Healing Hearts

by Donna K. Ford

  Joey laughed. “No, things here have been great. I just wanted to check in and see how your trip is going. You know, you left in a bit of a hurry, and I thought maybe that special project you’ve been working on finally came through.”

  Chacey smiled. She loved Joey. He always looked out for her, and she appreciated his faithful confidence. “Something along those lines, yes.” Chacey was smiling now, thinking of having Elaine back in her life. “I think some of the things I’ve been looking for are falling into place.”

  “Well hallelujah,” Joey said. “I’m happy as hell to hear that. So I guess that means you’ll be out of town a few more days, then?”

  Chacey thought about her answer and didn’t know what she expected with Elaine at this point. “I’ll have to let you know, Joey. I have a lot to work out before I’ll know what my plans are. I’ll get back to you in a few days. Will that be okay? Seriously, is Miss Priss tormenting Charley?”

  Charley was Joey’s cat, a monster of a feline, weighing in at about twenty pounds. He and Miss Priss had not had a pleasant history. Upon their first meeting, Miss Priss had pounced on Charley’s back, bitten a chunk out of his left ear, and taken his favorite sleep pillow. Charley had never forgiven the small intruder and had set out to ambush Miss Priss every time he found her asleep. The result was an all-out war.

  “No, no. Nothing like that—they’re actually getting along this time. I think Miss Priss feels a little bad about the last time they had a sleepover and has been making it up to him. But there is one thing you could do for me.”

  Chacey was mystified. What would Joey need her to do in Tennessee? “Okay. What is it?”

  Joey was hesitant and then blurted, “Can you get that crazy bitch Karen to stop calling me? She’s been hounding me ever since you left, trying to get information about why you left town. Seriously, that woman is not right in the head. You sure she’s not an ex-girlfriend?”

  Chacey laughed. “I’m sure. I’ll see what I can do, Joey. I’m sorry she’s been pestering you. I know she can be a bit…persistent.”

  “Persistent, hell! I thought she was going to come over here and look under the bed and make sure you weren’t hiding there. I have these images of being under a bright light in an interrogation room like in the old cop movies. You know I don’t like her anyway. She’s like a bad rash that just won’t go away. And the whining—really, I think my ears are bleeding.”

  Chacey was laughing so hard she was holding her side now. “Okay, okay. I’ll talk to her. I wouldn’t want big, burly, two-hundred-pound Joey being afraid of little, girly, one-hundred-ten-pound Karen.”

  “Very funny,” Joey huffed. “You know you avoid her half the time too.”

  “Yeah. You’re right. Thanks again for all your help, Joey.”

  “No problem. Good luck, Chacey. I’ve got my fingers crossed for you.”

  “Thanks. I’ll talk to you in a couple of days.”

  Chacey was smiling as the call ended. She had good friends. Heaving a deep sigh, she dialed Karen’s number. She suspected she’d regret it, but a promise to a friend was a promise.

  “Chacey, sweetie. Oh my gosh! I’m so glad you called! I’ve been worried sick about you! Where are you?” Karen’s voice was shrill, and Chacey wondered if she would take a break from Twenty Questions long enough for her to answer.

  Hearing Karen pause for a breath, Chacey cut in, “Hello, Karen.”

  After ten minutes of nonstop prattle, Chacey was tired of the questions. “Look, Karen. I’m not telling you where I am. Joey doesn’t know either, so you don’t have to try to pull it out of him. You really don’t have to worry about anything. I’m fine, the house is fine, the cat is fine, and I’ll see you when I get home.”

  Karen’s voice came back hurt and whiny. “You’re upset with me.”

  “No. Karen, listen to me. I appreciate your concern, really. But I just need you to back off a little.”

  “Okay, sweetie. Just be safe out there and come back soon.” Karen’s voice still seemed small and wounded, making Chacey feel guilty for hurting her feelings.

  “I will. Take care.” Chacey ended the call and fell onto the bed. She couldn’t wait to see Elaine again.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Elaine brought the wineglass to her lips and savored the sweet blend of fruit and wood. Chacey sat across from her at the small hotel bar, her fingers gently massaging the back of Elaine’s hand. The touch was soothing as Elaine explained that she had been participating in therapy and was undergoing hypnotherapy to regain her memory of the shooting. She wanted Chacey to know she hadn’t stopped trying, that she hadn’t just run away to hide. She was trying to find out who had done this to them.

  “So you still can’t remember what happened?” Chacey’s face seemed neutral, but Elaine could see the pain and desperation hiding in her eyes.

  “No. I still can’t remember who shot me. I’ve reached the point where I open the door, but my subconscious still won’t allow me to see the face of the woman standing there.”

  Chacey jerked back as if stunned. “Did you just say a woman shot you?”

  “Yes. That bit of revelation came in my last session, just before I called you. But the most disturbing part is that it had to be someone I know based on my reaction to her when I opened the door.” Elaine could practically see the wheels spinning in Chacey’s mind and gripped her hand. “Chacey?” Elaine was concerned. She couldn’t figure out what was upsetting Chacey so. “What is it? Are you okay?”

  Chacey took a deep shuddering breath. “I guess part of me always feared it had been Charles. I thought I’d brought this on you. I thought he hurt you to get to me.”

  Elaine understood. This was why Chacey blamed herself. “Oh, Chacey. Baby. I may not know who the shooter was, but I know in my heart and soul that you’re not to blame. Honestly, I always feared it was him too, but now I’m confident it wasn’t.”

  Chacey slumped in her chair for a moment before regaining her composure. She felt as if a toxic presence had been drawn out of her body. If Charles wasn’t the shooter, then she wasn’t responsible for what had happened. She was free. She could let go of her guilt. Chacey’s thoughts shifted from relief to determination. If it was a woman, the FBI needed to change the focus of the investigation. Chacey was in work mode now and her thoughts were racing. “Well, that gives us more to go on. The original profile said it was likely a man. We may have overlooked details. I’ll need to—”

  “Chacey.” Elaine’s voice was soft, but Chacey immediately looked at her, stopping in midsentence. “Not now. Please, not now. I can’t go through this again. I just need a little more time.” Elaine’s eyes were pleading, and Chacey could feel Elaine’s fear radiating off her.

  “I’m sorry, love. I didn’t mean to get carried away. I just want to make sure that freak can never hurt you again.” She needed to do something, anything, to stop this.

  “I know. But I’m only just beginning to remember. I’m afraid that if I push too hard or the stress becomes too great, my subconscious will shut down and the memory will be lost. Just give me a little more time.”

  Chacey relented. Here was the woman she’d loved and lost and found again. She had spent the last three years searching for the person responsible for the shooting. If it meant keeping Elaine with her, she could wait a little longer to find the UNSUB. Right now, she wanted to be with Elaine—to know everything she had been through and to be there for whatever lay ahead. “Okay. We’ll do this your way. Anything you need.”

  Elaine’s long, willowy legs wrapped around Chacey’s ankles under the table. “Right now, all I need is you.”

  Chacey felt the world melt away, and nothing else mattered but Elaine. The memory of Elaine lying naked on top of her made her skin grow hot, and she knew she was blushing.

  “Hmm,” Elaine muttered. “I’d like to know what that thought was all about.”

  Chacey raised an eyebrow and smiled at Elaine. “Fond memories and new hopes,�
� she said, drawing Elaine’s fingers to her lips.

  Elaine recalled her conversation with Christian earlier in the garden. She studied Chacey’s face and let her eyes roam the contours of Chacey’s body. She had lost three years of loving this woman, and she wasn’t going to waste another moment. “Chace, take me to your room.”

  “What about dinner? Are you still hungry?”

  “Yes,” Elaine said with a grin, “but if we want, we can have food delivered to the room. I think what I have in mind requires a little privacy.”

  She followed Chacey into the room and heard her stop to close the door behind them, but Elaine kept walking until she was next to the bed. She turned to face Chacey, her hand clutching her blouse tightly. She was afraid of what Chacey would think when she revealed herself.

  “What is it, darling?” Chacey placed her hand over Elaine’s and gently pulled her fingers free, pulling them tenderly to her face.

  Elaine swallowed. “I don’t look the same. The scars are…” She could hear her voice shake as she spoke. She couldn’t bear the thought of Chacey rejecting her, of Chacey turning her face away in disgust.

  “The scars are part of you. They tell the story of the fight you fought, the journey you have traveled. I’ll hate the pain you felt, but I’ll love every inch of you.” Chacey stepped back from Elaine and began to unbutton her own shirt. The fabric fell from her shoulders, revealing a firmly muscled chest and arms. She pulled the straps of her bra down and deftly snapped its clasp open, allowing it to fall, freeing her breasts. Her eyes never left Elaine as she paused, as if inviting Elaine to study her body.

  Elaine was transfixed by the vision standing before her. She let her eyes drift across the curve of Chacey’s shoulders, the delicate protrusion of her collarbones, and the soft swell of her breasts. She knew she had never beheld anything more beautiful in her life. Slowly Elaine reached out and touched the skin just above Chacey’s left breast, feeling her heartbeat against her palm. The thrill ignited a thirst deep within her.

  Chacey undid the button of her jeans, hooked her thumbs in the waistband, and slowly slid them, along with her black lace panties, down the curve of her hips to her ankles, where she finally stepped out and tossed them aside. Chacey stood there naked and exposed to Elaine. She could feel Elaine’s gaze on her newly exposed flesh, and she wanted her touch. She craved to have Elaine’s hands on her everywhere, but she knew to go slow. They were just discovering each other again, and she wanted to enjoy every moment of the journey.

  She took Elaine’s free hand and placed it on her waist. Her hands then found the buttons of Elaine’s slacks and tugged until they were open and hung loosely on her narrow hips. Sliding her hands beneath the fabric, she caressed Elaine’s smooth thighs and firm buttocks. Slowly, she guided Elaine out of her pants and turned to place them across the back of a chair. Then she began to work on the buttons of Elaine’s shirt.

  Feeling Elaine stiffen slightly, she leaned close and kissed along her neck. Elaine’s head fell back exposing the delicate skin in offering. Chacey felt like she was opening a precious gift, finding a lost treasure. She pushed the shirt open and guided it over Elaine’s shoulders. Again, she took great care in putting the clothing aside before returning her attention to Elaine. She guided Elaine back onto the bed and slid over her like a blanket, their breasts pressing against each other, softness on softness.

  Chacey’s skin tingled everywhere they touched. She explored every inch of Elaine’s body as she had promised. She tenderly kissed her face and chin, lingering on her lips to savor the taste of her. Her hands slid along the tender flesh of her breasts and down her sides. When her fingers found the dip in Elaine’s lower abdomen, she took a long time touching the foreign landscape, learning the feel of it, the shape of it. Her heart ached, knowing it was a symbol of the pain Elaine had felt. A reminder that things were irrevocably changed. She pushed the pain away and focused on loving the strength of the woman in her arms. Her lips played along Elaine’s neck and down to her chest, again finding a jagged, angry scar where a bullet had pierced her lover’s skin. She kissed the puckered, gnarled mark, running her tongue along the edges and rubbing her face against the roughened skin.

  Chacey raised her head and looked into Elaine’s eyes as they searched hers for any hint of disgust, discomfort, or rejection. Chacey knew there was none. She knew all Elaine could see behind her eyes was love and longing.

  “You’re even more beautiful than I remembered,” Chacey whispered, her lips brushing Elaine’s with warm breath. She felt some of the tension dissolve as Elaine relaxed against her. She wanted to show Elaine the depth of her love for her. She wanted to join their bodies and chase away all the doubt and fear she had seen in Elaine’s eyes.

  Chacey felt the moment when Elaine opened herself to her. Pressing against Elaine, she pushed between her legs and ran a hand along the inside of her thigh as she took her breast into her mouth. Elaine’s body rose and her ankle wrapped around Chacey’s leg and pressed, encouraging her closer. Elaine’s hands played in her hair and her nails scraped along her back, and Chacey moaned as she pulsed in time with her heartbeat. She gloried in the feel of Elaine’s skin, the softness of her breasts, the subtle changes in her breathing, and the tender sounds evoked through each touch.

  Making her way down the length of Elaine’s body, Chacey kissed and licked the tender skin, making Elaine writhe with want. Joy filled her when Elaine moaned against her, her breathing heavy, her hands pressed into her skin. This was everything she would ever need. She kissed the length of the scar that ran the length of Elaine’s stomach, bisecting her navel, where the surgeons had cut her to repair the damage from the bullet that had torn through her body. She flowered the scar with kisses and strokes of her tongue, claiming this new part of her lover. She gently made her way down Elaine’s body. Her head moved to the triangle that pointed the way to the center of the universe.

  Chacey’s lips caressed the tender flesh, her tongue parting the lips to expose the exquisite wetness. Chacey closed her lips around the tender folds, sucking and pulling, then licking and sucking some more, relishing the scent and the taste of her. Her fingers played at the opening of Elaine’s sex, waiting for the moment when Elaine would need her inside.

  Just as Elaine felt she was about to explode with pleasure, she pushed Chacey’s face away. “Come here, sweetheart. I need to feel you too.” She wanted to see the look in Chacey’s eyes as they touched.

  Chacey lifted herself, kissing her way back up and supporting herself on her elbow. Elaine reached her hand between them and pressed against the mound between Chacey’s legs. The heat poured into her palm, and she could tell that Chacey was ready. Pressing two fingers between the slick, wet folds, she felt her heart break with the love she held for Chacey.

  “I want you inside me,” Elaine said, her breath fast and heavy now as she pushed her pelvis up to meet Chacey’s touch. She slid her own fingers slowly into Chacey’s opening and felt the muscles tighten around her. They rocked against each other slowly, allowing the pressure to build until neither could hold any more.

  Chacey’s breath was ragged against her ear, sending waves of sensation through Elaine’s body. Her skin thrummed with ecstasy. “Now, baby. I want…I’m right there…I want to feel you—” Her words were cut off as her body shuddered, rocking into Chacey, pushing her deeper inside her. An explosion erupted at her center and moved through her like a tidal wave, and she cried out from the intensity of her orgasm. Then Chacey clamped down on her hand, and Elaine felt muscles ripple and shudder, tightening around her fingers.

  Their bodies finally still, Elaine slipped her hand out of Chacey and wrapped her arms around her. The last thing she remembered was the feel of Chacey’s body blanketing her with softness, her hand still between her legs, cupping her.

  Elaine pressed her cheek into Chacey’s hair and breathed in the scent of her, relishing the ecstasy.

  *

  Chacey woke to the sound of the
shower running. She blinked, trying to clear the sleep from her eyes. As she moved, she could feel her nakedness against the sheets, and the thought of Elaine’s body against hers sent new waves of want to her center. Being with Elaine had been fulfilling, exciting, healing. She threw back the covers and made her way to the bathroom. Even this short distance between them was too much. She had to see Elaine, touch her, relish just being in the same room with her.

  “Good morning, sweetheart,” she announced as she entered the bathroom.

  “Ah…you’re awake.” Elaine’s voice coming from the shower sounded light this morning, and Chacey’s heart soared.

  Chacey stepped into the shower and said, “I thought I’d join you.”

  Elaine turned away from her. Chacey saw her hand quickly cover the scar on her abdomen and knew Elaine was still self-conscious about her scars. Chacey slid her hands around Elaine’s middle and pressed her body firmly against her. Her hand found Elaine’s breasts as she placed tender kisses along her shoulder. She felt Elaine relax against her, and all protest fled, to be replaced with pleasure.

  Chacey turned Elaine to face her, skimming her hands along her breasts as the water cascaded down her body and ran from her erect nipples. Chacey took in the angry red scars that marked Elaine’s body and found her own anger simmering below the surface. Someone had done this to her. Someone had purposefully hurt her and left her to die. How could anyone want to hurt someone so precious?

  Chacey stepped into Elaine, sliding their wet bodies together and rubbing her thigh between Elaine’s legs. Her lips found Elaine and she explored her mouth thoroughly, sucking her tongue, then pulling back to lick the supple swollen lips. Her hand slipped between Elaine’s legs and she stroked her with her fingers.

  “Chacey. If you keep doing that I’ll have to have another shower.”

  Chacey dropped to her knees, pushing Elaine’s legs apart, and pressed her face into the folds of her sex. This time, she held Elaine in her lips, her tongue playing along the stiff shaft of her clitoris until she felt Elaine twitch and rock against her face. She slid her hand into the slick opening, her other hand braced behind Elaine to keep her upright as she worked her with her tongue and fingers.