Pursuit, p.20
Pursuit, page 20
“Where did you go?”
“I went to get champagne, to celebrate.”
“What are we celebrating?”
Brooke pushed herself off the bed and went to her. She wrapped her arms around her neck and kissed her chin. “Everything.”
“I can get behind that.”
“I figured you could.”
Brooke ran her hand over Tyler’s arm. Her face looked pained as she reached the spot the bullet had grazed her. “How does it feel to have Lark in custody?”
Tyler smiled at the words. Lark in custody. “It feels amazing, but it also feels a little surreal. I never thought we would be here. I mean, we aren’t quite done, not until O’Brien is sitting in a hole somewhere, but I’m going to enjoy this moment for what it is, a victory.”
“We’ll get her.” Brooke leaned over and kissed Tyler’s shoulder.
Tyler leaned her head against Brooke’s. “I’m proud of you.”
Brooke looked up at her, her eyes showing the very beginning stages of arousal. “Of me? For what?”
Tyler focused on what she wanted to say before she gave in to Brooke’s draw. “Well, normally, we wouldn’t be sitting here with champagne. I’d be sitting in a hospital room somewhere getting an X-ray on my arm. You’d be listing off the reasons we should let the FBI or someone else go after O’Brien.”
Brooke kissed below Tyler’s ear. “I’m working on my control issues. I want you to be who you are, even when I can’t control the outcome.”
Tyler squeezed her eyes shut, allowing Brooke’s words to wash over her body. “How much control are you willing to give up?”
Brooke pushed Tyler backward on the bed and climbed on top of her. She grabbed her hands and pinned them down. “Oh, I’m not giving up all my control.”
Brooke’s mouth moved down Tyler’s neck and onto her chest. “I was hoping you would say that.”
*
Jennifer sat in her living room, watching as Caden moved from picture to picture on her wall. The ride to her place had been spent discussing trivial topics. They discussed the unseasonably warm weather, a local band they both enjoyed, and whether or not Caden should purchase a new tablet. Jennifer knew Caden well enough to know she had been nervous, but what she couldn’t figure out was why. They had spent hours together. Hell, they had spent a night in bed together, and now Caden was acting like they were on a first date of sorts, just getting to know one another.
“Caden, you’ve looked at those pictures at least a dozen times. What’s going on?”
Caden put her hands in her pockets and rocked her weight back and forth. “I just don’t want to screw anything up.”
That wasn’t the response Jennifer had been expecting. She had expected a deflection of some kind, not a blatantly true statement. She decided if Caden was going to be utterly honest, she would be as well. “What are you worried about screwing up?”
Caden came and sat on the couch next to her. She chewed on her lip for a moment. “I’m not really an expert at this whole dating thing. I can talk you into bed, but I don’t know how to do this.” She pointed between them.
“Believe it or not, I’m not an expert at dating either.”
Caden took her hand and rubbed her thumb over the top. “I can’t begin to tell you how scared I was that I might lose you.”
The honesty in her voice made Jennifer’s heart skip. “I was scared too. I don’t think I have ever been so scared.”
“I’m sorry. It must have been categorically terrifying for you. You aren’t used to those situations, and I can’t begin to imagine how you—”
Jennifer kissed her. Listening to Caden try to understand her point of view and her pain was too much. She needed Caden to understand that the fear she felt wasn’t for herself but for Caden’s well-being. She didn’t know how to explain it, so she hoped the kiss would explain everything.
Jennifer put everything she had felt into the kiss. Every moment she felt that she might never see Caden again. Every guttural memory of what it felt like to be in her arms. Every moment she was able to make it through because the possibility of being in her arms again was still out there, almost close enough to touch.
Caden pulled at her until she was finally in her lap. The intensity of their kiss continued to climb until Caden finally pulled away. She leaned her head against Jennifer, catching her breath. “Wow.” She kissed Jennifer’s cheek. “I don’t think I have any other words for that.”
Jennifer ran her hands up and down Caden’s arms. They were firm, strong, and she wanted them around her. She kissed her again. She felt Caden lean into her, her hands under her shirt, running up and down her back. It wasn’t the most sexual experience she had ever had with Caden, but it was the most intimate.
Again, Caden stopped their forward progress. She slid out from underneath Jennifer and stood. Her face was flushed and her hands were trembling. She leaned down and kissed the top of her head, holding her position for several moments.
“Where could you possibly be going?” Jennifer didn’t understand what was happening. The last thing she wanted was for Caden to walk out the door.
“I want to do this the right way.” Caden leaned down again and kissed her cheek. “I don’t want this to be like all the others. I’m going to take you on a proper date.”
“What?” Jennifer couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Caden Styles, the queen of the womanizers, the master of aloofness, wanted to make sure they went out on a proper date before they had sex again. Or could it be that she didn’t really want Jennifer at all and she was trying to back out as quickly and easily as possible? “Look, Caden, if you don’t want this, have the decency to say that.”
Caden’s eyes got big, and she shook her head vehemently. “No! That’s not it at all. I’ve never wanted anything more than I want this. I just want to take things slow, make sure we do it right. I want you to feel as special as I know you are.”
Jennifer’s chest tightened. She had never seen this side of Caden. She was sincere and vulnerable. It was sexy and sweet. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
Jennifer wrapped her arms around Caden and looked into her dark brown eyes. Her light brown skin still wore the blush of their kisses. Her full lips were parted, starting to turn up in a smile. Jennifer kissed her cheek. “Take me on a date. I would like that.”
Caden put her head against Jennifer’s and whispered, “Wednesday night?”
“Sounds perfect.”
Caden let her go and moved toward the door. She was beaming with excitement. “I’ll see you then.”
Jennifer stopped her before she left. “Caden?”
She turned and looked at her. “Yeah?”
“I’ll actually see you Monday. You know, at work.”
Caden stumbled over the doorstep. “Yeah, that’s right. See you Monday.”
The door closed, and Jennifer fell back onto the couch. She couldn’t remember ever feeling like this before, and the bliss made her giggle. She felt like a teenager, and it was wonderful. Suddenly, she couldn’t wait to get back to work. This time, the desire to be there had nothing to do with wanting to avoid her life or the voids in it and everything to do with a person that might fill in those missing pieces. Someone who had been in front of her all this time. It was time to let go and trust. Caden wanted her, and that was a hell of a start.
Chapter Twenty-eight
“Where are you taking Jennifer to dinner?”
“What?” Caden knew Tyler had said something, but she wasn’t sure what. She had been having trouble really focusing since last seeing Jennifer. The high she was feeling was never something she had been able to reach with any substance or any woman.
“Where? Where are you taking her?”
Caden turned in her chair to look at Tyler. “Why does it matter? And how do you even know?”
“It matters, and Brooke.” Tyler gave her a knowing nod.
“Since when are you the expert on women? Pretty sure that’s my area of expertise.” Caden was reluctant to tell Tyler just how nervous she was about this date. The teasing that would ensue wasn’t worth any amount of insight Tyler might be able to give her.
Tyler laughed. “Getting them in bed, sure. Convincing them to like you, not so much.”
“Everyone likes me.”
“Well, we both know that’s not true.”
“Shut up.”
Deputy Director Martin sat down at the table. Caden hadn’t heard him come in and felt foolish for having this conversation in front of him. She glared at Tyler, who just looked away and tried not to laugh.
He sat at the table and sipped his coffee. “Take her somewhere nice, Styles. If you really like her, don’t skimp on the first date.”
Caden wanted to disappear into her chair.
Tyler hit her arm and pointed at Martin. “See.”
Caden gave her a dirty look. “Thanks, guru of love.”
The phone rang and Martin picked it up. “Yes, send him in.”
A few moments later, another man entered the room. His suit was impeccable, perfectly creased, and pinstriped. He nodded at Tyler and Caden and shook Martin’s hand.
“Special Agents, this is the new Department of Defense Intelligence Officer, Captain Calvin Hart.”
Caden’s ears were hot. She wanted to say what popped into her head, but luckily, she knew holy hell wasn’t the appropriate thing to say.
“Happy to be here.” He said it, but that’s not what his expression indicated. He looked a little uncomfortable.
“He has been briefed and will be assisting overseeing the apprehension of Carol O’Brien. He has requested that you two be assigned to the task force.”
“Needless to say, I was very impressed with the mission you two not only oversaw but took part in. We need you on our team.” His stare lingered just a moment longer on Tyler than it did on Caden, though he made no reference to the fact that he knew her.
Tyler, who normally would have been popping to attention in her normal military way, said nothing, and Caden knew her well enough to know she was contemplating what this new development meant.
Caden looked between the two men, wanting to break the awkward moment. “When do we start?”
Martin took another sip of his coffee. “I’m reassigning you until this is over. You’re now at the Department of Defense’s bidding. Do us proud.”
Captain Hart got up and motioned for Tyler and Caden to follow. Once they were in the hallway, he turned and faced them. He stared at Caden and then focused his attention on Tyler. “I meant what I said in there. I was impressed with how you performed. I’m looking forward to working with you.”
Tyler held her head up a bit higher. “Here to serve, sir.”
He smiled and started toward the door. “Good, then follow me. We have a lot of work to do. Carol O’Brien is on her way to Dubai, and I need you two to apprehend or eliminate her.”
Tyler followed him down the hallway, her new mission objective turning over in her mind. She glanced over at Caden and allowed herself a moment to reflect on how different her life was now than when she had walked down a similarly lit hallway on her way to teach her first class at the Farm. She had better friends than she could’ve ever imagined. She had a true partner in Brooke, a connection that would stand up to any test and against any opposition. For the first time in her life, she was complete. She wasn’t sure what the next mission had in store for her team, but she knew they would make it through together.
About the Author
Jackie D was born and raised in the San Francisco, East Bay Area of California. She now resides in Central Pennsylvania with her wife and their numerous furry companions. She earned a bachelor’s degree in recreation administration and a dual master’s degree in management and public administration. She is a Navy veteran and served in Operation Iraqi Freedom as a flight deck director, onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.
She spends her free time with her wife, friends, family, and their incredibly needy dogs. She enjoys playing golf but is resigned to the fact she would equally enjoy any sport where drinking beer is encouraged during game play. Her first book, Infiltration, was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award.
Jackie can be reached at:
Email: Jackie_d1981@yahoo.com
Facebook: facebook.com/jackied.lesfic.author
Website: www. jackied-author.com
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