CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

WHEN THEY AWOKE again, still wrapped in one another's arms, it was fully light. Sloan smiled at Michael, a slow easy smile of undisguised satiation. " Good morning."

" Morning, " Michael responded, amazed to find herself where she had scarcely dared dream she would ever be. Hearing the warmth in Sloan's greeting and feeling the heat of their bodies pressed close together, she realized it was better than any dream. " Is there any particular morning-after ritual I should know about? "

Sloan's contagious grin widened. " Well, let's see, there's the part where we shower together and take a little extra time to get reacquainted. And then there's the part where we fix breakfast and in between clearing up and reading the paper we come back here for a little more intimate activity, and then maybe, just maybe, sometime later we get dressed."

It was Michael's turn to grin. " Sounds lovely. However, I think we need to do the breakfast part before the shower and those other wonderful activities, because I'm starving."

" I think I can arrange that, " Sloan said, kissing her lightly, enjoying waking up together for the first time and sharing the first hours of the day. It was a pleasure she had long forgotten.

Just as they were about to get up, the phone rang. Sloan stared at it, debating answering it. She couldn't think of anyone important enough to interrupt this moment for, but she didn't want it to ring again at a more indelicate time either. She reached for it, thinking Better now than later.

" Sloan, " she said.

" Ah, Sloan, " Sarah's familiar voice responded. " Am I interrupting anything? "

" Actually, yes, " Sloan responded, pulling Michael close.

A soft laugh came to her through the line. Then Sarah said, " I thought I might be. I saw you come in last night, and the next thing I knew both Michael and you were missing. I hope that means something."

" Oh yes, it definitely means something, " Sloan murmured, her eyes on Michael's lips. They were full, slightly swollen from the kisses the previous night, and the sight of those lips reminded her of how they felt on her skin. Sloan's heart stuttered in her chest. She glanced away because she didn't trust herself to form words while looking at Michael.

" My, my, " Sarah continued with her teasing. " People will talk! "

" Jasmine was looking quite stunning last evening, " Sloan managed, ignoring the taunt and giving Sarah some of her own medicine. She was willing to bet that she and Michael weren’t the only ones to raise eyebrows the night before.

It was Sarah's turn for silence. Then, her voice husky, she responded, " Yes, she was quite amazing. Beautiful, every step of the way."

In her mind, Sarah was replaying those first moments alone with Jasmine as they faced one another in the quiet of her bedroom. The hesitancy, the shy press of clad bodies as they kissed, both of them shaking. She wasn't sure which of them had been more nervous. Jasmine removed the short black wig and Sarah ran her hands through the slightly shorter golden hair beneath, amazed at the subtle shift from wholly feminine to androgynous that simple act produced. When she had reached under Jasmine's tight black top to release her bra, she thought for an instant that Jasmine would stop her, a swift tightening of muscle and sharp intake of breath warning of Jasmine's fear.

" It's all right, " Sarah had whispered, running her tongue lightly up Jasmine's neck as she lifted the top and undergarment off together. In the faint glow of the bedside light, the exposed chest showed smooth and hairless, shimmering with a light sheen of sweat as androgyny transformed into maleness. As she ran her fingers over the clearly defined muscles, Jason quivered.

Sarah had scarcely noticed gentle hands removing her own blouse until their skin met and their bodies pressed urgently together. She glanced to the side and saw their reflection in the mirror, both of them nude from the waist up, naked breasts to bare chest, one in jeans, the other in skirt and stockings, images not only reversed but completely exchanged. She watched the reflection as she lifted the leather skirt, slid one hand beneath and found the sheer thong, clasping the fullness there, feeling her knees weaken even as Jason groaned and pressed himself into her hand.

When they lay together, Sarah felt Jason strong and deep within her even as she gazed up into Jasmine's tender eyes. She had welcomed them both with her passion.

" Jason was quite outstanding, too, " Sarah murmured as she shook off the last of the memories.

Sloan heard the caring and wonder in Sarah's voice and her heart lifted with happiness for them both. " I'm glad, Sarah. Really. Jason is special, and so are you."

" Thanks Sloan. You're a friend."

" Listen, friend, " Sloan said good-naturedly, smiling at Michael. " I've got business to attend to."

" That's okay. I just called to satisfy my curiosity, " Sarah said with another laugh. " Tell her I said hello."

Sloan kissed Michael quickly again, then replied, " I'll do that."

She put down the phone, kissed Michael one more time and slipped from the bed. " Sarah says ‘hello’. You need to put some clothes on because I don’t trust myself around open flames if you’re naked."

Michael merely grinned and padded toward the bathroom, a satisfied look on her face. Sloan found sweat pants and a t-shirt for Michael and pulled on sweats of her own. They took turns in the bathroom, then met in the kitchen to peruse the contents of the refrigerator together.

" Omelets? " Sloan inquired, reminded as she surveyed the paucity of food that she hadn't had a woman overnight in her apartment for a very long time. Her nights of carefully controlled intimacy had never been this simple, nor so intensely personal. She couldn't imagine now how those sterile encounters had sustained her for so long. Michael had reminded her what it meant to hunger, and to be filled.

Michael wrapped her arms around Sloan's waist from behind and stood on tiptoe to kiss the smooth skin on the back of her neck, then peered around her to look at the selection. " Mmm, omelets sound perfect. Is that orange juice I see? "

Sloan shivered at the light caress and tried to ignore the quick twist of want in her belly. She gathered things from the refrigerator and stacked them on a nearby counter. " Yep. And I believe there's some blue cheese and mushrooms, too."

Somehow they managed to construct breakfast and still remain within touching distance of one another the entire time. As if by unspoken agreement they sat side-by-side at the breakfast bar with the Sunday paper Sloan had retrieved from outside the door spread between them. Sloan held her coffee cup in her left hand while her right rested lightly on Michael's thigh. Michael's left hand covered Sloan's as she turned the pages of the paper with the other. It occurred to Michael that she had never been so comfortable with anyone in her life. How something so simple could feel so exciting, and so very right, was quite beyond her experience. Even as she sat in contented silence, she was very conscious of her heart pounding and the faint echoes of desire still whispering in her depths. Finally, she admitted that she was not concentrating on anything she was reading. All she was aware of was Sloan. The heat from Sloan's body and her faint distinct sweet scent reverberated in some primal place within her that responded out of instinct rather than thought.

" Sloan? " Michael said softly.

" Yes? " Sloan said quietly, aware that the slight pressure of Michael's hand on hers was adding to the increasingly distracting pressure between her legs.

" Is it at all normal for me to want to make love to you twenty-four hours a day? "

Sloan swung toward her on the stool and raised one hand to lightly stroke her cheek. " Oh, I hope so, " she whispered, her throat already tight with renewed urgency, " because I feel the same way."

Michael placed her hands on Sloan's waist as she leaned forward, laughing. She kissed her, nibbling gently on her lower lip for a second, then slid down off the high breakfast seat. She moved closer, straddling Sloan's thigh, slipping her hands under Sloan's tee shirt to caress her back and then lightly stroke her belly. Sloan nearly groaned with the pleasure of it.

" Well then, " Michael murmured, tugging her by the hand toward the bedroom, " I'm all for doing what comes naturally."

The next morning, Sloan walked into the reception area and was greeted by Jason, who had a very knowing smirk on his face. She stopped just inside the door and looked at him with raised brows and a wry grin.

" So? " she asked defensively.

" How was your weekend? " he asked sweetly.

She eyed him steadily, then answered smartly, " Probably a lot like yours. Spectacular."

He blushed, and had the good grace to look mildly embarrassed. " My weekend was most satisfactory. Thank you."

She turned and headed toward her office, commenting as she went, " Well then, I'm sure you're more than fit for duty. Perhaps I can have that six-month fiscal report sometime in the next century then? "

She closed her door before she could hear his scathing response. She spent the next several hours sorting through files, reviewing accounts, and contemplating the order in which she wanted to deal with the most recent requests for her services. Her phone rang as she was studying a rather unusual demand for a security check at a local police station. It wasn't the kind of work that was usually sent out to non-municipal agencies. She wondered if someone suspected internal tampering. For a moment she thought of the last time she had become embroiled in the politics of governmental intrigues, and what it had cost her. She was surprised to find that the memory didn't hurt quite as much as it once had. Her mind still on that realization, she grabbed the receiver and said perfunctorily, " Sloan."

" Sloan, it's Michael."

Sloan closed the files quickly and sat up straight, catching the edge of fear in Michael's voice. " What is it? "

Michael drew a breath, and explained, " I just received notification that the board is convening in three days to review this year's financial statistics and to ostensibly vote on next year's proposals. I'm pretty sure this is due to Jeremy's instigation, because we always take care of these things closer to the end of the year. There's not much I can do about it, I guess. I should have expected something like this, but I had hoped to have a little more time. The presentation last week went well, and if I could just delay this board meeting, I think I would have a better chance of convincing them of my competency." She sighed. " Of course, Jeremy knows this, too, which is why he’s making his move now."

Sloan cursed powerfully under her breath, but her voice was calm as she responded, " From what you've told me, your accounts are in good order and like you said, you've done well with the recent projects. Even if Jeremy pushes things towards a showdown with the board, you should be fine."

" I know that, and I think I actually believe it. Just the same, I wish I knew exactly what he had planned."

" Maybe we can find out, " Sloan murmured almost to herself.

" I don't want you to compromise yourself because of my troubles, " Michael said firmly. " But I am grateful for the offer."

" Don't worry, I'll stay far away from anything that might turn into a problem, " Sloan said, her mind already considering possible avenues of inquiry. " I'm sorry about this, Michael. I think what your attorneys have offered him is more than fair. Some of this is probably just his way of reacting to the fact that you are leaving him."

Michael shrugged. " That may be, but it's something I should have done a long time ago." She fell silent as she thought of the weekend she had just spent with Sloan. She recalled a vivid image of Sloan leaning across the front seat of her car earlier that morning to stroke Michael's cheek for an instant before Michael got out to go to work. There had been a look in Sloan's eyes that made Michael feel like she was something precious, and it was a feeling she hoped she would never lose. " I love you."

Sloan smiled, the husky tone of Michael's voice instantly arousing her. " I love you, too."

" Is there a chance I might take you out to dinner tonight? I have a feeling that being with you is just what I need to take my mind off my troubles."

" More than a chance. You can count on it, " Sloan said with certainty. " Try not to worry too much about this. You still have a few more days until the board meeting."

" I'll try, " Michael answered. Since Sloan was practically all she could think about, that might not be too hard. " I'll see you tonight then."

" I'll be waiting for you, " Sloan said.

As soon as she hung up, Sloan buzzed Jason, stating without preamble, " It's time to get everything we possibly can on Jeremy Lassiter. He's out to wage war on Michael, and if there's anything we can offer her as leverage, we need it now."

" I've got some things working, " Jason said. He didn't think Sloan needed to know exactly how much time he had spent perusing the files of Lassiter and Lassiter while repairing the damage from the virus. Nor how easy it had been to backtrack into Jeremy's personal logs.

" Make it fast, because Michael doesn't have a lot of time."

" Don't worry. I'm on it."

" Good, " she said, setting the phone down. She stared at her desk, trying to quiet the surge of rage she felt for Jeremy Lassiter.