Blurred Lines by KD Williamson (38 page)

There had better not be balloons and shit on her desk.

Kelli stepped into her bedroom and glanced at the bed. Damn thing was empty. So there was probably a naked Nora running around.

No, not probably. There
was
a naked Nora running around. That sounded way better than the coffee she was now smelling. Kelli went in search of both. When she got to the living room, she could tell Nora was nowhere near naked, but maybe later. She had on one of Kelli’s T-shirts—Metallica, Master of Puppets. “I was trying to be quiet. It’s not time for you to get up yet.”

“I don’t think it’s time for you to get up either.” Nora yawned and brought a cup to her lips.

“Well…no, but early bird and all that shit.” Kelli paused and grinned. “Plus, I’m excited as hell.”

“Obviously.” Nora smiled. “I made coffee.”

“Obviously,” Kelli said. This was a nice gesture, and it made her feel all fuzzy inside. “You didn’t have to get up or anything.”

“I’m aware of that. Can’t I just do something for you sometimes?” Nora asked softly.

Kelli was just a regular fucking Casanova. She walked toward Nora, took the coffee cup from her, and pulled her close. “Yeah, you can. I really wasn’t trying to be an ungrateful ass, I’m just not used to having somebody around who wants to take care of me.”

Nora’s eyes widened. “And I am?”

Kelli smirked. “Huh, you have a point.”

“Yes, I’m aware of that.” Nora smiled in return.

Kelli leaned in and brushed her lips. Nora’s smile widened. Kelli could feel it. She pulled back. “Thank you for the coffee and the send-off. But—” Kelli paused for effect.

“But what?”

Kelli grinned. “It woulda been better if you were naked.”

Nora blinked. Then, she laughed.

* * *

Kelli pushed her way through the crowded elevator to get to the number pad, only to see that her floor was already lit up. She glanced around to check for familiar faces. There were some staring right at her.

“Holy fuck! The bitch is back.”

Two men, one burly and rough looking, the other tall with the disposition of a scarecrow, elbowed their way toward her. Kelli got her pats on the back.

“And a good morning to you too,” she said.

“Williams didn’t say a damn thing. If I’d known you were coming back today, I woulda baked you a damn cake,” the scarecrow told her with a straight face.

Kelli smirked. “Uh-huh.”

He smiled and it didn’t help his ass at all. “Welcome back. We do lunch orders at ten-thirty.”

Kelli glared.

Finn, the burly one, shouldered his partner. “Nice little reunion and all, but we need to stop and talk to somebody in DEU. Remember?”

“Oh shit, yeah.” Coleman said. “Our floor is coming then. Since that’s your old stomping ground, McCabe, I’ll let everybody know you’re back.”

The elevator opened.

“Later.” Coleman nodded as they exited.

Kelli nodded right back. Two more floors to go for her. She thought about Williams. He knew she wouldn’t want any pomp and circumstance. Kelli was lucky to have him as a friend and a temporary partner. The elevator dinged. She glanced up at the red numbers. This was her floor. Kelli walked out into the hallway. She stopped and looked into the squad room. It was everything that she remembered. Several detectives were front and center already. Some sat at their desks pecking at their computers. Others stood in front of an evidence board going over their findings. Only a select few had commandeered the overall computer system and peered up at the large monitor that lowered from the ceiling. And there was that smell—aftershave and burnt coffee. Kelli stood there and took it all in. A couple months ago, she was fighting to stay alive, and her life was fractured, broken. The pieces were coming together…Tony, Nora, Travis, and now this. For once, shit was damn near perfect.

Someone swatted her on the back, nearly sending her ass over teakettle.

“You waiting for a goddamn parade or something?” Williams asked.

Kelli glanced over her shoulder at him and smirked. “Fuck you, old man.”

Williams snorted. “Good to have you back, McCabe.”

###

EXCERPT
Crossing Lines

by KD Williamson

Kelli watched Taylor’s car disappear further up the road. After a few more seconds, she turned back toward the door. When she opened it. Nora was there. The soft look in her eyes made Kelli’s heart turn over in her chest. “I’m not sure if we need to watch out for her or not, but I didn’t want her to ruin—”

Nora interrupted her with a kiss.

Kelli smiled and pulled Nora closer to deepen the caress. Slowly, they parted.

“I can go smack around a few more people if that’s what it gets me,” Kelli said teasingly.

Nora grinned and whispered, “Dinner’s ready.”

“Mmm, don’t know if it’s gonna be this tasty,” Kelli mumbled and nibbled on Nora’s neck.

Nora laughed even as she turned her head to the side to give greater access. “Did you just say—”

Kelli groaned and steered them toward the kitchen. At least she could help with plating…maybe. “Yes, I did. Who knew I was so goddamned corny?” What was next poetry? Maybe a dirty limerick?

“It’s not the first time, but I won’t complain,” Nora said.

“Good to know. What’s for dinner? Because that smell—”

“Flank steak with chimichurri sauce, fingerling potatoes, and honey glazed carrots.”

“I have no idea what a chimi-what’s-it is but you had me at steak and potatoes.”

“I knew I would.”

Nora had her even if she’d made gruel.

About KD Williamson

KD is a Southerner and a former nomad, taking up residence in the Mid-West, east coast, and New Orleans over the years. She is also a Hurricane Katrina survivor. Displaced to the mountains of North Carolina, she found her way back to New Orleans, where she lives with her partner of ten years and the strangest dogs and cats in existence.

KD enjoys all things geek, from video games to super heroes. She is a veteran in the mental health field working with children and their families for over ten years. She found that she had a talent for writing as a teenager, and through fits and starts, fostered it over the years.

CONNECT WITH THIS AUTHOR:

Blog:
kdwilliamsonfiction.wordpress.com/

E-Mail:
[email protected]

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Blurred Lines

© 2016 by KD Williamson

ISBN (mobi): 978-3-95533-494-9

ISBN (epub): 978-3-95533-495-6

Also available as paperback.

Published by Ylva Publishing, legal entity of Ylva Verlag, e.Kfr.

Ylva Verlag, e.Kfr.

Owner: Astrid Ohletz

Am Kirschgarten 2

65830 Kriftel

Germany

www.ylva-publishing.com

First edition: 2016

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.