by A. L. Brooks
Her heart was thumping, and her palms were sweating. Maggie looked ready to walk right back out the door and Tamsyn willed her with every fibre of her being not to.
Maggie stared at her for one moment, then abruptly turned on her heel, leaving her suitcase standing in the entryway, and walked over to one of the small antique sofas that encircled the informal, low table in the middle of the room. She sat rigid in its seat, her hands clasped in her lap.
Knowing it probably looked dramatic but doing it because it felt right, Tamsyn dropped to her knees next to the sofa, took Maggie’s hands in her own, and looked deep into her eyes.
“You and I have flown this new relationship under the radar up until now, mainly because we haven’t been anywhere that public.” She took a deep breath. “And until I am able to come out publicly, we still need to do that.” She held one hand up when Maggie made to interrupt. “And not, contrary to what you might be thinking, to protect my precious reputation. That is part of it, yes, of course, but I don’t think you have any idea what the press are going to do to you, and your family, once they find out you are my girlfriend. And as I said at Christmas, I would much rather they do all that at a pace that we can control, rather than by being…incautious and having to deal with unwanted attention when we’re not ready.”
She leaned a little closer, rubbing her thumbs across the back of Maggie’s hands, which had, much to her relief, relaxed a little.
“Maggie, I should have talked to you about this before we got here, but I have been so wrapped up in the wonder of being with you, of spending time with you, that I allowed myself to forget the reality. And you standing on the doorstep of my hotel room, which only has my name on the booking, suddenly brought that reality crashing back down on me, and I acted on autopilot. Protection mode is all I have known for so many years, and it has served me well. I can’t, and won’t, switch it off, especially when it can be used to protect you too.”
Reaching up, she cupped Maggie’s cheek, and the next words flowed out of her without rhyme or reason, though she didn’t regret them for even a nanosecond.
“Maggie, I am falling in love with you, and I will do anything to keep you safe from anyone who wishes you harm. And I won’t apologise for doing it.”
Maggie’s mouth opened in a small ‘O’ of shock, and in the next moment she covered Tamsyn’s hand on her cheek and smiled, her eyes damp with tears.
“You’re falling in love with me?” she whispered.
“Oh, yes. Good God, yes.” It felt incredible to say it and to witness the joy that spread across Maggie’s face as she did so.
“Oh, Tamsyn.”
The words left Maggie’s throat an instant before she pressed her lips to Tamsyn’s and pulled her close. Tamsyn shivered from the connection, the heat of Maggie’s mouth on hers, the intensity of the moment they were sharing. So many new experiences, so many more she wanted to share with this woman.
When they broke for air, Maggie was smiling so widely it looked painful. “I’m a little ahead of you, I’m afraid.”
Unsure of her meaning, Tamsyn raised an eyebrow in question.
Maggie blushed. “I’m already in love with you. Not just falling.”
Oh. Wow.
“Trust me, I suspect I’m not that far behind,” Tamsyn said, her heart racing at a mile a minute. “You’ll have to forgive me, I’m new at this game and it might take me a little while to acknowledge where—”
Maggie pressed a finger against her lips. “Trust me, you’re doing just fine.” She swallowed. “I’m so sorry for flaring up at you about the door thing.”
Tamsyn shook her head. “No, no, you have nothing to apologise for. I realise how it looked, and I’m sorry.”
“Okay, apology and explanation accepted.” Maggie’s eyes were shining and her arm still held Tamsyn close, despite the awkwardness of Tamsyn’s posture.
“Good.” The relief was intense. “God, I’m so glad. I thought you were about to sprint out of here.”
Maggie held her thumb and forefinger close together and Tamsyn laughed.
“Okay, I need to get up off the floor.” She eased out of Maggie’s arm and stood, rubbing her knees through the material of her skinny jeans. “And you and I, my darling, need to drink champagne.”
Maggie glanced over at the table. “And eat some of that incredible-looking food.”
Tamsyn laughed, pulling Maggie to her feet. “Absolutely. Whatever you want. My love.” She said the last words on a whisper, as the magnitude of them hit her full force.
Maggie melted in her arms, and Tamsyn pulled her close, and kissed her with everything she had.
Chapter 26
Their New Year passed in a blur of fine wine, fine dining in their hotel—lying low, which Maggie could fully accept and enjoy as it gave her ample opportunity to lay hands on the woman she loved—and walks along the Seine, and through various parks, wrapped up in beanie hats and scarves that kept their faces obscured. They avoided the temptation to hold hands, or link arms, instead presenting themselves as two friends who were enjoying some outdoor time together. Cafés were avoided, unless they were quiet, unassuming places with outdoor seating, where Tamsyn could remain in disguise while sipping her coffee.
Strangely, it was returning to the hotel that seemed to cause Tamsyn the most concern. While she said she trusted such a high-class hotel to be respectful of its patrons’ privacy, she never seemed fully relaxed walking back in with Maggie at her side, as if waiting for someone to leap out from behind one of the ornate chairs in the lobby with a large camera and an evil grin. Maggie did her best to make that easier, always lagging a couple of paces behind Tamsyn to make it less obvious they were truly together. It was discomforting, but she absolutely understood the need for it.
When they returned to London, they managed a quick Skype meeting with Tony and Carmen to talk through initial ideas about Tamsyn coming out before Tamsyn had to get back to filming. However, as she was now based at the BBC studios, she could at least manage some evenings at home or at Maggie’s. When she did, they spent much of their time exploring each other’s bodies, whispering words of love and desire as their hands and tongues elicited intense pleasure from each other.
Maggie couldn’t remember ever being this happy in a relationship. Tamsyn’s absences, while painful to her heart, meant that she finally had the balance in a partnership she’d always been looking for. There was plenty of time to write, and spend time with her dog—who, of course, was delighted that Tamsyn was back in their lives now—and with her sister. At least once a week, she’d started taking the girls to school and picking them up again, to give Ruth a bit more of that ‘me’ time she’d been talking about. In return, Ruth was proving to be an invaluable and brilliant beta reader of Maggie’s first foray into crime.
“It’s all about atmosphere,” Ruth said one evening over wine. Will was in the living room playing with the girls before bedtime. “You’ve really got to make me want to turn that next page and not give a shit about being late to work the next day. You’re almost there, but here,” she jabbed at the pages on the table in front of her, “for example, in the middle of chapter six, it kind of drifts into this domesticity that slows it down. If you skipped that, and jumped straight to the meeting the next day between our main suspect and the woman we fear is next on his list, that would make me cringe in fear and read quickly to see what the hell happens next.”
“God, you are so good at this!” Maggie said, scribbling frantically across the page Ruth had pointed out.
“I love helping you like this.”
“Me too.”
They smiled at each other across the table.
The following day, when Tamsyn called her at nine in the evening, she sounded more weary than usual.
“You okay?” Maggie asked, concerned.
“Yes, long day. I…I met with Tony and Carm
en this evening.”
“Oh? Was that planned? You didn’t mention it.”
“No, it was all a bit rushed. They’d talked, come up with a final plan, and wanted to run it by me as soon as they could. Sorry, I know I said I wanted you involved but they were adamant about meeting that quickly. I’ve just got home.”
Maggie settled back on the sofa and sipped her tea. “It’s okay, I understand. So, how was it?”
Tamsyn sighed. “You know, it’s actually a good plan. And I had an idea that we’ve added to it, and so now I want to tell you all about it and make sure you’re okay with it.”
“That’s great, but you sound awfully tired. Want to leave it until morning? Or want me to come over?”
“Oh, God, you coming over sounds wonderful but it’s rather late.”
“It’s only nine, Tamsyn. We’re not eighty.”
Tamsyn laughed. “Well, okay. It could work nicely actually, as I’m not required on set tomorrow until noon, so we at least wouldn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn.”
“Then I will call a cab and be there as soon as I can, okay?”
“You’re perfect. You know that, right?”
Maggie chuckled. “No, I’m just in love and want to be with you.”
She heard Tamsyn’s sharp intake of breath and knew she’d be blushing. Tamsyn was still getting used to Maggie professing her love, and the effect it had on her was adorable.
Maggie, Gizmo, and Snakey arrived at Tamsyn’s place a little before ten. Her dog, seeming to pick up on Tamsyn’s weariness, simply walked up to her and waited for her to rub him rather than leaping all over her.
“Good boy, Giz,” Tamsyn murmured as she patted his head, and he shuddered under her touch.
I know how you feel, boy, Maggie thought.
“Okay,” Tamsyn said as she stood up straight. “Tea?”
“Yes, please. But first.” Maggie stepped closer and dropped a soft kiss on Tamsyn’s lips. “Never forget that bit.”
Tamsyn looked sheepish. “Sorry, I’m a little distracted. Did I just lose girlfriend points for that?”
“Meh, only a couple. You’ll make up for them soon, I’m sure.”
Tamsyn smiled and led them down to the kitchen.
“Okay,” she said, once they had sat, cups of camomile tea before them. “Here’s the plan. Please be honest if you are not happy with any aspect of it, yes?”
Maggie nodded and gestured for her to continue. She could see how tense Tamsyn was, and just wanted her to be able to get this off her chest.
“Tony’s plan is for me to sit down with someone from The Guardian for an exclusive. There will then be a press release that goes out that morning to everyone else, but no other interviews will be granted to anyone. Your name will not be anywhere, but I will say that I am in a relationship and ridiculously happy.”
Maggie smiled at that, and reached out to stroke Tamsyn’s free hand.
“Of course,” Tamsyn said, with a grimace, “just because your name isn’t anywhere doesn’t mean they won’t be camped out on my doorstep trying to get a glimpse of you. Tony’s going to get me some security until the fuss dies down, and we’ll do our best to sneak around a little in terms of you coming here, just to keep them off your back as much as we can for as long as we can.” Tamsyn shrugged. “They’ll find out who you are, eventually. They always do, those shits.”
“I’m sure they will. But it sounds like what you’ve got planned will mitigate some of that.”
“I hope so.” She sighed wearily. “Anyway, that’s when I had my idea, and this is the other bit I want to run past you. I wrap up filming on the twenty-third. Tony wants the interview to go to print on the twenty-sixth, so he’s going to have me sit down with them the day after I finish filming. Now, as a way of perhaps lessening the scent for the bloodhounds, how would you feel if we skipped out of the UK the day before the interview is published, and spent a week at a gorgeous villa on Sardinia that I know of? That way, without me around to spy on, they might get a bit bored and move on to the next big story while we’re away. When we come back, it might all have died down and we can sneak on in without anyone noticing and get back to some semblance of normal life from then on.”
Maggie was smiling before Tamsyn had even finished speaking. A week away sounded blissful, whatever the reason for it. And it did make sense in the grand scheme of things, although she wasn’t sure she shared Tamsyn’s optimism that it would only take a week for the fuss to die down.
“I love it. Count me in. But, honey, at the risk of sounding pessimistic, please do keep in mind that you coming out is a huge story, and it might take a little more than a week for that to drop off the front pages, okay?”
Tamsyn sighed. “Yes. I wish you weren’t right, but you probably are.”
They travelled separately to Heathrow, ignored each other at the gate, and sat in different rows on the plane, although both were in business class. If anyone wanted to delve into the airline records, they’d discover that the same PR firm had paid for both Ms Tamsyn Harris’s ticket and that of a Ms Maggie Cooper, but that small detail was unlikely to see the light of day.
When they landed on Sardinia, as agreed, Maggie left the terminal and wandered along the front of the concourse towards the exit where the pre-booked cars or limos picked up their passengers. Tamsyn spared her one surreptitious glance before she flagged down her driver, who clutched a sign reading Mrs Mavis Woods, and followed him out to the waiting car. After ensuring no one had paid her too much attention, she gave him the signal to pull away from the kerb, and he rolled to a stop alongside Maggie a few moments later. Maggie scrambled in, and as soon as they looked at each other, they burst out laughing.
“I feel like a bloody spy,” Maggie said, her eyes bright.
The driver pulled away from the kerb again, raised the privacy screen between his seat and theirs, and then they were off, away from the airport, heading for a place where they could really relax.
“I know,” Tamsyn replied, squeezing Maggie’s hand. “It’s completely ridiculous, but hey, welcome to my world, my love.”
Maggie smiled and tugged her close. It was a brief kiss, but even that settled Tamsyn.
When they drove through the gates of the villa, Maggie’s wide-eyed expression was a delight.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Tamsyn said. “But wait until you see the view over the ocean.”
“I’m still getting used to this.” Maggie’s voice was a tad wobbly.
“To what?”
“All of this.” Maggie swept her arm out to encompass the villa beyond the confines of the car. “You having money and connections and, you know, all of this.”
“You must tell me if it’s too much. I don’t do it to show off. I’m fortunate to have things like this at my disposal so I want to make use of them. But if you find it overwhelming, I can do low-key too.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine, eventually. And yes, I know you can do low-key.” She nuzzled closer just as the driver brought them to a stop at the foot of the steps leading to the front door. “And I kind of like you when you get low.” She kissed beneath Tamsyn’s left ear, and shivers plummeted down her spine.
“Uh-huh,” she managed, her clit wide awake now and happily anticipating the moment they’d be alone.
The housekeeper was there to greet them, and was gone just as quickly as the last time Tamsyn was here, leaving them, finally, alone together. They gazed at each other, then at the suitcases scattered across the entryway around them.
“Let me show you around,” Tamsyn offered.
Maggie nodded, and Tamsyn led her first to the master suite, where they left their cases and coats, and then back to the living area.
“Wow, this is gorgeous!” Maggie enthused, gazing around the huge room.
“Check that out,” Tamsyn said, pointing
to the large windows overlooking the deck and pool.
Maggie wandered over, gasping loudly when she caught sight of the view. “Good grief, that’s stunning.”
She turned back to Tamsyn, her face alight with wonder, and Tamsyn’s breath caught in her throat.
“No,” she whispered, stepping closer, “you are stunning.”
Maggie’s cheeks flushed, and her tongue slipped out of her mouth to wet her lips, which made a low moan rumble up out of Tamsyn’s chest.
“I’ll check out more of that view later,” Maggie rasped, “but right now I’d much rather lay my eyes on you. Naked.”
The bold statement shot a bolt of heat straight to Tamsyn’s pussy, swiftly followed by wetness. Any concerns she had over the impending announcement of her sexuality were forgotten as she closed the distance between them and pulled Maggie into her arms.
The next morning was cloudy, so Maggie didn’t get to see much of the view, but she didn’t care. Since they’d arrived at the villa less than twenty-four hours before, they had barely left each other’s side. There was a need in both of them to stay close, to touch often, to share kisses. They’d had breakfast, neither of them mentioning the fact that today was the day.
Today, everyone who knew of Tamsyn Harris would know she was a lesbian.
“More coffee?” Tamsyn asked, her voice shaky.
“Switch your phone on, Tamsyn,” Maggie said gently. “At least to see if Carmen’s messaged. You can ignore all the other stuff, if you want.”
“What are you, a mind reader now?” Tamsyn muttered, but she was smiling.
Maggie stuck her tongue out.
Tamsyn walked over to flop down on the sofa beside Maggie, her phone in hand. She powered it up and waited. Within seconds her screen went crazy, the pings and beeps that came from the device seeming endless.
“I guess they ran the article, then.” Tamsyn’s grin was wry, but her eyes spoke of her trepidation.