Brace for Impact

by Becky Harmon

  The woman stepped from behind the open taxi trunk lid, and Lucy was able to see her face. It was Dex. She watched her slide into the cab and pull the door shut. In seconds, she would be gone and Lucy might never have the opportunity to see or even kiss her again. Maybe giving in to one night would make forgetting easier. The unknown was always made bigger in your mind. If they had one night, then she could hold true to her only once rule.

  She liked that logic. Never mind that she was ignoring the pilot issue. Besides what were the odds she would ever end up on a plane flown by Dex again?

  Without thinking, she quickly crossed the distance to the cab and pulled open the door. Dex’s surprised face was as beautiful as Lucy remembered. She dropped onto the seat beside her and placed her bag on the floor between her feet.

  “What are you doing?” Dex asked in surprise.

  “Still going to the Courtyard?” the cab driver asked across the seat.

  Lucy almost wilted under Dex’s intense gaze. She searched her mind for something cool and witty to say, but nothing would come so she just leveled her gaze and stared back into the dark eyes. After a few seconds, she motioned for Dex to answer the driver.

  “Yes,” Dex answered and then bent her head toward Lucy, speaking softly. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going with you.” She leaned back against the seat and gave Dex what she hoped was a sexy, seductive smile. Her heart raced as she waited to see if Dex would turn her down and kick her out of the cab. When the cab was finally able to pull into traffic, she released the breath she had been holding. She was fairly confident Dex wouldn’t turn her away now.

  Lucy had seen the look of disbelief in Dex’s face before she turned to stare out the window. She didn’t blame Dex for being surprised. She was shocked at her own behavior too. This wasn’t the first time she had openly propositioned a woman, but it was certainly the first time she was giving in to her own desires. Of course, she liked all the women who had come before, but Dex was in a class all her own. Dex made her feel things she had never felt before. She was intelligent, strong, and capable. And the attraction between them was clear. She had worked hard to convince herself that she wouldn’t give in, but that didn’t matter. Not when the option was right in front of you and within easy reach.

  Dex leaned back against the seat and her posture matched Lucy’s relaxed demeanor. Up until today, Dex had been the one pulling them together. Now it was Lucy’s turn. She had tossed aside all of the logical reasons not to sleep with Dex and placed herself directly within her sights. And she had no regrets.

  Five minutes later, the cab pulled under the giant archway covering the sliding glass doors into the Courtyard by Marriott. Lucy paid the driver and climbed out, holding the door for Dex. She wandered around the huge lobby while Dex checked in at the desk. There was a twenty-four-hour market as well as the usual lounge chairs and tables. She joined some people lingering in front of a big-screen television, all the while keeping a watch on Dex out of the corner of her eye. The football game was almost over, but it didn’t hold her attention even long enough for her to determine which teams were playing.

  When Dex moved toward the elevators, Lucy fell into step beside her. She leaned against the rear wall as the doors of the elevator slid closed. Dex brushed an imaginary piece of lint off her uniform and straightened her jacket. Lucy studied her. Did she detect a hint of nervousness in Dex?

  “This is what you wanted, right?” she asked.

  Dex’s dark eyes met hers, and she nodded.

  “Are you sure? I can get another room.”

  The elevator doors opened with a ding, and Dex reached out, grasping Lucy’s hand. She followed willingly behind her, pausing briefly as Dex swiped the key card and pushed her way into the room. Letting the door fall shut behind them, Lucy quickly removed her pistol and other equipment, sliding them into the pocket of her jacket. She set her bag on a nearby chair, took off her jacket and waited as Dex moved around the room.

  Dex opened the closet doors and pulled out the dry cleaning ticket, quickly filling in the pertinent information. Lucy could only watch as Dex removed her jacket and tossed it on the bed. With a glance at her, Dex slid out of her shoes and pulled off her pants.

  Lucy found herself mesmerized and unable to turn away when Dex began unbuttoning her shirt. If she allowed her imagination to run a scenario of them together this would not have been the way it would have played out. Dex turned away from her as she removed the shirt and pulled on a white robe from the closet.

  Lucy took a deep breath and forced her breathing to slow. To keep from crossing the room and grabbing Dex, she laced her fingers behind her back and leaned against the wall. It took all of her restraint to remain where she was. She had no willpower left, nothing to force herself to look away when Dex turned toward her, still pulling the robe closed. A glimpse of a black bra and miles of white flesh burned into her retinas.

  Dex pushed her uniform into the laundry bag and attached the dry cleaning ticket as a knock sounded on the door. She avoided Lucy’s eyes as she opened the door and handed the bag to a hotel attendant. The door closed and Dex turned to face her, clicking the door lock into place. Dex planted both hands on the wall beside her, trapping her head between fluffy, white robe-covered arms.

  Lucy closed her eyes, taking a moment to absorb the closeness and smell of Dex. She couldn’t remember ever wanting anything more than she wanted her at this moment. She fought to hold on to the feeling. Her pulse racing, she untied the robe and pushed it open. Sliding her hands around Dex’s waist, she pulled her close and buried her face in Dex’s neck.

  She felt Dex’s warm breath on her skin as her lips kissed a path up Lucy’s neck and across her jawline. The touch of Dex’s lips were familiar when they finally molded to her own. Soft and gentle, they covered and explored every inch of her mouth and neck. Her breathing stopped, forcing her to gasp each time Dex broke the kiss. She struggled to contain the inevitable fire Dex was building as each stroke of her tongue pushed her deeper and deeper into oblivion.

  She struggled to remain standing. Dex’s kiss and the touch of her hands had shattered every ounce of resolve she had spent her whole life building. The only thing she could do now was give in to it all or run faster than she ever had before. The latter was not an option. She only wanted to give herself and Dex what they were aching for.

  She pushed off the wall and forced Dex backward onto the bed. Pulling her T-shirt over her head, she tossed it to the floor and straddled Dex’s body. She sucked a black satin-covered nipple into her mouth, groaning as Dex laced her fingers through her hair. Everything she had never known she wanted was in front of her. She wasn’t going to stop touching her until Dex made her.

  Chapter Nine

  Dex’s eyes flew open as her ears registered the sound of the hotel door clicking closed. She sat up and groaned. Every muscle in her body screamed, and she dropped back onto the bed. Lucy was gone. She wasn’t running out to get them coffee or breakfast. The key card lay beneath the television where she had placed it the previous night.

  She threw an arm across her eyes to block the first rays of sun from the window beside the bed. It couldn’t be much past seven so she had time to hit the gym before her uniform would be returned at nine. Who was she kidding? She wasn’t going to the gym. She rolled over and dialed room service. She ordered the deluxe breakfast platter, flipped on the television, and pulled the covers over her head.

  She wasn’t surprised Lucy was gone, but it still hurt a little. Okay, more than a little. Their connection for one night was bigger than anything she had ever had with anyone she dated in the past. Before last night she could have easily accepted that she felt an attraction for Lucy and that was all, but now she didn’t know what to call it. Now she wanted to track Lucy down and admit there could be something real between them.

  When room service knocked, she forced herself to her feet and wrapped the robe around her body. Back in the bed, she uncovered the food
and found she wasn’t as hungry as she had thought. The pancakes were dry, the eggs smelled weird, and the bacon was laced with fat. She fixed a cup of coffee and leaned against the pillows on the bed while she sipped. She felt different. Not only because of the night of amazing sex. And it was amazing. But because she felt alive. For the first time, she felt like there could be a life beyond the sand and sweat of the army. She inhaled deeply, letting the scent of bacon and grease permeate her senses. She had been surrounded by dust and blood for so long that she had forgotten to appreciate other smells when she came home. Today, she felt revived with a renewed hope for the future. She could see the potential of a life that went beyond the killing of war. To a place that could make you feel good rather than bad.

  After her uniform was returned, she showered and caught a cab to the airport. Deidra had texted that she would pick her up at the Toronto airport tonight, and Dex knew that couldn’t be good. When she had called the nursing home and spoken to the nurse on duty, she had learned her father had missed Thanksgiving dinner at Deidra’s house.

  Purchasing her third cup of coffee from the airport vendor, she headed for the Eastern Airlines office. She was happy to see Grant there, already filling out the pre-flight paperwork, and she forced her mind to concentrate on the work ahead of her. Grant made the flight to Toronto enjoyable, and before she knew it they were landing at Pearson International. She greeted each passenger as they left the plane, studying their faces. Even though she had checked the manifest and already knew there were not any air marshals on this flight, she still found herself watching for Lucy’s face. She had a feeling this was going to be her future. Looking for the one face that mattered in a sea of so many.

  Dex spotted Deidra’s car easily and hurried across the two lanes of traffic to reach her. Tossing her bag into the backseat, she dropped onto the seat beside her sister.

  “What’s wrong?” Deidra asked, pulling into the slow moving traffic.

  Dex frowned. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”

  “You first.”

  Dex thought for a second. She wanted to talk it out, but that wouldn’t change anything, and right now she needed to be there for her family.

  “No, what’s going on here? It’s Dad, right?”

  Deidra sighed. “He hasn’t recognized me all week. Even when I reminded him who I was he would talk about you and me as if we were children.”

  “We knew this time was coming. What do the nurses say? Is there anything we can do?”

  “Nothing, but make him comfortable.” Tears started to fall down Deidra’s face. “He’s still eating, but he doesn’t seem to recognize the food.”

  “Pull over, Deidra.”

  Dex waited until Deidra had pulled the car to a stop in a restaurant parking lot and then she unbuckled her seatbelt. Pulling her sister into her arms, she squeezed her hard.

  “This morning I had to remind him to drink,” Deidra sobbed.

  Dex said nothing. What could she say? Alzheimer’s was a devastating disease. For the family and the patient. She held Deidra until her sobbing slowed and then finally stopped.

  “Thank you,” Deidra said, sitting back into her own seat. She wiped her eyes and then blew her nose on the tissue Dex dug out of the glove box. “I just can’t do that at home. Trevor and Dillon are holding it together, and I don’t want to make it harder on them.”

  Dex swallowed hard. She hated to ask this question, but she needed to know. “Are they projecting how long he’ll hang on?”

  Deidra sniffled again. “Every patient is different. And he’s faded back and forth quite a bit. Before all this started, he signed the papers to refuse a feeding tube, so he won’t last more than a couple weeks once he stops eating.”

  “And if he stops drinking?”

  “They’re already giving him an IV bag of fluids every day. The real concern is when he forgets how to breathe.” Deidra rested her head against the steering wheel.

  Dex closed her eyes and rubbed Deidra’s back. After a few minutes, Deidra sat up and started the car, pulling them back onto Gardiner Expressway.

  “Do you still want to come to dinner on Sunday even if Dad’s not there?” Deidra asked.

  “Of course. If you don’t mind picking me up. Or sending the boys.”

  “I’ll come. We can visit Dad on the way.” Deidra sighed. “Want to do brunch at The Senator afterward?”

  Dex glanced over seeing the tears starting to fall again at the mention of their dad’s favorite restaurant. She squeezed Deidra’s hand. “That sounds nice.”

  * * *

  Lucy dropped her dirty clothes into the washer and started the cycle. She still had a couple of hours before dinner at Sheila and Karen’s. They had already called several times encouraging her to come on over and visit, but she had begged off with multiple excuses. She had clothes to wash and bills to pay. Basically, though, she needed time to sleep and unwind from her time with Dex.

  Dex. She couldn’t think of anything else. Dex had given her everything she wanted and still left her begging for more. Her only regret of the entire night was the things she didn’t say. The things she hadn’t been able to make herself say. She should have reminded Dex that she couldn’t see her again or that she didn’t sleep with pilots, but instead like a coward she had left while Dex was still asleep. And the memory of Dex, sheets clenched in her fists, was not an image that would fade quickly. If ever.

  She returned to her spot on the couch and hit play on the DVD player. She hadn’t planned to watch this movie the entire day, but Julia Roberts was always her go-to star when she was feeling wistful. If she was honest, there was a small part of her that was sorry she couldn’t see Dex again. Okay, it was a big part of her. She hadn’t been eager to leave Dex this morning like all of her other one-night stands. She had stood for a while and watched Dex sleeping. Her peacefulness had touched Lucy, tugged at her, and she had to resist being drawn back into the bed.

  Leaving had been her only option, though. Staying would have implied things that weren’t true. It would have given the impression that she wanted more, even though her words would have said something different. She had to be careful about sending mixed messages. Clean breaks were her mantra. She didn’t stay long enough for women to read something else in her actions. That’s why one night was all she could afford to spend with any woman. Even Dex.

  The ringing of her phone pulled her from the edges of sleep again.

  “Karen?”

  “No, it’s Sheila this time.”

  “Am I late?”

  “No, you’re fine,” Sheila laughed. “Dinner is still a couple hours away, but I’m making some appetizers now. Just some easy peel shrimp and mozzarella mushroom bites.”

  Lucy’s stomach growled reminding her she hadn’t eaten all day. She rolled off the couch and to her feet. “I’m on my way.”

  “Karen wants to come get you on the four-wheeler.”

  “No thanks. I need the walk, but I might take her up on that later depending on how much I eat.”

  Sheila laughed. “Okay. See you soon.”

  She took a quick shower and pulled on sweats and a T-shirt. Karen had made it clear that she should come comfortable so they could lounge in front of the television and watch football. Having scrubbed away the last remnants of Dex from her body, she pushed thoughts of her aside as well. Since her early morning departure had ensured they couldn’t exchange contact information, dwelling on something she couldn’t have wasn’t on today’s menu. And if she could have her? She would have to face that possibility when it happened.

  Bogarts met her at the fence and they walked together down to Sheila and Karen’s. He seemed to understand she had a lot on her mind and he only forced her to pet his white muzzle once, sliding it gently through the square holes in the fence. She was happy to oblige his simple request, and it gave her a few more minutes to clear her mind from the previous night. Since Sheila and Karen didn’t know her well it seemed unlikely they would qu
estion her about last night, but in case they did she had plenty of ideas to quiet their questions. And when all else failed, “it’s confidential” would have to work.

  She gave Bogarts one last stroke and climbed the steps to the house. Karen met her at the door and ushered her to the living room.

  “Seattle’s winning by a touchdown. It’s been a good game. Sheila, Lucy’s here,” she called.

  “I’m right here, Karen. You don’t have to yell,” Sheila said, stepping into the living room with two trays of appetizers. “What can I get you to drink, Lucy?”

  “Iced tea would be great. Thanks.”

  She motioned at the couch. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back with it.”

  “Sit, sit,” Karen pulled her down on the couch beside her. “This is the best seat. Right in front of the appetizers,” she said, reaching for a mushroom. “Did you make it in last night?”

  “No, I stayed in Atlanta. It was almost midnight when my flight got in.”

  “Oh, bummer.”

  Lucy filled a plate with shrimp and mushrooms as Sheila placed her drink on a coaster beside her. Sheila filled a plate too and sat down in the recliner beside Lucy.

  “Did you get in last night?” Sheila asked.

  “I just asked her that. No, it was midnight so she stayed in Atlanta,” Karen mumbled around a mouthful of food.

  Sheila rolled her eyes. “Watch the game and let Lucy and me talk.”

  Lucy laughed. Just like before the banter between Sheila and Karen was fun. It didn’t make her feel awkward like being around other couples when they bickered.

  “My flight out of Miami was delayed on the tarmac, so it was almost three hours late getting to Atlanta.”