The weather was nice—in the mid seventies—so Lauren decided to walk. By the time she got to the Sweet Spot and let herself in, she was almost regretting the decision. Even in the so called “winter” the humidity in Florida was nothing to sneeze at and she was overheated from her short trek from the condo to the shop. Since it was still fairly early in the morning, the Circle was mostly deserted with only a few shops occupied by their respective salespeople. Despite herself, Lauren shivered as she let herself into the darkened building. It was too much like the day she’d been abducted by the AllFather for her liking. Maybe she shouldn’t have left Xairn behind, after all. But if she’d let him come with her, the day would have been one long endless stretch of sexual frustration for both of them, and Lauren needed a breather from all that tension. Get over it, girl, she told herself sternly. Just do what you have to do. This shop isn’t going to run itself. To prove to herself that she wasn’t afraid and everything was all right, she went straight to the employee bathroom.
