“Okay, I’ll stop,” Kashena said placatingly.
Sierra gave her an assessing look. “Do you have any idea how much more beautiful you are when your hair is down?”
Kashena was caught totally off guard by the comment. Her mouth dropped open, then she started to shake her head.
“And don’t think that this is the alcohol talking,” Sierra warned. “I thought you were beautiful in college too, only I never saw you with your hair down.”
“True,” Kashena said. “You only ever saw me in uniform then.”
“And with your hair up every time I’ve seen you recently too,” Sierra put in accusingly.
“It’s more professional.”
“Well, I like it down,” Sierra said petulantly.
Kashena nodded, her lips tugging at the corners.
“You’re still writing this off to alcohol, aren’t you?” Sierra asked.
Kashena slowly expelled a deep breath and nodded again.
“Okay,” Sierra said, her tone changing slightly, “how about this? Remember I told you that I remembered that kiss you gave me like it was yesterday?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, what I didn’t tell you is that after you disappeared on me, I went about dating women for the next four years or so.”
“You did?” Kashena asked, shocked in spite of herself.
“Yes,” Sierra said.
“And apparently you swung back the other way,” Kashena replied knowingly.
“Yes,” Sierra said, sitting forward, her eyes staring directly into Kashena’s. “Because no one made me feel like you did with one kiss.”
Kashena stared back at her, unable to think past what she’d just heard. Then reason kicked in.
“How many women did you date?” she asked.
“A lot.”
“How many?” Kashena repeated.
“I don’t know, maybe ten or so,” Sierra said. “That’s not the point. The point is that no matter what they did, no matter how hard they tried, how pretty, how butch, how smart they were, none of them did for me what you did.”
Kashena pursed her lips, her mind churning. Finally she shrugged, sitting back against the headboard of the bed.
“It was the excitement of the unknown the first time,” she said.
“No,” Sierra said. “It was you.”
Kashena shook her head, unconvinced.
Sierra stared at her for a long moment. Then, without warning, she moved forward, up between Kashena’s knees. Bringing her face within an inch of Kashena’s, Sierra stared into the other woman’s eyes.
“It was you,” she repeated, moving to lightly touch her lips to Kashena’s.
Kashena pulled back, searching the other woman’s eyes, then she moved in again, her lips taking possession of Sierra’s. Sierra moaned immediately, her hands moving into Kashena’s hair as Kashena cupped her cheek gently, her other hand moving to the back of Sierra’s head. The kiss was passionate and excited, and there was no denying the fire that ignited between them. They kissed for a long time, hands grasping at each other. When Kashena broke the kiss, her breath coming in heated gasps, Sierra moaned unhappily. She lowered her head to Kashena’s ear.
“Please don’t stop, Kash,” she whispered, her voice husky. “I want you so much…” Her voice trailed off as she kissed Kashena’s ear.
Kashena’s hold tightened as she guided Sierra’s face back to hers and kissed her again. There was no stopping then. Kissing and caressing, they grew more and more excited. Kashena slid her hand under the camisole top Sierra wore over silk bottoms. Sierra groaned heatedly. She pulled the top over her head, tossing it aside, desperate for Kashena’s hands on her bare skin. Minutes later, the bottoms followed the top and Sierra lay naked against Kashena. At that point, Kashena had only caressed her skin; as if inflamed by her nakedness, however, Kashena finally began touching more sensitive spots.
Sierra cried out as she felt Kashena’s hands slide across her nipples. Her body responded wildly, aching and tightening at the same time. Sierra was still lying over Kashena, who was half sitting up against the headboard.
“Come here,” Kashena murmured as she lifted Sierra’s body, sliding it upwards a few inches.
Sierra was sure she was going to explode when Kashena’s mouth closed over a hardened nipple.
“My God, my God…” Sierra groaned, pressing her body closer to Kashena’s mouth. “Please, please…” she chanted, feeling her body go wild with sensations.
Kashena’s hand slid down Sierra’s back as her fingers closed over her other nipple, her mouth still sucking at the first. Sierra stopped breathing as she waited in heated anticipation for Kashena to touch her. She felt Kashena’s hand slide further down, over the backs of her thighs. She trembled in anticipation. Suddenly, she felt Kashena’s fingers slip between her legs and touch her. Cool fingers against moist heat, and Sierra was exploding, crying out over and over again. It went on and on, subsiding slightly, then coming back again in waves. By the time it was over, Sierra was trembling against Kashena, resting her head against the top of Kashena’s.
As she did her best to catch her breath, Sierra felt Kashena’s hand at the bottom of the long braid she wore. She felt tugging, then the braid was loosened. Kashena’s fingers slid through the long tresses, releasing it from the braid. Sierra’s hair fell almost to her waist.
“I always loved your hair,” Kashena said, her voice reflecting awe.
Sierra pulled back, looking down at her. “Why?” she asked softly.
Kashena picked up a handful of Sierra’s jet-black hair, caressing it gently between her fingers. “Because,” she said, her eyes connecting with Sierra’s, “it’s the hair of our people, this rich black silk.”
Sierra felt a tug at her heart. Kashena was one of her people, Indian like her.
Leaning down, Sierra kissed Kashena, her lips saying without words what her heart was thinking. Kashena buried her hands in Sienna’s hair as they kissed. Sierra’s hands slid over Kashena’s skin, making Kashena shudder. Slowly but surely, Sierra worked up the confidence to touch Kashena as Kashena had her.
Sierra moved her lips down to Kashena’s neck, hearing Kashena suck in her breath sharply. Spurred on by that, Sierra kissed Kashena’s neck again, sucking at her skin.
“God…” Kashena said, her voice a moan.
Sierra moved lower, kissing down to Kashena’s breast, which was still covered by her jog bra. She slid her hand over Kashena’s nipple, hard through the material. Getting brave, Sierra pulled the material up. Kashena assisted her further by pulling the top off. Sierra’s mouth hovered over her nipple. Kashena’s hand was at the back of her head, applying slight pressure, her body arching against Sierra in silent pleading. When her mouth closed over Kashena’s nipple, Kashena’s body arched higher and she gasped deeply. Sierra continued moving her mouth over Kashena’s nipple, her other hand caressing the other nipple.
“Sierra… Sierra…” Kashena murmured, her body straining against Sierra’s.
Sierra felt a sense of power and excitement building in her. Feeling Kashena’s reactions to her touch only excited her more. Kashena had been the object of so many fantasies years before, and now it was really happening. Moving her hands to the waist of Kashena’s pants, Sierra pushed at them. Kashena obliged her by lifting her hips, and moments later both the pants and Kashena’s underwear were on the floor. Sierra slid her tongue over Kashena’s nipple again, gliding her hand downward, as she felt Kashena’s hands touching her again. Sierra felt aroused beyond anything she’d ever felt before. As she touched Kashena for the first time, feeling the excitement she had created, an overwhelming sense of complete ecstasy washed over her. Kashena cried out, arching against her, and Kashena’s fingers slid deep inside her, making Sierra come yet again, their voices mingling in their release.
Afterwards they lay together, neither of them moving, just lying together, absorbing the sensations they’d just felt and caused. Sierra’s head rest
ed on Kashena’s chest. Kashena’s hand was in Sierra’s hair, the other hand still at the back of Sierra’s thigh. One of Sierra’s hands rested on Kashena’s hip, the other on Kashena’s shoulder.
“Do you realize,” Kashena said breathlessly, “that there are experienced lesbians who can’t make me come?”
Sierra lifted her head. “Really?” she asked, surprised.
Kashena nodded, an astounded look on her face. Sierra bit her lip, happy at that thought. She rested her head against Kashena again.
It was a long time before either of them spoke again. Sierra broke the silence first, glancing up at Kashena.
“Kash?” she queried softly.
“Hmm?”
“You never really said… Do you have someone in your life?” Sierra asked, her voice still soft.
Kashena opened her eyes and looked down at Sierra, still amazed at what had just happened between them and at how much Sierra affected her. Finally she nodded.
“I have someone living with me.”
Sierra’s eyes widened.
“It’s not really serious,” Kashena felt compelled to add. “I mean, she shows up for a few months, usually screws me over in the process, and leaves again.”
Sierra felt immediate dislike for a woman she didn’t even know.
“Why do you let her do that to you?” Sierra asked.
Kashena laughed softly. “Now you sound like Baz.”
“Baz?”
“Sebastian Bach. He’s my partner and my best friend.”
“And he doesn’t like this woman either?” Sierra said.
Kashena grinned, noting that Sierra had said “either,” meaning she already didn’t like Linda too.
“He hates her with a passion,” Kashena said.
“I like him already.”
Kashena laughed. “He’ll be happy to hear he has another ally in the war against Linda.”
“That’s her name?”
“Yes.”
Sierra nodded. “So, how long have you known Baz?”
“About ten years,” Kashena said. “We met in the military.”
“Was he a Marine too?”
“No, he was an Army Ranger,” Kashena said.
“I thought the branches of the service never got along,” Sierra said.
“Which explains why the first time we met, we had a knock-down, drag-out fight.”
“You fought with him?” Sierra asked, her tone shocked.
“Yep,” Kashena said. “And when he could hold his own against me, I decided he wasn’t such a bad guy.”
Sierra laughed, shaking her head. “That’s crazy.”
“That’s military,” Kashena replied.
“I guess…” Sierra said. “But now he’s your best friend?”
“Yep,” Kashena said. “He knows me better than anyone.”
“So I should definitely align myself with him,” Sierra said, grinning.
“Uh-huh…” Kashena smiled.
They were both silent then, falling asleep a little while later. Sierra’s last thought before she drifted off was that she’d never felt so good.
Kashena and Sierra woke at the same time the second morning of the conference. Sierra woke to the sensation of Kashena’s warmth next to her. When Kashena felt Sierra stir, she opened her eyes, looking down at the other woman. She was half convinced that Sierra would quickly remember and regret the night before. That thought was squashed when Sierra kissed Kashena on the lips softly.
“Good morning to you too,” Kashena said, smiling.
Sierra snuggled closer to Kashena, enjoying the feel of being with her.
“It’s crazy,” she said, her face buried against Kashena’s neck.
“What is?”
“How good this feels,” Sierra said, sighing.
Kashena smiled, unaccountably pleased that Sierra felt that way.
The alarm on the nightstand went off, and Sierra groaned audibly. Kashena reached across Sierra, turning the alarm off.
“Can’t we just skip the conference this morning?” Sierra asked petulantly.
“The AG will be here,” Kashena reminded her.
“Damn,” Sierra said, grinning.
“Do you want me to take the first shower so you can rest some more?”
“I don’t want to rest,” Sierra replied, her eyes sparkling mischievously.
“No?” Kashena asked with a smile.
“Uh-uh,” Sierra said, moving to kiss her again.
Minutes later they were making love. The alarm went off again; Kashena reached blindly for it as she and Sierra continued to kiss. Eventually, she yanked the plug out of the wall. Sierra laughed softly, then gasped when Kashena’s lips touched her body again.
Afterwards, they lay together, trying to catch their breath.
“Okay, I’m taking a shower,” Kashena said, after reaching over to check her watch that lay on the nightstand.
“We could take one together and save time,” Sierra suggested.
Kashena kissed her lips again. “If we take a shower together, honey, we’ll never get downstairs.”
Sierra bit her lip, liking that Kashena had just called her “honey” and also liking that she seemed to be enjoying their new intimacy as much as Sierra herself was.
In the end, Kashena took her shower, and Sierra took hers right afterwards. Even so, Sierra was ten minutes late for the conference. Twenty minutes into the session, Kashena walked in quietly, setting coffee and a bagel down in front of Sierra. Sierra glanced at Kashena, smiling brilliantly up at her. Kana, who’d just entered, escorting Midnight, caught the look. Her lips quirked in a grin, which Midnight saw.
“What?” Midnight asked.
“Nothing,” Kana replied, schooling her features.
Midnight narrowed her gold-green eyes at Kana, but everyone had noticed her entrance by that time, so she wasn’t able to question the big Samoan any further.
Minutes later, while Midnight was talking to the group, Kashena walked into the lounge just outside of the conference room. Kana was sitting in one of the chairs. Tiny was on his phone over near the bar.
“So how’s it going, Marshal?” Kana asked warmly.
“It’s going alright,” Kashena said, sitting down across from Kana.
Kana gave her a considering look. “The chief deputy told me you rescued her once, back in college. Is that true?”
Kashena canted her head, sensing a slight undercurrent in the question, but nodded. “She had a rather ardent admirer that didn’t want to take no for an answer.”
“Seems to be a problem for her,” Kana said, smiling.
Kashena chuckled. “Women like that just seem to attract them.”
Kana’s phone rang. Excusing herself, Kana stood up, moving toward the window to talk. Kashena sat in her chair, wondering if Kana suspected what had taken place between her and Sierra. She hoped not. It wasn’t exactly professional to be sleeping with the person you were protecting. Not unheard of, just not professional. Besides the fact that it was a same-sex issue, Sierra was also married. She was also a Chief Deputy Attorney General. Kashena felt the prickling of guilt starting, even though Kana said nothing more about Sierra.
Later in the morning, Kashena was standing looking out the window of the lounge when a vision hit her. It was vivid, and she inhaled sharply at the pain that shot through her head as the vision was burned into her brain. Throwing up her hand in front of her face, as if to block the vision, Kashena withstood it, bracing herself with a hand on the window.
Kana glanced over, seeing Kashena suddenly put her hand up almost defensively. She strode over to Kashena, who was now panting and looking like she was in severe pain.
“Are you okay?” Kana asked, her tone worried.
Kashena nodded, although she looked anything but okay.
“Tiny!” Kana called.
Tiny walked over, his eyes on Kashena.
“What’s wrong?” Tiny asked, his eyes going from Kashena to Kana.
&
nbsp; “I don’t know,” Kana said. “Marshal, are you okay?”
Kashena nodded again, one hand at her stomach, the other still shading her eyes. She wavered then, and Tiny picked up the smaller woman in his arms, even as Kashena protested the necessity.
“I’m okay,” she said, her voice weak.
“Yeah, we can see that,” Tiny said, grinning. “What’s your room number?”
“424.”
“I’ll take her up,” Tiny said to Kana. “You stay here, and let the chief deputy know I’ll stay on her detail until Marshal feels better.”
Kana nodded. “Will do.”
“Wait…” Kashena inserted feebly.
“Not likely,” Tiny said, striding toward the elevators.
Two minutes later he was opening the door to Kashena and Sierra’s hotel room. The maid hadn’t been into the room yet. Tiny noted that only one bed looked slept in, but he said nothing. He carefully laid Kashena down on the bed, moving back to look down at her. She looked pale.
“What happened?” he asked.
Kashena shook her head. “I just have a migraine. I’m okay.”
Tiny sensed there was more to it than that. “Well, rest,” he said. “I’ll take care of Chief Deputy Youngblood today.”
Kashena started to protest and caught Tiny’s stern look. Finally she nodded. “Okay.”
“Good,” he replied with a grin.
He left the room a few minutes later, after closing the curtains to shut out the light, and turning on the air conditioner.
Kashena lay on the bed, feeling sick to her stomach. She kicked off her boots and put her arm over her eyes, lying there until she fell asleep.
She woke to the feeling of someone touching her cheek. Opening her eyes and moving her arm slightly, she saw Sierra kneeling on the bed next to her, looking very concerned.
“SAC Sorbinno said you almost collapsed,” she said, her voice worried. “Are you okay?”
Kashena put her hand out, touching Sierra’s arm. “I’m okay,” she said. “It’s just a migraine.”
“SAS Ako said it came on rather suddenly,” Sierra said.
“Happens like that,” Kashena said. “It has since I was little.”
“Is there anything you can take for it?”
“I have some herbs that I got from the healer,” Kashena said, grimacing. “I just didn’t want to get up and deal with them.”
Darkness Past Page 10
