Somewhere in her consciousness she registered that it was too early to be awake. Typical of those whose lives revolved around tight schedules, she rarely needed a watch or an alarm clock. Her body knew when it was time to get up, and it wasn't. Half asleep, she kissed the warm, soft skin beneath her lips. Nice.

"She's awake. You have to do something."

"Who?"

"Ronnie."

Wynter opened one eye and squinted at the bedside clock. It was a quarter to five. "Isn't it Sunday?" she muttered.

"Yes. What--"

"Mmph." Wynter closed her eye. It was Sunday. They didn't make dry rounds until seven thirty on Sunday. Sighing, she molded her body more closely to Pearce's and went back to sleep. Almost.

"Wynter," Pearce repeated, a desperate edge creeping into her voice.

Wynter opened both eyes. "What's the matter, honey?"

"Ronnie is talking or something. Isn't that supposed to wake you up?"

A steady stream of happy, staticky chatter came through the monitor and finally penetrated Wynter's foggy brain. Smiling, she levered herself on top of Pearce and settled comfortably into a new position with one leg between Pearce's and her head pillowed on Pearce's shoulder. Her voice still thick with sleep, she said, "That's her 'I'm awake and playing with my stuffed animals' sound. She's not ready to get up yet."

"Are you sure?"

"Mmm-hmm. Lots of practice."

"Should I go?"

Suddenly much more awake, Wynter raised her head. "Why?"

"Won't she think it's strange that I'm here?"

"She's three, Pearce. She doesn't think that way." Wynter blinked, trying to focus. They'd gone to sleep with the light on in the bathroom behind the partially closed door. Even in the dim light, she could see the concern in Pearce's eyes. "What are you worried about?"

"Nothing."

"Bull. What?"

"She's really cute. I like her."

Wynter pushed up further on one elbow, completely awake. She was used to going from deep sleep to full wakefulness within a matter of seconds, especially when she sensed something serious was going on. Pearce's body was one tense knot beneath her. "But..."

"No buts. I..." Pearce hesitated, thinking it unwise to mention that she almost never woke up in a woman's bed, and never with one who had a little chatterbox wired into the room. "I just don't know very much about kids."

"And..." Wynter clasped Pearce's chin and shook gently. "God, getting information out of you is like breaking into Fort Knox. You can't think that Ronnie seeing me being affectionate with a woman is going to traumatize her?"

"No, but I didn't want her to, you know...get used to seeing me here or anything."

A cool wind blew through Wynter's heart. "In case you're just passing through."

"Fuck," Pearce muttered, feeling Wynter pull away. She caught her with an arm around her shoulders and rolled them over until she was on top, looking down into Wynter's face. "I don't know exactly what I mean, Wynter, okay? I've never been with anyone like you."

Wynter took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." She traced her fingertips over Pearce's eyebrows, then down the side of her face and across her mouth. "Ronnie's fine, but your thinking about her--that means a lot to me. Thank you."

"Yes, but--"

"Hey, we said we'd see what happens. So, one day at a time, right?"

Wynter tried to sound as if the uncertainty of that didn't bother her. It shouldn't. She knew that. But knowing was different than feeling. And right now, what she felt was how good the weight of Pearce's body felt on hers. Of how comfortable it had been awakening in her arms.

Of how incredibly natural it felt to touch her and be touched by her.

Of how damn right everything about last night had seemed. Like stop action images flickering on a screen, she saw Pearce kneeling with her face pressed against her stomach, remembered the heat of Pearce's skin and the aching pleasure of being filled by her, felt Pearce come beneath her fingertips. Arousal shimmered through her, and she was instantly wet. She closed her eyes and closed her mouth over Pearce's.

Pearce shuddered, ambushed by a flood of feeling. Wynter had a way of doing that to her. Catching her completely unawares, even when they stood face-to-face. It was as if she were a house standing empty, waiting to be filled, and Wynter had just stepped through the door unannounced and populated her barren spaces with touches of home.

Groaning, Pearce filled her hands with Wynter's hair and opened her mouth to the demanding heat of Wynter's tongue. Her body throbbed, full and ripe to bursting. Lost in the kiss, she was dimly aware of Wynter's hand thrust between them, reaching down to cup her. She pulled back, rasping, "No."

"Why?" Wynter demanded restlessly, her legs twining around Pearce's. "Let me. Let me. I know you're wet."

"Jesus," Pearce muttered, sliding rapidly down the length of Wynter's body until she was nestled between her legs. "I'm done waiting for this."

Wynter raised herself on both elbows and looked down at Pearce through heavy-lidded eyes. "You have control issues."

"No, I don't." Pearce grinned and lightly kissed Wynter's sex.

"Not when I'm in charge."

"Do that again," Wynter said, her voice catching in her throat.

Pearce's eyes darkened, and she did, more slowly this time, letting her mouth linger just a whisper above Wynter's center. She blew gently, her own sex pulsing as she heard Wynter's swift gasp.

"You told me to watch. Last night." Wynter's voice was dreamy, but her hips rose insistently. "Go ahead. Let me see."

Groaning, Pearce took her fully into her mouth. Gently, she sucked and teased until Wynter's clitoris turned to rock beneath her tongue, and then she grew still, looking up into Wynter's face. Lips parted, breasts heaving, Wynter was a study in need, her expression half pleasure, half pain. Pearce swept a hand up the center of Wynter's abdomen and closed around her breast. When she squeezed, Wynter's entire body shook.

"Pearce." Wynter sounded as if each word were wrenched from the deepest part of her being. "I'm going to come soon."

Pearce licked her once and grew still.

"Again." Wynter made a sound that was half laugh, half whimper.

"There. Almost. There."

Pearce did it again and Wynter's head fell back, a strangled sound escaping her. Pearce wanted to keep her there, teetering on the brink while she drank in her beauty. But she couldn't stop herself from drowning in her, and she slipped her fingers inside as she closed her lips around Wynter's clitoris. Wynter came on the first stroke, whispering Pearce's name as her arms gave out and she fell backward, hips thrashing.

"Pearce," Wynter gasped, one hand flailing ineffectively at Pearce's shoulder. "Come up here. Hurry."

Instantly concerned, Pearce pushed herself up and lay on her side, her head propped on her elbow. "What's the matter?"

Wynter turned her head on the pillow, the only body part she could control. "We've got about two minutes."

Pearce stared at the monitor, listening to Ronnie and realizing that the word mommy was now frequently interspersed with the happy chortles. Fuck.

"Do you need to come?" Wynter said weakly.

"No," Pearce lied bravely. It wouldn't be the first time she'd finished off in the shower when time was short.

Wynter smiled, her eyes still lazy. "Liar."

Pearce grinned.

"Do it here, not in the shower."

"Oh man," Pearce muttered, her stomach instantly in knots. Her hips twitched before she could stop it and she knew from Wynter's expression that she'd felt it.

"For me," Wynter murmured.

Pearce kissed her and slipped her fingers between her legs, knowing that she'd be gone in a few strokes. She sucked on Wynter's lower lip as the pressure grew in the pit of her stomach. Groaning, she squeezed and circled the spot that always made her come. She was getting close. Her legs tensed. She opened her eyes and saw Wynter's rapt expression. She whispered, "Coming."

"Mmm, yes." Wynter kissed her and she exploded.

A few minutes later, Pearce opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. Next to the bed, the monitor carried the sounds of Wynter and Ronnie's excited conversation to her. She pictured them together and wondered what she was doing in Wynter's life. Just passing through, Wynter had said. She rolled on her side, straining to make out the words of mother and child. Real people with real feelings. Wynter deserved more than a casual encounter. They both deserved more than Pearce had to offer.

Pearce closed her eyes and listened to their voices, wanting just a few more moments of simple happiness.

v "Here you go," Wynter said, settling Ronnie into one of the booster seats at Mina's kitchen table next to the other children. She put the backpack with Ronnie's favorite toys, coloring books, and trucks on the floor. "I should be back in the morning tomorrow unless there's a heavy OR schedule. I'll call you."

"That's fine," Mina said automatically.

Wynter kissed Mina's cheek. "Thanks. Bye."

Mina glanced at the clock, then at Wynter. "You're early and you're leaving without breakfast?"

"I've got a few things to do before I leave for work."

"Uh-huh." Mina narrowed her eyes. "Nice try." She poured milk into three cereal bowls and set them in front of the kids. "Give."

Wynter moved closer to Mina where she stood by the sink and lowered her voice. "I have company."

"Company." Mina's voice rose with interest. "You don't say. And just who might that be?"