JoBeth & Amy #2: The Start of Something New

JoBeth & Amy: Story 02 – The Start of Something New - CHAPTER 13-A

*Note: This story got a little longer on me than I expected - it is not completely edited, so if you see any little errors in there... that's why!*



Note: This chapter was really long - 4 times longer than the average chapter - so I had to break it up into a few parts that I hope work just fine! It does talk a little about bondage, but doesn't have any in it. Parts 14, 15 and 16, do have bondage again, so for those that are only interested in that sort of thing, soon, there'll be a lot of it! :P



*WARNINGS: This story IS FOR 18+ ONLY! If you don't like adult situations, don't read any further!! This story will eventually contain BONDAGE, a sexual situation, and will involve a suggestive bit of girl/girl fun...*



----------------------------------------------------------------------------



Perched on the edge of her bed, JoBeth glanced around her room, a dozen different scenarios flashing through her mind for what might happen once Amy arrived. What was left of the late evening light glowed faintly in the western sky past her blinds and the sun had already dipped below the horizon a few minutes ago, leaving the brunette waiting for the small red lights of her alarm clock to tick past eight o’clock. Any minute now, Amy – her Amy – was going to knock on her door.



The rush of anticipation JoBeth was feeling for that moment was matched by the knot that had been building in her stomach ever since their phone call ended. Tara had done her best to distract her and keep her from getting to wound up or worried but there was no denying that she was excited to see Amy again. This time, it would be in a place where they could finally be alone.



That place was her dorm room and thankfully, cleaning it up had been a breeze with some music and Tara’s help. Within a half an hour, they’d managed to get everything in pretty much presentable order for when her guest would arrive. After finishing, they’d walked down to the cafeteria at Tara’s behest, but JoBeth had been too far too nervous and excited to do anything more than pick at an antipasto salad that she normally would have devoured. The speculation about just what Amy might want to do later that night was too much fun to resist.



A warm blush rose on her cheeks again and JoBeth sighed, keenly aware of how the speculation had only made her feel more hot and bothered. Tara had taken her on a quick walk after dinner in hopes of diffusing some of that nervous energy, but she’d spent the whole time thinking about how Amy had held her in class and how much she wanted to do that again. By the time they’d gotten back to their rooms, she’d been in desperate need of a cold and refreshing shower.



Recruiting Tara’s help one last time, JoBeth had picked out her favorite pair of black lace panties and their matching bra. They were simple enough to be reasonable, but wearing them made her feel sexy and no small part of her was hoping that Amy would like them if things did end up heading in that direction later. JoBeth flopped back on the bed, biting her lower lip bashfully. That very idea was something she’d been daydreaming about for weeks now and based on their conversation earlier, for the first time, it seemed to be so tantalizingly possible.



Patting her hands on her stomach, JoBeth stared blankly over at the stand-up comedian on the television, glad that the shower had managed to cool her off enough to keep her from bouncing off the walls. Amy would be here any minute and despite the smile that was tugging at the corners of her lips, last thing she needed to do was get all worked up again. She really wanted just to tackle Amy the moment that she walked in the door and the thought of doing that made her chuckle. As much fun as it sounded, JoBeth didn’t want to wind up embarrassing herself right off the bat either.



One thing JoBeth knew for sure was that she wanted to think of something she could do to thank Tara for everything she’d done today. Without the cheerful and supportive redhead, the last few days would have been one long nightmare of sexual frustration mixed with uncertainty and indecision. It was thanks to her wonderful support and advice that she was laying here, happily waiting for the girl she’d had a crush on for a month and a half to come over.



Another glance at the clock told the brunette that eight o’clock had come and gone. “Any minute now…” JoBeth mused aloud, a grin spreading across her lips. Like she’d said she would, JoBeth had left her room’s door unlocked and soon the knob would turn to let Amy in. The blonde was coming over to her room for the sole purpose of hanging out with her, because she’d asked her to. That alone was enough to get her heart pumping but a moment later, JoBeth heard the sound she’d been waiting four hours to hear; a knock on her door and the soft, metallic crunch of the clasp turning.



“Jo?” Amy asked, poking her head through the doorway. Her heart had been racing hard enough before the trek up the dorm’s stairs and now, all she wanted to do was see JoBeth’s adorable smile and be assured that this all wasn’t just some bizarre dream.



Hopping up off the bed, JoBeth met Amy’s curious gaze with a bright smile of her own. “Hey, Amy!” she chirped, giving the other girl a small wave and watching her slip in through the doorway. Just seeing the blonde’s face light up with a smile of her own at her greeting brought all the butterflies back to her stomach, but here she was, standing in her room. Her Amy was here.



“Hey, Jo,” Amy replied, pushing the door closed behind her. Her hand rose to slide the deadbolt into place before she turned to finally get a good look at the girl she’d been thinking about all afternoon. Just a few feet away now, JoBeth looked adorable as ever and that beaming grin she wore only made her want to wrap the brunette up in a hug. “How are you?” she asked, figuring that even though their conversation had implied that JoBeth wouldn’t mind it at all, that sort of thing would have to wait, at least until later.



Taking a few steps to close the distance between them, JoBeth gave a small chuckle. “I’m good,” she said, doing her best to keep the nervous energy that was building inside her from slipping out. “How about you? You made it over safe…”



“Good!” Amy replied with a smile. “And yup! I got a good parking spot and everything.”



“Good,” JoBeth said, unable to help staring at Amy for a moment. The blonde’s cheeks were a little flushed from the walk up the stairs and she was looking gorgeous as ever. JoBeth could feel her own cheeks heating up a little at the mere thought of being able to reach out and hold her.



Gathering herself a moment, JoBeth held out her hands. “Here, I can grab your bag and coat for you…” she said, waiting for Amy to let her messenger bag slide off her shoulder.



“Thanks,” Amy said with a smile, turning the bag over to JoBeth before slipping her arms out of her jacket.



Taking Amy’s bag by its handle, JoBeth crossed the room again, setting it down in front of her dresser. A small spark of excitement flickered inside her as she realized that it had enough heft to it to make her think that Amy just might have brought some overnight things. With a small chuckle, JoBeth felt her heart beating a little faster and she turned back to Amy. The sweater she was wearing clung tight to her curves and it looked so soft to the touch. It was hard to resist the urge to just reach out and wrap her arms around the Amy’s waist.



Setting the delightfully pleasant distraction aside for the moment, JoBeth harnessed her force of will to return to the task at hand; getting Amy as settled in as she could. “And your coat…” she said, taking the coat from Amy’s outstretched hands before opening her closet’s door. “…Can go in here.”



“Thanks,” Amy said, watching JoBeth hang her coat up on a hook and taking a moment to steal a peek at the brunette’s adorable backside. The freshman girl was wearing a pair of form-fitting cargo pants that flared open over her calves to expose a pair of legs that she already knew to be gorgeous. The pants rose just above JoBeth’s hips and her hoodie was short enough to expose a bit of her midriff, making it somewhat untenable for heading outside but perfect if she planned to stay indoors. Amy felt a small, wonderful glow inside her at the thought that, just maybe, JoBeth was wearing the outfit for her.



Amy tried stifling a small laugh of her own at how many times she’d wished to be able to reach out and give JoBeth’s backside a playful squeeze. The way that JoBeth had lit up when she’d walked in the room told her that she might get a chance to later, depending on where things went.



“Works for me,” Amy said, snapping back into the moment to take a quick glance around the room. Her lips curled up into a fond smile; it was as small as she remembered the rooms being, but JoBeth’s looked wonderfully cozy. Her desk was covered with assorted notebooks, a few textbooks and a laptop along with a myriad of CDs on the shelves above and the dressers had a smattering of JoBeth’s other possessions. Her bed, a little smaller than a double, was covered in an assortment of pillows that looked incredibly welcoming and their likely place to sit as the bowl chair in the corner was playing host to JoBeth’s own messenger bag. Amy chuckled softly at how even after half a decade, the university was still content with leaving the rooms very much chair-deprived.



Figuring that there was no need to keep standing in the doorway, Amy stepped out of her boots. There was a small mat next to the door with a few other pairs of shoes and boots already on it and Amy looked over at JoBeth with a curious arch of her eyebrow. The girl was smiling away at her, cute as ever and apparently very happy to wait while nostalgia ran its course. “Should I just put these here?” she asked, drawing a verifying nod from JoBeth.



“Yup! That’s perfect,” she confirmed. “I’m just glad you made it over here alright,” JoBeth added, trying to contain her own excitement by walking over to sit back on her bed and hoping that Amy would follow.



Amy’s attention was settled firmly on the downright adorable girl smiling at her from over on the bed. “Yeah,” she said, crossing the room over to JoBeth with a smirk dancing across her lips. “Made it up here without breaking a sweat, as you can see,” she teased, finding more than a little enjoyment in noticing JoBeth’s gaze flick just for a moment over her body. Based on her blush, the feeling that was bubbling up inside her was mutual.



Her heart racing, JoBeth tensed when Amy sat down next to her on the bed. “Good,” the brunette sighed, still smiling brightly. She could smell Amy’s sweet lilac perfume and her deep blue eyes just inches away now. With a soft swallow, JoBeth tried to steel herself against that budding desire to learn over right now and pick up where they left off in class. “Hopefully the rest of your day was pretty good too,” she started, hoping that her blushing smile wasn’t too obvious. “After class, I mean.”



“It was,” Amy chuckled, a little relieved to see the hints that said JoBeth was feeling just as nervous as she was. The phone call had made her certain that they did like each other and while that certainly wasn’t about to make anything any easier, seeing JoBeth’s smile managed to quell the nervous knot in her own stomach and help her relax a little. JoBeth was in for this too and between them, she was confident that they’d figure it out. If anyone was worth the extra effort, it was the girl sitting just a few inches away.



Offering a warm smile, Amy pulled one of her legs up underneath her, turning to face JoBeth. More than anything, she wanted to help JoBeth relax. A little small talk would go a long way towards seeing if they couldn’t talk about all of the things they’d been hoping to talk about alone and finally see where this might go. “I went home and pretty much just hung out with my roommate until I started getting ready to come over here…” she said, tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ear.



“I gotcha,” JoBeth nodded, leaning back against the pair of pillows behind her. Her curiosity about Amy’s roommate and the rest of her life outside the classroom was running at full speed through her mind and she hoped that it was something she could find out more about in time, if Amy didn’t mind letting her in. “Sounds kind of like my day too…” she mused a moment later. “I took care of homework, hung out with Tara next door and now…” she paused, the corners of her lips pulling up into a giddy grin. “You’re here.”



With a blushing smirk, Amy’s eyebrow rose. “Not too stressful, I hope?” she asked, settling in on the surprisingly comfortable mattress.



Shaking her head, JoBeth chuckled. “Not at all,” she said, dispelling any notion that today had been anything but a roller coaster of the same excitement and anticipation that she hoped Amy had been on with her. “It was kind of fun really…” the brunette added, thinking back to her shower with a blush of her own. It hadn’t been easy to defy the urge to try and satisfy that mounting desire she’d been unable to shake all week.



While she’d managed to find the force of will to resist the urge then, JoBeth was still feeling delightfully warm and fuzzy inside. That feeling had only magnified now that Amy was sitting so close that she could reach out and touch her if she wanted to. “At least, I thought so,” she said, trailing into a small laugh.



“I’m glad to hear that,” Amy chuckled. “I know I’ve had far worse things to get ready for at the end of a long week,” she trailed off with a smile, a slightly suggestive hint in her voice.



“Tell me about it!” JoBeth laughed, nodding her agreement. When she’d gotten out of the shower she’d felt a little thirsty herself and JoBeth figured that if they were going to talk for a while, there’d be no harm in being a good host to Amy. “But before we get too far into anything, would you like something to drink?” she asked, stealing a quick glance over at her fridge before turning back to give Amy a curious look.



Her gaze following JoBeth’s, Amy noticed one of the staples of dorm living; a mini-fridge tucked off in the corner. “Sure!” she said, standing up. “Over here in the fridge, right?”



“Yup!” JoBeth nodded, starting to get up herself. “But I can get it, you don’t have to…”



“Nuh uh,” Amy said, noticing JoBeth starting to get up and shaking her head. “I can get it. You stay comfortable over there,” she added, stopping the brunette where she was on the bed with a smile.



Feeling a pleasant tingle at Amy’s smile, JoBeth grinned. “Okay,” she said, settling back against the pillows. “You can help yourself to the juice or the water and I think there might be some pop in there, if you want it.”



Pulling the door open, Amy dropped to her haunches. “Let’s see here…” she said, looking over the contents. Everything JoBeth had mentioned was there and after a moment of thought, Amy reached for a bottle of water for herself. “Do you want anything while I’m in here?” she asked, turning to look back over her shoulder.



“I’ll take a water, if you don’t mind?” JoBeth replied.



Laughing, Amy grabbed a second bottle of water. “Why would I mind?” she asked, tossing it over towards the bed for JoBeth to catch before nudging the refrigerator’s door closed with her foot. “It’s your water.”



With a smirk, JoBeth caught the bottle with ease. “True,” she said, watching Amy sit back down on the bed just a few inches away.



Twisting the cap off the bottle, Amy raised the bottle to her lips and looked back over at JoBeth. “So,” she started, taking a second to enjoy the moment sitting here with the adorable brunette before taking a small, first drink. “What did you feel like doing?”



JoBeth had to stifle a chuckle when her first thought was ‘you.’ Shifting a little on the bed, JoBeth took a drink as well, hoping not to succumb to her nerves. She screwed the cap back on the bottle when she was done, setting on the bed beside her before she returned her attention to Amy. “Well, I’ve got a few movies if you wanted to relax, but actually, I was kind of hoping we could just talk for a while…” she said, feeling a sense of relief when Amy met her with a pleased smile in response.



“Yeah?” Amy asked, a little glad that yet again, she and JoBeth were hoping for the same thing.



Nodding, JoBeth gave Amy a blushing smile, feeling a little more confident thanks to Amy’s welcoming reaction to her suggestion. “Yeah,” she confirmed. “I had fun talking to you in the library on Monday, but we really didn’t get much of a chance to talk about anything beyond school stuff…” she elaborated, her curiosity to find out more about the blonde ramping up even higher.



“That’s true,” Amy chuckled, remembering both that conversation and holding JoBeth’s hand under the table fondly. Feeling her cheeks warming a little, Amy cleared her throat and tried to shake off that warm, tingly feeling inside her. “We were a little hung up on your paper, but it was still fun!”



“Yeah it was,” JoBeth said, a hint of enthusiasm slipping into her voice. “I even took a few of those ideas we talked about and I tried to work them into the paper earlier this week…”



Her blush brightening a deeper shade of crimson, Amy gave JoBeth an amused smirk. “Yeah, I saw that in your newest draft, today…”



“Ah,” JoBeth squeaked, Amy’s comment sending a pleasant tingle up her spine. She couldn’t help a bright blush of her own. She’d figured that Amy might have looked at it when she’d read her note, but the fact that Amy was still interested in reading her work beyond that gave her a thrill she couldn’t quite describe. All week, she’d been hoping that this paper would be something that would make Amy proud of her and impress her. Silly as it might have sounded to her three months ago, JoBeth wanted to show Amy that she had a brain too, and that she could offer something to the obviously intelligent blonde. “I hope you didn’t think it was too bad, there…”



Arching her eyebrow up incredulously, Amy thought that nothing could be further from the truth. “Are you kidding?” she asked, drawing a bashful smile from the brunette. She’d read the rest of the paper while she’d been running errands with Lauren and between the paper and her other work in class, there was plenty of evidence that JoBeth was a smart girl, despite what appeared to be a small lack of confidence that her own opinions carried much value to others. “You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself, Jo…” Amy continued, patting the other girl’s leg encouragingly. “Your paper is excellent! You’ve got a good take on the book and you gave a good voice to your argument. It’s one of the best ones I’ve read all year, and I’m not just saying that…”



“You really liked it?” JoBeth asked, the assertion combining with her delight at hearing Amy calling her ‘Jo’ to send another beaming grin spreading across her lips.



“I liked it a lot,” Amy confirmed with a resolute nod and a smile of her own.



Her grin wasn’t going anywhere any time soon and that wasn’t considering the delightful warmth that JoBeth felt from Amy’s hand resting on her calf. “I’m glad you liked it!” she exclaimed, feeling a sense of relief to hear that from someone that was both her TA and the girl she was hoping to impress. “I was kind of worried I’d just mess it all up by babbling away in the middle…”



Shaking her head, Amy wanted to dispel any concern that JoBeth had that her work wasn’t good. “Jo, if you handed it in right now, you’d ace it, no matter who graded it,” she said, drawing a smaller, proud grin from JoBeth. “You did really well.”



“Thanks, Amy,” JoBeth said, letting a relieved laugh slip out. “I guess I won’t have to spend all weekend on a re-write then, huh?”



Laughing along with the brunette, Amy gave JoBeth a reassuring pat on her leg. “Nope,” she said, letting her hand linger for just a moment before finally finding enough willpower to pull back away. “You can spend it on much better things.”



“Yay,” JoBeth chuckled, settling happily back against her pillows and grabbing her bottle of water again. Amy’s approval meant that she could finally set that large worry aside and concentrate on what she hoped would be a fun weekend ahead; one that would hopefully include Amy. As nice as it was to be free of the paper, JoBeth did miss the warmth of Amy’s touch on her leg.



The freshman’s reactions to her compliments were beyond adorable and Amy couldn’t help but feel a little good that her opinion seemed to mean something to JoBeth. “I enjoyed reading it,” she chuckled, remembering not only her enjoyment of seeing what JoBeth thought, but the little surprise that JoBeth had meant for her to find tucked between the pages. If that was any indication of what JoBeth was hoping to do, there might be a chance that they could spend more than just the night together. “Especially there on page five…”



Her whole face lighting up, JoBeth was suddenly acutely aware of Amy’s proximity. “Aah,” she said, trying to gather her slightly scattered composure. She’d worried about that from the moment that she’d handed Amy the folder, but the warmth of Amy’s affectionate smile told her that everything was perfectly okay. Amy had liked it and it couldn’t have been a bad move at all if it had helped Amy decide to come over and hang out with her. “There was that, too…” she chuckled, bashfully biting her lower lip.



Taking a drink of water, Amy felt the warm, delightful tingle inside her spark up at seeing JoBeth look momentarily but adorably flustered. She wished she could just tackle JoBeth to the bed right then and there, but that could wait long enough to allow for a bit of teasing and to see where the evening might go. “And now that that’s done, that’s one less thing to worry about this weekend, right?” she asked with a sly smirk.



“Yup,” JoBeth chuckled. That had been the last bit of significant work she’d had left to do over the weekend, beyond a bit of light reading. “I’m pretty much free and clear for this weekend, now…” she added, hoping that might help tell Amy that she was open to spending more than just a few hours together with her.



Smiling, Amy felt her heart starting to beat a little faster in anticipation. “Me too, outside of this…” she replied, drawing a pleased smile from JoBeth.



A wide grin glowing on her cheeks, JoBeth basked in Amy’s smile. It seemed like Amy was open to spending the night and that alone had her tingling with anticipation and desire to find out. Taking another drink, JoBeth snuck a glance over at Amy’s messenger bag. From what she remembered in class, it looked like it was a little more full than usual, possibly with things that Amy might have brought along with for spending the night. As exciting as the prospect was, the fact that Amy wanted to spend her free time with her made her feel wonderful. Something about Amy liking her made her feel special in a way she’d never felt before and it was something she hoped they could find a way to explore.



Looking back at Amy, JoBeth shifted a little on the bed, her leg extending a little closer to Amy’s. “I’m glad to hear that…” she started, trying to set aside the increasingly insistent warmth inside her. “I mean, that you don’t mind coming over here to hang out with me…”



“I had fun on Monday too,” Amy said, a soft, warm smile reflecting in her eyes. “Even if we didn’t get to talk about too much…”



Chuckling, JoBeth remembered trying to sneak more than just class-related topics into the conversation while hoping to avoid doing anything that anyone else might get too suspicious of. “There were a bunch of people around,” she said, feeling glad that she didn’t have to be so discreet here in her room. “I didn’t want to get you in trouble or anything…”



The urge to wrap JoBeth up in a hug was becoming irresistible and Amy had to harness her entire force of will to keep from pouncing on the cute brunette right then and there. JoBeth had been worried about the exact same things that she’d been at the time and she’d tried to do something about it too. That JoBeth had been thinking about her too made her feel more than a little bit special. “Thanks for that, Jo…” she said, smiling at JoBeth.



“No worries,” JoBeth replied, rocking back against her pillow again wishing she could settle back against Amy instead. “I figured that as fun as it would be, it might be a little bad for a teacher and student to get mistaken for something… more.”



Nodding, Amy had to agree. “Yeah, but only if someone was jumping to conclusions,” she said with a chuckle, not wanting to darken the mood at all. They’d both been worried about it, but that wasn’t anything they had to worry about now. She certainly liked JoBeth and now that she knew JoBeth liked her in return, it wasn’t nearly so intimidating. “Though, as far as I’m concerned, let them think whatever they want,” she continued, looking JoBeth in the eyes. “I like talking to you…”



“You do?” JoBeth asked, secretly hoping that she hadn’t just slipped into a momentary fantasy.

“Definitely,” Amy replied with a confident nod and a smile for the brunette. “You’re a smart, funny and very cute girl, Jo. What’s not to like?”



The moment Amy asked the question, a blush spread to her cheeks, but she didn’t feel self-conscious about asking it at all. It had just come out on its own and even better, it had the added benefit of being completely true. Their moment together that morning and knowing that JoBeth thought about her too made her feel a lot more comfortable sitting here with JoBeth, able to say exactly what she thought and felt.



With a shy laugh, JoBeth’s face lit back up a faint shade of red. “Thanks!” she chirped, not quite sure if she could say anything more without blurting everything out at once and tackling her down to the bed in an embrace. Through a beaming grin, JoBeth tried to contain her rising excitement. “And I hope you know I like talking to you too, Amy…”



“I’d hoped so,” Amy replied, a playful glimmer in her eye. Tucking a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, she smiled coyly at JoBeth. “So,” she started, a slightly seductive purr in her voice. “Now that we are in a place where we can talk about whatever we feel like…” Amy trailed off, arching an eyebrow up curiously. “What do you want to talk about?”



A slightly nervous chuckle escaped her lips and JoBeth felt her cheeks warming with another blush. She was drawing a complete blank for conversation topics at the moment and she hoped that it was only temporary. It had been so much of an adrenaline rush between the phone call and Amy agreeing to come over that she’d never figured out where she wanted to start. “You know,” she started, a smirk spreading across her lips as she tucked a few strands of bangs behind her ear. “I honestly didn’t think that far ahead…” she finished, trailing off into a laugh.



Laughing along with her, Amy shook her head. JoBeth seemed just as excited and happy to be there as she was and it was only making her like the girl even more. “That’s totally fine,” she said, smirking. “Because I didn’t either!”



“You didn’t?” JoBeth asked, an excited curiosity sparkling in her eyes.



Shaking her head, Amy smiled in return. “I was too focused on coming over here to see you…” she explained bashfully.



A wide grin spread across her features and JoBeth felt an elation she couldn’t describe to hear Amy say that about her. “I think that’s a perfectly good excuse,” she reasoned, snagging one of her pillows and clutching it tight to her chest.



“Yeah, but excuses aside, I am open to talking about whatever you feel like…” Amy said, wanting to make sure that JoBeth knew that she didn’t have anything to hide from her.



“Same here,” JoBeth replied, biting her lower lip shyly. Amy’s smile, just a few inches away now, was making her feel all warm and fuzzy inside and all she could focus on was how completely cute she looked in that sweater of hers. It looked soft to the touch and if it weren’t for the pillow in her hands, she didn’t know if she’d be able to resist the urge to reach out and just wrap her arms around Amy. “I’m just glad you came over…” she confessed, grinning happily.



Her cheeks were already a bright shade of pink and thanks to JoBeth, Amy already felt a lot more comfortable here with JoBeth quicker than she ever thought she would. “How could I ever turn down your invite?” Amy asked, patting JoBeth’s knee affectionately.



“I don’t know,” JoBeth said, shrugging and blushing a little again herself. With a chuckle, she felt a delightful tingle course through her, spreading out from the warmth of Amy’s hand. “I didn’t really know what would happen after you answered the phone…” she added, chuckling.



Grinning playfully, Amy cocked her head a little to the side, not wanting to remove her hand just yet. “I did give you my number, Jo…” she said, the teasing note in her voice drawing an even brighter blush out of JoBeth. “I can tell you I didn’t mind seeing your name pop up on my caller ID…”



Amy’s encouraging smile was stoking her confidence that she hadn’t assumed anything wrong here with Amy by asking her over. “You did answer,” JoBeth agreed, nodding. “And now you’re here.”



“That I am,” Amy said with a smile. “And not that I mind it at all, I can’t help being a little curious…” she trailed off, patting JoBeth’s knee again idly.



Arching an eyebrow, JoBeth was happy to take the bait. “What about?” she asked.



It was a question she’d been rolling over in her head from the very moment that the phone had rang with JoBeth’s call. While Amy thought she could guess about the reason and not be too far off, the atmosphere between them gave her the perfect opportunity to find out for sure. “What ended up making you decide to call me?” she said, a sweet smile sparkling in her eyes.



Looking away for a moment, JoBeth felt her cheeks burning bright and she couldn’t help another chuckle. “I just wanted to talk to you,” she said, her eyes flicking back to meet Amy’s a moment later. “After class, I had your number and I wasn’t doing anything tonight…” the brunette trailed off, a playful grin tugging at the corners of her lips. “So I thought I’d say hi.”



Smiling back at JoBeth, Amy felt JoBeth sliding her leg just a little closer to her own bended knee. “I’m glad you did, Jo,” she said warmly.



“I was half-afraid that I’d start giggling like a doofus before just hanging up, actually,” JoBeth laughed, riding the wave of giddiness that Amy’s smile was sending through her.



Giving in to a laugh of her own, Amy didn’t find it very hard to imagine that very thing happening, and she wouldn’t have faulted JoBeth for it. Liking someone was always a scary prospect, and they’d both been dealing with that same worry about whether or not the feelings were returned. More than anything, it made Amy feel like she wasn’t forcing anything on the adorable freshman at all.



“I have to admit, I kind of felt the same way…” Amy admitted, pausing for a moment and drawing an interested look from JoBeth. “The butterflies I mean.”



“Oh yeah?” JoBeth asked, holding the pillow a little tighter in an effort to mask her budding enthusiasm.



Nodding a confirmation, Amy tucked a few strands of hair that had fallen loose back behind her ear again. “Yeah,” she said, breaking into a small grin. “But I would’ve called you back.”



“You would have, huh?” JoBeth asked, biting her lower lip mischievously.



Arching an eyebrow, Amy hoped the answer was pretty obvious by now. “How could I not?” she asked. “I have your number too, you know…” she added playfully.



“That you do,” JoBeth smiled, letting her leg slide just a little closer to Amy’s.



Taking a drink from her water bottle, Amy could feel her blush spreading. “It’s kind of funny, actually,” she started, deciding to let JoBeth in on the amusingly ironic part about her call’s timing earlier that afternoon.



A bubble of excitement rose out of her and JoBeth sat back up, curious about what was causing Amy’s smirk. “What is?” she asked, letting the pillow fall into her lap and resting her arms on top of it.



Remembering the surprise she’d felt very well, a small chuckle escaped Amy’s lips. “Well, when you called me earlier, I actually had the phone in my hand already…”



“You did?” JoBeth chuckled, hoping that there might be a nice reason why.



“Yeah,” Amy nodded, smiling. “Specifically, because I was about to call you…”



Subconsciously sliding a little closer to Amy, JoBeth broke into another wide grin at the notion of Amy wanting to call her at the same time. “You were, huh?” she asked, an impish sparkle in her eyes as she drew a confirming nod from the blonde.



“I was,” Amy said simply, still feeling that same rush of anticipation that had hit her all the way back at that very moment. It had been a delightful surprise then, but it was even better now that she was here, looking across the bed at the cutest thing she’d ever seen. “But I don’t mind you beating me to it…” she added, teasingly. “It let me know you wouldn’t mind talking…”



Her courage bolstered, JoBeth could feel the rosy glow spreading from her cheeks to her ears. Something about hearing Amy say that she was thinking about her made her feel all tingly inside. “I don’t think I’d ever mind,” JoBeth said, a coy little smile surfacing. “I’d have answered no matter what.”



Glancing down, Amy noticed that one of JoBeth’s hands was just inches away from her own now. She could feel the warmth of JoBeth’s body close to her and she wanted more than anything to reach out and caress the girl’s cheek and pull her in closer. “I’m glad to hear that,” she said softly, feeling the delightful warm glow inside her rise even higher.



The atmosphere between them seemed so right that JoBeth didn’t want to wait any longer. She didn’t see any harm in a little less-than-subtle implication about exactly how she felt about Amy. “How could I not answer,” JoBeth asked, smiling with mock incredulity. “It’s not every day you get a phone call from the girl you like…”



The blush on her cheeks darkened to a shade of crimson and Amy felt a tingle rush down her spine. She could have sworn that JoBeth had just said she liked her. “The girl you like?” Amy asked, the words coming out almost on their own while her mind was momentarily stuck spinning around.



A little surprised by just how un-subtle she’d been, JoBeth lit up a shade of red even brighter than Amy’s. She didn’t think that blurting it out was the best way to go about it, but it had slipped out anyway and the brunette felt her stomach drop. More than anything, she hoped that she hadn’t just blown it all. “I, uh…” she stammered, her heart racing as she tried to find the right words.



Reaching out, Amy took one of JoBeth’s hands in hers. “You what?” she asked, a sweet, encouraging smile on her lips. JoBeth’s reaction had been more than enough to confirm she’d heard exactly what she thought she did and Amy wanted to make sure that JoBeth knew that that was the one of the most ‘okay’ things in the world.



“Heh,” JoBeth chuckled, a shy smile surfacing on her lips. Looking into Amy’s beautiful blue eyes, she saw all of the acceptance she’d been afraid to hope for smiling back at her. “Well, I’m sure it’s pretty obvious by now, but…” she started, trying to figure out the right words. She hadn’t been trying all that hard to keep it a secret from Amy all week, but now that Amy was here, holding her hand, it was suddenly very real. Amy’s touch was so wonderful and warm and JoBeth couldn’t remember ever feeling this flustered about a girl in her life.



Hearing JoBeth say those words was liberating and Amy felt like a thousand pound weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Now, beyond any shadow of a doubt, she knew that everything she was feeling for JoBeth was reciprocated. Breaking the moment of silence between them with a soft laugh, Amy gave JoBeth’s hand an affectionate squeeze that the other girl returned. She could see the flurry of emotions flying through JoBeth’s eyes and reactions and there was no reason to make the poor, nervous and blushing girl repeat herself.



“I like you too, Jo,” Amy said, lacing her fingers between JoBeth’s.



JoBeth felt her heart leap in her chest and a huge grin spread across her features. “You do?” she asked, trying to rise out of a slight haze of disbelief.



The other girl’s smile was so adorably cute, it was all Amy could do not to kiss her right then and there. Amu gave a small nod and she felt JoBeth squeezing her hand back now. She could feel the giddy excitement radiating out from the brunette and she had little doubt that it was the same thing that she was feeling herself. With a warm smile of her own, Amy found it incredibly endearing to see how hard JoBeth was trying to not show her excitement too much right now and the last thing she wanted do was let go of her hand.



“Yeah,” Amy replied, rubbing her thumb lightly over the back of JoBeth’s palm. “A lot.”



Still wrapping her mind around everything that had just happened, JoBeth kept coming back to the one simple, basic thing; Amy liked her. “You like me?” she asked again, causing them both to chuckle at the repeated question. “I mean, you like me?” she ventured again, hoping to clarify a little better. “Even though I’m a girl..?”



Laughing, Amy basked in the release of all the tension that she’d built up around this moment in her mind. She’d said the words that had been floating at the tip of her tongue for a month now and JoBeth was there grinning back at her happily; it couldn’t have gone any better. “Especially because you’re a girl, Jo…” she said, feeling the warmth of the blush that still glowed a shade of pink on her cheeks. “That’s kind of a key requirement for me…” she added, trailing off into a suggestive chuckle and hoping that JoBeth was following along.



“So, you mean…” JoBeth started, a slightly embarrassed smile appearing across her features. As logical as it seemed based on all their interactions so far, it felt really nice to hear it from a version of Amy that wasn’t in one of her naughty daydreams and finally know. “You’re into girls too..?”



“I am,” Amy said with a calm confidence. JoBeth’s ‘too’ had sent a small spark of happiness and relief over her, letting her know that this wasn’t all something new to JoBeth. It drove off any worries she’d had that this was just some college experiment and told her that maybe this really could be something more. Glancing down at their hands, she saw JoBeth’s fingers laced through hers, sending a delighted smile to her lips. “And based on how you asked that…” she started, looking up to meet JoBeth’s gaze. “I’m guessing I’m not the only one here that is…?”



Smiling back at Amy, JoBeth chuckled, giving Amy’s hand her own affectionate squeeze. “You’re not,” she said, reveling in the warmth of Amy’s touch that she’d been dreaming about for weeks, now. “I’m pretty sure we’re on the same team, there…” she finished, giggling.



“What?” Amy asked, arching an amused eyebrow and curious if she’d been the one that had incited this sudden bout of elation in JoBeth.



She’d heard Amy say it already and JoBeth didn’t think she’d ever get tired of hearing Amy say how she felt about her. That tingling warmth inside her was threatening to take over her entire body, but with Amy causing it, she didn’t mind it one bit. “You like me,” she explained, bashfully and happily biting her lower lip again.



Nodding, Amy could only return an amused smile. Teasing JoBeth’s fingers around her hand, Amy didn’t have the words to describe just how cute JoBeth looked. As far as she was concerned, it felt wonderful. Better than any of the myriad fantasies that had cropped up since they’d met, JoBeth was here with her, smiling at her and best of all, she liked her.



“Remember when you walked into class that first day?” Amy asked, prompting JoBeth’s brow to rise curiously. “When you poked your head into the doorway before coming in with that cute little smile of yours…?”



“Uh huh,” JoBeth laughed, remembering the moment well. It was the first day she’d laid eyes on the beautiful blonde girl whose hand she was holding.



“That was it,” Amy continued, lacing her fingers back between JoBeth’s and giving her hand a squeeze. “The moment I spotted you, I was gone.”



A huge, blushing smile spread across her lips at Amy’s confession. “Really?” she asked, a little surprised and a little elated that Amy’s crush was at first sight too.



“Really,” Amy confirmed with a smile.



Trying to hide a giggle, JoBeth looked away for a moment. The moment that she’d first seen Amy herself had suddenly rushed back to mind in a vivid clarity and Amy’s story made her want to share hers. “Then I suppose it’s only fair I tell you…” she said, a playful spark shining in her eyes. “…About when I figured out I liked you…”



“I was hoping you wouldn’t mind,” Amy laughed, feeling a little nervous to find out. Based on all the little flirting smiles and conversations they’d shared, she’d had hopes that she wasn’t too far off from when she’d first fallen for her herself, but the amused grin on JoBeth’s face was making her feel a little squirmy inside. Now, Amy wanted to know now more than ever.



“The first time you saw me was in the classroom, right?” JoBeth asked, prompting Amy to nod in confirmation.



“Yep,” Amy said simply, not wanting to derail JoBeth’s story before it began.



The blush on her cheeks darkened a shade as JoBeth felt Amy’s thumb caressing her hand and she couldn’t help another bright grin. The small sign of affection that Amy could show her now that they were alone felt so unbelievably good and it was way better than she’d ever imagined it being. While it had taken them a while to find a night to steal away together, JoBeth couldn’t help feeling like it was more than worth the wait to be here with Amy with all the cards safely out on the table.



“Well, you’d have to go back about five minutes before that,” JoBeth continued, a bashful grin taking over once more. “That’s when I knew I liked you.”



Thinking for a moment, Amy tried to remember where she was five minutes before class that day. “Five minutes before class?” she asked, her brow furrowing in thought. She was certain that the first time she’d spotted JoBeth was there in the classroom and since then, she’d always been on the lookout for her crush in the halls.



It was JoBeth’s turn to nod and she fixed Amy with a warm smile. “Yup,” she quipped cheerfully. “I’d just gotten one of my smoothies at the stand downstairs; it was the first time I’d tried the strawberry ones I keep drinking…”



Amy let out a small laugh at JoBeth’s observation. “You do seem to have one most classes,” she chuckled, remembering when JoBeth had made her buy one at the library a few days earlier. “They are pretty good.”



“Yeah, they are,” JoBeth smiled, feeling a little rush of happiness that Amy had spotted that about her in class. The way that Amy looked at her in class always had made her feel a little warm and tingly in a very good way.



Taking a small, gathering breath, JoBeth tried to set aside all those warm and tingly feelings that were building up inside her right now and focus back on Amy. “But back to you…” she chuckled, feeling a small thrill as Amy grinned at her and gave her hand a squeeze. “I was taking my first sip when I saw this gorgeous blonde girl walk by and headed upstairs…” she trailed off, a suggestive smirk making it rather obvious who she was talking about.



“Aah,” Amy sighed, her lips forming a bashful smile of her own. It gave her no small rush to hear JoBeth call her gorgeous, but she didn’t want to stop the brunette’s story now. “I see,” she added with a playful smirk.



The adorable expression on Amy’s face made JoBeth want to pounce over and wrap the blonde up in a hug, and the fact that she’d caused it gave her no small thrill. “Yeah, that was the first time I saw you,” she chuckled, feeling her face heat up with another blush. “You were wearing this cute green top that just…” she trailed off, feeling a tingling wave wash over her body. She remembered exactly how hot Amy had looked that day and she looked even better right now, smiling fondly at her and holding her hand. “I know it sounds a little shallow, but you were the hottest thing I’d seen all summer, and when I saw you in my classroom…”



“You did have a bit of a blush that first day…” Amy chuckled, picking up after JoBeth had trailed off into a blushing grin. “I just thought it was because you’d hurried over,” she added teasingly.



JoBeth laughed softly, shaking her head. “Nah,” she said, her impish smirk sparkling in her eyes. One thing about Amy she knew she already loved was how playful and teasing she was. In the time they’d spent together, Amy had made her smile like no one else ever had. It brought out a naughty streak in her that she’d never known she had and it made her eager to play along. “I had another blonde reason…” she added, mischievously, a moment later.



Giving JoBeth’s hand a squeeze, Amy tried not to let the tingling rush of delight at JoBeth’s implication get the best of her. “Maybe there’s something to be said for first sight, huh?” she asked, feeling JoBeth’s thumb caressing her hand gently.



“I think so,” the brunette replied, her smirk growing into a full on grin. “I mean, they’re really good, don’t get me wrong…” JoBeth trailed off, causing Amy to arch a curious eyebrow. “But that’s not the only reason those smoothies are my favorite…”



The blush on her cheeks burned a little warmer and Amy’s stomach was doing somersaults to hear JoBeth say that about her. In hopes of avoiding blurting out something stupid, Amy glanced down to look at JoBeth’s hand in hers. The brunette was tapping her fingers lightly on the back of her palm, but the freshman’s pinky was still looped affectionately around her own. She couldn’t help a small laugh at how simple a thing it was to be able to hold JoBeth’s hand and how completely wonderful it felt.



Looking back up at JoBeth, Amy decided that she’d had more than enough signals to know that their feelings were mutual and that she wanted to keep heading in that direction. “So,” she started, trying not to get lost in JoBeth’s soft, smiling gaze. “You’ve liked me since then too, huh?”



JoBeth gave a quick, definitive nod. “A little bit,” she said, chuckling. The slight tentativeness in Amy’s voice made her feel even better that Amy really did care for her and that she hadn’t assumed anything about what their relationship might be. That Amy thought that much of her made her feel amazing and JoBeth shifted a little on the bed, moving just a bit closer to Amy.



“Only a little bit?” Amy asked with a laugh, a bit of honest curiosity mixed in with the gentle pat she gave JoBeth’s hand.



“Okay, maybe more than a little bit,” JoBeth allowed, the truth of her teasing understatement evident in her tone. She liked Amy more than she’d ever liked anyone in her life after such a short time, but there could hopefully be time to drop that bombshell later, when the chances that it would send the blonde running for the hills were completely banished.



The fleeting memory of what she’d done on Friday night while Amy watched sent a shivering wave of pleasure up her spine. All the frustration she’d felt all week was melting and JoBeth was starting to feel that warm, longing desire for the blonde burning almost irresistibly inside her. Taking a moment to clear her throat softly, she hoped she could keep in control long enough to explain herself.



“After the last few weeks, you could say we’ve shared one or two more… personal moments together,” JoBeth continued, a bright blush lighting her cheeks at the thought of mentioning them out loud while she was holding Amy’s hand. The way that Amy was smiling at her looked so open and accepting and that bright blush on her cheeks let her know that the blonde had liked it quite a bit as well and that it was probably pretty safe to just come out with it. “And I can’t help liking you even more now…” she finished, her head dropping a little, shyly, but still keeping her gaze locked with Amy’s.



Smiling in return, Amy gave in to a small, happy and irresistible chuckle. She felt a delightful shudder running over her body as she thought about what they had shared together and the sensation of their first and so far only kiss. Her heart beating a little faster now, Amy couldn’t deny that JoBeth had a point about the more intimate moments that they’d found a way to share already and now it was looking like there was a chance that JoBeth wanted to share a lot more with her.



“More, huh?” Amy mused with a playful ring in her voice. She drew her fingers lightly over the back of JoBeth’s hand, her question having prompted a blushing nod from the brunette. There was no point in denying it anymore, as it was something they were both thinking about and she was finally in a position where she felt safe shirking off any remaining worries to say how she felt as well. “I’m pretty sure we’re on the page there then, too, Jo,” she chuckled, looking over at JoBeth with an adoring gaze.



The brunette was grinning at her from ear to ear, looking more excited than Amy had ever dreamed that she would be when she’d told her how she felt. JoBeth’s enthusiasm and joy was infectious and it was something that Amy was glad to let herself get caught up in. “I mean, I thought I had a little crush on you before, but…” she trailed off into a playful smirk.



“You did?” JoBeth asked coyly, feigning ignorance to something that she’d long-since figured.



“Oh, I did,” Amy said, laughing and taking a very pleasant delight in playing along with JoBeth. “But it’s got nothing on how much I like you now…” she added seductively, reaching up with her free hand to tap JoBeth lightly on the tip of her nose.



The brunette lit up a bright shade of red and bashfully bit her lower lip, elated to hear Amy say that about her. The adoring, affectionate grin on Amy’s face right now was giving her tingles and it stoked the heat that was building inside her. JoBeth’s fears that Amy would either not reciprocate or be scared off by the prospect of her feelings were completely gone, replaced with thoughts of how much she wanted to tell Amy everything.



“You won’t hear me complaining about that, then…” JoBeth said, reaching out to take Amy’s other hand. “I did invite you over here, you know.”



“I know I’ve said it before,” Amy started, giving both of JoBeth’s hands a light squeeze. “But I’m really glad you did…”



Lacing her fingers through Amy’s, JoBeth let a wide smile pull up the corners of her lips. “I have no idea what made me do it,” she said, the slight hint of disbelief apparent in her wondrous tone. Just being able to be here holding Amy’s hands was brilliant and so much better and more intimate than any of the naughty daydreams that had entertained her all week.



Better than anything was the way that Amy’s encouraging smile had her feeling more confident in herself and in her feelings than she’d ever felt before. Amy’s acceptance of her now was the best thing she could’ve hoped for and something that she wanted to show in return for the blonde.



“I just had your phone number and when you put your arm around me in class earlier…” JoBeth started, breaking into a smile she saw Amy’s cheeks turn a little rosy.



Running her thumbs gently over JoBeth’s hand, Amy chuckled. “Yeah, I was hoping I wasn’t too far off base there,” she said, cut off quickly by a quick shake of JoBeth’s head.



“No way,” JoBeth said resolutely, offering a warm smile. “I… really liked it,” she explained, pausing for a moment to figure out how she could word it. “Something just felt…”



“Natural?” Amy ventured, drawing an agreeing nod from JoBeth.



“Yeah,” the brunette said, taking a deep, centering breath. Latching onto one of Amy’s thumbs with her finger, JoBeth let a giddy grin bubble up from inside. “For weeks I just had this crush, and I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to do anything about it…”



A momentary silence hung in the air between them, but their connected gaze didn’t waver at all. Amy simply offered the warmest smile she could for the sweet, adorable JoBeth. “Teacher and student isn’t exactly the easier situation we could be in right now, huh?” Amy asked, relieved and honored to know that JoBeth had been thinking about the same things herself.



“Just a little,” JoBeth laughed, a smile dancing lightly across her lips.



“Well, for what it’s worth,” Amy said, bringing JoBeth’s hands together in her lap for a moment. “I kind of know how you mean,” she continued, causing one of JoBeth’s eyebrows to perk up. “Every day I saw you in class, I couldn’t help thinking about it…” she added, chuckling at the new, deeper shade of pink that was glowing over JoBeth’s features.



JoBeth gave her hands an affectionate squeeze, sending a small thrill coursing through Amy’s body. The smile that lit the sparkle in JoBeth’s eyes was beautiful, and knowing that she’d been the one to cause it made the insistent warmth building inside her grow even stronger. “This whole week, I just wanted to be able to walk up to you after class and just… talk.” Amy continued.



Her fondness and desire for Amy were growing by the second, but JoBeth was determined to keep in control, at least until the right time. There was still so much she wanted to talk to Amy about. “I didn’t even know if I could tell you that I figured out it was you on Friday…” JoBeth said with a playful smirk. Amy looked away for a moment, a slightly embarrasses chuckle slipping out, but the blonde didn’t make any attempt to pull her hands away. “I wasn’t sure if I was just reading my own crush on you into everything…” the brunette trailed off, catching Amy’s gaze once more. “Or if you actually did like me…”



Wrapping her hands around JoBeth’s tenderly, Amy fixed JoBeth with a confident and loving smile. “How could I not like you, Jo?” she asked, countering JoBeth’s moment of doubt with her soft, affectionate and unmistakable tone. “You’re adorable!”



“I am?” JoBeth said through a small laugh, bashfully biting her lower lip to avoid breaking into too large of a grin.



“Very,” Amy replied with a nod. “And for the record, you weren’t misreading a thing.”



In lieu of the massive sigh of relief she felt like letting out, JoBeth broke into a chuckle, looking down into her lap for a moment. “Thank God,” she laughed before looking back over at her blonde companion. “I had a hunch I was right on Monday, but today… when you wrapped your arm around me in class…” she paused, a happy smile settling over her lips. “I thought that maybe there was a pretty good chance.”



Glad to know that she wasn’t the only one that had been afraid to say something, Amy laughed softly along with JoBeth. “I’m just glad I wasn’t way off,” she said, lacing her fingers back between JoBeth’s and enjoying the brunette’s encouraging smile. The other girl seemed as eager to hear what she’d been thinking as she was to hear all about what JoBeth had been going through the past few days and weeks.



“Even after everything at the library and on Sunday…” Amy paused, amused by JoBeth’s cute little giggle. “Some of those smiles you were giving me in class this week and all of our sneaky little glances…” Amy trailed off, trying to figure out how she could explain how wonderful JoBeth had been making her feel. “I just… found myself liking you more than I’ve liked anyone in a long time,” she said, barely resisting the powerful urge to lean in and kiss JoBeth right now. “And then you called earlier, and here we are…”



The bright smile on JoBeth’s face had yet to fade at all and JoBeth shifted a little more on the bed, subconsciously inching a little closer to Amy. “And I’m really glad you’re here, Amy…” JoBeth said softly. “’Cause I like you… A lot,” she added a moment later, feeling a powerful tingle wash over her and finally saying the words out loud. “And I don’t care what anyone else says. As far as I’m concerned, all that teacher and student nonsense can screw itself,” she continued confidently, squeezing Amy’s hands in return. “I like you liking me.”



JoBeth’s confession, the girl’s pure honesty, shook Amy deeply and in a way that she’d never felt before. To hear someone say that about her, someone like JoBeth, made her feel more alive in this moment than ever. “It can screw itself, huh?” she asked, breaking the moment’s silence with a smirk.



“Yup,” JoBeth replied, grinning happily.



“Sounds like a plan to me, then,” Amy smiled, basking JoBeth’s almost radiant glow. The girl she’d had a crush on for months was so close and she could feel her warmth through her hands and body. It was something that she wanted to wrap her arms around and lose herself in JoBeth, even if it was only for one night.



Taking a centering breath, Amy tried not to blurt out a happy exclamation before tackling JoBeth right to the bed, focusing instead on her desire to explain the one thing that had happened between then that hadn’t been truly addressed. “I was just so caught up in worrying about what you’d think about me, or if you even liked girls yourself…” Amy started, shaking her head a moment and looking away. “Or if you’d even be into someone like me after Friday…”



Seeing the worry that was suddenly dancing across Amy’s features made JoBeth feel like her heart had sank into her stomach. The last thing that she wanted was for Amy to get worried or self-conscious about how she felt tonight. Smiling at Amy, JoBeth shook Amy’s hands gently, regaining Amy’s attention. “Amy?”



“Hmm?” Amy asked, perking back up a little with a small, faint smile.



“I really do like you,” JoBeth said, drawing a slightly bigger smile from the blonde. “And that’s the way it’s going to be,” she added, her self-assured and happy smile a reflection of the pure certainty that she felt about Amy. Amy’s expression softened and warmed back into that wonderful smile that made her feel so special and that she could finally say how she felt about her without having to worry about Amy not liking her in return made JoBeth feel like she was walking on air.



While she was glad to have brought Amy’s smile back, at the same time, JoBeth’ couldn’t help but feel that there would never be a better time to address the one open question that had surfaced from time to time in the back of her mind. She’d never once thought that Amy was anything less than an amazing, wonderful and good person, but there were a few things that she still wanted to know. “But since you mentioned it, there is one thing I was hoping I could ask you about…” she trailed off, giving Amy’s hands a squeeze in hopes of showing that she wasn’t afraid of the subject at all.



Amy gave an understanding nod, feeling more than a little grateful for JoBeth’s obvious signs of affection and comfort with her in the face of the question itself. “Friday,” she said, simply, glad that JoBeth didn’t seem to want to make even a single move away from her.



“Yup,” JoBeth said, feeling almost liberated. None of the apprehension she thought she’d have to battle though was present inside her at all. Something about Amy had made her feel safe and secure on Friday and that feeling had only gotten stronger as the week had gone on. The last thing that she wanted was for Amy to feel worried about it, as all she wanted to know was what had really happened and nothing more. “I just… need to know a few things,” she elaborated, offering what she hoped was a warm and positive smile. “I mean, don’t get me wrong here, Amy… I’m not scared to be here with you,” JoBeth said, tugging playfully on Amy’s hands, securing the blonde’s attention once more.



“I’m glad,” Amy smiled. It came as no small relief to hear JoBeth say that, and she only hoped that the brunette really did mean it. “I’ve got to admit, I was pretty scared that I’d… scared you.”



Shaking her head, JoBeth’s smile turned into a wide grin. “You? Not a chance,” she giggled, rocking Amy’s hands back and forth in hers. “I did have a lot of fun with you that night, you know…”



The mischievous chuckle that JoBeth had trailed off into gave rise of a small laugh of her own and Amy wished she could thank the girl for the way she was keeping the mood so wonderfully light. “I think I watched you have some ‘fun’ there, Jo…” she teased, a small, hesitant smile cracking her worried expression. Based on the way that JoBeth was impishly biting her lip, it seemed like she thought the teasing was perfectly okay.



“Yeah, you did,” JoBeth chuckled, a blush lighting her features in a deeper shade of crimson. She felt the warmth deep inside her drop somewhere that would’ve made her blush if her cheeks weren’t already bright red. The strap that had been pulled firm between her legs had become her very good friend that night and while it had been strangely thrilling to do that in front of someone, the fact that it was Amy that she’d shared that with made it beyond wonderful. “And I’ve got to say… It was pretty…”



“Hot?” Amy asked, trying not to let the mood darken too much.



Matching Amy’s cheshire grin with one of her own, the brunette nodded. “Yeah,” she said, taking Amy’s hands more in her own. With a deep breath, JoBeth was glad to see Amy’s warm smile coming back at her. She knew that no matter where it ended up, this probably wasn’t going to be an easy conversation to start. Amy hadn’t made any move to pull back away and JoBeth tightened her grip a little to make sure that Amy knew that she didn’t want her to leave.



“But that said,” JoBeth continued, breaking the silence that had fallen over them both. “I just need to know…” she trailed off, not quite sure how to ask the question that lay on the tip of her tongue without making it sound bad.



“What happened?” Amy offered, hoping she could take the burden of curiosity off of the brunette’s shoulders. JoBeth was sitting here, holding her hands and the fact that she liked her went a long way towards alleviating her fears that this was going to ruin everything, but she didn’t want to assume anything. Above all else, Amy couldn’t help but be a little proud and impressed with how brave JoBeth was in broaching the subject with her and for having dealt with it for this long without cornering her the moment she’d figured out who she was. The very least Amy wanted to do was tell JoBeth the complete truth about the night and let her know that it was okay to talk about; that she was ready to answer any question that she might have.



Highly conscious of the heat burning on her cheeks, JoBeth gave a nod, not breaking eye contact with Amy. She wasn’t looking away at all and JoBeth couldn’t help feeling that that was a good thing; a sign that Amy wasn’t too bothered by her inquiry. “I’m not turning you in or anything,” JoBeth said a moment later, wanting to make sure Amy wasn’t worried about any kind of scary consequences.



“I’d hoped you wouldn’t want to…” Amy said, a small smile curling up the corners of her lips. “If you’d wanted to, you’d have had plenty of time to take care of that already…”



Shaking her head, JoBeth gave Amy’s hands a squeeze. “It’s not going to happen,” she said assuredly. “It’s just that… If we’re ever going to take whatever we have here anywhere past tonight, I have to know…” she explained, drawing an understanding nod from Amy.



“Yeah,” the blonde girl agreed, her mind racing through all the different ways she could begin to explain. Until this was over, she was going to have to live with the fact that there was a very real possibility that she was about to turn JoBeth away for good. Amy didn’t want to gloss over something and disrespect the girl that was brave enough to be sitting there holding her hands so tenderly. If JoBeth could trust her enough to invite her over, she was going to trust JoBeth with the truth.



The brunette was patiently waiting for her to begin, caressing the backs of her palms with her thumbs. She looked to indescribably cute and Amy hoped against hope that she’d have a chance to shower the girl with all the affection she felt for her before the end of the night.



Taking a deep breath, Amy began the story.



*To Be Continued in Chapter 13-B!*