by Julie Cannon
The thought of spending the day with Kyle in the sunshine and fresh air appealed to her. Lane didn’t know what Kyle typically did on the weekends, but she suspected she valued her free time. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to.” When Lane didn’t answer, Kyle prompted “Come on, what kind of damage can one woman do with a little paint. I promise, I’ll clean up any mess I make.” She had just about given up hope for a positive reply when Lane finally spoke.
“I can only imagine what you could do with a little paint.” Lane got up from the table and Kyle followed. Lane reached up and surprised Kyle by quickly kissing her cheek. “We start at seven. Don’t be late or you’re on clean up duty.”
*
“Kyle, are you listening to me?”
“Of course I am.”
“Then what did I just say?”
Kyle turned to the man who’d been sitting next to her in the passenger seat for the past three hours. Travis had received a reliable tip that the prime suspect in the homicide of Gloria Faulkner was staying in the nondescript house they were watching. So far the guy hadn’t made an appearance, but Kyle knew he would. He’d been Gloria’s pimp, and she wasn’t the only girl in his stable. He would step out the door to check on his girls as he did every night, and they would be there. They could have simply knocked on the front door, but their informant had warned them that there were several guns inside. It would be safer to make their arrest on the street.
Kyle resigned herself to the fact that she’d been caught daydreaming. “I have no idea what you said.”
Travis raised his eyebrows. Ordinarily Kyle was never distracted while working. In their occupation it was imperative that they remained aware of their surroundings at all times. Officers throughout the country paid the ultimate price when they didn’t realize there was a gun in the back of their head until it was too late.
“Are you seeing Lane?” Travis asked.
He knew her well enough to have guessed at the reason for her wool-gathering, and he was probably tired of waiting for her to spill. Kyle didn’t share much of her personal life at work, and she was aware that several detectives saw her as unfriendly.
Cagily, she stalled. “What makes you ask that?”
“You’ve changed,” Travis said with conviction. “It’s subtle and if someone didn’t know you as well as I do, they wouldn’t suspect a thing. Now, give it up.”
“Okay, we’ve gone out. So what?”
“Bain, I’m in no mood to drag out every answer. Spill it or I’ll sick Joann on you, and you won’t come out until you’ve coughed up your grandmother’s biscuit recipe.” Travis’ wife Joann was almost a better interrogator than her husband.
Kyle sighed at the inevitable. “We’ve gone out a couple of times, that’s all.”
“So far.”
“Travis,” she warned. It wasn’t as though she hadn’t thought that far ahead, but she had no plans to discuss the details with her partner.
“Come on Kyle, she’s hot. If you don’t sleep with her, you’re definitely not a lesbian. What’s stopping you? Not that you jump into bed with everybody—”
“Not everybody, only those who buy me dinner.” They both laughed and the tension dissolved. “Seriously Travis, Lane’s different. There’s a connection that I haven’t felt with anyone before. It’s more than physical, it’s almost kinetic, for lack of a better word.”
“So you two are clicking pretty good?” Travis regarded her skeptically. It was both a question and a statement.
“Yeah, we are.”
“Then what’s the problem?” Travis made it obvious on several previous occasions that he wanted nothing more than to see his partner as happily married as he was.
“I can’t, not yet.”
“Why not?”
“I haven’t told her about Hollie.”
“You what? Jesus Christ, Kyle, she’s a child, not a lifelong venereal disease!”
Kyle was frustrated with his incessant questioning of her actions. Or lack thereof. “You don’t understand.”
“No, Kyle, I don’t. Enlighten me, please.”
Kyle was saved from answering as a lanky man in a green fatigue jacket walked out of the house. “That’s him, let’s go.”
*
Lane woke early in anticipation of seeing Kyle again. She lay in bed as she had much of the night thinking about her detective. Between her friends and customers, Lane knew a lot of different women, but none were as intriguing as the one she was seeing now. Kyle was always so in control. There were times when she thought Kyle was about to let her in, but then suddenly she would pull back. Kyle was funny, knew the oddest trivial facts, was definitely attractive, and she oozed confidence but wasn’t cocky. She was always aware of her surroundings, but never appeared nosey. She saw ugliness every day but didn’t have a trace of bitterness. She was genuinely polite and treated Lane like she was the most important woman in the world. All of that in a stunningly wrapped package was the icing on the cake. And holy cow what a kisser!
She touched her lips remembering Kyle’s first kiss. The soft tentative exploration was more like a request for permission to kiss, versus taking possession. Each time Kyle touched her or kissed her it was the same. She was finally able to put her finger on what was so different. Kyle respected her, and Lane had not felt that from a woman in a long time.
She slid out of bed smiling this time at the butterflies dancing around in her stomach. She was going to see Kyle today, and she couldn’t wait. She hurried into the shower, shaved her legs all the way up and brushed her teeth twice as long as usual. She laughed while she ironed an old pair of cut-off jeans, but she wouldn’t dream of letting Kyle see her a wrinkled mess. As she drove to The SandPiper she felt like she was teetering on the edge of something she desperately wanted to step over.
Thirty minutes later, Lane turned into the lot, parking her car in the space next to the sleek Saab convertible. Kyle could not stop her eyes from traveling up and down Lane’s long legs as she stepped out of the car. Lane’s shorts were shorter than she wore while working, and if the increased speed of her pulse was any indication, Kyle predicted it was going to be a very interesting day.
“Good morning,” Lane said. “You’re here early.”
Kyle was waiting by the front door of The SandPiper and approached Lane’s car when she pulled into the parking space. “Well, you know, the early bird gets the best paint brush.” Kyle could barely restrain a grin.
“And gets to make the coffee.” Lane handed her a box of bagels then grasped Kyle’s T-shirt by the neck and pulled her in for a quick kiss. Lane winked at Kyle’s surprise and quickly unlocked the front door of The SandPiper.
It wasn’t long before tables and chairs were moved, the tarps put down, and the painting begun. Eight of Lane’s staff were making good progress on the east side of the patio while Lane and Kyle attacked the trim. They broke for lunch, but not before Kyle had been caught staring at Lane’s legs several times. One of those times, as she’d handed a rag to Lane, her face had been inches from the back of Lane’s knee. She was an instant away from running her tongue over the smooth surface when they were interrupted by one of the busboys asking for more paint. Kyle had recoiled so fast, she almost tripped over her paint tray.
After lunch, the sun beat down on the patio, and Lane handed out bottles of water so her workers were properly hydrated. She rounded the corner where Kyle was working and found her three steps up on a ladder. Kyle didn’t notice her at first, which gave her an uninterrupted opportunity to observe her favorite helper. She stared at the paint spattered running shoes and the legs that had obviously been used for running miles and miles. The hard muscles in Kyle’s calves tensed when she stood on her toes to reach a spot just out of her reach. The reach also provided Lane a glimpse all the way up the back of a firm thigh. She didn’t see any sign of a panty line but then again she didn’t think Kyle was the type to wear conventional un
derwear. I’ll bet she wears boxers.
Licking her lips at the thought, she watched the muscles in Kyle’s arms flex as she raised the paint brush over her head. A light sheen of sweat covered the tan skin exposed by the cut off sleeves of the La Jolla PD T-shirt. If she were just a step closer, she would be able to peek under the cut off bottom of the shirt. Her curiosity got the best of her and she did just that. Oh my!
She stopped breathing at the sight of a stomach hard and tanned all the way up to the white band of a sports bra. Taking full advantage of her position, she openly devoured the area with her eyes. The flesh was irresistible. Lane totally forgot where they were, and before she knew what was happening, she’d reached out to touch the warm skin.
Kyle had sensed that someone was behind her, and when they didn’t say anything, she knew it could only be one person. She chose not to let Lane know that she was aware of her, opting instead to see what she would do. The longer Lane watched her, the more difficult it was for her not to let on. Her body burned as if Lane was actually touching her. She heard Lane move and was prepared for her touch. What she wasn’t prepared for was the explosion that ignited in her stomach right under Lane’s fingers. Somehow she managed to act not surprised. She turned her head and looked under her arm.
“What are you doing?” Her voice cracked under the strain of maintaining control.
Lane quickly dropped her hand and stepped back, embarrassed. Wait, I have nothing to be embarrassed about.
“What do you think I’m doing?” she asked. She enjoyed toying with the tough detective.
Kyle didn’t move. “Making me crazy.”
Lane’s eyes sparkled with a combination of desire and mischief. “Really?”
Kyle stepped down one step. “I think,” she stepped down another, “that you,” she went down the final step and her body brushed against Lane’s, “know exactly what you’re doing.”
That was not the response Lane expected, but she was thrilled nonetheless. Kyle didn’t move any closer. Her eyes were pinpoints of desire and, staring into them, Lane could feel her chest rising and falling with small shudders. Her breathing grew shallow. Her hands itched to touch the wavy dark hair blowing in the wind. She had never felt so wound up from the closeness of a woman. The tension between them increased as the silence stretched unbearably. Not sure if she wanted it to continue or be released from it, she took a step forward, letting her breasts come into contact with Kyle’s.
“Does it bother you?” she asked innocently.
Kyle breathed deeper and her eyes flared with desire. “What bothers me is that there are eight people too many here to allow you to finish what you’ve started.”
Before Lane had a chance to reply, two of those people called for her from the other side of the deck. An interruption was the last thing she wanted at his very moment. Struggling to control her breathing, she cursed, “Fuck!”
“No thanks, not right now.” Kyle kissed Lane quickly on the lips. “Maybe later though.” She raised her eyebrows.
Lane’s face was flushed with passion, and she licked her lips in unconscious anticipation. Kyle yearned to do something about her transparent need, but this was not the time or place. Besides, the wait would keep them both on edge, and she enjoyed making love under those circumstances. Holding that thought and resisting the silent plea in Lane’s expression, she went back up the ladder.
*
Several hours later the patio sported a fresh coat of paint, the mess was cleaned up, the workers fed, and they were all sharing a washtub of ice cold beer. The guys were playing a game of touch football while Lane and Kyle sat in the sand, their backs against the seawall that protected the patio from the tidal surge.
Kyle dangled her long-neck beer from hands that rested on top of her bent knees. The sun had just touched the water and for the first time in days she felt totally relaxed. She’d been struggling with her feelings for Lane and couldn’t quite put her finger on what was so different about how she felt when they were together. The best way she could describe it was that she felt at peace.
Lane watched the sun hit the water and reflected on her day spent with the enigmatic woman sitting next to her. Her heart had been racing ever since she saw Kyle first thing this morning and could not return to its normal rate while she sat this close. Her skin tingled where she remembered Kyle touching her, and her body craved more. She felt the heat emanating from Kyle’s body and desperately wanted to be wrapped in its warm cocoon. Kyle’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
“It felt good to get out and do something physical all day. I’ve been buried under mounds of paperwork.” She finished her beer and reached for another.
Lane could stand it no longer. “It felt good touching you.” Her voice was so quiet she wasn’t sure if Kyle heard her, but judging by her reaction, she had.
Kyle’s hand froze on the bottle cap. “Yes, it did, very good.”
They stared at each other, their eyes doing all the talking.
Shaken by what she saw, Lane finally asked, “So, what do we do now?”
“We find some privacy. Let’s walk.”
Lane accepted Kyle’s outstretched hand and got to her feet. Kyle didn’t let go of her hand but held it firmly as they started walking. After several minutes, they were far enough from the people that the sound of the lapping water was all they heard. The night was cool and the occasional spray of sea water crashing over rocks was invigorating. Kyle seemed to be lost in her thoughts, and Lane didn’t know what to say, if anything so she said nothing at all. A fog horn sounded in the distance.
“Lane, there’s something I have to tell you.”
Oh shit, she’s already in a relationship. Lane’s step faltered.
Kyle saw Lane’s reaction and quickly said, “No, no, it’s not bad. I’m not married or dying or anything like that. I have a daughter. She’s a year old, and my sister’s child. Alison died shortly after Hollie was born.”
“You have a daughter? Kyle, that’s wonderful. Tell me about her. Do you have a picture? Is she walking yet?” She was full of questions and couldn’t remember when she’d felt more relieved.
Kyle reached into her wallet, and Lane saw that her hand was shaking. She grasped the shaking hand with one of her own. “Kyle, it’s all right.” The sky was clear, providing enough light for Lane to see the photo. “My God. She looks just like you.”
Kyle chuckled. “She should. Alison and I were identical twins.”
Lane’s hand flew to her mouth masking a gasp. Just as quickly she lowered it and took Kyle’s hand. “I’m sorry.”
The simple words meant a lot. “Thanks. It’s been quite a transition for both of us. I certainly wasn’t prepared to raise a child, and Hollie didn’t expect to be raised by someone other than her mother. But we’re getting along pretty good.”
“Who watches her when you’re at work?” Lane thought about the times they had gone out and today. “Kyle, you’ve been here all day. Where is she now?”
“My parents have her for the weekend. I also have a nanny. Gretchen has been with me since Hollie came home. I have a guest house that she lives in, which makes it convenient when I have to work late or I’m called in. Hollie adores her and I’m grateful to have her.”
“That’s right, you said your parents live close, didn’t you?”
“Yes, they live over on Invergordon. They see Hollie all the time. Sometimes I think they see her more than I do.” Like any other working mother, Kyle struggled to balance the demands of a job she loved with her need to parent a child she loved even more.
Lane hesitated before asking her next question, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer. “Why did you wait so long to tell me?” She wasn’t mad but couldn’t fathom why Kyle hadn’t told her earlier.
“I wanted to be a little more sure of us. That we got along, had fun and…you know.” Kyle felt foolish that she had waited. “Most women don’t want an instant family, especially one with baggage like this.”
“You were afraid I would lose interest because you have a child?” Lane’s question was not accusatory, but she looked directly into Kyle’s eyes for the answer.
“I want to be careful who I bring into Hollie’s life,” Kyle said. “I don’t want women parading in and out of our home. I don’t want Hollie forming attachments when there’s nothing…secure.”
“Do you see me as part of that parade?”
Kyle grasped Lane’s hands. “Absolutely not. That’s not what I meant. What I mean is that my life is different now that I have a child. Everything I do affects her in some way. And I’m going to do my damnedest to make sure it’s positive.”
Lane read the love of her child in Kyle’s expression, and she wanted to meet the little girl who looked so much like the woman standing in the moonlight. Her heart ached at the uncertainty on Kyle’s face. She knew of one way to change that and wrapped her arms around Kyle’s neck. “I’m glad you told me.” Drawing Kyle to her, she kissed her.
Kyle walked Lane to her car and made another major decision. “There’s another reason why I had to tell you about Hollie.”
Lane stopped as she unlocked the door. “And that is?”
Kyle gently cupped Lane’s cheek in her hand while she ran her thumb over red lips. Her eyes blazed a trail across the smooth face, and she was certain her desire was written all over her own face. “I want to make love with you, and I couldn’t until I told you. That would’ve been wrong and deceitful.”
Lane appreciated the risk Kyle had taken with the revelation that she had a child. She very easily could have walked away, and she was sure many women would. Another element of Kyle’s character was standing exposed in front of her. To Kyle, omission of the information would be just as bad as an outright lie.
