"But, hey, I did let you carry my books." She laughs a little as she looks up at me. "Thanks for everything."
"You’re welcome."
"I’m sorry if I ruined anything for you. I mean if you had company or…." She glances at what she assumes to be my bedroom door, wondering if I have someone lying in my bed, waiting for me.
"No. Actually, I was sound asleep."
With the knock on the door twenty minutes later, it’s all I can do to keep from leaping over the back of the couch to get to the door. Somehow I manage to walk over and pull the door open. Aww, shit! She just had to be beautiful. Stunning, actually. Oh man, I could be a happy filling in a Kels and Beth sandwich.
"I’m looking for Kelsey Stanton."
"Ah, yeah, she’s right in here. Sorry." I step back and allow her to come in watching as she makes her way to Kels and kneels by the couch.
I look as I close the door and she runs her fingers through Kels hair and murmurs to her. "You okay, sweetheart?"
Kels nods, but then the tears start and she moves closer to the woman who folds her up in her arms, moving up on the couch to comfort her. As I observe this scene, I notice an ache in my own arms. Snap out of it, Harper!
"Let’s get you back to the hotel and let you get some rest."
I watch as Kels nods and Beth helps her up. She straightens as she wipes her eyes and looks to me. The jig is up and she knows it. She gives me a look and all I can do is offer a smile. I was right, but now is not the time to rub it in.
Kels takes a deep breath and smiles at me before turning to Beth. "Before we go, let me introduce you to my new partner."
I move closer to them.
"Harper Kingsley meet Elizabeth Hill."
I extend my hand. "It’s a pleasure. Wish it could have been under better circumstances."
"The pleasure is mine." She takes my hand and I can understand why Kels likes the feel of them on her body. Mine would be better though. "Thank you for helping my girl tonight."
Your girl? Your girl? When in the hell did she become your girl? "No problem. That’s what friends do for each other." I give Kels a glance. "Right?"
Kels nods. "Right."
Beth wraps her arm around Kels’ shoulders and starts for the door. "Well, I’m going to take her back to the hotel and let her get some rest. Thanks again for your help, Ms. Kingsley."
I don’t correct her and tell her to call me Harper. I hope she won’t be around that much. "Anytime." Oh, hell, I can’t resist all temptation. "Hey, Kels!"
"Yeah?"
"The next time you get busted, try to do it before midnight, huh?"
She laughs a little as she steps out into the hallway. I scoop Trouble up because I know that he’s going to try and make a break for it. I lean against the doorframe watching them go. Kels stops and turns around to me. She smiles and gives Trouble a little scratch on his head (eliciting a major suck-up purr if I’ve ever heard one) before she leans forward and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks again, Tabloid. Don’t know what I would have done without you tonight."
"No problem, Little Roo." I watch as they disappear onto the elevator then I close the door. I look at Trouble. "I need a cold shower. And, you sure don’t act like you’re fixed."
Episode Eight: Out of the Closet and Into the Fire
The sun is going down and it will be late by the time we land. I’m not looking forward to it. We’ll have to argue over who drives the rental car and who gets which room in the hotel. The rest of the crew, who are now scattered throughout the plane, will watch and keep silent as they always do.
She requests a glass of water immediately upon boarding. She’s been really irritable today. For someone who spent most of the weekend getting laid, she’s awfully cranky. Apparently, Elizabeth didn’t do it right. I chuckle at the thought as the stewardess approaches.
"Let me get that for you, Ms. Kingsley."
I smile at Teresa as she takes my garment bag with a wink, her fingers caressing the back of my hand. She was kind enough to give me a private tour of the VIP lounge, well at least part of it, before our flight.
Kels shoots me a look as she takes her seat near the window. I ease in next to her, settling my long frame into the cushions. I can feel her eyes on me and I look over. "What?"
"Have you no shame? My God, Harper, you just had sex with that woman in the airport lounge."
"Nah, technically it was," I glance at my watch, "almost an hour ago. And it was more like the supply closet. See, we have something in common, Kels. We’re both recently out of the closet," I whisper this last part.
Kelsey levels a mean stare at me.
Teresa returns, handing Kels a glass of water. She turns and smiles down at me. "Can I get you anything?"
"Else," Kels mumbles behind her glass as she sips. It’s my turn to shoot a look at my partner.
"No, thank you. You’ve done more than enough already." I smile up at the pretty young woman, then turn back to Kels.
It’s odd really. The way we gravitate toward each other. I guess the old saying that opposites attract is true. I’m sure someone would love to do their psychology thesis on the two of us. Although, I’d hate to see what they say about me. I doubt it would be flattering, especially from some Ivy League, no real-life experience, academic. At least, we’ve lightened up on each other. If we hadn’t, our work would have suffered and I’d hate for that to happen. I watch as she pops a pill in her mouth, swallowing a drink of water right behind it.
"What’s up, Little Roo?" I nod to the package she has in her hand.
"Dramamine. I don’t fly well."
"You’re afraid of flying?"
"Not afraid, really. It’s more of a claustrophobic issue."
"Then," I lean over and whisper, "aren’t you glad you came out of the closet?"
"I didn’t come out," she growls as she turns to me. "I told you what I had to in order to get out of a bad situation. Harper ..." She takes my hand, giving it a slight stroke with her thumb. "I’m begging you here. Don’t put me in a bad situation. My contract has a morals clause…"
"Kels, I would never do anything to jeopardize your job. If you don’t believe anything else I tell you, please, believe me capable of that much honesty, at least."
She nods her head as she releases my hand and turns to the window.
I twist in my seat causing my denim shirt to scrape across my nipples. I flinch as my pre-departure activities have left me tender, but it was well worth it. Kels looks back. She must notice me cringe because she flushes red in anger before turning away again.
"Don’t be bitchy just because you’re jealous," I murmur. I know I should shut up but I can’t help myself.
She’s silent but her knuckles turn white as her tense hands clutch the armrests.
I laugh and start digging through my carry-on for reading material. Kelsey continues to stare out the window all through the boarding. "Missing Elizabeth?" I turn a page in my magazine as I ask.
"No. Well, yes, a little. I always do for a few days after she leaves." She admits this quietly as she rests her forehead on the pane of the window. "But it’s not that."
I lay my magazine in my lap and turn to her. "Wanna talk about it?" She shakes her head and, I swear to God, I see her wipe a tear from her eye. I know I’m taking a hell of a chance here, but I lay my hand on her knee. "If you change your mind, umm … well, I’m here, you know."
"Thank you." It’s another almost pitiful answer. Why do I feel so bad for her?
Thirty minutes into the flight, I notice that Kels is sound asleep against the hard wall of the cabin. I ask Teresa for a blanket. I spread it over Kels as I gently pull her so that her head rests on my shoulder. I notice how quickly and easily she snuggles into me, wrapping one arm through mine in her sleep. This is nice.