CL Hart -From A Distance

by CL Hart

  Kenzie's eyelids fluttered, but did not open as she moaned again. Kenzie could feel a warm hand on her and she could smell the clean scent of shampoo. She hurt. Her entire body ached, but it didn't stop her from shifting a little closer to the warm body. She was surprised that something so soft could make her feel so protected.

  Cori felt the movement and brushed the curly hair back from Kenzie's face as she shushed the moans. The tender caress of Cori's hand softened the sounds coming from Kenzie's lips. Cori whispered her name and Kenzie opened her eyes. "Hi." Cori offered a small smile. "Feeling better?"

  "I think so," Kenzie said quietly.

  Running her hand over Kenzie's flushed cheek and forehead, Cori shook her head. "You're still a little warm, but I don't think your fever is that much of an issue anymore."

  "Is that how you check a woman's temperature?" Kenzie's smile was soft and lazy, but her eyes were alert.

  There was no immediate change in Cori's expression, but she leaned up on one elbow and pressed her lips firmly against Kenzie's forehead. "No fever."

  "Check again."

  Their eyes connected in silent communication, each wanting, but both so unsure. Cori broke the stare first. Her eyes traveled down Kenzie's face and stopped on the lips that were waiting. Her movement was slow and very deliberate as she pressed her lips to Kenzie's. It was no surprise to Cori that the waiting lips were soft and warm, and very inviting. The kiss grew more intense and then Cori abruptly pulled back.

  Breathless, Kenzie looked to Cori for an explanation. "What? Why did you stop?" Not answering, Cori moved her body away from Kenzie's. "Wait." Kenzie tried to stop her, but she didn't have the strength. "What just happened?" "We have to stop," Cori whispered. "Why?"

  Cori leaned down and tenderly kissed the tip of Kenzie's nose. "Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every minute of it."

  "Just give me a minute to catch my breath, and I'll show you what enjoyable really is."

  "We can't. I mean...we shouldn't." Cori sat up straighter in the bed while she watched the gamut of emotions on Kenzie's face. "Excuse me?" Kenzie asked in confusion. "I mean..." She took a deep breath and sorted her thoughts. "What I'm trying to say is...we shouldn't be doing this."

  "We're both adults, so why the hell not?"

  "Because a little more than twenty-four hours ago you were laid out on an operating table, nearly dead. That's why!" Cori's tone was harsher than she meant it to be, and it confirmed what she already knew. "But I want to-"

  Cori placed a finger on Kenzie's lips, silencing her words. "I know what you want to do, and believe me, nothing would make me happier... Ah ah." She shook her finger. "Nothing except you getting healthy."

  "But-"

  "No buts. We need you healthy."

  Kenzie leaned back in frustration, her eyebrows drawn in a glare of annoyance.

  Cori watched her for a moment, but Kenzie's face turned toward the wall. "You know I'm right," she cajoled without success. Cori waited, slightly amused by Kenzie's apparent pouting. "I'm not going anywhere unless you're by my side. And no matter how this all started...Kenzie, look at me." She turned Kenzie's face to hers. "No matter how this all started, regardless of the circumstances that brought us together..."

  The mention of how they met evoked harsh realities that were enough to quell the desire throbbing inside of Kenzie. She closed her eyes to the truth, shutting off Cori's words. She didn't want to be reminded of how all of this had started.

  "Kenzie, please look at me," Cori begged. "Look at me, please. I need you to look at me."

  It took a moment, but she finally opened her eyes, and herself to Cori.

  "I need you to listen. You don't have to say anything. I just want you to know, regardless of how this all started...I need you." Kenzie started to interject but Cori placed her fingers gently on her lips. "Shhh, just listen, 'cause I've never said this to anyone before and I want to be sure you're hearing what I'm saying. We can't change the past. You told me that a while back and it's nothing I didn't already know. And I don't know what the future has in store for us, but I do know...that I care for you. I care what happens to you." She leaned down until she was inches from Kenzie's face. "I care because - well, believe it or not - I think I'm falling in love with you." She moved her fingers from Kenzie's lips and kissed her softly. Pulling away, she looked deeply into Kenzie's eyes. "Make no mistake, I would very much like this to carry on, but right now you need your strength to heal."

  In her lifetime, Kenzie could never recall anyone ever saying they loved her, and she was at a loss as to what she should say in response. Did she love Cori back? It was a question she couldn't answer, but Cori didn't seem to be looking for a response. Instead, she kissed her once more and then curled up next to her and snuggled in to sleep, leaving Kenzie to ponder what she had said.

  Chapter 18

  Cori woke with a start. She looked around to determine what had woken her, and was surprised to see her arms and legs intertwined with Kenzie's. The sun was shining brightly through the hazy window, illuminating the compartment and the woman lying next to her.

  A sharp rap on the door answered the question as to what had disturbed her from her sleep. Wiggling out from under Kenzie as quickly as she could, Cori picked up the gun and moved over to the door. She opened it slightly. "Yes?"

  "Good morning, ma'am. Morning paper," Steven offered with a slight bow. "And I just wanted to make sure that you've found everything, and your journey thus far has been satisfactory."

  "Yes, thank you." She took the paper and tossed it to the counter behind her.

  "Am I correct in assuming that you'd like breakfast served in your compartment?"

  Cori nodded, but was unsure of what to ask for.

  "The 'Starlight Morning Bright' is very popular."

  "That would be fine, for two people."

  "Coffee, orange juice?"

  "Both, thank you."

  Steven repeated her order and left. She closed the door and locked it with an audible sigh.

  "You handled that well," a low voice said from the bed. "I especially like the gun behind the door...nice touch."

  "I had a good teacher."

  Kenzie shook her head ruefully. "Of all the things I could teach you, how to handle small arms wasn't at the top of the list."

  "The main thing you taught me is how to stay alive, to be more aware of my surroundings. Don't beat yourself up over it, because being alive is at the top of my list." Cori approached the bed. "Anyway, I thought you were sleeping."

  "I was, but my pillow left me," Kenzie pulled herself up into a nearly sitting position, "and I got cold...and hungry."

  "Steven, our train porter slash steward, will be delivering breakfast shortly," Cori said as she straightened her clothing and unconsciously ran her fingers through her disheveled hair.

  "What I need isn't going to be delivered," Kenzie said, a slow smile growing on her face as Cori's cheeks flushed.

  "What you need is to get cleaned up and put on a change of clothes," Cori said with a smile of her own.

  The train chugged its way over and around the Siskiyou Mountains, heading northward toward Klamath Falls. The sun was coming over the snow peaked mountains and Kenzie watched the beauty of the scenery unfold from one of the seats next to the window.

  "You okay?" Cori asked as Kenzie's eyes drifted away from the view.

  "Yeah," she said quietly, turning to finish her breakfast.

  "What's on your mind?"

  Kenzie pushed the remains of her food around the plate with her fork. "My boat," she said with a heavy sigh. "I just can't believe she's gone." She turned and placed her plate on the counter. Her movements were slow, but not as painful as they had been. She settled back in her seat and closed her eyes.

  "Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

  "I'll be fine...it's just...how did they know about my boat?" A long moment of silence passed between them before Kenzie opened her eyes to the world rolling past. "None of this makes se
nse, it hasn't from the very beginning, but I do know one thing - Cobra wasn't after just you, he was after us, and now we know how he kept finding us."

  "That tracker thing."

  Kenzie nodded. "I'm beginning to think this whole thing was a setup." Her eyes narrowed as she considered what she had said "I think they were really after me the whole time. The question I keep asking is, why?" The thought had been twirling in her brain as she wrestled with what she knew and what she didn't. She found it unsettling that she had no one to ask, no one she could turn to who was in a position to answer her questions.

  "But why would they be after you? Don't you work for these people?"

  "I work for the government, but the person I answer to is military... It's complicated."

  "But why would they be after you?" Cori persisted. "Why would they want you dead?"

  "I don't know, but...the last assignment I was on went bad. The whole thing was bullshit, and they tried to cover it up. Maybe they want to be sure I'm not going to talk to anyone about that." She was grasping at straws, and her words sounded desperate and a little deranged. "Where's the cell phone that I got from Big Polly?"

  Cori shrugged. "I haven't seen it since our last swim in the ocean."

  "I need to talk to the judge."

  "There must be some kind of phone system or other method of communication on the train, I would think."

  Kenzie glanced out the window of the fast moving train and a sudden realization slammed into her. Why didn't I think of that before? "Where are we going?"

  "The only place I know - Seattle."

  "We're going to Seattle?" Kenzie looked around their constricted box of a compartment as a feeling a dread flowed through her. "We need to get off the train."

  "What? Why? We're safe here. No one knows where we are."

  "You're right, but I don't think screaming into Seattle would be the smartest move for us right now. We have no idea who's behind this, or why. Are they just after me, or are they trying to get to you through me, or is someone really after the both of us?"

  "I have no idea," Cori answered quietly.

  "Well, until we do, I think we need to lay low for a bit and try to figure things out. Seattle isn't the place to do it." Kenzie was on her feet, pawing through the drawer and the small closet. "I need a map or a list of train stations, something that will tell me where we are...I need to know where we are."

  "Hold on a minute, one thing at a time. I think I can get you a map," Cori reached for the blue button, "but then you're going to have to explain some of this to me."

  "We have to get off this train."

  "I understand that, but we can't while it's moving, so take a minute and explain." There was a quick knock on the door and Cori crossed over to answer it. She asked Steven for a map or a listing of the upcoming stations. He nodded and was back before they could continue their conversation. Cori opened the door for him, and he unfolded the train brochure as he stepped toward Kenzie.

  "Where are we?" Kenzie asked.

  "Just outside of Klamath Falls," he said as Kenzie snatched the map from his hand. He looked to Cori. "We're running a bit behind schedule, but that's normal."

  Kenzie pored over the map in her hand, "When is the next stop?" she asked without looking up.

  "We have a crew change in Klamath Falls, and then our next real stop is Portland. We're usually there for about half an hour."

  "When is that?" Kenzie finally looked up at the young man. "What time do we get into Portland?"

  Steven glanced at his watch and did a quick calculation. "At this rate...about four thirty-five. Is there something I can help with?" He directed his question to Cori rather than the agitated woman with the map.

  "We can get off then?" Kenzie asked, her attention on the map and not on the glances exchanged between the other two.

  "You can get off the train at any time, but you're paid all the way through to Seattle." He didn't know what the problem was, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know, but he was concerned about receiving the remainder of his gratuity.

  "Thanks, Steven," Cori said, reaching for the door. He nodded and stepped out as the door clicked and locked behind him. Cori turned her attention to the highly agitated Kenzie. "Why do we need to get off in Portland?"

  "It doesn't matter whether it's Portland or not. We just need to get off before Seattle," Kenzie said as she spread the map out on the table and traced the northern path of the train. Their route was clearly marked and Kenzie stabbed her finger onto the glossy paper. "We're here," she said.

  Cori leaned closer to read the map. "Yeah."

  "Okay-"

  "Stop, Kenzie. Why can't we carry on to Seattle?"

  "Because Seattle is where I'm from, and I'm not stepping back into that hornet's nest until I know what's going on and who the players are. Coming in by train, we might as well put an ad in the paper. They'll be watching all incoming trains, planes, and buses "

  "Who are 'they'?"

  It was the key question and Kenzie still didn't have the answer. "I don't know...yet."

  "But, Kenzie, that doesn't explain why you want to get off in Portland."

  "I don't want to get off in Portland," Kenzie said as her finger moved along the route. "It's too big and too populated. Chances are there would be tight security at the station. If there are cameras, then there's a possibility we could be seen. With the facial recognition program, they would know we were there before we got out of the station. Right now...hopefully...they have no idea where we are, but I can guarantee they will be watching every mode of transportation. No, Portland won't work. We need something smaller, out of the way...like Tacoma." She tapped her finger on the port just south of Seattle.

  "Tacoma?"

  "Yeah." She turned the map over, looking for an enlargement of the port city. "Yeah. See." She pointed out the station. "The Tacoma station is right in the middle of an industrial area - fewer people, less chance there might be cameras."

  Cori studied the road map enlargement of the area around the Tacoma train station. She shrugged her shoulders, nor caring where they were going as long as they were going together. "And then what?"

  "Then we need to start putting these pieces together and see what kind of a picture we get."

  Later that afternoon Kenzie was resting comfortably on the bed when she felt the mattress shift as Cori sat down next to her. She lazily opened one eye. "What's up?"

  "I need to change your dressing and you need to take some more of these." Cori held out her hand containing the antibiotics. "Here." She offered them along with a bottle of water.

  Kenzie took her medicine without complaint as she watched Cori lay out the medical supplies needed. "You're getting pretty good at bandaging me, aren't you?"

  "You've given me a lot of practice," she said with a smile. "Can you lift your shirt up?"

  Kenzie complied by taking her shirt off. The movement was not especially painful and she realized she was not as sore as she had been. "I feel a lot better."

  Cori did her best to keep her eyes and mind on the dressing rather than the half-naked patient. The bandages were clean and white, a sharp contrast to Kenzie's bronzed skin. "Well, there's no bleeding or seepage." Cori removed the tape and gauze carefully, noting the coolness of the skin. Kenzie's fever was gone. "You look a lot better," Cori said quietly while she went about replacing the dressing.

  "I feel a hundred percent better," Kenzie answered as she studied the yellow bruises on Cori's face, so near to her own. All of that seemed so long ago. With everything that had happened, she felt like a completely different person. "I feel like a new me."

  "Really? How is that?" Cori asked, her hands and eyes busy with taping the gauze in place.

  "I feel..." She couldn't find the words, but she knew what she wanted to do. Leaning forward, her lips brushed lightly over Cori's cheek. Lingering for a brief moment, Kenzie detected the clean scent of shampoo and soap.

  "Hey, hey." Cori pulled back and looked at Kenz
ie. "You may be feeling better, but I don't think you're well enough for that."

  The color rising in Cori's cheeks told Kenzie more than her words did. She watched her gather up their limited medical supplies and, as Cori started to rise from the bed, Kenzie grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. Neither spoke, but when they looked into each other's eyes, the communication was clear.

  Kenzie inched forward and kissed her softly on the lips. Leaning back, she placed her hand gently on Cori's cheek. "Thank you," Kenzie said softly.

  "For what?" Cori whispered, not wanting to spoil the sudden change of mood.

  "For everything - again."

  There was a moment's hesitation and then Cori leaned forward and tenderly kissed Kenzie's lips. They parted, but Cori remained inches from Kenzie' face. "Thank you," she said. "For what?"

  "For not dying on me."

  Kenzie's expression changed to one of amusement and her eyes shifted back and forth from Cori's eyes to her mouth. She wanted to kiss her again, but before she could, Cori's lips found hers. This kiss was harder, more demanding, and she realized she was not the only one who was wanting. Pressing harder against Cori lips, Kenzie felt her hand come around her neck, pulling her deeper into the kiss.

  It was what they both wanted and the fervor of the kiss grew. Searching with her tongue, Kenzie separated Cori's lips, eliciting a moan when their tongues touched. Warm waves of desire flooded through Kenzie as she cupped Cori's cheek and pulled her closer.

  Cori moaned as Kenzie slid a hand down to cover her breast. The t-shirt material was thin enough that she could feel the nipple harden in response to her touch. She squeezed firmly and Cori rewarded her with another low, needy groan. Running her thumb around the nipple in small circles, she waited for it to swell and then she gently pinched it.

  Cori gasped at the sensation. Pulling away from Kenzie's kiss, she arched her back and thrust her breast harder against Kenzie's hand.

  Taking advantage of the availability, Kenzie brushed back the hair from the nape of Cori's neck and began to kiss and nibble on her soft skin. Cori's low moans spurred her on, and she pressed her thigh between Cori's.