Taking Kara’s hand in her own, Sierra proudly led her back to the table she had been sharing with Blake, Ronni, and Nicole, where they were met with applause for their hot performance. The raucous behavior left Kara wishing she could crawl into a hole and hide, but at the same time, the memory of the kiss made her skin flush and she wished they could relive the moment again and again.
Nicole sidled up and draped an arm around Kara’s waist. “If I know you, right now you’re wishing you were invisible. But I must say that was one of the most romantic things I have ever seen. You know Sierra is over the moon for you, right?”
With the sting of tears in her eyes, Kara quickly glanced at Sierra, then back to Nicole and nodded her head. Still overcome from the emotional whirlwind, she took a deep breath as she struggled to speak. Feelings were not her forté, but she was learning. “I know and I can tell you the feeling is definitely mutual.”
Kara smiled at her old friend, giving her arm a squeeze before meeting Sierra’s adoring gaze once again. There was something else in the way they looked at one another now. Kara could feel it sparking in every nerve ending in her body. That kiss was more than a notice to Harley. Sierra had given herself fully to her and she had returned the sentiment. The deeper meaning of Sierra’s actions had not been lost on either of them as they so publicly claimed ownership of one another. Kara could clearly see spending the rest of her life with the amazing woman staring back at her and for the first time in her life, she wasn’t opposed to the idea.
***
Enjoying a romantic Italian dinner, the couple finished off their main course and awaited their Tiramisu. The pace had been hectic over the last few weeks and Sierra missed their quiet nights together. Their schedules were about to get even crazier as Nicole had gotten her a gig as a stunt rider in a movie filming in Portland that would keep her occupied for several days and she would soon be leaving for the World Cup circuit overseas. Nicole moved fast and it was overwhelming, so she would milk this down time for all it was worth.
Sierra placed her napkin on the table and rubbed her full belly in satisfaction. “That was delicious. I don’t know where dessert is going to go, but I know there is always room for it.” Her laugh brought a smile to Kara’s face. “Come to Whistler with me.”
“Maybe,” Kara said, her eyes darting down to the table. She shifted in her chair before glancing back up. “I can’t leave with you Thursday, but maybe I could fly up after work on Friday.”
“That would be great. I always do better when you’re there.”
The hint of a smile touched Kara’s lips. “I’m always with you. You’ll do great. You’ve been amazing these first four races.”
Sierra couldn’t quite put a finger on it, but even though they were relaxed and having fun, there seemed to be something off with her girlfriend. She hoped there were no more lingering doubts in Kara’s mind, because Sierra was all in and ready to take this relationship further. She had been trying not to push too much, knowing that Kara was more reserved and calculated, especially after her break up with Jamie. However, patience had never been one of Sierra’s stronger attributes, so she hoped they’d make progress soon. She didn’t know what else she could do to prove to Kara that she was completely committed to their relationship.
Kara placed her napkin on the table and sighed. Sierra was not a fan of that look and held her breath, bracing for the impact of whatever was about to occur.
“So, I’ve finished most of my research projects at the lab and I’ve decided to go back into practice.”
Panic swept through Sierra, clamping a cold hand around her heart. What did that mean for them? She didn’t think she could do a long-distance relationship, even if it was just a couple of hours. “What does that mean? Are you leaving?”
“No, nothing like that.” Kara soothed her with a gentle touch of her hand and Sierra released her breath. “Um...actually, I’m going to open another clinic here. I’m going to move out of the apartment and I um...well, I wanted to know if you would like to get a place together?”
Sierra fell silent. Her brows knitted in deep thought as she analyzed the words. Slowly, the cold that had taken hold of her dissipated and everything clicked. This was what she had been waiting for and she couldn’t be happier.
Apparently, her reply had taken too long, as Kara had shifted into damage control rambling. “I mean, you don’t have to, but I’d like to see you more and we could pick out a house or something together...if you want...no pressure...I don’t want to stress you out, Sierra. Your body’s stress response is perfect in the short-term, but damaging if it goes on for weeks or years. Raised levels of cortisol for prolonged periods can dampen your immune system and decrease the number of brain cells, impairing your memory. It can also-”
Sierra’s eyes sparkled with delight and a giddy response of, “Hell yes,” broke Kara’s long-winded explanation. Leaning over the table to kiss Kara, she stopped halfway and said, “I love you, Doctor Kara Davies, and I would love it if you were at my starting gate and finish line every day.”
The relieved smile on Kara’s lips made Sierra grin knowingly. “You were afraid I would say no.” It was a statement more than a question, and when Kara sheepishly nodded in affirmation, Sierra laughed in disbelief. “Kara, I am crazy about you and I want to spend every second of every day with you. I know you know that.” She waited for her girlfriend to agree. “Good. So just remember, Doctor Davies, that I will go anywhere, do anything with you. Quite literally.” Sierra waggled her brows, loving when her innuendos garnered a heated reaction. “So yes. Let’s plan some time to go pick out a house or something.”
With a comforting squeeze of her girlfriend’s hand, they shared an intense gaze across the small table. Sierra now craved something off the menu and the sexy “you’re in for it later” smile Kara had just flashed had her hot and bothered. The waitress arrived with their dessert and set it on the table between them. The tiramisu looked amazing, but Sierra’s mouth now watered for something even more delicious.
Her brow quirked and Kara nodded. That was all she needed before flagging down the waitress. “Check please.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Overlooking the Pacific Coast Mountain Range, Sierra enjoyed an unusual feeling of peace. She breathed easier these days. Everything felt like it was falling into place. She was committed to her training and she had found the woman of her dreams. For the first time ever, she felt as if she was exactly where she was supposed to be.
Next week, she and Kara would look for a place to live together and she couldn’t wait to embark on their new journey. It would be the first time she had lived with anyone besides family or Ronni. She thought it would be scary, but it felt so right. They had only been together nine months, yet it seemed like years. Everything flowed so easily between them that it frightened her sometimes, but Kara was worth facing her fears.
Speaking of Kara, Sierra wished she were here already. She never thought she’d fall into the corny, romantic notion of missing someone, but that was exactly what happened every time she was away from Kara. Forget about being apart for a couple of days, what would she do when they were apart for several weeks? As exciting as trying her hand against the big names in the World Cup was, she was dreading the idea of the European trip right now. Perhaps, it was the proverbial honeymoon phase. It wasn’t that she wanted it to end, but as much as Kara empowered her, her neediness made her feel weak.
Determined to regain control and focus on her purpose for being there, she strapped on her helmet and began her descent. Shredding some of the most exquisite singletrack Whistler had to offer, the flow of the trail helped center her thoughts and she knew she would be okay.
As she exited the final switchback, it occurred to her how much life was like that hairpin turn. In the mountains, just like life, there was seldom a straight path to the top. There were always twists and turns to navigate. Sometimes they took you higher and sometimes they took you out. But Sierra was deter
mined and never allowed her failures to keep her from staying the course.
She skidded to a stop in front of the rented truck and smiled. Patience may not have been her strength, but she was stubborn as hell and now it was all paying off. It was only a matter of time before all her dreams would come true.
Two hours later, she was back at the mountain house Nicole had rented for the weekend. Leo took her bike out to the garage for maintenance while Sierra headed to her room. Tired and dirty from her ride, she wanted a recovery shake and a hot shower before heading to the village to check out the scene. If she could squeeze in a nap it would be great, but she doubted she’d be able to fall asleep.
When Sierra opened the door, she was dumbstruck by the sight of a familiar face. There, in her bed, lay Kara comfortably on her side with her head propped up on her hand, wearing only a see through black teddy and biting her lip.
“Hi, Honey. Happy to see me?”
Taking in the sight resembling something from one of her more enjoyable adult dreams, Sierra couldn’t move. She couldn’t speak. All she could do was focus on the deliciousness lying in her bed right now.
Pleased with the reaction, Kara smirked and ran her free hand slowly over the curve of her thigh. “It’s not polite to keep a lady waiting.” Her voice was low and silky smooth, eyes glistening with mischief.
Not needing to be told twice, Sierra dropped her hydration pack on the floor and pounced, ignoring the fact that she was a sweaty, smelly mess. Wrapping her arms around her girlfriend, she rolled them over, coming to a stop once she was on top. She cupped Kara’s face in her hands and stared at her as if she hadn’t seen her in years. “I thought you couldn’t come until Friday?”
Kara brushed a few stray hairs from Sierra’s face and smiled up at her. “Well…I couldn’t wait until Friday to come.”
“Oh, you are a little vixen, you know that? If everyone knew that the controlled Doctor Davies was such a bad girl...” She didn’t finish the thought as Kara narrowed her eyes in jest, but there was a hint of seriousness that was not missed.
Sierra loved that Kara reserved this side of herself strictly for her eyes only. Her smile grew and she tightened her hold on Kara as she pressed their lips together, both of them moaning into the kiss as it deepened. A whimper of protest escaped Kara when the kiss was broken—the sound evoking a primal need deep within Sierra that she was more than happy to explore.
“I missed you. I’m so glad you’re here early. Maybe we could do some sight-seeing? You know, after I help you out of your lingerie.” Her fingers were already tugging at the lacy strands of Kara’s top.
“I missed you too and that would be fun, but there are other sights I’ve looked forward to seeing.” Kara grabbed the bottom of Sierra’s jersey and pulled it over her head. She trailed a finger down between two perfect breasts before teasing the hardening nipples through the thin barrier of her spandex sports bra.
Sierra gasped and arched into Kara’s touch—her short breaths threatening to match the speedy pace of her heartbeat. It didn’t take much for Kara to get her going and the roaming of agile fingers had her body ready to soar. “I know for a fact that they missed you,” Sierra said, breathless and ready to take things further…but not like this. “I’m a mess. How about we take this to the shower?”
A silent nod was all she needed. In a matter of seconds, a trail of clothes marked their path to the bathroom and soon soft moans of pleasure filled the air.
Three hours and two showers later, Sierra hadn’t gotten much of a nap, but she wasn’t complaining at all about the distraction. With Leo acting as chauffeur for the evening, Sierra and Kara occupied the back seat of his four-door Dodge truck in comfortable silence. While Kara enjoyed the breathtaking sunset, Sierra had found a far more beautiful sight to behold. The orange, blue, and pink sky over the mountain tops was a work of art, but it couldn’t hold a candle to her girl.
Sierra reached down and intertwined their fingers, drawing Kara’s attention away from the landscape. Her soft smile and adoring eyes always made Sierra’s heart pound a little harder. She recalled her thoughts a few hours earlier as she had sat atop the trail. It truly was astonishing how perfect her life was right now and this moment was proof positive that there was nowhere else she would rather be.
When they reached the village, Leo headed off on his own, planning to meet back at the truck at nine. As much as Sierra would have loved to stay out later, she was here to race and she would not break her routine. At least Kara was supportive, always making sure nothing they did interfered with her usual flow of events. She understood that athletes tended to be creatures of habit and deviating from plan could affect their performance. Sierra chuckled as she remembered Kara explaining how she also relied on a set protocol in the lab and that there was no shame in being superstitious about her process, as it was a form of diligence.
Taking her girlfriend’s hand in her own once again, Sierra led them down to a little steakhouse she always liked to visit. After they had ordered, they made small talk and narrowed down their wants and needs for the houses they would look at next week. As they waited for their food to arrive, Sierra filled Kara in on her weekend plan.
“Tomorrow we’ll go to the track and walk the entire thing. We’ll check the course and pick out lines. Later, we’ll ride it and make a plan for the race. Then we pray no weather comes in and messes it all up.” She laughed. “On race day, as you know, Ronni and I always have a pancake breakfast together before heading to the track.”
Kara nodded in understanding, seemingly analyzing the race routine. “I can make everyone pancakes. I’ll just take mine over and have breakfast with Leo and you guys can do your thing. Then, I’ll ride up with him and meet you at the race.”
“You don’t have to do that. You know how much Ronni can eat. It’s too much work and I want you to relax. We can go to a restaurant.”
The waitress arrived with two medium rare rib eyes, loaded baked potatoes, and asparagus. The pair sat back, their eyes lighting up at the sight of the thick, juicy steaks. Both ladies were starving after their afternoon rendezvous and ready to dig in.
Returning to the conversation at hand, Kara waved her off. “I insist. I enjoy cooking and you know Ronni loves my pancakes.”
“That she does.” Sierra slowly took the first bite of her steak, taking a moment to savor the oak wood flavor before asking, “I thought you said Leo was an ass?”
Kara forced a thin-lipped grin while chewing her food. She swallowed and chuckled at Sierra throwing her words back at her. “He is, but we actually have some rather stimulating conversations. He’s like an idiot savant of the mechanical world.”
“You’re the best. I don’t know how I got so lucky.” Sierra reached across the table and placed her hand over Kara’s. The warmth of her skin was always comforting, something she never failed to miss once it was gone. “You should come with me tomorrow to walk the course. You’d love it. I’ll show you what we look for and you can analyze everything.” Sierra knew with certainty that Kara enjoyed making a science project out of everything. The doctor just loved to learn how things worked.
“Ah, appealing to my inner scientist again, huh?” Kara teased with a cheeky grin. “It would be interesting and it’ll be a beautiful day...I’m in.”
“Excellent.”
The rest of the night consisted of sultry glances and lingering touches as they made good use of every minute until their self-imposed curfew. The evening had been perfect. Sierra couldn’t have planned a better date if she had tried and took it as another sign that Kara was the one for her. As if she needed one more.
***
The next morning, they awoke to a beautiful sunrise. Sierra found herself cuddled in Kara’s arms and rather than jump out of bed, she snuggled in for another ten minute snooze. Today, they didn’t have a strict time table, but that would change the rest of the weekend, so she took advantage of a few more minutes of laziness. A smile struck her lips just before sh
e drifted off, thinking of how she would soon be waking up to Kara every day in their new home.
After a quick breakfast, they hopped into the truck with a cooler and headed up to the race course. Sierra was excited to share a behind-the-scenes look at her work with her girlfriend since she had had a chance to experience so much of Kara’s jobs—including an adjustment this morning. It did pay to have your own personal chiropractor for those days when your unmentionable extracurricular activities left you a bit sore.
She smiled at the memory of the previous evening as she stared at her lover.
Feeling as though she was being watched, Kara turned to look at her girlfriend and immediately blushed upon reading the look on her face. Kara knew her all too well and Sierra loved it.
The trip to the top of the mountain was over all too soon. As they exited the truck, Ronni was leaning against a Jeep talking to Kourt while a handful of other riders milled about preparing to walk the course. This was one of the few days when the riders would all be together, so it was a good time to exchange ideas and meet new competitors. Sierra would be doing that at some point too, but watching Kara in her tan shorts and blue tank top, studying one particular area of the course map and geeking out over the physics of the banked turns and biomechanics of riding them was a total turn on for reasons she would never understand.
Sierra’s mind drifted to other things. Oblivious to the world around her, Sierra didn’t even notice Ronni by her side until the clearing of her throat had her jumping in fright.
“You’re all googly eyes, so you must be stuck in Kara-land again. You sure it was a good idea to bring her?”
“I can’t help it, Ron. When she gets all nerdy like this, it’s such a turn on.” Sierra smiled wide, then cast a sideways glance at her best friend. “It’s fine. I’m focused. Why? Is it a problem for anyone else?”
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