The Corporate Raider part 8

by Denise Mayes

Alex turned and walked to the den, not sure of what she would find. She walked in and Taylor was once again poking at the fire. Since the entrance to the room was from the back, Taylor did not see or hear Alex come in. The woman walked over and sat down behind the girl on the floor before Taylor realized she was there. When Taylor went to sit back she felt the body and she started.

"OH!! My Goodness! You scared me!" She said in a teasing, yet nervous voice.

"I can see that. So what were you so deep in thought about?"

"Um...nothing, we can talk about it later, how was your trip?"

"We’ll talk about it now, and it was fine." Alex said sternly, although she didn’t mean to sound sharp with the girl, her need to know was just too much.

Taylor looked back at the fire, as if she were waiting for it to tell her how to tell the woman.

"I know you spoke with your grandmother, do you have any questions, for me?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"Have you ever been with a woman?" The girl asked pointedly, and then waited anxiously for the answer.

Alex’s brows went up in amusement and surprise for a very brief moment, and then she narrowed her eyes in thought as she searched the girl's eyes.

"No."

"Oh. Have you ever thought about it?"

"Yes recently I have."

"Really? Who? I mean if I'm not getting too personal?"

"You're getting very personal, so before I answer, you I’ll ask you a question and then I will answer yours, okay?"

"Okay." Taylor said uncertain.

"Are you in love with me Taylor?"

The girl’s mouth started to fall open, but she covered it with her hand to hold back the gasp that was about to escape. The woman cocked her head and waited.

"I...what made you ask me that?"

"Answer me." The woman said impatiently.

Taylor swallowed hard and started to look away, but her chin was caught by Alex’s strong fingers, and turned back to look at her. "No, look at me. Now answer me."

"Yes." She said, with tears forming at the thought of the rejection she was about to receive.

But, the woman instead smiled at her and let her chin go. The girl's brows knitted deeply at the meaning of the smile. Feeling a little braver, she ventured on to ask her question again.

"Now are you going to answer my question?"

"Yes. You."

"Huh? Wait a minute..." The girl said, completely missing the conversation. She went back over in her mind as to what she had asked Alex, and then Alex’s response to her question. The woman saw the instant the girl realized that she had answered her question. The girl's eyes locked on those of Alex’s, and a slow smile begun to form on the woman’s mouth. Taylor's heart seemed to skip a beat , and then many beats as she stared into the endlessly, clear pools of the woman’s eyes. Alex purposely licked her lips, and the girl became unsteady by it.

"What do you want to do right now?" Alex asked the enraptured girl.

"I..."

"What do you want me to do right now?"

Taylor blushed fiercely and came out of her trance like state. She turned and picked up the poker once again and begun poking at the fire. Alex grinned at her nervous reaction, but now her heart was leaping with joy at the knowledge that the girl was in love with her, and obviously wanted to show it, but didn't know how. Alex then thought about how she could help.

"You know, I was just thinking about something you told me."

"What?" The girl asked, without looking back.

"You said you would do anything for me because of all that I had done for you? Not that I expect anything for what I’ve done, but I would be curious to see what you would offer?"

"Okay."

"Did you mean it?"

"Yes, of course. I told you I did." The girl said, sparing a glance back at the woman, but then looking back at the fire.

"Better yet, I dare you to do what you were just thinking about."

The girl looked back at the woman and saw her smiling. Taylor's eyes narrowed, unsure if the woman was just teasing her or what. "And what do I get if I do?"

"A lesson."

"A lesson??"

"Yes."

"What does that mean?"

"You’ll see."

"Will this...lesson hurt?"

A wicked smile came to the woman’s face and the girl suddenly felt like she was the fly in the spider’s den. "Only if you want it to?" The woman said cagey. The hairs on the girl's arms and back of her neck seemed to stand on end.

"I..."

"Can you do it?"

"Of course I can, I have no problem showing my gratitude to you." Taylor said, trying to be brave, in spite of the sheer terror she was feeling inside.

"Shhh...I don’t want you doing anything for me out of just gratitude. You understand?"

"Yes, but that’s how I feel."

"You just feel grateful towards me?" Alex asked, with concern in her eyes.

"Well...no, it’s not just out of gratitude, I do love you, and you are my dearest friend." The woman then smiled, and let out the breath she was holding in relief.

She then thought to herself, "I can change that, I’m just happy it’s not just about being grateful."

"Does that make sense?" Taylor asked.

"Yes it does. Now show me you are brave enough to meet my challenge." The woman said, returning to her original plan.

The girl smiled and came to her knees to face Alex, determined to show she was brave. But once she was facing her, Taylor’s face took on a shy quality as if she suddenly felt embarrassed. She leaned in with the intention of kissing the woman on the cheek, but when she closed her eyes, Alex leaned forward slightly and their lips met. The electricity that raced through both of them was jolting. Taylor sat back on her heels and blushed a deep wine, her eyes lowered, her body trembled, and her breathing became rapid. Alex on the other hand blushed slightly, her own breathing increased but quietly, and she watched the girl, waiting to see what her eyes looked like when she finally lifted her head. The girl sat there unsure of everything that was going on within her. She sat stiff as a board with only the slightest tremble moving her. She was afraid to look up at Alex, she was sure she would see complete and total disgust. The woman didn’t say a word she just sat waiting and remembering the feel of Taylor’s lips on her own.

Finally the girl lifted her eyes with tears in them.

"What is it?" The woman asked quietly.

"You're not mad at me??"

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"For...kissing you like that? Again?!."

"Did you like the way you kissed me?"

"Haa...I don’t think I should answer that?"

"I think you should, if you don’t want me to get upset with you."

"But you’ll hate me."

"Why would I hate you?"

"Because, a woman kissing another woman like that?"

"Well it wasn’t really a kiss, more like a peck, and it was not like the kiss you laid on me the other night."

"But, our lips touched."

"Let me show you something." Alex said, as she pulled the girl back to her and kissed her the same way she had done only a moment before.

"That’s not a kiss, so let me give you your lesson." The woman then intertwined her fingers in the girl's hair and pulled her head to her. Alex started the kiss with a slow, tender, meaningful embrace, and when Taylor moaned into her throat she increased the kiss, in both pressure and passion. The girl was now leaning against the woman, her arms and hands supporting her weight on the woman’s thighs, albeit they were shaking from the dizziness she was feeling. Finally the woman allowed the two of them to breathe and the girl gasped and struggled to raise herself up off of the woman. She tried to go back to sitting on her heels, but just as she thought about it, Alex's voice cut into her thoughts.

"That’s a kiss." Taylor looked her in the eye and although the woman was obviously turned on by the experience, the girl being new to such passion, and her not knowing Alex’s passionate glow, or her gaze. All she saw was a woman teaching her the difference between a kiss and a peck.

"O.k.a.y...I won’t forget it." She said, as she finally managed to sit back on her heels. Breathing hard. She changed her mind and sat on her behind because she didn't feel steady enough to stay on her heels.

"Okay, so what are you doing?"

"I beg your pardon?" The girl asked, confused again.

"You were going to give me a kiss, well...I’m waiting?"

"But I thought?"

"What? You made another assumption?"

"Um...well...never mind." The girl said, and hurriedly went back to her knees once again.

But the woman moved from the floor to the sofa, and the girl watched her settle at the end furthest from the fire. Her back was resting against the armrest of the sofa. "Well?"

"Oh...yes, sorry, I just...never mind." The girl said, catching herself.

Alex smiled at the self control. The girl came to sit facing her and again she blushed. Alex’s eyes narrowed in thought at the sight and then smirked. "I’m waiting."

Taylor shook her hands as if they were wet and she was trying to air dry them. "Okay." She said to herself, both excitement and anticipation, showing in her eyes.

She leaned forward, but this time Alex waited for her to make the contact. Once again when their lips met, a surge of energy raced through both of them. Taylor instantly moaned in response, but the woman gathered her close and turning her body slightly, the girl ended up laying across the woman’s thighs. Her back was against the sofa and Alex was now leaning over delighting in the sweetness of the young woman's soft mouth. Alex took a chance and pushed her tongue slightly between Taylor's teeth. She waited to see if the girl would allow her to proceed. After a moment or so, Taylor’s teeth parted more, and Alex’s heart leaped as she buried her tongue deep inside the young woman’s receptive mouth.

Alex moaned herself this time, and she delighted in every part of the girl's mouth. Finally, when she thought the girl could use some air, she broke the passionate kiss. She continued to hold the girl over her, as she waited for her to open her eyes. Eventually, after Taylor had taken in several large gasps of air, she slowly opened her passion filled eyes.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked tenderly, as she gazed into the young woman's eyes.

Taylor searched the woman’s eyes, and she wasn’t sure, but it didn't matter. "I love you, I’m in love with you, I’ve loved you since the first time you sat by my bed. I had the feelings since the day you told me to choose. I didn’t understand them, or maybe I was just afraid of them, but whatever it was, it doesn’t matter now. I am so in love with you, and I will do whatever you want me to do if it will make you happy." Taylor said, confessing her deep feelings for the woman who now had tears rolling down her own face.

"You don’t know what that means to me. I have loved you for a while, but I didn’t know how you felt, and I couldn't risk opening myself up to you until I was sure of your feelings. I love you, oh...that feels so wonderful to say, I love you, I love you, Gods...I feel like I’m about to be overwhelmed by a great flood." Alex said, in a daze and shaky tone.

Taylor lifted up and wrapped her arms around the woman’s neck and the two of them held each other this time as they just enjoyed the feel of each other, and their hearts on the verge of discovery. The rest of the evening the two were inseparable. Of course Alex was the dominate figure in the blossoming relationship, but Taylor didn’t seem to mind. The girl's grandmother watched the two learning about the other. She amused herself at how her granddaughter would blush at the slightest meaningful glance from the woman. At times she became so flustered that she would have to grab hold of the nearest solid object to steady herself. She also saw how the woman would hold back a grin that obviously wanted to show whenever she saw the girl respond in that way. But at the same time, the grandmother was deeply concerned for her granddaughter. She knew the girl didn’t really know what she wanted, although it appeared on the outside that she did. The older woman knew her granddaughter, and she knew she was reacting to all of the new feelings that she was experiencing. The two went for a walk out back of the house towards a large field of wildflowers, talking as they went.

"Can I ask you something?" Taylor said, looking up at the tall woman as they walked hand in hand towards the wildflowers.

"Anything."

"Do you have any doubts?"

Alex stopped walking and turned to look Taylor straight in the eye. "Are you having doubts about this?"

"No. I just wanted to see if I was the only one, or if we both felt the same way?"

"Well rest assured, I have no doubts."

The girl smiled and then the woman squeezed her hand and they continued their walk. When they were in the middle of the field Alex sat down and pulled the girl down to the ground with her.

"Are you scared?" Taylor suddenly asked.

The woman gave her a thoughtful look and then said honestly. "A little, I’ve never given my heart to anyone, like this before, and it does concern me."

"You think I would hurt you?"

"Not on purpose. But you are young."

"I would never do anything to cause you such pain."

"I know, because if you do, it would be worse for you." Alex said with a smile, but her tone was serious.

"You're serious?"

"Yes, I am. It’s too hard for me to open up to someone, only to have them hurt me for whatever reason."

"Would you hit me?"

Alex looked at her, and with concern and honesty both playing in her eyes and tone of voice, she said. "I honestly don’t know. I honestly wouldn’t think so. But I do know this relationship will not be based on any abuse, physical or mental. I am in love with you, and the only feeling I want you to ever have towards me is love. The only touch I want you to feel from these hands, is gentleness, care, tenderness compassion, and pleasure."

"Does this mean you won’t scold me anymore when it comes to work?"

"I don’t scold you, I reprimand you." The woman corrected.

"Well they mean the same thing, so will you?"

"Will I what?" Alex asked, giving her a sidelong glance.

"Will you continue to reprimand me?"

"Yes. If you mess up, one thing has nothing to do with the other, and I expect for you to remember that."

"But aren’t we supposed to be equals?"

"We will be when it comes to our personal lives, but when it comes to our professional lives, I am still your boss, AND I HAVE NO EQUALS."

"Hmm...." The girl replied as she fought to control a grin that was pulling at the corners of her mouth. Then she went on to ask another question. "But we’re perfectly equal in our personal right?"

"To a point. I do know more than you do when it comes to the ways of the world, so you have to have respect for that, right?"

"Okay, I can accept that."

"Good." The woman said, as she gave a gentle pat to Taylor's cheek and then laid back with her hands and arms behind her head. The girl positioned herself so that she was laying on her back at a right angle to Alex. Both their heads were touching, side to top. The two looked up into the evening sky and sent a silent prayer of thanks.

"So are you going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me the ten things that your not good at?"

"You're still on that?"

"Yes, I have to make sure that I haven’t gotten involved with Ms. Perfect."

"Why? Scared of the expectations that may follow?"

"Yes! To be frankly honest."

"Hahahahaha, well I’m not perfect. Hey that’s one."

"No, no fair, no traits, no character things, just tangible physical things."

"Well I would be naming all day, if I did it that way."

"So, we have four more days." Taylor countered.

"Okay, let’s see, I’m no good at basketball."

"Have you ever played it?"

"No, but what does that matter?"

"Well you can’t name it if you’ve never done it before. Besides, you're one of those people who could easily pickup things easily."

"Hmm...I don’t remember all of these rules when we first made this deal, but...since you see fit to change the rules, I too will make a change."

"To what?"

"Our little wager."

"Okay, so what? You're going to make me serve you your meals in bed?"

"Hm...that’s an idea, maybe later, but no that’s not it."

"Okay what?"

"I don’t want to make you feel like I’m rushing you or anything. I've decided that when you are ready for us to consummate this relationship, then you will come to me, that way there’s no pressure and you don’t feel rushed. When your absolutely sure you're ready, you come to me and show me? Deal?"

Taylor looked at the many stars that were now gracing the sky, as she thought about what the woman was asking her. "Okay."

Alex turned onto her belly to look at the girl. "No! Don’t agree to something that you really don’t want to, that’s worse than lying to me, tell me what your thinking." She demanded.

The girl looked up into the intense sapphires that were now staring down at her. "I...I was just wondering if I would ever be ready for that?"

"Are you saying you couldn’t see yourself giving your complete self to me, as I would be doing with you?"

"It’s just that I don’t know if I would want.."

"You don’t know if you would want to?" Alex asked, shocked and hurt.

"I..."

"Never mind. I’m going back to the house, I’ll be heading back tomorrow, you can stay the rest of the time. I’ll see you at the house." Alex said, and then rolled to her feet and strode back towards the house with catlike grace. She did not look back at all.

Taylor rolled onto her side and watched the woman, shocked at what had just happened. Alex went into the house and headed for her room, The girl's grandmother saw her and caught up with her. "Everything all right?"

"No."

"Can I help?"

"I don’t think so."

"Okay, well how about if we have our talk now?"

"Now?"

"Yes."

"Fine."

The two of them went into the house to the kitchen where the woman told Alex to have a seat. Alex sat down, and the woman brought over a teapot, two cups and saucers. Pouring the tea, she then sat back in her chair to regard the woman for a moment. Alex’s mind was obviously on the girl.

"I see how much my granddaughter loves you, and I can see that you care about her as well?"

"Yes, But?" Alex said, jumping past all of the small talk.

"Okay Alex, you want me to get to my point, I will. I don’t condone this, I didn’t tell my granddaughter this, I figured it’s her life and she has the right to make up her own mind."

"So why tell me then?"

"Because your older and you have been around enough to know that she is confused. Especially about such a relationship. It goes against everything she has been taught, and I don’t just mean spiritually, I mean you know the drawbacks to this type of relationship?"

"I know the obvious problems with it, but I’m willing to deal with them."

"But is she? What happens when one day she comes to you and says, I wish we could have children, it would be so nice to have little ones running around? What then?"

"Well for one thing, when I’m sure about her feelings and her conviction at being in this relationship, I plan on talking to her about that and the other problems that I know are on your mind."

"But why not talk to her about them now...before she gets so wrapped up in this, so that she can make an informed decision? I don’t think you're being fair with her, and I won’t let you use her. I may be old, but I know how to deal with people like you. Don’t get me wrong, I like you and I’m glad your in my granddaughter’s life. I am indebted to you for helping her, but I can and will bring you down so fast woman it will make your head spin. Are we understanding each other?"

"Yes Ma'am, very well. But I don’t agree with you about talking to her about the problems of a relationship before one even knows if they want to be around the person whom they have the interest in. I want her to get to know me first. Once that is done, we will deal with the issues of children, society, church, and whatever else comes up, together."

"So is that why you were going to leave just now? Is that what you call together?"

"I was leaving because of something I asked your granddaughter to do when she felt she was ready. That way it would not appear that I was pushing myself on her, or pressuring her in anyway. I was going to leave to give her a chance to think about things. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go pack." Alex stood up, turned and walked out of the kitchen leaving the woman feeling a little better about things. She still had her doubts, and she would not encourage or discourage her granddaughter, but she would tell her the truth if she asked.

The older woman stood up and headed into the other room. She didn't know her granddaughter had heard her conversation with the woman. The older woman made it to the stairs just in time to see Alex come down the stairs without her bags.

"I thought you were leaving?"

"I am, I just came back down to tell you something, just to make sure you understand me before I leave."

"So you want to tell me why your actually leaving, specifically?"

"Yes."

"All right."

"I just asked your granddaughter to come to me when she was ready for us to consummate our relationship, but not until she was ready."

"Okay, that’s a reasonable request, within a relationship. I do think one should be married first, or in this case been together for a while but you kids are ahead of my time with your impatience."

"Well I thought it was a reasonable request also, but evidently, your granddaughter doesn’t WANT to give me the gift of herself, as I would to her. I love your granddaughter, but I am a woman who expects complete intimacy, not half assed. I have no inclination to deal with that."

"So you're leaving?"

"Yes."

"Then what?"

"What do you mean?"

"What happens when she returns to work? What will you do, how will you act? Are you going to pretend you have no feelings for her? Do you expect for her to pretend the same?"

Alex licked her lips at the truth in the woman’s statement. She looked at the woman with some frustration, and then asked. "No, but what am I supposed to do? I don’t even know why I’m asking you, you would love for this to all end here and now?"

"True, but it would hurt her. I think you should tell her what you expect. You have the right to have your needs catered to just as she has the right to expect the same. If she can not or does not want to handle it, then you will be right in ending things before you both go too far and then find out that one is not willing."

"I don’t want her to feel like I am pressuring her in anyway, I’m not about that when it comes to something so intimate. I would want her to come to me willingly."

"Expecting what?"

"Expecting me to be gentle, loving, tender, and touched by the gift that she would be giving to me of her free will."

"No one could expect anything more. Could they child?" The woman said louder than what was necessary for Alex to hear her, since she was standing right in front of her.

Alex’s brow knitted at first, and then she understood. She looked at the woman’s eyes, followed the gaze over towards one of the doors. Taylor then stepped out from behind it and stood with her hands behind her back. Both women looked at the girl. Alex leveled her gaze and then spoke to the girl.

"Come over here." She said in her authoritative voice. Taylor moved to where Alex and her grandmother stood, and then she waited for the woman to speak to her again. "Are you going to answer your grandmother?"

The girl looked at her grandmother, with the gentle, yet concerned smile on her face, and then she looked back at Alex. At first she looked at a design in Alex’s top, but then Alex spoke to her again. "Look at me!" Taylor looked up with tears balancing. " That does not answer the question."

"I... "

"Did you lie to me when you said you loved me?"

"NO!"

"Did you lie to me when you said you would do whatever it took to make me happy?"

"No."

"Did you lie to me when you said I could have whatever I wanted from you as long as it was yours to give?"

"No."

"Then you must have lied to me about this lasting?"

"No."

"Then what is it? Why can’t you see us together completely? Is it because I am a woman?"

"No, I mean yes, I mean...I don’t know." Taylor said completely flustered and embarrassed, especially with her grandmother standing there listening to the whole conversation.

"I see? Were you hoping that I wouldn’t expect that of you?"

"I don’t know."

Alex stood up straight at the vague answer. "Fine. That’s fine, when you figure out the reason why you can’t offer ME such a gift, you let me know. I might still be available to explore with you?" The woman then turned and strode back up the stairs.

"Grammy, I don’t know what to do." Taylor said, as she went into her grandmother's arms, and sobbed.

"Come on child, let’s you and I go have a talk."

Meanwhile, Alex was cursing her bad luck. At first she was willing to stay until tomorrow, but she felt like she was going to say something that she would regret, which would be completely out of character for her. She jumped up and packed her bag. Taking out her digital phone, she called for her driver to come from the small town back out to the house and take her back to the airport in the larger city.

"Little one, I know you love her. I know you're overwhelmed by all of the feelings you have for her. I know you're confused as to why or how you came to fall in love with a woman. I know you do want to give yourself to her, but there is something within you that holds you back from admitting that to her. What is it?"

"Grammy you're right about all of it."

"Then why would you think she wouldn’t expect such a thing?"

"Grammy...I think I’m jealous?"

"Aww child, of what? What could you possibly be jealous of? You've just started this relationship."

"That I will be the only one who is able to give such a gift." Taylor said frankly.

"Hahaha, OHHH...Baby girl...Oh...my sweet little girl, hahahaha. I’m sorry child, but what makes you think she isn’t one?"

"Grammy?! How could she be? I mean look at her. She’s a powerful, beautiful, successful, world traveled, and world renowned woman, how could she possibly be untouched?"

"Little one, I’ve never known you to judge anyone, especially someone you claim to love. You never judged your friends as harshly as you're judging her, and you're supposed to be closer to her than to a friend. Besides, when did it become your job to judge anyone? She loves you. She has given you a gift just as precious and as fragile as the gift you would be giving to her. Do you realize how hard it is for someone like her to even THINK about getting seriously involved with anyone. Let alone someone who is not as sophisticated as she is. She's someone who could have any person she chose, yet she chose you. She opened her heart completely to you and you turned your back on it and her. She is hurting and you are the cause, and there is no excuse you can give to justify your behavior. You were wrong. I love you little one, but if you really want to try this relationship or any other with her, or someone else then you need to go and apologize and accept the gift that she has given you, and when you feel ready, give her the gift of you."

"Grammy, I’m so confused, I know you don’t really like this, and I don’t know why you're helping me with it, when you obviously are against it?"

"It’s true I am against it. At the same time, I want you to be happy, although I'm hoping you will change your mind about this relationship. I just hope it doesn't develop too much before I pass from this life."

"Grammy are you sick?!"

"No child, but you never know when the Lord will call you home." She then patted Taylor’s cheek and turned to go get some more logs for the fire.

The girl stood there thinking about what her grammy had just told her.

"She’s right, this isn’t like me." The girl turned and ran back inside the main house to go and talk to Alex despite her serious reservations about how much her grandmother really didn’t approve of the relationship. Just as she was about to go up the stairs, she heard a car pulling away. "Oh My God! No! Please, don't let it be her leaving?!"

Taylor ran to the door and swung it open in time to see the car turning out of the drive way. Her heart seemed to stop just as the car disappeared out of sight.

"What’s going on?" Came a voice from behind the girl. Taylor whipped around with tears in her eyes, and saw HER standing on the stairs.

"Thank Goodness!! You didn’t leave!!" She said, running into Alex's arms and wrapping her arms tightly around her neck. She kissed her over, and over, and over again. Telling the woman between kisses, how much she meant to her, and how she was wrong and how she would never judge her or anyone else again. She begged the woman to forgive her, to allow her to make it up to her.

Alex pushed back from her gently, putting her at arms length, and held her there as she bored into the girl's moisture filled eyes. "Do you really mean what your saying, or are you just relieved that I didn't leave?"

"BOTH! I am so relieved that you didn't leave because then I wouldn't be able to tell you what I just did. I was completely wrong. There is no excuse for it, so I will not try to come up with one. You offered me your heart. I realize now that it is one of the most precious gifts anyone could give. At the time, I was being selfish; thinking that my virginity was more precious than anything you could offer me. I thought about it and realized that both of these gifts have something very important in common. You can only give them whole heartedly once. After they have been broken, you can never get them back. You can only be a virgin once, and if your heart is broken, you will never recover all the way. I am so sorry! If you can trust me with it again, I promise I will not make the same mistake. I will cater to your heart's every need, want, and desire. Please forgive me for being so thoughtless." Taylor's eyes were brimming with tears, as she all but begged Alex for another chance.

Alex stood holding the girl at arms length as she searched Taylor's eyes.

"On one condition will I forgive you." The woman now said, as she let go of the girls arm and stood to her full height.

"Anything."

"Take me up on my suggestion?"

"Deal!!" Taylor said, without hesitation.

"Then I forgive you." The woman said simply, and the girl flew into her arms and once again hugged her tightly.

Alex lifted her chin up using her fingers, and then gazing into Taylor’s Light brown eyes, they both smiled. Alex narrowed her gaze and bent down, as Taylor closed her eyes and waited for the woman to kiss her. The woman did not keep the girl waiting long. She was claiming with her kiss, and the girl was consumed by it. The grandmother was concerned by it. The rest of the stay was filled with learning. Especially for Alex, at Taylor’s chagrin. Taylor’s grandmother had told the girl to not go somewhere and she went anyway and spoiled a surprise that had been planned for her. So as a punishment, the pictures of her as a child were placed in front of Alex, all 14 photo albums.

"You don’t really want to look at those do you?" Taylor whimpered at the woman. Alex glanced down at her. Taylor had been sitting on the floor, originally tending to the fire, but now was trying to talk the woman out of looking at her early days.

"Let me answer that in a way that there will be no doubt in your mind what my intentions are." The woman proceeded to pick up one of the photo albums.

"Alex wouldn’t you rather...do something else??" Taylor asked with a seductive tone in her voice.

"Careful Taylor, tease me and you may end up in a position quite exhausting, to say the least." Alex shot back at the flirting young woman.

Taylor instantly caught Alex’s meaning, especially with the gaze that was leveled on her, it was like a predator waiting for it’s prey to show itself with one... faint... move. Taylor instantly changed her demeanor. And Alex waggled one of her brows at the girl and a smirk showed on the woman’s face.

"Aww come on now?" Taylor now whimpered.

"No, not another word."

"Oh..."

"Ah." The woman said, with a raise of her hand to silence the girl.

Taylor turned around and sat on her behind and began poking at the fireplace again, as she pouted. Alex chuckled and then settled back against the sofa and began to look through the girl's life. She even saw the pictures of the girl's parents. Taylor looked just like her mother. Alex went through album, after album, with Taylor groaning whenever Alex would laughed at one of the pictures. By the time Alex finished, Taylor was glaring at her from across the room. It was more of a pout than a glare, but she knew what the girl was doing. The grandmother decided to leave to go to bed, not wanting to know what was going to happen.

"Come here." Alex said.

Taylor turned her head away, and the woman bit the inside of her cheeks to prevent herself from laughing at the girl's behavior.

"Please come here?"

The girl looked over at her, trying to maintain her resolve, but with the look the woman was giving her, she found herself caving in. She sulked her way over to where Alex sat still biting the inside of her cheeks to keep from laughing.

"What?" Taylor said, with her arms crossed under her chest.

Alex caught her around the thighs and held her there while she spoke to her.

"You were and are so...adorable."

"You think so?"

"I know so, remember I am a model. So I think I know what adorable looks like."

Taylor smiled in spite of herself and Alex pulled her down until Taylor had to catch the back of the sofa to keep from falling on her.

"Give me a kiss." Alex said.

"But what about Grammy?"

"What about her?"

"I don’t want her to..."

"She’s gone to bed."

"But ?"

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Then give me my kiss."

"You know your a little on the manipulative side?" Taylor said, and was answered with a swat to her thigh. "OWW! Why did you do that?"

"Because you're keeping me waiting."

"You're pushy too." She said in a rush.

"You want another one?"

"No." She said quickly, as she leaned down to place a sweet kiss on Alex's lips.

When it was time to go, Alex gave the older woman a hug and told her how grateful she was for what she had done for them. She would take care not to hurt Taylor and she also told her that she understood her reservations about the relationship. "Remember what I said."

"Thank you. I will take care of her, and if you ever need anything, just pick up the phone and call."

"You better be careful Alex, my granddaughter may have opened up a flood gate. If you're not careful those companies you take over may think they can actually win against you, now that your "IN LOVE". It’s shining all over you child. You better find a way to cover it in business, but I don't really think I needed to tell you that did I?"

"No Ma'am, you didn’t, but thanks for making sure. We’ll call when we get back."

"All right, I had a great time." The elderly woman said, as she hugged Taylor, and then gave her a bit of advice about how to handle the woman. "Child, listen to her, allow her to teach you, and protect you. She shines the brightest when she sees that you are safe, and happy. And just because I haven’t been verbal about what I think about this, remember what I told you about my hope."

"I will Grammy, you take care of yourself, and don’t let George get too fresh?"

"Ha, he couldn’t do a thing for me even if he managed to get it where it needs to be." She said, shocking Taylor with her language.

"Grammy, we’re going to have to talk about your language. I love you, I'll talk to you soon."

"Okay dear, be safe you two."

The two women then got into the waiting car and waved as they were driven to the airport, where they caught their plane to go home.