A Little Piece of Paradise
By Midgit.
Part 23
It was dark when Tori awoke and for a moment she wondered where she was and who was in her arms. Then she remembered.
Eden had asked her to kiss her. And Tori hadn`t given a second thought before ducking her head and claiming the soft lips of her lover.
"Thank you." Was all Eden could manage when they took a breath. Then the shorter woman found herself turned and lowered to the sofa.
That was a few hours before.
Her grip on the blonde tightened slightly when she felt the young woman begin to wake. "Ssshh. Go back to sleep." She husked into the blonde hair.
And go back to sleep Eden did.
But it was hot. That was something Eden had commented on as Tori had pulled the blonde`s clothes off when they were still in the lounge. The heat of the room was soon forgotten, however, as the two women outdid the thermostat in the heat producing stakes.
Only now did Tori find it a little uncomfortable. Lying beneath the quilt, with the warm, soft, gorgeous body of her lover pressed tightly against her stomach.
She gently pulled her arm from its place providing a pillow for the blonde head, and slipped out of bed.
The controls for the heating were in the kitchen and she made her way quickly there, adjusting the thermostat to a more reasonable level. Then she made a quick trip to the bathroom.
As she came out of the bathroom she heard a noise. She stopped for a moment, listening. She heard it again, sobbing.
Tori rushed into the bedroom to find Eden, her hair in disarray, her eyes darting wildly around the room.
"You left me!" Eden cried between sobs.
Tori eased herself into the bed beside her, gathering the shaking woman into her arms. "Hey there." She said, pulling the blonde close.
"I......, I thought......" Eden couldn`t complete the sentence. Instead she tried to burrow herself into the taller woman`s body.
"Were you dreaming?" Tori asked.
Eden nodded. "You were running....... I couldn`t reach you."
Tori closed her eyes and pressed her lips to the soft blonde hair.
"Then I woke up, and you were.................."
"I was gone." Tori finished for her.
Eden eased herself away so that she could look into the eyes of her lover. She closed her eyes as she felt Tori`s warm fingers gently wipe the tears from her cheeks.
"I`ll never be able to say sorry enough. I`ll never forgive myself." Said Tori sitting back on her heals on the bed.
"Tori, I love you. I know you did what you thought was best for me." She reached for her lover`s chin and tipped her head up so she could see the blue eyes that had haunted her for two months. "We have to go on from here. We have to heal, both of us." Eden sniffed and bowed her head. "I don`t want to go on without you. Don`t send me away."
Tori closed the gap between them and took the blonde into her arms again. "Never," she said. "You came after me. I`m just managing to take it all in. I thought you`d be glad to see the back of me."
Eden snuggled closer to Tori as the tall woman made herself comfortable with her back against the headboard.
"I wanted to die for a while." Eden said and felt Tori`s grip tighten. "Then I started to think about it." She looked up at her companion, taking in the gaunt look. "Everything you did in those few weeks was for me. Defying your father. Giving Damien the heave-ho." Eden smiled. "Risking being beaten to a pulp by queer bashers."
Tori shifted uncomfortably. "And just as we started to come out of the other side of all that, you decided that it was better if you were here. Starving yourself to death in a hothouse."
"I.................." Tori began.
"No, you listen to me Tori Conrad." Eden knelt up, positioning herself between Tori`s long legs and facing her. "No more, ok? No more sacrifices, no more making decisions on your own. I want you." She reached out a hand, caressing Tori`s breast. "Very much. And I think maybe you want me too." She smiled, cocking her head to one side. "Am I right?"
Tori had her eyes closed in concentration.
"Tori?"
"Mmm?"
"Answer the question."
"What question?" The blue eyes were still closed.
"Do you want me?"
"More than the air I breathe." Then the eyes opened and Eden knew her lover was telling the truth.
They stayed like that for a while. Just looking. Taking in the sight of the other. Both coming to terms with the fact that maybe, just maybe they could make things right again.
"Do you really think we can survive this?" Eden asked eventually and resumed her place at Tori`s side.
"You`ve already survived so much." Tori said quietly.
"I`d like to try. I want to know you. Help you when you`re sad, love you when you`re happy. And I do want you to be happy Tori." Eden felt the tense body beside her take in a deep breath.
"I`ve made such a mess of this."
"Yes you have." Said Eden, and snuggled closer. "And some will think I`ve been a fool."
"Most definitely."
"And you know what?"
"What?" Tori looked down at the blonde attached to her side like a limpit.
"I couldn`t give a rat`s ass what other people think."
Tori chuckled and the two women enjoyed a comfortable silence for a while.
"Tori?"
"Mmm?"
"Will you come home with me." Eden held her breath.
"You mean Bath?"
"Yeah. Well, it`s my home. I want you there."
"I........................" Tori`s answer was cut short by the door bell. "Dammit!" Said the tall woman as she eased herself off the bed.
Taking a quick glance at the clock she made her way to the door, pulling a robe on as she went.
She opened the door slightly, then closed it again, releasing the security lock, before opening it completely.
Debby stepped into the hallway.
"You put the lock on." Said the blonde.
"Yeah well.............." Tori shrugged.
"Are you alone?"
Tori shook her head.
"Good, that`s good." Said Debby.
Tori took a breath, obviously about to say something.
"No." Said Debby. "It`s ok. I`m glad. Really. I knew I was up against some pretty hefty opposition.." She turned slightly. "Hi."
Tori looked over her shoulder and saw Eden framed in the doorway, wearing one of the taller woman`s long teeshirts. She held out her arm and Eden fitted herself against her side.
"Debby." Eden began. "Thank you for this."
Debby shrugged and shifted from foot to foot. "So, what`s your plans?"
Tori pulled the blonde tightly against her. Knowing that, at last she`d found her Eden, her little piece of paradise.
"I`m going home," she said.
THE END?
A few words of thanks to those who beta read for me, Junita, on occasion Steph, who was a sort of sounding board. To all those who mailed me with encouragement, especially Bong, Jackie, Steph, Melanie and Carrie.
Thanks to Tragedy88 and Wolfie for posting it on their pages.
Something that started as a kind of experiment to see if I could write a short uber story took nearly a year to complete. But I loved every minute, and made some wonderful friends in the process.
A sequel? Don`t know if a couple of estate agents can have another story squeezed out of them, but you never know.