“Why?”
“It makes me nervous wondering why you would want someone like me. Nervous, that I’ve never been in a relationship before. I don’t know that I can be someone’s girlfriend, or partner, or anything but someone to warm a bed.”
“Yes, you can. You just don’t know it yet.” She smiled gently. “Everything you’ve done for me. Helping me find somewhere to live, helping me move. What you did today, taking me out to distract me, and taking the time to cheer me up tonight. These are all thoughtful little things that I always thought a wonderful girlfriend would do. You might not believe that just yet, but that’s okay, because I do.”
Oz laughed. “You’re very sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
“No. I’m sure of you. Your reputation doesn’t bother me, Oz. Everyone has a past. And that’s what your reputation is based on. I don’t for one minute believe that you would get involved with someone and then continue to play around. You have too much honor for that.” She cuddled in close before she dropped back to her place on the floor. “I’ve missed all this so far. Can we restart the film?”
Finn pushed herself off the floor and settled on the sofa as Oz restarted the film and sat next to her. She grinned as Oz took her hand, and barely resisted the urge to move closer, as she didn’t want to push further than Oz was comfortable with. She wanted to cuddle up next to her and feel Oz’s arms wrap around her, but was content to feel Oz’s thumb stroking the back of her hand. She refused to let fear control her decisions. She refused to let her own past taint the magical feeling of their first kiss. The whole point of coming here was a fresh start, a new beginning, and that meant letting go of past fears and losses. She trusted Oz. She believed in her enough to push everything out of her head and enjoy the feeling of Oz pulling her closer and holding her through the rest of the movie.
Chapter Twenty-three
William Sterling saved the document he was working on and shut down his computer as his cell phone started to ring.
“Yes?”
“William, my friend.”
“Masood, it is good to hear from you. How can I help you?”
“I have a question or two for you.”
“Of course.”
“The vaccination is prepared also, is that correct?”
“Yes, but we need a few more days to produce the quantities required—”
“That is your concern, William. Not mine. All I want is the quantity we discussed. There would be very little point in using the bacteria if I am not around to enjoy the deaths of my enemies.”
“The quantity we arranged has been produced.” William smiled as he thought about how he planned to deliver a defective batch of vaccine to Masood and watch him perish like everyone else when he unleashed Balor on the world. The correct vaccine would be sold by Sterling to the rest of the world, after an appropriate amount of time had passed to develop the vaccine, of course. Not a cure. There was no hope for a cure or an effective treatment for those infected either.
“Very good, William. I am looking forward to seeing this in action.”
“As am I.”
He hung up and tossed his phone on the desk. The ‘development’ of the vaccine for Balor would make Sterling Enterprises a fortune overnight. He couldn’t even fathom the full extent of the wealth he would accumulate after this event. The power that would be at his fingertips when the world looked to him as he held in his hands the only way to stop Balor.
Chapter Twenty-four
Oz knocked on the door of Mrs. Richmond’s house and waited nervously, pulling slightly at the collar of her black shirt, before smoothing her hands down the front.
“Hello, dear. Finn’s nearly ready. Do you want to come in?”
“That’d be great, Mrs. R.” Oz followed her inside and sat on the edge of the sofa.
“Relax, dear. She might be a few more minutes.”
Oz smiled and tried to sit back a little. She couldn’t believe how nervous she felt, and the amused smile on Mrs. Richmond’s face was not helping.
“Hi.”
Oz spun around and watched as Finn walked toward her. Casual wedge sandals graced her feet with black laces crossing her ankles. Her legs were bare to just above the knee where a sapphire blue dress started and caressed each curve of her body. Finn had piled her hair up high on her head, a few loose curls escaping around her face.
“Oz, are you okay?”
Oz smiled and stood, quickly crossing to kiss Finn’s cheek. “You look great. Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah, the cab’s here.” A honking from outside alerted them to the arrival of the taxi.
“You planned ahead.”
“It’s my Girl Scout motto.”
“Where are we going?”
“To Pearl’s Patio.”
“Are we going to a garden party?”
Oz laughed as she led Finn outside, waving at Mrs. Richmond as she closed the door behind them. “Pearl’s Patio is a lesbian bar that has karaoke every Saturday night.”
“Are you going to sing for me?
“I think not.” She directed the taxi driver before she sat back and caught Finn’s hand in her own again. Bringing it to her lips, she whispered against her skin. “You look incredible. I knew you were beautiful, but I really didn’t realize how beautiful you are.”
Finn blushed deeply. “I’m glad you think so.”
“Trust me, Finn. I’m going to be beating them off with a stick.”
“You said that when we went to Turtle Kraal’s, and not one person said or did anything even remotely inappropriate.”
Oz placed her arm around Finn’s shoulders as she whispered in her ear. “That’s because when you went to the bathroom I stood up on the table and told everyone that you were mine.”
“You’re so full of crap.”
Oz laughed, kissing Finn’s hand again before moving slightly away from her. Finn’s teasing was already easing her anxiety. She was so focused on making sure Finn had a good time, she realized that she hadn’t thought at all about her own expectations of the evening. She only cared that Finn enjoyed herself and enjoyed them being together. Oz didn’t want to think about why this was so important to her. The possibilities were far too daunting for her to comprehend. The cab ride was short and they could hear the slightly pitchy tones of the vocalist as they opened the door. Oz looked around for a table. Spotting one toward the front, she pointed at it.
“Do you mind sitting near the front?”
“No, that’s fine.
Oz couldn’t help thinking that they’d have to stay close together to talk, and the prospect both thrilled and terrified her. Her desire to be close to Finn, to touch her, warred with her fear of failure and the possibility that she would disappoint her.
“I’ll go grab us a drink. Would you hold the table?”
“Of course.”
“What can I get you to drink?”
“Red wine if they have any. If not, vodka and cranberry juice please.” Oz headed to the bar. Finn had only been sitting a few moments when someone sat next to her. “That was quick.”
“When I see what I like, I don’t like to hang around. It wastes too much time.” The stranger was leaning close enough that Finn moved back slightly.
“My friend has just gone to the bar. She’ll be here any second.”
“But she’s not here now, so I’ll just sit here and talk to you for a while.” The woman had a military style haircut with a barcode tattoo on the side of her neck and another of barbed wire around her bicep. Her hair was so short it was difficult in the low lighting to determine its color. Her leather biker pants and black vest topped off the heavy biker boots and strong odor of alcohol.
“I don’t really feel comfortable sitting here talking to a stranger.”
“I’m Maggie. Now I’m not a stranger.” She stretched her arm along the back of Finn’s chair.
“Look, I’m here on a date.”
“Then she really should stay closer to you.” Maggie’s hand mo
ved to Finn’s shoulder and started to slide toward her neck.
“Maggie. It’s nice of you to come over and say hi, but I’m really here on a date. Oz will be here any second.”
“Oz?”
“Yes.”
“As in Zuckerman?”
“Yes, she’s my date.” Finn’s retort was sharp.
“Dive girl, Oz? I’m sorry, honey. Oz doesn’t date. She’ll buy you a drink before she screws you. Sometimes. But she doesn’t date.”
“Well, you’re mistaken.”
“Honey, I’ve known Oz a long time. Trust me. You’ll be better off with me. I can show you a really good time.”
“Moose, get your hands off her.” Oz felt anger welling in her chest at the sight of another woman with her hands on Finn. Jealousy she had never felt before blossomed in her chest and she fought hard not to grab Maggie and yank her away. The physical urge to come to Finn’s rescue was so foreign it made her hands shake.
“If it isn’t the Wizard of Oz. I was just saying hello to your little friend. What’s your name again, honey?”
“I didn’t tell you. Oz, it’s fine. Maggie was just leaving.”
“Do you know how she got the nickname Wizard of Oz?”
Oz glared at Maggie, but she didn’t back down.
“Because she’s supposed to be magic. But you know what I think? I think she turns out to be a fraud just like the real Wizard of Oz. That’s why you haven’t ever had a girlfriend for more than five minutes, hey, Ladyfish?”
Oz put the drinks on the table and sat in the chair on the other side of Finn. “The bouncer will probably get her to leave any second now. Please, just ignore her.”
“What’s the matter, Oz? Worried your little date will get a better offer?”
Oz continued to ignore Maggie and leaned in closer to Finn. “I told you I’d have to beat them off with a stick.” She placed a tender kiss on Finn’s cheek.
“I think I’m going to throw up.” Maggie grabbed Finn’s hand and placed a rough kiss on it. Oz was about to stand up and take care of things when the bouncer showed up.
“Maggie, shut up and go home.” The bouncer placed a large hand on Maggie’s shoulder and the other under her armpit. She hoisted her out of her seat and away from the table in one swift movement. “Sorry about that, Oz. You know what she gets like sometimes.”
“I do.”
Finn turned back to Oz. “Why did you call her Moose?”
“It’s her nickname. Maggie Moose. Her last name is Caribou. I think she’s had that nickname since she was a kid.” She took a long pull of her drink. “Dance with me?” Oz held her hand out. Finn simply took it and allowed herself to be led to the dance floor a few feet away. As she held Finn in her arms, Oz felt the tension coiled in her body begin to recede. She knew it was irrational, but she couldn’t seem to stop the feelings of jealousy and anger that had exploded within her. She knew she had no right to demand anything of Finn, but she wanted to be the only woman to touch her. She tried not to think about the pleasure she had felt when she heard Finn clearly telling Maggie that she wasn’t interested because she was with Oz. She held on to the feeling of pride that rippled through her and smiled as she pulled Finn’s body closer to her own.
Oz could feel her desire growing, and as the last notes faded away, she lowered her lips to Finn’s, before leading them back to their seats. They sat and sipped their drinks.
Oz leaned forward in her seat, worrying the label from her beer bottle.
“Are you all right? You’ve gone all fidgety on me. Are you angry?”
“Angry about what? Maggie?”
“Yeah.”
“No, I’m not angry, not with you or with her. I am a little bit worried though.”
“About what?”
“Well, everything she said to you was true.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
“She didn’t lie to you.”
“I don’t think for a moment that she did. That still doesn’t make everything she said true. She said that I’d be better off with her. That isn’t true, clearly.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do, Oz. I wasn’t interested in her in any way. I didn’t look at her and want to talk to her or hear what she had been doing all day, and I definitely didn’t want to hold her hand and sit next to her just watching TV. I had no desire at all to cook for her, just to see her smile. And I definitely didn’t want her to drive my car.” She trailed her finger down Oz’s neck as she continued speaking softly. “I had no urge whatsoever to do that to her. Or this.” She planted her lips against Oz’s neck and left a trail of kisses in her wake. “Or this.” She flicked her tongue across the skin below her lips, and Oz shivered and tried to keep still. “And I definitely didn’t look at her and want to do this.”
Finn pulled her face closer and pressed her lips hard against Oz’s, taking her mouth with an intensity that surprised them both. Oz moaned as Finn probed her mouth. Finn plunged her tongue deep into Oz’s mouth, searching, exploring, and teasing. Oz battled down her urge to take control, balling her fists against her thighs to stop herself from wrapping her arms around Finn’s back and tugging her closer. She wanted to feel Finn’s breasts pressed against her own. Only the desperate need for oxygen forced them apart. They were both breathing heavily as Finn placed kisses across Oz’s cheek and whispered into her ear. “You haven’t lied to me either, Oz. I might not have any experience, but I’m not stupid. Nor am I a child.” She kissed Oz’s ear and sucked gently on her earlobe, making her tremble. “I’ve always wondered what it would be like. I know what I’m getting into here.” She trailed her tongue along the outer edge of Oz’s ear. “Do you?”
Oz grasped her shoulders and, unable to take the teasing anymore, she held her still as she moved to whisper in her ear.
“I’m pretty damn sure that I don’t have the first clue what I’m getting into here.” She sucked Finn’s earlobe, returning the favor and delighted at the sensation of Finn shivering beneath her lips. “It feels delicious, doesn’t it?”
“Yes.” Finn’s voice was barely more than a whisper, a fact that pleased Oz immensely.
She trailed her tongue along the edge of her ear. “You feel like you’re burning even as you shiver, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“I think we should dance.”
Finn seemed dazed as she pulled away and led her back on to the floor. They started moving to the beat, and Oz found herself mesmerized as Finn relaxed and let her body move to the music. The gentle sway of her hips in time to the beat was hypnotic, weaving a sensuous spell around her. Oz watched, barely moving as Finn’s own hands ran across her torso, her hips, through her hair. Oz struggled to keep her feet moving in time to the music, since all she wanted to do was watch Finn’s body move.
Her breath caught in her chest as Finn took hold of her hand and pulled them closer together. She wrapped one arm about her waist, and the other hand slid from Oz’s shoulder into her hair. Her fingernails scratched gently at her scalp as she continued to move against her.
Several dances and drinks later, they walked out of the bar and waited outside for a cab. Finn ran her hand down the length of Oz’s spine.
“Thank you.”
“What for?”
“A wonderful first date.”
“You’re welcome. But it’s not quite finished yet.”
“No? What’s left?”
“You’ll see.” Oz helped her into the cab and cradled her against her side as Finn leaned her head on Oz’s shoulder. The rocking motion of the car soon had Finn dozing against her, and Oz couldn’t help replaying the evening in her mind. Her anger when Maggie had her hands on Finn, and her desire to forcibly remove them. She’d worked hard for a long time to avoid any situation where she wasn’t in control. Her career in the navy had taught her the importance of that, if nothing else. Nightmares of the few moments where she had lost control still haunted her. It didn’t matter that she’d been cl
eared by her superiors and that her actions were deemed necessary. What mattered were the blood-covered faces of the men she had killed and the comrades she had lost along the way. That was what losing control meant. It meant losing people, losing friends. It meant losing people she cared about. She laid her head on top of Finn’s and acknowledged that she already cared too much to stay away from Finn. Her reaction to Maggie was all the confirmation she needed to prove that. She closed her eyes and took a long breath. What the hell am I going to do now?
“I think I had too much to drink.”
“Ah, so my plan to get you drunk and have my wicked way with you is working.”
Finn laughed. “Is that the plan?” She stumbled sleepily toward the house. Oz caught up with her at the front door.
“No, that isn’t the plan. If the time comes when we sleep together, I want you to be completely aware. No alcohol involved. I want you to know every time I touch you. I want you to feel every kiss and caress, but most importantly, I want you to feel every emotion that goes with it. Both of us. I want to make love to you, Finn, when we are both ready. Not when you’re drunk.”
“So if that isn’t the plan, what’s left for our first date?” Her voice was husky with desire and emotion.
Oz moved closer and lowered her head. “The good night kiss, of course.” She closed the distance between them and let her hands slide up Finn’s arm, smiling as goose bumps erupted under her fingertips. She loved the way Finn trembled as she skimmed across her shoulders and slowly traced the length of her throat and the underside of her jaw before she kissed her. Gently at first, and then Finn moaned and wrapped her fingers into Oz’s hair, pulling her closer. The fire ignited in Oz’s belly as Finn moaned into her mouth and threaded her arms about Oz’s neck. She pressed Finn against the door, one hand went to her waist and the other her shoulder. She couldn’t resist the urge to explore a little and trailed her fingertips upward, brushing the material of Finn’s dress against her ribs, stopping just below her breast. She slipped her other hand softly into Finn’s hair and caressed her scalp, loving the way Finn moved against her as she scratched her fingernails over the sensitive skin.
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