She silently cheered when the tips of Kris' ears reddened, knowing that her compliment had not been ignored. "Ready?" she mimicked.

Kris nodded. She was more than ready, and still wondering how a simple compliment could evoke the strong physical reaction it had. While she readily acknowledged an attraction to the younger woman, she had sought to limit it to one based on professional respect. However, Kris was finding it disconcerting that both her emotions and her body had shown a distinct proclivity to ignore the constraints she placed upon them and act of their accord. And for a woman who was used to being in complete control, it was a peculiarly vulnerable feeling.

As they started out the door, the phone rang. Shelby smiled apologetically and answered it.

"Hello."

"Hi Shelby. It's Mom. How come you haven't returned my phone calls? I've been worried sick about you."

"I was going to, later. I've just been a little busy lately."

"Too busy for your own mother?"

Shelby silently sighed. "No, Mom." In an effort change the focus of the conversation, she asked, "Did Jimmy and Jason both make the baseball team?"

"If you'd stop over more often you could ask them yourself."

"Mom, what did you do? Take a crabby pill before you called?"

Kris was barely able to stifle a snicker at the comment. She was standing in the doorway, and hadn't intended to eavesdrop, but the apartment was too small to avoid hearing the conversation.

"I can't believe you are talking to your own mother like that. All the years I sacrificed and went through hell to give you things I never had, and you don't even appreciate it."

Shelby's face momentarily darkened. You'll always be a victim, won't you, Mom? What about the hell Ann and I went through because you did nothing to stop it. "Mom, what's wrong? You've been on my case since I picked up the phone."

"I had a busy day at work today and then had to come home and cook for the boys. Can I relax yet? No. Because you haven't called me all week and I was worried about you. Do you appreciate my concern? Of course not. You insult me instead."

Shelby rolled her eyes, strolled over to the couch and flopped down. "I shouldn't have said that. But I've been really busy with work stuff too and just haven't had much time to call. So can we call a truce?"

Somewhat mollified, Lisa said, "Yes, dear. I just miss you."

"I miss you, too. I'll stop over next weekend."

"Can't you stop over this weekend? I'll make dinner. I could really use some adult company."

Shelby inwardly sighed. "Let me see how things go at work and I'll get back to you, okay?"

"Just for a couple of hours, Shelby."

"I've got to go. I'll call you later."

"Why? What's the big hurry? I haven't talked to you all week."

Kris had watched various emotions flicker across Shelby's face and had heard the frustration in her voice for long enough. She walked over to the apartment door and knocked loudly.

Shelby jumped at the noise, but seeing Kris at the door, she immediately understood that the other woman was giving her an out. "Mom, I gotta go. Someone's at the door."

"Well, okay, dear. Now don't forget to call me back."

"Bye, Mom."

Shelby shook her head, laid down the phone, and glanced at Kris. "Thanks."

"Didn't mean to butt in, but I figured you needed a break."

"Did I ever! She was really on a roll tonight."

Locking up, she followed Kris to the car. After the operative pulled out of the parking lot, Shelby turned curious green eyes on her companion. "What was your mother like? Do you remember?"

Kris was caught off guard by the question and torn about whether to answer or not. Her emotions were still raw from her recollections earlier that day, but she sensed Shelby needed to talk. She hadn't talked to anyone about her mother since she was a child. It had been forbidden at the institute, so she had tucked all the memories of her mother into a safe, dark corner in her mind – separate from the brutal memories of their parting.

Almost before she was aware of having made a decision, Kris began speaking. "She was pretty cool for a mother. At least that's the way I remember her. She was tall, but I think I'm probably taller now, and had short dark brown hair. Mom had hazel eyes that changed colors, depending on what she wore, and a pretty smile. She used to smile and laugh a lot."

Kris' eyes were far away as an image of her mother formed in her mind. "Mom raised me by herself and worked long hours at a factory to support us. It was hard for her with no one to help her, but she never complained or took it out on me. We didn't have fancy things and barely got by, but it didn't seem to matter."

Shelby saw a softness she had sensed but never witnessed on the operative's face as she spoke of her mother and knew she was seeing a side of this woman that few had ever been privy to.

Kris shrugged. "That's about it."

"She sounds like she was a great mother."

"Yeah, she was." Kris looked away from Shelby, concerned about the comfort level she felt in talking to her. While she had chosen to share that memory, it had felt good to do so and that worried her.



*  *  *

After signing in as a guest, Kris glanced at Shelby. "Where to first?"

"I usually warm up, then work out on some of weight equipment. We can do whatever you want, though."

Kris smiled. "No, that sounds fine. Lead on."

Shelby inclined her head to the right. "Over this way." She led the way to a room in the back of the facility that had an assortment of stationary bicycles and rowing machines in the front of the room, and stair steppers in the rear. "I usually warm up on the bike for about twenty minutes."

Noting that all of the machines faced forward, Kris opted for the stair stepper. She wanted a vigorous workout, and it would allow her to keep an eye on Shelby at the same time. "I'm going to do the stair stepper."

"Okay." Shelby mounted one of the stationary bicycles and adjusted the tension as she began pedaling. She would rather have had Kris right next to her, but knew they would be able to work together on the remainder of the regimen.

Kris was lucky enough to find a vacant stair stepper just to the left and rear of the Shelby's location and started moving the high steps in a steady, rhythmic pace, gradually increasing her speed to where it was comfortable, yet taxing.

She normally found this type of exercise incredibly boring, but watching Shelby's shapely legs smoothly work the bicycle in front of her was proving very enjoyable. It wasn't until a salty drop of sweat blinded her in one eye that she realized her own speed had increased proportionally with her enjoyment, and she consciously slowed down. Stepping off the platform, she joined Shelby when she saw her begin to slow. "All warmed up?"

"Yeah. How about you?"

"Oh, absolutely."

Shelby noticed the drops of moisture that had escaped from the sweatband Kris wore around her head and the sheen of sweat apparent on her body, and chuckled. "You sure are. Don't you believe in starting slow and easy?"

Kris bit off a chuckle, knowing her mind had gone in a totally different direction than Shelby's. "Always."

Shelby shook her head, amused. "Well your definition of slow and easy must be different than mine."

No. I don't think it is. Want to find out? Kris cut off her train of thought and issued a stern warning to herself. Don't even go there! She looked at Shelby and shrugged nonchalantly, then followed her to the workout room.

The two women steadily progressed through the various equipment designed to tone different parts of the body. Kris limited her use of the equipment to those in which she her view wasn't obscured. They were currently at a machine that worked the muscles of the abdomen and shoulders.

Kris noticed Shelby seemed to be straining as she operated the overhead bar even though she hadn't said anything. She laid her hand on Shelby's arm. "Wait a minute. The tension is too tight for you on this."

Shelby had been so intent on watching the smooth rippling of Kris' sinewy muscles each time she leaned back and then slowly sat up drawing the bar over her head, she hadn't even thought about adjusting the tension when she sat down and the feel of Kris' hand further distracted her.

Once the setting was adjusted, she easily maneuvered the overhead bar. "Thanks."

Kris smiled. "Next time, say something, okay?"

Smiling, Shelby nodded, as she positioned herself on the padded bench. Reaching up, she securely grasped the overhead bar in her hands before slowly pulling it forward, then letting it guide her back down until she had achieved a steady rhythmic motion.

Kris stood off to the side and suddenly found herself transfixed by the movement of Shelby's breasts and abdomen each time she laid back in the chair and brought the bar back over her head. Sucking in a deep breath, Kris tried to will her eyes away from the incredibly sensual movement, but couldn't find the motivation to do so.

She finally quit staring when her companion released the bar, and glanced away, sure if she didn't that Shelby would see the desire reflected in her eyes.

Shelby swung around on the bench only to find Kris gazing around the room. Disappointed that the operative hadn't been watching her work out, she said, "We've been through all the ones I normally do. Anything else you want to try?"

Kris was still uncomfortably aroused. "No. I'd rather run for a while. Stretch out my legs a bit."