LJ looked in the bathroom mirror Saturday morning, wondering how her life had gotten so out of control. For the last fifteen years, she’d found no need to have friends or even be pleasant to anyone. All she’d needed was her work and an occasional impersonal liaison. Now she was confused, fetching lunches, and worrying about another human being.
“You have to get a grip on yourself,” she said to the image in front of her.
“But how do I do that?” the image argued back.
“You suck it up and rebuild your defenses, simple as that,” she countered.
“I don’t want to go back to being alone.”
God, I’m talking to myself now. Can it get any weirder?
A tear made its way down her cheek as she thought of how lonely her life had been since Holly and then her gran had passed away. The last time she’d cried had been at her grandmother’s funeral. Now the thought of Kylie Wilcox was calling out to her heart, filling it with emotion and need. With a sudden jerk of her hand, she wiped the tear away and walked into her bedroom, where she changed into jeans and a t-shirt and put on her work boots. Once she’d gathered her dig bag from a closet, she headed for the door.
The university had a site south of the city where beginning archaeology students and volunteers who were interested in the field could dig and learn. That was where she would go. There she could center herself again and find the answers she needed. She knew the healing sun would be warm on her back as she carefully dug and brushed while explaining to the students and volunteers what she was doing. She couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of looking for the past to find her future
†
“Well hello, stranger,” a low, sexy voice said.
Doctor Maxine Dylan was the dean of archaeology at the university. Her taut body and shapely legs begged for attention and appreciation. Her long, auburn hair was usually pulled back into a ponytail that fit through the back of the baseball cap she always seemed to wear. She was an exceptional archaeologist and had collaborated on LJ’s excursion to Peru by providing a workforce of her best students and graduate assistants. She was also at the dig as an advisor.
“Mind if I join in today, Max?”
The woman’s eyes raked over her body. LJ hadn’t anticipated that Max would be there. In the past, she rarely spent time at the dig site, opting to send one of her graduate students instead.
“I never mind you joining me in anything.” Max ran a finger down LJ’s arm, and LJ swatted it away. “Everyone, listen up.”
The participants at the dig stopped what they were doing and looked in Dr. Dylan’s direction before an excited hum went through the crowd.
“Today we are privileged that Dr. Evans came here to join us. As the majority of you already know, she has knowledge and a skill set you can all learn from. So don’t hesitate to take advantage of her being here with us today.” Everyone applauded before Max threaded her arm through LJ’s and led her to a small trailer she used for an office. “You can stow your things in here.”
“Okay.” LJ moved inside and could feel Max right behind her. For LJ, Max had been the ultimate fuck—primal, heart-pounding, hot sex. In the past, all Max needed to do was move close to her and LJ would become wet with arousal. It had been a long time since their last encounter, but the effect the woman had on her was still strong. Visions flooded LJ’s head of nights of heated, unbridled passion while on digs that threatened to drive her over the edge. She found herself drawn to Max again and turned to face the woman.
“You know”—Max moved to within inches of LJ—“we should get together tonight and pick up where we left off.” She let out a soft purr before leaning in and passionately kissing LJ.
LJ pushed her away, then stared into Max’s darkened, lust-filled, hazel eyes. “Stop!” LJ scowled. “What the hell are you doing?”
Max grinned. “It’s pretty obvious, unless I’ve lost my touch.”
“This is not the time or the place. Try and remember where you are and who might be around before you pull something like that again,” LJ growled. “I thought we had this same conversation on the dig in Peru.”
“We did.” In typical Max form, she laughed and then moved in to capture LJ’s lips again. When LJ moved to avoid another kiss, Max took a step backward. “Are you playing hard to get, lover?” She gave LJ a once-over. “You kissed me back, and I can feel and smell your arousal. You’ll come to me. You always do. Why else would you have come all the way out here?” She was looking directly at LJ’s breasts, and she licked her lips before laughing again as she gazed at LJ’s face. “Let’s go out and get our hands dirty, and then later you can…” She winked. “…do anything you want to me.”
“I didn’t know you’d be here, so don’t hold your breath.” LJ brushed past the woman and escaped out the trailer’s door. Inside she was trembling. Her body craved Max’s touch and desired what only she could make it feel. LJ walked quickly away, trying to distance herself from the old feelings. In the background, she could still hear Max’s familiar laughter.
The day passed quickly, and soon it was late afternoon. Helping the students made LJ feel refreshed and gave her a renewed sense of accomplishment. She waved at those around her and said, “Thanks, it was a great day,” before going to the trailer to pick up her bag. Just as she was about to step back outside, Max came up to her.
“Well, looks like we’re all done for today, lover.” She moved in closer. “What do you say we get together tonight for some research for old times’ sake?” She ran a finger along the ridge of LJ’s breast. “I know how hungry you get after a day of digging in the dirt.”
“I can’t. I’m busy.” LJ tried to move past her, but Max wouldn’t budge.
Max squeezed a taut nipple. “I can tell you don’t mean that,” she whispered. “Stop playing this hard-to-get game, because we both know what you want.”
LJ closed her eyes, trying to squelch the fire raging inside her. Max was full of intense passion that could go on for hours. There was no commitment and no drama with Max. LJ made the mistake of looking into the smoldering, hazel eyes gazing at her with unbridled lust. It was her undoing.
“I’m not spending the night.”
“I know. You never do, and I don’t want you to.”
LJ grabbed her hand. “Let’s get out of here.”
†
They had dinner at an out-of-the-way café. Max was her usual exuberant self and would often brush her fingers casually over LJ’s cheek. Several times she rested her hand on LJ’s thigh, slowly moving it in a back-and-forth motion. It was exhilarating.
When they arrived at Max’s house, LJ looked around, noting that little had changed. Artifacts and mementoes of digs cluttered every available space. They didn’t appear to be random though, but thoughtfully placed in groupings of similar objects.
Max came up behind her and wrapped her arms around LJ’s waist. “I’d offer you a drink, but I’m pretty sure that isn’t what either of us wants.”
LJ turned in the embrace, and her lips hovered over Max’s. “Is this what you had in mind?” She kissed her hard, demanding more.
“Bed now.” Max grabbed her hand and dragged her to the bedroom, where she wasted no time in divesting LJ of her clothes. Her eyes raked over LJ’s naked body, and she sucked in a breath. “Magnificent. Just as I remembered.” She brushed her palms over erect nipples and smiled when they got harder.
LJ took her time undressing Max, teasing the bare skin with her lips as she revealed it. When Max had sex, she treated it like an archaeological dig. She’d explore everywhere, gently brushing away the layers, delving deeper and deeper until she discovered the prize. When she did, she’d take her time reveling in the discovery, kissing and touching before capturing what she was looking for and making it hers.
The quick fuck in a car with Cassie paled in comparison, and LJ knew at that moment that she’d never be with Cassie again. Max knew how to make her body hum, leaving her wanting more. Why hadn’t she sought out Max instead of the singer? Max was like her—sex for sex’s sake and nothing more. There were no entanglements or emotions, just a mind-blowing release.
†
The smell of coffee made LJ open her eyes. She looked around the room, realizing where she was before getting out of bed. After pulling on her t-shirt and going to the bathroom, she made her way to the kitchen, where a naked Max was leaning against the counter, drinking a cup of coffee.
“I thought you weren’t spending the night.” Max poured coffee into a mug and handed it to LJ.
“Want me to leave?” LJ grinned and took the offered cup. Her eyes raked over Max’s body, and a sudden rush of desire filled her as she remembered their multiple couplings during the night.
“We need to be back to the site by ten. That’s when everyone starts to arrive. I like to have coffee and donuts for them.”
LJ looked at the time glowing red on the microwave, put down her coffee mug, stepped closer to Max, took her mug, placed it next to hers, and wrapped her arms around the woman. “That’ll give us a couple of hours, then.” She kissed Max hard before leading her back to the bedroom.
“I have a feeling we might be late,” Max said as she swatted LJ’s backside. “I can’t think of a better way to spend an early Sunday morning. Do you remember how we’d celebrate a new day at that dig in Peru?”
LJ turned and put a finger over Max’s lips. “Shut up and kiss me.”
†
Kylie fought the urge to join her parents and Ryan. The memory of LJ’s lips on hers kept playing in her mind, and she found herself touching her lips and imagining she could still feel the softness. Instead, she’d spent the time deep-cleaning every closet, nook, and cranny, throwing out anything she deemed no longer needed. She also boxed up all Ted’s things that she’d avoided doing anything with and took them to the Salvation Army. He wouldn’t be back to claim any of them and she’d held on to them too long. It was time to move on, and that was exactly what she planned to do.
Late on Sunday afternoon, Kylie sat in the family room with her feet propped up on an ottoman. Although she’d worked herself to exhaustion, the memory of LJ’s kiss still haunted her.
She heard the door open before Ryan came bursting into the room. Kylie had been moody and contemplative the entire weekend, but seeing Ryan righted her world, and she smiled for the first time since the encounter with LJ.
“How was your weekend?” Kylie held Ryan tightly in her arms. “I missed you.”
“Granny loved seeing her.” Virginia came up behind them and rubbed Kylie’s back. “Dad has dinner.”
“Did you stop at Ho
Ho
?” Kylie’s eyes widened as her mouth watered in anticipation.
“Yes.”
“We got fortune cookies too, Mommy.”
Carl came through the front door laden with three plastic bags. “Delivery,” he said, smiling. “We got all your favorites.”
“And fortune cookies too,” Ryan added.
Kylie laughed and got up to follow the others into the kitchen. “Do we need chopsticks?”
“Of course. What would takeout be without them?” Virginia began opening the containers. “Can you get some plates?”
Kylie opened a cupboard door and pulled out four plates before getting silverware and chopsticks out of a drawer. “This is perfect. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I smelled the kung
pao
chicken.” She looked into the containers. “Oh, you got sushi too. Can this get any better?”
“Yes, it can. Granny sent you her chocolate
bundt
cake that you like so much.”
“How is she doing?”
“You’d never know she is in her ‘golden years.’ She insisted on cooking for us, and she hasn’t lost a beat in that department.”
“She gave me this.” Ryan fingered the heart necklace around her neck.
Kylie smiled. “She treasures that.”
“Yes, she does,” Virginia said. “She told me she always wanted Ryan to have it and thought she was old enough now to take care of it.”
“I’ll have to call her and thank her.”
“She’d like to hear from you.”
That evening after Ryan had a bath and Kylie tucked her in bed, she sat in a chair in the bedroom running her fingers over her lips. “How will I face her tomorrow?” She thought about quitting but nixed the idea immediately. She wanted to see LJ and be around her. The realization hit her that she wasn’t going to deny herself any longer, even if it meant watching her from a distance. But in her heart, she knew saying that was easier than doing it.
Kylie looked at her watch and noted it was only eight o’clock. Certain her grandmother was still up, she picked up her cell phone, engaged FaceTime, and pressed in the number.
“Hi, Granny, thank you so much for the cake,” Kylie said when she saw her. Looking at her granny, who at eighty-eight still insisted on sleeping with rollers in her hair, Kylie smiled.
“Kylie darling, it is so good to hear your voice. What a delight it was to see Ryan this weekend. The only thing missing was you.”
“Sorry I wasn’t there.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just wanted to see your face. I miss you.”