Changing the Script

by Lee Winter

  Low moans rose in the back of Sam’s throat.

  Alex leaned in closer and closer, until her whole vision was framed in erotic sights and scents. Inhaling was a spice trail that tantalized and hardened Alex’s nipples.

  “Touch me.” Sam’s words were part command, part plea.

  Alex met Sam’s eyes. She recognized hunger in that gaze. Arousal curled through her belly. No matter how many times Alex saw proof of Sam’s need, she still couldn’t quite believe it.

  Bending her head, Alex’s mouth at last touched Sam’s heat. She took her time, explaining with her tongue and fingers in meticulous detail all the ways she knew that desire could be teased, flamed, left trembling on the edge, and then…when Sam’s defenses finally tumbled…sated.

  Sam looked so vulnerable as she came. She seemed harder in places, too, as well as softer. Younger, freer, lost, taut. Naked and needy. All Sam. All of her.

  Alex studied her in wonder, seeing the vision both before her and also in her mind, playing like a sumptuously shot, arthouse movie. Neck straining, back, stomach, and thigh muscles all clenched, twisting, pulling, releasing. So much beauty.

  It was so honest. At that moment, Alex had never wanted someone more. Desire rose painfully inside. Wetness coated between her thighs, and her stomach clenched and swallowed. She desperately wanted to see that vulnerable, blissful look on Sam’s face all over again. Alex bent forward once more.

  God, how she loved women’s bodies. And this body—this powerful, strong, honorable woman, who trembled as Alex stroked and licked every crevice, crinkle, and fold—suddenly became the most beautiful she’d ever had the joy of pleasuring.

  Sam’s toes curled. Her core clenched and drew Alex’s exploring fingers deeper, pulsing against them. “I’m there.”

  There. Wetness coated Alex’s mouth and fingers and she tasted Sam’s escape. Piquant, salty. Sweet.

  Sam’s eyes that had clenched hard and tight as she’d sought her release, fluttered open. “Oh God. That was…” She inhaled.

  “Hey,” Alex said gently, withdrawing her slick fingers from Sam’s heat. “Welcome back.”

  Sam smiled, her gaze still unfocused. The walls rebuilt; her defenses with them. But this time there was something lighter about her. “I needed that.”

  Alex smiled back at her. “Apparently telling your boss where to shove his job gets you a little worked up.”

  “I didn’t do it like that,” Sam protested with a lazy wave. “I was entirely professional. Said ‘sir’ and everything when I nuked his Police Barbie proposal.” She laughed suddenly and pulled Alex into her arms. “By the way, you have a lot of talent.”

  “Mmm,” Alex said, warmth spreading through her. “Flatterer. So now you’re a little more relaxed, want to tell me if you’re really okay? It’s a huge deal losing your station.”

  “You sure you want to talk when I could be returning the favor?” Sam’s fingers walked across to Alex’s nipple and flicked it playfully.

  “I’m a patient woman. You can owe me.” Alex curled into Sam’s side and slipped a leg over her hips. “So?”

  Sam exhaled. “I know I should be shattered. My career went up in smoke and being a police officer is all I know. But…” She paused. “In some ways it felt like a weight lifted.”

  Alex nodded. The lightness she’d noticed. She’d long suspected Sam had been more miserable than she’d realized. In a rut, maybe? “Good for you.”

  “I don’t know what to do now.” A lost look entered her eyes.

  “Knowing you, you have some options. So what’s on your to-do list now? You feel like maybe revisiting some of your old dreams? Traveling?”

  Sam became wistful. “Maybe. All I know is the world feels different right now.”

  Alex drew in a deep breath, wondering how this would go. “So, I’ve been thinking about something. How you want to go to your dream beach? It’s just…you already know someone who lives in California, who’d be more than happy to take you there if you wanted.” Alex snuggled closer. “I want you to know, that offer stands, in any capacity at all. I’d be honored.”

  Sam stared. “But Pfeiffer Beach is hours from LA.”

  “I don’t care. It’s not every day I help someone achieve a dream. But I’d love to show you more of my world, too, if you wanted. I move around a lot for work. It’d be fun. A couple of months’ break and you could go home if you want. Or…stay longer, if things work out.”

  Disbelieving eyes met Alex’s. “You don’t mean that.”

  “I never say things I don’t mean. Sam, I think this could be great for you. A reset; a change of scene. And for me? Well, I can’t seem to get enough of you. It’d be nice if we didn’t have to say good-bye quite so soon.”

  Sam bit her lip. “It’s an incredible fantasy, but I doubt I can afford such an amazing adventure. Thank you for the offer.”

  “You know, as shallow and annoying as Hollywood is, it does have some perks,” Alex said with an eye roll. “I’m getting paid extremely well for this movie, far more than I need. So…if that’s all that’s stopping you, we could work something out.”

  It took a beat for Alex’s words to register but then brilliant, blinding hope flared across Sam’s face. Just as quickly, it bled away, disappointment left in its wake. She’d really considered it…for a second. “I can’t. My family needs me.”

  “But if all that stuff with Kev getting in trouble with the law is behind him, how do they need you?”

  “Gina’s not as young as she used to be. I help her out a lot,” Sam said stiffly.

  “Well, can’t Sid and Kev help out if it’s just chores?”

  “It’s not just that.” Sam’s pensive expression seemed to radiate a fear that Alex might argue. “When I came back home? I promised Gina I’d stay. A person’s only as good as their word.” She chewed her bottom lip.

  For such a powerful statement, Sam didn’t sound entirely certain.

  Alex understood. She’d dropped a grenade in Sam’s lap. For Alex, there was no debate about whisking a beautiful lover off to a few sights the woman had always dreamed of seeing. And if that led to something more, something deeper, well, Alex would be delighted.

  But from Sam’s point of view, Alex had just suggested she ignore her whole family-focused, ordered existence and go swanning off with her on a whim for months. Alex gave her a reassuring smile. “Well, I understand it’s a lot. Think about it. You don’t have to decide now.”

  “It’s an amazing offer.” Sam pulled Alex closer into her arms. “Thank you.” She kissed her passionately, pressing her into the bed.

  “God, Sam—”

  A knock sounded on the trailer door. “Alex?” a female voice called.

  Alex’s eyes sprang open. Damn it. She sighed and reached for her robe. “A director’s job is never done.”

  Sam hauled a sheet to cover herself, although the bed wasn’t visible from the door.

  The movement distracted Alex. Even shrouded by the sheet, her body was like a smooth, powerful sculpture. She’d never tire of that sight. So beautiful. She headed to the door, pulling it open.

  Skye was on the top step, holding a bunch of color swatches. Oh right. Alex had asked her to bring them by as soon as she was done for the day.

  “Alex,” she began. “I…” Skye’s gaze shifted to Alex’s hair…then to the floor. Sam’s heavy boots lay in a heap. A little farther along were her police pants. “Oh! Sorry to interrupt your…police business,” she said with a gleam of amusement. “I have the swatches you were asking for. I’m leaning to viridian green.”

  “Right, excellent.” Alex nodded briskly. “I’ll think about it later. If that’s all?”

  “Not quite.” Skye handed over the swatches. “Are you and Sam doing anything in twenty minutes?”

  “Why?”

  “There’s a meeti
ng.”

  “With whom?”

  “I’ll explain at the meeting. I’ll knock on the trailer door when it’s starting. Okay?” Skye didn’t wait for an answer before disappearing.

  “What was that about?” Sam asked.

  “Beats me.” Alex closed the door and dropped the samples on the kitchen table as she headed back to bed. “But we now have a mystery meeting to attend.”

  “That’s weird.” Sam shifted as though about to get up.

  “Not so fast.” Alex eyed her. “We have twenty minutes to fill and I believe you owe me. Besides, I hear New Zealand’s finest have a reputation for efficiency.”

  Sam nodded earnestly. “There is that. Far be it for me to let down the side. C’mere.”

  Alex’s eyes gleamed.

  The next time Skye knocked, Sam was dressed and still tingling. The heat and want in Alex’s eyes not ten minutes ago had been so addictive. The other woman hadn’t needed long to finish, coming hard under Sam’s hand, quivering with tension. Then there’d been that burning, naked appreciation that followed when Sam had slowly slid her uniform back on. She smirked at the reminder. It was clear that at least some part of Alex would miss Sam being a police officer a great deal.

  As she was closest, Sam opened the door. She discovered an unlikely trio. Sid, Skye, and Kev. The schemers.

  “What?” she asked acidly.

  Breaker Bob suddenly jogged into view, muttering something about “just getting the message.” He grinned.

  Et tu, Bob?

  Alex appeared behind Sam.

  “Right, so. Okay, better jump right in.” Sid shifted from foot to foot. “It’s time for you both to know what happened.”

  “Oh?” Sam headed down the trailer steps, followed by Alex. “I’m all ears.”

  “You’re right that we told you both a pack of porkies, but we did it for a good cause.”

  Alex shook her head in disbelief. “I’d love to know how you think you can spin this positively.”

  “Or at all,” Sam grumbled.

  “The first night you were both in the pub, having that big fight about how crap Shezan was…um, no offense…” Sid glanced at Alex.

  Alex gave him a wave to get on with it.

  “You were tearin’ strips off each other. Well, I saw it. The spark, Sis. There’s fire. And the Shezan people I was sitting with, they saw it, too—how Alex was reacting.”

  Alex peered at Sid. “What?”

  “Totally into each other,” Sid explained. “So, sure, we’d had a beer or four by then, but the more we talked about it, compared notes and the like, the more we realized those sparks were way out of the ordinary. And that maybe it’d be good if you saw more of each other. Like, a lot more.”

  “What does that mean?” Sam asked.

  “Well.” Sid coughed. “Um, romantically.”

  The breath seemed to leave Sam’s lungs. No.

  “Oh God,” Alex murmured. “You’ve been matchmaking us? That’s it?”

  “Pretty much. You were like a couple of circling sharks, so we figured if we could just get you together, you’d see what we saw. So I punctured the pond, put the dummy in the dam, and asked Kev to hide an important light. It made sense at the time.”

  “This is crazy as hell.” Sam scowled at him.

  “Definitely,” Alex agreed.

  “No, crazy is what you two look like together. Fireworks, eh.” He gave them a cheesy grin.

  The others nodded adamantly.

  Sam glanced at Bob, who was scratching the gray stubble on his chin. “You, too, Bob? I expected a bit better from you.”

  He shrugged. “What can I say? Everyone deserves to be happy. Specially you. To quote Mother Theresa—”

  “Oh God,” Sam muttered.

  “—The most terrible poverty is loneliness.”

  “Kill me now,” Sam groaned.

  “Don’t you think your plan had a few glaring flaws?” Alex broke in.

  “Well, yeah,” Sid conceded. “We made a mess of it cos we threw our stories together over a long, boozy night, so we didn’t exactly notice any plot holes.”

  “Okay,” Sam allowed, “but what about when you’d all sobered up?”

  “Yeah.” He looked rueful. “We should have sat down the next day and talked out the details and then we’d have noticed what a pile of shit it all was. But we didn’t, cos we weren’t focused on that side of it. It’s like when someone points out the obvious, you go, ‘Huh, why didn’t I think of that?’ But we were so fixated on our huge endgame, bein’ big-picture thinkers and all, that we didn’t see the little stuff that gave it away, right?”

  “Christ,” Sam muttered in disbelief. “None of you should ever become criminal masterminds.”

  “No argument from me.” Sid cleared his throat. “So when you saw through our explanations, we had to get together and figure out some really good plan-B stories that sounded more plausible. Only problem was, they sounded plausible all right. They made you hate us. Kiri’s totally crushed.” He peered at Sam. “She’s looked up to you since school and here you were thinking she’s a selfish brat. All she wanted was for you to be happy.”

  “That’s all any of us wanted,” Skye jumped in. “Alex, darling, this is the happiest I’ve seen you looking in years. Goodness, it’s been a revelation seeing you light up like a Christmas tree around Sam.”

  “I see.” Alex’s cheeks flamed. “How flattering that you think my dating history is so awful it needed an intervention.”

  “It’s not just you, dear. I’m a serial offender at matchmaking. Don’t hate me because I’m a romantic.” Her eyes sparkled with amusement.

  “Anyway,” Sid cut in, “we hadn’t even finished with half the stuff we were planning before Sam got it into her hot head that Dino was behind it and rushed off to confront him.”

  “Well, next time don’t dress your dummies in the same colors as the Boars!” Sam said in exasperation.

  “Yep, Sis, point taken. Small tactical error there.” Sid nodded sagely. “And obviously it wasn’t meant to go that way. Anyway, what I’m getting at is what happened was pretty simple: You’re always there for everyone else, Sam. And you had no one for you. Then along came Alex—cool, smart, easy on the eyes, likes chicks, has a job.” Sid gave the thumbs up.

  Alex snorted.

  “It was a little more sophisticated than that,” Skye tried.

  “Did you ever think to ask?” Sam cut in.

  “Whaddya mean?” Sid said.

  “How do you know I didn’t prefer things the way they were? Maybe I like my own company?”

  “Sam,” Sid said quietly. “Come on, that’s such bull. You never wanted to sit on your ass alone in Ika Whenu for the rest of your life. That isn’t you at all. Least, it didn’t use to be.”

  Sam held up her hands, “Look, even if your intentions were good, why didn’t you tell me any of this when I asked?”

  “With the entire pub earholing in?” Sid gaped at her. “You’d have died of humiliation. Most of Ika Whenu was there that night.”

  She shuddered at that image. “So what about when I confronted you alone?”

  “You weren’t ready. You weren’t invested enough in Alex yet.”

  Alex coughed. “Oh boy.”

  “Risk was that you’d toss away any chance with her just to spite us,” Sid said. “I told everyone the puppy story so they understood.”

  “The puppy story?” Alex asked curiously.

  “That’s ridiculous!” Sam groaned. “I was a bloody kid.”

  Sid turned to Alex. “She was fourteen, right? I was seven. Kev hadn’t been born yet. Old man McGregor’s dog had had a litter of six beautiful puppies. Gorgeous little things. Mum had promised Sam she could pick one out for us. When we get there, it’s obvious which pup is for Sam.”
>
  Sam made a soft pained noise.

  “There he was, blonde and white, so bouncy and beautiful, with these bright eyes, and it was like meeting Samantha Keegan in puppy form,” Sid said. “Amazin’. None of us could believe it. The McGregors were asking her what she was gonna call him. Mum and Dad were suggesting silly names. I was trying to shove the pup in her arms and do whatever a seven-year-old thinks will help his sister choose a thing. And the more all that happened, the more Sam got as stubborn as a chest cold.”

  “I did not!”

  Sid eyed her. “You so bloody well did. You made a face, stamped your foot, and said you didn’t like that puppy at all and you went and picked the runt. Even though Mr. McGregor warned you it was pretty sick and mightn’t live long. So you dug your heels in, we took home the sick pup, and later that day the McGregors gave away all the other puppies. So how long did our puppy live Sam?”

  Ten days. “No idea.”

  “You sulked for six months when it died. And we never did get a dog after that. You said you didn’t want one again.”

  “I can’t see the point of rehashing all this.”

  “So why didn’t you pick the perfect puppy?” Sid eyed her for a long moment. “Because you hate being pushed into things, made to feel like you’ve got no choice in it. Even if it costs you happiness, you make damn sure it’s your decision.”

  “Wait, did you just call me a puppy?” Alex asked.

  Sam folded her arms. “A puppy is hardly the same thing as who I date as an adult, Sid.”

  “Not so sure about that. If you’d known we were fixing you up with Alex early on, you’d have shoved her away and given us all a what-for.”

  “I…” It was true. Absolutely true. But still! Galling much?

  “So,” Sid said, “your friends did what they had to so you didn’t feel backed into any corner, even if they looked like assholes in the process. Cos you can’t be trusted to grab onto a good thing if you think someone else chose it for you.”

  “I’m not that bad,” she protested weakly.