Mounting Evidence

by Karis Walsh

  After the first shock of connection, Kira felt herself melt into the heat of Abby. Kira had thought Abby would be more assertive, taking the lead in romance the same way she would on the job, but instead there was a quiet exchange of roles. Kira was the one to deepen the kiss, angling her head to get better access to Abby’s lips. Abby’s tongue was the first to brush along Kira’s mouth, seeking access. Instead of an onslaught, Kira felt a subtle give-and-take, asking and answering, as their kisses grew more insistent.

  When Abby tugged on her hip, Kira willingly shifted onto Abby’s lap, straddling her thighs. She felt the pull of still-tender muscles when she knelt on the bench, and the raw chafe of her damaged wrists against the fabric of Abby’s shirt. Reminders of hours spent tied in a chair. A moment of claustrophobia hit her when Abby wrapped one arm around her back, holding her close. Kira’s muscles tensed, ready to propel her away from Abby and from the confinement of her arm.

  “Shh,” Abby whispered in her ear. Her hand caressed Kira’s back, and the barely perceivable touch broke through her rising panic and soothed her racing mind.

  Kira’s body relaxed against Abby and her awareness returned slowly to the present. To her breasts pressed against Abby’s. To the heat where her crotch rested on Abby’s. As Kira felt Abby’s touch heal and calm her, her desire grew proportionately. The more her flight instinct eased, the harder she kissed Abby until she was moaning with obvious pleasure against Kira’s mouth. Kira moved her hips in rhythm with her kiss. She wanted more, wanted all Abby could offer.

  Kira pulled back. She didn’t want to stop, but she wasn’t ready to continue, either. Her relationship with Abby had been like riding a whirlwind, erratic and unpredictable, and she needed a moment to catch her breath. She had been prepared to bolt off Abby’s lap out of fear. Once she’d allowed Abby’s touch to heal her instead, she’d sought more of the balm Abby offered for her wounds. Both were related to her abduction, and Kira needed time to figure out her confusing reactions to a wonderful and much-desired kiss. She wanted Abby—she’d been acutely aware of her attraction since their first meeting. But having Abby here in her home and picturing her settling into this life was more than Kira could handle. A fling to release pent-up energy was one thing. Letting anyone, even Abby, too close to her shielded home life was too significant a decision to be made based on her arousal alone.

  “Um, that was…” Kira searched for the right words to describe Abby’s spellbinding kisses.

  “A wonderful end to a very nice evening?” Abby said with a question in her voice.

  Kira nodded, appreciating Abby’s willingness not to push. She ran her hands through her mussed hair and quickly braided it again. “I should say good night to Julie.”

  “And I should go home.” Abby stood up and wobbled slightly, reaching for the back of the bench with her left hand.

  Kira put her palm against Abby’s cheek and felt the flush of warmth that wasn’t just from their kisses. She shouldn’t be on her feet after her accident and surgery, let alone out on the roads. “You’ll stay here,” she said. “Take my bed and I’ll sleep on the couch. I’ll drive us to the fair tomorrow so we can watch Julie’s championship classes and you can check on your team.”

  “I…okay,” Abby said. The fact that she didn’t fight Kira’s orders worried her more than Abby’s ashy complexion and her drooping shoulders. Kira helped her back into the house and showed her to the bedroom. She was tempted to stay—just to hold Abby—but she shut the door between them instead. Abby was functioning on willpower alone now, and she needed rest. Kira checked on Julie and then wrapped herself in a pile of blankets on the couch. She thought of Abby only a few steps away. In her bed. Maybe naked? Kira turned out the lights and sighed. It was going to be a long and sleepless night.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Kira woke up groggy after a fitful night of sleep, but Abby emerged from her bedroom looking refreshed and as flawless as a painting. Her cheeks had color again, and she strategized with Julie about the day’s classes while she ate a big bowl of cereal with her left hand. The only proof of her mishap with Legs was revealed when she let Kira change the bandage on her wrist. Abby seemed unfazed by the sight of her wound, but Kira stared at the neat row of stitches and could only see what might have happened—how much worse Abby could have been hurt.

  Abby proclaimed herself fit to drive, and Julie elected to go with her, of course, so Kira followed them with her own car. Too much time alone, to think. Last night had been great. Comforting and stimulating at the same time. Abby had seemed to belong in the family atmosphere, but Kira had to acknowledge that it wasn’t her reality. It had been a nice fantasy, fueled by her attraction to Abby, but dreams had to end when the sun rose. And what dreams they’d been, starting with the kisses she and Abby had shared, but moving far beyond them.

  After a quick stop to feed Nirvana her breakfast, Kira went with Abby and Julie to the police barn. Don took Julie on a short tour to meet Fancy and the other horses, and Kira hoped he wouldn’t encourage Julie’s new ardor for search-and-rescue work. She was proud of her daughter for wanting to help people but had been a parent long enough to know that this week’s passion would be replaced by something new soon enough.

  Abby took Kira into the tack stall and introduced her to the officers. “Kira, this is Rachel, Cal, and Billie. Everyone, this is Kira Lovell.”

  Kira shook hands with them. “Nice to meet you.”

  “You, too, Kira,” Rachel said. She kept hold of her hand for a moment after shaking it and looked at the still-visible slash of red on her wrists. “Zip ties, huh? Nasty. You might have a little scarring, but it’ll be barely noticeable.” She let go of Kira’s hand. “How about you, Lieutenant? Are you taking it easy with your wrist, like the doctor told you?”

  “Of course. I’m obeying his every command. For the most part.”

  “Right,” Cal said. “I’m sure Kira could tell us otherwise.”

  Kira laughed with the others, but she wasn’t sure how she felt about their assumptions. Did they think of her and Abby as a couple? Sure, she and Abby seemed to have a strong physical attraction. Kira had felt it from the start and she’d seen the look in Abby’s eyes when they had kissed last night. Even more, she’d felt the connection when they talked or laughed together. But Abby’s reality was here, where intrigue and danger were met with confidence and even an eagerness to attack any threats.

  Kira sat on a trunk that had the police logo on it while Abby and the other riders talked about their strategy for the night’s patrol. They were acting as if the incident with Legs had been meant to harm the group as a whole, but Kira—and Abby, too, she believed—thought differently. The act was personal. The intent had been to hurt Abby specifically, Kira was sure of it. But even if Abby hadn’t been the sole target, her job put her in a dangerous position. Worse, in her self-appointed role of vigilante, she was putting herself at risk without the department to back her up. At least her mounted unit seemed determined to keep her safe.

  Kira left the tack stall while they discussed security for the day’s demonstration rides. Julie was still talking to Don, no doubt grilling him about Nirvana’s future as a search-and-rescue horse. Kira walked past them and ducked under the tape at the end of the barn. She leaned against the wall and watched the quiet activity as the fair came to life. It was still early, but a few spectators wandered around with the 4-H kids and their horses. Sounds of splashing water and the occasional neigh accompanied the pre-competition routines of feeding and bathing the horses. Kira loved getting up early with Julie on horse-show days. She’d sip her coffee and watch while the competitors prepared. They were busy mornings, but quiet, since most of the kids were still half-asleep.

  Kira liked watching Abby at work, too. When she talked to her mounted team and when she had questioned Sal, she changed subtly. Her voice took on more authority, but in a natural way, not like she was injecting more force for show. Her posture shifted so she gave the impression of streng
th and immovability. She was damned sexy when she was in her element and in uniform. But her element was a violent one. A world of criminals, danger, and corruption. Things Kira avoided at all costs in her own life. Abby plunged in head-on. Kira couldn’t reconcile her conflicted feelings. When Abby had been home with her last night, playing games and eating dinner as if she was part of the family, Kira had been afraid to give in to her desire. But here, where Abby was overpoweringly strong and clearly moving in a different world from Kira’s, she was ready to find the nearest empty stall and rip Abby’s clothes off. This place was more neutral than Kira’s home sanctuary. The fair belonged to both of them, and Kira felt safer allowing her fantasies freedom here than she had been able to do last night.

  “Sorry I was in there so long, but I needed to catch up with the unit.” Abby leaned her shoulder against the wall beside Kira. Even in her civilian clothes, she had the aura of authority that even some cops in full uniform weren’t able to project.

  “It’s all right. I just needed some fresh air. Should we rescue Don from Julie?”

  “She went out the other end of the aisle. She’s going to the arena to check her pattern for the showmanship class and meet us back at Nirvana’s stall. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Coffee would help,” Kira said. And a bucket of ice water dumped over her head. Kira had trouble thinking when Abby was so close. Abby must have used Kira’s shampoo, because Kira’s head was filled with the scent of gardenias every time she inhaled. Abby’s hair was held off her face with one of Kira’s gold clips, but it had a softer look where it framed her cheekbones than it did when she had it slicked back in her usual twist. The intense look on Abby’s face made something inside Kira melt into warm liquid, and the intimacy of having Abby in her bathroom and using her personal items was more erotic than Kira could have anticipated.

  Abby leaned a little closer, and Kira stopped breathing for a few thudding heartbeats. Was Abby a good match for her, for the life she wanted? Her body seemed more determined than ever to betray her common sense and keep her mind from taking the time to make a sensible decision. Maybe she was better off listening to the nerve endings clamoring for Abby’s touch.

  “I know what will wake you up,” Abby said. Her shoulder brushed against Kira’s where it rested on the wall.

  Kira cleared her throat before she spoke. “Better than coffee?”

  “Oh yes. Come on. We’re going to ride the roller coaster.”

  Abby led her down the aisle to Nirvana’s stall. Julie was sitting on a bucket in the corner, studying a piece of paper.

  “Will you need us for anything during the next fifteen minutes?” Abby asked her.

  “No, thanks. I need to memorize my pattern now.”

  “How does it look?” Kira asked. She went into the stall and Julie handed her the paper. Nirvana came over and sniffed her pockets, looking for a treat.

  “Nothing we haven’t done before,” Julie said. Her voice had a confident, optimistic note. She had practiced for this class all year. Of course, Nirvana had come very well trained from Abby, but Julie had done more than her share of the preparation.

  “You’ll do great.” Kira gave her back the paper, and then she took a peppermint out of her pocket and gave it to Nirvana. “I’m proud of both of you.”

  “Thanks, Mom. Are you going somewhere?”

  “I’m taking your mom on the roller coaster,” Abby said. “She doesn’t get sick on rides, does she?”

  “Not usually,” Julie said with a smile. “She might squeeze your hand to pieces, though.”

  “Well, my wrist is already in pieces, so I guess I’ll be fine. We’ll be back before your class.”

  They walked down the brightly decorated aisle. Each county’s 4-H team had banners and matching nameplates outside the horses’ stalls, and most of the riders were wearing jackets or T-shirts with their county logos. Posters illustrating everything from riding safety to parts of the horse’s hoof decorated the walls, with various ribbons and awards taped on them. Julie had spent hours on her Horses of the World display, with its map and drawings of different breeds of horses and their countries of origin. Kira pointed out the poster to Abby as they walked by.

  Even on a weekday morning, there were clusters of people in line at most of the rides. Abby bought them each a handful of tickets.

  “Can I interest you in a deep-fried stick of butter?” she asked. “I owe you for last night’s dinner.”

  “Ugh,” Kira said with a grimace. “I’ll definitely get sick on you during the ride if you feed me one of those first.”

  Abby made a show of hurrying Kira past the busy food stand. “That was a close one. Thanks for the warning.”

  “You’re welcome.” Kira stopped by a booth with a sign for earthquake burgers. A guy came away from the counter with a burger with the circumference of a large dinner plate. “Say, I could eat one of those first, though. We didn’t have much for breakfast.”

  Abby gave her a look of mock horror. “This ride with you is getting more terrifying by the minute. Let’s go before I lose my nerve.”

  Kira relaxed as they got to the near-empty twisting queue designed to keep the peak hour crowds in order. “I’ll race you,” she said, starting to run toward the narrow opening before she finished her sentence. She heard Abby’s gasp behind her.

  “Cheater!”

  Kira grabbed the railing and used it to pull herself along as she ran through the serpentine path, but Abby grabbed her around the waist with her good hand at the second turn and pushed ahead. Kira followed for several yards, but since she didn’t have room to pass, she ducked under the railing and cut across two more lanes. She came to a stop when she reached the end of the line of people and caught her breath while Abby slowly caught up to her.

  “And you cheated again,” Abby said. “Twice in one short race. That must be a record.”

  Kira shrugged. “Nowhere in the rules did it state that I had to stay in the lanes.”

  “I don’t know what rule book you were using, but the universal line rules are clear about no cuts.”

  Kira grinned. Julie would have been embarrassed beyond belief to see her mother acting like a child, but something about Abby brought out her sillier side. She wasn’t sure why, since Abby was one of the most by-the-book people she’d ever met. Her life was devoted to mending broken rules, but somehow she made Kira feel carefree. She’d gone through one of the most traumatic experiences of her life this weekend, but she’d also laughed with Abby more than she had in months. She’d need to think more about the dichotomy another time. Right now, Abby was standing close behind her, with her left hand resting lightly on Kira’s hip. All other thoughts faded away, and Kira focused on the spot of contact between them. Abby’s touch aroused her. There wasn’t any ambiguity in that area.

  She handed her strip of tickets to the bored-looking attendant, and Abby tugged her toward the last row. Kira liked sitting in the back seat, too, where she could feel the whip of the turns more than in the front. She loved modern roller coasters with their loops and sleek metal tracks, like the one she and Julie had been on where she had flown in a harness like Superman, but the sound and feel of an old-fashioned wooden coaster couldn’t be beat.

  “Built in 1935,” Abby read off the plaque hanging over the boarding area. “Makes you think, doesn’t it.”

  “Makes you think what?” Kira asked. Abby had kept contact with her since the end of their race, always some part touching, whether hand or arm or torso, and Kira’s body grew taut as Abby’s contact with her continually shifted from place to place. She didn’t know where to expect the next jolt from Abby’s touch, and the not-knowing had her skin tingling with anticipation.

  “About how far we’ve come since then with materials and engineering. I’m surprised we don’t have to sign a release to go on the ride.” Abby leaned close to Kira’s ear as she spoke, and Kira felt Abby’s thigh rub against the back of hers when she moved.

  “Don’t
even bother trying to scare me,” she said. “It won’t work.” She wasn’t lying. The ride didn’t scare her at all. Her reaction to Abby’s closeness? It terrified her because she was beginning to realize her body alone wasn’t yearning for Abby. Her heart was getting involved as well.

  A rusted and dented train of orange cars screeched to a stop in front of them. Kira and Abby got in the last car, and a carnival worker snapped the bar in place over their knees. Abby rested her bandaged wrist on her lap, and she had her other hand on the seat between them, against—and slightly under—Kira’s thigh.

  Kira pulled on the bar to make sure it was locked in place. “I’m surprised we don’t have to wear seat belts,” she said as the rest of the cars in their train were filled.

  “I thought you weren’t scared,” Abby said, inching her hand until it was tucked under Kira’s leg, just below her ass.

  “I’m not,” Kira said. “I’m merely being safety conscious.”

  Abby laughed, and the sound was swallowed up as they started to ascend the first hill. Slowly, with the steady click of a pulley system. Kira felt their weight threaten to pull them back as the protesting chain hauled them upward. The steep vantage point offered a great view of the fairgrounds, but Kira couldn’t extend her awareness beyond the feel of Abby’s insistent hand. When they reached the top of the hill, Kira gave in to the pressure and shifted her weight to her left hip, allowing Abby freer access. Abby leaned toward her, close enough so Kira could hear her quick breaths, and she curved her hand under Kira’s thigh until her palm rested against Kira’s crotch.

  The first hill was a tease, only a short drop before the car’s momentum brought it up to the second crest, but it dragged a sound somewhere between a gasp and a shout from Kira. The next plunge came faster, giving Kira the feeling of free fall. Abby’s grip tightened, and Kira knew how wet she must feel. The thought of Abby’s hand on her, damp with the moisture soaking through her jeans, made her ache for a deeper touch. She wanted her clothes off and Abby’s fingers pushed inside her, but the restriction of touch and limited movement were more erotic than she had thought possible. Her body had never responded this way before, going insane for a touch that had less skin contact than holding someone’s hand.