Chapter 10
Since entering college at Sunnydale U, Willow had discarted her old, tasteless wardrobe and was now into, what Tara referred to as, the 'preppy look'. Much to Tara's approval by the way. Tara, lying on their bed at the moment, was watching her girlfriend dress for her nine o'clock class.
Tara's first class wasn't until eleven so she wasn't in any hurry to get the day started. Buffy had left, still in a tether and was going over to Faith's to unload her frustrations on her.
Good luck, Tara thought as she watched Willow zip up the side of her green, yellow and red plaid skirt. Willow was in her bra at the moment. That disappeared as she pulled the lacy bibbed blouse down over her head.
"I liked you with just the bra better,"Tara cooed.
"I would hope so," Willow said. "But the prop insists on more formal wear during class."
Willow came over and sat on the bed, handing Tara the hairbrush she had in her hand. "Make me look pretty."
As she brushed out Willow's hair Tara sang. "I Feel Pretty, Oh so pretty, it's amazing how pretty I feel."
When she was finished she gave Willow a kiss on the neck. And a tender bite. Willow loved the little acts of affection Tara bestowed on her. It seemed whenever they were alone together Tara couldn't keep her hands off Willow. And Willow couldn't help but do the same. She often tried to imagine what life would be like if her and Tara ever fell out of love. She shuddered at the mere thought and would quickly put that possibility out of her mind.
Willow took the brush and went over to her dressor and placed it on top. She pulled a lace trimmed half slip from the top, left drawer and pulled it on. "Is it showing?" she asked Tara as she put on the green blazer with gold buttons.
"You're clear. And beautiful," was the answer.
Willow's returned to Tara and gave her another kiss, the last act before finishing off applying her lipstick, gathering her books and heading to the door. "See ya tonight my love,"
"Ta ta, " Tara offered as she lay her head back on the pillow.
* * * * *
Willow's nine o'clock, an accounting course, was the only class she had until her noon biology lab. It was her habit, rather than return to the dorm room, to go and get in some studying in the library but it was such a nice day she decided to spend it by the lagoon that was just behind the Fine Arts Building.
As she sat there, shoes and socks off, her feet plunged in the cool water, her mind drifted from the text of the book in her lap. There was a light breeze and she watched the hypnotic ripples on the lagoon.
Unknown to her, sitting fifty yards away behind her was Dusty. She sat cross legged, her eyes closed and her hands clasped together. In her grip was a tube of lipstick. the lipstick she had taken from Willow's purse at the mall. Other than the movement of her lips she was sitting perfectly still. Anyone seeing her would have guessed she was in deep, yoga like meditation. They would have thought she was in her own little world untouched by those around her. That was not true at all for she was concentrating heavily on the red headed student sitting on the edge of the pond.
Willow's peaceful state was broken by a sudden feeling of dizziness. Her forehead broke into a sweat, a tingling sensation pulsed through her arms and weakness gripped her body. For a brief second her mind went completely blank, then becoming aware again, she felt as if she was drifting from her body. Strange, she rhought. She bent over to look at her reflection in the lagoon. looking back at her , instead, was the face of Dusty.
At first shocked she turned away, her pulse pounding. When she looked back again there she was, Willow Rosenberg.
Willow placed her hands on her cheeks. "Whoa. What in the world was that?"
She gave her head a shake as if to clear it.
Willow became alarmed. Just what affect was Dusty having on her? She was in love with Tara. That was without question. But she had to admit Dusty held a certain attraction to her. On the other hand, she asked herself, who wouldn't be attracted to her? That made her uneasy and as she thought of Dusty now there was stirring inside her, a stirring of desire, of wanting to see that young woman.
"Hi Willow."
Willow looked back and up. Standing there was Dusty looking as gorgeous as ever. No, more than gorgeous. She was breath taking. Her hair was framed against the blue sky and the brightness of her smile was so radiant that Willow was once again deeply warmed. She was wearing a short tan skirt and a light flowered cotton blouse opened at the collar. No one, Willow decided, dserved to be that good looking.
Dusty, keeping her knees tightly together, dropped down to sit on the grass next to Willow. "Am I interupting anything? Your studies?"
"Not at all," Willow said. "Mostly been day dreaming anyway. It's such a lovely day."
"Gotcha on that." Dusty reached over and brushed a strand of red hair from Willow's cheek. A move that suggested a degree of familarity. Oddly, it did in no way offend Willow. The feel of Dusty's fingers was not at all unpleasant. Dusty's hands lingered so it became almost a carress. "You're very pretty Willow."
Willow turned red and she lowered her eyes. Dusty fingers left the cheek and went to the underside of Willow's chin. She lifted the chin so she could look directly into Willow's eyes. A tiny smile curled on the corner of her mouth. "Hey," she said just above a whisper. "I've gone and embarrassed you."
"I'm not good at receiving compliments." Willow told herself she should change the subject. To remove herself from the intimacy of the moment. But she found she couldn't. Dusty was flaterring her. Again. And she liked it. She liked it a lot.
"You should be good at receiving compliments. I bet you get enough practice. I saw guys looking over your way as I was walking down." Then the slight smile on her lips broadened. "And some girls too. I wonder how many girls wouldn't mind......ya know, crawling under the covers with you."
Willow turned away and seemingly studied the pussy willows that lined the bank to her right. She knew she was in a dangerous area and it had nothing to do with anything but Dusty and her physical closeness. Willow forced herself to think of Tara. The moment she did it seemed to trump the magic that being with Dusty was having on her. Her darling Tara. She would be devastated if she knew how weak Willow was being in Dusty's presence. If she knew about this sudden effect the woman was having on her.
"What you thinking about?" Dusty's eyes narrowed and she had let her hand drop to her lap.
W,,,well...oh nothing really." Willow turned back to Dusty. "I guess I'm not used....oh I don't know." She had to turn away again. She couldn't lie. She also didn't have the strength to be honest.
"You're uncomfortable that I making a pass at you, aren't you?"
"No. Yes."
Dusty forced a laugh. "Well? Which is it?"
Willow didn't answer. She bit her lower lip. After a while she took a deep breath. "I'm Tara's girl."
"And you don't cheat? Is that what you're telling me?"
Willow nodded quickly.
"Look at me, Willow." Dusty's voice was friendly but it was an order. Willow heard that inflection. Willow turned back to face Dusty.
"She doesn't have to know. All I'm asking is that you allow yourself to spend some alone time with me. You find me attracive don't you?"
Despite herself, Willow nodded.
"I find you attractive too. Very attractive. I think of you all the time. You've become an obsession, Willow. What harm can come from finding out just how deep our," Dusty paused at length before continuing, "how deep our mutual attraction is?"
"I...I can't."
"Of course you can. If you find it isn't to be we can just walk away. Pretend it never happened. That there was nothing between us."
"It wouldn't be right. I can't betray Tara. It would kill her and I couldn't live with myself."
Dusty gave a quick look around. No one was near. Nor was anyone paying attention to them. Before Willow knew what happened, Dusty's mouth found hers. Stunned, Willow didn't pull way at first. Dusty had a hand was at the back of Willow's neck holding the kiss in place.
Willow, with a great effort, pulled away.