Hi Everyone! Sorry about the delay in the posting, but it's been a busy summer for me so far and I've fallen behind on some of my writing. But I haven't forgot! More to come at quicker pace now….

Chapter 6

Catherine had to admit, even to herself, that Jackie's presence was intoxicating. After her heartfelt apology on the pier, Catherine quickly began to remember the vulnerability and softness of Jackie. That hadn't changed at all, although Catherine didn't lie about her observation of Jackie. Something in her blue eyes did change: perhaps it was an increase in maturity, a knowing, or perhaps it was the fact that she was finally owning up to the part that she played in the events several years previous.

Whatever it was, it didn't change the fact that Catherine was overly thrilled to have Jackie sitting beside her on a portside drive in Los Angeles. Too thrilled, in fact.

"What?" Jackie asked playfully, a smile tugging at the sides of her mouth. Being too obvious with her eyes, Catherine didn't care if Jackie caught her checking her out.

"Nothing. Just thinking about how great you look," Catherine said bluntly.

Jackie gave a throaty laugh, not seeming to be nervous anymore. The setting sun shone through the car window behind her, silhouetting her face and kissing the gorgeous angles around her jaw. Her eyes looked at Catherine's for a split second, glinting like a quick flame before glancing away, and Catherine's heart began to flutter.

Yes, taking a long look at Jackie was like downing a double of Johnny Walker Black at the bar rail: both smooth and sharp, and wishing you sipped it after all.

"You're not the first person to have said that to me, you know." Jackie quipped matter-of-factly.

"What, do you have a lot of men tell you that?"

She paused, staring at the road ahead. "No, just all the tabloids."

"You read those? Funny." Catherine teased before continuing. "But you can't tell me that you've had no men fawning over you these past few years. I find that very unlikely."

"No, no, of course there has been. Not many though." Jackie said, squeezing the steering wheel.

"Any serious ones?"

Jackie gave her a quick and sharp look. "No! Are you interrogating me?"

"I'm not being paid to do that, so no. I'm just curious." Catherine smiled, defusing Jackie's concern. "But really? No serious boyfriends, Jackie? Why not?"

Jackie didn't answer, looking straight ahead. The silence confirmed Catherine was hitting a vein. Of course she knew why, but she wanted to hear Jackie say it herself.

A long moment passed. Jackie sighed. The sun behind her was touching the horizon now, threatening to disappear.

"No. No serious boyfriends. I don't like boys, anyways."

Catherine waited.

"I don't like them," she repeated, her voice slightly lower the second time.

"No? Than what about girlfriends? Any of those?"

"No, none of those either."

"So that means you don't like girls either?" Catherine couldn't help herself once again, taking on a flirting tone. "I must say, Jackie, asexuality doesn't seem to suit you in my opinion, but then again I could be a bit biased since I've been in between your legs on more than one occasion."

Jackie's cheeks flushed and she let out a short laugh. Catherine felt her cheeks filling too.

"No, no, that's not it," Jackie breathed, suddenly looking sad. "It's just that I've been really busy the last few years…"

"And?"

"And that I'm not really in a position to be taking on girlfriends right now," Jackie said, emphasizing the word "girlfriend."

Just as Catherine though, Jackie was still as closeted as the day she left Bloomington. A vivid and unasked for memory crossed her mind, recalling when Jackie had ran into her arms, after calling to be rescued from an uncomfortable family dinner. Jackie was in tears. Apparently her mother had hit her. Catherine waited outside the house for Jackie, and when she embraced her, Catherine buried her face in the blonde curls, like she usually did. But looking over her shoulder and back at the house, she couldn't help to notice a receding drape behind a window, where presumably someone had been watching them seconds earlier.

Catherine was never one who cared about what people though of her, or her life choices. But during that moment, while she watched those drapes flutter, Catherine felt both exposed and weak. She hated feeling both those things.

And now, sitting in Jackie's car, she felt utterly miffed.

"Jackie, you're telling me you haven't done anything to further yourself out of the closet over the last five years?"

She must have sounded angry, since Jackie retorted back defensively: "Like I said, I've been really busy with work, Catherine. I'm not really in a position to be dating right now."

"If you're worried about how people will react, then don't. It's the twenty-first century and there are plenty actors who have come out as gay."

Jackie visibly flinched when Catherine said the word "gay," and then proceeded to remain silent. What was she thinking about, behind that exquisite brow?

More importantly, why did Catherine feel so frustrated with her? It was Jackie's decision, after all, if she wanted to come out as gay or not.

She considered this while Jackie elongated the silence. In the recesses of her mind, did Catherine really believe that their romance was going to be rekindled? Revived so passionately that Jackie would willingly jump out of the closet for her? She shuddered at this unwanted thought.

"I just want to be left alone," Jackie murmured, clearly not expecting a response.

And Catherine didn't respond, although she was still fuming. They didn't say anything for a while, dropping the subject.

They turned inland, east towards the city. After a while Catherine began giving her instructions, leading them both to a nice little bar downtown.

Tension between them dissipated by the time they reached their destination.

"I used to go to this place a lot during my undergrad," Catherine said, shutting the car door behind her. "It's a classy place, from what I can remember."

"And exactly how long ago was that?" Jackie teased while walking to meet her on the curb.

Catherine gave her a sharp look, unable to resist smiling.

"Just sayin," Jackie quipped while moving beside her, her smile broadening. She was close enough to smell her light perfume, to see the gentle indentations in Jackie's soft cheeks where her dimples formed. Catherine was swept by an overwhelming urge to kiss them senseless. To kiss them firmly and then make her way down to her bronzed collarbone, then lower still, until Jackie was panting beneath her.

But she didn't, of course.

"You're lucky you're so cute," Catherine reached out and lightly touched the blonde's upper arm. "Or else I'd probably take offence to that."

There was electricity between them. Catherine could feel it crackle in her fingertips during their brief touch. She suspected Jackie felt the same considering how her breath hitched upon contact, or how she enjoyed holding their gazes for a few seconds too long.

Catherine wanted her. She still wanted her, even after all these years. Was she a masochist? Or just horny? Perhaps a combination of the two.

She didn't have time to ponder the subject anymore, since Jackie was a very real reality for her now. She just had to follow her instinct.

She smiled back at Jackie and took the lead, guiding them both into the quaint restaurant, the coming of the night folding them into darkness.

There you go! Review guys!