I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams
—W. B. Yeats

Emily woke up early the next morning, abuzz with energy. She went into the kitchen and whipped up a quick breakfast which she piled on a serving tray that she found and carried to the bedroom.

"Breakfast in bed? To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Emily tilted her head and smirked at her. "You know exactly what you owe it to."

Paige smiled and pulled her in for a kiss. "A girl could get used to this!"

After breakfast, a still-jumpy Emily begged Paige to go take a walk with her.

"Or," Paige countered, "we could just stay here and take up where we left off last night…"

"Pleeeeeze, Paige?" Emily climbed on top of Paige and continued her pleading. "I just have so much energy this morning."

"Well, let's burn it off, then!"

Emily bent down and engaged Paige in a long, slow, passionate kiss. She abruptly pulled away, smacking Paige's naked thigh. "Come on, McCullers! Just take a walk with me! I'll make it worth your while!"

"Oh, God. Fuck it." Paige knew that she couldn't resist a begging Emily. "Let's just go and get it over with!"

Emily linked her arm with Paige's as they headed down the street. The air was brisk, and it felt good in their lungs. Emily was still bouncing with excess energy. "I'll race you to the corner," she shouted teasingly as she took off in a sprint. After a split second, Paige processed the challenge that Emily had thrown down, and she took off after her. They were soon joined by four other legs, as a scruffy puppy showed up at their heels, dragging his leash behind him.

Emily crouched down to his level. "Oh, you're adorable!" she exclaimed, petting him as he rolled over onto his back and back up on his feet, his tail going a mile a minute. She scratched his ears and asked, "What's your name, big guy?" Paige had fished her phone out of her pocket and was snapping pictures like crazy, enthralled by the cuteness of it all.

Not long after, a very contrite little boy, about six or seven years old, came running to the scene. "I'm sorry," he said meekly, reaching for the leash. "He's new. We just got him for Christmas. We're still training him." Emily looked in the direction from which the boy had come running and saw his dad, smiling at the scene. Emily ran her hand over the boy's wool cap and down onto his shoulder. "It's okay! This guy's just got a lot of energy to burn, don't you! I know just how he feels!"

"You can say that again," Paige muttered under her breath.

"I'm Emily," Emily continued, "and this is my grumpy friend, Paige. What's this little guy's name?"

"His name is Nick, like St. Nick, 'cause he's a Christmas dog. My name is Earl. That's my dad, Big Earl, over there."

Emily waved. Big Earl waved back.

"Well, Earl, it's my pleasure to meet you. I'd better let you guys get back to your walk. Can I give you a hug?" Earl nodded and hugged Emily. "Hug for my grumpy friend?" Earl looked up at Paige and obliged. "Have a nice walk," Emily called. "I hope we run into you again sometime!"

Earl and Nick ran off to rejoin Big Earl. Emily grabbed her girlfriend by the waist and started walking again. "Oh, Paige!"

"I know. He was cute. I want one, too. Someday"

After a moment, Emily asked, "Wait, are we talking about Nick or Earl?"

Paige just pulled her in tighter and kissed the top of her head, laughing.

Paige and Emily were both huffing from the cold when they came upon a coffee shop. "Is this place any good?" Emily asked.

"I don't know. It's new."

"Well, it can't be worse than standing out here, can it?"

Once inside and warming over a couple of coffee mugs, Emily spoke what was on her mind. "So, why is it that, whenever I mention kids, you just kind of smile and change the subject?"

Paige smiled at her. There was no changing the subject this time. "Well, it's kind of a long story."

"We've got all weekend!"

"Okay, well. Actually, it's not long. It's just… I don't know how you're going to react to this."

Emily grabbed Paige's hand to encourage her.

"It's just – well, I want a lot of kids around me. I mean, I want a big family someday, kids of my own, and kids I adopt. There are so many children out there who need a family. Also, I want to work with kids, like volunteer with special-needs kids or work in in school-age care, or even open up some kind of facility or group home, I don't know."

"Wow."

"Yeah, wow. I bet you didn't know what you were getting into with me, did you?"

"Hey," Emily said, cupping Paige's cheek in her hands and smiling broadly, "You didn't dip your head!"

"What?"

"Usually, when you say something, and you're not sure I'll react, you dip your head!"

"Hmm. Yeah. Pru mentioned that, too."

"I guess that means that this is something that you feel strongly about."

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"That's great, Paige. I love that you have such a big heart."

"The question is, how do you feel about it? I mean, if we're going to be together – not that I'm asking you to…" Paige was rambling. "Or whatever. But, you know, if this isn't just a casual fling, then there's the chance that we are going to be together. So, can you handle being… together with someone like me who wants a lot of kids?"

"And_ There's the head-dip!" Emily lifted Paige's chin and gave her a peck on the lips. "I've told you. I'm not going anywhere, remember?" Paige smiled and returned Emily's kiss. "And by the way, I would love to be surrounded by kids." A kiss. "And puppies!"

Paige laughed from deep within her. "Yes, of course! Lots of puppies, Emily."

When the coffee mugs were drained, Paige asked, "So, what do you want to do now?"

"Well," Emily replied, "I believe I still owe you one from last night. Plus, I believe I promised that I'd make it up to you if you came out for a walk with me."

Paige grabbed Emily's hands. "I was just joking, Emily. You don't have to make anything up to me."

"Well, I wasn't joking. Oh, the things I'm going to do to you, Paige McCullers!"

All the way home, Emily was finding excuses to touch Paige – mainly on the muscles on her back and shoulders for which Emily had gained a new appreciation during the previous night's escapades. She also gave ample attention to Paige's butt, which she had long appreciated. Paige tried to play it cool, but she was really rather hot.

Once they made it back inside the lake house, Emily pushed her against the door and began slowly and sensually kissing her. Her lips and tongue were singularly focused, but her hands were roaming freely. She eased Paige out of her coat and massaged her shoulders, back, sides, and ass, moaning and cooing at every rippling muscle that she encountered. She pulled down the collar of Paige's sweater and explored her neck and throat with sucking, biting, wet kisses. She ran her hands through Paige's hair, grinding her thigh between Paige's as she sucked on Paige's tongue and lower lip. Paige could barely stand by the time Emily pulled away.

"Give me five minutes!" she commanded. "When the clock says 3:38, you come find me upstairs." Emily turned her back on Paige and headed toward the stairs with an exaggerated shaking of her hips as she went. She began shedding her outfit piece by piece on her way to the stairs, never turning around to see the effect that she was having on her girlfriend, until, finally, at the base of the steps, she removed her boyshorts and wiggled her bottom in Paige's direction, turning to blow her a kiss before she skipped up to the second floor.

Paige didn't know what to do with herself for the next five minutes. She certainly knew what she wanted to do with herself, but she decided to play it Emily's way. She started to get undressed, then dressed herself again. Emily hadn't told her to take off her clothes, and she didn't want to ruin anything that Emily had in store for her. She stared at the minute hand on the old grandfather clock, willing it to move faster. She heard water running one of the upstairs bathrooms and heard Emily's footsteps moving quickly through the guest room where they were sleeping. She peeked up from the base of the stairway, but she couldn't see what was up.

Finally, the minute hand moved into position. Paige bounded up the steps two at a time and set out in search of Emily. She pushed open the door to the bathroom. "Em?" No one was there. The Jacuzzi had been filled, and there was a light steam coming off the surface as the hot water hit the cool air of the bathroom.

There was a light in the guest room. Paige eased the door open. "Em?" There on the bed, in an impossibly short robe, lay Emily. "Hey – I used to have a robe just like that!" Paige exclaimed without really thinking it through.

"Yeah. I raided your closet before we left," Emily said, getting up and walking over to Paige.

"I can't wait to see what else you found," Paige swooned.

"I didn't need anything else," Emily replied, dropping the robe to the floor, unveiling all her naked splendor. Paige quickly closed the distance between them and started kissing Emily as though this was their last night on Earth. Her hands were frantically grabbing every curve and sinew of her girlfriend's shapely body.

"Easy there, Tiger. Let's get you out of these clothes!"

Emily looked intensely into Paige's eyes, licking her lips as she slowly unbuttoned Paige's sweater, breaking eye contact only to deposit a kiss on the spot exposed by each button as it was opened. Once the sweater was off, Emily meticulously caressed Paige's bosom before reaching behind her and removing her bra. Emily leaned in so that their erect nipples were touching as she guided her hands over Paige's back. "Shit, Paige! You're so ripped!" Emily kissed in between Paige's breasts, but that was just a means to an end, as her lips and tongue sought out the creases on Paige's stomach, her hands moving down to the small of Paige's back.

Kneeling in front of her, she undid Paige's jeans with a moan. Her hands descended onto Paige's ass as she nuzzled Paige from the front. She yanked Paige's jeans down to her boots, smiling at the sight of Paige's soaked boxers. Emily pulled off Paige's boots, then her socks, jeans, and boxers. She couldn't resist taking a few tastes of Paige's wetness before she sprang to her feet, spun her weak-kneed girlfriend around, and exclaimed, "Come on! Let's get you to the Jacuzzi!"

The two stood knee-deep in the hot water for the longest time, kissing deeply with roaming hands. Emily positioned herself behind Paige and guided her to a seated position, in Emily's lap. Emily's hair was pulled up and she reached for a scrunchie to put up Paige's, too. She massaged Paige's back, rubbing a spot, kissing it, and moving on to the next. Paige was cooing with delight. Emily lay back against the wall of the Jacuzzi and pulled Paige in close, squishing her breasts against Paige's back. She gently massaged Paige's breasts as she kissed the nape of her neck and nibbled at her earlobe, occasionally snaking her tongue inside Paige's ear as she told her what she was thinking. "I love the feel of your breasts in my hands. Your breasts are so soft, but your nipples are so hard." She punctuated the statement with pinches to each. Paige's moans of delight were transformed into groans of need. She tightened her legs against each other, curling her toes in front of her. She reached a hand behind her back and grabbed the base of Emily's neck, drawing her closer to her. Emily reached down and rubbed Paige's slick thighs, coaxing them apart. She grazed her teeth over Paige's shoulders as her hands rubbed steadily higher and higher up Paige's thighs, converging at the center. Paige put her hands on top of Emily's, pressing them deep where she needed them. She threw her head back and barked, "Fuck, yes, Emily! Damn it! Right there! Oh, God, Yes!"

Emily was screaming, too. Paige was bucking her hips into Emily's thrusts, but the movement also meant that she was also grinding her ass into Emily. Their moves became sloppy and uncoordinated as each drew closer to the edge. Finally, Emily pushed Paige away from her and, in one swift, well-planned maneuver, spun Paige around in the Jacuzzi, spread her legs wide, and reached for a waterproof vibrator that she had hidden underneath a towel at the side of the tub. They'd never used any kind of toys in their lovemaking before. Emily turned it on and held it up for Paige's inspection. Paige's eyes grew wide. Her smile was even wider. She closed her eyes and bit her lip in anticipation. Emily eased the toy in slowly. "Talk to me, Baby." Emily looked at her with concerned eyes. "Goo – Good!" was all that Paige could force out. "Harder!" eventually followed.

Emily pulled in closer so that she could kiss Paige as she let the vibrator work its magic. When she felt Paige's breath grow ragged, she backed her head away, waiting for a cue. Paige threw her head back, panting heavily and bucking her hips wildly, digging her well-trimmed nails deep into Emily's back. Emily persevered through the sting until Paige froze, her body tensing and then relaxing as she sank down into the warm water.

"Fuck, Emily! Where the hell did that come from?"

Emily dipped her head. "Um... Merry Christmas?"