Chapter Seventeen

Reese spread out the blanket in one of the many bowls of sand carved into the dunes by the wind and the rain. Once they were inside the natural shelter ten feet across and just as deep they were invisible to anyone passing by on the beach below, even had the night not been fast closing around them. The sky was so clear, the stars overhead so bright, that it seemed she could reach up and touch one. Fifty yards away, the ocean lay before them, its black surface broken by the crests of waves that sparkled like diamonds in the moonlight.

Carefully, Tory lowered herself to the blanket and stretched out on her side facing Reese. The crash of the surf and the swirling wind forced them to lean close together to be heard. Tory wrapped an arm around Reese's waist and snuggled against her. She knew Reese's body so well that she recognized the knots in her back as an unmistakable sign of tension.

"Tell me what happened with your father, sweetheart," Tory said, starting to knead the tight muscles.

Reese shifted and settled Tory's head against her shoulder. She sifted strands of Tory's hair through her fingers as she spoke. "He came to talk to me about the wedding."

"Ah, I guess he got your letter, then," Tory remarked, recalling the note Reese had sent to her father telling him of Regina's birth and their plans to be married. She'd enclosed a picture of the baby and had invited him to come to the ceremony. That had been almost a month ago, and they'd received no reply. "I can't believe he came in person to discuss it."

"He said he was on the east coast for an appropriations meeting."

"Uh-huh." Tory rubbed her hand up and down Reese's back. "So what did he say about it?"

Reese sighed. "What you might expect. He repeated the military's stance on homosexuality, warned me that I was putting my commission at risk, and argued that there was no point in doing that since our marriage had no legal standing anyhow." She pressed her lips to Tory's forehead briefly. "He was very reasonable and rational."

"He didn't threaten you with any kind of official action again, did he?" Tory was struggling to remain calm despite her fury that her lover should have to face this kind of irrational discrimination from her own father.

"No." Unconsciously, Reese tightened her hold on Tory.

"I take it he isn't coming?"

Reese laughed humorlessly. "Ah, no. 'Fraid not."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." Tory felt impotent, unable to offer her lover the one thing that Reese provided her so effortlessly. Comfort.

"It's okay," Reese murmured, closing her eyes and savoring the aroma of the sea and the delicate sun-kissed meadow scent that was uniquely Tory. "It's not important whether he comes or not. What's important to me is you and Regina."

Tory heard the undercurrent of concern in Reese's voice and had the sudden sickening sense that there was something even more serious at stake than Reese's military position. "He came for some other reason too, though, didn't he?"

Reese hesitated. "Nothing definite."

Tory shook her head. "Don't do that with me. Don't try to protect me. I love you for it, but it's not what I need."

"I know." Reese nestled her cheek to Tory's. "He was circumspect because he had to be, but his message was clear. What we've been hearing about the unrest in the Middle East is only the tip of the iceberg. The situation is much worse than we think. That rumbling in the distance is war coming."

"War." Tory turned the word around in her mind. She didn't remember much about the Vietnam War. Desert Storm had been over so quickly and, due to the strange immediacy of being able to watch it unfold nightly on CNN, had seemed almost unreal. "What does that mean?"

"I got the impression from the general, although he wouldn't say anything specific, that a significant mobilization and deployment is likely within the next year." Reese took a long breath. "If that happens, my reserve unit will be one of the first called. No matter what the situation, the Marines, especially the military police, always go in first."

Tory shivered. They were sheltered in their little hideaway, and the air was still warm, but she couldn't remember ever having felt as cold inside. "Do you really think this is going to happen?"

"I don't know." Reese heard the unsteadiness in Tory's voice, and her heart ached. Tenderly, she stroked Tory's shoulders and arms, cradling her lover against her chest, "But I think so. High-ranking military personnel like my father often know about these things well before anything is made public." She felt Tory tremble. "Still, anything could happen."

"Would you go?"

"Tory, I'd have to go."

"Would you want to go?"

Reese thought about the question, the same question that had been in her mind since her father had warned her that her military career might be derailed by this wedding just as the opportunity for-significant advancement was around the corner. "All my life, Tor, I've trained to serve my country. When the call comes, it's not something a marine thinks about. It's just something that we do."

"I think I understand," Tory said quietly, "but you're going to have to give me a while to absorb all of this. I never expected to be married to a marine."

"I know. And I never expected to have a wife and a baby, either." Reese worked the tail of Tory's blouse from her slacks and slid her hand over the warm flesh of her back. She murmured softly as Tory, mirroring her actions, loosed her shirt from her trousers and pressed her palm to Reese's abdomen.

"Would it have made a difference?" Tory asked softly "If you'd always had us or even had us ten years ago?" ^;

"I don't know. Nothing could have diverted me from my course when I was eighteen or twenty-five. Now, the one thing I'm certain of is that I don't want to be separated from you."

Tory found the entire conversation surreal. She had anticipated; many things for their future, but never that Reese would not be by her side. At least not for decades. As a physician, she understood in her rational mind that life was fickle and that anything could happen, but it was human nature to believe that those things would not happen to you or the ones you loved. And she was human, just like everyone else. She had visions of sharing the milestones of Regina's life with Reese and growing old with her. Even the inherent dangers of Reese's job as a law enforcement officer didn't seem as ominous or frightening as the possibility of her going off to some foreign land to engage an enemy whom Tory could not even bring into focus in her mind. It just didn't seem possible.

"I don't want you to go anywhere." The words were out before Tory could censor them. Before she could even imagine their impact on her lover. All she knew was that she would do anything within her power to keep her family intact, and that Reese was the very heart of her life.

"We don't know that's going to happen," Reese whispered. She'd told Tory about her father's predictions because she couldn't keep something of that magnitude from her lover. But she understood the vagaries of politics and power as well and appreciated that in six months, the world picture could be very different. "We don't have to worry about it now."

Tory inched closer until she was stretched out on top of Reese, braced on her elbows with one thigh between Reese's. She could see Reese clearly in the moonlight and thought she had never looked more beautiful. "Is there any possibility that you could get out of going? If you decided that?"

"Not unless I resigned. And I'd need to do it soon. Once something happens and we're officially at war, that won't be possible."

"Would you do that for me?"

Reese threaded the fingers of her left hand through Tory's hair and pressed her right to the small hollow at the base of Tory's spine. She could feel Tory's body all along her own not just against her, but inside of her. This woman was her life; she was the reason Reese lived and breathed, hoped and dreamed. There had never been a need in her life as powerful as the one she had for Tory. She would give anything to her, do anything for her.

"Yes."

"I cannot imagine a day without you," Tory murmured, leaning down and brushing her lips over Reese's. "I need you. Regina needs you. You're everything for both of us." She slipped her hand beneath Reese's shirt again and smoothed her hand over the hard planes of her abdomen and the gentle curve of her ribs until she found the softness of her breast. There, she stilled her hand and simply held her.

"Tory"

"I love you so much." Tory claimed Reese's mouth, exploring gently at first with the tip of her tongue over the silken surface of Reese's lips before dipping into the sweet heat beyond. She pressed her hips down when she felt Reese rise beneath her, gently rocking into her. The wind was all around them, and in the distant silence, the threat of thunder hovered.

When Reese lifted her arms to clasp Tory to her, Tory caught her wrists and pressed Reese's arms back down, holding her forearms close to her shoulders. She moved her mouth from Reese's lips to her jaw, then along her neck, and finally to the soft hollow between her collarbones where her heart beat so close to the surface. Closing her eyes, Tory felt the precious life pulse through the vulnerable vessels just beneath the skin. The power and the wonder that was Reese filled her, and that flood of love rushed through her, heating her blood and stirring her desire.

"If what we talked about ever happens," Tory murmured against Reese's throat, "I'm likely to say almost anything to keep you with me. But I want you to remember what I'm going to tell you now."

She let go of one of Reese's hands and unbuttoned Reese's shirt, then pushed up the light silk tee beneath it to expose Reese's breasts. Pressing her face to the inner curve of one small, firm breast, she heard Reese gasp as her lips found a tight nipple. She kissed the erect nub gently. "I'm not going to ask you not to go. I'm not going to ask you to resign. 1 know who you are, Reese. I love you for every single thing about you your bravery, your valor, your dedication. I want you to do what you need to do, whatever that is."

"Tory" Reese's voice was husky and low, her body quivering beneath Tory's. "Whatever you want"

"No. Just remember what I'm saying now, because if there ever comes a time when you need to go, I don't think I'll be strong enough to say it then."

As she spoke, Tory loosed the buckle at Reese's waist and opened her trousers. She pushed herself down between Reese's legs until her face was against the taut abdomen. Then she splayed her fingers along the arch of Reese's rib cage, her thumbs meeting in the center as she massaged the trembling muscles. Reese shifted restlessly beneath her, her hips lifting rhythmically against the weight of Tory's body.

"Lie still, darling," Tory whispered as she kissed the soft hollow where Reese's abdomen joined her thigh. She caressed and tormented the delicate skin at the base of Reese's belly until Reese was moaning continuously, and then she grasped Reese's trousers and tugged them down far enough to press Reese's legs open. Continuing her kisses along the inside of Reese's thigh, she tasted Reese's desire. When she closed her lips gently around the prominence of Reese's clitoris, Tory moaned with wonder and helpless longing. She'd made love to Reese hundreds of times, but every time she was struck anew by the overwhelming splendor of their passion. Beneath the star-filled night sky, surrounded by the wonder of the land and sea that nurtured her, Tory paid homage to the love that had resurrected her life and defined her destiny. As Reese's cries drifted to her on the wind, the sound as primitive and wild and achingly beautiful as the roar of the sea beyond, Tory closed her eyes against her tears.

Soaring, Reese threaded trembling fingers through Tory's hair and through glazed eyes watched the stars dance overhead. As Tory brought her steadily and exquisitely to orgasm, she melted beneath Tory's lips and surrendered to the demands of Tory's mouth, knowing that she had never been so perfectly loved. For those moments out of time, all that she was belonged to Tory.

"You need a ride somewhere?" Randy asked KT.

KT hesitated, then nodded. "I wouldn't mind a ride into the center of town. I can get a cab, though, if you're not going that way."

"Nothing in this town is out of the way," Randy noted as he locked the front door and indicated a black Mazda Miata parked in the far corner of the gravel lot. "It's no problem."

It took less than five minutes to reach the center of town, where KT climbed out, thanked Randy for the ride, and headed toward her temporary home. Along the way, she replayed her conversation with Tory, recalling Tory's assessment that Pia was not her type. She couldn't help but wonder if Tory really believed that she could only be interested in a shallow sexual relationship with a woman.

When KT considered what her life had been like the last five years or so, she supposed that conclusion might seem valid. She'd had no long-term relationships since Tory, and even her affairs had been relatively brief. But as attractive as she found Pia, the thought of a night or two in bed with her left her feeling unsatisfied. That in and of itself was a departure for her.' Casual liaisons had been her staple, providing both a release from stress and a diversion from introspection. For whatever reason, that wasn't what she was looking for with Pia. They'd already shared more than she'd shared with most of the women with whom she'd slept in recent years.

The entire train of thought left her uneasy, because she wasn't certain why she felt differently about Pia or if it was even wise to try to find out. She'd had a difficult conversation with Tory, her arm ached, and she'd forgotten both lunch and dinner. She felt around in her pants pocket for the last pain pill she'd counted out that morning the one she should have saved until midnight and swallowed it dry. Then she detoured down the sidewalk to the Pied for something to wash it down with and for a little company to help turn her thoughts from her past mistakes and future uncertainties.

Two hours later, she' d had two drinks and had turned down one very promising offer to spend the evening with an extraordinarily attractive, but very young, art student from Brown who was spending the fall semester painting on the Cape. As lovely and eager as the young woman had been, KT was simply not interested. She left a ten-dollar tip on the bar and decided it was time to go home. When she eased down from the bar stool, she was nearly overcome by a sudden wave of dizziness. She staggered back a step and clutched the curved edge of the bar with her right hand to ' steady herself.

Two drinks. I only had two drinks. I can't be this drunk on just two drinks. Must be because 1 didn’t have dinner:

She blinked and tried to focus on the faces across the room. Unfortunately, the room and everyone in it were spinning.

"Looks like you could use a little air," a smooth voice murmured in her ear as a firm arm came around her waist.

"Dizzy," KT muttered. "Just a little dizzy."

"I can see that, darlin'. Now come on outside with me."

Too disoriented to argue, KT allowed herself to be led through the bar and onto Commercial Street by the willowy brunette who guided her. She shook her head and tried to focus on the woman's face, but found it impossible. She could tell, though, that she was beautiful. As beautiful as her mellow voice with its soft Southern accent,

"I'm okay," KT stated emphatically, trying to walk a straight line and failing. "1 just live up the street a few blocks."

"Well, it's a nice night for a walk, so why don't we head that way. What's your address?"

KT had to think for a minute, but she was finally able to recall the numbers on the front of the guest house. She shook her head, but it didn't clear the cobwebs from her brain. Must be tired. Too much stress.

"What's your name?" the brunette asked.

"KT. You?"

"Allie. You must be new in town, KT, because I don't know you, and I can't imagine that I would have missed you. I don't usually miss good-looking women like you."

KT would've laughed at the pick-up line that should have been hers, but she suddenly felt as if she might vomit. She concentrated on controlling her heaving stomach and remained silent. Ten minutes later they turned down the driveway toward the rear entrance to KT's building. KT had draped her arm around Allie's shoulders for support, and the smaller woman still guided KT with an arm around her waist.

"That's it," KT muttered, indicating the rear stairs. "Up there."

"Well, I brought you this far. I'm going to make sure you get inside." Carefully, Allie guided KT to the stairs. "Besides, I'm getting kind of fond of you."

From the shadows of the porch across the way, Pia watched the two figures come arm in arm down the path and climb the stairs to KT's apartment. As soon as they disappeared inside, she got up, entered her own small, tidy home, and closed the door gently behind her.