Kiss after kiss they shared until Sara was sure she was drowning. She pulled back, took a breath, then found Mikaela’s soft, tender neck with her lips. The moan that resulted was like music to her ears. “I owe you this for the thigh rub.”
Mikaela let out a shuddering breath. “Aren’t I the lucky one? But I want you naked. Want to feel your skin rubbing against mine.” She tugged at Sara’s bottom lip with her teeth. “You want?”
“Oh yeah.”
Once inside, they tugged and pulled at clothes. Before Sara could do more than wonder at the beauty of Mikaela’s body sans dress, hot lips were on hers and Mikaela’s fingers were inside her boxers, then inside her. A couple of thrusts, a little pressure, and she came with a hard cry.
Not sure her legs would hold her, Sara rested her forehead against Mikaela’s and hung on. “No fair. I was supposed to ambush you. This was not in the script.”
Mikaela gave her a quick kiss, then a sultry smile. “Me, I always like to flip the script. But if you insist, I’ll be happy to do it your way next time.”
Chapter Five
“Mom?” Sara called softly as she made her way to the kitchen. That’s where her mom would be. And her dad. She’d be safe if she was with them.
The silence was a little scary. She rubbed her arms and shivered, then quickly looked back over her shoulder to make sure nobody was there. The kitchen was a real mess. Her mother was going to be so mad that somebody had spilled paint all over the place. Madder even than about the mess in the bedroom. Sara was glad she didn’t have anything to do with making either mess. Not this close to her birthday.
She entered the room on her tiptoes, trying not to get her feet dirty. “Dad?” A scream left her mouth at the sight of him. He was lying on the floor by the open refrigerator door, covered in red.
Getting her feet dirty was forgotten as she slipped and slid across the floor to get to his side. “Dad? Wake up.” She shook him as hard as she could, but he didn’t respond.
The phone. She had to get to the phone and call for help. Sara pushed to standing and hurried to the phone, the one on the wall that her mother used when she was cooking. She tripped over something, ending up on the floor with red painting her hands. When she looked back she saw that the something was her mom.
“Mom? Mom, wake up. Please, Mom, I’m scared.” She crawled to her mother’s body, sobbing. Something was wrong. When she dropped down next to her mother’s still body, the scream started in her belly and worked its way up and out. Once she started, she couldn’t stop.
* * *
“Sara? Sara, are you okay?”
The rough shaking more than the loud voice helped Sara break away. Shit, she thought. Not again. She rubbed her eyes and slowly let the nightmare go. What she couldn’t let go was the sorrow and hopelessness the child she used to be had felt. It was close to being debilitating.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
“Fine. I’m fine,” she said brusquely, looking away from the concern in Mikaela’s eyes. God, why did they have to be so expressive? She glanced at the bedside clock and groaned. It was almost five o’clock. She hadn’t meant to stay, hadn’t meant to fall asleep. But then she couldn’t seem to help herself these days. “I gotta run.”
“Okay.” Mikaela grabbed at the sheet and watched as Sara hunted for her clothes. “Might be some in the living room.”
Sara couldn’t stop the memory of how efficiently Mikaela had removed her shirt, pushed down her pants. “Uh, yeah.” Dressed only in boxers and bra, she retrieved the rest of her belongings, then returned to the bedroom. Mikaela had gotten up and thrown on a robe. As she finished getting dressed, Sara hoped there wouldn’t be any pressure to see her again. She’d never quite gotten around to sharing with Mikaela that she was strictly a one-night woman, and although admittedly their one night had blown her mind, she wasn’t about to change a hard and fast rule. “I’ll see you around at work,” she said casually and pulled on her leather jacket.
“Sure. Thanks for the pool tips,” Mikaela replied, her tone as casual as Sara’s as they walked to the front door. “Safe trip home,” she added, making no move to kiss Sara goodbye.
Sara nodded, feeling an irrational tinge of disappointment. Irrational because she wanted it to be like this. “Yeah.” She shivered as the crispness of the predawn air seeped through her unbuttoned jacket. She had to stop doing this. Had to stop falling asleep in another woman’s bed. It only made her feel more vulnerable when she awakened from a…nightmare. Tonight it had been a nightmare.
Sara wondered if she’d cried out like a baby. How humiliating. That was the only word she could think of to describe going from stud to frightened child in a scream. No wonder Mikaela hadn’t been sorry to see her go.
She turned the radio up full blast for company on the quick trip home. But despite the music, she realized it was past time for her to find some discipline. Rolling around naked with a woman was okay. Not getting her satisfied ass up after the last orgasm was not. No more getting caught off guard for her. No more waking up scared out of her mind. “Discipline.” That’s what she so desperately needed until her birthday passed.
Gripping the wheel as she coasted to yet another stop sign, she wondered if she’d screwed things up at work. Or at home, she reminded herself. Mikaela didn’t know where she lived, though, didn’t know her number. So maybe it would be okay that two single women hadn’t attached any strings. Mikaela had acted cool when she left, so there was no reason to think she wouldn’t be later today, tomorrow.
“A-okay,” she said and made a right into the driveway.
But as she scooped up Tabitha to go inside, Sara knew worry about Mikaela and any future reaction wasn’t her real problem. Wasn’t the reason for the dread at the base of her spine. The dream…no, she thought she’d had it right before. It had been a nightmare tonight. So vivid, so colorful, so real that she didn’t have to close her eyes to see it again. The child she’d been might not have known the substance covering her parents was blood, but the adult she was did. If she took a breath, she’d swear she could smell the coppery overtones talked about in the mysteries she loved to read. She could definitely see her father, splayed out on the floor, his sightless eyes wide open.
“Why would I dream that?” she whispered against Tabitha’s thick neck. “Why the hell would I?” Tabitha’s response was to butt her head against Sara’s cheek. “So we’re agreed—it’s the location messing with my head.” She took a shuddering breath and wanted so much to believe.
Tomorrow after work she’d head to the main Fulton County library, which was located practically across the street from the office building. They’d have free Internet access. A major pileup like the one her parents had died in had to be newsworthy. Once she read the accounts of the accident, visited the site, the nightmares would stop. They had to or…They had to.
She shivered, remembering the silence in her mother’s stomach. Giving the cat one last scratch, she set her down. A run around the park was what she needed. If she pushed hard enough she would clear her mind, erase, at least temporarily, images of the blood bath.
* * *
When Mikaela’s alarm clock sounded she groaned. “Ten more minutes.” She hit the snooze button and flopped back down. What had she been thinking? And on a Wednesday night when she still had Thursday and Friday to get through. She knew she was tired when a weak chuckle escaped. Obviously, she had been thinking. Thinking about Sara’s hands, her mouth, her taut body. She was alive, after all, and there could be no better way to celebrate Hump Day than to enjoy an exceptional hump or two.
She stretched, feeling a slight tenderness in muscles that hadn’t had that kind of workout in a while. Throwing an arm across her eyes, she smiled as scenes from the night before flashed behind her eyelids. There might be worse reasons to wake up feeling tired and thoroughly used. But even if she thought about it really hard, she didn’t believe she could come up with many better reasons than what she’d experienced—fan
tastic sex.
TWI. Totally worth it, she thought and gave another laugh. Lord knows, she’d do it again in a heartbeat, despite the fact that her bed partner had all but run off screaming. Mikaela thought that probably said something about her, and maybe she’d think on it later. Much later.
When her alarm sounded ten minutes later, she shuffled to the bathroom, a smile still fixed on her face. As the warm water soothed tired muscles, she poured shampoo into her hands. You only live once, and last night she’d been living. She wasn’t stupid enough to have any expectations of a repeat. Sara struck her as a player, and nothing good ever came from getting stuck on players. She should know. She’d been there and done that—more than once. This time she was going to be smart and accept that last night had been about sex. Really good sex, but only sex.
She would not embarrass herself by waiting for a call or, worse, make the call herself. Which, lucky for her, she couldn’t do because they had never gotten around to exchanging numbers. She must have been thinking somewhat clearly despite being caught in the throes of desire. A big fat point for her.
Mikaela was feeling pleased with herself until it occurred to her that not calling wasn’t the hardest part. No, that would be keeping herself from loitering around the lobby, hoping for a glimpse or a chance to start conversation. Sure, they’d had fun playing pool before the sex, and yes, she’d taken flirtation to another level, but that was then and this was…
“Not me thinking about seeing her again.” She was simply reminiscing about a good time. She deserved that. Had earned it considering how awful that last date had been.
Later, fortified by her first cup of coffee, she figured she’d burnt enough calories the night before to have one of the sausage and French toast sandwiches she only allowed herself on special occasions. She hummed as she watched the time count down on the microwave.
“Somebody’s cheerful this morning.” Casey entered the kitchen and headed directly to the coffee maker. She made her selection and pushed the start button before glancing at Mikaela. “Could it have something to do with the clothing I had to step over to get to my room last night? No, wait. Maybe it’s related to the noises coming from your bedroom. Pun intended.”
“We weren’t that loud. Were we?”
Casey nodded and removed creamer from the fridge. “Sounded like wild animals attacking each other.”
“Get out! No way,” she added dismissively. Casey’s bedroom was on the other end of the condo. “Must be jealousy talking.”
“I’m willing to let you think that,” Casey said with a broad smile. “While I did not have your immediate success, I did set up a date for Saturday. And of course I got her number. Can you say the same?”
“Don’t need it.” She removed her sandwich from the microwave and wrapped it in paper towel. “One-shot deal. Yummy, maybe even scrumptious, but a one-shot deal nonetheless.”
“How can you say that? You looked hot and heavy to me and everyone else in a fifty-mile radius.”
“Realist over here.” She raised her upper lip at Casey’s pointed look. “I can be a realist. Women with that level of hotness don’t settle for one. And why should they?” She glanced at the microwave clock. “Damn. Gotta run. We can argue this later, even though you’re wrong.”
Mikaela caught the bus with seconds to spare. Ignoring the sign forbidding eating or drinking on the bus, she knocked off her breakfast sandwich, then thought longingly of the to-go cup she’d filled with coffee that was still gracing the kitchen counter. She drifted off to sleep, berating herself. It was only the shoulder tap from a fellow rider that had her getting off at her stop. Yawning, she trudged up the street, fighting the cold head wind all the way.
As luck, or un-luck, would have it, Sara was at the front door when she walked in. She managed a polite smile even as her heartbeat quickened and certain parts tingled in remembrance. Mikaela sighed and thought maybe she wasn’t going to be smart this time either. But really, she reasoned, no woman who had spent a night with Sara Gordon would fault her. And if they did, they were obviously delusional.
Upstairs, her un-luck continued in the form of Jolene, who was in front of her desk scribbling something. Mikaela cursed under her breath. After the night she’d had, it shouldn’t be too much to expect to be left alone until she had the chance to down two or three cups of coffee. Suppressing a sigh, she hung up her coat. “Morning.”
Jolene was wearing a dark blue tailored pant suit that worked well with her tall, thin frame. Her hair was pulled back from her face, and she liked to say she’d earned every one of her numerous gray hairs. She was extremely competent, and every inch the professional, unlike some Mikaela could name. “Sorry to bother you before you’ve had a chance to settle.”
“That’s okay. What can I help you with?”
“According to Talya, you did the majority of the work for the summit meeting packet.”
Mikaela felt her back stiffen. “Yes, but that’s because she’s been busy with other duties. I hope there are not a lot of changes. They need to go to the printer’s before noon.”
“That’s not why I’m here,” Jolene replied quickly. “Far from it. You did such a wonderful job that Bill wants you to do something similar for the regional meeting. He heard yesterday that it’s going to be his baby, and as you can imagine, he’s a little anxious to get it done. I have a lot of loose ends to tie up before I get out of here, but even if I didn’t, let’s be frank, I couldn’t even come close to what you pulled together so quickly.”
“Uh…sure,” she replied, caught off guard by the request and the praise. “As long as Talya clears it.”
Jolene smiled. “I’ll have Bill send her a memo when he gets in. Probably wouldn’t hurt to leave this background information for you to look over in the meantime. The meeting’s over a month away. However, the sooner we can get something in place, the better. This is a first for Bill and Big Brother is watching.”
“Understood.” She tried to sound nonchalant but was intrigued enough to peruse the folder as soon as Jolene left. Writing was something she enjoyed doing and it had always come easily to her. It wasn’t in her job description, but she’d been doing more of it over the past few months as Talya’s workload increased.
Ideas were floating around in her head when she went to grab a much-needed cup of coffee. She could use what she’d already done as the base, then make changes so it was different. A big thing for Bill, she thought as she added cream and sweetener. That meant added flash was needed. But first she had to finalize the materials for Talya’s meeting. She slurped down coffee on her way back to her desk, welcoming the zing as more caffeine entered her system.
She found that all she needed to finish was to send the materials to the printer. Talya had already gotten Bill’s approval, which explained her newest assignment. And now that she thought about it, Mikaela wouldn’t put it past Talya to have put a suggestion in Bill’s ear. No doubt it was the next step in Talya’s nefarious plot to get her Jolene’s job.
Her first task done, Mikaela gave the meeting notes another look. She was soon pulled into the world of possibilities and barely had time to register the footsteps before Ilene appeared at her desk. “Yes?”
“I hear Jolene came to see you first thing,” Ilene said. “The two of you seem to talk more now that she’s retiring.”
Mikaela told herself that as soon as she got rid of Ilene she was going to find the camera they’d planted and smash it to bits. She probably should be grateful they hadn’t splurged for sound. “I’m kind of busy, so is there something specific to work that you need?”
“Seems curious, that’s all.” She angled her head to peer at the material in front of Mikaela. “Have you heard any more talk about them bringing in a replacement for Jolene from headquarters?”
Mikaela closed the folder. “I haven’t heard anything about anything. Go to the source if you’re that worried about it.”
“Worried about what?” Talya asked, looking from
Mikaela to Ilene as she came to stand in front of Mikaela’s desk.
“Oh, nothing,” Ilene replied quickly. “I’d better get back.”
Mikaela rubbed her eyes and wondered what she’d done to deserve this roller coaster of a morning. She hoped it was not a sign of things to come.
“Worried about what?” Talya repeated once Ilene was out of earshot.
“Apparently I can’t talk to Jolene without it warranting an interrogation.” She blew out a sharp breath. “Make them stop.”
“Aren’t we a little grumpy? Told you not to stay out too late.”
“Wasn’t that late.” Mikaela switched to rubbing her temples, fighting a burgeoning bout of bitchiness. “I need more coffee in my system if I’m going to have to deal with these things.”
“Things as in getting asked about Jolene’s job?”
Talya’s amusement was duly noted. “Among other things.”
“Ah, so any more thoughts about it?”
“How can I not when my boss keeps bringing it up? You do realize that if by some chance I decided to apply and then actually got the job, heads would have to be knocked together, right? Is that really what you want for me, your loyal assistant?”
Talya laughed. “Only if I can watch. I’ve wanted to slap Christine around for…well, let’s just say for the past few years.” Closer in age to forty than thirty, Talya had made it known she didn’t like to admit how long she’d worked at Baker.
“Could happen. She’ll be the most upset and the loudest about expressing her displeasure.”
“Only because she mistakenly believes the job is hers. Do not let them keep you from going after this.” Talya dropped into the chair by Mikaela’s desk. “Bill’s no dummy. He knows enough of what goes on around here to realize some feathers will get ruffled. He also knows who is and who isn’t qualified for the job, so don’t think my recommendation is the reason you would get the job. Clear?”
Full Circle Page 6
