When the Cat’s Away…

Home : Stories by Catw00man : RCR 2008 AU : Path of Thorns - When the Cat’s Away…

Summary: …the mice will play.

AUTHOR: Catw00man
EMAIL: catw00man@cryptoffic.com
RATING: R
SERIES/SETTING: Path of Thorns
CHARACTERS: DeLana Harvick/Kevin Harvick, Athena Barber, DeLana POV
PROMPT: Taming the Muse #107-108 (#82-83 for me) - In Absentia & Dead at the Wheel
COMPLETED: October 13, 2008
WORDS: 5,804
DISCLAIMER: I own NOTHING and am affiliated with NO ONE mentioned here. Not the drivers, not the teams, no one. This is all fiction and fun. In other words...NOT REAL, NOT REAL, NOT REAL. ;-)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This fic takes place the Friday before the UAW-Dodge Dealers 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In our verse the boys stay at the casinos before the race.
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Harvick Hotel Room - Las Vegas, NV - February 29, 2008

“Dammit, D, we’re in Vegas.  Is it too much to ask to spend some damn time with you?”

“And by time you mean rolling around in bed.”

“There was a time you didn’t mind rolling around in bed with me.”

The infuriating smirk on his face has me ready to strangle him in an instant.  Wasn’t there a time that look drove me wild and made my knees weak?  I know there was.  Everything he did used to have me wound so tight his touch alone could send me spiraling.  I know that’s what he wants.  He’s been at me about it for weeks.  I just…haven’t felt it.

“Dammit, Kevin, why does it always have to be sex with you?  Sex with me, sex with others, bitching about Clint and Junior having sex--”

“You know damn well there haven’t been any ‘others’ for months, DeLana.  There hasn’t been anyone and you know what that does to me.”  He shifts back and forth on his feet, spinning his wedding band he actually decided to wear today around and around his finger with his thumb.  Yeah, I know what lack of sex does to him.  It makes him completely unbearable.

“Then maybe you should go out and find someone.”  The words leave my lips before I have a chance to stop them and by the look on his face I can see they hurt him deep.  I didn’t mean to do that.  I just…don’t like where we’ve been going. I don’t like him pushing me when I’m not in the mood because all it does is turn me off more.  To be honest, I don’t like who we’ve become.

“Fine.  Whatever,” he snaps and turns to grab his wallet and room key off the table.  “If that’s what you want, D.  If that’s what it takes.”

“Kevin…”  Follow after him as he heads for the door and grab his arm as he opens it part way.  “Kevin, please.  That’s not what I want.”  He stops, goes still for a moment and when he looks over his shoulder at me his bright green eyes take my breath.  Did I put the sadness and frustration in his eyes?  I didn’t mean to.  I didn’t want to.  I just wanted some time to sort things out because the way things have been….  We need to change.

“What do you want, D?  Tell me.  Tell me how I can fix this because I know I’ve fucked it the hell up.  Tell me what I can do--”

“DeLana?  Are you there?”

We both freeze at the voice in the hall and I tighten my hand on his arm because I know the moment’s broken and I don’t want it to be.  We were finally starting to talk.  Maybe we could actually get somewhere.  Maybe for just a moment he could stop being such a horny fucking man for once.  “Kevin….”

“Don’t,” he growls and  jerks his arms away.  “She’s in here, Athena,” he calls into the hall and opens the door wider.  He’s mad I brought her with us, again.  But what else can I do?  She’s still staying with us and I’ve actually enjoyed having another woman around for once.  Is it so bad that for once in my life I have a friend who isn’t Kevin?  Why does he have to be such a two year old about it?

“Kevin, stop it.  Don’t--”

“Don’t do what, D?” he growls under his breath too soft for Athena to hear.  “You know what?  Don’t wait up.  I’ll find something to do.  You two…have fun,” he says as Athena appears in the doorway.  Then he pushes his way not so gently around her and heads down the hall, his personal black cloud of pissiness following after him.

“DeLana, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to upset him.  Maybe I shouldn’t have--”

“No, ‘Thena it’s not you.  Not all you anyway.”  Take a step back so she can come into the suite and shut the door behind her.  “He’s just…being a man.”  Shake my head and snort softy to myself.  “If he had his way he’d probably be spending the night ravishing the both of us.”

Turn around to be met by wide brown eyes and I realize she’s still not used to hearing me be so blunt.  Sure Kevin and I thought about inviting her and Clint into our bed, but I never actually said it.  Much as we might have liked the idea we weren’t going to push it and lose their friendship, not to mention make things insanely awkward at RCR.  No, it was always a teasing joke they never took us up on, and now I think she’s realized it wasn’t just a joke after all.

“‘Thena I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to…”

“No, no ‘Lana it’s ok.  I just…it’s ok.”  She runs her hand through her long hair, twisting the end around her manicured finger, and doesn’t meet my eyes.  Watch as she twirls the strands around her finger and silently curse Kevin again for making things awkward when he’s not even here.  Maybe if we were a little more normal things would still be the way they were and everyone would still be happy.  But, no.  Kevin had to go and make that damn bet….

“Do you want something to drink?  I’m sure there’s something good in the minibar.”  Slow smile crosses my face.  “Kevin’s paying of course.”

Her laugh breaks the tension building between us and I walk across the living area of the suite to look in the minibar.  Open the cabinet and sort through all the tiny bottles of overpriced alcohol, trying to decide what I want to drink.  A screw driver might be nice.  I wonder if the mini fridge has any bottled orange juice….

“Anything good in there?”  Feel her hand on my back as she leans to look over my shoulder and smile.  I guess she’s not feeling too freaked out by me anymore.  Good.  I don’t want to lose my best friend over all this.  When Clint lost his mind, I was afraid she’d be headed back to Kansas on the first plane.  But I got lucky.  She’s been in North Carolina so long it’s become home…even if she has been evicted from the place she used to share with Clint.

“The vodka looks good.  Do you like screw drivers?  We could always call up for some orange juice if the mini fridge doesn’t have any.” Pull back a little from the small bar so I can stand and  look back at her.  “That is…if you were wanting something like that.”

“Actually, it sounds perfect.”  Smile as she turns to look through the adjacent mini fridge then grin even more when she pulls out some bottles of orange juice.  She holds them up and shakes them at me and I laugh.

“Even more perfect.”  Pull out several of the mini bottles of vodka then walk over to the table by the window.  Turn over two of the hotel glasses and empty out a small bottle into each glass.  Smile at Athena when she hands me one of the bottles of juice and split it between the two glasses, filling them to the top.  Then I turn to her and offer her one, raising mine in toast.  “To a night free from men.”

She laughs and clinks her glass with mine before taking a sip.  “That doesn’t sound half bad.”  She grins at me and arches an eyebrow.  “So, should we stay in and order room service?  Maybe watch a movie?  I don’t know about you but I’m tired of shopping.”

Nod and now it’s my turn to laugh.  “You and me both.  I bet we can find something decent on TV.  I’m all for indulging in some room service.”  Take a long drink of my screw driver then turn back to the table to grab the room service menu.  I don’t usually order room service with how over priced it is, but if Kevin wants to walk out acting like a jerk I think I can indulge a little.  Open the menu book and immediately flip to the back.  I’m not interested in a real “meal.”  I’d much rather order, “Ohhhh double fudge chocolate cake with strawberries!”

“Really?  Let me see.”  Athena moves in closer to look at the menu that just so happens to have a picture of the sinful looking dessert.  “Looks like it even comes with vanilla Hagen-Daas.”   Smile when she looks at me and does the same.  “I think we have a winner.”

The dessert is insanely over priced but I don’t care.  Right now chocolate is sounding like the perfect thing to improve my mood.  I didn’t want Kevin to run off tonight, and I know I probably don’t want to know where he is or what he’s doing.  I just didn’t want to end up going through the motions and faking something I wasn’t feeling.  Besides what would Athena have done tonight?  I did invite her here.  I should play the good hostess.

“I think you’re right.  Go see if there’s anything good on and I’ll order one up.”  Look after her as she goes into the bedroom to get the movie schedule off the TV then I pick up the hotel phone.  Dial the number for the front desk then run my nails over the back of couch as I wait for them to transfer me to the kitchen.  Ask for extra strawberries when they finally answer along with a few more bottles of orange juice.  It doesn’t hurt to be prepared.  Hang up and top off our drinks with vodka and juice then follow Athena to the bedroom.

She’s standing at the TV, flipping through the channels when I bring her her glass and I glance at the screen.  “Find anything?”

“Not really.  No good movies I haven’t seen but…”  She motions to the TV and giggles, “There is the late night “Skinamax” if you want a good laugh.”  Snort softly when I see a half naked, muscled “stud” posing in the sun for a couple blondes he’ll probably be getting oily with later.  Giggle at the insanity of it and shoot her a grin. 

“I’m game if you are.  If anything it should be…entertaining.”  Laugh as I head over to sit on the bed.  Kick off my shoes then scoot the bed up to lean against the headboard.  Look up as Athena comes to join me, drink in hand and then giggle again as muscle boy oils himself up as if that actually makes women come in droves.  Though, of course, in this case it does.  Watch the two bimbos come to join him and laugh as they end up oiling up each other as much as him.  “Typical male fantasy.”

“That’s what I always thought….”  Turn to look at Athena when I hear her soft voice trail off and bite my lip when I realize what I’ve said.  She probably could’ve lived with something like that, or at least understood it.  But being left for another man…I know a Kansas girl like her never saw it coming.

“I understand better than you know.”  Her head snaps around to look at me and is that a flash of anger in her eyes?  It’s gone before I’m sure and I take a long drink of my screwdriver.  We haven’t spent too much time discussing Clint and his indiscretions but…if she’s thinking about blaming herself she needs to stop it.  Things aren’t always as simple as we want them to be.  Kevin and I are more than proof of that.

“What are you talking about?  Kevin’s never left you.  At least not that you’ve ever told me about.  How can you possibly know what I’m going through?”  She lowers her eyes and I’m afraid if she squeezes her glass any tighter it might crack.  Swirl the ice in my glass and try to figure out where to begin.

“Maybe I was afraid he was going to.”  Swallow hard and down the rest of my glass.  That’s the first time I’ve ever admitted that to anyone, including myself.  It’s not something I like to think about.  Glance over at her almost empty glass and go to the other room to retrieve all the vodka and orange juice we have along with the ice.  If we’re going to have this conversation I have a feeling we’re both going to need it.

Her face is softer when I come back and I realize she’s probably starting to put things together and I’m not surprised.  She knows me and Kevin well so it shouldn’t be too hard to understand.  Slide back onto the bed after setting up our own little minibar on the nightstand and freshen up both our drinks.  Hand hers over when she finally speaks again. 

“How do you get…where you two are?  I mean….”  She trails off and I know why.  How do you ask how your best friend and her husband became “swingers?”  It’s not like it’s a normal lifestyle. 

Lean back against the headboard and sigh as I close my eyes and run my hand over my face.  I’ve never discussed this with anyone and there’s so much…I haven’t even wanted to face.  But if somehow it helps her to have someone else who understands….  Sigh softly again and turn to look at her, unsurprised when she tells me, “It’s ok, Lana.  I didn’t mean to pry.”

“No, no it’s ok.  Really.”  Reach for my drink and glance at the TV screen again to see the impromptu orgy starting to heat up and shake my head.  “It’s stupid, how it all started. We were watching something like this one night at…I don’t even remember what track, only instead of two girls it was two guys.”

Take a long sip of my screw driver and I can remember it all as if it were yesterday.  Kevin and I were all cuddled up on the couch while he flipped channels and I actually stopped him when I saw the guy on guy action.  I thought it would be fun to tease him with him being from California and all because we’ve all heard about how it is “out there.”  Continue to stare at the screen as I go on with my story.  “I started giving him a hard time and eventually asked him if he’d ever tried anything like that.”  Suck on my lower lip as I remember.  I never dreamed such a simple question could completely change my world forever.  But once you’ve opened Pandora’s box…there really is no going back.

“Had he?”

Her question pulls me from my memories and I nod slowly. “Yeah, he had.  Turns out some guy he used to race with basically pounced him one night and kissed him.  He said it shocked the hell out of him at first but then he gave in.  It wasn’t until later that he went further with it.”  And the look on his face as he told me the story let me know things would never be the same.  It was something in his eyes, a wild fire that was a little different from anything I’d ever seen before.  It scared me as much as it intrigued me because in that moment I realized…I could lose him.

“And he…liked that too?”

Look over to see her inquisitive face, eyes wide as she clutches her glass tightly in both hands.  Nod and tell her softy, “I knew he wanted it again.  I knew he…missed it and there was nothing I could do to give him…that.”

Watch as she nods her head slowly and I know exactly what she’s thinking.  Could she have kept Clint if she’d been more…adventurous?  Thing is I don’t even know.  Have I really kept Kevin?  Sure we’re still married but with everything….

“What about you?  Did you ever…?”  It takes me a moment to realize what she’s asking but when her eyes met mine I understand.  Hesitate a moment because I usually don’t talk this much about myself, at least not so intimately, but we’ve gone this far….

“Yeah, I had.”  Her eyes widen slightly at my admission and I continue quickly.  “It wasn’t anything serious, just some experimenting in college after getting drunk.”  Well, maybe it wouldn’t have been a big deal if I hadn’t told Kevin about it.  After he knew I was…more open to experimentation than he thought…he wanted more.  And at first I was all for it.  At least, I was interested because I thought experimentation was all it was.  I figured we’d play around a little then go back to our lives.  Together.  Then he had to go and set his sights on Earnhardt and shoot it all to hell.

“So before, with me and Clint, did you--”

Her question is cut off by a sharp knock at the door that has us both jumping out of our skin.  For a moment I think maybe Kevin forgot his key and a rush of guilt floods through me as I shake my head slightly.  I haven’t done anything wrong.  Hell, he’s the one probably off messing around.  Except…he isn’t.  And I know it.  He’s probably just misering his way through some game of blackjack or something since he hates to lose money….

Another knock at the door accompanied by the call of “room service” gets me moving and I slide off the bed to go get our dessert.  Set my glass on the bedside table then head back into the main room of the suite to get the door.  Smile at the young man who offers me the sinful chocolate dessert and he smiles back as he gives me the bottles of orange juice as well.

“Special night?”

His question throws me for a minute until I realize chocolate fudge cake and strawberries with two spoons does look like a romantic…aphrodisiac.  Shake my head and set everything on the table near the door as I scramble to find money for the tip.  “Just a craving for something sweet.”

He begins to nod but then I see a change come over his face and at first I’m not sure why, until Athena appears from the bedroom to give him a tip.  I know immediately what he’s thinking and at this point I’m fed up with it.  “Thanks again,” I snap to get his attention and at least he has the decency to look a little sheepish as I all but slam the door in his face.

“Men,” I hear Athena say behind me and I nod my head in agreement.  “Nothing but walking hormones 24/7.”  Turn to grab the dessert tray as she picks up the juice bottles.  “You’d think he was waiting for us to go at it right here, freaky little perv.”

Snort softly and head back to the bedroom where I see she’s refilled both our drinks.  Good thing too because right now I’m on the edge of getting pissed or crying but I think I can settle for being drunk.  Put the tray on the middle of the bed then crawl back up on it.  “You know how it is.  Guys see two women together and all they can think is what it would be like if they tore each other’s clothes off.”  Reach for a strawberry and bite into it, sucking on the juice and wish Kevin was a little more like “those guys” no matter how much of a pig that would make him.  But he’s not like that.  Sure we tried the girl on girl and I have no doubt he enjoyed it.  But what he really enjoyed was the men…and that’s always freaked me out a little.

“Did you like it?”

Pause in the middle of a bite of cake and look over to see her studying me intently.  She’s sucking on the tines of her fork and it takes me a moment I realize what she’s talking about.  She wants to know what it’s like to kiss another woman.  I can read it all over her face.  That’s where this whole line of questioning has been going.  Oh, I know she’s wondering about Clint, but that’s not all she’s wondering about and to be honest…I can’t blame her.

“Have you never…,” pause for a moment as I decide how to phrase my question but in the end I just opt for the bluntness Kevin and I are both famous for.  “Have you never kissed another woman before, ‘Thena?”

She shakes her head slowly but never looks away.  One of her hands is curled in the comforter beneath us and the other has a death grip on her drink that’s already half empty again.  Her eyes continue to bore into me and the tension in the room has gone up tenfold.  She’s one of my closest friends, and I know she’s not trying to use me but…does she really know what she’s doing?

“Lana…if things hadn’t happened the way they did.  If-if Clint and I had taken you up on your offer…would we have…I mean.  Would you and I…?”

“Yeah.  Yeah I’m sure we would have.”  Look down at my glass then swallow down the rest of it.  Feel the burn of alcohol spreading through me and dulling my senses.  I should stop.  I should stop this whole conversation.  But why should I?  It’s the damn men in our lives that have gone and fucked everything up.  We should have just been friends, best girlfriends talking about shopping and racing and normal things.  Not about twisted threesomes or foursomes and men who don’t know which way they want to go.  But they haven’t given us that option.  They had to go and act like horny fools and screw us all over.

Raise my eyes to meet hers that are still staring at me and wet my lips.  She really is beautiful.  I’ve always thought so, but I’ve never really let myself look at her like I am now.  I shouldn’t be noticing the way her tapered, button down blouse hugs the contours of her full breasts.  I shouldn’t be watching the way the material pulls and stretches as she breathes harder in what I know is anticipation and desire.  She’s drunk, or close to getting there, and neither one of us should be having this conversation.  But we are.  And it’s not our fault.

Scoot a fraction closer to her and lean in a little more as my voice takes on an unexpectedly husky tone.  “Do you want me to kiss you, Thena?  Do you want me to be the first woman who ever does?”  I’m close enough to feel her hot breath but not close enough to touch.  Not yet.  The plate filled with half eaten chocolate fudge cake is still between us and I make no move to set it aside yet.  I want to give us both an out, give us both a chance to think even though my body seems to be doing all the thinking for me.

I’ve never been very attracted to women.  Sure I’ve thought some were pretty, but I’ve never looked at a woman and knew I wanted to kiss her.  But this is different.  This is Athena, my best friend.  Someone who understands me and doesn’t pick me apart at every turn.  She’s soft where Kevin is hard and right now I’m so tired of hard.  I’m tired of all the edges that don’t seem to fit anymore.  I’m tired of having to work at something that should be so easy.  Just for a little while…I want something easy and my body is screaming at me that this is as easy as it gets.

“Yes, want it to be you.”  She leans forward, I feel her lips ghost across mine and I pull back a little.  She’s so, so sweet and I want to savor every moment, want to make this even sweeter.  Reach down for one of the uneaten strawberries and bring it to her lips.  She hesitates at first and I wonder if anyone has ever done something like this for her before.  Clint doesn’t exactly strike me as the overly romantic type so maybe not.  Poor thing.  She never should’ve gotten so close to me.  I’m every bit as bad as Kevin ever was.

She opens her mouth, a little tentative at first but then bites down into the sweet berry, taking about half of it.  I lean closer, pushing the plate between us further down the bed and then finish off the strawberry as she watches me closely.  Toss the top of the strawberry on the plate, then press even closer to her and part my lips.  I hear her sharp intake of breath but I don’t give her what she wants yet, just draw my tongue across her lower lip. 

She shivers hard at my light touch and at her soft whisper of “Please,” I wonder if anyone has ever been this tender with her.  I’ve been lucky, and I know it, because Kevin can be as amazingly tender and sweet as he can be relentless and strong.  There have been times he’s shown me more tenderness than I ever thought possible…when he wasn’t nailing me through the wall or the floor.  He’s a myriad of contradictions and I do love him.  I just wish we could find that connection outside of the bedroom again.

Lean close enough to capture her lips with my own and I feel her tremble hard again from only my kiss.  Press closer and I shouldn’t, but I can’t help but reach out to glide my hand down her arm.  Her skin feels like it’s on fire and it does things to my insides, making me want more than just a simple kiss.  As if this kiss is simple. 

Hear her soft groan as I trace my fingertips up the inside of her arm and without a thought I caress the outside of her full breast with my palm.  She moans and presses into my hand, wordlessly urging me on and I can’t resist, not when her hand curls in my blouse and tugs me closer.  Somewhere in the back of my mind I know this is wrong, even though she’s not the first woman I’ve been with since Kevin and I have been together.  He’s not here and I know that’s crossing the line.  But wasn’t he going to do the same thing with Junior…?

He was.  I know he was.  If he’d gotten the chance he’d have kept him all to himself.  So what if I’m doing the same?  Deepen the kiss and I can taste the traces of strawberry and vodka on her tongue and it’s the sweetest concoction I’ve known in a long time.  Thread my fingers through her silky blonde hair and I can’t help myself.  She’s so amazingly sweet and soft and absolutely everything I need.

“Lana…” I hear her gasp under her breath and I shiver at the huskiness in her voice.  It was just supposed to be a kiss, nothing more.  So why isn’t she pulling away when I run my thumb across her hardened nipple?  Palm her breast in my hand and I’d love to know what it would feel like naked against my own.  No woman has ever done this to me before.  It was always about putting on a show for Kevin, but now that he’s not here…

Everything has changed.

“Thena…should we…stop?” I breathe softly against her neck and silently pray she doesn’t push me away.  I’ll stop.  I’ll stop and never do this again if that’s what she wants, but if it’s not….

“Lana, please.”  Pull back to look into her eyes that’ve darkened to the point they’re smoldering with lust.  I wonder, am I so transparent?  One look and I know she’s not begging me to stop.  I don’t know what this is and the vodka clouding my mind is making it harder and harder to focus on anything but the dull throb between my legs.  She’s my best friend…is it wrong for us to comfort each other?

I’m thinking not.

“It’s ok, Thena.  It’s ok,” I whisper as I clumsily start unbuttoning her shirt.  Finally get my fingers to cooperate and a slow smile crosses my face when I see the lacy satin bra she’s wearing is a front closure.  I guess I will get to see what she feels like after all.  “I’ll take care of you,” I murmur against her skin as my fingers work at her bra until it springs open.  Look down at her beautiful full breasts,  that always made me a little jealous, and cup them in my hands, smiling when her eyes widen and her breath catches in her throat.  “I’ll take care of you better than they ever did.”

She nods at me and I trace my thumbs over her nipples slowly, feeling how different and how much the same she is.  I’ve never spent this much time really trying to see another woman and…I realize I’ve missed a lot.  Or maybe it’s just her.  Either way I can’t stop.  Not now.  Squeeze her breasts lightly and she surprises me by running her hands up my sides.  Now it’s my turn to gasp when I feel her touch, tentative at first then more sure as she starts to mimic my actions.  I can feel the wetness pooling between my thighs even before she tugs at my shirt.  “Let me take it off.  I wanna…see you too.”

Her voice is nothing but a whisper and I can’t deny her.  Raise my arms to let her pull off my blouse and my bra soon follows until we’re both essentially topless sitting on the bed.  Run my gaze over her body and pull her close to kiss her once more.  My breath catches in my throat when I feel her firm breasts pressed against mine and I never knew this could be such a turn on.  Kiss her harder as I feel her hands slide over my back and down my sides until we both end up falling back onto the bed.

“God…Athena…you’re so…”

“Yeah,” she breathes against my lips and kisses me again.  Everything about her is so soft and right I don’t want to stop for anything.  And I don’t.  Kiss her deeply as my hands roam over her chest and gasp when I feel her long nails slide over my nipples.  In an instant she has me panting hard and rubbing my body against hers.  I want this.  I want her.  And I don’t even care why.

Tug at the top of her pants as we both start to get more desperate and hungry for touch and I cry out softly when I feel her mouth at one of my breasts.  When did she get so bold?  Was it only a few minutes ago she was too tentative to kiss me and now she’s already got my jeans halfway undone?  “Thena please, don’t stop.  Please don’t st--”

“D?  Do you know where my debit card is?”

The slam of the door and the sound of his voice from the other room instantly causes us to freeze and throws cold water on the raging inferno between us.  Lock eyes with her and then we’re both scrambling for clothes, pulling on and buttoning blouses as undergarments are hidden out of sight.  He’s gonna know.  There’s no way he’s not gonna know with as flushed as we both are.  I should just tell him.  I’ve never lied to him before.  Why would I start now?

“D, I got all the way down to the casino and realized I didn’t have--”

He stops in the doorway to the bedroom and in an instant I know.  Kevin’s no fool.  There’s no way he won’t put two and two together.  I need to just tell him and maybe he won’t get too pissed…especially if we consider letting him join us.  Take a deep breath as I toy with the bottom of my blouse.  “Kevin, ‘Thena and I--”

Let out a sudden woosh of breath when I’m suddenly wacked on the back of the head…by a pillow?  Hear feminine laughter and I’m very confused.  Why did she--

“You should have told me Lana was so bad at pillow fights.  Is she always this awful?”

My eyes widen for an instant when I realize what she’s doing and I can tell at first he doesn’t buy it.  His eyes lock on mine and I know right now is the moment of truth.  Whatever I do now…there’s no going back.  I should tell him.  I should admit what we were doing because if I don’t do it now he’ll never forgive me for keeping it from him.  Catch sight of Athena out of the corner of my eye there’s no mistaking the hungry look that’s still deeply reflected in her eyes.  Kevin has to see it.  He has to see it all. Look back at him with his hand on the doorway and the words leave my lips before I can stop them, “You wouldn’t believe how feisty she can be.  I bet she could even take you on.”

What am I doing?  What the hell am I doing?  He’s going to see right through me.  He’s going to know.  He’s going to--

“Whatever.  Not really interested in your girly slumber party.”  Watch as he rummages around on the dresser until he seems to find what he’s looking for.  “Have fun,” he calls out as he heads for the door.  “Don’t wait up.”  Another long moment and I hear the door slam.  We’re alone again…and I can’t believe it.

“Lana…”

I hear the hesitation in her voice and as I turn to face her I see she doesn’t look half as confident as she did moments ago.  Watch as she twists the pillow she hit me with in her hands.  She’s worried she did the wrong thing, or maybe she’s worried about what I’m thinking, or maybe she’s regretting…no.  No, there’s no regret on her face.  Worry, maybe concern, but definitely not regret.  Watch her hands slide up and down the pillow and remember how good they felt on my skin and I realize…

I don’t regret it either.

Smile at her slowly and see relief spread across her face…along with something much deeper.  Desire flickers deep in her eyes again and I’m reaching for her before I even think about it.  She meets me halfway and I swear the kiss is even sweeter.  Let him go play his games.  I have more than enough to keep me entertained all night long.

Needless to say…I won’t be waiting up.

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Catw00man - catw00man@cryptoffic.com