Free To Protect & Serve by V. K. Powell Page A

to do. The sudden torrent of rain had soaked her through on her last call and her body shook. Raking her fingers through her curly wet hair, she opened the gym door and froze.
    “Jesus, Alex, I’m dying here. Can you slow down a little?” Beth panted from the center of the room. She and Alex were on a worn, gray floor mat doing synchronized push-ups to a rapid count. Alex’s well-muscled body glistened with perspiration and moved gracefully beside Beth’s more compact version.
    “You never could keep up with me.”
    “Maybe not in the gym, but I kept you sweating…” Hearing the gym door slam, the two collapsed on the mat, faces frozen, as if caught in an inappropriate moment.
    Alex looked stunning in body-hugging bike shorts, tank top, and a headband just below the hairline. Keri never imagined just how exquisite the body was that hid beneath Alex’s tailored clothes. Beth wore a black police-issue sweatsuit. Both women stared at Keri so hard she almost turned around and walked back out. She was suddenly self-conscious about her almost transparent white shorts and wet T-shirt, nipples cold and erect underneath.
    Beth broke the uncomfortable silence. “Damn, what happened? You look a little shell-shocked.”
    “Nothing, really. Got caught in the rain coming in, that’s all.” Alex’s eyes still appraising her body, Keri felt her face grow warm. She watched a deep shade of scarlet spread across Alex’s cheeks. Their eyes locked and held until Alex finally diverted her gaze and reached for a towel thrown across the weight bench.
    “I’m going to take off. We’re almost done here anyway.”
    “No, please. Don’t go,” Keri said, surprised by the urgency of her tone. She stared down at her shoes, puzzled that she could feel such intense anger toward Alex one minute and strong attraction the next. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your workout. Please finish. I just needed to have a run.”
    “Are you sure you should be running?” Beth moved to her side and placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. “You look a bit shaky.”
    “Thanks, Sergeant Price, but I’m really fine.”
    “Whatever you say.” Beth shrugged her shoulders and returned to Alex. “Okay, Alex, name your pain.” Under her breath, she whispered, “Has she decided about the assignment yet?”
    Alex shook her head and waved Beth off. “I’ll work my way through the machines and meet you at the bench press in about half an hour.” She avoided looking at Keri again. For some reason the easy way she and Beth had just connected bothered her. She envied Beth’s ease with physical intimacy and wished she could have reached out to Keri herself. She looked so disheveled and anxious. Alex wondered if the task force decision was the only cause. Every time she’d thought about Keri lately, her mind and libido had been at war, and for the first time, she could see signs of the same internal conflict in Keri. She hadn’t imagined the sexual tension between them just moments ago, and she knew Keri was equally aware of it.
    Alex cursed beneath her breath as she headed for the lat machine. As if the situation wasn’t complicated enough, would she now be working with a subordinate she had the hots for?
    The next thirty minutes dragged. Keri punched the treadmill speed up to six and easily kept pace. Every time she looked at Alex her mind reeled from the possibilities of what could happen between them if she accepted the task force assignment. Maybe Alex would give her a second chance. Or perhaps she’d just prejudge her again. Or maybe they’d become friends bonded by professional necessity. And it was even possible that they could become involved with each other. Keri’s legs weakened at the visual her mind played and she momentarily lost her rhythm. Alex was certainly attractive and Keri’s body responded to her readily. But Alex was her superior and nothing could ever change that. Their relationship was and always would be professional.
    Keri