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“I don’t know,” she began. “It’s an administrative position, Krissy, and, believe it or not, I actually like being in the trenches with my men—and women. Plus, I’m sure there’s a lot of politics involved as well.”

Krissy wouldn’t say it, but the idea of Becca having a job in which she was further from danger sounded awesome. Still though…she knew Becca loved her job. She was one of only a handful of people Krissy knew who could say that. Not only that, Becca was obviously good at her job. Krissy didn’t want Becca to lose her passion for her career, no matter how safe it would make her. If that occurred, Becca just wouldn’t be Becca.

“Well,” she began, “maybe you can be a kind of fighting deputy.”

Becca opened her eyes, turned her head and looked at her.

“What do you mean?”

Krissy turned on her side to face her and didn’t miss it when Becca’s eyes briefly roamed over her bikini top.

“Well, is there a law which says the deputy fire chief can’t fight fires while also doing all that administrative stuff?” Krissy asked. “Okay, so maybe you can’t go to all the fires, but if there was another big one like the one on Friday, who’s going to stop the deputy fire chief from picking up a hose?”

Becca’s brow furrowed.

“Well, I guess no one, but, I’m sure it’s not that simple.”

“Make it that simple,” Krissy said. “You’re going to be the number two boss. And I’m sure that Chief What’s-his-name would go along with it. He seems reasonable.”

“Comstock,” Becca told her. “And you’re only saying that because he thinks you’re my girlfriend.”

“Is there any other reason I should say it?” Krissy asked. “Anyway, also remember that you’re a woman and a lesbian.”

“The woman part I figured out,” Becca replied. “The lesbian part is an eye-opener. Is that why I’ve been having such bad luck with men?”

Krissy stuck out her tongue at Becca. “My point is, smartass, that as a gay woman in the number two spot, you could probably do some good in making sure the fire department continues to evolve in its attitudes towards gender and sexuality. Hell, even I know that fire departments in this country are still like one big frat house.”

Becca returned to looking up at the sky.

“You’re amazing,” she eventually said after a few moments.

Krissy’s heart warmed.

“I warn people all the time…I’m more than just a pretty face,” she said.

Becca smiled.

“I never thought you were just a pretty face,” she said softly.

Krissy licked her lips.

“What did you think?”

“Mainly that you’d be less than useless in a zombie apocalypse.”

Krissy rolled onto her back, laughing.

“Fuck you!” she said.

“Cute bikini, by the way,” Becca said.

“Thanks,” Krissy replied, staring at the sky herself. She then decided to give full disclosure. “We saw it in that boutique on State Street a couple of weeks ago, remember? You said you thought it would look good on me. So, I went back a few days later and bought it.”

I bought it for you, in other words.

When Krissy turned her head to look at Becca, her pulse quickened when she saw Becca was already staring at her. Their eyes locked together and stayed that way for at least a minute. Krissy barely wanted to breathe lest the spell be broken.

“I was right,” Becca told her. “You look hot.”