20 comments/ 59686 views/ 64 favorites A Riverboat Encounter By: Alex the Cat Avery Johnson lived in Mexico. No...this story does not take place south of the border where the tequila is ingested like water, and almost anything can happen. This story begins in a small, almost unknown town in the north east part of the state of Missouri. Nestled between the acres of corn, wheat, farms and forest is Mexico. In a rather ancient two-bedroom farmhouse, Avery co-habitated with her cousin Sandy, and Sandy's husband Joshua Cunningham. Avery was in her mid-twenties, and enjoyed living a free-spirited life. She only had a few friends, but she wasn't close to any of them. Only her cousin has been her best friend ever since they lived together when Avery was six years old, and her mother died from kidney failure. Avery worked as a waitress and part-time barkeep at Little Woody's Bar and Restaurant. She found herself to be rather bored with her life, and more than not, very bored with her sometimes boyfriend Mark Andrews. This is why he was a "sometimes" boyfriend: she had been with him for about a year, and there were times that she just didn't understand why. When she took the time to think about it long enough, she realized more and more that he literally didn't do anything for her. He didn't challenge her mind. He didn't encourage, or support her to be a better person. He just didn't stimulate her at all. And yet all in all, she continued to hang out with him --- that is how bored she felt. The short blonde finished wiping down the counter top for the upteenth time in the past hour as another regular walked away with his drink in hand. Leaning her forearms against the bar, she wondered if she would ever get out of this one horse town and do something exciting, meet someone stimulating, or just do something with her life. Mark strolled up to the bar, bringing her out of her reverie as plopped down onto the stool in front of her, and said, "Hey, let me have a Bud." She rolled her eyes at him as she begrudgingly got him the requested beverage. "Hey, what do think about driving up to Hannibal this weekend?" He nonchalantly asked. Looking at him with skeptical wide green eyes, she was about to question if he was really talking to her. "Are you serious?" "Yeah, why not. We'll get on the riverboat and see some of the sights. You always say you're tired of this place. So I figured we should go." With a squint in her gaze, and folded arms across her chest, she asked, "And what is really your agenda for wanting to be in Hannibal this weekend?" "What?" he asked as he tried to feign innocence. "Oh, don't give me that, 'what?' crap. You never want to go anywhere except to the bar. So, out with it." He stroked the bottleneck with his thumb, while averting her gaze. Clearing his throat, he said, "Tommy, at the shop, was talking about the riverboat gambling and how great it was, and that the last time he went, he came home with triple than what he left with. He said this weekend there was going to be a big poker game and the stakes were high." "And you believe Tommy even when you've known him to be a compulsive liar for the past five years?" she questioned somewhat harshly. "Look, I'm willing to take that chance. Tommy's a good friend, and if he said it's great out there, then I want to take a shot at it." He finally looked into her eyes, and putting on his best soft and sappy look, he asked, "Don't you wanna go with me?" He reached out his rough and dirty car greased hand to grab hers. "We can have a really good time. Plus, when was the last time we ever did anything new and different?" An amber eyebrow rose up her forehead. She knew Mark long enough to know that even though he asked her, this trip wasn't going to be memorable and fun unless she made it that way. With an audible sigh, she conceded to his request. ********** Dakoda Lanning spent her summers in Hannibal, MO working as a bartender on the Tom Sawyer riverboat tour. When she was not in Hannibal, she occupied her time at the University of Missouri in Columbia as professor of Art History. Being a local to Columbia, Dakoda was very knowledgeable of all the beauty that her home state had to offer. Never one for being idle, she enjoyed busying herself all year around. So working two jobs was definitely not stressful for her. The bartending job made for great temporary and short-term work whenever she wanted it; and it made it possible for her to do it wherever she wanted. ********** Friday early evening rolled around, and Mark and Avery arrived at the bed and breakfast that she booked for them. Before Avery had the chance to settle into the room, Mark was itching to get on with the gambling. "Come on Avery, we don't need to spend time unpacking anything. We're only going to be here for the weekend. Why are you settling in like you're going to be here for a couple of weeks?" She spun around with angry sea green eyes, and stated clearly, "Look, I put up with you talking about nothing but gambling the whole way here. This is my first time being somewhere new and different, and I want to enjoy it as much as possible. Now if that means doing things alone while you're busy with your stupid poker game, then so be it." She turned her back on him without a further word. "Fine," he yelled. Grabbing his room key, he slammed the door as he stomped out. Avery sighed and shook her head. She knew he was being an asshole as usual, so she was glad when he took off. She had come to learn some time ago that it was better for them to part ways when either one of them was angry because by not doing so only made things worse. ********** Dakoda stepped onto the beautiful, large red and white riverboat. She had fifteen minutes before she had to be ready behind the bar, as the boat was about to take off for the next tour. With a smirk and a nod, she gave her bartending co-worker and friend, Joe, a low-five smack on the hand as she passed him in the hallway while heading towards her locker. She grabbed her black vest from the hanger, threw it on, and then proceeded to wrap the bow tie around her neck as she peered into the small mirror on the inside of her locker door. With everything in place, and her jet black shoulder length hair pulled back into a ponytail, she shut the locker door and headed to the main room. ********* Avery thought about taking a leisurely walk around town, and perhaps entertain the idea of some window shopping. She knew it was going to be quite some time before she saw him again. Even though he would often become such a jerk, she did convince herself time and again that he was at least a decent friend when he wanted to be and it was nice to have someone to go out with on occasion. Glancing at herself momentarily in the mirror, she said, "You are here to have a good time, and meet new people, so go do it." She slightly chuckled at herself, and just shook off all thoughts of what happened beforehand. Avery decided to take a quick shower to freshen up. She had taken out a sheer sleeveless olive blouse, and a burnt sienna skirt; and then proceeded to towel dry her shaggy strawberry blonde shoulder length hair. Low black heels, a silver necklace with Celtic knot pendant, and an intricately knotted silver band on her left wrist completed her ensemble. She looked at herself with a pleasing eye in the full-length mirror. Her black satin bra was showing beautifully and subtly through the blouse. The whole package made Avery feel rather sexy. Grabbing her small black leather purse, she left the room, and on her way to new adventures. Some of the streets in Hannibal were still cobblestone, and it made Avery smile when her heels clicked on them. The street lanterns were beginning to glow as the sun made its slow decent in the western sky. There were dozens and dozens of tourists walking around, going in and out of all the shops. There were families with children laughing and eating ice cream, sitting on the various benches that lined the sidewalks. A pleasant and refreshing summer evening breeze gently blew across Avery's exposed arms and legs. She smiled at how quaint and beautifully historic the town appeared. Visiting a few of the shops, she lingered in one particular antique shop, and enjoyed a lovely little chat with the gentleman sitting in a rocker behind the counter. It wasn't long before Avery got hungry, and began looking for an interesting place to eat. A short distance ahead, she saw an elderly couple selling hot roasted nuts from a little vending cart. She stopped and asked where a good place to eat would be within walking distance. The couple both smiled, and the gentleman heartily pointed behind the buildings just over Avery's shoulder. "Dinner on the riverboat is mighty nice around these parts, miss," he said with a deep and soft voice. "They have live music, and ya get ta ride down the Mississippi for a ways," added the woman with a shimmering smile. "Thank you very much," Avery answered. "I think that sounds wonderful." "Just keep walking down yonder, and turn right at what looks like the next intersection. You'll see the dock right there." "Thanks again. Have a good evening," she addressed them, as she walked away. Avery purchased a ticket for the dinner tour in the little shop located right at the dock. The posted sign in front of the shop indicated to all passersby that the riverboat tours began with the ticket purchase, and it also displayed the scheduled times for the tours. The young blonde felt a sense of exhilaration, as if this night was going to be filled with excitement and adventure, as she stepped onto the outside deck of the massive boat. She went ahead and followed the other passengers who were filing into the main dining room area. The riverboat was exquisitely refurbished. Everything from the woodwork on the railings to the detail of the lighting fixtures and the painted borders along the walls was worked on and restored perfectly. There was a large crowd now that gathered into the dining room area. It appeared the boat was going to be full for this tour. Since Avery was on board by herself, the cruise Director had kindly asked her if she wouldn't mind sharing a table. Grateful she wouldn't be eating dinner alone; she gladly took a seat at a table with three women who were celebrating a birthday. She was happy to listen to them tell stories of all the crazy things they've done together over the years. During the course of the dinner, Avery couldn't help but notice a particularly intriguing and radiant individual tending the bar. Every once in a while she would glance over at this tall bartender who was working gracefully with each drink order. At first glance, it just didn't strike the young blonde that the bartender was female until she saw the beautiful smile and the sparkling eyes. She also was beginning to notice that she continued to glance towards the statuesque beauty more and more often. By the time dessert arrived, Avery had a desire to meet this striking stranger. She couldn't help but find the woman to be so attractive, and yet Avery wasn't sure what she was feeling. She wasn't clueless to the whole gay scene, and she did have her share of a couple of women who have asked her out; but never before has she experienced a warm fuzziness inside of her. As she continued her now open gaze, there was no other word she could form in her mind for this stranger except handsome. Yes, this woman...this female was extremely handsome with her high cheekbones, chiseled features, and Grecian nose. She was definitely not feminine looking yet had enough femininity in her features to make it clear she was a woman. Avery knew she had an attraction to women, especially after the experience in her first year at college when she experimented with her roommate's best friend. She fingered her pendant as she thought about that experience from a couple of years ago, and began to wonder if the reason she wasn't able to find the "right guy" is because she was really wanting a woman. One of the women at the table leaned over towards the young blonde, and said, "She sure is something to look at, huh?" The words brought Avery out of her thoughts of the past. Looking a little puzzled at the older woman, she began to smile when she saw the woman giving her a knowing smile in return. "Yes, she is very striking." "Why don't you go on up and order a drink, and start chatting with her?" The woman asked. Avery smiled with some embarrassment. "Oh, I don't think I've got the guts for that." "Well, you should give it a try. You can't always wait around for someone else to take the first step." The older woman casually stated with a wink. ************ When the tour began, Dakoda was in the process of serving up a few beers when she saw the short young strawberry blonde sit down amongst the other women at the table nearby. During the course of the night she also noticed that the beautiful young woman had been stealing glances her way. At first she didn't think much of it, until she saw the blonde begin to stare more often. In return, Dakoda felt inclined to steal just as many glances, but she also knew she had to concentrate on the customers ordering drinks. Inwardly though, she smiled and hoped that she might somehow have the opportunity to meet the beautiful woman who had caught her eye. At the end of dinner, as the waiters began picking up the dessert and coffee dishes, Dakoda came up with an idea. She grabbed a tall slender glass, filled it with ice, and began mixing a drink to pour inside. Inserting a purple straw into the glass, she placed three maraschino cherries on the top of the concoction, and smiled with satisfaction. "Hey Joe, I'll be right back," she announced to her co-worker. "Yeah, okay. I've got you covered." He responded as he took the next order that came from a regular who just walked up to the bar. With the drink ready, Dakoda made her way over to the table where the young blonde sat fingering her napkin and watching couples dance to the live band playing. As the glass was set down on the table, Avery momentarily held her breath, almost in fear, as she watched the graceful hand release the cold drink. She followed that hand as it returned to the side of the long lanky body that stood before her. Avery's vision moved up the body, steadily stopping as it reached the angular features of the bartender's face. Soon eyes were riveted to one another --- sapphire blue and emerald green --- slowly getting lost in the hypnotic gaze they saw reflected back at them. After what seemed like minutes, Dakoda finally said, "I thought you might enjoy a drink." A small smile played upon her lips at those last two words. "That's rather kind of you." Avery commented, and then asked, "Do you normally hand drinks to strangers?" Dakoda looked at her with a lopsided grin and a chuckle. "Uhh yeah, especially since I'm a bartender." Flushed with embarrassment now covering her face in a scarlet hue, Avery realized the foolishness of her question. Feeling now like such an idiot, she laughingly commented, "I can't believe I said that." She closed her eyes, and pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping to calm down her racing heart. "You must think I'm a dope." The tall woman pulled out a chair, and took a seat. "No. I think you're cute...beautiful actually." She chuckled again because she could see the young woman's cheeks grow redder. "I don't make this particular drink for just anybody. It's not a commonly requested beverage. It's my favorite though, so I hope you like it." Avery took a look at the tall perspiring transparent glass with the vibrant, almost glowing greenish liquid inside. "It reminds of Absinthe. Not that I've ever had it, but I remember it from when I watched that movie, Moulin Rouge." Dakoda chuckled lightly. "It's definitely not Absinthe." She watched the young woman take hold of the glass, bring the purple straw to her lips, and take a sip. Dakoda saw the beautiful sea green eyes brighten with pleasure, and it made her happy. "Wow, it's tangy yet sweet. That's very nice. What is it? What's in it?" Dakoda chuckled again. "It's called a Melon Ball. It has Midori Liqueur, Absolut, and orange juice. I take it you like it." Closing her lips around the straw, and taking another sip, Avery nodded. "Yes, I do." "Good, I'm glad." Ocean blue eyes drank in the features of the beautiful strawberry blonde. Her nose picked up the scent of Ralph Lauren Romance, which Dakoda greatly enjoyed smelling on a woman. The scent of a woman could drive Dakoda insane with need, so it was always one of the things that she definitely took note of. Her eyes wandered to the play of muscles on the young woman's neck, and then trailed back up to those sea green pools that looked right back at her. She momentarily cleared her throat because she had been caught openly staring. "Well...I have to go finish my shift. I'll be done in about thirty minutes. Would you like to chat more later?" Dakoda asked. "That would be wonderful. Why don't you come find me on the upper deck." Avery coyly answered. "Will do," Dakoda stated as she got up, and then walked away. Avery watched the retreating figure for a few moments. Mmm, that ass looks nice and firm...and those broad shoulders are heavenly. Wait a minute; I'm actually checking her out...like seriously checking her out. Wow have I done that before to others and not realized it? ******* When the shift finally ended, Dakoda quickly went to the bathroom to give herself the once over before she went in search of the heavenly blonde angel that struck her fancy. Rolling up her sleeves part way, she then began to loosen the bow tie and just let it hang around her neck. She pulled her hair out of the ponytail, ran her long fingers through the jet-black tresses, and headed out. Reaching the upper deck, she peered over the groups of people everywhere until she spotted the short woman leaning against the railing and peering up at the starry filled night sky. Dakoda sidled over next to her, and softly said, "Hey." "Hey stranger," Avery commented with a smile. She looked out onto the black river water before continuing, "Ummm....you do know you have yet to tell me your name." "Heh...I guess I do," the tall bartender said. "Forgive my lapse of manners. Let me introduce myself. My name is Dakoda Lanning." She bowed part way in a gentlemanly manner. With a smile, the short blonde responded, "And my name is Avery Johnson. It's nice to make your acquaintance Dakoda." She extended her hand for a shake. The bartender gently took Avery's hand in hers, kissed the back of it as eyes briefly met, and said, "Oh, but the pleasure is all mine." They engaged in idle chitchat about their lives, and some light banter as the riverboat made its way back to the dock. Dakoda learned that Avery was tired of her job, and wished she could do something different with her life. "So are you just visiting Hannibal? Or do you live in the area?" Dakoda asked. "I live an hour from here in Mexico. I just came up for the weekend with my ex-boyfriend, Mark, who apparently ditched me seeing how I'm alone tonight." "I'm here." Dakoda commented in a sexy low tone as she moved closer and slightly behind the shorter woman. Avery felt a slight chill as the fine downy hairs on her arms stood up from the closeness of the contralto voice. She knew she was very much enjoying the close proximity of their bodies. "Yes you are," she responded softly. "So when and why did you and Mark break up?" "Well there was never an official break. We just agreed to be friends and casual dates if need be with no strings attached. He sees who he wants and I see who I want." Avery turned around, her back now to the railing and Dakoda mere inches from her. She looked up into cobalt blue eyes that captured her soul. A Riverboat Encounter "And what do you want?" Dakoda softly questioned as her eyes darted back and forth between Avery's supple looking lips and her vibrant jade green eyes. The night air became thick around them, and Avery began to find it difficult to breathe. She wanted...no she felt a gripping desire rise within her to have her lips captured in a tender embrace. Suddenly the boat jerked knocking her forward into the tall dark woman who quickly grabbed her. They looked around, realizing they had just docked as people began filing their way off the boat. "Would you like to continue our night?" Dakoda questioned. "Yes. Definitely," Avery heartily answered. Dakoda lead her for a leisurely walk along the riverfront as they continued talking about whatever came to their minds. They approached a café that was still open, so they decided to step inside for drinks and further conversation. Avery was very interested in getting to know this intriguing tall woman, and was eager to ask more questions as they picked up their steaming drinks from the counter and took a seat at a small square table. "So did you grow up in Hannibal?" She inquired as she sipped her coffee. "Oh, I'm not from here. I only work here in the summer time just to keep myself occupied; otherwise I'd get bored. I live in Columbia." "And what kind of job do you have that gives you the time to be out here?" Avery inquired curiously. "I teach art history at the University of Missouri." "Wow a professor, that's wonderful." Avery commented. Dakoda smiled, and asked, "What do you do?" Waving her hand in a disgusted manner, she answered, "I work a shit job at a bar and grill in Mexico. Sometimes I help out the bartender but most of the time I serve. It pays the bills. I live with my cousin and her husband, so I don't have many expenses, which is nice. Maybe one day I'll get myself out of that town and do something I can be happy with." "Well, you're out of that town for this weekend, right? It's a start." Avery giggled. "Yeah, that's a good way of looking at it. So do you commute everyday? Or do you rent out a room for the summer? Cause isn't Columbia almost two hours from here?" "Yeah, it is. Commuting would be gruesome. I keep an apartment here, sort of as a second home when I'm here for the summers." "How long have you been doing this?" "This is my second year bartending on the riverboat," Dakoda answered. "I used to bartend in college, so I figured I'd put the experience to use when school is not in session." ******* It was very late when the two women walked back to Anne's Bed and Breakfast, where the short blonde was staying. Neither of them really wanted their night to end, so Avery asked if they would be able to sit along the water's edge and watch the waves. Dakoda was more than happy to lead her behind the inn, over the banks, and down a grassy slope. They sat down, and silently watched the calm waves move across the surface, disappearing into the night. The full moon reflected beautifully over the dark waters of the river. Dakoda decided to completely un-tuck her white shirt, and began working the buttons free. She could see from her peripheral vision that Avery stiffened ever so slightly. With her undershirt now exposed, she said, "I've been in this uniform for hours, so if you don't mind, I'm just undoing the shirt to feel more relaxed and not be so hot." "Of course," Avery commented. She couldn't help watch the actions as they occurred in front of her. Long slender fingers on what appeared to be strong hands undoing each button, and then pulling the shirt out from having been tucked in the black slacks. Dakoda felt much better having the light warm summer breeze brush across her now exposed white T-shirt. She felt vibrant green eyes watching her, and she couldn't help but smile as she pushed her sleeves up a little further. Turning to face the young woman, she openly gazed at the beauty before her, and a soft smile graced her features. Avery wasn't sure if she enjoyed being looked upon in such a manner. She began to feel the crimson creep up her cheeks. Casting her eyes down, she casually commented, "If you keep staring like that, you're going to give me a complex." Dakoda reached out, and gently hooking her fingers under Avery's chin, she slowly guided the young woman's face up. "You are absolutely radiant." She delicately caressed Avery's cheek with her forefinger. "You must hear how beautiful you are from folks on a regular basis." Avery slightly scoffed. "The last person who said anything like that to me was my father when I was eighteen." "Really?" Dakoda questioned with a frown. "Your boyfriends don't say anything?" "Not that I recall. Usually what I got from guys was, 'hey sweetheart come sit on my lap,' otherwise they're usually talking to my chest." "That's really a shame," Dakoda commented, and then placed a hand upon Avery's small one. "I mean it when I say you really are breathtaking....irresistibly breathtaking." Lost in those azure eyes, Avery managed to mutter, "Thank you," under her breath. She turned her hand up, in order to take hold of the large one that was resting on hers. The feelings evoked within her body made her tingle down to the core of her being. It seemed almost like a slight surge of electricity. Threading her fingers through Dakoda's, and then taking a silent subtle deep breath, she continued, "You're beautiful too...stunning actually." She let out the breath, trying to calm herself. "Umm...I would almost have to say handsome would fit best, especially when you're wearing your black and white uniform." Dakoda chuckled. "Oh so you like the black tie and vest look." "It seems to suit you perfectly." They laughed, but only for a moment as the air between them became thick again with sensuality. Without much conscious effort, they each began to inch forward as their vision darted back and forth from lips to eyes and back again. Their mouths tenderly met. Lips reveled in the warmth and softness they felt. They briefly breathed into each other before tongues gently sought their counterpart to dance slowly as mouths explored. Avery felt as if she was completely weightless. She melted into the kiss as a soft moan escaped her throat. When Dakoda finally pulled back, ending the embrace of their lips, she heard the little whimper of protest that came from the young blonde. With a satisfied smirk, she gazed into heady forest green eyes. All of a sudden Avery let out a yawn that embarrassed her to no end. "Oh my god, I'm sorry." She hid her face within her hands. "Please don't think I'm bored. I've been having such a wonderful night. I can't believe I just yawned like that. It must be really late. Do you know what time it is?" "It's 4am," Dakoda commented as she looked at her watch. "Wow. Yeah, I'm usually home and asleep by now even if I worked until closing." She couldn't help yawning again. "Oh hell...I must be really tired. I'm really sorry." "It's okay, don't worry about it. It is really late. I'll walk you back to your room, and say goodnight." Dakoda stood up, and held out her hand in a gentlemanly manner for the short woman. As they walked towards the building, Dakoda wondered if they'd see each other again for the remainder of the weekend. She figured she better ask the short woman out again to ensure on seeing her. "If you don't have any definite plans for today, would you be interested in doing some sightseeing with me? I know several places that may interest you." "I would love to." "Great," Dakoda responded excitedly. Avery unlocked the door, and pushed it open. She knew she wanted to turn around and kiss the tall bartender goodnight, but she suddenly noticed Mark sprawled out on the bed as the hallway light shined inside the room. She turned on the table lamp nearby as Dakoda waited in the doorway. What met their eyes was not a pleasant sight. Mark was lying there; butt naked with a brunette whose back was towards them. The room absolutely reeked of booze and sex. Avery was livid, and very tempted to go over and kick him several times. Trying to compose herself, the young woman said through gritted teeth, "I guess I won't be staying here." Dakoda stepped up behind her, and gently placed large hands on her shoulders. Softly sliding them down, she softly said in Avery's ear, "You are welcomed to stay at my place. Nothing is open at this time, so getting another room is not an option." "I don't want to impose..." Avery began as she turned around. The dark woman gently stopped her in mid-sentence with a forefinger over Avery's lips. "Let's get your things," Dakoda said in a hushed tone. Avery acquiesced with a sigh. They quickly gathered the few items Avery had lying around, shoved it all in her suitcase, and took off. Dakoda wheeled the luggage down the street as they quietly walked arm in arm to her apartment. By the time they got to the second floor landing of her building, Avery's eyes were unconsciously closing. She was trying to fight to stay awake but it was a losing battle. Dakoda lead her guest to the bedroom where Avery completely disrobed and climbed into the bed without thought or another word. The tall woman let out a slow sigh as she walked into the kitchen. She had not expected Avery to just get naked in front of her, and now Dakoda was feeling a little warm and tingly. Opening the fridge, she grabbed a bottle of water and took a swig while heading to the couch. After scaling down to her T-shirt and boxers, she lay down, and pulled over the blanket that was lying on the back cushions. ******* It was about 10am when sea green eyes groggily opened. In the distance, Avery heard the faint sound of music coming from somewhere. She slowly looked around as she tried to remember where she was. Oh yeah, this is Kody's apartment. A smirk graced her features, and her nose wrinkled as she contemplated what went through her mind. Hmm, I wonder if she'd let me call her Kody. I definitely like the sound of it. When she threw the blanket off, and saw her nakedness, she was somewhat surprised she slept that way in a stranger's bed. Not dwelling on it too much though, she searched through her suitcase for a long T-shirt and panties. Dakoda was busy in the kitchen making omelets and hash browns. With a spatula in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other, she was swaying her hips as Carbon Leaf played in the background. After taking a quick sip of her coffee, she slid the last omelet onto the plate, and then checked on the potatoes. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a beautiful short blonde with disheveled hair sporting a huge grin. She turned and winked at the young woman before dishing the spuds onto their plates. "Good morning. Are you finding my little dance here humorous?" "Maybe," Avery sarcastically commented. She climbed onto one of the stools at the counter, and watched the tall beauty set the plate of food in front of her. "There's coffee and I've got orange juice. Do you want both or just one?" "I'll start with coffee. Thank you." Avery answered. Dakoda set down a fresh mug and the cream in front of her. "The sugar is right there," she said as she pointed to the small Tupperware container. "I hope you like omelets. It has mushrooms, tomatoes, and Swiss cheese." "It sounds fabulous, thank you." Avery waited for her new friend to take another swig of coffee before she proceeded with a sarcastic comment that she had been toying with. "Wow, you made me breakfast and I haven't even slept with you yet." Cerulean eyes widened and Dakoda started to choke on the last of the hot liquid. Quickly covering her mouth so as to not spray coffee everywhere, she regained control of her swallowing. Avery humorously asked, "Are you okay?" When she received the nod from across the counter, she decided to start eating. She looked around the cozy place, and noticed how much light came into the place from the floor to ceiling windows. Green eyes took note of the rumpled blanket and pillow on the couch. "Did you sleep out here?" Dakoda nodded with an, "Mmm hmm," as she chomped around a mouthful of food. "But why? You have a huge queen size bed in there. You didn't have to stay out here." "I wanted to be polite and respectful. Plus, we didn't have time to discuss sleeping arrangements because....well I believe you were already snoozing when you started undressing." Dakoda answered. "I guess you're right. Sorry for having been so rude with falling asleep like that." "Hey it's okay. So did you sleep well?" "Yes, I slept wonderfully," Avery answered. "Oh, I just remembered, may I use your phone?" "Sure." Dakoda handed her the cordless from off the fridge. While the young woman made the call, the tall hostess poured each of them another cup of coffee, and also brought out the orange juice. After a few statements, Avery clicked the receiver off, ending the call. A huge evil grin grew across her face. A black eyebrow rose up Dakoda's forehead, wondering what that was all about. "You seem happy...in a devilish sort of way." The young woman giggled as she answered. "I called the Bed and Breakfast to inform them I have already left, and if they would kindly mail the receipt to the address I provided. The receptionist was happy to oblige. There is no way I am going to pay for Mark the ass to be there for the weekend. It's bad enough that I paid for one night when I wasn't even there." "Maybe you can get him to pay you back." "That'll never happen." Avery sighed. "I don't know why I stayed friends with him. He's changed so much, ever since he started hanging out with new friends. And in my opinion these so called 'friends' are nothing but thugs. It's a shame, cause he used to be such a nice guy." "So you're going to stay with me for the weekend," Dakoda stated with a hint of sarcasm. "You just automatically assume I'm going to take you in, huh?" Sea green eyes grew wide. "Oh my, I'm not assuming I'd stay here...I mean I'm not going to take advantage of you like that." She picked up the phone again, and asked, "Do you have a phone book? I will call another place and reserve..." Before she could finish her sentence, a slender finger was placed over her lips. "Hey," Dakoda softly started, "you can stay here. I was just playing, okay? I would very much like for you to stay here, if you don't mind." Blue and green eyes connected with one another...lost inside glassy pools that reached into their souls. Without being fully aware of it, their bodies began to move closer to each other, almost as if magnets were pulling them together. Lips gracefully found their counterparts, and tongues ignited into passionate flames. Deep down in the recesses of Avery's mind, she couldn't help but believe that there was so much more to this tall and intriguing woman than what was seen on the surface. She felt a longing...a deep seated innate desire to get to know more of her newfound friend. The sudden ringing of the telephone broke them apart from the enjoyable kiss. "Hello," Dakoda aggravatingly stated into the receiver. Avery took the opportunity to drink a glass of orange juice, and stack the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. By the time she was finished wiping off the counters and stovetop, Dakoda was done with the call. She saw the tall woman run long fingers through shoulder length inky black tresses, and let out a sigh. "Is everything alright?" Avery gently inquired. Ocean blue eyes faced her, and said, "Yeah, things are okay. That was just my ex. It's nothing but drama with her." Avery was a little surprised with this new knowledge, even though she knew she shouldn't be surprised at all. "Are the two of you on good terms?" "Yeah, we somehow managed to stay friends after the break up. Sometimes I wonder why though, cause she's such a pain in my ass." "I know what you mean. Mark is a royal pain in mine." Curiosity getting the better of her, Avery decided to pose a few more questions. "How long ago did the two of you part?" "It's been two years now." Dakoda softly folded her arms across her chest, and sported a little smirk on her lips. As a black eyebrow slowly made its way up, she wondered what other questions the short blonde was going to ask. "I hope you don't think I'm prying," Avery commented. She sat back onto the stool and continued sipping her juice. "Not at all. You can ask me whatever you'd like." Dakoda grabbed her glass from off the counter and took a swig. "Why did the two of you part ways?" "Basically due to a difference of opinion. She wanted codependency, and I wanted us to be interdependent." Dakoda downed the remaining contents of the glass before she continued. "Why did you and Mark separate?" "Each of us wanted different things out of life. I want to better myself, get a degree, travel, and experience so much in life. He wanted me to cook, clean, and take care of his needs while he went out drinking with his buddies. He just didn't stimulate me...mentally and physically." Avery began to finger the top rim of her glass as she got lost in some of her thoughts. Dakoda briefly looked at the time. She wanted them to continue their conversation, but she also wanted to show Avery around. Contemplating for a moment, she figured they could do both while they were out and about. "We should get dressed and get going. I have to be at work at 5pm, and I did say I would take you sightseeing today." ************ They stood at the top of Lover's Leap, overlooking the vast valley below them. Dakoda shared with her the legend behind the name of the cliff. "So the young lover's were caught in a passionate exchange of affection by the Chief of the tribe. It was his daughter who was in the embrace of the squaw from the rival tribe across the forest. He was so infuriated with the sight that he jumped out of the bushes where he and a few of his men were hiding. The young lovers were frightened with the confrontation. When the princess saw the fury in her father's eyes, she knew that he would kill her lover. So grabbing her love's hand, they ran as fast as they could until they reached this cliff. This is when they suddenly realized that they had nowhere else to go. The chief and his men surrounded them, and the chief screamed for his daughter to come to him, but she refused. The lovers looked at each other, and declared their undying love out loud to all. With tears streaming down their faces, they wrapped their arms around one another, and without looking anywhere else but into each other's eyes; they simultaneously leapt off the edge of the cliff, and plunged to their deaths." "Oh my god that's absolutely awful," Avery commented with distraught as she circled her arms around herself. "No one is allowed to judge or say who you can love." Concerned that maybe she shouldn't have told the story, Dakoda embraced the young woman. "I didn't mean to upset you." Avery quickly looked up into ocean blue pools. "Oh no, you didn't upset me. The story is sadly beautiful and morbid, and yet very touching. I hate that people in society try to impose themselves on others. It's just my reaction to the story." She laid her head on Dakoda's chest, accepting the comfort that was offered. "What a way to die like that for the sake of love." Avery muttered. Dakoda slowly rubbed her friend's back with full broad strokes. They spent some time walking along the trails of Lovers Leap, and talking of their lives. Before long, Dakoda announced that they needed to get back to her place so she could get ready for work. ******** That night Avery purchased tickets to be on both of the riverboat tours, in order to be near the tall dark bartender who definitely didn't mind. After the dinner, Avery took a seat at the bar to gaze upon Dakoda as she worked. A Riverboat Encounter "Would you like a drink?" The dark woman asked. "Yes. What do you recommend?" Avery asked with excitement. Dakoda gave her a sinister smile as she answered, "How about a Pink Pussy?" Sea green eyes widened, and the corners of her mouth turned up into a toothy grin. "Sounds delicious," she answered, knowing that Kody was being a tease. The short icy glass filled with the pinkish concoction and whipped cream floating on top was set before her. Avery eyed the tempting liquid as she picked it up to drink. The mix of flavors exploded on her palate with a sweet sensation. "Wow, that's good." Dakoda gave her a huge smile as she began another drink order for a customer. ******** When the riverboat docked for the night, the two women set out again for another walk down the cobblestone streets. Walking arm in arm, they enjoyed the warm night air as the small independently owned storefronts began to close their doors. As they approached the café where they sat the night before, each of the women briefly looked at one another to see if perhaps they should take advantage of it again. With a smirk on their faces, they knew that they were both thinking of the same thing. Dakoda stepped ahead, and motioned with a jovial bow towards the door, "Shall we?" Avery giggled a bit. "We shall," she stated gleefully. Just then a voice firmly called out. "Avery." The short blonde turned around to find the voice. Sea green eyes widened as Mark stomped his way towards her. Avery attempted to prepare herself for the approaching argument. "Why the hell did you check out of the room and leave me there to pay the bill? You said you'd cover the room when we checked in." Mark spat out. "Yeah, well that was before I saw you in the room passed out drunk with a whore. Did you win some money on the boat? And you felt like celebrating? So what's wrong with you paying the room with your winnings?" She responded immediately. "That bitch was gone before I was awakened by the maid service, and she took the fifteen hundred I had won. I wasn't even left with twenty dollars for gas. Plus you've never cared in the past who I slept with. You could've just gotten another room or something." He stated in a vile manner. Avery's Irish temper was at a boiling point. She could not believe Mark was doing this in public. "You're right Mark; I never cared in the past. But what bothers me is how much of an asshole you've grown into since we started this weekend. I honestly don't know why I stayed friends with you this long. You grow more stupid each day that you spend with your uneducated, ill-mannered redneck friends." His eyes widened with fury. He hated anyone calling him dumb. In his clouded rage he instantly drew his hand back to strike her. Something he never entertained before. But in that same instant an equally large hand fiercely grabbed his wrist halting all action. Steel blue eyes harshly stared into angry brown as the grip on his wrist remained tight and firm. In a cold and deep tone, through gritted teeth, Dakoda spoke clearly with her icy words. "Real men don't hit women." Mark was momentarily stunned by this woman's gaze and strength and words. He didn't know what else to do but to stand there. It was only when he felt his arm slowly released that he silently stormed off without looking back. Avery was shocked to say the least. She could hardly believe how the events had unfolded before her. She stepped up to her tall friend, and sea green eyes connected with ocean blue. A gentle hand, that was moments ago a force not to be tangled with, rose up; and Avery felt the soft strokes of slender fingers across her cheeks. She could not help but then lay her head against Dakoda's chest. Arms circled around each other. Not a word was spoken in those few moments but their actions spoke volumes. After some minutes, Dakoda said, "You know today is Sunday. You have to work tomorrow, right?" The blonde crown nodded. "I'll take you home then." Avery looked at her watch and realized it would not have been a good idea to try and call Sandy to see if she can get picked up. ******** The hour long drive to Mexico was somewhat quiet, except for the low sounds of the music on the radio. Avery was assessing in her mind all that had taken place over the past two days. She loved the feelings that just Dakoda's presence alone had on her. She definitely wanted to continue getting closer to this exhilarating woman. I wonder what Sandy is going to say about this. Would she disapprove? Why am I even thinking like that? Sandy and I are as close as sisters. She wouldn't care. She's always wanted me to be happy with the right person. "Penny for your thoughts." Dakoda's voice gently came in, bringing Avery out of her reverie. "Huh? I'm sorry. I was just thinking." "I gathered that much." Dakoda stated with a hint of sarcasm. Avery rolled her eyes with a smile. "I was thinking that I had a great time this weekend, and I'm really glad you came over and handed me that Midori Sour." Dakoda grinned joyfully. "I'm really glad you took me up on the offer." Avery suddenly noticed the driveway to the house. "Turn left here." The dark woman quickly pulled in and made the trek up the gravel drive. She parked just behind the navy blue pick up truck. Both of them looked at the time on the car stereo. "Wow, it's really late. I would hate for you to have to drive another hour back." "I'll be okay." Dakoda said. "No, it's not fair to you. You're welcome to stay the night. I know you must be tired. I can see it in your eyes. Please stay so you can get some sleep. It'll make me feel better." Avery softly pleaded. The bartender finally conceded, and as they entered through the doorway, they quietly tiptoed their way down the hall, and up to Avery's room. "We'll share the bed. It's plenty big for the both of us. I'll get a T-shirt and some cotton shorts for you to wear." "Never mind the shorts. They probably won't fit me. I'll be fine in my boxers and the T-shirt." Dakoda whispered in response. They climbed into the bed facing each other. Blue and green eyes silently watched the other. Avery knew that she wanted to kiss the luscious lips before her. She wanted, almost needed to have some kind of contact with Dakoda. Almost as if her thoughts were spoken aloud, she saw the dark woman slowly inch her way closer. Her lips were softly captured. Tongues tenderly caressed their mate. When the kiss came to an end, Dakoda whispered, "Good night Avery." The young blonde cuddled up to her companion with her head on a strong shoulder. "Good night," she responded with contentment. ******* Morning came sooner than was expected. Avery entered the kitchen where Sandy was making breakfast and Josh was reading the paper. "Hey Squirt. When did Mark get new wheels? I never thought he'd give up his truck." He commented on the nice silver Mustang in the drive. "It's not Mark's car," Avery began just as Kody walked into the kitchen. A smile as big as a teenage girl in love spread across her face. "Hey," she practically whispered in greeting when the tall woman stood next to her. Dakoda returned the smile, and then began to feel awkward as all eyes were upon her. The sudden silence became deafening. Finally Avery said, "Josh, Sandy, this is Kody. I met her in Hannibal. She was kind enough to spend time with me, especially when Mark abandoned me there." She grabbed her friend's large hand for a squeeze as she continued. "Kody, this is my cousin Sandy and her husband Josh." "It's nice to meet the two of you. I heard much about you." "Hopefully it's all been good." Sandy commented sarcastically. "Would you like some coffee, Kody?" "Sure, that would be great. Thank you." Josh rustled his newspaper indicating that he had returned to reading it. Kody looked at her watch, and realized that she had to go right then and there. "I have to go," she said softly to the short blonde. "I have that meeting at the university, and I need to go home to change." They walked silently to the Mustang. Each of them disappointed that their weekend has come to a close, and wondering what is the next step to take from here. Avery didn't want to let go of Kody's hand. Green and blue eyes looked into each other's souls as they stood next to the car. Kody could not resist the desire to kiss the luscious lips before her. Velvety soft tongues met their counterparts in a passionate dance. It was impossible to stifle the moans which were emitted from each of them, so throwing caution to the wind, they pressed their bodies against the other with wild abandon. Sandy leaned out the open kitchen window with the telephone in her hand. She just about dropped the receiver into the flower bed below when she saw what her cousin was doing. With her jaw hanging open in shock, she forgot what she was going to do until she heard the higher-pitched voice coming from the end of the receiver. "Yeah, yeah, I'm looking for her ---- hold on already," she declared the person talking. Not wanting to see her cousin still engaged, she shouted, "Avery! Phone call! It's Maude. She needs you now!" Lips disengaged, but hearts continued to race. Reluctantly Avery said, "I better go. Maude only calls when there's an emergency at work and she needs to me to fill in." She saw Kody nod in understanding, and with one more quick kiss, Avery sprinted into the house. Unfortunately for the two of them, in the haste of things they didn't exchange phone numbers. So not being able to call each other the week passed by rather slowly for each of them. ******* Dakoda enjoyed one of her days off by surfing the web for a few paintings from her favorite artist. She had spent the better part of the past five years in search of this artist's work. Most of the time she came up empty, and the few leads she did get didn't really take her far. Rubbing ocean blue eyes for the third time on this late afternoon, she finally decided to take a break. Padding her way into the kitchen, she pilfered through the fridge for the necessary items to make a turkey and Swiss sandwich. Suddenly her Dell notebook chimed to announce she had a new email message. She ignored it for the time being thinking perhaps that it wasn't important. Taking a couple of more bites of her delicious sandwich, and popping a few more baby carrots into her mouth that she had dipped in Ranch dressing, her curiosity finally got the better of her. As she made her way back to the computer, she grabbed the tall glass of milk from off the counter. Taking a long swig of milk to wash down the food, she sat herself back down in the leather desk chair. Taping a key to stop the Van Gogh screensaver, she opened the new message. Blue eyes widened in surprise as she read it. Dear Ms. Lanning, As for your inquiry regarding the painting by a Mrs. Dorothy L. Buchanan, we do happen to have in our possession "Riverboat Breeze". If you are interested in viewing the piece, you are welcome to contact me for an appointment. Thank you for your interest. Samuel D. Brownstone Dakoda picked up the cordless immediately, and dialed the number provided. After her short and direct conversation with Mr. Brownstone, she was dressed and out the door to meet with him. She was ecstatic that he had agreed to give her a viewing of the painting this afternoon on such short notice. ********* Mr. Brownstone sat at his desk reviewing the draft for the grant proposal for this coming year. His wrinkled hands held the document somewhat close to his face. Arthritic fingers pushed wire-rimmed glasses back up the bridge of his nose. Putting the paper down for the third time, he looked at the hour displayed on the antique grandfather clock just a few feet away from his desk. Upon seeing what time it was, he sat back with a sigh. He reflected back on his conversation with Ms. Lanning and he was content to know that someone had taken interest in the painting. Soon his feeble mind went further back to when he first viewed the selected piece of art. It was his second year at the gallery, and on a breezy and sunny summer afternoon the most lovely, graceful, and beautiful southern woman had walked into the gallery. She carried a large artist portfolio. She held onto it as if it was a loving child. He knew that the items it contained were very dear, but he was captivated by her radiant beauty and the flaming locks of reddish gold hair that fell down in large swooping ringlets upon her shoulders and back. He introduced himself, and found himself further captivated by her beautiful southern accent and angelic smile. They conversed for quite some time, and he patiently listened to her story as to why she was selling the paintings. A soft knock on the office door shook Mr. Brownstone out of his daydream. He had not realized that he had drifted off down memory lane until the insistent rapping on his door did not cease. With the door partially pushed open, a head of salt and pepper hair peeked in. "Excuse me Mr. Brownstone, your three o'clock appointment is here. Would you like me to send her in?" The older robust secretary called from the doorway. "Ah yes, Mrs. Quinley...umm send her in. Thank you." He commented as he pushed up his glasses again. He stood up and stepped out from behind his desk to greet the tall and striking woman. He was mesmerized by the intensity of blue in her beautiful eyes, and the fact that she stood at least two feet taller than himself. "Good afternoon Mr. Brownstone. Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me today. I greatly appreciate this opportunity." She stated as she gripped his hand for a shake. Her award winning smile showed brilliant pearly whites. My goodness, she sure is strong. He thought to himself. I must be getting too old. "Of course Ms. Lanning. I am happy to know you have such an interest in this painting. If you don't mind me asking, how did you come across the artist's work?" "I'm a professor of art history at the University of Missouri, and about five years ago I attended an art show where two of her works were on display. I must confess that I fell in love at first sight and have been an avid fan ever since. I had purchased those two paintings and two others after locating them in a gallery in Chicago." "Really? All the way in Chicago? How odd?" Mr. Brownstone interjected. "Yes it is because to my understanding she was originally from the south and then had lived in the local area for the remainder of her life." "Yes, that's true. Well it seems you have definitely done your research." He said with a smile. "Come --- let us see what you came for." He lead her down a hallway whose walls were adorned with works of art from various artists. "We don't have it on display this year. It's back here with the other paintings we've had to place in storage. There have been times that I did wish the gallery was big enough to have it all displayed. Aahhh here we go." They stood in front of what appeared to be a large double door cabinet. "If you wouldn't mind standing over there," he pointed across from him with a wrinkled finger, "we'll open the doors together." As the doors swung outward, he flicked the little switch nearby, turning on the small lamp which was mounted to the wall directly over the painting. The light's beam illuminated the beautiful colors and brush textures of the artist's touch. Azure eyes carefully scanned the painting with heart thumping joy. Dakoda was in complete awe as her eyes took in the details of the strokes and shades which were used. Mr. Brownstone was very content with her reaction. The corners of his mouth curled up into a grin. "It's amazing." Dakoda declared in a whisper. "Is it for sale?" She quickly followed; her voice was noted as serious. She looked at him, waiting for the answer. He was startled at first but he also knew there was a great possibility that she would want to purchase it since she already had a couple of others. "Well, we have a gallery showing and silent auction that is going to begin next weekend. I'm rather confident this will be one of the pieces that the gallery director would like to clear out from storage. We've had the piece for the past twenty years now." He said as he pushed up his glasses again. "I would greatly appreciate further information about the showing." "Of course, Ms. Lanning. I will email you everything." "Thank you." She gazed at the painting one more time. Inside she was excited to possess the work of art and add it to her collection. ********** Friday finally came around again. Dakoda had her bag packed and ready to start another weekend on the riverboat. It felt good to have the last few days off, and to spend it at home in Columbia instead of the little apartment in Hannibal. She always missed her king-sized bed and spacious house whenever she stayed in the quaint little town. Stepping on the accelerator as she merged onto Interstate 70 in her Ford Mustang, her mind wandered to a certain small blonde with deep sea green eyes. Dakoda wondered if the two of them would per chance meet up again this weekend. She had so enjoyed the time they had together...the handholding...the small kisses...the passionate kisses suddenly all went swirling through her mind. Dakoda knew she wanted to pursue a relationship. She mentally chastised herself for that moment of nervousness that was experienced when cousin Sandy had given her a scrutinizing stare which made her forget to ask Avery for her phone number. Maybe I can stop by her place during the day to say 'hey'. Dakoda thought to herself. ******** Avery kicked the old wooden screen door open as she stormed out of Woody's. It slammed with a loud snap against the outside of the building, catching the attention of the patrons who saw and heard the scuffle at the bar. The short blonde got into the driver's seat of her cousin's car, hit the steering wheel multiple times, and then screamed. Mark had walked in acting like he was the high and mighty god for his early evening pool game with the boys. They had all been drinking for the past hour, and Avery was used to their raucous behavior. But when one of them came to the bar for a refill on their pitchers of Bud, he clearly propositioned Avery for a three-way with her new girlfriend. At first she couldn't believe what she heard come out of his mouth, but then that awful beer breath sneer grew upon his face, and he said, "Come on Avery, my dick is bigger than Mark's and I have the energy to fuck you both all night long. Hell, watching you eat pussy while I plow into you will keep me going for hours." Avery was absolutely appalled and disgusted all at once. She marched from behind the counter, and straight up to Mark who was laughing along with his buddies. "How dare you," she declared through gritted teeth. He looked at her with spiteful eyes, and said, "Hey I figured since you've slept with me, and are now opening your legs to some dyke, then it wouldn't matter if Jason asked to get in on that action. If you've got open legs, then you've got to have an open mind too, right sugar?" Her face turned a dark shade of crimson as her anger bubbled to the surface. "You fucking asshole," she screamed as she slapped him hard. Without hesitation, he struck in the blink of an eye, backhanding her across the face. Before he had a chance to raise his hand again, some of the boys came at him restraining his actions. Avery now sat in her cousin's beat up Chevy, desperately trying to get the key in the ignition. The dam of tears was quickly threatening to gush forth. She held on as she jerked the car into drive, and peeled out of the dusty unpaved parking lot. ********** Sandy could hardly believe what had happened at Woody's. She was livid at Mark for his audacity and rudeness, and had it in her mind to give him a swift kick in the nuts. She sat at the table trying to console her crying cousin as she listened to her re-count the details. She was also trying to piece together what exactly was going on between Avery and her new friend, the bartender. A Riverboat Encounter Avery wiped at her face again with the back of her hand. After blowing her nose for the umpteenth time, she decided to ask, "Would it be all right if I borrowed your car this weekend?" "Umm...sure. Where are you going to go honey?" Sandy asked somewhat hesitantly. "I want to drive to Hannibal, and see if I can maybe find Kody." Avery answered, and then looked at her cousin with some skepticism. "Do you have a problem with that? Or is it just her that you have a problem with?" "Now Avery, don't treat me like I'm the enemy. We've grown up together, and we know everything there is to know about each other. You know very well that I love you, and that I am open-minded. It's just come as a surprise to me." She exclaimed loudly. Running her fingers through her brown shoulder length hair, she blew out a breath to keep herself composed. Turning gentler brown eyes upon her cousin, she softly said, "Honey, you are welcome to take my car, and I hope you find your friend. I'm sorry if I seemed skeptical. I just worry about you sometimes, and after this shit with Mark, I just don't want to see someone else hurt you. Okay?" "Ok-a-y," Avery softly drew out. "I'm sorry I jumped the gun there." ********* The riverboat had docked about twenty minutes ago. Dakoda blew out an exhausted sigh as she finished wiping down the bar for the final time tonight. She was so glad her shift was finally over. She was not prepared for the private wedding party that rented the boat for the second tour of the night. To some extent though, the constant busyness made the hours pass quickly and took her mind away from daydreaming about Avery. She smiled as she looked at the wad of tip money she pulled out of her pockets. Counting it to a total of $340, it was then tucked neatly in her money clip, and into her front pants pocket. She checked her watch as she walked off the dock, and yawned at the same time. "Hey Kody," a short shadowy figure called out. The bartender looked around for the voice's owner. "Hey," she exclaimed with a smile, and then asked, "What are you doing here?" as she walked up to the picnic table that Avery was sitting on. "I wanted to see you; and I'm glad I got her just in time to not miss you." "I'm glad too," she said with a brighter smile. Dakoda held out her hand, and lead her friend into a warm embrace. "So what would you like to do? Do you want to go for one of our walks?" She asked as yet another involuntary yawn came out of her mouth. "You're exhausted. You need to go home and go to sleep." Avery answered as she pulled back to look into tired blue eyes. "Will you come, and stay the night?" Dakoda sheepishly asked. With a shy smirk, Avery answered, "Of course." ********** "You can take my bedroom again. I'll sleep on the couch." Dakoda stated as she turned on the light into her apartment. "Oh no...no way, you sleep in your bed. You deserve to be sleeping in your bed. You've worked a long shift." Avery responded as she headed towards the couch. She was quickly halted, spun around and scooped into an inviting hug. They looked into each other's eyes, and Dakoda's attention was momentarily diverted to a slightly darkened bruise on the shorter woman's cheek. With much concern in her voice, she softly asked, "What happened here?" The back of large knuckles tenderly brushed the marked area. Embarrassed, Avery averted her eyes to a speck of lint on the taller woman's black vest. "Umm...Mark was at the bar with his buddies. He was telling them awful things about me... well you and I. One of the guys crudely propositioned me. I was furious so I smacked Mark, and.....he struck back." She felt her friend's body tense. Looking back up, she saw the blue eyes turn a cold silvery shade as they stared blankly at nothing, and she noticed the small play of muscles in the clenched jaw. "The guys grabbed him right away, and I stormed out," she added. Bringing a small hand up, she caressed her friend's cheek. "Kody," she started softly, "please look at me." Avery could see the beautiful cobalt blue return as soon as their eyes met again. "It's over with Mark. Sandy and Josh have already put him on their 'hit list' per se." A slight smirk turned up the corners of Dakoda's mouth. "Come on, let's go to bed." Avery stated. "I don't want you to sleep on the couch." Dakoda commented. "I'm not going to," the young blonde said with a sly smile as she led the tall bartender into the bedroom. "I figure the bed is big enough for the both of us." ********* The late morning sun's rays were creeping across the dark tan carpeting, and up onto the foot of the bed. Two figures lay snuggled against one another. Blue eyes slowly open. A big smile spread across Dakoda's face when she saw the blonde crown of hair beneath her chin, and felt the arms holding onto her firmly. Slightly turning her head, so as to not wake her charge, she attempted to look at the clock on the nightstand. She then realized too soon that moving resulted in Avery pressing closer against her body. The sleeping woman pushed her face closer against the crook of Dakoda's neck. Her lips and steady breathing were lightly brushing the sensitive skin. In her state of sleep, she subconsciously kissed the sumptuous throat. Dakoda couldn't stop the shiver that passed through her body. Suddenly green eyes opened, and quickly tried to piece together where she was. Avery could only remember that she was having a rather lovely erotic dream of her and Kody caressing and kissing each other. She momentarily stared at the tantalizing neck in front of her, before her eyes wandered up and stared into sapphire orbs. She knew she wanted to kiss those supple lips that her fingertips were apparently and unconsciously brushing. Suddenly the phone rang, disrupting the moment. Dakoda roughly grabbed the phone, answering it with a growl, "Hello". Avery took the opportunity to climb out of the bed. She ran small fingers through her shaggy blonde locks as she padded her way to the bathroom. Whew! She thought to herself. That was an intense moment, and I was enjoying it! I so wanted to press my lips against hers. I can still remember what it felt like the last time we shared such sweetness. Oh my god, and I can't believe I was practically wrapped around her like she was....like she was...mine. Avery proceeded to splash cold water on her face after brushing her teeth with the spare toothbrush Kody gave to her the last time. Is that what I want? She continued to dialogue with herself. Do I want her to be mine? And I be hers? I've never seriously considered a relationship with a woman. As she exited the bathroom, she stopped momentarily to watch Kody, who was still on the phone and hunched over on the bed. Kody looked up when she felt eyes upon her. She gave the short blonde a goofy grin, which made the young woman slightly giggle, so she walked out of the room, and into the kitchen to make some breakfast. Kody finally clicked the phone off, and tossed it over her shoulder onto the mattress. She groaned as she fell back onto the bed. Rubbing her face roughly in her hands, she cursed through gritted teeth at the interruption of what possibly could have been a very satisfying intimate moment with Avery. She finally conceded to get up as her bladder began to scream for some relief. Avery flipped over the last of the pancakes onto their plates. She set the small platter of maple sausage onto the counter, and turned around to get a second cup of coffee. From her peripheral vision, she saw her tall friend approach. "Good morning," she said with a beaming smile. "Is everything alright with regards to that phone call?" "Morning," Kody responded as she grabbed a mug for some coffee. "Yeah, it's fine....good news actually." "Oh?" "Yeah, I won't have to work tonight." Sea green eyes smiled brightly. "Really?" Avery asked. "Yep, I have the night off," the tall woman responded. She stepped up to Avery, and delicately brushed a fingertip down the young blonde's cheek. "Sooo," she cooed softly, "would you like to go out on an all day and night date?" Avery shivered at the sound of the melodic voice and the touch. Looking up into deep ocean blue pools, she closed the little space between them and reached up to lightly kiss Kody's lips. Pulling back, she answered, "I would love to." A grin from ear to ear spread across Kody's face. "Well then, I guess we should eat breakfast before it gets cold." ********** The better part of the day was spent touring the famous Mark Twain Caves, and taking photos of the equally well known lighthouse in town. Avery was very happy that she brought her camera with her this time. She was grateful that Kody already knew so much history and interesting facts of the places they visited. She also knew in her heart that she would cherish the memorable photos of these sights; not excluding a certain raven haired goddess that had made her heart beat to a different drum. "I know you're pointing that camera at me again." Kody commented sarcastically as she looked out over the river. They had just finished climbing the hundred or so steps to get to the very top of the lighthouse. Kody was feeling sweaty, and couldn't understand why the short blonde would want to photograph her. Avery took the shot, and smiled. In fact each time she looked through the lens, she would smile and notice new things about her friend. It was her secret way of getting as many sneak peeks of the statuesque physique as possible. It seemed that the camera gave Avery the opportunity to look at Kody through a different set of eyes. She noticed the angular jaw, the aquiline nose, and the full luscious lips. Kody's broad shoulders sporting the charcoal gray tank top distinctly showed off her strong back. Her beautifully exposed muscular arms displayed a light sheen of sweat. Avery had wished that, what she believed to be, equally muscular legs were not covered inside the dirty blue carpenter jeans. "Hey shorty, take a look at this inscription." Kody called out, waving her hand for the young blonde to come further down along the balcony. Avery came out of her reverie, and upon reaching her friend, she carefully eyed the words which were carved into the stone railing. For Ariana My love, my soul I long for our reunion. She could not resist taking a photo of it. It was obvious that the inscription must have been as old as the lighthouse itself. Some of the stone had been worn away due to the elements, and the spot itself was darkened from the number of fingers that have traced the individual letters over the years. Avery hung the camera back on her neck, and just as she was about to ask a question, she felt strong arms snake their way around her waist from behind. Her eyes momentarily closed at the contact, and she felt content. "Do you know the history behind the inscription?" She asked as she placed a hand upon one of Kody's. "Markus Townsend was the first one in charge of the lighthouse when it was built." Kody began saying softly just centimeters from Avery's ear. "His wife of six months had died of pneumonia one winter. He loved her more than anything, but he could not save her. He spent several years in a state of depression until one blistering cold winter's day he was found frozen on this balcony." Avery shivered for a moment, as if a gust of cold air had come rushing past her. She wasn't sure if the feeling came from the story she just heard, or from the close proximity of Kody's body against hers. Turning her head, her vision was captured by sapphire jewels boring into her soul. At that moment, Avery could swear she saw the rich color of blue swirl within Kody's orbs. "Please kiss me Kody." Avery whispered, and didn't even realize the words had come out of her mouth. Two sets of lips gently pressed against one another. Avery's mouth instinctively opened to receive Kody's luscious velvety soft tongue. A large hand tenderly cupped Avery's cheek, and then fingertips lightly brushed their way down her neck. The action gave her goose bumps which resulted in an audible moan escaping her throat. When the kiss ended, both of them were panting for some much needed air. "I could sure go for some lunch. What do you say?" Dakoda asked. "Sounds great." ********** The two women decided to stop by the grocery store in order to pick up a few items for sandwiches. Returning to Kody's apartment, they took turns showering so as to be rid of the grime and sweat from their outing. Now feeling refreshed, they ate their fill of salad and deli sandwiches. Kody came up with the idea to have chocolate covered fruit for their dessert, so an array of berries, pineapple, and orange segments were laid out on a tray ready for their dipping. The short woman watched every silent and graceful move that Dakoda made while dipping the luscious deep red strawberries in the milk chocolate. The long slender fingers attached to strong hands enticed Avery. She began to feel rather warm despite being in the air conditioned room. Her center twitched with anticipation of the incredible feelings those fingers could give to her. Avery could not remember the last time she had such a searing strong desire to be taken. She knew she wanted the tall raven haired bartender to devour her, and to do it before she exploded with the very need of want. Avery knew her face was growing red from the warmth that was spreading throughout her body, so she began to wave her hand across her face to fan herself. Cerulean eyes regarded her when the hand motion was caught from Kody's peripheral vision. The tall woman rose to her full height as she took in the state of disarray that her friend was apparently in. For the longest time she had been wanting Avery, but she reigned in her desires so as to not scare the short blonde away. Their friendship had grown quickly over the past few days they've spent together, and each one was content with the closeness that had developed. Dakoda had decided, from the start, that she would take things with the young woman slowly, and up until now they've shared a lot of hugs and pleasant kisses as well as hand holding. Now the steel blue orbs inherently knew that the next move was something they both wanted to take place at this moment. So, Dakoda took hold of a finished strawberry and approached the young woman sitting on the bar stool. Sea green eyes were riveted to ocean blue. Avery held her breath as the statuesque goddess of her recent dreams stood before her. The chocolate covered delight was offered to her, held perfectly in front of her lips. Her lips slowly covered the end of the dessert, brushing across the fingertips that just so happened to be in the way. Teeth bit down, and an explosion of sweet juice mixed with rich chocolate filled her mouth. Before she had the opportunity to begin chewing, Dakoda's lips were pressed against her own. A velvety soft tongue was seeking entrance into her mouth, of which she gladly obliged. Tongues swirled together around the now blended concoction. A kiss never tasted any sweeter to either of them. They each melted into the other, and passions were quickly set aflame. Avery felt the unavoidable wetness on her panties. Dakoda finally broke the kiss for some much needed air for the both of them. Emerald green eyes filled with evident unbridled desire looked at the tall woman. "More," Avery stated in a whisper. When the remainder of the strawberry was placed before her full lips, she knew her request was misunderstood. She shook her head from side to side, pushed away the hand holding the dessert, and grabbed Dakoda by the front of the shirt. Small hands gripped the cotton material beneath her fingers, pulling the tall figure against her body and between her legs. "No....more of you," she stated in a heated whisper. A feral grin spread across Dakoda's face. Mouths came together in a crushing kiss. Tongues explored and caressed. Soft moans were elicited from Avery's throat. Dakoda moved to Avery's neck, trailing kisses up and down the lavender mint scented flesh. The kisses then turned into heated nibbles that made Avery moan out loud. Small hands began to pull at the tank top which was obstructing Avery from feeling more of Kody's warm skin. Un-tucking the cotton barrier from the confines of the pants, fingertips excitedly spread across a taut belly. Kody pulled back for a moment. A look of primal lust was exchanged between blue and green eyes. Kody grabbed at the tank top, and removed it along with her sport bra. She saw the flicker of passion in the younger woman's emerald orbs at the nakedness before her. Long fingers began to undo the pants. The pants fell to the floor, and as she stepped forward and out of them, she reached for the buttons on the blonde's blouse. Avery felt frozen to the spot. She could hardly believe that what was about to take place had actually been her greatest desire for the past few days. All of this was almost too much to fathom. Her blouse slid off her shoulders, and then her shorts fell down to her ankles. With eyes still riveted to each other, she felt herself being led into the bedroom. Kody stepped around to stand behind the short blonde. Deft fingers undid the clasps on the maroon lacy bra. The bartender felt the slight shiver of the body beneath her fingertips as the material silently slid off of Avery. She slowly and tenderly snaked her arms around the small waist. Fingers slid beneath the waistband of the black panties, pushing the material past soft yet firm luscious hips. Avery's flesh was on fire. She found it difficult to concentrate on anything as her body screamed out the new sensations it was experiencing. Her pink nipples turned to stiff pebbled points that ached to be touched. Her center twitched and muscles contracted with the intense desire to be filled. Once she stepped out of her panties, she felt those large hands stroke their way up her body, leaving a trail of burning need behind. Out of pure instinct and wanton lust, Avery leaned back into the strong naked body behind her, and tilted her head to the side exposing her neck. Kody picked up the cue immediately. Bending her head forward, she nibbled the decadent flesh of the young blonde's neck. Her hands cupped the bottom of Avery's breasts, feeling the weight of the full mounds. She then slowly moved up and over the breasts, brushing the attentive nipples with her palms. The combination of the ministrations elicited delicious moans of pleasure from Avery that became instant sweet music to Kody's ears. Avery reached up and behind to the back of the bartender's head, and threaded small fingers through the short raven locks. With her free hand, she took hold of Kody's larger hand, and pushed it down her body, to the apex of her light sandy brown cropped curls. When she felt the long fingers slide between her very wet lips, she was unable to stop the declaration which spewed from her lips, "God yes. Please!" She turned her head, her mouth searching for its counterpart. The kiss was fierce, almost animalistic as a growl erupted from deep within Kody's chest. Her middle finger found the protruding wet nub, and upon giving it a few strokes, she felt Avery's legs shake uncontrollably. In one swift motion, and with a strong arm holding Avery against her, Kody laid them both onto the bed. She knew that the young woman's passion was beyond quelling at the moment, and at any given second an orgasm was going to surface for the both of them. Settling herself between Avery's widely spread legs; she slowed their kisses down as she pressed and ground their mounds together. The young blonde planted her feet flat on the mattress in order to push her center up each time that Kody pushed down. The delicious friction brought them higher on the plane of ecstasy, and soon they echoed their orgasmic cries into each other's mouths. They held onto one another as they panted, trying to catch their breaths. A Riverboat Encounter Avery was disappointed that it ended so quickly, but her feelings immediately changed when she felt the bartender slide a hand between them and down through her very wet nether lips. Two of Kody's fingers effortlessly entered Avery's pussy. She slowly pushed in and then pulled out, and then pushed in again. With the steady movements taking place, blue and green eyes did not waiver from each other's gaze. Kody then decided to add a third finger, which then resulted in the young woman's back to arch, and the eye contact was broken. Avery felt deliciously filled. It was absolute bliss to feel those fingers buried deep inside her, and working to bring her over the edge. Sea green eyes forced themselves open to make contact again with ocean blue, but what they saw instead was a black crown of hair and a mouth enclosing itself around one of her nipples. "Oh god Kody...yes....make me come." She held her lover's head to her breast as she bucked against Kody's hand. Her release crashed through her like a tidal wave. Kody felt the inner walls grip her fingers tightly one last time as Avery screamed out her pleasure. She smiled at the feeling of Avery's center pulsing around her digits. When the muscles relaxed, she slowly slid out of the young woman and just held her tenderly. Avery's breathing slowed down, returning to normal. She turned her head to see the beautiful face she was quickly falling in love with. The corners of her mouth turned up into a small smile as she gazed into those baby blues. She leaned forward, kissing Kody's lips softly. Tongues danced and swirled against one another without hurry. She pushed the dark woman back onto the mattress, rolling them both over so she could be on top. Her mouth moved down to a succulent neck, where she nipped flesh, creating a fiery trail to the valley between Dakoda's breasts. A tongue darted out, licking its way to one breast. She circled the nipple before sucking it into her mouth. Gingerly biting down on it gave her the reaction she had hoped for, which was a sharp intake of breath from her lover. She could feel the hips below her gyrating, but before she would give in to what Kody wanted, she let go of the one nipple and suckled on the other. The feel of the young woman's mouth was driving Kody insane. She was barely able to contain herself, and then she felt a set of fingers slide along the length of her wet slit. The fingers brushed across her rosy pearl a few times before moving down to explore her heated opening. Her eyes shut reflexively as she reveled in the sensations. "Kody....please look at me." Avery requested. Azure eyes opened to gaze into emerald green. "I want to see your eyes as I make love to you." Dakoda nodded her head in compliance. The strong small fingers buried themselves deeply into the bartender. Avery was amazed at how intimately beautiful it was to feel the extremely smooth muscles contracting around her digits. The heat surrounding her hand, the creamy wetness which continued to seep out, and the erotic moans of pleasure were all making Avery's head spin deliriously. She quickly figured out that with positioning her hand just right, she could stroke Kody's firmly engorged clit with her thumb. This definitely caused a reaction she was very much enjoying. Kody suddenly threw her head back, letting out a guttural groan when her sensitive nub was touched. It was difficult for her to keep the eye contact with the intensity of pleasure coursing through her body, but she was determined to keep her word. She wanted the young woman to know that the request had touched her heart. As her body was now being lead to the brink of ecstasy with those fingers pumping and stroking her faster, she gripped the bed sheet with one hand and her lover's shoulder with the other. With one final push of her hips against Avery's hand, her orgasm crashed over her. Avery rode out the waves with her lover as she slowed down her movements until Kody collapsed back onto the mattress. She couldn't help but bite her bottom lip when a jolt of pleasure ran through her from feeling Kody's inner walls clamp down on her fingers. She saw a small tear escape the blue eyes that were still looking into her own green. She searched the face for some kind of understanding. "Did I...did I hurt you?" Avery asked as she removed her fingers. Kody gave her a small smile. "No. You were wonderful. I've just never experienced this intensity of eye contact during lovemaking." She brushed her knuckles softly down Avery's cheek. "It was beautiful." Avery bit her bottom lip again and grinned from ear to ear. They both turned onto their side facing each other and exchanged soft languid kisses before they fell asleep in one another's arms. *********** An hour later, cerulean eyes slowly opened to the evening sun making its way through the western sky. She ran a hand across her face, and then looked over to see the sleeping form beside her. An automatic grin graced her features. She stood up and stretched before padding her way to the laptop on the desk. Sitting down, Kody brushed a finger across the touchpad to get past the Van Gogh screensaver, and proceeded to look through her email. There was a reminder message from Mr. Brownstone about the Gallery showing this coming weekend. Hmm, maybe Avery would be interested in attending also? She thought to herself. We could go out to dinner at that little Greek place beforehand. Maybe she'll even want to stay the week with me in Columbia? A sea green eye popped open. A small hand reached out at the empty space next to her. Avery sat up wondering where Kody went, and then noticed her at the desk. She silently took a moment to gaze at her new lover. Wow, she's my lover. She thought to herself. I really like the sound of that. A shy girlish grin crept across her face from ear to ear. With a flutter in her belly that whispered promises of warm summer nights, romantic walks, and her lover's arms around her, Avery got up, and sauntered over to the unsuspecting woman. Kody felt a presence near her. When she swiveled around in the high back leather chair, she was met with emerald eyes filled with adoration, and a gorgeous nude body. She couldn't help but smile in appreciation. It's amazing how much we can hide behind our clothes. She thought to herself. One would never know that she has the cutest little mole just below her belly button, or that her thighs are well muscled...or that the very neatly close cropped amber curls of her sumptuous...mouth-watering pussy is shaped perfectly in a triangle. Kody gulped audibly as she felt the temperature of her body raise a few notches. "Hey," Avery softly called out, "what are you doing out of bed? I missed you." The sweet angelic voice snapped Kody out of her reverie. She instantly knew she wanted to have more of the young woman's body. "I was just checking email. I've been waiting to hear from a fellow art historian about the origin of a couple of paintings." Avery leaned forward, cupped the chiseled face in her hands, and captured the dark woman's lips in a sultry embrace. As tongues swirled, she felt large warm hands settle onto her hips, and then fingers were soon brushing the downy amber curls. Avery couldn't help but pull away from the kiss with an audible moan as a couple of fingers teased the moist folds of her sex. Kody looked up at her with a sly smirk, stood up to her full height, and lead the shorter woman to sit in the chair. She knelt in front of Avery, pulled her closer to the edge of the seat, and parted her legs wide. The young blonde gulped as she watched azure eyes turn feral. She felt blunt fingernails softly scratch the length of the tops of her thighs, creating goose bumps along her flesh. Kody's gaze was riveted to where her fingers were caressing. Thumbs parted the fleshy lips to expose the erect little nub that seemed to be calling to her. Without further hesitation, she plunged forward into Avery's well. Her tongue darted out to administer broad strokes on the small woman's clit. Avery's hand instantly went to the back of Kody's head with the attempt to press more of her lover onto her. Hips gyrated against the bartender's face as Avery moaned with pleasure. She almost flew off the chair when a couple of fingers buried themselves inside her pussy. The combination of the tongue and fingers was almost too much for her to bear, until she burst into orgasmic bliss. Her cries of Kody's name echoed around them. Panting and trying to catch her breath, she was taken off guard when her body was picked up and carried to the bed. Kody crawled half on top of her, and snuggled into Avery's neck as their bodies settled down for another nap. ********* Later that evening, at the dimly lit restaurant, the two women sat at a cozy table near the back, enjoying the various topics of conversation, and one another's company. Avery wore a maroon chiffon dress. The halter style top had a deep v-neck that fell into a ruched bodice, and it had a handkerchief hem skirt. Each time that she leaned forward, cobalt blue eyes received a wonderful view hinting at tantalizing cleavage. From under the table, Avery slipped off her black leather, Petra, three inch heels in order to relax her feet and be more comfortable. Grateful that the long thick and lightly coral colored table cloth was long enough to conceal her bare feet, she began to entertain an idea. "What's the reason behind the impish grin I see there?" Kody softly asked before she took another sip of the Merlot-Shiraz. She watched the slight nibble of a bottom lip as emerald green eyes regarded her with desire. Jet black eyebrows furrowed momentarily and then with surprise as Kody felt something warm sliding up her pants leg. The nimble toes began to softly stroke the calf muscle, making it spasm in response. "Does that answer your question?" Avery queried with a raised amber eyebrow. Sporting a sly smirk, Kody asked, "Are you trying to seduce me?" With the eyebrow still raised, Avery drank from her glass of wine, and casually stated, "Am I?" She brought up her other foot to rest between her lover's thighs, but firmly pressed against the tall woman's sex. The action caused Kody to sit up straight, but before she could respond, the waiter approached to ask if there was anything else either of them needed. "I would love a chocolate dessert, the best one you'd recommend," Avery requested, "and coffee would be wonderful." She looked at Kody who nodded in agreement. As the waiter walked away, Kody quickly took the opportunity to firmly grip the foot that's been torturing her. Avery let out a surprised little yelp that she immediately stifled so as to not draw attention to their table. She knew she was now in trouble, and had no way out of it. She watched the devilish grin spread across Kody's face. Fearing that she was going to be tickled mercilessly, she braced herself for the worst. What she received instead was a finger softly brushing across the bottom of her toes. From there the brushes went in the area behind the toe knuckles, between the toe pads and the ball of the foot. The sensations were slowly becoming more arousing as they continued. She relaxed under the ministrations. Avery could hardly believe that she was enjoying the sensuality behind the tender touches. A slight moan escaped her throat when a particular spot on the outer edge of the arch was stroked. Kody enjoyed watching the sea green eyes close, and the bottom lip being bitten as Avery attempted to hold back yet another moan that threatened to surface. The waiter returned with the requested items, and Avery tried to compose herself without being noticed much, as their dessert was presented. ******** The Midtown Gallery presented a rather pleasant turn out of art lovers and interested parties milling about as they viewed the various beautiful works on display. Avery stood with her arms relaxed and crossed over her chest. One soft fist was gently held under her chin as she gazed at the painting. She had become so taken with the artwork that sea green eyes became slightly watery as she slowly observed the shades of colors that covered the canvas. Avery had hoped Kody would be able to obtain the painting which was her heart's desire. She was soon taken out of her reverie when a flute glass of champagne was presented to her. Taking the offered drink, she turned her head to look up into the blue eyes that she adored. "I already placed the bid," Kody began softly, "we'll just have to wait it out now." "How long before they begin announcing the winners?" Avery inquired. "About fifteen minutes or so," the tall woman answered as she reached out and tenderly brushed her knuckles across Avery's cheek. The young woman couldn't help but smile at the loving gesture. "Have I told you how absolutely radiant you are tonight?" Avery smiled again. "Yes, but I don't mind hearing it again," she commented sheepishly. She took the large hand within her smaller one, and kissed the palm. "Ms. Lanning," a male voice called out. The lovers turned to see an elderly gentleman step up to them. He kindly held his hand out in greeting. "Mr. Brownstone," Kody announced as she took the offered hand, and gave it a hearty shake. "Thank you once again for the opportunity to be here tonight," she stated with a bright smile. "I'd like you to meet Avery Johnson." The older gentleman bewilderedly looked into sea green eyes. With mouth agape, as if he was looking at a ghost, he slowly shook her hand. "Forgive me Ms. Johnson, I do not mean to stare like an old buffoon, it's just that you look just like someone I knew. In fact, I must say you look very much like the artist whose work you are viewing right here." "Really?!? I have been told that by others that I look familiar, but you're the first to actually inform me of just who it is I may look like." Avery stated with a warm smile. "Do you have any relation to Mrs. Buchanan?" He asked as he took in the woman before him. "I can hardly believe my eyes. You know... I had the honor of briefly knowing her. I will never forget day she stopped into this gallery." His eyes took on a far away look, as his mind reminisced of older times. "I don't believe a relation is there, but I would love to hear any stories you can share about her. This painting is absolutely amazing." Avery said excitedly. "I didn't know the artist lived in this area, but I guess that would make sense since I've been picked out as having a familiar face. How long did you know her?" "Oh just for a few months before she moved again, and then we sort of lost...touch." A sense of sadness crossed his features. An announcement was made stating that the numbers of the winning bids were going to begin. The three of them turned their attention to the distinguished gentleman in the tuxedo at the microphone. Avery slipped her arm around her lover's and practically held her breath as the tenor voice read out loud from the list in his hands. "J. Charlis – two-three-five; M. Pittman – seven-three-three; D. Lanning – nine-two-one..." "That was your name, he said your name," Avery stated excitedly. "Do you have the number he called out?" Dakoda grinned from ear to ear as she held up the slip of paper with the digits, 921, printed in black ink. "We've got it baby." Avery yelped in joy as she clapped her hands. A tear of sheer happiness slowly slipped down her cheek. "This is so wonderful --- absolutely wonderful." "Congratulations Ms. Lanning. I am happy to know the painting will be housed and cherished under your household. Now if you'll excuse me, I must attend to the table where you and others will be picking up their items." With one more smile, Mr. Brownstone bid the women a lovely evening. "And now for the next list of items..." the announcer stated. "Sweetie, let's listen to this one. There is one more item I have my hopes set on." Dakoda softly stated. The young woman embraced her love as they listened on. "K. Stuartson – eight-seven-four; A. Johnson – six-four-seven; L. Cecil..." Green eyes momentarily widened. "Did he just call my name? I didn't bid on anything." Avery said almost in a whisper. "It can't be my name." "It's you." Dakoda declared with a smile. "Let's go see what you have won." She tenderly took Avery's hand and led her to the previous room they were in a while ago, when viewing the various works. They finally stood in front of a white square pedestal pillar which had on top of it a beautiful shaped Grecian vase from the 18th Century. An intricate painting of shapely women at an old-style bathhouse covered the vase completely in bold vivid colors. "This is what I was looking at before. You got this for me?" Avery curiously asked. "Actually you got for yourself." "But there is no way I could afford this." The young woman counter-answered. "That is my gift ---- the opportunity for you to be able to own that. The payment is covered." Teary sea green eyes looked into ocean blue. "Oh Kody, it's so beautiful. You didn't have to..." "But I wanted to." Dakoda interjected as she stepped up to her love, wiped the tears on her lover's face with a gentle thumb, and hugged her warmly. She then whispered into a small ear, "Come up to Columbia and stay with me. I love you Avery. You have been the sun in my cloudy skies these past few weeks." Avery hugged her tightly in return. "I love you too Kody. Thank you for the drink you gave me that first night. Thank you for everything my darling. I look forward to waking up next to you everyday for the rest of our lives." As small parties of people walked and talked past them in the gallery, the two lovers kissed deeply, sealing their love. The end