Linda Kay Silva - Delta Stevens 3 - Weathering the Storm (8 page)

“You ready?” Megan asked, again moving her lips over Delta’s ear. This brought a spasm of chills to Delta’s skin and made Megan smile. She knew every inch of Delta’s body and needed no verbal response to know the answer.

Slowly moving her finger in and out, Megan let her tongue travel down the length of Delta’s neck before coming to a stop at the rigid nipple begging to be sucked. As Delta’s hips rose to meet the fluid movement of Megan’s hand, Megan pulled harder on the hard knob until it was perfectly erect.

“Megan...”

With her final plea escaping her mouth, Delta’s body exploded in a wave of spasms as she gripped Megan tightly, pressing her face deep into her chest. Wave upon wave of delight rippled through Delta’s body, cleansing her, pleasing her, releasing her from the stress and heartache of the day. Her stomach muscles tightened, her legs straightened, and every fiber in her body cried out in erotic delight. As the surge ebbed and flowed through her body, Delta was transported to another place, another dimension. Each muscle in her body expanded and contractedwith satisfaction until she very slowly released her grip on Megan’s body.

Raising her head from Delta’s chest, Megan smiled. “Whew. That was a big one.”

Delta barely managed a grin. “It’s been awhile.”

Megan snuggled up next to Delta and nodded. “Too long.” Kissing the top of Delta’s head, Megan hugged her tightly. “So what’s made you feel so little today?”

Delta sighed, grateful for the release of tension. “Puny.”

“What’s made my knight feel so `puny’ then?”

Delta explained about being put on Training Patrol and her meeting with Captain Henry. Then she told her what Connie had said, and how maybe this was the kind of break she needed to put her life in perspective.

“Do you want to put your life in perspective?”

Delta raised up on one elbow. “I agreed to counseling, didn’t I?”

Megan’s eyes smiled. “That’s not what I asked.” Tracing her finger along Delta lips, Megan paused for a second, before tapping Delta’s chest. “What does your heart want to do?”

Laying her head back down on Megan’s chest, Delta thought for a moment before answering. “I want to keep you, keep my job, keep my sanity. I want to be the best at my job without sacrificing my relationship with you. I want us to work.” Looking back into Megan’s eyes, Delta very lightly, very gently, kissed Megan’s mouth. “I want us.”

Delicately returning the kiss, Megan drew Delta closer. “That makes two of us.”

Delta reached a hand up and lightly laid it on one of Megan’s breasts. Funny thing, she thought, how comforting breasts were. “It seems I’m having to work at everything these days. Does it ever get easier?”

Megan laughed. “I wonder that sometimes myself. You know, honey, it’s easier to break the law than to obey it.”

Delta’s eyebrow rose in question. “I’ve never looked at it that way.”

Megan nodded. “How many people drive fifty-five? Do you realize how hard it is to
try
to drive the speed limit? It’s a lot harder than just cruising along. You’ve got to keep watching the speedometer.”

Delta studied Megan’s mouth. College had matured her so much that she was beginning to sound a lot like Connie. “So what’s your point?” Kissing Megan’s nose, a sudden urge streaked through her nervous system like a flow of electrical current. She loved this wonderful woman with all of her heart.

“The point is, it’s hard for you to do your job when you follow rules. It’s hard for me to work so hard at the bookstore and make less money. And it’s difficult to make a relationship work without rules.” Pulling Delta closer, Megan held her tightly. “Affairs of the heart are never easy. You love your job, you love me, and you love our relationship. All of the things you love most are asking you to work hard and follow the rules. It’s no wonder you’re feeling puny.”

Leaning forward, Delta lightly kissed Megan’s lips—softly, as if her lips might break. Moving in the rhythm of two lovers who knew their partner so well, their lips glided across each other’s, tongues barely touching—movement that expressed the depth of their love, the strength of their bond. It was a first kiss, the kind you do when you’re first going out, the kind that lovers forget about once the fireworks have dimmed. The type that reminds you why you fell in love with each other in the first place. There was no better experience than to be understood by the one she loved and to be embraced in Megan’s warmth and understanding. This kiss melded them together like steel. Neither one was a separate entity now, both were a composite of their union, a mixture of each other. Nothing else existed in that long moment, only a bright light that shone from within, bathing the two of them in a shower of intimacy.

As the kiss slowly, quietly, gently melted away, Delta knew that she loved Megan with every ounce of her heart and mind. Gazing into Megan’s sapphire eyes, Delta reached up and stroked her cheek with the back of her hand. She had seen Megan’s soul, felt the depth of her love for Delta. In that one, prolonged kiss, Delta knew Megan loved her beyond anything else, and all she wanted was that love returned.

“I love you Megan Osbourne.”

“I love you right back, Delta Stevens.”

Laying her head back on Megan’s chest, Delta listened to the rhythmic sound of Megan’s heart until her eyelids drooped and her body twitched. “Meg?”

“Yes, sweetheart.”

“Thank you.”

“I assume you thought over my offer and are willing to give it a go?” Captain Henry asked after Delta closed the door to his office.

Standing next to the leather chair opposite his desk, Delta wondered if it was too late to turn back. Instead, she nodded and replied, “I have and I am.”

Captain Henry grinned. “Good. I’ve spoken with the instructors at the academy and I believe I’ve chosen the best rookie for you.”

Delta’s eyebrow raised. “Rookie, sir? As in one?” Most Field Training Officers trained several different rookies over the course of a month. This move was one unfamiliar to Delta.

“Oh, don’t worry, it has nothing to do with you or your competence. With all of the blasted budget cuts, we don’t run TP like we used to.” Captain Henry’s grin deepened. “Or are you not into reading departmental memos, either?”

Delta snapped her fingers. “That one must have slipped by.”

Waving off her rebelliousness, he twirled his moustache in his fingers. “Instead of sending you a bunch of babes in the woods, we’ll partner you up with just one.”

Delta thought about this for a moment. Maybe this was the silver lining. At least with one partner, she could get used to him, instead of having to retrain him every time he came back from some slovenly officer who never moved his fat butt off his engraved chair at the local donut shop.

“I can go along with that.”

“Good. Because we’re giving you a fellow that has about as much raw potential as I’ve ever seen. Kid has guts, smarts, energy, and can shoot the eyes off a fly.”

Delta looked out the window but said nothing.

“Delta, I don’t blame you for thinking I’m out to get you, but you couldn’t be further from the truth. I truly believe this is an excellent way to save your career and keep you on the streets where you belong. In any case, I’m not the villain here.”

Delta cast a cold, hard eye at him. She had remained silent long enough. “Sir, can I express just one opinion without feeling like you’ll hold it against me?”

Captain Henry smiled, but his pupils shrunk to pinpoints. “I suppose that’s only fair.”

Placing her hands on the back of the chair, Delta steadied her nerves. “I’m a damn good cop. My arrest record and commendations speak for themselves.”

“Agreed.”

“But I think this is the biggest crock of shit I’ve ever experienced and the sooner you get me back on the street with a real partner, the better it will be for all of us.”

The practiced smile did not leave the captain’s face. “Well, now that that’s said and forgotten, I’d like you to meet your next assignment.” Opening the door to his office, Captain Henry motioned forDelta to follow. As she stepped out the door, she was surprised to see him leading her to the indoor firing range.

Opening the door, Captain Henry grabbed two ear protectors and handed one to Delta.

“Watch the second one from the left. A real dead-eye. Haven’t seen a pure shooter like that since Pete Maravich. His file says he has twenty-ten vision in both eyes, and it shows.”

“If he’s so good, why isn’t he being sent straight to SWAT?”

“He needs to tone down some. He’s a little over-eager and carries an attitude with a capital `A’. He’s rough around the edges, but with the correct training, he could be one of the best.”

Placing the earphones over her head, Delta followed Captain Henry into the main portion of the range. Three of the twelve lanes were taken by officers wearing the orange headphones and yellow goggles, aiming their various weapons at black silhouetted targets. Even with the earphones on, the crack of the guns reverberated through the room.

The officers’backs toward them, Delta concentrated on the one the captain pointed out to her. She was instantly impressed by the complete lack of movement from his arms and body as he fired. His head never wavered, his four-inch .357 magnum barely kicked in his large hands. Six brisk shots in a row, and he ejected, rammed a speed loader into the chamber and fired off six more rounds, all with the precision and accuracy of a machine. Her silver lining was beginning to look golden.

“Damn,” Delta murmured, impressed with both his speed and efficiency. As the captain took his head gear off, so did Delta. “Wait until you see his scores.”

The rookie holstered his weapon and waited for the silhouette to be mechanically reeled in. Not taking his goggles or headphones off, the tall, broud-shouldered young officer snapped his target off the clip and studied the holes carefully.

Walking behind the rookie, Delta leaned over and stared down at the target he was still studying. All twelve shots were within three square inches of each other, many of which were overlapping holes already made. His accuracy was unerring.

“As much as it pains me to say this, Captain, I’m impressed.”

Captain Henry nodded. “Carducci, meet your FTO, Delta Stevens. Delta, this is your bucking bronco, Tony Carducci.”

Turning around, Tony stripped off his goggles and headphones and offered Delta his hand. But Delta didn’t see his extended hand. Instead, she was staring at the bandage covering his left eyebrow and the discoloration surrounding his right eye.

Immediately, Delta withdrew her hand. “No way,” Delta said, ignoring Tony’s hand. “Not you.”

Smiling a crooked smile, Tony lowered his hand and scrutinized Delta’s face. “The Delta Stevens? You’re pairing me with her?”

Delta backed away and shook her head. “I don’t think so, Captain. Not a chance. I’ll work with anybody but him.”

Suddenly realizing when he had seen her last, Tony’s lopsided smile grew wider. “You’re the one who pulled my ass out of that jam last night!” Well, I’ll be damned! Officer Delta Stevens saved my butt. It’s a small world, isn’t it?"

Resisting the urge to put some more color over his eye, Delta turned her back on him and toward the captain. “Too small. You’ve got to get me someone else. This will never work.”

“I take it you two have met.”

Delta heaved a frustrated sigh. The gold lining had clearly been fool’s gold. “You could say that. Look, Captain, I said I would do this, but you can’t stick me with this...with—”

“Yes? With what?”

“With this jerk!”

Coolly, Tony leaned against the wall, still managing his Huck Finn grin.

The captain, however, wasn’t so cool. “I wasn’t aware that I’d given you a choice.”

“You didn’t, Captain, but—”

“But nothing. You will work with Tony Carducci whether you like him or not. This isn’t a romance, Stevens, it’s a job. And your job is to train this man the best way you can. Do you understand?”

Delta inhaled slowly. She couldn’t even stand to look at the rookie standing there with that smug look on his face. “Yes, sir.”

“Good, because I don’t give a rat’s ass what the history is between you two. From here on out, you’re on the same side, you got that?”

Both parties nodded. Tony seemed unaltered by Delta’s attack of his character and merely shrugged off her insult. “Can we start tonight, Captain?”

Captain Henry looked over at Delta, but she did not return the gaze. “You ready to work tonight, Stevens, or do we find you a nice big desk?”

Delta glared over at Tony Carducci. She hated this. She hated someone else co-opting her choices. And she hated the fact that this particular decision had already been made. “As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”

“Your enthusiasm is overwhelming.”

“So is your choice of rookies.”

Captain Henry let that one go. “Meet for muster and be sure to have the weekly FTO report on my desk every Monday morning by Oh-ninehundred sharp.”

“Great!” Tony said, snapping to attention. “Come on, partner. Let’s go kick some ass.” As Tony strolled to the range office, Delta glowered at Captain Henry. Every fiber in her body recoiled against the idea of suffering through ten hours or more with a punk she’d already seen bite off more than he could chew. This wasn’t a partnership, it was glorified babysitting.