by Radclyffe
“No,” KT replied. She was sitting at the kitchen table in front of the open back door, sipping iced tea and regarding the hand therapist intently. “I’ve only been out of the cast a few days.”
“How much pain are you having?”
KT shrugged. “It’s tolerable.”
“It’s important that I know,” Pia continued reasonably. “Otherwise, it’s difficult for me to fashion the appropriate treatment plan.”
“Seven out of ten,” KT grudgingly informed her.
Pia nodded, although she was willing to bet that the surgeon was underestimating her level of discomfort. She’d never met a surgeon without a healthy dose of machismo. Sometimes, in situations like this, that turned out to be unhealthy. The worst thing that could happen in the aftermath of this type of injury would be to rupture one of the tendon repairs or avulse one of the reconnected nerves, and that could happen if the patient or the therapist pushed too hard or too fast. Such an event at this point would almost certainly guarantee a permanent loss of function, and for a surgeon, any loss of function was going to prevent her from resuming her career.
“I anticipate that you’re looking at three to six months, possibly longer, of intensive therapy.”
“Understood.” KT planned to make her stay in therapy as short as possible. She’d work the program the therapist designed for her, and she’d work it hard. She didn’t intend to be disabled for very long.
“We’ll need to meet daily for the first six weeks,” Pia added.
Again, KT nodded. “Whatever you say.”
“I can see you here, but the schedule might be slightly erratic depending upon my responsibilities in Hyannis. I don’t work a regular shift there, although I go in nearly every day.”
“As long as I have a few days’ notice, I’ll fit myself into your schedule.” KT hoped she wasn’t being overly optimistic making these arrangements. After all, Tory hadn’t said that she would hire her. Still, she’d seen the look in Tory’s eyes. It wasn’t the sympathy that she cared about or even the anger that she’d seen every other time she’d looked into her former lover’s eyes. It had been that brief moment of tenderness, that precious instant when the past had faded and they had been nothing more than two women who cared about one another. The connection, no matter how fleeting, had felt so strong that it had obliterated the long years of loneliness and confusion. At least for her.
Pia tilted her head and smiled. “Are you always so accommodating, Dr. O’Bannon?”
KT smiled, but her eyes remained flat and without humor. “No.”
“Can you start tomorrow?”
“What’s wrong with today?”
Pia laughed. “Let’s say 9 a.m. Just leave me your number in case something comes up.”
KT provided her with her cell number and then rose. “Thank you.”
“Where are you staying?” Pia asked as she walked KT to the door.
“I’ve got a room at the Crown Point until I can find a condo to rent.”
Pia was about to offer a few suggestions about finding a place, and then thought better of it. It was usually best to keep things on a purely professional level, especially when a woman was as dangerously attractive as this one.
“Good luck. I’ll see you tomorrow, then, Dr. O’Bannon.”
“Please, call me KT.”
“And I’m Pia.”
“Thank you.” KT looked into the deep brown eyes and smiled. “Pia.”
Pia steadfastly ignored the slight flutter of her heart as she watched her newest client walk up the flagstone walkway and disappear down the street. She wasn’t particularly worried about her reaction. She had a heartbeat, and that’s all it would take to find KT O’Bannon attractive. But she’d had quite a few years of practice being attracted without becoming involved, and she had no intention of changing that now.
Chapter Eight
KT walked east on Commercial Street back toward the center of town. It was midafternoon on the Friday of Labor Day weekend, and she had nowhere to go and nothing to do. Despite her many years in Boston, she’d crossed Cape Cod Bay only rarely to visit the small village that had begun as a thriving Portuguese fishing community, evolved into a center for avant-garde artists in the early twentieth century, and finally emerged as a mecca for gays and lesbians. She hadn’t visited at all since learning that Tory had settled there after their separation. She’d always expected that Tory would eventually return to Boston, believing that the quiet life of a small-town doctor could not possibly satisfy her for long. They had chosen different specialties, but they’d both been aggressive, determined physicians at the top of their respective fields when they’d shared a life.
Standing in front of Spiritus Pizza, surveying the narrow, crowded streets that teemed with tourists, gay and straight, she was struck by the energy humming in the air and wondered if she might have been wrong about what the tiny town had to offer. Wrong about that, as she had been about so many things. She shook off the questions that she had long since tired of asking, having no answers, and turned toward the sound of music on the opposite side of the street. The heavy beat of dance music emanated from the Pied, which she vaguely recalled had once been called the Pied Piper.
She smiled to herself, appreciating the irony, as she abruptly crossed to the wood deck pathway that led to the front door. When she saw the two young women in white T-shirts and jeans seated at a small table just inside, she grimaced and reached for her wallet. Another fumble-fest. Still, she managed to get the money out with reasonable aplomb and slid a twenty into her front pocket along with the change from her cover charge so that she wouldn’t have to take her wallet out again. Her fingertips brushed the small pills, and she considered taking another one. The heat and the walk with her arm hanging down had caused her fingers to swell and throb viciously. There were only two tablets left out of the six she had counted out that morning. She made her way through the surprisingly large afternoon crowd to the bar and ordered a drink instead.
“Thanks,” KT said with a nod to the stocky butch in the baseball cap behind the bar. She took a long pull on the draft beer, welcoming the slightly bitter aftertaste as the cold brew washed away some of the heat and dust of her morning. Perhaps after another, it would wash away some of the pain as well.
The large rear deck was visible through the oversized open window that connected the far end of the bar to the outside space, allowing those enjoying the sea and the sun to refill their drinks without coming back inside. Briefly, KT considered joining the women for a look at the sailboats on the harbor and the kayakers traversing the inlet in their red and yellow shells. Thinking about the water and the paddlers made her think of Tory and all the meets they’d been to. And then she saw again, as clearly as the day it happened, the final heat that Tory ever raced—saw the other scull blindsiding Tory’s and the splintering shell, heard the screams, and relived those few agonizing seconds when she’d feared Tory would never surface. Her stomach clutched, her entire left side erupted into pain, and without even thinking, she reached for one of the two last pills. She washed it down with the beer and decided to stay inside in the cool darkness of the bar, away from the water.
“That looks nasty,” a redhead about KT’s age observed as she leaned against the bar and indicated KT’s arm with a tilt of her chin. “Cut the tendons?”
Surprised, KT studied the newcomer, whose shapely figure was nicely accentuated by a turquoise, scoop-necked, sleeveless top and white hip-hugger capri slacks. “Yep. A couple of them. How did you know?”
“I’m a carpenter.” The woman held up her left wrist to reveal the jagged scar that extended nearly halfway around. “Table saw—three tendons.”
“Ouch.”
The woman laughed. “Fucking ouch is right.”
Now that KT looked more closely, she could see the muscles rippling beneath the smooth skin of her companion’s arms. “It looks like you mended pretty well.”
“Pretty much good as new. I’ve never
quite gotten all the strength back, but I can handle my tools.”
KT wondered fleetingly if she would ever again handle her tools, but she pushed the thought away and concentrated on the woman who was appraising her with obvious interest. She held out her hand. “I’m KT.”
“Vicki.”
KT blinked. Thankfully, the woman bore no resemblance to Tory, and she ruthlessly pushed the image of her former lover’s face from her mind. “Can I buy you a drink?”
“Sure. Glenlivet on the rocks.”
“Coming up.” KT signaled the bartender over and ordered the drink along with another draft for herself. The room was filling up now that the afternoon tea dance was about to begin. Vicki moved closer as more people sidled up to the bar and as she did, turned her body so that her legs loosely straddled KT’s thigh. KT could smell her perfume, the dark inviting aroma of rain on the wind. “Are you from around here?”
“No,” Vicki replied, leaning into KT to be heard above the racket of drink orders being shouted from those nearby. Her breast brushed KT’s arm. “Worcester. I’m just here for the weekend.”
Inexplicably, KT felt a surge of relief. She wasn’t certain exactly why, but she didn’t want to spend the night with someone she was going to have to see on a regular basis in the small town where she might be living for an indefinite period of time. And if she was right about the signals she was reading in Vicki’s eyes and the fact that Vicki’s nipple had hardened the instant her breast had brushed KT’s arm, then she didn’t have to spend the night alone if she didn’t want to. And considering the way she was feeling right now, a woman was probably the only thing that would drive away thoughts of past mistakes and future fears, at least for one night. The alcohol and painkillers didn’t seem to be doing it. “Down here with friends?”
Vicki’s smile widened and she placed her hand on KT’s stomach, edging her hips a little tighter against KT’s thigh. “All by myself.”
And is there a woman at home? But that was not her concern, KT reminded herself. The fingers circling slowly over her abdomen felt good, as did the heat of Vicki’s center pressed to her leg as the redhead undulated sensuously to the music in the background. As the arousal built in her depths, the pain in her arm, and in her heart, mercifully receded.
*
Reese pulled into the parking lot in front of the sheriff’s department just as Bri and Allie roared in behind her on Bri’s big Harley. Reese climbed out of the cruiser and studied the two young women. Bri had on her uniform pants, which looked as if they’d been slept in, and the white T-shirt she usually wore under her uniform shirt. She’d filled out some since she’d been training heavily for her black belt test. The shirt stretched tightly over her small breasts, muscular chest, and ripped arms, accentuating her tapered torso and narrow hips. Allie, who straddled Bri’s body with both arms around her waist and her cheek pressed to the back of Bri’s neck, was in street clothes—impossibly tight, almost feloniously low-slung blue jeans and a minuscule, sheer white top that appeared to be suspended over her unrestrained breasts by a thread or two tied at the back of her neck. Considering their attire and the fact that Allie’s car was parked exactly where it had been the day before, it didn’t require much in the way of deductive reasoning to ascertain that Bri had spent the night at Allie’s.
God damn it. Reese’s jaw tightened as she leaned back against the patrol car, watching Allie climb off the bike and laughingly shove at Bri’s shoulder. Bri merely grinned and shook her head no. Allie butted her hip against Bri’s thigh and said something that made Bri toss her head back and laugh. They looked like a couple of healthy young animals in the midst of a mating ritual. What the hell is wrong with her?
Watching the pair continue to tease and banter, Reese chastised herself for approving Allie’s transfer to the department. She’d known that there had been some kind of attraction between the two earlier in the year, but she’d thought it was over. She’d trusted Bri to respect Caroline and her badge, and to keep things purely professional with Allie. God damn it. Out of nowhere, Reese looked at Bri and saw another darkly handsome, dangerous woman. One with the same seething, wild energy. KT. Fast on the heels of that inexplicable image, she remembered the shadows in Tory’s eyes that morning and thought of how much greater her lover’s pain had been when they’d met a few years before. Remembered, too, that Tory had withdrawn from everyone because of the hurt and disappointment KT’s betrayal had caused. Reese pushed away from the cruiser and strode across the hard-packed sand lot to where the two young women now stood talking.
“You’re both on duty in less than an hour.”
Bri turned from telling Allie for the fourth time that she couldn’t drive her bike, a smile on her face. “Hey, Reese.”
“You’re out of uniform, Parker. Where’s your weapon and the rest of your gear?”
“In my bike bag, ma’am.” Bri straightened, clearly confused by the tone of Reese’s voice.
“Um—” Allie began, sensing that Bri was in trouble but not understanding why.
Reese silenced her with a quick look. “I want you to take personal time until further notice, Officer Tremont.”
Allie straightened, her eyes flashing. “Why, ma’am?”
“Because I ordered—” Reese stopped in the middle of dressing down the startled young recruits. They’re not recruits. And Bri’s not KT. Christ, what am I doing. She took a breath, slow and controlled, her expression revealing none of her disquiet while she settled herself. She couldn’t ever remember having behaved quite so irrationally. That it had to do with KT was clear, but why, she wasn’t sure. She hadn’t felt any particular animosity toward her when she’d seen her in the parking lot at the clinic, only a wariness that came from knowing that KT was a woman who had once hurt her lover. And knowing with absolute certainty that KT could still hurt Tory. And you’re probably not going to be able to stop it. And if you can’t protect her...
“Parker,” Reese snapped.
“Yes, ma’am.” Bri stood at rigid attention, her eyes unwavering, fixed on Reese’s face.
“If you want to wear the uniform, treat it with respect.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Go home and change. Report back for your shift looking like you’re ready to do the job.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry, ma’am.”
Reese shifted her gaze to Allie. “Come inside so we can talk.”
“Respectfully, ma’am,” Allie said, her voice steady. “I’d like to get ready for my shift as well. Could we speak later, ma’am?”
“We’ll do it now. I’ll make adjustments in your shift assignment if necessary.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
As Reese turned and headed toward the building with Allie beside her, she heard the roar of Bri’s engine accelerate rapidly and then fade into the distance. She’d come down on Bri hard—for reasons that weren’t altogether Bri’s fault. She’d have to make that right.
*
KT was dizzy, and she didn’t think it was entirely due to the beer. Vicki’s tongue was demanding, probing her mouth insistently, threatening to devour her. It felt unexpectedly good, being taken for a change. But before she completely lost control, she pulled away from Vicki’s mouth and trapped the hand that was inching open her fly. “Hey, baby, slow down. I’m too old to do this standing up in a dark corner.”
Vicki pressed hard with her whole body against KT’s, rocking her hips between KT’s spread thighs, her mouth on KT’s neck, biting lightly. “Mmm, me too, but you’ve got me so hot. God, you’re a great kisser. Tell me you’re not going a little crazy, too.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” KT said, breathing rapidly as Vicki continued to thrust her hips, working KT’s blood up to a rolling boil. “Keep doing what you’re doing, and I’m going to explode.”
“Oh, yeah. I’d like that.”
The bar was wall-to-wall people, and no one was paying them any attention in the dark corner of the bar where they’d eventuall
y migrated as their superficial conversation had given way to more in-depth physical explorations. Still, as aroused as she was, KT was long past fucking in public places. Vicki felt good in her arms, though, and with her body this turned on, she wasn’t thinking about anything. That was the best part of all.
“Can we go to your room?” KT asked, circling her right hand over the base of Vicki’s spine, matching the roll and thrust of Vicki’s pelvis with her own. She felt teeth on her neck and carefully pulled away. “Easy.”
“Mmm. God, I want to get naked with you.” Vicki managed to get her hand between KT’s thighs and squeezed. “And I want this.”
“Then let’s get out of here,” KT urged, happy to surrender awareness to the pleasant euphoria of alcohol and the consuming burn of passion.
*
Reese handed Allie a paper cup of coffee and leaned against the counter in the far corner of the squad room. The only other person present was Paul Smith, and he was busy with the phones. “How are you feeling about last night?”
Clearly surprised, Allie shrugged. “I’m okay.”
“Is that the first time you found a victim like that?”
Allie hesitated, trying to decide the best answer. The sheriff never gave any indication of what she was thinking, but Allie knew that she always told the truth. It was something you could count on. Maybe the truth was the only answer. “No.”
Reese sipped her coffee, wondering at the flicker of unease in Allie’s eyes. “But it wasn’t on the job, was it.”
“No. It was my cousin. I was fourteen and he was seventeen.” Allie swallowed around the sudden lump in her throat and put her coffee cup down before meeting Reese’s unwavering gaze. “He OD’d on heroin. I found him in his room one afternoon after school. We lived next door to each other. We were pretty tight.”