Lena strode outside, back straight. She was going to send this woman away before just being near Stef weakened her resolve. Without waiting for Stef to speak she began, "I'm not doing this. I'm not. I'm not getting involved with a married woman. Women like you, you are just passing through but this is where I live Stef."
"I told Mike, and I told my dad and I told all of my, well most of my friends. I told them I'm gay. I even used the word lesbian. I told them I met a woman that I can't live without and I- I belong with you Lena," Stef's voice faded. Lena froze. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She just looked at Stef, at a loss for words. "That is if you'll…" A look of fear passed over Stef's face as she waited.
"You had me at lesbian," Lena said quickly. She would finally get Stef, all of Stef and that is all she every wanted. She hadn't thought Stef had it in her, but she was proved wrong and in this case, she loved being proved wrong.
Standing there in front of Anchor Beach, Stef pulled her into an embrace. Lena put her hands on Stef's hips and she leaned forward. And for the second time in her life she had the perfect kiss. Stef raised a hand to her face and deepened the kiss. Lena should put a hold to it, she was at work after all, but she couldn't. She wrapped her arms around Stef and felt herself meld into the other woman. She deepened the kiss and buried a hand in the blond locks of the other woman. Her tongue danced against Stef's. After a moment, the women finally pulled apart.
"I have to go back to work," Lena breathed.
"Mmhmm," Stef agreed but didn't let her go.
"No, really, I have to go. There is a parent inside waiting to speak with me," she laughed. "I will see you after school. I promise."
"Actually, I was hoping to ask you out on a date. Would you go out with me Lena Adams?" Stef asked with a grin.
"I thought you'd never ask," Lena smiled warmly.
"Neither did I," Stef laughed sheepishly.
Lena kissed Stef briefly, feeling pure bliss and then with a bright smile headed back into the school. It took all of Lena's effort to focus on the parent and actually hear what the woman was saying. She was worried that her daughter wasn't applying herself. Could Ms. Adams talk to the girl? Remind her of what was on the line if her grades were not kept up. Lena agreed she would. She would have agreed to just about anything to get the woman out of her office. The rest of the day slowly dragged by and Lena accomplished almost nothing. All she could think about was Stef and what all this meant.
Lena showed up at Stef's house immediately after work. She didn't even go home and change. When she knocked she heard a shriek and possibly a herd of elephants run for the door.
The boy opened the door and looked up at her. "Hi Lena!" he greeted her. "Where 'ave you been? You didn't get to play with me."
Lena laughed and followed Brandon in. She flashed a smile at Stef, who was standing nearby. "I missed playing with you Brandon. How about we do something right now."
Both Lena and Brandon looked at Stef. Lena winked. Stef's already huge smile grew even bigger. "Please can Lena play in my room?" Brandon asked Stef.
"I suppose, but remember Grandma is going to be here in 30 minutes. So make sure you are ready to go when she gets here." Stef said.
"Okay." Brandon said. He grabbed Lena's hand and rushed her towards his bedroom. Stef soon followed. She stood in the doorway, arms across her chest as she leaned on the doorframe. A smile played across her face. Lena wished she knew what exactly was going through Stef's mind.
After awhile Stef interrupted their play, "Okay B, time to get ready. You can only take one toy to Grandma's so what's it gonna be?"
Brandon looked around his room in consideration, "Can Lena go with me?"
Stef grinned at her son. "Nope, sorry, Lena is staying here with Mommy."
Brandon sighed and then picked up his favorite stuffed animal, an elephant he had named Mr. Ephant because he hadn't been able to say elephant when he had gotten it, and hugged it to his chest.
"Mr. Ephant it is then. Lets go, Grandma will be here any second. We will meet her outside. I'll be right back," She said to Lena. "Make yourself at home."
Lena walked out to the living room and sat on the couch to wait for Stef. She thought about how the day started and how it was ending. She would never have guessed, when she woke up this morning, that the day would end like this. The life she thought was out of her reach had suddenly come back into reach and she was grabbing it and holding tight. Lena had finally found the woman of her dreams.
Stef walked back in a few minutes later. She had a grin on her face that lit up the room.
"What are you thinking about?" Lena asked.
"You," Stef said simply.
"Good answer," Lena said as she stood up. Stef closed the gap between them and pulled Lena into a fierce kiss. Lena would never get enough of kissing this woman. 'If we don't stop soon,' Lena thought, 'we are not going to make it to the date part of the night.'
Stef didn't push it. After a time she pulled back and just looked into Lena's eyes. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" Stef suddenly asked.
Lena sighed happily and nuzzled her face into Stef's neck. "No, but you can tell me for the rest of my life."
XXXX
Stef held Lena's hand as she led her, blindfolded, forward. "Okay, step up. Yeah, now step over this bump. Good, just a little farther."
Lena couldn't figure out where they were going. She had no idea where Lena was taking her. She had tried to guess, but Stef wouldn't tell her. She had put the blindfold just before getting in the car. Stef had driven her about twenty minutes. Then she had helped Lena out of the car and they had walked up some stairs and another few yards before, finally, Stef took off Lena's blindfold. Lena's breath caught in her chest.
All around her were twinkly lights strung between poles. A table was set beautifully and a white tablecloth gently blowing in the breeze. Music wafted through the air. Beautiful flowers in pots were set around the perimeter. "Where are we?" Lena asked breathlessly.
"Well, this is my friends house. I asked if I could borrow it." Stef admitted.
"Did you do all this?" Lena asked with a sweep of her hand.
"Um, well actually, I had help." Stef grinned sheepishly. "I could never decorate this well."
"It is amazing." Lena turned toward Stef. Gently, Lena placed a hand on the side of Stef's face. She looked into Stef's eyes, just looked, and saw all the love reflecting back. "This is the most perfect first date I have ever had. Thank you so much for just being you." She slowly leaned forward and kissed the woman before her with all the love she felt. Her hands began to roam. Suddenly Stef pulled back.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Lean asked, concerned.
"Well, um, you see, I'm not… but I sort of am… you know… I've never done anything with a woman. I don't really know…" Stef was bright red and completely flustered.
Lena smiled warmly. "Oh Sweetie, we can go slow. We will go as slow as you need to."
"Well, we don't have to go too too slow. Just sort of slow if that is okay."
Lena thought the adorableness of Stef at this moment was incredible. She was so nervous, yet excited. Lena could read all the emotions as they crossed Stef's face and danced in her eyes. Nerves, excitement, desire, confusion, and hopefulness were all emotions Lena could see. She gathered Stef into her arms and whispered simply, "I love you."
After seconds or hours, Stef asked. "Are you hungry?"
"Starving!" Lena admitted.
"Great. I did make the food, so I hope you like it. I hope you like it." Stef ushered Lena to her seat and then she took the lid off the food. "I made Tuscan lemon chicken, garlic asparagus and baby red potatoes."
"It smells delicious!" Lena was impressed. Stef had never cooked so beautifully in the time she had known her.
The women ate, chatted, and flirted through the entire meal. Then, Stef served a pear desert. Lena felt spoiled. After dinner, Stef asked Lena to dance. It seemed rather perfect as Keri Kimmel's Where You Belong began to play. Lena agreed and the woman began to slowly sway together. Stef was certainly not the best dancer she had ever danced with, but it felt more perfect than any other dancing partner she had ever had. When the song ended, they kept dancing. They danced through four more songs before Stef reluctantly mentioned they should go. Her mother was bringing Brandon back and it was almost 10 PM. Brandon did not like to go to sleep without hearing his mom tell him goodnight.
"But, you know, if you wanted you could come back. Brandon will be asleep fairly quickly," Stef smiled.
"Sounds great to me."
The women drove back to Stef's place in silence, hands intertwined and resting on Stef's leg. When they were almost back Stef suddenly remembered her mother was in the house.
"Can you wait outside until my mom leaves? It isn't that I don't want you to meet, because I do, I just don't want her to give you the third degree tonight because she may never leave," Stef grimaced.
Lena just laughed, "I want to meet you mom, but not tonight. I totally understand. Point out her car and when I see her leave I will come in."
Lena only had to wait a short time and then made her way inside. She could hear Stef in Brandon's room tucking him in and reading a story. Soon enough, Stef was back out and the women were alone together again.
They talked incredibly late about everything. At some point, both women fell asleep on the couch. Lena woke with her head on Stef's chest and Stef's arms wrapped about her. It shouldn't have been comfortable, but it was. Lena laughed to herself. She had finally slept with Stef, only not how she imagined it might go the first night the slept together.