“Kara, you should consider joining me in London. There are so many great projects. You could do so much more with the billions at their disposal. Your brilliance deserves a larger outlet.”
She cringed at the accolades, but smiled genuinely before declining the offer. “No thank you, Thomas. Things are going well for me here and I think I’m finally where I’m supposed to be.”
The disappointment hit Thomas hard, but he had seen the glint in her eye at the enticing offer. He placed his hand over hers. “Think it over. I’ll be here two more weeks. If you’d like to go over any of the details in private, I may be able to convince you to come with me.”
Kara’s breath caught and she looked down at their hands. She carefully slid hers free, trying to hide her shock and anger as she chastised herself for being so ignorant. Sierra had been right. Dammit! Did I lead him on? I wasn’t trying to. I would never…shit!
“Thomas, I’m sorry if you got the idea that anything could happen between us, but our relationship will only ever be professional.” She used the most sympathetic voice she could muster, despite being aggravated by his unwelcome advance.
His confident grin fell into a lopsided frown and his shoulders drooped. “I see. I thought we shared a little connection. Did I misread that?”
“I’m afraid so. First off, I only date women. And second, I’m in a committed relationship.”
“Well now, that is a surprise. I guess I missed the lesbo thing. I had heard the great Doctor Davies did many things well, but relationships weren’t one of them. Apparently, you can’t believe everything you hear,” he spewed callously, throwing his arm back over the top of the booth. Now that the chase was over, his true colors were coming through.
Kara cringed at the “lesbo” remark. For the first time in many years, her anger threatened to show its face, but she forced herself to maintain her calm. “Apparently not. I heard you were highly professional, not out chasing geeks in skirts, but then again, I’m sure it’s a lot easier to get women who are just happy to be looked at by someone with twenty-twenty vision and a nice smile, right?”
The words had come out more harshly than intended, as evidenced by the look on Thomas’s face, but his attitude had chaffed her the wrong way and she was not one of those girls who needed the attention to feel worthy. Even those girls deserved better than his arrogant ass.
“Good night, Dr. Moore.”
Kara took her leave quickly, dropping her bill with Axel before racing out of the brewery. If she had listened to Sierra, they’d be curled up in front of the television enjoying a night of peace, but instead she’d now have to deal with the aftermath. Sierra was not going to be happy.
When Kara arrived home, Sierra was waiting on the sofa with an open bottle of wine and the latest issue of BIKE magazine. “So, how did your date go, Doctor?”
Sierra tried to play it off, but Kara could tell she was concerned, and a little buzzed. Some liquid courage would help this conversation go a lot smoother, or so she hoped. She slipped off her shoes and removed Sierra’s glass from her grasp. Staring at her girlfriend from over the rim as she took a large gulp of the sweet red wine, Kara noted the worry in her eyes. As wrong as it may have been, she liked the feeling of having someone so concerned about her.
Kara returned the glass, bent down to place a soft kiss to Sierra’s lips, and took a seat beside her. “First, it wasn’t a date. I’m already taken. Second, you were right. He wanted more than talk.”
Kara stole the glass for another sip as if nothing had happened, but Sierra bolted upright, fury blazing in her eyes. Kara pushed her back down into the sofa. “Relax. I handled it. I told him I already had the most beautiful, wonderful woman waiting at home for me and that I couldn’t believe I had left her there for his pathetic attempt to use the experimentation of the change in mechanoreceptor, temperature, and nociception in tissues after injury as a pickup line.”
Sierra laughed and relaxed back into the leather sofa. “That’s like…the nerdiest turn down ever.”
“Maybe.” Kara’s lip quirked up. “But it was a turndown nonetheless.” Cupping Sierra’s cheek with her hand, she ran her thumb slowly across her cheek bone and locked eyes with her girlfriend. “Sierra, no one stands a chance against you, you hear me?”
“Yes ma’am.” A beaming smile lit Sierra’s face as she pulled Kara into a tight embrace. “The same for you, Kara. There is no one for me but you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“I believe in you, Sierra, but you have to trust yourself. You are the champion.” Kara hoped she appeared as confident as she sounded.
Sierra was tense and fidgety, not at all what she needed for a solid performance on opening weekend. She had already finished poorly in qualifying by being overly cautious. Kara needed her to relax and trust all the hard work she had put in during the off-season. The woman standing in front of her looked more like a frightened little girl than the cocky woman she had met last year. So strong, yet so delicate. Kara had to remind herself that Sierra could be broken, despite seeming so invincible most of the time.
The thin cloth curtain did nothing to block the sound of the busy medical center, reminding Kara that there was work to be done, but staring into Sierra’s eyes that revealed both love and fear, everything faded into the background. Nothing else mattered. Kara closed the distance and kissed her lightly.
“I feel like I’ve already won with you,” Sierra whispered against Kara’s lips.
“Cheesy,” Kara mumbled back and grinned, then kissed her again.
“Maybe, but it’s true.” Sierra stepped back, making eye contact as she continued, “I love you, Kara. You give me strength. Thank you for having my back.”
“I love you too.” Snaking her arms around Sierra’s back, Kara pulled her in close and spoke softly into her ear, “You know…it’s not in the contract or anything, but there is the possibility of an extra bonus if you win.”
Sierra’s smile grew, crinkling the corners of her eyes. “Oh, yeah? What is it?”
“Nope. Eyes on the prize first. You’re going to have to win to find out.” Kara pulled back and smirked.
“Believe me, my eyes are definitely on the prize,” she said, allowing her gaze to travel down to the exposed valley between Kara’s breasts.
“You never stop, do you?” Her girlfriend had always been able to make her shiver with just a look.
“With you? Never.”
“And it always affects me just the same.”
“I know and I love it,” Sierra stated with pride.
“I know you do, but I wish you wouldn’t do it in front of others. I got a rep to protect.” She was only half-joking. While Kara loved the attention, she did prefer to keep her personal life private. Thank goodness they were hidden behind the curtain.
“I think that rep has been shattered, Doctor Davies. Christie told me you smile at work now.”
“That’s a bummer.” Kara scrunched her face, then shrugged. The time for Sierra to go had arrived and Kara sighed as she searched for the perfect words of wisdom to impart. “Sierra, forget about the qualifying round. Chalk it up to first race jitters. Now, you know what’s out there and you’re going to do great today. Win or lose, I know this will be your best race yet.”
“Thanks.” Sierra released a heavy breath and sunk deeper into Kara’s embrace. “I wish you could be out there watching.”
“I know, but I can see a lot more on the TV in here. I’ll make sure I’m free to watch your run. Now go get ‘em, tiger!” Kara unraveled their limbs and sent Sierra off with a smack on the ass.
“Whoa! That’s not the way to get me to focus on the race.” Sierra chuckled, then kissed her one more time before trotting away.
Kara could only watch as Sierra slipped out the front door, hoping she had done enough to soothe Sierra’s nerves. No matter the outcome of today’s race, she was sure this would be a great year for them, on the track and off.
***
Due to her
poor qualifying effort, Sierra would be among the first to go, so she had to set a good pace. Then, all she could do was wait and hope it held up. As she sat alone in the starting gate atop the mountain, her sights locked on her line of choice. Her eyes drifted shut and she went through her pre-race routine, visualizing every inch of the track through to the finish, only this time, her vision ended with her sitting in the leader chair.
She set her bike against the start gate and readied her pedal leg. Muscles tensed in anticipation of the green light. Her heart beat the only sound until the first beep of the starter. Then there was silence.
All right, Sierra, you got this. Here. We. GO!
Rocketing out of the starting gate, Sierra exploded down the trail. The picture of focus, trusting her instincts, she no longer forced her path as she easily handled all obstacles. With her bike in perfect balance, it felt as if she were floating down the mountain. Trees, rocks, and fans passed by in a blur. Sierra was sure it the fastest she had ever ridden.
Crossing the finish line, she looked up to see her name in first position. There were many more riders to go, but her time had been solid. Skidding to a stop, she was all smiles as she leaned her arms on her handlebars, feeling her lungs and legs burn from her effort.
Ronni was the first to congratulate her, throwing down an enthusiastic fist bump for a kick ass job before heading up for her own run. “Damn. You were on fire! Got my work cut out for me, but I love a challenge. Loser buys tonight.”
Still recovering from her run, Sierra laughed. It always amazed her how they had always been able to be so supportive, yet so competitive. Smirking with confidence she replied, “Yeah well, remember your wallet this time or I’m leaving you to do dishes tonight.”
Ronni gave her a salute and then hopped in the back of the truck with Blake to head up to the start line.
Sierra set her bike aside and before she could take her spot in the Hot Seat, Nicole caught her with a congratulatory hug. “Sierra, you were phenomenal and there’s someone else who wants to congratulate you.” She handed Sierra her phone with Kara on the other end.
“You did so great, Hon! I’m so proud of you. I knew you’d kill it.”
“Thanks. I wish you were out here, but I’m glad you got to see it. I want to take you both out for dinner this week.” She nodded to Nicole. “As a thank you for everything this fall and to the start of a successful season.”
“Sounds great. Okay, I gotta go, but I love you and remember, no matter what, that was an amazing run.”
“Thank you. I love you too and I couldn’t have done it without you.” Sierra ended the call and handed the phone back to Nicole. She couldn’t wait to see her girlfriend, but for now, she would soak up every moment, however long it might be, sitting in the leader’s chair. Nicole handed her one of her sponsor’s protein drinks and a hat, then she claimed her seat with pride.
No matter the outcome, Sierra decided that today was a top five moment in her life. She thought she had been doing well before, but life with Kara just showed her how much better it could be. Sierra had been disciplined and dedicated the entire off-season and it showed. She had never ridden with the control she had had today. Plus, she finally had a woman she loved and who loved her in return, great support around her, and a great opportunity with a new team. Even though a win would be sweet, she couldn’t ask for a better day.
One by one the riders finished and Sierra remained in the chair. The closer they got to the end, the less she found herself able to breathe. She nearly passed out during Ronni’s run as her best friend had been putting the squeeze on her times, but a slight slip in the gravel banking set them apart.
When the last rider crossed the line, it took a minute for Sierra to realize she had won. She stared at her name atop the leaderboard as it flashed the words “official results.” Slowly, her breath returned and filled her lungs in a sharp gasp as if she had been under water too long. She jumped from the chair with her hands raised as she was swarmed by Ronni, Blake, Nicole, and Leo.
Overwhelmed by feelings like never before, her eyes teared up at the realization that she was on the brink of her dreams becoming a reality. If only Kara had been here to celebrate with her, it would have been perfect.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around her neck and pulled her into a kiss. Last year, she would have celebrated with the random kiss-stealer, but now, Kara was the only one she would be kissing. Shocked and appalled, Sierra yanked herself free, but before she could scold the offending woman, her face transformed from one of anger to shear surprise and affection. “Kara? What? How?”
“I knew you had it, so I hurried over to celebrate with you. I have someone covering the clinic for a little bit. There was no way I would miss this.”
“I’m so glad you did. Now everything is perfect.” Sierra smiled and pulled Kara close for a proper kiss, which didn’t last as long as she had wanted. But then, no kiss with Kara ever lasted as long as she wanted. However, her winner’s duties beckoned and she couldn’t be too upset about that. Medal presentations, podium pictures, team and sponsor pictures all came and went in a flash, though she did enjoy the one with Nicole and Kara holding the clinic banner.
It wasn’t her first win ever, but it was her proudest to date. Last year she seemed to be spiraling out of control. She had been getting more reckless on the course and not working out as often. Sierra had held onto her dream, but she had lost her focus—unless you called hooking up with random race groupies focus. She hadn’t won in quite a while, despite ending up in the top five in points. She was on the verge of being another cliché, the “got talent but too lazy to use it” type. Sierra had been pissing all of her opportunities away, until she met Kara. So, this win was extra special and having Kara with her when it was announced, was even better.
Once the pomp and circumstance of the victory finally died down, Nicole asked Sierra, “Are you ready to take that trophy of yours home?”
“I sure am.” Sierra scooped Kara up off her feet, causing her to yelp in surprise before laughing hysterically at Sierra’s enthusiasm. Sierra planted a hard kiss on Kara’s lips, not meaning to be so rough, but she just couldn’t control the joy she was feeling any longer. She hadn’t expected the doctor to leave the clinic, but knowing that Kara cared enough to make arrangements to celebrate with her meant more than she would ever know.
Smiling brilliantly, Kara draped her arms around Sierra’s neck and stared into sparkling eyes. “You are silly, but you are mine and I love you.”
“I love you too.” Sierra kissed her again, softly this time, and she set Kara back on her feet. “Now let’s get you back to the clinic. The quicker you get packed up, the quicker we can celebrate.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Sierra didn’t seem to understand how distracting it could be to have her so close. When Kara was trying work, those sultry looks and “accidental” touches had a way of sending her blood pumping to areas other than her brain. After a bit of persuasion and a little bargaining, Kara had finally gotten Sierra to go to the pub with the rest of the crew while she finished closing the med center.
She set the last box aside to be loaded into the truck and let out a breath. A smile overtook her features. The weekend had been a success. She was excited for the possibilities the season held not just for Sierra, but for their sponsorship as well. She was nearly finished with her work at the lab and had many decisions to make. But those could wait. All she wanted to do right now was celebrate with her girlfriend.
After hitching a ride with one of the med staff, Kara entered the old Irish pub, McVay’s, with one person on her mind. This time last year, Kara would have skipped the pub and gone back to work, but now her heart thumped wildly at the thought of “celebrating” later with her girlfriend. They had come such a long way and sometimes she still couldn’t believe it was all real.
Kara stood at the front of the room and scanned the faces in the crowd. One by one she passed them by, but then her smile fell and her h
eart came to a screeching halt. Harley was all over Sierra. Her Sierra. Her girlfriend, Sierra. How could Sierra do that to her? And in public with their friends present?
The appalled look on Nicole and Ronni’s face said it all. She couldn’t look anymore. The image was already burning a hole through her brain. But just as Kara was about to rush from the room, Sierra shoved Harley back and slapped her hard across the face. The room fell silent as everyone stopped and stared at Sierra giving Harley a piece of her mind. The words were sharp and profane, but Kara couldn’t focus on them.
There had always been a lingering fear in the back of her mind that Sierra would end up with her ex again. Kara wouldn’t have been able to bear it happening, but her feelings for Sierra had been too strong to ignore. She had laid her heart out there in hopes it wouldn’t be crushed and Sierra had just proven that her faith had not been ill-placed. Relief was an understatement. While Kara had believed her feelings for Sierra to be strong before, they were nothing compared to the heat coursing through her veins now.
As if Kara had stood out like a beacon in the night, Sierra’s attention was immediately drawn to her. When their eyes met, Sierra’s had a fire in them that made Kara quake with excitement. Sierra’s demeanor changed in an instant. She pushed Harley aside with disgust and strode with steely determination toward Kara. She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Kara’s lips crashing onto hers. Sierra wrapped her up tight, lifting her slightly as the kiss escalated in a hurry, becoming deeper and needier as Kara’s body melted into Sierra’s passionate embrace.
Kara could have lost herself in the taste of Sierra for hours. She felt every ounce of emotion Sierra poured into their exchange, savoring it even after it had ended. The love she felt enveloped her like her favorite blanket on a cold night, bringing her a warmth and comfort like none other. When she finally awoke from her kiss-induced stupor, all eyes were on them and Kara reddened from head to toe with embarrassment. Sierra, on the other hand, didn’t mind one bit. So much for keeping her personal life personal.
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