“I guess you’re pretty angry, huh?” KT asked.

Tory finally looked up into KT’s anguished eyes, “Why in God’s name didn’t you come to me? Do you have any idea how bad this could’ve gotten, especially if Pia hadn’t come by today? What were you thinking?”

KT winced under the verbal onslaught. Despite the intravenous hydration and the sedative that Tory had given her, she hurt all over, her stomach threatened to revolt at any second, and her head reeled with dizziness. On top of that worse than that, really was the knowledge that both Tory and Pia had seen her so helpless and pathetic. She didn’t think things could get much worse. “I didn’t know. I should have, but I didn’t. I just…since the accident…I just wasn’t thinking.”

Carefully, Tory sat on the bed, her hip against KT’s. ” I should’ve noticed.”

“It’s not like I’ve been walking around stoned, Tory,” KT pointed out wearily. “But the damn drug sneaks up on you. I definitely had a physical addiction, and I’m sure the psychological dependency wasn’t far off.” She leaned her head back against the pillows and sighed. “If I hadn’t almost OD’d after two drinks last night, I probably wouldn’t have figured it out until it was too late.”

“God,” Tory murmured, reaching out to stroke KT’s cheek. She stopped herself with a jolt just before her fingers made contact and quickly drew back. “I’m sorry. If I had been paying more attention, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Bullshit,” KT said with as much conviction as she could manage.

Tory smiled wanly. “I’ll stop by in the morning to see how you’re doing.”

“Make Pia go home.”

“When pigs fly.” Tory laughed. “I could barely get her to go home for something to eat and a shower. I don’t think she trusts me to look after you.”

KT smiled softly. “She was great today.”

“I’m glad she was here,” Tory said, surprised at just how much she meant that. It had shaken her badly to see KT so debilitated and frightened her even more than she wanted to admit to realize that KT might have succumbed to an overdose. She stood up and gathered her gear. “Pia should be back any minute. I’m going to head home.”

“You won’t tell anyone about this, will you, Tory?”

“God, of course not.” Tory looked shocked. “This isn’t your fault. And I know you well enough to know this isn’t going to be a long-term problem.”

“I should have seen it coming. And…it didn’t help to add alcohol on top of the meds.”

“No, it didn’t,” Tory agreed. She brushed her fingers over KT’s arm. “But you recognize that now, and you’re more than paying for that mistake. I trust you not to repeat it.”

“Thanks.” With a sigh, KT closed her eyes.

Tory made her way quietly through the house. “When she stepped out on to the back deck, Pia was just climbing the stairs. “I think she just fell asleep.”

Pia leaned against the railing, a book under one arm. “Good. What should I do tonight?”

“If she wakes up before morning in pain or agitated, you can give her another dose of Catapres. Keep the IVs running at the present rate until the second bag is in. Hopefully in another eight hours she’ll be able to keep something down. If not, we’ll give her a third liter of saline. Can you handle that?”

“Yes. When I used to work at Boston Hospital, most of my patients were in the ICU or step-down units. Changing IV bags was something I did routinely in the physical therapy department.”

“Good. And don’t let her tell you that she doesn’t need the medication. She’s going to be very uncomfortable as it is. Without it, it’ll be hell.”

Pia’s hands tightened on the book she held. She hated the thought of KT suffering. “Don’t worry. I won’t let her pull that macho stuff.”

Tory laughed. “How is it that you’ve got her figured out so quickly?”

“I don’t know that I do, but it’s not very hard to tell how much she’s been hurting.” Pia looked at Tory kindly. “Inside and out.”

“What happened between KT and me is ancient history. I told you that when we first met,”

“Yes, I remember.” Pia smiled. “In fact, you told me that the first night we had dinner together. I didn’t believe you then.” She squeezed Tory’s arm affectionately. “I do believe you now.”

“It’s easier to give up the anger now. When I think of Reese, I can’t imagine being without her. Looking back, I’m beginning to think it might not have been all KT’s fault that we didn’t work out.”

“Does it matter who was at fault?” Pia asked gently.

“I don’t know.” Tory leaned her back against the building opposite Pia and shook her head. “I’m beginning to think it doesn’t. I look at her now and my memories seem to be from a different lifetime.”

“Maybe that just means that the past is finally becoming the past for you.”

“And what about you?”

“Me?”

“And KT?”

“Ah,” Pia said softly. “I like her.”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“What can I say that you don’t already know? She’s smart and funny and gorgeous. And so sexy it’s criminal.” Pia laughed. “What’s not to like?”

“Uh-oh. Sounds like more than like to me,” Tory teased gently, realizing that it didn’t bother her to think that Pia, whom she’d always had a fondness for, was interested in KT. And seeing the way KT had looked at Pia that evening had made her forget why she’d been opposed to the idea when KT had first mentioned Pia’s name the day before.

“Well, until KT is back on her feet and we finish our therapy together, like is all it’s going to be.”

“Uh-huh.” Tory saw no point in reminding Pia that KT O’Bannon was not the kind of woman who sat back and waited for much of anything, especially a woman in whom she had an interest. And if the looks that had passed between Pia and KT throughout the evening were not an indication of strong mutual attraction, Tory couldn’t imagine what was. The two of them were deep in denial, but she didn’t think that would last much longer. “I’m going to go home to my own gorgeous, sexy woman. Call me if there’s any problem at all. Any time.”

“Thanks, Tory. I will.” Pia waved good night and let herself into the condo. It was after 11 p.m., but she wasn’t tired. The anxiety and worry of the long day had hyped her up to the point where she wasn’t sure she would be able to sleep at all. When she reached the bedroom, she stepped quietly to the chair that she’d drawn up to the bedside earlier.

“Tory leave?” KT asked drowsily.

“Yes. How are you doing?”

“Better. You?”

“Fine.” Pia lifted the book. “If you don’t mind the light, I thought I’d just sit here and read for a while.”

“You don’t need to stay. Go home and get some sleep.”

“We’ve had this conversation before.”

KT sighed. “And Tory called me frigging stubborn.”

Pia laughed quietly. “Comparatively speaking, I think I just qualify as plain stubborn.”

“You and Tory are pretty good friends, huh?”

“Yes, we are.” Pia settled into the chair and inched it forward until she could see KT’s face as they talked. Unconsciously, she reached out and stroked KT’s hair. “You really should sleep.”

“Did the two of you used to…date?”

“Very briefly, a long time ago.” Pia rested her hand on KT’s shoulder, rubbing her fingers lightly over KT’s skin. “How did you know that?”

“Something about the way Tory yelled at you. There was a certain degree of familiarity to it.”

Pia laughed. “Very observant.”

“So what happened?”

“Tory was still in love with someone else.” She spoke gently, her fingers drifting to KT’s jaw.

“Did she break your heart?”

“No,” Pia said with conviction. “No one broke my heart.”

“So why”

“You’re supposed to be sleeping.”

“Just tell me what you’re waiting for.”

Pia sighed, and had she not been so exhausted from the day, she might no have answered. But KT’s skin was so soft beneath her fingers and her face so unguarded that Pia forgot her usual caution. ” I want the woman I’ll spend the rest of my life with to be the only one.”

“Forever,” KT said drowsily.

“Yes “

“I screwed up pretty badly back then,” KT murmured.

“That’s between you and Tory.”

KT turned her face until her cheek rested against Pia’s palm. The cool strength of Pia’s fingers gave her comfort. “Do you think I’m a lost cause?”

“No,” Pia whispered. I think you are beautiful, in every way. “Go to sleep now, honey.”

Nearly asleep, KT asked what she never would have let herself ask had she been fully m control. “Would you hold me again like you did this afternoon?”

Pia didn’t stop to think what it might mean-that KT asked or that she couldn’t for one second imagine saying no. She set her book aside and eased onto the bed. In a motion hat felt a natural to her as breathing, she settled KT’s head against her breast.

Chapter Twenty

“Why don’t you go check on her?” Reese said quietly as she drew the soft strands of Tory’s hair through her fingers. It was just after 5 a.m., and the room had begun to lighten as the sun rose over the harbor. She knew Tory was awake, even though she hadn’t moved her head from Reese’s shoulder where she’d fallen asleep the night before. There was a stillness in her body that wasn’t there when she slept and a tightness in her muscles that belied her restful pose.

“Have you always been able to read my mind?” Tory touched a kiss to Reese’s shoulder while tightening her hold around Reese’s waist.

“Not at the very beginning.” Reese moved her hand from Tory’s hair to the center of her back and massaged her gently, the movement pressing Tory’s bare breasts to Reese’s chest. “I didn’t realize for the longest time that you lusted after me.”

Tory laughed. “I should think it would have been obvious to you when I couldn’t keep my hands off you, even when you’d been shot.” Recalling that night, and her terror, she tensed.

“Freak accident,” Reese murmured, turning until Tory lay beneath her. She braced herself on her elbows and framed Tory’s face in her hands. Then she kissed her forehead. “If you’re worried about KT, you should go see her.”

“Pia is with her. She would have called me if there was a problem.”

Reese nodded. “I know. But you’re still worrying.”

Tory smiled, softly and opened her legs so that Reese could settle more comfortably between them. She loved being able to hold her while they talked, about anything, it seemed. Reese made it possible to discuss the really hard things because she never allowed distance to come between them, no matter what had transpired. Tory counted on that, in the moments when she was most uncertain. She caught the thick hair at the base of Reese’s neck and tugged Reese’s head down until their mouths met. She took her time with the kiss, because it was the first of the day and it might be hours before they could share a moment as private and wholly theirs as this one. The baby would awaken soon, needing to be fed and readied for her day at Kate and Jean’s, Reese would leave for the early-morning class at the dojo, and she would head for the clinic after dropping Regina off. None of those thoughts was foremost in her mind, only the distant sense of urgency to connect, to renew herself through the love that sustained her. She didn’t notice when her grip on Reese tightened, or when she hooked her heels over Reese’s tight thighs and arched her pelvis into her lover. She wasn’t aware of her heart beating wildly or the soft undulations of her hips or the sudden tension in Reese’s body. As she stroked her tongue over Reese’s, she savored the warmth that began in her heart and settled deep in the core of her, transforming with each second from the quiet comfort of belonging to the sharp edge of pleasure. When she felt the first hint of the pressure coalescing between her thighs, she drew her head away with a gasp. “Oh my.”

Breathing fast, her eyes the navy blue of the sunset over the dunes, Reese grinned. “Yeah. Oh my.”

“Do we have time?”

Reese shifted enough to allow a hand between their bodies and smoothed her fingers between Tory’s legs, coating her fingers with the evidence of Tory’s desire. When Tory arched her back with another sharp gasp, Reese groaned quietly. “Plenty of time.”

“And it’s about time.” Tory moaned as she caught Reese’s hand and pressed Reese’s fingers inside.

“Tor?” Reese said anxiously.

Already contracting around Reese’s fingers, eyes nearly closed, Tory shook her head restlessly. “Eight weeks, sweetheart. Eight weeks and I’ve missed you so much.”

Reese could feel Tory’s orgasm gathering and couldn’t have abandoned her then for any reason. She rested her forehead against Tory’s shoulder and carefully moved within her, following the demanding thrust of her lover’s hips with gentle replies of her own.