Hi. I'm so sorry that it took so long for this update. My life is very busy these days and I just couldn't get it finished. I think it will be worth the wait though...
Title – Paths Diverged/Divulged Part 26 –
Housewarming
Author – JustSkipit - Debra
Spoilers –Season 6
Rating – Part 26 – NC-17
Disclaimer – Guess what, I don’t own W&T, Buffy or the rest of the BtVS crew. Any similarity to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental and fortunate. Also Rachel thinks I should point out that I don’t make any money from this…
Thoughts in italicsFlash backs indentedMemories and dreams indented AND italic “Tare,” Michelle whispered, “are you even listening to this?”
“What? What?” Tara stammered, barely keeping her voice quiet. A blush filled her cheeks as she realized that she hadn’t heard a word the professor had said in over five minutes. In fact, she had been in her own little world. A world peopled with herself and one lovely redhead: a redhead who she had left sleeping half-dressed in her bed this morning to go to class. Not that leaving was an easy thing to do.
So rather than taking notes on organic chemistry and following the examples the professor was working on the overhead projector, she was running over and over the evening in her mind. It was perhaps the happiest evening of her life, thanks in no small part to the fact that Willow had not only called her “my love” but had actually told the blonde that she loved her. Those words had filled Tara’s soul with happiness.
And some other parts with … , her mind teased. Goddess, to hold her dream woman in her arms, feel their lips pressed together, limbs intertwined… It was just amazing and overwhelming. When she was with Willow she felt like she was rushing into and through and filled with something greater and more perfect than she could ever be alone. There was no doubt that Tara loved her and it seemed that Willow knew that, that the redhead was in no hurry to hear Tara say it.
Nor did she seem to be pushing for greater intimacy. Last night’s wonderful exploration was more intimate and intense than anything Tara had ever experienced and she could only imagine what even greater fulfillment would be like.
Feeling a poke in her side Tara lifted her head realizing that she had again been day dreaming. “Arrgghh!” she muttered under her breath as she began furiously copying down the example. At least she and Michelle had this class together. That was one advantage of having a pre-physical therapy major and a veterinary science major room together; they shared quite a few class requirements and when scheduling allowed, took their classes together to be able to study or copy notes from each other. Michelle merely giggled at Tara’s distraction and returned to her own work.
An hour later the two girls gathered up their notebooks. “So Tare,” Michelle began, “watcha thinking about during class?” She could see by the red color flooding Tara’s cheeks that she was thinking about Willow but was nonetheless shocked as Tara answered immediately: “Willow.”
“Well I’m not surprised,” Michelle teased back.
“No,” Tara giggled, “Willow.” She pointed across the quadrangle to the small figure sitting on a stone wall scanning the doorway of the science building. Michelle and Tara saw Willow stand as if to wave to get their attention, sitting back down when she realized that they saw her and were starting toward her. Her face displayed a wide smile as she watched them walking toward her.
“Hey Willow,” Michelle called as they got close enough.
Tara immediately gave her girlfriend a kiss and a hug. “Hey sweetie,” she said, “what are you d-doing here?”
“I woke up all lonely and half-naked in your bed this morning baby,” she teased, whispering the “half-naked” part.
“Not listening, not listening, not hearing anything,” Michelle hummed as if she didn’t want to intrude. Both witches burst out laughing, knowing that Michelle was anything but uninterested in Willow waking up half-naked in Tara’s bed. The girl had already weighed-in as supporto-gal about the couple and certainly about the couple naked.
But not in a creepy way, she thought as she spied the coffee. “Hey,” she half-shouted, “are those coffees for us?”
Willow reached behind her to pick up the cardboard carrier with three cups of coffee. “French Vanilla for Tara,” she announced as she handed the blonde her cup, “Cinnamon for Chelle,” again handing over the bounty, “and Mocha for me.”
All three girls took a drink of their coffees before Tara asked, “how did y-you know where we would be Will?”
The redhead smiled without letting go of her girlfriend’s hand. “You have your schedule posted on your bulletin board.” She continued explaining, “I called to check my messages and I had a message from the school that I forgot to sign my transfer application so I needed to come here and figured I could come and see my favorite girl at the same time.” She smiled at Tara before turning to Michelle, “I mean favorite girls.”
Michelle smiled as she told the redhead, “that’s ok. She should be your favorite girl.” She left it hanging for a minute before adding, “especially since you woke up lonely and half-naked in her bed this morning.” She whistled and looked away feigning being casual but knew without looking that both witches were probably blushing furiously at her teasing.
Michelle glanced at her watch before announcing, “I have a class but if y’all want to walk that way we can go by admissions.” Tara also had a class but the three girls walked Willow to the admissions office so the girl could sign her application.
At the door Tara kissed the redhead again. “We’re still on for tomorrow night?” she confirmed.
Willow smiled as she nodded. “Yep. I get the keys in the morning and then wait all day for deliveries and hookups.” After another kiss she confirmed, “you have the address?”
Tara nodded and Michelle asked, “are you excited about moving into an actual apartment Willow?”
Willow blew out an exaggerated breath. “You wouldn’t believe how excited,” she agreed. “I never thought I would be living in that hotel for two months.” She turned to the blonde and gave her another kiss, “call me after you get off work tonight?”
“It may be l-late,” Tara explained.
“Any time my love,” Willow answered happily. “I want to hear your sweet voice before I go to sleep.” She turned and entered the admissions office after waving to both students.
“She’s in love with you,” Michelle announced conclusively.
“Yes,” Tara agreed dreamily.
“Have you told her you’re in love with her yet?” the runner asked.
“N-not yet,” Tara answered as they reached her building. She indicated that they had arrived and was glad when Michelle didn’t push her.
Instead the runner gave her a light hug and told her, “love you Tara,” before leaving the blonde to get to her own class.
---
The next night Tara was excited to see Willow’s new apartment. She had been too busy to take a tour when the redhead was in the process of selecting a place so this would be the first time she got to see it. The blonde was well aware that her house was a true find in the economic climate in Austin. Francis had taken care of virtually everything about it from finding it, negotiating a good price, arranging the contract work to make it handicapped accessible, and paying the yearly taxes. He had wanted to finance the house and use the income off investments to pay the mortgage but Tara had put her foot down on that issue. She argued that whether it made economic sense or not, she didn’t want a big mortgage payment hanging over her head so he had paid cash for the expensive house. Occasionally he sent her information indicating that the house had appreciated considerably and that if she decided to sell it, she would make quite a profit. At Michelle’s insistence, the runner paid the utilities and bought the groceries for the household but Tara would have been just as happy to have her friend live with her for free.
She looked for the handicapped spaces but not seeing one, parked her Volvo in the area clearly marked for visitors and got slowly out of her car. Even though the moon had just passed full a few days ago, she had used her powers the night before and strained herself somewhat. As she began walking up to the apartment building she took the opportunity to take in the surroundings. She smiled thinking that the redhead had done well in choosing the location. Each apartment building was afforded quite a bit of privacy by the trees growing all over the grounds. A visitor could not really see into any windows as most were obscured by large Oak or other trees. She could hear birds nesting in many of the larger trees and again smiled that her girlfriend would of course choose a location with these features. The cars parked in the resident covered parking were all nice vehicles in very good shape.
As she stepped onto the curb, the door to the apartment nearest the walkway swung open. “Hey baby,” Willow called from the threshold. Pointing her finger at the blacktop nearest the walkway she apologized, “sorry you had to walk. The complex is going to mark that space tomorrow.”
The blonde nodded her head, glad that they would be adding the space. “H-how’d you know I was here?” Tara asked since trees completely obscured the view of the windows from outside or the parking lot from the apartment.
Willow came to meet her girlfriend on the walk to take the package and six-pack of water she carried and kiss her lightly. “You make my spider-senses tingle,” she giggled.
“Of course,” Tara agreed. She wasn’t surprised that Willow could feel her magical energy. She sensed Willow’s often but usually she consciously blocked it to keep out the distractions.
“Welcome to my humble abode,” Willow declared elegantly as she swept her hand over the threshold of the apartment.
“Quite humble,” Tara laughed as she looked around. “I thought y-your furniture was going to be delivered today.” The living room was large with the kitchen visible. A bar separated the two rooms and a small area could hold a breakfast table. That area was next to a French door that opened out onto a small patio. A hallway ran by the kitchen and Tara assumed that the bedroom and bathroom were that way.
“Apparently promising to deliver something on a certain day doesn’t mean the same thing in this world,” Willow sulked. “But since the phone did get hooked up I was able to call and yell at the delivery people.”
“So n-nothing got delivered?” Tara asked disbelieving.
“Come on,” Willow pulled her girlfriend along, “I’ll give you the 50 cent tour.” Answering Tara’s question she explained, “not nothing. The bed company brought the box spring about 9:00 this morning.”
“The b-box spring?” Tara confirmed, “did you explain that it wasn’t very useful without the mattress and frame?”
“At my maximum volume,” Willow joked as she showed Tara the kitchen.
“Getting large with the butch huh?” Tara joked.
Continuing their tour Willow joked back, “hey a bed is important to me. I explained to the guy that my girlfriend was coming over and that I want my bedroom to be Tara-friendly but he didn’t seem that sympathetic.”
“Imagine that,” Tara answered sarcastically.
“Exactly,” Willow agreed. “Ok, obviously this is the bedroom as you can tell by the box spring in the middle of the room and my clothes piled against the walls in non-dressers.”
Pulling on her girlfriend’s hand Tara leaned in for a long kiss. As she pulled away she whispered, “any room with you in it is Tara friendly baby.”
Willow hugged the blonde as she explained, “we can go sleep at your place after dinner if you want.”
“No,” Tara argued, “let’s c-camp out here. We got you sheets at the store and we should celebrate the first night in your new apartment.”
Willow’s face lit up in a child-like smile. “Sure. We can sleep in the living room and even turn on the fireplace since it’s kind of chilly outside. We could roast marshmallows but I don’t have any.”
“That’s ok,” Tara commented, “they aren’t vegetarian.”
“What?” Willow puzzled, “marshmallows aren’t vegetarian? What’s not vegetarian about them? It’s not like they are wrapped around little hot dogs or something.”
Tara giggled at the redhead’s obvious confusion: “they have gelatin in them.”
“Ok,” Willow conceded.
Who knew it was so complicated? Having reached the bathroom she pointed it out: “I think pretty obviously here’s the bathroom.”
“Nice,” Tara complimented. She noticed that Willow had been able to prepare this one room without any deliveries as the shower curtain was hung, rug placed on the floor, towels arranged over the bar, and toiletries set on the counter.
Just as the blonde was turning to go back down the hallway to the living room she felt Willow tug on her hand. The redhead quickly pulled her girlfriend into a passionate kiss before moving her head slightly to whisper in Tara’s ear: “it has a bathtub big enough for two.” She was pleased to hear Tara give out a slight whimper at her words and turned to return to the living room.
“Willow,” Tara teased, “I think your c-computers are reproducing.” She indicated the side wall of the living room which now had five computers and a tangle of wires, printers, monitors, and she had no idea what else. That count didn’t even include Willow’s laptop, which she didn’t see in the nest of electronics.
“Well, that’s what happens if you don’t get them birth control,” Willow giggled as she explained, “I’ve been buying parts at stores and on e-bay and building them. It’s a really good deal if you know what you’re doing.”
“Which you do,” Tara concluded smiling. Having reached the large living room once again the blonde dropped as gracefully as possible given the discomfort in her leg to sit on the blanket spread in the center of the room.
“I made dinner,” Willow announced proudly.
“You m-made dinner?” Tara asked disbelievingly.
“Much in the style of my ancestors,” Willow answered smugly.
“You ordered pizza,” Tara accused with a smirk.
“I resent that,” Willow shot back. “I ordered Chinese food.” Tara laughed at her girlfriend as Willow went to get each girl a bottle of water while they waited.
“D-d-do you want to open your housewarming present while we wait for dinner?” Tara offered after Willow had returned join her on the blanket. As they sat, they entwined their fingers. Tara had the impression once again that she needed to be touching this woman, all the time, and knew that Willow felt it too.
Even with their hands linked Willow started bouncing like a little kid. “Definitely. A present for me? Did I carry it in? What is it? Can I have it now?” She held out her free hand and closed her eyes to convince the laughing blonde to hand over the gift.
Tara reached behind her to pick up the wrapped present and placed it in Willow’s free hand. Willow shook the obviously non-shakable present for a minute before raising it to her nose and smelling it as Tara giggled. “No breakable parts,” she commented, “and doesn’t smell like chocolate. Hmmm… what could it be?”
Tara laughed as she watched Willow in her excitement. Finally the redhead lifted Tara’s fingers to her mouth giving them a soft kiss before extricating her hand and aggressively tearing the paper from the flat parcel.
“Oh Goddess!” she muttered upon seeing the drawing Tara had obviously made and then framed for her house. “How did you…?” she asked.
Tara’s drawing was very unusual for her. It was actually a drawing of a photograph that she had seen many times but she felt pretty sure that she had captured the tone of the image. “I’ve seen this photo a l-lot and well, it always seemed like y’all were so happy.”
Willow smiled at the blonde before returning her gaze to look at the drawing. Tara had completely captured the friendship she, Buffy, and Xander held for each other as displayed by the photograph. She knew that Buffy loved this picture from their first year as friends too. Tears gathered in her eyes as she thought again of the friends she didn’t expect to ever see again. Gently she leaned forward to kiss the blonde whispering, “thank you,” as she stood up.
Just as she was placing the picture carefully on the counter the doorbell rang and she ran over to answer it, taking the bags from the delivery boy and handing him cash including a tip. “Wow, thanks ma’am,” he spoke excitedly when he realized that she had tipped him well.
After finding out his name she carried the bag into the kitchen where Tara was already pulling out some plates and silverware. “Ready to break in the k-kitchen stuff?” the blonde asked.
Willow nodded as she started pulling boxes from the bag and opening them. “Spicy Eggplant,” she indicated having noticed that the blonde seemed to like eggplant a lot. “Tofu and vegetables, lo mein, and fried rice,” she set each box on the counter followed by two tall soup containers. “Hot and sour and egg drop.” Before Tara could ask she explained, “I noticed that you always ask about the soup so I asked and they are both vegetarian.”
Tara didn’t know whether to be impressed that her girlfriend was being so accommodating about her not eating meat or tease her about the amount of food. She decided on both. “Thanks for asking,” she told Willow, “it’s still just the t-two of us eating right?”
As each girl piled their choices on the plates and walked back into the living room Willow explained, “well yes it’s just us. But I wanted to get what you wanted and figure the leftovers will last a few days.” Deciding to make light of a somewhat serious topic she joked, “see leftovers and reproducing computers. That’s pretty permanent.”
Tara smiled as she took her first bite. One of the things she absolutely loved about this woman, a list that seemed to be growing every minute, was how considerate she was. Before Tara could even ask she had asked her apartment to create a parking space for her, gotten vegetarian dinner, and now was attempting to reassure her that she was staying. Actually the fact that Willow had gotten an apartment went far in convincing the blonde that they had a future as well as a present. “I dreamed about you last night,” she told Willow quietly. Only after she had spoken did it occur to her that it might seem like a non sequitur.
The redhead didn’t seem at all put off by the statement. “I didn’t leave again did I? Because I’m getting ticked off at this unreliable and really stupid dream Willow.” She noted that Tara was smiling and continued, “I mean who would leave this? Who would leave you? Not me. I love you and I’m not going anywhere.” She leaned across and kissed the blonde gently before leaning back. “But tell me about your dream,” she prompted.
“No,” Tara answered, “you didn’t leave. We were sleeping in a bed in a farmhouse. It was a two-story and I woke in your arms.” She became embarrassed as she continued telling the story: “You had an office in the downstairs filled with c-c-computers and I had a small office in the house for reading. When I woke in your a-arms I felt as safe as I ever have.” She looked up to see the redhead staring at her with absolute love and affection, the look in her eyes just as safe as the feeling from her dream. She didn’t add on that they were woken up by two children jumping in the bed and tickling them, children she felt relatively sure were named Becky and William.
Willow’s jaw dropped open for just a second before she answered, “I’ve had that one too.” Her brow wrinkled for a few moments as she thought about what Tara had left out of her dream or left out of her explanation. “You…you don’t want the kids?” Suddenly she realized how many steps that question skipped: “I mean not that we’re there and we’re just starting out and I’m not saying… oh Hell. I love you Tara.”
Tara’s mouth had by now dropped open in pure shock.
Close your mouth Tara Maclay or food will fall out, she heard her mother’s voice in her head. “I… what? I …”
how did she know? “I…,” finally a smile split her face as she answered, “definitely. Two would be g-good, maybe three.”
“Good,” the redhead declared, not wanting to push it any more as she rolled onto her stomach to finish her meal. “What do you think of my apartment?”
“It’s great,” Tara nodded as she looked around again. “I love the t-trees and I bet the p-patio will be nice for breakfast or to take your coffee.”
Willow nodded as she began clearing the plates. “I called and ordered a table and chairs to put out there. I’m sure we’ll love to have our coffee out there in the morning.” Neither girl failed to notice her use of the plural first person pronoun. “Let me just rinse these plates and I’ll be back,” Willow called from the kitchen and Tara heard her running water before rummaging in a cabinet.
Moments later the smaller girl returned with a big box and explained, “I got some Tara-friendly things for you.” Tara smiled glad that Willow was so thoughtful and that she looked so happy to be unpacking the box. The first item she pulled from the box and handed to the blonde was a dog-leash decorated with rainbow colored suns and moons. Tara quirked her eyebrows at the redhead and teased, “I don’t think I’d be into … I mean not that I’ve t-tried it but doesn’t really seem like my style.”
Maybe in some other universe, she mused,
but hard to imagine the same person who’s creating this world doing that one too. She was relieved as Willow laughed, “it’s for Scooby silly.” The redhead reached in the box and pulled out two dog bowls and set them to the side with the leash. Next were two sets of pajamas that she handed to the blonde. “See,” she explained, “long pants on both.”
“Yes,” Tara agreed, “thank you Willow.” She looked more closely at the pajamas and realized that one had burnt-orange Longhorns on it while the other had small crystal balls, wands, and witch’s hats on it. “These are g-great,” she praised. Deciding to tease the redhead she asked, “were you wanting to g-go back to wearing shirts to sleep?”
Willow’s jaw dropped open at her girlfriend’s risqué tease but she shot right back: “I was hoping to lose clothes rather than gain them.” Seeing the color rising in Tara’s face she continued, “but you might want something to wear while we are having that coffee on the patio.”
“Y-y-yeah,” Tara answered completely embarrassed by her girlfriend’s teasing. At least Willow wasn’t upset about the route their physical relationship was taking.
“Speaking of coffee…,” Willow led as she pulled the next item from the box, handing a coffee mug to the girl. It was colorful with intricate patterns and a beautiful ethereal woman depicted on it. Willow pointed to the icon: “see it’s your mug.”
Tara looked at the mug confused for a second before she giggled, “it’s the goddess Tara. I g-get it. Very subtle Will.” Next Willow pulled bottles of shampoo and conditioner from the box and held them up before setting them on the floor. “Gee,” Tara teased, “I’m starting to get an idea that you might want me to be comfortable here?”
Willow smiled and nodded vigorously. “The most important thing of course,” she announced as she handed the blonde a new toothbrush. Tara simply nodded as Willow reached into the box again. “And last but not least…,” Willow intoned. Tara watched the redhead carefully as she held out a key on a blue ribbon. “If you want of course,” Willow explained suddenly afraid that she had gone too far.
The blonde allowed a smile to cross her face as she leaned in for a kiss while taking the key. “Just try to t-take it away,” she whispered as their lips neared each other.
“Never,” Willow whispered a millisecond before her lips met the blonde’s. Their contact was soft and loving as each girl absorbed the magical contact. Electrical energy began at the merging of their lips and radiated outward from there, pulling both women in to a radical orbit as if they were spinning and floating at once. Softly and slowly their lips pressed together. Tara’s hands softly stroked her girlfriend’s arms, stroking up and down the sleeves of her shirt. Willow’s left hand caressed the back of Tara’s neck while her other hand went to the girl’s waist.
Neither girl could believe her level of arousal. It was unlike anything either had experienced before, rivaled only by their connection while casting. As the redhead became aware that Tara was giggling, she pulled back. “What?”
Tara giggled but explained, “it’s like the m-magic…”
“Definitely magical,” Willow agreed joining their lips, relaxing back onto the blanket as she did, pleased when Tara seemed to float toward her, covering the smaller girl’s body with her own. Still reveling in the feeling of excitement causing both women to shake, Tara began to trace her tongue across the redhead’s bottom lip, slightly swollen already from their short intimacy. She was shocked as suddenly the smaller girl opened her mouth to capture Tara’s tongue and suck it into her mouth, eliciting an involuntary moan.
Each girl could feel the warmth of the other pressed against her body. Their breasts slid gently together and apart as they moved with their kiss, hampered only by their clothing. Beginning to feel frustrated with the interference of the clothes, Tara tickled her fingertips teasingly along the bottom of the redhead’s shirt. Feeling no resistance, she softly shifted her weight before easing the smaller girl’s shirt up. As it neared Willow’s chest she ran her hand across the thin material covering her slight breasts.
“Oh Goddess,” Willow whimpered. It was an almost involuntary sound as she arched her back into Tara’s hand, feeling the heaven of the blonde’s hand cupping her breast and rubbing across her excited nipple. As Willow arched her back Tara smoothly stripped her top and tossed it to the side. She whimpered again, this time in protest, as she felt the loss of Tara lips but her eyes shot open as she quickly felt the girl’s lips brush across her nipple through the thin material of her bra. When she felt the blonde running her tongue around the hard nub, she began unbuttoning Tara’s shirt.
Tara felt absolutely entranced by the redhead’s breasts.
I could spend forever just doing this, she thought as she switched her attention from one hard nub to the other. She almost didn’t notice that Willow had completely unbuttoned her blouse and was pushing it down over her shoulders. The redhead’s intentions were made completely clear as she didn’t pause before unfastening Tara’s bra with one hand and slipped it down over her to meet the growing pile of clothes. “Talented,” Tara whispered as she likewise unfastened Willow’s bra but found herself having to use two hands.
I need to get more practice at that, she amused herself thinking.
Attempting to convince herself to be more patient Tara gently trailed her lips up the redhead’s chest to her collarbone and neck before again capturing her lips. As she did she noted the increasingly hard breathing coming from each girl. Willow’s hands cupped her soft breasts as the smaller girl gently caressed her palms over the entire surface of the flesh, as if memorizing the shape and texture for a sculpture she was planning to complete at some other time.
Willow’s mind floated as she reveled in the warmth and softness that was this woman, the woman that she loved. Tara’s breasts fit perfectly in her small hands, warming the palms. As she felt the nipples hardening she rubbed her fingers over the bumpy flesh and finally, unable to resist any longer, broke their passionate kiss to bend her lips to kiss the girl’s perfect breasts.
Softly, slowly, gently, she placed the first kiss on the underside of the blonde’s left breast. Moving only a miniscule distance she placed the next just to the side of it and the next to the side of it as she moved in a circle around the soft flesh. “Oh Gods Willow,” Tara moaned as she felt the teasingly and tantalizingly intricate path her girlfriend’s mouth was making around her breast. By the time the redhead placed the first kiss on the edge of her aureole her arms were shaking and when Willow darted her tongue to lick at the tip of her nipple she had to gasp: “d-d-down. Need… laying…down…”
Both girls shifted to smoothly roll and reverse positions. Missing the contact of their bodies Tara opened her eyes to see Willow straddling her hips, sitting almost upright. The look in her eye was almost predatory as the dark green traced the lines of Tara’s body. “What?” Tara asked, suddenly unsure of herself, unsure of what was happening. When Willow didn’t answer immediately she repeated her nervous question: “w-w-what?”
The tone of the redhead’s stare shifted in a second from predatory to loving. She traced her fingertip along the blonde’s jaw and continued looking into her eyes. “I love you,” she whispered as she bent her mouth to take Tara’s so far neglected nipple in her mouth, sucking it deeply and feeling the blonde arch her back into the contact. Tara moaned as she luxuriated in the feeling of Willow’s soft lips wrapped around her nipple, the girl’s hand nimbly exciting the other nub. Tara’s own hands continued stroking up and down her girlfriend’s sides and flat stomach. On each pass she tickled her fingertips under the waistband of the girl’s cargo pants.
Willow salivated around her lover’s nipple while Tara’s thigh pressing up into the crotch of her pants made the state of her arousal unmistakable. She knew that the blonde’s would be equal. Just as she was about to internally admonish herself for moving too quickly she felt Tara’s fingers at the button to her loose pants. She was shocked as the blonde unceremoniously unzipped them and lowered her leg to allow her hand to slide along the front of her panties. Immediately Willow released the blonde’s nipple to passionately merge their mouths again.
Tara began her exclamation, “oh Goddess Willow,” when she felt the girl’s wetness on her fingertips for the first time, the undergarment doing little to block the redhead’s arousal. The pitch of that exclamation rose as she felt Willow’s thigh mirroring Tara’s earlier position to press firmly against her center.
Feeling Tara’s hand withdrawing as her mouth pulled away Willow opened her eyes to watch her. The stillness of the blonde’s gaze was contrasted by the shadows dancing on the wall behind her as the flames reflected around the room. Blue eyes locked on glistening fingertips and Willow could hardly believe her eyes as her girlfriend raised her hand to first smell and then taste her love’s essence. As Tara reopened her eyes Willow realized that they were shining with tears and a blink sent one spilling over her cheek.
The redhead gently brushed her palm over Tara’s face, brushing away the trail. “Do you want to stop, my love?” she asked.
Tara smiled at the redhead as she explained, “n-no…I….” She blushed as she tried to explain, “I’ve dreamed this so many t-times…but I never could s-s-smell or t-taste…” Her embarrassment finally overtook her and she looked away.
Willow smiled sweetly at her lover as she tilted her chin with her fingertips. Having no idea what to say she simply leaned forward until their lips met in a gentle kiss. As she pulled back she giggled, telling her lover, “don’t take this the wrong way … “ she laughed again, “but you can do either anytime.”
Tara glanced at the redhead before declaring, “vixen.”
Noting the familiarity of that name Willow answered, “your vixen my love,” before again kissing her lover.
“Make love with me Willow,” Tara whispered.
Willow pulled back from the kiss to question the blonde: “but you said… I mean that you hadn’t ever… and that you couldn’t…with someone who you didn’t…and … oh …” She realized how Tara was smiling at her.
“I love the way you b-babble Willow Rosenberg,” Tara told the smaller girl. “Almost as much as I love you,” she finished. She didn’t process the words. She didn’t question the way they flowed from her mouth. She had known that she was just waiting to commit to Willow, that she just needed evidence of Willow’s commitment to her. The fact that Willow had gotten the apartment was enough to push Tara into confessing what she had known for years.
Willow smiled broadly as she again brought their lips together, savoring contact with the mouth that had just said the most wonderful words in the world.
As their mouths came together again, Willow felt the increased passion and connection in the contact. It wasn’t hard to identify the difference: love and openness. She had already confessed her love for Tara and now the blonde had done the same. It wasn’t only that she loved Willow but that she had told her that made the difference. Willow knew that it was hard for her lover to open herself up to that love, a love she had been afraid of losing but the redhead already knew that she would do anything to keep it.
Meanwhile Tara was entranced by two sensations simultaneously: the kiss the two women were sharing and her memory of the scent of her lover’s arousal. This moment was something she had dreamt of so many times but it had never been like this, never so intense, never so sensual. Her tongue slowly traced the smaller girl’s mouth even as her hand again made its way inside her pants. This time she heard Willow’s soft moan as she stroked her over her panties. Hearing that sound, she realized that the redhead had been holding herself back. She didn’t want to pressure Tara for anything she wasn’t ready for and it only reinforced for the blonde how much Willow loved her to wait this long. She could just feel dampness on the redhead’s panties and suddenly she wanted to feel so much more.
Gently she began pulling off Willow’s pants and panties after pulling back briefly to ensure that the redhead didn’t think she was moving too fast. The enraptured look on Willow’s face left no doubt that she welcomed the movement. In fact the redhead removed her hands from Tara’s body long enough to help her by pushing down her clothes the rest of the way. Within seconds Tara was looking at her lover’s naked body, her eyes naturally drawn to the triangle of curly red hair glistening with moisture at the apex of her legs. “Oh Goddess,” she whispered as she reached her hand out to lightly touch a curl. The sensation of Willow’s hair, so delicate, so wet on her fingertips made her heart beat faster and faster and she briefly wondered if she would faint. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath. The breath was meant to steady her but as the air was saturated with the scent of both girls, particularly Willow’s, it only excited her more.
Willow felt like a princess or a priceless piece of art as Tara appreciated her body. She could tell that the girl was entranced by the sensations she was feeling for the first time. While she allowed her lover to take her time experiencing this love, she moved her hand to Tara’s jeans and gently eased her button flies apart. “Is this ok?” she whispered as she moved both palms over the girl’s hips inside the denim material.
“Y-yes,” the blonde answered, “b-b-but …it’s … the s-scars…” She bit her lip wondering what Willow would think when she saw her leg.
“I love you,” Willow repeated as she kissed the blonde again. She struggled to express her feelings, finally answering, “your scars are one of the things that make you the wonderful, strong woman I love.”
“You make me f-feel beautiful,” Tara whispered as she slid her own hands into her jeans and pushed them down over her legs. Moments later her center was bared as Willow pushed her panties off completely and pressed their bodies together once again. Their mouths meshed as their breath combined, their bodies sliding slickly against each other.
Willow’s hands roamed over her lover’s stomach and hips as she held their bodies together. Slowly she slid her leg between Tara’s to feel her wonderful wetness on the redhead’s thigh. Her hands stroked the girl’s skin, moving higher and lower until she brushed her hands over Tara’s breasts and legs. Even without seeing she could feel the extent of the scars on the blonde’s leg and it reinforced for her the severity of her injury. That knowledge only intensified Willow’s love for this passionate and strong woman. She could feel the blonde writhing against her leg and wanted to give her a perfect release in this, her first time to make love with another woman.
Her hands never stopped their movement as she began moving down the blonde’s body, placing kisses on every inch of her body as she did so. Her journey over Tara’s breasts was exquisitely slow and by the time she released the blonde’s second nipple from between her lips, the blonde was moaning almost incoherently. Willow could smell her lover’s arousal and couldn’t wait to taste it. As her leg, hip, stomach, and breast made contact with it, Tara’s center tattooed the blonde’s scent on her body. Finally she lay between the girl’s legs, her hands cupping her breasts.
Gently the redhead kissed the soft flesh of her lover’s inner thighs. Another day she would love every millimeter of the girl’s legs, counting her toes with her lips, nibbling at her ankles and behind her knee, tracing every scar with the tip of her tongue but today she wanted this woman, now, in her mouth. Pressing her face into her lover’s wetness she deeply inhaled, savoring the delicious scent of her arousal.
“I love you,” she whispered directly onto the blonde’s curls and felt the girl tense against her breath. Using her fingers, she gently separated her lover’s blonde curls to reveal her tight little knot of muscle. “I claim you,” she whispered as she softly caressed the nub with her lips.
Tara arched upward involuntarily as she felt the redhead’s breath and then her mouth on her center. Her words echoed through the girl’s soul, not just that Willow loved her but her subsequent statement that she claimed her. And what the redhead was doing with her mouth was absolutely claiming her. Willow’s mouth moved over her center, licking and sucking and kissing her into eternity, her words echoed in her head until the blonde could do nothing but arch pressing her center into her lover’s mouth as she experienced a climax beyond anything she could have ever dreamed.
Tara was still screaming out her lover’s name as she felt the girl’s fingers slide into her virgin well. “I claim you Tara Maclay,” Willow again whispered as tears fell from her eyes and her fingers were embraced by her lover’s warmth. Her fingers curled as if she were trying to pull the blonde closer and closer to her soul and the blonde’s muscles clenched around her lover’s gentle fingers.
Slowly Tara relaxed and lowered her hands to brush them over Willow’s hair as the girl rested between her legs. Her fingers brushed across the girl’s lips, feeling her own essence and then up her cheeks, suddenly finding a thinner liquid trail there. “Oh Goddess, Willow,” she panicked, “what’s w-wrong?” She sat up attempting to pull the redhead into her arms.
Willow quickly rose to curl against her lover’s chest while brushing her fingertips across her face. She could see the panic rising in the girl and wanted to head it off: “I just I mean I was … and you are so…” Seeing that Tara was beginning to truly panic she stopped and took a breath: “I can’t believe how blessed I am.”
“B-b-blessed?”
“How could I be so lucky to find love like this twice?” she finally explained, hoping that Tara would understand.
Finally understanding that her lover was overwhelmed but not regretful Tara smiled. “I think I’m the l-lucky one.”
“Been getting lucky Ms. Maclay?” Willow teased as she toyed with the blonde’s belly button.
Suddenly the redhead felt herself flipped onto her back as Tara teased back. “Lucky is an understatement,” she giggled, “I’ve been claimed by Willow the explorer.” She began her own journey down the smaller girl’s body kissing and nipping at her soft skin. “My l-lover: Willow the explorer.”
“Your explorer baby,” Willow echoed, “always yours.”
Tara could feel her lover’s wetness as it rubbed against her leg, stomach, chest, neck, and finally her cheeks. Savoring the almost overwhelming scent of her Willow’s arousal she brushed her cheeks and then her chin against the soft curls. “Mmmm,” she murmured feeling Willow’s body tense even further. Looking up at Willow she saw that the girl’s eyes were watching her. “I’ve n-never…” she trailed off nervously.
Willow brushed her hand over her lover’s head, not pulling but just comforting. “I love you,” she whispered again, unable to think of anything else she could say, anything that would convey what was important…or what wasn’t. How could she possibly tell this woman that it had nothing to do with experience and everything to do with touch, with tenderness, with love?
Apparently the blonde got it. She brushed her thumb over the redhead’s lips, savoring the feeling. She had to take a deep breath, inhaling her scent to know that this was real, that it wasn’t just a dream, another vision of a life she couldn’t have. But if she could smell the redhead, then it was true. “Real,” she murmured as she met her lips to Willow’s softness.
Even with her brain not functioning fully Willow understood her lover’s declaration.
She’s claiming me too, she concluded as Tara’s tongue glided through her wetness over and over. Unbelievably strong hands grasped her hips and held her close even as the girl’s tongue inscribed words of love into her wetness. When she felt Tara’s fingertips dancing over her opening the redhead began chanting, almost whimpering: “yours, yours, yours…”
Willow’s words roused Tara, shocked her back to consciousness. She had been so entranced with everything about this body, this woman, loving her thoroughly, that she had almost forgotten that there was any destination to reach. Instantly she understood and pressed two fingers into her lover’s eager body without lessening the attention her mouth was lavishing on the girl’s center. If she had thought that the girl’s scent and taste were overwhelming, it was nothing compared to the pure heaven of the soft home her fingers found inside her lover.
Willow screamed her lover’s name as she felt her climax wrap itself around the blonde’s fingers, her mouth, her soul. She could feel her body pulling Tara closer, while waves of pleasure flowed between the two women.
As her shaking subsided, Willow reached down to touch Tara’s arms, gently pulling her up to rest on her chest. She wrapped her arms around the blonde, cradling her and placing kiss after kiss on the crown of her head. Each girl could taste her own essence on the other’s lips as they kissed again and again. “I like this housewarming,” Willow teased.
Shifting slightly to rest her weight on the floor while still snuggling close Tara nuzzled her lips into Willow’s neck. “I think we only warmed the living room floor so far,” she teased.
“Leaving…” Willow led.
“Bedroom, bed, kitchen, breakfast area,” Tara giggled.
“Don’t forget the new couch, the bathtub, linen closet, patio…,” Willow teased back.
“Patio?” Tara returned. “Linen closet?”
Willow giggled as she explained, “well maybe we’ll find some locations we want to keep warm.”
“Mmm hmmm,” Tara murmured, “that sounds nice.”
“Besides…” Willow started, “…we haven’t even started on your house.”
Tara giggled thinking of one particularly awkward morning when she had gotten out of class early: “I’m pretty sure a lot of it has already b-been warmed.”
“Sounds like a fun story,” Willow answered.
“Embarrassing is more like it,” Tara explained, “I got a walk in a morning class one day. Let’s just say Michelle is v-very flexible.”
“Not to mention vocal,” Willow agreed.
Struck suddenly by a wave of insecurity Tara asked, “w-was I? did I? I mean did you?”
Willow would have laughed if she hadn’t understood that the blonde was serious. “I love you Tara,” she answered, “and I saw stars.” She decided to answer the way Tara asked the question: “you were. You did. I definitely did.”
“Good,” Tara declared as she yawned. Her eyes started to close of their own accord as she wrapped her arms tighter around her lover.
---
Go Cubbies!
Edited by: JustSkipIt at: 10/15/03 2:44 pm
& 
.
Rachel is feeling much better and eating healthy and working out and it’s all good.
.) The scientific and philosophical connotations interested me from the beginning, in and of themselves. But with that, you've brought so much more. Insight into the life of Texas Tara, while at the same time giving Willow a glimpse of the life she ran away from, and an outlet to grieve. And tangentially, with the gallery paintings, you've given both the readers and Willow herself an understanding of the true differences/contrasts between the two Taras. What many writers may have used as a simple plot device you've used masterfully here, and it is truly an integral part of this story. Yay! 
I can't wait to see if it comes up again. Of course, I always can't wait to read your stories.
Debra, I am deeply wounded here...You know, I thought you and I shared something special, but it seems I was terribly mistaken 
at: 10/13/03 6:32 pm
You know this, right? 
