Krystal bent down to pick up another smooth rock, one of many that littered the beach. She flipped it between her fingers before bringing her arm back and swinging it forward with the lightest whip of her wrist. The stone skipped four times before dropping into the water with a ‘dwoop.’ The light breeze tugged at her open button down shirt revealing her tank top and giving her gooseflesh.

‘I should have brought a jacket,’ she thought absentmindedly before she heard crunching footsteps drawing closer.

Looking up she noticed it was none other than the beautiful mother of three whom had captured her heart. Victoria looked at the sky then down to her feet as she shifted uncomfortably and fidgeted with the light cotton jacket draped over her arm.

“Mind if I join you?” she asked quietly and although Krystal’s mouth rushed to invite her she bit the inside of her cheek to stop the words spilling out.

“It’s a public beach,” Krystal shrugged, “Stand anywhere you want.”

The young woman was hurt and her words were laced with undercurrents of anger. She had worked hard enough to get Victoria to trust her, now it was the other woman’s turn to put in the effort. Ultimately, no matter how she felt, it was Victoria’s decision to make.

“Here,” Victoria walked carefully over and draped the jacket over Krystal’s tense shoulders.

The younger woman put her arms through the sleeves grateful for the extra barrier from the cool air floating off of the water.

“Why are you here, I thought you never wanted to see my face again?” Krystal crossed her arms.

“I don’t know,” Victoria answered quietly looking out over the water, “I like how it feels when I’m around you.”

“But?” Krystal edged.

“I’m afraid,” Victoria admitted chancing a look out of the corner of her eye at the young woman.

“Afraid of what?” Krystal took a step closer.

“I’m afraid that you’re going to be one more thing I have to survive,” Victoria felt her bottom lip tremble.

“Look Victoria,” Krystal reached for Victoria’s hand and the other woman flinched at the touch, but she didn’t let go, “I can’t promise I’ll never hurt your feelings, no one’s perfect, but I can promise you I’ll never leave.”

“I’m sorry I overreacted earlier,” Victoria sighed.

“Don’t be, you’re a mom it’s what you’re supposed to do,” Krystal chuckled, “I could have left a note or something, but you do know I would never let anything happen to those girls right?”

“I know that, I was stupid,” Victoria bowed her head, but was surprised to feel fingers under her chin tilting it up.

Krystal leaned in hesitantly searching the brown pools of warmth that she could easily fall so deep into for any sign that she should stop. Victoria’s eyes fluttered closed and Krystal let her own fall shut as she closed the last remaining centimeters. ‘Soft’ was the only word that came to mind as their lips pressed against each other slowly. It was sweet and light and the fingers on Victoria’s chin moved up until a gentle palm rested on her cheek. Krystal pulled away her lips and watched the other woman’s eyes slowly open as a small smile graced her features.

“I’ve been wanting to do that since I met you,” Krystal smirked moving her thumb over Victoria’s bottom lip.

“Luna and Amber are babysitting and they’re going to pick up the girls from school we have a little time to ourselves,” Victoria smirked.

“So you want to go back to my place and get to know each other better?” Krystal wiggled her eyebrows and Victoria smacked her arm.

“Joking, I was joking,” Krystal laughed following Victoria back up to the sidewalk, “Hey where’s your car?”

“Luna and Amber dropped me off here and said they wouldn’t come back to get me until we made up,” Victoria huffed.

“M’lady,” Krystal walked over to her own car and opened up the passenger side door, but Victoria walked around to the driver’s side.

“Uh-uh, I drive,” Victoria slid into the driver’s seat and Krystal just smirked with a shake of her head as she got in.

“Do you always have to be in control?” Krystal handed her the keys.

Victoria seemed to think about the question a moment before casting a seductive gaze at Krystal, “Not always.”

“You’re killing me,” Krystal covered her face with one hand, “But you know that don’t you?”

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going or should I just drive in circles,” Victoria smirked pulling out into traffic.

Krystal began directing this beautiful woman that seemed to be slowly, but surely, taking over every aspect of her life.

“Well this is it,” Krystal walked into the unit and tossed her keys on the counter. The small space looked like someone was just moving in. There were a few boxes stacked against the wall and the furniture was Spartan and plain to say the least. No pictures hung on the wall and the most expensive item looked to be the television and stereo system.

“Omo…were you robbed?” Victoria held a hand to half joking, half serious.

“I don’t spend much time here, so I didn’t bother decorating or even unpacking if that’s what you mean,” Krystal chuckled at Victoria’s look of shock.

“Why don’t you spend much time here?” Victoria asked walking further into the space.

“Well, I work night shift at the office and when I’m not there I’m usually at Amber’s place,” Krystal shrugged.

“So why even stay here why not live with Amber, it’d be cheaper,” Victoria suggested and Krystal rolled her eyes.

“Because when I’m trying to sleep from working all night I don’t want to listen to ‘oh Amber, oh yeah, right there!” Krystal moaned in a high pitched voice.

Victoria’s mouth fell open before she started laughing.

“And what about you?” Victoria smirked, “Would she get tired of hearing that from your room?”

Krystal blushed and wondered how many times the other woman was going to make her do that, “Actually, I’ve never had that.”

“What?” the word spilled out in disbelief.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Krystal held up her hands, “There were plenty of almosts.”

“Almosts?” Victoria held back a giggle.

“We would get to that point and it just wouldn’t feel right, you never learn how someone really is until the clothes start coming off,” Krystal shifted uncomfortably before Victoria took her hand without even thinking about it

“So?” she looked expectantly, “Give me the tour.”

Krystal lead her around the kitchen, into the living room, the bathroom, and finally they crossed the threshold into her bedroom. The sheets and covers were tucked down tight and smoothed over giving the impression that Krystal rarely slept here. Victoria suddenly felt the loneliness creep in and realized she had never truly been alone in her life. She always had Sulli or her kids, she had no way of knowing how Krystal truly felt or what it would be like to come home to the same emptiness day after day. Unable to handle the weight of the thought she jumped on the bed and pulled the covers up from their neat corners, completely wrecking the crisp linens.

“Hey, what are you…” Krystal watched her in surprise before strong hands grabbed her and pulled her down on the bed.

“My bed’s not even this neat when it’s made, I couldn’t take it anymore,” Victoria confessed as she huffed and blew the stray strands of hair out of her eyes.

Krystal lay beside her and her insides fluttered at the incredible amount of cute welling up in the other woman’s face. She couldn’t resist leaning in and capturing those smirking lips with her own. Victoria could still feel the hesitancy behind the small lip to lip caresses and moved the fingers of her right hand up to thread through silky raven hair. She lightly massaged the back of Krystal’s neck adding light pressure to encourage her closer. It had the desired effect as the young woman ghosted the tip of her tongue over her bottom lip. Victoria parted her lips on a small sigh and invited her deeper. Krystal lost the ability to think when Victoria’s tongue slid over hers teasingly before retreating and inviting her to explore. Krystal shifted on the bed laying astride the other woman as Victoria found herself on her back. Krystal’s left hand came to rest on her hip and her thumb moved in small circles as on the soft skin revealed as Victoria’s shirt began to ride up. She could feel the young woman’s hunger burning through what had once been a sweet moment and matched it with her own. She broke away with a gasp and feverish lips moved down her neck.

“Krystal,” It came out on a sigh, but the young woman’s lust addled mind still registered the sound and she used all of her energy to stop herself from going further.

Krystal nuzzled into the long elegant neck and sighed with a mixture of frustration and contentment.

“Take me out to dinner,” Victoria kissed her cheek and Krystal chuckled.

“You mean like a real date?” Krystal leaned back to look at her.

“Yeah, a real date,” Victoria smoothed the young woman’s messy hair back into place.

“I’ll have to check my schedule,” Krystal teased, but quickly found herself on the floor looking up at the ceiling.

Victoria looked over the edge of the bed at her with a devilish grin, “Looks like your schedule just opened up.”

“Right, 7 pm work for you?” Krystal eased off the floor and kneeled beside the bed with a pout.

“That works for me,” she kissed Krystal’s nose, but noticed a small plea in the young woman’s eyes.

She gave in and kissed Krystal soundly on the lips once more before hopping off the bed and walking down the hallway. She put a little extra sway in her hips and Krystal watched the firm rear swing side to side like a pendulum hypnotizing her. She collapsed backward onto the floor again and swallowed hard as everything tensed up south of the border.

“She is definitely trying to kill me,” she sighed with a smile.