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carpeting, it looked very rich, very classy. Taylor walked forward to the large, wide stairwell

where the shining banister reflected the evening sunlight back at her in a shimmering burst.

She looked up. At the top of the stairs, Melanie peered over the railing, a smile on her face.

Taylor smiled back, feeling her whole world slip into place.

"Hi," she called as she climbed.

"Hey, you."

Taylor didn't remember actually reaching the top of the stairs. She suddenly found herself

wrapped in Melanie's arms, holding so tightly to her, she thought she might crush the smaller

woman's ribs. She smiled into gold-tinted locks as she felt the embrace returned with equal

tenacity.

"God, I missed you." She didn't realize she'd said it out loud until Melanie responded to her.

"I missed you, too." She pulled away, clasping Taylor's hand in her own. "Come on in. Are you hungry? I thought we could order a pizza."

"Pizza sounds great," Taylor agreed, immensely enjoying the fact that she was being led by the hand.

"Good, 'cause it's on its way."

Melanie's apartment was small and sparsely furnished, but had great potential. The door

opened into a small hallway with a huge closet. Straight ahead was a little half-kitchen lining

the left wall. It contained all the essentials: refrigerator, sink and stove, plus a microwave

mounted under the oak-colored cabinets. Several boxes were stacked on the counter, a

testament to the fact that Melanie hadn't gotten around to unpacking her kitchen stuff.

A small kitchen table with two chairs was placed opposite the kitchen wall. Directly to its right

was a large, cozy-looking, cream and blue striped couch, the pillows giving the appearance of

much use. The couch provided a break between the living room and kitchen, since there was no

wall separating the two. There was a simple coffee table in front of it, but that was all the

furniture in the small living room. In the opposite corner, between the two windows that

spilled sunlight into the small space sat a top-of-the-line television and VCR. No table or stand

was in sight, and the electronics were stacked on the bare hardwood. No pictures graced the

walls. No houseplants stretched toward the plentiful rays of sun. No knick-knacks of any kind

were visible.

Melanie carefully watched Taylor's face as she surveyed the apartment. "Kind of sparse,

huh?"

"Wel , um..." Taylor didn't want to insult her in any way, but she was right. "Yeah, actually. It's a beautiful place, though. I'm just surprised."

"You are? Why?"

"Because this apartment doesn't represent the Melanie that I know," she said simply,

shrugging her shoulders. "I suppose it could just be because you haven't finished unpacking."

Melanie scratched her forehead. "Actually, other than the kitchen, I am done unpacking."

They looked at each other for a long minute before breaking into laughter. "Jesus, Melanie.

We'd better get you to the house wares section of Wal-Mart or something. It still echoes in

here, for crying out loud. You need...stuff."

Their bout of laughter eased their moods tremendously, and they fell into the comfortable,

easy bantering that they had missed so much during their time apart. The pizza arrived, and

Melanie felt more at home sitting in her nearly empty apartment with Taylor on her living room

floor than she ever remembered feeling at any other time in her life.

Taylor took a large bite of her pizza, scrutinizing the living room as she sat cross-legged on

the floor, using the coffee table to hold her plate. "You know, we could find a couple of

colorful prints to put on this wall and that one." She pointed at the largest bare spaces on the white walls. "They'd brighten things up a lot. And plants. You need plants. Look at all the sun in here. It's great. We've got to get you some plants."

Melanie just watched her, loving the apparently growing enthusiasm as she rattled off ideas

and suggestions. The dark eyes crackled with excitement and one side of her mouth curved up

into a half-smile.

"Does that mean that you'd want to be around to help me decorate?" Melanie finally asked

softly.

Taylor stopped in mid-chew and looked at the older woman thoughtfully. "Of course, I'd want

to. Haven't I made that painfully clear by now?" She softened any sting the words may have

carried with a playful grin.

"Even after my cowardly display last week?"

Taylor set down her pizza, stood, and moved around the coffee table to sit next to Melanie on

the couch. She wet her lips with her tongue while searching for the best way to put her

thoughts and feelings into words that wouldn't terrify the woman sitting beside her.

"Melanie," she began slowly, "I have never enjoyed anybody's company like I enjoy yours.

These last few weeks have been amazing to me. I know we haven't known each other very long,

but you've become a part of me so quickly, it's a little scary."

Melanie chuckled at that, nodding in agreement. "I know what you mean."

Taylor took that as the positive comment it was meant to be and plunged onward. "I didn't

know what to do when you left without talking to me. I was worried about you. And I was hurt.

You didn't feel safe enough to talk to me about what you were going through. I mean, I know

that we really don't know each other all that well, and maybe it's sil y of me to expect you to

feel comfortable enough to completely open up to me. I'm aware of that, but it doesn't change

the fact that it bothered me when you didn't let me help you."

Melanie grasped Taylor's hand. "I know. I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."

Taylor grimaced at the overused line, gently withdrawing her fingers. "You could have talked

to me, you know."

"I don't think I could have talked to anybody at that point."

"You could have tried," Taylor pointed out softly. "We made love, for Christ's sake. I think I deserved some sort of explanation."

Melanie studied her fingernails, feeling small. "You're right. I could have. I should have." She had hurt Taylor more deeply than she had realized. It was apparent from the tone of her

voice. She swallowed, taking a deep breath and deciding it was now or never.

Taylor deserved the truth. "I was just so scared by what was happening. Samantha and your

dad and you and me...it was so much, and I didn't know how to deal with it. I still don't. I'm

not trying to offer excuses. Please don't think I am. What I did was...well, it was a shitty

thing to do. I know that. I've never run from anything in my life, but this has floored me. It's

just...I just...I've never felt this way before, and I didn't know what to do about it."

Taylor felt the first glimmerings of real hope. "You've never felt what way?" she pressed

gently. Melanie half-smiled, half-grimaced and looked away, swallowing hard. Taylor gently

cupped her chin, returning the blue-eyed gaze back to her own face.

"What way, Melanie?"

"The way I feel when I'm with you," Melanie whispered. "In love."

Taylor had to consciously force her butt to stay put on the couch. Her body was itching to

jump up and do a little dance around the room. She smiled widely. "You love me?"

Melanie slapped her arm, trying to allay the heaviness of the subject, unable to believe she

had actually admitted her feelings to Taylor and the world hadn't come crashing down around

her. "Well, duh. You think I jump in the sack with just anybody?"

"I hope not."

"Wel , I don't."

"Good. Melanie?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you, too."

They were quiet for several long minutes, absorbing the words recently spoken, each enjoying

the company of the other. Taylor put her arm around Melanie's shoulders, and they sat back

on the couch, basking in one another's presence.

"Now what?" Taylor asked, finally breaking the comfort of the silence.

"I'm not sure," Melanie replied. "I'm still dealing with all of this, trying to make some sense of it. It's not every day you fall in love with another woman, you know."

Taylor grinned. "Speak for yourself." That got her a slap. "Hey. I'm kidding."

"I know." Melanie smiled back. "It just takes a little...absorbing." She was quiet for several minutes, then spoke in a very small, childlike voice. "Do you think we could...you know...date?

See what happens?"

Date? Hel , I want to marry you, Taylor thought. "I think we could give it a shot," she said instead. "See what happens."

Taylor's answer seemed to come as a big relief to Melanie, and her body visibly relaxed

against Taylor's. "Did you think I'd actually say no?" Taylor inquired, surprised.

"You had every right to. I haven't exactly made this easy for you. I've been pretty selfish. I

thought that may have turned you off."

Taylor grinned devilishly, nuzzling Melanie's neck. "There is nothing about you that could

possibly turn me off."

"Hey," Melanie squealed as the nuzzling turned to nibbling. "Now that sounds like a challenge."

"You're dealing with some pretty big stuff. I can understand that." She grinned. "I don't have to like it, but I understand it."

"It's big stuff. It's definitely big stuff."

"Are you...okay? With things, I mean?" Taylor treaded lightly on the subject.

Melanie thought for a long moment before she answered. "I think I will be. It definitely makes

it easier having you nearby." She rolled her blue eyes. "I realized that once I got back to Chicago."

"You were scared. I know."

Melanie studied Taylor's face. "How did I get you?" she asked quietly.

Taylor shifted to look in the redhead's eyes. In them, and much to her surprise, she saw love,

trust, and utter passion. They were the only invitation she needed. She leaned in gently and

pressed her lips to Melanie's, savoring the sweet softness of them. They kissed slowly and

deeply, drinking from one another as if their very existence depended upon it. Melanie finally

extracted herself from Taylor's mouth long enough to wrap her arms around the younger

woman and squeeze her tightly, unable to believe they were actually together again, that

Taylor still wanted to be a part of her life after everything that had happened. At that very

moment in time, and for reasons she couldn't explain, Melanie knew that Taylor was the person

with whom she was meant to be. More than that, she accepted it, finally able to push away all

the doubts and stumbling blocks hindering the path to the future. She knew that with Taylor

by her side, she could deal with anything life could throw her way.

She pulled back to look penetratingly into the depths of the dark, loving eyes before her.

They stayed that way for what seemed like eternity, no words spoken. Melanie poured every

ounce of love she could muster into that gaze, willing Taylor to see it, to feel it.

"This won't be easy, you know, you and I being together," Melanie told her. "I can be very difficult. Pigheaded, even." She half-grinned at the last statement.

Taylor held her gaze steadily and confidently. "It will be hard at first, but we'l manage. I can handle you." The dark eyes sparkled in challenge.

"Oh, you think so?"

"Oh, I know so."

Melanie stood from the couch and held out her hand. "Let's find out if you're right, shall we?"

Her voice was low and seductive. Taylor felt the tingle of excitement course through her

system as she slipped her own hand softly into Melanie's and allowed her love to lead her

around the corner and into the bedroom, which was surprisingly roomy for the size of the rest

of the apartment. Unlike the living area, the bedroom was completely furnished and decorated

in shades of burgundy and rosy pinks. Curtains were hung and matched the bedspread, as well

as the round area rug that peeked out from under the queen-size bed. Half a dozen pillows

were strewn about the bed, and an aromatic candle burned on each of the night-stands that

stood guard on either side of the bed, scenting the air with a soft vanilla. The overall

atmosphere was warm and romantic. Taylor looked at Melanie, her eyebrows raised in question.

Melanie smiled, blushing slightly, her confident demeanor wavering just a bit. "I was hoping we might end up in here, and I wanted it to be perfect, so I did a little shopping."

"You did this for me?"

Melanie nodded.

"It's beautiful, Melanie."

"So are you."

"What if things hadn't worked out? What if we didn't end up in here?"

"I'm afraid I might have been cal ing the fire department by this point."

They both laughed, feeling the final remnants of the previous tensions leave the room

completely, leaving only the two of them and their new found world. Their lips met again, more

insistent this time, impatient and demanding. Melanie backed Taylor up to the bed, forcing her

to sit on it as the backs of her knees touched the soft, flowered fabric. Melanie perched

herself in Taylor's lap, a knee on either side of the dark-haired woman's hips, and surprised

herself with her own confidence and aggression by taking control of the situation. Taylor

allowed her to keep it, sensing it was something she needed.

Being loved by a woman had been an altogether amazing departure from Melanie's usual

existence. She had decided that right away. In the same vein, loving a woman was intensely

erotic, and a totally new experience for her. She made every effort to take her time, enjoying

the new sensations, reveling in them. Once they had removed their clothing and Taylor lay