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Lia watched Quinn’s expression darken as she scanned the long list of Brooke’s unanswered emails.

“Wow,” she said in a flat voice. “The woman’s been busy, huh?”

chapter 17

“At first, I was curious,” Kim said. “And I didn’t mind having the odd flash of insight about a person or a situation.”

They’d moved to the couch when it got chilly outside, with an ocean breeze blowing from offshore. But she kept the window open to allow the moonlight to shine in and just turned on a small lamp in addition. The diffuse lighting added a tantalizing amber glow to her darker skin. The atmosphere was cozy and warm in the apartment, and yet Cody could feel a thread of tension in the air. They sat close, facing each other. She kept one hand lightly on her lover’s thigh, just enough pressure for the touch to be felt and meaningful.

“At the time, I even embraced it,” Kim reflected.

“How?” Cody asked her gently.

She suspected a little bit of input from her would help Kim to tell her story. Indeed, the question earned her a quick smile and an approving look.

“I found a teacher to work with.”

“This was in Texas?”

“Yes, in Houston.”

“What sort of things did you want to learn?”

“More about this so-called gift in general and techniques to ground myself, like meditation. How to remain in control when I was triggered, so I wouldn’t end up overwhelmed by something I saw.”

“Like you were at the bar the other night?”

“Well, yes…”

“Do I overwhelm you, Ms. Reed?” Cody prompted gently.

“You do, a little bit… But just like a gorgeous lover should, so don’t worry about that.”

“Alright, if you say so.”

“I do say so.” Kim leaned forward to steal a kiss. “The other night, I was incredibly stressed about Cassie. Forgot to meditate, for sure. So I’m not surprised it led to such a strong reaction. I’m talking about a different kind of situation, like in the courtroom, for example.”

“Mm, yeah. I’ve testified plenty of times; I know it can be intense. And I would assume even more so when you are the criminal defense lawyer in charge.”

“Correct. As a detective, what is your opinion of defense lawyers by the way?” Kim prompted.

“Oh, they can be a major pain in the ass,” Cody stated, prompting her to smile. “But our legal system is based on sound foundations. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty and entitled to a solid defense. I actually have a lot of respect for defense lawyers. I’m sure the job is intense and challenging on a regular basis.”

“It is… Was,” Kim corrected with a small wince. “But like you said, I did it for the right reasons. If I ever found myself in real trouble someday, innocent, but with every finger pointing at me, I would want a good, dedicated lawyer by my side.”

“I would want you,” Cody interjected and was pleased to see her lover’s eyes sparkle.

“Some of my clients were genuinely innocent of the crimes they were accused of. In those cases, it was a thrill when I was able to get them off the hook and avoid a life-destroying prison sentence.”

“I bet you were good at it.”

“I was,” Kim answered with a rush of emotion. “I lived for this stuff.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Terribly.”

Cody waited a beat, prompting Kim to sigh. “Ah, sorry. I’m wasting time.”