by Radclyffe
“Hell, Nita, why didn’t you say something.” KT shook her head. “I’m okay here. You should go sit down until I can fill you in the right way.”
“I’d rather stay.”
“Okay, then pull up a chair and hold her hand.”
“What?”
“Hold her hand. It will be good for her, and it’ll be good for you.”
“I might be needed if we have more injured.”
“If Tory needs you, she’ll let you know.” KT deftly inserted a series of sutures closing the incision in Deo’s abdomen. “Right now, just be her lover.”
“Yes.” Nita reached for an unoccupied chair and pulled it close. She sat down and took Deo’s hand. It was cool and still. She held it to her cheek. “That’s just exactly what I want to do.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Tory assured herself that KT had things under control with Deo and that none of the firefighters or paramedics were suffering from smoke inhalation or other life-threatening problems. Then she went in search of her lover.
“Nelson,” Tory said sharply, coming upon Reese and Nelson in a huddle at the perimeter of the activity. “You’re supposed to be sitting down monitoring communications. Not briefing with your officers.”
“I was just—” Nelson began.
“And you,” Tory said, grasping Reese’s sleeve, “require medical attention. Now. I don’t have time to go through our usual song and dance about this.”
Reese took one look at Tory and said, “Chief, I’ll check in with you later.”
Nelson’s eyebrows rose, but he merely nodded and hastily made himself scarce.
“Sit down right here, darling,” Tory said more quietly, guiding Reese to a wooden folding chair. Her initial relief at having seen Reese walking in under her own power had given way to alarm when she’d seen the smudged bandage carelessly wrapped around her hand and forearm.
“How are you doing?” Reese asked, obediently sitting.
“I’m not the one who’s injured.” Tory pulled on gloves and carefully removed the gauze. “How did this happen?”
When Reese hesitated, Tory pulled off her gloves, squatted down in front of her, and braced her hands on Reese’s thighs. Looking up into her face, she said gently, “I already know that you’re all right. I won’t be frightened by hearing how you got hurt. It’s important for me to know. I’m your lover.”
Reese brushed her fingers over Tory’s cheek. “I keep wanting to protect you, but I can’t, can I?”
“You do protect me.” Tory smiled wearily. “But not the way you think. I don’t want to be protected from the truth, especially not when it’s your truth. But you shelter my heart, and that makes me strong. That’s the gift you give me.”
“Thank you,” Reese murmured. She looked at her hand. “Deo got hit with burning debris. I pulled her away from it and got a bit singed.”
Tory waited.
“The wind came up faster than anybody expected,” Reese said, covering Tory’s hand where it rested on her thigh. “The fire really took off, and a section of the roof broke loose. It was a flaming torch, and it came down so fast there was no time to do anything. There was no time. No time to warn anyone. No time to find cover.”
“God, that sounds terrifying.”
“I had people on the ground and no way to warn them.”
Reese’s gaze turned inward and Tory realized she wasn’t recalling the events of an hour ago, she was back in Iraq with the night on fire and her marines dying. Tory’s first instinct was to bring Reese back, out of that place, away from that horror, but she didn’t. Instead, she held Reese’s uninjured hand more tightly, biting her lip to hold back the words of comfort Reese didn’t need.
“I couldn’t get to them in time. Some went down. I lost them.” Reese focused on Tory’s face, her eyes filled with torment. “I lost them, Tor.”
“Not tonight, you didn’t,” Tory whispered, praying she was saying the right thing. She wouldn’t insult Reese by denying what Reese had gone through out there in the desert. If Reese felt responsible, nothing she could say would change that. But she didn’t have to stand by and let Reese suffer for the rest of her life for something Reese couldn’t change. “Casualties of war, isn’t that what you’re taught? That people die, no matter what you do. I know in my heart if you hadn’t been there, more would have died. I know that with everything I am. And if you won’t believe me, believe this—Deo’s alive tonight because you were here, doing your job.”
“I do believe you.” Reese tugged on Tory’s hand and pulled her up and against her body, then rested her cheek against Tory’s breast. “Tory, you are the truth in my world.”
Tory stroked Reese’s hair. “Then trust you did your best, and trust it was enough.”
Silently, Reese nodded.
Catching movement out of the corner of her eye, Tory saw Bri halt hesitantly a few feet away, her worried gaze fixed on Reese. She smiled and motioned her over. Then she gently drew away from Reese and found another pair of sterile gloves. “Let’s see that hand, Sheriff.”
Reese held out her arm as Bri joined them.
“Got a report for me, Officer?” Reese asked, her voice strong and steady.
“Yes ma’am,” Bri said smartly. “The fire chief just radioed in. Both fires are under control. The rest of Deo’s crew is still working on the pier, but it looks good.”
“Good. What about civilians?”
Bri glanced down at a paper in her hand. “The chief got calls from a dozen families who are without power or are flooded out. They’ll need to be evacuated to here.”
“Who’s on that?”
“I told Smith and Allie to grab something to eat, and then start with those families with elderly or kids. Is that okay?”
“Sounds good.” Reese winced as Tory trimmed torn skin from around a blister on the back of her hand.
“Sorry,” Tory murmured. “These aren’t too bad, but they’ll do better if I get rid of some of this debris.” She sighed. “I really wish you could manage not to use your body as the first line of defense.”
Bri laughed and Tory glared at her.
“Uh,” Bri said, backing up a step. “So that’s it, then. I’m just going to grab a coffee and say hi to Carre, and I’ll be ready to head out.”
“I’ll be with you in five,” Reese said. “Don’t forget to restock the cruiser with emergency supplies.”
“Roger,” Bri said, hurrying away.
“How’s she doing,” Tory asked, applying burn ointment to Reese’s hand.
“Solid. She’s got a natural instinct for command.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?”
Reese chuckled. “Better than good. Someday, she’ll take Nelson’s place.”
“Not you?” Tory taped the gauze she’d wrapped around Reese’s wrist and got unsteadily to her feet. She wore her ankle brace, but after eighteen hours on her feet, nothing could prevent her leg from stiffening. Reese rose quickly and slid an arm around her waist.
“These few weeks as acting chief have been more than enough for me,” Reese said. “Now it’s about time you took a break.”
“I’m all right.”
“No you’re not. Come on.”
Tory tried to protest, but Reese just ignored her.
“Sit here,” Reese commanded, indicating a bench along the wall. “I’ll be right back.”
Bowing to the inevitable, Tory slumped down, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes. The sound of Reese calling her name and gentle shaking brought her awake. She rubbed her face.
“Oh my God, I fell asleep.”
Reese handed her a cup of coffee and a hastily assembled ham and cheese sandwich. “For about five minutes. Here. Refuel, Dr. King.”
Tory took a bite because she was too tired to argue and suddenly realized she was hungry. She finished the hasty meal and washed it down with a gulp of coffee. “Thanks.”
“Just doing my job,” Reese said as she leaned down and kissed
her.
Reese’s eyes were clear and sparkling. The pain that so often rode through them was gone. Tory brushed Reese’s hair back with her fingertips. “Welcome home, darling.”
“It feels really good to be here. I love you.”
“I love you.” Tory listened to the rain and the wind. The storm was not over, but perhaps the worst had passed. “You’ve got people to see to, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“You will be careful out there, won’t you?”
“I will.”
“Then go, Sheriff. I’ll see you when you come home.”
Reese kissed her one last time. “I’ll be home just as soon as I can.”
Tory watched her go, content in knowing that Reese would always do whatever it took to come home to her.
*
Deo awoke with a start and immediately tried to sit up. Something was holding her down, and for a second, she thought she was underwater again. Gasping, she struggled to get to the surface.
“Deo, baby,” Nita said urgently. “Deo, it’s all right. Lie still.”
“Gabe!” Deo gripped Nita’s arm so tightly Nita cried out. “Where’s Gabe?”
Nita leaned over so Deo could see her face and stroked Deo’s forehead. “There’s been an accident, sweetheart. You’ve been hurt, but you’re going to be all right.”
“Nita?” Deo whispered, growing still.
“Yes, baby. I’m here.”
“Gabe’s dead, isn’t he?”
Nita thought her heart might break at the forlorn sound of Deo’s voice and the terrible naked pain in her eyes. “Yes, baby, he is. It was a long time ago. It was an accident.”
Deo closed her eyes and Nita kissed her forehead.
“It wasn’t your fault,” Nita murmured. “Do you hear me? It wasn’t your fault.”
“What happened?” Deo asked, finally opening her eyes.
“What do you remember?”
Deo frowned. “Storm. Back then, when Gabe died.” She shivered. “And tonight. Another storm.”
“Yes. There’s a hurricane.”
“Joey!” Deo jerked almost upright, then fell back with a grimace, clutching her abdomen. “Oh. Jesus. That hurts.”
“You have to lie still,” Nita snapped. Even though the abdominal pericentesis fluid had come back clear and KT had pulled the tube out, pronouncing Deo stable, Nita was frantic that something serious could be going on and they’d missed it. “You’ve been hurt. Joey is fine.”
“He’s not dead?”
“No. No, baby, he isn’t. He might have been hurt, but you made sure he wasn’t.” Nita wasn’t certain how well Deo was able to distinguish the past from the present, and she didn’t want her to suffer through the pain of losing Gabe again. “Joey is here somewhere. In a minute, I’ll find him so you can talk to him. How do you feel?”
“My head hurts. So does my belly.” Deo smiled fleetingly. “It’s good to see you though.”
“It is so good to see you, too.” Nita kissed her on the mouth. “You’ve got some burns, nothing serious, and a good bump on your head. KT had to make a small incision in your stomach to check for bleeding, but you’re okay.”
“I remember now. Sort of. A big fire.” Deo frowned. “We needed to work on the pier. Joey. Joey was behind me and the building was burning. Burning. God, Nita, the flames were right on top of him!”
“Easy, sweetheart,” Nita soothed. “Joey might have been hurt, but you took care of him. Do you understand me? You took care of him. He’s all right.”
“Why are you crying?” Deo asked.
“What?” Nita touched her cheeks and was stunned to find they were wet. “I…I guess I’m happy. You make me happy.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” Nita said softly. “Now, close your eyes and try to rest.”
“Okay,” Deo said wearily, struggling to keep her eyes open. “Will you stay with me?”
“I might have to leave for a few minutes, if I have patients, but I’ll be back. If you need me, I’ll be here. I promise.”
“That’s good. I love you,” Deo whispered, and closed her eyes.
Nita caught her lip, feeling the tears she couldn’t seem to stop on her cheeks again. She’d never understood what it meant to cry from happiness. Sylvia told her countless times that she loved her, but her love had been a weapon. Deo’s was a gift.
“You need something?” Allie asked quietly. “Coffee or soda or something?”
“No,” Nita said, brushing at her face as she looked up at the young officer beside her. Like every other member of the emergency response teams, Allie’s face was streaked with sweat and grime, and shadows marred her flawless skin. She was, nevertheless, strikingly beautiful. “I’m holding up. How are you?”
“Fine.” Allie glanced down at Deo. “Is she going to be all right?”
“I think so. We just need to watch her carefully for another twelve hours or so.” Nita wondered how much Deo’s sometime-girlfriend had heard. The look on her face as her eyes skimmed over Deo said there might be more than a casual fling fueling her concern. “I should check with Tory and make sure everyone’s taken care of. Would you mind sitting with her for just a few minutes in case she wakes up again?”
“Sure,” Allie said, her voice registering both surprise and gratitude. “I’ve got about five minutes. What should I tell her if she asks for you?”
“Tell her I left her in good hands and that I’ll be right back.”
Allie grinned. “Smooth.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m Allie, by the way, a…friend of Deo’s.” Allie held out her hand.
“Nita Burgoyne. I’m Deo’s lover.”
“There goes my summer,” Allie proclaimed.
Laughing, Nita nodded. “Looks like it.” She squeezed Allie’s shoulder. “I won’t be long.”
“I’ll tell her.”
Nita hurried in search of Tory. She didn’t want to leave Deo for long, not until she was certain she was completely out of danger. She wondered fleetingly why she wasn’t jealous, and then she realized that Deo could have had Allie or likely any number of other women. But Deo wanted her. Her.
It felt good to be wanted for who she was. And it felt even better to tell the world that Deo Camara, the sexiest, bravest, and most compassionate woman she’d ever known, was her lover.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Sit your ass down and stop being a pain in mine,” KT growled.
“But—”
“But nothing, Deo. You’ve got a hole in your belly that needs to heal and a lump on your hard head that’s going to have a neighbor if you make me tell you again to stay in bed.”
“Is she giving you a hard time?” Nita asked, skirting around the makeshift screen that shielded the cot where Deo lay from the rest of the room.
“No,” Deo said quickly.
“Yes.” KT motioned Deo down. “Pull up your shirt.”
Deo lay back and complied.
Nita held Deo’s hand as KT removed the neat square bandage covering the incision below Deo’s navel. She peered over KT’s shoulder to get a look at the incision.
“It looks good, don’t you think?” Nita asked.
“It’s fine.” KT straightened and skewered Deo with a frown. “But you’re still not ready to go back out there.”
“When—”
“The storm’s wearing itself out,” Nita said. “The real cleanup will start in a day or two. Don’t worry, there will still be plenty left for you to do.”
“Listen to the lady,” KT said. “Then I won’t have to hurt you.”
Deo grinned as KT disappeared. Carefully, she shifted on the narrow cot and patted the space next to her, indicating Nita should sit. “Are you on a break?”
Nita settled beside her with a sigh. “For a few minutes. I just finished suturing a Labrador Retriever’s front paw.”
“Stretch out beside me.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
&
nbsp; “You won’t.” Deo rubbed her back. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you.” Kicking off her shoes, Nita curled against Deo’s side. “You scared me.”
Deo cradled Nita’s head against her chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“I know,” Nita murmured. “Don’t do it again.”
“I won’t.” Deo kissed Nita’s forehead and felt her relax.
“I don’t want to lose you,” Nita whispered.
“You won’t.” Deo listened to Nita’s breathing deepen and realized she was asleep. She stroked her shoulder protectively, savoring her closeness and her trust.
Pia poked her head around the screen. “Deo—”
Deo held a finger to her lips and gestured to Nita.
“We have to talk,” Pia mouthed, giving her a glare that was part fondness, part ire.
Figuring it was about Gabe, Deo nodded with a sigh. Pia disappeared, and Deo drew Nita closer. For now all she wanted was the peace that holding Nita brought to her. As she drifted off, she let herself hope that what was growing between them would not disappear when the winds blew the storm out to sea.
*
Nita turned the corner behind her new house just in time to see Deo ratchet down an enormous extension ladder that had been braced against the rear roofline.
“You’re not supposed to be doing that kind of work,” Nita called out, striding forward rapidly.
Deo glanced in Nita’s direction, the steel ladder braced between both outstretched arms. Her sweat-soaked hair was tied back with a red bandanna, and she wore baggy khaki shorts and a faded, sleeveless blue T-shirt cut off somewhere in the vicinity of her navel. The row of black sutures that KT had placed just one short week before stood out starkly against her smooth, bronze stomach. Faint red blotches were the only remnants of the burns on her jaw and neck.
“Hi there,” Deo said, her grin gleaming against the tan that had deepened under the relentless sunshine that had followed in the wake of the storm.
Nita tried to project a stern expression, but it was difficult when faced with such stunning beauty. She wondered if the initial shock at seeing Deo would ever lessen and doubted somehow that it would. Some small part of her, she suspected, would probably never believe that Deo might actually be hers.
