Marked for Love

by Hannah West

  Noelle hummed noncommittally. Were the books wrong, then? All the romance novels she had read treated sex like it was something special and unique, something that everyone wanted to do right away.

  “Even I’m sleepy,” Sara said, stopping to yawn mid-sentence. She smiled at Noelle, and Noelle smiled back.

  Noelle was the first to get under the covers. “Good,” she said, yawning.

  Sara slid underneath the covers slowly, easing her head onto the pillow. “Sorry.”

  Noelle turned slightly to look at her. “Why sorry?”

  “Still can’t sleep on my side.” Sara smiled slightly, an apology. “The cuddling is inequal.”

  Noelle shrugged, as best as one could while laying down. “I don’t mind.”

  Together they curled up underneath the covers, Noelle curled up against Sara’s side. “I’ll try not to wake you up,” Noelle murmured, her voice groggy with sleep.

  “It’s okay,” Sara said, rubbing a hand up and down Noelle’s back. “I’m good at going back to sleep. All those nights on call.”

  Noelle said something, she didn’t remember what, and fell quickly asleep.

  When Noelle woke to the insistent beeping of her alarm, she briefly contemplated throwing it out the window. She just wanted to curl back up with Sara and go back to sleep. But no, she had to be to work in an hour. Urgh. She kissed Sara briefly on the cheek, and then slowly rolled out from underneath the covers, starting to shiver the moment the cool air touched her skin.

  “Mmrgh,” Sara mumbled, turning and wincing as she did so.

  “Just getting in the shower,” Noelle said, keeping her voice down as low as possible.

  Sara sighed, as if it was a personal offense, and then quieted and apparently went back to sleep.

  Noelle smiled.

  She stripped before going into the bathroom, as she always did. Overall it didn’t feel too different having Sara there. Her apartment felt - more homey, more full. She rather liked it that way. Sara was easy to integrate into her daily routine, especially since she seemed to shower at night.

  Once her shower was done, she dressed and made a quick breakfast. Eggs on toast was her favorite. She looked up to see Sara coming through the hall to the kitchen, yawning and rubbing her eyes. “It’s freezing.”

  Noelle took a bite of her toast and egg. Yum. “It’s always freezing out from underneath the covers.” She paused, staring at her food. Oh crap. “Do you want breakfast?”

  Sara stifled a yawn. “Nah. I’ll eat when I get home.” She yawned again, trying to hide it behind her hand. “Thanks.”

  Noelle took another bite, taking a moment to chew. “For what?”

  “Offering.” Sara stifled another yawn, making an exasperated noise. “I just woke up. Why am I tired.”

  Noelle smiled, unable to help herself. “Because you sleep at weird times.” She ate in quiet, oddly unfazed by Sara watching her. For some reason it didn’t bother her. She did feel weird about eating when Sara wasn’t, but the staring itself caused her no concern. “Do you work today?” she asked, conversational.

  Sara shook her head slowly. “Another shift tomorrow. I’m on days for a couple weeks, until I can bend over without having to get one of the nurses.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively, green eyes sparkling.

  Noelle couldn’t help a giggle. “Very funny.”

  “I’m humorous.”

  “Something like that,” Noelle drawled. She finished her breakfast, picking up the plate and taking it to the sink. She would get coffee at work, and review any progress the other detectives had made in the few hours she had been off.

  “Thinking about work already?” Sara asked, smiling.

  Noelle winced. “That obvious?”

  “I can see the cogs spinning behind your eyeballs,” Sara said, making spinny motions with her fingers. Noelle couldn’t help but find the fingers oddly suggestive. Sara tracked her focus and raised her eyebrows. “Thinking of anything specific?”

  Noelle looked away, starting to put together what she needed to take to work. “Nope.”

  She could see Sara smiling out of the corner of her eyes. “It’s okay.”

  Noelle made a doubtful noise, sticking her keys in her pocket and packing her lunch. Snacks, too - who knew what time she would make it home. She needed to start drawing up the paperwork. It was always paperwork. Mountains of it. And she needed to revisit some of her cases that she had been neglecting in the wake of the Kennedy case.

  When Sara re-emerged from Noelle’s bedroom, she was dressed like she had been the night before. “Looking good,” Noelle said with a shy smile. Sara always looked so immaculate, even after spending the night and not taking a shower.

  Sara looked at her, eyebrows raised. “Thanks.”

  Noelle chuckled. “I’ll text you at some point?”

  Sara nodded. “Sounds good.”

  Noelle did one last sweep for anything else she needed, then opened the door and let Sara out first. Then she locked the door and led the way down to the parking lot. She was parked in her assigned spot, Sara in the nearest of the unassigned parking. “See you later,” Noelle said, trying not to rock back and forth on her feet. How did the parting in public go, again?

  Sara stepped closer, wrapping an arm around Noelle’s middle and kissing her gently.

  Noelle didn’t tense, didn’t step back, but it was a near miss. After dealing with witnesses and defendants who would often get in her space, it had just become a default reaction to anyone getting too close. Still, she kissed Sara back, enjoying her body against hers, the way her lips felt - Sara was lovely in any way Noelle could have her. It made her shiver, thinking about the other ways that that could be applied.

  “See you later,” Sara said, smiling in a way that made Noelle go a bit weak at the knees. Then she turned and went to her car, unlocking it and sliding inside.

  Realizing she was standing there a bit like a lovesick teen from her romance novels, Noelle headed towards her own car. She had work to go to, after all.

  She pulled her car into the lot, parking and throwing her car into park. Pulling the keys out, she tucked them into her purse, stifling a yawn. Why was she yawning? Ridiculous. Grabbing her purse, she got out of her car, turning to close the door.

  She froze.

  “Hello,” Clark said, his voice conversational. He stood a car away, watching her over the top of a small two-door. Was it his car? Or was he just staying that far away so she didn’t feel threatened?

  Noelle studied him. He didn’t look much different than he had just a few weeks ago. “What do you want?”

  He smiled. It wasn’t a nice smile. It was malicious, inventive. “I want you to leave Sara alone.”

  Noelle crossed her arms, frowning. “What Sara and I do - or don’t do - is none of your business,” she informed him curtly. “You’re trespassing on police property. You need to leave.”

  “Or what?” He raised his eyebrows. “You’ll call your cop buddies? Tell them who I am, who Sara is?”

  Noelle swallowed but didn’t let her apprehension show on her face. He did have a point there. “Yes,” she said coolly. She wasn’t going to let him push her around.

  “I’ll leave, then.” His smile deepened. “But I want you to see this.” He was easily six-foot, which meant he could put the small photo on the top of the car and push it over towards Noelle. “My number’s on the back. Call me if you have any questions.”

  He turned and walked off - apparently that wasn’t his car. Noelle stared at the photo, glancing around, ensuring that no one was watching her. She reached out and grabbed it off of the car before wind could take it. The last thing she wanted was to go chasing after it in the parking lot. Not that she cared that much. She didn’t. He was obviously lying.

  Wasn’t he?

  She took a deep breath in and out before she looked at the photo. Then her heart sank. No.

  Sara was younger, probably by a decade or so, but it was her. Her hair was longer,
she looked softer, but it was her. Her eyes, her nose, her mouth. Her arm was around - Clark. Clark, who was noticeably younger as well, and more carefree.

  Noelle peered closely at the photo, trying to look for any sign that it had been photoshopped. It couldn’t be real. It couldn’t. Sara’s soulmate wasn’t him. It was someone else. It was Ivan. Who was dead.

  She couldn’t see anything immediately, but that didn’t mean it didn’t exist. She swallowed and tucked the photo in her purse. She hadn’t wanted to talk to Sara about it, she thought she had moved past it. She thought Clark was never going to show up again. He didn’t exist, he didn’t matter. What she had with Sara was real. Sara was honest with her, Sara trusted her.

  Or so she thought.

  Pushing the thoughts aside, she went in to work.

  Chapter Eleven

  Riley had sent her home after ten hours, so she got home before she was completely exhausted. She hadn’t texted Sara all day. She had wanted to, had craved to, but instead, her mind kept straying to the photo that was hidden in her purse. Noelle had been in meetings most of the day, unable to compare the photo to the database, to check and see if the photos matched.

  She pulled it out of her purse, setting her purse on the counter. It was dinnertime, and she was hungry, but that didn’t matter. To her it wasn’t relevant, not at the moment. She stared at the photo, at their smiles. Examined them critically. Sara didn’t look happy. The smile looked forced. Her eyes weren’t as happy as her mouth.

  Noelle let out a frustrated noise. Was that an actual thing? Was Sara unhappy? Or was that just what she wanted to see? She left the photo on her counter and went to her fridge, pulling out something she had made the week before. Leftovers were about all that she felt up to making. Anything else required too much effort.

  She stuck it in the microwave, turned it on. Pulled her phone out of her pocket and stared at it. She could call Sara, or text her. Demand that she tell her the truth. She deserved that much, didn’t she?

  Did it really matter, the truth? Who Sara had dated before Noelle? Maybe Clark was an old boyfriend. That was it. He was an old, jealous boyfriend who was jealous that Sara was dating her. She nodded firmly to herself. She wouldn't let herself worry about some nasty ex-boyfriend. Not that she had much knowledge with boyfriends - she had never had one, but she had seen what jealous people could do, both in real life and fiction.

  Her heart skipped a beat. Was Sara in trouble? Did he mean her harm, if Noelle didn’t leave her alone? Maybe a restraining order wasn’t a bad idea.

  No. She shook her head. She didn’t have any proof. No judge worth their salt would give her that sort of order. Restraining orders weren’t very common nowadays, much less when the orderer couldn’t prove any sort of immediate danger. Noelle sighed. She was stuck for now.

  She picked up her phone again, and typed in a message. Are you up?

  She sat it down on the counter and pulled her food out of the microwave, then a fork out of the drawer. She stirred her food, then checked it. It was still cold. She put it back into the microwave for another minute.

  Her phone beeped, and Noelle smiled. I am. Did you make it home?

  Home safe and sound - and bored, she texted back. Part of her wanted to offer to come over, to see her - anything to make sure that Sara was safe and that Clark wouldn’t bother them. She hesitated. She could mention Sara, could ask her, clarify. But. No. She wouldn’t. She was going to try and trust.

  I’m just about to finish up at work, Sara texted back. Noelle exhaled, pleased. She was safe there.

  Want to go do something tomorrow night? Noelle had to work, but Riley had been more strict about everyone working their shift and going home if time allowed. There were three teams on it now, rotating, so everyone could go home and get some sleep. It meant she didn’t have days off, voluntarily, but she could deal with that. Once the initial work was done on the Kennedy case, her schedule would ease up, and she could have one or two days off a week.

  The wait was longer this time. Noelle had time to move to the living room, start eating her dinner. Then there was the buzz. She smiled and picked up her phone, her heart thumping. Come stay at my place? I’m mostly better.

  Noelle raised her eyebrows. Was that inviting something? She swallowed and nerves fluttered in her stomach. Was it an offer, or was she reading too far into an innocent request. I have to work in the morning.

  What time? Sara texted back.

  Ten at the latest? That was pushing it, but she wasn’t exactly scheduled. She was voluntarily coming in. She would just text Riley and tell her that she was coming in later than expected. He wouldn’t tell anyone, and that way, she wouldn’t endure comments from anyone else. Not that she got much of the fun kind of heckling, anyway. That was saved for the for the detectives with partners - the right kind.

  That’s enough time. ;)

  Noelle raised her eyebrows. Sara rarely used emoticons in her texts. Are you promising something?

  Only if you’re comfortable with it. No emoticon this time. Seriousness.

  Noelle exhaled slowly, staring at her phone. Sara was so patient with her. I require wining and dining first. Was that the right thing to say? Was it wrong? She made herself put down the phone and focus on her food.

  When her phone buzzed, it took her a moment or two to work up the courage to pick it up. Dinner at 8?

  Sounds good, she texted back. Was it? What did she ask next? Where do you want to meet?

  It was less than a minute before Sara texted her back. Go home. I’ll pick you up. Pack an overnight bag.

  Noelle texted back an acknowledgement, an okay, and then went back to her dinner. At least, she mused, she would be sleeping in her own pyjamas. Or nothing at all.

  Noelle stifled a yawn as she went into work the next morning. She had struggled to sleep the night before, nervous about the night to come. Still, she had two meetings, coordinating the plan of attack on a couple of her cases. They were consolidating witness reports for the Kennedy case - most of the department seemed to think that Samantha was guilty, but Noelle and Riley were less certain. Then there was the Tanner case that Noelle was picking up from a detective that was retiring. It seemed interesting, anyway.

  She glanced around as she walked from the car to the department. No sign of Clark. She was grateful and suspicious. What was he up to? Why wasn’t he there, skulking around? Maybe he had taken her threat seriously. She could only hope.

  Her meetings passed quickly and she was left at her cubicle with a short list of tasks to do before she had phone calls to make. Glancing around, she noted that most people were gone. It was the hour after lunchtime, an hour when most people were out fulfilling duties or grabbing lunch. Quickly she pulled up the Mark database. Technically it wasn’t sanctioned, doing non-case related research. Still, it was important to her.

  She pulled up Clark’s info, glancing it over again. Looking at his soulmate, her lack of photo. She thought of the one in her purse, the picture of Clark and Sara together. She felt a tug of worry, of panic, in her middle. No. Still. She wrote down his address, his contact information, just in case. Maybe she would need to find him sometime.

  Fair was fair, because he could find her, couldn’t he? He had made that clear enough.

  Ivan Bliminse was next. She couldn’t tell if something niggled at her because something was actually wrong, or because she was just blinded because of Sara. At some point she would probably ask Riley’s advice. He would know what to do.

  She folded the two pieces of scrap paper and tucked them into her pocket. They felt like insurance slips, two little guarantees that she could find who she was looking for - or Ivan’s grave, in his case, since he was dead.

  Closing down the windows, she got back to work.

  “You okay?” Riley asked. She jumped in her chair, startled.

  “Yeah.” She turned and offered him a smile. “You?”

  “Done prepping for the Tanner meeting.” He shrugged. “I worked
with Rick when he got that case. Not too concerned about it.”

  Noelle raised her eyebrows. “Not all of us can have your fabulous memory,” she said, elbowing him, playful.

  He elbowed her right back. That was one of the things she liked about Riley - he gave as good as he got. “And not all of us are young whippersnappers like you.”

  Noelle looked mock offended. “I am not a whippersnapper. I’m nearly thirty.”

  Riley snorted, then shook his head. “Any luck on the Kennedy thing?”

  Noelle shook her head, picking up the related file and flipping through it out of habit. She knew it fairly well, front and back. “All of the evidence points to Samantha. Forensics is checking out the murder weapon, and we’ll have those results back in a week or two.”

  Riley raised his eyebrows. “That’s fast.”

  “You know how it is with high-profile.” Noelle shrugged. “Results back ASAP.”

  “We just have to hope that something else sensational happens between now and the plea so we can go about our jobs in peace.” He quirked his eyebrows in a grin.

  Noelle had to agree. The last thing she wanted to do was navigate the reality of the courts when she was dealing with hordes of press. “You’ll make an awfully pretty picture in the newspapers.”

  He rolled his eyes. “That’s all that matters, of course.”

  Oh. She might as well tell him. “I’ll be in by ten tomorrow.”

  He tilted his head, raising his eyebrows. “Oh?”

  Noelle thanked her years of maintaining face among her coworkers. It kept what she was thinking, what she expected that night, from showing up on her face. “Need to get some grocery shopping done, that sort of thing.”

  He smiled. It wasn’t a teasing smile, but a knowing one. Irrationally she grumbled at his magical ability to know when she was lying. Useful skill for a police detective, that was for sure. “Be in by ten or ten thirty at the latest, and all will be forgotten.”