Crossing Lines (Cops and Docs #2) (26 page)

“I may be overstepping some boundaries saying anything about this,” Nora said.

“You’re right. You are.” Carina sounded agitated.

“She’s your daughter. I know you know her, but so do I. Maybe I see sides of her that you’re not privy to. I’ve been with her through most of this…situation with Antony, and even when I was going through my own crisis, Kelli was there for me. She’s the most selfless person I’ve ever met. She takes on so much, and the guilt that’s left behind… I’ve seen it almost consume her. She deserves to get something in return, and I try my hardest to make sure she does. Maybe…you should too.”

Everything went quiet enough for Kelli to hear her own heartbeat. Something gripped her chest and squeezed the breath from her, but it left an intense warmth behind.

“You…really care about her,” Carina said. Her voice was thick with emotion.

“Yes, I do,” Nora said softly.

Kelli’s legs began to move, catapulting her forward. Suddenly, she understood why she felt safe with Nora. She understood why she let her in. She understood why she could never get enough of her, but when did she fall in love? The logistics didn’t matter right now.

When she entered, Nora’s back was to her, but Kelli caught her mother’s eye. The apology was clear on her face. Kelli glanced away. Everything she was feeling was sitting right there on the surface, but it wasn’t for her mother to see. Nora turned then, and without hesitation, she walked toward Kelli.

Their eyes met.

Nora’s gaze was reverent, relieved. She looked at Kelli like no one else existed. Nora reached out to touch her. Unlike before, Kelli didn’t refuse her. Nora’s hands slid around her neck, pulling her close. For the first time, Kelli knew what it was to be the one protected.

“Are you okay?”

“No…yeah.” Kelli smiled at the confused look that crossed Nora’s face. “Yeah.”

CHAPTER 17

Kelli smiled as Nora mumbled in her sleep and nuzzled closer. Nora was nearly on top of her now. At least one of them was getting some rest. Kelli couldn’t turn her brain off. Her worries crowded her—her family, Travis’s upcoming discharge, and the woman tucked against her side. Kelli looked up. There was just enough light for her to stare at the ceiling. After a few minutes, she sighed. There wasn’t a fucking answer to be seen up there.

A helpless little sound escaped Nora’s throat. She fidgeted and brushed her mouth against Kelli’s throat, then went still again. Kelli’s thoughts scattered. Apparently, even while sleeping, Nora could distract the hell out of her.

Not everything was a jumbled mess. Kelli was certain about at least one thing. She was in love with Nora Whitmore.

It wasn’t the polite, romantic comedy kind of love either. What she felt for Nora was messy, raw, and intensely overwhelming, and it fit them perfectly. Kelli grinned into the darkness even as doubt crept in around the corners. She knew Nora cared for her deeply. That much was obvious in the way she looked at her, touched her, kissed her, and Kelli could in no way forget that fierce protectiveness. Kelli pushed the doubt away. They had come too far.

Kelli had to be careful. With the fucked up state of her family, she wanted the relationship with Nora to work even more. That meant she couldn’t fall into old habits like fucking into oblivion, shutting down, and pushing people away. The fallout at this point would be nuclear. She couldn’t lose this. So, where there was a fucking feast before, there was now famine. Kelli fought like hell to keep her hands to herself and stay present in the moment. She did her best to ignore the sharp, mounting ache that refused to go the hell away.

Take what you need.

Kelli shivered and closed the door to those thoughts and concentrated on Antony instead. She was hoping that, after a few days, he’d realize he was making a mistake. Tony was standing his ground. Goddammit. He was intent on admitting guilt and doing the time. Kelli was tired of wondering if she could have…should have…done something different.

Then, there was her mother. Involuntarily, Kelli’s entire body tensed. She hadn’t come out and said it yet, but Carina was sorry for laying all this shit on her doorstep. Kelli knew her mother didn’t really mean what she’d said, but it still stung like fuck, even after a couple of days.

“Stop,” Nora said groggily.

Kelli lifted her head to look at Nora. Her eyes were open. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It feels like I’m sleeping on top of marble, and I could practically hear you thinking.”

Kelli chuckled. “Sorry.”

“So, stop. I know there’s a lot going on, but your mother didn’t mean it.”

“I know. I could just sleep in the guest ro—”

“That’s not an option,” Nora said. “Maybe I can help.” Nora’s voice was stronger now. “Turn over.”

Kelli’s breath caught. The quiet stretched between them.

“That isn’t what I meant.” There was laughter in Nora’s voice. “Now, on your stomach, please.”

Kelli did as she was told.

“Your muscles are tense. You need to relax,” Nora said.

Kelli groaned. Nora had no idea.

“With a massage.”

Kelli swallowed. “Oh, I knew you were going to say that.”

Nora hummed in agreement. “You’ll need to remove your T-shirt.”

Kelli wrestled out of her shirt. Her nipples brushed against soft Egyptian cotton. Kelli didn’t expect the sudden warmth at her lower back as Nora straddled her hips. She bit her lip to keep from groaning again. She released a shaky breath and did her best to ignore the way her stomach had just dropped. Kelli was a big girl. She could handle a massage. Right? “You don’t have to do this.” Maybe not.

“Yes, I do. You have work in the morning.” Nora’s tone was breathless, unsteady.

Knowing that Nora was affected made Kelli feel a little better. “So do you.”

Nora ignored her.

The groan Kelli had been holding back came out anyway, as strong hands pressed into her shoulders.

“I’m sorry? I didn’t hear you,” Nora said.

“Shut up.” Kelli was sure this was going to keep her up for a whole different set of reasons.

* * *

Kelli woke up slowly. She was lying on her side, facing the window. It was still dark outside, but something pulled her from sleep. She reached out with her senses. She was too comfortable to move an actual part of her body. Kelli felt a soft, wet flutter at her shoulder that sent a shiver down her spine. Nora. She did it again, closer to her neck. On pure instinct, Kelli tilted her head as much as she could and was rewarded with a sharp bite that brought every nerve ending to life.

She gasped and arched into the warmth at her back. Nora’s full, bare breasts pressed against Kelli’s shoulder blades, and the curvature of her hips lined up with her own. This wasn’t what Kelli expected, but her body drank it in nonetheless. Heat blossomed in the pit of her stomach and pushed itself outward.

Nora’s tongue grazed Kelli’s earlobe before it dipped into her ear. “Kelli.”

Kelli moaned. Her entire body clenched. She pressed herself into Nora.

Nora whimpered. The sound sizzled across Kelli’s flesh, bringing an excruciating arousal with it. Shit. How the hell did she get so turned on that damn quick?

“Let me…please,” Nora said. “We need this.” She dug her nails into Kelli’s hip. “I need this.” Her hips pumped softly against Kelli’s ass.

Kelli’s eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head. She was that ready, and they had barely touched.

Apparently, Nora took her silence as affirmation and trailed her hand upward over Kelli’s hip to her stomach. Kelli’s muscles jumped as if jolted by an electric current. Nora’s fingertips teased her nipples, making them harder than they already were.

“God yes.” Kelli groaned, as Nora palmed and squeezed her breast roughly. Each squeeze reverberated between Kelli’s legs.

Nora’s breath hitched, and she nipped and sucked at her shoulder while she tweaked Kelli’s nipple. She wasn’t gentle at all. The sharp pricks of pain slithered and mingled with Kelli’s rising pleasure. Kelli turned her head, and their lips met in a sloppy kiss that turned into a battle of tongues. Urgency grew between them, and it made her skin tingle.

Nora yanked at Kelli’s boxers. Their hands flailed about as Kelli tried to help. She wiggled and kicked to get them down her legs.

Nora pressed her hot body against Kelli’s back again, and she was so fucking soft. Nora’s nails dug into her hip once more, as she writhed against Kelli. The sounds she was making…needy and hungry…made Kelli’s head spin.

“Fuck.” Kelli wanted more.

Reaching back and over, she grabbed Nora’s ass forcefully and urged her on. There was something so erotic about the feel of her…the sound of her. So intent, Kelli wasn’t aware of Nora’s fingertips sliding over her sex until they reached her clit.

“Fuuuuck.”

Kelli drew her knee upward, opening herself completely. From behind, Nora’s fingers glided in wide teasing circles. Kelli groaned. She didn’t have the patience for this. “Harder.”

Deliberately, Nora slowed her caress until it felt like she wasn’t doing a damn thing.

Kelli could beg for what she wanted, needed, but instead, she reached between her own legs and guided Nora’s fingers where she wanted them. Their combined touch slipped over soaked flesh, meeting at the aroused tip where Kelli finally got the pressure she’d demanded earlier.

They both moaned.

Nora’s touch trailed downward, and before Kelli could ask for more, Nora was inside her.

Kelli cried out so loud her ears rang.

“Yesss.” Nora whimpered in response, as she began thrusting deeply.

Kelli’s own fingers remained pressed against her sex. She was so distracted by Nora’s actions that she froze.

“Don’t…stop,” Nora said.

Kelli didn’t tease. She circled her clit with one purpose in mind. Her senses were on overload, and sparks of pleasure erupted from between her legs and crawled over every inch of her skin. Kelli was in no way prepared for the orgasm that blindsided her.

Her vision dimmed and the world turned into a supernova.

* * *

A long time later, Nora slumped against her in a sweaty heap. Kelli rubbed a still trembling hand down her damp back. Nora said something, but Kelli’s ears were still ringing.

“I sure as hell am relaxed now,” Kelli finally said.

Nora chuckled. She pushed hair out of her eyes and looked at Kelli. “I’m not going to apologize.”

Kelli shook her head and met Nora’s gaze. “I think you were right. We needed that.” She reached out and tangled a strand of Nora’s hair around her finger. She felt more connected to Nora than before.

“It wasn’t about making you feel better. It was about—”

“Us.” Kelli finished the sentence for her, understanding completely.

“Exactly. I’ve never felt like this before. This, sexually, is one of the ways I need to express it.”

“Then, maybe I need to be the one apologizing. Everything else is messed up. I didn’t want us to be the same way, especially after what happened last time.”

“We’re not, and I was trying to be understanding. I just couldn’t wait anymore.”

Kelli arched her eyebrows. “So you’re saying I’m irresistible?”

Nora glared. “Those were not the words I used.”

Kelli shrugged. “It meant the same thing.”

“I disagree.”

“Really?” Kelli smirked. Her hand slid further down Nora’s back, over her ass, and between her legs.

Nora whined. “We have work—”

“Shut up.”

* * *

Kelli carefully and slowly removed herself from the tangle of arms and legs. She kept her gaze on Nora the whole time to make sure she didn’t wake her. Kelli was thirsty as hell. Plus, her bladder was screaming bloody murder.

After the bathroom, Kelli tiptoed into the kitchen. She pressed her glass against the water dispenser on the refrigerator. A loud grunt got her attention. Phineas pushed his way through the flap in the kitchen door. Kelli grinned.

“Well, hey big guy.”

He looked her way briefly and kept trotting toward his food bowl. It was empty, but Kelli didn’t tell him that. Phineas sat down in front of his bowl. He placed his snout right on the edge of the dish and waited.

Kelli chuckled. “You would have been shit outta luck if I wasn’t up.”

He made a noise. It sounded suspiciously like a snort of laughter.

She opened the refrigerator and got the fruit mix marked with Phineas’s name.

“Your mom is dead to the world, thanks to me.”

He did look at her, but Phineas didn’t seem impressed.

“Smartass.” Kelli filled his bowl and watched him dig in while she drank her water. “I got a lot of shit going on, so I won’t bore you with it, but would it freak you out if I told you I’m in love with your mom?” She gave him a heavy pat on the side. He huffed, and as she turned to put the glass in the sink, Phineas bumped her.

Kelli laughed. “I’m gonna take that to mean that you’re cool with it. I’m cool with it too. Should scare the shit out of me, but it doesn’t. Nothing about us…about her…scares me anymore. Now, I just gotta find the right time to tell her.”

She gave him another pat and a good scratch at the top of his head. “You’re cute and all, but your mom smells better.” Kelli smirked, but it turned into a yawn. “Night big guy. Good talk.”

* * *

The bell above the door at McCabe’s Deli jangled as Kelli opened it. The place was pretty full. Sean sat at his usual table, taking a humongous bite of a sandwich. He waved her over, regardless. Kelli glanced at the counter. Her mother was taking care of a customer, so she had a few minutes to watch Sean chew.

He wiped his mouth. “What are you doing here this time of day?” Sean paused, and his eyes widened as he looked up at her. “Oh shit, did something—”

“No, the world’s still spinning. Mom called me.” Kelli pulled out a chair and sat down.

“Oh.” He slurped at his drink and stared at her. “She was mean to you on Saturday, wasn’t she?”

Kelli looked out the windows at the people on the sidewalk instead of at her brother. She didn’t feel like rehashing any of it. All of it was bullshit anyway.

“You know she didn’t mean it, Kel.”

She glanced at him. “I know that, but she pretty much told me I was responsible for every fucked-up thing that happened with Tony.”