Inside, the house smelled like brewed coffee from this morning and the faint cedar scent Maddox used in her laundry. It was familiar now and signaled to her brain, and heart, that she was home. Jade toed off her hiking boots by the door and peeled off her socks, stuffing them inside.
"Shower first?" Maddox asked, already moving toward the hallway.
"Please."
The bathroom was small but functional, and they'd figured out how to share the space. Maddox turned on the water, testing the temperature. Jade stripped off her hiking clothes and dropped them in the hamper that had somehow become half hers over the past few weeks.
Steam filled the room. Maddox stepped under the spray first, tilting her head back, and Jade followed. The water was hot enough to sting her skin, washing away sweat and trail dust. Maddox's hands found her waist, pulling her close under the stream.
They didn't rush. Jade closed her eyes as Maddox’s fingers threaded through her hair and she luxuriated in the mini scalp massage. They traded the shampoo, and Jade ran her fingersthrough Maddox’s cropped hair that was starting to grow out a little, then returned the scalp massage, making sure to get that spot at the base of her neck where she knew Maddox held a lot of tension and scratching just the way she liked. When Maddox rinsed her hair, Jade let the water beat down on her sore muscles, loosening them up.
There was no urgency, and they took their time soaping a shower pouf and scrubbing each other’s body. Jade started with Maddox’s chest and ran the soapy sponge along her chest then across her breasts, cupping them and leaning down to capture each nipple in her mouth and swirl her tongue over the hardened peak before continuing to wash her body. She took care to clean her arms one at a time, admiring her Semper Fi tattoo on her right forearm, then over her stomach and the memorial tattoo of Titan’s paw on her ribs on the left. Jade knelt down in the shower, and Maddox shifted to block the spray of water from getting in her face. Jade ran the pouf down Maddox’s left leg, over her foot and toes, around her ankle, then back up. She looked up at Maddox, who was already intently staring at her, and she smiled a wicked little grin. The corner of her lips quirked up, not quite a smile but an acknowledgement, and Jade sat up slightly when she reached Maddox’s hips and brushed her lips over her clit before she leaned back and continued washing her other leg like she’d done nothing.
When she was done, Maddox leaned down and reached for her hands to help her stand up. Jade smiled and stood on her tiptoes and kissed Maddox, and she almost lost her balance when Maddox pressed an arm against her back to pull her close to deepen the kiss. Jade quickly adjusted and let herself be swept away by the kiss.
When they pulled apart, Jade looked up at Maddox and felt off-balance in the best way, a little dizzy and giddy all at once. Maddox bent down to grab the sponge and applied more soap toit then looked in her eyes. The eye contact was intense, and Jade felt compelled to look into those dark brown eyes that looked even darker with ravenous hunger and lose herself in them. Maddox’s eyes softened a fraction as her gaze swept over her body, and Jade noticed that she no longer had the urge to hide or conceal her body from Maddox. She stood there, rooted in place, as Maddox cleansed her body inch by inch, her eyes never leaving Maddox except when her eyes fluttered and closed for a second.
When they finally stepped out of the shower, the bathroom was thick with fog. Maddox stepped out first and handed her a towel—the dark blue one she always used now—and wrapped herself in another.
They dressed in clean lounge clothes pulled from Maddox’s dresser. Jade had been leaving things here, claiming a drawer, space in the closet, and a cupboard in the bathroom for some toiletries. Small migrations that added up to belonging.
Downstairs, Maddox brewed fresh coffee while Jade put together something resembling brunch: eggs scrambled with whatever vegetables she found in the fridge and toast with the jam she’d bought last week and left here. Zeus curled up on his bed in the corner, watching them move around each other in the kitchen, now comfortable and natural.
Maddox set two mugs on the counter, leaned against it while Jade finished cooking. “I’ve got that award ceremony next Friday.”
“The K-9 unit commendation?”
“Yeah.” Maddox ran her hand through her still-wet hair and looked away. “You don’t have to come.”
Jade plated the eggs and carried them to the small dining room table. “Do you want me there?”
Maddox followed with the coffee and sat across from her. The morning light caught the brown flecks in her eyes and made them shimmer. “Yeah. I do.”
“Then I’ll be there.”
They ate in comfortable quiet, the only sounds being forks scraping lightly across the plates and their coffee mugs being lifted and set back down on their coaster. Zeus eventually wandered over, resting his chin on Maddox’s knee in shameless hope of dropped food.
"Not happening, buddy," Maddox told him, but her hand dropped to scratch his ears anyway.
Jade's phone buzzed on the counter. She ignored it.
"Work?" Maddox asked.
"Probably." Jade took another bite of eggs. "I'll check it later."
But the phone buzzed again. Then a third time.
Maddox nodded toward it. "Might be important."
Jade sighed and pushed back from the table. She crossed to the counter and checked the screen. She saw three messages from Chief Marten asking if Jade had time to meet Monday morning, something she’d like to discuss about her contract.
Jade’s heart somersaulted in her chest. It felt like a free fall.
“Everything okay?” Maddox was watching her with that careful attention she’d developed as she studied Jade’s face to intuit her mood.
“Yeah.” Jade set the phone down and turned to face her. “Diana wants to meet me on Monday. Something about my contract.”
Maddox bit her lower lip. “The six-month mark.”
