"Mom!"

"Honey, are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I need a huge favor. Mongrel, I completely forgot about him, Mom. I need you to go over and take care of him."

"Honey," Ashley's mom said dragging out the endearment. "I took care of everything already."

"Oh G.o.d, thank you, Mom. I just realized I forgot about him." Relief flooded Ashley's body.

"No problem, Honey. Do you need me to come down there right now?"

"No, Mom. I'm good. I appreciate you taking care of Mongrel."

"Okay, Sweetie. I'll be down there later then. I love you."

"I love you too, Mom. See you this afternoon."

Ashley smiled as relief surged through her. Mongrel was fine and being spoiled, if she knew her mom. It was one less thing she had to worry about. Now, if she could just find her appet.i.te. Pushing the food around on her tray hoping it would make it more appetizing, Ashley put the cover back on and sighed. She had graduated from broths and gelatin to more solid foods, but it wasn't quite bacon and eggs. More like goop and the worst coffee she had tasted. Biting off an edge of her toast, she slowly chewed the dry wheat. The least they could have done was not burn it, thought Ashley, trying to swallow the clump in her mouth.

"h.e.l.lo?" a soft knock on her door and a whisper broke the silence.

"Come in?" Ashley wondered who would be visiting. Kelly was on shift and she just talked to her mom, so who could it be?

"I'm looking for Officer Henderson. I have a special delivery for her?" The voice behind the curtain said gruffly.

"I'm Officer Henderson. Please come in." Ashley waited, trying to connect the voice to a person, but she couldn't.

"I heard that you like cafe lattes and I just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought I would drop this off."

A hand appeared with a drink holder, a cafe latte on one side and diagonal from it a large hot cup of tea. Ashley clapped her hands, almost bouncing in her bed. Her mouth started to water just looking at the cold drink. Her prayers had been answered. A cafe latte was all hers and hers alone.

"Get in here so I can kiss you." Ashley didn't know who she just offered to kiss, but she didn't care. She wanted that latte and she wanted it now. "Don't make me get out of this bed and chase you. I'll do it, trust me. I'm a desperate woman."

Peeking around the curtain, Tyler raised her eyebrows as a cute smile crossed her face.

"How bad do you want this?" Tyler asked, moving the tray back and forth.

Ashley squinted her eyes at the beautiful woman and pursed her lips. Waiting, Tyler stood moving the drink holder back and forth, just out of Ashley's reach. Clearly, the evil stare wasn't working on Tyler, so Ashley had to take a different tactic.

"Okay, come get your reward, handsome." Ashley held her hands out waiting for Tyler to enter her embrace. "Come on ya big lug. I pay my debts and I owe you a kiss." Ashley closed her eyes and puckered her lips. When Ashley didn't hear any movement, she opened her eyes to find Tyler staring at her. Following her gaze, Ashley looked down to find her shirt part way open, exposing part of a breast. Blushing, she yanked her shirt closed and gave Tyler a dirty look. All she wanted was the latte and she would be fine, now if she could just get her hands on it.

"Are you going to come in or not?" Ashley was cranky now, her latte mere inches away, but Tyler was playing games with her. Any other time she would play along, but today she needed her coffee fix. Ashley's fingers drummed a cadence on the bed rail. Waiting, Ashley looked up at the T.V. on over Tyler's head. Two could play this game.

"Okay, okay. Here's your coffee," Tyler said handing Ashley the cold latte and smiling. "You need your coffee in the morning, don't you?"

"We all have our vices, don't we?" Ashley returned a smirk as she took a long draw on the straw. The cool liquid coated her tongue, making her taste buds dance. Gooseb.u.mps popped up on her arms as the cold drink took its effect on her. Leaning her head back on her pillow, she let out a long sigh.

"Heaven. Finally," she said smiling.

Ashley looked over at Tyler who was smiling at the display of sheer joy found in a cafe latte. Tyler's hair was wet and messy, as if she had taken a shower but forgot to comb her hair. So this is what she looks like when she gets out of bed, thought Ashley looking Tyler up and down. Her robe pulled tight around a narrow waist, and flannel pajamas peeking out below her robe, gave her that little kid look. The only thing missing was a teddy bear hanging from her grasp. Ashley really liked the new Tyler. She just couldn't help herself as she let her gaze roam again over the lanky woman. A warmth shot through her body at the a.s.sessment, causing her to take another long pull on the straw to her cafe latte.

Letting the cold liquid rest on her tongue again, Ashley closed her eyes and enjoyed the melting sensation. The sweet coffee slid down her throat and she nearly choked as she watched Tyler open her robe. It wasn't like she could see anything, but the teddy bear pajamas almost made Ashley choke again as she admired them. Who knew Tyler was such a kid at heart?

"What?" Tyler said, smiling at Ashley.

Oh how she could get lost in that smile if she let herself. A kiss, she owed Tyler a kiss for the cafe latte, but how would she work that into the conversation and not have it seem like she was begging. Ashley smiled again as she watched Tyler c.o.c.k an eyebrow and watch her tongue as it darted out and licked whip cream from her lips. Tyler licked her own lips then dropped her gaze to the hot tea in her hands.

"So, what's your vice, Tyler?" Ashley said stirring her latte.

"Huh?"

"Your vice. Mine's a good cafe latte. What's yours?"

"A beautiful woman," Tyler said matter-of-factly.

Ashley felt her face and neck heat as she blushed at the statement. Coffee, alcohol, or even food, Ashley expected. But Tyler's confession of a beautiful woman made her ache with desire. Focusing on the cold drink, she cleared her throat and took another drink. She had put her foot in it now and she wasn't sure how to redirect the conversation.

"I'm sorry. Did I embarra.s.s you?" Tyler smiled.

"No, of course not."

"Of course not."

"I mean, your taste for women is legendary." Ashley instantly regretted the statement as soon as she said it. Why did she always have to say things she knew would destroy a conversation, especially with someone who had risked her own life to save Ashley's?

"Yes, well, you shouldn't believe everything you hear," Tyler said icily.

The once warm room took on a chill and there wasn't anything Ashley could do about it now. What was it they said, regret is a dish best savored cold, or was that revenge? It didn't matter. Tyler's stiff body language and expression showed Ashley the arrow she had accidentally launched had firmly landed on its intended target.

"Tyler, I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve that. I have a tendency to lob grenades and I have no idea why. Please forgive me." Ashley tried to get up but her broken ribs protested.

Tyler's hands reached under Ashley's shoulders and then a pillow slipped behind her back helping her sit upright. Ashley flinched and took a deep breath, the smell of soap wafted around her. Turning toward Tyler, she was close enough to kiss her neck. The temptation lasted less than a moment, but long enough that Ashley considered it. Ashley grabbed Tyler's arm before she could sit back down and pulled her closer.

"I owe you a kiss for the latte," Ashley whispered, kissing Tyler's cheek before she could reconsider the impulsive action.

Tyler turned towards Ashley and studied her lips and then looked into her eyes. Seconds pa.s.sed between them, their eyes locked only inches apart.

Chapter Twenty-six.

Tyler's heart was hammering in her chest. G.o.d, one kiss on the cheek and I'm a goner. Great. Tyler thought staring at Ashley. Looking back down at Ashley's lips was her undoing. Closing the distance between them, she kissed Ashley and let her lips linger on the sweet taste under them. Tyler could taste coffee as she let her tongue glide over Ashley's parted lips. Venturing further, she felt Ashley's mouth open welcoming her tongue inside. A moan echoed in the warm room, spurring Tyler further in her advances. Reaching a hand up, she ran her fingers through the soft, red locks and then held Ashley's head while she continued her exploration. Pulling away slightly, she ran her lips along the soft skin of Ashley's jaw, her tongue leaving a wet path as it traveled down her neck. Kissing the base of Ashley's neck, Tyler felt her b.r.e.a.s.t.s tighten and her nipples harden as she continued to explore. It felt as if the room had jumped twenty degrees, sweat broke out on her neck, a sure sign she was excited. Ashley's fingers slipped through Tyler's hair, a gentle pull keeping her firmly against Ashley's neck.

"Tyler." Tyler heard her name barely spoken as she tasted the saltiness of Ashley's skin. A primal need was beginning to take over and she felt herself getting wetter. Women didn't usually have this kind of effect on Tyler and she was enjoying her body's reaction. Ashley released the grip in her hair, moving to her breast, palming the hard nipple and sending a jolt through Tyler's body. She was ready to explode. Just the right touch and she would come undone right in front of Ashley. Remembering where she was Tyler tried to center herself. Pulling away from Ashley was the hardest thing to do when she wanted her, but this wasn't the time for her to put Ashley in a compromising position.

Clearing her throat she spoke softly, "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me," she said without looking at Ashley. Pulling her robe tight around herself and tying it, she sat back down almost missing her chair as she gripped the arms for support and lowered herself down. "I shouldn't have done that. I'm really sorry."

Tyler could feel her body shake inside, raw emotion taking its toll. She hadn't had that kind of reaction with a woman lately and it was unsettling. Jill had been the last woman to make her lose control and now Ashley stirred that reaction in her. Was it the environment, the shooting, the guilt? She wasn't sure, but this wasn't an average situation and she wasn't about to take advantage of it in that way.

"Don't be sorry. I wanted that as much as you did. Besides, I'm the one who should be sorry. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't be here. You would be at the station, hanging with the guys and saving lives." Ashley looked down at her hands resting in her lap.

Tyler felt sorry for Ashley, for the guilt she clearly carried and for the psycho girlfriend that nearly ended her life. Reaching over she patted Ashley's hands then covered them with her own. Ashley had a long road ahead of her, Tyler knew that much. She suspected guilt was like loss, until you accept it you have no control over the situation. It will always be a constant companion. Looking down at their entwined fingers Tyler smiled. She liked the way Ashley made her feel, the energy, the warmth, and the protectiveness all made her feel needed. She knew she was projecting onto Ashley, but she couldn't help it. Ever since that day at the shooting she had worried about Ashley.

"I'm fine, Ashley. You're not responsible for the actions of Leslie. The sooner you accept that the easier it will be to move on. Trust me. I definitely know what I'm talking about here." Smiling, she hoped her words would give Ashley some comfort, but she doubted it. "Besides, you still owe me a coffee date."

"Oh, it's a date now?" Ashley smiled back at Tyler.

"Well, it's not a date date, but you did promise to go for coffee with me. Unless you and I in our pj's are date material. But I'll have you know, I don't wear pjs on a date or to bed." Tyler wiggled her eyebrows at the implication. She watched Ashley blush and smirked. "You are so easy."

The shocked look on Ashley's face made Tyler laugh. It was too easy to bait Ashley and yet Tyler couldn't resist. Patting her hand Tyler sat back in her chair and steepled her fingers resting her chin on the tips.

"So, you wanna talk?"

"About?"

"Anything."

Tyler watched as Ashley went somewhere far away. Studying Ashley's face she noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the shallow cheeks. Ashley looked like a fragile porcelain doll that needed protection and Tyler felt the need to protect her right now. It was obvious the shooting was taking its toll on her, physically, but what was going on in Ashley's head? Tyler could only guess at the trauma she had gone through at the hands of the abusive girlfriend, but she wasn't a mind reader and she wouldn't know unless she asked. But should she? Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they said. Taking another sip of her lukewarm tea, Tyler worried she might be intruding if she tried to get Ashley to talk, but she knew from experience that talking was the only way to give voice to the pain she carried. It was the only way to release it, to purge it from her soul.

"Tell me more about Leslie."

Ashley looked at Tyler puzzled. Of course she wanted to know about the woman who almost killed them, but was Ashley ready to tell Tyler everything? Was she ready to let someone in that deep?

"It's okay, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I just thought perhaps talking about it might help." Tyler still couldn't shake the turmoil from her own body and she needed to divert her attention. The more she looked at Ashley's lips, the more she felt the need to kiss them again, to hold her, and protect her from the pain she felt rolling off the fragile woman. A weak smile creased Ashley's face as she laid her head back against the pillow. Moving the head of the bed down a little she took a deep breath and held it, then released it.

"I told you how we met and the first few weeks we were together. It all started with that slap when I confronted her about a woman's number. I should have stopped seeing her then, but I didn't. Things were pretty good. I mean, she yelled, but that was Leslie. She said it was all part of her heritage, how she was raised. We decided to move in together and take our relationship to the next level, as she called it. Things were good and then, one day, we got into another argument about another woman. Guess she'd been cheating on me the whole time. Leslie reared back like she was going to slap me and I stood my ground. I told her if she touched me there would be h.e.l.l to pay. Guess she didn't care and slapped me anyway. I fell against the coffee table and broke my collar bone."

Tyler looked at Ashley and knew she was there, living that moment all over again. Moving to the bed, she cradled Ashley's wounded body in her arms and rocked her. Ashley's body went rigid at the contact and Tyler relaxed her hold. She heard Ashley start to cry as she buried her head into Tyler's shoulder.

"It's okay, she can't hurt you anymore."

"I didn't think she could anymore, but I was wrong." Ashley looked up at Tyler and whispered, "She hurt you, too."

"Hey, I'm okay. It's just a pain in the a.s.s, that's all." Tyler laughed at her own joke, hoping to lighten the mood.

"You are so gallant Tyler, but it's more than a pain in the a.s.s. You could've been killed that day."

"Naw, I'm hard to get rid of. You'll see." Tyler cupped Ashley's face and made her look at her. "It's going to be okay. Nothing a little time and therapy can't fix." Tyler hoped minimizing the incident would ease Ashley's guilt, but she knew she wasn't succeeding.

"Do you know how much counseling I went through after the break-up? Tons," Ashley said, sniffling.

"I think everyone should get their head shrunk at least once in a while. I went a lot after Jill died. I'm not sure it helped, but it gave me something to do, I guess," Tyler said once again downplaying her own pain and anger at losing Jill.

Really, Tyler had gone to counseling because of the suicide attempt, but once there she knew she needed to deal with the anger of losing Jill. She just wasn't sure she had been successful implementing the counselor's suggestions. She still rode her bike too fast, screwed too many women, and took too many chances at work. So she guessed the answer was no, the counseling hadn't helped, maybe only to lessen the anger, but it definitely didn't diminish the pain, not until recently.

Everyone gets to their own place of healing at their own time, Tyler thought. She knew she couldn't push Ashley to hers. It was a journey for one, and two on the path only made it a crowded journey. She wasn't sure time healed either, living did. Living life, making a new path, and taking on a new purpose might help Ashley. Surely it had helped her. Hadn't it?

"I know this might sound weird, but would you like a shower or maybe a hot bath? That always helps me think and relax when I've had a tough time." Tyler smiled down at red, swollen eyes. Ashley looked so helpless that Tyler's heart ached for her.

"Is that a come on, Tyler?" Ashley questioned, and then smiled.

"Of course. You know what a cad I am. Besides, I had my first shower today and I thought I had died and gone to heaven." Tyler winked at Ashley. Reaching over her shoulder she buzzed the nurses' station.

"Yes?" came a voice over the speaker.

"Officer Henderson would like to take a shower or a bath. Is that possible?"

"Of course. I'll be right there."

"Thank you."

"Thanks, Tyler. I've only been able to brush my teeth and get a sponge bath. Maybe I'll start to feel a little more like myself."

"Well, I can't vouch for its healing powers, but a hot shower always seems to help me." Tyler leaned her head against Ashley's. "Don't let her win, Ashley. Don't give her that power over you. Okay?"

Nodding, Ashley closed her eyes, tears squeezing out and running down her face. Tyler turned Ashley's face up and kissed the trail of tears on each side of her face and then placed a soft kiss on the tight lips.

"It will get better. I promise."

"Okay, who wants a bath?" The nurse said flinging back the privacy curtain.

Chapter Twenty-seven.

Tyler lay back on her hospital bed, the doctor's voice droning on. Her thoughts were of Ashley. Her soft lips and beautiful smile were all she could think about. The kiss had nearly sent her into an o.r.g.a.s.m. She had plenty of women who fulfilled her needs for s.e.x, but this was different. Ashley was different. She had a strength about her, whether Ashley knew it or not, that turned Tyler on, that she found s.e.xy. But she also had a softness, a...how would Tyler describe it, a need to be protected that Tyler loved, too. In Ashley's capacity as a cop, Tyler was sure Ashley didn't think she needed protecting, but Tyler did. Tyler wanted to wrap her arms around the pet.i.te red head and protect her from the world. To hold her, to comfort her. Ah who was she kidding? Circ.u.mstances had thrown them together and she was just experiencing some type of rescuer's syndrome. The doctor's voice continued to grate on her nerves. Blah, blah, blah was all she heard until she heard the words 'doing good enough to be released' and then she sat up.

"I'm sorry. Did you just say I can go home?"

"Well that sure perked you up."

Tyler was more than ready to get the heck out of the hospital, she was bored beyond belief. The only bright spot was Ashley a few floors above her. Suddenly realizing she wouldn't be close to Ashley, she questioned the doctor again.

"Are you sure I'm ready to go? I mean I wouldn't want to push anything, I mean, you know, do something that would put me right back in." Tyler questioned the doctor.

"No, don't worry. I'll give you some light pain medication and as long as you take it easy, you should be fine," he said scribbling on her chart.

"When can I go back to work?"

"As a firefighter, not for a while. I still want you to be on bed rest. Then, after a follow-up in two weeks, we'll rea.s.sess your ability for light duty and then when you can go back to work full-time." The doctor kept writing on Tyler's chart while she fidgeted with the belt of her robe.