Chapter 8

"That was a long day." Tim said as he walked through his kitchen door. He stooped down to scratch Kojo behind his ear. "How's my boy?"

Kojo barked once before shaking his whole body in excitement at seeing Lucy. Kojo ran excitedly to Lucy.

Tim shook his head as he peered at his dog eager to be with Lucy. "Traitor."

"No he's not." Lucy said as she plopped on the floor beside Kojo. She rubbed the dog on his belly. "He just loves me. I'm lovable."

"I know you are." Tim stated as he sat down at his kitchen counter. "But I feed him, walk him, give him a house to live in."

Lucy felt her cheeks redden at Tim agreeing she was lovable. He never noticed his slip up so she decided to not say anything as well. "He misses me. That's all."

Tim smiled as he watched Lucy give attention to Kojo. "What do you want for supper? I can order in or look through my pantry."

"Not tonight." Lucy grinned. "This time I showered at the station. You go get a relaxing shower while I cook. I ordered a grocery delivery. Whitney texted that she put all the stuff away."

Tim arched one eyebrow at Lucy mentioning Kojo's caregiver and his housekeeper. The sixteen year old girl was a great kid. She earned money by walking Kojo as well as tidying up Tim's house throughout the week. There wasn't a lot of interaction between Tim and the young girl. He had known her since she was a toddler. She felt like a neice to him. He realized she could be on Rosalind's radar.

"I'm going to have to give her a raise. However, I need to tell her to stay away until Rosalind shows herself." Tim exhaled deeply. "I don't want her getting caught in the crossfire."

"I never thought about Whitney. That's a good idea. But what about our boy here?" Lucy said as she playfully shook Kojo's face.

"There's a doggy day care a few miles out of the way. I checked into it before when Whitney went on vacation with her family. Kojo liked it but Whitney needed the extra cash so I didn't stick to it. When we are at work, Kojo can go there." Tim stated as he walked towards his bedroom. He'd take a shower then call the day care about Kojo. He'd also call Whitney's parents to explain she needed to take a hiatus from Kojo duties for now.

Lucy eagerly awaited for Tim to shower. She had made her favorite recipe. It was the same recipe she had wanted to share with her parents on her graduation from being a rookie. That night turned into a disappointment. She hoped tonight would be better.

Allowing her mind to wonder, Lucy glanced around the kitchen. Everything seemed so cozy and comfortable in Tim's place. It seemed more grown up and less straight out of college type feeling. She felt she belonged here.

Tasting the food she prepared, Lucy bit her lip satisfied. All she wanted was a nice dinner with Tim. The realization that she wanted to spend time with Tim hit her. She sat down at the counter. She knew Tim was her friend. However, something happened to that reality when Rosalind escaped. Tim became her only thought.

She wanted to spend time with Tim outside of the job. She had many times but lately she wanted something else from Tim. Something she wasn't willing to admit to him or herself yet. Lucy knew that Rosalind was out gunning for Tim and John. She felt guilty for being giddy about spending time with Tim.

Her smile remained on her lips when Tim walked into the kitchen. She glanced up to see him shirtless as he rubbed a towel over his wet hair.

"That smells good." Tim leaned over Lucy as he peered into the large pot of soup. His bare chest pressed against her back.

Lucy gasped but played it off as the heat of the soup hitting her face. She lifted a spoon over her shoulder towards Tim's mouth. "Taste."

Tim wrapped his lips around the spoon as he continued to press himself against her. He knew he was pushing some invisible boundary. Tonight, he didn't care. The temptation of being close to Lucy was too much in the forefront of his mind.

"Good." Tim's word came out gruffer than he meant it to. He sounded almost like he was growling. He knew at that point that he better step away from her.

Tim licked his lips taking in a long glance at Lucy before pointing towards his bedroom. "I got to get a shirt. I'll be back to help you set up for dinner."

Lucy was humming as she stated. "No need. I got it."

Both of them knew that a game was being played. It was a lustful game. Both trying to be sensual without crossing the boundary into sexual. They both knew they were feeling the same attraction they had felt for each other since the day they met. They had both ignored the physical attraction. That was relatively easy for them. However, now it was beyond physical. They were each other's person. The one to go to. The one to feel safe with…the one.

The overtly flirting continued as they ate their meal. Lucy took slow bites of soup and bread. Tim watched her mouth turn into sensuous shapes. He almost choked on his own food when he let his thoughts wonder about those deep red lips.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked with true concern.

"Hot." Tim answered pretending he was talking about the soup. He knew he meant Lucy in general. This was going to be a long dinner. NOT to mention a long night.

Lucy raked her fingers through her hair as she continued eating. Tim watched her intently. His mind went to her fingers caressing his chest, his back, his own hair. Tim closed his eyes trying to stop the thoughts bombarding him. He always had fleeting thoughts of Lucy. After all, she was gorgeous. He was a man. That's all it would take to see Lucy as a sexual person. Tim still kept his thoughts in check. He pushed them out quickly. Things were different lately. Feelings were added to the equation now.

Tim would never let Lucy know those feelings. He was sure she didn't feel the same. His mind always took him back to the time she faked having feelings for him. The conversation about her being an undercover officer. That day Tim faced the reality that Lucy Chen didn't see him as he saw her.