by JLee Meyer
*
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.
“Kate?” Dasher went to her and took her in her arms, holding tight, feeling her warm tears on her breast while her own heart broke. Kate clung to her.
She knew she had to withdraw and let Kate make her decisions, but she couldn’t help kissing her face, tracing the tears, crooning gentle nonsense to her to try to comfort her. She’d never love another woman, but she had to let Kate go, and her own tears soon mingled with Kate’s.
Burrowing into Dasher’s embrace, Kate sought her touch, her gentle kisses, which made her whole. She had to go back to LA, to handle her life, and maybe then she could offer Dasher something more than the mess she had created. If only she’d had the courage to love this woman five years ago.
Feeling Dasher’s tears she opened her eyes and saw terrible sadness on Dasher’s face. “Dash, tell me.”
“I didn’t mean to push you. I didn’t want to force you into making love with me. I’m sorry.”
Staring, Kate said, “What are you talking about?” Warning bells sounded in her head, urging her to be quiet, not say how she felt. This was the perfect out. But she couldn’t, wouldn’t let Dasher think that she was responsible. She’d had enough of that in her life. “All my life people have used me to get something for themselves. You have never done that. Dasher, I love you. Last night was the best night of my life. Are you listening?”
Dasher was mentally preparing to pack and leave when the words began to make inroads in her misery. Her heart stuttered, stopped, then roared almost out of her chest. “I love you, too!” She sounded like a pubescent teenager but didn’t care.
They fell together, full of laughter mixed with the tears. Dash had never felt such joy. Abruptly she held Kate away from her and asked, “You were crying and I thought I was the cause. If not, why?”
The fear that crossed Kate’s beautiful eyes made Dasher want to tear something to pieces. Dasher ground out, “Joe Alder. What did he do? I’m going to kill him.”
A smile tugged at Kate’s lovely mouth, then vanished. She reached for her phone and brought up the text message. Dasher read it, her face frozen by the time she realized what this could mean.
“You aren’t leaving. You aren’t giving in to this man.”
Kate put a hand on her chest and a finger on her lips. “He’s not welcome in our bedroom. Not now, not ever. He can’t spoil the night we had.” She caressed Dasher’s breast, allowing her thumb to tease the nipple to attention. “Are you cold, darling?”
“Not anymore.”
Kate watched Dasher’s eyes turn from gray to indigo and touched her lips, swollen from the night before. She let her hands continue to explore the beautiful body that was still new to her. She wanted to know every inch of it: all of the tickle spots, all of the erogenous zones, every imperfection, every story. Then she planned to write a few of her own.
She reached to the magical vee between Dasher’s legs and thrilled at the passion gathered there. Slipping inside Dash, she pulled up, reveling in the gasp she received. Dasher called her name and sagged against her, making her whole body tingle in anticipation of Dasher’s climax.
“No.” Dasher stilled her hand. “You. You are mine.” She seemed barely able to choke the words out but determined to say them.
Time stopped.
Kate thought she might faint when Dasher sat back and delicately flicked her swollen clitoris with her thumb, then placed pressure right where Kate needed it. Suddenly, Dasher was everywhere, in every cell, taking away any self-control she thought she had. She came, wondering if perhaps she screamed, because the waves of sensation didn’t stop and nothing existed in her universe but Dasher and the love she had just given and claimed.
When she could open her eyes again, Dasher lay next to her, gazing with such love that she ached from its fullness. “Did you come, too?”
A slight nod and a smile told her yes, but. She cupped Dasher and found her drenched. “But not enough.”
The sun was peeking out from the fog by the time they slept again. They explored the limits of their passion and found none.
Chapter Sixteen
“He can’t do a thing to me. The only way he can hurt me is by hurting you, and I won’t let that happen,” Dasher said. They had managed to get out of the bed and actually showered—together, then separately.
“I’ve tried to break the contract, Dasher. He has to consent and he won’t. What he will do is make sure I get shit jobs until I’m old enough to play Mrs. Robinson seducing some teenager. He’s not above doing that. He’ll also plant rumors and innuendo about you in all the rags, online, you name it. He’ll try to undermine your list of talent. I’ve seen him do that with lesser-known names, and he’s succeeded. He hates you.”
“Yeah, I know. The more successful my clients, the more he clings to you. When I went to visit you in the hospital, he told me he’d have me arrested if I ever approached you again.”
“Hospital? What hospital?” Kate thought back to her knee injury. “Did you come see me when I was injured? I must have been out of it or I’d remember.”
When Dasher nodded absently, her creased brow told Kate that she was barely listening. Kate had dreamt Dasher was there, holding her hand. Then she vanished and Kate was left with a feeling of desolation when she woke up with only Joe there to yap at her.
Her phone sounded. They exchanged a look and she jumped when it warbled again. Tentatively she reached for it and checked the screen. “It’s a text from Laurel.”
After opening the message she read it and started laughing and, judging from the warmth on her neck, blushing. She handed Dasher the phone.
Hey, you two. Want to meet for breakfast? Brunch? Lunch? DINNER? Should we send in oxygen? We could dine in our suite so not everyone will tease you. Yet.
Sincerely, your sister Laurel and her FIANCEE Stefanie
Dasher was turning a nice shade of pink when she yelped, “Katie! Stefanie must have proposed to Laurel. Well, I’ll be damned. I never thought anyone would get Stef to the altar.”
Grabbing the phone, Kate read it twice more. “Laurel is something else. She’s my hero. She and Eleanor Roosevelt got me to invite you to my room last night.”
Only vaguely aware of Dasher’s head cocked to one side, she immediately texted back, then handed the phone to Dash to approve. It was natural to want her input. What a marvel. Oh, and she really loved it when Dasher called her Katie.
Ahem. Congratulations! Of course we’d love to meet you for…dinner. Say 6:30? Love, K and D
Dasher looked it over and nodded. Raising an eyebrow, she said, “You know, that’s five hours from now. We might starve to death.”
Kate grinned. “That’s what mini-bars are for. Let’s see what they’ve got because I have plans for you.”
“Let’s make that eight o’clock,” Dasher mumbled as she reached for the phone.
Kate threw the phone on the table. “Like it or not, we have to emerge sometime.”
Just then someone knocked on the door. Kate checked through the peephole and saw Ember Jones, sensational in a form-fitting black-and-white uniform, standing behind a food cart. She idly wondered if Ember prepared the food as well, then washed the dishes afterward.
Making sure they both were wearing something, she swung the door open. Ember, refusing to make eye contact and blushing a nice shade of magenta, pushed the cart into the room.
She stood back and grinned, then announced to the ceiling, “Compliments of the Hotel Liaison, our emergency cart
,” and vanished.
The cart contained five different appetizers, along with tea, coffee, water, and sodas. The note said, “Hydrate. Eat. You’ll need your strength. See you soon, Laurel.”
“My sister is getting way too much fun out of this.”
Sliding her arms around Kate’s waist, Dasher whispered, “Not nearly as much as we are.”
“Good point.”
*
At 6:30 they knocked on the door to Stefanie and Laurel’s suite, and Laurel threw the door open just as Stef popped the cork on a bottle of champagne. Once each of them held a flute of bubbly, Stefanie said, “To love. Forever, love.”
They toasted and drank, and Kate noticed that they all seemed to glow with optimism. “Say, when did you get engaged?”
Laurel said, “About the same time you got laid.”
“Laurel!” Kate was amazed. Her shy bookworm sister? Both Dasher and Stef were coughing, and Stefanie seemed to have gotten some bubbles up her nose.
Folding her arms, Kate commented, “Looks like we all accomplished that feat.”
Laurel started giggling and finally held up her hand. “Okay, okay, truce.”
Stefanie said, “We’re really happy for you two. Now tell us, how do you plan to handle Joe Alder?”
Sobering and glancing to each other, Dasher said, “Other than putting a hit out on him, any suggestions?”
For the next half hour they shared everything that had been happening, including showing them Joe’s text message.
“That disgusting man,” Laurel said. “Surely we can take care of him.”
A bell signaling a new text-message arrival rang for both Dasher and Kate. Kate’s stomach clenched as she saw it was from Joe, with attachments. Her face must have said it all because Laurel and Stef gathered around.
The message read, You have 24 hours or I release these on the Internet.
Three photos were attached: one of Dasher and Kate walking on the beach in Malibu and two of two women together, topless, from a distance, vaguely resembling Dasher and Kate.
“That bastard! Those paparazzi who’ve been following me must have taken the first one. They hung around the hospital where Dash’s mother is being treated. Now we know who they work for. The last two are nothing more than trumped-up garbage.”
From across the room Dasher quietly said, “But this isn’t.”
They all looked as she held up her phone to show a video playing on it. As they crowded close to the small screen, they watched a very young Greta Sarnoff give a man a blow job. She seemed spaced out, drugged, perhaps. She couldn’t have been more than twelve or thirteen, and she looked half-starved.
Kate said, “Poor Greta. Joe sent this to you?” She was afraid she would vomit.
“Yes. With the promise to release it if I see you again.”
Laurel stared in horror. Stef was pacing back and forth, her hands clenched behind her back.
Kate looked around the room and knew what she had to do. Alder planned to try to destroy not only her, but Dasher and now even Greta. Enough was enough.
She pulled out her phone and punched a number. When someone answered she identified herself and said, “Please send a limo to the Hotel Liaison immediately. Destination? San Francisco International.”
“Kate? What are you doing?” Laurel said. “We’re going to do all we can to help.”
Gazing into Dasher’s eyes, perhaps for the last time, Kate shook her head. “No, this is my mess, and I’ve jeopardized all of you because of it. Even Greta, who, God knows, doesn’t deserve any more tragedy in her life. I won’t do it. All I have to do is go back. Dasher, I…apologize.”
With that she was gone.
Laurel started for the door but Dasher’s voice stopped her “Let her go. If she’s not willing to try, there’s nothing I can do.”
After another minute of stunned silence Dasher stood and said, “If you’ll excuse me.” She closed the door behind her.
“Well, that went well.” Stefanie took Laurel’s hand. “Are you willing to forget about this?”
Laurel pulled her into a searing kiss. “Absolutely not. Let’s divide the list and start calling. Time for a meeting of Elysium.”
Chapter Seventeen
Kate slammed the front door of her home, opened it, and slammed it two more times. She’d been back in LA for a week and hadn’t heard from Dasher, Laurel, or Stefanie. Joe was smug and demanding, and she realized that he would only get worse. He’d always have the threat to hold over her head.
She couldn’t fall asleep because the erotic memories of her time with Dash kept her awake, and when she did sleep she had nightmares of being naked and defenseless with Joe Alder getting ready to do awful things to her. During the day her mind circled endlessly as she tried to figure out how to get away from Alder and back into Dasher’s arms.
Knowing she looked a wreck and not caring, she’d run twice as long as she normally did along the beach. She’d avoided Dasher’s stretch of shoreline, but the need for Dasher was becoming more unbearable by the minute.
“Why is it that when I finally fall in love I can’t be with the person I’m meant for? Why? My parents? They’ll get over it. My career? I quit. My fans? Some will stay, others won’t, who cares?”
Here she was, ready to give up fame and fortune for love, and she couldn’t even do that right. Joe must have realized she was willing to let it all go and figured out a way to hold on to her. All he had to do was threaten Dasher and Greta. Who knew Kate would actually have ethics? Wasn’t most of Hollywood amoral? What was wrong with her? She knew damned good and well that she couldn’t live with herself if she hurt Dash or Greta. Damn it all to hell.
She didn’t even register the doorbell until it rang at least ten times and someone began to pound on the door. The noise finally pulled her from her concentration, and she cursed whichever reporter or delivery person might be standing out there. Now she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from thinking about Dash again.
She stomped to the door and flung it open. There, on the front stoop, stood Mimi Pate. Behind her was Dasher’s father, Jerry.
“Mimi?” It had only been a few weeks since the surgery, and it must have taken a toll on her to come here to see Kate. From the redness of Jerry’s face, it was he who had pounded on the door. Kate felt guilty because she’d avoided calling even Mimi.
Mimi wobbled slightly and Kate immediately took her elbow, looking past Jerry Pate to their car, hoping Dasher was with them. It was empty and her heart sank. She’d blown it for good this time. Even if she could find a solution to the Joe problem, Dasher would never forgive her for running out on her again.
“Please, come in.”
She raised an eyebrow at Jerry, and he shook his head and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I’m gonna go for a walk.”
Kate couldn’t tell if he was mad at her or what he was feeling, since he had that tall, silent thing going on. She was really too distraught to care, but assumed he would cheerfully strangle her for hurting his daughter. Odd, that thought was strangely comforting. She didn’t know if the notion of him strangling her or his protectiveness of Dasher appealed to her more.
Mimi moved slowly but determinedly into the family room of the house and sat down on a chair with a big sigh. She motioned for Kate to sit opposite her. “I hope we aren’t breaking any of Joe Alder’s rules by showing up here. After all, we are related to Dasher.” She seemed amused at the idea.
Embarrassed at her all-too-apparent cowardice, Kate said, “Mimi, you’re always welcome. I’m surprised, that’s all. I thought you were agoraphobic.”
“Yes, well, it’s true I haven’t been out in a while, mostly because I was too drunk or stoned to move. But I have to try, now, don’t I? I promised Dasher before the surgery.”
An awkward silence fell between them. Finally, Kate had to ask, had to know. “Mimi, how is Dasher? Is she okay?”
Mimi’s eyes hardened for a moment, then softened. “Kate, sh
e’d be mad at me for saying this, but she’s devastated. She called the other day to check in and fell apart on the phone when I asked about you.”
“Oh, Mimi, I miss her so much. But I can’t risk her career and Greta Sarnoff’s, too. I presume Dasher told you what Joe Alder threatened. I don’t care if I ever perform again. I just wish I could find a way to be with Dasher.”
“You and I are in a similar position, then.” Mimi let that one lie there between them.
“What do you mean?” She couldn’t see any resemblance. What drugs did they have Mimi on?
“Well, I’ve been a shut-in for years, making everybody miserable, most of all myself. But I took the risk to try and make a new life, outside of the cave I’d hidden myself in. I might not have done it if it wasn’t for you and Dasher, and I still might have chickened out if I hadn’t heard the misery in Dasher’s voice. Even Jerry is worried enough to leave his work and try to help. We’re both in this place because of you two.”
Confused, Kate said, “Thank you?”
“You’re welcome. It’s a start.” Mimi smiled as if she hoped everything would turn out well for everyone.
“I still don’t see—”
“Kate, how much of the past month is new territory for you? Do you have new friends?”
Kate nodded.
“Are you in love?”
Her breath caught in her throat as she nodded again.
“Are you doing things that are completely out of your safety zone?”
“Yes, yes, yes! I don’t even recognize me. And no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to do the right thing. I know I have to leave Dasher or I’ll be risking everything for both of us, not even counting poor Greta. But all I really want to do is be with her. I want her forever, Mimi. I don’t care about anything else. What am I going to do?”
Mimi held out her arms and Kate collapsed into them, convulsed with sobs. “No matter what I do, I think I may have lost her.”
