“Is this okay?” Brooke looked around at the students walking by on their way to class.

“It’s fine.”

“I’ll just drive out the back way so nobody sees me. I mean, I wouldn’t want our cover blown.”

“I’d tell you that I really enjoyed last night but it’s been more like I’ve enjoyed the last 15 hours. I’ve had a wonderful time with you, Brooke.” Sam leaned over and kissed Brooke on her cheek, then opened the door to leave when she felt a hand on her other arm stop her. The smaller woman’s heart picked up its pace as she looked in Brooke’s direction.

“Sam, can you close the door for a moment, please?”

The blonde did as she was asked, never letting her eyes leave the ocean of blue in front of her. “Yes?”

Brooke cleared her throat, finding her nerves were more like that of a teenager on her first date than they ever were. “You know,” she glanced at the various windows around the car. “The windows are tinted and I was just wondering if I could kiss you goodbye.”

Needing no further encouragement, Sam leaned in closer to Brooke and kissed her solidly, placing her hands at the nape of Brooke’s neck then tangling them in ebony tresses as the kiss deepened. Finally, when air became a necessity, both women reluctantly pulled away from each other.

Placing her forehead against Sam’s, Brooke tried to calm her racing heart. “Will you call me later?”

Sam put her hand on the door as she leaned in to kiss Brooke again. “As soon as I get a free moment later today.” Before she could stop herself, Sam spoke what was in her heart, “Bye, Brooke, I love you.” The young woman stepped out of the car then, turned around to face Brooke and wiggled her fingers in a wave as she shut the door.

Brooke was left speechless in the driver’s seat as Sam walked away, amazed at the effect that this barely legal college girl had on her. There it was, all out in the open. With those three little words, Brooke felt that what was left of her resolve had vanished.

She didn’t even stick around long enough to see my reaction so, obviously, she’s not expecting me to feel the same way. But what if I do? Oh dammit, Brooke, quit fooling yourself. You haven’t been able to stop thinking about her since the day she walked into Mom’s kitchen with C.C.

The woman in the driver seat tried to look away but couldn’t. That’s when blue eyes flashed with alarm. This is all happening so fast though. But I couldn’t stop it if I wanted to and God knows I don’t want to stop this. I can’t. She means too much to me. She means…everything. God…how does that old saying go?

Brooke thought for a moment before it came to her. “It takes a second to like, a minute to crush, an hour to care, and a day to love” Yesterday must have been my day then because I…I love her. God help me, I actually love her. Then a little voice came crying out from the deep recesses of her mind. Now, what are you going to do about it?

As the older woman sat in the car having a private conversation with herself, her eyes never left the blonde figure that moved away from her. She never took her eyes off Sam, watching as the blonde would occasionally look back, seemingly wondering what she was up to.

The dark-haired woman waited for Sam to look away from her before stepping out of the car and hurriedly grabbing the cell phone from her hip, punching in a number.

Sam was nearing the entrance to the building when her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID, not recognizing the number off the top of her head. “Sam here…what’s up?”

Brooke stood with her back leaning against the passenger side of her car as she stole glances in Sam’s direction, her eyes hidden now by the sunglasses that she had put on. It was now or never. Come on, Brooke say it. It’s just three tiny little words. All they are, are words. Three tiny little words that could change the rest of your life. You can do it. Her inner voice urged her on.

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

The sound of Sam’s voice brought Brooke out of her musings. Do it. Say you love her…say anything…say her name at least. Damn it, anyhow.

Just as the younger woman was ready to hit “End”, she heard a quiet voice say, “Sam?”

“Yes?” She stopped walking and turned around to see Brooke leaning against the 300Z with sunglasses on and a phone in her hand. “Brooke, is that you?”

“Sam…I love you, too.”

A warm smile came to Sam’s face as her heart leapt into her throat. “Oh my God…I uh…I love hearing you say that.”

“Well, I mean it, Sam. Have a good day, Darlin and I’ll talk to you later.”

Sam smiled and waved at Brooke, then blew her a kiss. “I will, now. You too, Hon, later.” The blonde lingered for a moment, savoring what she had just heard before disconnecting the call. She watched as Brooke did the same, then walked nonchalantly around to the driver’s door and climbed back into the car. Within seconds the engine roared to life and the 300Z pulled out, blending into traffic.

“How about that? She loves me.” No words could express the happiness and warmth that Sam felt at that exact moment. She had known the night she went to the movie with Brooke that she loved the older woman. The first inklings had come to her when she noticed how polite and honorable Brooke was being in the theater. Sam didn’t really mean to tell her how she felt so soon, but she realized that sometimes your heart has different ideas then your mind.

As Sam turned back towards the door to the building, she noticed C.C. standing there, blocking the entranceway. Clearing her throat, the blonde swallowed hard and tried to act indifferent to the way she was feeling. “Hey, Roomie,” Sam gave a little wave. “Great, I’m not late. Have you got my notebook and pen?”

“Well, of course I do, what are roomies for?” C.C. handed Sam her book as they walked into the building and took the stairs up to the second floor.

“Thanks, C.C. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Sam voiced her opinion to her roommate while she rolled up the right sleeve of her shirt.

The tall brunette waved off Sam’s comment. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t know what I’d do without me either but…I probably wouldn’t be here. Hey, nice shirt.” C.C. indicated the shirt that she knew she had seen numerous times before on her sister. Something was definitely up between her older sister and her roommate. Now, she just had to find out exactly what that something was.

Sam looked down at the large shirt. “Oh this? I …uhm…just got it.”

“Interesting, Brooke has one just like it. As a matter of fact, it’s about that size.”

Sam cleared her throat and willed the blush not to take over her fair features. “Really? Well then, it just proves that she has good taste.” Then, feeling like she had to say something, Sam offered, “Actually, I like to wear big clothes on Mondays, it keeps me loose from the weekend.” Yeah, she bought that like Eskimos buy ice cubes.

They walked into the class at the end of the hall and took their seats while waiting on the professor. C.C. placed her bag on the floor next to her seat and then turned around to face Sam who was going over her notes from the previous week. Placing a hand against Sam’s arm, C.C. rubbed the material with her fingertips. “You know, it’s kind of funny actually. Brooke was uhm…working one day and her right bicep ripped out the seam in the sleeve. It took me forever to sew it for her. She’s just so butch like that.” C.C. released the shirt and laughed to herself, not noticing the ‘oh shit’ look on Sam’s face or the fact that Sam began to rub the sleeve in question.

“Well, that’s not me. No bulging biceps here,” the blonde feigned a weak smile and turned her attention back toward her notepad.

“So…where’s your bag?” C.C. asked as she opened her own book as well.

“My bag? Damn, I left it in the car. I wonder if Br…” she stopped short realizing what she was about to say. “Ah, Crystal…yeah, Crystal will find it. I guess I had other things on my mind when I got out.”

C.C. looked over to Sam and whispered when she noticed their professor walk in and call the class to attention. “Crystal? I thought your aunt’s name was Sandy.”

Sam kept her attention focused on the professor as she whispered out of the corner of her mouth, “It is. Crystal is my cousin. She ahh…was the one who dropped me off. Trust me, Auntie was a little sore and uhm…distracted this morning.” Sam still couldn’t believe how much she was able to tease and frustrate her new friend.

“Really?” C.C. shuddered. “TMI, too much info for me.” C.C. decided she really didn’t want to hear anymore.

“Yeah, well, they get that way sometimes.” Sam said with a grin, as she thought about the morning with Brooke, oblivious to the lecture going on around her.

Brooke walked into the Brownstone offices and took the stairs two at a time up to the third floor. She whistled as she walked down the hall toward her office. Opening the large glass door and stepping through, she smiled at the two women in the office.

“Good morning, Ida. I trust you had a lovely weekend.” Brooke stopped next to the two women.

“Yes, Ms. Gordon, I did. Thank you for asking. I covered the phones for you while you were out.”

“Wonderful! Thank you.” The executive turned to the other woman who was from accounting and smiled at her, “And you Melissa, how was your weekend?” Brooke asked the young accountant.

“Just fine…uh…thank you, Ma’am.” The woman looked at her boss rather oddly.

Brooke waved a hand to dismiss part of Melissa’s answer. “Please, Ma’am is my mother and I do not see her in this office, do you?”

Melissa stood still while Ida chuckled at their boss. “You’re in an awfully good mood, Ms. Gordon.”