"I've got a hat if you like that better," Kristine said, a little embarra.s.sed, tousling her hair nervously.

"Are you kidding?" Gloria ran her own fingers through Kristine's short waves, tucking a strand behind her ear. "I love being able to see your whole face. You've got nowhere to hide from me." She ran a hand down Kristine's arm. Kristine reacted with a shiver. "You clean up nice. Up 'til today, I couldn't picture you away from the horses and the trail."

Kristine drove them back to Mammoth Lakes thinking about Gloria's words. Though she doubted it was intentional, Gloria's comment about seeing only the cowgirl version of her renewed the hesitation Kristine felt about getting involved with someone who was okay with a summer fling. When the summer came to a close, would she desire something more with Kristine?

They found a small steakhouse and were tickled to be seated right in front of the stone fireplace. They took the waiter's suggestion and had the buffalo burger and Mediterranean shrimp and talked about the aspects of Mammoth they'd miss when the summer was over, both agreeing that it was sometimes nice to be the tourist, unrecognized by everyone in town. While they waited for their food, Kristine scrolled through some of the photos she'd taken to distract herself from the question of what would happen when the season closed in just a few weeks.

"I like the close-ups the best," Gloria said. "The texture is really something, isn't it?"

"That, in contrast to the still, clearness of the water is really fun to play with. I can't believe I've driven by the lake so many times without stopping to shoot anything."

"I'm really impressed," Gloria said. "I was with you all day, but I don't feel like I saw half of this. You have a way of finding the coolest angles. I'd love to see how you would capture the places I love. What you'd do with the fog in the redwoods or when it settles in on the coast like a blanket. There are all these great gnarled trees that hang onto the rocky cliffs."

"I saw a collection of prints from a place called Fern Canyon. That area is definitely on my list of places to visit."

"Well consider yourself invited. I'll be your tour guide."

The day had made her feel close to Gloria, closer than she'd been to anyone in a long time, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that they were spending time together out of the convenience of being in the same place. Kristine, herself, was a tour guide to hundreds of people in the backcountry during the summer. There was no intimacy there, just a professional courtesy. She wanted to ask if that was all Gloria would be, but instead she said, "It sounds like you miss home."

"I'll be happy to wrap up this project and get back," Gloria admitted. "I enjoyed fieldwork a lot more when my folks could join me. When I was little, we used to take family vacations every year, a different state park that my mom would research the whole year. When I started working with Fish and Wildlife, it was kind of continuing that tradition, only we went where the job took me instead of the park my mom chose."

"They can't join you here?"

"No, my mom has leukemia. At first it just meant no hiking. That's when we got the camper. That made it a lot easier on my mom. But it's gotten trickier to manage-more medication, more doctors' appointments. She's more comfortable at home."

"And this is why you send her pictures," Kristine said. "Because she can't make it."

"You remembered."

"Of course. You sent her my stuff. I was really flattered." They ate in silence, Kristine appreciating a salad after months of chicken and ribs. "Is it easier for your mom when you're home?" she asked.

"Yes and no. I really enjoy her company, and my dad is always telling me how much better she does when I'm around. He keeps urging me to get something full time in town. I want to be there, but at the same time, I don't want her to feel like I'm hovering. Like when I'm away, it's because I have faith that she's doing well enough that I can be away."

"So, she's doing well now?"

"Well enough, thanks." Gloria's eyes were warm. She reached across the table and traced her finger along the back of Kristine's hand. "What about your parents? Are you close?"

Kristine sighed, pushing her plate away. "They're good people, and we get on fine if I follow their cues."

"So the pun on your logo is intended."

Kristine was impressed that Gloria had noticed what she'd implied on the Suzy-Q Card logo she used. The disagreements with her father always stemmed from Kristine trying to go in a direction that didn't match his plans. "My father would very much like it if I would be more dutiful and grateful for the ranch he'd like to hand over to me when he retires. I love the ranch, and I love Quincy, but I cannot spend the rest of my life there."

The attentive waiter returned and offered dessert. Gloria waved him off easily, and Kristine agreed that she had no room for it, but the way Gloria kept her gaze on Kristine made her wonder if she had a different kind of dessert in mind. Back in the cab of the truck, Gloria leaned over and pulled Kristine into a deep kiss, an I have plans for you kiss. Her lips tempted her down a very appealing trail, one she knew offered all sorts of wondrous views and experiences. Reluctantly, she broke away from the kiss.

Her attention back on the road, her father's parting words as she'd left for the Lodge came back to her. He challenged her about whether she had a concrete plan for her future because unless she did, he figured she'd stick to his plan for her on the ranch. Kristine did have a plan of sorts, which she hadn't told her father. It was to extract herself from the ranch. Whatever came next she didn't know, but she knew she would never return for an extended period ever again. Instead of forging out on her own after she graduated, she'd made the mistake of going home and had found it almost impossible to leave. Gabe's last-minute call had given her a toehold to the freedom to make her own choices.

Kristine held the hand Gloria put in her lap and wondered where this woman might lead her. At the beginning of the summer, she'd been drawn to Gloria because she seemed to see Kristine for who she was, not as the girl she had been as everyone else did. Now, since she'd spent more time with Gloria and shared the conflict about her past at the Lodge, she knew for certain that if they slept together it would not be a transient thing, at least for her. She still worried about the comment Gloria had made earlier in the summer about casual s.e.x not being a problem for her.

"You're not staying," Gloria stated when Kristine pulled up next to Gloria's camper and put the truck into neutral.

Kristine kissed her, trying to convey with her actions how very much she would like to stay. "I had the best day."

"I did, too."

"I'm sorry, I..." What could Kristine say? It wasn't that she didn't want to stay or that she wasn't immensely attracted to Gloria. "You are so beautiful, so s.e.xy..."

"It's okay." Gloria kissed her again, her tongue dancing playfully against Kristine's. "I know you've got a lot going on in here." She ma.s.saged Kristine's temple.

"You're not disappointed?"

"I was disappointed at the beginning of the summer when you said no."

"I never meant..."

"No." Gloria kissed her. "I wasn't trying to make you feel guilty. I was disappointed because from the moment I saw you, I wanted to kiss those lips, I wanted to get you out of those s.e.xy jeans you wear. I wanted what I always wanted. Your wanting to be friends changed things..."

"You don't want me so much anymore?" Kristine said, lacing her fingers with Gloria's.

"If you're getting that impression, I need to try harder to show you that everything's different." She squeezed Kristine's hand. "What I wanted always burned bright and quick, but now...You told me you're not into that anymore."

"No." Kristine hadn't expected the idea she'd been struggling with all night to turn into a conversation with Gloria. But then, she hadn't expected saying yes to a date and finding herself wanting the more-than-casual relationship that they now seemed to have. She wasn't even sure what kind of relationship that meant.

"As it turns out, neither am I."

"What are you into now?"

"Whatever this is with you. I want it to be more than friendship, but I know that you need to do what feels right to you. I'm following your lead."

"That could be trouble if I don't know where I'm going." Kristine leaned forward, and their mouths met again. Kristine was aiming for a thank-you-for-understanding kiss, uncomplicated. Succinct. Her lips betrayed her though, parting enough that Gloria teased her tongue past them in invitation. Kristine could not resist, opening her mouth further, losing herself in the caress of Gloria's lips, the playful dance of their tongues. Their kisses quickened, luring her in deeper. This, she realized, felt right. She'd be crazy to drive away knowing Gloria felt the same way. She threw the truck in reverse, and Gloria pulled away, confused.

"You told me to do what feels right. I'm listening." She eyed Gloria's camper. "But your camper seems a little cramped. Is my place okay?"

"I wasn't trying to pressure..."

Kristine stopped her with a kiss. "Do you need anything, or can I drive?"

"I just need you."

For now, Kristine thought, that would be enough.

Chapter Eighteen.

"What about your brother?" Gloria asked as they pulled up in front of the cabin.

"Down at the Lodge. They'll keep him out late."

"You hope," Gloria teased, joining Kristine inside.

"I hope," Kristine said low and throaty, her eyes dancing.

The short walk to the front door left Gloria out of breath. Admitting to Kristine that she was emotionally involved had intensified everything she was feeling, the antic.i.p.ation, the nerves. She stood inside the cabin door, wanting Kristine but also wanting her to see that she cared so much about her. "You are so beautiful," she said, taking Kristine's hands and holding them against her hips. Gloria ran her hands down Kristine's arms, admiring the muscling before tucking her hands beneath Kristine's shirt, finding an equally tight abdomen underneath her fingertips. "So strong," she whispered at the nape of her neck, smiling as she felt Kristine's skin flutter underneath her touch. She'd wanted to touch her for so long and intended to savor the body in front of her.

"Sure you're not talking about yourself?" Kristine said, leading her back to the bedroom. She kicked her door shut behind them, her hands immediately on Gloria, unb.u.t.toning her shirt and skimming over the top of her exposed b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Gloria shrugged the overshirt from her shoulders, but before Kristine could work off the camisole, she pushed her in the direction of her bed. Usually she was the one to let her partner take the lead, completely attuned to what she wanted to feel. Tonight, she wanted her hands on Kristine. She needed to communicate to Kristine that what they were doing was more than just s.e.x.

Gloria kissed her way up Kristine's neck, taking an earlobe in her teeth, enjoying the hiss it produced from Kristine. "Someone likes her ears kissed?" she asked, tracing Kristine's ear with her tongue. "Keep showing me what you like, what you want. I want to make you happy." Kristine's arms tightened around Gloria in response. She pulled Gloria to her, groaning as it brought every part of their bodies together. Gloria felt the closeness go beyond the physical contact and ran her arms up Kristine's back and wrapped them around her neck thinking how absurd it felt to want to protect a woman who felt so strong to her.

Gloria pulled back and studied Kristine's eyes, dilated with desire. Slipping her hands under Kristine's shirt, Gloria swept up the curve of Kristine's sides, removing her black tank, reveling in the feel of her smooth skin. Slowly unfastening her bra, she found already budded nipples which she teased slowly, making Kristine gasp. Kristine unfastened the b.u.t.ton of Gloria's jeans and lowered the zipper before she eased them from Gloria's hips. When they caught at Gloria's knees, Kristine lifted a foot and stepped down, pushing the pants to the floor where Gloria stepped out of them.

"Nice trick," she said, returning to Kristine's lips, kissing and pulling, gently taking Kristine's lower lip between her teeth.

"Stick around. I've got a few more," purred Kristine.

She closed her eyes as Kristine's strong hands grazed her now naked form, exploring every surface. Kristine stepped closer, guiding her backward until her knees. .h.i.t the bed. She kissed Gloria to a seated position, but Gloria did not let her push her on to her back. Instead she took in the s.e.xy body standing topless but still in her tight jeans. She traced a line from Kristine's clavicle to her belt. "Not this ridiculous thing again. Off. Now."

Kristine laughed and shucked off the offending belt along with the jeans it held up, before returning to the bed, hiking a knee up on either side of Gloria and settling into her lap.

"So much better," Gloria said, running her hands over Kristine's now bare a.s.s.

Kristine kissed her deeply, tipping her back to rest on the bed. Gloria groaned into the kiss as Kristine's b.r.e.a.s.t.s swept up her belly and met her own. Her center begged to be in contact as well. Her right foot braced on the bed, she levered her hips and swung Kristine to her back, quickly scissoring their legs and meeting Kristine's hot, wet center with her own.

Kristine gasped at the contact as Gloria ground into her, rocking her hips rhythmically. She moved one hand to Kristine's nipple, teasing, and at the same time maintaining her thrusts. Kristine felt so good beneath her. Their lips met again, and Gloria nearly came with the intensity of Kristine's tongue dancing against her own.

Suddenly, Gloria shifted, running her hand down Kristine's thigh. She needed to feel her. She needed to be inside her. Her fingers dipped into Kristine's wetness and pulled it to her c.l.i.t, stroking in quick motions wringing a surprised cry from Kristine. She slowed only to slip inside Kristine, relishing the feel of her walls clamping against her, speeding up and playing Kristine's c.l.i.t with her thumb. She listened to the song of Kristine's climax building, the moans mixed with gasps, the catch of her breath and pant that guided Gloria to the strokes that would bring release.

She captured Kristine's nipple in her mouth, feeling Kristine push her upper body up off the bed to meet her with a long low moan.

"You. Feel. So. Good." Kristine panted.

"You do," Gloria said, her thumb slowly circling Kristine's c.l.i.t.

Still moving against Gloria's finger, Kristine surprised Gloria by shifting her hips and rolling her over. "Not so fast," she whispered, tipping Gloria's head to the side, kissing the down behind Gloria's ear. Gloria shuddered and arched into Kristine, wanting to feel her again. She withdrew from Kristine and pulled their groins together. Kristine sped up for a moment and then paused, her hand drifting down Gloria's side.

"Don't stop. I'm so close," Gloria whispered. "Please don't stop."

"But I want to touch you," Kristine said. "Let me touch you."

Gloria pulled again on Kristine's hips and captured her lips in another searing kiss. "No time," she said, demanding compliance by rocking her center against Kristine.

"This?" Kristine asked, returning the pressure.

"More."

"Just this?" Kristine teased as she ground faster.

"Yes, just you," Gloria cried out as her climax overtook her. She raked her nails up Kristine's back, enjoying the arch of response, then tickled fingertips around in circles, finally stopping on Kristine's b.u.t.t.

"Are you always that fast?" Kristine teased.

"Hey, I've been waiting a long time for that," Gloria murmured, smiling.

Kristine traced Gloria's body, and her lips echoed their course, switchbacking lower and lower until Kristine settled between her legs.

"Come back here," Gloria said, trying to pull Kristine from her destination.

"I want my mouth on you. I want to feel you come."

"But I already-" The rest of Gloria's sentence disappeared as Kristine slipped fingers past her wet folds at the same moment her hot mouth closed around her c.l.i.t. "Oh, Kristine." Kristine's moan of reply amped her body's response. Kristine's mouth felt too good to fight. She rested back against the bed, unbelieving as she felt a second climax building. Hands buried in Kristine's hair, her back arched off the bed, a second o.r.g.a.s.m crashed through her body, ripping cries of ecstasy from her throat.

"That's a bit better," Kristine said, resting her cheek against Gloria's thigh while her fingers continued to play in Gloria's slick folds.

"Up here, now."

"Oooh, sounds like I'm in trouble." Humor filled Kristine's voice as she climbed up Gloria's body, hovering infuriatingly above as she planted feathery kisses on Gloria's abdomen and chest. Her upper body strength made it impossible for Gloria to pull their bodies together. Frustrated, Gloria changed tactics, slipping her hand between them and finding Kristine's center even wetter than she'd remembered.

"You're so wet."

"Because you're so incredibly s.e.xy," Kristine whispered, gasping as Gloria slipped her fingers back inside.

Kristine ground her hips deliciously against Gloria. "More." Gloria obliged, loving the feel of Kristine's walls tight on the two fingers she buried inside. Gloria held tight as Kristine's rhythmic thrusts quickened until she tumbled into her own o.r.g.a.s.m, shuddering on top of Gloria, her thrusts slowing as she rode out the waves of her pleasure. She pulled away from Gloria's fingers and collapsed next to her on the bed.

"That was incredible," Kristine said.

"I knew it would be. But someone was a little stubborn."

"Mulish, I've been told."

"I can't move," Gloria said sleepily.

"I wasn't asking you to. I was hoping you'd help keep the bed warm tonight."

"Oh, is that what I'm doing?" Gloria finally managed to turn on her side, so she could get her hands back on Kristine, petting lazy circles along her hip. Given a job, she reached down and pulled a comforter over their bodies. She settled down easily next to Kristine's body, not feeling her typical anxiety about extracting herself after s.e.x. The time she'd spent with Kristine made it feel more natural to be together than apart, making it easy to drift into a deep sleep.

Chapter Nineteen.