We all laughed at her and started making plans. Since everything hinged on Kristy's release date, we decided not to say anything to anyone else yet.

The next week went smoothly. Pauli started to regain minimal use of her shoulder and went to physical therapy three times. Gina spent a few hours over on her days off but she hadn't yet spent the night and I wasn't sure if that was because of Pauli's shoulder, respect or fear of me, or some other reason. Friday was the day of Kristy's release from the hospital so Caity went to pick her up and bring her over for dinner before dropping her off at her own place. Pauli offered to help and she set the table while I cooked.

"What's for dinner anyway? I forgot to ask earlier, do we need bowls or anything special?"

"Salad bowls would be good. I'm making my salad dressing and a salad. I thought we could do stuffed chicken with fingerling potatoes. What do you think?"

"Fine by me! I love your stuffing. I think the thing I'm going to miss most about working with you is your cooking."

I raised an eyebrow as I turned around to face Pauli. "What exactly does that mean?"

Pauli stood her ground, looking me square in the eye as she informed me. "I've decided that I want to go ahead with the transfer. I have strong feelings for Gina, but I'm not going to have her move from the station that will give her the best training. I've decided to apply for transfer to another station. I'll try to get on C shift schedule, same as hers. That way, we'll still have the same hours but not have the problems of being in the same house."

I blew out a breath, letting her news sink in fully. "You're sure about this? So help me, Pauli, if this is a fling I'll-"

She drew closer to me, until there was only about six inches separating us. "You've known me a long time now. Have I ever been the fling type? I never wanted to go through the pain of being discarded after a few weeks or months. After Dad died, I didn't want to put anyone through the loss we went through either."

I remained silent, knowing instinctively that she had more to say. More that she needed to say, not just to me, but to herself as well.

"I've avoided caring about anyone other than Caity for years, Donny. I can't explain it but Gina got in under my radar and has broken through a lot of the barriers I didn't even know I had in place. We're serious about finding out where this can go and I'm serious enough to move my post to do it."

I let a smile slowly play across my face. This was good news as it meant she was letting her heart feel for people again. I knew it was something she had been working on in therapy, she told us about it a few times, but it looked like she was ready. "Pauli, I'll miss you but I'll put the paperwork through tomorrow when I go in. I hope everything works out for you two." I gave her a wink and teased her, "Besides, you need someone like her to keep you in line!"

I ducked the package of napkins she tossed at me before turning towards my dinner preparation. "If you're going to miss my cooking so much, why don't you come help and learn something?"

"Actually, that's a good idea. I was thinking about cooking dinner for Gina once I'm able to use my arm again. Anything I can do to help?"

I looked at her arm, still in the sling and decided to have her do some small things to feel useful. "Why don't you focus on getting me ingredients when I need them? That way I don't have to clutter up the counter right now. Let's make the stuffing first. I already chopped the veggies, can you grab them while I get the pan heated up?"

I put a large skillet on the range and poured in some olive oil once it was good and hot. I added in the diced onion, celery, garlic, and mushrooms, sauteing them until they were translucent. "Can you get me that bag of bread cubes please? And the box of chicken stock in the cabinet?"

"Coming up! No homemade stock today?" teased Pauli.

"Not today wise acre! I didn't have any on hand. Why don't you add the stock while I stir, okay?" She started pouring in the stock in a slow stream as I stirred in the bread cubes. When I had her stop, everything was moist but not overly soft yet. "Grab the herbs I have chopped up please and the honey."

I tossed in the chopped parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme, topping it with a small squeeze of honey. After mixing it well I set everything aside to cool down and prepped the chicken. I pulled out the innards and set them aside for disposal. I never used them since I have a bias against organs as food. I rinsed it inside and out, patted it dry with paper towels, and then sprinkled it with kosher salt and some white ground pepper. I rubbed b.u.t.ter all over the meat, under the skin, over the skin and inside the cavities.

"What's in that, it doesn't look like normal b.u.t.ter."

"I can't tell you Pauli, it is a long held family secret." It was a family recipe but I was just feeling playful.

"C'mon, dude! You sleep with my sister! How much more like family do I have to get?"

"Ouch! Okay, you're right, you are family." I grinned at her, letting it sink in but not dwelling on the statement for long. "It is a mixture of parsley, sage, lemon juice, honey, and lemon zest. I soften the b.u.t.ter, whip everything together, and let it harden again. Satisfied?"

She shot a grin at me and nodded her head. "Thanks, Sis!"

I shook my head, both pleased and scared that she had accepted me so fully into her sister's life.

"Why don't you wash the potatoes, toss them in some olive oil, and get them into the roasting pan?" I love fingerlings since they cook faster than larger potatoes, have a mixture of varieties, and there isn't any chopping involved. After she put them into the roaster, I added the chicken, which I had stuffed while she worked on the potatoes. I covered the whole pan with some tented foil and slid it into the preheated oven. "Wonderful! Dinner is handled. I'm going to go get cleaned up before Caity gets back here with Kristy. Keep an eye on things for me?"

I heard the bathroom door creak open while I showered and stuck my head out to see who it was. Caity stood there grinning at me. "Hey, baby, are you joining me or just ogling?" I ducked back into the shower to finish rinsing off.

"Sorry, just here for the show. I wanted to let you know we were here and give them a chance to talk for a few minutes. I think they both need to clear the air."

As I wrung the water from my hair, Caity wrapped a bath sheet around me and kissed my shoulder. I shivered at the touch of her tongue on my skin. Groaning, I twisted in her arms so I could capture her mouth. I loved the taste of her sweet lips, the softness of her tongue as it did battle with mine. I wanted to lose myself inside of her skin for days at a time.

Gasping, she pulled away and out of my arms. "You're dangerous! We can't do this now, not with them downstairs waiting for dinner with us." She wore a mischievous expression on her adorable face, one that spoke of promises for later activities. "You get dressed and join us downstairs. We will finish this later after I run Kristy home and get her settled in."

I sighed, "Promises, promises." As I dried my hair with a second towel I asked, "Why do they need to clear the air? What's going on?"

"Well, you know Pauli feels responsible for Kristy's hospitalization and leaving the station. Kristy apparently feels guilty for letting everyone, especially you and Pauli, down by not coming back to the rigs. I've told them both that this was just the path they were meant to follow but they didn't want to hear it from me."

After I brushed out my auburn hair and pulled it into ponytail, I slipped into a pair of boxer briefs and then some shorts. I scrounged in a drawer for a shirt to put on over my sports bra as I thought about what Caity had just said. "You mean, she thinks we're upset with her? That I'm upset with her for leaving active status? That's nuts!" I blushed as I realized what I had said.

Caity chuckled. "Perhaps not the best way to phrase it, but make sure you let her know you support her choice, okay? I'm going to get down there. Are you coming with me?"

I flashed her my best seductive look. "Not yet but you promised me later."

We pa.s.sed the dishes around the table, helping Pauli get her food on her plate since she couldn't use her arm that much yet. The tension I felt when I came downstairs earlier hadn't lessened much so I took matters into my own hands.

"I propose a toast." Caity looked at me strangely but raised her gla.s.s when I did. "To Pauli for fighting back and regaining some mobility so soon after her injury. And, to Kristy, for having the courage to face her demons, battle them, and come out the other side stronger than before. Best of luck in your teaching position! Cheers!"

The others had raised their gla.s.ses and repeated my "cheers" with a little less enthusiasm but at least it got the conversation started. Pauli looked over at Kristy and asked, "Are you really all right with teaching instead of running?"

Kristy set her gla.s.s of sparkling cider down. She put the force of her convictions behind her answer, "I really am. I think it is time to pa.s.s the torch and time to take better care of myself. I'm much better than I was but I still have a lot of work to do. It just isn't possible to continue to add injury to my psyche while trying to heal it at the same time."

Slowly, Pauli nodded as she digested the words spoken by her mentor. "Do you blame me? I mean, maybe this wouldn't be happening if I hadn't pushed the issue with you and Donny. I never meant to cost you your career Spi-I mean Kristy."

"If you hadn't spoken when you did, I might have been much worse before I could get better. You did the right thing, kiddo. Honestly, I owe you a debt of grat.i.tude for caring enough to get me some help when I didn't recognize the need for myself. Thank you for that, all three of you." With that, she raised her gla.s.s to each of us and took a sip.

Pauli turned a few different shades of red but turned her attention back to her plate. I cleared my throat and asked Kristy what her plans were for the night. "Did you want to crash here tonight and then one of us can run you home tomorrow? You're more than welcome to stay."

"Thanks, but I need to do this tonight. I'll just grab my gear after dinner and head over. I can walk it from here."

Caity shook her head emphatically. "Nonsense. Chloe and Pauli can do the dishes and I'll run you home. No sense lugging your stuff around while you're walking."

Pauli groaned. "That's why you have me here, to do ch.o.r.es."

"Yes, you one armed wonder, that's why we have you here." Caity smirked at her sister with affection.

I was upstairs in bed reading when I heard the front door close, the quiet steps on the stairs, a soft knock on Pauli's door and whispered murmurs. Finally, our bedroom door opened carefully, but it still creaked. "d.a.m.n, we have to remember to WD-40 those hinges," she complained.

"Then I would lose my alarm system," I kidded.

Caity shed her clothes on her way to the bathroom. I heard the water run, and the general sounds of her getting ready for bed routine. I couldn't remember feeling more content in my life and said a quick prayer of thanks to whoever might be listening. The bathroom door opened and Caity came out in her oversized sleep shirt, looking as adorable as ever. Her brown hair shone, her hazel eyes seemed to glow, and she had the most glorious smile on her face.

I pulled back the covers and then tucked them around her as she settled in next to me. "Tired, baby?" I asked.

"Uh-uh."

"Good!" I laid my book on the nightstand and reached for her. As we joined in a kiss, I lost myself in the feel of her tongue and lips merging with mine. I ran my hands through her hair, moaning as I felt her hands cup my b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Her thumbs slipped across my nipples, encouraging them to stiffen and swell. She gently lifted my shirt over my head before doing the same with her own. As we came together, skin to skin, I felt the heat emanate from her body and fuel the fire burning in me. I bent my head to kiss my way from her neck to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, skimming her nipples with my thumbs before following with my tongue.

Caity's moan fed my pa.s.sion for her, hearing her was a major turn on for me. "Oh, yes, baby, that feels so good!"

Her hand found its way down past my waist and ran lightly through my curls. "G.o.d yes, Caity! Touch me, please. I'm still hot from earlier." I groaned as her hand ran lightly down one thigh and up the other before brushing across my l.a.b.i.a.

"I want you, baby, can I go inside? I need to be inside you," whispered Caity.

All speech seemed to vanish and all I could do was moan and nod. I felt my head snap back as she teased my opening before plunging inside, deeply and quickly. I felt her tweak my c.l.i.t, my hips bucking as she did.

"Oh no you don't! You don't get to make me come without giving me a chance to taste you," I panted. I pulled her hips around so I could help her straddle my face, inhaling the musky scent of my lover. Gently, I nosed into her wet folds, licking the moisture from her as I eased my way into her center. She readjusted her fingers inside of me, then bent her head to take my c.l.i.t into her mouth.

The combination of having her inside of me, sucking me, and me tasting her, was enough to set me off. I felt the o.r.g.a.s.m coming from deep inside and pulled my mouth away long enough to warn her. "I'm gonna come, baby, come with me!"

I went to work on her c.l.i.t, sucking and swirling my tongue around and over her. I pushed the hood back over her hard c.l.i.t and teased the tight bundle of nerves with the tip of my tongue. I felt her stiffen with her approaching o.r.g.a.s.m and let myself go over the edge, confident that she would join me.

I groaned her name against her as I continued to come and drink from her. I felt her withdraw from me slowly, and I gave her one last teasing lick, before letting her turn and settle into my arms. As we regained our breath, I heard her ask, "Are you okay, baby?"

Too tired to do more than hug her and whisper, I replied. "I am amazing, you are amazing, and I love you so much, baby."

"I love you too, sweetie, let's get some sleep."

She burrowed into my arms and we slept.

CHAPTER 15.

THE SHRILL RING of the telephone woke me at five forty-five , something that did not typically mean good news. Sure enough, I had a medic calling out and I needed to find a replacement or cover the shift myself until I found someone. I eased out of bed in an attempt to let Caity sleep a bit longer, but she was already awake.

"Do you have to go?" she asked.

"Sorry, Jimmy called out. His wife is out of town, and one of his kids is sick so the day care won't take him. He hasn't had any luck finding anyone to watch the kids today. I told him I'd cover until I found another medic."

She sighed but threw off the covers and stood up. "I guess if you're going to work, I might as well get up and have breakfast with you before you leave."

"Baby, you don't have to do that, you're tired. You can go back to sleep."

"I'm fine and I'd rather spend the time with you. Go, grab a shower and I'll get something going for breakfast."

I smiled as I hurried through a shower and geared up for the shift. My uniform was laid out for me when I came out of the bathroom and my gear bag was packed and sitting on the foot of the bed. I dressed quickly, and headed downstairs to Caity and breakfast.

I found her in the kitchen, plating scrambled eggs, toast, and breakfast potatoes. "You're spoiling me, Caity. Thanks for laying out my gear for me. You know you don't have to wait on me like this, right?"

She deposited the food on the table and leaned over me for a kiss. "I like taking care of you sometimes. It isn't going to be an everyday thing, but sometimes I like feeling a bit like June Cleaver."

I chuckled, amazed again at how lucky I was to have this woman in my life. "Thank you, for everything." Shifting gears, and topics, I asked, "What's on your schedule today?"

She shrugged, "Most likely, I'll go back to bed for a little while, then work in the garden. I don't have to work until Monday so I might do some laundry or other stuff around here. How long is your shift?"

I grimaced. "Jim's shift you mean? He's on a twelve-hour today, seven to seven. I'm hoping I find someone interested in some overtime though before ten. I figure I can call Tony in, he's usually up for OT."

"Why not just call him now and let him go in?"

"I don't want to wake him up just yet. He was on until eleven last night. I have a few others I can call if he doesn't want the shift but I want to give him a crack at it first. He's doing more repairs to that rust bucket of his."

Caity chuckled. "This doesn't have anything to do with who your partner will be does it?"

I looked up at her. "Huh?" was my intelligent response.

"Isn't that Gina's shift? Pauli told me last night the Gina had to work until seven tonight."

I shrugged. "I don't remember if Jim was with her or someone else. I'll figure it out when I get there."

"Hmm," was the only response I got.

"Okay fine, I admit it, I want to run with her and find out what is going on with them. I also want a chance to get in touch with the supervisor at the company I'm trying to get Pauli into and he's on today."

Caity took my hand, kissed my palm, and looked into my eyes. I thought I might fall into them and be safe forever, swimming in the love I saw there.

"I thought you were up to something. Thank you for taking such an interest in my sister, Chloe. It means a lot to me. The two of you are the only family I have left."

I didn't know what to say so I didn't say anything. I just leaned over and kissed her gently. We leaned our heads together for moment, and I was stunned by the intensity of the moment. Caity jumped suddenly as the oven timer went off.

"Drat! I forgot I set it!"

I raised an eyebrow at her and waited.

"I set it so that I knew it was time to get you off to work. You have ten minutes to finish and get going."

I grinned at her then turned to my plate. We finished breakfast, and then I grabbed my gear bag, a water bottle, and a kiss, as I headed out the door.