by Carsen Taite
“I doubt you’ll ever find her,” Jess said. “If Calderon is Cartel, his people are going to either protect her or kill her to keep her from ever testifying against him. You can bet he was the one who arranged for the hit on Jackson and Walters in the first place. According to Nancy, Calderon was starting to have some trust issues with the whole team. She made a huge mistake when she set up the meeting between you and Jackson. She thought a quick meet would satisfy your curiosity, but it backfired. When Calderon caught wind of them talking to you, an outsider, he knew exactly how to send a warning.”
I had no doubt she was right. “How did you get to Perez’s house so fast?” I asked Diamond.
She pointed at Ryan. “Ryan called me pretty quickly after you left her in the car, but we’d been watching Perez’s place for a while and we knew something was up. We had a search warrant and we were waiting for just the right time to execute it.”
My turn to be pissed off. “If I find out you knew Calderon had Jess and you didn’t do anything about it, I swear I’ll—”
Jess pulled me close. “She didn’t know. It’s all good now.” Her words were whispered comforts. I didn’t make a move to pull out of her embrace, not caring that Ryan, Brett, and Diamond were all witnessing vulnerable me. Didn’t matter. They could have all been pieces of furniture for all I knew, and as if they sensed their role had been reduced, they all slipped quietly from the room.
I wanted to ask more questions, but I guessed I could do it later. Right now, Jess was the only thing that mattered. Besides, I could make good on my threat to Diamond when I was feeling better. Which led me to my next question.
“When can I get out of here?”
“They want to keep you a few days.”
“Okay.” Seemed like forever until I thought of my messy apartment with the empty fridge. At least I wouldn’t have to do laundry, make the bed, or scrounge for meals for a few days.
“Your dad and Mark would like to see you. Are you up for that?”
My side had started to hurt and I wasn’t sure how long I could stay upright. What I really wanted to do was go back to sleep, but I knew they’d probably been waiting for a while. “Sure.”
“I’ll get them.” She stood up and Cash wagged his tail like he was going to follow, but she told him to stay. “I’ll be right back.” She walked several feet to the door and then paused. “Oh, and you’re not going with Maggie. You’re coming home with me.”
I felt better instantly.
Chapter Twenty-six
Two weeks later
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a Christmas tree. Probably before I learned to drive. But there it was, taking up most of Jess’s living room, a seven-foot tall, pre-lit number looming large over a ton of just opened boxes, shreds of colorful wrapping paper, and a very sleepy Cash.
Mark and Linda, Dad and Maggie, and Jess and I drank one last toast of whiskey-spiked egg nog before they all put on their coats and drove off into the crisp, cool night. I followed Jess into the kitchen, each of us carrying a handful of empty glasses.
“I’ll do the dishes since you did everything else.” I put the glasses in the sink and picked up a dishtowel.
Jess took the towel out of my hand and tossed it onto the counter. “Not a chance. Leave all this. We have more presents to open.” She grabbed me around the waist and pulled me toward her.
I stepped back and shook a finger at her. “But it’s not Christmas yet. You have to wait until tomorrow.”
“Not a chance.” She looked at her watch. “Besides, it’ll be Christmas in about thirty minutes. Are you seriously going to make me wait?”
“Who knew you were such a kid about the holidays?”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”
Her tone shifted from playful to serious. She was right. There were a ton of things I didn’t know. I’d learned a few today, like that she hated cinnamon and that she had boxes of Christmas ornaments in her attic, including what had to be the gaudiest Santa tree topper ever, but I didn’t have a clue what she’d done for every Christmas before this one.
But as far as I was concerned, we knew the important stuff, and I liked learning the rest piece by piece. I urged her back into playful mode. “I know enough. Do we get to pick which present we want to open?”
She grinned. “Sure, but only one tonight. The rest tomorrow. It’s a rule.”
I pulled her close and kissed her, savoring the spice and whiskey on her breath. She drug her hands through my hair, pulling me closer, but I needed a little space to open my present. I fumbled with the buttons on her shirt before finally giving in and yanking her shirttail from her pants. The sight of her skin got me going and I gasped. “Should we take this to the bedroom?” Now that we were all domesticated, fucking in back alleys and kitchens was a thing of the past. Right?
“You never used to be picky about where you took my clothes off.”
“I’m not being picky. It’s just…” I trailed off, not entirely sure what the deal was. Maybe it was because I’d officially moved in this morning and I still kinda felt like a visitor who didn’t want to mess up the place. Before I could give it much thought, Jess pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it on the floor. When I saw her lacy black bra, thoughts ceased to form.
She watched me watching her. “You like your presents?”
I leaned down and ran my tongue along the lace, teasing, tasting. I circled her nipples with my thumbs and when they hardened under my touch, I was lost. To hell with the bedroom, we could have been on the front lawn for all I cared. I reached an arm around her and unfastened the bra and tugged it off, eager to lick, nip, and savor her beautiful breasts. She arched against my mouth and my knees buckled as heat surged through me.
This is why people do this in bed. Reluctantly breaking contact, I lowered her to the cool tile floor, balled up her shirt, and placed it under her head. “You good?”
“I’m great.” She ran her hand down my side. “You?”
Even her lightest touch turned me on. “I’m feeling no pain. You’re like the ultimate drug.”
“Take all you want.”
“That’s the plan.” I kissed her hard on the lips and then led a gentle trail with my tongue down her chest. My fingers worked their way into her pants while she unbuttoned my shirt. Chest bare, I slid along her stomach and nearly exploded at the sparks between us.
Jess writhed beneath me. “If you don’t touch me soon, I might die.”
I grinned. “Me too. It would be a pity to have saved you from being shot only to have you die on your kitchen floor.” I slipped my hand into her pants and felt the matching lace of her panties. “More presents?” I ran a finger along the lacy edge and dipped lower. She was dripping and I couldn’t wait.
Neither could she. Her hips arched and she groaned, “Luca, fuck now, tease later.”
“Deal.” I pulled away just long enough to take off her pants, then mine. I settled back between her legs and with my hands teasing her breasts I drank in her arousal, sure I’d never get my fill. I didn’t get a chance to find out before she bucked against my lips and I gave her the fuck she’d asked for. Fingers pumping, I crawled up to face her and watched her eyes flutter while she rode me. I could’ve come just from watching, but when I felt her fingers enter me, I fought the urge for quick release. I wanted us to come together, share this moment. I reached down and caught a nipple between my teeth and she cried out, coming full force while calling my name. I didn’t have words when I came too, only capable of uttering satisfied groans as we shook against each other, fully spent. When neither one of us could take anymore, I curled her in my arms and we spooned on the floor.
Jess sighed. “Now that was a present.”
“I’ll say. You think every Christmas is going to be like this?”
She turned to face me, her eyes lit with excitement. “Just wait until New Year’s.”
THE END
About the Author
Carse
n Taite’s goal as an author is to spin tales with plot lines as interesting as the cases she encountered in her career as a criminal defense lawyer. She is the author of nine previously released novels, truelesbianlove.com, It Should be a Crime (a Lambda Literary Award finalist), Do Not Disturb, Nothing but the Truth, The Best Defense, Slingshot, Beyond Innocence, Battle Axe, and Rush. She is currently working on her eleventh novel, Courtship, another romantic thriller. Learn more at www.carsentaite.com.
What Reviewers Say About Carsen Taite’s Work
It Should be a Crime
“Taite also practices criminal law and she weaves her insider knowledge of the criminal justice system into the love story seamlessly and with excellent timing.”—Curve Magazine
“This [It Should be a Crime] is just Taite’s second novel…, but it’s as if she has bookshelves full of bestsellers under her belt.”—Gay List Daily
Do Not Disturb
“Taite’s tale of sexual tension is entertaining in itself, but a number of secondary characters…add substantial color to romantic inevitability”—Richard Labonte, Book Marks
Nothing but the Truth
“Author Taite is really a Dallas defense attorney herself, and it’s obvious her viewpoint adds considerable realism to her story, making it especially riveting as a mystery. I give it four stars out of five.”—Bob Lind, Echo Magazine
“As a criminal defense attorney in Dallas, Texas, Carsen Taite knows her way around the court house. …Nothing But the Truth is an enjoyable mystery with some hot romance thrown in.”—Just About Write
“Taite has written an excellent courtroom drama with two interesting women leading the cast of characters. Taite herself is a practicing defense attorney, and her courtroom scenes are clearly based on real knowledge. This should be another winner for Taite.”—Lambda Literary
The Best Defense
“Real Life defense attorney Carsen Taite polishes her fifth work of lesbian fiction, The Best Defense, with the realism she daily encounters in the office and in the courts. And that polish is something that makes The Best Defense shine as an excellent read.”—Out & About Newspaper
Slingshot
“The mean streets of lesbian literature finally have the hard boiled bounty hunter they deserve. It’s a slingshot of a ride, bad guys and hot women rolled into one page turning package. I’m looking forward to Luca Bennett’s next adventure.”—J. M. Redmann, author of the Micky Knight mystery series
Battle Axe
“This second book is satisfying, substantial, and slick. Plus, it has heart and love coupled with Luca’s array of weapons and a bad-ass verbal repertoire…I cannot imagine anyone not having a great time riding shotgun through all of Luca’s escapades. I recommend hopping on Luca’s band wagon and having a blast.”—Rainbow Book Reviews
Beyond Innocence
“Taite keeps you guessing with delicious delay until the very last minute…Taite’s time in the courtroom lends Beyond Innocence, a terrific verisimilitude someone not in the profession couldn’t impart. And damned if she doesn’t make practicing law interesting.”—Out in Print
“As you would expect, sparks and legal writs fly. What I liked about this book were the shades of grey (no, not the smutty Shades of Grey)—both in the relationship as well as the cases.”—C-spot Reviews
Rush
“A simply beautiful interplay of police procedural magic, murder, FBI presence, misguided protective cover-ups, and a superheated love affair…a Gold Star from me and major encouragement for all readers to dive right in and consume this story with gusto!”—Rainbow Book Reviews
Books Available from Bold Strokes Books
Switchblade by Carsen Taite. Lines were meant to be crossed. Third in the Luca Bennett Bounty Hunter Series. (978-1-62639-058-4)
Nightingale by Andrea Bramhall. Culture, faith, and duty conspire to tear two young lovers apart, yet fate seems to have different plans for them both. (978-1-62639-059-1)
No Boundaries by Donna K. Ford. A chance meeting and a nightmare from the past threaten more than Andi Massey’s solitude as she and Gwen Palmer struggle to understand the complexity of love without boundaries. (978-1-62639-060-7)
Sacred Fire by Tanai Walker. Tinsley Swann is cursed to change into a beast for seven days, every seven years. When she meets Leda, she comes face-to-face with her past. (978-1-62639-061-4)
Queerly Beloved: A Love Story Across Gender by Diane and Jacob Anderson-Minshall. How We Survived Four Weddings, One Gender Transition, and Twenty-Two Years of Marriage. (978-1-62639-062-1)
Frenemy of the People by Nora Olsen. Clarissa and Lexie have despised each other as long as they can remember, but when they both find themselves helping an unlikely contender for homecoming queen, they are catapulted into an unexpected romance. (978-1-62639-063-8)
Timeless by Rachel Spangler. When Stevie Geller returns to her hometown, will she do things differently the second time around or will she be in such a hurry to leave her past that she misses out on a better future? (978-1-62639-050-8)
Second to None by L.T. Marie. Can a physical therapist and a custom motorcycle designer conquer their pasts and build a future with one another? (978-1-62639-051-5)
Seneca Falls by Jesse Thoma. Together, two women discover love truly can conquer all evil. (978-1-62639-052-2)
A Kingdom Lost by Barbara Ann Wright. Without knowing each other’s fate, Princess Katya and her consort Starbride seek to reclaim their kingdom from the magic-wielding madman who seized the throne and is murdering their people. (978-1-62639-053-9)
Uncommon Romance by Jove Belle. Sometimes sex is just sex, and sometimes it’s the only way to say “I love you.” (978-1-62639-057-7)
The Heat of Angels by Lisa Girolami. Fires burn in more than one place in Los Angeles. (978-1-62639-042-3)
Season of the Wolf by Robin Summers. Two women running from their pasts are thrust together by an unimaginable evil. Can they overcome the horrors that haunt them in time to save each other? (978-1-62639-043-0)
Desperate Measures by P. J. Trebelhorn. Homicide detective Kay Griffith and contractor Brenda Jansen meet amidst turmoil neither of them is aware of until murder suspect Tommy Rayne makes his move to exact revenge on Kay. (978-1-62639-044-7)
The Magic Hunt by L.L. Raand. With her Pack being hunted by human extremists and beset by enemies masquerading as friends, can Sylvan protect them and her mate, or will she succumb to the feral rage that threatens to turn her rogue, destroying them all? A Midnight Hunters novel. (978-1-62639-045-4)
Waiting for the Violins by Justine Saracen. After surviving Dunkirk, a scarred and embittered British nurse returns to Nazi-occupied Brussels to join the Resistance, and finds that nothing is fair in love and war. (978-1-62639-046-1)
Because of Her by KE Payne. When Tabby Morton is forced to move to London, she’s convinced her life will never be the same again. But the beautiful and intriguing Eden Palmer is about to show her that this time, change is most definitely for the better. (978-1-62639-049-2)
Wingspan by Karis Walsh. Wildlife biologist Bailey Chase is content to live at the wild bird sanctuary she has created on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula until she is lured beyond the safety of isolation by architect Kendall Pearson. (978-1-60282-983-1)
Tumbledown by Cari Hunter. After surviving their ordeal in the North Cascades, Alex and Sarah have new identities and a new home, but a chance occurrence threatens everything: their freedom and their lives. (978-1-62639-085-0)
Night Bound by Winter Pennington. Kass struggles to keep her head, her heart, and her relationships in order. She’s still having a difficult time accepting being an Alpha female. But her wolf is certain of what she wants and she’s intent on securing her power. (978-1-60282-984-8)
Slash and Burn by Valerie Bronwen. The murder of a roundly despised author at an LGBT writer’s conference in New Orleans turns Winter Lovelace’s relaxing weekend hobnobbing with her peers into a nightmare of suspense—especially when her ex turns up. (978-1-60282-
986-2)
The Blush Factor by Gun Brooke. Ice-cold business tycoon Eleanor Ashcroft only cares about the three P’s—Power, Profit, and Prosperity—until young Addison Garr makes her doubt both that and the state of her frostbitten heart. (978-1-60282-985-5)
The Quickening: A Sisters of Spirits Novel by Yvonne Heidt. Ghosts, visions, and demons are all in a day’s work for Tiffany. But when Kat asks for help on a serial killer case, life takes on another dimension altogether. (978-1-60282-975-6)
Windigo Thrall by Cate Culpepper. Six women trapped in a mountain cabin by a blizzard, stalked by an ancient cannibal demon bent on stealing their sanity—and their lives. (978-1-60282-950-3)
Smoke and Fire by Julie Cannon. Oil and water, passion and desire, a combustible combination. Can two women fight the fire that draws them together and threatens to keep them apart? (978-1-60282-977-0)
Asher’s Fault by Elizabeth Wheeler. Fourteen-year-old Asher Price sees the world in black and white, much like the photos he takes, but when his little brother drowns at the same moment Asher experiences his first same-sex kiss, he can no longer hide behind the lens of his camera and eventually discovers he isn’t the only one with a secret. (978-1-60282-982-4)