“Bette, are you okay?” Tina asked touching Bette’s hand and noticing that the brunette had grasped the arms of the chair so tight that her knuckles turned white.

“Get away from me,” Bette screamed again with her eyes still closed.

Tina didn’t know what to do so she just softly caressed Bette’s hand and spoke quietly, “It’s okay, I’m sorry, Bette…I will be in my room if you need me.”

Bette finally snapped out of her wacky delusion and saw Tina walking away slowly.

“Oh no, Tina, don’t go. I’m sorry, I was just…I guess I just dozed off and I had a dreadful dream. I think I was having a conversation with devil,” Bette exclaimed, rubbing her eyes and slowly getting back to reality.

“It’s okay, Bette…I talk to the devil all the time,” Tina laughed, making her way back to the pool and trying to lighten up the gloomy mood of the night. “Only you are so much braver than me. I’m always afraid to send him to hell because he might say that we’re already there.”

Bette looked at Tina through the tears and Tina understood right away what that look meant.

“You don’t always have to be brave, you know…sometimes it’s good to just let go of whatever it is that you hold inside,” Tina whispered, getting closer to Bette’s chair.

“Oh, but I do…” Bette answered, trying to convince herself more than anyone.

Tina just smiled and took Bette’s hands into hers again.

“Please, stay with me…I feel so lost without you,” Bette almost begged, not wanting to be alone and miserable anymore.

Tina hugged her tightly and suddenly she was so overwhelmed by Bette’s closeness, by her scent and by this starry glittery night that she began softly kissing Bette’s neck, nibbling on her earlobe, tracing the paths with her lips to Bette’s cheeks and finally capturing Bette’s lips.

At first she was kissing Bette very tenderly, afraid to give a wrong impression and to go too far. But her whole body was reacting with such longing and desire that Tina didn’t know if she would be able to stop.

She felt Bette responding to her kisses and slowly they began a passionate dance with their lips and tongues. Suddenly, Tina pulled away and keeping her hands on Bette’s shoulders, whispered breathlessly, “I’m sorry Bette, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean…”

Bette looked at Tina with tears in her eyes and whispered in return, “Tina, do you like me even a little?”

“Oh Bette, you have no idea,” Tina replied, feeling her own tears coming down.

“Then don’t stop, please,” Bette whispered again and put her left hand on Tina’s neck, pushing her towards her starving lips. After what seemed like an eternity of tender and passionate kisses and whispers, they both finally came up for air and rested their foreheads on each other’s shoulders.

“I think we should stop. We are both so vulnerable right now and we need to be ready. I want everything to be perfect and right now I feel so nervous and so helpless, I don’t want to ruin anything,” Tina said, hoping that she was making the right choice. 

“Yes, you are right,” Bette replied, relieved but sad at the same time. All she could think of was the blissful sensation of happiness entering her body when Tina was holding her close. “But I don’t want to be alone right now. Can I stay with you the rest of the night? Can you hold me, Tina?”

“Any time you want…every time you want,” Tina responded, gently caressing Bette’s hair.

She took Bette’s hand and led her to the master bedroom. They both got under the covers and Tina put her arm around Bette’s waist, holding her really close and tight with an unsaid promise of never letting her go. Almost immediately their bodies recognized other’s comfort and nearness and the emotionally exhausted lovers finally found solace and long awaited sleep in each other’s embrace.

TBC…