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Lori raised her eyebrows. “You served together all that time?”

“Yeah. We met when she saved my life.”

“Color me intrigued,” Lori said. “Shay saved your life, not the other way around?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve restored my butch credentials by repaying the favor a couple of times since then, including resuscitating her after she was struck by lightning.”

“That’s how she got her Army nickname?”

“Yep. We’re not a particularly imaginative bunch.” Gabe sniffed the air. “That smells amazing.”

Lori smiled. “I’m glad you think so. If you like it, you can take the second one home for the rest of your team— Is it okay to call them your team?”

“Sure. It’s easier than naming them all, and they’re used to being called that. I’m not sure how I feel about sharing though.” Gabe peered through the glass front of the oven to avoid Lori’s questioning gaze. “How did you make the garlic bread so quickly?”

“I had fresh dough in the fridge from last night too.”

“Wow. I didn’t leave until six. Were you at it all night?”

“Kind of. I bake when I’m… I bake to distract myself.”

Gabe wasn’t sure whether to push or not, so she left the silence for Lori to fill if she wanted to explain. She didn’t, leaving Gabe to wonder what she needed distraction from. Gabe glanced at Lori’s hand wrapped around her glass and spotted white swirls on peach-colored polish. “You and Rosie managed to find an open nail salon on Saturday?” Gabe briefly touched Lori’s fingers. “I can remember stuff too,” she added when Lori looked impressed.

Lori stretched out her hands and smiled. “It was a nice thing to do. I’ve been a little neglectful of my femme armor recently.”

Gabe resisted the urge to run her fingers over Lori’s nails, but she was unable to stop the thought of Lori raking her nails down Gabe’s back. “You think of your nails as armor?”

“I suppose that sounds ridiculous to a soldier,” Lori said, blushing slightly.

“No, not at all. I’ve just never thought of them that way.” The only way Gabe had ever thought about the nails of any woman she was attracted to was in direct connection to her core.

“I suppose it’s even more ridiculous that I neglected them when I needed them so much.”

Gabe hated the profound sadness that radiated from Lori, and once again wished she could meet the ex-wife in a dark alley to extract some revenge for all the hurt and pain she’d caused Lori. Though she realized that was more about alleviating her feelings rather than Lori’s. “But you’re coming out the other side of that?”

Lori nodded slowly. “I am. Getting the rust bucket out of my life and repurposing that building are the last physical actions I need to take to finally move on.” She gave a soft smile. “At least that’s the conclusion my therapist and I have come to.”

Great. Lori was moving on, which would mean that eventually she’d be back on the scene, and Gabe would have to listen to her tales of disaster dates and fabulous fucks. She almost physically recoiled at the unwanted images that popped into her head of Lori with other women. The only way Gabe would be able to cope with that would be mindless sex of her own immediately after any conversation with Lori so that she could distance herself from her own actual feelings.

“That must feel good,” Gabe said, the sentiment genuine even if the consequences were likely going to be painful for her.

“It really is. Especially now that Ellery is on board with the development.”

Gabe listened intently as Lori lit up while talking about her plans for the veterinary clinic. She tried to focus on the words rather than the way Lori’s mouth moved and wondering how her full lips would feel between Gabe’s legs. As she squeezed away the throbbing in her center, she reminded herself this torture was essential so she could control her lust and concentrate on their friendship. “Seems like a great match,” she said when Lori finished talking.

“We should save a lot of money, which we can use elsewhere,” Lori said. “Like on a new engine for that damn vehicle outside.”

“Speaking of, I left it hooked up so I could take it straight to your local garage.” Gabe grinned. “Which is us, obviously. Did you want me to do that? Or did you have a different plan?”

The timer on the oven beeped. “Hold that thought.” Lori pulled out the steaming lasagna and golden-brown garlic bread. She placed a plate in front of Gabe and gave her a large, flat metal spatula. “Would you serve for both of us?”

Serve. Worship. Cherish. Yes to all of them.

Gabe carved up two pieces of lasagna and followed Lori to the dining table, where Lori placed their drinks before going back for the piping hot bread. Gabe scooped a forkful of food into her mouth and sighed. When she’d swallowed it down, she asked, “How did you get to be such an amazing cook?”

“When your parents are busy rescuing elephants from abandoned wells and would-be poachers, it behooves you to learn some culinary skills.”

“Be-what?” Gabe laughed around another mouthful of edible heaven.