In the darkness Jovina Azevedo watched Cat, she wasn’t sure she believed what she was seeing. Her mother had told her someone was coming to dinner, Jovina had worried that her mother had tried to fix her up again. Her mother was forever fixing her up with butch women, thinking that Jovina needed what she considered a man in the lesbian community. It was always a mess whenever she came home.
But this was no butch… this was Catalina, this was who she’d been avoiding for the last five years, all for her to end up in her family home, smoking at the railing. She waited for Catalina to finish the cigarette, it gave her more time to observe her and draw up her own courage. As Cat stubbed out the butt of the cigarette in the ashtray, Jovina knew she needed to do something.
Stepping out of the shadows, Jovina cleared her throat to announce her presence. Cat turned even as her right hand dropped to her hip, the same hand that dropped loosely to her side when she saw who was standing there.
“Jovi…” Cat breathed.
The sound sent a thrill right through Jovina, Catalina was the only person who ever called her that and it was almost heaven-like to hear it from her lips again after so many years.
Taking a chance, Jovina walked over to Cat, smiling. They were almost the same height, Catalina was an inch taller with her heeled boots on. The two stared at each other for a long moment, neither of them wanting to say anything to break the spell that 13 years of time had created.
“Girls!” Gabriela called out from the door, “Dinner is ready!”
Cat chuckled, “Just like old times, huh?”
“Yeah, but now we’re getting away with smoking out here,” Jovina said, grinning.
They went in to dinner, and Cat spent time catching up with Gabriela and Pedro. Jovina was quiet for most of the dinner, doing her best not to stare at Cat. She saw changes in Catalina, some good, some bad. There was a shadow in her eyes now that spoke of sadness. Not that there hadn’t been plenty of that 13 years before, but this seemed like a different kind of sadness. Jovina wanted to know what it was and why it was there.
Catalina Roche’ had been her best friend since they were both in second grade, they’d grown up together and done everything together. When they were in fifth grade they got a third wheel, a third musketeer, Rachel. Rachel had been the chubby one with pig tails, but Cat and Jovina, both popular in school had taken Rachel under their wings and protected her from the bullies. Cat had actually beaten a few people up to defend Rachel. In Cat, Jovina had seen her first major crush, and later her first lover. It had seemed completely natural. Unfortunately it had consequences that had sent them both reeling.
When dinner was over, Cat made her get away. There were too many memories to handle there, especially with Jovina watching her constantly. Going back to her mothers, Cat took a couple of Vicodin and let them put her into a deep sleep so she wouldn’t have to think.
She slept deeply, but woke early the next morning just as dawn was breaking. Someone was in the room. Cat moved to sit up, her hand straying toward her holstered weapon on the nightstand, then moving away as she recognized Jovina standing next to the bed.
“Jesus!” Cat exclaimed, closing her eyes as her vision swam for a moment, moving to lean back against the headboard, she did her best to get her head to clear.
Jovina moved to sit next to her on the bed, reaching out to touch her hand, “Catalina, are you okay?” She asked her tone worried.
Cat nodded, keeping her eyes closed, “Just too much Vicodin, and not enough sleep,” she said, making herself breath slowly.
Opening her eyes, she saw that Jovina was close, only about a foot away. Too close, was the thought that ricocheted around in Cat’s head. The sun came through the slat in the window shades and illuminated Jovina’s thick brown wavy hair touching on the blonde highlights and lighting up her already gold eyes.
Cat couldn’t stop the shake of her head.
“What?” Jovina asked.
“You are still so beautiful,” Cat whispered, her blue eyes staring straight into Jovina’s.
Jovina closed her eyes and breathed out audibly. She couldn’t believe how effected she still was by everything that Catalina did. How was that possible? She’d been with countless women since then, how could Cat be the only one that just stuck there, right in the middle of her heart? It was insane!
Cat felt her fingers itch to reach out and touch Jovina, she clenched her hands to keep from doing it. She could not get pulled into this girl again. It had ended so badly, it had hurt for so long after that, she couldn’t go through that again, there was nothing but more pain there. That’s what she kept telling herself.
Jovina’s gasp brought her back to the present, when she looked at Jovina, she saw that she was looking at her shoulder.
“Catalina! What happened?” Jovina asked her voice tremulous.
“Kinda got hurt at work,” Cat said, welcoming the distraction of a change in subject.
“Kinda?” Jovina said, in a perfect imitation of Cat’s tone, “That doesn’t look like kinda to me, Catalina. What happened?”
Cat couldn’t help but smile at the mothering tone in Jovina’s voice. Moving to sit more comfortably against the headboard of her bed, Cat debated telling Jovina the truth, but in the end it just wasn’t worth the trouble to make something up.
“Got shot,” she said simply.
“What!?” Jovina exclaimed, closing that foot’s distance immediately as her hand reached out to touch the still healing mark on her shoulder where the bullet had entered.
Cat jumped at the sensation of cold fingers on the wound. Jovina’s eyes lifted to her instantly.
“Droga,” Jovina uttered, saying “damn” in Portuguese, “I’m sorry,” she said then, looking very much so.
“It’s okay,” Cat said, her voice still a whisper, “It’s just still a bit sensitive.”
“Merda… How did this happen?” Jovina asked then.
“Bad guy, figured out I was a cop, shot me,” Cat said, shrugging her shoulder.
“Oh meu Deus!” Jovina exclaimed.
“You do realize you’re speaking Portugi, right?” Cat asked, grinning, using their childhood name for Jovina’s mother tongue.
“Damnit,” Jovina said, grinning too, “I forget and slip back into it sometimes.”
“Good thing I know what you’re saying, huh?” Cat asked, smiling fondly.
Many hours had been spent in the Azevedo household, Gabriela and Pedro primarily spoke Portuguese, a language they’d brought from Brazil where they were both raised. On her parent’s insistence Jovina spoke it fluently, Cat had learned a lot of words and could understand everything.
Jovina chuckled softly, nodding her head, “Yes, it’s a good thing.”
She looked at Cat then, her eyes trailing over to the mark on her shoulder again, “I can’t say I think much of your career choice though.”
Cat made a sucking sound through her teeth, “My job is actually not to get shot,” she said, “Sometimes I’m not good at my job.”
“I don’t believe that,” Jovina said, “You were always good at anything you did, Catalina.”
“Oh, trust me, not everything,” Cat said, her tone changing.
Jovina looked back at her, knowing exactly what she meant.
“There was nothing either of us could have done,” Jovina said, her voice soft.
“No?” Cat asked her tone as dismal as the look on her face.
Jovina reached up then, touching Cat’s cheek, smoothing her thumb over her cheek bone, her eyes searching Cat’s.
“You still think it was because of us?” Jovina asked sadly.
“Don’t you?” Cat replied.
Jovina drew in a deep breath, then blew it out slowly, shaking her head, “I think things just got really hard for her.”
“And we were too busy to notice,” Cat said.
Jovina swallowed convulsively against the tears that wanted to come, her eyes glistened with them.
“Please don�
�t,” Jovina said, her voice a pleading whisper.
Cat closed her eyes, trying to shove away the feeling of hopelessness that wanted to engulf her suddenly. She’d come to San Francisco to get away from that feeling, and here it managed to find her again.
Opening her eyes, she could see that Jovina was watching her with a combination of sadness and fear. Cat knew that the fear was that she’d rip open these old wounds and they’d both bleed again. The last thing she wanted to do right now was traipse over such tender ground, and to see fear in Jovina’s eyes. It was the desperation to wipe away that fear that drove her to lean in the extra inches, and kiss Jovina’s lips tenderly. Pulling back, she saw the shock in Jovina’s eyes and then she saw the change. The desire in Jovina’s eyes hit Catalina like a lead weight, going straight through her.
It was Jovina that moved in this time, her hand at Cat’s jawline, pulling her close as her lips met Cat’s hungrily. Cat had to reach out to grasp Jovina’s waist just to stabilize herself against the tidal wave of desire that slammed through her body, making her feel like she was likely to drown.
With a groan deep in her throat, Jovina rocked against her, and Cat slid her hands around Jovina, pulling her ever closer. Reaching blindly for her phone she activated the Bluetooth speaker on the dresser, turning on her music loudly, because she knew things were about to get a lot louder.
The song Bumpy Ride flowed through the speaker, and it described their current state perfectly. The line, “Tell me who can love you (nobody), hold you (nobody), make your body whine like me, cause you will never find someone like me” said it all. They both groaned at the line, knowing what the other was thinking.
Jovina, pushed Cat back against the headboard, her body pressing ever closer, their lips met over and over, increasing in heat each time. Cat’s hands dragged at the jacket Jovina wore. Jovina yanked it off in impatience, and then pulled off the blouse she wore under it, Cat’s hands made quick work of the lace bra that lay under that, her hands immediately caressing rock hard nipples. Jovina moaned loudly at the contact, and bit Cat’s lip gently, to communicate her hunger for her. Cat responded, by rubbing her thumb over one nipple as her other hand slid down to cup Jovina’s ass, pressing her lower half closer. Jovina bucked against her, wanting so much all at once. Shaking her head, Cat pressed Jovina back, moving to lay her down on her back, and moving down her body to take off the last pieces of clothing she had on.
In one sensual move, Cat slid her body, still wearing the camisole and shorts she’d worn to bed, up through Jovina’s parted legs, and pressed her body against Jovina’s, moving her hips in a grinding motion. Jovina was coming screaming loudly moments later, her hands grasping at Cat’s skin, scratching her in a few places. Afterwards, Cat leaned down, kissing Jovina’s lips softly, moving to lay next to her, still panting.
Jovina moved forward, over Cat, her lips kissing Cat’s again, reigniting the heat between them.
“What are you…” Cat breathed, shaking her head.
“Oh you’re so getting yours babe,” Jovina said, her gold eyes still heated.
“Well, that’s not how I remember things,” Cat said, mildly, her voice colored with desire.
“I’ve learned a thing or two about reciprocation, babe,” Jovina said, shoving aside the camisole and closing her mouth over a hard nipple.
“Oh Jovi…” Cat moaned.
Jovina raised her head, “Just remember that name,” she said, winking, “You’re gonna be screaming it in a minute.”
With that she moved down Cat’s body and expertly brought Cat to release, and she was right, Cat was screaming her name. As Jovina moved back up to kiss Cat’s lips again, Cat shook her head, unable to believe the force of her orgasm. Jovina had indeed learned a lot over the years. Years ago, Catalina had been the more butch of the two of them and had assumed the role of the giver, the one that provided the orgasms, rarely did she achieve one. At that moment, she was thanking whatever Gods there were that Jovina had learned a few things.
Lying close together on the bed, both trying to catch their breath, the music played on.
Jovina found herself smiling, “Your taste in music hasn’t changed too much, I hear.”
Cat chuckled, pulling Jovina closer, craving the feel of her skin.
“Oh, I’ve added some different kinds, but you’re right, I still like the dance stuff.”
“What’s your favorite song, right now?” Jovina asked, levering herself up on her elbow and looking down at Cat.
Cat laughed, it was a game they used to play, in their major crush phase, before they’d actually touched sexually for the first time. They’d each ask the other “What’s your favorite book right now?” or “What’s your favorite movie star, right now?” It had been a “safe” way to explore each other’s minds and hearts.
Moving to sit up, Cat picked up her phone, laying back down again. Scrolling through her phone, she found the song that she’d listened to over and over on the plane. She knew playing the song for Jovina was going to probably cause more questions, but she just couldn’t resist, it was a window into her heart and Jovina always found her way through that window.
The song that played was called Stereo Love, the very first line was “When you gonna stop breaking my heart?” It caused Jovina to look down at Cat her eyes searching Cat’s blue eyes as she listened to the rest of the song. Cat sang every word. The last two versus stuck out as the most pained.
“I can fix all those lies
Oh babe, oh babe, I run, but I'm running to you
You won't see me cry, I'm hiding inside
My heart is in pain, but I'm smiling for you.
Oh, baby, I'll try to make things right
I need you more than air, when I'm not with you
Please, don't ask me why, just kiss me this time
My only dream is about you and I.”
As the song ended, Jovina reached out touching Cat’s cheek, her thumb brushing away the single tear there.
“Who’s hurt you so badly, Catalina?” she asked, her tone pained.
Cat shook her head, “It doesn’t matter,” she said, still feeling very effected by the song. Then her eyes met Jovina’s, “You just need to know that I’m pretty damaged right now and I’m probably the last thing you need to be involved with.”
“Why do you say that?” Jovina asked, still reeling over the idea that Catalina had been hurt by someone.
Cat was always had the Teflon coated heart, nothing seemed to stick to it when it came to love. At least that’s what Jovina felt. She found herself suddenly insanely jealous of anyone who’d affected Cat so deeply. Who was he or she? Jovina knew that Cat had always identified as bi-sexual. Jovina was a lesbian, and had never been with a man, nor did she ever have any interest in men, much to her parent’s dismay originally.
“I’m only here for another week or so,” Cat said, “and then I’m headed to LA to do a job.”
“I thought you worked for San Diego,” Jovina said, looking perplexed.
“Yeah,” Cat said, gesturing at her shoulder. “My cover’s blown for the moment,” she said, pressing her lips together in annoyance. “So I’m doing temporary work as a bodyguard.”
Jovina looked back at her, and Cat could see she was trying to equate what she was hearing with the Cat she’d known years before. Cat smiled, waiting for the questions to start. The question Jovina asked, however, was surprising.
“When do you need to be in LA?” she asked.
“Uh,” Cat stammered, having to adjust her mind to what Jovina had asked, instead of what she’d expected Jovina to ask. “I start the job the first of the month,” she said.
“But it’s only the fifteenth,” Jovina said.
“Yeah, well I need time to get home and grab my car, and then I need to get to LA and find a place to stay.”
“Oh, well that’s easy,” Jovina said, smiling. “You’ll stay with me.”
“Huh?” Cat queried.
“You’
ll stay with me,” Jovina repeated, “I live in LA now, I’m just home visiting, like you.”
“Oh,” Cat said, nodding, “So what are you doing down there?”
“I’m actually writing,” Jovina said, smiling, “Some song writing, some articles, even some fiction.”
“Well that’s pretty cool,” Cat said, nodding and trying to avoid the direct question. Jovina didn’t fall for it.
“Are you going to come stay with me?” Jovina pressed, “I have a three bedroom so you could use one of the other rooms if you wanted to do that…” she said, her voice trailing off.
“Uh…” Cat stammered again, trying to think of a nice way to say “no”. “I’m not sure that would be the best idea,” she said, chewing at the inside of her cheek.
“Why?” Jovina asked her look confused.
Cat looked back at her for a long minute, then rubbing her forehead with her index finger she said, “I’m not sure if your parents told you,” she said, her look apologetic, “But I’m a narcotics officer at San Diego PD.”
Jovina looked back at her, narrowing her eyes for a moment, then gave Cat an almost wintery smile, “I’m not sure if my parents told you, but I’ve been clean for going on five years now.”
Cat looked surprised, but then her features clouded as she shook her head.
“You don’t believe me,” Jovina said.
“I think you tell your parents exactly what they want to hear,” Cat said, her tone even, “Just like you did when you were using before I left.”
Jovina stared back at Cat, remembering this Catalina suddenly, the hardened, cynical one. Slowly she shook her head.
“I don’t know how to convince you,” she said, her tone of voice calm, “But I’m clean.”
Cat looked back at her, blue eyes searching gold. Jovina did not lower her gaze or look away. Cat’s narc instincts were telling her that Jovina was not lying this time, like she had so many other times, years ago. The fact that she didn’t keep protesting or get mad went a long way to convincing Cat as well.
Finally Cat nodded, “Well, I’m glad to hear it,” she said, smiling.
Turning Tables (WeHo Book 3) Page 4