Magic in Our Hearts

by Jeanne Mccann

  Brett had grown up with parents that believed in love and commitment. Her mother had been widowed when Brett was twenty-six after Brett’s father had lost his life in a small plane accident outside of Boulder, Colorado, while on a business trip. The loss had devastated the woman and her daughter was equally heart-broken. Both Brett and her mother grieved greatly over their loss. Robert Aronson had been a passionate and loving man who doted on his wife and daughter.

  However, Roselin was not destined to live her life alone. She needed compan-ionship and passion, and she had found both with her second husband. He was a calm and loving man who wanted nothing more than to live out his retirement taking care of her. With Brett’s unqualified blessings, she had remarried two years after being widowed, and this marriage had also been a happy one. But fate delivered another cruel blow when Brett’s stepfather suffered an unexpected heart attack within six months of his wedding date, shocking both Brett and throwing her mother into a severe depression. He had an undiagnosed problem with his heart, and at the age of sixty-three had passed away from a massive cardiac arrest.

  Roselin had lost not one, but two husbands she had cared for deeply. The commitment that Brett had witnessed in both her mother’s unions was what she believed in and she wanted the same type of relationship for herself. But she had not met the woman she could commit to until that memorable night. The encounter rocked Brett’s world. Taylor had been equally smitten. The evening proved to be an interesting and unusual encounter, but it was the week that followed that Taylor remembered most vividly.

  Brett had pursued her with a vengeance. First, there had been beautiful orchids delivered to work in the morning and, for several days, amusing telephone calls just to chat. By Wednesday, Taylor had wanted to see Brett in the worst way and was surprised when Brett hadn’t even suggested that they get together. By Friday afternoon, Taylor had figured Brett was off doing other things and not interested in anything about her, but Taylor had been very wrong.

  Brett had plans, big plans, and she was clearing her schedule and cleaning up her act. Her mother had suggested that she court Taylor and that was exactly what Brett was doing.

  “Mind and Body Clinic and Spa, Taylor speaking.”

  “Hi.”

  Taylor didn’t have to be told who was speaking. She immediately recognized Brett’s voice. She flushed with attraction every time she heard Brett’s voice.

  “Hello.”

  “How’s your Friday going?”

  “Good, thanks. How about yours?”

  “Excellent. Would you be interested in going on a date with me?”

  “It would depend upon when and what.” Taylor was going to say yes no matter what.

  “How about tomorrow? I thought we could go to the zoo.” Taylor had been too shocked to respond. She would never have thought that Brett was the type of woman who would want to take her to the zoo. It wasn’t something she expected from the worldly playgirl. “So, Taylor, what do you say?” With a good deal more formality than she felt, Taylor responded, “Yes, that would be very nice.”

  “Good, I’ll pick you up at your place tomorrow at nine. Have a great evening.”

  “Thanks, you too.” Taylor hung up the telephone with a silly grin on her face.

  She had a date with a woman that fascinated her. She’d never felt quite like this before, but the feeling was exhilarating.

  The date had been unique from the very start. They had wandered through the zoo all day long, sharing popcorn, hotdogs, and laughter. They had held hands in the darkened nocturnal animal house and touched frequently. They had talked almost non-stop for hours. Brett had brought her camera along and she had snapped picture after picture of the animals and Taylor. She had even asked a young man to take several pictures of the two of them together, her arm tightly around Taylor’s waist.

  By the end of the date, Taylor was in love, wildly and completely in love. But what cemented her feelings for Brett was the soft, glorious kiss that they shared on her doorstep. It had tugged at her already brimming heart as she was wooed by the gentle kiss.

  “Brett, would you like to come in?” Taylor had known that if Brett touched her in any way she wouldn’t be able to resist her, nor did she want to. She was overwhelmed with attraction for Brett.

  Brett had nodded and smiled broadly while holding Taylor in her arms “Oh, yes, I would so very much, but I’m not going to.”

  “Why not?” Taylor was confused. She had thought Brett’s attraction to her was obvious.

  “Taylor, my usual behavior has been to sleep with a pretty woman and then immediately forget her name. I don’t want to do that with you. I like you—a lot.

  I don’t want to treat you like that.” Brett had held Taylor gently as she spoke, her dark eyes locked onto Taylor’s face. “Not that I don’t want to make love with you. I do want you very much.”

  “I’m glad.” Taylor’s face had glowed with pleasure. “When can we see each other again?”

  “Tomorrow—I’d like to see you tomorrow.” Brett had brushed her soft lips slowly across Taylor’s mouth in a gentle kiss.

  “Good, that would be good,” Taylor breathed, as she returned Brett’s kiss.

  God, the woman could kiss!

  “I’ll pick you up at eight. Dress warmly.” Brett brushed another quick kiss across Taylor’s mouth and then turned and left her standing on her landing, surprise and pleasure on her face.

  CHAPTER 3

  For the next three weeks Brett plied Taylor with romantic dinners, a surprise cruise on a sailboat, and quiet walks on the beach. She took her mother’s advice to heart and was wooing the woman she planned to be with for the rest of her life. They talked about everything and shared their innermost thoughts and dreams. Taylor got to know the woman behind the athlete known to live her life large. They shared kisses and hugs until both women were ready to explode, but it was Taylor who decided when they would make love.

  She invited Brett home for dinner, preparing everything from scratch. She pounded chicken breasts, chopped vegetables, and stirred sauce until she was ready to scream. Baking the caramel custard almost did her in, as she watched it cook in a water bath. She called Rex at least six times for his advice while fixing the meal. She wanted everything perfect, from the food to the meticulously set table for two. She arranged candles and used her favorite China, her best silver, and linen napkins artistically arranged on the plates. Rex chose the wine, and it sat on her counter breathing as she took one last look around the room before Brett arrived. She dressed carefully in a pair of teal blue silk slacks and a matching sleeveless sweater. Her hair was pinned up on the back of her head, and her feet were bare. She was nervously looking again at the table and jumped when the doorbell rang. Taylor took a big deep breath and went to open her front door.

  Brett stood grinning on her front porch, a large bouquet of iris in her hands. She was wearing a pair of black jeans and a white polo shirt, with leather moccasins on her feet. She looked like the sexy athlete she was, her dark hair loose and unruly around her beautiful face.

  “Hi.”

  “Hi, come on in.” Taylor stepped back to let her enter, her heart tripping loudly in her chest. This evening was so important.

  Brett stepped up to Taylor and leaned into her, her dark eyes gleaming as she kissed Taylor softly in greeting. “I missed you.” Taylor’s breath left her chest as she felt the impact of Brett’s kiss and her words. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “These are for you.” Brett handed the colorful spring bouquet to Taylor and glanced around the condominium. “I like your place. It looks like you.” Taylor started to enter the kitchen to put the flowers in water. She turned in surprise. “What do you mean?”

  “Your place is elegant, stylish, and sexy, just like you,” Brett responded, following Taylor into the kitchen.

  “Thanks.” Taylor blushed at the complement.

  “Can I help with anything? The table looks nice.”

  “You can pour u
s both a glass of wine. Dinner is ready to be served if you’re hungry.”

  During dinner, they laughed and chattered throughout the whole feast, which was delicious. Over after dinner brandies, the women were finally getting comfortable on Taylor’s couch.

  “Brett, can I ask you something?” Taylor spoke softly as she leaned against Brett. Brett’s fingers were sliding through Taylor’s hair.

  “Sure.”

  “Will you make love with me?”

  Brett’s hand stopped stroking Taylor’s hair. She was extremely nervous about her relationship with Taylor. She didn’t want to screw it up. She was falling in love with her. “Are you sure?”

  “Honey, I want to make love with you more than anything I have ever wanted,” Taylor whispered, as her lips nuzzled the soft skin of her neck.

  Taylor stood up, and Brett took her hand. Gently and slowly, she tugged her into the bedroom, her eyes dark with need. Brett stopped her at the bedside and spoke softly.

  “I want you to know how important this is to me. I don’t want this to be a casual relationship, Taylor.”

  “This is important to me, too. It’s not casual for either of us.” Brett slowly removed Taylor’s clothing until she stood naked in front of her.

  Her petite body was tautly muscled and yet feminine. Her breasts were full, her waist tiny, and her legs slim, the patch of red hair between her thighs as dark as the hair on her head.

  “God, you are so beautiful, you make it hard for me to breathe.” Brett gathered Taylor to her. “I’m so nervous.”

  “Why?” Taylor began to unbutton Brett’s shirt wanting to run her hands over her superb body.

  “This is our very first time and it’s so important.” Taylor’s heart thudded in her chest as she removed the rest of Brett’s clothes.

  She gasped as she saw the strength and power of Brett’s body. There was no question that she had worked hard at getting into shape. Taylor knew how much work it took to develop such a perfect body. It took dedication and conviction, traits that most people didn’t recognize when they saw Brett. “Brett, this is special—what’s happening between us.”

  “I know.” Brett covered Taylor’s mouth in a kiss, a soft full kiss that overwhelmed Taylor.

  They moved onto the bed, their arms wrapped around each other, their bodies molding together. The contact of skin to skin made them both warm as passion built between them.

  They made love tenderly this first time and memorized every inch of each other’s body. Both women were overcome by powerful feelings as they touched and tasted each other, savoring their time together. It was a night of lovemaking that filled their hearts with magic and unexpected emotions. Brett trembled in Taylor’s arms as Taylor feasted on her wet center, her mouth ravenous for the taste of Brett, and she held her tightly as Brett shuddered with an orgasm.

  Taylor’s eyes overflowed with hot tears as her body surrounded Brett’s fingers that filled her completely and stroked her deeply until she exploded with pleasure. Brett’s tongue tenderly captured her tears and held her as her body recovered. They made love long into the night until they fell asleep wrapped securely in each other’s arms.

  They spent every night together for the next two weeks, and they made love as often as possible. No words of love had been exchanged, but they were both in love, crazily in love. Nothing intruded on this magical and special time.

  On a Wednesday several weeks later, Brett had to go out of town on a business trip for one of the ski team sponsors. Ski sponsors were the lifeblood of the program. It was their money that supported the many skiers on the circuit. She was scheduled to go to New York City for four nights with other members of the women’s ski team. One night Brett was to appear at a cocktail party, one night was a charity auction, and another night was a sit-down dinner and benefit for pediatric aids. As part of the team, Brett had to attend a lot of publicity functions in order to represent the United States and gain sponsors for the team. Brett was adamant about not wanting to go out of town so early in their relationship and leave Taylor behind. She asked Taylor to go with her, but Taylor was swamped at work and couldn’t get away. They’d made plans for when Brett was to return, neither woman anxious to be away from the other for even one night. The relationship was too new and too fragile and trust was just beginning to grow between them.

  The first night they had spoken to each other five times on the telephone, spending an hour in one conversation that lasted late into the night, talking about anything just to hear each other’s voice. The second night Taylor had lain awake for hours waiting for Brett to call. It was after one in the morning before the telephone rang.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi.” Brett’s voice was full of exhaustion.

  “How are you?”

  “Tired and bored and I miss you.” Brett was also getting fed up with dealing with the women that hung around the ski team wanting to be involved with a world-class skier. Her only thoughts were for Taylor and the relationship they were just beginning. She was no longer interested in frivolous, casual encounters.

  She wanted a real relationship with one woman, and that woman was Taylor.

  “I miss you.” Taylor wanted nothing more than to have Brett home with her.

  Until this trip, they hadn’t slept apart in over two weeks.

  “One more night and I’m out of here. I want to be with you.” Brett had sounded almost desperate as she spoke.

  “Is everything okay, Brett?” Taylor began to worry. She had a hard time believing that Brett wanted to be with her exclusively. Her reputation broadcasted exactly the opposite. Brett was famous for her playgirl behavior, and Taylor wasn’t sure Brett wanted to give that up.

  “Not exactly. I just hate all this stuff. It brings out the worst in people.” That was an understatement. She had been inundated with women who wanted nothing more than to spend an hour or so with the famous skier. They tended to come out of the woodwork at these events. Brett had been known to take advantage of the situation until this trip. Now nothing could distract her from Taylor and their fledgling relationship. She would not screw this up.

  “What do you mean?”

  “There are always obnoxious groupies around and they’re totally annoying.” Brett hated the fact that women threw themselves at her, and for the first time in her life she wasn’t interested in playing around. She wanted only to be with Taylor for what she hoped was the rest of her life. “God, I wish you were here.”

  “I wish I was too. Brett, I, I …” Taylor tried to utter the words but something kept her from finishing her sentence. She loved Brett, but saying the words aloud scared her to death. Taylor had never been in a relationship where she had actually told a woman she loved her. This would be the first.

  “Honey, when I get back can we go away for the weekend, just the two of us?” Brett needed to tell Taylor how she felt, that she wanted to be with her for the rest of her life.

  “I’d like that. But right now, you should get some sleep. Don’t you have some kind of photo shoot in the morning?”

  “Yes, at ten,” Brett sighed. She was fed up with all of the publicity.

  “Go to sleep, baby. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Goodnight.”

  It wasn’t until the following evening that Taylor’s world changed. It started with a local news story about Brett and the photo shoot. There was a video of the ski team having their pictures taken, and it was very obvious that the woman interviewing Brett was enamored of her. Her remarks and her looks were bla-tantly noticeable. That by itself wouldn’t have bothered Taylor if it hadn’t been for the quick shot of that same woman in an evening gown standing next to Brett at the benefit dinner, her arm tucked under Brett’s elbow. Taylor didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but her heart was aching in her chest. They had no formal commitment to each other, but she had thought they had an understanding. It would kill her if Brett slept with anyone else. She waited until after two-thirty in the morning before calling Brett�
��s cell phone. It wasn’t Brett that answered.

  “Hello.” The voice was deep and sultry, and Taylor’s heart pounded in her chest.

  “Is Brett there?”

  “She’s busy right now. Could I take a message?”

  “No, I’ll call her another time.” Taylor was devastated when she realized who had answered the telephone. It was the woman from the earlier interview. The telephone dropped to the bed as she fell back, her heart aching, tears streaming down her face. She should have known not to trust Brett with her heart. Now, it was too late!

  “Jesus, Tracey, give me my telephone and leave! I don’t want you here.” Brett’s voice lashed out. She was tired of Tracey’s antics and following Brett to her hotel room was the last straw. Tracey had been making passes at her all night.

  Brett had avoided making a scene while at the event, but her subtle rebuffs hadn’t discouraged Tracey’s pursuit of her. Brett had a horrendous headache and all she wanted to do was go to sleep. Tracey would not give up.

  “That’s not what you said the last time you were in town.” Some months earlier, Tracey and Brett had spent an evening drinking and dancing at a local nightclub. This had been a prelude to a night of sex, uncomplicated sex, or so Brett had thought. But Tracey wanted another night with the gorgeous and talented skier and she wasn’t shy about her feelings.

  “Who was on the telephone?”

  “I don’t know, some woman.” Tracey’s dark brown hair was coming loose from her chignon, and her eye makeup was smeared. The normally elegant woman was looking a little overblown and used up. Brett could no longer remember why she had once found Tracey appealing. Taylor was the only woman she thought about.

  “Get out!” Brett became furious. The only woman who would be calling her was Taylor. God, what did Taylor think? It would kill Brett to lose Taylor.