Chapter 35 #3
Athena draped her arms over Flash’s shoulders … powerful, firm, muscled shoulders that should be free of that shirt. No! Focus.
“This arrangement isn’t working well enough.”
Flash’s eyes rounded. Her lips parted, and she retreated a step.
“You don’t mean—”
“No, no, honey, please.” Athena groaned, lacing her fingers behind Flash’s neck, not letting go.
“What I mean is, we don’t get to spend enough time together.
Now, I know you’re an independent woman who loves her freedom, and the last thing I want to do is take any of that away from you.
But I wanted to point out a few advantages for you to consider if we, you know, were to decide to live together. ”
“Advantages?” Flash’s expression did nothing to bolster Athena’s confidence.
“Yes. For example, if we split the rent on one apartment, we’d each have more money left over to do fun things, maybe take a vacation,” she explained.
“You mean when we both have days off at the same time and aren’t tied up with life-threatening emergencies?”
“Exactly. And I realize my condo is rather bland and a long drive for you to get to work, especially on your bike if it’s raining,” she continued, leaving no dead air between them.
“So, maybe your place would be better—if you think it wouldn’t be too crowded.
Or,” she added, “we could look for something in between that would accommodate both our needs. No pressure at all. I just think it would make sense—”
“It would make sense,” Flash repeated. “Save money.”
“Yes.” Athena offered a hopeful smile.
Flash scowled. “Cut the crap, Athena. This isn’t a business transaction. Either you want to live with me, or you don’t. It’s that simple.”
“I do,” she rushed to say. The dread of rejection twisted in her gut. “If you do. But if you don’t, I totally understand. We can keep dating, making time when we can, if—”
“You think that’s what I want?” Flash balked.
“To just be a write-in on your calendar? Then let me make my wishes perfectly clear. Athena Bouvier, will you move in with me? Will you make my bachelorette pad into a home? Because nothing in the world would please me more than to come home to you after every shift, to hold you every chance we get, to make each moment count.”
Athena’s worries evaporated. “Yes, Flash. I want to live with you, here, and make a home together.”
Flash’s eyes glowed, but she cocked her head suspiciously. “You’re keeping the mansion, though, right?”
Athena let out a delighted laugh. “I’ll keep our weekend retreat.” She didn’t mention she planned to keep her condo too—not as a fallback, but to still list as her official residence in case bad guys started snooping around.
Flash moved in, claiming her mouth in a fervent kiss. Her nimble fingers unfastened buttons and slid beneath the silk of her dress. Athena held on, waiting until she felt steady enough to reciprocate. She admired Flash’s shirt, but it really had to go.
Without warning, Flash jumped back, her mouth gaping in shock. “Oh my God, Athena!”
Alarm jolted through her. “What is it, Flash?”
“Your wardrobe! Where are we going to put all your clothes? And the shoes! I’ll have to build a new closet.
We might lose the table space. You don’t mind eating on the couch, do you?
” Flash’s trademark mischievous grin spread across her face, flooding Athena with relief—and the need for a little payback.
“You tease!” She jabbed a finger into Flash’s chest, backing her through the open bedroom door. “You’re horrible, and I don’t have that many clothes and shoes.”
“Are you kidding?” Flash laughed. Athena pushed her down onto the bed, pulled off her pumps, and fell onto the multicolored striped blanket beside her. Still laughing, Flash said, “They need their own zip code.”
“Well.” Acting offended, Athena tossed back her hair and turned up her nose.
“You’ll just have to wait until tomorrow to start on any closet-building projects, because tonight …
” Gentling her tone, she tucked playful banter away.
Her fingers worked at Flash’s buttons, freeing her from the shirt.
Flash sucked in a breath, the look in her eyes shifting into desire.
“Tonight, we defy gravity.” Athena lowered her mouth to Flash’s in a kiss of promise.
Flash’s hands slid inside Athena’s open silk dress, still hanging loosely around her shoulders. Their kiss deepened while clothes were brushed aside. When Athena pushed up to catch her breath, she gazed into eyes so full of love they threatened to undo her yet again.
This was what her life had been missing.
If not for one bold move in that firehouse common room, she might still be alone in her spartan apartment, never knowing how much more she could have.
She’d sensed Flash’s attraction to her from the day they first met, but the firefighter had no way of knowing the cold, reserved assistant agent in charge felt the same.
Only Athena could have made the first move.
With wonder and certainty in her voice, Flash answered, “Then let’s fly.”