"No." I leaned against the desk after dropping down my report file. "I mean, it is, but I can handle it. In this job, I feel like I'm actually doing something. You know? It's cathartic in a way."
"I can understand that. Is any of it triggering?"
"Sometimes. Mainly when I'm running profiles on child victims or trafficking cases. But when my work helps catch rapists, murderers, and other terrible people, I get a sense of vindication from it. Relief or clarity. Like when a murderer finally dies in a horror movie."
She laughed at that. "I forgot you love horror movies. And violent crime shows."
"I do." I smiled at her and pushed myself to sit up on the desk. "Everyone thinks fragile Rosie is too delicate for horror movies and haunted houses. Wrong."
"You're not fragile." Ainsley came to stand in front of me and dropped her hands on my shoulders. "I would say resilient and sensitive."
"Thanks." I smiled at her, and again, my face heated.
"I can swing by and pick you up after work if you like. We can head right to my place after."
"Sounds good, Chief Medical Examiner who hangs around here all the time now."
"Best promotion ever." She grinned and smooched my cheek. "See you later."
"Bye." I waved as I watched her head out, then let out a deep breath.
Adrenaline coursed through me as it always did after a presentation like that, and I didn't waste a second of it before hopping off the desk to head back to work. I took Ainsley's suggestion and ran the search again for deceased victims, letting that process while I continued my work on the timeline. We would find this guy, of that much I was sure. There was no greater deliverance than justice coming down on their heads just when they think they've escaped consequences. Nothing felt better than hearing a judge or jury declare someone guilty, and the passing of a heavy sentence.
***
"Dinner was very yummy, Jordan. Thank you," I said as she placed a mug of coffee in front of me.
"I enjoy feeding my girls. All of them." She ran her fingers through my hair before returning to the kitchen. "Ainsley made dessert."
"What did you make?" I smiled at her when she set down some kind of pie and a covered plate on the table.
"Banana cream." She pointed to it. "And chocolate chip cookies to go with it."
"I'm going to get fat." I wagged my brows at her and she giggled.
"No way. You're a tiny thing." Jordan brought two more mugs to the table before sitting down with us.
"Am not. Ainsley and I are the same size." I helped myself to a cookie when Ainsley unwrapped the dish.
"The same height, my dear. Nothing else. Eat more cookies." She waved her hands at me and I laughed.
"We can't all have perfect asses like Jordan, and perky breasts like you." I scowled and they both laughed at me.
"Speaking of perfect asses and perky tits," said Jordan, dropping her elbows on the table with a thud. "Tell us about you and Sami."
My face nearly exploded at the insinuation and no doubt, I couldn't hide it. The two of them swooned, and let out noises of contentment.
"Aww, Rosie likes her," chirped Ainsley.
"I do. I like her a lot," I admitted, cupping my face to try and cool down my cheeks.
"Well, this is the best news ever because I hear she likes you, too. What about you, A? What did you hear?" Jordan nudged her girlfriend with her elbow.
"I hear that they've had approximately two-point-five dates, most of which ended with a kiss." Ainsley wagged her brows. "Is this fact or fiction, Rosie?"
"Fact." I smiled while taking a sip of coffee. "We have a lot in common."
"Oh yeah? Like what?" asked Jordan before she began cutting into the pie to serve us each a piece.
"We both like lesbian romance, both books and movies. She likes horror movies, too. We both like food and coffee more than necessary." I smiled when I thought of the pastry I shared with Samirah. "We're both affectionate. And like to cuddle."
"There was cuddling?" Ainsley nearly leapt from her seat. "This is an absolute news bulletin."
I laughed and shook my head at her. "Shh. Don't make me nervous."
"What else?" egged Jordan through her grin as she set the third piece of pie on a plate, then handed one to each of us.
"I really like talking to her. About anything. We've both been through a lot, and she makes me comfortable," I said, setting down my cookie to swap for pie. Jordan dug in readily which allowed Ainsley a chance to inquire.
"You both have been through more than your fair share," she said, her expression softening. "She told you about Spokane?"
"Um…" My stomach clenched and I gulped down my bite of food to buy some time. Sam said she hadn't told anyone except me and Marita. Did Ainsley find out on her own? "Yeah."
"What happened in Spokane?" asked Jordan, her brow furrowed.
"Samirah's mother lived in a largely Muslim community. Two white guys planned a mass shooting of their community center and stormed the place. Samirah was there visiting her mom. A few people were shot, but everyone survived. The police arrived on scene in record time and neutralized the suspects," said Ainsley, and I let out my breath when she shared what she knew.
"I vaguely remember you telling me that," said Jordan.
"She doesn't like to talk about it so don't bring it up." Ainsley licked a bit of pudding from her spoon. "I mean it, Jordy. She shuts down if you mention it."
"I can't imagine Sami being someone who shuts down. She's super bold."
"She is until that becomes a topic."
"Does Stella know?" asked Jordan, her smooth brow wrinkling with concern. I knew Jordan long enough to know that her worry meant she would fuss over Samirah's hair next time she saw her.
"She does, because when she came to our party that night when your shop got vandalized, Eve and Alice drew their weapons. It upset her. Samirah does not like guns of any kind." Ainsley looked to me, her expression serious. "I can't blame her."
"Me either," I said, my voice softening as I set down my spoon. It pained me to know the full reason why she didn't like guns, and my heart sank into my stomach for the moment.
"What happens when she sees a gun?" asked Jordan. "A lot of our friends are cops. The party in a few weeks will be filled with weapon-carrying sexy women."
"She'll be okay because Sami is always okay, but she will tell you that she doesn't like it and move away. Last time, she walked off to the bathroom. Stella checked on her before taking Alice home. I'm not sure what exchange happened."
I listened to everything Ainsley said and stored the information for later retrieval. Samirah appeared to be one of the strongest, boldest women I'd ever met, which I found exceptionally attractive. To know that she had vulnerabilities and anxieties, too, only made me feel more connected to her.
"How long have you known Samirah?" I asked them.
"A few years, but she was only around once or twice a year because of her work rotations. My mom knew her longer. She always spoke highly of Doctor Flynn. When I came out to Mom, she tried to hook me up with single Doctor Flynn, but I was already smitten by my lovely mermaid." Ainsley grinned at Jordan.
"Aww. Don't worry, honey. I'll lick your vagina tonight without your syrupy compliments." Jordan bat her lashes and I nearly died laughing.
"Jordan, oh my God."
Ainsley beamed, her cheery expression tangled with a giggle. "Oh goodie. I was hoping so."
"The two of you are lawless," I said, covering my face while cracking up. "I can't even deal."
"You can so deal." Ainsley tugged my hands away. "Back to the topic at hand. Samirah and your crush on her."
"I knew your busy-body nature invited me to dinner just to interrogate me."
"Correction. Jordan planned this interrogation, not me." Ainsley swung her spoon in the air like a wand.
"Accurate." Jordan clunked her utensil against Ainsley's.
"We just wanted to make sure you were into Sami, too," said Ainsley. "She can come
on strong sometimes."
"Is that why you told her to be careful the last time we were here?" I cocked a brow at Ainsley and she chuckled.
"You don't miss a trick, do you?"
"I'm literally an intelligence analyst. I analyze things for a living."
"She got you there, babe." Jordan snickered.
"Yes. That's the reason. She comes on strong and you're—"
"Sensitive?" A half-smile tugged my mouth and Ainsley gripped my hand.
"Yes, Rosie. Sensitive. And I may or may not be protective of you."
"We both are," said Jordan. "And Alex. We tried to get her to come tonight, but she had to move the rest of her stuff to storage."
"My place is so tiny for the two of us, but I kind of like not being there alone sometimes," I admitted.
"The two of you are supportive of each other. Though Alex is labile at times," said Ainsley.
"Labile how?" I asked.
"Moody. Flighty. She's a good worker, but if she has personal stuff going on, she's disorganized at work and forgets things," said Jordan.
"The plight of a foster kid. We lose our bearings easily."
"Which is why you're so controlled and careful." Ainsley pulled the spoon from her lips. "Makes sense."
"Well, thank you both for caring about me. I'm doing okay and I do like Samirah very much. We're having dinner again on Thursday."
"Good for you." Ainsley smiled, leaning her chin on her hand. "I'm happy for you both."
"I hope it works out." I sat back in my chair while nibbling on a cookie again. "I really like her."
"Be yourself, Rosie. Be honest. And believe that you deserve good things. Because you do." Jordan winked at me and I smiled.
Chapter Seven
I didn't know for sure if Samirah would want to head out to a restaurant or stay in, so I dressed for both occasions. Admitting my anxiety over potentially going to a busy place for dinner continued to linger in my gut. Alex helped me pick out a casual knee-length dress with long sleeves and a thick belt, coupled with my usual knee-high boots.
"I don't like this with these panties," I told her, tugging the dress down. "I feel exposed."
"How about a pair of boy shorts or Spanx? Do you have those?"
"I do." I searched my dresser and found a pair of black boxer briefs. "How about these?"
"Do they fit you snugly?"
"Yes."
"They should be good. Swap." She clapped her hands at me and I chuckled while changing.
I tugged the new pair on and nodded. "These are better. They feel like shorts."
"Good. You can't see them either." Alex smiled at me while she stood beside me in the mirror. "Your hair looks good."
"I like this cut. Jordan did a good job."
"She did. Blowouts take eight seconds on your hair."
"Thanks for doing it." I turned to face her and she smiled. "And thanks for helping me pick out something to wear."
"You're welcome. Are you going to come home tonight?"
"I'm not sure. If I don't, you can sleep in the bed. You looked uncomfortable on the sofa last night."
"I was. I was worried about getting my stuff out before the asshole did something to it," she said, dropping to sit on the bed. "Thanks for letting me stay here. I'll probably have a new place soon."
"Too bad I don't have two bedrooms. It would be easier. This place is tiny."
"Yeah, but you're comfortable here."
"I am."
"Okay, go on your date." She gave my shoulder a shove after I tugged on my boots. "Be careful."
"I will. Bye, Al."
"Later." She flopped back onto the bed and let out a dramatic sigh.
An hour later, I found myself knocking on Samirah's door, with my heart pounding in my chest. I clutched my purse to my side, my clammy hands holding the strap. She greeted me a moment later, and her radiant smile soothed my worry like a shot of a tranquilizer in my veins. Clad in a pair of skinny jeans, and ankle boots, she, too, appeared ready for whatever our plans entailed. Her pink sweater hung lower in the back, but high in the front so that when she raised her arms to hug me, it lifted enough to reveal her pierced navel. The small ring with a shimmery diamond teardrop drew my attention before I wrapped her in a hug.
"You look so nice," she said, rubbing my back in firm circles. "How are you?"
"I'm good. You look amazing as always." I stroked her hair, which felt extra soft tonight, before leaning back. "Can I kiss you?" I smiled when I asked and she nodded.
"Oh yeah. Definitely." She grinned and closed the distance between us to catch me in a firm, hungry kiss. My toes curled in my shoes and I stroked her cheek as my belly burned with yearning.
"Wow," I said breathlessly when we ended.
"Yeah." Her smile, sweet and endless, coupled with her twinkling eyes, nearly melted me on the spot. She took my hand and led me inside, closing the door with her foot. My fingers wrapped around her palm and the gesture radiated warmth up my arm.
"I like your belly ring. I didn't notice that before."
"Huh?—Oh." She smiled and tugged up the hem of her shirt to show me. "Like that, do you?"
"I do." I chuckled when she flicked the stone. The way it shimmered and the clarity told me that it was definitely a real diamond. "I didn't take you for a piercings girl."
She laughed, biting her bottom lip as she leaned against the island counter, her hands behind her gripping it. "Well then, you're in for a treat because it's not my only one."
"Really?" I glanced at her ears and noted she had a simple flat silver earring in each ear. She tugged her hair back to show me the industrial bar across the top of her left ear. I hadn't noticed that before.
"I have three more, but those you don't get to see right now." She tapped my chin and winked at me. My mouth fell open with surprise and she laughed. "How was your week?"
"Routine mostly, but good. Happy to see you." I bit my bottom lip and she looped her finger around my belt, tugging me closer to her. I stepped on either side of her right foot so that my stomach pressed against hers. My insides ignited with flames of excitement and it sent a quiver through my core.
"I'm happy to see you, too." She brushed her thumb over my bottom lip before leaning in to kiss me again.
My hands fell to her waist and the tentative nature of our kissing faded in that moment. Her tongue probed my mouth, urging me to do the same as she ran her fingers through my hair. When her nails tickled my scalp, a shiver of delight raced down my spine.
"Mmm. You're so delicious. How am I ever going to think about dinner when all I can contemplate is tasting you?" she said, her voice a husky croon. Ainsley's caution that Samirah came on strong at times echoed in my thoughts, and it made me grin. I liked it and I liked how she spoke to me.
I couldn't bring myself to form words, so I lifted to my toes and kissed her again, cupping her face in my palms. This time, her hands fell to my middle and her fingers wrapped around my belt, holding me to her in a firm grip. I dropped my hands from her face, gathering them against her chest while our mouths played a hungry game. Heat rushed my center, and I shuddered when she rubbed her jean-covered knee against my bare thighs. She ended the kiss then nibbled my bottom lip.
"Yum," she whispered and I nodded. "Did I mention I struggle with going slow?"
"Maybe." My breath left me in bated puffs. "Did I mention that I do, too?"
"Nope. Never." She released my belt to draw circles around my navel with her finger. "Tell me what you want, Rosie."
"You. This." My lashes fluttered and she pressed her lips to my ear.
"Can I tell you what I want?"
I nodded, gulping as I held onto her sweater as if it anchored me to the earth.
She drew in a soft breath before speaking against my ear. "I want to lift you up on this counter, tug off those damp panties, and taste every inch of you from back to front. What would you think of that?"
"Y-yes." My grip tightened on her shirt as I gulped. My mind
raced to all the naughty places I hadn't yet been, but fantasized about.
"Would you like me to do that?"
"Yes." I gasped as if she already fulfilled her promise.
"What's our safe word? If you want me to stop, what will you say other than stop?" Her arms snaked around my middle as she nibbled my ear.
"Um…" I sucked in my breath as she turned me around slowly. Every movement grew slower and more deliberate as she urged me about. My back pressed against the counter and she gripped my hips as my hands fell to her shoulders. "Snowman."
"Snowman is our safe word," she repeated, before lifting me up to sit on the counter as if I weighed nothing. She claimed my mouth with hers before nudging my knees apart to stand between them. I moaned against her lips, my fingers tangling in her hair as she ran her hands up my thighs.
My body ached, legs trembled, and my pussy throbbed so deeply that I thought I might get off before she even touched me. Samirah's pace heated and our tongues danced in a hungry spiral. My fingers traced her collarbone, tumbling downward to land on her breasts. She pushed my dress up my thighs and gripped the waist of my panties with both hands. My stomach fluttered and she ended the kiss to grin.
"I bet you are so delicious," she crooned against my mouth. Her tongue flicked across my lips and I sucked in my breath. Samirah's words dripped from her like a rich syrup, instigating my desire. She urged my panties over my hips at the same time that she captured me in a wild kiss.
Before I had a chance to slip my tongue into her mouth, she placed her hand on the center of my chest and urged me backward. My body sprawled across the counter top in a backward bow, and she returned to my panties, sliding them down my thighs.
"You're so wet, Rosie." A smile curved her luscious lips and my breath left me in quick puffs. "Are you always this soaked when I kiss you?"
"N-no." I reached for her and she kissed each of my hands while tugging my panties off over my boots. After they hit the floor, she grabbed my hips and tugged me closer to her. I gasped and my breath heaved while she carefully gathered my dress around my middle. Samirah's eyes, half-lidded and smoky with her eye makeup, gazed down at my pussy while she gnawed her bottom lip.
"Look at you. Bare and glistening." She brushed her thumb over the length of me as she pulled up one of the stools between her knees to sit on it. "I'm going to have dessert first tonight. What do you think of that?"
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