Chapter Eighteen

The truck was empty and only a few boxes remained in the street. The guys hustled them inside the building, all but throwing them into the apartment. Guin figured they’d seen more than their fair share of girly things and would beeline off to happy hour as soon as possible for testosterone restoration. She hung back, looked over the row of boxes she’d managed to sort out and carry inside by herself. These were marked “linens” and “towels.”

Normally Guin resisted making contact with such things. She was fanatical to the point of avoiding hotels whenever possible for fear of whatever secrets the bedding held—in fact damn well OCD about it. In particular, pillows gave a whole new meaning to the phrase pillow talk. They held stories just as sure as if the sleeper had drained out their every horror or happiness via the ear canal. For these reasons, she’d spent many a night away from home, cramped into cheap vinyl upholstered hotel chairs. Talk about your hang-ups. She’d considered investing in a blow-up mattress for the road.

That aside, she relied upon contact with those same types of personal things to speak to her now. She’d been accidentally privy to the breakup of April and Lauren from the day’s earlier vision, and now Guin was fascinated by whatever other secrets her partner held. She longed to know everything she could get her visions on.

“Marcus.” Burnette had returned to the truck. He grabbed a duffel bag full of towels and tossed them at her. “Think fast, kid.”

In an automatic defensive motion, Guin grabbed the bag, clutched it to her chest. She was not disappointed. The visions were growing clearer. This time April was in the bathroom, shower running. Steam billowed through the tiny room, clearing to reveal a tanned, toned body behind milky glass. Guin took advantage of her unusual vantage point to study her slender legs, hint of musculature in her calves as she moved, her taut waist, perky breasts…

Guin gasped, ached with desire.

April raised her face to the shower stream. Water parted her mane of dark, long hair, and it was then that Guin could see she was crying. She appeared vulnerable, sad, like nothing she’d ever seen from her before. It was a world apart from the woman’s usual cheerful self.

The water stopped, and April thrust a hand out from the shower curtain, grabbed a towel and emerged wrapped in its whiteness. She leaned against the bathroom wall, tears still streaming. Yes, it had been a bad, bad breakup.

“Guin? Are you all right?”

April’s voice in real-time startled Guin from her vision. She blinked hard, nodded.

“Yeah, just starting to get a little worn out, that’s all.” She was suddenly concerned that she’d implied moving April’s stuff was too exhausting, and quickly amended the statement. “But I’m getting my second wind, no worries.”

April smiled and sympathetically nodded. Burnette was also there, but his expression was one of near-concern. Guin had been getting that from him a lot lately. She wondered what was going on. She made a mental note that they should talk. Or not.

“Let me thank you again, all of you,” April told them for the millionth time. “Honestly, this has been so great.”

She stood there beaming, positive energy practically shooting out of every pore. It was like daytime to the darkness of the inconsolable woman in her visions. Guin wondered how she managed it.

“Not a problem,” she finally told her. “Let’s get the last of this into your place.”

Winters cleared his throat. “You need me to follow you to get this truck back to the shop on time?”

“No, that’s fine,” Guin heard herself saying. And then to top it off, “I’ll do it.”

“Okay then.” Burnette shoved his glasses onto his nose. “Well, that about wraps it up. If you ladies got it from here, me and Paul are going to take off and get a beer.”

“Hon, thanks so much, again. Both of you.” April went for a hug, saw the wide trails of sweat down the fronts of the men’s shirts. Their mutually disgusting appearances occurred to them all at the same time and they laughed, settled on a simple wave goodbye. “I’ll see you at work, then. Have a beer for me.”

Guin figured she’d take off after riding back from the trucking company, but April asked her back inside. Biting her lip, wondering about all sorts of implications, she agreed and followed her partner like a sheep. Boxes lined the perimeter of the living room. April spun a slow circle, arms outstretched, a huge smile upon her face.

“Looks like I have my work cut out for me.”

Guin was still obsessing over the heart-wrenching visions. “How do you do it?” she asked absently, studying her partner in the center of the floor.

“Do what?”

Guin suddenly felt self-conscious. “Always have a smile. How do you do that?”

“Do I?” She took a step closer.

“Yeah, always.” Guin forced a laugh. “I mean, you probably sleep that way.”

April’s expression turned and her eyelashes batted sexily. She playfully arched an eyebrow, took another step closer. “Well, there’s only one way for you to find that out.”

Her unabashed flirty behavior caused Guin to clench up inside. Her throat felt tight, her chest warm. Other parts…also warm.

“Wow, okay,” she half-whispered.

“What?” Another step. “Am I embarrassing you?”

“No. Well, maybe. I guess you are sort of.”

“Yeah?” April was close now and refused to unlock gazes. She was obviously pleased to be responsible for Guin’s tongue-tied state. “And now?”

“Yeah, even more.” Guin’s eyes flitted away, she cleared her throat. “Quite a lot, actually.”

April tsked, furrowed her brow. They stood almost toe-to- toe.

“Surely not.” Her tone went significantly quieter. “Who would’ve thought that I’d be able to make tough-as-nails-cop Guin Marcus blush, hmm?”

“Who’d have thought?” Guin half-croaked.

A final step closer, and there was room for no more than a breath between them. Guin gulped, felt her eyes water. A faint sweat and musk scent emanated from April. Guin tried like hell not to think about it.

“What’s the matter? Aren’t you used to aggressive women?” April made a playful round mouth. “Oh, I get it, you like to be the aggressor.”

“No, it’s, well…it’s just that we work together and—”

“And what?”

Guin blinked away every last rule about forbidden work relationships. It’s not like she hadn’t had one before and she was quickly realizing just how easy it would be to wake up next to April. Her partner’s naughty act was playful enough, but she knew April had an emotional and very soft side to her, evidenced by the tears she’d witnessed, and an even softer side to her, evidenced by the erotic glimpse of damp skin she’d seen in the shower. Oh…her visions were dangerous.

Fight or flight?

“Oh boy—look, I should get home. I’m happy to come back tomorrow and help you unpack if you want.”

But the time for excuses had expired, a message made clear by April. She lowered her voice, looked her straight in the eye.

“Guin, the only things I want to unpack tonight are my bed linens and towels. Surely you can stay and help me with that.” Never compromising her intense gaze, April reached for Guin’s hand. “Can’t you, hon?”

There was nothing remotely saccharine in her voice; nothing false about her approach. They were just two women, standing there, one asking the other to stay the night. April leaned into her slightly, brought her lips close enough for a ticklish touch, then gently ran her tongue along Guin’s upper lip, tasting tiny beads of perspiration that had formed there.

It was Guin’s undoing. Hormones shot through her body, she tingled in places that hadn’t been properly attended to since she’d been with Cheryl. Her eyes rolled so far back that she thought for sure she’d actually see her visceral brain. It would surely have April’s tanned, toned, shower-fresh body imprinted on it… It gave her inspiration. Guin whispered, “Is your hot water turned on?”

“It is,” April purred in her ear. “All my utilities are in fine…”—she kissed her—“working…”—kissed her again— “order.”

Gone.

“Christ,” Guin muttered. She plunged forward, practically attacked April’s neck, kissed her way down the curve and landed in the groove of her collarbone. April gasped with desire, ran her hands up and down Guin’s body, which was hot and slick with perspiration that had nothing to do with an all-day move. They kissed deeply. They nearly mounted each other on the spot, but Guin stopped. She thought it should be better than that; it should be special. It was the least she could do for April.

Guin unwillingly forced her away slightly, gazed at her, breathless. Too far gone to turn back. She shook her head, as if she were admonishing herself. She clenched her eyes shut for a moment and when she reopened them, she was solidly locked into the most beautiful blue-eyed gaze.

“Come here,” Guin quietly ordered her before either could possibly change her mind. They stripped en route to the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothes all the way to a steamy shower.

This time there were no tears, only gentle exploration, and occasional harried, teenage-style groping. They kissed, touched, teased, loved…it was only a small glimpse of things yet to come.