of directed brilliance. What she'd craved in her life had been totally obscure but was now utterly speci c and vital to her very existence. It was her love for Alex. Nothing had ever been so right, as perfect as this moment .

"I love you," Keri said again.

"Oh G.o.d, how I love you." Alex's breath came in excited gasps.

"But we need to talk about this." She wanted Keri to understand what to expect, but the words tasted bitter in her mouth. She wanted Keri more than life itself.

"I've already decided what I want and how I feel about it. We t. I know you feel it, too." Keri wedged her leg between Alex's thighs and lowered herself to bring them together. Alex grabbed her naked b.u.t.t and forced her to match her own frantic humping. She'd never been this hot and out of control for any woman. Her crotch was soaked and she was only seconds from climax.

Keri pushed herself up on her hands to look at the woman beneath her. "I certainly hope you're not about to come, Alex Troy. I've waited too long for this."

Alex's disappointed groan brought a chuckle that was quickly smothered by a plea. "Can I touch you?" Keri blushed as she asked.

"Yes, please." Alex unb.u.t.toned the con ning shirt and discarded it with her bra. She brought Keri's hand to her breast.

Keri thought how beautiful Alex looked: her lips were deeply colored and swollen from their endless kisses, her nipples puckered and demanding Keri's touch. Skin so soft and yielding welcomed her. A bolt of excitement shot between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and pelvis as she took a dimpled nipple into her mouth. She sucked the delicate tip and ma.s.saged the mound of esh beneath it with her ngers. Each suck pulled her c.l.i.toris tighter as it became more engorged.

She reached for Alex's trousers. "Can I?"

"You can do anything you want." Alex edged closer to o.r.g.a.s.m with each request. She'd never had a woman ask permission.

Keri slowly peeled the clothing away. Alex's exposed skin was ushed and glistening. Beads of moisture clung to the chocolate brown triangle between her legs.

Smiling, Keri repositioned herself for easy access. "I had no idea your body could tell me so much. I think you want me." She ran her index ngers along the juncture of thigh and torso.

* 227 *

"If you don't touch me," Alex groaned, "I'm going to die."

Something Keri had once heard echoed in her mind: It's emotional, almost like instinct. Every touch feels like an extension of your own body.

It's raw and tender and hot all at the same time. She nally understood what Pat had said to her that day a long time ago. Her already engorged c.l.i.toris pounded with each stroke of Alex's tender esh as though she herself were being teased. She moved as if from years of experience making love to Alex. She kissed her way across Alex's abdomen, down the insides of her thighs, and was rewarded with a pleading whimper.

Instinctively she knew what Alex wanted and savored her ability to give such pleasure.

Alex clawed Keri's back. Her body screamed for the release she knew would only take seconds once this beautiful creature touched her.

She panted and in a voice choked with desire said, "Please, Keri. I need you."

She trusts me-and she loves me. Eyes liquid with desire gazed into hers and Keri lowered her mouth to Alex and stroked her with a pa.s.sion that promised her faith was justi ed. She'd never felt so vitally needed in her life.

"I know what you need, baby," Keri replied, infused with the pa.s.sion and intimacy of the moment, jubilant at the level of trust it required, rejoicing in the arousal that threatened to render her helpless.

She tickled a tormented path between Alex's legs. Her ngertips dipped into the silky wetness and tentatively inched inside, stroking the velvet lining in time with Alex's increased upward thrusts.

"How beautiful you are." Alex's breathing increased. Her hand covered Keri's and held her rmly in place. "I need to feel you inside me, part of me, please don't stop."

"Trust me." Keri lowered her head and caressed with tiny tongue strokes. Gradually, teasing with each ick of her tongue, she reached Alex's center and was rewarded with the salty-sweetness of her desire.

"Um...I do love the taste of you."

The instant Keri's hot tongue touched her c.l.i.t Alex arched with raw current. A low whimper increased to a resonant growl deep in her chest and threatened to strip her throat with primordial screams. Knots of repressed energy coiled tighter in her abdomen as tremors signaled her imminent o.r.g.a.s.m. "I'm not going to make it much longer."

* 228 *

"Trust me," Keri whispered again as she felt a quiver against her tongue.

The muscles in Alex's thighs tensed and Keri's own l.u.s.t spiraled.

Making love to Alex was bringing her more pleasure than she'd ever experienced, without even being touched. Her body vibrated as every nerve sparked with arousal. Soon, no matter how tightly she clamped her legs against her tender c.l.i.t, she wouldn't be able to control the pending release. How is this possible?

Alex's panting increased as she tried to reach between Keri's legs.

"I want you to come with me. Let me touch you." She was desperate for more contact. A sharp nibble on her aching esh brought her closer to the edge.

"Don't worry. I'm with you." Keri felt Alex's legs tremble against the sides of her face. "Come for me, baby. Right now."

"Oh my G.o.d, Keri, please don't stop!" Alex pleaded. Her body stiffened. I couldn't stop if I wanted to.

Keri was unable to speak, concentrating now on the tingling release rising from her toes and burning a path between her legs. She plunged deep into Alex, alternately withdrawing and stroking her frenzied body.

"Oh, yes, this is how it's supposed to feel," she gasped as she yielded to her own desire.

"Oh, yes..." Alex groaned helplessly with her.

Contractions racked Keri's body with each spasm of her pulsing esh. Pa.s.sion grabbed her by her throat and she wailed in continuous, contented waves. At that moment, Alex pulled her on top and entwined their legs. Their bodies arched and convulsed in o.r.g.a.s.m until they collapsed, exhausted, side by side on the bed.

A sense of peace descended on Alex as she lay in Keri's arms. Her body continued to quiver with mini-spasms, then eventually relaxed.

When she nally could, she brushed her ngers lightly across Keri's sweat-drenched forehead. "Are you all right?"

"I've never been better. I'm just amazed. I knew it would be different this time, but nothing like this." Disbelief echoed inside her ushed body. "How have I lived without you so long? I truly love you, Alex."

Alex pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. "You have no idea how much you mean to me. When you were hurt during the * 229 *

arrest, I was crazed. And I put you in that position. I can't do that again.

It would kill me."

"But I'm ne and we're here together-where we belong, by the way. Before you say anything else, I've got a gift for you."

"I thought you just gave me that. You're a natural, my dear," Alex replied with a mischievous grin.

"Actually, you're the one who gave me the gift. I never imagined I could feel this way about anyone. So my gift is small in comparison."

"You've given me back my life. What more could I ask?"

"Permission to enjoy it." Keri grinned. "Madame Lieutenant, soon to be Captain, you're looking at the newest member of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Granville Division."

A look of astonishment covered Alex's face. "What do you mean?

You quit the department?"

"You bet. I applied with DEA after the first time we made love.

I'm starting in three weeks. I told you I wanted to be a narc."

Trying to hide her joy, Alex asked. "But why? You love the job so much and you'd just proven yourself. You could've had anything in the department you wanted."

"Except you. I knew you'd never consider a relationship with me as long as we worked together. And I love you too much not to give it a try."

"You really are too smart for your own good. But there might be another way."

"What do you mean?" Keri asked.

"It seems I'm quite wealthy."

Keri rose on her elbow and looked into Alex's shining brown eyes.

"Wealthy as in you don't have to work anymore?"

"Wealthy as in neither of us would ever have to work again if we didn't want to...ever." Alex smiled at the look of shock on Keri's face. "But I don't suppose a life of leisure would interest you, would it, Of cer Morgan?"

"That's Special Agent Morgan, and I really want to catch bad guys a few more years. I'll reserve my leisure activities for the bedroom.

With you." She kissed Alex, then teased her bottom lip between her teeth before letting go.

"By the way, I love you, Keri Morgan." Alex gathered her lover in her arms and pulled her closer to her sweat-drenched body.

* 230 *

"I know."

"But this won't always be so easy-the relationship or getting your way with me." Alex grinned and slid her hand down Keri's stomach to the heat between her thighs.

"Then we better practice. A lot." Keri gave Alex a languid kiss. "I have a feeling we'll need the entire three weeks before my new job to get out of the bedroom. But trust me. I can handle it."

Alex let herself oat on a wave of true happiness. "I do trust you, with all my heart."

* 231 *

About the Author.

VK Powell is a thirty-year veteran of a midsized police department. She was a police of cer by necessity (it paid the bills) and a writer by desire (it didn't). Her career spanned numerous positions including beat of cer, homicide detective, eld sergeant, vice/narcotics lieutenant, district captain, and a.s.sistant chief of police. Now retired, she lives in central North Carolina and devotes her time to writing, rewriting, traveling, and volunteer work.

You can visit her online at www.powellvk.com.

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