Decisions by Archaeobard

Melinda Pappas threw down the book she was reading in anger. She had read Herodotus' Histories in classical Greek at least a dozen times before, but she needed something to do. Obviously the ancient author was not doing it for her since she was sat up in bed bored out of her academic mind. It wasn't too late; she glanced at the clock on her bed side table and reached out a hand over the telephone receiver but quickly drew it back, realising who she was going to call.

'Not a good idea Melinda,' she scolded herself. She sighed and picked Herodotus up again, running her eyes over the lines, but not really seeing them. Her thoughts drifted.

"Dr. Janice Covington?" she mused out loud. Ever since she had met the archaeologist a few weeks ago she had felt herself irresistibly drawn to the woman. Mel knew her own warning signals and backed well off before they parted company. Still the woman haunted her thoughts. She smiled every time she thought of the small archaeologist brandishing a machine gun and scaring the living daylights out of some nasty men. The archaeologist certainly didn't possess poise or grace, but she had a way of handling herself that made poise and grace seem stupid.

Mel certainly didn't believe in love at first sight, whether it be with a man or a woman, but there was just?something? about Janice Covington that had her looking twice. It terrified her. She had never felt anything like it before. What scared her even more was the thought of Janice finding out. That's why she had left Macedonia so quickly; away from Janice, away from danger. She thought if she could place some distance and time between herself and the archaeologist things would return to normal. They didn't, they got worse. It seemed that distance and time only served to heighten her feelings for the strawberry blonde. It was very disconcerting. Mel sighed in annoyance, and reached for her bed side lamp. Her finger was resting on the switch when she heard the door bell ring.

"Now, who could that be?" she asked herself. Rising, she dragged on a robe, slide her feet into a pair of slippers and padded down the stairs to the front door. She stopped briefly at the sideboard to retrieve her .22 calibre pistol from a draw. She never believed in guns until she met Janice, but after her return to the States, purchasing one was on the top of her list. She had even had lessons. She strode to the door, gun at the ready.

Switching on the outside light, she opened the door slightly and gasped, as she recognised her worst nightmare, Janice Covington with a suitcase and duffel bag. Guiltily she hid the gun behind her back and swung the door wide.

"Hey sweetheart," the figure drawled as she pushed her way inside. Janice dumped her bags in the foyer and moved to give Mel a hug. She wrapped her arms around the stunned Southerner and retrieved the weapon Mel was holding. Mel stiffened at the sudden contact. "Hope you weren't planning on shooting me with this thing?" she said, examining the gun, "Smith and Wesson, .22, "she nodded approvingly, "very nice."

"Ah, Janice," Mel said, unable to keep the tremor from her voice, "What are you doing here?"

Janice shrugged, "I was bored, so I decided to come pay you a visit." She looked around the foyer, "Nice place Mel."

"Why, thank you," the dark haired woman almost smiled. "Why didn't ya'll tell me you were coming? You can't just turn up on someone's door step like that," she tried to sound annoyed.

Janice snorted, "So much for Southern hospitality. I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Well, it's certainly that. Come on, I'll make you some coffee," Mel said, walking towards the living room.

"I'd kill for a cup!" she said, brandishing Mel's pistol.

"Very funny, safety's on."

"I kind of hoped it would be. Hey listen, I didn't wake you or anything did I? You seem dressed for bed."

"I was just reading," and having impure thoughts about a certain archaeologist I know, she added mentally.

Janice nodded and put the pistol down on a coffee table as she flopped into a comfortable leather couch. Mel headed for the kitchen and the coffee, highly aware of the way she was dressed.

"Hey Mel!" called Janice from the living room, "What have you been doing since Macedonia? You kind of ran out on me, what happened?" she asked.

Mel stalled for time by watching the coffee percolate, "Oh, this and that, reading mostly," he said evasively.

"So, why the quick dash? You could have stayed you know," Janice picked up a magazine from the coffee table and idly thumbed through it.

"I felt I had to get back home. I suppose the whole experience unsettled me a bit," it was a half truth.

Janice nodded, "Yeah, it was pretty damn intense."

Mel came into the living room with two cups of steaming coffee. She handed one to Janice before sitting in an easy chair opposite the archaeologist. She crossed her ankles properly, knees together, as a lady would.

"Jesus," Janice said, "How the hell can you do that? I sit like that for two minutes and I feel as if my legs are going to drop off."

Mel shrugged, "Practice I suppose, I've been sitting like this for as long as I can remember. I think it has something to do with wearing skirts."

A short laugh, "Yeah well, I guess I don't do a lot of that," Janice admitted, staring at her trousers and boots, "I much prefer comfort and ease of movement."

Mel stared too, but managed to drag her eyes away before she blushed. This was insane. Silence reigned for a few moments before Mel cleared her throat.

"Tell me why you really came, Janice. People don't just turn up in the middle of the night out of boredom."

Janice shifted uncomfortably, "Your right of course, there is a reason," She looked down at the floor, then took a sip of her coffee, "Good coffee Mel."

"Janice, I've only known you a short while, but that's long enough for me to pick when there's something wrong. Want to tell me about it?" she asked hopefully.

The archaeologist took a deep breath, she may as well tell the truth, "I was kicked out of my apartment Mel. I'm flat broke; Macedonia took it out of me. I?I didn't know where else to go. I kind of hoped that?"

"Of course you can stay here, Janice. I couldn't have you living on the street." Mel offered. Jesus, Mary and Joseph! What am I going to do?

"Thanks Mel, you're the best. I've gotta look for a job. Know any vacancies available for the daughter's of tomb robbers?" she tried to smile, but it came out crooked.

Mel frowned at her, "I'm sure you'll find something. You're good at what you do, Janice, and don't let anyone try and tell you differently."

"Not good enough for Harvard," she said bitterly.

Mel said nothing, this was Janice's demon and Mel could do nothing about it. Changing the subject, she smiled, "You can have the spare room, I think it's made up."

Janice nodded her thanks, "Why don't you come sit over here and stop being so formal. I feel like you're a million miles away. Besides, as much as Janice Covington hates to admit it, she could use a hug," she said sheepishly.

That did it; Mel was on her feet in a second and sitting beside Janice in another. She didn't know why she did it exactly, faced with Janice, she didn't know why she did a lot of things.

She regretted her decision the minute Janice rested her head on her shoulder. She could smell the sweetness of her hair and it was very unsettling. Before she knew what she was doing she found herself stroking the strawberry blonde locks away from Janice's face.

"That's nice."

Mel could feel her heart pound in her ears and was certain Janice could hear it too. She tried to calm herself as much as possible without being too obvious about it.

"Do you want something a little stronger than coffee to drink?" she asked, hoping that Janice would not catch the breathlessness of her words.

"Yeah, but in a minute, just stay exactly where you are."

Mel sighed and drew the woman towards her. I can't believe myself!

"Janice, why are you so hard on yourself all the time?" she shouldn't have asked it, and felt the woman stiffen slightly at her words.

A shrug, "Because every one else is, well, everyone but you. I don't know what it is, but I just feel comfortable around you Mel. I can let down some of the walls, just a little, and be who I really am."

Mel smiled and rested her cheek on the top of Janice's head, "I'm glad you feel that way Janice. You can't go around being cast iron all the time. How about that drink?"

"Sure," she said, sitting up, "You think I'm like a piece of cast iron?"

Mel stood and strode over to the bar she hardly ever used, "You sure do a good impersonation," she said as she pulled out a crystal decanter of whisky from the cupboard and poured a couple of measures. "Straight up, I'm afraid."

"Thanks," Janice smiled as she accepted the glass from Mel.

Mel sat back down, but only so their shoulders were touching, it was enough. She sipped at her drink, letting the fiery liquid course down her throat and settle in the pit of her stomach. She could feel it burning all the way down, and it was good.

"What do you do with all this space Mel? This place is huge," Janice scanned the areas of the house she could see.

"Oh, I generally take in the occasional homeless archaeologist on a whim, nothing special."

Janice punched her in the arm, "Ow!" she protested, punching back.

"Hang on, hang on! Watch the drinks!" shouted Janice, a grin on her face as whisky splashed on to the back of her hand. She licked it off slowly, "No seriously, what do you do with it all?"

Mel's eyes were riveted to the mark glistening on the back of Janice's hand. She blinked, took a quick sip of her drink and shuddered involuntarily, "Um, not a lot really. Daddy left it to me when he died. There's a lot of this house that I just don't use."

"You're alone?"

"I'm alone."

"What? No lovers to chase around the house?" Janice asked wickedly, swallowing the rest of her drink.

Mel snorted, "Not since Charlie Collins."

"Charlie Collins?" Janice laughed, waggling her eyebrows. She set her glass down on the table and swivelled on the couch, swinging her legs over the end and placing her head in Mel's lap, "Tell me about him?" she asked, looking up into blue eyes.

Mel felt as if she was going to faint. She didn't know if it was possible whilst sitting down, but she thought she might give it a good go.

"Um," Mel cleared her throat 'My God, she has her head in my lap!' she thought desperately, "Nothing much to tell really. He was a very sweet young man, but he had this horrible habit of sucking his teeth after he ate. It used to drive me mad."

"What did he look like?"

"Oh, he was handsome. Blonde hair, sky blue eyes, high cheek bones. You name it; he had all the classic features."

"So what was so wrong with him?"

"I don't know. The fact that he was so right, at least that's what my family thought. They would have had me married off in an instant, but I didn't love him."

"Don't tell me you wanted a career, Miss Pappas?"

Mel laughed, "So that's what this is called," she smiled and looked down at the archaeologist, "Tell me, does a cast iron bitch ever fall in love?" Mel had no idea where this was headed.

Janice snorted, "God no! But a Janice Covington does. I was once so in love with someone that I chased them half way across the world."

"Why did you have to chase them?"

"They left me."

"For another woman?" Mel asked, slightly shocked at herself.

"No, for a man."

"Oh my! A man! That must have been dreadful for you," she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"It was a long time ago Mel. I'm over it now, so over it that I can barely recall her face."

"Excuse me?" Mel thought she heard right, but wanted to make sure.

"I said, I can barely recall her face."

"I thought that's what you said."

"Mel, are you okay, you look a little pale?" Janice asked with concern.

Mel shook her head, "I'm fine, I just didn't expect you to have fallen in love with a woman."

"Does it bother you?"

Mel's sigh was almost one of relief, "Not at all, Janice."

Janice smiled, "Good, because I have to say that you're one of the sexiest women I've met in a long time." What was she saying?

"Who me? No, I'm too tall and gangly," Mel said, blushing. She brushed the hair out of Janice's eyes.

"Never, you're powerful, and those eyes of yours could melt a heart at a hundred paces," Janice desperately hoped she was not being too forward with the woman.

"A hundred paces, my, really? What do they do at two feet?" she looked down at the woman lying in her lap and smiled.

Janice grinned stupidly, "You don't want to know."

"I don't?" Mel asked her voice husky. She was flirting shamelessly, but she didn't care. No, it was more than flirting.

Janice shook her head, "No, it could be dangerous."

"More dangerous than battling Ares?"

"Much."

"Then maybe you shouldn't tell me after all," Mel teased, resting a hand on Janice's midriff.

Janice closed her eyes and smiled. She could feel the warmth of Mel's palm through her shirt, "For a start those eyes are telling me a lot more than I ever expected."

"What did you expect?" she asked, letting her fingers roam aimlessly across Janice's ribs.

Janice took in a shuddering breath, "Not this, but damn it Mel, I just feel so right when I'm near you."

"I could say the same, ever since I met you. I?I haven't been able to get you out of my mind. That's the real reason I left Macedonia so quickly, I was scared."

"There was no need to be."

"I'm beginning to think that," she said.

Janice could feel Mel's hand drift up to the top of her shirt, playing with the top button. The anticipation was exquisite. "What are you going to do?" she said, a little breathless.

"Something dangerous...I was thinking very much of undoing this button, slipping my hand inside your shirt to caress your left breast." Mel held the button tightly. "Or maybe I'll bite it off," she growled.

"The button?"

"Or maybe I'll just rip your whole shirt off. What do you think?" Mel grabbed a handful of cloth in her fist. She couldn't believe she was doing this. It was just happening, and by God, Janice was letting her.

"The button," Janice gasped, she wasn't sure if she could deal with Mel ripping her shirt off just then.

Mel slowly released her grip and undid the offending button. She let her hand hover for a few moments before sliding it in under the fabric. She closed her eyes and sighed when her hand came in contact with the soft flesh beneath. Janice moaned at the touch and shifted on the couch. The most luxuriant sensation was forming in the pit of her stomach. Mel reached down and grasped one of Janice's nipples between her thumb and fore finger. Janice groaned as a jolt of fire shot straight to her loins. Mel manipulated the erect nipple, teasing it before she moved to Janice's other breast. Another jolt caused Janice to shudder as Mel grasped her right nipple and then circled around it with her finger tip.

"Oh God! Mel, why are you doing this?" she moaned, she couldn't stop herself from squirming. She simply had to get out of her clothes.

"Because you have no idea how much I want to. I lied to you when I said I was reading tonight. I was thinking about you, about how much I wanted to hold you, to touch you, to run my hands over your body," Mel was casually touching at Janice as she spoke soft and low.

"Jesus! Help me get out of this damn shirt!" Janice scrambled for the remaining buttons but Mel pushed her arms out of the way.

"Oh no you don't Janice Covington," she stared sternly at the woman.

"Mel, you're driving me crazy!"

"Why, I haven't even kissed you" she said wickedly, staring at the woman's lips.

Janice licked her lips, suddenly aware that her mouth had gone dry, "Kissed me?"

"That's right, you heard what I said," Mel said, sotto voce. Slowly Mel raised Janice to a sitting position and drew her close. She stared into the archaeologist's eyes for a brief moment, that was all she'd allow herself otherwise she'd be lost completely. Silently she moved in. Janice closed her eyes and she could feel her body respond to the anticipation. Mel stopped just before making contact with the other woman.

"At one inch?" she asked, letting her breath caress the lips before her. Janice's eyes shot open to lock onto a sea of blue, she almost melted.

"What?

"What do my eyes do at one inch?" Mel said slowly.

Janice groaned.

Mel smiled and moved in the remaining inch. She brushed Janice's lips softly at first and then grasped them with her own. She felt them parting and probed gently with her tongue, seeking the other woman's. It was there, fiery and forceful.

Both women panted, "Mel?can I lose my shirt now?" Janice asked, desperately hoping to be allowed.

"Let me," Mel moved in to undo the rest of the buttons, placing a gentle kiss that lingered on Janice's lips as she proceeded.

Mel slipped the shirt from Janice's shoulders and flung it to the floor, not caring where it landed. She placed small kisses in a line down Janice's throat, tracing her pulse, before moving across to the hollow where he collar bone met. Dipping her tongue in the pit, she drew a line down between Janice's breasts.

"Oh, Jesus!" Janice gasped as she felt Mel take one of her nipples in her mouth. She played with her tongue, first swirling around and then stroking. Finally she gave a long drawn out bite before she stood.

Janice was left aching on the couch. Her entire body was on fire with need. She desperately wanted the woman, but dared not stop to think what she was doing.

"Mel?come back!" she almost shrieked.

Mel smiled at her and slowly, seductively undid her robe, revealing a low cut, black satin negligee.

"Oh my God," Janice swallowed, dragging her gaze up and down the woman who stood before her. She was going to die, right here, right now and on a couch.

"You approve?" Mel said in a low sultry voice.

Janice nodded stupidly, "Uh-huh."

Mel smiled and sank to her knees before the archaeologist. She placed a hand on a booted calf and proceeded to undo the laces. Janice had no idea that undoing a pair of shoes could be so erotic, but somehow Mel managed to make it that way. Janice had to lie back on the couch or she would have slipped off onto the floor. Finally the boots were removed and Mel began removing her socks, inch by glorious inch, all the while caressing Janice's ankles and feet with her finger nails. It was all Janice could not to scream.

"Mel," she gasped, "my trousers?"

"All in good time," she murmured.

Mel removed her negligee and knelt naked in front of Janice, pressing her breasts against the woman's knees.

"Janice," she whispered, "are you still with me?"

"I think so," the archaeologist could not believe what was happening. She was usually the one who took advantage of situations, but somehow things had got turned around and she was lying helpless.

"Good. Do you know what I'm going to do?" she asked, drawing a line down the side of Janice's leg.

Janice raised her head, she was almost afraid to ask, "What?" Her heart was pounding violently and she could not stop it.

"I'm going to crawl up your body and kiss you slowly, sweetly. Then I'm going to lose myself in you neck before assaulting your breasts with my mouth. Then I'm going to run my tongue over your ribs, followed by the muscles of your stomach. Next I will remove your belt, slowly, and undo you trousers with my teeth. Do you want me to do that?"

Janice swallowed hard, her breathing was haggard, it's just words Covington, she told herself. She threw her head back on the couch. "Mel, I?" but she couldn't finish.

"Do you want me to do that?" repeated Mel more firmly. She spread the archaeologist's legs, and ran her hands up Janice's thighs.

"Oh God, yes!" Janice shuddered, she couldn't help it.
She felt Mel move between her legs, and then soft breasts brush against her stomach and up to and over her own. She groaned at the sensation. She wrapped her arms around the small of Mel's back and caressed her flesh. She could feel Mel's rapid breathing on her shoulder until her mouth was claimed in a fiery embrace. Mel held her in that kiss so she thought she would suffocate. Finally she was allowed to breathe in long, ragged gasps. The next assault came with little warning. One moment Mel was kissing her neck and the next she felt Mel taking a breast in her mouth and suck slowly on her nipple. She groaned and pushed up towards Mel, desperate for the contact the woman was supplying. Mel drew back for a moment before continuing her ministrations on the other breast.

Janice was growing mad with desire. Mel was biting and sucking, sending jolts of fire into Janice with every move she made. Janice clutched desperately at Mel's back and shoulders, trying to push her down her body to where she needed her most. Mel would not comply, her pace would not be dictated. Janice began to feel herself writhe beneath the woman.

"Mel?"she panted, desperate for some relief to the storm building within, "Mel, please?" she begged.

"Mmmm?" came the reply, smothered by flesh.

Janice groaned, the tension she was feeling was exquisite, verging on pain, "Mel?what are you doing to me?"

"Exactly what I said I was going to do," she lifted her head and stared wickedly at the woman before her, "Do you want me to stop?"

"No!" Janice almost screamed, "Don't stop."

Mel grinned and slid further down the woman, cupping a breast in each hand, she massaged Janice's nipples while she kissed along the woman's ribs, occasionally stopping to blow warm breath over the moist trail. Janice shuddered, pressing her hips against Mel.

Slowly Mel worked her way down, drawing lines down Janice's sides lightly with her nails, causing shivers to run over the archaeologist.

Janice was almost beyond caring about anything except what was happening to her body. Eventually Mel's tongue scraped lightly against the top of her trousers and belt. Mel hooked her fingers under the material and ran them over Janice's warm skin beneath. Deftly she undid the buckle and slid the belt free, throwing it aside. She grinned evilly as she descended to tackle the buttons of Janice's fly.

Janice could feel Mel's mouth working against her stomach through the material of her trousers. She moaned loudly as she felt Mel tugging at the top button of her fly with her teeth. Mel managed to bite the top button free and spit it out in the general direction of the belt. She peeled a little of the fabric back to reveal the waist of Janice' boxers and just a little extra skin. She placed soft kisses around the edge of the material. Janice was panting uncontrollably, she could not catch her breath. A wave of desire washed over her so strong she could not stop it.

"Oh, Jesus," she groaned, arching her body into Mel's.

Mel was by now working on the second button which was quickly followed by a third. She could feel Janice's under her chin as she chewed her way through a fourth button. By the time she reached the fifth and final button Janice was almost crying with desire. Mel quickly reached up and hooked her fingers around the waist bands of both Janice's trousers and boxers. She inched them downwards to the woman's hips. Janice raised her hips so Mel could lower them further. With a final tug, the offending items were nearly free. Mel dragged the clothes down Janice's legs, following their path with her own body. At last they were gone, discarded on the floor.

"Thank God!" Janice grunted as she felt the items clear her feet, "Mel, you're killing me!"

"Not yet."

Janice shuddered violently as Mel gently kissed her right shin, working her way back up Janice's legs. She paused to lick behind her knee at the soft flesh there, blowing on it lightly. Janice tried to grasp the material of the sofa, but it didn't give, all she could do was claw at it. She couldn't reach Mel unless she sat up, and she didn't think that was physically possible at the moment.

Mel straddled Janice's right leg and drew herself up. She could feel herself, hot, against the woman's thigh and shuddered in response.

Mel lowered herself against Janice and began placing feather light kisses against her.

"You're amazing," she mumbled, breathing in the archaeologist's scent. Slowly she descended and ran her tongue against Janice's slick folds. The woman let out a guttural cry and rocked her hips against Mel. Mel shuddered as the movement suddenly caused a surge in her own desire, but she would not give in, she wanted all of Janice first.

She found Janice's clitoris and swirled her tongue around it. Janice quivered in response. She gasped and clutched at Mel's head, holding it in place. Mel continued her ministrations, her chin bathed in Janice's essence. She could feel the woman building beneath her, her hips thrusting violently, ragged groans coming from her soul. Desperate to taste more of Janice, Mel dipped her tongue into her. Mel's own desire was growing dramatically. She tried to calm her own body but Janice's wild bucking was not helping. As a last measure, she ran her tongue over Janice's clitoris once more and tore herself away from temptation.

"Noooo!" Janice screamed, "What are you doing?" she was almost in pain. She had to have release, and Mel was the only one who could give it to her. A flood of longing coursed through her. Just when she thought she could not stand the ache any more, she felt Mel's fingers enter her, keeping time with her own rhythm. Mel descended once more with her tongue to assault the taut bundle of nerves crying out for attention. Janice panted and dug her fingers into Mel's hair, clinging there like a wild thing. With a cry Janice came with a final thrust of Mel's fingers. They lay entwined, Janice shuddering as after shocks hit her. Slowly Mel removed her fingers and managed to drag herself up beside Janice.

Janice was gasping for breath, "Oh Jesus, oh Jesus?" she didn't seem capable of saying anything else. She was on the verge of tears. Mel held her. It was intoxicating.

They clung to each other for a few moments.

"Don't you ever leave me hanging there like that again!" were the first words out of Janice's mouth when she had enough breath to string more than two words together.

Mel smiled and nuzzled her neck, ignoring the comment, "Oh my, Doctor Covington, you're really something else."

Janice grinned, looking down at Mel's face pressed into her neck. Slowly her breathing was becoming more controlled.

"Je-sus Mel, so are you, I almost died. Where the hell did you know how to? where did you??" She was lost for words.

"Certainly not from Charlie Collins."

The End.