CHAPTER THREE


October of 1989

Climbing off the overheated and gasping younger woman, she grabbed the nearly empty pack of Lucky Strikes from the cluttered nightstand. Sitting up in the bed so that she wouldn't risk setting them on fire, she pulled a cigarette from the pack and lit it between her lips. After deeply inhaling, she slowly expelled the smoke from her lungs and smiled down at the girl lying on her side, big blue eyes looking up at her with such adoration. That look made her want to take the girl all over again. She offered to share the cigarette, but her bedmate declined.

"I don't smoke," Jaden commented. "It's bad for you." Sliding closer to her new lover, she traced a finger along her exposed thigh.

Laughing, Lucky caught her wandering hand and brought it close to her mouth. Her gray eyes met Jaden's. "Probably not as bad as I am." The younger woman moaned when she kissed each finger, her tongue brushing against the tip of the digits. Releasing the girl's hand, Lucky took another drag from her Lucky Strike. Soon after she was rewarded with the name Lucky, she switched her brand of choice to Lucky Strikes. At the time she thought it was a neat thing to do.

"How bad are you?"

"Very bad," Lucky purred. "And you my dear are very good."

"Really? What makes me very good?"

"Not very good. Very good."

Jaden grinned, idly watching her lover's smoke slowly dance along the air until it vanished. "Very good, I mean."

Lucky flicked ashes into an ashtray that needed to be emptied. "Usually my women give me what I want by the end of the first date and on the rare occasions that they don't, it's adios. With you, it took me four dates to get you into my bed, which is amazing for two reasons. One, you held my interest that long and two," Lucky grinned, finishing, "despite my many charms you said no to me for two weeks. I'm impressed. These two amazing reasons make you very good."

Hiding half of her face in the pillow, Jaden blushed. "My intention wasn't to tease you Lucky."

"I know. You told me the first time I tried to get you to spend the night with me that you wanted to wait until the time was right." After a small pause she asked, "What about tonight seemed right to you?"

The reply was easy. "I couldn't resist you any longer." Jaden was rewarded with a kiss. Though her lover's lips tasted like nicotine, it was still enjoyable. Sitting up with her back against the headboard, she admitted, "I've only been with one other person. She and I were together during our senior year."

Gray eyes stared in surprise. "Only the one?" When Jaden nodded, Lucky slowly started to grin. "She must have been one hell of a teacher. Either that or you're just a natural. I think you're a natural." Putting what was left of her cigarette in the ashtray, Lucky caressed the young woman's bottom lip with a finger. "I like being your second." Leaning forward, she kissed that bottom lip before whispering, "Damn, I'd like to be your last."

"You would?" She hoped that Lucky wasn't capable of hearing her rapidly beating heart. She had only known the woman who was ten years her senior a little over two weeks, but what she was feeling had to be love--or at least close to it. Especially after what had transpired tonight. Lucky had made love to her so tenderly. Had made her feel so special.

"I would."

"Lucky?"

"Hmm?"

"What's your real name?"

The Italian woman grinned. "The boys in the band don't even know that one and I'm closer to them than anybody."

"Oh, well you don't have to--"

"It's Carla. I don't have a middle name." Picking up her cigarette, Lucky inhaled. "Guess Ma thought Carla was good enough." Her lips puckering, she blew tiny rings of smoke into the air.

"I like Carla," Jaden softly replied. "It's pretty."

The older woman snorted. "You're sweet. So," she flicked more ashes into the tray, "I guess you'd like to know how I ended up with the name Lucky."

"I would."

Lucky scooted backward until her back touched the headboard and then crossed one ankle over the other. She finished her cigarette before beginning the story. "I was your age when I was fooling around with this guy's girlfriend. We'd been secretly screw-- seeing each other for like a month or something when he came home unexpectedly and caught us. He was all pissed, but instead of going after me like I thought he would because I knew Marco could have a temper, he challenged me to a game of chicken. Whoever won got his lady. I actually didn't care so much about her, but I'd be damned if I was gonna back down so I was like yeah let's do it." Glancing at Jaden she asked, "Before I go any further, do you know what chicken is?"

Jaden shook her head no.

"Okay. There are variations of it, but the kind Marco had in mind was where we'd get into our cars about half a mile apart and then wait until someone waved a flag when we'd barrel toward each other. The first one to veer would be considered the chicken. Got it now?"

The teenager nodded. "I do now. I think I've heard of that game before. It's dangerous."

"Yeah, it is but I was young, stupid and had a lot of pride. So three nights later we're at this place where kids went to hangout and make out. It overlooked the city and at night the lights were sparkling so it looked all romantic and shit. Uh, sorry about that." She didn't want the younger woman to think that she had a foul mouth, although Lucky could cuss as well as a group of sailors.

Jaden chuckled. "It's okay. Not like I've never heard anyone curse before. I also use four-letter words on occasion"

Lucky smiled at that. "Alright. Where was I?"

"You were at the make out place."

"Oh, yeah. So fifty people must have shown up to watch us including his girl, who I'm pretty sure to this day was rooting for me. So he climbs into his flashy car and me in my rusty used 1967 Firebird that I purchased from this guy for like $200 bucks. Though he should have paid me to take it because it gave a whole new meaning to the phrase 'piece of you know what'." Lucky grinned when the teenager laughed.

"We wait for Marco's girl to wave a red flag before we put the pedal to the metal. I kept telling myself 'I'm not gonna veer, I'm not gonna veer' as we get closer and closer to each other. My hands were sweating like crazy and the foot pressed against the gas pedal was shaking, but I was determined to win. Finally, we're like ten feet away from each other when Marco sharply cuts to the right making me the winner.

"I heard people cheering and I even heard Marco loudly swear. I had this big smile on my face as I pressed on the brake. However, it disappeared when the piece of shit kept moving along at the same speed I'd been driving at before Marco chickened out. My brakes had decided to give out. Those cheers behind me turned into screams as my Firebird flew over the cliff. That was it." Lucky shook her head, the expression she wore one of mystification although a decade had passed since that horrific night. "Shit, I just knew that my life was over. That I was about to meet my maker."

Wanting Lucky to finish her story before she commented, Jaden remained silent as she joined their hands. Her heart melted when Lucky raised them to tenderly kiss the back of hers.

"I barely remember scuffling with the seatbelt, managing to release myself from it and then jumping out of the car. My clearest memory is viewing the bright city lights as I fell. Next thing I knew, I was waking up in a hospital with my main injuries being one broke arm and two broke legs. And this. This is a permanent reminder of my stupidity." She pointed to a jagged scar on her lower abdomen. Her fingers grazing the area, Jaden asked how it happened. Though she had noticed the scar during their lovemaking, she hadn't questioned it. "Believe it or not, I fell into the only tree that was around. I mean, there were other trees, but none of them were close enough to break my fall. Though I was badly hurt by falling into that tree, the alternative of falling into the solid ground would have meant that I wouldn't be telling you this.

When I landed in the tree, a branch pierced my stomach. I hemorrhaged and ended up needing a blood transfusion, but by some miracle that branch didn't puncture any of my organs. I woke up and the first person I saw was Marco. He was the one to give me the name Lucky. As groggy as I was I told myself that I'd never forget his first words to me. 'Carla, you are one lucky son of a bitch." Laughing, she ran her fingers through her disordered jet-black hair.

"Thank goodness for that. I mean thank goodness for the miracle and you being lucky--not an s.o.b."

The older woman offered her a smile. "I understand what you mean."

"What happened with his girlfriend?"

"After all that they stayed together." She chuckled. "Had a baby within a year. She loved him and he her. She was just experimenting with me."

"Your parents must have been scared out of their minds when they found out what happened…"

Rolling her eyes, Lucky reached for another cigarette. "They never found out. I had moved from New York to California by the time of my accident. And even if I had been there, it wouldn't have mattered." Jaden looked at her quizzically as she brought the plastic lighter with a tiny flame wavering on top close to the tip of her cigarette. Within seconds, smoke blew from between her lips. "I haven't seen my father since I was like one, so I don't remember anything about him and Ma and I haven't been on speaking terms--well hell, we've never really been on speaking terms. I haven't seen her since I was 16. She could be dead or living in Canada for all I know."

"Want to talk about it?" Jaden gently prodded. When Lucky didn't immediately respond, she figured that she didn't intend to answer. Finally after taking another pull from her Lucky Strike, Lucky nodded.

"Yeah. I've never told anybody what happened. Nobody but the guys who helped me at the time knows. Before I say anything though, pour us two bourbons, will you? I have a feeling you're gonna need it. Damn, you might throw it in my face and then run out of here screaming."

Jaden brought the other woman's face around so that their eyes met. "Lucky, whatever it is you want to share with me, I promise you that I will remain by your side. I'm not going anywhere."

Removing the cigarette from her lips, Lucky smiled at her. "You're too sweet. Get us those drinks, okay?"

"I'm underage."

"I won't tell if you don't." Lucky winked at her. "Pour us two fingers worth to start off with."

"What are two fingers worth?"

Pressing her middle and index finger together, Lucky held them up for her lover's observation. "See the width of these two digits?" Jaden nodded. "That's about how high you should fill the glasses. Two fingers."

"Oh, I've got you now." In all her naked glory, Jaden arose from the bed and walked out of the room, soon to return with two glasses containing Jim Beam. Handing one to Lucky, she crawled back into bed to sit next to her. She took the tiniest sip from her glass while Lucky downed the contents of hers in two swallows. Lucky Strike burning between her fingers, she looked at Jaden, her expression serious as well as a little frightened--an expression the teenager didn't expect that she would ever see on her.

"Like I told you, the last time I saw my Ma I was 16. I ran away from home after some bad shit went down."

Holding her bourbon in her left hand, Jaden placed her spare in Lucky's. "You can tell me."

"Ma was pulling a double shift this one night so she wouldn't be home until around nine the next morning. I didn't like any of the boyfriends she brought around because they were either deadbeats who wanted to take advantage or assholes with jobs who wanted to control everything and act like they had the right to tell me what to do. She'd meet these guys and they'd be living with us or staying over 95% of the time. And most of them abused her physically and/or mentally, so I soon concluded that she had some perverse addiction to pricks. I couldn't stand any of them, but this latest one gave me the creeps. Unfortunately, he was one of the pricks who quickly moved in with us."

Lucky stubbed out the butt of her cigarette before continuing. "So this one night he comes into my room, half drunk which always seemed to be the case, and tells me that he wants to see if I'm as good as my Ma. I tried to run, but he outweighed me by at least a hundred pounds so I was powerless to stop him. Only good thing I can say is that it didn't take that long and then he left to grab another beer and plop down in front of the television."

Jaden's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Lucky…"

Lucky kissed her soundly on the mouth. "It's alright," her voice was low and surprisingly calm. "That happened a million years ago and I'm over it. I just wanna tell you what I did after, okay? Up until you, there's been no one that I wanted--needed to tell. Before we take this any deeper, I need you to know."

A tear slipped down the teenager's cheek as she nodded. "Okay."

"When she came home the next morning, I didn't bother telling Ma because I figured she wouldn't believe me or wouldn't want to believe me. I left and I purchased a handgun from this guy I knew that sold weapons illegally and just about anything else you wanted that was illegal. And then I had a conversation with three of my closest friends, told them what happened and got their assurances that they would help me. So I stayed out all day and didn't go home until Ma left for work that evening 'cause she was pulling another all nighter.

There I found the bastard sprawled in the easy chair in front of the television with a few empty beer cans on the coffee table. When he saw me come in he told me to get him another beer. There wasn't a trace of guilt on his disgusting face. That made me resolved to go through with it all the more. I got him his beer and while he was guzzling it, I showed him the gun. I had used it by the time he swallowed." Afraid to look at Jaden because she was afraid of what she might see there, Lucky stared straight ahead. "My friends came over, helped me clean up and then they disposed of him. One of them had a cousin who worked at a crematorium. I guess you can figure out what he did with my mother's boyfriend."

Though shocked, Jaden didn't feel inclined to bolt from Lucky's apartment. Wanting to let the woman know that she was still with her, Jaden squeezed the hand pressed against hers. "Did you tell your mother?"

"At first I told her that he decided to leave. I think she might have bought that, but then she questioned why the easy chair was missing. The stains wouldn't come out of it so we had to ditch it. When she asked, I started to come up with a lie but I changed my mind and was honest with her. Told her everything that had happened. When I was through she started hitting me and calling me every name she could think of. She told me I wasn't welcome there and that from the day I was conceived I had started ruining her life. So I left." Lucky shrugged. "Guess that's not really running away. I just left and I haven't seen her since.

"At first I was nervous, thinking that the police would come after me, but apparently she never called them on me." She sighed. "So that's it. You know that I killed a man in cold blood."

"That's not true. It was self defense."

Asking Jaden if she was going to drink her bourbon, Lucky pulled it from her hand and finished it off after the young woman replied that she didn't really want it. Once she set the glass down, she found herself wrapped in Jaden's embrace. Warm lips touched her cheek.

"Lucky, I'm not going to leave you. It's been two weeks and I already care about you so much."

A smile tugged at the Italian woman's lips. "You gonna stay with me?"

"I'm gonna stay with you."

When she gave Jaden's mouth a thorough kiss, the teen could taste the combination of bourbon and nicotine. Oddly, she wasn't repelled by it. Lucky pulled her down to lie next to her on the bed. Looking into the bluest eyes she'd ever seen, Lucky brushed a hand across her cheek.

"I don't ever wanna let you go Jaden."

"You don't have to."

##########

"Aloha G-Dog?" Georgie slowly turned around to face the shyly smiling woman. "Sounds like a name you'd give to a rapper."

Jaden shrugged. "Just trying it out for size. So far though Gigi is my favorite. How are you doing this morning?"

"Fine," the blonde tersely replied. Perhaps it was childish, but she had a bit of an attitude with the celebrity standing about two feet in front of her and she intended to make sure that Jaden was aware of it. However, that didn't mean that she couldn't be at all civil. "And you? How are you Jaden?"

The brunette's eyebrow arched at the formality she heard in that voice. "Um, I'm fine too. So, you're dropping Ronnie off?"

"Yes, she just boarded the plane."

"So I saw." Jaden had convinced herself that she wasn't bothered by the goodbye kiss that the two women had shared moments ago. "I was dropping off Jack, Mack, Kelly and Colin. They're on the same flight as Ronnie, so maybe they'll all meet up and get to chat on the way to California. In fact, last night Mack asked me about Ronnie." She didn't care to analyze why she thought it necessary to add that last bit.

Georgie briefly smiled. "Yes, maybe. Well as much as I love to hang out at the airport, I'm going to go."

"Georgie wait."

"Yes?"

Jaden looked at her closely. "Now I could be wrong--I have before and I'm certain that I will be again in the future, but is something on your mind?"

"Since you mention it, yes. You are." She pointed at the woman just in case Jaden had any doubt about who you was.

"What about me?"

"Before I start ranting, Jaden is everything all right with your loved ones and you? I mean have you been feeling well the last twenty four hours?"

The singer looked slightly perplexed but bobbed her bucket hat covered head anyway. This particular hat was white with 'I love Hawaii' stitched in dark blue lettering on the front. "Yes, everyone including myself is fine."

"Good." Georgie's lips pursed as several thoughts and questions raced through her head. "Jaden, it wouldn't have been so bad if it were my idea, but it was yours and you didn't make good on it. You were the one to bring it up, you were the one to say hey why don't I take you and Ronnie out to lunch or dinner tomorrow? I hadn't asked you--it was all your idea." When the taller woman attempted to speak, Georgie held up a hand. "I understand if something important came up, but you could have at least taken the time to pick up the phone and call me to let me know that you wouldn't be able to dine with us. That's all you--what?"

Blue eyes observed those around them. "You may lecture me, but could we take this somewhere else?" Her voice was hushed as though she didn't want anyone to overhear the question.

"Why?"

"Unless you want to risk having a picture of you and I plastered on some gossip paper complete with an article talking about how Jaden Connelly quarreled with her new lover at Honolulu International Airport, we should leave. Probably won't take them long to figure out who you are, considering I outed you at the concert Friday night."

"Where should we go?"

"To your hotel? I can follow you in my car."

The blonde nodded. "Alright. Let's go then."

##########

Once they were settled on the hotel room's couch, Georgie looked at the musician while she softly sighed. She felt like she had been on a roll at the airport, but on the drive to the hotel she realized that she no longer wanted to have an attitude with Jaden. She just wanted to get this resolved. Having Jaden's friendship was much better and more valuable to her than bickering. "So what happened to you yesterday?" She quietly asked. "Did you forget?"

Removing her bucket hat, Jaden placed it in her lap before running a hand through her hair. "No I didn't forget. Actually, instead of calling you the following morning like I said I would, I chose to just come over here. Ronnie answered the door and we chatted for a few moments before I pleaded with her not to tell you that I had come to see you. I told her that I had forgotten that I had an important meeting and that was a lie."

Georgie frowned. None of that made any sense. "What was your reason for lying and not wanting me to know that you had been here?" After she vacated the shower, she recalled Sharon telling her that room service had the wrong room. Their true caller must have been Jaden.

Jaden seemed to be having a difficult time coming up with an answer as she fidgeted with her hat. "It suddenly occurred to me that I might have been intruding so I made up an excuse as to why I had to go. And the reason I asked Sharon not to tell you that I had been at your hotel was because I didn't want you calling me." Noticing the hurt look that flashed across Georgie's face, she quickly tried to explain what she meant by that. "No, I don't mean that as in I didn't want you disturbing me--I've been delighted whenever you've call me in the past. What I meant to say was I figured that you would call and insist that the three of us go out to eat later and I would be incapable of refusing. I didn't want to intrude. It was Sharon's special day and I realized that you two should have spent that together without me tagging along."

Georgie shook her head. Jaden's explanation brought up more questions than it supplied answers. "I'm afraid that I don't understand what you're saying. What realization caused you to conclude that you would be tagging along?"

An image of a damp Sharon wrapped in a robe, telling her that Georgie was in the shower entered her mind, followed by the image of the erotic dance she witnessed between them at that nightclub last night. She then thought of their heated kiss less than an hour ago at the airport.

"You and Sharon…you're a couple."

Georgie raised an eyebrow. "A couple of what?"

The singer raised her own eyebrow. "Georgie, you know what I'm getting at. I know that you and Sharon are more than friends."

"What makes you think that?"

"The shower, the dancing, the kiss at the airport. I don't kiss my friends like that."

If she hadn't been confused moments before, she sure was now. "Shower? Dancing? Huh?"

Sighing, Jaden tossed her hat between them on the couch. "I assumed that you two were a couple after Sharon said that you were in the shower and she had on a robe and was damp as though she had been in there with you. And then I saw you guys last night at a nightclub dancing provocatively. And then there's your kiss that I witnessed just before she boarded the plane today."

"You based us being a couple on the fact that I was in the shower while Ronnie answered the door wet all over with a robe on?"

"I assume I was wrong."

"You assume right." Georgie smirked. "Now anyway. Ronnie and I are just friends. Yes, we were dancing rather intimately last night--we were only playing around. And we shared a rather intimate kiss at the airport this morning, but we're friends." Though she wondered why, Georgie began to feel guilty about what happened between them after they left the nightclub. It wasn't as though she owed Jaden an explanation, yet she felt the need to confess. Confess? I didn't do anything wrong, she insisted, but the guilt didn't diminish.

Jaden shook her head. "Don't I feel silly."

"You shouldn't…"

"No, I'm sorry Georgie. They say when you assume you make an ass out of you and me and that's exactly what I feel like--an ass." A tiny smile raised the corners of her lips. "Forgive me?"

That guilt was rapidly increasing. If she didn't reveal what happened, she might explode. With a sigh, Georgie declined the apology. "Jaden, you have nothing to be sorry for. Um…well Ronnie and I did…though we're just friends--we just became friends during this trip because originally Van was supposed to go with me but she had to work so she gave her tickets to Ronnie her co-worker."

"Mmhmm." Jaden nodded, silently questioning where Georgie was headed with this.

"Anyway, uh…we did sleep together last night."

Jaden deeply swallowed, licked her lips, bit the bottom portion of them and then grabbed her hat to fidget with it again. When Georgie started to give her details as to the reason she and Sharon slept together, the musician indicated for her to stop talking.

"It's alright Gigi," her voice was quieter than usual. "What you do with anyone else is none of my business."

"Neither Ronnie or myself make a habit of--"

"Georgie?"

"Yes Jaden?"

The brunette softly smiled at her. "You aren't required to give me the details of your sex life. Like I said, it's none of my business. If I hadn't behaved like an idiot yesterday, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Before Jaden had the chance to stop her again, Georgie spoke as quickly as she could without her words being undecipherable. "That's just it. I don't have a sex life!" When the other woman didn't respond, she continued. "As of last night, I've had three sexual partners and the second one was 15 months ago, so you see I don't 'entertain' that often."

"Why are you telling me this when I don't need to know?"

The agent frowned. "That's just it. I feel like you do."

"I don't."

"I know you feel that you don't, but I feel that you do."

"Georgie if you're worried about my opinion of you, there's no reason to. I'm not going to think badly of you. If you want to swap 'entertaining' stories, you'll seem like the Virgin Mary compared to me. I have an idea. Let's rewind and start from the point I said 'Aloha G-Dog', except this time you respond without your ranting." Jaden grinned.

"That sounds great."

"Aloha G-Dog."

"Aloha back at you J-Co."

"You're supposed to leave tomorrow?" The blonde nodded. "Is it mandatory for you to be back in Los Angeles tomorrow?"

"No. It isn't truly mandatory until Friday when I have a lunch meeting with a potentially new client, who I think might have found out about me because of you." Georgie beamed, remembering that she had almost dropped the phone when the caller revealed their name.

Jaden appeared quite pleased. "Is that right? Who is it?"

"Can't say."

"Aw come on G-Dog. Don't leave me hanging. I won't tell anyone. You should know that you can put your trust in me."

"Na ah."

Putting her thumb and forefinger close together she asked, "Just a little hint? I know them, so I'll probably find out anyway through them."

Georgie's head started to move from side to side. "Hold on there. I never said that you knew them. What I said was they might have found out about me because of you not necessarily because you told them. I think that it's possible you've been walking around with a bullhorn, shouting my name and the firm I work at through it," she teased.

"Who spilled the beans? I had no intention of you ever finding out."

Georgie laughed. "Okay, a little hint it is. The first letter of their first and last name is the same."

"Like Robert Redford or Susan Sarandon?"

"Exactly."

"Could you be more specific by telling me what those double initials are?" When the other woman looked as though she might say no, Jaden batted her eyelashes. "Please?"

"Aw, L."

The musician brightened with the next clue. "So L.L.?"

"Yes."

"Male or female?"

"You figure it out."

"Okay, I'm guessing female. Am I right?" Georgie merely shrugged. "Alright, fine don't tell me. I do think your potential client is a female." Jaden's expression turned thoughtful. Lisa Ling was the first person to enter her mind.

"Wasn't she a co-host on The View?"

"Yes she was and your reply let's me know that it isn't her. You wouldn't have needed confirmation." Georgie's response was another shrug. "Lucy Lui?"

"One of Charlie's angels."

"Yeah." Jaden watched her closely for a reaction, but the blonde had a poker face firmly in place. "Is it her?"

"Told you that I can't say. I like to be discreet with high-profile clients--or I should say client since you were the only one." She grinned. "I paid you this same courtesy." Reaching out, Georgie gently tweaked her nose. "So just let it drop J-Co."

Jaden pretended like she didn't hear any of that. "Another Lucy comes to mind. Could it be Lucy Lawless?"

Her friend chuckled. "It very well could be the delectable warrior princess, yet I will neither confirm nor deny."

The musician sighed with a heaping dose of the dramatics. "Lindsay Lohan?"

"Isn't she about 16 years old? In my opinion, that's too young to be looking to purchase a home."

"Getting desperate. I'm running out of L.L.'s. I take it that's a no. Umm," Jaden's brow furrowed as she thought. "Ah, I've got another. Lori Loughlin!"

"I loved her on Full House. I cried happy tears when she and Uncle Jesse got married."

"Yes, that was sweet. Is it her?" Georgie smiled brightly, yet didn't answer. "I think you like teasing me."

"Is that what I'm doing?"

"Mmhmm."

Quite the expert at it, the real estate agent shrugged. "Sorry."

"Yeah, right." Georgie snickered. "Okay, keep it a big secret then. I'll just drive over to your apartment early Friday morning and wait for you to leave, then I'll follow you until you arrive at the restaurant that you're supposed to be meeting this special possible client of yours. I'll find out who L.L. is then." Jaden looked very smug.

"Then I'll have to go to the police and tell them that I'm being stalked by a celebrity, which sounds odd considering it's usually the other way around. Some gossip paper will have a picture of you in handcuffs being escorted into the back of a police car complete with an article saying how Jaden Connelly was arrested for stalking the same lover she was caught quarreling with a few days ago at Honolulu International Airport. Obviously, they didn't kiss and make up."

Jaden laughed. "Alright, I surrender. I won't make any more guesses."

"Before you got sidetracked, what was your reason for asking me if I had to return to L.A. tomorrow?"

"Well I'm not leaving until Wednesday afternoon, so I was thinking that maybe if you wanted to you could stay a couple extra days--we could have some fun. Move in with me at my villa and my private jet will take us back on Wednesday." She smiled. "I promise not to be as annoying as I have been these last few minutes."

"Are you flying it?"

Laughing, Jaden shook her head. "No. Operating an aircraft isn't something that I'm interested in pursuing. I chartered a private jet. I've been using the same company for years."

"I'd love to J-Co."

"Terrific. Why don't we get you packed up and checked out? Then let the fun commence." Putting her hat back on, she stood and stretched.

While she did so, Georgie took the opportunity to check her out. I'll be spending quality time and staying under the same roof with my goddess until Wednesday. Van is going to freak again.

##########

"I'm having seconds thoughts about this Jaden."

"But it was your idea."

"I know." She grimaced thinking back to the moment where she spoke without truly thinking first. "Call it temporary insanity."

"So you've changed your mind about us doing this?" The musician chuckled. "You've got me all geared up now! I'm psyched over it!"

Georgie nervously chewed on her lower lip. "Well there's no reason why you can't have fun without me. You go ahead and I'll meet you in a little while."

Jaden shook her head, which was covered with a bright blue helmet. "No way. This won't be half as fun without you." When she noticed that the other woman was about to protest, she hurriedly continued. "No Georgie, we can do something else. There are plenty of activities to choose from."

The blonde's expression turned resolute. "We're doing this."

"I thought you had second thoughts."

"I did, but I've changed my mind."

Throwing her hands up in the air, Jaden responded, "Geesh!"

Her companion laughed. "Hey, it's a girls right to change her mind on a whim."

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes, I am."

Jaden began to smile behind the transparent shield. "So we're doing this?"

Georgie nodded. "We are."

Sitting directly across from and therefore overhearing their conversation, the female jumpmaster chose that moment to speak. "There's no need for you to worry Georgie," she smiled at the younger woman, which she had been doing a lot of since she instructed her with the required thirty minutes of ground training. "I'll take excellent care of you." She was blatantly flirting. Much to her friend's relief, though Georgie was polite she didn't flirt back.

A few minutes later after getting the okay from the pilot that they were free to proceed, the instructors attached themselves to Jaden and Georgie with a special tandem harness. Guaranteeing that they were secure, they moved toward the plane's exit, deciding over a quick game of rock, paper, scissors, which pair would go first. Winning with rock, which always triumphed over scissors, Jaden and her jumpmaster Kurt jumped from the two-mile high aircraft, followed by the video photographer who would capture their descent via the camera affixed to his helmet.

When her tandem skydiving partner asked if she was ready, Georgie's answer was to quickly nod and leap from the plane before she had the opportunity to chicken out. Their own video photographer jumped immediately after them.

During the freefall, which only seemed like it lasted longer than the sixty seconds the first time skydivers had been informed it would, their stomachs flip flopped several times and their hearts beat a furious rhythm beneath their chests.

They loved every moment of it.

Once they were about 5,000 feet from the ground, their jumpmaster's deployed the parachutes ending the rapid descent. As they took in the amazing view while peacefully floating toward earth, both women figured that they now had an inkling of what it must feel like to be a bird. Thirty feet away from each other, they made eye contact and waved.

"Great idea you had Georgie! This is incredible!" Jaden noticed the younger woman's red helmet bobbing in agreement. "You want to do it again?!"

Since her jumpmaster was allowing her to steer, Georgie moved them closer to Jaden and Kurt. "This is incredible and I'll never forget it, but some things you should only do once!" She heard her friend laugh.

##########

With the videotaped proof of their skydiving adventures in the backseat of her rental, Jaden drove them toward the restaurant they had agreed to dine at for dinner. Looking at her passenger, she smiled while thanking her. "What a rush that was. It had to be the most exhilarating thing I've ever done."

"It definitely was for me. That's why I was excited over having it taped, because otherwise Van might not believe I did it!" Georgie laughed.

"You have undeniable proof."

"Oh, yeah. And speaking of Van I have to call and tell her of my changed plans." Taking her cell phone from her fanny pack, she punched in her best friend's number. To her surprise, the slightly older woman didn't freak like she suspected she would. However, Vanessa insisted that she take detailed notes so that Georgie wouldn't forget to tell her every single thing she and Jaden did.

"Do I get to choose our next adventure?" Jaden asked after the chuckling blonde dropped her cell phone back into her pack.

Glancing toward her, Georgie nodded. "Do you already know what our adventure will be?"

"Do these words ring a bell? Can't say. So just let it drop…Gigi."

Georgie smirked. "Now who's being the tease?"

##########

Although they had planned to, Georgie and Jaden never got around to using the Jacuzzi when Georgie was invited over to the musician's villa after her farewell concert on Friday night, so it was the first thing they intended to do after finishing their evening meal.

Returning to Jaden's villa, Georgie slipped into a two-piece bathing suit while her friend was busy in the kitchen fixing them virgin strawberry margaritas. When she was done she asked the other woman if there was anything that she could do to help. Jaden assured her that she had everything under control, but if she wanted to, she could grab the radio from her bedroom so they could listen to music while they relaxed in the Jacuzzi. Having been given a tour of the one-story villa on her last visit, Georgie remembered which of the three bedrooms was Jaden's and headed there.

Locating the compact CD player/radio on the nightstand, Georgie picked it up and started to leave when something on the dresser caught her attention. There on a tray were three transparent bottles filled with pills, each with its own label giving the instructions on how and when to take them properly. Next to the medications was a blue pillbox divided into seven compartments relating to each day of the week.

"Ah, so you found my stash."

Turning around, Georgie found Jaden standing just inside the doorway with a glass of water in her hand. Offering her friend a smile, Jaden placed the glass on the tray before she extracted a certain number of pills from each bottle. Throwing them in her mouth she drained the entire glass of water in three swallows. "There. All done for the night." The musician smiled again. "Those little guys are a lifesaver."

"How many times are you required to take them?" The sadness began to seep in as Georgie thought of Jaden having to take pills for the rest of her life. She tried to push those depressing thoughts away and focus on the positive. The 'little guys' were helping to keep her free from serious illness and would hopefully continue to do so for a long time to come.

"Twice a day. I take my first dose after eating breakfast and the last after I have dinner or an evening snack. Twelve hours apart. With two of my prescriptions I don't have to eat anything, but if I don't they're liable to make me feel queasy." She grinned. "And then I get cranky and we don't want that." Jaden pulled car keys from her pocket. "G, I have to go out for a little bit, but I'll be back soon. The margaritas are ready and chilling in the fridge and you may jump in the Jacuzzi whenever you want to. I'll meet you there in about twenty, twenty-five minutes." She started to walk out of the bedroom with the blonde trailing after.

"Where are you going? The sun is almost down and I thought we were in for the night."

Depositing the empty glass in the kitchen, Jaden walked up to Georgie and lightly kissed her forehead, which earned her a soft smile from the younger woman. "Newsflash G. Vampires aren't the only ones who venture outside at night." She wiped away the resulting smirk with another kiss. "What I'm taking care of has something to do with our next adventure. I'd like to get this done tonight."

"Can I have a hint? Just a tiny one?"

"You'd like that wouldn't you?"

Georgie tried out the most innocent smile she possessed. "Yes, I would."

"Too dang bad 'cause you're not gonna get one."

##########

True to her word, Jaden returned within twenty-one minutes and despite Georgie attempting to get her to reveal something, she kept her mouth shut concerning where she had been.

After changing in her bedroom, she went to the kitchen where she poured their drinks, adding limejuice and granules of sugar around the rims of the margarita glasses and a whole strawberry on top of the creamy red concoction. With drinks in hand, Jaden walked out to the deck where her friend was slipping a disc into the radio. Pushing play, Georgie turned to face her with one eyebrow cocked.

"Jaden I'd like for you to explain something to me," she casually began. "How do you have such dislike for Britney Spears, yet you own a Spice Girls CD?"

"Never said I disliked her. I don't know her well enough to dislike her. I just don't care for her much. As for that Spice Girls CD, I didn't buy it--it was a gift." Georgie didn't seem convinced. "Bell gave it to me last year for a birthday present. This one sunny day we had a girl's day out--just her and me. We went out to lunch, shopping and to the movies. While we were in the car she put one of her homemade CD's she'd brought along in and the Spice Girls song Say You'll Be There started playing. We had a fun time singing along to it. So she remembered that occasion and when my birthday rolled around a month later, she gave me their CD labeled Spice. I happen to like the song 2 Become 1, but the main reason I make sure that I keep that CD around is because it was a present from my niece and I think about our special girl's day out whenever I see it in my CD case or play it."

Georgie smiled at her. "That sounds plausible. It's a sweet story too."

Jaden pointed toward the Jacuzzi large enough to accommodate up to five adults. It was positioned inside of a lattice gazebo to afford them privacy, although no one was walking along the nearby beach. "Let's soak in the Jacuzzi while the Spice Girls serenade us." She waited for Georgie to get settled, handed her a margarita and then pulled off her thin robe, tossing it across the back of a patio chair.

Green eyes bulged while taking in the unexpected view. "Jesus Jaden!"

"What?" Walking inside the gazebo, the musician placed her glass on the whirring Jacuzzi's edge.

"You're naked again."

"No kidding," pausing, she grinned. "Would it make you more comfortable if I put on a bathing suit like you?"

Yes, but I'm not uncomfortable in the way that you're probably referring to. The agent attempted to keep her eyes from straying to certain areas below the other woman's shoulders. "Uh, no you don't have to do that. It's not like you've never been naked with me in water before."

"That was different. It was the Pacific Ocean and this is a Jacuzzi. Our bodies will be in close proximity now."

"You were the woman that I had a water fight with, correct? Also the one I pushed under the water after she snuck and pulled me under by my feet damn near causing me to have a stroke?" Though Jaden was unable to speak, her raucous laughter was confirmation enough. "You think that's funny, do you?" Continuing to laugh, the brunette nodded. Splashing warm water in her face didn't do any good. "Before I figured out that you were the culprit, I thought some water creature was attacking me!"

"What could it have been?" Tears poured from Jaden's eyes. "Bigfoot of the ocean? Jaws?"

"Ha…ha. Since you're such a superb exhibitionist, perhaps you should be an adult film star instead of a Playboy model. And while I'm on the subject of exhibitionism, get in here before someone spies you." I don't want people gawking at my goddess.

"I'll need to change my name then," Jaden replied as she slipped into the tub, choosing to sit across from her friend.

"I've heard that in order to figure out your porn star name, you should combine the name of your first pet and the first street you lived on. So what would yours be?" Tasting her virgin margarita, Georgie loved it. She didn't even miss the tequila!

"The first pet Heather and I owned was a collie and after much debate we named her Sparkle. We moved when I was 7, but I remember that our first house was on Sunburst Avenue. So I guess my porn name is Sparkle Sunburst." Jaden chuckled as the funny sounding name rolled off her tongue.

Georgie chuckled along with her. "That's cute!"

The brunette shook her head in disagreement. "It sounds more like a doll that a child might want for Christmas than a porn name. Mommy, I want Santa to bring me a Sparkle Sunburst doll! Susie has one! What's yours?"

"Nah. Mine is stupid."

Jaden raised a brow. "And Sparkle Sunburst isn't?"

Her friend shrugged as she took another sip from her margarita. "I think it's a nice blend of sexy and sweet."

Bringing her glass close to her nose, Jaden sniffed it. "I must have accidentally poured tequila in these drinks." Georgie chuckled again. "Please tell me what yours is?"

Sighing, the blonde put her glass down. "Okay, if you insist. My mother was allergic to fur, so the only pets I had before moving in with Van and her family was fish. My first fish--I had two of them--were Zebra Danios. I named them Flipper and Phin, which I spelled P-H-I-N instead of F-I-N just to be different."

Jaden smiled. "How creative of you."

"Thank you very much J-Co. I lived on Birch Street and I'd prefer Flipper to Phin, so my adult movie industry name would be Flipper Birch. I told you it's stupid."

Appearing thoughtful, the musician laughed. "No. No, not really. It's clever if you think about it."

"Sure it is."

"No, listen. Do you know what birch is?"

"It's a kind of tree."

"Yes, but it also has another meaning. Birch is to whip." She could tell that she had Georgie's attention as the younger woman paused eating her strawberry. "You see, the twigs of a birch tree can be fastened together and used to whip. So here is birch in a sentence. Flipper strutted toward her and birched her bottom." Jaden's face reddened. "I cannot believe that I just said that." Covering her face, her head shook. "I am so embarrassed."

Georgie tried not to laugh, but it was difficult. "As Flipper Birch I would be a dominatrix in my movies? Never pictured myself as a dom." She was inspired by Jaden's loud groan. "And who am I birching in that particular film? Sparkle by any chance? She must be submissive. Submissive Sparkle Sunburst is what they'll call her."

Jaden removed her hands so that she could stare at the puckish blonde. "Are you having fun Gigi?"

"Yes, thank you for asking." Winking at her still blushing friend, Georgie munched on the remainder of her strawberry.

##########

Since the door was ajar, Georgie stuck her head between it and the doorframe, catching Jaden's eyes in the mirror. "Could I borrow a smidgen of toothpaste? I had one of those travel size tubes, but it seems that I've lost it."

Raising her toothbrush to her mouth, Jaden answered, "You may have a smidgen of toothpaste. I don't want it back." Ignoring the pajama-clad woman's smirk, she offered her the tube of Colgate and the unused sink next to hers. Though Georgie had her own bathroom she took Jaden up on the offer to share. This meant more time together before they would be separated for the next eight or so hours.

A comfortable silence between the pair, they brushed their teeth side by side. While she did so, Georgie found it easy to imagine that they were an ordinary couple getting ready to turn in for the night. Brushing their teeth together was something that they took part in on a nightly basis--it was their routine. Then they would check on the children if they had any yet before retiring to their cozy bedroom where they would snuggle underneath the covers.

Sometimes they would immediately fall asleep because though their day was productive it was quite tiring as well. At other times they would share stories from that day, occasionally smiling and laughing (but not loud enough to awaken the children) in the darkened room if something amusing had occurred. And then there were the times, many times when their aroused bodies would do the majority of the talking as they brought each other pleasure throughout the night.

After running the strong bristles over her tongue until she was satisfied, the real estate agent rinsed her mouth with water. If Jaden could read my obsessed thoughts, she'd probably kick me out of here! Disagreeing with herself, Georgie shook her head as she accepted the plastic cup of mouthwash the person responsible for such thoughts handed to her. No, she's so sweet that she'll wait until morning to kick me out. She might even drive me somewhere. Like she was doing a tequila shot, the blonde threw back her head as she tossed the amber liquid into her mouth.

While Jaden massaged her Aveeno facial cleanser into her face and neck, Georgie counted to thirty and then spit. The other woman handed her a fresh washcloth and then proceeded to rinse. She informed Georgie that she could use her Aveeno, but the blonde replied that she had already washed her face with her own product. Jaden reached for the towel hanging over the shower stall and removed the beads of water on her face and neck with it as Georgie fiddled with her toothbrush, wondering if she should leave now. She couldn't think of a good reason to stick around.

Since there were three slots left over in Jaden's toothbrush holder, Georgie dropped hers into the perfectly sized hole to the right of her friend's blue and white dental implement. Now she would have a reason to return in the morning because she had left her toothbrush in Jaden's bathroom. Oh, yeah. Obsessed doesn't begin to describe what I've become.

Thinking it a great idea to bid the musician a good night and take her leave, Georgie turned to her just in time to see Jaden pick up her toothbrush and toss it in the wastebasket. What the…A frown forming, Georgie threw her toothbrush in the wastebasket as well.

"Hey!"

"Hey yourself! Why did you throw my toothbrush in the trashcan?" The blonde indignantly asked. "It was practically new because I just opened it two weeks ago."

"It was touching my toothbrush."

"Oh? Is your Colgate toothbrush too good to be touching my lowly Oral-B your majesty?" She noticed the smile that flitted across Jaden's lips.

"No, that isn't what I was getting at."

"So what were you getting at J-Co?"

"Your brushes touched my brushes and that isn't sanitary."

"I doubt that a little tap was going to do anything."

Jaden looked at her seriously. "Georgie, I'm not about to take any chances okay? Now I check on a daily basis so I know that I don't have canker sores, bleeding gums or any other mouth problems but that toothbrush has traveled all around my mouth and it made me uneasy to see yours leaning against it. Perhaps I shouldn't have thrown your toothbrush away, but I rather be too cautious than not cautious enough." Smiling, she lightly pinched the smaller woman's cheek. "I'll buy you a new one in the morning. There's a store close by."

"Well…since I got rid of yours I'll buy you one too."

"Could I have some dental floss too? I'm almost out."

Georgie shook her head. "Don't push it." They both laughed.

"Sweetheart?" The agent started as she started to amble out of the bathroom.

"Uh, yes darling?"

Realizing what she was about to say, Georgie questioned if she was losing her mind. "Have you checked on the kids yet?" Stopping at the entrance, she turned around to look at Jaden.

"Kids?" Slowly refolding her towel, Jaden looked puzzled. However, she caught on--at least she thought she might have--before her friend could respond. "Oh, right the kids!" The smile returning, she nodded. "Silly me for drawing a blank about the kids. I must be whipped." She faked a yawn.

"Or birched," Georgie interjected, trying to sound innocent.

Though she blushed again, Jaden didn't comment. "Anyway, I checked on them a few minutes ago and all three of them are fast asleep. The baby still held her pacifier in her mouth."

"Aaaw, that's so cute."

Jaden neatly put her towel back on the shower stall. "She's a cutie just like her mother." She winked at Georgie, delighted when she blushed. Joining her out in the hallway, she turned off the bathroom light. "Are you ready for bed darling?"

You have no idea… "Yep…sure am." Wondering just how far the brunette would be willing to take their role-play, Georgie extended her hand to be taken. And after Jaden quietly deliberated for a few seconds, taken it was.

Each woman inwardly questioning what the other was thinking, they headed toward Jaden's bedroom. The covers already pulled back, they chose a side, Georgie on the right and Jaden to her left. Reaching up toward the bedside lamp, the musician cloaked them in darkness. Neither wishing to invade the others space, they remained on their sides with a fair amount of distance between them.

Although she could barely discern it, Jaden stared up at the ceiling as she lay on her back. "Goodnight G."

On her side facing the other woman, Georgie smiled. "Goodnight J."

"Sometimes people call me that as a nickname."

Her eyes already beginning to droop, the agent released a genuine yawn. "If you were to write that down, would it be spelled with just the letter J?"

"J-A-E."

Ten seconds passed before Georgie responded. "I see. Take out the D and the N."

Jaden was now staring at the insides of her eyelids. "That's right."

"I had a lot of fun today Jae."

"Me too G. Me too."

Nothing more was said as they drifted off to sleep. Within the next half hour, a small part of Georgie's fantasy was turned into nonfiction as their unconscious bodies scooted toward each other. They unknowingly snuggled until the following morning.

##########

Finding the buzzing of an alarm clock greatly annoying, Jaden had programmed the radio to awaken her with a song. So it was to Norah Jones's soothing Don't Know Why that she opened her eyes. Evidently, not hearing Norah, the bundle half sprawled on top of her didn't budge.

And neither did the hand placed on her left breast underneath her T-shirt. Jaden groaned. Except for her gynecologist, no woman had touched her breasts in nearly a decade. She could handle her grandmotherly gynecologist doing it, but her attractive little real estate agent friend was stirring feelings in her that she wanted to stay dormant.

When Jaden tried to slide out from underneath Georgie, the hand tightening on her breast made her stop. Deep in sleep, the blonde gave her breast a squeeze, never hearing the moan that Jaden emitted. Her thumb flicked across the already hardening nipple, her short nail scraping it.

"God," the brunette hoarsely whispered. Her dormant libido was officially a thing of the past. Lifting her shaky hand, she tapped Georgie on the shoulder, trying to wake her up. "Georgie…G please wake up."

Thankfully, the tapping and desperate calling of her name did the trick. The moment Georgie realized what she was doing, she pulled her hand out as though she had been burned. Looking horrified, she sat up in the bed. Unable to make eye contact, she shook her head. "Oh Jaden, I'm…I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…"

Yanking her T-shirt down, the singer sat next to her. "It's okay Georgie. You were asleep. You didn't know what you were doing." She waited but the small blonde didn't reply. She just stared guiltily at the bedspread. "Let's forget about it, okay?"

"I practically molested you," she whispered in a disbelievingly voice.

Jaden had to smile despite the tingling roaming through her. "That wasn't close to molesting sweetie." Her smile broadened. "You just copped a little feel."

She could still feel Jaden's generous breast pressing against her palm. "More than a little," Georgie muttered.

Not hearing her, Jaden leaned toward the woman. "Hmm? What was that?"

She finally looked at her bedmate. "Nothing. Um, good morning."

Chuckling, Jaden pulled her into a brief hug wanting to assure her that they were fine. "Good morning Gigi.'

##########

"G-Dog?"

"Yes?" The non-rapper answered from behind the shower curtain. Almost done with her shower, she turned right to left rinsing the soap from her body. Ordinarily, it didn't take her very long, but she had been in there for nearly twenty minutes because she was in love with the showerhead. Her entire body felt like it had been given a massage by three capable masseuses. Georgie wondered if anyone would miss it, if she were to unscrew the showerhead and pack it in her luggage to take home. She could and had in the past gotten away with towels and those mini shampoos and soaps. There was an even an occasion when she 'borrowed' an unopened box of tissue. But that was Vanessa's idea.

"I bought you a toothbrush and your very own tube of toothpaste while I was out, so I'll put them on the sink for you."

Georgie heard the thump as the items were dropped. "Thank you Jae."

"You're welcome. I'll see you after you get dressed." She started to leave the guest bathroom when the agent called her back.

Turning the water off, Georgie wrapped a towel around her body and carefully moved out of the bathtub. Smiling toward her friend she asked, "Other than shopping for toothbrushes, what else did you do while you were out?" Jaden had left half an hour ago after they ate breakfast, claiming the same thing from last night--she had something to take care of. Despite questions, no further explanation was offered.

"When you put some clothes on Flipper, I'll be happy to tell you." Guessing that Georgie would make more inquiries if given the opportunity, Jaden hurried out of the bathroom, shutting the door.


Getting dressed in record time, Georgie joined her friend in the living room. "Okay." She took possession of the space on the couch next to the other woman. "I'm ready."

Smiling broadly, Jaden wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "As you already know, what I went out for last night and this morning pertain to our adventure." The blonde nodded. "Along with our hygiene needs, I brought what we'll need for our adventure home with me and yours is in this room. Find it."

"You're sending me on a treasure hunt?" Georgie asked while already looking around.

"Yes, but it should be a piece of cake if you look closely. What seems out of place?"

The moment she stood and turned toward her left, Georgie spotted a long narrow object wrapped in brown packaging lying on top of the breakfast bar. How had she managed to miss that upon coming into the living room? Pointing to it, she asked Jaden if that was the treasure she was supposed to hunt down. Her smile amazingly broader, the musician told her that she could go unwrap it.

Wanting to prove that she had some restraint, the excited real estate agent tried not to walk too swiftly toward the bar. She waited until Jaden approached before beginning to tear the plain paper away from the object, which she surmised to be about six feet long. Dropping the last piece of paper on the floor, Georgie's expression was one of awe as she slid her palm along the smooth polished surface of her very own surfboard. The streamlined board was custom designed, so Georgie figured that was the reason Jaden had to go out last night so that she could order it.

It's background the color of the sky on a perfect day, the surfboard had an airbrushed dolphin leaping from crystal water. Near the nose of the board, its owner's first name was inscribed in bold blue script.

Smiling, Georgie traced the joined letters with her index finger. "Jaden this is so beautiful, but you shouldn't have. I don't know much about surfboards, but aren't they expensive?"

"They can be if you purchase a high quality one. Don't you worry yourself about the cost though. If you're interested in taking up surfing, then it's yours. I assume that you've never tried it?"

The blonde chuckled. "Until now I haven't so much as touched a surfboard and I am interested in learning. I think this will make an excellent adventure. But I want to pay you for the board."

"You can't pay for something that's a gift. Georgie you've done so much for me, so please allow me to do this one thing for you."

"What have I done?"

Jaden smiled at her. "You were responsible for me getting my dream home."

"That you paid for," the younger woman gently argued.

"True, but I wouldn't have it if you hadn't found it and then you helped me to outbid someone else who wanted to buy it. Georgie if you don't accept this as a gift I'm gonna…"

One brow lifted. "You're gonna what?"

"I don't know yet, but when I do know you'll be the first to find out." They stared at each other for a few seconds before they burst into laughter.

##########

"You're balancing well now," Jaden commented with a smile on her damp face. "Way to go G-Dog."

The surfing novice chuckled as she floated on top of her board in the calm section of the ocean. It had taken her nearly thirty minutes to figure out how to balance her body on the board without falling off before she could blink three times.

"Thank you. I have an excellent and patient instructor." Georgie glanced toward the used eight-foot long neon orange longboard that she was laying on. Between its bright color and the leash attached to her ankle, she couldn't possibly lose the surfboard. She wouldn't have been too heartbroken if she lost it, considering that the ten or so others on the beach with surfboards didn't have one as large as hers. It was true. Size really didn't matter. "I just wish that I was riding Flipper."

"Flipper?" Jaden curiously inquired. "As in Flipper Birch? You want to ride yourself?" Georgie began to smirk. "That would be kind of difficult wouldn't it? That's taking mastur--" Her face colored as she wisely trailed off.

"Why do you get yourself in these predicaments?"

"Huh?"

"You lead the conversation into a sexual direction and then because of doing so, you're responsible for your face reddening." When the musician was about to protest, Georgie asked, "Who was the one to explain the meaning of birch to me, besides it being a tree and then they used it in a naughty sentence?"

"That was one instance. And that one instance happened because you're a bad influence on me. You're slowly corrupting me." She tried not to grin, but Georgie spotted it anyway.

"Please. You need to speak with Van and she'll tell you that I'm not a bad influence on anyone. You're the one who enjoys walking around without her clothes on." Georgie shook her head. "Bad, bad Sparkle. However, if you have convinced yourself that I'm a bad influence to your usually innocent nature, should I learn how to turn around on this board and paddle back to shore so I can go home?"

"No Flipper. Despite your being in denial about your corruptness, I still want you to be my friend." Jaden moved her smaller board closer to the other woman and kissed her cheek. "I like you too much so if you were to leave now, I'd be sad."

Georgie's smile was brighter than the resplendent sun above them. "Because I like you too, I'll stick around."

"Awesome. Now what was this business about you wanting to ride Flipper?"

Showing her pouting skills, the blonde stuck out her bottom lip. "I named my gift Flipper because of the dolphin on the front, but I can't ride it 'cause you said I had to learn to surf on this." After she imagined herself surfing on Flipper, Jaden brought out Neon Stretch, explaining Georgie would have to learn and practice on the longboard before she could take her sleek shortboard out in the ocean.

Smiling, Jaden nodded. "That's what I said. You're already balancing on your board, so I have no doubt that with a few more weeks of practice you'll be riding the waves, at least the smaller ones on Flipper. If you're serious about surfing, which I think you are, when we return to Cali you'll have to practice, practice and practice. You can come over to my house maybe three or four times a week and we'll head out to the beach. If you like, I can keep Flipper and your longboard at my place." Grinning, she added, "Because of my agent's spectacular skills I have all of this room now."

Chuckling, Georgie replied, "I would love to do that! Come over to your house and practice with you. You sure it won't be an imposition?"

Jaden graced her with an 'I can't believe you just asked me that' look. "Er G this was my idea. Of course it isn't in imposition. I'm semi-retired so I have loads of time on my hands!" She glanced at her waterproof watch. "I'd like to show you a technique before we end today's lesson."

Georgie tightly nodded, nervous but wanting to learn all that she could about this water sport. "Okay."

"It's call the turtle method and you might use it when a wave is about to hit you and you want to get out of its path before impact. What you're basically going to do is flip your board over and wait until the wave rolls over you before flipping it again. I personally think this is the best method to use when you have a longboard." As Georgie began to look doubtful that she could pull this off, Jaden encouragingly smiled at her. "It's really simple. First you wrap your arms and legs around your board, and then you get a deep breath, hold it and flip over. You want the fins on the bottom of your board facing the sky. You'll know when the wave passes you and then you can flip back up to your paddling position. I'll show you how it's executed."

After showing Georgie how to perform the turtle method three times in a row, the new surf instructor asked her to try it. The first time she attempted to move onto her back, she slipped off the board before she could wrap her legs around it. The second time, she victoriously flipped but scuffled trying to right herself so Jaden had to help her. A couple of curse words and several tries later, Georgie completed the turtle method all on her own. Both women were quite relieved and excited.

"Good going G!" Jaden squeezed her neoprene-covered shoulder while the young blonde grinned. As they paddled back to shore, she asked her if she wanted to attend a luau that Jaden's friend was holding that night at his beach house. She explained that he was also the friend who sold her the equipment they needed for their surfing lessons. Jaden and her Australian buddy Riley had met years ago when she walked into his surf shop in Honolulu. She had adored him almost instantly.

"That sounds like fun," Georgie commented as they carried their boards along the beach. "I've never been to a luau before. What should I wear?"

The brunette shrugged. "Dress casual because it'll be very informal. Hawaiian shirts are a plus."

"Hm, I don't have one."

Jaden smiled. "Then we should go shopping."

##########

Georgie shivered at the sudden feel of soft lips brushing against her earlobe. "Hey blondie, you wanna get lei'd?" She chuckled as a colorful floral scented lei was placed around her neck. Touching one of the delicate pink petals, she turned around with a bright smile.

"Taking a stroll down that sexual path again I see. Next time you're talking about someone being a bad influence, I hope that you're referring to yourself." Georgie's smile grew, as did Jaden's. "You are the corrupt one Connelly."

"Oooh, what's this about Jae being corrupt?" Sidling up beside her, a tall sandy haired man wrapped a muscled arm around her shoulders. Grinning at Georgie, he said, "I really have to know 'cause I can't picture this one corrupt." He pointed at Jaden with the half empty beer bottle in his hand. "My cobber is as innocent as a newly born babe."

Georgie softly snorted. "She has you fooled!" They laughed. "I'm taking a wild guess and saying that you must be Riley."

Laying a smack producing kiss on Jaden's cheek before letting her go, the Australian man shook Georgie's outstretched hand. "And you are right. Now I'm taking a guess and saying that you're Georgie."

She smiled at his lightly bearded face. "Riley thank you so much for my surfboard. You have an amazing gift. The dolphin is so lifelike that it looks as though it could jump off the board any moment. With Jaden's assistance I promise that I will take good care of it."

"You are welcome and I'm stoked that you like the board so much. Has Jaden taken you out in the ocean yet?"

"Yes and I learned how to paddle and the turtle method."

Her eyes on her younger friend, Jaden said, "Georgie's a natural. She'll be surfing the waves in no time."

"That's ace! When did you guys get here?" Jaden assured him that they had just arrived at his luau less than ten minutes ago. Nodding, Riley scratched at his beard. "Well it seems to be going off. We have plenty of food at the buffet including the traditional roasted pig, a dance floor and I think they're about to start playing volleyball on the beach, but if you want to join them, do it at your own risk 'cause a few of the players are off their faces." Georgie's confused expression prompted him to translate. "In other words, they're shitfaced drunk."

The blonde snickered. "I'll have to remember that one."

"Speaking of drinking, can I get you guys a beverage? Georgie, you want a grog?"

"What's in it?"

Riley grinned. "Basically, anything containing alcohol. I know Jae doesn't, but do you drink?"

"Occasionally, but I'll stick with a virgin tonight."

Riley's eyes twinkled with mischief. "So, you like to drink virgins do you? A lass after my own heart."

"Ri, shut up!" Jaden immediately smacked him on the arm while Georgie blushed, thinking back to her evening spent with Sharon. Though he laughed, he apologized for his comment.

"In that case, can I get you a virgin?" Jaden struck him again. "Uh, a beverage with zero alcohol content?" He frowned. To a man who enjoyed kicking back with a brew at the end of each day that sounded so bland.

"G, you don't have to get something without alcohol just because I do," Jaden explained to her, smiling. "Get a beer, a mai tai or something. Enjoy yourself. I'm designating myself our driver. Riley, my mate I'll have a Shirley Temple with a cherry on top."

"Got it." The Australian looked at Georgie. "And you lass?"

"A beer sounds good."

"Ace choice. Draft, bottled or canned?"

"Draft please. Whatever kind you have is fine."

"I'll be back before either of you can have the chance to miss me."

Riley headed toward the bar, which had been set up on the deck of his beach home while two bikini clothed women who looked to be in their mid to late twenties walked up to Jaden. Each held a cocktail napkin and pen in their hand. Giving the musician's friend polite smiles, they asked her if she was the Jaden Connelly because she sure did resemble her quite a lot. Once she confirmed their suspicions, the excited duo asked her to autograph their cocktail napkins. Using their backs for stability, Jaden wrote her name along with a few words on the napkins. As the pleased women walked away, Georgie asked her how many autographs she had signed over the years.

The blonde grinned. "You don't have to give me an exact number."

"Um," Jaden looked up toward the starlit night as she thought, "really Gigi, I haven't a clue. The bulk of autographs I've given were at promotions for a new CD."

"Over a thousand?"

Jaden nodded. "Yes, over that. Makes my right hand hurt just thinking about it!" Her friend laughed.


"Boy, am I stuffed!" Leaning back in her seat, Georgie patted her belly, a satiated look on her face. "I've never had chicken…what's it called?" She laughed. "I've forgotten what I was eating."

Pushing away her empty paper plate, Jaden answered, "Chicken long rice."

"That's right. Don't know how I could have forgotten a recipe name so simple."

"Perhaps it has something to do with the amount of grog you've consumed tonight," Jaden teasingly stated. She started laughing when Georgie wiggled a pink tongue at her. "See? There you go being a kid again."

"Am not. And I only had two beers." Her index and middle fingers went up. "I'm hardly off my cheek."

"Face."

"That's what I said."

"Really? Because I thought there was more to a face than a cheek."

"Who is your favorite singer?" Georgie inquired, abruptly changing the subject.

Sipping her third Shirley Temple, Jaden shrugged. "Too many for me to name just one."

"Well tell me the name of a particular musician or group that you like to listen to. Besides the Spice Girls."

The brunette quickly looked around to guarantee that none of the other guests had heard that. "One or two songs only and please don't mention that around other people. You'll ruin the reputation that I've so carefully constructed over the years." After she assured her friend that she was only kidding, Georgie chuckled. "I enjoy a diversity of music and singers, but I suppose one of my favorites would be Dido."

"And a backup?"

"You want a backup favorite?"

"Yup."

"Um…I'm a fan of Sade too."

Excusing herself, Georgie walked toward the DJ who along with his equipment was stationed close to the bar. Remaining in her seat, Jaden observed as they spoke for a few moments, the DJ occasionally nodding with a perpetual smile on his face. Once the DJ showed her the jacket of a CD, Jaden was able to make out Georgie's mouth forming the words 'thank you' before she headed back to their small table for two. She offered Jaden a hand and though the older woman hadn't figured why, she took it.

"He doesn't have any Dido, but we were lucky enough for him to find Sade in his collection so Jaden may I have this dance?"

She gave Georgie a terrific view of her teeth due to the wide smile that immediately formed. "It would be my pleasure to dance with you."

While they moved to the makeshift dance floor, which was surrounded by bamboo lamps, Sade's By Your Side started up. As though they had been dancing together for years now, Georgie casually slipped her arms around her partner's neck while Jaden arms encircled her waist.

You think I'd leave your side baby?
You know me better than that
You think I'd leave you down when you're down on your knees?
I wouldn't do that

Her cheek resting against Jaden's shoulder, Georgie softly called her name. "Hm?" The musician just as softly answered. Looking up at her, a faint smile crossed Georgie's lips.

When you're on the outside baby and you can't get in
I will show you, you're so much better than you know

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but when I'm with you I feel this indescribable happiness and peace." To admit that, Georgie figured that she could have been a little off her cheek…er, face. Maybe just two beers affect me more than I thought. A gentle hand brushed her cheek and she had to fight to keep her eyes from closing in bliss.

And if you want to cry, I am here to dry your eyes
And in no time you'll be fine

"I'm not certain what the wrong way would be, but Georgie I feel the same way."

She spoke so quietly that the agent hoped that she hadn't heard incorrectly. "You do?" She tentatively asked. "You feel that way when you're with me?" Georgie had yet to realize that her fingers were caressing the nape of Jaden's neck. Jaden's dark hair shining beneath the moonlight effectively covered the wandering digits.

"I do feel that way when I'm with you Georgie."

"Jaden?"

"Yes?" Jaden pretended that her heart wasn't thumping so harshly. She pretended that she didn't ache to cup Georgie's face before pressing her lips to hers to discover how they felt.

If only you could see into me…

Oh when you're cold, I'll be there to hold you tight to me
Oh when you're alone, I'll be there by your side baby

"Here in this moment, I wish that I had the ability to stop time."

Jaden tenderly smiled as she touched her forehead to Georgie's. "I couldn't agree with you more."

##########

Although she was as blind as a bat because of the handkerchief covering her eyes, she put her faith in Georgie that she wouldn't let her trip and fall over something as she was led only her friend knew where. She had to have been wearing the blindfold for over an hour now and was becoming quite antsy to remove it. She tried to guess where they were and where they were now headed, but she had yet to come up with a viable answer.

While they enjoyed their breakfast out on the deck that morning, Georgie had mentioned that she had a surprise for Jaden, but throughout their fun filled day she didn't give any clues as to what that surprise was.

Immediately after finishing breakfast, they changed into their wetsuits, grabbed their boards and headed to the ocean where Georgie spent the next hour learning more about the art of surfing. First, she practiced the turtle method again until Jaden was satisfied that she could do it well. Then her instructor showed her how to lie on her surfboard while riding the whitewater, which was the steppingstone to riding an actual wave. A few times, Georgie was quickly tossed into the water for riding too closely to the nose of her board. Once she found her balance, she clung to the rails as the foamy water carried her toward shore. Sometimes, the new movement caused her slip off, but despite those times Georgie enjoyed her lesson.

Afterwards, they took a trip to the Dole Plantation where they spent over an hour and half wandering through the Pineapple Garden Maze, which they discovered was the largest maze in the world at 1.7 miles. Eventually finding an exit, they decided to take a tour of the Plantation Garden where they learned about such things as how life was for those who lived in plantation villages and how Hawaii's agriculture had developed over time.

Before they left, Jaden purchased four pineapples to take back to California for her parents and Heather who had loved pineapples since they were children. For her niece and nephews she purchased an assortment of cookies and several bags of tropical fruit mix.

Thinking of Vanessa, Georgie purchased her a box of chocolate covered macadamia nuts. Because she supported her best friend's addiction to the stuff, she also picked up two bags of pure Kona coffee, which the cashier informed her was one of the finest gourmet coffees in the world. Since he had as big a sweet tooth as his daughter, George bought Jacob a bag of chocolate chip macadamia cookies. For Todd, Vanessa's younger brother who was now in college, she bought a tin of macadamia brittle.

Insisting on buying their lunch, Georgie treated her friend to a meal at Compadres Bar & Grill where she feasted on carnitas while Jaden chose the fajitas. Tasting the food off of each other's plate, they couldn't decide who had the better meal. Leaving the restaurant with delightfully full tummies, they headed to the Honolulu Zoo where they walked off the carnitas and fajitas. Most of them anyway.

It was only after they completed their time at the zoo that Georgie brought up the surprise, explaining that Jaden would have to wear a blindfold until the right moment. The right moment must have arrived, because the musician felt someone loosening the handkerchief. She softly sighed in relief, glad that she would finally be able to see where Georgie had taken them.

The handkerchief removed, Jaden blinked several times. She looked at Georgie who was standing to her right wearing the biggest smile and then ahead, which prompted her to look down. Way, way down where she could see the grass covered ground. Grabbing the rim of the roomy wicker basket they were floating in, Jaden grinned through her astonishment.

"You scheduled a hot air balloon ride for us?"

The smile still in place, Georgie nodded. "Surprise J-Co."

"Yeah, surprise mate," said an unexpected voice.

Turning around, Jaden spotted her surf pal standing on the other side of the basket. "Riley! What're you doing here?"

"Call me a jack of many trades." He grinned. "Someone's gotta be the pilot and I'm perfect for the job since I'm certified to operate hot air balloons. It's something I do when business is slower at my surf shop. Not slow now, but last night Georgie mentioned wanting to take you on a balloon ride and I offered my services." Riley winked. "The weather is Mickey Mouse and the winds are pleasant this evening, so I think we'll be able to fly a good hour before we have to find a place to land. So enjoy yourselves and pretend that I'm not even here unless you want to ask me any questions." Putting his sunglasses on, Riley turned away from the couple.

"Question." Jaden raised her hand as though she were in school. She waited until the man looked at her before asking, "What does Disney's star have to do with the weather? I assume this is more of that wacky slang from down under."

Riley chuckled. "Yes, it is and don't act like you Americans don't have your own slang Jae. Mickey Mouse means wonderful, terrific etc. Get it?"

"It's gotten."

"Great. I'm not here." He turned his back on them again.

Jaden returned her attention to the blonde next to her. Reaching out, she squeezed her hand. "This is amazing Georgie. A perfect ending to a more than perfect day."

The agent blushed. "Would you care for a snack while we sightsee from above?" She pointed toward the picnic basket placed at her feet. "Not much of a cook, but I fixed us a little something to tide us over before dinner." Georgie's eyebrows danced up and down. "We have reservations."

"Where?" Jaden asked, sounding like an excited youngster.

Georgie was thrilled by her enthusiasm, but she wasn't telling. "You should know by now that that type of information is confidential."

"Silly me." Jovial blue eyes dropped to the picnic basket. "What kind of munchies do we have?"

Leaning over, Georgie opened the lid and pulled out a chilled champagne bottle and two long-stemmed flutes. "This bubbly contains no alcohol of course," she said, handing both glasses to Jaden so that she could open the bottle. "I also packed us a bowl of mixed fruit and some cheeses. Wasn't sure what kinds you like, so you have Gouda, cheddar, and mozzarella to choose from." She filled their glasses, the foam close to brimming.

Smiling at her, Jaden replied, "I happen to enjoy all of those cheeses." After a brief pause she added, "I think we should make a toast."

"Fantastic. What should we toast to?"

"To us and our burgeoning friendship. With time may it only continue to blossom." Both women smiled as did Riley, but since neither of them had X-ray vision, they weren't privy to it.

"I'll drink to that." Georgie clinked her glass with Jaden's. "To friendship."

##########

The moment they heard the words 'ladies you are now free to move about the cabin', Jaden and Georgie released their seatbelts. Since her taller friend didn't seem to be in any hurry, Georgie climbed over her long legs, walking into the aisle. Asked where she was going she replied that she had no particular destination. From the moment Georgie stepped foot on the jet, she had been curious to check it out.

"You want to watch a movie? There are some DVD's in that cabinet over there by the couch."

"Cool." Kneeling next to the black leather couch that looked like it had never been sat on, Georgie pulled open the double doors belonging to the cabinet. She began searching through the DVD's while Jaden sat next to her. A smile graced her lips as she showed the brunette one of the covers. "We could watch something with your sort of namesake in it."

Jaden laughed. "Maid In Manhattan?"

"Yep. Have you seen it?"

"No." She gently pulled the DVD from Georgie's hand. "But I can today. Want some popcorn to go with our film?"

"There's a microwave on the jet too?"

"Oh, yes." The musician broadly grinned. "We're totally hooked up." She started to rise. "You like butter on your popcorn?"

"Can't eat those fluffy kernels without it."

Once the popcorn was made, it's buttery scent wafting through the air, Jaden and Georgie settled on the couch with a bowl resting between them. Glasses of ginger ale were in front of them on the table. Having control of the remote, Georgie pressed the play button. They began to watch previews of other movies before their feature film started.

Nudging her shoulder, Jaden waited until her friend was looking toward her and then winked. "Flipper?"

Georgie licked her butter-flavored lips before grinning. At any time had she mentioned how adorable her goddess was? "Something I can do for you Sparkle?"

"No, I just wanted to tell you something."

"Are you making another movie with that guy who goes by the name Jimbo? I told you that he couldn't act, so why would you want to be affiliated with him?" Georgie pretended to look disappointed.

Her head cocked to the side, Jaden appeared thoughtful. "Can anyone in that film industry truly act?"

"Good question." She snickered. "So you're not doing it?"

"I'm definitely not doing it." Short pause. "In more ways than one. Told you that I'm retired."

The agent slowly nodded. "That's right. I keep forgetting. So what did you want to tell me?"

"Pardon me from stealing a line from Casablanca, but I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

Dropping the remote in her lap, Georgie cupped Jaden's right cheek as she tenderly kissed the left. "I couldn't agree with you more."


Continued in Chapter 4