"I'm not sure I know what you mean," Reese said seriously.
"You and Tory are about to experience something wonderful, something precious," Kate said gently. "He's your father, one of the most significant people in your life. You need to tell him for your own sake and let him deal with his feelings the best way he can. Because if you don't, it diminishes you and your relationship with Tory."
"Like hiding being gay to avoid a court martial?"
"Reese, I know how much that bothers you. But, how does the saying go? You have to pick your battles?"
Reese grinned. "Uh huh."
"Well, when you choose not to reveal your sexuality to General Conlon, it's a professional necessity. Not telling your father about your child is personal, and in my opinion much more critical."
"Being a soldier's a lot simpler. The rules are clearer, and the decisions a lot easier to make."
"Yes, indeed." Kate smiled. "I think you're doing wonderfully as a civilian, by the way."
"I hope so," Reese said fervently. "Because Tory means more to me than anything ever could. And now" She swallowed and met her mother's eyes. "I think I'm going to need a fair amount of advice about this parenting thing."
"I'm sure you and Tory won't have any trouble at all. I intend to do nothing except spoil him or her, which is a grandmother's right."
"Well, as long as you're available for an emergency rescue mission if I get into trouble," Reese remarked, hunting for the paint brush.
"You can count on that."
*****
Tory stopped in the middle of the dining room and cocked her head. "Why do I smell fresh paint?"
Reese swiveled on the stool at the breakfast counter and smiled. Tory had been in the clinic all day. Thirteen interminable hours. "Welcome home, love."
"Let me repeat," Tory said firmly as she crossed the room. "Who's been painting?"
"Uh, I thought I'd get started on the nursery."
"You did. " It was a statement, not a question. Tory leaned her cane against the counter and regarded Reese expressionlessly. Normally, Reese was a recruiting poster example of good health and physical fitness. Now, a hint of illness still lingered. The shadows under her eyes had faded, but had not disappeared completely. Her color was better, but she was still pale. It hadn't been long enough for Tory's fear to have completely left her. "I'm going to kill you."
"Could you kiss me first?" Reese murmured, extending her good hand.
Tory moved between Reese's parted legs, resting her palm on Reeses thigh for support. "I suppose."
"Then I'll go happy." Reese slid her arm around Tory's waist and pulled her near, dipping her head to claim soft lips. Closing her eyes, she lost herself in the familiar sensation of supple warmth and tender welcome. It had been too long since they had touched this way. Tory's breasts brushed her own, and, as it always did, the pressure of Tory's body started Reeses blood humming. She groaned faintly and worked the back of Tory's blouse free from her slacks. Her palm found the hollow at the base of her lover's spine, and she spread her fingers over the swell of hips below, urging Tory closer still.
"Reese," Tory sighed as she released the kiss. "I don't think"
"Shh. I've missed you." Reese's voice was deep and mellow. She took Tory's mouth again, more insistently this time, probing deeper with her tongue, sucking on the full lower lip until Tory moaned. Reese closed her thighs, holding Tory captive against her.
"Your arm--"
"Is fine," Reese whispered, moving her lips to the sweet spot below Tory's jaw, kissing her way down to the faint hollow between her collar bones. She drew her fingers from Tory's back, around her side, and up underneath the front of her blouse. When she encountered the thin silk brassiere and the hard nipple beneath, she flicked her thumb across the taut peak. Tory surged against her, a sharp cry resonating from her throat. The sound of her pleasure made Reese stiffen and throb. "Ah, god, you are so perfect."
"They're so sensitive now. Tory arched her neck, her eyes closed. “I can feel it all the way inside me when you do that."
Reese closed her eyes, too, and rested her forehead against the crook of Tory's neck, working the full nipples between her fingers, one and then the other. Tory's breasts lay heavy in her palm, a weighty fullness so sensuous it stole her breath. Listening to Tory's breathing quicken, she teased her until Tory's hands in her hair forced her head up.
"Am I hurting you?" Reese asked quickly, her eyes searching Tory's face.
"No," Tory managed hoarsely. "It feels so good I think you could make me come."
"Do you want to try?" Reese whispered through a throat tight with desire. She never stopped the rhythmic squeezing, watching Tory's green eyes darken to black with arousal.
"Mmm, no. I want to lie down so you can touch me everywhere."
Reese groaned as another jolt of excitement tore through her. Pleasing Tory always drove her to the edge, and often when Tory climaxed, she would too, spontaneously, just from hearing her lover's cries. "Bedroom?"
"Yes, now, before I cant walk."
They managed to climb the stairs to their bedroom without losing contact, their arms around each other's waists. Once at the bedside, Tory said, "Sit down."
Wordlessly, Reese did as she was bid while Tory turned on the bedside lamp. She was aware of the steady pounding in her depths, of the pressure building, demanding relief, but she would not move until Tory directed it. Torys pleasure was her greatest satisfaction.
"Watch me," Tory murmured as she unbuttoned her blouse, her eyes on Reese's face. She slid it off, let it fall to the floor. "I love the way you want me."
"So much." Reese forced the words out as her hands trembled on her thighs. She caught her breath as Tory reached behind, released the clasp on her brassiere, and freed her breasts. They were fuller, lush in a way that was primordially female. Watching Tory's hands brush lightly over them, linger briefly on the swollen nipples, then slide down her abdomen made Reese's stomach clench. A pulse beat frantically between her thighs.
“ Touch me, Tory breathed, stepping closer and reaching for Reese's left hand. She drew the fingers to her breast, closing her eyes at the shock of pleasure as Reese gently squeezed. While Reese teased her, Tory unbuttoned her slacks and pushed them down along with her underclothes. Resting one hand on Reese's shoulder, she stepped free, exposing herself to her lover's view.
"You're more beautiful every day," Reese whispered, smoothing her palm down Tory's gently swelling abdomen. When her fingers brushed the soft hair at the base of her belly, Tory's hips jerked.
"Time for me to lie down," Tory said huskily, her fingers fluttering over Reese's cheek. "Be careful with your arm, sweetheart."
"I'm fine." Reese shifted to make room on the bed, leaning her right shoulder against the pillows as she turned on her side. "Lie close to me."
Tory lay on her back, her eyes on Reese's face. "Slowly."
"I will."
Knowing fingers traced her breasts, the slope of her ribs, the faint curve of her hip. Everywhere Torys skin tingled; every sensation seemed to center between her thighs. When Reese brushed her hand the length of Tory's leg, then up the inside, Tory's hips lifted in invitation. But Reese did not touch her where she so desperately needed to be touched, but moved instead to the other leg, stroking lightly up and down until Tory quivered with urgency.
"Please," Tory whispered.
Smiling, her breath barely moving in her chest, Reese drew a fingertip high between her lovers legs, parting swollen folds, gasping as a flood of moisture rose to her touch.
"Yes," Tory sighed.
"Don't close your eyes," Reese demanded as she slid her fingers around Tory's clitoris, squeezing gently. She fondled her until the rhythm of Tory's rolling hips signaled she was on the edge. Then Reese moved lower, easing inside, drawing a guttural moan from her lover. She thrust slowly, watching Tory's pupils grow huge.
“ Oh god, Tory cried. “You have me so close.
“ Help me, Reese urged,
deep in her now.
Tory slid her hand down her abdomen, her eyes locked on Reeses. The first flick of her fingertips over naked nerve endings brought her hips off the bed and wrenched a cry from her throat.
Reese groaned.
Tory kept her eyes open as long she could, watching her own pleasure reflected in Reese's face. When the pressure built too high for her to stand, she pressed harder, her hand and Reeses moving together, driving her to orgasm.
Long moments later, Tory sighed. “Maybe you could just stay home and be my sex slave.
“ Hmm. Okay. Reese nuzzled Torys ear, grinning to herself. “But sex slaves dont cook.
“ Is that so? Tory questioned, turning languidly on her side. She licked a bead of sweat from Reeses neck as she reached for her fly. “Lets check.
Chapter eighteen
March, Provincetown, MA
"Well! Now things will get back to normal around here," Gladys announced with a huge smile as Reese closed the office door behind her. "How are you feeling, honey?"
"Just fine," Reese replied, blushing faintly and glancing at Nelson, who just shrugged.
"Desk duty," Nelson grumbled. "That's what the doctor said."
"What, have you got my report card there or something?" Reese asked as she balanced her cap on a stack of folders that rested precariously near the edge of her desk. Ignoring his snort, she sauntered across the room to a counter along one wall that held the coffeepot. Lifting the cloudy pot, she swirled the murky contents and eyed it speculatively. "How old is this?"
Gladys pointedly turned her chair away. "Don't look at me. I don't drink that poison."
"I made it just...yesterday afternoon," Nelson admitted sheepishly. The stuff had tasted a little like battery acid that morning. Just thinking about it sent him searching in his desk drawer for his antacids.
"I think making coffee is probably considered desk duty," Reese said with a sigh. "And for your information, the doctor said I can work as long as I don't stress my arm."
“ And I know your doctor, and I sure as hell dont plan to get on her bad side, Nelson commented. He still hadnt forgotten the one time Tory had threatened him with bodily harm, and hed known then that shed not only meant it, she was capable of doing it. "Three weeks is awfully fast to come back to work."
Especially after being flat on your back and scaring the bejesus out of everyone. He still didnt like to think about it. The only good thing to come out of the whole deal was that Bri seemed to be speaking to him again. At least a little.
"Three weeks is an awfully long time to be sitting around the house going crazy, too," Reese grumbled.
She filled the paper filter with coffee, settled it into the plastic chamber, and slid it home. After punching the on button, she turned and gave the room a contented once over. Nothing had changed, except the pile of paperwork on her desk looked like it had gone through several generations of reproduction while she'd been gone. "And if we don't get the hiring done and all the paperwork in order before the end of this month, we're going to be behind for the rest of the summer."
Nelson chewed the chalky tablet absently, fingering a dog-eared piece of paper as he read it for at least the tenth time. Then, without comment, he passed it from his desk to Reeses. "That's the first order of business. What you decide to do about it is up to you."
"What is it?" she asked curiously as she settled behind her desk. The chair creaked in its familiar fashion as her body settled into the seat.
"I've got to sit in on one of those damn town council meetings," Nelson announced as he rose abruptly. In less than a minute he had fished his hat from the rack by the door, settled it on his head, and walked out through the door, leaving Reese to stare after him in surprise.
When she raised a questioning eyebrow at Gladys, the older woman merely shrugged her shoulders and said, "I don't have any idea what's going on with that man. But something is surely bothering him, and I can only think of a couple of things that might be."
Reese nodded contemplatively and turned her attention to the document Nelson had given her. It was an official inquiry, addressed to her, that had undoubtedly been opened in her absence to be sure that some important business had not gone unattended. She skimmed it quickly and thought she understood at least one reason for Nelson's disquiet.
*****
Reese phoned ahead to the clinic as she drove. They still had plenty of time before their flight, but it never hurt to give Tory a little advance warning. When the phone was answered by an extremely harried sounding receptionist, she figured her lover had probably gotten backed up.
"East End Health Clinic, hold please." A moment later, Randy returned. "How may I help you?"
"Hi Randy, it's Reese. How's Tory doing?"
"If she hurries, she'll only be a little late." He laughed distractedly. "So I would say it's business as usual."
"Did she have lunch?"
"I ordered it, Reese." Randy's tone vacillated between irritation and frustration. "I can't make her eat it."
Reese sighed, curbing her temper with effort. It wasnt Randy's fault if Tory worked too hard, and it certainly wasn't his responsibility to see that she took a lunch break. "Do me a favor, will you? Have Sally pack it up, and I'll see that she eats it on the plane."
"Uh-huh
His voice faded away and she heard a muffled, “Excuse medont let him eat that pen, please.
“ Its important, she said loudly enough to get his attention.
“ I know, Reese, Randy replied, affronted.
“ Im sorry, she said quickly. “Im just a little
“ Never mind. We love her, too. Look, Im up to my behind here
“ Right. Thanks again. Ill wait outside.
At only a few moments past their appointed rendezvous time, Tory exited through the front door of her one story medical office building and hurried across the parking lot to Reeses Blazer. She carried her briefcase in one hand and a paper bag in the other.
"You can't harass my staff in the middle of office hours, Sheriff," Tory advised threateningly as she slid into the front seat.
"Says who? I'm the law around here."
Tory leaned over and kissed Reese on the mouth, then glanced pointedly at Reeses right arm and frowned. "You're not supposed to be driving."
"Number one, Nelson is still in a meeting. Number two, I'm fine." To prove her point, Reese keyed the ignition and headed the SUV toward the street.
“ How are you feeling, really? And I don't want a two word answer."
Reese grinned. "Being pregnant makes you cranky."
"You haven't seen cranky yet, sweetheart. Now let's have a progress report."
"No swelling, no numbness, and... just a little stiff and sore."
"Good." Tory leaned back with a sigh and closed her eyes.
"You okay?" Reese asked, glancing over in concern.
Tory rested her left hand on Reeses thigh and patted her gently. "It was hectic this morning, that's all."
"Do you have your lunch?"
Smiling, Tory turned her head and opened her eyes. "Yes, I do. As per your instructions. Whatever it is you do to Randy, you make him nervous. There was no way he was letting me out of the building without it. I was afraid he was going to do a full body search."
Reese grinned. "If he tries that, I'll really make him nervous."
"Are you okay about this afternoon?"
"Shouldn't I be?" Reese asked quickly. Routine. You said it would just be routine.
Chapter nineteen
Forty-five minutes later, Reese was nervous. "Tell me again what this is going to show."
They were seated on facing chairs in one corner of Wendy Deutschs waiting room. There were two other couples in the room, the female members of each pair conspicuously pregnant. Tory rested her hand on Reeses knee. The thick khaki fabric of her uniform pants was as reassuringly solid as Reese herself. “It will give Wendy, and us, some information about the baby. How its developing. If we didnt know exactly wh
en the date of conception was, it would help determine fetal age, too.
Reese cleared her throat, ignoring the faint churning in her stomach. “So its routine.
“ Almost eighty percent of pregnant women have an ultrasound done at some point during their pregnancy, Tory assured her. “And for high-rifor women over thirty-five, its absolutely standard.
High risk. She doesnt think I know? Reese covered Torys hand with hers and squeezed gently. “And well be able to see itsparts?
“ What parts would you be referring to? Tory asked with a laugh. “Besides, I thought you said you didnt care.
“ Thats not what I meant, Reese grumbled in mock indignation. “The head and the heart and the spine. Those parts.
“ Very good, Sheriff. Yes, at eleven weeks we can see the heart beat and with a good image, we can tell if the neural crest elementsthe brain and spinal cordare developing normally.
God, what if But that was like wondering what an upcoming battle would be like. What it might be like to be shot or killed. Pointless musings about an eventuality that might never arise. Reese straightened her shoulders, and, with the long-ingrained gesture, her nervousness disappeared. “Will you be able to tell its sex, if you see it?
“ Well, if I see it, Ill know. But not seeing a penis doesnt mean its not a boy. It just means it doesnt show.
“ But I wont be able to tell, Reese pointed out in a rare show of pique. “Ive seen those pictures in your books. It looks like bunch of blanks in a snowstorm.
“ Ill make sure you see, if you want to.
“ If you know, I want to know.
“ Deal. Tory extended her hand to seal the bargain.
Reese smiled and took Torys hand, but she didnt shake it. She folded it between both of hers and leaned forward to murmur, “I love you.
“ I lo
“ You two all set? Wendys nurse asked as she approached with a chart in one hand.
“ Yes, they both said in unison.
Forty minutes later, Tory was dressed again, and she and Reese waited in one of the consultation rooms for Wendy to return with the printouts of the ultrasound examination.
Radclyffe - Safe Harbor 02 - Beyond The Breakwater Page 8