Part 6 (1/2)

She opened her lips and was overjoyed when the sweet fullness of Cory's tongue glided past with slow, deliberate strokes. Helen could taste lemon and honey from Cory's tea.

Is this so difficult, Helen? Feel the energy. It swirls around you. She feeds you, this woman who is so alive in your arms. Let go, Helen.

Helen coiled her arms slowly around Cory. She pulled her closer and not close enough. Cory stroked Helen's back, her sides, the back of her neck. She pressed against Helen. b.r.e.a.s.t.s to b.r.e.a.s.t.s, Helen thought she would stop breathing. In a panic, she pushed away. A wet smacking sounded between them and Cory's eyes fluttered open.

”I'm sorry,” Helen said. Her body trembled. Before Cory could respond, with what Helen hoped would be a word or two of rea.s.surance, the moment was shattered.

Pop! Pop pop! Pop! A kernel hit Cory in the face, another whizzed between them, and then a sudden barrage of the tiny treats hurled themselves toward them. Helen laughed when one stuck to Cory's lips.

”The cover!” Cory shrieked, pointing to the basket cover propped against the hearth. ”Quickly!”

In a fit of laughter, Helen lunged for the top, only to drop it into the fire when she tried placing it over the pan of projectiles. ”d.a.m.n it. Now what?”

”Duck.” Cory laughed and eagerly placed some popped morsels into her mouth.

Helen scooped a handful from the carpet and threw it at Cory. ”You're a lot of help.” The barrage continued until she placed the screen in front of the wholegrain attack. ”Oh G.o.d.” She waved her hand, trying to rid her s.p.a.ce of the stench of burning popcorn. ”That's the worst smell ever.”

Glancing at the avalanche that surrounded them, Cory continued to eat happily. She pointed to Helen's sleeve. The loose fibers of her sweater had created a Velcro effect and Helen's left side was nearly covered with popcorn. Cory reached over and plucked a few of those pieces off. She ate those, too.

”You look lovely in white,” Cory said. ”You'll make a stunning bride.”

Helen sat back, shook her head, and sighed. ”Ten thousand unemployed comedians and I get you.” She scooped another handful of the popcorn and tossed it at Cory.

Cory's kiss blasted her into a physically unstable realm. The kiss had been of nuclear proportions, with no time given to question its authority. Fission had neared fusion, and surely she'd have become liquid if the kiss had continued.

”Do you want to talk about it?” Cory asked, a grin still on her face.

”About what? Popcorn or my rampant hormones?” She pulled the popcorn from her sweater and Cory a.s.sisted.

”I don't regret kissing you.” She popped a few pieces of the corn into Helen's accepting mouth. ”Let's consider it a prelude.” She brushed the final pieces away from the sweater.

Some prelude. Would her finale be as strong? Would her hands execute the silvery notes of romance and cause Helen's body to scream the pa.s.sion of a ballad? Maybe her lovemaking would be endless?

There it is. There's the romantic side of you.

Helen blushed. ”I just need to slow down.”

”Understandable.” Cory playfully flicked a piece of popcorn from the floor and toward her. ”Why don't we clean up this mess?”

Cory waited by the opened window when Helen returned from putting away the vacuum.

”Come here,” she said over her shoulder. ”I want to show you something. Turn out the light.”

Helen turned off the light and joined her. ”I'm game.” She leaned on the windowsill.

Cory pointed into the night sky. ”Between the roof across the street and that big star, can you see the tiny constellation? It's like a little kite.”

Helen blocked the city light with her hand. ”Yes, barely. I can see seven stars.”

”It's called Delphinus. It's simple to our eyes, but if you look at the same constellation with a small telescope, you can see hundreds of stars within. They're actually beyond it. It's breathtaking if you don't expect it.”

”But when you look again it loses l.u.s.ter.” Helen sounded disappointed.

”But you have choices,” Cory said. ”Don't look at it ever again and remember its effect, or always look at it as though it were the first time.”

”Or get a stronger telescope and look deeper,” Helen said.

”Very good.” She nudged her. ”You're an explorer.”

”More like a nosy journalist.” Helen gave her a quizzical look. ”Is there a moral to your story?”

”There are surprises in life and what we do with their effect is entirely up to us.” Cory looked at her watch. ”It's getting late.”

Her response sounded cryptic, but Helen was about to make a choice without giving it or the stars a second thought. She pressed a kiss to Cory's shoulder and then looked into her eyes. ”I want to see you again.”

”Is tomorrow too soon? Come for brunch.”

Cory jotted her address on a piece of paper and Helen slipped it into her wallet. At the door, she faltered. How do you say good night when you've just met, yet shared a kiss with enough pa.s.sion to erupt popcorn? Or so it seemed.

”Good night,” Helen said as she hugged Cory.

”See you tomorrow.”

Chapter Seven.

Tucson called the following morning. Helen pushed her morning coffee away and leaned back into her chair. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard.

”What do you mean you're on your way to Seattle?”

”We decided to sublet the apartment. We've packed a few essentials and we'll get what we need when we find a place to live.”

”Can you stop here first? I want to see you and Pete.”

”No, honey, we're already in Pittsburgh.”

”d.a.m.n it. You said we'd get together.”

”I know. I'm sorry, Helen.”

Their abrupt departure disturbed her, but she couldn't stop them from leaving. At least they weren't dying and would be a phone call away. Without asking, she knew he'd be back in town for an occasional function. If they were happy, she was happy, too.

”I'll miss you, Tucson. Call me, okay?”