Neither had intended for sleep to find them, but it did, and it was restful and warm. They spooned under the sheets at peace, both cherishing the closeness of the other, the silkiness of skin smooth and of curves oh so femininely soft.

On Monday, the sun rose shortly after seven, and it shined down on the snow-covered city for over an hour before Lisa finally stirred. She inhaled slowly, smiling at the scent of passion in the air, only to frown a second later when she discovered she was alone.

It was well below freezing outside the windows, and the chilliness had crept into Bennett’s apartment, causing goosebumps to appear when Lisa climbed out of bed. Quickly snatching up the blanket, Lisa cocooned herself in its warmth, and shuffling from the bedroom, she saw Bennett sitting on the sofa with Xi on her lap. Lisa flashed a grin. “Did I toot?”

Confusion skewed Bennett’s face, and a nanosecond later, her body quaked with laughter. “Christ, I love you,” she said, placing Xi on the floor. “And no, you didn’t.”

“Good to hear on both counts.” Lisa made her way to the sofa, enjoying the heat emanating from the gas fireplace. She sat down next to Bennett and tucked her legs under her. “So…then what are you doing out here instead of cuddling in bed with me?”

“To tell you the truth, when I woke up a couple of hours ago, my first thought was to not exactly cuddle with you,” Bennett said, brushing off the hair on her pajamas Xi had left behind. “But you were asleep and looked so bloody peaceful I couldn’t bring myself to wake you up. So, I came out here, turned on the gas in the hearth, fed Xi, and I’ve been sitting here ever since just thinking.”

“Let me guess. It’s all a little surreal, isn’t it? I mean you and me…us.”

“Honestly, no, because surreal means dreamlike, and I never allowed myself to dream that we would ever become an us,” Bennett said, taking Lisa’s hand. “For that matter, I’ve never really looked toward the future beyond planning the next Rapture show or shopping at the market for dinner. I’ve lived a fairly methodical life, and when I began thinking about that, I remembered what Max had said about me being like a Phoenix.”

“And I agree with him,” Lisa said, squeezing Bennett’s hand. “You’ve been through a lot, and as they say, you’re still standing.”

“Yes, I am, but I’m not the only one that fits the description of that mythological bird.”

Lisa cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“After the Civil War, Max and I returned to the States for a few years to legally pillage what we could and—”

“Legally pillage?”