You miss her, you love her,Flash teased. Athena could picture the look of amusement on her rambunctious face, the twinkle in her tawny eyes that always lit like romantic candles when they gazed at her. For the first time in forever, she wanted to play hooky, make an excuse to leave work, and spend the day with Flash. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the responsible thing to do, and Athena was nothing if not responsible. Tamping down her selfish desire to take advantage of Flash’s day off and toss duty out the window, she shook off the notion.
Of course I do, silly, but not as much as you. Are you coming?
We’ll be there with bells on,Flash replied.What time?
Six. If something comes up, I’ll call. Love you,Athena texted, adding in her head,like a crazy person.
Excellent. Off to my nap. I love you more!?? She added a grinning emoji. Athena’s heart fluttered as she reluctantly put the phone away.
A knock sounded at the door—Agent Shoops, holding a couple of folders, wearing an apprehensive expression. “Come in,” Athena acknowledged formally, straightening and trying to hide the glow that had just consumed her face. “Despite the rumors, I don’t bite.”
“No, of course not.” Karen’s cheeks went pink as she shuffled in, shoulders slumped under the meager weight of the files or her embarrassment, Athena wasn’t sure which. “Mr. Smith asked if you could look over these reports from Intelligence Analysis.” She laid the stack on Athena’s desk. “They all have to do with Mexican-American cross-border issues, and, since you just closed the Los Diamantes case a month ago, he said your instincts would be fresh.”
“I can do that,” Athena replied with a nod. “How is the public corruption investigation going out there?” With elections two months away, and nothing else pressing on their agenda, Athena had tasked her agents with investigating every candidate in South Texas, with emphasis on accepting bribes or involvement in any illegal or unethical activities. Such routine inquiries fell under the jurisdiction of the Criminal Investigations Division of the FBI, as did kidnappings, violent crimes committed on federal property or crossing state lines, and organized crime operations.
“So far, we’ve cleared twenty-seven state and local candidates, but there’s a lot still to go.” Shoops pushed up her glasses and waited to be dismissed before leaving.
Athena regarded her, recalling how much she had grown throughout the Los Diamantes operation. However, she still seemed shy and uncertain, despite having contributed valuable information leading to the arrest of the elusive drug lord.
With a nod, Athena charged, “Keep up the good work, Shoops, and let me know if you find anything suspicious.”
“Yes, ma’am!” A pleased smile lit her eyes at the mild compliment, and the petite, younger agent exited with more confidence than she’d entered. Athena shook her head. While she liked Karen, she couldn’t be her friend, nor friends with any of the agents under her command. The FBI was like the military in that regard, and fraternization between the brass and enlisted was against the rules.
The rules were there for a reason. Athena cared deeply about everyone in her charge, but she realized she would have to send them into dangerous, potentially fatal situations, and sentiment couldn’t interfere with doing the job. Losing Agent Cruz still hurt. It was best if the office believed her to be a cold, calculating ice bitch, because getting too close was out of the question. Flash, on the other hand, wasn’t one of her agents, and she was free to fraternize all she wanted with her.
The knock at the door sent Athena’s heart racing as she scurried the few feet from the kitchen of her small apartment. While the house at Piney Point had become “their place,” this was the first time she’d invited Flash to her compact condo, which wasn’t much bigger and boasted far less character than her girlfriend’s loft. Would she be repulsed by its lack of personality? Composing herself, Athena opened the door.
To her joy, she was greeted with the friendly, confident firefighter and a bubbling ball of fur with paws waving and tongue licking from the carrier strapped over Flash’s chest. Since Flash didn’t own a car and rode her motorcycle everywhere, this was the best solution for transporting the little pooch. Snuffles whined and wiggled, eager to get out and be petted, or run around, bounding on the furniture. A corner of Flash’s lips curved, and a gleam shone in her eyes.
See, Athena reminded herself.She wants to be here with you.
“Come in, and free that puppy before she has a heart attack,” Athena chuckled. “I’m so glad my two favorite girls could make it for dinner.”
Walking inside, Flash unbuckled the harness, slid a zipper, and let Snuffles out. “Something smells delicious.”
Athena, who had changed from her work suit to casual khaki capris and a mint tank top, bent to run her fingers over the dog’s head and ears, being treated to exuberant licking. Her big, round, brown eyes conveyed vast emotion. It had only taken lowering her guard for an instant for Athena to be sucked in by Snuffles, just as she had been by her owner, pulled into a bottomless pit of love. She prayed to a God she hadn’t forgotten that her heart wouldn’t end up in tattered pieces.
“Thanks,” Athena answered, stretching up to link her fingers behind Flash’s neck and greet her with a warm kiss. A tingle surged through her as Flash’s hands encircled her waist. “I made a lasagna—not a frozen one, a real one, with Italian sausage, tomatoes, lots of cheese, and I didn’t spare the spices.”
Flash rested her forehead to hers, and Athena breathed in the scent of her body soap and shampoo. “You better not spare the spice,” Flash responded flirtatiously. She brushed another kiss to Athena’s lips.
A scratching sound caught her attention, and Athena glanced toward the couch, where Snuffles dug feverishly on a throw pillow, as if a most desirable treasure lay buried within.
“Snuffles!” Flash scolded. She released Athena to take the pillow away. “No digging pillows. Now, why are you digging that pillow? You can’t make a nest in a pillow.”
The smaller-than-standard-sized Havanese tucked in her tail, sat, licked her nose, and peered up at the humans in sorrowful confusion. With that pleading black and white face and half-perked ears, it was impossible to stay mad at her.
“Let meget her an old blanket,” Athena suggested, as she moved to the linen closet in the short hallway to the bedroom. “Here, Snuffles,” she said with an excited expression, returning to the couch. “You can dig in this and make a nest.” She laid a fleece Tulane Green Wave blanket where the pillow had been, and the puppy eagerly scratched with her front paws, rotating in a circle, to arrange it just right.
“Oh, she loves that,” Flash commented. “I’ve no idea why she started the dig-on-pillows routine.”
“It’s OK. She’s precious. Now, dinner.”
Athena led Flash all of four steps to the kitchen island equipped with two stools. Athena had had no need for a dining table, living alone for so long, and nowhere to put one if she had it. The furniture was all at the grand house in the suburbs.
Flash slid onto a stool, casting a curious gaze around the all-in-one room. “Nice,” she confirmed with a satisfied smile. “How was your day?”
“Uneventful,” Athena answered as she pulled the large glass dish of lasagna from the oven. Sauce bubbled, and an aromatic steam rose from the dinner. “How about yours?”
