“Now, I know either of us could get a call to ruin it, and that’s why we haven’t made any plans other than hanging out and sleepovers, but you deserve better. So, when you said you’d just finished a successful take-down and you have tomorrow off, I took a leap of faith and got us tickets to a Broadway musical at Sarofim Hall. I did it online, and the tickets are on my phone. All they had left was nosebleed, but still. I figured you could pick a restaurant you like, and we could do the night up right—you know, dress and all that. I’ve got a nice suit, and you have, well, like, everything Nordstrom and Sak’s Fifth Avenue offer, so why not show off how gorgeous you are?” She hesitated. “Unless ... you don’t want to be seen in public with me.”
Athena placed the wall hanging on the table next to the wine bottle, cupped Flash’s cheeks between her palms, and initiated a long, languid kiss. The thought—She’s not trying to break up with me—flooded her with relief and delight. She’d been worrying over nothing, except that Cam could have been right, and Flash might have another reason for staying so busy. At least she had tomorrow to look forward to.
“Sweetie, just because I’m not ready to announce personal information to the FBI that’s none of their business doesn’t mean I’m embarrassed to be seen in public with you. On the contrary.” She rifled her fingers through Flash’s short hair, a fragrant citrus aroma wafting into her awareness. Her bold, blue streak was starting to fade into the medium brown of the rest, and Athena wondered if she’d have it retouched. “I’m proud to be seen with you. You’re incredible, and I still can’t believe you want me.”
Flash eyed her with that adorable, cocky expression she often assumed when she was feeling especially self-assured. Her powerful arms pulled Athena close. “You mean a drop-dead beauty with an iron will, steely gaze, and hot, commanding nature, who is more than a match for the toughest, meanest felons who ever committed a crime? Yeah, why am I wasting my time on the cream of the crop when there are sleazy, whiny, self-absorbed airheads out there whowant to have one-night stands with me?” A teasing smile wiggled across her lips. “Maybe because I’m not a complete idiot?”
“Hush, you!” Athena touched her lips with her own to stop the flow of sarcasm.
Flash glanced down at a whine. Snuffles hopped up and down, then stretched her front paws up Flash’s leg.
“Why don’t we take her outside and sit by the pool for a minute to decide what to eat tonight?” Athena suggested. “You are staying over, aren’t you?”
“I hope so,” Flash answered with a cheeky expression. She opened the sliding glass door, and Snuffles raced out, tearing across the yard in a wide arc, short little legs digging in for amazing speed.
Athena took her hand. “That dog has been courting me while you were away.”
“Is that so?” came Flash’s curious reply.
“Well, she moped the first day you were gone, staying near the door, waiting for you to walk in,” she explained. They settled into porch chairs beside each other. “Then she decided, if you weren’t coming back right away, she’d see if she could wrap me around her little toe the way she’s enthralled you.”
“Did it work?”
Athena snorted. “Like a charm.” A cool breeze found them under the covered porch, and its ripple over the clear, inviting water exuded tempting vibes.A quick swim, dinner, relax, then sex?But maybe there was also time for something serious. After all, if this was a serious relationship, and Flash wasn’t about to dump her, Athena wanted her girlfriend to heal.
“Have you been pulling extra shifts and volunteering to go to California to avoid me?” she asked.
Flash shot up in shock, releasing her hand. “No! Why ever would you think that?”
“Well, the result has been a lack of time together since … since you left protective custody.”
“You’ve been busy too. What am I supposed to do off-shift while you’re chasing down criminals and organizing stakeouts?”
“I know, it’s just that …”How to say this right.Athena pressed her hands around Flash’s and gazed straight into her cognac eyes, into hurt and confusion, into fear and doubt. “I wonder if maybe going back to Firehouse Eight has been hard for you because of what happened there, what you witnessed, and how it made you feel. You know it wasn’t your fault.”
“Yeah, I know,” Flash muttered, her voice low with pain. She dropped her chin, brows furrowed. “It’s been awkward and tough for all of us. It’s like we all just tiptoe around the elephant in the room that nobody wants to talk about. Jake—Captain O’Riley—tried to send us all to the chaplain for grief counseling, but no one wanted to go.”
“I think it’s a good idea,” Athena offered gently. “It’s an important process and by no means a sign of weakness. Everyone needs help going through a loss.”
Flash laced her fingers through Athena’s, rubbing her hand with a thumb. “We’ve got this new lieutenant now—took Smokey’s spot—and Bobbie Flores replaced Johnson. Bobbie’s OK, but the new white-shirt’s got a stick up his ass, and neither of them understands what the rest of us are going through. Nita went to see the chaplain and said he helped. I think it’ll just take time.”
“I know, honey,” Athena consoled. “Look, I’m sorry for bringing that up, and I don’t want to ruin our evening. I’m so looking forward to our date tomorrow night. You surprised me, and I’m over the moon about it,” she said, allowing joy to flow again. “I just want you to be alright, get your groove back, you know?”
“How are you doing?” Flash asked with concern.
“Better, but at least Martin was killed away from the office. I don’t have to go to work every day and see, remember … you know. It’s different for me, but I still get sad when I think about his flirtatious grin.”
“We have each other,” Flash stated with resolve. “Now, what do you want to eat before I strip you naked and have my devilish way with you?”
A hedonistic grin filled Athena’s face as her eyes sparkled at the woman she was falling harder for every day. “Who says the food has to come first? You’re practically naked already, taunting me with your body, enticing me with gifts and kisses.”
Having concluded her business in the yard, Snuffles trotted up to them, turned three circles, and curled in a ball at Flash’s feet.
“Well,” the intrepid firefighter mused. “If you insist.” Her eyes darkening, she leaned over to capture Athena’s mouth in a thirsty kiss, brimming with promise, scorching with desire.
Chapter 7
Two days later
