The Set Piece (16 page)

“Yeah, but not at a D-1 school and not for the national team.”

Casey flinched and pulled her hand away from Amy’s leg. “I never actually played for the national team,” Casey said softly. “I never got the chance. Diego told you that part, right?”

“He said you would have taken the team by storm.”

A thin smile played at Casey’s lips. “That’s sweet of him. But, honestly, we’ll never know.” She let out a breath. “I go back to that day a lot in my head.” A slight bitterness crept into her voice.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“No. I actually think I do. That is if you want to hear about it.”

“More than anything.”

Casey shifted a few times in her seat before she finally started talking. “I should have blown the scrimmage off. It meant nothing to UCLA or me, but I was…it became…well let’s just say that I played when I shouldn’t have. I was heading for the goal on a breakaway and a sure hat trick. Just me and the goalie. She took me down one step out of the box. She got a red card, and I got a trip to the hospital. We didn’t even get a penalty kick out of it.” Casey’s voice faltered. Amy took her hand and kissed the inside of her palm twice.

“Life doesn’t go as we plan it,” Amy said.

“The plan was to play soccer, get a free ride to UCLA, and apply to medical school. Then the plan was put med school on hold and play for the national team, and then the plan was rehabbing. And then there was no plan.”

“Yeah. I know that last plan all too well.”

“That’s what people forget. Everyone has a story.” She squeezed Amy’s hand tightly. “What’s yours? I’ve seen how you stare off into space sometimes. Not that I’m watching or anything.”

“Ooh. Revealing our secrets? Are we there already?” Amy said lightly, but filed away the fact that Casey was very observant.

“Not if you don’t want to go there yet.”

Did she want to go there? She hadn’t talked about any of it. To anyone. Ever. It seemed the day for taking leaps.

“My parents died when I was in college.” She jumped right in with no preamble. “And I just kind of dropped out of school and life. The weird thing is that I don’t really know why. There were money issues with school, but that wasn’t really it. You know, the day I keep going back to is the day before they died, when I spoke to my mom on the phone. I actually called to tell her about Darla. I didn’t know it then, but I think I was calling to come out to them. When I started, she just shut me down with some stupid remark about a gay movie they’d seen. It wasn’t even a bad comment. It just put me off stroke, and I chickened out or thought I would do it later. I don’t know.” Casey squeezed her hand, and Amy remembered to breathe. “Then, suddenly, there was no later, and I felt like there was no me either. I’d lost the chance to grab who I was.”

Casey placed the hand she was holding on her chest. “Now I’m sorry,” she whispered. “That makes a bum knee sound like a walk in the park. My parents, my brother, my whole family were with me every step of the way. I wouldn’t have gotten through it without them.”

“No. It’s okay. Like you said, everyone has a story.” Amy’s shoulders lifted. Telling hers out loud did wonders. Those thorny pieces in her heart softened. They would always be there, snagging at her when she least wanted them, but maybe, if she didn’t hold back and had Casey with her, she could brush them aside. “I don’t want to move slow, Casey. I want to move forward.”

Casey pulled back to look her in the eyes. “Me too.”

Amy shook her head. “I don’t want you sleeping on the couch.”

“You want me to go, now?” Confusion swept over Casey’s face.

“No. New plan. I want you to come into the bedroom right now, and we’ll figure out where to sleep later.” Amy stood up, pulling Casey with her to the bedroom.

Once there, Amy saw the big, wide bed, and the enormity of where they were heading crashed in on her. She hadn’t been with anyone in years. Darla had been the one to aggressively take the lead. Amy had always fallen into step with her. Now, she wanted something different with Casey. But, was she ready for this?

“Are you sure about this new plan? Because we can go back to the old one.” Casey must have seen the panic she was trying so hard to hide. Amy grabbed Casey before she could psyche herself out.

“Yes. Move forward, lady,” she said, and pulled her onto the bed. Casey laughed, a throaty, musical laugh which chased most of Amy’s misgivings away.

They sat for a moment just looking at each other. She had only known Casey for weeks, and yet Amy felt as if she had waited a lifetime for this moment. Casey must’ve felt it too, since she slowly lowered her lips to Amy’s. Her kiss was soft and velvety. It rocked Amy’s world.

Casey pushed her down and lay across her. Casey’s tight breasts and long lean muscles pressed against her, soft here, hard there, and oh, so sexy everywhere.

Amy tingled all over. And then she decided to let go and let passion guide her.

“New plan,” she said.

Casey’s eyes widened as Amy rolled her over onto her back and straddled her.

Amy wanted control, to steer her own course. She tugged at the first button on Casey’s shirt.

Casey moaned as her fingers slid from button to button. And then there was only Casey’s warm skin and her perfect breasts. Her nipples were already erect and waiting.

Amy brushed her fingers lightly over their tips, and Casey arched in pleasure. She gently squeezed and tugged until Casey’s breath was labored and she moaned softly. Amy moved from one firm peak to the other, teasing with her lips and tongue.

“No fair. I get to play too,” Casey said.

Smiling, Amy sat up and pulled her own shirt over her head.

“God, you’re so sexy,” Casey said, tugging her bra aside and taking a nipple in her mouth. She teased her with her tongue and teeth.

It took them only a minute to shrug out of the rest of their clothes and lie naked side by side. Amy traced a finger down the curve of Casey’s tanned hip. She held her breath as she touched her. Her fingertips explored Casey’s taut belly and the softness of her inner thigh, and then, as they drifted closer to her center, she hesitated, unsure of herself. It had been a long time since she had been with a lover.

“Please,” Casey begged, reaching to guide Amy’s fingers toward her need.

Amy felt the heat, felt the dampness before she touched her there. To know Casey wanted her was all the encouragement she needed. She slid her fingers into her.

Casey moaned; her whole body went still, waiting.

Amy pushed again, past the soft folds, and found her swollen and ready. Her thumb glided over her clitoris, fluttering against it, sending a spasm of pleasure through Casey, driving her hips into a primordial rhythm.

At first, Amy moved with slow sensual strokes, building in tempo as she felt Casey’s body tense around her fingers.

Casey pulled her into a deep kiss. She pushed her tongue impatiently inside Amy’s mouth, and her growing urgency flowed in with it.

Amy pushed deeper as Casey rolled her hips against her, and they moved in unison as Casey’s pleasure grew.

Casey dropped her head back and cried out over and over as Amy thrust deeper into her and the waves of Casey’s orgasm rolled over both of them. Casey reached for Amy’s hand, stilling it, pressing it to her, as they rode out the last few ripples of her pleasure.

She dropped back onto the bed. “Wow,” she gasped. “If that’s what moving slow is like, let’s disengage the brake permanently.”

Amy chuckled. “I think we already have. I know I have.”

Casey’s eyes sparkled. “Shall we try out that theory?” She pulled her into another kiss. Casey’s passion and desire still steered the embrace, but there was something else simmering underneath that Amy couldn’t quite place at first. Casey pulled back to look at her. Tenderness shone in her eyes, and Amy felt her heart melt. There had never been tenderness before.

And then the rest of her melted as Casey rained soft kisses down her neck, stopping at her breasts to nibble and suck. She swirled her tongue around her erect nipples. The kisses moving downwards, across her stomach and lower still. Amy shivered in anticipation as Casey’s breath blew across her sex.

Casey drew in her scent before dipping her head down to her curls. She licked and nibbled. Just when Amy didn’t think she could take the teasing anymore, Casey slowly slid her tongue into her. Pounding sensations, both physical and emotional, coursed through her. “Oh. Yes,” she cried.

Casey’s mouth was honey as she eagerly explored. She worked her way into places that Amy didn’t even know existed and when she rolled her tongue over Amy’s clitoris, a spasm of pure pleasure jolted through her. Casey dropped lower, plunging her tongue into Amy with swift, hard strokes. Amy groaned. Nothing had prepared her for how good this felt.

She clenched the sheets in her hands as Casey drove hard inside her. Casey added her thumb to the play and rolled it over her clit. A roar began in Amy’s head as a whoosh of pleasure raced through her body. Her orgasm came hard and fast, exploding through her body. Casey took her clitoris into her mouth and sucked gently as the last sparks of orgasm faded.

Amy opened her eyes to see Casey looking at her with eyes brimming over with tenderness and care.

“No brakes,” Amy said, breathlessly. “No brakes is good.”

Casey laughed, and slid up the bed and into Amy’s arms.

CHAPTER 10

Amy didn’t remember falling asleep,
but when she opened her eyes to the early morning, bright sun streamed through the window. Casey had flung a leg over her in the night, almost as if staking claim. Amy snuggled back into her, warm and happy. She closed her eyes again, hoping to fall back asleep, but the memory of Casey’s lovemaking still tingled across her body, and suddenly, she was wide awake.

Idly playing her fingers along Casey’s knee, she traced the angry scar, no longer red and new, but still jagged to the touch. Her hand moved slowly up Casey’s thigh to the round softness of her behind. She rolled over to face Casey, who was still asleep. Amy’s hips felt stiff, but the pain was a welcome reminder of the pleasure they had shared and of this wonderful change in their relationship. And as an athlete Amy knew the surefire solution to muscle fatigue was another workout.

Amy kissed Casey’s collar bone. Lingering traces of citrus rose from her skin, but mostly it was all her. Amy found the scent intoxicating. Her nipples brushed against Casey’s soft skin, and desire flamed in her again. She began to nuzzle Casey’s ear when a strange beeping broke her concentration.

“Don’t stop.” Casey pressed her sleepy body against Amy’s.

“Shit.” Amy sprang from the bed. “It’s your phone.”

Casey sat up. “Get it, quick. I left it on the coffee table.”

Completely naked, Amy raced into the living room and lunged for the phone. Casey stretched out her hands for it, and Amy tossed it to her.

“Is it Rob?” she asked climbing back into bed. Casey swiped the phone and the screen leaped into life. Someone moved around in the downstairs den. At first Amy thought it was Tammy, but then Rob’s bulky frame came into view.

“Holy shit,” Casey said. “It’s working.”

“Oh my God, we’ve got him,” Amy gasped.

Rob stood in the middle of the den, looking first one way, then the other, to make sure he was alone. Satisfied, he reached into the workout bag slung over his shoulder and pulled out the photograph he had stolen the day before. He carefully arranged it on the mantel as if it had always been there. With one last tap to the photograph frame, he hitched the bag up on his shoulder and headed in the direction of the gym.

“Hmm,” Casey said thoughtfully, and pulled the sheet up so it covered her chest. “We got something at least.”

“But what? What do we actually have?” Amy rummaged around in a chest of drawers for two clean T-shirts. She threw one to Casey who slid it over her body. The possibility of a morning dalliance had disappeared.

“I don’t know. He’s possibly stealing a photograph? Definitely messing with stuff that isn’t his.”

“That’s not enough to go to Horowitz with. It’s all circumstantial.” Amy held up a pair of work-out shorts and when Casey nodded, she tossed them on the bed.

“I know. We got to find out if there’s anything more.”

“How?”

“For starters, we need to look in that bag.”

“That didn’t work out so well for either of us yesterday.”

“I don’t know.” Casey, now fully dressed, gave Amy a long, hungry look. “From where I’m standing, I don’t think it could’ve worked out any better.”

Amy’s face softened into a smile. “No morning after regrets?”

“None. You?”

“God, no.” Amy didn’t hesitate with her answer. She cocked her head. “Well, I do regret we can’t jump back into bed and start all over.”

Casey chuckled. “Me too. But we’re moving forward, right? Now we need a plan B.”

“Which is?”

“155…156…157…”

Rob grunted the numbers as he pounded out sit-ups. Amy stood in the doorway for a moment. His back was to her, his focus completely on the exercise, and his bag dropped carelessly on the ground. Amy could just take it and slide out of the gym, but she was part of a real team now. Better to stay with the plan.

She bounded up to him, timing it carefully so his back hit the ground when she loomed over him from out of nowhere and took control from the start. The thieving bastard didn’t deserve any better.

“Hi! You’re Rob, right?”

He flinched at her voice, “Yes.”

“I’m Amy,” she said, enjoying his response.

“I remember.” His face fell and he sighed. “What can I do you for?”

“Well, you’re a personal trainer and I like to swim. So I was wondering if you could come out to the pool and show me a few exercises I could do out there.”

“I’m in the middle of a workout.”

“Oh, it won’t take long.” She pouted a little for good measure. “Diego said you would love to. I talked to him this morning. He says you would help me whenever I wanted.”

“Diego said that?”

“Yep.”

Rob grimaced and grabbed a white towel draped over a nearby machine and wiped his dripping forehead. “Fine. One really good exercise you can do in the water—”

“No. I was hoping we could go to the pool. To actually do the exercises.”

“You’re kidding?”

“No. I’m a doer. I learn by doing, not by listening. So it has to be out there.” She gave her words the sing-song rhythm of one who is sure of herself.

“Whatever.” He snapped his towel back onto the machine’s handle.

Amy turned away with Rob following. Just as he seemed to be making a detour to his bag she slid her arm through his.

“This is going to be so much fun. You know, I want to get in really good shape for Diego.” She dropped her voice to a whisper as she directed him out the door. “And our wedding night.”

In the hallway, her shoulders dropped in relief. The rest was up to Casey. The heat had not yet become unbearable as she led Rob to the edge of the pool. She raised her face expectantly. “So the one really good exercise is…”

“Aren’t you going to get in?” he asked. “I thought you were a doer.”

She groaned silently as her own words came back to bite her. “Of course.” She really had only one option if she wanted to give Casey as much time as possible. She turned to the pool and jumped in, fully clothed, feet first. “Okay, so the one good exercise is…?”

Rob stared at her incredulously. He looked so shocked she had to stifle the laugh that rose in her throat. She treaded the cool water, aware she looked absolutely ridiculous, and hoped Casey was having better luck rifling through his bag.

“The exercise?” she prompted.

“There’s the Spiderman, where you climb the wall of the pool like Spiderman climbs up buildings. Stand at the edge, tread water with your hands and climb up the wall with your feet.”

Amy, the doer, moved to the wall. “Oh, I like it. I can feel it in my core.”

“And then there’s one where you’ll need a noodle.” He kicked the bright purple cylindrical foam into the water. “Stand upright, press straight down on the noodle with both hands, and lean forward until you’re on an even incline. That’s it. Keep your head above water. Now stay that like that for two minutes.”

Amy maintained the plank position and marveled that certified or not, Rob knew his stuff. The muscles of her stomach and back tightened and her sore hips loosened up. She fought the current of the water, as she actually tried to perfect the exercise.

Then, from the patio windows behind Rob’s back she saw Casey slashing the side of her hand across her throat. Time to cut loose.

“Okay. That’s great. Thank you.” Amy released the noodle and it popped to the surface with a splash.

“You know two exercises aren’t going to make Diego like you.” Rob sneered down at her.

“Excuse me?” She flinched at the real venom in his voice.

“I know a couple more,” Rob backtracked quickly.

“No. Two’s good.”

“Tell Diego I’ll see him tomorrow.” He disappeared inside without waiting for an answer.

Amy dog-paddled to the shallow end. Despite being able to run most people into the ground on the soccer field, she was not a good swimmer. She climbed out, water streaming off her clothes.

Casey slunk into the patio from the side gate. “He’s gone?”

Amy nodded.

“What the hell?” Casey asked, laughing while Amy stood dripping all over the patio.

“I lied to get him out here, and then I had to jump in the pool to prove myself.” Amy looked down at water running off her shorts and T-shirt and started laughing, too. “What’d you find in there?”

“Nothing,” Casey said. “Nothing but sweaty, gross clothes, and towels that smelled like they’ve never been washed.”

“Great. So I did all this for dirty laundry.” She squeezed out her top. Water streamed to the flagstones.

“I don’t know. I’d say turnabout is fair play. I can see why you pushed me in that first day…” Casey’s gaze slowly roamed her body and goosebumps rose up on Amy’s skin. “I finally get to see you dripping wet.”

“I don’t know. I was pretty wet last night.” Amy blushed at her boldness but met Casey’s look head on.

Desire smoldered between them, and suddenly, Amy didn’t care about her wet clothes, or Rob’s weirdness and his photoshopping.

Casey took a step toward her and then stiffened as her gaze drifted over Amy’s shoulder.

“Hi, Diego,” she called softly.

Amy spun around to see Diego, larger than life, striding out onto the patio. “Oh, great! You’re here, Casey. You obviously got my text,” he said.

Casey nodded, hiding her surprise.

Amy plastered a fake smile on her face. “You’re back early. We didn’t expect you ’til later.” She cringed. Her first sentence and already a mistake. She should have said “I,” not “we.”

This was going to be too easy to screw up. Or maybe she wanted a way out? She pushed the thought out of her head as soon as it entered. Not possible.

“I flew back ahead of the team. I have great news!” Diego beamed and took her in his arms. He instantly recoiled. “You’re all wet. What happened?”

“I… I…” For the life of her she couldn’t think of a lie.

“I dared her to jump in with her clothes on.” Casey saved her. Now she was treading the path of lies. “We were just goofing about.”

“Okay. Glad to see you’re having fun,” Diego said dismissively. “Where’s Tammy? I want to tell all three of you together.”

“Let’s go find her.” Casey turned Diego back to the house and gave him a gentle push forward. Behind his back, she caught Amy’s eye and mouthed, “You okay?”

Amy nodded, but she wasn’t sure. Diego’s unexpected arrival had given her the jitters. Whatever the news was, she could roll with it. But she wasn’t ready to give up her precious, truthful moments with Casey for the lies of her public life.

Casey touched her shoulder in a quick caress and they followed Diego indoors.

Tammy came rushing out of her apartment into the kitchen with an apology already flowing from her lips.

“You’re home. I’m so sorry. If I knew you’d be home early, I would’ve been ready. Give me a second.” She cast Casey a withering look. “No one told me.”

She flew into action, pulling the carrot cake from the pantry and making cups of coffee all at once. Amy stood under the air conditioning in her damp clothes, wondering if she could catch pneumonia in the middle of a heatwave. She should go up and change, but she was on the job now.

Casey sat down at the table and crossed her arms defensively across her chest.

Diego, oblivious to the women in his life and the way they felt about him and each other, stood easily at the kitchen island, beaming from ear to ear, chatting about the game and his goal.

Amy caught Casey’s eyes once, and she dropped her head as Diego prattled on. Finally, they sat around the table with coffee and cake before them.

Diego reached out and cupped Amy’s hand for show. “I’m bursting. I can’t wait to tell you all.”

They stared expectantly at him.

“I got the call,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “The national team. They want me at the training camp next week.”

“Oh, Diego! That’s amazing.” Tammy jumped up and rushed to enfold him in a bear hug.

Casey was next in line with a kiss on the check and a simple, but warm, “That’s truly wonderful.”

Amy stood back from the rest watching until Diego circled her with his arms and dropped his head in for the kiss. Amy stiffened. It was only acting on both their parts. But now as his lips met hers she couldn’t help but feel as if she were cheating on Casey in some bizarre way.

“Oh my God. You’re really wet,” Diego said as he released her.

“You should go change,” Casey said, so sharply that everyone turned to look at her. “I mean she’s dripping all over the floor.”

“Sorry, Tammy. I just wanted to hear Diego’s news.” Amy apologized.

“No worries.” Tammy said with uncharacteristic charity.

“Go change. I want to drive over to my mother’s to tell the family the news. I already told her, but I made her swear that I could tell everyone else. Will you come with me?”

“Of course.”

With a happy nod, Diego, her boss, released her from the kitchen. It took everything that Amy had, not to look at Casey on her way out, especially when she heard Diego issue all sorts of intricate instructions to her for a busy working day.