Chapter 3

Bette arrived in the bedroom moments after Tina had turned on one small lamp to illuminate the room in soft, gentle light. Tina turned around after she heard the door close and the lock click to ensure their privacy. Her eyes locked with Bette’s from across the room while time seemed to stand still. Both women stood staring at one another, captivated by the sight before them. The soft light seemed to caress Tina’s skin where it fell as she still remained standing next to the bedside table.

“Are you sure you’re up to this?” Bette questioned seeing an underlying tiredness in Tina’s eyes.

“I need this.”

Bette walked further into the room and closer to Tina slowly. The only sound that could be heard was that of Bette’s heels meeting the hardwood floor. Tina watched Bette’s movements as she shed her suit jacket, allowing it to fall on the floor, and continued walking toward her.

Tina smiled seeing the flicker of desire in Bette’s dark eyes. She continued to slowly walk toward Tina while Tina’s eyes surveyed the picture before her. Bette was dressed in a white dress shirt, black dress pants, and a higher heel then she normally wore. Suddenly feeling overcome by desire, Tina’s fingers made their way to the row of buttons on her own shirt. She took the top button between her fingers and attempted to slide it through the buttonhole without breaking eye contact with Bette.

“Let me,” Bette said softly as her hands took over where Tina’s had begun.

Tina took this opportunity to rest her hands on Bette’s hips and massage Bette’s hipbones using the pads of her thumbs. When Bette’s hands expertly unbuttoned each button on Tina’s shirt, she spread the two sides away from one another to reveal Tina’s breasts, supported by a lacy white bra.

“You’re so beautiful,” Bette whispered in a seductive voice.

Bette’s hand snaked around Tina’s body to the back of her neck. She grabbed her to hold her still while she brushed her lips against Tina’s in a gentle kiss. The kiss began as a gentle one, a familiar one; it provided a reassurance to both women of their love. Their lips were gentle against one another’s until Tina’s hands found Bette’s back. She yanked on her shirt to free it from her dress pants and snaked her hands inside it, gently tickling the skin on Bette’s back.

Bette moaned and deepened the kiss, her mouth parting, her tongue darting out searching for entrance into Tina’s mouth. Tina’s fingers dug into Bette’s back pulling her closer into her own body.

Bette walked them backward the few steps it took to have Tina’s back pressed up against the wall. Tina spread her legs further apart so that Bette could step closer into her, rubbing her body against Tina’s.

Tina removed her hands from Bette’s back and snaked them into Bette’s curly hair. She played with the hair near the nape of Bette’s neck eliciting a moan breaking the silence of the night.

Tina yanked at the front of Bette’s shirt, desperate to be closer to her, fueled by the soft moans escaping Bette’s throat. Bette backed up and locked eyes with Tina. Both women were struggling to breathe, their breasts rising and falling quickly as they took in desperately needed air.

Tina’s eyes remained locked with Bette’s as Bette unbuttoned her shirt and discarded it quickly. She stepped forward once more, tracing the lacy pattern of Tina’s bra against her skin. Tina bit her lower lip as breathing normal became impossible due to her arousal.

When Tina reached out to touch Bette’s breasts, Bette dodged her hands and pinned them against the wall above her head.

“First you,” Bette said, desperate to provide Tina pleasure.

Bette felt a surge of confidence, one that had been missing throughout the recent days given her struggling career. She needed reassurance of her role, her place in one of the facets of her life. With one failing, the others became something Bette needed desperately to succeed in.

Tina moaned as Bette went down on her knees so Tina’s stomach was eye level. Tina ran her hands behind Bette’s head and held it, her breathing coming in shallow gasps. Bette’s lips touched Tina’s stomach just below the under wire of her bra. She smiled as Tina’s abdomen muscles flinched and her hands began to shake with need. Bette placed another kiss lower on Tina’s stomach and one lower still. Tina’s response was simply to throw her head back. Unable to continue to keep her eyes open and focus on Bette, she surrendered to the moment and asked for what she needed.

“The bed,” Tina pleaded. “The bed Bette.”

Bette kissed her way back up Tina’s stomach to the valley between her breasts. Although her breasts were still covered, there was no mistaking Tina’s reaction to Bette’s touch near her breasts. Bette kissed upward to the sensitive part of Tina’s neck, taking a moment and nipping at the skin there. Tina’s eyes rolled back in her head as she allowed her head to fall to the side, desperate to be closer to Bette.

Bette’s lips, once again, met Tina’s but this time with a hunger for more. Her tongue thrust into Tina’s mouth as her hand, once again, grabbed the back of Tina’s neck. Bette’s tongue licked the roof of Tina’s mouth until she broke the kiss to take a much-needed breath. The break didn’t last long as she began kissing Tina’s swollen lips again. While kissing her, Bette walked backward guiding Tina forward to comply with Tina’s request to move to the bed. Their progress was halted when the back of Bette’s legs hit the bed and she sat down, staring up at Tina.

“Move back toward the pillows Babe,” Tina said with a husky voice.

Bette pushed herself back and allowed her head to fall onto the pillows near the headboard. She smiled as Tina crawled on all fours onto the bed, feeling a sense of power at now being in the dominant position above Bette’s body.

Tina held Bette’s wrists as they rested on the pillows above her head. She leaned down and brushed her lips against Bette’s, becoming aware of her body’s reaction to the intimate moment.

Tina’s nipples were throbbing against the strained fabric of her bra. She began to grind her hips subtly into Bette’s pubic bone even though they both were still wearing their pants. As Tina continued to kiss Bette, she brought her hands to Tina’s back and expertly unfastened her bra, pushing the two ends down so that it was now caught between their bodies. Bette rolled to one side, grabbing the bra held between them, and discarding it on the floor quickly.

Tina stopped kissing Bette momentarily as they gazed into each other’s eyes. Both women were panting through parted lips. A few drops of perspiration formed on Bette’s upper lip catching Tina’s attention. She smiled as she bent her head down and licked them off, experiencing the salty taste of Bette’s perspiration.

Tina moaned slightly as her nipples rubbed against the fabric of Bette’s bra, still covering her breasts. Tina felt Bette’s fingertips gently tickle the skin on her back before moving down her sides and to the front of her pants.

Tina barely heard the snap unfasten over her pounding heart. Bette’s hands began to work Tina’s pants down over her hips to a point where she could kick them off herself. Tina reached down and unzipped her boots, kicking those off and onto the ground, before working her pants down the rest of the way until they were also on the floor. Tina suddenly felt vulnerable, clad only in her skimpy thong while Bette was almost completely clothed.

“I need to feel you,” Tina whispered against Bette’s lips.

The desperation in Tina’s voice is what rang in Bette’s ear more then the words. She rolled over so Tina was underneath her and pushed herself up so she was straddling Tina’s stomach. She unfastened her bra and threw it to the side. She smiled at the breath that caught in Tina’s throat at the sight of her hardened nipples.

Bette leaned in to kiss Tina once more. Her nipples rubbing against Tina’s was quickly driving Bette toward the edge of ecstasy. She moved her hips so her pubic bone was grinding against Tina’s, eliciting a moan from deep within Tina’s throat.

Tina dug her fingers into Bette’s strong thigh as she used her leg to rub against Tina’s center seductively. Tina moved her hand from the side of Bette’s thigh to grab Bette’s behind in an effort to deepen the contact. She turned her head to the side to take in as much air as she could before Bette’s lips once again claimed hers.

Bette slid her hand between them and sought out Tina’s center. She gently touched Tina’s thigh urging her to part them further to assist her in her quest to bring Tina pleasure. Her fingertip gently brushed over Tina’s hardened clit causing Tina to arch her body up toward Bette and gasp at Bette’s touch.

Bette moved her finger down gliding it through Tina’s folds. A frown crossed Bette’s face as her finger wasn’t gliding as easily as it usually did. Tina opened her eyes once Bette’s finger stopped moving, alarmed that she had stopped.

“What’s wrong Babe?” Bette asked breathless.

“What?” Tina struggled to process Bette’s question through the sexual haze that clouded her head.

“You’re not as wet as you usually are,” Bette said quietly. “Are you ok?”

“God yes,” Tina leaned up and aggressively kissed Bette to urge her to continue to touch her. “Just don’t stop.”

Bette’s finger, once again, began to massage Tina’s clit back and forth as a means to stimulate her and make her wet. Tina’s fingers were digging into Bette’s skin anywhere on her body that she could touch. She dug her fingers into Bette’s butt cheeks pulling her closer as her hips rose to meet Bette’s and apply pressure exactly where she needed it.

Bette kissed Tina harder as she dragged her finger once again to Tina’s center. She was wetter then before, but still not up to her normal state of arousal.

“Babe?” Bette pulled back to look into Tina’s eyes.

Bette felt a dreaded sense of insecurity creeping into the pit of her stomach as Tina opened her eyes and met her gaze.

“What?”

“Honey,” Bette began carefully and lovingly. “You’re not as aroused as you usually are. What’s going on? Are you ok?”

“Nothing,” Tina said as her nipples ached. “I want you.”

“Everything is telling me that but your body,” Bette said lovingly. “Tell me what you need to get you as wet as you usually are.”

“I don’t know,” Tina’s eyes filled up with tears.

Tina blinked and a stream of tears escaped her eye and ran down the side of her face and onto the pillow.

“No,” Bette pleaded as she wiped the tear away. “No crying Babe, just talk to me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What for?” Bette stroked the side of Tina’s face lovingly.

“I want you so badly. I don’t know why I’m not as wet as I usually am.”

“It’s ok,” Bette smiled at Tina lovingly. “We’ll try different things to get you there.”

“God,” Tina became frustrated and angry with herself. “I feel like such a failure…”

Tina’s voice trailed off as Bette kissed her lips gently. She brushed Tina’s hair back and placed several small kisses on her cheeks and forehead.

“Tell me what you need T.”

“You,” Tina responded quickly.

“You have me,” Bette reassured her. “Tell me what physically you need to make you wet.”

“Talking like that helps.”

“It does huh?” Bette said close enough to Tina’s ear so that she could feel Bette’s breath caress her skin. “What if I kiss my way down….”

Tina moaned her approval of the direction the conversation was beginning to take.

“And I lick your stomach, blowing cold air as I continue moving down your body…”

Bette proceeded to demonstrate the picture that her words painted moments before. She licked her way down Tina’s stomach and then followed the same path blowing cold air over Tina’s damp skin.

Tina parted her legs further as Bette settled between them desperate to raise Tina’s level of arousal. Bette kissed the inside of Tina’s thigh, struggling to hold her own arousal back to please Tina. She licked Tina’s skin, coupled with kisses, as she progressed toward Tina’s center.

“Please Bette,” Tina begged attempting to grab Bette’s hair and direct her to where she wanted her mouth the most.

Bette took her time as she slowly licked her lips, anticipating the taste of her wife. She parted Tina’s damp folds and slowly touched the tip of her tongue to Tina’s center. Tina responded with a moan and burying her head in the pillows at the top of the bed. Her head thrashed side to side as her thighs shook. Bette hooked her arms around Tina’s thighs to hold them still, causing Tina to beg in a husky voice for more.

“Please Babe.”

Bette took Tina’s clit in her mouth and began to suck on it. She alternated between sucking and holding Tina’s hardened clit in her teeth while she ran her tongue over it quickly.

Tina arched, biting her arm to stop herself from crying out while Angelica was just down the hallway. Bette continued to suck on Tina’s clit as she reached out to drag her finger through Tina’s folds to determine how aroused she was. Again, she was more aroused, but not dripping as she usually would be.

Bette’s attention was quickly diverted as Tina’s body began to shake and Bette now felt her arousal seeping out of her drenched lips. It had taken some time, but Bette’s insecurity faded quickly relishing in Tina’s arousal.

“Come for me Baby,” Bette whispered as she took Tina’s clit into her mouth once more. Tina’s fingers yanked at the sheets on the bed, desperate to hold on as her orgasm ripped through her quickly.

“Bette,” Tina tugged at Bette to get her to stop her manipulations on her sensitive clit. “I can’t take anymore Babe.”

Bette crawled up Tina’s body and wiped her mouth before kissing Tina gently on the lips. Bette wiped a bead of sweat that traveled down Tina’s neck as Tina struggled to keep her eyes open.

“Babe,” Tina began to stroke Bette’s back loving the feel of her bare skin. “I want to make love to you.”

Bette chuckled at Tina’s dreamy voice knowing how exhausted Tina would be given her lack of sleep coupled with what she had just experienced.

“Babe,” Bette rolled on her back and cuddled Tina in her arms while rubbing her sweat drenched back. “I’d rather just hold you while you sleep.”

“Uh huh,” Tina muttered as she struggled to stay awake.

“Shhh,” Bette rubbed Tina’s back as she also closed her eyes feeling exhausted. “Just close your eyes Babe.”

Tina drifted off quickly while Bette kept her eyes closed, but had difficulty shutting her mind off. She listened to Tina’s even breathing, a sign that she was fast asleep, and reached down to cover them with the sheet and blanket on the bed.

Bette’s mind now began to race as she stared at the ceiling fan above them. The insecurity she pushed away earlier seemed to be rearing it’s ugly head once more as she thought about Tina’s lack of reaction to her touch. Bette bit her bottom lip as she listened to Tina breathing next to her, an arm draped over Bette’s body to offer a security that wasn’t helping.

‘Why wasn’t she as aroused as she normally is’ ran through Bette’s mind over and over. Bette was happy that, even in the moment, she was attentive enough to notice and not push Tina before she was ready for things to escalate. Bette even smiled thinking about how they had worked through it, communication and understanding being key elements to that success. However, the lack of reaction still remained and caused her heartache.

Bette tossed around bouncing Tina’s arm off her body. She stirred in her sleep, but settled down closer to Bette’s body then before rather quickly. Bette let out the breath she had been holding, trying to remain still so Tina could get as much sleep as she could.

‘Why isn’t Tina sleeping well’ was the next thought that ran through Bette’s mind. She was tired enough where she should be able to drift off rather easily, as well as stay asleep throughout the entire night. Bette had no logical answer and had given up begging Tina to make a doctor’s appointment or take one of her Xanax that she had given up years ago.

Bette’s thoughts shot to her professional life, the struggle to keep the gallery out of financial trouble. She had been a successful gallery owner once before, but this time was different. The industry had taken different directions, demanding more, more that she was unwilling to give with her family being her main priority.

‘Bette you can have it all’ kept running through her head in the various voices that had said that exact statement throughout her life. The voices ranged from her father, to Kit, to her friends, and certainly Tina. She pondered that statement because her life had now become a living testament that it was not possible to have it all, something always would be sacrificed along the way.

Bette became restless, laying in bed was certainly not going to bring her success on any level. She looked over at Tina to ensure she was asleep and then at the clock to gauge how long she had been settled. It had been almost an hour giving Bette a sense of security that she could get out of bed and likely Tina would remain asleep. She inched her way toward the edge of the bed without Tina even moving. Bette carefully placed Tina’s arm on the bed as she scooted off and stood next to the bed waiting to see if Tina would react to her not being next to her. When none came, she bent down and picked her shirt up off the floor and put it back on.

She slowly walked to the door and unlocked it, opening it just enough to slip through it, and shutting it again quietly. She journeyed to the kitchen where she grabbed a glass and poured herself a glass of wine, opting to sit outside and enjoy the cooler night. She grabbed her briefcase intent on catching up on her reading material. The light from the kitchen was shining just bright enough to offer some light to the patio to enable Bette to see.

She pulled out some glossy catalogs, along with current issues of several art magazines, and scattered them between her open legs on the chaise lounger where she sat. She thumbed through the first several, folding corners of pages to mark those she wanted to visit again tomorrow as she worked to book her next show. Once she had looked at all the glossy catalogs she brought home, she picked up the latest edition of “Art World” and thumbed through the pages.

Bette’s mind began to wander to earlier events that night. She blinked back a few tears thinking back to Tina’s reaction, or lack thereof, to her touch. That had never happened before and Bette was beginning to worry about Tina and her health.

She turned another page as she heard the door behind her slide open and quickly close. She turned around and saw Tina, in a robe, walking toward her on the patio.

“What are you doing up Babe?” Bette asked.

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“Even with how exhausted you are?” Tina pushed. “Did you try?”

“Yes I did,” Bette laughed. “You shouldn’t be up though. What’s going on?”

“Can’t sleep once again.”

“Why?” Bette pulled Tina down to sit on the lounger with her and lean back in her arms.

“I’m not sure.”

“Maybe you should go see a doctor?”

“Bette,” Tina mocked. “I’m not seeing anyone because I can’t sleep for a few days.”

“It’s been a week Babe.”

“We’ll see,” Tina said relaxing in Bette’s arms. “What are you looking at?”

“Possibilities for new shows,” Bette said casually.

“You coming in soon?”

“I’ll be there in a few minutes Babe,” Bette answered. “Just close your eyes and try to relax to fall back asleep.”

Bette waited until Tina went back inside before resuming her perusal of the reading material laying in front of her. She flipped through a few more pages in the magazine before a pair of eyes caught her attention. It was an article on Megan Freedman.

Bette’s eyes skimmed the article confirming that Megan had moved her studio to Italy, but kept a residence in New York for her visits back to the United States.

“If you live in New York,” Bette muttered to herself. “Why did you end up at my gallery?”

Bette tucked the magazine back into her briefcase before picking up the rest of the material. The question would likely keep until the morning when, if she knew Megan, she’d show up once more to shake the foundation in Bette’s life.

“Bigger fish to fry,” Bette muttered to herself making her way inside the house. “Megan is the least of your concerns Bette.”