“Sweetie, put down the blueberry pop tarts. They’re out of the frosted brown sugar ones, and you know you won’t eat any other kind, and we’ll just end up giving them to Miss Kitty,” Tara said, as she gently took the box away from Willow.
Willow, although with a hint of a pout, looked remorseful. “I know, and she’ll be worse than when she got into the bag of catnip. I’m fully aware…but, I want pop tarts. And I could get used to blueberry? Right?”
Tara smiled indulgently and said, “Sure, you could, sweetie.” Turning and pushing the cart forward, sans box of blueberry pop tarts.
Willow glanced at the row of boxes and mumbled, “Just because I’ve tried all the flavors more than once doesn’t mean that my mouth and tummy won’t decide today’s the day to like one.”
Tara grinned, as she continued down the aisle.
#####
“Tara, you know you can’t have apple butter. Get the apricot jam. No! Put down the apple butter!” Willow’s resolve face showed itself, and she put her hands on her hips for good measure.
Tara’s bottom lip quivered for a few seconds, before a mischievous gleam appeared in her eye. “Okay. I’m putting it back now. Right away.” As she started to put the jar back on the shelf, she leaned in and kissed Willow hard.
Willow frowned, and very much wanted to back away, cross her arms, and stomp her foot, but the feel of Tara’s lips so sure against hers caused her to acquiesce.
Tara broke the kiss and leaned back, looking up at Willow from beneath her lashes, and in an impish gesture, bit her lip.
Opening her mouth to speak, Willow instead licked her lips. “You are such a cheater.”
Tara smirked and wriggled her eyebrows. Leaning forward again, she rubbed her nose against Willow’s.
Willow never saw a lithe arm put the apple butter back on the shelf.
#####
Willow snickered. “Look it’s cheese. We need cheese. Which one?”
Tara gazed at the dark yellow, yellow, and pale yellow of the cheeses on the cold shelves. “Monterey Jack?”
Willow narrowed her eyes in thought. “Good idea. Ooooh!”
Tara quickly turned her head to Willow, who was squealing beside her. Giving a questioning smile, Tara asked, “What?”
“String cheese! I haven’t had string cheese in forever!” Willow grabbed several packets of the tasty mozzarella cheese, which could be pulled apart strand by strand.
Willow gave Tara’s shoulders a squeeze, as she put the cheese in the cart. Tara began pushing the cart forward. She got a pleasant surprise when words that she had heard several times before, but relished to hear nonetheless, came out of her lover’s mouth, “I love you.”
Tara smiled. “I-I love you, too.” Willow had first said those words two weeks ago. Even though Tara was getting used to hearing them, they still made her stomach do flip-flops. Giving a gentle squeeze to Willow's hand, they continued their shopping.
#####
After picking up a box of pancake mix, setting it in the cart and marking it off the list, Willow saw what was next and giggled. "We have to get lettuce again, you think we'll get lost on the way to the produce section like last time?" Sharing a smile with Tara, as they both recalled the produce section that mysteriously moved with every visit.
"Didn't the owner, um, Troy, I think his name was, say when we were here last that that was definitely the last time they were going to change its position?" Tara asked, heading in the direction she thought the produce was in.
Willow nodded. "Yep, and he promised he'd send us a postcard if it was moved again for any future restructuring."
The produce section was indeed in the same corner of the store as it was the previous visit.
Grabbing the lettuce and setting it in the cart, Tara grabbed a bunch of seedless red grapes, and whispered into Willow's ear.
Willow's eyes grew wide, and she pinched Tara's arm. Giggling, she said, "I'll hold you to that, don't think I won't."
Tara wriggled her eyebrows as they made their way to the cashier.
#####
After at last having checked out and piled the groceries in the car, Tara kissed Willow's cheek, and said, "I…” She gazed into Willow’s eyes, and brought her hand to cup Willow’s cheek. “I love grocery shopping.” Kissing Willow before she could protest, Tara slipped her tongue in between in her lover’s lips.
They broke away a short time later, both looking and feeling loved and cherished.
Willow started the car, and said, “I love grocery shopping, too.”
The End.