Page 65 of Rookie Days

“Work. This case is really—”

“Of crucial importance.” Janet stopped her with a light kiss. “I do understand that but you still need to sleep. Another couple of hours at least. Let me help you.”

Before Ellie could protest, she grabbed hold of her wrists, rolled on top of her, and found her mouth again for a deeper and more demanding kiss.

“Don’t,” Ellie whispered. “You’re making me weak.”

“I hope so. Let me, babe. And I promise to get you to work by seven o’clock at the latest.”

Without waiting for an answer, Janet latched on to her left nipple. When she wrapped her lips around it, and began to suck, Ellie started to melt.

“Okay… Se— Seven a.m.”

“You got it, Detective. Now relax. Doctor’s orders.”

On that, Janet dipped a hand between her legs, stealing her breath and making her see stars. Any thought of protesting flew out of Ellie’s head faster than a speeding bullet.

???

At about the same time that a well-rested Detective James made her way to the station, Lia Kennedy was putting on a flight suit. She was still attached to the police department but on a loose part-time basis now, which suited her better. She liked working as an independent documentary filmmaker. There were so many stories to tell, and so many interesting women out there, leading fascinating lives! Lia had set her sights on the medical world for her next piece, and documenting the lives of the medevac crew based at Lewiston General. Janet lent her support. She was a tremendous ally in introducing her to the administrators, all the decision makers, and securing the necessary permissions. Today, Lia would meet for the first time one of the two helicopter pilots who rotated on duty for the team.

“Morning. Ms Kennedy?” A tempting whiff of good coffee accompanied the arrival of Sam Wakefield, the pilot in question, into the locker room.

Lia turned to her with a bright smile and her hand held out. Having not been introduced yet, she was eager to make a good first impression.

“Yes. Please, call me Lia.”

“Sure, Lia. I’m Sam.” They shook hands. ”I’m sorry I didn’t have time to meet with you before today. I was on vacation last week, visiting my brother in Colorado.”

“No problem. Jenny filled me in on flight safety.”

Jenny Myers was a qualified EMS flight nurse, and another one of Janet’s friends.

“Okay, great.”

Wakefield looked her up and down, appraisingly, making no attempt to hide the fact that she was. Lia did not mind. As a newbie on the team, sort of, she’d expected to be given the once over. Quinn had done the exact same when they first met andLia started riding shotgun with her. She observed Wakefield in return. She was tall, athletic. Currently with the top part of her flight suit hanging around her waist, the muscles in her left arm flexing nicely as she sipped from a jumbo mug of coffee. Ellie noted the gold USMC insignia on her black t-shirt, replicated in a tattoo on the inside of her wrist. She already knew from taking a look at her resume that Wakefield was a Marine. She had two tours of duty in Afghanistan under her belt, flying hazardous rescue missions all over the Helmand province. From her own work in the area, Lia was aware that only the best of the best had been sent to operate over there. Wakefield used to be a regular in Helmand. She had to be good.

“Yeah, she’ll be a regular hotshot,” Quinn had commented a few days earlier when Lia mentioned the subject of her new assignment. “Should be fun flying with her.”

“Do I hear a touch of irony in your voice, darling?”

“No. Marines aren’t half bad.”

“Are you jealous?”

“Nope.”

Quinn, herself a decorated special forces soldier and badass cop, had blushed like a goofy ten-year-old when she tried and failed to deny it. Lia was touched by her reaction, and also quick to reassure.

“Let me tell you: no amount of fun, with any‘hotshot’,will ever be as enjoyable and exhilarating as the times I spent riding with you. And every day with you as my wife since.”

“Mmm.” Quinn nodded, eyes warm and tender as they held her own. “Good to know, Ms Kennedy.”

“I love you, babe.”

Then, Lia took her to bed to remind her of exactly how much. Just to be sure, and because it was so much fun. Now she suppressed a knowing smile as she observed Wakefield’s green eyes fall on her wedding band, and hold there for a quick secondbefore she looked away with an almost shrug. The reaction was interesting. Telling, for sure.

“I know you weren’t keen on having a reporter onboard,” Lia acknowledged. “But I’ve done this sort of thing before and I can follow instructions. I won’t get in your way, or disturb the work of the medics.”

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