Extreme Sensitivity… as a detour. – A Women’s Murder Club Series, part 34

TITLE: Extreme Sensitivity… as a detour. (34/?)
PAIRING: Lindsay/Cindy
DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Never were. Never will be. No profit. Just love.

(Cindy’s POV)

An unexpected miracle that Cindy couldn’t have predicted or even hoped for, the boss declared all of the time she’d spent in Napa as time on the clock, so at least her three-day absence from work didn’t cost her any sick time. It did, however, cost her very valuable Lindsay time. If she were going to be lying around her house getting paid to not work for three days, she would have much preferred to be doing so with Lindsay on top of her. But, the possibilities were quashed… all thanks to Ryan’s vindictive virus-sharing complex.

Which is why when Cindy finally walked into work at week’s end and the first person to pounce on her was the annoying little bearer of pestilence, Cindy wanted to cross her fingers in front of her, say cleansing words of prayer, and run the other way. But when Ryan kept coming with a big smirk and cockiness riding on her jutted hip like a toddler, and announced, “I heard you caught my cold,” Cindy wanted to run toward her instead, shoulder down for maximum impact, and take her out like a linebacker. Though, if asked later, Cindy would say that it was only the thought of losing her job that kept her from going crazy bitch all over Ryan’s happy face, the thought of personal injury was the only real deterrent. The last thing that she and Lindsay needed were more obstacles.

“So, you’re on the reservoir leak,” Ryan happily informed her. “And I’m going with you.”

“Wow,” Cindy snarled, partially at the unfortunate information and partially at the unfortunate person imparting the news. “What is that, like punishment for time off?”

“I think that they just want to ease you back into things,” Ryan returned.

“I had a cold,” Cindy argued. “Not a quadruple bypass.”

Ryan shrugged as if she didn’t really care one way or the other. “So, are we going or what?”

Realizing that Ryan’s lack of concern was directly proportional to the fact that she had Cindy trapped like a bug under a glass and knew very well that she was going to get her way, Cindy growled and started toward her desk.

“Hello, you didn’t answer me,” Ryan said, falling into step right at Cindy’s heels.

Annoyed and over it, Cindy stopped in her tracks and whirled around. To close to be at what anyone would consider a safe distance, Ryan practically walked right into her. “I have been out for three days… because of you. So, now, I am going to go to my desk, check my email, enjoy a leisurely yogurt, twiddle my thumbs and maybe do a Sudoku,” Cindy stated. “And, as soon as I’m ready, I’ll let you know.”

Ryan’s eyes narrowed a little, as if maybe she was thinking about it, so Cindy gave her a look of fair warning against mentioning one more time that she had the ammunition of Lindsay’s presence in Napa at her disposal. Apparently heeding the unspoken advice, Ryan silently turned and walked away in such dramatic fashion that it would have been comical if Cindy didn’t want to hurl something at the back of her head so much.

Finally finding a moment’s peace as she settled into her desk, Cindy took her time doing the things from the to-do list she’d recited to Ryan that she actually needed to do, in no hurry to spend the rest of her day trying to stop herself from locking Ryan in the trunk and parking her car somewhere off in the desert.

Reading a forward that had absolutely nothing to do with work as her phone rang, Cindy didn’t even glance at the caller ID. “Cindy Thomas.”

“What are you doing?” Lindsay’s low, raspy voice purred across the line and Cindy lost the momentary ability to think.

“Has anyone ever told you should work for a sex line?” Cindy replied when she recovered from the unexpected onslaught, her own voice soft so as not to offend or arouse her colleagues, whichever the case may be.

Lindsay laughed at the question, and it sounded like all of the things that Cindy wished they’d already done.

“Seriously, what are you doing?” Lindsay repeated.

“Catching up,” Cindy returned, “and then I have to go to talk to some city council person about a leak in the… It doesn’t matter. It’s boring.”

“Too early for a break?” Lindsay tempted.

“Why? Are you going to try to talk me out of my panties?” Cindy asked, the question just above a whisper, as she looked around to make sure her own personal spy wasn’t standing by taking notes.

“I haven’t been able to yet,” Lindsay needlessly reminded her. “But I’d still like five minutes with you.”

“Where?” Cindy questioned hopefully.

“Your parking garage.”

Smile stretching across her lips, Cindy glanced around again. “I’ll be right down.”

*****

As soon as the elevator door opened, Lindsay’s smile greeted her, and, as if she hadn’t just seen her the night before, Cindy speed walked up to her, not even breaking her stride as she wrapped her arms around Lindsay’s neck and pulled her down. Lips melded fully together, they fell back into Lindsay’s SUV, and Cindy pulled away again in a hurry, eyes dropping immediately to Lindsay’s ankle. “Are you okay? We didn’t just damage anything, right?”

“No. I’m fine,” Lindsay assured her.

When she looked up again, Cindy jumped at the other head just over Lindsay’s shoulder. “Jacobi’s with you.”

“We’re on the way to interview a witness,” Lindsay explained. “I probably should have warned you on the phone.”

Cindy smiled and gave Jacobi a small wave, and he put down the window. “Don’t mind me. I’m good.”

Shaking her head at her partner, Lindsay’s hands fell to her waist and Lindsay led her away from the car, pulling her into a hiding spot on the opposite side of a cement support.

“You look healthy,” Lindsay declared optimistically.

“I’m the picture of health,” Cindy returned. “And you’re all healed.”

“Yeah, pretty much,” Lindsay nodded. “So, then maybe we should…”

“No-no-no-no, uh uh,” Cindy cut her off quickly. “No plans.”

“No plans?”

“No. Every time we make plans, something happens,” Cindy reasoned. “So, I figure, if we make no plans…”

“We’re in the clear?” Lindsay sounded doubtful.

“Well, it’s at least more difficult for fate to make pawns of us,” Cindy sighed.

“Okay,” Lindsay nodded, trusting her logic, or maybe just not wanting to test it. “So then, I don’t even know if I’ll see you tonight.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll see me,” Cindy responded noncommittally. “One of us will come over to the other one’s place or there will be a crime scene somewhere.”

“Sounds confusing,” Lindsay countered. “What if I go to your place and you go to my place and we pass each other.”

“Then, maybe we can have sex in the intersection,” Cindy offered.

“Okay,” Lindsay smiled. “I say we just plan sex in the intersection.”

Helpless to resist the dimple that dented Lindsay’s right cheek, Cindy reached up with her hand, but only got half of the outline traced before Lindsay’s arms closed around her, pulling her in tight, and Lindsay’s lips were on hers again.

Lindsay’s kiss was such an easy sensation to lose herself in, Cindy was certain she wouldn’t have heard any normal interruption. Unfortunately, their interrupter had time and again proven herself demonic in nature.

“Hello… inappropriate,” Ryan’s voice seared her brain.

In no real hurry to pull away – because Ryan was already blackmailing her, so, really, what else could she do – Cindy slowly released Lindsay’s lips.

As soon as they were free, those lips opened on a whisper, “Want me to shoot her?”

Cindy giggled in response, and just the sound of it churned the Ryan-typhoon into full force.

“Are we going or what?” she asked. “Because you’re not checking your email, you’re not eating… you’re not even doing Sudoku.”

‘Sudoku?’ Lindsay mouthed.

Trying not to laugh again, for fear that it would bring the rain and lightning, Cindy glanced back just enough to see Ryan standing with her hand on her hip, looking quite smack-worthy.

“Yes, we’re going,” she answered shortly, before turning her full attention back to the one person she wanted to be giving all of her attention to. “So, sex in the intersection?”

“If it comes to that,” Lindsay smiled and kissed her again. “I’ll see you later.”

Peeking out past the concrete column, Cindy watched Lindsay walk to the SUV and climb into the driver’s seat. After a wave to Jacobi, she turned back to Ryan, who was standing with her arms crossed and foot tapping.

“Take a cold shower,” Ryan suggested.

“Take a bath in Lysol,” Cindy returned.