Merry Christmas
by
Click.
"Alright, Becca, all done." Tracey lowered her camera as the model straightened and dropped the smile she'd held for the pictures.
"Great." Rotating her neck, Becca stretched to reduce the tension in her shoulders. "Could you…?" She turned and indicated the zipper in the back of the dress and the fastener at the top.
"Oh…" Tracey moved forward. "Sure." She unhooked the fastener then pulled the zipper down, enough for Becca to easily remove the dress once she got into the privacy of the dressing room.
"Thanks." Becca's smile returned.
Both women jumped as a low voice rolled from the darkness behind the lights.
"Leave you alone for two days and you're already undressing beautiful women."
Tracey stiffened for a moment. "Serves you right."
Kim wrapped long arms around Tracey's waist. "I know." She'd experienced a surge of jealousy when she saw Tracey unzipping the woman's dress, "Forgive me?"
Residual anger melted as Tracey savored the feel of the tall body pressed against her. Relieved to have her lover home, she sighed. "Don't I always?" She watched Becca enter the dressing room then focused entirely on Kim.
"Mmmmm…" Kim nibbled on a convenient ear. "All done here?"
Tracey nodded as Kim released her hold. "Almost."
Kim lounged in an overstuffed chair and watched Tray straighten up the studio.
"I've got models coming in tomorrow, then, this section will be complete." Tracey shook her head; the irony was not lost on her. Imagine, her, doing bridal magazine photo shoots. Even if it did, one day, become legal, Kim wouldn't take that step, would she?
"Tomorrow?" Kim narrowed her eyes. "You're working on Christmas Eve?"
"Since when do you care about Christmas?" Tracey tilted her head waiting. The dumb fight they'd had over putting up a tree was why they'd been apart for two days.
Kim shook thoughts of the fight out of her dark head and acknowledged quietly, "You know I don't, but, I know you do."
Tracey shrugged. "Wasn't sure you'd be back."
"oh, right." Kim sighed quietly, chastising herself. I should've at least called…
"Just two models, in the morning." Tracey ran her fingers through her short blonde hair. "Won't take long." She waved bye to Becca, now casually dressed, as she walked through the studio toward the exit. "Thanks."
Becca nodded and smiled as she pushed through the exit door. "See ya."
Tracey did a quick scan of the studio, satisfied things were in order. She turned her attention to Kim, climbing into the chair, knees pressed against the back, straddling her lover's lanky body. Leaning forward, she buried her face in the curve of Kim's neck and whispered, "I missed you." Long arms, once again, surrounded her.
"I missed you, too." Kim leaned her head back on the chair, giving Tracey free access to her neck; reveling in the feel of the younger woman's soft lips on the offered flesh.
Pushing aside some strands of dark hair, Tracey's lips found Kim's ear and whispered, "Let's go home."
"Tray…" Kim chuckled. "We are home." I am home.
Tracey smiled against Kim's soft skin. "Nope…that's home." She glanced suspiciously at the door opposite the one Becca had exited. "How long have you been back anyway?"
Kim grinned slyly. "Long enough."
Tracey tried to guess what was going on behind the sparkling blue eyes that held her gaze. "Sooooo…. There's a fire going…"
The dark head nodded.
"And….a bottle of wine chilling…."
Another nod.
Tracey's eyes narrowed as she studied Kim's pensive but smug expression. "And?"
"And." Kim stood, grinning as Tracey's legs automatically wrapped around her waist. "Come with me."
One eyebrow rose as Tracey's indicated their position. "I have a choice?"
Kim tapped noses with Tracey. "No." She carried the smaller woman through the door that led to their living area. She held her breath, and exhaled softly at Tracey's reaction to the surprise. She let the stunned woman slowly slide her feet to the floor, and released her.
"Kim?" Tracey blinked at the twinkling lights surrounding the five-foot tree that had suddenly appeared in the corner of their living room. She walked over to touch the branches and prove to herself it was real.
"I'm sorry…about the fight...about leaving. It was stupid." Kim moved up behind Tracey. She wrapped her arms around the smaller woman's shoulders and gently kissed her neck. "I thought we could decorate it tomorrow."
Turning in the embrace, Tracey circled her arms around Kim's waist and squeezed her tightly. "That sounds wonderful." She continued the embrace, but turned her head to look at the tree, amazed. "Where'd you…"
"There's a place… near Gram's." Kim rested her cheek on the top of Tracey's head. How could I have ever doubted this…her…us?
"Is that where you went?" Tracey's imagination had run wild regarding the possible places Kim could have gone after their fight. I should've known. "How is she?"
"She's good." Kim pursed her lips then spoke quietly. "I… um… talked to her… told her…" She could feel the smaller woman's eyes widening.
"About?"
"Me…you… us." Kim shifted her hands now linked behind Tracey's back, losing herself, finding herself, in the vivid green upturned eyes. "Gram helped me figure out a lot of stuff." She swallowed hard, finding the courage to continue. "I want you to be happy."
"I am…"
Kim quickly kissed away the protest. "I realize that….and… I… want to keep making you happy…always…" She slowly lowered to one knee.
Tracey barely remembered to breathe. Is she… "Uh…are you... asking…?"
Trembling, Kim reached under the tree, producing a small box. She opened it and lifted it for Tracey to see. "Will you….please, marry me?"
"Yes," Tracey whispered. "God, yes," holding out her shaking hand. She smiled as the cool metal warmed quickly against her skin. "I love you, Kim."
"You're the love of my life." Kim kissed her fianc, lightly. "Merry Christmas, Tracey."
Tracey smiled, picturing herself in the dress Becca had modeled. "Merry Christmas."
Story by: Gin
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