hand with her elbow supported on the deck. She ran her fingers through her hair and pushed the long locks off to the side of her face. Jordan just stared at her, unable to speak. She was completely mesmerized by Bly’s stunning beauty.

"You're going to get a funny looking tan with all of your clothes on." Bly teased.

Jordan lifted her head up and looked at her clothes. "Yeah, I guess so." She nervously chuckled, slipping her shirt off and revealed her aqua colored halter bikini top, lying back down. Jordan turned her head to face Bly who had pushed her sunglasses up on her head. They held her raven colored bangs back off her face, revealing her crystal blue eyes, which took Jordan's breath away.

Bly moved closer to Jordan and put her hand on Jordan's stomach sending instant warmth towards Jordan's center. "You look very sexy in aqua. One of my favorite colors by the way." Bly seductively whispered and leaned down, capturing Jordan's lips for a passionate kiss. Bly could feel Jordan's muscles tighten and goose bumps were present under her touch when she broke her kiss. Bly moved onto her stomach, laying her head to the side on her crossed arms to face Jordan. She noticed Jordan took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Jordan looked at Bly who smiled. "Are you having fun?"

"This is wonderful," Jordan gushed, finding it hard to look into Bly's stunning blue eyes for fear she would want to attack and ravage her body with kisses in front of everyone on board, as she wanted Bly desperately.

"Great. Me too." Bly excitedly smiled and stood up, slipping her khaki swim shorts back on. "Would you like a soda?" Bly asked, looking down at Jordan.

‘How about pouring a bucket of ice cold water on me to cool me off please.’ Jordan thought admiringly staring at the beauty that stood before her. "Do they have any bottled water? If so, I would love some of that. Thanks." She finally answered after thoroughly checking out every inch of Bly’s body. ‘Thank goodness for dark sunglasses!’ Jordan thought relieved that Bly couldn’t see what she was looking at.

"I'll check and be back shortly." Bly winked and headed over for the refreshments.

‘How did I get so lucky to have such an incredible woman interested in me? I find it so hard to believe she would want me. She must see something she likes.’ Jordan wondered amazed that Bly was interested in her.

"What you smiling about?" Bly curiously asked, standing over Jordan with a cold bottle of water and a Dr. Pepper for herself.

Jordan was startled from her thoughts. "Just smiling because I'm having so much fun, which I haven't had in a long time." She answered and sat up.

Bly reached her hand out for Jordan. "Come on! Let's go have some more fun then." Bly offered smiling as Jordan accepted her hand and stood up. Bly led her to the front of the schooner and they sat with their legs dangling over the edge watching as the boat cut through the waves with an up and down motion. "Sometimes we get lucky and see some dolphins swimming by the boat," Bly enthusiastically explained and smiled, sipping her soda.

"That would be awesome! I've always wanted to swim with the dolphins," Jordan answered, excited at the possibility of seeing one in the wild.

"It is the most exhilarating feeling in the world and maybe we can both go swim with them together one day." Bly offered hopeful, losing herself in Jordan's emerald green eyes that sparkled from the sunlight.

"That would be wonderful, but where would we do that?" Jordan queried looking over the railing at the translucent turquoise water.

"They have a place up the road in Islamorada where we could go or we could take a trip to Hawaii." Bly smiled, knowing the latter would be a beautiful trip and an expensive one.

"We may have to settle for Islamorada for now." Jordan politely laughed, knowing the sad state of her checkbook.

"Jordan look!" Bly shouted exuberantly and stood up pointing in the water. “Dolphins!"

"Where?" Jordan eagerly asked and scanned the water.

"Right there." Bly pointed out. "Hey, dolphins port side!" Bly shouted to everyone who scrambled to take a look.

"Oh, that is so cool!" Jordan exclaimed amazed that the dolphins swam right along with the schooner. Before they knew it, the dolphins disappeared from their sight.

"That was so great!" Holly exclaimed as Julie and Linda lay back down to sunbathe on the opposite side of the boat.

Bly grabbed her snorkeling gear and prepared it for their reef excursion cleaning the mask and snorkel with fresh water. "Hey, Jordan. Do you think Julie and Linda are hitting it off pretty well?" she asked with a laugh, glancing over at them while continuing to clean her gear.

Jordan looked over her shoulder to find Linda and Julie in a passionate lip lock. "Do you think we should spray them with some cold water to separate them?" she asked, laughing and looking back at Bly.

"Nah, let them enjoy themselves, Jules deserves to have some passion in her life." Bly chuckled.

"It's a good thing this boat doesn't have more passengers or they just might be embarrassed. I wonder what the chick from Michigan is thinking about all this?"

"They only allow six passengers on the trip and it is usually an all female lesbian trip so, I don't think it would matter other than the fact that they might cause her to get over excited," Bly explained, laughing.

"Oh, I can relate all too well." Jordan agreed, chuckling.

"Well, folks we're here at the reef. Deena has the snorkel gear out for those who don't have your own. So, grab it and make sure your gear fits properly." Captain Evy instructed, pulling the schooner into the mooring over the reef.

Bly and Jordan made their way to the ladder to exit the schooner. "Ooh, the water is chilly." Bly exclaimed, slipping into the blue-green water.

Bly tested her gear in the water and looked up to see Jordan struggling with her fins. Bly swam over to her and helped her. "Are you going to be my snorkel buddy?" Jordan asked smiling.

"If you'll have me?" Bly asked with a sultry grin, her beautiful blue eyes reflecting off the water as she treaded water in front of Jordan.

"I'll take you anyway I can get you," Jordan seductively answered and kissed Bly. The bantering between them and the sexual innuendo was too much. She had to feel close to Bly, to feel those sensuous lips on her own.

Bly momentarily paused, staring into Jordan’s eyes after breaking the kiss. She was amazed at the affect this woman was having on her in such a short time. “Hmmm, that was wonderful.” Bly blushed, obviously smitten with the young blonde, seriously wanting to explore more of her body. She knew that would have to wait until later and inhaled deeply, calming her arousal. "Let's go check out the sights. Oh, did you take off all of your jewelry?" Bly asked.

"Yeah why?" Jordan asked, confused.

"I would hate for a barracuda to come over and nibble on that sexy neck of yours because I might get jealous." She mischievously grinned.

Jordan's eyes grew wider. "Barracuda? Will they attack me?" Jordan nervously asked, and moved closer to Bly who put her hand on her waist.

Bly chuckled. "If your jewelry is off, they won't mistake you for bait." Bly reassured her. "Come on. I'll protect you." Bly smiled, taking Jordan’s hand as they began to snorkel over the reef.

The pair met up with Julie and Linda after a while. "Hey, did you see the stingray?" Julie excitedly asked.

"No. Where?" Bly asked.

"Come on I'll show you." Julie answered ducking her face in the water and led them to the area. Julie pointed to the large stingray scouring the bottom of the white ocean floor, moving as if it was in slow motion through the water.

"That is so cool!" Bly exclaimed with amazement when they took their faces out of the water.

"Bly, check out the lobster down here!" Jordan alerted and looked back down.

The lobster moved under the pink colored brain coral and they swam around to get a better look, finding a Conch laying on the ocean floor as colorful tropical fish came close to them looking for a hand out. The horn on the boat sounded, signaling it was time to head back. The group swam back over the yellow, pink and green colored coral as they made their way back to the boat wanting to catch one more breathtaking view of the reef before they left. They climbed back on the schooner, quickly rinsing themselves and their equipment off with fresh water. They grabbed a drink and took a seat by the Captain to munch on red hot and plain hummus with different flavored crackers. The group compared their stories of what sea animals they saw while snorkeling as they drew closer to the docks where the daily sunset festivities took place.

Bly dug a gray sweatshirt out of her bag and threw it on comfortably positioning herself with her back resting against a mast pole, to watch for the sunset. Jordan recognized her far away gaze as Bly looked out over the ocean watching the sun begin its descent on the horizon. Jordan stood in front of Bly breaking her concentration. "Hey, mind if I join you?" Jordan asked as Bly looked up at her.

"No, not at all. Sit here." Bly motioned for Jordan to sit in front of her.

Jordan sat down between Bly's legs, and Bly wrapped her arms around Jordan as they enjoyed their first sunset together. Jordan felt so comfortable and safe in Bly's arms that she never wanted the moment to end. She leaned back against Bly, her cheek brushing against Bly's, sending goose bumps throughout her body.

Julie came over with a camera. "Okay, you two, let's see those pearly whites. Are you ready?"

"Yeah, go ahead." Bly answered, slightly embarrassed.

"Ready? Say sex!" Julie laughed, as did Bly and Jordan when she snapped the picture.

Linda joined Julie on the deck by Bly and Jordan to pick out their spot for their first sunset together as well. Julie cuddled up with Linda. "I've never seen Bly so relaxed and happy Linda." Julie glanced over at Bly and Jordan who were snuggled closely, waving to the passengers of the sunset party cruise boats when they passed the schooner.

"It's the same with Jordan. I think they're made for each other Julie." Linda happily smiled.

"I was thinking the same about us, Linda," Julie admitted, leaning to the side to see Linda's reaction.

"I was hoping you would say that because I have felt that way since I met you." Linda smiled, gazing into Julie's brown eyes and kissed her just as Bly snapped a picture of the soon to be lovers.

"Hey, it's the paparazzi! Get that film!" Julie teased sharing a laugh with the others.

"You having fun?" Bly whispered in Jordan's ear.

"It's one of the happiest days of my life Bly, thanks." Jordan professed smiling gratefully and looked back at Bly who captured her lips with her own for a sensual sunset kiss.

"I feel the same way, Jordan. You've made my life very happy since you entered it." Bly admitted honestly, smiling subtly and kissing her cheek.

Jordan took her camera and held it out in front of the two, "Okay smile." Jordan teased while Bly planted a kiss on her cheek and Jordan clicked the picture. "Hey, you!" Jordan chastised and nudged Bly with her elbow.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist." Bly chuckled. “Look, the sun is setting." Bly pointed to direct Jordan's attention to it.

"It's beautiful, Bly." Jordan was awestruck by the beauty of it, as the lower part of the sun seemed to touch the water. The sun turned a bright orange color as it continued its descent into the ocean and darkness began to fall. Jordan snapped more pictures of the bright red-orange sun before it tucked itself away behind the horizon.

Bly kissed Jordan as the sun set. "I hope we can enjoy more sunsets together, Jordan." Bly said softly, gazing into Jordan's green eyes that were accentuated by the sunburn she had on her face and kissed her once again.

“Me too,” Jordan whispered through the kiss, her heart quickening from Bly’s statement.

The schooner pulled into the marina and docked as everyone gathered their belongings, exiting once it was secured. Bly put her arm around Jordan's waist while they waited for Julie and Linda to exit the boat. "Come on, you old hag. What's taking you so long?" Bly teased and watched Julie help Linda off the boat.

"Very funny buddy! Hey, I'm hungry. Where are we eating?

"Anyone interested in some shrimp?" Bly asked and everyone nodded in enthusiastic agreement.

"Lead the way, woman!" Julie told Bly as she and Linda fell into step behind Bly and Jordan.

***

The ride to the restaurant was a short one and Jordan's eyes widened when a huge bucket of shrimp was delivered to their table. "Dig in," Bly offered, chuckling at the amazement on Jordan's face. She was beginning to wonder if the woman had ever done anything exciting in her life before this trip. There was so much she wanted to show Jordan, so much she wanted to do with her and tonight's sunset was just the beginning of many wonderful experiences she wanted them to share.

Jordan smiled excitedly when Bly peeled a shrimp and handed it to her. "Thank you," she replied softly and looked deeply into blues. 'God, do you have any idea of the effect you have on me?' she asked inwardly, looking at Bly. 'I want to spend every waking moment with you. I want to make sure you never have a reason to lose that smile on your face.' She shivered slightly at the sensations that coursed through her body.

"Are you cold?" Bly leaned over and asked.

"No, happy!" Jordan replied smiling back. Bly nodded with a wink and Jordan felt Bly's leg press up against hers.

The four women chatted easily about the day's adventure and restrained themselves to nothing more than winks and smiles across the table at their dates. The night was still young. At one point during dinner, a redhead passed the table and gave Jordan a smile. She smiled back politely until the woman made a return trip about twenty minutes later, this time giving Jordan a longer look and Jordan ducked her head embarrassed. Bly was aware of the exchange and Julie was aware of what Bly's rigid jaw meant. Kicking Bly under the table she looked at her to tell her to calm down. The next time the woman passed by the table Bly said loud enough for her to hear, "If that woman walks by here one more time, she's gonna limp back!"

Jordan with her head down, started to giggle, and soon the entire table was laughing including Bly. Jordan rested her hand on Bly's arm and squeezed it to get her attention, leaning over she whispered, "She's not my type".

Bly sheepishly smiled and asked, "Oh, yeah, what's your type?"

Jordan winked and answered, "Tall, dark and gorgeous." Jordan stared deeply into Bly’s blues to emphasize her statement. The look told Bly everything she wanted to know.

"I think I'm going to burst!" Linda sighed, sitting back and looking at the pile of discarded shells in the middle of the table.

"That was good." Julie commented and sat back, putting her arm lightly around Linda's chair.

"Well, I don't know about any of you, but I'm ready for a shower and some dancing. What do you say?" Bly looked over at Jordan questioningly. Jordan smiled at the thought of being pressed up closely to Bly's body dancing and nodded enthusiastically. The shower would have been her first choice, if Bly were in it with her.

Julie looked at Linda for her answer that smiled and nodded coyly. Julie turned to Bly answering, "Sure we can join you two, for a bit."

Bly winked at her friend and signaled for their check. When the check arrived, Linda was quicker and grabbed it before Bly could respond. Jordan smiled back at Bly and Jordan stated, "This one's on us." After a brief discussion, of which, Bly soon found she had no chance of winning, the two women conceded.

***

The four women headed back to Jordan and Linda's guesthouse to retrieve their mopeds before heading back to their own room. They agreed to meet at Diva’s to save time. After quickly showering and dressing, Jordan and Linda walked in to find Julie and Bly already waiting for them.

Jordan sat down next to Bly and leaned over to kiss the woman. "Mmm, miss me?" Bly asked when their lips parted, staring adoringly into sparkling green before her.

"Very much!" Jordan replied huskily, resting her hand on Bly's thigh. Bly ordered drinks for Jordan and Linda as they settled in and listened to the music.

Bly could feel the heat from Jordan's hand radiate to her core and her blood burned with unfulfilled desire. "Dance with me?" she asked in a whisper to Jordan's ear. Jordan nodded and allowed Bly to lead her by the hand to the middle of the dance floor. Their bodies instantly found their natural fit and they moved as one; as if they had been doing this their entire life. The music pulsed in time to Jordan's heartbeat and she felt a fire she had never known burn through her. She leaned her head back when Bly's lips began a trail of unspoken passion and want along her neck. Jordan's hands made a journey of their own up and down the tall woman's back, finally resting on her firm backside. When the music turned to a faster beat they left the dance floor. Flushed and breathing hard, Bly led Jordan back to the table. Jordan wasn't sure how much more she would be able to take before she did something she knew she would not regret. Sitting down Bly leaned over and kissed her passionately, her lips and tongue telling Jordan that she was not alone in her desires. Bly signaled the bartender and she brought over another round of drinks to the two women. Jordan sipped her drink slowly; she didn't want anything to dull her senses this evening. There was no doubt that she wanted to experience everything the evening had to offer. Julie led Linda back from the dance floor and leaned down to whisper something in Bly's ear. Bly nodded and Linda winked at Jordan as Julie led her from the bar. Jordan had an idea that either Bly or herself weren't going to able to go back to their room tonight. Smiling to herself, she hoped she was right. The two women sat listening to the music and gazing at each other until Bly leaned over and whispered softly in Jordan's ear, "Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?"

Jordan's sun kissed cheeks reddened and she blushed, "Thank you. You are looking especially good tonight too," Jordan added, smiling appreciatively. Bly was wearing a white sleeveless shirt tucked into navy shorts with silver diamond cut, small hoop earrings, which deepened her dark features. The shirt accentuated her tan, muscled arms to perfection and Jordan loved the way her bare arms felt when they wrapped around her exposed midriff. She had purposely chosen a short top because she liked the way Bly's hand caressed her back every time she put her arm around her waist. Blue eyes locked on green and the two women carried on a conversation without saying a single word. Jordan was the first to blink and Bly leaned in again softly asking, "Are you ready to leave?" Jordan nodded as her heart raced at the possibilities.

***

The pair couldn't get back to the Rainbow House quick enough with Bly holding Jordan's hand as they entered the guesthouse. The hallway was empty and Bly turned Jordan to face her. Bly's eyes met Jordan's, and she leaned her up against the wall to capture her inviting lips with her own.

Jordan gasped from the contact feeling the fire burn within her when Bly's kiss deepened. "Bly make love to me." Jordan whispered. Bly kissed her softly, entwining her fingers with Jordan's and led her to her suite at the end of the hall. Bly kissed Jordan again without words being exchanged and opened the door to her suite only to find it packed with sleeping women. Disappointment overwhelmed them as their plans for a romantic interlude were deterred "What in the hell!" Bly exclaimed astonished, approaching the chair and nudging her friend Heidi. "What are you doing here?" Bly asked, agitated.

"Oh, Bly. You scared me!" Heidi answered, startled.

"What in the hell is going on?" Bly repeated her question tightening her grip on Jordan's clammy hand.

"We were thrown out of our guesthouse and Julie said it would be okay to crash here. Didn't she tell you?" Heidi asked, confused.

"No. I guess it was because she was so distracted by other things." Bly smiled faintly.

"We are so sorry, Bly. Hi, I'm Heidi by the way." Heidi greeted and moved to shake Jordan's hand.

"Nice to meet you." Jordan smiled as she greeted the bleached blonde.

‘Great! That puts a damper on our romantic evening. Think Bly, what can you do?’ Bly wondered and scanned the suite which had women scattered around on any available sleeping space. "Jordan, are you up for a dip in the hot tub?" Bly asked, slyly smiling and arching an eyebrow.

"Sure, but I don't have my suit." Jordan smiled, knowing what Bly was implying, that they could be alone in the hot tub.

"Not a problem. You can wear one of my sports bras and some shorts." Bly offered, fishing through her drawers for the items. She handed them to Jordan who promptly headed to the bathroom, trying to quietly step over the sleeping women on her way.

Bly slipped on her bikini and a pair of shorts. She waited by the door for Jordan who quickly exited the bathroom. "Well, Heidi Ho we'll see you later." Bly chuckled at her friend’s nickname and opened the French doors for Jordan to exit the suite to the pool deck.

"Have fun you two." Heidi answered with a smile as Bly winked before closing the door.

Jordan noticed that the tropical foliage covered much of the guesthouse, which afforded extreme privacy in the pool areas. The combination of Coconut palms, Bougainvilleas and Sea grapes encased the guesthouse grounds, lazily blowing in the light tropical breeze, accentuating the romantic ambiance of the area. "This place is beautiful, Bly." She murmured in awe at the beauty surrounding the place.

"Yes, it is. Come on." Her low assertive voice sent a tingling sensation throughout Jordan. Bly grabbed Jordan's hand and led her to the hidden hot tub closest to her suite. Bly entered the steamy bath and Jordan watched wantonly when Bly dipped her head underwater to wet her hair. As Bly slowly raised her head out of the water, Jordan was momentarily taken by how beautiful her blue eyes truly were, reflecting against the moonlit water. "Are you going to join me or stand there all night?" Bly seductively asked her piercing blues filled with lust for the blonde.

Jordan was shaken out of her daydreaming and smiled. "Sorry, I was just caught up in your beautiful eyes, Bly."

"Come take a closer look, Jordan." Bly sensually ordered, standing up and holding her hand out to Jordan to help her into the tub.

Jordan accepted the offer and moved into waiting arms, locking eyes with Bly's. Bly kissed Jordan and led her down into the water. Bly guided Jordan's legs around her waist then wrapped her arms around her, continuing their passionate kiss. Jordan moved her arms around Bly's neck and broke their kiss, gasping for air. Bly moved her sensual lips down Jordan's neck to her shoulder, across her chest to the other side of her neck causing Jordan to moan. "That feels so good Bly." Her heart raced uncontrollably and her sex ached for the dark haired beauty to touch her. She was completely mesmerized by what Bly was doing to her. She had never been with someone who was so caring, tender, and so chivalrous, it blew her away.

Bly pressed her tongue against Jordan's skin and captured it between her lips pulling the soft skin into her mouth and then released it. Bly continued kissing along Jordan's neck and slid her hands down her back to remove the confining shorts she wore. Jordan dropped her head back in pleasure, giving Bly easier access to her neck while running her fingers through Bly's locks. Bly pressed her hands against Jordan's firm backside and squeezed the naked skin, moving her kiss to Jordan's breast. Bly captured Jordan's hardened nipple through the wet material as Jordan leaned her head forward and kissed Bly's head. "Bly, that feels so good." Jordan moaned, delighted.

Bly moved her mouth to Jordan's other breast making sure she didn’t neglect any parts. "Bly, please touch me." Jordan pleaded in a whisper. Bly looked into Jordan's glazed eyes and paused as her heart raced uncontrollably. Jordan leaned down and slid her tongue into Bly's parted lips for a deep, wet, passionate kiss. Jordan broke their kiss and looked into her beautiful blue eyes. "Please, I need you to touch me, Bly." Jordan pled.

Bly moved to the side of the hot tub and leaned her back against the wall, turning Jordan so her back was to her. Bly maneuvered Jordan onto her lap and wrapped her arms around her, pulling Jordan tightly against her. Bly assaulted her neck with sensual kisses as Jordan leaned her head back on Bly's shoulder. Bly slid Jordan's shorts the rest of the way off and put them behind her in the tub. Bly ran her hands up the inside of Jordan's legs, slowly but steadily as she nibbled on Jordan's neck. Jordan's heart pounded through her chest with unrivaled passion as overwhelming warmth consumed her body. She felt herself becoming wetter and wondered if she had not already had an orgasm from Bly's touch.

"Hi ya'll! It took us forever to find this hot tub until one of the worker’s pointed it out.”

Jordan turned her head startled at the voice to find two women climbing into the hot tub with them. Bly leaned her head on Jordan's shoulder and gasped, "this is not happening," with obvious disappointment.

‘Are they that oblivious to what was going on in here?’ Jordan wondered exasperated by the stupidity of the women. "Aah hello." Jordan responded flushed and embarrassed from what was transpiring, not to mention that she had no clothing on beneath her waist.

"We're from Gainesville. How about ya'll?" The perky and overly friendly woman asked.

"Uhmmm, I'm from Boca." Jordan nervously answered as Bly discreetly handed the shorts to her under the water.

"I'm from Ft. Lauderdale." Bly added moving out from under Jordan and stood up to approach the women for a handshake so Jordan could slip her shorts on without them noticing. "My name is Bly and I'm a University of Florida alumnus. How about you?"

‘Thank you Bly.’ Jordan sighed relieved and discretely slipped her shorts back on.

"I'm Lynn and this is Susan." The woman introduced herself and her girlfriend, shaking Bly's hand. As Bly shook Susan's hand she glanced over her shoulder for confirmation that everything was settled before she introduced Jordan who nodded acknowledging that she was all set.

"This is Jordan," Bly replied, turning to her with a smile and sat back down next to her.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you both," Jordan, answered with a fake smile obviously embarrassed and slightly pissed that once again their plans were detoured.

Bly slid her hand on Jordan's thigh, which sent a powerful sensation through Jordan's sex. Her stomach tightened and she wondered for a second time whether she might have had an orgasm. Jordan slid her hand on top of Bly's as she tried to breathe deep without drawing attention to herself to calm her thundering heart.

"This is so amazing that we came all the way down here and meet an alumnus from Florida." Susan exuberantly smiled.

"Well, us Gators are everywhere in Florida." Bly sarcastically answered with a slight smile, obviously agitated at the turn of events as everyone laughed. The two women continued their idle chitchat with Jordan as Bly sat fuming and needing some relief from the pent up frustration she felt. Bly stood up. "I'm going to take a dip in the pool." She informed them with a pained expression. She took a deep breath and exited the hot tub. Bly dove into the cold water and swam about ten laps above the water as if she was swimming in the Olympics to calm the sensation she felt at the moment. She was happy that the pool wasn’t heated. Bly finished her laps and leaned her arms and head on the side of the pool deck, trying to catch her ragged breath.

Jordan sat next to the pool and leaned down on one arm to face her. "Are you okay?" Jordan asked, her engaging smile evident.

"Better now that I am in this cold water." Bly grinned wickedly as Jordan leaned in and kissed her.

"Join me on the lounge chair." Jordan whispered through her kiss standing up sat down on the chair with Bly quickly climbing out of the pool to follow her. "I don't think they can see us here." Jordan giggled, looking up at Bly who hovered over top of her, dripping water on her heated skin. Bly stared into her eyes and slowly lowered herself on top of Jordan, parting her lips with her tongue. Bly ran her tongue along Jordan's lips and slowly entered her mouth. Jordan placed her hands on Bly's buttocks and caressed her skin after sliding her hands under her suit. Bly pressed her sex against Jordan's thigh as passion coursed through her body. "I want you so bad, Bly." Jordan whispered, "Take me right here."

Bly deepened her kiss slowly moving her sex against Jordan's leg. "Jordan wait." Bly stopped what she was doing and looked into Jordan's eyes.

"What Bly?" Jordan asked, concerned.

"I don't want our first time to be in a lawn chair, Jordan. I want it to be something special." Bly wholeheartedly explained, searching Jordan's eyes for acceptance and understanding.

Jordan took a deep breath and smiled. "You're right Bly. I also want our first time to be special and I can wait until that happens if you can?" Jordan smiled happily, knowing that Bly wanted something more than a one-night stand.

Bly looked in her understanding eyes and pushed a stray hair off her face with a smile, kissing her softly. "Looks like we will be sleeping right here tonight." Bly chuckled.

"It doesn't matter where I sleep as long as I'm in your arms Bly." Jordan warmly added as Bly laid her head down on Jordan's chest. Jordan wrapped her arms around her tighter and lightly kissed the top of her head, reveling in the feeling of having this woman in her arms. The two lay in the lawn chair thinking about how close they came to ecstasy with one another and how wonderful it felt being in each other's arms.

***

Bly woke to the beating intense, hot sunrise and moved her neck around, cracking it back in place from the uncomfortable lawn chair. She smiled, watching Jordan still sleeping peacefully and loved the feeling of waking up with this woman who had captured her heart from the moment she first met her. Bly thought about how she had never felt the way she did about Jordan with any other woman before, and she didn't want it to end. Bly felt that Jordan was her soul mate and wanted her to be a part of her life. Bly smiled and gently kissed Jordan, rising from the chair and slipped away to the front desk.

"Good morning!" The cheerful woman exclaimed as Bly entered the office.

"Same to you." Bly answered with an overwhelming feeling of happiness despite the problems they had last night. She figured her happiness had to have been from waking up in Jordan's arms.

"Can I help you with something, Bly?" the woman asked, smiling

"Yes, actually you can! Could you call the florist and have three dozen white roses sent to Alexander's guesthouse for room #3 with a card saying this?" Bly asked, handing Mary the card.

"Sure anything for you, Bly."

"Great. Oh, how about a pound of the best chocolates from the Key West Chocolate Factory too?" Bly asked, ducking her head back in the office with a smile.

"You got it and I'll do the usual charges correct?"

"Yeah. Just charge my card. Thanks." Bly answered and hurried back to find Jordan still sound asleep despite the heat the sun was giving off.

***

'How can she sleep in that heat?' Bly wondered smiling and headed into the small cafe where breakfast was being prepared. Bly grabbed two cups of freshly brewed Caribbean flavored coffee and brought them back to where Jordan slept. Bly knelt beside her and softly kissed her lips, which startled Jordan, causing her to jump. She placed the coffee on the ground next to her, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," Bly apologized and put her hand on Jordan's arm to calm her.

"Oh, sorry. I just sleep so soundly that sometimes I have no clue what's going on and when I woke up here I didn't know what was going on, sorry." Jordan sheepishly smiled, leaning to Bly. "Good morning sexy." Jordan said softly and kissed her.

"Hmmm, I really like that greeting in the morning! I brought you some coffee." Bly offered, smiling and held the cup up.

"Yum. It smells wonderful. I think I could get used to this being served coffee in bed by a gorgeous woman." Jordan giggled and kissed her again.

Bly smiled. "Me too."

Jordan sipped her coffee, as did Bly. "This is wonderful coffee."

"It's a Caribbean blend they serve here. Are you hungry?"

"Always!” Jordan answered with a smile.

"Let's go get breakfast then." Bly suggested smiling and held out her hand to Jordan. She led her through the French doors to her suite to change clothes. The pair climbed over the sleeping bodies, heading towards the bathroom to wash their faces and brush their teeth. "You can use my toothbrush if you don't mind." Bly offered and handed her the toothbrush.

"I don't mind at all, seeing how we swapped more last night than what any toothbrush could do." Jordan seductively smiled, pressing herself against Bly and kissed her. Bly smiled as she brushed her raven disheveled hair while Jordan brushed her teeth. "Aah much better. How's this?" Jordan asked, kissing Bly.

"Hmmm, yummy!" Bly drawled and gazed into Jordan’s eyes, wanting to tell her that she had captured her heart, but felt it was to soon for such revelations.

"What?" Jordan asked as she looked at Bly.

"Oh, nothing I was just thinking we needed to head out now. The restaurant gets really crowded as it's the best place in town for breakfast." It was a lame answer, but she feared she would chase Jordan away if she said anything so soon and Jordan didn’t feel the same about her.

"Let's get dressed and go then, because I'm starving!" Jordan snickered and both headed in different directions to dress.

Bly took Jordan's hand to help her navigate her way through the bodies to the door and opened it as Jordan slipped through to the hallway with Bly behind her. "Wait!" Bly replied.

"What?"

"This!" Bly grinned wickedly and ducked back in the room. "WAKE UP!!!!!" Bly screamed as everyone jumped up out of their sleeping positions as Jordan and Bly laughed hysterically to the groans of the startled women.

Jordan and Bly laughed all the way out to the parking lot. "Serves them right for ruining our evening." Bly chuckled, pulling the moped out and started it.

***

Jordan climbed on the back of the moped and wrapped her arms around Bly. She rested her hands on Bly's bare midriff where her abdomen was exposed from the short tank top shirt she had on. Jordan loved to feel her hands against Bly's rock hard abdominal muscles and smiled as she thought about pressing her lips against them, slowly working her way down Bly's goodie trail. 'Stop that Jordan. Behave or you'll get all flustered and worked up like last night.' She reminded as Bly pulled the moped out onto the street. As the pair made their way down the street Jordan wasn’t able to stop thinking about how happy she was to be with Bly and she hoped Bly wanted something more than just a vacation fling. Jordan smiled at the possibility that she could wake up in Bly's arms every morning and thought about how right that would feel to her. Jordan placed a soft kiss on Bly's shoulder as Bly glanced back at her and flashed her a sexy smile. Bly parked the moped in front of the restaurant. "Aah...Bly are you sure this is a good place to eat?" Jordan asked skeptically, looking at the old and tattered building before her that looked like it had been someone’s home once.

"Positive. It's the best. I know it doesn't look fancy, but they have really good food here." Bly assured and took her hand, leading her across the street to the small restaurant.

"Okay, I trust you." Jordan smiled and kissed Bly's hand as they entered the restaurant.

"Good morning! The only thing we have available is inside here at that booth. You could wait for about twenty minutes and something outside will open up.” The host offered and pointed out the said booth.

Bly looked at Jordan who had a hungry look in her eye. "No, we'll take the booth." Bly quickly sitting down and grabbed the menus.

"Hello, what can I get you ladies to drink? Coffee?" The waitress asked, smiling.

"Please, two." Bly ordered, looking at Jordan for confirmation of the order.

"That's fine, thanks." Jordan smiled and looked back at her menu. "What are you getting, Bly?"

Bly looked up from her menu and closed it. "French toast." Bly answered, grinning.

"Hmmm, that sounds good." Jordan smiled, "I think I will go for the eggs Benedict though." Jordan decided, looking down at her menu and then closed it placing it down on the table. Jordan smiled at her companion and slid her hand across the table under Bly's that gently held it. Bly leaned her head to the side away from the door with a mischievous smile. "What are you doing?" Jordan asked, curiously.

Bly put her finger up against her lips. "Ssh!" Bly motioned with a sly grin as the victims approached the booth with their backs to them unbeknownst of what was going to happen.

Bly grabbed a handful of ass. "Sweet cheeks!" She exclaimed laughing as Julie winced from the groping and turned around to see Jordan and Bly laughing hysterically.

"Bly!" Julie laughed as she let go of Linda's hand and slid into the booth. Julie squished Bly against the wall and grabbed her face, licking her entire cheek as everyone laughed at the horrified look on Bly's face.

"Yuck! Get!" Bly teased, pushing Julie off of her and wiped her face off with her napkin. "Jules, that's so gross!"

"Hey! It was payback babe!" Julie answered laughing.

"Payback. You got the best end of the deal!" Bly laughed and pushed Julie out of the booth to stand. "Come on Linda and switch seats with me so, you two love birds can sit together and I can sit with the best looking woman in paradise." Bly replied with Jordan blushing from Bly's comment.

"That's an offer I won't refuse!" Linda exclaimed smiling and climbed into the booth with Julie as Bly slid in next to Jordan. Jordan smiled and leaned her head against Bly's shoulder, instinctively sliding her hand to Bly's leg, resting it on her inner thigh. Bly smiled as she sipped her coffee and slid her free hand onto Jordan's.

"I take it you two slept well?" Bly asked with a sly grin knowing what the answer would be, looking at her best friend.

"Sleep? We spent the entire night making love. Are you crazy?" Julie answered laughing.

"Julie!" Linda exclaimed embarrassed and hit her in the arm.

Bly and Jordan laughed as Jordan lightly rubbed her hand along Bly's leg. The waitress came over and took their orders for breakfast. "What's your bread of the day?" Bly asked.

"It's banana nut bread." The waitress answered and left to put their order in.

"Yes!" Bly and Julie excitedly exclaimed, grinning at one another and gave a high five.

"Is it that good?" Jordan asked.

"Better." Julie smiled, knowingly.

"Well, what's taking them so long? Bring it on!" Jordan asked, laughing.

"So, how was your night?" Julie asked, wiggling her eyebrows up and down at Bly with a sly grin.

Bly looked at Jordan and smiled. "It was wonderful, despite the fact that we had to sleep in the lawn chair on the pool deck." Bly sarcastically answered, one eyebrow arched as she looked at Julie.

Julie had a look of realization at her forgetfulness. "Oh, geez! I am so sorry Bly. I forgot! Honey, you forgot to remind me to tell her." Julie sheepishly replied, turning to Linda for help.

"I can't help it that your kisses render me totally forgetful!" Linda teasingly smiled as Julie leaned over and kissed her.

"I'll forgive you one day." Bly teased.

"Oh, you're so sweet, my little Ring Ding." Julie teased and pinched Bly's cheek.

The waitress brought their breakfast and the hungry women devoured their food. "Wow! That bread is to die for." Jordan exclaimed.

"They make it fresh everyday and there is usually a different type." Bly informed her. She leaned over and cleaned a piece of food off of Jordan's face.

"It would be nice if I could make it through one meal with you without having food all over my face." Jordan answered with a smile.

"I think it's very cute." Bly softly answered, leaning over to kiss Jordan.

"So, are we doing the tourist thing today?" Julie asked.

"The tourist thing?" Linda asked, confused.

"Yeah, we can go to Mallory square, Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville restaurant, the Key West Aquarium, Mel Fisher's Museum, Earnest Hemingway’s house, Mile Marker zero, Southernmost Point, a tasty frozen drink or two before hitting the gay bars." Bly answered with a glimmer in her eye as she looked at Julie.

"Shall we do it to the ladies in there again Bly?" Julie asked, flashing a mischievous smile.

"We must, Jules." Bly laughed, agreeing.

"Would you two mind telling us what you're talking about?" Jordan asked, baffled by their inside joke.

Julie and Bly grinned at one another. "Well, we have a habit of running the table on the ladies in pool so, we have to keep up our tradition." Bly explained, grinning wickedly.

"This I've got to see!" Linda exclaimed with doubt as everyone laughed.

"Let's get started on our sight seeing, ladies and Bly." Julie teased, tossing money on the table for the bill.

Everyone exited the restaurant. "Aah Julie, here is my share of breakfast." Jordan offered.

"Put it away Jordan, your money is no good with me." Julie advised, smiling appreciatively at the offer.

"I would like to repay you somehow." Jordan answered, holding the money in front of Julie.

"You can repay me by keeping that smile on her face, okay?" Julie smiled, sincerely nodding towards Bly.

"That's a deal, thanks." Jordan conceded and smiled as Julie put her arm around Jordan's neck, walking over to the girls.

"Hey Bly! Your girl here is hitting on me!" Julie teased as Jordan playfully slapped her on the ass.

"She's smarter than that to hit on a nut ball like you!" Bly sarcastically retorted as Jordan stood before. "Isn't that right baby?" Bly asked smiling and leaned down kissing her.

"I only have eyes for you." Jordan whispered and kissed her again.

"Hey, I would really like to take a shower before we go. Do we have time?" Linda asked, hopeful.

"If you don't spend an hour primping your hair!" Bly teased.

"Yeah, right. All I need is ten minutes to shower and throw a hat on." Linda guaranteed.

"That sounds like a good idea Linda. I really need one too." Jordan answered and looked back at Bly. "Would you mind?"

"Only if you take one without Linda." Bly teased.

Jordan smiled kissing Bly and softly answered, "I'm saving that one for you." She sensually purred and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Bly smiled as she broke their kiss. "Alright, go take your showers and we'll pick you up at your place." She didn’t want to, but relented. ‘Damn she’s a tease!’ She thought smiling and shaking her head in disbelief at the feelings Jordan brought out in her.

***

Bly and Julie took the girls back to their guesthouse and dropped them off to shower as they headed back to their place to do the same. Jordan and Linda opened their door to an overwhelming fragrance of roses. "Wow, I wonder who they’re from?" Linda asked, excitedly.

"They are from Bly." Jordan smiled as a warm tingly feeling swept over her.

"How can you be sure? They might be from Julie." Linda defensively replied, hoping they were from Julie.

"Bly gave me a white rose on our first date." Jordan softly answered, smiling fondly and reflected on that night. She remembered how adorable Bly looked as she stood at the foot of the steps with the rose in her hand. ‘It’s like she’s my knight in shining armor, my dream come true.’ She dreamily thought.

Linda looked at the card. "You're right! It's from Bly and look she sent chocolates too! That is so romantic." Linda gushed happily at the romantic gesture.

Jordan smiled as her eyes filled with tears when she thought about how special Bly makes her feel and how she has never had anyone treat her so wonderfully before. Linda jumped in the shower as Jordan took a white rose out and sat down to read the card. 'Jordan, I wish I could wake up in your arms every morning. Would you mind? Bly.’ Jordan ran the rose over her lips as she read the card over and over again each time sending her butterflies into a fury. Jordan never thought she could have such a beautiful, intelligent and caring woman be interested in her. In fact, she didn't think she deserved Bly, but she made her feel so good. Jordan thought about how hard she was falling for Bly, but loved the feeling. She knew there was a possibility of Bly wounding her deeply, but she was putting her heart on the line, willingly.

"Jordan, did you hear me?" Linda asked.

"Huh?" Jordan asked, startled out of her thoughts.

"I said I'm finished. Get going. They will be here soon."

"Okay, sure." Jordan answered, placing the card and flower on the table next to the others, smelling the bouquet once more before entering the shower.

"Hey, Jordan."

"Yeah!" Jordan called out when she heard Linda enter the bathroom and begin to dry her hair.

"I think I'm in love with Julie."

"Are you serious?" Jordan answered surprised, popping her head around the shower curtain to look at her.

Linda turned around to face her. "As a heart attack, Jor!" Linda exclaimed with complete happiness.

"That's wonderful Linda! I'm so happy for you!" Jordan excitedly exclaimed.

"What about you with Bly?"

Jordan peeked her head back in the curtain. "I am just taking what's she's willing to give me Linda, but it feels so good to be treated nicely." Jordan sighed happily as she rinsed her hair.

"I think Bly has fallen for you Jor!" Linda chuckled, knowingly. Bly’s eyes easily revealed everything she felt for Jordan. ‘Now, if I could only get Jordan to really believe that and to stop being so insecure.’ Linda thought, wishing her friend was more confident about herself.

"That would be nice, but I don't want to get my hopes up. You know my history."

"Maybe this time will be different for the both of us." Linda answered as she finished her hair. "Let me tell you. Julie is a fabulously attentive lover! How about Bly?"

"Linda!" Jordan exclaimed embarrassed.

"Well, how was she?" Linda inquired and loved tweaking Jordan. She knew how bashful the blonde could be. Jordan turned the shower off and toweled herself dry. She wrapped the towel around herself and opened the curtain to find Linda waiting for her answer. "Well?"

"From what we did she seems like she would be an incredible lover." Jordan slightly embarrassed and regretful that nothing more happened between them.

"What do you mean? Did you two not do anything?" Linda stammered, surprised. She assumed they had sex.

"Well, there was a bunch of people in Bly's room. You two were here and we started something in the hot tub, but two chicks from Gainesville came in, interrupting us. I tried to continue it in the lawn chair, but Bly didn't want our first time to be there. She wanted it to be special." Jordan grinned, adoringly.

"That's so romantic! A big change from Cindy huh?"

"Please, don't bring her name into any conversation with Bly because she doesn't deserve to be named in the same breath." Jordan answered, agitated and disgusted by the name of the wretched woman.

"I'm sorry Jordan. You really care about Bly don't you?"

Jordan looked down, then up to Linda. "More than I have ever cared about anyone ever before."

"Oh, honey. That is so wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" Linda enthusiastically exclaimed and hugged Jordan.

"Okay, enough mushy stuff I have to get ready." Jordan teased, breaking the hug.

***

Jordan and Linda finished dressing and headed out to the front of the guesthouse to find their dates waiting for them. Jordan noted how fabulous Bly looked in her teal tank top, which showed off her tanned arms. The matching cotton shorts accentuated her muscular tanned legs. Jordan walked up with a smile on her face and looked down at Bly as she moved close to her. She definitely loved seeing those buff arms and legs of Bly’s. She couldn’t wait to see all of Bly, naked.

Bly lifted her sunglasses up on the top of her head. Jordan pulled a white rose out from behind her back smiling and ran the rose down Bly's face as she slowly moved in to Bly. "Thank you. I love my flowers and candy." Jordan whispered appreciatively and passionately kissed Bly to properly thank her.

"You're welcome. Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman." Bly smiled and kissed Jordan again.

Jordan crawled on the back of the bike and wrapped her arms around Bly as they pulled off to do their tourist thing. The group was half dead by the time they reached the outdoor bar, famous for their specialty frozen drinks after seeing everything Key West had to offer. They were hot, tired and ready for a few frozen beverages. "Hey, I want to get a..." Julie tried to finish her statement, but was interrupted by Bly.

"If you say picture, I will shove the lens up your ass, sideways!" Bly answered agitated by all the photos taken as everyone laughed.

"Oh, behave! I can't help it if I like to take pictures!" Julie laughed.

"Yeah, but we didn't have to take a picture with every damn animal in the aquarium Jules!" Bly vehemently protested.

"Oh, stop! You didn't have to do that!" Julie answered back.

"Why did you need to take a picture of us with a freaking starfish?" Bly asked; exasperated by all the silly snapshots she took.

"Because you two looked so cute. I think you and the starfish make a cute couple." Julie teased, pinching Bly’s cheek.

Bly snarled and playfully slapped her hand away. “You’re lucky I like you Jules or you’d be dead!” Bly teasingly warned and turned towards the bartender. "I need a Mudslide bartender and let me try the Cream sickle one." Bly ordered as the bartender handed her a sample of the frozen cream sickle drink.

"I think I want to try the purple passion one." Jordan enthusiastically ordered as the bartender gave her a taster as well. "Yum, I will have one of those please." Jordan politely ordered, holding the remainder of the taster up for Bly to try.

"Hmmm, that one's pretty good too. Try this one." Bly offered and held the cream sickle taster for Jordan to sample. "I'm getting that one when I polish off the Mudslide." Bly laughed.

"Oooh, that one is delicious!" Jordan agreed, licking her lips.

"Just like you." Bly sexily smiled, grabbing her Mudslide and headed off towards a table.

The group stumbled drunk out of the bar after several drinks and mounted the mopeds. "Hey, Jules! I'll wace ya!" Bly slurred and started to laugh hysterically from her comment, as did Julie who continued her infectious laugh while Linda and Jordan stood by watching in disbelief.

"Jules, you make me aah laugh so much more when you laugh like that. It kills me!" Bly stammered through her laughing, trying desperately to get her statement out. Julie couldn’t stop laughing as they screamed off down the road, racing one another and beeping their horns at everyone causing each other to laugh harder. They parked their mopeds in the alleyway of the gay bar, which opened onto Duval Street, the main drag in Key West. Julie and Bly continued to hysterically laugh at one another just by looking at each other. Bly held Jordan's hand, as did Julie with Linda when they entered the bar.

"Hello ladies! We're your worst nightmare!" Bly cockily announced as her and Julie laughed harder, approaching the pool table.

Linda and Jordan watched on as Bly and Julie ran the table on every person they tried to play. "Who's next?" Bly confidently asked, laughing.

"I think they are all afraid to play you two." Linda chuckled as Julie kissed her.

Bly walked up and stood between Jordan's legs that sat on a barstool. "How about you sexy? Want to play me?" Bly asked, devilishly grinning and stood before Jordan.

Jordan smiled and put her hands on Bly's hips. "No, thank you. I'm enjoying watching you beat everyone in here." Jordan proudly and kissed Bly.

"I guess I will have to find someone else then!" Bly teased and stood in the doorway facing Duval. "Anyone want to play my friend and I in pool? How about you Miss? Don't be shy." Bly teasingly asked as a woman walked by laughing.

"I'll play you." Another woman gruffly answered as Bly turned to her.

"Great!" Bly answered. ‘Sucker!’ She confidently thought and headed to the pool table.

Jordan immediately recognized the woman was Cindy. She grabbed Linda and Julie fleeing to the backroom of the bar. "Oh my God, what is she doing here?" Jordan cried fearfully and leaned against the wall, her heart beating loudly in her chest.

"Who?" Linda asked worried about the reaction of her friend.

"Cindy! She's out there with Bly!" Jordan informed her and began to tremble.

Linda put her arms around Jordan and held her tightly saying, "Hey, it's okay. We're here and she isn't going to hurt you again."

"What's going on?" Julie asked putting her hand on Linda's back. Jordan stepped back and went to peek around the corner to see if Cindy was still out there. She could hear Linda talking to Julie softly. Julie went over to Jordan and asked, "Do you want me to go get Bly?"

"No! Please don't let Bly know about Cindy. I don't want to upset her. You know she won't just let this go. If she finds out who that woman is, then she will do something and she might get hurt." Jordan pleaded. She didn’t want to blow it with Bly and if she brought her into the situation with Cindy, she was sure Bly would leave her life.

By the grip on her arm, Julie knew that Jordan was terrified of what was happening out by the pool table. Even Linda's nervousness was beginning to affect Julie. "What do you want me to do?" Julie asked quietly, trying to reassure Jordan that things would be fine.

"Just go out there and tell her that Linda and I are going upstairs to watch the drag show. Whatever you do, please don't tell her who Cindy is, please." Jordan's eyes teared and Julie nodded, feeling sorry for the young woman.

‘It must have been awful to have a friend treat you so badly.’ She thought and answered, "Don't worry Jordan, I'll take care of everything. You two go up the backstairs and I'll bring Bly up as soon as the game is over." Julie reassured and hugged the woman briefly.

"Thank you." Linda smiled, whispered something Jordan couldn’t hear.

Julie walked over to Linda and hugged her whispering in her ear; "See if you can calm her down some. I'll take care of things in the other room, okay?" She kissed Linda on the cheek before pulling back for an answer.

Linda closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before nodding and looking back into the warm brown eyes of her lover. "Good!" Julie brushed her lips across Linda and replied, "We'll be up as soon as I can get this game over with." Julie went out and met Bly who was making her way toward the back room wondering where everyone had gone.

“You didn’t tell Julie anything about Cindy and I, did you Linda?” Jordan worriedly asked, gripping her friend’s arm tightly.

“No, I just said she was one of your friends from back home who double crossed you and that she was bad news.”

Julie looked over at Cindy standing next to the pool table with a cue in her hand waiting and moved Bly back towards the pool tables. Cindy was tall and muscular like Bly, but heavier and a lot tougher looking. Smiling, she approached Bly and headed her off before she could get to the back room. "Hey, where are the girls?"

Julie lightly grabbed Bly's arm, turning her around and steering her over to the bar. "They decided to go up to the drag show and wait for us there. Buy me a drink and let's whoop this chick!" Julie grinned mischievously.

Bly laughed and put her arm around Julie, "Jules, you’re my kinda gal. Let's show this one a thing or two."

Julie watched as Bly methodically went to work on Cindy. Every time Bly began to mention the two women upstairs Julie was quick to intercede and change the direction of the conversation. Julie made frequent trips to the bar for Bly who seemed to be drinking more than her usual this evening. Heading back from the bar with another drink for Bly she heard her friend call out.

"Hey Jules, where shall we take Jordan and Linda to dinner tomorrow night?" Bly loudly asked across the pool table as she lined up her shot.

Julie silently cringed when she saw Cindy's eyes narrow at the sound of Jordan's name. 'Oh, shit. Now what?' Julie wondered, trying to come up with a way out of the situation. Trying to end the conversation quickly she responded, "Why don't we just take them to Kelly's. Are you about finished here?" Julie looked out of the corner of her eye to see Cindy's reaction and found that the woman was listening to every word. 'I'm sorry Jordan, I really tried,' Julie thought sadly.

Bly sank the eight ball and looked over at Julie triumphantly before turning to Cindy, arrogantly saying, "Thanks for the game, hon."

"My pleasure." Cindy replied, the look on her face made Julie shiver. She looked like that psycho-babe Callisto on TV.

Bly walked over to Julie and slurred, "Let's go find my woman!" Julie followed Bly up the stairs. The show had just ended and there was no sign of Linda or Jordan. Upset, Bly turned and stalked back down to the bar and quickly ordered another drink. "Where the hell did they go?" She angrily asked Julie.

"Maybe they got bored and went for a walk?" Julie suggested, trying to smooth Bly’s ruffled feathers.

***

After another hour, Julie was finally able to pry Bly out of the bar and half carried her home. Julie hadn't seen her this drunk in a long time and wonder if it had anything to do with Jordan. ‘Bly seems totally involved with this one, I just hope she isn't having doubts and getting ready to blow an obviously good thing.’ Julie wondered quietly, hoping Bly wouldn’t take this set back to heart.

***

Julie got Bly back to the guesthouse and she passed out on the bed fully dressed. After removing her shoes and pulling the covers over her, Julie left to see Linda and Jordan. "Hey, what happened to you two?" Julie asked when Linda answered the door. Linda pulled Julie into the room and kissed her soundly. "You’re forgiven!" Julie smiled.

"I had to get Jordan out of there, she was about to crawl out of her skin." Linda whispered.

"Where is she?"

"In the bathroom taking a shower."

"Good, then we have a few moments." Julie replied, suggestively wiggling her eyebrows, taking Linda into her arms. The two women kissed passionately until they heard the water turn off and broke apart. "Guess we better behave ourselves. Jordan's been through enough tonight." Julie said. Linda nodded and went to stand by the French doors to the patio as Julie sat down in the overstuffed chair in the corner.

"Where's Bly?" Linda asked softly so that Jordan wouldn't hear.

"She's passed out and I put her to bed. You guys taking off, didn't help much." Julie replied sighing.

"What's the plan for tomorrow?" Linda asked, grimacing at Julie’s comment.

"Well, Bly has meetings scheduled for most of tomorrow, but we're all having dinner at Kelly's afterward. Is that okay?" Julie asked.

"Does Jordan know?"

"I don't think so, I think Bly was going to tell her tonight." Julie responded.

"Guess we'll have to tell her."

"What about tomorrow, do you two have plans?" Julie inquired.

"No, we really haven't been planning anything since we've met you two." Linda chuckled.

Julie smiled back and winked, "Good, keep it that way. How about the three of us do something then?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"How about we take a boat over to the Dry Tortugas for a tour?" Julie suggested.

"Sounds like fun!" Linda replied.

"What sounds like fun?" Jordan asked, standing in the bathroom doorway. Neither woman had heard her come out.

"Would you be interested in going for a tour of the Dry Tortugas tomorrow?" Julie asked.

"I guess so, where's Bly?"

"She's passed out back at the room." Julie informed her; slyly grinning at the hangover she knew Bly would be sporting the next day.

"Oh! Is she mad?" Jordan asked, worried.

"Well, she was disappointed that she couldn't find you after the game." Julie answered noncommittally.

"I'm sorry." Jordan regretfully responded, pulling at the hem of her T-shirt.

"No, it was my idea." Linda interjected, "I think we both needed to get out of there. Watching that sick bitch Cindy gave me the creeps. She’s one nasty witch!”

"Will Bly be coming with us tomorrow?" Jordan asked hesitantly.

"No, she has her physical therapy chapter meeting tomorrow, but we are all meeting for dinner afterwards at Kelly's."

Jordan’s heart sank a little at not being able to see Bly before tomorrow night, but she was relieved that she still wanted to see her. "That will be fun." Jordan replied smiling up at Julie.

"Well, I had better be going. I just wanted to come by and check on you gals to make sure everything was okay." Julie explained, standing up. "I'll be by around 9 am to pick you two up."

"I'll walk you out." Linda offered.

"See you tomorrow." Jordan waved and went out on the patio to sit by the pool for a while.

Linda came back a little while later and found Jordan still sitting by the pool and joined her friend. "Hey, are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, just got hit hard today, you know?" Jordan replied grinning. It wasn’t a laughing matter, but a harrowing one. She could only nervously grin or she would have burst into tears. She felt so unsure of her relationship with Bly and wasn’t sure why. Seeing Cindy sent her for a loop. The woman managed to bring up all those horrible feelings she experienced once before and she felt horrible about leaving Bly there.

"Cindy was the last person I expected to find here." Linda agreed, agitated by the woman’s presence.

"Yeah, it just seems to much of a coincidence. Somehow I get the feeling she knew I was here."

"How! Who did you tell you were coming down?"

"Only, my sister-in-law." Jordan answered.

"Does she know Cindy?"

"Yeah, we use to all hang out together, but I didn't think they talked anymore." Jordan answered suddenly unsure.

"We'll, let's get some rest and not worry about it tonight. Julie said everything went well and Bly doesn't know about Cindy." Linda reassured, pulling Jordan to her feet and following her into the room.

***

Julie arrived promptly at 9:00 am to find the two women waiting and they headed to the dock to start their tour. "How was Bly this morning?" Jordan asked Julie as the boat cut through the water on their way to the Dry Tortugas.

"Hung over and running late, but looking forward to this evening. She asked that I apologize for our drunkenness and for driving the mopeds. It was a pretty stupid thing for the both of us to do considering our condition." Julie apologized, embarrassed by their actions the previous day. Noticing that Jordan didn't seem relieved she put her hand on Jordan’s arm and squeezed lightly. "She doesn’t know anything about Cindy. The woman is probably long gone by now. Today is Sunday and most people are only here for the weekend. She’s probably leaving too, by the time we get back she will be gone then we can meet Bly and have a nice evening." Julie reassured her. Jordan smiled and nodded hoping Julie was right. "And, I promise the suite will be completely empty tonight." Julie added, wiggling her eyebrows for emphasis.

Jordan bumped Julie’s shoulder as her smile widened. Linda leaned over and whispered in Julie’s ear, "Thank you." Julie winked at Linda as the boat bounced along the water.

Jordan enjoyed the trip, but periodically her mind would drift to Bly and she would wonder what the woman was doing at that moment. Bly’s face would appear before her and she could almost touch the warm tan skin and blue eyes that filled her thoughts and dreams. Sometimes her body would ache with need to just touch Bly. The anticipation of their first time together would start a fire deep inside of her and it would take all her strength to keep her mind from dwelling on it. She hated Cindy for making her fear this feeling for so long. Bly was so warm and giving that Jordan knew she would never ridicule or hurt her. A smile creased her face at the thought of her soon-to-be lover.

"Hey, Jordan!" Linda called out and nudged her out of her revere.

"Huh?"

"We’re back!" Linda replied snickering, "Was it a good fantasy?"

Jordan blushed looking at Linda and Julie. "I’ll bet I know who was the center of it." Julie chuckled knowingly and turned to help the two women out of the boat.

On the way back to the guesthouse, Linda asked Jordan quietly, "Would you mind if Julie and I backed out of dinner tonight?"

"No, but why?" Jordan asked, shrugging her shoulders questioningly.

"We just want to grab a quick bite and hang around the guesthouse tonight." Linda answered grinning.

"Oh? No problem." Jordan laughed. "Just give me a second to shower and dress and it’s all yours."

Linda kissed her cheek and replied, "Take your time, we’ll go get something to eat."

"Have fun." Jordan replied winking. Julie and Linda walked Jordan back to the room before proceeding down the street.

***

Showered and dressed, Jordan looked in the mirror one last time. She wanted to look perfect for Bly. She wore a pair of jade green shorts with a cream colored silk top that slid down off one shoulder revealing just enough of her to hopefully get Bly’s attention. She left as soon as Julie and Linda arrived. She arrived at Kelly’s a little early for her date with Bly. Sitting at the bar, she ordered a drink and waited. "Well well! Isn’t this a coincidence?” A voice drawled from behind causing Jordan’s stomach to revolt instantly. She felt like she would be sick at any moment. As an arm slithered over her bare shoulder she shivered and Cindy slid onto the stool next to her.

"What are you doing here?" Jordan stammered.

Cindy could smell the fear and it excited her. She smiled and asked, "Why, I’ve been looking all over for you. I really wanted to see you again. Aren’t you happy to see me too?"

"How did you know I was here?"

"I talked to Dee and she happened to mention it, and well, here I am. I came all this way to talk to you." Cindy replied looking Jordan over like a piece of meat.

"What do you want?" Jordan asked, disgusted.

"You!" Cindy answered, leaning in close and looked over Jordan’s shoulder to the tall woman who had just entered the restaurant.

"I told you I never wanted to see you again!" Jordan seethed and removed Cindy’s hand from her thigh. Cindy placed her hand back and squeezed hard causing Jordan to wince, while watching Bly scan the restaurant until she spotted them. "If you don’t leave me alone, I’m going to scream right here and now!" Jordan threatened, trying to pry Cindy’s fingers from her leg. She knew she would have a nice bruise come morning.

Cindy saw Bly hesitate and the look on the woman’s face was priceless. Going in for the kill, she leaned into Jordan’s ear and taunted, "I dare you!" Cindy reached her free arm around the back of Jordan’s chair and pinned her other shoulder back. When Jordan turned her head to look at Cindy and opened her mouth to reply, Cindy clamped her lips on the open mouth and proceeded to kiss Jordan roughly. Jordan’s struggle to break free looked like a lover getting into a passionate kiss. Cindy didn’t lose sight of Bly and only released Jordan’s shoulder after she saw the tall woman storm out of the restaurant. Smiling at her victory, she didn’t see the hand coming until Jordan nailed her in the side of the face. The slap echoed throughout the bar causing the bartender and nearby patrons to turn their attention to the couple. Cindy released Jordan’s thigh to grab her burning cheek.

Finally free, Jordan jumped off the stool and shouted, "Don’t you ever touch me again! Don’t you even come near me again! Or I swear, I will kill you!" Turning, Jordan left the bar to search for Bly. She needed to find her desperately, running to Bly’s suite the tears flowed down her cheeks in earnest. She pounded on the door, but there was no answer. She went down to the desk only to be told that Bly had checked out fifteen minutes ago. Jordan left the guesthouse, but only made it as far as the side street before she ducked behind a bush and was sick. Wiping her mouth she sat on the curb until her stomach settled before continuing her search for Bly.

***

Bly left the restaurant and headed blindly toward the beach as tears stung her angry eyes. She couldn’t believe what she had just seen. To see Jordan cozy with another woman was more than Bly could take. She sat down on the sand as a tear slipped down her cheek. ‘I trusted her. I thought she actually cared about me. She’s like all the rest! I guess I was wrong about her too.’ Bly thought angrily, heartbroken. She thought Jordan was the woman of her dreams. Getting up, she brushed the sand off her shorts and Jordan out of her life, heading back to pack.

***

Jordan searched everywhere for Bly and finally went back to her room. Knocking on the door until Linda opened it. "Jordan, what’s wrong?" Linda worriedly asked, pulling the distraught woman into the room.

"I can’t find Bly." Jordan replied, trembling.

"What do you mean?" Julie asked, coming out of the bathroom in a t-shirt and boxers. Jordan proceeded to tell them about Cindy’s appearance and then not being able to find Bly anywhere. "She probably missed you at the restaurant and got upset and went for a walk.” Julie rationalized, putting on her shorts.

"Where would she go?" Linda asked, keeping her arm around Jordan for support.

"Maybe down to the dock at the beach resort." Julie answered, trying to get dressed. "I’ll go see if I can find her, you two stay here." Jordan went into the bathroom and brushed her teeth over and over again, trying to get rid of the taste of Cindy. She walked back into the room as Julie opened the door to leave, "Don’t worry Jordan. I’ll find her and bring her back here." Jordan nodded and went out the French doors to sit by the pool. Julie hugged Linda and told her, "Keep her here until I get back."

Linda went out and sat next to her friend and put her arm around Jordan. She gently rocked her as they waited in silence. Two hours later, Julie returned alone and by the look on her face, Linda knew it wasn’t good news. "She’s gone." Julie simply said.

"What do you mean she's gone? Gone where?" Jordan asked, bewildered.

"When I checked the room after traipsing all over town looking for her, all of her belongings were gone and she left a note with her car keys asking me to take her car home for her. She said she had to leave unexpectedly." Julie answered, shrugging her shoulders, confused by her friend’s actions.

"What could have happened?" Linda asked, confused.

"I tried to call her cell phone and beeper to no avail. I'm sure she's okay and just had to get back for an emergency or something." Julie tried to reason, despite her fear and hoped Bly was alright.

"Can you give me her phone number Julie so I can try to call her?" Jordan asked feeling sadness that Bly was gone just as they began a budding romance.

"Sure." Julie answered and checked her purse for Bly's business card. "Aah...here you go." Julie smiled and handed Jordan Bly's business card.

"Thanks. I'll try to call her and make sure everything's okay." Jordan sadly answered with worry in her voice.

"I'm sure she would appreciate that Jordan." Julie reassuringly smiled.

"Julie you’re not worried about her?" Linda asked.

"Nah, not too much. She probably had to get back for some problem with her father's company or something. I don't think there's anything to worry about." She attempted to reassure Jordan and Linda, seeing the fright in their eyes. She didn’t think that was the case at all. It wasn’t like Bly to take off like that unless something happened to upset her. She wondered if there was something else that happened between her and Jordan that she didn’t know about. She couldn’t be sure if that was it, but she hoped her best friend was safe.

"So, she has to leave like this unexpectedly very often?" Jordan asked with a need for reassurance.

"Yep, she has to up and leave without saying a word sometimes, but if it was anything to worry about she would have told me." ‘You owe me a huge explanation buddy, leaving me here with this distraught and hurt woman.’ Julie inwardly thought as if Bly could hear her, seething for leaving her alone in such a position.

"I aah, am gonna go for a ride. I'll leave you two to be alone." Jordan stated, staring at the card as she approached the door.

"Hey, are you okay?" Linda asked, concerned and comfortingly put her arm around her.

"Yeah, I'm just worried about her. I'll catch you two later."

"Listen, we'll stay at Julie’s and I'll call you later, okay?" Linda asked with a smile.

"Sounds great, thanks." Jordan answered with a slight smile and exited the room.

"Now, you my little vixen. Let's go to your place and make mad passionate love all night!" Linda replied with a seductive tone and moved into Julie's arms for a lingering kiss.

***

Jordan left the guesthouse and took the moped for a ride towards the place they took a walk along on their first date. She realized that riding the moped was not as enjoyable without Bly in front of her. Jordan made her way out to the end of the dock and looked over the moonlit ocean as the tropical breeze blew against her skin. Jordan looked at Bly's business card and read the name, Blythe Van Dewark and it dawned on her that she didn’t know what Bly’s last name was until now, as Bly didn't know hers. Jordan thought about how she nearly shared a sexual intimate moment with this woman, she has so many feelings for but she didn't know her last name. 'I want to know everything about you Bly.' Jordan spoke to the business card as if Bly could hear what she said. Jordan closed her eyes as the tropical breeze cooled her skin and thought about the last time she was here. She was so close to Bly and wanted to be in her arms again. Jordan wondered if she had done something to push Bly away from her and felt the tears sting her face as they fell. She felt so lonely at that moment. Jordan kissed the card before tucking it into her pocket. Jordan headed back to the guesthouse and changed into her nightclothes, slipping into the lonely bed and crying herself to sleep. She was woke by the incessant ringing of the phone and picked up the receiver quickly. "Bly?" Jordan hurriedly asked.

"No, Jordan. Sorry, it's Linda. I was just checking to see if you're okay."

"I could be better if I had a certain tall, dark and very gorgeous raven haired woman in my bed with me." Jordan smiled, fondly thinking of the said woman.

"Well, maybe soon. When you get back home. I'll be by in the morning and we can make some plans for the day okay?"

"Sure goodnight." Jordan answered disappointed that the call wasn’t from Bly. Jordan thought of the time she spent with Bly here and how they were the happiest moments she has ever had. Jordan fell off to sleep lost in her thoughts of Bly.

***

Jordan woke in the morning to the sound of rain and got up to dress for breakfast. She stepped out of her room to a very dreary day. 'Great, just what I need for the doldrums that I already feel.' Jordan thought disappointed, stepping into the kitchen of the guesthouse for some coffee and quiche for breakfast. She sat by the pool and ate, watching the rain trickled off the Coconut palms. She decided she couldn't stand the torture anymore. She entered the room and called the home number on Bly's business card. Jordan became excited when she heard Bly's voice on the other end of the receiver, only to realize it was her answering machine. "Hi, Bly. It's Jordan. I just wanted to call and make sure you're okay and nothing happened. You can call me at the guesthouse when you get a chance. I miss you, bye." Jordan replied, disappointed and hung the phone up. Julie and Linda burst in the room laughing with their rain suits and startled Jordan. "Jeez! You two nearly scared me to death!"

"Sorry! Come on let's go!" Linda excitedly announced.

"Where?" Jordan asked.

"We are hitting the bars, all of them. It's the only thing to do when it rains here!" Julie explained, laughing.

"Oh, I don't know." Jordan answered hesitantly as she sat in the oversized chair.

"Come on let's go." Linda coaxed, pulling her out of the chair.

"Linda it's only 11:00! Besides, I'm waiting for Bly to call and I don't want to miss her call."

"Come on Jordan. I have my cell phone which she will call on so there is no excuse!" Julie informed her pulling out a raincoat they brought for Jordan.

"Okay!" Jordan reluctantly agreed knowing they wouldn’t leave her alone if she didn’t go and dressed before heading out the door with her friends.

After two hours of following Julie and Linda into every bar they came to along Duval she decided she had enough torture. "Linda, I'm going back to the room." Jordan informed her, frustrated and miserable without Bly.

"Okay, are you sure you don't want to stay with us?"

"No. I'll be fine. I'll see you later." Jordan answered and left. She walked back to the guesthouse with sadness and loneliness in her heart, hoping there would be a message from Bly when she arrived. Jordan asked if there were any messages for her at the front desk, which there were none. Disappointed, she headed to the room for a good cry. 'I've done something to push her away. I just know it.' She and began to pack her bags to go home.

Jordan packed and loaded her belongings in her car as Julie and Linda staggered down the street towards the guesthouse. "Hey Jor Jordan!" Linda slurred. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going home Linda. I'm not going to stick around here and be miserable. It would ruin the time you two are having. So, I'm going home. Julie, you can give her a ride right?" Jordan asked, turning to Julie.

"I give her rides every night!" Julie slurred with a laugh, and hugged Linda.

"Great! Linda I'll see you when you get home." Jordan answered, hopping in her car and fleeing the area in a hurry.

***

The ride home was torturous and boring for Jordan. She cried the whole way home trying to figure out what had gone so wrong that Bly would leave her without a word. She was glad to be home but yet she was still sad at the turn of events. The next day Jordan called Bly's office.

"Hello, Physical Therapy, Patty speaking." The woman greeted cheerfully.

"Hi, could I speak with Bly please?"

"I'm sorry honey she's out of town on business. Can I take a message for her?"

Jordan gave the woman her name and number for Bly to call her. The woman promised she would have Bly call her the moment she called in for her messages.

***

Jordan went throughout the week in a funk from what happened in the Keys and from Bly not calling her back. 'Maybe she is just too busy out of town to call.’ She reasoned with herself, ‘Don't worry, she'll call when she gets the chance.' Jordan tried to reassure her fragile psyche. By the end of the next week with no returned call from Bly and numerous failed attempts to reach her at home, by beeper or by cell phone, she decided to try work again.

"Hello, Physical Therapy Patty speaking." The familiar cheerful voice answered.

"Could I speak with Bly please?" Jordan asked nervously.

"Hold on let me see if she's available. Can I ask who's calling?"

"It's Jordan." She replied.

"Okay dear, hold on." Jordan was excited that at least she was at the office and could possibly speak to her. "Bly, You have a call on line five, from Jordan." The speaker buzzed in the gym to get Bly's attention as she sat carrying on a candid conversation with her co-workers.

"Patty, can you tell her I'm in an evaluation with a patient and I can't come to the phone right now please?" Bly called out to the speaker.

"Will do." Patty answered back as Bly lowered her head in regret for not taking the call.

"Hello? Sorry. Bly's in with a patient and won't be able to come to the phone. Can I give her a message?"

"Bly, is that the one you were telling me about?" Bly’s co-worker Kim asked as Bly shifted in her chair.

"That's the one." Bly answered sadly.

"Why don't you talk to her?"

"I can't Kim. She's just like the rest and I'm not going through all of that again. I should have known better than to get my heart involved it always turns out broken!"

"You shouldn't give up on her just yet." Kim suggested smiling and patted Bly on the shoulder as she walked away to treat her patient.

***

Bly entered her office and opened the desk drawer. She looked at the pictures she had developed of the Key West trip and found one of her and Jordan in an embrace during the sunset cruise. ‘How could you, Jordan?’ Bly asked disappointed, shaking her head and threw the pictures back in her desk, wounded by the display she saw in the restaurant. Bly returned home to find numerous messages from Jordan and couldn't help but feel some excitement hearing her voice, but the sight of her in the arms of another woman set that excitement aside and replaced it with anger. "Take the hint, Jordan. I don't want to see you." Bly shouted at the machine and erased the messages.

Bly's patient load on Friday was extremely heavy and she had to keep running from room to room to treat her patients. "Bly darling, how long do you think it is going to take before I will be better?" Her little gray-haired patient asked her as they walked towards the front of the spacious gym.

"Well, Sylvia honey. I have told you many times before that every person is different with their healing process." Bly patiently explained. The woman put her hand on Bly's arm. "So, what might take one person a certain time doesn't mean it will take you the same time. But, we are going to continue to work hard to get you back to normal just as soon as we can, okay?" Bly asked, trying to comfort the shorter woman.

"Yes, darling. I appreciate it and I will see you on Monday." Sylvia replied with a smile.

"Now, you try to behave yourself this weekend Sylvia." Bly teased as the woman erupted in laughter.

"You are such a sweetheart and you've go the prettiest dimples I have ever seen!" She answered as she pinched Bly's cheek.

"I thank you as do my parents for the comment on my dimples." Bly blushed from embarrassment.

Jordan thought about how adorable Bly's dimples were and how she wanted to kiss them right there and then. She felt a warmth flood her as she watched how caring Bly was with her patient and it took all she could do to fight back her tears of joy to see Bly.

"You have a good weekend honey." Sylvia answered as she let go of Bly's arm.

Bly looked up to watch her leave and caught a glimpse of some very familiar green eyes. She was speechless at first and wasn't sure what to say. "Jordan, what are you doing here?" Bly nervously asked as a flood of emotions overtook her. She wanted to take Jordan in her arms, but couldn't get past the betrayal she felt.

"I need to talk to you Bly." Jordan stated, concerned.

"Bly, your next two patients are here waiting for you." Patty informed her, holding the charts up for Bly's acknowledgement and placed them on Bly's desk.

"Okay, I'll be right there. Listen Jordan. I am really busy." Bly answered finding it hard to look at Jordan and walked towards her office as Jordan followed her.

"Bly, please! Why have you been avoiding me?" Jordan pleaded for an answer.

"Jordan, I really can't get into it with you here I am very busy." Bly coldly brushed her off and thumbed through the charts on her desk, diverting her attention from Jordan. It was too painful to look at the woman before her.

"How about lunch? I'll buy?" Jordan asked, eager to speak with Bly.

"I will be working through lunch today Jordan. I'll have to call you later." Bly stated, picking up her charts and headed out of her office with Jordan in tow.

"Do you have my number?" Jordan asked as Bly pretended to be interested in what was on the chart.

"Aah yeah. I have it. I'll give you a call." Bly lied just to get the woman away from her and glanced up at Jordan, then to the waiting room. "Mrs. Brown?"

The woman approached Bly. "I'll talk to you later then." Jordan answered as she walked past Bly to the door.

"Hello, my name's Bly. I’m a Physical therapist and I'll be treating you today." Bly cheerfully introduced herself and glanced up to see Jordan leave the office. She wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around her and shower her with kisses, but her thoughts turned back to Jordan's indiscretions with the bitch in the restaurant. "Aah we will take this room." Bly stammered, blinking her thoughts out of her head and pointed the woman into the room.

She took a deep breath to calm her emotions and began her evaluation of the patient. Bly exited the room as Kim approached. "You okay Bly?" She asked, concerned. "Was that Jordan?"

"I could be better and yes it was Jordan." Bly answered distracted, gathering a hot pack for her patient.

"She's hot, Bly. You really need to talk to her before you lose something great forever." Kim advised before walking away.

Bly straightened out the hot pack and let out a sigh as she thought of how wonderful it was to be with Jordan. How it was so right being with her and that she had never felt that way about anyone ever before. Every time she would have good thoughts of Jordan, the bad image of her in the arms of another woman consumed her and filled her with anger, squashing any hopes of reconciliation. Bly picked up the hot pack and headed back to treat her patient, slipping Jordan to the back of her mind.

***

The weekend came and went without a phone call from Bly. Jordan sat wondering why she even bothered to call Bly anymore. ‘Damn it Jordan! You're not giving up on this one no matter what. She's a keeper and you need to fight for her.' Jordan reminded herself as she fell asleep to greet a new week. Jordan heard that a friend had been in a car accident that morning and was taken to the hospital. "That's terrible. How is Gail doing?" Jordan asked Linda on the phone with concern for their friend.

"She is doing better now, but she is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday afternoon. Can you go to the hospital and see her, Jordan?"

"Sure, I'll take half a day off and go sit with her there."

"Great she'll appreciate it Jordan. Hey, how have you been doing? I haven't talked to you for a few days."

"Not so good Linda. I went to see Bly and she said she would call me, but as usual she is ignoring me. Has Julie heard anything from her as to why she's avoiding me?"

"Julie spoke to her the other day and said that Bly was pretty adamant about not discussing you. So, Julie said she dropped the conversation. I'm sorry Jordan maybe you should just move on." Linda answered, sadly.

"No way. I care for her too much to just move on. Besides, I deserve an explanation." Jordan demanded, agitated by Bly’s reluctance to give her one.

"Okay, sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, it's okay. I'm sorry I snapped. Listen I will call you with more news on Gail after I see her."

"Sounds good and you hang in there." Linda answered with concern.

"Thanks, bye." Jordan frowned and hung up the phone.

***

Jordan left work at noon and headed over to the hospital to visit Gail before her surgery. As she walked off the elevator to find Gail's room she looked down the hall and saw Bly leave a room heading towards the nurse's station. Jordan moved to catch a glimpse of the raven-haired beauty. Bly was feverishly documenting charts and looked up as a nurse spoke to her. Bly tucked her long black hair behind her ear and laughed at what the woman said to her. Jordan wanted to walk up and kiss her neck where she had removed her hair, but knew that was out of the question, instead settling for watching her from afar. Jordan noticed how gorgeous, yet professional looking Bly appeared with her teal scrubs and her long, white lab coat. Bly took her stethoscope off from around her neck and put the earpieces in. She listened to the nurse's heart with whom she had been carrying on a very candid conversation. Bly threw her stethoscope over her neck again and closed the medical chart after finishing her documentation. Jordan made her way towards Bly who had not seen her and nearly ran into Jordan. The smile left her face. "What are you doing here?" Bly asked, agitated. "Are you following me now?" She asked, coldly.

"Bly." Jordan answered the hurt evident in her voice as she couldn't believe what Bly was insinuating. "My friend is here and I came to sit with her before her surgery."

"Sure you did. Listen Jordan. We had a great time in Key West, but it's over, so don't call me and don't try to see me okay?" Bly demanded as she walked into her patient's room, leaving Jordan in total disbelief as the tears began to stream down her face.

***

Jordan headed back down the hall as she watched Bly come out of the room and converse with a tall man who looked like a doctor. Jordan watched as he comforted her and they glanced her way, causing her to lower her head with sadness as Bly moved over to the passing gurney.

"Okay, Sarah. You're going to do fine in surgery today." She smiled, trying to comfort her nervous patient.

"You will be there right?" Sarah asked nervously.

Bly smiled. "I will be right with you in the operating room. Dr. Brown was kind enough to let me observe the surgery."

"Oh, thank you. I feel so much better knowing you will be there with me, Bly." Sarah answered relieved.

"Okay, you head on down. I'll meet you there." Bly smiled as they wheeled her patient off down the hall. Bly said goodbye to the nurses and headed off towards the operating room.

Jordan found Gail's room. "Hey, how are you feeling?" Jordan asked, smiling.

"Could be better." Gail admitted, happy to see her friend.

"When do you go in for surgery?" Jordan asked.

"In about five minutes." A man's voice answered when he entered the room and took her chart out to examine it. "Any questions for me?" He asked with a soothing smile.

"No doctor, I think I got every question answered earlier. I'm ready to get this over with.” Gail smiled.

Jordan noticed he wasn't the usual cocky and uncaring doctor she was used to. She couldn't help but notice he was the man that comforted Bly earlier in the hall. She also noted he was very tall, tan and handsome for an older man. "Well, let's get your anterior cruciate ligament fixed then." He smiled as the patient transporters entered the room to take Gail to surgery.

"I'll be waiting for you when you get out, Gail." Jordan soothingly smiled as they wheeled her past.

"Thanks Jordan." Gail answered as the tall doctor looked at Jordan quizzically.

Jordan looked at his nametag, which read Dr. Chance Van Dewark. Jordan took a deep breath obviously feeling uncomfortable in the presence of Bly's father. She slowly looked up at him and realized where Bly got her beautiful blue eyes. "So, you're the green eyed beauty who broke my little girl's heart?" He protectively asked.

"Uhmmm, excuse me?" Jordan asked, confused by his questioning, considering Bly just told her to beat it. If anyone should be hurt it should be her.

"Bly told me all about what happened. I have never seen her so upset over another woman before. You were obviously special to her. How you could do that to her?"

"What I did to her?" Jordan asked, becoming agitated at the line of questioning. "She walked out on me." Jordan snapped back defensively.

"Can you blame her after she saw you in the arms of another woman?" He rhetorically asked, exiting the room.

Jordan realized what the misunderstanding was all about and ran after him. "Wait, doctor." Jordan pleaded, running up to him. He stopped and looked at her. "Please let me explain!"

"Make it quick, I have surgery." He sternly answered.

"The woman you are referring to is an ex-friend who searched me out down there. I was to have dinner with Bly and she sat down at the table to try and get me to go back with her. I told her I never wanted to see her again. Well, she tried to bully me and she forcibly kissed me."

"That's not the way Bly explained it." He skeptically answered, searching her green eyes for the truth.

"Please, you have to believe me." Jordan pleaded desperately, placing her hand on his arm as he stared into her eyes. "I slapped her after she forced herself on me and I threatened to kill her if she ever did that again. I care for your daughter like I have never cared for anyone else in my whole life." Jordan honestly admitted as the tears slid down her cheeks.

He looked at her momentarily and softly wiped the tears from her cheek. Jordan realized he had a gentle touch like Bly's. "Alright, I believe you and I am going to help you. I believe Bly feels the same about you. She has too much pride for her own good. She's very much like her mother in that way. Walk with me to the operating room okay?" He asked, in a soothing tone as they headed down the hall.

"Thank you for believing me doctor." Jordan sighed, relieved.

"Call me Chance. Now, here's what we are going to do. We are having a fiftieth wedding anniversary party for my parents on Friday night and I want you to attend. I will make sure Bly talks with you, but you have to explain everything to her okay?"

"I will do anything to have Bly back in my life again." Jordan eagerly agreed, and smiled.

"I will have Julie get an invitation for you." He instructed her smiling as they stopped at the door leading into the operating rooms. "This is my stop. I look forward to seeing you on Friday."

"Thank you so much." Jordan gratefully answered and watched him walk through the doors.

He looked back. "Bly was right. You are beautiful." He grinned and winked as the doors shut.

Jordan enthusiastically smiled with renewed hope that she would soon be back with Bly. She no longer felt the pain she did when Bly told her she didn’t want to see her. Jordan went to the surgical area to wait for word from her friend. She paced for over an hour with nervous energy and wished it were Friday already. Jordan was startled when the doors flew open, banging against the wall as Bly flew out of them in a rage.

"Bly, what happened?" Jordan asked, concerned.

Bly looked at Jordan with anger in her eyes. "I'm not doing this with you now! Besides, I thought I told you I didn't want you in my life anymore." Bly angrily snapped, ripping her bandana off her head and stormed off to the elevators.

"Bly!" One of the nurses yelled to her as she entered the elevator, throwing her bandana against the back of the elevator. She squatted down and put her face in her hands, which rested on her knees as the doors shut.

"What happened?" Jordan asked, worried.

"Bly's patient died in the operating room. They became close when the woman was in therapy with her for cardiac rehab. Unfortunately, the woman's heart just wasn't strong enough to keep her alive." The nurse sadly informed her.

"That's terrible." Jordan responded remorseful and thought about how she wanted to comfort Bly. Jordan sighed disappointed that she couldn’t and headed back to wait for Gail to come out of surgery, also worried about Bly’s well being.

***

The week seemed to drag on and it seemed like Friday would never get there. She rushed home from work to get ready for the party later that evening, as she was excited about seeing Bly and working out their differences. She wanted to look exquisite for her. Jordan dressed in a white slim fitting dress. The dress had a high cut neck and a V-back. The dress fell to knee length and was accentuated by a black onyx necklace in the shape of a teardrop. Jordan put on light make up and applied a coral colored lipstick to highlight her color. Jordan sprayed a light mist of Obsession on her neck and pushed her straight blond hair off her shoulders, flipping her blonde tresses to one side to shadow her face.

Jordan rushed down to the street as Julie and Linda beeped incessantly for her to join them. "You are looking so hot, Jordan!" Linda enthusiastically informed her and checked Jordan out when she climbed into the black convertible.

"You two look great also!" Jordan excitedly answered as they headed off to the Boca Resort on the ocean.

Julie pulled her BMW up to the valet. The trio exited the car and headed into the grand ballroom for the party before the guest of honor and their family arrived. Jordan looked around in awe at the exquisite surroundings.

"Have you ever been to anything like this before, Linda?" Jordan nervously asked, knowing she was out of her element.

"No, but it's beautiful isn't it?" Linda asked, smiling.

"Care for a drink ladies?" Julie inquired.

"I would love an Absolute Vodka and tonic please." Jordan ordered and smiled, looking around at the elegantly dressed party guests.

"The usual babe?" Julie asked Linda.

"No. I think I'll have a Martini this evening."

"Ooh, my girl is being a little daring tonight isn't she?" Julie playfully asked.

"You'll find out just how daring later tonight, my little vixen." Linda teased back as Julie smiled and blew her a kiss.

Julie filled the drink requests and headed back over to the ladies. "I am the luckiest person in this room to be escorted by two such beautiful women." Julie proudly smiled and handed them their drinks. "Let's get to our table because it looks like they are ready to introduce the family members.”

***

They sat at their table near the back as the announcer welcomed everyone to the fiftieth wedding anniversary party.

"Now, it is my pleasure to introduce the third generation." The announcer said as Bly entered the door with her arm wrapped through the arm of a very handsome young man. Bly wore a sleek, black ankle length dress, with a drapery neck and a low crisscross back complete with a high side slit to show off her tan, well-toned leg. Bly wore a diamond pendant with matching earrings and her long raven hair was parted just off center, falling to the front of her shoulders as her bangs lazily lay over one eye.

Jordan was devastated that Bly would have a male escort to the party and leaned towards Linda. "This can't be happening!" Jordan panicked and rushed to the bathroom in tears. She turned the water on to wet a napkin for the back of her neck. She felt physically and emotionally ill.

"Welcome, Blythe and Dawson Van Dewark." The announcer replied as everyone clapped and they made their way down the red carpet with nervous smiles on their faces. They made their way to the table to wait for the rest of the family.

"That's Bly's brother?" Linda asked surprised and excited, leaning closer to Julie.

"Yeah, who did you think it was?"

"Never mind. I'll be back, I have to get Jordan." Linda informed her lover and left the table for the restroom to tell Jordan.

"The second generation. Welcome, Chance and Alexandra Van Dewark." The announcer replied as Bly's parents made their way down the red carpet to join their children.

"Jordan, are you okay?" Linda asked, concerned.

"How could she come with a guy Linda?" Jordan asked through her tears.

"It's her brother Jordan." Linda informed her smiling and put her arm around her for comfort.

"Are you sure?" Jordan asked with regained hope.

"Positive! Now, let's stop those tears and get back out there so you can look at your incredibly gorgeous woman!" Linda instructed, chuckling.

"She does look very stunning, doesn't she?" Jordan readily agreed, and patted the tears dry from her face, heading out the door with Linda.

They sat back down at the table and Julie looked at the pair. "Everything okay ladies?"

"Just fine, thanks." Jordan smiled intently watching Bly, admiring how beautiful she looked as warmth spread across her. "The family has very good looks, wouldn't you say?" Jordan asked Linda.

"Oh, I would say they were very blessed." Linda chuckled.

"Now, for the guests of honor." The announcer replied and everyone stood. "The first generation. The happy couple, Melvin and Bernice Van Dewark." He announced when the elderly couple appeared in the doorway to a loud standing ovation. They happily smiled as they made their way to the steps where Bly and Dawson waited at the bottom for their grandparents. As they made their way down the stairs, Bly held out her arm for her grandfather and Dawson did the same for their grandmother and they escorted them to the table.

"That is so awesome to have such a loving family." Jordan happily exclaimed, as everyone sat back down to watch the festivities.

***

As the evening progressed, Jordan’s eyes kept coming back to Bly. During dinner each family member got up and told their favorite story about the happy couple. Bly’s turn came and Jordan’s attention was riveted to the tall woman. Bly looked devastatingly beautiful tonight, her raven hair shining under the ballroom lights. The diamond pendant that lay nestled close to her breasts caught and reflected a million pinpoints of light, mesmerizing Jordan’s eyes. She vaguely heard what Bly was saying, as her senses were busy reacting to the soothingly low-timbre of her voice.

"Jordan…Jordan? Earth to Jordan!" Linda leaned over, chuckling.

"Blink so we know you’re alive!" Julie sarcastically snickered at Jordan’s reaction when the woman rapidly blinked her attention, finally focusing on Linda.

"Huh?"

"Hey, you okay?" Linda asked, noticing the flush on her friend’s face.

Julie leaned over and whispered, "Bly doesn’t stand a chance!"

Linda nodded back to her lover. "I’ve never seen her like this." Both women smiled as Jordan flushed deeper red at being caught daydreaming.

***

After dinner, the lighting dimmed as the orchestra began to play and the couple of honor stepped out onto the dance floor. Bly’s parents, then Bly and her brother followed them. Jordan grinned at how differently Bly danced with her brother than she had in the Keys. Jordan was slightly jealous that it was Dawson’s arms around her instead of her own, but it didn’t detract from her observance of Bly’s graceful movement. Her hips moved sensuously in the close fitting black dress and Jordan felt herself flush again, this time for a different reason. As the dancers began to fill up the floor, Jordan lost sight of Bly and her brother and turned her attention to Julie and Linda. “I wish I was the one Bly was holding right now.” Jordan wistfully stated.

Linda gave her shoulder a quick squeeze and answered, "Yeah, but he won’t be the one ending up in her bed tonight!"

"Neither will I." Jordan replied sadly.

"Hey, didn’t Dr. Van Dewark say he was going to take care of things?"

"Yes, but I don’t know when." Jordan answered.

"Just hang in there sweetie, Dr. V is a man of his word." Julie encouraged her, catching the end of their conversation. Looking over at Bly’s table, Jordan noticed her sitting alone with that same faraway look she had at the beach that first morning. Jordan was glad they were tucked away in the back where she could observe Bly without being seen. Right now she wanted nothing more than to go to her and hold her until that lost look went away for good. ‘Oh boy, how could you think I would have anything to do with Cindy, let alone choose her over you?’ Jordan thought sadly and looked away as the tears burned her eyes. Jordan didn’t look up until she had control again and when she did, she saw that Bly was gone. Scanning the crowd for the next half-hour, she couldn’t find Bly anywhere. Sighing, she got up and went to the bar for another drink. While she waited, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to face familiar, but older, blue eyes. Dr. Van Dewark stood smiling down at her.

"Are you having a nice time tonight?" He asked.

"Yes, thank you." Jordan cordially smiled.

"Come with me, my dear, its time the two of you sat down and talked." He warmly smiled, lightly grasping her arm and steered her through the crowd toward the exit.

"Where are we going?" Jordan asked curiously.

"You’ll see." He answered cryptically as they exited the ballroom and headed down the hall. Pausing at a door, he turned to her and said, "I love my daughter very much and from what I’ve heard and seen, I think the two of you have something special. I don’t want to see that put aside. My daughter can be hardheaded sometimes but don’t let her scare you. You two need to talk this through to the end." Turning the knob he started to open the door, but stopped and remarked, "By the way. You look exceptionally lovely this evening. Bly is a lucky woman, I just hope she can see that." With this acknowledgement he opened the door and gently pushed a blushing Jordan through before closing the door. He contemplated locking the door, but he knew his daughter and she, on principle alone, would break it down to get out. Smiling, he returned to the party.

Jordan stood with her back to the closed door momentarily fearful as she scanned the room until her eyes landed upon Bly. Bly looked up from her seat on the sofa and then stood.

"Bly!"

"Jordan." She flatly stated.

"I…” Jordan stammered, pointing back at the door lamely.

"My father told me you were here." Bly stated coldly. “I promised him I would hear you out, but I don’t think it will do any good. I know what I saw."

Jordan looked at the quiet anger that showed in every movement of Bly’s body. ‘She hates me!’ She thought as her own temper began to heat up. ‘She’s obviously made up her mind without even hearing me out.’ "Why bother, you obviously have your mind made up and you don’t want to listen to the truth!" Jordan rebuked.

"Don’t try to lie to me. I saw you with her!" Bly angrily spat. Her hurt and anger boiled to the surface. She was devastated by what she had seen in the restaurant.

"I don’t know what you thought you saw, but it couldn’t have been farther from the truth. Cindy used to be a friend, but I haven’t wanted to even be in the same room with her for almost a year." Jordan exclaimed.

"It didn’t look that way to me. You seemed pretty chummy." Bly angrily accused.

"I don’t know what your idea of chummy is, but you’ve got it all wrong!” Bly looked skeptically at her and Jordan knew she would have to tell the whole story; one that she had hoped to put away a long time ago. Tears crept into Jordan’s eyes as she started to speak. "Do you have any idea what it feels like to confide in a close friend, for the first time, that you think you are gay and then wake up the next morning to find yourself bruised and hung-over in bed with that friend? The only things you remember, you hope were from a nightmare, and that you hurt more than just physically. And then, to face that ‘so called friend’ looking for a reason why and all you get is laughter about the whole incident and told that ‘you were just an uncooperative fuck!’ Let me tell you, that hurt more than all her hitting ever could. So, if you want to keep believing that I could have anything more to do with someone like that, you go right ahead!" Jordan turned, dissolving into tears and ran from the room. Jordan fled down the hallway to the outer doors and ran out into the warm night air. Looking around, she headed toward the beach area as the tears streamed down her face. The pain in her chest was making it difficult to breathe. Slipping out of her shoes, she walked down the beach trying to make sense of everything, trying to make sense out of her life.

Bly listened disbelieving as Jordan’s story unfolded. As Jordan spoke, Bly began to doubt what she had actually seen. The blonde’s obvious disgust and fury were genuine. Bly silently watched Jordan run out of the office as she tried to comprehend the enormity of what the woman had just confided. Bly couldn’t believe that she had actually misread the scene and left Jordan in that woman’s hands. Bly kicked herself for letting her vision be clouded by jealousy. ‘Oh God!’ Bly thought, ‘what have I done to Jordan? When she needed me most, I wasn’t there for her!’ Looking around the room frantically, she realized she needed to find Jordan. Lifting her dress slightly, she hurried down the hall and ran into the ballroom. She spotted Julie and Linda and hurried toward them.

"Hi!" Julie smiled as Bly approached.

"Have you seen Jordan?" Bly asked, abruptly cutting off Linda’s attempted greeting.

"No, not for awhile, why?"

"I’ll talk to you guys later, I’ve got to find her." Bly hurriedly replied and turned to leave.

"Do you want help?” Julie asked, rising.

"No, stay here! If she returns, hang on to her until I come back." Bly called over her shoulder.

Linda looked at Julie worried who smiled and put her hand on her lover’s thigh. Caressing it lightly she replied, "Don’t worry Love, Bly will find her. Looks like the tables have turned." She grinned.

***

Bly went out the main door and looked left and then right before deciding to head over to the beach. Coming out onto the sand, she spotted a pair of discarded white heels and kicked off her own. Hiking her long dress high, she set off down the beach in the direction of the footprints. Jordan walked for a long time trying to think things through. She didn’t want to think of life without Bly, but this was the reality of things. Feeling a part of her soul died, she hung her head and walked along in the shallow water. She could scream ‘why’ into the night until she was hoarse, but what would that serve? It wouldn’t return the one thing to her life that she desperately needed. She looked out over the vastness of the ocean and felt as insignificant as one drop in it. Closing her eyes, she felt the light breeze that ruffled her hair and smelled the slightly salty air that tickled her face. She listened to the waves as they rolled on to the beach and tried to let it soothe her battered soul. Her eyes flew open when her mind registered another heartbeat, but she remained still, waiting.

Bly saw the distant figure standing in the water and hurried toward her. As she neared she stopped, her breath caught at the sight. The moonlight made the golden highlights in Jordan’s hair glow in an almost magical way. Jordan stood with her eyes closed facing toward the water in a look of silent prayer. Bly wanted to touch her, but knew she hadn’t earned that right. She got as close as she dared and breathed in deeply. Jordan’s perfume mixed with the night air, a scent that was uniquely hers, and one that never failed to start a fire in the center of Bly’s being.

"Jordan?" Bly squeaked out.

"Bly."

"I…” Bly hesitated.

"What do you want from me?" Jordan interrupted.

"Forgiveness." Bly simply stated.

Jordan’s eyes closed in reflex to this request. "Why?" She whispered.

"Because I’m a fool, because I was so wrong, because I didn’t let you explain, because I wasn’t there when you needed me, and because I love you. Pick any one, just forgive me please?" Bly asked sincerely, placing a hand lightly on Jordan’s shoulder.

Jordan felt an instant reaction to that one touch and her body quivered in anticipation. Jordan moved to rest her cheek on her hand. When blue finally met green, Bly blinked back tears and said, "I am so sorry!"

Jordan reached up to wipe a tear from Bly’s tanned cheek and nodded, not trusting her voice to speak. Bly pulled Jordan closer until she put her head on Bly’s shoulder and the taller woman wrapped her arms tightly around her fragile package. "I don’t want to lose you." Bly wholeheartedly whispered, kissing the top of Jordan’s head.

Jordan rested, once again; in the only haven she had ever known and wrapped her arms around Bly in an attempt to find out if this was real or, if she was dreaming. "I don’t want to lose you either! I've loved you from the first moment I saw you. I never believed in love at first sight, until now. You’re a part of me inside and I'll never love anyone as much as I do you." Jordan whispered firmly and pulled back to look up at Bly. "You have to believe that I didn’t ask for Cindy’s attentions."

Bly placed a finger on Jordan’s lips and answered, "I know you didn’t and if I ever see her, I’ll make sure she never comes near you again." Jordan’s lips felt soft as they pressed against Bly’s finger and she leaned down to replace the finger with her lips. Kissing Jordan lightly, she nibbled on her lower lip until she was granted access and gently deepened the kiss. Bly wanted to cherish the lips before her, not punish as Cindy had done. They stood in each other’s arms kissing until blood rang in their ears. Bly kissed every inch of Jordan’s face and neck, and when she reached an ear, she whispered, "Come home with me?"

Jordan moaned as Bly’s mouth finally met hers fully and they were consumed with exploration. She tilted her head back slightly as Bly worked her magic, making Jordan’s heart race until she couldn’t think straight. She felt her legs tremble and weaken when Bly whispered in her ear. Jordan stepped back and looked up breathing deeply. Without another word, she took Bly’s hand and led her back down the beach. As they walked along the beach, neither woman said a word in anticipation of what was finally about to come to pass.  They collected their shoes and Bly took the lead to direct them towards her car.  As they passed the Beach Club's entrance, Dawson came out and called out to them. "Bly!"

"What?" Bly called back cringing.  She knew this couldn't be good.

"Where are you going?" Dawson asked as he hurried over.  Dawson was a male copy of Bly; both were tall, dark and extremely good-looking.  Jordan marveled at how one family could possess so many beautiful characteristics, but she felt that Bly outshone them all.

"Home, Dawson." Bly answered incredulously as they waited for him to approach.

"You can't leave now.  Gram asked me to come and find you.  They are serving dessert and she wants to open the presents.  You know Gram. She can't do that without her precious Bly." He sarcastically added.  Dawson looked down at Jordan appreciatively. "I don't believe I’ve had the pleasure?"

Bly's eyebrow rose in amusement and effectively thwarted his advance. "Dawson, this is Jordan.  Jordan, Dawson. Oh and Dawson, put your eyes back in place. She's spoken for!" Bly added, grinning at Dawson.

"Figures, I still don't see how you get the pretty ones." Dawson answered disappointed before leaning over to shake Jordan's hand.  "Nice to meet you, Jordan."

"Nice to meet you, Dawson."

"Go back inside and tell Gram that I will be back in a few minutes." Bly instructed her brother and led Jordan over to where the cars were parked. Leaning against her car, Bly put her arms around Jordan and pulled her close.  "I'm sorry, but I've got to go back in there.  When Gram calls, everyone runs in this family." Jordan could see that she said it in an affectionate way and her grandmother meant a lot to her.

"It's not a problem.  I did hear dessert mentioned, didn't I?" Jordan giggled with a twinkle in her eye.

Bly leaned down and kissed Jordan intensely, whispering, "You're all the dessert I'll ever need."

"Ummm." Jordan drawled.  "I think I've just found my new favorite."

Bly chuckled and looked down into green eyes.  "Think you can put up with my family for a little while longer?  I promise we will be together soon."

"As long as I am near you, I can wait an eternity." Jordan answered seriously.

Bly looked back and commented, "I promise it won't take that long." and leaned down for another soul searing kiss.  They remained locked in each other’s arms until the need to take this kiss farther was pounding at the door.  Breaking the connection, Bly took Jordan's hand and playfully said, "I think we better go back inside before we become the entertainment for the evening."

Jordan giggled and allowed Bly lead to her merrily back to the party.  So far, this evening was turning out better than she could have ever dreamed.  Bly led her over to Julie and Linda. "Hey girls, Jordan's going to join me at my table and then I'll be taking her home so you don't have to worry about her."

Julie looked up smiling. "Well, it's about time my friend.  I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to see the light!" 

Linda smiled up at Jordan and reached out for Jordan's free hand, she squeezed it and winked.  Jordan leaned down and kissed Linda on the cheek whispering, "You're right I don't want to be in Dawson's shoes tonight. Mine are going to be pretty busy."  Bly and Julie looked at each other questioningly when Linda started laughing and nodding.  Julie shrugged her shoulders confused and Bly nodded in agreement as she led Jordan to meet her family.

Bly leaned down to kiss her grandmother and said, "I'm back.  I had to go find something.” She grinned in Jordan's direction.

"It's about time, young lady." Jordan's father commented sternly, but his eyes twinkled merrily to tell another story.

Bly blushed and began to introduce Jordan to her family.  Bly's grandmother made Jordan sit next to her with Bly on the other side of Jordan. "So, tell me. Are you the one everyone's been talking about, that has finally captured my granddaughter’s heart?" The elderly matriarch asked.

"I hope so." Jordan replied. She hoped she had captured Bly’s heart. God knows that Bly had stolen hers!

"Good, it's about time she settles down.  I can see she has an eye for beauty."

Jordan blushed deeply and mumbled, "Thank you."

"Woman, don't pester this pretty young woman," Bly's grandfather interrupted.  "May I have this dance?" He politely asked Jordan.

Jordan looked over at Bly who was talking to her mother, before looking back and nodding.  She stood up and when Bly looked over, she leaned down, whispering in her ear, "I'll be right back."

Bly nodded and watched as her grandfather led Jordan out to the dance floor.  'I should have asked her to dance.' Bly thought watching the couple gracefully glide across the dance floor.  Jordan was the picture of beauty tonight and her white dress clung in all the right places as Bly watched her dance, wishing she were the one in her arms.

***

The evening wore on, through the dessert and opening of presents to dancing again.  Jordan never came back to the table after the serious dancing had gotten underway.  One family member after another was constantly claiming her after each song ended.  Bly was beginning to get a little irritated that she hadn't gotten to dance with Jordan all evening.  Every time she would get up to retrieve her, someone would get ahead of her and whisk her off. Right now, Dawson had Jordan on the dance floor, talking and dancing.  Bly wasn't sure why this bothered her, it was her brother after all, but she wanted Jordan in her arms in the worst way.

"I don't mean to pry, but could you tell me. Do you love my sister?"  Dawson boldly asked moving Jordan through their dance steps. 

Jordan was slightly taken aback, but honestly answered, "Very much."

"That's good because I don't want to see her get hurt again.  She's my sister and I want her to be happy.” He added, pleased by her answer.

"Well, then we both want the same thing for her." Jordan answered firmly.  This was the third person that wanted to know what her intentions were with Bly.  'Bly you are one lucky lady to have so many people that care about you, including me!' She thought happily.

Finally, having had just about all she could take, Bly got up, went to the dance floor and tapped Dawson on the shoulder.  When Dawson looked over, Bly set her icy blue eyes on him and whispered, "Get your own girl, this one is mine.  I'm cutting in!"  Dawson started chuckling and released Jordan, placed her into Bly's arms, lightly kissing his sister on the cheek and heading towards the bar.

Bly took Jordan in her arms and pulled her closer. Jordan wrapped her arms around Bly's neck, looking up into warm blue eyes trying not to laugh at the expression she saw. "What? I got tired of watching everyone except me hold you tonight.” Bly stated defensively.

"It's okay, because you are the only one I want to hold me tonight.  I was saving the best for last." Jordan answered.

"That you can count on honey." Bly confirmed smiling as Jordan tucked her head under Bly's chin.  They danced slowly as Bly hummed the song that was playing.  Jordan could feel the goose bumps rising along with the heat of her body.  Bly's smooth, deep voice vibrated through her core and she felt herself reacting as never before, praying that nothing would stand in their way tonight. The celebration finally broke up in the wee hours of the morning. After all the presents were loaded, Bly's family pulled away while the women stood in the parking lot waving good-bye.  Smiling, Bly slipped her arm through Jordan's and led her over to the car.  "Ready to go home?"

"I've been ready for weeks." Jordan answered, sliding into the passenger seat.  Bly leaned down and kissed her soundly. "Then let's not keep you waiting any longer."  Closing the door, she walked around and got behind the wheel, turning the car toward home.

***

During the ride home, Bly kept both hands tightly on the wheel. Knowing once she began touching Jordan, she would never want to stop.  They arrived at Bly's beachfront penthouse a little before sunrise and Bly sped her Mercedes up to the entrance of the building with urgency. "Let's unpack the car later." Bly suggested, the fire in her eyes matched by Jordan's. Bly parked and stepped out as the valet opened Jordan’s door.

"Good morning, Ms. Van Dewark."

"Hey, Jimmy!" Bly greeted, walking towards the front of the car as Jordan exited the luxury vehicle.

"Hello ma’am." The valet cheerfully greeted and held the door for Jordan.

"Hello." Jordan smiled, astounded by the warm greetings as she stared in awe at the expensive building.

Bly tossed her keys to the valet, holding her hand out for Jordan who approached her. “Don’t squeal the tires this time Jimmy or I’ll have to kick your butt." Bly teased as Jordan laced her fingers around Bly’s tightly. Bly smiled reassuringly when she felt the clammy palm of Jordan’s as they walked to the door hand in hand.

The doorman smiled and held the door for the pair. “Hello ladies." He acknowledged.

They smiled back and in unison replied, “Hello," as they entered the luxurious building with a beautiful fountain in the lobby. Jordan looked around the building, never imagining she would ever see such a grand place, except maybe on the ‘Lifestyles of the rich and famous’. Bly led her forward as the attendant unlocked the penthouse elevator for Bly, doors opening when they approached.

"Hello, Ms. Van Dewark. Have a lovely evening."

"Oh, I intend to Maurice." Bly slyly grinned, winking. Jordan stood overwhelmed by all the lavish surroundings as the door closed. Bly looked at Jordan and moved to face her. “You okay?"

"Just a little nervous I guess." Jordan answered hesitantly.

Bly gently ran her finger down Jordan’s face, gazing lovingly into nervous green eyes and slowly moved towards her.  "Me too," Bly whispered, pressing her lips against Jordan’s, waiting for her to allow entry with her tongue, which Jordan was more than willing to allow. Jordan slipped her arms around Bly’s waist, reveling in the loving embrace of Bly’s arms as they continued their kiss. Bly broke their kiss, as both were breathless.  "Jordan, I’ve been such a fool. I nearly lost the one thing that means more to me than life itself." Bly admitted sincerely. "You." Bly whispered and gave a quick kiss.  Bly looked at Jordan again and continued, "When I think of Cindy touching..."

"Please." Jordan interrupted, "Don’t say a word about her because I don’t want to ruin our moment."

Bly smiled lovingly.  "Please forgive me, Jordan." She asked softly and pressed her lips against Jordan’s for a delicate kiss.

"I already have Bly." Jordan reassured through her kiss, startled by the opening of the elevator doors and grabbed Bly’s arms to steady her.

"It’s okay babe. This is my penthouse." Bly reassured as Jordan’s heart calmed. "Come on." Bly whispered and led Jordan into her airy, spacious penthouse.

"This place is beautiful Bly." Jordan replied in awe as she looked around.

"Thank you," Bly smiled, gratefully.  "Can I get you something to drink?"

Jordan looked at Bly breaking her trance.  "Please. Some wine maybe?" Jordan suggested with a nervous smile as the butterflies did swan dives in her stomach.

"White or red?" Bly asked.

"You choose."

Bly flashed a sexy smile and kissed Jordan’s hand.  "I’ll be right back. Make yourself at home."

‘This place is fabulous.’ Jordan thought, scanning the large living room. She noticed that the black lacquer entertainment center was wall sized, which she thought only existed in magazines. It contained a large TV, several stereo components, books, videos, compact discs and many framed photos. Jordan noticed the motif of the furniture to be black leather with white pillows giving it a ‘ying yang’ appearance. Jordan looked to her left and noticed a very large saltwater fish tank with beautiful colored coral similar to what they saw snorkeling in Key West. A smile crossed Jordan’s face at the fond memory of their excursion there. Jordan noticed the pictures on the wall framed in black were fabulous pictures of dolphins in motion and various shots of large waves crashing against old lighthouses.

Bly stood in the doorway of the kitchen and watched Jordan thinking about how beautiful she is and what an idiot she was to not trust her. She made a mental note to settle a score with Cindy for her part in the torturous weeks she spent without Jordan. Jordan made her way to the window and stood next to the large telescope, looking out at the now illuminated ocean from the impending sunrise. Bly was breathless as she watched the love of her life gracefully waltz to the window and gaze out with wonderment. ‘I want to give her so much that she deserves.’ Bly thought, slowly approaching Jordan from behind and breathed in the sweet scent of her perfume.  Once she was near, she handed the glass of wine over Jordan’s shoulder.

Jordan accepted the drink and glanced over her shoulder at Bly smiling.  "Thank you."

Bly slid her arm around Jordan’s waist, pulling her close and leaned her head against Jordan’s. Together, they looked out at the peaceful and calm ocean, listening to the waves lap against the shore. "This is wonderful, Bly." Jordan smiled at the spectacular view, sipping her wine as they looked out over the ocean, enjoying every loving touch from Bly. Bly’s feelings for Jordan were inexpressible at that moment, holding Jordan in her arms as they were poised to begin a new day as lovers.

"Come with me, I have a better view than this elsewhere." Bly seductively whispered in her ear and took Jordan’s hand, leading her to the bedroom suite. Bly opened the door revealing a spacious bedroom with an oversized king sized waterbed and matching black lacquer bedroom set.

‘Her bedroom is as big as my entire two bedroom apartment.’ Jordan thought awestruck. Bly kicked off her shoes towards her large walk-in closet as did Jordan and led her towards the balcony. Bly opened the French doors to a cool ocean breeze. The balcony was very large and contained a Jacuzzi and deck chairs. Jordan glanced at the tropical plants neatly arranged on the spacious balcony. ‘I must be dreaming, this is too good to be true.’ She murmured in awe. "Bly I didn’t know you had such a green thumb." Jordan teasingly smiled.

"I don’t really. I have a service take care of them for me. I have healing hands for people, but not for plants." Bly sheepishly admitted as they looked out over the ocean. Bly stared at Jordan who took in the beauty of the ocean. She realized Jordan was different from the other women she had been with before. She noticed that Jordan was overwhelmed by the tranquility of the ocean rather than her material wealth. She felt as though the wealth scared Jordan, unlike many of the other women Bly had been with before.

Jordan looked at Bly.  "What?” She asked with a wondering smile.

Bly smiled and put her hand in Jordan’s raising it to her mouth for a kiss. "Loving you." Bly whispered in reply. Jordan’s heart skipped a beat and her eyes filled with tears of joy as Bly drew her closer. "I want to make love to you Jordan." Bly huskily whispered.

"I have been waiting for that since the moment I first saw you Bly." Jordan softly admitted allowing Bly to lead her into the bedroom as the ocean breeze swept through and the sun rising illuminated the room.

Bly picked up the remote and turned on the CD player as a slow tune began to play. Bly embraced Jordan and held her tightly before sliding her hands up her back. She softly began to sing the song in Jordan's ear as she unzipped her dress. Bly looked into Jordan’s eyes and held her hand, continuing to softly sing the slow song of a woman wanting her lover to show her heaven. It was exactly what Bly intended to give Jordan. Jordan moved her hands to Bly’s back to unzip her dress as they shared a kiss. Bly moved her kiss to Jordan’s neck and sang through her kiss. Jordan moved her hands up to Bly’s neck as Bly nibbled the soft skin behind her ear. Bly looked down into Jordan’s eyes, passionately kissing her, engulfing her in a warm embrace. Jordan had tears streaming down her face from the love she felt from Bly. No other woman had ever made Jordan feel so special loved before.

"Bly, I love you and I want this so much. Make love to me." Jordan softly pleaded, looking into loving eyes as the song began to repeat itself. The slow hypnotic rhythm of the song was intoxicating. Bly smiled as her heart raced and slipped her fingers under the straps on Jordan’s dress. She slowly slid them off her shoulder, dropping the dress to the floor. Jordan stepped out of the dress as Bly placed a trail of kisses down her neck to her supple breasts and slid her hands to her back, unhooking her bra.  Jordan’s arousal mounted with every kiss and touch from Bly. She never knew a lover could be so gentle with their kiss and touch. Bly looked into Jordan’s eyes as she slipped the white bra off her shoulders to the floor. She slowly and gently shifted her hands down Jordan’s soft skin to her breasts. Bly felt erect nipples under her palms as Jordan closed her eyes tilting her head back in pleasure, her breath momentarily escaping her.

Bly leaned down and gently took a hard nipple between her lips for a moist kiss. Bly gently grazed her thumb over Jordan’s other breast. Bly moved her kiss to the other breast, capturing the nipple in her mouth to pay it the attention it demanded as she ran her finger over the unattended breast. "Bly, I’ve never felt so good." Jordan moaned, running her fingers through Bly’s raven hair. Jordan’s breathing became more labored when Bly knelt and softly kissed her sex through her lingerie. "Oh, Bly. Oh, Bly." Jordan panted, becoming more aroused and had to remind herself to breathe. Bly slowly moved her fingers down Jordan’s legs along with her panties. She kissed the soft skin around her blond curls, allowing Jordan to step away. Bly softly kissed Jordan’s sex and worked her way back up to Jordan’s mouth.

"Undress me, Jordan." Bly huskily requested.

Jordan’s heart nervously raced faster and her hands trembled as she reached for Bly. Bly raised them to her lips and delicately kissed them to calm her.  "There’s no need to be nervous with me, Jordan. I love you." Bly whispered sincerely, softly placing Jordan’s hands on her shoulders. "Just show me how much you love me baby." Bly whispered reassuringly. Jordan’s nervousness calmed and she gently slid Bly’s dress off her shoulders to the floor as Bly put her hands on Jordan’s hips. Jordan looked down at her toned tan body, noting the sensual allure of the black lace lingerie she wore, just as she had imagined. Jordan kissed Bly’s neck to her bra strap and pulled it down her shoulder with her teeth. She passed across her breasts through the material to the opposite one. She repeated the maneuver with the other strap as Bly’s passion mounted, her breathing becoming more erratic. Jordan seductively moved in behind the taller woman, unhooking her black lace bra as Bly closed her eyes and enjoyed the soft touch. Jordan softly slipped her hands around the front of Bly’s body gently cupping the soft, supple breasts within her hands.

Jordan placed soft bites followed by kisses along Bly’s neck and back as Bly moved her hands on top of Jordan’s. Bly loved the feel of Jordan's touch. Bly tilted her head to the side as Jordan sensually kissed her neck and lightly pinched her nipples, sending a warm rush throughout her body. Jordan lightly slid her tongue down Bly’s spine as her hands moved down Bly’s muscular abdomen, making their way to her lace panties. Jordan’s hands moved under Bly’s lingerie, brushing them across Bly’s damp curls and pulled the garment to the floor. Jordan heard Bly gasp when she ran her tongue back up Bly’s spine and wrapped her arms around her now naked body. Bly slowly turned in Jordan’s arms. As their eyes met, Bly slid her tongue past Jordan’s parted lips for a deep, sensuous kiss, her hands resting on Jordan’s firm backside. Bly gently pressed Jordan’s sex against her own and continued her exploration of Jordan’s mouth with her tongue. Jordan has never been so aroused or loved as she was at this very moment. Bly backed Jordan to the bed and pulled the covers on the bed down. Bly watched Jordan lay back on the black satin sheets and locked blues with greens, seductively climbing up on Jordan’s body. Jordan spread her legs allowing Bly’s thigh against her sex as she lowered her naked body onto Jordan’s. Bly leaned down and hesitated, "You feel so good Jordan." She whispered, kissing her deeply as Jordan caressed Bly’s muscular body. Bly maneuvered her kiss down Jordan’s body, past her breasts to her abdomen and brushed her hands across Bly’s nipples.

Bly felt Jordan’s wetness against her stomach as she worked her way down her body. Bly traced her curl line and slowly kissed down, then up her inner thigh. Bly’s lips lightly brushed across Jordan’s sex as she made her way to the opposite leg. Jordan raised her pelvis in anticipation of Bly’s kiss, which moved up her body to her breast. Bly stopped to give Jordan’s breasts the attention they sought and moved her lips to Jordan’s mouth.

"Bly, please touch me." Jordan pleaded through her kiss, unable to contain herself.

Bly slowly moved back down to Jordan’s sex and spread her legs wider. Bly reached up and held Jordan’s hand as she lightly kissed her wet sex. Jordan squeezed her hand and thrust her head back in pleasure. Bly finally slid her tongue past her wet folds in search of her swollen nub, causing Jordan’s hips to arch upwards.

"Oh, Jordan. You taste so good." Bly huskily murmured, thoroughly enjoying the taste in her mouth as she ran her tongue along Jordan's moist center. Jordan’s heart raced, her breathing more erratic as tears slowly trickled down her face for the love she felt for Bly. Bly reached up Jordan’s body to hold her other hand, which Jordan grasped tighter as Bly’s tongue traced the curves of her sex. Bly sensually licked her sex, never leaving a spot unattended by her tongue as Jordan’s hips bucked to her rhythmic movements. Bly moved her kiss away from Jordan’s sex, up her stomach and past her breasts, stopping at her neck as Jordan wondered, ‘What is she trying to do? Give me a heart attack?’

Bly straddled Jordan’s leg and Jordan felt Bly’s wetness. "Touch me Jordan." Bly whispered in her ear, feeling Bly move Jordan’s hand down her curves to touch her sex. "I want to share an orgasm with you, baby." Bly’s sultry demand sent an overwhelming rush of warmth and excitement coursing through Jordan’s body when she touched Bly’s wet curls for the first time. Bly sank her teeth into Jordan’s neck when Jordan touched her sex and Jordan thought she might have had an orgasm at that moment. Bly slid her finger into Jordan’s warm, moist and tight opening, as did Jordan to Bly. Bly moved her hips faster in response to Jordan’s movements in and out of her warmth. Bly matched the movement, sliding her thumb up on Jordan’s swollen nub and sending Jordan’s head back in pleasure as she gasped for air.

"Bly, I can’t wait any longer." "Me either." Bly whispered as their bodies quivered and shuddered in unison, releasing their orgasms together.

"Oh, Bly!" Jordan yelled in ecstasy, digging her fingernails into Bly’s muscular back with her free hand.

"Aah...Jordan. I love you!"  Bly loudly professed.

They held each other until the throbbing of their center subsided. Bly moved her arms around Jordan who did the same, holding one another close. Bly smiled at Jordan as she gazed into her eyes and kissed her passionately. "Bly, I never thought it was possible to experience something as special and wonderful as what I just did.  I never imagined I could love anyone as much as I love you in such a short time. That doesn’t scare you, does it?"

"Not at all, Jordan. What scares me is not being with you." Bly answered reassuringly, following her admission with a passionate kiss.

"I take it you like this song huh?" Jordan asked, smiling hearing the song repeat.

"It’s the only song I’ve listened to since I got back from the Keys because it reminded me of you. It only succeeded in torturing me until now."

"It’s beautiful, Bly and you certainly showed me heaven, baby." Jordan lovingly answered and kissed Bly.

Bly broke their kiss and asked, "I’m not hurting you, am I?"

"Not at all, but I’m chilly after all of that sweaty passion." Jordan chuckled.

"Let me remedy that then." Bly smiled, sitting up and gathered the covers on top of them as she lay on her back. She reached for Jordan, pulling her closer to her and covered them with the sheet and blanket. Jordan snuggled her head against Bly’s neck and wrapped her leg over Bly’s body, placing her hand over Bly’s heart to feel its rhythmic beat. Bly ran her fingers through Jordan’s blond hair, perfectly content with the woman in her arms. Bly loved how Jordan wrapped up against her as it felt completely right and she never wanted this feeling to end. Bly heard Jordan’s soft breathing as she slept snuggled comfortably and safe in the arms of the love of her life. ‘This is more comfortable than that lawn chair.’ Bly thought, smiling and closed her eyes, perfectly content with the woman within her arms.

***

Jordan woke to the sound of the waves rolling onto the shore and realized the warm body she had been snuggled against was gone. She looked around knowing she was in Bly’s home.  She remembered the morning’s events smiling happily and took in a deep breath of fresh ocean air. Jordan sat up in bed and noticed a robe laying across the bed with a brand new toothbrush that Bly had obviously left for her. Jordan slipped on the robe and walked out on the balcony for a quick glimpse of the ocean. She squinted from the sun’s reflection off the blue-green water and closed her eyes enjoying the moment as the cool ocean breeze swept across her face. Jordan reveled in how alive and wonderful she felt, but lonely, as Bly’s arms were not around her. She decided to remedy that problem. She quickly brushed her teeth and headed out of the bedroom in search of where her love might be in the penthouse. Jordan looked around trying to decide where she might look first and heard the sound of a TV. ‘Probably a good place to look.’ She chuckled. Jordan walked down the hall towards the noise, which grew louder as she approached. Jordan peeked into the large family room to see Bly sitting in an oversized easy chair. Her head rested on her hand, which leaned against the arm of the chair. Her feet were propped up on the ottoman in front of her. A smile crept across her face as she noticed how Bly was intently watching Xena on the large screen TV.

"So, you’re a Xena fan huh?" Jordan asked softly.

Bly raised her head up and looked back at Jordan with a smile. "It would be safe to say I’m a Xenite. Good afternoon." Jordan moved over next to her as Bly took her hand and pulled her down onto her lap. Bly flashed a sly grin and leaned in for a soft kiss.

"Good afternoon," Jordan answered smiling, staring into those dreamy blue eyes. "What time did you get up?"

"About an hour ago, I didn’t want to wake you because you looked so peaceful.  Would you like some coffee?"

"Sure, sounds great, but I need another kiss from you first." Jordan gently requested, wiggling her eyebrows invitingly.

"If I have too." Bly teased, capturing Jordan’s lips for a soft kiss and slid her warm hand into the opening on the robe resting her hand on Jordan’s stomach, sending a pulsating sensation to Jordan’s center. "Hmmm, I missed that kiss." Bly purred, smiling.  "What do you like in your coffee?"

"Cream and sugar please."

"After what I tasted I would say you are sweet enough that you don’t need to add sugar." Bly teased Jordan who was obviously embarrassed and kissed her.   "Okay, let me up babe."

Jordan reluctantly slid off her lap and sat next to her in the oversized chair.  "I love this chair, it’s great!"

"It’s definitely a lot nicer when you have a special someone to sit in it with you," Bly smiled, rising from the large chair.  "I’ll be right back." Bly winked and headed out the doorway to the kitchen.

***

Jordan relaxed in the chair and looked around the room, which had large bookshelves containing every imaginable collector’s item of Dan Marino and University of Florida Gators paraphernalia. ‘I take it this is the sports room?’ Jordan thought, looking at the various items in the room. Jordan saw a picture, which caught her eye and got up to take a closer look. It was an action shot of Bly playing baseball with a baseball card of her on it in the lower corner of the frame. Jordan smiled and thought about how much she enjoyed watching Bly play sports.

"Hey, babe. Here’s your coffee." Bly returned with two cups.

Jordan looked back at her with a smile. "What team is this for?" Jordan asked as she pointed to the frame.

"The women’s professional baseball team they had up until last year." Bly answered, standing behind her.

"Thanks." Jordan smiled gratefully and sipped the coffee. "You don’t play anymore?" Jordan asked, disappointed.

"Not professionally, but I play in a women’s recreation league now." Bly explained.

"I would love to see you play because I really enjoyed watching you play football." Jordan said leaning up and kissing Bly.

"How about tomorrow?" Bly asked as she broke her kiss.

"You have a game tomorrow?" Jordan asked, excitedly.

"Yeah, just about every Sunday." Bly answered, placing her hands on Jordan’s hips and gazing into her excited green eyes.

"I can’t wait to see you play!" Jordan enthusiastically smiled.

Bly was swept over with happiness at the thought that Jordan truly was interested in that part of her life. Bly adoringly smiled, gazing into her eyes and gently brushed her hand down Jordan’s cheek.  "Jordan, I love you." Bly whispered with a kiss. No other woman had ever had such an effect on her like Jordan did in such a short time and she relished it.

Bly’s sincere admission that she loved Jordan overwhelmed her with joy and happiness. ‘This is so right being with Bly. I don’t ever want to be a way from her again.’ Jordan thought, feeling Bly’s undying love through that one kiss.

Jordan broke their kiss and jumped from being startled by something furry, which brushed up against her leg.  "What was that?" Jordan nervously asked as she looked around. Bly laughed looking down and picked up her cat.  He had a white underbelly from his chin to his back legs and half way up his stomach on his sides. From his ears to the tip of his tail his coat was completely black with a triangular white patch from between his eyes to his nose. She puckered her lips as her cat put his mouth to hers for a kiss. "He’s so cute, Bly. You never told me you had a cat." Jordan excitedly replied, stroking his fine coat.

"Oh, he likes you just like me. Don’t you boy?" Bly asked, hugging her cat as he meowed in response.

"Can I hold him? I really love cats. What’s his name?"

"Ares and sure you can hold him if he’ll let you. He can be a little finicky with people." Bly informed her, taking Jordan’s coffee mug and handed the cat to her. Bly smiled and was surprised as her cat cuddled up next to Jordan and brushed his face against hers.

"He’s so sweet." Jordan smiled delightedly, and kissed his head.

"You wouldn’t think he was so sweet if you met him when he was a kitten. He was a real terror. That’s how he got his name Ares because he was so destructive." Bly chuckled, watching her usually aloof cat enjoy being in Jordan’s arms. ‘Is this for real or is it too good to be true that this woman loves me for who I am and genuinely wants to take an interest in my life?’ Bly thought, lovingly looked at the two. "You’ve captured his heart just like you’ve done with mine Jordan." Bly smiled, enamored with the blonde and kissed her.

"You’ve done the same with my heart Bly." Jordan responded, blushing. Bly leaned over and kissed Jordan with such intensity that neither woman remembered Ares until he began meowing in protest.

"Come on let’s get you some food Ares."  Bly suggested chuckling and headed towards the door with the cat following her meowing.   "Is that so? You’re that hungry?" She teased the cat that meowed louder in response to her questions as they made their way to the kitchen.

Jordan followed the two into the kitchen done in a black and white motif.  "Jeez Bly. Are you that good of a cook to have this big of a kitchen?" Jordan asked amazed by the large room.

Bly laughed. "If you ate my cooking, you would tell me to take a cooking class. I can make a mean can of soup though." Bly laughed as she fed Ares.  "I take that back. I’m good with steaks on the grill, but besides that forget it."

"I’ll have to make something for you one evening then."

"Ooh, a woman that cooks. You gotta love that." Bly teasingly answered, engulfing Jordan in a hug and gave her a playful nibble on the neck.  "Are you hungry?" Bly asked through her love bites.

"Bly, you’ll learn that I can eat anytime." Jordan chuckled.

"Hmmm, what do you say to some Chinese food then?"  Bly asked, nibbling on the opposite side of her neck.

"General Tsao's chicken?" Jordan gasped as Bly was driving her nuts with the nibbling.

Bly looked up at Jordan with a surprised look. "My favorite!" She excitedly smiled. “Do you want anything else?"

"How about some shrimp lo mien?"

"I knew I fell in love with you for a reason." Bly chuckled. " Would you like me to grab some clothes for you to put on while I order the food?"

"Well, those Scooby Doo boxers of yours look enticing, but I think I’ll stick with the robe. If you don’t mind." Jordan asked, as she ran her fingers through Bly’s raven hair, taking her face into her hands and kissing her passionately.

They broke their kiss breathless and smiled lovingly at one another.  "So, you like Scooby too?" Bly asked, grinning.

"Absolutely."

"Yes!" Bly replied excitedly, picking Jordan up in a hug and kissed her.  "Now, let me go order some food for my little Scooby fan." Bly answered, as she put Jordan down and headed off towards the phone as Jordan headed back into the sports room. "Okay babe. Everything is ordered and should be here in about forty-five minutes." Bly informed her, sitting next to Jordan in the oversized chair.

"I hope you didn’t mind that I changed the channel to watch The Crow, Xena was finished."

Bly looked at Jordan with amazement.  "You like The Crow too?"

"Oh, yeah!"

"I think you’re too good to be true, Jordan." Bly chuckled and kissed her.

"No, I’m for real baby." Jordan replied through the kiss.

"That’s good to know." Bly smiled, lovingly kissing her and held her hand. "What are your plans for tomorrow?"

"Well, I’m going to watch my incredibly gorgeous girlfriend play baseball and then whatever she has planned for the rest of the day." Jordan adoringly smiled.

"Girlfriend huh?" Bly asked with a mischievous smile.

"Well, aah I aah just thought." Jordan stammered nervously.

"Jordan, would you like me to be your girlfriend?" Bly asked and thought about how adorable Jordan looked.

"Of course, I would. That is if you want to be my girlfriend?" Jordan asked, hesitantly. She hoped she didn’t overstep her bounds with her assumptions.

"I thought you would never ask. Yes, I would like very much to be your girlfriend." Bly smiled and kissed Jordan. "Why did you get so nervous babe?"

"I thought I said something that I shouldn’t have Bly." Jordan answered, searching Bly’s blue eyes for assurance.

"I was just teasing you, but thanks for asking." Bly laughed and received a punch in the arm.

"Bly! You embarrassed me!" Jordan whined, embarrassed.

Bly laughed and kissed Jordan. "I’m sorry honey, but you were so adorable when you asked me that I couldn’t resist. Can you ever forgive me?" Bly asked pouting.

"How can I resist that sexy smile?" Jordan asked with a kiss.

"Great, girlfriend. So, you won’t mind going out on our boat for a family outing after the game then?" Bly asked, smiling hopeful.

"Sounds like fun, but I may have to consider getting some clothes sometime soon. I don’t think your family would appreciate me trotting around in your robe."

"True, but I wouldn’t mind it." Bly grinned wickedly and wiggled her eyebrows, softly kissing Jordan.

"Maybe Linda could bring me some clothes." Jordan considered.

"She’ll probably be going with Jules tomorrow on our boat so, give her a call and ask her if she wouldn’t mind."

"Sounds good then. Does Julie play or watch?" Jordan asked, playing with Bly’s dark locks.

"She plays. So, Jordan what do you like other than Scooby, Xena, The Crow, cat’s and General Tsao's chicken?" Bly inquired, trying to get to know the woman a little better.

Jordan smiled and slipped her hand into Bly’s, snuggling against her. "I like everything about you." Jordan answered and raised her hand to kiss Bly’s.

"Well, the feeling’s mutual babe." Bly agreed, smiling.

"I really like to write stories and I hope to get published one day. I like water sports, romantic walks on the beach and I really like being in love with you." Jordan answered and kissed Bly.

Bly searched Jordan’s green eyes and found only truth in her statement that she truly liked being in love with her. Bly looked at her for a moment amazed and replied.  "Jordan, I’ve never been with another woman who truly wanted to be with me for who I am and you’re the first person I have wholeheartedly been in love with. I only hope I don’t disappoint you."

"Bly…." Jordan softly answered with tears in her eyes and lightly brushed her hand down Bly’s cheek. "You won’t disappoint me. You’ve just never found the right person to love you the way that you want to be loved."

Bly turned, kissing Jordan’s hand that touched her cheek and gazed lovingly in her green eyes. "Until now." Bly whispered, leaning towards Jordan for a passionate, soulful kiss and gathered Jordan into her arms. Bly deepened the kiss as her hand traveled up to cup Jordan’s breast when the phone rang. "We seem to have a problem with being interrupted." Bly answered, agitated and picked up the phone. "What? Okay, thanks. I’ll send the elevator down." Bly tersely answered and hung up the phone. "Food’s here." Bly chuckled, kissing Jordan and headed over to the elevator.

Bly sent the elevator down and gathered money to pay for their food. Jordan took a couple of deep breaths to steady her racing heart. ‘I am so in love and it feels wonderful.’ Jordan thought with a small smile.

Bly entered the room with a box full of food and reached her hand out for Jordan.  "Come on let’s eat."

Jordan accepted her hand and was led out of the room down the hall.  "Where are we going?" Jordan asked with a wondering smile.

"Hot tub. To finish where we left off in the Keys." Bly mischievously smiled. "By the way, what type of stories do you write?" Bly inquired.

"Aah lesbian fiction." Jordan answered hesitantly.

Bly stopped and looked at her.  "Really?"

"Yes, is that hard to believe?" Jordan chuckled.

"No, I just can’t wait to read your stories. Maybe you can write a story about our escapade in the hot tub." Bly seductively suggested, kissing Jordan.

"How do you know I haven’t already?" Jordan teased through her kiss.

Bly looked at her in amazement.  "Did you?  If so, I hope it turned out better than our first attempt in the hot tub." Bly asked, chuckling.

"I guess you’ll have to wait and see until you read it now won’t you!" Jordan teased with another kiss.

"Oh, you are so bad, Jordan, but I love it."  Bly laughed, capturing her lips for a moist kiss and led Jordan to the balcony. Bly put the food onto the flat portion of the hot tub deck and turned on the jets to the tub. She drew Jordan into her arms, locked blue eyes with greens and kissed her passionately. Bly reached in front of her, deepening the kiss and untied the belt around Jordan’s robe. The robe opened and Bly slid her hands up Jordan’s curves, across her hardened nipples to her chest and slid the robe off her shoulders to the ground, never breaking her kiss. Bly broke their kiss and stared into Jordan’s eyes lovingly.  "You’re beautiful Jordan." Bly whispered, placing tender kisses down Jordan’s neck. Jordan ran her hands through Bly’s raven hair and rested them on the back of her neck as Bly kissed her breasts.

"Oh, baby. That feels so good." Jordan moaned breathless, her heart racing faster with every touch and kiss.

Bly slowly moved her kiss up her neck and huskily whispered,  "Undress me, Jordan."

Jordan put her hands under Bly’s shirt and ran her hands up along her sides, brushing Bly’s nipples with her thumbs when she passed them. Jordan pulled Bly’s shirt over her head, staring intently into piercing blue eyes and dropped Bly’s shirt to the floor, so she could revel in her gorgeous, muscular and tanned body. Jordan leaned in and wrapped her lips around a dark nipple, gently sucking the sensitive nub. Bly ran her fingers through Jordan’s hair and gently guided her down her body. Jordan softly kissed Bly’s muscular abdomen on her way to Bly’s boxer shorts. Jordan slipped Bly’s shorts off to the floor and kissed her wet sex as Bly gasped. Jordan maneuvered her kiss back up Bly’s body to her lips and slid her tongue past her parted lips for a long, deep kiss. Bly broke their kiss, breathless.  "Jordan, you turn me on so much." Bly whispered and kissed her again, leading her lover into the hot tub. Bly sat down and pulled Jordan close to her body as Jordan straddled her legs around Bly’s waist. Bly wrapped her arms around her lover while she assaulted her neck with soft kisses. Bly looked up at Jordan with a mischievous grin.  "Are you ready to eat?"

"Oh, yeah!" Jordan readily agreed.

Bly moved the pair towards the side of the tub and opened the containers of food along with grabbing some chopsticks. "You will submit to my commands, young lady." Bly teased, pinching the chopsticks together near Jordan’s nipples.

"Oh, no you don’t!" Jordan laughed and pushed the chopsticks away from her.

Bly picked up some lo mien with the chopsticks and held it above Jordan’s tilted head, offering the food to her blonde lover. Jordan accepted the morsels along with a sensuous kiss on her neck as Bly fed her the Chinese food.

"Yummy." Jordan pleasantly smiled as Bly held up a piece of chicken for her to eat. Jordan ate the fowl and took the chopsticks from Bly to return the favor.

Jordan held the food above Bly’s head and as she lowered it to Bly’s mouth she gently squeezed her breast with her free hand. "Ooh, baby. I didn’t know eating Chinese food could be so much fun." Bly drawled taking the chopsticks out of Jordan’s hands and laid them by the food. Bly tightly wrapped Jordan in her arms licking her lips softly and slowly, sliding her tongue inside Jordan’s mouth. Bly moved her hands to Jordan’s firm backside and pulled her closer as Bly felt Jordan’s curls tickle her stomach.

"Oh, Bly." Jordan whispered as she broke their kiss. "I want to feel you inside of me." Jordan suggestively whispered, grabbing an earlobe with her mouth and began to nibble the soft skin.

Bly slid her hand down Jordan’s firm backside in search of moist curls and sucked the tender flesh on Jordan’s neck, igniting an unstoppable passion between the two. Bly found the opening she was searching for and slowly slid her finger into the warm, recess.

"Oh, yes! That’s more like it." Jordan whispered delighted, stroking her fingers through Bly’s wet hair. Jordan moved her hips in sync with Bly’s movements in and out of her wet opening.

"Jordan, I love how you wrap tightly around my finger." Bly whispered, exploring Jordan’s mouth with her tongue.

Jordan moved her hips faster.  "I need another finger inside of me baby." Jordan requested through a gasp, which sent a tingling sensation throughout Bly.

Bly slowly slid another finger inside Jordan who tilted her head back and closed her eyes in response to the wonderful sensation she felt, her breathing becoming more labored. Jordan moved faster when Bly penetrated deeper and deeper, finding that Jordan grew wider with each stroke. Bly moved her mouth down, capturing a supple breast in it and circled the nipple with her tongue, softly sucking the soft creamy breast. Bly slowly moved her thumb along Jordan’s other opening, continuing to move her fingers in and out of her. Jordan had never been touched in that area, but found it to be arousing especially when Bly moved her fingers faster.

"Bly, that feels so good what you are doing to me? Faster, baby, faster." Jordan pleaded through her panted breath. Bly moved her tongue up through Jordan’s cleavage to her neck, placing a sensuous bite there, stroking her fingers in and out faster and deeper as Jordan’s hips bucked wildly. "Oh, yes Bly!" Jordan shouted from her arousal. Bly slid her free hand to the front of Jordan and spread her folds, finding an over-sensitive nub. Jordan clenched Bly’s hair behind her neck when she felt Bly’s fingers working their magic, sending her body into frenzy. "Yes, yes, Bly." Jordan moaned as Bly touched every sexual spot she had.

"Let me have you, baby." Bly huskily demanded, continuing her sensual movements with her fingers.  "Come for me Jordan.” She suggested in a low seductive voice, softly nibbling on her neck.

"Oh, Bly! Oh, Bly!" Jordan shouted, moving faster. "Yes...yes...AAAHHH!" Jordan screamed, releasing her orgasm. She breathed deeply to catch her breath and hugged Bly, spent from her arousal. Bly waited until Jordan’s throbbing stopped and slowly exited her as Jordan shuddered with another orgasm, releasing her juices into Bly’s hand. "That was incredible, Bly." Jordan exclaimed breathless, holding Bly tight and rubbed her hardened clit against Bly’s stomach to satisfy the still pulsing nub.

"You felt so wonderful, Jordan." Bly answered softly, her arousal mounting between her legs at Jordan’s movements against her stomach.

Jordan’s breathing and arousal leveled as Bly held her tightly and kissed her shoulder softly. "Now, it’s my turn." Jordan seductively smiled, moving away from Bly and peered up from the water at her.  "Stand up!" Jordan demanded.

Jordan’s husky demands were an aphrodisiac and Bly eagerly followed Jordan’s command. Bly stood before her as Jordan coaxed her to sit up on the side. Bly sat on the side of the tub and watched her lover slowly move between her legs. Jordan took Bly by the hips and moved her where she wanted her. Jordan parted her folds and lightly grazed her tongue along Bly’s throbbing clit. Bly leaned back on her hands and spread her legs wider for her lover. Jordan captured Bly’s clit between her lips and sucked the hypersensitive area.

"Oh, Jordan. That feels so good." Bly moaned, intently watching Jordan.

Jordan began to devour every ounce of Bly’s decadent sex, sending an incredible rush of warmth throughout Bly as she pressed her hips against Jordan’s mouth. Jordan slid her tongue and a finger inside of Bly’s wet opening as her lover tilted her head back in pleasure, her eyes closed. "Oooh, baby. That feels so incredible." Bly gasped breathless as Jordan removed her finger from Bly and slid her tongue back inside the warm opening of Bly’s being. Bly thought about how it felt as though Jordan curled her tongue inside of her and ran the tip of it along her inner walls. Jordan ran her thumb along Bly’s swollen nub, paying it the attention it craved. Jordan moved her kiss up along Bly’s taut abdomen to her breast and captured it in her mouth, slowly sliding her finger inside of Bly.

Bly took Jordan’s head in her hands and pulled her closer, lovingly kissing her forehead. "Jordan, you are driving me nuts." Bly whispered. Jordan continued to move her finger in and out of her opening as her thumb rubbed the engorged nub. Jordan’s kiss moved to Bly’s opposite breast and attended to its needs as she quickened the pace with her fingers. Jordan kissed Bly’s neck along her face; placing soft pecks on her chin, cheeks and nose, slowly tracing the outline of Bly’s lips with the tip of her tongue. Jordan slowly exerted more pressure with her tongue on Bly’s lips and enticed her by pulling back. She gently sucked Bly’s bottom lip and slid another finger inside of Bly. Jordan heard Bly gasp in pleasure at what she was doing to her.

Jordan finally moved in for a moist kiss, increasing Bly’s sexual excitement. Bly broke their kiss and gasped for air as her heart raced uncontrollably. "Jordan, I don’t think I can hold it any longer." Bly moaned as Jordan moved her kiss to Bly’s sex. Jordan removed her fingers from Bly and placed her hands on her hips. She pressed her mouth against her hard clit and slid her tongue inside of Bly. Jordan held Bly’s hips steady as she rapidly moved her tongue in and out of Bly. Every muscle in Bly’s body tensed as she gasped for air. "Jordan, baby...aaahhh!" Bly shouted as Jordan gladly accepted all of Bly’s offerings until Bly had nothing left to give. Bly lay back panting, trying to catch her breath and calm her heart rate as Jordan finished. Bly slid back in the tub into Jordan’s waiting arms and engulfed her mouth with a deep, soul-filled kiss. "Jordan that was friggin’ incredible. I’ve never had a woman make me feel like you just did, baby." Bly professed, overwhelmed from the experience, holding Jordan in her arms tightly.

"Bly, you give me too much credit. There must have been others?" Jordan suggested, blushing and was happy Bly couldn’t see her face.

Bly leaned back, moved Jordan’s wet blond hair off her face and lovingly gazed in her eyes. "None were ever as caring, attentive or loving, Jordan." Bly sincerely smiled and hesitated with her speech. She paused, staring into the loving greens before her and lightly stroked Jordan’s face with her thumb, in search of the right words. Bly took in a breath. “From the moment I first met you I wondered how I would feel if we made love together and how I would feel with you snuggled close to me throughout the night. " Bly kissed Jordan softly and continued, "I wondered how I would feel if my future with you was forever and not just for one night." Bly softly admitted looking into loving instead of fearful eyes. Bly pressed her mouth against Jordan’s lips for an emotional kiss.

Jordan broke her kiss and looked into Bly’s blue eyes. "Now that those things have happened, was it what you imagined?"

"Not even close! It’s more amazing than I could have ever imagined Jordan. I don’t want to ever be without you." Bly lovingly admitted.

Jordan moved her hands through Bly’s hair, deepening her kiss and began to cry from the love she felt from Bly. Jordan broke their kiss and buried her face into Bly’s shoulder, hugging her neck tightly, crying harder.

"Hey, babe. What’s wrong?" Bly softly asked, worried and tried to look at Jordan who held her tighter.

"Just hold me Bly, please." Jordan tearfully whispered as Bly held her tighter. Jordan thought of how she had always hoped she would one day find true love and her soul mate. She thought of how she never really believed she ever deserved to find that person and hoped she would never lose Bly.

"Hey, Jordan. Are you okay?" Bly asked, kissing her cheek tenderly.

Jordan looked into Bly’s blue eyes and lovingly smiled when Bly wiped her tears away. "I’m sorry Bly. I was just overwhelmed by your profession of love."

"Why baby?" Bly asked, softly kissing her on the nose.

"I never really thought I deserved someone to love me so much.”

"Oh, Jordan." Bly answered softly with sadness at Jordan’s comment. "Everyone deserves to have another love them completely and unconditionally. I want you to experience life as you never have before, but with me and I want to give you everything that you deserve." Bly kissed her for reassurance.

"Bly I want to share new life experiences with you, but you don’t have to give me anything. All I want is you and your love." Jordan reminded her as she kissed Bly.

"Well, you had my love and me from the moment I turned around and saw you for the first time babe. Even though I was a jerk," Bly sheepishly grinned, remembering their first encounter and how she nearly blew it with Jordan.

"Despite you being a jerk. I really felt something deep inside which made me believe there was much more to you and that we would eventually be together." Jordan admitted smiling, kissing Bly and looked up at her.  "Take me to bed and hold me tight all night." Jordan whispered through another kiss.

"Well, let me show you the way." Bly chuckled climbing out of the tub and grabbed two towels from the shelf next to the tub. Bly held it open for Jordan to step into and wrapped the towel around Jordan within her arms.

"Hmmm, I love this." Jordan pleasantly smiled as Bly kissed her on the cheek, toweling Jordan off. Bly led Jordan into the bedroom and pulled the covers down before they climbed into the spacious waterbed together. Bly lay on her back as Jordan crawled on top of her and laid her head against Bly’s chest. Jordan reached down for Bly’s hand to hold. "I’m not hurting you, am I?" Jordan considerately asked, concerned that she was too heavy.

"Not at all babe. You feel incredible on me."  Bly reassuringly smiled, thinking about how much she loved the feeling of Jordan’s naked body against her own. Bly slowly ran her fingers through Jordan’s hair and kissed her head. "Good night, Jordan." Bly whispered, knowing Jordan had already fallen asleep from the soft, slow breathing of Jordan’s, which she felt on her chest.  "I love you." Bly added softly and closed her eyes, feeling complete with Jordan there.

***

Bly woke to an extremely persistent cat nudging her face with his own and meowing in her ear. Bly opened a blue orb to see Ares looking at her, as she lay prone with Jordan draped on top of her. "What do you want boy? You hungry?" Bly whispered as her cat pushed his face against hers in response to her question. Jordan’s hand slipped underneath Bly’s hand and Jordan’s other hand rested on Bly’s back as she slept soundly. Bly smiled and wondered how they got into that position in the first place. Bly was tempted to go back to sleep and hope Ares would leave, but she knew her persistent cat would get her out of bed one way or another. Bly moved her hand away from Jordan’s and rubbed it along her leg to wake her. Jordan stirred and Bly kissed her back. She glanced over her shoulder to find sleepy green eyes looking at her. "Morning, sweets." Bly greeted warmly.

"Yeah...yeah." Jordan gruffly retorted and rolled onto her back.

Bly laughed and rolled onto her side, facing Jordan. "Not a morning person, huh?” Bly asked, chuckling and rested her hand on Jordan’s stomach.

"Mornings are the worst for me.” Jordan groggily answered, struggling to open her eyes.

Bly leaned down and kissed her. "Well, you have a couple of minutes to sleep until I find something for you to wear, seeing as how we forgot to call Linda last night."

"Well, we were preoccupied." Jordan mischievously smiled without opening her eyes.

"Yes, we were." Bly snickered, climbing out of bed to search for something Jordan could wear. Jordan quickly fell back to sleep as Bly laid the clothes on the bed next to her and leaned down, softly kissing her cheek. Bly fed Ares and headed in to the bathroom to get ready for her baseball game. Bly dressed in her uniform and sat on the bed to put her socks on. "Hey, Jordan. Baby, wake up." Bly softly coaxed, rubbing her hand lightly over Jordan’s stomach.

"Okay, I’m up." Jordan sleepily answered as she sat up and rubbed her eyes while Bly smiled and slipped her socks on. Jordan moved over close to Bly and rested her chin on Bly’s shoulder as she wrapped her arm around Bly’s waist.

"Morning." Jordan whispered in Bly’s ear and softly kissed her on the cheek.

Bly smiled, kissing Jordan’s lips. "I put some clothes for you to wear on the bed along with a bathing suit for later that should fit you." Bly informed her, pointing to the items.

"Thanks." Jordan answered, kissing Bly’s cheek as she climbed off the bed.  "You look very cute in your baseball uniform." Jordan giggled and walked towards the bathroom.

"You look extremely sexy in your birthday suit, Jordan." Bly teasingly smiled, watching her lover approach the bathroom.

Jordan glanced over her shoulder and smiled, blowing Bly a kiss before entering. Bly laughed and shook her head, exiting the room to gather her equipment bag. Bly grabbed a cooler filled with ice, sodas and water to quench their thirst from the hot Florida sun. Bly felt arms wrap around her waist for a hug. She took one of the hands that were wrapped around her and kissed it. She turned Jordan to face her.  "Well, hello my love." Bly whispered, leaning in for a kiss.

"I could get used to mornings like this." Jordan wistfully smiled, capturing another kiss from Bly’s lips.

"We need to shake a leg babe." Bly smiled, grabbing the equipment bag and threw it over her shoulder.  "Can you grab the cooler?" Bly asked as she grabbed her plastic Gator cup and car keys.

"What are you drinking?" Jordan asked inquisitively, grabbing the cooler.

"Dr. Pepper of course." Bly chuckled as they entered the elevator.

"This early?" Jordan asked, amazed at her choice of beverage.

"I always have a Pepper before my game Jordan, I have to." Bly answered, looking down to the smaller woman.

"Why would you have too?" Jordan asked, confused.

Bly sheepishly grinned and grudgingly admitted, "Aah...I’m superstitious. That’s why."

"You mean to tell me that you play better when you have a Dr. Pepper before the game?" Jordan asked in disbelief.

"Yep!" Bly confirmed smiling and looked at Jordan.

"Next thing you’ll tell me is that you have to put your socks on a certain way." Jordan laughed.

"Well, aah." Bly grinned shyly and lowered her head in embarrassment. "Left one first, then the right one."

Jordan laughed and leaned up to kiss her on the cheek.  "You are so adorable."

***

The elevator doors opened and the pair exited into the lobby where the valet had Bly’s car waiting as she had instructed them to do every Sunday morning at 8:30. Bly threw the bag and cooler in the trunk of the car and slid into her seat as she put the car in gear. Bly hit the button to lower the top as they pulled away.

"You look very sexy in that uniform of yours Bly. I like the tight pants which show off your sexy butt!" Jordan smiled as Bly entwined her fingers with Jordan’s.

"Thanks." Bly blushed.

Bly parked the car and made their way up the path towards the fields. Putting her bag in her team’s dugout, she walked over to her family who had already arrived. "I didn’t know your whole family would be here, Bly." Jordan replied, surprised as Bly grasped her hand and led her to the bleachers where they sat. She felt a nervous excitement within and hoped that Bly’s parents would accept and like her. She didn’t have a chance to really get to know them while they were at the party and hoped to do so now.

"They are at all of my games as well as Daw’s games when he plays." Bly answered, looking down at her, then up to the bleachers.

"That’s so cool!"

"Hey, mom!" Bly excitedly greeted her equally beautiful raven-haired mother who looked young enough to be Bly’s older sister.

"Hey, baby!  You look very happy this morning." Her mother observed, smiling happily.

"That’s because of Jordan, mom." Bly adoringly grinned and made her way over to greet her father and brother.

"Hello Jordan. I’m glad you came. How about keeping me company during the game? Oh, we have some coffee and bagels. Are you interested?" Alexandra pleasantly asked.

"Oh, I would love some of both and I would be happy to join you." Jordan smiled, grateful of the offer and climbed up on the bleachers to accept the food offerings.

Bly stopped in front of Jordan, who turned towards Bly and leaned her legs over the edge of the seat. "Wish me luck?" Bly asked smiling, as Jordan was at eye level with her.

"Of course, good luck and get a hit for me." Jordan suggested, grinning as Bly kissed her.

"You got it." Bly guaranteed with a wink before walking towards the dugout to put on her cleats and warm up for the game.

Bly noticed Julie running from the car with Linda in tow. Bly laughed. "Hurry up you old hag! You’re late!" Bly teased.

"Bite me babe." Julie chuckled when she ran past Bly to the entrance of the dugout.

"Linda has already taken care of that from the looks of your neck." Bly laughed, referring to the hickey on her neck.

"LINDA!" Julie shouted, looking over at her sitting with Jordan on the bleachers, receiving a sly grin and a wink from her.

Bly stood waiting for Julie, tossing a ball in her glove repeatedly as Julie hurried to put her cleats on. "Who’s pitching for their team Bly?" Julie asked as she tied the laces on her cleats.

Bly glanced over her shoulder to the other side of the field to check out the pitcher.  "Don’t know Jules. They must have just picked her up, but we’ll crank her!" Bly arrogantly answered.

"Jordan, look who’s pitching for the other team." Linda alerted her, disgusted as Jordan looked over and nearly choked on the piece of bagel she was chewing on.

"What in the hell is Cindy doing on their team?" Jordan angrily asked, after swallowing the bagel piece.  "Why can’t she just stay out of my life?” Jordan asked and climbed down the bleachers.

"Where are you going?" Linda asked.

"To warn Bly." Jordan answered and approached Bly.  "Bly, Cindy is their pitcher." Jordan informed her and glanced towards her on the field as Bly did the same.

"You’re kidding? We wondered who that was. I didn’t even recognize her." Bly laughed and saw that Jordan was worried. "Hey, baby. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of her." Bly guaranteed with a cocky smile.

"Be careful, Bly." Jordan nervously whispered, as Bly kissed her.

Bly turned to Cindy, who stared at the pair after her kiss, flashing a sarcastic grin followed by a wink, which infuriated her.  Cindy stared at Jordan thinking, 'Let's see how happy you are when I take care of your little friend.  You thought this was over, this ain't over by a long shot baby!'

Jordan sat back down between Alexandra and Linda. " Hey, Jordan. Honey, are you okay?" Alexandra asked worried by her demeanor patting Jordan’s hand for comfort.

"No, I’m not okay. I’m worried about Bly. The pitcher is my ex friend and she may try to do something to her."

"You don’t need to worry about Bly, she’ll take care of her." Alexandra arrogantly promised.

***

The game started and Bly’s team took the field first, quickly getting three outs to end the inning. Bly’s team came up to bat and the first batter struck out. The next batter stepped into the batter’s box as Bly stepped into the on deck circle and took three practice swings before tightening her batting gloves to her wrists. Jordan watched Bly’s every move and smiled, thinking about how cocky and sexy her lover looked standing before her. She noticed Bly had a much cockier demeanor and was totally focused on the game. Jordan watched Bly confidently stride to the plate with an air of arrogance. Cindy released her pitch, which caught Bly in the head despite her effort to avoid the pitch. "Bly!" Jordan anxiously shouted and stood up to check on Bly.  Cindy returned to the mound and kept her face impassive, sarcastically thinking, 'Oops!'

"Jordan, sit down. Don’t give her the satisfaction. Bly will be fine. That’s what helmets are made for." Alexandra instructed the worried woman holding Jordan’s arm and guided her back down. "See, she’s up."

Bly stood up and tried to blink back her blurred vision, casually brushing the clay off her. She was not going to give Cindy the satisfaction and nonchalantly brushed it off.

"You okay?" The umpire asked.

Bly shook her head. "Yeah," turning to walk to first base slowly. Cindy was flustered when Bly showed no ill effects from the beaning. Cindy felt her blood boil as she tried to contain her anger and pitch.  It had taken a lot of smooth talking to get on this team.  She had known that they would be playing Bly's team today and she just had to play.  She was going to teach Jordan and Bly a lesson.  Especially Jordan, ‘who does she think she is; walking out on me and then embarrassing me in front of an entire restaurant?’ She asked inwardly. Bly stood on first and took in a couple of deep breaths to fight off the effects of the pitch as the next batter stepped up to the plate. Bly took a lead off the base and easily stole second base as Cindy pitched the ball. Cindy turned around with a look of malice at Bly who smiled and tauntingly wiggled her fingers in a wave, infuriating her more.  'Keep it up honey, I know your weakness and I will use that to my advantage, make no mistake about that!' Cindy maliciously thought.

"Hey, Bly! You okay?” The opponent’s shortstop asked standing behind her waiting for a pick off attempt.

"Yeah, when did you guys pick her up?" Bly asked, as she lied, not wanting to let on that her vision was still blurred.

"Today and she’s a friggin bitch!" She exclaimed and headed back to her position.

"You’re telling me?" Bly teasingly smiled, taking her lead off the base.

Cindy looked back to check Bly and made her delivery to the plate as Bly stole third base effortlessly." I didn’t realize Bly was such a fast runner." Jordan observed, astonished by her speed.

Bly took her lead off third base and Cindy over threw the third baseman with her pickoff attempt, allowing Bly to score the first run of the game easily.  Bly sat next to Julie in the dugout and poured cold water on the back of her neck to quell the dizziness and nausea that had set in when she overexerted herself running.

"She rung your bell, didn’t she?" Julie asked concerned, looking at her best friend.

"Oh, yeah." Bly acknowledged, leaning over on her knees to cool off from the water.

"Tell them to take you out."

"No way, Jules. Then that bitch will have the satisfaction and I intend to humiliate her today." Bly angrily promised, looking up at Julie.

"It’s a good thing you had your helmet on Bly because it only gave you a mild case of brain damage." Julie sarcastically answered, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Jules, you’ve seen how she affects Jordan and I’m going to humiliate her."

"Yes, I have and you can count me in." Julie offered, smiling wickedly and patted her friend on the back. She knew she wasn’t going to win this argument with Bly. There was no way her stubborn, hardheaded friend was coming out. She realized the only way to help her was to join her.

The teams played through four more innings before Bly strode cockily to the plate again. She stepped into the box with the bat resting on her shoulder and glared at Cindy. Cindy delivered the pitch at Bly’s head again who ducked to avoid the pitch. Bly’s teammates led by Julie, stepped out of the dugout and angrily shouted that the pitch was intentional.  Cindy just shrugged innocently at the umpire.

"Cindy! Knock it off!" Jordan angrily screamed from the bleachers as Bly stepped out of the box.  Bly was surprised her lover made such a statement.

Bly saw that Jordan was upset and pulled her sunglasses down as Jordan fearfully looked at her. She smiled and winked to reassure her. The umpire gave Cindy a warning that the next pitch that came close to a batter again would mean that she would be ejected from the game.  "Sure, sorry. Just slipped," Cindy casually apologized, but her eyes told another story as they bore into Bly.

"Does your daughter have a death wish of some sort?" Jordan rhetorically asked Alexandra agitatedly and sat back down.

"Jordan, she’s just sucking her in for the pitch that she wants. She's trying to get into her head and mess with her." Alexandra casually explained. She was by no means worried for her daughter. She smirked, ‘I taught my baby girl well,’ and proudly smiled.

***

Bly stepped back into the box and waited for the pitch with her bat resting on her shoulder, which Cindy delivered in the dirt for ball two. Cindy was so outraged that she walked around the mound to calm herself and stepped back on the mound to ready for the pitch. ‘Come on, don't let the bitch get to you.' Cindy admonished herself.  She noticed Bly still standing in the same position with a grin, which brought all the outrage back and she pitched the ball wide outside for ball three. The catcher ran out to the mound to talk to Cindy and calm her down before she made the next pitch.   "Yeah, yeah, I know how to pitch to her. Just go back and catch the ball, okay?" Cindy ordered, tersely.

"Okay Jordan, this is the pitch Bly has been waiting for. The pitcher is behind in the count and has to come in with a fast ball straight down the middle of the plate or she’ll lose her to a free base and there is no way in hell that she is going to walk Bly.”

"Are you sure?" Jordan asked skeptically, looking at Linda who nodded her head in agreement with Alexandra’s statement.

"Positive and it’s going to be payback time for Bly when she connects." Alexandra explained mischievously smiling as they awaited the next pitch.

Cindy looked to the plate to find Bly in her batting stance and ready. She delivered a fastball straight down the pike and Bly drilled the ball towards Cindy’s head. Cindy dove into the clay trying to avoid the rapidly moving ball when it shot up the middle for a base hit with the crowd and Bly’s team erupting in cheers.

Cindy stood up and glared at Bly on first base, brushing the dirt off her. "Payback, bitch!" Bly tauntingly yelled, laughing. 

"You have no idea." Cindy retorted before turning back to the game.

The inning ended with Bly’s team unable to advance her around the bases. Bly started to feel very nauseated and her head felt like someone hit it with a bat. "Blue! Time!" Bly shouted and motioned for a time out, which he granted. She made her way to the mound and motioned for Julie to join them.

"What’s up Bly?" Laura, their pitcher asked as she stepped off the back part of the mound.

"I feel like I’m going to blow chow." Bly replied as the color in her face turned white. "I just need a breather for a minute, we need to stall them."

"Bly, you need to come out if you feel that bad." Julie answered with concern as she and Laura looked around pretending to be going over game strategy while Bly calmed her nausea.

"Okay ladies. Let’s play ball!" The umpire shouted.

"Damn umps!  They just make you hate them." Julie commented with a laugh, as did Bly and Laura.

"Listen, Laura. Sit these three down in a hurry would you?" Bly asked, hopeful that she would. She wasn’t sure how much more she could take. Her head pounded, her stomach churned and the scorching heat did nothing, but make her symptoms worse.

"I will, if you drive in some damn runs so we can get out of here. It’s time to hit the bars!" Laura laughed and watched Bly head back to her position.

Laura struck out the next two and Cindy stepped to the plate. Laura threw a high pitch at her head as a retaliation pitch for Bly. Laura turned to Bly and smiled with a wink as Bly gave her a hand signal for an inside pitch. Laura pitched the ball inside and Cindy hit a hard grounder to Bly who scooped up the ball effortlessly. She held the ball and waited for Cindy to come within five feet of the bag and fired the ball to Julie. She waited until Cindy was a step away from the bag and tagged it before she crossed for the third out.

Julie, Bly and Laura all laughed as they ran past Cindy on their way into the dugout. Bly sat on the bench and poured the ice-cold water on her neck again to settle the nausea.

"You feeling any better?" Julie asked with concern, sitting next to her sick friend.

"Nope, I need to christen the trashcan. Cover me." Bly answered fighting the nausea and quickly headed to the trashcan in the dugout with Julie moving along with her.

"Hey, Laura! Stand here." Julie instructed her to block everyone’s view as Bly vomited in the trashcan. There was no way they would allow the other team to see Bly sick. It was a matter of pride and they would not give Cindy the satisfaction of seeing anything. "Better Bly?" Julie asked when she finished and they sat back down.

"For now." Bly chuckled, embarrassed and rinsed her mouth out with water.

"How’s the dizziness?" Julie asked, staring at her.

"Subsided slightly, but my head is killing me and I still feel sick!" Bly answered with a disgusted look on her face.

"You’re crazy to stay out there, Bly." Julie admonished, shaking her head in worry.

"Jules, have you ever known me to not play when I’m sick or injured?"

"No, but you’re still crazy." Julie answered, smiling subtly. She had stayed in games before when she was hurt, but a head injury was nothing to fool around with and she hoped Bly didn’t do herself further harm. ‘I’ll have to keep a close eye on her during the game.’ Julie thought.

"Okay ladies, tie ball game. Let’s hold them. This is the last inning so we need to hold them and score some runs when we bat again." Laura reminded the team as they gathered their equipment to take the field.

Bly grabbed her glove and noticed Jordan standing at the doorway of the dugout.  "What’s up babe?” Bly asked, approaching her smiling.

"Bly, what are you doing?" Jordan asked with worry and nervousness.

"I’m letting her know what humiliation feels like, Jordan." Bly answered slightly agitated by Jordan’s tone of questioning. She turned to leave and was stopped by Jordan’s hand on her arm.

"You don’t know what she’s capable of, Bly." Jordan worriedly warned her lover.

Bly turned to Jordan.  "You don’t know what I’m capable of Jordan, especially when it comes to a piece of shit like that! She’s going to pay for what she’s done to you." Bly sternly promised.

Tears began to fall down Jordan’s face. "She’ll come after me, that’s a guarantee."

"Stop letting her intimidate you." Bly passionately pleaded, wiping her tears away and left her hand on Jordan’s cheek. "I won’t let her hurt you anymore. Do you understand?" Bly asked softly as Jordan put her hand on Bly’s. Bly softly kissed her cheek. "I have to go Jordan. The next hit is for you, sweets." Bly smiled and ran out to her position on defense. Jordan smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes. She wanted to believe Bly that she wouldn’t allow Cindy to harm her anymore and loved her more for being so protective.

***

The inning ended quickly with Bly’s team quickly retiring the side, sending her team up to bat in the last inning with the game tied. Bly arrogantly strode to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Bly wickedly grinned at Cindy when she stepped up to the plate and readied herself for the pitch. Cindy sent a fastball straight down the middle, waist high, which Bly jacked over the three hundred thirty five foot fence for a grand slam homerun. Bly cockily trotted around the bases making sure she touched each bag and slowed to a walk just before home plate, stomping on it with emphasis. She glanced over to Cindy who was walking off the field glaring at her and Bly smiled.  "That’s for Jordan." Bly yelled arrogantly as her teammates congratulated her and shook her excitedly. "Okay, okay." Bly protested as she became dizzy from the movement and walked away from them, stripping her helmet off her pounding head. Bly changed her shoes and grabbed her equipment bag as her teammates had already exited, leaving her to be the last out. Bly walked towards the gate and noticed Jordan waiting for her. Bly smiled as she walked towards her and received a hug from Jordan. She loved having Jordan at the game to watch her play and certainly enjoyed the perks of getting a nice hit.

"Nice hit babe, thanks." Jordan whispered and kissed Bly’s cheek.

"That was for you baby. Come on, let’s get out of here." Bly chuckled; lacing her fingers through Jordan’s and threw her bag over her shoulder.

Cindy watched from the dugout as Bly and Jordan walked off the field hand in hand.  Her anger went beyond the simple need for revenge.  Now, she needed to teach Jordan a lesson about loyalty and respect.  She had really been attracted to Jordan from the start of their friendship and when Jordan had finally admitted that she was gay, Cindy saw it as a confirmation that Jordan was interested in her too.  Later, when she found out that wasn't the case, she had shown Jordan plainly that she was staking her claim, and marking her property.  And as for Bly, she was going to learn what it felt like to lose.  For once in her rich, pampered life, she was going to have to learn that her money can't buy everything. Smiling contently as her plan began to unfold in her head, she got up and walked toward her car.  There was time enough for everything and began whistling an off-key tune.

"We’ll see you at the marina and that was a great hit, honey!" Alexandra proudly exclaimed patting Bly on the back as everyone made their way to the cars.

"Thanks mom." Bly blushed. It still made her feel good that her mother would get excited when she had a good game.

"Hey, Bly! Nice hit babe!" Dawson enthusiastically congratulated her as he put his fist out for Bly who tapped her fist with his.

"Did you learn something bro?" Bly teased.

"Very funny. You know I taught you everything you know." Dawson retorted, laughing.

"Yeah, sure you did!" Bly laughed as her father put his arm around Bly’s neck and hugged her.

"Great hit kiddo. We’ll see you soon." He proudly smiled and patted her butt to get her moving as they headed off to their car.

"Thanks dad." Bly grinned, blushing as they reached her car. Bly turned to Jordan and handed her the car keys.  "Will you drive babe?" Bly asked, knowing she was in no condition to drive a car.

Jordan was stunned as she looked at the keys, the car and back at Bly.  "Bly, I don’t know if I should." She answered nervously.

"Jordan, it’s only a car and I’m sure you’ll do fine." Bly smiled, squeezing her hand for reassurance and kissed her cheek before getting into the car on the passengers side.

Jordan walked around the car to the driver’s side.  "Sure, it’s only a car! It costs more than I would ever make in two years!" Jordan mumbled, climbing into the driver’s seat and noticed Bly had her head resting against the seat with her eyes closed. Jordan put her hand on Bly’s and looked at her with concern.  "Are you okay?"

Bly turned to her and smiled. “Just tired. Thanks for asking. ‘If she only knew that I felt like someone used my head for batting practice because of that bitch Cindy she would probably try to rip her head off. Wouldn’t be a bad idea but it’s best to leave it alone, Bly.’  She reasoned, closing her eyes again and leaned the seat back.

"Bly, which way am I heading?" Jordan asked and started the car.

"Oh, take Sheridan to I-95 north and then take Oakland east and then I’ll tell you where to go once we get there." Bly instructed her.

"Got it!" Jordan answered and slowly backed the Mercedes out of the parking space, nervously checking for other cars numerous times.

Bly looked at Jordan and smiled at her trepidation. "Honey, just drive as if it was your car. You’re not going to hurt it. Besides, you’ve seen how I drive so don’t worry." Bly patted her leg for reassurance and left it there as she laid her head back.

***

Jordan pulled out of the park and headed down Sheridan Street, following Bly’s directions as she fell asleep. Jordan frequently stole glances of the slumbering beauty next to her and thought about how grateful she was to have Bly in her life. She felt so protected, secure and loved like she never had before. Despite the anxiety of what kind of retaliation that might come from Cindy, she enjoyed seeing the wretched woman humiliated and given a taste of her own medicine. She loved the fact that Bly did it for her and stood up to the bitch. Jordan enjoyed Bly’s hand on her leg and once she felt more comfortable with the car she put her hand on Bly’s who continued to sleep. Jordan steered them toward the beach and hated to wake Bly but she had to for the remainder of the directions.

"Bly, honey, wake up!" Jordan gently urged and lightly shook her hand to wake her.

"What’s up?" Bly asked, from a deep sleep, confused from being awakened.

"Which way do I go now?"

"Oh, go right on A1A, then take a right into the marina just before the ‘Swimming Hall of Fame,’" Bly answered, leaning her head back and fought the nausea, hoping Jordan would step on it and get them there quickly.

Jordan finally steered them into the marina. "Which one is it, Bly?"

"The Infinity." Bly sleepily answered.

Jordan’s eyes widened when she saw the boat. "What a huge boat! Scratch that yacht! It has to be about ninety feet! This is so unreal." Jordan thought, amazed by the luxurious yacht and parked the car.

***

They gathered their belongings and headed aboard the yacht as the first mate Daphne took their belongings from them. "Can you put them in my room please? I’ll be in shortly to take a shower.” Bly informed the first mate. She inhaled and exhaled, trying to settle the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach.

"Sure Bly, everybody is on the back deck awaiting your arrival." Daphne smiled and looked to Jordan, then back to Bly.

"Thanks. Oh Daphne, I want you to meet my girlfriend, Jordan." Bly smiled turning to Jordan.

"Welcome aboard Jordan, and it’s a pleasure to meet you." Daphne cordially smiled, reaching her hand out for Jordan’s.

Jordan shook the first mate’s hand with a smile. "Nice to meet you too." Jordan answered as Bly led her off to the back deck.

"Hey! Long time no see!" Julie teased as they greeted everyone.

"I’m going to go take a shower so make yourself at home. Okay?" Bly asked, turning to Jordan. She knew it was very impolite to just leave Jordan there, but she couldn’t keep her nausea in check any longer.

"Sure, but don’t be long because I’ll miss you." Jordan adoringly smiled and kissed Bly.

"I’ll try to hurry." Bly chuckled, looking over at Julie.  "You did take a shower didn’t you? Because I smell something funky other than myself." Bly teasingly laughed.

"Hahahaha, you’re a freaking laugh a minute, Bly!" Julie mockingly laughed as everyone else chuckled.  Bly headed off towards her room, shaking her head and laughing.

"Hey, Jordan! Bly tells me you like beer!" Chance exclaimed and opened the cooler.

"I sure do." Jordan smiled, sitting in a deck chair next to Dawson.

"Ooh, a woman after my own heart, beer huh?" Jordan laughed as Dawson leaned closer to her.  "Are you sure you want to stay with that booger sister of mine?" He teasingly asked, flashing a familiar smile.

"Dawson, you’ll be the first to know if I switch teams which, by the way, will never happen." Jordan confidently confirmed with a snicker as Chance handed her an ice-cold beer with a lime in it. "Thank you." She appreciatively smiled and accepted the beverage.

***

The yacht pulled out of the marina as Bly hugged the porcelain god from her sickness. She stopped long enough to take a shower, hoping it might help to make her feel better. She finished her shower and dressed in her bikini top, swim shorts and lay on the bed.

"I’m going to check on that slow poke daughter of mine." Alexandra said rising from her chair and headed off to find Bly.  Alexandra entered the room to find Bly on the bed asleep. She climbed up on the bed, facing Bly and pushed her hair off her forehead, waking Bly.

"What’s up mom?" Bly asked, finding it hard to keep her eyes open.

"You tell me. What’s wrong with my little pumpkin?"

Bly smiled and looked at her mother who lightly stroked her hand on Bly’s cheek. "Mom, I’m too old to be your little pumpkin."

"Never! Not even when I’m ninety-five and you’re seventy! Besides, I was in labor with you for eight hours so I can call you whatever I want!" She teasingly laughed, leaning down to kiss Bly’s forehead.  "Let me guess. My little pumpkin got her bell rung?" She asked, knowingly, and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Mom, you are pretty sharp!" Bly sarcastically laughed.

"I’ll have Daphne get your father so he can check you out, Bly."

"Mom, I have a mild concussion. You don’t need to get daddy." Bly attempted to reassure her.

"Are you a doctor now?" She asked concerned and buzzed for Daphne.

"No, but I know the signs of a concussion. Did you forget that I majored in Physical Therapy?" Bly asked, chuckling.

"Is that what you majored in? I thought it was volleyball and softball." Alexandra teased.

"Very funny, but I could say the same for you and if I remember correctly my GPA was better than yours!" Bly gloatingly reminded her mother as Daphne entered.

"Yes ma’am?"

"Could you have Chance come in here please? Bly is sick."

"Daphne, please don’t let anyone else know." Bly asked, worried. She hated to be fussed over and she definitely didn’t want Jordan to get upset about her injury.

"Sure Bly. I’ll send him in.” She answered and exited the room.

"You had to bring up the GPA again didn’t you? You just had to rub it in that you were Magna Cum Laude and I was only Summa Cum Laude right?" Alexandra asked, laughing.

"Hey, you didn’t think I would actually let you win that bet, did you?" Bly smiled devilishly and turned towards her mother.

"You could have taken pity on your poor mother." Alexandra answered, pretending to pout.

"No way woman! I wanted the car!" Bly laughed. "Besides, I love winning too much to have lost that bet, especially to you!"

"Oh, you are so sassy! I should take you over my knee and spank you." Alexandra teasingly laughed.

"Wouldn’t work mom because you know I would enjoy it too much." Bly sarcastically grinned.

"Bly, I think this is the happiest I have ever seen you and it’s because of Jordan. I’m glad to see your sadness has been replaced by happiness, because I missed that beautiful smile of yours." Alexandra smiled and pinched Bly’s cheek.

"You’re right mom, as usual." Bly answered, slyly smiling. " Jordan has made me very happy and I didn’t think I would ever find someone to love as much as I do her."

"I’m so happy for you baby. We really love Jordan too. You need to watch your brother though, he’s trying to get her to switch teams." Alexandra informed her with a laugh.

"Can’t he get a woman of his own?" Bly asked as they laughed and Bly’s face turned serious. "Mom, can you do me a huge favor?"

"Anything pumpkin." Alexandra smiled mischievously as Bly arched a brow at the pumpkin reference. She brushed the dark hair off Bly’s forehead, waiting for her daughter’s response.

"Can you have the pitcher of the other team, Jordan’s ex-friend, investigated for me? She has made Jordan’s life miserable, and she has been physically abusive to her."

"Oh, poor Jordan. That’s terrible to do something like that to such a sweet girl. Get me that bitch’s name and I will have Dawson’s investigator dig up some dirt on her."

"Thanks, let’s keep it amongst the three of us until we find something okay?"

"I will, but you shouldn’t hide things from her Bly." Her mother cautiously advised.

"I know, but let’s see what you find out first okay?"

"Sure.” Alexandra smiled.

"What’s up ladies?" Chance asked when he entered the room.

"Can you check Bly out? She is playing doctor and thinks she has a concussion." Alexandra informed him and tauntingly stuck her tongue out at Bly who laughed.

"Is daddy’s girl sick?" He teased, sitting next to her on the bed.

"What is it with you two!" Bly laughed with wonderment.

"Open those beautiful blue eyes of yours and let daddy see." He teasingly laughed.

"You two are killing me!" Bly chuckled, opening her eyes wide. Her father held them open to get a better look.

"Have you been vomiting?" He asked, shinning the pen light into her eyes.

"Yes, excessively." Bly admitted, disgusted by the foul act.

He put his hands on her face. "You should, you have a mild concussion pumpkin.  Just take it easy and you’ll be fine." He reassuringly answered and kissed her forehead before getting up.

"I told you mother!" Bly teasingly stuck her tongue out at her mother in retaliation.

"Yeah, yeah! Come on pukie, sit on deck and maybe you’ll feel better." Alexandra encouraged, taking Bly’s hand to help her up.

They joined the rest of the crowd and Bly sat in a deck chair between Dawson and Jordan. Bly leaned over to Dawson, "Find your own girl bro." Bly teased him warningly.

"You’re a very lucky woman, Bly." Dawson smiled enviously.

"The luckiest!" Bly readily agreed, reaching over to hold Jordan’s hand. Bly turned to Jordan and raised her hand to her lips for a kiss. "Having fun?"

"I am now!" Jordan smiled, lovingly looking at Bly. "Are you okay? You look a little pale Bly." Jordan asked, concerned.

"Oh, I’m fine. It’s probably because I took a cold shower to wake up. It’s nothing to worry about." Bly smiled reassuringly.

The yacht cruised out of the Intercoastal Waterway towards the open sea where they dropped anchor once they arrived at their destination. "Hey! Let’s take the wave runners out!" Dawson excitedly suggested, heading over to them.

"Sounds great!" Julie enthusiastically agreed as her and Linda walked over to help Dawson uncover and lower them off the back of the boat.

"Come on Bly." Jordan coaxed, getting out of the chair and held her hand out for Bly.

Bly reluctantly rose from the chair and took Jordan’s hand to join everyone else. They all put on their life vests and got on the wave runners.  "Jordan, you drive." Bly smiled. There was no way she was driving in her condition.

"Are you sure?" Jordan enthusiastically asked at the thought of driving the wave runner.

"Sure, go ahead and hop on." Bly smiled at Jordan’s eagerness and motioned her to the seat. Jordan jumped on the watercraft and Bly slid in behind her as Jordan hit the ignition on the wave runner. Bly tightly wrapped her arms around Jordan’s waist and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Are you ready?" Jordan asked, excitedly.

"Yeah, go ahead." Bly chuckled.

***

They drove around jumping waves and racing one another for thirty minutes before Bly became very sick.  Bly laid her head against Jordan’s back to fight off her nausea. "Jordan, take me back." Bly urgently requested. She wasn’t able to fight back her feeling of nausea and got sick off the side of the wave runner.

"Bly, what’s wrong?" Jordan asked, worried as Bly became very dizzy. Bly leaned closer to the edge of the wave runner, unable to maintain her equilibrium. Jordan turned around to grab her before she fell in the water.  "Bly, what’s going on?" Jordan anxiously asked again, struggling to right herself on the wave runner.

Bly blinked her eyes trying to ease the dizziness and leaned away from Jordan, vomiting. "Jordan, please just get me back to the Infinity okay?" Bly pled, embarrassed.

"Here, sit in the front and lean against me because I’m afraid you’ll fall off." Jordan ordered and stood to the side to allow Bly to move in front of her.

Jordan crawled in behind Bly who leaned against Jordan. Jordan steered the wave runner back to the yacht. Bly slowly climbed off the wave runner when Jordan pulled it up next to the yacht and immediately headed for the bathroom.

Jordan secured the wave runner and searched out Bly who had lain on her bed with her eyes closed, trying to settle the nausea and dizziness. Jordan crawled in bed next to her and stretched out on her side, propping her head up on one hand.  "Baby, what’s wrong?" She asked, her voice shaky from concern.

Bly opened her blues eyes. "I have a mild concussion from the beaning I got from Cindy and it didn’t help getting knocked around on the wave runner." Bly reluctantly answered. She didn’t want Jordan to worry.

"Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I wouldn’t have made you go out on the wave runner."

"It’s okay Jordan. I’ll be fine." Bly reassured her, stroking Jordan’s face with the back of her hand and looked into regretful green eyes. " I didn’t want you to worry."

"Cindy is such a bitch and I’m going to make her pay for this Bly!" Jordan angrily guaranteed.

"Hey, Jordan. It’s okay. I don’t want you to do anything to her. I will handle it. Okay?" Bly answered worried and didn’t want Jordan near Cindy.

"Bly, Cindy is my problem, not yours." Jordan replied sternly.

"She became my problem the minute she laid her filthy hands on you. Promise me you won’t go near her and you’ll let me handle her?" Bly asked in a low assertive voice taking Jordan’s hand in her own and kissed it.

"What are you going to do?" Jordan asked, concerned.

"I’ll let you know when I find something out. Just trust me." Bly sincerely smiled, gently and slowly pulling Jordan down for a soft meaningful kiss.

"I love you Bly. I’m sorry you’re sick and that Cindy is the cause of it." Jordan regretfully apologized as tears welled in her green eyes.

"I’ll be fine babe, I just need to rest. If you want to head back up with everyone else while I take a nap, go ahead." Bly smiled reassuringly and lightly wiped her tears away.

"No, I’ll stay here with you Bly." Jordan refused, kissing Bly. She lightly stroked her fingers through Bly’s raven hair as Bly fell asleep. ‘I regret that this wonderful, caring and loving person who I’ve lost my heart to, had to be brought into this mess with Cindy. I love Bly so much and I hate it that she’s sick. She could have been injured far worse because of Cindy.’ Jordan angrily thought watching her gorgeous lover peacefully sleep. Jordan leaned down and kissed Bly’s forehead while she continued to run her fingers through her hair as Bly snuggled closer to Jordan. Bly slept for over two hours wrapped in Jordan’s arms as Julie came in to check on her.

"Hey, how she doing?" Julie asked in a whisper.

"She’s been sleeping for a couple of hours now."

"Her dad sent me down to have her get up and eat something. He doesn’t want her sleeping for too many hours at a time."

"Okay, I’ll wake her then." Jordan smiled, as Julie acknowledged Jordan’s answer and left the room. Jordan softly kissed Bly’s lips and put her hand on her stomach, lightly shaking her to wake her.  "Sweetheart, wake up."

Bly opened her sleepy blue eyes and peered into Jordan’s green eyes with a smile. "I love waking up with you looking at me Jordan," Bly sweetly grinned as Jordan leaned down and kissed her.

"Your dad said you should get up and eat something. Are you feeling better?" Jordan asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I’m feeling better. Maybe some food will help." Bly agreed, as she slowly sat up and ran slender fingers through her disheveled dark hair. Jordan came around to the side of the bed and helped her up. Bly wrapped her arm around Jordan’s shoulders and kissed her.  "Thanks for staying with me, babe."

"I didn’t want to be anywhere else Bly. My place is by your side." Jordan smiled sincerely as they headed out to the back deck.

They sat at the table, joining everyone else and Bly’s dad checked his daughter out. "You look better, peanut." He comfortingly smiled and kissed her on the forehead.

Jordan looked at Bly as her father went to sit down.  "Peanut?" She asked with a sly grin.

"You behave Jordan!" Bly smiled, embarrassed.

"Jordan, I hope you like steak and Maine lobster on the grill because that’s what we’re having today." Alexandra informed her.

"Sounds delicious!" Jordan excitedly exclaimed, smiling.

Alexandra reached over and ran her fingers through Bly’s hair.  "Feeling better?" She asked with concern as Jordan looked on, thinking about how lucky Bly was to have such caring and loving parents, unlike hers.

"I’m a little better, thanks for asking, mom." Bly smiled gratefully and placed her hand in Jordan’s.

***

Everyone finished dinner as the yacht pulled back into the marina around eight p.m. and they all said their good-byes. Jordan and Bly headed back to the penthouse to a very hungry and agitated cat. "Hey, boy. Mommy will feed you in a minute." Bly sweetly informed him putting her belongings down.

"Go lay down, Bly. I’ll take care of him." Jordan offered as Bly wrapped her in a warm embrace.

"Thanks, but I can’t go to sleep just yet. I have to pack." Bly regretfully answered.

"Pack? Where are you going?" Jordan asked, confused.

"I totally forgot to tell you that I have to leave for a seminar in Boston tomorrow morning. I’m sorry." Bly frowned, brushing the errant strand of blond hair off Jordan’s face.

"Oh, Bly! For how long?" Jordan asked, disappointed.

"Until next Sunday night, babe." Bly answered with regretful blue eyes.

"I’m going to miss you so much!" Jordan softly admitted with tears in her eyes and hugged Bly’s neck tightly.

"Come with me, Jordan." Bly suggested softly in her ear.

"I can’t Bly. I have to work and I don’t have money for a flight at such a late date.”

Bly kissed Jordan.  "I can buy it for you."

"No, I don’t want you to buy for me." Jordan adamantly refused.

"I have a lot of frequent flyer miles and I know I could get a free ticket for you. Would you accept that?" Bly asked, hoping Jordan would agree.

"But then you wouldn’t have a free ticket to use at a later date."

"Jordan, I won’t be able to use all of my frequent flyer miles before they expire anyway so please take it." Bly offered smiling.

Jordan searched her eyes and saw that Bly really wanted her to go. Jordan wanted to go but she didn’t want Bly to always pay for everything.  "I wouldn’t be able to come up until Thursday night after work, Bly."

"Yes! That’s great!" Bly excitedly answered and hugged Jordan. "I’ll make the arrangements for your ticket tomorrow. You won’t have to pay for the motel or food because the company pays for it all. So, you’ll just need money for souvenirs.” Bly explained smiling and kissed Jordan. "I’m so happy that you’re going to meet me there, baby." Bly added warmly, hugging her tighter.

"I will be there Thursday then." Jordan smiled. "Let me feed this hungry kitty cat while you pack then." Jordan instructed her grinning and patted Bly butt to get her moving.

Jordan watched Bly finish packing her suitcase before she climbed into bed. She quickly stripped her clothes off, eager to snuggle her warm body against Jordan’s. "I take it you’re feeling better?" Jordan asked, slyly grinning.

"I always feel a lot better when I’m in your arms," Bly smiled, planting a kiss on Jordan’s soft lips.

"You’re such a smooth talker." Jordan laughed.

"Will you drop me off at the airport in the morning?" Bly asked, rubbing her hands over Jordan’s soft skin on her back.

"Sure, what time?" Jordan inquired, staring into Bly’s sexy blue eyes.

"I have to be there at seven am. Will that be a problem?"

"No, it will give me plenty of time to drop you off and get home to change for work."

"When you go to the airport on Thursday just park my car there and we will have it for when we return. Thanks for taking me." Bly appreciatively smiled and kissed her soundly.

"I’m going to miss you so much Bly!" Jordan sadly admitted and ran her palm down Bly’s face and gave her a passionate, soulful kiss.

Bly slowly moved her hand down Jordan’s firm backside and pulled her body closer as they lay facing one another. Bly deepened the kiss as her desire for Jordan intensified. She lay on her back bringing Jordan on top of her as they continued to explore each other’s mouths.

Jordan broke their kiss. "As much as I want this baby. You need to get some sleep." Jordan grudgingly admitted, kissing her lover again as Bly caressed her back.

"You tease!" Bly smiled and kissed her again.

"Thanks for today. I had a great time with your family but make sure you tell me next time you’re sick. You scared me!" Jordan scolded Bly.

"I promise I will tell you the next time I’m sick. I’m glad you had a great time today and my parents really love you.” Bly happily smiled.

"Oh, that’s so awesome. They are wonderful people Bly." Jordan warmly smiled, happy about Bly’s family’s acceptance of her.

"Yeah, they’re okay." Bly teased as she kissed Jordan again. "You feel so good laying naked on me baby." Bly provocatively grinned and rested her hand on Jordan’s backside, her fingers touching damp curls as she captured her lips.

Jordan broke their kiss and smiled at Bly. "Now, who’s the tease Bly?" Jordan asked, grinning mischievously and looked into her crystal blue eyes.

"Would you like me to move my hand?" Bly asked with a sultry smile.

"No, of course, not! But you’re going to sleep." Jordan ordered, smiling.

"Yes dear!" Bly answered sarcastically. Jordan traced Bly’s lips with her finger, gazing lovingly into her sea of blue and pressed her tongue against Bly’s top lip for a sensual, wet kiss.

"Night babe, I love you." Jordan happily smiled and laid her head on Bly’s chest.

"Jordan do you realize how turned on I am right now? How can you kiss me like that and just say good night?"

Jordan looked up at Bly. "I’m just as turned on as you, but you need to go to sleep so, you won’t be sick tomorrow."

"Aah!" Bly sighed, sexually frustrated and disappointed. "Okay, you’re right. Good night Jordan." Bly grudgingly admitted and wrapped her arms tightly around her lover. "I love you too!" Bly whispered, kissing Jordan on the head. She thought about how much Jordan excited her with just a kiss or a look and how she wanted to make mad passionate love to her all night. She knew Jordan was right she needed her rest.  ‘Damn Cindy! Ruined another one of our evenings. I definitely need to ruin a few of hers.’ Bly vengefully thought listening to her lover’s soft breathing and smelled her apple-scented hair, placing a kiss on her head before she fell asleep.

***

Bly woke up to the sound of loud music and a warm body pressed snugly against hers. She smiled as she looked at her lover sleeping soundly on her chest and turned off the offending blaring noise. Bly slipped out from underneath Jordan and headed for a shower. She popped a few Advil’s for the lingering headache, which was not as severe today before entering the shower. Bly dressed and put on a pot of coffee before feeding Ares who let her know he was not pleased by the delay with loud meowing. Bly hated to have to wake her peacefully sleeping lover, but she had a plane to catch. Bly sat on the side of the bed watching her girlfriend and thought about how much she loved Jordan. She smiled and placed soft kisses along her spine up to her neck, feeling muscles respond from her kiss. Bly made her way to Jordan’s ear and pushed her hair away. "Wake up, Jordan." Bly sweetly whispered with a kiss to her ear. Jordan rolled over and sleepily opened her eyes to greet her smiling lover. "Good morning sexy!"

Jordan smelled the clean scent of her freshly showered lover.  "Hmmm, raspberry lotion today?" Jordan asked, taking in the fruity scent. She put her hands on Bly’s hips. Jordan lovingly looked at Bly’s whose hair fell to the front of her shoulders, shadowing her face.

"You know your lotions well Jordan." Bly smiled, impressed by Jordan’s keen sense, slowly leaning down to give Jordan a kiss. "I hated to wake you, but we have to get going babe."

Jordan wrapped her hands behind Bly’s neck and pulled her down to her own neck as Bly nibbled on her soft skin. "Are you sure you have to go?" Jordan asked seductively.

"Unfortunately, yes." Bly whispered through her kisses, which traveled to Jordan’s mouth and captured sweet lips with her own. She didn’t want to go and Jordan was certainly not making it any easier for her to leave.

"Okay, I guess I’ll get up then." Jordan chuckled, sitting up and hugging Bly. "I’m going to miss you so much honey." Jordan whispered in Bly’s ear.

"I’m going to miss you too!" Bly answered, kissing Jordan’s cheek before standing up.

Jordan brushed her teeth and pulled her hair back as Bly loaded her luggage into the elevator. She poured a cup of coffee for Jordan and gave Ares hugs and kisses goodbye. When Jordan entered the kitchen, Bly handed her the cup of coffee. "Thanks, just what I needed!" Jordan appreciatively smiled, accepting the coffee and kissed Bly for the gesture.

"Aah. Jordan I don’t have your phone number or address."

"Oh, that’s right! I’ll give you my business card which has everything on it."

"Okay let’s get going then.” Bly answered as they entered the elevator.

"Who takes care of Ares?"

"Jules will come over and feed him for me."

Jordan was impressed by how incredibly alluring Bly looked in her tightly fitting stone washed jeans, white mock turtleneck shirt, navy blue cotton v-neck shirt, and black boots. Jordan thought Bly looked like a model that stepped off the advertisement page for a popular clothing line. ‘I wish my clothes fit me as perfectly.’ She thought enviously. "You look incredibly hot, Bly." Jordan admitted, smiling and wrapped her arms around her tall lover’s slender waist for a hug, taking in the sweet, fresh scent of her perfume.

"Thanks!" Bly blushed and kissed Jordan.

Bly stopped at her terminal to unload her luggage at the curb. Bly put her bags down and gathered Jordan into her arms for an extremely sensual kiss with no regard to onlookers.

"I love you. See you Thursday night." Bly whispered sultrily in her ear.

"I love you Bly." Jordan adoringly smiled, looking into blue eyes, memorizing everything about them and handed Bly her business card. "All my info is on the card and you shouldn’t have a problem getting in touch with me." Jordan informed Bly, who took the card from her.  Bly looked into tear filled green eyes as Jordan kissed her again and didn’t want to let her go.

"Bye sweets." Bly whispered, breaking the hug after another kiss and grabbed her luggage to check in. It was too painful for her to look back. She had grown extremely close to Jordan in such a short period of time and the pain she felt within her heart for leaving was too much for her to bear even if it was for a few days. She wiped the moisture from her eyes and handed the attendant her ticket.

***

Jordan watched her lover check her bags in for as long as she could before the police officer motioned her away from the curb. ‘God, I love that woman.’ Jordan lovingly thought, her tears streaking her face as she pulled away, losing sight of her tall, dark and gorgeous lover. Jordan pulled away from the airport as Bly’s car phone rang. ‘Should I pick it up and answer it?’ Jordan questioned and decided she should as Bly might have forgotten something in the car.

"Aah, hello?" Jordan answered hesitantly.

"I miss you already." Bly replied huskily, promptly putting a wide smile on Jordan’s face.

"Bly, I miss you too." Jordan excitedly answered, trying to navigate the vehicle while talking on the phone before deciding it was best to pull over and stop the car. God forbid if she crashed Bly’s Mercedes!

"Email me. I have my laptop with me, okay? My screen name is Ghost13." Bly asked, sounding as if she was rushed.

"Ghost?" Jordan asked teasingly.

"I’ll explain another time because I have to board. I love you, Jordan."

"I love you too, Bly." Jordan smiled and sighed happily, hanging up the phone as she pulled the car back onto the road. Jordan thought about how much she loved to hear those words from Bly. She was amazed that she felt that way after only knowing Bly for such a short period of time. She already missed her and wasn’t sure how she was going to get through the next three days without Bly’s arms wrapped around her.

***

Bly took her seat in first class and ordered a Dr. Pepper for a quick kick to wake herself up. She flipped her laptop on and fired off an email to Jordan, retrieving her address from her business card. She sent an electronic ‘missing you’ greeting card and placed an order for three-dozen red and white roses to be delivered to Jordan before the announcement by the crew for all electronic devices to be turned off.

Bly was greeted by colder weather than expected in Boston when she checked into her hotel at Copley Square. She exited the hotel lobby and took the escalator up to the mall on the next floor to purchase a warmer jacket. After quickly finding a jacket, she headed back to her room to make arrangements for Jordan’s flight on Thursday and to prepare for her seminar the next morning.

***

Bly went through the motions during the conference and never thought that Thursday would ever get there. It seemed like the days were longer from anticipation of Jordan’s arrival Thursday night. Bly anxiously waited at Jordan’s gate for her plane’s arrival. ‘Bly, you act like it’s the first time you’ve seen her, you’re so nervous.’ She nervously thought looking down the gangway as the passenger’s began to trickle off the plane. Bly caught sight of Jordan and smiled when she noticed Jordan’s alluring attire of a short, black miniskirt, a silk red and black printed shirt and medium heeled shoes. Bly’s heart skipped a beat as she stared at her beautiful lover. She was breathless watching Jordan tuck her blonde hair behind one ear as she scanned the crowd for Bly. Jordan caught a glimpse of Bly through the crowd and made her way towards her tall, dark lover. She noted how sexy Bly looked dressed in black jeans, boots and an ankle length, black leather jacket. Jordan looked at her lover standing before her with her arms hidden behind her back flashing a mischievous smile, her heart racing excitedly.

Jordan threw her arms around Bly’s neck that wrapped her up in a hug and they kissed each other passionately. ‘I didn’t think she could look any sexier but she does every day.’ Jordan thought deepening the kiss. "I missed you so much." Jordan whispered, holding her tight, not wanting to relinquish her hold on the woman.

"I missed you too, sweets. I didn’t think today would ever get here." Bly answered with a kiss to the cheek and lowered Jordan back to the ground. "Jordan, you’re going to freeze. Oh, here this is for you." Bly grinned and held a white rose out in front of her.

"Oh, thank you honey. That’s so sweet and I loved my roses you sent me. I intend to thank you properly for those later." Jordan smiled seductively, lovingly poking Bly’s ribs and kissed her.

"Hmm, I look forward to it." Bly provocatively responded, glancing down at her lover. "Do you want to wear my jacket so, you don’t freeze?" Bly asked with concern moving to remove her jacket.

"I like that jacket just where it is and besides, being from Michigan, I’m used to the cold weather." Jordan reminded her, smiling appreciatively of Bly’s offer.

"Jordan, it’s cold out there." Bly disagreed in a low voice, arching an eyebrow skeptically.

"Don’t worry. I brought a jacket just in case. It’s in my suitcase." Jordan answered. "But thanks for the concern."

"Jordan, you look incredible." Bly said, as she looked Jordan over.

"Thank you. I wanted to look good for you, my love." Jordan softly answered kissing Bly again. "You look very sexy by the way." Jordan approvingly smiled holding Bly’s hand as they headed towards baggage claim. "Oh, I didn’t realize you could get a free first class ticket with frequent flyer miles miss." Jordan teasingly poked Bly’s stomach, skeptical of Bly’s truthfulness about the ticket.

"I told you I have a lot of miles. Besides, I wanted you to be comfortable and to be treated special." Bly explained grinning and turned to Jordan. "You can see the receipt that indicates the miles that I redeemed if you don’t believe me." Bly answered mischievously smiling, stepping onto the escalator and turned to face Jordan who was one step higher than her.

"No, I don’t need to see it because I believe you baby. Hey, I’m actually your height now." Jordan laughed as she kissed and hugged Bly.

"We sure are giving the whole airport an eyefull aren’t we?" Bly slyly grinned.

"I don’t care. I missed you and I wanted to show you just how much I did. Besides, we always have to watch their public displays of affection. So, turn-about is fair play." Jordan boldly answered, kissing Bly.

"Ooh, you’re sassy and I love it." Bly laughed through her kiss as Jordan slipped her arms around Bly’s neck to deepen the contact.

"I’m also very horny." Jordan whispered through her kiss.

Bly was stunned by Jordan’s friskiness and stumbled when she came to the end of the escalator. She had to catch herself before falling as Jordan laughed at her. "Very funny Jordan!" Bly laughed embarrassed as Jordan stepped off the escalator with Bly approaching her. "I intend to get you back for that one later." Bly guaranteed with a mischievous grin and leaned her shoulder into Jordan’s as they walked towards the baggage claim carousel.

"I’m counting on it." Jordan tauntingly chuckled.

Bly looked down at Jordan with a laugh, "You are bad." Bly snickered as they stopped and waited for her bags to come out. The buzzer indicated the luggage was on its way as Bly stood behind Jordan waiting for her luggage. "You smell so delicious, Jordan." Bly seductively whispered in her ear, glancing around to see if anyone else was watching her and pressed her body against Jordan’s back.

"Wait until you taste me and see how delicious I am." Jordan sensually countered, looking up over her shoulder at her dark, gorgeous lover.

Bly’s heart and arousal soared. "Aah, which bag is yours?" She anxiously stammered, moving to the belt to pull the bag off quickly.

Jordan chuckled and pointed out her bag. Bly hoisted it onto her back and turned to Jordan. "Did you pack your dresser in here or what?" Bly asked from the weight of her luggage.

"No, just my collection of vibrators." Jordan casually answered and looked away from Bly, concealing her smile.

"JORDAN!" Bly exclaimed embarrassed, moving up next to her. "Do you really have that in here?" She asked, astonished.

"Well, honey. I missed you and I had to stay occupied." Jordan answered, keeping a serious look on her face. ‘She’s going to kill me when she finds out I’m teasing her. But it’s fun.’ Jordan sneakily thought, trying to contain her laughter.

‘Okay Jordan, you want to play this little game, I’ll play too.’ Bly laughed inwardly. "Why didn’t you just pick up another woman to be with, like I did?" Bly asked seriously as she walked up ahead of Jordan, concealing her smile.

Jordan’s heart skipped a beat and she became over-heated at the thought that Bly would have done that. "Bly, you didn’t?" Jordan asked nervously, as they stepped out into the brisk weather sending a chill through her.

***

Bly handed Jordan’s bag to the limo driver who stood waiting with the door open at the curb. Bly stood by the open door as the driver put Jordan’s bags in the trunk. Bly looked at Jordan who stood looking at her impatiently, waiting for an answer.

"What? Would that bother you?" Bly asked, still continuing her teasing and thought she needed to stop, because she could see Jordan was becoming upset.

"Of course, it would bother me Bly!" Jordan answered with a raised voice.

"Well good, then we agree that it would bother the both of us, so come here and get that sad look off your face." Bly comfortingly said pulling Jordan into her arms and looked down at her. "I was teasing, Jordan."

"Bly!" Jordan whined, pouting and hit her in the shoulder getting a laugh out of Bly.

"I told you I would get you back. I can’t get over that you believed me, Jordan." Bly laughed.

"You were so serious. I am going to get you back for this one Bly." Jordan assured mischievously, and pushed Bly onto her back on the limo seat. She crawled on top of her lover, planting a sensuous kiss across her lips. Bly moved farther up on the seat, continuing their kiss as the limo driver closed the door and climbed into the driver’s seat. Bly slid her hands down Jordan’s back and gently squeezed while Jordan’s tongue explored Bly’s mouth.

Jordan broke their kiss and looked down into her lover’s piercing blue eyes. "I've missed you so much, Bly." Jordan lovingly whispered and pushed Bly’s raven hair off her face.

Bly scanned Jordan’s face with her eyes and flashed a sexy grin. "I missed you too, baby." Bly answered softly, rubbing her hands up and down Jordan’s back.

"I just realized. We are in a limo!"

"We are? How did we get in here?” Bly teased, looking around.

"You are very bad, Bly Van Dewark!" Jordan playfully giggled, biting Bly’s lip, sucking it into her mouth.

"That’s what you love about me." Bly laughed.

"I love everything about you, Bly." Jordan seductively professed, leaning down and sinking her teeth into Bly’s neck.

"Ooh, Jordan. I love it when you do that." Bly moaned in obvious pleasure.

Bly reached for the remote and pushed the button for the stereo, which began to play a slow love song. Bly moved Jordan’s hair back, holding her head in her hands and turned Jordan’s head to capture her lips for a long, erotic kiss. Jordan slid her hands to Bly’s coat and opened it, sliding it off her shoulders as Bly moved her arms for her to pull them out of the sleeves.

Jordan pulled Bly’s shirt out of her pants and lifted it up, revealing exposed breasts as a smile crept across her face. "Hmmm, I like that, no bra." Jordan whispered intrigued, she leaned down, gently capturing a breast in her mouth.

"I thought I would surprise you, babe." Bly whispered, as her heart raced when Jordan’s mouth pressed against her breast, heightening her arousal.

"I love it when you surprise me. Just like I love it when you taste me, Bly." Jordan whispered sending a rush of warmth and excitement throughout Bly.

"Oh, Jordan. You know just how to excite me, honey." Bly whispered delightedly, unbuttoning Jordan’s blouse and leaned up to nibble on the erect nipple through her bra.

Bly slipped Jordan’s shirt off of her, moving to her other breast and gave it the attention it begged for from her mouth. Bly ran her hands upwards and unhooked Jordan’s bra, slowly moving her kiss to Jordan’s neck. Bly pressed her tongue against her skin and sucked it into her mouth for a sensual kiss and slipped the straps of Jordan’s bra off her shoulders, discarding it to the floor.

Bly’s hands ventured up Jordan’s back as her kiss trailed southward, capturing an exposed nipple in her mouth. Jordan leaned up on her hands so Bly had easier access to her breasts. Her tongue traced along the contours of Bly’s ear, gently kissing it. Bly heard and felt Jordan’s erratic breathing resonate through her, which aroused her even more. She moved to her eagerly awaiting opposite breast and drew the hard nipple into her mouth, tenderly circling around it.

"Bly, that feels incredible!" Jordan moaned as her tongue moved down her neck and back up to her ear.

Bly moved her hands down to Jordan’s skirt and unhooked it sliding the material down over her hips. Bly pulled Jordan up so she could reach the skirt and pushed it all the way off of her, softly nibbling on her taut abdomen. Bly slid Jordan’s black lace underwear off and moved her hands up on Jordan’s naked backside, gently squeezing the firmness as she lay back on the seat.

"You look so good, Jordan." Bly whispered as Jordan leaned down to kiss her soundly. Bly could feel Jordan’s body heat rise as her heart raced faster.

Jordan slipped her hands under Bly’s shirt and moved it over her head, exposing her muscular upper body. Bly’s arousal was undeniable and she wanted to take Jordan quickly, but felt she deserved to be made love to, slowly and gently.

"I need your tongue inside of me Bly." Jordan huskily whispered through labored breathing, inflaming Bly’s already raging fire.

"Oh, Jordan. I can’t wait to taste you." Bly’s voice was thick with desire as Jordan moved her sex up on Bly’s abdomen, slowly rubbing her slick center against her. "You are so wet, baby. Bring that wetness up here." Bly whispered seductively. She couldn’t wait to taste her lover. Jordan’s heart and passion raced as she moved her center up to Bly’s mouth feeling her breath against her sex, sending warmth throughout her. Jordan slowly lowered her sex down onto Bly’s exposed and awaiting tongue, which quickly slid inside of her wet opening. Jordan gasped breathlessly when she felt Bly’s tongue enter her.

"Oh, Bly! I’ve waited so long to feel that, baby." Jordan professed, drawing in a deep breath and put her hands on the side of the car door to brace her.

Bly slowly moved her hands up Jordan’s sensual curves to the front, and caressed her breasts. She lightly pinched her nipples as her tongue moved out of the warm, moist opening to explore her engorged nub.

"Oh, Bly!" Jordan gasped, slowly rocking her pelvis forward and backward to Bly’s rhythmic movements with her tongue against her sex.

Bly’s heart pounded as the wetness between her legs intensified and she wanted nothing more than to devour Jordan. She loved how Jordan tasted and how her sex felt in her mouth. Jordan moved her pelvis faster as Bly moved her hands back down to Jordan’s hips, gently guiding them.

"Jordan, you taste so good." Bly moaned, moving her tongue back inside the moist opening. Bly curled her tongue up on the edges and slid it in and out of Jordan’s opening quicker as Jordan’s hips matched her pace.

"Bly, what are you doing to me?” Jordan moaned loudly. ‘I have never had such an attentive lover who makes me feel as wonderful as Bly does.’ Jordan thought and moved faster, her breathing becoming more erratic.

Bly moved her tongue back up to Jordan’s swollen nub and sucked the tender flesh into her mouth. She slowly circled the sensitive area, sending Jordan’s head back in pleasure. Jordan’s hips rocked faster as Bly felt her muscles tightening and knew her treasure would soon follow.

"I think you have something for me, Jordan and I don’t want to wait any longer for it, baby." Bly demanded, pressing her tongue against Jordan’s hard clit and fervently worked her tongue across it, in search of her goal, Jordan’s orgasm.

"Oh, Bly! Baby, it feels so good." Jordan moaned deeply, rocking her hips faster and faster as she felt her passion mounting and was close to release. "Bly, Bly, baby." Jordan moaned louder as Bly continued to work her tongue across her swollen nub.

"That’s it baby. Let me have it." Bly encouraged, moving her tongue into Jordan’s opening, just as she released her orgasm. "Hmmm." Bly moaned satisfied, accepting everything Jordan had to offer her.

"AAH...oh, oh, Bly!" Jordan shouted when she let go and leaned her head against her hands, which braced her against the door. She tried to catch her breath as Bly continued to receive her offerings. Bly moved her tongue in and out of Jordan’s opening, as she contracted and relaxed around Bly’s tongue. Bly loved the feeling of Jordan’s opening throbbing against her tongue, and waited until it stopped, to withdraw. Bly moved her mouth to Jordan’s clit, gently sucking it into her mouth and lightly kissed the sensitive area as Jordan slid back down onto Bly.

Jordan snuggled her head against Bly’s neck as Bly tightly wrapped her arms around Jordan. "I love you, Jordan." Bly whispered in her ear, as Jordan tried to collect her breath and calm her racing heart.

Jordan had tears in her eyes and loved how Bly made her feel so incredibly special. "Bly, I love you so much." Jordan professed, kissing Bly’s neck.

Jordan moved her hand down to Bly’s pants and unbuckled her belt followed by her button and the zipper on her jeans. Jordan traced her tongue along Bly’s neck up to her mouth seeking entry, which was quickly granted. She loved tasting herself on Bly’s lips as she kissed her passionately. Jordan slowly slid her hand down Bly’s stomach past her open jeans and her underwear feeling her wet curls in her hand. Bly grabbed her hand thwarting her effort and Jordan broke her kiss, looking at Bly confused.

Bly lovingly stared into confused green eyes. "I’m sorry honey, but I can’t for a couple of more days." Bly frowned, disappointedly taking Jordan’s hand up to her mouth for a kiss, never breaking her stare. "I’ll have to please you for the next couple of days. Would you mind?" Bly asked smiling.

"If you must please only me, then I gotta do what I gotta do. It will be tough, but someone has to do it." Jordan laughed, which Bly shared. Bly sat up and leaned against the back of the limo as Jordan sat straddled on her lap. "We may have to find a way around that little visitor of yours because I want you to feel as wonderful as I do!" Jordan smiled delighted by what just transpired, leaning forward to kiss Bly.

"How do you know that I didn’t already feel that?" Bly sensually whispered through her kiss, placing her hands on Jordan’s firm backside and pulled her closer to deepen the kiss.

"Oh, how I’ve missed you!" Jordan smiled and looked down into Bly’s warm blues who leaned her head back against the seat.

"The feeling is mutual sweets. I take it you didn’t want to see the sights in Boston?" Bly asked, mischievously smiling.

 "We are in Boston? I totally lost myself in you and nothing else mattered." Jordan teasingly asked, capturing Bly’s lips for a tender, loving kiss.

Jordan broke her kiss and looked into Bly’s beautiful blue eyes, smiling lovingly. Bly smiled back and wondered what Jordan was up to. "What are you doing Jordan?"

"I was just wondering if you knew how much I appreciated the first class air travel and the limo ride. Thank you, it was very sweet of you to do all of that for me."

"Well, I know now and you deserve to be treated special, Jordan." Bly smiled; feeling appreciated and slowly ran her hands up and down Jordan’s arms before leaning in for a kiss.

"You don’t have to treat me special, Bly. All I want is your love, but thank you very much for treating me that way. It was very sweet and I’ll never forget it." Jordan smiled appreciatively, running her fingers through Bly’s hair.

"Well, babe, you have all of my love and hopefully you can get used to being treated special because that’s how I want it." Bly chuckled and kissed Jordan.

"I love you." Jordan whispered and hugged Bly tightly. She couldn’t seem to tell Bly that enough.

Bly smiled and felt a catch in her heart when she heard Jordan say that. "I love you too babe. We need to get dressed because our hotel is close." Bly alerted, glancing out the windows at her surroundings.

"Okay, if I must." Jordan giggled; kissing Bly again as they quickly began to dress.

They finished dressing and Bly put her coat back on, checking out the window to see how close they were to the hotel. "Just in time Jordan." Bly said with a mischievous grin looking back at her lover.

"Where are we staying?" Jordan asked, moving closer to Bly and leaned on her to look out the window.

"See that big building right over there with the walkway going across the street?" Bly asked, looking out the window and pointed to their destination.

"Is that it?" Jordan asked in total amazement at the hotel that was connected to an adjacent building by a walkway above the street.

"That’s it, baby." Bly confirmed, smiling and glanced over her shoulder to see Jordan’s look of amazement. She loved to see the look on Jordan’s face when she experienced new things in her life, which made Bly feel good knowing she could provide that for Jordan. She wanted to share so many other experiences with this beautiful woman.

"This is so great Bly, thanks!" Jordan excitedly answered and kissed Bly’s cheek before leaning back in the seat.

Bly leaned forward for the remote to turn off the stereo and Jordan reached under her coat collar, pulling her black hair out which was tucked inside the coat. “Thanks for the help.” Bly chuckled and leaned back next to Jordan, holding her hand.

The butterflies in Jordan’s stomach took off in flight as they always did when Bly touched her. The limo pulled up in front of the building and the driver opened the door for Bly and Jordan to exit. Bly climbed out and stood in front of the door, holding her hand out to help Jordan. “Chivalry is not dead yet." Jordan replied with a laugh as she exited the limo.

"Depends on the person, Jordan." Bly smirked and winked leading Jordan by the hand to the door and held it open for her. "You will like where we are staying because there is a mall in here."

"Are you kidding me?" Jordan asked, amazed as she entered the door and checked the place out.

"Nope, they even have a Harvard store to buy merchandise from the university.”

"Can we go to Harvard and check it out? It would be neat to see it." Jordan eagerly asked.

"It’s already on my itinerary." Bly chuckled as they made their way up the escalator to the hotel lobby.

"This place is gorgeous Bly. What’s the name of it?" Jordan asked in awe looking around the large building.

"It’s called the Copley Square Hotel and if you get lost somehow just take the T to Copley Square and you can't miss it."

"The T?" Jordan asked confused.

"Sorry, it’s the subway system here. They also have trolley cars for transportation because you definitely don’t want to drive in this city! It’s impossible." Bly laughed and rolled her eyes at the thought of trying to navigate Boston roads.

"I’ll have to remember that, but it would be best if you just stuck by my side." Jordan suggested. "So, what else is on your itinerary?" She asked intrigued.

"Spending as much time with you as possible." Bly drawled, grinning and slipped her hand on Jordan’s waist to steady her when they stepped off the escalator.

The pair made their way into the elevator and waited for the door to close before engulfing one another with hugs and kisses. The bell on the elevator chimed indicating they arrived at their destination with Jordan breaking off the embrace, nervously waiting for the door to open.

Bly laughed and looked down at her. "What are you doing?"

"Somebody might see us Bly and I don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable."

"Jordan, it’s the penthouse suite and why are you worried someone will feel uncomfortable? You didn’t mind it at the airport." Bly teased and led Jordan off the elevator into the spacious penthouse suite.

"Well, that was different because there might be some of your colleague’s here."

"Very true, but I really don’t care, Jordan. Many of my colleagues know that I’m gay and it wouldn’t matter to me if they cared either. Hey, close your eyes." Bly excitedly asked.

"What for?" Jordan asked, confused.

"I have a surprise for you." Bly explained, pulling Jordan into her arms.

"Bly, you don’t have to keep giving me surprises."

"I know but I couldn’t resist." Bly chuckled and lovingly brushed Jordan’s blond hair off her face. Bly led Jordan into the spacious penthouse suite and stopped to see if Jordan was looking. "You’re not peeking, are you?" Bly asked, checking Jordan’s eyes to make sure they were shut tightly.

"Bly! I’m not peeking!" Jordan laughed, anxious to see what her surprise was going to be.

"Okay, come on then." Bly laughed, leading Jordan to the middle of the suite. "Okay, open your eyes." Bly enthusiastically requested.

Jordan opened her eyes to a room full of white and red roses with a table set up in front of the window, showing a breathtaking view of Boston. The table was set with candles and dinner. Jordan’s face lit up with excitement from Bly’s thoughtfulness and turned to face her. "Bly, you are so incredibly romantic. Thank you." Jordan was astonished by her lover’s romantic tendancies and smiled. She ran her fingers through Bly’s hair and leaned up to her tall lover for a passionate kiss.

Bly wrapped her arms around her partner and deepened the kiss. She thoroughly enjoyed how Jordan felt in her arms, especially when her lips were pressed against her own. Bly thought of how much she loved to see Jordans look of appreciation from the flowers and dinner. Her other lover’s had just expected the wine and dine treatment from her, never truly appreciating any of her gifts for their meaning, but rather for their worth. Jordan was not like that and Bly loved her for it.

Jordan broke their kiss breathless with a look of distress on her face. "I am so sorry." Jordan regretfully apologized.

"About what?" Bly asked, confused.

"I was so preoccupied with coming to see you that I totally forgot to thank you for all the flowers you sent me and especially for my life sized Scooby Doo stuffed animal!" Jordan smiled at the fond memory of receiving the big, lovable stuffed animal from Bly. "I love him! He is so awesome!"

Bly smiled and was relieved that was all that was wrong with Jordan. "I knew you would like it when I saw him in an advertisement on the Internet and I just had to get him for you." Bly answered with a big smile.

"He is sitting next to my bed and every time I looked at him it made me want you even more! Thank you." Jordan smiled gratefully as she kissed and hugged Bly.

"You’re welcome. Are you hungry?"

"Bly!" Jordan replied with a questioning look.

Bly smiled. "I forgot! You’re always willing to eat." Bly reminded herself as they laughed.

"Did I tell you how freaking incredible you look? I really love that jacket on you too." Jordan exclaimed smiling, looking her lover over.

Bly blushed and smiled. "Yes, you told me, but thanks again." Bly led Jordan over to the table and held the chair out. When Jordan sat down, Bly pushing the chair in for her. Bly leaned down and whispered, "You look freaking incredible too," which drew a smile out of Jordan as Bly softly kissed her cheek. Bly stood up and removed her jacket before sitting down next to Jordan. Bly removed the cover on her plate, which kept her food warm as her dark hair fell forward, and as she tucked one side behind her ear Jordan watched breathless. Jordan took in a deep breath when she realized she was holding it. Bly picked up her utensils and noticed Jordan watching her and glanced up. "What? Did I spill something on me already?" Bly asked confused, feeling unsure, she looked at her clothes.

Jordan stared at her and smiled softly placing her hand on Bly’s arm to get her attention. "No, I was just admiring your beauty and thinking about how much I love it when you tuck your hair behind your ear. It’s so sexy and it sends the butterflies in my stomach crazy." Jordan answered, moving Bly’s hand to her mouth and placed a kiss on it.

Bly lovingly looked at Jordan and smiled through her blush. "I’m glad I’m not the only one that has those unruly butterflies. They do the same thing to me every time I look at you or hear your sultry voice." Bly sincerely admitted, leaning over to Jordan and sealing her statement with a kiss. "I love you." Bly whispered as she leaned back up and smiled.

"I love you too, darling." Jordan smiled happily and pulled the cover off her plate to see what Bly had ordered her for dinner. "How did you know baked ziti is one of my favorites?" Jordan gleefully asked, glancing over at Bly.

"Well, I took a good guess considering you’re Italian." Bly laughed. "Is it any good?"

Jordan swallowed her mouthful. "Very good, but mine’s better." Jordan confidently laughed.

"I keep hearing about how great of a cook you are, but I don’t see anything to prove it." Bly teasingly challenged the blonde.

"Okay, taste this and I promise to make you my baked ziti, then you can tell me which one is better." Jordan confidently smiled, holding a forkful of ziti out for Bly to taste.

Bly slowly leaned in toward Jordan, locking blue with green and wrapped her mouth around the fork with a seductive look, taking the morsels being offered. Jordan’s look revealed how aroused she was and swallowed hard, watching Bly finish chewing the ziti. ‘How can someone be so damn sexy eating?’ Jordan asked astonished, watching Bly lick her lips eroticaly, invitingly. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It was all she could do to restrain herself from attacking Bly on the spot.

"You’re teasing me, aren’t you?" Jordan asked with a raised eyebrow.

Bly flashed a mischievous grin. "Did it work?"

"Yes! You are so bad!" Jordan chuckled, flushed by Bly’s display.

"I told you I would get you back." Bly teased, grinning wickedly and popped a piece of steak in her mouth.

***

The pair finished dinner and both changed into more comfortable clothing. Bly sat in the window seat and peered out over the lighted city as Jordan finished in the bathroom and walked over to her. "Hey, good looking! Penny for your thoughts?" Jordan asked, leaning against Bly.

Bly sardonically smiled, turning to her and held out her hand. "Let me have the penny first."

Jordan pretended to search her clothes for a penny and sheepishly looked back at Bly. "Can I pay you when I get my paycheck next week?" She coyly smiled.

"I don’t know Jordan. Are you good for it? I mean the interest alone might break you from now until then. But, seeing as how you’re so beautiful, I guess I’ll let you slide this time. But, try not to keep taking advantage of my good nature." Bly teasingly smiled.

Jordan laughed as she wrapped her arms around the front of Bly’s shoulder and pressed her body against Bly’s back, kissing her cheek. "Would you mind if I joined you?"

"Actually, that’s what I was just thinking about. How lonely I was sitting here without you in my arms." Bly invitingly smiled and glanced over her shoulder at Jordan.

"Well, let me remedy that problem then." Jordan offered chuckling and climbed over Bly, sitting in front of her. Bly wrapped her arms around Jordan and pulled her close to her body to snuggle with her. "This is heaven." Jordan sighed happily with a satisfied smile on her face.

"Yes, it is babe." Bly agreed in a whisper, kissing Jordan on the cheek. She reveled in the closeness of her lover. Bly finally found what she was looking for in Jordan. Bly remembered the times when she thought she had been in love before and how her feelings for those women were nothing like they are for Jordan. She didn’t realize true love could be so wonderful and that’s what she felt with Jordan.

Jordan lightly rubbed her hands up and down Bly’s arm as she watched the people on the streets of Boston go on about their business. "Bly, what’s that building right before us?" Jordan curiously asked, pointing to the very large building in question.

"That’s the John Hancock Tower and you can go to the top to check out all of Boston. They have an observatory up there."

"That’s really cool." Jordan murmured in awe and stared at the large building before her.

"So, what’s on the itinerary for tomorrow?" Jordan asked, intrigued and excited.

"Well, I hope you like history or I’m in big trouble." Bly laughed.

Jordan glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "Don’t worry, I love it."

"Whew! I was worried there for a minute. Well, I thought I would take you to a bunch of the historical sites in Boston and we can walk the Freedom Trail, which links all the historical sites to the history of Boston. It is pretty interesting when you check out where Paul Revere made his historical ride and warned that the British were coming." Bly explained with awe at the significance of those events.

"I had no idea you were so interested in historical events like that, Bly. You never cease to amaze me." Jordan grinned, admiringly.

"Well, I guess we have a lot to learn about one another then. Do you like that sort of stuff as well?"

"Oh, I’m very fascinated by those events. I thought it was very interesting when I read about them in school and it excites me to know that I will get to actually see those things." Jordan chuckled, excited.

Bly smiled and hugged her tighter, kissing her cheek softly. "Let’s go to bed so we can get an early start of it tomorrow." Bly suggested, moving off the window seat and helped Jordan get up to lead her to bed.

***

They crawled into bed and Bly removed her shirt as Jordan admiringly watched. Jordan slipped off her clothes and leaned down, kissing Bly passionately. "Thanks again for tonight, Bly. I really do appreciate everything." Jordan appreciatively smiled, looking into loving blues.

"I’m so glad you are here with me, Jordan." Bly sincerely smiled and brushed Jordan’s blond hair off her face, lovingly gazing into her beautiful green eyes. "I missed you so much that I couldn’t sleep or function correctly."

"I wondered why you looked so tired. I thought maybe you were up late checking out the babes." Jordan teasingly smiled.

"Only one." Bly mischievously grinned and leaned over, picking up the picture off the nightstand. " I hope you don’t get too jealous over my girl, Jordan." Bly wickedly when showed her the picture.

Jordan smiled. "I have this same one of us by my bed!"

"You’re kidding?" Bly asked, surprised.

"No, it’s a great picture of us together during the sunset cruise and I thought you looked especially sexy." Jordan chuckled, handing the picture back to Bly who replaced it on the nightstand.

"You’re the hot one in the picture, babe." Bly smiled as Jordan lay on her side. Bly wrapped her arms tightly around her lover, pulling Jordan in close to her body and laced her fingers around Jordan’s hand, kissing her cheek. "Good night, babe. I love you." Bly whispered in her ear.

Jordan raised Bly’s hand up and kissed it. "Night honey, I love you too." Jordan smiled feeling completely loved and safe in Bly’s strong arms.

***

Bly woke before Jordan as usual and took the opportunity to lovingly gaze at her peacefully sleeping lover. Bly leaned up on her elbow and lightly brushed Jordan’s hair off her face. Jordan moved slightly to Bly’s touch and smiled through her sleep. She hated to wake her, but she couldn’t resist the urge to see those beautiful green eyes look into her blues lovingly. Bly lightly ran the back of her hand down Jordan’s arm to her side and slid her hand to the front of Jordan’s abdomen that shifted from her touch. Bly smiled mischievously and slowly moved her hand up Jordan’s chest, cupping a supple breast in her hand, leaning down to whisper, "I love you, Jordan." Bly softly kissed Jordan’s cheek and gently squeezed her breast.

Jordan moaned, "Hmmm," and shifted her body closer to Bly, instinctively moving her hand on top of the one that held her breast. "I love to hear you say that, Bly." Jordan whispered, clearing her throat.

"I guess I’ll just have to keep saying it then won’t I?" Bly whispered, kissing her again. "Do you want room service for breakfast or do you want to grab something at the French bakery down in the mall?"

"We should probably get going if we are going to see all the sites, huh? We should get something quick to eat." Jordan reassured, rolling onto her back with a smile and put her arm around Bly’s back. "Could you touch my other breast? It’s very sad that it is being neglected." Jordan asked seductively.

"My pleasure." Bly grinned obligingly, moving her hand to Jordan’s opposite breast and gently squeezed it. Bly leaned down and gave Jordan a passionate kiss to get her morning off to a good start.

 Jordan lovingly smiled at Bly and pushed her raven hair off her forehead. "I am so in love with you, Bly." Jordan sighed happily, pulling Bly down for a soul-searing kiss.

"I’m so glad you are, Jordan." Bly whispered through her kiss, her heart a flutter from the admission. It meant the world to her every time Jordan said it.

Jordan broke the kiss to catch her breath and stared into Bly’s loving blue eyes. She didn't really want to leave the comfortable bed to go out into the brisk New England weather to go sightseeing. At the same time, she didn’t want to miss the opportunity of seeing the sites in Boston, especially with Bly as her tour guide.

"Are you taking a shower first?" Jordan asked, smiling hopefully and wiggled her eyebrows.

Bly chuckled, knowing Jordan would use any opportunity to grab an extra minute of sleep if at all possible. "Sure, just for you, but next time you’re first." Bly smiled and gave Jordan a quick kiss, climbing out of bed. "Jeez, it’s cold in here." Bly replied with a shiver, crossing her arms over her chest to warm herself.

"I happen to like it this way because I get to see your hard nipples sticking out." Jordan giggled, slyly grinning.

Bly looked down blushing and stepped closer to the bed. "Could you warm them for me?" She provocatively asked.

"I thought you would never ask." Jordan seductively grinned, sitting up in the bed and reached to cup Bly’s breasts that jumped away from her.

"Psyche!" Bly tauntingly laughed and ran to the end of the bed, grabbing the covers.

"No, Bly! Please don’t!" Jordan pleaded holding the covers tightly.

"Beg me!" Bly teased mischievously.

"Please baby! It’s very cold." Jordan whined and gave Bly puppy dog eyes.

"Hmmm, not good enough!" Bly laughed, stripping the covers off the bed as Jordan squealed and laid back on the bed to warm herself. Bly slapped her backside and ran laughing into the bathroom to take a shower.

"Payback Bly! Just remember, payback!" Jordan yelled and scrambled for the covers.

Both women showered and dressed warmly for their excursion in the chilly weather. "Jordan, don’t forget to bring the camera." Bly reminded her blonde lover and donned her black leather jacket.

"Got it darling!" Jordan chuckled, throwing her fleece jacket on and walked over to Bly who grabbed the hotel card key. "You are way too hot! How do you expect me to function with you looking like that?" Jordan asked, and wrapped her arms around Bly’s waist.

"I guess you’ll have to struggle through the day, honey." Bly sarcastically teased.

"I love it when you’re cocky." Jordan purred and leaned up for a kiss.

"Let’s go, lover girl." Bly laughed, grasping Jordan’s hand and led her to the elevator.

The two made their way into the lobby and through the mall to the French bakery. The two scanned the menu and tried to decide what they wanted for breakfast. "What are you getting Bly?" Jordan asked, looking up at her strikingly gorgeous lover.

"I’m getting a croissant and a coffee." Bly stammered, trying to make up her mind, scanning the menu board.

"Sounds good. I’ll have the same." Jordan confirmed, as the clerk rang up their order.

"Make that to go, please." Bly informed the clerk and looked back at Jordan. "We'll eat on the train if you don’t mind?" Bly asked, pulling out some money to pay for the bill.

"I don’t mind eating on the train, but I do mind you paying for breakfast. I’ve got it hun!" Jordan chuckled pushing Bly’s money filled hand back to her pocket and paid for the tab.

"Thanks Jordan." Bly put her money away and grabbed their food.

Jordan received her change and turned to walk beside Bly who handed her the coffee she ordered. "Thanks, this should do two things for me. One, wake my sorry butt up and two, warm me up." Jordan laughed, as did Bly. "Hmm, yummy coffee." Jordan replied, after a sip of her Java.

"Hey, remind me to call Jules later to check up on Ares, okay?"

"Sure." Jordan agreed, taking another sip of her coffee.

They stepped out of the warm building and were greeted by a breeze, momentarily taking their breath away. "Whoa!" Bly exclaimed, catching her breath.

"Very chilly." Jordan commented with a shiver that she felt from her toes to her ears as the pair headed towards the subway.

***

They made it to the platform of the dank, cold subway stop and waited for the train. "I figured we could start the Freedom Trail at the ...oh, damn! I forgot the name of it. Here can you hold this for me please?" Bly asked, handing her coffee to Jordan who was glad to warm both hands with the coffee. Bly pulled out her trusty Boston sightseeing map and opened it to find their destination. "Okay, we can start at the Park Street Church which means we need to get off at the Park Street T stop." Bly explained, searching the subway for the train map. "Great! Only three stops to get there and we don’t have to change from the green line." Bly answered, excited that they wouldn’t have to spend a long time on the train and retrieved her coffee from Jordan.

"You are quite the little tour guide aren’t you?" Jordan teased as the train pulled up to the station and was amazed that Bly knew her way around the large city.

"Your tour guide could be worse." Bly chuckled and leaned close to Jordan as they boarded the crowded train. "Looks like we’ll have to stand." Bly observed, reaching up for the overhead bar to steady herself as the train began to move. Jordan couldn’t reach the overhead bar and grabbed Bly by the belt to steady her from falling when the train pulled away from the station. Bly looked down at Jordan smiling and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as to where Jordan’s hand was positioned. Bly leaned down and whispered in Jordan’s ear. "I’ve never done it on a train before." She mischievously stated and stood back up, glancing down at Jordan.

"Oh, I have. It’s no big deal though." Jordan casually informed her, raising her coffee to her lips for a sip of the steaming hot Java and looked up noticing the astonished look on Bly’s face. ‘I didn’t really, but it’s payback time.’ Jordan thought mischievously.

"Really?" Bly asked in disbelief.

"Why? Are you jealous?" Jordan asked, subtly smiling.

"Well, aah no, I’m not jealous." Bly stammered strangely disappointed, knowing damn well that she was jealous. She looked out the window as their stop came up. "This is our stop. Come on!" Bly curtly replied, slightly agitated.

Jordan stepped in behind Bly and leaned up to her ear, whispering. "You’re jealous." Jordan answered slyly grinning. ‘You are so bad, Jordan Milano.’ She thought to herself.

Bly looked over her shoulder to Jordan. "I’m not jealous, I just don’t want to hear about it." Bly answered agitated, stepping off the train and headed towards the steps. Jordan had to practically run to catch up to the long strides of Bly’s.

"Bly!" Jordan shouted, knowing Bly was irritated as she reached the street before Jordan and looked down at her map. Jordan caught up to her and stood before her. "What’s wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" Bly snapped, looking down at the map and Jordan took it from her. "Jordan, give it back." Bly demanded, upset.

"Not until you tell me what’s wrong with you." Jordan answered with agitation of her own by the way Bly was acting.

"I just don’t want to hear about your sex life with others okay?" Bly coldly retorted before she turned away from Jordan.

"Bly, we have both had other partners before. Why does it bother you so much?"

Bly crossed her arms and looked down ashamed for acting like a little kid. "I can’t stand to hear or think about someone else touching you, Jordan. It bothers me." Bly grudgingly confessed and looked at Jordan with sadness. Every time she thought of another's arms around her lover, she felt a blinding pain in her chest that took her breath away.

Jordan saw the pained look in her lover's eyes and moved closer, placing her hand on Bly's waist. "I don’t like the thought of someone else being with you either so, let’s just keep that part of our lives to ourselves then. I’m sorry. I was teasing you when I said I had done it on the train."

"That wasn’t very funny, Jordan." Bly answered still slightly upset.

"Honey, I didn’t know it would bother you so much. I am so sorry. It was a very cruel joke. Can you forgive me?" Jordan asked with a loving smile. She never wanted to be the reason for any pain in Bly's eyes.

Bly looked at Jordan then away and back again knowing she couldn’t resist her sweet face. "Yes, I’ll forgive you." Bly answered slightly smiling, defeated by the sweet look Jordan possessed.

"I’m sorry I teased you, but I did like that you were jealous." Jordan bashfully grinned, rubbing Bly’s side.

"Oh, you did huh? What if I told you I was just teasing?" Bly asked, mischievously smiling.

Jordan looked bewildered and thought she had been duped. "Bly! Were you teasing me?" She asked, with a disappointed look on her face.

Bly smiled and put her arm around Jordan as they continued to walk along. "Nope! I was serious and very jealous." Bly admitted laughing and pulled Jordan closer to her for a hug.

"Well, there is no need to be because I love you completely and there isn’t one other person in this world I could want more than you. Well, except that blond standing over there." Jordan teased, pointing and received a tighter hug from Bly.

"Would you like me to introduce you?" Bly teasingly asked as they laughed.

"Nope, I think I’ll keep you. You’re kind of cute." Jordan chuckled, looking up at Bly and fed her a piece of her croissant.

"I think I’ll do the same cause you’re also kind of cute." Bly happily smiled chewing her food and looked down at Jordan as they headed over to their first historical site.

"That’s a really beautiful church Bly. How old is it?" Jordan asked, gazing upon the old church.

"Map says it was built in 1809, so it’s safe to say it is very old." Bly chuckled.

"Damn!" Jordan exclaimed in awe, looking up past the church. "What is that place?" She asked, pointing to the large building with a dome on top.

"That’s the Massachusetts State House and Paul Revere put the copper topping on the dome in. Aah...1802." Bly confirmed, checking the map for the correct date. "It’s really cool looking, don’t you think?" Bly asked, looking at the state house then back to her lover and saw the wonderment in her green eyes.

"Most definitely." Jordan readily agreed, in a childlike wonderment.

"Let’s head over to the Ben Franklin statue, which was also the site of the first public school, and then to the Granary Burial Ground." Bly suggested, holding Jordan’s hand and led her off towards the statue.

"We’re going to a burial ground?" Jordan asked with hesitation.

"Don’t be scared honey." Bly teased and comfortingly squeezed Jordan’s hand. "It’s really neat because it’s the last resting place of the Patriots. Paul Revere, Ben Franklin, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams are all buried there."

"That’s really neat, but it sounds a little creepy." Jordan answered as the pair continued their sight seeing along the Freedom Trail, stopping at the said two sites before heading along to the next historical site.

"That’s the Old South Meeting House where the tea party began." Bly informed her intrigued lover, pointing to the building. "Oh, Jordan! You’re going to love the next stop seeing as how you’re a writer." Bly grinned.

"Really?" Jordan answered with a gleam in her eye.

"This book store is one of Boston’s oldest buildings and the authors: Emerson, Longfellow, Hawthorne and Harriet Beecher Stowe all gathered here regularly." Bly explained as the pair entered the bookstore.

"This is so awesome! You can just feel the historical significance of this place." Jordan answered in awe as she walked around the bookstore. Bly smiled and enjoyed seeing the wonder and obvious excitement in Jordan’s eyes. She adoringly watched her peruse the old bookstore.

"Oh my god, Bly!" Jordan exuberantly exclaimed as Bly moved closer to her. "Look at this book! It is a leather-bound, first edition, signed copy of RW Emerson’s book!" Jordan murmured in reverence, looking at the book in the protective case.

"That’s really neat, Jordan." Bly commented with a mischievous smile, watching Jordan peer down into the case. Reluctantly, Jordan sighed and moved on to another area. Bly casually walked up to the counter, keeping an eye out for Jordan who was too busy looking at the different books to be concerned with what she was doing. She leaned on the counter to talk to the clerk. "I would like the autographed Emerson book in the case to be wrapped and delivered to my hotel room at this location." Bly informed the clerk as she wrote the hotel and room number on her business card, handing it to the clerk.

"Ma’am, that book isn’t for sale." The clerk answered stunned by the offer.

"Sure it is and it’s for that beautiful blonde right there so, go get your manager and set the price. Money is no object." Bly said adamantly and wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. "Oh, keep it quiet because it’s a secret." She winked and turned to look at Jordan. The clerk nervously exited to the back as Bly waited anxiously, hoping Jordan would not catch on to what she was doing. The manager stepped out with an astonished look on her face at Bly’s request.

"Well, what’s the price?" Bly asked, pulling her wallet out and glanced over to see where Jordan was located. She sighed relieved when she noticed Jordan’s nose was stuck in a book and that she was totally engrossed in it.

"Aah $1,250.00." The manager stammered in disbelief that she had someone who wanted to purchase the book.

"Great. Can we hurry this transaction along?" Bly asked and threw her platinum Visa card down for the purchase. The manager quickly ran the card through, handing Bly the receipt for her to sign and keep. "Make sure it is delivered right away. Here’s some money to cover the delivery charge." Bly casually requested and threw a hundred-dollar bill on the counter for the manager who looked at her stunned.

"Hello? I'm in a rush! Could you just leave it at the front desk for me?" Bly asked, hurriedly rushing them to get the process moving.

Bly walked over to Jordan and glanced back at the manager who carefully pulled the book out of the case and carried it to the back to be wrapped and delivered. "I can’t get over this place. I could spend the whole day here, Bly."

"I bet you could babe but unfortunately, we have a Freedom Trail to walk." Bly grinned and slipped her hand in Jordan’s.

Jordan sighed disappointed. "You’re right, but could we come back if we have the time?" Jordan asked with excitement at the prospect.

"Absolutely." Bly agreed smiling as they left the bookstore and were greeted by a cold breeze. "Jeez, I would have thought that it would have warmed up by now." Bly commented, holding Jordan closer to keep her warm.

"I like the chilly weather because then I get to snuggle with you babe." Jordan smiled happily.

"You can snuggle with me anytime you want." Bly invitingly smiled.

"Ooh, I like that thought. Where to now, tour guide?"

"We are going to pass the site of the Boston Massacre, then head over to Faneuil Hall and Market place, which you will like because they have little shops to purchase things from." Bly slyly grinned and received an affectionate squeeze from Jordan in response.

"What makes you think I like to shop?"

"Linda gave up the goods on you and she also said that you are quite the bargain hunter."

"When did she tell you that?" Jordan asked, surprised.

"When my family was hogging you on the dance floor at my grandparents anniversary party." Bly smiled.

"Linda sure likes to give up secrets, doesn’t she?" Jordan asked with a sly grin.

"Hmmm, maybe I can get her to give up some other secrets about you." Bly teased.

"You better not or I’ll cut you off!" Jordan teasingly threatened, laughing.

"Oh, no don’t do that!" Bly protested with a pensive expression.

"Don’t worry babe. You just let secrets remain secrets and there won’t be a problem."

"You do drive a hard bargain." Bly chuckled as they continued on to the next two stops along the ‘Freedom Trail.’

***

Bly sat down as Jordan sharpened her bargaining skills at one of the shops in the market place at Faneuil Hall. Jordan walked up with a satisfied and happy look on her face as Bly watched her lover approach. "Check out this great scarf I got for Linda! I’ll have you know that I got a great price for it." Jordan proudly smiled.

"That’s really nice honey, but when will Linda wear a heavy scarf like that in Florida?" Bly asked questioningly.

"Oh, man!" Jordan exclaimed disappointed and slammed her hands down on her hips. "I totally didn’t even think of that!"

"Why don’t you wear it and get Linda something else." Bly suggested, smiling.

"Do you think?" Jordan questioned and put the scarf around her neck.

"Ooh, very nice." Bly seductively answered, putting her arm around Jordan as they headed out of the market place.

"It just so happens that I bought you something that I know will look very sexy on you!" Jordan mischievously grinned, reaching into her bag.

"You did? Isn’t that sweet. What did you get me?" Bly inquired intrigued, looking over Jordan’s shoulder for what was in the bag.

"These!" Jordan enthusiastically exclaimed, pulling out a pair of black leather gloves.

"Yes! I need those to keep my cold hands warm!" Bly excitedly approved smiling and accepted them, promptly putting them on. "Hey, they fit perfect. How did you know what size?"

"Bly, I think I know what size your hands are!" Jordan shyly grinned.

It took a couple of minutes before it dawned on Bly what Jordan meant and she blushed with embarrassment. "Jordan, you are very bad, but I love it and I love my gloves. Thank you very much! I hope you got quite the little bargain on these." Bly asked, holding her hands up and wiggling her fingers. "How do they look?" She proudly asked, turning her hands back and forth, looking them over.

"Very attractive as I said they would, especially with that jacket!" Jordan smiled, happy that Bly liked her gift.

Bly stopped walking and put her hands on Jordan’s shoulders, leaning in to give her a passionate thank you kiss. "Thanks, my present means a lot to me." Bly appreciatively whispered, kissing her again and took Jordan’s hand in her own as they headed off to their next stop. Jordan was happy that Bly liked the present. She was worried that Bly wouldn’t like them, but she was taken back by her obvious enjoyment of the gift. She knew Bly was genuinely thankful and it made her feel good.

***

The pair stopped at Paul Revere’s house and took the tour, which was narrated by a guide. They made their way away from the home towards their next stop. "Bly, I was totally surprised by how small his home was." Jordan answered amazed at the smallness of the home.

"Yeah, me too. I guess people get a misconception that because he was a famous Patriot that he should have a huge home, but back then, they just didn’t have very big homes." Bly shrugged, surprised by the simplicity of a famous home.

"I suppose so. Hey, what’s the next stop?"

"The Old North Church, which is the oldest church and the one where they had two lanterns hanging in the steeple to warn Charlestown that the British were coming."

"I couldn’t imagine living in times like that with the threat of war in your own backyard. It must have been very scary."

"Yeah, but think of the pride those people had to stand up for their rights and to fight off the British. That is so significant." Bly answered in awe when she looked up at the steeple of the Old North Church, and imagined the lanterns burning in there. "Jordan, we forgot to see the Boston Tea Party ship. They do a re-enactment at certain times during the day."

"Let’s go then." Jordan enthusiastically suggested.

"We have to walk all the way back towards the wharf, it’s pretty far. Wait, I have an idea. Let’s go see the U.S.S. Constitution, the Bunker Hill Monument, and take the bus back to see the Boston Tea Party ship."

"Sounds good to me, but are we going to walk across that very long Charlestown Bridge?" Jordan asked slightly disappointed at the thought of the long walk.

"I guess not. Let’s take a taxi then." Bly chuckled, turning to hail a taxi, which she was able to do rather quickly.

They hopped into the cab. "Take us to the Constitution please." Bly informed the driver, slipping her hand into Jordan’s.

"Aah, it feels good to sit and ride." Jordan answered relieved and wiggled her toes in her shoes, thankful to have the weight off of them.

"Some kind of Freedom Trail walkers we are huh?" Bly asked with a laugh that was shared by Jordan.

***

The pair checked out the Constitution, the Bunker Hill Monument and then took the cab back to check out the Boston Tea Party Ship. The pair headed to the south train station to catch the red line T train. They plopped in the seats exhausted, with their bags of souvenirs and Jordan leaned her head against Bly’s shoulder.

"I am so tired, Bly." Jordan sighed, yawning as she closed her eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep. Bly looked at Jordan and laughed that she could fall asleep anytime and any place. Bly woke Jordan before their stop to get off. "Come on, babe we have to change to the green line." Bly informed Jordan as they stood up and waited by the door for the train to stop with Jordan still asleep, leaning her head against Bly’s back. The doors opened and Bly grabbed Jordan’s hand leading the sleepy woman to their next terminal to change trains. They hopped on the green line and sat back down to wait for their destination to arrive. "Bly, could you carry me?" Jordan asked sleepily, leaning her head against Bly’s shoulder.

Bly laughed lovingly looking at Jordan who fell back to sleep. "Unbelievable." Bly chuckled softly. She reminisced about how much fun she had with Jordan today. Bly couldn’t wait to be alone and hold her lover in her arms, to shower her with kisses.

***

Bly woke Jordan for their last stop and the pair headed out of the subway crossing the street to their hotel. Jordan was happy to see the familiar confines of the hotel knowing the bed was close. "Bly, you have worn me out." She exclaimed exasperated.

"I love to do that, but in bed baby." Bly laughed. "I guess you’re too tired for dinner then, huh?" Bly teasingly asked, knowing Jordan would never miss a meal.

"Very funny." Jordan answered with sleepy green eyes as Bly smiled and slid her hand around her neck, pulling her close to her chest on their ride up the escalator. Bly kissed Jordan on the head and didn’t care who saw her. She was in love with Jordan and wanted everyone to know about it.

They stepped off the escalator in each other’s arms. "Jordan, go on up to the room. I’m going to check my messages and I’ll meet you up there in a couple of minutes."

"Okay, but hurry." Jordan replied through her yawn, stepping onto the elevator.

Bly smiled and approached the front desk. "Was a package delivered for me earlier today? It’s for the penthouse suite." Bly asked the clerk.

"Yes, here it is." The clerk informed her as he handed over the package.

Bly carefully opened the package to make sure they sent the same book from the store. Satisfied that they had, Bly headed over to the elevator. ‘Jordan is going to freak when she sees this book.’ Bly excitedly thought and proudly smiled, entering the elevator.

The elevator doors opened and Bly stepped into the room, placing the packages down. She found Jordan sprawled on the bed sound asleep. Bly laughed and shook her head in amazement, removing her jacket and gloves. Slipping off her shoes, she climbed up next to Jordan. Bly kissed Jordan on the cheek and lay next to her with her arm across her lover's back before falling asleep.

***

Jordan awoke in a daze; unaware of what time or day it was and felt a familiar arm on her back. She slid around on her side and cuddled up close to Bly, placing soft kisses on her neck to wake her. Bly opened a sleepy blue eye and looked at her beautiful blonde, lovingly staring at her. "I could really get used to this in the mornings." Bly smiled happily, grabbing a hold of Jordan and pulled her on top of her, engulfing her in a hug. Bly lovingly gazed into Jordan’s eyes and leaned in for a sensual kiss. "Hmmm, I love that." Jordan purred smiling. "Do you have any idea what time or day it is?" Jordan asked with a laugh.

"Aah, let’s see." Bly unsurely answered, looking at her watch. "Whoa! It’s Saturday at 10:00 am!"

"I guess we were tired! I can’t believe we slept through dinner. No wonder I’m so hungry." Jordan laughed. "What do you have planned for us today my love?" Jordan asked grinning, peering into Bly’s blues.

"I thought we could go to the Boston Public Garden where they have the famous swan boats, then head to Harvard Square, then the university and end up at Fenway Park to catch a Red Sox game at four. Sound okay to you?"

"Absolutely! It sounds like a lot of fun!" Jordan enthusiastically agreed.

***

They quickly showered and headed out for their second day of sightseeing in Boston. After visiting all the sites they headed to Fenway Park for the baseball game. "Who are the Sox playing?" Jordan asked as they stepped into a popular brewery across from the stadium, which was crowded with Red Sox fans.

"The Detroit Tigers." Bly grinned wickedly.

"You sneak! You got tickets for the Tigers?" Jordan asked, surprised.

"No, for you to see the Tigers. I’m a Red Sox fan." Bly smiled. "I do hope you are a Tiger fan. I just assumed you were, considering you’re from Michigan." Bly answered nervous that she might not like the Tigers.

"Oh, yeah I’m a Tiger fan." Jordan excitedly answered.

"Great. Do you want a beer? They have all kinds of imported beers here."

"Sure. I’ll try a dark beer." Jordan answered scanning the crowded brewery as Bly ordered drinks for them. "I guess this is where all of the Red Sox fans hang out before a game huh?"

"Oh, yeah. This place gets packed." Bly informed her, handing Jordan her beer and took a long sip of hers. "Hmmm, tasty." Bly swallowed her cold beverage and replied satisfied.

***

They finished their beer and headed across the street to the stadium to watch the baseball game. "I can’t believe they have New England clam chowder here." Jordan exclaimed with disbelief.

"Oh, yeah that stuff is everywhere around here, but it's weird that they have it at a baseball game. Let’s get to our seats because the game has already started." Bly suggested leading Jordan through the old stadium to their box seats behind home plate.

"Okay." Jordan answered as the pair found their seats and sat down to enjoy the game. "Even this stadium exudes history, Bly." Jordan murmured amazed, scanning the old stadium and feeling a tingling sensation from the historical significance of the place.

"It sure does and it was pretty cool to play here too." Bly sipped her hot chocolate.

"You played here?" Jordan asked, surprised.

"Yeah, when I played in the Women’s Professional Baseball League. It was a dream come true to play at Fenway Park where all of those famous players once played." Bly answered smiling at the fond memory.

"That is so incredible. I am so happy for you that one of your dreams came true." Jordan sincerely answered and smiled at Bly.

"Another one came true when I met you Jordan. It was the most important dream to me, and you made it possible." Bly answered with a loving smile as she saw the tears well in Jordan’s eyes.

"My dream to find someone to fall in love and be happy with came true when I found you too Bly." Jordan tearfully smiled, wishing they were back at the hotel so she could show Bly just how happy she was. Her heart was bursting with the love she felt for Bly and couldn't fully explain how her life had changed for the better. She had spent her whole life waiting and not knowing what she was waiting for, until now.

A lump formed in Bly’s throat and she felt completely loved by Jordan. She had never had someone love her that much. She wanted to take Jordan in her arms to show her how much she loved her. "Aah, Jordan would you be upset if we went back to the hotel?" Bly asked cautiously, hoping she was thinking the same thing.

"No, not at all. Let’s go." Jordan enthusiastically agreed, rising from her seat and waited for Bly to join her.

Bly smiled as she stood up. "I guess you have the same thing on your mind babe." Bly chuckled as they made their way out of their section.

"Yes, I do and let’s hurry." Jordan answered with urgency as her passion mounted for Bly. She wanted to make love to her like never before and wished they were already in the bed doing just that.

***

The two women hurried to the train station and Bly wished she could have gotten a taxi instead as she looked down the empty track in annoyance. Jordan looked up at her lover, knowing that she wanted nothing more than to touch and feel her pressed against her. She quickly looked around and saw that they were alone and launched herself at her lover. Bly staggered against the unexpected onslaught, but quickly gained her balance as Jordan's lips sought out her own. The kiss turned passionate and Jordan could feel her knees weakening.

"I wish that train would hurry." Jordan whispered between kisses and moved to nip at Bly's neck. Bly moved them backwards toward a bench and sat down, pulling Jordan onto her lap. Jordan moved to straddle Bly's hips and leaned in for a deep kiss. She could feel the heat pulsing within her body and wanted Bly like she had never wanted anyone before. Breathless, Bly moved her lips to mark a trail down Jordan's neck to the opening of her shirt and quickly unbuttoned the top three buttons. She moved her lips down the edge of the creamy breasts before pulling down her bra and capturing an already aroused nipple. Bly used both her hands to hold down Jordan's bra as she alternated between the two pink orbs.

"Oh God Bly! I can't take anymore. I need…" Jordan's voice became distant as the roar of the oncoming train blurred the rest of her plea.

"Damn!" Bly swore.

***

Bly and Jordan scrambled off the bench, tugging everything into place as the rush of wind and noise of the incoming train assaulted them. It also effectively cut-off the colorful phrases streaming from Bly's mouth. Jordan smiled at her lover's ire as Bly pulled her toward the train. Bly walked through the scarcely occupied car and chose a seat farthest away from the other two commuters, facing in the opposite direction. The passengers consisted of a teenager with a Walkman in his ears, playing so loud that Bly could make out the words of the song, and an elderly woman, who just smiled at the young man, deaf to the noise. Bly grinned and pulled Jordan down next to her as the train pulled out of the station.

"What's changed your tune?" Jordan asked curiously. Bly definitely looked like she was up to something. Bly leaned over and put her arm around Jordan. She pulled the woman close and planted a long, passionate kiss on her lips. "Oh boy!" Jordan blushed and looked over her shoulder at the other occupants, but they were oblivious to the two women. Turning back to Bly she looked at her quizzically. Bly chuckled in reply and dipped her arm lower down Jordan's neck, lightly brushing her hand across Jordan's breast.

Jordan sucked in a deep breath as Bly whispered in her ear, "You shouldn't start something, that you can't finish." Taking the cue from Jordan's reaction, Bly began her assault of Jordan's ear, nipping and licking the outer edge until both their chests were rising and falling unevenly. Jordan rested her hand high on Bly's thigh; her fingertips were touching the metal zipper of the woman's jeans. Jordan turned to capture Bly's lips and deepened the kiss as the train slowed to enter the next station.

The women broke their kiss when the doors slid open and Bly looked out the window hoping no one else would enter their car. A middle-aged man approached the car and took one look at the expression on Bly's face, and continued on to the next car. Bly smiled as the train pulled out of the station and turned to continue her assault of Jordan's neck, biting it lightly. "Now, where were we?"

"Bly, we shouldn't be doing this here!" Jordan protested half-heartedly as Bly continued her ministrations on the tender flesh of her neck.

"Oh, but I want to!" Bly replied and put Jordan's hand back on her thigh, this time closer to the zipper's handle. Jordan shivered from Bly’s request and proceeded to finger the handle tentatively.

"Yes Jordan, I want you to feel how wet I am for you." Bly seductively whispered in her ear. The voice was a blend of desire and plea, and Jordan was helpless to stop herself. Slowly, she pulled the zipper down as Bly rubbed Jordan's already hardening nipple with the palm of her hand. Jordan quivered in response to Bly’s touch and slipped her hand inside the opening, tickling the fabric of Bly's underwear. Bly quickly adjusted her position allowing Jordan to move her hand further down. Jordan found the top of Bly's bikini briefs and slipped her hand inside. "Yes, Jordan." Bly whispered approvingly. Frustrated at the angle, Jordan moved her other hand to quickly unsnap the top of the jeans and ran her hand flatly down Bly's lower abdomen until she touched soft, wet curls, and groaned.

"Oh Baby, yes! I need to feel you touching me." Bly whispered huskily, her voice deep with desire. Jordan's fingers reached the part of the wet lips and lightly ran down the center of them, and gently slipped inside the slick walls. Bly bit down on Jordan's neck and moaned at the contact below. Both women were so absorbed in their act; they hadn't noticed the train stopping at the next station.

"Hey, Bly, Jordan! I thought it was you!" A southern voice called out from below, causing Bly to unconsciously squeeze her knees together in response, effectively trapping Jordan's hand.

"What the...?" Bly whispered frustrated and quickly removed her hand from Jordan's breast. Jordan looked up to see two familiar women approaching from behind and tugged on her hand. She tried nudging Bly, but she was watching the women approach in total disbelief. Jordan quickly threw her sweatshirt over Bly's lap in an attempt to cover her hand as the women slid into the seats across from them.

"Remember us? Susan and Lynn, from down in Key West?" The blonde asked excitedly. "I can't believe we ran into you two way up here!"

"Yes, how weird. What are you two doing in Boston?" Jordan replied as casually as possible, still flustered. Bly continued to silently stare without comments. She could only think of slow and painful ways to torture these two women who had nothing better to do than constantly interrupt them. Jordan sharply tugged on a moist hair to get a response out of the tall woman. Bly jumped at the pain and looked over at Jordan realizing their situation. Bly slowly released the tension on her knees to allow Jordan to slip her hand out. Jordan grinned mischievously and kept her fingers right where they were, lightly drawing circles on the sensitive flesh beneath them. Bly closed her eyes trying to focus her mind on something other than the sensations it evoked. ‘Okay, Okay, yeah placing jumper cables on their nipples is a great method of torture.’ Bly mischievously thought, breathing heavily in an attempt to calm her arousal.

"Are you all right?" The Susan asked when she looked at Bly's flushed face.

"Sure." Bly squeaked out before clearing her throat. "Been a long day, I guess." Bly smiled half-heartedly and wanted to reach down to stop Jordan's hand from roaming. When Bly turned to look at Jordan pleadingly, Jordan winked back in response and dipped a finger past the wet folds. Bly gasped and quickly placed her hands on the sweatshirt in her lap, nervously smiling in response to the women who stared at her. She tightly squeezed Jordan's hand to stop it from moving any deeper, but she could not stop the swirling finger.

"Just you wait!" Bly threatened under her breath, causing a low chuckle to erupt from Jordan. Bly turned to divert her attention to the inane conversation from the couple across from them.

Jordan half-listened and nodded occasionally to the women as they described their tour of Boston. Out of the corner of her eye, she continued to watch the effect she was having on Bly. ‘Oh, I'm going to pay for this later, but right now...’ Her mischievous thoughts trailed off as her grin broadened.

***

As the train finally pulled into their station, Bly could hardly take anymore of Jordan's questing finger and took a sharp intake of breath as Jordan dipped it deeper. Jordan kept a smile on her face as she nodded at the conversation and slowly pulled her hand free and out from under the sweatshirt. She looked up at Bly winking and conspicuously slid her index finger into her mouth, seductively sucking on it. Bly felt a sudden rush of warmth between her legs as she shuddered groaning. She had never expected such boldness out of Jordan and that alone was making it hard for her to maintain control. ‘Damn, that woman lights my fire.’ She exclaimed inwardly, breathing deeply from the affect Jordan was having on her. She desperately wanted to ravage the blonde. Her frustration of not being able to was reaching its breaking point and she had to get rid of those two idiots before she snapped!

Jordan rose as the train stopped and stepped between Bly and the two women. She paused and motioned for Lynn and Susan to precede them off the train as Bly stood struggling to hold the sweatshirt in front of her and button her pants. Jordan whispered over her shoulder, "Don't bother, we're not finished,” before moving to get off the train. Bly tugged her zipper up and followed with a sly grin.

"Listen ladies, we'll catch you some other time okay?" Bly suggested more than questioned as she hurried Jordan towards the stairs to exit the train station. It was time to make a break for it.

"Well, what are y'all doin now?" Susan asked, picking up her pace to keep up with Bly and Jordan.

"Oh, sorry we've made other plans." Jordan answered as Bly continued to pull her up the stairs and glanced back at her to end the conversation and get moving.

"Where are y'all stayin' cause we can call ya there?" They asked, bobbing their heads over the crowd to keep sight of the elusive women.

"We are staying at the Westin hotel, room 69!" Bly yelled back as Jordan looked at her and chuckled at the room number Bly chose. Bly saw her opportunity to get away from the women when a large crowd of commuters approached and she maneuvered Jordan through them to lose the annoying women.

"Okay, we'll call ya there then! Bye!" They yelled and frantically waved as the crowd held them back.

"Yeah, whatever!" Bly sarcastically replied as Jordan laughed.

"Bly Van Dewark! You are so bad!" Jordan exclaimed laughing as they exited the station to a brisk New England breeze.

"That's what you love about me babe, remember?" Bly asked smiling, as she glanced down both sides of Boylston Street to make sure it was clear of traffic to cross.

Bly pulled Jordan across the street as they ran into the entrance to the Copley Square Hotel and anxiously made their way towards the escalator. "Bly you're killing me with all this running!" Jordan exclaimed, out of breath.

"Yeah...well, you were killing me on the train, so we're even!" Bly drawled breathless, jumping on the crowded escalator and looked back at Jordan wishing the damn thing would move faster. She was hot for Jordan and wanted her right then and there, but knew the other people wouldn't appreciate that.

Jordan moved closer to Bly. She took Bly's hand and placed it on her breast for her to feel her hardened nipple. Jordan mouthed, "I want you now!" and Bly's body temperature rose. Bly turned around and pulled Jordan up the escalator stairs.

"Aah excuse us! Sorry...oh, sorry ma'am. Excuse us, sick woman coming through!" Bly anxiously announced as she worked herself and Jordan up the stairs through the crowd to get to their room quicker.

"I'm very sorry." Jordan apologized to the people they bumped into as they jumped off the escalator and headed towards the elevators at a brisk pace.

Bly took off her jacket and slipped her pullover shirt off as they approached the penthouse elevator. She fumbled nervously to get the key in quickly to open the elevator and dropped the key. "Shit!" She exclaimed frustrated and bent over to pick up the key as Jordan slid her hand between Bly's legs. Bly jumped startled from the goose Jordan gave her. "Just wait, Jordan. Just you wait!" She promised, chuckling and flustered by what Jordan had done to her.

"I am, because you can't get the damn key in there!" Jordan laughed as Bly finally opened the elevator and they hurriedly stepped in.

Jordan had already removed her jacket and unzipped her jeans as Bly wrapped her up in her arms and passionately kissed her. Jordan's tongue consumed Bly's mouth as did her hands as she slammed Bly against the wall of the elevator.

"Oh, baby! Get rough with me! It turns me on!" Bly exclaimed excited by her lover's enthusiasm as Jordan forced her tongue back inside of Bly's mouth for a deep, passionate kiss.

Bly untucked Jordan's shirt and began to pull it up over her head as Jordan slipped her hands under Bly's shirt to caress two hardened nipples. "Jordan I love it when you touch me!" Bly moaned, breathless as Jordan sank her teeth into Bly's neck. "Oh, yes!" Bly yelled in ecstasy. It was an incredible turn on when Jordan would bite her neck.

Bly quickly undressed Jordan as she struggled to do the same to Bly. Their wanton desire for each other was unbridled and they couldn’t remove the clothing fast enough. Soon, Jordan’s naked body was pressed against Bly’s as their passionate kiss deepened. The elevator stopped at their penthouse suite and Bly pushed the lock button so the elevator would stay in place. Jordan unbuttoned and unzipped Bly's jeans as Bly struggled to kick her shoes off. Bly stood sweating from her desire and passion for Jordan as she watched her lover strip her jeans and underwear off of her. Jordan ran a trail of soft kisses up Bly’s abdomen to her breasts, stopping to capture the erect nipple in her mouth and began to gently suck the sensitive area. Bly ran her fingers through Jordan's blonde hair and pressed her head closer to her breast, which heightened her desire for Jordan. "Baby…I need for you to touch me." Bly moaned desperately.

"Not yet." Jordan seductively whispered, teasingly moving her mouth to the other breast. Jordan circled her tongue around the hardened nipple as Bly's breathing became more labored.

"Oh, Jordan, you are freaking driving me nuts!" Bly yelled out in obvious delight when Jordan slowly ran her tongue down between Bly's breasts to her navel and circled the outline. Bly put her hands behind Jordan's head to guide her down farther. Jordan did not oblige and instead looked up with her green eyes to meet blues.

"Not so fast!" Jordan’s sultry order resonated through Bly’s ears as she traced Bly’s navel with her tongue before dipping inside for a delicate kiss.

"Jordan, please? I can't take much more. Touch me!" Bly pleaded with her lover.

Jordan sensually licked Bly's clit up, sucking the area in her mouth and slowly slid two fingers deep inside of Bly causing her lover to cry out in pleasure. Jordan decided she had teased her lover long enough, not to mention she wanted to taste Bly so badly that she couldn't stay away any longer if she tried. Jordan lightly ran her tongue down Bly's abdomen to her dark, moist curls and knelt before her. Bly spread her legs for her lover as Jordan parted her folds and lightly stroked her tongue along Bly's swollen nub. Bly's legs became weak when Jordan's tongue touched her clit. Jordan grabbed Bly’s legs to steady her lover as she pressed her tongue against the sensitive area.

"Yes, Jordan. That feels so incredible!" Bly moaned and rocked her hips to meet Jordan's strokes. "Oh, baby! You feel so damn good!" Bly moaned breathless, closing her eyes. She leaned her head back against the wall to fully enjoy what Jordan was doing to her.

"You smell and taste so good Bly." Jordan whispered through her strokes. She loved to feel how Bly tightly wrapped around her fingers and it sent a wave of hot passion straight to her own center. Jordan took a deep breath to calm her so she could concentrate on pleasing her lover.

"Jordan, I can't hold it any longer honey. I'm going to come!" Bly professed loudly, thrusting her pelvis forward and backward in rhythm with Jordan's movements. Bly gasped for air as she felt her climax reaching its peak. She couldn’t hold it any longer as Jordan sucked her clit inside her mouth and thrust her fingers in and out of Bly.

"Give it to me, baby!" Jordan demanded as she pressed her tongue against Bly's swollen nub. "Bly, you taste so good." Jordan moaned through her ministrations.

"Oh, yes! Honey, this is for you!" Bly shouted and released her orgasm for Jordan’s enjoyment. Bly gasped for her breath and her body shuddered when Jordan thrust her tongue inside of her to take what Bly offered. Bly held Jordan's head where she wanted it as Jordan continued to move her tongue in and out of Bly eliciting another orgasm.

"Oh, Jordan! You are such a wonderful lover!" Bly shouted out as Jordan wrapped her arms around her lover's waist, thoroughly enjoying the orgasm Bly gave her. When Jordan was sure Bly was finished she moved her kiss up her lover's sweaty body and slid her tongue inside of Bly's eagerly awaiting mouth. Bly wrapped her arms around her blonde lover and deepened the kiss, enjoying the taste of herself on Jordan's mouth. Bly broke the kiss and looked down into beautiful, love filled green eyes. She smiled and pushed Jordan's sweaty long blonde hair off her forehead. She leaned in for a soul-searing kiss. "I love you so much, Jordan." Bly declared through the kiss as Jordan held her tighter and deepened the kiss. "You are such a fabulous lover, Jordan." Bly sincerely whispered, lovingly locking blues with greens after breaking the hug.

"So are you Bly. Now, make love to me." Jordan eagerly demanded, looking up at her tall, dark lover with wanton green eyes.

Bly traced her tongue along Jordan's lips and slipped inside past her parted lips for a deep, moist kiss. Bly pushed Jordan's jeans off her hips to the floor and raised Jordan up in strong arms. Jordan kicked off her jeans as Bly deepened the kiss and slowly moved her hands down Jordan's back to her firm backside. Bly lifted Jordan up and guided her legs over her hips as Jordan quickly wrapped them around her waist.

Bly could feel Jordan's damp curls against her abdomen, which heightened her arousal and desire for her younger lover. Bly held Jordan in her arms, continuing their kiss and carried her out of the elevator into the hotel room. Jordan began to slip out of Bly's grasp as she punched the lock button on the elevator, leaving their discarded clothing there. She struggled to hold Jordan and lost her balance causing them to fall to the ground laughing.

"Honey, you are so romantic!" Jordan teasingly laughed, looking at her blue-eyed lover laying on her.

"I couldn't help it. You're so sweaty babe!" Bly laughed embarrassed. "Besides, we need to have some fun in our life, right?" Bly asked, smiling. She kissed Jordan and moved her hand down to lightly pinch the perky nipple.

"Oh, I love it when you do that." Jordan gasped through her kiss as Bly's hand slowly traveled down to Jordan's sex. Bly nibbled on the smooth skin of her lover’s neck and parted Jordan’s folds. Jordan’s heart raced excitedly when she felt Bly press her thumb against her clit. Jordan gasped when she felt her lover’s finger enter her. "Oh, Bly. That feels so good." Jordan moaned, her hips moving in synch with Bly's fingers. Jordan cupped Bly's breast in her hand as her lover intensified her pace, moving in and out of her faster. Bly moved her kiss down to Jordan's breast, gently sucking her nipple into her mouth as her fingers penetrated deeper with each stroke. Jordan threw her head back and bucked her hips wildly when her lover fulfilled her every desire.

"Yes, baby! That feels so good, deeper Bly." Jordan demanded, her breathing erratic and labored as Bly slid another finger inside her. Bly loved how Jordan felt around her fingers and it peaked her arousal. Jordan was driving Bly nuts with her demands and began to stroke her sex against Jordan's muscular leg to satisfy her own burning desire. She moved her kiss to Jordan's mouth as her fingers moved in and out of Jordan deeper as requested. Jordan put her hand on Bly's backside to guide her as she rocked up and down against Jordan's leg.

"Oh, honey. You are so wet! Come with me, Bly." Jordan whispered through her kiss, sending Bly to the brink of her climax. "Yes, Bly! Oh, yes baby! I'm coming!" Jordan screamed, pressing her sex up against Bly who simultaneously released her orgasm. Bly waited for Jordan's body to stop shuddering before moving down to take what belonged to her-Jordan's offering of love. She slipped her tongue inside of Jordan and sucked everything she had to offer as her green-eyed lover moaned in delight with each wave of orgasms. Bly gladly accepted Jordan's sweet nectar that she so freely offered until she could give no more.

Bly slid up and lay on Jordan. Spent from their passion, they held each other tightly. "I love you, Bly." Jordan adoringly whispered and ran her fingers through Bly’s raven-hair.

"I'm glad you do, Jordan." Bly whispered, lightly kissing her on the neck. "Because I love you so much. You are so incredible and you make me feel so wonderful." Bly excitedly exclaimed, sitting up to gaze upon her beautiful lover.

Jordan blushed. "You do the same to me, baby." Jordan affectionately smiled and pulled Bly down for a soul-searing kiss.

Bly broke the kiss. "Do you want to stay here or do you want to get into bed?” Bly asked with a smile and a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"Hmmm, Bed!" Jordan answered laughing, as Bly got up and held her hand out. Jordan accepted the offered hand and stood up. She began to walk towards the bed, but was pulled back into Bly's arms, which quickly engulfed her in a warm embrace.

"You are so beautiful, Jordan." Bly whispered in her ear, her tongue circling the contours of her lobe, sending a wave of warmth and igniting a fire throughout Jordan.

She put her hands on Bly's arms and squeezed them tighter around her reveling in the love she felt. "We need to hurry and get to the bed before we have to find another spot on the floor to christen, babe, because I desperately want you so, Bly." Jordan answered, her voice thick with desire.

"Hmmm, My little vixen! Let's get you to the bed then." Bly chuckled, moving Jordan towards the bed, never letting her out of her arms until they climbed in together. Bly and Jordan made mad passionate love to one another for over two hours and fell asleep, spent from their desires. Bly woke before Jordan who lay asleep on her chest. Bly smiled as she thought about how much she loved holding Jordan in her arms and how much she loved to feel the blonde’s heartbeat close to her own. She kissed Jordan on the head waking the sleepy blonde who looked up at her.

"Hey, sexy!" Jordan responded groggily.

"I'm hungry." Bly informed Jordan with a playful smile.

"For me? Haven't you had enough?” Jordan teased her dark haired lover.

"I can never get enough of you, but I was talking about being hungry for an apple crisp." Bly explained with a smile as she pretended to lick her chops at the thought of the tasty dessert.

"Hmmm, sounds good but what is it?” Jordan asked, her interest piqued, which wasn't hard to do when it came to food.

"Oh, it's delicious. The best way to describe it is an apple cobbler type of dessert served hot with vanilla ice cream on top." Bly explained smiling, fondly remembering how delicious the dessert tasted.

"You’ve sold me on it." Jordan informed her lover. She quickly jumped out of bed and scrambled for her clothes.

Bly laughed as she watched her lover hurry and get dressed. Jordan threw Bly's clothes at her on the bed. "I guess you're a little eager for the apple crisp, huh?" She grinned and began to dress.

"Oh, yeah! Now, how far do we have to go to get it?” Jordan asked, putting her shoes on.

"About a five minute walk to the Prudential Tower where the Ground Round is located." Bly answered, slipping her bra and shirt on.

"Come on babe, let's get going." Jordan anxiously coaxed, trying to hurry her lover.

"What are you in such a hurry for?" Bly asked, pulling her black silk underwear on.

"So, I can get some nourishment in my system to make love to you for the rest of the night." Jordan answered with a mischievous smile and saw Bly's eyes widen with excitement.

"Well, why didn't you tell me that before? I would have already been dressed!" Bly excitedly exclaimed, jumping out of bed and into her jeans, then into her boots. "Okay sweets, let's get moving!" Bly enthusiastically replied, wrapping her arm around Jordan as they moved into the elevator. Bly leaned Jordan up against the wall and pressed her body against Jordan's, locking blue with green. "You excite me beyond belief, Jordan." Bly sensually whispered, slowly leaning in for a meaningful kiss, which lasted until the elevator slowed to a stop.

Jordan broke their kiss breathless as Bly backed away from her waiting for the door to open. Jordan pushed her hair back and looked at Bly with a smile. "Do I have the ‘I just made love’ look?" She queried, brushing her hair back into place with her hands.

Bly began to laugh as she looked at her lover. "Yeah, but who gives a damn?"

"That's right! Who does give a damn if I look like hell, because it was freaking wonderful!" Jordan exuberantly laughed as they exited the elevator and headed out of their hotel for the Ground Round restaurant.

***

The pair took a back booth and Bly ordered the tasty apple crisp dessert for the two of them to share. The restaurant was not busy so they had their privacy and were able to feed each other without other's gawking at them. Bly noticed Jordan had a little bit of ice cream on the corner of her mouth and licked it off, followed by a soft kiss. "Hmmm, I love this, Bly. I have had such a great time with you this weekend. I'm really glad I came here." Jordan happily smiled as she fed Bly the last bite of the dessert.

"I'm glad you could make it because I missed you so much." Bly professed, swallowing the last of the apple crisp. She licked her lips and savored the last bite of apple crisp. She wanted to store the taste to memory knowing that Florida didn't have a Ground Round and she'll be without an apple crisp until she could get back to Boston.

"Let's go back and make love for the rest of the night." Jordan suggested and nibbled on Bly’s ear lobe.

"Check please!" By teased, throwing money down and grabbed Jordan's hand. She quickly led her out of the restaurant and back to their hotel. Bly stood behind Jordan in the elevator and wrapped her arms around her blonde lover and placed soft kisses along her soft neck.

Jordan leaned her head back against Bly's chest and loved feeling close to her. "This feels so good Bly. I love it when your arms are wrapped tightly around me." Jordan stated softly, content in the arms that lovingly held her. Jordan shivered and smiled as she felt Bly alternating her kiss to soft bites along her neck.

"I love to feel you in my arms, to taste your sweet skin and to smell your lovely scent, Jordan. I wouldn't want it any other way." Bly seductively whispered and delicately kissed her cheek.

Jordan smiled and rubbed her hands up and down Bly's thighs as the elevator door opened to their suite. "I really liked that apple crisp Bly. We'll have to find a place in Florida that has it that good." Jordan confirmed, satisfied by the dessert, holding Bly's hand as she was led into the spacious suite.

"It’s going to be tough to do that because I've tried just about all the restaurants around our area and none are quite as good." Bly answered disappointed, removing her jacket and the rest of her clothes, as did Jordan.

Jordan and Bly climbed into bed and Jordan laid her naked body on top of Bly's who wrapped her arms tightly around her lover. "Hey, what time is our flight?" Jordan asked, remembering it was the early hours of Sunday and time to go back home.

"Oh, jeez! I totally forgot it was Sunday. I was having so much fun, I lost track of time and I’ve been thinking it’s still Saturday. I have bad news babe." Bly answered regretfully at what she had to tell Jordan.

"What?" Jordan asked worriedly as she hated bad news.

"I have to stay until Monday to check on one of our centers here. They have been having a problem with the director and I have to go fire him so I won't be home until Monday night. I'm sorry." Bly answered with a sad look on her face for having to be away from Jordan for another night.

"I'll forgive you one day." Jordan teased, laying her head down to hear the soft beat of Bly's heart. The steady beat of Bly’s heart and the comfort she felt within her arms quickly relaxed her. Morpheus quickly took them both into their dreams as their hearts beat close to one another's.

Jordan awoke early and laid watching Bly sleep and looked over at the clock sadly. Leaning over, she kissed Bly's forehead and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Honey, I think we need to get up now. I've got to catch my plane soon."

Bly's body shifted to pull Jordan down on top of her and held her tightly, mumbling, "No, not yet."

Jordan softly kissed Bly on the lips and left them there as she spoke. "I'm afraid so." She continued, lightly pecking Bly's lips. She didn't want to lose this contact right now. She wished she could stay in Bly's arms forever. Bly sighed and opened her eyes to look up at Jordan.

"I'm really going to miss you." She frowned and stared into Jordan’s sad greens.

"Me too, so make sure you get your ass on that plane tomorrow night." Jordan chuckled, kissing the woman deeply.

"You can count on that. I'll be home before you even realize I'm gone." Bly replied smiling, as Jordan placed feather-light kisses across her face.

"Oh trust me, I'll know you are gone as soon as I leave your arms!" Jordan added sadly.

"Well then, we will just have to make sure you don't leave them until the very last moment!" Bly answered and returned Jordan's kisses. After a few moments, Bly broke off and asked, "Want to take a shower?"

"Are you insinuating that I need one?" Jordan teasingly asked.

"No, I just want to wash your body all over!" Bly answered grinning.

"Well then, we can’t keep you waiting any longer!"

***

After their extended shower, the thoroughly cleansed women were dressed and heading out to get something to eat before taking Jordan to the airport. Hand in hand, they walked out of the elevator and headed to the escalator. Jordan was beginning to feel down at the prospect of having to say good-bye to Bly again. Getting on the escalator, they passed a woman who looked at them with disdain and Jordan looked back, and tightened her hold on Bly's hand in defiance, angrily telling the woman. "Bite me!"

 Bly looked from the startled woman to Jordan glaring at her, and burst out laughing. "Easy honey. She's not worth it."

Jordan smiled looking up at Bly before giggling about the whole situation. "Yeah, you are so right." She agreed, leaning up to place a kiss on Bly's lips and smiled down at the woman at the bottom of the escalator. After eating, they slowly made their way to the airport and waited at the gate while they boarded Jordan's flight. "I hate this!" Jordan exclaimed disappointed.

"I do too, but I'll be back tomorrow night. You're going to pick me up right?" Bly asked, lovingly rubbing Jordan's cheek to calm her down.

"Like I would be anywhere else! I'll probably be at the airport two hours before your flight just to make sure!" Jordan snickered and inhaled deeply to calm her racing heart. She desperately didn’t want to leave Bly. Bly's chuckle was cut off as they began final boarding for Jordan's flight. Jordan pulled Bly over to her and hugged her tightly. "Be careful."

"You too!" Bly smiled and leaned down to pick up Jordan's bag. She walked her to the beginning of the walkway and held out Jordan's bag to her. Jordan reached over and placed her hand on top of Bly's and just held it there for a few moments looking deeply into her eyes. Bly nodded at the silent request and winked releasing the bag into Jordan's hand. "Until tomorrow. I love you." Bly whispered.

Jordan winked replying, "Me too!" and turned to board the aircraft. She fought the tears that threatened to break her resolve as she mad her way onto the plane. She felt a catch in her heart that Bly wasn’t with her. She couldn’t stand to be away from her for any amount of time.

***

Jordan arrived back in Florida and as she exited the plane she watched her fellow passengers being greeted by family and loved ones. She felt a pang of loneliness that Bly wasn’t there with her. She had been alone, one way or another, for most of her life until she had met Bly. Now, every waking moment was filled with thoughts of her raven-haired lover. She smiled at these thoughts, instantly banishing the dark cloud that loomed over her as she walked through the terminal to get her luggage. Jordan rifled through her carry on bag to find her wallet to pay the parking attendant as she approached the booth and pulled out a wrapped package.

"What's this?” She asked out loud and the parking attendant looked at her curiously. She tore open the end of the package and saw the book. "Oh my God!" Jordan cried out as she continued to remove the paper more carefully. She knew it was the book she had seen in the bookstore; Bly had secretly bought it for her. Jordan felt the tears welling up in her eyes and turned to the parking attendant as he spoke.

"That will be $40.00 ma'am. Are you alright?"

"Yes, she bought me this." Jordan blurted out in her excitement and absently brushed an errant wisp of hair that tickled her face.

"Ma'am?" The attendant wasn't sure what she meant and looked at her, puzzled.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Jordan replied and quickly looked for her wallet, handing him two twenties. "It was a unexpected present from a friend." Jordan explained, and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Guess, it hit me funny." She added, trying to explain.

"Well, it sounds like you have a very nice friend. Looks like an old book." The attendant replied, smiling.

"Yes, she is." Jordan grinned, knowingly. "Thanks, have a nice evening."

"You too, ma'am."

***

Jordan pulled away from the booth and headed home. Her eyes occasionally strayed to the book on the seat beside her. Halfway home, the phone rang and Jordan knew instantly who it was. "Hello sexy!" She exuberantly exclaimed.

"Well, that's better!" Jordan froze at the maniacal voice on the other end.

"How did you get this number?" Jordan nervously asked, looking in her rearview mirror to make sure she wasn’t being followed.

"I have my ways. So, did you and Bly have a good time in Boston?" Cindy asked sarcastically.

"That's none of your business Cindy! I really have no desire to talk to you. Don’t call here again!” Jordan demanded coldly.

"Getting a little high and mighty aren't you. You think just because you've found yourself a rich honey, that you can treat me like shit and we're finished?" Cindy asked angrily.

"Cindy, I don't know what your problem is, but there was never any ‘US’! I trusted you once and you hurt me, but that is all there ever was between us."

"No, you've got that wrong and you'll find that out soon enough!" Cindy responded. Her voice was cold and impersonal.

Jordan felt a slight shiver and asked, " Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Because darling, you belong to me." Cindy deviously laughed and hung up. Jordan replaced the receiver and gripped the steering wheel tightly. She turned off the interstate as the phone rang again. She let it ring a couple of times; debating if she should pick it up. "Hello!" She tersely answered.

"Well, hello to you too!" Bly's father's voice rang out with uncertainty.

"Oh, Mr. Van Dewark, I'm sorry I thought you were someone else." Jordan stammered embarrassed.

"Not Bly I hope?"

"Oh no, never Bly." Jordan rushed to respond.

"Good, because I think you two belong together. I've never seen Bly so happy." He replied, his voice lifting along with his spirits.

"That makes two of us. She means an awful lot to me." Jordan wholeheartedly answered.

"I think Bly would say the same of you. You are a welcome addition to our family Jordan."

"Why, thank you. I think you all are very special people and I have come to like you a great deal." Jordan was pleasantly surprised at his confession.

"Is everything alright? I take it that Bly didn't come home with you"" He asked.

"Yes, everything is fine and no, Bly had to stay one more day to check on a clinic." Jordan explained. "She will be home tomorrow night."

"Okay, well have her give me a call when she gets home. You take care of yourself and if you need anything give me a call."

"Thank you. I'll have Bly call you as soon as she gets back." Jordan rang off and replaced the phone in its cradle feeling slightly better after the second call. She hesitated calling Bly at the hotel, but decided to wait until she got home.

***

After Bly got back from the airport, she immersed herself with work in preparation for tomorrow's unpleasant task. She never liked firing anyone, but this individual should have been let go along time ago. He was incompetent and a walking liability. She had also heard rumors of possible insurance fraud and wanted to see first hand how things were going. So far the documentation she had seen hadn't been in his favor. Glancing at the clock, she realized that she had an hour before Jordan would be home and she could call her. Something troubled Bly, but she couldn't figure out what. Shrugging, she went back to her files and completely lost track of time in the work before her. Running a hand through her ruffled hair, she sighed, "What a mess! Instead of firing this guy, I just might kill him.” She exclaimed, chuckling.

***

Jordan let herself into the apartment and was puzzled that something wasn't right with the deadbolt, almost as if it hadn't been locked. Shaking it off, she pushed open the door and leaned down to pick up her suitcase as her eyes scanned the living room. Jordan stopped cold and dropped her suitcase in the doorway looking over what had once been her neat and tidy apartment. Her plants lay in a heap of dirt in the middle of the living room floor, her couch was tipped back and the cushions scattered everywhere. Her books had been dumped from their shelves and thrown across the room. There wasn't a room left untouched. She slowly walked through the disaster area that was once her home. Closing her eyes as a tear slipped down her cheek, she knew who had been responsible for this. She had just as much told her so on the telephone earlier. Jordan moved to search for the telephone. When she found it, she plugged it back in and gratefully listened to a dial tone.

She hesitated on calling Bly to tell her what was happening, but decided that there wasn't anything she could do but worry, and Jordan didn't want that. "Tomorrow is soon enough." She said out loud. Jordan dragged her suitcase in and locked the door before picking up the telephone to dial the police department. An officer arrived within an hour and took her statement. She told her about the phone call earlier and the problems she had been having with Cindy. Although she was sympathetic, there wasn't much she could do without proof except file her report in case anything else happened. Jordan thanked her and locked up. She called the rental office and left a message about the break-in and that she would need her locks changed in the morning.

Tired and lonely, Jordan went to the bedroom to clean it up so she could just go to bed and sleep the rest of the night away. She hoped that in the morning things wouldn't look so bad, but she had her doubts. She had succeeded in putting the bed back together when the telephone rang. She looked at it for a moment before taking a deep breath and picking up the receiver. She didn't say anything but held it to her ear listening. "Hello, Jordan are you there?" Bly's voice called out.

"Oh Bly!" Jordan cried, relieved to hear the one voice she needed.

"What's wrong Jordan?" Bly asked, standing up. The papers on her lap fell to the floor. Instantly, she knew something was wrong by the tone of Jordan’s voice.

"Cindy broke into my apartment and trashed the place!" Jordan blurted out as fresh tears began to fall.

"Are you sure it was her?" Bly asked, pacing across the files and papers that littered the floor, her heart racing at the thought that Cindy was in Jordan’s apartment.

"She called on your car phone."

"She what?" Bly shouted angrily.

Jordan closed her eyes suddenly very tired and replied. "On my way home from the airport, she called and said that I would soon learn that I belonged to her."

"That bitch! I'll kill her!" Bly ranted kicking a file, sending papers and notes in every direction.

"Bly, please don't do anything." Jordan pleaded, her voice quiet and low causing Bly to stop her tirade.

"Okay Jordan. Don't worry, everything will be alright. I'll get the next flight out and be home as soon as I can." Bly replied, trying to calm herself. She needed to stay focused and keep Jordan calm right now. Her anger with Cindy would have to wait; she would take care of the woman later. She wanted to remain focused on her lover's needs.

"No, you have to stay it's your job. I'm fine, just tired." Jordan insisted. She wanted Bly there more than anything, but knew she had work to take care of the next day.

"But I want to be there with you." Bly answered regretful that she wasn't there with Jordan.

"You will be, tomorrow. There isn't anything either one of us can do right now anyway." Jordan replied rubbing her temple at the developing headache.

"Jordan?"

"Yes?"

"You sound tired, why don't you get into bed and I'll stay on the phone until you start to fall asleep." Bly sweetly offered.

"Sounds good. Are you going to read me a bedtime story?" Jordan joked, feeling immensely better just talking to Bly.

"Sure, I'd love to. Can I tell you the one about the sexy blonde in my bed last night?" Bly chuckled.

"Oh yeah, is that the one with the tall, dark and gorgeous woman? It's my favorite." Jordan striped down to her underwear and climbed into bed. "I wish you were here, this bed seems so empty."

"I wish I were there too." Bly sadly answered. "Now close your eyes and picture me holding you in my arms."

"Umm, feels so nice." Jordan murmured allowing her imagination to flash back to the night before. Bly smiled knowing exactly what Jordan was thinking. "Well, are you going to tell me a story or not."

"Okay, there once was this gorgeous blonde and..." Jordan interrupted Bly numerous times for clarification on her story and Bly patiently answered each question until she heard Jordan's voice start to drift off.

"Okay honey, I think it's time you went to sleep." Bly said softly. Her voice was a velvety whisper in Jordan's ear.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then?" Jordan asked yawning.

"I'll be there before you know it."

"Night, I love you." Jordan replied sleepily.

"Jordan?"

"Yes?"

"If you're going to belong to anyone, it's going to be me." Bly’s silky voice whispered.

"You betcha!" Jordan eagerly agreed and kissed the receiver.

Bly felt a tingle run through her body and she whispered, "Sweet dreams love," before hanging up the phone. Later that night both women lay in their beds, rolling over; they instinctively hugged the pillows next to them in quiet substitution. Bly drifted off with bright green on her mind as Jordan's heart danced to a deep blue.

***

Jordan paced in front of the gate, looking up at the monitor every couple of minutes. Patience was not one of her strong suits today. The day had dragged by as she waited for the appointed time to pick up Bly. True to her prediction, she had been almost two hours early to the airport. The plane finally arrived and Bly was the second one out the door and hurried over to Jordan nearly knocking the elderly woman in front of her to the floor in her quest to greet Jordan. Jordan threw herself into Bly's arms and just held her tightly breathing in her scent that was Bly's alone. The comforting arms and familiar scent calmed Jordan's racing heart like nothing else ever would. Jordan hugged her tightly as Bly warmly wrapped her arms around her lover. "I've missed you." She whispered, relieved that she was safe and secure once again.

"Me too!" Bly agreed. "You Okay? Anything else happen?" Bly asked worried.

"No, everything is just fine now." Jordan smiled as she looked at her tall lover.

"Good!" Bly answered relieved, gazing into her favorite shade of green.

They walked hand in hand to retrieve Bly's luggage and Jordan remembered, "Oh, I forgot to tell you last night. Your father wants you to call him as soon as you got back into town."

"No problem, I'll call him from the car."

***

Bly made plans to meet her father at the hospital the next day for lunch and hung up as she pulled into the front of her condo. Tossing the attendant her keys, she grabbed her bag and Jordan's hand and walked into the building. As the elevator ascended to the penthouse, Bly pulled Jordan into her arms and held her. Jordan pressed her face into Bly's neck and sighed in contentment.

"Hungry?"

"Only for this!" Came the muffled reply from Jordan as tears welled in her eyes.

"Well, you can have as much as you like, seconds, thirds, fourths, you name it. But, I meant food." Bly chuckled lightly.

"No, just this." She was perfectly content right where she was.

Bly could feel the tension in the body in her arms and she doubted that Jordan had eaten anything since yesterday. She also looked like she hadn't slept much either, tomorrow would be soon enough to worry about food, sleep was the order of the day.

"I ate on the plane. I'm more tired than hungry. What do you say we call it a night and turn in early?" Bly asked.

"As long as I don't have to give up this spot right here." Jordan answered and squeezed Bly for emphasis.

"No, I promise you can stay right here." Bly softly assured her, frustrated that this whole incident had to happen to Jordan. She hated to see the pain and fear in Jordan’s eyes, caused by that sick woman. She vowed to do something about it. No one was going to hurt Jordan ever again. When the elevator doors opened, Bly kicked her bag into the room without releasing her hold on Jordan and walked her back to the bedroom.

The next day Bly met her father at the hospital and told him what had happened to Jordan. "I knew something was up by the tone of her voice, she sounded scared when she answered your cell phone. Who is this woman?" He asked.

"Dad, this is still a very sensitive issue for Jordan. I'm telling you in confidence because I don't want her to think that I would go spreading it around." Bly looked up at her father seriously.

Her father nodded, "You know that I'm only allowed to talk to your mother, so who am I going to tell?" He asked, chuckling at his statement.

Bly proceeded to explain the events of what Cindy did to Jordan. Bly finished her story and could tell that her father was very angry. It was more of a controlled anger that he carried than anything he would ever say or do. "That woman is probably the vilest person I hope never to have the misfortune to meet! I wish I had known last night, I would have made Jordan come directly to the house to stay until you got home."

"Thanks Dad, that means a lot to me." Bly appreciatively replied, grasping her father's hand across the table.

He patted her hand and smiled. "Anything for my little girl and besides, we like Jordan."

"Me too!" Bly admitted, blushing in front of her father. He chuckled at his daughter's discomfort and was happy that she had finally found someone who could make her feel this way.

"Why don't you talk to your mother and have her look into this Cindy person and see what she comes up with?" He asked.

"I was thinking about doing just that, maybe I'll run by her office on the way in to the clinic."

Finishing lunch, Chance walked his daughter out to her car and said, "I'm sure your mother will keep me posted, but let me know if there is anything I can do to help."

"Thanks Dad, but right now, we have no proof to use against her." Bly answered frustrated.

"Well, just keep an eye on our girl then and make sure nothing happens to her."

"I will Dad, talk to you later." Bly waved and drove toward her mother's office complex.

Bly finally found parking in front of the busy law firm and went inside. Bly waved to the receptionist who was on the telephone and walked down the hall toward her mother's office. "Hello Andrea, is my mother free for a second?" Bly asked her mother's secretary.

"Hello Bly, it's good to see you again. Let me see," Andrea replied looking at her appointment book. "She just finished with a client and doesn't have another appointment for an hour."

"Great!" Bly replied and knocked on her mother's door before opening it. "Mother?"

"Bly! What a pleasant surprise, come in." Alexandra enthusiastically called out. "To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

"I need your help." Bly replied, urgently.

"What's wrong dear?" Her mother asked, growing concerned by her daughter’s solemn demeanor. Bly again related the events of the previous night and the story behind Cindy. Bly's mother was a little less controlled than her father with her anger and erupted with a few colorful phrases when Bly finished retelling the story. It was evident where Bly inherited her fiery temper. She pushed her intercom and when Andrea answered she said, "See if Tim is around and ask him to step into my office for a moment." Turning to face Bly's questioning look, her mother stated, "Tim is the best investigator that I have and unfortunately he has been tied up with another case so, I couldn't start the investigation sooner. People like her have a past, somewhere. She has done something and I'm going to nail her ass to the wall!" Her mother confidently guaranteed.

Bly looked surprised at her mother's aggression, and seeing the look in her daughter's eyes, Alexandra replied, "Honey, I see how happy you have been since you found Jordan. She is a wonderful girl. Your father and I are very happy that you are finally so content and settled.”

Bly nodded as her eyes began to tear and moved to hug her mother. "You guys are something, you know that?" Bly happily asked and kissed her mother's cheek.

"You're our little girl, we could do no less." Her mother replied and looked up, as there was a knock at the door. "Come in."

Bly had met Tim twice before and liked the young man. He was in his late twenties and didn't look anything like what one would expect a legal investigator to look like. He looked more like a computer geek, than anything else. He was mousy, slight of build with thick-lensed glasses. But, the looks didn't fool Bly; she knew how sharp he actually was, her mother had an eye for talent and recruited him to work for her. Alexandra gave Tim instructions on what she was looking for and Bly gave him all the information that she had on Cindy. He went back to his office to start with a computer search to learn more about the woman.

"Mom, I was pretty evasive with Daddy regarding this matter and I left it that I would be speaking to you for the first time about investigating Cindy today. So, don't say anything about our discussion about this when we were on our boat okay?" Bly asked her mother who agreed she would not say anything. Bly kissed her mother and went on to the clinic to see her afternoon patients.

***

After work, Bly and Jordan took to cleaning the apartment and putting things back together. The telephone rang and Bly moved to answer it. "Hello?" There was silence on the other end. Bly knew the connection was live and that there was someone there. "Hello?" She repeated. There was still no response and Bly remarked, "Asshole!" and hung up the telephone. She looked over at Jordan and shrugged her shoulders. "Wrong number.”

Later that night, while they lay in each other's arms, the telephone rang again and Jordan leaned over to grab the receiver before it woke Bly too. "Hello?" Jordan's voice was thick with sleep.

"Ooh, you sound so sexy when you just wake up." Cindy's voice replied.

"What?" Jordan called out sharply, fully awake now.

"I was just thinking about you and wondering if you were thinking about me too?" Cindy huskily asked.

"Stop bothering me Cindy! I don't want anything to do with you." Jordan tersely informed her, angry at the woman's audacity.

"What is she doing there? Why did you let her answer your phone earlier, that wasn't very nice. Jordan, you should know better than to get me angry. You've seen what happens when I get angry." Cindy's voice had edged into a threat.

"I don't care what you like and don't like, Cindy! Leave me alone!" Jordan shouted and Bly grabbed the phone out of her hand. She had heard most of the conversation and had enough.

"Listen you bitch! I'm warning you, leave Jordan alone!" Bly shouted into the telephone. The receiver on the other end was abruptly slammed down and Bly was left with a dial tone in her ear.

"Damn her, she hung up on me!" Bly remarked hotly to Jordan. Jordan flopped back onto the pillow, her heart still racing from the phone call. Bly wanted to snap the bitch’s neck for putting Jordan through so much hell! Bly looked down at Jordan and calmed down when she saw the fear in the other woman's eyes. Lying down next to her she pulled the woman into her arms and placed a kiss on her temple before saying, "It's okay, she's not going to hurt you ever again. I promise you this." Jordan nodded her head and moved to tuck herself closer to Bly who held her quietly until she fell asleep. Sleep came a little harder for Bly as her mind calculated what she could do to protect Jordan.

***

As the following weeks passed Bly could tell that Jordan was getting harassed more than she would let on. On the occasions that Bly spent the night at Jordan's the phone would ring during the middle of the night, but no one would be on the other end. Bly's patience was about at its end and she pitied Cindy the next time she saw her. Bly called the phone company and had them install Caller ID, but the number that dialed was always blocked. Tim's preliminary search didn't pull up anything other than the basic facts about the woman. There was no way to prove it was Cindy, but after a couple of months the calls seemed to be slowing and Jordan hoped that Cindy was getting bored and would finally go away. Bly and Jordan had been seeing each other for about four months and things were going smoothly, they hadn't heard anything from Cindy for at least a month, and someone from the baseball team said they had heard she had moved out of state. Jordan had begun to relax and was back to her old self. She and Bly spent their time going out on the family boat and doing things together. Bly got Jordan to learn to roller blade and Jordan got Bly to go to the theatre with her. The latter was definitely the greater challenge and, in the end, Bly had to admit that she had enjoyed the experience.

***

As their five-month anniversary arrived, Jordan hurried home to cook a special dinner for Bly. Bly was scheduled to arrive at her apartment at 6:00 pm and Jordan was running late. Luckily, the menu she had planned was lasagna; she had prepared it ahead of time and only needed to pop it into the oven to bake. Entering her apartment she came face-to-face with Cindy sitting on her sofa, making herself at home.

"How did you get in here?" Jordan demanded, mad that her voice quivered.

"Is that anyway to greet your girlfriend after she's been away for so long?" Cindy smugly asked, rising from the sofa.

"You are not my girlfriend!" Jordan retorted and backed up toward the door.

"Come here Jordan!" Cindy commanded and stepped toward the retreating blonde.

"You stay the hell away from me!" Jordan shouted and backed up until she reached the front door. Spinning around, she jerked open the door and ran down the hall away from Cindy. She could hear the woman following her and she ran out of the building and headed toward the complex office. Luckily, they were still open and she ran inside.

"Jordan, what's wrong?" Angie, one of the rental agents asked coming around the desk toward the woman.

"Someone was in my apartment just now when I got home." Jordan explained to the woman.

"What? Are they still there?" Angie asked, moving towards the telephone to dial the police.

"I don't know, she was sitting on my sofa when I opened the door. I got away and ran over here." She replied breathless, her heart racing uncontrollably from fear.

While Jordan gave her statement to the Police, she asked Angie to call Bly and gave her Bly's office and cell phone numbers. Angie tried Bly's office and found the woman had already left. Next, she tried Bly's cell phone and was instantly connected with a smooth, sexy voice. ‘If the voice is any indication, I've got to meet this woman.’ Angie thought. She related what happened to Bly and the woman told her that she was already on the way and would arrive shortly. Bly also asked Angie not to leave Jordan alone until she got there. Angie agreed readily, especially if she got a chance to meet Jordan's friend.

The officer checked out Jordan's apartment, and as expected, there was no sign of Cindy. The apartment door was wide open, but the place was empty. The officer was pulling out as Bly arrived and she went directly to the office to find Jordan. Angie watched the exchange between the two women, and sighed and thought regretfully, ‘Why are all the good ones always taken?’

"Jordan, I really think you should move in with me, especially now." Bly tried to get through to Jordan who was being adamant about not giving up her apartment because of Cindy.

"It's not that I don't want to live with you Bly. I'm just tired of Cindy always winning and if I give up my apartment now, that's exactly what she has done!" Jordan replied bravely.

"Eventually, we would have done this anyway. I don't see the difference if we do it now or later?" Bly replied, trying to sound logical.

"Yes, but then it will have been our choice and not because of Cindy. Please understand Bly, I love you and want to be with you, but not like this." Jordan pleaded. Bly didn't understand, but she could see that Jordan was getting upset and she wouldn't push the issue any further right now. She would just have to see to it that Jordan wasn't left alone for any length of time. If need be, she would hire a private investigator to follow her around. "What are you hatching in that head of yours?" Jordan asked suspiciously.

"Just thinking about how much I love that hard head of yours!" Bly grinned and pulled the stubborn woman into her arms for a kiss. Bly kissed Jordan long and deep.

"So then, you understand how I feel?" Jordan asked nuzzling the side of Bly's neck.

"I'm having trouble with the reasoning, but I understand your need not to give in to Cindy and I'll support that." Bly replied leaning back and letting Jordan move her lips across to the other side of her neck. "Mmmm, just remember that if you lived with me, you could do this anytime you wanted." Bly replied trying to bait Jordan.

Jordan chuckled and nipped Bly's neck in response. "Nice try!"

Bly laughed, "Well, a girl’s gotta try."

The next morning as Bly got ready for work the telephone rang and Bly picked it up. "Hello?"

"Bly?" Alexandra's voice replied, clipped and urgent.

"Yes mother, what's wrong?" Bly answered quickly.

"Is Jordan home?"

"No, she already left for work. Why?"

"Good! How soon can you get to my office?" Her mother asked.

"Mother, what's wrong? Is it Dad or Dawson?" Bly asked as fear began to grow in the pit of her stomach.

"No, Tim just turned in his report on Cindy Edwards. Listen, I need to see you right now." Alexandra replied urgently.

Bly entered her mother's offices and went directly to her private office. "Mother, what was so urgent?" Bly asked as soon as she entered.

"Sit down, dear. I have some things that I need to discuss with you." Alexandra told her daughter. This wasn't going to be easy, she knew her daughter would be upset. "I finally received some definitive background on Jordan's friend Cindy. It seems that Cindy Edwards is not her real name, which is why we had such a hard time locating anything on her.”

"First of all Mother, she is not Jordan's friend, more like a stalker!" Bly clarified her mother’s statement.

"Yes dear, I didn't mean it that way. She is a dangerous person and I wouldn't want anyone to consider her a friend."

"What did you learn?" Bly asked, growing concerned by her mother's comments.

"Well, first of all her real name is Cindy Cooper. She changed her name because she is wanted in Michigan for vehicular manslaughter. She also has a lot of minor priors for drunk and disorderly conduct, assault, and a host of others. She recently spent six months in a Colorado prison on assault with a deadly weapon charge; I'm surprised her prints didn't match for the warrant in Michigan. I'm not sure what happened with that slip up." Alexandra explained as she made notes on her pad about who to contact regarding this information. "But, I'll contact the proper authorities and inform them of this."

"So, what now mother?" Bly asked worriedly and began to pace the office. Jordan was in danger with Cindy loose. Who knew what the woman would do next.

"We have to notify the local authorities and let them handle this. We just keep a close eye on her in the meantime." Alexandra watched her daughter for a few moments and then went to her and wrapped her arms around the taller woman. "Listen, we are not going to let anything happen to Jordan. I will get things moving as fast as humanly possible." She reassured her only daughter.

"I know mother, but it doesn't stop me from worrying. I don't want anything to happen to Jordan. I don't think I could handle that." Bly replied, looking down at her mother and blushing.

"You care a lot about her, don't you?" Her mother asked softly.

"Yes! More than I've ever felt for anyone before." Bly sincerely confirmed.

"Then we will just have to make sure nothing happens to change that." Alexandra reached up and kissed her daughter's cheek. She had to admit that since the blonde had entered her daughter's life, she had seen a change in her personality. Bly smiled easily now and was more open and affectionate with those around her. Jordan was definitely a welcomed addition to this family.

Bly looked down at her watch and replied, "Please see how fast you can get things in motion for us, mother. I have a patient in twenty minutes and I have to get going."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of everything. Are you going to tell Jordan about this?"

"I don't know yet. Do you think I should?" Bly asked uncertainly.

"Why don't we wait and see what I find out and then you can decide. Maybe we can just get this resolved beforehand and you won't have to worry Jordan about it at all." Alexandra offered, and walked her daughter to the door. "I'll call you as soon as I find anything out."

"Okay mother, I'll talk to you later." Bly leaned down and kissed her mother's cheek before briefly hugging her and leaving.

Alexandra returned to her desk and looked down at her report and thought, 'This is one nasty lady, I hope the girls will be careful.' With that admission, she picked up the phone and began her long list of calls.

***

Later that day as Jordan came out of work and headed toward her car, she was abruptly grabbed from behind and spun around against her car. Cindy placed her hands on each side of Jordan and leaned into her face grinning. Cindy was easily 5'8 with a lean build that belied the strength that she possessed. Her blonde hair, streaked with brown, hung in waves to her shoulders, and her wide hazel eyes lacked any sign of warmth or human compassion. It was these eyes that, at this moment, looked intently at Jordan.

"You know, you are a tough lady to get alone. Now, how do you think that makes me feel?" Cindy asked rakishly.

"Cindy, I really don't care how you feel. Can't you get that through your head!" Jordan spat back in anger.

"You don't know what you want Jordan. You never have, if it hadn't been for me, you would still be wondering who you are." Cindy taunted maliciously as she looked Jordan up and down.

"You've got that so wrong! If it weren't for you, I might not have been afraid to let myself go and actually feel something for another person. All you've ever done for me is make me build walls around myself to keep everyone away. Well, now I've finally been able to let someone in, and that someone isn't you. Just go away, Cindy!" Jordan demanded adamantly.

"Jordan, you don't mean that!" Cindy replied angrily. "It's that bitch that is making you say these things!"

"Let me go, Cindy, you're hurting my arm!" Jordan replied and tried to twist out of the woman's grasp. Cindy grabbed Jordan with both hands in an effort to hold her still so that she would listen to what she had to say.

"Jordan, are you alright!" Both women turned to see a group of Jordan's co-workers approaching and Linda, who had just come out of the building, began to run in their direction when she saw the commotion.

"No, this woman won't leave me alone!" Jordan called out, in hope that Cindy would run away.

"No harm here ladies, Jordan and I are old friends. We were just having a friendly conversation." Cindy casually replied, relaxing her grip on Jordan's arm. Jordan quickly wrenched her arm free and stepped away from the aggressive woman.

"Cindy, I've repeatedly asked you to stay away from me. If you touch me again, I'll have you arrested." Jordan shouted as her co-workers listened to every word.

"I think we should call the police!" Marge offered, pulling out her cell phone.

"JORDAN!" Linda anxiously shouted, running across the parking lot toward the group of women.

Cindy's face was livid as she spun on her heels and headed toward her truck. The women watched as she squealed out of the parking lot and Jordan took a deep breath.

"Who was that, Jordan? Are you going to be okay?” Marge asked, punching numbers into her cell phone.

"Don't call the police, I'm fine. I don't think she will bother me anymore." Jordan answered, reaching out to still the woman's hand from making the call. Linda reached them in time to see Cindy pulling away in her truck.

"Are you okay, Jordan?" She asked out of breath from running and wrapped her arms around the nervous woman. "What did Cindy want?"

"Yes, I'm fine. It's the same old thing, but I think she got the message this time." Jordan answered half smiling to ease the tension she saw in her friends face and to quell the feeling in the pit of her stomach. She didn't want this to be made into a big deal. Her relationship with Bly was going good, and she didn't want anything to jeopardize that right now.

"It's okay! Honest!" Jordan told Linda and pulled out of her arms and looked back at the rest of the women.

They waved and said good-bye and made their way to their cars. Linda stood looking at Jordan. "She isn't going to quit is she?"

"I don't know." Jordan replied sadly.

"You had better tell Bly about it this time." Linda warned her friend, but she saw doubt in the blonde's eye and wondered if she would make another mistake by keeping it to herself. She knew how much Bly hated Cindy. 'Something has to be done about Cindy.' Linda angrily thought, and settled on talking with Julie.

"Don't worry, I will, when the time is right." Jordan reluctantly agreed.

Linda watched as Jordan got in her car and pulled away, whispering out loud. "Please don't make another mistake Jordan." Intently watching the car disappear from her sight.

"Hey babe, how's it going?" Bly turned to face the familiar voice and smiled. She had been finishing up patient charts before her last appointment.

"Hey, Jules! What brings you here? Did you put your back out in bed again?" Bly teased her friend, tossing the chart on her desk.

"Very funny, you are never going to let me forget that time are you?" Julie replied, remembering it well. "She was something, wasn't she?" She asked with a devilish grin.

"So, how's Linda?" Bly asked, instantly bringing her friend out of her reverie.

Julie looked over sheepishly and replied, "I hate that you know me so well!"

Bly laughed and grabbed her stack of files and put them on the counter to be filed away in the morning. "So, what's up, my friend?"

"Well, Linda called me a little while ago and informed me of something that happened at work today. She was concerned and didn't know if she should tell you or not so I said that I would talk to you." Julie leaned back against the counter and watched her tall friend.

"Tell me what! Is Jordan all right?" Bly instantly tensed, knowing that Linda and Jordan worked together.

"Take it easy! Jordan is fine. Cindy paid a visit to her at work. I guess she was waiting for her in the parking lot."

"What happened?" Bly jumped in quickly and looked at her watch calculating. She had one more patient to go and then she was through for the day and Jordan would be at her place by then.

"I don't think she had time to do anything because Linda and a group of women showed up. Linda was just worried that Jordan is afraid to tell you because she knows how you feel about Cindy and it would cause problems again for you two." Julie explained.

Bly closed her eyes wearily and thought about how much she wished that wasn't true. She wanted Jordan to be able to come to her with any problem, even Cindy, without fear of anger or judgment from her. Especially now, in light of all she knew about Cindy. She wanted Jordan to tell her everything so that she could protect her.

"Damn! I know I didn't handle that one very well, but I don't want that woman anywhere near her." Bly replied regretfully, filling Julie in on all that her mother had told her about the woman.

"My friend, this isn't good!" Julie answered, frowning. "I think we need to all pitch in and work out some sort of arrangement to keep an eye on Jordan until your mother can take care of the situation!" She offered, concerned for Jordan’s safety.

"Thanks, I could use the help. I still need to resolve the trust issue with Jordan. I want her to be able to tell me anything without fear of how I'm going to react." Bly responded thoughtfully.

"I think you two need to sit down and really talk." Julie commented. "I've got to run, I just thought you should know what Linda told me."

"Yeah, I guess you are right. I'll wait to see if she says anything tonight. If not, I'll approach it somehow. Thanks for telling me." Bly appreciatively smiled and walked Julie to the door.

"I miss pinching those sweet cheeks and not the one’s on your face, Jules." Bly teased as Julie looked back with a wink.

"They miss you too, babe." She teased before blowing Bly a kiss.

Bly laughed and headed back in to prepare for her next patient.

Bly felt some of the tension drain when she saw Jordan's car in her parking spot and headed upstairs to make sure she was there. Getting off the elevator, the house was quiet. Dropping her briefcase, she called out, "Jordan?"

"In here!" A voice responded from the kitchen. Turning the corner and seeing Jordan standing near the stove, Bly went in to wrap her arms around the shorter woman and sighed in relief.

"Bad day?" Jordan asked, leaning back into the welcomed arms.

"Not now." Bly murmured kissing her cheek and working her way down the smooth neck.

"Mmmm, that feels good. Hungry?" Jordan quipped. She loved the feel of being in this woman's arms and the emotions she could draw out with just a simple kiss on her neck.

"Sure, smells great." Bly straightened up and helped carry the plates to the table.

After dinner Bly went to check her email while Jordan finished up in the kitchen and joined her. Bly looked up smiling "Want to check yours?"

Jordan smiled nervously and sat down on the recliner near her. "In a minute, I need to talk to you first."

Bly hoped that Jordan was ready to tell her about the events of the day. She took a deep breath and concentrated on keeping her emotions level and receptive. She knew how the mere mention of Cindy's name brought anger to her face. She had never hated another person so much. She gave Jordan her total focus and smiling openly, waited.

"Something happened at work today. I wanted to tell you because I don't want you to hear it from someone else and think that I am keeping anything from you. I don't want another repeat of the Keys." Jordan looked into Bly's eyes to look for any hint of anger or disbelief. Seeing nothing but love, she took courage and continued. "Cindy showed up at work today and she kind of pushed me around until Linda, Marge and some of the others showed up, threatening to call the police. She left quickly at that point."

"Did she hurt you?" Bly asked, concerned and went to sit next to her on the arm on the chair.

"No, just pushed me against the car, no big deal." Jordan answered and was drawn into warm arms as she settled herself against her lover.

"What did she say to you?"

"The usual crazy stuff and that she thought it was your fault that I don't want her." Jordan explained calmly, trying to make light of it all.

"Do me a favor? Don't go anywhere alone. Try to stay with a group or something. I don't like the idea that she can just approach you like that." Bly worriedly instructed Jordan.

"Then you aren't mad?" Jordan asked surprised.

"Sure, I'm mad. I'm mad that she continually harasses you, but I'm not mad at you for it." Bly explained. "Hey, it's not your fault." Bly added when she saw the sad green eyes look relieved.

"I hate all this trouble that she has caused our relationship and wonder sometimes if you will think that we aren't worth the hassle." Jordan honestly confided looking down at her hands worried.

Bly leaned over and lifted her chin to look up at her. "I will never think that we aren't worth it! I would go through anything to keep what we have right now." Bly leaned down and captured Jordan's lips in a kiss that she hoped would show her just how much she meant to her. The ringing of the telephone interrupted anything further and with a groan Bly got up to answer it.

"Hey, how you doing?" Bly asked into the telephone. "Great. Yeah, she's here, hold on." Bly turned waving the phone at Jordan.

"It's Linda." Jordan got out of the chair and reached for the phone as she stole a kiss from Bly. Bly winked and headed into the den to watch the ballgame. Bly plopped down in her favorite oversized chair and hit the power button on the remote as Ares entered the room meowing. She was relieved that Jordan had confided in her and hoped this situation with Cindy would soon be over. "Hey, buddy! What's up?" Bly asked, leaning over the arm of the chair and ran her hand down his silky fur. His back arched in response to her touch. "Yeah, your other mom gives me the same reaction when I rub her back." Bly teased mischievously, thinking about how her blonde lover looked when she responded to her backrubs. Ares loudly meowed in response to her statement and looked at the TV.

"I know, what can I tell you? The Florida Marlins are the only baseball team they're showing tonight." Bly replied as if her cat Ares was upset about the game. Bly laughed at her cat's vocal banter and rested her head against the back of the chair. She propped her feet up on the ottoman in front of her and settled in to watch the game.

"Hey, what's up?" Jordan asked Linda.

"Everything sounds okay there. Did you tell Bly about today?" Linda asked concerned as Julie sat next to her listening to the conversation. They had been worried now that they had told Bly, that Jordan would keep it back and it would cause another fight.

"Yes, I did and she seemed to take it pretty good. I was worried, but I'm not anymore." Jordan answered happily. "We were actually just talking about it when the phone rang."

"Well, then I won't keep you, go back and finish your conversation. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay." Linda answered smiling at Julie and nodding.

"Oh, yeah. I think we definitely need to finish this conversation." Jordan replied chuckling.

"Ooh, that sounded devious!" Linda laughed, looking at her slim, sexy, Italian lover, and ran her hand up Julie’s thigh. 'Maybe we need to have one of those conversations too!' She thought seductively. Julie's eyebrow shot up in question at the look that passed over Linda's face and then smiled, knowing exactly what the woman was thinking.

"Oh, yeah devious and so much more!" Jordan answered. "I'll talk to you tomorrow at work."

"Okay, have fun honey!" Linda purred, causing Jordan to laugh.

"You too by the sound of it!" Jordan snickered and clicked the phone off. She stood smiling mischievously at what she had in store for her raven-haired lover. She headed out of the room and took a quick glance to make sure Bly was in the den so she could put her plan in action, and give Bly a little surprise. She saw that Bly was engrossed in her ballgame and knew it would be safe to get everything prepared.

Ares jumped up in Bly's lap and meowed loudly as he looked at her. "What?" Bly asked, looking down at him. "I told you the Red Sox aren't playing tonight so we can't watch that game." Bly answered as he rubbed his head against her hand and she patted his head. "Do you have a kiss for your mama?" She asked in a childlike voice, as she looked at him and saw that he crawled up on her chest to put his face close to hers. "Aah, that's my sweet boy. Give me a kiss." She requested chuckling as he put his mouth on her cheek and rubbed his face against hers. "Thank you, handsome. Do you know you're the only man that gets to give me kisses like that?" She asked and ran her hand down his back.

"I certainly hope that he is." Jordan's silky voice piped in from behind Bly as she leaned down and pulled Bly's long, black hair off her shoulders to expose the soft skin on her neck. "I was curious if you would like some dessert?" She seductively whispered in Bly's ear sending goose bumps and a tingling sensation throughout Bly's body.

"Hmmm, are we talking Oreo cookie's?" Bly softly asked, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of Jordan's lips lightly nipping on her neck.

"No, I'm talking about," Jordan whispered, stepping in front of Bly completely naked with whipped cream covering her breasts, "having me for dessert." Jordan seductively offered and saw Bly's mouth drop open, stunned. As a matter of fact, Ares' mouth did the same when he looked at her. Bly's blue eyes were opened wide and she swallowed hard, not believing that Jordan could be that kinky.

"Bly, close your mouth before your teeth fall out, and you too, mister." Jordan answered with a laugh as she pointed to Ares.

"Aah, put your paws over your eyes boy." Bly chastised Ares with a laugh covering his eyes and stared at Jordan mesmerized as Ares attempted to peak around her hand, typical man!

"Well, are you interested in some dessert?" Jordan seriously questioned, leaning in front of Bly and resting her hands on the armrests of the chair with a wide grin on her face.

"Sorry boy, but I hear your cat box calling you." Bly remarked and picked Ares up off her lap and deposited him on the floor much to his dismay. "Well, hello there, darlin’!" She drawled, moving closer to Jordan's breasts to accept the offer of dessert.

"Yummy!" She answered after sucking the whip cream off of one of Jordan's breasts before moving over to capture the treat off of the other.

Bly's lips wrapped around Jordan's breasts, which sent her into orbit every time. She loved it when Bly kissed or touched her, not to mention that it made her incredibly horny. 'But then again, anything about Bly turns me on!' She thought, enjoying Bly's tongue circling her erect nipple. She intently watched her lover suck the nipple into her mouth ever so gently. Bly put her hands up on Jordan's waist and pulled her down on her lap as she continued to suck. Jordan ran her hand through Bly's raven hair and lovingly watched her lover enjoy her breast. Bly looked up at Jordan and smiled before capturing her lips with her own. Bly pulled Jordan into her arms for a tighter hold and deepened the kiss, allowing her hands to roam freely over all of her naked body.

"Baby, you feel so good." Bly whispered through her kiss, feeling Jordan's hand cup and squeeze her breast, sending a sudden rush of warmth straight to her center causing her to gasp in delight. Jordan continued her kiss and pulled at Bly's shirt to remove it, only breaking their kiss long enough to get the shirt off. Jordan straddled Bly's legs and kneeled in the chair before Bly, who captured a waiting nipple in her mouth as her hands slid down Jordan's firm backside. She grasped her gluteal folds and gently squeezed her cheeks as her long fingers felt Jordan's wet curls. "Oh, I really like this dessert; better than Oreo's." Bly teased as Jordan looked down at her smiling.

"I certainly hope so." She giggled and slid down, capturing the soft skin on Bly's neck between her teeth followed by a kiss.

"I love it when you bite my neck, baby. It feels so freaking good and it turns me on to no end!" Bly admitted, obviously fond of Jordan's attentiveness to that body part.

Jordan held Bly's face in her hands as her tongue explored Bly's neck and moved down her chest to capture an eagerly waiting breast in her mouth. Bly gasped as Jordan's mouth and tongue wrapped around her oversensitive breast. Her heart raced and her sex throbbed from what Jordan was doing to her. Bly had never been with another woman that excited her as much as Jordan. 'She's such an attentive and caring lover.' Bly thought, gasping to catch her breath, while she watched her blonde lover run her tongue between her breasts to shower her other one with affection. Bly moved Jordan's long, blonde hair off her cheek, lovingly watching Jordan work her magic and thought about how much she loved Jordan. She knew just exactly how much Jordan loved her by the way she looked at her and made love to her. It was evident by the way she looked at her and made love to her. Bly leaned down and gently kissed her cheek as Jordan lifted her head and opened her green eyes to find blues staring lovingly into hers. She smiled briefly and pressed her lips against Bly's waiting lips. Bly parted her lips and readily accepted Jordan's wandering tongue into her mouth happily. Bly's sex throbbed for want of Jordan to consume it and she couldn't stand it any longer. "Touch me, baby." Bly pleaded in a whisper through her kiss sending a rush of warmth throughout Jordan. She was more than happy to oblige her lover.

Jordan moved her kiss down Bly's neck between her breasts to her firm abdomen, stopping at her navel. She circled her tongue around her navel before dipping inside and sucking the skin in her mouth. Bly didn't know why that turned her on so much, but it did and she loved it when Jordan did that to her. Her kiss there sent a throbbing sensation straight to her center, not to mention how wet it made her. Bly watched her lover work her magic and couldn't wait to see Jordan move her mouth between her legs to satisfy her burning desire. Jordan ran her tongue down Bly’s stomach to the waistband on her shorts and traced her tongue underneath the band, sending Bly's heart racing. Bly leaned her head back against the chair and tried to catch her breath before looking back down at her beautiful blonde lover.

"Please Jordan. I need to feel you." Bly pleaded softly as Jordan removed Bly's shorts, placing a soft kiss on her sex. Jordan loved how Bly kept her dark curls closely shaven in a thin strip, which she found to be very sexy. She loved to feel how soft her skin felt against her lips in that area. She moved farther down as Bly spread her legs wider for Jordan and lightly licked her slick center, sending Bly into frenzy.

Bly moved her head back and gasped for air as Jordan's lips and tongue pressed against her wet center. "Oh, yes, Jordan!" Bly moaned when Jordan's tongue parted her folds and found one engorged nub ripe for the taking. A smile slipped onto Jordan's face at how aroused Bly was and that she could do that to her. She loved how Bly responded to her touch and kiss. She captured the hard clit in her mouth, tasting the familiar sweet taste of Bly that she loved so much. "Jordan, baby. I think I'm going to come right now!" Bly shouted delightedly from her overwhelming arousal.

Jordan stroked Bly's clit slowly and gently as she slipped two fingers inside of her moist opening. Jordan loved how Bly wrapped around her fingers and how warm and wet she felt. The feelings sent a rush of burning desire straight to her loins. She could feel how dripping wet she had become and couldn't wait to have Bly devour and take all of her. She enjoyed giving herself to her love and for Bly to give herself in return. Jordan slipped her fingers in and out of her lover who rocked her hips feverantly. Jordan continued to lick Bly's clit more intently to accommodate her lover's mounting arousal. "Oh, Jordan! I can't hold it any longer baby! Aah, here this is for you!" Bly moaned through her gasps as Jordan felt her lover's walls tighten around her fingers and knew her treat would soon follow. Jordan moved her tongue down to Bly's moist opening and dipped inside with her fingers as her thumb stroked her hard clit. "Yes, yes Jordan!" Bly shouted as Jordan felt her lover's opening tighten then release. Warmth flooded her mouth and she happily accepted everything her lover had to offer. She slipped her tongue deep inside of Bly slowly moving her fingers out, sucking her the tasty treat.

Bly's heart pounded and she tried to catch her breath as she enjoyed what Jordan was doing. Jordan was her fantasy, the lover she had always hoped and dreamed she would have. She needed to feel Jordan in her arms and to have her lips pressed against her own to let her know just how much she loved her. She held Jordan's face in her hands as she finished and guided her up on top of her. She tightly wrapped her arms around Jordan and captured the blonde's soft lips, her tongue parting her lips for a long, lingering kiss. Bly loved the taste of herself on Jordan's mouth and traced her tongue along red lips before dipping back inside for another soul searing kiss. Bly broke the kiss breathless and held Jordan tightly in her arms. She buried her face against Jordan's neck, placing soft kisses on her warm flesh, trying to calm her erratic breathing.

"Are you okay Bly?" Jordan asked, wondering why Bly was holding her so tightly.

"I'm wonderful, babe. You do know how much I love you right?" Bly softly asked, affectionately caressing Jordan's back.

"Yes Bly, I know how much you love me." Jordan whispered in Bly's ear hugging her tighter and felt a tingling sensation from the profession.

"You excite me more than you could ever imagine, Jordan." Bly wholeheartedly answered, leaning her head back on the chair and staring lovingly into Jordan's gorgeous green eyes and ran her fingers through her long, blond hair.

"Well babe, you do the same for me and I think it's time you do something about my excitement because I'm going nuts without you touching me!" Jordan giggled and planted a soft kiss and a bite on Bly's lips.

"Ooh, an offer I will never refuse!" Bly purred seductively, capturing Jordan's lips for one last deep, moist kiss before taking her lover.

Bly's hands roamed every inch of Jordan's back down as her tongue led a trail of soft kisses down her neck to her breasts. Bly circled Jordan’s hard nipple with her tongue in a slow methodical motion, tenderly wrapping her lips around the sensitive area and suckled the soft breast. Jordan gasped in pleasure as she put her hands on the back of the chair to brace herself, letting her lover work her magic. Bly's hands moved back down between her legs and she slipped her long finger between Jordan's folds to find an overly excited swollen nub. "Bly!" Jordan gasped breathless from her touch. Bly's finger moved up and down Jordan's hard, slick clit as the blonde slowly rocked her hips forward and back to meet the motions. Jordan found it hard to breathe steadily from what Bly was doing to her. Her touch felt so good and she could hardly control herself as Bly moved to attend to her other breast. Bly moved her other hand in behind Jordan and slowly slid a long, slender finger inside of her warm, wet lover as she continued to stroke her hard clit with her other finger.

"Oh, Bly! Kiss me!" Jordan moaned as her desire for Bly's lips on her own mounted as she looked down into the sexiest blue eyes she had ever seen. Bly's tongue was out and ready as she moved up to fulfill Jordan's request. She slowly slipped her tongue past the parted lips for a deep, sensual kiss. Bly's tongue explored every inch of her lover’s mouth as her fingers matched the slow rocking motion of Jordan's hips. Jordan broke her kiss breathless and felt her climax drawing near. She tilted her head back as Bly placed a trail of soft kisses along her neck. "Oh, baby you drive me crazy!" Jordan moaned as Bly slid forward in the chair and stood up with her blonde lovers legs wrapped around her waist. She pressed her lips against Jordan's for one last kiss before moving to devour her sex.

"I can't wait any longer to taste you, Jordan." Bly huskily whispered through her kiss and removed her fingers from Jordan, leaving her sex throbbing.

"Take all of me, Bly." Jordan whispered breathless watching Bly sit her down in the oversized chair and kneel before her on the floor. Bly slid her hands up between Jordan's legs and guided them apart as Jordan lay back in the chair. Bly parted slick folds and dipped her tongue deep inside of Jordan, much to her delight. Bly held her tongue inside the moist opening and sucked her juices before moving her tongue to Jordan's throbbing clit. Bly sucked Jordan's swollen nub into her mouth as her long finger slipped back inside. She slipped another finger inside of Jordan and moved them in and out, slowly and deeply with each stroke as she licked and sucked the hard clit. Jordan began to move her hips faster, encouraging Bly to do the same as she felt her climax drawing near. She gasped for air and her heart pounded from her desire for Bly. Bly loved how Jordan tasted and how she felt so warm, tight and moist around her fingers. "Bly, I can't hold it." Jordan moaned desperately.

"Let it go, baby! Give it to me." Bly huskily pleaded through her kiss feeling Jordan tightening around her fingers and her hips pressed up against her mouth. Bly instantly moved her tongue down to Jordan’s opening and drove it deep inside of her to take her desired treasure from Jordan.

"Aah, Bly! I love you so much!" Jordan yelled as she gave all of herself to Bly who gladly accepted everything she had to offer. Jordan lay back in the chair spent and breathing hard as Bly finished taking what she wanted. She inhaled deep breaths to calm her breathing and racing heart. 'The things this woman does to me just about kills me every time! She is such a wonderful, caring and attentive lover. She makes me feel so incredible.' Jordan thought, feeling Bly's tongue working its way up her abdomen to her neck, placing a soft bite on the sensitive area.

Bly looked into Jordan's gorgeous green eyes, capturing her lips with her own for a lingering kiss to let her know just how much she loved her. "Want to continue this in the bedroom?" She whispered through her kiss.

Jordan wrapped her arms around Bly's neck. "I thought you would never ask." She answered, still breathless as Bly's arms wrapped around her back and pulled her up in her arms as Jordan kept her legs wrapped around her. "Baby, I never want this feeling to end." Jordan whispered and deepened her kiss.

"Me either, Jordan." Bly readily agreed and smiled, carrying Jordan down the hall towards their bedroom. Jordan aggressively kissed her lover, enjoying every moment of being carried in strong arms. She savored the feelings she felt being in this woman's arms.

Bly gently laid her lover on the bed. Climbing into the bed next to her, Bly continued kissing Jordan. She slowly ran her tongue along Jordan's swollen lips before dipping into the warm recess of her mouth. Jordan moaned as her senses began to respond and she felt the heat building in her core.

"Oh God, Bly, the things you do to me!" Jordan whispered hoarsely when Bly moved to lightly bite and lick her way down her neck. Bly's muffled chuckle was all she replied as she moved down to capture an erect nipple between her lips. Bly's hands followed, blazing a trail down Jordan's body and stopped at an already moist mound. Bly cupped the heated sex and continued her onslaught on Jordan's breast. Jordan ran her hand through Bly's raven hair and down her side, drawing light circles on the side of her lover's breast. Bly could feel her breath quickening in response as Jordan's body responded to her touch.

"I want to taste you again." Bly murmured huskily, her breathing growing heavy along with her desire.

"Yes, I want to feel you touching me." Jordan agreed breathlessly, her lungs felt as if they would explode from her pent up desire. "Please, I need you."

Bly kissed her way down her lover's abdomen in search of her goal. So intent were they in their love making, that the telephone rang three times before Bly's head snapped up startled and she listened for what had disrupted her journey. "Hello!" Bly tersely shouted into the telephone as she tried to still her beating heart and catch her breath. She was on the edge of her passion and the fire was still raging within her. "Is Jordan there?" A sharp voice asked from the other end. "This is her mother."

'Oh shit!' Bly thought and apologetically replied, "Oh, yes. One moment, let me go find her." Bly cupped the receiver and looked at Jordan in surprise. "It's your mother!" She mouthed quietly. Jordan's eyes opened wide with fear before she recovered and looked away, then quickly sat up. Reaching over to the chair she grabbed her robe and knotted the belt tightly and took the cordless phone from Bly.

"Sorry, I had my phone calls forwarded here whenever I'm not going home in case they call." Jordan answered nervously with a shrug of her shoulders.

"No problem." Bly casually smiled and reached out to touch Jordan's arm to calm her down. "Okay?"

"Yes, thank you. I'll go take this in the den and I'll make it quick." Jordan winked and tried to appear lighthearted about the whole matter. Bly could sense her ill-ease, but just smiled and nodded in reply. She lay back against the pillows and got comfortable as she waited for Jordan to return. Soon she was sound asleep hugging the other pillow.

***

Bly rolled over and found the other side of the bed empty. She looked at the clock to find that it was almost 1:00 am. Jordan had not come back to bed and almost two hours had passed. Quickly, Bly got up and grabbed her robe and went in search of her lover. Bly found Jordan still in the den holding the silent receiver as the tears tracked down her swollen cheeks.

"What's wrong, Jordan?" Bly asked, instantly concerned and sat on the sofa next to her. "Talk to me, baby." She pleaded softly.

"I just can't do this." Jordan answered jerkily.

Bly's chest constricted as her mind raced and she asked, "Can't do what?"

Jordan muffled a sob and answered, "I just can't be what they want." Bly felt her body relax in relief. She was subconsciously afraid that Jordan had meant their relationship.

"Talk to me. What did they say? What do they want?" Bly comfortingly asked, taking the phone out of her hands and pulled her into her arms to comfort her. She gently rocked the blonde in her arms, waiting patiently for her to reply.

"They want to know if I have met anybody yet or when I'm coming home to get serious about my life. They said it's time I grow up and find a husband. It seems my mother ran into my old high school boyfriend who just got married and it got her on a tangent about marriage and weddings. She's had my wedding all planned out since I was little!" Jordan replied and chuckled, lightening the situation.

"So, what did you tell her?"

"I told her I was grown up and had a life that I liked very much!" Jordan answered and hugged Bly closer for emphasis on the part she liked. Bly smiled and kissed the top of her head. "So, what kind of wedding does she have planned?"

"Oh, it's ghastly! You should see the dress she has picked out. It's got to be the ugliest thing I've ever seen. It has a high neck and long puffy sleeves that makes it look like some Victorian straight jacket!" Jordan said hotly. Bly laughed out loud causing Jordan to calm down in return and join in the humor.

"That's not the worst part either! She also envisions this big wedding in a church with all these candles and pomp and the reception must be held at the country club. She won't hear of anything but that. Jeez, she even has the band orchestrated to play nothing but waltzes and crap like that!" Jordan retorted and watched Bly's face as they laughed hysterically.

Bly took a deep breath and wiped the tears from Jordan's face and asked, "So, what kind of wedding do you want for yourself?"

"Well, if it were possible for me to get married. I think I'd like something simple, like maybe barefoot in a white sundress on the beach at sunset. I think that would be so romantic." Jordan answered wistfully.

"You do, huh?" Bly inquired, quietly visualizing what Jordan had in mind. She smiled at the woman in her arms and leaned in for a comforting kiss.

"Yeah, it's a nice dream, but we both know the chances of that happening are slim." Jordan replied sadly.

"Oh, I don't know, there are some states that recognize same sex marriages." Bly smiled hopeful. "Don't give up your dream, Jordan. Not for her! Not for anyone!"

"You're right. I shouldn't let her bully me around anymore. I have a right to decide what I want out of my life, not her." Jordan replied smiling and leaned in to kiss Bly. "And I've decided that I like my life just the way it is!"

Bly chuckled and asked, "So, do you want to stay here all night or get back into bed where it is warm and comfortable?"

"Oh, definitely the bed, I do believe we were rudely interrupted at a very crucial point in our discussion and I'd like to continue that conversation." Jordan suggestively wiggled her eyebrows.

***

Bly led her blonde lover back to the bedroom and stopped beside the bed, slowly pulling Jordan into her arms. She gazed into those fabulous green eyes with an awed smile and softly kissed Jordan's lips. "Now, where were we?" Bly seductively asked through her kiss as Jordan chuckled and wrapped her arms around her tall, dark lover, deepening the kiss. Bly's hands moved through Jordan's hair down her neck to her robe. She slipped her hands under the material and pushed it off her shoulders to the ground as Jordan untied Bly's robe, never breaking their kiss. "Jordan I love to kiss you so much. Your lips feel incredible against mine." Bly admitted. She cupped Jordan's face in her hands and placed a long, moist kiss on those sensual lips.

Jordan loved what Bly was doing, but just couldn't let the conversation with her mother get out of her head. 'How can that woman be so damn ignorant and selfish to want those things for my life because it suits her purposes?' Jordan thought as her anger with her mother mounted along with her desire as Bly laid her back on the bed. Bly lay her naked body on top of Jordan's and seared a trail of sensual kisses down Jordan's neck to her breast, capturing the perky nipple in her mouth. Jordan absently ran her hands through Bly's raven hair. Bly's arousal mounted and she could hardly contain her want and desire for Jordan. Her heart raced and her breathing became erratic as she moved her lips to Jordan's taut abdomen, dipping her tongue inside her navel, following that by a kiss. 'That woman has ruined so many things in my life.' Jordan angrily thought. She remembered all of the nasty things her mother had done to her in the past and she couldn't enjoy what Bly was doing to her anymore. She was just too upset and wanted Bly to simply hold her.

"Bly, please stop." Jordan regretfully urged as Bly had moved her kiss down to Jordan's blond curls, but didn't stop, as she was so engrossed in what she was doing. Jordan couldn't stand it any longer. She reached down cupping Bly's face in her hands and moved her mouth off of its resting place. She looked down into confused blue eyes. "Please, I need you to stop and just hold me." Jordan pleaded with her lover, as she just wanted to be comforted and to feel safe.

"Aah, okay." Bly stammered bewildered, trying to calm the fire that burned within her. She moved back up on Jordan who wrapped her arms around her lover instantly to feel her closeness. "What's wrong Jordan?" Bly asked concerned, rolling onto her back with Jordan in her arms, holding her tighter.

"I just couldn't get that conversation with my mother out of my head and it ruined the mood for me, I'm sorry." Jordan answered in a tearful voice.

Bly held her tighter and kissed the top of her head. "It's okay baby. You don't have to apologize to me. I completely understand, don't worry." Bly reassuringly answered, still trying to calm her racing heart and erratic breathing.

"Thanks for being so understanding." Jordan answered softly, lightly kissing Bly's neck, feeling complete in the arms as if nothing else in the world mattered to her.

Bly lay wide awake and hoped her arousal would subside. She wondered how a mother could be so insensitive and uncaring for her own daughter. ‘Especially a wonderful person like Jordan,’ she thought in disbelief, running her slender fingers through Jordan's hair and felt her soft breath on her chest, letting her know she was fast asleep. She kissed the top of her head and whispered. "I love you, Jordan."

***

Bly woke the next morning alone and sat up quickly. "Jordan?" She listened and heard the water running in the shower and layback down. She wondered how Jordan was handling things this morning and decided to wait for her to make the first move. Closing her eyes she lay thinking about what she could do to help Jordan when she felt the bed move and a body lay across her. Opening her eyes she was met with clouded green ones and smiled.

"Good morning." Jordan said softly and kissed Bly lightly on the lips.

"Good morning to you too." Bly murmured, wrapping her arms around the robed figure and held her closely.

"I'm sorry for last night." Jordan offered and looked down, plucking at the sheet between them.

"Hey." Bly answered and lifted Jordan's chin to look directly into worried eyes. "I don't care about last night. I care about you."

"I shouldn't let her get to me like that. It's a control thing with her. She lays the guilt trip down in hopes that I will do what she wants me to do," Jordan explained angrily. "It's my life, I just want to live it my way."

"Then you do just that and don't give her control anymore. If she knows she can get to you, she will continue to do so." Bly softly replied and tucked a stray blonde hair behind Jordan's ear.

"You're are right." Jordan rested her chin on Bly's chest and gently rubbed her nose against Bly's strong chin thinking. ‘It's time I make my own life and stop letting others have control. My life is here with Bly now.'

"What are you thinking about so intently?" Bly asked, softly kissing Jordan's forehead to remove the creases of worry.

"Oh, just that it's time I stop letting everyone but me try to run my life. It's my life, not my mothers and certainly not Cindy's." Jordan answered firmly with a quiet resolution.

"That's terrific! So, what would you like to do with your life today?" Bly asked, lightening the mood. She had the feeling that Jordan needed to take this slowly with no interference from her.

"Unfortunately, we both have to go to work today, remember it's Monday?" Jordan grinned as Bly moaned in denial. "You'd better get in the shower if you don't want to be late."

"Ugh! Only Monday?" She sighed disappointed.

Jordan rolled off Bly and pulled her up to a sitting position. "Come on, the weekend is over." Bly let Jordan pull her from the bed and push her toward the shower. They rode down in the elevator together and parted out front at their cars.

"You are coming back here tonight right?" Bly asked Jordan as she walked her to her car.

"Yes, but I have to stop by my place and get my mail first." Jordan kissed Bly lightly before getting behind the wheel.

"Okay, see you tonight." Bly closed the door to Jordan's car and walked back to her own. She followed Jordan's car until it entered the interstate and Bly continued ahead to the clinic.

"Bly?" Jordan called out, exiting the elevator. She headed toward the kitchen to find the tall woman looking through the freezer. Bly's long tanned legs that showed from her shorts made Jordan stop and smile appreciatively.

"Find anything good to eat?" Jordan stood in the doorway holding an envelope in her hand smiling. Bly looked up and winked. "Nothing half as good as I see over there." She provocatively remarked.

Jordan blushed and walked towards Bly, throwing her arms around her neck. After kissing Bly deeply, she pulled back and tapped the envelope against Bly's chest. "Guess what I'm getting?" She grinned proudly.

"What? Lucky?" Bly asked suggestively.

"Well, that too! But no, I'm getting an award for one of my stories." Jordan replied, bubbling with excitement.

"You're kidding! Congratulations! Which award?" Bly asked, hugging Jordan happily.

***

Jordan pulled out the invitation again and read it to Bly. "It's the Acorn Awards for new writers in the field of popular literature. According to this letter there will be some very prominent authors at the ceremony. It's a black tie affair so I'm going to have to get a new dress." Jordan paused and looked up from the invitation and asked, "Will you go with me?"

"Sure, when is it?” Bly readily answered.

"Let's see. The 29^th. Wow that's soon, its Saturday." Jordan informed her and looked at Bly to see the look on her face change. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry but I can’t go. This is the weekend of the volleyball tournament. I told you about it before." Bly apologized.

"But Bly, I was really hoping you would go with me." Jordan was disappointed that Bly would miss one of the most important events in her life. "This is very important for me."

"I know it is and I'm very proud of you, but I've already committed myself to this tournament." Bly explained.

"Do you really have to be in the tournament? Could you miss just this once?" Jordan looked at Bly pleadingly. She couldn't understand why Bly couldn't miss one tournament for something as important to her as this.

"I really wish I could, but you have to understand that I've already committed myself to be on the team." Bly attempted to explain, as Jordan looked away upset. Bly went to Jordan and pulled her stiffly to her. "I really wish I could be there with you, but I can't get out of this one."

"It's okay Bly, I understand." Jordan simply replied, but she really didn't understand the importance of a tournament compared to the award ceremony. She wouldn't beg her to attend, and would just go alone.

"I'm sorry." Bly softly apologized and pulled Jordan to her chest, holding her. She knew Jordan was upset, but there was no way around this. They stood in each other's arms for a while, both wishing they could change what had just happened. The excitement of the award had been dampened. Technically, this would be termed their first impasse, before this they were always able to agree. This time, neither one would win.

"Hungry?" Bly asked after a few moments.

"Mmmm, not really." Jordan murmured not moving her head from Bly's chest.

"Interested in some pizza?" Bly tempted her with her favorite food. "We could order one and watch TV."

"Sure, sounds good." Jordan answered and lifted her head. "You order and I'll go see what's on."

Jordan started to step away and Bly pulled her back to kiss her. Jordan's response lacked her usual enthusiasm and Bly knew that she was upset. Hoping she would get over it, Bly didn't remark, but just watched Jordan walk into the other room before picking up the telephone to call in their order. They watched television with Jordan laying her head in Bly's lap facing away from her. Bly toyed with Jordan's hair, but the woman was unresponsive. 'She is really taking this hard, but there is nothing I can do about it.' Bly thought sadly and sighed. After the movie was over she looked down to see that Jordan had fallen asleep. Gently shaking the woman's shoulder's she woke her quietly saying, "Time for bed."

"Oh, I fell asleep." Jordan replied and yawned, sitting up. She looked so cute when she was ruffled and sleepy that Bly couldn't help pulling the woman up into her arms as she stood. Bly began to lightly kiss Jordan's neck as the woman snuggled against Bly tired.

Jordan was still unresponsive and Bly finally stopped and said, "Come on, let's get you to bed." She led her down the hall toward the bedroom. Changed and ready for bed, Jordan instantly curled up against Bly and fell asleep wrapped around the taller woman. ‘Well, at least she isn’t too mad to not let me be her body pillow.' Bly thought wryly and closed her eyes to wait for sleep to come.

***

The next morning was a little better, but Jordan still would not engage in her usual upbeat humor. Bly was beginning to get perturbed by the blonde's attitude, but said nothing as they parted for work. Bly didn't ask her if she was coming over after work and Jordan didn't say she wasn't. 'I guess I'll see you when I see you.' Bly thought sarcastically as she drove away. She was hurt that Jordan didn’t understand her position.

The day went by slowly for Jordan and Bly hadn't called all day. She also hadn't asked if she was going to stay over tonight. 'Maybe she just wants some time to herself. It's not like I expected her to change her whole life around mine. She has a commitment and she needs to fulfill it. I can just go to the awards by myself.' She thought guiltily and picked up the phone to dial Bly.

Bly came to the phone to find Jordan on the other end. "Hi, what's up?" Bly asked, waiting to judge the response she received.

"Nothing just thought I'd call and see how your day was going." Jordan replied, she hated that their conversation was awkward and stilted.

"Busy and now I find out that I have to leave Wednesday evening to go for Medicare hearings at another clinic. So, I guess I will just go from there to the tournament and return home Sunday night." Bly replied thinking, 'I might as well lay it all out there now and get it over with.'

"Oh, okay." Jordan answered softly. "Do you need a ride to the airport?" She wasn't really thrilled that Bly would be leaving any earlier, but she wouldn't let her know that she was still upset.

"Sure, my flight leaves at 8:00 pm." Bly answered, surprised. She had hoped Jordan would take her, but had been afraid to push it and ask. "You coming over tonight?"

"No, I've got to work late tonight and I thought I'd just go home instead of driving all the way out to your place. How about if I just come over after work tomorrow and we can get something to eat before I take you to the airport?" Jordan offered and sat listening to the silence on the other end.

Bly sat back in her seat, momentarily taken back by Jordan's response. "Okay, that will be good. Listen, I have to run, I have a patient waiting. I'll see you tomorrow, right?" She hated that this was coming between them. 'Maybe I should just call and tell them I can't make it.' She thought to herself, but knew that if she didn't go, they would have to forfeit and she couldn't do that to the team either. "Damn!" Bly muttered under her breath as she walked toward the exam room.

"Yes, tomorrow..." Jordan replied and hung up. 'Shit, why did I just do that? I'm being a total bitch about this whole thing.' Jordan berated herself silently and considered calling Bly back, but decided against it.

Bly waited anxiously for Jordan to arrive to take her to the airport. They hadn't seen each other since Monday, although she had tried calling Jordan at work last night, but the blonde had been too busy to talk for more than five minutes. The phone rang, it was the lobby telling her that Jordan had arrived and was waiting to pick her up. Bly hung up the phone, thinking unhappily, 'Why didn't she just come up?' She picked up her bag and looked around one last time before getting into the elevator and heading down.

'I'm being stupid, I should have gone up to get her.' Jordan thought sadly to herself. She was still upset that Bly would choose a volleyball game over one of the most important events in her life. 'I guess I shouldn't be so possessive, I don't own Bly or anything.' She looked up when she saw the building door open and there was a catch in her heart at the sight of Bly. She watched the tall beauty walk with a graceful gait towards the car and open the door.

"Hey." Jordan called out as Bly slid into the bucket seat next to her.

"Hey, yourself." Bly replied tossing her bag in the back.

"I wasn't sure if we were in a hurry or not, so I didn't come up." Jordan said lamely. She knew Bly was privy to what she was doing.

"No problem." Bly smiled over at Jordan. She wanted to fix the problem between them because more than anything in the world, she didn't want to lose this woman. Bly leaned over and touched Jordan's cheek. Jordan looked at her silently, smiling before she started the car to pull it away. The ride to the airport was uncharacteristically quiet with only a smattering of conversation from Jordan about having to go back to work that evening. Jordan watched Bly out of the corner of her eye. She wanted to stop the car right then and there and pull the woman into her arms. She didn't know how to handle the current situation. She was hurt and feeling left out and she wasn't sure what to do about it.

Bly didn't comment when Jordan pulled up in front of the terminal instead of parking and going in with her. She knew Jordan needed to get back to work, but she wasn't ready to leave things the way they were. "Jordan, you know I'd be with you Saturday night if I could." Bly looked at Jordan as she reached into the back to retrieve her bag and waited for a response.

"I understand, you've committed yourself to the tournament. It's okay, I think Linda is going to go with me." Jordan replied and tried for nonchalance. Her insides were churning with indecision over what to say to Bly.

"I'll call you tomorrow okay?" Bly asked and leaned over to kiss Jordan good-bye. Jordan just answered, "Okay,” and her return of the kiss was cold and stiff. She nervously pulled back quickly and looked at Bly.

Bly could feel herself getting angry thinking, 'What more can I say to make her understand?!' She opened the car door and proceeded to get out and on second thought turned asking, "Do you want me to call you?"

"If you want to, but you might want to call me at work because that is where I'll be most of the time." Jordan suggested. Bly just nodded and closed the door and walking briskly into the terminal. 'Better to walk away now before I say something I'll regret.' She thought with agitation and disbelief from Jordan’s demeanor, her anger with the blonde boiling.

Jordan watched as the tall figure moved away as her eyes began to sting and her chest burned. She quickly pulled the car from the curb and drove away before she did something foolish. 'I can't force myself into Bly's life totally, there are things that are important to her.' She rationalized and headed her car back toward the office.

***

The next couple of days were hectic at work and Jordan found she was not getting home until very late and would fall into bed exhausted. Bly had called three times and she had tried to return the calls unsuccessfully. Finally, after playing phone tag for three days, Bly called Jordan late Friday evening from the airport. She was on her way to the volleyball tournament and this would be the last chance she would get to talk to her before the award ceremony. The phone rang four times before the answering machine picked up. Bly left another message and wondered, 'Where is she at this time of night?' She hung up the phone and picked up her bag to board her airplane. "Damn Jordan what's going on?" Bly angrily muttered under her breath as she walked down the aisle to her seat.

Jordan couldn't sleep so she pulled Bly's pillow closer to her and breathed in the scent that she loved. She missed Bly so much and hated how she had been acting lately. She hadn't been able to reach Bly by telephone earlier in the evening and desperately needed to feel connected to her lover so she decided to stay at Bly's. 'Why didn't I just let this one go? Why did I have to push Bly away? Now I may have pushed her completely away.' Jordan laid thinking as a tear rolled down her nose and she cried herself to sleep.

***

The next day Bly's first game started early and she didn't finish until later that evening. She tried calling Jordan to wish her luck later in the night at the Award ceremonies, but there was no answer at her apartment. Bly's game was off as she began to be worried and angry over where Jordan could possibly be.

Linda arrived at Bly's to help Jordan get ready for the big night. Jordan had decided to stay at the Penthouse until it was time to go to the ceremony. She hadn't forwarded her phones this time and called home to check her messages. There were two from Bly, but no phone number to return her call. She listened to Bly's velvety voice over and over again until Linda finally arrived and she began to get ready. Dressed and ready, Linda and Jordan walked down to the car. Julie was going to pick up Linda after the ceremony, and Jordan decided she would come back to the Penthouse to wait for Bly to come home on Sunday.

Cindy had followed Jordan over to Bly's and sat in the parking lot waiting for her opportunity. She knew there was too much security in the building to approach Jordan and decided to wait until she came out. "Aah-ha, there's my girl. Let's just see where these two are going." Cindy replied, with a mischievous smile on her face as she started her truck up and waited for Jordan to pull out of the parking lot. "Too bad that rich bitch isn't with her! I'd like to wipe that smile off of her face but I'm sure I could do that with Linda just the same." Cindy coldly told herself, following the pair down US1.

The ride over was a quiet one and Linda wondered what was going on with Jordan considering she was up for an award. 'Maybe she's just nervous about the award.' Linda thought and decided to let Jordan start the conversation if she wanted to talk about what was bothering her. Jordan steered into the parking lot of the hotel where the award dinner was held. Despite getting dressed early, they were still late getting there.

"Are you okay, Jordan?" Linda asked, concerned as they walked towards the doors to the building.

"I'm very nervous." Jordan answered with a slight laugh.

Linda still wasn't convinced that's all that was wrong with her best friend. Jordan was too quiet especially considering she's up for an award. Usually, Jordan would be chatting incessantly about how excited she was about something like this. 'Something had to have happened with her and Bly. I intend to find out just what happened.' Linda inwardly thought as they entered the hotel.

"Oh, Jordan! You look so hot this evening. I can't wait to take you once and for all for my own." Cindy maniacally smiled as she sat in her truck in the parking lot, watching the ladies enter the hotel. "As for you Linda, I should just get you out of the way. You've been a major hindrance between Jordan and I. You will definitely get what you deserve." She replied malevolently.

Jordan and Linda grabbed a cocktail and headed to their seats just as dinner was being served. Linda looked at Jordan and was tired of her non-talkative self. "Jordan, tell me what's going on?" Linda insisted.

"I told you Linda! I'm nervous." Jordan answered, exasperated by Linda’s questions.

"Horse shit! You and Bly had a fight didn't you?" Linda whispered back agitated by her friend’s evasiveness. Jordan kept her head down with embarrassment over the way she'd been acting around Bly and nervously nibbled on her roll. "Well? Don't pull this mute crap with me, Jordan, give it up." Linda demanded, her agitation mounting. She didn't like the idea of Jordan and Bly fighting. She wanted the best for her friend and that was Bly. Linda had watched women treat Jordan like crap for too many years and she felt that Jordan didn't deserve that treatment. Hell, no one does! She saw how happy and in love Jordan was when she was with Bly and she didn't want her to ruin that relationship.

"I've been awful, Linda." Jordan answered reluctantly and regretfully, as the host began their introductions for the awards, Jordan and Linda were oblivious to what was happening. "I have treated Bly like crap the past few days. I haven't talked to her and when I did talk to her I acted like I couldn't be bothered. When I dropped her off at the airport, I didn't walk in with her, or give her a meaningful kiss before she left, or even tell her how much I love her." Jordan explained as the tears welled in her eyes.

"Why? What happened?" Linda asked concerned, putting her hand on Jordan's forearm for support, her angry demeanor calming.

"I'm mad at her for not being here with me. It's the most important thing in my life and she's not here to share it with me." Jordan answered sadly.

"Jordan, you know I love you, but I think you're being a little selfish."

"Linda! I thought you were on my side?" Jordan asked, hurt that her friend was taking Bly's side.

"I am on your side and that's why I'm telling you like it is, Jordan. Did you stop to think that the volleyball tournament is important to Bly? From what Julie said it's a Regional volleyball tournament with national TV coverage where the East team plays the West team and they choose the top three all-stars to be members of the National volleyball team which will compete in the 2000 summer Olympics in Australia. Julie told me that Bly was a shoo-in for a spot on the team, but from the way she played earlier today she may not make it. Julie said she has never seen Bly play so poorly. Didn't you watch the game today Jordan?"

"No I didn't. I wasn't aware that it was such a big tournament and how high the stakes are for Bly. She didn't mention anything to me regarding the tournament. This is so important to me, Linda." Jordan answered feeling guilty by the way she acted.

"This is more important to you than losing Bly? Because that's what it sounds like you're telling me. It sounds like maybe Bly didn't tell you because of the way you were acting. You could have supported her in her volleyball tournament by giving her your love. She was supportive of you with this award dinner, right?" Linda asked, slightly perturbed by her friend's actions. 'She's going to blow it with Bly and that's a shame because they are meant to be together.' Linda thought to herself sadly.

"I know Linda. I'm so foolish for the way I acted. She was very supportive of this. I know I hurt her deeply and I should have been more supportive of her. I just didn't look at it with her being the most important thing in my life. I just looked at it as a silly volleyball tournament and I regret that." Jordan tearfully answered as the host announced the next award would be for the new short story author of the year.

The host explained that the winner would have their story published in their national magazine, would receive a check for $5,000 and would be given a book deal.

"Look Jordan, you need to work this out with Bly. When she calls, you need to make up with her. She loves you so much and I know you love her."

"The winner of this years award is..." The host announced.

"I know, Linda. I already feel like shit as it is and now with this latest news of how important the tournament is to Bly, I feel worse." Jordan answered guiltily.

"Jordan Milano!" The host announced as everyone began to clap.

"What's going on?" Jordan asked and looked around as everyone looked at her.

"Jordan! You won! They announced your name!" Linda exclaimed with happiness and excitement.

"Really?" Jordan excitedly asked, amazed she won the award.

"Get up there and accept it!" Linda smiled proudly, and stood to help her out of the chair.

"Oh, my god! I can't believe it." She told Linda, as she approached the podium to accept the award. She blushed nervously as she watched the crowd clap with their appreciation for her. "Thank you very much." She told the hostess as she shook her hand.

"Well, Jordan go ahead and say something." She suggested smiling as she pointed to the crowd who had calmed enough for Jordan to speak.

"Thank you. Aah, I had no idea I would win this award." Jordan answered with a nervous laugh. "I just want to say thank you to the Acorn award committee for making this dream come true and to my best friend Linda for her unwavering support." Jordan smiled appreciatively, looking at Linda to acknowledge her. "But most of all I would like to thank my inspiration for the story. The other half of my soul, who unfortunately, couldn't be here tonight, which is good because they would have been very embarrassed to know the story was about them!" Jordan answered with a shared laugh with the crowd as she held up the award to show the crowd. "Thank you again." She gratefully said and walked back down towards her seat as the crowd applauded her efforts. Her heart raced and she was so nervous she could barely walk to her seat.

Jordan was glad that was the last award of the evening because she didn't know if she could sit still. Linda engulfed her in a hug the moment she came close to the table as the host thanked everyone for coming and encouraged people to mingle with the award winners. "Jordan, I'm so proud of you and I'm so happy. You really deserve this award." Linda stated emphatically to let Jordan know she was very happy for her.

"Linda, I can't believe it. I'm so nervous, excited, and happy. It's so wonderful!" She exclaimed with a laugh.

"You should be, honey. This is great!"

"Excuse me, Jordan. We need to get your picture for the next issue of our magazine." The hostess interrupted as she informed Jordan that duty called.

"Oh, sure. I'll be right back, Linda." Jordan smiled as the host led her towards the other award winners.

Linda watched on for almost a half-hour as people snapped picture after picture of Jordan and just when it seemed like she would get away another person would grab her. She approached Jordan when she realized Julie would be outside waiting to pick her up for their six-month anniversary celebration later that evening. "Jordan, I have to leave I'm sorry." Linda apologized when she was able to get two minutes with her friend.

"It's okay I understand. It's your anniversary, go ahead enjoy your evening." Jordan smiled happily.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Linda asked with concern.

"I'll be fine, don't worry! Get!" Jordan teased her.

"Okay, but I want you to call me when you get to Bly's to let me know if you got home alright."

"Yes, mom! I really don't want to bother the two of you in your celebration."

"Just call and if we don't answer, leave a message on Julie's machine so we know you're okay, please?" Linda pleaded with concern for her friend.

"I promise. Now, get going and give Julie a kiss for me." Jordan answered reassuringly.

"I will, and do what I said with Bly. She's going to be so happy for you!" Linda exclaimed with a smile and hugged Jordan before she left.

Jordan watched Linda leave and wished Bly could be there with her. She thought about how stupid she acted and made a mental note to make it up to Bly as soon as she could.

***

Linda headed out the front door of the hotel and noticed Julie was sitting in her BMW convertible in front waiting for her. Linda opened the door and looked in replying. "Hey, you sexy Italian lover, are you going my way?" She asked with an alluring smile.

"I'm going any way you want me to with the way you look in that dress, babe." Julie teasingly smiled, watching Linda get in the car.

Linda leaned over and kissed Julie soundly. "Hmmm, I missed you." Linda purred gazing dreamily in Julie's brown eyes.

"The feeling's mutual, babe. Where's Jordan?" Julie asked, looking to the door for her.

"Oh, she won the award! She's busy taking pictures and hob knobbing." Linda exclaimed with excitement.

"No shit! That's fabulous! Bly is going to be so psyched when she hears about it. Is she going to be okay getting home?" Julie asked with worry and happiness for Jordan winning the award.

"She promised she would call when she got home. Oh, here." Linda answered as she kissed Julie again. "That's from Jordan." She replied with a smile.

"Hey, she's a pretty good kisser. Maybe I should wait for her?" Julie teased with a laugh, pulling the car away from the hotel and received a punch in the arm.

"How did Bly do in the last game?”

Julie looked at her with a glum face. "Not good at all, Linda. I have never seen her play like this before and I have no idea what's wrong with her." Julie answered with disbelief at the way Bly was playing at the volleyball tournament.

"Her and Jordan had a fight and that's probably it." Linda explained, disappointed.

"Well, that explains it. Let's hope they make up soon because if she doesn't play better tomorrow she won't make the team and that's bad because she was pretty much the favored player on the East team to be the number one all-star." Julie explained as they pulled out of the parking lot and out onto the road.

"I'm sure she will play better tomorrow because Jordan's going to make up with her tonight." Linda answered confidently.

"Great! So, want to go to Australia for the summer Olympics next year?" Julie asked with a chuckle.

"I'll go anywhere with you, sexy." Linda answered with a laugh.

Cindy watched as Jordan walked to her car alone. She was glad that Linda had already left before Jordan. When Jordan pulled away Cindy smiled and followed her. "Good she is alone."

***

Jordan drove back toward Bly's place, her mind a million miles away as she thought about the award and Bly. She had treated her horribly and hoped that there was a message for her on her machine with a phone number. She didn't like the fact that Bly's performance at the tournament was hampered because of her attitude.

It was late as Jordan drove down US1. The streets were deserted as she stopped for a red light. A car pulled up next to her honking its horn and Jordan looked over to see Cindy motioning for her to pull over. Jordan's heart beat erratically in fear. Jordan shook her head no and pulled out through the red light. She accelerated the car to try to put as much distance between herself and Cindy.

"Damn you, Jordan. Why must you always make everything so difficult?" Cindy fumed; she could feel her anger building uncontrollably. "I have had enough of this attitude." Cindy raced after Jordan's fleeing car. She pulled up along side and shouted out her window. "Pull over! I need to talk with you! Now!"

Jordan again shook her head and stepped on the gas harder. She looked in her rearview mirror and all she saw was lights filling up her window. 'Oh God Bly! I need you!' Jordan cried silently. She looked around for an open store or anything to find help, but everything was closed as she sped down US1.

"If I make it to the Penthouse, I will be okay and can get some help to keep her out." Jordan told herself out loud to calm her shaking hands.

Cindy tailed the small car and lost all reason to her anger. She tapped the back end of the car causing it to fishtail violently. Jordan pulled the car back around and kept driving. "Just stop and talk to me, Jordan, and this wouldn't have to happen." Cindy shouted to the car in front of her. She tapped the back end a little harder, screaming. "Pull over!"

Jordan grasped the wheel as tightly as she could and pulled the car back onto the road. Her right tires hit the gravel and she had almost lost it. Fear broke out in sweat on her forehead and the tears ran down her cheeks as Cindy’s truck hit her car harder this time.

"Oh God! Help me!" Jordan cried, as her head slammed forward and the wheel spun out of her hands, out of control. The car spun around and flipped over into the ditch at the side of the road. The car rolled over several times. When it finally came to a stop, the only sound that could be heard were the tires rubbing as they continued to spin. Jordan lay silently, still strapped in by her seatbelt

Cindy got out of her truck and ran to the smoking car. She looked inside and saw Jordan’s unmoving body. Turning, she ran back to her truck and got out of the area as fast as she could. "If she had just done what I asked her, this wouldn’t have happened. It’s her fault!" Cindy justified.

***

The emergency rescue units arrived shortly after a motorist phoned in the accident. The first on the scene to examine the car was a firefighter. "Where are the paramedics?" He urgently shouted, assessing Jordan’s condition when the other firefighter approached.

"They're gathering their gear." The firefighter answered as he drew closer.

"She's wedged in there pretty tightly, we are going to have to cut her out." He informed him.

"Is she alive?" He asked, peering into the window.

"Barely! Get the ‘jaws of life’ over here quickly and tell the paramedics to move it!" He ordered hurriedly as the firefighter rushed away to fulfill his orders.

The paramedics rushed to the car and began to open their equipment as one medic looked in the car at Jordan to assess her condition. "The steering column is pinning her against her seat." The firefighter explained. "We're going to have to cut it away from her."

"Okay, let me check her over." He answered and climbed into the shattered window as much as he could to assess Jordan. "Her pulse is weak, thready at 110. She's unconscious, cold, pale and diaphoretic. Hand me the blood pressure cuff," he shouted as his partner wrote the information down and handed him the cuff before calling in to report the status. "Blood pressure is 50 palpable." He answered, backing out of the vehicle window. "I'm establishing two IV lines of lactated Ringer's solution to help improve her blood pressure." The paramedic informed his partner inserting the IV's as the firefighters cut the car open to rescue Jordan. "Grab the backboard! She may have a spinal cord injury." He ordered, putting a cervical collar on Jordan's neck as his partner grabbed the backboard. The paramedics stabilized her head and transferred her onto the backboard as a precaution. The paramedics applied MAST trousers to improve her circulation against the possibility of internal bleeding based on the condition of her vital signs. Once at the hospital, the doctors noted Jordan was hypertensive and ordered a CAT scan of the head, cervical spine, and pelvic X-ray, which all came back normal. The chest X-ray revealed three fractured ribs, which was common with blunt traumas such as Jordan’s from being pinned against the steering wheel. A CAT scan of the liver revealed a lacerated liver, as Jordan was quickly typed and cross-matched for blood. "Dr. Jagers, the patient has AB-blood with rare antibodies." The nurse informed the doctor as she looked over the results.

"Great! That makes everything worse." She answered dryly, agitated at the findings. "Find a contact person for consent if we need to do surgery and get moving on the blood! She's going to need it soon!" The doctor ordered as she worked to stabilize Jordan's condition.

"Hey, Jan! Who's the patients contact person?" The nurse asked, approaching the desk.

"Aah, Bly Van Dewark." She answered as she flipped through Jordan's wallet that the police officers found and gave them, finding her emergency medical card there.

"Bly Van Dewark? It's her lucky day because I think Dr. Van Dewark is still here. Call Bly and get in touch with her to let her know what has happened and I'll have Dr. Van Dewark paged."

Bly's father entered the emergency room shortly after being paged. "What's up?" He asked slightly irritated by the page as he was on his way out the door.

"Dr. Van Dewark. This patient has Bly listed as her emergency contact person and we wondered if you knew her." The nurse informed him as they approached the foot of the bed.

"Oh, my god, Jordan!" He exclaimed with worry as his blue eyes filled with tears. "Aah yes, I know her. What’s her condition?"

"They're trying to stabilize her. She has internal bleeding."

He didn't like what he heard and his fear for Jordan grew. He gave the nurse Bly's cell phone number to call, as he informed his wife of what happened to Jordan. She said she would call Linda to let her know before she came down to the hospital. "Dr. Van Dewark, we can't get in touch with Bly." The nurse informed him as she approached dejectedly.

"Does Jordan have family numbers listed?" He inquired, looking away from Jordan and down to the information sheet the nurses compiled.

"No one but Bly." She answered and flipped her pages to look for any other pertinent information that she might have previously missed.

"Hey, Chance." The surgeon replied as she approached. "Any luck finding her contact? We need consent. She needs to have an exploratory laparotomy to identify the exact source of bleeding. We'll either do a partial liver resection or coagulation of the bleeding site with an Argon laser." She explained to Bly's father.

"Her contact is my daughter and she's unavailable. Jordan's like a daughter to me. If she needs surgery, I'll give consent and take full responsibility." He informed the surgeon as he signed the forms and wondered just where in the hell his daughter was. He knew this happening with Jordan would devastate her.

"Okay, let's get moving. She also has a fractured wrist that will need to be addressed once we get her stabilized." The surgeon explained in a hurried tone.

"I'll take a look at her X-rays and see what needs to be done with her wrist." He answered solemnly as he looked at Jordan with great concern.

"Arlene! Any luck with a blood match?" Dr. Jagers asked the nurse.

"No, we've got calls out to the blood banks throughout the country and we're waiting for a response."

"Keep on it because we've got to have that blood soon or she’ll bleed to death from all the hemorrhaging. The best person would be a family member." She answered before walking away, stopping and turning back. "Chance, why don't you scrub in for the surgery?"

"I just might do that, thanks." He stammered as he worriedly looked at Jordan.

"Chance!" Alexandra exclaimed frantically as she rushed towards her husband. "How is she?"

"Not good, Alex. They are prepping her for surgery now to try and locate the exact cause of the internal bleeding. They suspect that she has a lacerated liver, but to what extent, they aren’t sure."

"What happened?" She asked panicked, her blue eyes filling with tears.

"I don't know the details other than she was in a car accident. Any luck reaching Bly?"

"No, she must not have her phone with her for some unknown reason. She always has that thing with her." She fretted, biting her lower lip wondering why her daughter wasn’t answering her phone calls.

"Listen, I need you to see if Linda can get in touch with Jordan's parents. It's imperative we get blood specific to her." He explained to his concerned wife.

"Okay, we'll get on it as soon as her and Julie get here."

"Have the nurse come get me out of the operating room when you get through to her parents and I'll explain Jordan's condition to them. See if Dawson can track Bly down. I've got to go." He answered with urgency.

"Take care of her." Alexandra answered with a slight smile as she squeezed his hand."She's got an excellent surgeon, but I'll make sure they take care of her." He answered with a reassuring smile and a wink as he headed towards the operating room while Alexandra left for the waiting room.

***

Bly's game ended in a tie and they were taking a break before starting again. She needed the break. She just wasn't into the game at all and she didn't want to be there, she wanted to be with Jordan. Bly didn't like what was happening between the two of them and playing in the tournament for the Olympics wasn't worth the risk of losing Jordan. She had a very bad feeling and didn't really know why, which kept her mind off of playing. Bly reached into her bag for her towel and noticed her phone flashing that she had messages. She picked it up and scrolled through recognizing her brother's number showing up a number of times, her mother's number and the hospital number. She had a sinking feeling, as worry and nervousness swept over her like a tidal wave. Bly called her brother's number to find out what was going on. "Bly! Where the hell have you been?" He anxiously asked, concerned.

"In a game! What's going on?" She answered, agitated by her brother's demeanor.

"It's Jordan! She’s…” He stammered, not really knowing how to tell his sister what happened to Jordan.

"What's wrong with Jordan?" Bly snapped worriedly before her brother could say anything else and stood up as her heart jumped into her throat. She felt incredibly warm and felt physically ill at the thought of something bad happening to Jordan.

"She was in a car accident, Bly." He answered softly.

Bly's blue eyes filled with tears, her knees weakening as she fell back into the chair. Her heart raced uncontrollably and she could barely breath. "Is she? Is she okay?" Bly stammered, her voice shaky as she forced the question out. Her hands shook uncontrollably and she could barely hold the phone as the tears streaked her face.

"I'm sorry Bly, it doesn't look good. They took her in for exploratory surgery to try and stop the bleeding." He solemnly answered as tears filled his eyes from the pain he could hear in his sister's voice.

"I'm on my way! I'll call you from the plane!" Bly responded urgently, clicking the phone off and hurriedly gathered her belongings. Thoughts of Jordan overwhelmed her and she didn't want to think about what she would do without her.

"Bly, where are you going?" Her coach asked.

"I have an emergency and I have to leave." Bly answered, turning towards her coach and then started to walk away again.

"You can't leave! We're right in the middle of a game!" She adamantly stated.

"Watch me!" She spat back and headed off as her temper flared.

"You won't make the team if you leave." She warned.

"The person I'm going to be with is more important to me." She angrily snapped and quickly headed towards the exit of the arena, clicking her phone on to contact her travel agent. "Sarah! I'm glad I caught you. I need a flight back to Florida right away." She explained breathlessly, running through the halls of the arena.

"Bly, it's late and do you realize how much that will cost?" Sarah asked, slightly agitated at the late night call.

"I don't give a damn what it costs! Just get me on the fucking plane! Rent a plane if you have to just get me something by the time I get to the airport. I'll be there in ten minutes." She angrily shouted, clicking the phone off and exited the arena before hailing a cab.

Sarah had never heard Bly so upset before. They had been college roommates for the entire four years at the University of Florida and they were very good friends. She figured it must have something to do with Jordan or a family member for her to react that way, and didn't take her attitude personally. She quickly began to work on a flight for her friend.

Bly called the hotel and made arrangements for her bags to be sent back to Florida for her. She slipped on her team jacket when she felt a chill from the air hitting her sweat soaked clothes and clicked on the phone as it rang. "Sarah?" She asked.

"Yep! You're on Delta flight 269 which leaves in fifteen minutes."

"Great! Thanks! I'm pulling up now."

"Bly, I hope everything works out okay. Call me and let me know what happened when you can. I'll send good thoughts along." Sarah answered with concern.

"I'll call, thanks Sarah." She answered sadly as her thoughts turned to Jordan. She was pissed at herself and felt guilty because she was in California and Jordan was home fighting for her life. The pain and guilt she felt were unbearable. 'I should have been there. She must have been terrified being completely alone. I'm a terrible girlfriend! I should have stayed home.' She angrily chided herself as the tears flowed freely while the cab pulled up to the airport.

"Which terminal?" The cabbie asked."Aah, Delta." Bly answered as she looked up and wiped her tears before pulling out cash for the fare. She exited the cab and ran to her gate, quickly flashing her ID before receiving her boarding pass. She headed down the gangway and took her seat in first class. Bly waited until the plane was in the air before she called her brother back. "Dawson! Any news yet on Jordan?" She asked.

"No, she's still in surgery, Bly."

"Damn! What happened with the accident?" She asked, frustrated and ran her hand through her disheveled damp hair.

"I spoke with the officer and they think it was a hit-and-run." He explained.

"What? How do they know that?" Bly asked, as her anger mounted and she couldn't understand how someone could be so callous to cause an accident and leave the scene.

"They found red paint on the rear of her car indicating someone hit her from behind, causing the accident."

Bly's temper took over and the rage within her coursed as she instantly thought of the one person who could have caused the accident, Cindy. She had a red truck and had been terrorizing Jordan. "Dawson, I'll bet everything I own that Cindy is involved in this accident."

"I thought the same thing and I alerted the officers of the problems Jordan had been having with her. I've got our investigator's working on finding her as well." He explained with frustration that Cindy could wreak so much havoc in Jordan and Bly's life.

"Thanks Daw. Do me a favor?" Bly asked softly as her temper calmed and she thought of Jordan.

"Sure, anything! You know that." He answered reassuringly.

"When Jordan comes out of surgery could you tell her that I love her and I'm on my way, please?" She asked as the tears trickled down her cheeks.

"Absolutely, what time are you due in? I'll pick you up out front." He eagerly offered.

"I should be on the ground in three hours. Thankfully, I got a non-stop flight with Delta." She explained with a sigh of relief that she would soon be there.

"Okay, I'll be there waiting. I love you, Bly, and remember, Jordan's going to be fine." He answered lovingly and reassuringly to calm his sister.

"Thanks, Daw. I really appreciate that and I hope so. I love you too, bye." She answered softly as she clicked her phone off and looked out the window lost in her thoughts of Jordan. She thought about how much she loved Jordan and how she never enjoyed life. No, started living life until she met her true love. Bly's thoughts turned to anger when she thought about Cindy. If she had anything to do with the accident, she was going to strangle the bitch with her bare hands! Bly realized that she was the cause of this backlash from Cindy. Jordan had asked her not to taunt Cindy in that damn baseball game, but she didn't listen. The guilt hit her like a baseball bat and realized that she may have cost Jordan her life, the only person she ever truly loved with all her heart and soul. 'What have I done?' She tearfully asked as the lump in her throat swelled and she had difficulty breathing, crying harder.

***

Dr. Van Dewark was alerted that the staff had reached Jordan’s parents and they were waiting on the phone. He left the operating room and pulled his mask down followed by the removal of his gloves to take the call. "Hello, this is Dr. Van Dewark and my daughter is very good friends with Jordan."

"Yeah, Jordan told us just how good of friends they really are! What do you want?" The woman's voice asked gruffly with animosity.

"Aah, are you Jordan's mother?" He asked as he was flabbergasted by the woman's attitude.

"Yes, I am." She replied curtly.

"Well, Jordan was in a very bad car accident and is bleeding internally. It seems that Jordan has a rare blood type and antibodies which we are having a hard time matching. We can't give her just any blood. It has to be specific to her blood type. We need for your family to go to the nearest hospital to be tested for the same antibodies as Jordan before you head down here. The hospital there will transport the blood down here immediately." He explained urgently.

"I'm sorry, we can't do that." The woman answered coldly.

"Excuse me?! You mean to tell me you're not willing to help your child who may die?" He asked angrily and shouted through the phone, growing increasingly angry at the women's callous attitude toward her daughter.

"Jordan's adopted so no one in this family can help her. Jordan doesn't know that she's adopted either. I can give you the name of the adoption lawyer we used and maybe he can give you more information to reach her birth parents if she's that bad off." The woman casually explained with what seemed like total disregard for Jordan’s welfare, and sighed, exasperated by the phone call.

Chance Van Dewark was aghast by his conversation with this woman and wanted to bitch slap her in a big way. He had never ever thought about hitting a woman, but this one yeah, he wanted to slap her hard, very hard. It went against everything he stood for with his Hippocratic oath and that he wasn’t a violent man, but he seriously wanted to rearrange this woman’s face. "Lady! Whether Jordan is adopted or not you raised her and she's still your child! You should be here with her, she may die!" He shouted angrily into the phone, seriously wanting to reach through the phone and strangle the woman.

"Well, that's regrettable, but when she told us of her lifestyle, we could not accept that life for her. We wish her the best, but we've washed our hands of her." She answered nastily, before hanging the phone up.

"That fucking bitch!" He exclaimed angrily, slamming the phone down and stormed down the hall to the waiting room.

"Chance, how is she?" Alexandra asked pensively as everyone swarmed him for information on Jordan.

"They have coagulated the bleeding and are finishing up now. We still have to get the blood to replenish what she's already lost. Did you get in touch with Bly?" He inquired, looking at his son and worked to calm his temper.

"Yeah, I'm going to pick her up in an hour." He answered and glanced at his watch for the time then back up to his father.

"Okay, great! Alex, can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked, unnerved as he led his wife away from the group. "Jordan's mother is a real piece of work. She said Jordan is adopted. She also said she wished Jordan the best but they couldn't agree with her lifestyle and have washed their hands of her." He explained still stunned by the awful conversation with Jordan’s mother.

Alexandra was flabbergasted and her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, poor Jordan! That sweet girl has gone through so much and now her own family is treating her that way. It's a disgrace and I hope they burn in hell!" She spat, knowing it wasn't very nice to say ‘damn it! I’m pissed and they are deplorable people,' She angrily thought, clenching her fists in frustration.

"Can you have Jimmy see if they can track down her birth family to get the blood she needs?" He asked, looking into his wife's beautiful blue eyes that both of his children possessed which calmed his temper.

"Of course! I'll do it now." She readily agreed before kissing him and clicking her phone on to make the call.

"Dr. V! Is Jordan going to be okay?" Linda asked nervously and with tear filled eyes as Julie placed her hands on her shoulders for comfort.

"We hope so. They are hoping they can keep the bleeding stopped so Jordan won't have to have a partial liver resection. It's also very important that we get the blood she needs to replace what she lost already." He calmly answered, trying to reassure them along with himself.

"Can I be tested? I don't know what my blood type is, but I'd really like to help Jordan." Linda eagerly offered.

"Sure, head down to the lab and I'll have the nurse set it up." He answered smiling, as Linda and Julie turned on their heels, quickly heading down the hall towards the lab.

***

Chance headed back in to check on Jordan who had been moved to the recovery room after her surgery. Dawson and Alexandra feverishly worked on gathering information regarding Jordan's birth family. They placed their calls and headed to the recovery room and informed the nurse to tell Chance they were waiting. Chance told the nurse to allow them in to see Jordan. Alexandra put her arm around Chance as they looked over Jordan who was very still and hooked up to every imaginable piece of equipment the hospital had. Dawson blinked back his tears and approached Jordan's side holding her hand. He leaned down to her ear. "Hey, Jordan. Bly wanted me to tell you that she loves you very much and that she's on her way." He softly informed her as they all noticed the heart monitor show a faster heartbeat. He smiled lovingly, looking up at the monitors and then leaned down to kiss Jordan's forehead. "Remember, anytime you want to switch teams you know were to find me, but for now I'm going to pick up Bly so you two can be together. Hang in there," he urged her as the heart monitor revealed a faster heart beat again at the mention of Bly's name. Dawson squeezed her hand and smiled at his parents. "I'll be back soon." He stated, walking past them towards the exit to pick up Bly.

***

Dawson squealed to stop in front of the terminal and didn't have to wait long before he saw a tall figure running toward his car. He pushed open the passenger door in time for her to jump in before pulling away from the curb again. "How is she?" Bly eagerly asked even before she had fully closed the door. She threw her equipment bag into the back seat and frantically looked at her brother.

"About the same. Right now they are trying to contact her parents to get a match on the blood, it seems Jordan has a rare one." Dawson grimly explained, glancing over at his sister and placed his hand on hers before turning his attention back to the road. "We will be there shortly." He reassured her.

"Hurry Daw!" Bly choked out as fresh tears sprang to her eyes and grasped at his hand as an anchor to the lost feeling she felt. "I'll never forgive myself for leaving like I did." Bly answered softly, absently running her hands through her raven hair as she thought of Jordan, hoping it would calm her guilt and frustration.

"It's not your fault." Dawson countered, driving like a bat out of hell to get them back to the hospital. "It was an accident, you have no control over that." He attempted to reassure her.

"If I had been here, things might have gone differently. Do you have any information about who hit her?" Bly asked trying to get information from her brother.

"No, but they are checking into it." Dawson answered without saying anything definite.

"It is Cindy, isn't it?" Bly accusatorily asked, prodding her brother for information. She knew it was that psychotic bitch".

We don't know that for sure yet Bly!" Dawson quickly responded in a warning tone. "Let's not jump the gun just yet even though the evidence points to her." He answered, trying to reason with his sister.

"I know it is her and it's my fault. I never should have antagonized her at the baseball game. She did this because she was angry with me. It should be me, not Jordan to suffer." Bly looked out the window as the tears rolled down her cheeks from the aching guilt that consumed her heart.

"Hey, no one should have to suffer because of that woman!" Dawson defensively offered and squeezed the hand that he held. As they approached the hospital, Dawson screeched the car into the first available spot outside of the emergency room and they both raced into the hospital. Bly was ahead of her brother and reached her mother first.

"Where is she?" Bly shouted without any pleasantries.

"Bly! You are finally here!" Alexandra exclaimed, turning and engulfing her daughter in a hug. "Come on, I'll take you to her."

They turned and moved toward Jordan's cube as a bell sounded calling a ‘Code’ to the recovery area. Bly looked at her mother in terror and the two women broke into a full sprint following the sea of white that converged on Jordan's area.

"No!" Bly cried out as she saw Jordan lying on the gurney and three pair of hands frantically working on her still body. Alexandra tried to hold her back, but Bly wanted to get to Jordan. Dr. Van Dewark stepped back from the fray around Jordan's bed and caught his daughter before she would reach Jordan.

"No Bly, let them do their job!" Her father called out to her and held her, out of the way.

The surgeon began CPR until she had a shallow rhythm appear, looking over at Chance, her eyes told him it was going to be touch and go. She focused her attention back to the team shouting, "She’s hemorrhaging again! The first surgery didn’t work. Let's get her back in the OR, stat!" Chance's heart dropped, pulling his daughter and wife out of the way when the team raced the gurney back through the doors to the OR. The surgeon paused in front of Chance and quietly said, "We need that blood fast!"

"I'm working on it!" Dr.Van Dewark called as the surgeon followed the gurney into the operating room area. This wasn’t his normal field of expertise, but he took it upon himself to take responsibility because it was Jordan. "Bly! You and your mother go wait outside and I'll be there shortly. I want to check something out."

"No! I've got to be with Jordan." Bly argued, feeling completely helpless and desperately wanting to be beside Jordan. Her father grabbed her by the shoulders and looked directly into her eye.

"You can't do anything for her right now but pray. When she wakes up, I promise you will be the first face she sees. Now, go!" Bly looked directly into his eyes and instantly stilled at the full impact of the situation as it hit her. She nodded tearfully and without another word, led her mother out of the recovery area to the waiting room.

Chance ran down the hall toward the blood bank, passing Linda and Julie on his way. "Bly is in the waiting room." He told them before moving on down the hall.

Linda could feel her knees weakening and looked at Julie, "Something is wrong". Julie grabbed Linda around the waist to support her and together, they hurried to find Bly.

Bly paced in the waiting room, tearing the Kleenex in her hands to shreds as the tears ran unchecked down her cheeks, wishing she had become a doctor so she could do more for Jordan. She couldn’t stand the helplessness she felt. She was in the medical field yet; she could do nothing for the love of her life, but stand there and cry. It absolutely killed her. Linda saw Bly's color was white and instantly knew that she was right, something bad had just happened.

"Bly?" Linda cried out in fear and question as Julie tugged her into the room.

"Jordan just coded and they've taken her back into the OR." Bly solemnly explained looking into Linda's green eyes that reflected back the fear she too felt. The three women hugged each other before Bly broke away and went to stand near the window. Looking out, she berated and kicked herself forever leaving Jordan. 'If I hadn't have left, I would have been driving and this might not have happened. Even if it had, I would have been there with her.' Resting her head against the glass window, she felt her mother's comforting arms wrap around her from behind and hug her. Bly didn't respond. She didn't feel like she deserved to be comforted, not after what she had done to Jordan.

Dr. Van Dewark entered the blood bank as a shout of success sounded. He looked up at the technicians with a questioning lift of his brow. "Dr. V, I'm glad you are here! We have a perfect match for the AB- blood, even down to the specific antibodies. You are lucky that you found a relative so quickly. We have tagged the blood and are sending it over to the OR right now."

"What relative?" Dr. Van Dewark asked, confused.

"The two women you sent in here earlier, one of them is a perfect match! We figured she was the patient's sister." The technician looked at the doctor confused. "She has to be a relative with the match that we got. We even ran the test three times to be sure."

"I'll be damned!" Dr. Van Dewark chuckled, surprised and turned on his heels quickly heading back to the waiting room, knowing Linda was Jordan’s relative.

***

Cindy paced the small confines of her apartment, a hurriedly packed bag lay open on the bed. Cindy threw another article of clothing into the bag before dropping down next to it on the bed and reaching for the telephone. She dialed information and got the number of the hospitals closest to the accident. She was sweating profusely as she ran a hand through her wet locks. She couldn't sit anymore and began pacing the room as she dialed the first number and waited. After four calls to local hospitals, she finally hit upon the right one. "Yes, we have a patient in the ER by that name. Are you family?" The operator asked authoritatively.

"Can you tell me what her status is?" Cindy switched hands on the receiver and wiped her sweaty palm on her jeans.

"I can only give information out to family members." The operator replied firmly giving no leeway for any exceptions. Cindy hung up the phone without further comment and turned toward her packing. She looked down at the bag on the bed and knew that she couldn't leave without finding out what was going on with Jordan. Grabbing her leather jacket she left the apartment. She circled her red truck and stood next to it to assess the damage. The front grill was pushed back and the left front fender was scratched and dented with a splattering of blue-colored paint chips embedded in the surface.

"Damn, I've got to get this fixed fast!" Cindy spoke low to herself. Looking around, she got behind the wheel and headed to where she knew she could get the work done, no questions asked. As she drove, Cindy knew she had to come up with a plan to see Jordan and find out just how much she remembered. Once the truck was fixed there would be nothing to tie her to the accident, except Jordan. Cindy was confident that she could persuade the blonde to see things her way. After all, Jordan was her girl first.

***

Meanwhile, Bly anxiously paced the waiting room and in between feeling guilty, she plotted her revenge against Cindy. No matter what, nobody would make her believe she wasn't behind this whole mess. Alexandra watched her daughter pace and knew that something was going on behind the clouded blue eyes. She hoped that she could dissuade her hardheaded daughter from doing anything rash or foolish. Or at least, take matters out of her daughter's hands. She got up and went outside, a short distance away from the hospital and flipped open her phone, dialing the office. "Hello, is there any information yet?" Alexandra asked quickly when she reached her investigator. "Good, that's perfect. I want you to draw up a restraining order and then file it. You are going to have trouble serving it, but I want it on record." Alexandra listened to the rest of the report as her jaw set in an angry determined grimace. Her stomach turned when the investigator reminded her of how many times Cindy had gotten away with things in the past.

"She will not get away with it, this time. I'm gonna nail her ass if it's the last thing I do!" Alexandra confidently guaranteed, pacing as she tried to calm down, listening to the investigator confirm the plans. "Yes, that's right. Now, what did you find out about Jordan's birth parents? That's interesting; she was one of three children taken by social services. Do we know anything about these other two children? Come on! We need to get those records unsealed due to a medical emergency. Contact Judge Hargrove, he has connections up there and inform him of the situation and tell him I need a favor. I need him to shake loose whatever bureaucracy bullshit is holding us up. Tell him it's life or death-Jordan's, if we don't get her record." Alexandra listened for a few more moments and concluded the call. "Thanks for all your hard work. I really do appreciate everyone's efforts." Alexandra walked back toward the hospital and saw her daughter standing off to the side by herself, just staring off into the distance. She turned and headed toward her child and felt a pang in her heart. A mother's instinct was to protect her children and she felt her baby's pain as real as if it were her own. "Hey honey, how are you doing?" She soothingly asked, wrapping her arms around her daughter and pulling her close.

"Oh mother, what am I going to do? If anything happens to Jordan, I don't think I can make it without her." Bly replied as her eyes burned from crying. "I should never have left her. This is all my fault."

"No! It is not your fault. You both had obligations you felt were important to you and they just happened to be in separate places." Alexandra tried to get her daughter to stop blaming herself. She knew where the real blame lay and it wasn't with Bly or Jordan.

"But, mother..." Bly began, but quickly quieted at the look her mother gave her.

"Now, you listen to me, Blythe Van Dewark. We are going to go back inside and give Jordan all the support she needs until she is well again. I won't stand here listening to you blame yourself for what happened. It happened and now we go forward from here. Do you understand?" Alexandra gently shook her daughter to get her full attention. It would have been comical, in any other situation, to see the shorter woman taking the taller to task.

"Yes, mother." Bly nervously agreed as she always did when her mother used her full name, knowing she meant business. Her mother had a point; she needed to focus her attention on Jordan now and worry about making it up to Jordan later. Arm in arm, the two women walked back into hospital and ran into Chance just outside the waiting room.

"Good, just the two people I need to talk too." Chance called out and closed the distance between them.

"What's wrong?" Bly asked quickly, fearing the worst had happened.

"Calm down, I've got good news." Her father replied and patted her on the shoulder. "Let's step in the break room where we can talk."

Alexandra looked up questioningly at her husband and he winked in response opening the door for the ladies to precede him into the office. He motioned for the women to sit on the sofa and pulled up a chair in front of them as he sat down to explain the situation.

"What's going on Dad?" Bly asked, again feeling fear and dread creep into her body.

"We found a perfect match for Jordan's blood and they are already using it in the OR." Chance announced and waited for the news to sink in.

"But, how? Is Jordan's family here?" Bly asked getting to her feet.

"Sit, sit down. No, Jordan's family is not here nor will they be."

"I don't get it." Bly answered confused.

Alexandra reached over and grasped her daughter’s hand as her husband continued to tell her about Jordan's past. "Honey, it seems Jordan was adopted and she doesn't know about it."

"What? How can that be? You mean they never told Jordan that she was adopted?" Bly asked incredulously. Now it all made sense; she had always wondered why they had treated their daughter with such indifference. She wasn't their flesh and blood so when she didn't fit their perfect mold, they had no problem cutting her loose.

"So what does this have to do with the blood match, did you find her real parents?" Bly asked even more confused.

"No, but were working on it." Alexandra answered.

"Wait! Then who’s the match?" Bly’s mood bordered on exasperation.

"Linda was the match." Her father simply stated and looked to his wife.

"Linda! How can that be?" Bly looked between her father and mother and caught their silent communication. She put her hand on her hip in frustration and looked at them waiting.

"Well, it seems that Jordan also has two siblings, a brother and a sister." Alexandra offered as a possible explanation.

"You mean Linda is Jordan's sister?"

"It could very well be." Her father answered. "The blood match was antibody specific and she matched in the ninety-fifth percentile, that's almost a perfect match."

Bly stood and paced the room for a moment running her hand through her hair in frustration. After a few moments to collect her thoughts she turned and looked at her parents. "They don't really look alike, except for maybe some facial features and their body type."

"The best thing to do would be to talk to Linda and tell her what we have found out." Alexandra comfortingly suggested.

"This is all so overwhelming." Bly sighed, pacing and shaking her head in disbelief.

"Let’s head over to the waiting room and talk with Linda." Chance suggested, moving towards the door and opened it for the ladies who followed one another back outside.

Chance peeked his head in the door of the waiting room and waited for Linda or Julie to look up and once they did he motioned them over towards him. "What’s up Dr. V? Is something wrong with Jordan?" Linda asked worriedly through her reddened blue eyes.

"She’s still in surgery, but she did get the blood she needed, which is great news considering an injury like this causes a lot of bleeding and she really needed it. We need to talk to you about something, if you don’t mind?" He asked as he guided them to one of the offices where Bly and Alexandra waited.

They all walked in and Chance motioned for them to sit down as he did the same. "What’s going on?" Linda asked, growing more concerned as Julie squeezed her hand to comfort her.

"Well, this is going to be hard to tell you Linda and I’m not sure how to do it other than just telling you flat out." He replied in as soothing a way as he could.

"Something’s wrong with Jordan that you’re not telling me about right? I thought you said she got the blood and they were using it?" Linda asked nervously.

"Easy, babe, let Dr. V explain okay?" Julie suggested softly calming her nervous lover as she held her hand tighter for support.

"Yes, we found the blood which they are using and it was in the ninety-fifth percentile. With that type of a match, it usually means it’s from a family member." He explained.

"You mean those Neanderthals Jordan has for a family actually came through for her with some blood?" Linda asked with surprise.

Chance chuckled and looked up at Bly and Alexandra who winked at him to nudge his conversation along. "No, Linda. The blood came from you." He answered with a calming smile.

"Me? How could that be that we are such a close match?" She asked in shock and disbelief. She didn’t grasp what he was implyingAlexandra moved in behind her husband and put her hands on his strong broad shoulders. "Linda, we have found out that Jordan was adopted by her family and she had two other sibling that were also adopted. We think one of them is you." Alexandra answered compassionately with a smile to ease the look of disbelief she saw on Linda’s face.

"That can’t be! My parents would have told me." Linda defensively answered in shock, and sat back in the chair, taking in the enormity of the situation.

"Maybe not. Jordan’s parents didn’t tell her Linda and it’s very possible you’re her sister."

"This is so unbelievable! I mean, I’ve always felt like I had a really close bond to Jordan, but I never would have believed that she’s my sister. I need to call my parents." Linda answered feeling happy yet, upset that all of a sudden her life had been turned upside down. She thought it was so awesome that Jordan could be her sister because she loved her like one anyway, but she was pissed that her parents didn’t tell her. She picked up the phone and dialed her parents for a conversation she dreaded because if it were true, it would hurt her parents deeply to have to tell her.

Everyone sat solemnly and in total disbelief regarding the turn of events that happened. Alexandra took a phone call from her investigator who informed her they were able to reach Judge Hardgrove and he was in the process of unsealing the records of Jordan’s adoption. She clicked off the phone just as Dawson entered the office. Bly’s head shot up and she moved towards her brother. He had been talking with the police regarding the possibility of Cindy being the culprit and cause of the accident. "Did you find anything out yet?" She asked anxiously.

"The police have been looking for her unsuccessfully. It seems that nasty chick has gone into hiding, but at least they are seriously looking at her as a suspect thanks to my nagging. They have put out announcements to all body shops and car dealerships to contact them immediately so they can nail her in case she tries to have her truck repaired. Let’s just hope she doesn’t have any friends who will be willing to help her with the truck on the side or else they won’t be able to prove she did anything." He explained, out of breath.

"Oh, no! When I get a hold of her, she’ll sing like a bird, after I beat her to a pulp!" Bly guaranteed angrily.

"She certainly will deserve that and I’ll be right behind you ready to get in a few shots on her." Julie readily offered, stepping in behind her best friend.

"No, no! Cindy’s mine! You can count on that, all mine." Bly confidently answered in a demonic tone and stared off in the distance with a serious look on her face, thinking about just what she intended to do to that wench when she saw her.

Linda hung up the phone and wiped her tears as she looked at everyone who turned towards her. "What did they say honey?" Julie asked with concern, sidling up next to her and stroked her dirty blond hair.

Linda looked up at everyone. "They told me I was adopted from social services in Michigan." Linda tearfully answered and wiped her face, trying to absorb everything that had happened.

"Well, that’s good news. You found out you have a sister, honey." Julie answered and kissed the top of Linda's head, trying to calm her lover.

"It would be a lot happier news if Jordan was not in such grave danger, Julie. I don’t want to deal with this adoption stuff until after Jordan is better. So, could we just not talk about it anymore for a while? It’s very overwhelming. I would rather concentrate my efforts on Jordan."

"Sure." Everyone agreed with soothing smiles.

Dawson leaned over to Bly. "Linda is Jordan’s sister?" He whispered in her ear.

"Yep, she was a perfect match for the blood and just found out from her parents that she was adopted." She whispered back.

"Man, I step away for a couple of minutes and I miss everything." He answered with a shared chuckle from Bly. Considering the gravity of everything, Dawson’s comment for a split second calmed Bly. All she wanted to do was hold Jordan in her arms to take all of her pain away and to tell her just how much she loves her.

Linda stood up and was engulfed in a hug by Julie to comfort her as she sobbed on her shoulder. "I don’t know what I’ll do if anything happens to Jordan." She sobbed in Julie’s ear as she turned her face from Julie’s shoulder.

"Come on babe. Jordan’s a fighter. She’s going to be just fine, I know it." Julie encouraged comfortingly, kissing Linda’s cheek and holding her tighter.

"Hey Chance." Jordan’s surgeon greeted, approaching the doorway as everyone gathered before him.

"How’s Jordan?" Bly anxiously asked, moving in front of everyone to face the surgeon eye to eye. She removed her surgical cap and looked at it in her hands, sighing before looking up to give her report regarding Jordan. "Doctor, is Jordan going to be okay?" Bly asked growing more worried and agitated with each second the doctor kept quiet.

"She's a very lucky girl. We've partially resected her liver, effectively stopping the bleeding and with the blood replacement she received, she is out of the life and death situation."

Bly gasped in air when she realized she was holding her breath and her eyes filled with tears of happiness as everyone sighed with relief. Chance put his hands on Bly's shoulders and felt her tension release from the good news. "When can I see her?" Bly anxiously asked.

"I'll send the nurse in to let you know. It shouldn't be long now. Don't be alarmed by her jaundiced appearance. It's normal with this type of an injury. Her yellow or jaundiced look is from the loss of bilirubin in her system and once the liver regenerates, that appearance will disappear. It usually takes about three to five days." The doctor explained.

"So, Jordan will make a full recovery?" Bly asked with concern.

"Yes, we anticipate a complete recovery with no complications." The doctor confidently answered a very relieved group of people. "I'll send the nurse in to let you know when you can see her."

"Thank you." Bly answered, turning to her parents with a relieved smile and hugged them both.

Julie held Linda who cried from the good news. "It looks like you and Jordan will have a lot to talk about when she wakes up." Julie replied, kissing Linda's cheek.

"It's not like we don't have a lot to talk about normally, but now we have a lot of really overwhelming stuff to deal with. I mean we're sisters and it really blows my mind, Julie." Linda answered smiling and hugging Julie.

"I guess it would be very overwhelming, babe." Julie comfortingly agreed and held her lover tighter.

"Excuse me, Dawson. Here are the items from Jordan's car you asked me to retrieve." An officer called out when she entered the room and handed the box to Dawson smiling.

"Oh, thanks Lynea. I appreciate you getting them for Jordan and I'm sure she does too." He answered with a smile that showed Bly he was quite smitten with the attractive officer as she watched the interaction with the woman and her brother.

"No problem. I was glad I could help. See ya." She answered with a smile before leaving the room.

"Here Bly. I made sure no one took anything from her car." Dawson answered as he handed her the box, noticing the mischievous look on his sister's face.

"What?" He asked hesitantly, feeling slightly uncomfortable from her look.

"Why don't you go ask her out, Daw? I know you want too. Go on, and thanks for getting this stuff for Jordan. We both appreciate all of your help." She answered with a smile as she patted her brother on the back and nudged him towards the door.

"It's that obvious?" He asked with a sly grin.

"Blatantly." Bly answered with a chuckle and looked inside the box as her brother left the room. She felt a catch in her heart as she reached inside and pulled out Jordan's award she won the previous night. Her blue eyes filled with tears of happiness as she read the award. Bly felt guilty that she hadn't been there to see Jordan win it and tears streaked her face as she lightly rubbed her thumb over Jordan's name on the faceplate trying to make a connection to her injured lover as her guilt overwhelmed her. Bly felt that if she had been with Jordan none of this would have happened. She would have seen Jordan on the happiest day of her life, to see the wonderful smile Jordan would have possessed when she won, and to be the one that Jordan celebrated her award with. 'I will never forgive myself for not being with Jordan.' Bly guiltily told herself, wiping her tears away.

Linda stood next to Bly and put her hand on Bly's shoulder comfortingly. She knew what Bly was thinking. She could see the guilt in Bly's blue eyes when they looked up at her. "Bly, Jordan wouldn't want you to feel so guilty and you know it." Linda responded soothingly.

"Yeah, I know she wouldn't want me to, but it doesn't change the fact that I should have been here with her." Bly answered sadly, picking up Jordan's sunglasses case, trying to feel a connection to Jordan once again. She remembered how Jordan had to search all over the‘Sawgrass Mills Outlet Mall for the case one Saturday afternoon, of course, dragging Bly along with her. She smiled fondly when she remembered the simple pleasure and happiness on Jordan's face when she finally found what she was looking for. Bly hadn't realized until just then how something so simple could mean so much, and she had taken it for granted. 'Never again.' Bly told herself.

"Bly, you both had obligations that were important to you and you should have fulfilled them. Otherwise, you would have blamed each other for not seeing them out."

"I guess, but I hurt inside because I missed something so important to Jordan and because...I...aah, nearly lost Jordan. It hurts down to the deepest depths of my soul, Linda, to know that Jordan must have been terrified when everything happened and I wasn't there for her." Bly stammered, looking down at the award and finding it hard to talk about the accident. The pain she felt intensified when she thought of Jordan being alone. Maybe it was just her ego believing she could have prevented the accident from happening or just plain stupidity. She wasn't sure, but she did know that she should have been with Jordan and she wasn't. That was unacceptable to her.

"You can't go back and change anything, Bly. All you can do is move on knowing that Jordan loves you with all of her heart and soul."

Bly took in a deep breath and slowly let it out fighting the tears that wanted to fall harder. "I guess, but it's going to take a long time for me to forgive myself Linda. Uhmmm, would you mind if I tell Jordan about her being adopted and that you're her sister? If that's alright with you?" Bly asked considerately, wiping the tears from her face and hating the fact that she was crying in front of Linda. She felt completely vulnerable and wasn't used to showing her emotions like she just did in front of Linda or anyone for that fact. Jordan was the person who showed her it was okay to show those emotions to others and that she didn't always have to be so stoic, but she still felt uncomfortable doing it.

"Absolutely, it will give me a chance to figure out what I'm going to say to Jord, aah my sister. That is so weird." Linda answered with a smile, as it was overwhelming to her finding out that her best friend is actually her sister.

"That's not hard between you two seeing as how you both have the gift for gab." Bly teasingly smiled.

"Very funny, Bly." Linda chuckled and hugged Bly. "I'm so glad you are with Jordan. You're perfect for each other and she loves you very much." Linda whispered in her ear before breaking the hug.

"Thanks, Linda. I love Jordan more than life itself and that will never change." Bly sincerely professed, smiling and turning to the nurse who entered the room.

"You can see Jordan now, but one at a time please." She instructed before leaving the room.

***

Bly was out of the room without saying a word to anyone and was standing at the end of the bed before she knew it, gazing down at her still lover. Her blue eyes filled with tears and she felt her heart stop beating as she thought about the circumstances of the accident along with the seriousness of Jordan's injuries. She thought about how she nearly lost the only love of her life and she couldn't hold back her feeling of guilt as her tears streaked her face once again.

'Damn! This crying bit is so old. Grab a hold of yourself woman!' Bly admonished herself for being so sappy and emotional. Bly wanted nothing more than to trade places with Jordan and take all of her pain away. 'That should be me laying there not Jordan. This is all of my fault.' Bly guiltily thought as the nurse quietly approached.

"Try to see if she'll wake up. She doesn't seem to want to." The nurse instructed Bly as she checked Jordan's chart.

Bly chuckled. "That's because you don't know how much she loves to sleep." Bly answered with a laugh, wiping her tears away as she thought fondly of how Jordan liked to sleep. She had devised many ways to try and wake Jordan from her deep sleep, but she was most fond of placing delicate kisses along her soft neck, which always brought Jordan out of her dreams. "But I'll see what I can do." Bly answered, moving to the side of the bed and pulled a rolling stool over to sit on as she took Jordan's hand in her own. Jordan's hand was cold and she rubbed her hand to warm it.

She leaned over Jordan and whispered. "I'm here baby. I love you Jordan," in her ear, lightly kissing her forehead. Bly looked up at the monitor and noticed the faster pace of her heartbeat and smiled when she felt Jordan tighten her grip on her hand. Bly was relieved that Jordan responded to her and sat back on the stool, placing Jordan's hand against her cheek. The connection to Jordan was everything she needed to feel and her tears slipped down her cheeks as she noticed how pale Jordan looked along with a yellowish discoloration the doctor said she would possess. Bly tried to speak, but had to clear her throat as nothing would come out.

"Jordan, they want me to try and wake you up. I had to laugh and told them you love to sleep and that it's no easy task waking you up." Bly chuckled smiling, lightly kissing Jordan's hand and putting it back against her cheek. She heard Jordan's heart beat speed up again and saw Jordan attempt to open her eyes, but was unable to. "Baby, if you want to sleep, go ahead. I'll stand guard and keep the wretched nurses from trying to wake you up. They can be quite persistent and cranky, but I'll set them straight for you. I'll be right here beside you." Bly snickered, lovingly pushing Jordan's hair back off her forehead and trying to make light of the situation by using jokes. Bly found it hard to deal with seeing Jordan lying in the bed attached to the monitors looking like death warmed over. She noticed Jordan slip back to sleep. She thought about how much she loved Jordan and wanted to hold her in her arms to comfort her, to make her pain go away and to make her feel safe again.

'Jordan, I want you to know how much I love you. Before I met you, I lived outside of my emotions and I never started to live my life until you entered it. Everything that I ever need I see when I look into your beautiful green eyes. They show me everything you are and that's all I need. Every moment I spend with you shows me that's where I'm suppose to be. My eyes were opened to a new paradise when I met you and when you smile at me I feel all of my passions unfold.' Bly's silent admission of her feelings left her raw and open. Choking back the tears she whispered, "I love you from the depths of my soul. I hope you know that and forgive me for what happened to you. This is all of my fault and I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself." Bly wholeheartedly professed, lowering her head and cried harder, holding Jordan's hand against her forehead.

Jordan could hear the tearful admission of the person she loved more than life itself. She couldn't stand to hear the pain in Bly's voice and struggled to keep her eyes open. "Bly..." She whispered hoarsely, blinking her eyes and struggling to stay awake. "Bly...it's..." She tried to continue, struggling to say what she wanted to say, as she saw Bly's cloudy blue eyes look up and meet hers. She smiled when she looked into the blue eyes she loved so much.

"Jordan, baby!" Bly replied excitedly, standing over her and lightly kissed her lips. "Oh, I was so worried about you and I'm so sorry." Bly softly admitted, kissing Jordan again.

Jordan squeezed her hand as blue met green again. "You're not to blame baby. I...love you." Jordan struggled to say in a whisper with a smile meant only for her lover.

Bly smiled and kissed Jordan soundly to let her know just how much she loved her. "Jordan, I love you so much babe. I was so scared." Bly answered as her blues filled with tears.

Jordan smiled and loved being so close to her blue-eyed lover, but it upset her to see the pain in Bly's eyes. "Bly, honey. Don't be so upset. I'm going to be okay, right? I don't even know what's wrong with me." Jordan chuckled, confused. She found it easier to speak now and wiped Bly's tears away. "I am going to be okay, right?" She asked to get reassurance from Bly who smiled and sat back on the stool continuing her hold on Jordan's hand.

"The doctor said they are expecting a complete recovery, babe. You had a lacerated liver which they partial resected." Bly tried to explain and saw the confusion on Jordan's face.

"What did they do to my liver?" Jordan asked nervously.

"They had to remove the damaged part of it or you would have aah, bled to death. But you will make a full recovery from it. I promise you." Bly confidently smiled, trying to reassure her nervous lover whose green eyes filled with tears. She kissed Jordan on the cheek and held her hand tighter.

"Will I have problems down the road with my liver, Bly?" Jordan nervously asked, turning her head and looked at Bly as her tears slipped down her cheek.

Bly couldn't stand to see Jordan cry and her eyes watered as she looked at her. "You shouldn't have any problems down the road, babe. Once your liver regenerates from the injury, everything should be fine." Bly answered reassuringly, wiping her tears away. “Jordan, I have some bad news and some really great news to tell you." Bly partially smiled, looking down at Jordan's hand as she tried to figure out how to tell her that her parents wanted nothing to do with her and how they have washed their hands of her.

"What is it Bly? You're scaring me." Jordan answered in a shaky voice".

No, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just trying to figure out how to delicately put it without hurting you."

"Just say it, Bly. What is it? I'm a big girl I can handle it." Jordan answered worriedly and with agitation at Bly's reluctance to tell her.

"Okay, Jordan. My father told me your parents washed their hands of you because of our relationship and they weren't willing to help you when you needed blood. Uhmmm, they also said that you were adopted." Bly answered softly as she saw the horrified look on Jordan's face.

"Adopted?" Jordan gasped in disbelief, lifting her head up and looking at Bly.

"Yes, adopted and we found your birth sister. That's the good news." Bly answered with a slight smile".

I have a sister? How did you find her?" Jordan asked with total disbelief as to what she was hearing. It did explain the way her family treated her, but didn't explain why her birth mother would give her up. ‘I have a sister?' She thought, unable to grasp what it was that Bly was saying to her. It was too overwhelming.

"You needed blood and you have a very rare blood type so that's how they were able to locate her." Bly explained, kissing the back of Jordan's hand to calm and reassure her overwhelmed lover.

"Where does she live?" Jordan asked with excitement and wonderment as her fears and confusion left her when the full impact of what Bly said of her having a sister hit her. She had always wanted a sister to share her hopes and dreams with and now she had one.

"She lives here, Jordan. It's Linda, she's your sister!" Bly enthusiastically smiled and saw Jordan's eyes widen with excitement.

"Linda's my sister?!" Jordan exclaimed, surprised and astonished by what Bly had just told her.

"Yes, and you also have a brother too. We don't know where he is yet." Bly informed her, wondering if they could find him. She would have to ask her mother and Dawson to look into it. "Linda is waiting outside to see you whenever you are ready."

"In a minute, okay?" Jordan looked up sadly at Bly and she knew what was on Jordan's mind. There was no way to get around the fact that her adoptive parents just couldn't accept Jordan for who she was. "They really don't care about what happens to me, do they?" Jordan's voice was low and cracked with emotion when she asked Bly.

"I'm sorry baby, there wasn't a whole lot they could do about the blood you needed." Bly tried to skirt the real issue to save Jordan from further pain.

"But, that's not the real reason is it?" Jordan knew that she had never truly felt like she belonged. She had always assumed it was a defect with her that she had continually disappointed her parents. Now, she knew that no matter what she did, she would always disappoint them because they weren't her real parents. When she told them of her relationship with Bly, she had basically cut off any remaining ties that she had with them. She had given them the excuse they needed to let her go.

"No, it's not." Bly answered simply, worried about how Jordan was coping with everything at once. "But I can tell you my dad was ready to reach through the phone and strangle you mother when he told her what happened. He told me he was really pissed off at her." Bly chuckled in an attempt to lighten the mood. She wasn't used to dealing with so much emotional stuff and it unnerved her.

"Really?" Jordan asked surprised that Bly's father would react that way. Jordan's face turned sad as she thought about how badly she wanted parents like Bly's. One's who actually cared for her. Maybe her birth parents were that way, ‘How could they give up their children?’ She wondered with even more confusion and sadness.

"Are you okay?" Bly asked concerned, noting the change in Jordan's demeanor.

"Yeah, it's just that I think I've always known there was something missing and it kind of hit me all at once. I'd like to see Linda now." Jordan answered smiling up at Bly. "But, could you do something for me first?"

"Sure, anything!" Bly answered exuberantly. Right now, she would do anything Jordan asked her to, no matter what the request.

"Bring your lips down here and give me a real kiss!" Jordan ordered, mischievously. Bly could see the old sparkle in her green eyes was back.

"Oh, I think that could be arranged." Bly leaned down and gently kissed Jordan's lips as they opened invitingly. She kissed her long and deeply. Jordan wrapped her one unencumbered arm around Bly's neck and held her tightly until she tired and had to let go. Bly pulled back at the first sign of Jordan's trembling and looked at her worriedly. "I think we can save the rest for when you are stronger and feeling better. I'll go get Linda."

"Okay. Bly?" Jordan called the tall woman back before she could leave the room and looked up at her.

"I love you."

"I love you too, very much." Bly wholeheartedly professed, with fresh tears stinging her eyes. She lovingly smiled and turned to get Linda before she started crying again.

***

Linda paced up and down the corridor as she waited to see Jordan. Julie watched and, at first, tried to calm her down, but soon gave up and just leaned against the wall, waiting. Julie was the first to see Bly come out of the room and caught Bly's eye. Bly winked at her and Julie breathed a sigh of relief. She knew things would be okay. "Linda," Bly called quietly to the back of the pacing woman. Linda turned around quickly and moved toward Bly.

"Can I see her now?" Linda was afraid that maybe Jordan wouldn't want her as a sister or would hold it against her that she had gotten such wonderful adoptive parents while Jordan's were one's she wouldn't wish on anybody. "How is she?" Linda asked with concern.

"She is just fine and very excited to talk to her sister." Bly could see the tension and apprehension in Linda's eyes and wanted to alleviate her fears quickly. "Don't worry, she is afraid she won't know what to say to you either. I don't see how that is possible because you two never shut up anyway!" Bly teasingly laughed. Julie snickered behind Linda; as she turned and gave her a warning look edged with a grin. Julie threw up her hands feigning innocence and winked at Bly. Linda smiled at both of them and went in to visit with her sister and friend.

"Well my friend, is everything okay with you?" Julie asked, putting her arm around Bly's waist and walking her back toward the waiting room.

"Yeah, I know we will be okay." Bly answered, but deep down she knew that the guilt she carried would not leave her so easily. She had a lot to make up for and would spend the rest of her life doing so. "Ooh, baby! I love those sweet cheeks of yours!" Bly teased, grabbing a handful of Julie's butt; glad to have a reprieve from the emotional toll everything was taking on her. Bly was experiencing a wide variety of emotions that she wasn't used to having and she wanted to keep her stoic facade up, but was having a very difficult time doing it.

"How could you not, Bly? They are very sweet, aren't they?" Julie cockily laughed, looking back at her firm backside admiringly as Bly laughed harder with her best friend.

"Jordan?" Linda whispered, tentatively peeking around the corner and saw her friend, no sister looking so pale and small. She was afraid she might be sleeping as her eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply.

Jordan's eyes flew open at the sound of Linda's voice and she smiled to her. "Hey Sis? How's it going?" Linda felt a tear slip down here cheek as she approached the bed. She leaned over and kissed Jordan lightly on the cheek before sitting down on the stool next to the bed. "Can you believe this? We're sisters. I knew we were always very close, I guess now it makes sense why. " Linda reached over and clasped Jordan's hand in her own. "I could have done worse." Jordan teased and received a light squeeze on her hand in reply.

"Very funny! Hey, I hear we have a brother somewhere too." Linda enthusiastically answered.

"Yes, it would be nice to find out where he is and meet him. Do you know any of the details about our real mother?" Deep down Jordan secretly harbored the fear that it was her fault and that she was unlovable, which is why neither of her mothers had wanted her. She just didn't have a good feeling about her birth parents. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't feel good about them.

"No, not yet. I'm sure when you are up to it, Mrs. V. and Dawson can fill us in on what they have found out." Linda explained and looked into Jordan's troubled eyes. "Hey, she gave the three of us up for adoption, she must have had a good reason." Trying to be positive and to reassure Jordan that there had to have been a good reason for their parents to give them up for adoption. She also said it to reassure herself. She was trying to be strong for Jordan's sake because of her condition, but she was having a hard time grasping everything that was going on. Linda had her own concerns regarding her adopted family who she loved very much yet she wanted to know about her birth parents. 'I'll deal with that later. When Jordan's better.' Linda told herself, trying to block those thoughts out of her head and concentrate on Jordan's well being.

Jordan nodded tiredly and didn't reply. Linda reached over and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "I'm sorry that your parents weren't nicer ones. I wish we could have been placed together with mine."

"That would have been nice." Jordan smiled when she thought about the people that had raised Linda. They had become like second parents to Jordan. She always loved staying over at Linda's house.

"What about Cindy?" Jordan asked quietly, her hands trembled and she looked away from Linda.

Linda placed her hand on Jordan's to let her know she didn't have to be afraid. "They haven't found her yet, but they will." She comfortingly guaranteed.

Jordan looked back with tears in her eyes. "I'm afraid to ask Bly."

"It's okay, she already knows. Her mother and Dawson are working on it as we speak. She won't get near you again." Linda reassured Jordan and squeezed her hand for emphasis. "Well, you need to get some rest and I'm sure there is one anxious woman out there who wants to get back in here." Jordan chuckled lightly at Linda's comment.

"Like anyone could keep her out if they tried!" Jordan retorted jokingly. By the time Linda had left the room, Jordan was asleep again.

***

The next few days blurred as each took turns visiting Jordan as she recovered. By the week's end, Jordan was feeling better and able to sit up for longer periods of time. Jordan awoke in semi-darkness and felt a hand on her arm. She looked over to find Bly sitting on the stool with her head on the bed sound asleep. Jordan picked up her hand and stroked the raven hair that spread out next to her. She thought about how beautiful Bly is and how much she loved her. She shuddered as the thought entered her mind that she came close to never seeing Bly ever again, which brought tears to her eyes. Bly stirred at the sensation of someone stroking her head and peeked open an eye. "Hey." Jordan whispered lightly kissing Bly on the head, hiding her tears so she could secretly wipe them away. She knew it would upset Bly to see her crying.

"Hey to you, too." Bly murmured and picked up her head. "How do you feel?"

"Tired. I must have fallen asleep, but it looks like I'm not alone." Jordan replied, smiling and reached up to stroke the side of Bly's face. Bly turned and kissed the palm of Jordan's hand.

"Late, I guess. I sent everyone home so you could rest. They want to move you out of ICU and to a room of your own as soon as you wake up, which is now." Bly smiled, pushing the call button on the side of the bed and after a few moments, a nurse came in.

"I see you are finally awake." The nurse observed, checking Jordan's IV and removed the rest, shutting down the equipment. "They will be in shortly to move you to your room."

"Thank you." Jordan cordially smiled as they waited quietly for her to finish. "Bly, what do you know about my real parents?"

"Dawson has the report. He said he would let you read it when you were ready." Bly answered and looked away briefly before looking back into knowing green eyes.

"Are my parents alive?" Jordan asked quietly, but deep down she already knew the answer.

She didn’t want to have to tell Jordan the truth about her parents, knowing how painful it was going to be for her to hear the truth. As much as she hated to do it, Jordan had to know. "No, they died in a plane crash, which is why you were put up for adoption. There were no other surviving relatives to leave you with." Bly explained and got up to sit on the edge of the bed. "Your mother did not give you up because you were not wanted, but because she died. Jordan, more than anything in this world I want you to believe, that you are wanted." Bly's voice caught and she fell silent with her thoughts. 'I want to be everything you have ever needed Jordan. I want to be everything you have ever hoped for, wished for and I want to be your true love.' "I want you so much it scares me." Bly finally confessed and leaned down to kiss Jordan tenderly.

A tear slipped down the side of Jordan's face as she looked up into blue eyes clouded by worry. "As long as you want me, that's all that counts."

With that admission, Bly wanted so much to hold Jordan but had to content herself with pressing her cheek against Jordan's and whispering in her ear, "I love you."

Jordan thought about how Bly was her fantasy, everything that she had ever hoped and wished for in a lover. She just never expected to find that person. She didn't even know if someone like that existed until Bly entered her life. Bly, she thought is her true love and everything she had ever needed. Her heart fluttered when she thought about how someone like Bly could care and love her so much as she lovingly gazed at her stunning lover. "Ditto," was all Jordan could muster as she was overwhelmed by her feelings for Bly when two orderlies walked into the room and Bly got off the bed. Bly walked along side Jordan as they wheeled her to her new room. Once she was settled in, Jordan convinced Bly to go home and get some sleep. Bly agreed, only on the promise that she would be return first thing in the morning.

After kissing Jordan goodnight, Bly didn't have to worry about her; her lover was asleep before she even left the room. Smiling, she looked down upon her sleeping lover until she felt a pang of guilt and whispered, "I'll make it up to you, I promise." Before lightly kissing her cheek and exiting the room.

Dawson needed to borrow Bly's car for his date tonight, as his was in the shop. He dropped Bly off at the front door of the hospital before heading to the office. Their father would give Bly a lift home after his rounds that evening. "Be careful with my car, Dawson!" Bly warned her brother causing them both to reminisce about the time Dawson had totaled the family car the first time he had been allowed to borrow it.

"You're never going to let me live that down are you?" Dawson replied shaking his head. "It wasn't my fault you know." He defensively added.

"Dad let you off the hook a lot easier than I will if you total this car!" Bly loved teasing her brother to see if she could get a reaction out of him.

"Don't worry 'Mom', I'll go right to my date and then go straight home!" Dawson replied dryly.

"Who's home? Oh, remember, she has handcuffs so leave her address in case she locks you to the bedposts and leaves. We can find you in a week or two." Bly teased, referring to his date being a police officer.

"Very funny!" Dawson snickered, breaking into an embarrassed grin.

"Have fun bro. And don't do anything I wouldn't do." Bly got out of the car and leaned in to pick up the flowers she had gotten for Jordan and closed the door.

Dawson rolled the window down and leaned across the seat, calling out to his sister. "That leaves the evening wide open then doesn't it?" Bly stuck her tongue out as Dawson drove away getting the last laugh.

Bly headed into the hospital and up to Jordan's room. She entered to find Jordan sitting up watching television. "Good morning, Sweetheart!"

"Good morning? Flowers? You didn't have to bring me more." Jordan smiled, taking the proffered flowers and reveling in the scent of the roses. "But, thank you." Jordan pulled Bly down for a kiss to show her just how much she appreciated her thoughtfulness.

"Well, I might just have to bring you flowers everyday if that is the greeting I will get." Bly chuckled, looking around for the vase from the old flowers she had brought.

"You don't have to bring me flowers to get that kind of reception. You can have that and more as soon as I get out of this place." Jordan replied saucily and wiggled her eyebrows for emphasis.

"I can see you are feeling good today!" Bly chuckled, kissing her lightly on the lips. "I'll be right back. Let me see if I can find the vase for those." She smiled, winking and left the room.

***

Cindy paced the parking lot of the hospital trying to figure out what to do. She knew she should get out of town now that her truck was fixed, but she had an overwhelming desire to see how Jordan was and to find out exactly what she remembered of the accident. 'After all, it wasn't entirely my fault,' Cindy thought. 'If Jordan had just stopped when I asked her to and talked to me, none of this would have happened.' Finally, getting her courage together, she took a second look around and, not seeing Bly's car, she headed into the hospital. She had called earlier and was told that Jordan had been moved to room 1221, but they would give her no further information. Arriving at the room, she poked her head in the door to find Jordan alone watching television, a bouquet of roses lying on the table next to her.

"You really should put those in water," Cindy stated, quietly slithering into the room and approached the bed. Jordan jumped at the voice and turned in fear to look at the woman.

"What do you want? Haven't you hurt me enough already!" Jordan stammered in fear and anger. She hated herself for the fear she felt, but at this moment all she could think about was the truck in her rear view mirror smashing into the back of her car. She was reliving all of the terror she felt that fateful night and it scared the hell out of her.

"Hey, you can't blame me for what happened. If you had talked to me, like I asked, instead of running away, none of this would have happened. " Cindy replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"So, this is all my fault? I wanted to have emergency surgery to save my life and be in the hospital? " Jordan shouted out amazed and angry at her audacity. 'Just like I wanted your abuse too!'

"Listen Jordan, I'm really sorry that you got hurt. I came here to see if you are alright and this is how you treat me. Blaming me for everything, you always do that!" Cindy accused flatly. "Why do you always have to turn everything into a fight?"

"Me? I think you'd better leave Cindy." Jordan adamantly insisted, ready to push the call button if necessary.

***

Bly waited at the nurses' station for them to find a vase for her. Finally, vase in hand she walked back toward Jordan's room and met up with her mother and Linda coming out of the elevator. "Fancy meeting you here!" Bly called out as the women approached her.

"Yes, I met Linda in the lobby. Looks like we both had the same idea of visiting Jordan before we go in to work." Alexandra replied, kissing her daughter on the cheek. "How is our girl?" She asked, hugging Bly and rubbing her back comfortingly.

"She must be getting better because she is already up to teasing me." Bly grinned like a parent whose child had just taken its first step.

"That's fantastic!" Linda enthusiastically exclaimed before realizing what she said. "I mean its fantastic that she is feeling better, not that she is teasing you. Although, you probably deserve it!" She added dryly.

"Oh, I do? Do I?" Bly chuckled and led the way back to Jordan's room.

Approaching the room, Bly heard Jordan's raised voice and quickly entered the room. When Bly saw Cindy standing next to the bed, she felt her blood begin to run cold and her hands clench into fists. The veins in Bly's neck popped out as anger coursed through her, and her temper consumed her. Alexandra and Linda stood behind Bly and their mouths dropped in surprise at Cindy's audacity to show her face. "What in the hell are you doing here? I can't believe you had the nerve to show your face here!" Bly maliciously spat out. Cindy stood defiantly in the face of Bly and just smiled.

Alexandra knew the controlled fury that was building in her daughter. She turned to Linda and suggested, "I think we had better wait out in the hallway." Linda looked from Bly to Alexandra and began to shake her head no, but the look in Alexandra’s eyes made her stop and turn about, following the woman's instructions. When they got out into the hallway, Alexandra shut the door and leaned against it as Linda looked at her questioningly. "Bly needs to handle this one alone. She has everything under control." She explained with a mischievous grin. 'That little bitch is going to get what she deserves.' Alexandra thought, knowing it wasn't proper to wish violence on anyone, but it was time for this chick to get a taste of her own medicine.

"You bitch!" Bly spit out before she launched herself at the offending woman. Cindy didn't have time to recover when Bly's body slammed into her, sending them both crashing backwards into the wall. Bly pummeled Cindy anywhere and everywhere. Cindy landed few punches on Bly, but she was no match for the fury that erupted from the raven-haired woman. Cindy gave up and tried, unsuccessfully, to protect herself from the onslaught. The only sound from Jordan was a gasp as she watched her lover unleash all her anger and guilt on the one woman who, more than anyone else deserved it. Still, she couldn't help feeling pity for Cindy as she watched the bully get what she usually gave out.

Alexandra and Linda listened to the sounds coming from the room and on a couple of occasions wincing in sympathy. "Ooh that had to hurt!" Linda sarcastically suggested, when she heard something hit the door behind them.

"Bly, please! Stop!" Jordan cried out fearful that Bly might get hurt or do something to Cindy that she would end up paying for the rest of her life, like kill her. Jordan saw Bly turn to her and all the rage in her blue eyes left when they met greens. Bly snapped out of her fit of rage when Jordan screamed for her to stop and saw the worry in Jordan's eyes as she moved to her side.

"Oh, no, you rich bitch! This isn't over with just yet." Cindy shouted demonically and struggled to stand up as Bly turned to look at the wretched woman.

"Stay down Cindy! I know you don't want another piece of this action." Bly warned arrogantly, but secretively wanted Cindy to stand up so she could beat the hell out of her more. Actually, she really wanted to bitch slap her using Jordan's mother! ‘Now, that would be trick'. She thought with a chuckle at her idea.

"Jordan's mine." Cindy stated psychotically and approached Bly. Bly grabbed the bedpan and swung it around, connecting with Cindy's jaw squarely.

"No! Jordan's not yours, but this bedpan could become a permanent fixture up your ass if you want to possess something!" Bly angrily shouted, feeling the thud of the bedpan connect with Cindy's jaw, knocking her semi-conscious. Bly chuckled as she looked at the heap that lay on the floor, still struggling to shake off the unconsciousness. Bly felt relief that Cindy finally got what was coming to her. Someone beating the living shit out of her! ‘I’m not remorseful in the least bit about having the honors of doing it.’ Bly thought with a sardonic grin and tossed the bedpan on the table. She sat next to Jordan who cried from her fear.

"Was that a bedpan I heard?" Linda asked, looking at Alexandra who nodded in agreement with a sly grin.

"Sounds like it connected with her head." Alexandra suggested, turning to Linda after checking the hallway to see if anyone heard what was taking place in the room and said, "I need you to go to the nurses station and have them call hospital security. Then I want you to call this number and ask for Detective Nichols. Tell him I told you to call, that his hit and run driver is in custody here with security."

***

Linda hurried down the hall to do as she was bid while Alexandra continued to listen to the sound of fighting and hoped that her daughter was alright. Someone must have already called security; no sooner had Linda reached the nurses station than two men came out of the elevator and quickly made their way down the hall. Alexandra slipped back into the room and found both women breathing hard and sweating. Cindy looked the worse of it as she lay on the ground with numerous bloody cuts and bruises on her face. She also held her arm tightly to her side, indicating that she may have injured some ribs. Bly sat on the edge of the bed holding a sobbing Jordan. She looked up when her mother approached and Alexandra could see that she would have a shiner come morning. 'Other than that, she looks a heck of a lot better than Cindy.' Alexandra thought proudly. "Security is here. I suggest you let me handle this." Alexandra quickly informed them as the door opened and the two officers entered. "Officers, just in time. I am District Attorney, Alexandra Van Dewark." She confidently told them, displaying her credentials. "Detective Nichols is on his way from the third precinct to arrest this young woman. She is the hit and run driver that almost killed my daughter, Jordan. I would appreciate if you would detain her until he arrives."

"Ma'am, what happened to her?" One officer asked, while the other placed Cindy in cuffs and led her out of the room.

"Resisting arrest," Alexandra simply stated as the officer helped his partner lift the dazed woman to a standing position and lead her out of the room to await the detective. Alexandra followed them out of the room to make sure Cindy wouldn't escape this time like she had in the past and, if need be, she'd shoot the wench to rid the world of such an evil person.

"Bly! What were you thinking?" Jordan asked fearful, clutching Bly's arms when she sat next to her on the bed and looked into her terrified green eyes.

"I was thinking about how Cindy was going to pay for what she did you to you in the past and the present, Jordan." Bly answered simply, gently wiping the tears from Jordan's cheeks.

"Yeah and you didn't stop to consider what she could have done to you or what you could have done to her! You could have killed her and then been sitting in prison for the rest of your life!" Jordan replied, angry that Bly didn't think of the ramifications of what might have happened.

"No, I didn't stop to consider the consequences, Jordan. I just saw that fucking bitch next to you and I snapped. I thought she was going to hurt you again and I was not going to let that happen, even if it meant that I would get hurt. She was not going to hurt you again as long as I was there to stop her, baby." Bly emotionally countered, kissing Jordan on the cheek and pulled her close to hold her.

Jordan loved being in the arms that made her feel complete, peaceful and loved. She loved Bly so much and feared for her safety when she saw her with Cindy. She didn't know what she would do without Bly in her life if the results had been different. ‘It’s too unbearable to think about!’ She thought sadly, holding her dark lover tighter. "Bly, I have never had someone do what you just did for me-putting your own well being aside for mine and that means a lot to me. But it scared the hell out of me and I was terrified you would be hurt." Jordan tearfully admitted as Bly broke the hug and locked eyes with her.

"Jordan, don't you know by now that I would give up anything for you? I love you, baby. I mean anything. I know I didn't give up the volleyball tournament for you and I will regret to my dying day. I promise that will never happen again and I would gladly switch places with you if I were able to so I could take all of your pain away." Bly sincerely professed, kissing Jordan soundly to seal her promised.

Jordan broke the kiss and looked into Bly's deep blue eyes. "How did the tournament go, Bly?" Jordan asked enthusiastically even though she had totally forgotten about the tournament.

"It's not important, babe. I'm going to put some ice on my eye so it will stop swelling." Bly evasively stammered, trying to avoid Jordan's question regarding the tournament as she headed out the door for the ice. She didn’t want to upset Jordan by telling her she played like shit and wouldn't be making the Olympic team. ‘That can wait until Jordan has fully recovered.’ Bly thought, retrieving an ice bag from one of the nurses.

***

A week later Jordan was released and Bly took her home to recuperate at her place. After three weeks at home, Bly still had not gone back to work full-time since the accident. She still wouldn't listen to Jordan's repeated assurances that she would be alright alone during the day. Bly would see her patients in the morning and Linda would come over to help Jordan start the day before dropping her off at Bly's work for her grueling Physical Therapy. The only reason Jordan tolerated going to therapy was because of the gorgeous raven haired Physical Therapist she got to see there, Bly. Linda dropped Jordan off out front, and told her she would talk to her later to see how therapy went, before driving off to work. She was lucky that her job was such that she could basically make her own hours and it gave her more of a chance to take care of her sister. Jordan entered the busy gym and headed back to find Kim, her therapist, to get started on her session, but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw what was before her. She looked, and saw Bly working with a hand patient at the table and noticed they were carrying on quite a candid conversation. She was breathless from Bly's striking beauty when she saw Bly look down at the woman's hand with her raven hair draped to one side, shadowing her dark features. Bly's gorgeous blue eyes looked up from the hand to meet her patients as she laughed heartedly. Jordan hadn't seen that gorgeous smile and laugh from Bly in weeks. All she saw was the top of Bly's head or her cheek; she wouldn't even look at Jordan as of late. She was jealous and wanted her lover back. It hurt her that Bly didn't laugh with her that way anymore.

"How can such a beautiful and sweet girl such as yourself torture your patients as much as you do Bly? You're killing me you know? You just love to torture me, don't you?" The woman teasingly asked as Bly looked at her and continued to perform range of motion activities on the woman's hand.

"Now Marilyn. Didn't I tell you what P.T. stood for? It means Physical Torturer, not Physical Therapist." Bly explained with a laugh. "Besides, if I don't move your fingers around then you won't be able to use them and you'll hate me, which I just can't have happen." Bly sarcastically answered with an accompanying laugh, looking to the side she saw a vision of loveliness standing there looking back at her.

Bly's eyes met Jordan's and Jordan caught the breath that escaped her when Bly smiled at her, only to notice that smile leave her face. In its place was a reflection of sadness and guilt. Jordan had hoped that Bly was back to her old self again, but it just wasn't so and the thought overwhelmed her. She couldn't stand the way Bly looked at her, as if she pitied her and, 'that is just not going to happen', she thought. She decided that she needed to talk to Bly about it. 'It has to stop.' Jordan thought angrily, disgusted by Bly's demeanor. Bly looked back down at the task at hand as her guilt overwhelmed her when she saw Jordan. She found it very hard lately to look at her without feeling so guilty and she wasn't sure how to handle these foreign feelings. She had never confronted the sweeping range of emotions that she had been feeling since the accident and didn't know what to do. "Jordan, are you ready to get started?" Kim asked excitedly as the Physical Therapist approached her patient.

"Oh, yeah! Just thrilled!" Jordan replied dryly, agitated by Bly's demeanor. She glanced at Bly's bowed head once more before walking away to get started on her program of strength and endurance training to get back to her pre-injury status. The way Bly was acting really disturbed Jordan, and she was in no mood to do anything, on top of the fact that her wrist hurt more today than any of the other days. She figured it was because she was out of the cast and doing more with that hand than she had in a while. She was not looking forward to the pain and torture Kim would be inflicting on her wrist shortly to help her gain full functional use of it again. Jordan had hoped Bly would be her therapist, but she had told her that it wouldn't be ethical because they were lovers. It wouldn't look good to the insurance companies if they ever found out Bly was treating Jordan, considering the lawsuit Jordan had pending with Cindy's insurance company. Bly recommended that Jordan go to a different facility so there would be no conflict, but the insurance company assigned Jordan to her office. All in all, it had worked out well because then Bly was able to take Jordan home after her therapy, plus she could monitor Jordan's progress. Jordan was beginning to wonder whether Bly was giving her a bogus line by saying it was unethical for her to treat her lover considering how she had been acting lately. She wondered if Bly just didn't want to be with her anymore and was in some sick way trying to push her out of her life. After Jordan's therapy session she was in a lot of pain and was unusually tired. Once they got back to the penthouse she took her pain medication and went straight to bed without talking to Bly about how she was acting. The next morning after waking up without Bly in the bed, she decided enough was enough and they had to talk everything our.

Jordan entered the kitchen to find Bly had breakfast all prepared for Jordan. "How are you feeling?" Bly awkwardly asked, glancing at Jordan then back to her bowl of ‘Lucky Charms’ cereal.

"Could be better. Listen Bly, we need to talk." Jordan stated nervously and dreaded every minute of having to do this sort of conversation, but she couldn't, they couldn't, go on this way any longer.

Bly closed her eyes trying to force the tears back knowing what Jordan was going to talk to her about and kept her back to Jordan. She didn't want to deal with it right then and stood up quickly walking toward Jordan. "I'm running late, Jordan. Can we talk about this later?" Bly asked lamely, kissing Jordan's forehead and walked past her towards the bathroom, trying to avoid the conversation she knew she didn't want to have with Jordan. She knew she had to figure a way to not feel so guilty about everything, but she just couldn't, and needed more time. So, in the end, it was easier for her to avoid the issue. Jordan was shocked by Bly's reaction and sat down attempting to eat something, which she wasn't able to do. She sat lost in her thoughts and was startled when Bly entered the kitchen after showering and dressing for work. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Bly apologized sheepishly, cleaning up her breakfast bowl.

"Bly, listen there is no need for you to continue working only half days so you can take care of me. I'm fine and I can do a lot more stuff on my own now." Jordan replied thinking Bly's work schedule would be a good lead in to the conversation she wanted to have with her.

"Jordan, we've been through this before. I don't need to work." Bly reminded as she cleared up the breakfast dishes from the table and walked out of the room once again avoiding Jordan. Jordan slowly followed Bly into the guestroom, where she had temporarily moved to when Jordan had come home.

"And this! Why are you still staying in here?" Jordan angrily asked from the doorway.

"I'm trying to give you time to recuperate. I didn't want to hurt you." Bly simply answered and moved around making the bed, avoiding eye contact with her.

"You've hardly touched me since I've come home." Jordan looked at Bly for some understanding. Bly stopped what she was doing and stood with her back to Jordan silently. "Talk to me. Damn it!" Jordan's voice rose with her growing anger. "Is it because I'm damaged or something?" Jordan asked, fearful that Bly didn't want her anymore.

Bly spun around at the sound of Jordan's raised voice. "You don't understand! It's not that I don't want to be near you! It's just that every time I look at you, I realize that I am at fault for what happened to you. I can't go back and change that, but I can't go forward either."

"So, this is it? I'm supposed to live here with you moping around because you think you could have changed what happened?" Jordan asked, her voice still elevated with fear and anger. She didn't want to lose Bly, but she couldn't live with her pity either.

"You are just not well enough yet." Bly turned back around to the bed, ending the conversation as far as she was concerned. 'We don't need to deal with this until Jordan is stronger; she kept trying to convince herself. The words sounded hollow and lame, even to her ears. She knew she was shutting Jordan out, but she couldn't get past the guilt that she felt.

"That's a convenient excuse for what the problem is here. Bly, I love you, but I can't live with you looking at me like you do. You act as though I'm already dead and you've buried yourself in guilt so deep that I can't even reach you anymore. Well, I'm not dead! I'm alive and I'm here! You have a choice to make, either you live with me in the present and get rid of this idea that you could have saved me or you will have to live without me! I just can't take this anymore!" Jordan finished with tears burning her eyes. She turned and made her way to the master bedroom, closing the door behind her. She leaned against the door more exhausted then she had ever felt in her life as the tears rolled down her face uncontrolled.

***

Bly stood in shock with the pillow still clutched in her hands watching her life walk away from her. Slowly, she sank on the bed and put the pillow to her face muffling the outburst of cries as the pain in her heart became unbearable. Bly lay with the pillow covering her face wondering how everything had gone so wrong. She wondered why in the hell she was being such an emotional wreck as it was so unlike her. 'Maybe it’s because I love Jordan with every ounce of my being and she’s my entire life', she reminded herself and remembered how relationships were easier before Jordan entered her life. She would just drop the woman whenever there was any conflict or she just wouldn't allow the relationship to go very far, but she couldn't do that with Jordan. She didn't want to do that with Jordan. Bly loved her too much to do that, but it absolutely devastated her what Jordan had said to her. She couldn't be mad at Jordan because it was true. She felt extremely guilty and just couldn't get over it, but Bly knew she had to, fast, if she didn't want to lose Jordan. Bly pushed the pillow off her face and wiped the tears away before glancing at the clock, realizing she was running late. "Shit!" She exclaimed, jumping up and scrambling off the bed. She ran into the study and grabbed her attaché case before heading to the master bedroom to say good-bye to Jordan. Bly found the door to be locked. 'Damn!' She thought agitated at the locked door. "Jordan? I'm late for work! I, aah, just wanted to say good-bye." Bly stammered awkwardly and heard no reply from Jordan. "Jordan?" Bly asked worriedly, still not hearing a response from Jordan and was about to break the door down until she heard the shower turn on. "And to say I'm sorry." Bly replied softly and regretfully before leaving the Penthouse. ‘This is not a good day for this to happen, but then again what day is a good day for something like this to happen between two people who love one another?' Bly questioned, annoyed on the elevator ride down, her stomach tied in knots with worry. Along with the insurance hearings she had today, it wasn't looking good. 'I think the insurance companies pulls this crap just to piss everyone off!' She thought angrily about her upcoming meeting and how the companies loved to play a sick game of denying payment of treatment for a patient. Once the bills were resubmitted for reconsideration, they would call a hearing to decide if they would pay or approve more therapy, if it was medically necessary.

Unfortunately, the patient was usually the one who suffered from their tactics because if the insurance carrier deemed their treatments not medically necessary, then the patient received no therapy. 'They can bite me!' Bly thought, annoyed at the system and climbed into her car. She floored the accelerator, leaving rubber and smoke behind her. Bly arrived slightly behind schedule, which was extremely unusual for her. She rushed into the crowded Physical Therapy center, agitated at the entire situation, not to mention her tardiness. Even though she was only five minutes late, it didn't help her already dismal mood. "Good morning, Bly." Patty, her secretary, greeted happily as Bly blew by her in a rush towards her office. She hated feeling rushed when she arrived for work. Bly always came in early to have coffee with the girls in the office and to read the sports page before work. Bly was not fond of her morning routine being altered, but what could she do about it today? Nothing!

"Send Mrs. Garcia back, Patty, I'll be right there." Bly threw over her shoulder as she entered her office, quickly depositing her attaché case in the chair. She grabbed her lab coat, fighting with the sleeves when she attempted to slip it on and walk toward her first patient. Bly wasn't particularly fond of wearing her lab coat. Actually, she hated wearing it and only did so if she was treating patients with open wounds or patients she saw in the hospital. "Good morning, Mrs. Garcia. I'm sorry, I'm running late today." Bly apologetically greeted, grabbing a stool and a pair of rubber gloves, sitting down before her patient.

"Hectic morning, dear?" Her patient asked with a smile.

"Too hectic." Bly answered with a chuckle and slipped her gloves on. "Okay, let's take a look at the wound on your hand and see how it's healing." Bly suggested, carefully removing the bandage and examined the wound. "Well, it's healing beautifully! I've done a wonderful job." Bly teased cockily, as if she really had something to do with the healing process and shared a laugh with her patient. Bly was glad the mood was lighter despite the fact that she couldn't get what Jordan said to her out of her mind. She was in no mood for what she had to face for the day and would rather not even be at work. Fortunately, she thought, she only had Mrs. Garcia and then the hearings, allowing her to be finished with work by noon.

"Bly, the insurance people are here." Patty unenthusiastically informed Bly.

"Oh, goodie! Now, my day is complete, Patty. I don't know if I can stand the excitement I feel right now." Bly sarcastically commented, looking up at Patty.

"Yep! I knew you would be just as excited as I am with their presence. I would really love to be able to tell them where to stick it." Patty answered equally sarcastic, causing Bly and her patient to laugh.

"Have them wait in the break room while I finish up with Mrs. Garcia, please."

"No problem." Patty answered, before walking away to speak with the representatives.

"Thanks." Bly replied and finished redressing the patient's wound. "Okay, you're all set. I'll see you on Monday and have a good weekend. You try to behave yourself too, young lady." Bly teased with a smile, which was quickly shared by her patient.

"You too Bly. Thanks a lot." The elderly woman answered before leaving the treatment area.

Bly slowly cleaned up her mess purposely making the people wait. She considered the hearings such a waste of time, but she also understood they had a job to do. Because of some greedy medical personnel, they had to change their guidelines to eliminate insurance fraud. Bly washed her hands before entering the den of wolves for the hearings, with a scowl clearly etched on her face.

***

Bly and the insurance reviewers had been butting heads over the charts under review for over two hours. So far, they had agreed to make payment for most of the claims presented based on Bly's exemplary documentation on the patient's medical charts. Bly breathed a sigh of relief that her documentation was very detailed. She could prove that the patient's were making progress in therapy and there was no need for them to be denied treatment. 'What a stupid game these people play.' Bly thought with obvious disdain for the whole system, but she knew a lack of documentation on a patient's progress notes could deny them for the therapy they needed. It was just their sorry excuse for denying payment and something as simple as leaving out a birth date could do it. 'Payment, What a joke that is! They want us to do all of this documentation and follow their guidelines for a very minimal reimbursement.' Bly thought angrily as the discussion began on the next patient.

Bly looked up and saw the green-eyed blonde who captured her heart and soul enter the gym. She was captivated by Jordan and watched as Jordan greeted everyone with her radiant smile as she made her way through the gym. Bly had tuned all the chatter of the meeting out as she watched Jordan intently. Jordan took her breath away when Bly thought about how much she loved her. Jordan turned and looked at Bly with emerald greens meeting piercing blues. Bly snapped out of her revelry, reminding herself of the biting words Jordan had said to her earlier that morning. It felt like an arrow pierced her heart as she heard the words all over again and Bly looked away from Jordan sadly.

"Bly? Bly?" The insurance nurse asked, trying to draw her attention.

"What?" Bly snapped angrily and turned her head towards the woman.

"Do you have any comments on this patient? We don't feel it's medically necessary for her to continue therapy." The woman answered stoically.

Bly's head pounded as she listened to what the woman had said and looked at Jordan then back to the woman, increasing her own frustration. She couldn't take the crap anymore and fought her urge to chew the nurse out, but knew she had to try and be diplomatic about everything. "Not medically necessary, huh?" Bly asked sarcastically. Her tone was harboring on being offensive. "Let's see how that can be remotely believable." Bly condescendingly suggested, opening the patient's chart. "The patient has a fractured shoulder and elbow with circulatory problems which slow the healing process down considerably of her dominant upper extremity. She has had twelve visits to date and her range of motion in her shoulder is all of eighty degrees and fifty degrees for flexion in her elbow. Now, mind you full range of motion for the shoulder is one hundred eighty degrees and one hundred thirty degrees for the elbow. The patient could get by with functional range of motion of about one hundred fifty for the shoulder and one hundred twenty degrees respectively, which would allow her to do her everyday basic activities such as grooming and feeding herself." Bly instructed them in a controlled manner. Bly looked around at the group before turning the page and proceeding. "This patient was previously totally independent and now the woman can't even feed herself, requiring assistance from a caregiver. Could you please explain to me how therapy is not medically necessary for this woman because I'm just not seeing your logic here?!" Bly, growing far more agitated than she wanted to be, slammed the chart closed.

"We have a set amount of twelve visits which we deem medically necessary for this type of an injury and that is why further treatment has been denied." The woman answered with equal agitation at Bly's sarcasm.

"You mean to tell me you expect someone with this type of an injury to be completely functional within twelve visits? That's ridiculous!" Bly responded sharply, her anger intensifying.

"Those are the guidelines that have been set and we need to follow them." The woman retorted coldly.

"Change the guidelines then! Don't you realize it takes longer than twelve visits for a person to be functional again? The main goal for everyone to achieve is their functional status as it was before the onset of the injury!" Bly informed them annoyed by their resistance.

Everyone in the gym could hear the conversation-taking place and Jordan looked on worriedly, she could tell Bly's temper was ready to blow. "I've never seen or heard Bly this mad at the insurance people before." Kim said surprised and had an excited feeling that the wolves where getting what they deserved, an ear full.

"Yeah well, they deserve it! They're a pain in the ass!" Patty answered chuckled and returned to her task of filing charts, glad that Bly was giving them the business.

"Listen, do what you want and keep your stupid guidelines, but I'm not going to deny treatment to my patient because of your idiotic rules. My Code of Ethics and my human decency won't allow that to happen to a patient who truly needs this therapy." Bly angrily stated with finality, storming out of the room and headed towards her office, stripping off her lab coat, becoming even more agitated as she fought to get the coat off.

"Patty! Call Mrs. Shapiro and schedule her appointments! Tell her she won't have to pay a thing for therapy!" Bly shouted frustrated, finally removing the offensive coat and threw it against the wall when she entered her office, effectively releasing some tension. "Fucking people and their stupid guidelines! They can bite me!" Bly mumbled angrily for only her to hear. She gathered her belongings, seriously needing to get away from everything that was pissing her off before she went off on someone who didn't deserve it.

"Bly, are you okay?" Jordan asked concerned when she entered Bly's office.

Bly glanced over her shoulder at Jordan quickly packing papers in her case. "Does it really matter Jordan?" Bly asked, looking back down to her attaché case.

"Yes, because I care about you." Jordan answered concerned, moving closer to Bly wanting to hold her in her arms and make everything better.

Bly picked up her case and turned to Jordan. "You care about me, but you can't stand to be a part of my life right? That's really rich Jordan, really rich!" Bly countered agitated, exiting the office and leaving a bewildered blonde standing in her wake.

"Patty, call Dawson to give Jordan a ride home please. I'll see you next week. Have a good weekend." Bly requested unenthusiastically walking past the counter and exited the door to the parking lot. Bly threw her case onto the passenger's side seat before sliding into her own and grabbed the handle to close the door as Jordan exited the clinic.

"Bly, wait!" Jordan yelled with Bly ignoring her and squealed her tires when she left the parking lot. 'This is all unbelievable.' Jordan thought in disbelief and sadness at how her relationship with Bly was coming unraveled. What she had said this morning was true and if Bly didn't want to deal with the issues at hand there was nothing she could do about it. No, instead she just left her hanging again as if Bly's guilt was all her fault. 'I'm sorry that Cindy had ever entered my life and had the chance to cause this trouble, but why is Bly's inability to deal with it my fault? Heck, maybe it is. If it hadn't been for me, Cindy wouldn't be in the picture. There would be no accident and Bly wouldn't have to face dealing with something she is obviously not prepared to deal with.' Jordan stood alone in the parking lot with her thoughts and looked up towards the sun for warmth as a shiver rippled through her body. Sadly, she turned and slowly walked back into the Clinic. "Patty, please don't call Dawson. I already have a ride. Can I use your telephone?" Jordan asked stiffly, it was taking all her energy just to maintain her calm façade.

"Sure, no problem. Are you okay?" Patty asked concerned, seeing that Jordan was visibly upset.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Jordan didn't make eye contact, but took the offered telephone and made her own arrangements. 'If you can't give me your love, I don't need your charity.' Jordan thought sadly.

Bly drove on, picking up her car phone and dialed her buddy Jill. "Jilly! Two words for you! Batting cages." She stated, smiling as she thought about hitting some baseballs to take out of her aggressions.

"I'll be there in ten minutes!" Jill exclaimed and hung up the phone.

***

Bly pulled into the parking lot where the batting cages were located and changed into a T-shirt, shorts and sneakers, which she always kept in a gym bag in her car. Jill pulled up in her big, red truck up next to Bly with a silly, happy look on her face as Bly finished tying her shoes. Jill exited the truck and approached Bly's open door. "What's up, bud?"

"Majorly bad morning, dude! Hey, did you deliver all of your packages early or are you playing hooky from work?" Bly asked with a laugh, stepping out of the car.

"Playing hooky. I needed to rest. The package delivery business can bite me today!" Jill sarcastically commented in a shared laugh with Bly.

"Let's go crush some baseballs then." Bly suggested with a laugh grabbing her bat and helmet before heading off to the cages.

***

Bly and Jill spent the remainder of the day hitting baseballs, playing putt-putt golf and riding the go-carts before deciding it was time to venture somewhere else. "Let's go over to the sports bar. We can catch the Red Sox game on satellite along with a few drinks, and dinner, my treat." Bly offered as they headed to the cars.

"Sounds good to me, but I buy the first round." Jill demanded as they jumped into their cars.

"I'll meet you there." Bly stated and closed the door to her car before heading over.

They took a seat next to the big screen TV and requested that the Red Sox game be put on. Fortunately, for them they were the only one's in there and were able to get the game of their choice. "Good thing we beat the crowds, Bly."

"Most definitely! I'll have a Jack and Coke please." Bly ordered, as the waitress approached, not wasting anytime getting the weekend started off right. She knew that taking some batting practice would take her mind off of her worries, which it did, and she was actually having fun. She always had fun when she hung out with Jill.

"Damn! Check it out! Three tropical storms are brewing out over the Bahamas, Bly." Jill informed her, growing angry at the thought of impending storms that could hit the eastern coast of Florida.

"I see that. I don't believe it. One of them is named Cindy! Isn't that fitting!" Bly responded sarcastically wondering when that woman would ever stop interfering in her life.

"Yeah and it looks like she might merge with the other; Emily, to create one hell of a storm." Jill shook her head with disbelief looking at the TV screen.

"That's Cindy alright! Overtakes others and causes mass destruction in their lives. The fucking bitch! Let's hope that storm heads out to sea!" Bly answered agitatedly, and downed her drink. "I'll have another please." She ordered before the waitress was able to put Jill's beer down on the table.

"Sure, it's happy hour so you have one coming free. Would you like me to bring another one in addition to the one you just ordered?"

"Yeah, I could deal with that nicely." Bly answered with a devilish laugh and a wiggle of her eyebrows, looking at Jill.

"Dude, two fisted tonight huh?" Jill answered laughing, sipping her ice-cold draft beer.

"Oh, yeah! Hell, the way I feel. I should just tell her to bring me a pitcher of drinks!" Bly answered with a hearty laugh, as her two requested drinks were promptly delivered.

"Hey, I'm getting psyched about the new baseball season. Did you send in your application yet?" Jill asked, finishing off her beer just in time for her second one, which the waitress placed in front of her.

"Oh, yeah I sent it in the day I got it. We have to talk Vinny into getting the name of our team changed. I'm not thrilled with the Diamondbacks." Bly answered finishing off one of her two drinks. "Aah..." She replied as the last part of her drink went down, totally satisfied with the taste of her cocktail. "We need to change the name to either the Red Sox or the Yankees, but not the Diamondbacks. Besides, I'm tired of wearing those stupid purple thick socks with our uniform." Bly added with a chuckle, looking at her friend with a sly grin.

"Yeah, purple just ain't me, honey!" Jill retorted with a laugh. "Oh, Vinny is so psyched about this season and is ready to start it now!" Jill informed her with a chuckle.

"Me too! I think he's going to be an excellent coach and we should do pretty good this year." Bly answered, as she waved to the waitress for another round.

***

Linda followed Jordan up to the penthouse and listened while she relayed the morning events to her. She held her sister and cried with her and hoping that Bly would come around. She knew these two were meant to be together. After talking Jordan into taking a nap and promising to hang around for a while, Linda called Julie. Julie arrived before Jordan got up and the blonde found the two women in the kitchen talking. "What are you two plotting?”

“Hello, Julie." Jordan greeted and looked outside frowning. It was evening and Bly was not home yet.

"Hey, Jordan. Come, sit down and have a cup of coffee with us." Julie offered, knowing where the blonde's mind was at the moment.

"Has Bly called?" Jordan looked up at the clock and frowned, it was already 8:00 pm and Bly still wasn't home.

"No, not yet." Linda awkwardly answered and looked at Julie for help.

"She'll be home shortly." Julie attempted to reassure the worried blonde, knowing that wasn't necessarily the case. If Bly wasn't thinking straight, Julie knew she could get herself in a world of trouble.

"If it is because I am here, maybe I should leave so she can come home to her own place." Jordan didn't really want to leave, but she was feeling scared, angry and frightened all at the same time. She couldn't think rationally at the moment, but if she were not wanted, she wouldn't stay.

"No! Don't even think that. I tell you what, let me go and see if I can't find her. She is probably just down at the batting cages working off her frustration of the insurance people. She gets this way when she has to deal with them." Julie offered and stood up to leave.

"It's more than insurance company." Jordan whispered and went to look out over the darkening ocean noticing the flash of lightening far off in the distant indicating an impending storm front moving across the turbulent Atlantic Ocean.

Julie softly agreed, "I know," and turned to Linda. "I'm going to go see if I can't bring her home. Stay here and try to keep Jordan from running away or anything okay?"

Linda nodded and easily slipped into Julie's arms for a warm hug. Sighing, she looked up at her lover, "What are you going to do?"

"Try to knock some sense into my best friend before she totally screws up the best thing that has ever come into her life. See if you can calm that one down." Julie jerked her head back toward the blonde in the other room. "I don't want to get Bly back here to find that she has left."

"No, she isn't going anywhere tonight." Linda guaranteed walking Julie to the elevator and rode down with her. On the trip down she had an overwhelming urge to kiss Julie and she did so until the elevator hit the lobby.

"Wow!" Julie exclaimed happily, pulling back when the doors opened. "I'm glad that we are not fighting like those two."

"So am I." Linda readily agreed with a relieved smile, and thought of fighting with Julie.

"I've got to talk to Bly and get her over this self-imposed guilt trip. It's not like her. I know that she loves Jordan very much. She's just got to realize that she can't control everything that happens in this life! I'll bring her back as soon as I can." Linda watched as Julie walked out the front door before taking the elevator back up to the penthouse. She walked into the living room to find Jordan still looking out the window. She hadn't moved from her spot holding Ares tightly against her chest, softly stroking his silky fur as he wiggled his tail perfectly content in the arms that held him.

"Hey, let's go sit out on the balcony. It's a nice night." Linda quietly offered, not wanting to startle Jordan. Jordan shrugged her shoulders and followed her sister out onto the balcony. Ares jumping from her arms as they sat down to listen to the waves crash against the shore in the semi-darkness. The moon was coming out and they just caught the glint of its brightness as it sparkled off the top of the choppy waves. The soft tropical breeze ruffled Jordan's hair and she closed her eyes and breathing the scent of the night jasmine.

"Did Julie leave?"

"Yes, she will be back in a bit. She went to find Bly." Linda informed her, watching her sister's profile. She seemed to have aged years in the last twenty-four hours as the lines of exhaustion edged her face. Even with her nap, she still looked tired.

"I don't know what to do, Linda. I can't lose Bly." Jordan turned to face her sister as the tears tracked down her face. Linda moved her chair closer and pulled Jordan into her arms and rocked her.

"I know, honey. Julie will bring her back and then you two need to talk. Neither one of you want to lose what you have. I also know that Bly loves you very much." Linda rocked her sister quietly, praying that Julie would find Bly and get her to see things more clearly.

"I just can't live with her walking on eggshells all the time. She thinks the accident is her fault. If it's anyone's fault, it is mine for not stopping Cindy sooner."

"Just wait right there! Let's put the blame where it belongs. It doesn't belong to you or Bly. It rests solely on Cindy! She has gotten away with so much as far as you are concerned. I'm not going to let her get away with breaking you guys up too. You have to realize that neither one of you could have changed what happened. Things happen because they just do. If it's meant to be, nothing is going to change that fact. I think you and Bly are meant to be and I'm not going to let anything get in the way of that fact!" Linda stood up and faced her sister with her hands on her hips. "Are you listening to me?" She emphasized emphatically as her blue eyes widened.

Jordan looked up and had to grin at the pose her sister held. "Yes, ma'am!"

Linda broke into a chuckle, happy that she had gotten through to her sister and could make her smile. "Well, you better!" She demanded giggling.

***

It was almost 11:00 pm and Jordan was wandering around restlessly when they heard the elevator open. Both women turned and went to find Julie and Jill pulling a slightly wobbly Bly into the penthouse.

"What happened?" Linda and Jordan echoed at the same time.

"I found her after searching all over Fort Lauderdale. Fortunately, she's a creature of habit and frequents the same places all the time. I talked some sense into her!" Julie answered, struggling to keep her hold on the fidgeting woman. Jill chuckled at the explanation as they continued tugging the tall woman down the hallway.

"Hey!" Bly replied agitatedly trying to pull back from the two women. "Jill and I were running the pool table. You shouldn't have made us leave!" Bly slurred, annoyed as she attempted to focus on Julie and keep her limp hand on her hip, unsuccessfully struggling to maintain her balance.

"It was more like Jill was running around the table trying to hold your drunk ass up! I think we need to get her into bed." Julie nodded and together they half dragged Bly toward the master bedroom. Jordan hesitated for a moment, thinking to redirect them toward the guest bedroom. She shrugged and walked ahead into her room and pulled down the covers on the bed.

Linda leaned over and whispered to Julie, "I think Bly's sleeping in the guestroom now."

"I know." Julie replied and continued to shuffle Bly into the master bedroom and dropped her onto the bed.

"This isn't funny guys!" Bly slurred pulling herself up from the bed. She stood for a moment, touching her cheek gingerly before staggering into the bathroom.

"What the hell happened?" Linda asked a disheveled Julie who was breathing hard from her exertion.

"Let's just say she was being a little obnoxious and uncooperative. Jules here, knocked her down a few pegs." Jill answered smiling widely.

Everyone turned to Julie for an explanation and the woman shrugged, "She was drinking and I wasn't going to let her drive home. She had an attitude and we had a long talk in the parking lot about things. I guess she took offense to something I said and took a swing at me. She missed and fell into the truck. It's okay! Her hard head broke her fall!"

"Oh God, now you two are fighting! This has just gotten way out of hand!" Jordan turned and left the bedroom. She wasn't sure what she would do next, but she wasn't going to let Bly's friendships suffer because of her.

"Wait!" Julie followed Jordan into the living room and stopped the blonde from going any further. "You didn't let me finish. We had a long talk and I think Bly is ready to talk about everything with you. Just give her a chance to sober up a little. Tomorrow is Saturday; I suggest the two of you don't plan anything but having that talk." Julie instructed Jordan assuredly.

"Are you sure she wants to talk to me now?" Jordan was hopeful, but afraid to be too optimistic for fear of being disappointed again.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Just let her get some sleep tonight and talk tomorrow. In the meantime, Linda and I are going to take Jill home. Maybe Sunday we can all meet for a drink and pick up the car and truck. " Julie motioned to Jill and Linda to get moving. Linda hugged her sister as the other two headed toward the elevator. "Just take it slow and talk. Okay, remember she loves you." Linda reminded her, turning back to Jordan and winked to reassure her.

Jordan nodded and watched as the trio departed. She turned toward the bedroom, unsure of what she should do. Finally, she decided she needed to check on Bly and walked into the master bedroom. She found Bly sitting on the side of the bed holding a washcloth to her face.

"Can I see?" Jordan quietly asked, slowly moving toward Bly. Bly pulled the washcloth away and allowing Jordan to check out her cheek. There was some swelling and a scratch, but nothing serious. "Do you want some ice?"

"No, it will be okay, I just wanted to get some of the dirt off my face." Bly replied embarrassed.

"You missed a spot, do you mind?" Jordan put her hand out for the washcloth and Bly gave it to her and let the woman gently wipe her face without comment.

Finally, Bly looked up and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Jordan looked down at her unsure if she had actually heard Bly speak, but the look in those blue eyes told her she had. "So, am I. Do you think we can talk tomorrow?" Jordan asked hesitantly and turned to hang the wet washcloth in the bathroom.

"Yes, I think we need to. Right now, I'm kind of tired." Bly replied laying back on the bed.

"Okay, get some sleep and I'll see you in the morning." Jordan replied softly and closing the light, turned to leave the bedroom.

"Hey, you don't have to go. I mean you could stay here tonight." Bly's strained voice whispered from the darkness.

Jordan's pulse quickened at Bly's offer for her to stay with her and she smiled happily as tears filled her eyes. She was glad that Bly didn't shun her and she wanted nothing more than to be close to her lover once again. "Aah, if that's what you want, Bly." Jordan stammered unsure as she moved towards the bed.

"It is, Jordan." Bly softly confirmed, feeling Jordan sit next to her on the bed. Bly placed her hand on top of Jordan's and squeezed it affectionately, sending a rush of warmth throughout Jordan. Bly's head pounded as the room began to spin when she closed her eyes. Her stomach did flip-flops as the dizziness continued. Bly put her foot down on the floor in a futile attempt to stop the dizziness. Supposedly, if you're drunk and you put your foot flat on the floor the bed spins would stop. 'Wrong!' Bly thought opening her blues eyes to stop the swirling in her head. "Aah, Jordan? What did you do to our bed?" Bly slurred questioningly.

"I didn't do anything but sleep in it, why?" Jordan asked confused.

"You did something to it I know it. Either you changed it into a tilt-o-whirl ride or I drank one, uh, five too many drinks!" Bly replied, laughing at her statement.

Jordan chuckled looking down at her supine lover, who was in obvious distress as she breathed deeply in her attempt to calm the nausea that was quickly winning the battle. "I think it's the latter, babe, because there is no way I'm getting on any tilt-o-whirl ride." Jordan chuckled; lovingly brushing the dark bangs off Bly's forehead.

"Well, now that I have that dilemma figured out there's only one more thing for me to do to get a grip on myself. Pray!" Bly retorted and slowly lifted herself up to a sitting position, fighting the nausea that sat at the bottom of her throat.

"Pray?" Jordan asked with even more confusion making a mental note to never drink as much as Bly did tonight.

"To the porcelain god!" Bly blurted out, sprinting towards the bathroom slightly off balance as the alcohol won the battle with her stomach.

Jordan watched as her tall lover headed into the bathroom and knew she was going to be one hurting puppy come morning, sporting one nasty hangover. Jordan headed into the kitchen, poured a glass of juice and grabbed some medication for Bly to alleviate the headache that was sure to consume her. Jordan walked back into the room and sat on the bed waiting for Bly to return. Ares strolled into the room and meowed as he looked up at Jordan. "Hey, handsome. What are you up too?" Jordan queried smiling, and watched the cat jump up on the bed next to her. He meowed again, rubbing his head up against Jordan who ran her hand down his back. Purring loudly, he lay next to Jordan, absolutely content with her smoothing out his furry coat.

"Oh, you are just so spoiled, aren't you? Just like your mom. You two just love to have your backs rubbed, don't you?" Jordan sweetly asked, looking down at Ares who meowed softly in reply before licking his paw and rubbing it against his face to clean it. "What is taking your mom so long, huh?" She asked wondering why Bly hadn't exited the bathroom by now and grew concerned. "Let's go check on mom." Jordan worriedly suggested as Ares jumped off the bed when she stood up and placed the glass of juice on the nightstand, heading toward the bathroom. Jordan opened the door slowly and feared Bly might be indifferent towards her for entering. She poked her head through the door. "Bly?" Jordan called out softly noticing Bly sitting on the floor in front of the toilet with her arms resting on the side of the bathtub, and her head lying against her arms, sound asleep. Jordan chuckled, entering the bathroom completely and joined Ares at Bly's side. Ares sniffed Bly and rubbed up against her meowing, trying to get her attention. "I don't think she wants to wake up, Ares." Jordan rhetorically answered and pushed Bly's hair back off her face, which completely covered her beautiful features. "Bly, honey." Jordan spoke softly and comforting as she moved the remaining hair off of Bly's face.

"Huh?"

"Come on, let's get you in bed. You'll be more comfortable there." Jordan instructed moving Bly from her resting position against the tub.

"It's okay. I'm really comfortable right here, but thanks." Bly slurred and laid her head back down, drawing a chuckle out of Jordan. She knew she shouldn't laugh but it was quite funny.

"Nope, let's go honey. You'll be more comfortable in bed." Jordan suggested and struggled to lift Bly up who finally made an attempt to stand.

Bly looked down at Jordan and put her arm around Jordan's shoulder to help support her wobbly legs. "You are so demanding." She answered with a chuckle struggling to keep her blue eyes focused on the shorter blonde.

"Yeah, but that's why you love me so much." Jordan teased and steered her tall soul mate towards the bed.

“That's not the only reason, Jordan. There are so many more reasons why I love you because you're beautiful, you have a very sexy smile." Bly slurred, listing off all of Jordan's attributes that she loved about her as Jordan led her to the bed and sat her down. "You have the most beautiful green eyes I have ever seen; that I love to lose myself in." Bly continued, looking at Jordan who handed her the medicine and juice.

"Is that so?" Jordan asked with an embarrassed smile. "Take those." Jordan suggested, holding the medication out.

"Did I tell you I love you because you're so demanding?" Bly asked with a silly grin as Jordan moved her hand with the medication up to her mouth followed by the juice.

"Yes, you already said that." Jordan chuckled, watching Bly take the medicine and finish off her drink, subconsciously tucking her long blond hair behind her ear.

"Oh, I love it when you tuck your hair behind your ear too, I love your cooking and that gorgeous body." Bly continued with an attempt at a seductive glance, which didn't work considering her drunkenness as Jordan removed her shirt and slipped a T-shirt over her head. "Ooh, I love how frisky you are." Bly added as Jordan laid her on her side noticing her blue eyes struggling harder to stay awake.

"Frisky, huh?" Jordan teased, removing Bly's shorts with Bly falling asleep.

"Yeah, frisky." Bly replied after a long silent pause. "I love your sassiness, but most of all I love you because you are you and because you love me for who I am." Bly whispered before Morpheus took her away.

Jordan smiled and her heart fluttered with Bly's admission wondering if what she said was what she truly meant. Jordan looked down at the sleeping figure and pushed her dark hair off her cheek lovingly before leaning down to place a soft kiss on her delicate skin. "I love everything about you, Bly." Jordan whispered in her ear, kissing her once more and climbing into bed lying in front of Bly on her side. She moved as close to her sleeping lover as she could whom instinctively wrapped her arms around Jordan through her sleep.

A smile crept across Jordan's face, feeling safe and loved once again in the arms of her soul mate. Jordan held Bly's hand tightly and kissed it before tucking Bly's hand close to her heart as she slipped off to sleep. Jordan heard a wide variety of noises dancing around in her head as she attempted to loosen the hold Morpheus had on her. She heard the loud clap of thunder and the pounding rain against the sliding glass door. She thought about how she loved to stay in bed during a rainstorm with her lover's arms wrapped snuggly around her. She realized she didn't feel those arms around her and wondered if what Bly had said last night about why she loved Jordan were true or if it was just the alcohol talking. Jordan slipped back into her sleep but heard a familiar, funny laugh off in the distance and a song she could faintly hear as she fought of her sleepiness.

The tune stuck in her head and she heard it more clearly now. It was the Scooby Doo theme song. She heard the tune more clearly as her eyes opened to the storm darkened room. "Scooby Doo's on?" She thought with slight confusion until it registered in her brain. "Scooby's on!" She told herself excitedly and made her way out of bed into the living room to find a Scooby Doo movie marathon going on.

"Cool!" Jordan excitedly exclaimed, looking at the TV. She glanced towards the couch and noticed the sleeping figure sprawled out against the black leather with Ares sleeping soundly stretched out on her chest. Jordan grinned when she noticed Ares had his paw tucked to one side of Bly's neck, his face snuggled tightly against the other side with Bly in a deep sleep and her one foot planted firmly on the floor. Jordan laughed to herself, deciding she needed a picture of this occasion and grabbed the digital camera from the den. She clicked a couple of pictures before moving closer to her sexy, sleeping lover and sat next to the couch on the floor. Ares' head snapped up and she heard a low, warning meow come out of the overprotective cat that now looked at her sleepily. "Ssh, you're going to wake up your mom." Jordan instructed him softly, stroking his head and leaned forward to kiss Bly on the forehead.

Jordan sat intently watching her lover sleep and listened to the rain pound against the window when two blue orbs opened, focusing on her. "Hey." Bly said sleepily.

"How do you feel?" Jordan asked, concerned.

"Let's just say I'm sick of praying to that damn porcelain god!" Bly sheepishly admitted with a laugh shared by Jordan.

"Is there anything I can get you?" Jordan offered.

"Can you arrange for a new stomach?" Bly asked, grinning.

"Sorry, fresh out. How about some Pepto?" Jordan asked smiling and leaned her chin against her arm that rested on the couch staring into the glazed over blue eyes.

"Been there and done everyone of those over the counter medicines to combat a hangover with none of them working. I need some Compazene to take care of it."

"Where can I get that from?"

"It has to be prescribed. I was waiting until it was a decent hour to call my dad and see if he could bring some over."

"Honey, you should have woken me up. I would have gotten something for you and I'm sure you're parents wouldn't have minded you calling." Jordan answered, regretful that Bly allowed her to sleep while she spent the wee morning hours sick.

"You were sleeping so soundly that I didn't want to wake you up." Bly smiled and lightly stroked Jordan's cheek with the back of her hand. "Besides, I needed to be punished to remind me how I shouldn't overindulge myself." Bly responded with a sheepish grin.

"Well, you still could have gotten me up to be with you while you were sick."

"Jordan, I want you to know that even though I was very intoxicated. Well, extremely drunk." Bly reiterated with a laugh, which turned serious. "I remember everything I said to you. About what I love about you and I meant all of it. I love everything about you, baby." Bly continued sincerely, gazing into Jordan's green eyes and gently pulled her closer before hugging her.

"I'm so sorry Jordan." Bly whispered in Jordan’s ear with a voice filled with emotion, wishing she hadn't have been such a fool by pushing the only person that she ever loved with all of her heart, away from her. Bly knew exactly where she was meant to be, in Jordan's arms and she didn't want to be anywhere else. She knew they needed to talk everything out to settle their problems, but she was content for the moment to just stay right where she was, holding Jordan.

"I'm sorry too, Bly." Jordan responded softly, kissing her and leaning back, looking into Bly's blues. "We need to talk, honey, and work everything out." Jordan continued regretfully, not wanting to start another fight, but knowing they had to resolve the conflict in their lives.

"I know babe, but would you mind if I called my dad so he could give me something to make me feel better first?" Bly asked as she ran her fingers through Jordan's blond hair.

"Yes I would mind if you call him because I want you to stay right where you are. I'll call dad for you, okay?" Jordan offered with a smile.

"Yes, boss." Bly laughed, watching Jordan head off to retrieve the mobile phone to call her father. Bly looked down at Ares who meowed when their eyes met. "Hey, buddy. Give mama a kiss and make me feel better." She sweetly asked and ran her long, slender fingers down his back with Ares rubbing his face against hers.

Jordan entered the room and clicked the phone off. "Dad's on his way over and you do realize he will tease you incessantly don't you?" Jordan asked laughing and sat back down on the floor in front of Bly.

"I will never live this one down. That's for sure." Bly confirmed with a laugh, kissing Jordan on the cheek.

"I can't believe there is a Scooby marathon and you didn't wake me up." Jordan teased, looping her fingers through Bly's, kissing her hand and focusing on the TV.

"It's a tough call, honey. I had to risk the wrath of you missing Scooby or take the wrath of waking you up. The thought of doing that just made me shake in my bare feet and I opted to let you sleep." Bly teasingly laughed as Jordan placed a playful bite on her hand, hearing a chuckle out of Bly.

***

Bly's father stopped by and administered a shot of Compazene to stop the nausea. He also hooked up an IV to replenish the fluids Bly lost throughout the night as Alexandra sat watching Scooby Doo with Jordan. "Okay, kiddo. Your chow should stay down now." Chance teased as he removed the IV from Bly's hand. "Feel better now? You sure look it. I thought for sure the Grim Reaper was knocking on the door from the looks of you when we first came in here." He laughed and winked.

"Thanks daddy. I feel a lot better. You're my hero." Bly teased sarcastically as her father leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"Let's go sexy." Chance directed towards his wife with a wink and a smile who stood up.

"Are you sure I can't make some breakfast for you?" Jordan offered smiling as Bly sat up on the couch feeling a hundred percent better.

"No, but thanks though. Chance promised me Cinnamon nut French toast from the Pancake House and I'm not missing out on that opportunity." Alexandra chuckled and leaned against her husband's shoulder, smiling as his long arm wrapped around her waist.

"Wait! You mean to tell me daddy had to bribe you to come out with him to take care of your sick little girl?" Bly asked with a teasing pout on her face. "I see how important I am to you."

"Oh, my little pumpkin is upset." Alexandra teased with a chuckle as she sat next to Bly. "Come here. Let mama kiss your boo-boo and make it better." Alexandra teased mockingly as she put her arm around Bly who snickered and moved away.

"No, get! Go get your French toast that's more important." She teasingly pushed her mom away who laughed and wrapped her daughter in a hug as she kissed her cheek.

"Bly, I can't believe you would think that Cinnamon nut French toast is more important than you." She said sarcastically.

"I would. That French toast is delicious." Jordan laughed. 

"Now, you too! It's a friggin' mutiny around here!" Bly pouted as her mother stood up and she lay back down on the couch. "Go on! All of you go! Get your French toast. Leave me here by myself with only Scooby and Ares to keep me company; my two faithful buddies who never let me down." Bly whined, curling up with her cat, trying to get some sympathy out of everyone who laughed.

"I'll stay here and forgo the French toast this time." Jordan teased as she walked Bly's parents to the elevator.

"Bye, honey. We'll call you later to see how you are feeling." Alexandra sweetly informed her.

"Don't bother. I wouldn't want to pull you away from your French toast or anything more important." Bly teased and waved to her parents over the couch, who laughed.

"I don't know how we got such a smart ass daughter, Chance." Alexandra replied with a laugh, shaking her head.

"She takes after you, babe." Chance chuckled, affectionately slapping his wife's butt and quickly receiving a slap on the arm in response. "Bye Jordan! Thanks for taking care of our little girl." Chance appreciatively smiled and kissed Jordan on the cheek.

"You're welcome. Anytime, dad." Jordan blushed smiling and hugged Alexandra, happy that Bly's parents insisted she call them mom and dad.

"Bye honey, thanks." Alexandra winked as they stepped onto the elevator and disappeared as the doors closed.

Jordan approached the couch. "Look here, Miss Pukey. You owe me some Cinnamon nut French toast when you recover." Jordan teasingly demanded and lay next to Bly on the couch.

"You can have anything you want, baby." Bly guaranteed softly in Jordan's ear, lovingly wrapping her arms around her and kissed her cheek.

"The only thing I want is you, Bly." Jordan softly admitted, looking over her shoulder at her lover. "It's all I ever wanted from you." Jordan added and rolled over to face Bly. "Do you feel like talking about what is going on between us?"

Bly looked down into warm green eyes and smiled. "I'm feeling a lot better now, it serves me right for doing something so stupid. I seem to be compounding my stupidity lately." Bly answered regretfully.

"Not stupid, just misguided." Jordan corrected, smiling and lightly kissing Bly.

"Yeah, misguided. A lot has happened in the past few months." Bly agreed thoughtfully.

"I know and a lot has been happening with you. Care to talk about it?" Jordan asked trying to get Bly to open up to her.

"When the accident happened, I felt guilty for not being there and that your being hurt was all my fault. Part of me wanted so much to be with you at the awards, but the other part thought I needed to be at the tournament. Then, you got hurt and I guess I just let my guilt get out of hand. I let it make me believe I could have changed everything that had happened just by my mere presence. My ego took over and my brain shut down." Bly tried to explain what she had been feeling and knew that her explanation was still lacking. She needed to take the chance and to tell Jordan everything. "Then things got out of hand between us and I almost lost you. It shouldn't have taken that for me to realize that the only important thing in this world is to be with you and I almost threw that away. I know now that I can't stop everything that is going to happen to us in our lifetime, some things are just fate. They are going to happen whether I want them to or not. I have no control over the events. I do have control over how I react to them and I reacted totally wrong, can you forgive me?" Bly asked, her voice cracking from the emotion she felt.

"Let me say what I need to say first, okay?" Jordan asked without answering Bly's request. Bly nodded slowly, the concern etched on her face as she waited for Jordan to continue. Jordan smiled and ran her hand lightly across the furrowed brow in an effort to smooth away the creases. "When you couldn't get past your guilt, I got angry and said some things without thinking. I couldn't live with you looking at me like you were the one totally at fault, especially when I knew that I was partially to blame. I should never have made you feel that my award was more important than your tournament. I was being childish. We both had something important to do, why should I have felt that mine should take precedence over yours? So, if anyone should ask for forgiveness, it should be me." Jordan looked searchingly into blue eyes and waited for a response.

Bly's eyes crinkled at the edges as the frown turned into a smile and she offered, "What do you say we just forgive each other? Let's just kiss and make up and learn from this fiasco."

"Sounds like a wonderful plan to me! Especially the making up part!" Jordan readily agreed and kissed Bly long and deep to seal the pact.

"Mmmm. I've missed you." Bly murmured, hugging Jordan tightly to her.

"Me too!" Jordan exclaimed, nipping Bly's neck lightly in return. Jordan pulled back and looked at Bly questioningly. "I never asked, what happened at the tournament? How did you do?"

Bly shrugged and evasively answered, "It's not important."

"Why not?" Jordan asked curiously. Bly didn't want to tell Jordan that she hadn't been able to concentrate at the tournament and had probably blown her chance at the Olympics. She didn't want any more guilt between them. That was in the past and if she had it to do all over again, she probably never would have gone to the Tournament and stayed with Jordan.

To stall any further questioning, Bly rolled Jordan under her and began kissing her passionately. "Later." Bly murmured against Jordan's ear, kissing along her jaw line to her neck. Jordan shivered in response, feeling her body respond to her lover and ran her hands down Bly's back thinking, 'What were we talking about?'

Jordan's body relaxed when her sumptuous lover worked her magic by moving her sensuous kiss up and down Jordan's neck. It had been so long, too long, since she last felt that connection with Bly and she was extremely happy to have Bly reacquaint herself with her body. They had been through a lot in the past weeks and it had taken its toll on the both of them. She wanted and needed to have Bly touch and kiss her as she did before, with complete love with no hesitation. The way Bly had acted and looked at Jordan devastated her. She loved Bly so much, but couldn't stand to see her look at her with so much guilt. Jordan thought about the ultimatum she gave Bly and realized she couldn't possibly have stayed away from Bly for too long, she loved her too much. Jordan moaned delightedly when Bly's searing kiss traveled down through her cleavage, capturing an already hardened nipple. Jordan ran her hands through Bly's long, dark hair reveling in the pleasure she felt and how her body reacted to Bly's kiss and touch. ‘No one has ever been able to make me feel the way Bly does.’ Jordan adoringly thought, feeling Bly's mouth wrap around her breast and felt her center throb in reaction.

Bly was sending Jordan's passion afire, that much was true and Jordan wanted Bly to know just how much she enjoyed what her lover was doing to her. Jordan grasped Bly's face with her hands and pulled her up for a soul-searing kiss. The kiss sent a tingling sensation throughout Bly’s entire body, telling her just how much Jordan loved her. ‘I love her so much.’ Bly thought, deepening the seductive kiss. She couldn't and didn't want to imagine living her life without Jordan. Recently, they had too many close calls of being apart and she never wanted that to happen again. Bly wanted to make love slowly, gently touching and tasting to her hearts content, savoring everything the object of her affection had to offer. 'The way she deserves to be made love to.' Bly lovingly thought, and moved her kiss down to Jordan's neck, lightly nibbling on the soft skin.

Jordan moaned, delighted by the tenderness of Bly's kiss on her neck that sent her body into a mass of goose bumps. Bly was such an erotic lover who always made her feel as if she was the most important person in the world and told her exactly how much she loved her with every touch and kiss. 'She's so gentle, caring and tender.' Jordan thought fondly of the woman who consumed her waking thoughts. Her passions ignited when Bly's kiss blazed a trail between her breasts to her navel, stopping, teasing and tantalizing her oversensitive skin with her tongue. Jordan's abdomen tightened in response to Bly's tongue circling her navel, dipping deep inside and followed that gesture with a soft kiss. Bly's hands slowly and softly made their way down her lover’s sensual body, entwining with Jordan's as her kiss traveled down to her blonde curl line. Jordan gasped when Bly moved closer to her wet mound that throbbed uncontrollably for her lover to attend to its needs.

Bly loved to touch, kiss and taste Jordan. Actually, she loved everything about Jordan and the feelings she had for her overwhelmed her at times. She had wandered through life with her eyes closed, never allowing someone to get as close to her as Jordan has. Bly had always hoped someone would love her for who she is and not for what she has monetarily. She thought that person would never enter her life until she saw her beautiful blond, green-eyed lover in Key West. Bly knew when their eyes met she was the soul mate she had searched for in her life and that paradise was indeed found. Bly wanted Jordan to know just how much she loved and cared for her. Jordan was all Bly ever needed. The feeling Jordan created in Bly was indescribable. She would try to explain how she made her feel, but the words just never came out right. It was the way Jordan was able to make her feel and it was the only thing that was real to Bly. The feeling she had inside when Jordan looked into her eyes was everything that she had ever wanted to see in her soul mate. Jordan was able to understand everything about Bly and accepted her unconditionally, that was one of the beautiful traits she possessed. Bly slowly and sensually made love to Jordan. She poured every ounce of her emotions and feelings into the lovemaking until she felt Jordan's grasp tighten around her hands and knew her lover’s climax was near.

Tears of joy trickled from Jordan's green eyes as Bly made love to her so caringly and lovingly. Jordan loved the gentleness about Bly. She always made her feel so loved and safe. She wondered how she was so lucky to have such a wonderful woman in her life. Jordan's life had not been filled with much love. 'Hell, had there really been any love involved in it at all?' She wondered briefly before putting that thought out of her head so she could thoroughly enjoy what Bly was doing to her. Bly sent her passions soaring, as always, with the way her tongue worked it's magic on her slick, wet center. Jordan desperately tried to control her labored breathing to no avail and didn't want to fight it; she didn't want to be inhibited with Bly at all. She wanted to thoroughly enjoy everything Bly was offering to her. Jordan's arousal surged through her and her grip on Bly's hands, pressing her head back against the pillow in pleasure, knowing her release was soon to come. "Oh, Bly! You feel so good." Jordan moaned breathless, her heart pounding. She had a nervous feeling just like she did the first time they made love. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered uncontrollably, just as they did when Bly took her into her arms and made, passionate love to her for the first time. The feeling of having someone you loved and who loved you so much, make love to you was incredible. Jordan's last coherent thoughts as she freely gave herself to Bly.

Bly felt Jordan's walls tighten and heard her soft cries, knowing climax was drawing near, feeling her release and tasting the sweet nectar Jordan offered her. She took everything Jordan gave her gladly, thinking how much she loved Jordan and how wonderful she tasted, feeling her lover's body shudder with one orgasm after another. Jordan lay gasping for her breath, desperately trying to calm her racing heart, feeling absolutely wonderful. Jordan's body tingled and shuddered when Bly's kiss softly traveled up her body. Bly snuggled against Jordan's neck and pressed her long, slender body against her blonde lover. Bly inhaled the aroma so specific to her blonde lover, smiling contentedly and kissed her neck softly.

Jordan wrapped her arms tightly and lovingly around Bly, softly kissing her cheek. "Jordan, I love you so much. I want you to know just how much, sweets." Bly whispered honestly filled with emotion.

"I know just how much you love me Bly, every time you look into my eyes with those beautiful blues of yours, I love you so much." Jordan answered smiling and staring into the eyes she loses herself in every time, capturing Bly's inviting lips for a soul-searing kiss.

"I see the same in those fabulous green eyes of yours, baby." Bly whispered though her kiss, deepening it and sending shivers throughout Jordan.

"The things you do to me, honey, just knocks me out, Bly! It feels incredible." Jordan exclaimed and passionately kissed her blue-eyed lover again.

"My life has been nothing but wonderful since you entered it, Jordan, and I don't ever want you to not be a part of it." Bly answered wholeheartedly, gently pushing Jordan's stray strand of hair off her face.

"Even with everything Cindy has put us through?" Jordan asked regretfully.

"Even with that wench interfering in our life, sweets. There is nothing I would change if it meant losing you. I love you no matter what! Even if you get fat from eating too much Cinnamon Nut French toast." Bly laughed, nibbling on Jordan's neck.

Jordan giggled happily and kissed Bly's shoulder. "I'm so glad honey. So, are you feeling up to getting some Cinnamon Nut French toast?" Jordan asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Bly smiled and laughed. "How can I deny the woman I love, French toast?" Bly teased softly kissing Jordan's lips.

"Honey." Jordan commented, leaning away from Bly to look at her. "It's not just any French toast, it's Cinnamon Nut French Toast!" Jordan teasingly corrected, with a gleam in her eye at the thought of the tasty breakfast.

"Well, excuse me for being so disrespectful and calling it just French toast my love!" Bly laughed, sitting up and helping her blonde lover up as well.

"I'll forgive you, one day." Jordan laughed and noticed Bly was preoccupied with the TV. "Bly? What's wrong?"

"They are showing a massive hurricane moving right towards us." Bly answered with concern at the news report. "We were lucky that the other hurricanes passed us by this season. Let's hope this one does, it looks vicious." Bly replied with growing concern at the storm.

"I've never been in a hurricane. Do you normally have a hurricane party?" Jordan asked smoothing out the skin wrinkled between Bly's furrowing brows.

"Well, many people do and I used to until Hurricane Andrew hit the area. When you see the destruction that storm caused, it slaps some serious reality into you and really brings things into perspective." Bly answered as the newscast ended.

"Do you normally stay here?"

"Hell no! Ares and I haul ass to mom and dad's in Weston, which is as far west as you can get without being in the Everglades. I used to stay here when a hurricane would approach, but not since Hurricane Andrew hit. I loved to be a cocky fool and defy the storms when one approached until I saw the mass destruction of Andrew. Never again! It was a horrible and humbling experience for everyone." Bly answered, shivering at the memories of the damage Hurricane Andrew caused, which devastated Homestead, and Cutler Ridge in the south end of Miami. She pulled the blonde into her lap, holding her in her arms for comfort.

"I saw the news reports on that hurricane and cried for the people who were affected by it. What do you do with all of your stuff in here?" Jordan asked looking around at the expensive items and collectibles that adorned Bly's penthouse.

"Pack up all of my collectibles and take them with me. As for everything else, that's what insurance is for, darlin'. Those things can be replaced quite easily." Bly drawled, leaning down and kissing Jordan thoroughly content in the knowledge that Jordan was hers, all hers once again. She marveled at the fact that, of all the women in the world Jordan chose to be with her. It both amazed and excited Bly when she thought about it.

"That’s very scary to think that everything you own could be totally wiped out with one storm and you wouldn't have a place to live, that everything you had ever worked so hard to have would be gone in an instant." Jordan thought sadly.

"I'm sure it’s the scariest feeling in the world and I would rather not have to experience it first hand. It was bad enough watching the aftermath of the hurricane and to see how people were left homeless. They pleaded for assistance from the government, who of course, took their sweet old time to get relief to those people. They had people looting damaged stores and people's homes at night causing many resident’s to protect their homes with their guns. They put up signs saying 'looters will be shot' to deter the ruthless people who preyed upon those already devastated. It was terrible to think that people would do that to others, along with the idiots who sold ice for ten dollars a bag and water for ten dollars a gallon. It was disgusting what they did to people when that storm hit the South Florida area. A group of us took supplies down to the storm victims to help the best we could." Bly answered solemnly, as it still made her very angry and sad to remember such travesties.

"That is so awful to think about that people would take advantage of, and steal from others in such dire straits." Jordan responded in disbelief and sorrow at the thought of it.

"Come on! Let's get you your French, excuse me, your Cinnamon Nut French toast." Bly laughed trying to change the subject and kissed Jordan who tasted herself on Bly's lips. It sent a tingling sensation throughout her. Jordan loved to taste herself on Bly and deepened the kiss to let her know it. "If you keep kissing me like that over being excited about breakfast, you're going to get very fat because I'm going to feed you that all the time!" Bly teased and kissed her again.

"I just wanted you to know how much I enjoyed this morning and how much I love tasting myself on you." Jordan seductively commented, kissing Bly deeply once again.

"Hmmm, I happen to love you there, too." Bly answered through her kiss.

"Don't hesitate to have me there more often then." Jordan provocatively answered, flashing Bly a seductive glance.

"I thought you would never offer." Bly whispered with obvious excitement at Jordan's offer, kissing her lover deeply and passionately while her hands reacquainted themselves with the blonde’s body.

"Ow!" Jordan exclaimed, and winced when Bly's hand brushed her scar from the surgery.

"What's wrong?" Bly asked concerned, looking into pain-filled green eyes.

"It's my scar. It hurts." Jordan gasped in pain and moved Bly's hand off of it.

"Let me see?" Bly suggested, moving Jordan's robe to examine her scar. "Oh, Jordan! The scar tissue is built up and needs to be taken care of honey." Bly explained with a sideways glance at Jordan. Her dark hair hung to one side, shadowing one side of her face.

"No way! I'm not having anymore surgery." Jordan protested vehemently.

"You won't have to babe, I'll massage the scar and break up the hard tissue there so it won't hurt so much." Bly answered with a reassuring smile and a chuckle at Jordan being so adamant. "Did I ever tell you how sexy you are when you're forceful?" Bly smiled.

"Whew! I thought I was going to have to have surgery. Sexy huh?" Jordan laughed, blushing in response to Bly's statement. "However, I would rather have you massage something else of mine, but I'll settle for you doing the scar for now." Jordan answered and kissed Bly.

"You can be so accommodating, Jordan." Bly teased and coaxed her to lie down so she could massage the scar. "Babe, this is probably going to hurt a lot because I have to use a deep friction technique to break up the tissue okay?" Bly informed Jordan.

"Okay, just try to be as gentle as possible, please?" Jordan requested hesitantly.

"Yes, dear." Bly chuckled and began the massage on Jordan's scar.

"Bly, please you have to stop! I can't take it anymore." Jordan tearfully pleaded from the pain after only a few moments of massage.

Bly pulled Jordan into her arms and held her. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'm going to have Kim add the massage into your treatment plan and before long the area will become desensitized to the touch." Bly informed her, hearing Jordan's muffled and reluctant agreement to her plan. Bly leaned down gently kissing Jordan's scar as thoughts of Jordan's terror and pain flooded her, quickening her pulse. She fought back the guilt and anxiety she felt and lightly traced the scar with her finger, placing a soft kiss on it again. Jordan sat up as Bly secretly wiped the tears that filled her blue eyes.

"You okay?" Jordan asked, worried from the look on Bly's face when she turned to face the woman she loved more than anything in the world.

"Oh, yeah, just felt a little queasy, that is all. I'm going to take a shower. Want to join me?" Bly inquired lamely, regretting she didn't tell Jordan what was bothering her. ‘At least I’m able to get over the guilty feeling a lot quicker now.’ She thought relieved.

"Yep, go ahead in and I'll join you. I need to find something to nibble on to hold me over." Jordan replied chuckling and standing up.

"Don't take too long, sexy." Bly purred in Jordan's ear before kissing her cheek.

"You got it, baby." Jordan patted Bly's firm backside, watching her walk away. Jordan stood appreciatively enjoying the sight of her tall, naked and very gorgeous lover walk into the master bedroom. "Yummy." Jordan whispered thoroughly content with the sight and headed into the kitchen.

***

Jordan grabbed a cookie and remembered that she was waiting on some information from her publishing house. She headed down to pick up the mail. She tightened the belt on her robe and slipped her bare feet into her sandals as she finished nibbling on the cookie in the elevator. "Those are so damn good!" Jordan confessed out loud, satisfied and happy that her lover shared her passion for Oreo cookies. Especially the Halloween one's that had the orange icing in the middle instead of the white. She knew it was silly because the orange and white stuffing were the same, pure sugar, ‘The orange stuffing is different and tastes so much better.’ Jordan thought with a shrug of her shoulders. Laughing at her silliness, she grabbed the mail from the mailbox in the lobby and began shuffling through it. The packet she was waiting for from the publishing house wasn't there. She sighed disappointedly and looked through the rest of the mail. 'Stupid carpet cleaning coupons! They love to inundate everyone with all of these coupons, which do nothing but clutter up the drawer! Especially Bly's, who never throws them away! Even ones she's had in there from five years ago!' Jordan thought with a chuckle and stepped back onto the elevator, pushing the button as she leafed through the rest of the mail.

"Ooh, my favorite magazine!" Jordan exclaimed excitedly, looking at the cover of the magazine. "Best and worst dressed 1999." Jordan read the title on the cover. "I can't believe my favorite magazine would waste the cover on this crap! They should realize that over ninety percent of the celebrities are the worst dressed people around!" Jordan put the magazine to the bottom of the pile of mail for further reading later and found the latest sports magazine issue, Bly’s favorite magazine. "Ooh, an article about the women's National volleyball team." Jordan replied softly, lost in her thoughts opening the magazine to see if the article made mention of that sexy woman of hers. She found the page with the article on the volleyball team and began to read it. The article went on to mention the problems the team was having and that they weren't making a very strong impression with the way they were playing. The article mentioned dissension among the players and the coaches. 'Wow! That is not good.' Jordan thought, continuing to read as she stepped off the elevator. She walked towards the kitchen and grabbed another Oreo cookie before heading into the living room lost in her thoughts from reading. 'Finally, they are talking about Bly.' Jordan thought excitedly with a smile.

"The National team has no chance of winning any games at the Olympics if they don't get Bly 'The Ghost' Van Dewark back on the team." The author of the article wrote as Jordan realized Bly had never explained to her why she had the nickname of 'The Ghost.' The woman who inherited the nickname because of her Ghost like demeanor on a court appearing where someone least expected her to be was not on top of her usual impeccable and exciting game at her last outing. This reporter was informed by a reliable source that she was having relationship problems. This trouble distracted from her game before having an argument with the coach and abruptly leaving the team. This action cost the sure shot MVP to lose her spot on the National team and any hope of representing the U.S. on the Olympic team.

The lump of guilt constricted Jordan's throat when she read the article realizing she had cost Bly a chance of being on the Olympic volleyball team. She wiped away her tears and read on. ‘The coach of the team would be wise to bow down to 'The Ghost', groveling to have this spectacular player back on the team. A distracted 'Ghost' playing at half her potential is more help to this team than any other player on the team. A Poltergeist needs to happen to bring 'The Ghost' out of hiding. Bring out the Ouija boards and ask, where are you 'Ghost?' We need you, now!" Jordan finished reading the article in disbelief and felt horrible as she dropped the magazine to her lap.

"Hey, I thought you were joining me in the shower, gorgeous?" Bly asked, walking into the living room and towel drying her hair, wiggling her eyebrows seductively with a sly grin on her face.

Jordan jumped, startled by Bly's quiet entrance, like her nickname, 'The Ghost'. She snapped out of her trance, looking up at Bly possessing an extremely grave expression on her fine features.

"What's wrong, Jordan?" Bly asked worriedly and threw the towel over her shoulder, approaching Jordan who held out the magazine to her. "What's in here that could give you such a look of horror on your face, honey? Are the Tigers that far out of the playoffs?" Bly teased, taking the magazine from Jordan and realized Jordan didn't find her comment funny. Bly looked briefly at the magazine and saw the article regarding the volleyball team.

"Why didn't you tell me you blew your chances of making the Olympic team because of me, Bly?" Jordan asked in a tone filled with annoyance and hurt.

Bly stood in awkward silence; momentarily at a loss for words and saw how visibly distraught Jordan was before throwing the magazine on the coffee table. "Jordan, it's no big deal, really." Bly lied. It meant a lot to her to make the team, but not at the expense of losing Jordan She knelt before her distraught lover and held her hands in her own to reassure her.

"Bly, it's a big deal to me and I know it's a big deal to you. I can see it in your eyes." Jordan answered, mildly annoyed at Bly's evasiveness.

"Jordan, I've been to the Olympics before, so not going again is will not kill me." Bly casually answered, trying to reassure Jordan knowing that she really wanted to go to the Olympics one more time and win a gold medal before she retired from the game. She wanted Jordan to be there and to be able to look up in the stands to see her lover there, for her. Bly wanted Jordan to experience all of the excitement of the Olympics and be proud of Bly for being there. She was lying to Jordan about her feelings and stopped, suddenly realizing that she didn't want to lie to her anymore.

"Jordan, you're right." Bly admitted uneasily as she didn't want to hurt Jordan, but it would hurt her more if she continued to lie to her. "The Olympics are very important to me and I blew my chances to make the team, not you." Bly explained, sincerely hoping Jordan wouldn't be so upset.

"Bly, I'm the reason for your distraction. If I wouldn't have been such a bitch about you coming to my award ceremony and holding it against you, then you would have made the team." Jordan exorted.

"Jordan, I'm a former professional athlete, an Olympic athlete, someone who should have been able to put that distraction aside to do what I was supposed to do. I didn't do that and I blew my chance, not you!" Bly explained as an uncomfortable tension hung in the air.

"That's bullshit, Bly! Don't patronize me! You walked off the court blowing any chance you had for a spot on the team for me." Jordan angrily responded, looking deeply into Bly's blue eyes.

"That's right, Jordan. I did and I would do it again because I love you. You are the most important person in the world to me and I was not going to stay to play a damn volleyball game when the person I love more than life itself laid in a hospital on her death bed!" Bly answered in a raised tone, her pulse quickening at the memories of Dawson's phone call telling her about Jordan. It nearly killed her when she heard Jordan was hurt. Bly put Jordan's hand to her mouth and kissed it softly.

"Bly, I'm so sorry." Jordan tearfully answered and wrapped her arms tightly around her lover's neck. Bly moved her arms tightly around Jordan and held her without another word being said. The Olympics meant a lot to her, to experience again the excitement and pride of representing your country in that magnitude, but she couldn't put that before her relationship with Jordan. She didn't want to and wouldn't do it. "Bly, is there any other way you can get on the team?" Jordan asked hopeful, leaning back and looking into cloudy blue eyes.

"Well, I suppose if someone got hurt or the coach requested to put me back on the team then I could probably make it. I think they have me listed as an alternate on the roster, but I haven't heard from the coach. She was pretty pissed off at me when I walked off the court." Bly answered with a sheepish grin and a chuckle.

"Can you talk to someone and see if you can get back on it? Find out what you have to do for sure?"

"I suppose I could call the assistant coach who was one of the coaches on the last Olympic team and see what she can do. Look, if I don't get back on, I will have no regrets about my decision to come home to you, Jordan. I want you to know that." Bly honestly admitted, staring into Jordan's green eyes.

"I will have regrets because I want to see you play and to see how you got your nickname, 'The Ghost'. I want to see you stand on the podium proudly as our national anthem plays with the gold medal wrapped around your neck, knowing that your mine, all mine and that you were able to retire from the game you love accomplishing your ultimate goal." Jordan excitedly imagined, picturing Bly in all her glory.

"That would be nice and I would love to have you there, to support me and to see your beautiful smile radiating across the crowded arena, knowing that you love me." Bly answered with a pleased grin as she thought about it.

"Thank you for putting me ahead of everything else in your life. It means a lot to me, Bly. I've never had someone care about me that much and it's a wonderful feeling knowing that you do. I love you so much." Jordan admitted breathless, claiming Bly's lips for a heartfelt, soul-searing kiss. Bly smiled happily through her kiss knowing how much Jordan loved her and how much she meant to her and deepened the kiss as she pulled her blonde lover closer to her. Jordan broke off the kiss and snuggled against Bly's neck smelling the clean, fresh scent of her dark lover, whispering, "interested in taking another shower?"

"I thought you would never ask." Bly huskily chuckled and lifted the smaller woman into her arms, carrying her in a bear hug towards the bathroom and kissing her passionately.

An hour later they were showered, dressed and headed out for Cinnamon Nut French Toast at the Pancake House. The wind had picked up dramatically and Bly eyed the skies warily as she looked out over the ocean. The surf was beginning to kick up and if it weren't for the wind, the humidity would have been unbearable. 'This is not looking good.' Bly anxiously thought, heading the car toward the restaurant.

***

The next few days were spent between work, therapy and packing up everything Bly wanted to take to her parents. The two women worked steadily and watched the news accounts of the impending hurricane named Floyd bearing down on the entire eastern coast of Florida. Everyone hoped that this storm would track north instead of west, but it was so massive that it just kept plodding along on its westerly course. It was taking on a life in its self and ignoring the trough the weather forecasters were hoping would help steer it in a northern direction allowing Florida to miss the now category four hurricane that packed winds of 155 mph. The National Hurricane Center issued hurricane warnings for the entire east coast of Florida from Florida City up into Brunswick, Georgia and advised if the hurricane exceeded 155 mph it would be classified a category five hurricane with catastrophic outcomes, causing total devastation of anything in its path.

Jordan tried to pack the lighter objects and winced every time she stretched out her side. The therapy to remove the scar tissue had been excruciating and her side ached from the constant onslaught, but slowly it was beginning to become less sensitive as Bly had suggested it would during each session with Kim. Finally packing all she could for the moment, Jordan sat on the sofa flipping through the new car brochures they had picked up on their way home from work and therapy. Bly was partial to a car similar to hers, but Jordan didn't want to spend that much money. Jordan leaned more toward an SUV, something that would give her strength and security, the two things that seemed important now. Ever since the accident, she didn't like the feeling of vulnerability she felt when she rode in a car. Jordan thought that with an SUV she would have more protection and feel good about driving again. Bly sat down on the sofa next to her and raised an eyebrow. "Have you decided which one yet?"

"Yes, I want an SUV for sure. I definitely like the idea of riding above everyone and how solid they are. I'm just not sure which one would be best." Jordan pointed out various features on the trucks as they looked over the different models. They discussed the pros and cons of each vehicle, narrowing it down to two, either a Jeep Grand Cherokee or a Lincoln Navigator. Finally, they decided to test drive each and make a decision from there.

"No sense to even try and purchase a car until the hurricane has passed anyway babe. They won't write insurance policies with a hurricane so close to us." Bly informed Jordan.

"Really? I had no idea, but I guess that makes sense. Besides, I would like to mull over the brochure's a little more and make my final decision once I see how they drive."

Once the hurricane warning was issued, the evacuation notice was announced for Bly's area and they were advised to evacuate immediately or risk the chance of being stuck on the beachside during the hurricane, which is not advisable. Bly decided it was time to load everything up and move out to her parents' house.

"How you doing in here?" Bly walked into the bedroom to find Jordan finishing up the last box.

"Okay, and you?" She asked, looking up from the box.

"Just about finished out here. Did you pack all the photo albums in the plastic bin?" Jordan nodded and Bly picked up the box, carrying it out to the foyer and placed it with the other boxes.

"What about the windows? Do you have to do anything to them?” Jordan asked, looking out over the gray and angry seas. It was a wrath she never wished to be directed at her and the lump in her throat constricted when her fear intensified. She was terrified from all of the news reports warning everyone how this storm was three times larger than Hurricane Andrew. No one in Florida would be safe if the eye of the storm moved inland because of its enormity. She trembled at the thought of the mass destruction.

"I had hurricane shutters installed on the outside. As soon as the movers come up for the boxes, we can leave and maintenance will secure them. Once they are closed you can't see a thing in here without light. If the power goes out, it sure gets dark in here!" Bly grinned at Jordan to alleviate the woman's fears and picked up her last box, adding it to the growing pile. "I think that's about it. I'll have them come up and collect all this while I pull the car around to the front".

"Okay, Ares. Let's go buddy, get in your carrier." Bly coaxed, looking down at her annoyed cat that meowed his vocal displeasure of the kitty carrier. "I know that you hate this, handsome, but you can come out once we're in the car." She pleaded with her cat as he circled around her long, lanky legs and brushed his body up against her. "Come on! You know grandma always has great kitty treats for her handsome grandson." Bly bargained with her cat, whose ears perked up and jumped on the couch looking into the carrier, meowing when he looked up at Bly again.

"Yes, Ares. Mom put your favorite towel and stuffed dolphin in there for you." Jordan reassured the skittish cat and stroked the fur on his back as he reluctantly climbed into his carrier meowing in an angry tone. "He can't stand to be without that stuffed dolphin, can he? He is so spoiled" Jordan asked with a chuckle and stuck her finger in the cage rubbing it under his chin to calm him.

"What can I tell you? He's my baby. Besides, he's had that stuffed animal ever since he was a sweet little kitten." Bly replied sweetly and put her face to the cage as Ares stuck his nose out to brush against Bly's face. "Isn't that right, boy? I bet if you check the little cup in there, mommy Jordan probably stuck some treats in there for you." Bly informed him and looked up at Jordan who had a sheepish grin on her face, shrugging her shoulders innocently from sticking the treats in there for him. "And she says I spoil you?" Bly teased and kissed his nose that stuck out of the cage and slipped her hand into Jordan's, heading toward the elevator.

The men entered the Penthouse to retrieve the remaining boxes to be moved. "We'll make sure the hurricane shutters are closed and then deliver everything to the address you indicated in Weston ma'am." The man politely informed Bly as his partner began to load boxes onto his dolly.

"Okay, thanks and don't take too long because you'll be stuck in traffic from everyone heading to the mainland." Bly warned him and stepped on the elevator with her cat in one hand and the love of her life in the other.

"No problem, it should only take us ten minutes tops from here." He replied confidently as the elevator doors closed.

"Mommy Jordan huh?" Jordan asked, seductively moving in front of her tall lover slipping her arms around her neck and passionately kissed Bly who moved her hand to the small of Jordan's back, pulling her closer to deepen the kiss.

"I hope it doesn't scare you that you've become a mommy to my son." Bly teased through her kiss.

"Oh, no! Not at all! I just love to hear you say it." Jordan sexily answered, tracing the contours of Bly's lips with the tip of her tongue and slid it inside Bly's mouth for a deep, wet kiss.

"Hmmm, I love it when you kiss me." Bly huskily answered huskily, looking down at her shorter lover.

"I'm glad baby." Jordan whispered and sank her teeth into Bly's neck sending a flush of warmth throughout her.

"Whoa, Jordan! Honey, you're going to have to chill out or we'll have to find a hotel to shack up in for the hurricane."

"Why a hotel?" Jordan asked confused.

"Because Mom doesn't allow lover's sleeping together in her house until you're married!" Bly laughed exiting the elevator when the doors opened, leaving Jordan befuddled in the elevator.

"You're kidding right?" Jordan nervously asked, running to catch up with Bly who laughed.

"You'll find out soon enough, Jordan." Bly answered with a mischievous look and left the lobby for the parking lot. She opened the car door for Jordan to climb in and handed Ares to her before taking her own place behind the wheel of her luxury automobile.

***

They finally made it to Bly's parents' house after being stuck in traffic evacuating the beachside for over two hours. Bly and Jordan entered the house to find everyone huddled around the big screen TV watching the weather report. "Well, hello! Your favorite daughter is here!" Bly cockily announced with a smile and put the cat carrier down to let Ares out, much to his chagrin.

"Hey, Jordan!" Alexandra answered looking over her shoulder with a laugh shared by Jordan who stuck her tongue out at Bly.

"Hey, don't stick that out unless you intend to use it on me!" Bly teasingly laughed and pinched Jordan's backside.

"Well, there's my grandson! Hey, Ares!" Alexandra cooed at the cat that approached her and she gathered him up in her arms. "Aah, do you have kisses for grandma because you've missed me or because you know I have all kinds of treats for you?" She smiled and Ares meowed before rubbing his face against hers. "Just as I thought! It's for the treats!" She teased and walked towards the kitchen. "Bly, show Jordan to your room so you two can put your bags in there. I've got a room ready for you both." Alexandra informed them as she fed Ares his cat treats.

"We aren't supposed to stay in different rooms?" Jordan asked with a feeling of being led a stray by her tall lover who began to move away from Jordan.

"No, what would ever give you that idea?" Alexandra asked, chuckling.

"One guess!" Jordan answered with a menacing look on her face and payback flooding her thoughts, as Bly took off down the hall with the blonde hot on her trail.

"Hey, don't break anything you two, or I'll have to come in there with my wooden spoon!" Alexandra teasingly laughed.

Bly entered her room just as Jordan grabbed her around the waist. "Oh, no you don't you little joker!" Jordan laughed and pushed Bly down on the bed pinning her there with her small frame.

Bly laughed hysterically and wrapped her arms around Jordan. "I couldn't resist it, honey, and the look on your face was classic." Bly laughed harder remembering the look Jordan gave her when she told her they would have to stay in separate rooms.

"Laugh it up, Bly! You just won't get any for quite some time, but you will get a titty twister!" Jordan menacingly laughed, pinching and twisting Bly's nipple before scrambling out of the room very quickly.

"Ow, Jordan!" Bly shrieked, rubbing her nipple to dull the pain and headed into the living room to find Jordan.

"Bly, we may get called into the hospital if this storm hits our area." Chance informed his daughter intercepting her before she could get to Jordan who sat on the couch protected by Alexandra and Dawson.

"Wait, Bly! Why will you have to go there too?" Jordan asked worriedly and looked over her shoulder at her gorgeous lover.

"All medical personnel who are employed there are on call in case we are needed to help. In my case, to help transport patients, or do duties to my level of expertise." Bly explained. "Let's hope it doesn't come down to that, dad." Bly answered nervously staring intently at the weather report.

"Oh, here's the 5:00 am weather briefing." Dawson alerted. A hush swept over the room as everyone intently listened to what they were saying.

***

The weather report was not good, indicating the storm had picked up speed and would hit the East Coast sooner than expected. Fortunately, the wind speed remained the same, but the storm did not make the northern turn they had anticipated. Now, it would be a waiting game as to when and where the storm would hit. Bly saw the nervousness in her lover's eyes glanced towards her and knelt behind her protectively wrapping her arms around Jordan to comfort her. "It's going to be alright baby." Bly whispered reassuringly in her ear and softly kissed her cheek. Jordan placed her hands on top of Bly's that held her.

"It doesn't look good Bly, it seems like no one in Florida is safe from this storm, not even us." Jordan said sadly and wrapped Bly's arms around her tighter feeling more secure in her lover's strong arms.

Everyone bustled around trying to get the house hurricane ready in case the very large hurricane named Floyd made landfall. They stopped frequently to check the news reports to find out the status of the storm. It wasn’t making its turn to the north like the weather forecasters had hoped and everyone went back to their duties with worry in the backs of their minds as to the impact that storm would have on all of Florida.

“Hey, Dawson! Where’s your babe?” Bly teased, trying to lighten the mood as she helped her brother with the hurricane shutter.

“Lynea was called in to the station and will be out patrolling until the storm moves inland, then they will hunker down at headquarters. They all have to report for duty when a hurricane warning is issued.” Dawson answered disappointedly.

“That sucks. So, are you two serious?” She asked with intrigue and a half grin, handing her brother the shutter.

“Yeah, I think I’m in love.” Dawson answered with a silly grin, putting the shutter in the track as Bly bolted it to the house.

“Are you sick? What have you done with my brother? You’re an imposter!” Bly teased and put her palm to his forehead mockingly checking for a fever.

“Oh, knock it off!” Dawson sheepishly laughed and swiped his sister’s hand away.

“You mean to tell me that my brother, Mister Gigolo himself, is in love? That is totally strange, I can’t believe it!” Bly teased and put her arm around her brother’s shoulder, shaking him with a laugh.

“Well, stranger things have happened, look at you. You fell in love, the one who just knew she was destined to grow old alone!” He teased and nudged his sister.

“Ooh, touché!” Bly answered with a laugh that turned serious. “I’m happy for you, Daw! Just remember to invite your old sister to the wedding okay? I may even put on a dress for the occasion!” She teasingly laughed.

“You can’t wear a dress if you’re my best man!” He sarcastically retorted with a hearty laugh.

“Oh, mom will love that one!” Bly commented, looking at her brother and both laughed at what their mother would say about that one. She would have a fit if Bly wore a tuxedo at Dawson’s wedding.

“Oh, yeah! You better put on the dress then and stand on the bride’s side! We certainly don’t want to piss off mom, I still have welts from that damn plastic spatula she used to punish us with.” He mockingly rubbed his backside laughing harder.

“I’ll see if I can clear my calendar for the occasion then and I’ll make sure there isn’t a plastic spatula within 500 miles of mom, just because I love you so much, baby brother.” Bly laughed and pinched his cheek as they entered the house.

“Don’t worry, it won’t be anytime soon.” He answered dryly.

“I figured as much.” Bly retorted and went in search of her blonde lover. Finding the object of her affection, finally, she wrapped her long arms around her and kissed her cheek. “Hey sexy! How you doing helping mom?” Bly whispered in her ear and kissed her again.

“Pretty good, but a lot better now that you’re here.” Jordan glanced up and over her shoulder at her tall lover appreciatively, loving every minute of being in this woman’s arms.

The doorbell rang, again and again. “Damn! Somebody needs to turn up their miracle ears and get the friggin' door!” Bly loudly commented with an agitated chuckle, trying to get someone else’s attention, not wanting to release her lover just yet. “I’ll be right back, I’ll have to get the door I guess!” Bly answered frustrated and kissed Jordan again, slapping her butt on her way to the foyer.

“Rush darling, rush!” Jordan teasingly laughed when Bly blew her a kiss before disappearing out of sight.

“Mom! Trouble has arrived!” Bly shouted and opened the door wider for Julie and Linda to enter the house. “Entrée, lady and Jules.” Bly sarcastically invited them in with a laugh at Julie, who pinched her butt hard, causing Bly to flinch and laugh harder.

“Honey, trouble arrived when you were born!” Alexandra retorted with a chuckle, sauntering across the room gleefully to greet Julie and Linda.

“You can say that again!” Julie answered with a laugh and hugged Alexandra who then hugged Linda to greet them, as did Jordan.

“Hey! What is this, pick on Bly day?” Bly asked frowning with her hands on her hips and feeling as if everyone was ganging up on her, sporting a pouting look on her face.

“Aah poor baby, come here.” Jordan whined teasingly and wrapped her arms around her taller lover to comfort her, as Bly stuck her tongue out at everyone.

“Thanks honey.” Bly answered with a sly grin and hugged Jordan tighter. “I knew I could count on you to be on my side.”

“Who said I was on your side? I just wanted a hug.” Jordan answered laughed which everyone else shared.

“It’s a friggin mutiny around here!” Bly retorted with a chuckle releasing her blonde lover and headed into the kitchen for a Dr. Pepper.

“Hey! Instead of DP you should have some cheese with that whine!” Julie retorted with a laugh, never missing an opportunity to needle her best friend who extended her long, slender middle finger high in the air towards her buddy with a sly look on her fine features.

“Ooh, babe! If you’ve got two of those stick em up your ass and walk on your elbows!” Julie sarcastically responded with a shared laugh amongst the group, including Bly who spewed her sip of soda from laughing so hard.

“You will pay, Jules!” Bly guaranteed laughing and wiped the soda off of her shirt.

“Promises, promises, tall, dark and goofy!” Julie jokingly laughed. “But I still love ya like my favorite pair of shoes!" She laughed harder.

***

The group stayed up into the wee hours of the morning playing the card game ‘Phase 10’, with Jordan kicking everyone’s butt and declaring herself the ‘Phase 10’ queen. “Let’s go to bed and get a few hours of sleep before the 5 AM weather report, my little peasant.” Jordan teased and grabbed Bly’s hand, pulling her towards the bedroom.

“Yes, my ‘Phase 10’ queen, as you wish. See everyone in a few hours!” Bly sarcastically responded with a laugh and headed off to bed with her lover.

***

The 5:00 am weather report was important as it would issue the latest coordinates of the hurricane from the plane that flew into the eye of the storm gathering information as to whether it made the direction change everyone hoped it would. Jordan snuggled up close to Bly, who put her arm around her protectively, and they fell fast asleep. It only felt like Bly had slept for a few minutes when she felt something tickling her nose. She was too tired to open her eyes to see what the offending tickler was, just assuming it was Jordan’s hair and wiped her nose to stop the feeling. The tickling continued and she finally opened her eyes. She looked down to find one blonde woman snuggled tightly against her chest and one cat in the only available spot on her chest curled around her neck and swiping his tail across her face. Bly chuckled at the humor in it and looked at Ares who lifted his head at her with sleepy eyes.

“What’s the big idea, fella?” Bly asked with a laugh as her cat meowed and sat up to lick her face. “Ares! Knock it off.” Bly laughed, unable to get her hand up to stop her cat from licking her face.

“What’s going on?” Jordan asked in a sleepy tone and looked up with one eye open.

“I guess it’s time to get up.” Bly commented laughing and was finally able to get her cat away from her face. “Come on! Let’s go check the weather report.” Bly suggested, grabbing Jordan’s hand and leading her away from the bed.

“Can’t you just carry me? I’m so tired.” She asked yawning and leaned her head against Bly’s back as they padded into the living room where everyone sat in front of the TV listening to the report.

“What did they say?” Bly asked in wonderment wiping the sleep out of her blue eyes and noticed they had only slept for a couple of hours.

“The storm has turned to the north and won’t make landfall!” Alexandra answered happily and everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

“Excellent! Let’s hope everyone else along the coast gets as lucky as us!” Bly excitedly reminded and held Jordan’s hand tighter.

“Can we go back to sleep now?” Jordan asked huskily and sleepily.

“As you wish my little queen.” Bly teased and lifted her sleepy lover in her arms that snuggled her face against her lover's neck.

“Hmmm, this is so much better, thanks.” Jordan whispered sleepily and kissed Bly’s neck before falling fast asleep again.

Bly gently lay Jordan down on the bed and stood smiling lovingly at how beautiful and peaceful she looked sleeping in a curled up fetal position. ‘What a gorgeous woman and she loves me.’ Bly thought happily. She climbed in bed next to the slumbering beauty and Jordan instantly took her usual spot on Bly’s chest. Bly loved having Jordan snuggled up close to her. 'I wouldn’t want it any other way', she thought and lightly kissed Jordan’s head, gently rubbing her lover’s back comfortingly. Bly lightly stroked the blonde locks off her face and placed soft kisses on Jordan's forehead. Her finger moved to Jordan’s mouth and lightly traced the contours of her lips before the blonde sank her teeth into her finger. “Ow! I thought you were sleeping?” Bly asked looking down into one sleepy green eye, as the other one remained closed.

“I was trying to sleep, but someone keeps waking me up!” Jordan answered in a menacing tone and eyed her lover glaringly with her one eye. Bly started laughing at the sight of one eye being closed and attempted to open it, but was stopped by the smaller hand that grabbed her larger one, squeezing it tightly to emphasize her point.

“Don’t even go there peasant girl! There’s a reason why that eye is closed and it’s because it’s very tired and is hoping its mate will join it. I love you to death, you know that, but you’re pushing the line here denying me the sleep I so enjoy! Now, back off and go to sleep!” Jordan declared agitated and lay back down in her comfortable resting-place.

Bly snickered at Jordan’s agitation. “Meow, hiss!” She teased as Jordan’s hand abruptly covered her mouth to shut her up, causing Bly to laugh harder. A mischievous thought crossed her devious mind and she ran her tongue on the palm of Jordan’s hand. Jordan quickly grabbed the offensive tongue with her fingers and looked at Bly.

Desperate blues met one angry green. “Now, let me sleep or I keep your tongue!” Jordan threatened as Bly moved Jordan’s hand away from her tongue.

“Hey! Don’t damage the merchandise babe! You know you’ll be the one to suffer if my tongue is hurt!” Bly playfully answered and wiggled her dark eyebrows suggestively.

Jordan grabbed Bly’s face in her hands with Bly laughing harder. “Bly, I’m pleading with you! What is it going to take to get you to go to sleep?”

“Hmmm, how about a kiss?” She asked with a sly grin and received a fleeting kiss from her lover.

“There! Now go to sleep.” Jordan demanded annoyed and lay her head back down.

“Oh, that one will not do.” Bly teased and poked her finger into Jordan’s arm to get her attention. “I want a soul searing, knock my socks off, if I had any on, kind of kiss baby!” Bly informed her. Jordan raised her head up and looked at her in exasperation. “Lay it on me baby!” Bly laughed with a silly grin.

“Ooh, you frustrate me sometimes woman!” Jordan remarked agitated, moving closer to her.

“But that’s why you love me.” Bly chuckled, slowly wrapping her arms around Jordan as she moved on top and pressed her lips against her lovers anxiously awaiting ones. Jordan’s lips sent a pleasurable sensation up and down Bly’s body. Jordan slipped her tongue past Bly’s parted lips exploring every portion of her mouth before deepening the kiss. Bly’s hands roamed freely up and down Jordan’s back as her desire escalated.

“Are you sure you want to go to sleep?” Bly’s husky voice filled with desire asked and deepened the soul searing kiss, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of her lover in her arms.

Jordan broke the kiss breathless and looked into Bly’s blue eyes regretfully and pleaded. “Yes babe, I would like to go to sleep, but I promise to make it up to you later.” Jordan seductively promised and kissed Bly once again before breaking off.

“Promise?” Bly teasingly asked with a smile and brushed Jordan’s stray hair off her face.

“It’s a promise!” Jordan smiled and sealed it with a kiss, laying back down content in her lover’s arms.

‘Damn, that woman drives me crazy! I think I need a shower, a cold one!’ Bly thought and inhaled deeply before exhaling slowly to calm her racing heart from the excitement. ‘Just chill and go to sleep. That’s it drift off into La La land.’ Bly coaxed herself into total relaxation closing her eyes, finally drifting off to sleep.

***

Bly woke before Jordan once again reveling in the closeness of the blonde and smiled when green eyes met hers. “Morning, afternoon, evening. Whatever time of the day it is.” Jordan lovingly smiled and kissed Bly.

“Hey, baby.” Bly answered happily and kissed her again. “How about if I make you some breakfast?” Bly asked eagerly.

“Bly, honey. That is really a sweet offer, but I would really like something more substantial than ‘BooBerry’s’ or ‘Lucky Charms’ cereal.” Jordan answered chuckling and kissed Bly’s chin, lying on her back and fully stretching her body letting out a satisfied sigh.

“Hey, those are great to have for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even for a snack!” Bly protested defensively.

“I don’t know how it is that an athlete such as yourself can eat that cereal which is loaded with sugar.” Jordan answered in disbelief and continued to stretch her taut body.

“Well, aah, it’s because I’m used to eating it, that’s why.” Bly stammered searching for some logical excuse to eat the cereal other than the obvious, that she had a huge sweet tooth and loved them both. “I can make something else for you my little health conscious girlfriend.” Bly teased leaning over Jordan and kissing her.

“Is it my birthday or our anniversary that I’ve forgotten, and that’s why I’m getting such wonderful treatment?” Jordan skeptically asked with a smile.

“Nope, just because I love you. Now, what would you like?” Bly answered simply, and smiled staring into Jordan’s surprised green eyes.

“Well, I would love two sunny side up eggs, toast, lightly toasted though, a glass of orange juice and coffee, light with no sugar.” Jordan rattled off her order; not totally believing her lover would make everything she asked for, because she knows how well Bly cooks. 'Not well at all', she thought with an inward chuckle, trying to conceal the hilarity of the thought of Bly attempting to cook.

“Okay, no problem other than the fact that we don’t have OJ, babe. Everyone in the family is allergic to it.”

“Oh, I thought you were the only one, sorry. Okay, scratch OJ and I’ll have whatever juice is available.” Jordan casually answered, playing along with the charade knowing that Bly would be serving her a warmed muffin with some milk. ‘That is, if she can figure out how to work the microwave.’

“I’ll be back shortly. I’ll miss you.” Bly said softly and kissed Jordan’s lips lightly. She broke contact and stood up, clicking on the TV.

“Hmmm, I miss you already.” Jordan purred and pulled Bly pack down for a better kiss. “Hurry!” She teased as Bly turned to leave the room.

“Hey, they’ve issued a tropical storm warning instead of a hurricane warning, cool!” Bly answered excitedly, looking at the TV.

“Bly.” Jordan called out sarcastically.

“Yes?” Bly answered innocently and turned to Jordan.

“Hurry, I’m hungry.” Jordan teased with a sly grin, flicking her hand to shoo her lover out of the room.

“Oh, right away dear!” Bly joked and headed out of the room. ‘Okay, you have many skills you can do this. Now, what the hell is a sunny side up egg? Oh yeah, the fried one’s with the nasty, drippy yoke that everyone likes to dip their toast in. Ewww!’ Bly shivered, disgusted at the thought of eating eggs any other way than scrambled or deviled. She opened the refrigerator to pull out the breakfast items. Bly managed to cook the eggs, lightly toast the bread, make the coffee and put in just the right amount of creamer as Jordan requested. She poured a glass of cranblueberry juice for her lover and placed everything on a tray. She grabbed a flower out of her mom’s vase on the table and included it with the other items on the tray. “Damn, forgot the silverware!” Bly remembered and grabbed the needed utensils just as her parents walked into the kitchen.

“What in the hell is going on in here?” Alexandra exclaimed with shock and disbelief at what she saw before her. Her very own daughter had actually prepared a meal.

“It's breakfast for Jordan, there’s plenty of coffee in the pot.” Bly offered with a sly grin.

“Chance, get my gun! This woman is an imposter and is trespassing in our home!” Alexandra teased sharing a laugh with her husband who stood equally amazed.

“You two think you’re so damn funny don’t ya? Keep it up and no Christmas presents for either of you this year!” Bly teasingly smirked and walked past them.

“Oh, Chance! Honey, I’m so proud. I need a tissue.” Alexandra mockingly teased as if she was crying.

“Here you go, my love. I’m just so proud of our baby girl. After all that money we spent on college, look at her, she’s just now able to cook a meal. I must say I’m flabbergasted.” He sarcastically replied and handed his wife a tissue, who then pretended to wipe away her tears of joy.

“The tree is going to be mighty bare without presents for you two this Christmas!” Bly warned and stuck her tongue out at her parents before disappearing into her room.

“Chance, go get your medical bag in case poor Jordan gets sick from her meal.” Alexandra teased and tapped her husband’s chest.

“I don’t know if I have a cure for that kind of an illness, there might not be any hope left once she eats Bly’s food. Poor girl and I really like Jordan too.” He laughed and wrapped his arms around his beautiful wife and kissed her.

***

Bly entered the room carrying the tray and noticed Jordan lying on her side with her hand propping her head up intently watching TV. She absently stroked the soft fur on Ares’ back as he lay perfectly content. Jordan sat up in disbelief when Bly entered the room and looked down at Ares. “I can’t believe it!” She said in disbelief and Ares quickly agreed with a meow.

“Great, I’m going to get grief from the both of you two?” Bly asked sarcastically and set the tray down in front of Jordan. “Yes, I did it all by myself, Jordan.” Bly proudly assured her, seeing the stunned look on her face.

“Wow! This is wonderful, thanks honey!” Jordan smiled excitedly and leaned over kissing Bly passionately in proper thanks.

“Eat your eggs before they get cold.” Bly told Jordan and picked up her bowl of ‘Booberry’ cereal to munch on with her cup of coffee. Jordan sank her teeth into her eggs and looked up with wide eyes at Bly. “They suck, don’t they?” Bly asked disappointed, staring at the object of her affection.

“No, they’re fabulous!” She exclaimed in total shock of Bly’s cooking prowess.

“You’re just saying that to not make me feel bad.” Bly pouted.

“No, honey, this is all very delicious. You did an excellent job and you can cook for me anytime, preferably naked the next time in our home.” Jordan suggested with a seductive chuckle and kissed Bly.

“Jordan, are you feeling okay honey after eating Bly’s cooking?” Alexandra teasingly asked as she and Chance peeked into the room.

“Yeah, mom, it’s fabulous!” Jordan retorted excitedly and smiled.

“Oh cut it out! I don’t believe it!” Alexandra answered in disbelief and entered the room with Bly laughing tauntingly at her mother.

“Here, taste the eggs.” Jordan offered and held out a spoonful for her to try them.

“Hmmm. Well, I’ll be damned, they are delicious! Good job, Bly.” Her mother teased after swallowing the offered eggs and pinched her daughter's cheek.

“You’re going to be bruised if you don’t knock it off, woman!” Bly warned in a menacing tone and burst out laughing when her mother walked towards the door shooting her a bird.

Alexandra turned around and flashed an all too familiar mischievous smile. “I really don’t want to have to embarrass you in front of Jordan and kick your wimpy ass, but if I have to, I will.” She tauntingly laughed as Jordan realized Bly’s sense of humor and gestures came mostly from her mother.

“Yeah yeah, in your dreams, old lady.” Bly sarcastically retorted and threw the pillow at her mom who quickly shut the door behind her as the pillow connected with it falling harmlessly to the floor.

***

Now that the severe weather in South Florida had passed, Bly called the penthouse to check on things and to have the shutters removed. By late afternoon, Bly and Jordan had loaded up the car and were heading back home. Throughout the week, they continued to have sporadic downpours of rain and wind. South Floridians were pretty used to that kind of weather during hurricane season. By Friday, things were looking better and the sun had actually come out for most of the day. On the way home from work they decided to stop and look at an SUV for Jordan. After test driving both of Jordan's two choices, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo and the Lincoln Navigator, Jordan was torn, but decided on the Jeep. It was more affordable and easier for her to handle driving. On the way home from the dealership, Jordan read the brochure to Bly.

"Now if that insurance check would just come. I can go and pick out which Jeep I want." Jordan said, excitedly anticipating her new truck and looking at the various color options.

"It should be here any day now." Bly replied smiling over at Jordan. "What color are you looking at?"

"I really like the black, but I think white might be more practical in Florida."

"Yes, dark colors will be very hot in the summer time and I can attest to that fact! If you don't like white you can look at the other light metallic colors, too. That champagne color doesn't look so bad." Bly suggested, pointing over at the color chart on the brochure.

"Yeah, I guess I just have to see it first." Jordan agreed and closed the pamphlet as they pulled up in front of their building. Exiting the vehicle and handing it over to the porter they headed into the lobby. Bly went to retrieve their mail while Jordan pushed the button for the elevator.

Riding up in the elevator Bly pulled out an envelope and wiggled it in front of Jordan. "I think this is what you've been waiting for."

Jordan grabbed the envelope, ripped it open and pulled out the check from the insurance company. Grimacing she held it up to Bly and responded, "Not bad, but good thing I decided on the Jeep instead of the Navigator! Is there anything from my publisher?” Jordan questioned disappointed.

Bly smiled and kept going through the mail. “No, sorry babe.”

“Damn, I wonder what’s taking them so long to send me the packet?” She wondered out loud worriedly. Bly’s smile soon turned to a frown when she pulled out another envelope and held it out for Jordan. Jordan looked down at the address on the envelope and up at Bly puzzled. She opened this envelope more slowly and pulled out a sheaf of paper with her company’s logo on the letterhead.

Jordan's happiness soon turned to sadness as she read the contents of the letter. "What is it?" Bly asked concerned and pulled Jordan closer to her.

"They are letting me go." Jordan answered, her voice a mixture of surprise and sadness. She pushed the letter toward Bly and just looked at her lover without saying anything more.

"What?" Bly barked taking the letter to read it. "They are letting you go because you took too much sick time? That's ludicrous! You were in a car accident for cripes sake. What did they expect?" Bly continued scanning the letter and looked up firmly. "They can't get away with this. We will have Dawson see what he can do!"

"Did you read the last paragraph? It paraphrases my contract and it states that I have an 'at-will' job and they can let me go whenever they want. It was an indefinite contract, not a permanent one. I'm afraid they can do whatever they want." Jordan explained in a dejected tone of voice she pondered her options. She would just have to find another job soon so she could pay the rent on her apartment.

"Honey it will be okay. You will find another job quickly, but not until you are ready to go back to work." Bly began and hesitated with what she wanted to say next. Jordan just absently nodded her head and continued with her own private thoughts as they stepped off the elevator. Putting down the boxes that they carried, Jordan walked into the kitchen and threw the truck brochure into the trash. She picked up her duffel bag and headed back to the bedroom. Bly took the brochure out of the garbage and followed the blonde to the bedroom. She found her sitting on the edge of the bed and sat next to her. "Listen Jordan, I've been wanting to ask you this for awhile. When everything happened I sort of pushed it on the back burner, but now would be a perfect time. I was wondering if you would consider moving in here with me permanently?" Bly asked hesitantly, unsure of what Jordan was feeling at the moment.

Jordan took a deep breath and looked over at raven-haired woman. "Bly, I know I've been staying here since the accident and all, for that I am truly thankful but, I don't want you to feel like you have to ask me because I just got fired. I can get another job and take care of myself just fine."

Bly grabbed Jordan's hand bringing it to her lips and lightly kissed it. "No, that isn't why I'm asking. I've wanted to ask you from the very beginning, but I was afraid of rushing you. I want you to live with me because I love you. I want to go to sleep at night with you in my arms and wake up every morning to you lying next to me. I want us to be together in every sense of the word."

Jordan looked down at her hands for a while and then looked up with teary eyes and nodded whispering, "So do I." Bly pulled Jordan into her arms and kissed her deeply, she wanted this wonderful woman to know just how much she cherished her and wanted to be a part of her life. "Would I be pushing things if I suggested we go get your stuff this weekend?" Bly asked with a sly grin.

Jordan chuckled and touched the side of Bly's face lovingly. "Sure, there isn't much left there anyway. Seems the important stuff has already made its way over here!"

"Great!" Bly jumped up, pulling Jordan into her arms and danced around the room happily dragging the blonde with her. "We can go pick out your new Jeep too!"

"Wait!" Jordan called out and stopped Bly in her tracks. "I can't get a Jeep, I don't have enough money and they aren't going to give me a loan considering I am out of work now."

"No problem! I'll make up the difference. That way you won't need a loan and you won't have to worry about making payments either. You can take your time finding the job you want." Bly replied easily without giving it a second thought.

"No." Jordan emphasized emphatically.

"Why?" Bly asked feeling slightly hurt.

"Because I don't want you paying my way. I can get a car with the insurance money instead." Jordan replied firmly and regretful that she had to say good-bye to the dream of owning a Jeep.

"What if we call it a loan and you pay me back when you get that job or your settlement from the lawsuit?" Bly offered in concession. She really knew how much Jordan wanted to get the SUV. She also did not want her driving a car that she didn't like and would not feel safe in. Jordan thought for a moment and looked up into Bly's eyes for some understanding of what she should do. "Hey, we are partners in every sense of the word, right?" Bly asked softly and waited for Jordan to nod in affirmation. "Then why won't you let me help you? I know you won't let me buy it for you, so just let me help you, okay?"

Jordan hesitated a moment longer and finally sighed, "Okay, but I'm paying you back as soon as I get a job or the settlement! Do you understand?" Jordan asked firmly.

"Yes, I understand." Bly answered dutifully and pulled Jordan back into her arms for a giant hug. "I also understand that I get you all to myself all the time now."

Bly replied with a smirk, kissing Jordan thoroughly and deeply, pouring all her happiness into that kiss.

"Whew! I need to take a breather." Jordan explained stepping back from the kiss. Her face was flushed and her heart racing as it did every time she was in Bly's arms.

"Why?" Bly asked seductively wiggling her eyebrows. "Remember that promise you made me at my parents? The part about making it up to me?"

"Bly! I've been making it up to you all week!" Jordan protested laughing at the scheming look on Bly's face.

"Yeah, but you aren't finished!" The raven-haired beauty retorted devilishly. "I want more reparations!"

"Oh, you are insatiable!" Jordan chuckled, pushing Bly backward onto the bed.

"Only for you, baby, only for you!" Bly murmured as Jordan's lips descended upon her own.

***

Jordan heard the elevator door open and ran out of the kitchen glad that Bly was finally home safely. The winds had picked up considerably and the rainsqualls pounded against the windows unmercifully. She was glad the maintenance men came earlier in the day and had put up the storm shutters over the sliding glass doors. It was still frightening though, when the howling winds and rain slammed against the penthouse from hurricane Irene. Jordan was frantic with worry that Bly was stuck out in the storm when the advisories had informed everyone that the hurricane took a turn and was headed right towards them. The advisories had come too late and many were stuck in rush hour traffic, including Bly, during the worst part of the storm. They would have to ride out the storm and hope for the best. Jordan stopped in her tracks once she caught sight of Bly and couldn’t contain her laughter at what she saw; the tall woman was completely drenched from the torrential rain.

“Well honey, I’m home.” Bly exclaimed in a terrible attempt at an impression of Jack Nicholson from the psychotic thriller, ‘The Shining’. She stood holding her hands out at her sides with a silly grin on her face.

“Bly! You’re dripping water all over my clean floor!” Jordan exclaimed disappointed as she had spent hours cleaning the tile floor. “Get those clothes off and get off my tile!” Jordan ordered Bly, who quickly stepped back into the elevator certainly not wanting to dirty the clean floor anymore than what she had already done.

“Hi honey it’s nice to see you too.” Bly retorted sarcastically and looked pretty pathetic soaking wet. “Could you at least give me a towel?”

Jordan tossed the one that draped over her shoulder. “Use this for now and let me get you another one.” Jordan answered turning and quickly disappearing around the corner. ‘I spend the majority of the day cleaning, just to have her track in mud and water on my spotless floor!’ Jordan fumed, but couldn’t be too mad at Bly because she looked so damn cute! Besides, she was just taking her frustrations and worry out on the poor woman.

Bly held the towel out in front of her corner to corner. ‘Is she kidding? This dishtowel won’t even cover my freaking elbow!’ Bly thought and removed her raincoat. ‘I don’t know why I even bothered wearing, or for that matter, spending that much money on this coat that did nothing to protect me from the rain! I guess they call them raincoats for a reason, for the rain, not a hurricane!’ Bly sarcastically thought, stripping off all her clothes.

Jordan walked in with a beach towel for Bly to dry off with and was surprised to see Bly standing there naked. “Bly! The maintenance men are here!” She said in a mock whisper.

“What?! You could have told me that sooner!” Bly answered embarrassed, holding the dishtowel in front of her sex and tried to grab the towel that Jordan held just out of her reach.

“Nah, I wanted to have them watch and maybe we could get them to stay for when we make love later.” Jordan teased, wiggling her eyebrows and backed out of Bly’s reach.

“You’re one kinky bitch, do you know that, Jordan Milano?!” Bly sarcastically asked. “So they really aren’t here, are they?” She wondered and looked over Jordan’s shoulder for them.

“No silly, I don’t want anyone seeing you but me. I just wanted to see the look on your face when I told you that, it was classic!” Jordan answered laughing hysterically.

“Oh, it was that funny huh?” Bly dryly asked, not finding it as humorous until a mischievous thought entered her mind, followed by a devilish smile crossing her face.

Jordan’s laughter subsided and her face was devoid of any happiness when she saw the look in Bly’s eye. “Oh, shit!” She exclaimed and took off running with Bly in hot pursuit.

“Bly, don’t even think about it!” Jordan adamantly warned, pointing her finger towards her naked lover who circled the couch slowly, panther-like, in her quest to capture her desired game, Jordan.

“Come here, baby, I’ve got something for you. Payback!” Bly teased and seductively wiggled her dark eyebrows, trying to move in on her lover who stayed at the opposite end of the couch.

“Bly, you really don’t intimidate me.” Jordan answered coyly.

“Then why are you avoiding me?” Bly asked in a low tone, stopping and staring down her elusive lover in this cat and mouse game.

“Did it ever occur to you that part of my plan, which is making me incredibly horny, is to see my tall, dark and very wet lover chase me around naked?” Jordan asked seductively, flashing an alluring smile that sent a rush of excitement straight to Bly’s center.

“Ooh, baby! I love your plan and I can’t wait to catch you!” Bly answered in a low, seductive tone obviously intrigued, not to mention, very aroused. The lights flickered briefly before finally going out completely darkening the penthouse.

“I hope this is part of your plan, baby, because I am even hotter for you now.” Bly answered sneaking undetected into the spare bedroom just off the living room.

“Very funny, I can’t see a damn thing! Bly?” Jordan asked into the darkness with no answer coming her way. “Bly, where are you?” Jordan asked with a touch of nervousness in her voice and her heart beating faster. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she spun around hoping to catch a glimpse of her mysterious lover. She struggled to adjust her eyesight to the darkness, but still saw nothing and jumped startled from the movement next to her. “Aahhh! Oh, Ares! You scared me!” She exclaimed her heart pounding in her chest when she heard him meow, indicating he was sitting on the couch before her. “Where is your mom, huh? She thinks this is so funny.” She told him rubbing her hand down his silky fur much to his delight and he arched his back purring loudly to let Jordan know how much he was enjoying it. “You know where she is don’t you?” She teasingly asked and heard a low mischievous meow from him in response. “You’re probably in on this ruse with her, aren’t you?” She asked looking around the dark room still trying to find Bly and turned back to Ares. “How many kitty treats did she offer you to not give her up? I’ll double it if you tell me where she’s hiding.” She bargained with a nervous chuckle and jumped when she felt Bly’s arms wrap around her waist.

“Looking for me?” Bly whispered seductively in Jordan’s ear, tightening her hold on her startled lover.

“You scared the shit out of me, Bly!” Jordan answered flustered, desperately trying to calm her racing heart.

“I guess we should change your shorts then huh?” Bly teased nibbling Jordan’s neck, who pinched her forearm in response to the comment. “Ow!” She exclaimed sinking her teeth into Jordan’s neck.

“Where were you?” Jordan asked moving her neck away.

“I went to get candles to set the mood for the only thing to do when the power goes out.” Bly answered softly through her incessant nibbling and pulled Jordan closer to her.

“What might that be?” Jordan asked intrigued, enjoying the closeness of her lover and wished she were naked to feel Bly’s flesh against her own.

“Make love.” Bly whispered sexily and leaned over Jordan’s shoulder. Jordan turned her head to look at Bly just as her lips were captured in a passionate kiss, sending her senses soaring.

“Hmmm, baby I love that idea. You must be hungry though. I made dinner.”

“Hungry? Only for my favorite delicious entree, you.” Bly whispered her voice thick with desire. She turned Jordan in her arms, locking her lips with her shorter lover’s and wrapped her arms possessively around her.

Jordan threw her arms around Bly’s neck deepening the kiss. “You are so wet, Bly.” Jordan softly stated breaking off the kiss.

“You have no idea.” Bly’s low sultry response flowed through Jordan’s ear, sending a flush of warmth straight to her sex.

“I guess I’ll have to find that out for myself now, won’t I?” Jordan seductively asked.

“Hmmm, right here, huh? Aren’t you afraid your clean carpet will get messy?” Bly teased kissing Jordan, happy that she was finally accepting her penthouse as her own home.

“No, the cleaning is scheduled for Tuesday so this is the perfect spot.” Jordan teased in return, reveling in the fact of being in the woman’s arms that she loves so much.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to look at the middle of the living room floor without having a huge smile plastered on my face.” Bly laughed and kissed Jordan again.

“Would you shut up and make love to me?” Jordan softly teased through her kiss.

“Yes, dear, right away, dear.” Bly mockingly replied and moved to grab the blanket draped over the couch along with a couple of pillows to lay them on the floor. After all, her lover had to be comfortable don’t ya know?! ‘To hell with the candles.’ Bly thought, engulfing her lover in a hug, passionately kissing her. She gently guided Jordan to the floor.

Bly straddled Jordan’s thigh and pressed her body tightly against her lover’s. “Ooh, Bly, you are very wet honey.” Jordan purred in obvious delight through her kiss wrapping her arms tightly around Bly’s neck, ecstatic to have her lover's body merged with her own.

“You always make me that way.” Bly whispered, moving her kiss down to Jordan’s neck. “Let me help you with these clothes, my love.” Bly suggested softly, slipping her hand under Jordan’s shirt. Bly felt Jordan’s abdomen tighten when her palm lightly slid up her body and gently caressed the soft breast she found along the way.

“Bly, that feels so good.” Jordan moaned, tilting her head back when she felt Bly’s kiss move to the opposite side of her neck.

“Yes, it does feel good.” Bly sensually whispered, moving her kiss down to Jordan’s unattended breast, capturing the erect nipple that protruded through Jordan's shirt into her mouth and gently kneaded her other breast.

“Oh, Bly, you are driving me crazy!” Jordan moaned.

Bly’s mouth moved from her nipple, kissing along Jordan’s body and stopped where the bottom of her shirt rested. Bly lifted the shirt, sticking her head under it and traced a circle with her tongue around Jordan’s navel before dipping inside and sending a throbbing sensation straight to Jordan’s core. Bly heard Jordan gasp and squeezed her breast harder, gently rolled the hard nipple between her fingers.

Jordan’s arousal was at its peak and her body’s sensations were raging from Bly’s touch, kisses and the feel of her wet hair along her stomach. Bly’s tongue blazed a trail from Jordan’s stomach to her unattended breast so eagerly awaiting her attention. Her mouth gently sucked on the hard nipple as her hand gently kneaded Jordan’s opposite breast. Jordan couldn’t stand it any longer and pulled her shirt up and over their heads with Bly briefly relinquishing her hold on Jordan’s breasts. Jordan tossed her shirt away and pushed Bly’s long, dark wet hair off her face, sending a flood of warmth throughout both of them.

“Bly, please touch me.” Jordan moaned.

Bly looked up at Jordan. “Not so fast baby, the power’s going to be off for awhile.” She whispered, flashing a mischievous smile and lightly kiss Jordan’s lips.

“I know but, I’m so hot for you right now that I can’t wait!” Jordan desperately admitted through her labored breathing, her desire for Bly mounting with each beat of her heart.

Bly’s smile grew. “Well, what would you like? My tongue?” Bly taunted and thrust her tongue deeply into Jordan’s mouth, exploring everything about the familiar territory. Jordan grasped Bly’s backside tightly, sending shivers up and down her spine. “Or my fingers?” Bly seductively queried, breaking the kiss and tracing the contours of Jordan’s lips with her finger.

“I want both.” Jordan answered breathless, sucking Bly’s finger and locking wanton blues with desirable greens. She snaked her tongue around the finger with Bly's tongue replacing her finger in her mouth for a deep kiss.

Bly broke the kiss and slowly slid down Jordan’s body. She removed Jordan’s shorts before settling herself between her lover’s legs. The feel of Bly’s hot, muscular body rubbing against Jordan’s sent pleasurable sensations up and down her body. Jordan’s desire escalated and her hips bucked wildly when she felt Bly’s soft tongue meet her engorged nub.

“Oh, yes!” Jordan moaned loudly, grasping Bly’s hair with her hand. Bly spread Jordan’s folds lightly, gliding her tongue up and down her lover’s slick, hard clit, gladly accepting the taste that she so loved. Bly gently sucked Jordan’s swollen nub and slipped two fingers inside her wet opening, eliciting a louder moan from her lover. Jordan’s hips began to thrust rhythmically with Bly’s finger movements in and out of her. “Baby, that feels so good.” Jordan moaned, her eyes watering in response to her emotions taking over.

“Jordan, I love to taste you baby.” Bly moaned through her ministrations with her tongue, moving her fingers in and out faster, reacting to her lover’s desire, savoring Jordan’s taste as if she would never have it again.

Bly lavishly stroked her tongue against Jordan’s clit in a fluttering motion, her own desire for Jordan to touch her escalating especially when she heard the soft cries of pleasure and felt Jordan’s hips buck up and down. Jordan’s center ached and her body demanded release. “I want you.” Bly cooed, pressing her tongue against Jordan’s oversensitive area. The words were an aphrodisiac and Jordan couldn’t contain herself any longer. She screamed out Bly’s name as the powerful orgasm ripped through her body, sending her over the edge with no return. Bly devoured the sweet musky fluid of her lover contentedly and slid her tongue deep inside her lover’s hot, wet opening for more, which Jordan readily granted as one wave of orgasm rushed over another.

“Bly, that feels so good. I love you!” Jordan cried out, feeling her lover relentlessly consume everything she offered her. Bly held her tongue inside Jordan, enjoying the feeling of her walls contracting and relaxing.

Bly’s lips lightly traveled up her lover’s taut body as her own overheated body pressed against Jordan’s. She snuggled her face against Jordan’s neck and kissed her, wrapping her arms tightly around the blonde. “I need you, Jordan.” Bly whispered in her ear, the voice throaty with desire, sending a throbbing sensation straight to Jordan’s core once again. Jordan rolled Bly onto her back and lay on top of her tall lover, kissing her passionately. Bly’s hands roamed Jordan’s sweaty back resting on her backside. She guided her smaller lover up and down, stroking Jordan’s wet sex against her thigh. Their tongues danced a slow, seductive waltz with one another.

Jordan broke the kiss panting, her arousal once again deepening. “Baby, you have got to touch me again.” Jordan pleaded desperate for Bly’s touch.

Bly’s sexy smile appeared. “Can’t get enough, huh?” She asked cockily.

“Of you? Never!” Jordan passionately exclaimed, thrusting her tongue into Bly’s mouth for a deep, soulful kiss. Bly’s own desire escalated for her lover to take her. Jordan’s hips moved faster against Bly’s thigh, her arousal consuming her, and her body demanding release again. “Bly, take me again.” Jordan whispered pleadingly through her kiss.

Bly deepened the kiss grasping Jordan’s backside tighter and guided her hips faster, breaking the kiss. “Climb up here baby.” Bly coaxed in a sultry inviting tone with Jordan quickly moving on top. She lowered her sex to Bly’s mouth to satisfy her lust for her. Both women devoured one another with an unbridled passion as if it would be the last time they would ever share one another again. Hell, who knows what may come with a fierce hurricane ripping through the South Florida area at that moment.

They shared one wave after another of orgasms, finally collapsing spent. They lay still, trying to catch their breath with Jordan resting her head on Bly’s muscular thigh, circling her fingers through dark, wet curls. She moved over and lightly kissed Bly’s sex, resting her head back against her lover's long thigh, never realizing the sex they shared could ever be topped. Yet, it was. Every time they made love it was better than the last time. ‘It helps when you have a passionate and extremely attentive lover.’ Jordan adoringly thought, still teasing the wet curls before her. ‘I can’t be any happier or contented.’ She smiled happily and climbed into the warm confines of her lover’s arms.

“I love you.” Bly professed softly; staring into the green eyes she loved so much. She capturing Jordan’s lips for a soul searing kiss. They broke the kiss and smiled lovingly at one another. Jordan pecked Bly’s lips and lay her head back down against Bly's heaving chest, looping her fingers through the larger hand, lovingly tucking it close to her heart.

Bly kissed Jordan’s forehead and lightly stroked the long blonde hair off her face. As she drifted off to sleep, she thought that she had to be the luckiest woman in the world to be loved so much. Bly was awoken out of her sleep by the phone’s incessant ringing. She opened her eyes trying to get her brain to register what was going on. Once it did, she attempted to sit up, but was pinned down by both Jordan and Ares who were sprawled out on top of her, usual. ‘What the hell am I, a freaking mattress?’ Bly wondered, stretching to reach the phone from where she was, to no avail. She had to move the two sleepyheads on top of her first. Jordan grumbled her displeasure rolling onto her back and falling quickly back to sleep. “Ares, haul kitty ass! I have to get the phone.” Bly chided trying to get her lazy cat off her and struggling to sit up as he took his sweet time moving.

“Meow!” Came his disgruntled response when he climbed off and stretched next to her when she moved on her side, finally grabbing the phone.

“Right back at ya, buddy!” Bly teased and held the receiver to her ear. “Hello!”

“What’s going on over there? Are you all okay?” Alexandra asked confused.

“Your incorrigible grandson is bitching at me.” Bly chuckled, rolling onto her side and looked at the sleeping beauty below her as Ares cuddled up next to Jordan.

“Well, he takes after his mother.” Alexandra retorted dryly.

“Funny, what’s up?”

“How are things over your way?”

“Ooh, just fabulous considering we have no electricity.” Bly informed her, softly laughing and lightly circling her finger around Jordan’s navel. She smiled mischievously when the peaceful look on her lover’s face turned sour from Bly interfering with her wondrous sleep.

“Well, then you must be having a great time. Your father and I just did too. Nothing like a good power outage to get the gander up!” She answered with a laugh.

“Mom!” Bly blurted out in embarrassment from her mother’s comment and noticed two green eyes staring at her. “Ewww, that was more than what I needed to hear.”

“How the hell do you think your brother and you got here?” Alexandra responded sarcastically.

“Hatched maybe, or by the stork?” Bly teased.

“Oh Bly, stop acting like a prude! Your father and I do it like wild rabbits and we absolutely love power outages. In fact, you were conceived during one!” She taunted her shocked daughter.

“Bly, what in the hell is wrong with you?” Jordan asked, nudging her in bewilderment from the stunned look on her lover’s face.

“Aah, mom is being gross.” Bly finally answered and was able to close her mouth that hung agape.

“Oh, talking about sex with your father again?” Jordan asked nonchalantly with Bly nodding yes.

“Bly, you are incorrigible just like your damn cat. You’re two peas in a pod!” Alexandra answered with a laugh. “How long have you been without power?”

“Aah, about four hours.” Bly answered squinting to see the time on her watch in the dark. She leaned down and kissed Jordan who smiled and ran her finger tauntingly down Bly’s neck, through her cleavage, down her abdomen and back up again.

“We’ve been out longer. Hey, we are a having one hell of a time finding someone to run our computer operations. Do you know anyone we could hire?”

Bly watched Jordan mischievously tantalize her body with her teasing when it hit her like a baseball bat to the head. ‘Why in the hell didn’t I think of it before?’ Bly inwardly asked, feeling completely stupid. “Yeah, actually, I do mom.”

“Is she good? I am assuming it’s a female?” Her mother asked sarcastically.

“Oh yeah, very good in fact.” Bly answered in a mischievous tone, leaning down and capturing Jordan’s lips for a fleeting kiss.

“I meant is she qualified?”

“Overqualified.” Bly answered in a low, throaty tone moving the phone from her mouth and kissing Jordan deeply with her free hand resting on the blonde’s bare hip. Bly was lost in Jordan’s green eyes and her desire to make love to her again persisted too much for her to talk to her mother.

“Really, is she available?” Her mother asked excitedly.

“Aah, no.” Bly stammered breaking the kiss long enough to answer. “But I’m sure I can get her for the job.” Bly confirmed chuckling and felt Jordan’s tongue slip past her slightly parted lips for a moist kiss.

“Great, who is it?” Her mother asked with more excitement. Bly laid the phone down and held Jordan tightly in her arms, passionately kissing her lover. “Bly? Who is it?” Alexandra asked with no response. “Bly!” Alex shouted into the phone, interrupting Bly from her current diversion.

“Oh, sorry.” Bly apologized after forgetting that her mother was still on the phone. “Its, aah, Jordan.” Bly answered receiving an arched brow in response from her blonde lover who wanted to know what she was talking about.

“That’s a perfect choice. Why didn’t we think of this before?” Alexandra asked, completely surprised and dumbfounded that the answer to their dilemma was right underneath Bly’s household.

“I have no idea.” Bly answered with a smile, rubbing her palm over Jordan’s abdomen heightening her arousal once again.

“Let me talk to her.” Alexandra asked with Bly handing the phone to Jordan.

“Hi mom, what’s up?” Jordan greeted pleasantly, holding the phone to her ear as Bly began to kiss her stomach.

“Hi honey, we have a position with our company that you might be interested in. Would you stop by my office on Monday to discuss it?”

Jordan wasn’t expecting that one and was having a hard time concentrating on what Alexandra was saying from Bly sneaking between her legs. She tapped her on the head to get her attention for her to stop. Bly’s head shot up in disappointment and shock letting out a displeased groan. “I got the head tap!” Bly whined in total disbelief, embarrassed she just stared at Jordan who was oblivious to her at the moment.

“I don’t know anything about the law, mom.” Jordan answered, confused as to why she would consider her for a job at her law firm.

“No honey, we are putting in a state of the art computer network system for all of our law and medical offices. We need someone to oversee everything. Can I expect you at 10:00 am on Monday then?” Alexandra asked enthusiastically.

“Aah, sure, and thanks.” Jordan answered unsure of what to say. She didn’t want to offend Alexandra.

“Anytime, sweetheart. Call us tomorrow to let us know how you’re doing from the storm.” She answered and clicked the phone off.

“Bye.” Jordan answered clicking hers off as well totally flabbergasted with a million things swimming around in her head so fast she could hardly stand it.

“Chance, Bly got a head tap when I asked Jordan about the job.” Alexandra chuckled.

“How do you know that?” Chance asked, climbing back on top of his wife.

“I heard her groan and say something about it.” She answered with a laugh.

“She’s not the only one that got the head tap.” He answered in equal disappointment.

“It was not a head tap, darling. I wanted you to move to a more enticing position. Now, finish what you started, Mister!” She teasingly demanded, sharing a laugh with her husband who happily obliged her orders.

“That was weird!” Jordan answered, bewilderedly, and looked at her stunned lover. “What?” She asked, confused from Bly’s look.

“You gave me the head tap Jordan.” Bly pouted, still stunned by it.

“Oh honey, I’m sorry!” Jordan apologetically exclaimed and covered her mouth to conceal her smile. “I just couldn’t concentrate. Honestly, I didn’t mean it that way honey, come here.” Jordan comfortingly explained, pulling Bly on top of her and held her tight to reassure her.

“I never thought I would ever get a head tap from you.” Bly answered still in disbelief.

Jordan held Bly tighter and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry baby, it wasn’t meant that way. Besides, you only get a head tap when you’re a terrible lover and that you are not!” Jordan stated surely and looked into the blue eyes that stared at her.

“You’ll have to make it up to me, then.” Bly requested, a small grin forming on her face.

“With pleasure, baby.” Jordan agreed, smiling and passionately kissed Bly.

***

Jordan woke to the sunlight peaking through the uncovered windows and put her hand up to cover the offensive light until her eyes adjusted to it. She rolled over expecting to find her lover, but found a furry cat lying next to her. She laughed and stroked his fur. “Bly?” Jordan called out with no response from the quiet penthouse. She stretched happily and wiped her hands over her face, smelling Bly on her fingers. She smiled from the decadent scent of her lover on her hands and felt a tingling sensation rush over her. They had made passionate love throughout the night, deciding to ride out the storm within each other’s arms. Jordan stood up and padded through the expansive penthouse, looking for her lover she so desperately wanted to hold, with no luck. Jordan slipped on her robe and peered out the window overlooking the beach. She smiled when she saw her tall, stunning lover finishing up her morning run on the beach. Jordan smiled, appreciating the sight of her lover clad in a black sports bra and gym shorts with the waistband turned down, showing off her taut abdomen.

‘Yummy!’ Jordan thought delighted, her heart and pulse racing in excitement from the vision of loveliness before her. Jordan watched as Bly’s long graceful strides ate up the beach in their quest for the finish line. The sweat dripped off Bly’s tanned body, but she didn’t appear to be winded at all. ‘I would have died from no air after running ten feet!’ Jordan thought and laughed. She watched as Bly entered the deeper beach sand and began running her wind sprints. Bly turned up the notch on her training just after she expressed her interest of rejoining the National volleyball team to Jordan after her accident. Although disappointed that she hadn’t received a call from the assistant coach, who could get her back on the team, she still trained as if she was a member of the team. ‘Oh yes, I love this part!’ Jordan excitedly thought, standing on the tips of her toes to get a better look at her lover running sprints in the thigh deep water. ‘Oh, how I love to see that sexy body wet in the water and from other things as well, particularly from me.’ Jordan mischievously thought, greatly appreciating the scene before her. She sighed when Bly disappeared out of sight, but knew her tall lover would be back up in her arms very soon. Jordan hurried into the bathroom and grabbed a towel to greet Bly with, then rode the elevator down to meet her in the lobby. The doors opened just as Bly walked towards the elevator and smiled when she saw Jordan sitting on the bench in the elevator with a sultry grin on her face. “Hey good looking, going my way?” She asked provocatively.

“Absolutely!” Bly accepted the dry towel Jordan offered. She threw her wet one down on the floor of the elevator and punched in the security code to allow the elevator to go up to the penthouse suite. Bly knelt before Jordan and smiled. “Morning. I missed you.” She whispered and kissed Jordan.

“Hmmm, I missed you as well, but I sure enjoyed watching you work out.” Jordan purred, breaking the kiss briefly before deepening it once again while running her fingers through Bly’s wet hair.

“I love this greeting after a hard workout.” Bly appreciatively smiled and kissed Jordan again before wiping the sweat off her body.

“Unfortunately, I won’t get to see it when I start working.” Jordan frowned, disappointed.

“Don’t work! You can come down and be my personal cheering section for my workouts.” Bly teased and kissed Jordan.

“Now Bly, we both know that I’m going to be working.” Jordan reminded her in a low assertive tone.

“I know, I’m just kidding. But, you do know that if you didn’t want to work, you don’t have to, right?”

“I know that and thank you. It’s very sweet, but I would like to have my own career and not just have my lover support me.” Jordan reminded her with a loving smile and stroked Bly’s cheek with her palm, very appreciative of the offer.

“Are you going to accept my mom’s offer then?” Bly asked hopeful, looping her fingers into Jordan’s and leading her off the elevator, entering the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator and gulped it down quickly.

“I’m considering it, but I have some doubts about accepting the job.” Jordan began watching Bly guzzle the water to hydrate her overheated body.

"What doubts?" Bly questioned confused.

"Well, first of all, I don't want to get this job just because I'm your girlfriend. If I am not the best person for the job, I'd rather not have it." Jordan looked up at Bly trying to judge her reaction. Bly nodded but didn't reply, instead encouraging the blonde to continue. "And, what about if I'm just not cutting it or not doing it the way your mother wants it done. I don't want her to feel like she can't give me constructive criticism, or if need be, just plain tell me I'm not getting the job done."

"Okay, I can see your point, but I don't think you have to worry about my mother. She's never been shy when it comes to speaking her mind." Bly grinned at Jordan, trying to alleviate her fears.

"I just don't want this to be a pity offer. It's not like I can't get a job, I just haven't really started looking yet." Jordan got up restlessly, walked over to the window and stood looking out over the storm tossed sea.

Bly sighed and walked over to the blonde. "Jordan, I can guarantee that when you go to her office, it is for an interview for the job. She will treat you like any other candidate, no preferential treatment. If she thinks you can do the work, you will get the job. If not, then she will tell you point blank. Trust me on this one." Bly chuckled and wrapped her arms around Jordan, pulling her closer. "When I was in college, I decided I wanted a summer job so that I could be more independent. I asked my mother if she had anything available in her office. She made me come in and interview with just about everyone, including the janitor. I got the job, but I lasted exactly one week and my mother told me I was fired. She said that I wasn't cut out to work in the legal profession. I think it has something to do with my attitude toward rules and regulations." Jordan laughed and leaned back from Bly to look up into twinkling blue eyes. "My mother was right, which is probably why I fight so much with the legal jerks from the insurance companies." Bly admitted with a sheepish grin.

Jordan laughed and pulled away throwing up her hands in surrender. "Okay, I give! I'll go to the 'interview' on Monday. I guess I had better get my resume together if I expect to get this job." Bly watched as Jordan went into the study and flipped on the computer. Bly then grabbed the cordless phone and headed into the bedroom. She called her mother to confirm the promise she had made to Jordan. Confident that all would be well, she headed into the bathroom to take her shower.

On Monday morning, Bly watched as Jordan walked into the kitchen, nodding enthusiastically at her choice of a simple pantsuit. "Hey, what do you say, after your interview, we go look for a car for you?" Bly suggested, smiling.

"That's probably a good idea if I am going to start working. Am I messing up your schedule today? I can take a cab or something?" Jordan leaned against the counter, looking a bit apprehensively at Bly. Bly shook her head noting the look and knew that even if it did, she would rearrange her schedule to make things easier for Jordan. She knew she was nervous about the interview and wanted to make sure she wasn't stressed out before she even got to her mother's office.

"My first patient isn't until 10:30, so I have enough time to drop you off and I can come back for you around 12:00. I don't have any afternoon patients today. I usually catch up on paperwork, but I can do that tomorrow. We will have the entire afternoon to pick out the vehicle of your choice." Bly deposited her cereal bowl in the sink and turned to hug Jordan. "Are you going to eat anything?"

"No, I don't think I could this morning." Jordan groaned, for once her infamous appetite had left her. She was entirely too nervous to put anything into her stomach at the moment. "Maybe later."

"Okay, I'll make sure to feed you this afternoon. Let's hit the road then." Bly pushed Jordan toward the elevator, stopping long enough to pick up both their briefcases off the hall table.

Bly deposited Jordan at her mother's office before heading on to her morning appointments at the clinic. "You'll do fine, stop being nervous". Bly kissed Jordan softly on the lips and hugged her in support.

"This interview is on the level, right?" Jordan pulled back slowly and looked up into Bly's eyes to see if she was telling the truth.

"Trust me, my mother will not let you get off easily. If she doesn't think you can cut it, she will tell you point blank!" Bly smiled, knowing technically what she said was true, but also knew that Jordan would be perfect for the job and her mother already knew it. Jordan nodded and exited the car, walking towards the lobby doors with a purpose. Bly smiled proud of her lover and watched as she confidently headed toward the office building. She hit the button lowering her window and shouted out to the blonde. "I'll pick you up at noon. Knock'em dead!" Jordan turned smiling and waved toward Bly in acknowledgement before turning to enter the lobby. The cool air of the building hit her and sent a chill down her back. Stiffening her shoulders in response to the sudden intrusion into her thoughts, Jordan pushed the button to the elevator and waited. Bly pulled away smiling with the thought of Jordan in her mind and the last look of the blonde who stood waving at her in the early morning sunshine. With this pleasant image firmly implanted in her head, she headed off to start her glorious day.

***

The ride up to Alexandra's office was short and she announced herself to the receptionist. Jordan didn't wait long before Alexandra's secretary came out to walk her back toward an office. Opening the door she stepped back and motioned Jordan to go inside. Jordan entered the office and found Bly's mother sitting behind her desk reading. Jordan walked toward the desk and Alexandra looked up with a smile. "Jordan! It's good to see you this morning. Have a seat." Alexandra motioned toward the chairs in front of her desk. It took a lot of willpower to refrain from jumping up and hugging the young woman as she would have liked, but this was business. She knew keeping it that way meant a lot to Jordan.

"Good morning!" Jordan greeted, returning the smile to Alexandra. She felt awkward keeping things impersonal and could tell that Alexandra was feeling the same way. Alexandra chuckled in response to both their unease, but got right down to business. She mapped out what their plans were for the computer network system for her office and her husband's medical centers. Jordan listened intently, interrupting a few times to ask questions, but on the whole, eager to have a chance to work on this project. Alexandra also explained that once the system was up and running smoothly with their offices they would discuss with Bly the benefits of her upgrading to the new systems as well. She informed Jordan that they wanted to wait with Bly's, considering the numerous centers she owned throughout the United States. They wanted to make sure the system would be beneficial to her offices as well.

"So, how does all of this sound to you?" Alexandra sat back and waited for Jordan's response, but the light in the young woman's eyes told her all that she needed to know. "I think you have a good grasp of what is needed and the only thing left is to implement the plan and get it running." Jordan knew that this was right in her field of expertise and that the job would be challenging, but not impossible for her to accomplish. "Do you think you can handle the job and all the headaches it will entail?"

Jordan nodded her head enthusiastically and felt confident with her ability in this instance. "Yes, I think I can not only handle the job, but complete it to your satisfaction."

"Good! Well, I purposely left your interview for last so that I could give you my decision rather quickly. From what I've seen, you are by far the best candidate I have talked with and that's not because you have an inside influence either. I need this work done and completed correctly. I wouldn't be selecting you if I thought for one moment that you couldn't handle the task." Alexandra stood and walked around her desk to face Jordan. "Think you will be able to start, lets say, next Monday?"

Jordan nodded smiling. "That will definitely be no problem. Thank you."

"Great, then I can expect to see you here around 8:30 am. You can set your hours as you see fit. Whatever works best for what you have to do is fine with me."

Jordan stood up and shook Alexandra's hand to seal their agreement. "Thanks for giving me the chance. I don't think you will regret it."

Alexandra nodded thinking, 'Of that, I have no doubt whatsoever!' Letting her emotions get the best of her, Alexandra pulled Jordan into her arms for a solid hug before releasing her and pulling back. "Now that the business part is over, do you have time to have a cup of coffee with your mother?"

Jordan nodded smiling, "That would be great! If you're not too busy?"

"I'm busy, but not too busy for a quick chat with my favorite new daughter." Alexandra led Jordan toward the door. "Let's go down to the cafeteria so we won't be disturbed by anyone."

"Great. Bly isn't picking me up for another thirty minutes." Jordan followed Alexandra back toward the elevator and rode down to the cafeteria. They sat chatting about nothing in particular until it was time for Bly to pick up Jordan. Alexandra walked Jordan toward the front door and waved to Bly as she waited in the car for Jordan. “Tell that incorrigible daughter of mine I suggested you two come for a visit soon. You guys don't need to wait for a hurricane!" Jordan laughed and hugged Alexandra, promising to pass the message along to Bly. With another wave, Alexandra went back into the building.

"What was my mother making you promise this time?" Bly casually asked as they pulled out of the parking lot. Jordan chuckled and looked over at Bly's profile. "She wanted me to tell her incorrigible daughter not to wait for another hurricane before you visit again."

"Too funny!" Bly laughed and turned right at the next light heading down toward the dealerships. "Okay, which dealership am I heading to?"

"Jeep. I think I've decided on a Jeep Grand Cherokee." Jordan answered firmly. She had given the choices much thought and had finally decided upon the Jeep because of its ruggedness and styling. It was the one SUV that she had actually felt safe driving in.

"You got it!" Bly eagerly responded by pulling into the lot in question and pointed, "Hey, that's a nice color, but the one next to it is even better."

Jordan looked over at the green Grand Cherokee that was displayed outside the front of the dealership before letting her eyes drift toward the maroon one next to it. Nodding her head in agreement, "Yes, I definitely like the maroon color, especially if it has a gray interior. Let's go look at it."

***

The two women looked over the available SUV's in the lot and still came back to the first maroon Grand Cherokee that sat out front. After a lengthy test drive, they went inside to make a deal. With Bly, there wasn't much haggling involved. She pulled out her checkbook and made them a cash offer, which was roughly twenty-five hundred dollars less than the sticker price. She knew what the markup was on a new vehicle and she wasn't about to let the salesman think he had two stupid females within his grasp. Knowing he was outsmarted, the salesman stopped haggling at the two thousand mark. The papers were signed and Jordan pulled her new car out of the lot. After a quick late lunch/early dinner down by the ocean, the two women headed home.

Relaxing on the sofa in front of the television Bly's finger gently traced a pattern on Jordan's arm as she lay against her within the circle of her arm. "A new job and a new car all in one day, are you happy?"

Jordan snuggled tighter against Bly's side and looked up into blue eyes. "Yep, a perfect day!"

"I wish I had known that's all it took to make you happy-work and a car!" Bly chuckled deeply, looking down into green eyes with a challenge.

"Oh, it doesn't even take that much!" Jordan threw back as her eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Oh yeah?" She asked quite intrigued.

"Hmmm, let's see, a kiss might do it or...” Jordan's voice trailed off in invitation and Bly didn't hesitate, and kissed Jordan, deepening the kiss sensually.

Breaking from the kiss, Bly's voice was deep and silky. "You mean like that?"

"Oh yeah!" Jordan purred and pulled Bly back for more.

“Oh, baby you excite me.” Bly delightfully moaned.

“You haven’t seen anything yet, you sexy thing.” Jordan purred sensually and crawled over Bly, straddling her. Bly slid her hands up on Jordan’s hips and looked up at her blonde lover with a sly grin, fully enjoying the provocative mood Jordan was displaying. “I have a couple of interesting items that you might enjoy.” Jordan offered enticingly, throwing her long blonde hair back over her shoulder.

“Oh, really?” Bly smiled mischievously. “I can’t wait to see what you have for me.” Bly drawled thoroughly intrigued, and casually reached over to pull the phone off the hook, placing her hand back on Jordan’s hips.

Bly watched as Jordan slowly unbuttoned her blouse. Bly’s mouth watered in anticipation at the sight of Jordan’s two perky, perfect breasts. She smiled, rubbing her hands on Jordan’s hips and slid them under her shorts, gently grasping her firm backside. Jordan opened her blouse and pulled her bra down exposing her luscious, perky breasts for Bly’s enjoyment. “I thought you would be interested in these, my love.” Jordan purred in a sultry tone sending pleasurable tingling sensations up and down Bly’s sexually aroused body.

“You know just what I love, don’t you, baby?” Bly huskily asked, leaning forward and capturing an erect nipple in her mouth, much to Jordan’s delight.

Jordan gasped at the contact and looked down to watch Bly. She pushed Bly’s dark hair off her face leaving her hand resting against Bly’s cheek. Jordan’s passions began to unfold from the gentle sucking sensation she felt and from watching Bly’s tongue circle her hardened nipple before wrapping her mouth around the soft breast once again. Bly’s hands moved towards a more enticing area of Jordan’s anatomy and found a very wet and warm area to explore. “Oh, Bly! That feels so good.” Jordan softly admitted, leaning down and kissing Bly’s cheek. ‘She is so erotically decadent.’ Jordan thought, totally blown away by what Bly was doing to her.

Bly broke away agitated by her cell phone ringing. “Damn!” She replied angrily and leaned up for a fleeting kiss before answering the phone. Jordan was disappointed but knew if someone was calling on Bly’s cell phone it was important as she had stipulated ‘emergency calls only’ when she issued her number out to family and friends. “Hello.” Bly answered agitatedly, and leaned forward capturing Jordan’s nipple in her mouth before talking again. “Aah, Daw we’re right in the middle of something here.” She answered more irritated, thinking it was a social call and looked up at Jordan who ran her fingers through Bly’s dark hair and leaned down for a moist kiss. “She’s right here.” She answered in a serious tone once she heard her brother out and handed Jordan the phone after breaking off the kiss. Jordan looked at her with a strange look on her face and Bly shrugged her shoulders replying, “He sounds very serious and needs to talk to you right away.”

“Dawson?” Jordan asked confused.

“Jordan, I’m on my way over there to discuss with you and Linda some information I’ve received regarding your brother.” He informed her in a hurried yet, serious tone.

“Aah, okay, I’ll call Linda and have her come over here right away.” Jordan stammered nervously at the thought of possible news regarding her missing brother.

“No need. I already called her. She should be waiting down in your lobby about now. I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.” He answered before clicking off the phone.

Jordan clicked the phone off as well and looked at Bly with a stymied look. “What’s up?” Bly asked in worried wonderment from Jordan’s surprised and far off gaze.

“Dawson has some news about my brother.” Jordan answered softly, still in a state of surprise and both looked at each other without another word being said. “Dawson’s on his way over here. He has some news to tell me regarding my brother." Jordan stammered nervously, thinking about what Dawson had to tell her regarding her brother. She wondered if something bad happened to the brother she had never met. Hell, she didn’t even know he existed until a short time ago. She wondered if he met the same fate as her parents had or maybe he just didn't want to know her or Linda. The thoughts raced through her mind a mile a minute making her head swim. Jordan worriedly looked into caring blues then down to her hands that subconsciously rubbed together in an attempt to calm her nervousness.

"Well, that's great! Right?" Bly asked enthusiastically and moved closer to Jordan, slipping a comforting arm around her shoulders feeling the tension in her small body.

Jordan looked up into the blues she adored and commented questioningly, "I'm not sure. I hope it's good news, but what if my brother is deceased like my parents?" Jordan asked nervously, finding it hard to say the word deceased, as it sounded so final. It was extremely final and she wasn't sure if she was ready to hear that her brother had met that fate.

"Hey, come on, babe." Bly responded in a comforting tone and pulled her closer to her, kissing the top of her head to reassure her. "You're the most optimistic person in the world that I know, so why are you thinking like that?" Bly asked smiling reassuringly and leaned away to look at Jordan who captured her steely gaze.

Jordan smiled faintly and realized she was being rather grim with her thoughts of her brother, but it was important to her to meet him. Maybe he could shed some light on their parents or know some of their relatives so she could find out more about herself and her heritage. "You're right. Maybe I'm just overreacting and being silly. It's just that I would like to meet him and see what he's like. Do you know what I mean?" Jordan asked in curious wonderment as to whether her brother would look like her or Linda or neither of them.

"Sure, I'd feel the same way if I was in your place, but you don't know what Dawson has to tell you. It's probably good news. If I know my brother and I think I do, all too well at times." Bly answered with a sly grin and a snicker shared by Jordan. "He probably discovered some good news or he would have told you over the phone. He shoots straight from the hip and tells you like it is. He wouldn't let you sit and fret if it was something bad. " Bly answered reassuringly and kissed the lips in front of her. "Listen, I'll call my dad and tell him I can't make it to the Dolphins game tonight. I'll stay here with you for moral support. Would you like that, sweets?" Bly questioned and moved the stray strand of blonde hair off Jordan's face.

"No, you go to the game. I know how important it is to you seeing as how it's the last game of the 1900's. I also know how miserable you'll be the rest of the year if the Dolphins don't make it to the playoffs, sending Dan Marino into early retirement. You'll be kicking yourself, and me, for not seeing Dan's last game, if this really is his last game, in person." Jordan answered with a reassuring smile and playfully poked her lover's chest to emphasize her point.

"I never thought of it as the last game of the 1900's and the possibility of it being Dan's last game as a Miami Dolphin. Yikes! I don't even want to consider that thought!" Bly shivered at the unpleasant thought. "Despite all of those reasons for attending the game, my place is with you, my love, and I want to be here if you need me, so I'll give Dad a call and tell him my plans have changed." Bly responded considerately and picked up the phone with Jordan taking it from her hands.

"No. Bly, please go. I really appreciate your offer of staying it means a lot to me, but this is something I would like to hear alone. Well, just Linda and I." Jordan answered reassuringly and grasped Bly's hand to reaffirm her statement.

Bly searched the beautiful emerald greens before her for any wavering in them and found only sincerity there. "Are you sure? Because I can stay here with no problem." Bly asked to give Jordan a chance to reconsider if she was hesitant.

"Go on to your game." Jordan assured her smiling and kissed her firmly on her cheek. "Now get!" Jordan teased smiling and patted Bly's backside, pushing her off the couch in a coaxing way to get her moving, knowing Bly's father would be there soon.

"Okay, okay I'm going! Geez, you're a demanding woman!" Bly teasingly laughed and winked, heading towards the bedroom to change just as the elevator doors closed indicating someone was heading up to the penthouse.

Jordan entered the kitchen and grabbed a glass of wine to calm her nerves. She finished pouring her wine as the elevator doors opened. "Jordan?" Linda exclaimed, entering the penthouse.

"In the kitchen sis!" Jordan answered and chuckled at calling Linda 'sis'. It was still hard for her to believe they were actually related. "What's going on?" Linda asked in a hurried tone, entering the kitchen.

"Not sure yet. It seems Dawson has some news about our brother." Jordan informed her and held up the bottle of wine, gesturing to Linda.

Linda nodded in agreement. "Make it a very large glass please." She answered with a nervous sigh.

"Hey!" Julie groaned leaning against the kitchen doorframe looking as if the Grim Reaper was ready to take her to her final resting place.

"You look like you've had too much to drink, Jules!" Jordan snickered, noticing the pale and diaphoretic look on Julie's face.

Julie curled her lip up at Jordan flashing a menacing look and felt her stomach rumble. "Oh, I'm outta here!" She exclaimed hurriedly and disappeared from the kitchen.

"What's up with her?” Jordan asked in disbelief, turning and looking at her sister.

"The Hershey squirts, if you get my drift!" Linda answered with a snicker and a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"You are terrible, Linda! Didn't you give her anything?" Jordan asked with a laugh.

"Oh yeah! Everything under the sun for diarrhea and nausea, nothing has worked. So she came over here with me in hopes that Dr. Van Dewark would give her an IV and make her feel better." Linda explained sipping her wine that Jordan handed her.

"You're in luck, he brought over a couple of them along with some Compazine when Bly had a little too much to drink and was severely dehydrated!" Jordan answered with a laugh shared by her sister.

Bly exited the bedroom tucking her shirt in her shorts and looked up just in time to avoid the mad bathroom seeker. "Whoa!" She exclaimed jumping out of Julie's way. "I see you ate your famous chili again!" Bly sarcastically commented.

Julie snarled at Bly clutching her churning stomach. "Bite me!" She exclaimed slamming the bathroom door behind her.

"No thanks, not in your current condition!" Bly answered laughing.

“Real funny ass face!” Julie shouted through the closed door.

"Is that any way to talk to your savior? I mean, I'm sure you didn't come all the way over here just to use my wonderful throne room. I know the decor is exquisite and the reading material in there is so much more enthralling than your Architecture Today magazine's, am I right?" Bly taunted her best friend through the door untucking her shirt slightly and straightening her shorts out.

"Bly, I'm begging you, please help me!" Julie pleaded and groaned in pain.

"Okay, that's all I needed to hear, you begging me!" Bly teasingly laughed and headed towards the hall closet to retrieve the medicine Julie so desired.

"Oh, you're such a saint!" Julie quipped sarcastically and rolled her eyes.

"Did I hear a bit of sarcasm in your tone of voice?" Bly tauntingly asked looking down at Ares who rubbed up against his mom's leg.

"No, nope, not from me!" Julie answered in a groan. "She's freaking loving this. Just wait, I'll get her tall ass back and with a vengeance she won’t soon forget!" Julie mumbled menacingly under her breath.

"I heard sarcasm in her voice didn't you Ares?" Bly teasingly asked her cat looking down at him and heard his meow in agreement as he stood up on his hind legs, rubbing his front paws on his mom's long, muscular leg. "That's what I thought. Sorry Jules, Ares heard the sarcasm too." Bly shouted through the door removing the IV from the package.

"Ares, I swear! Tell your mom you only heard begging out of my mouth and I promise you a bag full of catnip!" Julie shouted growing far more agitated by the minute at the incessant teasing and wiped the sweat from her brow as her stomach cramped.

"Ooh, a whole bag of catnip! You lucky cat you!" Bly teasingly laughed and pet her happy cat who meowed in delight. "Okay, Ares agrees that he didn't hear any sarcasm in your voice." Bly chuckled noticing her father approaching.

"I hear Julie's sick?" He asked with concern stopping in front of his daughter who held up the IV in front of her to give to him. "Ah-ha! She ate her famous chili again, huh?" He asked, noting the mischievous smile on his daughter's face as he took the IV from her.

"You think she'd learn Dad, she just can't cook chili, let alone eat the shit!" Bly answered laughing and turned when the door opened revealing the not very pleased Julie leaning against the doorframe. "Come on kiddo, let's make you feel better." Chance offered, throwing a comforting arm around Julie, leading her towards the couch.

"Finally, some compassion for the sick!" Julie sarcastically quipped, looking over her shoulder at Bly who snickered. "I can't believe your patients come back to you consistently. You're so damn mean!" Julie exclaimed, plopping her weak body down on the couch next to Linda who rubbed her back comfortingly.

"Hey! They love me!" Bly confidently answered with a sly grin.

"Yeah and I bet they would love to be beaten with a whip too, right?" Julie teased and winced when Dr. Van Dewark stuck the needle in her vein to start the IV.

"Why not? I certainly haven’t heard you complaining from the whip treatment I give you!" Bly teasingly laughed, finally eliciting a laugh out of her sick friend. "I knew I would eventually cheer you up!" Bly laughed, as did everyone else.

"Yeah, if that helps you get through the day, keep believing it, but it was the IV that made me feel better!" Julie stubbornly responded, refusing to give in to Bly's cockiness.

"Oh sweet cheeks! You know it was my glowing personality that won you over." Bly taunted and pinched Julie's cheeks that slapped her hand away.

"Don't you have a bridge to go jump off of or someone else to torture?" Julie asked with a chuckle.

Bly laughed and kissed her friend’s head. "We do have to leave, but I do hope you feel better honey!" She replied rubbing her back and headed towards Jordan for a goodbye kiss. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay, baby?” Bly asked staring deeply into Jordan’s green eyes and rested her hands on her lover’s shoulders.

Jordan patted Bly’s side. “No, I’ll be fine. Go ahead and have fun at the game, I’ll be okay, I promise.” Jordan reassured her worried lover.

“Alrighty then.” Bly reluctantly conceded and smiled, placing a feathery kiss on Jordan’s lips. “Call me if you need me.” Bly whispered, kissing Jordan again.

“Thanks.” Jordan answered with a grateful smile breaking the kiss. “Have fun.”

“I’m sure I will if the Fins win!” Bly answered with a chuckle and headed towards the elevator with her father falling in behind her.

“Thanks Doc! You’re the best!” Julie answered extremely grateful as she was already beginning to feel better.

“You’re welcome Jules and please take my advice about staying away from your chili!” He answered with a shared laugh from the group.

“I just forgot what happened the last time I ate it, Okay?” She answered with embarrassment at her oversight.

"I trust you can handle removing the IV?"

"Sure thing!" Julie replied confidently.

“I don’t know how she could have forgotten the last time she ate that crap. You think she’d learn!” Bly said in a low tone leaning closer to her father as they waited for the elevator to ascend to the lobby.

“Well, some people just love pain. Speaking of that, wait until she gets my bill.” He answered in a chuckle shared by his daughter just as the doors opened revealing his handsome son standing before them.

“Hi bro, bye bro.” Bly greeted her brother with a sarcastic laugh as he stepped off the elevator.

“Have fun at the game.” Dawson answered with a smile, kissing his sister on the cheek.

“Is everything okay?” Bly asked with concern looking into the blues that mirrored her own.

“It's nothing bad. We actually have a solid lead. I’m flying out tonight to check it all out." He answered reassuringly and winked as he moved past his sister. “See ya, dad.” He replied, patting his father on the back and watched as the elevator doors closed, noticing the look of relief on his sister’s face.

“Dawson! I thought I heard your voice.” Jordan called out rushing towards the elevator in a nervous tone followed by her equally nervous sister’s voice echoing through the penthouse, "Is that Dawson?"

"In the flesh." Dawson grinned and entered the room to find Julie lying on the couch with her head in Linda's lap. "What happened to her?"

"She ate chili." Jordan informed him, looking apologetically at Julie.

"Not a word out of you if you know what's good for you!" Julie threatened, sitting up and feeling stronger than she had when she arrived.

Dawson threw his hands up in the air and backed way. "Hey, don't shoot the piano player! I came with good news."

"What? Will someone tell me what is going on?" Linda sat on the edge of the couch, gripping the cushion next to her knees nervously. Dawson's phone call was vague and she had been working herself into a worried frenzy ever since. She was about ready to hurt somebody.

Dawson looked at Jordan who sat nervously perched on the arm of the couch next to her sister. "I'm sorry. I guess I didn't give Jordan very much information. I wanted to do this in person."

"Did you find our brother?" Jordan's voice was soft, but strong as she interrupted Dawson.

"I think so." Jordan looked down at Linda who reached up and grasped her hand tightly. Tears dotted both women's eyes as they turned their attention back to Dawson expectantly. "As you know our search revealed that there were three children that were adopted out, you two and one boy. I called in some favors and found out a name. He is three years older than Linda and two years older than you Jordan." Dawson paused and opened the file that he had brought with him. "He would have been five years old when the three of you were put up for adoption. The record shows that a naval officer and his wife adopted him. They had no other children and moved around a lot until the officer retired in Kauai, Hawaii. He was named after your father, Kevin, and the adoptive family name is Anderson." Dawson stopped when Jordan looked like she wanted to say something.

"Is he still there?"

"We believe so. I'm leaving tomorrow to find out personally." Dawson watched as the two women hugged each other in tearful joy. Julie looked up at Dawson fighting back her own tears and snickered when she saw him blinking rapidly.

"Damn! You tell my sister and I'll hurt you!" Dawson threatened Julie as he swiped the back of his hand across his face.

Julie shook her head wiping her own tears and replied, "No way, I don't have a leg to stand on!"

"Group hug!" Linda called out and pulled Julie into their circle as Jordan grabbed Dawson. The four of them huddled together, laughing and hugging until Dawson pulled back.

"I've got to get going if I'm to leave for Hawaii tomorrow. I've got some paperwork to complete before I leave. I'll call you as soon as I know anything, probably not until the day after tomorrow." Dawson placed the file in his briefcase and walked toward the elevator with the three women in tow.

"Thank you for everything." Linda hugged Dawson briefly and moved to stand within the circle of Julie's arm. Julie was surprised at how good she felt at that moment.

Jordan walked up to Dawson and looked up into familiar blue eyes and asked, "If you see him, will you tell him we are anxious to meet him?"

"You bet I will." Dawson hugged Jordan and quickly stepped into the elevator when the doors opened. "I almost forgot. Mother wanted you and Bly to stop by in the morning. She has some stuff she has to go over with you regarding Cindy." Jordan nodded and he pushed the down button, winking at his two sisters giving them the thumbs up sign.

"I don't know whether to be excited or not get my hopes up." Linda commented and looked at Jordan.

"I know. I can't believe we have a brother, let alone that we might possibly get to meet him soon."

"I guess we just have to wait until Dawson calls. Would you mind if I turn on the game?" Julie asked looking at the two women who stood at a loss next to the closed elevator doors.

Jordan shook her head smiling and replied, "No go ahead. Anybody hungry? I can make some snacks and we can watch the game."

"I am!" Linda exclaimed and followed Jordan into the kitchen. At the doorway, the two women paused and looked back at Julie.

Julie's face turned a shade paler. "Uh no thanks! Nothing for me."

Linda chuckled. "I didn't eat any chili."

"Smart girl!" Jordan chuckled, entering the kitchen. She wondered why she couldn't remember her birth parents and chalked it up to her age.

***

Bly left her father in the locker room before game time, heading out through the tunnel and into the large expanse of the stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins. She looked at the large stadium with the orange and teal seats staring back at her remembering all the wonderful games she had attended over the years there, having the opportunity to see many great players battle it out during games. Bly reflected on all the wonderful memories she had experienced, her small smile growing in intensity as she remembered the roar of the crowd when a great play was made. Bly looked around and could see the crowd cheering and feel all the excitement the fans felt during those games. It was close to the same feeling she had when she played in the Olympics and heard the crowd cheer for their team. All the excitement, the glory and the pride she felt representing her country were such an incredible feeling. It all came back to her at once and she swallowed the lump that formed in her throat from her disappointment that she would never have that same feeling again. ‘Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Bly. You had your chance to win a medal at the last Olympics. Some people never get an opportunity to participate in one Olympic competition much less two! You know you would have made the same choice, Jordan, over the Olympics given the same situation again.’ “In a heart beat.” She whispered looking up and snapped out of her revelry when she heard her name called. Bly turned around noticing the Dolphin players slowly trickling out onto the field and smiled when she saw who called out to her. “Hey! How’s it going?” She asked excitedly, seeing the handsome quarterback heading her way.

“Could be better, Ghost. How are you?” He asked with a smile and greeted her with a hug.

“I’m excellent. Thanks for asking.” Bly answered breaking the hug.

“Funny thing, I’ve checked the mail everyday and I still don’t see my volleyball team pass in there.” He teased with a mischievous grin, slipping his helmet on.

“Doesn’t look like you will, pal.” Bly chuckled to hide her disappointment.

“I heard what happened Bly. You did the right thing. Too bad the coach didn’t see it that way. I was hoping you’d be back on the team by now.” He answered sympathetically. “Catch for me?” He asked, gesturing towards the field.

“Don’t I always?” Bly asked with a chuckle as they headed onto the field. “I was hoping I would be back on the team too, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.” Bly answered regretfully looking at the tall quarterback.

“I have a feeling you’re going to be back on that team very soon Bly. We don’t stand a chance in hell without you there.” He answered sincerely, tossing the ball to the receiver at the other end.

“It would be nice, but the coach doesn’t want me back.” Bly answered sadly and tossed him the ball she had just caught.

“Your coach is an idiot then.” He answered chuckled, looking down at the slightly shorter woman.

“I could say the same about yours.” Bly slyly grinned and winked, referring to his head coach.

“No comment.” He answered with a laugh shared by Bly. “Let’s see what you got. Hit him.” He suggested tossing Bly the ball and motioning to his receiver to run a pattern so Bly could throw him the ball.

***

“Who’s Bly standing next to? Is that the quarterback?” Jordan asked, struggling to see past the reporter on TV who was broadcasting live from the stadium.

“She always plays catch with him before the games. Lucky bitch!” Julie answered with a chuckle envious of her friend.

“Hey!” Jordan snapped warningly, looking at Julie. “Don’t talk about my woman like that.” Jordan teased threateningly and pointed at her to emphasize her point.

“Or what?” Julie asked laughing.

“I’ll Tae Bo your sick ass!” Jordan teasingly guaranteed.

“Ooh, I’m scared!” Julie teased. “She better get me an autographed ball from him.” Julie replied looking back at the TV.

“No more damn footballs in our house, Julie! You’ve got so many now that we could open up a friggin sporting goods store with them.” Linda warned, sitting next to Julie on the couch and handed her a vanilla milkshake.

“Our house?” Julie asked with a surprised grin looking at Linda, accepting her milkshake.

“Yes, our house. I’m accepting your offer to move in with you.” Linda answered smiling, excited at the thought of moving in with the love of her life.

“Excellent news, baby!” Julie excitedly answered and kissed Linda. “One more ball, please?” Julie pleaded through her kiss.

Linda leaned back. “It’s going in your office and not in the house.” Linda answered adamantly.

“Yes, dear.” Julie conceded in a mocking tone.

“That’s great; you’re moving in together! I’m so happy for you both.” Jordan exclaimed happily and sat next to her sister on the couch, looking back to the TV and popping a bagel bite into her mouth. “Aah!” Jordan exclaimed attempting to control the large bagel bite in her mouth before she said anything more.

“What? Hot?” Linda inquired looking at her sister.

Jordan finished chewing and swallowed before responding, “No, Bly better not lick her fingers after touching that nasty, dirty ball or she’ll have to disinfect her mouth before she kisses me!” Jordan exclaimed, disgusted at what Bly was about to do, scratch that, and just did!

“EWWWW!” Jordan and Linda exclaimed simultaneously and heard Julie laugh. Julie looked up to see the two women staring at her none too pleased at that.

“What? I didn’t lick my fingers!” Julie protested defensively.

“Why in the hell do you do that?” Jordan asked with a curled up lip at the disgusting display.

“It helps you grip the ball better.” Julie answered simply, shaking her head in disbelief at how non-athletic the two women are. The one’s that two of the most athletic people in the world were in love with.

“Nice throw! I taught you well!” The quarterback boasted proudly, turning to Bly.

“What can I say? I was taught by the best.” She answered with an enamored smile.

“Oh, time to stretch.” He observed as they jogged over to join the rest of the team.

Julie clicked to a different local TV station, which just began its sports coverage. The trio watched the TV intently and was glad the cameras kept panning towards the quarterback and for the fact that they got to see Bly who was helping him with his stretching exercises.

“What are the two of them staring at so intently with mischievous smiles on their faces?” Jordan asked curiously.

“Probably the scantily clad cheerleaders.” Julie answered with a laugh, which neither Jordan nor Linda thought was funny.

“I’ll kill her!” Jordan angrily warned, jealous at the thought of Bly checking out the cheerleaders.

“Oh, come on! You’re not serious are you, Jordan?” Julie asked, surprised by Jordan’s reaction.

“It’s disrespectful to do that, Julie.” Jordan commented, growing angrier by Julie’s callousness about the situation.

“You don’t even know what they are looking at and you shouldn’t get so jealous, Jordan.”

“Why not?” Jordan snapped, looking at Julie angrily.

“Because she loves you, wakes up and goes to sleep with you in her arms every day the sun rises.” Julie answered, her own anger welling in the pit of her stomach knowing how much Bly loved and adored Jordan.

“That’s true, but she doesn’t need to be checking other babes out.” Jordan conceded realizing she was being pretty silly about the whole situation.

“Looking doesn’t hurt anything.” Julie answered matter-of-factly.

“Oh, really?” Linda asked angrily and glared at her Italian lover.

“You two have got to be kidding me. You mean to tell me that you see a nice looking woman walking down the street and you don’t check her out?” Julie asked in disbelief. Jordan and Linda sat in momentary silence staring at Julie then glanced at one another before looking back to Julie. They were busted; no doubt about it and Julie knew it by the sheepish grins on their faces that they were unable to conceal. “Calling the kettle black aren’t we, ladies?” Julie asked sarcastically and laughed.

“Okay, we check them out but, it’s because I think to myself that they have nothing on my sweetie!” Jordan answered with an embarrassed chuckle.

“And how do you know that’s not what Bly’s doing?” Julie asked skeptically, her eyebrow arched questioningly.

“Well, let’s just see what she’s doing.” Jordan answered sarcastically, picking up the phone and realized there was no dial tone. “Oh, damn! I forgot to put the other phone back on the hook when Dawson left.” Jordan exclaimed, padding through the living room to the kitchen to place the phone back on the hook. She dialed Bly’s cell phone number into the cordless phone as she headed back to the couch and waited for it to ring. Jordan sat down and heard Bly’s phone ring in the bedroom. They all looked at each other and laughed as Jordan clicked off the phone. “Well, there goes that idea.” She snickered defeated.

“You shouldn’t be so jealous Jordan.”

“I know, I just want her to only have eyes for me.” Jordan answered, guilty of her thoughts.

“She does, but there’s nothing wrong with appreciating the beauty of another woman. As long as you don’t touch.” Julie reiterated, holding her finger up emphasizing her point.

“Now that would not fly with me!” Linda warned.

“My hands are only for you, baby.” Julie teased, wrapping her arms around Linda, kissing her cheek and neck as Julie giggled.

“Get a room, you two!” Jordan teased and pushed them over on the couch, all of them laughing harder.

***

Bly stood next to her father on the sidelines watching the game as Monica Rivera; the on-field game reporter approached her. “Hi Bly, Monica Rivera from the sports channel. Mind if I ask you a few questions on camera?” She asked eagerly sidling up to the taller woman.

Bly looked at her father surprised and shrugged her shoulders. “I guess so, sure.” She agreed skeptically, wondering why they’d want to interview her.

The cameraman turned his camera on and the reporter began. “Hey, Howard!” Monica greeted smiling into the camera, referring to the sports announcer in the booth who turned over the telecast for her field report between the break in action. “I found former Olympic USA volleyball team member and current team alternate Bly Van Dewark along the sidelines here.” She commented with a smile and looked at Bly who smiled uncomfortably as Monica turned back to the camera. “Bly we just reported on our sister station, that the coach for the women’s volleyball team was fired.” She informed Bly and looked at the stunned beauty.

“Holy shit! Bly’s is being interviewed!” Jordan exclaimed excitedly, rushing over to pick up the phone that was ringing. “Hello! Uhmmm, no she’s at the football game. Can I take a message? Oh, aah yes!” Jordan stammered anxiously, snapping her fingers to get Linda’s attention and motioned she needed a pen when Linda looked at her. Linda scrambled off the couch and grabbed a pen off the coffee table and delivered it to Jordan. “Okay, go ahead. Uh-huh, okay. I will. She’ll be thrilled and I’ll have her call you right away! Thank you. Bye!” Jordan replied excitedly clicking the phone off and screamed.

“What?” Linda and Julie asked worriedly waiting for Jordan’s answer.

“Bly we also reported your former Olympic coach Jean Williams was hired and she stated her top priority was to reinstate you to the team. Any comment?” The exuberant woman asked, putting the microphone in Bly’s surprised face.

Bly was flabbergasted and completely caught of guard. She was very excited and hoped it was true. “Well, Monica it seems your station has scooped me. I haven’t heard a thing regarding my reinstatement as a permanent member of the team yet, but it would be a fabulous opportunity to represent my country at the Olympic games once again.” Bly casually answered, trying extremely hard to contain her excitement and nervousness. She was ready to lose her composure she was so ecstatic with the news.

“She doesn’t know!” Jordan shouted as the trio scrambled in front of the TV watching the interview.

“Jordan, what’s going on?” Linda asked confused and looked at her excited sister.

“That was the new volleyball coach and she wants Bly to call her right away. She wants her back on the team.” Jordan answered enthusiastically as everyone shouted in excitement for Bly.

“The team certainly needs you and we look forward to seeing the ‘Ghost’ roam the volleyball court once again.” Monica answered smiling.

“Thanks Monica, it would be wonderful to be back out there.” Bly answered smiling her heart racing faster seriously wanting to conclude the interview so she could call and find out just what was going on.

“Tell us, what should the Dolphins do to win this ballgame?” The attractive reporter asked, putting the microphone back to Bly and smiled waiting for her answer.

“Let the quarterback send the rock flying and torch the Jets!” Bly answered, with a laugh shared by Monica who turned to the camera concluding her report.

“There you have it, Howard, the key to the Dolphins winning this ballgame from the reinstated Olympic volleyball team member Bly Van Dewark. Back to you.” Monica exuberantly replied and waited for the camera to turn off. “Bly, you really knew nothing about this?” The reporter asked surprised and turned to Bly once the cameras were turned off.

“I knew nothing, Monica, but thanks for letting me know.” Bly answered with a smile and headed over to her father.

“Call me baby! Call me!” Jordan pleaded nervously fidgeting and watching the TV hoping Bly would call her so she could tell her the news.

“Congratulations, sweetheart.” Chance excitedly exclaimed and hugged his flabbergasted daughter.

“I won’t believe it until I hear it from Coach Williams. Let me use your phone, please. I must have left mine at home.” She asked breaking the hug and accepted the offered phone after she noticed hers wasn’t attached to her belt.

Bly punched in the numbers to her home and barely heard a half ring before the excited voice over the phone answered. “Bly! Your coach called and wants you to call her! You’re back on the team!” Jordan shouted excitedly into the phone, causing Bly to hold the phone away from her ear.

“Thanks, can I have the phone number?” Bly asked with a laugh from Jordan’s enthusiasm, putting the phone back to her ear.

“Oh, yeah here.” Jordan stammered nervously, rattling off the phone number as Bly wrote it down on a piece of paper she grabbed from her father.

“Thanks babe. I’ll give her a call.” Bly answered her heart pounding in her chest that her dream of being back on the team as a permanent member was becoming a reality.

“Call me right afterwards okay?”

“I will.” Bly answered chuckling at Jordan’s excitement.

“I love you and congratulations honey!” Jordan shouted excitedly, her heart racing from her happiness for Bly.

“I love you to. Bye.” Bly answered smiling and clicked the phone off. “Dad, I’m going somewhere quiet to call.” Bly informed him and headed towards the locker rooms. She inhaled and exhaled deeply trying to calm her excitement and her heart that pounded incessantly in her chest, picking up the pace on her gait. Bly entered the tunnel and ran to her father’s office when the phone rang. “Hello?” She asked clicking the phone on and putting it to her ear, opening the door to the office.

“Bly?” Alexandra asked, her voice filled with surprise that her daughter answered her husband’s phone. “Is it true? Are you back on the team?” She asked eagerly.

“I think so, but I won’t know for sure until I speak with Coach Williams.” Bly answered.

“Well, let me know what you find out! I can’t believe it. This is wonderful news, honey!” She shouted in the phone enthusiastically with Bly once again holding the phone away from her ear.

“I will, Mom, and it is great news.” Bly answered putting the phone back to her ear to continue the conversation.

“You looked great on TV honey. Maybe you should consider a job in TV. What do you think?”

“Mom.” Bly responded dryly and rolled her eyes. “I’ve got to go.” She answered, growing more impatient with her mother’s line of questioning.

“Oh, yes, okay, call me! Good luck! Bye!” Alexandra stammered excitedly.

“Thanks, byyyyeeee.” Bly drawled sarcastically, clicking the phone off. “Mother’s, you just gotta love'em!” Bly teasingly told herself as she dialed her coach’s number. Bly finished her conversation with her coach and yes; indeed her dream of being back on the team was now a reality. She smiled happily and rested her forehead in her hands, relieved that she was back on the team. “I have to call Jordan.” Bly told herself, wanting to share her exciting news with the woman she loved. Bly phoned Jordan who quickly answered the phone and Bly wondered if the phone actually rang.

“Bly?!” Jordan asked excitedly into the phone.

“Yes, babe, it’s me.” Bly answered feeling as if she was the most important person in the world by Jordan’s excitement.

“Well?” She asked worriedly.

“I’ll tell you what happened when I get home.” Bly teased.

“BLY!” Jordan shouted, disappointed.

“Yes, I’m back on the team!” Bly answered finally able to let her excitement out.

“That’s awesome honey! I’m so happy for you and I’m so proud of you. Tell me what the coach said and what you have to do now.” Jordan eagerly inquired.

“Thanks Jordan, that means a lot to me that you feel that way. I um, well, never mind. I’ll talk to you when I get home.” Bly bashfully answered, too nervous to tell Jordan what she wanted to.

“Okay, when are you coming home then?” Jordan asked bewildered by Bly’s coyness.

“I’m on my way.” Her silky voice informed Jordan.

“I’ll be waiting then. Bye.” Jordan answered her demeanor changing from excitement to being subdued, wondering what was up with Bly.

“Uh, Jordan?” Bly asked sheepishly, feeling guilty about how she was being so evasive, but she wanted to tell Jordan how she felt in person.

“Yeah.” Jordan answered softly.

“I really appreciate you being there for me, thanks.” She answered sincerely.

Jordan smiled and realized Bly’s evasiveness was from her shyness or bashfulness about letting her feelings be known, even to her. “I’m always here for you, my love. Hurry home. I can’t wait to see you and wrap my arms around you.” Jordan answered smiling and fondly thinking of how wonderful Bly feels in her arms.

Bly grinned bashfully and replied, “I’m on my way, sweets.” Bly smiled happy and ecstatic at the thought that she had such a wonderful, loving, caring and supportive woman such as Jordan in her life. She felt a catch in her throat when she thought about how lucky she was to have Jordan in her life and inhaled deeply.

Bly informed her father what her coach said and that she was heading home to tell Jordan. He told her to take his car, as he had to wait until the end of the game before leaving and that he’d have her mom pick him up. Bly thanked him and headed towards the stadium exit at a brisk pace before jogging towards the car, eager to get home. She wanted to share her happiness with the woman that means so much to her.

***

It seemed like it took her forever, but she finally reached her penthouse and rushed to the elevator. She tapped her foot impatiently waiting for the elevator to reach her penthouse and sighed when it finally did, seeing the most beautiful woman in the world standing before her when the doors opened. Jordan took her breath away when she caught sight of her smiling face standing before her. Her heart pounded in her chest from her excitement and engulfed Jordan in a hug. “I’m so happy for you, Bly.” Jordan softly professed holding her taller lover tightly and kissed her cheek.

Bly loved the feeling of Jordan in her arms. It was complete bliss. ‘There is nothing else like it in the world.’ She thought, leaning back to catch a glimpse at the incredibly loving face before her. “Jordan, I wanted to tell you before on the phone, aah...well, I didn’t want to say this on the phone but in person.” Bly stammered nervously, trying to find the right words to say what she felt for Jordan. Bly stared into the beautiful green eyes before her and lightly stroked the back of her hand down Jordan’s cheek seeing everything that she loved about Jordan. “I just wanted you to know how much I love you and appreciate you always being there for me. It means a lot to me that you’re happy and proud of me, Jordan.” Bly sincerely admitted, slowly leaning in and pressing her lips against Jordan’s for a tender, delicate kiss.

“I love you so much, Bly.” Jordan whispered and deepened the kiss.

Bly broke the kiss breathless, locking happy blues with caring greens. “Interested in joining me in California for a volleyball tournament and then I’ll take you to Hawaii for a few days afterwards before I have to head off to the next tournament?” Bly asked with a mischievous grin and wiggled her eyebrows placing a soft, fleeting kiss on the inviting lips before her.

Jordan was stunned and a million thoughts ran through her head in a few seconds. “Well, yes of course! Oh, wait! How can I arrange that with work?” Jordan asked bewildered and torn wanting to go with Bly, and didn’t want to shirk her obligations with work.

“We’ll work it out baby.” Bly answered seductively capturing Jordan’s lips for a soul-searing kiss picking her up in her arms and carrying her towards their bedroom.

Jordan broke the kiss breathless and smiled when Bly kicked the door to their bedroom open. “Chivalry is not dead!” Jordan laughed and kissed Bly again. “Bly? Were you checking out the cheerleaders at the game?”

Bly looked at Jordan surprised by her question. “Jordan, what are you talking about?” Bly asked confused.

“When you were on the field, you both were checking something out and Julie said it was probably the cheerleaders. Is that who you were looking at?” Jordan sheepishly asked, hoping Bly wouldn’t be mad by her questions.

Bly chuckled. “No, we were watching two Jet fans getting the snot beat out of them by two other Dolphin fans before the game even started!” Bly answered with a laugh remembering the incident. Jordan felt guilty that she thought Bly was checking the cheerleaders out but, more embarrassed by the fact that Julie was right and she shouldn’t have been so quick to judge Bly. “Were you jealous?” Bly asked flashing a mischievous grin.

“Well yeah, a little.” Jordan answered with an embarrassed laugh. “Okay, a lot!” Jordan conceded and chuckled.

“Ooh, my sexy little vixen is jealous. That is such a major turn on, but you know I only have eyes for you my love.” Bly sensually answered, laying Jordan back on the bed and lay down next to her, content with the feel of having the blonde in her arms.

Jordan laughed wrapping her arms around Bly’s neck and pulled her over for a passionate kiss. “You better have eyes only for me.” Jordan whispered through her kiss and deepened it, hearing Bly’s low toned laugh.

***

In the morning, Jordan and Bly sat in Bly's mother's office waiting for Alexandra. Hurrying through the door she appeared and kissed both her daughters before sitting down behind her desk. "So, what's the news mother?" Bly asked abruptly. She knew how nervous Jordan had been all night. Between the news about her brother and now what would happen with the case against Cindy had worn heavily on the blonde's mind, and disrupted her sleep the night before. None of Bly's words of comfort or even backrubs would help relax the young woman. Today, they both looked tired and strained.

"Hold on to your horses!" Alexandra wrote a few things down and then opened the file in front of her and looked at Jordan. "Well, I think we have come to the best possible resolution. Hear me out first before you say anything, especially you. Okay?" Alexandra warned, looking at Bly and then waited until both women nodded their head in agreement. Bly was a little reluctant, but a squeeze from Jordan's hand in hers made her decision.

"Okay, we both know that Cindy still has an outstanding conviction against her in Colorado. The authorities have decided to tack on another five years to her sentence for unlawful flight. So, all in all, she has fifteen years to serve and with her record, the possibility of parole is very slim at least for twelve years. Now, the problem comes that we still have a case against her and if we go to trial, no matter what the outcome, Colorado won't be able to enforce the added five year sentence."

"So what are you saying?" Bly asked slightly confused.

"Okay, let me back up. If Cindy is tried here and convicted she will probably get five to seven, more like the five and her time served here will count toward her sentence in Colorado. If she wins, she goes back to Colorado and serves maybe ten of her fifteen years."

"That doesn't make any sense!" Bly stood up agitated and ran a hand threw her hair. "Either way she seems to win."

"I know it looks that way. This is why I propose that we drop the charges here...."

"No Way!!" Bly burst out loudly. "The bitch is going to pay for what she did to Jordan," she demanded angrily.

"Bly! Sit down and listen to me. Now!" The tone of Alexandra's voice brought an instant quiet to the tall woman and she sat down soundly and crossed her arms. Jordan reached over and could feel the tension in her lover's body.

"What do you suggest?” Jordan asked Alexandra softly trying to calm the mood in the office.

"If we try her here, the most she will ever serve is five years. I have to admit our case is pretty circumstantial. We have no eyewitnesses to the accident. If we drop our case and let her go back to Colorado, we are guaranteed that she will serve at least twelve of the fifteen years against her. But, the call is up to you Jordan. Neither I nor Bly can make this decision." Alexandra finished and looked at Bly to make her point. Bly sighed and unfolded her arms, standing up. She realized that her anger and her fears were not helping Jordan at this moment. Jordan had to make the decision because ultimately, she would be the one who has to live with the outcome.

Jordan stood up and went to the window and looked out over the sunny South Florida morning. She leaned her forehead against the sun-warmed glass and closed her eyes. 'Maybe this nightmare will never be over'. She felt familiar arms encircle her waist and she leaned her head back against the strong shoulder that she had come to cherish and rely on.

"It will be okay. We will do whatever you want." Bly's soft soothing voice calmed her and gave her a sense of peace that nothing in her life ever had. She wanted to stay right here and ignore everything else. But, she knew that she had to tackle this problem and she had to live with her decision. "Bly, I think I need Cindy to be as far away from us as possible."

Bly's heart was in her throat at the pain she saw in Jordan's eyes. She wanted Cindy to pay for so much, but she knew she would have to let her go for Jordan's sake. "Okay, what do you want to do?"

"I think we should listen to your mother and drop the charges. At least we can be assured that she will be in Colorado for the next twelve years. Maybe by then, she will have forgotten me. At least she won't have anything further to hold against me." Jordan knew it sounded like a cop-out, but she also knew that it would be the only way they could have a normal life without something always hanging over them. She just wanted to be free. She wanted to meet her brother and enjoy the family that she never knew. She wanted to spend her life with the woman in front of her and be able to give her everything that was inside of her and never hold anything back in fear ever again.

"Okay, then that is what we will do." Bly pulled Jordan into her arms and looked over the blonde's head at her mother and nodded. Alexandra nodded in understanding and picked up the telephone.

Jordan drove Bly to the airport and returned to the office with a heavy heart. She was going to miss her love and wished that she could have joined her. But, she didn't want to disappoint Alexandra or have her regret giving her the job. Her decision to stay behind quickly became a wise choice when she entered her office to find her voice mail full and her phone ringing incessantly.

"Hello, Jordan Milano speaking."

Jordan listened as the voice on the other end relayed the latest set back to her network arrangements. The office in Hawaii was having difficulty installing the latest hardware that would link them directly to the WAN. This Wide Area Network would link the various offices together through a relay of bus terminals. That was the theory, but it didn't seem to be the fact at the moment. Jordan tried to explain what they needed done, but she knew the technician wasn't getting the whole picture. Hanging up exasperated, she put her head down in her hands for a moment to compose herself and think. Looking up she found Alexandra standing in her doorway.

"Tough day or are you just missing Bly?" Alexandra smiled and sauntered across the room to sit in front of Jordan's desk.

"Both! It started out bad when I had to drop Bly off at the airport and watch her fly away. Then I come back here to a pile of urgent messages. The day just keeps getting better and better!" Jordan smiled wryly and began to explain her plight with the Hawaii offices.

"Sounds like you need to be down there to supervise this installation." Alexandra thought for a moment before continuing. "I suggest you take a few days and go with us to California for the Tournament and then you and Bly head over to Hawaii for a few days to make sure this mess gets resolved. While you are there, I think the two of you can sneak in some rest and relaxation." Alexandra winked and stood up in front of the desk.

"If you think that's best." Jordan casually responded, trying hard not to smile too broadly and hoped Alexandra wouldn’t notice her heart beating out of her chest from her excitement.

"I think it's just the ticket!" Alexandra waved as Jordan picked up the phone and made her reservations. Alexandra waited until Jordan finished making the reservations and smiled when Jordan hung up the phone. “Feel better?”

“Of course, I’ll get to see Bly very soon!” Jordan grinned, happily.

“Well, I’ve got some good news for you. I received word on Cindy, with all things considered and time served, she will be locked away for the next twelve years, no parole. You will also be receiving a very healthy settlement from the insurance company.” She smiled enthusiastically, seeing the blonde’s face light up when she mentioned Cindy would be locked up for quite some time.

“Oh, that’s fantastic! I can finally be free of that horrible woman. Maybe she’ll finally get over me while she sits in that hell hole.” Jordan sighed relieved and felt a weight lift from her shoulders. “The insurance settlement is great news too.” Jordan added grinning.

“I thought you would be pleased on both accounts. I’ll let you get back to work.” Alexandra winked smiling and headed out the door.

Jordan leaned back in her chair and sighed happily. She stared out the window at the bright sunny day and thought about the turn of events that have made her life so happy. She smiled and sat upright, ‘I need to get moving on all this work.’ She thought and busied herself with paperwork.

***

Alexandra walked back to her office with a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She closed her door and quickly crossed the room to her desk. Picking up the phone she dialed and waited for the line to go through. A warm velvety voice answered the ring. "Hi honey, Hawaii is all taken care of."

"Do you think she is suspicious?" Bly asked her mother worried that Jordan would catch on to her little ruse.

"No, she thinks she is going to supervise installations in the Hawaii office. Actually they will already be complete by the time you get there." There was no hiding the glee in Alexandra's voice. She had pulled off the perfect plan.

"You are too devious for your own good, mother!" Bly chuckled at her mother's good spirits.

"Yes, I am." Alexandra proudly chuckled, continuing. "Oh, by the way, I have some more good news. I already relayed this to Jordan, but Cindy will get twelve years with no parole and Jordan will receive a hefty settlement from the insurance company.

"That's good to hear. Now, maybe Jordan can relax and stop looking over her shoulder all the time." Bly was certainly relieved that Cindy would no longer be a threat. She had hoped for a longer sentence, but what she received was acceptable. She hoped by the end of her sentence, Cindy will have put Jordan behind her and get on with her life. "Then everything is set and I'll see you in California?"

"Count on it, Bly. Your father and I wouldn't miss this for the world. Have you heard from Dawson?" Alexandra queried.

"Don't worry, he has something special planned." Bly dryly confirmed with a sneaky grin.

***

Jordan threw herself into the work of packing and preparing for her trip to California and Hawaii. She was so excited she could barely contain herself. It seemed as if time had slowed to a stand still. Immersing herself in work did nothing to pass the time any faster. It certainly didn’t help that a tall raven-haired, blue-eyed beauty was almost constantly on her mind. Even in her sleep she dreamt of the woman who had so totally captured her heart. Jordan couldn’t wait to see Bly; she just missed her so darn much. It was as if she was completely lost, just wandering through the days aimlessly alone. Jordan sat back in her chair and sighed, disappointed that Bly was so far away from her. She closed her eyes and saw the image of her tall lover with her gorgeous smile.

Her stomach flip-flopped excitedly when her mental image of Bly came into focus, the one of Bly standing naked and slowly moving towards her with lust filled blue eyes. Jordan swallowed the lump that formed in her throat at the vision of the cocky stride and seductive smile of her lover. Jordan’s body temperature intensified along with the wetness between her legs and she wanted nothing more than to reach down to satisfy the ache she felt. But she was at work. ‘Work! Shit!’ She nervously thought, breaking away from her revelry and sitting up straight in her chair. ‘What in the hell are you doing?’ She asked herself flustered and brushed back the errant wisp of hair that tickled her face. She took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself, checked the room over to make sure no one was watching what she was doing and proceeded to attend to the paperwork on her desk.

“Miss Milano.” The chipper voice interrupted.

“Yes!” Jordan answered loudly and jumped when she heard the voice.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be leaving for the day. Do you need me to do anything else before I leave?” Jordan’s enthusiastic secretary asked.

“Oh, aah, yes. I mean no!” Jordan stammered nervously, wondering if her thoughts of Bly were plastered all over her face.

“Are you okay?” The woman asked with concern for her boss as she approached Jordan’s desk.

“Yes, Wendy. I’m fine, thanks.” Jordan answered trying to assure her worried secretary. It didn’t seem to be working considering the look of disbelief she was giving Jordan. “Really, I’m okay. I was just startled by your entrance and now my heart is racing, but I’m fine.” Jordan answered smiling and patting her chest to calm the rapid beat.

“I’m really sorry Miss Milano. I didn’t mean to scare you. I hope you’re okay.” She apologetically replied.

“Don’t worry. I assure you, I’m fine.” Jordan smiled reassuringly and motioned for her secretary to go home. “Go on, get out of here and get home to your kids. Have a good night.”

“Okay, are you sure?” She asked, turning back one last time to check on her boss.

“I’m sure. Now, go!” Jordan laughed and waved goodbye to her.

“Alright, well have a good night and I’ll see you in the morning.” She answered with a smile moving towards the door.

“You too. Oh, I won’t be in tomorrow. I’m leaving in the morning!”

“Oh yeah, silly me. Your departure date came upon me quickly. Call me if you need me for anything while you’re gone and have a great time!” She exuberantly answered.

“I will and thank you.” Jordan smiled and shut her computer down as her secretary exited the office. Jordan gathered all the pertinent paperwork she would need for the trip and placed them into her attaché case before exiting her office.

She entered the darkened penthouse and was quickly greeted by Ares meowing in delight. “Hey cutie pie! Did you miss me?” Jordan asked enthusiastically and much to his pleasure, started stroking his silky fur. “I bet you’re hungry aren’t you?” She sweetly asked gathering him up in her arms for a hug and walked towards the kitchen.

Jordan smiled happily when Ares rubbed his face against hers letting her know just how much he enjoyed her presence. Or was it just that he knew he was about to be fed and was extremely happy about that? Jordan hoped it was that he was happy to see her. She kissed his head and put him down on the kitchen floor and poured some food into his dish. She watched him begin to devour his meal and smiled with a chuckle before making herself something to eat. She settled on a slice of leftover pizza, grabbed a glass of wine and headed out onto the balcony to enjoy the shadows darkening the turbulent Atlantic Ocean. She smiled allowing the cool ocean to breeze kiss her face as she sat down to enjoy her dinner. Checking her watch, she noted it was too early to call Bly. Jordan knew that she would be right in the middle of a volleyball match. ‘I don’t think her coach or teammates would be pleased if I called her right about now.’ Jordan thought and laughed before sinking her teeth into the slice of pizza. ‘I hope she does well in the match today.’ Jordan’s brow creased in worry as she sipped her wine, knowing how much this meant to Bly. She knew her lover was nervous and wanted to play well to show the new coach that she hadn’t made a mistake in reinstating Bly back on the team.

Jordan followed Bly’s progress through the updates on the sports channels and had a feeling the coach wasn’t disappointed. Her lover was an animal out on the court; she was almost single handedly winning the games herself. Jordan could see the intensity and joy in Bly’s face during the matches. Jordan watched every game she could via satellite and through the news updates. Bly looked so happy playing a game that she absolutely loved and for her country no less. Jordan felt a catch in her heart and swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. She was full of such pride and happiness for Bly. It was exciting having her girlfriend represent the United States National team in preparation for the Olympics in Australia. ‘Wow, that is so incredible!’ Jordan thought in disbelief, the magnitude of everything finally hitting her. ‘That is so unbelievable, she’s a star athlete and she’s all mine!’ Jordan thought happily and ran her fingers through her hair finishing off her glass of wine. She snapped out of her dreamy thoughts from the sound of the phone ringing. “Bly!” Jordan shouted out loud and ran to answer the phone. “Hello!” She excitedly answered bringing the phone to her ear.

“Hey, Jordan! It’s Kim.” The woman enthusiastically greeted.

“Oh, hi Kim.” Jordan replied, disappointed that it wasn’t Bly calling her.

“I just wanted to double check on the instructions for taking care of Ares.”

“Oh, okay. I told the front office that you would be taking care of him and that we have given you a key to the penthouse so there shouldn’t be any problems with you getting into the building. I have written everything down on a piece of paper regarding his feeding instructions, along with the veterinarian’s number in case he gets sick or injured and I’ll leave it on the counter for you. He shouldn’t give you any problems and if you want to you’re more than welcome to stay here at the penthouse.” Jordan offered appreciatively.

“Oh, thanks. I just might do that over the weekend. I don’t think he’ll be a problem. I’m sure he’s a wonderful cat. Have a great trip and tell Bly good luck from everyone at work.” Kim answered enthusiastically.

“I sure will and we really appreciate you watching Ares for us while we’re gone. Call us if there are any problems and thanks again.”

“You’re welcome. Have a great time! Bye!”

“Bye!” Jordan answered and clicked off the phone. She looked down at the curious cat looking up to her. “Ares, she certainly is mistaken about you!” Jordan stated with a laugh petting the confused cat. “She has no idea as to what mischief you can get into that’s for sure. You just make sure you behave for her while Mommy and I are gone, okay?” She sweetly asked, cuddling him to her chest. She kissed his head with a laugh after hearing his low purr as he brushed his face against hers. She padded into the bedroom to make certain she was ready for the trip. Jordan checked her list noting everything seemed in order. All that was left was one final call to the limo service to double check on her ride to the airport. Linda, Julie and Bly’s family had left earlier that day so they wouldn’t be able to give Jordan a ride to the airport. Confirming that her ride would be waiting for her, she changed into some comfortable clothes for bed and clicked on the TV to watch the popular trivia show where contestants won large cash prizes.

Jordan settled herself comfortably in the middle of the large bed and began to answer the questions before the contestants. ‘I should be on this show. I’ve answered all the questions correctly. Damn, that was an easy question! How could they miss it?’ She inwardly asked, irritated by how simplistic the question had been. She sighed; frustrated from the loneliness and boredom she felt and picked up some of the brochures she obtained for San Francisco. She wanted to check out some of the sights that she and Bly might visit while they were there.

Jordan heard the tune faintly and recognized it, but couldn’t quite place it until she could hear the words louder. “Born to be wild!” The song played out. ‘Why do I have that tune in my head?’ She asked, struggling to open her eyes. She finally did, realizing she had fallen asleep. The alarm clock set to play music was blaring; alerting her that it was time to get up. She sat up with a start and shut off the alarm. Inhaling deeply she tried to settle her pounding heart. Being startled awake was not a good early morning coronary exercise. ‘Great! Now I’ll have that tune in my head all day!’ Jordan thought flustered, and tried to push the tune out of her subconscious.

Jordan stretched and climbed out of bed heading towards the bathroom. ‘Why didn’t Bly call me last night?’ She wondered worriedly and changed directions to check the answering machine, noting there were no messages. ‘Hmmm, that’s weird.’ Jordan thought and grabbed her cell phone seeing there was a voice message for her. She listened to the message and heard Bly’s silky voice on the other end say that she tried to call the house line, but the phone was busy. She informed Jordan she would be busy with practice all morning, but would not miss picking her up at the airport. She wondered why the phone was busy. She knew she hadn’t made any calls the previous night and set off to investigate. She found that the phone had been knocked off the base, more than likely, by a very mischievous cat. Jordan scolded Ares and reminded him that he was not to climb up on his favorite piece of furniture. Why he was so in love with the phone stand in the kitchen was beyond her. She knew he wouldn’t listen as he has been told many times before to stay off of it, but she tried anyway. Hoping maybe one day it would sink into his hard little head. ‘I see who you got your stubborn streak from, your mother.’ Jordan chuckled, lovingly referring to her equally hardheaded lover.

Jordan smiled, happily padding back through the living room to the bedroom knowing she was going to see Bly later that day. It almost made the impending long plane ride seem bearable. She quickly showered, gathered her bags, fed Ares and secured the penthouse before heading towards the elevator, with a very displeased cat in tow. “Now, you behave for Kim, do you hear me mister?” Jordan adamantly told the sadly staring cat. “I’m going to miss you, but we’ll be home soon. Be a good boy.” Jordan stated hugging and kissing the cat before climbing onto the elevator.

Jordan exited the building just as the limo approached. She watched as the dark sedan stopped in front of her and moved towards the trunk of the car. “I’ll get that, ma’am.” The driver informed her, hurrying towards the trunk to load her bags.

“Oh, thank you.” Jordan smiled appreciatively and climbed into the car, still not used to having someone load her own bags for her.

***

Jordan’s flight was uneventful until they made their preparations for the final landing. She could feel the butterflies taking flight. Hell, they were doing swan dives in her stomach. She was nervous, yet excited to see Bly. They hadn’t seen each other in a week and how she had missed that woman! She couldn’t wait to wrap her arms around her gorgeous lover and feel her own lips pressed against Bly’s, to feel complete again. Jordan hurried down the gangway, glad that she had decided to fly first class. She quickly scanned the crowd for her lover when she entered the terminal. Her smile broadened when she saw Bly standing with a bouquet of white roses anxiously awaiting her arrival.

Bly hurried over to Jordan. “Hey, stranger.” She purred teasingly and engulfed her in a warm embrace, lifting the shorter woman off the ground.

Jordan wrapped her arms tightly around Bly’s neck and kissed her cheek. “I missed you so much, Bly.” She responded softly and contented to be in the arms of the woman that loved her so much.

“Jordan, I was so lost without you, baby.” Bly answered and smiled when Jordan’s green eyes met hers. She captured Jordan’s lips and placed a soulful kiss upon them. They broke the kiss breathless and looked at one another before hugging one another again.

Bly put Jordan back down and held out the roses for her. “I thought you would like these.” She informed Jordan with a sexy little smile.

“You thought right, my love.” Jordan answered with an appreciative smile and a wink, bringing the roses to her face to smell the wondrous scent they exuded. “Thanks honey. I love them, they’re my favorite.” Jordan smiled and slipped her hand into Bly’s larger one as she walked towards the baggage claim with her taller lover. She felt a nervous tickle in her stomach and a catch in her heart remembering the first time Bly gave her a white rose. One she still kept pressed in a photo album of theirs. Jordan inhaled deeply and sighed. ‘Aah, she’s so romantic.’ She gushed looking up at her beautiful lover.

“I missed you, Jordan.” Bly professed with a smile, looking down at her shorter partner swinging both of their hands. They clutched one another as if they would never see each other again.

“I missed you too, Bly, terribly.” Jordan admitted and kissed the back of Bly’s hand smiling adoringly.

Bly grinned lovingly and leaned down for a quick kiss from Jordan, a kiss that the woman granted happily. She straightened back up and helped Jordan step onto the escalator. “Mom said you’ve been having some problems with the system you implemented in Hawaii.”

Jordan sighed in frustration. Not being able to fix the problem had bothered her. Although getting the chance to go to Hawaii with Bly to correct it didn’t make it all that bad! “Yeah, for some reason we are really having a hell of a time with their site. The bright side is that we will have a few days to spend together in Hawaii before I have to pull up my sleeves and go to work on the system.” Jordan answered with an excited smile. The thought of spending a few days with the love of her life was making the whole situation better.

“Sounds like paradise to me!” Bly chuckled, looking up at her lover standing on the step above her.

“Honey, you look so tired. Are you feeling alright?” Jordan asked worriedly and pushed Bly’s dark hair back off her face tucking it behind her ear. She let her hand fall to Bly’s shoulder, observing the dark circles under those gorgeous blues.

“I’m a little sore and tired, but I’m fine. It’s a good thing I did all that training. I would be dead about now from all the practice and games we’ve had!” Bly laughed and stepped off the escalator helping Jordan off as well.

Jordan wrapped her arm around Bly’s waist, happy to be in the wonderful confines of her lover’s arms as they approached the baggage carousel. “I hope you’re okay, I have to worry about you because I know you won’t do it for yourself!” Jordan teased and held Bly closer to her.

“Thanks, I appreciate it, babe.” Bly graciously smiled and kissed Jordan’s head.

***

They took Jordan’s baggage to the curb where the limo waited. Bly held the door open for Jordan as she just stood and stared at the luxury vehicle. “Jordan, this is how this works. You get in the limo and it moves, not the sidewalk.” Bly teased looking at her perplexed lover wondering what was going through her head.

“Bly, come here.” Jordan motioned with her finger for Bly to come stand by her.

Bly stood next to Jordan. “Do you need me to carry you into the limo or are we just going to stand here?” Bly sarcastically asked.

“Very funny.” Jordan answered with a smirk looking up at Bly. “Look at the limo and tell me what you see.” Jordan motioned towards the car.

Bly put her hands on her hips and looked at the automobile. She didn’t know what point Jordan was trying to make. She scratched her chin trying to figure out what Jordan saw that she didn’t. “Hmmm well, I see a stretch limo, honey.” She sarcastically smirked and looked at Jordan.

“No! Look at the windows!” Jordan demanded urgently and pointed at them frustrated.

“Yeah, they’re tinted, so?” Bly asked still confused by what Jordan was trying to say.

“Bly! Ughhhh!” Jordan answered aggravated by Bly’s evasiveness. “You can see through the damn windows! They aren’t that darkly tinted!” She answered exasperatedly and pointed to the windows.

Bly bent down and looked at the window of the limo. “Oh yeah, I guess you can. Come on, we need to get going.” Bly nonchalantly answered, nudging Jordan towards the door watching as she reluctantly climbed into the limo. Bly got in next to Jordan and looked at her stunned lover. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Bly, the damn windows! You can see through them and I was pressed up against them in Boston!” Jordan shouted agitated, hoping it would jog Bly’s memory. She mockingly held her hands to Bly’s neck as if she was going to strangle her.

“Oh, yeah!” Bly answered smiling mischievously, fondly remembering that wonderful limo ride they had in Boston.

“I can’t believe it! Everyone in Boston must have seen me, Bly!” Jordan commented, embarrassed.

“Well, parts of you at least. But I’m not sure they enjoyed you as much as I did.” Bly teasingly laughed and quickly received a slap on the arm in response. Bly laughed harder and pulled Jordan into her arms for a hug to reassure her. “Honey, the windows in the limo in Boston were darker than these here. Don’t worry; I’m sure that I’m the only one that enjoyed you that night. Don’t worry about it.” Bly assured her lover and kissed her cheek.

“I hope so! How embarrassing!” Jordan answered with a nervous laugh. “Oh, by the way, have you heard from Dawson?” Jordan asked, hoping to get her mind off of the limo ride in Boston. She was excited at the prospect of what Dawson might have dug up on her brother.

"No, nothing yet. But, I think he has been waiting for you to get here so he can talk to you himself. He said he would try to call us when he gets a chance. Oh, Julie and Linda want us to do some sightseeing with them Saturday after the match." Bly shrugged her shoulders to answer the questioning look on Jordan's face. Jordan nodded her head in acknowledgement, but didn't push the issue.

Bly slid down in the seat and laid her head back against the seat. Jordan slid closer and pulled the dark head onto her shoulder. "Why don't you rest until we get to the hotel?"

"Hmmm, sounds good. I want to conserve all my strength for later!" Jordan heard the low throaty chuckle and felt a shiver of delight run up her back.

"Sleep away then, my dear." She offered softly and looked to see Bly's eyes already shut. The ride to the hotel was quiet and peaceful. Jordan loved the closeness of Bly against her; it never failed to calm her thoughts. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect on her body. She concentrated on the scenery outside the limo windows noting the houses crammed closely together along the mountainside. The limo turned into their hotel and stopped in front of the lobby doors. Jordan gently brushed Bly's hair back and whispered to her. "Honey, wake up, we’re at the hotel." Bly's eyes blinked open confused until they settled upon familiar green ones sparkling back in response.

"Hey baby. Have I told you how much I've missed you?" Bly leaned up and kissed Jordan tenderly on the lips as they waited for the limo door to be opened.

Jordan nodded and replied, "As much as I missed you, I bet!"

"More!" Bly retorted as Jordan slipped through the open door to stand next to the limo. "Ha! We shall see." Bly smiled in reply as the driver retrieved Jordan's bags from the trunk.

Turning to her he asked, "Anything else Ms. Van Dewark?"

"No, thank you Peter. I think we are staying put for the evening." Bly slipped a tip into his hand and he nodded his head in appreciation.

"Good luck Saturday! Call us when you need a ride and I'll come over personally."

"Thanks, Peter I'm sure we will be calling." Bly turned to lead Jordan into the cool interior of the lobby as the porter followed with Jordan's bags. They waited by the elevators as he disappeared to retrieve the key to their suite.

"Is the rest of your team staying here?" Jordan asked, looking around at the beautifully furnished lobby. She still felt out of place in surroundings like these, but it was beginning to get easier. She smiled at these thoughts before turning her attention back to Bly. The porter rejoined them as the elevator opened.

"No, I wanted us to be alone and not bothered by anyone. They are staying at another hotel." Bly answered as the three of them entered the elevator.

"Shouldn't you be staying with them? I mean this is a pretty important event. Doesn't the coach mind?"

"It's a little extra drive into practice and the games, but it's worth it. It is so peaceful and quiet here without the noise and confusion of the whole team. I didn’t think you’d appreciate a short- sheeted bed or red hot Close up toothpaste plastered on the toilet seat. Besides there are less people to bug us!" Bly chuckled with her last statement and the porter's face broke into a grin.

“Please tell me they don’t do that?” Jordan asked with a laugh.

“How do you think I know about it?” Bly grinned mischievously.

“You probably invented those pranks, that’s how!” Jordan teasingly accused and nudged Bly.

“Hey! I resemble that remark!” Bly laughed along with the others at Jordan’s comment.

***

When the elevator doors opened, the porter led the way toward the end of the hall. There were only two doors on the floor, each at opposite ends of the hallway. Pushing open the double doors, the bellhop stepped back and waited for the two women to precede him into the suite. Following behind he placed the luggage in the bedroom. Jordan walked over to the doors to the balcony and opened them wide as Bly waited for the man to finish with the luggage. She watched as her lover looked wide-eyed at the famous San Francisco wharf before her. Jordan glanced around at her surroundings with a childlike wonderment and noticed the Golden Gate Bridge off in the distance to her left. She paused and stared at the magnificent structure. Scanning to the right she caught sight of the double-decker Bay Bridge. She had seen pictures of both bridges, but they had never captured the sheer magnitude or brilliance the creations exuded in reality.

Bly saw the simple joy and wonder in Jordan's face and it made her heart lift. She had missed Jordan more than she had expected she would. After the long hours of practice and tournaments, she would find herself lying in bed, missing the soft warm body next to her. Bly still marveled that this beautiful woman was with her and loved her. When the bellhop came toward the door, Bly tipped him and locked the door as he left. 'There, alone at last!' With a devilish smile, she walked silently toward the balcony doors through which Jordan had disappeared. Jordan felt the arms encircle her waist as a low warm breath whispered in her ear. "Do you have any idea of how much I missed you? I feel like all I've done is push myself in the games just to wear myself out. I wanted to be so exhausted that I would be too tired to even think after the match." Bly nuzzled and tenderly nipped the outline of Jordan's ear. She seductively moved her lips down Jordan's neck before turning the woman to face her. The sightseeing could wait. Jordan had her own magnificent sight snuggled in her arms. Bly rained kisses on every inch of exposed skin she could find. When she tired of that, she exposed more skin and began to slowly devour each fresh expanse with her lips. Clothes quickly found their way to the floor and soon the two bodies were wrapped together as one dancing their way to ecstasy.

Bly lay across Jordan's chest, listening as the rapid beat began to slow to a steady rhythm. A sudden growl broke the silence and Bly chuckled turning to look up at Jordan. "Not hungry, are we?"

"Well, actually I'm starving after that workout!" Jordan teased and received an onslaught of tickling to her midsection. Laughing until she couldn't breathe Jordan shouted out her surrender. "Okay! Okay! I give!" Laughing and rolling around, Bly moved Jordan over the edge of the bed, only then relinquishing her hold of the lithe body. Reaching over to the nightstand, she grabbed the Hotel Book and they began to look through the room service menu.

"See anything that strikes your fancy?" Bly looked over at green eyes that twinkled mischievously. "Besides that!"

"Oh, food you mean?" Jordan replied dryly and made an effort to scan the menu. "I don't care, just as long as it isn't too heavy."

"Okay, how about roasted chicken and a salad? Is that light enough?" Bly reached for the phone and began to punch in the number to room service before looking up for Jordan's reaction.

Jordan nodded her agreement and toyed dangerously with Bly's ear. The frustrated woman tried to maintain her composure so she could give their order to the chef.

After their evening picnic in bed, Bly explained that she had a very early practice session. After that, they could set off on their sight seeing tour. The two were cuddled closely as they drifted off to sleep, each woman lost in their own thoughts and dreams, both with slight grins on their faces.

***

The alarm rang way too early and loud for both women. Bly quickly slammed her hand down on the apparatus to stop the incessantly offensive noise and sighed tiredly. She was perfectly content to stay right there with the love of her life snuggled comfortably in her arms for the rest of the day. ‘That’s going to have to wait for a few days.’ She thought wiping the sleep out of her eyes and felt Jordan stir.

“Morning.” Jordan barely whispered with her sleep filled voice. She looked up at Bly with slightly opened eyes.

“Same to you, beautiful.” Bly smiled and kissed the blonde before her.

“Hmmm, wow! I’ve missed that, Bly.” Jordan answered smiling and savoring the sensuous kiss that still lingered on her lips.

“Me too sweets. So here’s another.” Bly chuckled gathering Jordan up into her arms and kissing her passionately. Jordan’s heart raced and her adrenaline flowed. There was no way she wanted the kiss to end, but unfortunately it did when she felt Bly pull back. “I would love nothing more than to stay right here in bed and kiss you all day, but I’ve got to head off to practice.” Bly said disappointedly and sat up bringing Jordan with her. Bly noted the sadness and disappointment in Jordan’s fine features as she sat looking at her beautiful lover. “Fortunately, I’ll only be gone for a couple of hours and then we have the rest of the day to spend together. Just you and me.” Bly informed the beauty enthusiastically. She kissed Jordan before climbing out of bed.

“I’m looking forward to it, Bly.” Jordan smiled and climbed out of bed as well.

“Hey, what are you doing getting out of bed at 5:30 am?” Bly asked astonished and approached Jordan. “Are you feeling okay?” She teased and put her hand to Jordan’s forehead, mockingly checking for a temperature.

“Ha ha, very funny!” Jordan snickered and playfully bit Bly’s hand before placing a soft kiss on it. “I thought I would wash your clothes before we get kicked out of the hotel. That bag smells like an animal died in it. I am assuming that’s where that wretched stench is coming from. Am I right?” Jordan laughingly asked pointing to the bulging bag sitting in the corner of the suite.

Bly slipped her shirt over her head and sheepishly grinned. She knew what lay in store for Jordan when she opened the bag. “Honey, yes, that’s where it’s coming from. It’s all my sweaty clothes. You’re such a saint for washing them for me. I had no time to do any of it. I owe you big time!” Bly confirmed with a sly grin gathering Jordan into her arms and playfully nibbled on her neck.

“Yes, you will owe me very big, Bly Van Dewark, and you better pay up. No more putting it on a tab!” Jordan teased, poking Bly on the shoulder to emphasize her point.

Bly leaned up and faced Jordan with a mischievous smile and replied, “I so look forward to paying that tab,” Wiggling her eyebrows seductively, and chuckled heading into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

Jordan smiled happily, enticed by the thought of Bly’s payment. “Don’t they wash your practice clothes, Bly?” Jordan asked pulling out some clothes to wear.

“Hmmm, uhmmm, yeah.” Bly finally answered after extracting her toothbrush. It just wasn't very advisable to speak with one in your mouth! “Those are from doing some extra workouts in the hotel. I wanted to get into better shape with some additional training.” Bly explained, wiping her mouth off on the towel and exited the bathroom. She approached Jordan and stood close to her, “I’ll see you in a few babe.” She planted a fleeting kiss on Jordan’s lips before quickly disappearing out of the suite. She was left standing quite flustered by the dark-haired beauty.

Jordan planted her hands on her hips and began to laugh. ‘The things that woman does to me!’' She exclaimed breathless and turned towards the clothing bag. “Ugh!” Jordan sighed with a scrunched up face. She was worried by what she might find in there.

***

She quickly dressed and took the bag to the laundry facilities to get the dirty deed finished. She braced herself and opened the bag. “Whoa! Does that stink!” She exclaimed, horrified. Moving away from the bag for a breath of fresh air she complained softly, “It’s worse than I could have ever imagined!” Jordan finally collected herself and picked up the nasty clothes with her index finger and thumb. She was afraid to touch them with her whole hand. “Yuck!” She quickly threw them into the washing machine. Jordan grabbed Bly’s jeans, which didn’t seem too smelly to touch and checked the pockets to make sure no money was left in them. Bly had a habit of doing that, often. ‘Ooh, what’s this? Maybe some money or a tip for me for this stinky job I’m doing?’ Jordan asked inwardly with a laugh as she pulled the item out of the back pocket.

She tossed the jeans into the washer machine noticing it was a piece of paper. She opened the note and read, ‘Call me in room 113 at the airport Hyatt, Lynnette.’ Jordan felt like she had been kicked in the gut. She found it increasingly difficult to breathe as she read the note again. She inhaled and exhaled deeply in a futile attempt to calm herself. ‘This can’t be.’ She told herself, refusing to believe Bly would have anything to do with another woman. But why had she left her number in her pocket? Her eyes watered and her hands shook when she read the note for a third time. She sniffed her tears back and stuffed the note in her pocket deciding that Bly had some serious explaining to do. Jordan was angry, hurt and devastated by what she had found. Her emotions ran the gambit ranging from total denial that Bly would cheat on her to complete anger that she would do that to her. ‘How could she?’ Jordan angrily questioned and violently stuffed the clothes into the machine. Trying to release her frustration and hurt she finally slammed the lid down in a huff.

Jordan leaned back against the machine breathing heavily and swiped the tears away trying to calm herself. ‘Give her the benefit of the doubt, Jordan. It's only a note, let her explain.’ She told herself heading back to the room. She entered the spacious suite breathing heavily. Her heart was racing as she saw the picture Bly had on the nightstand. She walked over and sat on the bed next to the nightstand, picking up the picture. It was of Jordan mugging for the camera when they were in Key West. One of the many snapshots Julie had taken that day. She smiled, finally calming and remembered how wonderful that trip was for the both of them. She then remembered the terrible misunderstanding they had over the situation with Cindy and decided that she had jumped to the wrong conclusion about the note. She didn’t want to repeat what happened in Key West here. Jordan smiled and felt a tickle in her belly over the fact that Bly had her picture on the nightstand. ‘That is so sweet.’ She gushed and returned the picture to its place, feeling guilty about how she was overreacting.

***

Jordan decided a nice hot shower was in order. Figuring it would settle her down she headed towards the bathroom. She finished showering and dressed before putting Bly’s clothes into the dryer. She unpacked her clothes and toiletries while she waited for the clothes to finish drying. She felt much better about the note she had found. Bly startled her when she rushed into the room and quickly kissed her on the cheek. “Hey babe! Give me five minutes to shower and I’ll be ready in a flash!” Bly exclaimed hurriedly and rushed into the shower.

“Bly, I wanted…” Jordan’s voice trailed off disappointed, as she wanted to clear up the confusion regarding the note. She sighed sadly and heard the shower turn on as Bly began to sing when she stepped in the shower. ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot? This early?’ She chuckled at Bly’s choice of a tune and left the suite to retrieve the laundry. She busied herself folding the garments as Bly finished showering and exited the bathroom.

“Oh, baby! You are such a doll!” Bly gratefully chimed, noting the clean, fresh smelling and folded laundry on the bed. She kissed Jordan on the cheek and wrapped her arms around the shorter woman.

“Uhmmm, I need to talk to you.” Jordan replied in a serious tone and pulled out the note, handing it to Bly who relinquished her hold.

“What’s this? Some chick hitting on my woman?” Bly teased, reading the note and looked up at Jordan with a smile.

“I think it’s the other way around. Care to explain why that note was in your jeans?” Jordan asked disappointed. The blonde’s attitude effectively wiped the smile off Bly’s face.

“What are you insinuating, Jordan?” Bly asked accusatorily, approaching Jordan. She was pissed at Jordan's line of questioning.

“You tell me, Bly. Why was it there?” Jordan asked as her heart pounded with fear at Bly’s evasiveness.

“I don’t know, Jordan. I wore those jeans to an autograph session at a cocktail party the other night and maybe someone slipped that note into my pocket without me knowing about it.” Bly answered matter-of-factly and crumbled the note, quickly depositing it into the trashcan. She stared at Jordan who still didn't look reassured. Shaking her head, Bly walked into the bathroom in disbelief.

Jordan hung her head embarrassed by her actions. She knew she had hurt Bly with her snap accusations, she could see it in her eyes. ‘Shit! What have I done?’ She wondered sadly and slowly approached the bathroom.

‘How could she make such rash accusations?’ Bly questioned inwardly, feeling a variety of emotions concerning the subject. She looked up and saw Jordan’s reflection in the mirror. The sight of her lover took her breath away and it saddened her to think that Jordan would doubt her love for her. She looked back down and fiddled with her belt to avoid looking at Jordan.

“Bly, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have accused you that way.” Jordan pleaded sorrowful.

Bly turned and approached Jordan, staring her straight in the eye. “It’s okay. Let’s get going. We have a lot of places to see in a short period of time.” Bly replied softly and lightly kissed Jordan on the top of her head before exiting the bathroom. Jordan knew everything wasn’t ‘okay’ from the kiss Bly gave her. There had been absolutely no meaning to it. Bly put her leather jacket on and thought it was best to avoid the conversation. She was too angry and hurt to discuss it now. She would wait until she calmed down so she wouldn’t say something she would later regret. Bly looked up at Jordan when she entered the room. Sadness consumed her face and she felt a pang in her heart from the despair she saw there. “You should wear your jacket. It will probably be pretty cold where we are going.” She watched Jordan slowly approach the closet and pull out her jacket before heading to the door that Bly held open for her.

Jordan tucked her head down shameful of the way she acted, but she couldn’t get over the feeling that Bly was being way too evasive regarding the matter. ‘Why didn’t she just emphatically deny it and tell me she would never do that to me ever?’ She questioned, growing angry by Bly’s casual demeanor.

***

The elevator ride and half of the limo ride were spent with an awkward silence between the two conflicted lovers. Bly sat quietly and solemnly looking out the window of the limo reflecting on the emotions that filled her heart. She was hurt, disappointed, and angered by Jordan’s accusation. It made it worse knowing how much she loved Jordan. She didn’t want anyone else in the world but her. ‘Maybe she just doesn’t know or understand how much she means to me.’ Bly thought sadly and told herself, ‘I’m going to make sure that she does and that’s a promise.”

Jordan’s stomach was tied in knots from her nervousness and worry over whether Bly was having an affair. Not to mention the fact that she was upset about the hurt she saw in Bly’s blue eyes. She wished she had never said anything about it. ‘But, then I wouldn’t have been able to completely trust her.' Jordan thought sadly, glancing over at the brooding woman. Bly had a familiar forlorn look on her face as she stared out of the window, lost in her thoughts. Jordan couldn’t stand the silence anymore and decided to try to break Bly out of it. “Where are we going, Bly?” She asked turning to look at Bly. She handed her a brochure without even looking at Jordan. ‘I guess I deserved that, but damn it! I have a right to know what’s going on with that note.’ Jordan thought angrily and opened the brochure, which detailed the Seventeen Mile drive scenic tour they would be taking along Pebble Beach located in Monterey Bay. She looked up when she felt the limo come to a stop and watched as the driver paid the toll to access the beginning portion of the tour. Jordan saw that there were twenty-one stops along the tour with notes explaining the significance of each stop. She looked up and noted the very expensive beautiful homes that sat along the peaceful roadway. “Bly, look, a deer!” Jordan exclaimed excitedly looking out the window seeing a deer in a resident’s yard.

Bly looked across to Jordan’s window and saw the deer grazing in the grass oblivious to their presence. “It’s very cute.” Bly observed dryly and sat back in her seat, still contemplating what she should say to Jordan. The driver stopped at the first stop and the two women exited the limo with the camera in hand for a photo opportunity at ‘Shepherd’s Knoll’. It gave a breathtaking view of the historic ‘Monterey Bay’ and the ‘San Gabilan Mountains.’ Jordan’s breath escaped her momentarily when the cold pacific breeze hit her face and she felt Bly rub both of her arms when she shivered.

She smiled grateful for the warmth and for Bly’s closeness. It made her feel much better and she felt less awkward next to her lover. She snapped a few pictures before climbing back into the limo for the rest of the scenic tour. They stopped at the ‘Cypress Point Lookout’ for a spectacular view of the Pacific coastline. They looked out over the Pacific Ocean and Bly pointed towards the 'Point Sur' lighthouse. “We’re very lucky, it’s a clear day and we can see the lighthouse. This place has the best view of the Pacific coastline on the Seventeen Mile drive.” She observed with a smile and stood closer to Jordan. She was feeling less upset by Jordan’s actions and wanted to be close to her.

Jordan gave a sideways glance to her tall companion and smiled before looking back over the breathtaking view, glad that Bly wanted to be close to her. “Its absolutely amazing. Bly.” Jordan observed in awe of the beauty that the Pacific coastline had to offer. The crisp green water rippled from the rough current and the cool breeze ruffled her hair, sending a chill through her. She wanted Bly to wrap her arms around her and take that chill away, but it didn’t happen, yet.

“It’s gorgeous to say the least.” Bly agreed smiling and looked out over the turbulent ocean once more inhaling the cold ocean air. Bly exhaled and turned grabbing Jordan’s hand to lead her back to the limo. Jordan’s stomach flip-flopped when Bly grasped her hand. She smiled as she felt Bly's warmth. One that soothed her aching heart.

Bly held the door and Jordan stopped looking up to her as if she wanted to say something. She did, but chickened out. She didn’t want to say the wrong thing and ruin the fact that Bly was no longer avoiding her. Bly looked down at Jordan wanting to explain herself, but the blonde hopped in the limo before she could say anything. Getting in behind Jordan, she settled herself against the leather seat and looked out the window at the beautiful Spyglass Hill Golf Course before her. The golf course is one of the top courses in the United States and it’s believed that Robert Louis Stevenson was inspired by the view from his favorite hill there while writing ‘Treasure Island.’

Bly was snapped out of her reverie when she felt the limo stop at her favorite spot along the scenic tour. ’The Lone Cypress,’ was one of the most familiar landmarks in California. The ‘Lone Cypress’ tree has been known to inspire countless artists, photographers, bards, and sightseers. It had long ago inspired Bly, making this one of her favorite places in the world.

“Wow, this is fabulous! That tree is so incredibly beautiful, Bly.” Jordan exclaimed amazed by the fact that there was a lone cypress tree clinging seemingly to bare rock, far out of reach of anyone. It was located at the end of a large boulder with the beautiful Pacific Ocean as a backdrop.

“It’s one of my most favorite places in the world, Jordan.” Bly admitted with a smile and looked at Jordan before looking back admiringly at the tree. She took Jordan’s hand and led her down the wooden steps stopping at the railing. It was as close as you could get to the solitary tree. Jordan clicked off a number of pictures and watched as the waves crashed against the base of the boulder the tree stood upon. “Jordan. I wanted to tell you that I...” Bly attempted to explain, but was stopped by Jordan. Jordan hesitantly placed her hand on Bly's arm to halt her from saying anything more.

“No, please let me explain. I’m sorry for the way I acted before. I was being silly. It was stupid. I should have, I mean I…” She attempted to explain, frustrated by the fact that her brain was working faster than her mouth. Finally she felt Bly’s finger against her lips to still her words.

“Please let me say this Jordan, okay?” She asked with a smile. Jordan nodded that she would allow her continue to without interruption. Jordan was nervous about what Bly was going to tell her. Was she about to break up with her? Was she going to tell her that she was having an affair? The questions ran rampant through her mind as she waited for Bly to continue. “Jordan, this is one of my most favorite places in the world because I can relate to that lonely cypress tree out there.” Bly leaned against the railing glancing over at the tree and looked back to Jordan. “I wandered through life with a bunch of people surrounding me, but still extremely lonely. Just like that tree. All I ever wanted was to find that certain someone to fill the loneliness that had consumed my heart. Once I did, I swore I would never let her go. Then I found that vivacious, wonderful and incredibly loving young women in Key West, you.” Bly sincerely professed, her blue eyes watering looking into the green eyes she loved more than life itself. Jordan’s heart pounded in her chest at the loving comments Bly was saying to her. Tears streaked her face as she saw everything that she meant to Bly reflected in her lovely blue eyes. She realized she had been such a damn fool for doubting Bly’s love for her. “I would never do anything to ever hurt you. There’s only one person in this world for me that is you. Please get rid of your doubts about my love for you. I would never do anything to jeopardize what we share my love.” Bly tearfully finished and softly tucked an errant blonde hair behind Jordan’s ear. “I love you with all of my heart and my soul. More than you will ever know or realize. I want you to know that I don’t want to be like that lonely cypress tree anymore. My heart is full of so much love. I want to give you that and my soul, forever if you’ll have them?” Bly tearfully asked, lowering herself to one knee before Jordan. The small woman cried harder and looked down at Bly. “Jordan, I want to know if you’ll be the keeper of my heart and allow me to love you for the rest of our lives?” Bly asked, pulling out a small box and opening it to reveal an engagement ring. She held it up to Jordan. The woman's tears flowed down her cheeks and she tried to reach for the box but couldn’t. Her hands shook uncontrollably. Bly lightly grasped her trembling hands and softly kissed Jordan’s knuckles to sooth her nerves asking, “Well?” Bly looked up through hopeful blue eyes and prayed that Jordan would accept the offer of her heart forever. She could hear the thundering ocean waves break loudly against the rocks below them. It’s rumbling matched the turmoil of her own senses as she waited for Jordan’s answer.

"I...I can't marry you B-Bly." The tears streaked down Jordan's face as her dry throat choked on her words.

Bly looked incredulously up into emerald green eyes. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her thoughts were a jumble of turmoil. She wanted to scream out 'why?' but the words would not come.

Jordan saw the pain instantly cloud the dancing blue eyes beneath her and she quickly moved to explain. Dropping down onto her knee to be more level with Bly, she pulled the stiffening body closer. "Unless, you will agree to be the keeper of my heart in return. Let me love you, and be all that you need me to be, and more. I love you, Bly, maybe more than I have a right to, but I do, I swear I do. I knew I loved you from the moment I saw you on the beach and saw the sadness you carried. I didn't ever want to be the one to bring you that kind of pain, but I did with Cindy. If you will let me, I'll spend the rest of my life removing every memory of sadness and bring you only joy." Jordan buried her head into Bly's shoulder as the strong woman's arms wrapped around her and inhaled a great breath of relief holding her tightly to her body. What Bly for a moment thought she lost, had just been returned to her ten-fold. She clung to Jordan in her need and her happiness, and the feelings were mutually returned.

"I take it that was a yes?" Bly whispered softly and pulled back to look deeply into Jordan's face. They were both still kneeling and Bly slowly stood, pulling Jordan to her feet, never taking her eyes off the blonde and kept her within the circle of her arms. She knew she never wanted to lose this connection to her soul.

"YES! YES! YES!" Jordan shouted and spun them around in delight. Dizzy and happy, Bly leaned down and captured Jordan's lips, permanently sealing their pact with a kiss. “Bly, you’ve made me the happiest woman in the world.” Jordan glowed happily as she pulled back staring into Bly’s deep blue eyes.

“I’m going to have to disagree with you sweets. You’ve made ME the happiest woman in the world, ever since you flashed those sexy green eyes my way. I’ll never forget that day for as long as I live.” Bly smiled lovingly and tenderly kissed Jordan who wrapped her arms tightly around her tall lover, sinking deeply into the searing kiss. “Are you ready to leave?” Bly asked after a few moments, smiling and looking at Jordan for her answer.

“No, not just yet. I want to enjoy this moment for a little while longer.” Jordan smiled back and turned to look out over the ‘Lone Cypress Tree’. Bly’s arms securely slipped around Jordan's waist. Jordan leaned back against Bly, lovingly placing her hands on strong arms as they held her tightly. Taking a deep breath, Jordan sighed happily as they both stood silently, reflecting on the magnitude of the moment. Overhead, the squawk of the seagull’s sounded and the thundering surf crashing against the rocks below mingled with the beating of the two hearts together.

They both resembled the ‘Lone Cypress Tree’ at one time, hoping someone would finally come along to claim their hearts. That day happened in Key West and both women were happy they would no longer live in such loneliness again. Bly’s cheek rested against Jordan’s head absorbing the sweet smell of her hair and gently kissed her head. She secretly wiped the tear that trickled from her eye as she thought about what Jordan meant to her and kissed her again. Settling her cheek against Jordan’s head once again, she couldn’t imagine another place that she would ever want to be than right there.

Jordan turned within Bly’s arms and lovingly smiled at her. Their gazes met as Jordan lightly stroked Bly’s cheek with her palm. She wanted to etch Bly’s look in her memory for all of time and never forget it. “I love you so much.” Jordan softly professed before kissing Bly passionately.

“I love you too, Jordan.” Bly smiled breaking off the kiss and stared deeply into her lover’s warm green eyes. She leaned in for a brief, but effective kiss, and slipped her hand into Jordan’s leading her back towards the limo. Bly’s emotions were becoming increasingly hard for her to contain and she looked away from Jordan to sniff back the tears. She discretely wiped them from her blue eyes and opened the door to the limo for Jordan.

Jordan climbed in followed by Bly, who closed the door behind her signaling the driver to leave. Bly instructed the driver to head back to San Francisco as both women looked out the window taking in the magnificent view one last time. The surrounding community was very exclusive with large expensive homes that looked as if they were built out of the sides of the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. “Oh Bly, look at that beautiful home!” Jordan excitedly alerted her lover and pointed out the house.

“Yes, it’s gorgeous.” Bly agreed looking at the home built with large windows throughout, to accentuate the magnificent ocean view.

“I would love to own a home like that, one day.” Jordan sighed disappointed, knowing that a home of that type was in the millions and way out of her league.

“We can if you’d like it, Jordan.” Bly simply answered and looked at her disappointed lover who turned to her.

“That is way out of my league and way too expensive for my income, Bly.”

“That’s not true, Jordan. Nothing is way out of your league my love, everything I own is yours as well.” Bly explained and raised Jordan’s hand to her lips, kissing it.

“Bly, I didn’t fall in love with your money.” Jordan answered defensively.

“I know that, honey.” Bly answered shifting in the seat to face Jordan and explain. “I asked you to be with me forever and that means everything I own.” Bly explained honestly and tucked an errant blonde hair behind Jordan’s ear.

“Bly, I don’t want you to think that I’m with you for your money.” Jordan stammered and dropped her head, unconsciously stroking her thumb across Bly’s hand.

“I know that, Jordan.” Bly answered and lifted Jordan’s head up to look at her. “I guess I should explain some things to you. I have already made you the beneficiary in my will and I see you as my partner in everything, including my wealth. So, what I own you own. Does that scare you?” Bly softly asked and hoped it wouldn’t offend Jordan.

“Well, aah, yeah!” Jordan stammered, trying to compose herself and take in everything Bly just told her.

“How so?” Bly queried.

“I just don’t want you to ever think that I was ever after your money, not from the very beginning, not ever. I know how your other girlfriends…” Jordan's attempt to explain was immediately interrupted by Bly.

“Jordan, you have already showed me, that you’re with me because you love me, Bly, the person, not Bly, the bank account. And, that means everything to me, more than you will ever know. So, don’t be afraid, I will never think that way of you, ever. She pulled Jordan into her arms and hugged her. She pulled back slyly grinning. “Just accept it, we’re good looking in love and filthy rich!” Bly cockily laughed, eliciting a reluctant chuckle out of Jordan. “So, would you like me to have the driver stop so we can see the house?” Bly smiled mischievously and leaned back in the seat to look at Jordan.

Jordan laughed in response. “Maybe another time. Everything has been so overwhelming that I need time to absorb it all.” Jordan smiled and kissed Bly, snuggling into the warm confines of her lover’s embrace.

“Anything you want, baby.” Bly chuckled and lightly kissed Jordan’s head.

“By the way, I put you as my beneficiary too.” Jordan snickered and looked up at Bly with a grin. “You’ll just inherit my debt though.” She added with a laugh.

“Honey, that’s so sweet.” Bly jokingly chuckled and kissed her blonde lover. “We’ll have to see what we can do to get rid of that debt.” Bly smiled and kissed her.

Bly leaned back against the seat reveling in the feeling of having such a wonderful lady tucked safely away in her arms. One she would spend the rest of her life with, the only one. Jordan laced her fingers through Bly’s and closed her eyes loving every minute of being in her lover’s arms. It had been a hectic time for both women and it wasn't long before Morpheus spun them into their dream sleep. They continued to sleep contently for the hour plus ride back to San Francisco.

***

Bly was shaken out of her dreams when she felt the limo come to a stop. She quickly looked out the window trying to collect her bearings and realized they were fast approaching their hotel. She gently rocked Jordan to wake her. “Honey, we’re almost to our hotel.”

“Already?” Jordan sleepily asked and looked out the window squinting at the bright sunshine until her eyes squinted to adjust to its harsh glare.

“Yep, can you believe it? We slept all the way back and you didn’t even get a chance to show yourself to the West Coast like you did in Boston.” Bly teasingly replied and received a slap from Jordan.

“Ooh, you!” Jordan grimaced and pointed at Bly.

“We could have him drive around San Francisco and I could still show you off to everyone.” Bly chuckled and grinned.

“Very funny, wise ass! My show days are over and there will be no return engagements!” Jordan answered in a shared laugh with Bly.

“I hope that doesn’t include shows for me.” Bly teased and hugged Jordan.

“Oh no! You are the only one that will enjoy me, baby.” Jordan sassily replied with a wink.

“Sounds good to me! Hey, want to walk around the wharf and check everything out?” Bly inquired, watching the limo come to a stop in front of their hotel.

“As long as we can get crab for dinner.” Jordan smiled and followed Bly out of the limo.

“They’ve got the best crab here too.” Bly answered with a smile and held Jordan’s hand to help her out of the car. “Let’s head on over.” Bly excitedly suggested, leading Jordan away from the car for some sightseeing.

***

The pair reached the busy and famed Pier 39 quite quickly, especially with Bly leading the way. Jordan had to practically run to keep up with the long strides of her over eager lover. Bly was keyed up, from the excitement of the day intermixed with her desire to share it all at once with Jordan. She led Jordan through the crowded wharf area and stopped next to Neptune's Palace, where all the sea lions congregated in the marina.

Jordan was definitely in her element with all the shops they passed and was amazed by the number of the sea lions that were sunbathing on the floating docks in the marina. They stayed and watched the intriguing animals, taking a few pictures. Bly pointed out Alcatraz Prison to Jordan. "It's about a mile out into the bay, would you like to go see it?" Jordan nodded her head enthusiastically and they headed over to purchase tickets to the prison. Unfortunately, Bly found that the tours were all booked for the day. So they agreed to purchase tickets for the next day. They figured it was an even better idea to purchase two more tickets so that Julie and Linda could join them.

“Bly, I’ve got to check out Ghirardelli Square!” Jordan enthusiastically cried as she poured over the site on the map, making a mental note to return to the shops with Linda after their Alcatraz tour. Jordan knew Bly wasn’t too inclined to go shopping with her, so maybe Julie could entertain her while they shopped tomorrow. “Ooh, check out the street entertainers, Bly!” Jordan exclaimed amazed by the performers.

“Oh yeah. I’ve got to warn you about the ‘tree man’ down here.”

“The ‘tree man’?” Jordan asked confused looking up at her lover, who guided her down the sidewalk, never relinquishing her hold on the younger woman.

“Yeah, he holds this tall Fichus tree branch and hides behind it. So when tourists walk by, he shakes the tree and scares the shit out of people. It’s too funny!” Bly explained and laughed.

“I’m glad you told me or I would look very foolish if he did that to me!” Jordan laughed and looked down the crowded sidewalk, excitedly catching sight of the said ‘tree man’ hiding behind his branch.

They watched and laughed hysterically when he scared a male tourist, causing him to yell and throw his soda, nearly on top of the two women. “That was classic!” Bly laughed and fished out twenty dollars from her pocket and deposited the money in the ‘tree man’s’ till.

***

The two women stopped to watch and laugh as he scared more tourists. They finally had to leave when their sides hurt from so much laughing. They passed by the sidewalk marketplace, which sold fresh seafood and headed on towards Ghiradelli Square to the famed chocolate factory. Jordan knew there was a new Ghiradelli's chocolate factory in the Sawgrass Mills Mall back home, but she wanted some chocolate from San Francisco. After severely denting the store's chocolate supply, the pair headed back toward their hotel and stopped along the way to check out the famed Lombard Street, 'home of the crookedest street'. The girls walked the stairway from top to bottom and watched as the cars slowly looped their way down the street like a snake. They posed for pictures at the top and were amazed at the amount of tourists who just had to drive their cars down the street.

Jordan insisted they stop and have their crab dinner before returning to the hotel. Bly was more than happy to do that, as the bags of chocolate she was carrying for Jordan were getting very heavy. She just couldn’t figure out who in the hell Jordan was buying so much chocolate for considering just about everyone she would buy anything for, were already in California! Bly treated Jordan to dinner at a seafood restaurant, which had a breathtaking view of the bay from the wharf.

Bly was amazed by how much food Jordan was able to pack into that compact body of hers, shaking her head in disbelief as they exited the restaurant. She chuckled and watched as Jordan stopped by a vendor’s cart that sold hot mini donuts. “You can’t still be hungry, Jordan?” Bly asked in disbelief.

Jordan grinned sheepishly as she paid for a package of donuts and sidled up next to her tall lover. “Actually I’m so full I may need you to carry me, Bly.” Jordan laughed, and leaning against her lover puffing her cheeks out and rubbing her expanded abdomen mocking the ‘fullness’ she felt.

“No way woman! I’ve got enough to carry. It’s a good thing we have a fairly decent walk to reach the hotel so you can work it all off. I still don’t know how in the hell you ate that huge crab!” Bly was still amazed by how much Jordan had eaten.

“Well, I didn’t know the crab was going to be that big! I thought it was going to be like the tiny one’s in Florida. How was I to know they grow them big enough to carry me away?” Jordan laughed and tucked the donuts into one of the bags for later.

“Honey, I warned you they were huge. Why do you think I only got the legs?” Bly laughed and looped her fingers into Jordan’s.

“Believe me, I’ll be hungry by the time we get back to the hotel room. So my little donuts will come in handy.” Jordan laughed and kissed Bly’s hand.

“You never cease to amaze me, Jordan, you really don’t.” Bly laughed in a hearty tone leading Jordan across the busy street towards their hotel.

***

The pair reached the hotel and both collapsed exhausted from the day's events, and from carrying all that darn chocolate! They undressed and climbed into bed to snuggle the night away. Bly had an early morning wake up call and wanted to get as much sleep as possible for the next day's events as it would be a very long day of games. Both were asleep in no time and in Bly's opinion, the wake up call came all too quickly. Bly quietly dressed and adjusted the covers on her peacefully sleeping lover. She smiled lovingly as she brushed the wisp of blonde hair off Jordan’s face and lightly kissed her lover’s cheek. “I love you.” She whispered and turned to move, but was stopped by a suddenly awakened blonde.

“Do you have to leave so soon?” Jordan sleepily asked grasping Bly’s hand, pulling her down on the bed.

“Unfortunately I do babe.” Bly leaned down and softly kissed Jordan’s forehead. “Go back to sleep. I’ll see you mid-morning for the games.” Bly suggested softly and leaned up, gazing into Jordan’s sleepy green eyes.

“Whaaahh…” Jordan teasingly whined and pulled Bly down for a kiss. “Good luck in the games baby.” She whispered and deepened her kiss much to Bly’s delight.

"Thanks!” Bly grinned and lightly kissed Jordan again before standing up. “I’ll be looking for you in the stands my love.” Bly smiled kissing Jordan’s hand and with a wink turned toward the door.

“You know I'll be there, honey.” Jordan smiled and rolled to her side to watch Bly leave. She cuddled comfortably under the covers and waved to Bly before she disappeared behind the closed door. Jordan sighed and hugged Bly’s pillow closer to her taking in the scent of her lover that lingered there. She picked up the picture of the two of them Bly had on the nightstand and smiled as she gazed upon her dashing lover. She was so incredibly happy and couldn’t believe that Bly was going to be hers for always. The beautiful ring on her finger that Bly gave her was the proof of that. She held up her hand and stared admiringly at the exquisite ring and remembered how Bly asked her to be her partner. “How romantic.” Jordan gushed and kissed the ring with a huge smile. She wondered when they would make a definite date for their commitment ceremony and thought it would be nice to have it during the cooler weather. There weren’t too many months of cool weather in Florida, but any time the humidity was at a minimum was a good time for a ceremony on the beach. Jordan closed her eyes and pictured her stunning lover’s face, remembering everything about it when she popped the question to her. It wasn't long before she fell back to sleep, quickly lost in her dreams of Bly.

Jordan was in the light state just before awakening. She tried to hang onto her dream of Bly, but a constant buzzing was making the vision go fuzzy. Sadly, she awoke to her surroundings and realized that the annoying buzz was coming from the telephone as it continued to ring. Rolling over, she quickly picked up the receiver and sleepily answered, "Hello?"

"Jordan, did I wake you?"

The voice on the other end was a deeper version of the one she had heard in her dreams, but she knew the blue eyes were roughly the same and smiled. "Dawson? What time is it?"

"Almost 8:30 a.m. I'm sorry to wake you, but I didn't want to wait any longer to tell you the good news!"

Fully awake now, Jordan sat up in bed, leaned back against the headboard and excitedly asked, "What news?"

"I found your brother and he is really looking forward to meeting you and Linda!"

The excitement in Dawson's voice was contagious and soon Jordan was jumping out of bed and pacing the bedroom as they talked. "Where did you find him? What's he like? When do we get to meet him? Is he here in California?"

Dawson laughed lightly at Jordan's rush of words. "Easy, take a breath before you pass out! He lives on the island of Maui, a place called Laihana. He's really a nice guy and I've arranged for you to meet him after you arrive. I thought maybe over lunch would be nice."

Jordan thought for a moment before responding and asked, "So what does he look like?"

"You have to see him to believe it, but to me, he looks like a cross between you and Linda. He has her darker blonde hair and your green eyes. There is no mistaking that he is your kin." Dawson replied jokingly, "He even has your stubborn streak!"

"I am not stubborn!" Jordan replied in self-defense and then laughed when she caught the tone of her own voice.

"Trust me, he is just like you! He wanted to get on the plane and come to California when I told him where you girls were. But I convinced him that you would be here shortly and he is waiting impatiently for your arrival."

"This is fantastic! Have you told Linda yet?"

"No, you were the first that I called." Dawson answered, knowing what Jordan was going to say.

"Good, then let me tell her okay?" Jordan asked quickly. She wanted to be the one to break the good news to her sister. 'They had a brother, for real!'

"Sure, I figured you might. So, how is my sister doing in her matches?" Dawson had called Jordan first because he felt that she should be the first to know and he knew that she would also want to be the one to tell Linda.

"She is doing fantastic, actually I should be getting ready so that I can meet Linda. We have to be at Bly's match by 11:00 am." Jordan looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand and calculated how much time they would have. She decided that there was plenty of time to meet for breakfast.

"Well, I'll be in touch when you get here. Give my love to that sister of mine!" Dawson rang off with a renewed promise to contact them as soon as they arrived. Pushing the receiver down, Jordan quickly dialed Linda's room extension. After an excited chattering between the two women, Jordan ran for a quick shower and dressed. She was down in the hotel restaurant by 10 a.m. to find that Linda and Julie had already arrived. Joining the women at their table, Linda and Jordan hugged tightly and almost danced in a circle in their excitement. "Will you guys sit down before they throw us out of here!" Julie replied sarcastically laughing at their obviously ecstatic antics. The women sat down and the trio quickly ordered as Jordan began filling them in on Dawson's phone call.

"I guess you will just have to go to Hawaii too!" Julie enthusiastically suggested as they sipped their coffee and waited for their breakfast.

"But, I didn't bring enough clothes!" Linda replied in excitement and frustration.

"Oh right! Little Miss, 'packs everything she owns to go somewhere overnight!' I think you have plenty to choose from!" Julie laughed and ducked as Linda swatted at her arm in play.

"I do not!"

"So then we all go to Hawaii!! This is going to be so much fun!" Jordan exuberantly replied as the waitress brought their meals to the table. She didn't see the look that passed between Julie and Linda as both women smiled and just nodded their head in agreement. Julie's hand crept under the table to squeeze Linda's in warning as both women focused on their food to keep from giggling.

***

Everyone headed to the arena and arrived at their seats just in time for the match to begin. Jordan greeted Bly’s family with plenty of hugs and kisses before sitting down. Jordan and Linda were tripping over each other's words in a rush to explain to Alexandra about the fantastic news Dawson delivered earlier that morning. Alexandra hugged both women tightly and told them how happy she was for them. She wiped a few tears from her eyes and smiled happily for the two girls knowing how hard it had first been for them to find out they had a brother they knew nothing about. She knew they were both very nervous about meeting him, and now they seemed extremely happy about the prospect.

Jordan smiled excitedly and cheered loudly when the announcer called out Bly’s name during the player introductions. She wasn’t the only one and wondered if Bly could hear her over the raucous crowd gathered, who cheered equally as loud. The raven-haired beauty had a cheering section of her own it seemed, the whole damn arena! Jordan wasn't jealous and smiled exuberantly when Bly’s blue eyes caught her greens and winked followed by the flash of a sly smile directed her way. Jordan casually and discretely blew Bly a kiss and mouthed ‘good luck’ to her before she was swarmed by her teammates for their pre-game chat.

***

The first two games in the best of three for the match went nip and tuck with the U.S. winning one of the two. The third game would be the decider for the match and then the U.S. team would advance to the finals against Australia who had won all their matches earlier that day. Jordan was amazed at just how good of a volleyball player Bly actually was. She could see how much her teammates rallied around her and fed off of her energy. She loved seeing the fire that burned in Bly’s blue eyes and how she got so charged up after a nice shot during the game.

It was so surreal to her when she looked around the jam-packed arena, seeing all the people that were there decked out in the good ol’ red, white and blue to support their U.S. volleyball team. What amazed her more than that was how riled up Bly’s grandmother would get when she cheered. The usually staid grey-haired matriarch was louder than anyone else and if you weren’t careful, you’d get knocked in the head from the foam finger she enthusiastically waved! Grandma Bernie had shirts made up for the family with Bly’s number on the back and each individual family member’s name above the number. On the front she had printed, ‘The U.S. Rules’ in support of her granddaughter and her team. Anyone could tell instantly that Bly’s family was a very supportive one. The group of rabid fans who sat behind the U.S. team's bench just blew Jordan's mind. They were dressed as Ghost’s and went wild any time Bly made a good play. “Is that Bly’s personal fan club?” Jordan teasingly asked Julie as she leaned closer to her and sipped her soda.

“Oh yeah. Big time! They followed our college team around all the time and gave the visiting team so much shit half of them would walk off the court in tears!” Julie laughed at the fond memory of college as she explained to Jordan. “They call themselves the ‘bone collectors’ and their section ‘the graveyard’.” Julie laughed at the look on Jordan's face.

“Really?” Jordan asked surprised.

“Oh yeah. Bly was quite the big woman on campus. I just tagged along for the chicks. She was the babe magnet.” Julie laughed and hugged Linda who was giving her a dirty look.

“I wish I could have seen her in college.” Jordan commented disappointed, wishing she had experienced so much more of Bly’s life with her. She would just have to spend every moment with Bly from now on that was for certain.

***

The U.S. quickly put the game out of reach and finished the match in a flash, eager to get on to the finals. Jordan hoped she would be able to see Bly in between games. Unfortunately, an unforeseen accident had Bly taken into the locker room to have her ankle examined. She had somehow come down wrong on it on the final play and limped off the court. Chance tried to soothe and convince Jordan that Bly would be fine and that she probably only strained the ankle. It didn’t ease Jordan’s angst until she saw Bly exit the locker room shortly afterwards with her ankle wrapped with athletic tape for support. Jordan noticed that Bly was walking gingerly on the injured foot and wondered out loud if she should sit the game out. She was stunned by the looks Bly’s family gave her by the last comment. “What?” She asked confused.

“Nothing will drag Bly out of that game, even if she had broken the ankle.” Julie grinned explaining Bly’s thoughts on injuries. “It's only a flesh wound! It’s a dirty thought to want to sit out of a game, especially a game of that magnitude.”

She imitated Bly’s voice and comments.

“What if she hurts herself more?” Jordan asked concerned.

“Trust me, she’ll be fine.” Alexandra comfortingly replied, patting Jordan’s leg for reassurance.

“Yeah, that’s what you said the last time she stayed in a game injured and look what happened then.” Jordan retorted unhappily reminding them of the time Cindy beaned Bly in the head with the baseball.

“It’s taped and she has support. I’m sure they x-rayed it and it’s fine.” Chance advised her with a soothing pat on the leg to calm her fears.

“Okay Dad, I’ll trust you, though I don’t like it and I can’t stop worrying about her.” Jordan adamantly responded and grinned when she saw the smile on Chance’s face.

***

The two teams squared off and both ended up splitting the games with a win apiece going into the final game. The final game was a hard fought game with each team going back and forth numerous times without a point being scored, only ‘side outs’. The U.S. tied up the score on the final point of the match sending the game into a tiebreaker situation. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife and Linda slapped Jordan’s hand away from her mouth when she began to nervously bite her fingernails to the nub. She could see Bly’s ankle was bothering her more as her limp became more pronounced. Bly tried to steady herself on her bad foot to serve the ball and fell off balance. She stopped and readied herself again before serving an ace to put her team up by one point. The crowd erupted in loud cheers as Bly accepted the congratulations from her teammates and set to serve again. If she could get another ‘ace’ here they would win the match. The team has to win by two points in a tiebreaker game to win the match.

Bly breathed deeply and settled herself before running, jumping and thrusting her arm into the ball. The ball screeched across the net between two defenders like a comet and hit the ground for another ‘ace’, securing her team the championship. She landed hard on her ankle, which buckled when she did and she hit the ground quickly. She didn’t see the serve, but layback on the floor as the loud roar of the crowd heralded the outcome. She grimaced as she got to her feet and was helped up off the court by her exuberant teammates, who led her towards the net to shake hands with their opponents.

Bly gritted her teeth to shake off the pain and showed her sportsmanship with cordial handshakes before limping back to the bench where she flopped in the chair. The trainer quickly attended to her ankle and applied a bag of ice to decrease the pain and swelling. Bly put her warm up jacket on and was bombarded by a ton of reporters and cameras. She struggled to a standing position with one thing on her mind, Jordan. She wanted to see her lovely face. She scanned the crowd looking over the many reporters’ heads as they shouted loudly at her for a sound bite. Bly caught site of the lovely blonde who was determinedly making her way toward the court, but was having a hard time getting through the crowd of reporters between them. “Jordan.” Bly shouted and moved towards her pushing many of the people out of the way. Bly was stopped in her efforts by the event coordinators, who presented her with the MVP award. “Oh, well thanks, but this award should go to the whole team not just me!” Bly responded, still looking for Jordan.

“Bly, you single handedly won the game for the team. Can you give us some insight on that?” A reporter asked as Bly continued to make her way through the crowd in her quest to reach Jordan.

Jordan struggled against the milling crowd until she felt someone grasp her hand. “Follow me.” Julie said gruffly, and moved around to lead. She was a woman on a mission. She pulled Jordan through the sea of people, parting the crowd as if she were a human bulldozer in her goal to reunite the two lovers.

“I didn’t single handedly win this game, it’s a team sport. If it weren’t for my teammates, we wouldn’t be where we are now! If you want to know more, go talk to the real heroes, my teammates!” Bly angrily retorted at the one sided accolades and pushed her way past the reporters, stopping in front of the loveliest sight she had seen all day, Jordan. “Hi beautiful, going my way?” Bly asked with a mischievous smile and wrapped her arm around Jordan’s shoulder for support.

“I’m going whichever way you want me to, baby.” Jordan smiled and put her hand around Bly’s waist to help support her. “Are you okay?” She asked concerned and looked down at Bly’s ankle that was wrapped with an ace bandage and ice.

“Oh, sure. Once I get off of it and give it a break.” Bly chuckled and limped towards the locker room with Jordan helping her.

“Are you sure?” Jordan asked worriedly.

“Positive.” Bly smiled and limped through the door the guard held open for them to pass through.

“Great game!” He enthusiastically replied.

“Thanks.” Bly answered and both women disappeared behind the door away from the pandemonium of the arena.

***

Jordan helped Bly gather her belongings after she had showered and they headed off to the post-game celebration party. The entire family waited at the entrance of the arena for the two women as autograph seekers instantly mobbed Bly. She spent about an hour patiently signing autographs for the fans before they were all able to head to the party. Bly and her family sat at a corner table chatting merrily, listening to both Jordan and Linda fighting over whom their brother would be more like. They were all laughing so hard at the animated bickering that their sides hurt.

They spent the majority of the night chatting with everyone that stopped at the table to see Bly, who rested her ankle elevated on a chair. Finally they decided to call it a night as the four women had planned to start out on their sightseeing tour early the next morning. By morning, Bly’s ankle was less swollen. It hurt like hell but she could walk, even if it was gingerly. Jordan had been insistent that they stay at the hotel and allow her to rest the foot. Eventually, Bly won out and they headed off to meet Julie and Linda.

***

The group drove to Sausalito to check out the town and then up to ‘Muir Woods’ to see the huge Redwood trees. Bly was a tall woman and when she stood next to one of the huge trees for one of the many photo opportunities Julie didn’t want to miss, she looked like a midget. The group headed back to San Francisco to catch the boat over to Alcatraz, to see the famed prison. Bly had been able to rest her ankle on the other part of the trip, but wasn’t looking forward to all the walking she would be doing at Alcatraz. She knew Jordan and Linda were excited to see the prison and gutted it out for the trip. Bly was tempted to lock Julie in one of the isolation cells as she had finally had enough of her camera. Every time they turned around, another picture was being taken. Bly thought that Julie was an addict needing to be stopped and she had the perfect one-step program, lock her in and leave her there. Jordan and Linda effectively stopped Julie’s incarceration by separating the two laughing women who wrestled with one another as Bly tried to close the door on the cell. “If you two are going to keep this up, we aren’t going to take you in the stores when we get back on shore.” Linda warned and was instantly backed up by her sister as they walked ahead of the bickering pair. "You two can just wait for us somewhere!"

“You were right, it worked.” Julie whispered mischievously to Bly as they slowly walked to catch up to the other women.

“I told you it would, now pay up the twenty bucks you owe me.” Bly chuckled and held her hand out for Julie to pay her.

“Can I catch you later, I’m a little short at the moment seeing as how they don’t have any ATM’s on this island.” Julie shared a laugh with Bly.

“Hell no, you won’t pay me back!” Bly laughed and wrapped her arm around Julie’s neck playfully hugging her.

“Well, you should feel confident in the knowledge that you’ll never be broke because I’ll always owe you twenty dollars.” Julie teased as the pair finally hurried to catch up to their partners who impatiently waited for the stragglers by the boat. “Don’t forget to play it up a little more once we get back to shore.”

“I hear ya!” Bly chuckled and snuggled up to Jordan once she stood next to her.

“Are you okay, Bly? I’m really worried about you. Let’s get you to a seat.” Jordan worriedly suggested and helped Bly towards a seat on the boat when she noticed her limping more than before.

“Thanks, honey.” Bly replied and winked at Julie as they all sat down for the short boat ride back.

***

Once back ashore, the group headed towards Embarcadero Square so Linda and Jordan could spend some money shopping. Jordan insisted that Bly rest her ankle and suggested that Julie stay with her to keep her company. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you babe?” Bly asked, settling in her chair at the restaurant that overlooked the bay.

“No, you rest or we will have to carry you through the airport later today!” Jordan kissed her cheek and said goodbye before her and Linda turned on their heels for one of their favorite activities, shopping.

“Don’t spend too much money, honey.” Julie teased and received a kiss from Linda who had rushed back to plant one on her sexy Italian lover.

“I will and you’ll enjoy it.” Linda teasingly answered over her shoulder.

“Yes dear.” Julie retorted dryly.

Bly and Julie sat laughing once the girls were out of sight at the ruse they pulled over the two. Neither wanted to be dragged all over the wharf area for shopping. “Oh they bought it, that’s for sure.” Julie snickered and took a sip of her frosty beer and sighed happily.

“They actually were too good about it. It was kind of weird.” Bly thought skeptically.

“That’s because you played up that injured ankle very well, my friend.” Julie sarcastically replied and pinched Bly’s cheek with a laugh.

“Well, it does hurt, but not as bad as I put on. If they find out, we are in big trouble.” Bly laughed with Julie.

“I know!”

“Now, that we have the liabilities out of the way, we can do some serious shopping.” Linda laughed rubbing her hands together mischievously and looked at Jordan as they descended the stairs. “They were so proud of themselves that they put one over on us. Do they think we are dumb blondes or what?” Jordan laughed and suddenly stopped at the top of the stairs.

“What?” Linda asked, confused as to why she stopped.

“Smell that?” Jordan asked sniffing the air and looking around.

“Aah, the smell of fish from the wharf?”

“Linda? Please, sometimes I tell ya!” Jordan answered exasperated by her sister’s naiveté. “Bargains! Shopping! Hurry, let’s go!” Jordan excitedly coaxed and both rushed towards the shops, unfettered in their quest.

***

Bly and Julie enjoyed sitting in the restaurant spending a leisurely day together without having to go from shop to shop in search of the perfect bargain, not to mention, they were happy they didn’t have to lug the girls’ packages all day either. Linda and Jordan met the tipsy pair later and they all headed back to the hotel. They had to pick up their luggage and take the limo to the airport for their evening flight to Hawaii. Jordan was so excited and happy she could hardly contain herself. Bly just laughed and loved seeing her so happy. It made her feel good knowing that she was a part of such excitement in this woman’s life. They waited in the lobby of the hotel for Julie and Linda who finally dragged their sorry behinds out of the elevator to meet the pair. Bly and Jordan laughed when they saw Julie struggling to push the cart containing their luggage, change that, all of Linda’s luggage. She packed as if she would never be going home. Her thoughts were, 'you had to be prepared for any kind of weather or occasion' which meant plenty of clothes had to be on hand, just in case.

“Let’s hope there’s enough room in the damn limo for all this stuff!" Julie sarcastically quipped, out of breath from pushing the heavy cart when they approached.

“Maybe I should have ordered the stretch limo.” Bly laughed and helped Julie wheel it towards the door as their limo pulled up out front. “Make sure you tip the driver better than your normally cheap offer especially with all this luggage.” Bly quipped with a chuckle looking at her best friend.

“Very funny bud!” Julie responded and began to load the luggage along with the driver as Linda and Jordan casually strolled up.

Everyone climbed into the limo for the ride to the airport. Bly and Julie sat amazed at how the two sisters sat chatting non-stop for the entire fifteen-minute ride to the airport. “How can two people have so much to talk about?” Julie leaned up and quietly asked Bly, amazed by the whole thing.

“You’ve got me. I couldn’t imagine talking to you that much.” Bly laughed and saw the not so pleasant look on Julie’s face from the comment.

“You’re a laugh a minute, Miss Thing!” Julie sarcastically laughed.

“The thing is, they can sit there and carry on this huge conversation about almost anything.” Bly tried to think of an example of what she was talking about and thought of a subject. “Like shoes! They can sit there chatting about shoes and get so excited about it. It just amazes me that they can have so much joy from talking about something so simple, listen.” Bly explained and lovingly looked at the two girls who were chatting up a storm, along with Julie.

“You know my philosophy, Linda, if the shoe fits buy it!” Jordan excitedly explained and the women laughed hysterically.

“I rest my case.” Bly laughed, as did Julie, at the simplistic conversation the pair spoke with so much joy about.

“I guess it’s probably the same for them when they listen to us talk about sports.” Julie laughed with Bly, and prepared to exit the limo as it pulled up to the curb.

Everyone grabbed their carry on baggage before heading to the curbside stand to check in the rest of their luggage. After checking in, they all headed towards the gate to meet their plane only to find the plane was delayed by an hour. Julie harassed Bly about having to wait in the airport for two and one half-hours before they would leave, because Bly was a stickler for being punctual for a flight. She liked to be an hour and a half early for all her flights just in case something happened. 'It was good to be prepared.' Bly thought seriously. Bly shook off Julie’s teasing and asked if anyone would like a beverage as she headed off in search of a much-needed Dr. Pepper. Julie asked for one and Jordan offered to accompany Bly, but Linda insisted she stay. She told Jordan she was nervous about meeting their brother. Bly smiled and headed off towards the main lobby of the airport, slightly limping now from her injured ankle.

Jordan faintly heard what Linda was saying to her as she lovingly watched Bly walk away from her. Everything she had ever wanted in her life, that she thought would never come true, was doing just that. It was real and it was all because of the woman that was walking down the corridor. She thought about how her life was coming full circle and how everything had changed for the better. She felt like Cinderella and had a nervous angst that it could all end just as quickly as it all had come about. Her thoughts were disturbed when Linda touched her arm to get her attention. She apologized and listened to her sister.

Bly finally returned with the drinks and had a package tucked under her arm. “This is for you, honey.” Bly offered the package to Jordan who smiled eagerly.

“Thanks, what is it?” She asked excitedly like a kid at Christmas.

“Open it and find out babe.” Bly teased and sat next to the excited woman who quickly tore open the box. “I saw it in the window of a store in the lobby and thought you would love it.” Bly explained, watching Jordan pull out her present.

“Oh Bly, it’s absolutely gorgeous!” Jordan gushed as she stood up and held the white sundress against her and noted that Bly had gotten exactly her size.

“Is it the right size?” Bly asked worried that she might have purchased the wrong one.

“Yes, it will fit perfectly! Thank you so much, I absolutely love it, honey!” Jordan enthusiastically and appreciatively answered hugging Bly for her wonderful gesture.

“I’m glad you like it, babe. You’ll look incredible in it!” Bly smiled and kissed Jordan’s cheek.

“I love it, Bly, it’s beautiful.” Linda added with a smile, looking at Jordan modeling the dress for everyone.

“Thanks.” Bly bashfully grinned and everyone gathered their belongings when they heard the announcement that their flight would be boarding very soon.

***

After a couple of hours of the flight, Bly scanned the first class cabin to check out the scene and noted alot of the passengers were fast asleep. She checked the flight attendants, who sat in their jump seats reading books, as the cabin was quiet and uneventful. The cabin was dark for the late night flight. A mischievous smile crossed Bly’s face and she leaned close to Jordan. She pulled the blanket up on the sleepy blonde and herself as she cuddled closely to her. Jordan opened her eyes when she felt Bly’s warmth against her.

“Hey, what’s up? You okay?” Jordan asked worriedly and snuggled closer to Bly.

“Oh, I’m perfect.” Bly deviously responded and kissed Jordan.

“Bly, what are you doing?” Jordan asked surprised and in a whisper checking the cabin out to see if anyone was watching them.

“I’m hitting on you, pretty lady.” Bly seductively answered capturing Jordan’s sensuous lips with her own and slipped her hand between her lover’s legs.

“Oh Bly.” Jordan whispered in a high pitch tone from the contact Bly made. “Oh, yes, Bly.” Jordan moaned in a much lower, sultry, inviting tone when she felt Bly’s fingers find their way inside her shorts and panties to dip deep inside her. Jordan spread her legs for Bly and nibbled softly on the lips before her. “Take me, baby.” Jordan whispered pleadingly and deepened the sensuous kiss.

“Bly, you little devil.” Jordan saucily purred, deepening her kiss and thoroughly enjoying every minute of what Bly was doing to her. Jordan was certainly not hiding her pleasure as she seductively moved her hips in unison to Bly’s fingers stroking her sex in every enjoyable way. Jordan’s heart raced and her arousal mounted when Bly picked up her pace. Her lips were against Jordan's neck, nibbling ever so softly, sending her passion soaring. She desperately tried to contain her delight, and buried her face in Bly’s neck to softly moan, without the other passengers knowing just how much she was enjoying what her sexy girlfriend, rephrase that, fiancée was doing to her. She was startled back into reality from her brief romp through ecstasy, when she felt Linda’s seat moving against her legs, and grabbed Bly’s hand to stop her. “Bly.” Jordan whispered to get her attention.

“What?” Bly asked breathless, looking up from Jordan’s neck.

“Linda’s is getting up.” Jordan alerted her, desperately panting to regain her composure.

Bly stopped and looked up just in time to see Linda stand up and hear a dull thud. “Ow! Shit!” Linda exclaimed, in response to her forgetfulness that there isn’t much room in an airplane. Rubbing her head, she looked up at the offensive overhead compartment. ‘Damn!’ She thought inwardly, and considered hitting it with her hand to take out her frustrations, but then she’d have another problem. Deciding it wasn’t a good idea; she rubbed the pain away from the bump on her head to calm her frustration.

Bly and Jordan snickered, glad to see she had not turned around yet or they would have been busted. They sat staring at Linda, who still had her back to them, with grins resembling Cheshire cats. They tried to maintain their cool façade as Linda turned around with a look of disgust on her face from hitting her head. She looked at the sneaky pair with the devilish grins on their faces. “What are you two up too?” She questioned skeptically.

“Oh aah, nothing, just wondering what you were doing.” Jordan stammered, trying to conceal the fact that Bly was still stroking her wet mound underneath the blanket. It was payback time. Jordan casually squeezed her legs together, which did nothing to thwart Bly’s assault, as the woman continued to stroke the blonde's sex with complete disregard for Linda.

“Julie’s hogging both of our seats and snoring in my ear. My back and neck are killing me.” Linda complained, and stepped in the aisle near Jordan’s seat.

Jordan faintly heard what Linda was saying as she was trying to keep from shouting, when she released her orgasm. She turned to Bly with widened green eyes and cocked one eyebrow. Bly’s expression was one of complete surprise and astonishment for what Jordan had just done. “I couldn’t help it. It’s your fault.” Jordan mouthed, looking at Bly who began to laugh from the look on the blonde's face.

“What’s so funny?” Linda queried, totally oblivious to what was happening with the pair.

“Oh, I was just laughing about Julie and how she just loves to sprawl out when she sleeps.” Bly replied, attempting to play it off. She hoped Linda would buy it.

“Tell me about it. We have a king sized bed at home and I’m lucky if I get a corner of it.” She bought it hook, line and sinker. “Do you have anything to eat Jordan? I’m starving.” Linda asked, rubbing her belly.

“Oh, yeah uhmmm.” Jordan stammered nervously and lifted the blanket, blocking Linda’s view as Bly quickly removed her hand. Jordan removed the blanket from them and Bly shifted back into her seat. Jordan stood up to retrieve her bag out of the compartment. “Here, these donuts are great.” Jordan exclaimed, and handed her sister the bag of mini donuts she had purchased in San Francisco.

Linda dove in and devoured a couple of them in no time and offered one to Bly, who graciously accepted. Bly popped the donut in her mouth as she stared at Jordan with a mischievous grin on her face. She slowly licked and sucked her fingers, tasting her lover mixed in with the cinnamon-sugar donut. “Hmmm, very tasty and so delicious.” Bly seductively stated with a wide grin. She winked at Jordan who stood staring with her mouth agape.

Jordan’s mouth watered in anticipation before finally coming to her senses. She swallowed hard as she watched Bly tease her.

“Oh, aah yes, they are. Uhmmm, I’ll be back.” Jordan stammered flustered and headed towards the bathroom.

Bly chuckled and watched Jordan rush off as Linda sat in the vacated seat, oblivious to what was taking place between the girls. She was too enamored with the donuts.

***

Jordan finished her call of nature and stood before the mirror still flustered from Bly’s antics. She turned on the faucet and dipped her hands in splashing the cold, refreshing water on her face. The water felt invigorating and her senses tingled as her overheated body temperature quickly dropped. Checking her look in the mirror, she noticed her disheveled appearance. ‘I look like shit.’ She thought, embarrassed, and ran her fingers through her messy blonde hair in an attempt to regain a semblance of order. ‘That Bly! I’m going to pay her back for getting me all aroused like that.’ Jordan mischievously thought. She put her hair back in place and patted her wet face with a towel completely refreshed. "Much better!" Jordan commented satisfied with her new look and headed back to her seat. “Did you eat all my donuts?” Jordan asked disappointed, as she approached her seat and saw the crumpled bag in Linda’s lap.

“Oh, aah, yeah I guess so.” Linda stammered and chuckled. “Sorry.” Linda grinned sheepishly, and stood up so Jordan could sit down.

“Oh man. I love those things.” Jordan whined sadly, and plopped in her seat disappointed. “It’s okay baby, we’ll get you all the mini donuts you want on the way back.” Bly replied in an attempt to reassure her disappointed lover.

“Oh yes, you will definitely get me as many donuts as I want. Isn’t that right, Bly?” Jordan mischievously asked, rather demanded, and in such a nice way too.

“Oh, aah yeah, anything you want, honey.” Bly agreed, when she saw Jordan’s look of determination. Bly looked out the window and thought, ‘Oh, I’m in deep shit.’

Linda chuckled and sat back in her chair when she heard the announcement that they would be landing soon.

“You do know that I will get you back, right?” Jordan guaranteed sarcastically.

“Oh, yeah. I’m positive of it.” Bly replied, not sounding the least bit upset about the prospect. “Please be gentle.” Bly teasingly smiled.

“Oh, I’ll do whatever I want to and you’ll like it.” Jordan mockingly replied, acting as if she was mad.

“But of course.” Bly smiled and looked down to check her seat belt. ‘Oh, shit.’ She thought flustered, fumbling to secure her safety belt, knowing she was in big trouble. Bly looked out the window at the darkness before adjusting her eyesight towards the island below her. She noted the island was very dark and scarcely lit. The only bright lights seemed to come from the landing strip and what she assumed was the terminal. Bly knew just how beautiful the island actually was, but they would have to wait until daybreak to catch a glimpse of paradise. Kauai, lush and green, was one of Bly's favorite islands in the Hawaiian chain. She loved the various waterfalls and ruggedness of the Napali Coast. Bly turned to alert Jordan that they were very close to touchdown when she noted the faraway look Jordan possessed. She became worried and rested her hand on Jordan’s, who absently looked up at her. “Are you okay?” Bly asked softly, and squeezed her hand for comfort.

“Hmmm?” Jordan asked confused, snapping out of her thoughts when Bly’s voice resonated through her ears.

“Are you alright? Are you scared?” Bly asked, her voice thick with concern from the look on Jordan’s face.

“Oh sorry.” Jordan stammered and chuckled once her thoughts were collected. “No, I was just thinking about my brother. I’m getting more nervous now that we are so close.” Jordan admitted, and patted Bly’s hand to assure her she was fine.

“There’s nothing to be nervous about baby. He’s going to absolutely love you! How could he not?” Bly smiled confidently and kissed Jordan’s cheek.

Jordan chuckled and blushed. She was amazed how Bly knew just the right things to say to make her feel so much better. “Yeah, I’m being silly, but I can’t help being just a tiny bit nervous. Thanks.”

“You’re not being silly. You’re just excited. Remember, he has two of you to meet and I bet he’s just as nervous to meet you.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I never thought of it that way before. I’ll be fine once I’m on the ground.” Jordan reassured Bly with a smile and a kiss. “Thanks.” She whispered through the kiss.

“No, thank you.” Bly chuckled and seductively wiggled her eyebrows; referring to the treat Jordan gave her earlier. “I guess that makes us members of the mile high club huh?” They chuckled and felt the plane bump when it touched down on the airstrip. Bly saw Jordan’s sigh of relief that they were safely on the ground and smiled. She then kissed the back of Jordan’s hand that lay clutched to her own. The group quickly gathered their belongings and headed off the crowded plane to collect the rest of their luggage. Bly rented a luggage cart and parked it next to the carousel to wait for their luggage to come out. Linda, Jordan and Julie stood laughing and chatting animatedly as Bly approached for help with the luggage.

“Need some help there, studly?” Julie teasingly asked her tall friend.

“Well, I’ll be damned! You’re actually going to help?” Bly laughed and hugged her best friend playfully as they approached the carousel just as the buzzer sounded, indicating the luggage was on its way. “Cool, we won’t have to wait too long.” Bly answered relieved.

“I’ll try to help, but you know that I have a bad back.” Julie grinned and mockingly held her lower back as if it hurt.

“Yeah, a conveniently injured back when something needs to be done! It doesn’t seem to stop you from your wild sex though!” Bly sarcastically teased.

“You know that’s how I hurt it in the first place.” Julie laughed, as did Bly, noticing the bags heading their way. “Excellent, there’s Linda’s bags. Are you sure you’re ready for these?” Julie teasingly laughed, and pointed to the numerous bags Linda brought with her.

“Yeah, let’s get this over with. I’ll probably have a back injury after loading these!” Bly chuckled and began to grab the luggage along with Julie as it came to them. Julie and Bly loaded everyone’s luggage except Jordan’s, which had not passed by yet. “Honey, your suitcases are forest green right?” Bly asked, looking over her shoulder, refreshing her memory.

Jordan approached to check the carousel and scanned the rack that circled around with only a few bags remaining. “Damn, where’s my luggage?” Jordan worriedly asked, and watched the bags pass by again.

“Well, let’s see if they come out when it circles back around.” Bly suggested, as everyone watched the remaining bags leave with their owners with only an empty carousel passing by.

“Shit! I can’t believe this! How in the hell can all of your bags come out and not mine? We were all on the same damn plane!” Jordan angrily replied, raising her voice a few octaves.

“Okay, settle down, honey. We’ll find out what’s up with them. Maybe they were placed on another carousel. Let’s go check at the information booth.” Bly suggested, attempting to calm her distraught lover and nudged her along.

“We’ll hang here and wait for you.” Julie offered and leaned against the heavily loaded cart with Linda laying her head on her shoulder.

“I’m sleepy.” Linda yawned, and closed her eyes for the wait, as Julie wrapped her arm securely around her lover.

Jordan’s anger was evident when she spoke, no, yelled, at the agent in her attempt to find her luggage. “I can’t believe you lost my luggage!” She shouted passionately, as Bly stood by stunned. She didn’t know what to say, as she had never seen Jordan this mad before.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. We are trying to locate your luggage right now.” The agent attempted to explain, feverishly pounding the keyboard on her computer for information.

“You’re not trying hard enough!” Jordan spat angrily.

“Okay, Jordan. Calm down honey.” Bly urged, stepping next to her lover and placing a comforting hand on her back. Jordan looked angrily at her lover. “Ma’am, do you have any idea what might have happened to her luggage?” Bly calmly asked the frayed agent, as Jordan ran a frustrated hand through her disheveled blonde hair.

“I’m not sure at the moment. My guess would be it was mislabeled and made it onto another plane. We will track the luggage, find it, and have it brought to your hotel immediately.” The agent cordially offered.

“Okay, we are staying at The Sheraton on Poipu Beach, and would appreciate your help.” Bly calmly answered and smiled. She turned to Jordan whose frustration was quite evident as she walked beside Bly.

“I can’t believe you were so calm, Bly.” Jordan exclaimed in frustrated disbelief.

“Jordan, honey. It’s late, we’re all tired and it’s not the agent’s fault that the luggage is lost.” Bly explained, and held Jordan’s hand.

“Bly, is that really you?" She asked mockingly feeling for a fever on the tall woman's forehead. If it had been your luggage, you would have jumped across the counter and strangled the woman!” Jordan replied, confused by Bly’s evasiveness.

“Oh come on, I’m not that bad, am I?” Bly asked with a sly smile, and looked down at her shorter lover trying to lighten the mood.

“Yes!” Jordan answered and shared a laugh with Bly.

“Come on. Let’s get to the hotel. You won’t be so mad once you get your sleep. Tomorrow, when you wake up, your luggage will have magically appeared.” Bly confidently suggested.

“I know it’s just that I’m nervous as it is, and this doesn’t help with any of it. What am I going to do without any clothes?”

“Well, you normally don’t wear any to bed, much to my delight.” Bly grinned wickedly and saw Jordan’s small smile grow into a full blush. “Your luggage will be here before you know it. So, stop worrying!” Bly laughed and kissed her reassuringly.

***

Bly and Jordan joined the girls and they headed, with their luggage, towards the limo to head off to the hotel. The ride was a long one as the airport was halfway around the island from their resort. All four women dozed off and on during the hour ride. Arriving at the hotel, they all had one thought in mind and that was the feel of a comfortable bed under their bodies. Check-in went smoothly as the luggage was taken up to their respective rooms. There was a message from Bly's brother at the desk informing them that their long lost brother would be meeting them for dinner tonight instead of brunch, as an emergency had come up. The women bid each other goodnight, agreeing to meet in the hotel restaurant at 10:00 a.m. to go sightseeing instead of their original plan to have brunch with Kevin.

A unison groan was emitted from the two women as the alarm announced that it was 9:00 a.m. Cracking a sleepy eye open, Bly reached out slowly and slammed her hand down on the snooze bar, instantly silencing the incessant buzzing. Jordan murmured and snuggled appreciatively into Bly's shoulder. Bly's arms snaked around to hold Jordan for a moment before whispering in her ear. "Come on honey, we have to get up. Don't you want to see the island?"

"Not at this hour!" Came the muffled reply from just below her chin. Bly smiled and jiggled Jordan to get a rise out of her. "Stop it!" Succeeding in her endeavor had only fueled Bly's resolve to get Jordan up and out of bed. Bly began to run her hand lightly down the blonde's ribcage and felt her squirm in response. "Stop it!" The voice came a little stronger, as the body against her side tried to shift away from her. Pulling the squirming woman back toward her, Bly continued her reign of terror on the smaller woman's body. Jordan reached out and stopped Bly's hand from further movement, adamantly saying, "I said, stop it!"

Bly instantly rolled over on top of Jordan, effectively pinning her to the mattress and began taunting her. "Or what?" She gripped Jordan's hands tightly and held them above the woman's head, leaving her helpless. Green eyes flashed open with a look of amusement and forced anger.

"Just because you are bigger and stronger than me doesn't mean that you can always get away with everything. One of these days I'm going to surprise you good!" Bly reached down and kissed Jordan tenderly on the lips. When the woman under her began to respond, she pulled back with a devilish grin. Jordan groaned from the loss of contact and then squinted her eyes in mock fierceness when Bly gently, and quickly, ran her tongue along the edge of her lips.

"Do you mean get away with this? Or like this?" Bly dipped down and ran her tongue along Jordan's jaw line ending at her ear lobe, which she nibbled on lightly. Jordan’s goose bumps rose in full force when she felt Bly's warm breath against her ear.

"This is only the beginning my dear, wait until we have more time!" Bly whispered warmly, before jumping off the bed and out of Jordan’s reach.

"Right now you'd better get up and get ready or we will be leaving without you." Bly chuckled and walked into the bathroom as a pillow thudded against the doorframe just to the right of her head. "Missed!" She tauntingly laughed.

The running water muffled Jordan's reply when Bly turned the shower on full force. She chuckled as she had a good idea of what Jordan had said. Rinsing her hair, Bly was still smiling as she thought about waking Jordan up. She was the hardest person to get up and out of bed, but Bly loved finding creative ways to accomplish that nearly impossible task. Bly tilted her head back and let the water run down her hair and her face, unaware of a presence entering the shower with her. A sudden tweak of her nipple sent Bly upright, spitting the water out of her mouth in surprise. Her eyes flew open to find Jordan blinking her eyes and wiping water off her face. "Hey thanks, first you torment me awake and now you spit in my face!"

"I'm sorry honey, you startled me. I didn't know you were in here too." Bly wrapped her arms around her lover's body and kissed her lightly on the tip of her nose. Jordan tried ineffectively to stay sheltered behind Bly's body, but the water from the showerhead continued to bounce off the taller shoulders straight into her face. Grimacing, Jordan kept blinking her eyes and kept her mouth shut to avoid drowning. Bly chuckled at the scene before her and knew what was happening. She pushed Jordan back a step so they were both out of the shower's spray. Kissing her deeply, her throaty voice asked, "Am I forgiven?"

"Hmmmm, maybe." Jordan replied before her mouth was assaulted by Bly's kisses again.

"Now?" Bly queried, grinning.

Jordan took a deep breath to steady her racing heart and she huskily replied, "No, but you are on the right track. Now, if you are finished, let me take my shower or we'll never get down to meet Linda and Julie!" Bly leaned in for a quick, deep kiss and stepped out of the stall as Jordan swatted at her behind. "Behave!"

"Never!" Bly called after her, as she wrapped a towel around herself and stepped out into the bedroom. Bly sat out on the lanai soaking up some sun as she waited for Jordan to finish showering. Jordan stuck her head out onto the lanai and the look on her face wasn't a good one. "What? What's the matter?"

"My suitcases still haven't arrived from the airport. I just called down to the desk and they haven't received them yet. They are going to call the airlines to check on them again, but so far no one seems to know just where my clothes are!" Jordan's voice was bordering on panic, and Bly knew she had to diffuse the situation.

"I think you look kind of cute in that little towel." Bly sardonically grinned.

"Cute! So you think I should just waltz into the restaurant like this?" Jordan asked, trying to keep her righteous anger, but losing the battle to Bly's lecherous looks.

"Well, we won't have any problem getting service!" Bly replied saucily.

"It's the type of service that I'm afraid of!" Jordan retorted, picking up her clothing from yesterday with disgust. She really didn't want to wear the outfit again, she felt like she had already lived in it for a week!

Bly rifled through her suitcase with no success and had an idea. "My clothes definitely won't fit you. Why don't you call Linda and see if you can borrow an outfit. If your suitcases aren't here by the time we come back this afternoon, we can go to the stores downstairs and get you a few things. I'm sure this will all be straightened out by tomorrow morning. Your suitcases couldn't have gone that far." Jordan nodded at the suggestion, and picked up the phone to dial Linda and Julie's room.

Quickly solving the problem, they waited for the two women to bring the borrowed clothing over and then the four of them proceeded down to the restaurant. "Thanks for the loan." Jordan offered, as they sat down at their table.

"What are sisters for?" Linda replied smiling, “just be thankful I'm not an Amazon like Bly.” She teasingly whispered over to her sister.

Jordan swatted her lightly on the arm and answered, "Hey! Watch it! That happens to be my Amazon you are talking about, and I like her just the way she is!" Both women turned to smile over at Bly who was oblivious to their conversation. Bly looked at the two women and frowned before turning to Julie for an explanation. Julie just shrugged her shoulders with the same confused look, which caused both Jordan and Linda to erupt into laugher.

"Hey Bly, do you get the feeling sometimes that we are like a day late and dollar short when it comes to these two?" Julie asked, frowning at the women's obvious delight at their expense.

"All the time, Julie, all the time!" Bly agreed, shaking her head at the two.

***

After breakfast they headed down to the lobby to pour over the pamphlets to decide what to do on the island that day. It was already 11:30 by the time their car was brought around so they opted to drive around the island visiting the sights closest to their location. Their first stop was ‘Waimea Canyon.’ Pulling into the parking lot, the women walked out onto the observation platform and were astounded at the sight. "It almost looks like a miniature Grand Canyon." Jordan observed. They wanted to see the entire canyon and couldn’t unless they took a helicopter ride over it, and after a few pictures, the women headed toward the flight area. The four decided on the three-hour flight over the interior of the island to a secluded waterfall, where a picnic lunch would be served to them, and they could relax by the base of the waterfall.

The scenery was spectacular as the pilot took them along the ‘Napali Coast’ region and the aircraft was buffeted by the winds as he tried to maneuver the helicopter into the crevices along the cliffs. Jordan gripped Bly's hand tightly in fear, as the helicopter seemed to barely fit between the walls. The pilot kept fighting his way in until they were past the cliffs, flying over the interior of lush, green vegetation and various waterfalls that were below them. Releasing Bly's hand, Jordan eagerly began taking pictures.

Julie had already gone through one roll of film and was quickly trying to load her camera so that she didn't miss a thing. The four of them wore headsets so that they could hear the pilot narrate what they were seeing, but it was difficult to communicate amongst themselves within the aircraft due to the loud noise from the blades.

When they landed in a glen that had already been prepared for them, they ventured under the canopy and were handed Mai Tai's as they waited for lunch to be prepared. After lunch, the woman walked down to stream that flowed over the rocks into a pool and sat on the edge, putting their feet into the ice-cold water. "Wow! That's cold!" Julie shrieked, and quickly pulled her feet out of the water. "It's got to be eighty degrees and the water feels like its forty degrees!"

Bly chuckled and replied, "No more like fifty degrees, but cold nonetheless. It's wild, isn't it?” They could hear the muffled thunder of the water in the distance as it fell from the top of cliffs down to the stream that ran toward them. A beautiful rainbow was present among the mist of the freshly fallen water. The stream was clear and you could see that the bottom was made up of rocks that ran to the shore where the grass grew.

A dock, of sorts, had been built along the edge of the stream to allow guests to climb down into the pool. The women decided to just lie on the dock and soak up the afternoon rays, lazy from the big lunch they had just eaten. Jordan sat wondering if her and Linda would ever get to see their brother. She wondered if maybe he changed his mind and didn’t want to meet them at all. She hadn’t slept well from her nervous energy about meeting him, and her lost luggage didn’t help either. She finally got to sleep two hours before the alarm clock went off, which made her very tired along with the jet lag that was beginning to kick in. The only thing that was keeping her awake was the huge glass of iced Tazo Chai tea she had at breakfast. She couldn’t help, but wonder what her brother was like, and as much as this place was incredibly beautiful, she wanted to go back to see him. She was glad to see the helicopter returning for them and that it was time to head back.

***

The ride back was equally as enjoyable, as they went back a different route and saw even more waterfalls and hidden glens. They arrived back at the landing pad and didn't return to the hotel until 5:00 pm. They decided to go to their rooms to relax with plans to meet down at the beach for the luau at 7:00 p.m.

Arriving back to their room, Jordan panicked when she realized her luggage had still not arrived. She was about to lose it. ‘I think I’m going to have a nervous breakdown.’ Jordan thought, her mind in a jumble with everything that was happening. She couldn’t believe that she would be meeting her brother in a few hours and she had no clothes. She couldn’t imagine anything worse happening right now.

The phone rang and she picked it up perturbed. “Hello.” She gruffly replied. “What?” She asked surprised and in a raised tone. “Okay, I’ll meet you in thirty minutes.” Jordan hurriedly replied and hung up the phone. She looked at Bly in a panic. “That was Linda. She said Dawson called her when he couldn’t reach us. He probably called when we were delayed at the soda machine for that Dr. Pepper you had to have!” Jordan teasingly stated with an arched eyebrow at her lover, who grinned sheepishly. “He said our brother Kevin wants to meet us in forty-five minutes for cocktails before the luau.”

“That’s great honey!” Bly excitedly exclaimed and moved closer to the flustered blonde.

“No, it’s terrible! I have no clothes! What in the hell am I going to do?” She asked tearfully and leaned against Bly’s chest for comfort.

Bly wrapped her arms around Jordan and kissed the top of her head reassuringly. “Okay, let’s do this. I’ll go down to the lobby and purchase some undergarments. You can wear the sundress I got you in San Francisco. How does that sound?” Bly offered and headed towards the closet to pull out the dress. She laid the dress across the bed as Jordan wiped the tears from her eyes, and pushed her errant blonde hair off her face.

“Yes! This will be perfect." Jordan answered, finally feeling some hope that things might be turning around for her in a positive way. She smiled appreciatively, "I’ll jump in the shower and hurry. Thank you for going down to the lobby for me."

Bly saw the frazzled and nervous look in Jordan’s eyes and drew her close for a hug. “It’s going to be alright, baby. Take a deep breath and just relax. Everything will work out beautifully, I promise.” Bly reassuringly guaranteed and kissed Jordan’s cheek, feeling the tension release from her rigid body.

“Promise?” Jordan asked with a hopeful smile, looking up at Bly.

“I promise.” Bly grinned and kissed Jordan. “Get in the shower and relax a bit. I’ll be back before you know it.” With a quick kiss, Bly was out the door and headed toward the elevators.

***

Jordan jumped in the shower and allowed the hot water to beat down on her stiff body, instantly feeling the release of her tension. She quickly showered, after allowing a few brief moments to unwind and hopped out of the shower. Arriving back to the room, Bly walked in and found Jordan standing naked looking in the mirror. “Well, aloha mamasita!” Bly drawled, fully appreciating the lovely sight before her and approached the object of her affection.

Jordan turned around from the mirror blushing and accepted Bly into her arms. “Hello sexy.” She chuckled, and kissed her tall lover soundly. She felt much better and more relaxed now that she had her shower and some clothes to wear. “Thanks honey, for being so supportive of me. I know that I’ve been a complete bitch lately and…” Jordan attempted to explain, but was interrupted by Bly.

“Honey, you have not been a bitch. You have been very nervous and stressed out. I understand that completely and I’m glad I could be here with you.” Bly reassuringly kissed her and engulfed her in a much-needed hug. “Now, get dressed.” She softly coaxed and patted Jordan's bare bottom, eliciting a giggle as she headed in to dress.

Bly stripped down to her birthday suit and turned on the shower. Jordan poked her head around the shower curtain. “Ooh, baby, do I love to see you naked.” She teasingly laughed with a big grin, watching her lover bathe.

“You keep that up and I’ll pull you in here with me!” Bly laughed and ran the shampoo through her dark locks.

“No, I’ve got to go. Will you be long?”

“I shouldn’t be, but why don’t you go down to the bar? Jules and I will meet you down there later. Do you need me to go with you for support?” Bly offered and stood with her hands on her hips waiting for Jordan’s answer, as the water trickled down her tan, muscular body.

“I would like you there, but it might be more comfortable for Kevin if it was just the two of us. He may feel really intimidated if all of us meet him at once.”

“Sounds good to me babe. I’ll get dressed, grab Jules and we’ll meet you down there later. Okay?” She asked smiling and kissed Jordan.

“Excellent. I’m so excited!” She gushed and smiled widely.

“I see that!” Bly chuckled, and leaned out of the shower to kiss her cute blonde again. She just couldn’t get enough of Jordan’s kisses.

“I’ve got to finish dressing!” She excitedly announced, and disappeared behind the curtain.

Bly chuckled and rinsed the shampoo out of her hair. She was very excited and happy all at the same time. She felt the butterflies swarming around in her stomach, and was happy that Jordan would soon meet her long lost brother. She finished her shower and stepped out to towel off. She dried herself off and looked up, stunned by the vision of loveliness before her.

“Does it look awful on me?” Jordan worriedly asked from the look on Bly’s face.

“Oh no, you look so incredibly beautiful, Jordan. I’m just stunned by your beauty.” Bly professed and inhaled deeply to settle the nervousness in her stomach. She felt nervous and excited, just like the first time they made love. She was speechless and didn’t know what to do. She was enamored by Jordan’s presence and didn’t want the vision or the moment to end.

“Really? Are you sure?” Jordan asked excitedly and looked down at the dress she wore.

“Oh yes, absolutely. You look totally fabulous.” Bly replied as words failed her miserably in her effort to describe Jordan. She gave up trying and moved closer to her.

“Aah, thanks!” Jordan replied blushing and hugged Bly. “You are so sweet.” Jordan whispered, and kissed Bly passionately to let her know just how much she meant to her.

“It’s true. You are beautiful.” Bly smiled, and pulled back to look at Jordan.

“This is such a fabulous dress. I just love it, honey. Thanks!” Jordan appreciatively commented, smiling. “I’m going to head down. Try to come down fairly soon okay?”

“I’ll be down before you know it, honey.” Bly smiled and kissed Jordan again before she headed towards the door.

Bly stepped out of the bathroom to watch Jordan leave and smiled when she turned back before exiting the door. “I love you.” Jordan smiled, and winked at her naked lover.

“Same here babe.” Bly blushed and smiled, watching Jordan leave the room. She looked down at her towel chuckling and thinking about how incredibly happy she is at that moment. It was all because of Jordan and she never wanted it to end. She wanted to feel that way for the rest of her life and she knew that would happen as she had finally found her soul mate. Bly tossed the towel into the bathroom and headed into the bedroom to dress.

***

Jordan and Linda headed down to the hotel bar to meet their brother. They stopped at the door and inhaled deeply, then exhaled to calm their nervousness. They looked at each other and smiled, knowing what the other was thinking. They laughed and squeezed each other’s hands for support when they entered the bar. Looking around the hotel bar, they didn’t see Dawson, who was supposed to accompany their brother there. “Maybe they’re to the back part of the bar.” Linda offered as they walked around to see if they could get a better look.

“There’s Dawson!” Jordan excitedly pointed out when she caught sight of him. “They’re out by the pool bar.” Jordan motioned so Linda could see them. They headed towards the door and exited toward the pool.

“Linda! Jordan!” Dawson called out cheerily, and waved to the women as he approached.

“Hi, Dawson!” Jordan greeted him with a hug, as did Linda.

“I have someone who’s been dying to meet you.” Dawson grinned excitedly and led the girls towards his table. “Linda, Jordan, this is your brother Kevin.” He introduced them proudly as Kevin stood up to meet his sisters.

There was awkwardness in the introductions, as no one was sure of how to greet each other. Finally, Kevin reached out to shake Jordan’s hand with a happy grin on his face and she broke the ice engulfing him in a tight, warm hug. She began to cry, no longer able contain her emotions when her brother held her tightly in his arms. “Let me guess, you’re Jordan, right?” He chuckled through his own tears, and leaned back to look at his sister.

“Yes, I’m Jordan.” She chuckled, crying harder.

“Hey, don’t hog my big brother!” Linda teased and pulled Jordan back.

“And you’re my baby sister, Linda.” He laughed and hugged her tightly.

Jordan hugged the both of them, overwhelmed as everyone laughed through their tears. Kevin laughed harder and wrapped his arm around both of his sisters. “I have some very important people for you two to meet.” He announced and turned the two women around.

Jordan glanced over at Dawson, who was not as impassive as his sister and wore his emotions on his sleeve. He was trying to inconspicuously wipe his tears away, but he wasn’t fooling Jordan and she grinned when she saw him crying. Catching his attention, she winked at him as he returned an embarrassed smile for being so sappy.

“This is my wife Kelli.” Kevin conducted the introductions as Jordan and Linda shook the attractive brunette’s hand to cordially greeting her. “This little princess is our daughter Kylie.” He proudly commented, picking his daughter up into his arms and presenting her to his sisters. “This is your Aunt Jordan and this is your Aunt Linda.” He replied, pointing to the two women.

“Hello Kylie.” Jordan and Linda greeted in unison, smiling at the bashful little girl. They chuckled when she shyly hid her head in her father’s neck, which laughed along with his wife. “She’s not usually this shy, just wait until she gets used to you and then you won’t be able to shut her up.” He chuckled with his wife.

“Yeah, and that will take all of about five minutes.” Kelli piped in as everyone laughed again.

“She’s absolutely beautiful.” Jordan smiled proudly and looked at her niece. She had always wanted to be an aunt and to have a loving family. It seemed like she was getting everything she ever wished for in her life. She hoped Bly would hurry and join them, as she wanted her to share in this moment.

“How old are you?” Linda asked and lightly rubbed her niece’s small arm smiling.

She hid her face with a laugh and her father answered for her, “She’s four going on sixteen,” with a shared laugh from the group. “Let’s sit down and have a drink.” Kevin offered and moved so Linda and Jordan could pass by him to the table.

“I’ll get the drinks, you all get acquainted.” Dawson offered, much to everyone’s delight. “Kelli and Kevin, I’m sure you’re having the same right?” He inquired and looked at them. They nodded yes and Dawson looked to Jordan and Linda. “What would you two like?”

“I’ll have a frozen Pina Colada.” Jordan answered smiling.

“I’ll have the same.” Linda replied with an appreciative smile.

“Great, I’ll be right back.” Dawson replied and headed towards the bar with his wallet open and ready.

***

The group sat and stared at one another not sure of what to say. They were all basically checking each other out and wondering if what they pictured each to be was an actuality. Jordan was surprised that her impression of her brother was so different. He was even better looking than she imagined and seemed to be a very nice man. She hoped he would be very understanding with what her and Linda were about to tell him regarding their lifestyles.

“Uhmmm, Kevin. I don’t know what Dawson has told you about us, but...” Jordan stammered nervously and looked at Linda for support. She hoped he wouldn’t shun them for their sexual preferences.

“Dawson didn’t fill me in on too much.” Kevin chuckled, and let his squirming daughter down. "I think he wanted us to have the chance to get to know one another instead."

“Well, aah we’re both…” Jordan attempted to explain.

“Gay, we’re both gay Kevin.” Linda chimed in and informed him quite abruptly. “There, that awkward moment is out of the way.” Linda chuckled with a sigh of relief and looked at her stunned sister whose eyebrow was arched skeptically at her sister. She was astonished Linda could be so forward with their brother that they had just met.

Kevin looked at his wife then back to his sister’s. “Well, we hope you are both happy and have wonderful partners.” He replied with a warm, loving smile.

“Wow, that was easy.” Jordan chuckled, astonished by their casual demeanor.

“Kelli’s sister is gay and we are quite gay friendly. Besides, you’re both my sister’s and even though I don’t know you very well yet, I love you just the same.” He smiled and watched as Kylie walked over to Jordan for her to pick her up.

“Hello there, cutie pie!” Jordan cheerfully greeted and picked her up as the little girl positioned herself comfortably in Jordan’s lap. Kylie smiled and played with Jordan’s long blonde hair. “Yes, to answer your question. We are both in love with two wonderful women whom you’ll meet very soon. In fact, my partner is Bly, Dawson’s older sister and she’s a fabulous woman.”

“She’s biased!” Linda teased as everyone laughed. “My girlfriend Julie is Bly’s best friend. I guess you could say we are all blissfully happy together.” Linda's quick laughter easily invited everyone else to join in.

“Wow, Kevin. Kylie looks a lot like Jordan.” Kelli observed and looked at her husband then back to her sister-in-law who held their daughter.

“Yeah, the long blonde hair and the green eyes match perfectly. She could be your daughter Jordan.” He agreed and chuckled. “You both look a lot like our mother.” Kevin mentioned and saw the stunned immediate looks of Jordan and Linda.

“You remember our mother?” Jordan asked urgently and slightly jealous that she had no memory of their mother.

“Well, I was pretty young, but from what I remember she had beautiful, long blonde hair, much like your own and very pretty green eyes. You obviously take after her. It seems Linda and I look more like our father.” He answered with a smile and looked at Linda then back to Jordan. An awkward silence fell upon the group until Dawson brought the drinks to the table and passed them to everyone.

“Kevin, do you remember how our parents were with us?” Jordan hesitantly asked. From the way her adoptive parents were with her, she was almost afraid to ask that question. She hoped they weren’t like them, but she wanted to know.

“They were very loving and proud parents from what I remember. They were constantly hugging and kissing on all of us.” Kevin answered with a slight smile and sadly looked down at his hands, remembering the pain of losing his parents. He smiled and looked up at his wife gratefully when she squeezed his hand for comfort, then over to his sisters, who had tears streaking their cheeks.

“I don’t have any memories of them.” Jordan sadly replied. Linda saw the sadness in Jordan’s eyes and felt the same way. She felt an old emptiness in her heart for her dead parents and for the years she was away from her family. She could never feel the same pain that Jordan felt from having to live with the adoptive parents that she had growing up. Linda knew she was very lucky growing up with loving adoptive parents, and from what Kevin said, they were a lot like their own biological parents. Still, she felt bad that Jordan had only known monsters for parents. She squeezed Jordan’s hand for comfort and wiped the tears that trickled down her cheeks.

“Why are you crying, Auntie Jordan?” Kylie asked with childlike wonderment.

“Oh, I’m just happy to see your daddy.” Jordan smiled and wiped her tears away.

“Don’t be sad.” She replied and hugged Jordan who chuckled, felling what she had always wanted to feel, the unconditional love of a family. A loving one, not like the one she had left behind.

“That’s so sweet. Thank you.” Jordan replied and looked up noticing Bly and Julie heading their way. “Oh, there’s Bly and Julie.” She excitedly announced and stood up. She was happy for the interruption, as the discussion was becoming quite painful for her.

“Hello.” Bly and Julie both greeted with a cordial smile as they stopped next to Jordan.

“This is our niece Kylie. This is Bly.” Jordan introduced Bly to her niece.

“Hello Kylie, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Bly smiled and looked at Jordan. “You okay?” She asked concerned and rubbed Jordan’s back for comfort, noticing that she had been crying.

“Oh yes. I’m much better now, thanks.” Jordan answered with a smile. Jordan and Linda introduced their partners to Kevin and Kelli before sitting back down. “Do you want a drink?” Jordan asked Bly who stood close by.

“Oh, no thanks. We can’t stay too long.”

“Why?” Jordan asked confused and disappointed. She didn’t want to be away from Bly any longer. She wanted to feel connected to her and the best way for that to happen was for Bly to be by her side.

“We have a lead on your mysterious luggage and we’re heading off to retrieve it.” Bly laughed and looked at Julie then back to Jordan.

“You’re kidding! Where did they find it?” Jordan asked with a laugh and helped Kylie get down from her lap.

“It was still in California!” Bly chuckled with a surprised look. “We’ll be back in plenty of time for the luau.” Bly commented and winked at Jordan who was obviously much happier with the latest news.

“I’ll join you two.” Dawson offered and stood up.

“Bye and thanks.” Jordan smiled watching as Bly, Julie and Dawson headed out of sight. She wanted to kiss Bly, but she didn’t want to make Kevin and his wife feel uncomfortable. All she wanted was for Bly to hold her in her arms tightly and make everything feel good again. Listening to Kevin speak of their parents was hard on her, but she needed to hear it and she knew she would have to wait until later to have Bly’s strong arms wrapped around her.

“Kevin, let me have the keys to the car so I can get our luggage and check us into the hotel.” Kelli asked holding out her hand as Kevin fished the keys out of his pocket and handed them to his wife.

“I’ll go out with you and help.” Linda offered and stood up.

“Ok great. Thanks. We’ll meet you over at the luau.” Kelli informed her husband and smiled before her, Linda and Kylie left.

***

Kevin and Jordan sat chatting about their jobs, where they lived, and where they had gone to school. When Jordan began to explain her miserable life with her adoptive parents it devastated Kevin and he began to cry as he heard his sister describe what her life had been like. “I’m so sorry Jordan.” He sadly replied crying harder.

Jordan began to cry too and held his hands as she leaned forward in her chair. “It’s not your fault Kevin.”

“I feel like it’s my fault. I’m your older brother. I should have been there to take care of you and Linda.” He guiltily answered.

“Kevin, you were only seven years old. You couldn’t have done anything more.” Jordan answered trying to console him.

“Jordan, there was never a day that passed that I didn’t think of you and Linda. I dreamed of the day we would finally be back together again. I begged my adoptive parents to find you two and they tried, unsuccessfully. When I got older I did my own search and couldn’t find either of you. The records were sealed and I got a dead end, adamant 'no' from everyone I contacted to try to find you. How did you and Linda find me?”

Jordan wiped her tears that had fallen harder as she listened to how her brother desperately searched for them and collected her emotions explaining, “Linda and I have been friends for many years and I was in a car accident not too long ago. I nearly died.” Jordan felt Kevin’s hands clutch hers tighter in fear.

“Oh my god! Are you okay? Are there any long term problems?” He worriedly asked with genuine concern for her. Jordan smiled and rubbed his hands gently to calm him. “I’m fine. I have a scar that bothers me occasionally but, other than that, I’m perfectly healthy. When I was in the hospital I needed blood and Linda donated hers. They found out she was a perfect match. So perfect that the doctors said we had to be related. It was then the people I thought were my parents admitted that I was adopted when they were contacted by the hospital. Dawson, along with Bly’s mother’s connections, was able to get our files opened, and we found out the truth about the three of us being adopted. When Linda and I found out that we had a brother, Dawson got to working on finding you.” She explained with a smile and noticed Kevin was just staring at her hands on his. “Kevin, is something wrong?” She asked worriedly.

“Oh, aah…” He stammered with a smile. “Our mother used to do exactly what you are doing right now. She would gently rub our hands like that to calm us.” He explained and looked deeply into Jordan’s stunned green eyes. “You are so much like her that it’s almost as if she was somehow reincarnated into you, Jordan.” He softly answered, and smiled adoringly as he spoke of their mother.

“Really?” Jordan asked surprised, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat.

“Yes, oh, here!” He excitedly began and reached for his wallet. “I have had this since the day we were taken from our home along with other things I took.” He chuckled and pulled out an old tattered picture and handed it to Jordan, who held it in her hand, which shook. She cried harder when she looked at the picture, a family photo of her mother holding her in her arms. Her father held Linda and Kevin stood between their parents. She lightly rubbed the photo and noted that everyone looked extremely happy. They were full of life and completely unaware of what the fates had planned for their future.

“You look so cute, Kevin.” She chuckled, and wiped the tears away that fell freely. “Dad is so very handsome too.” She acknowledged smiling, and realized that it was true what they say about how daughters usually find a mate that is like their father. He was tall, very good looking and had dark hair. She couldn’t make out the color of his eyes, but she guessed they were blue just as Linda and Kevin’s were. “Wow! I can see the family resemblance in all of us.”

“It’s incredible, huh?” He asked with a laugh looking at the picture along with Jordan. “It seems Linda and I are a cross between mom and dad, but you’re all mom!” He grinned proudly. It was very evident that he was enamored by his mother and now by Jordan.

“Yes, we look exactly alike. It’s amazing.” Jordan agreed her voice trailing off, surprised by how closely she resembled her mother. She smiled proudly and hugged her brother tightly. “Thank you.” She whispered in his ear and kissed his cheek.

“I can’t believe I have my two little sister’s back. We can be the family that we weren’t allowed to be.” He grinned hopeful and hugged Jordan again excitedly before breaking the hug.

“Kevin, why didn’t other family members take us in?” Jordan asked curious as to why no one would accept them into their home. “Well, mom’s best friend Sheryl tried to adopt us all, but the state wouldn’t allow that because she was a single woman. We stayed with her for a few weeks until the children’s services took us away from her. She tried to contact mom’s parents, but they refused to have anything to do with us. It seems that they were very wealthy people and didn’t approve of mother marrying dad, as he was not from their level of society. They told her she was banished from their family and they wanted nothing to do with her or her children. That is so sick. It’s just so hard to believe that people could be like that.” He answered in angered disbelief and looked at Jordan whose head was down.

“I can believe it, I lived with people like that.” Jordan answered; her tone of voice was very resentful. “What about dad’s side of the family?”

“Sheryl mentioned that he was an only child. She said his parents died when he was eighteen and there were no family members they could find for us to live with on his side. Thankfully, Sheryl still lives in the same town as we did or I never would have found any of this out. I contacted her not too long ago and she filled me in on what she could remember. Maybe we can go visit her sometime.” He smiled and offered.

“Yes, that would be nice. I’d like that very much.” Jordan smiled gratefully, trying to absorb everything that Kevin told her. It was all so unbelievable and it seemed as if they were all living out similar fates that their parents had. Kevin suggested they head over towards the luau so they wouldn’t be late and held Jordan’s chair for her.

“May I escort you, little sister?” He teasingly asked, trying to lighten the mood and held out an arm for her.

“Well thank you big brother.” Jordan chuckled and put her hand on his arm as they made their way across the pool deck. “Oh, here’s the picture back, Kevin.” Jordan offered and held it out to him.

“I want you to have it, Jordan. I’ve made copies that I have framed at home and I will give one to Linda as well.” He adoringly smiled at his sister.

She smiled appreciatively and kissed his cheek, “Thank you!” She gently placed the picture in her small purse that dangled from her shoulder.

Kevin led her towards a path of over grown vegetation and stopped at a wooden walkway. “I almost forgot to give you this.” He sheepishly grinned and handed Jordan a note.

“What’s this?” She asked confused and held up the note as she looked at him skeptically.

“I’m not really sure. I was just told to give it to you by the waiter who delivered it to the table.” He answered, and watched her open the note.

She began to read the note and was even more confused when she read: ‘I’m waiting for you and I want you to know that if you don’t want to do this now, I will understand completely. There is no pressure for you to do this and if you’re not ready, just tell me I will love you just the same. Love, Bly.’ Jordan was even more confused by what Bly was getting at. ‘Why wouldn’t I want to attend the luau now?’ She wondered inwardly.

“Well?” Kevin asked, looking down at his very confused sister.

“Oh, aah, let’s go. I’m not sure what that strange girlfriend of mine is up to, but we will soon find out.” Jordan answered with a chuckle, allowing her brother to lead the way. They followed the wooden path through the maze of orchids and other flowers that Jordan couldn't identify. The scent was heady and she was feeling blissfully happy at the moment. The path passed over a small rippling stream, finally giving way to a wide expanse of sand and sea. Stopping to remove their shoes, the couple stepped out onto the sand Kevin turned them towards a group of people off toward the left with a backdrop of the quickly descending sun, signaling sunset was upon them.

As they neared the group, Jordan stopped, pulling Kevin back toward her. "What is this?"

Kevin shrugged his shoulders and smiled, "What do you think?"

Jordan looked back at the crowd and saw Bly step forward splendidly dressed in a black tuxedo. The sight took Jordan's breath for a moment as the tears once again coursed down her cheeks. The sight of Bly in the black tuxedo that buttoned only between her breasts revealing her muscular, taut abdomen was breathtaking. Jordan looked her lover up and down noticing she was standing barefoot. She smiled and allowed her eyes to travel upward again focusing on Bly’s bare mid-rift, realizing that she had nothing else on under the coat. She hoped she at least had a bra on. The bright red orchid lei accentuated her dark features and brought out the crystal blue allure of her eyes. She stood solitary for a moment surprised to see Bly's parents, grandparents and brother standing next to a man dressed in a traditional Hawaiian robe. Linda smiled brightly through her tears as Julie struggled to wipe her cheek with the back of her hand. Jordan laughed at the scene and smiled at Kylie when she waved to her from Kelli's arms. She wasn’t sure what to do as everyone stared at her and she felt like a person who’s been stunned by a surprise birthday party.

A gentle tug on her arm brought her attention back to her brother and she turned to look into his glistening eyes. "Would you do me the honor of allowing me to give the bride away?" He asked, smiling proudly and struggling mightily to keep his tears of joy in check.

It finally dawned on Jordan as to what was taking place when she looked at the beautiful bright, reddish orange sun dipping towards the ocean and when she glanced down at her sundress. Her dream wedding was becoming a reality. She smiled happily and looked at her brother who chuckled at the bewildered and flustered look his sister possessed. It was evident that she was completely blown away by everything and her look was one of a woman whose dreams were finally becoming reality. "Did you know about all this?" Jordan asked, taking a ragged breath through her tears.

"Yes, Dawson explained it to me when we first met. So, what do you say little sister, do you want to tie the knot?" Kevin asked tenderly.

Jordan's tears flowed stronger as she enthusiastically nodded 'yes', crying, "More than anything in the world!"

“I’m glad to hear that as I’m sure Bly is too!” He grinned and reached into his pocket. “I want you to have this as it would be perfect for you to give to Bly.” He explained and opened the box, which contained a beautiful wedding band with diamonds in a line accentuating its beauty.

“Oh, Kevin. It’s exquisite, but I can’t accept this gift. I’ll have to get one for Bly later.” She exclaimed, admiring the beauty of the ring.

“You must accept this ring. It was our mother’s wedding ring, Jordan. It would be very fitting for you to give it to Bly.” He explained, moving it closer to her.

“But…” Jordan attempted to ask confused.

“Remember I told you I took a few things? This one, and her engagement ring, along with dad’s wedding band, which I wear, is what I took to remember our parents. I saved them in hopes that this day would come and that I could give them to my sisters. I will give Linda mother’s engagement ring and I want you to take her wedding ring.”

Jordan’s tears streaked her face and she lightly rubbed her finger over the band. She could feel her mother’s presence and knew that the ring represented everything that her father felt for her mother as well as the sacrifice her mother had made to be with the one she loved. It was the same with her and Bly. She would sacrifice everything in a heartbeat to be with Bly, differently than her mother had done with her father, but with the same intensity, would be her commitment. “This means so much to me and I would love to give this ring to Bly. I love her so much, Kevin, and I truly want her to know. This ring will show her just what she means to me.” Jordan smiled adoringly and wiped the tears that streaked her face as her brother engulfed her in a hug.

“I thought you would feel that way so I asked Dawson to find out her ring size and I had it resized to fit her.” He smiled warmly; breaking the hug and looking into his sister’s tear streaked face.

Bly was worried that Jordan didn’t want to go through with the wedding and she couldn’t see what Kevin was saying to her. She could see Jordan crying and took a step towards her, but was stopped by Linda. “Wait, don’t go to her just yet, Bly.”

“I have to, Linda. She must not want to do this now. I’ve put too much pressure on her.” Bly worriedly replied and attempted to walk away, but Linda effectively kept her there.

“Bly, I know in the deepest part of my heart that Jordan loves you with everything that she is and wants this more than you will ever know. Please, just stay here.” Linda sincerely asked, looking deeply into Bly’s blue eyes to emphasize her point.

Bly stood at a loss for words and searched Linda’s eyes finding only sincerity. “Okay, I’ll wait.” Bly smiled hesitantly and stood anxiously waiting for Jordan, hoping Linda was right about her sister.

Kevin hugged his sister tightly and then proceeded to walk her to her rightful place next to Bly. Bly sighed relieved and smiled when she saw Jordan walking towards them. She looked at Linda who smiled and winked. “Thanks.” Bly smiled warmly, and stood to the right of the Hawaiian priest. Julie and Dawson were standing to her right. Bly’s parents stood a few steps away from Dawson, Bly’s grandparents stood next to Kelli and Linda, who stood to the priests left. Kelli put Kylie down, who enthusiastically moved towards her father and aunt who had stopped.

“Mama says you need something blue so I want you to have my blue butterfly pendant.” She offered and removed it before handing it to Jordan.

“Oh, thank you, that’s so sweet!” Jordan gushed happily and kissed her niece, who helped her put it on her dress.

Jordan stood up smiling and looked down the aisle as Kylie reached into her basket. Kylie dropped dark, bluish-purple wide petal orchids, creating a trail in the sand for Jordan to follow to her destiny, Bly. A hotel staff member placed fresh, light lavender-colored orchid lei with a dark red lip around Jordan’s neck, and a yellow one for Kevin. They smiled at one another and began their journey towards Bly.

Bly’s grin beamed brightly and she chuckled as she watched Kylie drop the beautiful flowers for Jordan to follow. She looked up and saw Jordan approaching. Her blue eye’s watered and she caught her breath. She was captivated by Jordan’s beauty and to her; there was no one else present in the world except the two of them. Her attention was focused on her blonde beauty and her alone.

Jordan couldn’t believe everything that she had ever hoped for, wanted or dreamed about was coming true. It was all because of the gorgeous raven-haired beauty that stood waiting for her. Jordan stopped next to Linda who had tears running down her cheeks unchecked. “Here’s something borrowed, sis.” Linda smiled and offered a handkerchief to Jordan, who chuckled and held it in her hand.

Bly’s grandmother stepped towards Jordan and smiled. “I wore this on my wedding day and it’s something old for you to wear. I didn’t think Bly would be interested in wearing it, but I’m sure you will.” She smiled and gave a quick mischievous glance to her granddaughter, who sheepishly grinned before turning back to Jordan. She placed the small, white, silk flowered crown on Jordan’s head, and kissed her on the check.

“Thanks, Gram. It’s beautiful and I’m very honored to wear it.” Jordan gratefully smiled and turned back to her brother, who led her next to Bly. He offered Jordan's hand to Bly who gladly accepted it with a proud and happy smile. She stared deeply into Jordan’s sparkling emerald greens and lightly kissed her hand, which sent the butterflies in her stomach soaring. The sun had dipped further in the sky, outlining the couple in its red glow.

They smiled ecstatically at each other and turned to the Hawaiian priest to begin the ceremony. “Aloha!” He greeted merrily and smiled as everyone replied Aloha. “We have been given the wonderful opportunity to be in the presence of two lovers who’s paths have crossed in different lifetimes and again, in this one. They are allowing us to share in their blessed moment of joining their souls for the rest of their lives.” Bly turned to Jordan who looked up at her lover and they both smiled happily as their souls had finally found what they were searching so long for, it’s mate.

Jordan’s heart raced at the thought of spending the rest of her life with Bly. Her green eyes welled with tears at the thought of the happiness, love and dreams they would soon share together as a married couple. She was captivated by the moment and with Bly’s breathtakingly beautiful features. She faintly heard the strong lapping of the waves on shore and the island breeze that lightly ruffled the palm trees. The scent from the sea and the flowers that surrounded them made Jordan heady with fulfillment. She was lost in the moment and didn’t realize the voice that sounded so far off in the distance was speaking to her until Bly squeezed her hand.

“Oh, I’m sorry. What did you ask?” Jordan queried embarrassed, as everyone quietly chuckled.

“I asked do you take this beautiful woman to be your soul's mate for all of time through health, wealth, happiness and love?” The Hawaiian priest cordially reiterated with a smile, looking at Jordan.

“ Oh yes!” Jordan shouted exuberantly and laughed, as did everyone else.

“Well, we’re happy to hear that, young lady.” The priest teasingly replied.

“Especially me!” Bly chuckled and smiled happily at Jordan as everyone continued laughing.

“I believe you have something to say to Bly.” The priest asked Jordan with a smile.

“Yes, many things actually, but we would be here all night if I listed them all. The most important thing I want to say to you, Bly, is that you have given me such a happy, wonderful life since I met you and I want to do the same for you for the rest of our lives.” Jordan spoke sincerely and held Bly’s hand tightly as her tears fell unchecked. “You have made all of my dreams come true. I love you with all of my heart and soul. I have something very near and dear to my heart to give you Bly.” Jordan tearfully explained and took the ring off her finger as she held Bly’s hand up. “This was my mother’s wedding ring that represented her love for my father. She sacrificed so much to be with the man she loved and I would gladly do the same for you. You mean everything in the world to me and I want you to have this as a symbol of the love I feel for you.” Jordan tenderly professed and slowly slipped the ring on Bly’s finger.

“It’s absolutely beautiful, Jordan.” Bly softly replied, her heart aflutter from Jordan’s precious offer. She lovingly watched Jordan place the ring on her finger and didn't think it was possible, but she had falling more in love with Jordan.

Jordan placed a kiss on the ring that adorned Bly’s finger and smiled happily at her lover, whose tears could no longer be contained. Jordan gently wiped the tears from Bly’s cheek and smiled lovingly. Bly turned and kissed Jordan's palm before they turned back to the priest.

“Bly, do you take this beautiful woman to be your soul's mate for all of time through health, wealth, happiness and love?” He asked, smiling with tears of his own showing.

Bly smiled and turned to Jordan locking loving blues with warm greens. “I absolutely do.” She confidently confirmed, and raised Jordan’s hand as she pulled the fourteen carat gold band out of her pocket that contained eight heart shaped diamonds. “Jordan, you captured my heart from the moment I first met you. You gave me a reason to open my soul and love unconditionally. I can’t imagine my life without you and I never want to. I love you with every ounce of my being. I offer you my dreams, my heart, my soul, but most of all, I offer you all of my love.” Bly emotionally conveyed her feelings and swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. She began to slip the ring on Jordan’s finger as the blonde gasped from the elegance and beauty of the ring.

Bly slowly moved Jordan’s hand to her lips as her blue eyes looked up and stared deeply into Jordan’s twinkling green eyes. Bly kissed Jordan’s hand with a loving smile and they looked at the priest who smiled in reply. Everyone laughed when Linda could no longer contain her emotions and blurted out her cries. “I’m so sorry, but it’s so romantic!” She cried as Jordan and Bly looked around at the rest of the wedding party who fought to contain their emotions. There wasn’t a dry eye on that beach at that moment.

“Ladies,” The priest began and looked to each one continuing, “I pronounce your hearts and souls joined as soul mates for eternity. Seal your joining with a kiss.” He smiled happily.

Those were the best words for Jordan to hear. She wanted to feel Bly’s lips and body against her own. Bly’s lips lightly brushed against Jordan’s as she pulled her bride closer to her and deepened the kiss. “Baby, I love you so much.” Bly whispered through her kiss and heard Jordan cry harder, deepening the kiss and tightly wrapping her arms around Bly’s neck.

Jordan broke the kiss and snuggled her face into Bly’s neck crying. “I love you so much, Bly. You’ve made me the happiest woman in the world. What you have done with this wedding is so incredibly special and it means so much to me that you’ll never know, honey. Thank you.” Jordan tearfully professed and kissed Bly passionately.

“You’ve done the same for me, my love. Thank you for making all of my dreams come true.” Bly smiled and whispered through her kiss hugging Jordan tightly.

“Okay you two, break it up and let us congratulate you!” Julie teasingly interrupted sniffing back her own tears, stepping to the side of Bly and Jordan.

“You can be such a pest some times, ya know?” Bly snickered with a laugh and accepted the hug from Julie.

“Congratulations, bud. I’m so incredibly happy for you both.” She admitted sincerely, breaking the hug and kissing Jordan’s cheek before Linda engulfed her sister in a tight hug.

Bly tried to keep her hold on Jordan’s hand, which was becoming increasingly difficult as happy family members bombarded them, but she managed to do it, as she wasn’t ever going to let go of her bride again. Kevin approached Bly and Jordan smiling. “Now little sis, you didn’t tell me you were marrying Bly Van Dewark!” He enthusiastically remarked with a grin.

“He’s a huge fan of yours, Bly.” Kelli laughed and slipped her arm around her husband’s waist who was embarrassed.

“I’m not the only one!” He chuckled sheepishly and looked at his wife.

“You two like volleyball?” Jordan asked laughing and amazed that they were fans of Bly’s.

“Oh, we love it and Bly is our favorite player.” Kevin professed as Bly blushed and shifted nervously. She felt weird that Jordan’s family would feel that way with her.

“Thanks.” Bly blushed and smiled. “Have you two ever been to Sydney, Australia?” She asked with a chuckle and looked down at Jordan with a mischievous grin.

“No, why?” They asked confused, looking at each other and wondering what Bly was getting at.

“I need a cheering section for the Olympics and I’m sure Jordan would love for you all to be there. What do you say?” Bly asked, grinning as Jordan looked up at her amazed that she would give such an offer.

“I say we’ll be there!” Kevin answered excitedly and shook Bly’s hand.

“Oh, Jordan. You look so radiantly beautiful.” Alexandra gushed and hugged her daughter.

“Hi mom. I want you to meet my brother Kevin, his wife Kelli and my niece Kylie.” Jordan replied smiling and picked Kylie up placing a kiss on her cheek.

Alexandra introduced her husband and in-laws to Jordan’s family as everyone headed towards the hotel. Bly and Jordan walked hand in hand staring and smiling at each other. “So, is there really no luau?” Jordan queried with a chuckle looking up at her tall spouse.

“The luau is our wedding reception my love.” Bly grinned mischievously and proud that she pulled off a surprise wedding.

“You are so sneaky, Bly Van Dewark!” Jordan laughed and wrapped her arm around Bly’s waist, pulling her closer before stopping. “I need to check something out.” Jordan replied with a mischievous smile and opened Bly’s tuxedo jacket. “Bly!” Jordan exclaimed astonished when she found out what the million-dollar question was.

“That was another surprise for you Jordan.” Bly chuckled, looking down at her stunned lover.

“Oh, I’m surprised alright and quite aroused to find out that you have nothing on underneath that jacket. Do you know how difficult it was to stand next to you with you exuding all that sexiness and not be able to ravage you right then and there?” Jordan chuckled and buttoned Bly’s jacket as they headed towards the luau to join their family.

“Yes, I felt the same way when I stood looking at you, my love.” Bly laughed and kissed Jordan, who chuckled before whispering in her ear. "That dress is pretty revealing in the sunset too." Jordan looked up aghast, as a rosy tint heightened her cheekbone. "Hey, don't worry about it. I don't think anyone was looking but me." Bly chuckled and hugged her tighter.

"Yeah, I'll bet!" Jordan blushed, embarrassed.

Everyone sat enjoying the luau wedding reception and Jordan just had to know how Bly pulled it off without her knowing it. “Oh, did you get my lost luggage?” Jordan asked remembering that Bly was supposedly off looking for it.

Bly grinned sheepishly and explained, “Well, it wasn’t really lost. My mom had it with her the whole time.”

Jordan was shocked and turned to Alexandra who smiled widely, proud of the ruse she helped pull off. “You were involved in this scam?” Jordan asked surprised.

“Oh yeah, I’m a major player in this ruse. By the way Jordan, you won’t have any work to do here in Hawaii as that was all a set up too.” She grinned mischievously and sipped her ‘Mai Tai.’

Jordan’s facial expression was one of complete shock. “Who else was involved?” She asked looking around at the guests.

“I suppose all of us were.” Bly laughed and began to explain. “Mom took your luggage so, you wouldn’t have anything to wear and you would have to put on your white sundress I got you. Linda helped me pick it out for you while we were still in Florida.” She explained with a chuckle from the perplexed look on Jordan’s face. “My mom and dad were in the airport in San Francisco when we were flying out. They had the dress so it looked like I just happened to purchase it there.”

“Oh, you are all so sneaky!” Jordan laughed and realized something horrible. “Oh my god! I yelled at that poor woman in the airport because I thought my luggage was lost!” Jordan exclaimed feeling guilty about her actions.

“Don’t worry. I paid her well for the abuse she took.” Bly’s father chuckled, as did everyone else.

“You were involved too?” Jordan asked surprised.

“You didn’t think I would miss out on all the fun did you?” Chance laughed along with the crowd.

“Everyone was involved in one way or another Jordan, but everything was set up by Bly. She wanted to make it a very special surprise for you.” Julie explained smiling and looking at the pair.

Jordan turned to Bly smiling gratefully. “You are so incredibly wonderful and thoughtful, thank you so much!” Jordan gushed kissing Bly.

“You’re welcome, baby. You deserve it.” Bly lovingly answered and deepened the kiss.

“I want to be alone with you Bly to show you just how much I love you.” Jordan whispered through her kiss, lovingly holding Bly’s face in her hands.

“Anything you want, you know you will get baby.” Bly seductively offered, and deepened her kiss. She smiled breaking off the kiss and stood up. She took Jordan’s hand and guided her out of the chair. “We’ll see you all in a few days.” She teasingly announced, as Jordan blushed embarrassed by Bly’s comment.

“Have fun!” Julie laughed as everyone waved goodbye to the happy couple.

***

Bly and Jordan laughed all the way into the elevator. “I’m so happy Jordan.” Bly admitted softly and passionately kissed Jordan. They broke the kiss when the elevator stopped and Jordan noted the floor number.

“We’re on the wrong floor Bly.” She replied as the doors opened into a spacious suite filled with beautiful flowers and champagne.

“Nope, this is the honeymoon suite.” Bly chuckled and lifted Jordan up into her arms.

“What are you doing?” Jordan laughed and wrapped her arms tightly around Bly’s neck, completely enthralled by the woman holding her.

“Carrying my bride to begin our new life as a married couple.” Bly grinned and carried Jordan towards the large bed and gently laid her down.

“I love you.” Jordan smiled and pulled Bly onto her. She pressed her lips against her lover’s for a soul-searing kiss as both of their dreams were finally fulfilled.

The End.

ÓCruise & Stoley, 2001

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