“You’re not understanding me, Robert. I don’t want to get married, now or next year or the year after that.”
“What are you saying? You want to leave it as it is? Only seeing each other when we can snatch an evening or a weekend?”
She closed her eyes. She didn’t want to hurt him. And this would hurt him. But she had no choice. She couldn’t let things go on the way they were. “Robert, I don’t think I’m the right one for you. I think we should…”
“You want to end things?”
“I’m just saying, I’m not happy like this. I know you’re not happy, you’ve made that perfectly clear. We don’t see each other much, my hours have become crazy. And I’m not willing to change that for you. That should tell us something, Robert. You were right the other day when you said that you should be more important to me than my career. And that’s the problem. You’re not.”
“I can’t believe this, Samantha. I thought we wanted the same things. To be a family, to have kids and grow old together. What happened to that?”
“That’s what you wanted, Robert. I went along with it because I thought I should want those things, too. I’m sorry, but I don’t. Right now, I can’t think past this case. I have no idea what my life is going to be like a year from now. I don’t want to settle down and have kids. I can’t envision that, Robert. That’s your dream. And you should have it. I just don’t see it happening with me,” she said softly.
“I love you, Samantha,” he whispered.
“Oh, Robert.” Samantha leaned forward and held him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
He finally pulled away, looking her in the eyes. “Is there… someone else?”
“No, Robert. That’s not it at all.”
Was it?
Without warning, thoughts of Tori flooded her mind, and right then Sam knew she was lying. Yes, there
was
someone else.
“Then I refuse to give up on this, Samantha. I think we were meant to be together.”
“No, Robert. I don’t think we were.”
Chapter Twenty-four
“You’re impossible, you know that?”
“Yes, I’ve been told.”
“I’m serious,” Sam said.
“So am I.”
Samantha stared at Tori and narrowed her eyes. “Okay, if I let you do this, will you promise me you’ll take it easy this weekend?”
Tori laughed. “If you let me do this?”
“You are the most stubborn woman I have
ever
met!” Sam pushed her chair back and stormed into the ladies’ room. “Got shot two nights ago, big deal. We’re going on another stakeout,” she muttered to herself. “Arrogant… macho…”
“Who are you talking to?”
Sam whirled around, finding Tori casually leaning in the doorway. Tori shifted, crossing her legs at the ankles and shoving both hands into her slacks. Slacks? Why hadn’t she noticed that before? Tori always worn jeans.
“You look nice,” Sam said without thinking. She walked over, lifting up Tori’s sweater at the waist. “Jeans too tight on your wound?”
Tori nodded. She nearly gasped when warm hands touched her skin.
“Tori, this is the same bandage that the hospital put on.”
“I know.”
“You were supposed to change it. Blood has seeped through.” She looked up at Tori. “What am I going to do with you?”
Tori lifted an eyebrow. “I’m going to guess you want to change it?”
“Stay here. Don’t move and I mean it.”
Sam walked out to the squad room and up to Fisk’s desk. “Sergeant, do we have a first aid kit?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“I need it.”
He rolled his chair over to the filing cabinets behind his desk. He opened up the bottom one and pulled out an ancient first aid kit.
“That’s it? It’s like fifty years old,” she complained. “Don’t we have something from this decade, at least?”
He glared at her. “You’ve been working with Hunter too long. You’re getting sarcastic. It’s not fifty years old. They check it every other month.”
“Fine. Thanks.” She held out her hand. “Give it to me.”
She found Tori in much the same position as she’d left her, leaning casually against the wall. She opened the antique case, surprised to find it stuffed full of medical supplies. She pulled out gauze and tape, then found a sterile bandage.
“You want to come over here or what?”
“Is it safe?”
“I won’t hurt you, I promise.”
Tori moved closer, meeting Sam’s eyes in the mirror. She smiled. Sam did, too.
“Take it off.”
“I never envisioned you saying those words to me. At least not in here, anyway,” Tori teased.
“Oh? And where did you envision me saying them?”
Tori pulled the sweater over her head, grimacing as she stretched the stitches along her side.
Sam couldn’t help but stare. The woman was… beautiful. She finally moved her eyes away from the sculpted shoulders, past her blue sports bra, to the small waist. She grabbed the edge of the tape and pulled it loose, slowly. She saw Tori tense her muscles, heard her quick intake of breath.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Tori watched her movements in the mirror. Gentle hands carefully pulled the bandage away, exposing the red, inflamed flesh.
“It still hurts, doesn’t it.”
“A little.”
Sam took the bottle of hydrogen peroxide and dabbed a cotton ball, then wiped the dried blood away. “How long do you leave the stitches in?”
“I didn’t ask.”
“Tori.”
“I usually take them out myself,” she said.
“Usually? Does this happen often?”
“Enough.”
Sam glanced up and met Tori’s eyes in the mirror. “You’re amazing, you know that.”
“Amazing?”
“I didn’t necessarily mean that as a compliment,” she murmured.
Tori stood patiently while Sam cleaned the wound and put a fresh bandage on it. Tori tried unsuccessfully to ignore the warm fingers that brushed against her skin. She finally closed her eyes, relaxing as Sam continued her gentle ministrations. “There. Much better,” Sam said as she straightened up.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Then she smiled. “Now get dressed. You’re dangerous that way.”
167 “Hunter, you shouldn’t even be here today,” Malone said. “What makes you think I’m going to allow a stakeout?”
Tori just stared at him until he looked away.
“Okay, but Sikes and Ramirez are going with you.”
“You have got to be joking! Sikes? At a gay bar?”
“He and Ramirez can watch the street. You two go inside. That’s final.”
“Lieutenant…”
“Take it or leave it, Hunter.”
“We’ll take it, Lieutenant,” Sam said, glaring at Tori. She was so stubborn.
“Good. I have one more thing to discuss with you. Rumor has it you’ve been targeted. Sanchez Gomez.”
“The drug bust was his?” Tori asked.
“Yes. Watch your back.”
“Targeted? What are you talking about?” Sam asked.
“A hit,” Tori said.
“A hit? Like… a hit? Who is Sanchez Gomez?”
“Drug dealer,” Malone supplied. “He controls most of Dallas- Fort Worth. They were doing a sting the other night. They pretended to want to buy drugs from a rival. They were taking them out.”
“Great,” Sam murmured. “Just great.”
“CIU is on top of it.”
“Oh, well that makes me feel protected,” Tori said.
“Just watch your back, Hunter.”
“I should have stayed with Assault,” Sam murmured as they walked out.
“What? And miss all this excitement?”
“You’re right. What am I thinking?”
Tori chuckled, then pointed at Sikes. “You get to tell him. I’ll watch.”
“Again, thank you so much,” Sam said, but she smiled as she walked over to Sikes.
Chapter Twenty-five
“You got the pictures of our girls?”
“Yes, for the third time, Hunter,” Sikes said.
“Ramirez?”
“We’ll keep an eye out, don’t worry.”
“Okay.” Tori turned to Sam. “You ready?”
“Ready.”
They got out of the car, which Sikes had parked four blocks away, next to Tori’s Explorer. They stood back as he pulled away. He was going to park across the street from the entrance to Outlaws.
“Remember, no questions tonight,” Tori said. “We’re just going to watch our girls and see if anyone is watching them.”
“Why are you so nervous?”
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
Tori shrugged. Perhaps because they were pretending to be a couple. She wondered how far Sam would be able to take their act.
They would have to dance. She rolled her eyes. Did she even remember how to dance?
“Are you okay? How is your wound?”
“It’s fine. Your bandage is still in place.”
When they got within a block of the club, Tori reached over and took Sam’s hand. The blonde linked fingers with hers without hesitation. Maybe it would be okay, Tori thought.
Sam tried to relax and think of this as just a night out on the town. The music was loud and upbeat, the club crowded and definitely mixed. But it was a lively crowd, so different from the two bars they had visited earlier. Those bars were dark, depressing. Everyone here was talking, laughing, dancing. Just out for a good time. She waited while Tori paid their cover, tapping her foot to the music. It wouldn’t be too bad. Besides, it would give them time together, time Sam desperately wanted.
“I doubt we’ll get a table,” Tori said, speaking loudly to be heard over the music. “Maybe we can find a place at the bar.”
Sam followed Tori as she made them a path through the mass of bodies. She grasped her lightly around the waist from behind, murmuring “excuse me” to those they bumped.
They found only one empty bar stool. Tori guided Sam in to it, then leaned beside her, her back to the bar. She scanned the crowd, finding two of their three girls on the first sweep. She bent down, close to Sam’s ear.
“Julie is at a table, about two o’clock. Rene is on the dance floor.”
Sam nodded, then looked up and smiled at the bartender. “Two beers, draft,” she said loudly over the music. She then spun around on the stool, facing the crowd the way Tori was doing. She casually glanced around the tables, finding Julie. She still hadn’t found Rene.
“Five bucks.”
Sam turned as their beer was placed within reach. She pulled some bills from her pocket and laid a five on the bar, shoving two single bills into the tip jar.
“Thanks.”
Sam nodded at the bartender and nudged Tori. Tori reached behind her without looking, grasping one of the mugs. Sam glanced at Tori and shook her head. Always on duty. She wished she would relax a little. She reached out and tugged Tori closer.
“You look like you’re a cop. Relax, will you?”
Tori smiled. “Sorry. Still looking for Annette.”
Sam nodded. “Have you been in here before?”
“You mean, like on a date? I told you, I don’t date.”
“Yes, you told me. I don’t know why. Half the women in here are checking you out.”
Tori bent to her ear. “I think they may be checking you out,” she teased. “You better be careful.”
Sam shivered as Tori’s breath tickled her ear. No, they were definitely checking Tori out. And she couldn’t blame them. She was… magnificent. She wore the same slacks and loafers she’d had on earlier, but her sweater had been replaced with a tight shirt that was tucked neatly inside. Sam hadn’t had to look twice to know that she wore no bra tonight.
“You haven’t answered my question. Have you been here before?”
Tori shook her head. “No.” She watched as a cute redhead walked over. She looked once at Tori, then smiled at Sam.
“You want to dance?” Then she took a step back when Tori scowled at her. “I’m sorry. Are you two together?”
Sam nearly laughed at the glare that Tori gave the woman. She reached out and grasped Tori’s arm and squeezed. “Thank you, but yes, we’re together.”
“Okay. Sorry.”
She walked away and melted into the crowd and Sam finally let out a laugh. “You practically scared the poor girl to death,” she said.
“Sorry.”
Damn, Hunter, relax
.
Sam slid her fingers down Tori’s arm, stopping when Tori’s hand captured hers. She met Tori’s eyes and smiled, tugging lightly on their clasped hands, bringing Tori’s into her lap. “We obviously don’t look like we’re together.”
Tori turned, moving in front of Sam. She spread Sam’s legs, then stood between them. Bending down, moving her lips across Sam’s cheek to her ear, she whispered, “Well, we can’t have that, can we?” She pulled Sam to her feet, holding her body against her own. “Maybe we should dance?”
Sam could only manage a nod. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears and she could feel the blood as it surged through her body. She looked up, meeting Tori’s eyes and seeing the teasing twinkle that danced there. Damn the woman! Tori knew exactly the effect she was having on her.
The beat was loud, fast and they moved in among the other dancers. Sam fell into step, her body moving with the music. She was surprised at how quickly Tori let go of her inhibitions. She would have expected the other woman to be stiff, stilted, but her body moved with grace, nearly floating next to Sam. Her hands reached out and clasped Sam’s hips, pulling her toward her body. Sam grinned and matched Tori’s rhythm, letting the music overtake her.
The music pulsed around them and Sam let go, closing her eyes as Tori’s body bumped against her own. She felt-free. She opened her eyes, locking on Tori’s. They danced together, eyes still locked and Sam tried to imagine what it would be like with Tori. How would it be if they were really on a date? She covered Tori’s hands at her hips, holding them there as she moved her body against Tori’s. Sensations completely foreign to her crawled over her, awakening feelings she never thought she could have. Blood pounded ferociously through her and she felt dizzy, drugged.
Then the music changed and the lights dimmed and she felt Tori draw her closer. Her hands slid up Tori’s arms, around her shoulders without hesitation. She nearly buried her face at Tori’s neck. The music was slower, sensual, her body moving with Tori’s as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She didn’t think it at all odd, the way her body fit with Tori’s, the way their movements mirrored each other. She stifled a moan when Tori’s breasts brushed against her own. It took all of her willpower not to press her hips intimately against Tori’s, and she cursed the direction her thoughts were taking. Her eyes slammed shut as Tori’s arms tightened and for a brief second, she wanted to forget why they were here and simply melt into Tori.