Beyond the Breakwater
by Radclyffe
Part One
Chapter One
September,
Doctor Victoria King tilted her face to the sun and let the swift ocean current carry her to shore. She rested her paddle across the front of the seventeen-foot long, twenty-one inch wide red kayak and squinted in the early morning haze toward the beach at Herring Cove. Men and women perched on the undulating curve of sand marking the border between earth and water, casting baited lines to tempt the sea bass to their last meal. In the black ribbon of parking lot sandwiched between the dunes and the shore, vacationers were just beginning to stir, opening the windows and doors of their mechanical homes, airing out their sea dampened linens and clothes. Tory was so used to seeing the idyllic tableau, she barely took note as her craft glided the last few feet and touched bottom in the frothing water at the ocean’s edge.
As she unzipped her life vest and tossed the PFD into her boat, the sound of a car door thudding closed penetrated the roar of the waves, and she stopped what she was doing to watch Reese Conlon walk down across the shell-littered sand, a blazing grin on her handsome face.
“Good morning, Sheriff,” Tory said softly, her eyes roaming the trim body in the immaculately pressed and polished uniform, moving slowly from the broad shoulders over the faint swell of breasts to the narrow hips and long, muscular thighs. God, you’re gorgeous.
“Good morning, Doctor,” Reese replied easily, stopping a few feet away, shoulders squared in that unconscious military posture that was second nature to her. She knew Tory was watching her, looking at her, and she liked it. Her skin tingled under the stiff cotton of her khakis everywhere Tory’s glance fell, the visual caress as tangible as a touch. The two feet of air between them shimmered like the currents above blacktop on a hot summer’s day. “Nice out there today?”
“Mmm. Yeah, it was.”
Reese smiled. Tory’s clear, lightly tanned skin was flushed from the wind off the water and the exertion of her recent paddle. The T-shirt she had worn under her PFD was damp with sweat and spray, the thin material subtly outlining her firm, high breasts. Her mid-thigh length shorts hugged slender, toned thighs. Even the scarred and damaged calf held a trace of valiant beauty.
“Anytime,” the doctor replied, her own throat suddenly dry.
Tory caught up to Reese by the side of her Jeep and opened the back. Tossing the items she carried inside, she turned and reached for the rear of the kayak. “Ready?”
“Any time you say, love.”
Together they lifted it to the roof rack and secured it. As they stood facing one another by the side of the vehicle, their eyes met and they moved close enough so that their hands touched.
“Busy day today?” Reese asked, brushing the auburn collar-length hair back from Tory’s face with her fingertips, letting her hand linger against her lover’s cheek.
“Uh huh,” Tory murmured, resting one palm on the taller woman’s chest. “You?”
“Routine,” the sheriff replied, watching the green eyes deepen to the color of the ocean in August. “I won’t be late. Can we have dinner?”
“Mmm, okay.” Tory ran a finger down the buttons on Reese’s shirt, thinking about the hard muscles and soft smooth skin underneath. Thinking about waking with her that morning and how much she had wanted her right then and knowing that there wasn’t time. Knowing that she would want her all day. Knowing that that evening there would be time. “I love you.”
Reese lowered her head and brushed her lips over Tory’s, her hand beneath Tory’s hair caressing the back of her neck. “Me, too,” she whispered against her lover’s ear.
“Go to work,” Tory ordered as she stepped away. Reese had a dangerous glint in her deep blue eyes, the kind of spark that promised flames. She was afraid if they touched again they’d kiss for real, and then she wouldn’t be able to concentrate all day.
“When?”
Reese persisted, but she didn’t move. She didn’t dare. You always do this to me, make me so hot I can’t think.“Later. Now go.” Tory slid into the Jeep, pulled the door closed, and started the ignition with shaking hands. She had expected the passion to lessen, the fires to cool, but they hadn’t. She glanced into the rearview mirror as she drove away. Watching Reese stride to her patrol car, she knew that they never would.
*****
Later turned
out to be
“Did you
ever get dinner?” Reese asked as she met her lover on the rear deck of the house they
shared overlooking
“No,” Tory sighed as she flopped into a deck chair, absently petting the huge brindle mastiff who lumbered to her side. “Hey, Jed,” she whispered faintly.
Reese leaned to kiss her, then said, “I’ll be right back.”
Tory closed her eyes and when she jerked awake a few moments later, there was a tray table beside her with a glass of wine and a sandwich. Suddenly she was ravenous. “Thanks.”
“Better?” Reese asked when Tory set her glass down with a satisfied groan.
“Almost.”
Reese raised an eyebrow. “Something else?”
“Uh huh.” Tory held out a hand, and Reese moved to take it. Tory tugged her down onto the lounge chair beside her, turning so that they rested face to face. Threading her arms around Reese’s waist, she pressed close, pushing one thigh between Reese’s. “This.”
It began with a kiss--a kiss to say welcome home, a kiss to say I missed you, a kiss to say I love you. It became something more urgent as flesh met flesh and passion stirred. Tory worked her hand between them and pulled the T-shirt from Reese’s jeans, resting her palm on the curve of rib as it arched above Reese’s taut stomach. Reese kissed her way from Tory’s mouth along the line of her jaw to the smooth skin of her neck, biting lightly until she drew soft cries from her lover’s throat. Their hearts pounded, beating a rhythm that echoed in each other’s blood as they explored one another with mouths and lips and demanding hands.
“Tory,” Reese gasped as she felt her lover’s finger slip down the front of her jeans. She didn’t remember opening her fly, but one of them must have. “Careful.”
“Why?” Tory murmured thickly, pushing lower as she leaned up on the other arm so she could see Reese’s face. Her fingers found the hardness she was seeking, and as she pressed the length of her, Reese moaned. “You’re always good for more than one.”
Reese grew still under her hands--body arched slightly, head tilted back, pupils wide and dark. Tory knew how to touch her to keep her on the edge--knew the telltale flutter of her lids, the stutter of breath in her chest, the faint cry barely uttered--she knew and she held her there, moving her fingers slowly, carefully, one gentle stroke after another.
“Tory…love,” Reese whispered as the pleasure escaped the confines of the places Tory touched and cascaded outward to burn through her blood and roll down her legs, muscles clenching with the force of nerves and vessels turning to fire. She pressed her forehead to Tory’s shoulder and shuddered, lost and forever found.
As many times as she had watched Reese come, Tory was never prepared for the beauty of it. Awestruck, humbled beyond words, she bit her lip to keep from falling with her, wanting to remember each precious second of the moment. But she couldn’t keep from thrusting against Reese’s thigh, her body having long since moved beyond her control. Trying desperately to ignore the pressure building between her legs, she clung to her lover, gasping.
Dimly Reese heard Tory’s ragged breathing against her ear, and even as she continued to shiver with the last ripples of release, she reached for her. “I want to be inside you.”
Tory lifted her hips, helping Reese push her slacks down. “Yes. Yes.”
It was quick, because she was so close. One second, Reese was there--gliding over her, opening her--and then she was inside her, owning her. Tory cried out once, sharply, and then she was coming. Over and over and over she closed around Reese’s fingers, each spasm knifing through her with a terrible wonder. When she could make sound, she could find no words. She simply turned her sweat-damp face to Reese’s chest and hung on.
*****
They must have slept because it was the chill that woke her. The sky was very dark above them, and the wind from the water was sharp and crisp. In the distance, the foghorn echoed plaintively. Tory stirred, running her fingers over Reese’s chest. “Hey, Sheriff.”
“Mmm?”
“Bedtime.”
“Okay,” Reese said, but when she moved to get up, Tory suddenly held her tighter. She stilled, surprised by the force of her lover’s grip. “What’s wrong, Tor?”
Tory shook her head. “Nothing.” She fiddled with the button on Reese’s jeans, uncharacteristically uncertain. “I’ll be thirty-nine in September.”
Reese waited.
Tory took a deep breath. “I was thinking it’s time for us to have a baby.”
chapter two
February
Reese reached
for another folder and shook some of the tension out of her shoulders. She'd been hunched
over her desk for over an hour filling out requisition forms for equipment that needed to
be replaced as well as completing paperwork on an early morning domestic disturbance
complaint. In the middle of the winter,
When the door opened admitting a gust of cold air, she looked up gratefully as Sheriff Nelson Parker walked in.
“Hey, Chief.”
"Hey, Reese," Nelson said as he brushed a light dusting of snow from the shoulders of his red and black checked hunting jacket and pulled it off. He hooked the jacket over a coat tree and put his Stetson on an adjoining hook. "Anything happening?"
"Not much," Reese said with resignation. "A couple of minor calls, but nothing serious."
"Well," he said as he settled behind his desk, "that's about right for this time of year. Remember when you first started I warned you about how dull this place can be in the winter."
"I remember."
"Have you heard from Bri lately?"
Surprised, Reese shook her head. "Not since Christmas when she was here. Why?"
"No
reason," he said nonchalantly. He was mildly embarrassed to admit that his daughter
had not called him in over a month and had failed to return his calls when he had tried
her number in
He supposed their closeness made sense, since Bri and Reese were practically cut from the same mold. Stubborn and strong and brave. Hell, they even looked alike--both of them dark-haired with wild blue eyes, almost too handsome to be women. But there was something in Bri's eyes that he'd never seen in Reese’s—a simmering anger that had begun when she a teenager and that had been fueled by the events of two summers before. Thinking about that summer, something he tried not to do, he winced.
"Nelson? You sure everything’s okay?"
He cleared his throat. "Yeah, I'm sure. You know how twenty-year-olds are. They don't think much about calling home."
Reese nodded, knowing there was more but also hesitating to inquire. "If I hear from her, I’ll tell her to report in."
"No. Forget it,” he said with a wave of his hand. With the other he searched in his desk drawer for a roll of Tums and, after finding a loose one, popped it into his mouth. “She'll just figure I'm checking up on her."
At that moment the door opened yet again, and a middle-aged woman entered carrying a shopping bag in one arm. Of average height, she carried an extra twenty-five pounds with aplomb. Her wavy gray hair was tied up in a scarf, and her knit suit was covered with a long down coat. "God, I can't wait till this winter is over."
"You've got quite a wait there, Gladys," Nelson said as he smiled at the sheriff department's office manager.
"Yes, well, I can always hope." She smiled at both of the officers as she wended her way between the desks toward the large workstation in one corner with the room’s only computer. “You doing anything special tonight, Reese?"
"What?" Reese asked, her mind still on Bri.
"It's Valentine's Day, remember? Are you and Tory doing anything?"
"Oh,"
Reese said, blushing. Even after two years, she couldn't quite get used to the easy
familiarity of the small town’s local inhabitants. Everyone seemed to know everyone
else's business, and didn't mind asking for information if they didn't. "Tory is
working in
"Is she still flying over there three days a week?"
Reese nodded. "She doesn't need to keep the clinic open here full-time during the winter, and she likes doing the emergency room shifts. She says it keeps her current with the newest techniques."
The phone rang, and Reese picked it up on the second ring. "Sheriff's department, Conlon."
"Honey?"
"Tor?"
Reese's heart started pounding double-time. It was rare for Tory to call her at work,
particularly when she was working a shift at the
"Nothing,"
Tory said hastily. "I just need you to come to
"Uh…my shift isn't up until seven." Reese hesitated, glancing at the other occupants in the room as she lowered her voice. "Is it, you know, time?"
"That's what my thermometer says. I've talked to Wendy, and she can see us at six."
By now, both Nelson and Gladys were watching Reese and pretending not to be. She curled over the phone as if that would make some difference. "I'll get someone to fill in for me."
"Is everyone listening?"
"Uh huh."
"It's okay to tell them, you know. It's not like we'll be able to keep it a secret."
"Isn't it…you know, bad luck or something to talk about it?"
Tory laughed again, and the heat in her voice was almost palpable over the phone line. "Do you know how much I love you?"
"Cut it out," Reese said in a husky murmur. "I'm supposed to be working here."
"Yeah, well…your services are required elsewhere. Get your butt on a plane, Sheriff."
"I'll be there soon." Reese stood and walked to the coat tree beside the door. She shrugged into her green nylon flight jacket and pulled her brimmed uniform cap down over her eyes in a familiar gesture.
"Is everything okay?" Gladys asked, because she knew that Nelson wouldn't pry even though he was clearly dying to know what was going on.
"Yes.
Perfect." Reese opened the door, stepped through, and then stuck her head back
inside. "I just need to get to
Grinning, she closed the door on the explosion of surprised questions.
Chapter Three
February Boston, Mass
“Are you two all set?” Wendy Deutsch asked.
Tory, suddenly and inexplicably frightened, glanced at Reese, searching the handsome face as she reached for her hand. Reese…darling? Of course we’re ready, right?
“I love you,” Reese murmured, her entire being focused on Tory. “I will always love you.”
And that was the ultimate truth, and the ultimate answer.
“Yes,” Tory said firmly, entwining her fingers with her lover’s as she smiled into Reese’s eyes. “We’re ready.”
“Come on back then,” Wendy said, opening the door to a dimly lit room.
There was a carpet on the floor, which struck Tory as odd. She was so used to the harsh lights and institutional tiles of examining rooms. And the air was warm, with a hint of vanilla teasing at the edges of her awareness. Nothing cold, nothing sterile, nothing clinical about it.
“Why don’t the two of you get settled, and I’ll be right back,” the doctor said as she closed the door, leaving them alone.
Slowly, Tory undressed. Reese took each garment and folded it carefully, placing the clothes on a small table against one wall. She handed Tory a white terrycloth robe that had been left for them.
“Cold?” Reese asked gently.
“I’m fine, honey.”
Tory eased up onto the table, glad that the surface was covered with a soft, cotton sheet. Reese covered her with another, then pulled a chair close to the head of the table and sat down. She threaded the fingers of one hand into Tory’s hair and took her lover’s hand with the other. Tory turned her head so that their faces were only inches apart.
“Are you sure this won’t hurt?” Reese asked, unable to hide her concern. You mean everything to me.
“No. I won’t feel anything.”
There was a knock on the door. “Ready?”
The two women smiled, and Tory called, “Yes.”
Tory continued to look into Reese’s eyes, listening with only part of her mind to the doctor quietly arranging a tray. When Wendy softly instructed her to slide down and lift her legs, she complied without breaking eye contact with her lover. Reese’s hand was strong and warm, enclosing hers.
After a moment, Wendy murmured, “Here we go.”
Reese touched her forehead to Tory’s, and together they whispered, “I love you.
*****
March, East Village, Manhattan, NYC
The rail-thin, young man with short, spiked hair wore a shapeless black T-shirt and equally formless black denim pants that hung precariously from his nonexistent rear end. In the tiny kitchen of a fourth floor walk up, he approached a petite blond, also in black jeans that actually fit her trim form and a midriff-baring, white crop-top that exposed a softly curved belly adorned with a silver navel ring. "Great party, Carre. Any more beer?"
"In the fridge.” The three studs in the rim of Caroline Clark’s left ear glinted as she turned to refill a bowl of pretzels from a bag on the counter. “It's nice to get the midterm projects over, huh?"
"For sure. Did you hear about Paris yet?"
"Just that they got all my application materials," she replied, her smile fading slightly as she thought of spending her junior year abroad. She wanted to go, because the chance to study and paint in France was like a dream come true. But when she actually pictured herself there, so far away from everything she knew, everyone she loved…
"What about Bri? She going, too?"
Caroline hesitated. "I...we haven't really talked about it."
"Where is she tonight, anyhow? She’s missing all the fun."
"At the dojo." Caroline glanced at the clock uneasily. It was after 11:00 p.m., and Bri’s class ended at 9:30. Bri knew that Caroline was having friends over from school, and Caroline tried to ignore the stab of hurt at her lover's absence. Now that she thought about it, Bri had been even quieter than usual the last few weeks. She seemed to be training even more, if that were humanly possible, and coming home later and later. For the first time in the four years they'd been together, Caroline felt uncertain of what was happening between them.
"What?" Caroline asked when she realized that her friend James was still speaking.
"The black belt thing...that's happening soon for her, right?"
"Oh. Yes. Sometime this year."
"Man, that's amazing." James leaned against the counter and fished a handful of potato chips from an open bag beside him. The two of them moved closer together as another woman squeezed in beside them, muttering that she was looking for ice. "She, like, practices every day, doesn’t she?"
"Almost." Sometimes Caroline thought that Bri’s training was the most important thing in her life. She knew for a fact that the martial arts were much more important to her lover than college. Not for the first time, she thought that Bri had only come to Manhattan to be with her. That if they had stayed in Provincetown, Bri would have been just as happy. Maybe more. It wasn't that Brianna wasn't intelligent, because she was. She just chafed at schedules and deadlines and inactivity.
When they’d talked about going away to college, Bri had simply said that she would go anywhere that Caroline wanted to go. When Caroline received the scholarship to the Parsons School of Design in Manhattan, it had seemed like an ideal solution. It wasn't that far from Cape Cod, so they could still get home easily. There were plenty of schools where Bri could enroll, and Reese Conlon knew of a dojo where Bri could train. Bri had settled on the city university, because it was affordable and offered a solid curriculum in criminology. She wanted to go into law enforcement, like her father and Reese.
When they found the tiny apartment in alphabet city, the student/artist enclave in Greenwich Village, life had seemed perfect. For Caroline, it still was.
"I'd better get back out there," Caroline said, grabbing a bottle of beer for herself.
"Later," he called as he reached for more chips.
The front door was just closing behind Bri as Caroline walked into the crowded living room, which also happened to be their bedroom when the sofa bed was pulled out. Caroline stepped over extended legs and threaded her way around the bowls and bottles on the floor until she reached her lover. Standing on tiptoe, she slipped one arm around Bri's shoulder and gave her a quick kiss on the mouth. "Hi.
Bri, taller than Caroline by a head, was in her usual outfit—tight, threadbare blue jeans, multi-zippered leather jacket, and heavy black motorcycle boots. She put both arms around her girlfriend and pulled her close, squeezing gently. Caroline always smelled like the shampoo she used, some combination of fruit and spices. Just the scent of her could make Bri wet. "Hey, babe. How's it going?"
"Okay. Missed you."
"Sorry." Bri let her go and shrugged out of her jacket. The black T-shirt was stretched tight across her muscled chest and shoulders, her breasts smooth shadows beneath the thin cotton. Narrow-hipped and broad-shouldered, hard-bodied from years of jujitsu, she exuded danger and a seething sexuality.
“Come on,” Caroline said, taking her hand. “You want something? A beer?”
“Sure,” Bri replied, allowing her girlfriend to pull her though the crowd. She was happy that Carre hadn’t asked her why she was late, but she’d seen the hurt in her lover’s deep green eyes just the same. Fuck. I have to tell her soon.
Chapter Four
By 2:00 a.m., everyone had gone. Discarded bottles and half-empty bowls of snacks lay scattered around the room, but the apartment had survived the crush of partiers in fairly good shape. Caroline and Bri were nestled on the couch where they had collapsed after bidding goodnight to the last of their friends. The room lights were off, and a few candles provided the only illumination. Bri, cradling Caroline in her arms, leaned against the corner of the sofa with the smaller woman lying between her out-stretched legs.
"I guess we should open the bed," Bri murmured, nuzzling her lips in Caroline’s fragrant hair. She rubbed her palm slowly up and down Caroline’s stomach, brushing the navel ring back and forth. Every now and then, she tugged it between her fingers. “Carre? Babe? You awake?”
“Mmm hmm.” Caroline turned on her side and pressed her hips between Bri’s thighs. "It's awfully nice right here."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
Bri tilted Caroline's chin up and found her lips, exploring with the tip of her tongue along the sensitive inner surfaces. They’d kissed thousands of times, but every time she was struck anew by how incredibly soft those lips were. Within seconds, Bri felt herself swell and grow hard.
"I love to kiss you," Bri murmured.
"Mmm. Me, too." Caroline rested her hand on Bri's chest, rhythmically brushing her thumb across the peak of her lover's tight nipple. She knew that would make Bri crazy.
After a minute, Bri said urgently, "Come on. Let's open the bed and get our clothes off."
"Not yet," Caroline said with gentle firmness. "I’m too comfortable. Just kiss me again."
Bri knew what Carre was doing, and as much as it frustrated her, it excited her tremendously, too. Surrendering to the sweet torture, Bri groaned and kissed Caroline hard, her tongue inside the warm mouth now. Minutes—hours—passed, she couldn't tell how long. Her head was light, her legs heavy, and her breath hissed from her chest in uneven spurts. Somewhere in the midst of their kisses, Caroline had turned on her stomach and lay face down between Bri’s open thighs, thrusting her hips in time with their questing tongues. Bri clasped Caroline's butt in her hands, pulling her lover hard against her crotch, trying unsuccessfully to satisfy the pressure building precariously inside. "You feel so good," Bri whispered. Caroline's only response was a soft whimper. The sound of her lover's pleasure snapped the tenuous threads of Bri’s control, and she wrapped one firm arm around Caroline's waist and twisted until the smaller woman was beneath her. She grasped the lower edge of the diminutive crop top and pushed it up, lowering her mouth to the soft, full breast. Caroline arched and cried out as Bri sucked the nipple into her mouth. She fisted her hands in Bri’s hair, pulling frantically as the pleasure streaked from her breast through her belly. "Bri…ooh, you make me so hot." Never moving her lips from Caroline's breast, Bri eased away enough to get her hand between them. Deftly, she opened Caroline's jeans and began to push them down over her hips. “Oh, yes." Caroline lifted her hips, grasped her jeans with one hand, and helped her lover bare her body. With her lips pressed to Bri ear, she begged, "I'm so excited. Make me come, Bri." Bri groaned. Nothing had ever made her feel at once so powerful and so hopelessly inadequate. That Caroline would want her, would trust her so completely, nearly broke her heart. She pressed her forehead to Caroline’s breast, murmuring fervently, "I love you so damn much." “I know…I know…oh, love me now.” Eyes closed, head twisting helplessly against the arm of the sofa, Caroline pushed Bri down. Moving fast, Bri knelt on the floor, her hands beneath Caroline's hips, pulling her forward to the edge of the couch and lifting her easily on her powerful forearms. "Oh, baby, I love you." Then Bri lowered her head and stroked the slick folds with her tongue, holding tight as Caroline jerked at the first light touch. When she took the distended clitoris between her lips, Caroline's cries echoed the thundering of her own fierce passion. With her mouth, with her hands, with her lips, she paid homage to the love that had saved her sanity and shaped her life. When Caroline climaxed, trembling and whimpering, Bri squeezed her eyes closed and groaned with the answering surge between her own thighs. She rocked her pelvis against the sofa, the seam of her jeans riding over her clitoris. The faint pressure was more than enough to trigger her oversensitive nerve endings, and she came instantly, shuddering with the force of it. Her hoarse cries mingled with her lover’s last soft moans. “Bri? Honey?” Caroline questioned weakly, trailing her fingers over her lover’s face. Bri’s cheek was pressed to her stomach, and Caroline’s hand came away wet. “Are you crying?” “No,” Bri lied. Caroline sat up and leaned forward, her arms resting on her lover’s broad shoulders. “You are.” Kneeling, encircled in Caroline’s embrace, Bri looked away. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry.” “I don’t think you’ve done that since the first time. Remember?” Caroline’s voice was gentle, and Bri thought of the warm summer nights in the dunes—innocently making love beneath the stars with the sounds of the surf in the background. “Yes,” she said quietly. “I remember.” "What’s wrong?" "Nothing," Bri insisted. "You have to tell me." Caroline gave Bri a small shake. "Something hasn't been right for a long time. Ever since Christmas." "I don't how to explain." Caroline's heart lurched. Suddenly, for the first time in her memory, she was frightened of something that Bri might say. "Is there...someone else?" "No! Jesus." Bri put her palms on either side of her lover's face and kissed her swiftly. "Never." "Then what?" "I want to quit school." Caroline jerked back. "Why?" "Because I don't want to be here next year while you're in France." She hadn't wanted to say that. But it was the truth. "Oh." The sound was small, surprised. Neither of them said anything for long moments, until finally Bri got to her feet and moved as far away as the small room would allow. She leaned against the doorway that joined the kitchen and the living room and pushed her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. "I won't go then," Caroline said quietly as she hastily rearranged her clothing. Brushing a hand through her disheveled hair, she smiled tremulously. "Why didn't you tell me before?" "Because I want you to go," Bri said forcefully. "You want to go. Fuck...you should go." Bri turned and walked into the kitchen, jerking open the small refrigerator door and pulling out a bottle of beer. Viciously, she twisted off the top and threw it into the trash. She turned to find Caroline framed in the doorway, staring at her with wounded eyes. "I can't go with you, Carre. You know that." "What would you do?" Bri looked away. "Bri?" "I applied to the Sheriff's department in Barnstable." "You’re going to move back to the Cape?" “Yeah.” Caroline felt like she had plummeted into another world. “When did you apply?” "January." "You didn't tell me." It was a statement, not an accusation. "I didn't want you to change your mind about Paris." "Oh, Bri." Caroline hadn't meant to cry, but the tears came before she could stop them. She felt so sad, and so helpless to change events that already seemed to be moving too fast. Stunned, Bri put the bottle on the counter and rapidly strode across the small space. She pulled Caroline into her arms and buried her face in her hair. "I'm sorry. Please don't cry." "Can we talk about this tomorrow?" Caroline pressed hard against Bri’s body, needing the solid reassurance of her presence. "Sure. Anything you want." Bri kissed Caroline's forehead. "It will be okay, babe." But somehow, they both knew that wasn't true.
Chapter Five
Three weeks later Bri and Caroline stood together in the chill March wind on the sidewalk in front of their apartment building. Bri strapped her loaded saddlebags onto the back of her Harley with methodical care. She wasn’t taking much--extra jeans, a few books, her gis. And she was leaving everything behind. "You should go inside. It's freezing out here." "I'm okay." Shivering, Caroline crossed her arms over her chest, but it wasn't the frigid air that chilled her. "I don't care about Paris." "Look, I'll see you for Memorial Day, right? That's only two months." Bri yanked on her heavy riding gloves. The tears in Carre’s eyes were killing her. "But if I stay here next year," Caroline continued hurriedly as if Bri hadn't spoken, "I'll be able to see you every other weekend or so. At least once a month." "We’ll have this summer together. By the time you have to leave in the fall, we'll be used to the idea." Bri straddled the bike and tried to think of something that would take the hurt out of Caroline's eyes. It's not just Paris. It's not just next year. Don't you know that? You’re really good, babe. Everyone knows it. This is your chance. You have to do whatever it takes, and it sure isn't going to be spending your life in Provincetown. If I stay here, I'm only going to hold you back. Caroline crossed the sidewalk in a rush and threw her arms around Bri’s leather-jacketed shoulders. She buried her face in Bri’s neck, her words muffled against her lover’s cold skin. "I love you. I don't want us to be apart." "Oh, babe." Bri wrapped the smaller woman in a bone crushing embrace, pressing her face to the top of Caroline's head. Much more of this and she was going to crack. It felt like her chest was going to explode it hurt so much. "We just have to do this. Promise me if you get the scholarship, you'll go." "Bri," Caroline pleaded, her fists clutching the stiff leather. "Promise." Caroline nodded wordlessly. For one terrifying moment, Bri didn't think she could let her go. She had a horrible feeling that she would never hold her again. Oh Jesus, what am I going to do without you. "I don't want you to watch me drive away." Shivering, Caroline stepped away, her jade green eyes locked on Bri’s midnight blue ones. She was crying, but she didn't feel the tears freezing on her cheeks. "I'm not going to let you leave me." "I'm not," Bri whispered, but she feared she might be lying to them both. ***** March, Provincetown, MA
Reese leaned on the railing on the postage stamp-sized deck behind the Galleria, a relatively new two-story enclave of boutiques in the middle of town. She’d left her jacket in her patrol car and stood in shirtsleeves under a clear sky, watching the fishing boats leave Provincetown Harbor for their morning run. A gruff voice behind her interrupted her reverie. “What are you doing working already?” Reese turned, rested her hips against the rail, and nodded to her boss. "You're up awfully early, Chief." "Don't call me Chief," he groused, handing her a steaming cup of coffee. "I saw the cruiser out front. It's another hour before the day shift starts." "I took Tory to the airport for her 5:30 flight to Boston.” She sipped the coffee and regarded him silently. He didn't look like he'd been sleeping very well. “Have you heard from my kid?” "She called me two days ago. Gave me an update on her training." He grumbled something unintelligible. Bri hadn't called him, but then that was pretty much his fault.
He pulled the cruiser into his driveway and stared at the big Harley parked in front of his garage. What the hell? She was in the kitchen, perched on a stool with a glass of orange juice and half a hoagie in front of her. Same jeans, same boots, same slicked-back black hair. Same hoodlum jacket, too. Christ, he was glad to see her. “Bri?” “Hey, Dad.” He tossed an arm around her shoulder and squeezed, brushing his cheek quickly across the top of her head. She seemed thinner, harder, and there was a look in her eyes that he hadn’t seen in a long, long time. A lost look. His heart turned over, and his stomach started burning. “It’s Wednesday. What are you doing here?” She shrugged. He shed his parka to the back of a chair and walked to the refrigerator. He rummaged around, found a beer, and popped the top. Then he leaned on the counter and stared at his only child. “You okay?” “Yeah.” It came out a bit strangled, and she cleared her throat. “Yeah. Fine.” “Caroline with you?” Bri shook her head. Sipping the beer he couldn’t even taste, his mind raced. If she’d needed money, she probably would have called. Of course, she never asked him for money. Hardly ever asked for anything. Couldn’t be trouble with Caroline’s old man. That asshole was long out of the picture—the guy hadn’t had anything to do with the kids since he’d slapped Caroline around for being involved with Bri and then tossed her out of the house. Trouble with the law? Nah—not his kid. So, if it wasn’t money or—the burning in his gut climbed into his chest. “Are you sick?” Bri stared at him. “What? No.” “Then what the hell are you doing here in the middle of the week in the middle of school?” He might have asked a little loudly, but she’d scared the crap out of him. “I quit.” Nelson’s mouth dropped open. “Are you nuts? Where’s Caroline?” “In Manhattan.” “Did she quit, too?” “No.” Bri’s voice was tight again. “I moved out.” Okay, relax. Try to get the facts. Don’t yell at her. He crushed the beer can without even realizing it. “Jesus H. Christ, Brianna! What in hell are you thinking?” She got up fast and headed toward the back door. “Bri, wait! Jesus—just—wait, okay?” She had her hand on the doorknob, but she didn’t open the door. With her back to him, she said, “I’m starting at the Sheriff’s department training academy on Monday.” “Just like that?” he asked as quietly as he could, which wasn’t very. “You just walk away from school? Did you walk away from Car—” But he was talking to himself by then, and all he could hear by the time he made it to the door was the thudding of his heart and the roar of her motorcycle fading into the night. Chapter Six
Nelson cleared his throat. “She, uh…say where she was staying?” “Chief,” Reese said quietly, “I’m kind of in a bind here. Bri didn’t say much.” “And if she did, you wouldn’t tell me?” he snapped. Unconsciously, she squared her shoulders. “No, sir. Probably not.” His eyes blazed for an instant, and he stiffened. "Oh, for Christ's sake, Conlon. Lose the ‘sir’ bullshit." Taking a deep breath, Reese relaxed her shoulders. "She told me she was sharing a place with a couple of other cadets in Barnstable. It sounds like she's okay." “It doesn’t make sense. To leave school? Jesus, to leave Caroline?” He met Reese's eyes, and his were filled with uncertainty. "You haven't seen her. She's got that look in her eyes like she had before Caroline settled her down. Like there was something broken inside of her." "You need to call her, then. Talk to her." "Yeah, I did great with that last time." He stuffed his hands into his pants pockets. "Jesus, why is it so hard to talk to your own kid?" "Probably because she means so much to you." "I think about her being hurt, you know. And it makes me want to break things." He looked away, embarrassed by the admission. Reese thought about Tory being harmed. The pain was so intense it actually made her ill. "Yeah, I know." "You'll probably know a lot better when you have a kid of your own," he said gruffly. "Probably.” Reese grinned. He joined her at the rail, close to her side but still not quite touching. Together they faced the sea, and at length he asked, "How is that…situation...going?" "It's a little too soon to tell," she replied carefully. She wasn't totally comfortable talking about the baby thing--not because of embarrassment, but due to a lingering superstition. She just didn't want anything to go wrong. They hadn’t talked about it, but she knew that Tory wasn’t exactly the ideal age to be getting pregnant. But Tory said it was safe. Promised Reese it was safe. "Sometimes, Tory says, you have to try more that once." "Huh. Doesn't sound a whole lot different," Nelson acknowledged, studiedly not looking at Reese. "Everybody thinks it's easy the, you know, the...regular way. But it isn't...not all the time." She waited. "Brianna... it was a long time before her. We'd kind of given up." His voice had gotten rougher, and he cleared his throat. "She was like a present, when she came along." "I can imagine that she was," Reese said softly. "It's kind of terrifying, isn't it?" "Damn right it is.” Nelson laughed. “And you haven’t even gotten started yet." “Look,” Reese offered. “I’ll give Bri a call.” “Okay. Yeah. Thanks. You don’t need to say I was asking.” “Nope, I won’t.” She clapped him on the shoulder and then tapped the brim of her cap. “I’m gonna take a ride through town before I hit the office.” “Sure.” He watched her walk away and silently counted himself lucky that she was part of his daughter’s life. ***** The rest of the day passed uneventfully, and at seven p.m., Reese was standing outside the tiny airport watching the sky. Five minutes later, the twin engine, twelve-seater taxied to a stop a hundred feet away. Six people disembarked, one of them Victoria King. Reese walked out to meet her. "How you doing?" Reese murmured as she took Tory's hand and leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm fine," Tory said with a smile. "How was your day?" "Not bad. Let me take your briefcase." Tory laughed. "I've got it. How about taking me out to dinner, though?" Reese held opened the door to the one room terminal. "Sure. Any place special?" "You pick," Tory replied as she threaded her arm through her lover’s. "Laverne’s is open. Feel like Mexican?" Reese opened the passenger door of her Blazer and waited while Tory climbed in. "Perfect." Fifteen minutes later, they were settled in a booth in one of the few restaurants that was open year-round, perusing menus that they knew practically by heart. After they had ordered, Reese reached across the table and took Tory's hand. "You had a long day. Was it busy?" "The usual," Tory replied. "How much longer are you planning on working three days a week over there?" Reese asked as she leaned back to allow the waitress to set appetizers in front of them. "The clinic's starting to get busy, isn't it?" "It's picked up." Having heard the concern in the deep voice, Tory studied her lover across the candlelit table. "I was planning on another week or so. Why?" Reese shrugged. "It's a pretty hectic schedule." "Well, actually, I was going to tell them I wanted to cut back to half shifts in the ER." "Really?" Although the news was welcome, Reese was surprised. "How come?" Reaching for a nacho, Tory said, "There's a lot of work to be done at the clinic before the season starts. I need to inventory the supplies, set up schedules for the employees, and I still have another physician to interview for the interim position." "Makes sense," Reese said with a wave of relief. She tried hard not to interfere with Tory's work, but she couldn't help but worry about her demanding schedule. "Besides," Tory added casually, "I'm pregnant." Reese dropped her fork. "Holy God." "Wendy confirmed it this afternoon." Tory grinned. “We did it, honey.” In the next instant, Reese was on her feet and moving around the side of the table. She took Tory's face in both hands and kissed her thoroughly. Then, unmindful of the few patrons who watched and the waitress standing a few feet away with loaded plates balanced on one arm, she knelt on the floor by Tory's side and took both her lover's hands in hers. "You know my heart is yours,” she said softly, running her finger over the scrolled gold band on Tory’s left hand. “But I want everyone else to know how very much I love you. Will you marry me?" “In town--at the meeting house?” Tory murmured, forgetting that they had an audience. “Yes, there or anywhere you want.” Tory's eyes welled with tears as she stared into the deep blue ones that gazed upon her with open devotion. "Oh my love, I would be so happy to." As Tory leaned over to kiss her kneeling partner, she heard the muted sound of clapping, and thought, not for the first time, how blessed she had been the day Reese walked into her life.
Chapter Seven
Reese couldn't remember a thing about the rest of the meal or the drive home. It was just after ten when they started a fire in the bedroom fireplace and settled under the covers. She turned on her side, her head on the pillow a few inches from Tory's. "It's going to take me a while to believe it," she whispered. "Are you okay with it?" Tory hoped her trepidation didn't show in her voice. Despite the weeks they had spent talking and planning, she knew that oftentimes the reality threw couples into turmoil. "Oh, yeah.” Reese caressed Tory’s cheek with her fingertips, her throat so tight she could hardly swallow. “I’m so high, I feel like I'm flying." Tory ran her fingers through Reese's hair and moved closer, until their bodies touched all along their length. "You never let me down, you know?" "I'll try not to, ever," Reese murmured. She stroked her palm over Tory's shoulder and down her arm to her hand, squeezing her fingers briefly. Then, she rested her hand on the arch of her lover's hip, making slow, gentle circles with her fingertips. "I love you, Tor." "Mmm." Tory leaned nearer still and brushed her lips over Reese's. "Me, too." Tory kissed her again, enjoying the gentleness of her lover's mouth as her fingers played over the hard muscles of Reese’s chest and shoulders. Reese was such a wonderful contradiction of strength and secret softness, and touching her never failed to stir Tory’s desire. Tonight, she wanted, needed, to be as close to her as possible. When she felt Reese's tongue slide smoothly across her own, she moaned. She edged her thigh between Reese's legs, her stomach clenching briefly as the smooth, warm skin pressed to her own heated center. She knew she was wet, and she rocked her hips gently to increase the contact. “God, I could come doing this.” "Go ahead," Reese urged gently, her voice a register lower then normal. She slid a hand between their bodies and cupped Tory's breast, finding her nipple and squeezing gently to the cadence of her lover's surging hips. "I love it when you do that." "Maybe later," Tory managed, struggling not to lose control. "I want you to make me come the first time." Reese groaned and pressed her forehead to Tory's. The throaty sound of Tory's need sent of pulse of excitement streaking through her depths. Her clitoris twitched madly in response. "Jesus." Tory's only response was a faint whimper as she caught the fingers sweetly torturing her breast and drew Reese's hand down along her stomach toward the space between her legs. When Reese gently brushed the damp curls at the base of her belly, she arched her back and pressed against her lover's palm. When fingers gently fondled the stiff bundle of nerves, she moaned, "Oh, honey…that's so nice." "You're so beautiful," Reese murmured, moving her lips along the edge of Tory's jaw. Her neck was arched, exposing her throat, a pulse beating wildly at the base of her throat. Reese pressed her lips to that point, marveling at the thrill of life and passion beneath the skin. Her own heart beat furiously, her stomach tight with wonder, as she slowly massaged Tory's clitoris. When she couldn't stand the pleasure any longer, Tory grasped Reese's wrist and pressed her lover's hand further between her legs. "I'm…going to come. I want you...inside." "Tory," Reese gasped. "Is it…okay?" Whimpering, beginning to crest, Tory didn't answer, but guided her lover where she needed her. Before Reese was fully inside of her, her muscles clenched forcefully and she climaxed. She clutched Reese's shoulders, growing rigid with the first forceful contraction and then shuddering with each wave of aftershock. Reese closed her eyes, forgetting to breathe as Tory trembled in her arms. They must have drifted together in the twilight of passion, because the fire had nearly burned down when she opened her eyes again. Tory's cheek was pressed to her breast, and her fingers were still between Tory's thighs. Carefully, she withdrew. "That was wonderful," Tory mumbled. "Yeah, it was." Reese kissed the top of her head. "Are you warm enough?" "Mm hmm.” "I should set the alarm." Tory tilted her head and kissed the tip of Reese's chin. "In a minute. How you doing?" "Great." "Just great?" Tory ran a finger down the center of Reese's belly and didn't stop until she found the answer to her question. Reese stiffened as if she had been electrified. "Jesus, Tor." She gasped as Tory flicked her finger teasingly against the base of her clitoris. "Do that a few more times and I'll…oh…” "I know exactly what you'll do," Tory said with a satisfied smile, never letting up on the steady rhythm. "And…I…know…when.” Reese's hips jerked once, hard, and she shouted as the orgasm crashed through her. Distantly, she heard Tory's joyful laughter. "Are you sure," Reese asked breathlessly as the last surge of pleasure rolled through her, "that this is okay?" "Okay?" Tory asked, vaguely remembering that Reese had asked something similar sometime earlier. "Why wouldn't it be?" "You know," Reese said weakly, trying to gather her wits when her brain had just been turned to mush. "The baby." "The baby?" Tory leaned on one elbow and stared at her lover. "What about…oh! Sex and the baby." "Yeah." "Sweetheart, I don't think it would be very good for the baby if I lost my mind while pregnant." She kissed her slightly befuddled lover soundly on the mouth. "Which is exactly what would happen if we stopped making love. Don't worry, this is just with the doctor ordered." “Oh, good,” Reese murmured as she wrapped her arms around her lover and closed her eyes. CHAPTER EIGHT
Reese was awakened what seemed like five minutes later by an insistent pounding on their front door. Jed, fast asleep at the foot of their bed, snored peacefully. She rolled over and peered at the bedside clock. 5:43 a.m. "Holy hell," she muttered under her breath, trying to ease out of bed without awakening Tory. "Reese?" Tory mumbled as she stretched out her hand and found the vacant space where Reese had just been. Instantly alert, she sat up on, holding the sheet against her body with one arm. "Honey, what is it?" "Don't know." Reese hastily pulled on a pair of jeans and searched a nearby chair for a T-shirt. As she pulled one over her head, she added, "I'll go check. You don’t need to get up, love." Turning on lights as she passed through the living room, Reese reached the front door and looked through the beveled glass window to the front deck. There was just enough light to make out the features of the two people peering back at her. She pulled the door open hastily. "Mom? Jean?" Kate Mahoney and her lover, Jean Purdy, swept past Reese and into the living room. Kate made a bee-line for Tory, who was just coming down the stairs from the second floor wearing one of Reese’s uniform shirts and a baggy pair of sweatpants. “Is everything okay?” Tory asked worriedly. She stopped on the bottom step and reached for the banister, trying to ignore a faint wave of nausea. Oh, no. Not yet. "Is it true?" Kate demanded excitedly. "Uh…" Reese muttered as she followed the procession toward her startled lover. "It's not even six o'clock in the morning, Mom." Never taking her eyes off Tory, Kate replied dismissively, "I wanted to catch you before you went to work. You're always up this early." “It’s Sunday,” Reese pointed out, although no one seemed to be listening. "Honey," Jean, a compact, middle-aged woman with kindly eyes, said soothingly as she stepped up behind the tall, blue-eyed woman who bore a striking resemblance to Reese. "They just woke up. Maybe we should come back later." "Well? Are we going to be grandmothers?" Kate demanded of Tory. Reese made a choking sound as Tory's face broke into a wide smile. "News certainly does travel quickly." Tory, feeling steadier now, walked toward Kate. "And the answer is, yes, you most definitely are." Amidst a rush of happy exclamations, Kate threw her arms around Tory, and Jean hugged Reese. "How did you find out so soon?" Reese asked, grinning now as she extricated her lover from her mother’s embrace. "I didn't even know until last night." "Darling, when someone gets on their knees in the middle of a restaurant in Provincetown, people notice. Especially when it's a couple like you two, and especially when we’ve all been waiting for the happy news.” "I should have known," Reese grumbled, wondering if it had been the waitress or one of the diners who had spread the word. "Once Gladys finds out, she'll probably put out a state wide bulletin." Tory slipped her arm around Reese's waist and snuggled close to her. "I told you there would be no keeping it a secret, honey." Reese kissed the top of Tory's head while her mother and Jean beamed. "Do you two want breakfast?" "I've got an even better idea," Kate said as she took Jean's hand. "You two go back to bed, and we'll bring you breakfast." Reese paled. Everyone is insane. Is this normal? Tory laughed. "That's not necessary. But thank…” "Of course it's not necessary," Jean said quietly. "But you've made us so very happy, and now that we’re here, it would make us even happier to do something for you." "And then you can tell us just how you managed it!" Kate said with a glint in her eye. "Mom," Reese said warningly. Kate kissed her daughter swiftly on the cheek. "Never mind, Reese. I don't really want to know all the details." "Don't tease her before coffee, Kate, please," Tory said with a laugh. She tugged Reese toward the stairs. "Come on, honey. They just made us an offer we can't refuse. Let's go back to bed." Recognizing when she'd been outmaneuvered, Reese shrugged and followed Tory back up stairs. “Sorry about that,” she whispered when they were back in bed. She propped her back against the pillows and drew Tory down against her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I don't mind," Tory murmured, resting her cheek against Reese's chest as she thread one arm around her waist. "It was pretty endearing." "I never realized my mother was so anxious for grandchildren." Reese rubbed her cheek against the top of Tory's head, breathing in the sweet, distinctive scent that always made her feel at home. “God, you feel good.” “Mmm, so do you.” Tory felt the first stirring of desire, and then swiftly reminded herself that her in-laws were downstairs. "I hate to say this, but it will be nice to have babysitters in the immediate area." Reese laughed, running her hand gently up and down Tory’s back. "Now there's an advantage I hadn't considered. I guess I can forgive them for dragging us out of bed." "Honey," Tory said contemplatively. "What are you going to tell your father?" As she expected, her lover stiffened. Tory ran her palm softly back and forth over Reese's chest. "I'm not rushing you, sweetheart. It's completely up to you." "The General has managed to deal with the fact that I'm a lesbian by ignoring it," Reese said quietly. "I've let him, because my relationship with him has always been more military than familial. I guess I've probably let him, too, because I haven't wanted to be coerced into resigning my commission." “I know how much the Corps means to you.” Tory took a deep breath. "Is the baby going to be a problem?" "No, never," Reese said quickly, tightening her arms around Tory. "I only meant that if I force him to acknowledge our relationship, he might invoke regulations." "The ‘don't ask, don't tell’ thing?" "Yes." "Oh, honey," Tory said worriedly. "I'm sorry." "You have nothing to be sorry for.” Reese put two fingers beneath Tory's chin and gently tilted her face until their eyes met. “You've made me happier than I ever imagined I could be. Now, with the baby coming, life is even more wonderful. You and this child are the only things that matter to me." “But the Mari--“ “I gave most of my life to the Marines. Now I’m just yours.” Tory shifted until she was lying in Reese’s arms, facing her. She brought her mouth close to Reese’s, holding her gaze. “I love you.” As often happened when the depth of their love, at once comforting and wild, rose up to confront them, the rest of the world receded. Reese was about to kiss her when a knock sounded on the door. One of them groaned. “I was just getting started,” Reese whispered. “Mmm. So was I.” Tory kissed her quickly, then rolled away. “Look out when you get home tonight, Sheriff.” Laughing, Reese took her hand. “Come on in, Grandmoms.”
Chapter Nine
April, Barnstable, Massachusetts
It was after 9:00 p.m. on Friday night, and the parking lot that separated the administrative buildings from the training facility at the Sheriff's department main headquarters was almost empty. Reese parked her Blazer around the side of the gymnasium, then exited the vehicle and walked to the building’s side entrance. She walked down the deserted hallway to the last door on the right. There was only one other person in a room the size of a basketball court. "Hi, Bri." Brianna turned away from the hanging bag that she had been lightly punching to loosen up her arms. None of her relief at seeing Reese showed in her face. "Hey." "How are things going?" Reese asked as she began to change into her gi. Bri looked away. Even though she’d seen Reese without clothes in the gym before, she wasn’t entirely comfortable with the faint stir of arousal the sight of the well-built body produced. It was probably normal, but she didn’t really have any way of knowing. There’d only ever been Carre in her life. Carre. Jesus, I miss you.
“I miss you, Bri.” Carre’s voice was small and sad. Bri’s heart ached from hearing the hurt and knowing she had put it there. “I know, babe. Me, too.” Her own voice was thick in her throat. She slid down the wall beneath the pay phone in an out of the way corner of the building that housed the classrooms, her stomach in knots. She’d had to call, even though she only had five minutes between classes. She was just so lonely. “How’s school?” “Okay. The same--you know.” “Your painting going okay?” Bri asked, wondering when it had gotten so hard to talk to the woman who had been her lover and best friend for four years. “Uh huh.” “Have you heard anything about the scholarship?” “Not yet.” Caroline voice trailed off, then came back strong. “So, are you working hard?” “Yeah. I’m taking some classes with the night school group. That way I can meet my minimal hours requirement faster.” “Can you come home this weekend?” The hopeful note in Caroline’s voice was obvious. Home. Bri said softly, “I can’t, babe. I signed up for weapons training on Saturday mornings.” “Oh.” “I’m sorr--“ “No,” Caroline said hastily. “That’s okay. I knew you’d be busy.” “You’ll be here Memorial Day, right?” “That just seems so far away.” Oh, fuck, don’t cry. Bri swallowed the lump in her throat. “Do you need money…for the bus? I sent the rent check already.” “No…I…Bri…” She was crying. “I have to go.” “I love you, babe,” Bri whispered, one hand fisted in her hair, her head down almost on her knees. “Please, don’t cr…” “Hey! Parker! You coming to class or not?” a rough male voice demanded. “Yes, sir.” Bri jumped to her feet. “I gotta go, babe. Carre?” But the line was already dead.
“Bri?” “Sorry. What?” Bri blushed. “The academy. Everything okay?” Reese tied her pants, shrugged into her gi jacket, and wrapped the gold embroidered black belt around her waist with practiced efficiency. "Yeah, sure. Fine." "Good." Reese stepped onto the mat and knelt, as did Bri, and they bowed to one another. Then, as they had done five or six days a week for the year and a half before Bri had left for college, they trained. Then, Reese called a halt, and they once again knelt and bowed. "Thank you, sensei," Bri said quietly. "I hope you don't mind," Reese said, "but I talked to Moriyama sensei about you resuming your training with me." "Thanks." "I don't see any reason why we can't keep you on schedule. You can either test for shodan in New York with Moriyama's class sometime this summer, or you can test here with me." "How would that work?" Reese shrugged. "We don't need to decide that now. You've got enough things to worry about. First priority is getting through the academy with good scores so you can have a shot at picking your field training placement." "I know. I’m busting my as…butt in class." “Good. See that you keep it up.” “Yes, ma’am.” When Bri realized that Reese would probably head back to Provincetown any minute, she said almost desperately, "Listen, we could shower here and then maybe go out for a drink. If you have time?" Reese regarded the young woman intently. Bri’s dark blue eyes were shadowed, and despite her formidable physique, she looked gaunt. "If you don't mind a little healthy sweat, I don't. I'm pretty hungry. Let’s skip a shower. Any place near here we can grab a bite?” “Yeah,” Bri replied eagerly. "There's a tavern out on 6A about 10 minutes from here." "Let's go then," Reese said briskly. “And Bri?” “Yeah?” “Soda for you in the bar.” Bri flushed. “Yes, ma’am. Absolutely.” Nine minutes later they were seated in a booth at the back of a beer joint that was packed with locals and academy trainees. If Reese wasn't mistaken, at least one young women had eyed Bri with an appreciative glance that was definitely more than friendly. "Hamburger, fries, and a root beer," Bri said when a woman approached with a pad and pencil at the ready. "Make that two," Reese added. “Along with whatever beer you have on tap.” "I'm really glad you came up," Bri said shyly. It was still difficult for her to relate as simply a friend to the woman who had been her teacher first. "That's okay. I wanted to see you," Reese said as she took the mug of beer that the waitress offered. "Find out how you were doing." Bri sipped her soda. "The academy's not that bad. There's a lot of material to be covered in a short time, but most of it's just common sense." "Good. You can handle yourself. Don’t be afraid to show it.” Bri nodded, feeling almost happy for the first time since she’d left Carre. “No problem.” “It'll be good to have you back in the dojo," Reese remarked. "Once you're through the academy, we’ll need to talk about you teaching one of the junior classes." "Yeah, I'd like that. Isn't Tory teaching a class in self-defense now?" “Yes. But I don't know how much longer she'll be teaching." "Why?" Bri asked, her expression suddenly serious. "Is there something wrong?" "Nope." Reese couldn't keep from smiling. "She's pregnant." Bri’s hand stopped halfway to her mouth, the hamburger forgotten. Her blue eyes grew so round they looked almost black. "No fucking way," she said in a reverent whisper. "It’s true." "Wow." "Yes," Reese confided. "That's exactly how I feel, too." "Does my dad know?" "Yes, I told him right away. We've known for a couple of weeks." "What did he say?" she asked curiously. "I think he said something along the lines of what you just did," Reese replied with a laugh. "He seems fine with it." They counted out cash to cover the check and the tip and then wended their way back through the crowd toward the door. Once outside, they walked briskly in companionable silence until they reached Reese's SUV. "Call me," Reese said, clapping Bri on the shoulder. "Come down whenever you can, and we’ll work out. Okay?" "Thanks, I will." Reese studied Bri's face, trying to get a glimpse of what was happening inside her. All she could see were hints of her pain. The memory of the shadows in the younger woman’s eyes haunted her all the way home.
Chapter Ten
With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, Bri watched the taillights of Reese's Blazer disappear into the night. Suddenly at loose ends, she shoved her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket and looked around the deserted parking lot. The options were few. She could go back inside the gym and work out until she felt tired enough to sleep, or she could head back down the road to the tavern and at least be in the company of other people. That might take her mind off the empty feeling that stole through her body. Not wanting to think about that, she strode quickly to her cycle, swung one long leg over the low-slung tank, and fit her key to the ignition. Ignoring the helmet strapped to the rear, she kick started the engine, slammed into gear, and tore off into the dark. A few minutes later, she settled on a stool at one end of the still-crowded bar and ordered another club soda. She wasn't thinking about much of anything at all, just aimlessly turning the glass on the bar, wondering what Carre was doing, when a soft female voice spoke very close to her ear. "You're back awfully soon." Bri swiveled on the seat and met the eyes of one of her academy classmates, a softly beautiful dark-haired young woman about her own age. They'd nodded to one another in class, but never had a conversation. "There's not much to do around here on the weekend," Bri said noncommittally. "You've got that right. Do you mind if I keep you company for a while?" "No," Bri replied, oddly uncomfortable, and uncertain why. Maybe it was just that she wasn’t used to casual conversations with strangers. "I'm Allie Weber," the faintly Southern-accented voice informed her as a well-formed hand reached out. "Bri Parker." The handshake was firm, the skin smooth and warm. "Uh-huh. I know," Allie replied. “Where are you from?” “I’m a local. Provincetown. You?” “South Carolina. Bet you can’t tell, though.” “Uh,” Bri said, grinning. “A little. “My mom got a job at Woods Hole Marine Biological laboratory near Falmouth when I was a junior in high school. So I’m sorta local, too.” They both laughed. After a moment, Bri said, "Can I get you a drink or something?" "I'm okay with this one," the brunette replied as sh