"Pretty average, I guess. My sister Ann lives in Seattle, and my half brothers, Jimmy and Jason live with my mother in Arlington. What about you? Do you have any sisters or brothers?"
Well, that was certainly the short version. "No. I'm an only child. Remember I told you my aunt and uncle raised me?" Shelby nodded and Kris continued. "My father was in the Army and died on a training mission when I was a baby. I don't even remember him. Mom was killed by a car when I was ten."
"Oh, I'm so sorry."
Kris shrugged. "It's okay. It was a long time ago."
"Did your aunt and uncle have any kids?" Shelby was pleased that Kris was finally sharing.
"No."
"That must have been really hard for you. I'm glad I had a sister to grow up with. My two half brothers are pretty good kids, but there's almost ten years between us, so I was more of a babysitter to them than anything else."
Kris stood up and walked over to a picture on top of one of the bookshelves, inclining her head towards it. The picture was of an attractive woman in her forties with golden brown, shoulder length hair who was smiling at the camera, but Kris sensed the smile was forced. "Is this your mom?"
Joining her, Shelby said, "Yeah. She had it taken last year. My sister and I have been asking her for an up to date picture for a while, so it was her Christmas present to us."
"Your mom's an attractive woman."
"I think so, too, but then I'm probably a little prejudiced."
Kris inclined her head to one side and studied Shelby. "You have her nose."
"Well now, that's different. I've been told I resemble her."
The operative looked at the picture again. While there was a family resemblance, she was put off by the woman in the picture. Kris was sure Shelby's mom did not possess the same pleasant, sunny personality her daughter did. "A little. You're better looking, though."
Shelby could feel her cheeks warm and chuckled to cover her reaction to the compliment. "Thanks, but don't ever let her hear you say so."
"I don't think you have to worry about that. I'll be gone in a week or so."
The younger woman smiled sadly at the flippant comment. "I bet you'll be glad. No more sitting at a desk, looking at a monitor all day long."
Kris suddenly realized how her comment had sounded. "I'll be glad because I don't like being cooped up in an office." And because I need to get away from the constant scrutiny and surveillance I'm under. "I'll miss working with you, though." What in the hell am I doing?
When the two women sat back down on the couch, Stormy jumped between them, meowing plaintively, and both women automatically reached out to pet her. Kris pulled her hand back when her stroke landed on Shelby's hand rather than the kitten.
Laughing, Shelby said, "I guess we both had the same idea. Talk about a greedy kitten. Notice how she got right in the middle of us. Nothing stupid about this one."
"I hear you." Kris' attention was actually focused on how soft Shelby's hand had felt beneath her fingertips and, as her imagination became more suggestive, she suddenly stood up.
"What's wrong?"
"Um. Nothing. Just stretching my legs. Is there a public gym around here anywhere?"
"I have a membership at Theresa's Fitness Center."
"Want to go?" Kris was starting to feel very caged, and she knew it was time to find a physical outlet to control her excess energy and urges. She would've preferred running in the neighborhood, but couldn't guarantee Shelby's safety on the streets.
"Sure." Shelby was more than ready to do something normal. "Let me get my things together."
Kris quickly changed into a pair of silky, dark blue jogging shorts and a matching tank top. After attaching a miniature cellular phone to the waistband, and concealing her gun within the folds of a sweatshirt she was carrying, Kris went downstairs to check the area.
Returning a short time later, she walked into the apartment and looked at Shelby appreciatively. Her companion was wearing a stylishly cut teal workout suit, with close fitting leggings emphasizing shapely legs and a white form-fitting top offset by a lightweight teal vest trimmed in black. "You look very nice. Ready?"
Shelby's could feel her cheeks warm, but the tingling feeling she was experiencing under the intensity of Kris' admiring gaze overshadowed that reaction. When she finally found her voice, she nodded and said, "You look pretty good yourself."
She silently cheered when the tips of Kris' ears reddened, knowing that her compliment had not been ignored. "Ready?" she mimicked.
Kris nodded. She was more than ready, and still wondering how a simple compliment could evoke the strong physical reaction it had. While she readily acknowledged an attraction to the younger woman, she had sought to limit it to one based on professional respect. However, Kris was finding it disconcerting that both her emotions and her body had shown a distinct proclivity to ignore the constraints she placed upon them and act of their accord. And for a woman who was used to being in complete control, it was a peculiarly vulnerable feeling.
As they started out the door, the phone rang. Shelby smiled apologetically and answered it.
"Hello."
"Hi Shelby. It's Mom. How come you haven't returned my phone calls? I've been worried sick about you."
"I was going to, later. I've just been a little busy lately."
"Too busy for your own mother?"
Shelby silently sighed. "No, Mom." In an effort change the focus of the conversation, she asked, "Did Jimmy and Jason both make the baseball team?"
"If you'd stop over more often you could ask them yourself."
"Mom, what did you do? Take a crabby pill before you called?"
Kris was barely able to stifle a snicker at the comment. She was standing in the doorway, and hadn't intended to eavesdrop, but the apartment was too small to avoid hearing the conversation.
"I can't believe you are talking to your own mother like that. All the years I sacrificed and went through hell to give you things I never had, and you don't even appreciate it."
Shelby's face momentarily darkened. You'll always be a victim, won't you, Mom? What about the hell Ann and I went through because you did nothing to stop it. "Mom, what's wrong? You've been on my case since I picked up the phone."
"I had a busy day at work today and then had to come home and cook for the boys. Can I relax yet? No. Because you haven't called me all week and I was worried about you. Do you appreciate my concern? Of course not. You insult me instead."
Shelby rolled her eyes, strolled over to the couch and flopped down. "I shouldn't have said that. But I've been really busy with work stuff too and just haven't had much time to call. So can we call a truce?"
Somewhat mollified, Lisa said, "Yes, dear. I just miss you."
"I miss you, too. I'll stop over next weekend."
"Can't you stop over this weekend? I'll make dinner. I could really use some adult company."
Shelby inwardly sighed. "Let me see how things go at work and I'll get back to you, okay?"
"Just for a couple of hours, Shelby."
"I've got to go. I'll call you later."
"Why? What's the big hurry? I haven't talked to you all week."
Kris had watched various emotions flicker across Shelby's face and had heard the frustration in her voice for long enough. She walked over to the apartment door and knocked loudly.
Shelby jumped at the noise, but seeing Kris at the door, she immediately understood that the other woman was giving her an out. "Mom, I gotta go. Someone's at the door."
"Well, okay, dear. Now don't forget to call me back."