Broken Trails

“Yes, ma’am.” Scotch grinned. “Come on,” she said to the others, “before she gets out the broom to chase us.”

Her mother snorted and turned away from them.

Out on the porch, Scotch turned to Lainey. “If you want, I can go get your clothes. You can go on up to the main cabin and get the first shower.”

Was this an attempt to avoid discussing what happened out there? Lainey studied Scotch’s face, liking the blush that sprang across her cheeks. No, this did not look like she was dodging the issue. She thought only to help Lainey deal with the emotional repercussions of the gun and killing.

Howry cleared his throat, his reporter instincts picking up the smell of a story.

“No, that’s okay,” Lainey said. “We’ll go together.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” Lainey raised an eyebrow at her colleague. “We’ll see you there.”

Howry squinted his eyes at her, knowing something was up. He also knew he would get nothing now, so he smiled. “You got it.” He trotted down the steps and toward the main cabin where a fire blazed merrily in the barrel barbecue on the deck.

Lainey was still warm enough in her bibbed snow pants that she did not don her parka. It was stained with blood from both Cochise and the moose, and she hoped a thorough laundering would remove the worst of the discoloration. She carried it in the hook of one elbow as they left the clinic.

Scotch had a small flashlight which she used to illuminate their way along the now familiar path. Lainey remembered her first time down this trail, sunlit at ten o’clock at night, lugging gear and belongings, and dreading being alone with her lust object. Now it was barely five in the afternoon and dark.

She reached for Scotch’s hand, smiling as their fingers twined together. Squeezing, she felt the answering grasp.

At the cabin, she reluctantly released Scotch and followed her inside. “Let me stoke up the fire,” Scotch said, heading down into the living area. “You go get your things.”

Lainey stood on the landing, a fond smile on her face as she watched her friend hunker before the banked coals in the fireplace. As Scotch stirred them to life and added kindling, the orange glow both highlighted and silhouetted her, warming her.

When Scotch rose, Lainey was beside her. She turned, startled at their proximity. She swallowed hard. “Thought you were going to get your things.”

“I’ve got something more important to do,” Lainey said. She took Scotch’s hands in hers and leaned close, kissing her.

At first, the kiss was as gentle as it had been on the trail. As Lainey debated escalating it, Scotch beat her to the punch, her tongue brushing Lainey’s lower lip in polite request. Her mouth opened, and Scotch slipped inside to explore with lazy insistence. Lainey moaned against the welcome invasion. She released Scotch’s hands, her fingers finally enjoying the softness of those tawny curls that had so interested her in the beginning. They stepped into each other, and she felt strong arms encircle her waist and shoulder as Scotch tasted her, warm hands roaming her back and sides.

It seemed to go on forever, yet hardly lasted a blink of the eye as Scotch toned things down. She drew back, humming in amusement as Lainey tried to force the issue, and eventually pulled away. Lainey grumbled under her breath, but secretly reveled in the lips caressing her nose and eyelids.

“I’ve been wanting to do that with you for a long time,” Scotch whispered, resting their foreheads together.

Lainey’s fingers stroked the back of Scotch’s neck. “I’ve been wanting to do it longer.”

Scotch drew back enough to look at her, a grin on her face. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. Ever since the first time I saw you.”

She tilted her head. “At the banquet in Nome?”

Lainey chuckled, realizing it was time to confess. “No. Before the banquet. You helped a klutz of a woman to her feet that afternoon, and received nothing but an attitude for thanks.”

Scotch looked blank for a moment. When she recalled the incident, she jerked back even more. “That was you?” she asked, a mixture of amusement and dismay on her face.

“Guilty as charged.” She watched a myriad of emotions cross Scotch’s expression and winced a little. “I made that bad of an impression?”

Laughing, Scotch hugged her. “At the time, yes. I think I can forgive you now, though. You were in pain from your ribs, weren’t you?”

“Yeah, but that’s not an excuse for rude behavior.”

“Not in this family,” Scotch agreed. “But you were an unsophisticated rube from Outside at the time. I can cut you some slack.”

Lainey dropped her head, leaning against Scotch’s chest. “Gee, thanks.” She received a hug in response.

“About today …”

“Yeah, about today.” Lainey stepped away. “As much as I would love to march you upstairs and show you a thing or two, I don’t think we should.”

“I agree.”

Lainey blinked. “You do?”

Scotch grinned. She took Lainey’s hand and led them to the couch. As they sat, she pulled Lainey close, draping an arm over her shoulders. “We’ve got a lot of energy invested in the race. I don’t have much more to spare, and I don’t think you do, either. We can’t afford to be distracted.”

“Like I haven’t already been distracted,” Lainey said, disgruntled. When the hell had Scotch gotten so responsible and adult? She certainly did not act like a lesbian on the verge of awakening to her sexuality.

“Man, do I agree with that.” Scotch brought her free hand up to chuck Lainey’s chin. “But we have time, and I think we can swing a wonderful celebration in Nome when we both get there.”

“Is this enticement for the rookie?” Lainey asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No.”

Scotch looked into her eyes and the world fell away. How had she missed the expressiveness in that sky blue color? She saw how much the waiting would affect Scotch, as much if not more than it would affect her. Lainey also saw the truth of their situation, the same truth she had arrived at a month ago when she barely avoided the last kiss. There was no time, and could be no distractions. Not yet. They had to focus on their teams and the ultimate goal.

Lainey nodded in understanding, pleased to see the answering agreement reflected back. Her reward was another long kiss, and she accepted in with relish.

“We should get our stuff,” Scotch murmured when they were finished.

“Uh huh.”

Neither of them moved.

“First one back down here gets another kiss?” she suggested.

Scotch bolted for the stairs, Lainey in hot pursuit.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

December

“ARE YOU READY?”

Lainey smiled at Scotch. “You bet.” They were parked in the lot of an Anchorage hotel.

“Let’s go then.” She gave Lainey’s hand a squeeze and released it to climb out of the truck.

Following suit, Lainey grabbed her notebook, camera and paperwork before stepping into the parking lot. Howry, Rye and Helen were waiting at the doors, and she made her way through the slush and snow toward them, Scotch behind her. It was too bad they had the company. She might have been able to talk Scotch into a room for the night. The idea of enjoying a leisurely necking session in the sauna did wonderful things to Lainey’s libido.

“Got your paperwork?” Howry asked.

“Oh, yeah,” Lainey said. “And a whole lot of paper for notes.”

He held the door open for them. “Some techno geek you are,” he snorted. “I thought for sure you’d make a digital recording of the entire meeting.”

She grinned and fished an iPod and accompanying microphone from her pocket. “Might not get it all, but I should be able to get half of it before the batteries go.”