Title: Trouble comes in Twos - Part 14

I can feel my fingers on the steering wheel, gripping, tensing, turning hand over hand as I move the car around a corner.

Flash.

I'm breathing heavyily, the sound of the siren is so loud, but I can still hear the sweet alto of Nikki yelling over the radio.

Flash.

There's so much rain that I can barely make out the headlights up ahead. It's getting dark but the flashing police light cuts through it with flashes of blue. Flashes...

Flash.

My heart rate picks up with the chase. Got to get him. Got to catch up. Got to stop him.

Flash.

Water. Water. So much water. Struggling with the seat belt. Damn it. Water. Nikki's out. Water.

Water.

Dark.

Water.

...

Air.

I need air.

...

"Shhhh. Wake up, Nora. You're OK."

Darkness. Cold. So dark. So cold. So dark. So... warm?

"Nora. Please wake up. You're safe. Come on now."

I come to my senses abruptly, rising up out of the depths of my nightmarish river, gasping for air. A warm, pleasant body, a woman's body, is pressed against me, arms holding me as she sits at the edge of the bed.

Nikki. My mind is blanking... Why is she here? Then I remember the water and being trapped...

She must have heard me from her room.

I'm sitting up, having exploded off the sheets; and wrap around her, holding onto her like I would a life raft. My entire body is shaking and I'm drenched in sweat, ironic considering my nightmare. She's holding tight, her mouth by my ear calming me with soothing sounds. My face is buried in her neck, her hair tickling me. I know this smell. Her smell. It's not the smell of her perfume, but purely Nikki.

If I wasn't so suddenly embarrassed, I'd be enjoying this. A lot.

I start to pull away but she holds on to me and pushes me back onto the pillows.

"Shhh. It's OK," she croons as she reaches up with one hand and pushes back the sweaty strands of my hair.

I throw an arm over my face, feeling the heat from my blushing skin. God. Stupid river. Stupid nightmare.

Nikki pulls my arm down to look me in the eye.

"The river?" she asks simply.

"Do I have to talk about it?" I groan, God this is embarrassing.

"No," she smiles gently and then nudges me, "Scoot over?"

I give her a puzzled look, but I move over, making room for her on the full bed. Nikki crawls into bed with me, gently pushing me over onto my side.

"Nikki?" My voice comes out as a nervous croak.

"Shhh. Just making sure you sleep through the night," she chuckles in my ear, "Don't worry. Your virtue is safe tonight, Detective." Nikki wraps her long arms around me, spooning me loosely from behind.

She expects me to fall asleep?

*****

I wake up warm and cozy, still in the same position that I fell asleep in... wrapped in Nikki's arms. Although, I don't think we were quite this close when we went to bed. Since I'm enjoying the heat down the entire length of my back and my entangled legs, I can definitely say we weren't this close.

Oh my god. We're in bed together.

My hands are clasped with hers, holding her to me. I can feel her warm breath tickling my ear, disturbing my hair.

Mmmmmm.

"Good Morning, Sunshine." The whisper is so soft and close to my ear that my body shivers in reaction. "No more nightmares last night."

"Nope, only good dreams. Very lovely dreams in fact," I whisper back.

"Do tell," Nikki's lips brush my ear.

I wonder if she can see the blush which is creeping up my face. "Maybe another time," I barely get out.

"Promise?"

"Oh yeah, definitely." Turning over in her arms to face her in bed, noticing the sheet covering us and the warm sunshine coming through the window. She's beautiful in the morning, even without makeup, maybe even more beautiful without makeup. Looking into her brown eyes I can tell she's smiling just by her eyes, even if her lips haven't moved.

"Good Morning," I tell her, scooting closer, sliding an arm around her waist.

Her smile lights up the room more than the sun does. But then I'm a bit prejudiced.

I rush in, before I have a chance to even think about what I'm doing, and kiss her.

Just like last night. Soft. Warm. My eyes drift shut as she moans kissing me back. The tip of my tongue traces the curve of her lower lip and I breathe in as her shaky breath comes out.

I'm breathing in Nikki. I'm kissing Nikki.

Her fingers reach up and thread through my hair, holding me still while her lips part, deepening our kiss.

The soft knock on the door doesn't deter us at first, until it becomes more insistent.

Nikki pulls away first, pressing her forehead against mine, both of us breathing heavily. Then untangling herself from me and the sheets she gets up to answer the door.

"Mornin' Ladies!" Darius cheerfully greets us as Nikki opens the door.

"I think the only reason why you're not on the ground and screaming for mercy right now, Darius, is the fact that you brought us fresh coffee," I say as I get out of bed. Doing my best to not blush in front of him, knowing it would only make him worse, I reach out and snag both mugs out of his hands. Handing one to Nikki, I take a deep sniff and then a sip of his offering. "Well, at least you make a decent cafe au lait."

"Despite the immense pleasure I'm getting just from waking the two of you up out of your love nest... Ufff," he bends over, leaning away from Nikki's poking finger.

I chuckle in my coffee and go back to sit on the bed, patting the spot next to me for Nikki to sit. Her pleased expression makes my heart skip and I give her a small smile as she sits by me, her thigh pressed against mine.

Darius leers, his smile wide, "Now that's what I like to see. Two happy women alone in a bedroom..."

"Darius..." I growl warningly.

"OK. OK. Fantasy world put on hold. Reality incoming. I get it." He pulls Nikki's cellphone out of his pocket. "I figured since your phone woke me up, it was only fair I'd do the same. It was Officer Harkins, he asked me to pass on a message asking you to come to the sheriff's office in Folsom this morning."

"Well, perhaps they have my gun back already. I was waiting for Officer Newton's call today..."

"Oh?" I raise an eyebrow at her cheekily, reminding her of the young officer's crush on her.

"Okayyy, Darius," Nikki replies shutting the door in his face. Turning to me, she smiles sexily, leaning back against the door. "If we didn't have to go, I'd be more than happy to share with you my feelings on Officer Newton vs yourself."

I look at her, giving her a smile filled with amusement, "If we didn't have to go... we'd still be going. Darius IS on the other side of that door and you know he's listening for rabid chipmunks."

Nikki stalks forward towards me, slowly enough to give me plenty of time to look her up and down, enjoying what I see. I really didn't get a chance to notice her pajamas before and despite the sleek, curvy form a startled laugh pops out of me when I take a good look at them.

She stops just in front of me, giving me a new, and very consternated look. "What are you laughing at?"

"Satin jammies with rubber duckies on them?" I burst out laughing almost spilling my hot coffee.

Frowning Nikki looks down at her sleepwear, then looks back up at me. "What's wrong with them? They're cute. They're my comfy set."

I try to control my laughter and manage to bring it down to amused chuckles. "No. No. You're right, they're very, very adorable." I reach out and play with the bottom button of her satin top, then run the tips of my fingers along the seam up the middle.

Her breath hitches and she whispers hoarsely, "Nora..."

Mmmmm... how far up can I get before she stops me.

Nikki captures my hand in hers before I get half-way up her torso, then moves it down and under her top until I can feel skin.

Not far apparently.

It's my turn for my breath to hitch and my eyes to half-close in pleasure. "Nikki..." I stand up, so close to her that we're pressed up against each other, my hand and hers still entwined and touching the warmth of her skin.

"Yes?" she whispers, her breath warming my lips.

"I think I like satin pajamas with rubber duckies on them," I tell her with a smile.

TBC