Leaving her bedroom, she caught up with June, who had gotten a new clerical collar and dickie on in the meantime. Letting out a heaving breath, Elle looked straight at June. “Ready for this?”

  “Never, but I’m sure we’ll be able to handle it with help.”

  Elle nodded. The drive to the hospital was quiet except for June relaying more information as it came in via Elle’s phone. The first victim arrived shortly before they did. All personnel available had been called in to assist, including any extra chaplains. Elle’s shoulders tensed as she glanced over at June.

  “This isn’t how I thought our date would end.”

  Chuckling, June nodded. “Not the way I imagined, either, but our work is important work.”

  “That it is.”

  Elle pulled into the parking lot, struggling to find a space. Cars littered the area, some with engines running, some not. People gathered around the entrance to the Emergency Room, media and what looked to be parents and even some grandparents. Grimacing, Elle looked to the bay door to the ambulance entrance to see if it was clearer.

  “Let’s go in that way once I find some place to park.”

  “Sounds like a plan. There’s a spot over there.”

  Across the street in the lot for the medical clinic were some open spaces. Elle headed straight for them, worried they’d fill up before she was able to make it. Luckily, there was still one left. She slipped out of the car with June hot on her tail. Once inside, June gave her a sweet smile before vanishing. Elle turned to the nurses’ station and tried to figure out where she needed to be first.

  Chapter Twenty

  The weekend had felt like it would never end, but it finally was close. Elle melted into her couch on a sigh. She’d been in and out of the hospital helping for three days, June much the same, although most of her time was expected to continue while victims remained admitted. Elle’s workload was finally easing. The kids who were so critical they couldn’t stay there were airlifted to a larger hospital, and those they could care for were admitted and in different rooms.

  Still, it had been an excruciatingly long weekend. So much for time off together. Elle snorted as she closed her eyes and relaxed and tried to rest her weary mind. She had seen so much blood, so many broken hearts over the past few days that it took its toll. She wasn’t sure how June did it, because if she had to deal with everyone’s emotions and reactions, she would certainly lose it.

  June had a kind of strength Elle would never possess. She was still there now, making sure all the families who had children in the hospital were well cared for and didn’t need anything she could help with. Elle’s stomach churned. The bus driver had been her first patient. He’d come in third, and his body was mangled in a way she had rarely seen. His leg was almost completely detached, his arm broken in four places, and his head had a gash the size of Everest. The semi had hit the bus head on when it slipped on ice, brakes failing.

  Every time Elle closed her eyes, she could see his face, his broken body opened for her to look in. Shaking her head, Elle stared at the empty fireplace. Perhaps she should start a fire soon. It’d be the first one in it ever. She’d never wanted to before, but for some reason, that day felt perfect for something so simple.

  Not wanting to get up, Elle stayed on the couch and closed her eyes. She had no idea what time June would be home, and she had no energy to even think about cooking either of them a meal. It had been takeout for the last three days, and it looked as though it was going to be takeout again.

  With her phone in hand, Elle ordered her go-to pizza and set it for delivery. She did half and half, half what she wanted and half what she knew June would want. June could just eat it whenever she got a chance. She stayed rooted on the couch until the doorbell rang. With cash in hand, Elle went to the door to pay the delivery driver. As soon as she slipped back into the warmth of her house clutching the pizza box, she breathed in the scent and sighed.

  It smelled glorious. She hummed as she grabbed herself a plate and plopped two slices on it. The door snicking open caught her attention, and she glanced toward the garage. June popped her head through and smiled. “Was that pizza guy leaving here?”

  “Yes! It’s still hot.”

  “Perfect.” June toed off her shoes and pulled off her jacket while Elle grabbed a second plate from the dishwasher neither of them had time to empty yet.

  Holding two plates piled high with food, Elle sat on the couch. She set them on the coffee table. She rarely ate at the couch, but tonight was special. June joined her shortly, still in her clerical garb, but she stopped short before she sat down.

  “Want a fire?” June asked.

  “Yes,” Elle answered, her eyes going wide. “I was actually just thinking that’d be perfect for tonight.”

  “I’ll do it.”

  June grabbed three pieces of wood and piled them into the fireplace. She shoved some starters underneath, opened the flue, and lit a match. Elle admired her competency with it. It would have taken her four times as long, and she certainly would have forgotten the flue. As the wood caught fire, Elle relaxed with a piece of pizza at her lips.

  When June finally slid onto the couch next to her, Elle rested her head on June’s shoulder and sighed. “Do you have to go back at all?”

  “Just for my regular shift in the morning, but I can probably go in an hour or so late.”

  “You need the extra sleep.”

  June hummed her agreement, leaning forward to grab her plate. They ate together in companionable silence for a while until Elle got up to get herself another piece. When she returned, June was waiting for her with open arms. After she ate her slice, Elle leaned into June, who had opened her arms in an invitation. Together they lay in silence, watching the fire.

  June rubbed a strand of Elle’s hair between her fingers, and Elle sighed contentedly. “This is nice.”

  “It is,” June responded, her chest vibrating as she spoke.

  “We should do it more often.”

  Chuckling, June slipped a hand down Elle’s chest to her belly. “I agree. With the fire.”

  “I like the fire.” Elle’s voice sounded wistful, so different from what she was used to, but it felt right. Elle reached down and joined their hands together, holding June’s firmly on her stomach. She relaxed even more. “I don’t have to go to work for a week.”

  “A week?” Surprise laced June’s tone.

  Elle hummed. “I took a week’s vacation to try to reset my clock.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Turning on her side in June’s lap, Elle tilted her chin so she could stare directly into those green eyes she loved to lose herself in. “I’m switching to days.”

  “What? Really?” June’s eyes lit up with joy, and Elle couldn’t help smiling at her.

  Elle nodded and shifted down so she was more comfortable. “I told you I was going to try to switch. It was approved, so I took a week’s vacation to try to get used to not being awake all night.”

  “That’ll be an experience for you.”

  “Yeah…probably will take more than a week to get used to it.”

  “Probably.” June slid the backs of her fingers across Elle’s cheek. “You sure you want this?”

  “Yes. I’m getting too old for night shift anyway. Let someone younger do it.”

  “You’re not old.” The dimple was back.

  “I’m getting there.”

  They lapsed into silence again. Elle was comfortable where she was at, but she knew she still wanted to talk more with June. She wanted to know every in and out there was to her. There was so much she didn’t know. How she grew up, about her parents, when she first realized she was a lesbian. She wanted to know everything, and it seemed to all pile up at once, and Elle wasn’t sure which direction to choose first.

  June tapped Elle’s shoulder to get her attention, and when Elle looked up, June looked lost. “Scoot down a bit.”

  Elle complied, and June followed so they were lying on their sides, facing each other. It wasn’t exactly comfortable, but they both fit—barely. Elle reached up and brushed the pad of her thumb over June’s lips, then pressed a kiss to her nose.

  “The bus driver died,” Elle whispered, a sting of tears surprising her as much as the weariness that encompassed her when she shared.

  “I know,” June answered, sadness sweeping over her face.

  Closing her eyes, Elle tried to center herself. “I tried everything I could, but he was so mangled.”

  “I can’t imagine what you saw in there. You truly are brave to face the unknown like that day after day.”

  Humming a noncommittal response, Elle looked into June’s eyes. “You see just as much, if not more.”

  “Sometimes.”

  “That’s worth some bravery, too, you know.”

  “I suppose.”

  Exhaustion was the third companion in the room, and it was clear to Elle it was taking over June, and she was losing the battle to fight it off. Elle curled her arm around June’s back and pulled them together. Their lips touched, and warmth spread throughout her body. When she pulled back, she gave June a sweet smile.

  “You’re about to fall asleep.”

  Nodding, June agreed.

  “Let’s go to bed then.”

  “I’m not sure I can make it up the stairs.” June’s eyes were closed, and her speech was slow and slightly slurred.

  Elle pushed herself to sit up and dragged June up with her by her arm. “I didn’t mean you upstairs and me downstairs. I meant us downstairs.”

  June’s eyes flashed open, and she had a questioning gaze. Elle shook her head and then stood up.

  “Not like that. I think we’re both too worn out for that, you especially.” She sauntered into the kitchen, slammed the lid on the pizza box, and shoved it into the fridge.

  “But the fire.”

  “Will survive on its own or it’ll die out. I’m not worried about it. Come on.” Holding out both of her hands, Elle waited for June to press her soft fingers into them. Tugging, she helped June to stand and led her through the house as she locked the doors and turned off lights on her way to her bedroom.

  Once inside, she smiled. “Want pajamas?”

  “Yes,” June confessed with a hint of a smile on her lips.

  “Be right back.” Elle headed up the stairs to June’s room, grabbed her a pair of shorts and a tank, and went back down. By the time she entered the bedroom, June was already asleep under the covers, her clerical collar and dickie tossed haphazardly on the nightstand. The image struck her, and her heart softened at the sight. Love hit her once again.

  Elle changed into more comfortable clothing and climbed under the covers with June. She pressed a kiss to the back of June’s head, whispered good night, and fell asleep.

  ★

  It was still dark when June woke up. Brushing her hands over her sleep-filled eyes, June stopped short. There was a warm body wrapped around her back. Turning her neck as far as she could see, she could make out Elle’s long dark locks flowing over the pillow behind her.

  June grinned at no one other than herself. Elle’s hand was locked against her stomach, holding her hostage to the bed. Reaching over to her phone, June checked the time to make sure she wasn’t running late. It read five forty-six a.m. It was the perfect time for her to be awake. She’d always been a morning person, and this morning, she got to spend it with Elle twisted around her like a candy wrapper.

  She sighed and laid back on the bed, closing her eyes. Elle’s scent surrounded her, and she lost herself in it, trying to decipher every little piece of it. It was flowery for sure, but there was some undertone to it that she couldn’t make out, some type of spice. It was familiar, but it wasn’t something she readily came across.

  Giving up, June tried to twist around so she was on her back without disturbing Elle. She was unsuccessful because as soon as she landed on her back, Elle moved and turned away. Deciding to flip all the way over, June slid her own hand against Elle’s body, skimming it along her stomach, to her hip, then up to just under her breast.

  Elle’s breathing increased slightly, and June smiled. She wasn’t the only one awake. Smirking, June scooted closer and buried her face in Elle’s neck. “I know you don’t like mornings, but if you wake up just a little more, you might like this one.”

  Elle let out a huff. “I am not a morning person, so unless you have coffee hidden somewhere, I doubt I’m going to be much of a happy camper.”

  June licked her lips and smiled. “No coffee, but I can offer you something better.”

  This time, Elle turned to her with her eyes wide open. Her dark eyes drew June into the depths of her heart. The room was still dark, so she struggled to make out the expression on Elle’s face as they stared at each other. “Is it even seven in the morning?”

  “It’s not even six,” June whispered gleefully.

  “Jesus, June. Are you trying to kill me?” Elle brushed her hair out of her face, but when she went to turn toward June, she had to stop because June was still neatly planted against her side with her face half-buried in her neck.

  June hummed. “Not kill you, no. I had something else in mind entirely.”

  “And what is that? It better involve coffee after; I’m just putting that out there.”

  Chuckling, June nodded. “I can make coffee in a bit if you want. I was thinking though, if you’re taking vacation this week, you can sleep as much as you want while I’m gone. Why sleep while I’m here?”

  Elle let out a small gasp, and she closed her eyes. “I think both of us know what sleep deprivation does to the mind and to the body. You, my love, will have to sleep at some point.”

  June shivered as the words “my love” left Elle’s lips. The hairs on her arms stood up straight, and she leaned in ever so slightly to get closer. “I will make you coffee, Ms. Cranky Pants. Until then, I had something else in mind.”

  “I think I might know where you are going with this.”

  “Do you?” June took the opportunity and pressed her lips to the hot and oh-so-soft skin at Elle’s neck. Elle turned her head away from June, giving her more access. Pushing herself closer and up, June leaned in more and gave Elle another kiss on her neck. She brushed her thumb lightly under the curve of Elle’s breast, hoping the skin there was insanely sensitive to light touch.

  Groaning, Elle wiggled under the sensations. June smirked and reached her tongue out for a taste. The salty flavor of her skin was pure heaven. Elle turned then, moving their mouths together in a desperate kiss. She cupped June’s cheek and guided them through the embrace.

  June moved her hand to cup Elle’s breast, keeping up the gentle rhythm of her thumb but this time on Elle’s nipple as it hardened through the thin fabric of her shirt. Elle turned even more into her, tangling their legs together. June moved with her as they shifted position so they were completely entwined.

  When Elle pulled back, she grinned broadly. “I can be on board for this, but I still expect coffee after.”

  “Is coffee your cigarette?”

  Elle thought a moment and nodded. “It probably is now you say that. But let’s worry about that later. I’m much more focused on this here and now.”

  June groaned when Elle took her mouth again, sucking June’s lip between hers and swirling her tongue in a circle before releasing. June knew Elle would willingly do that elsewhere, that she would find her orgasm over and over again if she let Elle have her way. Diving back into the moment, June pushed Elle’s shirt up higher on her chest.

  Elle arched her back up to help with the movement and ran her fingers through June’s sleep-tangled hair as she guided her head down to her chest. June parted her mouth and slipped Elle’s nipple between her lips, sucking gently and lightly as she listened to the quiet sounds Elle made.

  She had waited far too long for this. Both of them had. She took her time, wanting to go as slowly as possible and savor every second of them being together. Time had not been on their side, and there were so many moments they had lost to just missing each other by hours or minutes. June wasn’t willing to give that up again.

  Elle massaged the back of June’s neck, encouraging her to continue what she was doing. Eventually, June moved to the other side, lavishing the same attention on Elle’s other breast. June slipped back up, pressing their lips together one more time, straddling Elle as she did so.

  Together they could and would make this work. She knew that. They both had the commitment and the dream for the future, a future that looked decently similar. She threaded her fingers into Elle’s hair and held on tightly. Elle bucked her hips slightly, knocking June down into her even more. She pressed a fist into the mattress to keep herself upright and grinned.

  “Getting feisty?” June asked.

  “Oh, didn’t you know that happens when I don’t have coffee?” Elle teased. “I’m pretty sure my veins are full of the stuff.”

  “No doubt,” June whispered, once again pressing kisses against Elle’s neck. “I mean, we could stop and get you some coffee right now if you’re that desperate and that much in withdrawal from it.”

  “Hmm…I don’t think it would be a wise decision at this time.”

  June sat on her heels and lifted Elle up enough to tug off her shirt and throw it over the side of the bed. Elle followed her lead and pulled June’s shirt off, then unhooked her bra. As soon as the material fell away, Elle’s hands were there, touching and testing what brought pleasure to June and what didn’t.

  After a few more seconds, Elle reached down and unsnapped the button on June’s slacks, slowly pulling down the zipper. When June quirked an eyebrow up at her, Elle just shrugged and went back to June’s breasts. Bending lower, June picked up the pace. She had the suspicion Elle would only wait so much longer before she had her morning cup of heaven.

  It was still before six in the morning, and Elle was used to wrapping up her shift right about now. June might still have to go to work in a few hours, but this time, the time in the in between of the coming and the going, the time when light faded into dark or when dark faded into light, this was their time. Clocks didn’t exist, their missed opportunities were gone, and the pain of past relationships vanished. This was their moment. And it was about time.