Part 5

Houston sat around at her dinner table and watched her friends talking and laughing. The two children were laughing at something silly, that Karen said about some cartoon character that she'd watched with the kids before dinner. Carol and Cash, were in a deep discussion about some TV show that she had no clue about. She couldn't believe how in the matter of only a few days, her life was changing.

No matter where she looked around the table, she saw a future and a family. The family part would need a lot of work to regain the trust, but given time and patience, it would grow into something strong and unbreakable. Tara and Trent, with their antics and them just being the lovable kids that they are already had Houston wrapped around their little fingers.

That thought brought a smile to Houston's face and a twinkle to her eyes. She had her children back in her life and she'd be damned if anyone would take them away again. Then she looked over at Carol and Karen and the smile grew. Sure, they had been friends, but the friendship was growing and getting more emotional between the three women.

Houston shook her head and smiled to herself because she knew that given the right situation and time, Carol could slowly get Houston to open up and share what was going on deep inside her mind and heart. Normally, she would just bury her feelings deep inside herself and hoped, it would stay that way. In her own way, Carol let the confused woman say the words out loud, so she could hear how it sounded. Carol had become her therapist, just without the huge bill.

Karen, was like her buddy in crime. No matter what the idea was, she was all for it and would dive in head first and think about the consequences later. The trouble they had gotten each other in was both funny as hell and scary as shit all rolled into one. Houston trusted her with her life and she was the first one that she'd trusted with her friendship after she lost all trust in everyone else, including herself. Now Houston knew, that she would never get away from hiding her feelings, or get away with becoming the untrusting, mean, big bitch of a person, that she'd been after Cash had left.

She turned her head and looked over at Cash, when she heard her laugh. The sound made her heart beat faster and she couldn't help, but smile at the tall brunette. She remembered the first time they had met and how they connected with just talking and getting to know one another. She knew that Cash was and would always be imbedded in her heart and knew that this time if things worked out, it would be a deeper kind of love and her soul glowed with that thought.

Cash glanced up, when she felt like she was being watched. Her eyes met Houston's and they shared a small grin.

After a few more minutes, Houston noticed the time. "Tara, Trent, I think it's time for you two to get ready for bed."

"Aww! Come on Houston. We are having fun and want to stay up later." Tara whined.

Trent nodded his head. "Yeah. Please." He said as the pout formed, even though his eye lids were drooping.

"Sorry guys. It's time for the adults to talk and it is already way past your bed time." Cash stood up and rounded her two children up. "Say good night to everyone."

"But... but..." Tara mumbled as she tried to think of a good reason to stay up later.

Cash shook her head and pointed towards the stairs. "No buts. Just get your butts up those stairs."

The four women watched as the two children slowly began to make their way out of the room. Trent stopped and looked at Houston. "Would you read to us tonight?"
"Umm, sure." Houston looked at Cash to make sure it was okay with her.

Cash nodded, with a big smile on her face. "I'll be right up after I help in cleaning up the dishes. Make sure that you both brush your teeth and wash your faces."

"Yes Mom." The two said as they made their way up the stairs.

After the dishes were done and Carol and Karen went to sit in the living room and start a fire. Cash headed up the stairs to check on how Houston was doing with her kids. As she reached the top she could hear Houston's voice as she read from one of the children's favorite books. She stopped in the threshold of the doorway and watched them with interest.

Houston was laying in the middle of the bed with one child on each side, they were totally captivated by the voices and entertaining quirks the small woman made as she read each word.

Cash felt her heart swell with love. No one had been able to capture Tara and Trent's hearts the way Houston had done. She could tell that this woman would be of great importance in their lives from now on.

Several visions filled Cash's mind all of a sudden. They were of a future, that she hoped with all her heart, would transpire. Doing homework and sitting around a table, with just the four of them talking about their day and what they wanted to do on the weekends. Watching TV, with all of them sitting on the couch wrapped up in a blanket, laughing and giggling at some characters actions. But more importantly, the love they had as a family and how it would grow each day.

Tara caught the movement, out of the corner of her eye and a huge grin appeared on her face. "Mom, come here and listen to the story with us."

The other two people in the bed turned to the doorway.

"Yeah Mom, come on and join us. Houston is great at reading and making funny noises for the characters in the book." Trent wiggled in excitement. "You can sit by me and share my pillow."

"That's the best offer I've had all day." Cash smiled, as she made her way around the bed and waited for the trio to shift and make room for her. "Thanks."

Houston waited until everyone was settled before continuing the story. Everyone snuggled closer, with each word spoken and before they knew it, the story was over with and Tara and Trent were nodding off.

With unspoken words, the two adults carefully extracted themselves from the bed and covered the children up. With Houston on one side and Cash on the other, they looked into each other's eyes and then, back down to the sleeping little angels.

"They are so cute when they're sleeping." Houston whispered as she ran her finger's through Tara's sandy hair.

Cash nodded and copied Houston's movements with her son's hair. "Yes they are."

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Carol and Karen, were seated on the couch, talking about what court might be like, when they both turned to watch Houston and Cash make their way down the staircase.

"Get the rug rats in bed?" Karen smiled as she stood up to pour the two women a glass of wine each. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Houston said as she reached for both glasses and handed Cash's to her. "Now are we ready for Monday? Have all the precautions being taken care of? Any last minute details, that we need to cover?"

"Yes. I have the normal plan." Carol stated, as she reached down to grab her briefcase. She'd put it next to the couch, when she'd first arrived at the house that evening. "Okay, here's the map, so we can go over it and make any changes to the routes."

"Is all this really necessary?" Cash asked. "They way things are being planned out, you would think that I was the president of the United States."

"You're more important." Houston stated as she looked over the map.
The breath caught in Cash's throat as she stared at Houston. She couldn't think of anything to say as her mind was twirling around.

Karen set her glass down on the coffee table, not having heard what Houston had said, or seen Cash's reaction to it. She continued on, with her train of thought, completely oblivious to what had just occurred. "You know that old saying. It's always better to be safe than sorry."

"And that is how we do things." Houston responded casually looking up at Cash, seeing the emotions in the deep blue eyes. "We haven't lost a single client and I'll be damned if we start now."

After a few second of silence, Houston looked around the room. "Does anyone know how Dunn found out where the apartment was?"

"We have no clue." Carol shook her head. "No one knew about that place, but us."

"Yeah." Karen agreed, then started to think things over. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" She stood up and began to pace, repeatedly, clenching and unclenching her hands into fists.

"What?" Houston asked as she watched her friend with interest.

Karen stopped in front of the seated blonde. "I can't believe we were so careless."

"What are you talking about?" Cash moved to the edge of her seat with her elbows resting on her knees, her glass of wine held between her hands as she rubbed the stem of the glass back and forth between her palms. The motion making the red wine swirl, inside the clear glass and almost sloshing over the edge.

"Do you think that your father would hire someone to follow us?" Karen asked as she turned to look at Cash, then back to Houston, when she saw the brunette's nod. "It's because of mine and Carol's big mouths."

"Huh?" Carol sat straighter in her chair. "What the hell are you talking about."

Karen closed her eyes and clenched her fists, until her knuckles turned white. "We talked about coming by the apartment on several occasions outside of the office. Hell, we didn't even think that someone would be tailing us."

"You think someone over heard you and they went back and told my Father?" Cash questioned before she gulped down her drink. "Aren't you two supposed to be professionals?" She then pointed at Houston. "This is partially your fault too. You should have known that my Father would do anything to get me back."

"You're right. I should have known." Houston agreed looking up at Cash with guilt in her eyes.

""We had no clue. It's never happened before." Carol quickly stated. "This is the first time, since we opened, that this kind of situation has come up."

"Am I some sort of special situation?" Cash stood up with fire in her eyes. "Your actions put my children in danger. You put me in danger along with Houston. How could you two be so damn careless?" She turned her anger away from Houston and back at the two other women.

"Yes, you are a special situation." Houston stood up and walked over next to Cash. Trying to calm her down and deal with her own feelings of guilt, she began to rub her hands up and down the shaking woman's arms. "They have never seen me react to someone, like I've done with you. They were curious, seeing if by some chance, we would get back together."

"So curious that they didn't do their jobs." Cash pointed at the two woman that stood behind the small blonde. "I swear if anything would have happened to Tara, or Trent because of your actions," She stopped talking before she said something, that she couldn't take back.

"You're right and we are so sorry." Carol replied softly feeling like an idiot for not taking the precautions they should've taken.

"Yeah." Karen nodded. "If we even thought that we were being followed we would have taken action and taken care of the person."

"I would think that it was mandatory to think that someone would be following you." Cash snapped as she fought back her anger and the tears.

"Okay, let's all calm down a bit. Nothing we can do about it now." Houston turned, so she could wrap an arm around the trembling woman's body. "You're safe now and there is no way someone can get close to this house."

Cash closed her eyes and let the heat that she felt radiating off of the smaller woman next to her quiet her nerves. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "She's right."

"Yeah." Carol and Karen nodded their heads.

Houston guided Cash to sit back down and reached for her empty glass. As she walked though the room, she took everyone else's glass as well and went to refill them. When she came back in the room with a tray that held the now full wine glasses and a plate of cookies, she stopped at the silence. The tension in the room was almost visual.

"Let's talk about what will happen on Monday." She set the tray down on the coffee table and went back to her seat.

For the rest of the night, the four women went over the game plan several times, with several different scenarios. When each thought they had everything covered, Karen and Carol took their leave. The two women left alone decided to retire for the night.

Slowly they made their way up the stairs and stopped next to the doorway that would bring Houston to her room.

"Good night Cash." Houston said as she went to open her door. "I'll see you in the morning."

Cash nodded and smiled. "Night." She stood in front of Houston for a few seconds wanting desperately to have a kiss good night, but decided against it since Houston hadn't done anything, or said anything about the earlier kiss. So she moved to her own door.

Houston watched the emotions play in the blue eyes that stared at her. She remembered that look from seeing it thousands of times in the past and in her dreams. She decided it was time to make sure that Cash knew, that she did have fears, but they weren't going to stop her from a future she really wanted.

Slowly, she caught the retreating woman's arm. "Wait."

Cash turned around, so her back was pressed up against her closed door. Her breath caught in her throat when she watched Houston's hand reaching up to cup her face.

"You know you've never left my heart." Houston whispered as she began to run her fingers through the silky dark tresses, caressing what covered a perfect ear.

"I just broke it." Cash reached up and unbuttoned Houston's shirt, so she could see the tattoo.

Houston nodded as she traced a finger across Cash's lips.

Cash opened her mouth and slowly ran the tip of her tongue against the blonde's finger tip. She watched as Houston closed her eyes.

Houston moved in closer, so her body was pressed up against the taller woman's. She could feel the firm, full breasts and the hardening nipples push against the fabric of her shirt. When white teeth bite down on her finger she shuddered in excitement. "I want you so badly right now."

Cash let the finger in her mouth slide out as she leaned her head lower and kissed along Houston's jaw line. "I want you just as much."

Houston tightened her hold on the other woman's hips as the soft wet lips met hers. She pressed as close as she could, up against the warm body in her arms.

When they broke for air, Cash's hands had pulled up the back of Houston's shirt and her finger nail's, scratched up and down the bare back, causing Houston to tremble.

"Take me to bed Baby." Cash nipped the shaking woman's ear. "Make me yours forever."

Houston stepped back and grasped one of Cash's hands as it slid down to her waist. "You always were. It just took some time for it to really happen." She replied as she guided the woman she loved towards her bedroom.

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Tara woke Trent up with a shake of his shoulder. "Hey wake up."

"Stop it, Tara. I'm sleeping." Trent smacked at his sister's hand.

"I can't find Mom." Tara said sounding scared.

Trent sat up and rubbed his eyes. "What do you mean, you can't find her? Did you look in her room, or in the kitchen?" He stopped rubbing his eyes and opened them to see his sister nod her head. "Okay. I'll help you look."

Trent tossed off his blankets and followed his sister out of the bedroom towards where their Mom was suppose to sleep. "What time is it anyways?"

"About seven." Tara answered as she opened the closed door.

Trent shook his head. "Why do you get up so early, when you don't have to?"

"Shut up and look." She pointed to the bed. "It has not been slept in at all."

Trent scratched his head. "You said you looked everywhere?"

The young girl again nodded her head. "The only room, I didn't look in was Houston's."

The two children looked at the closed door then, back at each other, then back at the door again.

"Why would she stay in there?" The still tired boy asked.

"You don't think they had a sleep over, or something and didn't invite us?" Tara tip toed over to Houston's door and put her ear up against the wood. "I don't hear anything."

"Duh! You idiot. Only freaks get up this early. If Mom is in there, she is sleeping, like a normal person should be at this hour." Trent grabbed for the door knob.

"Stop." Tara grabbed his hand. "You should knock first."

"And wake them up? Are you crazy?" Trent removed his sister's hand and opened the door a few inches. His eyes grew big, when he saw his Mom sleeping with Houston's arm wrapped around her. "We can't go in there. See." He pointed to the bed and the sleeping occupants.

"Why is Mom sleeping in there?" Tara asked confused. She looked at her brother and watched him shrug his shoulders.

"I don't know. Maybe she got scared or something." Trent replied never taking his eyes off of the two woman.

"Let's just close the door and leave them alone. We can ask when they get up." Tara decided as she went to close the door.
"But I thought you wanted Mom?" Trent questioned as he stepped out of the way.

Tara sighed. "I did, but it will wait. You coming down for breakfast?"

"You are nuts. I'm going back to bed." Trent mumbled before he went back down the hall to bed, away from his weird sister who woke up before it was light outside.

"Lazy brother." Tara called out. "I have a lazy brother." She repeated to herself as she watched him open the bedroom door.

Trent just waved his hand behind his back and closed the door.

Tara stood in the quiet hallway and wondered what she should do now. Not wanting to eat alone, she decided that watching some TV would do, until everyone else woke up. Looking one more time at Houston's now closed bedroom door, she sighed. "Whenever they do get up, I have some questions."

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Cash heard the door close and opened her eyes. She stared at the door and wondered what her kids thought of what they had seen. They had never talked about the birds and the bees. So, what if they couldn't handle the way she loved Houston? Would she have to choose between them? How could she chose between them if she did have to make that kind of decision?

Houston could feel the woman in her arms tense and her breathing deepened. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Cash didn't turn around. She didn't want Houston to see the fear in her eyes.

"You didn't." Houston tightened her hold. "I heard the kids outside the door before they opened it."

Cash didn't say anything, she just closed her eyes and let the warmth of the love they had shared last night cover her up. If this was the only night that they shared, then she wanted to remember the feelings and smells for the rest of her life.

"You're scared." Houston said, not as a question, but as a statement because she could tell by the way Cash was acting, what was going on.

Cash nodded her head and fought back the tears. "I don't want to have to choose. I can't give up my children and I don't want to give you up either." She finally turned around, so she had her head resting on Houston's chest. "What we shared last night was nothing like we've had before. It was more intense more connecting."

"I agree. So please don't think about leaving. We will work together and talk with the kids." Houston kissed the top of Cash's dark, sleep tossed hair. "Take it one step at a time. Not three or four. Just one at a time." She moved her head, so she could see her face. "Okay?"

"Okay, I can do that." Cash leaned up on her elbows, so her face was inches from the prone woman under her.

"You going to kiss me good morning?" Houston smiled up at Cash as she ran her hands up and down the tall woman's back.

Cash arched forward when the blunt nails scratched down her spine. "God, I love it when you do that."

"I know." Houston bent forward and sucked a nipple into her mouth. Her hands grasped Cash's butt and squeezed the soft globes.

Cash's body had a mind of it's own as she started to rock up and down on Houston's body. She pressed her still wet and slightly aching center down on the rock hard thigh below her. Cash knew that it wouldn't take much more for her to be able to come, so she didn't stop.

Houston nipped the harden nub in her mouth before she dropped her head back down to her pillow, so she could watch the reaction above her. She loved how Cash's mouth was slightly open and the tip of her tongue poked out. Then when the orgasm started to ride through her lover's body, she would bite her bottom lip to keep from screaming out.

"What you do to me with just one touch." Cash gasped out as she collapsed on top of Houston.

Houston wrapped her arms around the panting woman's body and held her tightly. "Cash?" She whispered.

"Yeah?" Cash turned her head, so she could see Houston's face.

"I love you." Houston couldn't help it as she spoke those words a tear fell down the side of her face to land on her blue pillow case.

Cash reached up and wiped the trail of wetness away. "I love you too."

No other words were needed as two separate souls were joined once again.

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Continued in Part Six

© 2005 All Rights Reserved T. Stratton

Sorry!!!!
The next part will be up after the new year. I am going on vacation and I won't be able to write. I do have part six in my head and will probably have it started before I leave and if by some chance I do get it completed then I will get it posted, but with the things I have to do I doubt I will get it totally done.

So don't worry about it not getting finished. I have never left a story uncompleted and I don't plan on starting now.

Everyone have a Merry Christmas and a Safe and Happy New Years!!!