Part 14 (1/2)

”Because I knew if Kate was this miserable, Dasher had to be.”

”But Kate just told me she was in love with Dasher. How did you-?”

Sighing theatrically, Stefanie said, ”She's your sister, Laur. For all of her worldly ego stuff, she's a lot like you. Five years ago Dasher told me about a woman who broke her heart. Then Kate marches in with some c.o.c.kamamie story about meeting Dasher five years before. Oh, and I have eyes.”

The silence that followed made Stefanie fidget, but Laurel wanted a minute to appreciate what her thoughtful partner had just done. Finally, Laurel gave her a ghost of a grin. ”Well, at least this way they'll finally know, without the prying eyes of the paparazzi.”

”Honey, you do realize that if this thing goes south, we've probably lost our star for opening night. And I'll have lost a good friend in Dasher and my future sister-in-law, whom I was beginning to like.”

Stef seemed lost in doubt when Laurel abruptly pinned her to the wall beside the elevator and covered her face with kisses. She returned the favor but finally held her back and asked, ”So I'm forgiven?”

”Did you just propose?” Laurel waited, wanting to know for sure if she had heard the words correctly.

”Well I...I...think I did. Wow, that was easy.” Stef seemed astounded at what she'd just said. ”But it feels right, Laurel. Will you? Marry me?”

Laurel got very close to Stef's ear and whispered, ”Yes.”

Stef turned Laurel around so she could ring for the elevator. As they rode up to their suite, she said, ”Sometimes it's the reply that makes a question perfect.”

Kate slid the key through the lock, receiving a green light as the lock disengaged. With Dasher standing just behind her she had the sensation that time had slowed and noises had intensified. The lock had the report of a cannon.

”Come in.” Her voice was definitely shaky, and she was having a difficult time not trembling. Taking a few steps, she turned to see Dasher still in the doorway looking very unsure of herself. ”Dasher, I can't do this alone. Either come in or leave.”

Kate blinked, and when she opened her eyes, the door was closed and Dasher was within kissing distance. Kate had resolved to have that talk before she could even contemplate touching. She well knew what happened when she had any type of physical contact with Dasher. Her mind was hopping around like a disturbed monkey at this point, but if she felt Dasher's skin, all bets were off. She had to be rational about this.

Dasher obviously failed to read her mind because she tentatively raised her hand and ran her thumb the length of Kate's eyebrow, then cupped her face in her strong hands. The hands that Kate had fantasized about since their campout.

She melted into the touch, memorizing the incredible feel of their warmth. She was so absorbed in that moment that when Dasher's lips grazed hers she gasped and her eyes flew open to drown in the gray-blue depths that invited her. ”Oh!”

”I want more than a kiss.” Dasher's voice was husky, her fingers telegraphing the slightest tremble.

Kate searched her face for deception, her eyes for a look she knew well. Too often her suitors had wanted the exterior, not caring at all about the person she was inside. She saw none of that. What she did see made her heart hammer in her chest, probably because all her blood was draining to another pulse point.

”What do you want, Dasher? Who are you looking for?” She held her breath, waiting for something she'd never experienced before.

”I want you, Kate. I'm looking for you. Only you.”

Their lips met in astounding softness, and their tongues touched in a delicate dance that stole her breath. She slid her arms around Dasher's neck and pulled her into a deep embrace, broken only by her need to take a breath.

”Dasher, I've never done this with a woman before. I've thought of it, but never-”

”We don't have to do anything.”

Kate was at once relieved and irritated. And aroused-undeniably, horribly, wonderfully aroused. ”The h.e.l.l we don't. Dasher Pate, if you don't touch me right now I'll never speak to you again. I mean it.”

She was about to launch into a diatribe when Dasher swept her into her arms, marched her into the bedroom, and tossed her on the bed. She removed her jacket, the one Kate remembered from the photo shoot. Kate watched as she shed her shoes, then turned and gently took Kate's off as well.

Dasher climbed in the bed and lay beside her. She ran her fingers along the sleeve of the s.h.i.+rt Kate was wearing.

”I wondered what had happened to this s.h.i.+rt. I hoped you had it.”

Kate knew she was probably blus.h.i.+ng, but she told the truth. ”I've only been out of this s.h.i.+rt to shower since I've been up here. I needed it.”

Dasher smiled tenderly. ”Then it's yours. Anything I have is yours.”

She pulled Kate on top of her. They regarded each other silently, then Dasher reversed their positions and her weight on Kate was exhilarating. It was as though all these years Kate had been afloat, aimlessly drifting through s.p.a.ce, and now she was tethered and grounded.

The kisses started slowly, languorously. First her lips, her eyes, her ears. Oh, her ears. By the time Dasher reached her neck, Kate was squirming.

”Dasher, please.” At that moment Dasher ground her pelvis into Kate's, and that did it. Kate was accustomed to acting pa.s.sionate for a film, but suddenly her clothes were too tight and she had to feel Dasher next to her, skin to skin.

She pulled Dasher's s.h.i.+rt from her jeans, and the two of them scrambled out of their clothes within seconds. Dasher stopped the moment they were both naked and stared reverently at Kate. Her eyes shone as she said, ”My G.o.d, Kate. You are so lovely.”

Immediately shy, Kate said, ”Oh, Dash, if you've seen any of my films you've probably seen most of it before.” She'd done a few topless shots at Joe's urging and they were circulated endlessly on the Internet. She hated that.

”No. That was the actress. I want only you.”

Those words melted Kate's bones and flooded her with emotion. Dasher eased Kate back on the bed and settled between her legs, tentatively at first. She must have felt Kate's wetness because her breath caught and her pupils darkened. They kissed again, this time not holding back. She moved to torture each nipple with her tongue and teeth and wors.h.i.+pped them by pulling them into her mouth.

Kate had never enjoyed men touching her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, perhaps because that seemed to be all they thought about, that and bragging to their buddies that they had ”nailed” Kate Hoffman. But when Dasher's lips touched her nipples, she arched toward her for more.

Kate felt Dasher's pa.s.sion when she dripped on her c.l.i.toris, and that only took her higher. She reached between them and almost came when she felt how swollen and wet Dasher was. Had she done this? Was the pa.s.sion just for Kate?

”Kate, I can't hold off if you do that. It's been so long.” Dasher was panting and held herself up and back.

”I don't want you to hold back. Ever.” She was almost desperate to have this moment, as though it might be their only one. She stroked the swollen flesh, then plunged inside this beautiful woman she knew she loved. She wanted their first time together to begin with her pleasuring Dasher.

Dasher stilled, then curled forward and shook. ”Katie!” Then she pumped repeatedly onto Kate's hand and Kate watched, drunk with power of a very different kind than she had ever known. The intoxication came from making Dasher feel these things, from knowing that her love had caused Dasher to crash into oblivion.

Dasher collapsed onto Kate and Kate held her, tears of joy in her eyes. Finally, Kate knew what falling in love was all about, was certain that she was in love with Dasher.

After a few moments, Dasher began to trace a trail down Kate's stomach with her tongue and Kate thought about telling her to stop. But Dasher parted her and stroked the length of her before taking her swollen c.l.i.toris in her mouth to tug and suck on it. Her fingers slipped inside and then she used the tip of her tongue to a.s.sault the head of Kate's c.l.i.t. Just before Kate came she managed to look down at Dasher, and what she saw in her eyes filled her with so much emotion she stopped worrying that Dasher might not return her love. Then Kate lost her mind.

They continued making love until the early morning hours when, exhausted, they fell asleep. After a short time Kate slipped out of bed and found her phone she'd vaguely registered vibrating on the table the night before. The text message was from Joe Alder.

I'll ruin you both if you screw that c.u.n.t. You know I can do it. Get your a.s.s back here.

Tears streamed down her face as she sat alone in a corner of the sofa, trying to think of a way to save Dasher from Alder's viciousness. Leaving seemed to be her only option, but that seemed impossible now.

Dasher reached for Kate and found the bed empty but the spot still warm. Panicked, she jackknifed up to search for Kate. She wasn't in the bedroom and there was no light on in the bathroom.

Flying to the doorway she saw Kate, naked and huddled in a corner of the couch, quietly sobbing. She couldn't have been there long. What had happened to upset her so much? Had she pushed Kate too far? Perhaps Kate regretted their night together. Dasher couldn't breathe; she would hurt herself before she would hurt Kate.