"I'm going to lunch. I'll be back shortly."
"Want any company?"
Another time, another place, yes. Not here and not now. "If I wasn't going to take care of some business, I'd love it. How about Monday?"
"Okay." Shelby hadn't expected to be invited along, but Kris' words warmed the cool office air even as she speculated where the operative was going this time.
CHAPTER 10
HE PRESSED A memory button on his cell phone as he drove toward Arlington, and waited for it to be answered. "Did you get it?"
"No. And I don't know if I'm going to be able to."
"Why not? It's not like I asked you to do anything difficult."
"I can't find out without being obvious. Come on. I've already told you everything I know. I don't want to raise any suspicions. It might jeopardize what I'm doing for both of us."
"That has nothing to do with this."
"I know, but you worry me when you get so obsessed. Are you coming over tonight?"
"Maybe."
"Maybe? What's that supposed to mean?"
"I'll call you later." Disgusted, the tall man broke the connection, tossing his cellular phone onto the passenger seat.
Kris helped Shelby unpack the groceries, following her instructions on where to put the things that had to be placed in the upper row of cupboards. "Think you got enough food?" she asked facetiously.
Grinning, Shelby said, "Well, I wanted to make sure we didn't run out of anything. It's not like my life has been very routine lately. Who knows when I'll get another chance to go shopping?"
Kris laughed. "I don't think you'll have to worry about it for a long time, now."
"You helped pay. So that makes you an accomplice."
Quirking a half smile, Kris said, "Couldn't see myself letting you spend a month's salary on groceries."
"Very funny!"
"Just calling it the way I see it."
The rest of the evening passed comfortably as the two women spent it enjoying each other's company. The conversation was easy and relaxed as they watched TV and explored their mutual interests. Boundaries were unconsciously disregarded, with both of them relishing each tidbit of information the other chose to share, and committing even the smallest morsels to memory.
Right on schedule, Shelby awakened from her sleep and sat up, the darkness of her bedroom broken only by the light of the bedside lamp. She'd been determined to wake up before Kris, and fell asleep the previous night while silently chanting, 'Wake up at five,' over and over again. Although she rarely used it, her internal alarm clock never failed her.
Postponing all but the essentials of her wakeup routine in the bathroom, she continued silently to the kitchen. It was going to be hard enough not to wake Kris, and Shelby didn't intend to make any unnecessary noise.
She knew the operative was always up by five-thirty, so her timing should be just about right. Fifteen minutes later, finished with her advance preparations, Shelby put the bacon in the microwave, set the timer and took one last look at the table to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Satisfied, she tiptoed into the living room and gazed at Kris.
The tall woman was sleeping all scrunched up on her side, the pillow and her feet pressed against opposite arms of the couch. How can you sleep like that? Shelby was startled when alert blue eyes opened, meeting her own gaze. "How'd you do that?"
"Do what?"
"I thought you were sleeping."
"I was." Kris smiled. "It smells good in here."
"Thanks." Shelby was still trying to figure out how anyone could be totally alert when they woke up. "But you woke up, awake."
"Tool of the trade. Allowing myself the luxury of waking up slowly could cost me my life."
"Oh." I never even thought of that. Shelby smiled. "Good morning."
Kris sat up and returned the smile. "G'morning."
"How do you like your eggs?"
"Over medium. What's the special occasion?"
"Well, I just thought...I have what I like for breakfast every day, but you don't, so I thought today we could have what you like." At the puzzled look on Kris' face, Shelby added, "Remember, you said you liked eggs, bacon, toast, juice, fruit..."
"I was only kidding."
A blonde eyebrow rose in question. "You don't like that?"
"No. I mean, yes, I do. But you didn't have to..."
"I wanted to. It'll be ready in about five minutes." Shelby gazed warmly at Kris who appeared somewhat stunned. "Think you'll be ready to eat then?"
Kris slowly nodded. "Count on it."
A short time later both women were thoroughly enjoying the hearty breakfast and conversing easily. Kris took a bite of her egg, as she listened to Shelby talk about a movie she had recently seen.
She felt a slight vibration at her waist and silently cursed. Kris had modified her cell phone to include a vibrate setting and she had no doubt as to the identity of the caller. Bastard. Couldn't even wait for the sun to rise, could you? What in the hell am I going to tell Shelby?
Kris didn't want Shelby to think she didn't fully appreciate all the trouble she'd gone to, and leaving the table in the middle of the meal could certainly imply that. Besides, she was thoroughly enjoying the company and didn't want to leave the table. As if I have a choice.
When Shelby finished speaking, Kris abruptly stood up. "Excuse me, but nature calls." Kris immediately left the table and quickly made her way down the hall, shutting and locking the bathroom door behind her. She turned the tap water on full force and waited for the phone to ring again.
Ignoring the early hour, Gregor punched in the numbers from the note on his cell phone, allowing it to ring the requested three times and then hanging up. He looked at the tersely worded note again. While he was pleased that she had reestablished contact, he wondered why she had done so.
He had a few other questions he intended to ask as well. Like - what had happened the evening before at the apartment complex. It would not do for one of their special contacts to be killed before she had provided any information of value. Gregor intended to have both the information he needed, and the answers to his questions, before another day dawned.
Five minutes later, he redialed the telephone number, this time waiting for it to be answered.
When her cell phone lit up, Kris quelled her anger, and her tone was sharp, but quiet. "Yes?"
"I will be at the apartment complex tonight at 10:30."
"Fine." Kris clicked off and reattached the small phone to the waistband of the shorts she had donned earlier.
Shelby had watched Kris depart the dining room, puzzled. Had something she'd prepared upset the tall woman's system in some way? My cooking couldn't be that bad, could it? Yet the food seemed fine to her, and the operative had looked more irritated than sick; but, irrationally, she continued to worry. Moments later, she watched Kris return from what had to be the shortest bathroom break on record.
"Didn't mean to be rude."
Shelby smiled, "No problem. Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine, and breakfast is delicious!"
"You already told me that, but thanks again."
"I just wanted to make sure you hadn't forgotten. So what are we going to do today?
"We could go to Teresa's."
Chuckling, Kris quipped, "To work off our breakfast?"
"Well, it was kind of big."
"I thought it was just right."
"Good." Shelby knew she would be hard-pressed to explain the elaborate breakfast without divulging any of her real feelings. She smiled to herself. I actually got up at five a.m. on Saturday just to surprise Kris with breakfast. It was worth it, though. You've no idea how important you've become to me, and I wanted to do something just for you.
Kris still couldn't believe all the trouble Shelby had gone to on her behalf and gazed into the warm green eyes. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Shelby was immersed in a warm glow as she gazed into the beautiful blue eyes shining with gratitude, and she began to lose herself in their depths.
Kris leaned forward, her thoughts totally focused on the woman across from her until the table stopped her forward progress. She silently cursed the barrier between them until she realized what she'd been about to do. I can't believe I almost did that. But Kris was having trouble conjuring up all the reasons why she shouldn't have and inwardly regretted the opportunity lost, even as she questioned her loss of control.
As Kris leaned back in her chair, so did Shelby, her heart still fluttering wildly as sexual tension charged the air. She could almost feel those full sensuous lips on her own, and at the thought, her body shivered in anticipation.
The silence lengthened. Both women's faces were flushed as they individually tried to come to grips with what had almost happened and their own reaction to it as they each carefully searched the eyes of the other to verify their feelings weren't one-sided.
They both almost sighed in relief when a very loud "meow" drew them from their introspections.
Shelby smiled down at Stormy. "It's not my fault you stayed on the bed." She glanced at Kris. "I'm gonna go ahead and feed her."
Kris nodded, her eyes following the blonde into the kitchen as she dodged the kitten that was winding between her legs. The operative listened to the steady stream of softly spoken words directed at the kitten as she appreciatively assessed and admired each movement and expression - every attribute of the attractive woman moving around the kitchen preparing the little feline's food."
Sitting back down at the table, Shelby said, "I can't believe she didn't complain before now. Guess I threw her schedule off by getting up so early."
That wasn't the only thing you threw off. Kris smiled. "She told you about it, too."
Shelby chuckled. "I hear you." She took a sip of coffee and made a face. "I'm going to warm this up. You ready for more?"
Kris handed her cup to Shelby. "Thanks."
Shelby took the cup inwardly smiling. Kris hadn't even protested. Things are definitely looking up.
They finished their coffee and Kris stood up. "I'm going to take a quick look around. Be back in a few."
As Shelby began clearing the breakfast dishes, she looked forward to another day with the enigmatic woman, even as she was acutely aware of their remaining time together dwindling.
The events at the table played themselves over and over again in her mind. She had seen her own desire reflected in Kris' eyes, and the feeling had been electric. But what now? Damn table. Shelby chuckled at the thought. Cursing the table wasn't going to accomplish anything.
Dare she talk to Kris about how she felt? Or would that create a chasm in the closeness they were beginning to share? Shelby searched for a plausible way to maintain contact with the operative after the case was completed. Failing to come up with any innovative ideas, she wished for more time - anything to delay the inevitable.
Shelby sighed and decided to think more about that later. Today was Saturday, and she had Kris all to herself. She intended to make the most of the day and relish every single second of the time they spent together. Like you haven't been doing that already? She rolled her eyes at the inner voice. So what if I have?
Kris finished checking the area and leaned against the cement wall beneath the steps. What would it be like to have someone to come home to? If that someone were Shelby, it would be great. It's obvious we both want more. Was that the closest we're ever going to get?
The operative didn't have any illusions about the likelihood of living a normal life. Quite frankly, there was absolutely nothing normal about it. Could that ever change? Kris focused on that question as she explored her options for doing just that. It would be almost impossible, unless she had help. Unbidden, a certainty rose in her mind. Shelby would help. She immediately discarded that notion. If she asked Shelby, the details she would have to reveal might cause her to lose the very person for whom she was willing to risk everything. It might also put Shelby in even more danger. Unacceptable. Kris shook her head in frustration. But, if not Shelby, who then? She returned to the apartment without an answer. There wasn't one.