Unfinished Business (Kit Tolliver #12) (The Kit Tolliver Stories) Read Free Page A

of her suitcase before she could tell him thanks but no thanks.
    “I can manage it,” she said. “Really I can.”
    He smiled, showing good teeth. “Of course you can,” he said, “but why should you? This way you can allow me to feel manly and useful, and save your strength for the hug you’re going to give your husband.”
    Interesting. He knew she wasn’t married, could not have failed to note the absence of a ring on her finger.
    Well, she could hold up her end of the conversation. “No husband,” she said.
    “Your boyfriend, then.”
    She smiled, shook her head.
    Well, why not? Rita wouldn’t be there, she would have come to her senses, and there’d be nobody at all to meet her, and where was it written that she had to be alone with her disappointment? He was a good-looking fellow, clean cut and well turned out, and he’d take her out for a decent dinner, and that was a good idea all by itself, because all she’d had to eat all day was the croissant with her morning coffee.
    And then she could fuck him, and once she’d done that she could figure out a way to kill him, and then she’d have no choice but to get out of Seattle in a hurry. And she’d give it a few days and then call Rita from Omaha or Dayton or Lynchburg, and—
    “Kimmie!”
    And there was Rita.
    Jesus, how had she forgotten how beautiful the woman was? Just stunning, and positively glowing, and with the most wonderful light shining in her eyes.
    She took a step toward her, and before she knew it she was running. And then they were in each other’s arms.
    Had she ever kissed anyone like this? Putting every atom of her being into the kiss, drawing all she could of the other person back into herself? Had she? Ever?

    “Kimmie, I think that’s your suitcase.”
    “How did it—”
    “Unless it’s a bomb, but that guy didn’t look like your typical terrorist. He was actually kind of cute.”
    “Kind of.”
    “I guess at first he thought we were sisters, or best friends, you know? And then when we really got into it he got the message, and his expression changed. I guess he was disappointed.”
    “I guess. Where’d he go?”
    “He put the suitcase down,” Rita said, “and then I guess he went away, but by that time I was too busy kissing you to pay attention. I never kissed a woman like that.”
    “I never kissed anybody like that.”
    “No, neither did I. I always liked kissing guys, but it’s a completely different thing, isn’t it? God, you’re beautiful.”
    “This is nothing. Wait ’til you see me naked.”
    “Kimmie!”

    “How did you find a parking spot so close?”
    “The city reserved it for me,” Rita said, “by putting a fire hydrant there. I figured I’d get a ticket, and I figured I didn’t care, but I guess the meter maid was busy giving somebody a blowjob. Kimmie, I never talked like this before I met you.”
    “I’m a terrible influence.”
    “You are. I loved the way our tits pressed together when we kissed.”
    “You may be disappointed, Ree. Mine are on the small side.”
    “Ree.”
    “Is it okay to call you that? Or do you hate it?”
    “No, I like it. And speaking of tits—”
    “That’s right. We were speaking of tits.”
    “Mine are these big pillow tits. Maybe you won’t like them.”
    “Yeah, I’m disgusted just thinking about them.”
    “Really?”
    “They’re much too large. Maybe I can whittle away at them with my tongue.”
    “We’re gonna have fun, aren’t we, Kimmie?”
    “Oh, yes.”
    “I’ll do anything you want. You know that, don’t you?”
    “Same for me.”
    “God, this traffic! But there’s something nice about having to wait, you know?”
    “I was thinking the same thing.”
    “You know what I did? I cooked dinner, isn’t that nuts? It’s a casserole, it’s in the oven keeping warm.”
    “I figured you would. I brought the wine.”
    “Really? Is it that kind I can’t pronounce?”
    “Nuits-Saint-Georges. No, but it’s like that. Another