Liz surreptitiously peered over the book she was reading to watch the little blonde on the floor. She rarely got the opportunity to just sit and admire Jade because the woman hardly ever stopped moving. If she wasn't bustling about the house to do something for the children or her mistress, she was busy at some other small task. Liz slowly lowered the book to her lap and felt the tension in her neck and shoulders fall away as she watched her girl measure and mark different pieces of glass.
Jade was so focused on the pattern and multiple panes of glass surrounding her that she never noticed her mistress putting down the book she'd been reading and reaching for the camera. Lost in her own little world of color, light, texture and a vision, Jade traced and scored each piece of glass to suit the pattern she'd designed. Soft scraping and clinking sounds competed with her gentle humming and the current song on the radio while the overhead fan blew wisps of her golden blonde hair back and forth along her forehead.
Liz raised her favorite camera to her right eye and zeroed in on the unsuspecting woman's face. Photographing was so second nature that her hands automatically adjusted the aperture and focus of the lens, but where Liz's trigger finger would have normally gone ahead and snapped the photo, there was hesitation. She had been enamored with the smaller woman's profile from the very first picture she'd seen of it, but the love and admiration that swept through her now was a bit startling in that its strength hadn't diminished at all over time.
She couldn't be sure how long she sat there, her lens trained on the object of her desire, as her artistic eye settled on pale pink lips before jumping to the straight line of an angular jaw. Liz scanned every line, angle, curve and dimple in her lover's face with surgical precision before centering her viewfinder on a pale freckle and snapping the photo. The noise of the shutter brought her subject's head swinging around with interest and she skillfully wound the film to the next frame and captured the playful smirk, complete with squinting eyes, when Jade realized what she was doing.
"I thought you were reading," the blonde protested with a smile and raised her hand up in front of her face to block any more photos.
"I was. Move your hand, blondie," Liz replied in a no-nonsense tone of voice.
"Liz, I look like hell and you know I hate having my picture taken."
"It wasn't a request, Jade, and you know I hate repeating myself," Liz said evenly, never taking the camera away from her eye.
She watched with interest as the smaller woman's posture and body language changed immediately. She tightened her index finger on the trigger and held there, just short of activating the shutter as she waited for the shot she wanted. Through the viewfinder she watched the blonde's hand move down from her face to rest in her lap as her head bowed just slightly, her gaze falling at Liz's feet.
"That's better," Liz began and readied herself before continuing. "Good girl," she finished, pressing the trigger in the exact moment an indescribable look of peace, belonging and happiness graced the little woman's face. It still amazed her that those two words produced such a reaction in her lover, but the look on Jade's face was an outward expression of the deep understanding, trust and intimacy they shared.
Liz could have finished the roll on her right then, but placed the camera back on the end table and resumed reading her book. She'd gotten what she wanted with the three pictures she took, in addition to setting the tone for the evening. Though her eyes never left the page her book was opened to, she was acutely aware of the blonde on the floor. Jade remained where she was for almost two full minutes before slowly and wordlessly returning to her stained glass.
The brunette waited until the soft scraping noise of scoring glass began again before peering over the book at her little woman. She'd been waiting for an opportunity like tonight for a long time. Their work schedules rarely allowed them the same days off, but the most prominent limitation on ecstatic intimacy was their children. Tonight, however, was the first of a three day weekend where they were both off work and the children were away.
Liz pretended to read for another half hour before closing her book and setting it next to her camera on the table. Jade noticed this and turned to see the brunette light a cigarette, inhale deeply and exhale as their gaze met through the quickly dissipating white cloud. Liz held the gaze for several long seconds before taking another lazy drag on her cigarette.
"Continue," she said simply and watched the little blonde nod as she returned to her project.
Liz delighted in watching her girl work and the tension in Jade's body was evident through her actions, as once fluid movements became stiffer and more mechanical in nature. The mood shifted by the second and she smoked in a relaxed fashion as the blonde did her best to maintain her focus on the project, obviously fighting the urge to speak out or look up. Letting the anticipation build, Liz sat motionless and continued watching for several more minutes.
"Enough," she finally said and watched as the blonde froze momentarily before resting her tools on the floor and placing her hands in her lap. "Come to me, Jade."
The smaller woman moved to stand but was quickly rebuffed by the brunette.
"I don't recall telling you to rise, girl."
Jade resumed her position on her knees and made her way to the brunette's feet, eyes downcast, a placid look on her face as she settled back on her heels and waited. Liz sat up in her chair and looked down on the kneeling woman for a moment before leaning forward, her face stopping mere inches away from Jade's forehead.
"Up," the brunette commanded and the blonde rose to her knees.