Free In a Dark Embrace by Simone Bern

anymore.”
    He nodded. “Alicia knows you fairly well then.”
    “Not really. She just puts it down to a clever use of my psychology degree.”
    “I see. But she’s right. You aren’t nice.”
    “If you’re interested in nice there are some Barbie dolls I could introduce you to,” Lee said casually. She didn’t even bother looking at him but continued to examine the menu. She hadn’t the slightest fear he would take her up on that offer.
    “Jeremy!” An excited female voice drew both their attention.
    A busty brunette squeezed into a too-small tank top and micro-shorts had stopped on the sidewalk and was smiling blissfully at Jeremy. Lee felt his consternation. This was definitely a meeting he would have preferred to avoid. The woman made her way to the restaurant entrance. Lee looked questioningly at Jeremy. He didn’t get a chance to answer because Ms. Chesty was beaming down at him.
    “I haven’t seen you in so long, baby. Glad to know you’re still alive.” The brunette laughed breathily. The woman seemed completely oblivious to the fact that Lee was at the table. Besides feeling annoyed Lee was suddenly aware of how completely unsexy her t-shirt and jeans were.
    “Uh, Melissa, this is Lee. My girlfriend.”
    Lee raised an eyebrow but didn’t contradict him. Melissa’s eyes widened in astonishment. Then a crafty expression settled over the other woman’s face. Not subtle, this one.
    “Oh, hi. You’re his latest, are you?” Melissa said dismissively. She turned back to Jeremy and put a hand on his shoulder. “Give me a call when you’re free one evening.”
    Jeremy gave her a tight smile. “Not likely, Melissa. But Eric was talking about you just the other day.”
    “Then say hi to that big hunk for me. Gotta run, baby. Some friends are waiting at the pub.” Melissa gave Jeremy’s shoulder a final squeeze and tottered away on high heels.
    Lee leaned back and crossed her arms. Jeremy shifted uncomfortably.
    “You like…airheads?” she asked scathingly.
    “No.”
    “But that was an ex.”
    “She was never my girlfriend.” He replied feelingly.
    “She thought she was. Figures she still has some access rights as a matter of fact.”
    “As you so astutely noted, Melissa’s not very bright.”
    Lee snorted. “Some competition.”
    “No competition. You win.”
    The waiter came to take their order. Lee decided to let the earlier topic of conversation drop. Instead she asked, “Who’s Eric?”
    “A coworker. And a friend.”
    “Your partner?”
    “Used to be. But I moved on to detective work and he’s still on the street.”
    “Do you go back to work on Monday or Tuesday?”
    “Monday.”
    “Then it’s two days, followed by two nights. Twelve-hour shifts, right?”
    He nodded. “You work Monday to Thursday and then Saturday afternoons?”
    “Most weeks. This week I have to work Friday ‘cause two of my coworkers are away at a conference. Also I normally work late shifts on Tuesday and Thursday. Noon ‘til seven. It’s a bit of a weird schedule but lots of people can’t make it in during regular working hours.”
    They spoke for a while about the benefits and drawbacks of unusual work hours. Neither of them mentioned what was probably on both their minds—that it would be a challenge to fit their schedules together.
    A chicken Caesar salad landed in front of her. She stole some of Jeremy’s fries and offered up her salad. The conversation shifted to the predominantly female urge to share food. Lee argued that men were programmed by nature to be possessive over food—the survival of the strongest being their imperative. On the other hand, women were programmed to share so that their children stood a better chance for survival.
    Jeremy ordered dessert again and offered her a fork with a wicked smile. “See…men can share too.”
    “When you’re already stuffed and there’s an ulterior motive,” she said but took the fork. The apple pie looked delicious.
    When the bill