by Carsen Taite
“Yes. You have no idea what you were getting in the middle of.”
“I might now.”
Dale nodded. “Good point.” She took a deep breath. “If it’s time for confessions, you should know I planted a tracking device in your suit jacket at the event today.”
“So that’s how you managed to get to me so quickly?”
“Yes. Plus, I had a little help from my friends.”
Dale owed Peyton and Mary everything. Not only had they been her backup today, but when SRT finally arrived, Peyton had stepped up at the scene and taken control of the investigation, overruling the team commander’s insistence that Lindsey leave with them to be debriefed. They’d settled on an interview in the morning, and Dale had whisked Lindsey away before anyone changed their minds.
She’d started driving to Lindsey’s hotel, but Lindsey overruled that choice, calling Elaina on the drive back to let her know she was okay and that she’d see her and the rest of her team in the morning. Now they were here in her apartment and Dale was unsure what would happen next.
“Would you like me to make you something to eat?” She opened the refrigerator. “I have some eggs, and—” She stopped when Lindsey cleared her throat. “What?”
“If it’s okay with you, I’d like to lie down for a little while.” Lindsey glanced around the room. “Okay if I take the couch?”
“No.” Dale stuttered the reply, surprised at how nervous she was at the prospect of offering something more. “I mean, you should take the bed, my bed.” She held out a hand. “Come on, I’ll show you.”
Lindsey didn’t hesitate, and her grip was tight, firm, and solid. “Only if you’ll stay with me.”
And there it was. The tipping point. She shouldn’t be surprised. After all, Lindsey had wanted to come back here, but she’d told herself Lindsey just needed a secure place to hide away until she was ready to face questions about her ordeal.
But she’d known better. The easy way Lindsey leaned into her arms and the simmer in her eyes told her the arousal she’d felt since the moment they’d met was a two-way street. Now was the moment to back out if she wasn’t ready, but ready or not, Dale didn’t want to miss out on the possibility of something more.
The bedroom was only a few steps away. Dale pushed Lindsey gently back against the bed and helped her undress. With each slow, sluggish movement, she could sense Lindsey’s growing exhaustion, and she knew that whatever she wanted had to take a backseat to Lindsey’s well-being. She tucked her into the covers and said, “Hey, how about a little nap?”
“Perfect, yes,” Lindsey murmured. Her eyes fluttered shut, and Dale stood at the side of the bed and stared. Lindsey’s auburn hair was fanned out on her pillow and her face was relaxed, her expression worry-free. She started to walk away, but Lindsey reached out and grabbed her leg, her words a soft whisper. “Stay. You promised.”
Dale kicked off her boots and crawled into bed, curling Lindsey against her chest. She was ready for more, but more could wait. Right now, she’d enjoy this—the overwhelmingly satisfying feeling of wanting and being wanted in return.
*
When Lindsey woke, she was wrapped in a Dale cocoon. Dale’s hands were resting on her naked stomach and her skin pulsed against the light and simple pressure. Craving more contact, she pressed back into Dale’s arms. Her efforts were met with a deep moan and her clit pounded with arousal at the sound.
“You’re awake.” Dale’s voice was husky and low, her breath warm against her neck.
“So are you.”
“I didn’t sleep.”
Lindsey turned in Dale’s arms until they were face-to-face. She ran a hand along Dale’s firm, flat torso. “You’re wearing clothes.”
Dale smiled. “You’re very observant. You should be a reporter.”
Lindsey traced the buttons on Dale’s shirt with her finger. “This should come off.” She twisted a button loose and then looked up to meet Dale’s eyes. “Okay?”
Dale’s breath hitched. “Okay.”
“Good.” Lindsey unfastened two more buttons and slid her hands into Dale’s shirt, skimming her tight abs, and teasing her by tracing slow circles across her skin.
Dale groaned. “You’re making me crazy.”
“In a good way?”
Dale clutched her hands and held them still. She brought them to her mouth and kissed her fingertips. “In a very good way.”
“Then don’t stop me.” She wrestled her hands loose and reached down to undo Dale’s trousers. “Help me get you out of these.”
Dale responded quickly, shucking her pants and underwear and tossing them onto the floor. Lindsey lay back and admired Dale’s body. She was lean and muscular without the obvious bulges of a bodybuilder. Everything about Dale signaled a quiet strength, inside and out, and she vowed to respect it. “Is this okay? Is this what you want? Because if it’s not…”
Dale placed a finger across her lips. “I want you. Here, now.”
Lindsey gasped as Dale rolled over and straddled her, sliding her wet center along her naked thigh. “Oh my God, that feels amazing.”
Dale leaned close and licked kisses along her neck while she rocked against her leg. When Dale whispered in her ear, the soft tickle of her warm breath had Lindsey squirming with arousal. “Tell me what you want,” Dale said.
Lindsey wanted hours like this, days spent touching and teasing, cresting wave after wave of pleasure. At some point she would want Dale above her, taking control, but after everything she’d been through today, she needed to be in charge. She didn’t want to risk losing this moment, this momentum to her own weakness, but her inner voice urged her to trust. “I want, I need to be on top.”
“Of course.” Dale got it, and she could’ve kicked herself for not thinking of the toll this day had taken on Lindsey and that she might be vulnerable because of it, but it was hard to see her as anything but a strong, vibrant presence. She pulled Lindsey close and rolled onto her back, never losing the exhilarating contact of skin on skin. “Better?”
“Perfect.”
Lindsey smiled and bent down, licking first one nipple then the other. Dale arched into her touch and cried out as Lindsey sucked and nipped at her aching breasts. Desperate to feel her, Dale reached between them and slid her fingers through Lindsey’s silky wet center.
“Oh yeah,” Lindsey said. “I want you inside me.”
Dale inserted one finger then another, and then she eased them in and out in a steady rhythm while she stroked Lindsey’s clit with her thumb. Lindsey moaned and pressed hard against Dale’s hand while she flicked her tongue harder and faster against Dale’s breasts. When Lindsey clenched tight against her fingers, Dale increased the pace of her strokes, knowing Lindsey needed this release now. Later, they could take their time.
Dale pulled Lindsey close as she felt the rising tide of her orgasm. “Come on, baby. I’ve got you.”
“Come with me,” Lindsey cried.
As Lindsey began to buck against her she slipped her fingers into Dale, and Dale jerked at the hard pleasure of penetration. Seconds later, they came in each other’s arms.
“That was amazing,” Lindsey said as she snuggled into the crook of Dale’s arm.
“Absolutely.” Dale studied Lindsey’s face. “You okay?”
“I’m perfect, but if you keep looking at me like I’m going to break, I’m going to punch you in the nose.”
Dale propped herself up her elbow. “You and what army?”
“Okay, truth be told, I don’t want to do anything to mar that handsome face of yours, but trust me I’m fine. I’ve been through trauma before. You don’t have to worry that I’m going to want to top you every time.”
“Oh, I don’t know, I kinda liked it.”
“Kinda?”
Dale laughed and it felt good. It had been so long since she’d been intimate with anyone, she’d forgotten about the fun, cuddly afterglow. She’d always had that with Maria, but she feared she’d never have it
with anyone else.
“You’re thinking about her.”
“What?” Dale dodged the subject even though she knew exactly who Lindsey was talking about.
“Maria. You get this faraway look. Like you’re meeting her in your head.” Lindsey shrugged. “Or something like that.”
Dale lay back down so she was no longer facing Lindsey. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Unless you were wishing it was her here instead of me.”
Dale shook her head. “I wasn’t. I mean, I miss her. Desperately, sometimes, but I know she would want me to move on.” She paused to consider her words. “I was thinking that I’ve never felt this way with anyone besides her.”
“What way is that?”
“Exhilarated. Alive. She would be happy for me.”
Lindsey put her head on Dale’s shoulder and whispered in her ear. “That makes two of us.”
*
Dale heard the screech of tires and ran to the window. The sight of the two black SUVs speeding down the street sent chills down her spine. She scanned the front lawn, but there was no one there. She prayed that because she knew what was coming, she could stop it this time.
She grabbed her gun off the dresser and ran to the front door, but it stood open and she could see the SUVs approaching fast. “Stop!” she screamed. “Come back inside!”
Her pleas were met with silence. She ducked out the door and was greeted by the ringing sound of rapid fire. She saw the body lying facedown on the lawn and ran toward her, firing her weapon until she’d emptied the clip as the SUVs roared away.
“No!” she screamed and dropped to the ground. The ripped clothes, the blood splatters told her it was too late. She threw down her gun and beat her hands on the grass. She’d been here this time and it hadn’t mattered. Maria was still dead, and she’d been powerless to stop it.
She bent over Maria’s body and gently rolled it toward her, but it wasn’t Maria. It was Lindsey, her body torn and pierced, bloody and battered.
Dale jerked awake and sat up. Sweat poured down her neck and she struggled to catch her breath. It was dark outside, but she didn’t know if it was late night or early morning. She patted the bed next to her. Lindsey. She was here, and based on the gentle sounds of her breathing, she was alive and well. Dale quietly slipped out of bed, pulled on her pants, and walked to the kitchen. She poured a cold glass of water and downed it in one drink. After a few minutes, her breathing was under control.
She looked at the clock. It was morning. She was alive and Lindsey was fine. She hadn’t had one of those dreams for a while, but her rational brain told her it was just a side effect of yesterday’s events and everything was okay.
“What time is it?”
Dale looked up to see Lindsey standing in the hall. She looked sleepy and rumpled and beautiful, and all she wanted to do was take her right back to bed. “It’s seven. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Lindsey stretched her arms and yawned. “You didn’t. I’m still on East Coast time, so it’s late for me.”
“Hungry?”
“Actually, I’m starving. Did you say something about eggs last night?”
“I did indeed,” Dale said. “Eggs are the one dish even I can’t ruin.”
“Make me an omelet and I’ll love you forever.” Lindsey froze. “I mean, well…”
Dale grinned. “What’s the matter? Star reporter at a loss for words? Alert the media. Oh, wait!”
Lindsey sighed with relief. After the fantastic time they’d had the night before, she had no desire to chase Dale off by saying something she might not be ready to hear. Besides, the first time she said I love you shouldn’t be because of an omelet. Time to change the subject. “You mind if I use your phone? I should check in with Elaina.”
“Sure. I don’t have a landline,” Dale said. She pointed at the counter. “But my cell’s over there.”
Elaina answered on the first ring. “Are you okay? Do you need me to come get you? I can’t believe you didn’t come back here last night. Larry’s been calling constantly.”
“Tell him I’m fine.”
“You can tell him. He has a surprise for you.”
“Surprise?”
“I’ll let him give you the details, but that Syria assignment is yours if you want it. Susan told him to give it to you.”
“Syria, really?” She’d been wrangling for an assignment in Syria to investigate the growing threats from ISIS, but the network hadn’t wanted to spend the money or take the risk of putting a major name in the field. “Why now?”
“Guess you haven’t seen the news. I didn’t think you could be more popular, but I guess saving some kids and getting kidnapped has sent your credibility through the roof.”
Lindsey let Elaina drone on for a few more minutes before she interrupted to say that she’d be back at the hotel after she debriefed at the DEA field office later that morning. When she hung up she saw Dale staring at her with an odd expression.
“What’s up?” Dale asked. Her voice sounded like she was trying too hard to be casual.
“Nothing. Well, actually something. It looks like I’m getting to go to Syria on assignment.”
“Syria?”
“I pitched a story about ISIS a while back and the network has finally decided to back it.” Lindsey saw Dale’s scowl and anticipated her concern. “I won’t be gone long. Maybe a month at the most.”
Dale’s expression didn’t change. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I might be able to put it off for a few weeks.”
“No. I don’t want you to go ever.” Dale’s face was pleading now. “You almost died yesterday and that was here at home. Syria is exponentially more dangerous.” Her voice got very quiet. “You could die.”
Lindsey heard the rising panic in Dale’s voice, but she wasn’t willing to concede the point. “You put yourself in danger every day. Why is it different when I do it?”
Dale didn’t hesitate. “Because you have a choice. You choose to put your life at risk and for what? Ratings?”
Lindsey stared, unable to believe Dale was minimizing the work she’d dedicated her life to doing. She’d never given ratings a second thought. Every single choice she’d made was about finding the truth and exposing those who wanted to hide it from people who had a right to know how their government was run, how their tax dollars were spent, and how the decisions of their leaders affected their everyday lives. The only time she’d strayed from her mission was when she’d consented to do this toothless piece of PR, but she wouldn’t go back and change that decision if she could since it had ensured she’d have the freedom to keep doing the kind of stories she was known for. Not to mention she’d met Dale because of it.
She walked across the room, slid her arms around Dale’s waist, and pulled her close, ignoring the way she tensed at being held. What she had to say needed to be delivered up close and personal. “Look, I get it. You’re scared. Scared of what happened to Maria, to me. Scared of what happened between us. Scared of what could happen in the future. All valid. But what I do is important, not just to me, but to the public. You took an oath when you became an agent to defend the constitution. Well, the press is the looking glass through which the public makes sure that’s being done.”
“But, I—”
Lindsey placed a finger across Dale’s lips. “Sorry, babe, I have one more thing to say and then you can have the floor. There’s nothing wrong with falling in love with someone who puts herself in danger. You,” she poked a finger against Dale’s chest, “put yourself in danger every day and that didn’t stop Maria from loving you. Maybe your sacrifice made her love you even more. Give the rest of us a little credit.”
She wanted to say more, but she resisted the temptation to beg Dale to see her side of it. She knew from personal experience, strong women don’t like to be pushed. If they were going to make a go of the feelings developing between them, Dale had to get there on her own.
She pulled her
hands back from Dale’s waist, but Dale caught them before they dropped to her side. Her grip was soft, tentative, but Lindsey was grateful for the connection, however tenuous. She held her breath and waited.
“You’re brave and strong and amazing. I wish I had half the courage you do.”
Lindsey heard the unspoken “but” and braced for Dale’s next words.
“I just can’t do it. Not again. I would smother you with my fear, and you would resent me for it. You deserve so much more.”
Lindsey stared at Dale’s face, wracked with pain, and all she wanted to do was comfort her, but she couldn’t, wouldn’t deliver the reassurances Dale needed to hear. She believed with her whole heart they could make it work despite the drive they each possessed to be authentic to who they were, but unless Dale believed it too, they would fail. Better to walk away now, before they caused each other irreparable pain.
She tugged her hands out of Dale’s grasp and reached to place one on either side of Dale’s face and kissed her softly before she walked away.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Dale tensed at the knock on her door. She’d been at the office for the last hour waiting on her debriefing session and wondering if Lindsey would show up. “Come in.”
The door swung open and Diego was standing in her doorway. Dale wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed. She didn’t know what she’d say to Lindsey if she did show up. She’d started to call her number no less than ten times already that morning, but each time she’d stopped before connecting the call because nothing had changed. She could concede the point that Lindsey’s work was as valuable as her own, but she couldn’t handle the constant worry that came with being in love with someone who took the kind of risks Lindsey did. She’d fallen in love with Maria before she’d become involved with dangerous cases so she hadn’t had a choice, but now she had the opportunity to shield her heart, and it was best for both of them if she did.
“You ready?” Diego asked.
“Sure. When are you meeting with Ms. Ryan?” If she knew when, she could make sure she was out of the office to make things less awkward for both of them.
