Chapter seventeen. Jake sat on the barstool next to Michele, twirling her wineglass as they watched Rick season the steaks.

Jake sat on the barstool next to Michele, twirling her wineglass as they watched Rick season the steaks.

" You look really good, Jake. I love your hair that way."

Jake rubbed her hand over her hair self-consciously. When she first cut it, she assumed she would let it grow back, but she'd gotten used to it. So, when she got back to Denver, one of the first things she did was have it cut again.

" Thanks, Michele. I threw a little fit in the hospital when I cut it, but I like it now. I'll probably leave it like this for awhile."

" You call that a little fit? " Rick asked. " You scared the nurse half to death."

" Well, if you had just given me the damn scissors, " she said.

" No, no. You weren't allowed to play with sharp objects, remember? "

" I remember, " she said dryly. It had been nearly three months, but yes, she remembered every detail. Suicide watch? Good Lord.

" You're hardly limping at all, Jake, " Michele said as she poured more wine into Jake's glass before refilling her own. " I can't believe how quickly you recovered."

" Me, either, actually. But spending a month at the cabin did wonders."

" I bet you hated coming back to the city."

" Not as much as Cheyenne. She hates being in the backyard during the day."

" You should have brought her over tonight, " Rick said.

" She's fine. She was on the sofa when I left."

" You still should have brought her, " he said as he picked up the platter of steaks. " Let me get these on. Be right back."

Jake watched him through the window, glad to be back but missing the cabin. And the quiet. She smiled. And the hot springs. And certainly the woman she'd shared them with. For some reason, she couldn't get Nicole out of her mind, and she found herself thinking about the other woman often. Jake wasn't ashamed to admit that she'd had her share of sexual partners over the years but none had taken her like Nicole. Nicole was ardent and nearly unquenchable. If they hadn't both passed out from sheer exhaustion, Jake was convinced that their passion would have lasted until morning.

" I know Rick probably hasn't told you, but he missed you like crazy. I've heard more Jake stories in the last ten weeks, " she said with a laugh.

Jake brought her thoughts back to the present, pushing Nicole from her mind. " I missed him, too. It was good to be back at the station today."

" So you're cleared? "

" Yeah. Doc checked me out yesterday." Jake stared at Michele, wondering what was up. She was acting weird. She knew Michele was somewhat jealous of the bond that she and Rick had formed. When they first got married, Michele hadn't wanted anything to do with Jake. But occasionally, like now, Rick would ask her over for steaks, and she and Michele had gotten to know one another better. They weren't what Jake would call good friends, but they got along well enough. " So, " she asked, " what's wrong? "

" What do you mean? "

" What's on your mind, Michele? "

Michele looked out the window then quickly back at Jake. " I'm just worried. I want to make sure you're well enough to be back."

Jake nodded. " You're worried I won't be able to back up Rick, is that it? "

" Or that you'll be... afraid."

Jake narrowed her eyes. " Afraid? Afraid to pull my weapon? "

Michele touched Jake's arm. " Rick has not said anything. But some of the other guys have brought it up, and I know it's crossed his mind."

" Well don't worry. I talked to the shrink yesterday, too."

" I'm sorry, Jake. But..."

" But he's your husband. I understand."

Rick came back in smiling. " God, I love grilling steaks. It's such a manly job."

Jake rolled her eyes.

" It is, and you know it."

Jake reached over and squeezed Rick's arm. " It's good to be back, buddy. But remember, I'm the one that taught you how to grill steaks."

Rick laughed. " Yeah. Like I said. It's a manly job! "

" Very funny."

" A margarita, please, " Nicole said to the waiter. " On the rocks."

" I want frozen, " Catherine said. " No salt."

Nicole reached in the basket of chips and slid the salsa bowl closer. This was a good idea. She hadn't been out for dinner with a friend in ages. Usually, she had to make inane conversation with a blind date at a formal restaurant.

" Thanks for making me do this, " she said.

" You're welcome. I knew it was time. The spark that was in your eyes when you came back from the mountains disappeared the second day."

" Oh really? A spark, huh."

" Yes. In fact, if I didn't know you as well as I do, I'd say you took my advice and got laid."

Nicole nearly spit out her chip, and she was thankful the waiter chose that moment to bring their drinks. At first, she had planned to tell Catherine about Jake. She knew Catherine would find it quite amusing. But, as the days passed and she finished her trip, alone, she realized that she would never tell Catherine. What started out as a day--and night--of wild sex had turned into an intimate tryst with a stranger. And it was something Nicole wanted to keep private. Not have Catherine tease her about it.

But she wasn't to be spared. Catherine drummed her fingers on the table, staring.

" Out with it." She leaned closer. " I can't believe you had sex and didn't tell me! "

" What makes you think I had sex? " Nicole asked weakly.

" Well, you're blushing. That's a dead giveaway."

Nicole let out a heavy sigh. " Okay. I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to make fun of me, " Nicole admitted.

" Make fun? I want to applaud you! I didn't think you had it in you."

Nicole sipped from her drink, then sat up straight. " Oh, Catherine, it was the weirdest thing. I got lost and just stumbled upon her. She and Cheyenne were camping at some hot springs."

" Cheyenne? "

" Her dog."

" And does she have a name? "

Nicole swallowed. " Her name was... Jake." It was the first time she'd said the name out loud, and she was surprised at the way her heart skipped.

" Jake? A woman? "

" It's a nickname she was given as a kid."

" Oh, God. I can see it now. Some big butch woman."

" She was not. She was quite attractive."

" I bet." Catherine leaned closer. " Let me guess. Short, short hair? Not a stitch of makeup? Wore men's clothes? "

" First of all, I didn't wear a stitch of makeup either. We were camping. And secondly, are jeans considered men's clothing? If so, I was in men's clothes."

" So I was right. Short, short hair."

" Well, it may have been a little short, " Nicole admitted. " But she wasn't... she wasn't butch. She was... handsome."

" Handsome? "

" Yes. You know how some women are handsome? "

" She's a dyke. You slept with a dyke? What were you thinking? "

" You told me to let my hair down, " Nicole reminded her.

" Yeah. But, I was thinking more along the lines of your usual dates. Feminine, pretty, someone you can take home to meet mom. Not someone who looks like a man."

" She did not look like a man, trust me."

" You called her handsome."

Nicole leaned forward, speaking quietly. " Catherine, I met her around five o'clock one afternoon and within thirty minutes, we were naked together in the hot springs. By ten the next morning, we were making love in those same hot springs."

" Damn, " Catherine whispered.

Nicole blushed. " Even in my wildest dreams, I never would have suspected I was capable of doing what I did. We spent literally hours together, and I was insatiable."

" Who started it? Did you come on to her? "

" I don't really know what happened. It was like I was under a spell or something. And you're right, she's certainly not my type, but I was so attracted to her, I couldn't even think straight."

" Well, what happened? "

" She got me up to see the sunrise. It was beautiful. Then I went into the springs to bathe, knowing that she would come. I could see it in her eyes. And I wanted her to come to me."

" And she did? " Catherine whispered.

" She walked to the springs, taking her clothes off as she watched me. Our eyes were locked together. It was like in the movies. She didn't say a word. Neither did I. She walked right up to me, and the next thing I know, we're kissing and touching and... God, I've never had so many toe-curling orgasms in my life, " Nicole whispered. " I was actually screaming, Catherine. Screaming. "

" Jesus Christ, " Catherine murmured. She took a swallow from her drink and fanned herself. " Is it getting hot in here or what? "

Nicole blushed.

" So? Where does she live? What does she do? "

Nicole shook her head. " I have no idea. We never really talked. And then, I guess I freaked out the next morning and left."

" Well, it is so out of character for you, I'm not surprised. I'm sure you were embarrassed."

" That and... well, the dream."

" You had a dream? "

" No. She did. That night. She was talking about shooting and killing someone. I'd convinced myself I'd just had sex with a hired killer."

Catherine laughed. " And you left? Why didn't you just ask what she did for a living? "

" What good would that have done? And it didn't matter, anyway. I needed to be on my way."

" Wow. I can't believe that happened to you. I'm so proud of you, " she teased. " You let your hair down, all right! "

" Please stop. This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you."

" I'm sorry. I don't mean to tease. But Nicole, that is just so not you."

" I know that. Once I came to my senses, I realized how foolish I'd been. I mean, she was a stranger. She could have been a serial killer, for all I knew. Not to mention, we weren't exactly having safe sex. The thought never crossed my mind. I just wanted her hands on me."

" Okay. Enough. I don't really want details."

Nicole closed her eyes for a second, remembering. And realizing that Jake had most likely ruined her for life. She doubted she'd ever have a sexual partner that could compare. She pushed thoughts of Jake aside, tucking them deep down where they belonged.

Nicole cleared her throat. " So, you think we should go back to group sessions? "

Catherine smiled. " Safer subject? "

" Much."