Well, h.e.l.l, she thought. This could be more than a wham, bam, roll in the hay. Give it time, Helen. Let love happen. Sometimes love prevails.

"You're a scary old broad, Martha," Helen said.

"And you're a thief. Dudley Moore. Arthur. Right?"

Helen stuck out her tongue and pulled the comforter to their necks. Cory leaned into her shoulder. Within a loving embrace, they were ready for sleep.

"To h.e.l.l with the Queen's rules. You'll be my knight," she said just before she dozed off.

Cory looked up at her. "And you my lady."

Softly, they kissed. Soundly, Helen slept.

Chapter Ten.

Although she hadn't the power to resist Cory's charm, Helen had the decency to wake up in her own bed on Monday morning. Thoughts of Cory, and not visions of Jodie Foster, encouraged a smile that hustled her happily into a new week. There was a column to write, a meeting with Stacey on Wednesday, and a Friday dinner and theater date with her very own concert pianist.

Dressed, ready to make her entrance into a new week, Helen looked at Chelsea's photo. A twinge of guilt tugged her heart, but tears no longer fell.

"I like Cory," she said to the photo. "I'll never forget you, but I want this change in my life." She removed the photo from the frame and placed it inside an old picture alb.u.m. She dropped the frame into the garbage and headed out for the day.

Her week at the office proved full speed ahead. On Wednesday, the hour neared five p.m., and she'd just completed the editing on her newest submission, when her private line rang.

"h.e.l.lo," she said.

"Good morning, Ms. Townsend. I'm taking a survey on your activities from Sunday afternoon," Cory said, business-like. "If you choose to partic.i.p.ate, the questions will take only a few minutes."

Helen laughed softly. "Okay, shoot."

"On a scale of one to five, with five as the best answer, how would you rate my ability not to grab the controls of the airplane and drop us out of the sky?"

"That's a seven, easily. You were the consummate overachiever."

"Question number two: If you hadn't made love with me, would you have the longing with you daily?"

In truth, she'd felt naughty when Cory outright said she wanted to sleep with her. Naughty in a nice way. Naughty in an I'm-so-glad-you-told-me-so-I-wouldn't-embarra.s.s-myself-by-jumping-your-bones kind of way. Yes, she would have given plenty of thought to sleeping with her, but Cory didn't need to know that.

"I'd give that question a low four."

"Hmm. My plane paralysis gets a better rating, huh?"

"Courage is much more admirable than l.u.s.t."

Cory exaggerated a sigh. "I think that places me somewhere between the Cowardly Lion and the Mayflower Madam."

"You could do worse. Are you in Lansing?"

"Just arrived at my hotel. There was a message waiting from Liz, my manager. I've been asked to guest conduct the Toronto Symphony on Thursday and Friday."

Helen frowned. "Oh. Toronto sounds like a nice addition to your Boston resume." That response was more appropriate than "What about our date?" She was disappointed, but there was no reason to rush their relationship any more than they had.

"I'll be home Sat.u.r.day afternoon. Can we plan something for that evening?"

"Sure. Give me a call." She looked at the clock on her computer. "I'm heading over to Stacey's for supper. Have fun tonight."

"Thanks. We'll talk soon."

Their conversation had ended and Helen looked forward to planning a party.

Stacey stretched onto her sofa. "I can't guarantee a hundred people, but I know of a few who will come to your shindig." She bounced a Nerf ball from Warhol's silkscreen of Ingrid Bergman.

"It's a start," Helen said. "Maybe word of mouth will bring in a few more."

"I like the idea of a variety show, and there we have it. Party planned." Stacey sat up and threw the ball at Helen. "Now tell me about Cory." She wiggled her eyebrows.

"Uh, what about her?"

"You've had these cute little smiles pop up all during our conversation and I think Chamberlain is the cause of them."

Helen took a breath. She'd thought Stacey would have missed those moments when Cory snuck into her mind. Was it the moment when she remembered having her b.r.e.a.s.t.s ma.s.saged while Cory nuzzled between her legs? Or was it the time Cory's tongue moved slowly down Helen's back? Her hormones stirred at both thoughts; she smiled again and then looked at Stacey.

"We spent some time together this past weekend. We went flying."

"Uh-huh. Maybe you did, but I think you got laid, too." She laughed and childishly stomped her feet on the floor when Helen didn't respond. "You did! Oh my G.o.d, this is wonderful. No more Chelsea."

Helen shook her head in disbelief of her actions, somewhat embarra.s.sed. "I barely know her and I didn't try very hard to say no."

"It didn't kill you. You're consenting adults and s.e.x is fun. Are you two an item?"

"I want to see more of her. We'd made plans for Friday, but already she's had to cancel. It makes me wonder if that's how our relationship would be."

"Maybe that's her bug. Her schedule is crazy, but if you can pin her down, I think you're in for a treat. She's always been among my favorite people, and no, I've never slept with her."

"That's good to know. All right, no more talk of her." She threw the ball back at Stacey. "We've agreed on food and alcohol, so keep me posted if your friends bail and I'll try to come up with another idea."

Stacey walked her to the door. "I love you, Blondie," she said. "I'm so glad you've shed your mourning clothes."

"Me, too. Both of those."

Chapter Eleven.

Three weeks into December, and Stacey's words had rung true. Cory was rarely in New York, and Helen relied on mutual phone calls from there to as far away as Singapore. She received flowers two days a week, and once Cory had sent a signed compact disc of her music. "The beginning of your Chamberlain collection," her handwritten note had read, along with "I miss you."

Helen often stayed at the Dakota apartment, mostly for its proximity to the newspaper, and also to see if she might feel comfortable living there, had the topic ever come up. Cory had even opened a small room for Helen to have as a work area.

When Cory was home, Helen was happiest. The CD became obsolete when she sat and listened to Cory play. There was nothing sweeter than having a private pianist at her fingertips, sometimes literally.

"You have a floater," Helen called to her. She reached into the aquarium and scooped the red, scaly corpse into her hand. "I thought you bought time-released food blocks."

"I forgot to put one in the tank," Cory yelled from the bathroom. "If you would stay here when I'm gone, they'd have a better chance of survival."

"That's some mommy you have," Helen said and tapped food into the tank. Three remaining fish ate heartily while she wrapped their dead brother with a tissue and joined Cory. "Here." She held out the small wet package.

"I don't want that." She pushed her hand away with her elbow and continued to floss her teeth. "Toss it in the disposal."

"You can't just grind him up. He's got family in there!"

"Then flush him."

Helen looked into the bowl of blue water and shrugged. "Bon voyage." She pressed the handle and dropped him into the swirling abyss. "I don't understand why you have the aquarium if-"

"It was a gift, and not one that I think about. Like someone dumping a puppy at your front door."

"I hope you'd feed a puppy."

"Of course I would, but I'd also find it another home."

"Then find a home for the aquarium."

"Do you want it?" Cory asked and Helen shook her head. "I thought not. n.o.body wants the aquarium and it was, as I said, a gift. I shouldn't give it away."

Helen slapped Cory's backside. "Then get your act together and take care of them."

"I guess you have an act to put together, if those Hollywood heavyweights latch on to your show." Cory dropped the used floss into the trash and then swished a mint wash through her mouth.

"It'll be a challenge."

Cory spat out the wash and rinsed with water. She turned to Helen. "You have the drive. I imagine there is very little you can't do."

Helen smiled lovingly and wrapped her arms around Cory. "Do you feel better now that your teeth are clean?"

Cory grinned like a chimpanzee. "Much."

"I'm glad you're home." She gave her a playful bear hug.

"Me, too. Maybe someday you'll move in with me?"

"I don't know. I'm here when you are."

Cory checked the temperature of the Jacuzzi. "You're punishing me, aren't you?"

Helen began to strip and Cory a.s.sisted. "Why would I do that?"

"For my not being here." Cory turned on a CD player. Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" played softly.

"I didn't say that."

"You said 'I'm here when you are,' meaning I'm not here." Cory let her robe fall to the floor.

"I love your shoulders." Helen ran her hands across them. "They're perfectly straight."

"Unlike your answer," Cory grumbled.

"Well, you aren't here, baby, and I do spend time here, but I can be alone just as easily in my own apartment. Besides, I sometimes work in the room you opened for me. I'm just not responsible for the fish." Helen slipped into the bubbling tub.

"But it's not home to you?" Cory turned the lights low.

"No. Not without you. With you, maybe the Dakota will be home in the future. Not now."

Cory lit several candles, placed throughout the bathroom, and lowered herself into the Jacuzzi. Helen, her face damp from the misty water, wrapped her legs around Cory's waist. Vapor surrounded them and she splashed warm water over Cory's b.r.e.a.s.t.s and gazed at her shapely body that glimmered in the orange glow of candlelight. Raised and mingled from their flesh and bubbling water, curly wisps of steam became a dance of spirits.

Helen stretched her arms and steadied herself on the edge of the fibergla.s.s tank. She relaxed her legs and released Cory. Helen's body floated upward in offering. Cory ran her hands along Helen's exposed thighs, through thick curls, over the smooth belly, and grasped the swell of b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Cory whispered, "You're beautiful." She pinched tightened nipples and Helen's body tensed with shock. Cory gazed into her eyes. "Tell me what you want." A bead of water ran down her cheek.

Helen released her grip on the tub. She lowered Cory onto the water's surface and supported her back. Cory's thick hair floated, a silky seaweed beneath her head. Helen took Cory's breast into her mouth, gently sucked, and then with more greed. She rocked Cory's body in rhythm. Water lapped steamy waves over Cory's flesh.

"That feels wonderful."

Helen pulled her mouth away and kissed her lips. "I went home the day we met"-she fiercely licked Cory's nipple-"a hot bath"-she waved the water over Cory-"filled me with desire for you." She looked deep into Cory's eyes. "I closed my eyes and saw you." She ran a hand over Cory's slick belly, and then pulled Cory's hand out of the water. She kissed each finger.

"I wanted you then," Cory said.

Helen placed Cory's hand on the swirl of hair. Cory pulled it away. Helen took her hand once more and held it there.

"What?"

"Shh." Helen's breaths shortened. "Feel what I felt." She ma.s.saged with Cory's hand. "Want me and have only yourself." Helen pressed the fingers into Cory's ache.