She paused and looked into my eyes before asking me, "Do you trust me? I mean, really trust me? If this gets uncomfortable or anything, just tell me to stop and I will, okay?"

"Oh G.o.d, Caity, if I get any more turned on, I'll come without you touching me! This is all fine and I do trust you. I trust you with my heart, mind, and body. Please, please make love to me!"

She turned around after giving me a gentle kiss. She pulled out the first toy, a vibrating bullet, and started rubbing it over my overheated body. She began at my b.r.e.a.s.t.s, running it over my painfully hard nipples before using her tongue and lips to soothe the ache. As she used her mouth on my b.r.e.a.s.t.s, she ran the vibrator down my stomach and I could feel the muscles twitch and clench as it circled my navel.

"That feels so amazing, honey," I groaned as she continued to play with my body. I could feel how wet I was already and she hadn't even touched below my waist.

Caity groaned, "You taste so d.a.m.n good! I could feast on you for days. I hope you aren't tired, baby, no rest for you today!"

She moved the bullet down towards my v.u.l.v.a but only ran it lightly across before she ran it down one thigh in a tantalizingly slow tease. I bucked my hips, trying to make contact with something but all I found was air. She chuckled and moved the vibrating bullet up the other leg and stopped just short of my center. I groaned and started trying to get relief by grinding into her hand. She was having none of that. I was forced to wait as I felt my c.l.i.t grow as hard and erect as it ever had before.

"Ready for some more fun, baby? I'm not even close to done yet," said Caity. "I've got a few other things to do to you before you can come. Can you hold out if I promise it will be worth it?"

I was starting to sweat and I couldn't stop my hips from moving as she glided over me, but I nodded and grimaced. "Please, Caity, soon, I need you. I need to come!" I could hardly speak, all I could focus on was that hand, the buzzing near my c.l.i.t and the pounding pulse between my legs. Caity leaned away from me, grabbing something from behind her and slathered lube on it quickly.

She looked me in the eye again asked, "Are you sure you're ready? I wouldn't want you to come too soon."

She leaned over me and gave me a kiss that stole my breath. Tongues were battling. I could hardly tell whose tongue was whose, whose lips were whose. It didn't matter, all that mattered was the contact of that sweet mouth and those talented hands. Oh those hands, I felt them moving up my legs again, brushing the bullet against my opening, teasing around the edges as I thrust towards it. Her other hand moved something else between my a.s.s cheeks, a small d.i.l.d.o. I stiffened briefly, but she kissed me again and I relaxed into it. She eased it into me and I felt my c.l.i.t stiffen even more. Caity kissed her way down my body, teasing, licking, nibbling, and soothing my hot body even as she excited it further.

"Babe, you smell so good! You're so hot and wet. Is this for me? Do I do this to you?"

There was something like wonder in her voice, but also a little pride. She groaned and leaned her head down, brushing her lips against my l.a.b.i.a. I felt myself tighten as she slowly pushed a finger into me and ran her tongue up my c.l.i.t, just once.

I couldn't stop myself. My hips started bucking, my legs spread as far as they could, and I started crying out for relief. "Please, please! Suck me, let me come, Caity! Oh, Caity, I love you so much, please let me come." Over and over, I heard myself beg for release.

"Soon, baby, so soon. I promise, it will be worth the wait."

Her words worked to inflame me so much that I thought I would lose it right then. She suddenly slipped the small d.i.l.d.o the rest of the way into my a.s.s as she started licking and sucking my c.l.i.t hard and fast. I thought I might die from the sensation of her fingers in me as she worked the d.i.l.d.o in my a.s.s, and sucked me off.

"Oh, oh G.o.d, oh, Caity! I'm gonna come, I'm coooomming!" I lost it, I shuddered and bucked without control as bright lights went off behind my eyes. I felt her ease out of me and soothe my c.l.i.t gently with her tongue before she moved up the bed to hold me. I couldn't move. I still felt tremors moving through my body. The last thing I remember is her holding me tightly and telling me to take a nap.

I awoke to find Caity stroking my hair gently. I looked up at her and saw a twinkle in her eyes and I was fairly certain what had put it there. "Can't get enough of me, huh?" I teased.

She leaned down to kiss me, nibbling at my lower lip. "Not really. Are you complaining?" She raised her left eyebrow and looked at me, trying not to smile.

"Who me? What am I crazy? A beautiful woman wants to make love to me and I'm dumb enough to complain? I think not! The question is, does that woman want more time in bed, or is it time to feed her stomach? I heard that little growl just now." I grinned up at her before nibbling at her neck.

"Hmm, well, I like the bed idea, but honestly, it will be here and I'm starving! Cook something for me, anything at all. I love when you cook for me." She batted her eyes in a satirically coquettish manner.

Laughing, I tossed the blanket aside, grabbed some sweats from the dresser, and pulled on a T-shirt. "Your wish, is my pleasure to fulfill. Any special requests? If I have the ingredients, I will make it."

Caity's brow wrinkled in thought before she exclaimed, "I have a craving for your Matzo Brie! Do you have what you need?"

Now, I should explain, I'm not from a Jewish family, but my grandmother's best friend was Jewish and she learned to make Matzo Brie from her. The dish was handed down in our family and it was something I adored. A true comfort food for me.

"I have good news, I happen to have all the stuff I need. I'll go get it started."

Caity said she'd be down in a few minutes, so I headed into the kitchen to rummage around for my special pan. Normally, I believe in multi-purpose kitchen tools, but for this dish, I had a special, very heavy, steel with copper sandwiched inside, oval omelet pan. It was at least forty years old and was something from my grandmother. This pan has only been used for this dish ever, and it will stay that way. I won't be the one to tempt fate! It has a hinge holding two identical pans together so it can be folded up. That way the mixture can be flipped for perfectly even cooking on both sides.

I found the pan, resting in the special bag I keep it in so that it doesn't get damaged between uses. I pulled it out, rinsed it, and put it on the counter to dry. I gathered the ingredients and implements I would need before getting started on the actual food preparation. I heard Caity coming down the stairs so I figured it was time to start the bacon.

"Can I help with anything?" asked Caity.

"If you want to grab some juice for us, and the plates, that's plenty, I've got the rest. Besides you earned a breakfast." I tried to leer at her as I said that, but I never really learned how to leer properly, so she laughed at me.

"If you're sure, then I'll keep you company while you cook. Now that we're together, can I learn how you make this stuff?"

"Sure, I'll talk you through it, it's pretty easy. First, I'm going to put the bacon in. Then I'll get the rest started."

I laid out the bacon on a broiler pan, so the fat would drip away, and put it in the oven. I'd started it preheating while I was gathering things, so that it was fully heated. Next, I grabbed the eggs and matzo. "Ready? First lesson, crack the boards of matzo up into bits about an inch square, give or take. Put them in a colander and run some hot water over them. Just enough to get them wet, but not too mushy. Let that drain while the onions get diced."

"I could have done the onions, honey."

"Oh, I know, but it is how I time the drying process." I took the medium sized sweet onion, and cut it into a rough chop, with bits just smaller than the size of the matzo pieces. I turned on the burner and started heating the special pan.

"Okay, here is where there are differences. Some people swear by b.u.t.ter, other people use oil. I tend towards either really good b.u.t.ter, or I just use a bit of spray stuff from a can. Today, I think we can spare the calories, so I'm using the Danish b.u.t.ter I picked up last week."

"Wow, I must have done something well, you love that stuff." Caity actually looked impressed that I would use that b.u.t.ter. She was so cute that I had to kiss her.

I went over to her and leaned down. "I love you even more." I kissed her on her forehead and went back to my cooking duties. I turned around and saw her blushing, which made me need to look away before I sc.r.a.pped breakfast and took her on the floor.

Clearing my throat, I continued, "Now that the pan is hot, the b.u.t.ter goes in and coats both sides of the pan. Once it is coated, I toss in the onion and give them a shake to get them all coated before closing up the lid and turning down the heat a bit. I want them to start to caramelize, not fry. Are you with me so far?"

"Oh yeah, I'm with you, sweetie."

Somehow, she had snuck up behind me and held me from behind as she spoke. I wasn't complaining, I just couldn't figure out how she had managed it.

"Careful, no distracting the cook while she's working with flames." I did lean back into the embrace for a moment before reluctantly leaving her arms to get the eggs ready for the pan.

I cracked the eggs, two per person and this pan was large enough to accommodate that amount of food and then some. I whipped them together with about two tablespoons of water, a dash of salt, some freshly ground white pepper, and a dash of white table sugar. Once it was combined, I gently folded in the damp matzo bits. That meant it was time to shake up the onion some more and give it a quick peek.

Everything looked great, the onions were translucent and getting soft but still had some texture. I pulled the pan off the heat, scooped the onions into the egg mixture, and stirred gently. I recoated the pan with a bit more b.u.t.ter and gently poured the mixture into the pan before closing the lid and setting the pan on a medium-low flame. Caity watched in silence as I worked, but she stayed close enough to rest a hand on the small of my back most of the time.

I cleared the debris into the garbage can and sink before pulling the bacon out of the oven to drain. The magic pan was starting to release a fragrant and wonderful odor of cooking onions and eggs. I checked the pan by raising the lid carefully. The top of the mixture was still slightly soupy but the edges were firm. I ran a silicone spatula around the edges to ensure the super sized omelet was loose enough for the next maneuver. I closed the lid and looked at Caity. "This is it, mess this up and I ruin the presentation, and according to some, the taste. Ready?"

She nodded at me and smiled. "I really love your dramatic flair, it's so cute!"

I mock glared at her before I readied myself. "One, two, three. Voila!" As I counted, I lifted the pan and readied my grip. On three, I quickly and gently flipped the pan and gave it one, and only one, tap on the burner. When I said "Voila," I opened the lid to show the entire omelet had flipped without sticking, and we could see a perfect, lightly browned side facing us.

Caity clapped for me and I took a half bow. "I know, I know, it is hard to live up to the high standards I've set here today. But if you follow my example and train for years, you too could make a perfect Matzo Brie!" I was laying it on thick but I figured she started it, so it was only fair that I play it up.

"Goofball! It is impressive and I'm starving. I'll get the plates."

When she brought the plates over, I slid the entire dish onto one plate, even though it hardly fit, and dusted the top with a little more table sugar. I cut it in half, moved one half to the second plate and divided up the bacon. We took the dishes to the table and prepared to enjoy the feast.

"I remember the first time you made this for me. I thought you were nuts, bringing your "special pan" and adding sugar to a savory dish."

I remembered it well. We had been friends for about a year, and she was starting to look for houses. We had planned on going to a bunch of open houses to look, so I offered to take care of breakfast. I brought everything to her place to cook for us and converted another to the mixture of sweet and savory.

"See how well that worked out? Why did you ever doubt me?"

She chuckled and then moaned as she took her first bite of breakfast. "That is still so good! Every time you make it, I know I'll love it, but it takes me by surprise a bit too. Thanks, honey, I appreciate not only the meal, but the lesson too. Maybe I'll make it for you sometime!"

"You are the best reason I've had in a long time to cook. I'm just glad you like it. Speaking of which, do we need to pick anything up for tomorrow's dinner?"

She sighed, "I know, I haven't forgotten. Let's run through the menu and ingredients after we eat. If we need anything, one of us can go out and the other can start food preparations."

"Sounds like a plan."

We ate in relative silence after that, both of us worried about the two women coming over the next night.

It was getting close to the time we expected Pauli and Spike and we were ready. The appetizer tray was prepared, plastic wrapped in the fridge for later. The chicken was marinating on the counter, allowing it to warm to room temperature before cooking. The veggies were all arranged in foil packages, one per person, with seasoning, and ready for the grill. I had the charcoal ready to light, figuring I would wait until the women were there. We could graze until the meal was ready and try to relax before tackling the heavier topics of the night.

Caity came down the stairs from my bedroom looking relaxed and adorable. She was dressed in cream-colored cotton shorts, with a yellow polo shirt, and her feet were bare. I felt my heart jump at how perfect it felt to watch her come down the stairs as if she belonged there. I went over to her and put my arms around her. "You look great, baby!"

She grinned at me, "Thanks but you're nuts. I'm just wearing shorts and a polo for goodness sakes. However, for being so sweet, you get a reward."

She gave me a sweet but quick kiss, then ran her hand over my b.r.e.a.s.t.s as she walked past.

"Hey, no teasing the animals! That was so not fair of you!" I complained, but I loved the attention and she knew it.

"Uh huh, sure, honey, I'll stop teasing later, when we're alone for the night."

I sighed in contentment, those moments of feeling uncomfortable about our physical interactions long gone. "Hey, can I ask a question, Caity?"

"Of course, what's up? Problem with the food?"

"No, nothing like that, just something that I remembered from when we first admitted that we wanted to date each other. I was kind of feeling awkward about touching you, cuddling, all the physical stuff was strange for me at first. Now, I can't imagine going without your touch on my skin. Did you experience anything like that? Just feeling odd about the sudden change?"

Caity looked thoughtful and took a moment to reply. She took my hand and pulled me to her, hugging me tightly. "The night I took things into my own hands, so to speak, I knew it would be different, but I didn't understand yet how different. There were times when I would look at you holding me, or holding my hand, and want to pinch myself. I remember thinking, "Chloe and I are actually a couple!" I couldn't believe how lucky I felt. I still feel lucky, but I feel the same way about touching you. I need to feel your hands and skin, even if it just for a moment. I crave that intimacy with you."

I blushed, but kissed her palm, relishing the feel of her skin against my lips. "I think we may have to talk about our living arrangements soon, don't you? I hate it when we don't spend our time off together. Is it too soon?"

Caity started to chuckle, then laughed outright. I wasn't sure why she was laughing and I started to worry. I knew she loved me, but I couldn't understand her reaction. She pulled away from me, went to her backpack, and pulled out what looked like a greeting card. She handed it to me, still chuckling.

"What is it? Did I miss something?"

"Trust me, baby, just open it. I was going to give it to you tonight or tomorrow morning, depending on our mood after they left."

I tore open the envelope and pulled out the card. On the front was a picture of a U-Haul being loaded by very butch looking women. I opened it and saw the printed words, "Let's live together! Your place or mine?" Caity had written in the card as well. "Why should we wait? We've been best friends for so long. Let's do it, let's make the move! Live with me? Love always, your Caity."

What could I say? I knew the answer since I was prepared to ask the same question. "Of course, baby!" I pulled her back into my arms to kiss her just as the doorbell rang. Giving out a frustrated groan, I settled for a quick brush of my lips across hers before heading for the door.

When I opened the door, I was surprised to see both of our guests waiting for me. I grinned and stepped back to let them in. "Hey guys! Nice of you to save me from answering the door twice. How are you?"

Both women greeted me and showed me their contributions for dinner. Spike brought a peach pie that she had baked herself. Pauli had brought the salad, a great mix of different lettuces with all sorts of vegetables in it from the looks of things. She held up a cruet of homemade dressing to go with it.

"Looks like we're eating well tonight! Excellent! Let's go drop this stuff off in the kitchen. Caity should have the patio set up, and I brought a cooler out there earlier for drinks so we wouldn't have to run back and forth."

We all headed out there after dropping the food off in the kitchen. Caity did have the chairs and table ready to go. She gave Pauli a big hug, teasing her about not keeping in touch with her big sister often enough. She gave Spike a hug next before offering them both drinks.

We hung out, picking at the cheese, crackers, and fruit tray that Caity had set up earlier. We kept the topics clear of anything too emotional, just local happenings, moves within the department, basic small talk. Caity and Pauli started talking about some family stuff while Spike and I went to start the charcoal for the grill.

While we were away from the other two women, Spike asked me about my thoughts regarding Pauli. I made a show of lighting the grill and arranging the charcoal precisely how I wanted it, stalling on my answer. Finally, I had to turn to her and tell her something to avoid the conversation.

"Well, I didn't really see anything out of the ordinary since we've been running together. I'm not sure, let's talk about it later, I need to get some stuff together for the grill and start setting up the food." She looked at me with suspicion, but she let it slide for the moment. As I headed back towards the patio table and the house, I noticed that Caity and Pauli seemed to be having an intense conversation. It looked like we would be in for one heck of a night!

I went into the house to grab everything I needed and Pauli slipped in behind me.

"Need a hand, Donny?"

"Thanks, you wanna grab that tray over there? It has everything I need for the grill, I'll grab the food."

"You got it. So, what do you think? Are we going to be able to help Spike? I don't want to look like an a.s.s to the company for starting trouble with her. I mean, she is a walking legend! But I'm worried, ya know?"

Pauli looked more scared than I've ever seen her look. I realized that she was really tearing herself up over this, so I tried to find some words of comfort. "Look, Pauli, technically, I'm your supervisor, right?" She nodded. "So, the way I see it, you were doing your job by looking out for one of our family. It is our obligation to each other to help if one of us is in trouble. That could mean trapped in a fire, the victim of a violent call, or any number of other dangerous things we deal with everyday. How is this any different? You followed channels, you came to me, you didn't spread rumors, and you had enough to back your statements up. If anything, you did exactly the right thing. Ignoring warning signs of a problem is putting us all at risk."

"I guess, I just feel like such a snitch. What if I'm just overreacting because of the cla.s.ses I've been taking? Maybe I'm just looking for stuff that isn't there. I want to be wrong, but I don't want her to hate me."

I sighed. "Pauli, if Spike went down on a call, would you be doing the right thing if you didn't radio it in and get her help? Of course not! You did the right thing, no matter the outcome. I thought enough of your suspicions to bring us all together tonight. Let's just go get dinner ready, eat, and then we'll tackle the talk. Okay?"

She looked at me hard before giving me a small smile as she nodded her agreement. We grabbed our trays and headed back outside. I stopped by the table to drop some of the stuff off and collect a kiss. Caity and I traded looks when we kissed and agreed silently that tonight wasn't the night to make the announcement about us moving in together. For now, it was enough that we knew, and that we were going to try to help our friend and family.

We sat in the living room with tea and coffee mugs firmly in hand. I looked over at both of my friends and felt Caity squeeze my hand in encouragement. With a deep breath, I started speaking. "All right, you both came to me with worries about each other. Instead of playing games, going back and forth, and before it has to go to the captain, I wanted to try to handle this between us. You both have to be willing to answer honestly, the questions we ask. Are you guys willing to give this a try?"

They looked at each other, then at me. I didn't know what to expect next as neither one looked happy about my statement. I nervously sipped my tea, but I kept my eyes on them, waiting for an answer.

Pauli finally made her choice, "Okay, Donny, I'm willing to give it a try tonight. I'll answer whatever questions you want me to answer."

Spike gave me a look that conveyed disappointment and pain. "I don't know what you think is going on. I'm not sure what you hope to gain from this, but I'll play along for now."

I pulled out the information I had received from the counselor who helped during our last Critical Incident Debriefing. "I have a list here of questions to ask you guys. I need you both to think about the questions and answer me honestly. Do you have trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep?"

"I've had problems in the past, but since I've been in therapy, it is getting much better," said Pauli.

"Yeah, sometimes I can't sleep if I'm wound up after a shift or something. It goes away if I drink a beer or something. I've been a restless sleeper since I was a kid, what does that prove?" Spike was already proving to be resentful of the questions, but I went on.

"Do you find it hard to concentrate on tasks for long periods of time?"

Pauli laughed, "I've had that problem since I was a kid! The doctor finally realized I have ADD, and I've been better since they gave me medication for it."

Spike glared at Pauli, then at me. "I do just fine on calls and you both know it. I'm the best d.a.m.n medic we have out there! So what if I can't spend a lot of time doing paperwork or stuff? I have it when I need it, on the streets!"