"Grace, why are you taking these?" Carey asked, holding up a green and white pill case.

"Well not for what you're thinking," Grace said, taking the birth control pills from the older woman's hand. "I was getting bad cramps and the doctor said these would help." She set them on the counter with the rest of the things designated for the bathroom. "Do you want me to finish the unpacking by myself?"

"No, I said I'd help." Carey reached for another box. "Stuff. What room does 'stuff’ go in?"

"Depends on what it is," Grace said, opening another box. "See? This stuff box is kitchen stuff."

"Grace?"

"What?"

"Are these what I think they are?"

Grace turned and blushed. "Um...they look like movies to me."

"I can see that," Carey said. "Interesting titles."

"Interesting movies," Grace said, wiggling her eyebrows. "Wanna see them?"

"I don't think so," Carey said, putting the videotapes back into the box. "I can't believe you own porno movies."

"Lesbian porno movies," Grace said without looking at her. "I had to have something to keep me occupied and out of trouble on those cold winter nights."

"Grace?"

"What?"

"Why do you have roach clips?"

Grace took a quick glance, then went back to the box she was working on. "They're not roach clips. They're nipple clamps."

"Nipple clamps? What are you doing with nipple clamps?"

"Not what you think," Grace said. "They were a gag gift from Tom."

"And what did you get him?"

"You sure you want to know?"

Carey shook her head and tossed the clamps back in the box. "No."

"You probably don't," Grace said.

"Um, Grace?"

"Hmm?"

"I know I'm going to hate asking, but what's this?"

"What?" Turning around, Grace saw what Carey was holding and smiled. "That's Little Carey. A poor substitute for the real thing."

"You know, your dad told me you bought something and hinted that's the reason you needed rechargeable batteries," Carey said, looking at the purple toy. "What's this piece for?"

Grace joined her. "It vibrates," she said, kissing Carey's chin. "Variable speed right on the—“

"I get the idea," Carey said, visions forming in her head. "And you..."

She pointed at the longer end. "You actually used this?"

"Well," Grace said, wrapping her arms around Carey's waist and kissing the corner of her mouth. "You weren't there to do it for me." She moaned softly, then licked the older woman's earlobe. "Though I used to imagine you were."

"You imagined me..." Carey's voice dropped a level, reacting to the erotic thought and Grace's overtures. "Using this on you?"

"Oh yeah," Grace whispered huskily. "Every time I used it."

Carey swallowed hard. "I think I'll put this in the bedroom."

"Good idea," Grace said before she claimed Carey's lips with her own. "Want me to show you how to use it?"

Carey groaned, then disengaged herself. "Do that and we'll never get your stuff unpacked."

Grace wrapped her arms around Carey from behind. "You like that idea, don't you?" Carey nodded, her breath quickening. "Which part?" Grace lowered her voice to a husky tone. "The idea of using Little Carey on me or the idea that I think of you when I touch myself?" She cupped Carey's breasts, loving the way they felt in her hands. "Tell me," she whispered.

"Both."

"You have no idea how many nights I lay on that couch imagining that it was you touching me instead of my own fingers," Grace said. "How many nights I dreamed about you taking me…" She stepped up on her tiptoes and kissed the back of Carey's ear. "…touching me...going inside...nice and deep..." Carey groaned, covering Grace's hands with her own and squeezing hard. "You like that idea, don't you?" Grace asked, tracing Carey's ear with the tip of her tongue. "To have me lying there beneath you...around your fingers...mmm..." She ground her pelvis against Carey's hip. "Are you sure we need to finish unpacking right now?"

"You're incorrigible."

"No," Grace said, releasing Carey's breasts and reaching down to unbutton the jeans that were in her way. ''I'm horny."

"You're always horny."

Grace lowered the zipper, then slipped her hand inside. "Only when I'm around you," she said, pressing against Carey's mound through the panties. "And right now I really, really need to make love with you." She smiled at the dampness her fingers found. "Then again," she said, pulling her hand free. "If you'd rather I behaved myself and made a pot of coffee..." She took two steps away before a strong arm pulled her back.

"I want something, but it isn't coffee," Carey said, her voice husky with desire. "You have no idea what you do to me."

"Show me," Grace said, sliding her hand under Carey's shirt and pinching the nipple she found.

"You want me to show you?" Carey asked, pulling Grace back against her. "I want you...right now, right here," she said, using her right arm to hold Grace still while her left rubbed the young woman's breasts.

"Oh yes," Grace hissed, reaching up to lock her fingers behind Carey's head and giving the older woman total access to anything she wanted. "Touch me."

"Mmm, Grace..." She nibbled the young woman's neck, groaning at the soft moans it produced. "I don't know how you do it," she said huskily, slipping her left hand under Grace's top. "No one has ever made me feel like this." She let go long enough to send the cotton shirt flying, then resumed holding Grace tightly against her. "You make the sexiest noises," she said when her lover sighed.

"Carey...I want..."

"Hmm?" Carey rubbed her fingertips over Grace's nipples. "What do you want?"

"I want...take me."

"I want to ask you something."

"Go ahead," Carey said, kissing the top of Grace's head.

"Earlier, you said no one ever made you feel like I do," she said, lifting her head to look at Carey. "What about Eve?"

"I don't like the idea of comparing the two of you," Carey said. "You're the one I'm with, not her. That should tell you something." She kissed the young woman's forehead. "And there is no comparison in the bedroom. Even if I wanted to use dental dams, they never would have been needed with her."

"But you like it," Grace said, snuggling into Carey's neck. "And I love doing it."

"I know you do," Carey said. "And trust me, I enjoy it, very much." She gave another kiss to Grace's forehead. "Very much."

"So if you like it, why didn't she do it?"

Carey shrugged. "She said she didn't like doing it. Our sex life was one of our bigger problems."

"It won't be one of ours," Grace said confidently. "I love making love with you."

Carey hugged her. "You are a sex addict and you're turning me into one. And I love making love with you, too."

Grace settled down, putting her head on Carey's chest. "I can tell," she said, closing her eyes and smiling happily.

Carey smiled, kissing Grace's forehead. "You can't go to sleep there."

"Not sleeping," Grace said, rubbing Carey's belly. "Just cuddling."

"Grace?"

"Hmm?"

Carey gave the young woman a soft, gentle kiss. "I love you," she said solemnly. "I should have realized it long ago."

Grace buried her face into the crook of Carey's shoulder. "It doesn't matter," she said, her voice cracking. "I love you too."

"Hey," Carey said softly, feeling the young woman's shoulders shake. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

Grace sniffled and hugged her tightly. "Happy tears," she said. "It's all your fault. I never used to cry before I met you."

Carey kissed the top of the blonde head. "I love you," she said, the words seeming as natural as breathing. Tipping Grace's face up, she kissed away a tear. "I love you."

Carey reached up and placed her grandmother's angel at the top of the Christmas tree. It was the first time it had been out of the box since Gram had died, eight years ago. She looked over at Grace, who was painstakingly placing one strand of tinsel at a time on each and every branch on the tree. She smiled at the look of sheer contentment on the younger woman's face.

Grace finished her chore and stepped back to admire her handiwork. "It's gorgeous," she said, turning and wrapping her arms around Carey and squeezing tightly. "Don't you think so?"

"Most definitely," Carey said, returning the embrace. "I haven't put up a tree in so long that I forgot how much fun it can be." She looked at the angel at the top. "And it's nice to finally be able to use Gram's angel. Eve liked a star at the top of the tree, and I didn't think it was worth arguing about."

"I love having her on the tree," Grace said. "She's so elegant."

Carey pulled Grace tightly against her. "These past four months with you here with me have been the happiest of my life." She leaned over and placed a quick kiss on Grace's upturned mouth. "Thank you for not giving up on us."

"Never." Grace took her hand and turned for the bedroom. "Come on, love. Five a.m. comes early, let's get some sleep."

Carey followed along like a lovesick puppy. Sleep was definitely not what she had in mind. Stripping out of her clothes quickly, she lay down and opened her arms, sighing when Grace snuggled in close.

"Comfortable?" Carey asked, gently stroking her hair.

"Mmm, very," Grace said, turning her head to kiss Carey's breast. "Nice soft warm pillow."

"You have a pillow. Right up here."

"I like this one better," Grace said, lifting her hand and cupping the