Therese didn't say a word. She just looked at Carol, feeling her heart beat frantically.

"Well?" said Carol, her eyes anxious as they searched for answers in Therese's face.

"You love me?" Therese asked which made Carol smile.

"every morsel in my body tells me so, you must know that," and she lifted Therese's hand and pressed it against her lips.

Therese felt the fluttering in her stomach erupt as Carol's soft tender lips moved against her skin. Carol lowed Therese's hand but did not let go.

"What does that mean? So, you want to, to…" said Therese struggling to find the right words. She couldn't think clearly. She had felt too many emotions in such a short time.

"I want to be with you. No, I need to be with you Therese," said Carol a pleading look in her face.

Therese hesitated. Oh, how she wanted to say yes, to throw herself in to Carol arms, to kiss, hold and love every inch of this woman, but could she handle the pain? There was still a dull ache in her heart from the pain that it had inflicted and how could she be sure that Carol would not just up and leave her again?

"You want to be with me?" asked Therese with a slight frown.

"With all my heart darling, I truly, truly do."

"And Harge?"

"He will let me see Rindy once a week, regardless of anything. He has realised that it benefits Rindy seeing her mother."

Therese took another sip of her tea, which was beginning to cool.

"So, what do you say?" asked Carol, her hand moving through the back of her hair.

"Carol, I…I" Therese looked around. How could she say what she wanted? "I think," after a pause she began again "that we, we take it slow…I still feel, well, uncertain of where we lie with this situation and I really don't want you making any promises you can't keep, even if undeliberate."

Carol gave a faint smile that held a hint of pain.

"I can do slow. So long as it means that you are back in my life, I can do slow. It will be a struggle though, in-fact I'm struggling right now," and as she spoke her eyes combed over Therese's figure making Therese's heart rate quicken.

Therese stood up. She didn't know how long she could now be this close to Carol without wanting to touch and hold her, but she knew that waiting would be best.

"Carol, Dannie is waiting, I should go."

Carol stood up too. She then took two tentative steps forward and embraced Therese, hugging her deeply. Therese got a waft of Carol's floral perfume that she loved so much and memories of their trip came flooding back, of waking to this smell and Carols grey eyes glistening through the dark at her. They broke apart and looked at each other.

"How about I give you a lift?" asked Carol, her cheeks slightly red.

"Thank you" accepted Therese.

She led the way out of the flat, down the stairs and out on to the street and then into the car. If smelling Carol had been reminiscent of the times she had spent with her, it had been nothing to being back in the car with Carol. Therese felt flashback upon flashback hit her as if a wave were washing over her; the snowy scenery with an endless expanse of road ahead of them, the long lingering looks, the painting of the red lips, Carol cursing, Carol laughing, the twinkling eyes. Therese closed her eyes momentarily taking it all in and then she opened her eyes and looked towards Carol.

Carol seemed to be watching Therese, a coy smile on her lips. She put the key into the ignition and said in her melodious voice "Brings back memories, doesn't it?"

How did she know? How did she always know?

Before Therese could answer, Carol had turned the key which set the car's engine to life. She drove slowly, which was unlike Carol, to Dannie's apartment, as if she too were savouring the moments they had together. They didn't speak. They didn't need to. The silence was comfortable, it had always been, but there was another feeling that seemed to linger in the air. What was it? Excitement? Therese felt herself get lost in her thoughts that kept ending up to nights in Carols bare arms. No, do not think about that Therese, not now, but she couldn't help it. It all just came flooding back, al the memories and feelings that she had been trying to suppress over the last few weeks seemed to be throwing themselves into Therese's mind one after another. All to soon they came to a stop and Carol turned the ignition off and looked at Therese.

"When can I next see you darling?" The eagerness in Carols voice made Therese blush. Therese looked at the dash board, to Carols hands and remembered the way they used to caress her.

"Well?" prompted Carol. Therese forced herself to focus.

"How about Thursday evening?"

Carol sighed, but nodded. "That is going to be a very long three days Miss Belivet." She was looking deep into Therese's eyes as only Carol could, like she was seeing something more than just eyes.

Therese looked away, unable to keep the gaze as her heart was beating frantically fast.

"I'll pick you up from the Times then?"

"Sure."

"Five?"

"Yes."

Therese chanced a glance back at Carol, but wished she hadn't as she was hit again by the force of Carols eyes that seemed to send an electric shock through Therese's body.

"Oh, the things you do to me Therese," said Carol, almost in a whisper. "Well, goodbye for now." For the second time that day she pulled Therese into an embrace. Therese felt herself melt away in that hug, she did not want it to end. She felt Carols lips gentle graze her ear as she whispered "I wish Thursday were now," and then she pulled back out of the hug leaving Therese feeling stunned. Therese sat there for a moment before realising that she should get out of the car. She opened the door and clumsily got out, feeling extremely light headed as she closed the door and watched Carol drive away.

Until Thursday, thought Therese, desperately wishing that Thursday would come as soon as possible.