by Tara Wentz
“Stupid ass programmers should have known better than to promise these people the type of longevity they did.”
Kellen leaned back in her chair and ran her hands through her hair for the umpteenth time.
“Even you know better than that, Chigger.”
Chigger was lying comfortably in front of her feet with his head on his paws. His ears perked, but that was about it.
“That’s how it goes some days, buddy,” Kellen continued, leaning down to rub the dog’s head. “Tell the people what they want to hear whether it’s the truth or not. Well, I’m done wasting my time with this. They’ll either have to accept they need a new system or find someone else.”
Kellen glanced at the clock and grinned. “C’mon boy, let’s clean this mess up. It’s almost time to call Joshlyn.” She had gotten a later start on work this evening because she had stopped by Erin’s for dinner. She always enjoyed her time and Erin was a fabulous cook. Conversation was easy as well. Kellen chuckled because it was a known fact that Erin could hold a conversation with a rock! Talking was definitely not a weak quality for her. It felt good to tell someone else how she was feeling about Joshlyn.
“So, what’s her name?”
“What makes you think there is a her?”
“C’mon, Kellen, I’m no dummy. I can see the wheels turning inside that gorgeous head of yours.”
Kellen grinned. She never could keep anything from her. “Joshlyn. We haven’t known each other long, but it feels like forever. Does that even make sense?”
“It makes perfect sense. Have you two…you know?”
Kellen blushed. “We’ve been intimate, yes. I’m not saying this because of that, Erin. I felt this way before anything happened, which was quite recent I might add.”
“I’m not saying you do, Kellen, I was just curious.”
“She just feels like…like home. I don’t even know how else to explain it.”
“When it’s meant to be, that’s exactly how it should feel.”
After Sunday’s little chat, Kellen was afraid that Joshlyn would put some distance between them because she didn’t ask any questions or push for any details. Much to Kellen’s surprise, Joshlyn called her the next night and they talked for over an hour. When the conversation ended, Joshlyn asked her to call tonight. Kellen knew that Joshlyn was busy this week trying to get pictures done for her next session so phone calls would have to suffice. God do I miss her, though!
Kellen pushed her chair back and was starting to clean up her papers when the doorbell rang. She looked down at the papers in her hands and frowned.
“Dammit,” she hissed, taking another peek at the clock.
She dropped the papers back on the desk and headed to the front door. The windows on each side of the door were marbled and obscured detail so she couldn’t immediately see who was on the other side. She leaned her forehead against the door and looked out the peephole.
Kellen’s frown immediately turned into a grin as she unlocked the door and opened it.
“What are you doing here?” Kellen said, standing in the doorway.
Joshlyn couldn’t have responded if her life depended on it. She’d never seen Kellen in her work clothes and was damned glad she didn’t have to work alongside her. Kellen’s hair was down and flowing against her shoulders. It was mussed a little as if she’d been running her fingers through it. Her gorgeous blue eyes were adorned with small oval shaped glasses and her lips were full and moist. A tasteful vest in shades of khaki, light blue, and white was worn over a white oxford shirt, sleeves rolled partially up her forearms and unbuttoned almost to her cleavage where a delicate chain hung. Her shirt was tucked into navy slacks that hugged her hips like a new lover and her feet were bare. Holy mother of God!
“Hello, earth to Joshlyn,” Kellen said, snapping her fingers in front of Joshlyn’s face.
“Huh?”
Kellen laughed and repeated her earlier question. “What are you doing here?”
Joshlyn cleared her throat and shook the haze from her head. “Um, I thought I’d surprise you.” Joshlyn stopped and raised her eyebrows. “But if you aren’t happy to see me then I can leave.”
Kellen grabbed Joshlyn’s arm before she could even think of leaving. “Oh no, you’re here now, don’t think I’m going to let you go that easily.”
Joshlyn smirked and followed Kellen inside.
Kellen turned and pulled Joshlyn into her arms. “I’m very glad you’re here. I’ve missed you.”
Kellen leaned close and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around Joshlyn and hugged her close. Ending the kiss, she smiled. “What an awesome surprise. You have no idea what a welcome sight you are.”
Joshlyn returned the smile and gave her another quick kiss on the lips. “Yeah? Why’s that?”
“This damned program I’ve been working on is giving me a headache. I’ve worked on it for over two hours and I just can’t find the solution they want.”
“Well, I’m sure if there was a solution you’d have found it, right?”
“I certainly tried, but I know that’s not going to make them happy.” Kellen sighed.
“On the whole, what does that mean for them?”
Kellen took Joshlyn’s hand and led her to the couch. Taking a seat in the corner, she waited to continue until Joshlyn was comfortable.
“It means they are going to have to spend a little bit of money to upgrade their dinosaur of a program. I tried to explain that to them, but to no avail.”
Joshlyn grabbed one of Kellen’s feet and started to stroke the arch. “Then what else can you do?”
Kellen groaned and closed her eyes. “Notta.”
Joshlyn chuckled and continued to massage her foot. “You’re pretty tense.”
“Mmmm.”
Kellen let her foot be rubbed a little longer before finally cracking an eye. “Hey, you never said what brought you over here.”
“Oh, that. Well, Ami called me earlier and had a bit of news to share with me.”
“Yeah? Good news or bad news?”
“That is exactly what I was thinking. It turned out to be good news, I think.”
“News you want to share or you were just too wound up to stay at home alone?”
“Both,” Joshlyn decided.
“Then?”
“Seems Robin Masters contacted her today and wants me to work with her on a series of books.”
Kellen’s jaw dropped. She pulled her foot out of Joshlyn’s hand and leaned forward. “Robin Masters as in renowned freelance writer…that Robin Masters?”
Joshlyn laughed and nodded her head. “Can you believe it?”
“Josh, that’s fantastic! Are you going to do it?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’m going to think about it.”
“Think about it? What’s there to think about?” Kellen asked incredulously.
“I’m not sure I want that notoriety, Kellen. I mean, I have no idea what this will mean for me, but I do know with that famous of a writer there’s no way I can maintain my anonymity.”
Kellen knew Joshlyn was a private person, but had no idea it ran this deep. She sensed there were things Joshlyn didn’t talk about, but never pushed.
“All right, I see your point. You are going to think about it though, right?
“Of course. I’m not that stupid,” Joshlyn replied, looking away.
Kellen slid across the couch so she was perched right next to Joshlyn. She tucked a finger under her chin and turned her head back around.
“Joshlyn, you are anything but stupid.”
Kellen’s gaze was lighting a fire low in her groin. As much as she wanted to explore this feeling, she didn’t want Kellen to think she was ignoring her or trying to change the subject.
“I know,” Joshlyn replied, quietly.
Kellen studied her for a moment longer before rubbing a hand on her leg.
“Have you eaten dinner yet?”
Joshlyn clasped her hand. “No, want to go grab s
omething?”
“How about we hang here and I’ll cook you dinner?”
“Oh, now that sounds like a deal I can’t refuse.”
“Great. Let me go get changed and I’ll get busy.”
****
Kellen wiped her mouth, dropped the napkin on the plate, and pushed the plate away. She took a drink of tea and leaned back in her chair.
“This was fantastic, Kellen. You grill a mean salmon,” Joshlyn groaned, rubbing her stomach. “I am so full.”
“Thank you, I’m glad you liked it.”
“Are you done working for the night or do you need to get back to it?”
“I’m done. If I look at those papers anymore tonight I won’t be responsible for my actions,” Kellen grumbled. “Tomorrow I’ll call and tell them there is no way to make an updated patch for a program that is non-existent at this point.”
Joshlyn couldn’t help but chuckle. She knew Kellen was serious, but her grumbling was cute. “Do you want to go watch some television for a little while then?”
Kellen smiled and stood. She pushed her chair in and held her hand up.
“Wait right here.”
Joshlyn curiously watched her leave the room and come back with a small, lightweight throw blanket.
Kellen reached for Joshlyn’s hand. “I’ve got a better idea. Come with me.”
Joshlyn hopped up from her chair and followed Kellen out the back sliding glass door and across the deck. It was a gorgeous night. A slight breeze ruffled the leaves and the crickets were busy chirping away. The sky was clear and full of stars.
“When I was little, Granddaddy and I used to grab a blanket and curl up on the porch. We’d lay out watching the stars for hours,” Kellen reminisced.
“I can remember some of the sleepovers I went on where we’d camp out in a tent in the yard. It may sound corny, but it was really a lot of fun.”
Kellen led Joshlyn over to the hammock and stopped. “I don’t think it sounds corny at all.”
Kellen straddled the hammock and sat towards one end. “Here, you can sit facing me,” she said, patting the other end.
Joshlyn drew her eyebrows up. “You want me to what?”
Kellen laughed and pulled her closer. “Here, just do what I’m doing and once you get seated you can lay your legs across my thighs. That way we can see each other and talk.”
Precariously Joshlyn threw one leg across the hammock and sat down. “You sure this isn’t going to tip over this way?”
“I’m positive, now come on.”
Joshlyn brought her legs up and across Kellen’s thighs and settled comfortably down into the hammock.
Kellen tossed the blanket across their laps and used a foot to set the hammock swaying.
“Granddaddy used to point out all the constellations. He loved teaching me all the little things he knew. He was such a wealth of information.”
“He sounds like he was a wonderful man, someone you could really count on and turn to when you needed it the most.”
“You know, I don’t think there was anything I couldn’t ask him about that he didn’t know at least a little bit about it. I’d sit and listen to him until either he or I fell asleep.” Kellen laughed. “More times than not we slept out on the porch.”
Joshlyn smiled as Kellen recalled memories of her grandfather. It was very apparent that she held him in high regards. She wished she could recall fond memories and still feel good about them; instead, they left her feeling cold inside.
Kellen felt Joshlyn shiver and, mistaking it for her being cold, ran her hands up and down the legs lying across hers.
“Tell me more about your grandfather,” Joshlyn asked.
“He had so many stories. Sometimes I wondered if they were all true. Stories about when he was a boy and all the trouble he’d get into.”
“And you wonder if they were true? Take a look in the mirror. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Joshlyn laughed.
“Hey!” Kellen squeezed Joshlyn’s thighs, making her sit upright.
“Just stating the obvious, sweetheart,” she said, laying her arms across Kellen’s shoulders.
“Anyhow…where was I?”
Joshlyn ran her fingers lightly through Kellen’s hair, letting her thumbs graze gently across her ears.
“You were telling me what an ornery boy your grandfather was.”
“Oh, right…um,” Kellen was having a hard time concentrating with Joshlyn touching her. What she wanted to do was grab her and kiss her senseless.
“Ahuh, go on,” Joshlyn chided.
“He, uh…” Kellen dropped her chin to her chest and gave up. She grabbed the front of Joshlyn’s shirt and pulled her flush against her chest.
“What’s wrong, Kel?” Joshlyn whispered.
“What’s wrong is that you are driving me insane. The way you look at me, the way you touch me, the way you smell. I can’t take it anymore.”
“So what are you going to do about it?”
Kellen tilted her head and captured Joshlyn’s lips. She started with slow, gentle nips before increasing the pressure, her tongue begging for entrance. Joshlyn emitted a groan of desire and wrapped her arms around Kellen.
Kellen lowered Joshlyn back against the hammock and brought a hand up between them. She placed her palm against a warm, supple breast and squeezed.
Joshlyn’s heart accelerated rapidly as a rush of heat filled her groin. “Kellen.”
Kellen locked eyes with Joshlyn. Carefully she brought one knee up beside Joshlyn’s hip and shifted her body to bring the other one up. She’d no more than lifted her foot from the ground when the hammock tipped precariously.
Joshlyn felt the world spin as she landed with a heavy thud and felt a whoosh of air rush past her. She lay there for just a moment before realizing that Kellen was gasping for air.
Joshlyn scrambled off Kellen and grabbed her arm. “Oh my God, Kellen. Are you okay?”
Kellen tried to respond, but the air was slow to return to her lungs so she closed her eyes and tried to nod instead.
“All right, just relax and try to slow your breathing down.”
“I’m okay,” Kellen wheezed.
Joshlyn leaned down on an elbow and smoothed the hair back away from Kellen’s face. Her breathing was slowly returning to normal.
“Doing okay?”
Kellen turned her head towards Joshlyn’s voice and opened her eyes. “Definitely doing better than I was a few minutes ago. You okay?”
“Me?” Joshlyn chuckled. “Yeah, I had a soft landing, sweetheart.”
Joshlyn rested her hand against Kellen’s cheek and leaned closer. “I thought you said that thing wouldn’t tip.”
Kellen burst out laughing and then grabbed her chest. “Oh, don’t make me laugh!”
Joshlyn brought her head the rest of the way down and captured Kellen’s lips. Her hand moved down Kellen’s neck and stopped over the rapidly beating pulse. Joshlyn kissed the smooth surface of Kellen’s cheek before moving down to her chin. She placed small butterfly kisses across her jaw and nipped at the edge of her ear.
“You are so beautiful, Kellen,” Joshlyn whispered before sliding down to taste the skin she couldn’t seem to get enough of lately.
Kellen gasped and tilted her head back in submission. Her stomach tightened as Joshlyn’s hands wandered lovingly over her body. She closed her eyes again, allowing herself a few minutes of peaceful bliss.
Joshlyn released the top three buttons on Kellen’s lounge shirt and slipped a hand inside. The warm surface did nothing to dampen the flames of want coursing through her. She placed her lips against Kellen’s chest and inhaled, losing herself in the heady scent. Lordy but she smells good!
“I want you…” Joshlyn rasped.
Kellen’s stomach tightened. “What’s stopping you, Joshlyn?”
Joshlyn glanced around the yard and raised her eyebrows. “Uh, we’re outside. What about your neighbors?”
“We’re fine,” Kellen
started and rushed on when Joshlyn was getting ready to object. “They can’t see in the yard.” She waited briefly. “Please?”
Joshlyn drew a deep breath. There was no way she could refuse Kellen and heaven knows she didn’t want to either.
Kellen wrapped an arm around Joshlyn’s neck and pulled her close, kissing her tentatively.
Joshlyn gave up the internal battle and resumed her exploring. She slid her hand down the front of Kellen’s shirt to the waistband of her pants. Plucking at the edge, she slipped her fingers underneath and caressed the taut stomach that greeted her. Moving her hand between Kellen’s legs, she stroked her slowly, letting the pressure build.
“Oh, Joshlyn,” Kellen moaned.
“That’s it, baby, let it go.” Joshlyn moved faster against Kellen until she felt her shudder. She slowed the tempo, pulling a little more out of her.
Kellen blinked rapidly, trying to dislodge the tears blinding her. Words could not describe how Joshlyn made her feel.
Joshlyn kissed Kellen one last time before smiling down at her.
“I—” Kellen started.
Joshlyn placed a finger against her lips. “Shhhh, I know.”
Chapter Fourteen
Kellen was late getting home from a meeting with a potentially new client. She tried in vain not to keep glancing at her watch and eventually the client had all his questions answered and agreed to give her a call after he made his decision. Driving as fast as she could without causing an accident, she made it home in record time. She grabbed her mail, rushed through the door, and tossed her keys on the table. Joshlyn had decided to go ahead and meet Robin Masters and get further details about what she wanted before she made her decision. Ami called with arrangements to meet for dinner and asked Joshlyn to bring Kellen along with her if she wanted. Taking another look at the clock, she had just enough time to shower and dress before Joshlyn would arrive. She filled Chigger’s food and water dish and headed for the shower.
Kellen slipped into her clothes, sprayed a little cologne on, and headed back into the bathroom. She turned the blow dryer on low and ran her fingers through her hair. After a few minutes, she set it down.
