Safe Harbor
Page 19
Without thinking, she reached out in her pain for Tory, wrapping her arms around Torys waist, burying her face against her. Clutching her, she wept.
"Oh, my darling," Tory whispered, pierced by Reeses pain. She stroked her hair, ran her hands tenderly over her quivering shoulders, held her fast. Reeses need was so clear, her emotions so raw. In her own way, Reese was as innocent and vulnerable as those two girls down the hall. If ever there had been a barrier to Tory loving this woman, it was gone now. This was Torys chance at love again, the simple, fresh, untarnished love of the young. She had likened her frighteningly valiant, frustratingly honorable lover to an innocent, and in the uncompromising way she loved, she was.
"Oh, Reese," she murmured, her throat aching with emotion. "I love you. I love you so much."
She looked over Reeses bowed head to see Nelson standing in the shadows of the door, watching them. She wondered how much he had heard. She motioned him away, not caring what he thought. Reese would not have wanted him to see her this way.
He turned away from the image of Tory cradling the sobbing woman. He had foolishly thought once that Reese had no more needs than a man. Now he understood what bravery it took to let the woman who loved you offer comfort. He walked back to join the young woman who loved his daughter, wondering if he had the guts to love like that.
"Im sorry," Reese mumbled at last, her cheek against Torys breast.
Tory laughed shakily, lifting Reeses face, gently brushing away the tears. "Dont you dare say that. I so needed for you to need me."
Reese looked perplexed. "Didnt you know that I do?"
Tory softly kissed her forehead, shaking her head. "You do give the impression of self-sufficiency, my love."
"Tory," Reese said, anxiously, "I seem like I dont need any help because I never had anyone to ask! How I feel about you - what I feel since weve been together-" She stood, pulling Tory close. "God, how I need you. You mean everything to me!"
Tory ached with feeling. "I love you, Reese. I love your strength, and your integrity, and your beautiful sense of certainty. I need that - it scares me how much I need that. But you dont have to be strong all the time - especially not for me. When you share yourself with me, I only love you more, although god knows how thats possible." She kissed her soundly, then stepped back, running her hands down Reeses arms. "I want to get you home. Im not even going to ask about your ribs."
Reese smiled, slipping an arm around her. "They hurt like hell, and Im beat. I just want to check on the kids."
"I know. Me, too."
**********
After a few hours sleep, Tory got up to go the clinic. Reese stirred as Tory slipped from the bed. Reese grabbed her hand, pulling Tory down beside her.
"Ill miss you," Reese said softly.
"I dont want to go, but there are a few patients who cant wait. I wont be long." She kissed Reese, all too aware of her nakedness. "Besides, since you always seem to be recovering from some injury or another, its just as well I stay away from you. I cant trust myself to have any restraint."
Reese guided Torys hand down over her taut stomach to the spot that ached to be touched. "Too late," Reese whispered unevenly as Tory's fingers brushed over her clit.
Tory groaned, ambushed by the wet warmth of Reeses desire. "You cant know what you do to me or you wouldnt torture me this way- " Helpless to stop, Tory caressed her, gently sliding her fingers up and down the distended shaft.
Reese rose against her hand, gasping. "Just for a minute-" she pleaded, feeling the pressure mushrooming in her belly.
Tory stared into Reeses eyes as she milked the length of her rhythmically, watching the eclipse of color reflect her touch. Reeses blue gaze grew hazy, her lips parting with a groan, as she blossomed into ripe fruition under Torys fingers.
"Tory," Reese sighed as release rippled through her. Eyelids fluttering, then closing, her neck arched with the final spasm. She smiled softly as the tension slowly subsided. "Ahh - god. Thank you."
Tory buried her face in Reeses neck, still holding her fast. "You break my heart, youre so beautiful," Tory murmured brokenly.
Reese languidly slipped her fingers into Torys hair, turning her face to breath a kiss against her cheek.
"May you always think so," she said drowsily.
Tory laughed shakily with the aftermath of passion still gripping her. "Dont worry about that. Now unhand me or Ill never leave."
Reese smiled contentedly. "Hurry home."
**********
When next Reese awoke most of the day had passed. Tory was moving quietly around the room as she undressed. Reese watched her in silence, her pleasure so acute it was almost pain.
"I always want to wake up and see you," Reese said into the still room.
Tory halted, catching her breath. "And I always want to be there when you do."
"Come here," Reese commanded gently, sitting up against the pillows, reaching out to her. When Tory neared, Reese placed both hands on her waist, guiding Tory up over her, one leg on either side of her body. With Tory gazing down at her, lips parted in anticipation, Reese lifted her head to lick her. She held Tory firmly to her mouth, dimly aware of the soft whimpers that grew to a crescendo of throaty cries. She took her time, despite the insistent rhythm of Torys pulsing hips. She lifted her lips away far enough to alternate light kisses on the tip of Tory's clit with circling caresses of her tongue under it. As Tory's movements became more frantic, Reese pushed her tongue into her, fucking her, until Tory dug her fingers into Reeses forearms with a cry.
"Oh god! Reese - make me come, please, please do it now!"
With a knowing brush of her lips, sucking the length of Tory's clit into her mouth, Reese ended the sweet torture. Even as Tory bucked against her, Reese held fast, slowing her strokes until Tory curled down around her, exhausted. Reese settled Tory beside her, then pressed her face to Torys breasts. She rested surrounded by the softness of her, listening to her soft murmurs of satisfaction.
After long moments, Tory said brokenly, "If you ever leave me, Ill be lost."
Reese lifted her head, still faintly flushed from their passion. "Not as long as I live." She wrapped her arms tighter around her love, and they slept.
Chapter Twentythree
It was a clear Provincetown morning in August, a bright blue sky punctuated by scattered wisps of clouds. The waves on the bay broke gently against the sands at Herring Cove. Reese sat in her patrol car sipping her coffee, waiting. She smiled as a flicker of color far off to her left caught her eye. Her heart stirred as she followed the course of the red kayak, cutting swiftly through the early morning sea. Torys rhythm was so steady the craft seemed barely to touch the water as she paddled toward the lighthouse at Race Point. When she could no longer imagine she saw her, Reese drove away, filled with peace.
Nelson glanced up when Reese entered the station, then shied his glance away uncomfortably.
"Morning Chief," Reese said, tossing her cap on her desk and heading for the coffeepot. She grimaced in disgust, emptying the contents into the sink.
"Good to have you back," Parker said gruffly. "Did the Doc clear you for duty?"
"You think Id be here if she didnt?" Reese laughed.
Just a few hours ago, Tory had inspected Reese's side, and poked and probed her rib cage before reluctantly approving Reeses return to work. Tory watched her get dressed, loving her precision and the care with which she assembled each part of her uniform. Standing in front of Reese, Tory had straightened a tie that was already perfectly knotted. Running her hands over the razor-edge creases in Reeses shirtsleeves, she smoothed down the collar of her shirt. With her hands pressed lightly against Reeses chest, she had whispered, "I love the way you look in this uniform. You wont do anything to get any holes in it, will you?" Reese had pulled her close, promising her that she wouldnt.
Nelson Parker watched Reeses face turn inward to some thought he couldnt fathom, but he knew it held her powerfully. Something about her had changed in the t
wo weeks she had been gone, and he figured he knew who had been the cause of it. Remembering the night he wished with all his being he could have to do over, he remembered too the look on Tory Kings face as she stared him down. He knew damn well that if he had struck Reese, Tory would have taken him apart. He cleared his throat, ready to say what he had been preparing himself to say since that night.
"Elections are coming up in the fall, Conlon. I think you should run for Sheriff."
Reese poured two cups of fresh coffee, placing one on his desk as she passed.
"We already have a Sheriff," she said with finality, reaching for the stacks of paperwork that had accumulated during her absence.
"Youre qualified, the people of this town already think youre a hero, and every law man in the state respects you for how you handled Briannas - assault. Youre a shoe-in."
He swiveled in his chair to stare out the front window, but he forced himself to look at her when he spoke again. "You handled the police part of it as well as anybody could, and you handled the personal part better than I could. If it hadnt been for Bri and Caroline trusting you, Brianna would have died out there. I failed her, and I repaid you by busting you up. I dont deserve my own daughters trust and I certainly dont deserve to be Sheriff. Take the damn job, Conlon, you deserve it."
"Im not interested," Reese stated again. "Theres too much paperwork and too much politics. I like patrol, I like being out on the streets, I like community interaction. I plan on teaching more martial arts classes in the fall. Im too busy."
When she had stopped to check on Brianna the previous night, she had found her polishing the new dirtbike Nelson had gotten her to replace the one destroyed in the accident. Caroline, who had barely left Bri's side since her release from the hospital, was there with several of their friends. Bri was chaffing at the bit to resume her martial arts classes, but her doctors had declared no contact sports for six weeks due to her concussion. Two other young women and a boy had expressed interest in taking self-defense classes. She knew it was a reaction to Bris assault, and after talking with them, she had agreed to teach several evening classes a week. Tory endorsed the idea, and planned to teach as well. This was the kind of cop Reese wanted to be - one who was part of the community, responding to the needs of the community in a personal way.
"You didnt fail Bri either," Reese continued. "Sure, she was afraid to talk to you, but some of that fear came from what others had done to her or her friends. As it turns out, her fear was unwarranted. Jesus, Caroline is practically living at your place since her father threatened her."
Nelson looked pained as he remembered Caroline calling Bri in tears when her father swore he would beat this queer bullshit' out of her. "Yeah, well that might have been me saying something as stupid as that if Bri hadnt almost been killed. It took almost losing her to put things into perspective. Im dont know that Id be trying as hard as I am to understand it. Still, I look at those two girls and all I see is a hard road ahead."
Reese nodded. "That may be, but having you on their side will go a long way toward making their life easier. And believe me, Nelson, you couldnt keep them apart without hurting them more than any prejudice ever could."
He grinned self-consciously. "The reason Caroline spends most of her time with us is because that hard-headed kid of mine tried to get up out of her sickbed to go after Carolines old man. Jesus, shes tough to handle. Kinda reminds me of you."
"Thank you. Ill take that as a compliment," Reese grinned back.
"You and Tory give them something to look up to," he said to Reeses surprise.
"We both care about them, Nelson, but its you they need."
"I dont know how to ask you to forgive me for that night. What I said about it being your fault, that was bad enough. But what I did, theres no way to make that right," he said quietly.
"Theres nothing to forgive, Chief. If anything ever happened to Tory, Id" her voice cracked and she looked away for a second. "Id be no different than you. Forget it."
He shook his head, disbelieving. "I appreciate your saying that, but I know better. I know Tory King wont forget it."
"She was worried about Bri, and scared for me-"
"She was protecting you, Conlon. I can see what you mean to her. Youre a lucky woman to have that."
"Yes, I know."
"Well, I guess Ill just have to prove to her that I know what youre worth, too." He cleared his throat, busying himself with the papers on his desk. "So why dont you get out of here. Tonights Carnival night, so expect it to be crazy."
Reese sighed with relief, more than ready to get back out on the streets. "Yes, sir! You want anything while Im out?"
"Donuts."
Reese smiled happily. "Roger that."
**********
An hour later she pulled into the crowded parking lot of the East End Health Clinic. Randy as usual looked on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
"Please, please dont tell me you want to see her!!" he exclaimed.
Reese smiled. "No good, huh?"
"If she agrees to see one more walk-in without an appointment, Ill have to cancel the hottest date of my life," he wailed.
"Tell her I stopped by," Reese laughed. Then, she lowered her voice, "and Randy - try to get her to take a break once in a while."
Randys face softened for an instant, then he said in a martyred tone, "Like she wouldnt kill me if I sent you away! Go on back!!"
As Reese passed he inquired seriously, "Are you all mended?"
"Good as new," Reese responded.
"Thats good, Captain Marvel - a lot of people around here need you." He touched her shoulder lightly, then fixed her with a frown. "If it takes more than five minutes I cant guarantee your safety."
Reese waited as she always did, studying the pictures of Torys Olympic days, warmed by the images. Tory stood in the doorway, chart in hand, watching Reese. The very sight of her stirred her, causing her breath to catch for an instant.
"Hello, darling," Tory said, her voice husky, as she pulled her office door closed behind her.
Reese turned with a smile, "Hi, love." She went to her, sweeping off her cap as she leaned to pull Tory close. "I just stopped for a second. I missed you. Randy says its a rough day."
Tory slipped her arms around Reeses waist, loving her solid strength. "Not any more," she sighed. "Youre just the kind of interruption I needed." Tory indulged herself with the feel of her for an instant longer, then stepped back to straighten Reeses tie and brush a stray lock of dark hair from her forehead. "Happy to be back at work?"
"Just happy," Reese said softly, smiling tenderly. She settled her hat low over her brows, kissed her swiftly on the lips, and stepped toward the door. "See you at home, Doctor King."
Tory called after her, the kiss still tingling on her lips. "You can count on it, Sheriff!"
The End
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