The Awards Show Ch. 09

The next morning proved to be more of the same. Rhett and Jet were making love before they even left her bedroom, and then again after a short breakfast of cold pizza. They couldn't seem to get enough of each other. It seemed no matter what tame activity they talked about doing or attempted to do; it just led to another place in her house where they could explore each other's bodies.

All talking had been thrown out the window by the time they were back in the shower in the early evening. At that point, they were more than comfortable with each. Jet felt like they had been together forever. She felt so close to him, although, something in her knew it was just a physical closeness. Granted, she loved being physically close to Rhett, but she wasn't sure what would happen if they actually had to sit and talk.

"As much as I hate to say this Rhett, I think it's time you go home." Jet rubbed his hand as it lay wrapped around her naked stomach. They were on her bed once again, wrapped up together after another round of sex. Her skin was tingling everywhere, but it hadn't stopped her from noticing the time.

"Do you want to come with me?"

"I want to, but I actually have to catch a flight at 9. I have some meetings in San Francisco tomorrow and I'm staying with my friend Tierney tonight. She lives in San Francisco now."

"Seriously? Man, I was hoping to go for a 24 hour record." He laughed and Jet sat up with him following.

"You are insatiable." She leaned in kissing him. Rhett's hands immediately went to the sides of her face deepening the kiss and making Jet's body tingle all over again.

"Do you have a few more minutes?" He questioned and his hand moved into her hair.

Jet sighed in frustration, pulling back from him. "Unfortunately no big man, although, I wish I did. You make me crazy Rhett." She forced herself to stand and grabbed a pair of shorts that had been carelessly tossed onto her floor pulling them on with a t-shirt she found underneath.

"Fine. Will you call me when you land though? I want to make sure you get there safe." He stood up and started to search around the room.

"Definitely, I guess we have to find your clothes huh?" She laughed at him and they both started searching for Rhett's clothes.

Once he was dressed and ready to go, Jet kissed him goodbye at her door. The last day had been a whirlwind and she was kind of happy to have a break from his intensity. It was hard to say goodbye though. There was something about Rhett that made her feel at home.

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Jet had a great time in San Francisco, and after talking with Tierney she felt at peace with herself. Tierney was always a great friend. She had known her for years since they lived in New York together. Although, now she was in a steady relationship and working way too many hours, so it was harder and harder to catch up. This trip was the first time they had physically seen each other in almost eight months and it was exactly what Jet needed to help her sort things out.

By the time she returned, Jet was ready to at least start slowly with Rhett. Their weekend together had been amazing, but she couldn't be that intense that fast, especially since she was trying to still sort out her feelings with Jane and still getting past Mitchell. So, she was ready for something, but not for anything too intense.

When she reached her house on Monday morning, that all changed, though. Jane was sitting outside her door with a smile on her face. Jet felt her stomach fall and she knew that she wasn't certain about anything because with one look at the young woman's smile, she felt a spark that she thought was gone.

"Hi Jet." Jane stood up.

"Hi. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk."

"How long have you been waiting?"

"Only a few minutes. I still had the reminder about your trip on my phone, so I thought I would meet you here when you got back."

"Oh." Jet remembered then that Jane had merged their calendars.

"Can I come in?" Jane said it softly and Jet nodded, taking out her keys.

"So, you want to talk? Have a seat. I'm just going to toss my bag in my room and I'll be back." Jet did just that and returned to find Jane seated on her couch. She felt a small blush creep into her cheeks as she remembered that she and Rhett had been on that couch not too long ago.

"How are you Jet?"

"I'm okay."

"You look good. Did you have fun with Tierney?"

"I did."

"I'm glad. She always centers you."

"I know I miss her."

"I miss you."

"What?"

"I miss you Jet. I miss my brilliant woman." Jane slid over towards her on the couch and Jet felt the familiar comfort of her hand on her shoulder. Suddenly, her brain was warring it out as to whose hand was more comforting, Rhett's or Jane's. It was all so confusing in her mind.

"I miss you too Jane, but I really hated how you were when you said you wanted a break."

"I know. I was kind of a brat. I'm sorry. Look, I don't want to push today, but I'd like it if we could give things a try again."

Jet's mind screeched to a halt. Jane wanted to give things a try again? Here she had just thought about moving on, and Jane was asking for another try.

"Look Jane, I thought about things a lot while we were apart and I don't know if we should try again."

"Why? I mean we work so well together." Jane's eyes looked so soft and sweet, and Jet just stared at her a moment before gathering her resolve to say what she needed to say.

"Jane, you want to move in with me and you want me to say that I love you, and I'm just not ready. So, if that's what you're here for, then I think our break should be permanent." She teared up a little at the thought. She and Jane had spent real time together. Whether it ended or not with her, they had shared a piece of their lives

"Listen, I know I said I had to have one of those to move forward, but when I thought about it...well I guess I'm okay waiting a little bit if it means I get my gorg girl back."

"Wait a little bit? Jane, I don't know how long it's going to take me to be ready for either, so you can't just say you'll wait a little bit."

"Come on Jet. We're good together. I love you whether you say you love me or not. So, it's just a matter of time before we get more serious somehow. I get you freaked out because I was kind of stupid about it, but I'm sure how I feel."

"I'm going to be freaked out about either of those any time, but after Mitchell I need to be really ready."

"Well, I think I can wait, and I really miss you. Can we at least be together again and do that date night thing you talked about?" Jane was pleading with her and leaning in closer as she spoke.

"I...I don't know Jane." Jet felt her resolve slipping as she leaned in to where Jane was. The woman had beautiful lips and they were heading right for her. In the next moment they met and the kiss was soft and familiar. Jet moaned into it softly as Jane's hands reached to grab her face.

"Come on, let me take you to bed, and you'll remember how good it is with us." Jane had pulled back only an inch to whisper and Jet searched her eyes. Could she really go back to that? Could she give up on anything with Rhett and take Jane back? Less than an hour ago she was certain that she wanted to slowly start dating Rhett, and now Jane was back in the picture and she was so inviting.

Jet tilted her head down and took a deep breath. For once, she was not going to let her body run her. She needed time. She needed to figure out exactly what she wanted and with whom before she made another move.

"Jane. I need to think about it." It was a simple statement, but it was hard as hell to say.

"Come on Jettie; let me show you how much I love you." Jane leaned in and Jet put her hand on the other woman's chest stopping her. She had to be strong now and give herself the space she needed.

"No. I think you should go now, and give me a little more space. I promise I won't take long and I won't leave you hanging. My head is just in a bit of a swirl right now, and I need a little time. Can you give that to me Jane?" She just looked at the other woman, pleading with her eyes.

"Time. Yeah, okay. I'll give you time Jettie. Just know I love you and I'm ready to start whenever you are." Jane stood up and made her way to the door. Jet said a soft goodbye to her and shut it behind her.

When had life become so crazy? Jet wanted to scream and run from everything. She suddenly wished she could start all over again and avoid any decisions, but she knew she couldn't. Instead, she forced herself to unpack in a daze and then threw herself in a shower. Once done, Jet curled up on the bed and took a short nap. She needed to shut everything off for a while.

When she woke, Jet messaged Rhett. If she was going to really take space and time to think about what she truly wanted, then it wasn't fair to not explain that to him. He deserved more than a phone call or a text, though, of that she was certain. Jet decided it was only fair to go see him and explain everything in her head as least as well as she could. She figured he would understand and it might also give her a few minutes to run things past Link.

Rhett was more than happy to have her over to the studio, and soon enough she was on her way there.

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"Rhett, are you in here?" She knocked on the office door, softly opening it.

"Well, hello." He was up in the next instant and pulling her against him for a kiss.

"Mmmm...hang on. Rhett, we have to talk for a second." Jet pushed him backwards and Rhett let go.

"Sorry. I just can't stop thinking about you." He plopped down on the couch and patted the seat next to him.

"I think I'm going to stand. Bad things happen when we try to talk too close together, or on a couch, or a bed, or in the kitchen..."

"Bad things? I think they are very, very good things." Rhett licked his lips and Jet felt her body respond. It was hard to focus when she was near him.

"Listen, I have to stay on track and talk to you about something. Whew! Okay."

"Man, I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"It's okay. I just. Look, when I got home this morning, Jane was there to talk to me."

"Okay."

"You know she and I have a history. We almost lived together for goodness sake. Anyways, she told me that she missed me and she wanted to give it another try. She was different, like she had matured, and she made a lot of sense. I mean we met at a weird time and we've been through some stuff, but we have a connection."

"Whoa, wait, wait...Jet are you thinking about getting back together with her?" Rhett sat forward on the couch, talking with his hands suddenly.

"I don't know. I'm thinking about thinking about things for a little bit before I make any decisions."

"Decisions? I thought when we were together again the decision was made. I mean I thought we were going to give things a try."

"Rhett, we didn't even really talk."

"We talked. I mean we did a lot of not talking, but we talked. I thought you and Jane were done and after I left on Saturday you wanted to give us a try."

"Rhett, I wanted to talk to you about it, but then we just had sex for like 24 hours straight."

"And what's the problem with that?"

"There's no problem with that, but I'm not a twenty something anymore. I need more than sex in a relationship. I need a real connection."

"Oh, and you have that with Jane - the twenty something?" His voice raised and he stood up. Jet felt her heart beat faster. Suddenly, she saw Mitchell in him. He had that same look of irritation on his face.

"Rhett, I don't need to justify this to you. You and I have had a sexual relationship, and it's great. We've even had some casual texting, but Jane and I almost lived together. We shared more than just sex. Is she young? Yes. But, I might want young. I might want to see if there is something really there."

"Haven't you done enough of that? Damnit Jet. I have waited and waited for you to be single. I wanted something with you after we first met. Now, you are single and after I think there's something really happening, you're ready to get back with her?" Rhett was now getting close to yelling at her, and Jet felt fear in her chest. Somewhere she knew that this was not her ex-boyfriend. Rhett was a different man entirely. Yet, she was afraid.

"Forget it. I'm not talking to you like this." Jet opened his office door and made her way down the hallway.

"Hey Jet you remember Stevie." Link stood there with the cute producer and she gave them a nod.

"Yea. I'm sorry Link but I have to go."

"Don't you walk out on me Jet. I need to talk to you." Rhett was loud and he was right behind her as she turned around. Link and Stevie stood only a few feet away, both staring in stunned silence.

"I don't want to talk to you like this Rhett." She tried to be calm, diffuse the situation.

"Well I want to talk to you goddamnit. Now, you don't get to walk in here and tell me all we have is sex. That is a lie and you know it. We have more of a connection than you and Jane ever have."

"Rhett, I'm just asking for some time to think."

"No. NO! I won't let you go home to her and think about how much easier it is to be with someone that is half the man I am."

"Man?" Anger bristled in Jet at the connotation. "Man? Really? You are going to make this an argument about gender? Wow Rhett." Jet was taken aback and any desire to back down was gone. "You're right, she's not even close to the man you are, but she's a thousand percent the woman you are. Ever think that I might be a dyke? Not want a dick at all?" Jet was raising her voice now too.

"FUCK!! YOU ARE SO FRUSTRATING! YOU KNOW I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT! AND AFTER THIS WEEKEND, HOW CAN YOU SAY YOU DON'T WANT A DICK?" Rhett's face grew red and he balled up his fists. Jet saw it, but she didn't care on some level.

"YOU MEANT EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID, AND NOW THE TRUE PRICK THAT YOU ARE COMES OUT. DO YOU WANT ME JUST SO YOU CAN SAY YOU CHANGED A LESBIAN IS THAT IT?" The words left her in a shout and she felt hands behind her.

"Let's dial it down, come on Jet. Let's just take a walk." Link's voice sounded behind her as he grabbed her arm. Jet immediately deflated, taking a deep breath and pulling herself back. She was angry, but there was no reason to take this further.

"I AM NOT A PRICK. I JUST FUCKING LOVE YOU AND I'M WILLING TO FIGHT FOR YOU!" Rhett turned and punched the wall, putting a hole in the drywall. Jet's immediate reaction was to recoil in fear. Mitchell came flooding back to her in that instant.

"Please, please don't..." Tears sprang into her eyes and Jet crumpled to the floor.

"DON'T WHAT?" Rhett approached closer, still dialed up. Link had dropped to the floor and Jet scrambled into him.

"Rhett, go. Leave." Link was even and serious as he spoke.

"What?" Rhett's voice had calmed down to just a bit louder than normal suddenly.

"Just leave. Go in our office. I'll come talk to you in a few minutes." The seriousness in Link's tone must have done something because Jet heard Rhett walking away down the hall.

At this point, Jet looked up to the caring faces of Stevie and Link.

"Are you okay?" Link seemed concerned as he looked at her.

"Yes. Shit. I'm sorry Link."

"No, don't be. I completely understand. Listen, why don't you go outside with Stevie and get some fresh air."

"Wait. Don't go. I'm sorry I got upset." Rhett's voice came through softer this time and Jet looked over at him, knowing she had tears on her face.

"I told you to wait in the office man." Link walked up to him as Stevie helped Jet up.

"I know. I just shouldn't have been like that and I wanted to apologize."

"That's not enough Rhett. You need to leave her alone right now." Link had his hands up, trying to explain.

"Jet, I just want you to know before you leave that I'm in love with you, and I want you to think about that before you make a decision." Rhett looked at her.

"Do you really think I could be with another fucking monster?" She gave him a nasty look as the words came out of her mouth.

"What?" Rhett looked at her in genuine confusion.

"Man, her ex-boyfriend Mitchell hit the wall too, before he hit her." Link sighed the words as he looked at his friend. Rhett's face fell completely and he collapsed down to sit on the floor.

"Fuck." He said the word in complete exasperation. "I...I didn't know. I would never. Jet...I would never." He raised a hand toward her as he shook his head.

Jet recoiled. "I'm going home. Please don't contact me again, ever." Jet walked to the door briskly as Rhett stayed where he was.

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Jet went home that day with a heavy heart and a swimming mind. How did things get even more confusing and what was she going to do now? The world seemed to have gone into complete chaos within the last week. It was all a little too much.

She put Jane off for the next week, telling her she wasn't ready to talk. That gave Jet time to figure her feelings out, at least with respect to Jane. After that week, she invited her over. The woman was aglow when she walked in; it appeared Jane thought she already knew what Jet would say.

"It's so good to see you Jettie." She came over wrapping her up in her arms and Jet returned her hug. It was comforting. Jane's very essence reminded her of an easier time where she was just having fun, but of course, that was part of the problem with Jane.

"It's good to see you too Jane. Thank you for coming over."

"Of course. I told you I wanted to start dating again." They parted and Jet gestured over to her couch.

"I didn't tell you last time, but you look good Jane. Have you been working out?"

"I've been doing Pilates. It's totes relaxing and there are so many hotties in class. You should come with me." Jet laughed at Jane's words and the exuberance that came out of her.

"I might have to."

"You know you didn't tell me what you've been up to while we were apart last time either." Jet's mind immediately went to Rhett. He's what she had been doing. She had been thinking about him, then being with him, and now of course, missing him.

"Um. You first. What have you been up to?" She sat back drinking in Jane's presence and trying to convince herself that what she was about to do was the right decision.

"You know, hanging out. I dated a chick for a few weeks, but I wasn't really feeling it. So, I've been mostly doing the single thing. I party, and I see people here and there, but mostly just being free. Now you."

"Ok, now I don't feel so bad. I saw someone. Otherwise, I've been hanging out, being single too."

"You're probably way better at it than me. I get so lonely. I miss sleeping next to someone and doing silly stuff like cuddling on the couch and stuff."

"I know. I miss that too."

"Does that mean you're ready for us to give things another try? I mean I definitely am. I've missed you Jet. You're so responsible and you like take care of me and everything. Plus, you're hot as hell." Jet blushed a little as she looked at the other woman. Jane was adorable when she wanted to be.

"Is that what you miss about me Jane? That I'm responsible and take care of you?"

"That, and you're hot, and we work, like I said."

"Oh Jane. You have no idea how much I want to take you back to that bedroom and restart everything we had, but I don't know if I can."

"By the way, I thought about it and if you're hesitating to move forward because I was jealous of Rhett, then I'm sorry. I thought about that a lot, and I think I can really get past you guys being friends."

"What happens with the next Rhett though?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the next person that comes along that you think I'm involved with. Are you going to not trust me again?"

"Jet, he wasn't just someone."