McKee

by A. C. Henley

  Quang threw his head toward the basement door.

  "You and Maggie in the basement?" Vivian asked with a giggle.

  "Please." Quin rolled her eyes again at Vivian's question, "Don't ask for details."

  Maggie whispered something in Quang's ear then trotted her sheet covered form to the kitchen. Quang watched her go with a small smile, which was quickly lost as he found himself pressed against the basement door by a somewhat annoyed Quin McKee.

  Vivian took the opportunity to turn the corner and lope up the stairs. Quin watched her go with a grin of her own before turning back to her associate. "What are you doing here Quang? I thought you had a dinner date. That's what Anthony said."

  "I did. We came back about three hours ago." Quang shrugged his shoulders, "One thing led to another…"

  "No details Quang." Quin warned.

  The Asian man smirked.

  "Why not use the guest bedroom Quang? You practically live there anyway." Quin asked as she eased the pressure off her associate. "Did you have to defile my couch?" A silent shrug answered her. "Fine." She released the thin man and sighed. "Just please try to keep it down." A silent nod and a fake serious gaze acknowledged her plea. Her eyes rolled for the third time in as many minutes. "Go." She backed away shaking her head and watched the boxer short clad man excitedly side step into the kitchen.

  Vivian took the opportunity to slip into the shower. She silently cursed herself for not having some sort of sexy lingerie on hand, she hadn't been thinking of seduction when she had packed for the stay at the PI's house. She frowned a little. She had been upset with the woman when she had packed to begin with. Now she was just a little miffed, but that was quickly waning as her body sang with arousal and her lips tingled with the memory of recent heated kisses. Her fingers brushed over the sensitive skin that had moments before been attached to Quin McKee causing a smile and a blush to flush her body from head to toe.

  Quin had entered the large master suite to find the bedroom empty. She heard the shower come on and deduced that Vivian was in the bathroom. She was a PI after all, and deduction was her forte. She gave a quick whiff to herself by lifting her shirt from her chest and inhaling deeply. Not bad, she thought, but a quick shower in the hall bathroom wouldn't hurt. She gathered a soft white t-shirt and headed off.

  Vivian emerged from the bathroom expecting to find a waiting Quin. Instead she found an empty bedroom. She was slightly disappointed her grand nude entrance was a bust. A small sigh escaped her lips as she went to her bag that was perched on a small couch in the seating area of the room. She rummaged until she found a simple white tank top and pulled it on. She also found her last pair of clean underwear. She had just pulled them on when she heard Quin's comment as the brunette entered the room and crossed toward her.

  "Hmmmm, cotton briefs... I like a girl who is all about comfort." Quin finished toweling her hair with her good arm. Her right shoulder was still a little tender for such activity as she found out when she first tried the maneuver in the bathroom. She tossed the towel onto the floor, making a mental note to pick it up in the morning. She continued her stride toward the blonde.

  Vivian blushed a bit in embarrassment, again cursing herself for not having something sexier. She tugged at the hem of her tank top.

  Quin reached out and stopped her. "Hey, come on…" She took Vivian's hands in her own and brought them to her lips, kissing each one in turn. "I like them, have a whole drawer full of them in fact." She released Vivian's hands and replaced hers on the blonde's hips hooking her thumbs in the elastic waistband of the plain white underwear. "Besides, I don't think you'll need them until morning." Her hands moved around and inside the cotton barrier. She tilted her head and captured Vivian's lips at the same time. They shared a delicious moan as their bodies melded together and Vivian found her self being maneuvered backwards toward the bed.

  As they fell into the soft feather bed together, facing one another, Vivian came to her senses. "Wait!" She raised her hand and gently pressed Quin's injured shoulder creating a little space between them. "I want to talk for a bit."

  "The communicate thing from earlier?" Quin asked.

  "Yup. Comfy?" A quick nod answered in the affirmative. "Okay. Now…" She reached out and brushed a shaggy bang from Quin's forehead, "…What's your favorite color?"

  Quin looked puzzled.

  "It's not a hard question Quin. What's your favorite color?" Vivian questioned again.

  "Blue." Quin answered softly.

  "Mine is dark green. What's your favorite morning drink?"

  Quin smiled, "Pepsi."

  Vivian's nose wrinkled, "Pepsi?" A one shoulder shrug was her only clarification. "Fine. What's your favorite flower?"

  "Wait. You didn't say your favorite morning drink." Quin admonished.

  "Oh right. Coffee, black."

  "That's so butch." The brunette teased warming up to the conversation. "Snap Dragons."

  "It is not butch. It's a requirement of life. My flower is Violets."

  Quin was furiously making mental notes, "What about your favorite male and female actors?"

  Vivian grinned, "Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. I would give birth to either one of their love child."

  Quin laughed out loud.

  "What?" Vivian blushed as the PI kept laughing. "Aww, come on Quin."

  The brunette relented with one last little giggle, "That was so cute. Umm, Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant, and I seem to be too late for birthing love children." Another round of giggles ensued from the PI.

  Vivian slapped Quin playfully on the hip, "You're mean." She whined, but was unable to stop the smile that crept onto her lips.

  Quin settled down again, "Sorry. Let me think of another one." She reached over and ran her index finger across the skin of Vivian's collarbone taking note of the slight shiver she caused. "Favorite smell?"

  Vivian allowed the touch as she thought, "Sage."

  "Vanilla." Quin smiled as Vivian mirrored her touch, she cursed the t-shirt that was between her and feeling Vivian's touch directly.

  Vivian smiled softly, "I need to tell you something." Quin's smile started to fade, "It's not bad." She added. "I don't think its bad anyway, but it is important." Clear gray eyes blinked at her in silence. "Okay, so I'll just say it right? I mean I was the one who started this whole communication thing right?" A blank silent stare answered her. Sheesh Vivian out with it already, you're scaring her half to death! "I love you." Silence. "I mean, I am in love with you."

  Quin shook her head as if to clear it. Then a smile started to form and she felt her eyes begin to swell with tears. "I need to buy a lottery ticket in the morning."

  Vivian frowned, confused by the brunette's reaction.

  Quin cupped her lover's cheek and sniffled as she lost her composure for the second time that day. She made sure to lock gazes with Vivian. "I'm the luckiest person alive to find and know love twice in a lifetime." She smiled softly through her tears, "I'm in love with you Vivian Walsh." There wasn't much space to cross to seal her oath with a kiss.

  Vivian melted into the intimate contact as her heart raced with the knowledge that Quin returned her love. She didn't know when she was divested of her top, or exactly how Quin's left hand had found its way past her underwear. She just knew that it all felt wonderful. Better than wonderful. Vivian was hard pressed to think of a word to describe just how it felt. Her hands had their own agenda. Quin wasn't wearing any underwear, so the task of unclothing the brunette was a simple matter of breaking contact long enough to yank the yard of cotton over Quin's head.

  Quin growled then groaned as she was maneuvered by Vivian to disengage her hand from the very warm, moist, place she had decided she wanted to stay forever. The cool air of the room chilled her wet fingers while her t-shirt was not so gently pulled over her head, catching on her ears and receiving an extra hard tug before it finally found its way to someplace on the floor. She looked down on Vivian and decided the detectives remaining garment ha
d to go now, because she wasn't going to be interrupted again. She sat and simply took in the curves and angles of Vivian's womanly form fully exposed before her. Then her hands and mouth traced the path her eyes had just blazed.

  A long, languid moan passed Vivian's lips ending in a whispered plea of more of everything that Quin was doing. Something was different this time. Something more was happening. Vivian's analytical mind raced with pleasure and questions. She decided to go with pleasure as Quin's tongue traced the curve of her ear.

  Quin's nervousness faded with every moan and every shiver that Vivian elicited. She had only ever made love to one other woman in her entire life. She had been worried if she would be able to give Vivian everything she deserved, everything she wanted. It seemed that love was all she felt and was all she was able to channel at the moment as she did her best to physically manifest that one overpowering emotion. She could feel Vivian tighten around her fingers and wanted so much to reach the pinnacle with the blonde. A slight shift down. A leg lifted and draped over a firm thigh. A rhythm as old as time. "Come with me." She said through clenched teeth.

  Powerless to do anything but comply with the request, Vivian arched and went rigid as the wave of ecstasy crashed over her. The blonde detective registered Quin's release just seconds later. Their breathing seemed to cease for a few moments. Total silence engulfed them for a long moment. Then almost at the same instance they both gasped for air, collapsing back to the mattress and clinging to each other as they whispered words of love.

  Tom Ross fidgeted in his seat as he stared at the empty desk across from him. This was his first day back to work off leave and Vivian's final Psych interview before she would be released to return to duty. Then it's back to business as usual. He thought as he picked up a retractable pen and began clicking it, settling into a beat that matched the song stuck in his head. Who knew Blondie songs could get imbedded into one's brain so easily? A sharp fwap of a box hitting the desktop opposite him interrupted his personal meanderings. "What's this?" He asked Vivian as the blonde started to unceremoniously began to shove her personal effects off the desktop into the box.

  "I'm not fit for duty." The sentence was bitter.

  Tom stopped in mid click, "What?"

  "I'm not fit for duty. It seems that my lack of remorse for killing Franklin means I'm incapable of performing my job." She moved onto emptying drawers. "Fuck them. The bastard had ruined the lives of dozens… hundreds even. He murdered a police detective and her unborn child." The drawers slammed shut, "I Quit!"

  Tom stood and rushed around the joined desks, "Viv, come on now, take a few weeks to decide."

  Vivian grabbed up her box, "A few weeks? No. I know what I want to do. I don't need to think any more." She paused then set the box down. She gathered Tom into a fierce hug, "I'll never be able to repay your kindness. You'll always be my best friend." She kissed him softly on his rough cheek. "I'll call you in few weeks. I need some time." She had the mind to place her service revolver and badge on her desk before once again taking up her box. She left without another word.

  Quin sipped at the pot of simmering chili that she had been cooking on for the last three hours. She let the spicy gravy set on her tongue for a bit to ascertain her next seasoning move. A dash of cayenne and a bit of salt went into the pot. She stirred it and took another taste. "Perfect." She declared as she moved to the large chopping block to finish grating cheese and chopping additional onions. A timer went off on the oven signaling that the corn bread was finished. She checked her watch for the time as she answered the timer and shut off the oven. She cracked the oven door a bit to let the heat out, leaving the corn bread to stay warm. Now all she needed was a lunch partner.

  Vivian sat in her car a few doors down from Quin's house. She had pulled over at first to gather herself. A minute turned into thirty minutes. She finally questioned herself as to why she was stalling. Was she going to have to defend her decision to quit to Quin? Would Quin judge her? She sighed, it doesn't really matter what she thinks does it? It's not like we're living together. She narrowed her eyes at herself in the visor mirror, "Coward." So I quit my job. She shrugged. There are other jobs. She reasoned. Maybe she'll take me on as a partner. "Ha!" Not with the ever trusty Quang at her side, she doesn't need me. Sigh. "Fuck." She pounded the steering wheel. Okay, okay…let's get it over with. She started the car and pulled two houses down and into the long drive making her way to the back. She parked in her now customary place and paused once again.

  Quin smiled at hearing Vivian's car pull up. She set the small kitchen table and placed the chili and cornbread in easy reach to the two place settings. She poured two large glasses of iced tea, setting out the sugar bowl next to Vivian's place. She smiled to herself then adjusted the napkins and silverware so that everything was perfect. Then she waited.

  And waited.

  Her smile faded to a thin line. She went to the back door. She moved the curtain aside and peered at Vivian's car. She could see the detective sitting in the driver's seat. She watched for another five minutes before grabbing her sweater and exiting the house.

  Vivian startled at the tap on the window. She couldn't help but smile at her lover who motioned for her to roll down her window. "Hi." She greeted thinking she sounded lame.

  "Hi back at ya." Quin replied as she looked past Vivian at the box on the passenger seat. She blinked twice in understanding then smiled at the blonde, "I cooked." She informed, "Chili and corn bread."

  Vivian could feel tears well up in her eyes, "I ummm… I quit." She tapped the box next to her with her hand, "All I have to show for fifteen years."

  Quin pulled on the door handle, swinging the door open, "You have plenty to show." She extended her hand inside the car, happy that Vivian didn't hesitate to take it. She pulled gently and the detective followed. "Want to bring that in?" Quin motioned to the box.

  "Naaa, I can get it later." The tears that had threatened to fall seemed to disappear.

  "Okay." Quin closed the car door after rolling up the window. "Lunch is getting cold."

  "Mmmm." Vivian vocalized, as another muscle seemed to relax under Quin's touch. "Don't you want to know what happened today?" She asked dreamily as the heel of Quin's palm worked a knot out of her lower back.

  "You'll tell me when you're ready."

  "I have to admit I'm kind of surprised by your lack of interest." Vivian murmured.

  "I know you did what was best for you." Quin frowned as she came across another knot. "You need to relax your back Vivian, or this won't work." She felt the blonde sigh beneath her. "Better." She commended.

  "The Psych said I was remorseless. She said I need to re-examine my ethics and morals. Turns out I may not be very empathetic towards the criminal element."

  "Shoot first; ask questions later?"

  Vivian hissed as Quin hit a sore spot just under her shoulder blades. "Something like that."

  "Is that how you feel? Act before thinking?"

  "Isn't that what you do?" Vivian retorted a bit harshly.

  Quin's hands paused. "Are we going to talk about me now?" She sat back on her heels still straddling Vivian's thighs. She took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's talk about me." She rolled Vivian onto her back and settled back onto the blonde's thighs. "We're talking about what I do right?" Receiving an affirmative nod she continued. "What I do is cross every line drawn. I break rules. I put myself and those around me in danger and hope for the best." She leaned down until she was sharing air with Vivian. "What I do is reckless disregard for the written law." She snarled, "I am not a cop with an oath. I'm a private citizen."

  Vivian flinched. "I…"

  Quin placed her fingers over Vivian's lips. "NO. You listen to me Ms. Walsh. You turned this conversation this way so you listen to me." She removed her hand, "I am not anything like you. You are the law. You live and breathe it. You protect it and cherish it. Do I think you would shoot someone without thinking, without knowing the truth?" Quin paused and made sure that s
he had Vivian's full attention. "I don't believe for one moment you would act before thinking." She then softens her tone "You don't feel remorse for killing Franklin." She leaned in and stole a soft kiss. "You feel what you feel. Remorse is probably low on the list as far as Franklin is concerned. I know I feel nothing but satisfaction, fucker got what was coming to him." She stole another kiss. "When you figure out what you feel then you'll be at peace about it. Until then I'll be right here, and after you decide I'll still be here. Now flip over so I can finish."

  Vivian leaned up and indulged in a long kiss before turning back onto her tummy and relaxing into Quin's touch. "I love you." She proclaimed softly as she finally let the tension of the day go.

  Quin smiled and placed a kiss on Vivian's shoulder, "I love you too. Now quiet, I'm working here." And work she did until Vivian fell asleep. She joined her lover in blissful slumber moments later.

  Vivian woke slowly the next morning. She rolled away from the sunlight that was streaming through the curtains at the head of the bed. She nearly rolled off the edge of the bed in her endeavor to escape the bright rays. She risked one eye and was greeted by a large alarm clock that shouted at her with large red numbers that it was one pm in the afternoon. She has to think on that a moment until it registered that she had been sleeping for nearly fourteen hours. Her bladder made itself known and she grudgingly got out of bed. She tested her legs and back and found that for the first time in months she felt nothing but rested. Gone were her aches and pains. She smiled to herself and filed the skill of masseuse as one of Quin's top reasons she was a keeper. A quick bathroom trip and an equally quick hunt for clothing of any kind had her ready to meet the day. Well what was left of the day…. She found Anthony in the kitchen working on a large ledger at the kitchen table. "Where is everyone?" she asked as she tested the side of the coffee pot to see if it was still hot, finding it with sufficient heat she poured herself a cup in her mug. Quin had designated the large blue mug as her own personal coffee container. She smelled the dark liquid letting the bitter steam fill her lungs before taking the first sip.