It was late evening, and Section’s cafeteria was deserted, save for a few operatives and the three women gathered around a table in a corner of the large room.

“I’m nervous.” Gail admitted. “She’s going to get suspicious soon.”

“Yeah,” agreed Maggie, a tall, willowy redhead. “I sort of feel like we’re using her.”

“I think this time should be the last.” Sonia, a small, dark-haired beauty assured them. “Besides, we really do like her. If we didn’t, what we’re doing would be much worse.”

They all murmured in agreement, then straightened when Nikita entered the room. Waving her over, they smiled genuinely at the gorgeous blond as she weaved her way towards them through the maze of tables.

Despite the increasing comfort she was beginning to feel in the presence of the three women watching her, Nikita still wondered why they had sought her out as a friend. She really wasn’t the type to sit around gabbing about men, clothes, and the latest gossip, but she had found herself doing just that with Gail, Maggie, and Sonia for the past two weeks. She supposed she should be grateful that they thought enough of her to include her in their little group, given that she hadn’t really been friendly and approachable lately.

Still, she was a somewhat wary. Nikita had always related better to men then women. And after the debacle with Carla, she really didn’t trust females all that much. Besides, in the past, any woman she had been fool enough to befriend had managed to wrangle their way into Michael’s bed, or he into theirs. She was not going to go there again.

“That is a gorgeous dress!” Maggie enthused as she took in the backless, crimson sheath Nikita wore. “I couldn’t wear that.”

“Yes you could.” Nikita sat next to Gail as she glanced at Maggie’s graceful form.

“I mean, I couldn’t get up the nerve to wear it.”

Nikita shrugged as she looked at the large square box in the center of the table. “What’s this?”

“I brought a chocolate fudge cheesecake.” Sonia started passing around paper plates and forks. “So how have you been?”

“I’m cool.” Nikita eyed the huge chunk of cheesecake Sonia placed on her plate with appreciation.

“Uh, I heard Madeline and Operations were harassing you and Michael about your relationship.” Gail examined Nikita’s profile.

Nikita shoved a large bite of the cheesecake in her mouth before answering. “Nothing we can’t handle.”

Sonia sighed dramatically. “It must be wonderful to have a man like Michael risking everything to be with you.”

Nikita snorted, but remained silent as she devoured her dessert. Why did these conversations always end up about Michael? Did they really think they were being subtle? Their chats would always start out about inane subjects and then one of them would gently shift it to Michael. Either one or all of them would blush and make light-hearted jokes about the men they were intimately involved with and then begin describing sexual acts that, Nikita was ashamed to admit, caused her to become aroused. Inevitably, she would make some sort of excuse and cut their impromptu tea parties short, then head like a heat-seeking missile towards Michael’s office.

She nearly blushed in remembrance of the last time she’d done so, just two days ago. Michael had been baffled by her suddenly insatiable sex drive and her inability to wait until they were at home. But, despite his half-hearted protests, he had left the office with a bemused, satisfied grin on his face and a slight hitch in his sexy stride.

Nikita was going to have to deck either Sonia or Maggie. She was beginning to think Michael was going to end up being propositioned by one of them. She wasn’t worried about Gail. She wouldn’t dare and she was too infatuated with Birkoff to be interested in Michael.

But why were Maggie and Sonia interested? Maggie had been dating a Level Three op for the past year, and Sonia had just started sneaking around with Davenport. Therefore, the amount of time they spent gushing over Michael’s rumored prowess in the art of seduction was beginning to confuse and irritate her.

“He must be so thoughtful and attentive.” Maggie added dreamily.

“Ooohh, and that accent!” Gail gushed, right on cue. “How do you stand it, Nikita?”

Rolling her eyes, Nikita speared another bite of cheesecake. “God, I really don’t know.”

“Come on, really, Nikita.” Sonia leaned forward, whispering for effect. “His ass is so beautiful.”

“Yup, and it’s my beautiful ass.” Nikita sat back, eyes narrowed.

Sonia looked flustered. “I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just, you’re so lucky. Michael is soooo romantic. All Davenport does when were alone is watch sports and clean his gun.”

“Yeah, and Birky is always glued to his monitor.” Gail mewled.

“And his Oreo’s.” Sonia reminded her politely.

“Yeah.” Gail pouted. “And his Oreo’s.”

Not to be outdone, Maggie put in her two cents. “Dave just rails about all the injustices we fight in the world and the shitty compensation we get for it.”

“Your man actually says ‘shitty’?” Sonia grimaced.

Nikita shook her head in disbelief. “You three are pitiful.”

“That’s easy for you to say. You’re sleeping with a god.”

“What makes you think Michael is any different from other men?” Nikita tried to deflate their overblown image of her man.

When she had first met him, she had put him on a romantic-hero pedestal too. She’d been so goofy and naïve then. But she hadn’t had much contact with dark, dangerously handsome men before she’d come to Section, so her goofiness could be excused. Now that she was intimately involved with him, she found he was just as normal as other men were.

“Michael’s so classy, so elegant, and he’s French.” Gail emitted one of those annoying sighs again.

“Jeez, Gail, we are in Paris. There are plenty of good-looking French men running around. Michael can be just as boring as any other male.”

“What do you mean?” Maggie asked curiously.

“He leaves the toilet seat up, he spends most of his time profiling missions, and he always wants to be on top.”

“Nikita, quit trying to make us feel better.”

“I’m not.” She shook her head emphatically. “He’s always right, he’s always bitching about me not trusting him, and he’s way too jealous.”

“Well, that’s a good thing, isn’t it?” Gail put in encouragingly, slanting Sonia a disconcerted look.

“Please. It was cute at first, but after awhile, it starts getting old. I can’t even talk to Fric – or Frac – whatever, you know, the torture guy – without Michael thinking he wants to jump my bones,” Nikita said, becoming agitated.

Sonia was astonished. “You actually talk to him?”

Maggie shook her head at Sonia and shoved another piece of cheesecake at Nikita. “I’m sure he doesn’t mean to be that way. He probably worships the ground you walk on.”

Pushing a forkful in her mouth, Nikita mumbled. “Yeah, when he’s horny. Other than that, he’s always riding me. Uh, you know what I mean.”

“About what?”

“Oh, he complains when I drink out of the milk carton. Says I should wear underwear beneath my clothes. Bitches about me always wanting to be on top.”

The three women watched as she finished another huge hunk of the cheesecake, then chased it down with a cup of coffee.

“But he’s definitely a great lover, isn’t he?” Gail pressed.

“His fingers are so long and masculine.” Sonia lowered her voice seductively. “I’ll bet he works magic with those fingers.”

Nikita tilted her head as she thought about all the lovely places Michael had put his fingers. Her skin tingled a little and she flushed slightly. “Mmm, yeah, he has nice hands.”

“And his mouth.” Maggie added. “Full and hard.”

Nikita’s finger ran lightly down her neck to the swell of her breasts, the exact path Michael’s mouth had wandered down last night. “Mmm, yeah, he has a great mouth.”

Sonia grinned. “I bet he’s good at kissing, especially tongue kissing.”

Reluctantly, Nikita’s mind conjured up images—Michael’s tongue swirling around her rosy peak, Michael’s tongue dipping inside her navel. Her nipples begin to harden and she crossed her arms over her breasts.

“He’s…alright.” Her voice wavered slightly.

“Leaves no spot untouched, does he?” Maggie taunted softly.

More images. Michael parting thighs, his head dipping between them.

“Uh, yeah, sure.” Nikita murmured, jiggling her legs.

“Does he speak French when he’s…”

Je’taime. Si bon. Merci. Mon couer.

“I have to go!” Nikita bolted to her feet.

“So soon?” Sonia’s brow rose, a knowing smile on her face.

“I forgot – to do something. I was supposed to do it earlier, but I forgot. I just remembered. Now.” Nikita babbled.

Gail lowered her head and giggled quietly.

“Thanks for the cheesecake.” Nikita wiped her mouth on a napkin and tossed it down on the table, her movements jerky and awkward. “We’ll have to get together again soon.” She hurried toward the door. “When I have more time. See ya.”

They sat at the table after they were sure she was gone, laughing uncontrollably, holding their aching sides, and wiping tears from their eyes.

“That was so wrong of us.” Maggie sobered slightly.

“And Madeline-like.” Sonia nodded in agreement, dabbing her eyes with a napkin.

Gail rubbed her sore cheeks. “Nikita really is sweet. This is the last time we do this to her, okay?”

“Okay.” Maggie and Sonia chimed in unison.

“Besides,” Gail quickly began cleaning up. “Birky is so shy. I doubt he’d try anything new.”

Sonia snorted, helping her. “Puh-leez. We’ve seen the Abby tape.”

Gail turned towards the little brunette and stuck out her tongue. “Puta.”

“Hey, hey!” Maggie clapped her hands. “Hurry up, we’re going to miss everything.

Like whirlwind, they tidied up the table, then raced out of the cafeteria. They slowed to a hurried stride until they arrived in the deserted computer area. Taking their usual terminal at the back of the room, Maggie and Sonia pulled chairs close as Gail sat in front of the unit and logged on.

“Write legibly this time, Maggie.” Sonia warned.

“Why me all the time?” Maggie whined.

“Because you know shorthand.” Gail reasoned.

“Does Birkoff know you can do this?”

“He’d kill me if he knew I was watching this.”

Sonia laughed. “Come off it, Gail. Birkoff’s a closet freak. Study the Abby tape.”

Gail ignored her as she tapped the final few keys and sat back. Her eyes widened as she took in the image of Michael and Nikita locked together on the floor behind his desk. “She certainly didn’t waste any time.”

Sonia scooted closer. “Ooh, this is going to be good.”

“As long as he doesn’t reach that panel.” Maggie held a pen poised above a legal pad.

“She was right about him always wanting to be on top.” Sonia commented. Then her jaw dropped slightly. “That’s new. Did you get that Maggie?”

“I’m getting it, I’m getting it!” Maggie scribbled furiously.

“My goodness, how on earth did she get her legs in that position?” Gail marveled.

“That looks uncomfortable.”

“She doesn’t seem to mind.”

“Who would?” Gail swallowed.

Maggie leaned forward. “Oh, no! He’s going for the keypad!”

“Kita, Kita, stop him!” Sonia cried out urgently.

They held their breath as Michael made a swipe at the panel, then let out a collective sigh as Nikita grabbed a handful of cinnamon hair and pulled him back down.

“Goood girrrrl, Nikita!” Sonia grinned devilishly.

“Wow, she’s really aggressive.” Maggie observed, still scribbling.

They watched silently, mesmerized, eyes fixed on the screen. Slowly, they tilted their heads simultaneously in a 45 degree angle, then straightened and tilted their heads in the opposite direction.

“Whoa!” Gail breathed. “Please tell me you wrote that down.”

“Words wouldn’t do that justice. I’m using stick figures.”

Sonia groaned. “Not the stick figures. Last time we couldn’t tell Michael’s foot from his –“

“Damn, he’s going for it again!”

“Noooooo!!!” They yelled in frustration.

All of a sudden, the screen filled with snow and three heads dropped into three pairs of hands.

“I told you to use oysters.” Gail shot a furious look at Sonia. “She would have been more aroused…kept him witless longer.”

“Chocolate’s just as good an aphrodisiac.” The little brunette raised her chin defensively.

Maggie sighed. “Oh well, at least we got some new moves.”

Gail looked sheepishly at her co-conspirators. “Should we try one more time, maybe tomorrow night?”

“I think we should quit while we’re ahead,” Maggie said decisively as she admired her notes. “Poor Michael’s going to be useless if we don’t stop. I’m going to copy this for you guys, then I’m going home to try these on Dave.”

“Madre dios, Davenport’s in Turkey.” Sonia jiggled her legs, then stood abruptly to leave. What was that saying about payback?

“Man, who knew those two could be so imaginative and kinky.” Maggie rose to follow.

Gail logged off the computer, then trotted off after her friends. “Hey, maybe I should study the Abby tape.”

THE END

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