Kim Pritekel - Crossing Lines

The attorney slid her hand around to cup the back of Kansas' neck, gently pulling her in closer, tilting her head slightly as the kiss deepened. Her heart was pounding, warning bells going off in her head as she used just the barest tip of her tongue to touch the inside of the blonde's lip. She couldn't stop what was happening, even though somewhere inside she knew she had to.

Kansas was filled with fire, a life-long need exploding within her. She brought up a hand, needing to touch Nina, to feel her skin, and know she was truly there.

Nina started, gasping as her breast was taken in a hot hand, through her t-shirt. "Whoa," she panted, breaking the kiss and covering Kansas' hand with her own. "Wait, Kansas. . . "

"What?" the blonde asked, her body demanding more. She was nearly out of control of it.

"I can't," Nina whispered, " We can't." She gently removed the hand from her breast, tucking her fingers through Kansas'. "Please understand that." She looked into hooded green eyes, seeing her own desires reflected back at her in Kansas' flushed features.

Kansas rested her forehead against Nina's shoulder, nodding as she tried to get herself under control. "I do."

"I'm sorry." Nina raised the blonde's chin with two fingers, looking deeply into green eyes. She saw the understanding there, and smiled, though it was weak. She gathered Kansas in a tight embrace, squeezing her eyes shut as she pressed a hand to the back of a blonde head, holding Kansas close.

Marina wasn't sure what she felt as she watched from a second-story window. She knew she had to stop things before disaster happened, and her daughter was caught in the cross-fire. Letting the curtains flutter back into place, she padded back to her bedroom, spying the cordless phone on its cradle next to her bed. Suddenly her migraine came back again.

***

Kansas was flying on air as she finished with her daily chores in the house, before she'd take off and spend the rest of the day at Nina's place. She heard the doorbell ring, and bounced down the stairs to answer it. She had a smile in place, ready to greet the most beautiful woman in the world. What met her froze her smile in place.

"Hey, sweetie," Brad Roberts said.

"What are you doing here?" Kansas was so struck, she forgot to be angry at her father for a moment. That didn't last long.

"I want you to come and spend the rest of the summer with me. At my place."

"What?" She stepped back from the door, shaking her head. Brad stepped across the threshold.

"Kansas, I am your father, and I'm telling you, I want you to spend some time with me. This is your last year of high school. This is your last summer vacation." He looked at her with pleading eyes. Even if he hadn't gotten a call from his ex-wife in the middle of the night, he had still wanted to find a way to spend as much time with Kansas, to reconnect with her, as he could before it was too late, and she moved on with her own life. "Please, honey. I miss you so much." He smiled, though it was shaky. Nothing had affected Brad as much as the thought that he may have lost his daughter and only child. His buddy.

"She called you, didn't she?" Kansas asked quietly, her betrayal complete. Her father didn't have to say anything- she could see it in his eyes.

"Baby, your mom and I only want what's best for you, and right now I think it's best to get a new perspective on things. New surroundings."

Kansas felt the immediate sting of tears. "I can't believe she did this." She felt a hand on her shoulder, and though she tried to shake it off, her father wouldn't budge.

"Honey, don't see it that way. Your mom is truly trying to do what's best for you. We've lived it, Kansas. We both know what it's like to hurt." He gently turned her so she was facing him. "We don't want the same for you."

"I'm not a child!" Kansas raged, stepping back further from him. "Damn it! When do I get to make my own decisions? Mistakes?" She looked into the pleading eyes of the man that she missed so badly it hurt, even though she'd only admit that in the deepest parts of her soul.

"Please come with me. It's only for a little while. A week. Maybe two. Kansas, we'll bum like we used to. Remember? We can hit the hoops, and you can kick my ass all over again. Just like we used to." Brad knew he was almost begging, but he missed his little girl as much as he missed his next breath. He had been so grateful for Marina's call the night before. "I need you in my life, Kansas. Please."

Kansas looked up at her father, and tried to think of what Nina would say to her right now. What would be the advice given if the blonde ran across their yards right now and banged on her door? He's the only father you've got, Kansas. Don't shut him out. With her shoulders slumping, Kansas nodded. She found herself engulfed in a desperate hug, and despite herself, she returned it.

***

Nana held her files close to her body as she walked down the halls of the courthouse, her high heels clicking on the marble floors. She had just left court, and her mind was lost in the events that had just transpired. She was nearly knocked to her ass when she walked right into someone who was stopped and talking in the hall. Looking up, she saw Chris Bateman giving her a bemused smile as he reached down to help her up.

"Hey, you alright there, Nina?" he chucked, pulling the tall woman to her feet.

Nina smiled, embarrassed. She was just grateful Chris was a friend. "Yes. I'm sorry. Was still in the court room." The fellow attorney nodding his understanding. Nina studied him for a moment, remembering he was one of the best attorneys in the state of Ohio. "Chris," she began, before she even knew she was going to speak. "Do you still handle divorce cases?"

"Yeah, sure do. Why? Your mother finally ready to leave your dad and run off with me to Spain?"

Nina laughed, waving off her old friend's good-natured crush on her mother. "No. It's not for her." She looked into Chris' brown eyes, seeing realizing dawning there.

"Oh." He stood a little taller, falling into professional mode. "Give me a call next Tuesday between," he took out his blackberry, looking through his calendar. "around three." He glanced up at her. "We'll talk."

Nina nodded, feeling like she was about to lose her breakfast. "Okay. Thanks, Chris. Again, sorry I nearly knocked you over."

"Don't worry about it." He watched the young woman leave, shaking his head. "Another one bites the dust."

***

Brad watched his daughter as he picked at her Chinese food. He had taken her to The Mandarin, the place where they used to go all the time when Kansas was a kid. She was no longer a kid, and Brad was having to learn that. They had been at the small apartment he was renting for less than two hours. Basically, they'd been there long enough to show her around and let her get settled.

"Are you having a good summer?" he asked at length, trying to pinch the last few grains of rice with his chop sticks. Without a word, Kansas reached across the table and took the chop sticks from her father, gripping his fingers with her own to properly place the sticks. Just like old times. He smiled at the unconscious action, then finished his dinner.

"It's okay," Kansas said, stabbing a piece of steak from her platter of pepper steak.

"Good, good." Brad finished his beer, then wiped his mouth and hands on a napkin. "So, what do you think of the place?" he extended his arms, indicating the apartment around them.

Kansas took in the tiny living room with second-hand furniture, provided by her grandparents. She noted the air mattress folded neatly on the floor that would be her bed. And she noted the single cup and plate, washed and drying on a towel next to the sink.

"I think I'd like to know if this piece of shit apartment was worth it."