"All the more reason for me to show Denise how much I care for Ellen."

A horn blared behind her and Jody realized the line of cars in front of her had already started moving forward. She forced her attention back to driving.

The trip home took closer to thirty minutes than the twenty Jody promised.

The sight of Ellen waiting for her on the front porch steps warmed Jody's heart. Jody waved as she pulled the Jeep into the garage and rushed through the house to open the front door.

Of all the women I've dated, why is it you I'm falling for? Jody wondered as Ellen stepped into the house and embraced her.

It felt so right. This was what she wanted to come home to every day. G.o.d, she prayed, please help Denise understand. She didn't want to lose her friendship, but she wanted a chance with Ellen.

Ellen kissed her softly. "I've missed you."

Jody could only smile and gaze at her in wonder.

Ellen blushed under her close scrutiny. "You think I'm being silly."

"No, I think I'm..." A fist closed around Jody's heart and she panicked. My G.o.d, she thought. She couldn't even say the word out loud. Was she losing her mind? One minute she couldn't wait to get home and tell her she was falling in love with her, and the next minute she couldn't even speak.

"You're what?" Ellen prompted.

"A fool for pain."

"Why does it have to be pain? Why can't we have something wonderful between us?"

"Because we're too different."

Ellen pulled away and led Jody to the sofa. "Jody, we aren't so different. We both like jazz, lazy nights at home and eating ice cream in bed. We like a lot of the same authors and movies. Although I'm not so sure about those animated films you seem to enjoy so much," Ellen teased, referring to their first date when Jody had admitted that Bambi was her all-time favorite movie. Ellen pushed a lock of hair from Jody's forehead. "But I'm willing to give Bambi a try if it means that much to you."

Jody took Ellen's hand. "I'm scared. What if everyone's right, and I can't make a commitment?"

Ellen put a finger over Jody's lips. "Stop it. There are no guarantees in life. With all the craziness in the world, we could all be blown away before morning. You and I are going to take this one day at a time and see where it leads. I'm not asking for forever, but be warned," she said as she stared into Jody's eyes. "I'm falling in love with you. I intend to do everything in my power to be right here by your side, and I intend to stay until you make me leave."

"You could get hurt," Jody said.

Ellen tilted her head to one side, carefully studying her. "Or we could both be surprised." She grinned. "I don't believe you're the womanizer you like to imagine you are. I suspect you were hurt by Mia's betrayal and never got over it. I think you're scared to commit to anyone because you're afraid of getting hurt again."

A stab of irritation struck Jody. Ellen's words. .h.i.t close to home.

Before Jody could respond to the accusation, Ellen cuddled against her. "Hold me," Ellen said. "I can't stay long. I need to get back to Mom's and do some work before we come back for dinner tonight. I have so much to do, but I had to see you for a while."

Jody pulled Ellen deeper into her arms and stroked her hair. "We need to talk about tonight and how we're going to handle telling your mom."

"Let me tell her," Ellen said. "It'll be easier on you if I tell her before we come over."

"No, we both tell her. We're in this together, and she should hear it from us."

They sat in comfortable silence. As the seconds ticked away, Jody realized she was holding a vibrant, attractive woman in her arms, and for possibly the first time in her adult life, she was perfectly content to merely be sitting and holding her. There was no l.u.s.t, just satisfaction. As she stroked Ellen's hair, she couldn't help but wonder what the next few hours would bring.

The clock on the mantel chimed the half-hour.

"It's already six-thirty," Jody said. "I need to start cooking."

"What can I do to help?"

Jody hopped up and offered Ellen a hand. "You can chop the cilantro and tomatoes while I start the beans." After pulling Ellen up, she kissed her deeply. "Don't give up on me," she whispered, her voice thick with desire. "I just need to go slow."

Ellen kissed the tip of Jody's nose. "If we had more time, I'd show you exactly how slow I can go."

"Oh, that was mean," Jody said with a moan. "Now I'll have these images running through my mind all night."

Ellen's hand eased between Jody's legs. "Here's a little preview to go with your mental images."

Jody's breath caught, and despite herself she began to rock to the movement of Ellen's hand.

"It's too bad we don't have more time," Ellen murmured, her hand moving slightly faster.

"I'll order take-out," Jody said, kissing her.

As Jody's tongue sought the tender recesses of Ellen's mouth, Ellen's hand slipped into Jody's slacks and pushed aside the damp underwear. When Jody's knees threatened to buckle, Ellen pushed her against the doorjamb and used her knee to push Jody's legs apart.

Jody's head dropped to Ellen's shoulder as Ellen's fingers continued to work their slow, wonderful magic.

It was after seven before Ellen left. At the door, she hugged Jody tightly. "No matter what happens tonight, I'm not giving up on you." She kissed Jody lightly and rushed off.

Jody drove to a nearby Mexican restaurant and ordered three Mexican dinners to go. The enchiladas, with sides of rice and beans, weren't as good as her own, but they'd suffice.

Chapter Eleven.

Denise and Ellen arrived promptly at eight. In a nervous frenzy, Jody had set the table, cleaned the bathroom, and was in the process of cleaning her sock drawer when she saw Denise's car pull up in front of her house. Jody met them at the front door. Her heart pounded as Ellen gave her a small hug and a modest kiss on the cheek.

Feeling like the worst of louses, Jody turned for Denise's customary hug. As Denise hugged her, Jody was struck with the horrible feeling she was about to lose something very dear. She hugged Denise so tightly in return that Denise peered at her for several seconds afterward.

Jody ushered them inside. "I didn't get a chance to cook," she apologized as Denise set her purse down.

"What happened? I've been looking forward to your enchiladas all day. I thought that's why you left early," Denise said.

Jody glanced at Ellen just as Ellen ran a hand through her hair, Jody experienced a flashback of what that hand had been doing to her only a couple of hours ago. She felt her face flame as her body responded to the image.

"Are you all right?" Denise asked. "You look flushed."

Ellen gave Jody a sly smile as she approached her. "You look like you might have a fever." Before Jody could escape, Ellen's hand was on her forehead. "You feel warm."

Jody jerked away and headed for the kitchen. "I picked up takeout from Casa Verde. I'm keeping the food warm in the oven, so let's eat before it dries out."

"Well, I hope you remembered to get beer. You know how I enjoy a cold beer with my Mexican food," Denise said.

Jody relaxed slightly. "Denise, would I serve you Mexican food without a cold beer?"

"Of course not, sweetie. That's why I love you so much," Denise teased.

"Let's hope you always do," Jody muttered as she stuck her head into the refrigerator to retrieve three cold Coronas.

"What did you say?" Denise was pulling the dinners from the oven.

"Mom told me you two were thinking about possibly expanding the shop," Ellen cut in.

Jody sent her a silent thank-you as Denise began talking about her plans for renovating the shop. As she rambled on about demolishing walls and redecorating the display cases, Jody glanced at Ellen. She was nervously pushing her food from one side of the plate to the other.

As Jody continued to watch, she began to get concerned. What if Ellen had already changed her mind?

Jody reached for her beer and knocked over the salt shaker.

Denise stopped talking and looked from Jody to Ellen. "What's wrong with you two?"

Jody and Ellen exchanged glances.

"Denise, we need to talk to you." Jody saw Ellen's face pale slightly.

"What about? You both are so jumpy, flies won't land on you."

Jody tried to remember the brilliant rhetoric she had been practicing, but none of the illuminating explanations came to mind. "I think I'm falling in love with your daughter," she blurted out.

Denise stared at them. "Of course, you love Ellen," she said in a small voice. "She's like a niece."

"No, Mom," Ellen said as she reached for Denise's hand. "Jody and I are dating."

Denise flew out of her chair and held up her hands. "I don't want to hear any more. This is a sick joke. It's not funny and I don't want to hear another word."

Jody stood. "It's not a joke, Denise."

"It had d.a.m.n well better be," Denise hissed, staring at Jody.

"Mom, listen to us," Ellen pleaded. "I've had a crush on Jody for years."

Denise turned to her. "Ellen, you are not getting involved with Jody. There are things you don't know."

"Denise," Jody said, "I'm not that bad. You make me sound like an ax murderer."

She looked at Jody and said, "You are my dearest friend. I don't want to hurt you, but there's no way in h.e.l.l I'm going to stand by and let you get involved with my baby girl."

"Mom, I'm grown. That decision isn't yours to make."

"This is not open for discussion. Get your things. We're going home." Denise started toward the living room.

When it became obvious that Ellen wasn't following her, she stopped and looked back. The room grew deathly silent.

Ellen was the first to break the silence. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying with Jody. We want to talk to you."

Denise whirled and stormed back toward them. For a moment, Jody thought she might strike Ellen, but instead she turned on Jody. "I trusted you. How could you do this to me? You were like a sister to me."

"I've not done anything to you, Denise. I never meant for this to happen. I didn't just say, 'Oh, today I'm going to fall in love with my best friend's daughter.' You know that."

"Don't you talk about love. What do you know? You hop in and out of beds like they were shoes."

"Mom, stop it." Ellen's voice held a slight tremor.

"Honey." Denise took Ellen's hand. "You'll just be another number. She'll keep you around until someone else comes along." She glanced at Jody. "Someone younger."

"Denise!" Jody exclaimed. "You can't seriously believe that."

"I've known you for almost thirty-five years. I watched you go from woman to woman. How many women have you been with?"

Jody was too stunned to respond. She had expected Denise's show of concern for Ellen, and even disapproval of their relationship, but not this open hostility.

"Let's go, Ellen." Denise started toward the door once more.

Ellen stepped next to Jody. Again, Denise stopped to look back.

"I'm staying here, Mom."

Jody saw the pain rip through Denise. She wanted to say something that would ease her anguish. She wanted to comfort Ellen, who was trembling and trying not to cry. Most of all, she wanted to be somewhere far away from the wave of pain and anger that swarmed the room like a colony of angry bees.

"Denise, please," Jody pleaded. "Be happy for us."

Anger flooded Denise's face. "Happy that you're going to destroy my daughter? Happy that you're tearing her away from me?" She turned to Ellen. "You're too young to understand. Now, let's go home."

Tears glittered on Ellen's lashes. "Please, don't do this."

"You put yourself in this position." Denise stood waiting for Ellen to join her.

As tears began to stream down her face, Ellen dropped her head against Jody's shoulder.

Jody pulled her closer and saw Denise sway as though she had been physically struck. Jody reached out to her. For the briefest of moments, she thought Denise was about to relent, but instead she shook her head, clearly defeated, and left. The soft closure of the door was more painful to Jody than all the preceding anger.

"I can't just let her walk away," Jody said as she started for the door.

Ellen placed a hand on her arm and stopped her. "She needs time. Let's give her a couple of hours, then I'll go home and talk to her."

Jody stared at the door in stunned disbelief. She had never seen Denise so angry or so hurt. Not even when she discovered Mark was cheating on her.

Jody realized Ellen was crying. "I'm sorry," she said.