The Set Piece

by Catherine Lane

  “How’s that a problem?” Amy reached for her again. Casey intertwined their fingers, once again stalling the embrace.

  “Amy. I think we should take this slowly. I mean I could stay. I want to stay, believe me I do. It’s all I’ve been thinking about since I saw you in that dressing room in those skin tight Adidas.” Amy blushed, and Casey raised her hand to her cheek. “But I want more than tonight, and I don’t want to ruin that by moving too fast now.”

  Amy met her gaze. Her eyes were the blue of a mountain lake. She could look into those eyes forever, studying the changing moods of this woman. “So we won’t move too fast tonight, and then you won’t have to go,” she said.

  “You think it’s that simple?”

  “I do. Besides you don’t have your car. I’d have to give you a ride home or you’d have to wait for your brother. In any case, you absolutely have to be here in the morning when Rob gets here. You need to work the camera.” Amy held her breath. Had she just invited Casey to stay the night? “You can sleep on the couch,” she quickly added.

  “I don’t want to rush you into anything you’re not ready for.”

  “I think I’m ready for you to sleep on the couch.”

  Casey hesitated. Amy scooted away to give her space and grabbed the TV remote. “I should find the game. Diego likes to talk about it when he gets home.” She pulled Dulce into her lap as a clear barrier between them.

  Casey bit her lip and looked down at her hands. “Try BeIN Sports. The Mexican feed. They sometimes have replays of the games. I don’t know what channel it is on Diego’s network. Just scroll up the menu.”

  “Thanks.” It was decided then. Taking things slow now translated into watching soccer with the woman she was infatuated with. Well, it could mean worse things.

  “Want a beer?” Casey asked.

  “Sure.”

  Casey brought in two beers from the kitchenette.

  Meanwhile, Amy found the station and the game. Mexican Spanish came buzzing out of the TV’s tiny speakers. It was the middle of the first half, the score zero-zero, and Diego was in fine form. He floated around the field receiving passes, setting up shots, and generally playing one step ahead of the men around him.

  “He’s looking good lately. You’re good for him.”

  “It’s not just me. He thinks the envelopes have stopped coming.”

  “Really? And whose idea was that?” Casey sounded surprised.

  “Horowitz’s or Knight’s. I don’t know which. Whoever was pulling the puppet strings that day.”

  “That seems like a big risk. Not to tell him the truth.”

  “You’re telling me.” Amy’s voice rang with passion. “I think about how easy it is to get trapped in a lie all the time now.”

  “And sometimes they’re even the lies you tell yourself.” Casey ran a finger across the faded scar on her own knee.

  “GOOOAAALLL!” The shout came from the TV.

  “Damn. We missed it.” Amy scooted Dulce off her lap. The TV flashed to a close-up of Diego, jumping up and down, in the middle of an Atoms’ group hug. “Son of a biscuit. That’s the only goal of the game. Tammy said so.”

  “They’ll show it again.” The TV, as if obeying Casey’s command, cut to Diego. His shot blistered across the penalty box. The goalkeeper dived into its path, but the ball bounced out of reach and elegantly into the opposite corner of the goal.

  “Wow.” Casey sank back into the cushions and slid her hand up Amy’s leg. “You know he makes it look so easy, but he had to thread a needle to get that in. Not that I have to tell you that. I’ve seen you on the field. Did you play in college?”

  “Yeah, but not at a D-1 school and not for the national team.”

  Casey flinched and pulled her hand away from Amy’s leg. “I never actually played for the national team,” Casey said softly. “I never got the chance. Diego told you that part, right?”

  “He said you would have taken the team by storm.”

  A thin smile played at Casey’s lips. “That’s sweet of him. But, honestly, we’ll never know.” She let out a breath. “I go back to that day a lot in my head.” A slight bitterness crept into her voice.

  “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

  “No. I actually think I do. That is if you want to hear about it.”

  “More than anything.”

  Casey shifted a few times in her seat before she finally started talking. “I should have blown the scrimmage off. It meant nothing to UCLA or me, but I was…it became…well let’s just say that I played when I shouldn’t have. I was heading for the goal on a breakaway and a sure hat trick. Just me and the goalie. She took me down one step out of the box. She got a red card, and I got a trip to the hospital. We didn’t even get a penalty kick out of it.” Casey’s voice faltered. Amy took her hand and kissed the inside of her palm twice.

  “Life doesn’t go as we plan it,” Amy said.

  “The plan was to play soccer, get a free ride to UCLA, and apply to medical school. Then the plan was put med school on hold and play for the national team, and then the plan was rehabbing. And then there was no plan.”

  “Yeah. I know that last plan all too well.”

  “That’s what people forget. Everyone has a story.” She squeezed Amy’s hand tightly. “What’s yours? I’ve seen how you stare off into space sometimes. Not that I’m watching or anything.”

  “Ooh. Revealing our secrets? Are we there already?” Amy said lightly, but filed away the fact that Casey was very observant.

  “Not if you don’t want to go there yet.”

  Did she want to go there? She hadn’t talked about any of it. To anyone. Ever. It seemed the day for taking leaps.

  “My parents died when I was in college.” She jumped right in with no preamble. “And I just kind of dropped out of school and life. The weird thing is that I don’t really know why. There were money issues with school, but that wasn’t really it. You know, the day I keep going back to is the day before they died, when I spoke to my mom on the phone. I actually called to tell her about Darla. I didn’t know it then, but I think I was calling to come out to them. When I started, she just shut me down with some stupid remark about a gay movie they’d seen. It wasn’t even a bad comment. It just put me off stroke, and I chickened out or thought I would do it later. I don’t know.” Casey squeezed her hand, and Amy remembered to breathe. “Then, suddenly, there was no later, and I felt like there was no me either. I’d lost the chance to grab who I was.”

  Casey placed the hand she was holding on her chest. “Now I’m sorry,” she whispered. “That makes a bum knee sound like a walk in the park. My parents, my brother, my whole family were with me every step of the way. I wouldn’t have gotten through it without them.”

  “No. It’s okay. Like you said, everyone has a story.” Amy’s shoulders lifted. Telling hers out loud did wonders. Those thorny pieces in her heart softened. They would always be there, snagging at her when she least wanted them, but maybe, if she didn’t hold back and had Casey with her, she could brush them aside. “I don’t want to move slow, Casey. I want to move forward.”

  Casey pulled back to look her in the eyes. “Me too.”

  Amy shook her head. “I don’t want you sleeping on the couch.”

  “You want me to go, now?” Confusion swept over Casey’s face.

  “No. New plan. I want you to come into the bedroom right now, and we’ll figure out where to sleep later.” Amy stood up, pulling Casey with her to the bedroom.

  Once there, Amy saw the big, wide bed, and the enormity of where they were heading crashed in on her. She hadn’t been with anyone in years. Darla had been the one to aggressively take the lead. Amy had always fallen into step with her. Now, she wanted something different with Casey. But, was she ready for this?

  “Are you sure about t
his new plan? Because we can go back to the old one.” Casey must have seen the panic she was trying so hard to hide. Amy grabbed Casey before she could psyche herself out.

  “Yes. Move forward, lady,” she said, and pulled her onto the bed. Casey laughed, a throaty, musical laugh which chased most of Amy’s misgivings away.

  They sat for a moment just looking at each other. She had only known Casey for weeks, and yet Amy felt as if she had waited a lifetime for this moment. Casey must’ve felt it too, since she slowly lowered her lips to Amy’s. Her kiss was soft and velvety. It rocked Amy’s world.

  Casey pushed her down and lay across her. Casey’s tight breasts and long lean muscles pressed against her, soft here, hard there, and oh, so sexy everywhere.

  Amy tingled all over. And then she decided to let go and let passion guide her.

  “New plan,” she said.

  Casey’s eyes widened as Amy rolled her over onto her back and straddled her.

  Amy wanted control, to steer her own course. She tugged at the first button on Casey’s shirt.

  Casey moaned as her fingers slid from button to button. And then there was only Casey’s warm skin and her perfect breasts. Her nipples were already erect and waiting.

  Amy brushed her fingers lightly over their tips, and Casey arched in pleasure. She gently squeezed and tugged until Casey’s breath was labored and she moaned softly. Amy moved from one firm peak to the other, teasing with her lips and tongue.

  “No fair. I get to play too,” Casey said.

  Smiling, Amy sat up and pulled her own shirt over her head.

  “God, you’re so sexy,” Casey said, tugging her bra aside and taking a nipple in her mouth. She teased her with her tongue and teeth.

  It took them only a minute to shrug out of the rest of their clothes and lie naked side by side. Amy traced a finger down the curve of Casey’s tanned hip. She held her breath as she touched her. Her fingertips explored Casey’s taut belly and the softness of her inner thigh, and then, as they drifted closer to her center, she hesitated, unsure of herself. It had been a long time since she had been with a lover.

  “Please,” Casey begged, reaching to guide Amy’s fingers toward her need.

  Amy felt the heat, felt the dampness before she touched her there. To know Casey wanted her was all the encouragement she needed. She slid her fingers into her.

  Casey moaned; her whole body went still, waiting.

  Amy pushed again, past the soft folds, and found her swollen and ready. Her thumb glided over her clitoris, fluttering against it, sending a spasm of pleasure through Casey, driving her hips into a primordial rhythm.

  At first, Amy moved with slow sensual strokes, building in tempo as she felt Casey’s body tense around her fingers.

  Casey pulled her into a deep kiss. She pushed her tongue impatiently inside Amy’s mouth, and her growing urgency flowed in with it.

  Amy pushed deeper as Casey rolled her hips against her, and they moved in unison as Casey’s pleasure grew.

  Casey dropped her head back and cried out over and over as Amy thrust deeper into her and the waves of Casey’s orgasm rolled over both of them. Casey reached for Amy’s hand, stilling it, pressing it to her, as they rode out the last few ripples of her pleasure.

  She dropped back onto the bed. “Wow,” she gasped. “If that’s what moving slow is like, let’s disengage the brake permanently.”

  Amy chuckled. “I think we already have. I know I have.”

  Casey’s eyes sparkled. “Shall we try out that theory?” She pulled her into another kiss. Casey’s passion and desire still steered the embrace, but there was something else simmering underneath that Amy couldn’t quite place at first. Casey pulled back to look at her. Tenderness shone in her eyes, and Amy felt her heart melt. There had never been tenderness before.

  And then the rest of her melted as Casey rained soft kisses down her neck, stopping at her breasts to nibble and suck. She swirled her tongue around her erect nipples. The kisses moving downwards, across her stomach and lower still. Amy shivered in anticipation as Casey’s breath blew across her sex.

  Casey drew in her scent before dipping her head down to her curls. She licked and nibbled. Just when Amy didn’t think she could take the teasing anymore, Casey slowly slid her tongue into her. Pounding sensations, both physical and emotional, coursed through her. “Oh. Yes,” she cried.

  Casey’s mouth was honey as she eagerly explored. She worked her way into places that Amy didn’t even know existed and when she rolled her tongue over Amy’s clitoris, a spasm of pure pleasure jolted through her. Casey dropped lower, plunging her tongue into Amy with swift, hard strokes. Amy groaned. Nothing had prepared her for how good this felt.

  She clenched the sheets in her hands as Casey drove hard inside her. Casey added her thumb to the play and rolled it over her clit. A roar began in Amy’s head as a whoosh of pleasure raced through her body. Her orgasm came hard and fast, exploding through her body. Casey took her clitoris into her mouth and sucked gently as the last sparks of orgasm faded.

  Amy opened her eyes to see Casey looking at her with eyes brimming over with tenderness and care.

  “No brakes,” Amy said, breathlessly. “No brakes is good.”

  Casey laughed, and slid up the bed and into Amy’s arms.

  CHAPTER 10

  Amy didn’t remember falling asleep, but when she opened her eyes to the early morning, bright sun streamed through the window. Casey had flung a leg over her in the night, almost as if staking claim. Amy snuggled back into her, warm and happy. She closed her eyes again, hoping to fall back asleep, but the memory of Casey’s lovemaking still tingled across her body, and suddenly, she was wide awake.

  Idly playing her fingers along Casey’s knee, she traced the angry scar, no longer red and new, but still jagged to the touch. Her hand moved slowly up Casey’s thigh to the round softness of her behind. She rolled over to face Casey, who was still asleep. Amy’s hips felt stiff, but the pain was a welcome reminder of the pleasure they had shared and of this wonderful change in their relationship. And as an athlete Amy knew the surefire solution to muscle fatigue was another workout.

  Amy kissed Casey’s collar bone. Lingering traces of citrus rose from her skin, but mostly it was all her. Amy found the scent intoxicating. Her nipples brushed against Casey’s soft skin, and desire flamed in her again. She began to nuzzle Casey’s ear when a strange beeping broke her concentration.

  “Don’t stop.” Casey pressed her sleepy body against Amy’s.

  “Shit.” Amy sprang from the bed. “It’s your phone.”

  Casey sat up. “Get it, quick. I left it on the coffee table.”

  Completely naked, Amy raced into the living room and lunged for the phone. Casey stretched out her hands for it, and Amy tossed it to her.

  “Is it Rob?” she asked climbing back into bed. Casey swiped the phone and the screen leaped into life. Someone moved around in the downstairs den. At first Amy thought it was Tammy, but then Rob’s bulky frame came into view.

  “Holy shit,” Casey said. “It’s working.”

  “Oh my God, we’ve got him,” Amy gasped.

  Rob stood in the middle of the den, looking first one way, then the other, to make sure he was alone. Satisfied, he reached into the workout bag slung over his shoulder and pulled out the photograph he had stolen the day before. He carefully arranged it on the mantel as if it had always been there. With one last tap to the photograph frame, he hitched the bag up on his shoulder and headed in the direction of the gym.

  “Hmm,” Casey said thoughtfully, and pulled the sheet up so it covered her chest. “We got something at least.”

  “But what? What do we actually have?” Amy rummaged around in a chest of drawers for two clean T-shirts. She threw one to Casey who slid it over her body. The possibility of a morning dalliance had disappeared.


  “I don’t know. He’s possibly stealing a photograph? Definitely messing with stuff that isn’t his.”

  “That’s not enough to go to Horowitz with. It’s all circumstantial.” Amy held up a pair of work-out shorts and when Casey nodded, she tossed them on the bed.

  “I know. We got to find out if there’s anything more.”

  “How?”

  “For starters, we need to look in that bag.”

  “That didn’t work out so well for either of us yesterday.”

  “I don’t know.” Casey, now fully dressed, gave Amy a long, hungry look. “From where I’m standing, I don’t think it could’ve worked out any better.”

  Amy’s face softened into a smile. “No morning after regrets?”

  “None. You?”

  “God, no.” Amy didn’t hesitate with her answer. She cocked her head. “Well, I do regret we can’t jump back into bed and start all over.”

  Casey chuckled. “Me too. But we’re moving forward, right? Now we need a plan B.”

  “Which is?”

  “155…156…157…”

  Rob grunted the numbers as he pounded out sit-ups. Amy stood in the doorway for a moment. His back was to her, his focus completely on the exercise, and his bag dropped carelessly on the ground. Amy could just take it and slide out of the gym, but she was part of a real team now. Better to stay with the plan.

  She bounded up to him, timing it carefully so his back hit the ground when she loomed over him from out of nowhere and took control from the start. The thieving bastard didn’t deserve any better.

  “Hi! You’re Rob, right?”

  He flinched at her voice, “Yes.”

  “I’m Amy,” she said, enjoying his response.

  “I remember.” His face fell and he sighed. “What can I do you for?”

  “Well, you’re a personal trainer and I like to swim. So I was wondering if you could come out to the pool and show me a few exercises I could do out there.”

  “I’m in the middle of a workout.”

  “Oh, it won’t take long.” She pouted a little for good measure. “Diego said you would love to. I talked to him this morning. He says you would help me whenever I wanted.”