She Left Me Breathless (36 page)

Rachel used her index finger, tracing the lines of Sydney’s face. She turned slightly and gently kissed Sydney’s cheek, her eyes, and then softly kissed her lips. She felt a new arousal stir as she smelled and tasted her essence on Sydney’s mouth.
I never dreamed it could or would be like this
, she thought as she looked at Sydney’s beautiful face.

She brought Sydney’s hand to her mouth and kissed her wrist and then her palm. She watched Sydney’s reaction and smiled as she ran her tongue between her fingers, causing Sydney to inhale deeply. She shifted slightly, turning so that she was facing Sydney. She lowered her head, groaning as she took Sydney’s nipple in her mouth, her hand roaming freely over Sydney’s curvaceous hips.

She watched Sydney’s eyes as she slipped her hand between her legs.
I’ve surely died and gone to heaven,
she thought as her fingers were covered in so much wetness. 

“And you said you didn’t know what to do,” Sydney said again through a ragged breath as Rachel’s fingers moved back and forth over her clit. She was already so close to the edge that she knew it wouldn’t take much more.

“I’m a fast learner,” Rachel smiled.

“I’ll say,” Sydney said as her breathing turned into short quick gasps. “Please don’t stop,” she begged as she moved her hips urgently against Rachel’s hand.

Never,” Rachel groaned as she felt Sydney’s body tense.

“Oh God,” Sydney cried out against Rachel’s mouth as her body stiffened, the orgasm ripping through her body in waves. She collapsed back on the bed, gasping for air as she tried to slow her breathing down. She turned her head to look at Rachel. “I love you so much.”

“And I will never get tired of hearing you say it,” Rachel said as she brushed several strands of damp hair from Sydney’s face and then laid her head on her chest.

Sydney wrapped her arms around her and placed a kiss on her cheek.

Within minutes, Rachel’s slow and steady breathing told her that she had fallen asleep and for the second time in less than an hour, she felt a tear slip down her cheek. She closed her eyes, thinking she was the luckiest woman on earth.

Chapter 17

Sydney opened her eyes. She glanced to her left, noticing that she was in bed alone. “Please tell me I didn’t dream last night and that I didn’t imagine it,” she said as she swung her legs over the side of the bed.

“Damn,” she said as she got to her feet, feeling her muscles strain from the movement. “It wasn’t a dream,” she said, smiling as she slipped her robe on.

She looked up at the ceiling. “Please forgive me for all the crazy shit I’ve done in my life.”

The first thing she heard was laughter when she pushed the kitchen door open. Caitlyn, Rachel, and Edna were sitting at the table eating breakfast. Fred Rick was standing next to the table re-filling their coffee cups.

For several seconds Sydney stood there watching them unnoticed.

Rachel grabbed Fred Rick by the arm. “Will you please sit down and join us? You don’t need to keep waiting on us.”

Fred Rick smiled at her and pulled out a chair. “I don’t mind if I do, Ms. Ashburn.”

“And you can knock the formal crap off, too,” Rachel laughed.

“Yes, ma’am, Ms. Rachel,” he said and chuckled at the look she gave him.

“That goes for the ma’am crap, too,” she said.

“Dang. You’re tough,” he laughed.

Sydney decided to make her presence known. She walked over to the counter, grabbed herself a cup. “Just sit right where you are, I can get my own coffee,” she said, waving Fred Rick off with a wave of her hand, as she filled her cup. She glanced at Rachel and smiled. “Good morning.”

“Yes it is, isn’t it,” Rachel said, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Sydney felt her face flush as she looked at Rachel’s eyes and as she attempted to take a drink of coffee, she choked. There was no mistaking the raw lust and desire she saw and felt as Rachel practically undressed her with her eyes. 

“You okay there, sport?” Fred Rick teased as he looked first at Sydney and then Rachel.

Sydney shot him a look. “As for him, trust me.” She nodded at Fred Rick. “You haven’t seen anything yet,” she said, winking at her chef.

Edna picked up the remote control lying on the table and clicked on the TV that was mounted on the wall on the opposite side of the room. On the screen was a picture of the building where Caitlyn had been held hostage along with a picture of Jackie and Maureen.

A male reporter with sandy-colored hair came into view. “We will now switch over to our latest breaking news story. It seems like Ms. Sydney Welsh’s problems just keep mounting,” the reporter said.

“What the hell?” Rachel gasped, covering her hand with her mouth.

Now showing on the screen was a live news conference. Edward along with a white-haired man sporting a goatee was standing behind a podium covered with microphones.

“As most of you know, my name is Richard Alexander and on behalf of my client, Mr. Edward Ashburn,” he placed his arm around Edward’s shoulders, “I will be filing a five-million dollar lawsuit against Sydney Welsh of Welsh enterprises. Since Ohio abolished the Alienation of Affection Law, it will be filed under the Ohio statute of Toitus Interferance. Ms. Welsh is
thee
other woman, which has resulted in Mr. Ashburn’s wife Rachel, asking for a divorce after ten years of marriage.”

The screen momentarily flashed and a new picture appeared. It showed Rachel and Sydney standing in Sydney’s family room kissing. The screen flashed again, the picture showing Sydney removing Rachel’s shirt.

Fred Rick let out a loud cat whistle. “Not bad for a couple of old ladies,” he laughed.

“Oh, bite me,” Sydney groaned as she leaned forward, beating her head on the counter.

Caitlyn looked at Sydney and then Rachel and then busted out laughing.

Rachel looked at her. “What’s so funny?” she asked, looking at her daughter.

“Um ... uh ...” Caitlyn stammered.

“What?” Rachel asked, her brow creasing into a frown.

“I was just thinking that I wish I could be there to see the look on grandmother’s face when she sees this,” Caitlyn laughed.

Rachel’s eyes flew open wide. She covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh no. I completely forgot about them.”

“Well, if you ask me, I think you two look positively radiant,” Edna chuckled.

“Radiant?” Sydney asked, looking at her housekeeper.

Caitlyn and Fred Rick both laughed.

“Yes, radiant. You both are positively glowing this morning and it couldn’t have happened to two nicer people,” Edna said, nodding her head.

“Seriously, Mom, I didn’t know you had it in you,” Caitlyn teased.

“I could really say something here but I think I will hold my tongue,” Fred Rick chimed in.

“Good idea,” Sydney said.

Rachel groaned. She looked at Caitlyn. “You’re not upset?”

Caitlyn laughed. “Are you kidding? I’m thrilled to death,” Caitlyn answered honestly.

Edna looked at Sydney, her expression serious. “That color really suits you.”

Sydney frowned. “What color?

“Rosy pink,” Edna chuckled as Sydney’s cheeks flushed a deeper pink, which  only served to make everyone laugh.

With a worried look on her face, Rachel glanced at Sydney. “What are we going to do?” she asked.

Sydney walked over to the table. She covered Rachel’s hand with her own. “I will take care of it. Please don’t worry.”

“I’m afraid that may be easier said than done,” Rachel replied.

“Well, the first thing we need to do is go down to the police station and give them our official statements,” Sydney said.

Chapter 18

Sydney, Rachel, and Caitlyn walked down the steps in front of the Miamisburg Police Station.

“I have a few things to do and I need to stop at the office and then I will swing by and pick Alyssa up,” Caitlyn said, looking first at Sydney and then Rachel.

 “Can I speak to you for a second?” Sydney asked, looking at Caitlyn.

“Sure,” Caitlyn answered.

“I’ll meet you at the truck and then I need to go get my car as well. I need to call my dad, something I’m not really looking forward to doing,” Rachel said to Sydney.

“Okay, I’ll just be a few minutes.” She waited for Rachel to walk away and then turned to Caitlyn. “Caitlyn, you have every reason to hate me but I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry.”

“Apology accepted and I know that you didn’t do it for revenge like Jackie claimed. You did it because you never stopped loving Mom and don’t tell her I said this, but I think she was a fool for ever letting you go,” Caitlyn grinned.

“You’re really something else and I love you as if you were my own daughter,” Sydney said, pulling Caitlyn into a hug.

“I love you, too and I hope you realize that you won’t get rid of us so easily now,” Caitlyn laughed.

Sydney smiled. “Getting rid of you is definitely not what I have in mind. You’re stuck with me now.”

“Before I go to the office, I’m gonna drop a little gift off for you at the house. I’ll leave it on your desk,” Caitlyn said, smiling from ear to ear.

“What kind of gift?” Sydney asked, frowning.

“Trust me, you’re gonna like it. You’ll see,” Caitlyn laughed.

Caitlyn went into her bedroom and walked over to her desk. She pulled out the bottom drawer, removed several stacks of paper, and then pulled out a small black pouch. She unzipped it and looked at the small mini-cassettes lying inside of it.

“Towanda!” she said with a smile as she zipped the pouch closed and crammed it into her jacket pocket.