Michelle lifted Joey’s legs up, sat down next to her, then put Joey’s legs down in her lap and began rubbing them. Something inside Michelle uncoiled. It was a rare moment when they were just together with nothing terrible coming at them from all sides. No leopard men, no Tom Weathers, no secret organizations trying to steal their powers, no assholes causing chaos just because they could. And it was precious to her.

“That feels awfully good,” Joey purred. Michelle knew what kind of mood Joey was in when she used that tone of voice. A quiver ran through Michelle. There hadn’t been a lot of times they’d had sex, but Michelle remembered all of them in great detail. And she wanted more.

But how could she be thinking about screwing Joey after the night Adesina had had? It felt like she was being a terrible mother.

“You know, fucking doesn’t make you a shitty mother.”

“Get out of my head,” Michelle said with a weak laugh. She shoved Joey’s legs off her lap. “She’s just in the other room.”

Joey sat up and slid closer to Michelle. “You want to. I know you do. And she’s going to be okay. I promise. We won’t ever let anything happen to her.” Then she reached out and caressed Michelle’s breast. The nipple stiffened and Michelle gave a little gasp. It had been a long time since anyone had touched her.

Then Joey pinched the nipple hard, and Michelle felt herself getting wet. She would never have admitted it to anyone, but when Joey got rough it excited her.

“C’mon,” Joey said, standing and holding out her hand. Michelle took it and let Joey lead her into the bedroom, and then closed the door behind them.

Joey pushed Michelle onto the bed and slid her hand up Michelle’s leg. Michelle felt another wave of desire, then guilt.

“We shouldn’t,” she said weakly. But it felt so good and it had been so very, very long. “Adesina’s in the other room.”

Joey lifted Michelle’s T-shirt and began licking her stomach, slowly teasing upward with her tongue until she got to Michelle’s breasts where she lingered, alternately stroking and slapping the nipples.

Michelle was trembling, and she felt an electric shock slide through her. Something had been lurking inside her and she didn’t want to face it. Didn’t want to deal with the need.

“I want you and I can tell you want me.” She clenched her legs tightly and rolled them both on their side, and then yanked Michelle’s sweatpants down. Michelle was afraid of Joey. Afraid of how Joey made her feel. And afraid that this had been what she’d wanted for a very long time. And then she was dizzy.