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CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE. The morning was beautiful, cloudless






The morning was beautiful, cloudless. Carly stood at the edge of the bay, watching the sun rise out of the water. She wanted to enjoy the morning while she could. Soon, she would be stuck inside. The brochures were in. Elsa was picking them up for her and they would spend the afternoon affixing labels. Thousands of labels. She hoped she could persuade Pat to help, too. Pat had been out every day, but she was busy following the contractors around. They hadn't had a moment alone all week. Either Elsa or Martin seemed to be around. She wondered if Pat regretted it as much as she did.

Then she smiled. She had cornered Elsa, demanded to know what she'd told Martin. Elsa denied saying anything, then Carly had threatened to tell Martin that Elsa was in love with him.

" Mi Dios, " Elsa had stated. " I'll kill you."

Elsa finally spilled everything, including the night she and Martin had spent together.

" You slept with him? " Carly demanded. " With my Martin? "

" He's not your Martin. And yes, I told you, I couldn't resist him."

" Elsa, you are so weak."

" Yes, I am. But unlike you, I won't run from a possible love life."

" I'm not exactly running anymore. I can't seem to resist Pat either, " she told Elsa.

And that was true, she admitted. She couldn't resist her. She didn't want to. Each night, when she crawled into her empty bed, she wondered what it would be like to make love with Pat. And each morning she woke still wondering.

" What are you doing? "

Carly jumped, putting a hand to her chest.

" Jesus! Why must you always do that? " she demanded.

" I don't always, Dr. Cambridge. You want me to start honking my horn when I drive up? Or perhaps those bells you mentioned? "

Carly turned around and looked at Pat. Earth tones today. Tan shorts and dark brown sleeveless shirt. Beautiful.

" So, catching the sunrise? " Pat asked.

" Yes. We're going to be stuck inside today. The brochures are ready."

" Good. Did they send you an advance? Did they turn out? "

" I haven't seen them. Elsa drove to Corpus to pick them up. We're going to start on the labels as soon as she gets here."

" Need help? " Pat offered.

" Yes, actually. I was hoping you wouldn't mind."

" Can I sit next to you? " Pat asked.

" You can sit anywhere you want."

" Anywhere? Careful. I might just want to crawl into your lap."

Carly laughed.

" I doubt my lap would hold you."

Pat loved it when Carly laughed. Her whole face lit up, making her more beautiful, if that were possible. Without thought, she raised her camera, capturing Carly with a smile still on her face.

Carly pretended to be annoyed. She normally hated having her picture taken. But there was something about the way Pat looked at her, the way she held the camera with such poise.

" What makes you think you can do that? "

Pat grinned. " Because I'm the one with the camera."

The smile that Carly flashed caused Pat's heart to stop. She slowly lowered the camera, her eyes searching and finding Carly's.

" Jesus, you are so beautiful, " she whispered.

Carly watched as Pat stepped closer, but she was powerless to move. Her eyes dropped to Pat's lips, knowing without a doubt that she could not say no to this woman. When she raised her eyes again, there was no doubting the look in Pat's blue ones. She reached for Pat even before Pat stopped walking. Their mouths fought for control.

Carly whimpered when Pat's tongue moved past her lips and danced with her own for the first time. She needed no encouragement from Pat as her lower body molded itself to the other woman. And God, it felt so good to be held and kissed this way. She crushed Pat to her, her arms holding Pat tightly against her body.

They finally drew apart, their breathing ragged. Carly opened her eyes, looking into Pat's. So blue. She wanted to drown there. She pulled Pat's mouth to hers again, softer, gentler now. The fury of their first kiss was absent as they explored each other with gentle tongues.

Finally, Carly pulled away, separating herself from Pat.

" You drive me absolutely crazy, you know that, don't you? " Carly asked.

" You could pretend you're smashed and I'm a stranger and you won't know my name in the morning, " Pat suggested.

" You know I can't do that. You're not a stranger and I'm not going to use you to satisfy my...hunger."

" Please, use me, " Pat whispered.

Carly reached out a hand and touched Pat's face.

" I would never."

" Then, let's try it the normal way, " Pat suggested. " I don't want a house from you or a car or biology homework. I just want you."

" I can't do that, Pat. I almost killed myself. Over her, " she said disgustingly. " I can't take a chance again. Not with you. I couldn't survive, " she admitted quietly.

Pat wondered if she could survive the rest of the day after the kiss Carly had just given her. But she smiled. She couldn't be angry with Carly because it was there in her eyes. Love. Carly could fight it for awhile and Pat was content to let her try. But she knew Carly would never win. It was there in her eyes. And love would win.

So she took Carly's hand and tugged her along.

" Come on. Let's go see your egrets before we have to work."

" That's it? " Carly asked. " You have nothing else to say? "

" What? "

" I think you enjoy making me crazy, " Carly accused. She never thought Pat would just let it go. Not after their little kissing scene.

" Oh, please. I'm the one that needs a cold shower here."

Carly stopped.

" I need one, too, Pat."

Pat grinned.

" Oh, and now you're just being mean."

Carly laughed. God, she liked this woman. Pat could drive her emotions from one end to the other, all in a matter of sentences. She liked Pat's sense of humor. Pat enjoyed baiting her, teasing her, making her so angry she wanted to slap her, then have her laughing the next instant. But it was her kisses that drove her totally over the edge.

And over the edge of the nearest cliff is where she wanted to toss Pat after nearly three hours of label sticking.

" Jesus Christ, are you sending this to every goddamn birder in the country? " Pat asked for the third time.

" You have the attention span of a five year old, " Carly said.

" Five? Earlier you said ten."

" Earlier I still had a sense of humor."

Both Elsa and Martin laughed but Pat gave them her best glare and they stopped immediately. This caused Carly to laugh.

" Oh, please, you two. Don't humor her."

" Dr. Cambridge, for cheap labor, you're taking an awful lot of liberties with me, " Pat said.

" You're right. I am. I forgot you willing volunteered for this project."

" I volunteered to photograph this project. Perhaps I should capture this on film. It just reeks of environmental abuse. How many trees died for this? "

" Recycled paper. None."

" I hate you, " Pat murmured.

" No you don't."

" I can pretend to."

" Will you two stop? " Elsa finally asked. " You're making me crazy. Mi Dios! "

Carly and Pat both looked at her and laughed. Then they looked at each other and their laughter turned to smiles.


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