Chapter Twenty-Five

KT pulled Pia down beside her on the wooden love seat that swung gently on Pia's front porch, suspended from ceiling hooks by thick braided ropes. "Let's talk for a second."

"We've been talking every day, sometimes several times a day," Pia said, her voice silky and low as she pulled her legs up onto the cushions and curled against KT's side, "for almost a month." She wrapped an arm around KT's waist and nestled her head against KT's shoulder. "And as much as I enjoy your mind, I'm more interested in your body right now."

Despite her persistent unease, KT laughed, rubbing her cheek against Pia's hair. "How is it that two weeks ago you told me quite emphatically that you weren't going to sleep with me?"

"Two weeks ago you needed every ounce of your strength to get the drugs out of your system and your feet back under you," Pia said softly. "You needed me to be your friend then, and I...I wasn't ready to want you this much."

"And what about now?"

"We're still friends, aren't we?"

"Yes," KT murmured, realizing it was true and knowing that the last time she'd felt that way with a lover, it had been Tory. Thinking of Tory reminded her forcefully of just how bad she was at relationships. Still, Pia's nearness invoked a familiar stirring in her body the growing knot of tension deep down inside her that always came when she held a woman, smelled a woman, imagined the glide of smooth skin under her fingertips. It was a hunger, a longing so profound to immerse herself in the mystery and wonder of all that was female that she'd often followed her desire without thinking. Now, when a beautiful woman a woman she wanted as fiercely as any she'd ever known told her not once, but repeatedly, that she wanted her, she did nothing. She held herself back while her body screamed for release, aching and close to breaking. And still, she waited. "Yes, we're friends, That's why I haven't touched you, when I want to so much."

Pia shifted until she could look up into KT's face, shadowed in the moonlight. "Let me get this straight You don't want to go to bed with me because you like me."

No, because I love you. KT caressed Pia's side, sliding her palm up and down the curve of her flank and over her hip. "You've waited all this time, Pia. Waited for something....someone...special." She drew a deep breath. "I'm not special."

"Tell me why you think you aren't." Pia rested her hand in the center of KT's chest and slowly circled her fingertips, loving the subtle tensing of KT's body when she touched her. She'd been aware of other women's excitement before, of their need, but she'd never thrilled to the knowledge that she had created it. Not like she did with this woman. KT's desire made her feel powerful in a way she had never experienced, powerful and humbled at the same time. It was all she could do to refrain from sliding her leg over KT's, from cupping KT's small, firm breast, merely millimeters away from her burning palm. "Tell me what I'm missing, because I think you're very special."

"I've spent most of my life meeting someone else's expectations and never even questioning if those goals were my own. In the process, I was so focused on satisfying my own needs that I destroyed the most important thing in my life." KT leaned her head against the wooden seat back and stared at the darkness overhead. "I didn't even know it at the time, that's how out of touch I was with everything that should've mattered."

Pia didn't answer; she merely held KT tightly.

"Since then well, let's say I've been selfish when it comes to relationships."

"Did you make promises you didn't keep?"

KT shook her head.

"Did you lie about your feelings?"

"No," KT rasped.

"Were you only concerned with your own pleasure?"

KT laughed wryly. "I don't know, I don't think so."

Pia kissed KT softly, then drew back until she could look into her eyes. "Then I don't think you've been selfish. And I'm not asking for promises."

KT brushed her fingers through Pia's hair and closed her fist gently around the heavy richness of it. "You deserve promises."

"Would you be so worried if I hadn't told you that I've never slept with anyone before?"

"I don't know," KT answered truthfully. "But you did tell me. And one thing I know for sure. I never want you to regret anything that happens between us."

"You have to trust me when I say that I won't." Pia shifted until she straddled KT's thighs, her knees on the cushions on either side. She framed KT's face in her hands and lowered her head until their mouths met. When KT's hand came to her waist, then under her blouse to tremble against her flesh, Pia murmured, "Please."

"Well, you three look like you’re ready for some real partying," Karl said with forced friendliness as he surveyed Allie, Bri, and Tamara.

"We were ready when we walked in the door," Allie replied in a tone halfway between sarcastic and seductive. Tamara's hand was still firmly attached to her hip, and she was afraid that any second the other woman was going to take a bite out of something vital. "And so far, all we've seen is beer. Pissy beer, actually."

"Looks like you've scored a little more than that," Karl smirked, his eyes on Tamara.

"That isn't what we came for," Bri growled, releasing her grip on Allie's hand in case she suddenly needed both of hers.

"Come on, Karl," Tamara crooned. "Why are you being such a prick?" She insinuated her other arm around Allie's waist and ran her tongue over the point of Allie's nipple, leaving a small wet spot on the material before smiling up at the big man. "Be nice to my friends."

Karl's eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second, and then he smiled again. "Well, we like to welcome newcomers." His eyes flickered from Bri to Allie and then back to Bri. "Tonight everything is on sale."

"So show me the merchandise," Bri said steadily, her eyes on his.

"That's it," Reese said abruptly, removing her earpiece. "Put Wellfleet on the rear door now and another team behind us. You and I will go first through the front as planned."

As she spoke, Nelson translated the orders into his radio, and then they were both moving through the low brush and taller scrub pines, ducking as much to avoid the swinging branches as to keep from being seen from the house.

"Maybe we should've brought more people," Nelson panted, slightly winded.

"We've got the perimeter shut down," Reese reminded him. "No one is going anywhere and we've got six going in. Two inside. We're covered."

Yeah. And the two inside are unarmed rookies. Nelson saved his breath and tried to ignore the sick knot of tension that had centered in his chest

Inside the house, Bri closed her hand around the six tabs of ecstasy and extended the wad of folded bills she'd pulled from her jeans. "Next time we're going to want more."

"Any time. Just call." Karl grinned. "You're on my VIP list now."

"Come on, stud," Tamara urged, tugging on Bri's belt. "We've got everything we need. Let's go find someplace to do it."

Bri and Allie followed Tamara down the hall. With an arm still cinched possessively around Allie's waist, Tamara peered into several rooms until she found an empty one. She stepped across the threshold of the darkened space and looked around, "Mmm, nice big bed." She tugged on Allie's hand. "Tell your girlfriend to pass out the goodies. I'm so, so ready."

Bri said loud enough for Tamara to hear, "I'm going downstairs for a beer, babe. Why don't you two get ready for me."

"Uh-uh, lover," Allie said, dropping Tamara's hand and grabbing Bri's. "I'm not letting you go off by yourself. Not now," She smiled and bumped her hip against Tamara's thigh. "This one's already got me awfully hot, and I don't want you getting distracted when you should be taking care of me."

Bri looked put out. "Then come with me if you want to. But let's go."

Allie kissed Tamara's cheek and stroked her as she might a favored pet. "We'll be right back, beautiful. You can even start without us, but don't you dare come,"

"Hurry," Tamara demanded, one hand absently toying with her nipple.

"Oh, we will," Allie replied as she turned away with Bri. In a voice too low to be overheard, she said, "You take the back, I'll get the front?"

"Yeah. Be careful."

Allie grinned. "See you in a few minutes."

"Pia," KT gasped, "we're going to break this swing." Somehow, they'd managed to end up lying down on the narrow porch swing with KT beneath Pia, one leg still on the floor and Pia between her spread thighs. Pia's hand had edged down beneath the waistband of her trousers, and, minutes before, her own hand had found Pia's breast. "If one of us doesn't break something first."

Pia threw her head back and braced herself on the swing with a hand on either side of KT's shoulders. She thrust her pelvis gently between KT's legs, reveling in the pressure building in her stomach and the harsh, ragged sound of KT's breathing. "Are you ready to stop resisting me now?"

"Baby," KT groaned, "if I don't get my mouth on you soon, I'm going to die."

It was Pia's turn to gasp as KT's words the image struck like lightning searing through her nerve endings. She moaned as her clitoris quivered in anticipation. "Oh God." She pushed away to stand on unsteady legs and held out her hand. "Please come upstairs."

Wordlessly KT followed, knowing only that she couldn't go a moment longer without being as close to Pia as she could possibly get.

There were a few partiers in the kitchen when Bri arrived. She walked straight to the back door that led out to a fenced patio-pool area and unlocked it. She stiffened infinitesimally when a hand closed on her shoulder.

"Going for a swim?" Karl asked congenially.

"Thought I'd check it out in case the girls need to cool off later," Bri replied, turning to him with a grin. "I expect they're going to get awfully hot."

He snorted. "Too bad I'm working. I could help you out with them."

"I don't need any help." As she spoke, Bri moved back into the kitchen, hoping to draw his attention away from the rear of the property. She expected to see officers approaching any second since she knew that Reese was only waiting for money to exchange hands to make the bust solid. She also knew that Reese wanted her and Allie to stay clear of the arrests if possible, rather than identifying themselves as police officers. Their only function at this point was to facilitate entry and help calm the partygoers if needed.

"Sometimes," Karl said in a flat, hard tone as he moved closer to Bri, "you don't know what you need until you've had a taste."

Bri stood her ground, even though Karl's crotch brushed hers. "Karl, don't be an asshole."

"Bet you thought I'd go for the girls" he said softly, placing his index fingertip gently between the subtle swell of Bri's breasts and pressing her T-shirt against her breastbone in tiny circles. "But I don't. You know what I like, stud?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Bri caught a flicker of movement as the shadows in the yard coalesced into human form. At the same time, she heard surprised shouts from the front of the house.

Karl jerked, swiveling his head around. "What the hell?"

Before he could move, the back door burst open and two officers came through, shouting, "Sheriff's Department. Everybody down. Everybody down."

"Fuck this," Karl never hesitated as he reached past Bri and lifted a carving knife from the counter. At the same time, he threw an arm across Bri's chest and dragged her back against him, his elbow crooked beneath her chin, the blade swiftly at her throat "I'm going out the back door, and she's coming."

There were several indelible rules that Bri had learned in the academy. Never give up your weapon. Never become a hostage. Had she never learned those rules, her reaction would have been the same. She had been taken by force once, and it would never happen again. No one was ever taking her against her will again, no matter the price.

Even as she clamped her fingers around his knife hand, she felt the first bite of the steel.

KT stood in the soft glow of the bedside lamp and lifted her left hand. "I want to take this off tonight, when we're together." Anticipating Pia's protest, she hurriedly added, "I'll be careful. I promise." She held Pia's eyes. "I want to come to you whole. I need to."

"Oh," Pia whispered, resting her fingertips against KT's cheek where the barest hint of a scar remained. "You are. " Closing the ringers of her free hand around KT's wrist, she lifted the damaged hand and kissed a spot that she knew KT could feel. "This doesn't make you less. This makes you hurt." She stroked KT's face. "Hurts can be healed."

"You're healing me," KT whispered.

"No." Pia moved closer until their bodies touched. "You're doing that all by yourself." She kissed KT, a gentle kiss of soft lips caressing soft lips. "And that's one of the reasons I fell in love with you. That stubborn persistence of yours."

Feeling anything but strong, KT wrapped her arms around Pia and returned the kiss. She covered Pia's mouth harder than she had intended, entered deeper than she had meant, but she had waited so long to be touched inside, waited without even knowing she was waiting. Now she felt open and exposed, and only Pia's tender strength could soothe the raw edges of her soul. Pia's arms were around her neck again, and they were both moaning.

Pia got a hand between them and pushed KT away a fraction. "The bed. I have to lie down with nothing between us and feel your skin on mine, everywhere. I've thought about it, I've dreamed about it." She took a step back and tugged on the tail of KT's shirt, urging her to follow. "I've done other things, imagining your hands."

"Oh, Christ," KT groaned, fumbling with the buckle on her belt. Her head was reeling, her heart nearly bursting. She'd just managed to work the button free on her fly when another sensation penetrated her consciousness. A faint throbbing at her hip. For a moment she didn't recognize it, although until a couple of months ago it had been an everyday occurrence. She looked down in disbelief. "Oh, no."

Pia followed her gaze and then laughed shakily. "Please tell me this is not happening."

"It is," KT said grimly as she pulled the beeper from her belt and blinked, trying to clear her vision to read the numbers. "It's the service, and they never call unless it's an emergency." Desolate, she looked at Pia. "I have to answer."

Pia sank down to the side of the bed, gripping the mattress on either side of her body to steady herself. She was shaking all over. "Of course you do."

"Tory," Jean said softly. "Tory, honey."

"Hmm?" Tory murmured, rolling over onto her side. She opened her eyes, disoriented, and struggled to focus on Jean's face. "I fell asleep, didn't I." She sat up and ran a hand through her hair. Still fuzzy, she looked around the dimly lit room. "What time is it?"

"About two," Jean said apologetically. "Kate and Regina are both asleep, and I wouldn't have bothered you, except..." She held up a small rectangular object. "This was on the kitchen table with your keys, and it was going off."

Instantly awake, Tory stared at her beeper, a cold hand closing around her heart. It could only mean one thing. With a steady hand, she reached for it. "Thank you."

She read the number as she walked through the house to get her cell phone. It wasn't the service, and she felt a faint stirring of hope. Just a wrong number. Then she realized where she'd seen the number before. KT's cell phone.

Sick dread flooded her senses as she calmly punched in the numbers. On the second ring, Tory heard the clipped response that took her back fifteen years.

"O'Bannon."

"KT, it's Tory."

"The service called," KT said immediately. "Wellfleet paramedics are bringing someone to the clinic because we're closer than the hospital. Knife wound."

"Someone?" Tory repeated. Her heart trembled when she sensed hesitation from a woman who never hesitated over anything.

"KT?"

"It's a police officer, that's all I know."

"I'll be right there." Matter-of-fact, controlled, professional. Inside, Tory had already begun to bleed.

"I'll meet you there."

Grateful for the absence of meaningless platitudes, Tory nodded, then realized that KT couldn't see her. "Yes. Good. Thanks."

As she grabbed her keys and rushed for the door, she realized just how glad she was that KT would be there. If it was Reese they were bringing in, she wouldn't be able to handle it. Not again. If it was any of the others, she just might be able to manage. But every time, it took more from her, and she wondered just how much was left.