Page 84 of Hot & Heavy

What in the name of Thor is be-bopping?

"Sly and Cage have outside duty, but you won't see them."

I have much to do. I must needs find a map in order to return to my country. The jewels have to be sold to raise funds for an army. So much planning to do. I cannot sit back and enjoy life, tempting as that might be. "How long will this go on?"

"Weeks, I would think. Starting today, there'll be little snippets about you planted in newspapers and on television. After that, it will probably take Jamal's cohorts several days to track you here. So you're relatively safe for now. We have to be cautious anyhow."

She nodded. So the danger won't come for a few more days. Hmmm.

"Geek says you want to learn to read and write. I told him to bring some materials with him. And you should rest. You didn't get much sleep last night." His voice was thick with meaning at that last.

"Why are you being so nice?"

He laughed. "I'm always nice."

"Hah! Not to me." She looked at his face, and it was impossible to miss the lack of the tension that was usually there. And she knew why. " 'Tis amazing what a little bedsport will do for a man's disposition."

He pinched her arm in a teasing manner. "You're being more agreeable yourself."

"I'm just tired."

"Liar."

She raised her eyebrows at him.

"It's amazing what a good roll in the hay will do for a woman's disposition."

He ducked then when she would have clouted him upside the head, which caused the bed linen to drop, which caused his eyes to widen, which gave her the opportunity to punch him on the arm. He laughed at such a piddly effort. She heard him still laughing when he closed the front door after himself.

Madrene found herself laughing, too, with sheer joy. This euphoria she felt now was probably temporary.

But for now, she was happy.

There was hope.

Every time men think they understand women… oops!…

Ian and those squad members not at his house joined the other team members, and a new SEAL training class, for a grueling day of physical and technical training.

They ran five miles. They went to the "Kill House" to practice breaking down doors and fighting pretend terrorists. They ran another five miles. They practiced gunmanship on the firing range. They… yep… ran another five miles. Then they went through all the obstacles on the O-course, including the climbing wall and the suicide jump. And that was before noon.

Throughout it all, he kept thinking about Maddie and the incredible night they had spent together. Crazy and irresponsible were words that came to mind to describe himself, but there were also lucky and happy. Toby Keith sang a song saying something to the effect that he wasn't talking about forever, he was just talking about tonight. In other words, no promises. I don't want just one night. He surprised himself with that thought. What did he want? Hell if I know. Just more. Lots more.

As they paraded over to the mess hall, muscles aching as usual after a workout, Pretty Boy looked at him and said, "You look different today."

He didn't answer, knowing what was going to come next.

"Yeah, he seems more… relaxed," Omar said, fighting hard to keep a straight face.

"I think he's blushing. Yep, I see a blush," JAM concurred.

"Well, hell's bells, it looks as if the good lieutenant got his ashes hauled," the usually quiet Slick said.

They all turned and looked at Ian. At first with disbelief… which he considered insulting, then with mischief.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said and walked faster to avoid further conversation on that subject.

But they were not going to drop the subject. No way! He wouldn't have, either.