Driven_589066

They sat in comfortable silence for a time, listening to the music and soft hive drone of the customers, and sipping their drinks.

After a long moment, Cat steadied herself with a deep breath, turned slightly, and placed her cup on the table. “Coach?”

“Yes?”

“I…um…wanted to tell you that I was…sorry…for last night. Not for the way I felt…feel….” she hastened to add, “but because of the situation I put you in. I

crossed a line and I’m sorry.”

Dylan smiled. “It’s alright,” she commented softly.

But Cat was on a roll. “No, no it isn’t. I know what my contract says about fraternization. I’ve read it over a few times.” She blushed lightly, aware of what

information she was giving away. “And I can only imagine what yours says on the subject. It’s probably a lot harsher than mine. I mean, you’re my boss,

and that just….”

“It’s alright,” Dylan repeated, leaning over and laying a warm hand atop the one Cat had balled into a fist on the table.

Cat blushed again, and looked away. “Coach,” she said in a very low, quiet tone, “people get hauled into court for sexual harassment for things like this. It

blows up in the media, especially with celebrities. It could ruin your career.”

Dylan squeezed Cat’s hand. “I don’t think you’d do anything like that, would you?”

Cat looked back at Dylan, eyes wide. “Never! I would never…”

“Then there’s nothing to worry about.”

“But….”

“Cat, I said it was okay, and I mean it. Yes, what happened surprised me a bit, but….” Dylan’s voice trailed off as she gathered her thoughts. “I’d be lying if

I said that it in any way made me uncomfortable.”

“Really?” Cat asked softly.

“Really,” Dylan replied, before releasing Cat’s hand and straightening in her chair. “The fact is….” she paused, then plunged ahead, “… I find you very

attractive, Catherine. What happened between us, what we shared, well…it wasn’t at all unwelcome.”

For one of the first times in her life, Cat was struck speechless. She looked at Dylan, barely blinking, her eyes shining as if lit from within.

Smiling, Dylan reached out and gently tapped Cat’s chin. “Gonna catch flies.”

The sound of Dylan’s voice brought Cat out of her daze, and she flushed, then cleared her throat. “Organic ones,” she replied, voice slightly hoarse.

Dylan laughed aloud, shaking her head at Cat’s joke. Then she sobered. “Whatever happens between us, we’ll need to take it slowly.”

Cat nodded. “Slow is good. I can work with slow.”

Dylan’s smile reappeared. “Good. So can I.”

“Coach?”

“Dylan.”

“Excuse me?”

“My name. Dylan. I think since we’ve traded bodily fluids, so to speak, you can call me by my name, don’t you?”

Cat’s face lit up again as a broad smile wrinkled her nose. “Okay, Dylan.” It sounded weird to her ears, but she thought she could live with it.

“And your question?” Dylan teased.

“Question? Oh! I…um….thanks.”

“For?”

“Just…thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Dylan looked up at the clock over the counter and frowned. “It’s getting late. We should probably think about heading back. Early

practice tomorrow.”

“Don’t remind me,” Cat groaned. “Let’s just hope I can shoot better than I did tonight.”

Dylan shrugged, unconcerned. “You had stuff on your mind.”

“And thanks to you, I’ve still got stuff, but it’s a lot more pleasant stuff.”

Shaking her head, Dylan rose to her feet, followed by Cat. “Shall we?”

The two walked through the store, and around to the back where their cars waited. The lot was dark and shadowed, but Dylan didn’t get any sense of

danger from it. It was empty save for their cars.

Cat let go a mighty yawn, then belatedly covered her mouth. “Oops!”

“Don’t let your coach see that,” Dylan replied, smirking.

“Couldn’t have that. I hear she’s a real slave-driver.”

“Among other things,” Dylan placidly agreed.

“Yeah, she’s a real bear if you get on her bad side, which I try not to do too often.”

“You’re making progress.”

Cat chuckled. “All around, though, she’s pretty cool. And….” Cat stopped and turned to Dylan. “She’s got the sweetest kiss I’ve ever tasted.”

It was meant to be a light-hearted comment, given the conversation between them, but when their eyes met, their smiles dropped away. Cat raised her

chin as Dylan lowered her head, and their lips met sweetly, softly. It was a kiss not so much of passion but of promise. A promise of what lay between

them and what that could become.

Each allowed themselves to be lost in it for a moment, closing their bodies together in a gentle embrace that was warm, and comforting.

When they finally broke apart, their smiles reappeared, and they gazed at one another, eyes bright even in the darkness of the lot.

“Oh, I can tell. This is going to be nice. Very nice,” Cat purred, still tasting Dylan on her lips.

“Oh yeah,” was all Dylan had words for.

Cat picked up the phone, took her tea from the counter, and tucked her Kleenex under her arm as she headed to the couch. Once she was there she sat

everything on the coffee table, which was littered with aspirin bottles, various nasal decongestants, throat sprays and a big bottle of Nyquil.