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The entire time, he just lay there with the duvet pulled over his private area, one arm cocked up under his head He didn’t seem to notice or care that they had scattered the pillows and knocked the lamp over, or that the TV remote had been kicked across the room and was by the bathroom door

When she had the bow tie in place, she buttoned the single fastening on the jacket

"It doesn’t have to be like this, Anne," he said in a low voice

"Yes, it does--"

"Will you cut it out about iveon that one"

Anne crossed her aramy, it still wouldn’t work"

"I don’t care what people say down at the four-nine-nine and neither should you"

"You don’t get it" She shook her head "There are rules for firefighters If ere to get into a relationship--and that is a big ‘if’--I’d have to transfer out of the station"

"No, you wouldn’t--"

"Yes, I would," she interrupted "I checked the regulations We have a duty to disclose personal relationships, and I have less seniority than you so I’et relocated--and no matter where they sent me, it would be a step down The four-nine-nine is the best of the best We get encies, more alarms than any other house in the city because of where we’re located, and I aet a boyfriend"

"So I’ll volunteer to transfer" He sat up and put a pillow over his lap "This is only a proble at the top of your ga cats out of trees in suburbia? If you think you’d be okay with that, then you’re delusional You’d hate it and you’d end up resentingyou"

"No, I wouldn’t"

"Fine, but this is still not happening" She threw up her hands "Even if we did split up fire stations, I’d still be looked at differently It’s hard enough to be a wo I need is that speculation in the guys’ eyes, that wonder-if-she’ll-do-me-too look I’ve worked too hard and come too far to not be taken seriously"

"So you’ve decided how all this is going to go"

"And you should be relieved You only do one-night stands anyway"

There was a long silence Then he laid back down and nodded at his duffel bag "I have a brush," he said tightly "You know, for your hair"

"Oh, right"

"It’s with ot his brush, ripped it through the tangles they’d created, and put the thing back where she’d found it Then she squared her shoulders and turned to face hiain, just for a different reason "So"

"I’ll lie"

"Excusethe reception I’ll tell the back down?"

"No, I’, too"

Anne nodded "Okay So I’ll see you Monday for roll call"

"Yeah Sure"

Anne headed for the door When she put her hand on the knob, she hesitated But what else was there to say? She believed him when he said he would tell no one, and told herself it hat she wanted