Page 24 of Phoenix Rising

“That would be great,” Audria lied.

“If you’ll please follow me.” Martha led them through the door and into what could only be described as a kid’s wonderland . . . except it was for adults.

“Dear God,” Reese muttered as they walked down a corridor decorated on one side with scenes of hills, rainbows, and unicorns interspersed with cartoon characters. The other wall was made of glass that looked over a colorful open area featuring bouncy houses, stuffed animals, and more children’s playthings. The music was geared toward the preschool crowd.

Martha led them to a room filled with lockers. She opened two louvered doors. “You’ll find your onesies in here. The changing rooms are over there.” She pointed to the doors on the left. “They will be yours to take home with you, but they will get messy. Once dressed, you can leave your belongings in one of the unoccupied lockers. There is a pocket with a zipper in the outfit where you can stash the key. Please leave your cell phones. They are not allowed inside the fun zone. Then, continue down the hallway and through the double doors. The group will meet there.”

Martha left, and Reese gaped at her. “Onesies?”

Since they didn’t know if the walls had ears, they needed to keep in character. “Don’t worry, sweetie. You’ll look adorable.” And he would.

Audria rummaged through the selection of outfits, trying to decide which one to choose.

“It looks like a rainbow threw up in here,” Reese groaned, and she smiled.

She grabbed a green onesie covered with fairies. Reese selected a blue one featuring sports equipment. Audria entered a changing room and jumped when Reese followed her inside. She started to say something, but it would be strange if a married couple didn’t dress together. Still, the air rushed out of her lungs.

Audria tried to keep her gaze off Reese as he stripped to his boxer briefs, but it was impossible. He was beautifully built, with impressive muscles and a well-defined six-pack, which was usually hidden behind suits. It should be a crime that he didn’t flash it more often, especially for her.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he growled, and Audria realized she’d been staring. Well, it was his fault for being so dreamy. She quickly stripped off her clothes, leaving her sports bra and boy shorts. She stepped into the garment and zipped it up. When she looked up at Reese, she found him watching her as she had been doing to him earlier.

He moved first, or she did. Then they were kissing. It didn’t start nice and soft like the other times. This one was heat and passion and intensity. He was consuming her, his hands gripping her head. All she could do was hang on.

As quickly as it began, it ended. Both were panting, and it took everything in Audria not to drag him back to their hotel and finish what they had started in bed.

Instead, she straightened her onesie, ran her hands through her hair, and picked up her clothes. Reese opened the door, and she headed to the lockers.

#

Reese was a supervisory special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He was a leader of women and men. Calm, level-headed, professional. People looked up to him and came to him for guidance and advice. His opinions held weight. Yet, here he was, on a case, and he couldn’t keep his thoughts off his partner.

He had to get a grip. Audria was an associate. That had been easier to remember when she was a member of his team. After his divorce, he’d learned to tamp down his interest and regard her as a colleague, nothing more. He could summon none of that calm apathy now. He wanted her. Badly.

Reese looked down at the ridiculous outfit and shook his head. If his FBI coworkers could see him now, they’d die of laughter. They’d take pictures and turn him into a meme. He’d never live it down.

After placing his clothes inside the locker with Audria’s things, he closed the door and ensured it was secured before removing the key. He hated going anywhere without his weapon. He felt naked without it. But there weren’t many places to hide a Sig Sauer in a freaking onesie.

Audria led the way outside and down the hallway to a set of double doors. She pushed them open, and the music that had been muted in the locker room rang out clearly.

“Welcome!” a man called out in greeting. “Come on and join the group.”

Reese counted fourteen other people besides the man sitting in a giant rocking chair, wearing a lime green outfit. Most of the others looked normal. So why were they here?

“I’m Herbert Calhoun, but you can call me Pops. Juice boxes and cookies are on the table there.” He pointed to an alcove. “Grab some and then have a seat. We’re almost ready to begin.”

This kept getting creepier and creepier.

Audria selected apple juice, while Reese chose orange. They both declined the cookies since they had eaten before arriving. They found empty mats decorated with Disney characters and sat down to face the grown man dressed as a child.

A few more people trickled in before Pops called everyone to have a seat and started the session. “Thank you all for coming today. You’re here because something is missing in your life: the joy of childhood. Those carefree times when you didn’t have to worry about bills or illness or responsibilities. We’re going to bring those feelings back to you.”

People clapped, and Pops milked it before continuing. “We’re going to start with some meditation. Close your eyes and picture the happiest times of your youth. Remember the feelings of joy and wonder.”

As he prattled on, Reese thought about the mansions where he’d grown up. One was in Boston, and the other in Switzerland. He couldn’t recall any happy moments from his childhood. He’d gotten in trouble for running in the house once, and there had never been other kids to play with, not even cousins. His nannies had read to him and played games with him, but he wouldn’t call them fun times. He was expected to behave and act with decorum for as long as he could remember.

Sheesh, if there was anyone who needed a childhood do-over, it was him.

Still, he didn’t regret his past. It had formed him and shaped him into the man he was today. Serious. Focused. Driven. Successful. His meteoric rise at the FBI had exceeded even his expectations. He’d been one of the youngest to lead a team as a supervisor, and he’d already been mentioned for lofty promotions.

---