by Lynn James
“You have a nice house.”
“Thanks. I call it home.” Devon smiled appreciatively.
As she stirred the pasta, Devon felt a strong arm wrap around her and she leaned back into Elaine’s body. She loved the way that Elaine would stand behind her, her arms wrapped gently but securely around her. She also liked the fact that Elaine seemed to have an equally hard time keeping her hands off Devon’s body. When Elaine touched her or looked at her she felt like the most exquisite woman in the world. And when Elaine told her she was beautiful, she believed it wholeheartedly. She wanted nothing more than to make Elaine feel the same.
“Are you sure you don’t need any help?” Elaine whispered in her ear before moving her lips to Devon’s neck.
“Mmm…if you keep doing that, I may burn dinner.”
Elaine swiped a carrot and was busily chewing on it as she studied the small wine rack. “Can I at least open some wine?”
“Sure. This will be done in just a few more minutes. Corkscrew is in the drawer on the end.”
“The longer that cooks, the hungrier I get.”
A few minutes later Devon dished out the pasta and set it on the breakfast bar with the salad. Elaine devoured every bite. Devon loved sitting across the bar from Elaine. It felt so right.
When Elaine finally pushed her dishes aside, she asked, “How is it that you were gone for so long and come home to fresh vegetables?”
“I may have called a friend and explained that I was hoping to seduce this really hot ranger with a hot meal.”
Devon had turned back to washing when she suddenly felt Elaine’s breath on her neck. “How hot was this ranger?”
Devon set the bowl she was washing in the dishwasher, rinsed her hands and dried them before she turned into Elaine’s arms. “Hot enough that I had to bring her home with me.”
Soft gentle kisses moved ever so slowly down to the rapid pulse at the base of Devon’s neck. “Hmm. Maybe you should show me again how hot this ranger is while I peel that adorable shirt off of you.”
“Again? I thought you would have had enough of me by now,” Devon teased.
“I’ll never get enough of you,” Elaine whispered, sending a shiver the length of Devon’s body.
“Good morning,” Elaine said lazily as she joined Devon in the shower. “Or should I say afternoon? Sorry I’m such a sleepyhead.”
“Like I didn’t just get up myself.”
They kissed tenderly as they washed each other. One thing led to another until the hot water abruptly turned icy.
“It’s exhilarating to swim in a cold river, but I never feel the same way about a cold shower,” Elaine said as she dried Devon’s back.
“My fault. I threw a load of clothes in the washer. Do you need something to wear until the clean stuff is dry?”
“Well, given that what I had left that was clean is still out in the truck, sure. It’s a little early to shock the neighbors.”
Devon laughed and went to find some shorts and a Tee. After that, food was a priority.
When they were finished eating brunch, Devon finally asked, “Would you like a tour of the house?”
Elaine smiled. “We kind of skipped over that part didn’t we?”
Devon’s only response was a gentle laugh. She cleared the dishes from the counter, placing them in the dishwasher. She pulled a fresh mint leaf from the plant on the windowsill and placed it on her tongue before coming around to take Elaine’s hand.
“You know for the longest time I couldn’t figure out how your kisses always tasted so minty. Actually your entire body tastes like mint. I finally saw you chewing on those things.”
“Every part of my body?”
Elaine nodded.
“Does it bother you?” Devon asked. She had never had anyone tell her that the mint leaves she so enjoyed eating permeated her entire body. It was an amazing feeling knowing that Elaine had noticed how every inch of her skin tasted. She had never even considered that even her most inner parts would taste of mint.
“Not at all.”
“Would you like one?”
“Umm…no.”
The dubious expression on Elaine’s face amused Devon. It was one that Devon was used to seeing. Most people thought she was a bit wacky because she chewed on mint leaves rather than gum or breath mints. But she figured as far as vices went hers wasn’t that bad. “I’m addicted to the things. Always have been since I was a kid.”
She tugged gently on Elaine’s hand pulling her to her feet. “You’ve seen the kitchen and the glamorous breakfast bar. The living room we’ll get to. The bedroom you’ve sort of seen.” She gestured and Elaine grinned. “This is where I really live.”
Devon led her back down the hall, past the spare bathroom and bedroom. The door opposite of the master bedroom opened to a study. Two of the walls were floor to ceiling glass windows that overlooked beautiful fields of wildflowers. A wooden framed glass door opened onto an inviting deck that stretched the entire back of the house. A large built-in bookshelf made up the remaining wall with a small potbellied stove in the corner. There was a large overstuffed chair in one corner sitting with a lamp and an end table. The only clutter in the room was on the desk. Folders and paperwork were strewn across the surface and the chair was well worn. She crossed to the plant rack. “Stacey’s done a good job with these. I kill houseplants. It’s really sad.”
“This is Raine and Phillip’s wedding?” Elaine picked up one of the photos tucked among the books.
“Yeah.” Devon touched another frame, tracing her mother’s smile. “These are my parents.” She pointed to a smiling man and woman standing on either side of Devon who was sporting a graduation cap and gown. She felt Elaine give her hand a gentle squeeze.
“Family reunion?” Elaine pointed to an older photo containing a group of at least two dozen adults and kids. After Devon nodded, she added, “Nobody’s crying or sulking?”
Devon shrugged. “The ones that did we threw in the lake.” She was pleased when Elaine laughed. “Let’s get some coffee and go out on the deck.”
From the kitchen the deck was easily accessed by the French doors out of the living room. Devon led Elaine out onto the deck saying, “This is the most peaceful place in my life.” Well, it used to be. Now your arms are the most peaceful place I can imagine ever being.
The wooden deck overlooked a secluded backyard with a pool and a beautiful grassy area that was framed by an amazing field of early spring wildflowers. Just beyond the field, the hill and trees gave way to a magnificent view of the valley beyond. Off in the distance between the foothills, Elaine caught sight of an array of flora in all its glory.
“Aren’t you worried that someone will buy the property around you and build on it?”
Devon turned and smiled at her as she pulled Elaine closer to her. “I probably would be if I didn’t own it.”
Elaine’s eyebrows shot up as she looked at Devon. “Clearly I’m in the wrong line of work.”
Devon laughed. “When I bought the property there was nothing around here. The only way I could get to it was down a dusty one-lane gravel road. I hadn’t planned on buying much more than a couple of acres, but the man who was selling it said I had to take all or nothing. He didn’t want the headache and I loved the view so we came to a reasonable agreement.” Devon squeezed Elaine’s hand. “I had this area developed because I didn’t want to touch that field of wildflowers. The land where the house is now had almost no growth, so it just seemed perfect.”
Devon pointed just beyond the trees. “A few years ago people began moving in down the road and the county finally paved the road all the way down to my house. I thought I would mind having asphalt to my door, but the truth is that I really don’t miss the washboard ruts at all.”
Elaine looked back out over the property. “Just how much of this land is yours?”
Devon thought about it for a moment. “Um, let’s see… from the edge of the fence over there, I guess it goes about a mile
back up toward the neighbor’s house.” She turned her attention to the other side of the house. “It extends out that way probably a couple of miles or more. It butts up next to Bureau of Land Management land so I know that no one will be building on that side of me.”
Elaine pointed out toward the back of the property. “How about that direction?”
Devon bit her lip while she mentally measured. “Oh three or four miles, I guess.”
Elaine laughed. “You don’t know how many acres you own?”
Devon shrugged. “I don’t really feel like I own the land. I’m just kind of borrowing it.”
Elaine blinked. “It must have been some deal.”
“What?” Devon had been chewing on her lip, worried that Elaine would get the wrong idea about her. She made a good living and she had a nice sum of money saved, but she would definitely not be considered wealthy by most people’s standards.
Elaine raised an eyebrow. “The deal that you made with the man who sold all this to you. It must have been a hell of a deal.”
“Turned out that way. He ran the local nursery. After all, I was a good customer. I bought plants, killed them and bought more.” She sipped her coffee. “He’d inherited all of this, didn’t have family and wanted to make sure someone would go on limiting development out here. Eventually, I’d like to grant some of it to the BLM. There’s just not enough green space in this world.”
“It suits you.”
Does it suit you, Devon wanted to ask her. Could Elaine picture herself living here too? The question trembled on her lips, but it was just too soon. No need for a U-Haul. Elaine had some baggage named Grace that still troubled her.
Not sure what to say, she did the one thing that always seemed right—she slipped into Elaine’s arms and kissed her.
No longer surprised by her carnal thoughts when Devon was around, Elaine held her tight and considered what it would be like to make love to her on the deck with nothing but stars to cover them. Everything else about Devon’s house suited her personality as well. It was nice without being overbearing. It fit perfectly into the landscape. The furniture was softly worn and comfortable, inviting any visitor to stay. There was absolutely no pretense here.
The phone rang, startling them apart. Devon returned with the receiver cradled against her ear.
“Raine, what do you mean, I sound different?” She winked at Elaine.
Devon paused to listen again and started laughing. Her breath caught as Devon looked at her with a smoldering gaze. “I sound tired? You are the one about to deliver any day now. Yes, it was a tiring assignment, but I slept good last night.” Devon flashed a wink at her.
Devon continued to laugh before finally saying, “Okay. Okay. Yes, Raine, I’ll be over to see you later today just like I said. Okay. I love you too. Bye.” Devon hung up the phone and placed it on the rail before stepping back into Elaine’s arms.
“What time do you have to go to work?” she asked. She wasn’t looking forward to the prospect of Devon leaving, but she had to be realistic. As much as she may want to, they couldn’t hide away forever.
“I have to run the samples I collected by the lab, which shouldn’t take long. Then I thought we could stop by Raine’s for a little while, if you don’t mind.” Devon was studying her for a reaction.
Elated and scared all at once, she asked, “You aren’t going to tell Raine that you are bringing company with you?”
Devon laughed and wrapped her arms around Elaine. “Are you kidding? First, she wouldn’t let me off the phone because she would be peppering me with questions. Second, I didn’t want her to drop my nephew right there on the kitchen floor.”
Elaine laughed. “I would love to meet your sister, sweetheart.”
“Maybe after we go to Raine’s and the lab we could stop off for an early dinner…hmm?”
Elaine loved her teasing tone. “Dinner?”
Devon cocked her head to the side as she smiled at Elaine. “I do need to keep your strength up after all.”
“And why is that Dr. McKinney?”
“Because, Captain Thomas, I fully intend to bring you back here and wear you out all over again.” Devon could feel the shiver that passed through Elaine’s body and delighted in her response.
“Mmm, I like the sound of that,” Elaine murmured against Devon’s lips before capturing her mouth in a probing kiss.
Elaine knew where the EPA office was. When they arrived Elaine was pleased with Devon’s invitation to come into her office with her. She had thought that she would wait in the truck while Devon ran in.
Still Elaine teased, “You only want me to come in so I can help you carry these boxes.”
Devon flashed her a smile. “Hey, I’m no fool.”
A woman left her microscope to relieve Devon of the box she was carrying. She plopped the box on the near table and greeted Devon with a warm hug. “Hey Dev, it’s good to have you back.”
Devon smiled at her. “You may not think so when you see what I brought for you.”
Elaine gingerly set down the box she was carrying next to Devon’s, then dusted her hands. Devon performed introductions.
“Captain Elaine Thomas of the US Forest Service this is Dr. Ginger Grant of the EPA.”
They exchanged pleasantries as a larger man emerged from an office. He too greeted Elaine. An easy smile lit up his face. “Evan Morris.”
Before Elaine could respond, he had directed his attention to Devon. “I read your daily field reports, but look forward to the comprehensive analysis. I’ll have Carl start getting these samples into the scanning electron microscope right away so we can see what we really have. How’d things look up there?”
“Starting to return slowly but surely. Maybe in a few more years we’ll see some real changes.”
They quickly dropped into work jargon, allowing Elaine to watch the way Devon interacted with her colleagues. There was a lot of respect between them, it showed, but they all also had matching frowns of concern as they gestured at their work stations and files. Like many government staffers, they had so much to do and not enough time to do it.
The talked turned personal, so there was affection there as well. Devon patiently answered the onslaught of rapidly fired questions about being out in the cold, the snowstorm, Raine, the baby, Phillip and Stacey.
Elaine was aware of a few curious glances directed at her—why was she still hanging out with Devon? She tried not to blush or fidget. In another setting she’d probably get the third degree. Evan’s manner was distinctly paternal.
After a few more minutes they finally managed to break free from the gathering and took their leave.
Once in the truck Devon reached over and held Elaine’s hand. Raine didn’t live but maybe five minutes from the lab, in a nice suburb. Elaine took it all in, feeling slightly overwhelmed. She was silently processing the details of Devon’s life when they pulled into the driveway of a well-kept one-story brick home.
Before Devon could even knock the door swung open and a very pregnant woman threw herself into Devon’s embrace. Elaine stood to the side, smiling, as the two women talked simultaneously, but amazingly seemed to keep up with the other’s conversation.
Finally, Raine stepped back and ushered them in. Her astute eyes didn’t miss the fact that Devon reached for Elaine’s hand as they walked in.
“What would you two like to drink?”
“Raine, sit down and I’ll get it.”
“Don’t ‘Raine’ me, Devon. Sit down and let me treat you like the guests in my home that you are. I’ve had about enough of Stacey not letting me do a thing for myself.” Raine turned and began venting her obvious frustration with Stacey’s over-the-top protectiveness.
“I mean look at me. The doctor said putting on some weight is healthy, but Stacey is here three times a day making sure I’m the size of a cow.”
Devon couldn’t help but laugh and then laugh harder as her sister scowled. She reluctantly acquiesced and joined Elaine on the sofa.
“So what would you like to drink? Iced tea, soda, water?”
Devon looked at Elaine for her preference and then back to Raine. “Tea sounds great.”
A moment later, Raine returned with two glasses of tea and Elaine almost burst out laughing when she saw the mint sprig in the top of her glass. It must run in the family.
When Raine went back to the kitchen to get her own beverage Devon smiled and pulled the mint leaf from Elaine’s glass. She licked it, stroked it with her tongue and sucked on it before she finally placed it in her mouth.
Elaine was excruciatingly wet. “You did that on purpose,” she accused.
“So?” She turned to give her sister an angelic smile.
Elaine was increasingly aware of Raine’s scrutiny as the sisters talked. The two were a lot alike in that they were both very perceptive. But it wasn’t exactly like Devon was doing a damn thing to try and hide the nature of their relationship.
Raine broke off mid-sentence and grabbed her side. Devon nearly leapt across the coffee table to put her hand on Raine’s stomach.
Raine gave her a sideways glare. “Oh, I see. No ‘Raine are you okay? Raine can I get you anything?’ You just want to feel the baby kick. While you find that amazing and wonderful and sweet, I’ll have you know that’s my rib he’s breaking.”
“You love it and you know it.”
Raine ignored her sister and turned her attention to Elaine. “I swear I used to think lesbians had the right idea. Now I think you’re all just nuts. Stacey just wants to play Godmother, Devon can’t wait to be Auntie Dev and Phillip…well, Phillip is so in for it when he gets home. He’s here long enough to get me pregnant and enjoy himself and then leaves me to push something roughly the size of a football out of my body. It isn’t natural I tell you!”
After a moment Devon moved back to the sofa, tucking her legs underneath her and leaning into Elaine. Raine pointed at them but addressed her sister. “So, tell me about this. You didn’t say anything on the phone.”