“Very few people in my life are as straight forward with me as you are.” She glanced across the car and smiled at her companion. “That?s one of the things I really love about you. You treat me like a real person, not the ?Goddess?.”

“Now I do, before it was definitely not the case. But I must admit the real article is much better than the fantasy I had.”

Now Dylan sported a full-fledged unrepentant grin. “You fantasized about me?”

“Me and every other woman with active brain cells and hormones.” Cat turned in her seat so she could watch her lover. “You have no idea how many nights I went to sleep, staring at your poster and dreaming of being with you.

Even in the dim light of the city streets lamps they passed by, Cat could see Dylan was sporting a slight blush. “Oh please,” the blonde rolled her eyes. “Don?t even try to tell me this is news to you. You must know that women fantasize about you.”

“Well, there?s a difference between ?wondering? and ?knowing?. You?re the first person to tell me to my face.”

“Maybe later I?ll tell you about the fantasies.” Cat teased as she wriggled her brows. “Some of them were really hot.”

Dylan groaned and made a left turn into a parking garage.

As they began walking down the alley, Dylan reached over and took Cat?s hand. Feeling her tense slightly she pulled the smaller woman close and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. “Relax. We?re safe here, no one will see us.”

She guided them to a non descript building, stopping under a blue awning. Cat watched as Dylan removed a key card from her jacket pocket and inserted it into a slot next to a black steel door. The light above the slot blinked from red to green and Dylan pulled the handle.

Once inside, Cat could hear loud music and what sounded like a pretty happy crowd. She held tight to the tall woman?s hand as they wound there way through a series of walls and curtains. After passing through the last curtain, Cat found herself standing on the edge of a dance floor, in a very well appointed and lush dance club.

“Wow.” Her eyes grew wide as she saw many female couples, some of them on the dance floor taking advantage of the loud, heart pounding music. Others were lined along the bar, watching the action on the floor or trying to get the attention of one of the many bartenders. Looking up she saw even more people on the second floor balcony behind glass, looking down on the crowd. “This is amazing.”

Dylan leaned down to she could speak in a volume Cat could hear that wouldn?t require her yelling over the music. “Come upstairs with me.”

“Gladly.”

Cat continued to watch the crowd, trusting Dylan completely to lead her upstairs and not to lose her in the crowd. Once they climbed the stairs and entered the second floor, the din of the music was muffled by what was apparently soundproof glass, it could still be heard, but a person wouldn?t have to scream to be heard over it.

“This place is great!”

“I thought you?d like it.” Dylan continued to lead her through the room until they had arrived at the back were there were a few empty booths. They settled down together in one side of it and Dylan pulled Cat close. “It?s a private club, for those of us who want discretion. I pay a healthy membership fee to be assured I can come here without problems. A lot of those people,” she gestured to the crowd around the balcony railing, “are people who would rather not be out either, but they want someplace to go so they can relax and be themselves.”

“I had no idea places like this existed. I assumed that people just went to the local lesbian bars and took their chances.”

“Not with this crowd.” She pointed to a tall redhead. “That one is a superior court judge.” She looked around the crowd and pointed to yet another woman. “She is on the City Council.”

Cat shook her head and she watched the second woman, place a tender, and obviously very loving kiss on the temple of the brunette that was with her. “It?s a shame people still have to hide like this.”

“Yeah it is, but they and so many others like them, have a lot to lose. This place is just the best and safest bet.”

“Well, them I?m glad it?s here. Thanks for brining me.”

“You?re welcome. I thought maybe we could get in a few dances,” she leaned over and kissed a pink ear. “Then we can go home and act out some of your fantasies.”

Now it was Cat?s turn to groan.

The soft, gentle flickering of the candles in the room caused a golden glow to shimmer off the slightly damp bodies in the bed.

Every muscle in Cat?s body was taut with anticipation and arousal. She breath let her body in long, shaky streams as her skin tingled with Dylan?s every touch, kiss and caress.

Dylan looked up Cat?s torso from her position, with her lips gently kissing the trembling stomach before her. She smiled as she watched Cat draw in a fast breath as her own hands traveled slowly up the blonde?s body, barely touching the sides of her breasts as they continued up her arms. She glanced quickly at each of her lovers? hands, which had a death grip on the silk scarves tied to the bedpost.

The scarves were tied, but Cat wasn?t. This wasn?t an exercise in light bondage; this was an exercise in patience, in erotica, in trust. Cat could let go anytime she wanted, but she didn?t want to let go. She wanted this feeling to last all night and she had a feeling from the way Dylan was taking her time that it would be daylight before they finally found sleep.

Cat had told Dylan some of her fantasies and with a wicked, playful grin, the brunette had agreed that playing some of them out could be very stimulating and satisfying.

Arriving home from the club they had wasted no time in beginning a mutual seduction. Cat had confided that she wanted to give herself to Dylan in any way the other woman desired. For Dylan, it was an erotic rush like no other to hear Cat?s admission. No one in her life had ever offered such a pure gift before.

With gentle questioning of the blonde, Dylan had set the scene. Candles had been lit, soft music played in the background, giving them just enough to set the pace by, but yet not to be distracting.

For Dylan, Cat?s total submission did not equal domination. The tall woman was well aware it was her lover who actually held all the power because of the depth of the emotion she was feeling for her partner at this very moment as her hands and lips loved the body under her. If Cat asked for the moon, Dylan would drag it to Earth for her.

And Dylan was determined that Cat shouldn?t regret sharing her most intimate fantasies. She wanted the experience to garner her more trust so that they could share more.

More.

That was a new word for Dylan. To want more from a lover. As she placed a kiss to Cat?s neck, feeling the shiver from her partner, Dylan realized that she could be falling hard for the blonde.

“Tired?” She whispered softly, licking Cat?s lobe.

“No.” The soft admission, punctuated with a small moan, made Dylan smile.

“I could love you all night like this.”

“Good.”

Their lips met and Dylan knew it would be long, loving night. Tomorrow would be soon enough to take these new emotions out and examine them.

The early morning sun laid lazy stripes across the huge bed, creating interesting patterns along the long, lean, muscled body occupying that bed. Turned to her side and propped up on one elbow, Cat traced the sun dapples on Dylan?s body with one of the silken scarves, watching gooseflesh break out across her palette. She turned a smile to her lover, then froze as eyes gone to deep indigo pierced through her, turning her insides to molten heat.

“Sweet Jesus,” she whispered, dropping the scarf and rolling into Dylan?s waiting arms.

The kiss that followed was incendiary, tearing the breath from her lungs and the thoughts from her mind. She moaned as she glided across sweat-slick skin, sure beyond telling that nothing had ever felt this good. Until, that is, teeth grazed softly over her neck and lips latched on, suckling gently at her bounding pulsepoint.

“Dear God, Dylan, please don?t?.” Buried beneath a heap of clothes in the corner, a cellphone chirped self-importantly. “?stop.”

Dylan eased away, earning a long, drawn out groan of protest. “They can leave a message,” Cat growled, searching out her lover?s kiss-bruised lips.

“That?s the third time in an hour,” Dylan replied, turning her face slightly away so the kiss landed on her cheek. “It might be important.”

“This,” Cat countered, pressing herself into the hot, firm body beneath her, “is important. That can easily be crushed into a million tiny little pieces if it doesn?t shut up?right?now!”

As if hearing the threat, the phone quieted.

Then started up again, causing Cat to grit her teeth, jump up from lover and bed, and stalk over to the innocent heap of clothing, pawing through it until she came up with the phone and flipped it open. “What?!” she barked.

There was a long pause.

“Alright, whoever this is, you?ve got exactly one second to start talking. And it damn well better be an emergency or there?s going to be some serious hell to pay!”

Another pause, shorter this time. Then a hesitant voice came over the line. “Cat?”

Cat?s eyes widened. “Dad?”

“Yes, sweetheart. Where are you?”

“Where am?wait a minute. Where are you?”

“At the airport, Cat,” her father replied patiently. “You were supposed to pick us up, remember?”

The sensation of blood rushing from her head was one Cat hoped not to repeat in the future.

Noticing the sudden paleness to her lover?s features, Dylan started to rise, only to be waved back by Cat as she turned slightly away from the bed. “God, I?m so sorry, Dad. I overslept.”

“Overslept? Honey, that?s not like you.” A break in the conversation treated Cat to her mother?s muffled voice demanding to know what was going on. “Your mother wants to know?.”

“Yes, I heard her. Look, I?m really sorry, Dad. I was up really late last night?studying plays for tonight?s game.” The lie tasted sour and foul in her mouth, and she turned further away from what she was sure was a hurt look on Dylan?s face. “I?ll jump in the shower real quick and be there in less than an hour.”

“That?s okay, Cat,” her father countered. “We can take a taxi.”

“No! No, just?wait there. I won?t be long. I promise.”

“Well?.”

“Please, Dad, trust me on this. Grab some breakfast or hit the shops and I?ll be there before you know it, alright?”

She could hear more muffled conversation between her parents, and when her father finally came back on, she sighed in distinct relief.

“Your mother says that we?ll meet you right outside the doors to baggage claim.”

Thank you, God!! “Alright, Dad. Tell Mom I?m sorry, and I?ll see you guys soon. Bye.”

Ending any further conversation, she snapped the phone closed, and turned hesitantly back to the bed where Dylan was lounging on a stack of pillows, hands clasped casually over the flat, muscled plane of her belly. “I?m sorry,” Cat said in a small voice.

Dylan?s eyes softened and she lifted one long arm, palm up. Cat crossed the small space between them, and grasped the offered hand, clasping it as one would a lifeline. “You?ve got nothing to be sorry for, Cat.”

“But?.”

“Listen to me. Remember the conversation we had last night at dinner?”

“Yes, but?.”

“Cat, a relationship like ours is going to have its difficulties. The need to keep it away from the outside world is primary among them. What you will, or won?t, say about it to your parents is something that only you can decide. And whatever you decide will have my complete support, okay? We?re in this together.”

Tears stung at her eyes again, and she blinked them away as she nodded.

“Good. Now I?d suggest jumping in the shower post haste, because if you stand here like that much longer, I?m not going to be responsible for one hour late turning into four or five.”

That got the smile she was looking for, and she stared in frank appreciation at the rear view as Cat scampered from the bedroom and into the bathroom. “Oh, Dylan,” she groaned, collapsing back against the headboard as the shower cut on, “you?re playing with fire here.” Then she grinned, stretching and feeling the pleasant soreness a night of loving had given her body.

“Burn, baby, burn.”

Cat grabbed her gym bag and was headed out of the locker room when she ran into Dylan. The coach smiled and offered a wave bringing the player over. “Dinner?” Dylan asked quietly, knowing they might not completely alone yet.