Howdy! So here's chapter four! Hope you like it!


Author: Mel
Copyright: 2007
Title: Preciosa
Rating: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: This is a mature relationship between two women if you don't like that sort of thing then please discontinue reading.

Chapter Four

RING "Hello Marco" Spencer said when she recognized her best friend and roomie on the caller ID.

"Spencer…wow she's a hottie!" Marco whispered back to Spencer.

"What? I can barely hear you Marco! Why are you whispering?" Spencer saw Ashley's eyebrow rise a bit in curiosity.

"Turn around and look towards the fountain." Spencer turned her head and spotted her roommate wearing a big camouflage coat, dark sunglasses, and a large camouflage sombrero hiding behind the fountain. "Can you see me?"

"Marco what are you doing? You look completely ridiculous. Get your butt over here." Spencer hung up her phone before Marco could reply.

"What was that about?" Ashley asked after Spencer put her phone away.

"Oh it's my roommate Marco. He's an art professor here and for some reason he was trying out his detective skills. I swear that man has a screw loose." Spencer laughed as she saw her roommate approach still wearing his outfit.

"Ladies! What a wonderful day!" Marco turned to Ashley and extended his hand. "Marco Gutierrez. Pleased to meet you."

"Ashley Davies. What is with the outfit?"

"Oh well. I was working on this new project…I want to title it 'Love is in Bloom'. But in order to get this project finished I needed to just take in my subjects from afar to fully understand and build upon their interactions with one another." Spencer looked at Marco with a hard stare wondering what he was talking about. She suddenly realized that she and Ashley were his subjects.

"Excuse me Marco. Can I speak to you for a moment…alone? I'm sorry Ashley we will be right back."

"Excuse us. You know you really are very pretty like Spen…" Spencer grabbed Marco and dragged him away around the corner before he could finish his sentence.

"Whoa there Xena Warrior Princess! What is up with you? I was just trying to help you out a bit." Marco whined to the blonde.

"Help me? With what Marco? You show up in this ridiculous outfit and spy on me with Ashley. I told you that I wasn't looking for another relationship. I just want to see how things develop with Ashley and so far they have been going really well…" Spencer smiled.

"Oh you have to tell me! What happened?"

"Let's just say she is interested. Oh my god Marco what am I going to do? What if she realizes how boring I really am? Or what if I misread what she was telling me? Do you think she is really interested in me?" Spencer began to hyperventilate.

Marco put his hands on her temples rubbing them lightly. "Honey, calm down. Don't worry about anything ok? Just be yourself and I'm sure you will be married in no time flat!" Spencer punched him in the stomach.

"Marco you are so not funny. Ok I will just relax and see how this goes. Now Mr. Detective man will you please go change! We may stop by the Art building today so I will give you a call if we do. Thanks for being here." Spencer hugged him and turned the corner to sit back down with Ashley.

"Is everything ok?" Ashley asked.

"Everything is fine. Marco can be such a character sometimes but he means well. We can go by later to see some of his artwork. I'm sure he would really like that." Spencer smiled and took a bite of her salad.

Ashley reached out her hand and brushed Spencer's cheek causing Spencer to feel her insides begin to squirm. "Sorry you had some dressing."

"Thanks." Spencer blushed. "So are you ready for class?"

"As long as you don't expect me to answer any questions, then I sure am!" They rose to enter the law building and headed to Spencer's class.

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Spencer and Ashley entered the room to find most of Spencer's students already sitting and setting up their materials. When they noticed that Spencer was not alone, all eyes widened in shock at the realization of who was their new visitor.

"Oh my god…what is she doing here?" "I thought she was in Europe." "How does Dr. Carlin know her?" Spencer couldn't help but notice that her class was whispering to one another about Ashley but shrugged and went to the front of the class while Ashley took a seat in the back.

"Good afternoon class. Before we begin, I just wanted to introduce our guest for today. Professor Davies has just joined our faculty here at SCU and will be overseeing the music program. I hope that you will be kind enough to welcome her." Applause and whistles sounded throughout the room which Spencer was completely surprised at, well at the whistles that is.

'What is with the whistling? My students are normally not that excited to meet a new professor. Is there something I'm missing?' Spencer shook her thoughts away and began her class.

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Ashley made her way to the front, occasionally shaking hands with some of Spencer's students or signing a few things. Spencer was gathering up her things and placing them in her briefcase.

"That was an amazing class Spence. I did notice that your students were quite eager to answer today, is that usually the norm?" Ashley asked curiously.

"No actually they dread being called on let alone volunteering. I don't know what got into them."

"Me neither." Ashley hesitated. "Look, Spence, I need to tell you something."

Spencer looked at Ashley and waited for the brunette to continue.

"But not here. How about we have dinner tonight? It will be nice to get to know more about you while not in the confines of this school." She smiled and looked at the blonde hoping for the answer she wanted.

"Sure. I don't have any plans, I really never do anymore. I mean…" Spencer blushed. "I mean yes that would be great."

"Great. So I am really curious to see your friend Marco's artwork. If his work is as interesting a character as he is I am sure going to love it."

"Oh his work is amazing. He on the other hand is a pain and a bit of a drama queen too. So let's hope he is still in a pleasant mood and not in his 'zone'." Spencer laughed.

Ashley held out her hand to Spencer and Spencer placed hers on top and they entwined their fingers walking out towards the art building. Spencer noticed that more students were glancing at them but just assumed they weren't used to two female professors holding hands around campus.