"But we were at a hotel in Boston…" Gabriella was confused.

"I didn't think you would like the idea of staying at my place," Blayne said as she raised her eyebrows comically.

Gabriella smiled and shook her head. "Why haven't you told your family?"

"Tell them what?" Blayne seemed confused.

"About you," Gabriella said as she sat on the bed now looking towards Blayne.

"What about me?"

"Your lifestyle, Blayne."

Blayne's face became somber. "There is nothing to tell. What about you?" Blayne shot back at her.

"Blayne I have never…" Gabriella looked nervously away.

"What makes you think I have?"

Gabriella looked at her in confusion.

"You are going to tell me I am the first woman you kissed?" Gabriella asked in sarcasm.

"Yes, you are," Blayne said soberly.

Gabriella stared, understanding even less now.

"How about you, little sister?" Blayne asked softly. "Have you ever kissed a woman before me?"

"I didn't kiss you," Gabriella objected.

"Didn't you?"

"No."

Both sets of eyes searched and clashed in denial. Blayne took a step forward and one of Gabriella's hand reached out for the bed post. Blayne half smiled.

"We have a deal," Gabriella said suddenly.

Blayne froze. "I admit I liked kissing you. I liked touching you. Why can't you? We can both enjoy it."

"Because I don't have affairs, Blayne. Because this type of relationship is not something that I want to explore. Because I am married. I can give you a million because's…" Gabriella got off the bed and walked towards the window again.

She didn't want to think about her reactions to Blayne's touch so she closed her eyes and tried to stop her senses from reacting and remembering.

Gabriella felt the heat emanating from Blayne's body before she felt it pressed against her. So it was no shock when suddenly Blayne's arms pulled her to her. Her head fell back almost the instant Blayne's mouth was on her neck.

"Blayne…we have a deal," Gabriella moaned.

Blayne pulled her tighter to her as her mouth moved towards her ear and Gabriella felt as if her body was on fire.

"Oh…" Gabriella moaned as her body began to turn around. Almost immediately Blayne's mouth was on hers hungrily begging to be allowed in. Blayne's hands pressed her harder against her. Gabriella felt her body melting into Blayne's

There was a knock on the door and they both pulled apart quickly, staring at each other will passion filled eyes. The knock came again.

"Come in," Gabriella said suddenly as she straitened her clothing.

Arthur walked in and looked form Blayne to Gabriella back to Blayne again. He noticed their apparent discomfort immediately. Blayne ran her fingers through her hair and looked everywhere but at him. And Gabriella seemed flushed and a bit nervous.

"The room…if you don't like it…" he said lamely.

"No, umm…it's beautiful." Gabriella looked around as she replied. Her eyes however looked away quickly as soon as they touched Blayne.

Arthur looked back from one to the other again. "Is everything all right? Has Blayne threatened you again?"

Blayne's eyes shot to him. "Absolutely, I had the best teacher!" Blayne unleashed all of her pent-up aggression.

"Don't go too far, Blayne," he threatened.

"Or you'll what?" She edged him on.

"She didn't do anything." Gabriella came to her defense as she took a step towards Blayne.

"When I walked in…" he paused and looked from Gabriella back to Blayne. "I'm sorry Blayne."

"Don't apologize, Arthur. You were quite right." She walked past him and left the room.

"Blayne…" he called after her but she didn't acknowledge him and did not turn back.

Arthur then turned back towards Gabriella. "I just wanted to make sure you were happy with your rooms." He was about to walk out when he was surprised by the question he was asked.

"Why didn't you ever try to see me?"

Arthur turned to face her. "I…I always thought there would be time later," he said lamely. "I don't have a good reason, Gabriella."

She stared at him accusingly.

"Did you love my mother?"

"Yes, yes I did," he answered softly. "I wish…" he looked away.

"You wish?"

"I wish things had been different."

"How different? Different that you hadn't seduced her and left her pregnant, or different that you had tried to be a father to me?" Gabriella was pulling no punches.

"Different that I would stayed with her yes, and been a father to you," Arthur admitted sadly.

Gabriella was surprised at the admission.

"I'll leave you to settle in. Abigail has planned a special lunch for you. See you down stairs at one." He then left her with much to think about.



* * *

Blayne walked out to the verandah of her bedroom.

She leaned against a wall to the side of the French doors she had just walked through and closed her eyes.

Why had things changed? She asked herself over and over.

Blayne was both angry with Arthur and with herself. And of course he had been right to question her. She had practically assaulted Gabriella twice. More than angry at him for putting her in the position she found herself suddenly in, she was also angry at herself for loosing control, not only of the situation, but of herself as well.

She had never really thought about a mate. Somehow there had always been a goal to surpass or a deal to close. Her competitive and independent spirit had always challenged her to try harder and excel yet again. She never lacked for escorts or romantic interests but a relationship? She knew she liked women for a long time now; but there had never really been one that she would have taken a chance of being found out by seducing her. A mate was something that she simply never thought about and had ever needed. She was a self contained individual. And now it seemed that her whole world had become unstable in a matter of a few days.

First, Arthur, her father…was dying. And secondly, she had not only been expected to bring Gabriella to him but to do it at record speed because, time was not on their side. How had he thought she could get Gabriella to come? At that moment she resented him for putting her in that position again.

Blayne had to also admit that she not only hurt Gabriella by the cold and calculating way she had manipulated her but she had also tried to…

"Dear God!" She ran her fingers through her hair in disgust at herself.

I practically forced myself on her in her living room, Blayne thought to herself. She also realized no one had ever made her feel the things she felt when kissing or touching Gabriella. When she had Gabriella half-naked under her she suddenly understood the meaning of lust. If she had remained that way a moment longer nothing would have been able to stop her from…from?

Blayne took a deep breath and closed her eyes yet again. She didn't like what was happening to her. She didn't like it at all. She was suddenly yanked from her thoughts by a voice next to her.

"You okay?" Diana asked.

Blayne looked at her then looked away. "Yes."

"What do you think of her?"

Blayne took a moment before answering. "She is not what I expected."

"Better or worse?" Diana questioned.

"Different."

"You are not going to make this easy for me are you?" Diana was about to walk away when Blayne suddenly grabbed her by the arm.

"Wait, I'm sorry. I'm just…" she trailed off and released Diana. Blayne took a few steps towards the rail. "Give her a chance, Diana."

"A chance for what?"

Blayne turned to face her.

"I've always been too busy. I'm sorry I wasn't…" she turned away again.

Diana waited. Blayne had never seemed this unsure and that intrigued and concerned her.

"I think she is someone that if you allow her into your life she will always be there for you," Blayne said finally.

"You like her, huh?"

Blayne took a few more steps and ran her fingers though her hair again. "Let's just say she's had a lot dumped on her and…what do I know!" She suddenly became angry.

"I don't understand you."

"I don't understand me either."

"So you think I should give our sister a chance?"

"She's not my sister!" Blayne said harsher than she had meant to. Blayne turned to Diana. "Talk to her Diana. She is of your own blood. She's your sister."

"So are you, Blayne," Diana said accusingly.

Blayne looked at her. "I haven't really been good at it have I?"

"You have sucked at it."

"She won't Diana. Give her a chance."

Diana stared at her for a moment longer then left her alone in the verandah.



* * *

A few minutes before one in the afternoon, Gabriella went down for lunch. As she was coming down the stairs she was taken aback by a very attractive man looking up at her. He reached his hand out to her with a charming smile on his face as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Hello, I'm Chaz."

Gabriella shook his hand as she searched his face. The likeness to Blayne was uncanny.

"Sorry I didn't mean to stare." Gabriella said returning his smile.

"It's okay I get that a lot. Blayne and I look a lot alike."

"You wish." Blayne said coming down the staircase. "I am definitely much better looking."

"But I have the right equipment," Chaz teased but Gabriella noticed that his smile did not reach his eyes.