I am so happy to have Tara sitting next to me. She's holding my hand and I squeeze it hard. I want to crawl all over her, kiss her, touch her, hold her, never let her go. I can't do that with Eliot, Gibbs and Fornell all watching. I think she understands what I'm telling her, I can see the small smile on her face when I squeeze her hand.
The guys are deep in discussion while Tara, Ziva and I sit in silence in the backseat of Gibbs' car. They come to some sort of a decision. Eliot sticks his head in through the passenger side door while Gibbs does the same on the driver side. "Me and the guys," Eliot says, "we're going to head back to Gibbs' place and have a few beers and maybe tell a few war stories." Gibbs hands Ziva the keys to the car. "Drop the ladies off at their hotel. You can bring my car by tomorrow." Ziva nods and gets out to go to the driver's seat. Eliot smiles. "Don't worry Darlin'. I'll stay the night at Gibbs'. You ladies have a good evening." I mouth "thank you" at him and lay my head on Tara's shoulder.
Ziva David's driving is as terrifying as Parker's. I keep my eyes closed but I can feel Tara jump at every high speed turn and lane change. We stop and pick up a bottle of wine before heading to the hotel. We invite Ziva to come in with us. She hesitates but we insist. Up in the room, Tara and I sit close on the couch, still holding hands. "You two are so cute together" Ziva tells us. "Have you been together a long time?" I look at Tara, not quite sure how to answer the question. "We see each other when we can but, you know, work." Ziva nods. "That I do understand. It's a tough life we've chosen. Even harder for a woman. Relationships are so hard." I nod. "It is unfortunate" she continues. "Sometimes I think I want a different life with a husband and kids. But I love my job. I do not know who I would be without it."
Tara pours the wine into plastic cups. We toast each other and tell our own war stories, each one more outrageous than the last until the wine is gone and I can't keep my eyes open much longer. Ziva notices and gets up to leave. "Thank you ladies. I have had a wonderful evening. I hope that you can come back to DC soon or perhaps I will travel to Boston." I promise her I will keep in touch and she leaves with a hug and a wink.
I close the door quietly behind her and turn to look at Tara. "You are so beautiful" I tell her. "More even than I remember." She blushes a bit. "Oh I don't think so Soph. I haven't been able to get out to run or swim. I feel like I've lost so much weight." I come to stand in front of her. "It doesn't matter Tara. You are always beautiful to me." She smiles. "And you are still the sexiest woman I've ever seen." I sit close to her. She wraps her arm around me and pulls me toward her until our faces are just millimeters apart. "Do you want to talk about it?" I ask in barely a whisper. She shakes her head. "No." she whispers back. "I don't want to talk any more. Not about that. Not about anything." "Not anything?" I ask with a touch of playfulness in my voice. "Not now" she says. "There are other things I'd rather do. To you." "Really?" I ask with a smile. "Really" she says as she puts her hand on the back of my head and kisses me. I melt into her with a groan. "Bloody Hell Tara." I whisper. She just smiles and pulls me in deeper.
I try to slide my hand up under her shirt but she stands up and pulls me to my feet. Her kisses are more demanding. Sweet Tara is gone. Now she's the thief and she knows what she wants. She pulls my top off over my head then turns me around and wraps her arms around me in a bear hug. Her fingers find their way up under my bra and I lean back into her with another groan. One hand stays on my breast while the other slides down the front of my pants. Her touch is not light and I gasp. She holds me tight across my chest while her fingers work and she presses herself to me. It's not long before my breathing is rapid and choppy. Her breath in my ear is the same. This is what I want, what I need. To have Tara near me, on me, in me. It's all I have ever needed. When I come, I fall back into her with a cry, her arms the only thing keeping me from the floor.
I turn back towards her and kiss her again. The kiss is less desperate now. We've come together, satisfying the hunger, filling the need. Now it's time for love and whispers, touching each other because it feels good, communicating as lovers, getting to know each other again. I lead her to the bed and begin to undress her. "Oh my God Sophie. I thought we'd never be here again." "Then why did you leave me?" I ask quietly. She just shakes her head and I wipe away the single tear working its way down her cheek. "I can't Soph. Don't ask. Please?" "Ok Tara. It's OK. I won't ask. Just please don't leave me like that again. I was so scared. I didn't know how to find you. I didn't know what happened to you. I didn't…" "Shhh" she says putting her finger on my lips. "It's over now. I'm here. I'll come back to Boston with you. For a while anyway. We can plan a trip. Anywhere you want to go. I promise." Another tear escapes and I wipe it away again. "I don't want to go anywhere Tara. Not right now. All I want now is to be with you. OK?" "OK" she says as she slowly lowers me to the bed. I pull her down next to me and wrap her in my arms, my head on her shoulder. "This is my favorite place you know" I tell her. "I know Soph. I know."