Kristin stood there a moment in an attempt to understand what the message meant, as a string of replies flooded in from various group members.
I’m good. Left after he threw the punch.
Me too.
I’m fine.
Both Beth and I are good.
With fear in her throat, Kristin jumped in her car, at the same time scrolling through her contacts to call Lucy. No answer. She gunned it. As she pulled into the parking lot of the Slater building, the red and blue lights confirmed the worst.
“What happened?” Kristin asked a familiar face from the protest as he and his friend hurried to their own car.
The man turned to her, his expression grim. It was clear he was still hyped up on adrenaline. “Cops showed up and asked us to disperse at the property owner’s request. Some folks got riled up. One guy got in the cop’s face and that’s when they started grabbing people and taking ’em downtown.”
Kristin closed her eyes, instantly guilt ridden for not having been there. “I’m looking for my friend. Dark hair, about this tall, wearing a pink shirt.” She watched as the final police car drove away.
“The girl in the pink shirt was one of the ones arrested,” he said matter-of-factly.
She shook her head. “No, no, no. Please tell me that’s not true.”
He glanced over at his friend for confirmation.
“Yeah, she was,” the friend said. “She was trying to reason with the cops and they took it as a refusal to disperse.”
This was so not good. “Okay, thanks,” Kristin said. Her mind raced as she drove the fifteen minutes to the police precinct. Guilt reigned. She never should have gotten Lucy mixed up in all this and she certainly shouldn’t have left her alone at the protest.
The police station was a bustling mess when she arrived. She patiently waited her turn as her concern grew to panic. The officer who took her question asked her to wait nearby as he tried to learn what he could about the arrested protestors.
An hour passed without word.
Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. It didn’t matter. A second hour passed. She stared at the haggard faces of the people in the small waiting area. The fluorescent light brought out each furrowed brow, highlighted each tear. Just looking around, she could tell it hadn’t been a good day for any of them. Finally, an officer appeared.
“It’s been decided that in the matter of the Slater protestors no charges will be filed. If you’ll head through that door, you can wait in the hallway for your friends to be released.”
Kristin allowed herself to breathe again. Thank God. Twenty minutes later, when a group of familiar faces emerged from behind the glass door, she braced herself. She’d be perfectly fine with Lucy yelling at her or giving her the silent treatment. But what if Lucy never wanted to see her again? That one she wouldn’t be able to handle. However, the smile Lucy greeted her with was a scenario she wasn’t prepared for.
She held up her hands, palms out as Lucy approached. “I am so sorry.”
Lucy nodded, took Kristin’s hands, and brought them together. “Let’s just get out of here.”
“Of course.” As they walked to the car, day was shifting to night as the pinks and purples swirled in the sky. “Did I mention how sorry I am? Because I can say it again. I am so sorry, Lucy.”
Lucy passed her a look over the top of the car. “As in the sorriest?”
“As in. Also, I feel like I should do something to make it up to you, a cash payment, my firstborn, something.”
“You’re creative. You’ll figure it out.” Lucy got in the car and Kristin followed her there. “It wasn’t that bad actually.”
“No?” Kristin asked.
“No. I met a woman named Marge who wanted to know what kind of moisturizer I use. I’m fairly confident Marge could benefit from a helpful moisturizer tip or two, so I offered some insight. It’s not a bad day when people compliment your skin.”
Kristin couldn’t help but smile. She remembered how Lucy’s skin felt beneath her fingers, and she was every bit deserving of that compliment. Marge knew what she was talking about. “I suppose skin compliments do go a long way.”
“Well, when you’re in the slammer,” Lucy said as they drove, “little things matter.”
Kristin passed her a look of amusement. “So it’s the slammer now?”
“The big house, the tank, or yes, the slammer. It’s what we insiders call it.”
She was being playful now and it was like a giant weight had been lifted off Kristin’s shoulders. Lucy didn’t want to kill her. She was making jokes, even. “I have to say that I’m super surprised you’re taking this so well,” Kristin said. “You have every right to want to kill me.”
Lucy lifted a shoulder. “I don’t see how that benefits me in the long run, the killing. And trust me, I considered it. This is what I keep coming back to. You didn’t arrest me and you weren’t the guy who got the cops upset by mouthing off. You simply believed in a cause. If nothing else, I have a great story to tell now. Lucy Danaher was arrested today. I should take out a press release at work and up my street cred. I might need a tat.”
Kristin laughed. “The socialites would love it.”
“Right? Just think of the corner whispering that would take place at parties. The intimidation factor would be huge. Think they’ll ever insult my canapés again? Not likely.”
Kristin laughed. “Silver lining.”
The conversation lulled. Kristin flipped on the radio and eighties music, her favorite, filled the car.
Lucy turned to her. “Are you rocking out to Cyndi Lauper right now? Is this happening?”
Kristin stopped mid-head-bop. “Yes, because Cyndi gets life.”
“I wonder if she’s ever served time like me.”
“You haven’t served time. You were in a holding cell for three hours.”
“Three hours is an increment of time, Kristin. I’m livin’ the struggle. Now turn up the music so I can sing poorly and celebrate my newfound freedom.”
Kristin did just that, and as the sun set over the water, they drove alongside the beach, singing loudly to “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” It was summertime, she was with an amazing woman, and life had amazing possibilities.
Chapter Six
Lucy blinked against the sunlight that illuminated her bedroom and lazily made note that morning had arrived. It was Saturday and she had no plans, making it the best kind of morning ever. Her limbs felt heavy, her body felt fluid in the most wonderful way, and the events of the night prior came flooding back to her in all their detailed glory.
Kristin, she thought languidly to herself and then rolled over to find the object of her racy memories asleep next to her. The golden glow of the sunlight touched Kristin’s bare shoulders, and Lucy smiled at the sight, and at the recollection of the delicious things they’d done to each other. She placed a kiss on one of those shoulders and snaked an arm around Kristin’s waist, moving closer to her. It had been three weeks since the protest, and quite possibly the best three weeks of Lucy’s life.
“Good morning,” Kristin murmured with a slight smile on her face, though her eyes remained closed. Lucy delicately feathered her fingers into Kristin’s hair and moved it off her forehead, then took a moment to watch her sleep, knowing full well it would be a short-lived visual. Her hand drifted lower to Kristin’s breast, and with her index finger she circled the nipple. “What are you doing?” Kristin asked, though the smile had grown.
“Just saying good morning back,” Lucy said, dipping her head to taste the spot her hand had just explored. She heard Kristin suck in a breath as she pulled the nipple into her mouth. She dropped her hand between Kristin’s legs and greeted her properly, loving the murmur of approval she received from Kristin, who shifted against the touch and surrendered as Lucy slid inside.
“God,” Kristin breathed, lifting her head from the pillow. Her eyes were open now and she was fully engaged, looking beyond s
exy. Kristin in an everyday moment was beautiful, but Kristin fresh-faced and turned on was another level entirely. Zero-to-sixty, Lucy reminded herself, the way it always was with them. It only took a few minutes before Kristin writhed beneath her touch and gripped the sheets as pleasure washed over her in a display Lucy would never get tired of.
As the final shock waves subsided, Lucy claimed her mouth in a tantalizing kiss. “Sorry I woke you. Kinda had to.”
Kristin blinked back at her. “You know how to make a morning a memorable one. That’s for sure.”
“I really like the morning.”
“And I like that you like it.”
Lucy relaxed back into the bed. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this happy. While their jobs kept them busy, she and Kristin had begun spending more and more time together in the evenings, and the weekend sleepovers were a definite favorite of hers. They were still very different people and probably always would be. Kristin stuck to her running schedule and would rather stay in and watch a movie together on the couch. Lucy liked to go out on a Saturday night and spent her free time planning parties or charity gatherings with her friends. Kristin attended environmental meetings. Lucy went to the spa. Kristin followed politics. Lucy followed baseball. But underneath it all, Lucy had developed a deep appreciation of their differences. How boring would it be to date someone just like herself? Hadn’t that been why she and Emory hadn’t worked out, back in the day?
Kristin slipped her hands beneath the hem of the Padres T-shirt Lucy had put on before falling asleep and caressed Lucy’s stomach with her thumbs. “Do you know what makes me happy?”
“I don’t,” Lucy said. “You should tell me.”
“Waking up in the morning and remembering that you’re here next to me.” Kristin gave her head the tiniest shake. “I can’t seem to get enough of what that feels like. That little burst of energy I get when I open my eyes and see you.”
They were maybe some of Lucy’s favorite words ever and she felt the smile break across her face. Honestly, she couldn’t agree with the sentiment more. Kristin made life shimmer in a way she’d never experienced before. Talking to her was enthralling, looking at her was mesmerizing, and kissing her was like heaven on Earth.
“Let’s just stay in bed for a couple of hours,” Kristin said. “What do you say? We can be lazy and adventurous at the same time. Though you’ve already checked your adventurous box once this morning.”
“While I want nothing more than to live in this bed with you, I must take a temporary leave of absence. I require pancakes. Sustenance.” And with that, Lucy was up and putting on her robe as Kristin gaped at her. “What?” Lucy asked nonchalantly.
“You can’t do that.”
“Do what?” She passed Kristin an innocent smile.
“You know exactly what. Ravish my body and then dash out of here before I get to have any fun myself. And Lucy, I really, really want to have fun with you right now.”
“You seemed to be having a good time a few minutes ago.” Lucy said with a circular point back at the bed. But the way Kristin looked now had her rethinking her plan. All sexy and amazing with tousled hair and pouty lips. “God, look at you.” Before she could help it, she climbed back in bed and claimed a final, scorching kiss. The kind that curled her toes and sent the tingling sensations dancing across her skin. “Okay, no more of that or we’ll never get pancakes. Chef Lucy needs to report to the kitchen.”
“Chef Lucy, stay here and be naughty with me some more. The pancakes can wait.”
“They can’t either. Pancakes can’t be made to wait. They’re too important in the scheme of life.”
“And the rest of the fun?” Kristin asked with the most adorable puppy-dog eyes.
“After the pancakes, we have all the time in the world to come back here and do…whatever we want.”
At that, Kristin perked up considerably. “Okay, now this is a scenario I can get behind.”
“We can try it from behind if you want.” She winked playfully at Kristin and headed for the stove.
Twenty minutes later, they sat around Lucy’s circular kitchen table, enjoying some of the fluffiest pancakes Lucy had ever managed to turn out. “I’m highly impressed with myself right now,” Lucy said, examining the substantial height of the bite of pancake on her fork.
“You excel at pancakes, Luce. Gotta hand it to you.” Kristin tossed a bite to BP, who inhaled the unexpected treasure and offered Kristin’s ankle a lick in appreciation.
“Thanks. And I swear that dog likes you more than she likes me, not that I blame her.”
Kristin rested her chin in her hand and smiled at Lucy. “Are you saying you like me, Lucy?”
“I think that is what I’m saying. Yes.” The mood was light, but the words sparked something in Lucy and she felt the smile dim on her face. Because she did like Kristin. She liked bantering with her. She liked the way Kristin consistently challenged her and didn’t always let her get away with things most people did. She loved the long talks they had late at night after making love. She liked the pensive look Kristin got on her face when she was thinking about whatever story she was writing in her head. She loved it all. Pause, rewind. Deep breath. How did the word love sneak in there? She wasn’t in love with Kristin. They’d known each other less than two months. Love took time. But in a shocking revelation, she did think she could be in the process of falling in love with her, and that was a little scary. Something to maybe push aside for examination later.
“Why do you look like you’re about to pull the fire alarm?”
She was now aware of the fact that Kristin was studying her. “Hmm?” Lucy asked absently. She hadn’t quite rejoined the conversation fully after her world had shifted on its axis moments before. Because, whoa, she was falling in love with this woman. As the seconds ticked by, she grew more and more sure of it.
“I was just asking, a moment ago, how long you were going to hold that bite of pancake half the distance to your mouth. Are you taking a break? Was it maybe a heavy pancake and you can’t move it any farther?” Kristin was smiling at her, and that smile did just what it always did, grounded her. It brought her back to the here and now and she remembered another thing she loved about Kristin. She served as an excellent voice of reason.
Lucy inhaled deeply and the terror dissipated. In its place, she found courage. She stared into those eyes the color of the sea and said what was in her heart. “I was just thinking how wonderful you are and how it’s hard to believe you weren’t a part of my life just a few months ago.”
Kristin relaxed back into her chair. “I know. I feel like I’ve known you for so much longer. Maybe it’s because I spend so much time thinking about you when we’re apart. I don’t like being away from you. Besides our fiery debates and playful chatter, you’re also super hot. Speaking of which…”
“Yes?”
“Are we through with the pancakes now? For the love of God, say yes.”
The fire in Kristin’s eyes gave Lucy a little thrill she felt all over. “We are.”
*
It was dark out and most of the newsroom had headed home for the day, but Kristin had done it. She’d put the finishing touches on her exposé and once she’d hit send, it was on its way to Dalton and then to the cover of the Sunday feature section. She sat back in her chair and let the feeling of accomplishment wash over her. It’d been a long row she’d hoed to get here. The move, the new job, and the intense hours of research and reshaping, had all led to this moment.
She felt like celebrating. Champagne, maybe. And there was only one person she wanted to share this moment with. Given, Lucy didn’t love the fact that her company was mentioned in the story, but she surely, by this point, understood that the story was merely an impartial examination of a series of events. Nothing personal. In fact, she seemed to root for Kristin as she worked long hours. That didn’t mean Kristin wasn’t fighting against the butterflies bouncing around her stomach at the thought of Lucy actua
lly reading the piece.
She called Lucy instead of texting her, simply because she wanted to hear her voice. Whether she would have believed it three months ago or not, Lucy had come to mean everything to Kristin. And while the workweek kept them from spending any sort of appreciable one-on-one time together outside of the occasional quick lunchtime rendezvous, Kristin always seemed to crave more.
“Hey, sexy reporter person,” Lucy said upon answering. “Do I get to lay eyes on you tonight or do you have to work?” It was the last day of June and Friday night. Neither of them had work the next day, so of course, they’d get together and enjoy the summer night. Maybe even walk on the beach if Lucy was up for it.
“Oh, eyes will be laid.”
“That’s all though? Just eyes?” There was a mock sadness in Lucy’s voice that made Kristin smile.
“I have a suspicion there might be more. I can’t be sure.”
“Well, who can? Now come over here and let’s watch bad TV and talk about our weeks.”
“Sold.”
Lucy opened the door to her beach house fifteen minutes later. “Well, that was fast. Come here, because I have missed you this week.”
After a leisurely hello kiss that had Kristin walking on air, she held up the bottle she’d brought with her.
“And you have champagne?”
“I’m a ninja today.” She placed another kiss on Lucy’s amazing lips and followed her inside, tasting strawberry lip gloss, which was most certainly on its way to becoming her favorite taste on the planet. Lucy was more casual than she was, wearing workout shorts and a black tank top. “How do you manage to make a basic tank top look like that on you?”
“I think that’s a compliment, which I will accept. Oh, and you’d be proud of me. I stepped over to the dark side and went for a run to Emory’s house.”
“You ran the five minutes to Emory’s house?” Kristin made sure to sound extra shocked for proper ribbing to occur.
“Yes, Miss Pretentious About Running. I did. Though I hated every moment of it, I was glad I’d done it when it was all over.”
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