by Julie Cannon
Lane stepped into the waiting arms. “Only if you promise it’s the last dance for tonight, and we’ll come back again.”
“I think I can honor that.”
Their bodies moved in rhythm. Lane felt warm breath caress her ear and tickle her neck. She molded her body into Kyle’s and was rewarded with a low moan of desire. Kyle’s thigh was pressed tightly between her legs as their hips worked sensuously, one against the other. Lane’s already hard nipples became almost painful as they brushed against the hard chest in front of her.
Kyle felt Lane’s body react and gently cupped her face. She caressed Lane’s cheek with the back of her hand as the tempo of the music slowed. Her thumb quivered across Lane’s lips. “You’re very beautiful.”
Lane could only watch Kyle’s lips, and they drew nearer. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”
“Only to those I’m about to kiss.” An instant later she lowered her mouth to the lips that had tormented her all evening. Lane’s kiss was softer than she could ever have imagined and so responsive Kyle tentatively deepened their kiss until she knew she needed to stop or take their encounter elsewhere.
Rockets exploded behind Lane’s eyes. She had never experienced this reaction when kissing someone and was almost overcome with the sensation. Kyle was an excellent, considerate kisser and did not try to overpower her with lips and tongue. Lane relaxed into the embrace and hoped it would go on forever, but Kyle pulled away much too soon.
“The song is over.” Her voice was husky and unsteady.
The statement took a moment to penetrate her passion-
clouded mind, and Lane slowly opened her eyes. Looking around, she was embarrassed to see that they were the only couple left on the dance floor. Her gaze returned to Kyle, meeting brightly burning eyes that contained a hint of sparkle. The kiss had left her so breathless she had a hard time responding to Kyle’s comment.
“Maybe there’ll be an encore.”
Kyle’s eyebrow quirked upward at the dual meaning conveyed by both her words and her tone. “I think there’s more where that came from.” She took Lane’s hand and led them back to their table, thankful that her outward poise concealed the fact that she could barely put one foot in front of the other.
Kyle didn’t sit but stood behind her as Lane sank down gratefully on the stool. Her warm breath caressed Lane’s ear. “You’re a wonderful kisser,” she said softly. That’s an understatement. Kyle could have died right there and been happy.
Lane chuckled and tilted her head so Kyle had better access to her sensitive neck. “I could be witty and say that my mother insisted I take kissing lessons when I was in the seventh grade.”
“Would that be the truth?” Kyle started to nibble on the smooth neck under her ear.
At the first brush of her lips, Lane drew a quick breath. “No.”
“Don’t lie to me. I have ways of making you talk, you know.” Kyle paid particular attention to a very sensitive spot just under Lane’s left ear.
Lane leaned into the hard chest against her back. “If you keep doing that I’ll tell you the name of my pet goldfish I had when I was eight.”
“Maybe I should use this technique on everyone I have to interrogate. It appears to be quite effective.”
“You want the truth?” Lane turned a little to look up at the woman making her shiver. “The truth is that I want you to kiss me again.” She wrapped her arms around Kyle’s neck and buried her hands in her hair. A moan came from Kyle when she opened her lips. The sensation of Kyle’s tongue entering her mouth for the first time was almost enough to send her over the edge. From just a kiss? She swayed into the strong arms that supported her, closing the gap between them even more.
Kyle fought for control as Lane responded to her kisses. Her hands moved slowly over Lane’s back in soft caresses and eventually settled on her butt.
“Ladies?”
Kyle recovered first and broke away. Breathing heavily, she glared at one of the bartenders.
“Sorry to interrupt, but it’s closing time.”
Lane eased her arms from around Kyle’s neck and slowly let her hands run down the front of her shirt to come to rest on her thighs. “Guess we’d better go before they call the cops.”
Kyle laughed. “No, we don’t want a cop around to spoil the fun.”
Lane looked her straight in the eyes. “Actually, I’m having a lot of fun with a cop.”
“Then let’s go have some more fun.” Kyle placed a chaste kiss on Lane’s lips and helped her to her feet.
Lane followed her wordlessly out the door and through the parking lot to Kyle’s Saab, one of the few remaining vehicles in the lot. She made sure her body brushed Kyle’s as she slid into the passenger seat.
Kyle’s body immediately went into overdrive and she moaned. “You don’t play fair.”
“I don’t have to. I’m playing with a cop.”
Kyle moaned again in mock frustration and put the top down on the powerful car. She had left Hollie’s car seat with her parents just in case they wanted to take her out for ice cream. The cool breeze caressed her heated skin but did nothing for the searing heat between her legs. She held Lane’s hand as they drove slowly through the summer night. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Lane’s head tipped back against the headrest, her eyes scanning the cloudless sky. There was a full moon, and the reflection of the city lights cast a soft glow on the smoothness of her throat. Kyle’s stomach churned and her fingers twitched at the thought of caressing that vulnerable flesh.
Lane broke the silence. “I can’t remember the last time I closed a bar.”
“I can’t remember the last time I made out in a bar.” Not that she was a reluctant partner in the debauchery.
Lane slowly turned her head, teasing, “Am I a bad influence on you detective?”
“No.” Kyle forced her eyes to stay on the congested road. Lane rubbed her thumb seductively on the top of Kyle’s hand in a manner that drove her to distraction.
“Am I leading you astray?” Lane offered an innocent smile.
“You may lead me many places Ms. Connor, but astray is not one of them.”
“Is that a proposition? Because if it is I may have to call the police.”
“Professionally speaking, I prefer to call it a proposal—proposition sounds so illegal. And even though I like girls, spending the night in a jail cell full of them is not exactly what I had in mind.”
Lane shifted in her seat so that she was regarding her date directly. “And just what exactly did you have in mind?”
“I’ll never tell. I’m a trained investigator. I know all the tricks to make people talk, but my lips are sealed.” It had been ages since Kyle blatantly flirted with a woman like this. She’d forgotten how exciting it was, and how arousing. Like I need any help with that.
“What if I promise to use my rubber hose?”
Kyle laughed as she remembered that was her line the first time they had gone out to dinner. “Why am I not surprised? I already know you don’t fight fair. But I bet mine is bigger than yours.”
Lane cursed the fact that she was wearing a longer skirt and not a mini that was back in style. She moved Kyle’s hand closer to the vee between her legs that was clamoring for attention. “You disappoint me, Detective. As worldly and sophisticated as you are, I would have thought you believe size doesn’t matter.”
“The only people who say that don’t have a big one.” Kyle coasted the car to a stop at an intersection. When she moved her hand, she watched the expression on Lane’s face change. The light teasing was quickly replaced with raw hunger. She leaned in fully intending to kiss Lane and was thrilled when Lane met her more than halfway. The kiss started tentatively and when Lane increased the intensity, Kyle pressed her hand into her crotch. Lane gasped, and at the same time, a horn sounded from the car behind them. The light was green.
“That’s twice tonight you’ve been caught.” When Kyle pulled away from their kiss she did not pull
her hand away from its present position between Lane’s legs.
Kyle smiled thoughtfully. “Hmm, I seem to be running as fast as you can catch me. I wonder what that means?”
“That means you’d better drive faster.”
Kyle did.
*
Kyle smoothly pulled the car into Lane’s driveway. She turned off the engine but did not put the top up on the convertible.
“Aren’t you coming in?” Lane was confused. The activities of the past few hours clearly indicated they would spend the night together, at least it did to Lane. Apparently she was wrong.
Kyle didn’t know what to say. She wanted to make love with Lane, but she suddenly realized she couldn’t. Not tonight, anyway, and not until she told her about Hollie. It wouldn’t be right to lead her somewhere when she had no idea there was something waiting for her at the other end. And Kyle wasn’t quite ready to show her the map. She cursed herself for letting things get this far, but she’d been unable to stop herself the instant Lane stepped into her arms.
“Kyle?” Lane’s heart dropped as her desire was quickly replaced with confusion and what could be described as pain. She didn’t understand the quick change of events. She felt sure it wasn’t anything she did, but she had no idea what had caused it.
Kyle ran her hand over her eyes which were suddenly very tired. “Lane, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to, because God knows I do. But…”
“But what?”
Kyle struggled to find the right words. “I can’t, not tonight. I’m sorry if I led you to believe otherwise.” What a jerk, Bain.
Lane took a deep breath to calm the anger that was rising in her. “It’s all right. I think we’d both better slow down a bit.” Wanting to hide her hurt, she reached for the door handle.
Kyle’s heart dropped, and she was in a near panic fearing that she had blown it with this wonderful woman. “Lane,” she begged softly and lightly put her hand on Lane’s thigh, “Please, I’ll get the door.”
Lane didn’t know what she’d expected Kyle to say but it certainly wasn’t that. She had crashed from overwhelming joy to an emptiness she didn’t want to think about. She dropped her hand and sat back against the seat.
Kyle hesitated a moment, caught between wanting to take this wonderful woman into her arms and wanting to tell her about Hollie, both of which she knew she shouldn’t do. So she did the only thing she could, she got out of the car, opened Lane’s door and held out her hand.
Lane looked at the hand offered and then into the eyes of the woman extending it. She knew it was more than a polite gesture. Somehow she knew that it was a peace offering of sorts. An offering to bridge the gap that had suddenly sprung up between them. Lane read the hope and fear as it crossed Kyle’s face. Making a decision she knew she wouldn’t regret, she smiled, took the hand and unexpectedly stepped into Kyle’s arms and kissed her.
Their lips joined with the same intensity and passion as they experienced earlier in the evening, and when Lane broke away they were both breathing hard. “If tonight was any type of a preview of what’s to come, you definitely will be worth the wait Detective. But let me tell you right now, I’m not known for my patience. Now walk me to the door.”
Kyle was stunned at the quick turn of events but knew a command when she heard one. “Yes ma’am.”
Chapter Seven
It was raining heavily and Kyle was running late. She was usually at her desk by eight, but this morning Hollie decided to take her first steps, and she was not going to miss the milestone simply to get to work. Travis usually didn’t come in until after nine, and none of the other detectives had arrived, so Kyle had some privacy in the squad room when she sat down. She picked up the phone and dialed the number printed on the card in her hand. After several rings it was answered by the one voice she wanted to hear.
“Good morning,” she replied quickly. “It’s Kyle.”
Lane’s blood immediately heated and raced through her body. “Good morning.” Her voice equaled the warmth pulsing through her veins.
“How are you this morning?”
“Tired. How are you?” Lane had been unable to sleep after their evening together, and the few hours she did sleep last night certainly didn’t make up for it.
“Tired? Why are you tired? Have a busy weekend?” Kyle smiled as she leaned back in her chair and put her feet on her desk.
Lane was standing at the hostess stand, and it didn’t afford her any level of privacy. Asking Kyle to hang on, she quickly crossed the twenty feet to her office and closed the door behind her. She picked up the receiver, cleared her throat, and released the hold button. “Yes, tired, and yes I did have a busy weekend. I seem to have stayed out quite late, or was it quite early, with a woman who literally swept me off my feet.”
Kyle laughed remembering the feel of Lane in her arms and just how light on her feet she actually was. “Really? Swept you off your feet, huh?”
“Yep. She was a marvelous dancer. She was a strong lead, could dance to just about anything and was devilishly attractive. I practically had to fight the girls off with a stick.” Lane had been approached in the ladies room by a woman who wanted to ask Kyle to dance, but she was smart enough to ask Lane if she and Kyle were together. The woman went away disappointed.
Laughter filled the earpiece. “A big stick?”
“Very. She could have had any woman in the joint.” Kyle may have been aware of her magnetism, but she never gave any indication she noticed any of the sultry looks directed her way.
“Aren’t you exaggerating a little bit? Any woman in the room?”
“Yep, even the straight ones. They couldn’t take their eyes off her, either.” This was also one hundred percent true. Kyle radiated power and sensuality and carried herself with confidence. Between these attractive characteristics and a drop-dead gorgeous body, she was definitely the hottest woman at the dance.
“Okay, now I know you’re pulling my leg.” Kyle was beginning to feel uncomfortable, and she took a more serious tone.
“Kyle, do you have any idea what you do to women?” God, how could she not know?
“There’s only one woman I’m interested in doing something to.” Even though she was still alone in the office, Kyle dropped her voice.
An immediate gush soaked Lane’s panties from Kyle’s comment. Her hands started to shake and her breathing became shallow. She sat up straighter in her chair in a failed attempt to regain control over her body, but all she succeeded in doing was pressing her throbbing crotch tighter against her panties.
“Oh man.” Lane wasn’t aware she spoke the words until Kyle responded.
“No…oh, woman.” Kyle felt the sexual tension through the phone lines. The events of Saturday night had haunted her all day Sunday. Physically, she’d kept busy, but with the exception of playing with Hollie, the day was mostly spent in generally mindless activity. Kyle was not able to pinpoint when she’d crossed the line from simply being interested in Lane to wanting her. She wrapped her hand around the receiver, and her fingers tingled with the memory of the feel of Lane’s skin. She could no longer maintain her casual, relaxed position, and her feet hit the floor with a thud.
“Kyle…I…” Lane knew what she wanted to say but wasn’t able to form the words. She wanted Kyle, there was no doubt about it, and it was apparent by Kyle’s reactions Saturday night that she wanted her just as much.
Kyle was distracted when the precinct captain entered the room and motioned her to his office. Shit. “Lane?”
“I want to see you again.”
“I want to see you again too.” The captain could wait. That thought was very unlike her.
“What are you doing tomorrow night?”
“I’ve got the duty, but other than that I’m free.”
Lane looked puzzled. “The duty?”
“It’s kind of like being on call. If there’s a homicide or a suspected homicide I’m called. We rotate the duty during the week so one of us doesn
’t get stuck getting up in the middle of the night all the time.”
Kyle’s description was confusing. “How do you have a suspected homicide? Aren’t they either dead or not dead?”
Kyle laughed at the innocence of the question. “I’ve never had anyone ask that question, but it’s a good one. A suspected homicide is one where there’s a doubt whether or not there was any foul play in the death. Like a homicide that is staged to look like a suicide.”
Lane nodded her understanding. “So when you have the duty, what exactly does that mean?”
“It just means that if I’m called I have to go. We may have to end the evening early, and I’d have to take you home. Then again, my pager may not go off at all.”
Lane thought about that for a moment. “Let’s live life on the edge. Let’s go out.”
“I knew there was a reason I liked you. What would you like to do?”
“You’re gonna think it’s corny.”
“And why would I think that? Is it?” Kyle’s curiosity was always in high gear and went into overdrive when it came to this woman.
“Not to me.”
“Then not to me either.”
“I’d like to go to the boat show,” Lane said. “And tomorrow is the last night.”
Kyle laughed. “Jeez for a minute there I thought you were going to ask if we could do something corny like hold hands and walk on the boardwalk.” There was nothing she’d like better than to hold hands and walk with this woman.
Lane was relieved. “We can save that for another time. I really want to see the boats.”
“All right, how about I pick you up at six? We can grab a bite somewhere or eat overpriced greasy boat-show food.”
“I’ll buy the beer.”
*
Unfortunately having the duty also meant not consuming any alcohol. Lane had three beers while Kyle nursed a Coke as they prowled the boats lined up neatly on the convention hall floor. Lane was particularly interested in a forty-foot sailboat and spent at least twenty minutes below deck surveying the quarters. She was startled at a voice close behind her.