Page 92 of Hot & Heavy

He growled.

Cage stood and laughed as he said, "You two are so suited it's eerie."

Gotcha!…

It was two a.m., and Ian was still unable to fall asleep.

He sprawled out on his back, his favorite position. Didn't work. Tried one side, then the other. Nada.

Even face down proved fruitless.

Maybe he should let Sam sleep in the bed again, like she used to, instead of being banished to the living-room sofa. Maybe he slept better before because he'd been lulled by the rhythm of her cat breathing.

Nah!

He attributed his insomnia to stress over this mission. He'd never been so personally involved in an assignment before. Or it could be the infuriating, tempting woman who lay on the other side of the bed, about a mile away.

It was pitch-black in the room, but he could picture her over there. The image of her naked body was imprinted on his brain forever. Wonder if she's sleeping nude, like she did that first night. I like to think so. No, I don't. Who am I kidding? Shit! Disgusted with himself, and his lack of sleep, he rolled over one more time.

"Ian," she said softly.

He froze. "What?" he barked. He hadn't meant to be so gruff; it just came out that way.

"I hear you moving. What are you doing over there?"

Great! Now we're going to chit-chat. Next she'll ask me what I'm thinking. "Guess."

She made a small sound of surprise. "Pleasuring yourself?"

Oh, my God! I didn't mean that. "Yeah." That ought to shut her up.

There was a loud silence before Maddie said, "Me, too."

This I gotta see. Ian sat up and turned on the bedside lamp.

She was lying on her side facing him, both hands folded under her cheek, prayer style. And there was a big ol' smirk on her face.

Ian got out of bed and stomped into the bathroom. He was going to take a long, cold shower.

Beware of women with plans…

Madrene had an unexpected visitor the next day. There were not supposed to be any visitors, especially ones who had to knock before coming in. Cage was her inside guard today, and he immediately took out his piss-toll and checked it over. Then, pistol in hand, he picked up an ear piece which somehow connected him to the outside seals. After a short conversation, he put the gun down and told her, "It's okay."

Cage opened the door and said, "Admiral, we didn't expect you. Ian's not here."

"I know he's not here. I came to see his wife."

"No shit? I mean, absolutely, Admiral, sir."

Me? Why me? Madrene looked at the dignified gentleman who walked into the living room where they were sitting. He was dressed all in white, with short-clipped gray hair. There were many colored brooches on his chest and shoulders. She did not need to be told he must be an important military man.

Cage led the man in and said, "Admiral, this is Maddie Olgadottir… I mean, Maddie MacLean… oh, hell, I don't know what I mean."

Turning to her, his face beet red, Cage said, "Maddie, this is Admiral Thomas MacLean. Ian's father."

She was shocked.

He reached out a hand to shake hers. It was the custom in this country to greet each other by shaking hands.