All in One Night Trilogy

Please click the picture below to go the Prequel/mystery story of

"Is this Heaven? No, it's Iowa!"

before reading parts 2 & 3 of the All In One Night Trilogy below. Thank you!

Art by John Arthur; available at johnarthur.com

Please click here to read the PREQUEL to this story

Please know that I wrote this story and its prequel ("Heavenly Iowa") when I was not so invested in my Christian faith. Today, I would never write such explicit material. To be honest, I debated whether to complete this trilogy as it is so different from what I would write today. However, after much thought and prayer, I decided that making this statement would be a testimony to how a deeper personal relationship with Christ affects a person, even in the smaller ways.

Though I am a little embarrassed by parts of these stories now, I still like the fact that something I have written is enjoyed by others. I hope you all enjoy the COMPLETE Iowa story and sequel that took more than 3 years to write and gave me an opportunity to write the traditional story and mystery that finally brought the couples together.

Thank you.

Author’s note: Please know that the following story contains explicit material. I would never write a story like this these days when I am more deeply involved in my Christian faith but at the time, after many years of reading romance novels, it was a natural thing to do. However, it does complete the trilogy from “Is this Heaven? No, it’s Iowa!” to “The Morning After”. I hope you (still) enjoy it!

I have editted this version posted here to a PG Version, however, if you would like to read the more explicit version of the story, please email me at paz_n_amor@hotmail.com. Thank you.

~ Sydni*

ALL IN ONE NIGHT

“You should get some rest, Ms. Belden,” said the officer as he pulled up to the entrance of her dorm building. “I also suggest that you call a friend to be with you. You shouldn’t be alone after what happened.”

“Thank you, Officer,” Trixie replied hollowly, as she automatically unbuckled her seat belt and started to move to exit the police car. She stopped when she heard her name being said and looked back at the officer.

“Ms. Belden,” he repeated, “you are very lucky that more did not happen tonight. If it were not for your quick actions, we might not have caught the guy who assaulted you. I know that isn’t much consolation after what you’ve been through.”

Trixie just gazed at the officer in silence.

“In the future, please don’t walk across campus by yourself so late at night. As you saw, it isn’t as safe here as we like to believe.”

Trixie gave the officer a wan smile. “I know that now, officer…thank you for giving me a ride home.”

“Take care of yourself, Ms. Belden, we’ll be in touch.”

Trixie got out of the car, waved sadly to the officer before closing the door behind her, then watched the cop car pull slowly away from the curb and drive off. She suddenly shivered as a chill from the late fall temperatures permeated her consciousness and she sighed heavily. Zombie-like she moved to the door, used her key and entered her dorm building.

Once within her dorm room, she flicked on the overhead light and dropped her jacket on her bed with a heavy heart. She gloomily looked around the empty room and wished that Honey could have been there. She had been wishing that all night as she was first assaulted, had no one to meet her at the campus security office that she had blindly ran to, when there was no one to sit beside her at the hospital or when she was answering questions for the policemen.

“Oh, Honey, why couldn’t you be here tonight? I wouldn’t have had to walk across campus by myself from the library…. and probably this night would never have happened!” Trixie muttered to herself. Her eye caught sight of a large poster of Barcelona, Spain on the wall and she was reminded of exactly where her best friend was at that moment. Honey had thought it would be important to know Spanish in their business and detecting someday and her second major had taken her across the world for a 2-week trip with her Latin-American Culture class. She wouldn’t be back until next Sunday.

With a numb heart, Trixie sat heavily down on her bed, ending up sitting right on top of the jacket she had formerly dropped there. Automatically, she started to disrobe. She removed her shoes and then her socks and let them fall where they may on the floor. She then removed her sweatshirt and, grimacing in pain, she looked up and gasped at the sight of her badly bruised upper body in the wall mirror across from her.

Suddenly, the reality of all that had happened that night hit Trixie and she started to shake uncontrollably. Soon, tears were cascading down her cheeks silently and Trixie was lost to her memories, lightly rocking herself back and forth, arms crossed tightly across her body in a tight, protective hug.

Trixie was lost in her misery for many minutes and her feelings of isolation and solitude kept building until she felt she would scream! She was warring inside her…to call someone and appear weak, or just fight through this night alone. With a shuddering in-drawn breath, she reached over for the cordless phone and automatically hit speed-dial number two. She held her breath as the phone rang once, then again with no answer. Then, finally…

“H-wo,” mumbled a very masculine voice. Jim cleared his throat and sat up slightly in bed, glancing at the clock quickly. “Hello?” he repeated much more clearly this time.

“Jim?…” came a very small feminine voice that he almost didn’t recognize.

“Trixie? Trixie, is that you?!” he demanded in alarm at hearing the strange emotion in her voice.

He heard her shuddering breath over the distance. “Jim…Jim, could you…?”

“Trixie, what is it? What’s wrong?” Jim was now sitting at the side of his bed, completely alert and ready for action.

“S-Something happened tonight.”

“What happened, Trixie? Are you OK?” he demanded to know.

“Puh, Please… Not over the phone.” Trixie took a deep breath before continuing. “Jim, I-I don’t want to be alone. Would you please come over…and just… stay with me?”

Jim could tell how much it had taken for her to ask him that. “Of course, Trixie, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He was already moving to grab a pair of jeans nearby and shoving into them as he was speaking. “Are you sure you’re OK?”

“I am…now.” Her voice cracked on the last word and Jim’s heart seemed to crack at the sound. “Just hurry. Please.”

“I will, Trixie. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” With that, he hung up.

~ * ~

Jim was interning some forty-five minutes away from where Trixie attended university in the City. His heart and mind raced the whole, endless drive to her door. He could hardly imagine what had happened to put that scared tone in the voice of the girl he cared so deeply about, what made her to be a shell of the spirited and feisty woman that he adored and admired.

Parking his car in an open space on a side street, he ran from his car to her dorm. He used the extra key that Honey had given him in case of an emergency to enter the locked dorm building at almost 4:30 in the morning. Once inside, he ran up the stairs, skipping three and four steps in between each stride in his haste to be at Trixie’s door. Finally, he was in front of dorm room 319 and he wrapped lightly against the door.

“Trixie,” he called quietly through the door, “honey, it’s me…I’m going to come in, OK?” He used his other duplicate key to enter the room but he stopped in his place at the sight before him. Trixie was still sitting on her bed in the same position, the phone still held in her right hand, as she stared vacantly in front of her.

Jim closed the door and fell to his knees in front of her. “Trixie! Honey, what happened to you? What’s wrong?” he demanded, his hands on her knees shaking her gently to get her to respond to him.

Trixie just blinked blankly at him for a second. Then, with a long shuddering in-drawn breath, she seemed to gather herself slightly.

“God, Jim…it was SO awful!” she said in a tiny voice, not looking at him. Jim’s heart was breaking at seeing her so shattered by only-God-knew-what!

“Trixie, baby…what happened? Please, tell me!”

Trixie’s eyes moved up to his face. “He-He…” She started but just couldn’t seem to continue with such a heinous story.

“Did somebody hurt you, Trixie? Did some man hurt you?!”

Trixie nodded numbly at this. The words just wouldn’t come.

Suddenly, Jim realized that Trixie was sitting there in pants and a bra and that her upper body was badly bruised. Anger and terror filled him simultaneously as he took the phone out of her hand and put it on the bedside table. He then quickly removed his jacket and placed it around her, drawing the dwarfing lapels over her front to cover and warm her. His hands lightly rubbed her shoulders in a hapless attempt to comfort her.

“God, Baby…who did this to you? What did he DO to cause those bruises all over your skin?” He lifted her face slightly to look him in the eye with one hand, the other still lightly comforting her shoulder.

Trixie looked into his concerned and gentle eyes for a second, blinked a few times, and gulped harshly before she began.

“I…I was studying late at the library,” her voice was devoid of emotion as she explained. “It was after midnight when I finally packed up my books and left the library. The moon was full and provided plenty of light, so I thought I would be safe. But…but I was wrong. I was very wrong!”

Jim waited with baited breath for her to continue. “I was only a few buildings away from my dorm, when I felt like I was being followed. I starting walking faster and I could hear that there definitely was someone following me. As I walked even faster, their steps became faster. When I started to run, I heard someone charging at me from behind!”

With eyes wide with fear and memory, she looked deeply into Jim’s eyes and pleaded for understanding. “I tried to get away from him, I did! But he was too fast, and… next thing I knew, I was being tackled from behind and pinned to the ground!” Her voice shuddered in laboring breaths. Jim placed his arms loosely around her and held her, part of him dying in the moments that he had to wait for her to continue.

“My face was against the grass and I couldn’t see who he was... He moved off of me and grabbed my arms. Drug me into the bushes. I struggled and fought him, but I couldn’t get away! He flipped me over and tried to tear my clothes off. He was grabbing at my jeans and feeling me UP!” Her voice broke at this. “I could feel his breath hot against my face as I struggled to get away from him, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t!”

“God, Trixie!” Jim said under his breath. “Trixie, did he…did he hurt you?” He couldn’t bring himself to say the word that he really was asking.

Trixie lightly shook her head and looked at Jim blankly. “No. No... He—he didn’t. I finally got some space between us. I, I kneed him in the groin and when he moved away from me to cover himself, I elbowed him in the nose! He-he tried to grab at me again, but I rolled away from him fast enough. I jumped up and started running. Just running. I don’t know where. Just anywhere to get away from him. I don’t know if he followed me or not. I just kept running.”

“Oh, baby, I’m so sorry…”Jim felt his words were totally inadequate as he tried to hold her closer in his arms. He wanted to hold her to him and never let her go!

Trixie laid her head on his shoulder and just allowed herself to feel safe in his long and strong arms. This was the man she trusted more than any other in this world, was the man she loved with all of her being. She wanted to stay in his arms and never think of this night again.

After a while, Jim pulled back from her slightly and asked, “Trixie, did you go to the cops?”

She sighed heavily at having to think of the awful events again. “Yes, Jim. Eventually, I made my way to campus security. They called the police who took me to the hospital where I was checked over and questioned. The one good thing that came from this night is that the man was captured and won’t be seeing daylight for many years if the police are right. I was able to describe the man’s appearance well enough and they got him while I was still in the hospital. He has a rap sheet about a mile long, they told me!”

Jim held her tightly at the knowledge that the man was apprehended and safely away from harming Trixie or another woman again. “Thank GOD you are OK, Trixie! I don’t know what I would do if he had hurt you worse! I could kill him for hurting you as he did! I can’t wait to look that bastard in the face and tell him what I think of him!” His fiery temper and protective instincts of the woman he had loved for so long flared to the surface.

“Please, Jim…can we not talk about it anymore?” Trixie asked in a detached and tired voice. “I don’t want to think about it any more! I don’t want to remember!”

Jim felt like a clod for making her feel worse. “Of course, Trixie, you’ve had enough for one night. I’m sorry!”

Trixie laid with her body heavily against his for a few minutes and then she said quietly,” I’m so tired, Jim!”

Jim pulled away from her slightly. “Of course you are, Trixie. You need to rest. Your mind and your body are exhausted.” Trixie silently nodded her agreement with him against his shoulder.

Jim gently moved her away from him and looked at her lovingly. “You should go to sleep, Trixie. I should leave.”

“No, Jim,” Trixie almost screamed in fear, “don’t go! Please don’t leave me alone!”

Jim looked at her fear-filled eyes and then surveyed the small dorm room. “I guess I could sleep in Honey’s bed…”

“No, Jim…Please,” she began haltingly, “would you, would you please hold me?” She looked at him with doubt and need in her eyes. “Would you sleep …with me?”

Jim wasn’t sure what to do as his heart pounded. He knew that he wanted to hold onto her and never let her go, but he was also afraid of what might happen if he were to lie in that small bed with her. Would he be able to hold his more masculine needs and desires at bay for her comfort? So many thoughts and feelings warred within him.

Trixie could see the fight in his eyes and she pleaded more urgently, “Please, Jim, I don’t want to be alone tonight! I just want to feel safe and protected. You make me feel that way.”

That did it for Jim. He knew what he had to do.

“Lie down, Trixie,” he said lightly. She looked at him, questioning, but followed his directive. He gently removed her jacket from under her legs and tossed it onto Honey’s bed nearby. He then located the covers at the end of the bed, pulled them up as he softly placed her legs under the blankets.

“Scoot over, Trixie.” She looked up at him with first surprise, then hope, and finally gratitude and did as he asked. He kicked off his shoes and socks and then climbed under the covers with her. In one movement, he had her wrapped up tightly in his arms, the only discomfort was his jacket that was still loosely around her body and clumped up in odd places, keeping them from a totally close union. Trixie shifted slightly in his embrace and then settled her body against him. Her head was tucked gently under his chin and against his shoulder, her breasts were softly cushioned against his hard, wide frame, and their legs were loosely against each other.

Jim felt her breathe against his skin, in and out. He first thought the moistness that he felt on his throat was from her breath, but when he heard a light hiccup, he realized that Trixie was crying. Her body suddenly racked with a fierce sob and Jim tightened his hold of her body against him.

“Go ahead, Trixie…let it out!” His eyes filled with tears of his own. “You’re safe. I’m here now.”

Trixie’s tears flowed on endlessly.

~ * ~

Jim lightly caressed Trixie’s back and shoulders and kissed at her forehead and head as her sobs dissipated.

“It was so awful,” Trixie muttered to herself. “I can still feel his breath on me, his hands pawing all over me!”

Jim wasn’t sure if he should be holding her or comforting her, if he was making her feel worse or better? He started to loosen his grip on her and give her some space.

“Please, Jim, don’t let me go! Don’t ever let me go!” Trixie cried and grabbed blindly at his body to keep his protecting arms around her.

Jim wrapped her again tightly against his frame and enveloped her in the security and bulk of his body. “I’m sorry, Trixie. I don’t know what to do to make you feel better…” Jim felt absolutely helpless.

“I just want to forget it all, Jim… I don’t want to remember his hands, his body!”

Jim’s own skin crawled at the thought of another man touching the girl he loved and his heart ached to help her. “Tell me what I can do, Trixie. How can I help you forget?”

Trixie lay there in his arms for a moment before she replied softly. “Jim, would you do something for me?”

“Trixie, you know I would do anything for you. Anything!”

She pulled away slightly and looked him in the eyes. With fear and uncertainty in her voice, she asked him, “Jim, would you make love to me?”

This shocked Jim to his core. His grasp on her loosened and his heart thundered at her question. “What?! Trixie, this can’t be what you want after what happened tonight!”

Trixie looked him deep in the eyes and stated, “Jim, I was almost raped tonight. A man almost forcefully took my virginity away…I don’t want that to be my memory of tonight!” She was scared but determined to have her say, to convince him of what she wanted.

“Jim, I know we haven’t said what we need to say to each other. I know that we’ve danced around each other most of our lives without saying what really needed to be said. But, I’m tired of dancing and I want this night to be a positive memory for me.” She caressed the side of his face with her hand.

“Jim, I love you. I have loved you since that first day we met. First as a young girl with her first crush, but then as I grew to know you for the wonderful and honorable man that you are, I loved you as only a woman can love a man.”

Jim’s heart soared at hearing her saying these words to him, the words that he had dreamed for so many years. But, he didn’t want to do the wrong thing here, either, something that she might regret later.

“Trixie, I love you, too; you know I love you! But I’m afraid that you are just acting emotionally after what happened to you.”

“Always honorable Jim…” A small, sad smile covered Trixie’s lips. “Jim, I know what I’m saying, I know what I want! I want you to really make me your girl. I want this night to be filled with the memory of our professing our love to each other and of our making love with each other!”

Jim shifted his lower body uncomfortably as his erection strained against his jeans. So many things warred within him. “You won’t regret this, Trixie?”

She smiled happily at him, knowing that she was finally going to get her wish. “No, Jim, I’ve wanted this for so long, it’s like a dream coming true!”

His decision was made but he didn’t want to do anything wrong.

~ * ~

He wanted to make the experience everything that his love deserved. “Trixie, may I kiss you?”

Her smile filled her face and he cheered inside to see the dull look in her eyes be replaced by some of their usual sparkles. “I thought you would never ask me!”

With a deep breath of courage and strength to do things right by Trixie, Jim moved closer to Trixie. He first placed kisses on her forehead, then her cheeks, down to her nose and chin and then, finally, his lips were softly pressed against her own. Trixie breathed out happily and leaned into his kiss.

They continued to kiss and nuzzle at each other for a minute or two. Soon, their hands were moving restlessly against each other and Jim was caressing her back under his loose jacket while Trixie was rubbing her hands across his chest and stomach.

With lips and tongues locked in increasing passion, they both began to move against the other, murmuring their passion and enjoyment deep in their throats. Jim finally pulled away slightly from Trixie and gave her a deep look in her somewhat dazed eyes. She understood his question and nodded affirmatively. Jim moved to gently remove his jacket from around her body and tossed it to the floor.

Trixie shivered slightly in the sudden chill, but also in the expectation of what was to come next. Jim lovingly laid her on her back and leaned over her body, his eyes taking in her upper body, her bruised but otherwise creamy, soft skin, and her breasts encased in their sexy satin coverage. He ran his hand softly across her skin, in an exploratory manner. After all these years, he was being able to touch the woman that he loved so much. Trixie’s skin warmed and then burned to the feeling of his hands on her skin. She breathed out, shaking, as passion began to overwhelm her.

Jim’s thumb rubbed over a particularly dark and large bruise below her right shoulder. He looked in her eyes deeply. “I would do anything to take these bruises away, to keep you from ever being hurt again Trixie.”

Trixie smiled softly at him. “I know, Jim, I know.” Her breath hissed in as he leaned down and his lips lightly covered that nasty bruise in a very sweet caress.

“I guess the only thing that I can do is kiss all of your boo-boos away,” he said with both humor and desire. He moved to do exactly that.

Jim’s heart was racing as he was finally going to see parts of Trixie that he had only dreamed about. His body was urging him to go quickly and meet its end but he knew that he needed to love Trixie as she deserved to be loved. This was both of their first times and they would never get another chance to do it right.

Jim reached behind Trixie and after a moment’s struggle, unhooked her bra and then gently brought the straps over and down her arms. Her bra joined his jacket on the floor and Jim just stared wordlessly for a second at the beautiful orbs in front of him.

He lightly caressed and cupped her breast in his right hand. “You are so beautiful, Trixie!” he stated passionately and honestly, “I don’t know why you never thought of yourself that way, but you have to believe that you are! You’re face, you’re spirit, and now I can say, you’re body, they are all so beautiful!” With that he bent down to kiss her again, deeply, running his hands over her bare skin.

Trixie began to squirm and pant. “Oh, Jim... Thank you! That feels so incredible. You make me feel so beautiful.” He kissed her passionately and their tongues dueled with increasing fervor.

“God, I love you, Trixie, I love you so much!” He growled from deep in his throat when he finally let her up for air. He had to feel his naked skin against hers, so he quickly ripped his sweater up and over his head to drop on the floor in the ever-increasing pile.

Trixie kissed him again and scattered kisses down his bare torso. “I love you, too, Jim; I love you, too!” she cried with her heart in her voice.

He rolled her passionately back and forth on the bed for a second, landing with him on the bottom and her gloriously draped on top of him.

Trixie leaned up off of his body and looked down at him with laughter and love in her eyes. Jim took in her appearance above him and groaned again. Her naked torso gleamed lightly from his kisses and the sweat from their combined heat and ardor. Her soft, flaxen curls tumbled around her lovely face and her breasts leaned down enticingly to him.

“I have never seen you more beautiful, Trixie!” he said passionately.

Trixie laughed at that. “Perhaps I should always walk around like this then?” she teased.

Jim laughed with her, too. “No, only for me. Please. I don’t intend to share you with anyone else.”

“Oh, is that how it’s going to be?” Trixie asked with a raised eyebrow and a big smirk.

“Most definitely,” he stated and he flipped her underneath him again. He started to rain kisses down her skin from her shoulder, to her breasts, to her belly button.

“God, Jim!” she panted as her hands dug into his hair and she tried to pull his lips away from her oh-so-sensitive flesh. He chuckled with masculine pride deep in his throat and her blood soared hearing that sexy tone, knowing that she was the cause of that sound. “I can’t take much more. You are making me feel so much. I just don’t know what to do.”

He kissed his way back up her body and kissed her lips sweetly. Smiling into her eyes, he said, “You are doing just the right things, honey. Just let yourself feel it. Don’t hold back.”

Trixie’s eyes begged for his help and understanding. “It’s so powerful, Jim. It’s so wonderful, it scares me!”

“Just feel it, baby…this is new for both of us. We will go there together, OK?”

She smiled adoringly and bravely back at him and lightly kissed his nose. “OK. I’ll follow you anywhere.”

His smile somehow became larger. “Ready for the next step?” Ever honorable, he asked her permission to proceed.

“Please.” Her response was both an agreement and a request.

~ * ~

He cupped her chin in his hand and suddenly very serious said, “I love you, Trixie Belden, you know that, right?”

She smiled tremulously at him. “Yes, Jim, I’ve waited forever to hear those words although I’ve always suspected their truth.”

Slight sadness came over Jim as he realized their lost opportunities. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I was just afraid to lose you and I couldn’t handle losing another person I loved so completely!”

“I understand, Jim,” she said, and she did.

“Trix, I don’t take what we’re about to do in a light manner. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yes, Jim, I do.” She ran her hands up and down his chest and feminine pride soared within her at his quick in-drawn breath and the jutting of his lower body against hers. “I don’t either.”

“There’s no turning back now, Trixie,” he murmured against her lips and his hands made a similar trip across her upper body, landing at the snap of her jeans. He carefully undid the snap and then lowered the zipper.

(Quite a bit later…)

Jim raised himself above her body with his strong arms and noted the tears running down Trixie’s flushed and sweaty face.

“Baby, did I hurt you?” His heart ached at the possibility.

Trixie took a second to catch her breath and then smiled brilliantly at him through her tears. Caressing his face adoringly, she said, “No, Jim, you didn’t hurt me. I don’t think you ever could!”

“Then what is it, baby?”

“It was just so…intense and beautiful. Incredible!” She leaned up and kissed his lips sweetly. “Thank you, Jim. That was the best gift you could have ever given me. I’ve waited so long to be yours and now I am!”

Jim caressed her face with his hand and kissed her again. “You realize something, Trixie, don’t you?”

“What’s that, Jim?”

“You really are mine now.” He smiled happily into her eyes and his lips quirked in humor. “Not to say that I put credence in the totally chauvinistic belief that once I make love with you and take your virginity that you are solely my woman… I’m just stating, for a fact, that now that we have been honest with each other, and have consummated the love that we feel so completely and passionately for each other, that I don’t want to go back to all those years when I wasn’t with you.”

He hugged her tightly against him as if he wasn't going to let her go, then moved so that his eyes were directly boring into hers. “Trixie, I won’t live in a time where I can’t touch you, when I can’t tell you how much I love you!”

Trixie’s eyes began to fill with happy tears again. “Oh, Jim, I don’t want to go back to all those miserable years either! I am so glad that you are my man, that you are my lover. And I thank God that you are my best friend, too.” She kissed him again then pulled him down to cuddle his head against her breasts.

They lay like that for a few minutes in companionable silence, their bodies still humming from their lovemaking and their hearts slowing to a regular beat. Eventually, Jim moved to cradle Trixie lovingly against his side.

“What are you thinking?” he asked, running his hands along her naked back in a loving and comforting move.

Trixie looked him in the eye and gave him a wan smile. “I just can’t believe that this all happened in one night! I mean, my night originally ended in one of the most horrifying and violating times of my whole life, but then it actually ends with hearing you tell me you love me and then you making love to me in the most astounding and sole-wrenching way!”

Jim smiled softly at her description at their coupling and his effect on her, but his heart still ached when he thought of what she had endured previously in the evening. “Trixie, I know I can’t take away your memories of what happened in the first part of the night but I pray that over time your memories of that horrible event will dull and disappear as the memory of our coming together, finally, will grow and supersede that time in your mind.”

Trixie cuddled more into his body and she kissed his chest. “I’m sure it will, Jim, for I know how I will always remember tonight.”

Jim gloried at the feeling of holding her naked body so tightly against his. “How’s that, Trix?”

“As the night I took your virginity!” she said in her usual sassy and joking demeanor.

“HEY!” Jim protested and rolled her beneath him, agreeing with her but also tickling her mercilessly. He finally let her free of his tickling fingers when he laid his weight fully upon hers and started to kiss her with all of the love in his heart. Trixie returned his kiss joyously and the night was soon filled with the renewed sounds of one woman making love to the man of her dreams, her soul mate, again.

THE END

by John Arthur available at johnarthur.com

This story is Part Three in the “All In One Night” trilogy. The story follows “All In One Night” where Trixie was attacked one night on her college campus and she calls Jim upon returning from the police station. This last part of the series will show how Trixie and Jim deal with the aftermath of the night before…as well as how the rest of the Bobwhites will handle the news of what happened all in that one night. ENJOY!!

As always, I am only allowing the characters created by Julie Campbell to live a little again and Random House is not paying me for my use of their characters and storyline. Now if Random House was interested in paying me for writing Trixie stories…it would be a dream come true (one I’m sure I share with many other Trixie fanfic writers). But for now, my stories are solely for my enjoyment and for the wonderful readers of the Trixie fanfic sites.

THE MORNING AFTER

Part 1

Trixie’s eyes fluttered softly before opening slowly to view a well-muscled, freckled male chest before her.

At first, she was overwhelmed with fear and struggled away from the man beside her, recalling the horrific events of the evening before.

Jim awoke at her sudden movement on the mattress. He sat up swiftly and looked at her with his own fear, afraid that her actions were for her regret over their actions of the night before.

“Trixie, honey, are you okay?” he asked and placed a gentle hand on her arm.

Trixie sat, huddled in the sheets up to her neck, looking at him dubiously as the memories of her attacker were gradually replaced by their sweet lovemaking of the night before.

Trixie reached up a hand and covered Jim’s hand on her arm softly. She smiled softly but with some fear into him eyes.

“Good morning, Jim,” she stated softly, numerous questions swam in her eyes.

Jim moved his hand to squeeze hers tightly, reassuring her, now against the rumpled cover sheet of the mattress. “Morning, Trixie.” He smiled sweetly at her and moved in to place a luscious kiss upon her lips.

Trixie sighed greatly and leaned into his kiss. He wrapped her in his arms and held her gently and lovingly against him.

“Oh, Trixie,” he sighed into her hair, “I was so afraid you would regret last night.”

Trixie raised her head and looked him sternly in the eye. “Never, Jim, never.” She kissed him swiftly. “I only regret that we took so long to be honest with each other.”

Jim cupped her face in his hands and looked deeply into her eyes. “Trixie Belden, I love you!” he proclaimed with soft passion, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier in our lives but I do, and now that you know, I hope that you don’t ever let me go.”

Trixie laughed outright at this. “Are you crazy?” she quipped, “I’ve wanted to be your girl for real for what seems my whole life. I think I dreamed of you before we ever met. And once we did meet, I kept hoping that you would see me for the Cinderella I am, be my prince, and sweep me off my feet.” She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and hugged him aggressively. “The only way you’re getting rid of me now, Jim Frayne, is to literally detach me from your heart and from your side! I’m not going anywhere.”

Jim wrapped his arms around her again and cuddled her against his frame. “Well, I guess we’re stuck together then, as I have no intention of letting you go!”

They just sat together, contented to hold each other, for some time. Eventually, Trixie pulled back, and with some embarrassment looked at Jim.

“Um, I need to, ah, use the restroom.” She stated without looking him in the eye. Neither had been in this sort of situation before. Naked, after a night of true love making, and now looking at their lover in the light of day.

Jim’s face flushed some as he understood her discomfort. He cleared his throat nervously. “Um, uh…” he looked around the room as he spoke ineloquently. With much relief, he spotted her satin robe dangled over the side of her bed’s headboard. He grabbed it and handed it to her with a light smile. “Here you go.”

Trixie smiled brightly and gratefully and turned her back to him in order to wrap the robe around her petite frame. She stood up and faced him, her love for him shining from her eyes. “I think I’m going to take a shower, if you don’t mind. I might try to find an extra toothbrush for you.” Trixie thought these moments were always portrayed on TV to be simple but she was totally uncomfortable and embarrassed with this morning-after thing.

Jim smiled at her, just as uncomfortable. He yawned broadly. “No problem, Trix, I think I’ll try to sleep some more. For some reason, I’m all tuckered out.” His eyes laughed at her with such incredible love therein.

Trixie laughed softly and flirted with her man, “yeah, that’s strange. It’s not like you were doing anything strenuous last night!”

Jim flopped on his back on the mattress with a groan. “Says you!” he remarked and they both laughed.

Still unsure what to do but more comfortable with the situation, Trixie leaned down and kissed her man lovingly on the lips. He reached up and pulled her softly on top of him and deepened the kiss.

When the kiss ended, Trixie leaned up and looked down at her love. “I love you, Jim. Thank you for last night.” She whispered, her eyes starting to fill with happy tears.

Jim caressed her face softly with his left hand. “It was my absolute pleasure, Trixie,” he replied throatily, “I love you, girl!”

They shared another long and sweet kiss and then Trixie got off of him and the bed and started to head to the en-suite bathroom. “I’ll be back in about 15 minutes,” she called over her shoulder.

Jim smiled broadly at the thought of her naked body in the shower and yawned deeply again. “Take your time, Hon,” he called back and flopped over on his stomach to try to catch a few more winks.

He was just drifting off to sleep again when he heard the shower turn on nearby…

* * * *

In a foggy stupor, Jim tried to locate the source of the persistent ringing by the bed. With one eye open, he found Trixie’s telephone on the bedside table and picked it up without thinking.

“He-whoa,” he muttered into the phone incoherently.

“Hello?” asked a male voice on the other end. “Oh, I’m sorry, I must have dialed the number incorrectly.”

Jim’s mind was clearing and he sat up in bed. “What number were you trying to call?” he asked, much clearer than before.

“555-2289,” answered the voice.

“That’s this number…” Jim started but was interrupted by a suddenly angry voice.

“Wait a minute…Jim?” the voice demanded to know, “Is that you?”

Jim could easily identify Brian’s voice on the other end now that he was fully awake. “Yes, Brian, it’s me,” he answered calmly.

There was a pause on the other end before Brian continued in a deadly serious tone, “Jim, why did you just answer my sister’s phone like I woke you up? Where’s Trixie?”

Jim realized that he better tread carefully against Trixie’s protective big brother. “Trixie’s in the shower right now, Brian,” he stated quietly but honestly.

“I came home just now to see on the caller ID that Trixie called in the middle of the night but didn’t leave a message,” Brian spoke measurably. “Jim, I don’t know what problem my sister got herself into this time, but I can’t see how any reason would end with you answering her phone in a sleepy voice!”

“Brian, it’s not what…” Jim cut himself off as he realized that what Brian thought was true but not in the unsavory manner that he was assuming. He didn’t know how to explain what happened as his heart was still swimming with the gamut of emotions from all that had occurred the night before.

Brian knew his best friend too well to catch Jim’s correction of himself. “It is what I’m thinking,” he concluded harshly. “Jim, I don’t know what happened last night but you’ve got about twenty minutes to get your story together before I get there!”

Brian slammed the phone down and the crash reverberated in Jim’s eardrum. Wearily, he moved the phone away from his ear and gazed at it, dispairingly. He replaced the receiver and then sat on the side of the bed with his head in his hands, recalling all of the events of the night before, how he and Trixie had finally admitted their love for one another, and later their beautiful consummation of that love.

The sudden sound of the shower shutting off brought Jim back to the present and he is unsure how to explain his phone call with Brian to Trixie. Trixie emerged a minute later from the bathroom, wrapped in a large towel. She arrives with a soft, loving smile on her lips. She stops short when she recognizes that turbulent expression on Jim’s lips.

Suddenly unsure of herself again, Trixie stops a good ten feet away from Jim and bites her lip. “What’s wrong, Jim?” she asks quietly, heart pounding in fear.

Jim looks up at Trixie with worried eyes. “Brian called, Trixie,” he started to explain.

“Brian?” Trixie was suddenly worried. “What? Has something happened to him? Is he hurt?”

Jim couldn’t handle the scared look on Trixie’s face, not again. He got up and moved over to hold Trixie without a thought of his nakedness. “No, baby, he’s not hurt. He’s angry.”

Trixie wrapped her arms around Jim instinctively but looked into his eyes with surprise. “Angry? Why would he be angry? What happened?”

Jim’s lips quirked slightly and a mixture of trepidation and humor lit his eyes as he looked down at his lady love. “What happened is that your protective big brother called to speak to you and I automatically answered it when I had been asleep.”

“Oh!” That one syllable spoke volumes. “Oh boy.”

“Yeah,” agreed Jim while tightening his arms around her, “oh boy.”

A violent pounding on the door made them both jump suddenly.

“It appears Big Brother has arrived,” Jim spoke grimly, not wanting to answer the door any more than Trixie.

Trixie maintained her position with Jim. “Yep.”

The door rumbled again with Brian’s fist. “Come on, Jim, answer the door!” Brian bellowed from the opposite side.

Jim sighed heavily and moved slightly from Trixie. “I’ll get it, hon,” he stated quietly and moved to throw on his jeans quickly. Trixie nodded silently and watched him move away. Her eyes moved down over his naked figure on its own volition and her eyes widened at the sight of his proud manhood. Jim caught her glance and smiled at her. Trixie’s face flushed as her eyes darted away from him guiltily. Jim then moved to the door and opened it upon a thunderously angry Brian.

Brian’s eyes darted between Jim’s partially-clad figure and his sister’s wrapped in a towel and his lips formed an uncharacteristic snarl. Jim eyed Brian wearily as his mind zipped with explanations for what had occurred the night before.

Trixie suddenly recalled the horrifying aspects of the night before at the sight of her protective and heroic big brother. Her eyes filled with tears and her chin trembled.

“Brian” she croaked out and ran to him, throwing herself against his frame and breaking down into sobs.

Brian automatically enclosed Trixie’s small frame in a tight, loving hug. He was now positive that Jim had not lived up to his gentlemanly character.

“JIM!” Brian growled from some deep part of his throat.

Jim’s face flushed bright red as he could not look his best friend in the eye. He wanted to take Trixie back into his arms and quiet her tears himself, but he knew she needed the love and comfort of her big brother.

As Jim closed the door behind Brian, he thought to himself: This is going to be a LONG day.

PART TWO

Brian held his younger sister in his arms and murmured words of comfort. His eyes were trained on his traitorous best friend who was leaning guiltily against the door. Brian couldn’t believe he had trusted Jim all these years! How could I have been so wrong about him? Brian asked himself, tightening his protective hold on his sister.

Trixie’s sobs were abating now and she was able to find her voice. “Oh, Brian,” she started weakly, “it was so awful!”

Brian shot daggers across the room at Jim and Jim actually cringed at the violence behind that look.

“I know, Trixie,” Brian crooned in his best doctor-to-be soothing tone. “I’m here now, you’ll be okay.

Trixie looked up into the eyes of her serious big brother and her eyes filled with fresh tears. “I was SO scared!” she cried.

Brian again murmured words of comfort to his sister but his face grew red with the restrained anger he was experiencing.

Jim wanted to explain to Brian that the situation was not as it seemed. “Brian, you need to know what happened,” he started quietly from across the room.

“Jim, if you value our friendship at all, I suggest you don’t speak another word,” Brian said in a deathly quiet tone.

Brian moved his sister away from his chest so he could better look into her tear-stained face. “Trixie, did he hurt you?” he asked urgently.

Before Trixie could answer there was another pounding on the door directly behind Jim that made him jump violently.

Trixie and Jim shared a surprised look across the room at another unexpected visitor.

“Trixie, I know you’re in there, let me in!” boomed a male voice from the other side of the door.

Trixie and Jim were both completely confused by this turn of events. “Mart?” Trixie questioned aloud and moved away from Brian to open the door, still wrapped in the large towel.

Mart took one look at his sister’s puffy eyes and wet cheeks and jumped inside the room.

“My god, Trixie, what happened to you?!” he demanded.

“Mart, what are you doing in New York?” Trixie demanded at the same time.

Mart took his sister’s face in his hands and gently wiped away her tears. He slowly took in her slightly-clad appearance.

Trixie,” he started quietly, “why are you standing in only a towel?” Mart’s gaze shifted over to Jim’s nearby semi-clad form. “And why is Jim standing here without a shirt or socks on?” He was starting to think that something nefarious had occurred before he arrived. Then, his eyes met Brian’s stormy expression and he became really angry.

With lightly reigned, indignant anger, Mart turned to Jim and asked him quietly, “Jim, why does Brian look like he wants to practice forensic science on your far-deceased corpse?”

Trixie was worried that all of the alpha-male tempers were going to explode in her little dormroom. Jim took a deep breath and gazed steadily at Mart, trying to come up with the right words to explain what had actually occurred.

Jim was just about to answer the Belden brothers when a dainty knock danced upon the door. Jim and Trixie shared another confused expression.

“Hello, anyone in there?” a female voice called tentatively.

“Di?” Jim was really confused as to what was going on but he quickly opened the door to a very worried Diana Lynch. She stepped inside the deathly quiet room, nervously biting her lip at the tension suffocating in the air.

“Trixie, I’m sorry, I tried to stop Mart from barging in, but he jumped out of the car before we even stopped moving!” Di started plaintively, beseeching her friend to understand.

Trixie was very confused as to why Mart and Di were now standing in her dormroom when they weren’t even supposed to be in the state of New York!

“It’s okay, Di,” Trixie answered feebly, very tired by all of the emotions that she had experienced in the last ten minutes. She automatically tightened the loosening towel around her and moved to sit heavily upon her bed. Jim yearned to move over and sit with her but he realized that action would be very foolish with her angry brothers in the room.

Brian took that moment to turn and advance on Jim. He stood right in Jim’s face and demanded, “Explain yourself, Frayne.”

Mart moved over by the young men while Di went to sit on the bed with Trixie, giving her a big side-hug.

“Yeah, Jim, what’s going on here?” asked Mart, less harshly than his older brother. Mart knew his near-twin well enough to know that nothing Jim had done had made her upset. His instincts told him that something had made Trixie upset, though.

“It’s really not what you think, Brian,” Jim started, than corrected his phrasing. “Well, it is partially what you are thinking but…”

“You took advantage of my SISTER?” demanded Brian, his usual calm demeanor being replaced by a flash of temper.

“No, I swear to you, I didn’t do anything that Trixie didn’t want,” Jim answered.

Brian moved so that his forehead was literally against Jim’s. “Yeah, I’ll bet she WANTED it, but was she ready for it?”

Jim looked right into his friend’s eyes and prayed for him to understand.

“Brian, will you knock it off, please?” Trixie cried pathetically from across the room and broke down into sobs again.

“Brian, don’t you see that you are upsetting Trixie further,” demanded Mart by his brother’s side. “We have no clue what really happened but you aren’t improving the situation in the least by your actions!”

At that moment, a quick knock sounded at the door and Dan immediately entered.

Trixie, completely stupefied by the appearance of yet one more unexpected Bobwhite, asked through her tears, “Dan, what are you doing here?”

Dan stopped dead in his tracks and took in the scene. His eyes moved from the angry face-off of Brian and Jim literally in each other’s faces, Jim only half-clad, and Trixie’s tearful face as she sat on her bed in a towel, with Di’s comforting arm about her. Di exchanged a bewildered but concerned look with Dan.

“Whoa,” Dan started slowly, “what exactly is going on here? Trixie, why have you been crying?And Brian, why are you in Jim’s face like that? And Jim, why aren’t you or Trixie dressed?”

Brian inched back slightly from Jim to yell at Dan, “That’s what we are trying to find out!” He look back at Jim with a scowl and continued loudly, “I got home early this morning from the hospital to find Trixie’s number on the caller ID but no message on the machine. When I called Trixie’s apartment, a very sleepy Jim answered the phone!”

“What?” Dan was astounded, “I know you told Mart you were on your way over to Trixie’s apartment and that he should join you, but I didn’t know the reason why!”

Jim turned towards Dan and tried to explain again. “Dan, it’s not really what you are all thinking!”

“I guess the rest of your clothes just magically fell off your body and you were knocked unconscious to be lying in my sister’s bed?” demanded Brian, his tone increasing more in volume with every word.

Jim’s temper was starting to get the best of him. “Brian, will you just shut up and let me tell you what happened?” he yelled back.

“Don’t you tell my brother to shut up!” yelled Mart, advancing towards Jim.

“You don’t need to tell me what happened, we can guess for ourselves!” shouted Brian at the same time.

“Will you all just STOP IT?!” screamed Trixie simultaneously, now on her feet with tears streaming down her face.

A piercing whistle cut through the tension in the room and everyone stopped and looked to the door.

There stood Honey inside the open door, fingers still at her lips and multiple suitcases at her feet.

Everyone was still in the room for a moment, stupified to see Honey standing there when she was supposed to be in Spain. Then, utter pandamonium broke out within the room. Trixie, holding onto her towel, ran to her best friend and threw herself against her, crying.

“Honey, I’m so glad that you are here!” exclaimed Trixie as the tears continued to run down her cheeks.

“Honey, you’re back!” exclaimed Brian turning away from Jim slightly in surprise.

“Honey, what are you doing back so early?” questioned Dan at the same time.

“Honey, thank God you’re back!” exclaimed her adopted brother simultaneously, knowing some peace would soon fill this room again.

Mart quickly moved over to Di and they huddled together by the bed.

“What do you think happened?” asked Mart to his beloved.

“Obviously, Jim and Trixie got together,” remarked Di over the commotion, “but I don’t think it was due to Jim seducing Trixie; that wouldn’t happen with our honorable Jim Frayne.”

“I agree,” stated Mart, “but then what happened that Trixie is so traumatized by?”

They both suddenly looked over to their friends and family when Honey produced another piercing whistle. Everyone became quiet again and gazed upon Honey who was holding her sobbing best friend in her arms.

“Yes, I’m back,” Honey started to explain. “Yesterday afternoon some terrorists bombed the subway in Barcelona…”

“WHAT?!” a collective question was yelled by the rest of the Bobwhites.

Trixie suddenly stopped crying and looked upon her best friend in shock. “Oh my God, Honey, I’m so sorry!” She could quite understand the terror that her best friend had experienced the day before.

“Baby, are you okay?” questioned Brian as he moved over to her side to assure himself that she actually was al right.

“Oh my God, Honey!” exclaimed Di from her spot nearby. “First, September 11th and now this!” She cuddled up to her boyfriend in her sadness of the events of their world these days.

“Thank God you weren’t hurt, Sis!” stated Jim passionately.

Honey held up her hand for silence again in the small dorm room congested with Bobwhites. She now had one arm around her best friend who was hugging her tightly on her right side and Brian was holding her tightly on her left.

“Yes, I’m okay.” Honey assured quietly but with a tremor in her voice. “It’s still very scary, though. We had been in that subway only fifteen minutes before the bomb went off.”

Brian held his woman tighter. Trixie quietly informed Honey that she understood how scary that was for her.

Honey put on a brave smile and stated succinctly, “Yes, I’m safe and I’m back with all of you, that’s the most important thing. But, I want to know what ‘s going on here.”

All the Bobwhites started talking again to explain the situation, but Honey held up her hand again for silence. Looking upon her best friend, she said, “I think we need to listen to Trixie. I have a feeling that no one has given her a chance to really explain.”

Trixie and Jim both looked upon each with surprise and some fear at the chance to describe what truly happened the night before.

“Thank you, Honey, you’re right,” agreed Trixie with gratitude in her trembling voice. Her eyes met Jim’s steadily for a second before she continued. “But before I explain what happened last night, could Jim and I please get dressed? This towel is getting pretty uncomfortable and I’m rather embarrassed to be standing amongst you all like this.”

Brian looked at his sister for a moment and then agreed quietly. “Sure, Trix, go ahead and get dressed; we’re not going anywhere.”

“Thank you, Brian!” exclaimed Trixie as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before moving off to her dresser to grab some clothes to quickly change into. Jim also moved over by her bed to grab his shirt, socks and shoes and they moved over to the bathroom door together, about to enter.

“WHAT?” exclaimed Brian at the idea of Jim and Trixie going into the bathroom to get dressed together.

“Let them,” stated Mart firmly from across the room, challenging his big brother. They looked at each other for a moment before Brian nodded his silent agreement. Jim and Trixie looked at the others for a moment before looking at each other and quickly moving behind the closed door of the bathroom for a moment of peace away from the others.

Immediately, Trixie threw herself against Jim’s solid frame and he enveloped her body in his strong, long arms.

“Oh my goodness, Jim, what a nightmare!” Trixie groaned into his muscled chest.

“Well, I guess we don’t have to worry about how to break the news that we are together to the group,” chuckled Jim softly, somewhat dubiously.

Trixie laughed with him softly. “And I was worrying about that.”

“Me, too.” They looked deeply into each other’s eyes and Jim leaned down to kiss her warmly and softly. “How are you doing, love?” He moved his hands over her shoulders and down her back in a comforting fashion.

Trixie kissed him softly and cuddled again into his frame. “I’m pretty shook up at hearing about Honey’s experience in Spain! I haven’t been connected to any news for a few days.”

“I know, same here,” agreed Jim with emotion in his voice. Neither one of them would be able to handle it if something suddenly happened to take Honey away from their lives. They knew this about each other and shared this shock at her nearly being hurt.

They held each other for a long moment before Jim slightly pulled away from her. “We better get moving, hon, or we may have a riot on our hands again,” he said with a soft smile.

Trixie moved away from him, too and moved over to her clothes and then looked nervously upon Jim. Jim understood matters completely and realized that he and Trixie needed to talk more about what happened last night between them. He would speak with her once they had a moment alone after they explained the events of last night to the gang.

“Trix, let me get dressed out there and I’ll let you have a minute in here to get dressed and catch your breath, okay?” he asked her gently.

Trixie smiled gratefully at him and hugged him tightly. “Thank you for understanding me so well, Jim; I love you,” she exclaimed passionately.

Jim her tight to himself one more time and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “I love you too, baby.” He smacked her playfully on the rump. “Now get thee dressed, woman!” He laughed and moved over to the door, grabbing his clothes as he went.

Trixie was still laughing as Jim closed the door behind him and faced all of the Bobwhites again. They immediately noticed that he had not finished dressing and that he was alone.

“Trixie’s going to get dressed and join us in a minute,” he stated quietly. The Bobwhites nodded quietly, respecting Jim for being honorable again. They spoke quietly amongst themselves while Jim completed getting dressed, not speaking to any of them.

A minute later, Trixie emerged from the bathroom’s interior and moved to Jim’s side. He wrapped a supportive and protective arm around her as they gazed at their friends and family together.

Honey, being gentle and understanding as always tried to help her best friend. “Trixie, are you ready to tell us what happened?” she asked quietly from across the room.

Trixie looked up into Jim’s bright green eyes for a moment, further collecting her strength and then nodded solidly.

All of the Bobwhites sat down, as if to prepare themselves for what they were about to hear. Di, Mart, and Dan sat on the girls’ beds, while Honey and Brian sat together in a large arm chair in the corner. Trixie and Jim sat together on the floor, Trixie easily fitting in the curve of Jim’s body, with his arms loosely wrapped about her.

“Two major things happened to me last night,” Trixie started in a quiet and solemn tone. “One very good and one very bad.”

The other Bobwhites were very attentive to what she was saying and no one dared interrupt her now that she had started to explain.

Trixie looked at Brian defiantly. “Jim was the very good part of the night. He came to me when I was scared and traumatized and he helped me with his love to get over what had happened.”

“What did happen, Trixie?” asked her almost-twin quietly.

Trixie took a deep breath before telling her tale. “Last night, about ten o’clock, I was walking back to my dorm from the library. Suddenly a man jumped out of the bushes and attacked me.”

“Oh my goodness, Trixie, are you okay?” exclaimed Honey.

Trixie held up her hand to indicate that she wanted to complete her tale without interruption. “Yes, I’m okay,” she spoke softly with fine tremors conveying her raw emotions evoked from the night before. “I was more scared than anything. The man did try to attack me. He managed to pull me into the bushes where he held a knife on me and tried to rip at my clothes.”

“Oh, Trixie, how awful!” exclaimed Di from across the room.

“It was awful, Di, but my self defense courses came to me reflexively and I soon had him whimpering in pain. I was able to get up and away from him and run for help. He did chase after me but I had quite a head start on him. Once I neared the campus security patrolman driving around campus, I heard the footsteps stop.”

“Thank goodness you got away, Trixie,” Brian stated quietly. His eyes met his sister’s across the room, begging her silently for forgiveness for his earlier behavior. Trixie gave him a tremulous smile that assured him that he was forgiven.

Campus Security called the police and a cop took me to the station. I was there for a few hours alone being questioned and checked out for any medical harm. They did find the guy and arrest him while I was still in the police station. He came in and I was able to positively identify him.”

“That was fast work, Trixie,” stated Dan, “I’m sure your detective skills enabled them to be able to apprehend him so quickly.

“I’m just glad they got him,” Trixie’s voice trembled again. “The police officers told me that this man is wanted for at least five rapes on New York City campuses since October. If I hadn’t been trained to fend for myself, I could have been his next victim.”

“Trixie, you never told me that!” spoke Jim harshly and tightened his arms around her torso.

Everyone sat in shocked silence for a moment. Then, Brian asked, “Where’s Jim come in, in all of this?”

“Once I got back to the dorm, I really broke down,” explained Trixie bravely. “Honey was in Spain and I was all by myself. All I could think of was the events of the night, that man’s hands on me. I called you and Jim as I didn’t want to be alone. Jim answered the phone and came over to be with me.”

“I’m sorry for not leaving you a note, Brian,” started Jim softly. “Trixie sounded so traumatized on the phone that I didn’t even think to leave one before rushing out of there.”

“I understand, Jim.” Brian was letting his best friend now that he was sorry, too, for his own actions.

Mart, being himself, couldn’t help asking the unasked question. “So what happened once Jim got here?”

Trixie and Jim’s faces both flushed guiltily. Jim squeezed Trixie gently in his arms and bravely explained. “As Trixie stated, two big things occurred last night. The awesome thing that occurred last night is that Trixie and I admitted our feelings for each other.”

“Whoo-hoo!” exclaimed Dan.

“It’s about time!” admonished Brian joyfully.

“It only took them 9 years to get to this point!” added Mart in teasing fashion.

“Congratulations, Trixie and Jim!” exclaimed Honey joyously, so glad that her best friend and her big brother were finally an honest couple in love.

“I’m so happy for you, Trixie!” stated Di over the others.

Trixie and Jim laughed in surprise. They did not expect their news to be so well received by their friends and family.

Trixie smiled impishly at the group. “Yes, Jim and I love each other.”

“And as for any other events that occurred last night,” Jim stated firmly, “that is between Trixie and I.”

The room fell silent again but no one wanted to challenge that statement.

Dan, realizing the awkwardness of the situation, coughed sharply to break the tension. “Well, now that we know that everyone is okay, why don’t we enjoy that breakfast Mart and Di promised me?”

Trixie, not wanting to let a mystery get away from her asked, “Yeah, what are you two doing in New York anyway?”

Di giggled at the question. “We came back to the City for wedding plans with my mom and we wanted to surprise you all. We had contacted Dan last night to make sure that he had some time off to see us. When we found out that he would only be off for a short time early today, we suggested to him that we all get together for brunch at the Blue Dorn Diner.”

“Dan agreed to be our chauffer and picked us up at our hotel this morning,” added Mart. “When we called Brian and Jim’s apartment to surprise them, Brian was frantic about getting over to your dorm, Trix. And here we all are.”

“And now that Honey is back from Spain, sadly but thankfully, the whole gang can go to brunch together,” said Brian happily, cuddling his girlfriend close to him.

PART THREE

Everyone was still in the room for a moment, stupefied to see Honey standing there when she was supposed to be in Spain. Then, utter pandemonium broke out within the room. Trixie, holding onto her towel, ran to her best friend and threw herself against her, crying.

“Honey, I’m so glad that you are here!” exclaimed Trixie as the tears continued to run down her cheeks.

“Honey, you’re back!” exclaimed Brian turning away from Jim slightly in surprise.

“Honey, what are you doing back so early?” questioned Dan at the same time.

“Honey, thank God you’re back!” exclaimed her adopted brother simultaneously, knowing some peace would soon fill this room again.

Mart quickly moved over to Di and they huddled together by the bed.

“What do you think happened?” asked Mart to his beloved.

“Obviously, Jim and Trixie got together,” remarked Di over the commotion, “but I don’t think it was due to Jim seducing Trixie; that wouldn’t happen with our honorable Jim Frayne.”

“I agree,” stated Mart, “but then what did happen to traumatize Trixie so greatly?”

“Yes, I’m back,” Honey started to explain. “Yesterday afternoon some terrorists bombed the subway in Barcelona…”

“WHAT?!” a collective question was yelled by the rest of the Bobwhites.

“Baby, are you okay?” questioned Brian as he moved over to her side to assure himself that she was actually al right.

“Oh my God, Honey!” exclaimed Di from her spot nearby. “First, September 11th and now this!” She cuddled up to her boyfriend in her sadness of the events of their world these days.

“Thank God you weren’t hurt, Sis!” stated Jim passionately.

“Yes, I’m okay.” Honey assured quietly but with a tremor in her voice. “It’s still very scary, though. We had been in that subway only fifteen minutes before the bomb went off.”

Brian held his woman tighter. Trixie quietly informed Honey that she understood how scary that was for her.

Honey put on a brave smile and stated succinctly, “Yes, I’m safe and I’m back with all of you; that’s the most important thing. But, I want to know what ‘s going on here.”

Trixie and Jim both looked upon each with surprise and some fear at the chance to describe what had truly happened the night before.

Brian looked at his sister for a moment and then agreed quietly. “Sure, Trix, go ahead and get dressed; we’re not going anywhere.”

“WHAT?” exclaimed Brian at the idea of Jim and Trixie going into the bathroom to get dressed together.

“Let them,” stated Mart firmly from across the room, challenging his big brother. They looked at each other for a moment before Brian nodded his silent agreement. Jim and Trixie looked at the others for a moment before looking back to each other and quickly moving behind the closed door of the bathroom for a moment of peace.

Immediately, Trixie threw herself against Jim’s solid frame and he enveloped her body in his strong, long arms.

“Oh my goodness, Jim, what a nightmare!” Trixie groaned into his muscled chest.

“Well, I guess we don’t have to worry about how to break the news that we are together to the group,” chuckled Jim softly, somewhat dubiously.

Trixie laughed with him softly. “And I was worrying about that.”

Trixie kissed him softly and cuddled again into his frame. “I’m pretty shook up at hearing about Honey’s experience in Spain! I haven’t been connected to any news for a few days.”

They held each other for a long moment before Jim slightly pulled away from her. “We better get moving, hon, or we may have a riot on our hands again,” he said with a soft smile.

“Trix, let me get dressed out there and I’ll let you have a minute in here to get dressed and catch your breath, okay?” he asked her gently.

Trixie smiled gratefully at him and hugged him tightly. “Thank you for understanding me so well, Jim; I love you,” she exclaimed passionately.

Jim held her tight to himself one more time and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “I love you too, baby.” He smacked her playfully on the rump. “Now get thee dressed, woman!” He laughed and moved over to the door, grabbing his clothes as he went.

Trixie was still laughing as Jim closed the door behind him and faced all of the Bobwhites again. They immediately noticed that he had not finished dressing and that he was alone.

“Trixie’s going to get dressed and join us in a minute,” he stated quietly. The Bobwhites nodded quietly, respecting Jim for being honorable. They spoke quietly amongst themselves while Jim completed getting dressed, not speaking to any of them.

A minute later, Trixie emerged from the bathroom’s interior and moved to Jim’s side. He wrapped a supportive and protective arm around her as they gazed at their friends and family together.

Honey, being gentle and understanding as always tried to help her best friend. “Trixie, are you ready to tell us what happened?” she asked quietly from across the room.

Trixie looked up into Jim’s bright green eyes for a moment, further collecting her strength and then nodded succinctly.

All of the Bobwhites sat down, as if to prepare themselves for what they were about to hear. Di, Mart, and Dan sat on the girls’ beds, while Honey and Brian sat together in a large arm chair in the corner. Trixie and Jim sat together on the floor, Trixie easily fitting within the curve of Jim’s body, with his arms loosely wrapped about her.

“Two major things happened to me last night,” Trixie started in a quiet and solemn tone, “one very good and one very bad.”

The other Bobwhites were very attentive to what she was saying and no one dared interrupt her now that she had started to explain.

Trixie looked at Brian defiantly. “Jim was the very good part of the night. He came to me when I was scared and traumatized and he helped me with his love to get over what had happened.”

“What did happen, Trixie?” asked her almost-twin quietly.

Trixie took a deep breath before telling her tale. “Last night, about ten o’clock, I was walking back to my dorm from the library. Suddenly a man jumped out of the bushes and attacked me.”

“Oh my goodness, Trixie, are you okay?” exclaimed Honey.

Trixie held up her hand to indicate that she wanted to complete her tale without interruption. “Yes, I’m okay,” she spoke softly with fine tremors conveying the raw emotions evoked from recalling the events of the night before. “I was more scared than anything. The man did try to assault me. He managed to pull me into the bushes where he held a knife on me and tried to rip at my clothes.”

“Oh, Trixie, how awful!” exclaimed Di from across the room.

“Campus Security called the police and a cop took me to the station. I was there for a few hours alone being questioned and checked out for any medical harm. They did find the guy and arrest him while I was still in the police station. He came in and I was able to positively identify him.”

“That was fast work, Trixie,” stated Dan, “I’m sure your detective skills enabled them to be able to apprehend him so quickly.

“I’m just glad they got him,” Trixie’s voice trembled again. “The police officers told me that this man was wanted for at least five rapes on New York City college campuses since October. If I hadn’t been trained to defend myself, I could have been his next victim.”

“Trixie, you never told me that!” spoke Jim harshly and tightened his arms around her torso.

Everyone sat in shocked silence for a moment. Then, Brian asked, “Where’s Jim come in, in all of this?”

“Once I got back to the dorm, I really broke down,” explained Trixie bravely. “Honey was in Spain and I was all by myself. All I could think of were the events of the night, that man’s hands on me. I called you and Jim as I didn’t want to be alone. Jim answered the phone and came over to be with me.”

“I’m sorry for not leaving you a note, Brian,” started Jim softly. “Trixie sounded so traumatized on the phone that I didn’t even think to leave one before rushing out of there.”

“I understand, Jim.” Brian was letting his best friend now that he was sorry, too, for his own actions.

Mart, being himself, couldn’t help asking the unasked question. “So what happened once Jim got here?”

“Whoo-hoo!” exclaimed Dan.

“It’s about time!” admonished Brian joyfully.

“It only took them 9 years to get to this point!” added Mart in teasing fashion.

“Congratulations, Trixie and Jim!” exclaimed Honey joyously, so glad that her best friend and her big brother were finally an honest couple in love.

“I’m so happy for you, Trixie!” stated Di over the others.

Trixie and Jim laughed in surprise. They did not expect their news to be so well received by their friends and family.

Trixie smiled impishly at the group. “Yes, Jim and I love each other.”

“Tell us something we didn’t already know!” snorted Mart and the others laughed.

“And as for any other events that occurred last night,” Jim stated firmly, “that is between Trixie and I.”

The room fell silent again but no one wanted to challenge that statement.

Dan, realizing the awkwardness of the moment, coughed sharply to break the tension. “Well, now that we know that everyone is okay, why don’t we enjoy that breakfast Mart and Di promised me?”

Trixie, not wanting to let a mystery get away from her asked, “Yeah, what are you two doing in New York anyway?”

Di giggled at the question. “We came back to the City to work on wedding plans with my mom and we wanted to surprise you all. We had contacted Dan last night to make sure that he had some time off to see us. When we found out that he would only be off for a short time early today, we suggested to him that we all get together for brunch at the Blue Dorn Diner.”

“And now that Honey is back from Spain, sadly but thankfully, the whole gang can go to brunch together,” said Brian happily, cuddling his girlfriend close to him.

“Oh, how perfectly perfect!” exclaimed Honey in glee.

Di picked up on how Jim and Trixie needed some alone time together and suggested that they all get moving and leave the duo alone. Honey opted to put her belongings away later so that she could spend some much-needed catch-up time with her man. Everyone hugged Honey and Trixie before the party left as one big, noisy group.

Suddenly Trixie and Jim were alone in an empty and silent dorm room. They faced each other nervously across the confining space.

The Final Chapter

Jim knew his Trixie-girl and he could tell by the way her teeth were lightly biting her lip and the way she avoided making eye contact with him that she was very nervous with the status of their new relationship. Jim lightly cupped Trixie's pretty face in the palm of his right hand to guide her chin up to look him directly in the eye.

"Trix," he started quietly and softly kissed the tip of her nose, "I am very glad that we have been honest with each other and that we are officially in love with each other…"

"I am too, Jim," Trixie interrupted him quietly, but with some hesitation.

"But I was wondering if…?"

"Wondering what, Jim?" Her heart was beating double time in her chest in fear and anticipation.

"Would you go out with me tonight?"

"Go out with you?" Trixie asked in surprise. "You mean as in a date?"

He kissed her lips quickly and chuckled against their softness. "Of course, silly! I'd like to take my best girl out on the town."

"Change that to your only girl and you've got yourself a deal!" Trixie teased him with some sass.

Jim enveloped her tightly in his arms and murmured into her hair, "You know you’re my only girl, Trixie, you've always been the only girl in my heart."

The couple shared a sweet, long kiss before Jim picked up his jacket and, with a wink, leaves her dorm room.

~ * ~

Just a few minutes short of 7:00 P.M., the time Jim had earlier called and asked Trixie to be ready for their date, Trixie takes one last look at her happily frazzled image in the mirror. She isn't sure what this night will bring, but there were ten years of built-up butterflies flitting around in her belly at the idea of finally having a date with the man of her dreams. Her one true love.

Hearing a rap at the door, Trixie smiled nervously at her image before going to the door to let Jim inside. But Jim is not the man standing before her. Instead, a dapper older gentleman in an old-fashioned tux with accompanying jaunty top hot stands before her.

"Ms. Belden, your chariot awaits!" he declared gallantly with a slight bow and a twinkle in his eye.

"I'm sorry, there must be some mistake," Trixie started, confused, "Do I know you?"

The jaunty fellow produced a beautiful orchid from behind his back and Trixie knows that Jim was most definitely up to something. "If you'd kindly follow me, Miss?" he asked in a warm but respectful tone.

"Al right, just let me get my purse quick," she stated quietly and moved away from the door, her mind soaring with unanswered by very happy questions.

Trixie follows the older gentleman outside of the dorm room to a nearby side street where an old-fashioned horse and buggy stood. Trixie oohed with surprise and merriment at the sight.

"Ms. Belden, my name is Stanley and this delightful dame is Foxy, " the gentleman explained as he indicated his beautiful speckled mare that was hooked up to the buggy. "We have a list of instructions to follow tonight that should provide a very memorable evening for a young lass like yourself."

Trixie gently shook the man's hand and pet the horses back as a way of introduction. "It is truly wonderful to meet you, Stanley, as well as your beautiful friend here," she said sincerely yet confused as to what the night ahead was going to be like.

"If you take my hand, miss, I'll get you up in the buggy and we can be on our way."

Trixie allows Stanley to graciously guide her up and into the carriage and, once she is settled, he signals to Foxy to start trotting along the streets of New York City.

After a few moments of enjoying the experience, Trixie's natural curiosity gets the best of her and she has to ask, "Where exactly are we going, Stanley?"

Stanley looked back over his shoulder and with mirth filling his voice and delight twinkling in his eyes, he informed her that he had been sworn to secrecy concerning the night's plans. "And I've been warned that you are quite the mastermind in getting information out of people," he continued, "but you will not be learning any news from me, missy!" His chuckle belied the severity of his statement.

"Oh, you have heard of my reputation, huh?" Trixie teased.

"Most definitely, miss. So why don't you just enjoy the ride and you'll be learning of the evening's events soon enough." With a secretive wink, Stanley turned his eyes back to the road before him and Trixie laughed softly to herself, trying to figure out Jim's plans for the evening.

About 20 minutes later, Stanley calls Foxy to halt gently.

"We be at the first part of our journey, miss," Stanley informed from the front and moved down from his perch to the ground. Trixie had been mesmerized by the lull of the buggy and the beautiful sites of New York City at night, that she had not been paying attention as to where exactly in the City they were. Now, she looked about her with some confusion, recognizing the location. As her eyes scanned the buildings before her, she noticed a young, pretty woman standing with an expectant smile nearby in front of the entrance to Saks 5th Avenue.

At making contact with Trixie, the young woman came forward. "Ms. Belden, I pressume?" she asked in a soft but rich voice.

Trixie was very confused now. "Uh, yes…I'm Trixie Belden."

"Great, we have been waiting for you!"

"You have?" Trixie asked incredulously.

"Most certainly," the woman laughed softly and extended her hand up to the carriage seat. "My name is Tawny and I will be your personal assistant this evening."

"Personal assistant? I don't understand!" Trixie was stupefied by the evening's events, but she shook the woman's hand gently.

"All will be evident soon enough, Ms. Belden," assured Tawny.

Stanley moved to the side of the carriage. "This is our first stop, Ms. Belden, and we are on a tight schedule…so if you would just follow Tawny there, she will have you all set up in a jiffy and Foxy and I will be waiting for ya when you return," he said warmly but with fatherly direction. He gently helped Trixie down from the seat and patted her hand reassuringly before letting it go. "Just enjoy yourself, miss," he stated quietly.

Trixie realized that she was not going to understand the night's planned events until she experienced them, so with a brave smile, she followed Tawny within the confines of Saks 5th Avenue.

Inside, Trixie was given the royal treatment. Tawny guided Trixie to a swanky salon within the store and introduces her to a female beautition and to a male hair sylist. Together, the attractive duo set to work on Trixie's appearance. Roman, the hair stylist, sets to washing and trimming Trixie's hair while Catrina, the beautition, begins giving Trixie a manicure and a pedicure. Later, while Trixie's hair is in a fluffy turban about her head, Catrina gives Trixie a facial that leaves her skin looking radiant and flawless. Roman, immediately steps in once the facial is complete to dry and style Trixie's golden, curly locks. Lastly, Catrina applied a light smattering of mak-up to Trixie's features. Together, the dogged duo finally stepped back to look at Trixie's new appearance with pride and glee. Finally, Trixie is allowed to see her own reflection.

Trixie gasped in shock and amazement at the image looking back at her. Roman had turned her unruly, long locks into a beautiful up-do with a few spiraled tendrils cascading down about her face and at the nape of her neck. The soft and subtle mak-up that Catrina had applied made Trixie's blue eyes pop beautifully within her face and the light lip gloss made her lips look young but sexy.

"I can't believe that is really me!" murmured Trixie.

"You are one sexy mama, senorita!" teased Roman but, looking at her own image, Trixie couldn't deny his words.

"You are truly beautiful, Ms. Belden," stated Catrina sincerely by his side.

Trixie jumped up and spontaneously hugged each one in kind.

"Thank you so much, both of you!" she exclaimed passionately, "You have no idea what this night means to me. It's been ten years in coming."

"Ten years?" asked Catrina, incredulously.

"Well, you are going to knock his socks off!" quipped Roman. Noticing the orchid that Trixie still held in her hand, he asked her what she would like to do with the flower.

Trixie then turned back and looked at her reflection quizzically. "Could you somehow put it in my hair?" she asked, unsure of herself.

"Ouí, cheré, " assured Roman as he took the orchid from her hand gently.

Roman was just finishing securing the orchid at a pretty angle at the side of her up-do when Tawny returned to the salon.

"Oh, you look magnificent!" she exclaimed in awe.

Trixie smiled at Tawny from her vantage point in the mirror, then she spotted something over Tawny's arm.

"What's that you are holding?" she asked, suspecting the answer but not wanting to be disappointed.

Tawny came over to her side and smiled at Trixie. "This is your gown, Ms. Belden," she stated, "Your handsome young man was here earlier, paid for all of your services and selected this gown and this pair of shoes especially for you."

"Ooh, a real Prince Charming!" cooed Catrina, romantically.

Trixie got up and took the long, dark blue gown with silver sparkles from Tawny and held it up to her body. Looking at her reflection, she laughed nervously. "He is charming, but I'm starting to feel like Cinderalla!" she claimed.

Fifteen minutes, later, the gorgeous long gown and dainty shoes were on Trixie's figure and she knew that she could not have picked out a better gown for herself. Jim knew that she did not care for fru-fru sleeves or plunging necklines and the sleeveless, spaghetti-strapped gown gently teased at her cleavage but left much to the imagination. With one last look at her completely transformed appearance and a deep breath, Trixie stepped out of the private dressing room and allowed Tawny to lead her outside to join Stanley again. Stanley complimented Trixie on how wonderful she looked when she appeared before him and she thanked him, beaming. After last hugs and grateful thanks to Roman, Tawny, and Catrina, Trixie was back on her perch and Foxy was leading her off to some unknown experience.

Knowing that asking Stanley where they were headed would be useless, Trixie leaned back in her seat and simply enjoyed the fantasy that this night had become. She could not wait to see the man she loved again. She was nervous concerning how Jim would view her transformation.

About fifteen minutes later, Stanley turned off the main road into an entrance of Central Park. Trixie would normally have been leery to be inside Central Park at this time of day, but she trusted Stanley and knew that he was leading her to her love. Soon, they came upon a small area of the Park that was secluded and lit up with hundreds of white hanging lights. In the center of the lights was a small table set up with candlelight and a waiter waiting on hand nearby.

Suddenly, Stanley whistled for Foxy to stop and Trixie was transfixed by the beauty before her. Her face filled with a brilliant smile when Jim appeared from behind a tree, dapper and dangerously attractive in a tuxedo. Awed by seeing his love again, and the beautiful sight she is, Jim silently takes Trixie's hand to guide her down from the carriage. Then, nodding his head to the beaming driver, Stanley immediately leads Foxy off and away from their special, enchanted place. Looking down upon his beloved, Jim kisses Trixie's hand and holds it against his heart for a long moment, mesmerized.

Trixie's eyes brimmed with happy tears. "Jim, this is so amazing!" she started tremulously, "but you certainly didn't have to do anything like this!…"

Jim lightly placed a finger over her lips to shush her. "Trixie, what is the use of having tons of money, if you never use it for the good things in life?" he asked with much tenderness and love. "I just wanted you to see yourself as the beautiful and amazing woman that I love and know you to be."

"Oh, Jim!" Trixie exclaimed and threw her arms about him in a tight hug. It felt so awesome to be touching the man she loved, to be held so tightly in his arms!

Pulling away slightly, they share a soft kiss before Jim guides Trixie to a seat at the candlelit table. They sit down and, shortly thereafter, the waiter appears out of nowhere with two plates of delicious food. Quietly, and with much appreciation of spending a night of their life in such a magnificent manner, Trixie and Jim eat a lovely dinner together under the moonlight and in the glow of the white lights and candlelight.

After the dinner dishes are whisked away to some secret spot behind the bushes, a smart-dressed man with a saxophone magically appears. He starts playing a sexy and sultry tune that adds to the magic in the air. Smiling affectionately at his love, Jim takes Trixie's hand across the table and asks her to dance. Completely under his spell, Trixie agrees and they get up and dance slowly and closely to the romantic and vibrant melody of the saxophone.

After a while, Trixie looks up at Jim, again with happy tears in her eyes. "Jim, this is so amazing. I can't believe you did all this for me!"

Jim's heart shone in his eyes as he caressed her cheek with the palm of his hand. "Trixie, I wanted you to know that I really love you, that I value you for all of the person that you are." He started to explain as his thumb lightly caressed her lips. "You are an amazing woman that takes my breath away, yet you are strong, independent and goal-driven. I love all those things about you! You are a wonderful person with a great heart for others."

They stopped dancing and Trixie moved to hug Jim tightly. No words could describe the amazing love that she felt inside her being, so she remained silent.

Holding her even tighter within his arms, Jim continued, "I've waited so long to be able to hold you whenever I want, to tell you I love you instead of holding it inside." He moved her slightly away from him so that he could look directly into her eyes. "Trixie, I don't want our relationship to step back into what it was for ten years, but I realize that last night made our relationship very serious all of a sudden."

For a moment, he simply looked down into her questioning eyes and caressed her lip again with his thumb. "Trixie-baby, I don't think either of us is ready for that huge of a change," he started gently but passionately. "I want to woo you and love you and grow together with you in our romantic bond. I value you too much to consider that our relationship will remain as physical as it was last night."

Trixie started to interrupt him, but he stopped her with his finger again. With a soft smile, he continued, "Oh, I realize that last night was very special for both of us, but I want the next time to be a moment when we are only doing that act out of love, no other negative connotations involved. I want to wait until we are both ready to truly make love to each other."

Trixie could not believe that Jim felt the exact same way as herself!

Caressing her face with both hands, Jim continued his tangent of love. Trixie was afraid to stop him, so beautiful and wondrous were the things that he was saying.

"Trix, I have waited years to be able to hold you, to caress your beautiful face and kiss those sweet lips, to learn your body slowly as you learn mine," Jim stated earnestly. "I don't want to miss all of those sweet experiences of being together, exploring each other and becoming truly comfortable with each other's bodies. We have a lot of time to make up for…and I don't think we should try to make up for all of it in one night. I'm not going anywhere. And you can take all the time in the world until we are both ready to make love again, ok?" He smiled lovingly to reassure her and glad that he had finally said all that needed to be said.

Trixie felt as if her heart were flowing over with her love and admiration for Jim. "Oh, Jim, you are so incredible!" she exclaimed whole-heartedly. "You know me so well and could tell I wasn't really comfortable with us being intimate again so soon, though I do love you with all my heart. You are my wonderful man and I want to take our time getting to the point that we are both ready to make love again." She threw her arms around him gratefully and held him tightly to her. "Thank you so much for understanding me!"

They stood there in companionable silence for a moment, moving slightly together to the soft music of the saxophone, and simply enjoying the feel of the other's endearing presence. When the saxophonist completed the song, Trixie drew back from Jim slightly and asked him in an insecure tone, "Where do we start then, Jim?"

Jim automatically caressed her face with his hand and smiled gently down upon the radiant face of the woman he loved. "Like we are doing now," he explained, "dating, holding hands, dancing close and just letting things move as slow as they need to. I do have one question, though."

Trixie's heart began to do the conga within her breast at the look in his eye. "What's that?" she asked breathlessly.

Jim's thumb was absent-mindedly caressing her bottom lip again. "Well," Jim's voice was gruff now, "with you standing in this light, looking so completely beautiful, the only thing I can think of is how much I would like to kiss you now!"

Trixie laughed softly in delight at his words and his wooing. "Oh, by all means…" she said softly and raises up on tip-toe to reach his lips.

Jim leans down and his lips gently caress hers for a long moment. They eventually pull apart and look at each other with a dazed but loving smile. The saxophonist shares a smile with the waiter standing nearby before starting a new romantic tune. Automatically, the young lovers move tightly together again to share the night, the song, and their love.

THE END.

Website encompassing the passions and experiences of Sydni Grauberger