by Jae
"My reasons are just the opposite," Del said.
"The opposite?"
"Not that I don't admire Kade's confidence or her aristocratic bearing, but mainly I like what I see when I look a little deeper. And I don't just want to admire her from afar," Del said with confidence.
Dawn had only caught a few glimpses of what lay beneath Kade's cool exterior, and it was obvious that Del was determined to get behind Kade's defenses and see more in Kade than the rest of the world did. A sudden thought struck her. "Do you want me to invite her to your birthday party?"
Del blinked innocently. "What birthday party?"
"Oh, don't try that puppy-dog look with me." Dawn laughed. "The surprise party we had for you every year for the last twenty years, of course."
Del chuckled. "Does that mean I can stop acting so surprised every year?"
"No. It's your duty as the birthday girl to act surprised," Dawn told her. "So? Do you want me to invite Kade or not?"
"Well, I wouldn't mind having her jump out of a cake." Del winked at her. She leaned over and kissed Dawn's cheek. "That's very thoughtful of you. Thank you."
The kitchen door opened. Kade stepped out with a tray. "I made coffee," she said. With a nod in Dawn's direction, she added, "And tea."
She's been paying attention, Dawn noticed, once more impressed by Kade. "Thank you, but I have to go. When my mother called, I left my office in disarray." She softly touched Del's shoulder and stood.
Kade politely escorted her to the door.
Dawn turned back around to face Kade. "Take good care of her."
A faint glimmer of nervousness flashed across Kade's face, then the confident expression was back. "I will."
* * *
Del jerked awake when someone touched her shoulder. After years of being single, she wasn't used to having company in her apartment. In the light of the lamp on her bedside table, she could make out Kade's face.
How does she do it? It's after midnight, and she has been running around in circles all day, yet she still looks perfect. Not a hair out of place. Even that old shirt of mine that shrunk in the dryer looks classy on her. "Hey," she said, her voice rough from sleep and emotion. "Time for my first wake-up call?" She patted the bed next to her.
Kade sat down on the edge of the bed and peered down at her. "Yes, time to test your verbal and motor responses. So, tell me your name. The full name."
"Torturing an already injured woman, DDA Matheson? How cruel of you." Del leaned her head back against the pillow. She still had a bit of a headache, but she didn't want to worry Kade by admitting it. "Okay. My full name is Delicia Vasquez Montero. At least I don't have a middle name, thank God!"
Kade smiled. "Now squeeze my hand."
Oh, finally an excuse to touch her. Del didn't hesitate. She gently wrapped her fingers around Kade's, feeling the softness of her hand and the calluses on her middle finger, where her pen usually rested when she wrote.
"I said squeeze, not caress," Kade scolded but didn't move her hand away.
Oops. Del gently squeezed Kade's fingers, then released them. "So, how do I rate, Doctor Matheson?"
"You don't get the top score because I had to repeat the verbal command, but it's good enough not to drag you back to the ER," Kade said and stood up. "Go back to sleep."
Before Del could say anything, Kade had disappeared back into the living room. Del closed her eyes with a smile.
The next time Kade woke her, she didn't jerk. Her head was pounding, and she wasn't exactly overjoyed at having her sleep interrupted again, but Kade was the one person in the world at whom she didn't want to snap. "Hey," she said, patting the empty space next to her again. She eyed Kade's sweatpants, the rumpled T-shirt, and the red hair that fell loosely to her shoulders. It seemed Kade had finally made use of the sofa bed.
"Do you want more ice for your head?" Kade asked as she sat down.
Kade's hip pressed against Del's side, and she breathed in Kade's scent. Hmm, if you keep that up, I might need the ice to cool down other body parts! She shook her head, then quickly stopped when it made her dizzy. "So, what's the question of the hour?"
"Why did you want me to stay with you tonight instead of Grace?" Kade asked.
Del groaned. "Aren't you supposed to ask me who the president of the United States is or something like that?"
"You promised you would explain later," Kade said. "Now is later."
Del sat up gingerly. "Okay, let's talk about it." She eyed Kade. "Do you want to get a blanket?" She had noticed that it was always warmer in Kade's apartment than in her own. Kade got cold easily.
"No, I'm fine." Kade couldn't be distracted from their discussion.
Del settled a part of her covers over Kade's lap, ignoring the protests. "I insisted on you staying with me because I didn't want you to stay in your apartment alone." She quickly held up her hand when she saw Kade getting ready to interrupt. "I still can't remember what happened this morning. The last thing I remember is entering your apartment building with the coffee."
"The doctor said loss of short-term memory is not unusual with a concussion," Kade said, her voice soothing like honey.
"I know. That's not what I'm worried about. But Grace was right – I'm not the clumsy type. The last time I fell was when I got a little drunk on Dawn's bachelorette night. Even then, I was able to break my fall." Del shook her head. "And now, in full possession of my faculties, I slip on even ground and land directly on my head? Something doesn't add up."
Kade stared at her. "You mean...?"
"I'm not sure, but I think someone hit me over the head. The position of this charming little laceration on the back of my head is more consistent with a blow than a fall." Del reached around Kade and took her hand. "I think your stalker is coming after me now."
Kade's fingers jerked in Del's loose grip. "What? But why would he... why would he want to hurt you? It's me he's after!" Kade sounded shocked and angry.
"We know he's watching your apartment. Apparently he thinks I'm spending a little too much time with you, and he doesn't like it," Del answered calmly. She knew it would upset Kade, but it needed to be said.
"You haven't spent that much time in my apartment," Kade said.
Del idly rubbed the tender skin of her stomach, where the hot coffee had burned her. "Maybe not in, but in front of your apartment," she admitted, ducking her head a little.
"What?" Kade's blue eyes drilled into her like lasers. "Don't tell me you spent your free time watching my apartment! We had an agreement, Del! One night, not one month!"
Del sighed. "I know."
"No 'I'm sorry'?" Kade pressed.
Del began to feel like a hostile witness being cross-examined on the stand. "I'm sorry for not telling you. But I'm not sorry for trying to protect you."
"What about protecting yourself? I don't want you to get hurt because of me. This is my decision, Del. Mine!" Kade withdrew her hand from Del's and gestured energetically, stabbing her finger at her own chest.
"You can't prevent people from caring about you, Kade," Del said, struggling to stay calm. This discussion was adding to the headache she already had. "Don't be so afraid to accept a little help from your friends." She took a deep breath. "I think we should start an official investigation."
"I told you I don't –"
"Keeping it quiet is no longer an option, Kade," Del interrupted. "It was okay as long as he was only sending you flowers, but I'm afraid I made a mess of things. Instead of protecting you, I only made it worse. The stalker thinks I'm competition, and he'll take more active steps to claim you as his."
Kade stood abruptly and strode to the window, staring out into the darkness as if she could detect the stalker and strike him dead with just once lethal glare. "What if you're wrong? What if it was just a fall, without anyone attacking you?" she asked without turning around to face Del.
Del threw the covers off and, after finding her balance, stepped up behind Kade, very close but not touching. "What do
your instincts tell you?"
Kade turned around. They looked into each other's eyes from a distance of mere inches. Both of them stood without moving. "He's escalating," Kade said in a rough whisper.
Del slowly crossed the remaining space between them and wrapped her arms around Kade, pulling her against her body.
She felt Kade stiffen in surprise, then Kade's slender arms came up and wrapped around Del.
Del ignored the pain caused by Kade's body pressing against the tender skin on her stomach and the bruise on her hip. She turned her head and pressed a kiss to Kade's forehead. With their bodies so close, Kade's heat and her intoxicating perfume surrounding Del, the urge to kiss Kade was almost irresistible, but Del held herself back. She knew this was not the time. "We'll get through this together, okay? Aiden and Ray will help. There won't be strangers invading your privacy if we can help it."
Kade nodded. With one last squeeze, she let go and stepped back. "Your motor responses are satisfactory," she told Del.
It took a moment for Del to calm her rebellious body enough to understand to what Kade was referring. "Good to know," she said with a grin. She felt a little woozy but wasn't sure if Kade's closeness was to blame or if it was just an effect of her concussion. She settled back down under the covers with a sigh of relief. "You know, now I'm almost afraid to go back to sleep. I'm already scared of what you might ask me the next time you wake me up."
Kade leaned in the doorway and grinned down at her. "You'll just have to wait and see."
CHAPTER 18
OKAY, IF SHE isn't here, I'm giving up. Dawn had already searched for Evan at three different skate parks all over the city. Her growling stomach had made her want to give up half an hour ago, but the thought of how alone Evan must feel kept her going. They hadn't heard from Evan since they had told her she was Aiden's sister more than a week ago.
Dawn still wasn't sure if being here, searching Evan out, was the right thing to do. Establishing a relationship with a former patient, even a strictly platonic one, was not exactly a stellar example of ethical behavior for a therapist. Dawn knew that some of her colleagues would frown upon it, not to mention the APA's ethics committee. Dawn had thought about it long and hard and had finally decided that there was no way of escaping some kind of relationship with Evan. She was Aiden's half sister, so she would be part of Dawn's life, no matter what. Holding on to the rules of her job couldn't change that, and she was convinced that staying away would do Evan more harm than good.
Dawn got out of her car and started across the parking lot toward the half-pipe. No one seemed to be using it at the moment, but a few kids were racing around on in-line skates or trying out tricks with their skateboards. A group of teenagers lay around under a tree, smoking something Dawn didn't want to examine closely. She started toward them when she caught sight of a lone figure sitting on top of the half-pipe, dangling her skate-clad feet from the edge of the platform at one end.
Without even seeing her face, Dawn knew she had found Evan. She slowly made her way over to her. "Hello, Evan."
Evan turned around. She didn't remove the cigarette that lazily dangled from the corner of her mouth when she saw Dawn. "Doing house calls now?" she asked with heavy sarcasm. "I thought you didn't want to be my therapist any longer?"
Dawn had expected that kind of hostility. Evan felt rejected by her, by her foster parents, and by the whole world, and now she was acting out again. "Can I sit down?" she asked, pointing at the concrete next to Evan. She was on Evan's turf now, so this conversation would take place by Evan's rules.
She took Evan's lazy shrug as an invitation. She climbed up onto the platform and sat down, taking care not to encroach on Evan's space. "I can't be your therapist any longer. There's a difference," she said gently. "And it doesn't mean that I never want to see you again. We can see each other – just not as therapist and patient."
"Why else would we want to see each other? And don't even try to give me that bullshit about us being sisters-in-law." Evan flicked her cigarette stub onto the half-pipe and immediately lit the next cigarette.
"Aiden is your half sister, but let's forget that for the moment, all right? I'm not here because of Aiden. I'm here because of you." Dawn met Evan's skeptical gaze without blinking. She wanted Evan to get to know Aiden and form some kind of bond with her, but for now, she knew Evan needed her more than she needed Aiden. Aiden was basically a stranger, but she had been Evan's therapist and her only ally. If Evan felt she had abandoned her, she would cut herself off from the rest of the world too.
"Well, I'm here because I want to hang out with my friends," Evan said, pretending not to care about Dawn's presence at all.
Dawn looked down at the kids with the skateboards and at the pot-smoking teens under the tree. A few glanced in the direction of the half-pipe, but all of them kept their distance from the brooding Evan. "They're down there, and you're up here. Not much hanging out going on."
"Even better. Then I have the half-pipe all to myself." Evan flashed her a wolfish grin that couldn't quite hide the hint of loneliness in her eyes.
"Not much skating going on either," Dawn said, indicating their seated position.
Evan stubbed out her cigarette and stood. "You just caught me at a cigarette break. Now it's back to the skating business, so unless you want to join me, you better go."
"I don't even have skates," Dawn said but didn't get up to leave.
"You can have mine," Evan offered.
Dawn looked down at Evan's feet. They were already at least two sizes bigger than her own. "They wouldn't fit me."
"Hey, Joe! Give me your skates." Evan called down to one of the boys.
Dawn watched with interest as the boy complied. They respect her. She acts tough, and they give her what she wants. Easy to see why she would rather hang around these bad boys than stay at home with her foster parents.
"So what's it gonna be, Doc? Skating or going?" Evan pointed in the direction of Dawn's car. The expression on her face said all too clearly that she expected Dawn to back down and retreat.
Dawn took the skates from her. "I guess it's skating."
Evan folded her arms and watched as Dawn put on the skates. "Once from one end of the half-pipe to the other," she demanded.
Dawn closed the last buckle and straightened. She reached for Evan's shoulder to hold on to as she tried to find her balance. She looked down the half-pipe, then at the thin fabric of the elegant slacks she had worn to work today. This could really hurt. She was nervous, but she knew she had to do this to earn Evan's respect again. She took a deep breath and let go of Evan's shoulder.
"Do me a favor and try not to break your neck, Doc," Evan said, trying to sound gruff.
"Thanks for the concern," Dawn mumbled while she stared down the half-pipe.
Evan snorted. "I'm not concerned about you. I'm concerned about me. Your cop girlfriend will wring my neck if you come home with a few broken bones."
"I don't intend to break anything, and I don't intend to tell Aiden about this," Dawn answered and stepped off the platform. She tore down the steep wall of the half-pipe, barely holding back a scream as she nearly lost her balance. Then she reached the flat part of the pipe and tried to build up enough momentum to reach the platform on the other side of the half-pipe.
She made it halfway up the other side, but then noticed she wouldn't make it. Gravity made her begin to roll back down even though she was still facing the other direction. She tried to turn around, but she had too much speed.
She landed hard on the concrete and slid down the rest of the way on her backside.
Evan was by her side before she stopped moving. "You okay, Doc?"
Dawn looked up at her. That elegant landing probably didn't impress her much. "Never been better, thanks," she answered in a breathless voice.
The cell phone in Dawn's pocket began to ring. For a second, Dawn thought about ignoring it, but she knew it could be a patient, so she quickly reached for it. "Kinsley."
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"Hey, Dawn. It's me." The warm tones needed no further identification. It was Aiden. "Where are you?"
"Oh, just sitting around." Dawn grinned up at Evan, who was trying to look as if she wasn't tempted to grin back.
"Where?" Aiden asked. "I could come and sit with you, keep you company."
Dawn kept grinning at Evan. "I already have company, thanks, darling."
"Anyone I should be worried about?" Aiden asked, obviously teasing.
Dawn playfully eyed Evan. "Well, she's attractive, but a bit young for me." She chuckled when she saw Evan's eyes widen before she quickly feigned disinterest in Dawn's conversation.