by Radclyffe
“Of course, if that’s what you want.”
Rica could see him sitting forward in his chair, stubbing out his cigar, the meeting ended. She didn’t wait for him to dismiss her.
“I’m sorry, I have to go. Groceries. I just got home.”
“We’re having the Memorial Day party as usual. Just the family and a few friends. Plan to be here, Rica.”
“I will. Goodbye, Papa.”
Rica disconnected, smiling ruefully at her own earlier self-delusion. She loved her father, she was who she was, and a large part of her was shaped by the world she had grown up in. She couldn’t change the past or deny her heritage. The best she could hope to do was decide her future for herself.
*
Carter carried an ice-cold bottle of Dos Equis out to the small balcony that extended from her second-floor apartment above the law office. The building stood on a corner a block from the center of town, and if she angled her head just right, she got a pretty good view of the harbor. A few sailboats were moored offshore, swaying indolently on the quiet water as the sun and moon exchanged places. Fractured rays of sunlight slanted across the water, close to being swallowed by the glassy surface, and the indigo blue sky above was edging toward black. A brisk breeze caught her shirt and whipped it around her torso. She sipped her beer and thought about Rica. Or rather, exactly how she was going to get close to her. The don’s daughter wasn’t the only member of the organization under surveillance, but she was one of the closest people to him. No one was certain how deeply she might be involved in the day-to-day or even the long-range workings of the organization, but it was common knowledge that she was looked upon by Pareto and everyone else in his crime family as the heir. That alone made her a key figure in the investigation. The move to Provincetown had been a surprise and made the job of observing her all that much more difficult. Routine field surveillance was out of the question in a community so small and geographically restricted. Fortunately, if Rica bought Carter’s cover story, she would be in a unique position to gain access to Rica in a way that she might not have been able to previously.
All things considered, this unexpected turn of events might be advantageous. Carter smiled. Certainly she’d had less desirable assignments.
Her cell phone rang and she unclipped it from her belt. She recognized the readout, and her smile broadened. “Wayne.”
“What are you wearing?”
“Nothing. I’m lying on my bed, imagining you starting at my toes and licking—”
“Stop!”
Laughing, Carter drained the bottle of beer and set it on the wooden deck by her foot, picturing the voluptuous redhead on the other end with a pleasant stirring in the pit of her stomach. She hadn’t had sex in almost a month, and she was edgy because of it. When she was this involved in an investigation, she couldn’t spare the time to meet someone, even casually. That’s why it was nice to have a woman in her life who understood her priorities. Susan Price worked in the DA’s office, so she appreciated the unpredictability and demands of the job. And fortunately, she wasn’t interested in anything more serious than good friendship and excellent sex. “So when did you get back?”
“Just a few hours ago,” Susan said. “And before you ask, Aruba was gorgeous, and I highly recommend it. It’s everything they said—white sandy beaches, tall cool drinks, and the women…God, the women.”
“Did you get any sleep at all?”
“Carter, sweetheart, you don’t go on vacation to sleep.”
“Well, you obviously enjoyed your vacation more than I did.”
“Miss me?” Susan asked with a teasing lilt.
“More and more every day.”
“Once in a while it’s fun to explore new territory, but there’s something to be said for the familiarity of home.”
“Are you trying to say I’m predictable and boring?” Carter asked, feigning indignation.
“Mmm, no. I’m trying to say you still make me come better than almost any woman I’ve ever met.”
Carter sucked in a breath, the image of Susan’s fingers digging into her shoulders as she cried out in pleasure making her instantly aroused. “Jesus. It isn’t fair to tease me after you’ve left me high and dry for weeks.”
“Aww, poor baby. No one else around to ease your suffering?”
“No one and no time.”
“Where are you? Maybe I can remedy this regretful situation.”
“Out of town.”
Susan murmured sympathetically, “Working?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Long-time thing?”
“Could be,” Carter said, turning to rest her back against the railing. She contemplated another beer, but the evening was so beautiful and her apartment so barren that she didn’t want to go back inside, even for another drink.
“There’s phone sex,” Susan suggested.
Carter laughed. “Make sure you have your cell phone at all times. I might take you up on it.”
“Any time, sweetheart.” Susan sighed. “I should go. I need to unpack and think about getting my head into working again.”
“Okay. If I can, I’ll try to drop in one of these nights.”
“Do that. I’ve missed you. And Carter?”
“Hmm?”
“Be careful, wherever you are.”
“Always. Night, Susie.”
When Susan hung up, Carter felt an instant pang of loneliness. She wasn’t entirely certain why, because she and Susan had never been in love. She stepped inside the sparsely furnished living room and closed the sliding glass doors behind her. She went to the refrigerator in the adjoining kitchen, pulled out another beer, and swiveled off the top. While she tilted the bottle to her lips and let the sharp, cold liquid stream down her throat, she contemplated her next meeting with Ricarda. She was looking forward to it, and in all honesty, she had to admit that the anticipation wasn’t completely due to professional reasons. Rica was a beautiful, intelligent, intriguing woman. It had been a long time since she’d met a woman with just the right combination of brains and charisma to interest her. And, unfortunately, Rica had it all.
*
When the phone rang, Reese lunged for it, thinking it was Tory. She flipped it open with one hand while simultaneously scooping Reggie off the floor and under her arm with the other.
“Thought I’d better catch you before you rumbled right outside and off the deck,” Reese muttered to Reggie as she crossed the living room to close the sliding glass doors. “Hello? Tor?”
Reggie tugged at the buttons on Reese’s shirt, valiantly trying to liberate them.
“Hello?” Reese repeated.
She stiffened at the first sound of the familiar voice. Unconsciously she tightened her arm around Reggie’s middle, making the child squirm and protest. Instantly, she relaxed her grip and settled Reggie more securely against her chest. “Yes, sir. Go ahead, please.”
She listened for a full five minutes and asked no questions. Instead of closing the doors to the deck, she walked outside, the phone that linked her to one world against her ear, and her daughter, who anchored her in another, against her heart. Reggie, as if she understood the gravity of the moment, rested her head against Reese’s shoulder and went to sleep.
“I understand. Yes, sir.” Reese took a deep breath and did something she had never done before in her life. She asked a favor of the general, because he was her father. “If I could have twenty-four hours, sir.”
The silence was the longest of her life.
“Thank you, General.”
She closed the phone and slid it into her pants pocket, then folded both arms around Reggie, whose small body was warm and soft. She stood at the rail and watched moonlight play over the surface of the water, her cheek resting against the top of Reggie’s head. Everywhere she looked was beauty. Her heart was full of precious wonder at the child in her arms and the woman who had brought love and meaning into her life. Tory, Reggie, and the life they shared among family and friends were
the miracles she would carry with her wherever she went. They were her greatest strength, and she knew because of them, she could do what she needed to do.
The wind blew in, crisp and sharp off the water, and ruffled the baby’s hair. Reese cupped Reggie’s face in the palm of her hand to shield her from the night air and went inside. She slid the phone from her pocket and opened it one-handed. The first number on the speed dial was Tory at the clinic. She pressed two.
After a moment, she said, “Mom, I need a favor.”
Chapter Five
Tory closed the door behind her and scanned the living room, trying to sense what was different. It was just past nine p.m., but the house seemed very still. The only light came from a single lamp turned down low on the far side of the room. The glass doors leading to the deck were open, and the smell of the sea filled the air.
“Reese?”
Tory dropped her keys and wallet on a small table by the door and started toward the stairs that led to the second floor and their bedroom. Just as she did, Reese came in from the deck.
“Hey,” Tory said. “It’s so quiet, I thought you’d all gone to bed.”
Reese put her arms around Tory and pulled her near, burying her face in Tory’s thick, silky hair. “Not without you.” She kissed Tory’s neck. “What would be the point?”
“God, you feel good,” Tory murmured. She curved her arms around Reese’s shoulders and relaxed against her body. Her planned six-hour shift had turned into nine, and she was dead tired. Her leg ached, as it often did after she’d been standing for an extended period, and her back felt as if she’d been lifting fifty-pound boxes all day. What she wanted was to soak in a hot tub, curl up next to Reese, and fall asleep. “Is the baby asleep already?”
“She’s with Kate and Jean.”
“Really?” Tory laughed. “They don’t get enough of her, babysitting almost every day?”
“I asked them to keep her.” Reese moved her hand to the back of Tory’s neck and worked her fingers into the tight muscles on either side of her spine. “I’ve got an open bottle of Merlot out on the deck and some nibbles if you’re hungry.”
“You do, huh?” Tory ran her hands up and down Reese’s back. “One lounge chair or two?”
“One.” Slipping her fingers higher into Tory’s hair, Reese massaged her scalp. “And a blanket.”
“Oh, it’s that way, is it?” Leaning back, Tory kissed the tip of Reese’s chin. “You do realize we both have to work in the morning?”
“I won’t keep you up too late.”
“Don’t make promises you might not be able to keep.” Tory kissed Reese, savoring the way Reese smelled—warm sunshine, salty ocean spray, and Reggie—all the things Tory loved. Reese’s body was firm beneath her hands, a sculpted landscape of strength and certainty. As she took the kiss deeper, skimming her tongue into the smooth, warm recesses of Reese’s mouth, she heard Reese moan softly and felt her tremble. “Are you all right, sweetheart?”
“Perfect,” Reese whispered. “You’re here.”
“Where else would I be?” Tory placed her hand over Reese’s heart. It beat wildly beneath her fingers. “This is my home.”
Reese turned her face away and pressed her cheek to Tory’s hair, not wanting her to see the tears that came quickly and unbidden. Hoarsely, she said, “How about some of that wine?”
“I can see that you’ve got plans. So why don’t you just lead the way.”
“Remember you said that.” Reese grasped Tory’s hand and guided her out onto the deck. She settled into a lounge chair and drew Tory down so that she rested with her back against Reese’s chest, nestled between her outstretched legs. With one arm curved around Tory’s waist, she leaned sideways and filled two glasses from the bottle of Merlot she had left open on a small table. “Here you go.”
Tory sipped the smooth, dry wine, sampled the crackers and cheese Reese had assembled, and watched the moon flit in and out of the clouds. It was heaven. She sighed, content.
“Cold?” Reese asked.
“No, not with your arms around me.”
“You know what I think about, every time I lie out here with you like this?”
“No, what?” Tory shifted so she could lean her head back and see Reese’s face. In the moonlight, her dark hair and bold profile were edged in silver, like an image on an ancient coin. Tory felt a surge of arousal and smiled inwardly, pleased that time and the common joys of daily life had not diminished her desire.
Feeling Tory’s gaze upon her face, Reese met her eyes. “Of the night we made love out here and afterward, you told me you wanted to have a baby.”
Tory smiled softly. “I remember. And I remember you telling me that you wanted it, too. That it would make you happy. I don’t know why I ever thought you wouldn’t understand.” Tory kissed her gently. “You always have.”
“The only thing in my life that’s made me happier than having Reggie was finding you.”
“Reese?”
“What?” Reese whispered, reaching out without looking to find the table and setting down her wineglass. Before Tory could respond, Reese turned sideways so they were facing each other and tugged Tory’s blouse from her jeans. She smoothed her palm over Tory’s belly, her fingers tracing the sweep of her ribs. “What?”
Tory arched into her touch and closed her eyes. “I…is…”
Reese released the clasp on Tory’s bra and danced her fingertips over the full curve and tight, round nipple. “What?”
“Nothing. I can’t remember. Can’t think when you touch me like that.”
“Good, don’t think. Feel me.” Reese lowered her head as she pushed Tory’s blouse higher and circled Tory’s nipple with her tongue. It hardened at the caress, and she sucked it in, scraping the edges carefully with her teeth before soothing the tingling spots with her lips. She was aware of Tory fumbling with her belt and she lifted her hips, giving her room to release it. “Don’t distract me.”
Tory laughed and held Reese’s head more tightly to her breast. “No chance. You started it. Now you have to finish.”
Reese bit down and Tory cried out. The sound made Reese’s mind swirl, pulsing red with the rush of hot blood and thick lust through her limbs. She moved from one breast to the other, licking, sucking, biting, while she unbuttoned Tory’s blouse, pausing only long enough to strip off the offending garment. She leaned away and absorbed the sight of Tory, her head thrown back, her breasts—heavier now after Reggie—flushed and swollen with desire. Tory’s chest rose and fell rapidly as her lips parted with the silent pleas only a lover could hear. Touch me, take me, claim what is yours.
“I love you,” Reese murmured.
Tory opened her eyes, her vision hazy, her body ripe and ready. “No one else ever has—not like you. Never wi—” She jerked and lost her breath as Reese cupped a hand between her legs. “Oh!”
Reese shifted until she was kneeling on the deck by Tory’s side. “I always will.” She opened Tory’s jeans. Slid the zipper down. “You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted.” She curled her fingers around the waistband, waiting for Tory to rise up so she could ease them over her hips and down her legs. “All I’ve ever needed.”
“Reese,” Tory whispered. Reese’s face was in shadow, her body curved over Tory’s like the blade of a knife, hypnotically dangerous. “Sweetheart, what—”
“I live for you, for this.” Reese leaned down, kissed the curve of Tory’s thigh where it blended into the soft folds of her sex. “And Reggie.” She brushed her fingertips through silky wetness and Tory whimpered. “Our life.”
Reese cupped Tory’s buttocks and guided her down the chaise, opening her thighs with gentle insistence. “You see the stars up there?”
Tory’s hand trembled in Reese’s hair as Reese lowered her head and kissed between her legs again. It was so hard to think.
“Yes.”
Tory’s voice was high and thin, tremulous with need.
“When I see them”—Reese c
aught the crystal droplets of Tory’s passion on the tip of her tongue—“I think of you.” She eased her fingers along the path her tongue had taken, sliding smoothly inside. “Of the beauty and peace you bring into my heart.”
Tory braced her arms on the sides of the lounge and pushed up so she could watch Reese make love to her. She strained against Reese’s hand, taking her deeper than she ever had. “Go inside me more. Fill me up.” Her head fell back as Reese pushed slowly forward. Her arms shook and her voice broke on a sob. “Oh God.”
“More?”
“Yes. Yes.”
Sweat drenched Reese’s back and her stomach tensed as she fought back her own aching need. She focused every ounce of concentration on Tory’s breathing, Tory’s body, Tory’s small sounds of pleasure. She pushed, Tory opened, and she pushed higher. “Oh Jesus, Tor, you’re so hot inside. You feel so amazing.”
Tory wrapped her arms around Reese’s shoulders and pressed her face to Reese’s neck. Panting, she gasped, “I want you all the way inside. Keep going. Oh, more.”
“Sure?”
“Uh-huh. Uh-huh.”
Reese slowed, waiting for the tense tissues to relax. “All right?”
“Good,” Tory groaned. “So good.” She took a long breath and willed her body to soften even as the pressure spiraled in her depths. “Do it. Let me feel you make me come.”
Reese supported Tory with an arm around her waist and steadily, carefully, relentlessly worked her hand within the slick, hot muscles. “Hold on to me,” she whispered. “Hold on, baby.”
Tory closed her eyes and gave herself over to Reese’s embrace, her legs around Reese’s hips as Reese rocked her arm between her thighs. Every thrust drove her a little bit closer to the edge, but she held back, wanting the sensation to go on forever. Wanting Reese so far inside of her that nothing could ever come between them. They were one, and nothing had ever felt so right.
Reese felt it, the first spasm, before Tory jerked in her arms and cried out, “I’m coming.”
Reese covered Tory’s mouth with hers, drinking her passion, swallowing her cries of pleasure as she curled her fingers forward and pressed the spot that always made Tory explode. She wasn’t prepared for the force of Tory’s orgasm and cried out in surprise as Tory stiffened in her arms, clamping down around her hand and dragging her to the brink of coming.