cidra blinked. she had just finished the last of her third mug of ale. "who's back?"

"the love of your life."

"oh, him." eyes narrowed to help her concentrate, cidra looked around and saw severance starting toward her down an aisle of tables. she smiled wistfully. "isn't he wonderful, desma?"

"he's interesting, i'll say that for him."

cidra's smile congealed into a frown as severance reached the table. she glared up at him. "you're late," she announced.

severance tilted his head to one side, studying her as he let the pack slide to the floor. "you're drunk."

"i have been drowning my sorrows. ask desma."

severance slid a grim glance at desma. "how the hell did she get into this condition?"

"i did it all by myself," cidra answered.

"i can see that. why is it that every time i leave you on your own you get into trouble?"

"i'm not in any trouble. you're the one in trouble. did you give those sensors away to exce1lex?"

severance leaned down, planting his hands on the table, to confront her. his eyes were glittering with a mixture of masculine irritation, desire, and possessiveness. "no, i did not give the sensors to excellex."

"did you get full credit on delivery?" she demanded.

"yes, otanna rainforest, i did. satisfied?"

"no. you should have gotten hazardous duty credit on top of the agreed-upon fee."

"i got a contract for another shipment instead. does that please you?"

cidra's severe expression changed back into a warm, approving smile. "oh, severance, that's wonderful."

"thank you." he looked at desma, who was smiling. "how much has she had?"

. "three mugs. holding it very well, i might add."

"she's spaced out of her little mind."

"she's been waiting for you," desma said simply. "today she started worrying that you wouldn't return until after she left."

"she should have known better. that's no excuse-"

"i," cidra interrupted grandly, "don't need any excuses. i am a financially independent woman who can do as she likes."

"too much education and too much money. it's a bad combination in a woman." severance straightened. "are you ready to leave, cidra?"

"yes, please. where are we going?"

"someplace where there's a bed." he reached down to take her arm.

"you need more than a bed, severance. you need a shower." desma grinned up at him. "why don't you take her back to my place? i won't be home for a while yet. you're welcome to spend the night. fred's waiting there too."

"i appreciate the offer, desma. i'll take you up on it." he started to tug cidra out of her chair.

"now wait just one spaced second." cidra lifted her chin. "i have decided that this relationship of ours is based entirely too much on bed. it's too physically oriented. we need to talk. we need to explore the intellectual side of this whole thing. then we need to discuss the business aspects of it. you'd better sit down, teague severance. we have a lot to discuss."

severance regarded her politely. "the thing is, cidra, you're not in any condition to carry on an intellectual analysis of our relationship. you're spaced, otanna rainforest. drunk as a renegade on a bonus spree."

"oh. how interesting. i hadn't realized."

"it's all right," he assured her, hauling her to her feet. "just leave everything to me. i'll handle it." he scooped her up and slung her easily over one shoulder. cidra's yellow-gold gown swirled around his stained shirt.

cidra examined the floor from her upside-down position. then she steadied herself by grasping his utility loop. she smiled reassuringly at desma. "it's all right. he always handles things. pilot in command, you know."

"i understand," desma said gently. "good night, cidra."

"good night, desma."

desma spoke to severance. "the door's keyed to cidra's voiceprint."

"all i have to worry about is getting her to say something coherent when we get to your place. see you in the morning, desma. and thanks."

severance clamped one hand firmly around cidra's thighs, plucked the travel pack off the floor, and started toward the door. he ignored the interested attention of the tavern crowd. he was out on the street, striding toward desma's before he realized that cidra was humming contentedly.

"i didn't know you were musical," he growled.

"i can do a great many things. excellent education."

"i'm going to put you in a bed and let you show me what you do best."

"you don't think we're placing too much emphasis on the physical side of this relationship?" cidra asked with both whimsy and worry.

"i think," severance told her, "that memories of you wrapped around me are all i'm going to have to keep me warm for a long time."

cidra sighed. "you shouldn't send me away, severance."

"i have to send you away."

"i know. i've thought it all out i know you have to do it. but i'm scared, severance."

"so am i."

cidra lapsed into silence for the remainder of the trip. when severance stopped at desma's door, she obediently said her name into the voicelock and then felt herself being carried into the house. severance walked into the bedroom she had been using and stood cidra carefully on her feet. she circled his neck with her arms and smiled wistfully up at him.

"i've missed you."

"not half as much as i've missed you." he pulled her close, feeling her gown whip lightly around his legs as he did so. she lifted her face for his kiss, and he took her mourn with a hunger he knew he would be feeling frequently during the days and nights to come. for a long moment he simply helped himself to the promise of her, drinking deeply of the nectar that was waiting. she melted against him the way he had remembered, and severance wondered how he would last without her during the long time ahead. the thought that she might not be waiting when the ordeal was over filled him with a dangerous tension. he realized abruptly that his kiss was growing rough and heavy. she was such a soft little creature.