Page 23 of Phoenix Rising

Artie led them to a hole-in-the-wall pizza shop called Tony's. This place was a regular place with no theme, and Lucinda relaxed when she saw chipped yellow paint and absolutely no indicator of farm decor.

The two sat down after ordering their pizza at the counter.

Artie ran his hand through his silver hair. "So, Chief Sexy made out with you on her desk. Then what happened?"

Lucinda blushed. "Her daughter and a colleague knocked on the door."

Artie's mouth dropped open. "No! Did they catch you?"

"No, Becky cleaned me up, and I sat on the other side of the desk. I don't think they realized what was happening."

"Oh, they definitely knew."

Lucinda dropped her head in her hands and whined. "Don't say that."

"I'm just telling you the truth." He sipped his soda. "They walk in there to find you disheveled and the whole office smelling like sex?"

"We did not have sex!" Lucinda hissed.

At the same time, the waitress came to set their large pepperoni pizza down.

Artie shrugged. "Dating troubles."

"Shutup." Lucinda smacked his arm.

The waitress smiled politely and left them to eat.

Artie grabbed the biggest slice and folded it to fit in his mouth. "I'm juf fayin'," he said around the pizza. "It had to have seemed obvious."

"I'm going to have to leave town forever." Lucinda groaned. "I can't ever show my face back there."

"Wait, do you not want to see her again?" Artie asked.

"Who, Becky?"

"Yeah, you seem all distraught and embarrassed, as if you didn't enjoy what happened. Did you just get caught up in the moment?" He shook some red pepper flakes on his slice and continued to eat.

"I..." Lucinda thought back.

She had thought Becky was going to kiss her in the living quarters. In fact, Lucinda wanted her to. The chief was even more alluring in the daytime. Her wit, her demeanor, the way she had gone straight into leader mode when the alarm sounded. Lucinda didn't need to sit on Becky's desk, but she did. She wanted to be close to her. She didn’t need to open her legs, but she had.

Desire had ensnared her and pulled Lucinda to Becky. She was honestly surprised she didn't end up in her lap.

The drifting kisses up her neck. Rough, calloused hands on her thighs. Experienced fingers on her?—

Nope. She couldn't think about that here with Artie sitting across from her.

"I did enjoy what happened," she said finally.

"Then why are you freaking out?"

"What if she's just playing with me?" Lucinda blurted out. "I can't get a bloody read on her."

Artie raised an eyebrow. "Would it be bad if she was? If she was just interested in sex?"

"I...I don't know. I hardly even know her, but I feel drawn to her."

"I say"—Artie put a slice of pizza on Lucinda's plate—"you see where this goes. You guys are obviously into each other."

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