For Mordmorgan, because I promised him a Valentine's Day story a very long time ago.

For nearly forty years, on almost any night between September and June, Angelo's Pizza was standing room only. The Saturday before Valentine's Day proved no exception.

Without question, the best pizza in the small college town, it was also one of the most popular gathering places for students in their off hours. Aside from great food and cold refreshments, it was also the home to Angelo's Girls, an attraction that set it apart from would be imitators.

Back when Angelo Farinelli had first moved his little shop to Trinity Point from New York City in the early sixties, Angelo's Girls had been just that, his six daughters. Tall, pretty and statuesque, they had drawn male students to his pizza parlor like moths to a candle. In the years since, girls from both the town and college had replaced his offspring, but the result had remained the same. To many students, having been one of Angelo's Girls ranked higher than Prom Queen.

Of the dozen girls who wore the red shorts and white T-shirts that made up their familiar uniform, few had been as popular as Jenna Walsh. In her last year at the school, the twenty-one- year-old stood five seven and weighted a hundred and twenty-four pounds. Short black hair, recently cut to just above her neck, framed a flawless face. What caught the attention of most of the male patrons, however, was the perfectly proportioned bust that filled out her tight fitting top. An example of nature's handiwork that no Beverly Hills surgeon could ever match.

"Come on, Jenna, give me one reason why you can't come with me to the party at the Delta Gamma house tonight," George Tyler asked as he leaned over the counter, trying not so hard to keep his eyes off nature's handiwork. This year's starting quarterback, George wasn't used to having girls turn him down. "It's not like you're still going out with Brian, not with him five hundred miles away."

Brian Hennisy, who had graduated last year, had been the previous starting quarterback. He and Jenna had been an item all through her junior year, but had ended their relationship when he went back home to Maine.

"If you must know," Jenna said as she handed the customer she'd been waiting on his change, "I already have a date."

"Break it," George said self confidently, "Whoever it's with, I can guarantee that he'd not the man I am."

"I'll give you that," Jenna smiled knowingly, "but I've never broken a date to go out with someone else before and I'm not going to start now."

"You don't know what you're missing," George replied, hoping to change her mind.

"Oh I have a pretty good idea," came her response as she took a twenty-dollar bill and a check from another customer.

The look on George's face told her he wasn't going to go away easy. It was obvious that he viewed going out with her as one of the perks of being starting quarterback. To pick up where Brian left off so to speak. It was going to take more than a simple no to discourage him.

"Hey, George," Chuck Miller, another member of the team called out as he pushed his way through the crowd, "what's holding things up? That pizza is going to be ice cold by the time we get it back to the party."

"The pizza will be fine," George said as his teammate took the spot next to him at the counter. "I'm just trying to get Jenna here to come back with me to the pre-Valentine's Day party when she gets off in ten minutes."

"You're kidding, right?" Chuck said, a look on his face that baffled George.

"No, I'm serious, why," George replied.

"You don't know?"

"Know what?"

Chuck looked at Jenna, getting only a smile in return. It looked like she wasn't going to have to do anything more after all.

Chuck pulled George away from the counter a few feet and began to whisper something into his ear, keeping his voice low enough that only his friend could hear.

Not being too obvious about it, Jenna watched intently, focusing on the reaction on George's face. She couldn't be sure what Chuck was saying, but from the change in expression, the brunette could just about tell when the word "dyke" came into play.

"No fucking way," George exclaimed, loud enough for those around him to hear.

Chuck nodded his head, confirming what he'd just said.

"Shit!" was George's final word before, after glancing back in Jenna's direction for a second, heading for the door and leaving Chuck to manage the ten boxes of pizza on his own.

Jenna gave Chuck a little smile as she helped him tie the boxes into two sets of five. She didn't hold what he had said against him, not when she'd come out publicly at the end of last term. It wasn't either of their fault that not everyone had gotten the word yet. And with those that did, the reactions had been mixed to say the least.

The worse and best reactions, at least those she had been most concerned about, had been right here at Angelo's. Susan Dee, who had came in second to Jenna in just about everything over the last few years, had seen this as her chance to change the playing field. She tried to convince some of the other girls to complain about having to work with Jenna, but few saw it as any of their business. Undeterred, the brunette had gone to Mr. Farinelli himself, sure that the octogenarian would see things her way.

At first, the old man, who still kept control of the business even though his son-in-law ran the day to day operations, said that he was sorry to hear that Susan was unhappy in the way things were at the restaurant. He listened intently as she pointed out that she felt uncomfortable working with that sort of girl, and while she was sure that everyone was entitled to live their life as they wanted, people might eventually think that Angelo's encouraged that kind of lifestyle. And in a town as small as this, that could be very bad for business.

Susan was sure that the day was going to end with Jenna being shown the door. To her dismay Mr. Farinelli's had instead wished her well and promised to write her a glowing letter of recommendation for her next employer. What Susan hadn't counted on was the fact that Maggie Farinelli, his youngest daughter, had come out of the closet a decade before. The product of a much earlier generation, Angelo Farinelli had nevertheless come to grips with whatever homophobia he might have once had long ago.

"And that's it for tonight," Jenna said as she rang up her final customer and logged herself off the register.

"Lucky you," Karen Doyle, Jenna's roommate, said as she took Jenna's place at the counter, "I'm going to be here until closing time."

"I'm sure you'll make up for it tomorrow, " Jenna said as she leaned over and gave Karen a kiss on the cheek.

Out of the corner of her eye, Jenna could see one of the delivery boys watching her. Not the first time, she thought, as if they hoped that one day they'd catch her giving Karen a full one right on the lips. Maybe one of these days she would, just to see their reaction. She was sure Karen would go along with it.

"I hope everyone has a Happy Valentine's Day," Jenna called out to the other workers as she took a long, heavy cloth coat off the rack and began to bundle up.

"Not at happy as you're probably going to have," Karen replied with a wicked smile, in a voice just loud enough for Jenna to hear.

Karen had been the total opposite of Susan when Jenna had let spill that she was now playing for the home team. A friend since their freshman year, Karen saw no reason to change that because of who shared the other side of Jenna's bed. Jenna certainly had never held it against her when guys of less then sterling character shared hers.

Leaving Angelo's behind, Jenna held her coat tight against the cold and caught the bus out to the small first floor apartment she'd moved into when she'd left the college dorm at the beginning of the term. Once she'd decided to come out, living in the dorm didn't seem like too good an idea. Her parents, who were much more understanding than she ever imagined they'd be, were quite willing to shoulder the extra expense. An expense that turned out to less than she first thought it would be after Karen, who had grown tired of the snide comments of some of more conservative elements in the dorm, had jumped at the chance to also live off campus.

Jenna hadn't told George the whole truth when she'd said she had a date this evening. Actually, she was going away for the holiday with the woman who had become over the last few months, the new love in her life.

Her name was Moira Kerrigan, and was perhaps the most unlikely girlfriend any of Jenna's friends might've imagined. Whereas the men the brunette dated, and sometimes bedded, were usually a mix of GQ and Sport's Illustrated, Moira looked like the nerdy girl everyone picked on in high school.

Three inches taller and a year younger, Moira had bright, curly red hair. A trim figure and modest breasts made her appear quite ordinary, at least to those who gave the bookstore clerk only a casual glance. Jenna herself has almost acted the same way when she'd first met the younger girl at a Winter Solstice Celebration while she was home during the holiday break.

Jenna had overheard Moira quote one of her favorite books in explaining a point to someone else and, after that discussion had ended, introduced herself to the redhead. What had originally been intended as just a brief hello and comment that it was nice to see she wasn't the only one who read obscure books, turned into a conversation that didn't end until long after the party. A dialogue that proved instrumental in Jenna's decision to come out.

Jenna had know she was attracted to girls as far back as her thirteenth birthday. Up until her college years, however, that attraction hadn't gone beyond a handful of stolen kisses with a few close girlfriends. Kisses that had more in common with practicing for boys than reciprocating sexual attraction. At sixteen, Jenna had fallen totally and hopelessly in love with her best friend, Judy Morales, only to have her heart broken when her heartfelt outpouring of affection had been rejected. Not only rejected, she would always remember, but ridiculed.

Any feeling she had for other girls found themselves buried away soon after that. Locked away by the desire to fit in and never suffer that pain again. Always surrounded by boys eager to take her out, Jenna had little problem discouraging any suspicions she might once have aroused. In fact, she eventually realized that she might be overcompensating when it got back to her that some people had begun to think of her as a slut. "Slut", however, had to be preferable to "dyke", she tried to tell herself. Especially since, starting with her freshman year, she'd started sneaking off, first to a lesbian bar about fifty miles away, and to then to private gatherings on campus, to meet other women. Some desires, she finally admitted, could only be buried so long.

Meeting Brian Hennisy the year before had been as great a stroke of good fortune as she could've wished for. As hard as it might've been for anyone to imagine any girl with Jenna's much reported reputation with guys to be more interested in girls, it was even more inconceivable that the All State Quarterback was happiest sharing his bed with another man. Yet both were truth. Each covered for the other on a multitude of levels, going so far at times as to double date with their current interests.

Most of the women Jenna had met over the last two years had been fun enough, both in and out of the sack. But all of those relationships had been based on lust, not love. They usually fell into two categories. Women who were already out and couldn't understand why you weren't also, and girls, like herself, who desired the company of other women but weren't about to publicize the fact.

All that ended the night of the Solstice. Five minutes after she first looked into the nineteen-year-old's soft green eyes, and heard her say her name in a soft lyrical voice, Jenna knew her world had changed forever. Two hours later, it was as if she'd known the younger woman all of her life.

Moira had been out since her sixteenth birthday. An event that she liked to say preceded her moving out on her own by less than twenty-four hours. Her parents, it seemed, were hardly as understanding as Jenna's.

Undeterred, Moira had herself declared an emancipated minor by the courts and set out to make a life for herself. An act that caught her parents by surprise since it gave her early access to an inheritance left to her by her grandparents. While not enough to live on indefinitely, it did help her finish high school while she worked part-time. College on a partial scholarship followed and she never looked back.

A line had been crossed and, only a few nights later, Jenna went out with another girl in public for the first time. Not only just in public, but they found themselves at a table in one of the most high profile restaurants in town, surrounded by the pillars of the small community.

Despite the fact that the pastor of her church was sitting only two tables over, having dinner with the ladies auxiliary, Jenna could think of nothing else but wanting to crawl under the table and between Moira's legs. The prospect of spending the rest of the night licking the redhead to orgasm was more appetizing than anything on the menu.

After dinner, while they took a late night stroll along the town square, Jenna let Moira know in as tactful a way as she could, what she'd been thinking during dinner. Moira laughed and said that not too dissimilar thoughts had occurred to her also.

"That's great," Jenna had said with enthusiasm. "I don't think that going back to my house would be too good an idea though. My parents wouldn't be too cool with my having brought a guy back to my room to sleep with him before I told them, so I don't want to test their understanding too much. But there's a nice motel about a mile or so down the road and we can..."

Moira cut her off with a wave of her hand. Then she took Jenna's in her's and smiled. A smile that made the older girl warm all over.

"Baby, as much as I think the idea of getting naked and nasty with you would be high point of my month, if not my year, that's not what I want from you," she said in that musical voice that Jenna loved. "At least not all I want. I want us to get to know each other, to share what we feel. To see if there's something there that could be more than just a tumble in the sheets."

Jenna had never heard words that made her heart beat so fast. Every encounter with a woman she'd had in her life had fallen into what her little brother like to call the 'wham, bam, thank you ma'am' category. Fun, but hardly the stuff of relationships. The thought that love, not lust was possible was more than she dared dream about.

So they had begun to date, seeing each other every weekend and taking it slow. So slow in fact that Jenna had to laugh when she realized that she was being more of a prude at twenty than she had been at fifteen. That was the age she'd given her first blow job to Peter Gordon after they had been going out for only three weeks.

Not that their dates had been purely platonic. Right from the start they'd made out with each other, the thrill of Moira's tongue in her mouth carrying more excitement than Peter's cock ever did. They'd explored each other's bodies with their hands, and eventually brought each other to orgasm with their fingers. But still, they had yet to go what Jenna still thought of as ' all the way.'

Two weeks ago, Moira had gone back home following the death of her mother. Her dad had passed on the year before but when she'd called and asked if it would be okay for her to come home and pay her respects, Moira's mother had made it clear that as far as she was concerned, her oldest daughter might as well be dead herself. It was only at the request of her younger sister, Mary Alice, that she was making the trip back now. To put the past behind her and help settle their parents' estate. Evidently, it was a lot for a newly turned eighteen year old to handle. Before she left, Moira had promised Jenna that she would be back for Valentine's Day no matter what happened.

Checking the clock on the mantle as she stepped inside, Jenna, was glad to see that she still had two hours before Moira would be at her door. After eight hours working at Angelo's, the one thing she wanted more than anything else was a long, hot bath.

One of the things she fell in love with about her apartment, aside from the privacy, was the old clawfoot bathtub in the bathroom. Having had to share a shower with four brothers and sisters, it was an almost sinful indulgence.

Small wisps of steam rose from the bathtub as Jenna carefully added enough cold water to bring the temperature down to a tolerable level. Once she was satisfied that it had been reached, she carefully eased herself into the tub, slightly bending her legs so that she could cover her entire body up to her neck.

The warmth of the water felt great as it penetrated her skin, easing away the hours she had spent on her feet. This was always her favorite part of the day, a time when she could let all of her cares float away.

Reaching for a bar of soap and a washcloth on the shelf, Jenna sat up in the tub and began to wash. The mix of hot water and soap felt good as she rubbed it across her breasts. So good in fact that before she knew it, she was playing with her mounds, squeezing them and rubbing her fingers against her nipples.

"It's a pity this tub isn't larger," Jenna mused as she enjoyed the tiny ripples cascading across her chest, "Moira and I could share it."

Jenna shut her eyes and let the warmth of the water and the pleasing sensations of her touch take her away. In her thoughts, she imagined that the redhead was indeed in the tub with her, their bodies intertwined in such a way as to make room for the two of them.

After washing the rest of her body, Jenna ran the washcloth and soap down her legs, coming to rest at the carefully trimmed mound between them. She washed it gently, the motions of her hand sending a familiar tingle radiating outward. Past experience had taught her to wash this part of her body last because it inevitably led to a more pleasing practice. Today proved no exception.

Letting the soap and washcloth drift free, Jenna slipped two outstretched fingers deep inside herself, sliding them along her sensitive inner skin. The excited touch caused her to moan softly as she brought the rest of her fingers into play. It was a well-practiced routine, one that she knew would quickly bring her to a state of bliss.

Leaning back against the wall of the tub, Jenna again pictured Moira, imagined her naked sharing her bath. In her fantasy it was the pretty redhead's fingers bringing her to orgasm, not her own.

Fantasy or not, it wasn't long before her body began to tremble as the forces she had unleashed began to take hold. The tiny ripples were now powerful waves, crashing against the shoals of her sex. Her mouth opened with a silent cry as every inch of her exploded, the fantasy and reality of the moment interlocked.

As much as she wished it could last, the moment like all others soon passed. Laying in the still warm water, Jenna wondered if reality would surpass the fantasy. Then the clock on the mantle chimed the hour, telling her that if she really wanted to find out, she'd have to get a move on.

Standing up in the tub, Jenna retrieved the soap and washcloth and cleaned once more between her legs. Then she climbed out of the tub, grabbing a large bath towel from the wall bar. As she dried herself in front of the large mirror that hung on the back of the bathroom door, she paused for a moment to take stock of herself.

"Not bad Jenna, not bad at all." the brunette mused to herself. "No wonder every guy on campus wants to get you in his bed."

As she tossed the now damp towel into the hamper, she desperately hoped that Moira would feel the same way.

It took just about all of the time she had left for Jenna to select just the right outfit. After trying on half a dozen, she chided herself for her distraction in the tub. They had agreed on casual dress for their date, but nothing in her closet seemed good enough. Should she wear a dress or pants? What colors were Moira's favorites? Finally, she remembered the answer to the latter and picked up a nice blue dress with white trim that showed off her best assets but was still respectable enough to wear to church. At least if you had an understanding pastor.

Standing in front of the mirror in her bedroom, Jenna turned every which way she could to judge her choice. Eventually she decided it was the right one and opened her jewelry box to find appropriate accessories.

Keeping it simple seemed the way to go so she settled on just a pair of hear shaped gold stud earrings and her nameplate necklace. The latter had been a gift from her father on her sixteenth birthday and she always thought it brought her luck. Finally, with fifteen minutes to spare, Jenna was ready.

The quarter hour seemed to take forever to pass and as she watched the hand on the clock move just past the hour, the added delay seemed unbearable. Jenna actually jumped when she heard the doorbell ring and had to force herself not to race for the door. Counting to ten before getting up from the chair, she realized that she hadn't been this nervous about a date since junior high school.

That attempt at composure lasted as long as it took to open the door and see Moira standing on the top step. In the space of a moment, how much Jenna had missed the other girl came rushing back in a single flash and, oblivious to how cold it was outside, she rushed forward and threw her arms around her. Their lips met and Jenna pulled her even closer, pressing her tongue deep into Moira's mouth, sharing the passions that were keeping her warm.

"Sweetheart, it's not that I don't appreciate the welcome," Moira gasped as their lips parted and she readjusted the glasses Jenna had nearly knocked off her, "but your neighbors..."

"Fuck my neighbors!" Jenna laughed in the moment before she kissed the redhead again.

"Well if you think we have time," Moira laughed when Jenna again came up for air, "but we have dinner reservations for eight and it's almost an hour's drive to where we're going."

The reminder that they were going away together, coupled with the effect of the cold air on her unprotected skin abruptly snapped Jenna back into focus. Despite having come out a few months before, she hadn't exactly hung out a sign on the door that said 'lesbian lives here'. She'd let people know on a come as you may, case by case basis and sort of liked it that way. Better to not let any nosey neighbors see her trying to give Moira an impromptu tonsilectomy.

"It's just that I'm so glad to see you," Jenna gushed as she finally released her hold.

"I'm happy to see you too, babe," Moira replied, "but do you think we could go inside where it's warmer."

Jenna quickly led her inside, closing the door behind them. She impulsively gave Moira one more kiss, this one a bit more circumspect, before giving the redhead a chance to take off her coat.

Once the long winter coat came off, Jenna was greatly surprised to find Moira wearing a dress. It was the first time she had ever seen her in one. It wasn't like her newfound love was butch or anything, it was just that she always seemed to prefer slacks and buttoned up blouses.

"I hope you like it," Moira said as she watched Jenna take stock of her the bright green garment. "I wanted to wear something special tonight."

"It certainly is special," Jenna beamed as she took Moira's hands in hers and pulled her closer for another kiss, "but then so are you."

The kiss was brief, just enough to accent her words. Moira's admonishment about their reservations told her that they'd better get on the road if they were going to make dinner.

Her overnight bag had been carefully packed the night before so it took only another minute to get that and her coat. Moira had donned hers as well and soon enough they were on their way.

"What did you do to the car?" Jenna asked after they'd been driving a few minutes, taking note that the ride was a lot smoother than she'd come to expect from the ten year old Ford.

"Mary Alice's boyfriend is a mechanic," Moira replied as she turned off the country road onto the Interstate. "She said that as long as I insisted on keeping this hunk of junk, her words not mine of course since I think it's a classic, the least she could do was have Roger make sure it was safe to drive."

"It almost feels like it's brand new," Jenna noted, pointing out that the well worn seats had been redone as well.

"I think it practically is, he had it for almost the whole time I was home. He started out just replacing a few parts, then one thing kept leading to another and before I knew it, he'd rebuilt the engine."

"That must've cost a bundle."

"Yes and no," Moira answered. "He wouldn't let me pay as much as a dime. Said it was the least he could do for his future sister-in-law."

"Sounds like a nice guy, Mary Alice is real lucky."

"He is," Moira said, "and she is. Not only is he totally in love with her, he's also hung like a horse."

"What?" Jenna said in genuine shock, not being able to imagine Moira ever making a statement like that.

"Yup, I sort of accidentally walked in on the two of them one morning, not knowing he'd slept over," Moira grinned as she turned her head just enough that Jenna could see her expression. "You know, I was so impressed, I was almost tempted to find out what the fuss was about. Fucking a guy I mean."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Well I did say, almost," she added as her grin turned into a loud laugh.

A laugh that Jenna then joined in as she realized she was being played.

The road beneath them quickly passed as they caught up on what else had happened in each others lives. At least those details that had been left out of their almost nightly cell phone calls. Thank goodness for free late night minutes, both had thought more than once.

Jenna knew better than to ask where exactly they were going, because she knew that Moira was determined not to tell her. Besides, it was more fun to be surprised.

"Well here we are," Moira announced a half-hour later as she turned onto a paved private road.

It was still too dark to see beyond the limit of the car's headlights and Jenna anxiously looked out for sign of their destination. When it finally came into view, it certainly was a surprise.

Sitting on the edge of a small lake was a quaint nineteenth century bed and breakfast. As they pulled into a small parking lot, Jenna noticed that only two spots were still empty.

"It looks like a full house," Jenna said, a bit of concern in her voice.

"Not to worry," Moira said as they slid into one of those spots. "I made reservations over a month ago, and I confirmed them last week."

"A month ago?" Jenna asked in surprise.

"I just had a feeling that things were going to work out for us," Moira smiled, "I hope you don't mind my presumption."

"Hardly," the older woman said happily as she slid up against the redhead and hugged her. "You don't know how happy that makes me feel."

Moira got a small indication as Jenna sought out her mouth and kissed her. The kiss was brief, but filled with promise.

The interior of the Inn matched the outside, causing a guest to almost imagine they had stepped a hundred years into the past. Like someplace her great-great grandmother might have stayed.

Stepping up to the small desk, behind which sat a pretty young brunette, Moira gave her name and a copy of their reservation. While Moira signed the two of them in, Jenna took an interest in an old telephone on the wall, which was Moira later explained, a modern phone designed to look like an antique. It was also, she further explained, the only phone on the premises. There wasn't even cell phone coverage in the area. Walking through the halls and up the staircase to their second floor room, Jenna noted that even the electric lights on the walls were designed to look like nineteenth century gas lamps.

The beauty of all she had seen so far paled, however, when they finally reached their room. It was like something out of a fantasy. A large oversized bed, framed by four tall bedposts and a heavy comforter, dominated the center of the room. The light of a recently risen moon filtered in through large, frost framed windows, beyond which was a beautiful view of the lake. In the corner sat a fireplace, as of yet unlit.

"This is spectacular," Jenna finally said.

"I figured you'd like it," Moira smiled.

"But, baby, this also has to be costing a fortune," Jenna added as her more practical side asserted herself. "I'd be just as happy in some off the road motel, as long as you were there with me."

"I know, sugar," Moira replied as she stepped closer and took each of Jenna's hands in her own. "But you deserve the best. I just want you to enjoy yourself and let me worry about how much it cost."