Hey Kittens.
Here's the lost update. Once again I apologize for the delay. I'll be posting the first part of Chapter 7 next Tuesday, then there will be a little break while I write. I want to have that chapter pretty much written before I post it. Anyway here is the last part of Chapter 6.
Rating - Mostly PG13, but with an NC-17 bit tossed in. Just be aware that it flows one to the other this time without a separation.
Have fun.
****
Tara looked indulgently at Willow, who was happily smearing cream cheese on a bagel between bites of jelly donut. So far she'd met only one person able to out-eat her lover, and the Slayer shouldn’t count. She smiled suddenly. If the eating didn’t involve food, she rather thought that she could out-eat Willow. Maybe they should try one day – see who tired first.
“Y'know, I hadn't realized what a wicked smile you have,” Jo observed through a mouthful of donut. “Of course, I really didn't know you very well before this week, and I still don't, really, but I know more – and the smile doesn't surprise me so much now.”
Tara automatically ducked her head as she became the center of attention. Through a veil of hair, she glanced upwards at Willow, who quickly swallowed. Waving the remnant of her donut, she proclaimed, “Tara is a bundle of surprises.”
“No, n-not really.” She contradicted her lover's claim and immediately sought a new subject. “S-so – h-how did it go last night?”
“I hope you met someone, y'know? So you're not doing that sort-of-stalking of us any more.” Willow's eyebrows rose. “’Cause I'm sooo tired of that. I half expected you to knock on the door last night. Every time I turn around you're ....”
“Willow,” Tara admonished her, as Jo fidgeted uncomfortably on the bed. She leaned forward and rested a hand on Jo's knee, giving it a squeeze of encouragement. Willow bit deliberately and decisively into her bagel, a slight flush coloring her cheeks. It was bite her bagel or bite someone, apparently. Her lover's sudden animosity was curious and she wondered what had triggered the snarky outburst. She looked at her hand, which still rested on Jo's knee, and lifted it to trace a pattern of swirls on Willow's back. Jealousy? Was that it?
“Uh, maybe I should go.” Jo shifted a bit away. “I can talk to Tara about last night another time.”
She felt her lover tense slightly. Oh! She
was jealous. That wouldn't do – not with the constant tripping over possible girlfriends and ex-girlfriends and “touching” friends who were girls that occurred in the lesbian community at UCS. It especially wouldn’t do if Willow was ever to meet the friends Jo had met last night. She slipped her hand down Willow's arm and interlocked their fingers. As deliberately as Willow had bitten the bagel, she squeezed the hand she held, startling a glance from the redhead. “N-No, stay. Tell us.”
Jo glanced back and forth between them. “Well.... You saw a lot of it.” She paused and Tara gave her an encouraging nod. “I danced with a bunch of people.”
“My f-friends, yes.” She smiled at Jo and stroked the top of Willow’s hand with her thumb, aware of two sets of eyes on her face. “I m-met them at the first dance last semester. They’re … um, nice.” They were very nice to dance with. Several were more than nice enough to have been considered as possible girlfriends – before she met Willow, of course. “You l-liked them?”
Jo nodded and continued with a bit more enthusiasm. “They were great, especially Mei-Ling and Tori. Mei-Ling is such a good dancer, and Tori had these great big boots on so it didn’t matter when I stepped on her feet. But ....” She hesitated and blushed.
“But what?” Willow asked, cocking her head to one side. Tara lifted one eyebrow, silently urging her to continue.
Jo gazed at the coverlet on the bed as she spoke, her voice excited and apprehensive at the same time, “But I …. What does it mean,” she looked up, “if you’re dancing and ….” She swallowed hard and fidgeted.
“Did you see someone you liked, sweetie?” Tara asked gently, although she already knew the answer.
Jo nodded tersely, but her face wore a grin that was equal parts awe and pleasure. “I slow-danced with your friend Dani and she kissed me at the end and I'm going out for coffee with her this afternoon at four. That’s a date, right? Coffee counts as a date, doesn’t it? I mean, she said it was a date, so it is, isn’t it?” She squeaked a little at the end as she ran out of breath.
“Dani? Who’s Dani?” Willow asked, slight tension in her voice.
Tara suddenly thought of the conversation when Willow had admitted that she liked having her to herself and she’d declared that she was Willow’s. That memory rising clear in her mind, Tara moved her hand to stroke her lover’s back as she explained. “Danielle. Sh-She's in the Wicca group and was h-headed to the dance. You were only there a few times, so I don't know if you r-remember her. She's a little taller than Jo and has long, dark w-wavy hair.”
Her forehead slightly furrowed, Willow shook her head. “That would describe most of them – except maybe for the tallness.”
“She has really pretty brown eyes,” Jo added and then blurted, “Her lips were so soft!” Her eyes filled with wonder and her voice calmed. “
She was soooo soft.”
Willow giggled, unable to maintain her jealous reserve once her curiosity was piqued and her sense of humor engaged. “Uh, that's not really a lot of help as a description – at least not for me!”
Tara smiled gently at her neighbor. “I l-like that – how everything is soft. Did you?”
“Oh, yes! It's soft and you'd think things would get in the way, but they don't. Everything just sort of fits.” Jo bounced a bit on the bed.
“Things? What things?” Willow prodded teasingly. Tara smiled inwardly. Her sweetie would have said ‘things’ too.
“Well, you know, boobies.” Jo's fair complexion flushed bright pink. The self-assurance that had characterized her earlier in the week had apparently disappeared.
Tara couldn’t resist and said very dryly, “Yes, Willow knows them very w-well.” She heard her lover gasp at her revelation, and grinned a lop-sided smile at the shocked expression on her face.
“Right.” Jo nodded. Her smile was slightly uncertain, but she seemed willing to follow her lead. “I remember now; on Thursday you brought breasts – chicken breasts – to the picnic …” a long beat, “… because she likes them.”
“Hey. Sitting right here!” Willow protested.
“Is s-something wrong, sweetie?” she asked innocently. Then she put her lover on the spot. “You
do like them, right?”
“Tara!” Willow looked at her in shock. “Of course, I do.”
“Th-Thought so.” Tara leaned forward and kissed her on her blushing cheek, almost as comfortable in front of Jo as she was when they were alone – as comfortable as she was with her Alliance friends.
“Y'know, the two of you are almost too cute,” Jo observed, grinning again. “And I hope ....”
“Hope what?” Willow asked, a little suspiciously.
Jo’s face slowly stilled. “I hope I don’t mess this up. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or not do. And then there’s the whole when thing. When to do it – uh, not ‘it’ it, although obviously that’s important, but to do … whatever, y’know?” She sighed heavily. “I’ve think I’ve got the why and I can probably figure out the how … unless it’s more complicated than I think?” A look of anxiety plastered itself on her face.
“Oh.” Willow looked utterly relieved. “Well, you do what you do when you need to do it, and the doing isn’t complicated at all, it’s fun and feels good … and I’m stopping now, I think.” To hide her embarrassment she rummaged in the bag for another donut.
Tara suppressed a giggle and rubbed her lover’s back some more.
“So you’re saying I shouldn’t worry?” Jo asked, worry still evident in her voice.
“N-No. It’s like Willow said,” Tara reassured her.
“Uh, great.” Jo still looked anxious. “Now, if I could only figure out what she said.”
Willow looked up at the other girl, the next donut poised halfway to her lips. Slowly she set it down. “Jo – I don’t know this girl you’re having coffee with and, well, there’s an awful lot I don’t know, but ….” She paused and very obviously considered her next words carefully. “It’s a lot like it is with a guy. There are signals, and they’re the same signals, it’s just that you’re sort of on the other end, y’know?” She made little puppets out of her hands and started an imaginary conversation. “‘I think you’re cute.’ ‘You do? Well, I like you too.’ ‘Do you want to have coffee?’ ‘I’d love to, and could you walk me home after – ’cause I have something I want to show you’.” She picked up her donut. “See, instead of just sending and receiving at the same time, you have to add acting on the signals to the mix. That part is complicated, ’cause we’re not used to doing that so much. Or at least it was for me.” She paused again. “Is that clearer?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Jo frowned a bit. “I don’t think I have anything to show her – I mean, not yet, not after the first date. ’Cause that would be moving awfully fast, don’t you think?”
Willow’s mouth was now full of donut, so Tara answered instead. “Um, m-maybe. Probably. I don’t know her well, Jo. My friends don’t know her well either.” She grinned a little. “But she seemed awfully – comfortable – with you.”
“Oh.” Jo paused as that sank in. “Ohhhhh. So – you saw, uh ….”
“Yes, I saw you slow dancing.” Tara smiled gently.
“Well, that seems only fair.” Jo nodded, mostly to herself, and then frowned again. “But your friends don’t know her either?”
Tara shook her head. “She’s been to a few dances, m-maybe a couple of meetings – Liz didn’t say.” Willow’s face turned towards hers at the mention of yet another woman. Apparently the broad concept of ‘friends’ was more or less okay; it was individual friends she had a problem with.
“I think there was something going on between her and Liz, maybe her and all of them,” Jo hinted, questions in her eyes.
Tara bit her lip, unwilling to betray a confidence and perhaps place a shadow over Danielle, but not wanting to lie either.
“Sorry. It’s just that there was a lot of tension when we were just talking, and Dani and Liz sort of apologized to one another. And before she kissed me she said she wished she’d met me earlier this semester, that maybe she wouldn’t have gotten ‘so messed up’ – her words. And maybe it’s just nerves, and maybe it’s just because of that prick Parker Abrams, but I’m feeling really paranoid. And I don’t think that can be good.” Jo shot her a look of utter desperation.
“Um, … Liz is sort of the faculty advisor, but also an unofficial m-mentor for the Alliance. Sh-She’s older, and she’s someone to talk to. She l-listens and gives advice, usually good advice … and sometimes, she g-gives it unsolicited,” Tara stopped and waited.
“Oh,” Jo nodded. “Dani said something about rejecting support structures to Liz, so you think she just went contrary to some advice Liz gave her?”
Tara nodded. “M-Maybe ask her over coffee. If it comes up.”
“Okay. I like her though. She was just ...” Jo thought for a moment, looking pensive. “… well, kind of prickly – angry and sad – and I wanted to know why. Then suddenly she was smiling. She has a beautiful smile. I made her smile.” She grinned. “I’ve got it bad, don’t I?”
“Yes, sweetie,” Tara said with a chuckle, Willow giggling along with her.
Jo ran her hand through her hair then brought it down and looked at it. “And I’m suddenly obsessed with hands. Last night I was noticing hands. What they felt like and … I think that makes sense, but are my hands okay?” She extended them.
“They’re g-good, Jo.” Tara grinned at her, aware of Willow sitting somewhat confused beside her. Her lover had skipped that step – well, sort of. Willow had been aware of their hands since they first combined to do a spell, she just hadn’t been in a position where she might notice other women’s hands.
“You’re sure? You’re not just saying that?” Jo turned them over and then back again.
“Um, … yes, I’m s-sure. You don’t even have to w-worry about your nails.”
Jo balled her hands up, hiding the too-short nails. “I bite them when I’m nervous.”
“Oh. Ohhh!” Willow exclaimed, drawing their attention and turned bright red. “Nails, I, uh ….” She swallowed and plunged in. “Short is good. Better even.”
Tara squeezed her lover’s hand. “Jo, just r-relax. You’ll be fine.”
“Should I kiss her? Or is that moving too fast?”
“She’s already kissed you, right?” Willow asked, her embarrassment fading. “So it should be okay, if you want to.”
“Maybe I’ll just hold her hand.”
Tara touched Jo’s knee again. “Wh-Whatever you’re comfortable with, d-do that.
It’s not a contest.”
“Okay.” Jo stood. “I should go get ready.”
“Um, … okay,” Tara agreed gravely, suppressing the smile and chuckles that threatened to overwhelm her. Jo had nearly five hours to get ready, and Tara rather thought she was going to need all of it.
Her neighbor’s long strides carried her to the door before Tara could even stand up.
“Jo, are you meeting her at the Espresso Pump?” Willow suddenly asked. Jo nodded. “Good. My dorm is on the way, then. I’ll knock around 3:30 and we can walk together part way.”
Jo paled a bit. “Uh, okay.” She looked confused. “You’re not staying the rest of the day?”
“No. I have laundry to do, and then we’re meeting friends at the Bronze around 8,” Willow replied with a shake of her head.
“You got tickets to see Jonathan?!” Jo squealed and bounced. “That is soooo cool.”
“Yeah.” Willow looked altogether smug.
Tara held the door open for Jo. “You’ll be fine.”
“Uh, thanks.” Jo looked unconvinced; turning to go to her own room, she added over her shoulder, “Don’t worry. I won’t interrupt you.”
Tara closed and locked the door, then leaned back against it. Her eyes found Willow automatically and she smiled. Her love had started on her third donut. She unbelted her robe and let it drop to the floor. The donut froze in mid-air, Willow’s whole attention diverted to her. She crossed to the bed and leaned over, nibbling at Willow’s donut, the jelly fruity and sweet on her lips and tongue. She licked her lips and heard Willow’s breathing change. She ate Willow’s donut without guilt – and without touching her lover. It was just her mouth, her lips, her tongue, and the donut, until it was gone. All gone, except for a residue of powdered sugar and jelly on the tips of Willow’s fingers.
Willow was absolutely motionless, seeming barely to breathe, her eyes darting between Tara’s eyes and the warm tongue just beginning to graze her fingers. Her lips parted as Tara gently ran her fingertips up Willow’s arm from her elbow to her wrist. Her hand closed around the slender wrist and she began to lick her lover’s fingers. By the time she finished, Willow was trembling. She shifted her grip and knelt on the bed. Sitting back on her heels, she examined the hand she held in hers.
“Is it a good hand?” Willow asked, her voice hoarse with longing.
“A beautiful hand. My Willowhand.” Tara guided it to her breasts and released it. It was slightly sticky still, but that didn’t matter. She leaned even closer and licked Willow’s lips before pressing them with a soft kiss.
Willow added a second Willowhand.
“We have a few hours before you need to shower. Whatever shall we do to pass the time?” Tara murmured as she ended the kiss.
“Hmmmm.”
Tara rested both hands on Willow’s shoulders and pushed her over.
“Hey, I was thinking!” Willow protested mildly.
“Too slow, love. How about this?” She detached Willowhand #1 from her left breast as she straddled Willow’s thigh and guided it between her legs.
“Oh.” Willow’s eyes darkened. “Oh, you’re soooo wet.” Fingers slid between her lips and Tara rocked involuntarily, settling onto them. “I think this will be good.” Willow wriggled them and Tara gasped. “Very good.”
“I th-think so, too.” Already it was difficult to concentrate. She snagged a pillow, then a second one. “Lift up love.” As Willow raised her torso, she wedged the pillows behind her.
“Very good indeed,” Willow murmured as Tara leaned forward, angling her body over Willow’s and offering her breasts to her lover’s mouth. Her left hand rested on the bed, clenching the sheets as Willow began to suck and lick.
Her free hand began its own exploration of her lover, sliding up under the t-shirt. Her fingers and thumb found one of Willow’s perfect nipples. Her lips parted as she played with it, rolling, rubbing, and pinching it, making Willow squirm. When Willow shifted her mouth, she shifted her hand and began again with the other nipple. Willow moaned around the nipple she held in her mouth. Such a small noise, but it was one that sent currents of arousal through her body. Her hand abandoned its play and slipped beneath the waistband of the boxers. Willow shifted, parting her legs. Tara stroked and tugged the coppery curls.
“Tara. Please.” Lying back on the pillows, Willow begged softly, and she cupped her hand over her lover’s cunt. Wet. Just like her. Abandoning her breasts for just a moment, Willow arched her back, her hard nipples little peaks beneath the t-shirt.
Yes, this was very good indeed.
*****
Jo looked at the mound of tops and sweaters she’d chosen then discarded, and arbitrarily grabbed one. She pulled it on and tugged it down as she went to answer the knock on the door.
It had to be Willow. She’d heard Tara’s door open and close twice in the past hour, as one or both witches headed to the shower. She wiped her palms on her jeans and opened the door.
“Hey, you ready?”
“I guess.” Jo looked back over her shoulder, already having second thoughts about her choice.
“Cool, let’s go then.”
She pulled the door shut and locked it. Jamming her hands in her pockets, she strolled down the hall at the red-haired witch’s side. Wondering.
Why had Willow wanted to walk with her? The silence stretched long past their exit from the dorm. Stretched long past awkward and wandered into the realm of uncomfortable. They were halfway to Stevenson when she suddenly couldn’t take it anymore.
“Willow. What do you want?”
The redhead stopped walking. “Funny, that’s my question for you.”
“What do you mean?” Jo pulled her hands out of her pockets and set them on her hips.
“You like Tara, don’t you?”
“Well, of course, I do, who wouldn’t …. Oh.” Jo jammed her hands back in her pockets. Willow was jealous! “Uh, she’s pretty, and nice, and sweet. Yes, I like her – but not like you’re thinking.” She was suddenly annoyed.
Willow looked at her with narrowed eyes. “You’re sure about that?”
Jo started walking again, willing to just walk away if Tara’s lover didn’t follow, but she did. She let the silence stretch. “Yes, I am. I’m quite sure.”
“Oh.” Willow pondered that for a moment.
“This is because of my following you around, isn’t it?” Jo stopped this time, her anger giving way to guilt. “I’m sorry about that, really, and I’ve already told you why. But no, I am not interested in your girlfriend.” She paused, considering how much to say, but decided, what the hell – why not? “I realized something last night.”
Willow cocked her head, uncomfortable now herself. “What?”
“I realized that I like snarky women.” She smiled then. “And I think Tara is very lucky. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a date.” She turned away and headed off, Willow’s soft “oh” barely audible behind her. Jo grinned. She might not ever win head to head with Tara – but she’d gotten Willow at least once!
Besides, it was true. She did like snarky women.
by Vampivy » Thu Nov 21, 2002 9:42 pm 
and oh, wait there’s more: breasts. That image should end feedback/thank-yous too, I think. Thanks, sweetie. 
Nonverbal or just a few words can be good. Glad you’ve liked this and that you enjoyed “River” too. Thanks for reading.
Thanks. 
Awesome, awesome writing, love the little knocks to the show too, you're a great writer, look forward to more.
And I will definitely let you know when that update happens. Can't wait. Do you think it will be soon? You don't have to say so. I can try and wait patiently. 
TK! 
She sure got Willow to clam up quickly at the end there 
lol 
