Chapter Seventeen

"Tia, you know lusting after a straight woman is unhealthy."

"I know, Emma." Tia was glad Emma had called. She needed someone to talk to.

"You saw what happened to Van."

"How can I forget?"

Van had fallen in love with a straight woman who dabbled with sleeping with women. Once her curiosity was appeased the woman publicly denounced Van, and devastated her. Not only was Van's heart broken, but straight women who she considered friends, avoided her. It had been a very painful lesson. One that Tia saw first hand and she would never repeat it.

"Honey, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. Maybe I need to go out on a few dates and put my attentions elsewhere."

"That sounds like a good idea. Why don't you call Erica? You both liked each other."

"Maybe I will."

"Tia."

"Okay, I'll do it."

"Good, call her today."

"Emma, I said I would call her."

"Today."

"Goodbye."

"Bye, hon."

Maybe Emma was right. She liked Erica they were both just so busy. She decided to call her and give it a try. Erica's telephone machine answered and Tia left a message. Maybe if she saw Erica she would stop thinking about Catherine in that way.

"Erica, this is Tia. I was wondering if you wanted to get together next week. It's been a while since we saw each other, and it would be nice to catch up. Give me a call if you get a chance." There, she'd done it. She could stop thinking about Catherine as anything more than a good friend. Yeah, and pigs could fly! Tia was in a lot of trouble.

"Hello, little Miss Maddy."

"Tia." Maddy threw herself into Tia's arms. "We're having chicken for dinner.

"Good, I love chicken."

"It's Mom's best dinner."

"I can't wait."

"Mom said we could play cards after dinner." Maddy still hung off Tia's neck, hugging her.

"Maddy, why don't you let Tia come inside?" Catherine smiled in greeting. "I promised her we could play concentration after dinner."

"No problem. Here's dessert. It needs to go into the freezer until we eat it." Tia grinned. "And don't peek, it's a surprise."

"A surprise, I can't wait. Would you like a glass of wine? Maddy, you get a glass of juice."

"Sounds perfect, can I help?" Tia took a big deep breath as she took a second look at Catherine. Catherine looked incredible and she made Tia's heart pound.

"No, everything is done."

"Tia, we're going to sit at the big table with candles and flowers. Want to see?" Maddy jumped up and down in front of Tia. She was very excited.

"I'd love to." Maddy took Tia's hand and dragged her to the elegantly set dining room table. "It's beautiful, Maddy." And it was. Tia was surprised to see the china and linen.

"Mom said it's a special dinner because you're coming. She asked me to be really good."

"You're always really good, Maddy, and your mother's right. Tonight is special. I get to have dinner with you and your mom, and you're my very favorite people."

"Here you go, ladies. And Tia, I hope you don't think I am being disrespectful calling you both ladies?" Catherine teased, her eyes twinkling with humor.

"I'm certainly not offended, we are ladies. Thank you." Tia chuckled. "The table is beautiful."

"I thought it might be fun to eat in the dining room."

"It's perfect."

"Okay, Maddy, show Tia where she gets to sit, while I bring dinner out." Maddy grabbed Tia's hand and led her to her seat, while Catherine carried two full dinner plates out and placed them in front of Tia and Maddy. "Maddy, napkin on your lap, please."

"Okay, Mom."

Tia grinned. Maddy was trying so hard to be a grownup. Catherine returned with her own plate, turned out the dining room lights, plunging the room into flickering candlelight. It was not only beautiful, it was romantic.

"Oh, Mom, it's pretty." Maddy exclaimed, her eyes large with delight.

"It's very pretty." Tia agreed, staring at Catherine. It was almost like a romantic dinner setting. Tia wasn't sure what to think. Catherine's eyes glittered in the candlelight, her long blond hair pulled up on her head in a loose bun. Tia sighed quietly as she reacted to Catherine. She was so sexy, and Tia couldn't control her feelings. Catherine smiled at her. Tia was in big time trouble.

"Maddy, would you like to say the grace?"

"Okay."

Maddy bowed her head and said a very short grace. Once she was done, she looked up and grinned. "Okay, we can eat now."

Tia chuckled out loud as Catherine gazed fondly at her daughter. "Good job, and you're right, we can eat now." Catherine patted her daughter's hand. "Thank you for saying the grace."

The three of them began to eat, and as usual Maddy chattered about her day. She was excited, and wanted to share everything. They had all finished eating by the time she wound down. Catherine and Tia had hardly uttered a word.

"Okay, Maddy, while your mom stays and relaxes, you and I are going to clear the table and get dessert."

"Tia, you don't need to do that."

"I course I do. Now, sit and relax, please." Tia placed her hand on Catherine’s shoulder. "We'll take care of you."

"I appreciate that, thank you." Catherine reached up and grasped Tia's hand. "I never get waited on."

Tia smiled down at Catherine. "Well, then it's way overdue. Come on Maddy."

The two of them quickly cleaned up the dinner plates and the kitchen. Then they started on the dessert. Catherine smiled when she heard giggling. She liked Tia an awful lot. In fact, she was attracted to Tia and not sure what to do about it. She had never thought about being with a woman before she met Tia, and now it was all she thought about. She'd laid awake the last two nights analyzing her feelings. It scared her to death, and excited her at the same time. She didn't want to lose Tia's friendship, but the craving she felt around her had nothing to do with friendship.

"Okay, Maddy, give your mom her dessert."

"What is this wonderful concoction?" Catherine asked as Maddy placed a bowl of dark chocolate in front of her.

"It's chocolate mousse." Tia grinned, placing bowls in front of her and Maddy. "The perfect dessert for chocolate lovers."

"Oh my God, this is heavenly. What do you think Maddy?"

Maddy's face was streaked with chocolate as she shoved another spoonful into her mouth. "It's good."

Tia and Catherine laughed as they watched Maddy enjoy her dessert. It more then validated the success of the surprise since she hadn't taken a breath since she'd started to eat.

"Your dessert is a hit."

"Good, so was your dinner."

"It was a special dinner." Catherine gazed at Tia.

"Yes it was." Tia stared back at the very beautiful woman. Something was going on here. The air crackled with electricity.

"Well Maddy, go get the cards and meet us in the living room, while I take care of these dishes. Tia, more wine?"

"Sure. Here, let me help." They silently cleared the rest of the table and cleaned up the kitchen and then Catherine filled their wineglasses.

"I'll warn you, Maddy's very good at concentration."

"You mean I'm going to get my butt kicked by a three-year-old."

"Probably, it happens to me all the time." Catherine grinned, as they entered the living room. "Okay Maddy, deal the cards, honey."

Maddy lay on the floor and shuffled the cards before dealing them out slowly. "Tia, you first."

"How do I play?"

"You turn over two cards. If they match, like two fives or two queens you take the cards, otherwise you turn them over and remember where they are."

"Great, I can barely remember my own telephone number." Tia grumbled as she turned two cards over.

Four games later, Maddy had won two, and Tia and Catherine each had won one.

"Alright Maddy girl, go get your pajamas on, sweetie. I'll come in and kiss you goodnight, as soon as you're ready."

"Can Tia give me a kiss too?"

"Of course she can, sweetie."

"Okay Mom." Maddy rushed out of the room, heading for her bedroom.

"I can't believe how good she is."

"She is good. She has her days when she is a brat, but I wouldn't change a thing."

"You're so lucky."

"Have you ever wanted to have a child?"

"No, but I always thought I would be in a relationship where my partner might want to adopt."

"You still could."

"I have to be in a relationship first."

"Honey, you will, I have no doubt." Catherine hugged her tightly. Tia couldn't prevent her arms from snaking around Catherine's neck. Their hug lasted far longer then a normal friendly hug. Catherine's face was buried against Tia's neck. Tia flushed with heat as her fingers slipped into Catherine's hair.

"Mom, I'm in bed." Maddy called from her bedroom.

Catherine gently stepped away from Tia, her eyes large, showing her nervousness. Tia just stared at Catherine unsure as to how to respond. "We're on our way, honey."

Catherine clasped Tia's hand and pulled her down the hall into Maddy's room. Catherine bent over and kissed her tiny daughter, then hugged her tightly. "Okay Tia, your turn." Catherine got up and left the room.

Tia sat down on the edge of Maddy's bed. "Sleep tight, Maddy girl." She hugged her tightly and shared an enthusiastic little girl kiss.

"Goodnight." Tia left the room turning the light out but leaving the door partially open.

"Is she settled down?" Catherine asked as she sat on the couch looking up at Tia.

"Yes."

"So do you want to watch another movie?"

"Sure, but before we do can we talk?" Tia needed to settle things and quickly, before it got out of hand.

"Of course we can."

"I maybe totally off base, and if 1 am you have every reason to be upset with me. I think something is going on between us. Am I wrong?"

"No, you're not wrong." Catherine watched Tia carefully.

"I don't want to step over a line, but I am very attracted to you and I feel like you're aware of that."

Catherine stared at Tia. "Tia, sit down, please. I didn't know you were attracted to me until this moment. But you're right. I'm very much attracted to you, and I don't know what to do about it."

Tia's heart jerked in her chest. "You're attracted to me?"

"Yes."

"But, you're straight." Tia blurted out the words, staring at Catherine.

"I am, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to be with you."

Tia was struck speechless. She wasn't sure how to react. The feelings she had pushed into the back of her mind exploded. "What do you want to do about it?"

"I'm not sure, what do you suggest?" Catherine smiled at her. She looked incredibly sexy sitting with her hair up her soft, blue eyes locked on to Tia's.

Tia didn't hesitate as she grinned in return and bent toward Catherine until their faces were just inches apart. Whispering softly, she stopped just short of touching Catherine. "I suggest we kiss, and play the rest by ear."

Catherine closed the gap between them and their lips touched softly, sliding gently against each other. Tia's lips opened slightly as her tongue tentatively traced Catherine's lips. The quiet moan that slipped from Catherine made Tia smile. She increased the pressure of her kiss and Catherine's arms slid around her shoulders, pulling Tia tightly against her body. Catherine's kisses grew even more passionate as Tia slid her arms around Catherine's waist. Their bodies strained against each other, as their kisses became open-mouthed and full of heat. They necked for quite awhile before they took a few minutes to catch their breath, still holding each other tightly.

"I didn't know." Catherine sighed softly as she stared at Tia.

"Didn't know what?"

"That it could feel this way." Catherine smiled sweetly at her.

"It's never happened to me quite like this before."

"So where do we go from here?"

"Where do you want it to go?"

"I want to date you." Catherine responded with a grin.

"Catherine, dating me is very serious. You have a daughter. Have you thought of her?" Tia hated to say anything to upset Catherine but it needed to be said.

"Do you like Maddy?"

"I love Maddy."

"That's all I ask. Now, do you have a problem with dating me?" Catherine looked Tia right in the eye.

"No, as long as you understand that I could fall in love with you, and want to be with you for the rest of your life. You could be my passion. Are you prepared for that?"

"Tia, if we date it's because there's a strong possibility that we'll live happily ever after."

They shared another wonderful heart-stopping kiss and then hugged each other tightly. "I think I should go home and give you some time to think about this. If you still want to go out with me after you get away from me for a day, we can plan something next week."

"Tia, I am still going to want to date you, but I understand if you don't want to date a single mother."

"Catherine, I love that you're a mother." Tia reassured her with a hug.

"So if you still want to see me, when can we go on a date?" Catherine held Tia snuggly against her.

"What does your work schedule look like next week?"

"I'm working eleven to seven for two weeks."

"Who's going to watch Maddy?"

"I'll pay her babysitter to stay at night."

"Why don't I stay with her at night? We could see each other before you go to work, that is, if you feel comfortable leaving Maddy with me."

"Of course, I feel fine leaving Maddy with you, but are you sure you want to take care of her all night?"

"Yes, I can come to your place and stay the night, that way Maddy won't be disrupted."

"You know that means you will be sleeping in my room, in my bed." Catherine grinned at her.

"Need I remind you, I will be sleeping alone?"

"We'll work on that problem."

"Will you call me tomorrow evening?"

"I'd love to."

"Goodnight." They shared a deep, slow kiss and then Tia stood up.

"So, are we seeing each other?" Catherine stood up and took Tia's hand as they walked to the door.

"We are." Tia turned and wrapped her arms around Catherine. "I had fun tonight."

"So did I."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow." Tia and Catherine kissed softly, and then Tia left. She quickly headed upstairs to her own place. As she walked, she smiled to herself. Who would have known? The fear didn't creep in until Tia climbed into bed and then Tia just pushed it away, she didn't want to think of the negative outcomes.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14