Chapter Fifty-Two

Riley sat in a screened-in porch in the north woods, surrounded by the reds and yellows of autumn, a symphony of bird calls and the wind in the trees. It was a bucolic setting, but she could not enjoy it.

She wanted to doze--she hadn’t been sleeping well lately--but the constant tap, tap, tapping of a woodpecker nearby kept her awake. It droned on and on, incessant.

Riley opened her eyes, startled to find she was not in the woods at all but lying in bed, and the tapping sound was someone knocking on the hotel room door.

Her disorientation turned to mild alarm when she glanced at the clock on the nightstand. She’d fallen asleep with the light on. It was 2:00 a.m. No one knocks on your door at 2:00 a.m. unless it’s bad news.

She got out of bed and wrapped a hotel robe around her. She padded to the door and looked through the peephole, then fumbled with the lock in her haste to get the door open.

"You’re here!" she squealed, throwing herself into Kat’s arms. She hugged her fiercely. Tangible evidence this wasn’t a dream and Kat really was back, safe and sound.

"Sorry to wake you. There was no one at the front desk, and I forgot to take a key with me."

"Don’t be ridiculous! Get in here! I was so worried about you!" Riley relinquished her hold just long enough to get inside, where the embrace resumed. "I missed you so," she whispered into Kat’s neck. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes. Sorry I took so long," Kat hugged her back, her heart so full she was unable to speak. They remained like that for several moments, the joy of their reunion overwhelming them.

Riley realized Kat was embracing her with both arms. "Your arm." She pulled back and gently ran her hand over the spot where Kat had been stabbed. "It’s all right?"

Kat stretched it out and flexed the fingers on that hand. "Almost back to normal. I saw a doctor in D.C." She put the arm around Riley again and pulled her close. "How about you? How are you feeling?"

Riley released a long, contented sigh. "Perfect at the moment."

Kat chuckled. "I meant your knee and wrist, silly."

"I’m fine. The cast comes off in two weeks. The knee really doesn’t bother me unless I’m on it too much. Which I probably have been lately--pacing back and forth worrying about you." Riley poked Kat in the chest with one finger. "Why didn’t you call me?"

Kat opened her mouth. Closed it. Nodded toward the bed. "Come on, let’s get you back under the covers."

Riley watched Kat as she shed her robe and crawled under the covers. Kat had avoided her question, and now she was avoiding her eyes. "What’s wrong?"

Kat sat on the edge of the mattress. She licked her lips. Her mouth was dry. She stared at her hands. "Riley, I-I wasn’t sure that I should come back."

Riley’s eyebrows shot up and her mouth gaped open. "You’re not serious?"

Kat shook her head. She couldn’t look at Riley. "I’ve lived a violent, dangerous life, Riley. Done a lot of things I’m not proud of."

Riley took Kat’s hand in hers and squeezed it. "Stop beating yourself up over your past."

"You don’t know everything I’ve done," Kat whispered.

"I don’t need to know, honey. I know the person you are now."

"Riley, it’s more than that. I’m not sure I know how to...love you." She stumbled over the words. "I mean, I’ve never been...like this...with anyone. You deserve a lot better."

Riley’s hand went to Kat’s chin and gently forced it upward so Kat would look at her. "I don’t think we choose who we love, Kat," she said. "It just happens. Don’t you feel it?"

"Yes," Kat replied, so softly that Riley barely heard her. "I do. That’s why I came back. Maybe it’s selfish. But I can’t bear to be apart from you."

Riley blew out a long breath. "Well I’m glad that’s settled! You had me worried there for a minute. Don’t do that again."

Kat smiled. "So how have you and Kenny been getting along?"

"Great," Riley replied. "But he’s worried about you too. Have you told him you’re back?"

"No, I’ll talk to him in the morning. I have a job for him."

"Problems?" Riley asked.

"Nothing to worry about. Scout cleaned out one of my bank accounts. Maybe Kenny can get the money back. If not, it’s okay. I have others. Plenty to do whatever we want. Speaking of which, where do we go from here? Given any thought to that?"

"Doesn’t matter to me, as long as we’re together," Riley answered. "That’s the good thing about being a writer. You can work from anywhere."

"What kind of writer are you? Have I read anything you’ve written?"

"Maybe. I’ve done mostly magazine articles--travel pieces, profiles. I was always on the road. I think that’s what prompted Sam to start looking elsewhere." Tears sprang to her eyes. "Poor Sam. I shouldn’t have married him. We were high-school sweethearts in a small town, and it was just kind of expected." Riley looked at Kat. "We never had what you and I have. This just feels so different."

Kat nodded. "You make me feel things I never thought possible."

"What about you?" Riley asked. "Is there something you’d like to do? Anywhere you’d like to go?"

"Well, I’ve thought about that. I’d like to go back to Cyprus. Maybe I can’t go home, but I think I can find some comfort there now, and closure, if you’re with me."

"Cyprus it is, then." Riley stifled a yawn.

"It’s late. You should get back to sleep."

"No way," Riley replied. "I’m not that tired." She wiggled her eyebrows.

"Not, huh?" Kat smiled.

Their eyes met. They came together in a searing kiss fueled by days of anticipation. Their tongues found each other.

Riley’s hand curled behind Kat’s neck. Her fingers entwined in Kat’s hair. She pulled their mouths more firmly together, deepening the kiss. Such soft lips, Riley thought. No, it was never like this with anyone else. And now I know it to be true.

Kat’s hand found its way under Riley’s oversized T-shirt. Her fingertips trailed up Riley’s abdomen and teased the curve of her breast. Those breasts. How could I resist those breasts?

Riley leaned into the caress and moaned into their joined mouths.

Kat’s fingertips found Riley’s nipple and brushed across it. It was instantly erect. Kat’s heartbeat accelerated.

Riley broke their kiss and pulled away. Her pupils were huge. She was breathing hard. "Come to bed. I need to touch you."

The invitation sent a wave of heat through Kat that settled between her legs. She stood beside the bed and began to strip. The nervousness she expected to feel was nowhere to be found. Her body felt electrified. Her eyes never left Riley’s.

She pulled off her socks and shoes, jeans, pullover. Then, more slowly, her black silk bra and panties.

Riley watched as each enticing body part was exposed to her. Long legs, firm thighs, taut abdomen, and full, round breasts, with dark nipples hard as pebbles. She licked her lips.

The subdued glow of the bedside lamp softened the scars that marked Kat’s life as Hunter.

"Beautiful," Riley breathed. She slipped off her T-shirt and tossed it on the floor. She wore nothing else. She pulled back the covers, exposing her nakedness. Ivory skin, lightly freckled on her shoulders and chest, trailing away into the valley between her breasts. They were high and firm with vivid pink nipples. The triangle of hair below was the same honey blond of her head.

Kat’s breath caught in her throat. She slipped beneath the sheets and moved into Riley’s outstretched arms. "You have an incredible body," she whispered. She shifted her weight so their bodies pressed against each other along their full length. She shuddered at the satisfying flesh-on-flesh contact.

"God, you feel so good." Riley breathed a long sigh. Her breath was warm against Kat’s neck. "I’ve ached for you."

The confession turned up the heat pouring through Kat. She claimed Riley’s lips, her tongue demanding entrance. There was more urgency to this kiss. One of Kat’s hands trailed down Riley’s back to her ass and caressed one firm cheek.

When they parted to breathe, Kat’s lips and tongue moved to explore the soft skin below Riley’s jaw.

A needy moan escaped Riley. She arched her neck to allow Kat greater access.

Kat sucked gently on Riley’s earlobe, then nipped at the tender flesh at the base of her neck. Her lips and tongue caressed the place beneath Riley’s jaw where she could feel her heartbeat--it drummed away just beneath the surface of the skin.

"Mmm," Riley purred. Her right arm encircled Kat’s waist. She tugged at Kat, urging her on top.

Kat shifted and Riley opened her legs, inviting Kat between them.

Kat left fluttering kisses on Riley’s heated skin as she climbed atop her. She tried to distribute her weight on her elbows and knees, afraid she would crush Riley.

But Riley wrapped her arms and legs around Kat, urging their bodies even closer.

They began to move together, breast to breast, the friction of their contact doubling their excitement.

Riley moaned again.

It brought Kat’s mouth to hers as their hips increased the rocking motion that fueled their arousal.

Kat kissed her hard, then broke away. Her lips moved from Riley’s mouth to her cheek, then to her neck. She slid down Riley’s body, keeping as much contact between their naked skin as possible.

Her lips and tongue tasted Riley’s cleavage and drew closer and closer to Riley’s breast.

Riley laced her fingers through Kat’s hair and brought her to her nipple. When Kat’s lips closed around it, Riley moaned again.

The sound of that long, throaty sigh drove Kat wild.

Riley arched her back and stroked the back of Kat’s neck firmly, seeking harder contact. Kat complied, her tongue and teeth nipping and caressing the sensitive nipple, then giving equal attention to the other, until Riley could stand the sweet torture no longer. Her whole body throbbed. "Please, Kat, please!"

Kat continued her oral adoration of Riley’s left breast while her hand began to trail a teasing path. Down the soft skin of Riley’s stomach. Along her outer hip. Down the outside of her leg and across the knee. Then slowly up the sensitive inner thigh.

Riley whimpered. She pressed herself against Kat’s hand.

Kat inhaled the musky scent of Riley’s arousal. It was heady, intoxicating. Her fingers closed in on Riley’s soft, wet folds.

Just before they reached their destination, Riley reached down and put one hand under Kat’s chin to bring her head up. Their eyes met.

"Together," Riley whispered in a low, breathy voice. "I want to touch you too."

Kat trembled as she moved up Riley’s body to kiss her again. Her blood was roaring in her ears.

Riley’s hand slipped between them and found the swell of Kat’s breast. Her fingers closed around the rigid nipple as their lips joined.

Kat shifted until she straddled one of Riley’s legs, remaining on top of her. Their kiss deepened as their eager hands found and caressed the sweet evidence of their readiness for release.

They stroked each other, exploring, teasing. Finding all the places that evoked the greatest response. Groans and sighs, one echoing the other. Moving in tandem. Deeper, faster. Mouths parting to gasp for breath. Finally, both peaked. Exquisite explosions. Riley first, Kat seconds behind, pushed over the edge by Riley’s cry of release.

They held each other for a long while, both unable to speak. Their overheated bodies cooled and heart rates returned to normal.

Finally Kat’s voice broke the quiet. "I have no words to tell you how I feel."

Riley shifted to look into Kat’s eyes. "I love you, Kat."

Kat’s eyes filled with tears. "I love you too." Words she’d never said, except to her father. Words she never expected to say again.

Riley saw the tears forming. "You okay?"

Kat caressed Riley’s cheek with her fingertips. She smiled and nodded. "More than okay." She winked at her lover. "I’m just Jake."

Дата добавления: 2015-10-30