Day 18

Friday, October 31

"Hey, little one. It's time to wake up," Ryan said gently as she rubbed McKenzie's arm through the blanket.

McKenzie squeaked as she yawned and stretched at the same time. She looked around as she remembered where she was. Either she'd moved or Ryan had repositioned her during the night. She was lying next to Ryan, the woman spooning her from behind as they both faced Ryan's laptop.

McKenzie looked back over her shoulder and saw Ryan propped up on her elbow so she could see the screen over McKenzie's body.

"Good morning," Ryan said with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

McKenzie shifted so she was lying on her back, but kept the blanket wrapped around her.

"Not bad. A little sore, like I overdid a workout, but... Yeah, I'm okay."

"Well, you did get a workout last night," Ryan smirked.

Memories of exactly what that workout had entailed flashed through McKenzie's mind and her lower belly involuntarily clenched, causing a ripple effect as the rest of her body tensed, and she let out a soft grunt.

McKenzie blushed as she glanced up to see if Ryan had noticed. Her heart started to double-time at Ryan's intense gaze.

"Aftershocks?" Ryan asked.

McKenzie nodded.

"I'm guessing you've also got the morning hornies," Ryan said, her expression softening into a smile.

McKenzie frowned.

"That's a thing?"

"Yeah. Testosterone levels are usually highest when you first wake up. Guys call it morning wood, but it affects women, too."

McKenzie was hardly listening. Her eyes were focused on Ryan's lips.

"I really want to kiss you," McKenzie whispered.

Ryan's low groan went straight to McKenzie's sex and she couldn't help saying exactly what was on her mind.

"That's the one thing I'm sure I know how to do. I've kissed a lot of women and they all said I was really good at it. I know how to use my lips and tongue. I want to suck on your bottom lip. It makes me think about what it would be like to suck on your clit." McKenzie moaned as she thought about having Ryan's plump lower lip between her own. "And to taste your tongue... God, I just want to make love to your mouth, Ryan."

Ryan's breathing was in no way under her control anymore. Her free hand came up from where it had been resting on her hip to hover just under McKenzie's jaw, her fingers tense with the need to latch on and immobilize McKenzie's face so she could claim the girl's mouth with her own. Ryan knew her body would follow and her stomach muscles tightened in preparation to roll on top of McKenzie so she could thrust her thigh between the girl's legs as she pinned her to the bed.

McKenzie went completely still, part of her fascinated by the struggle she could see taking place behind Ryan's eyes, even as she prayed Ryan would give in, just this one time, no matter the consequences.

"Fuck, McKenzie. I..." Ryan groaned and rolled away, panting with the effort. She pushed herself off the bed and walked away a few steps, then bounced in place, shaking out her arms. "Goddamn."

Ryan walked over to her exercise rig and performed half a dozen chin-ups in quick succession before dropping to the floor again. She turned around to see McKenzie still lying on her bed, half up on her elbows, the blanket down around her waist, exposing her breasts, hair all mussed from sleep. Ryan groaned again and turned away, bracing herself on the rig as she tried to wrestle her breathing back under control.

"Oh, fucking hell." I'm screwed. I'm so fucking screwed.

"Ryan?"

Ryan glanced back at the softly spoken question.

"Whatever control I had, it's completely gone. I really... God, I really need you to get dressed."

For a moment, Ryan thought McKenzie might protest, might push, and the darkest part of her hoped she would, hoped McKenzie would give her an excuse to let that part of herself loose. But then McKenzie nodded, gathering the blanket around her and climbing off the bed to retrieve her clothes and shoes from where she'd dropped them the night before. Ryan sighed, part relief, part disappointment.

"Thank you," Ryan said.

McKenzie nodded again, then headed into the bathroom. A few minutes later, she came back out fully dressed. She'd combed her fingers through her hair so it looked almost normal again. She placed the folded blanket back on Ryan's bed and then turned to face Ryan where she was still leaning against the knee raise/dip station.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean... Okay, I sort of did, but I didn't mean to upset you. I really am sorry," McKenzie offered, her voice tight. "I don't know why I keep baiting you. I really do understand why we need to go slow, I swear I do, but I just..." A few tears finally fell and McKenzie brusquely wiped them away. "How badly did I just fuck up?" McKenzie asked, her voice a strained whisper as her face contorted with fresh tears.

Ryan took two long strides and crushed McKenzie against her, pinning her arms to her sides in a full bear hug as she buried her face in McKenzie's hair.

"You didn't fuck up. You're doing exactly what I would expect you to do if we were playing full out. It's only the fact that we can't, yet, that makes it difficult." Ryan pulled away, sliding her hands up to cup McKenzie's wet cheeks, and McKenzie rested her hands on Ryan's hips. "I want you to tell me what you want to do to me... How I make you feel... Getting inside your head is where I want to live. I think I want that even more than I want to be inside your body, though honestly, it's a toss-up," Ryan said with a half shrug and a smile.

McKenzie smiled in response, feeling a weight lift off her chest. She moved into Ryan's arms, sinking into the warmth and strength she felt surrounding her.

"I love you," McKenzie said on a sigh.

"I love you, too." Ryan held the girl for several moments before lifting her eyes to check the clock. "You need to get going or you're gonna be late."

They pulled apart and McKenzie stared up at Ryan. Those lips seemed to be calling to her again and McKenzie had to force herself to turn away before she really did do something stupid. She grabbed her jacket off the chair and headed for the door.

"I'll pick you up tonight around nine, all right?" Ryan called after her.

McKenzie opened the door as she turned back.

"Okay, I'll be ready," McKenzie said, offering a small wave and then closing the door behind her.

McKenzie wrapped her arms around herself against the chilly morning air. It was still mostly dark out, though between the nearby streetlights and the white of the concrete driveways that separated their two houses, she could see just fine.

She walked across the driveway that spanned the length of the Coopers' house, which was left over from when Ryan's apartment had still been a 3-car garage. It was only two steps across the strip of grass that was slowly turning brown, though it was hard to tell underneath all the orange and red from the fallen leaves of nearby trees. Then McKenzie was on Karen's wraparound driveway, which led to the garage at the back of the house.

Karen's house was quite a bit bigger than the Coopers' and a lot older, too, which explained why it was set back so much further from the street. It also sat on a half-acre lot and with the way the houses were laid out, McKenzie could have walked straight across from Ryan's door in the side of the Coopers' house to her own front door.

That was the route she usually took, but McKenzie knew her first stop would be the kitchen for some caffeine, so she veered to her left, letting herself in through the side door that entered directly into the kitchen. As soon as she opened the door, she drew in a deep breath, immediately jonesing for the coffee she could smell brewing.

She grabbed a mug from the cabinet and fixed her coffee just the way she liked it, creamy and sweet. Just as she raised it to her lips to take a sip, a sound from the other end of the kitchen made her look up and she froze as she saw Karen smirking at her from the doorway to the dining room.

"Is this the walk of shame by any chance?" Karen teased, noting the now wrinkled clothes she'd seen McKenzie wearing the day before.

"Um... No?"

Karen laughed.

"That didn't sound very convincing." She entered the kitchen, refreshing her own cup as McKenzie moved out of her way to the other side of the central island and perched on a stool. "It's perfectly fine, McKenzie. You're a grown woman, regardless of what your parents might think."

McKenzie groaned at the mention of her parents.

"Oh my God, they would freak if they knew about any of this. I haven't even told them about... me."

Karen nodded as she leaned on the other side of the island counter and sipped at her coffee, just listening.

"And now... I really... I'm supposed to go home for Thanksgiving and I... I want to, but I don't want to leave Ryan." McKenzie looked up from her cup. "And we haven't, just so you know."

"It's really none of my business... Though I can't say I'm not curious because I really am," Karen said, a devious sparkle in her eyes. "So let me see if I have this right. She's spent the night here... and you stayed over there last night... but you haven't... done anything?"

"Well... We, um..." McKenzie's face burned, but she pushed on. "We masturbate in front of each other," McKenzie got out in a rush. "And she's... She punished me for four days and didn't let me come that whole time, but then... A-And now..." McKenzie flushed with memories. "God, she hasn't even touched me and she made me come three times last night. I didn't even know I could do that... And then she just held me. All night, in fact. It was amazing."

"Ah, to be young and in love," Karen sighed wistfully.

"Was it like this for you?" McKenzie asked.

Karen smiled and nodded.

"Yes, though a bit less kink," Karen admitted. "I was twenty and in my second year towards getting my BSN..." At McKenzie's questioning look, Karen explained. "Bachelor of science in nursing. William was already several years out of his residency as an anesthesiologist." McKenzie's eyes widened and Karen nodded. "Yes, he was thirty-five, fifteen years my senior, and he didn't deal too well with the age gap at first, but I was persistent."

"How did you two meet? At the hospital?"

Karen nodded.

"I passed him in the hallway when I was there for one of my clinics and it was love at first sight... Well, probably lust, if I'm being honest... My God was he handsome..."

Karen's eyes went dreamy and McKenzie grinned. Karen shook herself and smiled.

"Anyway, I kept going back just to catch a glimpse of him. I practically stalked him for about a month before getting up the nerve to talk to him. He was just so... sexy and confident, but he was kind, too. It took almost another month of me asking him out before he finally agreed to meet me at the end of his shift for coffee in the cafeteria... which turned into dinner because we couldn't stop talking."

McKenzie smiled as she thought of her own pursuit of Ryan. Dogged determination did have its rewards sometimes.

"Then I got busy with school and didn't see him for a week afterwards, and I was sure I'd never hear from him, but then he called me late one night."

Karen looked off into the distance.

"He told me he hadn't been able to stop thinking about me, that he'd never felt this way before... Oh, he just melted my heart and that was it for me. We were married two months later and almost to the day nine months after that, I had Brandon. That's when I quit school to become a full-time mother. Then came Candace and little Sarah..." Karen trailed off, looking down at the counter as she felt tears welling up in her eyes.

McKenzie slid off the stool and came around the island, pulling Karen into a hug. The older woman accepted it gratefully for several minutes, and then finally stepped back, wiping her eyes.

"Ugh, sorry about that." She glanced at the clock on the microwave. "Shouldn't you be getting ready?"

McKenzie looked at the time. She could skip her shower.

"I can be a few minutes late."

"No, go on. I'm okay. I just haven't told that story in ages. Must be all the romantic comedies I've been watching. I've gone all nostalgic," Karen smiled and McKenzie could see it was genuine.

"All right." McKenzie reached for her cup to rinse it out. "Are you going to be here when I get back? Around noon?"

"Probably. Why?"

"I was hoping you could help me with my make-up for my costume tonight. I'm supposed to look like I've been in a drunken brawl."

"That's a costume?"

McKenzie set her cup in the dish drain and turned around with a smile.

"Ryan's going as the cop who arrested me... complete with handcuffs."

Karen's face broke out into a wide grin as she realized the implications.

"Oh, I think I can help you out."

* * *

"There," McKenzie said as she dabbed another spot of fake blood on her lip. She was sitting on the floor in front of a small mirror resting on the coffee table in the great room. She turned to Karen. "Like that?"

"Yep, you got it." Karen grinned as she looked McKenzie over. "Damn, that looks incredible. I can't tell you how many times I've seen that in the ER. You know, you could do this for a living."

McKenzie looked at the clock and laughed.

"Given that it's taken me three tries and over eight hours just to do a few bruises, I don't think anyone would want to hire me."

"Well, I think it's a masterpiece. Hold on," Karen said as she brought out her cell phone to take a few pictures. "Okay, look angry... Now give me a big grin..." McKenzie complied and Karen tapped the screen to capture the images. "Perfect."

As Karen put her phone away, the doorbell sounded.

"I've got it," McKenzie said as she stood up and crossed the great room to make her way down the main hallway to the front door.

McKenzie opened the door and felt her breath leave her chest as she stared up at Ryan.

Ryan was dressed in all black, save the white block letters on the front of her T-shirt spelling out the word 'POLICE' stretched tightly across her breasts and the thin strip of skin showing between the bottom of the short shirt and her waistband. She wore a silver badge on the left front side of her waist, while her handcuffs were locked in their case a little farther back on her hip. A large wicked looking gun was secured in a black holster clipped around her right thigh. Ryan's usual tight black leather pants, leather jacket, and combat boots rounded out the ensemble.

Authority figure? Check. Black leather? Check. Dangerous and sexy as hell? Check and check.

"Wow, Ryan. You look... Wow," was all McKenzie could come up with. Finally, she stepped back. "Come in. Karen'll probably want to get a picture." I know I do.

Ryan stepped over the threshold and worked on keeping her face neutral as she controlled her breathing against the nausea that had started churning her stomach.

McKenzie had a garish purple bruise blooming across the right side of her face, encompassing her bloodied brow down to her cheekbone. Another bruise dusted her jawline and a third grazed her left cheekbone. A prosthetic on the right side of her lip made it look swollen and bloody, with more spatters of wet-looking blood down her chin and neck. There was even a series of drops on her dirty T-shirt as if she'd been bleeding a while.

McKenzie led the way back into the great room with Ryan trailing behind her.

Karen looked up and grinned.

"So what do you think? Does she look properly beat all to hell?"

Ryan nodded.

"Yeah... It looks... really real," Ryan said quietly, willing her discomfort away without much success.

"That's what I told her," Karen said, then paused as she saw Ryan's lips going pale. "Ryan?" Karen stood from the recliner and reached out to put a hand on Ryan's arm. "You okay? Here, sit down." Karen directed Ryan to the sofa, crouching down in front of her. "What's going on? Talk to me, sweetie."

Ryan shook her head as she felt Karen subtly check the pulse at her wrist. McKenzie sat next to her on the couch and laid a comforting hand on her other arm.

"Sorry..." Ryan darted a glance at McKenzie, regretting it instantly. "Sorry... I think it's a little too real. Can we maybe... tone it down a little?"

Karen's eyes widened.

"Oh shit. Ryan... I didn't even think..."

"Yeah, me neither," Ryan gave a weak smile.

"I'll go wash it off," McKenzie said, squeezing Ryan's arm. "I'll be right back."

Ryan nodded, swallowing thickly as McKenzie left. Karen patted her knee, disappearing into the kitchen for a few moments before returning with a glass of water.

"Here, sweetie. Try sipping this."

Karen took McKenzie's place on the sofa, slipping her fingers back around Ryan's wrist again.

Ryan sipped at the water and breathed deeply, and the nausea slowly faded.

"How are you doing?" Karen asked conversationally.

"I'm okay... Mostly just feeling like an idiot."

"Why?"

"Because it's just... It's just a stupid costume and make-up. It's not real and you guys were obviously having a great time before I showed up and nearly passed out because of some stupid fucking fake blood."

"I seriously doubt it was the fake blood that had you white as a sheet, Ryan. I know a flashback when I see one. I worked the psych ward for three years." Karen caught Ryan's gaze. "You've seen that for real."

Ryan nodded, clenching her jaw.

"Too many times," Ryan whispered. Way too many times.

"In the mirror?" Karen guessed.

Ryan nodded again.

"And on friends. I think that's why it seemed so normal at the time... Nobody really talked about it either. It was just the way it was."

Karen shifted her grip and squeezed Ryan's hand.

"You know you're not back there now, right? You're here. You're safe. You're with people who love you, who would never dream of hurting you like that, or anyone else for that matter."

Ryan nodded, still staring ahead.

"Ryan, look at me." Ryan turned her head. "You're safe. McKenzie is safe."

Ryan nodded again, but there was life in her eyes this time and she gave a genuine, if small, smile. She squeezed Karen's hand.

"I know. I do know that."

Ryan blew out a breath as she set aside the water and let her head rest back against the couch.

"Damn, it's been a while since I got hit with this shit like this. I even kind of freaked out on McKenzie the other night just from some offhand comment she made. I'm not sure what's going on with me. I don't remember anything bad happening around Halloween specifically. I never even did the whole trick or treat thing because my parents always said we couldn't afford a costume."

They sat quietly for several minutes.

"Have you ever been in love before?" Karen asked into the silence.

Ryan shook her head.

"No. I mean I've sort of..." Ryan let out a laugh. "I was going to say I've had girlfriends, but that's not true. That would imply an actual romantic relationship. What I've had are fuck buddies."

"So you've never dealt with your past in this context," Karen said. "That's bound to stir some shit up."

"Yeah, probably," Ryan agreed.

"What I'm trying to say is, cut yourself some slack, kiddo."

Ryan smiled.

"I know. And I do, most of the time. Then there are times, like now, when I just feel like a fucking freak."

Ryan looked up as McKenzie walked back in, her face freshly scrubbed. McKenzie didn't stop as she claimed her place on Ryan's lap, wrapping her arms around Ryan's neck. Ryan's arms automatically came up to support her and McKenzie laid her head against Ryan's shoulder.

"You're not a freak," McKenzie proclaimed.

Ryan laughed.

"Okay." Ryan glanced over at Karen, who looked far too amused, and then back down at the girl in her arms. "You comfy there?"

"Mm-hmm. Very." McKenzie sighed. "You know, we don't have to go out..."

"Oh no. I didn't get all dressed up to stay home. And I'm supposed to meet your friend, remember?"

McKenzie sat up and looked into Ryan's eyes.

"Are you sure?"

Ryan smiled.

"Yeah, I'm good." At McKenzie's continued look of concern, Ryan explained. "I've been dealing with this stuff a long time. It... It used to knock me on my ass for days, but now it just sort of does this hit and run thing. I mean the effect can last for a while, like I'm probably still reacting to the other night, but... I'm okay... And I'd really like to go out with you and have some fun."

McKenzie smiled.

"Okay." McKenzie stood up. "But I still need to figure out something more than this homeless wino look I've got going on."

"I think I have an idea," Karen said.

Half an hour later, McKenzie presented herself for Ryan's inspection.

Ryan looked her up and down, her heart pounding.

McKenzie wore a low-cut black top beneath her new form-fitting leather jacket, exposing her upper chest and a fair amount of cleavage, with just a hint of a black lacy bra underneath. The heeled calf-high black leather boots she'd broken in the week before fit snugly over skintight black leggings, making her look sleek and dangerous.

Her glamour make-up was far more pronounced than her usual subtle touches, with blood red lipstick, thick black mascara, and smoky eye shadow and eyeliner drawn out into cat's eyes.

To finish off the look, she wore a small black beanie and carried a stuffed white pillow case with a big green dollar sign drawn in magic marker on the side.

"So? What do you think? Does this work? I'm a cat burglar," McKenzie explained needlessly.

Ryan nodded.

"Yeah... Yeah, that works."

Ryan glanced over to see Karen smirking at her lack of language skills.

"I need some pictures," Karen said.

McKenzie stood next to Ryan and they both grinned through a series of poses. They did one of McKenzie holding up the loot bag. Another with Ryan brandishing her gun, though it lost a little something with the orange tip. A third with Ryan holding McKenzie from behind. Karen snapped off several in a row, catching Ryan looking down lovingly at McKenzie.

"Okay, we've gotta get one with the handcuffs," Karen said.

Ryan unclipped the cuffs from her hip and flicked them open with practiced ease. McKenzie held out her wrists and Ryan closed the cuffs around the slender bones as Karen took several pictures.

McKenzie had to keep reminding herself Karen was in the room with them. Even so, the cool feel of the handcuffs against her skin and the sound as Ryan tightened them with a series of sharp metallic clicks sent shivers up and down McKenzie's spine. She looked up at Ryan and forgot to breathe for a moment at the hunger she saw in the woman's eyes.

Ryan forced herself to look away. She needed to focus on something, anything, other than the girl cuffed and helpless in front of her. She reached up to her neck and drew out a stainless steel ball chain necklace she'd been wearing under her T-shirt. A standard handcuff key dangled from the bottom and Ryan settled the chain around McKenzie's neck.

"This is in case we get separated while you're wearing these. That way you can take them off if you need to. I have the other one in my pocket."

McKenzie brushed her fingers over the key hanging just above the valley of her breasts.

"Go ahead. Make sure you can open the cuffs," Ryan said.

McKenzie grasped the key and held up the opposite wrist. The chain was more than long enough for her to maneuver. The key slid into the tiny hole on the base of the handcuff and she turned it until the mechanism released. She used the key on the other one and Ryan took back the cuffs.

"You can't wear these while we're on my bike anyway."

McKenzie nodded.

"Well, you guys better get going," Karen said. She stepped forward and hugged each of them. "Drive safe," she whispered in Ryan's ear.

"Always," Ryan promised.

Ryan held Karen's gaze for a long moment, knowing the fear she saw behind the older woman's eyes was for a night long ago. Finally, Karen nodded.

"Have fun you two. And don't worry... I won't wait up," she said, giving them both a wink before she left to head upstairs.

Ryan turned to McKenzie.

"You all set?"

"Yeah, let's go."

* * *

Ryan found a spot for her bike a block up from their destination. She handed McKenzie her bag of loot in return for her helmet and gloves.

McKenzie offered her wrists again and Ryan secured the handcuffs with a final solid click.

"You were right." McKenzie spoke quietly into the space between them and Ryan raised an eyebrow in question. "I have absolutely no problem with being restrained," McKenzie said, her voice tense with arousal.

Ryan felt the air forced from her lungs in a soft grunt as her stomach contracted in need.

"Do you have any idea what seeing you in my cuffs is doing to me?"

"If it's anything like what being in your cuffs is doing to me, then I think I might have some idea."

Ryan's whole body tensed with the struggle not to reach for the back of McKenzie's neck as she imagined walking the girl backwards to pin her against the motorcycle and ravage her right there in the street. Ryan knew the tights McKenzie was wearing wouldn't offer any more resistance than McKenzie would, if Ryan slid her hand down the front of the stretchy material and then inside the girl.

Ryan shook her head, trying to rid herself of the tantalizing images. She focused on controlling her breathing again, consciously willing her muscles to relax. She looked at McKenzie, noticing the girl doing the same thing, and smiled.

"Come on. Before I do something... illegal."

McKenzie laughed as Ryan grasped her upper arm to get them walking. After half a block, Ryan moved her arm so it was draped around McKenzie's shoulders and felt the girl lean into her side.

Competing sound systems from the rows of frat and sorority houses followed them down the street, until McKenzie indicated the large Tudor-style house in the middle of the block.

As they walked up the concrete path to the open front door, several groups hanging out on the front lawn called greetings to McKenzie and she raised her cuffed hands and money bag to wave at them with a grin.

"Oh no, po-pos got Mac-Mac! Do we need to rescue you?" one of the bigger guys dressed as a zombie football player called out, waving a beer around haphazardly.

McKenzie laughed and shook her head.

"Nah, I've got it, thanks."

Ryan leaned down.

"Mac-Mac?"

McKenzie rolled her eyes as they stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the porch.

"My name's McKenzie and I use a Mac. I've also gotten Mick and even Mickey because I wore a Mickey Mouse T-shirt once, which that will never happen again. And a few people call me Zee or just Mac."

"What do you prefer?" Ryan asked.

"My full name... Or..." McKenzie ducked her head. "I-I liked it when you called me Kenzie, too."

"Then I'll stick with those."

"What about you? Have you always gone by your last name?" McKenzie asked curiously.

"No. When I was younger, I got called Jo and Joey. I didn't start going by Ryan until PE class when the teacher called everyone by their last names. I looked it up once and found out it means 'little king,' which I kinda like."

"Is that where you got 'my Lord' from?" McKenzie asked in a low voice, not that anyone was likely to hear them over the blaring music coming from inside the house.

"Yeah," Ryan grinned. "I've been to some renaissance festivals and I always liked the medieval style. Plus, I never got into the whole 'Mistress' or 'Ma'am' thing."

Ryan leaned against the stair railing as she continued.

"You know, Britt does this big ren fair up north every year. It just ended a few weeks ago, but that place is huge. It's like they set up a whole frickin' village. She does jewelry and leather work and even armor for some of the local reenactment groups, but you should see her when she's all dressed up as a knight. It's impressive. The girls just flock to her."

"Maybe we could check it out next year?" McKenzie asked, her heart thudding as she realized what she was implying.

"Definitely," Ryan said without hesitation. She glanced up the stairs. "You wanna go in and see if we can find your friend?"

McKenzie nodded, a huge grin on her face at the fact Ryan expected them to be together in a year.

Ryan followed McKenzie up the stairs, the music getting louder with every step. They entered the house and threaded their way between dancing ghouls and comic book characters, until they'd made a circuit of the downstairs, ending in the kitchen.

"Claire!" McKenzie called across the crowded room and waved when the woman turned away from the fridge.

Claire was dressed in a sexy Little Red Riding Hood outfit and McKenzie pouted for a moment that she hadn't thought of it first, so that Ryan could've gone as her Big Bad Wolf.

McKenzie gestured her over. They went to hug, but the handcuffs got in the way. They both laughed and settled for a shoulder bump.

"Awesome costume, Claire. I'm jealous," McKenzie said.

"Are you kidding? Have you looked in a mirror? Good God, woman," Claire complimented.

McKenzie blushed and then turned to Ryan.

"This is Ryan. Ryan? This is Claire."

Claire stared up at the tall woman standing next to her friend, and then gulped.

"You're Ryan?"

Ryan smiled.

"Yeah. It's nice to meet you," Ryan said as she held out her hand.

Claire shook it, still staring.

"You work at Barron's, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"No reason. I just... I think I've seen you there before."

McKenzie's eyes widened as she looked at Claire. She'd never told her where Ryan worked. She'd always referred to her as her next-door neighbor. And Claire had never gone to the bookstore with McKenzie because...

All of a sudden, McKenzie remembered the story Claire had told her shortly after they'd met at the start of McKenzie's freshman year. Claire had been talking about her own time as a freshman the year before and how she'd developed a major crush on some 'Amazon' who worked at Barron's. Claire had spent hundreds of dollars on lattes and books during her first term in hopes of seeing the woman every day, but half the time the woman wasn't even there, and Claire had never gotten up the courage to ask her out. She'd eventually stopped going to Barron's altogether in order to get over it, which was why McKenzie had never gone there either until after meeting Ryan.

Claire glanced at McKenzie, who raised her eyebrows in question. Claire nodded minutely.

McKenzie turned to Ryan.

"Can you give us a minute? We'll be right back."

"Sure," Ryan said amiably.

McKenzie half dragged Claire out of the kitchen and into a quiet corner.

"Is that her?" McKenzie asked, not needing to explain any further.

"Yeah."

"Is that going to be a problem?"

Claire frowned.

"No. No way." McKenzie continued to look worried and Claire put her hand on her shoulder. "That was three years ago and... Well, to put it bluntly, I couldn't handle what you're doing, so... Really, it's okay. Okay?"

"You're not... still..." McKenzie glanced through the opening into the kitchen at Ryan and Claire followed her gaze.

"Oh, she's still hot as hell, but..." Claire looked back to her friend. "I'm not into the whole whips and chains thing, so I'll just admire her from afar, thank you."

McKenzie was still looking at Ryan and Claire wondered if the woman had heard a word she'd said.

"Why do I get the feeling whatever you're thinking about in there is going to get you arrested? For real," Claire said, tapping McKenzie's temple with a single finger, but not getting a reaction. "Guess it's a good thing there's a cop nearby." As McKenzie continued to stare, Claire leaned closer. "What are you thinking?"

McKenzie blinked, finally coming back to herself as she tore her gaze away from Ryan. She looked guiltily at Claire.

"Sorry. I just... She's just... God, I look at her and I just want to fall to my knees and..." McKenzie shook her head as her face warmed. "Sorry."

Claire laughed.

"Come on. You shouldn't keep her waiting," Claire said and they headed back into the kitchen.

* * *

Ryan leaned back against the island in the center of the kitchen, her thumbs hooked into her belt loops so that her right hand dangled loosely just above her gun. People came and went, getting plates of food or grabbing beers from the coolers filled with ice along the wall.

She kept McKenzie in her peripheral vision. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she was content to people-watch while McKenzie talked to her friend.

This particular crowd was more interesting than usual, since Ryan couldn't help wondering what had made some people choose the costumes they had. The sexy ones were obvious, of course. And the superheroes. But then there were some Ryan couldn't even figure out what they were supposed to be. She quirked an eyebrow at a guy who walked by in a pink tutu, matching pink bikini underwear, and a hockey mask. And nothing else.

Dare gone horribly wrong? Lost bet?

"Hey, you want a beer?"

Ryan turned her head to see a guy dressed as Superman holding up a bottle towards her.

"Nah, I'm on duty," Ryan deadpanned.

The guy's eyes widened and he quickly turned away, almost jogging out of the kitchen. Ryan smirked.

Ryan turned as she caught movement out of the corner of her eye and saw McKenzie making her way back to her.

"Everything all right?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah, we're good. You wanna get something to eat?" McKenzie gestured to the huge spread.

"Yeah, sure," Ryan said.

They grabbed paper plates from the stack on the counter and loaded them up. Ryan snagged a couple sodas from the fridge on their way out to the backyard. They found a free section on the low stone wall that acted as a bench lining the edge of the patio and sat down.

McKenzie frowned as she tried to hold on to the plate in her lap and use her fork to scoop up some food at the same time, only to find the handcuffs made that impossible.

"Hey, why don't you let me take those off while you eat," Ryan offered as she set her plate aside on the bench next to her and stood up so she could reach into her pocket for the key.

"No, I've got it," McKenzie said with determination as she changed her grip on the plate to give her other hand enough slack to maneuver and then lifted the plate and fork together to reach her mouth. "See?" McKenzie smiled triumphantly as she took the bite.

Ryan laughed and shook her head as she sat back down and retrieved her own plate. She glanced at Claire, catching the woman's eyes watching them both in a mix of curious fascination and something bordering worry.

"So you're in the BFA program, too?" Ryan asked, referring to the bachelor of fine arts degree McKenzie was working towards.

It was enough to kick-start the conversation and the three talked while they ate. The topic stayed mostly on college life and their studies.

Claire was specializing in art history with the hopes of landing a job as a museum curator once she'd gone on to complete her master's degree. The class on Post-Impressionism she shared with McKenzie was one of her favorites, which started a series of playful taunts between the two students, since McKenzie could barely stand it. They finally called a truce after Claire got McKenzie to agree that regardless of how the material was presented, it was still an interesting subject. Ryan suppressed a smirk as the two friends solemnly shook hands to make up from their mock fight, only to dissolve into giggles the next instant.

They finished their food and McKenzie volunteered to discard their empty plates since she wanted another soda. She returned a couple minutes later and set her drink on the stone wall, but rather than taking her seat between Ryan and Claire again, she sat down sidesaddle on Ryan's lap.

Ryan smiled, gently holding the girl in place as McKenzie grabbed a fistful of her leather jacket to keep her balance.

"Feeling a little territorial?" Ryan whispered near McKenzie's ear.

McKenzie shivered at the hot breath trailing down the side of her neck. She turned her head to meet Ryan's gaze and got lost there.

Ryan's heart thudded against her sternum as she realized they were so close they were breathing the same air. Mere inches separated their mouths and Ryan's grip tightened on McKenzie's hip as she willed herself not to lean in that last little bit to claim the girl's sugar-coated lips.

"You guys are adorable," Claire said as she took a picture with her phone, the flash lighting them in high relief for a second.

Ryan laughed, the moment broken as she finally dragged her eyes away from McKenzie's.

"I don't think I've ever been called that before."

"Well, it's true. Look," Claire said, holding up her phone to show them the image she'd just saved.

They were staring into each other's eyes as if they were the only two people in the world.

"Send me a copy?" McKenzie requested.

Claire tapped a few buttons and McKenzie checked her phone to make sure the attachment had arrived.

They all turned at the sound of breaking pottery. Several guys were wrestling on the grass next to the patio and had knocked into a large terra cotta urn, sending it smashing against the stone tile. They were still thrashing as a couple more guys tried to pull them apart.

"I think that's our cue to get out of here... before the real cops show up," Ryan said.

"Idiots," Claire muttered as she stood up with McKenzie and Ryan. "It was good to finally meet you, Ryan." She turned to McKenzie. "See you on Monday?"

"Of course," McKenzie said, offering her shoulder in an awkward side hug that made them both laugh.

"Later," Ryan said as she guided McKenzie away with a hand on her lower back.

A few minutes later, they were standing next to Ryan's motorcycle. Ryan opened a saddlebag to stuff the bag of loot inside. Then she turned back to McKenzie.

Ryan pulled the handcuff key from her pocket, but McKenzie didn't raise her wrists and she kept her eyes on the sidewalk.

"I don't want to take them off."

Ryan's breath caught at the quiet admission.

"You can't hold on to me properly while you're wearing them," Ryan gently reminded her.

McKenzie nodded, but didn't move.

Ryan reluctantly reached forward, slowly drawing the cuffs up by their connecting chain with her fingers. She unlocked one, and then hesitated. She flipped it around, relocking it next to its other half on McKenzie's other wrist.

McKenzie's face cleared and she looked up at Ryan with a beaming smile. She slid her arms around Ryan's waist to hug her.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

They finished putting on their helmets and gloves and climbed onto the bike. McKenzie was careful to lay the base of the handcuffs flat against Ryan's hip so they didn't dig into her side as McKenzie held on to Ryan's waist.

Ryan got them on the road to the Club, a small smile playing on her lips behind her helmet the whole way there as the same thought ran over and over through her mind.

She wants this. She wants this as much as I do.