by Radclyffe
“Honey, that outfit screams ‘mess me up.’” Mitchell took another step. “Come on. Let me touch. Just one finger.”
“Where?”
Mitchell reached out, her index finger extended. She dipped it into the hollow at the base of Sandy’s neck, then slowly snaked down her chest to the vee where the jacket closed. Then she curled the tip under the edge of the lapel and along the top of Sandy’s bra. In a husky voice, she whispered, “Just here.”
Sandy slapped at Mitchell’s hand and backed away. “Cut it out. You’re making me horny. I can’t be horny in this outfit.”
Mitchell laughed. “Why not?”
“Because I think I’m just supposed to stand around pretending I’m too cool to get hot.” She fingered Mitchell’s uniform jacket. “Anyhow, look at you. I’m not making out with you in that getup.”
“Why not?” Mitchell asked again, glancing down at her dress blues. Her shoes gleamed, the creases in her pants were so sharp-edged the material barely moved when she walked, and her uniform jacket fit her form without an errant fold. “You don’t like it?”
“Baby,” Sandy crooned, walking her fingers up the inside of Mitchell’s thigh. She cupped her for a fleeting second, high between her legs, making her gasp, and then moved quickly out of reach. “I want you to fuck me blind.”
“Oh man,” Mitchell moaned, hurrying out of the room after her girlfriend. “I’m not gonna live through this.”
Chapter Twenty
“You gonna be okay?” Mitchell asked quietly as she and Sandy exited the elevator on the second floor of Police Plaza.
“Sure,” Sandy said, her voice tight with bravado. The wide corridor was bustling with officers, some in uniform and others in street clothes, all looking harried and officious. Sandy’s stomach curdled as she thought about the few times she had been inside a police station. None were pleasant memories. “Great. No problem.”
Mitchell caught Sandy’s hand and tugged her close to the wall, out of the stream of traffic. “Look, you don’t have—”
“Jesus, rookie,” Sandy snapped, snatching her hand away. “Are you crazy? Look where we are. Do you want everyone to know?”
“I don’t care who knows.” Mitchell grabbed Sandy’s hand back. “If you’re not comfortable here, you don’t need to st—”
“Hello,” a warm voice interrupted. “Quite a gathering, it seems.”
Sandy looked from Dell to the newcomer. “Hi. Yeah, it’s a big deal, huh?”
Catherine smiled. “Yes, it is. I’m looking forward to it. Hello, Dellon. Congratulations, by the way.”
“Thanks,” Mitchell said, coloring. She looked past Catherine. “Is the lieutenant here already?”
“Yes. She stopped downstairs to talk to Watts about something. She should be right up.”
“Good.”
The relief in Mitchell’s voice was evident, and Sandy realized at that moment that her girlfriend was every bit as nervous as she was. Moving closer, she gave Mitchell’s hip a tiny bump with hers. “You’re gonna be fine. You look so hot.”
Mitchell grinned. “I don’t think anyone’s going to care about that.”
“I do.”
“Sandy,” Catherine asked, “would you mind sitting with me? I’d appreciate the company.”
“Sure. Okay.” Sandy smiled shyly. “I’d like that.”
“Wonderful.” Then, as if hearing her name, which would have been impossible in the midst of so much activity, Catherine turned toward the elevators. The doors slid open, and Rebecca stepped through with Watts close behind. “Let me just say goodbye to her, and then you and I can go in and find seats.”
“She’s cool,” Sandy murmured as she glanced furtively up and down the hall. When no one seemed to be looking, she stretched up and quickly kissed Mitchell. “That’s for luck.”
Without glancing around, Mitchell leaned down and kissed Sandy back. “That’s for love.” Then she turned and walked down the hall toward Watts, who waited by the auditorium door.
Sandy watched her go, shaking her head, the kiss still tingling on her lips. In a voice too low for anyone else to hear, she whispered, “Blockhead.”
“Hiya, Sandy,” Rebecca said.
“Hey, Frye,” Sandy replied, still watching her girlfriend. When she finally turned to look at Rebecca, she gave a small murmur of appreciation. “Huh. Nice look.”
“I don’t think that was the intention. It’s good to see you. Good for Mitchell too.”
Then she too walked away, leaving Sandy staring after her. “What is it with them today?”
“They’re nervous,” Catherine commented upon hearing the question as she rejoined Sandy. “They’re much more comfortable doing than being the focus of attention.”
“So that makes them get all sappy—being nervous?”
Catherine smiled. “I think it makes them a little bit vulnerable. I don’t know about you, but I’m rather fond of sappy now and then.”
Sandy laughed. “It’s supposed to be a big secret, but Dell gets like that pretty much all the time.”
“How wonderful for her that she can do that with you.”
“You think?” Sandy asked, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. She didn’t like to think too much about why Dell seemed to love her, fearing how much it would hurt if she stopped.
“I do.” Catherine reached for Sandy’s hand. “Shall we go in? I want to get seats up front so I can see everything.”
“Okay, sure...” Sandy’s voice trailed off. “Uh—you should go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Catherine followed Sandy’s gaze questioningly. Then she gave a small start, amazed to see a woman approaching who looked exactly like Mitchell except for the fact that she wore a different uniform. “Well.”
“You got that right,” Sandy said, acid etching her tones. She took a step in the newcomer’s direction. “And there’s no fucking way she’s going in that room with Dell today.”
Before Catherine could even comment, Sandy was down the hall and in Erica’s path.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Sandy asserted.
Erica regarded her in confusion. “What? Who…?” She hesitated. “Oh. Sandy, isn’t it? I didn’t recognize you.”
Sandy snorted. “No, I’m sure you only saw what you expected to see. Whatever. Dell doesn’t need you here today.”
“I hardly think that’s up to you to decide.”
“You know what? It is.” Even in heels, Sandy was inches shorter than Erica, but her eyes never wavered from the ice blue of the taller woman’s. “You walked out on her once when she needed you to stand up for her. She doesn’t need you now.”
“You don’t know anything about that.”
Sandy’s vision wavered as anger swept through her. She could still feel Dell’s tears scalding her breast and the way that Dell, always so strong, had trembled in her arms. She heard the broken words uttered through a throat choked with grief.
Robin was a captain and a general’s daughter. She was career Army, and I couldn’t let her lose everything. So when she denied that we were lovers and said that I’d gone off on the guy for no reason, I didn’t argue. They were willing to let me leave quietly, even gave me the honorable discharge, as long as I didn’t make waves. They didn’t want to know about us, and she wasn’t willing to give up her future for me.
“Yes, I do know,” Sandy grated. It was all she could do to keep her hands at her sides, because she wanted to smack the superior smirk off Erica Mitchell’s face. “I know you let her be treated like a criminal when all she did was defend her lover.” Sandy spat out the words. “Her lover who didn’t have the guts to stand up for her. And you didn’t either.”
“Dellon knew the rules.”
To Sandy’s astonishment, she heard pain in Erica’s voice. But no amount of hurt would make up for the suffering she had witnessed in Dell. “Love isn’t about rules. Love is just something that happens to you, and you don’t have a choice. You take it, you hold on t
o it, or you lose everything that matters.”
Erica stared at Sandy. “That’s how you feel about her?”
“Yes.” There was defiance and pride in Sandy’s voice. She tilted her chin as if offering it for Erica’s punch, a warrior ready to take a blow in the name of honor.
“I thought…” Erica shook her head. “I don’t know what I thought.”
Catherine stepped up to Sandy’s side. “Is anything wrong?”
“No,” Sandy said levelly. “She was just leaving.”
“You must be Dellon’s sister,” Catherine said, extending her hand. “I’m Catherine Rawlings. My partner and Dellon work together.”
“Ma’am,” Erica said, shaking Catherine’s hand. She looked uncertainly from Sandy to Catherine, obviously trying to discern their relationship. “I don’t want to keep you from the ceremony.”
“No, I don’t want to be late,” Catherine agreed. “My partner is being promoted as well.” She rested a hand lightly on Sandy’s shoulder. “Are you coming in?”
“I…” Erica shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Sandy looked up at Catherine. “I don’t want anything to spoil this for Dell.”
“I know. Neither do I. But you’ll be there, and that’s the most important thing.” She gave Sandy’s shoulder a squeeze. “But I think she might like it if her sister were there too.”
“What if it throws her…seeing her?”
“It might, for second or two.” Catherine smiled. “But you know…she’s got good reflexes.”
Sandy laughed, then cast Erica a considering glance. “You be careful with her. You don’t get another chance.”
“Understood,” Erica said quietly.
“Well, then,” Catherine said quietly, including both Sandy and Erica in her gaze. “Why don’t we go in?”
*
Mitchell shouldered her way through the throng congregated in front of the stage. She kept losing sight of Sandy as people cut across her line of vision. Finally, she edged her way up to her girlfriend. “Hey, how’re you doing?”
Sandy broke off her conversation with Catherine and smiled up at Mitchell. “Okay. I didn’t know you were going to get a medal too.”
“And well deserved,” Catherine added. “Congratulations, Dellon. Now, I’m going to find Rebecca and try to steal her away for lunch somewhere.”
After a quick look around, Sandy brushed her fingers over the medallion pinned above Mitchell’s left breast. “It’s nice.”
Fleetingly, Mitchell caught Sandy’s hand and squeezed. “Thanks. I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too.”
The closeness of the crowd made it easy for Mitchell to ease her thigh against Sandy’s hip, and as she did she steeled herself to greet the other woman present. After another few seconds’ hesitation, she met her sister’s eyes. “How did you know about this?”
“Your colleagues are very talkative. When I called the station earlier this week looking for information about you, I heard most of the story.” Erica extended her hand. “Congratulations, Detective.”
Mitchell swallowed and blinked against sudden tears. She forced the words through a sandpaper throat as she took her sister’s hand. “Thanks.”
Erica held Mitchell’s hand in the silence that settled between them. Sandy wrapped an arm around Mitchell’s waist and squeezed, murmuring, “You okay, baby?”
“Yeah,” Mitchell replied softly, letting go of Erica’s hand. She smiled at Sandy. “I’m okay. I’m great.”
“I should go say something to Frye,” Sandy said with obvious reluctance, her eyes flicking to Erica.
“Go ahead. Everything’s fine,” Mitchell urged, sounding more like herself. “Then how about we grab some takeout for lunch and go home.”
“Okay, if you’re sure.” Sandy looked once more from Erica to Mitchell, then ventured into the crowd.
“So,” Mitchell said. “What are you doing here?”
“You were being honored for bravery and promoted. It’s a big deal.”
“Yeah, and nothing I’ve done in the last year and a half has mattered to you, so why should this?” Mitchell tried to curb the bitterness in her voice, but failed. “Why did you come here at all this week?”
“Because I have to work at not thinking about you every day, and when I found out you were injured and in the hospital, I couldn’t stop worrying. I just…had to come.” Erica’s shoulders sagged slightly and she inched closer, her eyes dark with pain. “I miss you. Damn it, Dell. I miss you.”
“Nothing’s changed…” Mitchell caught herself and grinned ruefully. “Actually, everything’s changed. I know who I am. I like who I am. I love Sandy. What are you going to do with all of that, Erica?”
“I don’t know.” Her sister shook her head. “Sandy is…she’s fierce, the way she…loves you.”
Mitchell’s eyes sparkled. “Yeah. She’s pretty amazing.”
Erica studied her, her expression puzzled. “And you’re happy? She makes you happy?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe.”
Erica’s gaze swept the room where small groups, composed mostly of men, continued to mill about, talking and laughing. The rumble of many voices drowned out neighboring conversations. Nevertheless, she lowered her voice. “That’s not a problem, here?”
“Sometimes it can be,” Mitchell acknowledged. “But I don’t care. I can handle it.”
“You always thought you could handle everything,” Erica said with a mixture of affection and irritation.
“That’s because I can.”
Erica laughed, sounding very much like Mitchell. “You are so full of shit, Dell.”
“Yeah. Like you’re not.” Mitchell reached out and fingered the row of ribbons on her sister’s chest. “Looks like you’ve been busy racking up the points. You must be looking at a promotion yourself soon.”
Erica blushed. “Maybe, I don’t know.”
“They’re fast-tracking you, aren’t they? The posting in DC? Grooming you for a command post somewhere soon.”
“Probably,” Erica admitted.
Mitchell was surprised to realize that she felt no animosity, no jealousy. With a start, she realized that she no longer wanted the life her sister was headed for. The life she had thought she wanted. Some of the anger she had nourished to shield herself from pain eased. “That’s cool. That’s good.”
“I have to get back to the base,” Erica said. “I wish we could talk.”
“About what?”
“About…Robin. What happened.”
Mitchell shook her head. “There’s no point. It’s over. We all made our choices back then. And we’re all living with them now.” She looked away, scanning the crowd, smiling as she spied Sandy heading their way. “Sometimes the choices we’re forced to make take us to the place we wanted to be all along.” She met her sister’s eyes. “I’m happy, Erica.”
“You ready to go?” Sandy asked as she reached Mitchell’s side.
“Yep.”
Sandy turned her attention to Erica. “If you’re anything like Dell, and I guess you probably are, you’re insane for pizza. We can order extra.”
“Thanks,” Erica said sincerely. “I need to catch a train.” She held out her hand to Sandy. “It was very nice meeting you.”
Sandy appeared thoughtful as she took Erica’s hand. “It would probably be good if you came back for another visit.”
“Thank you.” Erica looked from Sandy into her sister’s eyes. “I’d like that very much.”
Mitchell and Sandy were silent as they watched Erica walk away. Then Sandy said, “Are you sure everything’s okay?”
“Have I mentioned that I really like it when you take care of me?”
Sandy stood on tiptoe and spoke quietly, close to Mitchell’s ear. “Yeah, but you’re usually talking about sex when you do.”
Mitchell laughed. “Well, then too.”
“So what do you say we pick up some pizza, and I can take care of you some more
.”
“Oh yeah—love in the afternoon,” Mitchell said, grasping Sandy’s hand. “I think I just got lucky.”
“Yeah, yeah, rookie. Don’t get used to it.”
“Too late.” Tugging Sandy through the crowd, Mitchell finally knew that she was exactly where she wanted to be.
Chapter Twenty-One
“This is such a nice treat, having you all to myself in the middle of the afternoon,” Catherine said, leaning her head against Rebecca’s shoulder.
Rebecca, in sweats and a T-shirt, her feet propped on the coffee table next to the empty deli containers, sighed. “I could get spoiled, that’s for sure.” She kissed Catherine lightly. “But I have to go back to work. Flanagan said she’d have something for me today on the shooting.”
“I know, and I need to go in to the office and take care of billing before Joyce loses patience with me entirely.” Catherine too had changed into a favorite pair of slacks and a pullover, and now she drew her legs onto the sofa to curl closer against Rebecca’s side. “I really enjoyed the ceremony. I noticed you trying to slip away from the photo-op at the end.”
“The department never passes up an opportunity for publicity,” Rebecca said wryly. “Hardly my style.”
“But you are newsworthy, darling.” When Rebecca stiffened, Catherine laughed and hugged her. “This is the second time in less than a year that you’ve received a departmental commendation, you were just promoted, and you’re without question the sexiest police officer in the city.”
Rebecca tilted her head back to look into her lover’s face. “About that last part…”
“We have to work,” Catherine murmured, captured by the light dancing in Rebecca’s eyes. Her body flushed hot, then she shivered. “But there’s something about you in that uniform that’s had me on edge since this morning.”
“The uniform, huh?” Rebecca guided Catherine’s hand beneath her T-shirt, then pressed Catherine’s palm to her stomach. “Will this outfit do?”
“Darling,” Catherine whispered, sliding her hand up to cup Rebecca’s breast. “You in absolutely anything does it for me.”