Part 25 (1/2)
CHAPTER NINETEEN.
The station house was empty except for Gladys, sitting behind the semi-circular counter that held several computer screens and the radio equipment.
”Hi Gladys,” Tory said. ”Reese around somewhere?”
”In the offi ce,” Gladys replied, inclining her head toward the closed door behind her. ”I hope you came to kidnap her.”
”You're reading my mind.”
”Good, because as much as I love her, I'm getting tired of her company.”
”I'll take her off your hands for tonight, at least.” Tory saw by the large plain-faced clock on the wall that it was closing in on six-thirty.
Gladys usually left two hours earlier. ”Shouldn't you be getting out of here too?”
”I will, as soon as one of the boys shows up to relieve me.”
Tory wagged her fi nger as she pushed through the wooden gate and threaded her way between the desks towards the chief's offi ce. ”I know everyone's working overtime, but I'm counting on you to set a good example for this crew.”
”You know d.a.m.n well that if Reese works eighteen hours a day so will everyone else, even if she doesn't tell them to.”
”Well I'm going to take care of that problem right now. She won't be back tonight.”
”Good.”
Tory tapped on the door which said Nelson Parker in bold black letters and walked into the unadorned ten-by-twelve-foot offi ce. Reese was behind the desk, her tie askew and her eyes red rimmed. She looked more harried than tired.
”h.e.l.lo darling.”
Reese dropped her pen and leaned back in her chair, a welcoming smile on her face. ”This is a nice surprise.”
* 181 *
RADCLY fFE ”Busy?”
”I can probably spare you a minute.”
”Oh, you think so?” Tory circled the desk, grasped the arms of Reese's swivel chair, and kissed her. Once certain that she had Reese's attention, she slid onto her lap and wrapped her arms around Reese's neck. Reese gripped her waist, groaning softly as Tory slowly and thoroughly explored her mouth. After a minute, Tory realized her plan to seduce her lover into leaving work was about to backfi re. They hadn't made love in a few days, and the kiss was quickly getting away from her and turning into something far more serious. Reese felt so good, her body so tight and hard, her lips so soft, so hot. Tory wasn't thinking about dinner anymore, she was thinking about Reese's mouth on her, teasing her until she was too helpless to do anything except come. Tory pulled back, breathing hard.
”I think I need more than a minute.”
”Christ,” Reese muttered. ”Kiss me again like that and I'm not even going to need thirty seconds.”
Tory laughed and ma.s.saged Reese's shoulders while gently rolling her hips in Reese's lap. ”I have every intention of kissing you again like that.” She brushed a quick kiss over Reese's mouth. ”In fact, I'm going to do a lot more than that. After you take me to dinner.”
Reese growled and buried her face in Tory's neck. As she bit slowly on the muscle that shadowed the pounding pulse in Tory's neck, she skated both hands up Tory's sides and over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Tory gasped, feeling herself get wet. Twisting her fi ngers through Reese's hair, she dropped her head back and closed her eyes.
”Don't get me too excited, darling, please,” Tory whispered, rocking her a.s.s harder into Reese's crotch.
”Why should I be the only one going crazy?” Reese grunted. She found Tory's nipple and pinched rapidly.
”Oh G.o.d, Reese...don't. You know how much that makes me want to come.”
Reese tugged Tory's earlobe with her teeth, then skimmed the tip of her tongue along the sh.e.l.l of her ear. ”I love it when you need to come. I love the way you rub against me, the way your breath catches in your throat. I love the small sounds you make when you start to swell and pound inside, almost like it hurts, but I know it doesn't.”
* 182 *
Winds of Fortune ”Stop it.” Tory pushed Reese's hands away. ”That's so wonderful I can't stand it.”
Laughing, Reese wrapped her arms around Tory's waist and kissed her throat. ”Didn't you come here to seduce me?”
”Into taking me to dinner. I wasn't planning on having an o.r.g.a.s.m in your offi ce.” Panting softly, Tory rested her cheek against Reese's shoulder. ”s.e.x was supposed to be dessert.”
”Let's make it the appetizer. Then we'll pick up the baby and get takeout.”
”Yes,” Tory murmured, nuzzling Reese's neck. ”Yes, soon. I just need a minute to settle down so Gladys doesn't take one look at me and know what we've been doing.”
”Don't settle down too much,” Reese warned, stroking Tory's hip.
”I'm taking you straight home to bed.”
”Mmm,” Tory sighed. ”Will you make love to me until I scream?”
Reese's expression darkened and her voice dropped impossibly low. ”Until you scream for me to stop.”
No longer caring about anything except giving herself over to the connection she shared with Reese and no one else, Tory rose, her legs shaking as she clutched Reese's hand. ”Now. Take me home now. I need you.”
y When Deo's phone rang at quarter to seven, her stomach sank.
Nita was calling to cancel. She'd worried all day, despite their brief conversation during the afternoon, that in the cool light of day Nita would change her mind. It was one thing to give in to pa.s.sion in the heat of the moment, and quite another to view it as something you wanted, something you wanted with another person, and to allow it to happen.
Truth be told, she was nervous herself. Usually when she ended up in bed with a woman it was because she clicked with her by chance- she wanted company, and so did her bedmate, or she was twisted up inside, running on adrenaline, needing release, and a woman was there, offering a few hours of pleasure. She'd never thought about a woman the way she thought about Nita, day in and day out, remembering the * 183 *
RADCLY fFE way she looked or something she'd said or the slightest touch. She never thought about a woman and wanted her enough to say, Be with me tonight.
”h.e.l.lo?”
”Deo, it's Nita.”
Deo held her breath.
After a moment of silence, Nita said, ”Are you there?”
”Are you canceling?”
”Do you want me to?” Nita said softly.