“Damn.” Sydney gave Alex a final quick kiss then rolled out of bed. She moved to a nearby chair where she retrieved a short silk robe. “I’m going to jump in the shower,” Sydney said. She turned back toward the bed as she pulled the robe on. Alex had turned on her side with her head propped up in the palm of her hand. She was silently watching Sydney’s every move. Sydney paused as she took in the almost hypnotized look on Alex’s face.
“Sergeant Chambers?” Sydney smiled as she stood before the bed with the robe hanging open down her front. Alex’s eyes roved up her body, pausing occasionally. Sydney felt herself becoming turned on simply by Alex’s sultry gaze and obvious desire. Alex’s eyes finally met hers and they looked at one another without speaking for a moment.
“God, you’re beautiful,” Alex said, her voice almost hoarse. Sydney smiled and moved the few steps to the bedside. Alex reached out a hand and moved it inside Sydney’s open robe, running it along the warm flesh to rest on Sydney’s bare hip as Sydney leaned over and their lips pressed together.
“And you’re virtually irresistible,” Sydney said when she ended the kiss. “And I’m going to end up back in this bed if I don’t focus and turn around now and head for that bathroom.” Alex’s hand drifted toward her derrière and she reached around to still Alex’s trespass in places Sydney knew would cause “virtually” irresistible to become just plain irresistible.
Alex simply smiled up at her. “Go take your shower and get ready for work,” she said. “I’ll head down and try and figure out how to make some coffee.”
Sydney gave Alex one more quick peck on the lips then turned and went into the bathroom.
AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES of simply enjoying the sensations running through her mind and body, Alex got out of bed and dressed, then went downstairs and retrieved her backpack from where she had dropped it in the entryway the night before. She smiled as she recalled the passion that had erupted between them.
Alex proceeded to the downstairs bathroom where she brushed her teeth and washed her face then ran a comb through her hair. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d actually been comfortable and engaged enough to spend an entire night with a woman and wake up with her the next morning. Not since Regina. Even then, the level of comfort, of certainty, had not equaled what she felt now in Sydney’s presence.
Alex was still smiling as she made her way into the kitchen to figure out the coffee machine. By the time Sydney came downstairs the rich caffeine mixture was successfully brewing and Alex was leaning on the counter checking messages and email on her cell phone.
Alex pocketed her phone as Sydney approached. She visually admired the now professionally attired, yet undeniably sexy woman in whose arms she had spent the prior night. Sydney moved directly to her and leaned up to kiss her once again.
“Mmm, minty fresh,” Sydney said as she pulled away. “I was going to offer you some toiletries if you need them.”
“Not necessary. I brought some.” Alex nodded toward her backpack sitting on the counter nearby. Sydney looked over at the indicated bag, then back at Alex with a raised eyebrow.
“That sure of yourself, huh, Sergeant? You knew you’d end up spending the night with me?” she said with a slight smile.
“No! That’s not what—I’d never—” Alex stopped and took a deep breath, feeling slightly panicked. She tried to start over. “It’s just because I get stuck at work sometimes.” Alex took Sydney’s hands in each of hers. “I swear to you I would never presume—”
“Relax, Alex,” Sydney said. Then added, “It’s not as if I didn’t make my intentions pretty clear at my office yesterday.” The mischievous smile and Sydney’s reassuring squeeze of her hands did relax Alex a little.
“Well, just the same,” Alex said, returning the squeeze. “I want you to be thoroughly comfortable with this, with us, wherever we may go with this. I won’t ever pressure you and I want you to tell me if anything makes you uncomfortable, okay?”
Sydney nodded and they embraced. “Thank you,” she mumbled into Alex’s chest. She gave Alex a final squeeze then they released each other.
Several minutes later they exited the house through the garage, both carrying travel mugs of coffee and Alex carrying Sydney’s soft satchel briefcase. Sydney pressed the button for the garage door, then opened her vehicle’s passenger door. Alex placed the briefcase on the passenger seat then closed the door, immediately moving the arm not holding her coffee to wrap around Sydney.
“When’s your next day off?” Sydney asked.
“I’m working through Friday night,” Alex said. “I almost forgot to ask. Are you free this weekend?”
“I don’t think I have any plans,” Sydney said as she leaned comfortably against Alex.
“My friend Sal and his girlfriend, Tiffany, would really like to meet you. You’ve met Sal, Sergeant Donatelli? They’ve invited the two of us to their place on Saturday. I think they plan to barbeque if the weather isn’t too cool. Does that sound like anything you’d be interested in?”
“It sounds nice.”
Alex looked away nervously then back to Sydney. “Spend the rest of the weekend with me?” she asked. “After the barbeque, I mean.”
“Absolutely,” Sydney said. “It can’t come soon enough.” Alex smiled and leaned down for another gentle but lengthy kiss.
“Drive safe,” Alex said when they broke apart. She grasped Sydney’s hand and brought it to her lips. “Call me when you get to your office?” Sydney nodded, then they kissed once more before Alex winked at her and turned to make her way out of the garage to her truck parked in the driveway.
THIRTY MINUTES LATER Sydney parked in the subterranean garage below the courthouse and made her way up to her office. She hung up her suit jacket and sat down. She picked up her phone and dialed Alex’s cell number from memory.
“I’ve arrived safely,” she said when the familiar voice answered. “Are you on your way to the gym?” she asked, having already learned of her daily workout habit. She more than appreciated the results of that habit.
“Yep. I’ll call you later today,” came the reply. “I miss you already.”
“So do I. The weekend can’t come soon enough.”
Sydney leaned her head back and closed her eyes after hanging up the phone. She let her mind once again recap the events of the previous night. She was tired. She and Alex hadn’t gotten a lot of sleep, but she felt strangely energized at the same time.
“You, my friend, are absolutely glowing.”
Sydney opened her eyes to see Tyler leaning on the door frame looking at her. He entered and sat down across from her, leaning forward on her desk and lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
“You have the distinct look of someone who is supremely sexually satisfied,” he said with a knowing grin. “You got laid.” Sydney could only grin in response. “I knew it.” Tyler said. “It’s about damn time.”
Chapter Eleven
THE REST OF the week progressed slowly for Alex. Her mind frequently turned to Sydney and the strength of her attraction for the woman. An emotional attraction, not just a physical one. Why were these emotions so different than anything she’d felt before? Her relationship with Regina had been comfortable and she’d cared about her, but the intensity of that relationship was nothing compared to what she felt now. Her other encounters with women in recent years hardly deserved the title relationship, they were better described as conquests with no need or want for future or continued contact. But Alex couldn’t escape the fact her feelings toward Sydney were entirely different. Beyond an undeniable desire and physical attraction, Alex felt an emotional attachment and attraction to Sydney—a need to protect her, to nurture the relationship.
ON FRIDAY ALEX and Sal ventured into Rampart Division for a late lunch at Tommy’s Burgers, a hangout and mainstay in downtown
L.A. As was their habit, they chose to eat near their cars, rather than amongst the small number of crowded tables situated around the corner b
urger stand. The conversation naturally turned to the upcoming Saturday get together and the emerging relationship.
“Syd’s looking forward to meeting you guys tomorrow,” Alex said as they leaned on the hood of Alex’s black and white.
“Uh-huh.”
Alex had a feeling Sal’s noncommittal response was not entirely due to his mouth being full of French fries. Alex finally bit the bullet. “Syd and I, we slept together.” She looked at Sal with a question in her eyes, uncertain what his reaction would be. “I really care about her, Sal. I’d really like your support.”
“Look,” Sal finally said, wiping grease and chili remnants from his fingers. “You know I want what’s best for you. I just can’t help thinking you’ve been down this road before. A straight chick looking for a fling toyed with you once. And you got screwed, my friend. I don’t want that happening to you again.”
Sal had been there many years prior, when Alex was in her twenties and become enamored with Tamara Walker, a slightly older supervising detective introduced through mutual friends. Their flirtation had turned into a steamy relationship and eventually discussions turned to long-term plans. Alex, in her first really serious committed relationship, thought she had found the woman she would spend the rest of her life with. They made plans to move in together and travel, but everything was always put off for one reason or another at Tamara’s insistence.
Alex soon became concerned about a certain male officer with whom Tamara seemed to spend a lot of time. To make matters worse, the officer was a peer of Alex’s, assigned to the same division. When she finally confronted her girlfriend about it, Tamara told Alex he was a long time family friend, the son of her father’s business partner. She described their relationship as a close friendship. She said that though he wanted more, Tamara wouldn’t allow it to progress to that level. She added a fear that if he were to discover she was a lesbian then he would expose this to her family as well as use it against her and jeopardize her career. Tamara was heavily in the closet, something Alex hadn’t been for several years, though she considered it a personal decision and respected Tamara’s wish to have her sexuality concealed.
This went on for months with Alex acquiescing to the requests for patience, believing Tamara’s claims that at some point—soon—they would be together permanently. Tamara continued to express a fear of emotional distress. Alex even offered to leave if Tamara felt that was the best and safest thing for her. Tamara insisted she didn’t want her to go, saying eventually they would be together, begging her to continue their relationship in secret.
Alex accepted her role as essentially—the other woman—sneaking around to clandestine meetings, believing she was Tamara’s first love, that the relationship with the other officer was platonic.
Finally, after almost a year, Alex got to the point deep down inside where she knew she was being played. She still hesitated to admit it or act on it. It came to a head one weekend when Tamara told Alex she had to spend the weekend with the other officer as part of a family get together. Alex was working the Sunday afternoon when he came to the station to pick up his paycheck. Alex, who was in the station preparing an arrest report, finally decided to confront him. She asked him to step outside, telling him she had a question for him. Once outside she asked him the precise nature of his relationship with Tamara.
“Are you together? Like boyfriend and girlfriend together?” she asked.
“Yep,” he said, appearing as if he wasn’t surprised by the question.
Alex took a deep breath. “I was led to believe that Tamara and I had a relationship.”
“Well,” he replied. “She said you’d created something like that in your head. She told me you’ve been aggressively pursuing a lesbian relationship with her, a relationship she obviously has no interest in. She’s tried to be nice and communicate that to you. But you’re making her uncomfortable with the way you’re forcing yourself on her. She says you just won’t let it go. So I’m telling you to back off.”
Alex mailed Tamara’s apartment key back to her that afternoon and never spoke to her again. Since then, she’d been unable to commit to any relationship, finding company and sexual satisfaction when the opportunity arose, but never submitting at any real emotional level. Regina was the first to push that limit and it was the first long term relationship Alex had since Tamara.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Sal broke back into Alex’s thought process. “I’m not saying Sydney’s intentions are the same, or that she’s as messed up as that manipulative, two timing whore. What if she doesn’t even know where she’s at in life? Straight, bi, gay, whatever. What if she doesn’t even realize she’s using you to sort her own feelings out?”
“That was ten years ago, Sal. I like to think I’ve grown up a little since then—that I know better.” Alex took a deep breath. “Did you ever tell Tiffany about Tamara?” she asked.
Sal shook his head. “Nope. I’d never reveal it without your permission. Not even to Tiff. Besides,” Sal added with a smile. “Tiff loves you to death, and you know how she is with her protective, maternal instinct thing. She’d probably hunt down—she who shall not be named—and flatten her tires, or something, if she knew how the bitch had messed with your head.” Then he grew serious once more. “Tiff knows something happened that made you afraid of commitment. She’s also noticed this seems different for you as well. You’re more intense about this. It’s clearly not casual dating.
“No offense my friend,” Sal went on. “If Sydney were anyone else you would have screwed her and moved on by now, just like every other woman before and after Regina. For some reason you’re approaching this differently. As your friend, I can’t help but notice certain similarities with Sydney. You can’t even be sure she’s gay.” He took a deep breath. “I’m just saying take it slow, don’t get too wrapped up until you’re sure of where you both stand. I see you falling fast here. I don’t want to see you get your heart broken again.
“Anyway,” Sal said, “Anything interesting happen lately with that asshole Ramos?”
Lieutenant Ramos had been a thorn in Alex’s side since they were young police officers together at Hollywood Division. Ramos was a member of L.A.P.D.’s infamous “God Squad,” a group of officers from various ranks who were bonded through their evangelical beliefs and were led by a high-ranking command officer known as “Bible Bill.” The group was known to protect and promote one another within the department, putting their evangelical similarities before professional competency.
Ramos had not hesitated to reveal his chauvinistic beliefs to Alex from their first meeting, constantly ridiculing her and making quiet remarks regarding women not belonging in law enforcement. When Ramos found out Alex was a lesbian the harassment became openly hostile. It didn’t help that the general consensus amongst their peers was that Alex was a better street cop than Ramos.
The conflict reached its head when Alex beat out Ramos for a highly coveted position within a gang unit. Ramos had intentionally revealed to the unit’s supervisors and senior officers Alex’s sexual orientation and made numerous disparaging remarks about her in an effort to destroy her selection chances. The plan backfired. The unit had not been impressed by Ramos’s personal attacks against a fellow officer. Alex was selected for the gang unit, and Ramos had been counseled about his attitude and conduct. He was also reminded about the department’s zero-tolerance policy for discrimination.
As usual, the “God Squad” closed ranks to protect one of their own. Ramos was transferred to a new command shortly thereafter and his career was not hindered. He’d gone on to have all the right positions to promote, while Alex progressed slowly, proving herself a peer leader, a strong tactician and a well-respected street cop in each of her assignments.
Years later, when Alex transferred to Central Division in her second year as a sergeant, she found Ramos, now a lieutenant, assigned there as the Commanding Officer of Central Detectives. While she didn’t work for Ramos, her position with a special
ized unit created an environment in which she had to interact closely with detectives on occasion. Ramos maintained his strong dislike of Alex, something the rest of Alex’s unit, and many detectives, picked up on.
Ramos was known fairly universally as a “climber” who cared more about his own professional aspirations than he did about any mission, the personnel under his command or even the community. That fact, coupled with Alex’s competence and professionalism, won over most officers very quickly. Ramos’s repeated verbal attacks and back stabbing comments had little negative effect except to frustrate Alex at times.
“Ramos is Ramos. Fuck him,” Alex said. “He’s harmless.”
“I don’t know,” Sal replied. “I have a feeling that man’s got no boundaries. He’s dangerous. He’s dangerous to his own people and to anyone he set his sights on, and you are definitely in his sights.”
Alex shrugged. “I can manage him. It’s not as if he really has any direct impact on me.”
ALEX IMPATIENTLY PACED before the window as she waited for Sydney to arrive. The plan was for her to come to Alex’s so they could head to Sal and Tiffany’s together, then for Sydney to spend the night at Alex’s afterwards.
Alex mentally chastised herself for standing at the window like a nervous schoolgirl watching for Sydney’s car. Moments later the distinctive Mercedes roadster turned the corner at the end of the street. Alex headed out the front door and down the walkway to the curb, reaching it just as Sydney pulled up.
“I see you found the place,” she said as Sydney climbed out of the two-seater. “Any problems?”
“Not at all. I like your neighborhood.” Sydney popped open the trunk.
Alex smiled as she noted the overnight bag. She reached in and retrieved it. “I’ll just put this in the house and we can head out,” she said as she closed the trunk.
White Roses Calling Page 15
