SySnootles ~ Hi Catie, thank you for dropping in and reading this story! It was nice to see you post again and I'm happy you are enjoying the story so far. (Hope you still do!)
Good2Cats~ Thank you for taking your time to read this! I'm glad it could offer a respite from the doldrums of an ordinary day. I want this to be a feel good story...no heavies.
LostWithoutTara ~ I really like that pen name. Thank you for reading and posting like you do! And yes, smoochies are definitely coming!
Arwen276 ~ I see you standing with your bat on top of the thread hill. So, my furious writing has nothing to do with this. Nope. Nuh uh. Not at all. Err-hum.
Disclaimers ~ Same old same old. Joss this and Joss that and it's his and not mine and no intentions of harming or ripping off any of the said characters other than giving us some sweetness and cuteness between those two and I should end this sentence now.
Feedback: Always appreciated. Let me know how you like or if you'd like to see something different.
Rating: I know I keep saying warmer but really, it will!
On to Part 6!
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Between intermissions of poetry readings, Tara snuck glances at Willow. The auburn haired beauty sat straight in her seat, eyes and senses alert to the reader on stage. Her lips moved ever so slightly as she listened. She was completely adorable. It wasn’t like Tara to wear her heart emblazoned on her sleeve like this. She had some experience in two other relationships with girls early on in her college years. They were sweet and caring for what they were but nothing like what she felt for Willow. She wasn’t sure if Willow liked girls in the same way Tara did. She would just have to remain content with this knowledge even if there was more than casual flirting going on between them. Tara gathered herself to ask if Willow would like another mocha, as she was on her way to refill her cup anyway.
Willow agreed but asked to accompany the blonde to the café. She didn’t wish to spend one moment away from the beautiful woman beside her. She intended to ask more about the stone when she found a free moment and felt this might be the chance to elaborate. She had studied it earlier in the day to be sure that it wouldn’t break under any conditions which might require some stress and heat. Truthfully, she wasn’t sure. The bezel around the stone didn’t leave much information. It was old and appeared very fragile. The cabochons she had cut from the quarried rough were smoother and more polished than this piece, although they were of the same gem family. She was generally skilled at such antiques and rarities, but this one made her especially nervous. The pendant was icy to the touch when Willow handled it. She kept turning Tara’s words over in her mind. ‘The stone changes temperature frequently...it can be sudden.’ Perhaps it could take the glancing heat of a torch well enough. Maybe those fissures and fractures in the stone occurred from its mysterious heat source. She was concerned it might be beyond her own skill range. She just didn’t want to damage a family heirloom of this caliber. She was nervous to work on it but didn't want to turn Tara away, either.
That and the fact Tara also said it was imparted with an ancient Celtic spell caused her brow to wrinkle a time or two. She had wondered if the rock she had found, by the brook in Wales, had been hammered and chinked from the Celts. It had been warm to the touch...but then, as she logically tried to induce, it could have simply been the warmth of the sun infusing its heat source into the stone. She had begun to wonder what kind of magic Tara and her family practiced. She had dabbled herself in some rituals, a few spells, but mostly her magic seemed smoke and mirrors. Nothing really significant came from it, other than a few floating pencils or self blowing bubble gum.
It also didn’t help matters that she thought she was falling in love with Tara...and with a woman no less. She had toyed with the idea of a romantic relationship with a woman before but hadn't seriously considered the alternative route. Well, not until that whole evil Vampire Willow incident which, in truth, still gave her the willies. Partially because she *was* attracted and knew her core self preferred the attentions of another female...even if it was her darker and evil self. But as her heart pounded beneath her breast, she was finding the belief that she may have, indeed, found someone very special. She was extremely nervous. She was also extremely elated. They refilled their coffee glasses and headed back to the table, exchanging frequent glances and smiles along the way. As soon as each were situated, Willow thought up of a proposal.
“Hey, Tara? I was meaning to ask you more about this pendant of yours. When do you think you could find a moment to talk to me about it?” Hoping to open up an opportunity for further discussion/advancement, Willow put it in a way that might lead to some ‘getting to know you better’ time..
Tara understood. If she was reading Willow at all, her senses told her to take advantage of any opportunity, whether the pendant was the real cause or not. She was willing to take chances. Especially if it meant to be with Willow a little longer.
“I’m free tonight, after this, if you want...”
“Really? That sounds great actually. We could go to my place a..a..and we can talk about it over...” She raised one eyebrow, shyly before she continued. “Over a night cap...maybe?” Willow then groaned at herself. “Did that sound like the most amazingly cheesy pick up line?”
Tara’s heart skipped a few beats. Was Willow aware of the chemistry between them? She gently laughed, then looked at the redhead serious again, attempting her own brand of humor.
“Yes, it did. Wanna ask me my sign, too?”
Willow helplessly stared, completely loving the way Tara moved her head as she spoke and held a twinkle in her eye as she teased.
Feeling flushed, Tara couldn’t contain her smile any longer. “How about my place instead. I’ve got a great bottle of wine just begging to be opened and I’ve got some books and documents on the pendant itself. There are some incantation rituals on the blessing of the stone, too...it may interest you.”
‘Oh yes. Definitely interesting me,’ thought a fiendish Willow. For someone who came from a straight-laced background, she was barely on reserve tonight. This was more than mere sexual excitement and she felt it. She wanted Tara in every conceivable way, through heart, mind, body and soul. She was growing confident Tara felt the same. The innuendos were becoming far too obvious.
“I’d like that very much.” Willow stood up from her chair and held out her hand, quietly hoping Tara might take it. “Shall we then?”
Tara: It's not really so much about hating the men...
Willow: We're more centered around the girl on girl action
sorry for that...and i missed great updates btw! 
wonder if they share there the first kiss
,
How could I have missed this. 
BAD ME! 
You are 
! I wantknow what happens next. We need the 
and 
smoochies! 
more. Update soon, please? 
You capture their sweetness very well. And I don't think I've met a kitten yet that didn't like 'steamy.'
okay well i guess she wont cut my head of
I can't wait to see what 
I like your nice little updates - short, sweet, full of W/T and often enough to not have to get all impatient.
How could u stop there....gosh they were in the middle of KISSAGE
You are way to 
at: 9/10/03 3:15 pm
I send u one but i dont know if u recived it