"It kind of happens that way sometimes," Nalea said, smiling at Audra. "Right, babe?"
"You know it." Audra winked at her as they reflected on their own story of immediately hooking up in college. "That familiar feeling is why I believe in soulmates."
"She's sappier than me." Nalea leaned her elbows on the counter while watching me. "You look happy."
"I am. Also, best sex of my life." I clenched my teeth, lifting my brows with it. "Like no joke."
"It sounded so." Audra snickered and patted my arm again. "Good for you, girl."
"Hot damn. Veyda's panties are on fire. What makes her different than the other women you've dated?"
"I'm not sure. Our connection seems…on fire, like you said. Like just a simple kiss is erotic. Holding her is the most comfortable feeling in the world. She slept here without either of us overthinking it and me at her place on the day we made amends. It's beyond explanation, to be honest," I summed up to the best of my ability. "I don't understand it, but I certainly don't hate it."
"Does it really feel that different with her?" asked Audra, glancing over at Elara in her swing when she cooed.
"So different. Scary different a little bit." I blew out my breath. "I better go start my class. What time are you heading in, Nae?"
"Few minutes." She sighed dramatically. "This means your hiatus is over, too, right?" A smirk tugged the corner of her mouth as she pulled the small metal box that held our ear communicators from her pocket. "Back in the game?"
"I guess so." I accepted it from her. "But I'm seeing Harlow tonight so not too late."
"Don't you two go galivanting all over the city until midnight and make me the doting housewife." Audra pointed between us. "That was not the deal."
We both laughed and I leaned over to smooch her cheek. "I'll be home with you all day."
"Good." She huffed, then hugged me around the neck, her embrace cautious as always. "Speaking of, can you take little miss sleepyhead to class with you while I shower?"
"Of course. She's really good at sleeping through my lectures." I snickered and glanced to Elara. "She fits right in."
Nalea laughed at us and shook her head. "I'll text you updates, Vey. Don't do the news-watching rescue stuff yet. Let's start slow."
"'Kay." I slid from my perch then lifted Elara's swing carefully. "I'm taking my spoils to work."
They chuckled in my wake, and I set myself up in my room to bore Elara and about sixty other students to death via forced learning.
Our day carried on as usual with Audra and I sharing Elara throughout the day. Having her with me, grunting quietly while I graded papers, kept me entertained and not too distracted by my thoughts. I couldn't get Harlow out of my mind and my unmade bed served as a chronic reminder of the time we spent together. I ached to see her again, to share a longer conversation than the rush that ended us this morning.
Elara cooed, her eyes open as she gazed up at me from her slow-moving swing.
"Hi, little girl. Look at you all cute." I smiled, breaking away from my computer to scoop her up.
Her sweet smell, adorable noises, and warm body against mine settled some of the chaotic emotions rushing around. If anything though, my internal world overpowered the crushing stimuli of the city around me. I didn't even have to focus on shutting it out. My mind spun so fast inside me that it acted like an epic filter.
I abandoned my work and carried Elara to the living room. Audra fussed with something in the kitchen, but turned around when the baby's grunts announced us.
"There's my girl." She smiled, her eyes brighter than before.
"Did you get some rest?" I asked, patting Elara's diapered rear. "I just changed her, and she hasn't fussed."
"I did. Thank you for being the best auntie ever."
"Of course. She's easy to love and a good baby."
"She is. I'm fixing a Swedish meatball casserole for dinner. You like that, right? If I make your kind of meatballs."
I nodded and sat down on the sofa with Elara resting on my chest. "Yes. Mild flavors. For lesbians, we eat a lot of balls around here."
Audra chuckled. "Nae's going to text you soon. She might have two cases for you both tonight. And she's bringing home some boxes so we can start packing." She came to sit beside me on the sofa.
"Forgot about that…"
"Feeling any better about moving?"
I shrugged and nodded at the same time. "I guess. It's just…we've always been here. I know we've outgrown it, but still."
"Change is hard." She gave my knee a squeeze. "Think of it this way…you'll be able to invite Harlow over for dinner, just the two of you. You can make it as romantic as you want, and even plow her on the table if you so choose," she teased, snickering with it. "And you won't have to worry about Nae and I, or a toddler, busting in. We're all only a door away, just like now, except with a little more privacy."
"It does make sense. Moving is good, but I think I'll do what Nae said and just sleep in Elara's room with her until I figure out my own place. I don't have furniture of my own or anything…"
"We'll split things up from here, sweetie." She gave my hair a gentle tug. "And we're going to need stuff too. It's new for all of us."
When she admitted that, it settled some of my apprehension. "True. I'm keeping the television." I grinned and she swatted my arm.
"Hey! No way. It's mine. I use it the most. You never watch T.V."
I laughed hard, bouncing poor Elara with me, though she didn't seem to care. "I'm teasing."
"I know." She chuckled and nodded toward me. "Baby Boo is about two inches from going for your boob."
"Ack." I laughed and adjusted Elara, but she rubbed her face on my shirt and grunted. "Uh oh. I made her mad."
"Yep." Audra snickered and held out her arms. "I'll take her before she wails and hurts your ears."
"Oddly, it doesn't really bother me when she cries in a loud sense. It seems…normal." With caution, I returned Elara to her mother's waiting arms.
"When she's bottle-ready, you'll be able to feed her. Ready for that?" She settled the baby and adjusted her top to feed her.
"Yeah." I smiled while thinking about how cute Elara would look with a bottle. "I am."
"Think you'll have kids someday?"
"I don't think so. You can keep having them though. I get all the fun stuff."
"Well, you've certainly helped enough with Elara to be a third parent, and you're very good at it, mind you. Natural even." Audra brushed her finger over Elara's cheek. "And she loves you. You comfort her as much as Nae and me."
"Thank you." I leaned over to smooch her cheek. "I better go shower and get ready to leave this house when Nae texts."
"And see your girl."
"That too…"
"Don't sound so sure of yourself there," she said, lifting a brow while watching me go. "What's that about?"
"Hoping the superheroing bit doesn't take too long and I let Harlow down."
"Priorities, Vey. Being a Protector isn't your job, and it's not your obligation. You chose to do that to help people when they were in need. The last few weeks, you've lived a quiet, normal life and if you like that, you can choose it." Her words hit me hard, and I hung on every single one. "Like Nae choosing to be a detective rather than a beat cop. Yes, she's in dangerous situations but it's not like it used to be. Not patrol. She made that choice."
I nodded while listening to her.
"What do you want right now? What do you want to choose today?"
"Harlow." I tucked my hands into my pockets and shrugged.
"Okay. Remind yourself of that quick answer when you find yourself caught in the in between of decisions."
"I will." I walked backward toward my room. "I will."
***
"A hoverboard? Are you kidding me?" Nalea's voice burst through the communicator in my ear. "Why do they always run?"
"Because you always chase them." I raced after the suspect as he wove in and out of traffic, the hoverbo
ard swaying unevenly under his feet. He definitely had no idea what he was doing, and it showed. "Why are we helping the Marshals take down a warrant?"
"Because the FBI wants this hacker to work for them. Heading east on Stewart Street."
"Left?"
"Right!"
"I told you I'm not a compass, Nae!" I skidded in the shadows, my boots landing hard and sending a slew of rocks behind that I kicked up from the sidewalk. "Whoops."
"What whoops?"
"Broke the ground. No biggie. Lots of pent-up energy. I can't catch him running." I leapt onto the hood of a parked car as air whooshed behind me as if it anticipated my launch. It shoved me forward and I twisted, directing my trajectory. I spiraled between the streetlights and in between the dark buildings. Nighttime always served me better for my aerial acrobatics without drawing too much attention.
Sirens wailed behind me as Nalea led a fleet of patrol cars down the road as she used the tracker in my comms to follow my movements. I narrowly avoided a drone delivering a package to a balcony door, before angling myself downward once I found myself above the suspect. He looked up, the whites of his eyes visible when he widened them. That was all it took to break his concentration and the hoverboard wobbled.
I took my chance, going in for the dive and scooping him up off the ground right before he faceplanted. A startled shout left him, and he grabbed me around the neck.
"Holy fuck, dude!" he cried out.
"Don't make me drop you." My distorted voice rattled close to his face.
"A-are you getting me out of here?"
"Out of this particular region of the city?" I swung us around, taking a wide circle to adjust for the added weight. "Yep."
"W-where?" He squeezed me tighter, closing his eyes when the turn arched. "I'm gonna puke!"
"You made yourself dizzy on that board." My descent happened quickly, and I landed with a thud on top of the police van that skidded to a halt outside the corner bodega.
When I set him on his feet, his slighter than average form made itself known. He shrieked when he saw the police surrounding both of us, but I kept a hold on his jacket when he made to bolt.
"Shouldn't have hacked those documents, buddy." He struggled, but I lowered him down to the waiting cops as if playing the role of a stork delivering a big whining baby. "All yours, Detective."
Nalea grinned up at me as she pressed the man's face to the vehicle to cuff him. "My undying appreciation, Protector."
Camera flashes flickered from my right, and I turned to see a slew of people gathering to watch the scene. I rolled my eyes, turned my attention to the sky, and crouched on the roof of the van in hope of an epic take off. My body launched itself with the help of the harbor breeze and tossed me into the air.
I didn't rise to the height I preferred, but it was enough to get me out of there quickly. With distance between me and the scene, the quiet belonging to the sky calmed my pounding heart and caused my awareness of the rest of the hearts around me to fade. Wind lashed at me, fluttering in my ears while I closed my eyes for a moment. Misty rain splattered my cheeks in a cleansing bath that I didn't know I needed.
"You okay up there?" Nalea's voice asked in my ear.
"I'm fine."
"Three collars in one night. How's your shoulder?"
"A little sore. The bullet's gone though. You owe me a jacket."
"How about I get you a bullet proof super suit like that Protector in New York?"
"No." I scoffed at the idea. "Next you'll want me in a cape like the Canadians."
Nalea laughed. "I'm going home to my wife and kid."
"Okay."
When I opened my eyes again, I allowed myself to drift toward Harlow's apartment. She wasn't far from where we took down our last perpetrator and I knew she would be my final stop. It wasn't too late though, so I wondered if she was still at work. The Space Needle hung in the distance and my gaze fell on Harlow's balcony. Dim lighting filled the windows off it, belonging to the overhead fixtures in her kitchen. I listened for her, waiting for the beat of her heart to overpower the rest of the world. I closed my eyes, honing my senses in hope of hearing just her.
The soft thrumming of a relaxed beat made it to my ears, and I smiled. A loud squeak interrupted it, startling me enough to lose a few feet of height. The door to her balcony opened, and Harlow appeared, wrapping a thick sweater around her shoulders as she gazed into the night. She looked left and right with a worried expression softening her features. When she looked up, her gaze fell right on me as if she expected me to be there. I knew she shouldn't be able to see me right away, but the way her hands gripped the railing of the balcony told me otherwise. Her heart skipped a beat, but not in the excited manner I'd grown to crave.
I flicked off the voice distortion button on my respirator, and slowly lowered myself toward the balcony. "It's me. Don't be scared."
"Veyda." She gripped her sweater and let out a heavy breath. "I thought I saw something." As soon as I appeared in front of her, she released her shirt, and a broad smile curved her lips. "Hi."
"Hi. I didn't mean to scare you." I released the mask off my face, and she touched my cheek immediately.
"I know. How come I could see you? You were…a shimmer out of the corner of my eye. I've never seen that before." Her heart continued to pound and so I slipped my arms around her waist, urging her to me. Harlow's entire body melted into my arms, her hands falling to my shoulders as she seemed to breathe finally.
"I'm not sure." I kissed the end of her nose. "I should've called first."
"No." She smiled and let out a soft giggle. "This is a nicer surprise. And you said you'd see me tonight, so I somewhat expected it."
"I should've told you when or been clearer about it."
"You made good on your promise." She caressed my cheeks, her gaze meeting mine. "That's what matters."
"I wasn't sure if you were working late, so I checked here first. Can I kiss you?" I smiled when I asked, and she nodded right away.
When I pressed my lips to hers, she lifted to her toes and gripped the edges of my hat, tugging it down over my ears. The heat of her warmed my body left chilly by flying around in the damp night air. Coming together with her like this soothed something inside me that nagged and niggled at me all day. She ended our kiss with a soft gasp, then pressed her forehead to mine. Shivers brought goosebumps to her arms, and I chuckled.
"I love kissing you," I whispered, and she wrapped her arms around my shoulders, urging me into a hug.
"I love kissing you, too." She pressed her lips to my neck. "You're cold."
"A little bit." I caressed her back in gentle circles, enjoying the texture of the super soft material of her sweater.
"Come inside. I'll make some tea. Are you hungry?" She took my hand without skipping a beat and led me into her kitchen.
I pulled my hat off and sorted my messy hair after. "Tea is good. Not too hungry. Did you eat?"
"I had some yogurt before, but I could eat again."
"I'd like to ask you something," I said, giving her hand a squeeze.
"Okay…" Nervousness tightened her posture for a brief second. "What?"
"Nothing bad." I stroked her hip, while bringing her fingers to my lips. "Would you go to dinner with me tomorrow night? Like…a date."
Her face lit up with a broad smile, and she nodded immediately. "Yes." She chuckled, draping her arms over my shoulders. "Yes, of course."
My hands fell to her waist as my stomach fluttered with excitement. "Awesome. Taking my girlfriend on a date for the first time."
Harlow giggled, her lips brushing against mine. "I'd like to ask you something, too."
"Shoot." Confidence soared through me after her relieving answer. Audra's words about making sure I knew what I wanted hung heavily between us. "Anything."
"Every year at work we have a dinner-dance gala fundraiser event in the fall. It's a really big deal with the donors and politicians and big names flouncing about. I hate it, but
I go and schmooze how I'm supposed to." She raked her teeth over her bottom lip, her gaze flickering to mine. "Would you consider being my date?"
"I…" My brows flicked upward as a wave of astonishment hit me. "Yes. Of course I will."
"You seem surprised." Harlow tilted her head, her hair tumbling over her shoulder as she chuckled.
"I am. I didn't expect an invitation like that, but I'm happy to accept it," I said, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Why not?" She turned to kiss my hand.
"It's…a big deal. I mean, with the importance of your job and the environment and all." I drew in a slow breath.
"Yes." She nodded, her smile broadening. "It's a serious invitation."
"Are you still a little mad at me?" I teased, scrunching up my nose when I asked.
She laughed and tickled the back of my neck with her nails. "Nope. Not even a little at the moment."
"Awesome." I grinned, pumping my fist in the air. "Redeemed."
"Silly." She snickered while brushing her lips against mine, her smile never fading.
"Yup." I tugged her with me, urging her over to the sofa where I sat first.
Without hesitation, she climbed into my lap when I guided her to do so, straddling my thighs. The thin fabric of her cotton pants bunched around her hips, and she shrugged out of her sweater, letting it fall to the floor. It left her in only a faded white T-shirt, sheer enough for me to notice that she wasn't wearing a bra. Perky nipples pressed the fabric to peaks, and I caressed her sides in an attempt to control myself from going right for her breasts.
Her fingers fiddled with the zipper of my hoodie until she pulled it down and helped me out of it. As soon as I pulled my arms out, her attention shot to my shoulder.
"You're bleeding." She tugged the sleeve of my shirt up to inspect the spot where the bullet penetrated. "Or…you were bleeding. What happened?" She thumbed my skin, now mostly healed save for the pinkish welt.
"Humans love their guns," I said, though noticed her eyes lingered on the bloody shirt. "I can take it off."
She nodded and helped me pull it over my head, leaving me in just my thick-banded sports bra. Her gaze returned to mine then, worry wrinkling her brow.
Jawbreaker (Four Point Universe Book 14) Page 18
