Alien Tango

eyes closed and pain washed over his face. “My hands are shaking too much.” His eyes opened, and he looked at my expression. “I don’t want to lose it.”
    He gave me a half-smile and stood up. He took the necklace and slid his hands up my body and around my neck. He fastened the necklace, then adjusted it between my breasts. He pulled me into his arms and kissed me, and this time we didn’t stop.
    We were still kissing when the helicopters arrived.

CHAPTER 71
    IT WAS AN IMPRESSIVE ARRAY of choppers. I’d never seen so many other than in the opening credits of MASH . They were military ones of different kinds—police, sheriff, and highway patrol, as well as a couple of news helicopters—but there was also one that looked big, sleek, and expensive.
    The wind they created was intense, and my skirt was ripped up to my waist. I was doing a Marilyn Monroe in black for the crowd as my hair whipped around Martini and me. I turned in to his chest, and he covered my face with his hand. We both gave up on my dress. I tried not to remember I was wearing black thong underwear and just pretended this wasn’t happening.
    The blades slowed, and people got out and ran toward us. Christopher reached us first. He didn’t say anything, just grabbed us and held on. We group hugged for quite a while but it still ended too soon. “Next time Kitty has a class reunion? I want you both to stay home.”
    Martini managed a grin. “We’ll see.”
    “Kitty, are you okay?” There were plenty of spotlights now, and I saw Christopher look at my face. “Who hit you?” His tone was furious.
    “Reid. He likes—liked to do horrible things to women.”
    Christopher looked around. “I see two dead bodies. Who killed them?” Martini and I both raised our hands. “Great. Not that I wanted them alive, but this is going to get ugly fast. Reid’s a well-known politician.”
    “Did they know he was the devil?”
    Martini hugged me. “It’ll be okay, baby.”
    I saw my parents getting out of, of all things, one of the news helicopters. I started to leave Martini and Christopher to go to them, but my mother proved she really could run twenty miles with ease. She sprinted to us so fast I didn’t have time to do more than get my arms free.
    Mom held me in the bear hug, and I didn’t mind at all. “You’re okay?” I nodded. “Jeff?” I nodded again. “You two back together?”
    I pulled away and looked at her. “How did you know about that?”
    “Gloria recorded your call, and played it all back for us while we commandeered the Channel Five News Chopper.”
    My dad reached us now and grabbed me. He was shaking. “I thought we’d never see you again.”
    “It’s okay, Dad. I’m okay.”
    Dad reached out and pulled Martini to him. “You saved her again.”
    Martini laughed. “She did most of the saving.”
    “Yeah, all but the part where Reid was going to run me down with the Escalade. Jeff kind of handled that save.”
    Mom was hugging Christopher, then she and Dad switched. We were turning into group hug central.
    Someone pulled me out of the group and into his arms. “Can I mention that I hate it when you do stuff like this, girlfriend?”
    I leaned against Reader’s shoulder. As always, a nice place to be. “You know how to solve it.”
    He laughed. “I thought this might scare me straight. Didn’t, but I’m still working at it.” He rocked me. “You and Jeff back to normal?” I moved back a little bit and pointed to my chest. “It’s a great rack, Kitty, spoken as a gay guy with taste.” I rolled my eyes and pointed again. “What? Oh! Really?” He grinned.
    “Yeah, really.”
    “I told you they make great mates.”
    “Let’s hope you’re right.”
    “James, why are you staring at Kitty’s chest?” Christopher sounded slightly annoyed. Moving back to normal.
    Reader turned me around, put his arms around me, and moved my dress a bit. I saw my parent’s eyes go wide, but Christopher gave me a big smile. “I told you I’d fix it.”
    Martini snorted. “Yeah, thanks for that. I don’t think strapping me down in an isolation chamber counts as ‘fixing’ the situation.”
    “Nice necklace,” my father said. “Why is it and too much of Kitty’s chest being shown off?”
    “Dad, I show off more in a bikini.”
    “I didn’t need to hear that.”
    “It means Jeffrey has declared for Katherine, and she’s accepted.” I wasn’t expecting White to be here. He never used my full name,