By: Dreiser


Cotton candy was the greatest food ever made, Dana decided, watching Alice twist several strands off the cone to wrap around her finger and then stick said finger in her mouth to slowly suck on it. Yes, it was most definitely the greatest food ever made.

“Want some?” asked Alice with false innocence, knowing what she had been doing to her girlfriend. She waved what was left of the treat close to Dana’s face, also knowing the athlete disliked snacks that were too sweet. “Come on,” she wheedled. “You know you do.”

“Ugh,” Dana scrunched up her nose, stepping back from the cotton candy. “I hate things that are really sweet.”

“But you liked seeing me eat it so much I figured you would want some. Don’t you want to try just a little?” cajoled Alice, wrapping the last pieces of cotton candy around her finger as she tossed the cone in the nearest garbage can. She stepped up to the brunette and danced her cotton candy covered finger in front of her face. “Give it a taste.”

“Al,” said Dana warningly, pushing the hand gently aside. “Quit it.”

But the protest was too late, Alice was already invested into the task of getting Dana to eat the last of her cotton candy. Using an overly sweet voice that matched the unhealthy treat, she bobbed her cotton candy wrapped finger in front of Dana to make it look as if it was talking. “Why don’t you want to eat me, Dana? I taste yummy!” The finger tilted to one side and Alice said in saccharine yet sad tones, “Is it because I’m pink? Do you reject the color pink?”

“No, I don’t reject the color pink,” replied Dana huffily, scowling a bit. “I’m a ***** so I have to like that color. At least on upside down triangles.”

“Then is it because I’m poofy?” The cotton candy finger pressed on, bobbing side to side and moving closer to Dana’s face. “Do you hate my sticky sweet pink poofiness? You being a lean mean tennis playing machine and all.”

“No, it’s not because you’re poofy,” said Dana with exasperation. Pausing after she said this when she came to the stark realization that she was actually having a conversation with Alice’s finger that was wrapped in cotton candy.

“So why won’t you eat me?” Alice grinned impishly, continuing to do her weird sweet voice and bobbing her cotton candy finger about.

Her jaw setting and her expression almost grim, Dana smoothly leaned forward to take the cotton candy covered finger into her mouth. Slowly sucking and licking it with her tongue until none of the sticky sweet poofy pink candy monstrosity was left. Mesmerizing Alice into complete silence in the process.

Pulling away in what the journalist saw to be excruciatingly ***** slow motion, Dana smiled around Alice’s finger and drawled, “There. I ate it. Are you satisfied?”

“Strangely, I’m not,” said Alice dimly, finding herself still somewhat captivated as Dana chuckled and deposited a light kiss onto her lips.

Brushing back stray locks of blonde hair, Dana’s eyes traced affectionately over Alice’s pale features and she murmured, “Want me to win you something? I mean,” she smirked and snuggled closer, whispering in the writer’s ear. “We’ve been here for a few hours and I’ve yet to show off my considerable athletic prowess for you.”

“You better fix that right away,” said Alice, laughing and playing with the hairs at the nape of Dana’s neck. “If you don’t win me something then how can you put me out on display as your woman? Right now, as far as anyone can tell, I’m no one’s property.”

“This is a travesty!” Dana declared, releasing a mock gasp of horror while she pulled back. “Everyone here must know who you belong to! We must go,” she said resolutely, taking Alice’s hand in her own and leading her through the myriad of people. “I have to win something for you to cement my proof of ownership.”

“We could just get property of Dana Fairbanks tattooed on my *****,” remarked Alice in off hand tones, stopping with Dana in front of one of the many game booths.

The game they were looking at was the traditional sort where the player paid for three balls and then proceeded to throw the balls at the wall of milk bottles set up. A large variety of stuffed animals were the prizes and the more milk bottles you knocked over the better and bigger stuffed animal prize you won.

“What do you think?” asked Dana, looking to Alice who was already beaming and nodded her head energetically by way of response to Dana’s question.

“Two dollars for three balls,” said the game worker and Dana fished through the pocket of her blue jeans to produce the cash. “Here you go,” the man said, handing Dana the balls when she passed him the money. “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” said Dana, grinning and cradling the balls as she faced Alice. “Can you hold some of these, baby?”

“To see you display your prowess? No problem,” Alice announced happily, returning the grin and taking two of the balls to then step back to give Dana room.

Dana started to wind up but stopped in motion to look at Alice who met her gaze with a confused expression. “Which one do you want?” asked Dana, appearing genuinely concerned that she had not bothered to inquire about this obviously important matter.

A joyful laugh bubbling up from her throat, Alice spun to face the game booth and nibbled on her bottom lip as she studied its many stuffed animal occupants. Finally, after long and careful examination, she pointed to a scrawny and entirely pathetic looking stuffed chicken. “I want that one!” Alice exclaimed.

“That one?” asked Dana skeptically, lifting an eyebrow. Even the game worker seemed amused, letting out a small chuckle at the writer’s choice in prizes. “That just needs one milk bottle to win it, Al. Don’t you want the bear or something? That takes ten milk bottles to get.”

Looking at the enormous stuffed teddy bear that Dana nodded at which required many more milk bottles to win, Alice frowned then said firmly, “I want the chicken.”

“Okay,” said Dana, sighing and shaking her head. Not for the first time in her life she cursed the cuteness that, in her opinion, honestly did epitomize Alice. “Stuffed chicken, it is.”

Bang! Thump! Second ball handed over. Bathump! Third ball handed over.

Easy as one, two, three all of the balls knocked over the milk bottles, seven more than needed in fact, and Alice was in possession of the stuffed chicken. Holding it tightly and tucking it under her chin as she beamed at Dana. “Thank you,” she murmured, moving forward for a soft but lingering kiss that was somewhat tame considering they were in public.

“I think the bear was a better prize,” remarked Dana, putting an arm around Alice’s shoulder. They were walking away from the game booth, the chicken remaining tucked under Alice’s chin as she clung to it. “Why pick a stuffed chicken? People eat chickens.”

“I like the chicken,” Alice said, forming a halfway decent pout. “And I should get to pick what I want you to win for me, right?”

“Right,” agreed Dana, sighing heavily and she paused in their walk when she caught sight of the ferris wheel. Her arm slid off of Alice’s shoulders as she took a step closer to stare at it with an expression of awe. The structure towered high over them and in the dying light of day all of its lights were turned on and sparkled like bright diamonds against the sky. Moving in a slow steady pace, the carriages dangled over the ocean to give the people on board a perfect view of the sea. “Wow,” she breathed. Dana looked to Alice wearing the little girl grin that the blonde so adored, holding her hand out to the other woman as she asked, “Do you want to ride it?”

“Yeah,” said Alice, giving an answering smile and accepting Dana’s outstretched hand. Knowing in that instant that wherever the athlete would go, she would follow. “I do.”

—

They tumbled inside of Dana’s condo, kissing deeply and groping to the very best of their ability. In a casual toss, the stuffed chicken, an enormous teddy bear, and a goofy looking yellow hat with lightning bolts on it were thrown to the floor as they continued kissing while moving upstairs to the bedroom.

Dana kissed Alice slow and thorough, each kiss more profound than the last. Hotter, wetter, and fierce, so very fierce in the love and desire they revealed. When she pulled away, Alice felt weak in their aftermath but it was the look in blue eyes that made her nearly collapse.

The dark and undeniable passion reflected there shook Alice to her core. To think she caused that, she made Dana look that way blew Alice’s mind. After all, who was she? Certainly not the kind of woman people wrote great sonnets about or even dedicated songs to. She was painfully normal and excruciatingly average.

In Alice’s opinion there was nothing special about her. Sure she was cute but so were a lot of people. Especially in LA. Sure she was funny but there were funnier people who make a living out of it. Sure she was open sexually and highly invested in pleasing her lovers but come on! How many people honestly weren’t like that? With all of that noted, how was it she could make Dana look at her that way?

Look at her as if she was everything Dana could ever want or need and that she was a five course gourmet meal that she couldn’t wait to fill herself on. Alice didn’t know how she managed to accomplish it but she would do anything in her power to make sure that look never went away just because now that she had seen it… seen someone look at her the way Dana was doing, god, how could she forget it? Forget and go back to the relationships that were fun and happy and nice but so very lacking in comparison to what Dana gave her.

She couldn’t go back, plain and simple. Which was good because Alice didn’t want to go back. No, not in the least. That she was positive of as a shiver ran down her spine when Dana’s hands traced her sides in a fleeting caress. Holding Alice’s hands in her own, Dana smiled softly then moved forward and whispered in her ear, “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”

These words soothed Alice, despite the dull ache resounding in her body. Confused over Dana’s exit, she said to the empty room in a daze, “Where would I go?”

And really, where would she go? She had no idea because these days, no matter how much she disliked clinginess, with Dana was the only place Alice wanted to be. Irregardless of the anxiety this plain truth created.

The sound of Macy Gray filtered through the air and drew Alice out of her reverie. She looked up to see Dana leaning in the doorway gazing at her with such love that for a moment she found herself forgetting to breathe. Seeing that Alice had finally noticed her presence, Dana smiled and pushed off the door frame and walked over to her.

“I love this song,” said Alice quietly.

“I know,” Dana replied, resting her hands on the writer’s hips and gently tugging her forward. Their bodies pressed together, she dropped her head, putting their lips a breath apart as she murmured, “And I love you.”

And then Dana kissed Alice, simple and sweet, pure in its intention and emotion. When she brought the kiss to a slow end, Alice stayed with her, lips clinging to Dana’s, clearly not wanting it to end. Smiling at this, the athlete ducked her head to kiss the curve of her neck, trailing down to the collarbone while her hands slipped under Alice’s shirt. Holding the hem in her grip, Dana stepped back and pulled the shirt off in one smooth movement. Tossing it aside, she wrapped an arm around Alice’s waist and pulled her close, lowering her head to resume her path of kisses. Moving from the collarbone to full *****, peering up to lock eyes with Alice as her free hand unsnapped the writer’s bra. The material fell easily and Dana straightened up to pull it from Alice’s body, removing it in an effortless motion.

That accomplished, Dana returned her attention to more important matters. Namely Alice’s ***** and she moved to capture the pink nipple of the right breast in her mouth. Kissing and licking and sucking, tugging on the sensitive skin as it puckered at the touch. Moving onto the other, repeating the process, leading her kisses lower, pressing onto the flat skin of Alice’s stomach as her hands stopped at the top of tailored pants.

Despite the music that filled the air, the noise of Dana pulling down the zipper to Alice’s pants was noticeably loud. Maybe it was their minds playing tricks on them. Goodness knows Alice’s head was swimming, dazed and lost in the sensations as warm hands tugged the soft cloth from her body, allowing cool air to hit her now bare legs.

Cool air was soon replaced by the heat of Dana’s hands caressing upwards to rest flat at Alice’s *****, reveling in the slick sensation of black silk panties. Much as Dana relished the feel of silk and enjoyed the way the clothing clung to Alice’s body she would much rather be touching impossibly soft skin and looking at it in all of its naked glory. Which was why she pulled the panties off in a single determined motion.

Smiling into Alice’s skin at the gasp that just sounded, Dana peered up at the blonde, her blue eyes burning in ardent affection as she pressed a soft kiss onto her stomach. Holding their gaze, Dana slowly moved up Alice’s body, kissing her along the way. Stopping only when she had risen to her full height, her face nuzzled into the crook of the writer’s neck. Memorizing the feel of subtle quivers from the body pressing against her own as she wrapped an arm around Alice’s waist to pull her close. Calming the shivers with the heat of her own skin.

“I love you, Al,” whispered Dana, her declaration earnest and unquestionable in its honesty.

Cupping Alice’s face in her hands, Dana smiled sweetly then kissed the blonde with a slow burning passion. Opening her up and tasting deep, tongue slipping inside to suck on Alice’s. Delighting in the moans escaping the journalist from this attention. Moving Alice forward, hands holding her waist firm but tender, Dana pressed the blonde onto the soft mattress of the bed. Slipping a jean clad leg in between Alice’s, grinding into her to create delicious friction. Dana’s hands slid upwards, stroking pale skin in a detailed exploration. Alice pulled away from their kisses with a whimper, her head shaking side to side slightly.

“I want to see you,” Alice said, her voice trembling and laced with need. Her eager hands reached for Dana’s shirt, unbuttoning it efficiently and shoving it down the athlete’s shoulders as she rose up to kiss her hard. Muttering against her lips, “I want to touch you.”

Flinging her shirt away, Dana grinned happily and pulled Alice to her, kissing her deeply as she echoed with her own mutter, “Then help undress me already.”

Brown eyes sparkled and Alice returned the grin, kissing Dana with enthusiasm, removing her bra while doing so and pushing her onto the mattress. Sliding down to unzip the tennis player’s jeans. In one easy pull, they came off and soon cotton panties followed. Lowering her body onto Dana’s and reveling in the feel of skin on skin, Alice kissed the athlete’s neck, sucking on tanned skin, nuzzling it as she murmured in pleased tones, “Much better.”

“Happy?” asked Dana playfully, enjoying the expression of extreme satisfaction Alice had worn at finally getting her naked.

“Deliriously,” replied Alice, her tones light and joyful but utterly truthful in the sentiment they held. Kissing Dana again, she murmured into her in a whispered confession, “You make me happy, Dana. So ***** happy.”

“So ***** happy, huh?” Dana repeated the words with a chuckle, her hands caressing the elegant curve of Alice’s neck to play with the soft hairs at the nape.

“Yeah,” drawled Alice, moving in for another kiss. “So ***** happy.”

She kissed Dana in a detailed study, long and hard, tugging on her lips, pulling away only to return at different angles, kissing Dana with such attentive focus the athlete thought she could come from it alone. Wanting to give as well as take, Dana tangled her fingers in messy blonde locks, matching Alice’s rhythm in kiss to kiss, both exploring deep and endless.

They only parted when Dana’s hand slid down to slip two fingers inside Alice, shuddering with satisfaction at the slippery wet evidence of the blonde’s desire for her. The journalist’s lips separated from hers with a gasp as she said Dana’s name in a throaty utterance. She slid her body down, effectively thrusting Dana’s fingers further inside her as she returned the favor, looking deep into the brunette’s eyes as she entered her.

“I want us to come together,” said Alice breathlessly. Reaching up to meet Dana’s lips for a lingering kiss. “I want to feel you come with me, Dana.”

“Al,” Dana groaned, her head moving to one side, pressing into the pillows, her body arching into the blonde’s steady thrusts as she tried to match the pace. Rising up to capture Alice’s lips in a kiss, she said in a gasp, “I love you.”

“Dana,” Alice said her name in loving devotion, pausing in her thrusts, stunned by the raw emotion being displayed. “I love you too,” she said, her voice rough yet tender. After saying this, the blonde dove forward to capture Dana’s lips for a fervent kiss, trying to absorb all the love she had just seen and returning the sentiment whole heartedly. When they parted she released a teary and emotional laugh. “I so ***** love you.”

Dana returned the laugh only to have it cut off with another gasp and moan when Alice resumed her pace, touching her in places that no one ever had before, her now thumb lightly circling the athlete’s *****. Her back instinctively lifting up off the bed, Dana mimicked the writer’s actions and their bodies slid together in a desperate movement, striving with everything in them for that final perfect release.

Relief came for Alice first, her muscles clenching around Dana’s long fingers thanks to the added pressure on her *****. The ***** swept over her waves, drowning her in the addictive sensation of Dana’s touch. While this happened Alice gave a final hard thrust into Dana, sending the tennis player shuddering over the edge.

They sank onto the bed together, a single mass of tired and tangled limbs, snuggling into the nooks and crannies of their bodies to be as close as humanly possible. Basking in the glowing aftermath as the song lyrics sounded in the air.

“Would I ever find, just a true love. That we come this far together. So I’m here to stay. Because without you baby, I can’t go any further.”

—

“This should be fabulous,” Tonya announced in hearty enthusiasm, snapping open her briefcase. “I’ve spent some time talking with Bill and Aaron, those are the marketing execs in charge of your campaign at Fila,” she informed Dana, turning to her and lightly touching her arm. “And they’re bursting with ideas for ***** Pride. It’s going to be an event!”

“An event,” echoed Dana doubtfully, frowning and looking to Frank. Thus far she had enjoyed everything Tonya had arranged for her but she wasn’t sure how good she would be at handling an event. “Am I really equipped for that kind of thing, Tonya?” she asked, letting her worries rise to the surface. “I’m a tennis player, you know. I don’t really entertain people on purpose. I play a sport and people watch me play because I happen to do it well.” She formed a wry smile then added in sardonic tones, “Or they watch because now I’m famous for being a ***** and they like how I look running around in a tiny white skirt.”

Tonya stared at Dana then looked around her to focus her gaze on Frank as she said to him, “She sounds like you. Are you influencing our client with your staid brand of ***** man humor? If so, I must say now I’m not pleased with this outcome. It makes her less charming.”

“Really?” asked Frank humorously, arching a bushy eyebrow. “I happen to think she’s fabulously ***** like this.”

“You would,” Tonya pronounced the words with a pop and narrowed her eyes. “And again, I point out the fact that you’re a ***** man. We want lesbians and straight men to like her. Maybe even some straight women too.” Tilting back in her chair and grinning largely, Tonya waved her hands expressively about. “Dana can be the great tennis playing converter.”

“Way too much pressure,” Dana groaned in exaggeration, she thumped her head down onto the conference table and peered at the other woman. “I’m just one insignificant athlete, not the great ***** Buddha, Tonya. Lets not get delusions of grandeur, all right?”

“I think all delusions should be grand,” said Tonya with a sniff, not seeming affected by Dana’s sudden anxiety about the Fila promotion and ***** Pride. “Why settle for less in our fantasies?”

“I hate to say it but she does make sense,” mused Frank, rubbing his chin and grinning at Dana who was now focused in his direction, her head still resting on the conference table.

“Traitor,” uttered Dana, solemnly staring him down.

“Ladies!” An exuberant voice boomed in the air and Dana sprang into a sitting position as she turned to look at the figure of Bill Wexler, the head of Fila’s marketing team. Bill’s grin faltered a tad on seeing Frank and he smoothly added, “And gentleman. How are we all doing today?”

“Good! We’re good,” chirped Dana, trying to return his bright smile and somewhat failing just because Bill’s smile had the shiny bright power of a florescent bulb. “You?”

“I’m fantastic now that I’m in this meeting with you, Dana,” drawled Bill, his smile turning brighter yet and Frank seemed to squint at it in order to survive. “So!” he clapped his hands together and took a seat across from them at the table. “Have you told them anything along the lines of what we’ve discussed, Tonya?”

“Not yet,” said Tonya, who was attempting to return Bill’s smile at full force and almost succeeding. “I take it that you might have some new ideas up your sleeve though?”

“Right you are,” replied Bill with a laugh. He flipped open a large leather binder to reveal several artistic mock ups. “As you know, when we first got into this venture there was an idea of doing a joint promotion with Subaru for ***** Pride. The further we got into discussion with them, the more we discovered they wanted to go a more traditional route.” Tonya nodded solemnly at this and Bill focused on Dana as he spoke. “They’re going to be working on a float for you in conjunction with the ***** and ***** Center.”

“Really?” Dana’s eyes went wide and she grinned happily, looking to Frank who returned her grin. “The ***** and ***** Center? That’s great!” She stopped as she realized who she was in a meeting with and said quickly, “I’m sure what you have mind is great too though!”

“Of course,” said Bill slowly and Dana couldn’t be sure but she thought maybe she saw a glimmer of annoyance arise in his gleaming gaze. It was hard to tell with how sparkly it was next to his perpetual smile. “Anyway!” he announced, pushing the leather binder over to Dana and encouraging her to flip through it with a nod. “What we had in mind was something a little more fun that would let you get involved with your fans. We were thinking a game show.”

“A game show?” echoed Dana with a frown, flipping through the drawings of the stage they had in mind along with a few other things.

“We’ve already talked to Megan Guerrero’s people and she is totally on board with hosting it,” Bill barreled on, his grin quirking up when he saw Dana repeat Megan’s name in a bit of shock. “The game would basically be split into two parts. First portion being trivia where we weed out your true fans in a fast round question and answer period hosted by Megan. Then from there the top three contenders get to play in the second game portion which would be like the Dating Game, with the winners on one side of a partition and you on the other. Whoever gives the best answers to the questions we come up with gets to spend an hour or so with you at ***** Pride courtesy of Fila. Well?” he paused in his spiel to beam widely and study Dana with a bright but very sharp gaze. “What do you think?”

“The Dating Game,” said Dana faintly. She bit on her bottom lip nervously and looked from Tonya to Frank before focusing back on Bill again. “That sounds nice and all but…”

“But what?” asked Bill in altogether friendly tones. So friendly that Dana felt herself becoming more nervous on hearing them.

“But I have a girlfriend,” said Dana almost meekly.

“Oh, Dana,” Bill proclaimed, laughing long and hard, slapping the table and taking the binder back into his hold. “We’re not talking about a real date! I mean, for gods sake no,” he shook his head. “We just think this would be a great fun and hip way for you to interact with your fans and promote Fila in the process.” He paused to study Dana and asked lightly, “Don’t you think that this would be a fun thing to do with your fans?” Leaning back in his seat a bit, Bill lifted up both his eyebrows in a motion that somehow reminded Dana of Alice and made her relax slightly. “Did you ever watch the real Dating Game, Dana?”

“Yeah, I watched it,” said Dana, frowning.

“They had chaperones for it, you know,” said Bill wisely. “I promise you now we’ll do the same for you. We certainly don’t want you to be uncomfortable!” He leaned into the table and grinned then gave a wink as he said conspiratorially, “I mean, what the *****. You can even bring your girlfriend along. Just don’t tell the fan it’s her, right?”

Suddenly feeling completely at ease at the idea of this promotion, Dana really returned his grin for the first time since the meeting began and replied, “Right!”

“That a girl,” drawled Bill, matching Dana’s grin.

Neither of them particularly noticing that both Tonya and Frank had similar expressions of veiled concern etched onto their faces.

—

“Show me yours, I’m gonna show you mineeee,” Ed and Alice sang together, hanging onto each other and leaning into Carmen who sat with them on the comfortable couch in the back of The Planet. Along with Kit, they were gathered to discuss what would be going on entertainment wise at The Planet during ***** Pride.

Alice was there to introduce Ed to Kit because she had expressed an interest in having a band play at The Planet on Saturday night in order to give Carmen time off to enjoy the festivities. The meeting had gone fantastically and now Ed was busy displaying with Alice the various ***** oriented songs they would be playing as well as taking requests for.

“Girl, that song is messed up,” Kit wheezed through her laughter, wiping the tears from her eyes and setting back into her super comfortable recliner. “I don’t know if I can take it if you all are gonna be playin’ that around me. I might crack up again.”

“At least they didn’t smush you while making you die from laughter,” said Carmen through her own chuckles, shoving playfully at Alice who thumped into Ed with a slight pout.

“Carmen dislikes me,” said Alice, her eyes huge and watery as she peered at Ed. “She really, really, dislikes me!”

“Oh, Ali baby, I still worship the ground you skip upon,” said Ed, cupping her face in his hands and looking deep into her eyes. “Dump your tanned muscular tennis player and run away with me! We can start our own commune for wannabe rockers!”

“Oh, Ed,” said Alice, going along with his soap opera routine and clutching his hands to her chest. “I would run away with you if not for the fact that you happen to be a huge ***** boy who I know once threw up at the sight of a woman’s *****.”

“Oh Ali…” Ed trailed off as his face scrunched up. He tilted his head and looked at Alice with bewilderment. “When did I throw up looking at a woman’s *****?”

Bursting into laughter at the sudden stop to their game, Alice resumed her regular sitting position and sank back onto the couch. “That night we couldn’t sleep in college and ended up flipping channels,” reminded Alice. “We somehow got stuck on Discovery Channel and a woman giving birth. You barfed all over the place and I had to clean it up.”

“That shouldn’t count!” said Ed fiercely, pointing at Alice. “I bet plenty of women would throw up at that! You needn’t pin that on my ***** boyness. Birth is a nasty, nasty, thing.”

“Lord yes,” said Kit wisely, holding up her hands. “As a woman who has experienced it, I do say an amen. Givin’ birth is somethin’ that will indeed make strong men and women lose ahold of their stomachs.” She snorted and said humorously, “I don’t know where all this bull ***** about the miracle of birth comes from. It can be nasty stuff, the boy is right.”

“Thank god I don’t plan on ever doing it,” said Carmen, heaving a sigh.

“You’re dating the right ***** for that too,” remarked Alice wisely, giving a grin. “I can’t see Shane as the motherly type.”

“I don’t know,” mused Kit, her eyes growing lidded as she considered it. “Baby girl is awful calm… reminds me of a kinda zen quality, you know? I bet she’d be real level headed with a child. Plus she’s gotta sincere type of sweetness to her.”

At Kit’s words, Alice and Carmen appeared to be contemplating the idea of Shane as a mother rather seriously. After a long while, Carmen murmured wistfully, “I think Kit’s right. Shane would be a good mother, wouldn’t she?”

While she did agree with this opinion upon thinking it over, Alice couldn’t help but be amused by Carmen’s moony expression. That’s why she then said mischievously, “I guess someone is taking back their vow to never do pregnancy.”

“No way!” Carmen said quickly, whipping around to face Alice. “Shane is the motherly one, not me. She can do the pregnancy.” Folding her arms over her chest, Carmen then muttered to herself, “My woman could use a few more pounds on her skinny body.” Noticing a familiar gleam arising in Alice’s eyes, she decided to cut her friend off at the joking pass and remarked slyly, “I take it your little performance means you’re going to be singing for us with Ed during the Saturday night of Planet Pride?”

“Oh no,” Alice held up her hands and shook her head strongly. “I am not singing anywhere with anyone.” She looked to Ed and added, “No offense, sweetie.”

“None taken, pookie,” replied Ed sweetly.

“Why not sing for us, baby girl?” asked Kit, frown lines gathering on her strong features. “I thought your voice sounded damn good and you do still keep up with your music, dontcha? You told me yourself that you did.”

“By myself, yeah, Kit,” said Alice with a sigh. When Ed opened his mouth to speak, she put her hand over it and said to him, “Don’t say a word. That’s totally different and you know it.”

“I don’t get it, Al,” said Carmen, also confused. She had brought this up to tease Alice but she did think the blonde was a good singer and that was only from a few verses she heard when the woman was joking around. Surely what Alice sounded like when she was serious had to be a thousand times better. “Why not sing? You like doing it, don’t you?”

“First off, I’m going to be way busy,” said Alice, rolling her eyes. “There’s the KCRW booth,” she ticked off a finger as she said this.

“Breast judging/KCRW booth,” corrected Ed impishly.

“Breast judging/KCRW booth,” Alice held up the still ticked off finger and rolled her eyes at the correction. “Then there’s Dana’s Subaru promotion,” she ticked off another finger. “And then Dana’s Fila promotion,” she ticked off yet another finger. “To round it all off there will be a final KCRW booth,” she looked at Ed with a dry expression. “One that won’t involve breast judging and then I have to help nincompoop,” Alice then rapped Ed on the side of his head, “set things up on Saturday night.” She held up her hand that had all her fingers and the thumb ticked off. “Way busy, see? Way too busy to go singing onstage when that’s not what I do anymore.”

“Uh huh,” Kit drew the words out in tones that drowned in skeptical disbelief, folding her arms across her chest. She looked ready to say something more but was distracted by the sight of someone approaching. Smiling widely, she then drawled, “Funny that you go walkin’ yourself in here. We were just talkin’ about you.”

“Yeah?” rumbled Shane, lifting an eyebrow in speculation and settling down to perch at the end of the couch next to Carmen. “What were you saying?”

“We were sayin’ how we think you’d make a good mama to some lucky child,” said Kit kindly, beaming happily at Shane who immediately turned red at the compliment.

Ducking her haphazard and gravity defying head of hair, Shane rubbed the back of her neck and muttered, “That’s stupid… why would you guys talk about that?”

“Because we think it’s true,” murmured Carmen in reply and she scooted up to tangle her fingers in Shane’s hair while she spoke softly in her ear. Whatever the Latina said made Shane turn darker red and nuzzle into Carmen’s neck as the other woman smiled and held her close.

Not wanting to intrude on a private moment that had inadvertently occurred in public, the remaining three drew their attention to the large open doorway to The Planet just in time to see Dana walking through it. The tennis player was dressed in one of her power suits that served to… well… make her look powerful. At least, powerfully hot in Alice’s opinion. Except for the jacket though. For some reason the jackets on Dana’s power suits never quite fit her right. It was something that was in desperate need of fixing.

That thought being foremost in her mind was why Alice said to Dana when she finally joined them, “We need to take your jackets to get fitted.”

“What?” asked Dana in confusion, her brow furrowing. She had been planning on maybe possibly somehow or another telling Alice about the Dating Game promotion in a place where the blonde might not throw a fit or get too hurt. The Planet was as good as anyplace, she figured, but now Alice was throwing her off with a weird opening statement. “What’s wrong with my jackets?” she looked at herself self consciously.

“The cut is off,” said Alice, waving her hands up and down in a vague gesture. “They fit you poofy and weird. Everything else is hot about the suit but the jacket. Here, I’ll show you,” Alice announced, leaping to her feet to stand behind a very perplexed Dana. Grinning big at her audience as she now had everyone’s attention, including some of the nearby tables. She cleared her throat and held Dana’s hand up as she stood next to her. “Here we have a prime example of lesbianas hottus in her most attractive attire… the power suit,” Alice drawled with a waggle of her eyebrows, making Shane chuckle. “As we can see the pants perfectly accentuate her posterior,” Alice carefully turned Dana around and made a Vanna White type motion to her *****. “While her shirt puts emphasis on the lovely curves of her *****,” she went on, doing the gesture again only to have her hands whapped at by Dana who had come out of her shock finally. “But what kills the lesbianas hottus picture? Oh yes, the poofy jacket which doesn’t help show off the lovely feminine delicacy of her shoulders or the strong muscular definition of her back. No!” Alice said dramatically, pushing down on the puffy material that sprang back up at her touch. “Instead it makes her look like a linebacker or some other football player. Yes, I say to you now, the jacket must go,” said Alice in utterly somber tones. She paused to grin playfully then shrugged before saying, “Or at least get fitted properly.” She gave a small but extravagant bow. “Lecture over.”

The Planet patrons who witnessed this impromptu educational session burst into applause, causing Dana to turn bright red and drag an sheepishly smiling Alice out the door. Making all who watched this exit wonder just what the blonde had in store for her.

—

“Dane, I’m sorry, I am,” Alice said in honestly apologetic tones, her face etched with worry as she followed Dana into her condo. “I just got caught up in playing around, you know how I can get. And I should’ve known to stop, I know that! I’m a big dumbass… but please talk to me?”

She had been apologizing for the past fifteen minutes on the drive back to the athlete’s house and frankly, the lack of reply was starting to make her nervous. Had what she done really been that bad? Alice knew it was over the top and a little on the insensitive side but she was a realist about herself and it honestly wasn’t all that horrible when compared to other stunts she had pulled. Especially involving Dana in the span of their long friendship. True things were different now that they were dating and in love but still…

Was it that bad?

The thing that Alice didn’t know was that Dana was using her apologies and the incident as an excuse to gather her own thoughts to try and figure out how to tell Alice about the upcoming ***** Pride promotions. She wasn’t sure why but the more she considered the Dating Game, no matter how good and innocent type of fun it had sounded in the meeting, she just knew Alice wouldn’t like it. The problem was she had already agreed to doing it… signed on the dotted line and all of that so she couldn’t go back on it and… god… what would she do if Alice hated it? Really and truly hated it? Or worse yet, got hurt by it? The type of hurt that made Dana want to rip the world apart for allowing Alice to ever feel that way.

Just thinking about it tied her stomach up in knots.

“Al,” Dana started off hesitantly.

“I’m sorry,” said Alice anxiously. She moved close to Dana and held her face in a tender caress. “I didn’t try to hurt your feelings or embarrass you on purpose. I could never do that to you. I love you,” she whispered fervently, pressing a kiss onto the athlete’s lips that was clearly meant to express that emotion.

“I love you too,” said Dana with a gasp, her head tilting back as Alice sucked on her neck and caused a moan to escape her lips. “And I’m not upset about what happened at The Planet. I mean, I guess I am but not really…” She groaned low in her throat when Alice cupped a breast and nibbled on her earlobe. “But I need to talk to you.”

“Why do we need to talk?” said Alice in a mutter, moving forward to capture Dana’s lips in a kiss that quickly intensified. She easily slipped her tongue into the other woman’s mouth to taste, tug, and explore. Showing the athlete how much she loved her and how sorry she was for any pain she had caused. When they parted, Alice tangled her fingers in wavy brown hair and looked at Dana with brown eyes dark from passion. “Damn if you can’t kiss,” she purred, one hand lowering to hook its fingers into the belt loops of Dana’s pants. Tugging her towards the bedroom and causing the tennis player to lose all memory of what she was supposed to be telling the journalist.

When they reached the bedroom, Alice turned around to hold Dana’s hands then stepped closer, nuzzling into the brunette’s neck, kissing the skin. “Al,” Dana said her name with a gasp. She knew she had to tell Alice about ***** Pride and the promotion with Fila, she knew if she didn’t it would only end up hurting Alice in the long run, she knew that but she found it impossible to concentrate on that with Alice kissing and sucking on her pulse point. Sure hands rested on her hips, pushing her gently forward to then lower her down, making her sit on the nearby chair that had been a gift from Dana’s mother. “Al,” Dana tried again. “I need to–”

“You need to let me apologize for being an *****,” interrupted Alice, straddling Dana’s lap and scooting down to rest their faces side by side before kissing the line of the brunette’s jaw. A hand reached up to hold a breast in a warm touch while the other slipped under Dana’s shirt to rest against her abdomen. Her breath tickling the athlete’s skin, Alice murmured low and husky, “I want to show you, Dana. I want to show you how ***** hot I think you are. I want to show you why just thinking about you is enough to get me off.” Trailing her kisses over Dana’s jaw until they were face to face, eye to eye, and the athlete felt herself immediately grow wet at the look of raw lust in brown eyes. “You’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen,” said Alice roughly. Then she moved quickly forward to capture Dana’s lips in a scorching kiss.

“Al,” Dana moaned her name, unable at this point to say anything else. Especially as nimble fingers worked their way under the hem of her pants to play at the edge of her *****.

“I love you, Dana,” Alice said the words fierce and guttural, soaked through with passion as she slid her fingers over the lips to Dana’s *****. Making the tennis player arch into Alice, resting her hands on the blonde’s hips out of the base and desperate need to have something to hang onto. Alice’s thumb lightly caressed Dana’s *****, increasing then decreasing the pressure as she rocked into the athlete for another kiss. “You feel so good,” she breathed against Dana when they separated for air. “I want to feel more of you. I want to go deeper, do you want that?”

“Yes, Al, please,” groaned Dana, lifting into Alice as the blonde slid a single finger inside. Her head tossed back against the chair and she bucked her hips into Alice. “Go deeper.”

Chuckling softly, Alice kissed Dana hard, slipping a tongue into the tennis player’s mouth. Discovering all over again the intricacies of the brunette in an attempt to memorize all there was to learn. Only to then pull back and change the tilt of her head before diving in to learn it one more time. Kissing the athlete endless and unhurried, feeding on Dana as she increased the number fingers to begin a relentless thrusting. She lifted anxiously into Alice, matching her pace, lips clinging to Alice’s when the kisses ended.

Their eyes locked as Dana rode Alice’s fingers brutal and unmerciful, forcing the writer to go further inside until not even the most minute space existed between them. Alice applied sharp pressure to the athlete’s *****, making her gasp and close her eyes at the sensation.

“No,” Alice growled the word, her free hand holding Dana’s face in a tight grasp. “Open your eyes, Dana. Open your eyes and see how much I want you. Look at me and see what you do to me. I want you to know… I want you to see.”

“Al,” Dana shuddered her name, prying her eyes open with great effort to look at the blonde. Struck like lightning by the overwhelming expression of absolute carnal lust that she saw on the pale features in front of her. “I love you.”

Holding Dana’s gaze and keeping up the rhythm of her thrusts, Alice moved forward, resting their foreheads together. “I love you too, baby,” she husked. “Now come for me.”

Those words combined with the sudden pressure on her ***** and the strong upward thrust of all four fingers inside of her sent Dana screaming over the edge. Climaxing with a loud cry of release, putting all her energy and effort into keeping her eyes open in order to see Alice. See the devastating and starkly honest desire the blonde held for her. Then she sank bonelessly into the journalist, face buried in her neck, moaning when skilled fingers slipped out of her. Comforting hands ran up her sides to rub her back in a circular motion as Dana tried to recover from the whirlwind of passion that had managed to sweep her up so very thoroughly.

Several minutes passed as Dana continued to try and regain her senses while Alice waited patiently. When the blonde felt the body against hers calm the nonstop wave of tremors that were emanating from it, she said in gruff tones that were thick with emotion, “Did you see?”

“I saw,” was Dana’s shaky reply, her body and mind drained from the emotional and physical intensity of what they had just experienced. Her mind a thousand miles away from the discussion of ***** Pride and Fila as she echoed softly again, “I saw.”


To be continued…