Kris smiled, relishing the sound of her partner's laughter. "I'll just bet it is."
The door was no sooner closed than the women embraced again. Shelby pulled Kris' head down and met her mouth for a deep, passionate kiss. Her partner returned her kiss with an equal amount of fervor. "I'm so glad you're back."
Kris led Shelby over to the couch, sharing kisses with her along the way. Sitting down, she pulled her partner into her lap, wrapping strong arms around her and lowering a hungry mouth to the anxiously waiting lips.
Her heart was beating so hard, she was sure Shelby could feel it. "I love you."
Shelby sighed contentedly. "I love you, too." She turned serious eyes toward her partner. "Did they give you the deal?" She voiced her worst fear. "Or do you have to leave again."
"No...no...no." Each word was punctuated with a kiss. "I'm here to stay, for as long as you want me to."
Breathing an audible sigh of relief, Shelby said, "Forever. I want you to stay forever."
Kris wrapped her arms around her partner, pulling her close. "I'm glad you do, because I know I want to."
After sharing another kiss with her love, Kris asked, "How did my mother end up at your mother's house for the night?"
Shelby shook her head. "In a word, Jonathan."
Kris raised an eyebrow, concerned. "What did he do this time?"
Shelby filled the operative in on everything that had happened that day. "Do you want to go see your mother now?"
The operative glanced around the room. She did want to see her mother, but that visit could wait until morning. "It's late. Why don't you call your mom and ask her to tell my mother that I'm fine and we'll stop over in the morning to pick her up."
Shelby waited until Kris turned back to face her. "You don't want to talk to her on the phone either?"
"I do, but I don't. I'd rather talk to her face to face."
Picking up her partner's hand, Shelby asked, "What's wrong?"
Kris sighed. "I don't know what to say to her. She always hated government agents. They used to plant them among the people. We lost a close friend because of them. She'll hate me because of what I am."
Shelby shook her head. "Oh, sweetheart, your mother doesn't hate you. She loves you. She knows you're a spy and she's okay with that."
"How can you be so sure?"
"We talked about you a lot. You were the one thing we had in common. Trust me on this. Your mother loves you very much."
"She never visited." At Shelby's puzzled look, Kris added, "When I was at the training center, she never came to visit."
"Maybe she couldn't. Ask her, Kris. I bet she has a good reason."
Kris smiled at the conviction in her partner's voice. "You're probably right."
Shelby reached for the phone, dialed her mother's number, and then quickly relayed Kris' message before telling her mother she'd talk to her in the morning. She settled back into Kris' lap.
Kris brushed her fingers across Shelby's face. "I'm glad we're alone tonight."
Shelby lifted the hand from her face and kissed the palm. "So am I."
The operative smiled. "Where do you want me to start?" She chuckled at the blush that crept over her partner's face. "I meant, about the case."
"Oh." Shelby feigned disappointment until Kris leaned down and kissed her pout away.
"What happened to you? Is everything okay, now? Even though Sergei died? And why did Gregor kill him?"
"Gregor wasn't as stupid as I thought. He only requested political asylum out of desperation. He knew Sergei planned to eliminate him, but he had no real desire to defect. With Sergei out of the picture, no one in Russia would know of their rift and he would be in line for a promotion. Naturally, he withdrew his request for asylum."
Shelby shook her head. "I never would've guessed he would kill Sergei."
"Neither did I. He was looking out for himself and got lucky. Happens sometimes."
"So what about you? Are you legally an operative now?"
"No. I'm officially retired." Kris rubbed Shelby's back in a gentle circular motion. It was time to tell her partner the rest of the tale.
"It's a long story, but I'll try to make it short. About eight years ago, a top secret organization that reports directly to the president infiltrated the Russian mole infrastructure that had been set up here in the States. My name was uncovered and I was contacted. They wanted me to double. I refused."
Shelby gazed at Kris. "I'm surprised they didn't deport you."
"Yeah, me, too. The only reason they didn't was because I hadn't been activated yet. They wanted to find out who was running the moles here, so I got offered a deal. When I was activated, I was supposed to notify them with all the details of who contacted me and what they wanted me to do."
"What was in it for you?"
"I would get political asylum, but my career would be over because the bottom line is - I am Russian. I didn't have much choice, so I agreed. As the years passed, I didn't want to be activated, because I didn't know what I'd do."
"But if you were granted political asylum..."
Kris shrugged. "It wasn't that. I didn't really know anyone or have any friends here in the States. Even though I love this country, I'd spent little of my adult life living in it. So I strove to be the CIA's best operative. That way, I figured I wouldn't be recalled and it would also be extremely difficult for the Russians to find me in the field. It worked for a long time."
The operative smiled at Shelby. "Until you came along and found a pattern that got me recalled."
Shelby turned puzzled eyes on Kris. "I don't get it. If you were working for this country, then why didn't you just contact them? They could've rescued your mother and none of this would've happened."
"I tried to contact them a couple of different times. They never responded. Turned out that Michael worked for them, too, and they suspected him of being a traitor. They knew what was going on and let it play itself out." Kris shrugged. "They got what they wanted. We were used, but it did turn out okay."
"So you don't owe them anything more, right?"
Kris sighed. "Supposedly not. But I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised to be reactivated if they decide they need me for something."
"That sucks!"
"I know and I would fight it, but it is an outside possibility."
Shelby nodded. "Well it's a good thing they released you, because I was going to talk to Earl and Dennis tomorrow and just happen to mention what a field day the press would have if they ever found out about this case. No way was I going to let you just disappear."
Kris was overwhelmed by the intensity of her feelings, and gently brushed Shelby's lips with her own. Smiling seductively, she said, "So, we have the apartment to ourselves tonight?"
Kris' voice was tantalizing and, her body awash with desire, Shelby gazed into the passion filled blue eyes and nodded. "Just you and me. Think we'll be able to find something to do?"
She smiled and gently brushed the tips of Kris' breasts with her fingers. When her partner took a deep breath, Shelby's fingers revisited the now erect nipples.
Kris grasped Shelby's hand and raised to her mouth, kissing the palm. "You are a tease."
Shelby innocently commented, "Moi?" She chuckled. "Payback time."
Nodding in understanding, Kris grinned. "I think I'm gonna like this payback." She kissed Shelby lightly. "Let's get more comfortable. I hate these institution clothes they gave me."
Shelby made a point of looking at her partner's plain blue blouse and slacks. "Oh, I don't know. They aren't so bad. Or maybe it's just that I like what's in them."
Laughing, Kris said, "Is that right?" She shifted her partner off her lap, stood and offered her hand.
Accepting it, Shelby eagerly followed the operative into the bedroom, feeling the desire surge through her body as her green eyes hungrily raked the tall form in front of her.