Extreme Sensitivity… as so not a matter of choice. – A Women’s Murder Club Series, part 24

TITLE: Extreme Sensitivity… as so not a matter of choice. (24/?)
PAIRING: Lindsay/Cindy
DISCLAIMER: Women’s Murder Club does not belong to me. The characters do not belong to me. They are the property of James Patterson, 20th Century Fox Television and ABC. (Well, not anymore. Jackasses.) I have no problems with that as long as I can borrow them for short bursts and use them in pursuit of my own enjoyment. I am not trying to infringe. Though, I don’t know why anyone has a problem with fan fic. After all, it really is a compliment. If anyone wants to write fan fiction about my book, feel free.

(Cindy’s POV)

“We could kill her,” Cindy whispered, though she wasn’t sure why. Even if she was considering it a viable option, that was hardly cause to keep it quiet. It’s not like Ryan would hear her over the shower and the annoying singing she was doing while taking it.

Eyes still closed, Lindsay’s lip quirked up in an automatic smirk. It was all that Cindy could do to keep from licking the corner of Lindsay’s mouth and seeing where things went from there.

“What are you going to do?” Lindsay asked quietly. “Walk in there and go Norman Bates on her ass?”

“No,” Cindy sighed, readjusting her head on Lindsay’s bicep, wonderfully sexy, but too damn hard to serve as a comfortable pillow. “I was thinking hair dryer. Oops did I drop that into the shower with you? Goodness. What a deadly shame.”

Lindsay finally cracked one eye open. “Then we’ll spend the rest of our time being questioned ourselves and we still won’t get any alone time,” she logically stated. “Of course, we are alone right now. Relatively speaking.”

“Bedhead, morning breath and all,” Cindy murmured.

Despite that delightful reminder, the look in Lindsay’s eyes still pleaded for a little something more than talk, and Cindy surrendered. Pushing up onto her elbow, she hovered over Lindsay, looking down at the gorgeous face in the early morning light. This was exactly how she’d wanted to wake up, but it was supposed to be from a night that had been considerably more satisfying. As it was, she’d barely been able to sleep at all, much too aware of Lindsay’s body pressed against her from behind, Lindsay’s hand resting on her stomach beneath her shirt, and Lindsay’s exhalations stirring the hair against her ear. She was pretty sure that Lindsay had been torturing her on purpose, and took some comfort in the fact that Lindsay looked as if she hadn’t gotten much rest in the night either.

“Stop worrying about personal hygiene and kiss me while you have the chance,” Lindsay said.

Cindy had absolutely no desire to refuse that request/demand.

She dropped her head the few inches it took for her lips to meet Lindsay’s waiting ones, and swallowed the soft breath that rushed from Lindsay’s slightly open mouth. Lindsay’s fingers tangled in her hair, tugging her head back just enough to give her the space needed to dip her head into the curve of Cindy’s neck and find a sensitive spot. Fingers curling into the mattress, Cindy almost forgot about their annoying third man until the most hideous noise issued forth from the bathroom. Apparently, Ryan was doing her best Mariah Carey impression. And her best wasn’t exactly going to win her top prize in any karaoke contests. It was unbearable enough to distract Cindy from the wonderful things Lindsay’s tongue was doing to her neck. She groaned, and not in a good way.

“I swear to God, the girl is such a pest,” she hissed. “She talks herself onto assignments. She wants to be in the middle of everything.”

“Yeah, I can see how that would be a pain in the ass,” Lindsay responded.

Cindy pretended not to see the smirky grin Lindsay was trying so hard to withhold.

“I really had no idea she was coming here,” she sighed and pouted.

“Well obviously…” Lindsay responded, “unless you were trying to hook up something kinky.”

“Are you kidding? Jill would totally murder me if I scheduled us a threesome that wasn’t with her.”

Lindsay laughed and pushed a thick lock over Cindy’s shoulder, infusing said shoulder with concentrated heat when she gently palmed it.

“Yeah, I’m still holding out for that twosome first,” she murmured.

“Me too,” Cindy returned, licking her lips unconsciously, and watching Lindsay’s eyes flutter down to them. Just the sight of Lindsay looking at any part of her like that made it difficult to draw breath. She really wanted to declare “Screw it!” and allow Ryan to walk in on whatever there would be to walk in on.

At least that’s what she thought that she wanted until the shower came to a halt and changed her mind. She seriously couldn’t take another start with Lindsay that was destined to be interrupted.

But she also couldn’t handle the notion of Scooby-ing around with Ryan all day when she had her incredibly sexy girl at her immediate disposal.

“I have an idea,” Cindy softly stated, before raising her voice. “Ryan?”

Fifteen seconds post-summons, the eager girl popped her upper body out of the bathroom, hair wet and wearing nothing but a towel. She eyed their intimate position, but Cindy wasn’t feeling particularly motivated to move from where she was still perched halfway on top of Lindsay.

“Yeah?” Ryan asked, totally obvious in the fact that she wasn’t the least bit rueful at having ruined their romantic getaway.

“I was thinking,” Cindy tossed out her lure. “You wanted to research. How about interviews? Do you think you can handle some of those?”

Nibble, nibble. Cindy felt an instant tug on her line.

“Really?” Ryan asked excitedly.

“Yeah,” Cindy casually reeled her in. “I have like thirty people left. They’re all yours if you want ‘em.”

“Won’t we get in trouble?” Ryan questioned.

Carefully, Cindy let out some line, hoping it wouldn’t break.

“What they don’t know won’t hurt them.” She really hoped Ryan would take that point to heart. “But if you don’t want to…”

“No, I do!” Ryan exclaimed. “That would be fantastic.”

Cindy silently concurred. “You should really get started,” she advised. “It could take you all day.”

“I’ll be out in just a minute,” Ryan said and disappeared back into the bathroom.

Turning back to Lindsay, Cindy was treated to an impressed grin.

“That was easy,” Lindsay declared. “Maybe I should start using that kind of misdirection with you.”

“If you’re talking about keeping me in line, you could always try your handcuffs and a spanking,” Cindy responded, smiling smugly when Lindsay’s mouth dropped open. “Just seeing if you were paying attention.”

Lindsay was apparently paying enough attention to grab two handfuls of hair and yank her back down, her lips attacking Cindy’s with the force of a thousand amorous armies. When her hands released their iron grip on thick locks, they slid down Cindy’s back and up under her shirt, setting Cindy’s skin ablaze from shoulder blades to tailbone.

It was more than a minute, but Cindy assumed it still had to be record time for a girlie-girl like Ryan. The door opened and there was just enough lag for Lindsay to remove her hands from Cindy’s shirt and Cindy to return to her only half on top of Lindsay position.

Ryan emerged from the bathroom, with a smile on her face, ready to go. She hadn’t even bothered to dry her hair, which explained her enthusiasm in a way that words could never express.

Trying not to look guilty, Cindy got up from the fold-out she’d spent the night not sleeping on with Lindsay and grabbed her notebook from her bag. She tore three pages from the spiral and held them out to Ryan.

“Here are the names,” she announced. “Have fun.”

“You’re not coming with me?” Ryan asked.

“How will you get any experience if I’m there?” Cindy tried to look sincere. “Have at it.”

For the first time, Ryan seemed to realize she was being given the slip, but opportunistic specimen that she was, Cindy knew she wouldn’t pass up the chance.

“Planning on sharing your byline?” Ryan posed.

“Let’s just see what you get,” Cindy returned.

Ryan smiled at the prospect. “I’ll call you if I need anything,” she said, folding the lists into her pocket and gathering her trade tools before finally leaving them alone.

As the door clicked closed behind Ryan, Cindy turned and pounced back on the bed and the waiting inspector.

“I’m feeling pretty special right now,” Lindsay murmured. “I can’t believe you’d trade half a byline for some time with me.”

“I’d trade a kidney for some time with you, but don’t let it go to your head,” Cindy teased. “Besides, she won’t be sharing my byline. She’s not going to find anything I don’t already know. Those are all the people I talked to yesterday.”

“Oh, that’s just mean.”

“Really? You’re not glad she’s gone?”

“Oh, I’m glad that she’s gone,” Lindsay responded. Hands once again sneaking under Cindy’s shirt, her hands moved in a slow massage up and down Cindy’s back. “But you don’t really want to rush through this knowing she could walk back in here at any moment, do you?”

“No,” Cindy grudgingly admitted. “But I will take my whole day free to spend with you.”

“Ah, sneaky,” Lindsay grinned.

Cindy leaned down for a short, sweet kiss, pulling away before she lost all capacity to do so.

“So, you want to do our part to save the Earth and take only one shower?” Lindsay suggested with an animated eyebrow waggle as she pulled away.

“Not unless you want our first time together to be a vertical quickie in a hotel bathroom,” Cindy replied.

“Oh come on,” Lindsay tried. “We’re adults. We can control ourselves.”

“Right,” Cindy countered, pushing up from the bed, despite Lindsay’s attempts at keeping her captive there. “You, stay,” she said, pointing forcefully at the bed.

“Fine,” Lindsay conceded, putting her hands up in a conciliatory fashion.

Cindy backed away, grabbing her bag, and kept both eyes on Lindsay, who was making a big show of not moving. She sat her bag inside the door of the bathroom and stepped back out to look at Lindsay.

“Do you need anything before I go in?”

“Nothing you’re going to give me,” Lindsay responded.

The petulance was phony, but the pout that accompanied it was real. Cindy tried not to laugh. Instead, she pulled her shirt over her head and dropped it on the floor before turning and stepping into the bathroom and out of Lindsay’s sight.

“Tease,” she heard Lindsay drawl as the door closed behind her.