Ballad of Flavia & Sarah: Verse

The Ballad of Flavia and Sarah is my highest rated story on this site, and it received some fantastic feedback, so I decided to expand it into a six-part series. The chapters will be named after parts of a song. If I knew how, I'd change the original chapter's name to "Intro".

I'd like to thank those who encouraged me to continue this. I almost didn't after some negative comments.

Many thanks again to DawnDuckie for editing and critiquing this story.

As The Unnamed Band finished playing Proud Mary, Sarah thanked the audience in the Queen Elizabeth and told them they'd be back on after a short break. She instinctively looked over the crowd for Flavia, even though she knew she wasn't there that night. Just looking for her brought a smile to Sarah's face.

Behind her, Kira and Georgina had started arguing over the arrangement of their new song, and Bethany had called someone on her phone. So it was just Sarah and Daniella who walked off the stage. There were no free tables (Flavia would be happy they'd packed out the pub again), so the two leaned against a cold window pane to chat.

Burning for someone to discuss her new relationship with, Sarah said, "How was your Valentine's Day? You said you had a fella to spend it with."

"It was great, thanks."

Sarah wondered if her next question would push things too far. "Was it a bloke?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend?"

Daniella looked shocked. "A boyfriend of course. What makes you ask that?"

Sarah reddened and nodded to the band. "The other girls are always making fun of you for being gay. The bouncer, Dorothy, always helps with your drum kit. And you're always glancing at each other. I just thought--"

"Well you thought wrong. I'm just a friend of Dorothy's."

"Sorry, I guess I got my wires crossed. But--" Here goes. "--remember at the weekend, I went away to stay with my dad?"

"Yeah."

"I didn't really have a family emergency that happened to fall on Valentine's. I actually stayed in a Scottish castle."

Daniella's offended expression turned into a curious one. "I knew it. You're a dark horse, aren't you? So who is he?"

"That's the thing. It's--"

"Can I buy you some drinks?"

Turning, they saw an attractive woman of about thirty standing before them.

"No thanks," said Daniella. "We're straight."

Speak for yourself. But Sarah had no interest in playing around with other women.

"It wasn't a line," said the woman. "I'm here with my girlfriend." She pointed over her shoulder, though it wasn't clear who in the crowd she meant. "We love your music; we come every Thursday. I wanted to buy you a drink each to show our appreciation."

Sarah glanced at Daniella, but the drummer wasn't looking at her.

Daniella said, "A rum and coke, please."

"And a mineral water for me, please," said Sarah.

"You don't want anything harder?" asked the woman.

Sarah pointed to her throat. "I have to watch what I drink when I sing."

With a nod, the woman headed towards the bar.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Sarah grabbed Daniella's hands and the two jumped up and down in glee.

Sarah said, "Our first fans!"

Daniella laughed. "Free drinks!"

When they settled down, Daniella said, "So what were you about to tell me about your new bloke?"

"Yeah, so that's the thing. It's not a bloke."

Daniella's eyes widened. "Not a bloke! It's not that woman getting the drinks, is it?" She glanced towards the bar.

"No. Her name's Flavia. She's the woman who owns this pub."

"The French woman?"

"Italian, but yes, that's her."

"Bloody hell!" Daniella looked through the crowd, probably searching for Flavia. "Isn't she a bit--" An embarrassed expression came over her face as her brain caught up with what she was asking. "--beautiful?"

Sarah smiled. "She is a bit older than me. Like, almost thirty years older."

Daniella leaned forward. "Wow. Is it serious?"

At that point, the woman returned with their drinks. After she left, Sarah took a sip from her bottle while she considered the question.

"I think so. We talk every day; we have for ages. But it was only this weekend that things got physical."

"It must have been romantic in that castle."

"There were so many things to see and do there: tapestries and guided walks and wine tastings."

"Did you enjoy them?"

Sarah smiled. "I was looking forward to them, but we didn't leave our bed all weekend."

"You randy cow! So she was good then?"

Sarah shrugged. "I've got nobody to compare her to."

"You were a virgin? Bloody hell, you passed the age of consent years ago."

Sarah glanced in the direction of Flavia's office. "I know. I was waiting for the right person."

"But it was enjoyable?"

Sarah leaned forward and whispered into Daniella's ear. "It was fantastic."

Daniella giggled. "So you're glad you let her seduce you?"

Sarah felt her face reddening. "That's not what happened. I decided I wanted her, and set out to get her. She kept giving me reasons why we shouldn't, but I wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. And I got my woman."

Daniella touched her glass to Sarah's bottle. "Good for you. So when are you seeing her next?"

"I'm staying over tomorrow. It'll be the first time I've seen her since the hotel."

"Who've you told?"

"Just you. My dad knows I was interested in someone, but he thought she was my age, and I let him keep thinking that. Can you keep it secret for now?"

"Of course."

Sarah felt a weight lifted from her. "I'm glad I told you; it's so good not to have to keep this all to myself."

Daniella opened her mouth as though to say something, then closed it. Finally, she said, "We'd better get back on stage."

????

Sarah rang Flavia's doorbell, then stepped back, her heart racing as she waited. Had she worn the right clothes? Maybe jeans and a sweater were too casual? Perhaps she should have gone with -- oh God, the door was opening. Before her stood Flavia in a tight-fitting green dress, and Sarah's throat felt tight as they said their hellos. But then Flavia's smile appeared, melting all Sarah's worries away. With a kiss on her cheek, Flavia took her hand and led her inside. Sarah had been in the house once before, but not on a date, and she looked around, impressed again at the décor and elegance, while she removed her coat and trainers.

A delicious yet subtle smell reached her. "Something smells good."

Flavia turned to face her, took Sarah's sports bag and put in on the floor, before walking backwards with Sarah's hands in her own. "I cooked you dinner. I hope you like it."

"You cooked me dinner?" said Sarah, not believing her. "Do you mean Christina from the pub cooked it?"

Flavia shrugged. "I asked her to, so it counts as me cooking it. It would ruin the mood if I fed you something I'd cooked."

Sarah closed the distance between them and kissed her. "I'd be happy with Rice Krispies if they came with you. Shall I dish it up?"

Flavia put her arms around Sarah's waist and drew her into a longer and more passionate kiss. "I'm tempted to skip dinner and take you straight to bed. But I've got a feeling we'll be needing our stamina."

Sarah revelled in the feel of the older woman's body against her own, remembering their hotel trip. "I wish I could stay all weekend."

"I do too, innamorata. But Marie's coming home from university on Sunday." She released Sarah. "I'll get the wine."

Sarah took the pot out of the oven, and removed the lid to reveal a mushroom casserole. "This smells delicious," she called over her shoulder. After dishing out two plates, she took them to the pine kitchen table, where Flavia had poured two glasses of white wine. They sat and started eating. The food all-but melted in Sarah's mouth, washing her taste buds in the delicately mingled flavours of mushroom, garlic and sour cream. Oh, and parmesan; it somehow got better as she ate.

"How is it?" asked Flavia.

"Really good. I'm almost jealous of whoever's dating Christina and gets to enjoy her cooking."

"Almost?"

Sarah smiled. "Well, it's you I want. And I'm getting Christina's cooking anyway. Best of both worlds."

Flavia laughed, and the two chatted while they finished the meal. Sarah talked about how the band was working on their first song, but it wasn't coming together; Flavia told her about her plans for extending the Queen Elizabeth. They skipped dessert; neither wanted to delay what was coming.

????

Sarah looked about Flavia's bedroom, tastefully decorated in light green, a king-sized bed dwarfed by the sweep of the large room. It was impressive but friendly, much like its owner.

Flavia placed Sarah's sports bag on the bed. "I've cleared out that bedside cabinet for anything you need to put there when you stay over. I'd offer you some space in a wardrobe, but they're full. Shall I unpack for you?"

"Please." Sarah looked at the long mirrored wardrobe along one side of the room. "Your clothes fill all that?"

Flavia was putting Sarah's bra and knickers in the cabinet. "And the ones in two guest bedrooms." She kissed Sarah, then winked. "Don't judge me." When she reached into Sarah's bag again, she said, "Hello. What have we here?"

Sarah turned to see Flavia holding a packet of Durex. "I'd forgotten those."

"Are you seeing someone else?"

"No. My mum's very suspicious, so after two weekends away in a row, including Valentine's, she's deduced that I'm seeing a boy. She tried to stop me coming, but I told her I'm an adult and I'll see who I please." She nodded at the packet. "That was her attempt to stop me getting pregnant."

Flavia laughed. "It's already been opened." She opened it. "One's missing."

Sarah sat on the bed. "She was surprisingly thorough, and insisted on demonstrating how they're used. I don't think I'll ever be able to look at her talking to a man again. Or eating a banana."

Flavia sat next to her and placed her arm around Sarah's waist. "I promise never to get you pregnant." She began raining kisses along her neck. "But it won't be for want of trying."

The kisses traced their way up to Sarah's ear, causing her to tremble as Flavia's soft lips and tongue traced the edge. Flavia's voice was soft and husky, moist and warm, a velvet embrace. "Don't think I've forgotten how excited you get when I play with your ears."

Sarah felt her sweater being tugged upwards, so she lifted her arms to let Flavia remove it.

Flavia moved away from Sarah's ear. "No bra! What a good girl you are."

Sarah smiled as the older woman bent to take a nipple into her mouth. "I didn't want to waste any time."

Flavia looked up and smiled at her, but said nothing, taking more of the breast into her mouth, then exploring with her tongue and lips. Sarah's hands instinctively went behind her head. After a few minutes, Flavia raised her head, kissing Sarah passionately while her hands toyed with Sarah's breasts. A gentle push sent Sarah backwards, to lie on the soft bed. Flavia lay onto top of her, looking into her eyes, her hair a dark waterfall about them.

"I missed you," said Flavia.

"Not as much as I missed you."

Flavia kissed her again, but while she did, her hands reached between them, and Sarah felt her the catch of her jeans and the zip being undone. When the older woman sat up, she pulled the jeans down Sarah's toned legs, struggling with how tight they were. But she finally got them off, along with Sarah's socks, leaving them to tumble to the floor.

Looking down at Sarah's only remaining clothing, a pair of white knickers, Flavia said, "So you weren't that committed to not wasting time?"

"I'm not going out in public without anything down there. But since we're in private..." Sarah rolled her legs above her and whipped the knickers off, before lying back down and shuffling further back along the bed.

Flavia lay beside her, reached between her legs, and ran her fingers over Sarah's hairless groin. "I've missed this too." Her fingers traced the outline of Sarah's lower lips, while her tongue traced Sarah's other lips. "You're wet."

"All the more reason to wear knickers when I see you. Aren't you undressing?"

"All in good time."

Sarah gasped as she felt a finger slowly, oh so slowly, penetrate and enter her.

Flavia kissed her. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"

"Never better. If you like, you can..." She didn't finish because Flavia began to do what she'd been about to suggest, her fingers pumping slowly in and out. Sarah closed her eyes, concentrating on the sensations. She felt Flavia's other hand running through her hair, and the older woman's mouth returned to her breast, hot and wet, the tongue sliding over her nipple. Sarah thought things couldn't get any better, but she felt herself filled as what she judged to be another finger joined the first in its pumping. As they reached the ends of their thrusts, filling her, they curled upwards, thrilling her more. Sarah moaned at the feel of Flavia's thumb rubbing over her clitoral hood.

"That fee -- feels fantastic."

Flavia's pace increased, and Sarah heard squelching sounds. Her legs spread further, and in response Flavia left her fingers buried inside her. They rubbed Sarah's G-spot, while Flavia's thumb pushed back Sarah's hood and toyed directly with her clitoris. Sarah found her hips gyrating, unable to keep still with the onslaught of sensations.

"I'm gonna -- c -- cum."

Flavia bit gently on Sarah's nipple and pressed her thumb into Sarah's clitoris. The world faded away in a burst of white; Sarah heard her own voice screaming Flavia's name, but it seemed far away, distant thunder compared to the lightning consuming her body.

When her senses returned, she found Flavia lying nude beside her, holding her, her breasts pressing into Sarah's arm and chest.

Sarah kissed her. "That was amazing."

Flavia smiled and ran her fingers through Sarah's hair. "I've never known anyone to get as lost in her climaxes as you. But I'm glad to have you back."

Sarah kissed her again. "I want you to feel the same. And I want you to teach me more. May I...?" Her eyes shifted down Flavia's body, past her full breasts and toned abdomen, to the slick patch of hair between her legs.

Flavia chuckled. "Well, since you asked so nicely..." She rolled onto her back and bent her legs, leaving Sarah to miss the heat and softness of her body.

With a smile, Sarah moved to kneel at the bottom of the bed, staring at Flavia's glistening womanhood and inhaling her heady scent.

Flavia craned her neck to look at her. "You know, you don't have to rush everything. I'm flattered that you want to go straight there, but you could work your way down my body. Perhaps start with my breasts, caress or kiss them, then move to my belly button. Take your time."

"OK," said Sarah, as she started to move back up.

But Flavia raised her hand. "Since you're there already, why don't we skip that this time?"

Moving forward, Sarah pressed her lips to Flavia's labia, her tongue creeping out to sample her lover's delicate taste.

"That's it," said Flavia. "Take your time. I like to start with slow licks from top to bottom, if you remember."

Sarah did remember; she'd thought of little else since that weekend. Doing as she'd been bid, her tongue travelled up and down, enjoying every touch, every taste, every scent. Smiling, Sarah continued licking for some time; she'd happily do this all night. Perhaps Flavia would let her, judging by the growing moans.

But Flavia wanted more. After a while, she asked Sarah to concentrate on her clitoris, and Sarah did so, holding it between her lips and running her tongue over it. She wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing, but Flavia held her head against her groin, which seemed to show she enjoyed it. Even as she enjoyed the closeness, Sarah felt Flavia's pubic hairs tickling her nose; she was going to sneeze soon, but didn't want to stop. With a shuddering moan, Flavia climaxed, and Sarah kept her mouth in place while the older woman's hips threshed about, swallowing as many of the delicious fluids as she could.

When Flavia had finished, Sarah cuddled into her and sneezed. Her knees ached; how long had she knelt between Flavia's legs?

"That was amazing," said Flavia. "What did I do to deserve you in my bed?"

"I was thinking much the same about you." Was now a good time to tell Flavia the depths of her feelings? To find out if they were reciprocated? Sarah opened her mouth.

"Come on," said Flavia, sitting up. "Let's brush our teeth and get ready for bed."

????

After another bout of lovemaking, the two women slipped into a deep slumber, Flavia spooning Sarah, both still nude. Sarah had missed sleeping with Flavia: the physical contact, the occasional waking to see the older woman sleeping there limned in moonlight, the smell of her.

When she woke it was morning, and opening her eyes she saw Flavia staring at her. "How long have you been awake?"

"Just a few minutes," said Flavia. "I think I could spend the whole day looking at your beautiful face."

Sarah kissed her. "I can think of more fun ways of spending the day."

Flavia kissed her back passionately, their tongues gliding over each other. Meanwhile, Flavia's hand reached down, caressing Sarah's breast, causing her to arch her back in pleasure. Flavia's mouth moved from Sarah's lips, kissing down her jaw, then along her neck, then up towards her ear. Flavia's other hand moved under the covers, touching Sarah's -- a mobile phone began ringing, and Flavia raised her head to look for it.

"Ignore it," said Sarah, her hand on Flavia's face turning it towards her. They stayed like that for a moment, until the phone stopped ringing.

Flavia dropped her head to Sarah's neck again, and Sarah felt those soft lips laying a fluttering trail of kisses to her -- that damned phone again!

"Maybe you'd better answer it," said Sarah, lying back in disappointment.

Flavia reached across Sarah to grab it, and lay across her stomach while she answered. It might not be the sex she thought she was going to have, but it wasn't a terrible position, with Flavia's round bottom just before Sarah's face, and her breasts hanging down against her side. While Flavia spoke, Sarah caressed her bottom, feeling the smoothness of the skin, and the softness of the succulent skin.

After hanging up, Flavia got out of bed and began to dress. "I'm sorry, sweetheart; there's a problem at work. Someone forgot to pay our main wine and spirits supplier, and if I don't sort it out, we'll soon run out of anything stronger than lemonade."

Sarah watched her change from magnificent nudity to professional businesswoman as she put on a tight skirt and blouse. Stretching and pouting, Sarah said, "Do you really have to go? I thought we were going to spend the day together."

Flavia kissed her long and deeply, her hand cupping her breast. "With you naked in my bed, the last thing I want is to leave. It should only be an hour or so. Please stay here and wait for me."

"Just try getting rid of me."

Flavia kissed her again. "Make yourself at home: have breakfast, watch television, stay in bed, whatever. But will you make me a promise?" She moved her lips to Sarah's ear, to whisper huskily. "Promise you won't get dressed until I get back. I really don't want to waste a second."

Sarah turned and kissed her. "I promise."

She watched Flavia leave the room, admiring her. Nobody could sort out the problem at the pub except her Flavia. When she heard the front door shut, she stretched, pleased with herself. Of course, she'd rather have had Flavia there, but she remembered cooking a meal for Flavia once and daydreaming about being a housewife living with her. Watching Flavia head to work and leave her in bed fed into that fantasy. She rolled onto Flavia's side of the bed, feeling the warmth that was still there, and the smell of the older woman on the pillow. If she had to be in bed alone, this was the way.

After a while, she decided to tidy up a little. Their clothing had been tossed aside in their passion the previous night, and Flavia had left in a hurry. Sarah put her jeans and jumper on a chair, then Flavia's dress on a hanger. Not thinking she'd want it back in her wardrobe unwashed, she hung it on the door.

Then there was the underwear: Flavia's bra and knickers, along with Sarah's knickers and socks. She picked them up and walked into the bathroom, where she'd noticed a laundry hamper. After she dropped Flavia's underwear into it, she considered adding her own. But, no, she was just a guest for one night, even if Flavia had given her a cabinet to store clothes for the next time. Adding her own underwear would be like declaring she lived there. So she walked back to the bedroom instead, then rushed back to the bathroom and threw her underwear into the hamper after all. Having staked her claim, she leapt into bed and wrapped the duvet around her naked body.

????

The bang of the front door closing woke Sarah, who sat up and rubbed her eyes. She hadn't meant to fall back to sleep, but at least she didn't have to wait any longer to see Flavia. She listened to the sound of footsteps as they came down the hall, and she imagined the older woman climbing the stairs, then entering the bedroom and sweeping her into her arms. So she was disappointed when the footsteps carried on to the kitchen, where she heard cupboards being closed. So much for Flavia not wanting to waste a single second.

Creeping down the stairs in her promised nude state, Sarah entered the kitchen. "I thought you were going to--" She let out a scream, which was echoed by the young blonde woman she found herself face-to-face with, a bowl of cereal slipping from her hands to crash on the floor, splashing them both with milk.

Sarah stepped back, covering her nakedness as best she could with her arms and hands. "Who are you?"

"Who am I?" The woman looked shocked. "This is my home. Who the fuck are you?"

Her home? Did Flavia have another young lover, one she lived with? No, surely Sarah would have found some signs of that. Then she realised who this had to be. "Are you Marie?"

"Yes." The woman seemed a little more comfortable that Sarah at least knew her name. "You've still not told me who you are."

"Oh, I'm Sarah. I'm a friend of Fl -- your mum's."

"A friend, huh?" Marie's eyes ran over Sarah's naked body, clearly not believing the two were just friends. "I would shake your hand, but if I did you'd flash me again. Why don't you get dressed, and I'll tidy up down here."

With a nod, Sarah turned and headed up the stairs. Behind her, Marie called out, "What a bum! I think I see why mum likes you."

Sarah quickly washed the milk off her legs, then dressed in the same clothes she'd worn the day before. With nothing else to postpone a possibly tricky meeting, she headed back down, where Marie handed her a mug of tea, the mess already cleaned up. Sarah took a better look at her: tall and slender, about three years older than Sarah, with long blonde hair. She'd never have thought she was related to Flavia if it wasn't for the eyes. Clever and mischievous, they were identical to her mother's. That and the composure in an embarrassing situation.

"So," said Sarah, "you're back from university? Your mum thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow."

"Evidently," said Marie with a smile before sipping her own tea and leading the way to the living room, where the two sat opposite each other on the green leather sofas. "So how long have you known Mum?"

"A few months. I sing in a band that plays at her pub."

"Uh huh. And how long have you known Mum?"

Sarah was confused. Hadn't she just answered that question? Then she realised what Marie meant. "About a week." She dropped her head, blushing.

"There's no need to be embarrassed. As long as you make each other happy, it's none of my business. So are you at uni too?"

"No, I'm still at school."

"At school! You look young, but I didn't think you'd be that young. You're years younger than me. Do you always go for older women?"

"I don't -- I mean, I haven't -- she--" Sarah sighed. "Your mum's the first. Not just the first older woman that I've -- you know, but the first anyone that I've--"

Marie smiled. "'You know'ed? Bloody hell, so Mum's got a naked teenage virgin running round the house? I'll never let her live this down. And I thought I was the one living a wild life at uni. But I don't get it. I'm only into boys, but if it was girls for me, it would be girls my age, not grown-arsed women. Why not someone your own age, if you don't mind me asking?"

Sarah shrugged, but decided to come clean about her feelings. "I guess no-one else is your mum. She's the one I want. Just talking to her does things to me that nobody else can. I don't know how to explain it."

The conversation became a little less personal, and Sarah relaxed. After swearing her to secrecy, Marie told her about her life at university, which sounded like the kind of hedonism her parents had always warned her about. Sarah, in turn, told Marie about her family and the band.

As they were talking, Sarah saw Flavia's Audi pull into the garage. Moments later, she walked into the house, and from her vantage could only see Sarah and not Marie.

Flavia laughed as she walked towards her. "I thought you promised to stay naked until I got back. I might have to -- oh, hello Marie. I thought you weren't coming home till the twenty second."

Sarah stood, envying the way Flavia refused to be flustered.

Standing and hugging her mother, Marie said, "Today is the twenty second." She stepped back and smiled. "And Sarah kept her promise until she ran into me."

Flavia winced. "Sorry, both of you." She gave Sarah a hug too.

"That's OK," said Sarah. "We've been getting to know each other."

Flavia looked from one to the other and smiled. "I'm not sure I'm going to like you two being too chummy."

Marie gave a wicked smile. "So how come you didn't tell me about your teenage girlfriend?"

"Well," said Flavia, "it's not serious."

"It's not?" Sarah heard someone say. It took her a few seconds to realise the words had come from her own mouth.

There was stunned silence for a moment, the words hanging heavy in the air. Flavia turned to Marie. "Why don't you give us a moment?"

Marie put on a jacket. "Now you mention it, I was planning on standing alone in the back garden for a while and enjoy the rain."

When she'd left the house, Sarah said, "Not serious? I thought -- I hoped..."

Flavia wrapped her in her arms and they sat on the sofa together. "Sarah, I'm very fond of you. Very, very fond. But we should have had this conversation earlier; being the one with experience in relationships, I should have ensured that. Surely you see that the age gap is too big for anything serious? You're just starting out on your life, and I'm a lot further along."

"But surely we can work through it together."

"Sweetheart, life's not a romcom, and love doesn't overcome every challenge. What do you even mean by serious? A few months, or--"

"As long as we can last."

"I'm looking for something really serious -- the rest of my life serious." Flavia sat back and rubbed away the tracks of tears from Sarah's face.

"I think I want something like that."

"Did it occur to you that the rest of your life might be far longer than mine? By the time you're my age, I'll be an old woman. There will be a long rest of your life after that. And what do you want out of that life? Children? I've already raised mine. How would things work if your music career really takes off and we hardly see each other?"

"I don't know. I don't have all the answers. Maybe I don't have any. I haven't figured out my life yet, but I do know I want you. I thought you wanted me too."

There were matching tears in Flavia's eyes. "I do, so much. But I think we have to accept this can't be long-term. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

Sarah stood, wiping her eyes. "Good job on that." She walked to the front door and put on her jacket and shoes.

Flavia followed her, wringing her hands. "You're so young; heart's change so quickly at your age. I know I'm your first, but you'll meet someone else, someone your own age, and wonder what you ever saw in me. It won't take long before you see that a middle-aged woman is the last thing you need holding you back. Just look on me as a hopefully pleasant introduction to the art of lovemaking. But I want something longer term, someone I can settle down with." As Sarah opened the door to the driving rain, she added, "At least let me drive you home."

"I'll walk. The rain will hide my tears."

"Please, Sarah, I don't want things to end like this between us. I didn't explain myself well."

Sarah turned back to face her. "I understood you well enough. We -- I -- how could you just use me like that?"

"Use you? Oh Sarah, innamorata, I would never do that to anyone. Especially not you."

"Don't call me innamorata. I'm not your sweetheart. If I meant something to you, if I meant as much to you as you do to me..." Her head dropped, and she found herself staring at the swirling patterns in Flavia's cream carpet.

"You do. You mean so, so much. Far more than I could ever tell you. Look, if you're going to insist on leaving, and you won't let me drive you home, I'm sure Marie would take you. I won't let you walk in that rain."

Sarah looked back up, to see Flavia blurry through tears. "I don't care about rain. I care about you, us. Why couldn't you be the woman I thought you were? Why does being near you hurt so much?"

"Sarah, please come back in. Let's talk this through."

"I can't." She opened her mouth to say more, then closed her eyes tightly. "I just can't." She slammed the door behind her, cutting off Flavia's reply.

????

Sarah tried to act as though nothing had happened when she got home. She walked passed her mother watching television, intending to change her rain-soaked jeans.

"Are you OK?" her mother asked.

Sarah stopped. "Yeah. I just, uh--"

"I thought you were staying out later. Is something wrong with you and your boyfriend?"

"We kind of split up."

Her mother nodded. "I won't pretend I'm unhappy you're no longer fornicating, but I know how a break-up hurts. I'm sorry you're going through that."

"Thanks. How about a cup of tea, Mum? I could sit and watch some telly with you. I don't want to be in my room alone."

????

The music bounced from the walls of the practice room, and Sarah tried to pour as much passion as she could into the lyrics. But their new song just wasn't working.

"OK," said Georgina, "let's take a break."

As they turned off their instruments, Kira said, "I don't get it. The song starts OK, and its got a good hook in the verse, but it loses something half-way through. Sod it; who's up for a vape by the swings?"

"I'll come," said Daniella.

"Isn't it your boyfriend's job to make you cum?" asked Bethany.

Georgina chuckled. "I don't think imaginary penises can make a girl cum."

Kira, Georgina and Daniella went out, leaving just Sarah and Bethany, who kneeled down to fiddle with her amp.

"Why do you do that?" asked Sarah. "The three of you are always making jabs about Daniella being a lesbian. It's cruel."

Bethany turned and looked at her for a moment. "We don't make fun of her for being a lesbian."

"Yes you do. You literally just did it."

"No. I couldn't care less that she's gay. We make fun of her for lying to us about being straight."

"Maybe she just needs time to come out when she's ready."

"And maybe she shouldn't lie in the mean time."

"Have you--" Sarah went quiet. Was she really going to ask this? "Have you ever thought about being with a woman?"

Bethany turned away and began tuning her bass. "Nah. I like tall, strong men, so girls don't do it for me. You ever considered it?"

"I, um, I've more than thought about it. I've done it."

Bethany struck a bad note and turned again to face Sarah. "Bloody hell. Was this back where you were living before?"

"No." Sarah's gaze dropped. She couldn't look Bethany in the eyes. "It was down here. In the last couple of weeks."

"Wow. Was it a girl from your school?"

"It was the owner of the Queen Liz."

"That Spanish woman?"

"Italian, but yes, her."

"Bloody bloody hell. She must be in her thirties."

"Forties."

"Fuck. Is it serious?"

"She decided we shouldn't see each other any more."

"So that's why you've been looking like someone pissed in your cornflakes. Look, if you don't want us to play there any more, that's fine."

Sarah smiled while wiping away a stray tear. "Thanks. But I don't want to make a big thing about it; let's just keep playing there."

"If you want a girlfriend, that's fine by me. But maybe the next one should be a bit more age appropriate."

Sarah nodded. "I'm going to tell the others."

Even as she spoke, the rest of the band re-entered the room.

"Girls, I just told Bethany, and I think you should hear it from me. I--"

"--shagged that woman who owns the Queen Lez," said Kira.

Georgina added, "And then the bitch dumped you."

Sarah said, "Don't call her that."

Over their shoulders, Daniella said, "I swear I didn't tell them."

Sarah was confused. "Then how did they know?"

Bethany held up a mobile phone, looking shamefaced. "Sorry babes, but I can't sit on gossip that good."

Despite herself, Sarah laughed. "Let's practice this song then. I want to have this good by the time Flavia hears it."

The rest of the band started preparing their instruments.

Daniella said, "Is that it? Why aren't you making fun of her for being gay?"

"Oh, come on," said Georgina. "Homophobia isn't cool. I'd expect you of all people to know that, Daniella."

????

Lying on her bed, Sarah called her father. "Hi. I wondered if you could give me some advice. You remember I said I was interested in someone? Well, things kind of progressed, but now she doesn't want to see me."

"I'm sorry pumpkin. Did you tell your mum?"

Sarah laughed. "She knows I was seeing someone, but she assumed it was a boy, and I didn't correct her. I hate to think how she'd take it, especially after how the pair of you ended."

"I left her for someone else. I don't think it would softened the blow much if it had been for a woman instead of a man."

"Mum's been kind since we broke up. It's weird, almost like I've borrowed someone else's mum. But I want her back. Flavia, that is, not nasty, judgemental Mum."

"Flavia's the girl, I take it?"

Sarah felt bad about not telling her father Flavia's age; he'd assumed she was Sarah's age, just like her mother had. She justified it by telling herself that he knew more about her than her mother did.

"That's her. I thought things were going so well."

"Did she tell you why she wanted to break up?"

"She didn't think we had a future. That I would leave her for someone else. That I wasn't right for her." She sobbed.

"I hate to say it, but it sounds like she's made her mind up. Are you still in touch with her?"

"No. I told her I didn't want to speak to her, and we haven't spoken since we broke up."

"Pumpkin, if you want her back, you have to try to talk it out."

Sarah rubbed away her tears. "I don't know if I can face it. At the moment I can pretend there's still a chance. But if Flavia tells me there's no chance, my hopes are gone."

"You're an adult now, Sarah, so I'm going to give you a choice. I can give you some platitudes to make you feel better, or some advice that might get you two back together. Which is it to be?"

"The advice. I want her back so much."

"Then show that you are the one for her. Overcome your fear and speak to her. Let her know how you feel. Talk things through. Tell each other exactly what you want from the relationship and see if you can find something that works for you both."

Sarah considered for a moment. "Thanks, Dad. I'm going to do that right away."

After hanging up, Sarah brought up Flavia on WhatsApp. She typed "I miss you", but deleted it without sending. Then "How are you?", but deleted that too. "I love you". She deleted the last message and sobbed into her pillow.

????

The Red Lion was a bigger pub than the Queen Elizabeth, and much newer, both in age and spirit. Its wooden floors and chairs reflected the sound of the band's music, giving the place an echoey ambiance. The crowd was young and sparse, but they seemed to enjoy the live music. The catchy covers with their well-known tunes were going down well, and there were groups singing along to some of them.

As Sarah sang the outro to Crash, she glanced at Bethany and Georgina beside her, receiving nods in return. It was time to move the band on.

"Hi, everyone. It's our first time playing the Red Lion, so thanks for making us feel welcome. We're going to try something new now; we've written a song of our own, and this will be the first time we've ever played it. This is Silent Tears."

Kira gave an intro of reverb-laden bells, then Georgina joined in with a jangly riff. By the time Bethany and Daniella added the rhythm, the crowd looked interested. Then Sarah added the lyrics, telling the story of a lovesick girl. She was overjoyed to see smiles as people enjoyed it. But as the song went on, it lost some of its vibrancy. It wasn't badly received, but it hadn't ended as well as it had begun; there was something wrong, but what?

After the set ended, Sarah sat alone at a table, looking out of a rainy window, wondering what the problem could be, either with the song or her relationship with Flavia.

"Sarah, would you like a drink?"

Turning, she saw Marie holding a couple of colas. "Oh, hi. I thought you'd gone back to uni."

"Nah, I'm having a week down here because one of my old school friends has come back from Australia. And I was curious about Mum's girlfriend, so I looked up your band and thought I'd come along."

Sarah smiled. "Why don't you have a seat? As to me being your mum's girlfriend, I don't think that's ever going to happen."

Sitting and handing her one of the drinks, Marie shook her head. "That's a pity, because Mum's been miserable since Saturday. I wish I hadn't come home and wrecked things by accident."

"It wasn't your fault. I guess it was always brewing. I'm not even sure whether to be happy or sad that your mum's upset." She took a sip of her drink and coughed. "I thought that was Coke."

"It is, along with a big shot of vodka." Marie winked. "So you care about Mum?"

"Yeah, of course, I lo--like her a lot. I know it must be weird for you, what with me being younger than you,--"

"Don't worry about it. I had a problem with dad leaving Mum for a younger woman. But then he left her for an even younger woman. I'm used to it, and now I judge on character, not age. And at least Mum seems to want you for something other than being young and hot."

A more careful sip of her drink for Sarah. "I'm glad to hear that. After what happened, I was beginning to wonder whether she was just using me."

"Are you kidding? I didn't just come here to hear you play, though you really can wail. No, Mum was happy for a while, and I wasn't sure why. Now I realise it was because you'd entered her life. Then the nightmare that is Lena came back, and she lost some of that spark, especially after they broke up. And what do you know? Suddenly she was really happy, happier even than before her divorce. I lo--like Mum too, so if you two make each other happy, I'm all for you getting back together." She sat back. "I've been practising that speech all week. Was it too much? I know it's really none of my business."

Sarah shook her head, the knot in her throat not letting her speak immediately. "Thanks. I needed to hear it. So you think there's still a chance? Because we haven't spoken since that day."

"I don't think there's a chance, I know there is. I'll help you if I can and be your inside man."

Hope surging in her heart again, Sarah nodded vigorously. "That'd be great. Thank you so much." Noticing Marie's nearly empty glass, she said, "Let me buy you a drink as a thank you."

Marie smiled. "You don't have to do that. Mum gave me a big box of condoms, and I understand I have you to thank for them, so we're even." She clinked her glass against Sarah's. "They should come in very handy once I'm back at uni."

????

When Sarah got into bed that night, she couldn't stop thinking about what Marie had said. Was there really a chance to have a relationship with Flavia? She picked up her phone and sent her a message before she could change her mind.

i miss u so much

The reply was almost instantaneous.

Not as much as I miss you. I thought I might never hear from you again.

Sarah wrote back.

i thought you didnt want me

Flavia's replies came quickly.

Nothing could be further from the truth. I would have called, but you said you didn't want to talk to me.

Can I call now?

Sarah's heart thudded. She wanted to say yes, so, so much. But if she did, would anything change? Would their relationship still be "not serious"? Could she endure that?

i need to figure out some things

when i have we can talk about us and where we go from here

She read Flavia's respone over and over.

Of course, if that's what you want. I still feel so terrible for hurting you.

????

For the next few days, Marie and Sarah spoke on the phone. Flavia had perked up since their short message exchange, and both girls saw that as a good thing. On the other hand, Marie had returned to university, so neither had seen Flavia in person for a few days. One evening, as they video chatted, and Sarah enjoyed a break from her A-Level revision, Marie asked if a couple of people could call who might help.

"Sure, if you think it's for the best."

A few minutes after the call ended, Sarah got another call from an unknown number. She answered, and saw two women she recognised.

"Hi, Sally and Sally. We met at that party."

Tall Sally said, "We remember. So you and Flavia got together? You did make a good pair."

Sarah frowned. "You told me she was too old for me."

Short Sally shrugged. "She is. But as long as you make it work."

"That's the thing: it's not working."

"Marie told us. And so did Flavia."

"You talked to her?"

Tall Sally said, "She's our best friend. And she's been talking about you for months, even before you got together. She rarely mentions the bands at her pub, but she always tells us about yours. We don't know much about the rest of the group, but we're always hearing about how you put a little extra stress on a particular line that made a song better than the original, or about your stage presence and how nobody moves like you. She's besotted."

"She is?" Sarah was stunned. "Then why did she say we weren't serious?"

Short Sally said, "I think I can answer that. Flavia's kind, generous and strong. Plus she gives off enough MILF energy to power the National Grid, though I don't think you need me to tell you that. But with age comes baggage. You've got to think about her past. Her husband left her for a younger woman. Lena cheated on her with another woman. She's used to being betrayed, and subconsciously she expects you to do that."

"I'd never cheat or hurt her."

Short Sally continued. "But she doesn't know that, at least not at the deepest level. It would do her so much good if someone would help her rebuild her trust in others, and from what we've seen and heard, we think you might be the one to do it. When she got back together with Lena, do you know how it ended? Lena told her she loved her, so Flavia ended the relationship. It's classic self-damage; she ends it on her terms rather than waiting to be hurt again."

"Yeah, she told me about that."

Tall Sally said, "Definitely avoid telling her anything about love for now. She's breaking up relationships before they can get too far. When she was your age, she slept with lots of men. Lots. The only thing that stopped her was falling pregnant, then getting married. So I think she sees you as like her at that age: ready to jump in bed with anyone she meets."

"I wouldn't do that either. But I had no idea about that part of Flavia's past."

"Oh yes," said Short Sally. "It was when she moved to England to follow her music career."

Sarah frowned. "I didn't know about that either. What music career?"

Short Sally chuckled. "She didn't tell you? She represented Italy at Eurovision in the late '90s. Just a backing singer, but the single reached thirty eight in the Top 40. I'll send you a link to the YouTube video. It's why she's so keen on helping up-and-coming bands; she hopes one makes it where she didn't."

"OK, that explains some things. But how does it help me?"

Tall Sally said, "You'll have to help her past those problems. Convince her you're not going to cheat on her, that you're in for the long haul."

"Maybe I can do that."

"We'll drop hints to Flavia, to make her rethink. You're far better for her than Lena, and we're afraid she'll go back to her if you're not around."

????

When the band took a break from rehearsing Silent Tears, Sarah called them over to watch the video the Sallys had sent her. They laughed at the bad '90s dance music and fashions. None of them seemed to recognise the beautiful young backing singer, though Sarah hadn't been able to keep her eyes off her all the times she'd watched.

Georgina said, "What is this shit?"

Looking up at her from the phone, Sarah said, "It's a song called Take a Chance on Us. I want to cover it."

Bethany's head shot up from watching the video. "This? Georgina's right, it's crap. Why'd you want to cover it?"

"Flavia's in that band. I just want to play it once for her. We can do a rock version."

"Alright," said Kira. "If it's a one-off just for you, we can play it for Flavia."

"Really?" said Georgina. "It's not our sort of music."

Kira rolled her eyes. "Let's have a show of hands. Who wants to play it for Sarah and her girlfriend?"

Kira and Sarah raised their hands. With a little trepidation, Daniella raised hers too.

Kira nodded. "That's settled then. It's mainly in A-minor. Maybe I can come up with some nice arpeggios inside of just playing the chords. Georgina, can you play that stabbing keyboard riff on your guitar? Ratchet up the distortion and make it your own. Bethany, Daniella, the rhythm is a huge part of this song, so make it bounce and come through the rest of the instruments. Oh, hang on, what's going on here?"

The music in the video went into a phase Sarah considered "the weird bit". It slowed, and seemed to go all over the place as instruments dropped in and out of the mix, before the chorus came back in and picked up the pace.

Sarah said, "We can skip that part if you like."

"That's a breakdown," said Kira. "You're right, we should leave it out. The song doesn't need it, and we're only playing this once."

They returned to their places and tried out Take a Chance on Us. It went well from the first attempt, thanks to the chord sequence that was so simple it was almost non-existent. But they made it theirs -- nobody would know it wasn't a rock song originally.

"Good," said Georgina. "I'm glad I pushed for us to try it out. Maybe it can stay in our play list."

They took another break, and Sarah took advantage of the improved weather to sit on a swing, watching the night as she pushed back and forth.

Daniella sat on the swing next to her. "I can't believe they did that for you."

"The song? Why not? We're a band."

"Yes, but it's for your lesbian romance. And they hate lesbians."

Sarah stopped swinging to look at her. "They don't hate lesbians. We play a lesbian pub most weeks. And they've all been supportive since I came out; it was absolutely the right decision. If I could travel back in time, I'd tell myself to have no worries about telling the others."

She watched Daniella's face limned in the streetlamp's sallow yellow light, struggling with conflicting possibilities.

Once the band reassembled in the rehearsal room, Daniella said, "I've got an announcement to make. I'm a lesbian too."

"Uh huh," said Kira.

Bethany added, "You've been shagging that bouncer from the Queen Lez."

"Yeah," said Georgina, "The butch one."

Daniella looked nonplussed. "You knew? So you're not gonna make fun of me?"

"Not over that," said Georgina. "But I can't promise not to mock your drumming or clothes."

Daniella smiled. "And you're OK with me being gay?"

Bethany shrugged. "It's no skin off my nose. In fact, it means less competition for blokes. I just need Georgina and Kira to hook up, then I get my pick of the fellas."

"What?" said Kira, shocked. "That would never happen. I'm straight."

"Me too," said Georgina. "And I've got a boyfriend."

"I've got one too," added Kira.

Bethany smiled. "I was just joking. But there's got to be more to the way you two always argue than just musical differences."

With a glare at her, Georgina said, "Let's get back to practising Silent Tears, like we were meant to."

Kira said, "I've had an idea about that. You know how it gets a bit repetitive near the end, and the crowds don't like it?"

Georgina said, "I can do a solo. I've offered before."

Kira waved that away. "We can do a breakdown, like from Take a Chance on Us. We slow it down, with just drums. Then add bass, then keyboards, then guitar. Just as Sarah's about to add back the vocals, the rest of us drop out. Then after a chorus, we all come back in. How about it?"

They agreed to try, and it worked better than they'd hoped. Sarah found it frightening to sing without backing, but the others convinced her she'd nailed it. As they played it that way a second time, Sarah noticed Kira and Georgina glancing at each other. Perhaps they were looking for cues for timing, but she didn't remember them doing it before.

????

The band arrived early at the Queen Elizabeth. Dorothy helped them with the equipment as usual, but this time Daniella introduced her to everyone as her girlfriend. It still sounded strange to Sarah to hear a woman talk about having a girlfriend rather than a boyfriend, but she wanted one too. She scanned the near-empty pub; there was no sign of Flavia. That wasn't surprising this early.

The girls chatted after their sound check, and Dorothy joined them for a short time. The bandmates helped her easily fit into the conversation, and from Daniella's constant smiling, it was much appreciated. What would it feel like to chat to others as a couple? As they talked, Sarah kept pulling down the silky fabric of the short black skirt she'd worn.

Half an hour later, as the crowd began to swell, the Sallys entered the pub, looking out of place in stylish dresses. With an apology to the rest of the band, Sarah rushed over, to be hugged by both women.

Short Sally said, "You look amazing, Sarah. I'm not sure you need do anything to win back Flavia other than let her see you."

"I don't want to go back to what we had. I need more. I'm going to talk things through with her and see whether we have a real future." She sighed. "I'm so nervous."

Tall Sally gripped her shoulder. "I'm sure it'll work out. Just remember what we talked about, and convince her to take you seriously. We agreed to meet her here at eight, so she won't turn up for a while; she's got no idea why we wanted to see her. I'm excited to hear you play at last. If you're half as good as Flavia says, I'll have to book you for my festival."

The set went well, the band feeling like seasoned performers now. Sarah found herself enjoying it, despite her nerves about the upcoming discussion. When Flavia entered and greeted the Sallys at the far end of the bar, Sarah's heart somehow soared and dropped at the same time. She was so beautiful, so sophisticated, so sexy. Maybe Sarah could just settle for something casual if it meant spending time with her? But no, she needed more than that. Flavia glanced in her direction, and Sarah looked away.

"Earth to Sarah," said Georgina at her side. "I know your crush is here, but we're half-way through a set."

Realising that the instrumental outro to their last song had ended, Sarah spoke into her mic. "This is a song of our own which we've played before. But we've been tinkering with it, and we hope you like the changes."

The band launched into Silent Tears, and Sarah noticed that a ripple of recognition went through the crowd. It seemed their song had some admirers. But where the song used to get repetitive and lose the audience's interest, they played the breakdown. Her palms sweating, Sarah listened to the song grow back again as the instruments joined one by one. When it came time for her to enter, the rest of the band went quiet, and she sang without backing for the first time. It was terrifying and exhilarating. When the band joined her at the end of the chorus, the crowd cheered in delight. And some of them sang along! They'd learned the words! Sarah glanced at Daniella and Bethany, sharing triumphant looks. Kira and Georgina seemed to be doing the same to each other.

Sarah turned back to the mic. "Thank you, that response means the world to us. We're going to play you a song we've never played before, but we didn't write this one. It's dedicated to the most amazing woman I've ever met."

Kira played the reverb-soaked intro, then Georgina joined her with some laid-back guitar. They had changed their initial rock version into a power ballad. In the distance, she saw Flavia staring at her, the Sallys forgotten at her side. Sarah guessed she didn't recognise the song yet, so different to its original version.

With the drums and bass added, Sarah began singing the verse, stretching out the words and putting as much passion and sensuality as she could into them. It was hard to tell across the crowded room, but she thought she saw a flash of recognition in Flavia's eyes. For the chorus, she put as much yearning as she could into the line "Take a Chance on Us".

The song went down alright with the rest of the crowd. Familiar songs always did better, and who would remember such an obscure record? Flavia seemed caught between watching Sarah and talking excitedly with the Sallys. Sarah was overfilled with joy at the happiness on Flavia's face.

After announcing a break, Sarah made her way to a smiling Flavia. Why did her legs turn to jelly when she saw her?

Flavia hugged her and kissed her cheek. "That was amazing. Your new song is so catchy -- it's good enough to be a single. And I was so touched by Take a Chance on Us. Much better than the original. It seems my friends have been talking about me behind my back."

Sarah smiled. "Nothing bad." She bit her lip; it was now or never. "Could we talk? In private?"

"Of course. I'd say it would be rude of me to leave the friends who came here to see me, but I take it they helped set this whole thing up."

Flavia took Sarah by the hand and led her to her small and dingy office. After shutting the door, Flavia leaned against the desk. "Let me start by saying I'm so sad about hurting you. I didn't mean to; I was taken by surprise and acted abominably."

Sarah nodded. "And I'm sorry for running off and refusing to talk to you. But I've been thinking, and talking to the Sallys and Marie--"

"Marie too?"

"Yeah, Marie too. It seems your friends and family think we'd be good together. So do I, but only if we can agree on what we want. Firstly, I won't accept something casual. I don't know how this thing between us will end up, or how long it will last, but I've never felt like this about anyone else. I want to give us my best shot."

"I'm flattered that you'd say that, Sarah. But you're young. Will you feel this way in six months? A year? I'm the only person you've been with; how much of what you feel is from just enjoying your first sexual relationship?"

"I felt like this before things between us moved on from PG. I don't know how I'll feel in a year, but then who does? All I know is that being apart tears me apart."

Flavia's voice broke as she said, "Me too."

"You asked other questions. Do I want children? I don't know. Maybe, but certainly not for a while. If we're still together, and you're not interested, I'll do all the childcare."

Flavia had tears in her eyes. "If we made it that far, I'd do all I could to help you with that."

"As to the band, I'll do what I can to strike a balance between it and you. But don't think you come second to my music; it's the other way round. As far as the age difference, I accept it. I know you might die long before me, but the same would be true if we were the same age. I'd rather live most of my life alone, than all of it without you."

"Oh Sarah."

"What else? I've been practising this in my head, but now I can't think. Oh: I'm not you. I mean, the Sallys told me that at my age you were a bit, um--"

"Of a slut?"

"I wasn't going to use that word, but sure. I'm not like that. There's only one person I want. No-one else in this world comes close. And I don't want someone my age. I thought young Flavia was cute in the video of your song, but she was straight and not ready for anything serious. I'm glad I met you the age you are, because I wouldn't change a thing about you. You're even sexier today than you were back then. Would you want me any different? I don't mean, would it be easier if I was older, but is that what you'd prefer?"

Flavia shook her head. "I love your innocence and youthful optimism. I wouldn't change a thing about you, not for the world. And now I see a mature side to you, doing what she can to make wise decisions. Perhaps I did think you were immature just because of your age." She took Sarah's hands. "I never dared to dream you might feel like this. If you'll forgive me, I'd like to retry this relationship."

Tears in her eyes, Sarah nodded. "It's all I want."

Flavia swept Sarah into a surging kiss, her mouth pressed hotly to Sarah's, her tongue making an insistent entrance into Sarah's willing mouth. Sarah's legs wobbled, but the old passion surged through her body. When Flavia drew back, they stared into each others' eyes.

Sarah whispered, "Does this mean I'm officially your girlfriend?"

"It does. You've met some of my friends and family, and I'm happy to tell them we're a couple. Will I meet your loved ones?"

Thoughts of her mother ran through Sarah's head. "Not my family, not yet. Maybe my dad after a while. But I can introduce you to the band as my girlfriend tonight."

Flavia kissed her. "I'd like that. Can you come back to mine when you leave?"

Sarah sighed. "I'd love to, but I promised my mum I'd always be home by twelve on school nights. I can come over tomorrow."

"For the whole weekend?"

"For the whole weekend."

Flavia ran kisses along Sarah's jaw, until she nipped her earlobe. Huskily, she whispered directly into Sarah's ear, "I'm not having my girlfriend go any longer without release. Grab the desk."

"The desk?"

Flavia lightly smacked her bum, and in response Sarah bent forward, feeling the edge of the desk pressing into her palms. Behind her, Flavia pressed her groin into Sarah's bottom and her breasts into Sarah's back. How Sarah had missed this closeness! One of Flavia's hands reached up into the front of Sarah's t-shirt, cupping the bare breast beneath. The older woman's other hand crept under Sarah's skirt, then delved into her knickers, fingers sliding over Sarah's already-moist lips, eliciting a shudder.

"You're exquisite," said Flavia. "Every woman in the pub was watching you on stage, dreaming about being with you. But I'm the one who gets you."

A finger slipped inside Sarah, and she couldn't tell whether the growl of passion came from her or Flavia. As Flavia thrust in and out, her hips moved in the opposite direction, pushing Sarah forward as the finger went deeper and deeper each time.

"I've missed this," said Sarah, as her body followed Flavia's every cue. "I've missed you."

As Flavia replied, her thumb played over Sarah's clitoris. "So have I." She planted a kiss of Sarah's neck. "Let's never argue again."

"Never."

Flavia's thumb grew more urgent, flowing in circles of pleasure. "Let's seal that agreement with an orgasm, shall we?"

A knock came at the door, followed by Georgina's voice, muffled by the wood. "Sarah, are you in there? We're back on in a minute."

Sarah turned her head to look over her shoulder, whispering, "Is the door locked?"

Flavia didn't stop her ministrations, instead turning up the heat. "There's no lock on that door. You sang for everyone out there, now it's time to sing for just me."

Unwilling to stop after missing Flavia for so long, Sarah let her continue to drive her body to new heights, though she kept a worried eye on the door.

"Sarah?" came Georgina's voice again.

Sarah called out, "I'm coming!" before a climax rippled through her. She would have fallen if Flavia hadn't held her up.

When the moment had passed, Flavia helped her stand, removing her hands from inside Sarah's clothes. The fingers of one were covered in a sheen of liquid. Taking her wrist, Sarah brought the hand to her face. "Let me clean that for you." She tasted herself on Flavia's fingers, sucking them and running her tongue along them to ensure they were spotless.

????

Flavia led the way into her home, and Sarah found herself watching the older woman's bottom move in her pale blue dress as she followed. A spicy smell came to her nostrils.

She said, "Something smells good. Christina again?"

Flavia turned to face her. "She had to return to Ireland; her father's fallen fallen ill."

"I'm sorry to hear that. So did you cook dinner yourself?"

Flavia laughed. "I ordered it from a takeaway: vegetarian curry."

"Yum. But you could have ordered meat dishes for yourself."

Flavia shrugged. "I thought that since I have a vegetarian girlfriend, I could try to go without meat while she's around."

Flavia put on a romantic saxophone song, and they embraced and kissed to it. How long for, Sarah couldn't tell.

Pulling back, Flavia said, "Was your mum alright with you staying over this weekend?"

"No. She's annoyed that we're back together. If she knew you were a woman, or your age... But I'm an adult, and she can't stop me making my own choices. And my choice is you. That reminds me, she gave me another box of condoms."

"She clearly has great faith in my stamina."

They ate the meal quickly with some white wine, chatting about their days and what they'd done during their short break-up. The meal was tasty and not too hot; but Sarah's thoughts were on what would come after. Once they'd finished, Sarah filled the dishwasher while Flavia turned off lights around the house. As Sarah straightened from putting the last plate away, she saw Flavia standing before her.

"From what Marie says, you two have become quite good friends." She chuckled. "Maybe I should be worried about you ganging up on me."

Sarah stepped into her arms, laying her head on Flavia's shoulder. "You don't have to worry about that; I'll always be on your side. Though I do have a confession to make."

"Oh?" Flavia's voice was soft and low.

Sarah grinned to herself. "I have a crush on my friend's mum."

Flavia chuckled, then began to kiss up and down Sarah's neck. "You dirty, dirty girl. A crush on your friend's mum? Have you let her know?"

"I've tried dropping hints, but I think she's a bit slow."

The kissing paused for a moment, then Flavia said, "This woman," kiss, "is going to have to," kiss, "put you over her knee."

Sarah raised her head to look at Flavia. "You wouldn't!"

Flavia ignored that and began nibbling Sarah's ear. Her whisper was wet and warm when she spoke. "But aren't you a bit young for her?"

"I think you're looking at it the wrong way. She might be too old for me. I'm not sure she's got the stamina to keep up."

Flavia chuckled before her kissing resumed. "I thought I was the tease in this relationship. So what would you like to do with this woman?"

"Whatever she wants. I want to tell her she's the most amazing person I've ever met, that she means the world to me. And that she can use me however she wants."

"However she wants? That's quite the offer."

Sarah turned to face her. "She means that much to me."

Flavia claimed her mouth in a passionate kiss. "Bedtime, I think."

Taking Sarah's hand, Flavia led her to the bedroom. "You left some knickers here. You can leave whatever else you like; you are my girlfriend after all."

They kissed, long and deep, no rush to get to what they both knew was coming.

After a while, Flavia broke the kiss, but the embrace continued. "Downstairs, you mentioned letting me do whatever I want to you."

"That was just play. I don't think I'd like anything too kinky."

"Hey." Flavia gave her a comforting kiss. "You never need worry with me; we'll only do what you're comfortable with. But since you're now my girlfriend, I wondered if you'd like to try something out, something I've avoided with you until now. And it's absolutely fine if you don't want to."

Sarah's vice dropped to a whisper. "What is it?"

"I'd like to use a dildo on you and remove any trace of virginity."

"Won't that hurt?"

Flavia kissed her cheek. "Just the first time. But I'm perfectly happy to just--"

"Yes." Sarah drew back to look into her eyes. "I want you to. I want to be with you every way I can."

There was a flash of triumph on Flavia's face, which wasn't matched by her tender kiss. "Why don't you get undressed and hop into bed? I'll get ready in the bathroom."

Sarah underdressed quickly and climbed under the quilt, the fabric cool against her naked skin. Was she sure about this? There was a queasy feeling in her stomach, but she trusted Flavia, who had always taken things slow. If there was one person on Earth she would pick to do this with, it was her.

She'd never seen a dildo, and wondered what it would look like. Knowing their purpose from school-yard gossip and jibes, she assumed Flavia would be holding it, so she was surprised when her girlfriend came back into the bedroom nude, with something sticking out between her legs. Sarah eyes would usually roam over Flavia when she was unclothed, but that evening they were fixed on the purple thing attached.

"Hips up," said Flavia, pulling back the quilt and slipping a towel under Sarah, who'd not even noticed Flavia holding it.

Climbing under the covers with her, Flavia held and kissed Sarah. "We'll take it slow. Are you still sure you want to do this? You look like a frightened deer."

Sarah could no longer see the dildo, but she could feel it poking into her ribs. "I think so. We can at least try."

Kissing her again, Flavia cupped her breast in her hand. "Why don't you duck under the covers and get better acquainted with it? You'll find it less scary once you do."

Doing as Flavia said, Sarah couldn't go straight there without kissing and nibbling Flavia's breasts. The air under the covers carried a heavy scent of Flavia, and Sarah laid a loving kiss on her flat stomach. But she had other things to attend to. Reaching out, she felt the dildo. It was slightly yielding, and not unpleasant to touch. She tried grasping it and moving her fist up and down; when she did, she was surprised to hear Flavia moan.

Pulling back the cover to watch, the older woman said, "There's a part of it inside me, holding it in place. The bit you can see will go inside you, but I'll share the pleasure when it moves."

Sarah returned her attention to what her hand was doing. So if her hand gave Flavia pleasure, could...? Moving further down the bed, she took the dildo into her mouth, surprised at the lack of any discernible taste. She moved her head up and down, remembering the single heterosexual porn video she'd watched. Would that work on a woman?

Flavia moaned louder and ran her fingers through Sarah's hair. "That's my good girl."

Sarah beamed at the praise and worked her head faster.

"There's no rush," said Flavia. "I don't want to cum like this; I want to be inside you. Why don't you get back on the towel?"

Sarah released the dildo with a plop, then lay down, the towel rougher under her bum than the sheets.

Flavia pulled the sheets back up, then embraced and kissed her. "There are many positions for this, but we'll do the one I think is the most romantic, and which allows me to look in your eyes and know you're alright."

With that Flavia rolled over, lying on top of Sarah, her weight and warmth comforting between Sarah's legs, her breasts pressing into Sarah's chest. Still they just kissed, the dildo lying along Sarah's lower lips, Flavia's hair falling around them in a midnight curtain that separated them from the outside world. A slight shift in Flavia's bodyweight, and Sarah felt an arm reaching around her bottom, then gentle pressure at her entrance.

Flavia kissed Sarah's neck. "I would get some lube, especially since it's your first time. But between your saliva and how wet you are, I think you'll be fine. May I continue?"

Crossing her arms behind Flavia's head, Sarah whispered, "Yes."

Slowly the pressure increased. And slowly Sarah felt herself part, as Flavia pressed herself inside. As the pressure built, she felt Flavia pull her hips back, then press again, pushing further inside. She did this several times, and Sarah felt more filled each time.

"It's all the way," said Flavia. "Let's stay like this for a moment. Does it hurt too much?"

"It didn't hurt at all." Sarah smiled up at her. "Though I feel like I'm being filled and stretched. I can't believe you're inside me."

Flavia kissed her, long and hard. "It doesn't always hurt on a first time; consider yourself lucky. But I'll go gently." She bit gently on Sarah's shoulder. "At least this time."

Pulling back, Flavia pushed forward again. She repeated this a number of times, and Sarah felt waves of pleasure as the dildo slid deep inside. From the way she began to moan, Flavia was enjoying herself too. Sarah particularly enjoyed the way the soft skin of Flavia's breasts slid across her belly and chest, her nipples dragging over Sarah's torso. Widening her legs and crossing them behind Flavia, Sarah ran her hands along Falvia's back, feeling the tense muscles as the older woman thrust into her. Flavia's breathing grew heavier, and Sarah noticed the heat they were giving off, the sheen of sweat between them mingling and mixing on Sarah's abdomen. She found herself gasping and giving out little cries in time with the squeak of the bed.

"Sarah," said Flavia, as the pace increased, her breathing laboured. "I can't hold out much longer. Are you ready?"

Sarah reached for her lips, and they just about managed a kiss despite Flavia's movements. "I'm so close."

That was all that Flavia needed to hear. She sped up even more, thrusting hard into Sarah, who realised that all her previous tightness was gone. And with the speeding up, both women's cries grew in intensity. Flavia let out a low moan, arching her back, the dildo pressed deep into Sarah. Sarah, meanwhile, screamed out Flavia's name, her voice raw with passion and lust, her nails digging in to Flavia's back.

For long moments, they lay still, Flavia still inside Sarah, her soft body pressing the younger woman into the bed. Eventually, Flavia rolled off, and Sarah cuddled up to her, her head on Flavia's shoulder, her nail running slow circles around Flavia's nipple, which rose and fell with her heaving chest.

Flavia chuckled. "I'm getting too old for that. But it was worth it. How do you feel?"

"It didn't hurt at all; I'm just a bit sore. I feel -- flaved."

"Flaved? Is that some new slang that only young people understand?"

Sarah kissed her shoulder. "There's no word in the English language for how happy and sexually fulfilled I feel, so I had to make up a new one. I'm flaved."

"In that case, I feel sared -- sarahed--"

Sarah raised her head to look at her. "You can be flaved too."

"Then I'm flaved. Well and truly flaved."

Sarah laid her head back down. "As your girlfriend, it's my job to give you a good flaving on a regular basis."

They lay in silence for a while, Sarah enjoying the rise and fall of Flavia's chest, the closeness of their bodies. She wasn't sure if Flavia was still awake, but didn't care -- she was enjoying the moment.

Eventually, Flavia spoke. "What do you want to do tomorrow? We can do anything you want: go for a fancy meal, shopping, the cinema. Whatever you choose, it's my treat."

"Can we spend the whole day in bed?"

Flavia kissed the top of her head. "If that's what you want, innamorata. I take it you're happy now we've made up?"

"Of course, because I love--" Shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit. "--spending time with you." It took all Sarah's willpower not to look at Flavia's face. Had she noticed the pause? If so, was she happy? Worried? "Will I ever do that to you? With the dildo?"

"Perhaps. But I'm not a fan of being in the other position. Do you want to?"

Sarah kissed the side of Flavia's breast, which was all she could reach without raising her head. "I don't think so. I enjoyed what we did, but I'd prefer you to be in the driving seat, as it were."

Flavia sat up. "Come on, I'm falling asleep. Let's get ready for bed." She eased the dildo out of herself, revealing the part that had been inside her. The whole thing was a V-shaped contraption. She also picked up the towel.

"What was that for?" said Sarah.

"It's common to have bleeding on the first time. But there was none here."

The two hurried back to bed, not wearing nightwear so that they could be skin-to-skin, Flavia spooning Sarah. She revelled in the comforting feeling of the being in the older woman's arms, Flavia's breasts pressing into her back, Flavia's groin pressed into Sarah's bum, one of Sarah's breasts casually held in her hand. Then a phone began ringing, ruining the moment.

"Not again," said Sarah. "Are you going to answer it?"

"That's not my ringtone."

"Right." Sarah reached for her phone. "It's Marie."

After she answered, Marie said, "Sorry it's late, but I just got back from a party and I had to know: how did it go?"

"Brilliant. We're back together. I'm ecstatic, and I really appreciate your help and prodding."

"You're welcome. And mum's happy too?"

"She's flaved."

"She's what?"

"She's really happy. We both are. Oh, and next time you're home, there's another pack of condoms to pick up."

"It feels like your mum is sponsoring my sex life. That reminds me -- oh, hang on, I've got another call."

The line went quiet, but from beside Sarah came Flavia's voice. "Marie, it's 2:30 in the morning. You can chat with your friend tomorrow, but right now I want some quality time with my girlfriend. And some sleep."

She hung up, as did Sarah, then they resumed spooning. Just as they settled back down, Flavia's phone chirped, and she sat up to look at it. Sarah immediately missed her warm body pressed against hers.

Flavia said, "Doesn't anyone sleep any more? Who could be texting me at this time of the morning? Ah, it's Short Sally; it seems she just spoke to Marie. The Sallys want to have us for a dinner party tomorrow, just the four of us. What do you think?"

"It sounds romantic, going somewhere as a couple for the first time. But you'll have to ask if they can move it to Sunday."

"What's wrong with tomorrow?"

Sarah turned over to look up at her, "Seriously? Ten minutes ago you promised me tomorrow would be a day in bed."

Flavia typed out an answer, then slid back under the covers, cuddling Sarah.

As they lay in each others arms, Sarah said, "I've missed this."

"The sex between us is spectacular, isn't it?"

"It is," said Sarah. "But I didn't mean the sex. I missed this: lying in your arms, being with you. It's where I'm happiest, where I belong."