Page 60 of He Who Sleeps

Chapter 23

Petra locked her apartmentdoor with a smile on her face. Things were good. It was almost a ten days post Halloween fuck fest and she felt like life was on the right track. Her guys were attentive, texting her, calling, meeting up with her through daily means. She was happy, constantly smiling, giggling or laughing. Such a change from who she had been before this Halloween. It was freeing, and wonderful.

But things didn’t really change, aside from being with her guys. She still went to work, still worked at the shelter, still talked to her friends. Yoga had gotten more fun, regardless of their instructor’s now obvious interest, and her phone calls with Carter sexy and naughty, and her video chats with Emerson, who was out of town, were dirty as hell.

Walking out of her building, she stepped down the front steps, and smiled at the woman that ran the market just past her building. “Good morning, Franny!”

“Hello, Ms. Franklin,” the woman said.

Sunshine filtered through the trees, and she set her bag higher on her arm and slipped her sunglasses on. It was a beautiful and brisk day, and her thoughts ran to the weather for the coming weekend. Thoughts of enticing one or two of her guys to a picnic or maybe Reading Terminal Market danced in her head as she walked and she was stopped suddenly. Looking up, she smiled.

“Oh, Officer Douritz! I didn’t see you there! I’m sorry, I was in my own head.”

"It's quite all right, Petra," he said with a grin. "How are things? You all good? Did you enjoy your weekend away?"

She gave him a tight smile. “I...how did you know I was away?”

"I just didn't see the usual signs," he shrugged as though it were nothing. "I almost always see you running in the morning or your lights on in the evening when I'm on patrol. You get to know your beats pretty well. Things stand out when they're different."

“Oh.” She smiled more genuinely. “Yes, it was restful and restoring,” she said. “Was the neighborhood rowdy for the holiday?”

"Halloween is always crazy," he chuckled. "I thought at first that maybe you were hiding from the trick or treaters, but I don't think that's your style."

“Oh no, I love the holiday. It’s honestly my favorite day of the year.” She brightened. “I need to head out. Have a good day, Officer, it’s going to be a beautiful one today!” She waved and started down the street.

"You, too!" he called after her. "Stay safe!"

Safe? She was more than safe with her guys...well, safe from the rest of the world. The walk over to work was easy and without incident, and she stopped at the bakery, grabbing some donuts and bagels, as well as a carafe of coffee for the staff, but frowned when she got in. No one was in.

“Lorne? Mike? Gabe?” she said as she walked through the main gallery toward the back. Where was everyone? “How the hell are the doors open?” she mused as she stepped into the back offices.

"Come into my parlor..." Finn teased her from behind Lorne's desk. "It's just us today. He's gone to view a collection and the porters have the day off.”

She smiled and placed the parcels on the table then ran over to him, jumping into his lap as she hugged him. “Best surprise,” she said as she leaned in and kissed him. “Missed you,” she said softly.

"Missed you, too," he growled, openly inhaling the scent of her hair with a satisfied sigh. "You smell so good. I hope you haven't got any work planned today."

“I have some emails...” she teased. “But no.” They weren’t open to the public today, as they had specific days that they were closed just for internal work. Without Lorne and the guys there she didn’t have to do a damn thing, aside from Finn. “What do you have in mind? I mean, don’t you have things to do?”

---