"I’m just so… lost," Ginny whispered. "I don’t have a say in anything. He acted like we hadn’t been apart at all."

Kara stared at her, blue eyes peering into green. "Did he make love to you like I did?" Kara asked, her eyes holding Ginny prisoner.

"Kara…"

"Did you ask him to? Did you want him to?"

Ginny trembled under Kara’s angry gaze, but she couldn’t look away.

Kara pushed Ginny roughly against the tree, holding her there. "Did you want him the way you wanted me?" she whispered, pressing her body against Ginny. "Did you beg him to put his mouth on you?"

Ginny shook her head, her breath coming quickly through her parted lips.

"Did he make you feel the way that I did?" Kara demanded and she moved her face to Ginny’s, foreheads touching as their breath whispered against each other.

Ginny closed her eyes and waited for Kara’s bruising, angry kiss. But the lips that touched hers were soft and gentle, not angry and Ginny’s mouth opened to her, her hands moving to Kara’s face.

"Ginny… I can’t stand this," Kara whispered. She covered Ginny’s breasts with urgent hands, cupping them softly, feeling the nipples strain against her palms. "The thought of him touching you… like this," she whispered, her voice trailing away as she kissed Ginny. "Ginny, did you feel this with him? Were your breasts ready for his touch, like they are mine?" she demanded.

"No, Kara… never like you," Ginny whispered into her mouth. "Never like you."

Kara held her close, her hands cupping Ginny’s hips, pressing them to her, trying to make Ginny see how it was with them, how it could never be with anyone else. But Ginny’s hands wouldn’t still. They took Kara’s face and brought her mouth close and she moaned softly when their tongues touched.

"I want you so much," Ginny whispered urgently. "Kara, please." Ginny’s chest heaved as if she’d been running and she clutched Kara to her. "I need you," she whispered. "I need you to make love to me."

"Ginny… don’t," Kara warned.

"I mean it," she said and she took Kara’s hand and shoved it between her legs. "Touch me."

Kara could feel her wetness through her shorts and she was lost. She pressed Ginny against the tree and unbuttoned her shorts in one quick motion, her hand pushing past the waistband with ease. Ginny’s legs parted and Kara’s fingers moved through her wetness, touching her so gently that Ginny nearly cried.

"Oh, God."

"Ginny…" Kara breathed against her mouth.

Ginny’s legs failed to support her and she clung to Kara, her back arched against the rough bark of the giant tree. She had never wanted like this, never needed like this and she held Kara’s hand to her, harder.

"Yes."

Kara’s tongue in Ginny’s mouth matched the rhythm of her fingers and she held Ginny as she rocked against her, bringing her closer to orgasm.

"Ginny? Kara?" a voice called to them from the forest trail.

Kara froze at the sound of Phil’s voice as it carried through the trees. He was looking for them.

Ginny grabbed Kara’s neck and pulled her back to her. "Please, don’t stop," she begged. "Don’t stop."

"Ginny," Kara whispered. "Phil is coming."

"I don’t care about him. I need you." Ginny’s hands guided Kara’s mouth back to hers. "Don’t stop, Kara. Not now."

Kara moved on her again, her fingers frantic now and Ginny arched against her hand, her body convulsing, throbbing and Kara swallowed her scream, sliding down the base of the tree with Ginny as her legs gave way.

"Kara," Ginny sighed and she let her tears fall. "I’m so sorry," she whispered. "I’m so sorry."

"Ginny? Kara?" Phil called again.

"We’re coming," Kara yelled to him and she saw the beam of his flashlight through the trees and she just now realized how dark it had become.

"Kara, I’m sorry I made you do that," Ginny whispered against her mouth. "I just… needed you. I needed your touch."

Kara took her face in gentle hands. "You don’t ever have to be sorry for wanting me that way," Kara said and she wiped the tears from Ginny’s eyes with her thumbs. "Come on. We’ve got to get back."

Ginny let herself be pulled to her feet and she stood by numbly as Kara’s hands came to her and tucked her shirt back into her shorts. Oh, God, she thought. I’m in love with her.

"Ginny, honey, come on," Kara urged. "He’s coming."

Oh, Lord. A simple endearment can melt my heart. I love her, Ginny thought again. And on the heels of that: What have I done?

Kara took her hand and pulled her along the trail just as Phil’s light came into view. Their hands dropped immediately and they took a step apart.

"There you are," he said. "We were getting worried a bear had eaten you or something."

Ginny couldn’t find her voice and Kara spoke for them. "We got to talking and just lost track of time," she said.

"Well, come on. Nana’s starving." He draped a possessive arm around Ginny’s shoulders and walked ahead of Kara. Kara watched them, watched as Ginny’s legs attempted to keep up with Phil’s. She hated him.

"I was getting worried," Nana said. "It gets dark quickly in the forest."

"You know how girls can talk," Phil said.

"Open the wine, Phil," Nana said. "I’m going to celebrate." She smiled and clasped Ginny’s hands. "Why didn’t you tell me?" she asked.

"Tell you what?" Ginny asked weakly.

"That you’re getting married! Phil told me you talked about it yesterday. I’m so excited I can hardly stand it," she said.

"Married?" Ginny repeated in a hushed whisper. Her eyes flew to Phil, then, more importantly, to Kara.

"Isn’t it exciting, Kara? I suppose Ginny told you all about it in the woods," Nana said excitedly.

Kara couldn’t breathe and her eyes moved slowly to Ginny. "Yes," she managed. "Wonderful."

Phil walked up, practically beaming and Kara felt as humiliated as she ever had in her life. She forced a smile to her face and offered her hand to him. "I suppose congratulations are in order, then." She wondered if he could still feel Ginny’s wetness on her fingers.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. "I’m so thrilled she accepted."

Kara glanced at Ginny, keeping the pain in her eyes shielded. "I hope you’ll be very happy," she said to Ginny.

Ginny was certain that she was going to pass out right here. With any luck, she would fall into the fire and it would all be over quickly. She shot Phil a look that would kill most men and he had the good sense to look away from her. She looked again at Kara, wanting to take her away from here and explain, but Kara refused to meet her eyes.

Kara forced down her hot dog, nearly choking on every bite. She refused to look at Ginny. She refused to look at Phil. Tension settled around the campfire and even Nana seemed to notice.

"Have you set a date?" Nana asked, disrupting the silence.

"No," Phil said. "But I hope soon. The sooner the better, you know."

Ginny said nothing and she tossed her plate into the fire, and everyone watched as her uneaten hot dog sizzled in the flames. She would kill him, she decided. She had just cause. He had just ruined her life. And Kara. Kara wouldn’t even look at her. And who could blame her. One minute, Ginny is begging her to make love to her, the next, she finds out Ginny’s to be married. She groaned softly. God, what had just happened here?

"And babies?" Nana asked.

"Nana! Please," Ginny said quietly.

"Well, you’re not getting any younger," she continued

"Nana… stop," Ginny said sharply and she shot Phil another look.

Kara waited what she thought was a respectable time, then stood. "I’ve got some work to finish," she lied. "Thank you for inviting me," she said to Louise. "But I need to get going."

"Are you leaving already? We’ve got marshmallows, too," Nana offered.

Kara ran her hands through her hair and she wanted to scream. "I’ll have to pass," she said. "Nice to meet you, Phil. It was… enlightening."

"Maybe I’ll see you around this week," he said.

"Probably not. I’ve got a lot of work to do." She turned, and with only a nod to Ginny, walked purposefully to her truck.

"Kara, wait," Ginny called and ran after her. She had to talk to her. She didn’t care that Phil and Nana were staring after her.

Kara kept walking, not trusting herself to speak.

"Wait," Ginny demanded in a soft voice.

Kara stopped, her hand on the door. "I’ve nothing to say to you."

"I didn’t know anything about that."

"Really?"

"How can you think I can want you like that if I’m planning on marrying Phil?" Ginny asked.

Kara’s eyes bored into hers. "One last time? Cheap thrill?"

"Don’t be like that. It’s not you," Ginny said softly. "You know how I feel about you," Ginny insisted.

"Ginny, go back where you belong," she said, motioning with her head.

"I don’t belong with him," Ginny said.

"Well, you certainly don’t belong with me."

Ginny felt as if she’d been slapped and she stood by silently as Kara slammed the door and sped off.

She walked slowly back to the fire, accepting the burning marshmallow without a word.

"Kara sure was quiet tonight," Nana said after an eternity of silence.

"She’s different," Phil commented.

Certainly different from you, Ginny thought. And I’m in love with her and she doesn’t want me anymore.

They packed their things and drove back, Ginny thankful there was no more talk about a wedding. When Phil would have followed Nana into the house, Ginny stopped him.

"I’d like to talk to you. In private," she said, glancing at Nana. When Nana closed the door, Ginny turned on him, eyes flashing. "How dare you?" she hissed.

"Ginny…"

"How dare you tell Nana that? You know how much she wants us to get married."

He had the audacity to smile at her. "I needed all the help I could get."

"You bastard," she spat, wanting to slap the smile from his face.

"Ginny! You act like this is a surprise. We’ve talked about it."

"I’m not going to marry you. You knew that last night." Her voice softened. "Phil, I’m not in love with you."

"What do you mean?"

"I don’t love you. I’m not going to marry you."

"Ginny, we’ve spent four… nearly five years together. We’re good together."

"Good?" She shook her head. "You call what you did to me last night good? No."

"Ginny, let’s talk about this. I was trying to make love to you."

"Make love? You forced yourself on me, after I asked you to stop."

"Ginny, we’re a couple. Couples make love."

"I want you to leave," she said. "In the morning."

"I’m here a couple of days, you get pissed off and you’re sending me away?" He laughed. "Ginny, be reasonable."

"I am being reasonable. And you’re right," she said. "I am pissed off. I’m pissed as hell that you told Nana we were getting married and I’m pissed as hell that you’re even here in the first place." She was pacing then, her voice rising with each word. "You come up here and act like nothing has changed. You act like I didn’t leave nearly a year ago because I didn’t want to get married. How… dare… you?"

Phil stared at her and for the first time, she saw uncertainty in his eyes.

"You were just scared. Marriage is a big step, Ginny. But I love you."

"You don’t even know me anymore, Phil. I’m not the same person that left."

Phil stared at her again, silently. Finally, he brushed at his moustache with one finger.

"What’s with you and the artist?" he asked.

Ginny wasn’t afraid to meet his eyes. "My relationship with her is none of your business."

"If I didn’t know you better, I’d say…"

"Don’t, Phil," she said quietly. "You have no idea."

"I watched you. You were so quiet before she came and then when she got there, you couldn’t take your eyes off her." His voice was angry and he grabbed her arms. "Did that dyke come on to you or what? Is that what this is about?"

"Dyke?" Ginny laughed softly in his face. "Is that what she is?"

He shoved her away, his eyes searching hers for answers. "Did she?"

"My relationship with her is none of your business," she said again.

"Isn’t it? My God, Ginny, what’s happened to you?" He shoved his hands nervously through his hair and peered at her. "We were going to get married."

"No. We were not. And that has nothing to do with Kara," she said.