Chapter Twenty. Lark stretched and tried to work out the kink in her neck

Lark stretched and tried to work out the kink in her neck. She sat on the couch next to Sheridan, browsing through old family albums where Sheridan had pointed out pictures of a much younger Mrs. D and the Johnsons. Lark had felt the closeness and seen the now-familiar affection in Sheridan's eyes, which made her feel even worse for continuing her charade.

"Here are my mother and me, only weeks before she passed away." Sheridan pointed at a photo showing an emaciated, black-haired woman sitting on one of the deck chairs. A very young Sheridan knelt next to her with an arm around her shoulder.

"You resemble her a lot." Lark couldn't stop looking. She noticed something of the "angry young woman" about Sheridan, contradicted by the ocean of tenderness directed toward her mother.

"Her name was Amanda. Amanda Louise." Sheridan's voice was low, warm, and tinged with remorse. "I hope I helped make her last days somewhat decent. I ditched so many classes to be with her. I sat by her side at the hospital, slept in a chair by the bed, or simply held her. Toward the end, I couldn't do anything but hold her hand, she was in so much pain, but it was enough for her, she said. My father only came the last night of her life because I gave him an ultimatum."

"What did you say to him?" Lark leaned her head against Sheridan's shoulder and stroked her arm.

"I simply told him that if he didn't come to show his wife his love and affection for her on the last day of her life, he'd lose me too. He showed up and stood by the window most of the night, staring at her or the sky, but he was there, and I think she knew it."

"Poor man."

"What do you mean?" Sheridan stiffened.

"To be so afraid, so locked into his own fear. Your strength was obvious, your compassion too. His was trapped inside, and if you hadn't insisted, he'd have stayed in his ivory tower, unable to even try to reach out." Lark smiled sorrowfully. "Do I sound like some cheesy greeting card? I don't mean to."

Sheridan blinked several times. "No, no. You don't. You have a way with words, Lark. You make sense of things and seem to understand even the most unfathomable reactions."

"Perhaps because I went through so many contradictory feelings after Fiona's injury."

"How do you mean, contradictory?"

"I was angry, scared, and sometimes depressed, not to mention frustrated. Overwhelmed, also, by the protectiveness that welled up in me at the oddest times, regarding all of my sisters. I joined a karate dojo and managed to earn a blue belt. I knew my self-defense and karate skills wouldn't stop a bullet, but they made me feel less vulnerable and more in control."

"Ever had to use them?"

Lark shrugged. "One reason I didn't want to work in a private home any more was that I longed to have real workmates. You know. A lunchroom to eat in and the chance to focus on more than one patient, spread my care around a bit so it wouldn't all be so personal. And more than once, male members of the family I worked with thought I should include extracurricular duties on my schedule."

Sheridan gasped and stared at Lark. "You're kidding!"

"No."

"And... oh..." Sheridan suddenly looked flustered. "I haven't been much better, have I?" She pulled back while lowering her darkening eyes.

"Sheridan. No. Don't think that. Please!" Appalled at how the conversation had derailed, she pulled Sheridan's stiff body to her. "You're nothing like those guys. Not even by a long shot. Anything that happened between us, especially here by the lake, was completely mutual. I... I really care about you." It wasn't a declaration of love, but it was as close as Lark had ever come. She explored Sheridan's features for any signs that she understood.

"Mutual." It wasn't a question.

"Yes. Mutual." Lark pushed her jumbled thoughts away. All that mattered right now was to reassure Sheridan. She leaned forward, slowly, and brushed her lips against Sheridan's, feather light. "Mmm, mutual," Lark murmured against Sheridan's mouth. Parting Sheridan's lips, she slid her tongue just inside and explored the softness there.

Sheridan whimpered, a thoroughly sexy sound, stemming from the same helpless desire that permeated Lark. Not knowing if this was the last time she'd have the pleasure of feeling Sheridan pressed against her, Lark angled her head and deepened the kiss. Sheridan returned the feverish caresses and sucked Lark's tongue deeper into her mouth. Lark knew she'd never wanted another woman like she wanted Sheridan right then. They were both trembling, and Lark felt small drops of sweat run down her throat and between her breasts.

"I need to... touch you," Sheridan moaned. "You feel so amazing, so soft and sexy. I never meant for this to be wrong—"

"It isn't!" Lark said and moved up on Sheridan's lap, careful to not put all her weight on her legs. "It's fine. Better than fine."

"Better?"

Lark could sense Sheridan smiling against her skin. "Yes. Much better."

Sheridan bit gently on Lark's neck, painting wet, scorching traces along her skin with her tongue. "I'm glad. Very glad."

"How glad, would you say?" Lark smiled and tipped her head back. "Glad enough to take this up a notch?" She looked at Sheridan between her eyelashes. If she locks those amazing eyes on me, I'll self-combust.

"I'll take it anywhere you want." Sheridan played with a button on Lark's denim shirt. "I can't remember ever wanting anything this much. I have to look at you. I have to."

Lark raised her hands and unfastened the three top buttons. "Like this?" She glanced down and saw that Sheridan had an unobstructed view of the top curve of her breasts. She wore only a small sports bra, which pushed her breasts up and together.

"God, yes. But it won't be enough for long." Sheridan was breathing harder now. She ran her hand along the exposed skin, then slipped two fingers under the sports bra and barely grazed a nipple.

Lark couldn't look away from the expression of desire on Sheridan's face. Her cheeks were flushed and her white teeth glistened between her half-open lips.

"Then I may just have to do this," Lark breathed and undid one more button. "I don't want to disappoint you. If you want to see more, feel more...here." Lark tugged the shirt off her own shoulder and saw an immediate response in Sheridan's eyes.

"You're like gold. Your hair, your eyes, your skin." Sheridan ran her tongue along Lark's shoulders. "You're beautiful."

"So are you." Lark thought Sheridan looked like a goddess fashioned of silver and ebony. Her skin glittered as perspiration made it shiny. She tugged gently on the zipper of Sheridan's black hooded jacket, and Sheridan ran her fingers through Lark's hair as she tugged the zipper down, revealing a black top. Hard nipples poked the satin enticingly as Sheridan moved her arms.

Lark nuzzled the soft mounds through the fabric, teasing the nipples with her lips. "Mmm, you smell so good," she moaned. "I love how you feel."

"You too. You feel amazing. And it's been so long."

Lark looked up. "For me too. Too long, really, but I'm glad you're here, and I'm here. This—" She cupped Sheridan's breast through the fabric and kissed it gently. "This, you, are worth waiting for."

Sheridan sobbed, a nearly inaudible intake of breath that startled Lark.

"Sheridan?" She let go of her breast and sat up farther. "Hey, you all right?"

"Yes. No." Sheridan leaned her forehead against Lark's shoulder. "I'm okay. I just...I never thought there'd ever be anything like this. Again."

"You're gorgeous. That and a thousand other great things. Why wouldn't there be something like this?" Lark laced her fingers through Sheridan's disheveled hair.

"Because of that." Sheridan motioned toward the abandoned wheelchair. "Because I'm not the same person I was before."

"I think you are. The wheelchair aside, very little has changed. You're still the same Sheridan Ward."

"But I don't feel the same."

"That's just it. I didn't say that nothing had changed. But you know what I think?" Lark kissed Sheridan's trembling lips gently. "Your opinions and views of yourself have changed. You're still the daring, bright business tycoon, enterprising, smart...brilliant, even. But you feel different about yourself because you see other sides of yourself. I bet they were there before, unrecognized and unseen."

"You mean I've always been a weepy, mushy pushover?" Sheridan huffed, but a smile began to play on her lips.

"Probably. But you had to be strong, all the time, for your mother and, later, for your father as well."

"How do you know all these things?"

"I'm not saying that I know, but I'm good at guessing. Call it intuition. Going through all Fiona's trials with her, physically and emotionally, has made me aware of how we humans react to adversity. My education and experience fill in some of the blanks. And my heart says the rest, when it comes to you."

"Your heart?" Sheridan spoke quietly and seemed out of breath.

"Yes, I listen to my heart a lot. I follow my gut feeling. And, with you, that has been both the hardest and the easiest thing I've ever done."

"How so?" Sheridan slumped back in the couch, pulling Lark with her.

"You're pretty transparent regarding some things, but with others...you clam up."

"Not with you, do I? Not much."

"Not much, but enough to keep me guessing. And I don't want to guess. It makes me uncomfortable."

"I don't mean to." Sheridan smiled broader now. "But then again, I don't want to come across as too predictable."

"Predictable? I don't think there'd ever be a risk of that." Lark reached around Sheridan's neck with both arms and hugged her. "Sure you're all right? I don't want you to feel upset in any way."

"I am. I am fine." Sheridan returned the embrace. "But perhaps, as much as I dislike saying this, it isn't the time or the place... yet."

"I know you're right." Lark groaned. "But I don't like it."

"Neither do I. I just feel like we've shared so much, you know, deeply personal things, and I need time to digest them. Make sense?"

"Yes. I feel the same way." Lark willed her body to calm down. She didn't want this to be just about the overpowering lust and passion that simmered under the surface. She felt much more than that for Sheridan. And Sheridan might never forgive her for the chat sessions. If she made love with Sheridan and then was rejected, it would devastate her.

Sheridan kissed her again, lingeringly and with nearly as much passion as before. "I'll never be able to settle down tonight. I'll see you in my dreams."

"And we have an early morning tomorrow, driving back to San Antonio."

"Feels like we just got here."

Lark agreed. They'd spent six weeks at the lake, and the days had passed so quickly. They'd focused almost entirely on physiotherapy, and it was amazing how much progress Sheridan had made. She drove her wheelchair effortlessly up and down curves, even a few steps. With a little help, Sheridan could also manage to navigate an escalator. Her arms were toned and so was her abdomen, and her cardiac training had made it possible for her to actually race Frank with the wheelchair.

The dog was another budding success story. Frank had clearly found a new mission in life. He shadowed his owner most of his waking hours, circling her, probably hoping Sheridan would drop something or need his help some other way. He was affectionate toward Lark, as if he guessed he had her to thank for this new adventure, but mostly he worshipped at Sheridan's feet.

"So, back to the real world," Lark said slowly.

"You sound like you're not happy with that." Sheridan studied her. "Surely you don't think I'll bail on my training again?"

"No. Well, I hope not. Perhaps part of me fears that you'll be swept up by all the preparations for the stockholders' meeting."

"If I do, I give you the right to come and drag me away, literally."

Lark knew her smile showed some uncertainty. "I'll take your word for it. Speaking of dragging, let's call it a day."

"Good idea." Sheridan moved over to the wheelchair. "Frank probably needs to do his thing. I'll let him out the back door. You go on. I can manage on my own."

"You sure?"

"Yes. I think I'll sleep in the sweat suit. A bit cold, don't you think?"

"Actually, yes." Lark got up. "All right, see you tomorrow then. Bright and early."

"Yes." Sheridan took Lark's hand in hers. "Thanks."

Lark bent down and kissed Sheridan's forehead with a bittersweet, unsettling feeling.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-30