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  “Do you live around here?” Izzy asked. Even though she was curious, the fact that she’d said it out loud caught her by surprise. “You’re probably up closer to the facility,” she said, before stopping her runaway mouth. “I’m sorry.” She mentally slapped herself. “It’s none of my business.”

  Sara’s smile was warm and forgiving. “My living situation is a long story.”

  Izzy took the cue. “Fair enough,” she answered with a nod.

  “It’s not that I won’t tell you. It’s just…complicated.” She tapped the railing next to her. “Complicated and boring.” Her answer was accompanied with half a laugh. “The short version is that I live in Phoenicia.”

  “All the way upstate?” Izzy couldn’t conceal her surprise. “That must be some commute for you.”

  Sara shook her head almost like she couldn’t believe it herself. “Yeah, well, anyway…” She seemed at a loss for words as she glanced down at Izzy’s bare feet. “We should go back in. I’m sure you’re freezing.”

  Izzy opened the door, still calculating the distance from the training facility in Overton to Phoenicia. It had to be fifty miles easily. But then, who was she kidding? She trekked to Midtown Manhattan daily for work and had willingly given up taking over her grandparents’ awesome rent-controlled apartment on Columbus and Ninety-Sixth Street in exchange for the quiet life in Westchester County. At times her commute was well over an hour, and she wouldn’t change a thing. She adored her neighborhood, and her house was her pride and joy. She knew it showed when she gave Sara the nickel tour.

  Even though Sara didn’t ask, Izzy provided details on the remodeling of her bathroom and all the bedrooms, only wincing a little at the sight of her disheveled duvet piled high on her unmade bed before guiding them back to the kitchen.

  “You live alone, I assume?”

  Sara’s question seemed out of the blue and Izzy knew surprise showed on her face.

  “Sorry, I’m not trying to pry into your personal life.” Sara gestured with her iPad. “That is actually one of the questions I’m required to ask.” She opened the tablet and pulled up an electronic form. “There’s a place where I need to list everyone who lives in the home.”

  “It’s just me,” Izzy replied, feeling suddenly self-conscious. A thought occurred to her and she decided not to hold back. “What if I started dating someone? Do I have to report that?”

  “No, nothing like that.” Sara scrolled down the page. “I don’t even know why it’s on here. Although”—she chewed her lip as she typed into the template—“if you do have a boyfriend, or girlfriend, or whatever, I would advise having your dog meet that person sooner rather than later. This way there’s a clear understanding of the dynamics right off.”

  That was odd. There were a lot of ways to get that message across without implying that Izzy might date women. Holy fuck, was Sara subtly inquiring about her preference? Izzy felt her heart pound out of control at the possibility, and she forced herself to remain calm. She did not need a repeat of her behavior the other day, and she might be dead wrong anyway. She took a long swallow of her drink, using the action as a cover to gain her composure. She had no qualms about being truthful. In fact, she never hid her sexuality. With a lifetime of support from her family and friends, there was no need. The trick right now was to reveal her status without looking like she had an agenda. Might as well just come right out with it.

  “I haven’t had a boyfriend since seventh grade, so that’s a nonissue.” She sighed. “Although, truthfully, I haven’t had much luck in the girlfriend department lately either.” Rubbing her chin thoughtfully, Izzy looked up to the ceiling, feigning concern before smiling big. “Eh, no worries. I’ll find the right woman one of these days.”

  “I’m sure you will.” Sara snapped her iPad closed and returned the smile. “If I see a decent prospect I’ll be sure to send her your way.” She hopped off the kitchen stool. “Unless of course”—her eyebrows wagged in playful challenge—“I decide to scoop her up for myself first.”

  Game on. Izzy swallowed her excitement and ignored the throbbing she felt at Sara’s revelation. In truth, she’d been confident they were on the same page in that realm anyway. Izzy’s gaydar was impeccable. But what had been half speculation, half hope was now confirmed. And they were flirting. Weren’t they?

  Either way, Izzy avoided eye contact, tipping her head to the floor in light laughter at Sara’s joke. It was cute and clever and her hazel eyes sparkled when she delivered the punch line. It was entirely possible she was making way too much of all this. The fact they were both gay meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. This was law enforcement, after all. In Izzy’s estimation forty percent of the women on the force were lesbians, and that was her conservative estimate.

  But even as she told herself it was no biggie, new excitement and fear raced to the surface, and neither had a damn thing to do with the fact she knew nothing about being a dog handler.

  Chapter Four

  Focus. Focus. Focus.

  Sara looked in her small bathroom mirror, continuing her mental pep talk. The next twelve weeks would be governed by focus. Starting today. Well, focus and avoidance. She laughed at the loophole she added.

  It seemed harsh, her rigid self-imposed rules. But Friday had proven she needed stern parameters. One-time flirting could be excused, brushed off, explained away. Twice, however, was the start of a pattern, and she needed to remain professional. No matter how attractive Izzy Marquez might be. Nope. She had a job to do. One she rocked on a daily basis. She only needed to stay on point and maybe make a concerted effort to avoid Izzy. This way there’d be no temptation to get lost in her sweet brown eyes, her quick wit, her bright smile.

  It was a solid plan and she high-fived herself for sticking to it this morning, choosing to hang out in her on-campus dorm suite in lieu of attending the first morning of class. It was a sacrifice for sure, but a worthwhile one if it kept her head in the game.

  When she couldn’t stall any longer, Sara zipped across the grounds, scrolling social media on her phone as she half rehearsed her upcoming spiel in her head, at the same time wondering how the a.m. session had gone. She loved the first day of class, so much excitement and enthusiasm, the energy in the room always off the charts. She minimized her news feed, opting to check Twitter for the latest on what was really happening in the world.

  “Where have you been hiding out?”

  Even from a distance, she registered the voice right away. Izzy. Here she was, all smiles, strolling toward her in dark blue uniform pants, her hands stuffed in the pouch pocket of her NYPD hoodie. Best laid plans, she thought.

  “No joke,” Izzy said, as she got closer. “The staff spent half the morning talking about you. Wondering where you were.”

  Sara shook her head. “I told John I had a few things to take care of this morning.” She sighed. “Guess he forgot.”

  They stopped to talk facing each other and were standing halfway in front of a six-foot wall, part of the agility course for agent recruits training on the north side of campus.

  “What are you doing over here?” Sara wondered out loud.

  Izzy’s smile was coy. “Looking for you.”

  Sara could only guess at what her expression revealed, but it must have been a certain amount of alarm because Izzy backpedaled immediately. “No, really, I was just exploring a little.” She seemed embarrassed and toed a rock with her boot. Sara felt horrible and wanted to save her, but she had to stay strong. Izzy’s voice evened out as she explained, “The instructors mentioned how big this place is and that there’s a whole other side where federal agents and recruits train.” She bent over and picked a bright yellow dandelion. “I finished lunch early. It’s beautiful out. I was curious.”

  Sara bladed her body and pointed to a building in the distance. “That’s the main academic building over there. There’s at least one class in session right now. I forget the host agency.” She nodded at the dorms behind them. “Ri
ght here’s federal housing. Both for recruits and some of your classmates too. There’s several folks from out of town this time around.” She held a hand above her eyes to block the sun. “We’re kind of standing in the middle of the obstacle course as we speak.” She reached for Izzy’s arm and guided her several steps to the side. “That’s better. You never know when one of these lunatics is going to fly over that wall,” she added with a smile.

  Izzy nodded at Sara’s laptop case hanging by her side, the strap crossing her chest. “Do you teach classes over here too?”

  It was a valid question, considering their current location. “No. I’m strictly part of the K-9 crew.” She slid her phone into the side pocket of her tan pants. “I was coming from the dorms. Sometimes I stay here instead of going back and forth home.”

  “That’s pretty awesome.”

  “It’s not a bad perk, that’s for sure.”

  “Must be nice to have an option like that.”

  “Yeah, I use it a lot lately. Saves me a ton of time in the car.” She looked off to the side, pondering her recent schedule. “For regular staff like me it’s not free, but the price is minimal and it’s deducted right from my paycheck. I barely feel it.”

  “Sounds like a good deal.”

  “You might qualify, if you’re interested. I think there’s a distance requirement, but I can check what it is for you.”

  Izzy shook her off. “Nah, I’m only a half-hour drive and I like being home.”

  “You do have a great house.” She shoved her hands in her pockets matter-of-factly. “It’s better for the dog anyway. Once you’re partnered up. It’s good for them to get adjusted as quickly as possible.”

  “Do we take them home right away?”

  “Not right away, but soon. Typically, by the end of the second week, beginning of the third.” Sara pulled out her phone and checked the time. “I’ll go over all the details this afternoon in class,” she said, nodding in the direction Izzy had come from. “We should probably head that way.”

  Izzy fell in step beside her and Sara couldn’t help but enjoy her company even if it did fly in the face of her newly instituted restrictions. They talked easily as they strolled the worn path winding through the secluded campus. Sara filled in the history and layout of Overton’s secluded campus, trying hard not to stare at Izzy’s delicate fingers gently spinning the dandelion. The conversation moved to the morning session she’d skipped, and Sara inquired about Izzy’s initial impressions of the school, the other instructors, and her classmates.

  “John was my favorite. Agent Dixon,” Izzy corrected herself. “It’s obvious how much he loves his job.” She touched the flowery part of the weed with her palm delicately. “He was almost glowing when he talked about the dogs.”

  “The bomb dog classes are his favorite.” Sara looked up at a turkey vulture hovering in the distance. “Mine too. The dogs are just…amazing. So smart.” Her mind drifted to her dogs in action. Sniffing and searching airports, buildings, backpacks. The impact of their detection and deterrence was immeasurable. She knew it firsthand. “Nothing against narcotics dogs or patrol K-9s,” she said as they reached the building. “I love all my dogs. But bomb dogs are special.” She reached for the black handle and pulled it back, using her foot to chock the door open.

  Izzy made eye contact as Sara held the door ajar. “He said you’d say that.” Her smile was serious, as though she wanted to ask a question but thought better of it, and she accepted Sara’s chivalry as she entered the first set of double doors. “I wasn’t kidding when I said everyone talked about you today.” Izzy pulled open the interior door, returning the favor as Sara passed through. “You’re something of a legend here.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Sara responded, but she could feel a mix of emotion swirling inside.

  “Sure sounded like it. A million different certifications. An expert in this, that, and the other.” Izzy frowned. “Sorry I haven’t got a handle on the terminology yet.” She stopped walking. “He also said you’ve been doing this since you were nineteen. Is that true?”

  “You’re making me feel old.” Sara added a slight laugh, but when she thought about it, those early years did feel like forever ago.

  “Stop. That’s not what I’m saying. I just meant it’s impressive. That’s all.”

  Sara shrugged good-naturedly. “Meh.”

  “I thought I heard someone say you’ve been here fifteen years.” Izzy drew a circle on the tile floor with her boot. “Is that right?”

  Sara couldn’t hold back her smile. “Isabel Marquez, are you trying to figure out how old I am?”

  When Izzy puckered her full lips, her cheeks rose high and round on her face. She was positively adorable. She looked right at Sara and shrugged, owning her guilt and coupling it with delightful charm. “I might be.”

  Sara opened her mouth to speak, even though she wasn’t sure what she was going to say.

  Izzy interrupted her. “Hold that thought.” Her eyes shifted beyond Sara. “I think you’re about to be summoned.”

  At that exact moment, John’s booming voice came from the other end of the hall. “There you are,” he bellowed, breaking into a jog down the open corridor.

  “See you in class.” Izzy backed away before giving a small wave as she turned toward the main classroom.

  John was talking a mile a minute as he reached her, but Sara barely heard any of it, her mind still focused on Izzy. So much for thinking she could employ some kind of mental judo to overcome her temptation. A little deflated at her own failure, she flopped into her office chair half listening to John as he followed behind her. She needed a plan B, and quick, because the slope was slippery as hell and she was already losing her footing.

  ***

  For fifteen solid minutes Izzy listened to Jen, a sheriff’s deputy from Miami, as she kept the conversation moving between a few students gathered in a circle near her desk along the wall of windows. The conversation was light and breezy, a continuation of the getting to know each other niceties that monopolized lunch. It was tame and boring but Izzy was happy for the distraction, because even as she gave her attention over to the chatter, her eyes were glued to the clock in anticipation of Sara’s arrival.

  She hated that she was allowing her attention to be divided at what could be—what should be—a defining moment in her career. K-9 was an exciting and challenging unit. It required commitment and drive, and despite her last-minute appointment, she absolutely knew she belonged here.

  On the spot she cringed, considering for the first time that Sara surely knew she’d skirted the standard red tape to get into the program. And here she’d spent the last two exchanges practically chatting her up. What the hell was she doing? She didn’t want Sara to think that she was the kind of person who cozied up to rank for brownie points. In fact, that description didn’t fit her at all. She wasn’t cutesy, she didn’t flirt. Not at work, anyway. Which made their spirited banter all the more confusing. It was like something came over her each time she saw Sara, clearing all rational thought from her mind and allowing her libido to take over. Was it all her? Their back and forth was so seamless, the details of how it had gone down were fuzzy.

  Whatever the case, it was going to end right now. Izzy was dedicated, and professional, and a kick-ass worker. She was going to be the best canine handler in this class. She completed her internal cheer with a firm nod and a loud crack of her knuckles, stealing the attention of her small group. She clenched her teeth in silent apology but was spared the need for an explanation as Sara entered into the room.

  “Good afternoon, everybody.” Sara’s voice was light and professional as she waited for everyone to find their seats. Izzy followed suit, not even allowing herself to look up as she slid into her chair. She could do this.

  “My name is Sara Wright. I’m the lead canine instructor for the program.” Sara paced the front of the room smoothly, pausing to set a thick binder on the edge of the metal desk in the corner. �
��I understand you all may have heard a little about me from the other instructors this morning.” She glanced up, and Izzy could swear the hint of a smile showed when Sara’s gorgeous eyes met hers.

  “Anyway, just to fill in some blanks,” she started. “I’m not a cop. Or an agent. Or anything like that.” She rocked back and forth on her toes. “Technically speaking, I’m a consultant. I mention this because in the past, once or twice, people have been put off by that fact.”

  She looked out the window, and Izzy couldn’t help but wonder how many times she’d been challenged over the years. Cops could be real dicks about some things, and that sounded just like the type of thing they’d get territorial over.

  “I have been working with dogs, specifically K-9s, my whole adult life. I’ve been all over the country. All over the world, actually. This program”—she nodded resolutely—“is the best I’ve ever seen.” She wore a satisfied expression as she highlighted the statistics. “Our facility is state of the art, our staff, top notch,” she added, not even trying to mask the pride in her voice. “Working here is my honor, but it’s also my passion.” Her face lit up as she spoke, the truth of her words evident in her body language.

  “They always have me speak last because I’m the final line of defense between you and the dogs.” As if on cue, a series of loud barks erupted in the distance, making Sara look toward the sound in dramatic disbelief. “Even they know,” she added wistfully, shaking her head and garnering a small chuckle from the class. “Anyway, just a couple more things before we take you out to meet them.”

  Izzy picked up her pen to take notes but found herself entranced in Sara’s sweet voice as she brought everyone up to speed. The staff had already been working for weeks, ensuring all the dogs were properly imprinted to recognize the components of bomb making chemicals and reinforcing their obedience training. Looking inside her binder, she detailed the pedigree of the animals—a mix of German and Dutch shepherds and several hybrids, German shepherd–Belgian Malinois combinations. Sara held the dogs in obvious esteem, making a point to mention the intelligence, high drive, and sweet disposition of each canine.