When they drew apart, Roan indistinctly said, "Let's go eat." Echo laughed. A part of her felt that Roan didn't really understand what it meant by her loving her. At this juncture, who gives a d.a.m.n. "Yeah, let's go eat. I'm dying to see you eat another meal."

"Hey, don't go there. Your mother's just recently turned me onto a TV program she watches that she a.s.sures will make me understand you."

Echo giggled. "What program is that?"

Roan felt a warm glow flood her body at that sound. "Hmm, let's see now, it had a letter attached to it."

Echo groaned aloud. "No...my mom watches aThe L Word.' Oh, c.r.a.p, I'm in big trouble. Have you ever seen it?"

"Nope, but it sounds interesting, though, and possibly worth investigating in light that I need to learn more about you..."

"No, Roan...trust me, I know just the thing for you." Echo felt her heart racing as she looked into the blue eyes.

Roan grasped Echo's hand and smiled. "Go for it."

Echo laughed. Roan's hand in hers was the perfect place to be. "It's called personal tuition. Can I ask you a question?"

"Right now? Anything." Roan waited as she saw Echo's tiny muscles next to her mouth flicker before she spoke.

"This is probably not any of my business, but have you ever...that is...fallen in love before? At least in love with..." Echo shut her eyes. They could do this later.

Roan considered the real question behind Echo's words. Had she ever been in love with another woman? "No. For the record, the first time I've ever been s.e.xually turned on was...okay, you'll laugh, I know it, but..."

Echo reached up and placed her hands around Roan's oval face. "Tell me, I won't laugh."

"You...it was you. You know you have the most amazing swagger when you walk and your a.s.s..." Roan rolled her eyes, then gazed into Echo's astonished face. "Never expected that, did you?"

"Never in a million years...has my a.s.s...wow..." Echo gripped Roan's hand, unable to say anything else she was in delirious shock. They headed back toward the entrance to the restaurant and Echo's waiting parents. After only moving a couple of feet, Roan stopped and Echo turned to gaze at her in question.

Roan's throat felt dry as she tried to find more words that might make Echo understand that she was in this for...forever, she decided there and then. "I know this might...no, does...sound corny, but I've been waiting for you all my life, Echo Radar."

Echo felt her heart was going to burst with happiness. In her wildest dreams, she'd never thought anyone would ever say something so romantic to her. Yet here it was in the form of a woman who was as far removed from romantic inclination as the pope. She breathlessly replied, "It might to some. To me, it's the most eloquent expression on earth."

Roan pulled Echo close and kissed the top of her head. "If I'd known it was going to be this easy to say I love you, I'd have done it years ago."

Echo chuckled. Roan had understood what she meant and even reciprocated the feeling. She snuggled contentedly close to Roan's chest. "I'm glad you didn't. This is the most romantic moment of my life, knowing you waited for me."

Roan smiled and turned so that she could see Echo more clearly. She saw the joy in her face and felt slightly disconcerted. "I guess put like that, I did."

"Does that make you happy or sad?" Echo asked, the tension in her body at fever pitch as she waited anxiously for the answer.

Roan stared long and hard into Echo's face, memorizing every line, then she shook her head and smiled. "You decide." She bent her head slightly and captured Echo's lips that she now realized had been calling to her from the first day. If only she'd known. Her hands moved to capture the object of her first-ever desire and moved sensually over the mounds, eliciting a moan from Echo.

When they broke apart, they were both breathless.

Roan gave a small smile of bemus.e.m.e.nt at the speed of her own s.e.xually charged emotions as she bent to rest her chin on Echo's head. "I...I have tickets to Hawaii for tomorrow for a five- day trip. I figured we both needed a break."

Echo's eyes widened in wonder. "You have tickets? When did you book them?"

"In the hotel before I came here. You looked even more wiped than me." She kissed Echo's nose as she saw it scrunch up at the suggestion of her tiredness. "I arranged for a week off before my flight yesterday and figured..."

Echo didn't need to hear more. This woman didn't need help in the romance department, she could write a book. "I love you, Roan Keating. Of course I'll go." She kissed Roan deeply.

Several minutes later after exploring every inch of skin they had on display, Echo reluctantly drew away and distractedly announced, "My parents."

Roan nodded in a daze. "Hmm, parents, roll on Hawaii, and that personal tuition. What are you doing the rest of your life?"

With an ecstatic expression, Echo took Roan's hand and kissed the knuckles as she whispered, "I'm going to spend it all with you." They walked the few yards to the restaurant door with Echo contemplating this new stage in her existence.

Life was taking them on another crusade-love.

About the Author.

JM Dragon.

Born in England JM Dragon is and now a New Zealand citizen, living in the beautiful Canterbury countryside, JM Dragon loves to garden, travel and has a love of animals. Her animals, many of them strays, even the odd chicken, have proved a new focus in her life. Sharing her life with her family, two cats, two alpacas, and over forty bantam chickens in differing breeds; she's found a totally different focus in her life than when she lived in England.

Her writing is a long cherished release for the characters that invade her mind on many an occasion. Always having written stories from a child, she found the internet a place she could share her creative world with other readers. Having stumbled across venues on the net for her writing, she found new subjects to explore. She currently loves the creative, readership and friendship genre she has comfortably taken residence in for the last twelve years. A keen reader of sci-fi, crime/mystery, cla.s.sic, and romance of course.

JM Dragon is here to stay and loves to experiment with storylines-who knows what she will tease us with next.

E-Books, Printed Books, Free e-books.

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