by Small,DJ
Chapter Five
Ava peered into the microscope to look at the slide that she had prepared moments ago. As she twisted the knob to get a clear image of the tissue sample, her mind, as had become routine over the last few days, went to Kacey. She wondered what the woman was doing; and if she was suffering as much as Ava was.
It had been three days since Ava’s encounter with Kacey, and she still had her in her system. Ava had never done drugs before, but she felt like she was going though withdrawal. Her body longed for Kacey’s touch, and the memories of their night together constantly ran through her mind. But despite the mental and physical torture that she was silently going through, Ava’s marriage was changing for the better; especially now that Robin was talking to her.
They had a long discussion on Sunday about Ava working late, and she told Robin that once her “volunteer” time was over she was going to limit the number of projects that she worked on and volunteered for. That she was going to focus on their marriage. There was one caveat to that, Ava still needed to quit her second job. She had tried to call the club manager that night while Robin had been out getting them dinner, but she had been physically unable to place the call. She was going to try again later. Ava was determined to quit the job for the sake of her marriage.
Realizing that she wasn’t going to be able to focus on the slide, Ava stood up and stretched out her back. She glanced at the clock that was above the door and sighed. Robin was coming to get her in an hour so that they could go out to lunch. They were both working in the city and Robin had suggested that they have lunch together. When she had agreed, Ava assumed that she would be done with this part of her research, but that wasn’t the case. Thanks to her wandering mind, she hadn’t been able to analyze the samples that had been collected days ago.
Ava was tempted to call Robin and cancel their plans, but she quickly nixed the idea. If she did that it would ruin the amicable place that they had been in the last three days. The tension that had been between them seemed to have dissipated once they talked on Sunday. They had even discussed Robin’s new contract. It was an armed job and she was going to be on the team for the first two months. That was something Ava didn’t like; but she supported it because Robin had supported her late nights and long shifts at the hospitals, even though the late nights were a lie.
The second reason why Ava didn’t want to cancel their plans was that anytime she was alone, like now, thoughts of Kacey took over her brain and wreaked havoc on her sex drive. Ava felt like she was in a constant state of arousal because thoughts of the woman never seemed to be too far from her mind.
She also didn’t want to add to the tremendous amount of guilt that she already felt. The provocative memories made her feel so much guilt over what she had done and the feeling caused her to withdraw from Robin. Their sex life was dwindling because she couldn’t stop thinking about Kacey. She had turned Robin down for sex the previous night, and she felt bad for it, but Ava couldn’t bring herself to have sex with her wife while she thought about another woman.
Ava blew out a frustrated breath. She wasn’t going to be able to give her samples the proper attention they deserved, so she began to put them away. After they were in the freezer, Ava went to her office and spent the rest of her time going over what notes she had about the samples, creating different hypotheses about them.
A little before one, Ava’s office phone began to ring and she answered it. “Dr. Carmichael.”
“Your wife is here, Dr. Carmichael,” the receptionist said in her usual cheerful voice.
Ava thanked the older woman before ending the call. She saved what she had been working on, then left her office. Ava was walking down the stairs that led to the lobby of the research building when she saw Robin leaning against the circular reception desk that was in the middle of it. She smirked.
Ava had to admit that Robin looked gorgeous today. Her long blond hair was up in a ponytail, Robin’s preferred style whenever she was working, and she was wearing a white, loose fitting v-neck shirt that went well with the blue jeans that she was wearing. To top the outfit off she wore the burgundy leather jacket that Ava had gotten her for Christmas last year. Yes, her wife was attractive, but her admiration didn’t last long.
Robin’s green eyes lit up when she spotted Ava, and Ava’s mind went to Kacey, again. In an instant, Robin was replaced by a mental image of the striking woman with chestnut colored hair. Kacey’s intense brown eyes wouldn’t have lit up, instead they would’ve tracked her until they were standing in front of each other, then she would have probably kissed Ava hard on the mouth, not caring that they were in public. Showing the world that Ava belonged to her.
Ava bit the inside of her lip as she thought about the other woman’s soft lips on hers. They would be commanding but gentle, yet at the same time the would try to possess her soul; a task that she would be able to accomplish with no problem. Ava hated to admit it, but Kacey already possessed her, mind and body.
“Babe?” Ava snapped back to reality, realizing that she had come to a stop in the middle of the lobby. Robin had walked over to her, concern clear on her face. “Are you all right? You’re looking a little flushed.”
Ava nodded and forced a smile on her face. “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. I’ve just been in the lab all morning trying to get around this mental block that’s frustrating me.”
“Ah,” Robin said as she wrapped her arm around Ava’s shoulders. “So you’ve been doing what you always do, work yourself to death.”
Ava looked at her out the corner of her eye. “No, I’m just frustrated.” Robin chuckled and Ava rested her head on her shoulder. She took a deep breath, trying to ignore the visceral effects her daydream about Kacey had created. She lifted her head and gave Robin’s cheek a kiss, then settled back on her shoulder. “Some time with you should clear my mind though.”
Robin kissed the top of her head and chuckled a little. “That it should.” Robin lowered her voice, “If you aren’t in a rush to get back to your work, I know of a secret place where we can go to really clear your mind.”
Ava lifted her head and grinned at Robin. “We’ll have to see, but you have to be good.”
Robin let out a small laugh, moving her arm to hold onto Ava’s waist. Robin whispered in her ear, and Ava didn’t miss the seductive undertones in her voice. “I will be on my best behavior if it means I get to have my way with you.”
Ava turned her head and met her lips for a quick kiss. It was brief, but there was enough passion behind it that when Ava pulled away, Robin looked like she was ready to take her right then and there. Ava smiled. Maybe she would be able to do this, not just for Robin but also for herself. If she didn’t get some relief soon she was going to do something that would only add to the guilt that she was already shouldering.
∞
On their way to the restaurant, the conversation between Robin and Ava was playful and flirty and it seemed as if everything was normal between the two of them. Regardless, Ava couldn’t help but to compare Robin to Kacey. Robin was the total opposite of Kacey, flirting and seducing Ava, whereas Kacey didn’t have to flirt or seduce. Her arrogance turned Ava on, and she knew it. Kacey’s cockiness compelled Ava and it added to the passion and chemistry that was between them, making it hard for her to walk away.
“Are you sure you want to go back to work after lunch?” Robin wondered with a small smirk. “I have some interesting thoughts that you might enjoy.”
Caught off guard, Ava froze. She wanted to have sex with Robin, probably for reasons that were more selfish than her actually wanting to make love to her wife, but she was still apprehensive. Ava was worried that thoughts of Kacey would inevitably take over her senses while Robin touched her, making her turn those touches into Kacey’s. It was bad enough that innocuous things could have her thinking about the woman, but sex would definitely make it worse, and might lead to an unintentional slip-up. Forcing a coy chuckle, she asked, “Where are we going for lunch?”
Robin shook a finger at her in reply. “Don’t think I don’t know what you did there.”
Ava grinned as relief washed over her. She continued to move the conversation away from sex. “I didn’t do anything. I’m just asking because I have antacids in my purse in case you drag me to another dive.”
Robin laughed, then grinned. “The restaurants I pick out aren’t that bad!”
Ava scoffed. “We got food poisoning from that food truck we went to last month.”
Robin took hold of her hand, and gave the back of it a kiss. “Sorry I got you sick.” She smiled. “But lunch is still a surprise.”
Ava pretended to scowl at her. “I don’t like surprises.”
“I know you don’t,” Robin stated, her smile growing. “But it’s still a surprise, Ava.”
Ava rolled her eyes and looked out the window. As they drove through the city, she began to absently wonder what Kacey was doing and if the woman had a job that she was possibly at. Ava let out a quiet snort at the absurdity of her thought. Of course Kacey had a job. If she didn’t she wouldn’t have tipped Ava two hundred dollars the other night. Her thoughts returned to the only thing that her mind could focus on lately, the woman that she knew absolutely nothing about. Ava sighed. The fact that Kacey was such an enigma to her was fascinating, but at the same time it irritated her.
“Oh, I meant to tell you that I met with the chief of police this morning,” Robin said as she turned down a street.
Clearing her mind, Ava turned her head away from the window and scrunched her eyebrows together. “Why did you meet with the chief of police?”
Robin glanced at her, then looked back at the road. “For my new job, remember? We’re helping them reduce the number of drug dealers on the streets.”
Nodding slowly, Ava faintly recalled the discussion they had about it during their conversation on Sunday. She was convinced that Robin had said that her team was going to be transporting seized drugs, not that they were going to be a part of the actual task force. “I thought the team was only going to be involved in transporting drugs back to the central office?”
Robin shook her head. “Nope. We’re contracted members of the task force.”
“I don’t like that, Robin,” Ava stated with slight concern. She wasn’t putting on an act this time; Robin’s work always worried her, because sometimes the jobs were dangerous ones.
“You worry too much,” Robin said as she gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She grinned. “You know I have my military training, and everyone on the team goes through police training too, myself included.” Robin placed another kiss on the back of Ava’s hand. “You have nothing to worry about, baby. I can handle myself out there.”
Ava pressed her lips together and frowned. Robin was capable of handling herself; not only did she have an impressive military background, but she was also trained in two different forms of martial art. Yet, the thought of Robin being in harm’s way, especially when she was going to be in unpredictable situations that centered around drug dealers, was disconcerting. She sighed then said, “I know you you’ll be okay, and you have the team backing you up, but drug dealers aren’t some run of the mill security job, Robin.”
Robin nodded. “I know they aren’t. But look, even before the department lets us out on the streets we’re going to go through training with the task force so we can get to know each other. That way when we are out there, we’ll have each other’s backs.” She flashed Ava a reassuring smile. “The contract is only for a six months, and I’m only going to be on the team for the first two. After that I’m handing things off to Mendoza.”
Ava let out a deep breath. “Okay.” She looked at Robin. She cared so much about her, and was unable to figure out why she couldn’t get Kacey out of her mind. Ava gave Robin a small smile. “I only worry because you mean a lot to me.”
Robin grinned. “I love you too. Like I said I’m only on the team for two months, then I’ll be back behind my desk. I just want to make sure everyone works together first and that the team can handle the job.”
Ava scoffed good-naturedly, then chuckled. “You’ve molded that team to be your dream team, Robin. I’m certain they can handle any job you assign them to.”
Robin laughed then said, “You put too much faith in them. You don’t see them when they’re slacking off.”
Ava rolled her eyes. Robin was making this easy for her. All she had to do was follow the cues, and their marriage would be fine. She just needed to get Kacey out of her system, then things would be as perfect as they had been before Ava had turned her own life upside down.
Ten minutes later they were pulling up to a restaurant that seemed to be out of character for Robin. Ava got nervous as the car came to a stop. She pointed out the window. “Um, babe, this isn’t a dive.” Ava looked around and said, “And I don’t see any food trucks.” She eyed Robin skeptically. “Why are we here?”
Robin answered her question with a grin, and it annoyed Ava, but before she could protest, the valet opened the door for her. Ava had no choice but to get out, and she stood on the sidewalk and waited for Robin to get everything situated with the young attendant.
After a few minutes, Robin walked over to her, offering Ava her arm. She took it and as they went into the restaurant Robin said, “It has been awhile since I’ve taken you somewhere nice.” Ava eyed her wife out of the corner of her eye, and Robin chuckled. “It has been, Ava. Also, I’ve been a jerk about your work and you working late. I knew a long time ago that I was getting involved with Superwoman and her desire to save the world.”
Ava felt sick to her stomach. Robin was apologizing for her reaction about Ava working late. She was apologizing for a lie. Her insides churned, and Ava thought she was going to throw up on the beautiful carpet that was in the foyer of the restaurant. She was going to need those antacids after all, and it wouldn’t be because of the food at the restaurant, but due to the guilt that was eating away at her.
They approached the hostess and Robin told the young woman that they had a reservation. She showed them to their table, which was located in a private corner of the restaurant. Once they were seated and had their drinks in front of them, Robin grinned at Ava. “Well, what do you think?”
Ava looked around the dining room. It was upscale, but not enough to be overbearingly pretentious, with a cozy and intimate feel. She smirked. “You seem to have chosen a restaurant that I won’t end up sick at.”
She and Robin chuckled, then Robin held out her hand and Ava took it. She gave it a light squeeze and smiled. “If you’re looking to get sick, I think that Mexican food truck is still down in the financial district.”
Ava shook her head then took a drink of her water. “Uh…no. Tito’s food truck should be shut down,” she set her glass down and smiled. “I have half a mind to call the health department.”
Robin laughed then she quirked her eyebrow and asked, “Aren’t you the health department?”
Ava gave her a playful pointed look. “No, but I do have contacts, so don’t piss me off or I will have your beloved food truck shut down.”
Robin laughed and relaxed in her chair. “Why doesn’t this surprise me, Dr. Carmichael?” Ava only smiled at the question, and Robin continued to snicker. Ava realized that she couldn’t recall the last time she felt so at ease with Robin. Ever since she had started working late, things between them had been tense, but now it was as if everything that had put a strain on their relationship was gone. However, that was far from the truth. Kacey continued to linger in Ava’s consciousness and all of her senses, but she was going to do everything possible to fight it.
A half hour later, Robin wiped her mouth and dropped her napkin on the table. She flashed Ava a grin. “Well?”
Ava nodded as she wiped her mouth, then replied, “It was delicious, and I’m almost certain that I won’t be suffering from food poisoning later.” She and Robin chuckled then Ava smiled at her wife. “It was a great lunch. Thank you so much babe.”
&n
bsp; Robin sat back in her seat, lightly tapping the table with her fingertips. “It was nothing. It’s like I said, I was being a jerk and I wanted to make it up to you.” Ava bit the inside of her lip. She didn’t like the fact that Robin was beating herself up over this, but the alternative was telling her the truth, and Ava wasn’t going to do that.
Ava frowned when Robin began to tap the bottom of her butter knife on top of the table. Robin was fidgeting, and if she was fidgety then she was nervous about something. Ava’s forehead creased even more as she began to think about all of the reasons why her wife would be nervous. Then, like a metal rod attracting lightning, it all came to her. Robin must have found out about Kacey and her dancing at the nightclub. Ava’s heart began to hammer in her chest as every indiscretion that she had committed against her marriage raced through her brain, from her infidelity, to her secret job, to the hidden bank accounts. Each one grew worse the more she thought about them. Ava’s hands balled up in her lap and she tried to relax her now tense body, but was unable to as her heart continued to pound in her chest.
Robin blew out a long breath and ran her hand over her hair. She looked at Ava and smiled. The smile should have calmed Ava, but it didn’t. It only made her anxiety worse. “I had an ulterior motive for bringing you here.”
Ava swallowed hard as Robin cleared her throat. She had to make a conscious effort to breathe. If Robin had found out about something she had hidden, then Ava was going to be honest with her and accept what she deserved.
Robin leaned forward and crossed her arms, then rested them on the table. “I did some thinking, and I know with everything going on you’ll probably want to wait, but I feel like we should do it anyway. I think this will solidify us as a family. I’m not saying we aren’t now, honey, I love you, but I think this will bring more to our lives.”